India in urgent need to increase shipping fleet: Survey

New Delhi, Feb 26, 2016 (PTI)

 India's troubled shipping sector is in a dire need to change its fleet, which has as many as 42 per cent of the vessels that have crossed 20 years of age.
In addition, 12 per cent of the fleet is in the 15-19 years bracket, while the ship-breaking sector continues to be in turmoil, the Economic Survey for 2015-16, tabled in Parliament by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, said today.

"The shipping sector has been passing through tumultuous waters in recent years... There is urgent need to increase India’s shipping fleet. With asset prices currently being serendipitously low, the time is right to acquire new generation ships to replace ageing ones," it said.

Expressing concern over the condition of India's fleet, it said it is aging and "42.42 per cent of the fleet is over 20 years old and 12.43 per cent in the 15-19 age group."

There is a "need for cheaper finance and longer tenure for funds in light of the fact that Indian ships are ageing and need to be replaced and asset prices are serendipitously low," it said.

There has been a sharp decline in the share of Indian ships in the carriage of India’s overseas trade from about 40 per cent in the late 1980s to 7.45 per cent in 2014-15, it cautioned.

The significance of the sector can be understood from the fact that about 95 per cent of India’s trade by volume and 68 per cent in terms of value is transported by sea.

As on 30 November 2015, India had a fleet strength of 1,246 ships with dead weight tonnage (DWT) of 15.37 million.

Despite having one of the largest merchant shipping fleets among developing countries, India’s share in total world DWT is only 0.9 per cent as on 1 July 2015.

"The shipping sector has been passing through stormy waters... The Baltic Dry Index, a freight index and a good proxy for the robustness of trade as well as an indicator of demand for shipping services had fallen from a peak of 11,793 on 20 May 2008 to a low of 663...and is now in the red at 290 as on 10 February 2016," it said.

This, coupled with the fact that world and Indian services and merchandise trade growth was in negative territory in 2015 as in 2009, is a clear signal of the fragile international trade and shipping situation, it said.

The survey said import of cheap Chinese steel billets into the major ship-breaking locations is resulting in falling demand for scrap ships.

Recognising the need to encourage the growth of Indian tonnage and for higher participation of Indian ships in Indian EXIM trade, the government has taken several key steps including making fuel tax free for all Indian flag coastal vessels and removing other obstacles, it said. 

The government has also come out with a blueprint for increasing the share of the coastal/inland waterways transport mode from 7 per cent to 10 per cent by 2019-20, the Survey said.

It added that the Inland Waterways Transport (IWT) sector remained dormant for a long time and lost its relevance and importance in the overall transport sector but considering its potential, steps are being taken to develop it.

"A significant step in creation of IWT infrastructure is implementation of the Jal Marg Vikas Project with World Bank assistance of Rs 4,200 crore," it said.

After commissioning of NTPC's Haldia -Farakka coal transportation project by a private sector company, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is working on a project for transportation of 3 MTPA imported coal from the Bay of Bengal to the Barh power plant of NTPC.

To provide a thrust to the IWT sector, on the legislative front, it has been decided that in addition to the existing 5 national waterways, 106 more waterways across 24 states would be declared as National Waterways and a bill was passed to this effect by the Lok Sabha in the winter session of Parliament.

Ayodhya title dispute; SC allows Swamy to intervene

New Delhi, Feb 26, 2016, PTI:

The Supreme Court today allowed BJP leader Subramanian Swamy to intervene in the pending matters relating to the Ayodhya title dispute with his plea seeking construction of Ram temple at the site of demolished disputed structure.

A bench of Justices V Gopala Gowda and Arun Mishra, while tagging Swamy's fresh plea with pending civil appeals, said that it cannot separately hear the petition seeking direction to allow construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya at the site where the disputed structure was demolished in 1992 as a matter of fundamental right.

"Tag this matter with the pending civil appeals. Let parties be served with the copies," it said.

Swamy argued that the Government already given an affidavit that it would pave way for construction of the temple if there are evidence and moreover, there are findings of Archaeological Survey of India to this effect.

At the outset, the bench said that it cannot entertain the "writ petition" when the civil appeals are pending before it and Swamy should either move the High Court for enforcement of his fundamental rights or seek impleadment as a party in the pending civil appeals here.

Swamy had earlier moved the plea for a direction to allow construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya at the disputed site and had mentioned it before a bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur for urgent hearing.

Swamy in his petition claimed that under the practices prevalent in Islamic countries, a mosque could be shifted to any other place for public purposes like constructing road etc, whereas a temple once constructed cannot be touched.

"A temple and a masjid cannot be considered on par as far as sacredness is concerned. A masjid is not an essential part of Islam religion, according to the above majority judgment of a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court, whereas according to the House of Lords, U K (1991), the temple is always a temple even if in disuse or ruins.

"Thus, the fundamental truth is that the Ram temple on Ram Janmabhoomi has an overriding claim to the site than any mosque," Swamy claimed in his plea.

Swamy has also sought directions to expedite the disposal of several petitions challenging the Allahabad High Court verdict of three-way division of the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi- Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya on September 30, 2010.

While ordering status quo at the site, which means that prayers at Ram Lalla's make-shift temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya would go on as usual, the apex court had restrained any kind of religious activity on the adjacent 67 acres of land which had been taken over by the Centre.

Modi suffering from 'maunibaba syndrome' like Manmohan: TMC

New Delhi, Feb 26, 2016 (PTI)

Opposition Trinamool Congress today took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi claiming he was suffering from the "silence syndrome" that had hit his predecessor Manmohan Singh and was facing the problem of "two power centres", one of them being in Nagpur.

Resuming discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President for his address, Sultan Ahmed (TMC) appealed to the Prime Minister to take everyone including the minorities and the Dalits along, reminding Modi that the nationalism propagated by Subhash Chandra Bose was "inclusive".

Ahmed, whose speech saw occasional protests from the treasury benches, said Modi had come to power raising lot of expectations but his government has been afflicted with "policy paralysis" within two years, noting that the charge used to be levelled by BJP against the Manmohan Singh regime.

He said it was strange that Modi did not speak a single word on the unprecedented violence and arson in Haryana in the wake of the Jat stir inspite of the fact that the troubled state was just 30 km away from the national capital.

Ahmed said the Prime Minister boasted of a 56-inch chest, but kept quiet on the Jat youth unrest that has resulted in damage to property worth Rs 34,000 crore. Same was his attitude when the Patidar agitation struck Gujarat, he added.

"Manmohan Singh's weakness of keeping mum has now hit Modi", he claimed adding that the Prime Minister has hardly any time between his frequent foreign tours.

He said since the Prime Minister kept silent, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had to step out to hold consultations on the Haryana stir, a charge stoutly denied by the Home Minister who was present in the House.

Ahmed said he used to listen to PM's radio programme 'Man Ki Baat' in 2014 and 2015, but has stopped now. "Now no one listens to it. It is all bunkum (bakwas)".

Attacking the government for not fulfilling the promise of providing jobs to the youth, he said the unrest among the youth was growing day by day for want of employment, but hardly anything was being done. The Ministry of Skill Development which is expected to make youths learn more skills is just a "fraud," he alleged.

Urging the Prime Minister to look after the minorities and the Dalits too, he said Modi, like Manmohan Singh, faces the problem of two power centres.

Modi was one power centre while the other was the RSS in Nagpur which tells others in BJP how much leeway can be granted to the Prime Minister, the TMC member claimed.

Ahmed wanted the Prime Minister to learn from Mamata Banerjee's governance, saying she has set an example of how to work for all including the dalits and the minorities.
He also said that Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu's 70-minute speech on the Motion of Thanks was "sheer flattery" of the Prime Minister.

The TMC MP said the problem of the central government was that it was "not working towards winning hearts."

He said the recent remarks of an Additional Secretary of the National Commission for Minorities that he spends sleepless nights in view of the current situation were a matter of concern and added that the officer had spoken in the presence of the Minister of Minority Affairs.

Participating in the debate, BJD's B Mahtab said the state should not indulge in everything and made a veiled attack on the government over the recent incidents at Jawaharlal Nehru University and Hyderabad university.

"When there is something at a university, the state interferes ... Why can't the vice chancellors be allowed to take decisions," he wondered.

Without taking names of the universities or related incidents, Mahtab said interference by the state was "actually weakening state craft."

The BJD leader said the secret files released by the government about Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose does not reveal anything that was not known.

Over the years, various governments have maintained secrecy about Netaji's disappearance and asked why has it been so. "Is there something else?... whatever may be, it (such secrecy) is sad," Mahtab asked.

Besides, he said there was "bungled" response to the terror attack at Pathankot and it was an alarming situation as not only the borders but also an airbase was breached, he said and sought a response from the government.

On steps taken to deal with terror, he said there should be parliamentary oversight and an independent federal commission for accountability be also set up.

Touching upon rising non-performing assets in the country's banking system, Mahtab said those who are not paying back the loans are not "wilful defaulter" but "skilful defaulters".

'Freedom 251' smartphone scheme a fraud, says Cong MP

New Delhi, Feb 26, 2016, PTI:

Alleging that 'Freedom 251' smartphone scheme was a "fraud", Congress MP Pramod Tiwari in Rajya Sabha today strongly objected to the presence of BJP leaders at the launch of the scheme to sell smartphones at a price of Rs 251 and sought a reply from the government.

"I am making a definite allegation. This government is going to do a big scam. This is going to be the biggest scam of the millennium during the rule of BJP.

"The product has been launched by BJP leaders. This is a scam in which leaders of BJP are involved. They talk about 'Make in India' but what they are doing is 'Make in Fraud'," Tiwari said during Zero Hour and expressed doubts over the claim of the company to provide mobile phones to consumers at just Rs 251.

He said six crore bookings have already been made for the phone and even at the rate of Rs 251 each, the mobile company must have collected hundreds of crores of rupees.

Demanding that the money collected by the company should be kept secure, Tiwari said even the Director of the company has said that the minimum cost of the phone is Rs 1400 and wondered how can the gadget be then sold at just Rs 251.

Tiwari said if it is possible to get a phone at Rs 251, then how can others are charging Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 for a mobile set. "Either this is wrong or that is wrong. The government has its share either in this or that. Government should answer," Tiwari said.

Ringing Bells, a NOIDA based start-up, which launched the mobile had said they had developed it with support from the government.

Soon after the launch ceremony where a veteran BJP leader was present, doubts were raised about the genuineness of the company's claim to provide phone at the rate of Rs 251.

IAF to induct 8 squadrons 'Tejas' in 8 years: Parrikar

New Delhi, Feb 26, 2016 (PTI)

Indian Air Force will induct three to four indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft 'Tejas' this year and a total of eight squadrons in eight years, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said today.
He told the Lok Sabha that a Letter of Intent for procuring 120 Tejas was issued and the first aircraft was inducted by the IAF in 2015 and three to four would be inducted this year.

"Letter of Intent has been issued for 120 LCA. The first aircraft was given during 2015. The next three to four, to form the squadron, will be delivered during current year.

"We are also in the process of approving the second line of manufacturing to the HAL so that they can produce 16 aircraft per year. In the next eight years, you will have about eight squadrons of LCA," he said during Question Hour.

Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) is the nodal organisation for the development of 'Tejas'.

Parrikar said India has been importing 15 per cent of the global arms imports which has now come down to 14 per cent.

India's arms import bill has also come down from around Rs 35,000 crore to Rs 24,900 crore now, he said.

The Defence Minister said Indian defence industries, ordnance factories and shipyards have been functioning in full capacity and the orders received by them have increased substantially over the years.

They have orders to the tune of Rs 1,60,000 crore and they would not be able to complete all orders even in the next ten years, he said, adding that these orders were indigenous, mostly from the government, and just two per cent orders from abroad.

Replying to another question, Parrikar refuted a suggestion that India's budget allocation for defence sector was low in comparison to countries like the US, China and Pakistan, saying the pensions of defence personnel was not part of the defence budget.

He said modernisation of the armed forces was a continuous process based on threat perception, operational challenges and technological changes to keep the armed forces in a state of readiness to meet the entire spectrum of security challenges.

"Government attaches the highest priority to ensuring that the armed forces are sufficiently equipped to meet any operational requirement. This is achieved through induction of new equipment and technological upgradation of capabilities," he said.

Face-off again between Irani and Mayawati in RS

New Delhi, Feb 26, 2016 (PTI)

 Smriti Irani and Mayawati had a face-off yet again in Rajya Sabha, with the BSP leader today saying she was not convinced by HRD Minister's statement with regard to Rohith Vemula's suicide and asking whether she would implement her two-day-old statement about "chopping off" her head.
The issue related to the suicide by Vemula, a Dalit student of Hyderabad University, also led to a clash between Irani and CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury.

Mayawati, who has been demanding inclusion of a Dalit in the panel probing Vemula's death, slammed the government for appointing a one-man judicial Commission of former Allahabad High Court judge Ashok Kumar Roopanwal.

"To my question whether a Dalit member is part of the Commission, the government has not answered this so far. On February 24, I had asked this question and it has not been answered so far. Justice Roopanwal is from the upper caste. Government's intention is dubious on this," she said.

She added that as per the laws, the government can increase the strength of the commission, and add a Dalit member, but it has not done this so far, which shows its intentions towards the Scheduled Castes.

The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said government's intentions are now clear and it is trying to save the accused "who are from the RSS".

She said that Irani had said in the House two days back that if BSP is not convinced by the clarification of the government, she (Irani) will chop off her head and present it to her. "Since we are not convinced by the government's clarification, will she (Irani) do that," Mayawati asked.

On Wednesday too, the House had witnessed a clash between Irani and Mayawati over the same issue. 

Kanhaiya didn't raise any slogan: JNU security guard,constable

New Delhi, Feb 26, 2016, PTI:

A security guard at JNU campus and a policeman, said to be eyewitnesses who have also recorded their statements in the sedition case, have been purportedly seen in a sting video saying that JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar did not raise any slogan.

Earlier, a similar sting operation was conducted on two of the three lawyers who allegedly assaulted journalists, JNU students and teachers at Patiala House court, and were later arrested earlier this week.

In the latest sting  by a TV channel, the security guard who identifies himself as Amarjeet Kumar could be seen claiming that he was present at the February 9 event on the JNU campus.

Asked about Kanhaiya, he said the student leader delivered a speech at Ganga dhaba after the end of a march that started from Sabarmati dhaba. He also claimed that he had not seen Kanhaiya raising any slogan.

The guard, in the sting video, could also be seen saying that around 10-15 outsiders were present in the event, which was held despite being denied permission by JNU authorities.

The other person who had identified himself as Delhi Police head constable Rambir could be seen saying that he was present at the event in plain clothes. He was also seen saying that the JNUSU President was present in the crowd but he did not raise any slogans.

In the statement attached with the FIR in the case, registered on the basis of a video footage obtained from the Hindi newschannel, police had mentioned names of Rambir and two other constables who were present at the spot in plain clothes and had witnessed the event.

The head constable, in the sting operation video, could also be seen claiming that the protest against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru was organised in the past two years also but nothing of this sort had happened.

Asked why the police did not stop the event, he claimed that there was no police present inside the campus as it needs the permission of the Vice Chancellor. However, he had informed his seniors about the incident.

"Kanhaiya was there in the crowd but I did not see him raise any slogan. Khalid was clearly raising slogans and that is also evident from what is being shown on TV," the policeman is seen saying in the sting video.

He also said he had not shot any video of the event fearing an attack. Both Amarjeet Kumar and Rambir are learnt to have recorded their statements with the investigators.

Maintain 'Secret diary' on corrupt employees: Govt to officers

New Delhi, Feb 16, 2016, (PTI)

Supervisory officers have been asked to maintain a confidential diary to record instances of alleged corruption about their subordinates and details of action taken on them, the Centre has said.
The move follows as it has been noticed that reporting officers do not make clear and categorical mention about the integrity of their junior officer while filling Annual Performance Assessment Reports (APARs).

Further, it has also been seen that in case of doubt of integrity of the officer reported upon, the procedures prescribed for filling up the integrity column in APARs are not being followed appropriately, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said.

Supervisory officers should maintain a confidential diary in which instances which create suspicion about the integrity of a subordinate should be noted from time to time and action to verify the truth of such suspicions should be taken expeditiously by making confidential enquiries departmentally or by referring the matter to the Special Police Establishment (CBI or Lokayukta), it said, reiterating 43-year-old instructions issued in this regard.

The move will help government take action against those who are corrupt or the non-performers ones.

"At the time of recording the annual confidential report, this diary should be consulted and the material in it utilised for filling the column about integrity," the DoPT said.

A copy of the secret note should be sent together with the character roll to the next superior officers who should ensure that the follow-up action is taken with due expedition, it said in an order issued recently to all ministries.

There are occasions when a reporting officer cannot in fairness to himself and to the officer reported upon, either certify integrity or make an adverse entry, or even be in possession of any information which would enable him to make a secret report to the head of the department.

"In all such cases, the reporting officer should make an entry in the integrity column to the effect that he has not watched the officer's work for sufficient time to be able to make any definite remark or that he has heard nothing against the officer's integrity as the case may be.

"This would be a factual statement to which there can be no objection. But it is necessary that a superior officer should make every effort to form a definite judgement about the integrity of those working under him, as early as possible, so that he may be able to make a positive statement," the DoPT said.

There may be cases in which after a secret report or note has been recorded expressing suspicion about an officer's integrity, the enquiries that follow do not disclose sufficient material to remove the suspicion or to confirm it.

In such a case the officer's conduct should be watched for a further period, and, in the meantime, he should, as far as practicable, be kept away from positions in which there are opportunities for indulging in corrupt practices, the DoPT said.

All officers have been told to make remarks against the integrity column of APARs of the officer reported upon in one of three options--Beyond doubt, Since the integrity of the officer is doubtful, a secret note is attached and Not watched the officer's work for sufficient time to form a definite judgement but nothing adverse has been reported to me about the officer.

Physically-challenged teens from Paradip get PM assistance

Kendrapara (Odisha), Feb 16, 2016, (PTI):

For 8-year-old Pinki Paramanik, it was an experience of a lifetime. The precious moments she spent with Prime Minister Narendra Modi will remain etched deep in her memory.
Pinki, who is orthopaedically challenged, along with two other physically challenged teens from Paradip area were privileged to receive assistive aids and appliances from the Prime Minister during the public function when Modi commissioned a oil refinery project on February 7.

As the standard III student from Koladia village near Paradip walked with crutch to the dais, there was a thunderous applause from the crowd that had thronged at the venue.
"Kaunsi kashya mein padhti ho? (in which class do you study) Agey jeevan mein kya banna chahti ho? (what is your future goal in life)" - the comforting words from the PM resound in her mind weeks after the little girl from Paradip had a firm handshake with Modi.

"I was awed by the occasion. I have never seen such a massive crowd. I could not comprehend what Modi uncle asked me. Those in the dais helped me and prodded me to reply. I told I will become a doctor. Modiji patted me on the back," Pinki recalled.

"My child is suffering from muscular disorder on lower limbs. She walks with crutches. Despite deformity, she is determined towards study. After the Prime Minister handed her over physiotherapy MSIED kit, she was excited. And the exposure has given her a sense of self-belief," Pradipta Paramanik (Pinki's father), said.

"I was told that my speech and hearing impaired daughter Nandini will be given hearing aid by the PM, a day before his visit to Paradip. Six hours before the function, we were brought to the meeting place. While I was extended hospitality in the guest enclosure, my daughter was taken to another spot for security reasons," said Niranjan Swain of Bhitargarh village.

"My 18-year-old daughter is a Higher Secondary student of the Arts stream in Paradip College. Neither she can speak nor hear. Modiji reassuringly told her whether she could hear after giving her the hearing aid. He was gracious and exchanged soothing words to make her feel comfortable. She signalled affirmatively.

"Disability has not deterred Nandini. She is studious. She idolises Ira Singhal, the physically challenged woman who cleared the civil services examination. Shaking hands with the Prime Minister has given her a sense of positivism," Swain said.

Apart from Pinki and Nandini, visually-impaired Santosh Rout (20) of Gandakipur near Paradip, who studies in BJP College, Bhubaneswar, also received an aid from the PM.

Modi had distributed appliances to the physically challenged children. The kits were provided to us by Engineers India Limited under the Corporate Social Responsibility programme, said Manager, Corporate communications, IOCL's Paradip Refinery, Sangram Mishra. 

JNU row set to cast its shadow on Budget Session

New Delhi, Feb 16, 2016, (PTI):

The JNU row is set to cast a shadow on the coming Budget Session as the opposition today raised questions on the issue at a meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ensuring smooth running of Parliament but Congress put the ball in government's court.
In the first-ever exercise initiated by Modi against the backdrop of repeated stalling of sessions, the Prime Minister reached out to them, seeking their cooperation saying "I am not the Prime Minister of BJP alone but the entire country".

He expressed the hope that Parliament will function and assured opposition parties that the government will work to address their concerns.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said there was a general consensus that Parliament should run smoothly. The session begins from February 23.

Today's meeting was dominated by the JNU issue with the Congress and the Left questioning the filing of sedition case against JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar.

They also wanted the government to rein in BJP leaders and those holding the constitutional posts who are "vitiating" the atmosphere in the country.

Opposition leaders gave notice that they will raise issues like JNU, Arunachal crisis and the suicide of a Dalit scholar in Hyderabad Central University and farmers' problems.
Briefing media after the meeting, Naidu said the Prime Minister said the government was open to discussion on all issues.

"We will respond to the issues raised by the opposition and address them... I hope the congenial mood here will be translated into action in Parliament," Modi told the meeting.

Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad made it clear that his party "disassociates" with students who shouted slogans at the JNU against India's unity and Constitution but insisted that there was no proof of sedition against Kanhaiya Kumar. The Left parties concurred with him. 

Azad also accused the BJP leaders of "defaming" the party leadership with their "anti-national" jibes and said the government should restrain them.

He told the media after the two-hour meeting that the atmosphere in the country has been vitiated since the BJP came to power and its government has taken no action against people responsible for it.

"His arrest on the sedition charge is unfair... Action should also have been taken against those who vitiated the country's atmosphere.

"If people holding the constitutional positions are vitiating the atmosphere in the country, then it will find a reflection in Parliament. Had action been taken against them, then many things which we see today would not be happening," he said.

Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley explained the government's position on the JNU row and spoke about the slogans and posters related to the controversial event, calling them highly objectionable.

He said the implications of the JNU incident should be unbderstood properly. He asked whether any political party can endorse the slogans made at the so-called protest meet in JNU and every one should await the inquiry report in the matter.

Naidu shared the opposition leaders' concern over use of terms like "anti-national" but he referred to the 'Hitler' jibe made against the PM and said all parties should show restraint.

He said all parties spoke in one voice that Parliament should function.
"Frustration is rising among people due to stalemate in Parliament... Issues are not being debated," he said.

In a veiled dig at Congress, he said the opposition party spoke about the atmosphere in the country but other parties said there should be no "ifs and buts" and Parliament should function.

The Parliamentary Affairs Minister said the government is willing to walk the extra mile in accommodating the opposition.

The meeting also saw Trinamool Congress pushing for the passage of the GST bill, Naidu said.

JD(U) Chief Sharad Yadav said Parliament must run and all issues debated there.
Azad said the GST bill was not discussed in the meeting.

An all-party has been called on February 22 in which bills likely to be tabled in the session and other related issues will be discussed.

UK announces new measures for improving visa services in India

New Delhi, Feb 16, 2016 (PTI)

 The UK today announced a series of measures for improving its visa services including expanding the same day, super-priority services to first-time visitors from India, one of Britain's largest visa markets.
Britain's Immigration Minister James Brokenshire, who is on a five-day visit to the country, announced the new package for improving the visa services for Indian nationals during a visit to a visa application centre here.

Improvements to the visa services include expanding the same day, super-priority visa services to first-time visitors and for work visas.

The three to five day priority visa service will also be expanded to visit, study and work routes, allowing more applicants in India to seek a faster visa decision.

"India is one of the UK's largest visa market and we continue to make improvements to the service here to make it as easy and straightforward as possible for our customers to apply for their visas," Brokenshire said.

He said that more and more Indian visitors are choosing to come to the UK on holiday and for business. Last year, the UK saw a 17 per cent increase in the number of visit visas issued, he said.

"Indian holidaymakers are very welcome in the UK and thanks to our strong cultural and historic ties, I think they feel at home there," he said.

"We hope that this year we continue to see an increase in visitors from India and that these improvements prove useful to those applying for their visas," he said.

From the end of this month, Indian visit visa applicants will also be able to benefit from a new online application form, which the British High Commission says is quicker and easier.
Besides taking less time, the new online form will make it easier for customers going on holiday or for business to the UK and Europe, to apply for both UK and Schengen visas.

Once the form has been filled out, customers will be able to download an auto-completed Schengen application form to print and apply with.

Initially the form will be launched in English but it will be translated into Hindi, Tamil and Gujarati.

The visiting British minister also announced the launch of a new visa application centre (VAC) in Lucknow, the first in Uttar Pradesh. 

JNU row set to cast its shadow on Budget Session

New Delhi, Feb 16, 2016, (PTI):

The JNU row is set to cast a shadow on the coming Budget Session as the opposition today raised questions on the issue at a meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ensuring smooth running of Parliament but Congress put the ball in government's court.
In the first-ever exercise initiated by Modi against the backdrop of repeated stalling of sessions, the Prime Minister reached out to them, seeking their cooperation saying "I am not the Prime Minister of BJP alone but the entire country".

He expressed the hope that Parliament will function and assured opposition parties that the government will work to address their concerns.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said there was a general consensus that Parliament should run smoothly. The session begins from February 23.

Today's meeting was dominated by the JNU issue with the Congress and the Left questioning the filing of sedition case against JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar.

They also wanted the government to rein in BJP leaders and those holding the constitutional posts who are "vitiating" the atmosphere in the country.

Opposition leaders gave notice that they will raise issues like JNU, Arunachal crisis and the suicide of a Dalit scholar in Hyderabad Central University and farmers' problems.
Briefing media after the meeting, Naidu said the Prime Minister said the government was open to discussion on all issues.

"We will respond to the issues raised by the opposition and address them... I hope the congenial mood here will be translated into action in Parliament," Modi told the meeting.

Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad made it clear that his party "disassociates" with students who shouted slogans at the JNU against India's unity and Constitution but insisted that there was no proof of sedition against Kanhaiya Kumar. The Left parties concurred with him. 

Azad also accused the BJP leaders of "defaming" the party leadership with their "anti-national" jibes and said the government should restrain them.

He told the media after the two-hour meeting that the atmosphere in the country has been vitiated since the BJP came to power and its government has taken no action against people responsible for it.

"His arrest on the sedition charge is unfair... Action should also have been taken against those who vitiated the country's atmosphere.

"If people holding the constitutional positions are vitiating the atmosphere in the country, then it will find a reflection in Parliament. Had action been taken against them, then many things which we see today would not be happening," he said.

Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley explained the government's position on the JNU row and spoke about the slogans and posters related to the controversial event, calling them highly objectionable.

He said the implications of the JNU incident should be unbderstood properly. He asked whether any political party can endorse the slogans made at the so-called protest meet in JNU and every one should await the inquiry report in the matter.

Naidu shared the opposition leaders' concern over use of terms like "anti-national" but he referred to the 'Hitler' jibe made against the PM and said all parties should show restraint.

He said all parties spoke in one voice that Parliament should function.
"Frustration is rising among people due to stalemate in Parliament... Issues are not being debated," he said.

In a veiled dig at Congress, he said the opposition party spoke about the atmosphere in the country but other parties said there should be no "ifs and buts" and Parliament should function.

The Parliamentary Affairs Minister said the government is willing to walk the extra mile in accommodating the opposition.

The meeting also saw Trinamool Congress pushing for the passage of the GST bill, Naidu said.

JD(U) Chief Sharad Yadav said Parliament must run and all issues debated there.
Azad said the GST bill was not discussed in the meeting.

An all-party has been called on February 22 in which bills likely to be tabled in the session and other related issues will be discussed.

Delhi police 'deaf and dumb': AAP questions inaction

New Delhi, Feb 16, 2016 (PTI)

Attacking Delhi Police over its inaction when journalists and JNU students were being thrashed in a court complex here yesterday, AAP today dubbed them "deaf and dumb", and asked why no action was taken against BJP MLA O P Sharma for his alleged involvement in the assault.

The party also questioned why the police was not checking the video in which JNU Students' Union president Kanhaiya Kumar, who has been arrested on sedition charges, was talking in favour of following the Constitution.

"The Delhi Police has become deaf and dumb since yesterday. It has taken no action against BJP MLA O P Sharma who is seen assaulting JNU students and journalists and terrorising them," AAP leader Sanjay Singh said.

Yesterday, groups of lawyers had beaten up journalists and JNU students and teachers in the Patiala House court complex ahead of the hearing of sedition case registered against Kumar in connection with an event at the varsity last week to protest the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

Delhi BJP MLA OP Sharma was also seen beating up a CPI activist.
Earlier, Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi said the alleged negligence on the part of police is being probed and the guilty will face legal action.

Singh also noted that those who raised anti-India slogans during the event have not been arrested yet and demanded an independent probe into who those people were.

"There were anti-India slogans in JNU and those who gave those slogans have not been arrested yet. There should be an independent probe into this, on who these people were whose faces were masked and which party they belong to," he said.

The AAP leader also accused BJP and RSS of "tarnishing" the image of JNU.
"JNU has given the country several IAS and IPS officers, thinkers and academicians and the BJP and the RSS are tarnishing the image of a reputed organisation. There are many in Delhi Police who are from JNU and I urge them to stand up against the campaign to defame the varsity," he said.

Singh also lashed out at BJP for "hobnobbing" with PDP leaders who consider Afzal Guru as "martyr" and not a terrorist involved in the attack on Parliament.

"The BJP on one hand talks about nationalism, but it is hobnobbing with the PDP to form government in Jammu and Kashmir...the same PDP, which considers Afzal Guru a martyr and not a terrorist.

"This reflects the dual standards of the BJP on nationalism," he said.

Pro-Afzal Guru slogans raised in Jadavpur University rally

Kolkata, Feb 16, 2016, (PTI)

Slogans in favour of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru were raised in a rally brought out by Jadavpur University students here today to express solidarity with their JNU counterparts agitating against the arrest of their leader Kanhaiya Kumar for alleged sedition.
During the torch rally brought from JU campus to Gol Park in South Kolkata by students of all faculties of the university, slogans like "Afzal bole azadi, Geelani bole azadi" and "Chhinke lenge azadi" were raised.

Other slogans like "Freedom from RSS, freedom from Modi government", "Jab Kashmir ne maangi azadi, Manipur bhi boli azadi" were also raised.

When contacted, SFI local committee secretary Samanya Raha, who took part in the rally, said it was a "mass gathering" to protest against the arrest of Kanhaiya Kumar on the charge of sedition.  

Pro-Afzal Guru slogans raised in Jadavpur University rally

Kolkata, Feb 16, 2016, (PTI)

Slogans in favour of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru were raised in a rally brought out by Jadavpur University students here today to express solidarity with their JNU counterparts agitating against the arrest of their leader Kanhaiya Kumar for alleged sedition.
During the torch rally brought from JU campus to Gol Park in South Kolkata by students of all faculties of the university, slogans like "Afzal bole azadi, Geelani bole azadi" and "Chhinke lenge azadi" were raised.

Other slogans like "Freedom from RSS, freedom from Modi government", "Jab Kashmir ne maangi azadi, Manipur bhi boli azadi" were also raised.

When contacted, SFI local committee secretary Samanya Raha, who took part in the rally, said it was a "mass gathering" to protest against the arrest of Kanhaiya Kumar on the charge of sedition.  

Kejriwal posts cartoon, sets social media afire

New Delhi, Feb 16, 2016, (PTI)

A section of the twitterati today attacked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for posting a cartoon which shows a Hanuman-esque figure assuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi that public attention has been diverted towards JNU from other pressing issues.
Kejriwal posted the cartoon, published in a leading national daily, on his Twitter account. Within minutes, #Kejriwalinsultshanuman started trending.

A person lodged a police complaint against the Delhi CM in Hyderabad seeking "appropriate action" against him for "hurting religious sentiments".

The point of contention appeared to be a character sporting a tail which can be seen flying towards Modi while assuring him, "Done Sir, all attention is on JNU". The PM is shown standing amid raging fires over several socio-economic and security issues.

#KejriwalInsultsHanuman. Delhi CM @ArvindKejriwal must apologies unconditionally for mocking India & insulting Hanumanji," one Arvind Gupta tweeted.

Amit Malviya, in-charge of BJP's national IT department, tweeted, "If Kejriwal is benchmarked to the logic seculars applied after the Charlie Hebedo act, he should be at least in jail. #KejriwalInsultsHanuman".

Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay condemned Kejriwal for "hurting the sentiments of crores of Hindus" by portraying their revered Hanumanji in "bad taste".

"We feel that this bad portrayal has been intentionally done to please the Leftist section which is responsible for anti-national propaganda at Jawaharlal Nehru University," he alleged.

"Kejriwal must immediately apologize to the nation, especially to Hindus, for hurting the religious sentiments," he said.  

SP, Cong suffer blows in UP, Karnataka; BJP wrests M'nagar

New Delhi, Feb 16, 2016, (PTI):

The BJP and its allies today made gains in the Assembly bye-elections winning seven of the 12 seats in eight states when the party inflicted blows on ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh and Congress in Karnataka.
BJP won the communally sensitive and politically significant Muzaffarnagar seat in UP where SP lost two of the three seats, one of which to Congress in Deoband. The Congress was jolted in Karnataka where it lost two of the three seats on offer. The BJP bagged two.

The party also snatched the Maihar seat in Madhya Pradesh from Congress, months after suffering a defeat at its hands in the Ratlam-Jhabua Lok Sabha bypoll.

In the other four states, ruling parties--BJP and its allies Shiv Sena and Akali Dal as also TRS and CPI (M)--won in the by-elections for a lone seat in Maharashtra, Punjab, Telangana and Tripura respectively.

Uttar Pradesh, which is headed for Assembly elections next year, handed out a drubbing for the Akhilesh Yadav government when SP lost in Muzaffarnagar and Deoband. The party, however, retained the Bikapur seat.

Muzaffarnagar, where BJP's Kapil Dev Agarwal defeated SP's Gaurav Swarup by margin of 7,352 votes, is considered a test case for the saffron party which had mounted a strident campaign on Hindutva issues ever since the communal riots of 2013 there.

Western UP, of which Muzaffarnagar is a part, has seen the saffron party and its affiliates playing the Hindutva card to the hilt and attacking the Akhilesh Yadav government over its vote bank politics aimed allegedly at appeasing Muslims.

In Deoband, the seat of Islamic religious school, Darul Uloom, Congress worsted SP when its candidate Mavia Ali defeated Meena Rana. SP managed to retain Bikapur (Faizabad) seat when its candidate Anand Sen Yadav defeated RLD candidate Munna Singh Chauhan.

Opposition BJP in Karnataka, where Assembly elections are due in 2018, got the better of the ruling Congress in a virtual direct fight when it retained Hebbal seat in Bangalore. But the two parties snatched each other's seat in Devadurga and Bidar.

The results in Karnataka are seen as a blow to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah considering the fact that the Congress had invested heavily in the contest to wrest seats from BJP.

The Congress casualty in Karnataka included C K Abdul Rahman Sharief, grand son of former Railway Minister C K Jaffer Sharief, who lost to BJP's Y A Narayanaswamy by margin of 19,149 votes in Hebbal.

Sharief was given the ticket at the last minute against the wishes of Siddaramaiah who had plumped for his favourite Byrathi Suresh, an MLC, as the candidate.

In Bidar, Congress' Rahim Khan triumphed by a margin of 22,721 votes, defeating his closest opponent Prakash Khandre of BJP.

K Shivana Gouda Nayak of BJP defeated A Rajashekhra Nayak of Congress by a margin of 16,871 votes in Devadurga.

Plea in HC for NIA probe in JNUSU President's sedition case

New Delhi, Feb 15, 2016, (PTI)

A plea was today filed in the Delhi High Court seeking NIA probe in the sedition case in which JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar has been arrested, adding to the row over the issue.
The plea, which was mentioned before a bench of Justices B D Ahmed and R K Gauba, also sought a judicial inquiry in the entire case, soon after a group of men in lawyers' robes thrashed students and mediapersons in the nearby Patiala House court complex.

The petition, filed by one Ranjana Agnihotri, alleged that Delhi Police was not investigating the case properly and the matter should be transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The bench, however, posted the matter for hearing tomorrow observing that the Delhi Police was already conducting a probe and would take the case to its logical conclusion.

"The police is probing it. What is the urgency? List it for tomorrow," the bench said.
The petitioner's counsel, advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, told the bench that media houses should be directed to place on record the video footage of the programme held in JNU on February 9 in which anti-India slogans were allegedly raised.

Kanhaiya was arrested on February 12 in connection with a case of sedition and criminal conspiracy over an event at the prestigious university against hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

The same day, he was remanded to three-day police custody by a court here after the police said his and five other absconding accused's alleged links with terrorist groups were being probed.

A case was registered under Sections of 124 A (sedition) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC against unknown persons at Vasant Kunj (North) Police station following complaints by BJP MP Maheish Girri and the ABVP.

The event was held despite the varsity administration having cancelled the permission following a complaint by ABVP members, who had termed the activity as "anti-national".

2 youths killed in firing on stone-pelters; 1 militant slain in encounter

Srinagar, Feb 14, 2016, PTI:

Two youths, including a girl, were killed today in firing allegedly by security forces on a crowd that was holding a protest over an encounter in Pulwama district of south Kashmir in which an unidentified militant was gunned down.

Three persons were also injured in the firing, police said. The two youths killed were identified as Danish and Shahista, a police official said, adding that a crowd of protesters started pelting stones at security forces at Lillhar in the Kakapora area near the encounter site.

Earlier, one militant was killed in the encounter in Pulwama. "An encounter broke out in Kakapora after a cordon and search operation was launched in the area," an army official said.

An unidentified militant was killed in the exchange of fire between the two sides, the official said, adding that further details are awaited.