President Pranab Mukherjee should have returned the government’s recommendation.

BR AMBEDKAR’S 125th birth anniversary is being celebrated with too much pomp. November 26, 1949,  the day the Constitution was adopted and which is celebrated as ‘Law Day’, was declared as ‘Constitution Day’ in November 2015. Eloquent speeches were made, reiterating the government’s commitment to the Constitution and constitutionalism. In 66 years of our republic, the BJP has been critical of successive Congress governments for their onslaught on federalism, particularly through the imposition of President’s rule. Invocation of Article 356 in Arunachal Pradesh has exposed the hypocrisy of the BJP. Since the apex court was already seized with the matter, this has become the first case of its kind where precipitative action has been taken in spite of oral assurance of Harish Salve, the Governor’s counsel. This is an effort to interfere with the judicial process. Similarly, the Governor’s decision to prepone the Assembly session without consultation with the Nabam Tuki government, with the  instruction to first take up the resolution of the Speaker’s removal,  smacks of political mala fides. The court in VB Chodhary decision of 1979 held that so long an elected government is in office, the Governor has to act on its advice. After the imposition of President’s rule, the court will have limited powers of judicial review, ie except in cases of mala  fide exercise of power. One wants to salute the Bench headed by Justice JS Khehar for asking the government to produce within 15 minutes the Governor’s report. The learned judges are aware that even serious incidents of public disorder may not be sufficient to conclude that there is breakdown of constitutional machinery.The BJP’s criticism of Congress governments as to the gross misuse of Article 356 is justified. But is it not emulating the Congress? Have earlier opposition and BJP governments been any different from Congress on President’s rule? Article 356 empowers the President to dismiss a democratically elected state government. It is an extreme and unusual power. No liberal democratic constitution of the world, except Pakistan, has such a provision. Both India and Pakistan adopted this provision from the infamous Government of India Act, 1935. Our freedom fighters protested and so the British did not implement  it. Even the Constituent Assembly witnessed a heated debate on the discretion being given to the President in dismissing a state government as presidential satisfaction, as to the breakdown of the constitutional machinery in the state, can be based either on the ‘report of the Governor or otherwise’. The term ‘otherwise’ may include anything and is against the ideals of constitutionalism.Moreover, if any advice is given by the Centre to the state and it does not pay heed, it shall be deemed under Article 365 that there is ‘breakdown of the constitutional machinery in the state and the government of the state cannot be carried on in accordance with the Constitution’. HV Kamath argued that “let us wind up the Constituent Assembly and go home. This is not the place for us: let us go to the market-place and let us go into streets”. Shibban Lal Sakena said: “We are reducing the autonomy of the states to a farce. These articles will reduce the state government to great subservience of the central government.” He said since the Government of India Act had omitted the identical provision, it was far more progressive than the proposed constitution. Naziruddin Ahmad also took it as a serious encroachment of provincial autonomy when he said: “I think we are drifting, perhaps, unconsciously, towards a dictatorship. Democracy will flourish only in a democratic atmosphere and under democratic condition.” Pointing out serious procedural flaws in the adoption of major amendments in the original clause, he said the Constitution Drafting Committee may now more aptly be called ‘Drifting Committee’.Ambedkar got Article 356 approved with the assurance that the article shall remain ‘a dead letter’. He was proved wrong as this provision has been used/abused about 150 times.In Arunachal, the Congress is making much hue and cry. There is some merit in its argument as the Congress, with 31 legislators, enjoys majority and defection was possibly engineered by the BJP. But in dismissing the Communist government in Kerala, the Congress Governor in his report had the audacity to say that “while the securing of a majority of seats in the legislature, however meagre, is a very relevant factor at the time of forming a government, it cannot be pleaded as conferring a continuing right to claim the confidence of the majority”. Indira Gandhi made extensive use of Article 356 on political considerations. She did not hesitate in using it even against the Congress governments. But the first large-scale misuse of Article 356 was made by the Janta government, of which the BJP was a constituent and its stalwarts like Advani were ministers in it. Home Minister Charan Singh wrote a letter to nine Congress chief ministers advising them to seek fresh mandate as people in the 1977 Lok Sabha polls had voted against the Congress in these states. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court approved this logic, ie President’s rule can be imposed not only in situations of political instability or loss of majority, but also if the ruling party in the state gets defeated in parliamentary elections. In 1980, when Indira returned to power, she replied in the same currency with nine similar dissolutions in one go as this time people had voted for the Congress.The dismissal of three BJP governments after the demolition of the Babri mosque in 1992 for supporting karsevaks was another instance of the misuse of powers by the Congress. This too was also upheld by the court in the famous SR Bommai case on the ground that these governments were a threat to secularism. If the court was convinced about the BJP’s lack of faith in constitutional ideals, it should have considered the cancellation of BJP’s registration as a political party rather than upholding the dismissal of BJP governments.The Vajpayee government’s recommendation for President’s rule in 1988 in Bihar was another instance of the misuse of powers under Article 356. Sunder Singh Bhandari, as Governor, sent a report that there was a breakdown of the constitutional machinery due to the deterioration of law and order. He also quoted CAG report and talked of financial anarchy. Strangely, he also noted that 1,200 contempt of court cases were pending in the Patna High Court. The charge of ‘constitutional vandalism’ was not substantiated. In fact, law and order had improved according to ‘Crime in India’ report of the Union Home Ministry. President KR Narayanan asked for the reconsideration of the recommendation and the presidential minute rebutted all charges. He also referred to the Sarkaria Commission to conclude that the Rabri government enjoyed majority. Similarly, Governor JP Rajkhowa’s report has cited absurd reasons like ‘I was abused’, ‘there was no semblance of a state government’. These are general and subjective statements. President Pranab Mukherjee should have also returned the recommendation and reminded the government that due to lack of majority in the Rajya Sabha, getting parliamentary approval would be difficult.In Bommai case, the court held that powers under Article 356 must be used sparingly. Let the Modi government rise above petty politics by revoking President’s rule in Arunachal, as the apex court is likely to quash the presidential proclamation and order a floor test. — The writer is the Vice-Chancellor of NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad

Comrade Modi

Beware when politicians talk of poverty

Boasting, as usual, at a business summit about what a good job his government is doing, Prime Minister Modi has said that his goal is “reform to transform”. He has tried to “reform” land acquisition, making it easier for businessmen to take over land of poor farmers but it did not work out as planned. One should be cautious when politicians talk of poverty or the poor, more so when the BJP or Modi do so since they have earned a reputation for being pro-business and pro-rich.  Modi emphasises that “poor governance hurts the poor more than it hurts others”. A big government is a burden — and contrary to Modi’s own (now abandoned) slogan of “minimum government, maximum governance”. Not reining in party men instigating communal trouble or mob violence cannot be part of good governance. An atmosphere of fear and insecurity drives away foreign investment. It was amusing to see Comrade Modi bat for the poor. He chided experts who described benefits to business people as “incentives” and those to the poor as “subsidies”.  He may not like to be reminded that his government has cut budgetary allocations for the social sector, including education and health, as well as the rural employment guarantee programme. A universal access to banking is meaningless in the absence of universal social security. Recurring farmer suicides and protests indicate agrarian discontent. If 60% Indians dependent on agriculture struggle for survival, the talk of financial inclusion makes little sense. The Modi government spends to spur growth for the benefit of industry. Instead of effecting austerity and cutting administrative expenditure, it taxes people to fund its pro-business policies. Oil prices have tumbled from $115 a barrel to $30 but cooking gas, diesel and petrol still cost as much as under the UPA. New taxes have been levied for pet Modi projects such as clean Ganga and Swachh Bharat. Tax relief has been denied to the salaried class but extended to foreign firms. Service tax has been raised across the board. The promised action on black money has not happened. The government is working to create new opportunities — but mostly for the well-off in India, leaving the poor in Bharat in the cold.

Amit Sharma,Tribune News Service,In the wake of recent terrorists attack in Pathankot where the “fidayeens” were wearing Army fatigues, the District Magistrate (DM) on the request made by the Chandigarh Police, has decided that no shopkeeper in the city is permitted to sell uniforms, sticker, logos and flags related to the police or defence forces to customer without keeping the photocopy of their identity proofs. The orders that came into force on January 23 will be effective for a period of 60 days.Sources in the UT police said after the Pathankot attack in which the terrorists were found wearing Army uniforms, a proposal was sent to the District Magistrate for prohibiting the sale of uniforms and other products related to defence forces to the customers if they failed to furnish the photocopy of their identity cards.District Magistrate Ajit Balaji Joshi passed an order that some check should be put on sale of items belonging to these government forces so that anti-social elements in the guise of the Army, police or paramilitary personnel may not pose a threat to the citizens. The order further reads that the sale of uniforms, stickers and any kind of logos or any item belonging to the Army, police, paramilitary forces should only be sold after taking an identity proof of the buyer.The breach of District Magistrate’s order will lead to action against the seller under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).A senior police official said that even if police personnel want to purchase something related to the uniform than he or she will also have to furnish an identity proof. “Even the civilians are advised to avoid wearing Army pattern dresses”, said the police official.

NEW DELHI: The armed forces are preparing to kick off a bold experiment to test claims made in favour of alternative medicine by throwing open the doors of some top military hospitals to doctors specialising in these remedies, India’s top military doctor has said.

For the first time, the military is giving a chance to specialists in different forms of alternative medicine, ranging from ayurveda and naturopathy to unani and homeopathy, to treat severely-ill soldiers, veterans and their dependents who have not responded to conventional treatment. “Mainstream doctors have traditionally resisted alternative medicine treatment. But let’s be frank, we really don’t have the domain knowledge to dismiss it. The idea behind the experiment is to see if alternative medicine can work where allopathy has no answers,” said Lieutenant General BK Chopra, director general, Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS).

The AFMS, a cadre consisting of more than 6,000 doctors, is tying up with the ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) to kick-start the experiment.

The AYUSH had mooted a proposal to integrate the alternative medicine system with the conventional system, but the army suggested that a pilot project be undertaken first. The project will begin with 10 alternative medicine specialists being assigned to four army hospitals — Base Hospital in Delhi Cantt, Military Hospital in Jalandhar and Command Hospitals at Chandimandir and Pune. AYUSH secretary Ajit M Sharan said some forms of alternative medicine had a legacy of more than 3,000 years but had not been exploited to their full potential. “These systems can be used to supplement conventional medicine for treating different types of cancers and TB, as standalone treatment for diseases like arthritis and dementia and also as food supplements. The tie-up will benefit soldiers,” Sharan added.

As part of the experiment, the specialists will be assigned to terminally-ill patients and those with some form of cancer. General Chopra said, “We don’t have much to offer to such patients and perhaps some other treatment could work for them. Alternative medicine systems shouldn’t be written off as they have evolved over centuries.”

The scope of the project could be expanded if alternative medicine treatment proves to be effective. This would give alternative medicine practitioners a bigger platform for research and could help address some myths about the systems they practice, Chopra said. “These traditional medicine practitioners will work under the supervision of army doctors to provide the best medical care to patients,” he added.

Tribune News Service,Chandigarh/Jammu, January 22

Even as there is no trace of a Pathankot-bound taxi (HP 01D 2440) hired from Gaggal  in Kangra district eight days ago, the body of the driver, Vijay Kumar, has been found in Kangra. The photos of the three suspects, caught on CCTV cameras at Gaggal Chowk, are with the police and security personnel.The Delhi Police sounded an alert on the missing taxi this morning and released the photos of suspects to the media. It may be recalled that taxi driver  Ikaagar Singh was found murdered hours before the Pathankot air base attack earlier this month. Security in Punjab and Chandigarh has been further beefed up in view of French President Francois Hollande’s visit to Chandigarh on Sunday.Murdered taxi driver Vijay Kumar belonged to Gurdaspur but was residing in Gaggal near Kangra with his maternal uncle, who also runs a taxi. RK Bakshi, Pathankot SSP, said the three suspects spoke in Punjabi. They had hired the taxi in Pathankot, as had been confirmed by the taxi union. No police check post had any record about the stolen car, the officer said.Sapna, wife of the deceased driver, told the police that  she called up her husband several times on January 14 but there was no response. The next day, Vijay’s maternal uncle, Vipin Kumar, approached the Gaggal police. A search was launched  and  Vijay’s body found was near Kotla bridge on the Kangra-Pathankot road on January 20.  A security alert has also been sounded across Jammu and Kashmir. Agencies have sealed the state’s border with Himachal Pradesh at Lakhanpur and more personnel have been deployed to guard the newly constructed cable-stayed bridge on Ranjeet Sagar Lake.In Kathua, the police have put up additional check posts along the highway. “Security was already tight in the border areas in view of the Republic Day celebrations, but the taxi hijack in Pathankot has heightened the alert. We have sealed all routes leading to Jammu and Kashmir,” said Senior Superintendent of Police Neeva Jain.

BSF moves three more battalions to Punjab

• In the wake of the recent terror attacks in Punjab, the Border Security Force has decided to deploy three additional battalions in the state to boost its strength for guarding the International Border (IB) with Pakistan.
• “At least three battalions from North Bengal, South Bengal and Guwahati are being moved immediately to Punjab on a permanent basis. This is in addition to some other measures being implemented to secure the border,” a senior BSF officer said.
• The BSF’s Punjab Frontier is responsible for peace-time management of the 553-km stretch of the IB falling in the state. The frontier is further divided into four sectors,having three battalions each. — Vijay Mohan

Pathankot-bound taxi’s driver killed

Security agencies get caught up in a tussle among themselves

TURF WARS AND RED TAPE

Multi Agency Centre (MAC) functions under Intelligence Bureau (IB). More often, other agencies such as R&AW, Military Intelligence, etc, are reluctant to share information with IB. State police departments don’t share full interrogation reports on time. Lacks personnel strength in analysing intelligence inputs State police forces reluctant to let central agencies into their probes. Most recent example is that of Punjab police denying IB permission to question SP Salwinder Singh, whose car was hijacked by militants. IB finally questioned him at NIA office in Delhi NSG’s weapons and equipment division and operations branch manned by Army officers, who make requests for weapon upgradation with an IPS officer heading provisioning. Army officers often question the technical competence of civilian officers. NSG forwards requests to police modernisation division in home ministry (MHA) headed by IAS and other services. In absence of technical managers, MHA often delays NSG’s requisition files.

Agra: Living up to their motto ‘Service before Self’, the world’s third largest army lost 85 bravehearts, who made the supreme sacrifice during various counter-insurgency operations and offensive tactical missions in 2015. Apart from ORs, five officers were also killed.

As per Indian army, two colonel and one officer, each, of the rank of lieutenant colonel, major and captain along with two subedar, six naib subedar, 15 havildar, one lance havildar, six naik, 14 lance naik and 36 other rank were martyred.

Right from the army’s elite Para Special Forces to Rashtriya Rifles which directly comes under the ministry of defence who are specialized in counter-insurgency/ anti-terrorist operations, a total of 48 army regiments and unit personnel, who were deployed from the line-of-control in Jammu & Kashmir to borders along the north-eastern states bordering Myanmar attained martyrdom last year.

According to Army, maximum causalties were reported from 6 Dogra regiment in the month of June, in which it lost 15 personnel in a deadly ambush in Manipur’s Chandel district. In the incident, a total of 20 soldiers died. Apart from the Dogra regiment, various units of Rashtriya Rifles deployed in Jammu & Kashmir lost 19 men, followed by Gorkha Rifles, Garhwal Rifles, Rajputana Rifles, Army Service Corps Battalion, 28 Punjab and 9 Para (Special Forces).

IX Para which comes under parachute regiment whose men are trained in Agra as paratroopers for airborne combat, lost three men, out of which Lance Naik Govind Singh Mehta, laid down his life fighting militants in Mendhar sector of Poonch district of Jammu & Kashmir on October 14. He gunned downed five terrorists. He hailed from Uttarakhand, Mehta lived with his family in Agra. Lance Naik Mehta who is 32-year-old took three bullets, including one in the head. For his act of valour, the Army has recommended his name for Sena medal, to be awarded on January 26. He was the third man in his family to serve in the armed forces, apart from his father Pratap Singh and elder brother Mahendra Singh, who fought in the Kargil war.

Speaking to TOI, Army’s central command public relation officer Gargi Malik said, “The Indian Army has always lived up to its pledge of safeguarding the country’s borders and today if we feel safe, it’s all because of the commitment of these courageous men donning the olive green uniform. Our army has many victories to its name, and the stories of sacrifice of our soldiers fill us with immense pride and gratitude.”

Colonel Santosh Yashwant Mahadik of 21 Para (Special Forces) and commanding officer of 41 Rashtriya Rifles:

On November 17, succumbed to his grievous injuries under heavy fire from militants, while leading a search party in the dense forests of Haji Naka, near the line of control in Kupwara district of Kashmir.

Colonel Munindra Nath Rai, YSM (Yudh Seva Medal) of 2/9 Gorkha Rifles and commanding officer of 42 Rashtriya Rifles:

On January 28, laid down his life in the fierce encounter against Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist group at Handora village of Tral in south Kashmir.

Captain Prem Kumar Patil of 36 Rashtriya Rifles (Artillery):

On August 7, during a search operation in Gurez sector near Line of Control, he was leading his search party of 36 RR. While roll down he turned back to confirm the presence of any traitors in a hideout behind. While doing this on a slope of 80 degrees, he lost control and fell down in the Nausheranar flowing down below 280 feets where he sacrificed his life.On September 5, creating a unique history of valour and dedication to duty, eliminated 10 militants in a short span of 11 days during three counter-terrorism operations before making the supreme sacrifice in Kashmir.

Lance Naik Govind Singh Mehta of 9 Para (Special Forces):

On October 14, laid down his life fighting militants in Mendhar sector of Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. He gunned downed five terrorists. He was from Agra.

Lance Naik Mohan Nath Goswami of 9 Para (Special Forces):

Pratibha Chauhan,Tribune News Service,Shimla, January 20

With the objective of keeping a closer and stricter vigil on any possible movement by China along the border that it shares with India in the tribal district of Kinnaur, the Indian Air Force is keen to set up their radar near here.The Indian Air Force (IAF) officials from Kasauli yesterday held a meeting with senior state government officials regarding transfer of land for the setting up of the radar and other infrastructure near Theog, 30 km from here. They are keen that the formalities with regard to acquiring of private land for setting up of the radar is expedited so that they are able to have their set up at the earliest. They are also probing the possibility of having radar close to the Chinese border in Kinnaur.The Indian Air Force (IAF) had initiated the process for acquiring of land for setting up their radar near Theog more than three years ago but did not pursue the matter further. In fact, the then Deputy Commissioner (Shimla) had got the land identified and the forest clearances had also been sought for that chunk of land to be used for defence requirements.After the terror attack at its air base in Pathankot, the IAF is keen to go ahead with the proposal which had been lying dormant till now.India shares boundary with China in the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) in the tribal district of Kinnaur. “The IAF is keen to have a radar and other set-up closer to the Chinese border in Kinnaur so that there can be closer vigil and faster communication which is presently done from Ambala,” said sources.There has been an instance when two Chinese helicopters entered the Indian air space in Kinnaur. It took some time before this violation could be communicated and action could be taken. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) guards the border with China in Kinnaur.Intelligence agencies have been stressing on India strengthening its communication network and other infrastructure along the Chinese border in Kinnaur. Though trade between India and China has resumed along the Shipki La Pass in Kinnaur, till date no Chinese trader has been allowed to enter India. While in sharp contrast to the poor roads and communication network in the border villages of Kinnaur, the roads and other infrastructure is excellent in the villages on the Chinese side.

Stepping up vigil

• After the terror attack on Pathankot air base, the IAF is keen to go ahead with the proposal
• China shares border with India in the tribal district of Kinnaur
• IAF officers from Kasauli met senior state government officials to explore the possibility of having radar close to the Chinese border in Kinnaur

Ex-servicemen, who have been agitating for changes in the government’s one-rank-one-pension (OROP) scheme, on Sunday staged a protest outside the official residence of Union finance minister Arun Jaitley here, alleging that he failed to respond to concerns raised by them during an earlier meeting.

This is the second time in two weeks the veterans have staged demonstrations outside the minister’s official residence.

“We had staged protest outside the minister’s residence on January 3. At that time, he had assured us he will speak to the defence minister (Manohar Parrikar) over our demands. He had said he would get back to us within a week. But it’s two weeks now that he has not responded. What kind of finance minister he is if he can not keep his word?” said Group Capt. VK Gandhi (Retd).

Mr Gandhi, general secretary of Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement, said the veterans will continue with their protest until Mr Jaitley or Mr Parrikar holds parleys with them. “Either of the ministers will have to come and speak to us. We will not move an inch from here un-til then. If they don’t want to give us actual OROP, they should clarify so to us. Why lie?” he said, reiterating that the government notification has “flaws” and was “unacceptable”.

Around 200 ex-servicemen including Maj. Gen. Satbir Singh, who has been spearheading the protest, have been demonstrating outside Mr Jaitley’s residence, Mr Gandhi added.

Parrikar must spend more time at South Block

If there is one consistency towards national security in the last one year, it is the National Democratic Alliance’s predilection for firing six-monthly warnings about its intent to launch covert operations against Pakistan. On June 11 last year, a junior minister, who had served in the Army and, therefore, should have known better, warned that “western disturbances” would be equally dealt with. This was soon after Indian Army commandoes had carried out a raid across the eastern border in Myanmar and destroyed two militant camps of the NSCN (Khaplang) faction. The Pakistani riposte was not long in coming when its Interior Minister warned that “Pakistan is not Myanmar.”Now Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar no less, who should know the ground situation even better than the former Colonel, has taken to the same heightened pitch. In between, the Gurdaspur attack has come and gone and there has been no sign of India walking the tough talk. It is just as well that Narendra Modi has not fallen to the temptation of indulging in a few fireworks across the border. The Indian Army is well motivated and equipped to lean across the border to even the score. But is India prepared to deal with the consequences of what comes after that?When Parrikar indulges in excessive or needless talking, is he seeking to distance himself from his Prime Minister’s endeavour to rebuild ties with Pakistan? Is the Hon’ble Raksha Mantri scripting his own Pakistan policy? Statements such as “if someone is harming the country, he should also receive the pain of such activities at a time and place of our choosing,” hardly send shivers down the spine of quarters who have made violence their calling card. Such formulations only make India look ridiculous. His remit should be to make walk-throughs like Pathankot and Gurdaspur impossible.  Parrikar also needs to spend more time at his desk in South Block to craft an implementable defence manufacturing policy that remains riddled with too many gaps, especially on the crucial issue of selecting strategic partners for Indian companies.

After Parrikar’s tough talk, Rajnath says will trust Pak

Pakistan ‘submits report’ on initial findings to India

Tribune News Service,New Delhi, January 12

A day after Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said those who had inflicted pain on India “would also feel the pain”, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said there was “no reason” to distrust Pakistan’s commitment of “action” against perpetrators of the Pathankot attack.Talking to mediapersons on the sidelines of a function in Noida, Rajnath said, “India has given inputs related to terror attacks to Pakistan. The Pakistan government has promised to take action. I think we should wait.”Insisting that since Pakistan has assured India, the minister said, there should be no reason to disbelieve them so early. “There is no reason to distrust them (Pakistan) so early,” he said.After the attack, India had said it has provided to Pakistan actionable intelligence to act upon the perpetrators of the attack. During a post-attack telephonic conversation between PM Narendra Modi and his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif, the government had said, “Our PM very strongly urged the Pakistan PM to take action”.It had said, “Actionable intelligence in regard to the terror attack and the links with the perpetrators in Pakistan were provided to Pakistan. The Pakistan PM promised us prompt and decisive action. We now wait for its action.”Meanwhile, reports from Pakistan yesterday said law enforcement agencies had picked up “some suspects” connected to the Pathankot attack from Bahawalpur district, the hometown of Maulana Masood Azhar, the chief of banned terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad.India has identified Masood Azhar as the mastermind of the attack. It also blamed his brother Rauf and five others for carrying out the attack that killed six terrorists and seven soldiers on January 2.

Days to go, but no clarity on talks yet

Simran Sodhi,Tribune News Service,New Delhi, January 12

The Foreign Secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan remained in limbo even as reports emerged that Pakistan has submitted to India its initial findings. Officially, there was no word from either side as to whether any such report has been submitted, though sources in the government maintained that Pakistan has not yet sought more evidence from India.India has provided evidence to Pakistan in the form of telephone intercepts of conversations that the terrorists reportedly had with their handlers in Pakistan. According to reports in the Pakistan media, Pakistan has informed India that these telephone numbers are not registered in the country and the evidence provided by India is not enough and will not stand scrutiny in a court of law.The National Security Advisers (NSAs) of both countries continue to be in touch amid speculation that instead of the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries meeting in Islamabad on January 15 as scheduled, it could well be the NSAs meeting in a third country to discuss the Pathankot attacks.India, however, stuck to its stand that until action is seen being taken by Pakistan against the perpetrators of the Pathankot attack, talks cannot happen, indicating that the talks are likely to be postponed.Though Pakistan has shown some degree of response to India’s insistence for action on the intelligence provided by it with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif setting up a Joint Investigative Team (JIT) comprising officials from the Military Intelligence (MI), Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) to probe the Pathankot attacks. But for India, sources say, the action will be to see JeM leader Masood Azar arrested or detained.There is intense international pressure on both countries to talk. Hence, both sides are making efforts to salvage the talks. With Sharif, it has meant forming the JIT and conducting raids in various villages and even arresting a few people who might be connected to these attacks. India has firmly put the ball in Pakistan’s court.

NSAs may meet to discuss attacks

• The National Security Advisers (NSAs) of India and Pakistan continue to be in touch amid speculation that instead of the Foreign Secretaries meeting in Islamabad on January 15, the NSAs may meet in a third country to discuss the Pathankot attacks

‘Mobile numbers not registered in Pakistan’

• Pakistan has reportedly informed India that the telephone numbers provided to them are not registered in the country and the evidence is not enough and will not stand scrutiny in a court of law

Strategic setback. It’s Israel, China buy-buy

The high optics of Modi”s meeting with Israeli leadership, ardently backed by the defence community”s right-wing corner, have failed to halt Tel Aviv”s move towards strategic ties with China.

AFTER Russia breached the exclusivity in its military association with India, Israel may be the next in line despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s unprecedented contacts for an Indian Prime Minister with the Jewish state. Modi had become the first Indian Prime Minister to hold a meeting under arclights with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu in New York besides holding an extended conversation with President Reuven Rivlin at Singapore strongman Lee Kuan Yew’s funeral. To the accompaniment of a crescendo of approvals from the right corner of the Indian strategic community, Modi let it be known that he will become the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Jerusalem. The tour was going to be packaged with balancing-out stopovers in a couple of Muslim-majority countries.It may not longer be a mystery why neither External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj nor Modi could persuade themselves to visit Tel Aviv the whole of last year despite making an announcement to that effect (Ms. Swaraj will now visit Tel Aviv from January 17). Instead the Government opted to send President Pranab Mukherjee to the three destinations, including Israel. The reason lies in Israel’s inability to resist Chinese overtures for its military equipment. Even as the right-wing corner of the Indian strategic community was hailing the upswing in ties with Tel Aviv and diplomats of both countries were burning the wires to prepare for the Modi visit, China was indulging in some quiet bargaining with Israeli defence manufacturers.   As in the past, once military equipment is sold to China, it is a matter of time before Pakistan lays its hands on it. The recent inauguration of a top Israeli defence  company’s factory in China has negated some 15 years of spirited Indian diplomacy to thwart the two from defence cooperation that enters the realm of joint research and development. With active US help, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government had accomplished something very rare in the annals of international military trade. Israel was forced to return Chinese advance payment for high-end aircraft-mounted radars that spot planes in a 400-km radius, thus providing considerable advance warning for the air defence systems to get ready for action. Without resorting to this Government’s penchant for high-end optics, the Vajpayee Government followed by the Manmohan Singh regime then quietly shaped a unique India-Israel-Russia partnership to get this technology for its armed forces.For the record, Israel Aeropsace Industries (IAI) claims its upcoming factory in China will cater to the civilian sector. The ambitious Chinese plans to double the number of its civilian fleet and add about 60 airports within the next two decades may underscore the assertion. It is true that China-Israel military relationship is of older vintage than India’s defence ties with Tel Aviv. Goaded by the US, China and Israel had separately equipped the Mujaheedin in Afghanistan to take on the Soviet Red Army.  Israel is also said to be China’s second biggest foreign supplier of military equipment. This statistic conceals Israel’s huge gap with Russia, China’s biggest supplier of equipment. It also does not tell the story of Israel developing military equipment for India not obtainable elsewhere in the world such as Barak ship-busting missiles, advanced men and equipment-detection radars and lethal aircraft-fired missiles.   The Chinese breakthrough in poaching companies exclusively equipping the Indian armed forces is the second strategic set back in the defence sphere during this Government’s tenure. Russia had caused a flutter in the Indian strategic community when six months into the Modi Government, its Defence Minister went to Islamabad and met Pakistan’s leadership.  Two months earlier, Pakistan army chief Raheel Sharif witnessed live demonstrations of Russian military equipment, inked a defence cooperation pact and came away with a promise for the same Mi-35 attack helicopters deployed by India in Pathankot to scorch wooded portions near the airbase where militants were believed to have been hiding. Pakistan has so far been using F-16s for bombing bases of rogue Taliban factions. Operating from lower heights, the Mi-35s cause considerably less collateral damage or inadvertent killing of civilians, a factor that has fed vengeful recruits to Taliban and Al-Qaida factions trying to bring down the Pakistani State. More important, Mi-35s are deployed as tank busters, flying over own side’s armoured formations to destroy oncoming enemy tanks. As a follow up of the first contract for four Mi-35s, Russia has promised to supply Pakistan with at least 20 more pieces. These have the potential to even out the overhead advantage enjoyed by Indian tank formations in the event of a thrust into Pakistan.Apart from India, Russia had so far supplied these helicopters to Brazil, Venezuela and Azerbaijan. None of them is likely to turn over the technology to Pakistan till the present Government’s inordinate proximity to the US led Russia to redraw its strategic game plan for military cooperation in South Asia.Now Israel seems unable to resist Chinese overtures for its military technology. Apart from Modi’s top-level meetings, India abstained from a recent UN vote on the Israel’s strong arm tactics in Gaza, the first time ever. The first visit by an Israeli Defence Minister to India also took place under his watch. Modi also did the unprecedented for an Indian Prime Minister to keep Israel happy. He got himself photographed while standing next to the booth of an Israeli company at the Indian defence expo last year. His spin managers billed it was a public display of Israel and India’s strategic relationship. That solid and quiet diplomacy and agile political footwork is no match for ploys such as these has become painfully apparent after the same company, IAI, now breaks bread with the Chinese. China in the past could not persuade four visiting Israeli Presidents and three Prime Ministers to go the whole hog in defence equipment transfers. Modi’s simplistic approach to international relations may have unravelled India’s previous efforts to prevent exactly that.

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