Monthly Archives: August 2018

Our Correspondent

Tarn Taran, June 27The district police on Wednesday booked a medical store owner, his wife and their two accomplices who had allegedly assaulted an ex-serviceman, Jasbir Singh (53), at Noordi village here on Tuesday.The district administration has started a probe into the incident. Deputy Commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal marked an inquiry to Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Sandeep Rishi. The latter visited the Civil Hospital on Wednesday and recorded the victim’s statement.Jasbir has been protesting against drug abuse in his native village. This did not go down well with the suspects. Assaulted at his residence, he was admitted to the Civil Hospital with injuries on legs and arms.“I have been complaining about the sale of drugs by the medical store owner and his wife for the past several years, but nothing was done by the police to nail the couple,” he claimed.Medical store owner Gurdeep Singh, wife Raj Kaur, Happy and Kala were booked. No arrest has been made so far.Jasbir alleged that Gurdeep was a drug peddler. He claimed that his brother-in-law, Ranjit Singh (45), had died of drug overdose five years ago, following which he had become an anti-drug crusader. The Tarn Taran police said raids were on to nab the culprits.

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 19

With an aim to promote sculptures and murals among the art lovers in the city, the IAFA in collaboration with Impressions, an art group, hosted a national exhibition featuring artists from across the country.The exhibition has art works by 16 artists, with sculptures and murals in 3D and graphic art as well. “3D art has developed as commercially viable option for artists in almost all genres of art. Since its introduction to the Indian art scene, many senior and upcoming artists are working in this format. But the lack of presenting opportunities and exposure is a limitation we are working to remove,” says Aruna Sharma, an artist and member of Impressions art group. Sharma’s paintings are also a part of the exhibition.Murals and sculptures from the IAFA-owned collection are already on display at one of the galleries, the effort is to highlight the genre among aspiring art students.“A workshop on mural making is being held in art gallery everyday for this month. Dedicated efforts are being made to educate young artists about latest media and other developments to enable them in popularising the art form,” says Sharma. The exhibition was inaugurated by IAFA chairman Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina.

Chhattisgarh-cadre officer Chief Secy; two advisers to Vohra appointed

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 20

A day after his recommendation, Governor NN Vohra on Wednesday issued a proclamation imposing Governor’s rule in the state under Section 92 of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, following President Ram Nath Kovind’s approval.The Governor had sent the recommendation after the PDP-BJP coalition government collapsed in the state with the BJP pulling out. That was followed by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, submitting her resignation.Editorial: An unmourned alliance exitsBefore the recommendations, Governor Vohra consulted leaders of all major political parties to find out possibilities of an “alternative alliances”. This is the third time that J&K has been brought under Governor’s rule under NN Vohra since January 2015, following the Assembly elections held in November-December 2014, when no party got a clear majority in the 87-member House. The PDP with 28 and BJP with 25 seats formed a coalition government led by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on March 1, 2015. The state came under Governor’s rule from January 9 to March 1, 2015. It was again imposed following the death of Mufti Sayeed on January 7, 2016, when Mehbooba Mufti refused to take over. She finally took oath on April 4. Earlier, Governor’s rule under Vohra was imposed  from July 11, 2008, to January 5, 2009, after the Congress-PDP coalition collapsed. Meanwhile, 1987-batch Chhattisgarh-cadre IAS officer BVR Subrahmanyam has been appointed as the new state Chief Secretary in place of BB Vyas, who has been appointed adviser to Governor Vohra. Former IPS officer Vijay Kumar will be another adviser.Subrahmanyam, considered an expert in internal security matters, served as private secretary to former PM Manmohan Singh during 2004-2008. He worked with the World Bank from 2008 to 2011 before again joining the Manmohan PMO in 2012. He was in the PMO after Narendra Modi became the PM in 2014 and stayed till March 2015. Vyas was given a year’s extension last month. Due to superannuate in November 2017, he was given two extensions till May-end to remain Chief Secretary.

Golden Jubilee Celeberations for the June 1968 Batch of Gentlemen Cadets of the esteemed INDIAN MILITARY ACADEMY, Dehradun, Utterathund, was held for three days 13 to 15 June, though the actual date the cadets became commissioned officers was on a rainy day on 09 June 1968. The batch consisted of approximately 140 veteran officers from National Defence Acfademy (NDA), Direct Entry (DE), Army Cadet Corp (ACC,) Officer Training Unit (OTU) and 25 Technical Graduates, along with their spouses and 20 widows of the officers who are no more.

To say the least, preparations began nearly a year back, it had been a Herculean task to contact the course mates scattered to the far off corners of the country and the world. Thanks to the great efforts of Col. Ravinder Singh Bedi, who rallied the largest group to ever participated in GJC.

This class of 68 contributed to the Army 11 Lt Generals, a Kirti Chakra and Sena Medals and others. They all, as young officers, distinguished themselves during the 1971 Indo-Pak War, and later other major Operations undertaken by the Army. Many Unsung amoungst them. In addition, the course has the distinction of producing a Vice Chancellor, sky divers, mountaineers, CEO of NGOs, entrepreneurs, educationists and corporate heads.

The core organising team was headed by Col. Bedi and Brig. RS Rawat, who was  the winner of ‘Sword of Honour’. The course paid high tributes to the Officers, and instructional staff that trained them in IMA, transforming the then trainees Gentlemen Cadets (GCs) into young officers. “A dinner hosted for instructors as a mark of respect towards those who trained the Gentlemen Cadets at the IMA”.

It was an emotional re-union. So much had changed in 50 Years, now most over 70 years, hardly recognizable. Tears of immense Joy and merriment was in the air, with renewed promises to ‘Keep in touch’ and to look forward to the ‘Diamond Celeberation’ in 2028! Their dossiers were presented, vetrans went through them with immense curiosity and amusement. The course was trooped around the IMA in Buses. There were numerous changes for the better in keeping with the present day conflict requirement. They went through a nostalgic experience, while the ladies were in awe, with greater respect for their other halves, for having undergone such rigorous traning.  The IMA was fully geared up for the occasion and helped the course enjoy their stay to the fullest. The veterans performed the  ‘Wreath Laying Ceremony’ where the vetrans ‘Slow Marched’ their way to the ‘WAR MEMORIAL’, to remember their comrades in arms lost in the service to the nation . Both officers and Ladies went though a very emotional and teaful experience.

“The departed course mates were also remembered and cake was cut and ‘TOAST’ was raised to them and their brave widows.

There was much gaiety joy, outstanding food, Music and dancing. Course talent surprised everyone, with Maj. Gen Shiv Jaswal (Trumpet), Brig. RS Rawat (Vocals and Mouth organ), Col. Jai Jind (Elvis songs), Mrs Arun Prabha Ghai and others. The diehards played Golf! A hilarious ‘Skit was Presented by Lt. Gen. Zameer-udin Shah and his wife Sabiha. The hub of the activities was in Vikram Batra, Gentlemen Cadet’s Mess and the Company Lines of the Gentlemen Cadets, where these veterans and their wives stayed.

The course departed, with tearful hugs and promises to keep connected, so much so, they suggested that the event be held every year in different cities or even abroad!

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 9

Militants attacked an Army patrol in a forest area in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.The Army patrol of 14 Rashtriya Rifles was fired upon by militants at the Panar forest, Bandipora, nearly 60 km from Srinagar, on Saturday evening. “The fire was retaliated, triggering a brief gunfight. There was no immediate report of any casualties in the firing,” sources said. The area was cordoned off and a combing operation was launched to trace the militants involved in the attack.

Chennai, June 8

India does not view its relations with China through the prism of China-Pakistan ties, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Friday, but ruled out the possibility of New Delhi reviewing its stand on CPEC project, a major irritant in Sino-Indian relationship.She also said New Delhi was alert to the economic assistance provided by China to India’s neighbours and ramifications it could have for the country.”One thing I want to assure here…we do not view our relations with China through the prism of China-Pakistan relations,” the minister told an event to mark the 10th anniversary of ‘Chennai Centre for China Studies’ here.Sitharaman brought up the issue of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and made it clear that India will not “entertain any thought” of reviewing its stand on it, as it concerned its sovereignty.”It is an issue of sovereignty, and we shall not entertain any thought (other than the stated Indian position) on that matter,” she said.The CPEC comprises a bunch of projects aimed at upgrading infrastructure in Pakistan and strengthening the economic ties between the two countries. The corridor will link Gwadar in southwestern Pakistan to China’s Xinjiang province, and would pass through Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, a territory India claims as its own.”The kind of economic assistance being extended to many of our neighbours are all very clearly impacting the economies there, probably helping to bond a relationship with those countries.””As a result, even a strategic presence could be enabled. I see a linkage. This is something which I think all of us, you (Chennai Centre for China Studies) as a think tank, and we as a government, constantly be alert to and understand its ramifications,” she said.Sitharaman said Pakistani military was becoming increasingly dependent on the Chinese for arms and equipment.”The focus of the reforms is therefore evidently moving towards the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) Navy, PLA Airforce and PLA Rocket Forces as opposed to erstwhile emphasis on just the PLA,” she said.Noting that a “fundamental reorientation” of the China-Pakistan relations was not likely, the minister said last month’s informal summit meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping was not just a “one-off” thing and that the two nations will “immensely benefit” from it.”No doubt, in the long term, the relationship between India and China will immensely benefit from this engagement,” she said.Sitharaman said she was in China in April this year with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) foreign and defence ministers’ meet where India made a pitch for a greater interactive forum. “And for that we should have definitely a hotline between India and China,” she said.The hotline, she said, would reduce the time consumed in reaching the empowered decision makers in times of confrontation at the ground level.”We have certainly underlined the fact that the border personnel meet, flag officer meet can all happen. But we need to have a better hotline that would easily help us in being ready for a (conflict) resolution in a short time,” she said. — PTI

With the MoD opening cantonment roads to the public, uncomfortable questions regarding the use of defence land once again arise.

A series of tweets by Major Priyadarshi have raised rather troubling questions regarding the use of defence land. He has argued that the recent decision of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to allow thoroughfare through roads in cantonment areas only serves the interests of the land mafia and a few individuals in the Director General of Defence Estates (DGDE). The official press release on May 28 regarding the decision cited reasons such as civilian access to army schools.

However, a rumour circulating in defence circles is that the present Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her husband possess a house in the cantonment area in Secunderbad. They also allegedly operate schools and commercial establishments in the area. It is also alleged that this influenced the decision to allow civilian access to the cantonment areas. The house and other interests in the cantonment area are allegedly not in either of their names.

Regarding the non-defence use of defence land, it has been documented in Supreme Court decisions as well as in CAG reports. As far back as in 2010, the Comptroller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) had recommended disbanding the Directorate General of Defence Estates. The DGDE is the overseer of all real estate in cantonment areas and reports to the MoD. It is no secret that property in cantonment areas is not always in the hands of the defence establishment. This can arise for any number of reasons, such as a former serviceman bequeathing his house to his children. However, a 2013 Supreme Court decision has put to rest the status of such property.

The decision of the apex Court in 2013 concerned a house in Pune. The house had been built by a descendent of the present owner on land allotted to him by the Army for him to construct a house. The land was given on grant – meaning that he had a right to possess and reside upon it. However, the government retained absolute ownership of the property. The Supreme Court, in this case, laid down that the people residing in the property had rights to the extent of the structures that they built on it. However, the government could take back the property at any time after paying them due compensation for the house.

In 2013, the CAG took note of the improper management of defence land. The CAG found that inordinate delay in renewing leases led to non-realisation of revenue to the tune of Rs. 829.71 crore. In earlier reports, the CAG had taken note that defence land under occupation by other departments without any government sanction, the revenue due amounted to Rs. 8.63 crore. The report also mentioned that defence land under grant did not revert to the Defence Estates Officer (DEO), as it should have, when the purpose for which the grant was made, had ended. In Pune, land under grant to Willingdon Clubs did not revert back to the DEO when the clubs were closed. Instead the Local Military Authorities had, in one case, allowed a girls hostel to be constructed, and in another case, a shopping mall.

In 2014, the CAG once again reported unauthorised use of defence land. In this case, United Services Club, Mumbai had occupied defence land which resulted in a loss of Rs. 5.74 crore per annum. The value of the land occupied was Rs. 114.85 crore, and the rent paid by the club was Rs. 36,000 per annum. Therefore, it appears that there is a pattern to the misuse and unauthorised use of defence land.

In a written reply to Lok Sabha MP Poonam Mahajan in 2014, then Defence Minister Arun Jaitley admitted that around 11,455 acres of defence land had been encroached. Uttar Pradesh had the highest amount of land under encroachment – over 3,142 acres, while Maharashtra and Haryana came in second and third at around 1,512 and 1,002 acres respectively.

In 2014, Common Cause, an NGO based out of Delhi, along with Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), had filed a petition in the Supreme Court concerning the unauthorised use and encroachment of defence land. The petition alleged that “crass mismanagement of Defence lands is intrinsically linked to irregularities, illegalities and corruption”. The petition relied heavily on CAG reports, and is still sub judice. The last order passed by the Court was on August 25, 2017. In spite of the 2013 Supreme Court Order, as well as annual rebuke from the CAG, it appears that the vested interests in the MoD and the defence establishment have very thick skin.

NOTE

However, a rumor circulating in defence circles is that the present Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her husband possess a house in the cantonment area in Secunderbad. They also allegedly operate schools and commercial establishments in the area. It is also alleged that this influenced the decision to allow civilian access to the cantonment areas. The house and other interests in the cantonment area are allegedly not in either of their names.

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 5

Over two months after the Standing Committee of Parliament pointed out that there was shortage of funds to modernise the armed forces, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today said she wanted to “dispel this notion as no such shortage existed”.“Shortage is not the truth. ‘Prioritise your wish list’ is what we have told the forces as some of the projects are pending since 2004,” said Sitharaman while reeling off figures of defence budget allocation over the past four-five years. The minister was addressing a press conference to mark four years of the Narendra Modi government.On March 13, the committee report quoted Lt Gen Sarath Chand, Army Vice-Chief, to mention that the Budget 2018-19 had “dashed” all hopes of modernisation of the force, which is saddled with equipment, more than two-thirds of which is “vintage”.Asked what had changed since the period Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat said there was need to punish the Pakistan army to the latest announcement of a ceasefire, Sitharaman said: “We are not doing a U-turn on Kashmir or Pakistan… We honour the (ceasefire) decision; it has been taken by the Centtre.”On opening of roads in cantonments, she said, “In all, 850 roads were closed — 119 without following due procedure… Only 80 of the 119 roads have been opened… The ministry is aware of the concerns about unit lines and areas where families of Army staff are living.”

Golden Temple has paid over Rs 2-crore GST on langar items.

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 1

The Center on Friday waved off the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on langar. This was a long pending demand of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Lucknow Gurudwara Pabandhak Committee (LGPC).The lone Akali Dal minister in the NDA government, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, had been demanding the waiver.

Importantly, the GST is not served on food served in langars itself, but is charged on the purchase of raw materials used to prepare the food.

Golden Temple has paid over Rs 2-crore GST on langar items. 

The purchase for the Golden Temple’s kitchen, which feeds between 55,000 to 60,000 devotees daily, comes to around Rs 75 crore annually.

On Tuesday, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, who along with his wife and Union Minister Harsimrat Badal paid obeisance at the shrine, had said that the GST on langar purchases at the Golden Temple would be waived.