Jerusalem: A top Israeli arms firm has confirmed that India cancelled a $500 million deal to develop Spike anti-tank guided missiles and expressed “regret” over the decision just ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s first visit to the country.

“Rafael has now received an official notification from India’s Ministry of Defence concerning the cancellation of the Spike deal,” said Ishai David, a spokesman for the Rafael Advance Defence Systems Ltd.

Spike, in use by 26 countries around the world, is said to have been selected by India after a long and rigorous process and after complying with all the defence procurement regulations.

“It should be emphasised that the cancellation was made prior to the signing of the contract and despite Rafael’s compliance with all the demands,” the company said in a statement.

“Rafael regrets the decision and remains committed to cooperating with the Indian Ministry of Defence and to its strategy of continuing to work in India, an important market, as it has for more than two decades, to provide India with the most advanced and innovative systems,” it added.

The company did not give a reason for the cancellation of the deal.

The cancellation comes days before Netanyahu’s four-day visit to India starting January 14 and is likely to be taken up for discussion. Rafael’s CEO would also be accompanying Netanyahu.

The company recently inaugurated its facilities in Hyderabad where the project was to be executed but company sources said that it is “designed to accommodate a number of other projects Rafael is engaged in with its Indian partners”.

As per the original proposal, India had planned to acquire the ATGMs for the army at a cost of $500 million.

The Indian defence ministry has been strongly pushing for transfer of technology in procuring various weapons and other platforms from foreign defence majors as part of its broad policy initiative to encourage domestic defence industry.

Official sources in New Delhi had earlier indicated that the proposal to acquire the missile system faced hurdles when Israeli side apparently expressed reservations in ensuring full transfer of technology as per the provisions of the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

(PTI)

New Delhi: The Congress today accused the BJP and the RSS of fuelling violence against Dalits and demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi make a statement in Parliament clarifying his stand on the Bhima-Koregaon incident in Maharashtra.

The party also demanded the formation of a commission of inquiry by a sitting Supreme Court judge on the clashes between Dalit groups and supporters of right-wing Hindu organisations during the 200th-anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district that had left a man dead on January 1.

The leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge accused the BJP-RSS of “conspiring to divide people” on caste and religious lines, and asked the prime minister to make a statement on the issue in Parliament.

“The BJP and the RSS are fuelling and instigating violence against Dalits across the country. They conspire to divide people and society and create an atmosphere of
illusion that only they are nationalists.

“We demand that the prime minister, who shows sympathy for Dalits during polls, should clarify his position inside Parliament on violence against Dalits,” he told reporters outside Parliament.

Kharge also accused the BJP government in Maharashtra of having “failed” to control violence as it did not make proper arrangements in Bhima-Koregaon.

“We have demanded that a sitting judge of the Supreme Court should carry out a probe into the incident for an impartial probe. A commission should be set up to ascertain who was behind the violence and who instigated it,” he said.

The Congress leader said the BJP government in Maharashtra has failed to make proper arrangements in Bhima- Koregaon that led to violence.

The leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad dubbed the BJP and the RSS as “anti-Dalit”.

He also accused the government of “suppressing” the voice of the opposition in Parliament as live proceedings of both Houses were not telecast and stopped.

“We had given adjournment notice in the Rajya Sabha for taking up the issue of violence against Dalits in Maharashtra but our voice was suppressed and live telecast was stopped,” he told reporters.

A Maharashtra bandh called to protest the violence post an event to mark the 200th anniversary of Bhima Koregaon battle, turned violent today even as rail and road traffic was disrupted in the city.

Yesterday, several towns and cities of Maharashtra were on the edge as Dalit protests against the violence in Pune spilt over to Mumbai, with agitators damaging buses and disrupting road and rail traffic.

(PTI)

New Delhi: Bitcoins or such crypto-currencies are not legal tender and those indulging in such transactions are doing it at their own risk, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said today as MPs expressed concern over trading on these platforms.

During the Question Hour in Rajya Sabha, DMK member Kanimozhi sought to know whether the government was considering regulating crypto-currencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, as India “accounts for more than 11 per cent” of such trade globally.

Jaitley emphasised that the Centre’s consistent position was that such currencies were not legal tender.

“The government is examining the matter. A committee under the chairmanship of secretary, department of economic affairs, is deliberating over all issues related to cryptocurrencies to propose specific actions to be taken,” he said.

While a repeated message was being given that such currencies were not legal tender, more detailed steps would be taken once the report of the committee is submitted, he said.

Independent member Amar Singh wanted to know what action was being taken in regard to the names which have figured in the Panama papers and Paradise papers, even as trading in bitcoins was also going on.

Jaitley said that the government was acting as per the law in these matters.

(Agencies)

(From L-R: Dr. Nowhera Shaikh, Mrs Husna Rizwan, Mr. Rizwan Asad)

by Rizwan Asad & Husna Rizwan

Bengaluru: All India Mahila Empowerment Party’s (MEP) leader Dr. Nowhera Shaikh said that in Karnataka, education, power and water issues have not been addressed from the past 60-70 years.

Dr. Shaikh, who spoke to Nasheman’s editors said that if MEP is elected to power, it will give importance to these issues immediately. “Govt schools will become model schools, which will compete with the best convent schools”.

She said that MEP is for the upliftment of women and the downtrodden, irrespective of religion caste and creed.

“Because of the lack of response from present govts, people are fed up, which we have come across during our interactions with the public,” Dr. Shaikh stated.

“From December 24th onwards MEP has been holding meetings with people and there has been a good response. People from all walks of life, have attended MEP meetings”.

Dr. Shaikh said that leaders and workers of major parties like Congress, JDS, SDPI and others are fed up with their parties and policies, and flocking to MEP in rows. “Thousands have registered as party workers in the past 8-10 days”.

The party has received 1700 applications from the incumbent for the ensuing Karnataka elections for MEP ticket. Dr. Shaikh said that a committee has been formed, who will take further decision. She added that preference will be given to people of downtrodden and backward groups.

Explaining the objectives of her party, Dr. Shaikh said that MEP is for safeguarding the rights of women, and promised jobs for women who are graduates.

When asked about people’s allegations that her party will divide votes, Dr. Shaikh gave a witty reply that, all the other parties should support her and her party, instead of spreading false allegations against her.

On the upcoming elections, Dr. Shaikh said that MEP will fight in all the 224 constituencies, and said that people who have approached her so far have expressed their desire that she is elected as the “first woman CM of Karnataka”.

Mumbai: Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) leader Prakash Ambedkar has called for Maharashtra bandh tomorrow to protest the state government’s “failure” to stop the violence at Bhima Koregaon village in Pune district yesterday.

Ambedkar alleged that Hindu Ekta Aghadi was responsible for the violence.

He said Maharashtra Democratic Front, Maharashtra Left Front, besides 250 organisations, have supported tomorrow’s shutdown.

Ambedkar, the grandson of Dalit icon B R Ambedkar, has appealed for peace during the bandh period.

Referring to the caste clashes in Bhima Koregaon, Ambedkar ruled out any conflict between Marathas and Dalits.

“If there was any tension, the 200th-anniversary commemoration of the Bhima Koregaon battle would not have taken place. Yesterday’s programme was organised by Sambhaji Brigade (a Maratha organisation),” he said while addressing a press conference here.

He alleged the trouble occurred because of Hindu Ekta Aghadi and Shivraj Pratishthan, headed by Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide, respectively.

“Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Sabha (ABHS), Peshwa heirs, had opposed the event. We held talks with ABHS after which they decided against opposing,” he said.

The event to mark the 200th anniversary of the Bhima Koregaon battle in Pune district, in which forces of the East India Company defeated Peshwa’s army, was marred by incidents of violence yesterday, with at least one person was killed.

Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory, as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community — then considered untouchable — were part of the East India Company’s forces.

Ambedkar alleged that villagers were provoked by the Shivraj Pratisthan while the Hindu Ekta Agadhi hurled stones at people going towards the Koregaon war memorial.

He demanded that various types of grants and subsidies being given by the government to villages along Koregaon, Shiroor and Chakan, be stopped.

Ambedkar said a judicial probe ordered by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis into the violence should be headed by the chief justice of high court and not by a sitting judge.

Yesterday’s violence sparked off protests in various parts of Maharashtra today, including in Mumbai where protesters staged a rail roko in suburban Chembur.

(PTI)

AIMEP National President Dr. Nowhera Shaik met with President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind.

New Delhi: National President of All India Mahila Empowerment Party (AIMEP) Dr. Nowhera Shaik met with the President of India Shri ram Nath Kovind and submitted a memorandum on behalf of the party wherein she has demanded that Women Reservation Bill should be tabled in both houses of parliament the women must be given 33% reservation in parliament as well as state legislatures.

In this connection, Dr. Nowhera Shaik told that AIMEP is the only political party in country which has taken up women welfare and their empowerment on priority. She told that she met with the President of India Ram Nath Kovind and elaborated him on the problems and aspirations of the women in country. Apart of that she submitted a memorandum to the President of India Ram Nath Kovind .

Dr. Nowhera Shaik told that AIMEP has drawn the attention of President of India Ram Nath Kovind towards pending Bill on women reservation in parliament and has urged him that the said Bill should be passed from both houses and women must given 33% reservation in parliament and state legislatures .

Dr. Nowhera Shaik told that in the memorandum, party has demanded that the working women and business women should be extended concession in the taxes. She told that party has drawn the attention of President Ram Nath Kovind towards health of women also and has demanded that the central government should ensure effective heath services for pregnant women. The women engaged in unorganized sectors must be covered under special insurance scheme. She told that the party has demanded that the rising crimes against women should be controlled.

Dr. Nowhera Shaik told that party has demanded through memorandum that child labor must be stopped and the government must provide educational facilities to child laborer .

Most importantly the AIMEP has demanded that the central government should constitute a national level Monitoring Committee to monitor the schemes for women welfare launched by it.

Dr. Nowhera Shaik said that the President of India Ram Nath Kovind seriously took up all the demands raised by the party and assured that he will forward the memorandum to the central government to take up necessary steps in that direction .

On this occasion Dr. Nowhera Shaik presented memento bearing Charminar to the President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind.

Apart of AIMEP National President Dr. Nowhera Shaik, Abdul Majid of the party was also present.