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It’s Congress which sows poison: Modi
Govt keen to push key laws in last LS session |
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AAP founding member quits
Tie-up with Cong to stay, says Pawar
Spectrum auction from
today, eight cos in fray
DRDO all set to make its presence felt at Indian Science Congress
Only peaceful means can help ‘solve’ Tibetan issue
BSF may replace Assam Rifles on Myanmar border
India-Myanmar border alignment high on agenda
Pak raises pitch against key Indian role in Kabul
Seven-judge SC Bench to revisit judgment on Hindutva
Narmada water being diverted to industry in Gujarat
Defence civilian staff to go on
strike
Naval warship runs aground off Vizag coast
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It’s Congress which sows poison: Modi
Lucknow, February 2 Addressing the seventh Shankhnaad rally in Uttar Pradesh at Meerut’s Shatabdi Nagar today, Modi launched a blistering attack on the Congress at the Centre and the Samajwadi Party at the state. Charging the Congress with indulging in divisive votebank politics, Modi accused the Congress of mishandling the division of Andhra Pradesh. “When Atal Behari Vajpayee’s government divided Uttar Pradesh, sweets were distributed in both Uttarakhand and UP. Similarly, there were celebrations in Bihar and Jharkhand as well as Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. In contrast, both Andhra and Telangana are up in arms against the division”, pointed out Modi. Re-christening the Samajwadi Party as “Samajvirodhi party” (anti-social party), Modi attacked the worsening law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh where women and girls were too scared to venture out of houses. “Around 1.5 lakh cases of violence against women were filed in the state within one year”, alleged Modi. Expressing concern at the fatal attack on Arunachal Pradesh student Nido Tania and the recurrent harassment of women and students from the North East in Delhi, Modi said this incident and the recent development in the national capital had shamed India in the eyes of the world. Hoping that the Delhi would develop as a global city, Modi said this was not possible if the people from the North East could not get a house and faced harassment. He sought special hostels for students and young working professionals from the North East in cosmopolitan cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad. Stressing at length on the poor development indicators in Uttar Pradesh, Modi said here power cut was not news, but power being available round the clock made headlines. Comparing Meerut with the Ahmedabad of 10 years ago, Modi said both the cities had a history of communal violence. “But the people in Ahmedabad have decided to give up knives and daggers for peace and development”, he said, while urging the people of Meerut also to make UP riot-free. Dwelling at length on the plight of sugarcane farmers of Uttar Pradesh, who have not been paid their dues running into crores of rupees by mill owners, Modi said the farmers would not have suffered if stalwarts like Chadhury Charan Singh and Mahendra Singh Tikait were still around. Paying tribute to the 1857 martyrs from Meerut, Modi said the British punished the people of the city for their role in 1857 by denying them rail network and roads. “But why governments now are punishing the city by not giving it rail, expressways or an airport”, asked Modi. Sonia’s jibe, Modi’s retort
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Govt keen to push key laws in last LS session
New Delhi, February 2 A total of 120 Bills — 56 in the Lok Sabha and 64 in the Rajya Sabha — are pending in both the Houses. Those in the lower House will lapse after the current session of Parliament is adjourned as the country is scheduled to hold general election to constitute the 16th Lok Sabha this summer. The 15th Lok Sabha will be dissolved and with it all Bills introduced and pending will also lapse. Over the past few weeks, the Congress vice-president accused the Opposition of remaining silent when it came to legislate on a slew of Bills to check corruption, daring it to join hands and reaffirm commitment to tackle it. The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, Public Procurement Bill, Prevention of Bribery of Foreign Public Officials and Officials of Public International Organisations Bill, The Rights of Citizens for Time Bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill and The Whistleblowers Protection Bill are some of these measures before either House for consideration and passage. Leaders in the Opposition, including CPM’s Sitaram Yechury, told The Tribune today that the Left parties wanted a debate to be held before passing any Bill. “We are for debate and discussion but not to pass any Bills in a hurry,” Yechury had said. BJD’s Bharatruhari Mahatab was of the view that the government should not push legislation. The government is keen to introduce the Bill for creation of a separate Telengana state, which is bound to stir passions of members from Andhra Pradesh. Though experts said the rejection of the resolution for carving out a separate state by the Andhra Pradesh Assembly will have no bearing, Andhra MPs from Seemandhra region are threatening to move a no-confidence motion against the UPA government and stall the proceedings of Parliament. While a no-trust vote has little political significance when general elections are due in four months, MPs opposed to Telengana hope to create a situation and highlight their stand while those from Telengana region insist creation of a new state cannot be rolled back now. While the BJP supports separate Telengana, it has criticised the Congress for its handling of the issue, leading to deep division in the state unlike the peaceful transition during the NDA regime that created Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and
Chhattisgarh. 120 Bills on list
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Rs 7 cr in 50 days for AAP to fight LS polls
New Delhi, February 2 A large part of this has come from countries like the US, the United Arab Emirates and Britain - home to a large number of Indians and people of Indian origin who keenly follow Indian politics. Contributions from within India of course top the list with Rs 5.7 crore, followed by the US (Rs 62 lakh), said Bipul Dey, an AAP volunteer who looks after its
finances. Then comes the UAE (Rs 25 lakh), Singapore (Rs 19 lakh), Britain (Rs 14 lakh) and Canada (Rs 6 lakh). By January 30, the party collected over Rs 7 crore. They had started the drive December 12. Dey, who looks after donations, said the highest contribution of Rs 2 crore was given by Shanti Bhushan, a former law minister and an eminent lawyer. Bhushan has been in the party since its inception and is father of lawyer Prashant Bhushan, who is a member of the AAP's national executive. Dey said the senior Bhushan donated Rs 1 crore when the AAP was formed in November 2012 and another Rs 1 crore around a week ago. NRIs were enthusiastic donors, Dey, who sits in the party's Hanuman Road office told IANS. Most pay online - a preferred mode even for many Indians. "They (NRIs) donate in large numbers," he said, adding the party did not have precise statistics.
— IANS Binny threatens to pull down AAP govt Expelled AAP MLA Vinod Kumar Binny threatened to pull down the Arvind Kejriwal-led government with support of five MLAs if his demands were not met within 48 hours. Binny said he would also form a political front with two AAP MLAs and municipal councillors. Binny’s demands include fulfilment of promises made by the party before the polls. He asked the government to sort out the issues related to power and water sector. — PTI
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New Delhi, February 2 "I am not with the party anymore. I have distanced myself from it," Bhaduri, a member of the party panel to chalk its foreign policy, said. Bhaduri alleged that she was heckled at a meeting of the party's National Council here on Friday for introducing a resolution condemning Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti's role in a raid in Khirki extension. The AAP, however, rubbished the allegations. Bhaduri said she had given a formal request to the party on January 23 for a resolution and ex-Navy Chief Admiral (retd) Ramdas was also aware of it. She said she is not angry, but "disappointed and disillusioned” with the party. — PTI
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Tie-up with Cong to stay, says Pawar
In a message posted on Twitter, Pawar said talks with the Congress to share seats in the forthcoming Lok Sabha election would be decided in the next 10 days. “Seat sharing issue with the INC will be resolved in next 10 days. Talks are on in cordial manner,” Pawar said. He denied that NCP leader Praful Patel had threatened to split with the Congress. Talks between the Congress and the NCP had reached a deadlock over sharing of seats. While the NCP wants to contest 22 of the 48 seats from Maharashtra, the Congress wants to yield just 19 seats to the regional outfit. Last week, a local newspaper reported that Pawar had met BJP leader Narendra Modi and was exploring a tie-up with the saffron part for the election. However, the report kicked up a storm with the Shiv Sena strongly opposed to allowing the NCP into its tie-up with the BJP. The saffron party's state leaders also opposed any link with the NCP in
Maharashtra.
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Art fest fares well on gusto, but foreign artists do little business
New Delhi, February 2 On the count of buzz it generated, the fair was a tremendous success. But fair is also a bazaar and has to pass the litmus test of business too. Herein, the organisers claimed that 90 per cent of the participating galleries did good business. Many Indian galleries such as Vadhera, Volte, Maskara and Art Chowk from Pakistan fared rather well on the barometer of sales. However, it seemed to be a mixed bag for international ones. Even big galleries, including Conitnua who represent signatures such as Subodh Gupta and Shilpa Gupta not only of the Indian art galaxy but world over, were able to sell only one work and that too of an Indian artist. Besides several international galleries, many first timers drew a blank. Galerie Lelong, Paris/New York, showcasing the works of acclaimed artist Nalini Malani, failed to really sell. Galerie Klaus Bendenfrom, Germany, where Andy Warhol’s painting on Princess Caroline of Monaco stopped most viewers was not able to make a dent. While the gallery owners were completely baffled by tepid response of collectors despite keen interest, Australian Jane Dyer exhibiting at Tag Fine Arts, London, hit the nail on the head. She reasoned that none of the artworks from their booth takes time for a new gallery owner to establish a rapport with collectors, who enjoy a more comfortable relationship with home-grown gallery owners. No wonder her work at Delhi-based gallery “Espace” sold. Scream, London felt the pulse of an Indian buyer. Works of Ye Hongxing sold out completely. David Gersten, whose steel cutouts have been drawing viewers and buyers, again sold well. Three-dimensional works of Yacoov Agam and Charles Fazzino, too, found enthused buyers. None of these observations, however, can take the steam out of the fair whose strength is its ability to not only keep going but bounce back next year with equal force.
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Spectrum auction from today, eight cos in fray
New Delhi, February 2 DoT has reduced the quantum of spectrum to be sold in 1,800 MHz band in 10 circles, including Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai, from about a total of 403 MHz planned earlier. The final list of bidders also includes Idea Cellular, Telewings (Uninor), Reliance Communications (RCom), Tata Teleservices and Aircel. Three companies, meanwhile, have been found to be ineligible for bidding in certain service areas. Vodafone India will not be able to bid in seven circles, RCom in eight and Tata Teleservices in Delhi. The government has to conduct this third round of spectrum auction following a Supreme Court order in the 2G case directing that all the radiowaves freed from the cancellation of 122 licences in February 2012 should be auctioned. Besides, 900 MHz has to be auctioned as some of the radiowaves in this band are held under old telecom licences which will start expiring from November 2014. In November 2012, bids worth Rs 9,407 crore were received for spectrum worth Rs 28,000 that was offered. In March 2013, no GSM operators bid at the auction and only CDMA operator Sistema Shyam bought spectrum of about Rs 3,600 crore in eight of the 21 service areas. It is must for Vodafone to get spectrum in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata; for Airtel in Delhi and Mumbai, and Loop Mobile in Mumbai for continuing operations because their licences are expiring in November. The government has fixed the base price for the sale of spectrum in the 1,800 Mhz band for pan-India at Rs 1,765 crore per MHz, about 26 per cent lower than in the March sale. For 900 MHz band, the base price is 53 per cent lower than the previous auction price. — PTI SC refuses to stay auction New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Sunday refused to interfere with the order of the telecom tribunal dismissing the pleas of Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, Loop and Idea for a stay on spectrum auction which is starting on Monday and extension of their licences by another 10 years
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DRDO all set to make its presence felt at Indian Science Congress
Jammu, February 2 The technological strength of the research giant will be depicted through its state-of-the-art systems and technologies will be showcased at the five-day-long mega event. The DRDO pavilion has continuously bagged top awards for the last four years. "The highlight of the DRDO's participation in the Indian Science Congress will be a special evening lecture 'Scientific innovation in security', by Avinash Chander, Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister and Secretary, Department of Defence R&D, on February 3," said Dr Ravi Gupta, Director, Public Interface, DRDO. Avinash Chander is an accomplished missile scientist, who has led the indigenous designing, development and production of India's ballistic missiles. These missiles, capable of delivering strategic payloads in excess of 5,000 km, provide credible deterrence against misadventures by any adversary and are thus the weapons of peace, he added. Dr Gupta said besides the exhibition of DRDO products, another important event would be a public outreach session titled "Innovations in defence technologies" scheduled to be held on February 5. During the session Dr G Malakondaiah would lead a galaxy of senior DRDO scientists in presenting the activities and achievements of the organisation. He said 33 laboratories of the DRDO would be taking part in the mega event. Ashwagosha Ganju, Director, Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment, DRDO, said 50 scientists of the DRDO would be taking part in the Science Congress and would make the show immensely beneficial for the visitors. The DRDO has developed several material technologies and established production facilities as well. A few samples such as titanium sponge and high-power rare earth magnets can be seen, he added. Dr Sudarshan Kumar, Director, Center for Fire Explosive and Environment Safety, DRDO, said the aim of the DRDO to participate in the Science Congress was to apprise and inspire young minds with science and technology opening to them a whole new world of dreams, challenges, and opportunities.
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Only peaceful means can help ‘solve’ Tibetan issue
Delivering a speech on “A human approach to peace and individual”, his first oration here, he said the new Chinese government seemed more realistic. He expressed hope that it would develop policies based on truth and reality. “The reality today is that the whole world has become a small blue planet which has no physical barriers when observed from the space. So, we need deep sense of concern for well being of the entire humanity and the health of the planet,” he said. He said peaceful means was the only way to resolve any problem. He said the use of force was unrealistic and would lead to no solution even if the intention was good. He cited example of Iraq and Afghanistan crises.
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BSF may replace Assam Rifles on Myanmar border
New Delhi, February 2 Sources in the security establishment have said the Assam Rifles, a paramilitary force, which has been guarding the 1643-km long India-Myanmar border since 2002, will soon only conduct counter-insurgency operations in the North-East. The plan is to replace about 15 to 20 infantry battalions of the Indian Army that have been deployed in the North-East for counter-insurgency operations, by Assam Rifles. The remaining battalions of the Army engaged in counter-insurgency operations there would also be replaced by the Assam Rifles in a graduated manner. The developments came to the light after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) recently sent a proposal to the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) for approving the BSF to take over the responsibility of guarding the India-Myanmar border from the Assam Rifles. Although the CCS is yet to approve the proposal, it is likely that the BSF will be given the task. The BSF which was raised on December 1, 1965, is the world’s largest border guarding force. It presently guards the India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh borders. At the BSF’s annual press conference held on November 29 last year, the force’s Director-General, Subhash Joshi, had said: “We have recently been informed of the decision that the India-Myanmar border will be guarded by the BSF.” The BSF plans to raise 41 battalions (41,000 troops), four Frontier, 12 Sector and a Theatre Headquarters, for guarding the
border. Counter-insurgency op
Assam Rifles to conduct counter-insurgency operations in North-East
soon.
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India-Myanmar border alignment high on agenda
New Delhi, February 2 With the India-Burma-Thailand trilateral highway getting top priority, large volume of trade is expected to move on the route. At present the trade volume is around $1 billion (Rs 6,000 crore) and largely by the way of import of pulses and timber. The tri-lateral highway can entail a 10-fold increase since it will provide access to Thailand and further east to Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. The existing sea trade route to these countries is expensive. Indian security agencies have suggested to have a firm alignment of the 1634-km-long border with Myanmar. It should is fully demarcated and marked on the ground lest any dispute arises. The alignment of 136 km of this is not aligned or demarcated on ground and it lies in heavily forested areas where India does not even have roads to access the area. The location of another nine border posts in Manipur (Moreh-Tamu area) is disputed due to inability of surveyors. Sources confirmed that the Indian decision is to remain sensitive to Myanmar. However, the need is now to demarcate the boundary and have some regulation on entry and exit points.
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Pak raises pitch against key Indian role in Kabul
New Delhi, February 2 It is learnt that Islamabad has yet again told the United States that it would have strong reservations if India was given any critical responsibility in Afghanistan after the pullout by NATO troops by the end of this year. The issue was discussed at a recent meeting of the Standing Committee of Pakistan’s Senate (Upper House) on Defence at which the country’s Defence Secretary Lt Gen Asif Yasin is reported to have given a detailed briefing on US-Pakistan talks on Afghanistan. Islamabad is also said to have conveyed to Washington its apprehensions about the role of Indian Consulates in the Afghan cities of Kandahar and Jalalabad in fuelling insurgency in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province, notwithstanding New Delhi’s contention that the Consulates were primarily involved in the massive reconstruction programme India has undertaken in the war-ravaged country. Pakistan’s renewed opposition to India’s role in Afghanistan has once again given rise to speculation that it wanted to gain ‘strategic depth’ in the battle-scarred country after the withdrawal by foreign troops. The control over Kabul after all is vital to Islamabad’s military doctrine. Last week, Pakistan Prime Minister’s Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz was in Washington where he told his American interlocutors that there was a strong perception in his country that a lot of pressure was exerted on Islamabad on issues concerning India. In an obvious reference to the Afghanistan issue, he complained that Islamabad’s legitimate concerns were not conveyed to New Delhi with intensity. Strategic experts say Pakistan’s fresh offensive against India on the Afghanistan issue was reflective of its ‘dubious’ game-plan in the embattled country in the post-drawdown phase. It is not a secret that both India and Afghanistan have always been under threat of terrorist havens located in Pakistan. New Delhi fears that resurgent militancy in Afghanistan by the Taliban and its allies after the troops’ pullout could stoke violence, aided and abetted by Pakistan, in Jammu and Kashmir. Because of Islamabad’s insistence, the US has pressured India from time to time to limit its role in Afghanistan so as to prevent Pakistan from withdrawing support for the war and cutting vital US supply lines.
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Seven-judge SC Bench to revisit judgment on Hindutva
New Delhi, February 2 The issue assumes importance as questions were raised on its 1995 verdict which held that vote in name of “Hindutva/ Hinduism” did not prejudicially affect any candidate and since then, three election petitions are pending on the subject before the apex court. The Supreme Court’s three-judge Bench in 1995 had held that "Hindutva/Hinduism is a way of life of the people in the sub-continent” and “is a state of mind”. The judgment was delivered in the case of Manohar Joshi versus NB Patil which was authored by Justice JS Verma who found that statement by Joshi that "First Hindu State will be established in Maharashtra did not amount to appeal on ground of religion.” The observation was made while dealing with the question regarding the scope of corrupt practices mentioned in sub-section (3) of Section 123 of the 1951 Representation of People Act. The issue for interpretation of sub-section (3) of Section 123 of the Act once again had come on January 30 before a five-judge Bench headed by Justice RM Lodha which referred it for examination before a larger Bench of seven judges which will be constituted by Chief Justice P Sathasivam. The Bench, also comprising Justices AK Patnaik, SJ Mukhopadhaya, Dipak Misra and FIM Kalifulla, was dealing with the appeal filed in 1992 by BJP leader Abhiram Singh, whose election to the Maharashtra Assembly in 1990 was set aside in 1991 by the Bombay High Court. A three-judge Bench on April 16, 1992 had referred Abhiram Singh’s appeal in which the same question and interpretation of sub-section (3) of Section 123 of the Act was raised to a five-judge Constitution Bench. — PTI
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Narmada water being diverted to industry in Gujarat
Ahmedabad, February 2 Even when the construction of the dam has reached its optimum level at 121.92m, only minus erection of 17m-high gates, to declare the project complete, the canal network will take water only to 5.59 lakh hectares for irrigation while no arrangement yet has been made for the remaining 13.5 lakh hectares originally covered under the mega dam project. Irrigation experts point out that Gujarat could have made full use of its quota of 9 million acre feet of the Narmada waters when the dam height had reached 110.64m —achieved over five years ago — provided the main and sub-canal network was ready to supply water to the fields. Modi blamed the past Congress governments in the state for the non-execution of the canal network. He ignored the fact that of the 25 years that the Narmada project was under actual implementation, barring the first 10 years that went in solving disputes and agitations since 1979 when the project was given environmental clearance, he himself was at the helm of affairs in the state for 12 years and his party-led governments for seven years.
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Defence civilian staff to go on
strike
Chandigarh, February 2 With a combined cadre strength of about four lakh, defence civilian employees are those who are employed in Ministry of Defence (MoD) establishments and paid from the defence estimates, but do not fall under the purview of the Army, Navy or Air Force Acts. A host of demands have been put up that includes matters pertaining to service conditions, pay and allowances as well as MoD’s technical issues that could have an adverse impact on the ongoing restructuring and functioning of some defence establishments.
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Naval warship runs aground off Vizag coast
New Delhi, February 2 An inquiry has been ordered by the Navy to ascertain the reasons for the mishap last week, sources in the Navy said today. The incident was the eighth involving a Naval warship since the sinking of the submarine INS Sindhurakshak in Mumbai harbour in August last year in which all 18 personnel on board were killed. The Magar-class Landing Ship Tanker (LST) ran aground off the coast of Vishakhapatnam and suffered damages. A Navy spokesperson refused to comment on the issue. The LSTs are used by the Navy for amphibious warfare. Only two ships of the class were designed and built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited in partnership with the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers. The ships are stationed at the naval base in Vishakhapatnam. They can operate two medium-lift helicopters, which are primarily meant for "inserting" a small team of Special Forces (marine commandos). There have been several incidents in the recent past amid claims by Navy Chief Admiral DK Joshi that the force's record in terms of safety was "not that bad" when compared to other navies in the world. — PTI 9th mishap in 7 months
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Mumbai, February 2
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