The Veterans’ Association of Ontario is bringing together representatives from Hindu and Sikh organisations to resolve differences over the laws that have divided the Indo-Canadian community

A file photo of women farmers attending a protest against farm laws on the occasion of International Women’s Day at Bahadurgar near Haryana-Delhi border, India on March 8, 2021. (REUTERS/File)WORLD NEWS

Canada: Armed forces veterans’ body seeks to end rift over India’s farm laws

The Veterans’ Association of Ontario is bringing together representatives from Hindu and Sikh organisations to resolve differences over the laws that have divided the Indo-Canadian communityBy Anirudh Bhattacharyya I Edited by Nadim SirajPUBLISHED ON MAR 14, 2021 11:30 AM IST

A group of armed forces veterans in Canada has started a campaign to try to mend a growing rift between various communities in the country over farm laws passed in India last year that have sparked protests.

The Veterans’ Association of Ontario, which comprises Indian-origin members who have served in the armed forces in India and Canada, is bringing together representatives from Hindu and Sikh organisations to resolve differences over the farm laws that have divided the Indo-Canadian community.

Brigadier (Retd) Nawab Heer, chair of the association, told HT he was “hopeful” the situation will be “defused”, adding, “I don’t know why we should be creating tensions among ourselves. Views should be respected on both sides. If the Indian diaspora has to flourish here, we have to be together.”

The association has facilitated dialogue between some leaders of the two communities, while religious establishments like gurdwaras have also been brought into the process of trying to create harmony.

Union of India/ PCDA/ IAF have lost a petition in Supreme court against Veteran JWO Bharat singh khatana for grant pension as per last Rank held. This is applicable for Pre 2006 retirees only. Now every one who held the rank for less than 10 months are eligible for pension of retired rank as per the supreme court judgement. Earlier, everyone who approached CDA/AFRO/DAV were getting reply that the case is under appeal in supreme court. I request every individual to write a letter to DAV/PCDA and seek revision of pension as per last rank held

Baghpat: 

Siding with farmers protesting the Centre’s new agriculture laws, Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik here on Sunday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah not to offend them.

Speaking at an event in his home district, Malik said if the Centre gives legal guarantee of the minimum support price (MSP) for crops, farmers will relent.

The Meghalaya Governor also claimed that he prevented the arrest of farmer leader Rakesh Tikait when he heard rumours about it.

Malik further said he had requested the prime minister and the home minister not to use force against farmers, and not to send them home from Delhi empty-handed.

“None of the laws are in favour of farmers. The country in which farmers and soldiers are not satisfied, that country cannot move ahead. That country cannot be saved. Hence, the Army and farmers should be kept satisfied,” Malik said urging PM Modi and Home Minister Shah not to offend them.

Describing the condition of farmers as bad, Malik said, “They are getting poorer day by day while the salary of government officials and staff increases after every three years. Whatever is sown by a farmer is cheap and whatever he buys is expensive.”

“They do not know how they are becoming poor. The ‘satyanaash‘ (annihilation) of the farmers is taking place without their knowledge. When they go to sow (crops), there is some price, and when they go to reap it, the price decreases by almost ₹ 300,” Malik said.

Taking a jibe at the arguments offered in favour of the new farm laws, Malik said, “A lot of noise was created that farmers can now sell (crops) at any place. This is a 15-year-old law. Despite this, when a farmer from Mathura goes to Palwal with wheat, there is a lathicharge on him. When a farmer from Sonipat comes to Narela, there is a lathicharge on him.”

“There are many questions of farmers, which must be answered. Today, there is no law in favour of farmers. This has to be corrected. I want to assure you that in the matter of farmers, I will go to any extent to solve their problems,” he said.

Apparently referring to Sikh farmers protesting against the laws, Malik said, “The Sikh community does not back down and forget things even after 300 years.”

“Indira Gandhi (ex-PM) had got the ‘Mahamrityunjay Mantra Jaap‘ done for a month after the Operation Blue Star. Arun Nehru told me that when he asked her that you do not believe is such rituals, then why are you performing these, she said you don’t know, I have damaged their ‘Akal Takht’. They will not spare me.”

5Comments(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

India should draw comfort from the fact that it has been offered a seat on the decision-making table along with China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan and the US. This is a big opportunity, given the fact that India has been losing leverage in Afghanistan ever since the Taliban came back to battle in 2004, getting stronger and stronger. So, the issue for India is whether it should stick to its stance of loyalty to the Afghan government or be flexible in its approach.

WIST IN THE TALE: A few weeks before the day agreed upon for the withdrawal of US forces, America has come out with a new peace plan for Afghanistan. REUTERS

Lt Gen NPS Hira (Retd)

Former Deputy Chief of Army Staff

Afghanistan has been suffering for the past 40 years. Today, it is one of the poorest countries and has the highest daily death toll from militant violence and security forces’ killings. With a few weeks to go before May 1, the day agreed upon for the final withdrawal of American forces, the US has come out with its new proposal for peace in Afghanistan. Perhaps, no analyst would disagree that in the present circumstances there may be no solution to the problem without power-sharing with the Taliban.

The situation has been further precipitated by Donald Trump’s election agenda of withdrawing troops from Afghanistan. Unfortunately, he continued with the withdrawal even after he had lost the elections. If we go back to the time before the US elections were due in 2016, Barack Obama had planned to withdraw completely out of Afghanistan. But when he realised that doing so was against American interests, he changed the plan and left 10,000 troops in Afghanistan to keep the options open for the new President to be elected.

But Trump is made of a different clay. He has, unfortunately, tried to close down the options for Biden. As a result, much as Biden may desire to promote the western style of democracy, his options to put pressure on the Taliban stand constrained. A lot has been written about the details of the new plan of Biden as well as the bad optics of the language of the letter by Antony Blinken to Afghanistan’s elected President Ghani.

Biden’s plan needs to be viewed in the larger context of the limited options open to him. The plan, in essence, is an interim power-sharing set-up between the Afghan government and the Taliban, an essential revision of Afghanistan’s Constitution as well as the judicial system by commissions with members from the Afghan government as well as the Taliban. This exercise is to be followed by fresh elections in Afghanistan. A ceasefire has also been proposed in Afghanistan during this period.

Neither the Afghan government nor the Taliban are happy with the plan, though it is difficult to say if Biden can be faulted for his effort. There is a fair amount of public opinion in the US to get its troops out of Afghanistan and let the Afghans decide their own fate, irrespective of the course it may take.

Ghani secured his presidency last year for a further period of five years. He is obviously unhappy with the plan because if put into effect, he as well as his government stand to lose a lot. The harsh tone of Blinken’s letter to Ghani suggests that if he were not to accept the proposal, the US may have no option but to watch him thrown to the wolves, if the US is to complete its withdrawal as planned.

To be fair to Biden, the Taliban have been as much, if not more, pressured to agree to a ceasefire and also face a popular mandate. The Taliban’s only strength in this tug-of-war is the use of violence and, therefore, this proposal is anathema to them. The plan has built-in safeguards for women, human rights and a popular mandate of the people.

Given the animosity and distrust between the Afghan government and the Taliban, both can draw comfort from the fact that the US has proposed this plan to unfold under the supervision of the United Nations. This implies the deployment of a peacekeeping or, more aptly, a peace-enforcement contingent from different nations. The plan does seem to rely on a fair amount of wishful thinking, but Biden does not have a choice. It is difficult to think of any other better option under these circumstances for peace in Afghanistan.

India should draw comfort from the fact that it has been offered a seat on the decision-making table along with China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan and the US. This is a big opportunity, given the fact that India has been losing leverage in Afghanistan ever since the Taliban came back to battle in 2004, getting stronger and stronger.

So, the issue for India is whether it should stick to its stance of loyalty to the Afghan government or be flexible in its approach. The people in Afghanistan have suffered a lot. To help improve their sad plight, it may be more apt to take a humane approach.

No doubt, the Afghan government is an elected body, but one may also not overlook that the Taliban have come to enjoy a considerable following among the rural masses and cannot be wished away. It represents the Pashtuns, which is the biggest and most dominant ethnic tribe and has ruled Kabul in the past. The Taliban have also recently been taking recruits from all ethnicities, including the Hazaras, who are Shia Muslims.

So, if the Taliban agree to a ceasefire and also to take part in the elections, it may not be a bad option to work with them in the larger interest of peace.

Since a man of Biden’s sensibilities for democracy and human rights has come around to the above viewpoint, as is reflected in the proposed plan, India may also need to look at it with an open mind. It is logical to conclude that if we cannot wish the Taliban away, it is better to get them to agree to join the democratic process and moderate their policies.

One can also read between the lines: that if the Taliban do not agree, Biden, by floating this proposal, has created sufficient grounds for the US military to stay back in Afghanistan and continue with its military option against the Taliban. So, the plan has not only made Ghani’s position somewhat vulnerable, it has also put the Taliban in a tighter corner. It looks unlikely that the Taliban would agree to the proposal, unless the US shows its teeth by declaring its intention to stay put beyond May 1. Even with that option, finding a solution to the Afghan problem is a tall order.

In the past, India had good reasons for not getting involved militarily in Afghanistan, but as a part of the UN contingent, it is a good opportunity to send troops to Afghanistan. This is likely to give India more leverage in Afghanistan against Pakistan than what it has today. Its soft power in Afghanistan will multiply manifold if it is able to put boots on the ground under the UN mandate. Its presence will help take care of its immediate interests as well as build a lasting relationship with Afghanistan, irrespective of the composition of the future governments.

Accounts for 7.7 per cent of Army’s manpower, though its share in national population is 2.3 per cent

hoto for representational purpose only. Reuters

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 15

Piping its neighbours, Punjab, often referred to as the sword army of the nation, has the second highest number of soldiers, other than officers, serving in the Army amongst all states and union territories in the country.

The strength of army personnel from Punjab is 89,088, according to information placed by the Ministry of Defence in Parliament today. This accounts for 7.7 per cent of the Army’s rank and file, even though its share of the national population is 2.3 per cent.

With 1,67,557 soldiers, Uttar Pradesh tops the list of states contributing manpower to the Army. While Uttar Pradesh, the nation’s most populous state, makes up 16.5 per cent of the country’s population, its share in the rank and file is 14.5 per cent. Maharashtra, with 87,835 soldiers occupies the third slot followed by Rajasthan, with 79,481 soldiers.

Among other states in the region, Haryana is sixth in the national tally while Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh 11th and 12th position, respectively. The contribution of these states to the Army, however, is significantly more than their share of the national population.

The Ministry’s data shows that with 65,987 soldiers, Haryana accounts for 5.7 per cent of the rank and file where as its share of the national population is 2.09 per cent. Jammu and Kashmir, along with Ladakh, and Himachal Pradesh have 47,457 and 46,960 active duty soldiers, respectively. While they account for 1.01 per cent and 0.57 per cent of the national population, respectively, they make up 4.1 and 4 per cent of the army’s strength,

The Army currently has 11,51,726 soldiers on its rolls against the authorised strength of 12,29,559, facing a deficiency of 77,833 men in the ranks. As far as officers, other than those in the medical stream, are concerned, the present holding is 42,959 against the authorised 50,806.  

Unlike the Air Force and the Navy, the Army does not maintain state-wise details of the number of officers on its strength. As far as the Air Force is concerned, Haryana has the second highest number of officers after Uttar Pradesh and the third highest number of airmen.

Incidentally, the number of doctors presently with the Army Medical Corps and the Army Dental Corps is 6,608, which is higher that the sanctioned strength of 5,736. The posted strength of Military Nursing Officers at present is 3,841 against the authorised number of 4,389.

The region has a strong martial heritage and a rich military history that dates back thousands of years, and is a witness to many wars and battles. Joining the armed forces is a tradition in many families and several generations have donned the uniform.

In the infantry, the largest component of the army, the Punjab Regiment, Dogra Regiment, Sikh Regiment, Sikh Light Infantry, Jammu and Kashmir Regiment, Jammu and Kashmir Rifles and Ladakh Scouts draw their manposer from this region. Soldiers from these states also make up a sizable chunk of other arms and services.

Vacancies in the rank and file are allotted to the state on the basis of their respective population. In case a state fails to fill up the allotted vacancies, these can then filled from, other states.

Routes critical in maintaining supplies to Army, IAF stationed along LAC

Amid the ongoing military tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, India is racing to open both road routes that connect the plateau of Ladakh with mainland India. File photo

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 15

Amid the ongoing military tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, India is racing to open both road routes that connect the plateau of Ladakh with mainland India.

In February end, Zoji-La, a 11,500-ft-high mountain pass on the Srinagar-Leh route, was opened weeks ahead of the schedule. Now, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has sent a special team to open Baralacha-La, a 16,000-ft-high Himalayan pass on the Manali-Leh route.

Strategic move

• Zoji-La, a 11,500-ft-high mountain pass on the Srinagar-Leh route, was opened last month, weeks ahead of the schedule
• Baralacha-La, a 16,000-ft-high pass on the Manali-Leh route, is likely to be opened by month-end
• Supplies to the Army and IAF in eastern Ladakh are dependent on these two road routes

Baralacha-La is the first high pass on the 427-km-long Manali–Leh highway. The road normally opens in mid-May, but the BRO might open it by the end of this month. Supplies like oil, food, ammunition and spares for the Army and IAF locations in Eastern Ladakh are dependent on these two routes. Once the passes close during the winter, the only option is to fly men and supplies from logistics hubs in Chandigarh or Hindon.

On Sunday, a team of the BRO clad in arctic clothing trekked across the snowbound Baralacha-La to reach Sarchu, a location where the road opening equipment was kept during the winter. The team is fully stocked with ration, spare parts, communication equipment etc.

Connectivity on 59 roads achieved

Connectivity has been achieved on 59 roads with 3,205 km length along the India-China border, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in Rajya Sabha on Monday.

It attempted to cross the pass on March 11 and again on March 12, but heavy snowfall held them back. The crossing was again attempted on March 13, which was successful. The team, however, fell short of the destination, Sarchu, where it reached the next day. Snow clearance work has started on access routes to the pass. There is a minimum of 20 feet of snow for more than 10-15 km on either side of the pass.

Meanwhile, Zoji-La, located 130 km east of Srinagar, was opened in February, but fresh snow around March 10 blocked the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh road.

New delhi: 

Five Lieutenant Colonels, a Major and a Lieutenant of the Indian Army were among 23 people named by the CBI in an investigation into corruption involving recruitment to the force on Monday following searches in 30 places in 13 cities.

The accused include 17 army personnel in all and six others with “allegations pertaining to bribery and irregularities in recruitment of officers and other ranks through Service Selection Board”, the CBI said.

The agency said the case was registered based on a complaint from the office of Additional Directorate General, Discipline & Vigilance, Adjutant General’s Branch, Integrated HQ of Ministry of Defence (Army).

The CBI received a complaint last month that serving personnel were involved in accepting bribes for helping candidates clear medical exams at the Base Hospital in New Delhi.

Lt Col MVSNA Bhagwan of the Army Air Defence Corps, the alleged mastermind of the recruitment racket, is among those named, they said.

The complaint said that Lt Col Bhagwan, currently on study leave, and Naib Subedar Kuldeep Singh also received kickbacks from potential officer candidates at SSB centres.

The agency said that Lt Col Surender Singh of 31 SSB centre North; Lt Col YS Chauhan of 6 Mountain Division Ordnance Unit; Lt Col Sukhdev Arora of Directorate General of Recruiting; Lt Col Vinay, GTO, Selection Centre South, Bangalore; and Major Bhavesh Kumar allegedly facilitated the selection of candidates through SSB.

It is alleged that bribes in several lakh rupees were paid to the officers and their relatives through cheques, cash, and online transfers for the selection of candidates, they said.

Searches were conducted today at 30 places including the Base Hospital at the Delhi Cantonment, other army establishments, civilian areas covering 13 cities, the CBI said.

The locations searched include those in Delhi, Lucknow, Jaipur, Guwahati, Kapurthala, Bathinda, Kaithal, Palwal, Bareilly, Gorakhpur, Vishakhapatnam, Jorhat and Chirangon.

CommentsThe searches led to the recovery of several incriminating documents which are being studied, the agency said

he accused: Lt Col Surender Singh, SSB, Kapurthala, Lt Col YS Chauhan, 6 Mountain Division, Bareilly, Lt Col Sukhdev Arora, DG Recruiting New Delhi, Lt Col Vinay, GTO, Banglore, Lt Navjot Singh Kanwar, 21 Mountain Division, Guwahati, Lt Col MVSNA Bhagwan, AAD Corps, Main Subedar Kuldeep Singh, Delhi Cantt etc. Some family members of serving personnel have also been booked.

More than 1,000 such kits will be delivered to state-run undertaking for further integration and production of missile

The group will extend support in maintenance and repair operations for in-service air defence missile systems.

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 16

Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems Private Limited (KRAS), in collaboration with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems of Israel, on Tuesday rolled out the first batch of medium range surface-to-air missile (MRSAM) kits for the Indian Army and the Air Force under the government’s Make-in-India initiative.

KRAS will deliver more than 1,000 such missile kits to India’s state-run undertaking, Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for further integration and production of the missile, according to a statement issued here.

Stating that the venture marked a step-change in technological expertise and collective demonstration of the capability to be the global manufacturing hub for defence products, Baba Kalyani, Chairman and Managing Director of Kalyani Group, added that apart from the missile kits, the group will extend support in maintenance and repair operations for in-service air defence missile systems.

Brig Gen Pinhas Yungman, Head of Air and Missile Defense Systems division of Rafael, said that the company, which had been a reliable partner to the Indian armed forces for almost three decades, will not only build products for them but also trigger and help achieve the government’s vision of exports from India.

28,926 vacancies in BSF, followed by 26,506 in CRPF

For representation only. Tribune file photo

New Delhi, March 16

There were 1,11,093 posts lying vacant across the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and the Assam Rifles, with the majority of such vacancies at the constable-rank, the government informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

The recruitment process was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 but selection of nearly 56,000 constables was done for the CAPFs and the Assam Rifles recently, the government said.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai presented these figures, updated till September 1, 2020, in response to a query by BJP MP Rajyavardhan Rathore, a former Army officer who now represents Jaipur (Rural) in the Lok Sabha.

The CAPFs refer to seven central security forces of the country under administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs. They consist of the Border Security Force (BSF), the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), besides the Assam Rifles (AR) and the National Security Guard (NSG).

According to the data, there were 28,926 vacancies in the BSF followed by 26,506 in the CRPF, 23,906 in the CISF, 18,643 in the SSB, 7,328 in the AR and 5,784 in the ITBP as on September 1, 2020.

“Vacancies in the CAPFs and the AR arise due to retirements, resignations, deaths, new raisings, creation of new posts, cadre reviews, etc. and majority of vacancies are in the grade of constable,” Rai stated.

He said the vacancies arising in the CAPFs and the AR are filled up by various methods of recruitment such as direct recruitment, promotion, deputation as per the provisions of the respective Recruitment Rules.

Requisite measures are being taken to fill up the vacancies through various agencies like the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and Staff Selection Commission (SSC) as well as by holding recruitment rallies, conducting departmental examinations and holding meetings of Departmental Promotion Committees (DPCs), he said.

The minister also stated that due to the COVID-19 pandemic recruitment processes got delayed.

“Recently the SSC has declared results for Constable (GD) Examination-2018 on January 28, 2021 and has selected 55,915 constables for the CAPFs and the AR,” Rai said.

“Filling up of vacancies is an ongoing continuous process which is done as per the administrative and operational requirements of the forces,” he added. PTI

Policymakers, farmers see it as yet another attack on state amid ongoing stir against agri laws

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 14

In another setback for the state, the Food Corporation of India is proposing the revision of the specifications for foodgrain procurement, making the rules tighter by introducing changes in quality control as suggested by “some private players”.

Food panel recommendations for…

WHEAT

• Reduce moisture content from 14% to 12%; grain won’t be bought even with value cut
• Reduce foreign matter from 0.75% to 0.50%
• Reduce slightly damaged grains from 4% to 2%
• Hectolitre weight of wheat (at 75 kg per hectolitre) to be introduced for export

PADDY

• Reduce permissible limit of foreign matter from 2% to 1%
• Lower limit of damaged and discoloured grains from 5% to 3%
• Reduce admixture of lower class paddy from 6% to 5%

RICE

• Allow 20% rice refraction against 25% earlier
• Reduce limit of damaged grains by 1%
• Red grains shouldn’t be allowed
• Reduce moisture content from 15% to 14%

The proposals, among other things, include reducing the limit of moisture content in wheat from present 14 per cent to 12 per cent, reducing the incorporated semi-damaged grains in procured grains from four per cent to two per cent, and reducing the prevalence of shrivelled and broken grains from six to four per cent.

For paddy purchase, too, the specifications have been changed and strict quality control proposed with reduction in moisture content (from 17-16 per cent); reduction in permissible foreign matter; a two per cent reduction in permissible limit of damaged and discoloured grains among others.

The proposals, for uniform specifications of foodgrain for procurement under central pool, also mention that from now on there can be no prevalence of other foodgrain in wheat (generally during storage, other grains tend to get mixed) against two per cent allowed to date; no weeviled grains will be purchased and grains have to be purchased by the Centre with zero live infestation.

Procurement of wheat begins in Punjab from April 1 and 130 lakh metric tonne of wheat is targeted for government purchase.

Though apparently the Centre’s insistence on stricter quality control norms is targeted at ensuring good quality purchase for public distribution and for ensuring its export worthiness, the move is being seen by policymakers, farmers and government officials as yet another attack on the state, whose farmers have been at the forefront of the farmers’ agitation against the Centre’s three farm laws.

“Suddenly, norms are being tightened for foodgrain procurement from Punjab. Some of these rules are not feasible. Introducing the new quality control norms now, when the crop is just a month away from being harvested, is an indication that the Centre (through FCI) is shying away from purchasing grains, something the farmers have been protesting all along. Generally, there are rains near harvest time, which lead to higher moisture content. By reducing the existing limit of moisture content allowed in wheat, the government will find that a large amount of wheat is unsuitable for purchase. Where will the farmer go?” asks Jagmohan Singh Patiala, general secretary of BKU Dakaunda.

Recently, the Centre had issued instructions making it mandatory for all farmers to give details of land ownership to get MSP for wheat. This, too, has generated heat in the state where almost 45 per cent of land holdings are leased out by farmers to other cultivators.

Punjab Food and Supply Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu told The Tribune that this was an indication that FCI wanted to run away from purchasing grains. “FCI has been slowly reducing the grain purchase over the past few years. I will meet the Union Food Minister this week to resolve these issues,” he said.