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Parliament panel raps govt for terror attack in Pathankot airbase

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Pathankot

New Delhi: A Parliamentary panel has rapped the government for its failure to prevent the Pathankot terror attack, saying “something is seriously wrong” in the country’s counter-terror establishment and the airbase’s security was not robust.

In its 197th report, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs also observed that the role of Punjab Police is also very “questionable and suspicious” during the January 2 terror attack.

The panel said it has failed to understand that in spite of terror alert sounded well in advance, how terrorists managed to breach the high-security airbase and subsequently carried out the strike.

The committee said it is constrained to note that despite concrete and credible intelligence inputs received from abducted and released SP of Pathankot and his friend and through interception of communication between terrorists and their handlers by the terrorists disclosing that they were planning an attack on a defence establishment, the security agencies were so ill-prepared to anticipate threats in time and counter them swiftly and decisively.

The committee said it “feels that something is seriously wrong with our counter-terror security establishment.”

During its visit to the airbase, the panel found that there was no roads around the perimeter wall of the strategic airbase.

There were growth of long shrubs and trees on the premises which have helped terrorists in hiding and making difficult for security forces in flushing out the terrorists.

“The committee during its visit found that airbase’s security cover was not robust and it had a poorly guarded perimeter wall,” the report said.

The panel said there cannot be two opinion on the fact that Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group was behind this ghastly attack which was established through interception of calls between terrorists and their handlers based in Pakistan, thanks to their use of robbed mobile phones from Pathankot SP and his friend.

Besides, weapons, ammunition and many items found in the possession of killed terrorists are also said to be having ‘Made in Pakistan’ marking.

“In view of the ease with which the terrorists sneaked into our side from Pakistan, the Committee understands that the attack cannot take place without active support from the security and intelligence agencies of Pakistan as four armed men cannot easily pass through heavy Pakistani defence establishment situated near border area,” it said.

Seven security personnel were killed in the terror attack on Pathankot airbase carried out by JeM on January 2.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee said despite the fencing, floodlighting and patrolling by BSF personnel, Pakistani terrorists managed to sneak into India from across the border.

“The Committee understands that in this attack, the role of Punjab Police is also very questionable and suspicious as even after abduction of Punjab Police SP, the Punjab Police took long time in arriving at the conclusion that their abduction was not just a criminal robbery but it was going to be serious national security threat,” it noted.

The panel said it failed to understand why the terrorists let the SP and his friend off, which should be thoroughly examined by National Investigation Agency.

“Besides, the Committee is of the view that the role of narco-syndicate active in border areas of Punjab should also be investigated as the terrorists might have taken help of channels or networks used by smugglers to infiltrate the border, shelter and carry out terror attack,” it said.

The committee recommended that in view of the serious attacks from across the international border in the area, the government should pay attention to effectively sealing the border through enhanced patrolling, fencing, flood lighting etc.

“The Committee recommends that the Pathankot airbase which is very close to border should be declared high security zone and should be properly secured through round-the-clock patrolling and making it out-of-bounds for general people residing around the airbase,” it said.

The panel noted that the submission of the Home Ministry that the NIA is handling the investigation of this case and terrorists belonged to the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad, led by Maulana Masood Azhar, were found to be behind the attack but the Committee would like to be apprised what made the government of India to seek help of Pakistan into probe of this terror attack and invite a Joint Investigation Team from Pakistan to India.

A Pakistani Joint Investigation Team had visited India last month as part of its investigation into the case.

(Agencies)

Religious freedom in India on ‘negative trajectory’: USCIRF

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USCIRF

New Delhi: Religious freedom in India was on a “negative trajectory” in 2015 as religious tolerance “deteriorated” and religious freedom violations “increased”, a US report on international religious freedom has said.

In its annual report, the Congress-mandated US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) asked the Indian government to publicly rebuke officials and religious leaders that make derogatory statements about religious communities.

“In 2015, religious tolerance deteriorated and religious freedom violations increased in India,” the report said.

Members of USCIRF were denied visas by Indian government early this year on the argument that religious freedom is enshrined in the constitution and any foreign third party has no locus standi to comment or investigate on it.

“Minority communities, especially Christians, Muslims, and Sikhs, experienced numerous incidents of intimidation, harassment, and violence, largely at the hands of Hindu nationalist groups,” the report alleged.

USCIRF alleged that members of the ruling BJP tacitly supported these groups and used religiously-divisive language to further inflame tensions.

“These issues, combined with longstanding problems of police bias and judicial inadequacies, have created a pervasive climate of impunity, where religious minority communities feel increasingly insecure, with no recourse when religiously-motivated crimes occur,” said USCIRF which has retained India in the Tier-2 Countries on religious freedom. India has been placed in Tier-2 since 2009.

Others listed in the Tier-2 countries are Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Cuba, Indonesia, Kazakhastan, Laos, Malaysia, Russia and Turkey.

(Agencies)

UN arbitration court reportedly asks India to release Italian marine

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Salvatore Girone Massimilliano Latorre

Rome: A U.N. arbitration court has ruled that India should release an Italian marine, who has been detained in Delhi for more than four years, and allow him to return home, the Italian Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

India in 2012 arrested two Italian marines on suspicion that they killed two fishermen that they had mistaken for pirates while they had been escorting an oil tanker. One of the pair returned to Italy with health problems, but India has refused to let the other man, Salvatore Girone, leave the country.

The case has soured relations between India and Italy, but the two countries agreed last year to move the case to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague and abide by its decisions.

The Italian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that in an initial ruling, the court had decided that Girone should be allowed home. It said it would be in immediate contact with India to try to make sure he would return as soon as possible.

The court will continue to review the merits of the case against the two marines.

(Agencies)

AgustaWestland case: CBI questions ex-IAF chief SP Tyagi

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Tyagi

New Delhi: CBI on Monday questioned former IAF chief SP Tyagi in connection with alleged corruption in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal.

Tyagi arrived at CBI headquarters at around 10 am for questioning.

The Milan Court of Appeals, equivalent of an Indian High Court, has given details of how alleged bribes were paid by helicopter-maker Finmeccanica and AgustaWestland to Indian officials through middlemen to clinch the deal.

The order mentions Tyagi’s name at several points. CBI had registered a case against Tyagi along with 13 others including his cousins and European middlemen in the case.

The allegation against the former Air Chief was that he had reduced flying ceiling of the helicopter from 6,000m to 4,500m (15,000ft) so that AgustaWestland was included in the bids.

However, this decision was reportedly taken in consultation with the officials of SPG and the Prime Minister’s Office including then NSA M K Narayanan.

CBI has alleged that the reduction of the service ceiling, maximum height at which a helicopter can perform normally, allowed the UK-based firm to get into the fray as otherwise its helicopters were not even qualified for submission of bids.

CBI, which has received a copy of the Milan court order, has now prepared a fresh set of questionnaire to put to Tyagi.

Tyagi has denied allegations against him and has claimed that the decision to reduce the ceiling was taken by a group of senior officials.

The agency had already questioned Tyagi but this session is the first after the Italian court order. His cousins have also been called by the agency.

(Agencies)

Uttarakhand fire: Affected areas down by over 70 pc, says NDRF

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(Photo: Reuters/Max Whittaker)

(Photo: Reuters/Max Whittaker)

New Delhi: Latest satellite imageries of Uttarakhand have reported that the forest fire has gone out in over 70 per cent of the affected areas, even as the NDRF has deployed over 130 personnel to tackle the massive blaze.

“We have been informed that fresh images from satellite has shown that the effective area under fire in Uttarakhand has come down to 110-115 locations from the earlier about 427.

“It is expected that these figures will be brought down to 50-60 in the next few days by the combined forces fighting to douse the jungle fire,” NDRF Director General O P Singh told PTI.

He said the images from the sky were taken on April 29-30 and this has now given hope to all the agencies combating the fire that it will be contained soon.

The Director General said the NDRF men are also working to save animals who could have been trapped in the blazing fire.

A squad of over 135 personnel of this special force are deployed in Uttarakhand as part of multiple firefighting teams to combat the raging fire in the jungles of Uttarakhand that have destroyed about 2,269 hectares of jungles in several districts and claimed at least seven lives till now.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have spread out in 13 affected areas of three districts of Pauri Garhwal, Almora and Chamoli with fire fighting equipment to tackle the massive blaze.

“Our teams are working in 13 sectors in coordination with the officials and personnel of the state fire and forest department. The teams have been instructed to adopt the conventional method of cutting the fire line and containing the fire.

“We are using fire beaters and green bushes to cut the fire from spreading. About 135 personnel as part of multiple teams are working in Uttarakhand at present,” Singh said.

He said in Chamoli the NDRF is working in Pakhi and Gopeshwar areas, while in Almora the teams are working in areas like Binsar, Someshwar, Bikisen, Siplakhet and Dhauladevi.

Each team is covering an area of 8-10 sq km, he said, adding, additional NDRF teams have been kept on standby at its camp in Ghaziabad.

The force also saved a house from getting engulfed in the fire in the hilly jungle area of Mehlchori in Pauri district in which a family of four members lived.

Singh said he is in constant touch with his team leaders working in the state.

(PTI)

Subramanian Swamy again makes controversial remarks in RS, Cong protests

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subramanian swamyub

New Delhi: Subramanian Swamy, who triggered huge protests from Congress yesterday over his attempts to drag Sonia Gandhi in the AugustaWestland helicopter row, today again made some controversial remarks in Rajya Sabha which the Chair immediately expunged and warned him of action for unnecessary provocation.

Expunging Swamy’s reference to the Constitution of another country that triggered vociferous protests from Congress members, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien also ordered media not to report the remarks.

Trouble broke out after Chaudhary Munavver Saleem (SP) in a Zero Hour mention referred to Swamy being part of the movement in 1970s to protect the minority status of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).

Swamy got up to clarify saying he had no objection to minority education institutions but the Constitution prohibits the State from financing them.

He was countered on this by the opposition to which he responded by dragging the name of another country, a reference that led to agitated Congress members rushing into the Well.

Kurien said he was expunging the reference to the Constitution of another country but that did not satisfy the Congress members who continued to shout slogans against Swamy.

The BJP MP, who was sworn in only on Monday, insisted that since his name has been taken by another member, he has a right to reply and again went on to refer to the country, drawing sharp rebuke from the Chair.

“I will take action against you. Subramanian Swamy you are unnecessarily provoking. I will have to take action against you… you are provoking,” Kurien said.

Observing that what Swamy said would not go on record, he said “what has been expunged should not be reported by media.”

Congress members sought action against Swamy with Jairam Ramesh saying he was “needling and provoking” by bringing in reference to another country. “This is deliberate.”
With Congress members continuing to protest, Kurien asked them to return to their seats and said it was a deliberate attempt to subvert the Zero Hour.

Asked by the Chair what the problem was when the remarks have been expunged, Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said “the problem is the new gift of BJP. Problem is not on this side.”

He said Swamy is just two days old in the House and his remarks have already been expunged twice. “There are 365 days in a year, how many times are you going to expunge his words,” he asked the Chair.

Azad said Swamy does not know the difference between street language and parliamentary words. “He does not allow his hair to gray so he can learn and mature.”

(PTI)

Italian chopper firm had allotted Rs 50 cr to ‘manage’ media

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AgustaWestland

New Delhi: BJP today raised the AgustaWestland issue in Lok Sabha, expressing concern over the reported misuse of media by the Italian company which had earmarked Rs 50 crore for the purpose to clinch the VVIP chopper deal.

Raising the issue during zero hour, Meenakshi Lekhi suggested that the middleman Christian Michel had been given the amount to ‘manage’ the media.

Amid strong protests from Congress for allowing raising the issue, Lekhi said it was unfortunate that media which is an organ of healthy democracy has been “misused”.

“It amounts to misuse of the freedom of expression. It is irresponsible as media is part of democratic structure”, she remarked.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, supported by party colleagues, protested to Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. “I respect you much. You should not have allowed this.

Please don’t do this”, he was heard remarking.

Amid the protests, the Speaker adjourned the House for the lunch recess.Reports had it Christian Michel, a British businessman and an alleged middleman in the deal, was paid millions of dollars by AgustaWestland.

A large portion of the money paid by AgustaWestland to Michel is “completely disproportionate” to the work he did for the company, the Milan Court of Appeals has held. Interpol issued a red corner notice against Michel on India’s request in December 2015.

The Milan court had noted that Michel was paid over 44 million euros by AgustaWestland for various contracts, which included a deal to supply spare parts for Indian naval helicopters and a post-contract service deal for the VVIP chopper contract.

(PTI)

Kerala high court allows muslim girls to wear hijab for pre-medical test

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Kerala

Kochi: Kerala High Court on Tuesday granted permission to Muslim girls to wear hijab, a customary religious dress, for the All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT)-2016 but on condition that they should be present at the hall half an hour before the exam for frisking if necessary.

The order was issued by Justice Muhammed Mushtaq while hearing a writ petition by one Amnah Bint Basheer challenging the dress code prescribed for the candidates by CBSE in the bulletin relating to conduct of AIPMT-2016.

The petitioner contended that the instructions contained in the AIPMT-2016 bulletin regarding dress code, as per her religious beliefs and practices, would amount to violation of exercise of religious freedom.

The court issued directions to CBSE to permit Muslim girl students to wear hijab for attending the AIPMT.

Last year, a single Judge of the Kerala High Court had allowed two Muslim girl students to wear hijab while appearing for the CBSE AIPMT-2015.

(Agencies)

DU book describes Bhagat Singh as ‘revolutionary terrorist’

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Bhagat Singh

New Delhi: A book which forms part of Delhi University curriculum calls Bhagat Singh a “revolutionary terrorist”, BJP member Anurag Thakur said in Lok Sabha on Wednesday and demanded a debate on what is being taught in the educational institutions across the country.

‘India’s struggle for independence’, a book authored by noted historian Bipin Chadra and Mridula Mukherjee, have made such references, he said.

Thakur said the book also describes a Congress leader as a “charismatic leader”, which was a “joke” as the party had been reduced to 44 Lok Sabha seats.

This triggered protests from Congress members who objected to the mention of their leader, who was not present in the House. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan later expunged the Congress leader’s name.

In an UPSC examination, Thakur said, a question was asked about “revolutionary terrorism” of Bhagat Singh, a noted freedom fighter who was hanged by the British.

While taking strong exception to this, he hinted at the authors’ link with the UPA, saying Chandra was National Book Trust chairperson between 2004-12. Mukherjee, he alleged, faced vigilance probe.

“There should be a debate on what is taught in this country,” he said, while noting that education plays a key role in building character.

(Agencies)

‘I am not afraid’, says Sonia Gandhi on AgustaWestland deal

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Sonia Gandhi

New Delhi: Congress President Sonia Gandhi today rejected as “baseless” allegations linking her and party leaders to bribes in the AgustaWestland chopper deal and said she is not “afraid” of being “cornered” on the issue.

She asked the government what it has been doing in power for the last two years on the issue and demanded that the ongoing inquiry be completed impartially.

“I am not afraid of anyone cornering me as there is no basis to that. All the accusations they are throwing at us are false,” Gandhi told reporters in Parliament complex as BJP sought to target her onTHE DEAL .

“Where are the proofs. They are lying. They are part of a strategy of character assassination which we have known these people indulge in,” Gandhi said.

Referring to the Modi government, Gandhi asked what has it been doing over the last two years.

“The government is there for the last 2 years. What are they doing? Inquiry is there, why don’t they complete it? Complete it as soon as possible, impartially,” she added.

Gandhi’s political secretary and senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel also rubbished the allegations against him and the party as “absolutely baseless.”

“This government, when they are saying all these things outside and inside the Parliament, why can’t they investigate,” Patel said.

“If there is something against me, they should find out and they should hang me,” he said when asked by reporters for his reactions over the allegations.

The comments of Sonia Gandhi and Patel come in the backdrop of BJP move to target the Congress President and other party leaders on the issue of bribes in the AugustaWestland chopper deal during the UPA regime in a bid to corner the main opposition party which has been paralysing Rajya Sabha on the Uttarakhand affair.

BJP today sought an explanation from Congress, while the opposition party hit back, asking why the Modi government had cancelled the process of blacklisting the firm in question.

Attacking Congress, Environment and Forests Minister Prakash Javadekar said that what has been revealed in Agusta Westland case is “very important and very serious” and that Congress owes an explanation.

He said that instead of disrupting Parliament, Congress should introspect on what “they have done to the country and explain what is the role of their leaders” in the case.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi also targeted Congress, saying that those accused ofPAYING bribes are in jail, but the alleged recipients are blocking the progress of the country.

There should be a discussion on the matter so that facts can come out in the open, he said.

BJP is expected to raise the issue in Parliament. Congress has been paralysing proceedings in Rajya Sabha over the imposition of President’s rule in Uttarakhand.

Top BJP leaders had met yesterday to chalk out a strategy following reports that an Italian court, which has convicted AgustaWestland chief Giuseppe Orsi, has described how the firm paid bribes to certain Congress leaders to bag the Rs 3,600 crore deal.

Congress Spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, however, hit back, saying that if anybody needs to answer questions on the matter it is the Modi government.

He said the UPA governement had included an integrity clause as per which the contract for purchase of helicopters from Agusta Westland was cancelled, the guarantee forfeited and process initiated for recovery ofMONEY .

Surjewala said that the money too was recovered and “not a singleRUPEE loss was caused to the Government of India.”

He said that the UPA government had also ordered a CBI inquiry as well as initiating the process of blacklisting Agusta Westland.

“On the contrary, as the government changed in May 2014, Modiji proceeded to cancel the process of blacklisting Agusta Westland. Why did Modiji not blacklist Agusta Westland?” Surjewala asked.

(Agencies)

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