A shocking practice...finally a good sense prevailed!

Govt forbids cracker use at airports
Prevalence Of Old Practice Shocks Home Ministry

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Vishwa Mohan\TNN
New Delhi: Use of crackers to scare birds at airports will now be a thing of the past. The practice, which security big-wigs at the Centre were unaware of so far, has literally sent shockwaves here when officials found that the age-old practice is prevalent at many airports despite availability of modern equipment like laser guns to do the job.
Realising how use of crackers can be a big security risk, the home ministry has now prohibited this and included it as one of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) which is to be followed as a mandatory security precaution by airport officials.
The matter, among various security issues concerning all 51 airports in the country, was discussed in a meeting chaired by Union home secretary G K Pillai on Wednesday.
Officials had stumbled upon the prevalence of the practice of using crackers to frighten birds at airports when they looked into the probe details of the recent firecracker-on-plane incident in Kerala.
It was found that some ground handlers working at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport had picked up crackers from the existing stock and put it on a Kingfisher aircraft in March. They had done this out of intra-personnel enmity among ground handlers as they wanted to put their colleagues in a spot.
“Investigation revealed the source of the cracker. It was quite shocking. We had then decided to ban this practice and included it in the list of dos and don’ts as part of SOPs of civil aviation security,” said a senior home ministry official.
Some of the airports in the country have been successfully using laser guns to scare birds before landing and take-off of flights. “Such or some other safe devices can be used by all airports of the country,” said an official.
Besides the issue, steps relating to biometric access, construction of watch towers, raising of perimeter walls, provision of adequate security staff and installation of CCTV cameras were also discussed in the meeting.
“A time-bound action plan was drawn up to enhance security at airports. While Delhi and Mumbai airports have implemented most of these plans, others have been asked to step up the required preparedness,” said the official.

Ban: It was needed to avoid any "legal ambiguity"

Government bans 100 terror outfits
Vishwa Mohan, TNN, May 16, 2010, 02.00am IST It
NEW DELHI: Armed with an amended Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the government has, in one stroke, formally banned over 100 outfits - linked to al-Qaida - from across the globe by declaring them "terrorist organizations" in India.

Though India had been keeping tabs on these outfits in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, a formal decision to put these 100-odd entities - along with 33 other terror organizations - in the list of banned organisations is seen as a move "to avoid any legal ambiguity" in case Indian cops lay their hands on anyone associated with these bodies.

These outfits include all the big Islamic terror outfits like Jemaah Islamiyah (Bali bombing fame) of Indonesia, Islamic Jihad Group of Libya, the Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group, the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, International Islamic Relief Organization of Philippines and Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan among others.

The ministry of home affairs has put these entities together (at entry number 33) in its `revised' list of banned outfits as "Organisations listed in the Schedule to the UN Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism (Implementation of Security Council Resolutions) Order, 2007".

"The number of these outfits will increase or decrease as amended from time to time. We have put them together under one head so that we do not have to revise it (the list) whenever it is amended at the UNSC level," said a senior home ministry official.

The home ministry's revised list of banned outfits - which is to be made public on its official website soon -- also for the first time includes the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) as one of the terrorist organizations under the UAP Act. Though names of three pro-Khalistan terror outfits - Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), Khalistan Comando Force (KCF) and International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) -- have been on the list for long, the move to include KZF in the revised list is seen in the light of increased activities of the outfit in India in the past couple of years.

"The KZF was put on the list of banned outfits just before the Indo-Pak foreign secretary-level talks in February," said the official. During the talks on February 26, India had handed over three dossiers to Pakistan, one of which had the names of seven Khalistani terrorists including the KZF commander Ranjit Singh Neeta.

The outfit was also in the news recently following the arrest of its terrorist Nirmal Singh alias Nimma in Raipur (Chhattisgarh) early this month. Nimma was given the task by the ISI to attack Adampur Air Force station in Punjab and to recruit youths from villages along the Indo-Pakistan border in the state.

Officials believe that the revised list will help the cops in pursuing cases against the terrorists belonging to these organizations in courts more effectively.

Prominent in the list of banned outfits in India include: Lashkar-e-Taiba; Jaish-e-Mohammad; Tahrik-e-Furqan; Al Badr; Jamiat-ul-Mujahidden; Al-Qaida; Harkat-ul-Mujahideen; Harkat-ul-Ansar; Harkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islami; Hizb-ul-Mujahideen; Al-Umar-Mujahideen; Jammu and Kashmir Islamic Front; ULFA; NDFB; LTTE, SIMI, Deendar Anjuman; Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist-People's War); Maoist Communist Centre; and CPI (Maoist).....http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTAvMDUvMTYjQXIwMTYwMA==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Corporate War or Spyware???....Chinese firms will have to come clean

Chinese telecom firms have to give all info: MHA
Vishwa Mohan , TNN, May 14, 2010, 02.57am IST
NEW DELHI: Amid the controversy surrounding Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh's remark against the home ministry over its decision regarding two Chinese telecom companies, India on Thursday sought "clarifications" and "additional information" from one of the firms and made it clear that it would take a final view only after receiving the specific details which have caused security concern among Indian intelligence agencies.

India's pointed questions -- mainly relating to ownership issues and reports of spyware and malware fitted in the equipments -- were fielded to representatives of the leading Chinese telecom manufacturing firm ZTE when they met Union home secretary G K Pillai.

Sources in the home ministry said besides being asked about technical issues as pointed out by RAW and IB about ZTE (and another Chinese firm), the telecom company was also asked to give details of its owners, strategic partners and even clients across the globe.

Pillai is understood to have told the company representatives and later the Chinese Ambassador to India, Zhang Yan, who met him separately, that the final decision would not be taken unless the Indian agencies are fully satisfied with the company's response.

Speaking about the meetings, home ministry spokesperson Onkar Kedia said: "They (ZTE representatives and Pillai) discussed issues relating to security clearance for the products of the company. The home secretary sought some clarifications and additional information. Once this is received, the MHA will process the matter further."

Besides raising the issue of Indian restrictions on allowing the import and installation of equipment from Chinese firms, Zhang is learnt to have also discussed others issues -- including those relating to faster clearance of employment visas -- with Pillai.

Emerging from the meeting, Zhang told reporters, "We had a very good discussion. It was a positive meeting. I hope all relevant issues will be resolved in due course."

ZTE and Huwaei Technologies are the two Chinese telecom companies whose equipments have evoked security concerns in India. Agencies here have warned that the Chinese could even cripple telecom infrastructure and critical services like water and power supplies by embedding malware/spyware in equipment installed by these firms.

After meeting the home secretary, D K Ghosh of ZTE India said: "We had a positive meeting. Talks are going on. We have appealed to the government. We have put forward our thoughts. Let's see (what happens)."

Though the matter was being discussed at different levels within the government in the light of serious security concerns, the issue came to the limelight last week when Jairam Ramesh in Beijing reportedly said that the home ministry was "overly defensive" and "alarmist" in its approach towards entry of Chinese companies in India. He was critical of the home ministry's decision about restrictions on allowing the import and installation of equipment from Chinese firms on the grounds that it could pose a security risk in the highly sensitive telecom sector.

Pillai had subsequently clarified that India's norms for foreign telecom companies for doing business in the country were not loaded against China and every proposal was decided on a case-to-case basis.
vishwa.mohan@timesgroup.com
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Gorkhaland...a distant dream; no one wants to compromise with security of the area

GJM talks inconclusive; Centre, Bengal reject demand for including more areas

Vishwa Mohan, TNN, May 12, 2010, 03.39am IST
NEW DELHI: Tripartite talks among the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), West Bengal government and the Centre appear to have hit a roadblock. The administrative-level consultations among the three parties on Tuesday resulted in a stalemate over the territorial jurisdiction of the recently-proposed interim set-up for Darjeeling.

GJM's insistence on the inclusion of the Gorkha-dominated parts of the Terai and Dooars in the proposed set-up saw the discussion end inconclusively as both the Centre and the state are learnt to have outrightly rejected the demand due to security concerns.

Sources in the home ministry said that both the Centre and the state government were for limiting the proposed set-up -- Darjeeling Regional Authority -- to the hill sub-divisions of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong.

An official said: "The unique geographical location of the region -- a thin strip of land called Chicken's Neck which separates China and Bangladesh and also connects India's mainland with the North-East -- is the main reason why the government does not want to look beyond the three sub-divisions."

The Centre and state's view was, however, not acceptable to GJM. Its leader Roshan Giri, who led the five-member delegation for the discussions here on Tuesday, told TOI that the Morcha was in no mood to discuss the issues concerning the interim set-up unless the government accepted its demand over the territorial issue.

He said: "The government insisted on discussion over devolution of power instead of considering our demand of additional territory. We cannot discuss devolution of power without clubbing all the Gorkha-inhabited areas into the proposed set-up."

Tuesday's discussion, attended by senior officials of the Union home ministry and the West Bengal government, was meant to prepare the groundwork for the next round of political-level talks later this month.

Asked whether the Morcha's current stand would derail the political-level talks which might be held in the month-end, Giri said: "Let us first discuss it with GJM chief Bimal Gurung and other leaders. We may go ahead with the political-level talks, but we want the government to clear the air over the territorial issue."

Gurung, who has been demanding a separate state of Gorkhaland since 2007, had floated a new proposal for an interim set-up in the hills till December 31, 2011.

Though the proposal was accepted by the government, further discussion faced hurdles with GJM insisting on the inclusion of additional Gorkha-inhabited areas in the interim set-up.

Can't we get rid of caste?...Will the government's coalition compulsion force us to 'gulp' (if not chew) bitter pills?

Final data may not come before 2014
Vishwa Mohan, TNN, May 8, 2010, 01.53am IST
NEW DELHI: Even if the government decides to go in for a caste-wise census during the headcount in February next year, the actual figures may not be known before 2014 as officials involved in the exercise say the analysis of data concerning at least 6,000 castes and 65,000 sub-castes would take nearly two to three years.

Subsequent verification, if needed, will take even more time. Stating that the caste-wise data will not have any relevance without verification, a senior home ministry official said that the exercise would have to be done separately taking the help of block and district-level civil administration across the country. The caste-wise data will have to be segregated into OBC and non-OBC categories in respective states.

"The Registrar General's role will end with compilation, analysis and dissemination of the census data. The detailed verification, if needed, will subsequently come under the purview of the social justice ministry," he said.

Though initially the census officials were quite perturbed over the possibility of doing extra work for the caste-wise enumeration at this juncture, they are now planning to bring out a ‘new format' comprising separate columns for castes and sub-castes once the RGI gets green signal from the government.....http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTAvMDUvMDgjQXIwMTAwMw==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

PC acts tough...stern message to war mongrers indeed!

NO SYMPATHY?
‘SUPPORT NAXALS, FACE PUNISHMENT’
Centre Toughens Stand In Its Fight Against Reds

Vishwa Mohan & Dwaipayan Ghosh \ TNN
New Delhi: Toughening its stance against Naxalites, the Centre on Thursday warned Maoist sympathizers — including members of civil society and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) — found supporting the ultras by propagating their ideology or by any other means to be ready to face severe punishment. The dire warning, which marks a significant escalation and carries the risk of confrontation with influential rights activists, also represents a rebuff to the post-Dantewada clamour for a relook at the use of force against Naxals. The law, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, empowers the state to punish those collaborating with a banned organization with imprisonment up to 10 years. Besides, section 39 of the UAPA also provides for fine to be slapped on those found collaborating with extremists. Though the two provisions have been enforced by authorities in states worst affected by violence, state governments as well as the Centre have more often than not winked at the espousal of the Maoist cause by the rights activists. The declaration of the new intent came a day after home minister P Chidambaram was heckled in JNU, though the Centre’s annoyance over continued support for the extremists from sections of civil society goes back a while. The home ministry said, “It has come to the notice of the government that some Maoist leaders have been directly contacting certain NGOs and intellectuals to propagate their ideology and persuade them to take steps, which would provide support to the CPI (Maoist) ideology.” Asking the general public to be extremely vigilant of the propaganda of the Maoists and not unwittingly become a victim of such propaganda, the ministry said, “This is being issued in public interest so that the general public are aware that the CPI (Maoist) and all its formations and front organizations are terrorist organizations whose sole aim is armed overthrow of the Indian state and that they have no place in India’s parliamentary democracy.” In what can come as a rude shock for civil rights activists, the investigating agencies looking into Naxal affairs along with Delhi Police also warned the citizens to be ‘careful’ before throwing their weight behind Maoists. This comes at a time when several such activists have been named in the FIR along with Kobad Ghandy for helping the alleged Naxalite leader in waging war against the state. A senior Delhi Police officer said there was ‘‘growing evidence’’ that a section of the intelligentsia was helping the Naxal leaders flee states like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and West Bengal to set up base in colonies of east and south Delhi. ‘‘Besides this, these individuals are also helping various frontal organizations of the Maoists to raise funds,’’ said the official. The recent arrest of Naxal leader Gopal has given important clues to the Delhi Police in this regard, said senior special cell officers. The civil rights activists are, however, livid over the directive. Gautam Navlakha, a senior editor with a prominent magazine, said that such a directive from the home ministry was ‘‘outrageous’’. ‘‘This is an attempt to thwart dissenting voices and a demand that all individuals toe the official line. Even a couple of Congress men led by Digvijay Singh had protested the recent development. Is the government planning to silence him too?’’ questioned Navlakha.....http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTAvMDUvMDcjQXIwMTIwMA==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Access to Pakistani origin American terrorist Daood Gilani..Will it serve any purpose?

Access to Headley likely this month
Vishwa Mohan TNN
New Delhi: India is most likely to get access to American Lashkar terrorist David Coleman Headley this month with the United States indicating that it will communicate the exact date latest by next week. But officials — keeping a track on the probe here — do not seem to be optimistic about any favourable outcome of his questioning. Sources in home ministry said that US would convey to India by May 15 when a team of Indian investigators should visit Chicago for “direct access” to Headley. The dates would be indicated after coordinating availability of the lawyer of prosecuting agency as well as Headley’s defence lawyer for the purpose, they added. “India in all likelihood will get direct access within this month only,” they said, adding apart from National Investigating Agency and Mumbai Police officials, a team comprising a magistrate, legal experts and home ministry officials will go to the US to interrogate Headley. Expressing their doubts over the outcome of such an access, officials here said it was highly unlikely that Headley — suspected to be a double agent who first worked for the US intelligence agencies before being driven towards Lashkar — would say anything more than what he had already told the FBI interrogators. An official said: “Even the US agencies may not like him to say much. It is possible that they might have already told him what replies to give to questions, apprehending that anything more may expose the US for whom Headley had worked.” Headley was arrested in Chicago by FBI in October last year when the US probe agency found him planning a terror attack on a Danish newspaper office in Copenhagen....http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTAvMDUvMDYjQXIwMTUwMQ==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom