OBJECTIVE Initiative part of plan to involve them and overcome modernisation hurdles

NEW DELHI: Top academia from Indian Institutes of Technology, Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Science, and other centres of excellence will get a ringside view of the army’s precise application of firepower, as part of an overarching programme to involve them in over coming modern is at ion hurdles being faced by the force.

They will witness live firing by the Bofors gun, 130 mm artillery guns, and rocket launchers for the first time. Under the outreach initiative, spearheaded by the Army Design Bureau (ADB) set up last year, the academia and industry experts will be taken to the School of Artillery in Devlali on January 9 and Infantry School in Mhow on February 20 — both in Madhya Pradesh — for elaborate firepower displays.

The army is seeking their help to fix at least 170 problem areas in modernisation ranging from mobility of guns in mountains to night vision devices and wound-healing fabric to satellite-based tracking systems.

he academia and industry are also being tapped to develop future technologies such as armoured fighting vehicles, unmanned combat aerial vehicles, longer range surface-to-air missiles, and precision weapons.

A South Block source said an army team, headed by deputy chief Lieutenant General Subrata Saha, has held 17 bilateral army-industry interactions and eight trilateral army-industry-academia interactions.

“The interactions were aimed at promoting an understanding of the army’s modernisation requirements, gauging the industry’s capabilities, and finding out how academic activities could be aligned to meet the army’s future needs,” the source said.

The micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector stands to make some significant gains by taking part in the modernisation drive as almost 40% of the army’s schemes are valued under `140 crore.

Last year, the academia and industry representatives were taken to Ahmednagar and Gopalpur to educate them about tanks and air defence equipment. They have been taken to highaltitude areas in the Northeast and Jammu and Kashmir, and a field trip to the desert sector will take place in February.

A senior officer said many projects under IMPRINT India (Impacting Research Innovation and Technology) — a pan-IIT and IISc joint initiative to develop a roadmap for research to solve major engineering and technology challenges — were being aligned to meet the army’s future requirements. He said research cells had been set up in several IITs and domain-specific courses in defence technology were in the works.

He said the industry’s response to army’s request for information for several schemes had increased significantly after the setting up of the ADB. The army has already signed an MoU for collaboration with IIT Gandhinagar, and another one with IIT Mumbai is likely to be inked on January 8.

Air Chief Marshall Arup Raha.

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 28

Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshall Arup Raha on Wednesday came out in support of former IAF chief SP Tyagi saying that “they stand by him till he is proven guilty”.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)
He also listed the IAF requirement of an additional 200-250 fighter jets to meet the short fall arising out of future phasing out of the MiG 21 jets.

Raha, who retires on December 31, was meeting the media in New Delhi when he, without naming Tyagi, said the former Chief was part of the IAF family and “they stand by him, however, if charges are proved against him, they will have no sympathy”.

He said blaming the IAF alone for the AgustaWestland bribery scandal was not right.

Tyagi, a former IAF Chief – retired in 2007 – was arrested recently by the Central Bureau of Investigation on alleged bribery charges in the Rs 3,600 crore deal to buy 12 helicopters from Italian firm AgustaWestland for use of top VVIPs.

On being asked about fighter jets, Raha said we need more medium weight fighter jets – a classification for jets. The Sukhoi 30 MKI is in the heavy weight category, the Tejas is the light-weight category, while the Rafale was ordered recently from France.

“We need a second line of production of fighter jets under the make in India procedure”, Raha said while putting the collective need at 200-250 jets in the next 10 years.

TAKING POSITION Camping in Patiala, former army chief Gen JJ Singh says his track record is of ‘no failures’

I am ready for the battle… I am here to give back to the city socially, politically and economically. GEN JJ SINGH (RETD), former army chief

PATIALA: Two former soldiers are set to slug it out in the Patiala assembly segment as the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has decided to bet on former army chief General JJ Singh (retd) against Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh for the polls due within a couple of months. Amarinder hasn’t lost an election from the Patiala (urban) seat since 2002.

HT FILEDeputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal honouring Gen JJ Singh (retd) during the inauguration of the first phase of Gobindgarh Fort in Amritsar on December 13.

Gen JJ Singh stopped just short of expressly confirming the candidature: “Let’s wait for a day; I am ready for the battle and take up a challenge only to win.”

But an Akali leader privy to the decision told HT, “The idea is to pose a tough challenge to Amarinder, so that he gets less time to move around the state for canvassing. General JJ Singh is a Sikh with an illustrious career behind him.” PATIALA: Two former soldiers are set to slug it out in the Patiala assembly segment as the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has decided to bet on former army chief General JJ Singh (retd) against Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh for the polls due within a couple of months. Amarinder hasn’t lost an election from the Patiala (urban) seat since 2002.

Gen JJ Singh stopped just short of expressly confirming the candidature: “Let’s wait for a day; I am ready for the battle and take up a challenge only to win.”

But an Akali leader privy to the decision told HT, “The idea is to pose a tough challenge to Amarinder, so that he gets less time to move around the state for canvassing. General JJ Singh is a Sikh with an illustrious career behind him. The AAP has fielded a very weak candidate from Patiala. Our party president will announce the name in a day or two, but JJ Singh has already been sounded to shift base to Patiala.”

Gen Singh confirmed he has reached Patiala. “Let me first make it clear that don’t dub me as a ‘paratrooper’ in Patiala. I have been brought up in the city and stayed here… am familiar with its every nook and cranny,” he said, indicating that he is game. He said he is in Patiala “for an assignment which I will accomplish in tune with my track record of no failures”.

He added, “It’s my payback time to Patiala, where I have stayed for years as a child after my family shifted here after Partition. The city has my ‘nanke’ (maternal grandfather’s family) as well as ‘dadke’ (paternal grandfather’s), and now I am here to give back to the city socially, politically and economically,” said the General.

Gen Singh, who was the first Sikh officer to become the army chief, has been provided security cover by the police in Patiala. At least 12 cops and vehicle have been put on the job on the orders of ADGP (security). JJ Singh fought the 1965 and 1971 wars, apart from being among the architects of defeating Pakistani intruders in Kargil. For six months, JJ Singh was cosying up with SAD president and deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal. He was seen at the inaugural function of the war memorial in Amritsar and also at other events concerning ex-servicemen.

Amarinder, too, had served on the Indo-Pak border during the 1965 war.

After finding former minister Surjit Singh Kohli not in the pink of his health, and Bhagwan Dass Juneja, who lost decisively in the bypoll to Preneet Kaur after Amarinder left the seat to become Amritsar MP, the SAD was looking for a formidable fresh face from Patiala. Sukhbir approached JJ Singh, who agreed to the proposal, said sources.

SAD general secretary Prem Singh Chandumajra had said on Sunday that a “famous personality” would be pitted against Amarinder. As per the deal, say sources, the General has been promised a “suitable adjustment” irrespective of what the election result will be.

On being asked if it will be befitting for him to contest assembly polls after holding offices such as those of army chief and governor, JJ Singh said, “No job and work is small.”

Akalis to field General versus Captain in battle for Patiala

TAKING POSITION Camping in Patiala, former army chief Gen JJ Singh says his track record is of ‘no failures’

I am ready for the battle… I am here to give back to the city socially, politically and economically. GEN JJ SINGH (RETD), former army chief

PATIALA: Two former soldiers are set to slug it out in the Patiala assembly segment as the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has decided to bet on former army chief General JJ Singh (retd) against Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh for the polls due within a couple of months. Amarinder hasn’t lost an election from the Patiala (urban) seat since 2002.

HT FILEDeputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal honouring Gen JJ Singh (retd) during the inauguration of the first phase of Gobindgarh Fort in Amritsar on December 13.

Gen JJ Singh stopped just short of expressly confirming the candidature: “Let’s wait for a day; I am ready for the battle and take up a challenge only to win.”

But an Akali leader privy to the decision told HT, “The idea is to pose a tough challenge to Amarinder, so that he gets less time to move around the state for canvassing. General JJ Singh is a Sikh with an illustrious career behind him. The AAP has fielded a very weak candidate from Patiala. Our party president will announce the name in a day or two, but JJ Singh has already been sounded to shift base to Patiala.”

Gen Singh confirmed he has reached Patiala. “Let me first make it clear that don’t dub me as a ‘paratrooper’ in Patiala. I have been brought up in the city and stayed here… am familiar with its every nook and cranny,” he said, indicating that he is game. He said he is in Patiala “for an assignment which I will accomplish in tune with my track record of no failures”.

He added, “It’s my payback time to Patiala, where I have stayed for years as a child after my family shifted here after Partition. The city has my ‘nanke’ (maternal grandfather’s family) as well as ‘dadke’ (paternal grandfather’s), and now I am here to give back to the city socially, politically and economically,” said the General.

Gen Singh, who was the first Sikh officer to become the army chief, has been provided security cover by the police in Patiala. At least 12 cops and vehicle have been put on the job on the orders of ADGP (security). JJ Singh fought the 1965 and 1971 wars, apart from being among the architects of defeating Pakistani intruders in Kargil. For six months, JJ Singh was cosying up with SAD president and deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal. He was seen at the inaugural function of the war memorial in Amritsar and also at other events concerning ex-servicemen.

Amarinder, too, had served on the Indo-Pak border during the 1965 war.

After finding former minister Surjit Singh Kohli not in the pink of his health, and Bhagwan Dass Juneja, who lost decisively in the bypoll to Preneet Kaur after Amarinder left the seat to become Amritsar MP, the SAD was looking for a formidable fresh face from Patiala. Sukhbir approached JJ Singh, who agreed to the proposal, said sources.

SAD general secretary Prem Singh Chandumajra had said on Sunday that a “famous personality” would be pitted against Amarinder. As per the deal, say sources, the General has been promised a “suitable adjustment” irrespective of what the election result will be.

On being asked if it will be befitting for him to contest assembly polls after holding offices such as those of army chief and governor, JJ Singh said, “No job and work is small.”

Lt Gen DS Hooda, General Officer Commanding in Chief, Northern Command, on his visit to Kashmir on Saturday. A Tribune photo

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, November 19

Lt Gen DS Hooda, General Officer Commanding in Chief, Northern Command, accompanied by his wife Rashmi Hooda, visited Chinar Corps here today.Earlier in the day the Gen Hooda visited troops deployed in forward areas and reviewed the security situation. He exhorted all ranks to continue to work with the same zeal and motivation to overcome the challenges of terrorism, volatile internal security situation and external threats along the LoC.At Srinagar, Gen Hooda interacted with all ranks at Badami Bagh Cantonment. He complimented them for their professionalism, steadfastness, dedication and loyalty. He also appreciated the excellent synergy between the Army, CAPF, JK Police and civil administration of J&K in pursuit of the common goal of establishing “peace and normalcy” in the state. Gen Hooda also awarded commendation cards to soldiers for exemplary dedication and devotion to duty.Meanwhile, Rashmi Hooda visited the facilities at Badami Bagh Cantonment. Lt Gen DS Hooda was to retire at the end of the month after 40 years of service to the nation, an Army spokesman said.

In a setback to the CBI probing alleged irregularities in the AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal, former IAF chief S P Tyagi was granted bail Monday after 18 days in custody. In its order, the court of special CBI judge Arvind Kumar said the CBI had “failed to state how much cash was paid to accused and when it was paid” despite conducting an investigation for “3 years and 9 months”.

The pronouncement of the order had the Tyagi family in tears. They declined to comment, only saying that their “faith in the judiciary has been restored”. The former Chief of Air Staff was arrested by the CBI on December 9 for his alleged involvement in changing specifications for VVIP choppers, allowing AgustaWestland to participate in the bidding process.

The CBI had alleged that Tyagi received money and used his influence to change the service ceiling for the helicopters. It also alleged that the “bribe amount” had been transferred “through different companies” in the name of “consultancy services” to persons related to Tyagi.

The agency had opposed grant of bail to the former IAF chief, saying evidence was yet to be received from various countries and other witnesses. The court noted that Tyagi had joined the investigation for questioning several times prior to his arrest and raids had been conducted at his residence in 2013 where a number of documents had been seized.

“It has not been the contention of the CBI that accused had tampered with the evidence or influenced any witness since the time of lodging of FIR,” the court said. It also said that since Tyagi had retired from service in 2007, “the apprehension of CBI that he would influence the witnesses who had been subordinate to him during the tenure of his service appears unfounded”.

The court noted that the CBI had not been able to link the properties owned by the accused to any illegal gratification. “The correctness or otherwise of the allegation as to whether the accused has taken the kickbacks and in what manner he was connected to the same can only be looked into during the course of the trial,” it said.

The court asked Tyagi to submit a personal bail bond of Rs 2 lakh with one surety, and directed that he cannot leave the National Capital Region without prior permission of the court. He was also directed not to contact any witness in the case.

The court is yet to pronounce judgment on the bail pleas filed by the co-accused including S P Tyagi’s cousin Sanjeev Tyagi and advocate Gautam Khaitan, who have been alleged to be “middlemen’ in sourcing the money from foreign countries. Orders on their pleas are likely to be pronounced on January 4.

Lt Gen SK Sinha

New Delhi, November 17

Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Lt Gen SK Sinha passed away at a local hospital this morning after a brief illness. He was 92. He was admitted to the base hospital on November 1 with a fracture in the femur bone and ribs and was shifted to the Army Research and Referral Hospital.He is survived by his wife, son and IFS officer YK Sinha, current Indian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, and three daughters. His funeral will take place tomorrow noon at the Brar Square crematorium here.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Sinha led the first batch of Indian troops that entered Jammu and Kashmir when Pakistan raiders invaded in 1947. He later served as the Governor of the state.He quit service after the government superseded him and appointed General AS Vaidya as the Army Chief. Lt Gen Sinha also served as India’s Ambassador to Nepal and Governor of Assam.President Pranab Mukherjee on Twitter wrote: “Lt Gen Sinha will be always remembered for his distinguished service to the nation.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “Had the opportunity of meeting Lt Gen (retd) Srinivas K Sinha just a few days ago. His service to our nation will always be remembered.”NC leader Farooq Abdullah and son Omar Abdullah also mourned his death. — PTI

Had Indira taken his word, Punjab wouldn’t have bled

Lt Gen SK Sinha 1926-2016

Sandeep Dikshit

Lt Gen Sinha was all of 21 and India a two-month-old nation when their destinies intertwined. As a young Major, he was among the first Indian Army officers to land in Srinagar when the momentum was with the Pakistani raiders. Lt Gen Sinha marshalled the airlift of troops from Delhi. In his words: “We flew in 800 sorties in 15 days. About 5,000 troops with stores and equipments were flown to last the winter. I was shuttling between Delhi and Srinagar, often overstaying nights in Srinagar.”(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Had the Indian Army, with then Major Sinha as a key participant, not established the air bridge, the entire state would have keeled over to Pakistan.  Army officers of that time were cut from a different cloth. Lt Gen Sinha dazzled in his post-Independence tenures and was slated to take over as Chief of the Army Staff. He would have got that coveted post had his truthfulness and candour not come in the way.The year was 1983 and India’s charismatic though authoritarian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was planning two misadventures with the Army in the lead role. Indira Gandhi wanted to dispatch a mix of Intelligence and armed force personnel to intervene in Mauritius. The Indian military was divided with Navy Chief Admiral OS Dawson backing the idea. But Lt Gen Sinha, who was the Deputy Army Chief then, said a firm no. The second is part of Punjab’s lore when Lt Gen Sinha counselled Indira Gandhi against storming the Golden Temple. She rejected the advice and Punjab along with parts of India suffered a decade-long trauma as a consequence.Indira Gandhi found Lt Gen Sinha too contrarian for her taste and decided to supersede him. The soldier quit the job but kept his dignity intact. A statesman was born when he said he did not question the decision of the Government and had chosen to fade away from the Army.As Lt Gen Sinha kept himself occupied as a columnist and on the lecture circuit, New Delhi realised it would be better off with the former Army officer in the governing arrangement. India-Nepal ties were on the rocks because of a blockade and democratic impulses were on the rise. In that difficult situation in 1989, Lt Gen Sinha was sent to mend the fences. By all accounts, he did well. India and Nepal returned to the negotiating table and democracy began taking roots.New Delhi then drafted him to help douse the fires of anti-immigrant movement in Assam. As Governor, he was credited with ideating a hearts and minds policy that helped neutralise the sentiments of secession. Once again, Lt Gen Sinha was to give an advice that the Centre was to regret for not taking it on board. He was ridiculed for recommending the scrapping of the Illegal Migration Detection by Tribunal (IMDT) Act, but vindicated several years later when the Supreme Court invalidated the legislation.The General was then drafted to helm Jammu & Kashmir where the situation was undergoing a metamorphosis after a ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC). But the complexities of the dispute have proved too much for statesmen of much greater calibre. Lt Gen Sinha tried his best but the Mumbai attack proved to be the final nail.With his first and last official posts in Independent India centred around J&K, the General gave two more counsels. He felt not allowing the Army to chase the enemy up to Muzaffarabad in 1947 was a strategic blunder. “We lost an important opportunity. If Indian army was allowed to advance beyond Uri, then Muzaffarabad would not have been under control of Pakistan,” he was to comment later. But Lt Gen Sinha was a realist to the core. His personal view after stepping down as Governor of J&K was that both sides should give up on occupying each other’s territory and instead settle for the LoC as the international border.

New Delhi, January 1India and Pakistan on Sunday exchanged for the 26th consecutive year the list of their nuclear installations under a bilateral agreement that prohibits them from attacking each other’s atomic facilities.“India and Pakistan today exchanged, through diplomatic channels simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad, the list of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations between India and Pakistan,” the Ministry of External Affairs said.The agreement, which was signed on December 31, 1988, and entered into force on January 27, 1991, says that the two countries will inform each other of nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the agreement on January 1 of every calendar year.This is the 26th consecutive exchange of such list between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 1, 1992.The two countries also exchanged, through diplomatic channels simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad, the lists of nationals (including civil prisoners and fishermen) of each country lodged in their respective jails as per provisions of the Agreement on Consular Access, the MEA said.The agreement on consular access, signed between the two countries on May 21, 2008, provides for exchanging a comprehensive list of nationals of each country lodged in their jails twice each year–on January 1 and July 1.“India remains committed to addressing with Pakistan on priority the humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other’s country.“In this context, we await from Pakistan confirmation of nationality of those in India’s custody who are otherwise eligible for release and repatriation.“We also await consular access to those Indian nationals in Pakistan’s custody for whom it has so far not been provided, including Hamid Nehal Ansari and Kulbhushan Jadhav,” said an MEA statement.The Pakistani security forces had arrested Jadhav from Balochistan in March and alleged that he was “a serving officer in the Indian Navy and deputed to the Indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW)”.Jadhav has been accused by Pakistan of planning “subversive activities” in the country.India has acknowledged that Jadhav had served with the navy but denied that he had any connection with the government.Pakistan has so far turned down India’s request for consular access to Jadhav, whom Pakistan claimed to be a RAW spy.Ansari had crossed over illegally to Pakistan from Afghanistan in 2012 reportedly to meet a girl he had befriended online and then went missing.He was later arrested and tried by a Pakistani military court, which pronounced him guilty of espionage. PTI

Rattled by the latest Supreme Court advisory to the President, the Punjab Government has denotified the SYL land for the second time in eight months, exercising executive powers. The earlier legislative effort was thwarted by the Governor who did not give consent to the Bill passed. Opposition cooperation, available then, was missing now as the Congress dubbed it “political gimmickry” and stayed away from the Assembly session which passed a resolution against the construction of the SYL Canal and in favour of collecting a cess from the states using river waters passing through Punjab.Citizens as well as political leaders understand that inter-state disputes cannot be settled through unilateral action. The 2004 water agreement termination Act was passed with fanfare; but Capt Amarinder Singh did not get the expected political mileage in the ensuing election despite a massive show of misplaced boldness. That presumably bold action, in fact, delayed efforts towards an acceptable solution as Punjab was dragged to a needless, costly legal battle. This time fortunately the Governor put his foot down, denying Chief Minister Badal a chance to go on a similar legislative misadventure. Irrational remedies Badal is trying these days are bound to be challenged in court. Punjab has lost thrice in the Supreme Court despite having a strong case on its water rights. As expected, Haryana plans to move the Supreme Court for SYL Canal construction and an NGO has filed a contempt plea against Badal. It remains to be seen whether the Centre helps Badal gain political martyrdom he is seeking by doing what appeals to sentiment more than reason. Months before the Supreme Court ruling he had been trying to work up passions with disappointing results. It will be clear only after the 2017 elections whether people see him as a protector of Punjab waters or a dated politician trying old tricks. Political parties in Punjab are divided on SYL. At the end, solutions have to be workable and agreeable, in compliance with the established constitutional, judicial and democratic norms, not the ones that pit one state and its people against the other.

Chandigarh, November 13. 2016

By the time of the1962 Assembly battle, the electoral chess board had been redone. The Akali Dal, which had subsumed itself under the Indian National Congress during the 1957 polls, was now a contestant and was fighting on the plank of a Punjabi Suba, contesting 47 seats. Nehru, predictably, led the Congress charge.  During his campaign speeches made during these elections in January 1962 while a three-day visit to the state, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru reiterated his vision of “building a new India of our dreams, both economically and socially.” Like in the previous elections, the Congress had fielded candidates in each of the 154 Assembly seats. The number of candidates put up by the Communist Party decreased from 67 to 47, but for the Jan Sangh, the candidates increased from 62 to 80.  The Republicans fielded 26 and the Praja-Socialist Party 10. Speaking at Basic Training College, Chandigarh, Congress leader and Planning Commission member Shriman Narain sounded prophetic when he said: “if we fail to link our educational programme with developmental schemes in different sectors of national economy, we shall be sowing the seeds of friction and even disaster in our social and economic life.”Developmental high notes aside, Punjabi language and Punjabi Suba dominated the loudspeakers at the state level. In order to assuage those who blamed his government for not implementing the ‘Regional Formula’, Jawaharlal Nehru appointed a Commission of inquiry headed by S R Das, a former Chief Justice, to ascertain if there was any injustice in the delay in implementing the formula. In his election speeches, we find him defending the Commission he had set up. As for the Akalis, two leaders — Sant Fateh Singh and Master Tara Singh — continued to push for the Punjabi Suba movement. Many SAD workers courted arrest and these leaders undertook “fast-unto-death” but broke the fast after they got some assurances. This eventually cost them and the movement its sheen.

The petitioner had contended that the morale of officers of the armed forces has been lowered by the government by non-grant of the NFU and thus lowering the established status of the armed forces officers since independence.

The bench comprising the officiating chairperson of the AFT, Justic BP Katakey and Lt Gen Sanjiv Langer today delivered the judgement on the petition which had been reserved some weeks back.

In a verdict, which meets the long-standing demand of thousands of defence services officers, the principal bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) in New Delhi has allowed a petition demanding Non-Functional Upgradation (NFU) for defence officers on the pattern of civil services officers of Group ‘A’ services. The bench comprising the officiating chairperson of the AFT, Justic BP Katakey and Lt Gen Sanjiv Langer today delivered the judgement on the petition which had been reserved some weeks back. Col Mukul Dev of the Army’s Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Branch was the principal petitioner in the case which also has around 500 serving Army officers as co-petitioners.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Col Rajiv Manglik (retd) advocate for the petitioners said, “NFU been allowed as given to defence officers on the pattern of civilian officers as given by the 6th Pay Commission and it will be applicable for all three services-Army, Navy and the Air Force. It has also been stated if NFU is implemented for civilians in 7th Pay Commission it will be given to armed forces officers also. The advocate also said that the bench has allowed arrears for NFU for a period not exceeding three years from the date of the judgement. “The AFT has also denied the leave to appeal in the Supreme Court to the respondents ie. the Union of India,” said Col Manglik.

The petitioner had contended that the morale of officers of the armed forces has been lowered by the government by non-grant of the NFU and thus lowering the established status of the armed forces officers since independence. He had also argued that the stagnation in the armed forces is more acute than the civil services and that the denial is in clear violation of Article 14 and 16 of the Constitution “as the equals since independence have been made unequals”.

It was also argued that the purpose of grant of NFU is not to equate the monetary benefits or earnings enjoyed by a particular service, but it is granted with the aim to remove the stagnation due to the acute shortage of vacancies and grant parity of promotional avenues within the IAS with stipulated lead of two years to the IAS.

The petitioner had said that the parity established since independence and upheld by the pay commissions in succession between the armed forces and the All India Services/ Group ‘A’ services and IPS in particular has been disturbed and the petitioner has been deprived of the benefits extended to his counter parts in parity in the civil services.

It had been contended that the armed forces officers cadre meets all the attributes attached to the Group ‘A’ organised service. The petition says that the NFU has been denied on the pretext that Military Service Pay (MSP) has been given to armed forces officers. Citing this as a “gross mis-concept” the petition said that the grant of NFU is to alleviate the acute stagnation in service, whereas the MSP and other allowances is due to the postings at various difficult terrain and living conditions.

It was also pointed out that there are a number of Group ‘A’ services, which do not meet all the criteria for the group, yet they have been awarded NFU. The services mentioned are Indian Legal Service and Indian Trade Service, Indian Statistical service, Indian Economic service and Central Information service.

What is NFU?

Non Functional Upgrade (NFU) entitles an IAS officer and other Group ‘A’ services officers of the civil services to get the pay scale of the highest promoted officer of their batch even if he or she is not promoted to the same rank. This higher grade is given two years after the batchmate achieves the promotion. The aim of giving NFU is to alleviate the stagnation in the service due to non-promotion. Due to the steep pyramid of promotion in armed forces hierarchy, a large number of officers do not make it to the next selection rank. However, NFU has not been made applicable to armed forces. The Delhi High Court in its recent judgement has held that NFU is also applicable to officers of the central paramilitary forces.

18-20 people died in queues and PM was laughing: Rahul

 

Rahul said even Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was kept in the dark. — ANI

Mumbai, November 15

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday night accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “laughing” when 18-20 people died in queues outside banks and ATMs and termed the demonetisation of high currency notes as a decision sans rationale.In an apparent reference to Modi’s remarks in Japan and Goa, he said, “18-20 people died in queues (outside banks/ ATMs) and PM Narendra Modi was laughing. He should clarify whether he was laughing or crying.”He also claimed that BJP people were alerted beforehand about the demonetisation.”How can one explain the BJP people in West Bengal depositing crores in high-denomination notes just before PM’s announcement on November 8?” Rahul asked.”BJP workers were seen holding up bundles of the new Rs 2,000 notes, as seen from images on the Internet, before Modi announced this decision,” he told reporters in suburban Bandra tonight.”This move by the Modi government will turn out to be a big scam,” Rahul said.He also claimed that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was kept in the dark about the announcement.”I don’t think even Finance Minister knew about the demonetisation announcement,” Rahul said.”The PM took decision without thinking. We don’t want to reverse it, but at least resolve the difficulties people are facing,” he said.”Many economists say there is no rationale to this decision. They say it’s a decision based on political calculation,” he said.”The entire Opposition united against Modi government’s demonetisation move which has resulted in massive inconvenience for people,” Rahul said.”Go after the big players in black money. I don’t see that happening. We cannot let farmers and labourers stand in queues for months,” he said.Asked to comment on Modi’s mother standing in a bank queue, Rahul quipped: “Mine and Narendra Modi’s styles are different. I won’t speak about his mother.” — PTI

Kejriwal accuses Modi of accepting Rs 25 crore bribe from Aditya Birla Group

The UPA did not take action, says Kejriwal. ANI photo

New Delhi, November 15

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of having accepted a bribe of Rs 25 crore from Aditya Birla Group while he was chief minister of Gujarat.While addressing the Delhi Assembly’s one-day session on Tuesday, Kejriwal said: “On 15 October 2013, the income tax department conducted raid on Shubendu Amitabh’s house. He was an executive of Aditya Birla Group. His Blackberry phones, laptop everything was thoroughly checked. They found a ledger entry in his laptop stating that on 16 November 2012, the Gujarat chief minister was paid Rs.25 crore…For the first time in history of independent India, a sitting PM’s name has come in black money transactions.”“This raid happened in 2013. The Congress was in power. But they should have initiated action, given that Narendra Modi was projected as Prime Minister’ face for BJP. Then it means that the BJP and Congress had deals between them. They must have thought that once Narendra Modi becomes the PM, he will help them in the Robert Vadra case,” Kejriwal said. “He has been claiming that the decision is an attack on black money, but it is an attack on common people. He is protecting his friends. These businessmen pay Prime Minister Modi and in response the Prime Minister ensures that the income tax department does not conduct raids on these businessmen’s house,” Kejriwal said.He claimed that when the Income Tax Department filed an appraisal report on deal, the UPA regime did not take action against Modi.“You (Prime Minister Modi) say that the poor man is drinking ‘kadvi chai’. But the truth is that, the Prime Minister is offering poison to them in the name of black money,” Kejriwal said, accusing Modi of targeting the poor through his drive to withdraw high-currency notes while protecting his “corporate friends”.  The chief minister also demanded roll back of the drive. “We would urge the government to roll back this scheme. We are not against black money. If they want to implement, then give proper time to people. Plan it properly, we will support you. If they do not roll back immediately then this economy will be in peril,” Kejriwal said.Earlier in the day, the Delhi Government passed a resolution asking President Pranab Mukherjee to direct the central government to withdraw the “draconian” demonitisation drive.“This assembly resolves to urge upon the Honourable President of India to take necessary steps to institute a high-level probe to be monitored by the Honourable Supreme Court of India to look into the allegations that the scheme is fraud on the nation and that it has been launched to benefit a particular political party through its agents in black money,” the resolution stated. — ANI

Modi govt has turned people into beggars: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. PTI file photo

Kolkata, November 15

Accusing the Modi government of turning the people of the country into beggars by the demonetisation move, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said she would meet President Pranab Mukherjee tomorrow on the issue irrespective of whether other parties join her or not.“Tomorrow I am meeting the President on demonetisation issue. I will be meeting him with 40 of my MPs. I have spoken to various political parties. I have spoken to Rahul Gandhi, Nitish Kumar, Naveen Patnaik, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Arvind Kejriwal.“If they want to join me, it is good. If not, then I will go alone with my MPs. National Conference leader Omar Abdullah is likely to join me,” Banerjee told reporters at the airport here before leaving for New Delhi.Asked about some political parties’ comments that it was too early to meet the President on the issue, she said, “It is their choice. You need to call the doctor before the patient is dead. There is no use of calling a doctor after a patient expired. You need to meet the President right now. I want all political parties to meet the President,” she said.“I am ready to stand behind. Let them (other political parties) take the front stage but they should meet the President,” she said.Banerjee’s move to play a pivotal role in uniting the opposition against BJP has been throttled by CPI(M) with its general secretary Sitaram Yechury yesterday stating that the party will wait to see what position the government takes in the matter in Parliament on the issue and “who stands where”.She remarked, “There are thousands of areas where there are no proper banking or post office facilities. What will the people there do ? The people of this country have been turned into beggars due to demonetisation move.”     Later, in a tweet, Banerjee charged the central government with pursuing discrimination in dealing with the demonetisation issue.“Old Rs 500/1,000 notes allowed in railways, petrol pumps. NHAI exempted. But no exemption for state sector agriculture, co-operatives. No exemption for patients in private hospitals, nursing homes or for non-prescription medicines. Why this discrimination? The situation is serious. Very grim. People are suffering,” she tweeted. — PTI

Congress-led opposition set to corner govt in Parliament tomorrow

An all party meet underway in Parliament on Tuesday. ANI photo

New Delhi, November 15

A Congress-led opposition on Tuesday came together seeking to pin down the government on the demonetisation issue in the winter session of Parliament beginning tomorrow but a consensus eluded on TMC’s proposed march to Rashtrapati Bhavan for meeting the President.The leaders will meet again tomorrow to finalise the strategy on the issue agreeing at the meeting to use “all parliamentary tools including a demand for constituting a joint parliamentary committee to go into the issue and hold the government to account.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)On its part, TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said her party will go ahead with its plans to meet the President tomorrow. Representatives of the National Conference and AAP are likely to accompany the TMC delegation.At a meeting of 13 opposition parties including arch rivals TMC and CPI-M, besides BSP, SP, JD-U and DMK, opposition leaders unanimously concluded that it was too early to visit the President on the issue which must first be raised adequately in parliamentary forums.Various parties have separately given adjournment notices in Lok Sabha and for suspension of proceedings in Rajya Sabha to discuss the issue and highlight the plight of the common man.“So far as the march is concerned, there was unanimous decision by everybody that the march tomorrow is too early. As an opposition party, we must have a march in due course of time, but not on the very first day. On first day of Parliament, we must hold a discussion inside the House.“There was an overwhelming consensus that there is no need to rush to Rashtrapati Bhavan on the very first day before bringing this issue before Parliament,” Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said after the meeting. — PTI