INSAS shell casings found at spot indicate use of weapon snatched from police

SRINAGAR: Militants of the homegrown outfit Hizbul Mujahideen abducted and killed off-duty army officer Ummer Fayaz in Kashmir’s Shopian, possibly with arms snatched from security forces, a top police officer said on Thursday.

Two news agencies quoting defence sources, however, said six militants of the Hizbul Mujahideen and the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) were involved in the killing of Ummer, a 22-year-old lieutenant who was on leave for the marriage of his cousin sister.

The army has termed the killing of the young officer, which has sparked outrage across the country, a “watershed moment” that will turn the people of Kashmir against militancy.

“A local Hizbul Mujahideen module was involve(in the killing). Though we have identified the militants, their names cannot be revealed immediately,” inspector general of police Javeed Gillani said.

Investigators recovered two empty cartridges of INSAS rifle from the spot where the officer’s body was found on Wednesday. The officer was shot twice.

A probe was on to check if these were the same cartridges snatched from policemen a few days ago, he added. The made-in-India INSAS rifles are used by police as well as the army deployed in the valley for counter-insurgency operations.

“Although police are yet receive the post-mortem report, preliminary examinations revealed there were no torture marks on his body,” Gillani added, refuting reports that militants assaulted the officer before shooting him dead. The Hizbul Mujahideen is the only homegrown militant outfit in Kashmir battling security forces. The killing of one of its leaders, Burhan Wani, by security forces last year had sparked violent street protests that left nearly hundred people dead, including security personnel.

Hundreds of others, including children, were blinded by pellet guns fired by security forces, stoking public anger. Police said around 200 militants are operating in the valley, out of which around 88 are local youth hailing from South Kashmir.

The military wants a greater say in policy matters, but it wants to keep civilians out of its domain

Speaking to a military audience in 1973, the eminent war historian Michael Howard said that he was tempted “to declare dogmatically that whatever doctrine the Armed Forces are working on now, they have got it wrong.” But he went to add: “it does not matter that they have got it wrong. What does matter is their capacity to get it right quickly when the moment arrives”. I was reminded of this speech after reading the recently unveiled Joint Doctrine for the Indian Armed Forces. The first such doctrine to be published by the Indian military, it has been panned by many perceptive analysts of military affairs.

All the same, the doctrine is an important attempt by the armed forces to inform and influence public debates on strategic issues. From this standpoint, the most curious part of the document is an appendix on “Civil-Military Relations”. These couple of pages lay out the military’s perspective on what is wrong with our existing institutional arrangements of civil-military relations and how to set it right.

Civil-military relations in India have been balancing on the brink of a crisis over the past few years. Controversies over one-rank onepension and the latest pay commission were symptoms of deeper problems. Yet successive governments have done nothing to address them. The doctrine’s attempt to flag this issue in public attests to the military’s deepening disquiet on this front.

The appendix on civil-military relations opens with a quote from an air marshal: “Direction in the Civil-Military Relationship in any democracy is strictly the right of the political leadership and not bureaucracy”. This harks to the military’s longstanding complaint that civilian control has turned into civil service control. There is something to this claim, though it tends to be overstated in military discourse. Nevertheless, the doctrine is right in observing that “it is prudent that institutional and structural mechanisms exist that facilitate free flowing communication between the two, thereby enabling critical and timely decision making. The functionaries in the MoD ought to be enablers of this relationship.”

More problematic is the military’s own view of how these arrangements should function when it comes to such critical areas as the use of force. The doctrine states: “Military professionals are experts in the use of force under the political institution of the State. Apropos, it would always be essential for the civilian authority, in consultation with military (as part of decision making process) to decide the Military Objective and then leave it to the military professionals to decide upon the best way of achieving the objective.” In other words, the military should have a say in deciding the aims and should be left free to pursue it.

The underlying premise about military professionalism is not as compelling as it sounds. As scholars of civil-military relations have pointed out, the military is quite unlike other professions. Few military officers have actual experience of fighting wars: our top military leadership, for instance, joined the services well after the 1971 war. Treating them as experts in the management of violence is a bit like entrusting a crucial surgery to a doctor who has prepared all his life to perform a surgery without ever having done one. To be sure, the military will always know more about military affairs but there is no reason to presume that they know best.

Equally dodgy is the subsequent claim about operational independence for the military. Earlier, the doctrine quotes Clausewitz’s famous dictum about war being a continuation of politics. But the demand for operational independence is inconsistent with the Clausewitzian view. If war is a continuation of politics, then politics will influence and intervene at levels of warfare down to the tactical. As the recent incident of using a human shield in Kashmir shows, even tactical actions can have political consequences. Hence, there can be no inviolable military sphere–either in theory or in practice. Acquiescing in such a demand will be deeply damaging. The history of our own wars underscores these problems.

It is curious that on one hand the military wants greater say in policy matters, but on the other it wants to keep the civilians out of its domain. The former demand is entirely understandable, but the latter is incompatible with any properly integrated system of civil-military relations. The military can’t have its cake and eat it too. If strategy is the bridge between political ends and military means, then it will have to be jointly constructed by the civilians and the military.

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 9

Even as the state government today appointed Maj Gen Dharam Vir Singh Rana (retd) as Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC), the appointment of the outgoing Chairman KS Tomar as Chief Information Commissioner could not be made despite a meeting of the selection committee.Rana hails from Bhattu village in Kangra district and will head the commission for six years or attainment of 65 years of age. There have been several occasions when senior Army officers have occupied the post of chairman or member of the HPPSC with Maj Gen CK Sharma (retd) and Brig Lokender Chauhan (retd) also occupying these posts recently.A meeting of the selection committee to finalise the names of the next State Chief Information Commissioner (SCIC) and State Information Commissioner (SIC) was held here today at a very short notice. The meeting was attended by Virbhadra, senior Cabinet minister Vidya Stokes and Leader of the Opposition PK Dhumal amid hectic lobbying by contenders. Even as it was being expected that a decision on the new SCIC and SIC would be taken, it has been decided to invite fresh applications till May 24. As per the fresh advertisement, issued by the Administrative Reforms Department, the applicants, who had applied for the post in May 2016, need not send fresh applications.Besides Tomar, the other front runner for the SCIC is Narender Chauhan, Additional Chief Secretary, Public Works Department (PWD), who also holds an LLM degree and enjoys impeccable integrity. Some other retired IAS, IPS and IFS officers too are in the race for the post of SCIC lying vacant for the last over one year.The post of Chairman, HPPSC, fell vacant on May 7 on the completion of the term of Tomar. A total of 137 applications had been received against the advertisement on May 13, 2016, after the completion of the term of Bhim Sen, a former IAS, who completed his term on March 23, 2016. The post of State Information Commissioner (SIC) too fell vacant last month on the completion of the term of KD Batish. A total of 37 applications have been received to fill the lone post of SIC.

Hails from Kangra

• Maj Gen Dharam Vir Singh Rana (retd) hails from Bhattu village inKangra district
• He will head the commission for six years

Kulbhushan Jadhav. File photo

New Delhi, May 9

The International Court of Justice today stayed the hanging of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of “spying”.The order by the Hague-based International Court of Justice came a day after India approached it against the death sentence handed down to Jadhav by Pakistan’s Field General Court Martial last month.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)India, in its appeal to the ICJ, accused Pakistan of “egregious” violations of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and asserted that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he was involved in business activities after retiring from the Indian Navy but Pakistan claimed to have arrested him from Balochistan on March 3, 2016. Following the appeal, the ICJ stayed his hanging.  — PTI

Indo-Pak politics plays out in UK elections

Theresa May campaigns in York

Ashis Ray in London

Twenty-four out of 650 constituencies in the House of Commons have 10-50% of overseas citizens of India or non-resident Indians. In effect, people of Indian origin have between a significant to a decisive say on who wins these seats.Virendra Sharma is the sitting MP for Ealing Southall, who attracted 65% of votes cast in the last general election in 2015. In a veiled reference to an undercurrent of subcontinental politics in his constituency, which has Sikhs and Hindus from India, Pakistanis and Afghans, he told a rally: “This is a British election and we should be debating British values, not old community conflicts, ancient arguments and squabbles from half a world away and half a century ago.”(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)A section of Pakistani constituents had objected to his stout defence of India in a debate on Kashmir in the Commons. Without directly referring to this, he affirmed: “I will represent every religion, every culture and those unsure of where they belong.”Regardless of his being a rock solid seat for his Labour party, Sharma is taking no chances. Accompanied by activists, he is going door-to-door to canvass for support. One hundred and twenty-five years after the first Indian was elected to the British House of Commons, a turbaned Sikh is likely to make a maiden appearance in this chamber when results of the mid-term general election—unexpectedly summoned by Prime Minister Theresa May to strengthen her hand in Brexit negotiations with the European Union—are declared on June 9 next.Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, 38, has been selected by the opposition Labour party to fight in the constituency of Slough, 33 km to the west of London. He replaces Fiona Mactaggart, who stood down after being its MP for 20 years. In the last election, she won by a margin of 15.2% in a seat considered to be a relatively safe for Labour. “If elected, I will work tirelessly for the people of Slough,” he vowed to the Slough Express.Dhesi will be the third Sikh to enter the Commons after Piara Singh Khabra, who represented nearby Ealing Southall, and Marsha Singh, who stood from the Pakistan-dominated area of Bradford West. Both, though, were radical left-wingers who dispensed with long hair and beard as well as their turbans.Dadabhai Naoroji, a Liberal, entered the Commons from Finsbury Central constituency in London in 1892 and remained a member until 1895. He was followed by Sir Mancherjee Bhownagree, a Conservative, who won from Bethnal Green North East, also in London. He served as a lawmaker from 1895 to 1906.Then came the intriguing Shapurji Saklatvala, a former Tata employee and a cousin of the third chairman of the Group, Nowroji Saklatvala. In 1922, he stood for election on behalf of the Communist Party of Great Britain and won from Battersea North in the British capital. He lost the next year, only to be returned for a full five-year term in the Commons in 1924.Fifty-eight years elapsed before another politician of Asian extraction was ushered in to the Commons. Keith Vaz, born in Aden and of Goan descent, ended the drought by getting elected in 1987 for the Labour party from Leicester East, a constituency he has represented ever since.Others who earned the right to warm the gleaming green leather seats were Dr Ashok Kumar, Labour who won from Langbaurgh and Middlesborough South and East Cleveland, Parmjit Dhanda, Labour from Gloucester, Parmjit Gill, Liberal Democrat from Leicester South and Paul Uppal Conservative from Wolverhampton South West. The first mentioned died prematurely. The other three lost their seats, although Uppal is now back in the fray.The maternal grandfather of Sebastian Coe, a double Olympic gold medallist, was Punjabi. He was elected in 1992 from Falmouth and Camborne as a Conservative, before losing in 1997.  Vaz’s sister, Valerie Vaz, Labour from Walsall South—who celebrated Baisakhi in the Houses of Parliament before the house prorogued—Seema Malhotra (who is up and coming and has served as shadow chief secretary to the treasury), Labour from Feltham and Heston, Lisa Nandy (who father was a Bengali doctor), Labour from Wigan, Shailesh Vara, Conservative from Cambridgeshire North West, Priti Patel, Conservative from Witham, Alok Sharma (a second generation Tory), Conservative from Reading West, hedge fund millionaire Rishi Sunak, Conservative from Richmond, Yorkshire, and son-in-law of NR Narayana Murthy of Infosys, and Suella Fernandes, Conservative from Fareham, are again in the running. Last year, Keith Vaz was forced to resign as chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee—having performed creditably at this post since 2007—after an expose on his private life by the Sunday Mirror. It will be interesting to see how—if at all—his constituency of pre-dominantly orthodox Gujarati Hindus reacts to the episode. He met trustees of the Brahma Samaj over the weekend. In 2015, he ensnared 61% of votes.Indian-origin people still punch below their weight in terms of the contingent of MPs. They are 3.3% of the population, but occupy only 1.5% of the seats. But if the outgoing MPs are re-elected and Dhesi and Uppal are returned, the number of lawmakers of Indian descent would rise in the next Commons. Navin Shah in Harrow East, Resham Kotecha in Coventry North West and Ameet Jogia in Brent North are among those who’ve thrown their hat into the ring.   With Patel enjoying cabinet rank and Alok Sharma a junior minister, Indian extraction politicians have in recent years enhanced their presence in Whitehall. 

indian-origin people the deciding factor

• 24out of 650 constituencies in House of Commons have 10% to 50% of overseas citizens of India or NRIs

Sikh connection

• Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, 38, has been selected by opposition Labour party to fight in the constituency of Slough
• If elected, Dhesi will be third Sikh to enter the Commons after Piara Singh Khabra, who represented nearby Ealing Southall
• He, however, will be first turbaned Sikh to make a appearance in this chamber when poll results are declared on June 9
• The second was Marsha Singh, who stood from the Pakistan-dominated area of Bradford West
• Both Piara and Marsha, though, were radical left-wingers who dispensed with long hair and beard as well as their turbans

2 pvt producers got Rs 900 cr for no generation of power

Ruchika M. Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 8

Two private power producers in Punjab were paid an estimated Rs 900 crore during 2016-17 as fixed charges and not for generating electricity, a technical audit has revealed.Twelve other power-generation plants — owned by the National Thermal Power Corporation and National Hydro Power Corporation — got Rs 600 crore as fixed charges for non-purchase of power during the time these were ready to generate at optimum capacity.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)The fixed charges paid to the 14 companies form the basis of the technical audit of all power purchase agreements (PPAs) signed by the cash-strapped Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) on behalf of the Punjab Government.Power Minister Rana Gurjit Singh, after assuming office, had said that he wanted to review all power purchase agreements by the previous SAD-BJP government. The Capt Amarinder government said the review should be carried out within four months.A preliminary examination of PPAs revealed that the fixed cost paid to Nabha Power Limited was Rs 1.44 per unit of power not bought by the state, and Talwandi Sabo Power Limited Rs 1.20. In comparison, most public sector plants supplying power to Punjab were getting 50 paise to Re 1 per unit as fixed cost, barring one or two, where the fixed cost was as high as Rs 1.46 (from the gas-based plant).The penalty clause in these PPAs will also be examined in the audit.

No jeans, tops for women teachers in Punjab

Order says bright suits, fashionable dresses ‘excite’ school kids; regular checks mus

maninder Pal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 8

Diktats on what to eat or wear, especially in case of women, may sound medieval. But the Punjab Education Department, incidentally headed by a woman Cabinet minister, has done just that by issuing an order stating “jeans, tops, bhadkeela pehrawa (bright suits) and fashionable dresses” worn by women teachers in government schools “excite” students and have a bad influence on them.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Laced with vocabulary reflecting patriarchal mindset and “specifically” addressing dressing culture of women employees, who constitute more than half of the employment base of the department, the order directs all district officials to conduct regular checks in schools to ensure no woman teacher wears such clothes.“We are receiving complaints that teachers in government schools, especially female teachers, are delivering their duties while sporting bhadkeela pehrawa. Some lady teachers wear jeans, tops and other many more exciting fashionable dresses during their duty hours. This affects students,” reads the circular issued to all Circle Education Officers and District Education Officers of the state.Teachers termed it a “Talibani farmaan” (Taliban decree) that was “reactionary” and “immature” in nature.A report on whether the dress code is being followed in schools or not is to be regularly submitted to the office of Director, Education (Senior Secondary).“As it affects students, dress code should be implemented. Regular checks should be conducted to ensure it is being followed,” reads the order.

Will withdraw letter: GovtLetter has been issued without my nod and knowledge. We will withdraw it —SS Kahlon, Director Public Instructions Such vocabulary should not be used. This letter’s been issued with reference to old order of 2012. We’ve summoned officials who issued letter. —TPS Sidhu, Joint Secy, Education Reactionary, immature: TeachersNot only unnecessary and immature, this order is reactionary in nature and reflects patriarchal mindset of those sitting in high offices. It reflects authorities’ immaturity pertaining to gender issues— Surjeet Singh of Government Teachers’ Union, Punjab

SGPC honours Capt at Golden Temple

Sikh body had denied him siropa in 2002 during his previous tenure as Chief Minister

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh is flanked by state Congress president Sunil Jakhar and Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu at the Golden Temple on Monday.

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 8

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) honoured Capt Amarinder Singh here today during his maiden visit to the Golden Temple after taking charge as the Chief Minister, 15 years after it had denied him a siropa (robe of honour) during his previous tenure as the CM.Kirpal Singh Badungar was heading the Sikh body in 2002 as well. Former SGPC presidents Bibi Jagir Kaur and Gurcharan Singh Tohra had condemned the then management for snubbing the CM.Badungar was not present today due to health reasons, according to SGPC chief secretary Harcharan Singh. The SGPC chief had recently said that Capt Amarinder would be welcomed at the shrine.The CM reached the Golden Temple at 7.15 am. Despite his foot injury, he completed a round of the parikrama and offered prayers at the sanctum sanctorum.He was honoured with a siropa by the shrine’s head priest, Jagtar Singh. Thereafter, he was presented with a siropa, a shawl, Golden Temple’s framed picture and a set of religious books by the shrine’s manager, Sulakhan Singh, in the presence of Harcharan Singh and SGPC secretary Dr Roop Singh.Later, the CM paid tributes to the martyrs at Jallianwala Bagh. He was accompanied by PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar; Cabinet ministers Navjot Singh Sidhu, Manpreet Singh Badal and Rana Gurjit Singh; local MP Gurjit Singh Aujla; Congress MLAs Sunil Dutti and Inderbir Singh Bolaria; and party leaders Jasbir Dimpa and Dinesh Bassi.He also paid obeisance at the Durgiana Mandir and Ram Tirath Sthal before leaving for Hoshiarpur.Khalsa College suicide: CM promises justiceAmritsar: Capt Amarinder Singh on Sunday met Khalsa College students who had locked horns with the management over the suicide by a student, Harpreet Singh. The CM directed Principal Secretary (Higher Education) Anurag Verma to probe the incident and ascertain the management’s role. He assured Harpreet’s father Yadwinder Singh that anyone found guilty of abetment to suicide would be punished. The CM said the police had formed an SIT to investigate the case. In a letter to the CM, Yadwinder sought Rs 50-lakh compensation and a job for his younger son. The letter was also signed by gram panchayat members and residents of Harpreet’s village, Gumti Kalan. An FIR has already been filed against the college principal, registrar and head of its agriculture department. Harpreet’s attendance at college had been low as he was attending coaching classes with the aim of getting admission in the MSc course in another institution. TNS

‘Non-VIP’ minister

• Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal stood in the queue for ordinary devotees before entering the sanctum sanctorum, whereas the CM and his other Cabinet colleagues preferred to take the VVIP passage to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple.

Denied honour in 2002, Amarinder given ‘siropa’ inside Golden Temple CM promises fair real estate policy

It was Capt’s first visit to the shrine after becoming Punjab CM

SAYS WILL ALSO EXAMINE WHAT STEPS CAN BE ‘LEGALLY’ TAKEN TO HELP HOTELIERS HIT BY SUPREME COURT’S LIQUOR BAN ALONG HIGHWAYS

AMRITSAR : Contrary to its 2002 stand, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Monday honoured Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh with a ‘siropa’ (robe of honour) at the Golden Temple here on Monday.

HT PHOTOChief minister Capt Amarinder Singh also visited Durgiana Temple in Amritsar on Monday.

The chief minister, who reached the Golden Temple early in the morning, did a ‘parikrama’ of the holy shrine before offering prayers at the sanctum sanctorum, where head granthi Giani Jagtar Singh presented him the ‘siropa’. Later, the SGPC executive members and office-bearers also honoured him inside the information office.

However, SGPC chief Kirpal Singh Badungar remained absent due to health issues, said the sources. SGPC chief secretary Harcharan Singh was though present throughout.

Amarinder was denied the ‘siropa’ during his visit to the shrine after becoming the chief minister in 2002, which had evoked a sharp reaction. Though the SGPC honoured him with the ‘siropa’ in 2004, but it was not inside the sanctum sanctorum. This time, when Amarinder became the chief minister, SGPC chief Kirpal Badungar had announced beforehand that the CM will be given ‘siropa’ when he visits the Golden Temple.

CM SEEKS BLESSINGS

From the Golden Temple, Amarinder went to Jallianwala Bagh and then to the Durgiana Mandir. The CM and his colleagues later visited Sri Ram Tirath Sthal to offer prayers before leaving for Hoshiarpur, to inaugurate a new tractor manufacturing facility.

In statement, Amarinder said it was a gratifying experience for him to visit the holy shrines, “which are a fountainhead of peace for millions of people from around the world”.

He said he and his colleagues wished to express their gratitude to God for their victory in the recent Punjab assembly elections. He said they had come to these temples to pray for the state, and its peace and development.

Among those who accompanied him were the newly appointed state Congress chief Sunil Jakhar, Amritsar MP Gurjit Singh Aujla, cabinet ministers Manpreet Singh Badal, Rana Gurjit Singh, Navjot Singh Sidhu and Sadhu Singh Dharmsot. MLAs of Amritsar district and Jalandhar Cantt legislator Pargat Singh were also present. HOSHIARPUR: Chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday said the new real estate policy in the state would be made in consultation with all stakeholders, promising a fair play to hotel associations and property dealers here.

The CM was presented a memorandum by the two associations on Monday in which they kept their demands regarding the formulation of new real estate policy. Amarinder said he would examine what steps his government could “legally” take to help the hotel industry recover from the “adverse impact” of the Supreme Court ban on sale of liquor along the highways.

INAUGURATES TRACTOR PRODUCTION FACILITY

The CM also inaugurated a new state-of-the-art tractor production facility of International Tractors Limited (ITL), describing it as a major asset for the state’s progress. Rolling out the first tractor, the CM termed the new plant as a major achievement for Punjab, which was heavily dependent on agriculture for its growth and development. The ITL claimed that the new facility was world’s largest integrated tractor plant, with a total capacity of 3 lakh tractors annually.

Inspecting the plant, the CM said that the high-end tractors being manufactured at the plant under the brand name of Sonalika would be beneficial to the state’s farmers, who needed modern equipment to improve their crop yield and quality.

The inaugural event was attended by the top management of the company, including chairman LD Mittal, vice-chairman Amrit Sagar Mittal and managing director Deepak Mittal.

On the occasion, the management presented a cheque for ₹1.01 crore for the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. They also presented a tractor to the CM who gifted the same to Citrus Estate in Chhauni village, which he had visited earlier in the day.

To mark the CM’s visit, ITL announced the adoption of Chhauni Kalan to transform in a world-class village.

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Ensure security of Sikhs in US, CM tells Centre

Chandigarh, May 8

Concerned over the spurt in attacks on Indians, including Sikhs, abroad, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has urged the Centre to ensure their protection and take up such issues in “right earnest”.Amarinder had raised concern over the recent killing of a Kapurthala man, Jagjeet Singh (32), in the US in a suspected hate crime case.He was stabbed to death by an unidentified person allegedly over cigarettes outside a grocery store in California.In response to the CM’s tweet, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said she had spoken to the Indian Ambassador in Washington, Navtej Singh Sarna, on the issue.Raveen Thukral, media adviser to CM, said Amarinder was concerned over the recent spurt in hate crimes against Indians, mainly Sikhs, in the US and other parts of the world.The CM has said the US alone had witnessed several such attacks on Sikhs, who have been at the receiving end of the growing bigotry in the country and demanded immediate steps to ensure their protection. The Centre, he said, needed to adopt a more proactive stance to put pressure on the US to crack down on racist elements and provide fool-proof protection to the Sikh community. — PTI

Need-based changes in Cong unit on cards

Sunil Jakhar

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 8

Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Sunil Jakhar today hinted at rationalising the state body, wherever required.He will formally take over as the state Congress chief at the PPCC office here on May 10. Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, Punjab affairs in-charge Asha Kumari and Congress secretary Harish Chaudhary would be present.A former Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader and three-time MLA from Abohar, Jakhar will replace Capt Amarinder as the PPCC chief. Capt Amarinder had resigned from the post during a meeting with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on April 12.Jakhar said the present PPCC team appointed by Capt Amarinder had done extremely well. “As some of the leaders have been become ministers or have been given other responsibilities in the government, some changes may be required.”On his agenda would be to share information on the foodgrain scam, scam in setting up of private thermal plants and other matters raised by him in the run-up to the Assembly elections. “The government is already on the job and I will be sharing the information as and when required,” Jakhar added.

Chandigarh-based doctor adopts martyr’s daughter

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 8

MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla along with Dr Gurmohan Singh (a Chandigarh-based nephrologist) and Jaspal Singh Sandhu, a local businessman, and others visited the family of Naib Subedar Paramjit Singh, who was killed by the Pakistani army along the Line of Control in the Poonch Sector.Motivated by Aujla, Dr Gurmohan has adopted the martyr’s elder daughter, Simrandeep Kaur, and offered to bear the expenditure of her education and marriage.The Deputy Commissioner of Kullu and his wife have already adopted the younger daughter, Khushdeep Kaur. Talking about his inspiration, Dr Gurmohan Singh said he had seen a dream 33 years ago in 1984 that he should adopt the families of soldiers and policemen who were in killed in trains and at the railway station, but it didn’t materialise due to lack of funds and other issues. He had earlier adopted a Dalit girl in Chandigarh. He offered to sponsor the study of Simrandeep Kaur in the best school in Chandigarh, Amritsar or any other school of the family’s choice. He also proposed to open a bank account in the name of Simarndeep and deposit the first instalment to meet her expenses.Speaking on the occasion, Aujla said that Paramjit would be remembered alongwith those who laid down their lives for the country and it is an honour for them to do something for the family. He said the bravehearts of their nation were standing shoulder to shoulder with the armed personnel of India.Dr Gurmohan Singh said Naib Subedar Paramjit Singh laid down his life for the nation and it was their duty to help his dependents.

70 yrs on, holy city holds on to its British legacy

HOUGH RECHRISTENED AFTER INDEPENDENCE, MANY ROADS, OTHER PLACES STILL KNOWN BY THEIR COLONIAL NAMES

AMRITSAR: Even as the British rulers left the country around 70 years ago, their legacy still survives, especially in the holy city.HTHall Gate, built in 1873 and named after the then deputy commissioner CH Hall, was renamed Gandhi Gate after Independence. In view of the original name’s popularity, the Punjab tourism department has mentioned it on signboards on both sides of the gate.

Although various places, predominantly roads, were given Indian names by the administration subsequently, these remain only on paper. In practice, the original names given by the British rulers remain popular among locals and tourists alike.

On entering the walled city from the west side, there is a famous gate that was constructed in 1873. The gurbani slogan ‘Amritsar Sifti Da Ghar’ (Amritsar is a home of values) is installed atop it. The gate is famous as Hall Gate after the then deputy commissioner CH Hall. Even as it was rechristened Gandhi Gate after independence and the new name can be seen written on it, the old name persists.

In view of its popularity, the Punjab tourism department has in fact mentioned the old name on boards on both its sides. Even the famous market situated along the stretch between this gate and the historic Town Hall building is popular as Hall Bazaar.

The Civil Lines, one of the posh localities of the city, was developed by the British officers on the north side of the old city. Lawrence Road constructed near the historic Ram Bagh garden in 1870 was named after the British official John Lawrence. The officers used this road to commute, and Indians were not allowed to reside near it. However, the legendary Punjabi poet Bhai Vir Singh, who belonged to an affluent family, managed to build his house on this road. In view of his contributions, the civic body renamed this road after him, but only on paper. The signboards still call it Lawrence Road.

The road connecting the Sadar police station to the cantonment area was named after the then finance commissioner FC Mcleod in 1853. Although the administration renamed it after Pundit Lal Chand Changotra, people are oblivious to this fact. The same has been the fate of Queens Road and Cooper Road (both between Bhandari Bridge and the district courts), Mall Road (Novelty Chowk to Court Chowk), Taylor Road (connecting Mall Road to Court Road), and Albert Road (between the railway station and Mall Road).

QUEEN VICTORIA TRUMPS MAHARAJA RANJIT SINGH

The Ram Bagh garden, developed by Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the memory of Guru Ram Das, founder of the holy city, was renamed Company Bagh by the British administration. Even today, this new name remains popular.

In 1887, the colonial rulers installed a statue of Queen Victoria on the chowk situated on the way to the Golden Temple near the Dharam Singh market. Both the chowk and the market were rechristened after her. Later, the Queen’s statue was removed, and recently the Punjab government installed a huge statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh here. The locals, however, still call it by the colonial name, which as the names of other places has been passed down from one generation to the other since 1947.

 

 

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh with the family of JCO Paramjit Singh at their house in Veinpoin village, Tarn Taran, on Sunday. — Tribune photo

Tribune News Service

Tarn Taran, May 7

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday announced a police job for the elder daughter and a reserved a job for the elder son of Naib Subedar Paramjit Singh, who was recently killed during a ceasefire violation by the Pakistani army at LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.The Chief Minister, who visited Paramjit Singh’s family at Vein Poin village here, said his government would soon table before the Cabinet a comprehensive policy standardising compensation for any Punjabi of any force who lays down his life in fighting for the nation.Condoling the death of Paramjit Singh, Captain Amarinder said the jobs for the two elder children, which the family had sought from the government, would be in addition to the compensation already announced for the deceased’s next of kin.

The Captain Amarinder Singh-led government had earlier announced a total compensation of Rs 12 lakh, including Rs 5 lakh for the wife and children of the deceased, Rs 2 lakh for his parents and a plot worth Rs 5 lakhs.

In addition, another Rs 1 lakh was announced for renaming the local rest house in the soldier’s name.The Chief Minister on Sunday also announced a school and a stadium in the area in the name of the jawan.Amritsar MP Gurjit Singh Aujla had also announced that he would adopt the second daughter of the deceased soldier, whose elder daughter, 16-year-old Simrandeep Kaur, has been adopted by a bureaucrat couple from Himachal Pradesh.Both Simranjit Kaur and son Sahildeep Singh, 12, will be provided government jobs by the state government on completion of their education, the Chief Minister told mediapersons.Asked if the government was not discriminating against the third child of the deceased, he said it was not possible to provide individual compensation to every family member, but he made it clear that all promises made to the family would be fulfilled by his government, which would extent more help to them if needed.

Responding to questions, the Chief Minister said the central government was not doing enough to protect the men manning the country’s borders. Tough steps need to be taken to prevent the recurrence of such brutal killings at the border, he stressed, adding that India should retaliate with thrice the force to any incursions into our territory.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by his cabinet colleagues Rana Gurjit Singh and Navjot Singh Sidhu, as well as Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar. 

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Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh. File photo

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 1

Reacting strongly to the reported mutilation of two soldiers by Pakistan Army following a ceasefire violation in Poonch area of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday urged the Central Government to give a free hand to the Army to deal with such atrocities and barbaric acts.He also backed the Indian Army’s warning of “appropriate response” for the “despicable act.”In a similar vein, Amarinder also came down heavily on those criticising the Indian Army’s action of tying a man to a jeep to protect its soldiers from stone-pelters during the recent elections in Kashmir.Coming out in defence of Major Gagoi, under criticism from various quarters over his ‘human shield’ action, Capt Amarinder said the officer was simply doing his duty.In a Facebook post, the Chief Minister further said, “Had I been in the same situation I would have carried out the same action.”

All is apparently not well between the Pakistani military and the civilian administration once again. Reports indicate that tensions rose on Saturday following a public rejection of the civilian government’s findings of Dawn newspaper report probe by the military. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday sacked his Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi and sought action against Principal information officer Rao Tehsin of the Ministry of Information following the Inquiry Committee’s recommendations. In a story published last year, Dawn claimed that the government had told the military to act against militants or face international isolation. The report caused a friction between the civilian administration and the military prompting the government to set up a probe committee. Islamabad had also decided to bar senior journalist Cyril Almeida from leaving his country after writing that exclusive report. Speculation suggests that Islamabad had wanted the story to go public. The aim was to tell the world that Islamabad is doing its part to defang home-grown militancy and embarrass the military establishment. But the use of “non-state” by the Pakistani military establishment has been institutionalised. Some commentators in India have even suggested that the report was part of Islamabad’s strategy to regain some control over national security. But the civilian leadership was seemingly unable to follow through on its gambit. There is speculation that Sharif administration has thrown senior officials and the newspaper under the bus to save itself from the military’s wrath. One can only conclude that the civilian leadership exercises little power, especially in matters of foreign policy and national security. The Panama Papers leak has already rendered Sharif vulnerable. In the past, he has offered little resistance to the military as it has steadily encroached on his authority. How will Sharif react to the military’s latest rebuff? We don’t have the answers yet.

Read more at: http://www.millenniumpost.in/editorial/tensions-rise-in-pak-239309

Illustration by Sandeep Joshi

A revolution was deemed to have been ushered in on May 26, 2014, in the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan. Three years later, it is all too obvious that the meretricious cult has not been allowed to go stale; nor, have the “revolutionaries” lost their swagger. If anything, the revolution and its high priests seem inexhaustible and unstoppable. The Prime Minister’s reputation as the greatest demagogue of our times stands undiminished; he has been blessed with, to use Tiruvallavar’s words, “the gift of the gifted tongue.” As a nation, we remain seduced. Our anxieties and animosities are kept bubbling; and, we are all comfortable with #hashtag ill-liberalism. We have been induced to believe that we are being governed by less corrupt and more effective rulers than we were during the days of the parasitic Gandhis; we are unceasingly bombarded with facts and fiction, all intended to convey a sense of competence and accomplishment. Indeed, we are not allowed to catch our breath; we are being constantly transported from one crisis to another — and, a sense of relief that there is someone out there who is willing to use violence against those who threaten us with violence. There is no denying that the new revolution continues to demonstrate untiring political energy and populist verve; perhaps its greatest — uniquely unprecedented — strength remains its ability to control the national narrative, what we think or are allowed to say in public domain. It has mastered the new communication techniques and technology. The result is a bit of national incongruity. The same media that only a few years ago thought its primary institutional responsibility — rather its very raison d’etre — was to ask uncomfortable questions, to show a mirror to power, to speak up to authority, has been enlisted, unresistingly and self-consciously, as a government surrogate. Night after night, dissent and disagreements are shouted down in television studios; those in disagreement with the government are simply told to “stop cribbing.” This has been one of the most remarkable achievements, that too without seemingly any recourse to the coercive instruments available to any government. The media has been seduced to redefine its role: run the Opposition out of town. No other government since Independence has had the media so eagerly eating out of its hand, not even during the infamous Emergency. Yet, three years later, the character and direction of the revolution stand changed. It can be argued, admittedly with a bit of exaggeration, that the “revolution” has been reduced to a fight over Indira Gandhi’s legacy between her biological grandson (Rahul Gandhi) and a putative political grandson (Narendra Modi). The revolution changed direction once the Bihar electorate in the late 2015 put an end to the emerging Modi presidency; and, suddenly, the man who was widely hailed to be an Indian Deng Xiaoping, dexterously changed the course. After the Bihar voter settled Modi’s hash, the reformist platform was pushed on the back-burner (even though the FICCI and the ASSOCHAM continue to sing paeans, perhaps out of habit.) Let us make no mistake. Three years after the revolution, the Indian State is back with a bang — back with all the Stalinist impulses of the Indira Gandhi era. The State and its authorised functionaries breathe down the citizen’s neck, in the most intrusive and demanding manner. At least, three elements of the Indira Gandhi State stand restored as functioning mantras of the new revolution. First, the poor have been discovered, circa 1969. The grand disruption that went by the demonetisation was dressed up in pro-poor rhetoric in a manner that would have earned a nod of approval from Indira Gandhi. All those who thought that the corporate imagination and the market innovation would be relied upon to find answers to our problems of economic stagnation and unemployment, have watched in silence as the State was now charged with the responsibility to ameliorate the poor’s plight. Shades of Garibi Hatao. All the Indira Gandhi acolytes have noted with satisfaction that the 2014 revolution has not meant the withering away of the welfare State. Second, the inspector and his stick are back. In the name of unearthing black money, the raid raj has been brought back. Not since the brief period of VP Singh’s tenure as Finance Minister has the country been invited to celebrate the daily visits from the CBI or the Enforcement Directorate. It is being harshly demanded that taxes be paid up; otherwise be prepared for a visit from the income-tax man. Rather than the citizen being asked to live up to his obligations to the State, a collectivist mindset appears to be at work. And, where the legal functionaries are unable to be persuasive, there is the lynch mob, out to enforce and impose new prejudices and preferences. The State has asserted its right to oversee all spheres of cultural and social activity. The State is more muscular, more muzzling, and more manipulative than at any other time in recent decades. And, the third Indira Gandhi mantra at work is invocation of nationalism and its unremitting demands on our emotions and loyalties. Our nationalism has been reoriented as an anti-Pakistan mantra. Stupid and shallow men in Islamabad and Rawalpindi continue to fuel our sense of righteous indignation. Indira Gandhi remains the historic role model. Our present leaders cannot be faulted for remembering that Indira Gandhi enjoys the status of being the only “Hindu” ruler in our history to have inflicted a crushing defeat on a “Muslim” adversary. Even Atal Behari Vajpayee had to hail her as Durga. History carries its own allurements for the current saviours. And, just as it was Indira Gandhi’s wont, these mantras are being pressed to good use for a single-minded pursuit of personal political dominance and hegemony. The pursuit of personal political hegemony has, necessarily, to be non-ideological, practical, pragmatic and tactically ambiguous. The purists can keep on bemoaning the ideological flakiness and the absence of a Margaret Thatcher-like clarity and conviction, the hegemon has no doubts about his aims and direction: maximalist power as a personal entitlement, as a necessary requisite for orderly and stable governance. A political leader defines himself as much in terms of what his regime stands for as in terms of who he chooses to designate as his putative enemy. The Modi revolution continues to position itself as the anti-thesis of the Gandhis, and to appropriate for itself a moral and spiritual superiority — a very Indira Gandhian ruse, as it seeks to lay its own claim to the historical legacy of Indira Gandhi. In this quest lie the seeds of the revolution’s own disintegration. 

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 25

Northern Command chief Lt Gen Devraj Anbu today emphasised the need for relentless intelligence-based operations to sustain pressure on the militant organisations.Lt General Anbu said this with interacting with troops on the ground in north and south Kashmir.An Army spokesman said Lt Gen Devraj Anbu today visited the formations and units in north and south Kashmir to review the prevailing security situation.“The Northern Command chief interacted with troops on the ground and emphasised the need for undertaking relentless intelligence-based operations to sustain pressure on the terrorist organisations,” the spokesman said.Commending the troops for their dedication to duty and high standards of professionalism, the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Northern Command asked them to continue strict vigil to thwart any nefarious designs of inimical elements, he said.Lt General Anbu also reinforced the need for synergy among all security agencies to effectively meet any emerging security challenges and maintain a safe, secure and peaceful environment for the people.During the visit, Lt General Anbu was accompanied by Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen JS Sandhu.