LS ex-Speaker Meira Kumar with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. file

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 23

Sudden turn of events over the past week have again brought Congress veteran Meira Kumar face to face with destiny. It’s familiar territory for her though.On June 3, 2009, Kumar was unanimously elected the first woman Speaker of the Lok Sabha. This June, she has emerged the Opposition’s unanimous choice to contest the July 17 presidential election. This may not have been the case had the BJP nominee not been a Dalit. Consciously avoiding the caste reference, Kumar today kept her reaction to the nomination guarded.“I express my gratitude to 17 Opposition parties which have selected me as their presidential candidate. I am delighted by the Opposition’s unity. The post of the President is not symbolic. It carries the responsibility of safeguarding our constitutional principles. I appeal to the members of the collegiums to base their decision on these cherished principles and secure them for our future generations,” Kumar said in her first statement post nomination today.She also described the July 17 fight as ideological, terming the post of President beyond realms of castes and regions. “The Opposition unity represents the coming together of forces which have a strong ideological base. I am going to contest election as their representative. The President’s post embodies the diversity of Indian culture and the vision of our composite ideology. It transcends the considerations of caste, religion or region,” said Kumar as her life came a full circle today.And how? BSP chief Mayawati will back the nomination of Kumar as President, having tasted defeat at her hands in 1985 Lok Sabha elections from UP’s Bijnor. That was Kumar’s first election in which she defeated two Dalit icons — Mayawati and Ram Vilas Paswan.Kumar’s five LS terms later culminated in a dream elevation as Speaker of the 15th Lok Sabha between 2009 and 2014, a House that will be remembered for disruptions. Kumar, however, acquired the reputation as a mild-mannered Speaker, a contrast from Somnath Chatterjee, the forceful Speaker of the 14th LS.As for Kumar’s politics, much of it remained rooted in the ideals of her late father Jagjivan Ram, a freedom fighter and former Deputy PM under PM Morarji Desai.Kumar graduated in law from Cambridge and went on to join the Indian Foreign Services, serving in various missions, including Madrid and London. She turned to politics in 1985. Besides being a LS member, Kumar held high organisational positions in the Congress as general secretary and Working Committee member and later became minister in UPA-I handling social justice and water resources.

Masood Azhar, Pathankot plotter

Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 20

A day after BRICS foreign ministers came together to condemn terrorism, China today stuck to its old tune of Masood Azhar and said its position on the issue remained unchanged. For India, it also translates into being back to square one as far as China is concerned.The communiqué issued yesterday after the meeting between BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) ministers was emphatic in its resolve to combat terrorism.However, in Beijing today Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said, “At present, some members still have a disagreement over the listing matter.”Geng was responding to a question on the Azhar issue ahead of its review by the 1267 Committee of the UN next month. The 1267 Committee comprises members of the UN Security Council. Interestingly, Jaish is, as an organisation, proscribed under 1267. India, in the recent past, has made several attempts to get Masood, chief of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), listed as an international terrorist at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).China has always vetoed any such move citing lack of evidence, but in effect really standing up for its all-weather friend Pakistan. Azhar is accused by India of being the mastermind behind the Pathankot attacks.  “We have talked about our position many times. We believe the principles of objectivity and professionalism and justice shall be upheld,” Geng said. “China stands ready to remain in coordination and communication with the relevant parties.”(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)For India, the challenge of going ahead remains China vis-a-vis Pakistan. Whether it is the matter of getting Masood Azhar designated as terrorist or India seeking a berth in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the main stumbling block for India is China. In the UNSC, India finds itself facing a defeat time and again because of China’s veto power. And in matters of NSG that works on the basis of consensus among member states, the problem again is an adamant China.China’s statement should come as a wakeup call to the South Block mandarins. With a USD 50 billion Chinese investment in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor also happening, for India the worry is a growing China-Pakistan nexus where India’s interests are getting squeezed out – See more at: http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/china-says-no-change-in-stand-on-masood/425442.html#sthash.GXS356j3.dpuf

The year 2016 was horrible for the dialogue process, what with the Pathankot attack, Burhan Wani episode, Uri strike and the retaliatory surgical strikes. At the recent SCO Summit in Astana, there was no move to initiate dialogue. The red lines are now shallow, cl;oser to the LoC and inside Jammu and Kashmir.

Chill in air: (From L) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif gather for a “family photo” at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Kazakhstan”s capital Astana. AFP

IN these times of acute famine in dialogue between India and Pakistan, now in its fifth year of suspension following the beheading of an Indian soldier in January 2013, it was gratifying that at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet at Astana, Kazakhstan, recently, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Narendra Modi shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. But sadly, that’s only as far as they went, a full 18 months after the two-strand Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue format was worked out on the sidelines of the Paris Climate Change talks in December 2015. That one was a real quickie because within days, the two NSAs and the two Foreign Secretaries were meeting at Bangkok to enable External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to attend the Heart of Asia conference in Islamabad on December 9, proving that where there’s a will, there’s a way. It was also on the sidelines of the 15th SCO summit at Ufa in July 2015 that bilateral talks were held. At Astana, Modi could easily have pulled Sharif aside for a tete-a-tete to start the comprehensive bilateral dialogue as soon as possible. Modi has the political mandate to pull a rabbit out of the hat though Sharif has less of a say in such matters due to big brother, Gen Bajwa, watching. Swaraj unfortunately had  already robbed the little surprise there was of any structured conversation on the sidelines by announcing that this would not happen. The year 2016 was horrible for the dialogue process, what with the Pathankot attack, Burhan Wani episode, Uri strike and the retaliatory surgical strikes which did not force a clampdown on cross-border terrorism as was claimed by the government. Violence continued without any breakthrough on Track I. The dearth of any official engagement was made up by the number of Track II dialogues, two of which two were held in the last two months at Dubai and Kathmandu which I attended. These happened in April and May when after the winter lull, violence had kicked up again. Panelists from both sides recognised that the time was not conducive for talks given the growing levels of vigilante-ism and high-decibel television frenzy on both sides of the Line of Control to wipe each other off the map. Pakistan has sought moral equivalence with India as a victim of terrorism, thanks to what our Prime Minister, Defence Minister and National Security Adviser have been saying about punishing Pakistan in Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan. The charges specifically listed are unleashing of state terrorism in Balochistan through people like Kulbhushan Jadhav, a spy who incidentally was sentenced to death by a military court on the day after the Dubai conference. Reaching out to Baloch leader in exile, Brahamdagh Khan Bugti, financing of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, colluding with Kabul agencies for disruptive activities in Pakistan and most of all, the desire and intent to break up the CPEC project: these are the allegations now openly made against India. Samjhauta is forgotten. Pakistanis urged India to join CPEC, which eventually might provide an opening to the settlement of the Kashmir dispute.Two new elements have clouded the discourse: firstly, the tolerance threshold of cross-border terrorism never articulated by India has been abridged. Red lines are now shallow, closer to the LoC and inside Jammu and Kashmir. Previously, these were crossed mainly in attacks outside Jammu and Kashmir. Now, 19 dead in Uri would evoke a surgical strike. The red line has now been shifted to inside the state — with Uri becoming  the new normal. Ajit Doval, before he became the NSA, used to say if there is another Mumbai, there will be no Balochistan. Rawalpindi has identified this red line and confined its attacks mainly within Jammu and Kashmir. Secondly, a retired Pakistani General observed at Kathmandu that the equation between India and Pakistan has moved beyond LoC violations to kidnapping of each other’s officials. An advisory governing the attendance of Track II meetings anywhere in the neighbourhood has warned about threats from hostile intelligence agencies. He was referring to the disappearance in Nepal in April this year of one recently retired believed to be ISI Lt Col Mohammad Habib Zahir by R&AW to facilitate the eventual release of Kulbhushan Jadhav. A retired Indian General who was to attend the conference stayed away. A former Pakistan minister attended the conference, ignoring the advice from his party President but kept a low profile and left immediately after the conference. Swaraj has attached three conditions for resumption of talks – resolve all issues through dialogue, bilateral without any third party; and talks and terror cannot go together. It is the last provision which is tricky and one Pakistan has been unable to fulfil even during Gen Musharraf’s time. Then infiltration reduced by nearly half but violence in Jammu and Kashmir did not end. Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir has acquired a certain grassroot motivation and momentum. The tap of infiltration can be partially closed, not shut at least not till progress is seen to be made on Kashmir. Not long ago, both sides argued endlessly over which of the two core concerns of each other was more important: terrorism or Kashmir. In the end, the principle of simultaneity won the argument. Mentioning only terrorism, not Kashmir, grounded the Ufa agreement.  Further, New Delhi has quietly removed the red line of Pakistani officials not meeting the Hurriyat before the dialogue which wrecked a meeting between Swaraj and Sartaj Aziz in 2015. With a miss at Astana, the next window of opportunity will be on the sidelines of UNGA or a Saarc summit later in the year which was postponed last year due to the tensions between India and Pakistan.  Track II veterans at Kathmandu last month said that the next window of opportunity would arrive only after the elections in  Pakistan, 2018 and elections in India, 2019. Such is the sorry state of India-Pakistan relations.The writer is the convener of an uninterrupted India-Pakistan dialogue.

New Delhi, June 12

The BJP today sought an apology from Congress president Sonia Gandhi over her party leader Sandeep Diskshit “sadak ka goonda” remark against Army Chief General Bipin Rawat.The BJP, however, remained mum over the “chatur bania” reference to Mahatma Gandhi by its chief Amit Shah as Dikshit sought to use the observation as a counter-attack. The Congress distanced itself from Dikshit’s remarks with Rahul Gandhi saying “no politician should make comments against the Army Chief”. — TNS

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Sandeep Dikshit’s Derogatory Comment Against Army Chief Bipin Rawat

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Sandeep Dikshit के विवादित बयान से मचा हंगामा, Army Chief को बताया “सड़क का गुंडा”

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Long Haul: The principle of fair justice warrants transparency in the case.

 THE sham trial of Kulbhushan Jadhav by the Pakistan military court will be back in news next week when the ICJ sets down a time table for the full hearing of the case.India’s decision to take Jadhav’s case to the ICJ was a bold and courageous step. Firstly, on the investigation and judicial front, there are far too many loopholes which require to be brought to the notice of the international community. Secondly, in approaching the ICJ, we adopted a proactive diplomatic stance; a turning point in our diplomacy from the kind of chicanery noticed when mutilated bodies of Saurabh Kalia and his colleagues were handed over by the Pakistan army during the Kargil war.Jadhav has been convicted and sentenced to death by a military court established under the 21st Amendment of the Pakistan’s constitution to implement its national action plan against terrorism. This constitutional amendment has given extra-judicial powers to Pakistani military courts. As per sub-clause inserted in Section 2, Chapter 1 of the Pakistan Army Act-1952 (PAA), ‘Any person who is or claims or is known to belong to any terrorist group or organisation using the name of religion or sect and raises army or wages war against Pakistan or attacks the armed forces of Pakistan and law enforcement agencies, or attacks any civil or military installations in Pakistan or kidnaps any person for ransom or causes death of any person or injury, shall be punished under this Act’. With this clause, Pakistan has become the only country in South Asia which allows trial of civilians by military courts.Jadhav’s case has highlighted the violation of the Vienna Convention on consular relations, gross violation of rights and natural justice, and sham probe and trial by Pakistan’s military court.Jadhav was (allegedly) arrested by the Pakistan army at Mashkel (a remote Kharan desert town, 85 per cent destroyed in the 2013 earthquake) near the Iran border on March 3, 2016. Within three weeks, his so-called confession was put out for public viewing on video-tape. Is it possible to carry out a full probe that requires visits to distant locations, examination of witnesses and corroboration of testimony within such a short time? It looks extremely doubtful.He has been charged with providing financial backup and training to several agents involved in terrorist activities against Pakistan. Who are these agents? What and where was their training carried out? Where is the proof of money paid to them? The prosecution of such cases would always be a joint trial for the co-accused. But there is no indication of any other person involved or facing trial with Jadhav.What about the process of law?The amended PAA allows military courts to try ‘any person who is or claims or is known to belong to any terrorist group or organisation using the name of religion or sect’. But in this case, the prosecution has not indicated the identity of any ‘terrorist group or organisation using the name of religion or sect’. In military courts, the accused has a right to challenge the members and question its jurisdiction. There is no evidence that this vital right was offered to Jadhav. He was given assistance of a defending officer — a military officer with little or no legal qualification. Pakistan army court-martials under this Act do not allow the accused access to civil lawyers. The courts conduct trials in total secrecy. The location and timings of court-martials are not made public.Military law, like the civilian code of criminal procedure, mandates a court-martial not to accept a plea of guilty  where the charge can involve a death sentence. The trial has to be processed considering the accused as ‘not guilty’. The confession has to be supported by corroborative evidence to establish his guilt beyond all reasonable doubt. There is no such proof in this case.The principle of fair justice warrants a written judgment by a court, explaining the logic behind the verdicts. But Pakistan military courts are not required to give such documents. Even the families of convicts are not told about the investigation and evidence related to the case. How can then one file an appeal against the verdict when essential evidence, findings and legal reasoning are not made public and given to the accused?Under Section 133B of the PAA, an accused has no remedy against the decision of a court-martial except appeal. These Sections state any person to whom a court-martial has awarded a sentence of death, imprisonment for life, imprisonment exceeding three months or dismissal from service may prefer an appeal against the finding/sentence to a Court of Appeals headed by a Major-General within 40 days from the date of announcement of finding/sentence. The decision of the Court of Appeals cannot be called in question before any court or other authority whatsoever.A recent report by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations on the trials of  terror cases for 2016 says about 90 per cent accused confessed to the charges. This unusually high percentage of confession has raised doubts. It indicates that questionable interrogation and torture means have been used to elicit such confessions.The civil society in Pakistan has questioned the setting up and functioning of military courts, especially on the trial of civilians. According to Rafia Zakaria, an attorney and political philosopher of Pakistani origin, ‘The secrecy surrounding military courts leaves them open to charges of contravening legal principles and pursuing their own vendettas against this or that terrorist group, instead of sticking to the principles of justice and obtaining convictions via fair procedures…Given that military courts in Pakistan do not work under a system of legal precedent, little information exists as to the basis of convictions and acquittals. Moreover, since evidence is rarely made public, plenty of room is created for conspiracy theorists to place doubt on any conviction that is produced under their auspices’.Pakistan has flouted the Vienna Convention to which India and Pakistan are signatories. The ICJ provisional order has ensured that Jadhav will not be hanged quietly but denial of consular access continues. The legal battle will be long. While India fights for Jadhav’s life, the kangaroo military courts of Pakistan would also be exposed.The writer is a former Army Chief

भारत द्वारा पाक अधिकृत कश्मीर (पाक समझने की भूल ना करे, विभिन्न न्यूज चैनल उन्माद में इसे पाकिस्तान बता रहे है) में सर्जिकल स्ट्राइक किये गए। कई आतंकी ठिकानो को नष्ट किया गया और चैनेलो के मुताबिक 38-40 आतंकियों को हमारे वीर सैनिको ने मार गिराया। चुकीं अलग अलग न्यूज वाले विभिन्न आंकड़े बता रहे हैं पर यहाँ मैंने कोई एक संख्या ले ली है। PoK में ये हमला उरी में हुए फिदायीन हमले का जवाब था। सर्जिकल स्ट्राइक के बाद काफी कुछ हो रहा है जिसकी किसी को आशंका नही थी। सैन्य पराक्रम और सरकार के कुशल नेतृत्व के साथ भारत ने जरूर पाकिस्तान को सबक सिखाया है पर सेना का ये प्रयास एक ‘गुप्त मिशन’ था और इसे गुप्त ही रखना चाहिए था। पर सरकार के इस कदम का ढिंढोरा टेलीविज़न पर अभी तक पीटा जा रहा है और सत्ताधारी पार्टी सेना के इस बहादुरी का राजनैतिक लाभ लेने की पूरी कोशिश कर रही है। सरकार जहाँ खुद को शाबाशी देते नही थक रही वहीँ कुछ चैनल जो सत्ताधारी पक्ष के लिए काम करती जान पड़ती है, वो प्रधानमंत्री को ऊँचा दिखाने का हर संभव प्रयास कर रही है। सेना का ये दुरूपयोग हर कोण से शर्मनाक है। इस तरह के सर्जिकल स्ट्राइक मनमोहन सिंह के कार्यकाल में भी कई बार हुए पर मोदी सरकार की तरह उन्होंने एक गुप्त मिशन का अत्यधिक प्रचार नही किया और ना ही कभी राजनीतिक फायदा उठाने की कोशिश की।

उरी आतंकी हमले में हमारे 19 सैनिक शहीद हो गए। ये भारत सरकार के दावों और चुनाव पूर्व किये गए वादों पर एक बड़ा प्रश्नचिन्ह था। पठानकोट हमला और अब ये उरी हमले ने सरकार को देशवाशियों के सामने घुटने पर ला दिया। पाकिस्तान को लाल आँखे दिखाने से लेकर एक सर के बदले 10 सर लाने की बात जुमले लगने लगे। पूरा देश एक स्वर में सरकार से अनुरोध कर रहा था कि उन्हें भाषण नही अब काम चाहिए। सोशल मीडिया और न्यूज चैनल पर घनघोर युद्ध चलने लगा। इसी बीच नरेंद्र मोदी ने केरल में एक भाषण दिया जिसमे उन्होंने कहा की पाकिस्तान और भारत गरीबी भुकमरी भ्रस्टाचार हटाने में युद्ध करे फिर देखे कौन जीतता है। उन्होंने पाकिस्तानी नागरिको से अपील की कि सरकार को इन सब मश्लो पर काम करने बोले। इसी के साथ युद्ध की अटकलों पर विराम लग गया था। इसके बाद विदेश मंत्री सुषमा स्वराज ने संयुक्त राष्ट्र में पाकिस्तान को अलग थलग करने की बात की। लगा की अब भारत पाकिस्तान से विभिन्न तरह से लड़ना चाहता है। पर विपक्षी पार्टियों और सामाजिक तत्वो की ओर से लगातार होते आलोचनाएं और अपनी साख बचाने के लिए भारत सरकार ने सेना के द्वारा PoK के आतंकी ठीकनो को निशाना बनाया। सरकार के इस कदम का सभी ने जोरदार स्वागत किया। यहाँ तक की कांग्रेस ने भी राजनीती को अलग रख कर सरकार का पूरा समर्थन किया। पर इन सबके बाद भारत के मीडिया ने जो एक गुप्त सैन्य मिशन का ढिंढोरा पीटा वो वाक़ई शर्मनाक है और देश के अश्मिता पर सवाल है।
हालाँकि पाकिस्तान अपने अधिकृत इलाके में हुए कार्यवाई को मानने को तैयार नही है या यूँ कहिये की मानना नही चाहता। पाकिस्तान के मानने ना मानने से फर्क नही पड़ता पर संयुक्त राष्ट्र और विश्व के कई जाने माने अख़बार जैसे की वाशिंगटन पोस्ट, cnn, bbc इत्यादियों ने भी प्रश्नचिन्ह लगा दिया है। इससे हमें फर्क पड़ता है क्योंकि ये हमारे सैनिको के पराक्रम के ऊपर एक सवाल है जिसका जवाब भारत सरकार को देना चाहिए। ऐसा क्यू है की उनके पास इस सर्जिकल स्ट्राइक को ले कर दूसरी धारणाये हैं? ऐसा उस वक़्त क्यों नही था जब कांग्रेस के समय में ऐसी कार्यवाई हुई? क्या भारत सरकार का फ़र्ज़ नही बनता की उनके सवालों का विस्वसनीय जवाब दे और बताये की हम क्या क्या कर सकते हैं? संयुक्त राष्ट्र के प्रवक्ता ने बताया कि UNMOG ने नियंत्रण रेखा पर किसी तरह की गोलीबारी नही देखी और किसी प्रकार के हमले का खंडन किया। अगर भारत सरकार ने इन दावों का खंडन नही किया तो हमारे सेना के पराक्रम की साख के ऊपर सवाल आ सकता है।
बीते 2 सालों में देशभक्ति विषय पर काफी चर्चाएं होती आ रही है। इन गंभीर मश्लो को काफी सूक्ष्म दृष्टिकोण से देखा जा रहा है। किसी को भी देशद्रोही होने का तमगा पहना दिया जाता है जैसे ये बच्चे का खेल हो। यही कारण है कि सोचने समझने वाले लोग भी सवाल ना कर चुपचाप जैसे नदी के वेग के साथ हो लेते हैं। मौजूद स्थिति सचमुच में दुखद है जब लोग प्रश्न पूछने से डरने लगे हैं।

दिल्ली के मुख्यमंत्री अरविंद केजरीवाल भी नरेंद्र मोदी के समर्थन में पूरी तरह दिखे। एक वीडियो संवाद के तहत उन्होंने कहा – “कुछ दिनों पहले हमारे 19 सैनिक आतंकी हमले में शहीद हो गए। पिछले हफ्ते ही हमारी सेना ने काफी बहादुरी के साथ सर्जिकल स्ट्राइक कर इसका बदला लिया। भले ही हमारे और नरेंद्र मोदी के बीच राजनीतिक मतभेद रहे हों पर मै इस मसले पर उनकी दृढ़ इच्छाशक्ति को सलाम करता हूँ। पर हमारी कार्यवाई के बाद पाकिस्तान पूरे विश्व में प्रोपेगंडा फैला रहा है और सभी को गुमराह कर रहा की भारत के दावे गलत हैं। दो दिन पहले ही संयुक्त राष्ट्र ने पाकिस्तान की बातों में आकर कहा है कि कार्यवाई के कोई सबूत नही हैं। पाकिस्तान ने विदेशी पत्रकारों को बुला कर ये दिखाना चाह रहा है कि सब कुछ सामान्य है। मैंने जब ये रिपोर्ट देखी तो मेरा खून खौल उठा। भारत सरकार को पाकिस्तान के इस प्रोपेगंडा का मुंहतोड़ जवाब देना चाहिए। ”

बस इतना कहना था कि पाकिस्तानी मीडिया ने इस वाक़या को अपने फायदे के लिए गलत तरीके से ये दिखाया की कैसे केजरीवाल मोदी से सर्जिकल स्ट्राइक के सबूत मांग रहे हैं। भारतीय मीडिया से इस मसले पर कुछ बुद्धिमानी के अपेक्षा की जा रही थी पर उन्होंने भी केजरीवाल के बयान को तोड़ मरोड़ कर दिखाने की कोशिश की और ये माहौल बना दिया की केजरीवाल पाकिस्तान के हक़ में बोल रहे हैं। “केजरीवाल बने पाकिस्तान के हीरो” जैसे हैडलाइन दिखा कर देश की जनता को भ्रमित करने की कोशिश की गयी। वैसे ही मोदी समर्थित मीडिया का केजरीवाल से 36 का आंकड़ा रहता है। काफी संख्या में लोग इन्ही चैनलों को देख अपनी अपनी राय बनाते हैं और जैसे ही इस खबर को मीडिया ने अपने तरीके से पेश किया, वो कस्बा जो नरेंद्र मोदी को अपना भगवान् मानता है, वही पुराने ‘देशद्रोही’ का राग अलापने लगे। बिना विडियो देखे लोग अलग अलग गंदे तरीके से केजरीवाल पर गालियों से भरी टिपण्णी करने लगे। कैसे एक राजनीती से प्रेरित मीडिया समाज में नफ़रत पैदा करता है इसका जीवंत उदाहरण देखने को मिला और समय समय पर हमेशा मिलता रहता है। केजरीवाल ने बस इतना कहा कि पाकिस्तान जिस तरह से दुनिया को सर्जिकल स्ट्राइक पर गुमराह कर रहा है उसपर भारत सरकार को मुंहतोड़ जवाब देना चाहिए। मुझे लगता है कुछ गलत नही कहा बल्कि पूरे देश को ऐसा बोलना चाहिये। ज्ञात रहे की केजरीवाल ने सर्जिकल स्ट्राइक पर कोई सवाल नही उठाया और न ही खुद के लिए सबूत माँगा। इसपर सरकार और इनके समर्थको और इनकी मीडिया में ऐसा उबाल और नफ़रत की भावना एक बिभत्सव राजनीतिक साजिश की और इशारा करता है।

एक तरफ जहाँ भारतीय सेना युद्ध के मुहाने पर बैठी है और उनकी छुट्टियां रद्द हो रही है वहीँ दूसरी ओर सत्ताधारी पार्टी सेना के द्वारा राजनीतिक रोटियां सेंकने में व्यस्त है। उत्तर प्रदेश में अगले वर्ष चुनाव होने को हैं और सर्जिकल स्ट्राइक पर खुद को शाबाशी देते ताल ठोकते भाजपा की पोस्टरें जगह जगह पर लग चुकी है। भारतीय सेना का ऐसा दुरूपयोग ना तो किसी ने पहले किया ना ही एक सभ्य सरकार ऐसा करने को सोच सकती है। कुछ वोट पाने के लिए इस तरह की शर्मनाक हरकत वास्तव में पहली और ऐतिहासिक है। पिछली सरकारों ने भी कई बार इस तरह की कार्यवाई को सफलतापूर्वक अंजाम दिया था पर किसी सरकार ने अपनी पीठ इतने दिनों तक खुद नही थपथपाई थी। भारतीय राजनीति में ये एक नया शर्मनाक अध्याय जुड़ा है। हालाँकि सत्ताधारी पार्टी भाजपा के लिए ये नया नही है। 26/11 के समय जब हमारे जवान आतंकवादियों से मुम्बई की सड़कों पर लोहा ले रहे थे तो तब गुजरात के मुख्यमंत्री रहे नरेंद्र मोदी एक प्रेस कांफ्रेंस बुला कर सरकार को कोस रहे थे और राजनीति कर रहे थे। अब जब वो दूसरों को राजनीति करने से मना कर रहे तो उन्हें अपने गिरेबाँ में झाँक लेना चाहिए।

कुल मिला का संक्षेप में कहें तो हर भारतीय को भारतीय सेना के DGMO के वक्तब्य पर कोई संदेह नही है पर अगर दुनिया इसे झुठलाने की कोशिश में है तो भारत सरकार को जवाब देना चाहिए और कुछ तथ्य पेश करने चाहिए। जरूरी नही की तथ्य आपरेशन का वीडियो हो पर ऐसा कुछ तो हो जो सवाल उठाने वालों के मुंह पर तमाचा हो। सैन्य कार्यवाई के ऊपर प्रचार और राजनीति बंद हो। भाजपा उत्तरप्रदेश में लगाये गए पोस्टरों का संज्ञान ले और उसे तुरंत हटाये ताकि हमारी सेना अपमानित न महसूस करे। रक्षा मंत्री ने कहा कि सेना को अपनी ताकत का एहसास उनके कारण ही हुआ है। मंत्रियों को चाहिए की सोच समझनकर बयान बाजी करे। रक्षा मंत्री मनोहर पर्रिकर की तरह ऐसी बाते न कहें जिससे सेना की अस्मिता को ठेस पहुचे।

— दीपक झा

The views and opinion expressed in this article are author’s own and do not reflect the views of The Political Funda

http://thepoliticalfunda.com/Politics/Detail/dont_politicize_surgical_strike_and_stop_publicizing20669

(From left to right) Former Chief of Army Staff Gen VP Malik, PU VC AK Grover and Lt Gen KJ Singh (retd) during a talk show in Panjab University on Friday. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

Ishrat S Banwait

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 2

Former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Ved Prakash Malik at an event today at Panjab University expressed his views on the ‘human shield’ incident. Malik said Major Gogoi should be warned against repeating such an action. However, Malik also said that Gogoi’s ‘intentions were good’ and that he should be complimenting for saving lives.At the event themed, ‘Jammu and Kashmir: The Way Forward’, Malik said he was optimistic and by his past experiences, he was sure that the issue would be resolved soon. However, Malik says that strong army action is needed for the same. “To negotiate with Pakistan from a position of strength, armed forces have to be used,” said Malik.Stressing on the need to adopt tough measures, when situation demands, Malik said, “It is fashionable for people who do not know politics to say that a political solution is possible in the issue.” He criticised the BJP government and said that the party hurried into coalition with PDP and is now backing out of it.Former ambassador KC Singh expressed concern over the excessive use of social media as a propaganda item. He said social media should not be allowed to affect domestic policy of the nation. He blamed the medium for colouring the youth against Pakistan which he felt was not in accordance to reality.Going back in history, he brought forward the various facets why India went to the United Nations Security Council and also how the Plebiscite clause came into being. He also argued that the composite dialogue arrangement is a flawed one as Confidence Building Measures and disputes cannot take place in the same platform.Former Lt Gen DS Hooda said the education sector was badly affected in Kashmir and the youth who form majority of the population today were being driven towards terrorism. He agreed that the police have a bad reputation and has added to the anger of the youth. He also said that there was a need to reach out to the Kashmiri youth.Vice-Chancellor AK Grover came up with the thought of creating academia contact with Pakistan. Such a platform could be used to hold annual meetings of every subject between university of Punjab in Lahore and the various universities in Punjab, Haryana and PU.

भाजपा ने सत्ता की जल्दी में किया पीडीपी से गठबंधन

जोगिंद्र सिंह/ट्रिन्यू  
चंडीगढ़, 2 जून

भाजपा को जम्मू-कश्मीर में सत्ता पाने की जल्दी थी, जिसके चलते उसने अलगाववादियों की समर्थक पार्टी पीडीपी से गठबंधन कर लिया और बिना सोचे-समझे न्यूनतम सांझा कार्यक्रम पर साइन भी कर दिये। मगर आज भाजपा जो चाहती है, वो वह कर नहीं सकती। ये विचार आज पंजाब विश्वविद्यालय में पूर्व जनरल केजे सिंह की पहल पर एलूमनी एसोसिएशन द्वारा नवगठित थिंक टैंक ज्ञान सेतु के एक कार्यक्रम में पूर्व सेनाध्यक्ष जनरल वीपी मलिक ने जम्मू-कश्मीर : द वे फारवर्ड विषय पर अपने वक्तव्य में व्यक्त किये। उन्होंने कहा कि भाजपा-पीडीपी का गठबंधन कभी भी खत्म हो सकता है। यह तो पक्का ही है कि यह अपना कार्यकाल पूरा नहीं करेगा। जनरल मलिक ने कहा कि कश्मीर के भीतर जवानों के साथ बदसलूकी हो रही है, इससे पहले भी घटनाएं होती रही हैं, मगर सेना का राजनीतिकरण नहीं होना चाहिए। उन्होंने कहा कि यूनिफाइड कमांड की कोई बैठक हुए 7-8 माह हो चुके हैं। जनरल मलिक ने कहा कि कश्मीर समस्या के हल के लिये केंद्र सरकार कोई राजनीतिक समाधान निकाले और इसमें सेना की मदद ले क्योंकि सेना को ही पता है कि हिंसा पर कैसे काबू पाना है।
कार्यक्रम में पूर्व राजदूत केसी सिंह ने इस अवसर पर कहा कि पाकिस्तान को लेकर 60 से 70 फीसदी लोग पूर्वाग्रही होते हैं। राजनेता, ट्विटर आर्मी, सोशल मीडिया और मेन स्ट्रीम मीडिया जैसा दिखाता या प्रचारित करता है, उसकी जरूरत नहीं है। अंधराष्ट्रवाद नहीं होना चाहिए।
उन्होंने कहा दोनों देशों के बीच संबंध बेहतर बनाने के लिये समग्र वार्ता होना जरूरी है। ले. जन. (अवकाशप्राप्त) डीएस हुड्डा ने कहा कि कूटनीतिक तौर पर पाक को अलग-थलग कर देने से ही काम नहीं चलेगा बल्कि कश्मीर मुद्दे के हल के लिये नयी नीति अपनानी होगी। के जे सिंह ने कार्यक्रम का संचालन किया और सवाल-जवाब के सत्र को बखूभी चलाया।
दिल्ली को बनाया जाये क्रिक का हिस्सा : कुलपति
कुलपति प्रो. अरुण ग्रोवर ने इस थिंक टैंक की आवश्यकता पर बल देते हुए कहा कि चंडीगढ़ के उस पार दिल्ली को भी चंडीगढ़ रीजन इनोवेटिव एंड नॉलेज कलस्टर (क्रिक) का हिस्सा बनाया जाये। उन्होंने कहा कि पंजाबियत के बल पर दोनों ओर एकेडमिया संबंध बनाकर रिश्ते सुधारे जा सकते हैं।

Arun Jaitley. ANI file

New Delhi, June 1

The strategic partnership policy in defence will help attract FDI as global investors would be assured of orders, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said on Thursday.He said unless the opening of the FDI rules is accompanied by some reasonable possibility of getting orders, an investor is not going to set up an establishment in the country.Entry of foreign investors “is linked to the kind of orders they will get and the only entity which can place the orders is the Government of India.“There are no two procurers, there is only one and that is why the strategic partner policy now has been brought in as it will supplement the FDI policy,” he said when asked about the reasons of poor response of investors in the sector.Whether the strategic partner comes through FDI route or the investor comes with just a technology tie-up, they would be free to do so, he added.Seen as a major initiative, the ‘strategic partnership model’ aims to create a vibrant defence manufacturing ecosystem in the country through involvement of both the major Indian corporates as well as the MSME sector.Under the policy, select private firms will be roped in to build military platforms like submarines and fighter jets in India in partnership with foreign entities.In 2016, the government relaxed FDI norms in several sectors, including defence. India imports 70 per cent of its military hardware from different countries.As per the policy, foreign investment up to 49 per cent has been permitted in the defence sector through automatic route, and beyond that limit through government route on case-to-case basis, wherever it is likely to result in access to modern and state-of-art technology.The minister stated that the FDI changes in the sector opened the door and effort is to encourage them to set up facilities in the country.“They are enabling. They themselves do not ensure that immediately the entry of participants will take place and the reason is very simple that there is only one purchaser within India and that’s the Government of India,” he said.Talking about the procurement proposals, Jaitley said that under the Defence Procurement Policy, a particular mechanism is there by which decisions are being taken.“The manner in which the proposals have been cleared by the defence acquisition council over the last three years is unprecedented when you compare it with the inaction during the previous regime,” he added.During April 2000 and March this year, defence sector has attracted FDI worth only USD 5.12 million (Rs 25.49 crore). PTI

Jaitley accuses Pak of scuttling environment for talks

Defence Minister Arun Jaitley claimed that while India had taken several significant steps to ease tensions in the Indian subcontinent, Pakistan responded with terror attacks at Pathankot, Uri and mutilating Indian soldiers. PTI file photo

New Delhi, June 1

Defence Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday accused Pakistan of scuttling the environment that must exist for bilateral talks between the two neighbours even as he asserted that Kashmir situation was better than it was being perceived.

He further said that while India had taken several significant steps to ease tensions, Pakistan responded with terror attacks at Pathankot, Uri and mutilating the bodies of Indian soldiers.

“The Government of India has taken significant steps to ease the situation in the past… The fact that our Prime Minister dropped in at Lahore at a social function in Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s family — steps intended to ease the tension.”

“But each one of these have been responded by, let us say, a Pathankot or a Uri or by mutilation of two of our soldiers. And, therefore, that environment which must exist for a talk has been successfully prevented by Pakistan,” Jaitley said, addressing the press as Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked three years of being in power at the Centre. Jaitley said the Indian Army and the BSF were “dominating” the Line of Control (LoC) regardless of where the troubles are being created by foreign insurgents or domestic terrorists.

“The security forces have been able to build up a lot of pressure on them, and the results, some of which are evident almost on a daily basis… The situation in Kashmir is better than the impression,” he said.

The Indian Army had last week said it launched “punitive fire assaults” on Pakistani positions across the LoC, inflicting “some damage”, days after two of Indian soldiers were beheaded.

Read more:

• J&K: Two militants killed in Sopore gunfight
• Labourer killed, two injured as Pak troops shell LoC posts in J&K
• Infiltration from Pakistan came down post surgical strikes: Rajnath
• Jaitley accuses Pak of scuttling environment for talks

Read more: J&K: Two militants killed in Sopore gunfight Labourer killed, two injured as Pak troops shell LoC posts in J&K Infiltration from Pakistan came down post surgical strikes: Rajnath Jaitley accuses Pak of scuttling environment for talks

It had also released a video of the military action, which showed some structures in a forested area crumbling in a heap under the impact of repeated shelling.

Admitting that the situation in challenging in South Kashmir, he said it is normal in the rest of the state and recently the two-day meeting of the GST Council was held in Srinagar. — PTI