New Delhi, January 21

Amidst strong opposition by some non-BJP ruled states, the Centre on Tuesday made it clear that the disclosure of information in the National Population Register (NPR) exercise is not mandatory but voluntary.

Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy also said the NPR was first initiated by the Congress-led UPA in 2010 and it was a constitutional obligation.

“Disclosure of information in NPR is voluntary only,” he told reporters here.

A few state governments have declared that they will not participate in the NPR exercise, saying it is prelude to a countrywide National Register of Citizens

Reddy said since NPR is a constitutional obligation, state governments should not oppose it.

The minister also said the central government will keep sensitising states about various aspects of the NPR exercise that will be carried out along with the house listing phase of the Census 2021 from April 1 to September 30, 2020.

A few state governments have declared that they will not participate in the NPR exercise, saying it is prelude to a countrywide National Register of Citizens (NRC).

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has appealed to her counterparts in the northeast and non-BJP states to carefully study the NPR form, its questions and criteria before taking a decision on updating it.

Dubbing the exercise as “a dangerous game”, Banerjee said the form, which seeks birth details and residential proof of parents, was nothing but a precursor to NRC.

The Kerala government has announced that it will implement the census exercise but will not cooperate with the NPR.

At a recent special cabinet meeting of the Kerala government chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, it was decided to communicate to the Registrar General of India (RGI) and Census Commissioner about the state’s opposition to the NPR.

“As the NPR is a process that leads to the NRC, there is a sense of fear among the people. If the NPR and NRC are implemented in Kerala, it will lead to widespread anarchy. That is the experience of the state where the NRC was implemented,” said a statement released by the Kerala Chief Minister’s Office.

At a meeting of about 20 opposition parties led by Congress president Sonia Gandhi about a fortnight ago, it was decided that the parties will urge all chief ministers who have decided not to implement the NRC in their states to also consider suspending the NPR enumeration “as this will be a prelude to the NRC”.

The NPR is a register of usual residents of the country. It is being prepared at the local village/sub-town, subdistrict, district, state and national levels under provisions of the Citizenship Act, 1955, and the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003.

For the purposes of the NPR, a usual resident is defined as a person who has resided in a local area for past six months or more or a person who intends to reside in that area for the next six months.

The data for NPR was last collected in 2010 along with the house listing phase of the Census 2011. The data was updated in 2015 by conducting door to door survey. The government had then asked details like Aadhaar and mobile number of residents.

This time, the information related to their driving licence and voter ID card may also be gathered. PAN card details will not be collected as part of this exercise.

The law compulsorily seeks to register every citizen of India and issue a national identity card.

Assam has been excluded from NPR because the NRC exercise has already been conducted in the state.

The demographic details of every individual are required for every usual resident: name, relationship to head of household, father’s name, mother’s name, marital status, spouse’s name (if married), sex, date and place of birth, nationality (as declared), present address of usual residence, duration of stay at present address, permanent residential address, occupation, educational qualification.

The Union Cabinet has approved Rs 3,941.35 crore for the NPR exercise. — PTI

Despite protests, CAA will not be withdrawn: Amit Shah

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Thanjavur (TN), January 20

Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat on Monday said it was very difficult to predict if a scenario of a war with Pakistan would emerge or not but all the defence services were prepared to take on any challenge.

The top general, who inducted the Sukhoi-30 MKI squadron here, was responding to a question about any possibility of a war emerging between India and Pakistan.

“All the defence services are tasked to be prepared for any option that may emerge. It is very difficult to predict a scenario. But, we are always prepared for any task that may be assigned to us,” Gen Rawat said.

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) said his new role was aimed at integrating defence systems and the three services (the Army, the Navy and the Indian Air Force).

It was for this reason the post of CDS was created, he said.

“…we will keep moving towards better integration and jointness,” Rawat, who was appointed the country’s first Chief of Defence Staff on December 30 last year, added.

On strengthening the Air base here, Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria said it will undertake the role of the southern peninsula’s air defence.

The Indian Air Force commissioned a squadron of Sukhoi-30 MKI at the Air Force Station here, the first such base in south India for the high-profile fighter jets, seen as a game changer in guarding the strategically important Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

The ‘Tigersharks’ squadron of Sukhoi-30 MKI jets integrated with the BrahMos cruise missiles was inducted in the presence of the Air Chief and top officials.

The Su-30 MKI is a state-of-the-art all weather multi-role fighter aircraft capable of undertaking varied air defence, ground attack and maritime missions.

Rawat also downplayed the question of China’s growing presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and said every nation looked at its security from a strategic perspective.

Gen Rawat, answering a question on how Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean posed a threat to India, said every nation looked at its security from a stratgeic perspective.

While the squadron here is expected to give a thrust to India’s capabilities for dominance especially in the IOR, China’s presence in the same region is on the rise.

The Dragon nation already has a military base at the strategically located Djibouti at the horn of Africa, its first in a foreign nation, and it is also looking at expanding its presence.

“Every nation looks at its security from a strategic perspective. Oceans are meant for freedom of navigation. And therefore wherever you find any country which has interest in a particular area, it will attempt to come to that area to dominate the area more so for the freedom of navigation,” he told reporters.

Further, pointing to aspects like protection of trade in sea routes by any country, he said: “Therefore, I don’t think we should look at it particularly from that perspective (a pointer to perceived threat from China).” Also, he said the navies were operating in this area (indicating IOR) only because of freedom of navigation.

The top general also referred to facets like piracy that can disrupt movement of merchant ships. — PTI

New Delhi, January 20

An all-woman bikers contingent of the CRPF will make its debut and showcase daredevil stunts at the January 26 Republic Day parade at Rajpath, officials said on Monday.

The 65-member team will display its acrobatic skills on 350cc Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycles towards the end of the over 90-minute-long parade.

“It will be the first time that our women bikers are going to be a part of the Republic Day parade.

“This squad was raised in 2014 as part of our commitment to involving women in all spheres of duties rendered by us,” CRPF spokesperson Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Moses Dhinakaran told PTI.

The contingent will be commanded by Inspector Seema Nag, who is posted with the Rapid Action Force (RAF).

The RAF is the special anti-riots combat unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which is the world’s largest paramilitary force with about 3.25 lakh personnel in its ranks.

The members of the squad have been specially chosen by CRPF trainers and are in the age group of 25 to 30.

They are drawn from various combat ranks of the force, another official said.

This women bikers team, the official said, had performed at the birth anniversary celebrations of country’s first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on October 31 last year at Kevadia in Gujarat. The event was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In 1986, the CRPF had raised the first armed women’s battalion in the Asia region and at present it has six such units with over 1,000 personnel in each.

At this year’s Republic Day parade, the all-woman CRPF contingent is expected to present as many as nine acts of daring bike riding and conclude by forming a human pyramid on multiple motorcycles.

At the 2018 parade, a women bikers team of the Border Security Force (BSF) had made a similar debut.

In 2015, women marching contingents of Army, Navy and Air Force had debuted in the national parade.

According to tradition, the BSF and the Army’s bike-borne daredevils end the Republic Day parade every alternate year riding their roaring bikes.

This year, the opportunity has been given to the CRPF women personnel, the official said. — PTI

New Delhi, January 20

Commuters in Delhi had a harrowing time on Monday as VIP movement, a protest march and Republic Day rehearsals affected traffic on several key stretches of the city.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took out a roadshow from Valmiki Mandir near Gole Market to Patel Chowk metro station, causing traffic congestions near Connaught Place and Panchkuian Road.

Several students held a march from Mandi House to Jantar Mantar to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the planned National Register of Citizens (NRC).

In the evening, there was a VVIP route near ITO, due to which several vehicles got stuck in traffic. The traffic at ITO intersection was severely hit and came to halt as the DDU Marg was closed due to the VIP movement.

Vehicular movement on Minto Road also got affected causing inconvenience for the commuters coming from Connaught Place

The Rajpath, from Vijay Chowk to India Gate, was closed for traffic from 9 am to 12 noon for Republic Day parade rehearsals. Traffic movement was also restricted on Rafi Marg, Janpath and Man Singh Road during this time. The rehearsal will also be held on Tuesday.

Commuters who were forced to take longer routes, took to social media to vent out their anger.

One of the commuters tweeted, “Forty-five minutes. Yet the loop at ITO not completed. Delhi traffic is a total chaos.”

Another person said on the micro-blogging site, “Stuck at ITO crossing for over 45 minutes now. In shambles, Delhi traffic scene.”

Last week, the Delhi Police advised commuters to have patience and observe traffic rules and road discipline during traffic restrictions for Republic Day Parade rehearsals.

It said rehearsals will be held on Monday and Tuesday on the Rajpath, from Vijay Chowk to India Gate, and there could be traffic diversions and alternative routes will be suggested to motorists.

Traffic will be restricted on Rafi Marg, Janpath and Mansingh Road from 9 am to 12 noon on the two days, the police had said. Rajpath will also remain shut for traffic from Vijay Chowk to India Gate. — PTI

Thanjavur, January 20

Adding teeth to India’s air and maritime dominance in the Indian Ocean Region, a squadron of fourth generation fighter jets Sukhoi-30 MKI equipped with the BrahMos missile was inducted on Monday at the airforce station here, the first such base in South India.

The ‘Tigersharks’ 222 squadron of Sukhoi 30 MKI jets, formally inducted by Chief of Defence Staff Gen.Bipin Rawat, will be tasked with the air dominance and maritime role and equipped with the air variant of the BrahMos.

The squadron based in this ancient Chola capital, about 340 km from Chennai, is seen as a gamechanger in guarding the strategically important Indian Ocean Region (IOR) that has seen growing Chinese presence.

Expected to set right the military balance in the IOR, the Su-30 MKI is a state-of-the-art all weather multi-role fighter aircraft capable of undertaking varied air defence, ground attack and maritime missions.

BrahMos, an Indo-Russian joint venture weapon, is a medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile capable of being launched from submarines, warships, fighter jets or land. The 2.5-tonne missile has a strike range of nearly 300 km.

The BrahMos cruise missile travels at a speed of Mach 2.8, nearly three times that of sound.

Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria and senior defence officials were among those present on the occasion of the induction ceremony with the former describing it as a historic day for the Indian Air Force.

“So the role it will undertake is the Air Defence of Southern Peninsula and more importantly with this special maritime capability in combination of Brahmos it will be in for maritime role in support of nation,” Bhadauria said.

A defence release said with the operationalisation of the squadron, the air defence capablilites of IAF, particularly in the Southern Air Command area will be strengthened.

“This would also provide protection to our island territories and sea lines of communication in the Indian Ocean Region. The IOR is increasingly gaining importance and the presence of a fighter squadron will provide security cover to all our strategic and vital assets in the region,” it added.

The Sukhois have a combat radius of almost 1,500 km without midair refuelling.

“There has been a gradual to an accelerated expansion of varied maritime forces in the region which could afffect the existing military balance. Therefore, there is a need to protect our military and economic interests in the IOR,” the release said in an apparent reference to the Chinese presence in the IOR and the need to respond to it.

China already has a military base at the strategically located Djibouti at the horn of Africa, its first in a foreign nation, and it is also looking at expanding its presence.

Enhancement of the IAF’s capability with the induction of the squad was in response to both conventional and non conventional threats in the IOR and to ensure security and stability in the region, the release said.

General Rawat, in his address said the “Tigersharks” underscored “integration,” which is the future of the Indian Armed Forces. The Su-30 MKI aircraft, along with the BrahMos will be a game-changer and extensively enhance the security of the maritime domain, he noted.

The squadron will be operating closely with the army and navy to get the ball rolling and thus harmonizing with the armed forces, he said.

While the fighter jets got a water salute, the induction ceremony culminated with a flying display by light combat aircraft, Sarang helicopter display team and Surya Kiran aerobatic team.

Bhadauria, in his address, said it was a historic day for the Indian Air Force. On the decision to choose Thanjavur as the base for the SU 30 MKI squadron, he said it was because of its strategic location.

He complimented the Southern Air Command and all personnel of air force station here for their efforts in advancing the induction by almost a year.

Apart from that the station would also handle all other roles that Air Force would assign in terms of offensive or defensive as part of any other missions, he said.

The 222 squadron was raised at Ambala in 1969 with Sukhoi Su-7 aircraft.  In July 1971, it was moved to Halwara and was engaged in combat with the Pakistan Air Force in the 1971 war.

In 1985, the Tigersharks became the first Indian squadron to be equipped with the Mig-27 aircraft and it is now being “resurrected,” with the Su-30 MKI at Thanjavur.

With the induction, integrated flying training is also set to commence along with the indigenous Tejas aircraft which is already present in Coimbatore.

According to the IAF, latest radars will be deployed in the region to further strengthen its integrated surveillance system.

During the IAF exercise Gagan Shakti-2018, the capabilities of this aircraft were amply demonstrated. Also, it showcased an extended air operational range with the help of air to air refuelling by the IL-78 aircraft.

The Indian Ocean Region, faced numerous challenges such as drug trafficking, piracy and maritime terrorism and the busiest trans oceanic trade route.

The IOR is so important that more than 80 per cent of India’s energy supply was routed through it and it is likely to grow to 95 per cent by 2025. PTI