It's just beginning, says PM as BJP MPs endorse his 'crusade'

New Delhi, Nov 22, 2016, (PTI)

Demonetisation is not the end but the beginning of a "long, deep and constant" battle against black money and corruption and will benefit the poor and the common man, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said as the BJP parliamentary party passed a unanimous resolution endorsing his "great crusade".
Speaking at the first meeting of the BJP Parliamentary Party in the Winter session, Modi said the poor and the lower and middle classes have suffered the most due to black money, fake currency and corruption and his government is working to rid the country of these evils and make the economy stronger.

Rallying around the PM at a time when opposition parties have united to corner the government over the measure citing hardships being faced by the masses, party MPs passed a unanimous resolution supporting demonetisation and gave him a standing ovation.

Hitting out at the rival parties, the resolution asked them to decide whether they stand by the people of India and the government or hoarders of black money.

While hailing PM's "great crusade" against corruption, it accused the opposition of trying to provoke violence and chaos and disrupt Parliament, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters.

"We have come to power not for us or those close to us but for the poor. For 70 years, the poor and the lower and middle classes suffered and have been exploited by black money, corruption and terrorism. Our aim is a deep, long and constant struggle against them.

"This is not the end but only a beginning of our struggle," the Prime Minister said and cited measures like setting up of a SIT on blackmoney and Income Disclosure Scheme, 2016.

The resolution said the demonetisation move had people's support, claiming it was "the most profound statement to have ever come from the country".

People are queueing up for a better India and all transformative decisions cause some pain, Naidu said.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said the move is in benefit of the country and its people.

Terming it as a historic decision, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley also briefed the party MPs about different facets of the move and how it will help the economy. 

Two militants killed in encounter

Srinagar, Nov 22, 2016 (PTI)

Two militants were today killed in an encounter with security forces in north Kashmir's Bandipora district, police said.
"Two militants have been killed in an encounter in Bandipora," a police official said.
He said acting on specific intelligence input about presence of militants in Hajin village of Bandipora, security forces launched a search operation in the area.

The official said as the forces were conducting the search operation, militants fired upon them leading to an encounter in which two militants have been killed.
Further details of the operation were awaited, the official said.

Two weapons have been recovered from the encounter site.
"Two weapons have been recovered along with other war-like stores," the official said.
He said the identity and group affiliation of the militants was being ascertained.

Blacklisted firms to be reviewed; New defence policy out

New Delhi, Nov 22, 2016 (PTI)

The Defence Ministry will review all cases of blacklisted firms as it prepares a new list of such entities following the new policy unveiled by it which is a mixture of heavy fines and graded banning.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said that the Director General (Acquisition) will draw up a list as required under the new policy and hence old cases will also be looked into.

"That does not mean they will be taken out. Don't interpret... they will be examined. What is the status, how many years they have been blacklisted for and why they were blacklisted," Parrikar told PTI on the sidelines of a seminar here.

He said that as per the new policy, there has to be a new list."So the list will have to be re-ascertained," the Minister said.The review will include about a dozen firms that came under blanket blacklisting in the previous regime, a move which the forces were unhappy about as it proved detrimental to their modernisation plans.

Some of the firms like Singapore Technologies have approached the courts seeking removal of blacklisting.

Singapore Technologies' argument is that it has been wrongly blacklisted since no contract was ever awarded to it and neither is it mentioned in the charge sheet filed by the CBI in connection with a bribery case involving the then Ordinance Factory Board chief.

Under its new liberalised blacklisting policy for arms companies, India will now be open to doing business even with a banned firm if there is no alternative available to its weapon system or equipment in the market.

This can be done on the grounds of national security, operational military readiness and export obligations, after the vice-chief of the Service concerned, the chief of the integrated defence staff or the additional secretary (defence production) signs a certificate to that effect and gets permission from the "competent authority", who is the Defence Minister.

Another key element of the new policy is that unlike the blanket ban of 10 years, the government has said that ban on serious defaulters will be for minimum five years.
The policy does not mention the maximum time period for ban.

Called the 'Guidelines of the Ministry of Defence for Penalties in Business Dealings with Entities', the policy, which has been in the works for long, aims to ensure probity and transparency in defence deals without affecting the modernisation plans.

"An updated list of entities with which business dealings have been suspended or banned by the competent authority and/or against which financial penalties have been imposed shall be maintained on the official website of the Ministry of Defence," the policy read.

Listing out six reasons for which companies can get banned, it says that violating the integrity pact, indulging in corrupt practices and endangering national security would be treated most seriously while non-performance and any other grounds would invite a less harsh penalty.

Talking about penalties, it said that for the lesser offence of non-performance, the ban would not exceed three years.

The new policy says that orders of banning business dealings with an entity may be extended to its allied firms by specific order of the competent authority.

It also makes it clear that the period of suspension of business dealing with an arms company shall not ordinarily exceed one year pending a probe into the corruption allegations.

A review of the suspension order will be undertaken every six months. The suspension time can, however, be extended for additional six months.

"The total period of suspension of business dealings with an entity shall not exceed the maximum period of banning of business dealing with an entity for the same cause of action," the policy read.

It also calls for banning of agents or employees of a company who are convicted for any act of impropriety.

SC dismisses Kejriwal's plea against Jaitley defamation case

New Delhi, Nov 22, 2016 (PTI)

 The Supreme Court today dismissed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's plea seeking stay on trial court proceedings in a criminal defamation case filed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

A bench of Justices P C Ghose and U U Lalit, while dismissing the plea, said that under the Evidence Act, a judgement given in a civil proceeding is not binding on the criminal case.

"We have seen the judgements. We can't interfere with the judgements of the Delhi High Court and the trial court. The petition is dismissed," the bench said.

Senior Advocate Ram Jethmalani, appearing for Kejriwal, said that if the High Court pronounces judgement in the civil proceedings, then the subordinate court would have to follow the law in the case which is based on the same facts and circumstances.

He sought staying of the criminal defamation case filed by Jaitley against Kejriwal before the trial court and said that the civil proceedings before the High Court shall be continued.

The Delhi High Court had on October 19 dismissed Kejriwal's plea seeking stay of trial court proceedings in a criminal defamation case, saying, there was no "illegality" in continuing it simultaneously with a civil defamation suit in the high court.

The high court had said there was "no prejudice" on account of a pending civil suit and there was no "double jeopardy" and as such Kejriwal's plea was "devoid of merit".
It had said the criminal and civil defamation cases were "different in nature".

Besides a civil defamation suit in the high court, Jaitley had also filed a criminal defamation complaint in a lower court alleging Kejriwal and five AAP leaders -- Raghav Chadha, Kumar Vishwas, Ashutosh, Sanjay Singh and Deepak Bajpai -- had defamed him in the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) controversy.

On April 7, the trial court had granted bail to Kejriwal and others in the case after they had appeared before it.

Jaitley had on December 21, 2015 filed the criminal defamation case against the AAP leaders and sought their prosecution for offences that entail a punishment of up to two years in jail.

Jaitley, in his civil defamation suit in the high court, has sought Rs 10 crore in damages from Kejriwal and the five AAP leaders for issuing allegedly false and defamatory statements against him and his family in connection with alleged irregularities in DDCA when he was its president.

Toll mounts to 148 in Indore-Patna Express derailment, rail services resumes

Pukhrayan (UP), Nov 22, 2016 (PTI)

 The death toll today mounted to 148 in the Indore-Patna Express derailment here even as railway services resumed on Jhansi-Kanpur section after damaged tracks were replaced between Pukhrayan and Malasa stations.
"The death toll has risen to 148 after fresh casualties were reported from the hospital. The deceased have not been identified yet," Kanpur IG Zaki Ahmed said.
Some of the injured are still in a critical situation, he said.

The Railway official said that besides replacing rails, electrical works were completed to ensure train operation on the busy route.

After conducting the trial run, train services resumed today, the official said.
"The route became operational last night after the damaged tracks were removed from the site. A trial run was conducted on the tracks before the resumption of train services," he said.

A government helpline has been set up for the victim's families in Kanpur.
Earlier, four trains were cancelled and 14 diverted after 14 coaches of the Indore-Patna Express derailed due to suspected rail fracture, disrupting traffic on the route.

Officials had said that prima facie the cause of the accident could be due to track fracture.
A high-level probe was yesterday ordered by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, who promised "strictest possible action" against the guilty.

Making a suo motu statement in the Lok Sabha, he said a separate investigation will be held aided by latest technical and forensic analysis.

Former UP CM Ram Naresh Yadav passes away

Lucknow, Nov 22, 2016 (PTI)

 Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ram Naresh Yadav, whose name had cropped up in the Vyapam scam, passed away here this morning after a prolonged illness. He was 90.

Yadav, who served as Madhya Pradesh Governor from 2011-September 2016, breathed his last at Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences here at 9.15 AM, Congress sources said.

Yadav's name had figured in the Vyapam scam, a multi-crore scandal in the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board, which involved several high-profile professionals, politicians and bureaucrats.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court had later quashed the FIR filed against him in connection with the scam, holding that he enjoyed immunity while in office.

His son, Shailesh, whose name had also figured in the scam, was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Lucknow in March last year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Governor Ram Naik expressed grief over the demise of the Congress veteran hailing from Azamgarh.

"The Prime Minister has condoled the passing away of former UP CM & MP Governor, Shri Ram Naresh Yadav," the PMO said in a tweet.

Naik offered condolences and prayed for peace for the departed soul, whereas Akhilesh said, "Ram Nareshji had always worked for the welfare of the poor and deprived and his death is an irreparable loss,".

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Public Relations Minister Narottam Mishra also expressed grief over his demise.

After completing his tenure in Madhya Pradesh, he had not been keeping well and was undergoing treatment at the PGI, sources said.

The body will be kept at his residence here for the supporters to pay respects. He is likely to cremated in his hometown, they said.

Man trampled to death outside ATM in UP

Deoria (UP), Nov 22, 2016(PTI)

 A 65-year-old man was trampled to death outside a bank while standing in a queue to withdraw cash, police said today.

Ramnath Kushwaha, a resident of Gulriha village, was caught in a stampede outside the State Bank of India branch yesterday. He was trampled by a crowd who had gathered to withdraw cash, SP Mohd Imran said.

He had gone to withdraw money to make payments to a hospital where his pregnant daughter-in-law has been admitted, the officer said.

Kushwaha was rushed to a hospital where he was declared brought dead, the SP said.