Current Events :
Melbourne/New Delhi, August 28
Embattled French defence firm DCNS has approached the Supreme Court in Australia seeking an injunction against ‘The Australian’ from further publishing the leaked documents of India’s Scorpene submarine project.The DCNS has also sought a court order to the newspaper to hand over the documents in its possession and removal of the contents from its website.”The publication of this highly valuable document causes a direct harm to DCNS and its customer in terms of spread of sensitive and restricted information, image and reputation,” The Australian quoted an affidavit by DCNS lawyer Justine Munsie.The newspaper had said it will publish the documents regarding the weapons system of the submarine on Monday.Over 22,000 pages of top secret data on the capabilities of six highly advanced submarines being built for the Indian Navy in Mumbai in collaboration with a French company have been leaked.The move by DCNS comes after a former commander of US Pacific fleet Submarine Force warned that the leaks would undermine the confidence in the ability of French companies to protect classified information.Rear Admiral John Padgett (retd), who is also the president of the US Naval Submarine League, has said aggressive action needed to be taken to probe the leak and that France should share the outcome with Australia.The secret data included details of the capabilities of SM39 anti-ship missile expected to be used on the Scorpene and classified information about the number of targets the missile was capable of processing.Explaining the implications of the leak, Admiral Padgett said “It is never good for an opponent to have your playbook.””As a member of NATO, the French government and French military demonstrate that they enforce effective security controls and have a solid reputation with their allies,” he said.He said the investigation had to determine exactly how the breach occurred and what “aggressive action” would be taken to correct deficient security controls.His comments came as a French public prosecutor opened a preliminary investigation into the data leak, with DCNS filing a complaint for breach of trust.”We filed a complaint against unknown persons for breach of trust with the Paris prosecutor,” said a DCNS spokesman.The DCNS has won a contract to design Australia’s new $50 billion submarine fleet. — PTI
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 24
India’s bid to shore up its naval capabilities and have the tactical edge over rivals has taken a hit with around 22,400 pages of technical data relating to six Scorpene-class submarines having been leaked, compromising abilities of the underwater vessels. The subs are being built for the Navy in collaboration with a French company.Oped: A conspiracy behind the naval leaks?New Delhi launched an internal probe that commenced early today — soon after The Australian, a newspaper based out of Sydney, reported about the leaked data and its details. The paper termed it a “stunning leak”, saying “it details the entire secret combat capability of the six Scorpene-class submarines of India”.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)The Ministry of Defence asked the Indian Navy to send a formal letter to French submarine-maker DCNS asking about the leaked documents. The French Government owns about 62 per cent stake in DCNS, which is building six of the diesel-electric Scorpene-class submarines in Mumbai at a cost of Rs 23,562 crore ($3.46 billion). The first one — INS Kalvari — is set to be inducted into the naval fleet at the end of the year and the remaining five vessels at periodic intervals till the year 2020. The Indian Navy is confident that no operational data has been compromised.Sources said the hull of the submarine cannot change, its insides and noise reducing feature make the difference. Also since the vessels have not been made operational, the actual noise signatures — used by enemy submarine-hunting vessels to track undersea vessels — are not known. A spokesperson for the DCNS released a statement in Paris saying: “This serious matter is thoroughly being investigated by French national authorities for Defence Security. Probe will determine the exact nature of the leaked papers, potential damages to DCNS customers as well as the responsibilities for this leak.”International news agencies quoted the DCNS spokesperson as saying “corporate espionage” could be behind the leak.Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said: “The first step is to identify what all is related to us. Anyway it’s not that 100 per cent data has been leaked,” adding it appeared to be a case of “hacking”. An Indian Navy official statement said: “It appears that the source of leak is from overseas and not in India.”The Navy asked its specialists, including those working on cyber security, to report for work at 4 am today as they examined the files shown by the newspaper. They reportedly told the MoD the documents did not match with those supplied by the DCNS to India.The newspaper, which claimed to have seen the data, said leaked documents were marked “Restricted Scorpene India”. These detail most sensitive combat capabilities of India’s new submarine fleet and would provide an intelligence bonanza if obtained by India’s strategic rivals, such as Pakistan or China, it said.The data lists out the frequencies at which the submarines gather intelligence and the levels of noise the subs make at various speeds, the news report said. It also contains information on the submarine’s diving depths, range, and endurance, besides its magnetic, electromagnetic, and infrared data.The news report claimed the data was most probably leaked not from India but from the DCNS in France as it also includes separate confidential DCNS files on plans to sell French frigates to Chile and the French sale of the Mistral-class amphibious assault ship carrier to Russia.Since these projects of the DCNS have no link to India, there is high probability that the data files were removed from the company in France.The DCNS is also to make 12 similar vessels for Australia, a $38 billion contract it won beating stiff completion from Japanese and German submarine-makers. The contract was signed in April this year.
Golden jubilee of AWWA Raising Day concludesBathinda: The golden jubilee celebrations of the Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) Raising Day concluded today at the Bathinda Military Station.On the concluding day, a special meeting on family welfare was held in which various schemes under ‘Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna’ were discussed. — TNS
Modi’s offer may have few takers in the Valley
Being unpredictable, inconsistent and contradictory are qualities that Prime Minister Modi has made himself known for and these are reflected in his handling of various national issues — the latest instance being of Kashmir. In his Independence Day address Modi talked of Balochistan and PoK, and chose to utter not a single word on Kashmir, the omission was calculated and probably meant to hurt Kashmiri sensibilities. The government then appeared committed to letting the police respond to the angry adolescent protesters, hoping to tire them out and to hurt their families economically with long spells of curfew. The Prime Minister did not warm up to a request from Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for a meeting and a possible intervention. Soon thereafter, however, Modi apparently had a change of heart. When a delegation of Kashmir’s opposition politicians called on him on Monday, the Prime Minister made an offer for dialogue — the first since the blinding and maiming of youth began after Burhan Wani’s killing on July 8. His mollifying words for the violence-hit came as a surprise but the impact would have been far greater had the conciliatory gesture been made from the Red Fort. How the Prime Minister, known for his effective stage performances, got the place and the timing wrong remains inexplicable. If the PM was indeed contemplating a policy change on Kashmir — from a tough administrative approach to a political dialogue — he forgot to convey this to his ministers. Only a day before, a usually dovish and reasonable Arun Jaitley turned hawkish on Kashmir and declared that stone-throwers were no “satyagrahis but aggressors”. Home Minister Rajnath Singh, meanwhile, is busy re-reading past recommendations of expert groups and trying old solutions — sending all-party and civil society groups to the Valley. He forgets the ground reality in Kashmir has changed drastically. Media reports say police stations remain shut in four districts of south Kashmir and leaderless mobs rule the streets. Mainstream and local politicians too have become irrelevant. The Centre has an obligation to nuance its politics and tactics in a manner so that the larger and long-term national interests are not irreparably damaged. Kashmir is too serious an issue to be reduced to an exercise in event-management.
Kolkata: The Maitree channel of the All India Radio (AIR) launched by President Pranab Mukherjee Tuesday morning revived memories of the 1971 liberation war of Bangladesh when the Kolkata station of AIR had played a key role. The channel aims to cater to Bengali listeners of both India and Bangladesh. While launching the channel, the President said it could play a significant role in promoting and preserving the composite Bengali cultural heritage, which is the proud inheritance of all Bengali speaking people irrespective of their geographical location. Akashvani Maitree, which will be on air 16 hours a day, will produce and broadcast programmes as reality shows, music and quiz competitions, discussions where participants from both the countries can take part. The channel will cover whole of Bangladesh and most of South East Asia. TNS
AS Dulat
Never mind the communication gaps, Delhi must make the conciliatory move
Tu idhar udhar ki baat na kar,
Yeh bata ke kafila luta kaise,
Mujhe Rahzanu se gila nahin,
Teri Rahbari ka sawaal hai
— Allama Iqbal
AND so it came to pass… Two months ago, Kashmir on the surface was at its glorious best, overflowing with tourists from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. Yet all was not well, and as very often happens, everything changed overnight. Burhan Wani’s killing was only the catalyst, or excuse, given the subterranean anger, hatred and alienation. Something was always waiting to happen. The status quo we banked on favoured the other side more than us. And now, Pakistan, always ready to fish in Kashmir’s troubled waters, is all over us. Lashkar and Jaish are calling the shots. Unwittingly, Burhan Wani’s killing has become Kashmir’s Bastille Day moment.The paradise on earth presents a depressing, stifled scenario. India, as we say, is one from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, with Kashmir our “atoot ang”. But the Kashmiri feels like an alien under seige, persistently humiliated — true, false, exaggerated, it is all the same a telling perception. Worst, we appear to be losing our emotional bond with Kashmir.When we stop talking to the Kashmiris, believing that they are under the influence of Pakistan, it demonstrates a lack of confidence. Their links with Pakistan are dependent on our links with them. Every Kashmiri leader knows Kashmir is going nowhere — it is with India and will always remain so. But we need to talk, and never stop talking to Kashmiris. As Mufti Saheb said, there was no other way but the Vajpayee way. Mehbooba reiterated the same sentiments while invoking Vajpayee during her visit to Delhi — statesmanship could still transform the setback into oppurtunity. The first step in putting things together, as Henry Kissinger suggested in the context of the Brexit controversy in Britain, was to rediscover confidence. Omar Abdullah said it was our inability to address the anger on the street that was keeping
it alive.
Pakistan is always a factor, but let us not exaggerate it. Pakistani flags come out in the Valley out of frustration and anger, rather than any love for it. Pakistan has no love for Kashmir and the Kashmiri is equally angry with India and Pakistan. Pakistan has only brought death and destruction to Kashmir, compromising Kashmiri aspirations. The Pakistan High Commissioner’s needlessly provocative statement on August 14 did no good to Kashmir. Nor does their insistence that the separatists pay obeisence to the High Commission. Pakistan is only a fallback position for Kashmir.In January 1990, Governor Jagmohan dissolved the state Assembly and J&K remained under Governor’s rule till 1996. Elected representatives are once again facing threats to quit, or face the consequences. The winter of 1989-90, eerie as it was, is finding echoes in the summer of 2016. Militancy almost dead, is again back with a vengeance. It is a frightening scenario.The situation in South Kashmir appears out of control and going from bad to worse. There has been a permanent hartal and curfew for the last 44 days. Yet protests and killings continue. Boys in their teens are in the forefront ready to do or die. Women who rarely come out in Kashmir, too, are protesting in large numbers. Seven year olds are demanding ‘azadi’ without understanding what it means. There is a fire raging in Kashmir whose flames need urgent dousing before they spread to Jammu and create a communal situation.And yet a vast majority of Kashmiris want out — peace more than anything else. And we owe it to them to provide an oppurtunity. Whenever anything goes wrong in Kashmir, Delhi is the first to get the blame, followed by its Kashmiri “stooge” (Mehbooba in this case). If Delhi finds it difficult to understand Kashmiri leaders, Kashmiri leaders find it more difficult to fathom Delhi. And hence Mehbooba finds herself alone in the wilderness. We have little other option, but to give her total support, and sometimes, listen to the voice that she “feels” rather than what she is required to say.There is another erroneous belief that Kashmiris may not be prepared to talk. Kashmiris are always ready and willing to talk. On August 20, the Northern Army Commander, Lt Gen DS Hooda, made a very reasonable offer to talk with everyone, including the separatists, to bring peace to the Valley. And the Mirwaiz immediately responded positively, going to the extent of saying that Kashmiris were prepared to talk to the Army if it could find a solution to Kashmir. If there was no Hurriyat, we might need to invent one since it represents a thought that was willing to be mainstreamed by engagement. Now that the Mirwaiz has time to think, he needs to seriously contemplate his future. Omar Abdullah has conducted himself impeccably as leader of the opposition, and already looks the future leader of Kashmir.Ultimately, the protests, which are going nowhere, will become wearisome. So, this too shall pass. But the hangover could create more terrorists. Discontent has long tentacles. Burhan Wani is said to be a product of the 2010 uprising and now his father, Muzzafar, a headmaster, is demonstrating pretensions of a leader.Kashmir deserves better. We need to spare a thought for Kashmir. As the former home minister, PC Chidambaram, said: “Kashmir is a unique problem that needed a unique solution.” At the very least, Kashmir deserves accommodation, self-respect and justice. Balochistan is all very well, but what we need to discuss with Pakistan is Kashmir.The writer is a former chief of RAW
NEW DELHI: The Border Security Force (BSF) was on Monday deployed in downtown Srinagar after over a decade, a move indicating a possible rejig of the security forces in the Valley. This follows the deployment of 4,000 additional army troops at hotspots in south Kashmir after the unrest triggered by the killing of Hizb militant Burhan Wani on July 8.
PTIBSF jawans stand guard during a curfew in Srinagar on Monday.
Thousands of people have been injured in clashes between security forces and protesters in the past 45 days. To review the situation, Army chief General Dalbir Singh will visit the troubled areas in Kashmir and the Line of Control (LoC) on Tuesday — his third trip to the state in a month.
The BSF’s deployment, however, may put the state administration in a quandary — its personnel are not issued riot control gear such as batons or body armour like their counterparts in the CRPF, who took over law and order duties from the BSF in 2004.
“Around 2,000 BSF personnel (24 companies) have been put at the disposal of the state government and their exact role will be finalised soon,” said a senior BSF official, hinting that the paramilitary force may be used for setting up barricades or road opening duties due to lack of riot control gear.
The BSF men were originally deployed in the state for providing security during the Amarnath Yatra that ended on August 18. Earlier, the BSF was involved in security duties at the airport and the governor’s residence.
Former Northern Army commander Lieutenant General BS Jaswal (retd) said, “The BSF appears to have been deployed as the troop-to-ground density in Srinagar had fallen. Its presence will deter protesters.”
A senior army officer said General Singh will review the security arrangements in Kashmir and visit posts along the LoC, which has witnessed a spike in infiltration attempts in recent weeks.
The army is focused on tightening its counter-infiltration posture as there are indications that Pakistan is pushing militants into the state to create more trouble, he said. Sectors such as Tangdhar, Keran and Gurez sit on major infiltration routes along LoC.
In an interview to HT last week, Northern Army commander Lieutenant General DS Hooda had said that the unrest was being deliberately kept alive by internal and external elements (separatists and Pakistan).
The former Army chief in controversy. Tribune photo
R Sedhuraman
Legal Correspondent
New Delhi, August 18 Army Chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag has again embarrassed Minister of State for External Affairs Gen Vijay Kumar Singh (retd) by repeating his contention that the minister while leading the army had tried to spoil his chances of getting promotion as Army Commander in June 2012 by levelling “false, baseless and imaginary allegations of lapses” in May 2012.In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, Gen Suhag said the alleged lapses pertained to an operation conducted by the 3 Corps Intelligence and Surveillance Unit at Jorhat, Assam, on December 20-21, 2011. He said he was not even on duty on that day as he was on annual leave and rejoined duty on December 26.He pleaded that the Court of Inquiry convened by the Eastern Command headquarters did not find “any iota of evidence of any lapse” against him, nor had he been blamed by any agency. Nevertheless, he was served a show-cause notice in May.“Despite there being no evidence against me at the Court of Inquiry, the show-cause notice was issued as it is clearly established now from the affidavit filed by the Respondents 1 and 2 (Centre and Army) as well as the findings of the Armed Forces Tribunal” on September 6, 2013, Gen Suhag contended.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)“I was sought to be victimised by the then Chief of Army Staff (Gen VK Singh) with the sole purpose of denying me promotion to the post of Army Commander. The show-cause notice issued, besides suffering from vagueness, was premeditated and also against the principles of natural justice,” he maintained.Gen Suhag has filed the affidavit in response to a Supreme Court notice on an appeal by Lt Gen Ravi Dastane, who has challenged Suhag’s promotion as Army Commander on June 15, 2012, ignoring the show-cause notice issued to him. Lt Gen Dastane came to the SC after losing his case in the AFT on September 6, 2013.Lt Gen Dastane has named Gen Suhag as respondent number 3 (R3), while the Centre and the Army are R1 and R2.Rejecting Lt Gen Dastane’s claim that he was a victim as he was not considered for the post of Army Commander in 2012, Gen Suhag narrated the developments pertaining to the show-cause notice served on him and pleaded that he was the actual victim, not the appellant.Gen Suhag had made the same statement before the AFT also and has repeated it now as Lt Gen Dastane has come in appeal to the SC.
New Delhi: Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh’s wife Bharti Singh has filed a complaint with the Delhi Police against a property dealer, alleging that he was trying to extort Rs 2 crore from her by blackmailing her with “doctored” audio-video clips to defame her husband. The police said Bharti Singh had lodged a complaint at the Tughlaq Road police station. She has alleged that Pradeep Chauhan, her nephew’s friend, threatened her of “dire consequences” if the money was not paid to him. An FIR has been registered under Sections 384 (extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC. TNS
Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 9The Ministry of Defence has finalised the new officers who will be the Western Army Commander, Director General Military Intelligence (DGMI) and the Master General Ordnance (MGO) of the Indian Army.The previous DGMI Lt Gen KG Krishna retired on July 31 and will be replaced by Lt Gen SK Patyal, the Leh-based 14 Corps Commander. Orders in this regard are expected soon.The MoD has also finalised Lt Gen Surinder Singh as the Western Army Commander. He is from the mechanised infantry and now heads the Sukhna-based 33 Corps. The outgoing Western Army Commander Lt Gen KJ Singh retired on July 31.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Lt Gen DR Soni, an Armoured Corps officer, who till a forthnight ago was commanding the Bathinda-based 10 Corps is set to be heading the Shimla-based Army Training Command (ARTRAC). The appointment of Lt Gen Soni will come into force from August 31 when the present ARTRAC commander Lt Gen PM Hariz takes over as Southern Army Command on September 1, replacing Lt Gen Bipin Rawat, who has been appointed as the next Vice-Chief of the Army. The present Vice-Chief Lt Gen MMS Rai retires on August 31.Lieutenant General RR Nimbhorkar is set to be the new MGO. He will be responsible for all armament, ammunition, vehicles, clothing and all equipment. The post does not have a regular appointee since Lt Gen Ravi Thodge retired last month.
Utpal Parashar ■ utpal.parashar@hindustantimes.com
PTI PHOTOShops on fire at a market that was attacked by Bodo militants in Balajan Tiniali near Kokrajhar, Assam, on Friday.
GUWAHATI: Suspected Bodo rebels killed 13 people at a crowded marketplace in Assam’s Kokrajhar district on Friday, police said, potentially throwing up the first major militancy-related challenge for the new BJP-led government in the northeastern state.
Sixteen people were also injured in the attack at Balajan Tiniali, nearly 220 km west of Guwahati. Police said the two militants suspected to be from a breakaway faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) arrived at the spot on an autorickshaw along with civilian passengers.
One of the militants was shot dead by security forces who responded within minutes to the attack. The other managed to escape in the melee.
“The style of operation also points to NDFB-Songbijit. We have launched counter-operations to nab the militant(s). Situation in the area is under control,” said Assam director general of police Mukesh Sahay from Kokrajhar.
The outfit, however, denied its involvement in the incident. In a statement issued in Kokrajhar, NDFB-S ‘general secretary’ BR Ferenga also condemned the police for “tarnishing” its image. HT could not verify the authenticity of the statement.
The incident is the first major militant strike in the state since the BJP government led by chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal assumed power in May.
Though most of the militant groups in Assam are in talks with the Centre, the NDFB-S and the United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent led by Paresh Barua have repeatedly turned down peace overtures from the government.
The NDFB faction involved in Friday’s attack is led by IK Songbijit who split from the parent group in 2012 to carry on the armed rebellion for an ‘independent Bodoland’, the NDFB’s original goal. Though Songbijit was reportedly thrown out of the outfit last year, he still commands a small group of loyal followers, police said. Sources said that he was trying to float a new outfit with a separate identity.
Officials said two women were among the dead which include 6 members of the Bodo community. The condition of two among the injured is stated to be serious.
Television footage showed guntoting security personnel guiding people out of their shops towards safety and smoke billowing out of damaged tin-roofed shanties where the grenade might have exploded.
One unused grenade was recovered from the area while security forces found an AK- assault rifle on the slain militant.
Sarbananda Sonowal, who is in Delhi, denounced the attack and said militants would be dealt with “very sternly”.
He also announced an ex-gratia payment of `5 lakh to the next of kin of the dead, Rs one lakh to the seriously injured and `20,000 to those who sustained minor injuries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi too condemned the attack and said the home ministry was in touch with the Assam government.
Simran Sodhi
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 4
India did some hard talking at the SAARC Home Ministers’ Conference in Islamabad today, without mentioning Pakistan, and bluntly raised the issue of terrorism and that of justice to the victims of the Mumbai and Pathankot attacks. There were no bilateral talks and sources privy to the developments said Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit was not expected to lead to any kind of thaw in the India-Pakistan relations. Editorial: Another SAARC farceIn his speech, Singh talked about terrorism striking Pathankot, Dhaka and Kabul, thus ensuring that the highlight was on the SAARC region and not just India. He pointed out that “terrorism remains the biggest challenge and threat to our peace. South Asia continues to be deeply affected by this malady”.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Denying reports that the Minister’s speech was “blacked out”, government sources said: “It is the standard SAARC practice that the opening statement by the host country is public and open to the media and the rest of the proceedings are in camera.” Singh also took a dig at Pakistan’s recent actions where it referred to slain militant Burhan Wani as a martyr: “It also needs to be ensured that terrorism is not glorified and is not patronised by any state. One country’s terrorist cannot be a martyr or freedom fighter for anyone.”He made an appeal to the SAARC nations to isolate those who sponsor terrorism: “Those who provide support, encouragement, sanctuary, safe haven or any assistance to terrorism or terrorists must be isolated. Strongest possible steps need to be taken not only against terrorists and terrorist organisations but also those individuals, institutions, organisations or nations that support them.”The Minister said the distinction between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ terrorists was misleading and urged all SAARC member states to adopt ‘zero tolerance’ to any type of terrorism.
