Monthly Archives: August 2018

Thousands of devotees visit Sultanpur Lodhi during ongoing 550th Guru Nanak gurpurab celebrations on Saturday. Tribune Photo Sarabjit Singh

Sultanpur Lodhi (Punjab), November 10

Tens of thousands of devotees from across the globe are converging every day in this holy town associated with the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev, whose 550th birth anniversary falls on Tuesday.

It is here that the Sikh first master gained enlightenment at the end of the 15th century.

Organisers say the desire of devotees is to pay obeisance at the historic Gurdwara Ber Sahib and to have a ‘ashnaan’ (dip) in Kali Bein. The devotees are feeling fortunate to have ‘choola’ (sip of water) from the holy Bein.

It is believed that Guru Nanak disappeared into the waters of the Bein rivulet, reappearing three days later as the enlightened Guru. The ground of Gurdwara Ber Sahib marks the spot, where Guru Nanak entered the rivulet.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday morning paid obeisance at the historic Ber Sahib Gurdwara, before heading for Dera Baba Nanak to inaugurate the Kartarpur Corridor and flag off the first lot of pilgrims to visit Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan’s Punjab province.

The three-storey gurdwara was built by the ruler of Kapurthala in the mid 20th century and features slender octagonal pillars, a marble sanctum and stucco designs at the entrance.

A grand light and sound show that uses ultra modern techniques to narrate the life and philosophy of Guru Nanak Dev is the star attraction for the thousands of devotees attending the commemoration.

Medical lounges at Sultanpur Lodhi, some 200 km from the state capital Chandigarh, have been proving a boon for the pilgrims with more than 7,800 patients getting out-patient department treatment, officials said.

A team comprising 1,000 paramedical staff and doctors working round-the-clock to ensure quality health services to the pilgrims.

An exhibition showcasing the life and teachings of the first Sikh Guru setup near Guru Nanak Darbar ‘pandal’ by the Punjab Tourism and Cultural Affairs Department, in collaboration with the Punjab Digital Library, has become one of the main attractions.

It exhibits coins related to the Sacha Sauda period, coins and more than 150-year-old utensils related to Baba Banda Singh Bahadar and Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Sakhi’s related to Guru Sahib, miniature and other paintings, and photographs related to Guru Nanak Dev.

Special functions here were dedicated to Bebe Nanki, sister of Guru Nanak, on Saturday considering the respect accorded to women in ‘Gurbani’ by Guru Nanak Dev.

The other highlight is the Punjab School Education Board’s exhibition of paintings and calligraphy by students from government schools to emulate the philosophy and life of Guru Nanak Dev.

Harpreet Singh, a Class XI student of Government Senior Secondary School at Sukhpur in Barnala district, has focussed on the greatness of ‘Japji Sahib’ through his calligraphy.

Another student, Kuldeep Singh of Class IX of Government High School at Mauran in Barnala, has sought to attract attention towards the voice raised by Guru Sahib against social evils.

The students have also highlighted Guru Nanak Dev’s preaching and the universal principle of “Kirt karo, naam japo, wand chhako”, which means “earning an honest living, chanting the holy name and sharing with others”.

The state had secured an approval from the Centre for its Rs 271-crore proposal to develop Sultanpur Lodhi as a heritage town in a 50:50 partnership, a government spokesperson told IANS.

The Centre has also cleared a proposal for setting up a Centre for Inter-Faith Studies at Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar at a cost of Rs 175 crore.

The state has also proposed establishment of a Pind Babe Nanak Da museum in around 75-80 acres, at a cost of Rs 300 crore, he added.

For the pilgrims visiting Sultanpur Lodhi, a tented city, spread across 277 acres, for 35,000 people has been erected at a cost of Rs 53 crore. The tented city has 2,200 temporary toilets and 10 water vending machines, besides 18 parking sites.

Special trains, including Prakash Purab Express from Delhi to Sultanpur Lodhi, has also been made operational.

Punjab has also made efficient arrangements for the running of special buses as well as e-rickshaws free of cost for the visitors to Sultanpur Lodhi.

Sultanpur Lodhi is dotted with gurdwaras commemorating events from Guru Nanak’s life.

Along with Gurdwara Bebe Nanaki, built to honour Guru Nanak’s sister, is the Gurdwara Sant Ghat, about two km upstream of Ber Sahib, where he emerged from his three-day immersion in the Bein.

Hatt Sahib honours the grain store, where Guru Nanak was employed; and the 13 weights, used by the Guru Nanak to measure provisions are preserved here.

The prison cell, where the Guru was imprisoned under false charges is Gurdwara Kothri Sahib; and Guru ka Bagh is where Guru Nanak lived with his wife, Sulakhni, and their two sons, Baba Sri Chand and Baba Lakhmi Chand.—IANS

Mukesh Ranjan
Tribune News Service
Karatarpur, November 9

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday indicated that talks with India can be initiated provided the Indian government lifts curfew from Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking at inauguration of Kartarpur corridor in Narowal district of Punjab in Pakistan, Khan said, things in J&K has gone beyond territorial issue between the two countries and now the Human Rights of people are being violated due to curfew imposed in state since August. Revoking curfew will at least allow the countries to think about a dialogue, he noted.

The PM said a leader is always known by qualities of bring people together and not dividing them. He focused that a good leader and person always talks about peace and humanity.

The inauguration ceremony which was attended by several dignitaries from India and Pakistan saw a gathering of over 7,000 people.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said, “It’s a historic day that brings peace and religious tolerance together. Kartarpur corridor is opened for Sikhs all over the world and those who have come from Canada, Australia, Europe, UK. It’s Pakistan’s love and they can feel it by coming to holy shrine.”

Amid the inauguration ceremony, Navjot Singh Sidhu turned out to be “Man of the Match” with the Pakistan government and Sikh devotees applauding his initiative and commitment.

Joginder Kaur, a devotee who had come from Canada, said, “It shows a Sikh’s commitment and the fact that Pakistan is ready to take a lead to strengthen the relationship between the two nations. Now it’s time for India to reciprocate.” She added that for Sikhs all over the world are one — be it this or the other side of the border.

As the world oscillates between ‘post-truth’, ‘half-truth’, ‘under-truth’, ‘alternative-truth’… Guru Nanak’s Sach pura na hovey naahin rings out. Never, never ever, does Truth grow old. It was the very foundation of all that is good and all that will surviv

Serving a higher order: Guru Nanak with disciples and attendant. Kashmir; first quarter of 19th century. Image courtesy Government Museum and Art Gallery, Chandigarh

All-encompassing: Guru Nanak wearing a robe containing the opening words of the holy Koran. On the sleeve (see the next picture) are words from the Mool Mantra, also in the same script. Government Museum & Art Gallery, Chandigarh

On the sleeve are words from the Mool Mantra, also in the same script.

he army believes that allowing homosexuality and adultery will break the fabric that binds it together and effect its teamwork spirit, which will damage the outcome of its combat related tasks. Officials explained this is especially crucial for c…

NEW DELHI: The army is finding it difficult to implement the Supreme Court’s judgements decriminalising homosexuality and adultery and is looking at ways to move around the challenge. It has sent a proposal to the defence ministry to ensure that homosexuality and adultery remain punishable offences in the force.

The army believes that allowing homosexuality and adultery will break the fabric that binds it together and effect its teamwork spirit, which will damage the outcome of its com ..

United Nations, November 2

The UN Security Council will not discuss the issue of Kashmir this month, Karen Pierce, Permanent Representative of the UK to the UN and president of the Security Council for November has said, underlining that there are a lot of issues going on in the world.

“No, we don’t have anything scheduled on Kashmir,” Pierce said on Friday during a press conference here as Britain assumed the monthly presidency of the 15-nation top organ of the UN. She was asked by a Syrian reporter if any meeting or discussion is scheduled on Kashmir during Britain’s Presidency of the Council.

Pierce said, “There are a lot of issues going on in the world and each month Presidency picks a few that are not routinely scheduled as part of the rhythm of the Security Council’s business.

“We have not picked Kashmir because the Security Council had an opportunity to discuss it recently and we have not been asked by any other Security Council member to schedule a meeting,” Pierce said.

After Pakistan and China sought a meeting on Kashmir, the Security Council had in August held closed consultations to discuss India revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. China asked for “closed consultations” on the matter after Pakistan, Beijing’s closest ally, wrote a letter on the issue to the world body.

The consultations had ended without any outcome or statement from the powerful UN organ, dealing a huge snub to Pakistan’s efforts to internationalise the Kashmir issue, which an overwhelming majority in the Council stressed is a bilateral matter between New Delhi and Islamabad.

India has also made it clear that Kashmir is a bilateral issue with Pakistan and ruled out any scope for third-party mediation. PTI

Historical data shows that the acquisition of big-ticket items after Independence has almost always led to accusations from the political Opposition, leading to decision paralysis in the Ministry of Defence. The most famous example is that of the Bofors artillery gun. There is a need to make the Opposition a party to the acquisition process.

Hope: If the SC ruling results in changes in how our polity operates, the Rafale controversy could have a positive outcome.

Air Vice Marshal
Manmohan Bahadur (retd)
Addl Director General, Centre for Air Power Studies

The name Rafale conjures up varied feelings and thoughts, thanks to it being in the public eye for many reasons, both right and wrong. Rafale, in French, means a ‘gust of wind’. I saw it flying way back in 1987 while doing the course for test pilots in France. That particular Rafale was a technology demonstrator, but what one saw was an aircraft with outstanding manoeuvrability and capabilities. The Rafale being procured by the Indian Air Force, three decades down the line, would be the latest version and an improvement many times over than the tech demonstrator; to an adversary, it would, indeed, present itself as much more than just a ‘gust of wind’!

The Rafale selection has been one tortuous journey and, frankly, one still doesn’t know if there are any more twists in the tale — hopefully, after the Supreme Court ruling, it should be a smooth flow. What started as a multi-role combat aircraft acquisition at the turn of the century, aiming to acquire 126 more aircraft in the Mirage 2000 category, got converted to the medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) programme. Worldwide, it was called the ‘mother of all acquisitions’ since, after the end of the Cold War, no country was buying expensive combat fighter assets — certainly not in such huge numbers.

The IAF’s evaluation team got to work in 2007, and considering the very high interest that world aircraft majors had elicited through their responses to the request for proposals, special security measures were put in place by the Air Headquarters to ensure no leakage of information on how the assessment was proceeding. It is to the credit of the IAF, especially the members of the evaluation team, that the appraisal has been held up as a model to follow in the cut-throat environment of the arms industry. Among the six contenders that were evaluated, the Eurofighter and Rafale were shortlisted. The catchword is shortlisted, since the decision to finally purchase one or the other is that of the government as there are very many parameters, other than the relative performance, that drives decision making. The decision to acquire the Rafale was also that of the government and not of the IAF.

Historical data shows that the acquisition of big-ticket items, after Independence, have almost always led to accusations from the political Opposition, leading to decision paralysis in the Ministry of Defence. The most famous case is that of the operationally excellent Bofors artillery gun of the Army. The accusation that started in the late 1980s, resulted in a freeze in any new purchase for almost two and a half decades, despite the Indian Army’s desperate cry for more guns to fill a huge capability gap — till the American M777 gun finally arrived very recently. So, how does the ‘accusation cycle’ pan out?

The flow of events following any government decision to purchase a high-value weapon system can be safely predicted. It is almost as if the arms lobby in Delhi has a fine-tuned standard operating procedure (SOP) for its actions — which leads one to suspect that there could well be a devious motive to prevent or delay capability accretion through the disruption that follows. 

There, invariably, are three components in the flow of events. Firstly, anonymous letters start arriving in the mail boxes of officers in the acquisition chain, sometimes addressed even to the PM and President, alleging foul play. As per a government directive, no credence is to be given to anonymous complaints, but this waiver is generally not made use of due to the fear that the officer rejecting the complaint may be accused of being hand-in-glove with the arms company whose item is under favourable consideration. So, these are discussed ‘on file,’ as the bureaucratic jargon goes.

Secondly, official representations start pouring in, and since they are official, they have to be discussed ‘on file’ too. Valuable time gets lost while the acquisition process attempts to move from technical evaluation to shortlisting and, finally, the contract negotiation phase.

Finally, somewhere in between may come a query from a lawmaker, and that sometimes injects a political colour in the ‘file movement’. Once again, the observations are discussed ‘on file’ and a reply sent to the public figure. If there is an election round the corner, the accusations hit the ceiling and the acquisition programme slows down even further. So, is there a way out or do we have to just suffer this?

Considering our polity and the adage that all is fair in love and politics, I think we would be condemned to repeat this shenanigan every time if we do not make the political Opposition a party to the acquisition process. One way could be through the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence that has a fair representation of all political parties. At an opportune stage in the acquisition cycle of a big-ticket item (the value can be decided), the committee could be briefed, in camera, on all salient points of the programme, including the operational necessity and the negotiations conducted. A point may arise whether the required confidentiality can be maintained about information that has a bearing on commercial and military secrets — well, if peons and clerks, who move files and type notes in the Ministry of Defence, can be trusted, why not the elected representatives? If a private firm can be intimately involved in the research and development and construction of our nuclear submarine, why not our MPs? If required, they may be asked to sign the Official Secrets Act for this, if they are not already doing so.

This suggestion, of course, does not absolve the decision-makers of any act of malfeasance at any stage, for which adequate legal recourse is available in our Constitution. Would this put a lid on future programmes? Certainly not, but what it would do is to increase the communication flow between the government and the Opposition and stymie allegations due to misinformation by doubtful entities. This itself would be a big step in big ticket acquisition programmes that have a vital bearing on our security preparedness. If the Supreme Court ruling results in some changes in how our polity operates, then the Rafale controversy could have a positive outcome. Else, it amounts to pointing fingers, as usual.

Shishir Gupta

letters@hindustantimes.com

New Delhi : External affairs minister S Jaishankar’s statement this week that Pakistan has developed a terrorist industry comes in the backdrop of reports that trained Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) suicide attackers have infiltrated Jammu and Kashmir in October and that the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) leadership is in constant touch with their handlers in Rawalpindi GHQ.

In an interview with French newspaper Le Monde, Jaishankar said the eradication of anti-India terrorist groups is a pre-condition for dialogue with Pakistan.

South Block confirms that terror training camps of LeT, JeM and Hizbul Mujahideen are still active in Pakistan despite the public posturing of Imran Khan government. India sent a specific list of locations, including Google map co-ordinates of 24 prominent terror training camps in Pakistan to the country after the Pulwama attack but none of these camps has been shut down to date.

The names of camps include Abdulla bin Mashood (LeT); Balakot (JeM); Barali/Fagosh 1 & 2 (LeT); Barnala (HM); Bhawalpur (JeM); Batarsi camp 1 & 2 (LeT & JeM); Chelabandi (LeT/JeM/ HM) and Daura-e-Azeemat (HM). Many of these camps are located in Occupied Kashmir, Manshera, Peshawar, Bhawalpur and Lahore.

According to security agencies, JeM’s operational commander Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar along with his brother Maulana Ammar met their handlers in Rawalpindi GHQ on November 10 seeking financial help, removal of restrictions on the terror group and instructions for future action.

Indian intelligence inputs also say that two LeT suicide attackers, Osama and Abdullah infiltrated the newly created UT in early October after undergoing a so-called purification course and with the approval of senior LeT leadership.

While the hunt is on in J&K for these two, the state police has killed no less than 150 terrorists this year including 70 Pakistani nationals.

HT Correspondent

letterschd@hindustantimes.com

CHANDIGARH : Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday asked the “cash-rich” Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to pay $20 fee required of every pilgrim for travelling to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib through the newly opened Kartarpur corridor from its coffers at least to those from economically weaker sections who cannot afford to pay the amount.

The CM also urged the prime ministers of both India and Pakistan to waive the passport condition for travel through the corridor and instead accept other identity proofs, including Aadhaar card, driving licence etc as there were reports of confusion among pilgrims over the registration process.

In a press statement, he added, “These ID proofs should be accepted since there is no requirement of stamping of visa on the passport in any case. It’s not because of a lack of interest among people that few devotees are crossing over to the historic gurdwara but the conditions of passport and $20 fee are to be blamed. Lakhs of pilgrims are waiting to visit the shrine on the historic 550th Parkash Purb (birth anniversary) of Guru Nanak but they simply cannot go.”

Amarinder pointed out that even as the Pakistan PM had tweeted before opening of the corridor that passport will not be needed for devotees visiting the Kartarpur shrine the decision was not formalised.

“If pilgrims are unable to make full use of the corridor then the whole purpose of this unique initiative will be defeated,” he added.

Pointing towards the lavish expenditure incurred by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on holding separate programmes to commemorate the 550th Parkash Purb at Sultanpur Lodhi, the CM said it was evident that the body was flush with funds.

“Instead of flaunting their money to satisfy their egos and make political statements through the religious occasion, they should spend the money on supporting the pilgrims, especially poor pilgrims who simply cannot afford to pay the fee to pay obeisance at the Kartarpur gurdwara,” he quipped.

“Why can’t the SGPC and their political masters, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and particularly the Badal family, shell out some money for the actual good of the community?” he asked.