opppn slams Centre; provision was laid down by UPA govt, says Jaitley
NEW DELHI: The government and the Opposition on Friday sparred over a notification allowing 10 central agencies, including the Delhi police, rights to snoop into anyone’s computer, with Congress president Rahul Gandhi raising the spectre of a “police state” and finance minister Arun Jaitley and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad clarifying that this was merely a repetition of rules passed during the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime in 2009.

Jaitley maintained in the Rajya Sabha that “authorised agencies have right under the law to intercept any attempt to subvert national security, defence, public order or integrity of India”, even as Congress president Rahul Gandhi seized the opportunity to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his tweet that said, “Converting India into a police state isn’t going to solve your problems, Modi Ji. It’s only going to prove to over 1 billion Indians what an insecure dictator you really are.”

On Thursday, Union home secretary Rajiv Gauba issued a statutory order authorising 10 “security and intelligence” agencies to lawfully “intercept, monitor and decrypt” information through a “computer resource”. It became the latest bone of contention between the Opposition and the government.

BJP chief Amit Shah hit back at Gandhi. “Yet again, Rahul does fear-mongering and plays politics with national security. UPA put no barriers on surveillance. When Modi govt puts safeguards for citizens, Rahul cries conspiracy,” he tweeted.

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 25

Dedicated to the ensuing centenary of Jallianwala Bagh massacre, a special tableau will feature on the 70th Republic Day at Rajpath, New Delhi.

It is for the third time that a presentation from Punjab has found a place in the ceremony. An official said in 2017, it was ‘jaago tradition’, followed by ‘sangat te pangat’ in 2018. “Fortunately, this time among the 16 states and union territories participating in the highly patriotic parade at Rajpath, Punjab will be represented with the evocative presentation on the 100th year of Jallianwala Bagh massacre,” he said.

It is learnt that the trailer portion of the tableau will depict the scene when Gen Reginald Dyer had ordered firing on innocent people gathered at Jallianwala Bagh. Another portion will display a replica of the memorial built to commemorate the sacrifice of the martyrs.

A separate section has been built to showcase the ‘martyrs well’. The grille-mesh-covered well stands as a proof to the brutal killings on April 13, 1919, when hundreds of innocents had jumped into it in panic during the firing. As per records, 120 bodies were recovered from the well.

The Union government has also planned year-long celebrations to observe the massacre’s 100th year. Rajya Sabha MP Shwait Malik, who is also a trustee of the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Trust, said a special package had been spared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to spruce up the historic place.

Malik said the development plan was on the tendering stage and the work would be started soon.

“It is probably for the first time that Jallianwala Bagh theme has been introduced in the parade. The Union government too has proposed to introduce coins and postal stamps to inculcate a feel of patriotism during the centenary celebrations. Another proposal is to introduce programmes like 7-D documentary depicting the massacre and its real-time feel through a light and sound show at the site.

Kanwar complains of breach of protocol

• Chandigarh: Kharar MLA Kanwar Sandhu has complained of the breach of protocol regarding the members of the Punjab Legislative Assembly (MLAs) at the flag-hoisting ceremonies organised by the state government on the occasion of Republic Day on Saturday.
• In a letter to Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, Kanwar Sandhu stated that the elected members of the Punjab Legislative Assembly (MLAs) continue to be ignored and overlooked during the celebrations of Republic Day, Independence Day and other such official functions.
• He said he had also made a reference to this during his earlier letter to the CM, dated December 10, 2018, on the role and responsibility of MLAs. TNS

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 19

In a development that will provide greater reach to the Indian Air Force and the Army, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) today launched a military communication satellite, the second one since Rukmini — GSAT-7 — was launched in September 2013.

Besides these two, there are a dozen other satellites that are doing surveillance and sending only pictures and videos.

GSAT-7A will be for the use of Indian Air Force (IAF) and partially for the Army. A communication satellite enables live feed and can connect aircraft flying hundreds of miles away.

The Rukmini is for the use of the Navy and it scans the Arabian sea, the Bay of Bengal and also the strategic choke points like the Straits of Malacca. The GSAT-7A will enable the IAF to interlink different ground radar stations, ground airbase and airborne early warning and control (AWACS) aircraft.

The satellite will also help satellite-control the military unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of the IAF even as the Army (that still awaits its own satellite called the GSAT-7B) will be using 30 per cent of GSAT-7A.

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 20

As part of the Republic Day celebrations, a mini marathon was organised by the IAF at the No.3 Base Repair Depot (BRD) here today. A large number of Air Force personnel, including their families, NCC cadets as well as school and college students of different age groups participated in the event.

The marathon, covering a distance of 5 km, was flagged-off by Air Commodore Sanjiv Ghuratia, Air Officer Commanding, 3 BRD. 

Around 50 cadets, including girls of No.1 Chandigarh Air Squadron also participated in the marathon and bagged five trophies.

In the girls’ above 16 years category, the first three positions were bagged by Shivani Sharma and Sushma Soni, both of Post Graduate Government College (PGGC), Sector-11, and Himani Joshi of DAV College, Sector 10, respectively, while in boys’ above 16 years category, the first and third position were bagged by Sachin Kumar and Kush Malik, both of the PGGC.

A static display of Air Force equipment was also organised by the IAF to familiarise and motivate students, while NCC cadets organised an aero-modeling show and held demonstration of remote controlled flying models.

Official sources said the existing framework of the Kendriya Sainik Board and Zila Sainik Boards will assist the Defence Ministry in its effort.

NEW DELHI: 

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday approved the proposal to provide legal advice and support to veterans and war widows in a meeting attended by the top hierarchy of Defence Ministry and the Chairman Armed Forces Tribunal.

Official sources said the existing framework of the Kendriya Sainik Board and Zila Sainik Boards will assist the Defence Ministry in its effort.

They said the decision is expected to greatly help the veterans and war widows.

Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, January 13

An Army jawan from Rohtak has been detained after he was allegedly honey trapped by a woman posing as ‘Anika Chopra’ on Facebook and claiming to be a ‘Captain’ in the Army Medical Corps.

The jawan is deployed with the Tank unit in Jaisalmer. 

The woman used to talk to him and send lewd messages and even pictures.

She was in touch with him since 2016.

A unit of the Military intelligence detained the jawan when he was allegedly caught sending pictures and location of exercise and other things, including Arjun Tanks, to the woman.

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had on January 10 spoken about the misuse of social media and had made it clear that it would attract action.

Sources said that the Army has found fake profiles of leading Bollywood actresses used to woo jawans. The FB profiles of some more jawans are under watch.

(L-R) Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat, Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba and Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa. File photo

Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, December 6

As the three-day Military Literature Festival kicks off in Chandigarh on Friday, a look at the literary interests of the three service chiefs shows they have diverse preferences, almost like the forces they command.

Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat’s favourite book is ‘The Battle of Dien Bien Phu’, which is based on the French-Vietnam war and was authored by Jules Roy (first published in 1963).

Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba, currently the senior-most military commander, marks ‘The Cruel Sea’ as his favourite book. It is based on a British naval fleet in the North Atlantic during the World War-II (1939-45) and was authored by Nicholas Monsarrat (first printed in 1951).

IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa’s preference is more recent, the 2016 released ‘India’s Wars: A Military History, 1947-71’, authored by Air Vice Marshal Arjun Subramaniam (retd). The author was a fighter jet pilot, so is the IAF Chief. The book is detailed and has insider viewpoint and provides some lessons for military planners. A Ph.D in Defence and Strategic Studies from the University of Madras, the Air Vice Marshal is said to be researching for a sequel to his book and will cover the 1972-2015 period.

Monsarrat served in the Royal British Navy during WW-II and rose to the rank of Lt Commander. He served on warships in the North Atlantic. His book is a portrayal of ordinary men learning to fight and survive in a battle with German U-boats (submarines). The book went on to be made into a movie by the same name in 1953.

‘The Battle of Dien Bien Phu’ is considered a decisive battle. The Vietnamese rebels led by Ho Chi Minh fought against the French and attacked their garrison, something considered as turning point in the first Indo-China War (1946–54). The term Indo-China was used for former French colonies Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

After WW-II, French forces tried to re-occupy the area and camped at Dien Bien Phu valley in late 1953. Vietnamese commander Vo Nguyen Giap amassed troops and placed heavy artillery in caves of the mountains overlooking the French camp. Boosted by some Chinese help, Giap mounted assaults, eliminating use of the French airfield. The Vietnamese forces overran the base, which led to the signing of the Geneva Accords of 1954.