It is ironical that a place that was the seat of the Licchavis in ancient India, where the first signs of democracy were evident during the time of the Mahajanpadas, should become a centre for the filing of cases against eminent personalities that are ultimately found to be baseless. The police in Muzaffarpur town of Bihar have finally recommended closure of the case against 49 eminent personalities for writing a letter to PM Narendra Modi over the rising incidents of lynching in the country for lack of evidence.

The place has been in news for the filing of cases against persons of reputation. Earlier this year, a case was filed against actor Anupam Kher for trying to malign the image of former PM Manmohan Singh, for the way he was depicted in the film The Accidental Prime Minister, and in 2013, a case was filed challenging the selection of cricketer Sachin Tendulkar for Bharat Ratna, making Deputy CM Sushil Modi remark that it was the work of a serial litigant. The decision to close the sedition case comes a day after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat expressed his disapproval over lynching incidents in the country and the reassurance that fringe elements would be kept at bay, especially with the MM Kalburgi and Gauri Lankesh incidents serving as a backdrop.

CM Nitish Kumar has managed to assure that he can hold out on his own and not cave in to sectarian or frivolous elements. It will also come as a reprieve for his government that has been under fire for its delayed response to the deluge in the capital Patna. That it took three days to rescue the Deputy CM from his house pointed to the severity of the problem. It reminded of the 1975 floods when the then CM, Dr Jagannath Mishra, also had to be rescued. It is said Gautam Buddha visited Pataliputra when it was being built and predicted that it would face threat from three things: water, fire and intrigues. Governance and development, indeed, hinge on managing resources — natural and man-made.

NEW DELHI: That the all-powerful Pakistan army calls the sho ..
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New Delhi, October 9

India on Wednesday reacted sharply to reports of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan discussing Kashmir, saying Beijing is “well aware” of New Delhi’s position and it is not for other countries to comment on its internal affairs.

The strong Indian reaction came after the Chinese state media quoted Xi as telling Khan during the meeting that China has been “observing” the situation in Kashmir, and hoped that the “relevant parties” can solve the issue through peaceful dialogue.

Read: China’s Xi says he’s watching Kashmir, supports Pak’s core interests, says report

“We have seen the report regarding meeting of Xi with Khan which also refers to their discussions on Kashmir. India’s position has been consistent and clear that Jammu & Kashmir is an integral part of India. China is well aware of our position. It is not for other countries to comment on the internal affairs of India,” Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar asserted.

Xi, who is scheduled to hold 2nd informal summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, assured Khan during a meeting here that the friendship between China and Pakistan is “unbreakable and rock-solid” despite changes in the international and regional situation.

Khan’s visit to China comes amidst high tensions between Pakistan and India after New Delhi abrogated Article 370 to end the special status of J&K on August 5. — PTI

In October 1962, a full-fledged war broke out between India and China. Though McMahon Line was far away from Ambala, orders were received to dig out trenches and to be ready for any enemy air attack .The Air Force Station activated a night ORP and the Vampire aircraft (the only night fighter Indian Air Force had at that time) would fly in from Palam before dusk and fly back from Ambala at dawn after providing night cover to the northern sector.

The phase of the Chinese war was over with political turmoil and shake-up in the ministries in New Delhi. War historians worked on the lessons learnt from the unprovoked attack by China and India’s retaliation. The Indian Air Force was not used during the 1962 war due to the fear of the unknown.

It was only in September 1965 that the IAF actually participated in a conventional war lasting three weeks. Much before the actual operations began, we had moved to our operational locations. The Air Traffic Services were moved to a wooden hut near Runway 30 L where one could barely squeeze in with the equipment neatly stacked, and the supporting manpower in the open. Trenches were dug all around to jump in during air raids. A mobile control room on wheels, concealed by the foliage of trees, was made operational to control the air traffic in case the wooden hut was destroyed.

The section had a dedicated Class IV employee, Chottay Lal, a devoted worker who besides serving tea would look after the needs of the section boys who were not allowed to go out of the camp owing to operational reasons. He was a part of the duty roster of the section.

It was in September 54 years back that Ambala witnessed an air attack by Pakistan air force. Around 0230 hours, the tranquillity of the night was destroyed by air raid warnings. Chottay Lal, who was on duty that day, was positioned next to me in the trench. He was slowly whispering his story and his faith in Almighty. “Sir, there is a mazzar inside the airfield which is providing a shield to the Air Force Station. Let Pakistan send any number of aircraft, nothing will happen to the unit.”

This was his faith in Pir Baba, whose mazzar he was referring to. I listened to his story, ignoring the content. I was looking at the horizon trying to locate the enemy aircraft.

After a while, we could hear the sound of an aircraft. It appeared that the aircraft was approaching the airfield from the west. The sound became louder as the aircraft came close. The B57 was visually spotted from the trench. It dropped a bomb which hit St Paul’s Church adjoining the airfield. The airfield was safe and so was the runway and hangers, which housed critical war equipment.

“Sir, I told you Pir Baba is protecting this airfield,” he said, a grin on his face, when the all-clear was announced.

When I visited the Air Force Station a couple of years back, a senior officer enquired if I had heard about the story of Pir Baba during the1965 operations. I had no hesitation in sharing the story of Chottay Lal with the audience.

The truth is that Ambala was attacked on September 20 and 22 and on both days no serious damage was caused to the airfield and vital installations. Flight operations continued unabated from this airfield. Could we call it the incompetency of the B57 pilots? Chottay Lal’s answer we know already.

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Tribune News Service
New Delhi, October 4

The new Indian Air Force Chief, Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria, today laid out a major indigenous plan that will involve quick induction of more variants of the Tejas fighter aircraft, designing and building of a new fifth generation fighter jet in India and getting the next lot of trainer aircraft from the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

Addressing mediapersons ahead of the Air Force Day on October 8, the IAF Chief who took over on September 30 said: “We are putting all efforts on AMCA (advanced medium combat aircraft) and have okayed the plan.” The AMCA is a fifth generation jet, which the DRDO is designing.

The first prototype will be ready by 2025.

Asked if the option of fifth generation jet like those in collaboration with Russia or other countries was being explored, the IAF Chief said: “No… the AMCA will be given priority.” On the threat of drones dropping arms in Punjab, the IAF Chief said: “It’s a new threat and it’s serious. We have some procurement in the pipeline to will deal with such drones.”

Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria, a Tejas test pilot during the days of sanctions imposed by the US in 1998, said an order for 83 jets of the next generation Tejas Mark 1A will be placed soon. These will carry a more powerful engine along with better weaponry than Tejas Mark 1, the existing version, 40 of which are being made.

The cost negotiation committee will soon give its report, he said, adding if Tejas Mark 2, also known as the medium weight fighter, is ready in a few years, these will be inducted.

“Indigenisation and modernisation will be the key pillars of the IAF… We have to ensure that indigenous products remain the focus and we will work to reduce dependency on foreign equipment,” said Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria.

On depleting fighter jet fleet, he said steps had been initiated to add 21 more MiG-29. The Sukhoi-30 will be upgraded for which the IAF had initiated the process. Process for acquiring 114 fighter jets was on, he said, while dismissing questions if 36 more Rafale jets are being purchased besides the 36 already on order. While engine upgrade of the Jaguar jets has been shelved, the Mi-17 and Mi-17 IV helicopters are being upgraded.

Shooting down of copter ‘big mistake’

• The IAF Chief admitted that downing of an IAF Mi-17 helicopter at Budgam on February 27 was a ‘big mistake’ & that steps had been taken to avoid a repeat
• “Have taken administrative action. Disciplinary action is being taken against two officers… Victims will be treated as battle casualty,” the IAF Chief said

Legal experts conversant with the issue said that there have been numerous instances where officers have retired from service while awaiting their promotion board results that were inordinately delayed.

The Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) has stayed the retirement of a Brigadier whose selection board for the rank of Major General was conducted by the Army in July but the result could not be released before his superannuation on September 30.

Acting on the petition of Brig IM Lamba of Artillery, a bench of Justice Sunita Gupta and Lt Gen Phillip Campose, stayed his retirement till the time the result of his promotion board is not declassified. If he is approved for promotion, then he would be promoted to the rank of Major General. In case his promotion is not approved, then he would be deemed to have retired on September 30, 2019 and will return any pay and allowances that may have been paid to him for the period thereafter.

The Brigadier had moved the AFT aggrieved by the fact that the results of the selection board in the Artillery Stream, which was conducted in July this year, in which he was considered as a ‘First Review’ case, has not been pronounced as yet. He feared that, in case he had been approved for promotion in the said selection board, he will not be promoted due to the fact that he would have superannuated on September 30 despite being fully qualified for promotion.

The officer contended that, in such an eventuality, it would be a travesty of justice.

For representation only. File photo

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, October 4

The Centre has asked the National Investigation Agency to investigate the recent recovery of huge arms, ammunition and communication hardware in Punjab.

Officials in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said Punjab government had asked for the central agency to step in after the consignment was suspected to have been delivered using drones from across the border. Punjab Police claims that their bust a terror module of the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF)— backed by a group based in Pakistan and Germany—last month had revealed that the group had planned a series of strikes in Punjab and adjoining states.

Officials quoted the MHA’s order to say that the central government believed that the case involved scheduled offences under the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008 and “these are required to be investigated by the NIA in accordance with the Act and is hereby directed to take up the investigation of the aforesaid offences”.

The offences included a “conspiracy to carry out terrorist activity to create communal tension, instability and revival of terrorism in Punjab”, the official said.

Initial investigations found that drones were used to deliver weapons and communication hardware from Pakistan, the MHA official said, adding that according to reports four people were arrested from the outskirts of Chohla Sahib Village in Tarn Taran district of the state on September 22. A huge cache of arms, including five AK-47 rifles, pistols, satellite phones and hand grenades were seized from them, they said.

The weapons were suspected to have been delivered from across the border by the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI for jihadi and pro-Khalistani terrorist outfits working under its command, Punjab Police had said.

Amarjot Kaur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 1

In a recent turn of events over the issue of Panjab University’s proposal to merge the Department of Urdu and Persian with the School of Foreign Languages, in view of the NAAC recommendations, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has written to the university’s Vice-Chancellor Prof Raj Kumar.

Capt Amarinder’s tweet posted on Tuesday stated: “I have written to @OfficialPU to reconsider their decision of include Urdu as a part of ‘School of Foreign Languages’. Classifying it as a foreign language with German, Chinese or Russia is not desirable. At a personal level, I regret that I did not have the chance to learn Urdu.” He has also posted a picture of the letter addressed to Prof Kumar.

The CM’s tweet comes a day after PU cancelled the meeting of a 15-member committee that was to take a call on the proposal regarding the merger of departments.

Also, Capt Amarinder had on Sunday posted a tweet, expressing concern over Panjab University’s proposal.

On September 17, a 15-member committee constituted by the university under PU (DUI)Prof Shankarji Jha had proposed to merge small departments to form bigger centres in the view of an NAAC directive.

Mirza GHALIB would have nailed the debate with this couplet: ‘Har ek baat pe kehte ho tum ki tu kya hai, tumhin kaho ki ye andaz-e-guftugu kya hai.’ Panjab University has courted needless controversy with the proposal to bring its Urdu Department under the School of Foreign Languages. The very idea of considering Urdu as a foreign and not an Indian language defies logic and reeks of insensitivity, no matter the administrative considerations. The department’s strong objection to the move highlighted how Urdu was ‘born, nurtured and cultured in India in the 13th century by Amir Khusro. From that moment onward, Urdu and Hindi languages have not looked back. Not only this, even Punjabi language was put on the path of development by Baba Farid Ganj Shakar’.

India’s composite way of life, where languages, religions, belief systems merge, coexist and nurture each other is a cherished idea. In the unique Hindustani communication fibre that binds India, and indeed the subcontinent, Urdu holds a pride of place. There has alongside been undeniable curiosity and eagerness to engage with this language of poetry and prose, and seek out more than just the meaning of lyrics and dialogues Bollywood so indulgently rests its standing on.

The contentious PU proposal gained traction after Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s tweet expressing concern. Language can be a great unifier and carries the potential to create irredeemable divisions where none existed, as witnessed following the recent remarks by Central ministers on exploring Hindi as the language of the country. If teaching of Indian languages like Urdu needs support, the State needs to step in, not distance itself from a national project. Some tasks demand affirmative action, this is one of them. Seeing language through the prism of religion, or even giving such an impression unknowingly, is fraught with danger. Just days before his death, Mahatma Gandhi had admonished those opposing Urdu. Cherish it, he counselled, ‘you will only gain’.