Saturday 18 October 2014

Sole motive of steep hike in parking rates by MCD is to help the parking mafia


From: Media Cell AAP <mediacellaap@gmail.com> Thu, 16 Oct ’14 7:10p
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Show full Headers
Sole motive of the steep hike in parking rates announced by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation and likely to be followed by other two corporations soon, is to serve the interests of parking mafia flourishing with political patronage across the national capital.
There is no logic in hiking the parking rates in the city when the three BJP-controlled corporations have miserably failed in meeting the targets of providing sufficient legalized parkings.
The municipal corporations have outsourced the parking lots to private contractors and with active connivance of local political contacts, these unauthorized parking lots are mushrooming across the city.
There are no uniform parking rates and the MCD is allowing the private contractors to fleece the people in order to allow their contacts to make money through unjustified means.
The MCD needs to answer the question that when it is unable to provide basic amenities to people how does it justify its decision to announce such a steep hike ?
What is shocking is that the MCD has turned a blind eye to the thriving business of outsourced illegal parkings across the city and it has no details of how many of its parking lots are authorized and how many are functioning illegally.
The Aam Aadmi Party is of the clear view that when the MCD has no idea how much revenue will be generated from this proposed hike and how it proposes to utilize it, then there is no justification in having taken this decision.
The AAP will launch a campaign against the MCD to expose its inefficiency and connivance in corruption with the sole intention of helping the parking mafia, which has become a source of permanent harassment for the public.
Regards,
AAP Media cell

International Premier Tennis League Announces India Ticket Sales

New Delhi, 17 October 2014: International Premier Tennis League (IPTL), along with the Micromax Indian Aces, announced that ticket sales for the Delhi leg of the inaugural IPTL will start after the Diwali weekend.

Icon player Roger Federer, 14 time Grand Slam Champion Pete Sampras, teammates Gael Monfils, Ana Ivanovic, Fabrice Santoro, and Indian players Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna will make up the formidable Indian squad and take on the Manila Mavericks, the UAE Royals, and the Singapore Slammers during the three day extravaganza.

Other top stars that will play in New Delhi include Novak Djokovic, Caroline Wozniacki, Eugenie Bouchard, Goran Ivanisevic, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Daniela Hantuchova, Tomas Berdych, Lleyton Hewitt, Carlos Moya, Patrick Rafter, Kirsten Flipkens and Nenad Zimonjic.

During the 3 day event (December 6, 7 and 8, 2014), at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, sports fans will get to see two matches a day, first at 4:00 pm and second match starting at 7:30 pm. Each ticket will allow spectators to watch the 3 day action. The indoor stadium, with its 15,000 plus seating capacity, is the largest indoor sports arena in India and the third-largest in Asia.
“Sports fans in India are in for a treat; having the opportunity to watch all these stars at one fixed price does not exist at any tennis event across the world” said Mahesh Bhupathi, on behalf of the IPTL.

Seminar at Lucknow to promote Vibrant Gujarat 2015 Summit


From: Kiran Rawat <kiran.mutualpr@gmail.com> Fri, 17 Oct ’14 2:16p
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Show full Headers
Dear Sir Ma';am,
           Business Seminar at Lucknow to promote 
                          Vibrant Gujarat 2015 Summit
Friday, 17th October, 2014 | Hotel Vivanta, Lucknow
Press Release
Lucknow, October 17, 2014:  A government delegation led by Shri Ramanlal Vora, Hon’ble Minister of Social justice and empowerment, Government of Gujarat, accompanied by Shri Raj Gopal, IAS, Principal Secretary, Ports and transport department and Ms. Mamta Verma, IAS, Industries Commissioner, Govt. of Gujarat visited Lucknow to promote Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2015.
Vibrant Gujarat Summit is a biennial event organized by Gujarat Government to provide a common platform for Knowledge Sharing, Strategic Partnerships and Investment inflows. It brings together business leaders, investors, corporate, thought leaders, policy and opinion makers, and eminent diplomats from across the globe. Six summits held since 2003 have contributed immensely to Gujarat’s Growth Story transforming it into a “Global Business Hub”.
A business seminar was organized in Hotel Vivanta, Lucknow by Government of Gujarat, with the support of KPMG as the Knowledge Partner and Confederation of Indian Industries as the National Partner.
Shri. Sachin Agarwal, Chairman – UP State Council, Confederation of Indian Industry, welcomed the dignitaries. Post the welcome address, an AV film on Vibrant Gujarat was shown to the audience.
Shri. Raj Gopal, IAS, addressed the audience with insights into the key strengths & benefits of investing in Gujarat. Further, he apprised the participants of Vibrant Gujarat Summit and about its journey from being an Investors’ summit to Global business platform. He detailed the audience on the day-wise schedule along with information about sector seminars and Vibrant Gujarat global trade shows. Finally, he invited all the participants to Vibrant Gujarat 2015 Summit.
Shri. Ramanlal Vora talked about the progressive impact that Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2013 rendered, with participation from nearly 121 countries with over 2,100 foreign delegates and around 58,000 Indian delegates. He further highlighted the 17,719 Investment Intentions and 2,670 Strategic Partnerships signed in the areas of Technology transfer, R&D, Education, Manufacturing, etc. during the Summit.
He underscored the significance of “Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit”, representing a “Global platform for networking, knowledge sharing and social and business transformation”. He pointed out that starting with no partner country in 2003, the Summit has now seen seven partner countries viz. Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Japan, South Africa, the Netherlands and Singapore who have extended their support to make this Summit larger than ever. He concluded his address by throwing light on the importance of Gujarat for being a place where industrialization and infrastructure development have kept pace with social and rural development along with urban development for inclusive growth. He further extended an invitation to everyone for participating in Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2015 and the Vibrant Gujarat Global Trade Show 15 and be part of this growth revolution.
Ms. Mamta Verma, IAS extended the concluding remarks by thanking the participants of the seminar. She further thanked Shri Vora for his guidance and Shri Raj Gopal for providing the insights into the state’s growth and key strengths.
Later, one-on-one meeting was organized with companies such as Kanpur based RSPL Limited, Mayur Group, Rim Jhim Ispat limited; Varanasi based J J Plastalloy private limited, Lucknow based Motor and General sales limited and Jyoti buildtech private limited to name a few.
The seminar was attended by more than 150 people, including corporate leaders, prominent representatives from Trade Associations, academics and enthusiastic entrepreneurs from across Uttar Pradesh.

International Copper Association India organizes a special session on Revised ‘National Electrical Code India 2011’ in Delhi

~ In support with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to create awareness on the Revised Standard for achieving Electrical Safety ~

Delhi, 17th October, 2014: International Copper Association India (ICAI) in support with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) today organized a special session on the Revised ‘National Electrical Code India’ in Delhi. The objective of this seminar was to develop Electrical Safety amongst key constituents of building industry and industry stakeholders, through a nationwide awareness campaign which was accomplished successfully with this last session in Delhi.

The seminar was inaugurated by Mr. A.P. Joshi, ADG (Border) Central Public Works Department along with other industry experts like Mr. Anil Kumar, Former DG, Central Public Works Department, Mr. Dinesh Kumar, E-n-C, Central Public Works Department Delhi, Mr. M.C. Chauhan Advisor, Railway Electrification, Mr. Sandeep Mehta, Chief Engineer, DDA.The event was attended by over 100 professionals including electrical engineers, Electrical Consultants, A grade Electrical Contractors, designers, manufacturing associations, policy makers, technical officers across various industrial sectors.

 Illegal Animal Meds Persist in India

Ajay Tripathi
To
enviro-health-punjab@googlegroups.com punjabeco-crisis@googlegroups.com mission khetivirasatsunita arya
Today at 12:29 AM
The Scientist

Illegal Animal Meds Persist in India

Use of a veterinary painkiller, banned in several countries because of its lethal effects on scavenging birds, has declined, but cow carcasses still test positive.
By Kerry Grens | October 13, 2014
PHOTO COURTESY: MUNIR VIRANI, THE PEREGRINE FUNDA mass killing of several species of vultures in the Indian subcontinent over the last two decades is largely blamed on the presence of a drug, diclofenac, in the cow carcasses the birds eat. The Indian government banned veterinary use of the painkiller in 2006, and a new study published today (October 13) in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B shows a decline in cow carcasses testing positive for diclofenac and an increase in the use of a vulture-safe alternative drug.
The results are “tremendous news,” Munir Virani, the Africa Programs Director of The Peregrine FUND, a nonprofit dedicated to conserving birds of prey, said in an e-mail to The Scientist. Still, “this does not mean vultures are not dying of diclofenac poisoning,” added Virani, who did not participate in the study. “It simply means that there is much less of it in the environment as shown by this paper and by other ongoing studies.”
Diclofenac is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that farmers use to ease pain in their cattle. About a decade ago, Rhys Green, a conservation biologist at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the University of Cambridge, and others identified diclofenac as responsible for wiping out vulture populations across India, Pakistan, and Nepal. The drug is now known to be toxic to vultures that scavenge the carcasses of animals medicated with diclofenac.
Governments of the affected countries responded by banning the veterinary use of diclofenac and encouraging veterinarians to instead prescribe meloxicam, another NSAID considered vulture-safe. In Green’s latest study, which is part of an ongoing monitoring project, his group sought to measure trends in NSAID use, so they analyzed liver samples from more than 6,200 cattle carcasses across sites in India.
The team found that the presence of diclofenac in carcasses dropped by about 50 percent between 2005 and 2009. And from 2006 to 2009, the prevalence of meloxicam increased by 44 percent. Moreover, sites that saw big drops in diclofenac overlapped with sites where there were large increases in meloxicam use, supporting the idea that farmers are replacing the toxic drug with the safe one.
“It looks as if, if one can be successful in persuading people to use meloxicam, the alternative safe-to-vultures drug, then you’re quite probably going to reduce the use of toxic diclofenac,” Green said.
It’s clear from Green’s data, however, that illicit diclofenac use persists; on average, nearly 10 percent of samples tested positive in 2009. “Diclofenac is manufactured in small villages by unauthorized” facilities and MARKETED for humans, said Dau Lal Bohra, a vulture researcher and conservationist in North West Rajasthan, India, who was not part of the study. Cost, culture, and availability keep diclofenac around, said Kerri Wolter, the founder and CEO of Vulpro, a vulture conservation program based in South Africa.
Bohra pointed out that diclofenac and meloxicam are just two of a number of veterinary medicines ingested by scavengers, and that there’s a need to determine the safety of them all. Just last week (October 9), for instance, a paper in Conservation Biology reported evidence of a vulture having been poisoned by an NSAID called flunixin. It’s the first report of toxic effects of an NSAID other than diclofenac.
“The other very special significance about [the flunixin poisoning is] it wasn’t in India; that was in Spain,” Green said. “Last year, the Spanish government approved use of diclofenac in Spain, much to everybody’s consternation.” Spain is home to most of Europe’s vultures, and conservation organizations are petitioning the government to reverse its decision.
Captive breeding programs and “safe feeding zones”—essentially, the placement of pharmaceutical-free carcasses for vultures to eat—may help vulture populations rebound in India, said Wolter. “I think that, in conjunction with preventing the manufacture of diclofenac, it is definitely helping.” She added that safe feeding programs will only work as long as carcasses are screened and if the toxicity of all veterinary drugs is understood.
R.J. Cuthbert et al. , “Avian scavengers and the threat from veterinary pharmaceuticals,”Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2013.0574, 2014.
Ajay Kumar Tripathi
Director
Kheti Virasat Mission

Annual Grand Challenges Meeting, 2014

New Initiative Launch for Grand Challenges India

New Delhi / Seattle: Launched in 2013, Grand Challenges India is a collaborative effort of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India; the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) – a Government of India enterprise; and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Grand Challenges India has rolled out two successful initiatives: ၣhieving Healthy Growth through Agriculture and Nutrition⠡nd ᒥinvent the Toilet Challenge⊠and is now launching a third, ၬl Children Thriving⮠Undertaken in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the program aims to ensure that all children not only survive but are also are on a trajectory to live healthy and productive lives.

Dr. M. K. Bhan, Former Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India announced this next phase of Grand Challenges India. ၬl Children Thriving⠦unds for seed grants are USD $500,000 for up to two years and full grants are USD $2.5 million for up to four years and focus on innovative tools and approaches that will drastically alter the public health landscape.

㔨e partnership between Government of India and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to support innovative solutions to global problems has been realized through the Grand Challenge initiatives. On the 10th anniversary of the Grand Challenges meet, we must ensure that the under-privileged have access to health services, good nutrition and proper sanitation facilities. GCIⳠnew call opportunity attempts to make positive changes in the lives of children in India. This is a major step forward in the DBT-BIRAC-Bill and Melinda Gates Joint Mission伯span> said Dr. Vijay Raghavan, Secretary, DBT, Government of India and Chairman, BIRAC.

Jesus tip, Maoist killed nun, Terrorist and Gospel curiousity

Jesus tip, Maoist killed nun, Terrorist and Gospel curiousity, Indian Jesuits, Love Jihad, Misc
ICAN
To
Me
Today at 10:43 AM
 An Independent Clergy & Laity Partnership Initiative Issue: No 2099   18-10-2014
** Please add ican@josephdias.info to your address book to ensure future delivery.
** If the images below do not display correctly, please click here
Ecumenical
Evangelical
Interdenominational

Psalm 27:14

“Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.”
HEADLINE

Indiana college students give $1,300 tip in Jesus’ name for $13 pizza

Indiana college students give $1,300 tip in Jesus’ name for $13 pizza
US, October 12, 2014: A group of students at Indiana Wesleyan University gave a local pizza delivery driver a tip of $1,268 along with gift cards and thousands of inspirational notes as part of an illustration during the weekly prayer service after he delivered an order worth $12.50. The generosity followed efforts by Keith Newman, the …
Read More
To ADVERTISE in this Space ...
Links
Audio Bibles
FacebookTwitter
Subscribe
Disclaimer
Unsubscribe
INDIA

Indian Jesuits urge govt to curb anti-minorities campaign

Indian Jesuits urge govt to curb anti-minorities campaign
India, October 13, 2014:Indian Jesuits of the Jesa (Jesuits in Social Action) network has appealed to the central government and the governments of several Indian states to adopt urgent measures to put an end to the orchestrated campaign against religious minorities. Motivated by hatred and violence, the anti-minorities campaign has a “negative impact on the …
Read More

Love Jihad ‘victim’ makes statement before magistrate

Love Jihad ‘victim’ makes statement before magistrate
Lucknow, October 13, 2014: In a fresh and dramatic twist to the ‘Love Jihad’ case involving a girl in Meerut, the victim Monday alleged that she was forced by her family to make false accusations that she was first gang raped by Muslim men and then forcibly converted to Islam. The girl from Khakhrauda made …
Read More

Maoists killed catholic nun, confesses arrested leader

Maoists killed catholic nun, confesses arrested leader
Ranchi, October 13, 2014: A senior Maoist leader arrested last month in Dumka district has told the police that his party killed Catholic nun Valsa John because her presence was an obstacle to the growth of the CPI-Maoist in the Santhal Pargana. Sukhlal Murmu (39), known as Prabir, was the Zonal Commander of Santhal Pargana …
Read More
ASIA +

Sri Lankan pastor attacked by masked men; local authorities threaten to demolish church premises

Sri Lankan pastor attacked by masked men; local authorities threaten to demolish church premises
Sri Lanka, October 09, 2014: A church service in Sri Lanka was disrupted by a mob on 7 September, one week after a brutal attack on the church’s pastor and his family left several people injured. Meanwhile, two other churches in the country are facing harassment by the local authorities. A Barnabas partner reports that …
Read More
WORLD

Iraq: Terror group inadvertently creates Gospel curiousity

Iraq: Terror group inadvertently creates Gospel curiousity
Iraq, October 13, 2014: Working in northern Iraq’s Kurdish region day and night to help meet the needs of people displaced by the threats and violence of the terror group Islamic State (ISIS) in Mosul and other areas, members of an Iraqi ministry team recently came into contact with a colonel from the Kurdish forces …
Read More
MISCELLANEOUS

Characteristics of a pharisee

Characteristics of a pharisee
One of the Characteristics of a Pharisee Pharisees neglect their family responsibility in the name of religion Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to …
Read More
Rey Interactive
To ADVERTISE in this Space
CARTOON
Intercession, Awareness, Activism, Action …
This e-journal specifically highlights and documents persecution and violation of human rights of Christians, Minorities, Schedule Caste/Tribes and Other Backwards, urging you to at least – PRAY. Our aim is to identify fundamentalists and those disrupting communal harmony and indigenous communities – posing a threat to a just, equal, plural and secular citizenry. We oppose any kind of discrimination and oppression, whether of race, religion, culture, gender etc. specially when it comes from some of our own. Please pray for the following local, state, national, regional and international situations.
Editor-in-Chief: Joseph Dias  

NB: We may not agree with material that appears here, which is published to give a cross section of diverse opinions / views, for study, awareness or in the interest of pluralism and freedom of expression, as reported. Images may be indicative and not related to the description. We are also not liable for any claims made here & readers are advised to exercise their own discretion. External sources / links do not signify that we endorse or authenticate them. We take no responsibility and indemnify ourselves for the content of the email. You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this list. This email is solely for the one who receives it & if you are not the correct recipient, or have received it inadvertently, please destroy the email and unsubscribe from the list.

 Invite- Session with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mexico | October20th, 2014 | WWF Auditorium, New Delhi(2)
Ananta Aspen Centre Present Session on “Mexico’s New Engagement with the World” EVENT DETAILS DATE Monday, October 20, 2014 TIME 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM (Registration: 11:00 am) LOCATION WWF Auditorium, 172-B, Lodhi Es
Oct 15 at 5:59 PM
Ananta Aspen Centre
To
Me
Today at 11:32 AM
 AAC logo without Formaly SRE_horizontal_ALTA-01 09-10-14
Present
Session on

“Mexico’s New Engagement with the World”

EVENT DETAILS
Black line
DATEMonday, October 20, 2014
TIME11:30 AM  – 12:30 PM (Registration: 11:00 am)
LOCATIONWWF Auditorium, 172-B, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi-110003
SPEAKERH.E. Jose Antonio Meade Kuribrena, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mexico
CHAIRT.N.  Ninan, Chairman, Ananta Aspen Centre and Chairman, Business Standard Ltd.
Black line
ABOUT THE EVENTMexico is the second largest economy in Latin America. In the aftermath of the economic crisis that started in 2009, Mexico has engaged in a massive program of meaningful economic and social reforms. On 5 August 2014, the Mexican Congress passed the bulk of the legislation and approved changes to the hydrocarbons law, which is the backbone of the country’s energy reform.  The Mexican Congress also approved structural reforms in the areas of labour market regulation, education, telecommunication and competition policy, financial sector regulation, energy, and fiscal policy with a single goal to increase Mexico’s productivity and competitiveness. These radical reforms were introduced as the experts agreed that the country had to change its economic structure in order to keep pace with globalization and the world’s economy. Liberalization of the energy sector is expected to boost Mexico’s economic growth performance in the future.
In this context, Ananta Aspen Centre is organising an interactive session with H.E. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mexico, Dr. Jose A. Meade Kuribrena. Dr. Meade will highlight Mexico’s foreign policy priorities and also provide valuable insights on the recent structural reforms approved by the Mexican Congress.
 SPEAKER
 Jose Antonio Meade Kuribrena 09-10-14Jose Antonio Meade KuribrenaMinister of Foreign Affairs, Mexico
H. E. Dr. Jose Antonio Meade Kuribrena is currently Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico. Born in Mexico City, Dr. Kuribrena has a long experience in public service in Mexico.  He already served as Minister of Finance and Public Credit, Minister of Energy, Undersecretary of Revenue, Ministry of Finance and Public Credit, Chief of Staff, Ministry of Finance and Public Credit.
He also worked as Chief Executive Officer, Financiera Rural, Director General of Banking and Savings, Ministry of Finance and Public Credit, Chief Executive Officer, BANRURAL Banco Nacional de Crédito Rural, S.N.C. – National Bank for Rural Credit), Deputy Secretary of Bank Savings Protection, IPAB (Instituto para la Protección al Ahorro Bancario – Institute for the Protection of Bank Savings) and Director General of Financial Planning, National Commission for the Retirement Savings System (CONSAR). Jose Antonio Meade Kuribrena holds BA in economics from Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México and  law degree from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. He also holds Ph.D. in economics from Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
CHAIR
 T N Ninan 09-10-14T. N. Ninan, Chairman, Ananta Aspen Centre and Chairman, Business Standard Ltd.
T. N. Ninan is currently Chairman of Business Standard Ltd. and the Chairman of the Ananta Aspen Centre. In an illustrious career spanning a quarter-century in the media, Mr. Ninan has been at the helm of several news organisations.  He was the editor of Business Standard (also its publisher from 1996), the Economic Times and Business World, bringing about radical change and achieving rapid growth in all of them during his stewardship.
He was also the Executive Editor at India Today in the 1980s, and a television commentator on economic and business issues. Mr. Ninan has been President of the Editors Guild of India, and Chairman of the Media Committee at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). He is currently a Board member of the World Editors Forum. He is also a recipient of numerous awards, including the B.D. Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism.
Please respond by clicking one of the buttons belowYesNo

US needs to walk the talk on terrorism, rightly advise Pakistan -Opinion


From: Ashok B Sharma <ashokbsharma@gmail.com> Fri, 17 Oct ’14 8:28p
To: You and others
1 attachment
US needs to walk the talk on terrorism, rightly advise Pakistan

ASHOK B SHARMA*

Recent unprovoked firing by Pakistan at the Line of Control and as well as at the international border shows the utter helplessness and desperation on its part. The rebuff from United Nations saying that it would not interfere in dispute over Kashmir, added to its desperation. India has suspended the dialogue process as Pakistan opted to talk to Kashmiri separatists which the former said was against the spirit of the Shimla Agreement and Lahore Declaration.  Subsequently, Pakistan resorted to unprovoked firing at the border with the intention to humiliate India and to aid infiltration of terrorists. Pakistan shelling has taken toll on civilian life.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attempt to raise the Kashmir issue at the 69th session of UN General Assembly was blunted by Prime Minister Narendrabhai Damodardass Modi who said that India was prepared to engage in serious bilateral dialogue with Pakistan in a peaceful atmosphere “without the shadow of terrorism”. Pakistan should engage in bilateral dialogue with India on basis of Shimla Agreement and Lahore Declaration that does not stipulate any involvement of a third party. He cautioned Pakistan that raising Kashmir issue in UN will be of no avail.

While Modi was speaking at UNGA and discussing with Obama in White House some supporters of Kashmiri separatist organisations and Sikh separatist movement were demonstrating outside, but their numbers were far out numbered by Modi supporters.

Prime Minister Modi and President Obama signed a joint statement and a Vision Statement for US-India Strategic Partnership and both jointly wrote an editorial in Washington Post. ‘Chalein Saath Saath – Forward Together We Go’ is the clarion call jointly given by the two leaders.  Both the leaders expressed concerns over the growing threats of terrorism. But will the principle of ‘Chalein Saath Saath hold good when Al Qaida and other terrorist outfit attack India from their bases in Pakistan? Prime Minister Modi has said that terrorism in India is not home grown but it is exported.

Will US, which is seeking to rebalance in Asia Pacific and has called for ensuring peace in the region, advise Pakistan against its misadventure?

Terrorism is an issue India has repeatedly emphasised that needs concerted global attention and active participation by super power like US to fight its menace to the last. How far is US sincere in dealing with it? Will US be an active partner with India in fight against terrorism?

At the 69th session of UN General Assembly Prime Minister Modi urged for early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism and to make the global body an effective instrument to fight the destabilising acts of non-state actors. He also raised the need for reforms both in the United Nations and UN Security Council by taking into account the contemporary realties. For reforms within the UN, Modi in his meeting with the UN Secretary General Ban ki Moon, urged that he can take himself take the initiative of suggesting that countries contributing troops to UN Peace Keeping Forces should be consulted in decision making process before the matter is put up before the UNSC.

Modi’s proposal for International Yoga Day at UN received instant support from Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Yoga he said is a panacea for societal ills and can bring peace in individual and society.

Reforms in the UNSC is urgently needed to effectively deal with the contemporary situation of conflicts and threats of terrorism. The UN should be an effective body in tackling global problems. Modi castigated interested powers to forms groups like G-7, G-8 and others to deal with the problems. The UN should be G-All.

Modi’s pin-pointed reference to the discrimination between “good” and “bad” terrorists might not have been liked by the US which draws distinction between “good” Taliban and “bad” Taliban. US and NATO powers support to insurgent groups trying to topple Assad regime in Syria brings into question the sincerity of world powers in fighting the menace of terrorism. Even the support to Taliban resistance during Soviet Union’s occupation of Afghanistan was an instance of supporting terrorism to achieve political ends.

But Modi was bold in raising the question – “Are we really making concerted international efforts to fight these forces, or are we still hobbled by our politics, our divisons, our discrimination between countries, distinction between good and bad terrorists?”
In an indirect reference to Pakistan and some countries in West Asia, he said ;  “Even today, states allow terrorist sanctuaries on their territory or use terrorism as instrument of their policy.”

However, Obama has underlined the need for continued comprehensive global efforts to combat and defeat terrorism, including joint and concerted efforts to dismantle safe havens of terrorists and criminal network, disrupt all financial and tactical support for networks like Al Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, D-Company and the Haqqanis. Obama has also urged Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of the November 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai to justice. Will US really walk the talk?

India had  raised the issues of maritime security, cyber security, security in outer space apart from its homeland security. The 2005 Framework for the US-India Defence Relationship was renewed for next 10 years and both the countries agreed to reinvigorate the political-military dialogue and expand its role to serve as a wider dialogue on export licencing, defence and strategic cooperation. It has been decided to set up a Task Force to expeditiously evaluate and decide on unique projects and technologies aimed at enhancing India’s defence industry and military capabilities. US agreed to cooperate in setting up of National Defence University in India. Both US and India agreed to upgrade the existing bilateral Malabar naval exercise. Expressing concern over the rise of China in Asia-Pacific, both India and US, India and US agreed to work closely with countries in the region through consultations, dialogues and joint exercises. India-Japan-US trilateral will be raised to the level of foreign ministers.

However, playing to Modi’s homeland security concerns, Obama pledged to help India counter the threat of improvised explosive devices with information and technology. India is eager to purchase US-made mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles.

Modi’s plan to give visa-on-arrival to US citizens came cause problems.  If persons like David Hadley would decide to visit India what would the government do?

After the success of India’s Mars Mission, NASA-ISRO Mars Joint Working Group has been set up under US-India Civil Space Joint Working Group. Besides there are other agreements like setting up of India-US Investment Initiative, Infrastructure Collaboration Platform, development of Ajmer, Vishakhapatnam, and Allahabad as smart cities by US industry as lead partner, support to 500 Cities National Urban Development Mission and Clean India Campaign, modernizing Indian railways, skill development and reinvigorating the higher education dialogue. But all said US can do best for India by walking the talk in fight against terrorism.

(*The writer is a senior Columnist writing on strategic and policy issues in several national and international newspapers and magazines. He can be reached at ashokbsharma@gmail.com His mobile phone no 09810902204)

No comments:

Post a Comment