The Tribune – Most Parties not so fair to women

With Cong fielding 11 women, SAD nine and BJP two, the parties fall far short of the 33 per cent quota

Jangveer Singh, Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 14. Women as candidates in their own right is still a far cry in Punjab with both the Congress and the SAD allotting seats to women relatives of senior leaders to fill the ‘women quota’ in the coming elections.

The main parties-SAD, Congress and BJP-have all fallen far short of the much-talked-of 33 per cent quota for women.

The Congress has fielded 11 women, the SAD nine and the BJP two. From the BJP, Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, wife of Amritsar MP Navjot Sidhu, is a candidate for Amritsar East while Vijay Luxmi Bhadu is a nominee for Abohar seat.

All women Congress nominees, except for Youth Congress’ Satkar Kaur from Ferozepur Rural (reserved), are kith and kin of senior leaders. Among them are Gurdaspur MP Partap Singh Bajwa’s wife Charanjit Kaur Bajwa from Qadian and Jalandhar MP Mohinder Kaypee’s wife Suman from Jalandhar West; Karan Kaur Brar, daughter-in-law of former CM Harcharan Singh Brar from Muktsar, Harbans Kaur Dullo, wife of former PCC president Shamsher Singh Dullo from Bassi Pathana, Gurpreet Kaur Dhaliwal, daughter-in-law of MLA Sher Singh Gagowal ,and Guriqbal Kaur, widow of former legislator Parkash Singh.

Sangrur district is well represented by the Congress with three women legislators being renominated- Razia Sultana from Malerkotla, wife of senior police officer Mohammad Mustafa, Congress Legislature Party Leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal from Lehragaga and Harchand Kaur from Mehal Kalan (reserved).

The SAD has fielded three women candidates in Patiala district and none from Majha. The six new SAD women candidates are all relatives of senior leaders. Kuldeep Kaur Tohra from Patiala Rural is the daughter of the late Gurcharan Singh Tohra, Harpreet Kaur from Ghanaur is the wife of former minister Ajaib Singh Mukhmailpur from Ghanaur, Varinder Kaur Loomba, daughter of a former MLA from Shutrana, Satinder Kaur, widow of former MLA Jatinder Singh Kariha from Nawanshahr, Rajwinder Kaur, daughter of former MLA Jora Singh from Nihalsinghwala (reserved) and Jagmeet Kaur Sandhu, daughter-in-law of former minister Satwant Kaur Sandhu from Chamkaur Sahib.

Among the established women leaders in the SAD Finance minister Upinderjit Kaur (Sultanpur Lodhi), who is the daughter of former minister Atma Singh, sitting legislator Mohinder Kaur Josh (Sham Chaurasi), daughter of former MLA Arjan Singh Josh, and former SGPC president Jagir Kaur, daughter-in-law of former MLA Bawa Harnam Singh, have been allotted the ticket.

It’s widow versus widow in Nawanshahr, even as the wives of two cops – one serving and the other retired- slog it out in Malerkotla.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120115/punjab.htm#5

The Tribune – India, China to hold border talks on January 16-17

Ashok Tuteja, Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 14 The Special Representatives (SRs) of India and China will meet here on January 16-17 to hold the 15th round of boundary talks, it was officially announced here today. An agreement on setting up a joint mechanism on border management is expected to be signed at the end of two day-talks between the two sides.

The mechanism will comprise senior officials of the foreign and defence ministries of the two countries as well as representatives of the armed forces.

The Indian side will be led by National Security Adviser (NSA) Shivshanker Menon while the Chinese team will be headed at the talks by state councillor Dai Bingguo.

“In addition to discussions on the India-China boundary question, the two sides will hold discussions on a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest,” the External Affairs Ministry said.

Ahead of the talks, Chinese Ambassador to India Zhang Yan expressed optimism about the outcome of the meeting.

“People-to-people contacts will be further expanded. I am confident that with joint efforts, we will take the strategic partnership to new heights,” he said at a function at the Chinese Embassy here.

The talks between the two SRs were to be held on November 28-29, 2011 but were postponed after the Chinese protested against the Dalai Lama’s scheduled participation in a global Buddhist conclave.

The Chinese are first said to have asked for the Dalai Lama’s address to the meet to be cancelled and when New Delhi refused to oblige, they demanded that the event itself be cancelled.

However, New Delhi unequivocally conveyed to Beijing that India was a democratic country and there was no restriction on freedom of speech here. Hence, China’s demand could not be met.

The SR mechanism was established in 2003 when the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee visited Beijing.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120115/main6.htm

The Hindu – Man held over Birmingham couple’s murder

London, 15 January 2012. A 24-year-old man was on Saturday arrested in connection with the murder of Avtar Singh-Kolar and his wife Carole in their Birmingham home earlier this week, as post-mortem tests confirmed that they died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head and that both had been struck a number of times.

The man, whose identity was not disclosed, was arrested at a house in Birmingham and was being questioned.   Police suspect that the couple may have been victims of a botched burglary after it emerged that there had been a sharp increase in “nasty” burglaries in the area.

They have announced a reward of up to £10,000 for information that could help in tracking down the killers.

“Horrendous attack”

Detective Superintendent Richard Baker, leading the investigation, described it as “a horrendous attack.”

“We continue to follow a number of lines of enquiry and we thank those who have called us so far. We encourage anyone with information to speak to us no matter how insignificant they feel the detail is,” he said.

Police played down speculation that it was a revenge attack by someone with a grievance against the murdered couple’s son, Jason, a serving police officer who discovered his parents’ bodies on Wednesday morning when he went round to their house after failing to contact them on the phone.

Mr. Baker said that at the moment there was “nothing to suggest at all” that Jason’s job was relevant to the murder.

Kolar (62) and Carole (58) had been married for 40 years and lived in the Handsworth Wood area for most of their lives.

They are survived by four children and eight grandchildren.

The couple’s daughter Michelle Kirwan (39) said her parents were “the sweetest and kindest people I have ever met.”

“Our hearts have been broken forever,” she said.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article2801788.ece

Sint-Truiden – Hasselt – Antwerpen – Rotterdam – Den Haag vv 26 and 27 November 2011

26/11 Rotterdam Central Station, under construction
I arrived in Rotterdam from Antwerp by Benelux Intercity train and continued on the RET Metro to go to the Gurdwara Sahib

 26/11 Rotterdam Central Station, going down to Metro station

26/11 Rotterdam Central Station, RET Metro D to Spijkenisse De Akker

26/11 Rotterdam Central Station, RET Metro D to Spijkenisse De Akker

To see more Belgium/Netherlands Public Transport pictures go to:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157622685920411/

More Belgian/Netherlands pictures to follow
Harjinder Singh
Man in Blue

The Tribune – Gilani softens, but Kayani wants further climb-down

PM says armed forces are a ‘pillar of nation’s resilience and strength’
Army chief insists on withdrawal of statements critical of military

Islamabad, January 14. Embattled Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani tonight appeared to reach out to the army but the powerful Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani is reported to have adopted a tough stance and wants withdrawal of his statements critical of the military.

With Kayani by his side, Gilani said today that all state institutions will be allowed to play their role, remarks seen as an attempt to resolve the tense stand-off between the civilian government and the military.

He described the armed forces as a “pillar of nation’s resilience and strength” and lauded their services in the defence of the country.

“It has been my government’s policy to allow and enable all state institutions to play their role in their respective domains for the common good of the people.

“It is this desire to set good and healthy democratic traditions that has enabled us to seek strength from Parliament, which is the hallmark of a democratic government,” Gilani said at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee of Defence attended by his ministers and top army officials, including Kayani.

The Prime Minister’s seemingly conciliatory remarks came on a day when Kayani met President Asif Ali Zardari at the Presidency, in the midst of a tense stand-off between the military and the government over a move purportedly on behalf of Zardari seeking US help to avert an army coup.

There was no official word on the hour-long meeting but media reports said that Kayani told Zardari that he had reservations over Gilani’s criticism of him and the ISI chief over replies submitted to the Supreme Court regarding the memo scandal.

Kayanai reportedly requested the President to direct Gilani to “retract” his statements criticising the chiefs of army and the ISI chief. The situation was further aggravated by the summary sacking of Lt General (retired) Khalid Naeem Lodhi, Defence Secretary, considered close to Kayani over an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court without consulting the government.

The apex court will on Monday hear the case relating to National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) that was promulgated during former President Pervez Musharraf’s tenure that gave amnesty to Zardari and many others in graft cases.

The National Assembly, lower house of Parliament, will also meet on Monday to vote on a resolution moved by a ruling coalition member seeking strengthening of democratic institutions.

Media reports said that during his meeting with Zardari, Kayani requested the President to tell Gilani to “retract” his statements criticising the chiefs of army and the ISI.

There was no official word on what transpired in the hour-long meeting.

In his speech today, Gilani said, “National unity is the need of the hour. Democracy provides avenues to forge national consensus.

“Each organ and state institution has to play its due role, within its respective domain, to bring forth the best in promoting Pakistan’s national interest.” At the same time, he pointed out that civil institutions “have their due role to play for socio-economic development and for ensuring progress and prosperity”.

He said: “Together in complete harmony with each other and other vital institutions, we can change the country’s destiny and accord its rightful place in the comity of nations.” (PTI)

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120115/main1.htm