WASHINGTON, Feb 27:

Former Republican senator Chuck Hagel was today sworn-in as the new US Defence Secretary, in the midst of a controversy over his remarks that India “financed problems” for Pakistan in Afghanistan.

66-year-old Hagel, a Vietnam war veteran, was confirmed by the Senate yesterday after a bruising confirmation hearing.

Senators voted 58-41 to approve Hagel, ending a long and acrimonious nomination process and clearing President Barack Obama’s choice for the top post held by Leon Panetta.

Sworn in by the Director of Administration and Management Michael L Rhodes, Hagel took the oath of office in a private ceremony attended by family members and his immediate office staff.

Hagel’s confirmation comes as a great relief for the Obama Administration as his nomination was held up for weeks and the Democrats and the White House had to do a tough convincing act to get him approved by the Senate.

Several Republican Senators are said to have voted in favour of Hagel despite their reservations over his past statements and votes. They argued that he was too critical of Israel and too compromising with Iran.

Republicans have also been irked by Hagel’s views on NATO as he had in a speech questioned the utility and relevance of the US-led force.

Hagel will replace incumbent Panetta at a time when the department is faced with multiple challenges including defence budget cuts, rapidly changing developments in the Middle East, increasing threat from North Korea besides the scheduled withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan in 2014.

Welcoming the confirmation, President Obama said Hagel is the kind of Defence Secretary America needs.

“With the bipartisan confirmation of Chuck Hagel as our next Secretary of Defence, we will have the defense secretary our nation needs and the leader our troops deserve,” he said.

In a statement, Obama said he will be counting on Hagel’s judgment and counsel as the US ends the war in Afghanistan, bring troops home, stay ready to meet the threats of the time and keep the military the finest fighting force in the world.

Hagel’s confirmation comes a day after a video containing his remarks surfaced in which he claimed, “India for some time has always used Afghanistan as a second front, and India has over the years financed problems for Pakistan on that side of the border”.

Reacting to this, the Indian Embassy here said, “Such comments attributed to Senator Hagel, who has been a long- standing friend of India and a prominent votary of close India-US relations are contrary to the reality of India’s unbounded dedication to the welfare of Afghan people”.

The Embassy said Hagel’s remarks are in sharp contrast to viewpoint of Obama Administration that has always been in praise of India’s developmental role in Afghanistan and in fact has been pressing New Delhi to do more in Afghanistan.

“India’s development assistance has been deeply appreciated by the people and the Government of Afghanistan, and by our friends around the world including the US. We do not view our engagement with Afghanistan as a zero sum game,” it said.

Obama nominated Hagel on January 7. Hagel testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on January 30, and the committee recommended him for confirmation to the full Senate on February 12.

Hagel earned two Purple Hearts during service as an Army sergeant and served as senator from Nebraska from 1997 to 2009.

“From the moment he volunteered for military service in Vietnam, Chuck has devoted his life to keeping America secure and our armed forces strong. An American patriot who fought and bled for our country, he understands our sacred obligations to our service members, military families and veterans,” Obama said in the statement.

“Most of all, I am grateful to Chuck for reminding us that when it comes to our national defence, we are not Democrats or Republicans, we are Americans, and our greatest responsibility is the security of the American people,” he said.

Vice President Joe Biden said Hagel’s talent and dedication to the country are clear wherever he is.

“He feels a deep commitment to our men and women in uniform, and as the head of the Pentagon I know their interests will always be close to his heart. Most importantly, I know the President will be able to rely on Chuck’s sound, unvarnished judgment on any issue where our troops are involved. For that and many more reasons, I’m looking forward to working with Secretary Hagel,” he said.

Following the confirmation vote in the Senate, Hagel has received congratulatory phone calls from Panetta, congressional leaders.

“In his conversation with Secretary Shinseki (Eric Shinseki), the Senator indicated his desire to meet as soon as possible to continue and deepen the strong partnership between the Department of Defence and the Department of Veterans Affairs on common priorities for serving our troops, veterans, and military families,” Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said. (AGENCIES)

JAMMU : The State will soon have a solar power policy with the government turning its focus towards green energy sources, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said today.
“The interest of investors in the New and Renewable Energy (N&RE) sector is highly encouraging and it will get a further boost through the State Solar Power Policy, which is in the offing,” the chief minister said during a presentation on the solar power potential in the Ladakh and Jammu regions of the State at a meeting chaired by him.
Omar said that harnessing of green energy in the State had received a fillip under his government with the generation of solar, thermal and wind power now getting due attention along with plans for hydroelectric projects.
He said that while the State Power Development Corporation was working on medium and mega hydroelectric projects, the department of science and technology was looking after the implementation of micro-power projects, including those in the N&RE sector.
“The target before the Government is to transform the State from an energy deficit State to a power sufficient one in seven to 10 years,” Omar said, adding that projects under Joint Venture, IPP and PPP mode which have already been approved by the Government would augment the indigenous production of hydroelectric power in the State.
The meeting discussed how Ladakh region’s solar power generation potential was estimated at 12,000 MWs and also dealt with proposals for new solar power projects in the Jammu region. (AGENCIES)

NEW DELHI, Feb 27: A Delhi court today allowed a plea of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) seeking handwriting sample of Wasim Akram Malik, who is facing trial in the September 2011 Delhi High Court blast case.
During an in-chamber hearing, district judge I S Mehta directed Malik to give his handwriting sample before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Gautam Manan, court sources said.
The NIA had sought the sample saying it has recovered some documents from the possession of co-accused Shakir Hussain Sheikh alias Chota Hafiz, who was killed in an encounter with security forces on December 20 last year in Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir, they said.
The agency had told the court that it needs to ascertain whether the recovered documents contain handwriting of Malik or not.
According to NIA, Sheikh, who was named as accused in the charge sheet and was absconding, was killed in an encounter and the judge abated proceedings against him.
Meanwhile, the court listed for hearing on March 12 the matter related to framing of additional charge of waging war against India against Malik for his alleged role in the September 7, 2011 terror attack at the court’s reception in which 15 people were killed and 79 injured.
The trial judge had earlier declined the NIA’s plea to prosecute Malik under the stringent charge which entails maximum punishment of death penalty, but the high court had ruled otherwise.
The Delhi High Court had passed an order on December 3 last year ordering the trial court to frame charges of waging war against the country against Malik, who is currently in jail under judicial custody. (AGENCIES)

JAMMU: The nearly month-long budget session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislature, beginning tomorrow, is likely to be a stormy affair with the Opposition all set to corner the NC-led government on a host of issues including Afzal Guru’s hanging and killing of sarpanchs.
The 26-day-long session will commence with Governor N N Vohra’s address to the joint sitting of both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislaive Council.
The opposition parties are gearing themselves to put the Omar Abdullah government on the mat on Guru’s execution, the killings of sarpanches, the proposed police reforms bill and a number of other issues.
The PDP, which has been demanding return of Guru’s mortal remains to his family, is all set to raise the issue in the Assembly but may face opposition from the BJP.
The BJP Legislature Party Leader Ashok Khajuria said his party will vehemently oppose raising of the Afzal Guru issue as it feels the government has done the right thing.
“We will raise issues related to west Pakistani refugees, PoK refugees and border dwellers apart from empowerment of the Panchayats in the state,” he said.
The Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) has threatened to launch a protest demonstration outside the Assembly tomorrow in support of the demands of migrants from Jammu region.
The Annual Financial Statements of Expenditure for the year 2012-13 will be presented on March 6, Mohammad Ramzan, J&K Legislative Secretary, told.
“53 Legislators have filed 531 starred and 471 un-starred questions. There are 68 resolutions moved by 21 members,” he said.
Apart from this, there is a total number of 60 private members bills, out of which three are for consideration and passing, Ramzan said. (AGENCIES)

NEW DELHI : Against the backdrop of December 16 Delhi gangrape, a Parliamentary panel has recommended that mercy petitions should generally not be considered in cases of rape and murder and reasons for any grant of pardon should be made public.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home, while suggesting changes to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2012, felt that discretionary power to grant clemency should be used judiciously, particularly in cases when the courts at the higher levels have upheld death sentence.
Though the issue of clemency was not part of its mandate, the panel made suggestions after some members raised the matter, sources said.
The committee, in its report adopted yesterday, felt that application for clemency should generally not be considered in rape and murder cases. The committee also felt that mercy petitions should be disposed of expeditiously.
Under the Constitution, the President’s clemency powers can only be exercised under the advice of the government.
Article 72 gives power to the President to grant pardons, and to suspend, remit or commute sentences in certain cases.
“The President shall have the power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites or remissions of punishment or to suspend, remit or commute the sentence of any person convicted of any offence,” the Article says.
The recommendation assumes significance as it comes against the backdrop of demands for death penalty for the rapists of a 23-year-old girl in Delhi on December 16, last year. The girl, a paramedic, was raped and brutally assaulted by six persons in a moving bus, because of which she died 16 days later.
The committee also wanted that the reasons for granting clemency should also be made public as in the case of awarding death sentence by courts which is open for public scrutiny. (AGENCIES)

NEW DELHI :  Government has no plan to withdraw the Army from Jammu and Kashmir as security forces are deployed according to the overall security situation, Rajya Sabha was informed today.
“No, sir. There is no move to withdraw the Army from Jammu and Kashmir,” Minister of State for Home R P N Singh said, replying to a question on whether government was contemplating to withdraw the army from the border state.
The Minister said the deployment of security forces at any point of time is a matter of review of the threat perception at the highest operational levels in the Central and state governments.
Singh said the quantum of security forces and its deployment would vary according to the overall security situation.
“The government of India is always open to talk to all groups of different shades of opinion, including the separatists who eschew the path of violence,” he said. (AGENCIES)

NEW DELHI :  Vigil along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir has been stepped up following last month’s ambush by Pakistani Army on Indian troops in which two jawans were killed, government told the Rajya Sabha today.
“On Jan 8, a Pak Border Action Team ambushed our patrol party in Krishna Ghati, Mendhar Sector in which Lance Naik Sudhakar Singh and Lance Naik Hemraj were killed. Lance Naik Hemraj was found beheaded and both bodies were mutilated,” Defence Minister A K Antony said.
In a written reply, he said that the weapons of the two jawans were also taken by Pakistani Army.
On whether Government has taken up the issue with their Pakistani counterpart, Antony said a Brigade-level Flag Meeting of both the sides was held on Jan 14.
“The issue was protested through the DGMO talks on Jan 9 and 16, Brigade Commander-level Flag Meeting at Chakan Da Bagh on Jan 14 and hotline messages at the local levels,” he said.
The issue was also taken up with Pakistan through diplomatic channels.
Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai had summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Salman Bashir on Jan 9 and lodged a strong protest on the actions of the Pakistan Army.
He also conveyed that barbaric acts of mutilation of the bodies of our soldiers is unacceptable and against the ethos of soldiering, Antony said.
On efforts taken made by India to ensure that such incidents do not happen in future, he said, “Heightened vigil is being maintained along the Line of Control in J&K and surveillance, including human intelligence and technical intelligence, has been further enhanced.”
To another question, Antony said that 93 ceasefire violations have been reported along the LoC by Pakistan in year 2012. (AGENCIES)

SRINAGAR/JAMMU :  Heavy snowfall has shut the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway for traffic, leaving over 150 vehicles stranded today, meanwhile  the summer capital, Srinagar, turned white due to fresh snowfall early this morning while heavy to very heavy snowfall was being experienced in the upper reaches since last night..
The highway has been closed following heavy snowfall in Patnitop and Jawahir tunnel areas and mudslides in other places, police said.
Due to closure of the highway, over 150 vehicles have been stranded at various places.
The men and machines of Border Road Organisation (BRO) have started clearing operation but continuous snowfall is making the task difficult.
According to Met department spokesman, the weather will improve from tonight in the region, where a Western Disturbance (WD) was active since yesterday.
Roof and tree tops, open fields and electric poles had turned white when people woke up here this morning.
After heavy rains during the night, snowfall started this morning, resulting in drop in the temperature.
However, snowfall followed by rains, disrupting normal life as all roads were waterlodged due to overflowing drains.
The pedestrian and traffic movement was disrupted due to faulty drainage system and damaged roads in almost all parts of the city.
Met spokesman said that  due to rains and snowfall, the minimum temperature in Srinagar dropped to 0.2 degree, a notch below normal and four degree colder than yesterday’s 4.4 degrees.
On the upper reaches of the Kashmir valley, particularly in Pirpanchal range, including Srinagar-Jammu national highway, moderate to very heavy snowfall was recorded since last night.
The Holy Amarnath cave shrine and its periphery received several feet fresh snowfall since yesterday while it was still snowing. Sheshnag, Mahaguns, Pisso top, Panjterni and Chandanwari, the last motorable halting station on traditional Pahalgam yatra route also received moderate to heavy snowfall. Though the minimum temperature dropped slightly at Pahalgam but it was still five notches above  normal.
Mughal road, Shopian, Kulgam and other heights in south Kashmir also received fresh snowfall, disrupting normal life and traffic movement.
The world famous ski resort of Gulmarg also received fresh snowfall on ski slopes, which are already under more than three feet of snow, attracting skiers, adventure lovers and tourists from different parts of the country and abroad.
The upper heights, including Khilanmarg, Kongdori and Afarwat, the highest ski point, connected by cable car, also received moderate to heavy snowfall resulting in one degree drop in the minimum temperature. Against yesterday’s minus five degree, it was minus 6 degree, Met spokesman said.
The night temperature in other parts of the valley, including Qazigund, gateway of Kashmir, Kokernag and Kupwara also dropped due to fresh snowfall.
Reports said that fresh snowfall was recorded at Machill, Keran, Karnah, Teetwal, Dawar and Neeru besides other areas near the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmnir.
Reports of fresh snowfall were also received from upper reaches in central Kashmir districts of Badgam and Ganderbal.
Kargil, a border town on Srinagar-Leh national highway, closed since December due to snowfall, was coldest in the Ladakh region with minus 9.2 degree minimum temperature, a drop of seven notches against yesterday when it was minus 2.6 degree.
Leh also witnessed a drop of one degree in the mininmum temperature. Against minus 2.8 degree minimum temperature yesterday, it was minus 3.6 degree, Met spokesman said. (agencies)