Current Events :
CHANDIGARH : A taxi driver who defeated an Akali heavyweight, a photographer, an art teacher who turned to social work, a sacked lineman, and a former news reporter — they are among the aam aadmis (common people) elected to power in the Punjab assembly elections that saw a third front, Aam Aadmi Party, emerge as the principal opposi- tion.
THE GIANT KILLER
Amarjit Singh Sandoa, 39, who defeated Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) heavyweight Daljit Singh Cheema, who was an incumbent minister, from Rupnagar, says he had never dreamt of joining politics, leave alone becoming an MLA, when he was driving a taxi in Delhi on a meagre monthly salary of Rs 2,800 in 1998. “I simply wanted to work hard, and earn an honest living.” That he certainly did, buying his first taxi on loan in 2003. Today he owns a fleet.
When Anna Hazare started his movement in 2011, he was quick to join it. “That was the time I was drawn to Arvind Kejriwal and his team,” recalls Sandoa, who laid the foundations of the AAP in Rupnagar and was among the first to get the party ticket. Illegal mining, he says, is the biggest issue in his constituency besides unemployment. And he plans to tackle both.
THE JOB-CHASER
Unemployment is the prime issue that drove Pirmal Singh Dhaula, 36, to victory from Bhadaur. The tawny-eyed youngster, who has been heading an agitation of electricity linemen for jobs, defeated Balvir Singh Ghunas, two-time Akali MLA, by over 20,000 votes. “I remember staging a dharna in front of Capt Amarinder Singh’s palace in 2003, and getting lathicharged,” he smiles. Amarinder is the chief minister in the Congress regime.
The SAD-BJP government gave him a lineman’s job in 2011 only to fire him on charges of provoking protests. Jailed five times, he is now looking forward to his stint in the assembly. “Pehlan main road te bolda si, hun Vidhan Sabha vich bolunga (I used to speak on the road; now I will speak in the legislative assembly).
THE PHOTO-FINISHER
Jai Krishan Singh Rodi, 33, the AAP winner from Garhshankar, who defeated two-time Congress MLA Luv Kumar Goldy among others, is also eagerly awaiting the assembly session so that he can raise the traffic issue. “Politics was never on my agenda,” says Rodi, a photographer who set up his studio at the age of 17. “Growing up, I just wanted to become financially independent. Since government jobs were scarce, I learnt photography,” he recalls. The AAP gave him a platform to mobilise the youth and the seat was his.
Rodi says today his conscience-keeper is his son Sukh Dilman Singh, a Class-2 student, who was also his star campaigner. “It’s a heavy responsibility,” he smiles.
FROM PEN TO POLLS
Manjit Singh, 40, a journalistturned-politician from Nihalsinghwala who defeated the sitting Congress MLA by over 27,000 votes, agrees. He says he was always a keen commentator on social evils besides being a member of a dozen social welfare clubs. “But over time I realised that writings don’t change things.”
Newly-minted AAP leaders spoke his language of social reform. Manjit, who was working with the Punjabi daily Ajit, clandestinely helped the party for a while until he got an ultimatum from his employers in May 2016. “I decided to throw my lot with the AAP,” says Manjit, who has no reasons to regret his decision. He is not worried about being in opposition. “So what? Assi poora raula pawange (we will create enough noise), will create awareness among people,” says Manjit, who rues that there are hardly any teachers or doctors in his constituency.
ART OF THE POSSIBLE
Jagtar Singh Jagga Hissowal, 42, who wrested Raikot, once the stronghold of the Talwandi family, also complains about bad roads and poor bus service to villages. The seat is a dream come true for this former art teacher, who is also a part-time painter and film actor besides being a fulltime social worker. Hissowal, who was with the Sehajdhari Sikh Federation, says he joined the AAP because he saw a future with the party.
Though in opposition, these winners say their party has already made an impact. Dhaula points to the simple swearing-in ceremony. “The CM is also talking of doing away with the VIP culture,” he says. So, no hooters or gunmen for these MLAs? “I am a simple taxi driver, and that is how I intend to remain,” Sandoa signs off.
Among the many interesting outcomes of the recent elections was the rout of General (retired) JJ Singh, who contested on an Akali Dal ticket in Punjab. The former army chief’s decision to take on Amarinder Singh was a reckless move—spurred perhaps by the brusque superiority with which most generals tend to regard captains. On the campaign trail, JJ Singh courted controversy owing to his graceless and abusive references to his opponent. The general has got his comeuppance and lost his deposit. With the election out of the way, it is time to consider the pernicious consequences of senior military officers entering politics.
BHARAT BHUSHAN /HTShiromani Akali Dal candidate from Patiala (Urban) General (Retd) JJ Singh filing his nomination papers, Patiala, January 17
At the outset, it bears emphasising that the problem is with senior officers, especially former chiefs, in politics. While we have always had some politicians with military backgrounds—Amarinder Singh himself is a case in point— the trend of senior retired officers entering politics is more recent. And it is deeply problematic.
The suggestion that former generals should steer clear of politics tends to invite a series of retorts. As citizens don’t they have the right to contest elections? When retired senior bureaucrats and judges can enter politics why should we ask former military officers to stay away? If retired senior officers feel that they have more to contribute to their country why should they be stopped?
Underlying this cluster of questions is a lack of recognition of the military’s peculiar institutional place in a democratic polity. If the State is supposed to exercise a monopoly over the legitimate use of force, then the military is the ultimate instrument through which this monopoly is asserted. The extraordinary coercive power invested in this institution leads to the problem of how to guard ourselves against the guardians. There is no comparable challenge with the bureaucracy, the police or the judiciary.
To ensure democratic control of the military, states rely on a range of institutional mechanisms: systems of monitoring and accountability, reward and punishment, checks and balances, and above all, norms and values. The last is particularly important because the inculcation and reinforcement of norms and values such as professionalism and constitutional patriotism creates a distinct institutional identity for the military: As a sterile instrument of the State. Politicisation of the military is problematic because it dilutes this identity and turns it into a less reliable instrument of the State.
The military is a community with close ties between serving and retired soldiers. Politicisation of the latter will inevitably affect the former. Over the past few years, we have seen politicisation of the military taking place in both directions. The BJP’s 2014 campaign was notable for its attempt to co-opt groups of ex-servicemen with the promise of one-rank one-pension. Further, the party gave a ticket to a former Army chief, General VK Singh, who had openly taken on the previous government and also rewarded him a ministerial berth.
The military should reflect on the consequences of this trend. The OROP episode amply underscored the danger of the military being treated as a special interest group by politicians. The coddling of the military by any political party will invariably lead others to follow suit or to look at it with suspicion. This will also colour public perceptions of the military as an institution.
Politicians too should ponder its implications. If generals start espousing partisan stances and if political parties embrace them for that reason, then our institutional set-up of civil-military relations will be grievously harmed. It won’t be long before senior military officers are promoted on the basis on political affiliation rather than professional standing. Which prime minister would want to be advised by a military chief who may end up denouncing his government in public a couple of years down the line? Conversely, if a service chief is interested in a post-retirement political career will he really be non-partisan in office?
While senior military officers have a right to run for office they are under no obligation to exercise that right: Quite the contrary. Just because former chief election commissioners or chief justices have been ministers or members of Parliament, it doesn’t follow that service chiefs should aim to follow suit. The military is very different from other institutions and the costs of its politicisation will be very high. Our politics is lamentably peopled with many unsavoury characters, but it is not for soldiers to try and reform it. And if senior military officers feel they have more service left in them, they should deploy their talents outside of politics.
Now that the generals have been called out of retirement, perhaps it is naïve to hope that they will stay out. Still, let’s hope JJ Singh’s disastrous foray will serve as a deterrent to any general, air marshal or admiral eyeing politics.
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 14
The Command Hospital, Chandimandir, has undertaken a rare surgical procedure, successfully operating on a 55-day-old extreme preterm and low weight male baby, who was affected by patent ductus arteriosus (PDA).The PDA is a heart condition where a key blood vessel does not close soon after birth as required, resulting in irregular transmission of blood, increased breathing effort and poor weight gain.The procedure was performed in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) under the guidance of a team, led by the hospital commandant, Maj Gen Mukti Sharma, herself an eminent paediatric cardiologist.The baby has made an excellent recovery and has started gaining weight, according to a statement issued here today. The baby had been on ventilator.The PDA is present in all babies before birth and the mother’s placenta provides oxygen to a baby. After birth, lungs expand and the PDA closes spontaneously in the first few days of life in most babies.Most babies with a hemodynamically significant PDA are managed medically, with surgery reserved for those that fail medical management.
WOMEN IN UNIFORM NOW FINDS INSECURE IN UP ::FROM BJP LEGISLATORS :VEDIO
A hat-trick for the Congress in SAS Nagar constituency; NK Sharma of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) retaining his seat and the Aam Aadmi Party making its debut in Kharar meant the district’s spoils were shared, one seat each, between the three main political parties in the district.
All three seats had also seen a triangular contest.
Two sitting MLAs in the district have won another term. Balbir Singh Sidhu’s hat-trick of assembly victories from SAS Nagar coming with a thumping margin of 27,873 over his nearest rival Narinder Singh Shergill of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
In Dera Bassi, it was a far closer contest with NK Sharma winning the second term with a margin of 1,921 votes, though he has to make a move from the treasury to the Opposition benches.
In Kharar, veteran journalist Kanwar Sandhu defeated his nearest rival Congress’ Jagmohan Singh Kang by 2,012 votes.
HUGE VICTORY IN SAS NAGAR
The victory in SAS Nagar has broken the jinx associated with the Congress that, ‘Whenever Sidhu wins, the party loses,’ as he had won the past two elections, but the Congress has lost.
Sidhu, a college dropout, has won by the largest margin in this hat-trick victory as in 2007 and 2012, he had won by over 16,000 and over 13,000 votes, respectively.
“It is not just my victory, it is the victory of their trust in me,” said Sidhu. He lists his accessibility as reason for his victory.
DEVELOPMENT CARD, ZIRAKPUR DECISIVE IN DERA BASSI
SAD candidate, realtor NK Sharma, has retained his seat with a drastically reduced margin, but claims that the development he brought about, especially in constructing roads, ensured that he won again.
In 2012, he had defeated Deepinder Dhillon by 12,028 votes. Dera Bassi was carved as a constituency in 2012.
Till 2007, it was under Banur and a stronghold of SAD leader Captain Kanwaljit Singh.
In the constituency, Zirakpur, the stronghold for Sharma, proved decisive with villages extending support to Congress’ Dhillon.
EARLY CANDIDATURE HELPED FIRST-TIMER FROM KHARAR
In Kharar, Kanwar Sandhu was declared as candidate by AAP as early as October 2016, giving him enough time to campaign.
The first-time contestant used the time to hold regular meetings. He had designed a special campaign that focused on local needs.
His position in the AAP as a member of the manifesto committee of the party also worked in his favour.
The fact that the constituency still lacks basic amenities also meant that people would have voted for change.
He also got over 50% of the postal ballots with 37 of 67 in favour of him.
Washington, March 10
A conventional Indo-Pak conflict could escalate into a nuclear exchange as attacks by Pakistan-based terrorists and potential reactions by India increase the likelihood for “miscalculation”, a top US general has warned.Testifying before the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee, Gen Joseph Votel, Commander of the US Central Command or Centocom, said there is a continued tension between Pakistan and India.“India remains concerned about the lack of action against India-focused militants based in Pakistan and even responded militarily to terrorist attacks in India-held territory earlier this year,” Votel told American Senators on Thursday.“We assess that these types of attacks, and the potential reactions, increase the likelihood for miscalculation by both the countries,” he said.“Furthermore, India’s public policy to ‘diplomatically isolate’ Pakistan hinders any prospects for improved relations. This is especially troubling as a significant conventional conflict between Pakistan and India could escalate into a nuclear exchange, given that both are nuclear powers,” Votel said.The US general said Pakistan’s increased focus on its eastern border detracts from its efforts to secure the western border with Afghanistan from incursion by Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters.Security along the western border will nevertheless remain a priority for Islamabad, as the Pakistani military sought to expand border control and improve paramilitary security, he said.Votel told members that seven of the US-designated 20 terrorist organisations had “home” in Pakistan.“So as long as these groups maintain safe haven inside of Pakistan they will threaten long-term stability in Afghanistan,” he said.“Of particular concern is the Haqqani network which poses the greatest threat to coalition forces operating in Afghanistan,” he said, adding that to date, the Pakistan military and security services had not taken lasting actions against the network.“We have consistently called upon the Pakistanis to take the necessary actions to deny terrorists safe haven and improve security in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region,” he said.“We have seen some promising coordination between the Pakistan and Afghanistan militaries aimed at addressing instability in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region,” he said. PTI
CHANDIGARH/NEWDELHI: Exit polls were unanimous in predicting that the ruling alliance of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will face a crushing defeat in Punjab. But they were divided on whether the Congress will make a comeback or the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will make a winning debut in the state polls.
In the four other states, including Uttar Pradesh, whose results are also to be out on March 11, the BJP will emerge as the single largest party, exit polls predicted on Thursday. In UP, four out of six exit polls said, the BJP will be within striking distance of the halfway mark of 202 in the 403-member assembly.
In Punjab, two exit polls predicted a photo finish while two others were split between the Congress and AAP in the 117member assembly, in which the simple majority mark is 59. Meanwhile, deputy chief minister and SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal had declared on Wednesday that, no matter what the calculations predicted, the SAD-BJP would win at least 72 seats. However, most surveys put the incumbent alliance’s tally in single digits.
Meanwhile, security arrangements were being made at strongrooms and counting centres in Punjab to prevent any untoward situation. With many claims of security breaches in the past few days, the officials are on their toes.
In Uttarakhand, the BJP looked set to dislodge the Congress as three out of four exit polls gave a clear majority to the saffron party. One poll forecast a close fight in the 70-member legislature. Two exit polls suggested that the BJP could retain power in Goa. The AAP, which ran a high-voltage campaign in its debut outing in the state, was seen as failing to have had an impact in the 40-member assembly. The Congress appeared to be on its way to losing power in Manipur as well, with India TV-C Voter — the only available exit poll so far for the state — saying the BJP will emerge as the single largest party in the 60-member assembly.
Exit polls have frequently gone wrong in the past, including in Bihar and Delhi in 2015.
VOTING IN TWO SEGMENTS
Meanwhile, over 60% polling was recorded in Alapur constituency in Ambedkarnagar district of UP till 5 PM, the state election office said. Voting for the reserved constituency (SC) was postponed after Samajwadi Party candidate Chandrashekhar Kanaujia died of a heart attack while campaigning on February 12. Karnprayag assembly constituency in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand too went to polls on Thursday and recorded 57% voting till 5pm, an official said. Polling here was postponed following the death of the BSP candidate on February 12.
Dear All,
I am forwarding herewith the link to the 60 page suicide note left behind by the late Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul at the time of his death in August 2016. The late Chief Minister had named some sitting as well as former Supreme Court judges and senior Congress politicians including the present President of India for corrupt practices.
Translated version of the Suicide note is available at:
https://thewire.in/106719/kalikho-pul-note-full-text/
Regards,
Brigadier V Mahalingam