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What PM Modi may like to know about J&K
Centre-state parleys to curb inflation on July 4
Baghdad to Delhi: Restrain media on Iraq coverage
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Cong wakes up, picks team for poll-bound Haryana, J&K
Prime Minister gets invite to visit France
Dehradun centre to conduct tiger census in SAARC nations
US Senator McCain arrives today
Sikh Regiment gets a new battalion
Gadkari: No link with firm manufacturing e-rickshaws
Wife doing higher studies behind husband’s back is cruelty: SC
As lakes dry up, Mumbai stares at water crisis
After violent clash, Azam Khan calls for shifting of party offices
TMC MP Tapas says sorry for rape remark
President is on Twitter
Amjad Ali Khan gets back his missing sarod
SC grants bail to Tejpal in rape case
M’rashtra to ban chewing tobacco in public places
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What PM Modi may like to know about J&K
Jammu, July 1 The state has been viewed through the prism of security needs, trouble on borders and the hinterland. But what ails its 12-million population has hardly been reflected by the leadership of the state. A sense of victimhood, starting from Centre-State relations to the most pressing problems of unemployment, lack of infrastructure and betrayal of promises made to the people over the years will crop up before him. Modi, known for his focused approach, would indeed be interested in knowing the latest on political, economic, and security fronts. Equally keen would he be on societal challenges in response to ever-growing unemployment and a sense of alienation that have pushed the youth to drugs, promoting a dangerous drug-gun nexus. Political aspirations The state wants more in terms of recognition of its political aspirations from the Centre. These aspirations run to extremes - the separatists seek secession while Kashmir-centric parties, the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party want greater autonomy. The NC wants the clock reset to pre-1953 when the state had control over all affairs barring defence, communications and external affairs. The PDP is pitching for self-rule, which is akin to former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's four-point formula on Kashmir: irrelevant borders, self-governance of seven regions of the state, demilitarization from both sides of Line of Control (LoC) and joint Indo-Pak control over the state on both sides of the border line. The state still has its own constitution and flag, and no law passed by Parliament applies to J&K unless it is ratified by the state Assembly. The other extreme is promoted by the BJP that calls for abrogation of Article 370, the constitutional provision granting special status to the state. The BJP perceives it as a barrier between the state and the rest of the country. The constitutional provision, it believes, puts hurdles in the complete integration of J&K with India. It has also endorsed the demand of Ladakh Buddhists for "Union Territory status" for Ladakh. It is being opposed by both NC and PDP. Article 370 It was Narendra Modi who had suggested that there should be a debate on merits and demerits of Article 370. The BJP manifesto said the "debate and discussions" would be towards the commitment to abolishing Article 370. The uproar that followed saw separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the NC, PDP and the CPI-M arrayed against any such move. They fear the move will provoke agitation in Kashmir. Kashmir-centric parties and people think that Article 370 is the only vestige left of their identity. CPI-M leader MY Tarigami fears the BJP move would set "Kashmir on fire", Geelani saw a design by India to "change the Muslim majority character of the state" and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah declared on Twitter on May 27: "Mark my words & save this tweet - long after Modi Govt is a distant memory, either J&K won't be part of India or Art 370 will still exist." Economic stakes A cabinet sub-committee is working out an acceptable formula on the Centre-state relations, but it has not been able to reach a consensus. It was constituted in 2010 after one of the five working groups constituted by then PM Manmohan Singh, headed by Justice Sageer Ahmad, submitted its report in December 2009. The NC is for autonomy, the Congress is opposing it. The shape and size of the state's economy is very difficult to gauge, as the state has nothing to boast except the tax revenue of around Rs 8,000 crore, while the wage bill of the state employees and pensioners is more than Rs 15,500 crore per annum. Plan funds are often diverted to meet the shortfall. There is much talk about power generation, but the state has nothing to showcase barring 450-MW Baglihar project. The state has the capacity to generate over 20,000 MW of hydro electricity. But it doesn’t generate even one-tenth of it. The Cente is yet to implement the recommendations of C Rangarajan-led working group "Economic Development of the State", constituted by Manmohan Singh in 2006, which advocated transfer of 390 MW Dulhasti hydel power project and 1020 MW Bursar storage scheme to J&K, besides increasing the state's power share in the central projects. Also, J&K has more sick units than the functioning industrial units - 4,000 units are non-existent on ground. The investors are shy of investing in this uncertain state, where one day the markets are choked with shoppers and the next day there is a general strike. The state looks toward the Centre for financial help all the time. Corruption The Centrally sponsored schemes have become a source of corruption in the state, where the mistrust is deeply rooted in the peoples' mind about their own governments. When ex-PM Manmohan Singh announced Rs 24,000 cr Prime Minister 'Reconstruction Plan (PMRP) in November 2004, the cost of which has now escalated to Rs 35,450 cr, he was bluntly asked by journalists: "Who would monitor the utilization of funds?" "There is a mechanism of monitoring and utilization of funds. The schemes are put on the website. This procedure is followed in terms of physical verification on the ground," said a senior bureaucrat in the secretariat. But the fact is there are projects existing only on paper against a huge expenditure. Militancy, AFSPA J&K carries a permanent sticker of a trouble-torn state. This frame has dominant pictures of militants and security forces. There has been a steady decline in militancy — the year 2014 is not even a shade of the 1990s when over a lakh bullets were fired overnight across the Valley, grenades were hurled at security forces and there were daily games of hit-and-run, massacres, and the flight of the minorities. Amid all that emerged the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) to provide security forces a shield against prosecution. "It was a necessity", said former Governor SC Saxena. But he had also mentioned that "no law can be kept in perpetuity." This law has helped security forces in their fight against terrorists. Yet there have been instances of fake encounters. Omar had vowed at the start of his term as Chief Minister that he would ensure this "black law" goes before his term ends. He also made an announcement in October 2011 that it will be repealed from certain districts in a few days' time. But nothing has happened. Post-NATO drawdown The withdrawal of NATO forces from Afghanistan will impact situation in Kashmir. Jihadi groups and global terror group al-Qaeda have already declared that "Kashmir" is their next target. Kashmir society is undergoing an upheaval at this time. Youths frustrated by joblessness are getting attracted towards drugs. The malaise has gripped teenagers too. All Parties Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has launched a campaign against drug abuse, and police are organising de-addiction camps. The typical style of measuring normalcy on the basis of tourist footfalls is not a realistic one. Violence, stone throwing and the cyber world filled with radical views have obscured Kashmir as wells as facts on the ground. Points to ponder
Modi in J&K
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Centre-state parleys to curb inflation on July 4
New Delhi, July 1 The Centre has convened State Food Ministers’ meet on July 4 to discuss measures to check unreasonable increase in prices of some food items. Officials say the government has taken a serious note of the recent hike in prices and decided to take strong action against it, jointly with states. There are enough stocks of foodgrains and other essential commodities in the country but prices of some of the commodities, especially onion and potato, are a matter of concern, they add. “It is very urgent to discuss the measures to be taken to address the issue,” they say. The conference will be chaired by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and presided over by Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan. Steps to prevent hoarding of these commodities and plans for distribution of specific essential items through public channels and improving other supply channels will be discussed in the meeting. The meeting will also review the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act for creating a national common market for food items with no barriers to internal trade. Issues pertaining to maintenance of stock and supply of onion and potato as well as improving post harvest infrastructure, value addition and containing wastage will also be taken up in the meeting to ensure availability of these commodities. Meanwhile, the Centre has also asked states to take urgent measures to tackle undue increase in onion prices. In a letter to the Chief Secretaries of all states, Consumer Affairs Secretary Keshav Desiraju has said: “Action needs to be taken to eliminate any hitches in the supply chain and to ensure an uninterrupted supply of onion so that the scope for speculation is eliminated and the public is not subjected to any hardship because of price rise.”
'Poor monsoon may lead to drought-like situation'
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Baghdad to Delhi: Restrain media on Iraq coverage
New Delhi, July 1 As fighting intensified between Iraqi forces and Sunni militants in Tikrit, the Indian nurses were forced to take refuge in the basement of the hospital where they are holed up. Talking to reporters here, MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said he had been told by the International Red Crescent as well as the Iraqi authorities this evening that some of the reports appearing in the Indian media could jeopardise the attempts to secure the release of the captive workers and rescue the nurses stranded in Tikrit. He confirmed that there had been bombing and firing in the vicinity of the hospital in which the nurses were stranded, forcing them to shift to the basement. The Indian authorities were in touch with them and New Delhi was hopeful of extricating them despite the difficult situation, he added. The spokesman said Indian mobile units have been able to persuade about 1000 Indian nationals in Iraq to return home while as many have declined to come back despite the situation there. A batch of 94 Indians flew back yesterday while an additional 136 would be returning tomorrow, taking the total number of those who have left Iraq to 230. A majority of the people who have been booked to return to India are from Northern states, followed by those from Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. About 39 Indians who are still in captivity, he said India’s understanding was that they were unharmed so far. Meanwhile, Nepal, which does not have an embassy in Baghdad, has sought the assistance of India to facilitate the return of its nationals from Iraq. New Delhi has agreed to assist the Himalayan nation in this endeavour.
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Cong wakes up, picks team for poll-bound Haryana, J&K
New Delhi, July 1 Top sources in the party confirmed to The Tribune that around 42 observers (now called facilitators) had been handpicked by the Congress from across India to report to the central leadership the names of potentially winnable candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in the three above mentioned states. A meeting of these facilitators was chaired today by Congress’ general secretary in charge of the Central Election Committee Madhusudan Mistry, who is learnt to have given the initial set of instructions to the handpicked leaders. The message for the leaders was — keep your ears to the ground. The party has instructed the team to submit its report by July 15 to aid the process of early selection of candidates for polls. The Congress hopes to do the groundwork for candidate selection much in advance this time around to avoid inviting last minute delays in the process. “Delays have cost the party dearly in the past,” said sources. Each facilitator has been given the responsibility of one parliamentary segment and the assembly segments falling under it. For Haryana, there are 10 facilitators for the 10 Lok Sabha segments; for Maharashtra there are 26 facilitators in the parliamentary segments which the Congress contested in alliance with the NCP in the recent elections. In Jammu and Kashmir the party is learnt to have appointed six observers hinting that it might not go with the National Conference in the state elections deference to the views expressed by J&K Congress leaders. “In all, there are about 39 observers for each Lok Sabha segment in the three states which go to polls in the order of Haryana, Maharashtra and J&K,” said sources. They added that the facilitators would act as eyes and ears of the party and report to the central leadership the ground situation much ahead of polls. The facilitators’ report would be submitted to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and then Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
42 facilitators for 3 states
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Prime Minister gets invite to visit France
New Delhi, July 1 Visiting French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius called on Modi and invited him to visit France. Both sides reiterated their commitment to further strengthen and expand the bilateral relationship. The PM observed that France provided technical support for the Ahmedabad Heritage Project and sought cooperation in the field of urban planning and heritage conversation. He told Fabius that India plans to build heritage cities and 100 smart cities, for which France has the expertise. Paris is keen that New Delhi wraps up negotiations for the multi-billion dollar deal for the acquisition of 126 Rafale multi-role combat aircraft, down selected by the Indian Air Force two years ago from a field of six. French firm DCNS is building six Scorpene submarines at Mazagon Docks in Mumbai. In addition, the Defence Research Development Organisation and French company MBDA are working on to develop a short-range missile system while Mirage2000 aircraft are undergoing mid-life upgrades. Paris advocates co-development and co-production projects. Speaking at the Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis here July last, French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian stressed that Indo-French defence relations moved beyond client-supplier relationship and that cooperation between the two countries should further improve respective industrial and technological bases in the defence sector and contribute to strengthening the security of both countries. In this context, he said France is prepared to initiate joint co-development and co -production projects that could be decided and in future, these could include export of equipment to third country markets, while expressing readiness to increase the level of defence technology with the development of joint projects.
India, Singapore to develop 'smart cities'
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Dehradun centre to conduct tiger census in SAARC nations
Dehradun, July 1 Credited for introducing the first camera trap-based comprehensive tiger census in the country in 2008, the WII will now be rendering its expertise to these SAARC countries. The WII’s tiger census methodology will be put to use in these countries. The institute is conducting the third such tiger census in the country. WII director Vinod Mathur said after conducting three tiger census (third one is on) in the country, the institute had made foray into neighbouring SAARC tiger-range countries — Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal — where it would be undertaking a similar exercise soon. He said the census exercise, to be held under the aegis of the National Tiger Conservation Authority, would help in revealing the true tiger population in these countries that share borders with India. Mathur said much emphasis was being laid on strengthening wildlife conservation ties among SAARC countries. He said tigers know no boundaries and thus estimates of the striped cats in countries such as Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal would reveal tiger population in a perspective, which holds much importance for tiger conservation in South Asia. These SAARC countries have tigers, but their count is low due to challenges being faced by them in tiger conservation. Apart from habitat losses, poaching has affected tiger conservation in these countries. Mathur said the third census was expected to be completed by December, 2014, following which a data analysis would begin. This time, the state forest staff is doing most of the census work itself rather than depending on the WII officials as in the previous two censuses, he said.
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US Senator McCain arrives today
New Delhi, July 1 The Senator is expected to meet Prime Minister Modi and his national security team apart from holding talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. Bill Burns, Deputy Secretary in the US State Department, and Nisha Biswal, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, are also expected to travel to India to start working on Modi’s visit to Washington as also on the India-US strategic dialogue to be held in Washington in late August or early September.
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Sikh Regiment gets a new battalion
Chandigarh, July 1 To commemorate the event, the Tricolour and the Regimental Flag were hoisted by Lt Gen GS Shergill, Colonel of the Sikh Regiment and Col Deepak Sharma, the new battalion’s commanding officer, at the Quarterguard where all ranks pledged their loyalty, devotion, sweat and blood to the nation and the regiment and affirmed their commitment to uphold traditions and values of the regiment. A special sainik sammelan was also addressed by Lt Gen Shergill, where he congratulated all ranks of the valiant ‘Khalsas’ on the new raising and exhorted them to be a happy, motivated and cohesive fraternity and live up to the glorious legacy of the Army and the Sikh Regiment. One of the highest decorated regiments of the Army with 73 Battle Honours, 38 Theatre Honours, two Param Vir Chakra, 14 Victoria Cross, two Ashok Chakra and 14 Maha Vir Chakra, the official history of the Sikh Regiment dates back to 1846 when the 11 Sikh Regiment was raised by the British. The regiment’s first battalion is now the Fourth Battalion of the Mechanised Infantry.
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Gadkari: No link with firm manufacturing e-rickshaws
New Delhi, July 1 He issued this statement in the wake of allegations claiming that Purti Green Technologies (PGT) Private Limited, a Nagpur-based company having interests in manufacturing of such battery- operated tricycles, has links with his family. The statement said, “Neither Gadkari nor any member of his family is associated with any e-rickshaw manufacturing firm”, statement said. Battery- run e-rickshaws have been in operation in several parts of the country for so many years and these are being manufactured by a large number of companies in different states. More than two lakh e-rickshaws are already operating in Delhi NCR and other parts of the country. The production of e-rickshaws is allowed only by those manufacturers who have obtained a licence from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and it is /”up to the CSIR to grant licence to e-rickshaw manufacturers and any firm interested in its production is free to apply for a licence to CSIR and start production,/” the statement said. A few weeks ago there was a move to ban the e-rickshaw in Delhi. Against this move defending e-rickshaw operators in Delhi, Gadkari said the government would change the law to overturn a ban on e-rickshaws in the capital and launch the “Deen Dayal scheme” under which potential buyers of the vehicle would get a loan at 3 per cent interest.This was not only good news for an estimated 1 lakh operators who currently ply their trade in a legal grey zone, he said.
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Wife doing higher studies behind husband’s back is cruelty: SC
New Delhi, July 1 A Bench comprising Justices SJ Mukhopadhaya and Dipak Misra also held that the wife going to her parents’ house from the hospital after delivery, rejecting her husband’s plea for going to their home, amounted to causing mental pain. “The wife went to Gulbarga (Karnataka) to join her studies and the husband was not aware of it and only came to know when one professor told him about it,” the apex court noted. “We are disposed to think that the husband has reasons to feel that he has been humiliated, for allegations have been made against him which are not correct; his relatives have been dragged into the matrimonial controversy, the assertions in the written statement depict him as if he had tacitly conceded to have harboured notions of gender insensitivity or some of kind of male chauvinism, his parents and he are ignored for the naming ceremony of the son, and he comes to learn from others that the wife had gone to Gulbarga to pursue her studies,” the Bench said. Malati Ravi and BV Ravi were married in November 1994 and had strained relations even during the first 18 months when they lived together. She went to her parents’ house for delivery and stayed away from her matrimonial home for three years. Subsequently, she went to her husband in Bengaluru just for two months before going back to her parents for good.
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As lakes dry up, Mumbai stares at water crisis
Mumbai, July 1 “The total stock of water available for the city is now 1,18,815 million litres as on Monday as against 3,96,035 million litres during the same period last year,” Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said today. The civic body estimates that the existing stock of water will last for around 30 days. The municipality has now announced that supplies from the Vihar, Upper Vaitarana and Middle Vaitarana reservoirs have stopped as the water in them is below drawable levels. The city will have to make do with water from just four reservoirs - Bhatsa, Modak Sagar, Tansa and Tulsi. The city requires 3,450 million litres of water per day, according to civic officials. With sunny weather still prevailing, officials say a lot of water was also being lost due to evaporation. With no signs of rains, civic officials have been asked to stretch the existing water stocks for as long as possible. “We will begin with a 20 per cent water cut from Thursday onwards,” a spokesman for the BMC said. The decision to reduce water supply will be taken at a meeting tomorrow. The city has faced severe water shortages in the past as well. In 1993, the authorities had cut water supply by a whopping 40 per cent.
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After violent clash, Azam Khan calls for shifting of party offices
Lucknow, July 1 The pitched guerrilla warfare between the BJP Yuva Morcha and the police on the street outside the Vidhan Sabha yesterday had left nearly two dozen BJP workers, common people and cops injured. The BJP state office is located opposite the Vidhan Bhawan. Activists of the BJP Yuva Morcha yesterday clashed with the police during their protest against poor law and order situation in the state in front of the Assembly while it was in session, forcing the cops to lathicharge and use tear gas shells. “Stones were hurled at the Vidhan Sabha building, which is shameful. Such protests to fulfil political motives by beating up policemen, damaging vehicles and property shows that the BJP wants to create a situation of instability and communal disharmony in the state,” Khan said. Pointing out that the security of the Vidhan Sabha was his government’s responsibility, he charged the BJP with collecting weapons, acid bombs and stones in their office. Meanwhile, BJP activists charged the Samajwadi Party government of being on the offensive to distract people from yesterday’s police attack. — TNS
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TMC MP Tapas says sorry for rape remark
Kolkata, July 1 Pal, also a Bengali film actor, said in making such comments he had let down his constituents and the people of Bengal. “Some remarks made by me in the heat and dust of the election campaign have caused dismay and consternation. I apologise unreservedly for them,” Pal said in a written apology to the Trinamool Congress and the media. “I have no excuses to offer. It was a gross error of judgement and deeply insensitive. It should not have happened. And I assure you it will not happen again. Once more, a humble apology,” he said. “Whatever the provocation — and there was an attempt at provocation - those comments should never have been made,” the letter said. Pal was shown in a video footage on a vernacular TV news channel yesterday, saying, “If any CPM man is present here listen to me. If you ever touch any Trinamool Congress worker or their families at Choumaha, you have to pay for this. Don’t try to act smart with me. I am smarter than you...” “... Earlier, you guys have bullied me on various occasions. If you insult the mothers and daughters of Trinamool workers. Then I won’t spare you. I will let loose my boys in your homes and they will commit rape. I will teach each of you a lesson,” the MP had warned. — PTI
Another leader asks party men to kill intruders
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President is on Twitter
New Delhi, July 1 At around 2.30 pm the twitteratti were informed: “Rashtrapati Bhavan is now on Twitter. Please follow us for regular updates @RashtrapatiBhvn.” The official handle declared “This is the official Twitter account of Rashtrapati Bhavan and is run by President’s Secretariat. Tweets from the President are signed – President Mukherjee”. And eight hours later over 21,000 people were following it while the website posted a message “Honoured to welcome President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee”.
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Amjad Ali Khan gets back his missing sarod
New Delhi, July 1 In his message to The Tribune, the sarod maestro thanked the paper for its help and support. “Today only my beloved sarod came back to me. Thanks to BA (British Airways) …god bless,” Khan said in his message to the newspaper. The airlines said: “We apologise for the inconvenience caused as a result of the delayed baggage due to intermittent problems with Heathrow Airport’s baggage system in Terminal 5. It has been received and delivered this morning.” The sarod maestro’s woes began after he and his wife, travelling first class on British Airways, landed here from London but his musical instrument and companion for 45 years failed to arrive. Efforts to trace the baggage checked in at London Heathrow materialised three days after it was scheduled to reach on June 28 when the flight landed.
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SC grants bail to Tejpal in rape case
New Delhi, July 1 Rejecting the objections raised by the Goa Government, a Bench comprising Justices HL Dattu and SA Bobde observed that the accused should not be denied his fundamental right to personal liberty since the investigation was over and the chargesheet had been filed. The apex court directed Tejpal to surrender his passport, attend the trial proceedings without fail and desist from influencing the victim and the 152 witnesses and tampering with the evidence.
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M’rashtra to ban chewing tobacco in public places
Mumbai, July 1 At present, only smoking of cigarettes and bidis are prohibited in the above areas, according to Sujata Saunik, principal secretary, health and family welfare. "The provisions of the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act will be expanded to bring in smokeless tobacco products within its ambit," Saunik told reporters here. Once the law is changed police and FDA officials will be empowered to crack down on those consuming tobacco products in public. Currently, the authorities are only cracking down on smoking in public places like offices and restaurants.
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Jammu, July 1
New Delhi, July 1
Chandigarh, July 1
