The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Hindutva poster boy takes Centre stage

New Delhi, September 13
Narendra Modi’s anointment as BJP’s prime ministerial nominee catapults to the national scene the Hindutva poster boy who is seen by his critics as a “polarising” and “divisive” figure after the 2002 Gujarat riots.

A three-time Chief Minister, Modi, a former RSS pracharak (preacher) who will turn 63 on September 17, has battled all odds and stiff opposition from within the party to emerge as the face of BJP for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Who said what
Modi is a capable leader and has done remarkable development work in Gujarat. He has a strong public appeal and proven track record…. People of the country are eager to topple the directionless UPA government — Sukhbir Singh Badal, SAD president
Nectar has come out of the 'samudra manthan' (churning of the sea)... The decision was expected and that is the mood of the people too — Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena chief
Once Narendra Modi released Amit Shah in UP you saw the trailer of things to come. Jats and Muslims of UP have always been like brothers. Today they stand divided. All this happened with the advent of Amit Shah in UP. This is just the trailer. The film is yet to roll — Renuka Choudhary, Congress spokesperson
I congratulate Narendra Modi on being nominated as party's PM candidate. His dynamic leadership will ensure astounding victory for us… The leadership of Modi shall take India to great heights which this nation and our citizens deserve — Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Madhya Pradesh CM
Namo (Modi) is BJP's chokha maal (best product)… The party has put him before the nation, whether people like him or not, time will tell — Murli Manohar Joshi, BJP leader

By declaring him as its candidate, the BJP, backed by the RSS, pipped party veteran LK Advani and long-time aspirant for the top post. In fact, Advani, once Modi’s mentor, strongly opposed the projection of the Gujarat strongman.

Modi, who was a low-profile BJP office-bearer till he was made the Chief Minister of Gujarat to replace Keshubhai Patel in October 2001, controversially came into limelight in the wake of the 2002 riots triggered after 59 kar sewaks were killed in Sabarmati Express fire on February 27.

Modi was accused of inaction during the riots in which around 1,000 people were killed, most of them Muslims, and is finding it difficult to shed the taint.

The then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had reminded him of his “raj dharma” but Advani and Pramod Mahajan helped Modi survive as the Chief Minister.

The blot still haunts him, with critics calling him a “polarizing” and “divisive” Hindutva hardliner under whose rule Muslims would not be safe.

Modi has also been under sustained attack over alleged fake encounters and his close aide Amit Shah is under a cloud in a few of these.

Notwithstanding difficulties on these counts, Modi has fought on and led BJP to three consecutive elections in Gujarat and virtually decimating the Congress in the state.

This achievement was the main factor that tilted the balance in his favour among the host of BJP leaders, including patriarch Advani, as far as consideration of a face for the next elections was concerned.

Some call him BJP’s compulsion, but the party as also its mentor RSS are of the view that he is the sole leader in the saffron fold who can successfully take on the UPA in the Lok Sabha elections.

While having the image of a hardliner, Modi is also seen by many, including business leaders, as a Chief Minister who has led Gujarat to the path of sustained development.

His supporters argue that he is a decisive leader who would be useful in countering UPA, when the ruling coalition is seen by its detractors as an indecisive dispensation that has led to the country's economic mess.

At the same time, Modi's critics see him as a dictatorial personality who does not tolerate dissent and discourages growth of any other leader.

The stage for declaring Modi as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate was set in Goa in June last when he was made the party's election campaign committee chief at the National Executive.

The decision was taken despite stiff opposition by Advani, who even resigned from all the three party posts, only to retract later after intervention by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.

The naming of Modi as campaign committee chief, the virtual face of the party for the polls, had led JD(U) to break its 17-year-old alliance with BJP as it feared impact on its Muslim votes.

The possibility of Modi being pitchforked as the prime ministerial candidate of the BJP gained ground in December when he spearheaded the party to a resounding victory in Gujarat in the Assembly elections for a third consecutive term.

The election was different for Modi as it was for the first time that elderly Keshubhai, whom he had replaced as the Chief Minister in 2001, parted ways with the BJP and floated his Gujarat Parivartan Party to rid the state of an “emergency-like situation”.

Given the bitter parting of ways, the 2012 polls was the litmus test for Modi, who had consciously tried to build bridges with the minorities by holding Sadbhavana fasts all over the state. — PTI

Journey so far

* 1995 to 1998: Narendra Modi emerged as a key strategist for the BJP in its successful Gujarat election campaigns

* 2001: Took over as Gujarat Chief Minister for the first time

* 2002: Got a second term in office despite the spectre of Gujarat violence looming large

* 2007: Secured a third term in office by winning 122 seats out of 182 in the Assembly

* 2012: Elected as Chief Minister for fourth consecutive term with a 115-seat win

Allies welcome BJP’s decision on Modi
Tribune News Service

Mumbai/Muktsar, September 13
BJP’s two key allies - the Shiv Sena and the Shiromani Akali Dal - have welcomed the decision of the Parliamentary Board to name Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the party’s prime ministerial candidate.

While the Sena leadership said it would abide by the BJP choice, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal congratulated Modi on his anointment.

“I welcome Rajnath Singh’s decision. Now, the NDA will surely return to power… Unlike other parties, we are firm on our stand,” Badal said at Muktsar.

On if Modi’s rise will benefit the SAD in the Lok Sabha elections, Badal said: “We will win all seats.”

In the afternoon, Badal received a phone call from Rajnath Singh but refused to divulge the details.

Shiv Sena’s executive president Uddhav Thackeray last night interacted with Modi over the phone.

“The Shiv Sena will support Modi or any other candidate announced by the BJP for the post of Prime Minister,” Sena spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said today.

“We are 100 per cent confident of winning if we fight under Narendra Modi. Uddhavji spoke to Modi and congratulated him yesterday,” Raut said.

BJP may come under attack over RSS interference
Vibha Sharma/TNS

New Delhi, September 13
The BJP headquarters were alive today, as though Modi had already won the general election for the party. While the party believes the announcement comes as a masterstroke at the right time, a contrary point of view is that perhaps the BJP has played its cards too soon, giving rival parties — especially the Congress — a long handle till the general election to build up their case against Modi.

The Congress is already readying its attack, especially on the way RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and other Sangh parivar leaders engineered the entire situation and more such attacks - on secular versus communal and BJP-RSS's Hindutva agenda - can be expected in the days to come.

Party leaders, who know what could be coming their way, insist the decision was taken keeping in mind the wishes of the cadre in spite of the fact that there are fears that something more could be anticipated from Advani in the days to come and also that getting allies may now be a problem for the party.

BJP leaders played safe while commenting on the absence of their patriarch from the much-awaited ceremony. Senior leader Arun Jaitley said the party would have wanted Advani to be at the meeting as "a role model". "The fact that he was not there made us sad," he said.

There is an underlying irritation in the party that perhaps its tallest leader could have read the writing on the wall and acted in a more "mature, magnanimous and dignified" manner. Finding allies will be a problem for Modi, given his hardline Hindutva image. Minutes after he was nominated, Modi pledged to lead the party to victory in the Lok Sabha election.

Couldn’t be bothered less, says Congress
Aditi Tandon/TNS

New Delhi, September 13
The Congress today shrugged off Narendra Modi's elevation as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate saying it could not be bothered less and wasn’t at all concerned with the saffron party's internal matters.

In the same breath, however, party spokesperson Renuka Choudhary openly blamed Modi's aide Amit Shah for the recent communal clashes in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar.

"Once Narendra Modi released Amit Shah in UP you saw the trailer of things to come. Jats and Muslims of UP have always been like brothers. Today they stand divided. All this happened with the advent of Amit Shah in UP. This is just the trailer. The film is yet to roll," Renuka said when asked if the party was going to push the pending Communal Violence Prevention Bill in Parliament or consider an ordinance, given a spate of communal riots in UP.

While the Congress held the BJP responsible for "stirring the political pot" in UP to divide Jats and Muslims, it maintained a calculated silence on the Samajwadi Party. Choudhary said the Congress had asked the SP-led state government in UP to restore law and order.

On Congress’ softness towards the SP, which shares the blame for allowing communal riots in Muzaffarnagar to blow out of proportion, Choudhary said she need not comment on the SP. “Is the SP a national party?" she said hinting that Congress president Sonia Gandhi would visit UP once the situation returns to normal and the curfew is lifted.

On Modi as the future PM candidate of the BJP, different Congress leaders spoke in different voices today. While officially the party maintained that "it was not bothered about the internal conflicts of the BJP and would leave it to the BJP to do its conflict resolution", Minister of Information and Broadcasting Manish Tewari said a bunch of cabals sitting in a western Indian city were deciding how the BJP would run.

"So much for internal democracy of the BJP," Tewari said adding that the party was a puppet with strings in the hands of a bunch of "shadowy old men" sitting in a city in Maharashtra. He was referring to the RSS though not directly.

While Congress' Communications Department in charge Ajay Makan maintained that the party would not react to Modi's elevation as it was a non-issue for them, Congress general secretary in charge of UP Madhusudan Mistry said: "I am sure the country will not bring a man like Modi to power even if the BJP elevates him as its prime ministerial candidate."

Privately the Congress leaders voiced their happiness at Modi's anointment hoping he would burn himself out by the time India goes to polls next year.

I am sure the country will not bring a man like Modi to power even if the BJP elevates him as its prime ministerial candidate
— Madhusudan Mistry, Congress general secy in charge of UP
I congratulate Shri Narendramodi on being nominated as party's PM candidate. His dynamic leadership will ensure astounding victory for us… The leadership of Shri @narendramodi shall take India to great heights which this nation and our citizens deserve
— Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Madhya Pradesh CM
The BJP has honoured sentiments of the people of India… Modi is not only the NDA's PM candidate, but has become the people's candidate for the PM's post
— Sushil Modi, Bihar BJP

Reject papers of candidates not disclosing details: SC to EC
R Sedhuraman
Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, September 13
The Supreme Court today ruled that the Election Commission can reject the nomination papers of candidates seeking to contest Parliamentary or Assembly election if they fail to provide basic particulars such as criminal antecedents, assets and liabilities, and educational qualifications.

On July 10, the court had given two rulings - one for debarring jailed politicians from contesting elections and the other for instantly disqualifying MPs and MLAs sentenced for more than two years in criminal cases.

“The voter has the elementary right to know full particulars of a candidate who is to represent him in Parliament/Assemblies and such right to get information is universally recognised and an integral part of Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution”, and as such the nomination must contain all necessary information, a three-member Bench comprising Chief Justice P Sathasivam and Justices Ranjana Desai and Ranjan Gogoi pointed out in today’s judgment.

“If a candidate fails to fill the blanks even after the reminder by the returning officer, the nomination paper is fit to be rejected,” the Bench ruled. It, however, advised the returning officers to exercise this power “very sparingly but the bar should not be laid so high that justice itself is prejudiced”.

“The candidate must take the minimum effort to explicitly remark as ‘NIL’ or ‘not applicable’ or ‘not known’ in the columns and not to leave the particulars blank,” the SC clarified.

The apex court rejected the plea of the Central Government that non-provision of details should be treated on a par with provision of false information for which candidates could be prosecuted under Section 125A of the Representation of the People Act 1951.

Explaining the logic for not accepting the Centre’s contention, the Bench said the ultimate purpose of asking the candidate to provide the details in the form of an affidavit along with the nomination “is to effectuate the fundamental right of the citizen under Article 19(1)(a)” to get all necessary information about the contestant at the time of filing of papers so that he could make the right choice.

The apex court judgment came on a PIL filed by an NGO, Resurgence India, pleading for making provision of vital details by the contesting candidates mandatory.

The Key observations

* The returning officer can reject nomination papers of a candidate for non-disclosure and suppression of information such as criminal antecedents, assets and liabilities, and educational qualification

* Voters have the fundamental right to know about their candidates; leaving columns blank in the nomination paper amounts to violation of their right

* Returning officers must exercise this power sparingly; the bar should not be set so high that justice itself is prejudiced

Rs 10,000-cr defence buys get nod
Ajay Banerjee/TNS

New Delhi, September 13
The Ministry of Defence today okayed the purchase of six more special operations planes, the C-130-J. It also accorded approval for the purchase of 235 Russian T-90 tanks and 4,400 light machine guns to provide an edge to the ground troops.

The purchases were cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council of the MoD that met under the chairmanship of Defence Minister AK Antony.

It allowed a spending of Rs 4,000 crore to purchase additional six C-130-J aircraft from the US under the foreign military sales route.

The first lot of six such planes was ordered in early 2008 at a cost of $1.059 billion (then approx Rs 4,500 crore). Sources elaborated on the lower price this time. In 2008, India had also paid for the training of pilots and other support paraphernalia which was not needed this time.

The other big purchase is that of 235 T-90 tanks. The indent order for these has been placed with the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) at a cost of Rs 6,000 crore. These will be produced locally and will be for the Army’s strike formations that face Pakistan. T-90 tanks are produced at a factory at Avadi in Tamil Nadu. The Russians had transferred technology for the same for its production here.

immigration bill
US ex-envoys urge fair deal for India
KV Prasad/TNS

New Delhi, September 13
In a noteworthy move that could provide fresh momentum to sagging India-US relations especially in trade, five former US ambassadors to India have appealed to the US Congress to keep the bilateral ties in focus while deciding on immigration Bill that could hit Indian IT companies operating there.

The envoys who served here during the last decade underscored that while they consider the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill, passed by the Senate is to be taken up by the House of Representatives, can be of benefit to the USA but not in the economic interests of the country as it could “complicate” relations with India.

The legislation that has passed the US Senate, the ambassadors said “unfortunately differentiates between US providers of IT and Indian IT companies which provide the same services to American businesses using virtually the same labour pool sourced from India. In particular, the Bill will block Indian IT companies (as well as significant US IT service providers) from providing these essential services - and free-market competition - to our leading US-based multinational companies. Equally important, such legislation sends a protectionist signal to our Indian counterparts - a signal normally reserved for nations with whom we have non-productive relations. India does not fit this category”, the letter said.

The Senate Bill passed in June would make it difficult for Indian IT firms like Infosys to procure H1B visas and continue hire foreign workers at less cost. The version of the Bill passed by the Senate, where the Democrats are in control, finds less support in the House of Representatives where the Republicans are in charge.

Significantly, the signatories include Thomas R Pickering, Frank G Wisner, Richard Celeste, David C. Mulford and Robert Blackwill, most of who served in India were behind the expansion of relations between New Delhi and Washington in a number of areas.

Recounting the experience, they said many US companies entering the Indian market have found tremendous success while others have struggled with Indian policies related to tariffs, intellectual property, tax treatment and local manufacturing requirements as well as needless interference by state and local officials.

“Our ongoing bilateral dialogue with India and not punitive legislation has in the past helped resolve differences. Departing from this approach will not solve these problems; it risks provoking ‘tit for tat’ retaliation, which denigrates this important relationship”, the letter said.

They urged the Congressional leaders to bring these concerns to the members and sought revision of those sections and remove those features of any Bill that would limit market for entry of IT professionals who work for “so-called” visa-dependent IT companies. “These provisions, currently in the Senate Bill and any which may be included in the counterpart pending House Bill, are virtually punitive and cry out for redress and excision”.

Justice is finally done, says Delhi rape victim’s family
Says her soul will now rest in peace; wants to witness hanging
Aditi Tandon/TNS

New Delhi, September 13
Painful memories streamed through the minds of the Singh family the moment a fast-track court hearing their daughter’s gang rape and murder case pronounced death sentence for all the four guilty today. It was for them a moment of closure, one they had awaited for over eight months now.

“I still can’t forget the day my daughter asked me for food saying she was very hungry and I could not offer her that. What can be more tormenting for a mother than knowledge of the fact that her daughter can never eat for the rest of her life because some brutes have tortured her to the point of death. Today, my daughter’s soul will rest in peace,” said the victim’s mother Asha Devi hours after the verdict.

For Asha Devi, her husband Badri Nath Singh and their sons Gaurav and Saurabh, the day was all about “redemption of their daughter’s soul and justice for the braveheart who never gave up”. Gaurav, the victim’s elder brother and closest to her in the family, said the verdict had restored his faith in the Indian judiciary.

He said his faith was shaken when the guilty juvenile walked away with a three-year sentence. Gaurav insisted that the world know that the brutalisation of his sister with a rusted iron rod, which caused her the maximum harm, was unleashed not by the juvenile but by one of the four guilty sentenced to death today.

“All kinds of canards were spread during the trial. First, it was said the juvenile was the most brutal of all. Later, the guilt was imposed on Ram Singh, who committed suicide. The fact is it was one of these four who violated my sister the most. We were told the rod had reached the diaphragm at the bottom of the lungs. The small intestine was gone. Who does this? Only an animal and an animal deserves death," said Gaurav, adding that if given a chance, he would want to be the hangman for the four.

“We will apply to the government for permission to be present when these brutes are hanged. Our next big prayer is early hanging of the guilty. We will now live to see that day,” Gaurav added, his father in agreement saying the sight would act like balm on their wounds.

When asked to recount the last days with his sister, Gaurav talked about how the family had been asked not to serve their daughter water or food as she could not digest any of these.

"My sister was very thirsty. She repeatedly asked me for a glass of water and I had been warned by the doctors not to give her that. I felt absolutely helpless. I also remember how I would try to make her laugh and tell her we would go shopping once she returned home. She on the contrary kept asking me if I was attending my institute. She was always worried about my attendance..."

As for Saurabh, the youngest of the three siblings in the family, Delhi's braveheart will always remain ‘didi’ who always protected him from chides. His grudge: "I could not protect her back."

This is a historical verdict and the whole country had looked forward for this day. Nirbhaya was a cold-blooded murder and justice has come though a bit late but a welcome. We had recommended to the Justice Verma Committee in the wake of this case that there should be fast redressal of rape cases.
— Mamta Sharma, chairperson of the National Commission for Women
The sentence may give justice to the 23-year-old victim of this horrific crime. However, the judgment has wider implications for women's safety across the country. It sets a new precedent in our response to sexual violence. This is a critical judgment for women and finally justice delivered to the satisfaction of the family and also to the agitated nation.
— Ranjana Kumari, director of the Centre for Social Research

We are yet to find out what punishment has been meted out to the two policemen patrolling the area, when the unlicensed driver was driving a public bus during unlicensed hours when the crime was committed. Or what has happened to the policemen on duty in Tihar jail, when the prime accused Ram Singh "committed suicide.
— Ruchira Gupta, founder of Apne Aap Women Worldwide

Victim’s friend feels satisfied, too
Shaurya Karanbir Gurung/TNS

New Delhi, September 13
Awnindra Pratap Pandey, the friend of the 23-year-old girl who was brutally raped in a moving bus in the National Capital on December 16 last year, today said justice had been finally delivered. He was with the girl at the time of the incident.

"I feel a sense of relief with the sentence that was awarded to the culprits today. The decision has strengthened my faith in the judicial system of our country," he said.

He said he arrived outside the courtroom today, but was unable to get inside because of the massive crowd that had gathered there. "I waited outside the courtroom. After the judgment was announced, I spoke to my friend's mother over the phone and assured her that I am with them," he said.

On being asked about the juvenile who has been sent to a special home for three years in connection with the case, Pandey said the law of the country needed to be changed. "It has to be amended in such a manner that even juveniles who commit such heinous crimes get the death sentence. I also want to add that not just the 'Nirbhaya case', but every similar case must be given equal importance," he said.

The main accused, Ram Singh, was found hanging inside his cell in the Tihar Jail in March this year.

"She (Nirbhaya) was a good friend. I know that she must be happy wherever she is. It saddens me to read about the incident in newspapers. It will be wrong to say that I have moved on since the incident took place. Rather, I have carried those things forward with me and it has inspired me to help people," he said.

Pandey has started an NGO called the Meebha Foundation. It is based in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, and works for women empowerment and child education.

PM’s Chandigarh visit today, to hand over 8,000 flats to slum dwellers
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 13
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be in the city to hand over the possession of one-room tenements to slum dwellers in Dhanas tomorrow. The Chandigarh Housing Board is constructing 25,728 flats in different parts of the city under the JNNURM-funded Small Flats Scheme-2006.

The PM will hand over keys to some of the beneficiaries of 8,448 such flats constructed at Dhanas.

The housing project, which aims at making the city slum-free, is coming up with a Central assistance of Rs 436.30, besides Rs 585.18 crore provided by the Chandigarh administration. Around 12,000 flats have already been constructed and possession of 2,720 flats has been given. The possession of 8,000 flats would be given to the beneficiaries at Dhanas tomorrow.

Political analysts believe the scheme may be projected by the UPA government as a first-of-its-kind slum rehabilitation project for slum dwellers in the country during the general election.

Around Rs 1,040 crore is being pumped into the scheme that envisages construction of around 25,000 flats at different points in the city.

Asaram moves HC for bail

Jodhpur, September 13
Controversial self-styled godman Asaram, who is in judicial custody in the alleged sexual assault case of a minor, today moved a bail application in the Rajasthan High Court here. The hearing on the petition is scheduled on Monday, one of Asaram's counsels said.

Last week a lower court had rejected the bail plea of 72-year old Asaram, who was arrested on September 1 from his Indore ashram.

His aide Shiva, who is considered as a key witness in the case, is also under judicial custody. The police is now looking forward to the other three co-accused - Shilpi, Sharad Chandra and a cook of the incarcerated godman, for wrapping up investigation and filing chargesheet in the case.aThe district and session court yesterday had rejected the anticipatory bail moved by Shilpi, the warden of the Chhindwara-based ashram in Madhya Pradesh, where the victim had been staying. — PTI

CBI staffer held for molesting doc on train
Shiv Kumar/TNS

Mumbai, September 13
The Government Railway Police today arrested a stenographer employed with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) at its office in Navi Mumbai for allegedly molesting a woman doctor on a train.

According to the police, Chandraprakash Malkhan Singh (21) allegedly molested the doctor on board the Gujarat Mail around 3 am today. Singh, who occupied the upper berth, touched the woman inappropriately while she was sleeping on the lower berth. She was travelling alone to Mumbai to attend a medical conference. After the incident, which happened when the train reached Valsad station in Gujarat, the victim raised the alarm. She also called up the helpline number and got the ticket checker to prepare a report.

As soon as the train reached Borivali station in the morning, a waiting team of GRP personnel took custody of the accused. The doctor and the TC who witnessed the incident along with the accused were brought to the Mumbai Central Police Station, the police said. The police said the accused will be handed over to the authorities at Valsad for further action.