The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Undeterred, Sikh pilgrims leave for Pak Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 4 Notwithstanding the situation in Pakistan post-terror strike at Wagah, a 759-member jatha of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) today left for Pakistan to attend the 534th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikh religion at the historic shrines there. More than 1,600 Sikh pilgrims, including the SGPC jatha, left for Pak via three special trains today. SGPC secretary Dalmegh Singh said the Pakistan government as well as the Evacuee Trust Property Board had assured them that all arrangements had been made to extend security to the visiting Sikh pilgrims. Jatha leader Harjap Singh hoped the Pakistan government would have initiated security measures to facilitate their pilgrimage. Gurpreet Singh, a jatha member from Dehradun, said he had always wished to pay obeisance at the Nankana Sahib while hoping that their pilgrimage would be completed without any hassle. Inderjeet Kaur, another pilgrim, said though her family had apprehensions about her security, she decided to go ahead with the Pakistan visit. She said Pakistani security agencies should ensure that there was no untoward incident during their pilgrimage. However, there was also a section of pilgrims who said they were not rattled after the blast. “It could happen anywhere, be it India or Pakistan,” said a jatha member. Some jatha members accused the SGPC of not making proper arrangements. A pilgrim, Ajit Singh, lamented that only six members out of their group of 12 got visas. A couple was peeved with the SGPC, as one of them didn’t get the visa and wasn’t intimated about it. Denying the charge, the SGPC secretary said they had given an advertisement in newspapers carrying the list of those denied visas. The jatha will reach Nankana Sahib tomorrow and celebrate the ‘gurpurab’ there on November 6 before proceeding to Panja Sahib the next day. They will pay obeisance at Panja Sahib on November 8 and Gurdwara Dehra Sahib in Lahore on November 9 before returning on November 13.
	Rangers on toes at Wagah Afzal Khan in Islamabad Sikh pilgrims from India and other parts of the world arrived in Lahore on Tuesday. While many arrived on a a special train from Amritsar, some crossed over on foot from the Wagah border. Special security arrangements have been made at the Wagah border for the smooth transfer and entry of the pilgrims.Pakistan Rangers commandoes are also deputed to protect the visiting pilgrims, who will be taken to Nankana Sahib by a special train from Lahore. Around 3,000 pilgrims from India, another 1,000 from across the world, will converge on Nankana Sahib near Lahore on November 7.
	Chit fund scam: CBI arrests BJD MP, 2 former MLAs Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 4 The Central Bureau of Investigation today arrested Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Lok Sabha MP Ramchandra Hansdah, former BJD MLA Subarna Naik and former BJP MLA Hitesh Kumar Bagartti in connection with the multi-crore Odisha chit fund scam. “Hansdah, Bagartti and Naik have been arrested by the CBI SIT (Special Investigation Team) in the NabaDiganta Group Case in the Orissa chit fund scam on allegations of criminal conspiracy, cheating and diversion of funds,” said the CBI. NabaDiganta Capital Services is one of the state-based chit fund companies. The CBI has registered 44 cases against an equal number of chit fund companies in Odisha for allegedly duping many investors of their money. The Artha Tatwa and Seashore groups are among the biggest companies which are involved in this crime. Hansdah is the Lok Sabha MP from the Mayurbhanj constituency in Odisha. On October 31, the CBI had arrested Prabhat Tripathy, the incumbent MLA from Banki, Odisha, for his alleged involvement in the scam. The CBI had earlier arrested former Odisha Advocate General, Ashok Mohanty, three media house owners and a Mumbai-based model for their alleged links with the chit fund companies. The chit fund scam in Odisha came to light two years ago after people complained that several companies had cheated them of their hard-earned money after promising high returns on their deposits. The Odisha Government had ordered the state police to investigate the scam. In May, the Supreme Court directed the CBI to probe the scam.
	No SC bar on making use of Aadhaar scheme: Officials R Sedhuraman Legal Correspondent New Delhi, November 4 The Centre has decided to make use of the Aadhaar card scheme for various purposes, including for ensuring attendance of government officials, as the Supreme Court has not invalidated or stayed the scheme, official sources said today. After hearing a PIL petition against certain aspects of the Aadhaar scheme, the Supreme Court had passed an order merely placing certain restrictions on the government, they said. The interim order passed by the Supreme Court on September 23, 2013, said it had decided to hold a final hearing on the PIL. “In the meanwhile, no person should suffer for not getting the Aadhaar card in spite of the fact that some authority had issued a circular making it mandatory. “And when any person applies to get the Aadhaar card voluntarily, it may be checked whether that person is entitled for it under the law and it should not be given to any illegal migrant.” Officials maintained that it was clear from the Supreme Court order that the court was not against the scheme per se. During the arguments also, the Bench had only questioned the logic behind denial of government services to those not having the Aadhaar card. The Bench had orally observed that for non-possession of Aadhaar card, people should not be denied driving licences, marriage certificates, ration cards or subsidised LPG cylinders, as the scheme had not yet been approved by Parliament and as such, the Unique Identification Authority of India was not a statutory body. Therefore, there has never been any judicial impediment to making use of the unique identification number provided under the Aadhaar card scheme to crores of people or to covering the remaining population under the scheme by issuing them the card, the sources clarified. Since the Supreme Court restriction pertained only to non-denial of services, the government was free to make use of the scheme for other purposes aimed at improving efficiency and productivity, they reasoned. Even the PIL petitioner, Justice KS Puttaswamy, a retired judge of the Karnataka High Court, has recently suggested that the Aadhaar card be converted into a Citizenship Card. Nevertheless, the petitioner has pleaded in the Supreme Court for quashing the scheme, contending that it was illegal and unconstitutional to have vital biometric information collected through private companies without people’s consent. Towards better services Officials reason that as the Supreme Court restriction pertained only to non-denial of services, the government was free to make use of the scheme for other purposes aimed at improving efficiency and productivity.
	Aadhaar number to be recorded in govt staff’s service dossiers Tribune News Service Chandigarh, November 4 The Aadhaar number of all government employees are now to be recorded in their personal service dossiers that keep a track of their personal and professional details. A communiqué issued by the Department of Personnel and Training yesterday had directed all ministries and departments to ensure that the service books of employees are updated accordingly. The move comes in the wake of the Aadhaar-Enabled Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS) introduced in central government offices in New Delhi, which would be implemented in other cities in a phased manner. The system enables employees with an Aadhaar number to register their attendance in the offices through biometric authentication. The Department of Electronics is executing the biometric attendance project and it has advised all other departments to identify the employees who are yet to enrol themselves with the Aadhaar system and to conduct Aadhaar enrolment camps to ensure that all employees are registered under the system. All ministries and departments have also been directed to nominate an officer not below the level of joint secretary for coordination with the National Informatics Centre (NIC), Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and other agencies concerned to implement the biometric attendance system. By the end of last month, over 70 crore Aadhaar numbers had been issued by UIDAI. Aadhaar, which is also linked to various, official procedures, schemes and initiatives launched by the government, facilitates “anytime, anywhere” online authentication of a resident through universal verification of one’s identity based on the demographic and biometric information of an individual, thereby eliminating any chances of duplication or fraud.
	death sentence for drug trafficking Govt promises all help to ensure fishermen’s release Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 4 Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Yash Sinha today promised unstinted support and cooperation of the government to the five Indian fishermen sentenced to death recently. He said all effort will be made to secure their early release and repatriation to India. The five fishermen — Emerson, P Augustus, R Wilson, K Prasath and J Langlet — were awarded death sentence on October 30 by Colombo High Court for alleged drug trafficking. Official sources in Delhi said the High Commissioner visited them in Welikada prison in Colombo this morning and met the five at the Superintendent’s office. “The High Commissioner handed over some clothes and toiletries. He enquired about their welfare and assured them of unstinted support and cooperation of Government of India in ensuring that their case receives the utmost attention. He also assured them that the Government of India will make all efforts to secure their early release and repatriation to India,” a source said. The fishermen appeared in good health and were given permission to write to their relatives in Tamil Nadu and also to make telephone calls. Will take legal steps, says Gadkari The families of the five fishermen on Tuesday met Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and sought help. Gadkari said the government would take necessary legal steps and take up their case in the court in Sri Lanka for their release. PTI
	Down, but not out: Rahul to partymen KV Prasad Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 4 Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi today underscored that losing elections cannot be seen as an end for the party asserting that he continues to soldier on amid intermittent calls that he take over the mantle of leadership of the party from his mother Sonia Gandhi. For the past few days, Rahul Gandhi has been holding discussions with a cross-section of party leaders from states and former Union Ministers and hearing their ideas to revive the Congress after it hit an all-time low at the last General Election. Party leaders privy to discussions said Congress president Sonia Gandhi joined Rahul at his official 12 Tughlak Lane residence and heard views for nearly three hours. Today's meeting was attended among others by former Union Ministers Kamal Nath, Kapil Sibal, MM Pallam Raju, Mahila Congress chief Shobha Oza and her predecessor Rita Bahuguna Joshi, former Punjab PCC chief and veteran Congress leader Virendra Kataria, Himachal State Congress chief Sukhvinder Sukhu, besides PCC Chiefs from Andhra and Chhattisgarh. As speakers sought to highlight the "advice'' by Congress leader Digvijay Singh that Rahul should take over as the party chief, the vice-president said he would continue to work for the party. Rahul also underscored the importance of working with a sense of service and dedication suggesting that these could be done by the party even when it is out of power. The dominant theme was the less then audible response of the Congress to the shortcomings of the Narendra Modi-led coalition government and instead spending time squabbling among themselves or pulling down those in leadership positions.
	Cong forms groups to check BJP's dilution of UPA legacy Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 4 Days to go for the winter session of Parliament, the Congress has decided to launch a major offensive against BJP's plans to dilute the legislative legacy of the previous UPA regime. In the first move of its kind, Congress president Sonia Gandhi has constituted seven high-powered groups comprising top party leaders from both the houses of Parliament to track Narendra Modi led Government's moves to amend key legislations initiated by the Congress-led UPA voted out of power this May. The topmost among these groups is the one on Defence, Home, Law and Justice tasked with tracking proposed changes to anti-corruption laws such as Lokpal and to pending Bills such as the controversial Communal Violence Prevention Bill apart from Centre State relations and issues of Governors' independence. Sonia has handpicked former Defence Minister AK Antony to chair this panel and former Law Minister Ashwani Kumar as its member. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and former railways and labour minister Mallikarjun Kharge will head the Congress group on Labour and Railways with Oscar Fernandes and Lok Sabha MP from Bihar Ranjeeta Ranjan as members. The group will track BJP's proposed labour reforms and plans to privatise railways and prepare a strategy to counter the Government in Parliament. For Commerce, Finance, External Affairs and I&B group, former Corporate Affairs Minister Veerappa Moily has been picked as chair with former Commerce Minister Anand Sharma and MP Jyotiraditya Scindia as members. Sonia's move comes days after the BJP diluted major provisions of UPA's flagship MNREGA and announced its intentions to dilute Congress' pet land acquisition and right to food laws. The AICC communiqué on the groups (accessed by The Tribune) says: "The Congress president has constituted seven groups to follow up on UPA's legislations and policies and expected changes and amendments by the NDA." Each group will submit its input to Sonia who will finalise Congress' strategy to challenge the BJP in the House and mobilize people against its moves on the streets. Sonia’s move to counter Modi govt The seven high-powered groups constituted by Congress president Sonia Gandhi will track Modi-led government's move to amend key legislations initiated by the Congress-led UPA These groups are on: Defence, home, law, justice; Labour and railways; Commerce, finance, external affairs and I&B; Health and women; Agriculture and sanitation; Rural development and environment/forests; and HRD and panchayati raj
	Gujarat Congress frustration spills out in the open Manas Dasgupta Ahmedabad, November 4 Even as the Congress high command is reportedly seized with the issue of change of leadership in the state organisation in Gujarat, frustration among the party’s junior-level leaders has spilt out in the open over the party’s continuous electoral debacles at all levels in the state. A Congress member of the Ahmedabad municipal corporation, Shehzad Khan Pathan, has criticised the party leadership through the social media for continuing with the old leaders who had failed to deliver the goods for the party. Though Pathan restricted his pointer to the city Congress leadership, his supporters admitted that the criticism was true also for the state and even the central leadership. Apparently referring to the post of the Leader of Opposition in the municipal corporation where Gyasuddin Sheikh has remained unchanged since the elections four years ago, Pathan said it was unfortunate that the Congress leadership failed to realise the need of the hour and the aspirations of the younger generation of voters. “The party needs to change. It should present before the people the alternatives to the leaders already rejected,” he wrote. In the same breath, Pathan also praised the BJP leadership. “The BJP is currently firmly ensconced in office and faces no immediate threat, yet the party has kept changing the mayor, deputy mayor and other leaders to present new faces before the people,” he said. The city Congress president Chetan Raval, when asked, said it was Pathan’s “personal opinion” and therefore need not be acted upon. “We need not do the same thing the BJP does. If they decide to change their face before the people, we need not follow suit,” he said. He, however, admitted that Pathan’s comments were an “expression of frustration” and could catch on with others in the party if not nipped in the bud. Change old guard Ahmedabad MC member flays party leadership on social media for continuing with the old leaders who have failed to deliver the goods.
	Gohana heist raises question mark on bank lockers’ safety Sanjeev Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 4 The bank heist in Gohana has brought into spotlight the issue of safety of bank lockers. Consumers worried about the safety of their precious belongings in bank lockers may now well seek a change in regulations. According to the director of a PSU bank who requested anonymity, most people — when they take lockers — do not realise that there are several disclaimers in the agreement that they sign with the bank. Broadly understood, it is like a landlord-tenant relationship or a lessor-lessee relationship where if something happens to the belongings in the locker on rent, the owner is not responsible legally. While this Ocean’s Eleven style heist in Gohana was an out-of-the-blue kind of incident, it has alerted consumers to the issue of bank lockers and the liability of the belongings stored there. In other smaller cases where something goes missing in the locker or the locker has not been operated properly, there have been cases in consumer courts where the liability of the bank does not extend to the contents of the locker. As it is, the contents of the locker are confidential and are not disclosed to the bank, unlike a bank account where the bank has records of exactly how much money is held. The locker holder is responsible for the contents of the locker and these disclaimers are built into the agreement signed with the bank. Who’s responsible The contents of the locker are confidential and the locker holder is responsible for the contents of the locker and these disclaimers are built into the agreement signed with the bank The other issue which arises if one seeks compensation for the contents of the locker is whether the cash, jewellery, artefacts, documents is accounted for in tax statements or not.
	Obama likely to meet Modi during Asia visit Washington, November 4 President Barack Obama will travel to China, Myanmar and Australia next week during a six-day trip to attend a series of key multilateral and bilateral meetings with foreign leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He will attend APEC Summit in Beijing (November 10-12), East Asia Summit and US ASEAN Summit in Myanmar (November 12-14) and G-20 Leaders Summit in Brisbane, Australia (November 15-16), a White House statement said. Obama and Modi could have a bilateral meeting either in Myanmar or Australia and get a chance to review the progress made in the bilateral ties after their maiden meeting at the White House on September 30, sources said. China would be the first destination for Obama where he would attend the APEC Leaders Meeting and APEC CEO Summit. Upon the conclusion of the APEC Leaders Meeting, he will have a state visit at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart. In Myanmar, from November 12-14, Obama will attend the East Asia Summit and the US-ASEAN Summit in Nay Pi Taw. — PTI
	Terror threat: Two warships moved out of Kolkata port Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 4 Warned of a possible terror strike, the Indian Navy today moved out two of its warships from a port in Kolkata. The two warships — INS Khukri, a frigate, and INS Sumitra, an off-shore patrol vessel — had docked in the Eastern port city for Indian Navy Week celebrations yesterday. The two ships have been sent back to sea. A statement said they were “withdrawn for undisclosed operational reasons”. Sources said the ships were withdrawn following threat of a possible terror strike. The warships are equipped with trained men and weapons to tackle any kind of threat and were docked in the Kolkata Port Trust, Kidderpore, which is surrounded by residential areas. The port is not a naval facility and does not have the kind of perimeter security or round-the-clock patrolling that such a facility should have. The recall of the two warships has come after Central intelligence agencies warned the Kolkata Police of a possible terror strike in the city, especially in the Kolkata Port Trust area. The ships had docked at Kidderpore yesterday and were slated to be there till November 6. This morning, the media was also shown around the warships. Central security agencies probably had in mind the rencent attempt by Pakistan-based terrorists to take control a navy warship off Karachi. Meanwhile, after some intercepts suggested a terror threat to the port, the West Bengal Government held a meeting and decided to sanitise the port. The coast guard and other agencies have been alerted, sources said.
	Finance Ministry gets new team for Budget Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 4 Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has a new Budget making team in place as the preparation of the next Budget kicks off this week. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) yesterday approved the appointment of Hasmukh Adhia as Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance yesterday in place of Gurdial Singh Sandhu. Adhia is a Gujarat cadre IAS officer of 1981 batch. Till now, Adhia was working as Additional Chief Secretary, Finance Department, Government of Gujarat. Adhia has been a key aide of Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he was Chief Minister, Gujarat. Adhia was Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Gujarat from May 2004 to May 2006. Sandhu will take over as chairman of the National Authority for Chemical Weapons Convention. The reshuffle in Finance Ministry looks to be over with only Ratan Watal continuing as Expenditure Secretary from the previous regime. Earlier, Finance Secretary Arvind Mayaram was shunted out first to Tourism Ministry and even before he could take charge to the Minorities Affairs Ministry. Rajasthan Chief Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi has replaced Mayaram as the new Economic Affairs Secretary. Revenue Secretary Rajiv Takru had also been shunted out just after the new government took charge. Shaktikanta Das had taken over as the Revenue Secretary. The post of Chief Economic Adviser which was lying vacant since Raghuram Rajan moved to the RBI has been filled by former IMF economist, Arvind Subramanian. The window of opportunity for the timing of the reshuffle in North Block was limited as Budget making exercise has commenced and any new appointment would have had to wait till next February. 26 IAS officers promoted New Delhi: In another bureaucratic reshuffle, the government has promoted 26 IAS officers at the Special Secretary level and shifted at least 35 Joint Secretaries. — PTI
	Maharashtra ex-minister’s home raided Shiv Kumar Tribune News Service Mumbai, November 4 The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of the Maharashtra police today raided the residence of Suresh Dhas, former Minister of State for Revenue in the Prithiviraj Chavan government in connection with a bribery case. Praveen Dixit, Director General of Police, ACB, told reporters here that several files have been seized from the residence of the former minister. Dhas, who belongs to the Nationalist Congress Party, lost the recent Assembly elections from Beed. The case came to light after a property dealer holding power of attorney to some land belonging to a Pune temple trust had approached the Revenue Department for permissions to develop 18 acres of the land. Revenue officials allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 23 lakh from him on the grounds that the money needed to be paid to the minister for the requisite permissions. The property dealer, however, complained to the ACB and a trap was laid. Sanjay Suradkar, 45, an official of the revenue department, his PA Devidas Dahifale and one middleman Vaibhav Andhale were caught by the investigators.
	Terror probe nails minister in Meghalaya Tribune News Service Guwahati, November 4 Meghalaya’s Social Welfare Minister Deborah C Marak, who represents Williamnagar (ST) Assembly constituency in East Garo Hills district, has been charged sheeted by Meghalaya police for ‘hatching conspiracy with the banned outfit GNLA to influence the voters in the last Assembly elections held in February, 2013. The minister, however, denied the charges saying she wouldn’t require militants’ help to win election as she was immensely popular among the people of Williamnagar who have elected her to the Assembly for four times in a row. She said she had neither seen the content of the case nor the charge-sheet filed against her so far and had learnt about it from the media. She claimed to have been a victim of militant attack. Her lawyer is trying to get the details of the case. A youth Congress member, Tennydard Marak, has also been charge-sheeted along with the minister on the same charges.
	NSCN-IM rebel killed in encounter Tribune News Service Guwahati, November 4 An NSCN-IM rebel was killed today in an encounter with 43rd Assam Rifles battalion personnel in a jungle at Kepelu village in Dima Hasao hill district of Assam. The encounter site is close to the Assam-Nagaland boundary in the area. Assam Rifles personnel had launched a search operation in the area since yesterday, acting on a tip-off that NSCN-IM rebel had set up a camp in the jungle. Security personnel busted the camp and recovered an AK-56 assault rifle and some incriminating documents. Some rebels were suspected be injured in the operation but managed to flee. The police said the NSCN-IM rebels, who are in truce with security forces, had been carrying out extortion in the area of late. Under the truce agreement with the Government of India that the NSCM-IM signed with the Government of India in 1997, the rebels belonging to the outfit are not allowed to carry weapons and indulge in any illegal activities.