Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh with the family of JCO Paramjit Singh at their house in Veinpoin village, Tarn Taran, on Sunday. — Tribune photo

Tribune News Service

Tarn Taran, May 7

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday announced a police job for the elder daughter and a reserved a job for the elder son of Naib Subedar Paramjit Singh, who was recently killed during a ceasefire violation by the Pakistani army at LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.The Chief Minister, who visited Paramjit Singh’s family at Vein Poin village here, said his government would soon table before the Cabinet a comprehensive policy standardising compensation for any Punjabi of any force who lays down his life in fighting for the nation.Condoling the death of Paramjit Singh, Captain Amarinder said the jobs for the two elder children, which the family had sought from the government, would be in addition to the compensation already announced for the deceased’s next of kin.

The Captain Amarinder Singh-led government had earlier announced a total compensation of Rs 12 lakh, including Rs 5 lakh for the wife and children of the deceased, Rs 2 lakh for his parents and a plot worth Rs 5 lakhs.

In addition, another Rs 1 lakh was announced for renaming the local rest house in the soldier’s name.The Chief Minister on Sunday also announced a school and a stadium in the area in the name of the jawan.Amritsar MP Gurjit Singh Aujla had also announced that he would adopt the second daughter of the deceased soldier, whose elder daughter, 16-year-old Simrandeep Kaur, has been adopted by a bureaucrat couple from Himachal Pradesh.Both Simranjit Kaur and son Sahildeep Singh, 12, will be provided government jobs by the state government on completion of their education, the Chief Minister told mediapersons.Asked if the government was not discriminating against the third child of the deceased, he said it was not possible to provide individual compensation to every family member, but he made it clear that all promises made to the family would be fulfilled by his government, which would extent more help to them if needed.

Responding to questions, the Chief Minister said the central government was not doing enough to protect the men manning the country’s borders. Tough steps need to be taken to prevent the recurrence of such brutal killings at the border, he stressed, adding that India should retaliate with thrice the force to any incursions into our territory.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by his cabinet colleagues Rana Gurjit Singh and Navjot Singh Sidhu, as well as Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar. 

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Dhanoa flew the fighter at the Saint-Dizier airbase – a prominent installation of the French air force, an IAF official said.

New Delhi: Chief of Air Staff B S Dhanoa on Tuesday flew a sortie in a Rafale fighter jet from a French airbase to gain first-hand experience of the aircraft, 36 of which are being procured for the Indian Air Force.

Dhanoa is a on a four-day visit to France to ramp up cooperation between the air forces of the two countries in a range of areas.He flew the fighter at the Saint-Dizier airbase – a prominent installation of the French air force, an IAF official said.

India is procuring the Rafale multi-role fighter jets from French aviation major Dassault under a Euro 7.87 billion (approx Rs 59,000 crore) deal inked in September last year Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa will also take stock of progress in their supply.

The fighter jets are capable of carrying nuclear weapons and will be equipped with the latest missiles that will give the IAF greater “potency” over arch-rival Pakistan.

The Rafale combat aircraft will come with various India- specific modifications including Israeli helmet mounted displays, radar warning receivers and low band jammers, among others.

The Inter-Governmental Agreement for the supply of the jets was signed in September last year, 16 months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India’s plans to buy 36 Rafale aircraft in fly-away condition.

According to the deal, the delivery of the jets will start in 36 months and will be completed in 67 months from the date the contract is inked.

Not the best: Are we condemned to suffer mediocrities as our face to the world?

CONTRARY to folklore, the selection of the country’s President is an intensely political affair. In its long innings, the Congress has played politics in its choices with men of the distinction of S. Radhakrishnan gracing the office in contrast to the nonentities it selected to suit its political requirements. The only occasion there was a consensus on the choice was with Sanjiva Reddy because of the political turmoil then roiling the country.It is no surprise then that the BJP, in power under its own steam, should play politics with its choice for the highest titular post in the land even while making a show of seeking consensus with the Opposition parties. It was equally clear that in selecting Mr Ram Nath Kovind, a somewhat obscure loyalist with strong BJP and RSS affiliations and a Dalit to boot, it was making a political point and scattering the Oppositiion parties seeking to come together. We had men such as the Congress-appointed Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed signing on the dotted line to bless Indira Gandhi’s Emergency.Essentially, the BJP had three points to make. One, it was seeking to dispel the impression of being an upper caste and trading community party known for encouraging inter-caste tension and an anti-Dalit cast of mind. Second, it had the general election of 2019 in mind in fielding a Dalit. Third, it struck a blow to Opposition unity, such as it has been, to get Bihar’s CM and JD (U) leader, Mr Nitish Kumar, to defect even before Opposition parties were scheduled to meet.Thus in immediate terms, the BJP’s tactic has paid off. The Opposition parties were reduced to naming a Dalit, Ms Meira Kumar, the former Lok Sabha Speaker, to make a symbolic fight knowing full well that the BJP’s candidate had the votes, now with the maverick Shiv Sena and the JD (U), among others, on board.Yet the pity is that the Congress and the BJP when in power play political games for their parties’ advantage when the country should choose a towering and recognised personality to represent the country with distinction at home and around the world. This comes at the cost of India’s image PM Modi’s government is otherwise so adept at creating.Mr Kovind, despite his experience and record, is nowhere near the ideal President the country deserves. In the process, India is missing out on projecting its true potential to the world. Instead of chalking out a bold course in contrast to Congress practice, the BJP has chosen to copy it to select a well-meaning slogger because of his caste to keep alive the concept of Hinduising India. By all accounts, the RSS played a key role in the final stages of making the choice. The nature of the organisation being what it is, its single-minded devotion to creating a Hindu rashtra cannot be faulted. Rather, the RSS underpinning in the BJP and in the government’s staffing at the national level and in the states is such that it has a stranglehold on policymaking. Mr Modi’s choices are therefore limited. He must put up with men like Yogi Adityanath as his party’s CM in Uttar Pradesh as with the other red lines drawn by the RSS in areas closest to its heart. The choice for President was one such red line and like a faithful member of the RSS, as he once was, Mr Modi capitulated.   The office of President has evolved over the decades as has the role of Governors. Its past splendour has a hollow ring today, with more and more holders of office being proxies of the ruling power, rather than following the spirit of the Constitution in exercising an oversight over the government’s actions and policies. There have been exceptions, for instance KR Narayanan, who have expressed reservations and displeasure over particular policies. Even more than those holding the President’s office, Governors as a rule are proxies of the ruling party at the Centre. Indeed, there can be a valid case for the abolition of Governors’ office, substituting it by an administrative mechanism serving the same purpose without the expense and formalities involved. But the country still needs a titular head as a symbol and a meeting point for all its citizens. As is clear from the latest decision of the ruling party, that symbol is well on the way to oblivionn greatly aided by the record of the Congress.  Is the country so engulfed in partisan politics that even a party with a majority of its own in the Lok Sabha after three decades cannot chart a new course to keep the office of President above political horse trading? The BJP apparently thinks in electoral cycles to complete its dominance over national politics. The Oppositiion parties, particularly the Congress, are too shell-shocked by the scale of their defeat in recent elections to concentrate on national objectives. The traditional remedy offered by the wise is to turn to civil society. But it has proved to be a broken record time and again. Unless provoked by a victory or defeat on the cricket field or touching the heartstrings, as in the case of the aspiring self-made woman who was brutally raped and died, civil society stays silent more often than not. The choice of the President is not evocative enough to excite passion except among the political class that lives in its own bubble. Are we therefore condemned to suffer mediocrities as our face to the world? The Congress is more culpable on this score than the BJP’s rather recent acquisition of power. But the BJP cannot escape censure because it is in a sense the new avatar of power long exercised by the Congress. It must distinguish itself not merely by seeking a cleaner India but in getting rid of the cobwebs of the past by introducing a healthier set of political principles.The choice of Vice-President remains open and we must await the next surprise the BJP has to offer. This much is clear. Mr Hamid Ansari will be a hard act to follow.

The Himachal State War Museum in Dharamsala. Photos: Kamaljeet

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, August 20

Himachal State War Museum that was being brought up in Dharamsala is first of its kind in the region and a fitting tribute to the martyrs, servicemen and ex-servicemen from the state, especially from Kangra district.Beautiful wooden outer structure that has been designed on theme of old Himachali architecture by the PWD stands majestically and attracts attention of visitors in the martyrs park of Dharamsala. Though inaugurated by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh last week, the museum is yet to be thrown open for public. Inquiries revealed that it may take another couple of months or even a year to complete the furnishings before it could be thrown open for public.Only the first floor of the museum has been furnished with busts of war heroes from Himachal Pradesh and Kangra district, models of gallantry medals like Victoria Cross that was awarded during British India, Param Vir Chakras, Vir Chakra and other gallantry awards. The first floor of the museum also has the photos of gallantry award winners from the state.Manoj Rana, deputy director, Sainik Welfare Department of Himachal under whose guidance the museum was being furnished, said a request has been forwarded to Army, Navy and the Indian Air Force to provide war artefacts for the museum. “We are waiting for the HPT-32 plane that would be provided by the Indian Air force. The plane, likely to arrive in the next two to three days, would be hung from the roof of the museum. The furnishing will be a continuous process that would be carried out over a period of time, he said.Initial budget for the project was about Rs 9 crores. Chief Engineer PWD, SK Ganju, however, told The Tribune that the building would be completed in a budget of just about Rs 5 crores.Like other monuments in the state, the maintenance of the structure was an issue. Deputy Director, Sainik Welfare Department, said that the government had already initiated the process of creating posts for the staff to be posted at the museum. However, it was yet to be decided to which department would take over the maintenance and upkeep of the museum.Manoj Rana said there are 60,000 ex-servicemen and an equal number of servicemen from Kangra district in Indian armed forces. This was the highest number for any district in the country. On the whole, Himachal state has about 1,20,000 servicemen and an equal number of ex-servicemen in Indian armed forces.Contributions of residents of Himachal Pradesh in Indian armed forces can be gauged from the fact that soldiers from the state had been honoured with over 1,100 gallantry awards. Kangra district alone has 409 gallantry award winners, including two Param Vir Chakra awardees, again the highest for any district. The first Param Vir Chakra awardee in Independent India, Major Som Nath Sharma and Kargil war hero, Capt Vikram Batra were from Kangra district.Rana said the museum would serve as an inspiration for the younger generation of the state to join the Indian armed forces and keep up the tradition of the state for serving in defence of the country.‘Museum to be an inspiration for youth’Manoj Rana, deputy director, Sainik Welfare Department of Himachal, under whose guidance the museum is being furnished, said a request has been forwarded to Army, Navy and the Indian Air Force to provide war artefacts for the museum. He said the museum would serve as an inspiration for the younger generation of the state to join the Indian armed forces and keep up the tradition of the state for serving in defence of the country.

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh. File photo

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 1

Reacting strongly to the reported mutilation of two soldiers by Pakistan Army following a ceasefire violation in Poonch area of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday urged the Central Government to give a free hand to the Army to deal with such atrocities and barbaric acts.He also backed the Indian Army’s warning of “appropriate response” for the “despicable act.”In a similar vein, Amarinder also came down heavily on those criticising the Indian Army’s action of tying a man to a jeep to protect its soldiers from stone-pelters during the recent elections in Kashmir.Coming out in defence of Major Gagoi, under criticism from various quarters over his ‘human shield’ action, Capt Amarinder said the officer was simply doing his duty.In a Facebook post, the Chief Minister further said, “Had I been in the same situation I would have carried out the same action.”

Lashkar chief Hafiz Saeed continued to address large rallies in Pakistan, says report. — AFP file

Washington, July 19

The US on Wednesday listed Pakistan among the nations and regions providing “safe havens” to terrorists, saying terror groups like the LeT and JeM continue to operate, train, organise and fundraise inside the country in 2016.In its annual ‘Country Report on Terrorism’, as mandated by the Congress, the State Department said Pakistani military and security forces undertook operations against groups that conducted attacks within Pakistan such as Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)“Pakistan did not take substantial action against the Afghan Taliban or Haqqani, or substantially limit their ability to threaten US interests in Afghanistan, although Pakistan supported efforts to bring both groups into an Afghan-led peace process,” the State Department said.”Pakistan did not take sufficient action against other externally focused groups, such as Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in 2016, which continued to operate, train, organise, and fundraise in Pakistan,” the report said.India, it said, continued to experience attacks, “including by Maoist insurgents and Pakistan-based terrorists”.Indian authorities continued to blame Pakistan for cross-border attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, it said.”In January, India experienced a terrorist attack against an Indian military facility in Pathankot, Punjab, which was blamed by authorities on JeM. Over the course of 2016, the Government of India sought to deepen counterterrorism cooperation and information sharing with the United States,” the State Department said.The Indian government continued to closely monitor the domestic threat from transnational terrorist groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), which made threats against India in their terrorist propaganda. A number of individuals were arrested for ISIS-affiliated recruitment and attack plotting within India, the report said.In a separate chapter, the State Department listed Pakistan as one of the safe havens of terrorism.The State Department said numerous terrorist groups, including the Haqqani Network (HQN), the LeT and JeM, continued to operate from Pakistani soil in 2016.‘Lashkar wings openly engaged in fundraising’“Although LeT is banned in Pakistan, LeT’s wings Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FiF) were able to openly engage in fundraising, including in the capital,” it said.”LeT’s chief Hafiz Saeed (a UN-designated terrorist) continued to address large rallies, although in February 2017, Pakistan proscribed him under relevant provisions of Schedule Four of the Anti-Terrorism Act, thus severely restricting his freedom of movement,” it noted.The 2015 ban on media coverage of Saeed, JuD, and FiF continued and was generally followed by broadcast and print media, it said.According to the State Department, the Pakistani government did not publicly reverse its December 2015 declaration that neither JuD nor FiF is banned in Pakistan, despite their listing under UN sanctions regimes, although in January 2017, Pakistan placed both organisations “under observation” pursuant to Schedule Two of the Anti-Terrorism Act.While not a ban, keeping the outfits under observation allows the government to closely scrutinise the activities of both organisations.On November 11, Pakistan’s National Counterterrorism Authority published its own list of banned organisations that placed JuD in a separate section for groups that are “under observation” but not banned.Pakistan continued military operations to eradicate terrorist safe havens in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, although their impact on all terrorist groups was uneven, it said.In its report to the Congress, the State Department said in 2016, India and the United States pledged to strengthen cooperation against terrorist threats from groups, including al-Qaeda, the ISIS, JeM, LeT and D-Company (Dawood Ibrahim’s group), including through greater collaboration on designations at the UN.Indian and US leaders directed officials to identify new areas of collaboration through the July US-India Counterterrorism Joint Working Group, applauded finalisation of a bilateral arrangement to facilitate the sharing of terrorism screening information, and called upon Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of terrorist attacks against India to justice, the report said.The United States and India worked together to designate JeM leader Maulana Masood Azhar, although the listing was blocked in the UN 1267 Committee, the State Department said.Other areas mentioned in the report as safe havens are Afghanistan, Somalia, the Trans-Sahara, Sulu/Sulawesi Seas Littoral, Southern Philippines, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Yemen, Columbia and Venezuela. — PTI

Jammu, June 22

A policeman of Jammu and Kashmir, who had inadvertently crossed over to Pakistan three years back, was on Friday sent back home.Constable Sohan Lal was handed over to the BSF by the Pakistan Rangers at the Wagah border in Punjab, BSF DIG Dharminder Pareek said here.“Following the persistent efforts by Jammu Frontier of BSF with Pakistan Rangers, the Rangers handed over Constable of J&K Police Sohan Lal to the BSF at Wagah border in Punjab today,” Pareek said.Lal had inadvertently crossed over to Pakistan in R S Pura sector in 2014, he said. — PTI

Army personnel and local villagers carry the coffin of slain soldier Lance Naik Mohammed Naseer to his village in Ajout, Poonch district, 260 km from Jammu, on Sunday. PTI

Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 16

The Army today paid bid adieu to Lance Naik Muhammad Naseer, who was martyred on the Line of Control (LoC) in the Rajouri sector yesterday while responding valiantly to unprovoked firing by Pakistan at the Line of Control (LoC).Wreath-laying ceremonies were organised at Rajouri and Poonch where wreaths were laid on behalf of the GOC-in-C, Northern Command, GOC, 16 Corps, GOC, 25 Division and the Commander, 93 Brigade.The mortal remains of the soldier were then sent to his native village for performing the last rites. Lance Naik Naseer, a native of Poonch district, is survived by his wife and three children.

All is apparently not well between the Pakistani military and the civilian administration once again. Reports indicate that tensions rose on Saturday following a public rejection of the civilian government’s findings of Dawn newspaper report probe by the military. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday sacked his Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi and sought action against Principal information officer Rao Tehsin of the Ministry of Information following the Inquiry Committee’s recommendations. In a story published last year, Dawn claimed that the government had told the military to act against militants or face international isolation. The report caused a friction between the civilian administration and the military prompting the government to set up a probe committee. Islamabad had also decided to bar senior journalist Cyril Almeida from leaving his country after writing that exclusive report. Speculation suggests that Islamabad had wanted the story to go public. The aim was to tell the world that Islamabad is doing its part to defang home-grown militancy and embarrass the military establishment. But the use of “non-state” by the Pakistani military establishment has been institutionalised. Some commentators in India have even suggested that the report was part of Islamabad’s strategy to regain some control over national security. But the civilian leadership was seemingly unable to follow through on its gambit. There is speculation that Sharif administration has thrown senior officials and the newspaper under the bus to save itself from the military’s wrath. One can only conclude that the civilian leadership exercises little power, especially in matters of foreign policy and national security. The Panama Papers leak has already rendered Sharif vulnerable. In the past, he has offered little resistance to the military as it has steadily encroached on his authority. How will Sharif react to the military’s latest rebuff? We don’t have the answers yet.

Read more at: http://www.millenniumpost.in/editorial/tensions-rise-in-pak-239309

Washington, July 13

India continues to modernise its atomic arsenal with an eye on China and the country’s nuclear strategy which traditionally focused on Pakistan now appears to place increased emphasis on the Communist giant, two top American nuclear experts have said.An article published in the July-August issue of the digital journal- After Midnight has also claimed that India is now developing a missile which can target all of China from its bases in South India.India is estimated to have produced enough plutonium for 150–200 nuclear warheads but has likely produced only 120–130, wrote Hans M Kristensen and Robert S Norris in the article — “Indian nuclear forces 2017”.India’s nuclear strategy, which has traditionally focused on Pakistan, now appears to place increased emphasis on China, the two experts claimed. — PTI