Parrikar is the first Indian defence minister to visit Bangladesh in the last 45 years. PTI file

Dhaka, December 1

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday called on Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and discussed measures to strengthen military and security ties between the two countries.Parrikar, the first Indian defence minister to visit Bangladesh in the last 45 years, met Hasina, who holds the defence portfolio in the cabinet, for about 30 minutes.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Parrikar, who arrived here yesterday on a two-day visit leading an 11-member high-powered delegation, yesterday met President Abdul Hamid who assured India that it has “zero tolerance” policy against terrorism and sought expanded military ties.The President urged the Indian minister to send more military officials to Bangladesh for training to boost ties between the armed forces of the two countries.The Defence Minister yesterday also met Hasina’s security adviser Major General (Retd) Tariq Ahmed and discussed bilateral military and security cooperation.Top Defence Ministry officials in New Delhi had said the focus of Parrikar’s trip was to deepen security ties and firm up a defence cooperation agreement that is likely to be signed when Hasina visits India next month.  — PTI

When a Chief assumes office through ‘deep selection’ and superseding ‘equals’, he must stand by his better military judgement and follow his conscience to remain prepared to even resign, if need be.

Army Chief-designate Lt General Bipin Rawat paying homage to the martyrs of the 1971 India-Pakistan war. PIB file photo

George Orwell was born in India in 1903, to British parents. As was the practice in those times, he was banished to spend most of his childhood and adolescent years in England; schooling at the exclusive Eton College, followed by graduation from Christchurch College, in Cambridge University. Again, as was the “done thing” for such well born and aspiring young men, he qualified for entrance to the Indian Civil Service (ICS) and was appointed to the Imperial Police cadre, to serve in Burma.By all counts, George Orwell was a distinguished police officer but he had made a poor choice of profession as he was intellectually inclined, or rather driven, for seeking equitable social opportunities for the teeming economically poorer segments of human society. He espoused his dream brilliantly through the book Animal Farm, which after numerous rejections was ultimately published in early 1945.As may be imagined, the characters of the book are essentially pigs, horses, et al, who are harnessed to toil at the Manor Farm for their human master, Mr Jones. And one fine day, all animals assemble and in a kind of coup take over the farm to usher in Utopia, and adopt seven commandments, the most important being: All animals are equal, and whatever goes on two legs is an enemy.However, George Orwell had witnessed how the principle of equality was soon turned into dictatorial tyranny by Stalin in the USSR. So the utopian philosophy in Animal Farm is modified by the leader of animals to read: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”. Now it may be tad oversimplification of what in the armed forces today goes as the system of “Selection Grade Promotions”, but in essence that is what it is.There are very well-honed step-by-step merit-evaluation checks applied at multiple levels of the screening process on all aspirants for the next elevation in rank. It would be hard to fault the system per se, particularly as it also provides opportunity for redress by those who may deem it rightful.Having said all this, let me go back to the mid-1950s for the selection of the successor to General SM Shrinagesh. As this has been brought to my notice by a friend, retired Maj General PK Mallick, by quoting from the book, Leadership in the Indian Army: Biographies of Twelve Soldiers, by Maj General V K Singh of the Corps of Signals published by SAGE Publications, 2005; I find it most appropriate for all Indian citizens to be better informed:“In May 1955, Thimayya was appointed GOC-in-C, Southern Command. His tenure was uneventful, except for an attempt by Pakistan to infiltrate in the Chad Bet region of the Rajasthan desert, which was effectively dealt with by a motorised battalion. In September 1956 he moved to the Eastern Command, thus becoming the first officer to command all three field armies in India. In the Eastern Command he had to deal with insurgency by the Naga tribes, in North-East India. At that time, General S.M. Shrinagesh was the Chief of Army Staff. He was due to retire in May 1957, and there were several contenders for the post. Lieut Generals Sant Singh and Kalwant Singh were from the same Sandhurst batch, having passed out on 29 January 1925. The other two were Thimayya and PN Thapar, who had also passed out from Sandhurst together, on 4 February 1926. Thimayya had been placed 15th in order of merit (Sic. at Sandhurst), while Thapar was 18th. Hence, he was technically senior to Thapar. However, the most important factor was Thimayya’s impressive war record — he had won the DSO, and was the only Indian to have commanded a brigade in battle. The others did not have any notable achievement to their credit. As expected, Thimayya was selected for the top job in the Army, and on 8 May 1957, he was promoted to General, and took over as Chief of Army Staff. He superseded Lieut General Sant Singh, who resigned, as well as Lieut General Kalwant Singh, who decided to continue….”What is not stated about General KS Thimayya and what additionally may have singled him out in the “deep selection” process is that he was in command of Siri Division (later 19 Infantry Division), which oversaw practically all operations to include the capture of Zozi La on November 1, 1948, personally led the first Dakota landing at Leh (an improvised landing strip) on May 24, 1948, and the liberation of Ladakh right up to the Karakoram Pass!Subsequently, after two years of stalemate at the UN General Assembly, when it was finally agreed to set up the Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission, Maj General Thimayya became its Chairman on July 27, 1953, and his delicate and impartial handling of the acrimony was universally applauded. It was to his credit that North Korea amicably accepted 70,183 of their prisoners of war.I had less than two years’ service at the time, but I recall that General Thimayya as the Chief was the toast of the entire Army. And with his vast experience of war from up front, he was believed not to favour “showing the flag” posts deployed in Ladakh and along the McMahon Line in the East. In terms of numbers, fire power and logistic access, these posts were a “push over” for the better placed Chinese.General Thimayya’s war wisdom and political astuteness proved correct. Sometime in August-September 1959, the Chinese in a short and swift move inflicted heavy loses to our isolated post at Longju, in the Siang Valley close to where the Brahmaputra river descends into India. Another post at Machuka was so terribly isolated that our troops chose to abandon it when challenged by the Chinese. Admittedly, that was a disgraceful soldierly conduct but that is how it ended.These foregone defeats imposed on the military against the better judgement of their Chief, and Defence Minister Krishna Menon’s inability to engage the Army Chief in a meaningful discussion, was the fundamental reason that drove General Thimayya to tender his resignation. Far worse was to follow when Prime Minister Nehru persuaded the Chief to retract his resignation and in the next breath, berated him in the Lok Sabha.So when a Chief assumes office through deep selection and superseding two “equals”, he must stand by his better military judgement and follow his conscience to even resign, if need be.And lastly, when General KM Cariappa became the first Indian Chief on January 15, 1949, he had followed the age-old tradition, that is, the incumbent Chief demits office at the stroke of midday and the Chief-designate quietly walking into his office the following morning. And performs his first duty to his Army by way of the “Special Order of the Day”, which basically is a motivational epistle focused on upholding the oath of fidelity, come what may. Of late, an unsavoury deviation has crept in, that is, the Chief-designate walks into the office accompanied by his wife, where they are received by the incumbent Chief together with his spouse. This does not go well with the dignity of that exalted office.

A civilian government’s prerogative to make appointments must be respected without a doubt. However, it is mandatory that it exercises judgement based solely on merit — without prejudice, lobbying or parochial considerations.

Lt Gen Bipin Rawat

IT is a convention rather than a statutory requirement for the senior-most lieutenant general to be appointed as a Service Chief. Thus, the government has not committed any illegal act by appointing Lt General Bipin Rawat as the country’s 27th Army Chief after superseding two lieutenant generals. On the contrary, it has exercised its prerogative in a democracy where civilian supremacy over the armed forces is paramount. Yet, the decision has evoked much criticism among sections of retired Army officers who have attributed it to “political interference”, described it as a “bad precedent” and even predicted “the beginning of the end of an apolitical Army”. The government has defended the decision to appoint Lt General Rawat as the Army Chief by explaining the rationale in a generalised and generic expressions of he being “best suited” to deal with “emerging challenges, including a reorganised and restructured military force in the north (China), continuing terrorism and proxy war from the west (Pakistan) and the situation in the North- East.” The government has also highlighted Lt General Rawat’s operational experience as an Infantry officer in counter-insurgency (CI) operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the north-eastern states and also along both the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir and Line of Actual Control (LAC) with Chinese-occupied Aksai Chin.This explanation sounds reasonable when viewed in isolation but not necessarily when seen in a larger framework. The senior-most superseded officer, Lt General Praveen Bakshi, is currently heading the critical Eastern Command which is entrusted with defending India’s borders with three countries – China, Myanmar and Bangladesh and also the territorial integrity of Bhutan. It is also entrusted with counter-insurgency operations in the north-eastern states. If he is considered “less experienced”, then how did Lt General Bakshi, an armoured corps officer, be assigned to head the Eastern Command which in 1971 spearheaded the liberation of East Pakistan in a landmark war with Pakistan? In any case, considering the security environment in the country, most officers from the Army’s three principal combat Arms — Infantry, Artillery and Armoured Corps — have had exposure to either or both the CI and LoC / LAC environment in some form or the other. For example, officers from the armoured corps and the artillery are known to serve in Rashtriya Rifles units that are tasked specifically with CI operations.Will all future Army Chiefs from now on be required to be from the infantry with operational experience in Jammu and Kashmir, is one of the many questions that the announcement raises. This is not about discussing the merits or demerits of Lt Generals Rawat and Bakshi. Their names are incidental. Rather, the limited point here is that both these officers rose to become Army Commanders after obtaining equivalent experience during their career. There is little to suggest that one is more outstanding than the other. With both officers at par, should not the seniority convention have prevailed so as to keep the armed forces away from needless controversy? As it is civil-military relations have of late come under considerable stress with the government mishandling the One Rank One Pension issue; doing little to address the anomalies of the Seventh Pay Commission,; downgrading mid-ranking military officers vis-a-vis their civilians counterparts in the Ministry of Defence;milking the retaliatory strikes across the Line of Controlfor political capital and, more recently, announcing the next Army and Air Force chief barely a fortnight prior. There is nothing wrong in making a “deep selection” to appoint a highly capable officer as the Service Chief or a regional commander. Currently, all professional parameters being satisfactory, an officer’s seniority (date of birth and date of commission) determines his appointment to top positions. Aware of their standing in the service list many, if not most, Service officers are known to take the careerist route and play safe. This does not always result in the best officer getting promotions and being assigned pivotal posts. As such there is need for the armed forces, particularly the Army, to seriously review its deteriorated internal health which includes the quality of leadership, politics and vendetta among the higher ranks, the subjective system of annual confidential reports that has led to considerable litigation and financial, moral and professional corruption. A larger challenge is from the political executive of the day. Considering the nature of petty, partisan and corrupt politics prevalent in the country and how politicians are used to blatantly interfering with appointments of civilian bureaucrats and policemen, the credibility of the Indian politician is at a constant low. While many politicians in India may otherwise treat the armed forces with awe, barring some individuals they take little interest in understanding the armed forces in particular and national security in general. National security is not the exclusive preserve of the armed forces; it is multi-faceted and complex requiring serious study and understanding by the political executive which takes all final decision. Hence, if ‘deep selection’ is to henceforth become a norm in selecting Service chiefs, the government will have to devise a criteria. While a civilian government’s prerogative to make appointments must be respected, it is mandatory that it exercises judgement based solely on merit without prejudice, lobbying or parochial considerations. Political meddling with a potent and monolithic organisation like the army has the potential for inducing political ambition in its leadership. The country can do without politicians trying to use an Army headed by “deep selected” pliable generals to exert influence. Surely that will mark the end to India’s professional and apolitical instrument of last resort in a country where governance continues to be marked by political and administrative mismanagement even as security threats abound.

dkumar@tribunemail.com

At the outset, Lt. Gen. Bipin Rawat must be congratulated upon being appointed as the next Chief of the Army Staff. His rich experience, exposure and hoary regimental traditions will stand him in good stead as he assumes the mantle.

Lt. Gen. Rawat’s challenges are many. The most daunting will be to unite the institution, underlining a single ethos against the diverse aspirations of soldiers. He has the potential and time to do this.

Supersession of two very competent seniors for the appointment was bound to cause anguish and evoke strong reactions — not just about the abrogation of the rightful claims and expectations of the two officers but, more importantly, on the impact it would have on the apolitical nature of the Army. To this end, the elaborate justifications put forth on the part of the establishment and certain voices from the so-called strategic community have been unhelpful, and that is worrying.

The government’s prerogative to appoint the person who it considers most suitable in these circumstances, as has been done, is unfettered. But it should have been accompanied by transparency and logic.

Ability and seniority

In a hierarchical structure such as in the Army, command authority is based on the twin planks of superior professional ability and seniority. So far, the principle of selection has been seniority-cum-merit unless there are compelling reasons to select otherwise. The selection is made from amongst serving Army Commanders and the Vice Chief of the Army Staff. The process involves filtering through over 37-38 years of national service. The basis for elevation are personal qualities, demonstrated performance and potential for next rank. Only one or two reach that position from a full-year batch. This is unlike any other system and therefore the merit factor is a given.

Against this backdrop, there are four larger issues, all rooted in the existing operational and functional ethos that the selection raises. They need to be addressed.

First, do the personal capabilities and experience of the person being selected completely overwhelm those of Lt. Gen. Praveen Bakshi and Lt. Gen. P.M. Hariz? After all, Lt. Gen. Bakshi is commander-in-chief of the Eastern Command, operationally pitted against a silent but ubiquitous Chinese threat alongside an insurgency that refuses to be quelled. He dealt with Samba and Jammu infiltration situations as a Corps Commander. For his part, Lt. Gen. Hariz has a reputation for his penchant for concepts.

Basis for evaluation

What, therefore, is the basis for a comparative evaluation and from where should it start? If it was so relevant, why was this not done earlier? Incidentally, the officers are never consulted in their growing-up years on what qualities they need to possess to become suitable to lead the institution. Therefore, how will the present set of formation commanders in peace formation, stationed for deterring war, react after hearing that all things being equal, their future aspirations can only be addressed by acquiring the experience of handling counter-insurgency operations? Or how will the officers serving in the Eastern Command react to being told that their own commander-in-chief’s experience is simply not good enough?

An officer’s career graph and experience are never of his own choosing. They follow a trajectory determined by the Military Secretary’s branch, and the officer can only accumulate experiential moss to the extent that he is allowed by the opportunities given to him. He has no choice. If the argument of not having the right experience is raised against a senior officer, to what extent is the affected officer liable for the same? Should he pay a price for being deprived of a posting that matches up to future requirements?

The second and more serious question that arises relates to the future battle space as visualised by the government and understood from the justifications of supersession. Would threats the nation faces remain static in the near term and at the ground level? If they change, then what? What if they change during the designate’s tenure?

Of late we have been talking of jointness, joint forces and joint responsibilities to attack the centre of gravity to produce desired effects. Can this ever work if the government of the day decides on a specialisation in the secondary field as the parameter for selection at the highest level? Can such a proposition ever attract talent in joint forces, which is still away from the main line of work?

Expectations of the government

The third question relates to the expectations of the government from its Army Chief. Is his role to provide overarching guidance and oversight to tactical-level operations or does he have a larger charter to prepare for battles that will hopefully never be fought? Is not all-around experience to be recognised as an attribute for selection?

And finally, to return to the principle of seniority-cum-merit that has so far stood the test of time, for a solution. The reason why the defence forces have remained apolitical so far is that this principle annulled any need to develop political patronage in spite of political control. If this continues, the days are not far when rising stars of the armed forces will seek to curry political favours both through internal and external mechanisms for ticket punching to ensure that they get their due.

Either way, the apolitical fabric stands tattered and torn.

The net impact of this unusual selection and supersession is that a narrow tactical advantage has been seized by short-changing the needs of a comprehensive all-round perspective and understanding of future wars. This needs to change and change immediately.

Anil Chait is former Chief of Integrated Defence Staff.

*SCOUT NUMBER ONE  FIRE KAHAN SE AYA*

This Army Chief controversy is getting too far for my liking. Good people being over looked, senior people being sidelined, politics entering the military arena etc appear to be dangerous trends.

I wrote yesterday, that once the decision has been taken to appoint a person it needs to be respected. Today, I want discuss the merit of the people who selected my Army Chief. Just because they happened to get some votes due to a wave in the country, are they capable enough to decide who is going to head a professional force called the Army, Navy or the Air force? Are they worthy enough to make such a selection? Are they educated enough to appoint such outstanding and professionally competent gentlemen. Are they capable enough to understand what it takes to run an disciplined organisation which is now getting political due to meddling of these dhotiwalas and babu’s unfortunately? Are the people who sat in decision to appoint them competent to judge an officer who has gone though a filtration process from a 2Lt stage? Well ladies and gentlemen, we have to appear in Part B, and D exams to start with. Leave alone Staff College and the other colleges like HDMC, LDMC, NDC etc. The Chief designates are M Phils and Doctorates in their professions and they are appointed by people who may be most uneducated but now are honourable members of our parliament. They are appointed by people who waste complete sessions of parliament in the name of democracy and at the cost of tax payer’s money. My Chief’s are appointed by people who have charges of rape, murder, loot and corruption in their names. How sad! How unfortunate! How regretful! But this is how the system goes. This is called democracy.

Please let me know the merit of our PM. Well I shall grant him this much that he rose from the grassroots, and worked hard to be a CM of a state three times. Irrespective of the state he belonged to, if he could effectively run his state, he can run the country too, so I grant him his due. Now is my question to him, does he know Kashmiri, does he understand Nagamese, can he speak Jharkhandi, the answer is no. But is he capable of taking a decision at a national level for each of our 29 states & 7 Union Territories, the answer is yes. Therefore, our Chief could be from the Armd Corps, Mech Inf, or any other arm, once you have been indoctrinated in the fire, once you have gone through your  command and staff paces, once you have been made to undergo training at the best institutions of the world, aren’t you capable of holding a baton of an Army Chief. The bureaucrats can serve the Defence ministry or the ministry of Animal husbandry and still rise to become a Chief Secretary. He is part of the selection committee which appoints the Service Chief, isn’t it a little appalling. A person who doesn’t know which side a gun fires, is capable of appointing a person who has so many guns under his command which if fired would pulverise the enemy to dust. 

Let us talk about dress the person selecting wears. Invariably he is in chappals, sandals and casuals. A person who can’t salute back properly, or acknowledge a salute at a function like launching a ship, where the Admirals are in their full finery with medals and swords, a man casually walks in without headgear and half sleeves shirt. How pathetic? How uncouth I would say. A person who may know the principles of aerodynamics being an engineer but can he fly a plane or direct fire of artillery. He may know a little what it takes to handle a large crowd because he has been a CM, but does he know how the logistics of an armed formation is worked out. Does he know how a soldier fights till the last man last round? Does he understand how that last round is supplied to the first man in the trench? Does he know the importance of a Scout who hears the first shot being fired at his patrol? Does he know fire kahan se aya? Does he understand “Dauro, leto, rengo, aar pakro, fire karo”? Does he know “chiezen kyon dikhti hain” in fact does he understand the 6S and 1M.

Believe you me all these things are not required at the level of the Army Chief, least for a defence minister? They are there to deploy nuclear weapons; to plan National Strategy. They are there to think about the future of the forces. The COAS is there to advise the Supreme Commander on what is needed to keep India safe. He is there to ask from the government what he needs to keep India safe. Does the defence minister know what is “one up” or “staggered line ahead”? Can he do any of the hand signals except rubbing his hand on his tummy to say he is hungry? Well let me not get into basics. Such esteemed gentlemen as our Chiefs have done their “mai baap parades”, “make and mend parades”, “first parade”, “halt parade” and “last parades” umpteen times. They have lived in and counted bunkers, they have marched in the hills and deserts, they have dealt with track sheds and tanks falling in blind wells,  they have led various EVC & IRG columns, they have made missile bases, they have deployed surveillance grids for formations, they have made bridge heads across DCBs and canals, they have floated in many a rivers, they have deep forded in riverine terrain, they have served in high altitude, they have para jumped, they have served in UN missions in various capacities, they have guided people fighting asymmetric warfare and they are selected by people who don’t even know what I am talking about. 

The maximum noise has been made by Rahul baba and his party spokespersons, bhaiya please pick up a “papplu” of commando wing, friends give him a four KG danda to balance it and then tell him to do his pad yatra in UP. Bhaiya ji, wear your dhoti and go to the glacier, I hope you know where it is. No no you got it wrong it is not in Switzerland, I am talking of Siachen, arey don’t confuse with Aksai Chin of Hindi Chini Bhai Bhai fame. O hell, no baba not your double chin yaar. Forget it, you won’t get it ever and you are dreaming of leading this country. Sorry to be so mean with my words, please baba leave politics, as whatever you say sounds more like a joke. People laugh at you. You have the young Scindia, Pilot, etc who can handle things far better than you. The image of your party is getting murkier more you open your mouth. You have no business to oppose the decisions of the government just to politicise them. You guys got the boot in the last elections and if you continue the way you are going you may be given the second boot too. Armed forces are a serious matter and we don’t get up at night early in the morning like you say.  We fight all day and all night till our enemy is annihilated.

The first man to contact the enemy is the scout, and if he pin points the enemy correctly, and tells his commander FIRE KAHAN SE AYA, the commander will be able to make a quick plan, deploy his support weapons, assault & defeat the enemy. Same goes for the Chiefs too, irrespective of the arm they belong to, irrespective how asymmetric the warfare is, irrespective of the swords of honours they have got or not got. All of them are far-far more capable to carry out the duty of the COAS.

I wish Gen Rawat the best again, Sir please beware. I hope you don’t fall prey to the Political fire, as no one will be able to tell you fire kahan se, kyon aur kab aya? Do you get my message hidden within these two lines, I wonder!!!!!!!!”

The government does not require the permission of 10, Janpath (Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s official residence). MUKHTAR ABBAS NAQVI, BJP leader

NEW DELHI: Lieutenant General Bipin Rawat’s appointment as army chief has become the latest flashpoint between the government and Opposition, days after a political row over the recall of high-value currency washed out Parliament’s winter session.

The Congress said it wasn’t questioning Rawat’s abilities but wanted to know why two senior people were superseded.

“Is it that all these officials who were superseded were not able? Or was it cherry-picking?” Congress leader Manish Tewari asked.

On Sunday, Tewari also pointed out how the NDA administration created controversies over other key appointments, such as that of the chief vigilance commissioner.

Former central board of direct taxes chief KV Chowdary was appointed as CVC after a long delay, triggering criticism from lawyers such as Ram Jethlamani and Prashant Bhushan.

The Congress also cited the “non-appointment” of a fulltime director of the enforcement directorate.

“Right now, there are questions about the CBI director… and they have still not notified the appointment of the Chief Justice of India,” said Tewari.

The Congress had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi against the appointment of Rakesh Asthana as interim CBI director earlier this month, calling the process “vitiated and manipulated”.

Within hours, the BJP hit back, saying that the government had followed standard norms and that the Congress couldn’t dictate terms. “The government does not require the permission of 10, Janpath (Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s official residence),” Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Sunday. “I think till now the Congress is not able to understand that they have lost power at the Centre.”

The BJP and the Congress have been locked in a verbal war since the government recalled Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes last month, a move that the Opposition says has hurt the poor and the farmers.

Controversy over the decision deadlocked the winter session, which saw little legislative business. In promoting Rawat, the claims of Eastern Army commander Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi, the senior-most general, and Southern Army commander Lt Gen PM Hariz, were ignored. But government sources said Rawat – who takes over on December 31 – was found “best suited” to deal with emerging challenges, including a “reorganised and restructured military force in the north, continuing terrorism and proxy war from the west, and the situation in the Northeast”.

Former army chief Shankar Roy Chowdhury also confirmed the government had the “final authority” to pick the army chief.

“I have no patience with what political parties are saying. I appeal to them not to politicise the last reputable institution of India which is world class,” said Roy Chowdhury, the last army chief from the armoured corps. But many opposition parties didn’t seem convinced. “Superseding in appointments always opens the up the avenue for many questions,” said Tathagat Satpathy, a leader of the Biju Janata Dal that is otherwise supportive of the government.

Communist Party of India leader D Raja reminded that the appointments in the army, CVC and other top-level positions had become controversial during the NDA regime. “The government should answer how these appointments have been made,” Raja said.

Slugfest over Gen Rawat

Govt defends appointment of Army Chief as Oppn questions move

Lt Gen Bipin Rawat

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 18

As the Opposition today questioned the Centre’s decision to appoint Vice-Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Bipin Rawat as the new Army Chief, superseding two senior officers, the BJP said it was “extremely unfortunate” that the Congress “looks to politicise everything”.Editorial: New Army ChiefCongress spokesperson Manish Tewari demanded to know why Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi and Southern Army Command chief Lt Gen PM Hariz were superseded. On the government’s defence that the decision was not unprecedented, he said, “Nothing can be extrapolated out of context to justify a supersession.”(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Sources said one of the reasons Lt Gen Rawat had been selected was that he had served along the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan and the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. “In the current situation, we need a person with experience in the relevant area, that is operational experience,” explained a senior functionary in the MoD.He said Lt Gen Rawat was found the best suited “to deal with emerging challenges, including a reorganised and restructured military force in the North (read China); continuing terrorism and proxy war from the West, and the situation in the North-East.”He said selecting the most eligible Army Commander was the prerogative of the government, “irrespective of the Corps to which the officer originally belonged”. Lt Gen Bakshi is from the Armoured Corps.It was 30 years ago, when winter was setting over the Himalayan heights in Arunachal Pradesh, when the newly appointed Army Chief  ‘cut his teeth’ as a military officer.The Army, then led by General K Sundarji, was tasked to stall the ingress of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) near Zimithang, north-west of Tawang. General Sundarji launched ‘Operation Falcon’ and moved a brigade (some 3,000 men) north of Tawang, using IAF helicopters. A nine-month standoff ensued, militarily referred to as ‘Sumdrong Chu’. Troops were deployed all along McMahon Line. During this period, the Army launched a massive air-land exercise called ‘Chequerboard’ (October  1986 to March 1987) that entailed moving troops to almost all locations in Arunachal. The north-eastern state was granted full statehood in December 1986.Lt Gen Rawat, with just eight-year service then, took part in the event during which India stacked up 50,000 troops against PLA’s 30,000. China agreed to end the ‘military confrontation’ in November 1987.A retired Commander, meanwhile, questioned how Lt Gen Bakshi, commanding the vital Eastern Command, was found lacking in experience. He also commanded 9 Corps, based at Yol (Himachal), tasked with China and Pakistan. (With PTI inputs) 

ARMY CHIEF ROW

‘Govt has right, but seniority matters’

Veterans say move may affect functional environment, ethos of armed forces

Lt Gen TK Sapru, former goc-in-c, Western command

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 18

The appointment of Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Bipin Rawat as the next Army Chief, superseding two other officers, has kicked up an intense debate on the government bypassing the long-standing convention of appointing the senior-most officer as the service chief.While there is no legal lacuna in the government’s move as the selection is ought to be done on a seniority-cum-merit basis, there is also a feeling in some quarters that the existing practices should not have been disturbed as it may have ramifications on the functional environment and ethos of the armed forces.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)The move may also affect the “line of succession” that defines the career path of senior officers based upon the arm to which they belong and their age and the ratio of officers from different arms being placed in particular appointments. Some officers also feel that the situation is unlikely to have a lasting impact on the army as the force is professional and mature enough to absorb unexpected developments.“The Army Chief-designate is an excellent officer, but I am not too happy with the move of the government as it may result in subjectivity in future and the possibility of the system being manipulated. There is no established system to compare officers at the level of army commanders and it is very difficult to decide who is better among his peers,” said Lt Gen TK Sapru, former GOC-in-C, Western Command.He said: “We were following a system of selecting the senior-most commander who was objective and should have carried on with it unless something wrong had been brought out.”Lt Gen AS Sekhon, former Director General Military Operations and 15 Corps Commander, said: “The concept of seniority should have been retained otherwise it may lead to politicisation of the army and officers at the top may line up to please the political leadership.”He said: “The principle of seniority has been accepted by all branches and the army’s hierarchy was mentally prepared for Lt Gen Bakshi to take over. The government’s move will create a huge dent in the functioning of the armed forces and create friction between different arms and services with the possibility of officers from different arms attempting to cut each other at the lower levels to gain edge.”Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi, an armoured corps officer, and Lt Gen PM Hariz, among the few Muslim officers to reach the top, became army commanders in August 2015, while Lt Gen Rawat became an army commander in January 2016. Lt Gen BS Negi, whose name also cropped up in the debate, is from the same course as Lt Gen Rawat and became an army commander in January 2016, but is junior to Lt Gen Rawat by virtue of his service number.“Legally, it is well within the government’s powers to choose a service chief from amongst the eligible officers. One aspect of service jurisprudence for selection to a post that is mandated for all central government departments is that there should be a ratio of at least 1:3,” Col SK Aggarwal, former officer of the Judge Advocate General’s Branch said.“Besides the career profile of an individual, several other factors such as suitability in the prevailing geostrategic situation, age commensurate with full tenure and other inputs from the defence and home ministries are considered,” he said.“Many officers get superseded at all levels for varying reasons in their course of service and this happens in other government departments also. So why make a noise with a lieutenant general getting superseded,” said Col Bipin Pathak, a former Intelligence officer, adding: “Ïnter se merit should always be the consideration for promotion and since it is the elected government that is answerable to the people, it has the right to chose whom they consider best for the post.

NEW DELHI: A CBI court on Wednesday extended the custody of former chief of Indian Air Force (IAF), SP Tyagi, arrested in the ` 450-crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper bribery case, by three days.

The court also extended the custody of his cousin Sanjeev and lawyer Gautam Khaitan. They will be produced before the court again on Saturday.

While the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sought seven-day extension of the accused for quizzing them, the counsel appearing for the former IAF chief claimed in the court that “CBI is putting pressure on Tyagi to confess to the crime, which he has not done”.

Counsel appearing for Tyagi, Menaka Guruswamy, said: “Tyagi has always cooperated in the investigation so there was no need to further interrogate him. He has already been confronted with his cousin and enough confrontation has taken place much before his arrest.”

The court had on December 10 sent the three accused to four days’ CBI custody, which expired on Wednesday, in the case related to procurement of 12 VVIP choppers from UK-based firm during the UPA-2 regime.

During the last hearing, Tyagi’s counsel claimed that the decision to procure VVIP choppers from AgustaWestland was a “collective” one and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) was also a part of it.

S P Tyagi is not the only one involved in 

the Helicopter scam ?“Col TN Raman”

“CBI may have arrested ACM Tyagi but the probe has to go further. Here’s why. (My report in 2013) http://nitinagokhale.blogspot.in/2013/03/tyag
Tyagi was not alone in clearing change in specifications for helicopter procurement, records show

Although the CBI has named former Air Chief SP Tyagi, his cousins and some others for conspiring to award the VVIP contract to Agusta Westland, a detailed investigation by NDTV has revealed that Air Chief Marshal Tyagi wasn’t alone in identifying and finalising the Italian Company’s name for supply of 12 VVIP helicopters to India. Several top officials including the then NSA MK Narayanan (now Governor of West Bengal), then SPG Chief BV Wanchoo (now Governor of Goa) then Defence Secretary Ajai Vikram Singh and current Defence Secretary Shashikant Sharma, who was then Joint Secretary (air), were all involved in deciding the specifications that allowed AgustaWestland to enter the competition. A series of at least half a dozen meetings between Nov 2004 and September 2006 were held at the highest level in the government involving the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Ministry of Defence (MoD), Representatives of the Special Protection Group (SPG) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) before specifications and technical requirements for procuring the VVIP helicopters were finalised and then a request for Proposal (RFP) issued. Decisions taken in these meetings in fact allowed AgustaWestland to enter the competition post-2006, our investigations show. Here’s a detailed account of how the case progressed and how at each stage, every stake holder was involved and how each of them concurred with a collegiate decision. 8 Nov 2004:Defence Secretary Ajai Vikram Singh holds a meeting attended by Deputy Chief of IAF, Additional Secy (Acquisition), Joint Secretary & Aciqisition Manager (air), SK Sharma (current Defence Secretary), OSD, PMO, Director PMO, IGP, SPG among others. SK Sharma informs the meeting that “Air HQ had reviewed the OR (operational requirement) pertaining to mandatory service ceiling of 6,000 metres and came to the conclusion that it would not be feasible to reduce the service ceiling to 4,500 m, as with 4500 m altitude the helicopter would land only at altitudes that were substantially lower. Air HQ advised that it would not be prudent to change the mandaory OR of service from 6,000 metres to 4500 metres.”

In response to the Air HQ stand, the PMO representative referred to earlier minutes of the meeting held in the PMO and stated that previous VVIP movements had not exceeded 4500 metres, He also stated thatand hence relevance of 6000 metres as the service ceiling altitude was not clear.  the views of the PMO were not obtained while finalising the ORs and the aim was to have wider competition for procurement. So the meeting decided that the PMO would give a list of requirements on the aspects relating to safety, security and comfort of VVIPs and also confirmation on the specific need for 6000 metres ceiling, that is use of helicopters at high altitude.

1 March 2005:  NSA MK Narayanan chairs a meeting with Defence Secretary, Secretary (security), Director IB, Director SPG and Deputy Air Chief. The meeting agrees to the following: 

– Since the proposal is to procure helicopters to replace existing Mi-8 helicopters, the ORs should broadly conform to the parameteres of Mi-8 which was the most widely used VVIP chopper at that time (This meant the altitude ceiling of 4500 metres was acceptable to PMO since Mi-8’s reach was only upto that altitude). – Defence Secretary would convening a meeting with participation of IAF, SPG, Secretary (security) to draw up the operational specifications  for the VVIP helicopters in light of the above. – A single vendor situation should be avoided.

7 March 2005   Then Deputy Air Chief convenes a meeting at Air HQ attended by Director SPG, JS & AM (Air), IG, SPG among others. All ORs are deliberated during the meeting. Point 8 of the minutes of the meeting says for instance notes: “The earlier OR of 6 km altitude and performance required at 5 km had been reduced to 4.5 km and 2 km respectively to avoid single vendor situation. Both were accepted as mandatory ORs.” In words, every stake holder agreed to the revised ORs.

14 March 2005    The revised ORs are approved by the Air Chief, Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi.
The Deputy Air Chief forwards the finalised ORs approved by ACM Tyagi to Special Secretary (Acquisition). The Deputy Chief also writes: “It is felt that with the finalised ORs, a single vendor situation will be avoided.” (This is conformity with the PMO’s insistence to avoid single vendor situation)

1 April 2005:  Revised ORs are presented to Defence Secretary.

15 April 2005 Based on discussions with Defence Secretary on the revised ORs, IAF’s Assistant Chief of Air Staff , ACAS(plans) forwards the amended ORs to the Joint Secretary and Acquisition Manager (Air) (in this case SK Sharma, the current Defence Secretary) stating: “The ORs have now been made specific, to minimise subjectivity.”
9 May 2005  Defence Secretary chairs meeting of all stake holders ( Sceretary Security, Deputy Air Chief, Joint Sectetary Air, IG, SPG among others) and each Operational requirement including altitude, cabin height, security  and communication is discussed.

7 October 2005  Deputy Air Chief director SPG, JS (Air) among others decided to increase number of helicopters from 8 to 12 for operational and security requirements.

With the ORs now locked, further discussions take another 11 months before the MOD finally issues RFP

27 Sept 2006:  Request for proposal for acquiring 12 VVIP helicopters issued.  Three companies including AgustaWestland respond. Three companies–makers of Mi-172, Sikorsky which made the S-92 helicopters and Augusta Westland’s AWA101– responded to the RFP. Meanwhile the MoD had put in place a new concept–the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP)–which lays down stringent rules and regulations. Under the DPP all companies that bid for contracts above 100 crore rupees have to sign an integrity pact which binds the companies to give an undertaking that no bribes would be paid or agents would be used in the contracts. The Russian company that makes Mi-172 withdrew from the competition at an early stage refusing to sign the integrity contract!  That left AgustaWestland and Sikorsky in the race. By now this was late 2007. The evaluations and trials of S-92 and AW101 began and continued over the next couple of years (2008-09). According to Air Force sources S-92 was found to be non-compliant on 4 counts:

1. It could not reach 15000 feet without maximum power

2. Its ‘hover out off ground effect’ wasn’t sufficient

3. Its drift down altitude was not meeting the requiremt

4. Missile airborne warning system wasn’t up to the mark

Agusta Westland with its three engines was a bonus, according Air Force test pilots since one engine failure still meant it had two to fall back upon. Some time in 2009, Air HQ sent its recommendation to the Defence Ministry and after all going through the stringent financial and technical requirements mandatory under the DPP, a contract was signed in February 2010.
Nitin A. Gokhaleat 9:16 PM  Col (Retd) TN Raman

On Saturday, 10 December 2016 7:12 PM, Rajanish Saxena <rajanishsaxena@gmail.com> wrote:

 

Former IAF Chief Arrested 09 Dec 2016In 2000, the MoD wanted to buy a VVIP helicopter,I for which the IAF was roped in to create specs and evaluate a suitable helicopter for the requirements sent by the MoD.

​​​I​n 2003, after evaluation, the IAF recommended only one helicopter, the Eurocopter EC225. The AugustaWestland AW101 did not have the specified 6,000 metre altitude ceiling and therefore was rejected.Brajesh Mishra blocked the evaluation asking why a 6,000m ceiling was required. The ceiling was reduced to 4,500m. AW101 now qualified but Eurocopter did too.Then SPG said the cabin height of 1.39m of  Eurocopter EC225 was too less. At least 1.8m cabin height was required. Now Eurocopter was out of the reckoning. Only the AW101 passed the cabin height specification.Because of the chaos caused, fresh proposals were invited from 6 vendors. Only 3 responded – Sikorsky, Mikoyan and AugustaWestland. Mikoyan rejected the integrity clause in the Indian contract. So now there were only Sikorsky and AugustaWestland in the fray.Meanwhile ACM Tyagi retired in 2007In 2008,   trials for AugustaWestland AW101 and Sikorsky S-92 were held by the IAF. AugustaWestland won the contract.Contract for supply of AugustaWestland AW101 was signed in Feb 2010.The first AW101 was supplied in 2012.Scandal breaks out in 2012-2013.It is hard to believe that one person took charge of the whole Govt of India, altered specifications and manipulated trials even after he retired. He thereby relegated competitors, increased the price, and influenced the signing of a Rs 3,600 crore contract for his sponsor AgustaWestland.Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi – CAS (Dec 2004 to Mar 2007) must have been the most powerful person on Raisina Hill, before and after his tenure, since the specifications were framed in 2003, trials were conducted in 2008 and the contract signed in 2010.  So, what exactly did this one man do?Is it a replay of l’affaire Dreyfus (1894, Paris)?The Mysterious Scam – Step by Step2000: Proposal for new helicopter by IAF on behalf of PMO, MoD & MHA

2003:  Only Eurocopter EC 225 is cleared by IAF    Brajesh Mishra’s intervention – why 6,000 metres?

  SPG objection – Cabin is very low (1.39 metres)

2003:  New Specifications framed by IAF   Altitude of 4,500 metres, and   Cabin Height of 1.80 metres

2006:  Request For the Proposal to 6 firms    Only 3 Firms responded    Mi-172 rejected the integrity contract

2008:  Trials for Sikorsky S-92 and AW101   AW101 recommended

2010: Contract signed in February

2012: The first AW 101 arrived in India

2012-13: Scandal RevealedThe Cast –

 IAF ChiefsAY Tipnis (1998-2001)  CAS during Kargil War  Did not salute President Musharraf (2001)

S Krishnaswamy (2001-2004)  Mention in Despatches (1966) and  Vayu Sena Medal (1978, 1982)

SP Tyagi (2004-2007)  Veteran of the 1965 and 1971 Wars  Commissioning crew for the Jaguar.

FH Major (2007-2009)  First helicopter pilot to be CAS  Shaurya Chakra for Timber Trail rescue (1992)

PV Naik (2009-2011)  Veteran of 1971 Indo-Pak War His elder son is in the IAF

NAK Browne (2011-2013)  His son, Oman is in the IAF Ambassador to Norway (Sep 2014-2016)The Cast – Defence SecretaryYogendra Narain (2000-2002)  Secretary-General of Rajya Sabha (2002-07)

Director – Reliance Power.

Subir Dutta (2002-2002)  Member UPSC (2003-08) and Chairman (2007-08)

Ajay Prasad (2003-2004)  Director – OIA

Ajai Vikram Singh (2004-2005)  Director – Pipavav Defence

Shekhar Dutt (2005-2007)

Deputy National Security Advisor (2007-09)

Governor of Chhattisgarh (2010-14, sacked)

Vijay Singh (2007-2009)  Member UPSC (2009-13)  Director at Tata Sons

Pradeep Kumar (2009-2011)  Secretary for Defence Production (2008-09)  Defence Secretary (2009-11)  Central Vigilance Commissioner (2011-15)

Shashi Kant Sharma (2011-2013)  Joint Secretary with AF HQ (2003-07)  DG Acquisition (2007-10)

Defence Secretary (2011-13)  CAG (May 2013 to 2018)The Air Force was called in only to evaluate the helicopters offered. The specifications were set by the GoI, the specifications were changed by the GoI, the trials and evaluation were carried out by the IAF, after the accused had retired.At what point of the entire fracas was the accused in a position to influence the trial, evaluation, the purchase decision or the contract?Once again, the big fish have digested and burped. Someone else is in the net.

For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

Helicopters for VVIPs – a Highly Convoluted Deal

(Published in DSA Sep 2013)

 Major General Mrinal Suman AVSM, VSM, PhD

 

The contract for the procurement of helicopters for VVIPs has been in the news since the arrest of the head of the Italian defence group Finmeccanica, the owners of AgustaWestland, for alleged payment of bribes to clinch the deal. In addition to handing over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation, Ministry of Defence (MoD) issued a detailed fact sheet on 14 February 2013 containing a chronology of the important procedural milestones of the deal.

 

The much awaited report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) was tabled in the Parliament on 13 August 2013. It has found the entire process of acquisition right from the framing of Services Qualitative Requirements (SQR) to the conclusion of contract to have deviated from the laid down procedure.  Exposing infirmities in every stage of the procurement process, CAG has sought accountability and raised serious questions about the lack of transparency. 

 

This article endeavours to carry out an appraisal of the whole deal, relying primarily on the report tabled by CAG, fact sheet issued by MoD and the information available in the public domain.  

 

The Backdrop

 

Mi-8 helicopters of the Communication Squadron of the Indian Air Force (IAF) have been meeting heli-lift requirements of VVIPs since 1988. As Mi-8 helicopter could fly only up to 2,000 meters and that too during day-light conditions and good weather, a need was felt to replace the complete fleet with modern helicopters possessing better capability in terms of avionics, high altitude operations and passenger comfort. 

 

After evolving SQR in consultation with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), a Request for Proposals (RFP) was issued to 11 manufacturers in March 2002. Importantly, it was mandated that the helicopters should be able to operate at an altitude of 6,000 meters. Although four vendors responded, the Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) found three proposals (Mi-172, EC-225 and EH-101) to be compliant and recommended that they be called for trial evaluation. 

 

Only two helicopters were trial evaluated as EH-101 (later renamed as AW-101) was certified to fly up to an altitude of 4,572 meters only. Flight Evaluation Trials (FET) were conducted in end-2002 and the report submitted to MoD in May 2003 for acceptance. EC-225 (Eurocopter Super Puma) was recommended for procurement.

 

PMO objected to the emergence of a single vendor and directed that SQR be reformulated to generate competition. Further, the Air Headquarters (Air HQ) was directed to co-opt the Home Ministry and the Special Protection Group (SPG) in framing parameters to ensure that all operational, security and convenience requirements are duly satisfied. Consequently, in a meeting convened by PMO in November 2003, it was proposed to reduce ceiling requirement to 4,500 meters and have a desirable SQR of minimum cabin height of 1.8 meters. As a desirable SQR (since done away with) was simply an expression of wish, it was not a limiting factor and no equipment could be eliminated for its non-compliance.

 

The Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) mandates that in the event of a single vendor emerging successful, the case should be aborted and a fresh RFP issued with revised parameters. Hence, the steps taken were in order. 

 

However, in early-2005, powerful decision makers appear to have decided to procure helicopters from AgustaWestland. Thereafter, the whole procurement exercise was reduced to a sham and every single provision of DPP was tweaked to forestall challenges to AgustaWestland. The unbridled audacity displayed by the decision makers is simply unbelievable. The magnitude of the transgression can be gauged by a close examination of the various aspects of the procurement process.

1. 1.Service Ceiling

As a follow up of the instructions issued by the National Security Advisor (NSA) in March 2005, fresh SQR were evolved in consultation with PMO and SPG. Air HQ had been insisting since 1988 that requirement of service ceiling of 6,000 meters was an inescapable operational necessity to access many border areas. The same was also reiterated to the Defence Secretary in January 2004.

However, in a meeting convened by the Defence Secretary in May 2005, it was decided to lower the altitude requirement to 4,500 meters. Thus, the altitude ceiling was inventively fixed to facilitate the entry of AgustaWestland as EH-101 (AW-101) which could fly only up to 4,572 meters.

2. Cabin Height

Air HQ considered cabin height of 1.45 meters to be acceptable in view of the fact that flights undertaken by VVIPs are generally of short duration. Strangely, on the insistence of PMO/SPG, minimum cabin height of 1.8 meters was converted from a desirable to a mandatory SQR. It implied that no helicopter with lesser cabin height could be considered for procurement. Although Air HQ cautioned that making cabin height of 1.8 meter a mandatory SQR would lead to a single vendor situation as only EH-101 (AW-101) possessed it, the objection was disregarded.

It made the entire exercise of generating competition a farce as the process was skillfully contrived at the very outset to clear the path for the selection of AgustaWestland as a single vendor. Despite the fact that the earlier proposal had been aborted for resulting in a single vendor situation, the fresh proposal was deliberately perverted at the parameter formulation stage itself. Expectedly, the process led to the emergence of AW-101 as the sole compliant helicopter. 

3. Reduced Competition through Limited Tendering

Whereas the stated purpose of issuing fresh RFP with revised parameters was to generate more competition, MoD reduced the number of invited vendors from the earlier 11 to 6. Consequently, instead of increasing competition, new RFP reduced it. When queried by CAG for this anomaly, MoD replied that limited tendering was resorted to due to security considerations and that the vendors had to be vetted from the intelligence angle. It defies logic.  MoD did not clarify as to what fresh inputs it had received regarding their becoming security threats since the issuance of the first RFP. 

 

Additionally, MoD justified the exclusion of five vendors on the ground that they had failed to comply with SQR in the earlier RFP. Again, it was an absurd logic. How could a vendor who was non-compliant in 2002 be considered unfit in 2006 as well? It was for the vendors to state whether they had been able to develop machines in the interim period to meet Indian requirements. Some feel that the competition was intentionally kept restricted to reduce threats to AgustaWestland. 

4. Location and Conduct of Field Evaluation Trials

Only three vendors responded to the new RFP. The proposal of Rosoboronexport (Mi-172) was rejected for non-deposition of the earnest money and refusal to sign the pre-contract Integrity Pact.  Accordingly, Sikorsky (S-92) and AgustaWestland (AW-101) were shortlisted for FET. FET is by far the most critical aspect of the entire procurement process as it aims to validate performance claims made by the vendors in their technical proposals. Attention needs to be drawn to two grave misdemeanours during FET.

 

First, DPP mandates that FET must be carried out in all conditions where the equipment is likely to be deployed. Even the new RFP had categorically stated that FET would be carried out in India in varying climatic, altitude and terrain conditions on ‘No Cost No Commitment’ basis. In their responses, both vendors had agreed to it. 

 

Undoubtedly, all vendors prefer to have FET at their own locations as it saves considerable costs and helps them in channelising trials in the manner that suits them the best. However, MoD never allows it.Most surprisingly, Air HQ accepted the request of both the vendors to hold trials at their respective sites. CAG has highlighted the extent of the pressure put by the then Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) on the Defence Secretary and the Defence Procurement Board. It is not understood as to why CAS was so insistent on carrying out FET abroad. It was a gratuitous demand. 

 

On being repeatedly coerced by CAS, the Defence Minister granted permission with great reluctance in December 2007. However, he cautioned that the trial process should be credible, technically competent and above board. He directed that the trial directive should give equal opportunity to both the bidders. 

 

CAG’s report has revealed that the helicopter offered by AgustaWestland was still in the developmental phase and not ready for trials. Perhaps, it was the reason for its reluctance for FET in India. Undoubtedly, Air HQ was aware of it and decided to bail it out by obtaining sanction for FET abroad. 

 

Secondly, FET is required to be carried out on the equipment being considered for procurement and not a substitute. DPP allows no deviations whatsoever. It is considered a sacrosanct necessity and DPP allows no dilution of this requirement. 

 

In total contravention of the directions issued by the Defence Minister and the provisions of DPP, different methodologies were employed for the trial evaluation of S-92 and AW-101. Whereas FET in respect of Sikorsky was conducted in the USA on the same S-92 helicopter as mentioned in their technical offer, trials in respect of AgustaWestland were carried out in the UK on representative helicopters (Civ-01 and Merlin MK-3A) for different parameters and a mock up of the passenger cabin.

 

Most shockingly, AW-101 helicopter was declared fully SQR-compliant. CAG has rightly questioned the methodology of evaluating different aspects of equipment on separate platforms and hoping that the configured machine would satisfy all SQR. In other words, AW-101 was selected without subjecting it to real FET. Can there be a bigger travesty of the procedure?

5. Additional Requirement

One of the most intriguing aspects of the deal is an increase in the requirement of helicopters from 8 to 12. CAG has found no justification for the same. The Communication Squadron had been managing with a fleet of eight Mi-8 helicopters since 1988 and had never complained of shortage. More importantly, even the first proposal initiated in 1999 sought eight helicopters (five in VIP configuration and three in non-VIP configuration). Accordingly, the first RFP issued in March 2002 was for 8 helicopters only. 

 

However, in October 2005, SPG insisted that the requirement be increased to 12 (eight in VIP configuration and four in non-VIP configuration). MoD accorded sanction for the increased number in January 2006.

 

CAG has found the procurement of additional helicopter to be unjustified that resulted in a totally avoidable excess expenditure of Rs 1240 crore. It has opined that the increased requirement was not commensurate with the low utilisation levels (29 percent) in the past. It appears that the requirement was increased only after it was reasonably ensured that the order would go to AgustaWestland through the tailor-making of SQR. 

 

Two interesting points emerge. One, whereas it should be for the Air HQ to determine the requirement as it is its responsibility to make adequate helicopters available for the transportation of VVIPs, NSG was allowed to usurp this right. Two, PMO/NSG had been co-opted with the proposal since 1999. They never projected additional requirement till October 2005. 

6. Faulty Staff Evaluation

Staff evaluation is the last stage of technical evaluation. It confirms full compliance of equipment with SQR. DPP specifically debars grant of waiver or amendment to SQR after the issuance of RFP in ‘Buy’ cases. CAG observed that both the vendors (Sikorsky and AgustaWestland) were not found fully compliant with SQR. However, the Staff Evaluation Report recommended the induction of AW-101.

 

When queried by CAG, MoD admitted that the non-VIP version offered by AgustaWestland was partially compliant with respect to two SQR. MoD claimed that the infirmity could be operationally overcome.

 

The above reasoning questions the sanctity of SQR. DPP defines SQR as minimum inescapable performance characteristics that are considered essential for the performance of equipment for the designated operational tasks. Any SQR that can be dispensed with or can be ‘overcome operationally’ should not have been included in the RFP in the first place. It is evident that special dispensation was accorded to AgustaWestland.  

7. Frequent Deviations

To cater for unforeseen contingencies, DPP has empowered the Defence Minister to approve deviations on the recommendations of the Defence Procurement Board. It is an enabling provision that should be invoked in rare and exceptional circumstances.

 

In this case, CAG has observed numerous instances of deviation from the provisions of the DPP. Even the Ministry of Finance pointed out that the approval of the Defence Minister had been sought for eight deviations, including seeking additional commercial quotation from both vendors; non-compliance of two SQR by AW-101 helicopter; extension of delivery period from 36 to 39 months; reducing the validity period of the option clause from 5 to 3 years; incorporation of rear air-stairs in the four non-VIP helicopters; requirement of additional items; and deletion of active Missile Approach Warning System (MAWS).

 

As per RFP, vendors were required to provide a warranty of 3 years or 900 hours ‘whichever is later’. On the request of the vendors, MoD changed it to ‘whichever is earlier’, thereby diluting the warranty clause to its disadvantage. Similarly, MoD granted deviation to the vendor by reducing the validity of the option clause from 5 to 3 years. It gave undue benefit to the vendor. An option clause carries a cost penalty as the vendor has to keep his manufacturing facilities functional.  

8. Commercial Negotiations

Perhaps, the most shocking aspect of the whole deal was the slapdash manner in which commercial negotiations were carried out with AgustaWestland. CAG has been scathing in its observations. 

 

Every procurement proposal contains estimated cost of the whole deal. In order to arrive at a realistic cost, DPP mandates that the concerned Service Headquarters must obtain inputs from major vendors through the issuance of Request for Information (RFI). Such a requirement becomes inescapable in respect of systems that are unique in their configuration. Air HQ floated no such RFI. Consequently, their estimate of the likely cost was devoid of any logical foundation. It was a contrived and unrealistic estimate. The lapse is indefensible.   

 

In single vendor cases, Contract Negotiation Committee (CNC) is required to establish a benchmark of reasonableness of price prior to the opening of the commercial offer. If the quoted price falls within the benchmark, price negotiations are dispensed with. CAG has observed that CNC carried out benchmarking of price in an unrealistic manner at 67.4 million dollars per helicopter (without passenger cabin modifications). Resultantly, the following absurdity emerged:-

2006. a)Estimated cost in the proposal submitted by the Air HQ was Rs 793 crore which was duly approved by MoD in January 2006.
2007. b)In September 2008 (in less than three years), CNC benchmarked the reasonable cost at Rs 4877.5 crore – more than six times the estimated cost.
2008. c)Cost quoted by the vendor AgustaWestland was Rs 3966 crore. Thus, the benchmarked cost was higher by 22.80 per cent.

Even the Ministry of Finance had pointed out that the difference between the final negotiated price and the estimated cost to be abnormally high.

9. Offsets

As regards the fulfilment of offset obligations, CAG has observed major infirmities. Offsets were allowed to AgustaWestland which were not compliant with the DPP provisions, e.g. creation of infra-structure. Further, there was ambiguity in the offset contract regarding the type of services and export orders to be executed by IDS Infotech (Indian Offset Partner).  

 

Surprisingly, work completed prior to the award of the helicopter contract was allowed to be included in the offset contract – AgustaWestland gave year-wise break up of work for the offset programme from 2011 to 2014 even though the work had already been completed by IDS Infotech well before 2010. It was totally in contravention to the offset policy directions.

 

Many IOP selected for the discharge of offset obligations were not even eligible. Worse, many programmes which were based on uncertain expectations were also included. These could never have been completed in the planned time frame. CAG noticed that offset obligations had remained unfulfilled up to August 2012. In short, the complete offset contract was handled in a slipshod, inefficient and subjective manner. Almost all critical provisions of the offset policy were flouted.  

 

Finally

 

As has been seen above, every act of omission or commission was carried out to tweak the process. One can summarise by saying that the said deal is a fit case study – it provides a road-map for swinging a deal in favour of a chosen vendor:-  

• Service ceiling was reduced to 4,500 meters as AW-101 could fly only up to 4,572 meters. 
• Cabin height was fixed at 1.8 meters. It effectively made it a single vendor case as no other helicopter possessed that facility. Moreover, fewer vendors were invited to limit competition.  
• Major deviations were granted to favour the vendor – all to the disadvantage of the buyer.
• Trials were held abroad on substitutes and mock-ups as the helicopter on offer was still under development. Thus AW-101 was declared acceptable without testing it. There cannot be a greater mockery of trials. 
• Whereas the Air HQ had projected the likely cost to be Rs 793 crore in January 2006, CNC benchmarked it at Rs 4877.5 crore in September 2008. Something is terribly amiss. 

Unfortunately, CAG report reveals only a tip of the iceberg. The whole deal is mired in irregularities and infirmities. One will not be surprised if the ongoing investigations reveal it to be a murkier affair than the much maligned Bofors.***** 

 

CM aide’s sons thrash eatery staff for not giving free food

Humiliated by the accused, the eatery owner went missing and he sent voice messages on WhatsApp groups, saying he is going to end his life

The accused called nearly 100 of their accomplices at the spot, who continued threatening us for an hour GURPREET SINGH, son of the owner

LUDHIANA: In a blatant display of political influence and highhandedness, Youth Akali Dal leader Ravinderpal Singh Minku along with his brother Sadhu Singh, sons of Bhagwan Singh of Gurmail Medical, a close aide of chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, and their accomplices thrashed a chicken corner owner and his sons for not delivering food, free of cost on Tuesday night.

JS GREWAL/HTFamily of the victim protesting against the attack on Aman Chicken Corner outside the police commissioner’s office in Ludhiana on Wednesday.

In the scuffle that ensued, the accused tossed the turban of Gurjinder Singh alias Bittu, owner of Aman Chicken at Jagjit Nagar near Shastri Nagar railway crossing. After the incident Bittu went missing. He sent voice messages in different WhatsApp groups, saying he is going to end his life. He held Ravinderpal Singh Minku, his brother Sadhu Singh and their accomplices responsible for driving him to take the extreme step. The entire incident was captured in the CCTVs installed at the eatery.

The Sarabha Nagar police have registered a case under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 451 (house-trespass in order to commit offence), 506 (criminal intimidation), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) and sections 25/27/54/59 of Arms Act against Ravinderpal Singh Minku, Sadhu Singh, his accomplice Danny and others, who are yet to be identified, following the statement of Manpreet Singh, son of Gurjinder Singh Bittu.

Gurpreet Singh, younger son of Bittu, said on Tuesday night at around 11pm, Sadhu Singh made a call to their manager Ashok Kumar and asked him to deliver non-vegetarian food in Model Town Extension for free within 2 minutes. When the manager refused to deliver any food item for free, the accused started abusing him.

The manager also told Sadhu Singh that it being Tuesday, most of their staff was on leave, so they will not be able to deliver food within two minutes.

Within a minute after disconnecting the call, the accused along with their accomplices reached the eatery and started thrashing them.

Gurpreet Singh added that on hearing about the incident, his father also came there, the accused thrashed him too. The accused also flashed pistols and revolvers and opened fire in the air. The accused called around 100 of their accomplices at the spot, who continued threatening them for one hour.

“We made a call to the police control room, but no one turned up for at least half-an-hour. After half an hour, a PCR motorcycle squad reached there but stayed 100 metre away. The PCR officials refused to reach at the spot,” said Gurpreet Singh.

“When the accused left the place, Sarabha Nagar policemen came and record their statement,” he added.

Gurpreet added added that after the incident his father went missing and his mobile phone is also switched off. The family is worried about his safety.

Assistant commissioner of police (ACP, West) Surinder Lamba said on being informed he reached the spot and initiated action. He added that the owner of the eatery is missing after the incident. The police are in touch with the family to trace him.

He added that the police have launched a manhunt for to arrest the accused, but they are still absconding.

Minku is senior leader of Youth Akali Dal and spokesperson cum secretary general of Student organisation of India (SOI), student wing of Shiromani Akali Dal. His father Bhagwan Singh of Gurmail medical is close to the chief minister . Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal mostly stays at the residence of Bhagwan Singh during his Ludhiana visit.

CONTROVERSIAL PAST

Sadhu Singh and Ravinder Pal Singh Minku have a controversial past. In December 2009, Sadhu Singh along with his accomplices had allegedly beaten up Gurvinder Singh, a resident of Jawwadi, for hitting their car in full public view in Sarabha Nagar main market.

KS Ghumman, divisional commandant, posted at Punjab Home Guards and Civil defence Patiala, when tried to intervene in the matter, Sadhu Singh and accomplices had manhandled him. The matter reached the police but later, both the sides reached a compromise and no case was registered in this context.

In December 2015, Ravinderpal Singh Minku along with his accomplices had thrashed a scribe Harminder Singh Rocky near Bus stand over a petty issue. The then commissioner of police Paramraj Singh Umranangal had ordered an FIR against Minku and his accomplices, but later he reached a compromise with Rocky.

Cong Punjab list likely in batches

Ex-Akali MP Amrik Singh Aliwal and AAP’s Mahesh Gupta joined Congress in presence of Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday.

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 14

The Congress is likely to announce its Punjab candidate list in installments with the party still engaging ticket hopefuls to quell chances of rebellion ahead of the 2017 Assembly elections.The fifth meeting of the screening committee will take place tomorrow after which the Central Election Committee chaired by Congress president Sonia Gandhi will meet to clear the first list. The Tribune has learnt that Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi wants the Punjab leadership to engage all ticket aspirants and placate serious contenders before a final candidate is named. The candidature of former Akali leaders who recently joined Congress remains under debate with Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh today saying ex-Akalis won’t be fielded without caution. “Ex-Akalis will be fielded only in places where Congress does not have its own candidates. Many of our MLAs earlier went to the Akali Dal. There are many places like Talwandi Sabo and Nihalsinghwala where we don’t have candidates. Former Akalis who have joined us will be fielded in such places only,” Singh said.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Congress insiders have been opposing the nomination of former Akalis and sitting MLAs Mahesh Inder Singh, Sarwan Singh Phillaur, Inderbir Boleria, Deepender Dhillon and Rajvinder Kaur, among others, forcing the leadership to take a calibrated stand on the matter. Capt Amarinder Singh, meanwhile, denied any dispute in the screening panel on candidates and said, “Disputes are only of the nature of whether a father should fight or a son.” Many senior leaders like Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Lal Singh and Guriqbal Babli are keen that their wards fight elections. This, however, is difficult considering Congress has framed a ‘one ticket for one family’ rule.Many leaders have also sought replacement of their seats citing winnability considerations. This matter is under debate with a Congress insider saying, “It remains to be seen whether exceptions to rules will be allowed.”Quelling rebellion is another priority for the party, with Rahul Gandhi keen on engaging ticket aspirants who will be denied nominations. “We are confident of handling whatever little rebellion we may see just like all political parties see all the time. At the end of our many deliberations, we are sure we will come up with something which will be in the interest of the party,” Congress’ in charge for Punjab Asha Kumari said.It is learnt that debate on around 37 Punjab seats continues while the rest are more or less clear now.

‘Elections in Punjab are a challenge for us’

Nasim Zaidi, Chief Election Commissioner. Tribune photo: Manas Ranjan Bhui

WITH Punjab gearing up to elect a new government early 2017, the Election Commission is strapping up to conduct the polls in a free and fair manner. Over the years, the ECI has come up with innovative methods in pursuit of this objective while also encouraging larger participation in this festival of democracy. The Chief Election Commissioner, Nasim Zaidi, responds to a few questions in an exclusive interview with The Tribune.Conducting each election is a challenging task. The EC has increasingly tightened its grip, with the objective of having free and fair polls. How do you view the upcoming Punjab elections?The elections in Punjab are a big challenge for us. It has an international border with a neighbouring country. There are attendant consequences as a border state various institutions play a role. It has inter-state borders and that has implications. There can be movement of criminals, anti-social elements, drugs etc. Punjab has a history of militancy that adds to our challenge because there could be terrorism, radical activity that can disturb the communal fabric. There are high number of incidents of distribution of cash, liquor and drugs. So, the elections have to be conducted in a free, fair and peaceful manner keeping the sensitive law and order and security situation. We view Punjab as a challenge.You have personally toured Punjab and interacted with authorities. Are you satisfied with the arrangements or are you planning any additional measures?We conducted a review with our regional election officers. Our Deputy Election Commissioners have been touring and we are getting continuous feedback. I think our preparations are in full swing and at an advanced stage. Be it electoral rolls, polling stations, personnel to conduct elections or assessment of our central security forces — they are all in the final stages. We also have to build an appropriate and conducive environment. There are certain pre-election actions to maintain law and order and build confidence in the minds of voters that the environment will be conducive. Action against anti-social elements, gangsters and proclaimed offenders is underway. Similarly, action against drugs is being monitored on a weekly basis. As soon as we declare (elections) there will more activity (against these people) and it will be monitored on a daily basis.  There will be increased use of information technology and Voter Verifiable Paper Trail, which assures the voters  and also ensures total neutrality of the machinery. Based on the feedback of political parties, we removed the anganwari workers from the registration process. Another interesting thing is officials who have spent three years in an area will be transferred and not be re-posted in the place they were earlier posted, this will be a new feature.There are reports of 57 gangs, 20,000 proclaimed offenders and firearm licences proliferating in the state. Now there is the instance of people getting killed in celebratory firing. How is the Commission viewing this?This is a serious issue in Punjab and our concern is that gangsters, proclaimed offenders (PO) and arms can be used to influence other voters. It is also true there are 20,000 proclaimed offenders, some with as old as 20 years cases. About 8,000 of them are involved in heinous crimes and the rest are missing. As the first set, action is being taken against 8,000 and data has been collected at police station level. The SHOs are being monitored for action against offenders. Some 1,500 to 2,000 POs have been arrested in the last two months and their activity inside the jail is being monitored so that they do not vitiate the election process.As for gangs, we have a peculiar situation in Punjab. The feedback is that these gangs operate as parallel enforcement machinery by offering help to people who do not get it from the legal route. There are some 500 to 600 such people. As of now, up to 400 such people  have been jailed and the remainder are being tracked down by the police. A special task force has been made and those in prison are being monitored.On issuance of arms licence, I am told Punjab registered high growth in the past few years — somewhere between 40 per cent and 50 per cent. While (these licences) are for personal protection, their misuse cannot be ruled out. About 3.84 lakh licences are there and the EC has directed that excepting those need to be exempted as per requirement, all other arms have to be deposited. As of today, some 55,000 arms have been deposited voluntarily and that is a good sign.Police neutrality in Punjab has been a question. Your attention may have been drawn to reports of working of halqa in charges. Has the Commission taken note? It has been brought to our notice by way of representations and feedback from political parties. It has been brought to our knowledge about halqa in charges. Political parties and local officials told us that officials like SHO, SDMs, DSP BDOs were seeking instructions from these extra-legal people. When we visited Punjab in October, we told the district magistrates that we expect all the officials to act neutrally and independently. A list of people with bias has been prepared and we will not go into elections under such officials.A problem common across the country is money and Punjab is no exception. In the last elections there were reports of money being transported in ambulances. How are you going to tackle it?Yes, in the last elections we were informed ambulances and police vehicles were used to carry money. This time, be it police vehicles or ambulances, they will be on the radar of our expenditure monitoring system. Ambulances carrying patients will be given preference but they will be on our radar.Drugs is a much-talked-about social issue and it could also lead to a law-and-order situation. The state also has borders with other states. How will the EC deal with it?The drug menace is being looked into from the election point of view  so that drugs are not used by political parties or candidates to influence voters. That is our concern. In Punjab, the phenomena of drugs are of three kinds. One is smuggling of heroin from international borders, the second is the inter-state movement  of opium, charas, poppy husk or usko bhukhie bolte hain. The third is pharmaceuticals. These are being dealt with separately. On the border, the BSF is being reinforced  with additional check posts, CCTVs are there. On the inter-state border, there is coordination with states, CCTVs and check posts being put up. We have decided to work and coordinate with the BSF, the national and state narcotics control bureau, district and sub-district committees. As for pharmaceutical companies, we are dealing in coordination with the drugs controller to check diversion of chemicals at the manufacturing level and also at the distribution level. Raids and seizures will be conducted and we have readied a list of people known to be indulging in smuggling and proclaimed offenders involved in the narcotics trade. They are under our watch and we will act in a coordinated manner with other authorities. Our district committees will carry out an awareness campaign and later on assist in enforcement effort.As compared to earlier polls, after demonetisation the liquidity crunch could affect money distribution in the polls. Yet, there could be other forms of allurement in kind. What will the EC do to check these?Cash distribution will, of course, be less due to the paucity of liquid cash. We will have effective expenditure monitoring, under which are various static surveillance teams and flying squads. This time, flying squads fitted with GPS will be set up so that when they receive complaints their movement can be checked. We are also strengthening the complaint systems by citizens through mobile apps and there will be a coordinated effort to restrain the movement of cash, drugs, liquor etc. We are identifying places where such items are stored. There will be focus on collection and sharing of intelligence by enforcement agencies and follow-up action.Complaint generation, time-bound redressal and strict legal action will be visible. In the last elections, the Central Police Forces were withdrawn in the last 72 hours to secure polling stations. As a result, the field was left open to the candidates and their supporters to distribute money etc. We have learnt a lesson. This time, Central Police Forces will  be manning  polling stations, hold check posts and remain mobile. 2012 will not be repeated. People are being warned not to indulge in such activities and we are getting more central forces this time.The state government has bought advertising space across highways to project its work. There were reports that just before the elections prime locations in municipalities are cornered by ruling parties. Any steps in this regard?In the non-Model Code of Conduct period we cannot remove them. But the EC will later ensure that the ruling party or the government will not be allowed to use advertising spaces to display their achievements. Even political parties will not be allowed to use other than identified spaces through municipalities and this will be strictly implemented. The Election Commission, following a High Court direction, has issued a set of instructions that no political party can use public or government funds or public places to propagate their symbols. If they violate this directive, they even run the risk of losing their recognition. If our machinery notes or we receive a complaint that the symbol of a political party is displayed on a government advertisement, it will be a serious violation of instructions and action will follow. When we enforce the Model Code of Conduct, you will notice that posters, bills, advertisement run by any political party will be removed within 24 hours. Sometimes we hear that the ruling party captures advertising space. This time, from the date of announcement of the polling schedule, we are introducing the “first-come-first-served basis.” All previous reservations will be cancelled. Either a computerised or register system will be followed to give space on “first-come, first-served basis” so that all parties get an equal opportunity. Of course, it will depend on the resources of the parties.How do you plan to monitor the digital media since the campaign is also being carried in this form?Social media is being widely used but it is so wide that it is very difficult to regulate it. We have evolved a system from the point of view of candidates and political parties. Since the servers of most social media are outside (the country), we have procured a list of public grievance officers of each social media platform like  Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. In case of any complaint, we will forward it to them. Candidates will be required to give their social media account when they file their nomination. This is a new instruction for Punjab. If they use social media for advertisement purposes, they will have to file expenses and if candidates or political parties upload any advertisement, it will be subjected to pre-certification. All expenses incurred on social media will be added to their expenditure. If the candidates and political parties publish any content in violation of the Model Code, it will attract the provisions. It will apply across all social media platforms declared by the candidate and will be monitored.The Tirath Yatra scheme that cost the state several crores is aimed at religious communities. How can the EC act before the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and later?We cannot intervene before the Model Code of Conduct comes into force but after it does we will definitely tell the state government to postpone the activity till after the elections. Since the proposal for e-voting or e-postal ballot is still under consideration, any movement on making it easier for the NRIs to participate in the elections? The Act and relevant rules have not been amended so far. The recommendation is with the Law Ministry to enable the NRIs to cast their vote through one-way transmission of postal ballot by electronic means. Under the current law, NRIs have to come to the polling station to cast their vote. Recently, we launched the NRI survey through our portal and we believe about 66,000 NRIs across (the world) have registered. We encourage them to cast their vote. I would urge NRIs and all citizens to get their names registered as voters.The EC has  campaigned for enrollment and for bringing people to cast their vote. What have been the results this time?When we published draft rolls on September 7, we had 1.92 crore voters. As we publish the final list, there are 1.97 crore voters. There has been an increase of 5 lakh which we consider quite encouraging. The number could go up since revision forms will be received till January 5, 2017.  Of these new voters, 3.70 lakh are in the age group of 18 or 19 years. The number of women on the rolls also improved and is close to the census figure. We need to create a secure environment, voter awareness campaign. In 2012, Punjab recorded 78 per cent polling and this time we expect the turnaround of 85 per cent. I appeal to all voters first to register and come out vote to elect their worthy representative. We have brand ambassadors like MS Dhoni, Saina Nehwal, Abhinav Bindra and Gurdas Mann encouraging people to take part in the poll process. 

BJP workers protest near CM’s Sangat Darshan venue

Stopped by SAD workers as they ‘didn’t figure’ on list of invitees

Gurminder Singh Grewal

Khamano, December 14

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers protested near the venue of a Sangat Darshan programme here today, alleging that they had not been invited.Led by Bachan Lal and Kuldeep Madan, they alleged that SAD workers did not allow them to enter the venue as “their names did not figure on the list of invitees”. BJP workers raised slogans and returned. This was not the first such instance. On Monday, BJP leaders in Bassi Pathana protested after they were “not allowed” to enter the venue for a Sangat Darshan programme.Earlier today, before the start of the Sangat Darshan, about 25 anganwari workers tried to disrupt traffic on the Ludhiana-Chandigarh road. This happened when the cavalcade of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was to cross the road.The police, however, persuaded the workers to send a four-member team to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for talks. Led by anganwari workers’ union leader Satwant Kaur Kalewal, workers met the CM who called them for talks in Chandigarh tomorrow.

Please CM, get enhanced grant

• At the programme, Badal started by giving out Rs 5 lakhto each panchayat. When panchayat members ofSidhupur villagers raised slogans in favour of the SAD and Badal, the Chief Minister raised the grant to Rs 16 lakh for the village. Later, other panchayats adoptedthis method and received more grant.

VOTE’S ON: ELECTION TOUR WITH THE TRIBUNE

Field open in Samana

Represented by Cabinet Minister Rakhra, the constituency has witnessed development, but it still has its share of Cong, AAP supporters

A road being laid at Rakhra village in Samana constituency. Tribune photo: Rajesh Sachar

Gagan K Teja

Samana is a keenly contested seat, thanks to its proximity to Patiala city. Since many of its villages have grown into bustling townships, the changed urban-rural equation has made it tough for political parties to predict which way the votes will go.Represented by Cabinet minister Surjit Singh Rakhra, the Jat Sikh-dominated seat saw considerable development, a factor that can consolidate the SAD’s vote share. But this segment also has pro-Congress pockets, while AAP is getting a favourable response from a section of the electorate.The villages now have tiled, concrete roads with better sanitation and enhanced availability of potable water. The urban areas, too, have improved basic amenities. All this, however, doesn’t enthuse voters much, who opine that development is not just about infrastructure. They rue that welfare schemes have eluded this area, with a large number of the poor without blue cards. People also complain that the government has failed to generate employment avenues for thousands of jobless youths. Rakhra is banking on his work and his proximity with the Badals. AAP has fielded Jagtar Singh Rajla, an Akali ex-MLA and a former Congress leader. Those in the fray for the Congress ticket are PPCC senior vice-president Lal Singh’s son Kaka Rajinder Singh, Harry Mann, Gursharan Kaur Randhawa, Kuldeep Singh Nasupur and Rashpal Singh.

Cong resignations: Speaker asks all MLAs to appear in person

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 14

Vidhan Sabha Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal has asked all 43 Congress MLAs, who have resigned in protest over the SYL issue, to appear in person.The MLAs would be heard for three days, beginning December 20.Led by Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Charanjit Singh Channi, most of party’s 42 MLAs and an Independent associate member of the party, submitted their resignations to Assembly Secretary Shashi Lakhanpal Mishra on November 12.The resignations were given ahead of the emergency session of the Vidhan Sabha on November 16.Atwal said it had to be confirmed that the MLAs had not tendered their resignations under pressure.“All MLAs have been given different time slots to appear in person,” the Speaker added.

Kotkapura shuts doors

A banner, announcing poll boycott, put up by residents of a locality in Kotkapura. Tribune Photo\

Balwant Garg

Upset over politicians’ indifference to their problems, a section of Kotkapura voters has decided to boycott the Assembly elections. The residents of many localities in the town, which was once known as the biggest cotton market of Asia, have put up flex boards, banning the entry of politicians.Pointing towards the heaps of garbage and pools of sewage, residents of Ward No. 18 and 19 also draw the visitor’s attention to the SAD-BJP government’s slogan painted on wall: “Raj Nahi Seva” (service, not rule).“Be it the Akalis or the Congress, there is no difference. Like migratory birds, they descend only at election time, making a beeline and seeking our vote as well as support. Once the election din dies down, these leaders become inaccessible,” says Gurbachan Singh, a retired teacher who resides in Ward No. 18.Vivek Kumar, a shopkeeper, feels that the political parties are raking up issues that don’t concern the common man. “The Akalis are claiming credit for unprecedented development in the past over nine years. The Congress is promising more development. It’s all mere rhetoric as a majority of the local residents are still awaiting supply of potable water,” he adds.His views are echoed by Gurmail Kaur, a housewife and resident of Dr Harpal Street, who says mud-slinging is eclipsing the key public issues.Residents complain that sewage water floods their streets and drinking water is scarce. All our requests to the politicians and bureaucrats in the past many years have fallen on deaf ears, they lament, anger writ large on their faces.

7 lakh stoves for BPL families to have CM stickers

Pictures of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his deputy on a gas stove box. Tribune photo

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, December 14

The state Food and Supply Department has sent over 7 lakh stickers, having pictures of the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister, to all LPG distributors across the state. These stickers are to be pasted on the boxes of LPG stoves which are to be distributed among BPL families in the coming days.Funded by the state government, these seven lakh free-of-cost LPG stoves are being distributed to all beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY). Under the scheme, while a free LPG gas connection is being provided by the Union Government, the Punjab Government is paying for gas stoves (Rs990 each) for the beneficiaries in the state.All these LPG gas connections and stoves are to be distributed before December 31.The move to put up stickers is apparently to extract political mileage in the upcoming elections. The LPG distributors have been asked to paste these stickers on the LPG stove and also insert a printed message in the LPG packing box, giving the CM’s message about the scheme.Through the message, the CM empathises with poor women who have to face smoke while cooking. “These free-of-cost gas stove with an LPG connection will make cooking meals convenient for all you women,” reads the CM’s message. However, there is no mention of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana in the CM’s message.As per the approval format, provided by the oil marketing companies — Indian Oil, Bharat Gas and Hindustan Petroleum — the gas stove manufacturing companies have already printed a picture of PM Narendra Modi on the packing box of the gas stove.The gas stoves, costing Rs990 each, have been designed by the oil marketing companies to make these affordable for all beneficiaries under the PMUY. But in Punjab, the government has released Rs50 crore to the IOC to distribute the stoves free of cost.

MAJHA FATEH RALLY

AAP pits Shergill against Majithia

Party volunteers from Malwa and Doaba turn up as well

AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, state party co-incharge Jarnail Singh and AAP youth wing chief Harjot Bains (L) at a rally near Amritsar on Wednesday. Tribune Photo: Munish Sharma

Tribune News Service

Majitha, December 14

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal today pitted Himmat Singh Shergill against Cabinet minister Bikram Singh Majithia in the Assembly elections.The SAD has fielded Majithia from Majitha.The announcement was made at Majha Fateh Rally here. AAP volunteers from Malwa and Doaba reportedly turned up in large numbers.The Delhi Chief Minister proposed the candidature of Shergill from the dais and sought public’s nod. “Our candidate will hand out a convincing defeat to Majithia.”Shergill is a lawyer at the Punjab and Haryana High Court and party’s legal cell in charge. Earlier, he was fielded from Mohali.“We have all gathered here to uproot Majithia from his constituency. The massive gathering gives me confidence that Majithia will forfeit his deposit,” Kejriwal said.In Majithia’s home turf, he again referred to the criminal defamation case registered against him by the minister in an Amritsar court. And again dared Majithia to get him arrested before the elections otherwise “the public will catch hold of him from the collar and put him behind the bars for flourishing drugs trade in Punjab”.The Delhi Chief Minister accused Majithia of having links with the drug mafia for the past 10 years.AAP leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira distributed pictures of Majithia, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, his deputy Sukhbir Singh Badal, and Ajnala MLA Amarpal Singh Boni sharing stage with Maninder Singh alias Bittu Aulakh, one of the accused in the Bhola drug racket case, to prove the point.Kejriwal termed Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh as chacha and claimed he earned immunity for his bhatija (Majithia) during the Congress regime at the Centre. “Amarinder never wanted Majithia to lose. Last time, the Congress had fielded a weak candidate against Majithia,” he claimed.Dera event played spoilsport?A programme by Beas dera chief Gurinder Singh Dhillon was scheduled in Majitha on Wednesday. Speculation was rife that the programme was scheduled to affect Kejriwal’s rally. The dera chief shares family ties with Majithia.

Cong MLA promises govt job, revival of sick industrial units in Amritsar West constituency

Congress MLA Raj Kumar Verka during a meeting in Amritsar on Wednesday. Photo: Munish Sharma

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 14

Congress MLA Raj Kumar Verka today promised the people government job to at least one educated youth of a family, besides reviving sick industrial units in the Amritsar (West) constituency here.He also assured the people to remove iron grill, put up under the bus rapid transit system (BRTS), on either side of the road, which had hit business of shopkeepers hard.While addressing the gathering, Verka said it was the Congress government, which initiated various development projects in the city, including laying sewerage system under the JICA project. Now, the SAD-BJP government was taking the credit for it by fooling people, he added.“However, people are wise and they know all false tactics of the ruling combine, which is only interested in their own development,” he said.The Amritsar (West) constituency had always faced neglect since SAD-BJP government came to power 10-years ago, he added. He said people were facing the scourge of drug abuse.“Being in Opposition I could not carry out development works in my constituency to the extent I wanted. The ruling government has discriminated constituencies represented by Congress candidates,” he added.He said whatever development being carried out in the city was started during the tenure of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.The Congress government was committed to curb unemployment by providing government jobs to at least one member of each family and until that happened it would give Rs 3,000 as allowance to unemployed youth, he added. He said Capt Amarinder Singh had even given an affidavit in this connection.Among others, who were present during the occasion, include PPCC vice-president Jagdish Sharma and PPCC sports cell vice- chairman Dimple Arora.

‘Captain Smart Connect’ scheme receives overwhelming response in Amritsar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 13

The scheme ‘Captain Smart Connect’ launched by Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Captain Amarinder Singh has received an overwhelming response in Amritsar.Under the scheme, the Punjab Congress has announced to distribute 50 lakh smartphones among youth in order to empower them if comes to power.A total of 3,49,724 entries have been received for the smart phones in the district.Around 59 per cent were male and 41 per cent were female, who got themselves registered under the scheme.Congress workers in Amritsar made various arrangements to ensure the maximum participation of youngsters to get themselves registered under the scheme. Workers also set up various registration desks across the city to make people aware of the scheme.The Punjab Congress Express has also been visiting villages, spreading the message of the scheme to the people.They are also helping them in the registration process where they do not have internet facility.On November 20, ‘Captain Smart Connect’ Scheme was launched with an objective to empower the youth by digitally connecting them with the world, and enabling them to explore opportunities for themselves.During the first phase — November 20 to 30 — around 20 lakh people registered under the scheme. Overwhelmed by the response and requests, the last date of the first phase was extended till December 10.

Fact File

• A total of 3,49,724 entries have been received for the smartphones in the district. Around 59 per cent were male and 41 per cent were female, who got themselves registered under the scheme
• Congress workers in Amritsar made various arrangements to ensure the maximum participation of youngsters to get themselves registered under the scheme. Workers also set up various registration desks across the city to ensure smooth registration

Over 2.7 lakh register for Captain Smart Connect Scheme from city

Patiala, December 14

Launched on November 20 as Captain Amarinder Singh’s landmark initiative for the youth of Punjab, the scheme promised to empower the youth by digitally connecting with the world and enabling them to explore opportunities for themselves.The scheme was seen very popular among young women in Patiala. Of the total registration from Patiala, about 46 per cent were done by women.Congress workers in Patiala made various arrangements to ensure that the maximum number of youths register themselves for the scheme. The registration desks set up by Congress workers and the IPAC ground team across the city have helped people register their smartphones smoothly. The Punjab Congress Express also spread the message about the scheme to every nook and corner of the city.To avoid the delay in the implementation of this scheme, registrations were opened at the time of the launch (November 20) itself. The first phase (November 20-30) saw 20 lakh people register for their free smartphones. Overwhelmed by the response and conceding to the multiple requests from ground, the last date for registration was extended by 10 more days – till December 10.The scheme hit the right target audience in the city as 53 per cent of the registered youths were between the age of 18 and 25 years, while the other 43 per cent were between the age group of 26 and 35 years. About 4 per cent of the people, who have registered for this scheme, are below or above the age bracket of this scheme. i.e. 18-35 years. — TNS

The scheme

• The Captain Smart Connect Scheme is one of Captain Amarinder Singh’s flagship programmes where he promised to give smartphones to the youths. In return, the youths have to promise that they would stay away from drugs.

Another AAP leader joins Cong

Mahesh Gupta

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 14

Amidst internal strife over the Cantt candidature, the Aam Aadmi Party in Jalandhar got another blow with party leader Mahesh Gupta joining the Congress today. Gupta was the vice-president of the trade, transport and industry wing of AAP in the district.Gupta’s entry into the Congress casts shadow over the party’s candidature from the Jalandhar North constituency where he was expecting a ticket. Gupta claims he will now be working against AAP candidate Mahesh Bhagat in the constituency. Gupta is a representative of the Aggarwal community and also the general secretary of the Vaishaya Federation. His exit can affect the party in terms of his larger role within the Aggarwal and trading community.He joined the Congress today at Delhi in the presence of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Capt Amarinder Singh. Gupta had organised the Agrasen Jayanti event for the party on September 25, which had been attended by AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal. Days after the event, the seat went to candidate Gulshan Sharma.Gupta said, “I was backing the AAP wholeheartedly with all my supporters. I had high hopes from the party, but after promising me a ticket, the party chose me as an office bearer without even asking me. There is a difference between what the party says and does. I worked day and night for the party, but the ticket finally went to someone else at the last moment.”While the party also faced a rebellion at the Kartarpur seat after the candidature was allocated to Dalit leader Chandan Grewal, the recent constituency to face rebellion in Jalandhar by eminent leaders has been Jalandhar Cantt where Hockey veterans Rajbir Kaur, Jagdeep Gill, journalist Major Singh, former principal Jasbir Kaur Gill, AAP founder member Inderjit Singh Bhalla, media coordinator Atam Parkash Bablu and Narinder Chawla have resented the candidature of HS Walia.While the ensuing face-off also saw allegations and counter allegations being hurled by both sides against each other, with Rajbir Kaur even threatening to sue Walia for defaming her, party in-charge Sanjay Singh also visited Cantt leaders on Tuesday to contain the rebellion.In a meeting with Rajbir Kaur, Jagdeep Gill, Jasbir Kaur Gill, Inderjit Singh Bhalla, Atam Parkash Singh Bablu and Narinder Chawla and former Nakodar candidate Jagtar Singh Sanghera, Sanjay Singh attempted to broker peace among both the sides. However, while the Cantt leaders remain steadfast on their stance, another meeting of the leaders might be scheduled by December end, leaders said. Meanwhile, removed from the Nakodar constituency’s candidature, Sanghera has been made party state vice-president and spokesperson.The joining of Mahesh Gupta in the Congress happens a day after AAP national executive member Yamini Gomar quit the party’s primary membership and lashed out at the party calling it anti-Dalit.

Badals hurry doles to vault polls

CHANDIGARH: Barely weeks before Punjab voters were gearing up to give their verdict in January 2012 assembly elections, `15,000 cheques began reaching abruptly the ‘poor’ voters for house repair.

Using this safe mode launched just days before the election commission sounded Punjab assembly poll bugle on December 24, 2011, the Parkash Singh Badal government had quietly pumped in about `50 crore to reach a set of voters in select districts.

This was one of the many covert and overt ploys of the Akali Dal to retain power by outwitting the overconfident Congress.

And the smartly managed gamble yielded results as the Akali Dal-BJP combine retained power with a bang.

Now, the double-barrel Akali Dal top guns — party patriarch Parkash Singh Badal and his son and party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal — are using every trick before the poll code comes into force. Their sole objective: Rule Punjab for third consecutive time. “Our cadre is charged up and ready to fight to win,” says Sukhbir Badal.

However, in what the analysts say “hurry and worry” of the Badal duo, the nervousness is rising in the Akali Dal camp with the assembly poll turning out to be a three-horse race. The strong anti-incumbency of its 10-year rule—marked equally by blots and bright spots—is giving jitters to the ruling Akali Dal-BJP combine.

And to dodge this disadvantage, the master-strategist Badal Sr has accelerated his speed of holding ‘sangat darshans’ and the game of sanction-on-the-spot development grants that ranges between `20 crore and `25 crore to the host assembly segment.

For an example, in last one week alone CM Badal doled out `40-crore developmental grants during his favourite ‘sangat darshan’ exercise in three reserved segments—Nabha, Chamkaur Sahib and Bassi Pathana—where party has fielded fresh faces.

On Tuesday, CM Badal in Kalanaur—the place of emperor Akbar’s coronation in Gurdaspur—distributed `2.61crore compensation to farmers.

The overt strategy of the father-son-duo is that while Sukhbir is attempting to set development as poll agenda (see box—inauguration spree), Badal Sr is keeping himself personally and firmly plugged with the public via the ‘sangat darshans’ and liberal dose of grants.

Among other raft of populist steps, CM Badal has taken in last two-weeks include ‘welfare’ of his party loyalists. Badal parked over 150 party activists as chairman or members in different welfare boards ahead of the poll code.

In a pre-poll job bonanza, state cabinet created over 3,300 posts, besides regularising 27,000 employees hired on contract

Almost every week, Badal cabinet is meeting and taking plethora of populist decisions. Sources say every financial resource is being squeezed, including loan from banks. Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB), that funds most of CM Badal’s pet projects, in the last cabinet meeting had sought nod for more loans and stating that its financial health had collapsed.

But the desperation to bulldoze the system by the Badal dispensation is such that bureaucrats who are finally mustering courage to say “no” are being dumped.

“In the past two months, political masters’ brief is to just do this… Every officer is eagerly awaiting for poll code,” says an officer. The sense of urgency is palpable in resourceful Sukhbir Badal’s daily drill. In the past one month, Sukhbir has inaugurated or laid foundation stones of over 30 mega or minor projects, beginning with the classy heritage street around the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

“This carpet bombing of sorts (read inauguration spree) is aimed at building positive public perception and deflecting negative public opinion,” says an aide of Sukhbir Badal.

At the heart of Badal government’s last ditch voteclinching sops is almost every electoral segment. Gymnasiums and free sports kits to youth, utensils to mahila mandals and free pilgrimage for oldies.That’s just a glimpse of the size and scale of the prepoll doles.

Former SAD MP Aliwal joins Cong

Pakistan has no role in the Nabha jailbreak case. Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal is behind the jailbreak as he wants shooters to eliminate me and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal in view of the upcoming elections in Punjab. BHAGWANT MANN, AAP leader and Sangrur MP He (Mann) is getting hallucinations that Badals are after his life because of his habit of consuming excessive alcohol. Actually, Arvind Kejriwal has scripted his (Mann’s) obituary by coaxing him to contest from Jalalabad against Sukhbir Badal. PREM SINGH CHANDUMAJRA, SAD leader and Anandpur Sahib MP

CHANDIGARH : Former Ludhiana MP Amrik Aliwal joined the Congress on Wednesday in presence of party president Captain Amarinder Singh. Mahesh Gupta and Gurbans Singh Punia of AAP too joined the party. Aliwal, a former Punjab Agro Industries Corporation chairman, said, “The Badals were running the party like their personal fiefdom, in a completely undemocratic manner, with no concern for the people of the state, who were struggling to make both ends meet. I have witnessed first hand the protection given by the Badals to criminals and miscreants and noted that not a single case had ever been fairly investigated under the Akali rule.”

Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh with Amrik Aliwal in

Welcoming them into the party, Amarinder said Amrik’s his decision to quit the party and join the Congress indicated the “deep rot” in the Akali Dal under the Badal leadership.

Mahesh Gupta, an AAP ticket aspirant from Jalandhar North, and Gurbans Singh Punia, the AAP zone in-charge for Patiala, Ludhiana and Jalandhar, also joined the Congress.

CAPT SEEKS NOTE BAN ROLLBACK; WRITES TO CJI

Meanwhile, dubbing demonetisation a “complete failure” and its implementation a “total fiasco,” Capt on Wednesday sought its rollback and intervention of chief justices of India and the Punjab and Haryana high court. In a letter to the chief justices, he urged them to treat his communication as a PIL.

Congress leaders sharing rooms and towels at Delhi’s Punjab Bhawan

State party chief Amarinder says Akalis can pitch tents outside Punjab Bhawan if they are not getting rooms

NOT JUST FIRST­TIMERS OR DEFEATED PARTY CANDIDATES ARE LOBBYING FOR TICKETS. SITTING MLAs TOO ARE SPENDING SLEEPLESS NIGHTS

CHANDIGARH: What extent can you go to for a Congress ticket? In case of Punjab, party’s ticket hopefuls have not only found two voters per booth, paid ₹10,000 for general seats and ₹5,000 for reserved seats and signed a loyalty pledge that they would not rebel against the candidate announced by the party.

That was just for the preliminary round. Two back-to-back poll drubbings in Punjab have not dented the party’s appeal among contenders.

As the contest enters the final round at Delhi where the party high command takes a final call, the Punjab Bhawan in the national capital has become a “shared dormitory” with some rooms having more than six occupants, admit Congress leaders.

And it is not just first-timers or defeated candidates who are lobbying for tickets. Congress sitting MLAs too have been spending sleepless nights at the Punjab Bhawan fearing they may be dropped as per “surveys” of Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh.

The Captain has also set the pulse of many political dynasties and senior leaders racing by bringing in ‘one family, one ticket’ rule, advocating Hindu faces should be fielded from Hindu-majority seats, ruling out seat swaps for MLAs from general seats and announcing at least 30 seats for youth and “fair representation” for women. Not to forget, all candidates need to be “winnable” too!

Among those not worried is MLA Kuljit Nagra, who is busy campaigning in his constituency, Fatehgarh Sahib.

“I was also there at Punjab Bhawan in Delhi. But the situation had changed from sharing rooms to sharing even towels,” he quips.

AMARINDER AMUSED

It also seems to be one of the pressures on the party to release the list. Amarinder too is amused.

“The whole of Punjab is sitting here. In the army, eight people shared a tent. Probably, the Akalis cannot find a place to stay. In that case, they too can pitch tents outside the Congress Bhawan. But how can they serve eviction notice or charge penalty from Congressmen who are paying the rent?” he says.

The Bhawan authorities admitted that the government has asked them to get “illegal” occupants a evicted. But none of the officials agreed to be quoted.

The Punjab Bhawan sees such footfall of Congress ticket contenders every five years when the state heads to polls. Located in the heart of Delhi near the Congress office, the Bhawan has four categories of rooms and the rent starts from an unbelievable ₹30 to ₹800 for “ordinary suites” while the “minister’s suite” is available for ₹30 in category I and ₹930 in category IV.

The penalty? It is ₹1,530 for both ordinary and minister’s suites. That’s too not much considering each candidate has shelled out ₹10,000 for applying for a ticket.

CEC Nasim Zaidi talks tough against biased officials, halqa in-charges

We are keeping a list of officers who are considered to be biased… I can say that the elections will not be conducted with these officials. NASIM ZAIDI, chief election commissioner

From page 01 CHANDIGARH: Cautioning bureaucrats and police officials who allegedly function as per the wishes of unelected halqa (constituency) in-charges of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), chief election commissioner (CEC) Nasim Zaidi has said that such “biased” officers will not be involved in conducting the Punjab assembly elections due early next year.

“We are keeping ready the list of officers who are considered to be biased, who are not neutral, [those] who are playing to the gallery… We will have their replacements [done] with officials who are neutral,” Zaidi told HT via video conference, flagging the writ of halqa in-charges as a “serious concern”.

Listing activities of crossborder institutions, drugs, 57 gangs on the loose in the state, and anti-social elements operating through the inter-state border, as key challenges, Zaidi said, “In previous elections, a lot of drugs, money and gifts were distributed.”

It was during the Punjab visit, Zaidi said, that the EC received information of lowerlevel bureaucrats and police officials going by instructions of the halqa in-charges.

He pointed out that deputy commissioners and district police chiefs were directed to closely watch the conduct of these officials.

“We have also directed state administration, police, chief electoral officer and district authorities that their conduct will be under watch,” the CEC said. Also the EC, he said, will place a very strong observation system at the ground level to ensure that officers work neutrally.

He further listed the key challenge of preserving the “communal fabric” of the state in context of the “historical background of militancy”.

The CEC said that to “attack” the use of drugs in elections, committees at the sub-divisional level have been formed. He underlined “inter-state movement of opium, charas, poppy husk, and synthetic drugs coming from the neighbouring states in very serious proportion”. “We have list of people involved in these activities,” he said.

Poll panel to go tough on paid news

ELECTION COMMISSION FORMS A TEAM TO MONITOR NEWSPAPERS AND IDENTIFY PAID NEWS, TO ASK CANDIDATE TO INCLUDE EXPENSES IN POLL EXPENDITURE

CHANDIGARH : The Election Commission (EC) has decided to take tough measures to curb the practice of paid news during the forthcoming assembly polls.

During the past Lok Sabha and assembly polls, political parties and candidates have been using the media, particularly newspapers, to sway voters in their favour by getting news printed in their favour by paying for it.

“The issue has taken huge proportions because the paid news, which actually has no truth, is against the essence of free and fair polls. We have decided to regulate it in the coming state polls,” announced Punjab chief electoral officer (CEO) VK Singh.

The CEO informed that he has put a mechanism and a team in place which would scrutinise all newspapers, after the announcement of polls and imposition of the model code of conduct, to identify paid news.

“Our team will send notices to the candidates or political parties in case we find any paid news given by them, make it public by uploading these news items on our website on day-to-day basis, asking the voters to be careful about the facts in the said news item ,” he said.

Also, if the candidate or a political party fails to clear its stand within 24 hours of EC notice, the commission would take ex-parte decision and ask them to include expenses of the paid news into their poll expenditure, he said.

The EC team would impose cost of paid news on the basis of rates of advertisements offered by the newspaper in which the news is printed, by calculating the total cost from the space consumed by the paid news, he added.

During a meeting with chief election commissioner (CEC) Nasim Zaidi in Chandigarh last month, different political parties had flagged the issue and called for a mechanism to check the practice. Sources said CEC is concerned about the issue and had instructed its state office to take tough measures in this regard. They said some political parties and their leaders also want the EC to curb the practice of paid news.

Men of the 36th Regiment in 1896. AustralianSikhHeritage.Com

London, December 12

A new film about an epic British Indian frontier battle is to be made after securing grassroots support through a social media fundraising drive.“Saragarhi: The True Story” will tell the story of how 21 Sikhs fought to the last man against 10,000 enemy tribesmen to defend a small outpost in 1897.The battle was commemorated by the British at the time, with memorials built to it and a battle honour awarded to the 36th Sikh regiment that fought at Saragarhi.The project has raised more than £9,000 on the Kickstarter website, and is now being developed by the “Saragarhi Society” in partnership with new broadcast channel “KTV” and digital arts producers “Taran 3D”.Writer and filmmaker Jay Singh-Sohal said the story was an important one for British Indians but over the years it had had many myths attached to it.“Our motivation in telling the true story through documentary film is to delve into what really happened, using authoritative research and primary sources, in order to pay tribute to those who fought in accordance with their Sikh creed and ethos to the bitter end.“This will give the proper respect due to their sacrifices which can only inspire many more young people to take up public service. As a British Sikh I feel it’s important our community owns this history, retells it with pride to mainstream audiences, and is motivated by it to stand up for the freedoms we enjoy in our country.”The documentary will be released in September 2017 to mark the 120th anniversary of the epic battle. It will premiere at a prestigious venue in central London before going on the road to be screened across the UK and abroad.The Saragarhi Society is a project of the “WW1 Sikh Memorial”, which created the UK’s first national monument to Sikh service at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. — PTI

Never-give-up attitude

• Saragarhi is the incredible story of 21 men of the 36th Sikh Regiment (currently the 4th Sikh Regiment) who gave up their lives in devotion to their duty
• The battle took place on September 12, 1897, in the Tirah region of North-West Frontier Province (now in Pakistan)
• In keeping with the tradition of the Sikh Army, they fought to the death rather than surrender
• The Battle at Saragarhi is one of eight stories of collective bravery published by UNESCO

The House of Badals

THE FIRST

FAMILY Never before in its 96­year­old history has the Akali Dal been helmed by as powerful a family as the Badals. Its critical pivot is Parkash Singh Badal who, now completing his fifth term as chief minister, has dominated Punjab longer than

A MODERATE TO THE CORE, BADAL HAS MASTERED THE ART OF USING PANTHIC IDIOM FOR HIS REALPOLITIK

He lights up amid people. Parkash Singh Badal, once the youngest sarpanch of India and now its oldest chief minister, is a people’s politician, a title that even his most virulent critics don’t deny him. The morning is cold and gloomy, but the towering 6’2” 89-year-old is wide alert, beaming a smile at a sangat darshan, a tete-a-tete with villagers wrapped in blankets, eager to get their grouses to Badal Saab, gearing up for the election early next year.

It’s the cellular age – arch rival and Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh has promised 50 lakh 4-G mobiles to Punjab voters – but the patron of the Shiromani Akali Dal believes in the old world one-onone connect. It’s never failed him, not since 1947 when he was first elected sarpanch of his namesake Badal village in Bathinda at the age of 20.

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Today the village, which has been transformed from a dusty hamlet to a sparkling oasis, is eponymous with the first dynasty of Punjab and the Akali Dal. The surname Badal spells power. The Punjab Cabinet has four members of the family – chief minister Badal, his deputy Sukhbir Singh Badal, son-in-law Adaish Partap Singh Kairon and Sukhbir’s brother-in-law Bikram Singh Majithia. Sukhbir’s wife Harsimrat is a Union minister.

It’s quite a moral climbdown for a leader who was once a harsh critic of the Gandhi dynasty.

The Shiromani Akali Dal, the country’s second oldest party known for morchas (movements) and motivated cadre, is now a family affair. Ashutosh Kumar, a professor at the political science department of Panjab University, says like Akbar, Badal has used matrimonial alliances to strengthen his hold on Punjab. “He married his daughter Parneet into the Congress heavyweight Kairon family, and his son into the powerful Majithia clan. Now he is systematically giving tickets to sons of Akali leaders to promote the hegemony of his own son.”

LONG INNINGS ON MIDDLE PATH

The Badal dynasty stems from the long innings of its patriarch, who still maintains a punishing schedule, starting his day with the sun at 5 and winding up at 11. His stamina is legendary. When asked about his age before the 2007 Punjab elections, he said: “Bhaj ke dikhawan (Shall I run and show you?)”

An MLA on a Congress ticket at 25, and the then youngest chief minister at 43, Badal Senior, as he is now known, has weathered 69 years in Punjab politics.

Badal recounts how he would’ve never entered politics had it not been for an influential relative, a minister, who acceded to his request for being made a tehsildar only to tear the appointment letter. He told me: “Become someone who appoints tehsildars.”

Ashutosh calls Badal’s middle path his greatest strength. Though he spent 17 years in jail in various Akali morchas – a fact that prompted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to call him Nelson Mandela – he never went against India.

Calling him a shrewd reconciler, Ashutosh says: “He built bridges with the BJP despite their ideological differences.”

Another Punjab expert says it’s essentially a social alliance. Badal knew this was the only way to heal the wounds caused by militancy.

1996 was a watershed. With an uncanny sense of popular mood, Badal broadened the SAD’s ideological underpinning from a Panthic entity to a party of Punjabis, and stitched up an alliance with the saffron party that swept into power in 1997. That catapulted Badal on to the centre-stage after two decades in political wilderness. The made-for-each-other alliance has since been going strong.

An artful balancer of his core Panthic ideals with his political interests stretching to other communities, Badal is inarguably the most popular Akali leader among the state’s 42% Hindu populace that looks up to him as the guarantor of communal amity. But his rock-solid support base lies in the rural peasantry – a constituency that he has assiduously nurtured.

Dr Pramod Kumar, director of the Institute of Development and Communication (IDC), attributes Badal’s long innings to his politics of moderation in a state riven by militancy, coupled with a strong understanding of the Punjab peasantry. “Also, most articulate leaders of the Akali Dal, like Partap Singh Kairon and Baldev Singh, joined the Congress.”

SHREWD POLITICIAN ENSURES SON RISE

Badal has always guarded his turf. Be it Gurcharan Singh Tohra, Baldev Singh or even Capt Amarinder Singh, he either kept them busy or cut them to size. In 1996, he denied the Patiala ticket to Capt Amarinder, pushing him back to the Congress. Badal has shrewdly sidelined potential challengers from within the party and drafted frontline Akali leaders’ progeny into Akali politics – all this, to consolidate Sukhbir’s grip on the party.

In a carefully choreographed succession politics, Sukhbir was anointed party chief, and heir apparent, in 2008 when he was barely 45. That laid the foundation of the first family-dominated rule in Akali history. Today, Sukhbir and Harsimrat are the fulcrum of Akali power politics.

LIKE FATHER, UNLIKE SON

Badal has also mastered the Panthic idiom. Dr Manvinder Singh of the department of Guru Nanak Studies at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, says what’s unique is the way he has continued to remain a committed Sikh, while giving equal respect to other religions and minorities. But other scholars criticise his appropriation of the Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Akal Takht. It’s no secret that he appoints the SGPC chief.

Today, the Badal brand of politics is under fire by his sonheir apparent. An officer says: “If Badal is substance, Sukhbir is style.” Comparing them, an observer says: “While Badal’s politics sprouts from his actions, Sukhbir’s politics dictates his actions.”

LITMUS TEST FOR SPIRITED SURVIVOR

The charges of corruption against the family have been growing as has its conglomerate of businesses that include a transport company, TV channels and luxury hotels. An exponential growth of the Badals’s business empire has an overlap with their years in power since 2007 – an open secret that feeds an undercurrent of anger against the ruling family.

The family also saw a power struggle when Badal’s nephew Manpreet Badal, the finance minister from 2007-10, ditched the SAD to float his own outfit, the People’s Party of Punjab, and later joined the Congress. An insider says the family had decided to activate Sukhbir at the Centre and leave the state to Manpreet. Differences arose when Manpreet remained a passive spectator, while the Badals were hounded on charges of corruption by the Amarinder regime of 2002.

Harcharan Bains, a long-time aide of the CM, says that Badal doesn’t let professional (read political) events dictate his personal ties. While Badal Senior may continue to get along with his brother and Manpreet’s father Gurdas Badal, Manpreet and Sukhbir are not on talking termsToday, the man who draws his power from the common man faces a formidable challenge from the Aam Aadmi Party. Bains says Badal is a spirited survivor. “Every time the party is in trouble, he goes back to the people.” In the 2017 assembly elections, however, the Akali patriarch, who turned 89 last week, faces his last test that will judge not only his chequered legacy but also the future of the Badal dynasty. Meanwhile, Parkash Singh Badal is doing what he does best: Courting people.

NEXT: CAPTAIN’S CLAN

Hans now flies from Congress, lands in BJP for ‘homecoming’

Punjabi singer-politician Hans Raj Hans, 52, has left the Congress, too. He was welcomed into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by its president Amit Shah in New Delhi on Saturday. Hans, who had quit the BJP’s partner Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) with a lot of verbal acrimony, and joined the Congress in February, termed this too a “homecoming”.

Pitching himself as a Dalit leader from the Valmiki community, he is being seen as a probable candidate from Jalandhar West for the Punjab assembly polls due early next year.

“I am impressed with the policies of PM Narendra Modi and expressed my desire to serve the party with Amit Shah,” he said, committing to “selfless service”. “Unfortunately, the Congress doesn’t like straightforward people,” he told HT. In the Congress, state chief Capt Amarinder Singh had recommended his name for a Rajya Sabha seat, but former minister Shamsher Singh Dullo, also a Dalit, was chosen instead at the last moment by the party high command. Hans had raised slogans over “discrimination” with Dalits at a rally in Amarinder’s presence, but was until recently seen by the former CM’s side.

Punjab BJP chief and Union minister Vijay Sampla — who is also a Dalit from the Doaba region where the community has an assertive majority presence — said, “Hans was in touch with the party for many days and had met me in Chandigarh. The party will benefit with his services.” Sources said Hans, whose ticket from the Congress was not assured owing to opposition to turncoats, is keen on contesting from Jalandhar West, represented by BJP minister Bhagat Chunni Lal, who has crossed the age of 75, making him ineligible to contest as per BJP norms now. Also, Hans’ house in Jalandhar falls in this constituency.

But there are murmurs within the BJP over his past record. Sources said his induction was facilitated by a BJP leader from Haryana, through national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, who was present at the time of his joining. “Hans is a liability. He has caused embarrassment to every party that he has joined,” a senior BJP leader, who wished not to be named, told HT.

SAD MINISTER HAPPY

Meanwhile, minister Gulzar Singh Ranike from Hans’ previous-to-previous party SAD, welcomed his joining the BJP, and underlined their being Dalits. “His desertion of the Congress in less than a year to join the BJP clearly reflects that self-respecting people have no place in the party.” Ranike added that Hans correctly sensed that Amarinder “can’t stand Dalits for long”.

Batala is Ghuggi’s launch pad as AAP names 4 more candidates

Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday announced its Punjab convener and actor Gurpreet Singh Waraich ‘Ghuggi’ as its candidate from Batala constituency, as it announced its latest list with four names for the upcoming state assembly polls.

PARDEEP PANDIT/HTAAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal with state unit chief Gurpreet Singh Waraich ‘Ghuggi’ at a rally at Adampur in Jalandhar district on Saturday.

END TO SPECULATIONS ABOUT FIELDING STATE CHIEF AGAINST BIKRAM SINGH MAJITHIA

Others on the list are Sukhwant Singh Padda from Kapurthala, Atul Nagpal from Abohar, and Sukhwinder Singh Mann from Sardulgarh.

Waraich, a native of Khokhar Faujian village in Batala, joined the AAP in February and was appointed convener replacing Sucha Singh Chhotepur who was removed after a video surfaced showing him allegedly taking bribe in exchange for poll tickets.

By naming him from Batala, the party has put the speculations to rest about fielding him against state revenue minister and Akali firebrand Bikram Singh Majithia from the Majitha constituency. The party had announced a few days back to field a “prominent face” against Majithia, just as it has named Bhagwant Mann against SAD boss and deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Waraich, 45, popularly known as ‘Ghuggi’, is a graduate and has acted in several movies. He began his career with the Jalandhar Doordarshan.

With this list, number of AAP candidates announced has reached to 102 against 117 seats in the state assembly.

Consensus lacking, Cong list not before Dec 13

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 10The first list of Congress candidates is set for more delay with no action expected at least till Tuesday. For, consensus has so far been reached only on 70 seats, it is learnt.Among the seats yet to be decided are the high-profile Bathinda (Urban) from where ex-Akali minister Manpreet Badal is a strong contender. But, PPCCchief Capt Amarinder Singh is pushing for Surinder Singla, arguing the seat is dominated by Hindu voters, and the sitting Akali MLA is a Hindu too.Similar confusion prevails on Ludhiana (East), which ex-minister Manish Tewari has sought. Some MLAs led by Congress MP from Ludhiana Ravneet Bittu feel Tewari’s claim would disturb local equations with some sitting MLAs not in favour of Tewari’s candidature.Another turn of events relates to senior leader Laal Singh who wants a ticket for his son from Samana whereas he himself has represented Sanaur several times. The Akali Dal has fielded Lok Sabha MP Prem Singh Chandumajra’s son from Sanaur. Chandumajra and Laal Singh are learnt to be friends, which explains why he wants to opt out of the race and wants a safer seat for his son.There’s also confusion in Gidderbaha where sitting MLA Amrinder Raja Warring is not too confident of a win. Raja is said to have sent ample feelers to the party to change his seat to Muktsar, where Karan Kaur Brar is the sitting Congress MLA. Sources say Karan Brar’s survey results are not promising, but they add that in principle decision has been taken to avoid seat-swapping for sitting MLAs except in case of reserved segments.

 

 

       A  ECHS MEETING was chaired by the Station Commander Chandimandir on 06 Dec 2016 .It was attended by all Officer-In charge-of ECHS Clinics and Ex-Servicemen at Chandimandir and Western Command Hospital representative dealing with ECHS Clinics also attended

The  suggestive points to further improve upon the working conditions of all ECHS Clinics were handed over in writing to the Station Commander  and were discussed during the meeting by one and all.

The suggestive points were accepted in Principal and implementation shall be done as soon as possible.

Col Ranjit Singh Boparai ,President Sanjha Morcha put across these points  during the meet and was well appreciated

 

 

       WORD FILE FOR CLARITY OF VETERANS                                                                                                                                        

To,

GOC-in-C

Western Command

Chandimandir

SUB:-   SUGGESTIVE MEASURES FOR IMPROVEMENT OF SERVICES  AT ECHS  CLINICS

There is lot of scope to enhance the capabilities of ECHS Clinics with some improvement measures if accepted and adopted which are as under

1. EXTENSION OF REGISTRATION TIMINGS

Due to onset of winter season there is need to extend the registration timings for incoming Patients  at all ECHS Clinics till 1400hrs and availability of medical officers till 1600hrs.

2. ENHANCEMENT OF O/IC LOCAL PURCHASE FINANCIAL POWERS.

At present the officer in charge of ECHS has local purchase financial powers of Rs 30,000/- p.m to purchase medicine. Keeping in view the higher rates of essential medicines in the market there is need to enhance the Financial powers to Rs 60,000/-

3. PROVISION OF DRESSING/INJECTION ROOM

It’s a long felt demand of this basic primary and essential need to have a small MI room in every ECHS Clinic. In case of any emergency the veterans can approach the Clinic for dressing or for Injection as prescribed by the MO.

4. PROVISION OF X-RAY MACHINE

It has been experienced from the past that once the patient is referred to any dependents hospital for X-ray, the said hospital take full advantage of taking the X-ray and thereafter invariably recommend for CT scan, thus charging for both services. In view of this it is suggested that an X-ray machine should be placed in every ECHS clinic, to enable the MO to diagnosis and prescribe and take future course of action.

5. MEDICINES DECLARED NON-AVAILABLE(NA)

Non Availability of any medicine at ECHS Clinic to any veteran could be termed as the biggest torture in terms of time and conveyance expenditure. The NA medicines in case can only be collected from Western Command Hospital, provided they are available. There is need to inter link the medicine availability at ECHS clinics and Western Command Hospital via Internet connectivity. In case a medicine is declared NA at ECHS Clinics, then availability of medicine in the Western Command hospital should be able to see on CALL at ECHS Clinic Computer system. In case not feasible than only alternative is enhancement the financial powers of Officer in Charge ECHS Clinic to overcome the shortfall of essential medicines at priority.

6. LUDHINA ECHS CLINIC VETERAN MAIN SUFFERERS ON NA MEDICINES.

Ludhiana ECHS clinic in case provided NA for any medicines than the nearest hospital Military Hospital is at Jullundur (75 Km away).  Maximum veterans prefer to buy NA declared Medicines from their pocket as proceeding to Jullundur by any mode is time consuming and expensive. The senior veterans can ill effort to take the journey without attendant. It is suggested that financial powers of ECHS Ludhiana should be enhanced to Rs 100,000/- p.m so that the demand of medicine is met without causing any inconvenience to Veterans as a special case.

7. SHIFTING OF ECHS MOHALI TO PHASE X NEW BUILDING

In order to facilitate veterans with provision of all facilities under one roof at one location a centralize building known as Sainik Sadan has come up in PHASE X Mohali. As per the original drawings the Canteen was allocated basement area

• ECHS Clinic 3/4^th of the Ground Floor on the right side
• Dy Director Saink Welfare office to the left on Ground Floor
• SAINIK Rest House on the IInd  floor.

Its unfortunate that due to smartness of present Dy Director  Sainik Welfare shifted his office from 2^nd Floor of DC Mohali Office in Phase-I and occupied the ECHS portion without approval from any competent authority, not even the Director Saink Welfare.

It will be worth to note that  the portion of the building earmarked and designed in the original approved drawing by GMADA  prepared by  Architect has been taken over by DD Sainik Welfare office and ECHS Clinic portion has been shifted on the First Floor without any coordination with O I/C ECHS Mohali .

The area occupied by DDSW is much more than authorized to a staff of 6-7 employees.

It would be criminal to ask the Senior citizen patients to climb to the second floor. Even if there is a Electric lift provision exists but as we are aware of the fact that electric supply in Punjab is unpredictable it would be justified to have will only generate more problems and inconvenience to the Senior Veterans suffering from Arthritis and knee and heart problems.

Hence it is strongly suggested that Dy Director Sainik Welfare  should occupy the portion allocated to his office in the original drawings and ECHS Clinic should be accommodated in its authorized portion of the building at the ground Floor . The IInd Foor should be exclusively for the Saink Rest House.

sdXXXXXX                                                                        Sdxxxxxxx

Col Charanjit Singh                                        Col Ranjit Singh Boparai

Gen Secy                                                              President

9988266450                                                   9888480786