Gurbani and Hanuman Chalisa are recited every morning at Singhu.
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, February 8
With the focus of the farmers’ movement shifting from Punjab to the Jat hinterland, the Singhu protest site on the Delhi border, so far dominated by Sikh farmers, has donned a secular colour.
The morning starts with the recitation of Gurbani from the stage, followed by Hanuman Chalisa and other religious hymns.
Farmer leaders say the sudden increase in participation of Haryana farmers has further secularised the movement. “Now, it has gone much beyond any communal agenda.
It is now difficult for the state to label this movement a ‘Khalistani struggle’,” says one of the leaders of the 32 farmer organisations spearheading the agitation.
Earlier, farmer leaders were opposing the idea of any religious activity from the official stage at Singhu. In December, even a detailed discussion took place during a meeting of the farmer organisations on ways to save the movement from becoming a “show of one particular religion”.
Apart from exchange of religious values, a mix of cultures is taking place at the protest site. This is the first time a large number of women and children from Haryana are participating at the Singhu border.
“This is something that has never been seen before,” says a lawyer from Punjab and Haryana High Court who returned from Singhu on Sunday.
Indian Navy undertaking mega exercise in Indian Ocean Region
Ships take part in Indian Navy’s largest war game – the biennial Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise (TROPEX 21) – which commenced in early January, in the Indian Ocean Region. — PTI
New Delhi, February 10
The Indian Navy is carrying out a mega war game involving almost all operational assets like warships, submarines and aircraft over a vast geographical expanse in the Indian Ocean Region to test the force’s combat readiness in a complex multi-dimensional scenario, officials said on Wednesday.
The biennial ‘Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise (TROPEX)’ aims to validate the Navy’s offensive as well as defence capabilities and safeguard national interests in the maritime domain besides promoting peace and stability in the Indian Ocean, they said.
“Indian Navy’s largest war game, the biennial TROPEX 21, which commenced in early January is currently underway with participation of all operational units of Indian Navy including ships, submarines, aircraft as well as units of the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and Coast Guard,” the Navy said.
It said the exercise will culminate by the third week of February.
The exercise is taking place at a time China has been making increasing forays into the Indian Ocean region as part of its offensive military manoeuvre.
“The exercise is being conducted over a vast geographical expanse in the Indian Ocean Region including its adjunct waters and is aimed at testing combat readiness of the Navy in a complex multi-dimensional scenario set in the context of the current geostrategic environment,” the Navy said in a statement.
It said the conduct of TROPEX is being overseen by the Naval headquarters with participation from all three commands of the Indian Navy and the tri-services command at Port Blair.
“TROPEX is being progressed over distinct phases that also test the Navy’s transition from peacetime to hostilities,” the Navy said.
As part of the first phase of the exercise, the Indian Navy along with other stakeholders held a two-day mega drill in January covering the country’s 7,516 km coastline and exclusive economic zone.
The ‘Sea Vigil’ exercise from January 12-13 was billed as India’s largest coastal defence drill, and it was aimed at validating the coastal defence setup which was revamped after the 26/11 terror attack.
“Valuable lessons emerging from the exercise are being incorporated in the existing procedures to further fine-tune the coastal defence architecture of the country,” the Navy said.
“Exercise Sea Vigil was followed by a large-scale tri-service joint amphibious exercise AMPHEX-21, which was conducted in the Andaman and Nicobar group of Islands from January 21-25,” it said.
The amphibious exercise was aimed at validating India’s capabilities to safeguard the territorial integrity of its island territories and enhance operational synergy and joint war fighting capabilities amongst the three services, the Navy said.
“The weapon workup phase of TROPEX, which concluded recently, witnessed multiple ‘on-target’ ordnance deliveries including missiles, torpedoes and rockets from frontline warships, aircraft and submarines and demonstrated the lethal firepower of the Indian Navy,” the Navy said.
It said the ‘weapon workout’ phase also reaffirmed the Navy’s capability to carry out long range maritime strikes in the Indian Ocean Region, a capability that is central to meeting operational challenges and ensuring safe seas and secure coasts. — PTI
Congress MPs from Punjab to move private members bills to repeal laws Demand Rs 50 lakh for kin of farmers who died during farmers’ agitation
Congress MPs from Punjab on Tuesday said they would move private members bills in the Parliament to pressurise the government to repeal farm laws and appealed to MPs of other parties to join the move.
Former ministers and MPs Manish Tewari and Preneet Kaur, and other Punjab MPs of Congress Ravneet Bittu, JS Gill, Amar Singh, Mohd Sadique and Santokh Choudhry held a joint press conference here on Tuesday to say they had submitted private and collective private members bills in the Lok Sabha and will ask their Rajya Sabha colleagues to follow suit.
The Congress leaders from Punjab also appealed to other MPs to join the effort to ensure the Centre and the Prime Minister feel the pressure to repeal farm laws.
Ravneet Bittu said 247 MPs of them, 203 from Lok Sabha have mentioned farming as their profession and should join the Congress effort to “hit the arrogance of the government and get them to see the farmers’ point”.
Bittu also said if these MPs don’t speak for farmers their constituents should hold them to account.
JS Gill demanded Rs 50 lakh ex-gratia be paid to next of kin of the farmers who have died during the farmers’ agitation.
Tewari said the bills demand repeal of farm laws on grounds that they are illegal and unconstitutional.
Asked why the Congress did not petition the courts against the laws on grounds of illegality Tewari said, “The SC is seized of the matter and the laws have been stayed. We are taking whatever action we need to take as legislators against the laws.”
The Congress MPs also said that they would hope other parties join the move in the interest of farmers.
The Congress leaders said the movement is not confined to Punjab as Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar sought to suggest in Parliament.
Tewari said the government’s arrogance needs to challenged.
“We will urge Lok Sabha speaker to prioritise the introduction and passage of our private members bills,” he added.
Chinese, Indian border troops start disengagement in eastern Ladakh: Chinese Defence Ministry
IAF Sukhoi Su-30 jet flies over Ladakh region amid the prolonged India-China faceoff, in Leh district. PTI file
Beijing, February 10
The Chinese and Indian frontline troops at the south and north banks of the Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh started synchronised and organised disengagement from Wednesday, the Chinese Defence spokesman announced here.
There was no comment from the Indian side on the statement made by the Chinese defence ministry spokesperson Colonel Wu Qian, and carried by China’s official media.
According to the consensus reached by the ninth round of the commander-level talks between China and India, the frontline units of the Chinese and Indian armed forces began organised disengagement from North and South bank of Pangong lake from February 10, Wu said in a brief press release.
The militaries of China and India have been engaged in a tense standoff in eastern Ladakh since early May last year.
The two countries have held several rounds of military and diplomatic-level talks to resolve the face-off.
On January 24, the 9th round of China-India Corps Commander-level meeting was held on the Chinese side of the Moldo-Chushul border meeting point. PTI
Bajwa urges Chief Justice HC to monitor investigation in Nodeep Kaur case
There is a pall of secrecy in the conduct of the Haryana police concerning this case: Bajwa
Chandigarh, February 10, 2021: Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Partap Singh Bajwa has requested the Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court to monitor the investigation in a labour right activist Nodeep Kaur case and ensure that justice is meted out.
The minister also urged the chief justice to transfer Nodeep Kaur to jail in Punjab
In a letter to Ravi Shankar Jha, Chief Justice Punjab and Haryana High court, Baja said that there is a pall of secrecy in the conduct of Haryana Police concerning Nodeep Kaur and they haven’t even uploaded the copy of FIR on the police website.
“I seek to bring to your urgent attention the case of Ms. Nodeep Kaur, a 23-year-old Dalit labor rights activist who was arrested on January 12, 2021, by the Haryana Police. She was peacefully protesting against the farm laws at the Singhu border protest site when she was arrested by the Haryana Police on false and fabricated charges to stifle her voice and intimidate other protesters,” stated Partap Singh Bajwa in the letter.
“The family members and colleagues of Ms. Nodeep Kaur are on record alleging that she has been subjected to custodial harassment and sexual violence at the hands of police. It is believed that Ms. Kaur is currently in custody at the Sonipat jail and continues to face a threat to her life and harassment at the behest of the state machinery,” he further added.
Rafale induction event cost govt over Rs41 lakh: Rajnath First batch of 5 jets joined IAF on Sept 10 | Entire fleet to be ready by April ’22
The induction ceremony of the first batch of five Rafale jets at the IAF base in Ambala cost the exchequer a little over of Rs 41 lakh, including Rs 9.18 lakh GST, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.
Pak mischief now just limited to border
The Army has limited Pakistan’s mischief to just the border, giving a befitting reply to their misadventures. No praise is enough for the actions taken by the Army, BSF and other security forces in containing Pak-sponsored terrorist activities. — Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister
In ’20, 46 killed in 5,133 ceasefire violations
Rajnath said there were 5,133 incidents of ceasefire violation by Pakistan last year in which 46 security personnel were killed
He said 299 incidents of ceasefire violation were reported till January 28 this year and ‘appropriate retaliation’ was carried out
“The first five Rafale aircraft were formally inducted into the IAF on September 10. The arrangements for this event were made mostly through local resources of the IAF. The total expenditure on the event was Rs 41.32 lakh, including Rs 9.18 lakh of GST,” he added.
The Defence Minister said traditionally all-new variant of aircraft were inducted into the IAF through a grand ceremony. The Rafale induction ceremony was attended by the French Defence Minister and top executives of the French aerospace major Dassault Aviation, the manufacturer of Rafale.
The second batch of three Rafale jets arrived in India on November 3, while the third batch of three more jets joined the IAF on January 27. The Rafale are India’s first major acquisition of fighter planes in 23 years after the Sukhoi jets were purchased from Russia.
The first squadron of the Rafale jets is stationed at the Ambala airbase, while the second one will be based at the Hasimara IAF station in West Bengal. India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France in 2016 to procure 36 Rafale fighters at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore.
“India will have 17 Rafale jets by March this year and the entire fleet of the fighter aircraft bought by the country will reach by April 2022,” the Defence Minister added.
Kisan-Morcha-Farmers-2021 Immediately Repeal farm laws, bring the law on guaranteed MSP and give comprehensive farm loan waiver : Dr Amar Singh
mmediately Repeal farm laws, bring the law on guaranteed MSP and give comprehensive farm loan waiver : Dr Amar Singh
Say! Respect the historical contribution of Punjab’s farmers and stop labelling them anti-national
Ludhiana, 10 February, 2021 :
Dr Amar Singh MP Shri Fatehgarh Sahib while speaking in Parliament near midnight yesterday asked the central Government to immediately repeal the three farm laws, bring a new law on MSP and also sought debt relief and loan waiver for farmers.
He spoke about the historical contribution of Punjab’s farmers how they had faced against the likes of Abdali and the contribution of Punjabis to the freedom struggle. He condemned the events that took place on 26th January highlighting that it had been condemned across the world. He went on to highlight the disproportionate contribution of Punjabis to the armed forces and how every week Punjabi youngsters are laying down their lives protecting the country.
Dr Singh said given the number of amendments the central Government had agreed to showed the farmers were right and the farm laws needed to be taken back. He asked the Government to swallow its pride and take the laws back altogether.
He said that the Government should explore why farmers don’t trust them. He pointed out that the Governments actions since 2014 starting with the Shanta Kumar committee to dismantle the FCI and reduce public procurement had alerted the farming community about the intentions of the BJP long before the farm laws came to be.
New Delhi: Flashflood in the upper reaches of Uttarakhand has not affected the Army’s readiness to maintain its supply lines to Barahoti, 80 sq km of “contested” area along the LAC with China.
The flood has impacted one of the major routes to Barahoti and Niti pass, which lies 100 km from Joshimath on the north-eastern axis. “An alternative route is open,” Army officials said. The Pithoragarh-Darchula-Lipulekh road was not impacted. — TNS
BrahMos, Tejas, artillery guns, grenades & more — India ready with defence export list
The BrahMos missile at India Gate as part of Republic Day celebrations | Photo: ANI
Delhi: India has come out with a list of 152 items that are available to friendly nations as part of its plan to expand its current $11 billion defence base to $25 billion by 2025, with a $5 billion export component.
The list, including 85 kinds of equipment and 47 sub-systems, has been curated to meet the needs of the countries in the Indian Ocean Region and Africa — some of the top items featured on it are the Brahmos supersonic cruise missiles, the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers, and the Combat Management System.
The list, which was released by the Department of Defence Production during the Aero India air show last week, does not mention Arjun tanks and Astra air-to-air missiles, which were included in a separate list put out by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The list also includes products from private sector manufacturers that haven’t found an entry into the Indian armed forces.
Defence attaches posted in IOR and African countries were asked last year to prepare a set of requirements that could be met through Indian systems, and so far, the most interest has been the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, helicopters and missile systems, according to defence sources.
Based on this interest, India can also look at different financing options, including extended Line of Credits, the sources said.
The defence attaches will promote Indian systems during interactions with their foreign counterparts, and also keep an eye out for possible tenders. This is besides the effort being put in by the Indian private sector.
Here are some of the major items available for export.
There are 30 land systems mentioned in the list. Chief among them are the Akash and BrahMos missiles and artillery guns.
India is offering the Akash Area Defence System for defending vulnerable areas/points against penetrating targets at low, medium and high altitude. The Akash missile has an effective range of 3-25 km, and can operate at altitude of 30 m to 18 km.
In the case of the BrahMos cruise missile, even as India works on extending its range, it is offering the 290 km-range missile for export. BrahMos is much sought after by countries like the Philippines and Vietnam.
Among artillery guns, the defence ministry has included the ATAGS and the in-service K-9 Vajra howitzer, apart from the 155mm/52 Caliber towed gun and Garuda 105 lightweight field gun — the latter two manufactured by private firm Bharat Forge.
The list also includes Ashok Leyland military vehicles, mine protected vehicles, combat helmets and vests manufactured by private firm MKU, multi-mode hand grenades and various kinds of ballistic protection.
Naval systems
On the naval front, India has offered to export anti-submarine warfare corvettes made by the state-run Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), apart from various kinds of patrol and interceptor boats and Landing Craft Utility, which are used to transport troops and materiel from ship to shore and vice-versa.
Also on offer are lightweight and heavyweight torpedos, beside naval 30 mm guns, rocket launchers, coastal surveillance systems and communication and combat management systems for ships.
Air systems
While the LCA Tejas was already mentioned as being available for export, the DDP list adds the Light Combat Helicopter, which is yet to be ordered for the IAF and the Army. Both services are in the process of placing an order for 15 LCHs, but the numbers will eventually go up.
The list also includes several communication systems.
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