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India: No unilateral action against Syria Modi as PM candidate
India in touch with Afghanistan over writer’s killing
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Amitabh to inaugurate 19th Kolkata film festival
Somnath, others flay Bhagwati’s remarks against Amartya
Jalandhar-Delhi highway
New weapons, innovations shore up defences along LoC
BSF men with Italian Beretta CX-4 carbine (left) and Israeli X-95 assault rifle at the LoC. Tribune photo: Anand Sharma
Eminent persons advocate panel to vet textbooks
Surrender on Sep 17, HC tells OP Chautala
Chinese incursions Hyderabad braces for bitter face-off today
LS nod to Bill to protect rights of urban street vendors
Jail-break serial rapist Jaishankar arrested
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India: No unilateral action against Syria
St Petersburg, September 6 Planning Commission Deputy Chairperson Montek Singh Ahluwalia said that it was also the PM’s view that the world community should wait for the report of the UN inspectors on the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria. The PM also told his fellow G20 leaders that India condemns the use of chemical weapons whether in Syria or anywhere in the world, Ahluwalia, who was present at the dinner meeting, told reporters here. Singh also told the leaders that one needs to be certain what has happened in Syria even if there is some probability of use of chemical weapons. Syrian Opposition and the West have accused President Bashar
Al-Assad’s forces of using chemical weapons on August 21 in a Damascus suburb, a charge denied by the government. Ahluwalia said the indication given by the PM was that one should wait for the report of the UN team of inspectors. The PM made it clear that whatever action is required in Syria should be under the auspices of the UN and not outside its framework. According to
Ahluwalia, who is the ‘Sherpa’ for India at the summit, the PM also said that India was not in favour of armed action aimed at any regime change as this would be violation of international law. The meeting was also told that the UN Security Council should authorise the action if it is necessary. UN Secretary General Ban
Ki-Moon briefed the G20 leaders on the current efforts by the UN inspectors who are operating in “difficult circumstances.” Ahluwalia said the indications given by Ban was that the report by the UN team is expected to come out sooner or later. The US President is under pressure to decide against launching military strikes in Syria, which many G20 leaders fear would hurt the global economy and push up oil prices. G20 leaders remain divided over the Syrian conflict as they entered the second and final day of the summit. According to Italian Premier Enrico
Letta, the splits were confirmed during the working dinner. In a tweet, he said that “the G20 has just now finished the dinner session, at which the divisions about Syria were confirmed”. A spokesman for the Russian presidency said a US strike on Syria would “drive another nail into the coffin of international law”. With the US looking increasingly isolated over Syria, Putin has made no secret of his opposition to US military intervention. Putin this week said any military strikes without UN approval would be “an aggression”. From China to the EU to the Vatican, the message is clear: there can be no military solution to the Syrian crisis. President Putin’s spokesman is reported to have suggested the G20 is “split down the middle” over Syria. Referring to Ban’s presentation before the G20 leaders, Ahluwalia said “virtually everybody” in the room appreciated and applauded his views. Ban promised the leaders that within the next few days, scientific evidence of whether or not chemical weapons were used will be provided. — PTI
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Divisions in BJP, RSS deepen over timing of announcement
Vibha Sharma/TNS
New Delhi, September 6 The BJP’s top brass is expected to meet top leaders of the RSS this weekend to resolve some of those and perhaps also build a consensus on the issue. While earlier it was being anticipated that the big announcement could be expected somewhere around or on September 17 -- Modi’s birthday -- some new developments indicate that the September plan may not fructify. Apparently, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan — Modi’s potential rival who is also aspiring to win the state for the third consecutive time this year — has sounded a The second development is Gujarat top cop DG Vanzara’s letter bomb against Modi and his key aide Amit Shah and expectations of more such attacks. Supporting Modi, Singh told a meeting of the party's IT cell, “Narendra Modi is a very popular CM and he is being attacked...these attacks have increased after he was chosen election campaign committee chief and we fear more such attacks in the future”. “We are standing strong and need to be conscious of this,” he added as a message perhaps to those who are opposing Modi’s candidature on this very ground. Though Rajnath Singh is completely backing Modi, sources say senior leaders LK Advani and Sushma Swaraj sounded warning bells to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat last evening quoting this as a reason while proposing a delay in announcement till after the Assembly polls in Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Leaders in the know of the meeting say it was “fruitful”. Another issue facing the RSS is that while Modi’s opposers wants a rethink, Rajasthan leaders, on the other hand, want his name to be announced as soon as possible to make the most of a perceived “pro-Modi” wave in the state. The RSS-BJP meetings are expected to take a stock of all these issues vis-a-vis the coming state elections. Also, the RSS wants to avoid any Goa-type embarrassment after Modi’s name is announced. Sources say Chouhan will also be attending the meetings on September 9. Modi too is expected to be part of the deliberations. A lot is being read into Gujarat Chief Minister’s yesterday’s statement that he had never hankered after the top post. However, time appears to be running out for Modi as far as September is concerned. According to the Hindu calendar, the pitra paksha, beginning on September 19 and ending on October 4, is the period during which Hindus perform rites for departed ancestors and traditionally do not carry out any auspicious ceremonies like marriage. There are other considerations as well. While the RSS and the pro-Modi camp believe that declaration of the Gujarat CM’s name as the PM candidate would shore up additional support for the party, a contrary viewpoint is that in case something goes wrong in any of these key states, the entire blame would fall on Modi, thus spoiling his chances and credibility for the General Election.
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India in touch with Afghanistan over writer’s killing
New Delhi/Kolkata, Sept 6 While New Delhi pursued the matter with Kabul, the fatal shooting of Banerjee, whose best selling book detailed the horrors she endured during the Taliban rule in Afghanistan, has left the literati in West Bengal shocked and disturbed. “We are already in touch and contact,” External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid told mediapersons outside Parliament. He called the murder “very, very distressing”. Khurshid said India and Afghanistan have “one single point of view” on women’s issues and were committed “to fight this kind of inhuman treatment, particularly of women”. Gopal Banerjee, the author’s younger brother, said in Kolkata they would move a request to the External Affairs Ministry to recover her body and “have it sent back to us”. — IANS
Taliban denies hand
KABUL: The Taliban on Friday denied shooting dead Indian writer Sushmita Banerjee. "We reject claims that mujahideen were involved in the killing of the Indian woman. It is a propaganda by government officials to defame the mujahideen," said Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid. — AFP
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Somnath, others flay Bhagwati’s remarks against Amartya
New Delhi, September 6 In a statement here, former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, noted journalist N Ram and economists Sudhir Anand and AK Shiva Kumar, who is also a member of the National Advisory Council, said Bhagwati’s charge that Sen appointed himself the Chancellor of Nalanda University was “patently false”. “Amartya Sen was requested by then President Pratibha Patil to undertake the role of Chancellor without remunerations, which he did because of his commitment to the vision of Nalanda University, an invaluable intellectual heritage of India, indeed for the world,” they said. They also attacked Bhagwati for his claim that Sen asked for and accepted a million dollar from then BJP Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha for his new NGO, whereas Bhagwati himself had not asked for a rupee or received any financing from the BJP. The four intellectuals said it was also incorrect to say that Sen gratuitously attacked Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. He spoke about Modi in response only to pointed questions in a television interview. “Surely in a democracy, Sen has a right to his views and a right to reply truthfully in a media interview...presenting untrue statements in support of false accusations vitiates the practice of democracy,” the statement added.
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Poor road: Toll collection to be suspended
Sarbjit Dhaliwal/TNS
Chandigarh, September 6 The reason: The condition of the highway, which happens to be one of the busiest highways in the country, is far from satisfactory. The highway is replete with potholes at many places and one has to negotiate diversions at several places while travelling from Jalandhar to Delhi. The toll collection on the highway was expected to be around Rs 315 crore this fiscal year as against Rs 290 crore collected last year. Toll rates were reportedly hiked recently. “We are prepared to serve a notice on the developer of this highway regarding the suspension of toll collection,” said Satish Chandra, Member (Finance), NHAI. He said the NHAI had been flooded with complaints regarding the poor condition of this highway and there was no alternative except to suspend the collection of toll to provide relief to travellers. Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari met Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Oscar Fernandes yesterday and said though the work on the highway remained suspended for about a year, the toll had been hiked. As a large number of people, including top politicians, have objected against the raising of toll rates before the completion of the six-laning of the highway, the Road Transport and Highways Ministry has also decided to make significant changes in the toll-levying and collection policy. There are separate policy frameworks for four-lane and six-lane highways. In case of four-lane highways, the toll cannot be charged before the completion of the work on the entire stretch of the road. However, when the four-lane highway is expanded to six lanes, the developer can start collecting the enhanced toll immediately after starting the expansion work. Under the new policy, the Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry has reportedly proposed to reduce the toll to 70 per cent of what was collected for travelling on the four-lane road.
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New weapons, innovations shore up defences along LoC
Along the Line of Control, September 6 The BSF is in the process of replacing the vintage 9mm Sterling carbine, a British origin weapon dating back to 1944, with the Italian Beretta CX-4 Storm carbine of the same caliber. Supplementing the Storm is the Israeli X-95 5.56 mm assault rifle, a compact weapon designed for the special forces. Both the new weapons are of modular design with light-weight fibre bodies, advanced optics and higher cyclic rate of fire. The X-95 is a version of the Tavor 21 used by the Army’s special forces’ units and has holographic sights, which makes acquisition of targets much faster and more accurate. Besides accuracy, these are also easier to maintain and operate and less susceptible to jamming. “While all Sterling carbines are being replaced with the Storm and would be issued at the section level, the X-95 is being issued to select troops in a battalion,” a BSF officer said. “Troops will be able to lay down greater volume of fire than with weapons such as the INSAS rifle, which would be a tactical advantage in a counter-assault situation,” he added. A section comprises 10 men. Over 34,000 Storms had been ordered by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the BSF began inducting them some months ago. As forward posts on the LoC come under regular fire, local commanders have come up with several measures to beef up defences and to provide early warning about intruders. While thermal and electronic surveillance equipment has been in place for some time, a large number of high-resolution close circuit TV cameras are now being installed at forward defended locations (FDL), which would send their feed to a central controller giving him the picture in the vicinity on the FDL. Over the past few weeks, the BSF has procured thousands of small jingle bells that have been strung across fences and trip wires to provide a warning if disturbed. There are also a couple of other measures employed to detect movement, which BSF officers are tight-lipped about. At the headquarters, BSF troops work day and night designing and fabricating structures and other obstacles that are then installed at the frontline under cover of darkness. Welding equipment, power steel cutters and a host of paraphernalia has been procured for the purpose.
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Eminent persons advocate panel to vet textbooks
New Delhi, September 6 In a joint statement, 24 eminent persons said distortions of fact, interpretation and emphasis have crept into certain history and social science textbooks in Karnataka and other states that contain elements of “saffronisation” and “valorisation” of specific regional heroes, ethnic identities and faith-based communities in a manner that does not do justice to, or even denigrates, others. “This has happened in Maharashtra, Punjab and elsewhere, as cited by the CABE Committee of 2005 on non-governmental textbooks taught in private schools, chaired by Prof Zoya Hasan. Such texts detract from our fraternal, secular, plural, inclusive and democratic ideals and tend to introduce biases in young and impressionable minds,” the statement said. They said in order to avoid such “distortions and chaotic organisation” of information, a commission should be set up having three members for each important discipline. It should have the right to vet textbooks and ask for removal of passages not coming up to standards. The panel could also provide a “useful institutional filter given the growing trend towards competitive, identity-based, vote-bank politics that derides and erodes the very Idea of India”, the statement. The signatories include historian Romila Thapar, Zoya Hasan, Jayati Ghosh, Mushirul Hasan, Krishna Kumar, Achin Vinayak, former Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, former Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi,
former Cabinet Secretary Naresh Chandra, former Karnataka Minister BK Chandrashekar, UC Anantha Murthy, Girish Karnad and former Editors N Ram and BG Verghese, Dileep
Padgoankar.
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Surrender on Sep 17, HC tells OP Chautala
New Delhi, September 6 Chautala is serving a 10-year sentence for committing irregularities in the appointment of 3,032 junior basic trained (JBT) teachers in 1999-2000 when he was the CM. He is on bail since May 21 when he was allowed by the HC to have a pacemaker implanted on his heart. “In my view, no further hospitalisation is required. I don’t see any ground for extension of his interim bail. Accordingly, the application is dismissed,” Justice Siddharth Mridul held. The HC refused to extend the bail period on the basis of a report filed by a medical board of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) set up at the instance of the court. The report said Chautala no longer required hospitalisation and his health problems could be taken care of by giving him regular medical attention at the out-patient department. At present, Chautala is undergoing rehabilitation and physiotherapy, which the board said, could be continued without hospitalisation. A CBI court here sentenced him and his son, Ajay, to 10-year imprisonment in the case on January 22, 2013 following which they were lodged in Tihar jail. Chautala has challenged the verdict in the HC, contending that the false and fictitious case had political overtones and his continued incarceration would be against the interest of justice. In all, the CBI court had convicted and sentenced 55 accused in the case. Among the main accused sentenced to 10 years are Vidya Dhar, the then Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Chautala, and Sher Singh Badshami, the then political advisor to the CM and a sitting MLA at present.
JBT scam
* OP Chautala is serving a 10-year sentence for committing irregularities in the appointment of 3,032 JBT teachers in 1999-2000 *
He was the CM at that time * The INLD leader is on bail since May 21 *
He was allowed by the HC to have a pacemaker implanted on his heart
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Arunachal MPs seek PM’s help
Tribune News Service
Guwahati, September 6 The latest infiltration by the Chinese troops took place in the Chaglagam sector of Arunachal Pradesh. Voicing their concern over China’s alleged aggressive moves along the Indo-China border, including frequent cross-border incursions in the Arunachal sector, the three MPs-Ninong Ering, Takam Sanjoy and Mukut Mithi-suggested three immediate steps to secure the 1,080-km-long Arunachal border to thwart transgressions by Chinese troops. They called for review and setting deadlines for all ongoing surface connectivity projects along the India-China border in the hill state, particularly in the Chaglagam sector, to ensure proper defence preparedness. They also suggested that the PMO should constitute a committee to study the problems of villagers residing in border areas and suggest ways and means to provide basic amenities to them so as to prevent migration of these villagers from their traditional habitat. The MPs requested the PM to facilitate proper supply lines to forward posts of defence forces as it was difficult for the state government in Arunachal Pradesh to do the same because of paucity of resources. The three MPs said, “Arunachal Pradesh is in a disadvantageous position in relation to China as the Arunachal side of Himalayas is marked with high hills, deep gorges, and dense forests and is largely uninhabited, contrary to the Tibet side, which is a plateau.” They said the population of Arunachal was only 2.85 per cent of the total population of all Northeastern states, whereas its geographical area was 32.83 per cent of that of the entire Northeastern region. “While we share the developmental concerns and priorities of the rest of the nation, the requirements of the state (Arunachal Pradesh) which are unique on account of its strategic location, limited availability of resources and very low baseline of development need to be met through special treatment on priority for developing physical and social infrastructure in border areas,” they added.
The suggestions
* MPs Ninong Ering, Takam Sanjoy and Mukut Mithi have suggested three steps to secure the 1,080-km-long Arunachal border against Chinese aggression *
They called for setting deadlines for all ongoing surface connectivity projects along the India-China border in the hill state, particularly in the Chaglagam sector *
They said the PMO should constitute a committee to resolve problems of villagers residing in border areas so as to prevent their migration *
They said the Centre should maintain proper supply lines to forward defence posts as it was difficult to do for the Arunachal government because of fund crunch
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Hyderabad braces for bitter face-off today
Hyderabad, September 6 The AP Non-Gazetted Officers Association (APNGOs), fighting for keeping the state united, is organising a ‘Save Andhra Pradesh’ meeting here tomorrow which is expected to see a large mobilisation of employees from across the state. On its part, the Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC) has vowed to stall the meeting and called for a 24-hour shutdown in Telangana region including the state capital. As a result, there are worries over the possibility of a violent face-off with leaders from both sides of the regional divide making provocative statements. The Telangana Students’ JAC also called for shutdown of all educational institutions in the city and the surrounding areas. Anticipating trouble, the police have tightened the security arrangements at all entry points into the city and also near LB Stadium, the venue of the meeting. The pro-Telangana organisations have been denied permission to take out a peace rally based on the previous experience of violence, the City Police Commissioner Anurag Sharma said. The Prohibitory orders have been imposed in the city and heavy forces, including 45 platoons of AP Special Police (APSP) and 11 companies of paramilitary forces, have been deployed. The employees from Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra region, jointly referred as Seemandhra, are opposing bifurcation of the state, saying it would hit them badly. “The meeting is intended to make an appeal to the Centre to keep the state united and it is not against the people of Telangana,” the APNGOs Association President P Asok Babu said. Over 50,000 employees from across the state are expected to attend the meeting. However, the TJAC, comprising pro-Telangana political parties and social organisations, alleged that the state government was openly encouraging the activities of anti-bifurcation activists. “The Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy whose opposition to the formation of Telangana state is well known is showing blatant discrimination,” alleged TJAC Chairman Prof M Kodandaram. The TJAC and other pro-Telangana organisations have threatened to block all national highways leading to Hyderabad from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions during the shutdown period. The bitter face-off comes in the backdrop of continued agitation rocking Seemandhra ever since the UPA announced its decision to carve out Telangana state, comprising ten out of the total 23 districts, with Hyderabad being the common capital for a period of ten years before becoming the permanent capital of
Telangana.
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LS nod to Bill to protect rights of urban street vendors New Delhi, September 6 The Lok Sabha today passed the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill, 2012 with support coming in from across political parties. Replying to the debate, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Minister Girija Vyas said that, at present, around 2 per cent of the population is involved in street vending activity and this figure was likely to reach 2.5 per cent in a few years. She said that the proposed legislation would allow them to earn their livelihood without fear. The Bill provides for security and protection of livelihood to all street vendors having a vending certificate which will be issued by the Town Vending Committee. Vyas said the police and other authorities cannot remove a street vendor who has the certificate. Those markets which have been functional for more than 50 years will be considered natural markets and vendors located there would be protected, she said. The Bill provides for protection of livelihoods rights, social security of street vendors and regulation of urban street vending in the country. Vyas said street vending was not only a source of self-employment to the poor in cities but also a means to provide affordable as well as convenient services to a majority of the urban population, especially the common man.
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Jail-break serial rapist Jaishankar arrested Bangalore, September 6 Bangalore city police commissioner Raghavendra Auradkar told reporters that Jaishankar was arrested at around 12:30 in the afternoon. “We set a trap for him and he walked into it,” Auradkar said. Auradkar said they minutely studied Jaishankar’s life as a criminal and also took inputs from prison officials who have been watching him for the past two years that he has been incarcerated there. “We made a shortlist of people who he could contact. We took help of technology also but I cannot disclose all the details since this will alert other criminals,” Auradkar said.
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St Petersburg, September 6
New Delhi/Kolkata, Sept 6 
While new generation weapons are replacing the Border Security Force’s
(BSF) vintage armoury and enhancing firepower available to the foot soldier, a host of innovations and improvisations is the order of the day to beef up defences along the Line of Control
(LoC) in the wake of heavy ceasefire violations and increasing attempts by Pakistan’s Border Action Teams
(BATs) to target Indian forces.
The Syrian issue dominated a long dinner meeting of G20 leaders, including
Obama, last night hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin at the end of the first day’s deliberations during which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made an intervention.