Excelsior... Nation

IOR-ARC will seek concerted efforts to combat piracy, boost trade ........

Kin demands fresh probe into Netaji’s death........

Maya’s promises mere election stunts: Rajnath........

India submits CWG legacy report to CGF............

India developing UAV similar to American Predator drone

BANGALORE, Nov 14: India is developing an umanned aerial vehicle (UAV) similar to American Predator drones with an investment of Rs 1,500 crore and planning an unmanned combat vehicles, a key official involved in the project said today.

UAV Rustom-2 project is spread over 66 months, Director of Bangalore-based Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) laboratory, P S Krishnan, told PTI here.

Rustom-2 would have a wing-span of 21-odd metres and an endurance of 24-hours-plus, as against seven-odd metres and 12-15 hours of Rustom-1, which has already completed five flights. ADE is the nodal lab for these projects.

Rustom-2 would have new payloads such as synthetic aperture radar, maritime patrol radar and collision avoidance system, among others, he said.

"With its capability and the amount of payload it can carry, it (Rustom-2) compares well with (American) Predator (drones) and other class of vehicles," Krishnan said.

The Predator is a nickname given to one in a series of UAVs, or pilotless drones, operated by the Pentagon, the CIA and, increasingly, other agencies of the US federal government such as the border patrol.

Asked if India is also developing unmanned aerial combat vehicles, he said "we are thinking of that one. Some plans will be there".

Meanwhile, Rustom-1, the Medium Altitude Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (MALE - UAV), would be integrated with payloads by next month, Krishnan said.

"We have demonstrated all the flying characteristics of the Rustom more or less in the final form".

Krishnan said the Indian Army is keenly watching the developments of Rustom-1, which has the potential military missions like reconnaissance and surveillance, target acquisition, target designation, communications relay, battle damage assessment and signal intelligence.

India has also started working on solar-power UAVs but is still at the R&D stage.

DRDO’s Chief Controller (Aero), A Subhananda Rao, said this solar-powered UAV would have an endurance of "almost one week".

"Solar power will have to be harnessed and energy converters of higher efficiency will have to be designed," Rao told reporters.

"Lot of technological challenges are there. But definitely we will be getting into that. We are making a case for project sanction", he added (PTI)

Anna’s ex-blogger to make public
Gandhian’s unpublished letter

NEW DELHI, Nov 14: Continuing his fight against Team Anna members, Anna Hazare’s former blogger Raju Parulekar today said he will soon make public an unpublished letter by the Gandhian which "proves" that he was fed up with the hidden personal agenda of four or five people of his Core Committee.

"I will produce Annaji’s handwritten and signed letter which he wanted me to upload on his blog which describes that he wants impersonal connect with the nation.

"Indirectly, this proves that Annaji is fed up of the 4-5 people for their personal interference and hidden personal agenda," Parulekar said in his latest blog posting.

In an earlier blog also, he had mentioned about the blog which he did not upload after being dictated by Hazare. Parulekar had named Arvind Kejriwal, Prashant Bhushan, Kiran Bedi and Manish Sisodia as a ‘gang of four’ whom Hazare wanted to remove from the team.

Referring to Hazare’s announcement about restructuring the Core Committee, he said, "What I had said then holds merit as Annaji himself announced to the world his plans of re-structuring the Core Committee."

Parulekar fell out with Hazare after the activist distanced himself from his claim on restructuring the Core Committee, saying the blogger was talking in air and he never discussed this issue with him.

He also quoted reports in the Marathi press that "Annaji fought with Kejriwal and Bhushan in favour of re-structuring of pan-Indian organisation in a close-door meeting held at Ralegan Siddhi.

"How an opportunist takes advantage of a situation can be seen from these newspaper reports. Kejariwal and Bhushan asked Annaji to appeal for personal security for themselves (Kejriwal and Bhushan) but Annaji said ‘non-violent satyagrahis should not expect such privileges.

"Ultimately these two want Annaji to come to Delhi and stay there (to control and, of course pressurise him) to which Annaji refused," he said.

Kejriwal could not be reached for comments. (PTI)

Black money issue should be
debated in Parliament: Advani

JALANDHAR, Nov 14: Former Deputy Prime Minister and senior BJP leader Lal Krishan Advani today said that the issue of black money, which is estimated to be over Rs 250 lakh crores stashed in foreign banks should be debated in Parliament.

Addressing a rally of party workers at Chaugitti chowk here during his Jan Chetna Yatra while passing through Jalandhar, Mr Advani said that the issues of inflation and corruption had been debated but the issue of black money needs to be debated in Parliament for which the BJP will move a notice on the very first day of the winter session commencing on November 22.

He said the black money stashed in foreign banks should be brought back to India. Foreign countries including France and Switzerland have provided vital information about the foreign accounts of Indians in their banks. Now the ball is in the court of the government to bring the black money back to India.

The BJP leader said that if this money was brought to India and is utilised for the development of infrastructure, basic amenities, health and education besides the facelift of rural areas, no one will remain poor.

Lambasting the UPA government for its failure in controlling inflation and corruption, the BJP stalwart held responsible the economic policies of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

He said the Prime Minister cannot shed his responsibilities on both the issues of corruption and inflation merely lamenting that the people have become prosperous and the poor are taking more meals.

He said that the government was in hurry to take credit for the increase in GDP abbreviations of which have changed from Gross Domestic Growth to that of Gas, Diesel and Petrol. He said that the prices of all these petroleum products in the international market are declining, but in India, the prices of these products are inflating with every passing day .

Mr Advani said that corruption and inflation were inter linked and inter dependent, which are to be dealt with firm hands strong willpower and unfortunately both these elements are missing in Prime Minister Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

He was accompanied by other BJP leaders including Ananth Kumar, Ravi Shankar Parsad, Shanta Kumar and Punjab BJP chief Ashwini Sharma.(UNI)

Rahul launches campaign for UP polls with rally at Phulpur

PHULPUR, UP, Nov 14: Launching Congress party’s election campaign symbolically from late Jawaharlal Nehru’s constituency, Rahul Gandhi today unleashed a scathing attack on Mayawati government calling it "corrupt and insensitive".

He also accused the BSP government of diverting funds given by the Centre for development schemes which he alleged went to the pockets ruling party workers and contractors.

"Uttar Pradesh has been going backwards. Nehru was an MP from here but mafia and criminals are MPs from here these days," Gandhi said addressing a Congress rally marking 123rd birth anniversary of the first Prime Minister of India.

"There has been no progress in this state. I have been in politics for seven years. In these years, I have learnt the most from the people of Uttar Pradesh," he said.

"The government in Delhi made MNREGA which says every individual should get work. But in Bundelkhand, it was not the case.... Crores of rupees which we sent vanished....The BSP workers, contractors profited from them while the poor were left gaping," he said.

"People from UP are much sought after in other states like Maharashtra and Punjab for their hard work. But, ironically, their own state is languishing in abject poverty", he said.

Attacking the police administration, he said in Mulayam Singh Yadav’s tenure, police stations were virtually run by goondas and when people went to lodge FIRs, counter cases were slapped on them.

"Even under the present regime, people cannot get FIRs lodged unless they greased the palms of police officials. There is corruption everywhere. If you want to lodge an FIR, you have to pay money. If your daughter is raped and if you don’t have money, then you cannot lodge an FIR," he said.

Gandhi claimed he had got a package of Rs 3,000 crore for weavers of Aligarh but the money did not go into the hands of the people.

"The weavers came to us and said the money you are sending is not reaching us...So we made changes and the money now goes into the bank accounts of the weavers," he said.

The 40-year-old MP from Amethi said a leader can understand the plight of the poor only when one visits the people and shares meals with them.

"The people of Uttar Pradesh have taught me that to become a leader one has to go to the people.... Till a leader does not eat in a poor man’s house, he cannot understand the problems of the poor.... Till he does not get an upset stomach, does not fall ill, he does not understand poverty," Gandhi said.

In a scathing attack on the Mayawati government for misuse of central development funds and corruption, he said he took up the case of Bundelkhand with the Centre which gave the region a special package of Rs 7,000 crore but it did not result on any tangible work on ground.

"The Chief Minister toured various parts of the state, but did not care to go to the area reeling under severe drought", Gandhi alleged.

"Another package of Rs 3,000 crore was sanctioned for weavers but they were apprehensive that the money would be swallowed up by the corrupt as their committees constituted by governments did not have proper representative character", Gandhi said. (PTI)

India-UK to strengthen coperation in S&T

NEW DELHI, Nov 14: India and the United Kingdom today resolved to strengthen bilateral relations in the field of science and technology, including exchange of information in civil nuclear technology.

This was decided at a meeting between the UK’s Minister of State for Universities and Sciences David Willetts and Minister of State for Science & Technology and Planning Ashwani Kumar here.

"We have identified certain important areas such as advanced manufacturing, smart grid, food security, oceaneography, advanced weather forecasting where we believe we can work together very closely," Willetts told reporters after the meeting.

He said the India-UK Council on Science and Technology will hold the next meeting in London in February 2012.

"There are some crucial areas in which our two countries can cooperate. There is already great cooperation between the two countries with 80 million pound dedicated to joint research and our aim is to enhance it further," Willetts said.

Asked about prospects of cooperation and information in civil nuclear technology, the British minister said "this is an area where we have some expertise. This is an area where we have agreed to consider further cooperation."

Kumar, on his part, said the February meeting is expected to further firm up the implementation process and funding of for joint research.

"The nuclear safety issues which are paramount in our country today, as indeed in the rest of the world, could be the subject matter of a very useful scientific and technological collaboration. The safety issues are what we really focussed on," he said.

The British minister said his country is also looking at exploring the possibility of mutual accreditation for students in research projects by universities in the UK and India.

Under this, students who undertake a part of their research in an Indian university and the remaining in a British university would be granted degree jointly by both the institutes. (PTI)

Cong MPs to take up Telangana issue with Sonia

HYDERABAD, Nov 14: Stating that party president Sonia Gandhi was their ‘last hope’ to resolve the Telangana issue, Congress MPs from the region today decided to seek her intervention and also raise their demand in the winter session of Parliament.

The MPs met here today in the wake of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s recent comments that he would favour a consensus on the issue of statehood for Telangana.

"We will immediately take up this issue with our president Sonia Gandhi, our last hope. Many times she has changed decisions taken by the UPA government...Whether it is Food Security Bill, NREGA, Right to Information Act etc. Many times, at her insistence, the UPA government changed its views," Congress MP Madhu Yashki Goud told reporters here after a meeting of Telangana Congress MPs.

"It is the only state left in south India where Congress is in power on its own. We will tell her that it is our party’s commitment and government’s commitment to create a separate state. We understand their difficulties in creating a separate state. But those difficulties can be overcome by deciding in favour of separate state," he said adding the Telangana people are feeling betrayed over the statement of the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had said last week that "Telangana is a complicated matter and we are trying to evolve a consensus where all shades of public opinion would agree that what is being done is in interest of each and everyone. We cannot solve the problem by agreeing to Telangana while there is disquiet and unrest in other regions of Andhra Pradesh..."

Noting that the MPs would not insist with the Lok Sabha Speaker to accept their resignations submitted earlier, Goud said they would attend the winter session of Parliament to raise the demand for separate Telangana.

Asked about reports that some Congress MPs may quit the party and join TRS, Goud said the party leaders in Telangana are concerned over formation of a separate state and their own political future.

"Three Congress MLAs quit the party and joined TRS. This had never happened. This is creating a real concern among the Congress MPs and MLAs about their future. There is a thinking that it is only TRS which people are trusting and if we don’t join that party, the dream of separate state may not be achieved. Some of the MPs are planning..., this is the news coming up," Madhu Yashki Goud said.

He said efforts are being made to hold back Congress leaders and not let them quit the party in the event of an unfavourable decision on the statehood demand.

"Today we had a meeting. We still have hope in Sonia Gandhiji. We hope she will intervene and prevail on the government to take a decision in favour of Telangana. If not, we will try to hold back many of our colleagues... From leaving the party," he said. (PTI)

Illustrated guidebook on
Humayun’s Tomb on Children’s Day

NEW DELHI, Nov 14: The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) today came out with a guide replete with colourful illustrations and fun facts on the Humayun’s Tomb on the occasion of Children’s Day to generate interest among young readers in history.

Written in a story format along with graphics, the first-ever site specific book explains how the 450-year-old monument was built. Maps showing the layout of the tomb premises and other important monuments in the city aim to inform and entertain young readers.

Readers will also be delighted to know interesting little known facts about the World Heritage Site, such as the choice of location of the tomb was based on its proximity to the Dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya.

Published by the ASI in collaboration with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), the release of the book also marks 150 years of the existence of ASI.

Releasing the book in the Humayun’s Tomb premises today, Culture Minister Kumari Selja said, "In school, history was the most boring subject for most of us. With initiatives like these, and guided tours at heritage locations, I hope children will learn and enjoy, as well as feel proud of their cultural heritage."

Selja said the ASI will give 1000 copies of the guidebook to MCD for free distribution among children of its schools in Delhi.

Academician Dr Narayani Gupta has written the book, while illustrations have been provided by Anitha Balachandran.

Speaking about the creative thought process behind the colourful pictures depicting the gardens surrounding the tomb and its once lavish interiors, Balachandran said, "We had to dig out miniature paintings and old photographs to see what it was really like. Based on these, I sketched the pictures, which were then coloured and scanned for the book."

Priced at Rs 50, the book will be available at the tomb, and other centres of ASI in Hindi and English. Over 30,000 copies of the book have been published.

"Over 3,00,000 school children visit the Humayun’s Tomb every year. This book will give a deeper understanding about the monument and its history," Ratish Nanda, Project Director, AKTC said.

Director General of ASI, Dr Gautam Sengupta said, "This book is the first in a series planned as part of celebration of ASI’s 150 years of existence. The next one will be about a heritage site near Chennai." (PTI)

Make public Vahanvati’s advice to Raja: CIC

NEW DELHI, Nov 14: The Central Information Commission today directed the Telecom Ministry to make public advice tendered by the then Solicitor General Goolam E Vahanvati to A Raja, who was the Telecom Minister, on 2G spectrum issues in 2007.

The information sought by S C Agrawal under the transparency law was refused by the Department of Legal Affairs citing exemption clause of "fiduciary relationship" under the Right to Information Act.

During the hearing, the department cited a previous order and claimed that since the information was given to Telecom Department, they will be in the best position to disclose the advise given by Vahanvati.

Agreeing with the view, Information Commissioner Sushma Singh directed the Law Ministry to transfer the application to Telecom Department and also directed the latter to make public the advice once the application is received by them.

Raja had allegedly cited the discussion with Vahanvati to press his point before the Prime Minister to go ahead with spectrum allocation as against the advice of the Prime Minister asking him to wait for some days before taking any action on the issue.

Raja, on December 26, 2007, had written to the Prime Minister saying, "I have already consulted the External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Solicitor General of India G E Vahanvati and they have advised me that as a preemptive and proactive measure, I can go ahead with the allocation of 2G spectrum space immediately."

Raja, who has been arrested by the CBI in connection with the 2G spectrum scam, had written the letter in response to Prime Minister’s communique to him asking him to wait for some days before taking any action on spectrum allocation. (PTI)

IOR-ARC will seek concerted
efforts to combat piracy, boost trade

BANGALORE, Nov 14: Countries in the Indian Ocean Rim will make concerted efforts to combat the growing menace of piracy besides enhancing trade and business in the region at the 11th Council of ministers meeting of Indian Ocean Rim-Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) to be held here tomorrow.

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, who will be taking over the chair of IOR-ARC tomorrow told newspersons here that the Indian Ocean Rim countries are concerned over the growing menace which is impacting the region and efforts would be made to arrive at a consensus to tackle the increasing menace.

With a membership of 18 countries of the region on a voluntary basis the IOR-ARC is attempting to enlarge its scope and tap the significant potential the region plays in the geo political scenario, he said adding that it was necessary for all the countries of the region to make more efforts to understand the dynamics of the situation of the Indian Ocean and provide a political networking platform to enhance relationships.

There was also a crying need to leap frog in economic and cultural activities of the region.

Mr Krishna who has been having bilateral talks with ministers of various countries of the region singled out piracy as top most on the agenda of the meeting tomorrow and said "piracy is becoming a global scourge and it was necessary for all the countries involved to make collective efforts and draw up strategy to fight it".

He said "Piracy can’t be fought by a single country".

Mr Krishna said the ministers participating in tomorrow’s meeting shall also be highlighting the need for enlarging business and trade relations among the region countries with specific attention to capacity building, dissemination of information and promoting tourism and cultural exchanges.

Asked about the threat of growing hegemony of China with some of the small nations in the Indian Ocean region, he said "India had cordial relationship with China. We will continue to keep that alive".

Mr Krishna said that efforts should be made to ensure that the ocean ways are more beneficial to the countries of the region and trade should not be hampered by compartmentalising the oceans.

Commenting on terrorism, Mr Krishna said terrorism continues to be an issue which disrupted a nation both economically and politically. It was necessary to work with like minded countries to counter terrorism.

Foreign Secretary Sudhir Vyas who briefed about the proceedings of the meetings so far said that the member countries were looking forward for enhancing the multilateral relations in the region.

Mr Vyas said a number of meetings relating to academics, trade and business relations were held in the city since November 9. Senior officials of the member countries have been engaged over the last couple of days in drawing up details of the agenda for the council of ministers meeting so that a policy decision could be taken tomorrow.

The meeting would come out with a Bangalore Declaration at the culmination of the discussions.

Mr Vyas said the prime areas of discussion would be maritime security, cooperation to combat natural calamities such as Tsunami, Fisheries improvement, Science and Technology cooperation and improving economic trade relations.

He said Six cabinet Ministers, Six ministers of state and officials from seven countries would be participating in the meeting.

India would be chairing IOR-ARC over the next two years and it would be followed by Australia and Indonesia. (UNI)

Kin demands fresh probe into Netaji’s death

CUTTACK, Nov 14: After the Forward Bloc expressed annoyance at a book published by Lok Sabha Secretariat which stated that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose died on August 18, 1945, his grandson Chandra Kumar Bose has demanded that the mystery behind his disappearance be probed afresh.

Son of Netaji’s elder brother’s son, Chandra Kumar, suggested that more research be done to unravel the mystery.

He also expressed displeasure over the rejection of the Justice Manoj Mukherjee Commission report by the Centre in 2006.

Justice Mukherjee, a former judge of Supreme Court, was asked in 1999 to find out whether Netaji was dead or alive; if dead, whether he died in the plane crash on August 18, 1945 over Taiwan; whether the ashes in a Japanese temple were his ashes; and to ascertain if he died in any other manner at any other place and if so, when and how.

Justice Mukherjee in his report had clearly stated that Netaji did not die in the plane crash, and the ashes in a Japanese temple were not his.

"Unfortunately, Justice Mukherjee could not get the required documents to do more research to find out what happened after 18 August 1945," Chandra Kumar who visited the ancestral house of Netaji here at Odia Bazar yesterday and paid tributes to the celebrated leader, said.

"So I feel there has to be some fresh research. May be a Commission of enquiry.... Or an independent enquiry should be done to find out the truth," Kumar said.

Netaji’s ancestral two-storied house has been made a national museum.

Like the reports of two previous Commissions of enquiry the Shah Nawaz Commission and the Khosla Commission, the Mukherjee Commission report entered into controversies and the findings were not accepted by the government.

Earlier, on October 17 in Kolkata, Forward Bloc general secretary Ashok Ghosh had questioned the booklet released by the Lok sabha on national leaders saying that they had no right to write that Netaji had died on August 18, 1945, when the government of Taiwan held that there was no such crash.

He had also said that the report of Justice Manoj Mukherjee, which found no evidence of Netaji’s death, should be accepted by Parliament. (PTI)

Maya’s promises mere election stunts: Rajnath

DEORIA, UP, Nov 14: Former BJP president Rajnath Singh today said Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati’s recent statements favouring reservation for the poor among the upper castes and Muslims were mere "election stunts".

"She has been in power for the past four years and took no concrete steps in this regard but now ahead of the Assembly election, she is writing letters to the Prime Minister demanding quotas for different sections of society just to gain electoral advantage," he told reporters here.

"If Mayawati is really serious in providing reservation to different sections, she should tell us how these castes will be adjusted and whose quota will be decreased to accommodate them," Singh, here in connection with his Jan Swabhiman Yatra, said.

Her recent statements advocating reservation for the poor among the upper castes and Muslims were only "election stunts", the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said.

Alleging that Mayawati had come to power in the 2007 election by making false promises, Singh said "she is again out to woo people with promises which she has no intention of fulfilling." (PTI)

India submits CWG legacy report to CGF

NEW DELHI, Nov 14: India has submitted a dossier on the Commonwealth Games held here to the CWG Federation at St Kitts in Caribbean Islands outlining the whole process of planning and execution of the sporting event.

The legacy report of the mega sporting held here between October 3-14 last year was submitted by the CWG Organising Committee Chief Executive officer and Chairman Jarnail Singh.

"We have submitted ‘Delhi 2010 Post Games Report’ to the CGF on November nine," Singh told.

He said that the members of the 71-member CGF appreciated the conduct of the Games in the national capital.

The 171-page report provides a summary of the planning and execution endeavours that went into holding the largest multi-sport maiden event hosted by India.

However, it does not carry detail of scams and financial irregularities allegedly involving jailed former OC chairman Suresh Kalmadi and Secretary General Lalit Bhanot.

"It is an internal matter. Why should it be discussed," Singh said without elaborating when asked whether the issues related to financial irregularities came up during the meeting at the Caribbean Islands.

The names of Kalmadi and Bhanot among others figured in the report as part of the 19-member Executive Board set up for the Games.

The report, a copy of which is with PTI, has suggested that accounts and finance should be handled by professionally qualified people of high integrity, implying that the OC accounts for the 2010 Games could have been better managed.

As per the host city contract, India was to give a detailed report in both print and electronic format to the CGF of all activities related to the sporting extravaganza and on how to improve conduct of such events in future.

"We have completed all our obligation under the host city contract. The CGF expressed happiness over our efforts," the OC chief said.

The CGF is an association of independent sovereign states spread over the globe and responsible for direction and control of the Commonwealth Games held once in every four years.

"The XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi can be credited with having further accelerated Delhi’s development into a world class city.

"New stadia, world class urban development, thousands of experienced and motivated youth, a growth in environmental awareness and sporting interest,the introduction of high definition television broadcasts,a glittering new airport, and overall, a vindication that the nation is truly on the road to development and prosperity!," the report said.

The 12-day sporting event was marred by the series of financial and managerial irregularities by different government departments.

CBI has arrested Kalmadi and Bhanot among others for their alleged involvement in irregularities in executing Games related works. Besides CBI, other agencies like Central Vigilance Commission, Income Tax department and Enforcement Directorate are also investigating Games related irregularities. (PTI)