Tue, Apr 14 12:46 PM
Ranchi, April 14 (IANS) Security personnel will carry out continuous aerial monitoring of all voting booths in the six Lok Sabha constituencies of Jharkhand that will go to the polls Thursday since these areas are considered Maoist strongholds, officials said here Tuesday.
'The first phase of elections will be conducted under air surveillance. Five air force helicopters will be used to keep vigil on the booths,' police spokesperson S.N. Pradhan told IANS.
'Pre-poll monitoring from helicopters has already started,' he added.
The outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) has called for boycott of the polls and warned people of dire consequences if they cast their votes.
The rebels made their presence felt Saturday by killing five Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel when Congress president Sonia Gandhi was addressing a rally in Khuti district.
Maoists have tried to create panic in the nine districts going to poll Thursday by blasting government buildings, including schools, and setting on fire five offices of different parties and seven campaign vehicles.
'More than 80 percent of the polling booths will be constantly monitored by security forces as they are highly sensitive. But in other booths forces will not be stationed all the time,' said Pradhan.
In all, 85 candidates are in the fray for the six Lok sabha seats. Their fate will be decided by 7,068,696 voters.
To instil confidence among the voters, police and paramilitary forces are conducting regular operations to flush out Maoists.
Official sources said that 25 to 30 operations are being conducted everyday in the state to neutralise the rebels. At some places, security personnel are conducting flag marches.
'The election commission has, for the first time, directed us not to reveal the number of security personnel engaged to ensure peaceful polls. The names of the sensitive and over-sensitive booths can also not be divulged,' said a police official.
During the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, three poll officials were killed in Jharkhand.
Indo Asian News Service
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Tuesday, April 14, 2009
US Congress approves spy plane deal with India
Tue, Apr 14 01:05 PM
New Delhi, April 14 (IANS) The US Congress has approved the sale of eight Boeing P8-I multi-mission spy planes to India, apparently clearing the decks for transfer of a variety of other sophisticated defence systems by the new Obama administration to New Delhi.
A Congressional committee comprising members from both the Senate and House of Representative examined the proposed sale, and cleared it through a notification on April 11. As per the US rules, the notice for the proposed sale was sent to the Congress on March 12 by the US State Department, and the Congress had 30 days to consider and approve or reject it.
According to a report in the coming issue of India Strategic defence magazine, defence sources in Washington and New Delhi have described the clearance as significant as it indicates that the administration of President Barack Obama would continue to build up defence and strategic ties with India, initiated actually by President Bill Clinton although pursued aggressively by President George W Bush.
A top naval official told India Strategic that although the US government had cleared the sale of six Lockheed Martin C 130Js in the past, the sale of Boeing P8-I aircraft actually determined the course of India-US defence ties as of now. 'If the sale had been blocked, then all other equipment that the US companies are trying to sell to India would automatically be off the acquisition list of India.'
In its notice to the Congress, mandatory under US rules for selling weapons to foreign countries, the State Department had said that it had factored in 'political, military, economic, human rights and arms control considerations' before deciding on the $2.1 billion sale of these aircraft.
Because of the change of administration in Washington, the sale had become a test case, particularly as Washington cannot sell military and dual use systems without certain End User stipulations.
Boeing's Vice President and Country Head for Integrated Defence Systems (India) Vivek Lall said that the approval was 'historic' as it clearly signified that 'both the US and Indian governments were leaning forward in cooperation on newer technologies'.
Boeing was offering lifetime support and modernisation of its systems in accordance with bilateral agreements. Lall described the deal as 'unprecedented' as this is the first time that the US is sharing the technology developed for US armed forces with another country at the same time.
It is significant that the Indian Navy will be the first foreign naval force to get this technology after the US Navy, which has paid for the aircraft's development for its global maritime role, and nearly at the same time. Canada, Australia and Italy are the other countries which have expressed interest in the MMA, designated as P8-A for the US Navy.
The aircraft is still under development, and will take off for the skies for the first time later this year. Its delivery to India would begin in about four years.
Notably, India is in a major drive to replace its outdated, Soviet-vintage equipment for the Army, Navy and Air Force with latest and contemporary generation precision strike systems and their supporting infrastructure. Boeing itself is trying to sell heavy lift C 17 Globemaster III transport aircraft, heavy lift Chinook helicopter, Apache combat helicopter, F 18 Super Hornet attack aircraft, Harpoon missiles, and more Boeing P8-I and other Boeing 737-based aircraft.
The big deal though is for the $10-15 billion Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (M-MRCA) for the Indian Air Force (IAF), in which Boeing has fielded the F 18, and another US military giant, Lockheed Martin, has offered the Indian version of F 16 designated F 16 IN Viper. IAF is looking for 126 aircraft, with an option for an additional 63.
Four other aircraft, European consortium's Eurofighter, Russia's Mig 35, Sweden's Gripen and the French Rafale are in the fray.
Notably, IAF has just commissioned three new Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) for ferrying VVIPs, replacing an earlier set of three older Boeing 737s acquired during the 1980s.
Both the BBJs and P8-I are built on the Boeing 737 platforms, which are being flown in India for some 40 years and are easy to maintain. However, these are new generation aircraft are equipped with totally brand new systems. The BBJ for instance, which is specifically to ferry the president, vice president and prime minister, can also serve as an airborne command and communication centre in a war.
The same is also true of the P8-I, which is designated as a Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA). But its profile is much wider than the name suggests: it can locate hostile submarines, and can attack them as well as small or large ships near or far from the coast.
Lall said that Boeing is committed to provide continuous technology insertions on all its systems in accordance with agreements with the buyer countries.
Notably, US companies develop technologies, mostly at the initiative of and funding by the US armed forces. But they are allowed to sell them to foreign countries only with the approval of the US Departments of Defence and State.
Gulshan R Luthra
New Delhi, April 14 (IANS) The US Congress has approved the sale of eight Boeing P8-I multi-mission spy planes to India, apparently clearing the decks for transfer of a variety of other sophisticated defence systems by the new Obama administration to New Delhi.
A Congressional committee comprising members from both the Senate and House of Representative examined the proposed sale, and cleared it through a notification on April 11. As per the US rules, the notice for the proposed sale was sent to the Congress on March 12 by the US State Department, and the Congress had 30 days to consider and approve or reject it.
According to a report in the coming issue of India Strategic defence magazine, defence sources in Washington and New Delhi have described the clearance as significant as it indicates that the administration of President Barack Obama would continue to build up defence and strategic ties with India, initiated actually by President Bill Clinton although pursued aggressively by President George W Bush.
A top naval official told India Strategic that although the US government had cleared the sale of six Lockheed Martin C 130Js in the past, the sale of Boeing P8-I aircraft actually determined the course of India-US defence ties as of now. 'If the sale had been blocked, then all other equipment that the US companies are trying to sell to India would automatically be off the acquisition list of India.'
In its notice to the Congress, mandatory under US rules for selling weapons to foreign countries, the State Department had said that it had factored in 'political, military, economic, human rights and arms control considerations' before deciding on the $2.1 billion sale of these aircraft.
Because of the change of administration in Washington, the sale had become a test case, particularly as Washington cannot sell military and dual use systems without certain End User stipulations.
Boeing's Vice President and Country Head for Integrated Defence Systems (India) Vivek Lall said that the approval was 'historic' as it clearly signified that 'both the US and Indian governments were leaning forward in cooperation on newer technologies'.
Boeing was offering lifetime support and modernisation of its systems in accordance with bilateral agreements. Lall described the deal as 'unprecedented' as this is the first time that the US is sharing the technology developed for US armed forces with another country at the same time.
It is significant that the Indian Navy will be the first foreign naval force to get this technology after the US Navy, which has paid for the aircraft's development for its global maritime role, and nearly at the same time. Canada, Australia and Italy are the other countries which have expressed interest in the MMA, designated as P8-A for the US Navy.
The aircraft is still under development, and will take off for the skies for the first time later this year. Its delivery to India would begin in about four years.
Notably, India is in a major drive to replace its outdated, Soviet-vintage equipment for the Army, Navy and Air Force with latest and contemporary generation precision strike systems and their supporting infrastructure. Boeing itself is trying to sell heavy lift C 17 Globemaster III transport aircraft, heavy lift Chinook helicopter, Apache combat helicopter, F 18 Super Hornet attack aircraft, Harpoon missiles, and more Boeing P8-I and other Boeing 737-based aircraft.
The big deal though is for the $10-15 billion Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (M-MRCA) for the Indian Air Force (IAF), in which Boeing has fielded the F 18, and another US military giant, Lockheed Martin, has offered the Indian version of F 16 designated F 16 IN Viper. IAF is looking for 126 aircraft, with an option for an additional 63.
Four other aircraft, European consortium's Eurofighter, Russia's Mig 35, Sweden's Gripen and the French Rafale are in the fray.
Notably, IAF has just commissioned three new Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) for ferrying VVIPs, replacing an earlier set of three older Boeing 737s acquired during the 1980s.
Both the BBJs and P8-I are built on the Boeing 737 platforms, which are being flown in India for some 40 years and are easy to maintain. However, these are new generation aircraft are equipped with totally brand new systems. The BBJ for instance, which is specifically to ferry the president, vice president and prime minister, can also serve as an airborne command and communication centre in a war.
The same is also true of the P8-I, which is designated as a Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA). But its profile is much wider than the name suggests: it can locate hostile submarines, and can attack them as well as small or large ships near or far from the coast.
Lall said that Boeing is committed to provide continuous technology insertions on all its systems in accordance with agreements with the buyer countries.
Notably, US companies develop technologies, mostly at the initiative of and funding by the US armed forces. But they are allowed to sell them to foreign countries only with the approval of the US Departments of Defence and State.
Gulshan R Luthra
Women MPs, MLAs too have criminal records
Tue, Apr 14 10:30 AM
New Delhi, April 14 (IANS) Guess what? Kerala, Bihar and Chhattisgarh are the states with the highest percentage of women legislators with criminal records while Assam, Jharkhand and Rajasthan are some of the cleanest, says a study.
On the whole, about 13 percent of women legislators in states and 14 percent of women MPs in the 14th Lok Sabha had criminal records, says the study by PRS Legislative Research based on affidavits filed by candidates with the Election Commission up to 2007.
The study by the independent research initiative suggests that women leaders don't lag behind when it comes to having criminal records or amassing wealth.
A total of 51 women are in the 545-member Lok Sabha while 280 are women among 4,120 legislators across all state assemblies.
The survey shows that 83 percent women legislators have criminal records in Kerala, while the figure is 25 percent for Bihar and Chhattisgarh.
The other states that have women MLAs with criminal records are Madhya Pradesh (22 percent), Karnataka (20 percent), Tamil Nadu (19 percent), Haryana and Orissa (18 percent), Maharashtra and Punjab (17 percent), Uttar Pradesh (13 percent), Andhra Pradesh (eight percent) and West Bengal (six percent).
However, in 11 states, women legislators do not have any kind of criminal record. The states are Assam, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura and Uttarakhand.
The survey names seven women MPs with criminal charges, and topping the list is Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati who has in the past been booked for cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy. She is no longer an MP as she is now Uttar Pradesh chief minister.
There are two from Kerala -- the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) P. Satheedevi and C.S. Sujatha -- booked for unlawful assembly and rioting. Also in the list of women MPs 'with criminal charges' based on affidavits filed in 2004 is Suryakanta Patil from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), accused of misusing a charitable institution.
Two Shiv Sena MPs are there too, Narhire Kalpana Ramesh for wrongful restraint and Bhavana Pundlikrao under the Bombay Police Act.
Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Chowdhury appears in the list for obstructing a public servant in discharging his duties.
Anil Bairwal, national coordinator of the Association for Democratic Reforms and National Election Watch, said he is not surprised by the findings.
'It is easy to see that such women are either the wife or a relative of an influential politician. How did they come on top in politics - by depending on men. In such a situation, it is not surprising to find them involved in corruption or criminal cases,' said Bairwal, whose organisations work for improving governance and strengthening democracy.
He said a very small number of women are selected by political parties to fight in elections. 'There is no democratic method involved in selecting them. If more women are selected, I am sure they will focus on issues that would make a difference,' Bairwal told IANS.
The survey also states that many women legislators are richer than their male counterparts. Over 30 percent of women MPs have assets worth more than Rs.1.5 crore. The figure is 14.3 percent for members of legislative assemblies (MLAs).
Similarly, 26 percent of women MPs have assets between Rs.50 lakh and Rs.1.5 crore while the figure is 21 percent for MLAs.
In Himachal Pradesh, most women MLAs' assets have been put at more than Rs.1.5 crore. 'Three of the five women MLAs in Himachal Pradesh have household assets worth more than Rs.1.5 crore.'
New Delhi, April 14 (IANS) Guess what? Kerala, Bihar and Chhattisgarh are the states with the highest percentage of women legislators with criminal records while Assam, Jharkhand and Rajasthan are some of the cleanest, says a study.
On the whole, about 13 percent of women legislators in states and 14 percent of women MPs in the 14th Lok Sabha had criminal records, says the study by PRS Legislative Research based on affidavits filed by candidates with the Election Commission up to 2007.
The study by the independent research initiative suggests that women leaders don't lag behind when it comes to having criminal records or amassing wealth.
A total of 51 women are in the 545-member Lok Sabha while 280 are women among 4,120 legislators across all state assemblies.
The survey shows that 83 percent women legislators have criminal records in Kerala, while the figure is 25 percent for Bihar and Chhattisgarh.
The other states that have women MLAs with criminal records are Madhya Pradesh (22 percent), Karnataka (20 percent), Tamil Nadu (19 percent), Haryana and Orissa (18 percent), Maharashtra and Punjab (17 percent), Uttar Pradesh (13 percent), Andhra Pradesh (eight percent) and West Bengal (six percent).
However, in 11 states, women legislators do not have any kind of criminal record. The states are Assam, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura and Uttarakhand.
The survey names seven women MPs with criminal charges, and topping the list is Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati who has in the past been booked for cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy. She is no longer an MP as she is now Uttar Pradesh chief minister.
There are two from Kerala -- the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) P. Satheedevi and C.S. Sujatha -- booked for unlawful assembly and rioting. Also in the list of women MPs 'with criminal charges' based on affidavits filed in 2004 is Suryakanta Patil from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), accused of misusing a charitable institution.
Two Shiv Sena MPs are there too, Narhire Kalpana Ramesh for wrongful restraint and Bhavana Pundlikrao under the Bombay Police Act.
Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Chowdhury appears in the list for obstructing a public servant in discharging his duties.
Anil Bairwal, national coordinator of the Association for Democratic Reforms and National Election Watch, said he is not surprised by the findings.
'It is easy to see that such women are either the wife or a relative of an influential politician. How did they come on top in politics - by depending on men. In such a situation, it is not surprising to find them involved in corruption or criminal cases,' said Bairwal, whose organisations work for improving governance and strengthening democracy.
He said a very small number of women are selected by political parties to fight in elections. 'There is no democratic method involved in selecting them. If more women are selected, I am sure they will focus on issues that would make a difference,' Bairwal told IANS.
The survey also states that many women legislators are richer than their male counterparts. Over 30 percent of women MPs have assets worth more than Rs.1.5 crore. The figure is 14.3 percent for members of legislative assemblies (MLAs).
Similarly, 26 percent of women MPs have assets between Rs.50 lakh and Rs.1.5 crore while the figure is 21 percent for MLAs.
In Himachal Pradesh, most women MLAs' assets have been put at more than Rs.1.5 crore. 'Three of the five women MLAs in Himachal Pradesh have household assets worth more than Rs.1.5 crore.'
Monday, April 13, 2009
Kasab trial to begin from April 15
Tue, Apr 14 11:20 AM
Mumbai, Apr 14 (ANI): The trail of Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist captured in the Mumbai terror attacks last year, will begin from tomorrow.
The trial will begin at Arthur Road central jail.
On Sunday, Kasab's trial was put on hold by a week, as the construction of the special court in the jail premises was not yet over.
"The construction of court's slab is still on and the work is expected to be completed in six to seven days," special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said.
Jail authorities were informed by the Public Works Department (PWD) that the construction work, that began last month, would be over soon.
Only then PWD will be able to hand over the court premises to the jail authorities.
A portion of the jail has been segregated for Kasab's cell and the court. The authorities have built a bomb-proof tunnel between Kasab's cell and the court to allow Kasab direct access to the court from the prison.
Earlier TADA court, which conducted the 1993 bomb blast trial, was housed here. (ANI)
Mumbai, Apr 14 (ANI): The trail of Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist captured in the Mumbai terror attacks last year, will begin from tomorrow.
The trial will begin at Arthur Road central jail.
On Sunday, Kasab's trial was put on hold by a week, as the construction of the special court in the jail premises was not yet over.
"The construction of court's slab is still on and the work is expected to be completed in six to seven days," special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said.
Jail authorities were informed by the Public Works Department (PWD) that the construction work, that began last month, would be over soon.
Only then PWD will be able to hand over the court premises to the jail authorities.
A portion of the jail has been segregated for Kasab's cell and the court. The authorities have built a bomb-proof tunnel between Kasab's cell and the court to allow Kasab direct access to the court from the prison.
Earlier TADA court, which conducted the 1993 bomb blast trial, was housed here. (ANI)
EC expresses 'strong displeasure' at replies of Lalu, others
Mon, Apr 13 08:33 PM
New Delhi, April 13 (IANS) The Election Commission Monday said the replies filed by Railways Minister Lalu Prasad, his wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi and Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray to the panel's notices on poll code violation were not satisfactory.
'The Election Commission did not find the reply satisfactory and has conveyed its strong displeasure,' Deputy Election Commissioner R. Balakrishnan told reporters here.
On April 9, the poll panel had issued notices to Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi for poll code violations and asked them to send their replies by April 11.
Lalu Prasad is in the dock for his remarks at an election rally April 6, that had he been the home minister 'he would have run a roller over Varun Gandhi'.
Lalu Prasad's remarks created a furore and the police issued an arrest order against him. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Varun Gandhi is in a jail in Uttar Pradesh for his reported inflammatory speeches in Pilibhit district.
Asked why like in the case of Varun the commission is not issuing an advisory to the RJD not to field Lalu Prasad in the elections, the commission said the gravity of the two statements was different.
Balakrishnan said the commission told Lalu Prasad that 'as a senior leader he should not have used such language'. 'You have to see the gravity of the statement,' Balakrishnan said.
While Varun threatened the 'entire community,' the RJD leader's statement was against a person.
Rabri Devi was served a notice for her alleged derogatory remarks against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and state Janata Dal-United chief Rajiv Ranjan at Saran.
Balakrishnan said the commission has rejected the contentions made by Thackeray, who at an election rally in Mumbai March 20, had referred to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in a derogatory manner.
He said the poll panel, which directed the Maharashtra chief electoral officer to do the video coverage of the Shiv Sena leader's election campaign, also directed that a track be kept of the case filed against Thackeray in this context.
The Election Commission advised Home Minister P. Chidambaram to avoid making statements that could be misinterpreted.
The commission considered the replies by Chidambaram and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and told them to avoid statements that could be misinterpreted, Balakrishnan said.
The Election Commission issued a notice to Chidambaram and Gehlot on a complaint by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which accused them of offering poll sops in Rajasthan during a security review meeting last month.
Balakrishnan said the commission has asked Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to file a detailed report on the death of Indian Justice Party's (IJP) Lok Sabha candidate Bahadur Sonkar in Uttar Pradesh.
Dalit leader Sonkar, who was contesting against BSP's Dhananjay Singh, a mafia don turned politician, was found hanging near Raja Ka Talab, barely 500 metres from his home in Ahiyapur-Rasheedabad locality, 200 km from Lucknow.
The commission said it has taken steps to create a conducive environment in violence-hit Kandhamal district in Orissa.
The Election Commission said the model code of conduct is a very important mechanism in conducting elections, and it is not a law.
'Model code provision is a unique provision. It is a kind of mechanism. It is not a law,' Balakrishnan said.
When asked about the reasoning behind only expressing displeasure to those who violate the model code of conduct, Balakrishnan said the commission could express only its displeasure and it would be a kind of 'societal pressure' on the violators.
'The commission can express only its displeasure. It is a kind of societal pressure. It is far more important in conducting elections,' he told reporters.
Indo Asian News Service
New Delhi, April 13 (IANS) The Election Commission Monday said the replies filed by Railways Minister Lalu Prasad, his wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi and Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray to the panel's notices on poll code violation were not satisfactory.
'The Election Commission did not find the reply satisfactory and has conveyed its strong displeasure,' Deputy Election Commissioner R. Balakrishnan told reporters here.
On April 9, the poll panel had issued notices to Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi for poll code violations and asked them to send their replies by April 11.
Lalu Prasad is in the dock for his remarks at an election rally April 6, that had he been the home minister 'he would have run a roller over Varun Gandhi'.
Lalu Prasad's remarks created a furore and the police issued an arrest order against him. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Varun Gandhi is in a jail in Uttar Pradesh for his reported inflammatory speeches in Pilibhit district.
Asked why like in the case of Varun the commission is not issuing an advisory to the RJD not to field Lalu Prasad in the elections, the commission said the gravity of the two statements was different.
Balakrishnan said the commission told Lalu Prasad that 'as a senior leader he should not have used such language'. 'You have to see the gravity of the statement,' Balakrishnan said.
While Varun threatened the 'entire community,' the RJD leader's statement was against a person.
Rabri Devi was served a notice for her alleged derogatory remarks against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and state Janata Dal-United chief Rajiv Ranjan at Saran.
Balakrishnan said the commission has rejected the contentions made by Thackeray, who at an election rally in Mumbai March 20, had referred to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in a derogatory manner.
He said the poll panel, which directed the Maharashtra chief electoral officer to do the video coverage of the Shiv Sena leader's election campaign, also directed that a track be kept of the case filed against Thackeray in this context.
The Election Commission advised Home Minister P. Chidambaram to avoid making statements that could be misinterpreted.
The commission considered the replies by Chidambaram and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and told them to avoid statements that could be misinterpreted, Balakrishnan said.
The Election Commission issued a notice to Chidambaram and Gehlot on a complaint by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which accused them of offering poll sops in Rajasthan during a security review meeting last month.
Balakrishnan said the commission has asked Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to file a detailed report on the death of Indian Justice Party's (IJP) Lok Sabha candidate Bahadur Sonkar in Uttar Pradesh.
Dalit leader Sonkar, who was contesting against BSP's Dhananjay Singh, a mafia don turned politician, was found hanging near Raja Ka Talab, barely 500 metres from his home in Ahiyapur-Rasheedabad locality, 200 km from Lucknow.
The commission said it has taken steps to create a conducive environment in violence-hit Kandhamal district in Orissa.
The Election Commission said the model code of conduct is a very important mechanism in conducting elections, and it is not a law.
'Model code provision is a unique provision. It is a kind of mechanism. It is not a law,' Balakrishnan said.
When asked about the reasoning behind only expressing displeasure to those who violate the model code of conduct, Balakrishnan said the commission could express only its displeasure and it would be a kind of 'societal pressure' on the violators.
'The commission can express only its displeasure. It is a kind of societal pressure. It is far more important in conducting elections,' he told reporters.
Indo Asian News Service
Ex-soldiers to support BJP
Tue, Apr 14 11:45 AM
Anger among retired soldiers over their unfulfilled longstanding demand for one rank, one pension (OROP) once again took palpable form on Sunday with ex-servicemen from across the nation returning 2,000 medals at a rally held at Jantar Mantar. The medals were returned to President Pratibha Patil by Sunday afternoon.
Though ex-servicemen have held three such mass demonstrations since February, the one organised on Sunday may have, in all likelihood, left the UPA government anxious as soldiers announced their decision to support the BJP during the coming elections. The ex-servicemen hope projecting themselves as a strong vote bank of 25 lakh voters nationwide may help drive home their point this elections.
The defence pensioners in the country are at loggerheads with the government because they want defence personnel of same rank and same length of service to get the pension, irrespective of the date of retirement. The Sixth Pay Commission, however, has created four classes within a class -pre-1996, post-1996 to December 2005, post-January 2006 to September 2008 and post-October 2008.
"Our school of thought demands us to be apolitical, but the government's apathetic attitude towards our needs has forced us to take this stand. This is the last resort.
I have issued an advisory to vote for the BJP today as it has clearly included the 'one rank one pension' issue in its manifesto and their prime ministerial candidate has supported our demand," said Lt. Gen.
Raj Kadyan, chairman Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM). The inclination to vote BJP to power seemed even more pronounced with Vijay Kumar Malhotra making an appearance at the rally.
Kadyan, however, denied inviting him."Why shouldn't we vote for the BJP? They've promised us action.
If they fail, we'll ensure they get the same treatment that the ex-servicemen will meet out to the congress during the coming elections," said Col SS Rajan, who brought 132 medals from Karnataka to be returned to the President.
HT
Anger among retired soldiers over their unfulfilled longstanding demand for one rank, one pension (OROP) once again took palpable form on Sunday with ex-servicemen from across the nation returning 2,000 medals at a rally held at Jantar Mantar. The medals were returned to President Pratibha Patil by Sunday afternoon.
Though ex-servicemen have held three such mass demonstrations since February, the one organised on Sunday may have, in all likelihood, left the UPA government anxious as soldiers announced their decision to support the BJP during the coming elections. The ex-servicemen hope projecting themselves as a strong vote bank of 25 lakh voters nationwide may help drive home their point this elections.
The defence pensioners in the country are at loggerheads with the government because they want defence personnel of same rank and same length of service to get the pension, irrespective of the date of retirement. The Sixth Pay Commission, however, has created four classes within a class -pre-1996, post-1996 to December 2005, post-January 2006 to September 2008 and post-October 2008.
"Our school of thought demands us to be apolitical, but the government's apathetic attitude towards our needs has forced us to take this stand. This is the last resort.
I have issued an advisory to vote for the BJP today as it has clearly included the 'one rank one pension' issue in its manifesto and their prime ministerial candidate has supported our demand," said Lt. Gen.
Raj Kadyan, chairman Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM). The inclination to vote BJP to power seemed even more pronounced with Vijay Kumar Malhotra making an appearance at the rally.
Kadyan, however, denied inviting him."Why shouldn't we vote for the BJP? They've promised us action.
If they fail, we'll ensure they get the same treatment that the ex-servicemen will meet out to the congress during the coming elections," said Col SS Rajan, who brought 132 medals from Karnataka to be returned to the President.
HT
LTTE supporter hurls wooden missile at Chidambaram
Mon, Apr 13 11:34 PM
Chennai, April 13 (IANS) An LTTE supporter shouted slogans hailing the banned outfit and hurled a wooden object towards the stage where union Home Minister P. Chidambaram was seated during an election rally in Karaikudi town of Tamil Nadu.
The man, identified by a single name Ramu, Sunday evening caused a flutter when he rushed to the stage when Chidambaram was addressing a meeting. Ramu was immediately whisked away to a police station, according to police officials.
'While the home minister has asked to pardon and release the person, we are being extra careful now,' an official said.
On Monday, Chidambaram appealed for calm in Sri Lanka and prolonging of the truce declared by President Mahinda Rajapakse scheduled to end Wednesday.
'To help arrive at a peaceful political solution and avoid deaths of innocent civilians, both the warring sides (the Sri Lankan regime and the LTTE) should cooperate,' Chidambaram told supporters during election meetings in the vicinity.
The minister also sounded somewhat placatory towards one of the main LTTE apologists - PMK.
'While I do not approve the five-year-old itches of (PMK founder-leader) Dr Ramadoss who switches alliances during every general election, I also know that we may welcome his son (Anbumani Ramadoss) back into the union cabinet after the polls,' Chidambaram added.
Indo Asian News Service
Chennai, April 13 (IANS) An LTTE supporter shouted slogans hailing the banned outfit and hurled a wooden object towards the stage where union Home Minister P. Chidambaram was seated during an election rally in Karaikudi town of Tamil Nadu.
The man, identified by a single name Ramu, Sunday evening caused a flutter when he rushed to the stage when Chidambaram was addressing a meeting. Ramu was immediately whisked away to a police station, according to police officials.
'While the home minister has asked to pardon and release the person, we are being extra careful now,' an official said.
On Monday, Chidambaram appealed for calm in Sri Lanka and prolonging of the truce declared by President Mahinda Rajapakse scheduled to end Wednesday.
'To help arrive at a peaceful political solution and avoid deaths of innocent civilians, both the warring sides (the Sri Lankan regime and the LTTE) should cooperate,' Chidambaram told supporters during election meetings in the vicinity.
The minister also sounded somewhat placatory towards one of the main LTTE apologists - PMK.
'While I do not approve the five-year-old itches of (PMK founder-leader) Dr Ramadoss who switches alliances during every general election, I also know that we may welcome his son (Anbumani Ramadoss) back into the union cabinet after the polls,' Chidambaram added.
Indo Asian News Service
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