New Delhi, March 1

Drones, which are being considered a major security risk as they could be used by terror groups for mounting assaults, have been included in the prohibited list and flyers entering India will have to declare them from April 1.The government has decided to revise “Indian Customs Declaration Form” to include drones in the list of prohibited and dutiable goods and made it mandatory for the passengers to declare.Drones are generally imported by government agencies for use by the security personnel in maintaining law and order as well as ensuring vigil along the international borders and line of control with Pakistan, Bangladesh and China. They have also been used for surveillance in Naxal-hit areas.The need for all flyers to fill the customs form upon their arrival has been done away with and those who carry dutiable or prohibited goods alone will have to fill it in, as per the new rules.Foreigners’ duty-free allowance has also been increased to Rs 15,000 from the existing limit of Rs 8,000.The duty-free allowance of cigarettes, cigars and tobacco has been doubled and people will be able to bring in 200 sticks of cigarettes, 50 cigars and 250 gm tobacco.The limit to bring duty-free goods worth Rs 6,000 for passengers of Indian origin and coming from China has also been taken away. However, the free allowance for people coming from Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar has been increased to Rs 15,000, more than two times of the limit of Rs 6,000 at present. — PTI

Move to deal with security risk

• Drones are being considered a major security risk as they could be used by terror groups for mounting assaults
• The government has revised ‘Indian Customs Declaration Form’by including drones in the prohibited list

The two army chiefs played a behind-the-scenes role in lifting of the blockade

Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s self-congratulatory declaration during his visit to New Delhi last week was that his main mission was to remove misunderstandings (presumably over the Constitution). “No misunderstanding exists” he asserted at the end of the visit. For India though the glass is still half empty. The two major as issues of citizenship and demarcation of boundaries are to be settled over the next three months by a political commission chaired by Foreign Minister Kamal Thapa. Despite initial grandstanding, Oli opted to visit India (before going to China). Though high on optics, the visit produced no substantive new agreements. These must await settlement of residual constitutional issues. More than 50 persons, mostly Madhesis, lost their lives during the five-month long trade and transit blockade that severely hurt the people and resulted in a rampant black market. This ‘misunderstanding’ is by far the most serious bilateral incident in recent memory, causing an unprecedented anti-India sentiment, some stoked, but mostly spontaneous.As Oli blinked first, one Nepali columnist called it a victory for India. Clearly it was a failure of diplomacy. Constitutional inequities for Madhesis were resolvable through negotiations. There was no need for any of the defiance and trading of harsh words at the UN Human Rights Council at Geneva. Nepal invoking its strategic autonomy was a legitimate reaction to India’s belated and heavy-handed intervention on behalf of the Madhesis in full public glare. Both sides made mistakes: Kathmandu bulldozed the constitution ignoring Madhesi concerns. It even withdrew the rights granted to them in the interim constitution. New Delhi indelicately demanded the historical wrongs against the Madhesis be corrected. Given the open border, the unrest was inimical to India’s security interests. Nepal’s geostrategic location perched between two Asian giants makes it a natural avenue from the north to the strategic heartland of the Indo-Gangetic Plains.Unlike in 1989/90, this blockade evoked a strong sense of nationalism and independence among Nepalis especially in the Kathmandu valley. India was blamed for the shortages in cooking gas, fuels and other consumer goods. People were assured by the government that alternative sources of supply would be found, notably from China, which proved to be a big disappointment. Barring a few days of petroleum products supply, little else came from the North. The usual China card could not be played as the Khasa trading route has been out of commission since the earthquake.The Indian establishment feels that its intervention, though late, was justified. It had a clear aim: empowering Madhesis at an affordable cost. ‘We are on the right side of history, the anti-India feeling will dissipate and people will soon forget about it’ feels one policy maker. This is the crucial X factor. How badly damaged are India-Nepal relations and how deeply scarred are Nepali sentiments towards India? External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj reminded the Nepali delegation accompanying Oli of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s hearts-and-minds capturing speech in their Parliament in August 2014. She said that no Indian Prime Minister had visited Nepal for 17 years till Mr Modi and added that she was instrumental in reviving the Joint Ministerial Commission after 23 years. Applying balm to the troubled upshot of the blockade, without mentioning it, she pointed out that India does not take a Big Brother attitude but one of an Elder Brother.Swaraj seemed to have realised that the stand-off was fetching diminishing returns. Kamal Thapa’s three visits to New Delhi did not see any concrete steps for meeting the two major Madeshi demands.Only after Oli expressed a sense of urgency to visit India was he coaxed into getting the House to pass amendments by a two thirds majority. The passage of the amendments was the open sesame to lifting the blockade and his red carpet welcome in India. This was reinforced by the appointment of a political commission under Thapa to address residual constitutional issues especially demarcation of boundaries.A visit that did not attract much attention was that of Nepal Army Chief, Gen Rajendra Chhetri. He arrived two weeks before his Prime Minister even as the blockade was in place and constitutional amendments still in the pipeline. Indian Army Chief Gen Dalbir Singh and Gen Chhetri, besides being friends, are honorary Generals in each other’s armies, a tradition that took root four decades ago and is the bedrock of special relations between the two armies though Kathmandu views the use of this term as politically incorrect. The two Army Chiefs played a crucial behind-the-scenes role in fast-tracking the constitutional amendments and lifting the blockade.As the families of 40,000 Gorkha soldiers and more than 1 lakh ex-servicemen in Nepal were also affected, early lifting of the blockade was necessary. During the economic blockade in 1989-90 (officially the Trade and Transit Treaty had lapsed and not renewed except for keeping open two transit points) then Army Chief, Gen VN Sharma informed Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi of his concern for families of Gorkha soldiers. Similar concerns were expressed in 1986 during the Gorkhaland movement in the Darjeeling hills.Nepal was afflicted by a decade-long civil war followed by a decade of political instability culminating in a terrible earthquake which triggered the resolve to complete the constitution but without the necessary consensus. A stagnating economy plummeted due to the madness of the blockade. Though India will be in a wait and watch mode till the Thapa Commission submits its report, it must facilitate Nepal’s economic development and prosperity. New actors and scenarios are emerging on the political landscape. These require New Delhi to jolt itself out of old mindsets. Rebuilding trust and friendship between the two states and people is vital for India’s Neighbourhood First policy. And Nepal is certainly among the first.The writer was commissioned in  Gorkha Rifles and was the GOC, Indian Peace Keeping Force, Sri Lanka.

himla, February 21

Ex-servicemen have demanded that both HPCA and the BCCI should address the concern of families of the martyrs before hosting the India-Pakistan match in Dharamsala on March 19.“We want to stay away from politics but expect that the HPCA and the BCCI will keep in mind the sentiments of the families of the martyrs”, says Brig Khushal Thakur (retd), Kargil war hero and state convener, Indian Ex-servicemen Movement.The Honorary Commissioned Officers’ Welfare Association demanded that the HPCA and the government should take up the matter with the Centre to cancel the match. “We are unhappy with the decision to hold the match”, says Capt. Jagdish Verma (Retd), president of the association. — TNS

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 19

The state government was in touch with senior functionaries of the Central Government, including the Defence Minister, the Army Chief and the Intellience Bureau (IB) chief, Haryana DGP Yash Pal Singal said here today.The government had requisitioned the Army, besides 30 companies of the paramilitary forces, to maintain law and order in eight districts— Rohtak, Jhajjar, Sonipat, Panipat, Bhiwani, Jind, Hisar and Kaithal, the DGP said here.Singal said while Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had already spoken to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, the Chief Secretary had spoken to the Army Chief and he himself had talked to the IB chief.Singal said as a result of the ongoing agitation, one person had lost life as a person in the mob fired from his country-made pistol which hit a BSF jawan in Rohtak today. As the BSF returned the fire in self-defence, a person in the mob was killed, the DGP said.In another incident a mob first attacked a DSP and the police at a gate of the MDU in Rohtak and took the DSP and police personnel hostage. The mob also went to the Circuit House there and damaged the car of the DIG and a police gypsy, besides setting on fire a police vehicle Tavera. The mob also set on fire and vandalised Finance Minister Cap Abhimanyu’s house in Rohtak, he said, adding that security of all ministers and MLAs had been tightened.

The Supreme Court has issued notice to the union government and agreed to hear a plea by an IAF martyr’s father challenging the constitutional validity of Sections 30 and 31 of the Armed Force Tribunal Act which bar any kind of appeal on AFT orders except in cases involving a “point of law of general public importance”.

The petition has been filed by Mohali-based Gurbax Singh Dhindsa, father of Late Flying Officer GS Dhindsa who died in a MIG-21 fighter aircraft crash at Srinagar in the aftermath of Kargil operations and who had been refused the correct pension by the defence accounts department. Though the AFT granted him the entitled pension, it refused to grant him interest from the date of death of his son. When Dhindsa wanted to approach the high court for seeking interest on the compensation, he was informed that the high courts had been barred from entertaining challenges to AFT orders by an SC verdict of March 2015 passed on a plea filed by the Central Government, and that the SC also could only hear AFT appeals involving ‘general public importance’.Senior Advocate Arvind P Datar and Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the petitioner. Have challenged the provisions of the act on the ground that the AFT has been rendered the first and the last court for litigants without any remedy or access against its orders. It has been stated that the situation was against the law laid down by SC’s Constitution Bench holding that a direct appeal to SC made justice inaccessible and unaffordable. It has also been stated that the SC had earlier observed that litigants could not afford the cost and expenses of contesting litigation in the apex court and “suffer silently in the name of God by treating it their destiny”. The Petitioner has emphasized that the defence community could not be placed at a lower pedestal than other citizens who could challenge the order of the Central Administrative Tribunal in the high court and, if still not satisfied, to the SC. He has stated that it was not possible for litigants from various places to afford litigation in the country’s highest court for small sums and routine matters, whereas the HCs were accessible and affordable. The Parliamentary Committee examining provisions of the AFT Bill in the year 2005 had recorded that though a direct appeal was being provided to the SC in questions involving general public importance, the High Courts would hear challenges against AFT orders on the lines of CAT. The HCs later stopped entertaining petitions after the SC verdict in 2015. While it is extremely difficult for private litigants to approach the SC from AFT orders, the Ministry of Defence, due to availability of resources, keeps challenging most verdicts citing ‘general public importance’ in every case. As per a February 2016 report of Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, while only 34 aggrieved litigants were able to file appeals in the SC in 2014, the Defence Ministry filed 890 appeals during the same period. Many ex-servicemen organisations and legal experts had expressed concern over lack of access to high courts over AFT orders in routine cases. The AFT, which operates under the Defence Ministry, has also not been vested with powers of civil contempt and it was only after the intervention of the Punjab and Haryana High Court that benches of AFT started initiating coercive action against the Defence Ministry for execution of orders. – See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/supreme-court-on-iaf-martyrs-fathers-petition/#sthash.AZZnSCrN.dpuf

Veteran skater Gopal Bhardwaj with children in Mussoorie on Sunday. Tribune photo

Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, February 14

Veteran roller skaters have dedicated their 42nd Mussoorie-Delhi rally to Lance Naik Hanumanthappa for his supreme sacrifice of life at Siachen Glacier.Hanumanthappa was dug out alive from the snow, when an avalanche hit a team of Army soldiers at Siachen Glaciers, a few days back. However, he could not survive after an immense struggle at the Army Hospital in New Delhi. This year’s rally is dedicated to him, said Gopal Bhardwaj, a veteran roller skater.He also skated around the rink wearing his roller skates at Garhwal terrace as mark of respect to the martyr and the soldiers who lost their lives at Siachen.Gopal Bhardwaj said on this day 42 years ago five roller skaters embarked on the 350 km journey fromMussoorie to Delhi. The anniversary is held to remember that feet every year. He said the objective of the rally was to appeal youth to stay away from drugs and other vices and instead involve themselves in physical activities like roller skating.Anand Mishra, Gurdarshan Jaiswal, Gopal Bhardwaj, Singara Singh and GS Hora were other members of the team.

Doon alumnus promoted as Air Marshal

Air Marshal RD Mathur

Dehradun, February 14

Air Vice Marshal Rajiv Dayal Mathur, who was the Assistant Chief of Air Staff in charge of the Air Warfare Strategy Cell, has been promoted to the post of Air Marshal.Air Marshal RD Mathur, an alumnus of Cambrian Hall and St Joseph’s Academy, Dehradun, topped the ICSE batch of 1976 and joined the NDA in 1978.Having topped the BSc course at the NDA, he was later commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force in June 1982. The officer has over 5,000 hours of flying experience in a variety of operational and training roles.Air Marshal RD Mathur has served as the Air Defence Commander at HQ Eastern Air Command and commanded a frontline air force station and a fighter aircraft squadron.He underwent postgraduate courses at the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and the National Defence College, New Delhi, and holds MSc and MPhil degrees in Defence and Strategic Studies from Madras University.For his meritorious service, he has been awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2003 and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2014 by the President of India. — TNS

—AFP/file

Washington, February 12

The Islamic State militant group has used chemical weapons and can make small quantities of chlorine and mustard gas, CIA Director John Brennan has said, warning of the possibility that the dreaded outfit could seek to export the weapons for financial gain.

“We have a number of instances where ISIL (ISIS) has used chemical munitions on the battlefield,” Brenna told CBS News in an interview, the excerpts of which was released yesterday.

“There are reports that ISIS has access to chemical precursors and ammunitions that they can use,” Brennan said in response to a question.

According to the CBS news, CIA believes that ISIS has the ability to manufacture small quantity of chlorine and mustard gas.

Brennan warned of the possibility that the Islamic State group could seek to export the weapons to the West for financial gain.

“I think there is always a potential for that (exporting those chemicals). That is why it is so important to cut off the various transportation routes, the smuggling routes that that have used,” he said in response to a question.

Brennan said the US intelligence is actively involved in part of the effort to destroy ISIL and get as much insight into what they have on the ground inside Syria and Iraq.

Early this week, James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence, told members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence that ISIS has used chemical weapons in Iraq and Syria.

“Chemical weapons continue to pose a threat in Syria and Iraq. Damascus has used chemicals against the opposition on multiple occasions since Syria joined the chemical weapons convention,” he had said.

“ISIL has also used toxic chemicals in Iraq and Syria, including the blister agent sulphur mustard. The first time an extremist group has produced and used a chemical warfare agent in an attack since Aum Shinrikyo used sarin in Japan in 1995,” Clapper had said.

Mustard gas is a class chemical warfare agents with the ability to form large blisters on the exposed skin and in the lungs.

Chlorine gas is a toxic gas and pulmonary irritant with intermediate water solubility that causes acute damage to the receptors in the epithelium of the respiratory tract. —PTI