Current Events :
Srinagar, June 6
The Army on Wednesday foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Macchil sector of Jammu and Kashmir, killing three militants. Troops noticed suspicious movement along the LoC in Macchil sector in Kupwara district and challenged the infiltrators, an Army official said. Three militants were killed in the ensuing gunfight, he said, adding search operations were on in the area. More details are awaited. PTI
Jotirmay Thapliyal
Tribune News Service
Dehradun, May 31
Kirti Chakra awardee and second World War veteran Lt Col Inder Singh Rawat (104) is no more. He breathed his last in Dehradun during morning hours on Thursday. His last rites were performed in Hardwar later in the day. Col Rawat was awarded Kirti Chakra in 1957 for effective tackling insurgency in the northeast.Hailing from Bageli village in Thalisen block of Pauri Garhwal district, Col Rawat did his primary schooling from the village school. He further went to Khirshu to study middle classes. Later, he went to Pauri town, where he did his high school from a Messmore Missionary school.Joining the forces in other ranks in Garhwal Rifles, he participated in the World War II and was involved in action in East Africa. Through his sheer hard work and determination, he got commissioned in the then Burma Infantry in his forties in the pre-independence era. He later joined Royal Garhwal Rifles after country’s independence.The best of Lt Col Rawat was still to come. In the fifties, then as Major posted with Assam Rifles, he was awarded Kirti Chakra for his ability in effectively tacking insurgency in the northeast. Kirti Chakra was bestowed on him on the independence day of 1957. In 1962 Indo-China war, he successfully commanded the 4 Garhwal Rifles in Arunachal sector.Even after retiring from military service in 1966, Col Rawat was in the forefront working for the welfare of ex-servicemen in the state. He also actively contributed in social causes. Lt Col Rawat was an inspiration for many. That was not due to just his act of bravery as army officer but also because of his physical fitness level. He was active even till his last days. In Feb 2014, he celebrated his 100th birthday with the Garhwal Rifles Officers Association specially felicitating him in grand style.The late Lt Col Rawat is survived by his son Brig RS Rawat (retd). The Rawat family resides in the Race Course locality of Dehradun. Ex-servicemen fraternity and Pauri Garhwal’s Raath Jan Vikas Samiti has expressed grief over passing away of Lt Col Rawat and expressed their condolences to the bereaved family.
The political class has come to be identified with everything immoral and decadent. Some suggestions on how it can begin to redeem itself.
It is commonly said that cinema is a true reflection of popular thinking of society at large and villains have been an integral part of the Indian cinema since the beginning, However, their characterisation has been undergoing changes to conform to changing public perception. The iconic K N Singh lent a certain degree of sophistication to villainy, Ajit added wry humour and Amrish Puri some distinct mannerisms. But today, villainy seems to have become the exclusive domain of political leaders.
Nowadays, the moment a character in khadi and white cap appears on the screen, the audience recognises him as the chief villain. Worse, he is often shown occupying the coveted chair of home minister. He patronises criminal gangs, has corrupt police officers in tow and has no inhibitions in selling the country for money. He supports widows’ homes overtly but demands women covertly. He divides people by instigating religious riots. In short, he is depicted as the most unscrupulous and devious specimen of humanity. Interestingly, no political leader has ever contested such a projection.
One is reminded of two cartoons that appeared in the press in the wake of the terrorist attack on Parliament in 2001. One showed a terrorist dissuading another one from entering the main hall of Parliament to lob grenades, saying, “No, no, don’t kill Indian politicians. That will be a pro-India act.” Another cartoon showed Indian citizens rueing that the Pakistani terrorists had let India down, “They would have earned our gratitude by ridding us of a few politicians.”
In India, politics has come to be identified with everything immoral and decadent. It is often said that people get the leadership they deserve. But do Indians have a choice? When they go out to vote, the whole exercise gets reduced very often to voting for the lesser devil.
The Rot Starts at the Bottom
A municipal corporator is the fountainhead of corruption and catalyst of every single ill that afflicts India. His sole aim is to amass as much wealth in as short a period as possible. Even one tenure as corporator is good enough to cater for the next three generations.
A corporator encourages encroachment on government land to create vote banks. Proliferation of slums in all cities can be attributed to his political facilitation and protection. He takes money from illegal shops and vendors to save them from eviction. In some cities, corporators do not let the municipality supply piped water to certain areas so that water tankers owned by them remain gainfully employed. No development work can be carried out in a ward unless the contractor obliges the corporator.
As corporators control local vote banks, they are wooed by all political parties, both at the state and the central levels. An unholy quid pro quo nexus thus develops — the political party provides protection to the corporator for his illegal activities and, in return, the corporator delivers vital votes to the party.
Disregard for National Interest
Facilitation of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh has been the gravest anti-national mischief in independent India. As a result, immense damage has been done to the demography of Assam, with 30 Islamist groups thriving in the area. Worse, some political leaders assail those who demand a check on the ongoing influx.
To Indian politicians, vote bank politics preclude letting countrymen stay united. They generate innovative issues to divide the people to keep them embroiled in petty discords and internal dissensions. During the last elections in Gujarat, the poison of divisive politics was perfidiously injected into the social fabric. With consummate skill, parochial leadership was nurtured to generate dissensions amongst Patidars, scheduled castes and tribes and other backward classes, thereby dividing society for electoral gains.
Recently, a renowned advocate and a former law minister told a TV channel that shouting slogans for the destruction of the country is not debarred in the Constitution. Some political leaders extended their support to a delinquent student leader who seeks destruction of India. Comparing him with Bhagat Singh was by far the most perfidious act. Perhaps India is the only country that has the ignominious track record of producing home ministers who revelled in presenting Pakistan with anti-India ammunition. Similarly, alleging that the Batla House encounter in 2008 edia ecstatic. It keeps mocking India to date.
Some of our leaders display compassion for the stone-pelters of Kashmir who abet terrorism but never shed a tear for the hapless soldiers and policemen braving them. There seems to be no level too low for India’s politicians to stoop to.
Disdain for legislative bodies
India spends hundreds of crores of rupees annually to sustain central and state legislative bodies, the so-called “temples of democracy”. All political parties are guilty of lowering the image of these institutions. It is disgusting to see members storming the well of the house, displaying placards, shouting slogans and howling to prevent the house from transacting any business. And they have the brazenness to call such behaviour as their democratic right to oppose the government.
We elect leaders and give them tenure to fulfil the promises made to us and not to waste money from the national exchequer. But it is rare today to hear a member deliver a well-researched and articulated speech. Most of the time, the houses witness shouting and slanging bouts.
Attendance is woefully low. Most members spend time in the canteens rather than attend the sessions. Many members utilise the comfort of the house to get their forty winks as the droning and monotonous proceedings put them to sleep. It is revolting to watch leaders chewing tobacco in the house and even speaking with their mouths full with zarda. A vociferous opposition leader can hardly be understood with his mouth painted red with betel-nut. This is the example they are setting for younger generations.
Penchant for Unbecoming Behaviour
When Congress Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor declares, “it’s safer to be a cow than a Muslim in India today,” he puts the whole country to shame. The world media flashes such headlines with sinister pleasure. India’s image takes a terrible beating. Hamid Ansari’s last interview as the vice-president was certainly malicious. After having enjoyed all the perks and privileges of office for 10 years (three years under the present government), his conscience troubled him only on the last day in office. His assertion that India’s Muslims are living with a “feeling of unease” and “a sense of insecurity is creeping in among them” was malevolent in intent and designed to damage India’s secular image.
We have witnessed our legislators misbehaving on aircraft, in trains, at toll barriers and other public places. Their arrogance and demand for special treatment are obnoxious. The images of a legislator sprinkling petrol in a government office and threatening to burn it down shocked the country. Thrashing of a senior bureaucrat for not acceding to the unreasonable demands of ruling legislators shows the depths to which the political narrative has sunk in India.
As politics has acquired the traits of a family business, the conduct of their progeny is equally disgraceful. Uncouth, foul-mouthed and ill-mannered school drop-outs are commanding wealth worth hundreds of crores of rupees through sheer muscle power and political patronage. Does it surprise anyone that not a single progeny of the current crop of political leaders has excelled in any scientific or academic pursuit?
Obsession with Personal Security
Unfortunately, the importance of a leader has come to be judged by the number of security men surrounding him. Hence, there is a competition to obtain the highest category of security. Over 60 per cent of the NSG (National Security Guard) commando strength is deployed on personal security duties. It is a loathsome sight to see goons masquerading as mass leaders surrounded by elite security personnel. In an interesting case, an absconding criminal was made a minister; the police that had been hunting for him earlier was tasked to provide security to him.
In an Indian state, the leader of one political party apprehends a threat from another party and demands government protection, while the leader of the second party seeks similar security fearing attack by the first party. Both leaders are provided state security. Most barefacedly, they join hands for electoral gains. Worse, most escorts are treated as personal attendants and asked to run errands. Threat to personal security is a facade to get a retinue at the state’s cost. There cannot be a bigger misuse of taxpayers’ money.
Similarly, provision of security to retired dignitaries should be purely threat-based and not as a matter of entitlement. Why should every retired president, prime minister, chief minister or other high-ranking appointment be provided elaborate state security as a matter of routine? Who would ever want to harm Manmohan Singh, Pranab Mukherjee and Pratibha Patil?
In any case, leaders who are paranoid about personal safety should avoid public life and shun politics. They should be ready to face threats as the common citizens do. People find it offensive when stopped for long periods by rude policemen to make way for the cavalcade of some egotistical leader. Thank god, an end has been put to the culture of flaunting red lights.
Undue Privileges
Members of the Indian legislatures are perhaps the most pampered lot. Interestingly, they are the only ones who have the powers to grant pay hikes and pensions to themselves. Such an arrangement makes a mockery of the principle of avoiding conflict of interest. All inter-party differences disappear when the issue of protecting their right to decide the entitlement and quantum of pension faces a challenge.
It takes a minimum of 20 years of service for a government employee to earn a pension. Our MPs become eligible for life-long monthly pension of Rs 20,000 even if they serve for just a day. However, those who serve for more than five years are entitled an additional sum of Rs 1,500 for every year in excess of five years. On the demise of an ex-MP, his spouse or dependent receives a family pension for life. State legislatures can never be found lagging behind in such pillage of the public money. Recently, the Tamil Nadu assembly hiked the salary of its members from Rs 55,000 to Rs 1.05 lakh per month and pension from Rs 12,000 to Rs 20,000.
One has heard of food subsidy for the deprived and the underprivileged sections of society. To subsidise food for the richest and the most privileged elite is an affront to basic human values. Under considerable public criticism, the Parliament House canteen recently hiked the rates of the dishes. Even after the price increase, a plate of dal costs Rs 5, roti Rs 2 and tea Rs 3.
Many unscrupulous characters rent out their allotted government houses to make a quick buck. Many leaders decline to vacate their accommodation after their entitlement gets over and have to be forcibly evicted. Another common stratagem is to hold on to the accommodation in the guise of a memorial for the departed leader. One odd room is used to house the household memorabilia of the deceased leader while the rest of the bungalow is merrily used by the extended family.
Way to Redemption
Understandably, no one joins politics for public service. It has become the most lucrative profession. In no other profession can so much be amassed in so short a time. Hence, all sensible and far-sighted parents want their children (especially if they are good for nothing else) to join politics. Parties are functioning as family fiefdoms to further the prospects of the progeny.
Political leaders believe in the ends and not the means. Only power matters. They bank on short public memory to remain in business. However, many optimists feel that all is not lost. They want to build strong public and media pressure, hoping that some sensitive leaders may get persuaded to introspect.
To start with, a moral code of conduct for politicians should be evolved jointly by all political parties. Leaders must be asked to behave in public in a befitting manner. They should demand no immunity for their unbecoming conduct. They must stop demanding special privileges and identify themselves with the common man. Any political leader who does not vacate the allotted government accommodation or misuses it should be publically named and shamed. Provision of security should be purely threat-based and not as a matter of perk/entitlement. It is for leaders of stature to set an example by voluntarily renouncing excessive security.
To ensure orderly functioning of the legislative bodies, it is essential that the unruly elements be prevented from entering the well of the house to disrupt proceedings. For that, why not erect a five-feet-high glass barricade around the well? It will segregate the chair and the secretariat from the rest of the house. There should also be a facility to switch off the microphones of the rowdy members. They can cry themselves hoarse while the house can transact its business. Many will consider the above suggestions to be too drastic; but then, extraordinary problems need radical solutions.
Most of us are sceptical about the likelihood of a change of heart amongst the political leaders; their track record hardly inspires confidence. However, one is hopeful that some elements of our political elite would certainly be feeling uncomfortable with the current standing of the political class. They must be yearning to redeem their credibility. Howsoever small their number may be, they can certainly initiate a movement to cleanse the system.
To end on an optimistic note, let us look at two encouraging developments. They provide a ray of hope. One, MP Varun Gandhi questioned the parliamentarians’ powers to increase their own salaries and recommended that economically advantaged MPs should forego their remuneration for the remainder of the current Lok Sabha. Two, MP Manoj Tiwari proposed deducting the salaries of MPs for their failure to engage in any constructive work and wanted the fair practice of no-work-no-pay to be followed. Even if a small segment gets spurred to introspect, the country may witness a change for the better.*****
The Indian-backed Chabahar port complex in Iran is being developed as part of a new transportation corridor for land-locked Afghanistan. AFP file
Washington/Kabul, May 20
US President Donald Trump’s decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear accord and re-impose sanctions on Tehran threatens to derail a project to help build Afghanistan’s economy, endangering a key goal of the US strategy to end America’s longest war.
The Indian-backed Chabahar port complex in Iran is being developed as part of a new transportation corridor for land-locked Afghanistan that could potentially open the way for millions of dollars in trade and cut its dependence on Pakistan, its sometimes-hostile neighbor.
Building Afghanistan’s economy would also slash Kabul’s dependence on foreign aid and put a major dent in the illicit opium trade, the Taliban’s main revenue source.
But Trump’s decision to re-impose sanctions on Iran and penalize financial institutions for doing business with Tehran is clouding Chabahar’s viability as banks, nervous they could be hit with crippling penalties, pull back from financing.
“President Trump’s decision has brought us back to the drawing board and we will have to renegotiate terms and conditions on using Chabahar,” a senior Indian diplomat said.
“It is a route that can change the way India-Iran-Afghanistan do business, but for now everything is in a state of uncertainty.” The White House did not respond to requests for comment.
Launched in 2016, the joint Iran-India-Afghanistan Chabahar project already was facing holdups. It has yet to see significant traffic apart from some containers of donated wheat from India, and the first shipments of Afghan dried fruit to India are not expected before July.
At least three contracts to build infrastructure at the port now have been delayed, with two Chinese companies and a Finnish group left hanging while bankers seek clarity from Washington before approving guarantees, a person close to the project said.
In addition, Afghan traders, who were hoping for an alternative to Pakistan’s port of Karachi, now find themselves cut off from funding and forced to rely on the traditional hawala money transfer system, which is insufficient on its own to transform an economy. Hawala is a trust-based system commonly used in Afghanistan that involves the movement of funds between agents in different countries.
“We know our correspondent banks would not let us pay for imports coming through that port,” said a senior executive at one major Afghan lender.
Chabahar is among a number of projects of transport and energy networks projects designed to boost Afghanistan’s trade and lay the foundations for a mining industry capable of exploiting its billions of dollars in untapped mineral reserves.
Bypassing the border with Pakistan, which last year was closed for some 50 days over various disputes, Chabahar is seen as a way for Afghanistan to consolidate its relationships with India and other regional powers.
“The only way to get India more involved” in Afghanistan’s economic development “is through Chabahar,” said Barnett Rubin, an expert with New York University’s Center for International Cooperation and a former adviser to the State Department and the United Nations. “Our Iran policy is headed for a train wreck with our Afghanistan policy.”
Foreign aid
Some 17 years after the US-led invasion to oust the Taliban from power, Afghanistan remains one of the world’s poorest countries, highly dependent on foreign aid.
Apart from illegal opium exports estimated at some $2 billion by the International Monetary Fund, its main products are dried and fresh fruits, and carpets, none of which amount to more than a fraction of the value of the drugs trade.
Initially Afghanistan would export agricultural produce – such as pomegranates and grapes – through Chabahar, utilizing a section of a road India paid for and then an extension to the Iranian border that New Delhi built, experts said.
Eventually, those exports could expand to mineral resources, something Trump has expressed an interest in gaining for US firms. For India, this would mean using a planned railroad to Chabahar to export iron ore from two tracts at the Hajigak iron mine in central Afghanistan that it won the rights to exploit, the experts said.
“The economic piece is really important to get a glimmer of hope for Afghanistan to move beyond a land-locked, poppy-based economy. We are now shooting that in the head,” said Thomas Lynch, a National Defense University expert and a former US Army officer who advised the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on South Asia policy.
“There is no other legitimate and reliable way to do that.
You can’t do it by air, you can’t do it through Pakistan because they just extort for everything they do,” said Lynch. “The lifeline runs through Chabahar.”
In addition, by hindering the development of Chabahar, the United States will leave Afghanistan dependent on Pakistan, historically its main trade partner and outlet to the world.
That would undermine another Trump goal of pressuring Islamabad to shutter Afghan insurgent sanctuaries on its side of the border and force the militants into peace talks.
Afghan officials have lobbied hard for exemptions to the sanctions for Afghan companies operating though Chabahar without success and are waiting for clarity from Washington.
“Now the uncertainty is that we don’t know what’s going to happen with Chabahar,” said Atiqullah Nusrat, Chief Executive of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “We haven’t heard anything so we have to wait and see what happens.” Reuters
Hasan Suroor
The Syrian civil war is in its seventh year with half a million people dead, an estimated 11 million (roughly half the pre-war population) displaced, and more than 75 per cent of the country’s economy destroyed. Syria is no longer even one country; and, given the myriad foreign interests involved, nor is it just “Syria’s war” any more. President Bashar al-Assad is still standing but is a much diminished figure, and locked in a grim battle for survival. It’s a catastrophe at every level – political, diplomatic, and humanitarian.And as for the future, even knowledgeable pundits admit they have no idea. For all the apparent flurry of “peace” initiatives, there’s no real movement towards a political settlement.”There’s no peace process going on, and I don’t see any endpoint. We’re in for a state of permanent uncertainty,” says Scott Lucas, Professor of International Politics at the University of Birmingham.
So, what’s going on?
To be sure, two high-profile parallel peace processes are underway – a UN-led process in Geneva, which has now been going on for six years with little to show for it, and another sponsored by Russia in tandem with Iran and Turkey. Dubbed the “Sochi initiative” after the Russian city where it was agreed, it, too, has UN backing, but like the Geneva process it has made little headway. The deadlock both at Geneva and Sochi has less to do with real issues at stake and more with divisions among Syrian opposition groups, mostly proxies for various international powers with competing agendas. Their relationship with each other is constantly fluctuating depending on the line from their international patrons; which then has a knock-on effect on the peace process. The search for a political solution is being held hostage to their rivalries and divergent interests.The other big factor for the stalemate is that the regime and the Opposition have contradictory expectations from any negotiations. And this is compounded by mutual suspicion and distrust. So, a process acceptable to one side becomes automatically unacceptable to the other. While Assad is suspicious of the Geneva process because it visualises a short transition period after which he may have to go, opposition groups are opposed to Sochi because it sidesteps the issue of Assad’s future.The opposition faction that’s proving to be particularly difficult is the UN-recognised Syrian Negotiation Committee (SNC). It’s refusing even to sit down for talks unless the removal of Assad is on the agenda. Its hardline stance on a “political transition minus Assad” as a precondition for participation is causing frustration as much among Assad’s allies as it is in western capitals, and especially at the UN. Its special envoy Staffan de Mistura, who is involved with both the Geneva and Sochi processes, has expressed concern that the SNC’s inflexibility is hindering an inclusive political settlement and has publicly chided it for boycotting the Sochi conference calling it a pro-Assad show intended to “supplant” the Geneva talks.Moves are afoot to go ahead with the decision taken in Sochi to set up a cross-party commission to draft a new constitution for a “democratic” Syria despite opposition from the SNC and its allies. De Mistura is trying to woo them with the assurance that that the 50-member commission would represent all shades of opinion, and not be confined only to those who attended Sochi. The SNC too would be invited to nominate its representatives, but nobody would have a veto on its composition. In other words, everyone will get fair representation but no faction, however big and irrespective of whose proxies they might be, would be allowed to derail the process. De Mistura has sought to allay opposition fears that it’s intended to “subvert” Geneva talks by holding out the promise of eventually merging the two processes. But so far he has failed to achieve a breakthrough.Five months since the Sochi conference, the deadlock continues while the situation on the ground is steadily worsening with Israel jumping into the fray ostensibly to counter Iran. Prof Scott likened De Mistura to a man “wandering in a desert” and hoping that something will turn up. The fact, he says, is that the UN itself is deeply divided and being pulled in different directions with few takers for De Mistura’s enthusiasm in New York. And that reflects the wider divisions within the international community over dealing with the Syrian crisis.Meanwhile, strange as it might sound, the fact is that if today anyone can claim some sort of a victory it is Assad, given the dire predictions of his imminent political demise at the start of the war. There was a moment when the conventional wisdom held that it was all over for him and it was only a matter of time before he was toppled. But he has defied all odds and managed to survive thanks largely to Russia’s game-changing military intervention and help from Iran and its regional proxies.Not only is his regime intact, he has been able to wrest back a lot of the territory he had lost to rebel groups and the Islamic State. Set against this, however, is the stark reality that he’s left clinging to a heavily truncated country, effectively partitioned into three geographical entities, only one of which is controlled by him. So, there’s a lot of work to do, for which continuing Russian backing remains critical. But Moscow is under growing pressure not only from the West but also from its regional Sunni friends who it cannot afford to alienate without risking its long-term strategic stakes in the Arab world. At home, too, Vladimir Putin is facing protests over the high financial and human cost of its military involvement in Syria at a time of deepening economic crisis as western sanctions start to bite. There’s also wariness about a long-drawn-out commitment that could see it bogged down as happened in Afghanistan.Last December, Putin announced a partial withdrawal of his forces saying declaring the mission had been mostly accomplished but he also made clear that Russia would continue to retain enough firepower as long as it was needed. Privately, however, he’s said to have conveyed to Assad that he should not expect him to hold his hand forever. The flip side of an abrupt withdrawal is that in the absence of a credible peace process it risks creating a vacuum which is likely to be exploited by extremists.Whatever the outcome eventually, Syria will go down as one of the biggest failures of international diplomacy in arguably the world’s most volatile region.The writer is a London-based commentator.
Chandigarh, April 20
The Raksha Mantri’s Trophy and Citation for the best service hospital in the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) for the year 2017 has been awarded to the Command Hospital (Western Command), Chandimandir.The trophy was received by the Hospital Commandant, Major General Rashmi Datta, from the defence minister, Nirmala Sitharaman at New Delhi on Friday. The hospital has won this trophy several times in the past.The trophy was instituted in 1989 to create a healthy competition among the Command Hospitals of the Army and its equivalent hospitals in the Navy and Air Force. The best and second Best hospitals are adjudged on the basis of a number of objective criteria by a committee headed by Director General (Organisation and Personnel) with the Joint Secretary (Navy) in the Ministry of Defence being a member of the committee. — TNS
Issues raised with Kinnaur admn, police
Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service
Shimla, April 13
The Army has sought complete check on use of banned ‘thuraya’ satellite phones by tourists in areas close to the Chinese border in Kinnaur district and starting of helli taxi services for the convenience of both civilians and Army men in the tribal district which shares a 140-km border with China.The military authorities have asked the police authorities to check use of ‘thuraya’ satellite phones at the Chaura and Apka check posts. The use of these phones is banned, especially in the border areas in Kinnaur district which shares a 140-km boundary with China. The other tribal district of Lahaul-Spiti also shares 80-km boundary with China.The stepped up activity by China along the border on its territory has put India on the alert and efforts are on to strengthen the infrastructure and communication on our side of the border. The military authorities are keen that the state government starts helli-taxi services between Kinnaur and Chandigarh as it prove to be beneficial to both civilians and Army personnel.The Army has raised several military issues with the Kinnaur district administration and the police authorities at a civil-military conference held recently. The Army has also requested for setting up an Army check post at Dubling in Kinnuar. Besides the local police and the Army, the ITBP mans porous border between the two countries in Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti.“Though no tourist has been found to be in possession of the ‘thuraya’ phones during checking by the police at the two posts of Cahura and Apka in the inner line areas close to Chinese border, the Army authorities have detected their presence through interception and use of the phone in the border areas,” said Gopal Chand, Deputy Commissioner, Kinnaur. He added that directions had been issued to the police to undertake proper checking so that there was no use of satellite phones in the border areas.As a precautionary safety measure against helicopter accidents, the Army has also requested the Kinnaur administration to properly get the high tension wires and apple trolleys used locally marked properly so that no problem is faced by them during flights.The issue of setting up of the Army ammunition depot at Powari in Kinnaur remains undecided owing to resistance by the Lippa Gram Panchayat. The issue has been hanging fire for several years now. Though the issue is pending before the court the district administration too has been trying at its own level to convince the villagers to agree to let the depot come up in national interest.However, several other hitches like the provisions of the Forest Rights Act and Forest Conservation Act are also proving to be major impediments. The case sent to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest for diversion of forest land for defence use has still not been accorded approval.Key demands
Majid Jahangir
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, April 3
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has given out-of-turn promotion to four of its men for averting two fidayeen attacks in Kashmir.While three CRPF men have been promoted for foiling a fidayeen attack in June last year on their battalion headquarter at Sumbal, Bandipora in north Kashmir, by killing four attackers, a CRPF Constable, who averted a fidayeen attack in February this year in Srinagar city, has also been rewarded.“On the request of the CRPF, the Ministry of Home Affairs has waived the eligibility criteria of promotion in respect of these four men in recognition of their gallantry and praiseworthy performance in the operational area in the militancy-hit Jammu and Kashmir,” CRPF spokesman Rajesh Yadav said.He said Head Constable AS Krishana has been promoted to the rank of assistant sub-inspector, Constables K Dinesh Raja and Prafulla Kumar have been made head constables.“These three bravehearts of the 45 Battalion thwarted a deadly terrorist attack on the CRPF camp in Sumbal on June 5 last year,” he said.Constable Ghait Raghunath Ulhas, 27, who was instrumental in thwarting a fidayeen attack on the 23 Battalion headquarter in Karan Nagar in Srinagar on February 11, was rewarded with a promotion to the rank of head constable.Ghait was deployed on a sentry duty on a picket at the congested Karan Nagar locality and at around 4.30 am he noticed two armed men with rucksack bags coming from a house and approaching towards the camp. He instantly fired 30-35 rounds and the two militants retreated.“The subsequent action by the security forces, saw the neutralisation of both the Pakistani militants,” the spokesman said.The Karan Nagar attack was foiled two days after militants carried out a suicide attack on the Sunjawan Army base in Jammu.
New Delhi: In a shocking lapse, the Ministry of Defence has admitted that it was unsure whether or not a private vendor has fled with the personal data of about 50 lakh ex-servicemen and noted that it “cannot comment whether a copy of the same has been retained by the company or not”.
After maintaining a stony silence for over three months, the ministry finally responded to the issue raised by the Right to Information activist Commodore (retd) Lokesh K. Batra on March 22 and admitted that the data pertained to the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS).
Biometric data was contained in smart card
Responding to the questions raised by Batra about the maintenance of data on ex-servicemen at ECHS, its joint director (information technology) said that in the “system of Smart Card which was in vogue till May 2015, the biometric data (left & right thumb impression only) of the individual was stored in the Smart Card”.
The ECHS further stated that “the Smart Card was in the custody of the individual” and that “no biometric data was stored in the system”.
ECHS does not know if company retained copy of data
It was the remaining part of the reply, however, which ought to send alarm bells ringing as the data pertained to ex-servicemen of all ranks. The ECHS official admitted: “The other personal data as per the contract stipulation was handed over to the ECHS on termination of contract. ECHS cannot comment whether a copy of the same has been retained by the company or not.”
So, as Batra said, no one knows if a copy of the data has been made or was being misused. The matter, incidentally, moved at a sharp pace within the ministry only in the past week after the under secretary in the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare urged the commanding officer (CO), ECHS on March 16 to take “necessary action” within three days on the issues raised by Commodore Batra.
In the letter, the official, Jitender Kumar, had noted in the subject line that the matter pertained to “ECHS Smart Card/CSD Canteen Card made through ‘private vendor’ and issues related to personal information and data safety with ‘private vendor’.”
Further pursuing the matter, another under secretary in the Ministry of Defence, A.K. Karn, wrote a letter to the managing director of ECHS on March 21, after the three-day period had lapsed, pointing out that the CO of ECHS was earlier requested to take necessary action in the matter within three days on the issues raised by Batra and to apprise the ministry accordingly.
He further requested that the report or status on the matter related to biometric and personal information of ECHS Smart Card held with the private vendor be furnished to the ministry by the same evening and that the matter “be accorded top priority”.
Incidentally, even after this order of the defence ministry, Batra, who had been waiting for a response on his query for the last three months, was not too hopeful of an early reply. He had commented on social media that “cover-up will start now”.
‘Private vendors should be properly monitored’
The noted RTI activist said that the defence ministry should at least follow the same procedure as the Unique Identity Authority of India of taking affidavits from the private vendors. “If the vendor were to say that data has been destroyed …. how and who will ensure the truth?”
Stating that “50 lakh ESMs data is not a small number”, Batra had questioned if the private vendor had run away with the personal data of the nearly five million ex-servicemen
Exserviceman Rally and Medical Camp being conducted at Lebong Race Course under the aegis of Striking Lion Division on 25 Mar 2018. Max Veterans & Veer Naris requested to attend. @PIB @SpokespersonMoD @DefenceMinIn
