Archives for 2016

New Delhi:  Apart from India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan have also pulled out of the SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November, indirectly blaming Pakistan for creating an environment which is not right for the successful holding of the meet, resulting in its collapse.

Amidst heightened tension with Pakistan over Uri terror attack in which 18 jawans were killed, India had announced its decision of pulling out of the Summit late last night citing increased “cross-border” attacks.

While Bangladesh has categorically said that “the growing interference” in its internal affairs by one country has “created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the SAARC Summit”, Afghanistan pulled out citing “terrorism in the region” for its abstention.

“Bangladesh, as the initiator of the SAARC process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere. In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad,” it said.

Afghanistan has also conveyed to SAARC Chair Nepal that President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani would not be able to attend the Summit, sources said.

“Due to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan”, President Ghani “with his responsibilities as the Commander-in-Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the Summit”, a communication by the country said.

Bhutan said while it is committed to the SAARC process and strengthening of regional cooperation, it is concerned over the “recent escalation of terrorism in the region, which has seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016.”

“Further, the Royal Government of Bhutan shares the concerns of some of the member countries of SAARC on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism and joins them in conveying our inability to participate in the SAARC Summit, under the current circumstances.”

The decision by India and three countries of the eight- member grouping not to attend the summit would lead to its collapse since as per the SAARC charter the Summit can not be held even in the absence of one head of the government.

The Uri attack has triggered a strong response from India which has reviewed the 56-year-old Indus Water Treaty (IWT), and decided to reconsider the MFN status granted by it, unilaterally, to Pakistan.

The Foreign Secretary had also issued a demarche yesterday to Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit over the attack while confronting him with the proof of “cross-border origins” of the terror strike.

(Agencies)

Patna: Former Supreme Court judge Markanday Katju’s comment of offering Kashmir to Pakistan on condition that it should take Bihar too drew sharp criticism here with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ridiculing him for trying to become ‘Mai-Baap’ (guardian) of the state.

Katju’s post on Facebook clubbing Bihar with Jammu and Kashmir triggered sharp reaction with some leaders demanding that he should be tried under sedition law.

“We offer you Kashmir but you should take Bihar also,” Katju had said in one of his Facebook post.

“I have just received authoritative information from the Govt. of Pakistan. They have point blank refused the offer of taking Kashmir along with Bihar, and they have profusely apologised for ever asking for Kashmir at all and have promised never to ask for it again. Evidently the idea of getting Bihar too has horrified them out of their wits,” he wrote.

Katju further commented, “Once Firaq Gorakhpuri, my English teacher in Allahabad University, said to me ‘hindustan ko khatra Pakistan se nahin hai, Bihar se hai’.”

Without naming Katju, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar made a strong remark on him.

“Ghar baithe ‘mai-baap’ ban rahe hai Bihar kaa…(trying to become guardian of Bihar while sitting at home),”Kumar said in his speech here after launching two of his seven resolves of providing drinking water and toilet to every household.

“A few people are gripped with disease of getting printed in newspapers,” he said in an apparent retort on Katju.

The CM spoke in detail about the glorious history of Bihar which is land of Lord Buddha, Lord Mahavira, Chanakya and Aryabhatt who invented ‘Zero’ among others.

“Patliputra, the ancient name of present Patna used to be capital of the Magadh empire whose territory extended to the entire country,” he said.

Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav also took strong exception to Katju’s comment saying, Bihar may be lacking in resources but it did not give Katju a free hand to humiliate the state. “Bihar has always shown the way to the country in good and bad times,” said the son of RJD chief Lalu Prasad.

JD(U) General Secretary K C Tyagi and senior party leader Shyam Rajak sought trial of Katju under sedition law.

Madhepura MP and Janadhikar Party leader Pappu Yadav also condemned Katju’s comments and sought public apology from him.

Faced with barrage of protests, Katju sought to backtrack and wrote on Facebook “I was only joking about Bihar.

(Agencies)

New Delhi: Former bureaucrat BK Bansal, who was out on bail in a corruption case, today committed suicide along with his son, two months after his wife and daughter had hanged themselves for the same reason.

BK Bansal, who was a former Director General in the Corporate Affairs Ministry, and his son were found hanging from the ceiling of their flat in Neelkanth Apartment in east Delhi’s Madhu Vihar area. His son is believed to have been suffering from depression for some time.

Police said the two men were found hanging bodies around 9.30 am today. Their bodies, which were first discovered by their maid, have been sent for autopsy.

Two suicide notes were also found. Apparently, five set of suicide notes have been found in the house and each of the set had a family photo attached to it.

It was in the same house that Bansal’s wife Satyabala, 57, and daughter Neha, 27, had committed suicide two months ago after the CBI raided it.

They had left separate suicide notes, saying the CBI raid had “caused great humiliation” and that “they did not want to live after that”. They, however, held nobody responsible for their deaths.

Bansal was arrested two days before their death in multiple cases involving illegal assets and bribery. He was granted bail last month.

He was caught red-handed in a hotel while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 9 lakh for favouring a pharmaceutical company after the CBI carried out searches at eight locations in connection with the case during which the agency had claimed to have made cash recoveries.

A senior officer in the Indian Corporate Law Service, Bansal used to check and report on serious corporate frauds.

Jailed bureaucrat BK Bansal granted bail after wife, daughter commit suicide.

(Agencies)

Islamabad: Pakistan will approach the UN and the International Court of Justice if India suspends the 58-year-old Indus Waters Treaty, the country’s top diplomat Sartaj Aziz said today, insisting the revocation of the treaty can be taken as an “act of war”.

“The international law states that India cannot unilaterally separate itself from the treaty,” Aziz, Advisor to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Foreign Affairs, said while briefing the National Assembly on the issue.

He said unilateral revocation of the treaty can pose a threat to Pakistan and its economy. He said that if India violates the treaty Pakistan can approach the International Court of Justice.

“This Indian act can be taken as breach of international peace and hence giving Pakistan a good reason to approach the UN Security Council,” Aziz said. He said Pakistan is considering to draw attention of the international community on the dangers of such an action if it is considered seriously.

“Between the two countries, this act of revocation can be taken as an act of war,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday chaired a review meeting of 56-year-old Indus Water Treaty during which it was decided that India will “exploit to the maximum” the water of Pakistan-controlled rivers, including Jhelum, as per the water sharing pact.

The meeting came as India weighed its options to hit back at Pakistan in the aftermath of the Uri attack that left 18 soldiers dead, triggering demands that the government scrap the water distribution pact to mount pressure on that country.

Under the treaty, which was signed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan President Ayub Khan in September 1960, water of six rivers – Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum – were to be shared between the two countries.

Pakistan has been complaining about not receiving enough water and gone for international arbitration in a couple of cases.

(Agencies)

The meeting of the old boys’ association of St Germain’s High School held at the school premises at Promenade Road, Fraser Town, on Sunday, united all the old students and memories.

About 600-odd alumni turned up for the meet. The day began with mass at 7am, followed by the annual general body meeting, cultural programmes and lunch. Resolutions were passed and a new alumni team constituted.

Committee members: Manimaran /president(1983), Govind Raj V.P (1981),Thagaraj/treasurer (1982), Snell Christopher /secretary(1980), Subhas periera/jt,secretary(1981). AB.Rajan(1982), Kevin smith(1981), Clary arul(1981), Vigneeh rajan(1995), Steven(1981).