The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Naidu shares stage with Modi, heaps praise on NDA New Delhi, October 2 Amid reports that the TDP is cosying up to the NDA, party chief N Chandrababu Naidu today shared the stage with BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi at a programme here and heaped praise on the erstwhile Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. He joined Modi and Rajya Sabha MP Ram Jethmalani at a programme organised here for college students. Addressing the gathering, Naidu held the Congress-led UPA Government responsible for the slowdown in the economy and the falling rupee. "The Congress should be defeated in the 2014 election or we will have to suffer for some more time... 2014 is a very good time to defeat the Congress," he said. Naidu recalled the achievements of the NDA government and said it had made progress in the field of highways, mobile connectivity and growth in technology. There are reports that Naidu is in talks with BJP to join NDA ahead of the 2014 polls. He met BJP president Rajnath Singh recently on the issue of Telangana during which the issue of joining the alliance was also reportedly discussed. However, BJP has maintained that till now there is no concrete move on the issue. Naidu, whose main political adversary in Andhra Pradesh is Congress and YSR Congress, said the country is going through a crisis under UPA. On the ongoing controversy over the ordinance on convicted lawmakers, Naidu said, "You have all seen the drama that is going on... The Prime Minister is only a tool in the hands of Sonia Gandhi." He said Rahul Gandhi had till last week not spoken on the Supreme Court verdict against convicted MPs which the ordinance sought to overturn. He said the devaluation of the rupee has taken place under Congress rule and this has resulted in lack on foreign investment in the country. The TDP chief said that since Independence till 1991, India was ruled by Congress, except for a brief spell of Janata Party rule, and the growth rate in this long period was only 3-4 per cent. Though Modi shared the dais with Naidu and exchanged pleasantries with him, he did not make any specific mention of the TDP chief in his short inaugural speech. — PTI 'PM a tool in Sonia's hands' * There are reports that TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu is in talks with BJP to join NDA ahead of the 2014 polls * He held the Congress-led UPA Government responsible for the slowdown in the economy and the falling rupee * On the ongoing controversy over the ordinance on convicted lawmakers, Naidu said the PM was only a tool in the hands of Sonia Gandhi "The Congress should be defeated in the 2014 election or we will have to suffer for some more time." — N Chandrababu Naidu, TDP chief
	Don’t make mockery of sentencing through remissions, SC tells govt R Sedhuraman Legal Correspondent New Delhi, October 2 The Supreme Court has directed the government not to make a “mockery” of the sentence awarded to criminals by reducing their jail terms to such an extent that would result in their release without even completing the minimum period of imprisonment prescribed under law. “The minimum sentence provided for any offence cannot be and shall not be remitted or commuted by the government in exercise of their power under Section 432 or 433 of the CrPC. Wherever the Indian Penal Code or such penal statutes have provided for a minimum sentence for any offence, to that extent, the power of remission or commutation has to be read as restricted,” a Bench comprising Justices CK Prasad and Kurian Joseph ruled. “Otherwise, the whole purpose of punishment will be defeated and it will be a mockery on sentencing,” the Bench held. “Parliament is the collective conscience of the people. If it has mandated a minimum sentence for certain offences, the government being its delegate, cannot interfere with the same in exercise of their power for remission or commutation,” the Bench explained. Further, punishment had a penological purpose. Reformation, retribution, prevention, deterrence were some of the major factors in this regard, the apex court observed. The Bench made the clarification while upholding the life sentence awarded to one Jamil Khan by the Rajasthan High Court in a rape-and-murder case involving a five-year-old girl in 2002. The SC ruled that Khan could be given remission only after completion of 14 years in jail for committing the murder (the minimum sentence under Section 302 IPC). And, in case of any remission, his sentence on other counts would run consecutively. As a result, he would have to be in jail for a minimum of seven years as provided under Section 376 IPC for committing rape and another three years for destruction of evidence under Section 201 IPC, the Supreme Court explained. Section 433A CrPC had imposed a restriction with regard to the period of remission or commutation. “It is specifically provided that when a sentence of imprisonment of life, where death is also one of the punishments provided by law, is remitted or commuted, such person shall not be released unless he has served at least 14 years of imprisonment,” the Bench noted.
	Separate commands for spl ops, cybersecurity, space: IAF chief New Delhi, October 2 The armed forces propose to set up three separate commands in the fields of special operations, cyber security and space, IAF Chief NAK Browne said. "We are in the process of setting up three commands which will be steered by particular service and they will be headed by three-star officers," he told DD News in an interview. He said as per the plans, the Special Operations command will be headed by an Army officer and the Space command by an IAF officer, while the Cyber command will get its head on rotational basis from the three services. Browne said the Andaman and Nicobar Command, now headed by officers from the three services on a rotational basis, will be under a Navy Vice Admiral. The IAF Chief said a proposal in this regard would soon be sent for the approval of the government. Commenting on the strategic reach of the force, he said the IAF has the capability to carry out operations to safeguard India's interest in regions beyond its neighbourhood such as protecting Indian diaspora in other countries and Army's UN peacekeeping operations. Browne said the IAF was expecting to induct the first squadrons of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), the light-weight multi-role jet fighter, by the end of 2015. He expressed hope that the deal to procure 126 multi-role combat aircraft from French Dassault Rafale would be completed in the next few months as negotiations between the two sides were progressing. Asked about the leakage of sensitive information in the armed forces, the IAF chief said sensitive information should be protected not only in defence but in all departments. — PTI The plan ahead * The armed forces are in the process of setting up three commands which will be steered by particular service and they will be headed by three-star officers * The Special Operations command will be headed by an Army officer and the Space command by an IAF officer, while the Cyber command will get its head on rotational basis from the three services * IAF Chief NAK Browne said the Andaman and Nicobar Command, now headed by officers from the three services on a rotational basis, will be under a Navy Vice Admiral
	Hike in commanders’ powers to hire premises for ECHS Tribune News Service Chandigarh, October 2 Faced with increasing difficulty in getting premises on lease to house polyclinics for the Ex-servicemen’s Contributory Health Schemes, the Ministry of Defence has substantially hiked the financial powers of military commanders down the chain of command to hire immovable properties. The move comes in the backdrop of rents having increased significantly over the past few years. With lower financial powers, the cases for approval had to be referred by commanders up the hierarchical chain, adding to the administrative workload and also leading to delays in processing the cases. According to orders issued by the MoD about a month ago, the financial powers of Army Commanders and their equivalents in the other services have been enhanced to Rs 5 lakh per annum per property from the earlier Rs 2 lakh. The powers of corps, division and area commanders have been enhanced to Rs 3 lakh from Rs 1 lakh, while those of brigade, sub-area or station commander and their equivalents have been hiked to Rs 2 lakh from Rs 75,000. These powers will remain in force for a period of two years or till a new polyclinic has come up in that station. Under the ECHS, a total of 432 polyclinics have been authorised at military and non-military stations across the country. Out of these, 333 polyclinics had been operationalised till the beginning of this year.
	HC seeks reply from UP Govt on welfare plan Tribune News Service Lucknow, October 2 The Allahabad High Court has sought a reply from the Akhilesh Yadav government on extending benefits of state-run welfare scheme “Hamari Beti, Uska Kal” to girls from a particular community. Acting on a public interest litigation, a Division Bench comprising acting Chief Justice Laxmikant Mohapatra and Justice Rakesh Srivastava has asked the state government to furnish a reply within three weeks to the charges levelled in the plea. The litigation filed by Siddhartha Nagar district resident Ashok Srivastava refers to the August 14, 2012 order of the Samajwadi Party government allowing grant of Rs 30,000 to Muslim girls for higher education and marriage. He claims this is in contravention of the right to equality enshrined in the Indian Constitution. Charging the state government with attempting to divide the society on religious lines for political interests, the petition cites the Supreme Court order in the Indra Sahini case wherein the apex court had said no reservation could be granted on religious lines. Counsel for the state government AK Goel informed the court that the government had launched the scheme as part of its mandated task of “minority welfare”. He said the grant was being given to all minorities. The “Hamari Beti, Uska Kal” scheme has been one of the most propagated schemes of the Samajwadi Party government. It finds a mention in the party’s 2012 election manifesto announcing Rs 30,000 for Muslim girls who have cleared class X for further education, and/or marriage. The scheme was launched amid fanfare on December 10, 2012 at Rampur, the constituency of party’s Muslim face Mohammad Azam Khan. But after criticism by the Opposition, the Akhilesh Yadav government expanded the scope of the scheme and included eligible girls from other minorities - Sikhism, Christianity, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism and Jainism - as well. Row over beneficiaries * On August 14, 2012, the SP government ordered the grant of Rs 30,000 to Muslim girls for higher education and marriage * The 'Hamari Beti, Uska Kal' scheme is part of the party's 2012 election manifesto * Acting on a PIL, the high court has sought a reply from the state government on extending benefits to girls from a particular community
	Fresh kharif arrivals set to push onion prices down Shiv Kumar/TNS Mumbai, October 2 Onion prices are showing signs of softening with fresh stocks of the kharif crop beginning to hit the market in the past few days, says the Lasalgaon Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC). “The average wholesale price for onion stood at Rs 3,300 per quintal today,” says Shankar Bhide, a trader at the Lasalgaon market. Fresh crop of the bulb is arriving from the surrounding areas and prices are expected to fall sharply in the next few weeks. Traders say the wholesale price of onion may fall to Rs 1,200 per quintal in the next few days. “Demand for onion falls during the Navratras when many people stop consuming it,” Bhide added. The demand for onion from outstation areas such as Andhra Pradesh is showing a decline as cultivators in South India are bringing in their kharif crop to the market. In some smaller wholesale markets in western Maharashtra, average quality onion is already going for Rs 1,000 per quintal, say sources. But in the retail market, onion prices continue to remain high. In Mumbai, retailers are selling onion at Rs 60 per kg. But traders say the prices are high as the stocks have been purchased only a few days ago. The prices will fall as the new stocks come in, they add. Vegetable retailers in onion-producing regions of Nashik and Kolhapur in Maharashtra are selling the commodity at Rs 40 a kilo.
	At 93, he lives only to realise Gandhi’s principles Koraput, October 2 A devout follower of Mahatma Gandhi, he had actively participated in the freedom struggle. And post-Independence he lives only to realise Gandhi’s principles of serving humanity. Baji Mohammed (93) of Nabrangpur district in Odisha is too frail to work. But, he still holds Gandhian principles close to the heart. Influenced by Gandhi’s approach of non-violence in his school-days, he had made up his mind to meet him. And his dream was fulfilled when he met Gandhi at the age of 21 in 1941 at Wardha Ashram. “I had no money but I had to see Gandhiji. So, I and one of my friends Lakshman Sahu took a cycle and covered some 350 km amidst thick forests and hilly terrain to reach Raipur in Chhattisgarh. From there we boarded a train for Wardha where I met Gandhiji,” said Baji, a bachelor. “I was overwhelmed after seeing him. Gandhiji asked me if I was a Satyagrahi. When I said I had pledged to be one, he asked me to face the British lathis and sacrifice my life for the nation. I knew what was waiting for me next,” he added. Seven days later Baji returned to Nabarangpur and he did what Gandhiji had said him. He performed individual Satyagraha in an anti-war protest outside the Nabrangpur Masjid. He was sent to jail for six months and fined Rs 50. “Gandhiji had asked me to propagate the slogan of non-violence among the masses. I along with a group of about 30 people walked to villages to spread Satyagraha and non-violence among people,” Baji said. On August 25, 1942 during the Quit India Movement he was jailed for 30 months and lodged in jail. In 1945, he was attacked and arrested at Soraguda during a peace march. Baji was injured in the violence and shifted to Cuttack jail, where he was housed along with Biju Patnaik. He was set free on August 12, 1947. However, Partition of the country on religious basis hurt Baji. “I was against the partion of the country, but it happened. I was very upset over the development as we had fought for the independence of a united India,” he said. In 1952 elections, many of his colleagues, including the then chief minister Sadashiv Tripathy, became MLAs but Baji believed in helping people in a different way. “Gandhi’s code was to serve mankind and I don’t think we always need power and position for that,” said Baji. — PTI Be inspired by Mahatma, says UN chief United Nations: UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called on people across the world to be inspired by the courage of Mahatma Gandhi and his resonant legacy of non-violence to peacefully oppose oppression, injustice and hatred. In his message for the International Day of Non-Violence, which is also the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, Ban said: “On this day, I call on global citizens everywhere to be inspired by the courage of people like Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi showed the power of peacefully opposing oppression, injustice and hatred. His example has inspired many other history-makers such as Martin Luther King, Jr, Vaclav Havel, Rigoberta Menchu Tum and Nelson Mandela.Today we celebrate the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi and his resonant legacy of non-violence.” — PTI
	Lessons from Uttarakhand disaster Govt mulls monitoring mechanism to regulate pilgrim flow in state Ajay Banerjee/TNS New Delhi, October 2 After having spent crores on rescue and rehabilitation in flood-hit Uttarakhand, the Central Government don't want a repeat of any such disaster. To prevent any such reoccurrence, a kind of monitoring system for pilgrims doing the 'char-dham' yatra in the hill state next summer is being put in place. The ancient Hindu temples at Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath comprise the 'char dham' yatra attracting lakhs of pilgrims each summer. The policy finalised for the 'char-dham' will be enforced for the pilgrimage to Hemkund Sahib also. Rains on June 16-17 had caused flooding and severe landslides leading to thousands of deaths, loss of houses, shops and vehicles. The rescue efforts consumed crores of rupees as the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army carried out one of the biggest ever rescue operations in the history evacuating almost 1 lakh people. The National Disaster Management Authority is tasked with the rebuilding and effort. As the high-level body comprising Central and state officials draws up the future plans, one of the suggestions is to stop the unhindered and unmonitored 'free for all' that exists. As of now, anybody can go when the 'char-dham' and the Hemkund Sahib routes open up. All these shrines are located at an altitude in excess of 11,000 feet and require some trekking on mud tracks. The suggestion now is to have a monitoring and regulation mechanism. This will mean allowing only a specified number of pilgrims at a particular time. "Say if the Kedarnath shrine, the worst affected in the June catastrophe, has place for 1,000 pilgrims, only that many will be allowed in batches", officials said. One of the ideas on monitoring is to use modern technology. This entails giving each person a wrist wearable radio tag, which will tell the location of the person to the nearest control room. In the June incident, it took mountain trained commandoes of the Army several days to locate survivors who were hiding in various 'safe places' following landslides. Regulation of pilgrims will be done by assessing how many can be present at a shrine on a given day. The four shrines are physically separated by couple of hundred kilometres. The Yamunotri and Gangotri are on the western flank of the state and the Kedranath and Badrinath are in central part of Uttarakhand and it takes a day to travel by road from one side to the other. The Hemkund Sahib is located to the farthest east. The flow of pilgrims can be managed easily by having registration offices in Haridwar, Dehradun and Rishikesh, which are the entry-exit points for the higher reaches. Once registered, pilgrims will be asked their route as all visitors may not be going to all four shrines. The 'char-dham' yatra and the Hemkund Sahib yatra are a source of income for thousands of small and big businessmen of the state. The Plan * A blue print of the plan is ready and this includes real-time monitoring of weather patterns and the use modern technology. This entails giving each person a wrist wearable radio tag, which will tell the location of the person to the nearest control room * One of the suggestions is to have dedicated authority like the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board in Jammu and Kashmir. This authority will supervise the yatra by deciding the flow of pilgrims and the permissions for vehicles to enter the remote valley * This authority will also be empowered to stop the yatra in case of any predicted rainfall and natural calamity * At Amarnath, the authority keeps a close contact with pilgrims and its personnel of ground are equipped with latest information weather patterns that can change rapidly in the Himalayas
	‘Prez guard job only for Rajputs, Jats & Sikhs’ New Delhi, October 2 The Army has admitted in the Supreme Court that recruitment to President's Bodyguard (PBG) is open only to Hindu Rajputs, Hindu Jats and Jat Sikhs, saying that it is done purely on "functional requirement" and there is no caste and religion bias in it. In an affidavit filed in the apex court, the Army refuted the allegation that any of the recruitment is done on the basis of caste and religion, saying that ceremonial duties in the Rashtrapati Bhawan demand common height, built and appearance. "It is stated that the example of PBG being open to only three classes cited by the petitioner (who alleged biasness on part of Army) once again proves the point that Force structuring/composition is purely based on functional requirement," the affidavit said. PBG was raised in 1773 at Benares by the then Governor, Warren Hastings. Since being first christened as 'The Guard of Moguls' in 1773, the Regiment has had various titles. With India becoming a Republic on 26 January 1950, the Regiment came to be known as - "The President's Bodyguard". — PTI
	Delayed monsoon may play spoilsport New Delhi, October 2 A delayed withdrawal of South West Monsoon has brought heavy rainfall this season and could play a spoilsport as the festive season is all set to begin. The reason for the delay, according to the weatherman, is a low pressure over the Bay of Bengal and it could take at least another one week for the monsoon to withdraw. The withdrawal line has remained static for almost two weeks now as it continues to pass through Kalpa (Himachal Pradesh), Hisar (Haryana), Jodhpur (Rajasthan) and Nalia (Gujarat). The withdrawal from Delhi could now be on October 10 instead of September 21, the weathermen said. "The delay in withdrawal of monsoon is due to the creation of low pressure area in the Bay of Bengal. This phenomena is likely to continue for a week," said a senior scientist at the Meteorological Department, Delhi. "The period of transition of weather is very crucial. Until September 16, the withdrawal process of monsoon was normal. However, as the monsoon was withdrawing, the low pressure area on the eastern coast moved inland halting the withdrawal of monsoon. This reversed the weather pattern. This is the reason why central India is still getting heavy rainfall," said V K Rajeev, Director of IMD Mumbai. Usually, the monsoon departs from Mumbai and parts of the western coast around September 20, but this year there has been a delay, which is likely to coincide with the festive season. With just a few days left for Durga Puja and Navratri festival, which is celebrated with fanfare across India, the delayed withdrawal could play spoilsport as many parts of central and western India could see showers in coming days. Monsoon has already withdrawn from Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, parts of Haryana, Rajasthan and Kutch in Gujarat, but still hovers around Central India. Between October 5 and 9, increased rainfall activity is forecast over Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. With the low pressure area now lying over South Chhattisgarh and neighbourhood, rain and thundershower are likely to occur at most places over Odisha. — PTI Low pressure woes * The reason for the delay, according to the weatherman, is a low pressure over the Bay of Bengal * The withdrawal line has remained static for almost two weeks now as it continues to pass through Kalpa (Himachal), Hisar (Haryana), Jodhpur (Rajasthan) and Nalia (Gujarat) * Withdrawal from Delhi could now be on October 10 instead of September 21
	Bumper sugarcane crop promises sweet Diwali Shiv Kumar/TNS Mumbai, October 2 Record sugarcane production in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh is expected to result in lower sugar prices during the forthcoming festival season. According to information available from the State Sugar Directorate, the nationwide output of the sweetener is expected to cross 25 million tonne this year. The total sugar stock in the country is expected to touch a record 86 lakh tonne as of September 30, officials say. Good monsoon has resulted in the main sugar producing areas of Maharashtra reporting a bountiful crop. “Farmers have begun harvesting their crops and the crushing season will begin in the next few days,” an official of the state sugar federation said. Politicians in Maharashtra are demanding that the government should allow exports in order help mills reduce their inventory. Several politicians have met Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar to get the government relax norms for sugar exports. Sugar prices hovered around Rs 2,969 per quintal at the Kolhapur wholesale market yesterday. However, contracts for November are being done at Rs 2,898 per quintal.
	Addl Sukhoi squadron likely for Chabua base Chabua (Assam), October 2 An additional squadron of advanced combat aircraft Sukhoi-30MKI is likely to be stationed at the Indian Air Force's eastern-most station in view of the strategic importance of the base. Sharing the news here, Wing Commander Gaurav Mani Tripathy told journalists yesterday that the Sukhoi-30MKI multi-role fighter plane squadron is used to patrol the skies in the region. With the Mig-21 era coming to an end at the station, the last squadron moved out in 2009, Tripathy said the base underwent a major renovation and expansion of facilities in preparation for the induction of the Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, which arrived in February 2011. Speaking about the Su-30MKI, Tripathy said the aircraft was manufactured by HAL under licence from Russia's Sukhoi. He said that the heavy, all-weather, long-range Indian variant of the fighter plane was more advanced than the basic SU-30MK and more capable than those used by China (SU30MKK/MK2) and Malaysia (SU-30MKM). Talking about the Chabua base, he said, "The station has served as a major supply point for troops deployed in Arunachal Pradesh with various transport aircraft and helicopters operating from here." The Chabua base was built in 1939 and used throughout World War II by Allied Forces against invading Japanese forces. — PTI
	Three held for issuing fake death certificate of minister, MLA Madurai, October 2 Cracking the case of issuance of 'death certificates' of a Tamil Nadu Minister and a CPI-M MLA who are alive, three persons were arrested today with police saying it was a fallout of rivalry between two contractors. The incident in which fake death certificates of Minister Sellu K.Raju and CPM MLA Annadurai were found to have been issued, caused embarrassment to the city corporation which recently introduced the online facility to obtain birth and death certificates. Police investigation revealed the certificates had been issued due to the rivalry between two contractors for IT jobs. "The motive of the two groups was to land the other group in trouble.That is why they have done it," an official said. Three persons, including a broker and an employees of the corporation's computer section, were arrested after investigations. Police said staff for the computer wing were recruited through an agency on contract basis which was recently transferred from one Ponram to Murugesan. Allegedly angered by the transfer of contract, Ponram wanted to put Murugesan in trouble and get back the job. He used the broker to get the death certificates for the Minister and the MLA and also arranged to send them to two persons. All the three arrested were produced before a court which remanded them to judicial custody. — PTI