Maya seeks quota for upper castes

NEW DELHI: Dec 1 , 2015, dhns

BSP leader Mayawati on Monday indicated at a wide-ranging social alliance in the next Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections and demanded reservation for most of the sections of society, including upper castes.
Participating in “Commitment to Constitution” debate in the Rajya Sabha, she wanted reservation for weaker sections in private sector jobs, inclusion of new castes in SC and ST categories with an increase in reservation quota, reservation to Dalits who have converted to Christianity and Islam and reservation for poor among upper castes.

On intolerance
She attacked the BJP for “destroying communal harmony” and accused the prime minister of not acting against his ministers and MPs who give controversial statements and are “putting their entire strength” in creating “disharmony”.

She said that the BJP forced her to resign from the post of chief minister of Uttar Pradesh when she refused to allow it to carry on its “agenda of Hindutva” in 2003.

In order not to lose any point in the war for legacy over B R Ambedkar, the BSP leader accused both the BJP and Congress of ignoring ideals of the icon. 

She said the Congress did not support Ambedkar’s entry into the Constituent Assembly and he gained entry from a seat in Bengal. 

She also accused the Congress of defeating him in the Lok Sabha elections.

She demanded dismissal of General (Rtd) V K Singh for his statement on the Faridabad incident in which a child was burnt to death when a house of a Dalit was torched by upper caste goons. She also demanded Centre’s intervention in the case of transfer of Dalit IPS officer of Haryana.

Pranab calls Guj vibrant, enterprising

Ahmedabad: Dec 1, 2015, DHNS:

Gujarat is a vibrant state that showed the way forward for comprehensive socio-economic development, President Pranab Mukherjee said on the beginning of his three-day visit to the state. 

Speaking at a function to inaugurate milk cooperative major Amul’s cattle feed manufacturing plant near Kapadvanj in Kheda district near Ahmedabad on Monday; Mukherjee said the state has some of the “largest industrial corporations while its agricultural growth is amongst the highest in the country.”

The President attributed Gujarat’s success to the “industrious and enterprising” nature of the Gujaratis.

Lalu appoints Tejaswi party leader in Assembly

PATNA: Dec 1, 2015, DHNS:

Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad on Monday declared his younger son Tejaswi Yadav as the leader of the RJD Legislature Party (RJDLP) in the Assembly. 

Ignoring those who accuse him of promoting his family, the party chief also announced that former chief minister and Tejaswi’s mother Rabri Devi will be the leader of the party in the Council.

Family affair
Bihar has a bicameral House where Rabri Devi is the member of the Legislative Council, while her two sons – the elder one Tej Pratap and the younger one Tejaswi – are the members of the Assembly, elected earlier this month from Mahua and Raghopur, respectively.

With Monday’s decision on the leader of the legislature party, Lalu has made it clear who will be his political heir.

The Assembly was, however, adjourned after paying tributes to the RLSP (Rashtriya Lok Samata Party) MLA from Harlakhi (in Madhubani), Basant Kushwaha.

Oppn view
The main Opposition party, the BJP, meanwhile, slammed Lalu for promoting dynastic politics. Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Prem Kumar, who was elected to the post on Sunday, said: “Laluji has never thought of anyone beyond his family. This is not a healthy tradition in a democracy.”

Tejaswi, who has been at the receiving end of his opponents, particularly over his educational qualification (Class IX), was quick to retort to the criticism. 

“I am here because voters have elected me. Judge me by my action. Criticise me if I do something wrong. But don’t declare someone out even before the first bowl has been bowled,” said the cricketer-turned-politician, who padded up for a new innings as Bihar Assembly session began on Monday.

Handler invited spy to Pak, say police

NEW DELHI: Dec 1 , 2015, dhns

Espionage ring: Spy was told to contact 'people' in high commission

A day after the arrest of a serving Border Security Force (BSF) personnel and an ISI operative for their involvement in an espionage racket, the Delhi Police on Monday claimed that the operative was invited to Pakistan by his handler there and was told that he would be given assistance by his people at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi.

The operative, however, denied knowing the identity of the person with whom he was supposed to meet at the High Commission.

“Kafaitullah Khan was invited to Pakistan by the handler and was told that their people at the Pakistan High Commission will help him. He is not aware of the contact of the person concerned at the High Commission. They were supposed to tell him at appropriate time,” said Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Ravindra Yadav.

He was given specific tasks by his handler, like the deployment of security forces and Air Force Operations in India,’’ he added. Khan was directed to apply for a Pakistan visa by his Pakistani handler. 

He was asked to meet a contact of his handler near the Pakistan High Commission and hand over a passport and a recommendation letter to him. 

The recommendation letter was recovered from his possession which has been addressed to the Pakistan High Commissioner. All the logistic support was to be provided by the contact whom he had to meet near the High Commission, police said.

Yadav also said that Khan’s associate Abdul Rasheed used Whatsapp, Viber and e-mail to pass on information to his Pakistani handler while he was working at the intelligence wing of the BSF. 

The Crime Branch of Delhi police had on Sunday arrested Kafaitullah Khan, 44, a resident of Rajouri district in Jammu & Kashmir, and a BSF head constable Abdul Rasheed, posted at the intelligence wing of BSF in the same district.

Handler invited spy to Pak, say police

NEW DELHI: Dec 1 , 2015, dhns

Espionage ring: Spy was told to contact 'people' in high commission

A day after the arrest of a serving Border Security Force (BSF) personnel and an ISI operative for their involvement in an espionage racket, the Delhi Police on Monday claimed that the operative was invited to Pakistan by his handler there and was told that he would be given assistance by his people at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi.

The operative, however, denied knowing the identity of the person with whom he was supposed to meet at the High Commission.

“Kafaitullah Khan was invited to Pakistan by the handler and was told that their people at the Pakistan High Commission will help him. He is not aware of the contact of the person concerned at the High Commission. They were supposed to tell him at appropriate time,” said Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Ravindra Yadav.

He was given specific tasks by his handler, like the deployment of security forces and Air Force Operations in India,’’ he added. Khan was directed to apply for a Pakistan visa by his Pakistani handler. 

He was asked to meet a contact of his handler near the Pakistan High Commission and hand over a passport and a recommendation letter to him. 

The recommendation letter was recovered from his possession which has been addressed to the Pakistan High Commissioner. All the logistic support was to be provided by the contact whom he had to meet near the High Commission, police said.

Yadav also said that Khan’s associate Abdul Rasheed used Whatsapp, Viber and e-mail to pass on information to his Pakistani handler while he was working at the intelligence wing of the BSF. 

The Crime Branch of Delhi police had on Sunday arrested Kafaitullah Khan, 44, a resident of Rajouri district in Jammu & Kashmir, and a BSF head constable Abdul Rasheed, posted at the intelligence wing of BSF in the same district.

Polio-free India: Doubts on efficacy of single dose IPV strategy

Kalyan Ray, New Delhi: Dec 1, 2015, dhns

As India introduced the single-dose inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) shot in the national polio eradication programme, doctors doubted the strategy’s efficacy in wiping out the vaccine-derived or vaccine-associated polio infections – the two final hurdles in eradicating the disease.
Since the oral polio vaccine is made out of live but weakened virus, OPV comes with the relatively rare risk of vaccine-derived polio virus (VDPV) and vaccine-associated paralytic polio (VAPP) infections.

India witnessed 41 cases of VDPV in the last six years including two in 2014 besides close to 150 VAPP cases so far. However, there is no wild polio virus infection in India for the last three years.

While switching to IPV offers a permanent solution, three injections at the age of 6, 10 and 14 weeks are required to protect a child. A section of the medical researchers also recommend at least two shots at 6 and 14 weeks.

The union health ministry, however, launches the single dose IPV scheme for two reasons. First there is simply not enough vaccine available to cover 27 million kids and acceptance of a global time line to change the existing OPV, sources said.

“Its not proper use of IPV. What the government is doing is a stop gap manoeuvre and I am not sure of plan's success because that would depend on the extent of coverage,” Vipin Vashishth, chairman of the expert panel on immunisation at the Indian Academy of Paediatrics told Deccan Herald.

The IPV introduction was necessitated because of a global plan to switch from the trivalent OPV that offers protection against three types of polio virus to bivalent OPV by April 2016.

The crippling disease is caused by three types of viruses – type-1, type-2 and type-3. While type-2 wild virus was eliminated from India 15 years ago, the OPV used in the national programme continues to be trivalent – it imparts protection against all three types.

There is an increased risk of emergence of circulating VDPVs during the withdrawal of trivalent OPV as the immunity level against type 2 polio virus will decrease. To prevent such a risk, a single dose of IPV was recommended by the WHO.

“The two challenges for India continuing poor coverage of routine immunisation and infrequent sub-national immunisation day; and protection of young and immuno-compromised children,” argued medical researchers Manoj Grover and Nidhi Bhatnagar from NITI Aayog and Armed Forces Medical College, Pune.

In the first phase IPV will be introduced in six states - Assam, Gujarat, Punjab, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.

Nationwide train terror plot foiled

Kolkata: Dec 1 , 2015, dhns

Incidents of fire in train compartments at different railway stations across India has led the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to believe that these are part of a plot to cause a nationwide subversive operation. 
The agency could have stumbled upon the plot while questioning a suspect arrested from Puri station in November.

Sources said that the matter came to notice after interrogating Subhas Ramachandran, who was taken into custody for setting fire to five empty compartments of three trains, Nandan Kanan Express, Tirupati Express and Puri-Howrah Express, at Puri station on November 12. 

He was arrested by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Government Railway Police. The case was handed over to the NIA after the Odisha government requested the Home Ministry to get the matter probed.

According to sources, the plan was to be executed some time during the first week of December. 

“The agency has come to know that setting fire to empty train compartments was part of the plan. These random incidents were basically trials and practice runs before conducting a major nationwide terror operation, including blasts on trains and at major stations,” a source said. 

The agency is believed to have formally taken over the case on Monday. While the agency has set up a team, to be led by an SP rank officer, officials have noted that besides Puri, similar incidents also took place at Haridwar, Gaya and Kharagpur in November. 

Preliminary questioning of Ramachandran, a resident of Chennai, revealed an ISI connection, sources said. On November 12, the day Ramachandran set fire to the compartments at Puri, a similar fire was reported from Kharagpur station in West Bengal.

Sources said that Ramachandran admitted to having taken up the assignment for a fat pay packet. Further probe revealed that the plan was to score attacks on major stations like Howrah, Kharagpur and Puri, along with some places of religious interest frequented by pilgrims. Ramachandran is believed to have told his interrogators that the module behind the operation is run by one Akhtar Ali.

The man, most likely an ISI handler, contacted Ramachandran and offered him a substantial sum of money to execute the plan. Ali’s module had reportedly tried similar fires on a suburban train in Mumbai in August and on a local train in Chennai last year. 

Nationwide train terror plot foiled

Kolkata: Dec 1 , 2015, dhns

Incidents of fire in train compartments at different railway stations across India has led the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to believe that these are part of a plot to cause a nationwide subversive operation. 
The agency could have stumbled upon the plot while questioning a suspect arrested from Puri station in November.

Sources said that the matter came to notice after interrogating Subhas Ramachandran, who was taken into custody for setting fire to five empty compartments of three trains, Nandan Kanan Express, Tirupati Express and Puri-Howrah Express, at Puri station on November 12. 

He was arrested by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Government Railway Police. The case was handed over to the NIA after the Odisha government requested the Home Ministry to get the matter probed.

According to sources, the plan was to be executed some time during the first week of December. 

“The agency has come to know that setting fire to empty train compartments was part of the plan. These random incidents were basically trials and practice runs before conducting a major nationwide terror operation, including blasts on trains and at major stations,” a source said. 

The agency is believed to have formally taken over the case on Monday. While the agency has set up a team, to be led by an SP rank officer, officials have noted that besides Puri, similar incidents also took place at Haridwar, Gaya and Kharagpur in November. 

Preliminary questioning of Ramachandran, a resident of Chennai, revealed an ISI connection, sources said. On November 12, the day Ramachandran set fire to the compartments at Puri, a similar fire was reported from Kharagpur station in West Bengal.

Sources said that Ramachandran admitted to having taken up the assignment for a fat pay packet. Further probe revealed that the plan was to score attacks on major stations like Howrah, Kharagpur and Puri, along with some places of religious interest frequented by pilgrims. Ramachandran is believed to have told his interrogators that the module behind the operation is run by one Akhtar Ali.

The man, most likely an ISI handler, contacted Ramachandran and offered him a substantial sum of money to execute the plan. Ali’s module had reportedly tried similar fires on a suburban train in Mumbai in August and on a local train in Chennai last year. 

ISI agent's pregnant Indian wife wants to disown child

Lucknow: Dec 1, 2015, dhns

Shattered by revelations that her husband Mohammed Ijaz is a Pakistani citizen and an alleged ISI agent, an eight-month pregnant Indian woman said she is reluctant to accept the yet-to-be born child. 
Asma, a resident of Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly town, was quoted as having told the local media that she did not want to “bring up” a child, whose father was a spy who “betrayed” her country. 

Claiming that she had no knowledge about Ijaz’s background, Asma, who originally hailed from Ara district in Bihar, said she would prefer her child to be brought up by someone else. “I would have aborted the child....but it is not possible...I have no option but to give birth to the child,” she said.

Asma said that her family had been introduced to Ijaz by a relative of hers. Asma’s father Shamsher, who reached Bareilly from Bihar on Sunday, said that he too had no idea that Ijaz was a Pak national and that he was involved in “anti-national” activities.

“I took him to be an Indian citizen...I was told that he had been living in Bareilly for the past many years,” Shamsher said. The distraught father said that he would get Asma married to someone else if she so desired. “I want my daughter to start life afresh,” he added. On the question of bringing up the child, Shamsher said that it was entirely up to Asma.

Malegaon blasts: Trial court gets two months to decide on bail

NEW DELHI, Dec 1, 2015, DHNS:

The Supreme Court on Monday granted two months additional time to the trial court for deciding bail plea of Malegaon blasts accused on a request by the special judge.

A bench of Justices J Chelameswar and Abhay Manohar Sapre allowed the request made by Maharashtra Special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) Judge made through a letter on October 1. 

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta pointed the letter out before the court for extending the time schedule, which was not objected to by Neela Gokhale, the counsel for the accused.

The apex court had on April 15 expressed prima facie reservations over charging Malegaon blasts accused Sadhvi Pragya Thakur, Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit with the stringent MCOCA.

It had then also said that the trial court should decide their bail plea on merits and without applicability of MCOCA, preferably within one month.

I am not retiring, Parrikar clarifies

NEW DELHI, Dec 1, 2015, DHNS:

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar clarified that he had no plans to retire at 60. A section of the media had reported that he might hang his boots on December 13 after attaining the retirement age.
“My statement has been misinterpreted and twisted. I did not make any such statement on retirement,” said Parrikar on Monday. 

The former Goa chief minister later tweeted: “At 60, normally people think of retirement and perhaps I would have also. But I had to take bigger responsibilities at the Centre and I assure you that I will come back only after finishing the task I am given.”

The BJP leader, who completed one year as defence minister this month, will travel to the US later this week on an official tour. He will leave for the US on December 4 and return on December 12, ahead of the Combined Commanders' Conference, which would be held for the first time on-board aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya on December 15. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the top commanders of the Army, Air Force and the Navy.

SC seeks Centre, Kerala's response on plea to kill stray dogs

NEW DELHI, Dec 1, 2015, DHNS:

The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from the Centre as well as the Kerala government on a plea by Ernakulam-based NGO Aluva Janaseva, seeking direction to protect children from falling prey to stray dogs and make free availability of anti-rabies medicine.

A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Prafulla C Pant issued notice to the Animal Welfare Board and others on a plea by advocate V K Biju, appearing for the NGO, who brought out certain newspaper clippings showing how the children have been bitten by the stray dogs and have suffered serious injuries.

“Appreciating the submission that the children are fundamental embodiment of human race and they deserve protection from any kind of attack by the stray dogs, we are inclined to issue notice,” the bench said, seeking response from the Centre and the Kerala government within 4 weeks.

VHP plans big show of strength in Ayodhya

Sanjay Pandey, Lucknow: Dec 1, 2015, dhns

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) plans to turn the 23rd anniversary of Babri mosque demolition into a “show of strength” in Ayodhya and has taken to the social media to solicit support for its demand for construction a Ram temple at the disputed site.
The decision assumes significance as it comes within weeks of the death of senior VHP leader Ashok Singhal. 

The VHP, which has created #IndiawantsRamMandir in an apparent bid to mobilise public support for Ram Temple movement spearheaded by it, celebrates the Babri mosque demolition anniversary on December 6 as Shaurya Diwas (day of bravery) while Muslim organizations observe it as ‘Black Day’. 

“We have been receiving a very good response from the people on the social media... people have been giving vent to their feelings on the issue,” VHP spokesman Sharad Sharma said on Monday. 

Sharma said that the response clearly reflected that the people of the country wanted Ram temple in Ayodhya.

“A meeting of the saints, sadhus and religious leaders will be held at Karsevakpuram in Ayodhya on December 6,” Sharma told Deccan Herald from Ayodhya over phone. The response on Twitter, however, appeared to be a mixed one. 

VHP plans big show of strength in Ayodhya

Sanjay Pandey, Lucknow: Dec 1, 2015, dhns

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) plans to turn the 23rd anniversary of Babri mosque demolition into a “show of strength” in Ayodhya and has taken to the social media to solicit support for its demand for construction a Ram temple at the disputed site.
The decision assumes significance as it comes within weeks of the death of senior VHP leader Ashok Singhal. 

The VHP, which has created #IndiawantsRamMandir in an apparent bid to mobilise public support for Ram Temple movement spearheaded by it, celebrates the Babri mosque demolition anniversary on December 6 as Shaurya Diwas (day of bravery) while Muslim organizations observe it as ‘Black Day’. 

“We have been receiving a very good response from the people on the social media... people have been giving vent to their feelings on the issue,” VHP spokesman Sharad Sharma said on Monday. 

Sharma said that the response clearly reflected that the people of the country wanted Ram temple in Ayodhya.

“A meeting of the saints, sadhus and religious leaders will be held at Karsevakpuram in Ayodhya on December 6,” Sharma told Deccan Herald from Ayodhya over phone. The response on Twitter, however, appeared to be a mixed one. 

Haryana CM defends minister in woman IPS officer row

Chandigarh: Dec 1, 2015, dhns

BJP MLAs led by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday defended Health Minister Anil Vij in the Haryana Assembly as the Congress raked up the issue of the woman IPS officer Sangeeta Kalia, who paid the price for refusing to give in to the minsters get out order.

Speaking on the first day of the winter session of the Vidhan Sabha on Monday, Khattar said that transfer of the woman police officer was an administrative matter and should not be linked with caste or gender. 

“There is a system to run an institution and everyone, be it the IAS/IPS officer or minister/MLA or any other, should abide by the system otherwise we would not be able to run our system smoothly,” he said. 

Khattar said he had seen the video clipping of the incident and felt pained to see the argument. “The chairman being the head of the district public relations and grievances committee, his directions should be followed. The minister exhibited decency in the whole incident by walking out of the meeting,” he added.

Meanwhile, the central IPS association has sought an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue, said sources, adding that a day-long strike by the association to protest the incident is also being contemplated, even as the Haryana IPS association isn’t inclined towards such a move, it is learnt. 

An association officer- bearer has sent out Whatsapp messages to members seeking their response on the subject, sources said. The association’s appointment with Modi will have to wait since the PM is currently in Paris. 

Interestingly, whistleblower IAS officer Ashok Khemka has supported Vij in the matter. 
Vij during a meeting on Friday had publicly asked Kalia to get out midway through a meeting.

She refused, which infuriated the minister who walked out. The next day, Kalia was booted out. The government’s decision invited widespread criticism not only on the social media but also from opposition parties. 

SC asks Govinda to apologise for slapping fan

NEW DELHI: Dec 1 , 2015, dhns

The Supreme Court on Monday asked actor Govinda to show big heart and apologise to a fan for slapping him at a film set in 2008.

A bench of Justices T S Thakur and V Gopala Gowda asked the actor and former Congress MP to settle his dispute with complainant Santosh Rai, saying the film stars are considered as role models and should not indulge in fighting in public place. 

The actor does not need to do in real life what he does in reel life, the court said. “We enjoy your films, but cannot tolerate you slapping somebody,” the bench said after watching the video clip of the incident on a mobile phone and suggested the actor to apologise to Santosh.

The court fixed February 9 as the next date of hearing on Santosh’s appeal against the Bombay High Court order which had quashed his private complaint lodged against Govinda before a metropolitan court in Mumbai.

The complainant sought action against Govinda for offences under Sections 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and 506 (1) (Criminal intimidation) of the IPC for the incident on January 16, 2008.

Change lifestyle to save earth: PM to rich nations

Paris, Dec 1, 2015, PTI & AFP:

Warns against transferring burden to third world

As world leaders sought a decisive turn in fight against global warming, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday stressed that the “lifestyles of a few” must not crowd out opportunities for developing countries and the burden of reducing carbon emissions should not be shifted to countries like India.
In his speech at the UN Climate Summit (COP-21), Modi said the prosperous still have strong carbon footprint but the world’s billions at the bottom of the development ladder are seeking space to grow. 

“The principles of equity & common but differentiated responsibilities must remain the bedrock of our collective enterprise,” he added.

The prime minister said the rich countries should not force the developing world to abandon fossil fuels completely. “We need to make it clean, not impose an end to its use,” he said.

The prime minister promised that India will contribute land and $30 million to build the secretariat infrastructure of the International Solar Alliance. Calling upon the advanced nations to assume ambitious targets and pursue them as they have the most room for impacts, Modi said, “We look to the developed countries to mobilise $100 billion annually by 2020 for mitigation and adaptation.”

Asserting that climate change is a major global challenge, Modi said it is the result of global warming which was “not of our making”. 

Earlier, inaugurating the “India Pavilion” at the summit venue, Modi said India is facing consequences of progress of the industrialised countries powered by fossil fuel.

The prime minister cited the plight of farmers, changes in weather pattern and intensity of natural disasters to drive home his point.

Noting that the outcome of the summit is very important, the prime minister said, “We want the world to work with urgency. We want....to restore the balance between humanity and nature and between what we have inherited and what we will leave behind.”

Modi also referred to lifestyles in an article in the Opinion section of Monday’s edition of the “Financial Times”. 

“I will also call for a change in lifestyles, so that we reduce the burden on our planet. 

For, the enduring success of our efforts will depend on the way we live and think,” he told his audience at the pavilion.

In his article, Modi said, “The lifestyles of a few must not crowd out opportunities for the many still on the first steps of the development ladder.”

He also warned developed nations that it would be “morally wrong” if they shift the burden of reducing emissions on developing countries like India, observing that poor nations had a right to burn carbon to grow their economies.

‘Progress is our destiny’
He said India’s progress was “our destiny and right of our people. But we must also lead in combating climate change.”

Modi, accompanied by Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar, went to various stalls at the Pavilion and later released a book on environment protection. The pavilion will showcase films on adaptation measures taken up by India. ”

Modi, Sharif test climate for talks

NEW DELHI: Dec 1 , 2015, dhns

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart M Nawaz Sharif reportedly explored the possibility of resuming dialogue on the sidelines of the UN Climate Change summit (COP-21) in Paris on Monday, over four months after they had a formal meeting in Russia.

The prime ministers of the two neighbouring nations shook hands when they met in the lounge, where the world leaders attending the COP-21 were waiting just before the commencement of the conclave. They sat on a sofa a bit away from others and engaged in a discussion.

A video footage of the brief meeting showed Modi putting forward his views to Sharif on certain issues. 

The Pakistani prime minister, who was mostly seen listening, interrupted his counterpart only once to tell him something.

Sharif later told Indian and Pakistani journalists in Paris that he had a good conversation with Modi. He said his counterpart shared his keenness to end the current impasse in India-Pakistan bilateral engagement and to move towards resolving the outstanding issues between the two neighbours. He, however, did not reveal the details of the discussion with his counterpart. 

“PM @narendramodi meets PM Nawaz Sharif at COP-21 in Paris,” official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Vikas Swarup, posted on Twitter. He also posted a picture of the two leaders shaking hands.

“This was a brief exchange of courtesies in the Leaders Lounge. PM meets many Heads of State/Govt,” added Swarup, who also posted pictures of Modi meeting and greeting several of his counterparts from around the world.

The “Dawn” newspaper of Pakistan quoted a statement from Sharif’s office to report that Modi had approached his counterpart from the neighbouring country when the leaders were waiting in the lounge. 

“Both appeared in a friendly mood and the Indian PM left the meeting with a warm handshake with the Pakistani PM,” Dawn reported, quoting the statement.

This is the first time Modi and Sharif were seen talking to each other after their last formal bilateral meeting at Ufa in Russia on July 10. Sharif on Saturday told British Prime Minister David Cameron in Malta that Pakistan was ready to restart talks with India, if no precondition was attached.

Though the two prime ministers had agreed in Ufa that their National Security Advisors would meet in New Delhi to discuss all issues connected to terrorism, the meeting was called off after India asked Pakistan to drop its insistence on discussing Kashmir and holding consultations with the separatists.
 

Now, Upalokayukta skips office

Ambarish B, Bengaluru: Dec 1, 2015, dhns

Upalokayukta Justice Subhash B Adi did not attend office on Monday as the Assembly Speaker on Friday admitted a motion for his ouster, moved by the ruling Congress. 

Lokayukta Justice Y Bhaskar Rao too faces a similar motion seeking his removal, and he has been on leave for the last four months since his son Yerabati Ashwin was arrested on charges of extortion in the Lokayukta office and official residence. 

Another Upalokayukta’s post remains vacant. With this, the Lokayukta institution has become virtually headless, for the first time since its establishment 30 years ago. 

In the wake of this sudden void, the fate of around 13,000 complaints pending before the Lokayukta hangs in the balance. 

Sources said, registrar in-charge in the Lokayukta’s office, M S Balakrishna, has written to the Speaker’s office seeking clarity on whether Upalokayukta could attend office since the ouster motion has only been admitted but not referred to the Chief Justice of the High Court. 

“The recently amended Lokayukta Act states the Lokayukta and the Upalokayukta will be divested of their administrative powers and duties once the motion is admitted. Though there are media reports that the Speaker has admitted both the motions on Friday, the same was not communicated to the institution,.” an official said.

He added that a letter has been dispatched to the Speaker seeking clarification on the issue. 
Hence, Upalokayukta Justice Subhash B Adi has decided not to attend office.

When contacted, Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa said he has not received any letter from the Lokayukta’s office seeking any clarification. 

He said he is examining the motions seeking the removal of the Lokayukta and Upalokayukta and will soon write to the Chief Justice of the High Court, urging him to conduct a probe into the charges.

Sources said that 12 fresh complaints were filed in the Lokayukta office on Monday. Of them seven come under the jurisdiction of Upalokayukta, and five under the Lokayukta. 

In fact, there is more bad news for the institution which lacks a regular registrar. 
The in-charge registrar’s term is coming to an end on December 31, 2015. 

The state government has not taken steps to appoint a registrar, despite a High Court direction. “Until the pendency of the motions, the complaints filed will be adjourned. The registrar's term will be over in December and after that each case will be posted for a long date,'' the official said. 

Monday was the last working day for two staffers at the Lokayukta office. Taking part in the send-off ceremony, the in-charge registrar called upon the staff to face the predicament the institution is in.

Former Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde told Deccan Herald that it was a sad state of affairs.

 “It is very unfortunate that an institution, which is the only hope of an ordinary man who does not want to go to the courts, is now headless. The people in power just do not want this institution.

If the present government in Delhi can introduce such a toothless Jan Lokpal Bill, can't blame Congress Government here. I am sure the state government intends to bring back Lokayukta Bill, 2014. I am very saddened that while the whole country looked up to our Lokayukta Act as a model one, we are closing down (the institution) here,'' Justice Hegde said.

No decision yet on land bill, says Centre

NEW DELHI, Dec 1, 2015, DHNS:

The government on Monday told the Lok Sabha that no decision has been taken on dropping its plan to amend the 2013 land acquisition law.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu clarifying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had just referred to a suggestion from the chief ministers that contentious amendments should be left to the states. 

Naidu clarified the position of the government after MPs from the opposition Congress wanted to know why the tenure of the joint parliamentary committee was being extended even after the prime minister made it clear that he had agreed to let the ordinance on the 2013 law to lapse.

The Congress sought the clarification after Speaker Sumitra Mahajan announced that she had granted extension to the committee examining the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015.

She said that the committee was to submit report on November 26 – the first day of the winter session of Parliament. Since the committee could not submit the report on that day, S S Ahluwalia, BJP MP in Lok Sabha and chairman of the committee, sought extension of its term. “I extend the time to submit the report by the last day of the session,” Mahajan said.

But Congress chief whip Jyotiraditya Scindia pointed out that the prime minister had already stated during his “Mann Ki Baat” radio programme that the Centre would leave it to the states to make the changes it wanted to bring into the law.

ICHR stops financial aid to History Congresss

NEW DELHI, Dec 1, 2015, DHNS:

Action after its criticism of PM's remarks on plastic surgery

Stoking a fresh controversy, the Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR) has stripped the Indian History Congress of its entitlement of Rs 5 lakh financial assistance granted every year for organising its annual session.

To give effect to its decision, the council recently amended the funding rules and withdrew the special status that the Indian History Congress enjoyed since the day of the ICHR’s established in 1972.

With this, the ICHR brought the country’s oldest body of the professional historians on a par with those set up at the regional level for all purpose including grant of funds. 

The Indian History Congress was set up in 1935 by a group of eminent historians including Mohammad Habib, R P Tripathi and Maheshwari Prasad during British rule. 

The action comes almost a year after the 80-year old historians body criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his remarks on plastic surgery in ancient India and passed a resolution at its annual session here in Delhi, cautioning against “combining myth and history”.

The Indian History Congress is scheduled to hold its annual session from December 27- December 29 in West Bengal.

The office-bearers of the historians’ body are wondering how to arrange funds to meet the expenditure as the ICHR was learnt to have sanctioned less than Rs 4 lakh grant for the upcoming event, according to sources. 

“Withdrawal of the special status through amendment to the rules effectively means that it is no more binding on the ICHR to release a maximum Rs 5 lakh grant to us for organising our annual session,” Aligarh Muslim University’s professor and secretary of the Indian History Congress Ishrat Alam told Deccan Herald.

The allocation of grant to the History Congress for organising its annual event will depend on the discretion of the ICHR, he added. The Indian History Congress had received Rs 5 lakh for organising its annual event last year.

“I don’t know how we will manage our expenditure this year. Let’s see. Our application for this years’ grant is under consideration of the ICHR,” Alam said. Y Sudershan Rao, who recently tendered his resignation from the post of the ICHR chairperson, refused to comment on the issue over phone and suggested to send an e-mail when contacted.

Centre still unsure of passing GST

NEW DELHI: Dec 1 , 2015, dhns

Final call on bill after Cong chief returns

Continuing with its efforts to get Opposition on board, the government on Monday reached out again to top Congress leaders to apprise them on the GST bill.

Though it had done the groundwork, the final call on contentious issues in the legislation that intends to bring uniform taxes throughout the country would take place in a week’s time after Congress president Sonia Gandhi returns from a medical check-up abroad.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu briefed Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Mallikarjun Kharge and Jyotiraditya Scindia on various aspects of the Bill – a follow-up of the ice-breaker between PM Narendra Modi, former PM Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

The discussions with opposition leaders took place to placate their concerns on the bill indicated during Modi-Sonia meeting. It is learnt that capping the GST rate at 18 per cent is the bone of contention between the government and Congress.

A section of the government, however, is not hopeful of getting the key legislation passed in this winter session owing to reluctance from the Congress top brass, despite the opposition party agreeing for it. 

The government will have to first clear the 122nd Constitutional Amendment Bill before the GST bill. The government wants to do all the convincing and consensus exercise before the GST Bill goes to Rajya Sabha where it needs opposition support. 

The Rajya Sabha select committee has made some recommendations on the bill and submitted its report to the Upper House after opposition forced the government to move the legislation to the panel.  

After Rajya Sabha passes the bill, the amended version will come back to Lok Sabha which had passed it in the last Monsoon session.

'Intolerance' again rocks LS

NEW DELHI: Dec 1 , 2015, dhns

Sparks flew in the Lok Sabha on Monday as it took up the situation arising out of incidents of intolerance in the country.

CPM member Mohammad Salim accused the government of inaction on several incidents of intolerance such as the killing of Mohammad Akhlaq in Dadri, the torching to death of two Dalit children in Haryana and return of awards by writers, scientists and intellectuals.

Congress leader K C Venugopal and Trinamool leader Dinesh Trivedi also accused the Modi government of turning a deaf ear to the rising incidents of intolerance that have led to scientists, writers and intellectuals return awards.

Joining the debate, BJP member Meenakshi Lekhi rubbished the “perception” of intolerance and described the artistes, filmmakers, writers and “so called intellectuals” as “intellectual mercenaries” who were creating tensions between communities.

She also said those returning awards were “rewarded” by the earlier governments for “political considerations”.

Initiating the discussion, Salim likened the situation in the country to the rise of hardline forces in Afghanistan that replaced the soft Islam practiced there. 

“The Taliban came and preached hardline Islam. What happened? Bamiyan Buddha was destroyed,” Salim said.

“Do not use religion as a shield and do injustice. It will only lead to destruction,” Salim said citing the resounding defeat of BJP in the Bihar elections.

Salim’s speech drew frequent protests from the BJP members, particularly when he quipped that Shatrughan Sinha had foreseen the defeat of the party in Bihar.

Earlier, the ruling and the opposition sides locked horns after Salim alleged that Home Minister Rajnath Singh was quoted by the magazine as having made the ‘Hindu leader’ remark after Narendra Modi became Prime Minister last year.

Intolerance must be dealt with: Venkaiah

NEW DELHI, Dec 1, 2015, DHNS:

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday admitted that there was “some amount” of intolerance in the society which has to be identified and dealt with firmly, instead of generalising it.

Participating in the debate on ‘Commitment to Constitution’, he did not refer to any particular incident, but said people making out of turn statements should be “condemned, isolated and disowned”. He tried to drive home the point that contentious issues have not come up overnight after Modi’s coming into power.

“These things have been agitating; these things have been happening in different parts of the country. Are the atrocities on dalits happening now? A dalit's family was burnt, Tara Chand’s daughter was burnt.  In which regime? I am not getting in to that. Writers were also killed in two places. Under whose regime? That is not the issue,” he said.

However, he appealed for a broad consensus on different issues. “Let us try to evolve a broad consensus.  As far as the government is concerned, it is trying to translate the thoughts, teaching and preaching of the Constitutional framers with regard to federal system,” he claimed.

Janlokpal Bill tabled in Delhi Assembly

NEW DELHI: Dec 1 , 2015, dhns

The Delhi government on Monday tabled a landmark Janlokpal Bill to make the city a “Corruption Free Zone” as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called it a “historic” day.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia presented the Delhi Janlokpal Bill 2015 saying it was an attempt at revamping and strengthening the anti-corruption legislation in the city.

“It is a memorable moment for all of us, including party workers across the country and abroad, who have dreamt of a powerful Janlokpal since 2011,” Sisodia said.

The ruling AAP legislators welcomed the tabling of the Bill with thumping of desks even as the Opposition BJP stayed away from the House in protest. The Janlokpal shall be empowered to probe allegation of corruption occurring in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, thus brining central government employees, Union ministers, police and corporates involved in graft under its purview.

“The Bill is for fulfilling the aspirations of the next generation,” he said, adding that the Janlokpal will be empowered to attach assets and recover penalty from a corrupt person up to the limit of five times of the loss caused to the exchequer by his acts.

The tabling of the Bill which gives sweeping powers to Janlokpal for speedy trial and provides for punishment of up to life imprisonment to the corrupt fulfilled the Kejriwal government’s poll promise of providing a new legislation to fight corruption. The AAP government had to quit in 2014 over the issue of Janlokpal.

Kejriwal, who made his first appearance in the House during the ongoing winter session, tweeted soon after the tabling of the Bill: “Congratulations Manish for presenting the strongest anti-corruption law of independent India - Delhi Janlokpal Bill 2015. A historic day.”The Delhi Cabinet had on November 18 approved the Janlokpal Bill, paving way for its tabling in the ongoing Assembly session.

The Bill proposes to make investigation into corruption allegations time bound, with maximum time limit of six months and up to 12 months in exceptional cases. The Janlokpal, which have powers of a civil court, can transfer or suspend government officials if found guilty of corruption.

The Bill aims at bringing employees of the corporates under its purview and also carries provisions to protect whistleblowers.