NEW DELHI, May 9: 16 mercy petitions have been disposed of during the last three-and-a-half years, which is more than any such period earlier, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

“This Government and the current Rashtrapatiji has disposed of more mercy petitions in three-and-a-half years than any period before,” Home Minister P Chidambaram said during Question Hour.

Noting that 16 mercy petitions, out of the cases submitted to President Pratibha Patil, have been disposed of, he said, “I cannot comment on decisions of the President.”

Chidambaram said there were two views on death sentence with a large number of countries abolishing capital punishment and an equally large number continuing to have death sentence for specified crimes.

Law in India provides for death sentence in rarest of rare cases and Law Commissions have not favoured abolition of capital punishment, he said, adding the Government has not taken any view on capital punishment that is different from what the law states.

“At the moment we are not engaged in review (of capital punishment). But time will come when we will have to take a review,” he said, pointing out that death sentence can be commuted by Constitutional authorities.

Chidambaram said the Supreme Court has interpreted provision of Section 433-A of Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, to state that prisoners undergoing life imprisonment become eligible to be considered for pre-mature release after they serve 14 years of actual imprisonment without including the period of remissions given to a convict for good conduct.

“The Supreme Court judgment has made it mandatory that all prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment should invariably undergo 14 years of actual sentence, and only on completion of 14 years of actual sentence, the prisoners would be eligible to apply for release as per remission rules of the state Government concerned,” Chidambaram said.

He said parole provisions are abused by rich and influential and in one case, the court has pulled up the state administration concerned. He did not name the state or the accused in the case.

“I agree that parole provisions are indeed abused and the rich and influential are able to abuse parole provisions,” he said, adding an advisory could be issued to states to scrupulously follow the provisions. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, May 9: Home Minister P Chidambaram today did not deny that rich and influential convicts were abusing the parole system, saying that he was considering issuing an advisory to State Governments to curb its misuse.

Replying to a supplementary during Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha about several reported instances of parole misuse even in sensational cases as reported by the media, the Minister said that he agreed that parole provisions were being abused by the rich and powerful.

Without specifying the cases, the Minister told Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad, BJP, that in these cases the courts had pulled up the State Government concerned for allowing this practice.(UNI)V

NEW DELHI, May 9: The Planning Commission is considering a proposal for listing mothers as first guardian of her children, the Lok Sabha was informed today.

Minister of State in the PMO V Narayansamy said in a written reply that the 12th Five Year Plan Working Group on Women’s Agency

and Empowerment had recommended a review of all laws to make mothers as equal guardian of her children.

The Group had also recommended that since it was the mother who

primarily looks after the children, she should be listed as the first guardian.

The panel also wanted review of all regulations and rules to ensure that the mother’s signature as a guardian was accepted in all offices, institutions.

The Minister said the Report of the Working Group had been submitted to the Planning Commission for consideration. (UNI)

NEW DELHI, May 9:Asking partymen to draw lessons from the previous polls, Congress President Sonia Gandhi today said that leaders must shed factional behaviour and fight as one disciplined team as the party braces to face a series of state elections in the coming months.

“We must all shed all manner of factional behaviour, and fight as one disciplined team at all levels. That will be the single-most important factor to decide whether we win or lose.

“People look to us—but we need to show them our commitment and our unity if we are to convert this sentiment into electoral victories,” Gandhi said addressing a meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party here, which was also attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Commenting on the elections results in the five states including Uttar Pradesh, where the party could not perform as expected, Gandhi said, “While we can take satisfaction in the fact that we returned to power in Manipur for the third time and formed the government in Uttarakhand, the results in Punjab and Goa are very disappointing.

“In Uttar Pradesh, even though we did not perform as well as we had hoped to, we increased our vote share quite considerably and were seen as a serious player for the first time in 22 years. Of course there is much work to be done there as in other states.”

The CPP meeting has come a few days after a high-power committee of the party led A K Antony that reviewed the party’s performance in the five states, submitted its report to Gandhi.

She said with a series of state elections approaching in the coming months, the partymen “must draw upon lessons of the previous polls.”

Gandhi also asked partymen to project the works of the party led government at the Centre and “expose the hollow claims of opposition-rule state governments”, adding that “mis-governance and corruption have been widespread in some of these states as revealed by CAG and Lokayukta reports”.

Gandhi said that it is particularly for the party at the state level to highlight the failures of the opposition- ruled governments.

In the backdrop of the stand off between the states and the Centre over NCTC with UPA ally Mamata Banerjee leading the charge against the government, Gandhi said, “Trust and cooperation must be the anchor Centre-state relations”.

She noted that there has been a lot of discussion in recent months on Centre-state relations.

“I would like to reiterate here we are fully committed to strengthening federalism, which is a key tenet of our party’s and UPA’s agenda. What better evidence of this can there be than the unprecedented transfers of financial assistance from the Centre to the states these past eight years,” Gandhi said.

She said that there are Centre-state issues of major national importance—such as fighting terrorism or dealing with left-wing extremism—where the “Centre cannot shirk its responsibilty”.

“In such cases, it has been our government’s endeavour to work closely with the state governments so that our national interest is protected,” Gandhi said.

Referring to the bills on food security and land acquisition, which are yet to see the light of the day, Gandhi said, “On our part, we must do all we can to ensure that the legislative process is not unduly delayed.”

While food security is the pet project of Sonia Gandhi led-National Advisory Council, Rahul Gandhi has been leading from the front for a new land bill.

The Congress President noted, “We are awaiting the standing committee reports on a number of important legislations including those on food security and land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation.” (PTI)

HYDERABAD, May 9:The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is considering a proposal to recommend recognition of the famous Lord Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati as a monument of national importance in view of its archaeological, epigraphical and historical background and cultural significance.

The proposal is being considered by the ASI and it is likely to make the recommendation to the Union Ministry of Culture, K K Sharma, Deputy Superintending Archaeologist of ASI, told.

He, however, said a timeframe cannot be put on when the proposal is likely to be made formally to the government as the process takes time.

Declaring the ancient temple, located atop the Tirumala hills, as a protected monument by the ASI would go a long way in conserving its archaeological value and heritage, Sharma said.

The matter could be expedited if the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), the governing body for the temple, agrees to the proposal for making the temple as a protected monument, he observed.

The ASI feels that dismantling of the historical thousand pillar mantapam at Tirumala and the gold-plating of the outer walls of the ‘garbha griha’, where inscriptions exist, as per the ‘Ananta Swarnamayam’ scheme are against archaeological norms.

Separately, the ASI, in an RTI reply to B K S R Ayyangar, a social activist based at Eluru in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, has favoured several steps to ensure the temple’s protection.

The petitioner had sought information over action initiated by the ASI regarding recognition of Lord Venkateswara Temple as a monument under ASI.

In the reply, the ASI said the temple may be considered for protection by ASI as a monument of national importance and also talked about dismantling of the thousand pillared mantapam as a violation.

Further, it favoured that any activity at the temple which is related to the archaeological aspect be informed to the Archaeological Survey of India and Department of Archaeology and Museums, Andhra Pradesh to review the pros and cons as well the archaeological norms thoroughly and recommend the necessary inputs for execution.

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) may provide a space for archaeology by nominating the Director General or representative of ASI and Department of Archaeology and Museums as a member in the Trust Board which takes policy decisions for the benefit of devotees and the temple to prevent any action violating archaeological/heritage norms at the policy level itself, the ASI said.

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam may provide the fund for protecting cultural heritage and monuments which are in need of attention, it said.

Observing that the temple is visited by about 50,000 devotees per day on an average and about four lakhs during festivities, the ASI commended the way TTD is dealing with all aspects of the temple administration.

It is necessary to have an archaeological wing to review and recommend suitable procedure in view of archaeological norms wherever necessary, ASI said.

“The archaeological wing is to be adequately equipped with technical team headed by a Director. The decision for betterment of the facilities for the devotees are to be reviewed there only to avoid delay. Since, a museum also exists behind the main temple all branches are to be brought under the archaeological wing. This may solve the problem of violating the laws to some extent,” it said. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, May 9: Over 800 posts at different levels are lying vacant in the country’s premier investigating agency, CBI, the Government said today.

Of the total of 838 vacancies, a highest of 609 are of executive cadre following 60 in legal, 40 in technical, 102 in ministerial and 27 canteen posts, Minister of State for Personnel and Public Grievances V Narayanasamy told Lok Sabha in a written reply.

The sanctioned strength of the CBI is 6,591.

“The occurrence and filling up of vacancies are continuous processes. Despite some vacancies in the CBI, speedy investigation of various cases is ensured through effective use and deployment of existing personnel,” the Minister said.

He said the Central Government has approved a scheme for engagement of Special Prosecutors and Assistant Special prosecutors on contract basis. “Till date, 43 Special prosecutors or Assistant Special prosecutors have been engaged on contract basis,” Narayanasamy added.

He said the Government was taking various steps to fill the vacancies and all central police organisations as well as State Police have been requested to send nomination of officers for deputation in CBI.

NEW DELHI, May 9: Voicing concern over problems faced by minority Hindus in Pakistan, India today reminded Islamabad of its responsibility to discharge its Constitutional obligations towards its citizens.

“It is the responsibility of the Government of Pakistan to discharge its constitutional obligations towards its citizens, including those from the minority community,” External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said in the Lok Sabha.

He was responding to the issue of treatment of minorities in Pakistan raised by BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi last week.

Krishna said India had taken up “appropriately” with the Pakistani authorities the issue of abduction, forceful marriage and conversion to Islam of three Hindu girls in Sindh province of Pakistan.

“The Government of Pakistan stated that it was fully cognisant of the situation and looked after the welfare of all its citizens, particularly the minority community,” he said.

Krishna also referred to press release issued by the Government of Pakistan stating that the Pakistan President had taken serious note of the reports of kidnapping of a Hindu girl from Mirpur Mathelo in Sindh and allegedly being forced by some influential people of the area to convert.

The release had said the Pakistan President had called for a report from the provincial government.

“The President also called for transparent and expeditious investigations in the matter and to take action in accordance with the law regardless of the influence and status of anyone involved in criminal activity,” Krishna said quoting the Pakistan government release. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, May 9: Government has frozen accounts of 30 NGOs and banned 70 other voluntary organisations from receiving foreign contribution following allegation of violation of laws.

Minister of State for Home Mullappally Ramachandran told Rajya Sabha that 24 such cases have been referred to CBI while seven other cases have been given to state police for investigation.

“Accounts of 30 NGOs have been frozen, 35 NGOs have been placed in prior permission category and 70 NGOs have been prohibited from receiving foreign contribution,” he said.

The Minister said a total of Rs 9,946.91 crore was received as foreign contribution by various Non-Governmental Organisations in 2007-08 and Rs 10,993.56 crore was received as foreign contribution by the NGOs in 2008-09.

Rs 10,352.07 crore was received by various NGOs as foreign contribution during 2009-10, he said. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, May 9: The Government today said it is keeping a close watch on all activities taking place in China and Pakistan and the threat perception originating from such incidents are reviewed regularly.

In a written reply to Rajya Sabha, Defence Minister A K Antony said, “Government is closely watching all activities of China and Pakistan in the neighbourhood and reviews the threat perception regularly.”

He also said measures such as construction of railway lines, roads and airfields have been undertaken in border areas to augment security preparedness of the defence forces.

“Required measures have been initiated through development of infrastructure including rail, roads and forward air fields as well as operational capabilities to achieve desired defence preparedness,” Antony said.

China disputes the International Boundary with India as there is no common delineated Line of Actual Control (LAC) between the two country, he said.

“There are few areas along the border where India and China have different perceptions of LAC including territory in Arunachal Pradesh. Both sides patrol up to their respective perceptions of LAC due to perceived differences in its alignment,” the Defence Minister informed the House.

He said the areas along the LAC are kept under constant surveillance by regular patrolling by troops and other means.

“Specific incidents of transgression due to differences in perception of LAC are taken up with the Chinese side through established mechanism such as hot lines, flag meetings, border personnel meeting and normal diplomatic channels,” Antony said.

Replying to questions on effect of Chinese presence in South-China sea and Indian Ocean Region, he said government is aware of its participation in IOR in development projects such as ports, anti-piracy operations and deep sea mining.

“China has been staking claim to most of the South-China sea and has disputes with its neighbours on control of Paracel and Spratly islands for determination of Exclusive Economic Zone of the littoral states,” Antony said. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, May 9: Altogether 1,446 Kashmiri migrants have accepted employment under the Prime Minister’s special rehabilitation package for the community and are living in the Valley.

Minister of State for Home Jitendra Singh said under the package, announced in 2008 to ensure rehabilitation of those who had left the Kashmir Valley at the peak of militancy, the Jammu and Kashmir government has created 3,000 posts and appointment orders have been issued to 2,169 candidates and 1,446 of them have joined their posts in the Valley.

“The Prime Minister’s package provides for employment opportunities to 6,000 unemployed migrant youths in the state government…Another 9,000 unemployed migrant youths are proposed to be facilitated to get financial assistance for self employment/ business ventures. The response to which is very poor,” he told Rajya Sabha today.

The package provides for housing, transit accommodation, continuance of cash relief, students’ scholarship, employment, financial assistance to agriculturists and horticulturists and waiver of interest loans, Singh said. (PTI)