Scale of fraud in PNB shows there is something deeply rotten in India’s public sector banks.

As you drive past Nirav Modi’s flagship store in South Delhi’s posh Defence Colony you see billboards of Bollywood and Hollywood stars adorned with Modi’s diamonds. In the last few years, Nirav Modi had become one of India’s richest men and his chain of jewelry stores across India and the world became highly regarded. But what is emerging in the past few days, especially from Punjab National Bank (PNB), is that Nirav Modi’s empire appears to have been built on fraud. First, news of a Rs. 280 crore fraud emerged and it was followed by the disclosure of a whopping Rs. 11 ,800 crore fraud where the state-owned lender found itself exposed to bad loans made to Nirav and his associates on the basis of forged documents and through corrupt officials. What is remarkable is not that the details of the scam emerged now, but also that the scam apparently had been going on since 2011 and that officials were notified a few years ago. At the same time, Nirav and his associates managed to flee the country before news of the mega-fraud broke.

That said, the Managing Director of PNB has not clarified the extent of the loot but this highlights how taxpayers are left holding the can for banking failures in the public sector, and while the Congress will gloat over this scam it would be inopportune for them to do so because the scam began under their watch. Many questions are still being asked about this fraud and the well-connected individuals at the heart of the alleged loot. But the obvious question should be how it took six and a half years to come to light if indeed money had been lent to these individuals. Did it only come to light as the Reserve Bank of India made reporting Non-Performing Assets a far stricter process for Indian banks? And how will the scam impact not only PNB but also other state-owned lenders? All this comes in the wake of the State Bank of India, the country’s largest bank, having declared some spectacular losses in the recently concluded quarter. With their books bleeding and the RBI’s latest strictures making it difficult to keep on ‘evergreen’ loans, access to banking credit for firms large and small will become even more difficult. But it isn’t just this story that should trouble the Government and the RBI. There is also the curious case of the Bank of Baroda which apparently broke all laws by banking with the scandal-linked Gupta family in South Africa which is accused of ‘state capture’ in that country. It appears the bank broke all its own rules in banking transactions with the Gupta family and bank managers even implored the family for favours.

The Indian public banking sector is in a deep state of rot and four years into his administration, Narendra Modi should be worried. Despite lower inter- est rates, credit off-take has been weak in India with banks almost scared to lend money; the scale of the NPA problem under the previous UPA government was like a poison pill planted to undermine Modi’s promise of job growth. However, some positive news is emerging with the push towards improving things for small and medium enterprises with better banking services. But is there more bad news on the horizon? The banking sector in India needs structural reforms, Modi government must address the problem with immediate effect.

Inputs from The Pioneer www.dailypioneer.com 

The state of emergency in Maldives has brought Indian strategic interests to a point of reckoning. It is a tough decision for India.

Political crisis In Maldives has deepened ever since President Abdulla Yameen declared a state of emergency in the country for 15 days starting February 2 after the ruling of the Supreme Court to reinstate the 12 rebelled MPs and release political prisoners. While the Chief Justice and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom have been arrested, Yameen is trying to consolidate his dictatorial regime. To justify his brazen act, he accused the top court 01 acting hastily and said, “I declared the state of emergency because there was no way to hold these justices accountable.”

But, the ongoing political chaos is not a surprising development. In fact, the things were moving in this direction since 2012, when the first democratically elected President, Mohamed Nasheed was ousted. With the election of Yameen as President in 2013, things turned worse as he launched a crackdown on civil liberties. Later, Nasheed was illegally sentenced to 13 years on charges of terrorism in 2015. Moreover, in the last five years, Yameen has abrogated a serious of democratic reforms, imprisoning or forcing into exile nearly nearly every politician who opposes him. This became evident when Vice President Ahmed Adeeb was arrested on unsubstantiated charges of plotting the attack on Yameen.

However,the recent order of the apex court posed a serious threat to the stability of the Yameen regime, given the fact that with the 12 legislature getting back their seats, the Opposition would gain a majority in the 85-member Parliament. Since the top court ordered the release of Nasheed, Yameen was left to face a tough competition in the next general election, which is due later this year. These factors, along with enhanced ties with China and Saudi Arabia, emboldened Yameen to impose emergency In the country to acquire unlimited power to protect his regime. The ongoing political unrest has caught international attention, with Opposition leaders of Maldives requesting the international community to restore democracy. In particular, Nasheed, who is in exile in Sri Lanka, has requested India to send an envoy, backed by its military, to release the judges and political prisoners.

India is also closely watching the developments in Maldives, especially when relations between the two countries have remained very sticky since 2012 when President Mohammed Waheed Hassan cancelled the contract signed with GMR, an Indian company. Though India hosted President Yameen three times till 2016 and he also lauded the Modi Government’s ‘Neighborhood First’ policy, Male has not taken any concrete step to improvise with New Delhi. Instead, Yameen has shown interests in strengthening ties with China. This can be gauged from the fact that while an unprecedented rise in the number of Chinese travelers to Maldives has been recorded, Yameen has already endorsed China’s Maritime Silk Road, which is the part of the One Belt One Road.The two countries also signed the Free Trade Agreement in December 2017. It is also believed that the new law passed by Maldives, allowing absolute foreign ownership of land on the conditions that interested parties mold make a minimum investment of one billion dollar and reclaim 70 per cent land from the sea, will greatly benefit China in expanding its foothold in the Indian Ocean. India’s concern is that China, with its strategic ally Pakistan, could use the Maldives as a strategic choke point for India if push came to shove. The threat from Pakistan- backed fundamentalists is no less threatening. Rapid inroads of Wahhabi Islam are taking place in Maldives and the growth of terror modules in that country have generated concerns among the Indian strategic community. Therefore, internal stability is not important just to Maldives, but also to the International community, and most of all, to India. Even now, while Yameen has announced to send envoys to friendly countries: Chika, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, he did not find it fit to consult India, underscoring Yameen’s hatred against New Delhi.Maldives has emerged as one of the most important neighbors of India in geo-strategic and economic terms. It is situated in a mid-way between Strait of Malacca and Suez,which are the world’s busiest trade routes and thousands of cargo pass through these trade routes. At the same time. as Kerala and Lakshadweep are in close proximity to the Maldivian islands, there are always India’s concerns about the possible use of Maldives’ territory against it. These concerns get importance in the light of the fact that the November 2008 cross-border terrorist attack in Mumbai was made possible from across the sea. Maldives also occupies a special place in lndia’s foreign policy priority because of increasing cases of piracy in the Indian Ocean near Somalia and Strait of Malacca, which has made the position of Maldives very important for establishing Naval bases for security in the Indian Ocean.

It was in this context that the Indian Government issued a strong statement saying, ‘We are disturbed by the declaration of a state of Emergency in the Maldives following the refusal 01 the Government to abide by the unanimous ruling of the full-bench of the Supreme Court on February 1, and also by the suspension of Constitutional Rights of the people of Maldives. However, it is equally true that New Delhi may not like to take hard steps against Yameen because it will further enhance ties between China and Maldives. We also do not know how the Government in Male, after a regime change. will behave with regard to Indian interests. Thus, the Modi Government has taken the right decision to put pressure on Yameen through diplomatic channels to revoke the state of emergency. Now, it has to be seen in a testing time like this how India manages to keep China at a distance, reinforcing its position of an ultimate security provider in the South Asia region.

{Sumit Kumar Jha: The writer is an ICSSR doctoral fellow, UGC Centre for S. Asia Studies, Pondicherry University)

Kapil Sibal’s plea before SC to defer Ayodhya hearing a blunder or masterstroke for Congress in GE 2019?

Newly anointed Congress President Rahul Gandhi has the formidable task of rejuvenating the grand old party from its rather run- down present state into a lean, mean fighting machine in next few months. As it is the task is difficult but his political quirks make it even more daunting. For one, he still functions in the political paradigms of the 1980s. His politics remains tied to his grandmother’s apron strings. He still swears by 80s style failed socialist policies, reviles big businesses and indulges in homilies to pose as messiah of the masses. Rahul’s ‘killer blueprint’ of resisting BJP involves doing an extensive temple run in Gujarat and blocking the temple run in Ayodhya, contradiction that the BJP has been quick to latch on.

The impossibility of this position may not have occurred to the dynasty but in any case a Congress leader shall always be around, ready to be martyred in the larger cause of saving a Gandhi if matters get out of control. Sibal appears to be the ‘chosen one’ this time. Let us examine whether this is a superficial view or there is more to it than meets the eye. Could it be that the seasoned legal eagle, known both for the sharpness of his intellect and of his tongue, was prepared to lose the immediate battle in order to prepare well for the decisive war ahead – GE 2019?

Congress’ biggest problem is that of bankruptcy of ideas: A failure to find an ideological space or a political positioning. Consequently, it tries to occupy all sorts of spaces—liberal, conservative, subaltern, casteist, classist, rural, pro minority or majoritarian and often the inherent tension between these spaces makes its position untenable. It is evident that Rahul felt the need to delve in soft Hindutva ahead of Gujarat elections and went out of his way to do a round of temples and pose as a Brahmin poster boy.

Once Gujarat is over, however, Congress’s need for a soft-Hindutva positioning is exhausted, and it even becomes counter-productive ahead of the Ayodhya verdict where its ambiguity contrasts unfavourably with BJP’s clarity on Ram Temple. Hence Sibal’s submission in court that Ram Temple verdict should be postponed till after 2019 general elections. Two motivations prompted this act. First, deny Narendra Modi ahead of GE 2019 the fruits of Hindu vote bank consolidation that will inevitably result from any Supreme Court decision either way. If it is in favour of the temple the Hindu masses, irrespective of caste distinctions, will shower him with their votes out of gratitude; if not, then their frustration and angst will make them rally even more unitedly behind him. Second, buy time to decide on Congress’s own political position depending on the unfolding scenario.

Sibal has since issued statements that are easily refuted and are at odds with his stature as a senior, seasoned lawyer. He claimed that he never represented the Sunni Waqf Board in court. He told ANI: “The Prime Minister did not check the fact that actually I never represented the Sunni Waqf Board in the Supreme Court. And yet he thanked Sunni Waqf Board for a statement on the basis that I represented them. I request the prime minister to be a little more careful.”Documents widely avail- able in public domain clearly show that he was, in fact, representing the Sunni Waqf Board in Supreme Court. Other documents also surfaced that demolished Sibal’s defence that he wasn’t appearing for the Sunni Waqf Board. The events took a curious turn a day after when Zafaryab Jilani, convenor of the Babri Masjid Action Committee (BMAC), threw his weight behind Sibal and claimed: “Whatever Sibal has said has been stated with prior consultation with all advocates including leaders of the Muslim Personal Law Board. Sibal had discussed this. With full confidence, we can say that we completely endorse what Sibal said.”

The ANI report also quoted Haji Mehboob, who now seemed to be back tracking from his earlier statement. “If Jilani saab is saying that what Kapil Sibal said yesterday was right, then I agree with him. I don’t want to say anything else.”Finally on Thursday, the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Board chairman Zufar Ahmed Farooqi claimed Sibal wasn’t representing them. He was “representing one of the private parties involved in the suit.”

It is not difficult to imagine what may have conspired behind the scenes within a span of 24 damaging hours for the Congress. The protestations and denials issued since are designed to absolve Sibal of all responsibility for his statement, leading one to wonder whom exactly was the senior lawyer representing while making that submission. However, the political script in the court drama can tremendously boost Congress chance to take on omnipotent BJP led by Narendra Modi, RSS and Mumbai club on ground zero. Congress party led by newly elected Rahul Gandhi has limited chance to reclaim the lost territory. The political map is dominated by saffron and regional parties today because Congress’s biggest problem is that of bankruptcy of ideas: a failure to find an ideological space or a political positioning.

It is evident that Rahul felt the need to delve in soft Hindutva ahead of Gujarat elections and went out of his way to do a round of temples and pose as a Brahmin poster boy. This is after all is merely the cloning of BJP’s winning formula of Hindutva, albeit in a much milder form. But even then it has the ingredients of what it takes to alienate the Muslim vote bank that has traditionally been the party’s mainstay. It is precisely to preempt this dangerous circumstance that Sibal’s request to defer the case beyond GE 2019 was designed. In short, the compulsions of Gujarat assembly elections 2017 made Rahul Gandhi go on around of the temples; similarly, the compulsions of Lok Sabha GE 2019 made Sibal seek postponement of the case hearings. Congress can ill afford to lose its Muslim supporters which would have been inevitable in the event of a court verdict on the Ayodhya case.

Now the master stroke of Sibal has the potential to revive the party from being on the ventilator to the racing track by strategically attracting pan India 15% minority vote that can be the launching pad for RaGa with his newly acquired soft Hindutva persona. By a single action, the political landscape of the country can be altered but it needs better political articulation . RaGa Congress can be revived only when the party can snatch minority votes from the regional outfits namely SP, BSP, RJD, RLD, NCP, YSR Congress,TMC etc and it should be clubbed with soft Hindutva narrative to mount a serious challenge for Modi led BJP . The optimum polarization is possible by aggressive approach , the same is brilliantly provided by Kapil Sibal on a platter to the Congress party. The road-map to GE 2019 is scripted with brilliance and the pursuit of success will test the political acumen of the Congress president . Soft Hindutva with Sibal ’s taking up cudgels for the Muslim minority in the Ayodhya case can turn out to be the winning bet for the ailing Congress party in GE 2019.

(Prakhar Misra: Writer is political editor)

There was a time, when Modi Government came into power by winning 2014 Lok Sabha elections with massive mandate and a strong clear message, “We are not here for any positions but burdened by great responsibility”. Be it about strengthening the foreign policies, defense policy or the launch of welfare schemes for low income group in the country, team Modi has worked really hard to bring in new hopes and to mark their presence in the history. Modi led government has clocked over three years at the wheel; here are the five most important things that Modi Government has accomplished since coming to power.

Strengthened economy – The much anticipated foreign tours by the PM actually brought a lot of investment in India and India is the most favored FDI destination of the global capital today, the most prominent investment is first bullet train of the country with Japanese collaboration. As Chief Minister of Gujarat, Modi had proven himself to be a great supporter of economic reforms and he successfully proved that under his leadership the country will reach amazing heights.

Make in India and Digital India – Make in India was announced to ensure MNCs from across the world begin their manufacturing plants in the country that generates employment and contributes well to the economy. Make in India has gathered a lot of momentum and many countries have signed deals with different state and central governments. There are also, initiatives like Digital India which have completely changed the outlook of our country. It has paved way for millions of people to step in the mainstream economy.

Swachh Bharat– Prime Minister, Narendra Modi exhorted people to fulfill Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of clean India. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan seeks to create clean India. It was launched to eliminate open defecation and promote cleanliness in the entire country. However, the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in the last two and a half years has been a great success: metro & tier II cities have started to realize the importance of cleanliness.

The mission contains two sub- missions: Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Gramin or Rural) and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Urban) both of these operate with different ministries and various NGos working towards the ideas of making India a better place to live.

GST– It is an indirect tax levied in India on the sale of goods and services. After implementation of the biggest tax revolution since independence, a recent report on rate of taxes on goods and services showed that majority of items have become cheaper after GST and this has infused trust in the government to make India a better country. Talking about the long term benefits, GST is expected to lower rate of taxes but also minimum tax slabs; the impact of GST on macro- economics has turned out to be positive in the medium term. However with the implementation of GST, inflation would be reduced as the cascading effect of taxes would be eliminated.

Tough stance on critical issues- With Modi government in power, the politics of appeasement is over. After a major initiative taken by Modi Government in the Supreme Court, Triple Talaq has become unconstitutional. Muslim women’s are coming in open support of this initiative.This is a small report on centre’s performance and crucial accomplishments of the Modi government in the last three years; it has insinuated the feelings of hope among people of India. This explains why Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains India’s most popular political leader.

(By Laraib Fatima Warsi: Writer is a freelance journalist) 

Confident India and its leader deliver the opening speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Indian leader Narendra Modi has warned that globalization is under threat. Modi told delegates at the Swiss resort on Tuesday that “forces of protectionism are raising their heads” against international trade and commerce. “Bi-lateral and multilateral trade negotiations have come to a kind of standstill,” he said.

Modi, the first Indian prime minister to visit a WEF summit in more than two decades, called for reform of international institutions, continued comitment to a rules-based world order and greater focus on inclusivity in the global economy during his address.

The focus of this year’s edition of the annual Davos meeting is on creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World, according to the Geneva-based foundation’s website. Modi praised India, home to some 1.2 billion people, for its commitment to democracy and diversity. “For a society with diverse religions, cultures, languages, attires and cuisines, democracy is not just a political system but a way of living,” he said, adding that inclusion is the “main principle” of his government.

Kenneth Roth, executive director of international rights group Human Rights Watch, has accused Modi of failing to address the “growing populist intolerance and exclusion” occurring in a number of countries worldwide, including India. Critics of the Davos summits suggest the annual WEF meeting serves as little more than a “talking shop” for the global elite.

Meanwhile oxfam International in a report criticizes Indian government policy, suggesting that 1% of rich in India controls 73% of country’s wealth. WEF attendees “have had many years now of hand wringing about the growing gap between rich and poor, and very little to show for it … This is clearly because business as usual is good business for those at the top”, A report by oxfam, published in advance of the Davos summit, has revealed that half of the world’s population received no share of all wealth created globally in 2017.

Instead, billionaires increased their wealth by $762bn last year, enough to end “global extreme poverty seven times over”, the UK-based charity’s annual inequality report said. Off course Modi government has a task in hand to check this wealth concentration for select few and its distribution amongst over billion people equally.

 Kapil Dudakia (UK Bureau Chief from Davos)

Army files counter-FIR, Def Min mum on CM’s claim

As controversy rages over the killing of three youths in the Shopian firing on January 27, the Army has filed a counter- FIR to present its version of the incident. Police had filed an FIR against a Major and some jawans on the same day and the cross- FIR was registered on January 28.

While the Army maintained it followed the standard operating procedure to deter the protesters, the Defence Ministry is silent on Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s claim in the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly on Monday that Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman gave consent for filing of an FIR against Army men. The Chief Minister said in the Assembly that her Government had filed the FIR only after consulting the Defence Minister. “She (Sitharaman) told me that I should tale action if any carelessness or anything wrong has happened,’ Mehbooba told the Assembly..

Senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy has asked the Defence Minister to clarify her stand on Mehbooba’s statement in which she said, “I had brought the Shopian firing issue to notice of the Defence Minister and she said that if you feel that a crime has been committed, go ahead and take an action.”

“Wondering why even today the Defence Minister has not given a clarification. Do we tale her silence to mean yes. If it is, then it’s totally against party policies, sentiments of Indians and patriotism. If she doesn’t give a clarification by February 2, I will ask it in the House;’ said Swamy.

Earlier, Swamy tweeted, “Time for Ms. Sithararnan Defence Minister to clarify: was she accurately quoted by JK CM in the Assembly on giving OK to file FIR. Patriots are enraged and aghast at Mehbooba CM directing FIR filed against Army. But in J&K Assembly she says DefMinister okayed it!! True?”

While the Defence Ministry was tightlipped on Mehboabbas claim, Northern Command chief Lt General Devraj Anbu said in Pune that the Army’s internal probe has found that the soldiers were provoked to the ultimate and had acted in self-defence.

On naming the Major in the FIR, he said, “I think they have prematurely put the name of an individual:’ Police should have filed “a generic FIR”, which does not take names in such cases, he added.

The FIR filed by the State police names no accused but states that a company of 10 Garhwalled by Major Aditya was on its way for official duty when it was attacked by an unruly mob with stones.

Disclosing the fact about counter-FIR on Wednesday, Army officials said it will co- operate in the magisterial probe ordered by the State Government. In case, it is required the persons named in the FIR are to be questioned, the Army will give the necessary permission, they said. The Army personnel allegedly involved in the incident can either depose before the Magistrate in person or give written reply to a questionnaire prepared by the probe panel.

The officials said as per the norm followed by the Army in case of injury to its personnel during protests and damage to Government property a counter FIR is registered to present the Army version. In the Shopian case, at least seven jawans, including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), were injured by stone pelting crowd. The counter-FIR was filed against unknown persons, they said.

Narrating the sequence of events, they said the Army fired on a stone-pelting mob at Ganaupura area of Shopian after an Army convoy passing through the area around 3 pm on Saturday last came under unprovoked and intense stone pelting by a group of about 100-200 stonepelters. Within in no time their numbers swelled to 200-250.

The crowd surrounded an isolated portion of the convoy consisting of four vehicles. They caused extensive damage to the vehicles and tried to set them on fire. A JCO with the convoy was hit on the head and fell unconscious suffering serious injuries. The mob tried to lynch the JeD and snatch his weapon, they said.

Violent crowd carne close and tried to set the vehicles on fire and considering the gravity of the situation, the Army was constrained to open fire in self defence to prevent lynching of the JCO, officials said. They also clarified the Major leading the convoy was at least 200 metres ahead and was not present at the incident spot. Seven Army men were injured an d extensive damage was caused to 11 vehicles.

This version is the gist of the cross FIR and the officials maintained that the Army also mentioned in the report that it followed the standard operating procedure to warn the protesters. They also said the cross FIR was filed in the same police station where police had registered the FIR under Sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) against Army personnel.

By Opinion Express News Desk

Rajnath slams shelling, asks Islamabad not to misinterpret our ‘decency’

The frequent ceasefire violations between India and Pakistan escalated on Tuesday when the Pakistan Army set the Line of Control (LoC) on fire by using heavy calibre weapons, including 80 mm mortars, to target the civilian areas in Nowshera sector of Rajouri, Hundreds of villagers had a sleepless night as they remained huddled together in their houses, not even daring to escape.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh slammed Pakistan for continuously violating the ceasefire agreement with India despite giving assurance not to do so, saying Islamabad should not misinterpret “powerful” India’s “decency”

Pakistani shelling along the border in Jammu & Kashmir has increased over the past two weeks. Fourteen people, including eight civilians, have been killed in the shelling since January 18, according to the State police. On Tuesday, Pakistani troops opened fire and lobbed mortars on forward and civilian areas along the LoC in Rajouri district. No casualties have been reported. “Three-four days ago, the Pakistan Rangers held a flag meeting with our BSF DG. (The Rangers) assured that the ceasefire violation would not take place. But despite this, Pakistan has been violating ceasefire,” Rajnath said.

“Not saying much, I just want to say our politeness and decency has a limit. We want to maintain good relations with all and also with om neighbors. But our decency should not be wrongly interpreted;’ he said. “India is no more a weak country. India has now become a powerful country”. Rajnath said Pakistan, being a neighbour, should have a friendly attitude towards India. He said that the fencing of the India – Pakistan border was underway at a rapid pace.

Rajnath was in Chandigarh to address members of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha. He was accompanied by Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher and Chandigarh BJP unit chief Sanjay Tandon. In J&K, more than dozen forward villages in Rajouri were hit by shelling of mortars.

According to local villagers, more than 300 shells landed inside the Indian territory since early on Tuesday triggering panic among the border residents. According to local reports, the Indian Army retaliated with full force. Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh slammed Pakistan, asserting that it cannot be trusted upon its peace initiatives. He said security forces are giving a befitting reply to cross-border firing from the Pakistani side.

The border residents had earlier spent a sleepless night as the Pakistan Army started targeting several forward areas since late Monday. In the absence of any help, the border residents remained closeted inside their houses along with their livestock and children. The firing started around 7 am and continued till 11.30 am without any pause on Tuesday. Intermittent firing in the forward area, however, continued till late evening.

According to local villagers, no one could even step out of their houses due to in tense shelling. “We are stranded in our villages since morning due to heavy shelling in the area;’ a village schoolteacher in Ganiah area of Nowshera said.

Another villager appealed to the Rajouri Deputy Commissioner to construct a few more bunkers in their village with a population of over 600 people. “So far there are only six bunkers in our area how we can accommodate all villagers. We badly need more bunkers in order to save civilians in the wake of high intensity of firing from the Pakistan side;’ the villagers demanded.

The children too are suffering for past over two weeks as they have been stuck in homes due to closure of schools in the border areas.

In the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly, BJP MLA from Nowshera Assembly segment Ravinder Raina raised the issue of border residents and urged the State Government to send a high-level team of Government officers to assess the ground situation and evacuate border residents from the danger zone if required.

Following directions from the State Government, [Jammu Divisional Commissioner Hemant Sharma, Jammu-range IGP SD Singh Jamwal; DC Rajouri and SSP Rajouri visited the forward areas of Nowshera to take stock of the situation. The high-level team directed the local Government authorities to closely monitor the situation and make elaborate arrangements for the border residents to ensure their safety and security.

However unlike LoC areas, the situation along the International Border in RS Pura, Samba and Kathua sectors remained peaceful, Some of the villagers have returned home but residents of a few vulnerable areas continue to stay away during night to ensure their safety.

Farmers in the region too are a worried lot as they are not able to visit their fields due to fear of getting caught ill the cross firing.

By Mohit Kandhari: The Pioneer

President Donald Trump has ruled out talks with the Taliban and vowed to “finish what we have to finish” in Afghanistan, following the wave of deadly terrorist attacks in recent days, killing over 130 people and wounding hundreds more.

“They’re killing people left and right,” Trump said at a meeting with UN Security Council members at the White House on Monday. “Innocent people are being killed left and right …. bombing, killing all over Afghanistan:’ So we don’t to talk with the Taliban.”

“So we don’t want to talk with the Taliban. There may be a time, but it’s going to be a long time,” Trump commented, declaring: “We’re going to finish what we have to finish. What nobody else has been able to finish, we’re going to be able to do if’

The total number of American troops in Afghanistan is expected to grow to about 15,000 in coming months, with some 4,000 of them sent to the war-torn country under President Trumps watch.

Prior to the recent wave of attacks, Washington had entertained hopes of a negotiated political settlement to the persisting Afghan crisis.

Several attempts in the past to hold peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban have failed. The most prominent effort was in 2013, when the Taliban opened an office in Qatar for the talks, but the Taliban’s move to hoist its flag derailed the negotiations.

At his luncheon meeting with representatives from the 15-member Security Council, including ambassadors to the US from China, France, Russia and Britain, Trump also discussed other security challenges, including the North Korean nuclear challenge.

“We will discuss our cooperation on a range of security challenges, including the denuking of North Korea, very importantly; countering [ran’s destabilization activities in the Middle East; ending the Syrian conflict; and confronting terrorism,”Trump said in remarks ahead of the meeting.

RJD chief could not wish away the ghost of fodder scam

A special CBI court has sentenced RJD chief Lalu Prasad to three- and-a-half years in jail and imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on him in a fodder scam case relating to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from the Deoghar Treasury 21 years ago.

The punishment was handed down to 69-year-old Prasad by CBI court judge Shiv Pal Singh. This is the second time that he has been jailed in the fodder scam. The judge also imposed a fine totalling Rs 10 lakhs on him.

He was sentenced to three-and-a- half years in jail in a fodder scam case for offences of cheating, along with criminal conspiracy, and other sections under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Prasad was also given a jail term of three years and six months in the case under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA). He was fined Rs 5 lakh each under the IPC and the PCA, CBI counsel Rakesh Prasad said, adding that failure to pay the fine would entail another six months in jail.

The sentences will run concurrently, he said. Prasad, who was convicted in the second case on December 23, is at present lodged in the Birsa Munda Central Jail. The judge conveyed the punishment to Prasad through video- conferencing. The court had yesterday concluded arguments on the quantum of sentence against Prasad in connection with the withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from the Deoghar Treasury between 1990 and 1994 when he was the chief minister of Bihar. It had also heard arguments on the issue of punishment for 10 others convicted in the case.

Prasad was given a prison term of five years on September 30, 2013, in another fodder scam case. He was re- leased on bail by the Supreme Court after having remained in jail for over two-and-a-half months.

The CBI special judge had on December 23 acquitted former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra and five others in the case. In 1996, the Patna High Court had ordered an inquiry into the fodder scam cases and a charge sheet in the Deogarh Treasury case was filed against 38 people on October 27, 1997. Eleven of them died and three turned approvers, while two other accused confessed and were convicted in 2006-07, a CBI official said.

In 1996, the Patna High Court had ordered an inquiry into the fodder scam cases and a charge sheet in the Deog- arh Treasury case was filed against 38 people on October 27, 1997. Eleven of them died and three turned approvers, while two other accused confessed and were convicted in 2006-07, a CBI offi- cial said.

On September 30, 2013, Yadav, Jagannath Mishra and several others were convicted in another case pertaining to illegal withdrawal of Rs 37.7 crore from the C .. On September 30, 2013, Yadav, Jagannath Mishra and several others were convicted in another case pertain- ing to illegal withdrawal of Rs 37.7 crore from the Chaibasa Treasury in the early 1990s.

Prasad faces another three fodder scam cases for illegal withdrawal of Rs 3.97 crore from the Dumka Treasury, Rs 36 crore from the Chaibasa Treasury and Rs 184 crore from the Doranda Treasury.

Meanwhile, Prasad’s son Tejashwi Yadav said in Patna that they will move high court against his father’s conviction. “We will move high court against Lalu Prasad’s conviction and appeal for bail after studying the court verdict,” he said.

Dhinakaran’s RK Nagar win has plunged Tamil Nadu into another round of political churning

If there were any questions about AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa’s hegemonic hold over her party — given that pictures of her conscious self in her last days did the rounds before polling began in the RK Nagar seat she had held for years — the verdict settled that in one blow. Whatever be the shadow play among factions claiming legitimacy to her legacy, and their questionable methods of sealing continuity in power, it seems Amma’s close aide, Sasikala, though now Chinamma or surrogate mother, has held her own in Tamil Nadu. Her nephew TTV Dhinakaran won convincingly as an independent in the by polls, despite losing the party symbol and being cast aside by the new ruling dispensation led by Chief Minister E Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam. That too on MGR’s death anniversary, and from Amma’s citadel. In a political scenario dominated by personality cult, the result came not just as a shot in the arm for Dhinakaran’s survival. It catapulted him into the top league, with his supporters claiming “sleeper cells” in the ruling party who are ready to jump ship.

Political circles are abuzz with horse- trading and Dhinakaran himself has vowed to win back the AIADMK symbol from the Election Commission. While the rebel MLA has sought legal recourse for getting his 18 MLAs reinstated in the House, his camp has begun talk of a floor test where ruling MLAs and ministers would cross over and sound the death knell for the Palaniswami Government. It is too early to judge if the bluster has any weight but be that as it may, the victory proves that Sasikala has not lost her grip over the organisational cadre of the AIADMK, as she had in Jayalalithaa’s time. And though Jayalalithaa had expelled Dhinakaran and disowned Sasikala many times, fact is she always ended up re accommodating her recalcitrant confidante. Only because Sasikala had nurtured the cadre and had a hand in even the lowest rank appointments. Yes, there was confusion in the post-Jayalalithaa days, a fact that was feasted upon by national parties and vested interests to engender breakaways and stitch new alliances in their favour. But in one swoop, Dhinakaran has changed the dynamics and plunged Tamil Nadu into another round of political churning.

The BJP, which polled less than the total number of NOTA votes in Tamil Nadu, has to tread cautiously in a state where power play is often interpreted in terms of optics and the battle of perception is often won on symbolism. Besides, Tamil Nadu likes its own leaders to call the shots, not genuflect to Delhi. A strong Sasikala will be BJP’s worst nightmare, trying hard as it is to make inroads into the state by 2019. If serious number-crunching has to happen, it needs a far more deep-rooted strategy. There’s also a caste tussle involved. E Palaniswami’s elevation as the Chief Minister was seen as an increasing consolidation of the Gounder community in a party dominated for years by the Thevars. TTV, in that sense, embodies the Thevar hit back. Striking a bargain with DMK, too, is a far-fetched dream as the party ended a poor third. Although there is speculation that DMK chief MK Stalin laid low, hoping the deep factionalism would sink the AIADMK in deeper political ferment, the decisive verdict has raised another leadership contender for Tamil Nadu. But the verdict proves that Sasikala political inning is far from over and the state of Tamil Nadu will witness major political drama in near future.

Courtesy – The Pioneer

A political thriller played out in Saudi’s royal family

The recent turn of events in Saudi Arabia have been nothing short of a Hollywood thriller with Family, King, Princes, neighbouring countries and missile attacks all thrown into the mix for good measure. Eighty-year-old King Salman Abdulaziz Al Saud, in a political liquidation, rounded up 11 princes of the royal House of Saud, along with various Ministers and officials in what was marketed as an “anti-corruption” initiative in which prominent royal members were arrested and “jailed” in Riyadh’s notoriously luxurious Ritz Carlton hotel. This included globally influential names such as billionaire investor Alwaleed Bin Talaal, who has close ties with various American industrialists and owns five per cent of social media site Twitter. Over the span of 72 hrs starting November 3, a purge was underway, ballistic missiles were fired towards the Saudi capital Riyadh from Yemen, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned (on television) from his post from Saudi Arabia, accusing Iran of medaling in internal Arab affairs before disappearing from public eye, Yemen’s incumbent President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, who also took up refuge there months ago, was reported to be under ‘house arrest’ (Saudis released pictures of a meeting with Hadi in attempts to refute such rumors). Two other princes were reportedly killed, one in a curiously timed helicopter crash near Yemen and another, rumored to have been shot while resisting an ‘attempted arrest’. This tragedy-ridden Shakespearean theatre makes King Salman the conductor of a never seen before ‘tripurge’, orchestrating political changes in his own country, Lebanon and Yemen simultaneously.

Understanding the politics of the Saudi monarchy is no easy task, with over 9,000 members in the royal family, Saudi politics is a never ending series of internal turmoil and power struggles.

However, most analysts agree that the recent events are King Salman’s strategy to clear way for the 32-years old heir apparent, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. It is believed King Salman has already started the process of aiding Prince Salman to the throne, his son from his third spouse, transferring power by the end of 2018. The start of the said process was highlighted by social reforms with Saudi Arabia agreeing to allow women to drive, a long standing issue of contention. It has also allowed women to attend sports events at stadium. These changes come on the back of waiting for the accession of a young King, who will preside over a very-young and globally well-connected Saudi population on the cusp of a post oil economic and social order, and a corrupt royal system against which sentiments had been latently bubbling for a long time.

The challenges for the Saudi monarchy in the decades to come are plenty. Currently, the Saudi youth have it relatively easy, with various social schemes keeping them occupied, thanks to the petro-dollars, however, Riyadh has (finally) decided to move beyond its dependence on a singular mode of finance and approach models, such as those embraced by its neighbours, specifically Dubai.

This would require relaxed norms and a better global positioning to attract foreign investments, foregoing its rigid and suffocating rules that curtail freedom and basic human rights for its citizens, specifically women. The announcement of Saudi Aramco, the country’s national oil company, which at a point few years ago was worth more than India’s GDP, going partially public to raise money came as a surprise to many. However, it implanted the narrative of slow but drastic changes taking place in the kingdom, both politically and socially. This is highlighted by examples such as the steadily increasing domestic oil consumption in the country, thanks to domestic population growth. A robust and rich domestic economy is critical for Riyadh, both to keep a check on its young population and till a certain degree secure the House of Saud’s own future.

Geo-politically, the Saudis are continuing to make attempts to rein in the growing Iranian influence in the region, something that Prince Salman, the world’s youngest Defense Minister, has reiterated during the purge in an effort to stamp his own authority. Saudi concerns in regional West Asian dynamics have heightened over the past few months with Iranian influence growing at a rapid pace. The question around Syria and future of the said conflict has now been pretty much decided, with President Bashar al-Assad expected to stay, with the help of the Russians and Iranians. Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Hezbollah-backed militias are today already prevailing interest groups in large parts of Syria, with Tehran also wielding significant power in Iraqi and Lebanese politics along with running a indirect war in Yemen. The recent failed Kurdish referendum also saw Iran’s influence shine through over contentions between Baghdad and Erbil regarding the control of Kirkuk after its liberation from ISIS, while the Saudi Qatar diplomatic standoff pushed Doha to increase its engagements with Iran as well.

Despite collusion of regional interests, the exact reasons and future outcomes of this purge remain unclear. The narrative of an anti-corruption drive remains strong, but also begs the question whether this is the start of greater transparency in Saudi Arabian affairs or greater turmoil. Riyadh is banking on US President Donald Trump to back it to the hilt, specifically against Iran, on the pretext of which its regional overtures could be marketed as legitimate political tinkering to an often- naive new White House. How this purge plays out in reality, is anyone’s guess at the moment.

Courtesy The Pioneer ( The writer is an Associate Fellow with the Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi)