The Tribune – Home Ministry okays separate law for Sikh marriages

Ajay Banerjee, Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 22. In what will fulfil one of the long-pending demands of the Sikh community, the Union Home Ministry has given its nod to the Anand Marriage Bill, also known as the Anand Karaj Bill. This will allow Sikhs to get their marriages registered under the separate law.

The next step will be the passing of the Bill in Parliament. Some fine tuning of the same is being done and it could be tabled in Parliament next week in case the Union Cabinet meets before that. The Bill was not discussed at today’s meeting of the Cabinet. The ruling combine does not see any problem in getting the Bill passed, if it is tabled in Parliament.

At present, the Sikhs have to get their marriages registered under the Hindu Marriage Act, while Parsis, Christians and Muslims have separate laws for the registration of their marriages. During British times, the Anand Marriage Act, 1909, was promulgated. However, it was not adopted at the time of framing of the Constitution of independent India.

There were protests by political parties of Punjab during the monsoon session of Parliament after the government announced that it did not favour amendment to the Anand Karaj Act for the registration of Sikh marriages.

Earlier, a Parliamentary standing committee had unanimously approved the necessary amendment, but the Centre had vetoed the Sikh community’s demand on the plea that this could lead to similar demands from other communities covered under the Hindu Marriage Act.

The government was, however, forced to reverse its earlier position as it realised that it could snowball into a political controversy and provide a potent issue to rival Akalis in the forthcoming Punjab elections.

Former Punjab CM Amarinder Singh had recently taken up the matter with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20111223/main3.htm

The Asian Age – Lokpal Bill tabled, Lalu stars in drama

Asian Age Correspondent

New Delhi, 23 December 2011. The government finally introduced the contentious Lokpal bill in the Lok Sabha by voice vote on Thursday with its tabling preceded by some high drama outside the House. So much so that the government was forced by non-BJP parties to provide a “quota” for minorities through a “corrigendum”, which led to protests by the BJP.

The bill is expected to be discussed in the Lok Sabha on December 27, after the Christmas break. Team Anna rejected the Lokpal Bill for the government has not conceded its demand that the CBI be within the Lokpal’s ambit.

The BJP enunciated its opposition to the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, 2011 on two counts. One, the proviso providing “not less than” 50 per cent reservation for minorities in the nine-member Lokpal bench; it said this breaches the 50 per cent limit on quotas stipulated in various SC rulings.

Two, Leader of the Opposition in the LS Sushma Swaraj pointed out that the proposal to make it mandatory for states to have Lokayuktas was an attack on the country’s federal structure. Both the Lokpal and the Lokayuktas are to have constitutional status.

The government has given in to Team Anna’s demand that the Prime Minister come under the Lokpal’s purview. This again did not find acceptance among all parties with the RJD, SP, AIADMK and AIMIM opposing it. The RJD and Shiv Sena asked whether a Lokpal was at all needed.

Several parties also questioned what they said was “undue haste” being shown by the government. As CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said, “Let us not do it (introduce) under duress. Let us not surrender the sovereignty of the House.”

Noting that the government first listed the bill’s introduction in the supplementary agenda, which was handed over to MPs late, and then introduced a corrigendum for providing minority reservation, Mr Dasgupta remarked, “This is parliamentary mismanagement and the government is acting in haste.”

He also took a swipe at Anna Hazare, saying, “There is one person who aspires to be the second Father of the Nation.

There is only one Father of the Nation”. At this, the Treasury benches, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, thumped their desks in appreciation.

The corrigendum drew protests from senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha too who said that if the government wants to provide a quota for minorities, this should be done by bringing in an amendment to the bill.

As for charges that the government is under pressure and Team Anna is dictating terms, Mr Mukherjee remarked, “If you feel it is not necessary, we will not have it. Legislation is the domain of Parliament. it is not made on the dharna manch or on the streets.”

On reservation for minorities, Mr Mukherjee said, “Let the judiciary decide if it is constitutionally valid…”

http://www.asianage.com/india/lokpal-bill-tabled-lalu-stars-drama-179

The Tribune – Pakistan PM Gilani fears ouster

Afzal Khan in Islamabad

Without mincing words over his defiant mood in taking on the military, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday said no institution has the right to create a state within a state. “Conspiracies are being hatched to bring down my government,” Gilani told the National Assembly in an emotional speech amid escalating civil-military tensions. “Nobody would be allowed to set up state within a state,” he added.

Gilani spoke amid feverish activity in the capital and GHQ Rawalpindi. He held a long session with president Asif Ali Zardari, who had suddenly flown into Islamabad late Wednesday evening. Zardari also launched a series of meetings with PPP core committee and later with parliamentarians belonging to the coalition.

Zardari also called a prominent anchor Hamid Mir, voicing sympathy over reports that he had received threats from a secret agency.

“I am back (in Islamabad) and fully in command to fight back,” Mir quoted Zardari as saying during the call.

Opposition leader Nawaz Sharif also condemned the threats and told Mir that the secret agencies have apparently not learnt any lesson.

Similar activity was witnessed in GHQ Rawalpindi amid rumours that the security establishment may be preparing for a pre-emptive move while sensing the president’s plans to sack army and military chiefs.

In a parallel development, the Supreme Court today resumed hearing in the memo case and decided to appoint a sitting judge to head the commission whose setting up it had ordered for conducting a probe into the memo scam. An earlier nominee, Tariq Khosa, declined to head the commission following a strong personal attack by PPP leader Babar Awan.

In another significant move, the court took note of increasing demands for fresh elections and directed the Election Commission to finalise electoral lists by February 23.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry made some scathing remarks against the commission for being lethargic and deliberately delaying the task.

Giving his most public indication yet that he fears being ousted from power, Gilani told the National Assembly that he would face conspiracies and protect the rights of the people.

“I want to make it clear today that conspiracies are being hatched here to pack up the elected government,” Gilani later also spoke at a gathering of party at the National Arts Gallery, without naming anyone.

Gilani said that the government respects the armed forces and has supported the military in the worst of times. “They are a disciplined army and follow the constitution,” Gilani said. “They are under the government and will remain under the government,” he observed, obliquely aiming at the military over reports that the defence ministry conceded to the Supreme Court that it had no control over the armed forces or ISI intelligence agency.

“If they say that they are not under the ministry of defence, then we should get out of this slavery, then this parliament has no importance, this system has no importance, then you are not sovereign,” the PM told lawmakers.

“They are being paid from the state exchequer, from your revenue and from your taxes,” he added.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20111223/main5.htm

November visit to UK 14/11 till 21/11; many pictures of trains !

17/11 – New entrance on north side of Hayes and Harlington station
Hayes and Harlington is served by 3 First Great Western local trains and by two Heathrow Connect trains. Southall which is at least as busy as Hayes only sees four trains per hour at irregular intervals.

17/11 – Hayes and Harlington station, new ticket office and waiting room. 

Highbury & Islington Overground station
I got here from Hayes via Paddington and King’s Cross

 Highbury & Islington Overground station
The station also has four underground platforms, two for the Victoria Line and two for Capital Connect trains to/from Moorgate

To see more UK public transport pictures go to :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157611244941713/

More UK pictures to follow
Harjinder Singh
Man in Blue

The Tribune – Pro-Khalistan T-shirts seized; Police registers case against Hondh-Chillar whistleblower

Mohit Khanna, Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 22. The city police seized 200 pro-Khalistan T-shirts from a manufacturing unit located in the Salem Tabri area here last evening. The incident has alerted the state police which had been expecting trouble from pro-Khalistan activists ahead of the assembly elections in the state.

Senior police officials have said the intelligence wing has received inputs about pro-Khalistan activists getting active.

The matter further snowballed into a controversy today when the police booked Manwinder Singh Gyaspura, the whistleblower who brought to fore Hondh-Chillar massacre that took place in Haryana, for inciting religious sentiments.

Talking to The Tribune on the phone, Manwinder claimed that he had been implicated in the case. “The police has registered a false case against me. These T- shirts belong to one Dilbag Singh of Amritsar. I have nothing to do with these,” he said, adding that a local leader, Baljeet Jassian, had been blackmailing him for the past few days.

“Last night, Baljeet and his cronies along with a police officer raided the places where these T- shirts were being manufactured and seized the material. I came to know about the incident after I was booked for instigating religious sentiments,” said Manwinder.

Police sources said they were investigating the matter as the government had issued specific instruction to show “zero tolerance” towards any activity that vitiated the peaceful atmosphere in the state. The government has been cautioned by Central intelligence agencies about attempts by Khalistani ideologues to push in weapons to be used during the elections.

The seizure of the T-shirts has sent the police department in a tizzy. DCP Ashish Chaudhry said necessary action had been taken and law would take its course.

The T-shirts, bearing Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale’s picture with “Pakke Khalistani” written on these, were being manufactured in a factory unit.

Baljeet Jassian has alleged that nearly 10,000 pro-Khalistan T-shirts had been sold by Manwinder. “I suspect a political conspiracy behind the issue. The motive is to upset peace in the state,” said Jassian, who lodged a complaint against the manufacturing of these T- shirts.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20111223/punjab.htm#3

Dawn – Welcome stirrings in a land of virtual serfdom

Khawar Ghumman

23 December 2011

Islamabad, Once a godforsaken land, southern Punjab suddenly appeared on the political chessboard about a year ago.

It has now become a major battleground for the local heavyweights as well as the main political parties of the country with their eyes on the next general elections.

Never before, the region and its downtrodden people had received the attention as today, helped, of course, by the vibrant media. After all, the backward Seraiki belt, as the agrarian region is known, returns 50 representatives to the National Assembly.

Historically, the landed gentry have represented the area in the national and provincial assemblies. Political families

thrived on captive vote and so always controlled the outcome of elections. But things started changing with the advent of unfettered media.

Because of the 24/7 television channels, the political parties have not only to fish for heavyweights but have to seek votes, instead of demanding them, and to think and talk about the political rights and development needs of the oppressed farming community of the area.

It is in this background that the ruling PPP is planning to move a bill in the Parliament for a separate Seraiki province.

Its rival PML-N which rules Punjab, from which the Seraiki province would be carved out, is making special efforts to strengthen its not so healthy electoral presence in the southern belt.

It has extended its yellow cab and small loans schemes, so far concentrated on the mainland Punjab, to the Seraiki people also.

Last weekend, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif laid the foundation stone of Ghazi Medical College and Ghazi University during his visit to Dera Ghazi Khan. The medical college alone would cost Rs2 billion. Leaders of its break-away faction PML-Q, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervez Elahi also are seen making regular trips to the area.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf of Imran Khan is the latest to enter the arena with some significant success. Last Monday, some 30 notables mainly from southern belt joined PTI. Analysts consider it a major breakthrough for the PTI which until recently was being dismissed as a “one-man show”.

Politics in the southern districts of Punjab is all about political families and not political parties, according to a senior bureaucrat hailing from a constituency of the area, NA-177 Muzaffargarh-II, represented by Hina Rabbani Khar.

Unlike the politically-developed central Punjab, the Seraiki peasants are uneducated and bound to rural culture of serfdom.

Here people only follow established political families bothering least about whether their landlord or leader of a certain tribe is contesting election on PPP or PML-N ticket.

Take for example Ms Khar, who was close to former prime minister Shaukat Aziz in previous government but in 2008 elections, her family decided to go with the PPP, and she again won the seat and now is serving as foreign minister of the country.

The civil servant, who requested not to be named, pointed out the presence of right wing elements like Malik Ishaq, firebrand leader of the banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, who, with support in the Seraike belt, could call the shots in next elections.

According to a local journalist, the PTI made inroads into the politics of the belt with the joining of Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Jahangir Tareen, Sikandar Bosan and Leghari brothers who have their own vote banks.

Despite that it was still uncertain if PTI would be able to dent PPP and PML-Q in the region.

In the current National Assembly, the PPP and PML-Q have an overwhelming representation from the southern districts of Punjab. Together PPP and PML-Q`s representatives outnumber the PML-N in the region: they have 36 seats compared to PML-N`s 12.

As of today, it looks certain the PPP and PML-Q are going into next general elections in an electoral alliance as both the sides have been saying so repeatedly since May this year when they joined hands in the centre. In this scenario, the ruling coalition is better placed to maintain its lead in the region over the PML-N and the PTI.

But lot depends upon how the issue of Seraiki province shapes up before next general elections. This week during an informal chat with media persons when asked, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said his government would bring into play all the institutions including Parliament to give identity to Seraiki people.

Last Sunday, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain also chaired a meeting of its lawmakers hailing from southern belt of the province calling upon the PPP leadership in unequivocal terms to bring a constitutional amendment in the National Assembly or the Senate for the formation of a new province in the south.

Though, without the PML-N support, it is impossible to pass such an amendment because a two-third majority is needed from the concerned province for creation of new province from within its boundaries, the PML-Q leadership believes while highlighting the issue, they have the chance to sideline the PML-N in southern belt.

Therefore, it will be interesting to see how the politics shapes up in the region in coming months before next elections, which, if are held on time, will be falling in March or April 2013.

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/23/welcome-stirrings-in-a-land-of-virtual-serfdom.html