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Omar Khadr, former child prisoner at Gitmo, granted bail

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Once the youngest detainee at Guantanamo Bay, 28-year-old Canadian-born Khadr will be allowed to leave prison after 13 years

Canadian-born Khadr was taken to Afghanistan by his father, a senior al Qaeda member who apprenticed the boy to a group of bomb makers who opened fire when U.S. troops came to their compound. Khadr was captured in the firefight, during which he was blinded in one eye and shot twice. (Photo: freeomar.ca)

Canadian-born Khadr was taken to Afghanistan by his father, a senior al Qaeda member who apprenticed the boy to a group of bomb makers who opened fire when U.S. troops came to their compound. Khadr was captured in the firefight, during which he was blinded in one eye and shot twice. (Photo: freeomar.ca)

by Nadia Prupis, Common Dreams

Omar Khadr, a Canadian citizen who was 15 when he was shot and captured by U.S. forces in Afghanistan in 2002 and sent to Guantanamo Bay, was granted bail on Thursday after a judge in Alberta rejected a final effort by the Canadian government to keep Khadr in jail.

Court of Appeal Justice Myra Bielby granted the bail after announcing on Tuesday that she would need more time to make a decision on whether to release Khadr, now 28, as he appeals his Guantanamo Bay conviction.

The courtroom reportedly burst into cheers after Bielby announced her decision and said, “Mr. Khadr, you’re free to go.”

A lower court judge granted Khadr bail last month.

Toronto-born Khadr spent a decade in Guantanamo Bay after his capture. At 15, he was once the youngest detainee at the prison.

Khadr pleaded guilty in 2010 to killing an American soldier in Afghanistan eight years earlier, as part of a deal that would allow him to avoid a war crimes trial and be moved to a Canadian prison. He later recanted that admission, saying that it had been made under duress. Khadr said that he was tortured during numerous interrogations at Guantanamo Bay and the U.S.-operated Bagram Prison in Afghanistan, where he was briefly imprisoned before being sent to Cuba.

According to Reuters: “Khadr claims that during at least 142 interrogations in Afghanistan and Guantanamo, he was beaten, chained in painful positions, forced to urinate on himself, terrorized by barking dogs, subjected to flashing lights and sleep deprivation and threatened with rape.”

The Associated Press reported:

Khadr’s long-time lawyer Dennis Edney and wife have offered to take him into their home. Among the bail conditions imposed were that Khadr wear a tracking bracelet, live with the Edneys, observe a curfew between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., and have only supervised access to the Internet. Also, he can communicate with his family in Ontario only while under supervision and only in English.

“He’s met very few people outside a jail cell,” said Nate Whitling, one of Khadr’s lawyers.

“It’s going to be a major adjustment for him, but I’m sure he’s up for it.”

'NGOs are not anti-national just because they differ with government on some matters'

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ngos

Here is the full text of the letter, which has been signed by members of civil society urging Narendra Modi to “review all orders placing restraints on organisations, and revoke such orders where due process has not been followed by the government, no redress mechanism is clearly stated, and grounds are vague, subjective or flimsy”.

Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

We write to you today as members and representatives of Indian civil society organizations and, most importantly as Indian citizens, to express our deep concern at how civil society organizations in general and their support systems, including donors, are being labeled and targeted.

Funds are being frozen, intelligence reports are being selectively released to paint NGOs in poor light, disbursal of funds are being subjected to case-by-case clearance, and their activities are reportedly being placed on ‘watch lists.’ As a result several NGO projects have shut down, donors are unable to support work, and there is an overall atmosphere of State coercion and intimidation in India’s civil society space.

Today, standing in solidarity with India’s most marginalized communities, with the NGO sector and donors who support us, affirmed by the guiding principles of our Constitution – justice, equality and liberty – we address you through an open letter.

As you are aware, NGOs work both in the welfare sector and in empowering people to be aware of and enforce their rights as enshrined in our Constitution. Such action may include questioning and protesting decisions taken by government in many areas. This work is both our right and our responsibility as civil society actors in a democratic nation. Indeed the Indian government acknowledged this. At the Universal Periodic Review of India at the UN Human Rights Council in 2012, the Government spoke of “…the Government’s active association with civil society and the increasing and important role that civil society and human rights defenders are playing in the area of human rights.’”Government of India further said that, “The media, civil society and other activists have helped the Government to be vigilant against transgressions.”

Many of us receive both Indian and foreign donations in compliance with laws and carry out activities intended to help those marginalized in India’s development. Many of us have partnered with Government, both at State and Central levels, towards many goals – achieving universal education, access to health care, women’s empowerment, and providing humanitarian relief in times of tragedy such as the recent earthquake. We have also worked in pilot projects – some over the years have been scaled up, and others have richly contributed to the policy framework of the Government of India. It should be a matter of pride for any government and a sign of robust people-centric engagement that NGOs and citizens have impacted State policy.

On other issues, your government and indeed previous governments may or may not agree with some of our views. These may include the issue of nuclear power plants, acquiring tribal and other lands, upholding Dalit rights, protecting rights of minorities against the scourge of communalism, protecting rights of sexual minorities, or campaigning for the universal right to food. Yet, we expect that Government protect our right to work and express our views.  It does not behoove the Government to label any and every conflicting voice on these issues as “anti-national”,”‘against national security” or “donor driven” and seek to create a public atmosphere that justifies “a crack down on NGOs.” These very words shame any society. “Watch lists” and “crack-downs” belong in another age and have no place in a modern democracy.

Your government has raised the issue that some NGOs may not have complied with the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, the law governing receipt of foreign donations in India. We state categorically that we stand fully for transparency and accountability in both government and NGO practice, and it is in fact civil society actors who have fought hard for these principles to be enshrined in all areas of public life. So let us constructively ensure transparency and legal compliance across the vast NGO sector, including societies, trusts and a range of public and private institutions. However, such efforts cannot be capricious, selective or based on flimsy grounds. At the moment it seems that ‘compliance’ is serving as a garb to actually target those organizations and individuals whose views the government disagrees with, and indeed to monitor and stifle disagreement itself.

There is irrefutable documentary evidence that State action against select organizations has been arbitrary, non-transparent, and without any course of administrative redress. The effect has been to harm important work being done by NGOs at the grassroots and send a signal of threat to civil society. Our concern includes the manner in which many Indian NGOs and  international partners have been targeted for different reasons. Thus, civil society organizations in India today find themselves in a situation where the only avenue of redress appears to be through the judiciary. Mr. Prime Minister, this kind of coercive domestic environment being created under your watch does not augur well for the worlds largest democracy that professes aspirations to being a global leader in promoting freedoms and democratic values.

Further, in an increasingly globalized world, where even business interests freely collaborate across national boundaries, to label any individual or NGO that engages with international forums or any donor who supports such NGOs, as “anti-national” is illogical. India is signatory to international conventions and treaties and seeks to adhere to the highest international standards of democracy, liberty, justice and human rights. The Government of India regularly reports at these forums. It is accepted practice that NGOs and civil society actors also present their views at these forums, often disagreeing with the views of their respective governments. Many of us, signatories to this letter, engage in active advocacy at international forums. This upholds the best traditions of global democratic debate, and the right to seek a more just nation and more just world. It is not anti-national to do so. We do not believe that any government can claim that it alone has the prerogative to define what is ‘national interest’. The citizens of this country, who elect the Government into power, are the ultimate stakeholders, and must be allowed to define, articulate and work towards their idea of ‘national interest’ too, whether or not it concurs with the views of the Government.

Mr. Prime Minister, it does your Government no credit to use its power to stifle the rights of individuals or NGOs to legally and freely associate, to work with communities, to receive donations to do such work, and to express their views on a range of issues that directly affect our country and its people. An atmosphere of hostility against civil society actors in a democracy, and the uncertainty and insecurity created among communities across the country, can only be to the detriment of our society and the Government.

We therefore ask the Government to:

1. Put an end to coercive actions against NGOs and donors, without reasonable cause or due process, or seek to cripple the ability of these organisations to carry on their legitimate and sanctioned work.

2. Urgently review all orders placing restraints on organizations, and revoke such orders where due process has not been followed by the government, no redress mechanism is clearly stated, and grounds are vague, subjective or flimsy. Those we are currently aware of include, among others, INSAF, Peoples Watch, Sabrang Trust, Greenpeace India, Ford Foundation, HIVOS and ICCO.

3. Initiate an immediate dialogue between the NGO sector and Government to address our concerns going forward. Amend the presently opaque FCRA rules and regulations; ensure complete clarity and transparency on provisions and processes, as well as forums and mechanisms of redress; remove all provisions that are amenable to subjective interpretation; ensure their uniform application to all NGOs, trusts, foundations, and societies.

We look forward to your response and action on these vital issues of national interest.

Pakistan push for win in Dhaka Test

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Pakistan cricketer Yasir Shah celebrates with his teammates after the dismissal of the Bangladesh cricketer Imrul Kayes during thee third day of the second test in Dhaka. AFP

Pakistan cricketer Yasir Shah celebrates with his teammates after the dismissal of the Bangladesh cricketer Imrul Kayes during thee third day of the second test in Dhaka. AFP

Dhaka: Pakistan set Bangladesh an improbable victory target of 550 runs and claimed the wicket of opener Imrul Kayes to inch closer to a series-clinching win in the second and final Test on Friday.

The visitors, who have failed to win a single match on their tour, skittled out the hosts for 203 in the first innings on the third morning but refused to enforce follow-on.

Pakistan decided to bat instead and declared their second innings on 195 for six for an overall lead of 549 runs.

In reply, Bangladesh reached 63 for one in their second innings at stumps, still 487 runs behind the target with Tamim Iqbal (32) and Mominul Haque (15) at the crease.

Resuming on 107 for five, Bangladesh lost two quick wickets to fast bowler Wahab Riaz (3-73), leaving Shakib Al Hasan (89 not out) stranded at one end.

Left-handed Shakib, who hit 14 boundaries and two sixes, ran out of partners in the end with injured paceman Shahadat Hossain absent hurt.

Leg-spinner Yasir Shah claimed 3-58 for Pakistan.

Bangladesh managed to take three quick wickets in Pakistan’s second innings, with paceman Mohammad Shahid taking out the openers in his first spell.

Captain Misbah-ul-Haq blasted 82 off 72 balls to help his team accumulate quick runs and added 58 for the fourth wicket with Younus Khan (39).

Pakistan declared after Misbah holed out in the deep off part-time spinner Mahmudullah.

Bangladesh needed Tamim and Imrul to replicate their 312-run second innings opening stand that helped the hosts draw the last Test at Khulna but that was not to be.

Yasir bowled left-hander Imrul (16) to break the 48-run opening stand with a delivery that turned in sharply to hit the stumps.

(Agencies)

UN: Only five percent of Nepal quake funds received

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About $22m of $415m requested by UN and partners has been provided so far, amid large number of global crises.

Nepal's post-disaster response has been heavily criticised in the 10 days following the earthquake [Getty Images]

Nepal’s post-disaster response has been heavily criticised in the 10 days following the earthquake [Getty Images]

by Al Jazeera

Only a fraction of the emergency funds the United Nations has requested for victims of Nepal’s earthquake have come in, UN officials have said, as crises around the world put unprecedented demands on international donors.

Of the $415 million requested by the UN and its partners last week, just $22.4 million has been provided – about five percent.

“It’s a poor response,” Orla Fagan, spokeswoman for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, told the Reuters news agency on Thursday.

Fagan attributed the shortage to “donor fatigue”, citing more than a dozen other long-running international crises, such as the conflicts in Syria and Iraq, which are also making demands on donor nations.

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck northwest of Nepal’s capital Kathmandu on April 25 has killed at least 7,759 people, injured more than 16,000, and destroyed more than 300,000 homes.

Nepal’s post-disaster response has been heavily criticised in the 10 days following the earthquake. Many people in rural areas have still not received any government aid. The UN and Western governments have blamed the country’s bureaucracy for taxing and stalling the flow of supplies at border crossings.

The government, however, has denied those accusations.

“Nepal is a very small country, we have limited resources,” Brigadier General Jagadish Chandra Pokharel told Al Jazeera this week. “The terrain is inaccessible even under ideal circumstances. We have no conflict and good relations, so 90 percent of military personnel are focused on relief efforts.”

David Cameron wins British election with slim majority

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PM Cameron says he will “go on working hard” after his Conservative party defies expectations and wins thin majority.

David Cameron

by Al Jazeera

British Prime Minister David Cameron’s Conservative party looks set to continue in power after it defied expectations and won the 323 seats needed to command a parliamentary majority.

The results confirmed a shock exit poll projection published by British broadcasters late on Thursday night that put the party way ahead of the opposition Labour Party with 316 seats. Updated projections put the Conservatives on 329, an absolute majority.

The poll also predicted Labour winning 239 seats, the Scottish National Party (SNP) winning 58 and the Liberal Democrats winning 10. Labour’s tally was further revised down to 233 as the vote counts came in.

The party’s leader, Ed Miliband, is expected to resign his position, sources within the party told Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity.

Nick Clegg, who was deputy prime minister under the outgoing coalition government, announced his resignation as leader of the Liberal Democrats after his party’s “catastrophic” defeat.

Clegg called the loss of more than 40 of the party’s seats “the most crushing blow to the Liberal Democrats” since it was founded.

Speaking after successfully defending his seat in Witney, Cameron said his Conservative party’s policies in the last government had been vindicated by the result.

“This has been a very strong night for the Conservative Party,” the prime minister said.

“Some people say there’s only one opinion poll that counts and that’s the one on election day, and I don’t think that’s ever been truer than tonight,” he added, referring to polls published before election day that had put his party neck and neck with Labour. A party needs 326 seats to achieve a majority in parliament, but this number is slightly lower in practice, as the Sinn Fein MPs in Northern Ireland do not take up their seats. Miliband, speaking after he retained his Doncaster North seat, said he was “disappointed” in the result. “It’s clearly been a very disappointing and difficult night for the Labour Party. We haven’t made the gains we wanted in England and Wales, and in Scotland we’ve seen a surge of nationalism,” he said, apologising to Labour members who had lost their seats to the SNP in Scotland. “I am deeply sorry for what has happened.”

Al Jazeera’s Laurence Lee, reporting from Westminster palace in London, said the scale at which the opinion polls had failed to predict the result had been unprecedented.

“What’s turning out to be the result of this is an extremely divided election, and a potentially very disunited kingdom,” he said.

In Scotland, the nationalist SNP has taken a near clean sweep of seats in the region, picking up 56 of 59 seats.

The gains came at the expense of the Labour and the Liberal Democrats, which were reduced to just one seat each in the region.

Labour lost 40 seats in Scotland and saw its regional head, Jim Murphy, and shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander lose their seats.

Danny Alexander, a Liberal Democrat minister under the last government, also lost in his own constituency.

The SNP went into the elections with just six seats from 2010.

The party’s leader, Nicola Sturgeon, who was not standing herself celebrated the result, after initially urging caution over the exit poll projection.

“Thanks so much to everyone who voted SNP today. Whatever the results, I’m very proud of our campaign,” she said in a post on Twitter.

 

A number of prominent MPs, including current ministers and senior leaders from across the political spectrum, have lost their seats.

The Liberal Democrats bore the brunt of the losses, their 59 seats reduced to about a dozen. The party’s former leader, Charles Kennedy, lost his seat to the SNP, and ministers Vince Cable and Simon Hughes also lost in their constituencies.

Former Liberal Democrat leader Menzies Campbell told Al Jazeera the party would have to “start from the bottom up”.

George Galloway, a former Labour MP and leader of the Respect party, lost to Labour’s Naz Shah in Bradford West, a seat he was widely expected to retain.

The Conservative Employment Minister Esther McVey lost her seat in Wirral West to Labour.

Labour’s shadow chancellor, Ed Balls, was also defeated by Conservative candidate Andrea Jenkyns.

In Wales, the nationalist Plaid Cymru held its three seats, and in England the right-wing UK Independence Party is expected to pick up only one seat, despite gaining around 12 percent of the votes cast. Party leader Nigel Farage failed in his attempt to take the Thanet South seat from the Conservatives.

The Green Party’s Caroline Lucas is expected to hold its only seat. 

 

Pakistan: Norway, Philippines envoys killed in helicopter crash, army claims no terror attack

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This file photo shows Polish ambassador Andrezej Ananicz (C) with his wife (L) and Ambassador of Norway Leif Larsen (R). — Dawn/File

This file photo shows Polish ambassador Andrezej Ananicz (C) with his wife (L) and Ambassador of Norway Leif Larsen (R). — Dawn/File

by Mateen Haider & Imtiaz Taj, Dawn

Gilgit: Ambassador of Philippines Domingo D Lucenario Jr, Ambassador of Norway Leif Larsen and the wives of the Malaysian and Indonesian ambassadors were among seven people killed in a helicopter crash in Naltar Valley in the Gilgit-Baltistan region on Friday.

Two pilots and a crew member were among those killed when the Pakistan Army helicopter crash-landed on a school in Naltar Valley, Director-General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major-General Asim Bajwa said. Media reports identified the two pilots as Major Altamash and Major Faisal.

Injuries were also reported from the incident in which Dutch ambassador Marcel de Vink and Polish ambassador Andrzej Ananicz were injured.

Bajwa said that six Pakistanis and 11 foreigners were on board the MI-17 helicopter.

The convoy comprised of three MI-17 helicopters, one carrying foreign diplomats, one carrying the prime minister and his staff and a third one with senior military officials, Bajwa said.

AFP quoted a statement by the Prime Minister Office as saying that Premier Nawaz Sharif was on a plane, not helicopter, en route to the Gilgit area at the time of the incident, but turned back to Islamabad after news of the crash broke.

A top regional administration official told AFP that the premier was due to inaugurate a chair-lift project at a ski resort in Naltar Valley.

The crashed helicopter was carrying a delegation of ambassadors to inspect projects on a three-day trip to Gilgit-Baltistan, where the foreign envoys were set to meet with the prime minister.

What caused the crash

Speaking to DawnNews after the incident, DG ISPR said the helicopter crashed due to a technical fault and ruled out the possibility of any terrorist or subversive activity.

He, however, said that as per procedure, a board of inquiry has been constituted to investigate the cause of the crash.

Moreover, the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed that the incident was the result of an attack it carried out however this could not be independently verified.

Transporting bodies, injured

Shortly after the incident, the injured were taken to the emergency ward of the Combined Military Hospital in Gilgit, hospital officials said.

Moreover, arrangements were being made by the Pakistan Air Force to bring the bodies of the ambassadors and the wives of two other envoys to Islamabad.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Office in Islamabad has informed the respective governments about the tragic incident.

According to a list of passengers obtained by AFP, the ambassadors of Indonesia, Lebanon, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Romania, Norway, South Africa, the Philippines and Poland were scheduled to fly on the helicopter.

A passenger in one of the helicopters told AFP that the air convoy was supposed to have included four helicopters but the number was later reduced to three.

“It was a diplomatic trip with members of 37 countries in total,” said the passenger who requested anonymity, adding that the school had caught fire after the crash but no children were in class at the time.

“The school, built by Pakistan Air Force for the children of the area, was closed as part of a security plan for the prime minister’s visit,” he said.

PM declares one day of mourning

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has extended heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of the two ambassadors and the spouses of two other envoys who died in today’s incident and has declared one day mourning in relation to the incident.

He also expressed concern over the conditions of the injured diplomats and prayed for their speedy recovery. He directed concerned authorities to provide the injured diplomats with the best medical treatment.

The premier also directed authorities to dispatch planes and helicopters to evacuate the injured diplomats and transport the bodies to Islamabad.

IPL: All round performance gift KKR third home win on the trot against Daredevils

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kkr-dd

Kolkata: A superb allround performance enabled Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) clinch their third home game on the trot with a 13-run Awin over Delhi Daredevils in an Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter here on Thursday.

Chasing the Knights’ 171/7, the Daredevils could only reach 158/6 at the end of their allotted 20 overs at the Eden Gardens.

The victory propelled the hosts to the third position on the leaderboard, with 13 points from 11 games. The Daredevils now languish in the seventh position, collecting eight points from eleven outings.

Shreyas Iyer (40;35b, 3×4 2×6) Atop scored for the Daredevils, while man of the match Piyush Chawla (four for 32) was the pick of the bowlers for the home side.

Chasing the Knights’ total, the visitors got off to a steady start, with openers Manoj Tiwary and Iyer ensuring there were no early jolts, even though the bowlers kept them on a leash.

Just when the partnership seemed threatening for the home side, Chawla got rid of Tiwary( 25). Iyer soon followed his partner into the dugout chopping a Brad Hoog drifter on to his stumps, with the team total reading 71/2 in 10.6 overs.

Kedar Jadav and skipper JP Duminy steadied the innings lofting a few into the stands, but an otherwise expensive Chawla turned the game on his head as he pocketed both Jadav (10) and Yuvraj Singh (0) in the 14thAover.

Daredevils’ went past the 100 run mark in the 15th over but then lost their well set skipper Duminy (25;16b, 2×4 1×6) as he heaved another Chawla delivery straight down the throat of Umesh Yadav in the deep.

The 17th over from Hogg proved expensive as the willowers belted him for 17. However the next one from Umesh was bang on target yielding just seven. Russell followed it up with another stupendous over giving away only six runs and cleaning Angelo Mathews (22).

Earlier in the day, the Knights rode on late cameos from all-rounder Yusuf Pathan and South African spinner Johan Botha (17; 5b, 4×4).

Playing as many as four front line spinners including spin ace Sunil Narine, Knights skipper Gautam Gambhir chose to bat first after winning the toss.

Pathan (42;24b 3×4 3×6) hit some lusty blows to top score for his side. Opener Robin Uthappa (32; 31b 4×4 1×6) also played a useful innings.

For the visitors, spinner Imran Tahir returned figures of 2 for 46.

(IANS)

Ten persons get eight-year jail in hand chopping case

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T J Joseph

Kochi: A special NIA court here on Friday sentenced 10 persons to eight years jail term in the sensational hand chopping case of T J Joseph, professor of Newman College in Thodupuzha in Idukki, in 2010.

The Special NIA court Judge P Sasidharan gave two years jail term to three persons — Abdul Lateef, Anwar Sadique and Riyas – over charges under Section 212 of IPC dealing with harbouring offenders.

The court also ordered that an amount of RS 8 lakh as restitution from the convicts be given to the victim.

Those who were sentenced to eight years in jail are Kalappura Veetil Jamal (44), K M Muhammed Shobin (28), Shamsuddin (37), Punnakal Shanavas (32), Kaipalli Veetil K A Pareedh (36), Yunus Aliyar (34), Ayyukudi Veetil Shejeer (32), K E Kasim, Paruthikaatukudi Jafar (33), and K K Ali (34). They were found guilty under various sections of the central law dealing with terror — the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Besides UAPA, the court has also found the 10 convicts guilty under various sections of Explosive Substances Act and IPC that deals with criminal conspiracy and attempt to murder.

Eighteen people were acquitted by the court citing lack of evidence against them in the case.

The 13 persons owing allegiance Popular Front of India (PFI) were convicted in the case in which the right hand of T J Joseph was chopped while he was returning home after attending a Sunday mass at a church in Muvattupuzha in Ernakulam district on July 4, 2010.

The court in its judgment said the prosecution has proved beyond all reasonable doubts that eight of the accused along with some others entered into a criminal conspiracy to eliminate the professor by inflicting grievous injuries.

They did it out of enmity towards Joseph accusing him of hurting religious sentiments of a community through a question paper he set for his students.

The court, which began the trial of the case in July 2013, had examined over 300 prosecution witnesses, four defence witnesses, over 950 prosecution documents, nearly 30 defence documents, and over 200 material objects.

Thirty-seven persons were charge-sheeted by the NIA in the case. However, 31 only underwent trial as the remaining six, including first accused Savad were absconding.

Joseph, head of the Malayalam department in the college, was suspended from service following the controversy over framing of a ‘derogatory’ question paper in 2010. His family went through tough times after he became jobless. His wife Salomi, who stood by Joseph during his trying times, ended her life last year as the family was facing severe financial problems.

Within days of her death, the college took him back before his retirement on March 31, last year.

(Agencies)

One year on, no achievements on ground by Modi government, admits BJP MP

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MODI-GOVERNMENT

New Delhi: BJP Member of Parliament from Ballia, Bharat Singh has dropped a bombshell in the parliamentary party meeting when he said that Narendra Modi-led government was talking about its achievements at the end of NDA’s one year in power but things were not that visible on the ground.

What was worrisome for the party leaders and Union Ministers was that this found resonance in the meeting and several MPs from U.P. thumped their desks.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present, but did not speak.

Road not constructed

Asking to be heard after BJP Union Ministers Venkaiah Naidu, Arun Jaitley, Ananth Kumar and party’s organising secretary Ram Lal spoke about taking to the people the good work done by the NDA, Mr. Bharat Singh said not an inch of road had been constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojna in Uttar Pradesh and MPs were not being heard.

“Hume bhi bolne ka mauka dijiye (Give us an opportunity to speak),’’ he reportedly said after the Ministers asked MPs to be present in the House as Constitutional Amendments Bills on GST and Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh were coming up.

Mr. Singh, who is a former president of the Banaras Hindu University, said MPs were “neither heard by Ministers in U.P. nor here [Centre].” His observation came at the fag end of the hour-long meeting which was then abruptly concluded.

Fellow party MPs endorse Bharat Singh’s views

Several BJP MPs confirmed the observations of Mr. Bharat Singh. They said more time should be given to MPs at the parliamentary party meeting to air their views.

A senior leader from Bihar expects the Prime Minister to address the grievance as he is “sensitive.’’ A Delhi MP said the problem has arisen because there are no District Vigilance and Monitoring Committees in place in States.

In a bid to counter the Opposition attack on the NDA on the Land Acquisition Bill and the delay in reaching compensation to rain and hail-hit farmers, MPs are under pressure to tell people about the achievements of the government and the welfare measures taken for the underprivileged sections and farmers such as the “Jan Kalyan Parva” starting from May 26 to June 1.

After achieving a target of over 10 crore members, the BJP now plans to have a mass contact programme, Mr. Ram Lal told MPs.

The party has issued a whip to its MPs in both Houses of Parliament till Friday.

Addressing the meeting, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley gave details of the GST Bill saying that it was a revolutionary taxation reform which will curb leakage of revenue, end corruption, the burden of multiple taxation and harassment of common people.

Regarding the Bill to operationalise the Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu told MPs that it was in the “national interest.”

“Our boundary will be secured, fencing will be done with Bangladesh and there will be no further infiltration. The road distance between India and Bangladesh will also be reduced and good ties will be maintained. We decided to accept the Congress suggestion of including Assam in the agreement,’’ he added.

(Agencies)

Salman Khan won't go to jail for now! 5-year sentence suspended by High Court

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Salman Khan

Mumbai: In a huge relief to Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, the Bombay High Court today suspended his 5-year sentence in the 2002 hit-and-run case and granted him bail pending his appeal against conviction. The term of interim bail was to expire today.

“He has been on bail for a long time and his liberty was not curtailed. Normally, in such cases, the appeal is admitted and an accused is granted bail,” Justice Abhay Thipsay said, while staying his conviction and granting him bail.

The judge directed him to surrender before the trial court and furnish a fresh bail bond of Rs 30,000.

Thipsay had on May 6 granted 48-hour interim bail to the actor, hours after he was convicted and sentenced to five years rigorous imprisonment by the trial court on the ground that he had not been supplied with a detailed order explaining the reasons for his conviction.

Here are the latest developments:

  1. The trial court had on Wednesday found Salman Khan guilty of drunkenly driving over a group of men sleeping on a pavement, killing one. It had sentenced him to five years in prison for culpable homicide.

  2. The actor had been exempted from appearing in court today. He had broken down in the sessions court on Wednesday when the trial court sentenced him.

  3. The 49-year-old actor had the same day moved the Bombay High Court, which had granted him interim or temporary bail till today.

  4. Salman Khan’s appeals are being argued in the High Court by senior lawyers Amit Desai and Shrikant Shivade. Today is the final working day of the High Court before it begins annual summer vacations till June 8.

  5. People protested outside the court, some in support of the actor, others holding up placards that said, “We are the city, we are not dogs,” a reference to tweets by Bollywood singer Abhijit and other members of the film fraternity that caused outrage.

  6. On Wednesday, Additional Sessions Judge DW Deshpande held Salman Khan guilty on all the prosecution’s seven charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, rash and drunken driving and driving without a valid licence.

  7. In a 240-page judgment, Judge Deshpande has said, “I find that it is established beyond reasonable doubt by prosecution that accused was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident,” rejecting the actor’s submission that his driver Ashok Singh was driving.

  8. He has also observed that Salman Khan “did not wait for police on the spot… Instead of visiting police station, the accused went to his house and till 10.30 a.m. he hided himself… If really the accused did not commit any wrong, he could have visited the police station immediately. (sic)”

  9. The judge has rebuked Salman Khan for not taking “any positive steps by visiting hospital to see the injured and provide medical aid to them” and said that the “well known cine actor” knew he must not drive without a license and after consuming liquor.

  10. In the early hours of September 28, 2002, Salman’s Toyota Land Cruiser ran over a group of men sleeping on the pavement in front of a bakery not far from the actor’s sea-facing home in Galaxy Apartments in upscale Bandra (West). One man died, four were injured.

(Agencies)

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