The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

House panel to discuss MPs’ frisking today

New Delhi, February 16
The Committee on Security in Parliament Complex is expected to discuss the frisking of MPs at its meeting tomorrow in the wake of pepper spray attack in Lok Sabha.

Speaker Meira Kumar has directed the committee, headed by Deputy Speaker Karia Munda, to hold the meeting and consider the events on Thursday which saw expelled Congress member L Rajagopal using pepper spray to prevent introduction of the Telangana bill in the Lower House.

Rajagopal had attracted widespread condemnation.

“We really have a difficult task at hand. We have taken proper care after the terror strike in Parliament on December 13 a decade back so that such incidents do not recur. But what can one do when a family member himself tries to set the house on fire?” a member of the Committee on Security, who declined to be identified, remarked in anguish.

The committee will examine all security-related matters, including means to prevent bringing of dangerous and life-threatening material into the Chamber of the House by MPs.

"The pros and cons about the various security measures that should be adopted will be considered in detail by the Committee," an official announcement had said earlier without elaborating on the mechanism to be adopted. — PTI

Andhra CM all set to resign if LS takes up Telangana Bill
Suresh Dharur
Tribune News Service

Hyderabad, February 16
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, who is strongly opposed to the division of the state, is all set to resign whenever Parliament takes up the Telangana Bill for debate.

An indication to this effect came tonight after he held a meeting with ministers, MLAs and MLCs from the Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions, jointly referred to as Seemandhra. Kiran, who crossed the "Lakshman Rekha" by revolting against the Congress leadership's decision on bifurcation, is also expected to launch a political party.

The meeting decided to wait for the Centre to put the AP Reorganisation Bill, 2013, for debate in the Lok Sabha before taking a final call on en masse resignations. Twenty-seven MLAs, seven ministers and seven MLCs attended the meeting. The ruling Congress has 83 legislators from the Seemandhra region.

Kiran told his colleagues that he was committed to the cause of united Andhra Pradesh and that he would quit whenever the Bill came up for debate in Parliament. According to the latest indications, the contentious Bill is likely to be put up for debate in the Lok Sabha on February 18 or 19.

"The Chief Minister will certainly resign the moment the Bill is tabled for discussion in Parliament," state Legislative Affairs Minister S Sailajanath told reporters after the meeting.

Another Minister E Pratap Reddy said the Chief Minister would also float a political party. "After talking to our supporters in our respective constituencies, we will take a decision on joining the new party," he said.

The Chief Minister's camp is keenly watching the developments taking place in New Delhi, particularly the stand to be taken by the principal Opposition BJP on the issue of extending cooperation in the smooth passage of the Bill. Moreover, there is still some technical confusion surrounding the introduction of the Bill amidst unprecedented pandemonium in the Lok Sabha.

"The Chief Minister told the Seemandhra representatives that his personal image was now at stake and that he would take a decision on stepping down from the post the moment Parliament took up debate on the Bill," sources said.

Ever since the Congress Working Committee (CWC) announced its decision on July 30 to carve out a separate Telangana state to fulfil a long-pending demand of the region, the Chief Minister, who hails from the Rayalaseema region, has been openly opposing the move.

Nitish slams survey reports projecting BJP’s surge

Patna, February 16
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today slammed pollsters for projecting NDA's impressive performance during the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, saying it amounted to nullifying the election process itself.

“If that's what is going to be the outcome (BJP-led NDA's imminent victory in the general elections), then what is the need for holding elections,” he said at the JD(U)’s 12th and final Sankalp rally at Deedarganj on the outskirts of the state capital.

Kumar said: “If the BJP thinks that it has won the general elections on the basis of the opinion polls then what's the need to contest the polls altogether?.... it should go ahead and form the next government at the Centre."

"Modi should go ahead and take oath as the Prime Minister straightaway if he and BJP think that they have won the general elections on the basis of the survey reports," the Chief Minister said.

Kumar lashed out at pollsters for suggesting that his government in Bihar was popular even today to the extent that 68 per cent people have reposed faith in it, but yet they will vote for the BJP-led alliance in the general elections.

“How come it's possible that the people surveyed by the pollsters are happy with this government's performance and yet they desire to vote for another alliance at hustings? The assessment is an outright contradiction," he said.

Kumar also expressed unhappiness with the local media for giving inadequate converge to him and activities of his party of late and said that the JD(U)'s eleven Sankalp rallies held so far had not been reported adequately.

The Chief Minister sought to turn the table on the BJP over its "betrayal" allegation following the JD(U) parting ways with it last year after 17 years of association.

"Let me say it once and for all that it was not me who betrayed the BJP, but I was betrayed by the then ally and its leadership," Kumar said.

"I was assured by the top BJP leaders like Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari on the issue of Modi's elevation after I had expressed my reservations about this development," he said, adding that once the BJP leadership failed to keep their words, he was left with no option but to part ways.

The Chief Minister for the first time said that it was his erstwhile deputy Sushil Kumar Modi who had asked him to meet Gadkari for assurance that the Gujarat Chief Minister would not be promoted as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate so as to keep the alliance in Bihar going.

But these top BJP leaders not only failed to keep their words to him, but sent message that they had failed in their endeavour to stop Modi's stride in the party, Kumar said. — PTI

FM may offer some sops in Interim Budget

New Delhi, February 16
Finance Minister P Chidambaram may dole out some sops while doing a tightrope walk to keep the fiscal deficit under check when he presents the Interim Budget for 2014-15 in Parliament tomorrow ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Along with the Budget, he will present a vote-on-account to seek Parliament's sanction for spending till July.

By tradition, the Interim Budget does not contain proposals seeking to tinker with direct taxes, nor are there any policy announcements, although there may be some sops for the common man and sectors that need help.

Earlier, Chidambaram had indicated he may tweak excise duties and service tax rates in the Interim Budget in an apparent bid to boost the economy, but he may not pursue key reform legislation due to lack of political consensus.

"In 2004, Mr Jaswant Singh made a 12-page speech. In 2009, Mr Mukherjee made an 18-page speech. So I have two numbers to choose from between 12 to 18. We can make any proposal short of amending any law.

"We cannot propose amendments to the Income Tax Act, Customs Act or the Excise Act. But any proposal short of amending a law can be made. We can also outline a vision for the future," he had said.

It would be interesting to see if Chidambaram continues with the super-rich tax in 2014-15 as well, but indications are he may choose not to since it would need amendment of the law.

In the last Budget, the government imposed a 10 per cent surcharge for a year (2013-14 fiscal) on people earning income above Rs 1 crore. It covered 42,800 individuals and entities. — PTI

Cong poll panel to shortlist probables today

New Delhi, February 16
The Congress poll panel headed by PC Chacko is scheduled to meet tomorrow.

It will shortlist names of probable candidates for the Lok Sabha seats that are currently represented by members of Opposition parties and the Gurgaon seat. The sitting MP of the party from Gurgaon, Rao Inderjit Singh, has joined the BJP.

The party will complete the exercise for these seats first and take up the discussion for the remaining seats later.

The panel will discuss the names that have been recommended by the state Congress committees.

Sources said that although Haryana was on the agenda for the meeting, a discussion on the state could be shelved for a few days.

In the last General Election, the Congress won all the seats in Haryana except Hisar which was won by former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal of the Haryana Janhit Congress. After his demise, his son and president of the party, Kuldip Bishnoi, won the seat in a byelection in September 2011.

Sources said that among the names shortlisted as probable candidates for the Gurgaon seat are Haryana minister Aftab Ahmed; Chief Parliamentary Secretary of Haryana Assembly Rao Daan Singh; sitting MLA Rao Dharam Pal; and Chiranjeev Singh, president of Haryana Youth Congress. — TNS

Marines case should have been settled in first 3 days: Italy

Rome, February 16
Italy has regretted that the case of two of its marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen was not resolved within three days of the incident, before the issue became enmeshed in India's “deadly judicial and political-electoral gears”.

“The most suitable time to resolve it were the first 72 hours,” said Staffan de Mistura, special envoy of the Italian government.

“No one could have imagined, on February 15, 2012, that this unheard-of affair involving two marines would be protracted for two long years,” Foreign Under-Secretary Mistura said ahead of the next hearing of the case in India's Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Marines Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone “entered the deadly judicial and political-electoral gears of Kerala” after the matter was not resolved, Mistura was quoted as saying by Italy's ANSA news agency.

The marines allegedly shot dead two fishermen off the Kerala coast in February 2012, sparking diplomatic tensions between India and Italy.

Indian authorities have given their nod to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the matter, to prosecute the marines under the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Maritime Navigation And Fixed Platforms on Continental Shelf Act (SUA). The SUA carries death penalty.

India last week removed the possibility of a death penalty but insisted that the marines would still be prosecuted under the anti-piracy law. Now, they face up to 10 years in jail.

Italy said use of the terror law equates it with being a terrorist state.

Last week, India's apex court set February 18 as the next date for hearing arguments from both sides on the use of the anti-piracy law. Italy had approached the apex court on January 15 amid fears that the NIA intended to prosecute the marines under the SUA.

Foreign Minister Emma Bonino has thanked EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton for expressing concern that India would try two Italian marines under an anti- terrorism law.

“Ashton's statements acknowledge that India's decision to prosecute the marines under such a legislation would undermine the dignity of the Italian marine officers and of Italy as a country,” Bonino was quoted as saying by Agenzia Giornalistica news agency.

The marines, deployed on the Italian-flagged oil tanker MT Enrica Lexie, said they mistook the fishermen for pirates. They are now staying in the Italian Embassy in New Delhi awaiting trial.

Rome wants the marines to be tried in Italy, claiming the incident took place in international waters. — PTI

India-backed varsity in former Taliban base a breakthrough, says Khurshid

New Delhi, February 16
The establishment of war-torn Afghanistan’s first agriculture university with India’s help in former Taliban stronghold of Kandahar is a breakthrough in the Indo-Afghan strategic partnership, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has said.

“For India, a strong, prosperous and economically independent Afghanistan is a strategic priority and a key element of our strategic partnership agreement,” said Khurshid, who returned last night from Kandahar after inaugurating Afghan National Agricultural Sciences and Technology University (ANASTU) in the sprawling Tarnak farm.

"We, therefore, see our participation in this agriculture university project as an important activity of the India-Afghanistan strategic partnership," he said.

Interestingly, the Tarnak farm was Al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden's main Afghan residence during much of the late 1990s. From there he oversaw Al-Qaida's plot to fly hijacked airliners into the World Trade Centre in New York and Pentagon in Washington in an attack that killed nearly 3,000 people.

Khurshid noted that India has already offered 614 agricultural scholarships to Afghan students who are presently being trained at Indian agriculture institutes. He hoped that many of those being trained in India would one day return as professors to ANASTU in which India has invested up to $8 million.

About 80 per cent of Afghan people depends on agriculture for livelihood. Also, nearly 60 per cent of GDP of the country is from the farm sector which still lacks modern agriculture practices.

Khurshid said Afghan President Hamid Karzai treated the agriculture university as an “extremely important legacy issue for him”. The Karzai government has transferred to the university 2,810 acres of land with irrigation facilities.

“Generally, it is a very breakthrough step that we have been able to take up in Afghanistan. It is a small beginning because it is a very difficult place both in terms of connectivity and safety and communications,” he said.

Khurshid is the first External Affairs Minister to visit Kandahar, the second largest city in Afghanistan, since 1999 when the then minister Jaswant Singh came with three terrorists released in exchange for the hostages of a hijacked Indian Airlines flight.

The plane was hijacked during its flight from Kathmandu to Delhi on December 24 and the crisis ended with the hostages being released on January 1, 2000 in exchange for terrorists Maulana Masood Azhar, Omar Sheikh and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar.

In his speech at the inauguration of ANASTU yesterday, Khurshid recalled that Jaswant Singh had visited the city in "very difficult, different circumstances".

“I recall that in 1999, my predecessor came to Kandahar in very difficult, very different circumstances," he said.

“So I think, all in all, it was important, critical. He (Karzai) wanted to do it before he lays down office and was very glad that I was able to come," Khurshid said. Afghanistan is set to hold presidential election on April 5 ahead of the drawdown of US-led troops later this year.

Earlier, speaking to Indian reporters in Kandahar, Karzai said the opening of the agriculture university was a "significant" event in Afghanistan's history.

"India has taken yet one more significant step in helping Afghanistan," he said, noting that India had given aid worth $2 billion though it is not a traditional donor. — PTI

Manmohan Singh-led govt most corrupt: Advani

New Delhi, February 16
BJP leader LK Advani today launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, saying as his decade-long tenure draws to a close, he would have presided over the “most corrupt” government in independent India.

“Dr Manmohan Singh began his tenure with a clean personal reputation. But as his decade-long tenure is coming to a close, he would leave behind him a record of having presided over the most corrupt government in independent India,” he said in his latest blog.

Attacking the Congress-led UPA government, Advani alleged that it had driven Parliament to an "all-time low", recounting the February 13 mayhem in Lok Sabha which saw a Congress MP using pepper spray in the House and ministers joining anti- Telangana protests in the Well.

“Most members were shocked one day to see as many as half-a-dozen ministers... totally disregarding the presence of the PM and Soniaji in the House, rushing into the Well and joining the ugly ruckus... when amidst shouting of slogans for and against division of Andhra Pradesh, parliamentary papers were being torn and thrown all around,” he said, blaming the UPA for coalition mismanagement.

He said, “The limits of unsavoury behaviour were crossed when... a Congress party MP pulled out a black pepper spray and started spraying it all around.”— PTI

Smaller parties, activists head towards AAP
Ananya Panda
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 16
The Aam Aadmi Party’s support base is swelling as not only like-mined groups and social movements but also members of several smaller political parties are joining it, with the Uttarakhand Parivartan Party being the latest.

After Narmada Bacaho Andolan’s Medha Patkar, National Alliance of People Movement’s Shamsher Singh Bisht and Uttarakhand movement’s Rajiv Lochan Shah, celebrated poet Balli Singh Cheema, former Education Director Nand Nandan Pandey, former Director-General Kanchan Bhattarcharya and development activist Pawan Gupta have joined AAP this week in the Himalayan state.

Further, activist Kamla Pant and Garhwali singer Narendra Singh Negi are expected to join AAP too. Environmentalist Ravi Chopra and historian and writer Shekhar Pathak too have extended their support to the party.

In Bihar, many people such as those with sarvodaya background - Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Vahini and Bhoodan Movement - have come under AAP’s fold. In Punjab, social activists associated with Justice Movement Insaaf Lehar head Prof Krishan Chander Ahuja and its sister wing, the Sikh movement, which have welcomed the SIT probe into 1984 anti-Sikh riots will hold a rally in Moga on February 18.

“Several groups with similar vision are joining the party and there is a possibility of people from Nationalist Congress Party, Lok Janshakti Party, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal and Lok Satta joining AAP. Some office bearers
of these parties have joined in Delhi. Some more regional groups may volunteer to join the party,” said AAP executive member and JNU prof Anand Kumar.

He added in Rajasthan farmers are coming in large numbers to support AAP, there are delegations, who are saying that AAP is just too far away from reality giving a good run for money in Punjab.

AAP chief takes a dig at Modi, Rahul
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 16
Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal today termed Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and BJP leader Narendra Modi “agents of Mukesh Ambani”. He asked them to clarify their stand on the controversial gas pricing issue and their “relationship” with industrialist Mukesh Ambani.

On the micro- blogging website Twitter, he wrote: “Would 2014 elections be fought between the AAP and Mukesh Ambani, with Rahul and Modi being agents of Mukesh Ambani?

Arvind said the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate should explain his stand on gas pricing.

“Modi should break his silence on gas pricing. Also, what is his and his party’s relation with Mukesh Ambani and Adani?” he tweeted.

“Why Rahul is supporting higher gas price for Mukesh Ambani? Is Congress Amban's "dukaan" (shop), as claimed by him?" he tweeted.

The attacks come days after an FIR was registered by the AAP-led Delhi government against Mukesh Ambani and Union Petroleum Minister Veerappa Moily.

Govt yet to name judge for snoopgate probe

New Delhi, February 16
Nearly two months after its announcement, the government has failed to name a retired judge who will head a judicial commission to probe into the snooping scandal allegedly involving Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Official sources said a panel of three retired judges has been selected but so far no announcement has been made by the government, raising speculation that they too might have turned down the offer.

Earlier a few judges, including a retired Chief Justice of a High Court, were approached by the government to take up the assignment, but all of them are said to have turned down the offer describing the case as "highly political".

As the Lok Sabha election is approaching and Modi is BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate, the sources said, the government is facing difficulty in finding a judge who would be willing to head the judicial commission of inquiry into the charges.

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde has, however, denied that no judge is willing to head the inquiry but admitted "some problems" in announcing the name of the retired judge.

On January 10, Shinde had said that a judge to head the judicial commission would be announced "within a day or two".

But more than a month after the Home Minister's statement, no announcement has been made regarding the name of the judge.

On December 26, 2013, the Central government had declared appointment of a Commission of Inquiry into the "snooping" on a woman in Gujarat allegedly at the behest of Modi.

The commission, to be headed by a retired judge of Supreme Court or retired Chief Justice of a High Court, is supposed to submit its report within three months.

The Union Cabinet has decided to constitute the inquiry into the incidents of physical or electronic surveillance in the states of Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, and Delhi allegedly without authorisation, the announcement had said.

The commission will also look into charges of snooping on Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh by the then BJP government when he was in the opposition as well as the leaking of the call data records of BJP leader Arun Jaitley. — PTI

Minister: Spread harmony to curb racial attacks
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 16
Minister of State for Home RPN Singh today said there was a need to send out a message of harmony in society to avoid a repeat of the “very saddening incident” involving the death to a North-East youth in Delhi.

The Minister was addressing the Delhi Police personnel at its Raising Day function here today. He said Delhi belonged to all Indians. He was referring to the death of Nido Taniam from Arunachal Pradesh.

A number of other incidents were also reported in which students of the North-East were attacked leading to protest by students.

On women’s security, the minister said: “Delhi Police is one of the best forces in the country, but there is more we need to achieve. A situation where the common man feels no hesitation or fear in contacting the police would be ideal.”

“It is sad that women feel unsafe in the city. Delhi Police need to work towards making the national capital crime free and should ensure women's safety. It is a matter of deep shame for us that women staying in the National Capital do not feel safe."

He said there was a need to adopt a zero tolerance approach while dealing with corruption. He appreciated free registration of cases, transparency and accountability in Delhi Police’s functioning.

The minister emphasised more friendly relations between the police and public where a citizen could approach the law enforcers unhesitatingly and share information. The cooperation of people was of paramount importance to check the crime.

The Minister assured MHA help in terms of augmenting resources for better policing.

Talking about the steps taken by Delhi Police to ensure the safety of people from the North-East, Commissioner BS Bassi said an anti-racism helpline had been launched recently. A special cell had also been set up to deal with matters involving foreigners, Bassi said adding that a vigilance helpline had been introduced for lodging complaints against corrupt officials.

Naga political groups urged to unite

Kohima, February 16
Naga Hoho, the apex body of civil organisations in Nagaland, has urged all political groups in the state to play a role in bringing unity.

The organisation, in a press release, stated "time has come for every Naga to retrospect the challenging task and situation that is confronting our society, which needs strong resolution to achieve the desired dream." It lamented that the reconciliation process among Naga political groups, which is going on under the banner of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation, "is yet to come to a logical conclusion".

It stated that the reconciliation process among the Naga political groups "is not only to put on halt fratricidal killings and unwarranted situations." Asserting that nation building is a continuous process, Naga Hoho iterated that "it is for the people to understand the possibility to live together as one people, one nation". It further appealed all tribe leaders to selflessly work towards bringing about peace and unity among the Naga National groups. — PTI

Sonia, Narasimha Rao had strained relations: Congress minister

Sonia Gandhi

PV Narasimha Rao

New Delhi, February 16
Sonia Gandhi and late Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao had strained relations when he was the Prime Minister as she was unhappy over the slow pace of progress in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination probe, says a book written by a union minister.

And when Gandhi chose to go public with her unhappiness over the probe in August 1995, it was a buildup to what she would choose two years later to enter active politics, says Union Food Minister KV Thomas in his book “Sonia - The Beloved of The Masses”.

The fact that Gandhi and Rao did not share an easy relationship was also confirmed by former minister Natwar Singh, who recollects how Rao called him one night in May, 1995 to say how he was been "insulted" by her.

Referring to a speech made by Sonia Gandhi on August 20, 1995 on the birth anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi, Thomas says in his book that her words had pained the entire nation.

"That was why Sonia, who was not close to Rao, pointed an accusing finger at the government. Aggrieved about the inordinate delay in the Rajiv's assassination probe, she asked if the investigation related to the killing of a former prime minister was to take so much time, what would be the fate of ordinary citizens who fights for justice?" Thomas says it could not be construed in a simplistic way as a statement against the slow pace of the process of meting out justice. "When Congress was in power, a broadside from Sonia was indeed a censure of Narasimha Rao," he writes.

Sonia believed so long as Rao remained in power, the probe into Rajiv's death will reach nowhere, says Thomas in the book.

"Her conviction was some other agency might have masterminded the murder and engineered it through the LTTE. It was circumstances that pushed Sonia into politics. How could she remain witness when the edifices of the party were crumbling?” he says. — PTI

Army to enhance amphibious capability of combat vehicles
Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 16
The Army is modifying its BMP-2 infantry combat vehicles to enhance their amphibious capability, especially for sea-borne assault operations. The Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME) along with the private industry has undertaken the project, which will involve retrofitting hydrojets on either side of the combat vehicles for propulsion in water. These jets would increase their power and speed, overcoming the limitation of using the BMP’s tracks for propulsion.

The BMP is a fully amphibious combat vehicle and uses its tracks to “swim” while negotiating water obstacles like rivers. The hydrojets will increase its amphibious speed from 7 kph to 12 kph in seas.

According to Army officers, enhanced speed and power have impact during operations in the seas where tides and high water levels have to be taken into account. Higher speeds and power would give commander greater options while planning operations.

The Army has several versions of the BMP that equip the Mechanised Infantry Regiment and the Brigade of Guards. Some specialised versions are also in service with the armoured corps and the engineers. Though of Russian origin, they are manufactured in India by the ordnance factories.

There are over 1,500 BMPs in service with the Army. The Army also has a project to upgrade its entire fleet of BMPs with better armour protection, enhanced mobility and increased firepower.

SAARC meeting in Maldives from Feb 20
Ashok Tuteja
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 16
After a hiatus of more than two years, the SAARC process is being revived. Maldives is set to host the 25th session of the SAARC Council of Ministers’ meeting on February 20.

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid will represent India at the meeting, which will be attended by the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Maldives. On the margins of the SAARC engagements, Khurshid is likely to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other SAARC nations.

No high-level meeting of the eight-member grouping has taken place since the 17th summit was held in Addu City in Maldives in November 2011.

This was primarily due to the turmoil in Maldives and the fact that most of the countries in the region were witnessing elections or were about to go to the polls.

The next summit of the grouping is scheduled to be held in Nepal. The SAARC Council of Ministers is expected to finalise the dates for the next summit.

The meeting in Maldives assumes significance against the backdrop of a growing realisation among SAARC member states that the association has failed to fulfil the vision for which it was created in 1985 because of the rivalry between its two most important players-India and Pakistan.

Other member states have often accused India and Pakistan of turning the grouping into a bilateral forum to settle their political battles and hijacking an institution that was created to ensure speedy development of the region.

However, the member countries still believe that there is tremendous scope for turning the grouping into a vigorous organisation like the European Union (EU) or the ASEAN.

The SAARC secretariat has prepared a comprehensive report on ways and means to streamline, rationalise and restructure various SAARC mechanisms. The report is expected to be adopted at the meeting in Maldives.

Discussions are also likely on transport and connectivity as there are some proposals of enhancing connectivity among SAARC countries, including having a ferry service between Maldives, India and Sri Lanka and a trial run of a container train between Bangladesh, India and Nepal.

The meeting will also discuss economic matters such as the implementation of the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA). Afghanistan has also now joined SAFTA. About 20 per cent of intra-SAARC trade is governed by SAFTA. The progress made by the South Asian University (SAU) is also on the agenda.

On agenda

Khurshid is likely to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other SAARC nations

Discussion will be held on the scope for turning the grouping into a vigorous organisation like the European Union or the ASEAN

Ways and means to streamline, rationalise and restructure various SAARC mechanisms will also be debated

With 18 siblings, world’s oldest family in Karnataka

Bangalore, February 16
A family of 13 siblings in Karnataka that claims to have a combined age of over 880 years has staked claim with the Guinness World Records to be the oldest-living family in the world.

Ramakrishna Manja, 68, who is the eighth among the siblings, said today he has approached the Guinness authorities on February 12 with their claim.

The Guinness authorities responded the next day and have asked Ramakrishna to give proof of date of birth of the family members — eight brothers and five sisters.

The Manja family, which was brought up at Kargal Colony near the famous Jog Falls in Shimoga District, has also been asked to send two photographs — one of all 13 siblings and the other of the entire family.

"We don’t have a recent photo of all siblings and the family together, so we are planning to meet at Shimoga in first week of March. We are still finding out the process of Guinness World Records. They said that it would take six or eight weeks for their verification process to be completed," Ramakrishna said.

Ramakrishna, a retired registrar of the Chennai-based Institute of Mathematical Sciences who is settled in Bangalore, said he approached the Guinness authorities after seeing a news report on February 11 about a family in London entering the Guinness World Records by claiming to be the oldest family.

The Brudenell siblings of London claimed to be the oldest family in the world -- after adding up an amazing 855 years.

"That is when I started totalling the age of my siblings," he said. "When I totalled it, it was 880 plus -- more than that of the London family. That is when I filed an application staking our claim."

"In fact, our eldest sister -- aged about 73 years -- died a couple of years back. Otherwise, the combined age would have come to over 950 years," he said. The age of the siblings currently ranges from 56 years to 79 years.

"I am really elated to say that ours is the oldest living family on this Earth if we go by the Guinness World Records," he said. — PTI

Stakes claim for Guinness record

The family claims to have a combined age of over 880 years and has staked claim for the oldest-living family in the world

The Guinness authorities have asked the family to give proof of date of birth of each member

The Brudenell siblings of London claimed to be the oldest family in the world — after adding up an amazing 855 years

N-deal delay with Japan may hit Indian plants

New Delhi, February 16
Progress on atomic plants being built here by France and the US can be hampered by the delay in India's nuclear deal with Japan where key components of these plants are manufactured.

National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon impressed upon French officials during his visit to Paris last month that Japan should be persuaded to fast-track the nuclear deal with India. — PTI