The Hindu – Special Representatives to ensure Depsang-type incidents don’t reoccur

India, China keen to take the relationship forward in new spheres

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, 20 May 2013.  India and China expressed a strong desire to resolve pending issues and take the relationship forward in new spheres, such as civil nuclear energy, during two rounds of discussions here on Sunday evening and Monday morning between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and visiting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

The interaction, taking place against the backdrop of a mini-security blanket around a portion of Lutyens’ Delhi to thwart attempts by Tibetan exiles to stage protests, attracted worldwide attention, coming as it did after a three-week face-to-face standoff between troops of the two Asian giants.

A joint statement, however, did not mention Tibet, a staple of joint communiqués China issues with every country. India had last done away with the inclusion of the T- word in 2010 and officials maintained there was no need to bring in Tibet when Beijing was aware of New Delhi’s stance about the region being an inalienable part of China.

In restricted and delegation-level discussions totalling three hours, the two leaders decided to entrust the task of ensuring incidents like Depsang do not reoccur to the two Special Representatives (SRs), who have also been asked to speed up work on demarcating and delineating the border by trying to achieve closure on the second of the three-stage process of resolving the border question.

“We also took stock of lessons learnt from the recent incident in the Depsang sector, when the existing mechanism proved its worth,” explained the Prime Minister in a media statement.

Mr. Li said both sides “believe we need to improve the border mechanisms that have been put into place and make them more efficient…and the two sides should continue to advance the negotiations on the boundary question and jointly maintain peace and tranquillity in the border area.”

India could not get its way with an upgraded joint mechanism on trans-border rivers to ease its concerns at construction activity on the Chinese portion of the Brahmaputra. But both sides signed a pact — among the eight agreements inked — to increase the frequency of exchange of hydrological data.

There was some progress on the economic front — an area that Beijing maintains is the centre piece of the visit from its point of view — with China holding out the promise of addressing India’s complaints about market access for its three exporting mainstays of IT, pharmaceuticals and food products.

Besides seeking to resolve the issues of border, water and trade through further discussions, the two leaders set milestones for the future by listing new areas of cooperation such as civil nuclear energy and seamless connectivity between Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar. They also sought to bring back to the table areas of cooperation, agreed upon with the previous Chinese leadership of Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao, such as maritime security, ocean-bed research and tackling non-traditional security threats.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/special-representatives-to-ensure-depsangtype-incidents-dont-reoccur/article4732310.ece?homepage=true

The Asian Age – PM talks tough to Li on Ladakh intrusion

Parul Chandra, Asian Age Correspondent

New Delhi, 20 May 2013. Doing some tough talking with visiting Chinese Premier Li Kequiang on Sunday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh raised the issue of the recent incursion by PLA troops in Ladakh’s Depsang area, and emphasised the need for “peace and tranquillity” along the undemarcated Line of Actual Control.

Mr Li arrived earlier on a blazing Sunday afternoon for a three-day visit, his first trip abroad as Premier.Sources said two other issues flagged “upfront” by the PM at the “restricted” hour-long meeting, with only a few aides present, were India’s concerns on water flows of trans-border rivers and the need to address trade imbalances.

This was followed by a dinner attended by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Leaders of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley and CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat.

The PM stressed the need for a swifter resolution of the vexed boundary issue in a “firm but constructive manner”, the sources said.

The Chinese PM, in turn, is learnt to have raised the Dalai Lama’s presence in India and what Beijing sees as his political activities here. Mr Li was, however, firmly told India respected the Dalai Lama as a spiritual leader, and that he did not have any political rights here.

Sunday’s discussions set the stage for the longer format of delegation-level talks Monday, where the incursion and the boundary question are expected to dominate the discussions.

http://www.asianage.com/india/pm-talks-tough-li-ladakh-intrusion-095

The Asian Age – PM ‘power centre’ in government: Digvijay Singh

Asian Age Correspondent

New Delhi, 18 May, 2013. Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Friday said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is the “power centre in governance” and “for political matters it is, of course, Mrs Sonia Gandhi”.

Mr Singh, a former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, is an AICC general secretary. His remarks on the controversy over “power centres” come as the UPA-2 government completes four years on May 22.

“There has to be one power centre and here the power centre is Dr Manmohan Singh in governance. And for political matters it is, of course, Mrs Sonia Gandhi,” Mr Singh told NDTV.

“Both are working separately in their own domain, Dr Manmohan Singh takes all decisions in the government of India, and Mrs Sonia Gandhi takes all decisions in the organisation,” he added.

Seeking to explain the context of his earlier remarks, which had triggered a controversy, Mr Singh said because of the media hype and Opposition’s allegations there is a general perception among the bureaucracy and in other forms of government that there are dual power centres.

“This is a perception created by the media — that there are dual power centres, a perception created by the Opposition. Frankly the Congress president has never interfered in the functioning of the government, not once,” he said.

http://www.asianage.com/india/pm-power-centre-govt-diggy-895

The Tribune – Parliament resolution condemns Sarabjit’s killing

Prime Minister calls him ‘brave son of India’, assails Pakistan – Rajnath Singh wants envoy recalled

Ashok Tuteja & Syed Ali Ahmed, Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 2. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today expressed outrage over Sarabjit Singh’s death and attacked Pakistan for not heeding to India’s pleas for taking a humanitarian view of the Indian death row convict’s case. The BJP went a step further and demanded the scaling down of diplomatic relations with Islamabad.

Parliament passed a unanimous resolution, condemning the “inhuman treatment” meted out to Sarabjit in Pakistan’s Kot Lakhpat Jail leading to his death and asked the Pakistan authorities to bring to book those who carried out the murderous assault on him.

As protests erupted in parts of the National Capital following Sarabjit’s death, his distraught family members met Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa and other leaders at National Commission for Scheduled Castes vice-chairman Raj Kumar Verka’s residence here and demanded that he be declared a “martyr” and cremated with full state honours.

They also asked the government to take full responsibility of the family – Sarabjit’s wife Sukhpreet Kaur, daughters Poonam and Swapandeep and sister Dalbir Kaur.

Dalbir Kaur complained that her brother had been killed in the Pakistan jail due to government’s negligence. Had the government taken the case seriously, Sarabjit would have come home alive.

She alleged that a Pakistan official had demanded Rs 25 crore as bribe for Sarabjit’s life. When she expressed her helplessness, the official concerned reduced the bribe amount to Rs 2 crore.

Soon after India woke up to the news of Sarabjit’s death in Pakistan, the Prime Minister said: “I am deeply saddened by the passing away of Sarabjit. He was a brave son of India who bore his tribulations with valiant fortitude.”

Manmohan Singh underlined that the criminals responsible for the “barbaric and murderous attack” must be brought to justice.

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said he was “extremely anguished” by Sarabjit’s death, adding it had hurt the relations with Islamabad.

New Delhi asserted that it had been taking up Sarabjit’s case with the Pakistan authorities at every level since 2005. “If we were not convinced that Sarabjit is innocent, we would not have taken up his case,” MEA spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said.

BJP president Rajnath Singh criticised the manner in which the government handled the Sarabjit issue. Had India taken effective diplomatic steps, such an incident would not have taken place, he said, demanding the recall of the Indian envoy to Islamabad as a mark of protest.

Members in both Houses of Parliament also expressed their anguish over Sarabjit’s death and adopted a resolution, condemning the “inhuman treatment” meted out to the Indian prisoner. The members also conveyed their condolences to the bereaved family and stood in silence as a mark of respect to the departed.

While Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari cancelled the dinner he was to host in honour of National Film award winners, Rajya Sabha member MS Gill asked the government to ensure that Sarabjit’s family members were adequately compensated.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130503/main1.htm

BBC News – India anger over Sarabjit Singh attack in Pakistan jail

Saturday, 27 April 2013. here have been protests in India after an attack in a Pakistani prison left convicted Indian spy Sarabjit Singh in a coma.

Singh, a high-profile prisoner on death row for more than 21 years, was attacked by inmates armed with bricks in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail on Friday.

Singh is in intensive care with severe head injuries. Two inmates have been charged and two officials suspended.

Indian PM Manmohan Singh described the attack as “very sad”.

Former foreign minister SM Krishna said a strong protest should be lodged with Pakistan.

He said such conduct should not happen “in a civilised world”.

Protests erupted in the city of Jammu, in Indian-administered Kashmir.

One protester, Chetan Sharma, told Reuters: “This was a conspiracy to kill Sarabjit Singh in which they have meted out inhuman treatment to him. This was well planned by Pakistan.”

‘All alone’

A doctor at Lahore’s Jinnah hospital told Agence France-Presse news agency: “Singh’s condition is critical with multiple wounds on his head, abdomen, jaws and other body parts, and he has been put on ventilator.”

India’s government informed Sarabjit Singh’s family that Pakistan had granted visas for four family members to visit.

His sister, Dalbir Kaur, told AFP: “We want to be with Sarabjit in this difficult time. He is all alone.”

Sarabjit Singh was reportedly attacked as he and other prisoners were brought out of their cells for a one-hour break.

Two prisoners have been charged with attempted murder.

The BBC’s Jill McGivering says that over the years the Singh case has been raised at the highest political levels and his fate has often seemed caught up with the broader relationship between India and Pakistan.

Sarabjit Singh was convicted of spying for India and involvement in a series of bomb blasts in 1990 in which 14 people died.

His family say he is innocent and merely strayed across the border in Punjab by accident.

Tensions have increased in the past six months with the execution in India of Kashmiri Afzul Guru over the attack on India’s parliament 11 years ago and of Mohammed Ajmal Qasab, the sole surviving attacker from the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Sarabjit Singh’s lawyer Owais Sheikh told AFP his client had received threats after Guru’s execution.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-22322992

The Tribune – PM: Women’s safety a matter of concern

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 21. As Delhi remained on the edge in the aftermath of the brutal rape of a five-year-old and reports of a similar heinous crime pouring in from Madhya Pradesh, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today termed safety, security and status of women an area that was a “matter of concern” and required “vast improvements”. He, however, also stressed that contributing to social and economic empowerment
of women was a “special obligation” of all citizens and urged for a “widespread national movement in that direction”.

Broaching on the sensitive topic during his address at the Civil Services Day, Manmohan Singh said the gruesome assault on the young girl was a reminder of the need to work collectively to root out such kind of depravity from our society. “It is widely accepted that, as a country, we have vast improvements to make in this vital area. These issues came into sharper focus after the horrific gang rape in Delhi in December
2012. The agitations that have followed after that also point to the need for showing concern and sensitivity while dealing with the public anxiety that such incidents generate,” he said.

The government, the PM asserted, had moved with speed in strengthening the law to be able to deal more effectively with crime against women. “All of us, as responsible citizens, have a special obligation to contribute to the social and economic empowerment of women in our country. We need a wide spread national movement in that direction. As leaders in government your responsibility to ensure this outcome is even greater,” he told the audience comprising senior bureaucrats.

The BJP, on its part, attributed the rise in rape cases to the “insensitivity of the UPA government”. “The Prime Minister should be one who should be responsible and sensitive towards people, not someone who can do nothing. The rape cases are rising because the government has lost all sensitivity toward its people,” BJP president Rajnath Singh was quoted as saying.

Speaking only of child abuse, a report citing National Crimes Record Bureau statistics has said 48,338 child rape cases were recorded from 2001 to 2011 as India saw an increase of 336% of child rape cases from 2001 (2,113 cases) to 2011 (7,112 cases).

“These are only the tip of the iceberg as the large majority of child rape cases are not reported. Children are regularly becoming victims of other forms of sexual assault too,” says the report, ‘India’s Hell Holes: Child Sexual Assault in Juvenile Justice Homes’, released by the Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) on Saturday. The 56-page report states that sexual offences against children in India have reached an epidemic proportion and a large number of them are being committed in the juvenile justice homes run and aided by the government.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130422/main2.htm

The Tribune – Badal meets PM, seeks clemency for Bhullar; Says hanging may disturb peace in Punjab

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 15. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today petitioned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking immediate stay on the execution of death row convict Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar in the “greater interest” of the country. Bhullar’s hanging may lead to an unpleasant atmosphere in Punjab, he cautioned.

Badal further questioned the rationale behind not hanging anyone for the 1984- anti-Sikh riots so far. The Shiromani Akali Dal in a memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister said: “In the overall national interest and in the interest of peace and communal harmony in the country, death penalty may be commuted to life imprisonment.”

Badal while speaking to mediapersons after meeting the Prime Minister buttressed the argument in favour of “clemency for Bhullar”. The judicial verdict against Bhullar was not clear. One of the three judges of the Supreme Court had dissented when deciding on the conviction, meaning the case was not “beyond all reasonable doubt” as mandated under the Constitution. The conviction itself was based on a confession
made in police custody, he said.

The Indian Government had promised Germany, from where Bhullar was extradited, that he would not be hanged. Further, the health of the convict – who is admitted to a hospital on account of mental illness – does not merit his hanging, Badal said adding that “Bhullar’s is a special case due to the circumstances and cannot be clubbed with others”.

Talking to The Tribune after the meeting with the Prime Minister, Badal brushed aside the statement of his party’s alliance partner – the BJP – of supporting Bhullar’s hanging following the Supreme Court verdict on April 12 rejecting Bhullar’s application.

“This is the BJP thinking. It does not mean it is ours.”

On if he would file a fresh mercy petition with the President and whether or not the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) would join forces with the SAD on the issue, Badal said: “I have sought time from the President to file a mercy petition and the SGPC will also file a plea.”

Bhullar’s hanging would affect the sentiments of the people of Punjab, Badal said.

Badal, who was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, said in the memorandum to the Prime Minister: “We firmly believe that while the law of the land should be upheld, it must be seen to have been upheld uniformly for everyone and for all sections of society.” Sources said this was in reference to the fact that no one had been punished for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The Punjab Chief Minister requested the Prime Minister to approach President Pranab Mukherjee to stay Bhullar’s execution and get his death penalty commuted to life imprisonment.

Bhullar was given capital punishment for the September 10, 1993 blast at the Youth Congress office in Delhi that left nine dead and 17 injured. The attack was targeted against the then Youth Congress leader, Maninderjeet Singh Bitta.

Sarna’s plea to President

Former president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee Paramjit Singh Sarna on Monday petitioned President Pranab Mukherjee on behalf of Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar seeking mercy and commutation to life sentence. “The conviction is solely based on the confession obtained by the police under coercion and torture,” the plea said.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130416/main1.htm

The Tribune – CM, Sukhbir to meet PM on Bhullar case today; To stress on convict’s mental condition and case ‘peculiarities’

Jangveer Singh, Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 14. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal will meet Prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh tomorrow and request him to urge the President to issue directions to stop the execution of Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar.

They will make out a case for commuting Bhullar’s death penalty to life sentence in view of his “mental condition’ as well as certain ‘peculiarities’ in the case which they feel make it a unique case for consideration of clemency, say sources.

The leaders will present the report of doctors treating Bhullar, stating the latter is under depression.

Doctors treating the militant leader have claimed that they were not asked about his mental condition.

Bhullar has been categorised as a “patient who can attempt suicide any moment” by the medical team treating him.

The Akali leaders, who will not be joined by any BJP leader from Punjab, with the saffon party making it clear that it does not want to come in the way of execution of the death sentence, will stress on the ‘peculiarities’ in the case, said the CM’s media adviser, Harcharan Bains.

This includes the fact that the presiding judge in the case acquitted Bhullar on the charges presented against the militant and ruled that there was no evidence against him, except his own statement to the police taken under duress and which has been denied by him.

The leaders claim that the External Affairs Ministry had also advised that Bhullar should not be awarded the death penalty as it had given this assurance to the German Government upon his deportation from the country.

The Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister are likely to stress that nothing should be done that could threaten peace and harmony in Punjab. The Akali leaders are also likely to urge the PM that cases where justice is not seen to have been done should be treated differently.

‘Justice March’ on April 18

Ludhiana: About a dozen Panthic organisations, at a meeting in Gurdwara Jawaddi Taksal here, decided to hold “Justice March” on April 18 from Fatehgarh Sahib to Delhi and hand over a resolution to the President, with 75,000 signatures, pleading clemency for Bhullar. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Akali Dal (Amritsar), Akali Dal (Panch Pardhani), Akali Dal (1920), Akali Dal (Barnala), Sikh Students
Federation, Sant Samaj, Dal Khalsa, Khalsa Action Committteee, Sikh Chetna Mission, Youth Akali Dal and Ek Noor Khalsa Fauj. The Khalsa Action Committee has appealed to the Sikhs to unfurl the saffron flag atop their houses on April 18. (TNS)

Tension in native village

Bathinda: Tension gripped convict Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar’s native village Dayalpura Bhai-Ka after the police did not allow hardliner Baba Hardip Singh from coming out of his house to lead a protest march against the Supreme Court’s rejection of Bhullar’s plea to commute his death sentence to life imprisonment. The police was deployed in strength in the village to prevent any untoward incident.

However, a group of residents blocked the Barnala highway.They also organised a protest march. The residents did not allow the local authorities to hold a cultural programme in the village. They had boycotted Baisakhi celebrations on Saturday. (TNS)

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130415/punjab.htm#2

The Tribune – Denial of visa; SGPC writes to PM, Pakistan President

Amritsar, April 11. The SGPC has shot off missives to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, complaining that the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi has denied visas to the pilgrims who were part of the SGPC jatha for Baisakhi celebrations in the neighbouring country. In his letter, SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar accused the Pakistan High Commission of treating the SGPC in a partial manner.

He said the High Commission’s argument that the SGPC submitted the passports late was wrong as they had sent the passports to the department concerned in February.

He said Sikh jathas were sent to Pakistan every year on Baisakhi, Guru Nanak Dev’s birth anniversary, Guru Arjan Dev’s martyrdom day and Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s death anniversary, but other organisations were issued visas by the High Commission while ignoring the SGPC. (TNS)

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130412/punjab.htm#12

Sikh Federation (UK) urges Sikhs in Germany to get the German government to raise the case of Professor Bhullar and to immediately stop the censorship of the film Saada HAQ when Manmohan Singh visits later this week

8 April 2013

The Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be visiting Germany on Wednesday for a 3-day visit. He will hold talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin from Wednesday. The main purpose of his visit is to get support for the India-European Union Foreign Trade Agreement (FTA).

The negotiations between the EU and India began 6 years ago in April 2007 and so far twelve rounds of negotiations have been held. The negotiations have been controversial and mostly held behind closed doors. Reportedly, one of the main roadblocks has been the EU’s insistence on including non-trade issues (human rights issues and environmental and labour standards) in the FTA, to which India is strictly opposed. The EU continues to insist that India should improve its human rights, labour standards and animal welfare issues, amongst other non-trade concerns.

On 21 November 2012 India ended its unofficial eight-year moratorium on the death penalty when it hanged Ajmal Kasab. The Sikh Federation (UK) and its human rights wing Khalsa Human Rights have increased communications with the European Commission in Brussels and exerted greater pressure through Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) regarding the death penalty in India and other human rights concerns.

On 21 January 2013 the Sikh Federation (UK) led an EU-wide delegation of Sikh representatives in a meeting in Brussels with European Commission officials dealing with human rights and India. Following this meeting Baroness Catherine Ashton, the EU Foreign Affairs Commissioner met the Indian Foreign Minister on 30 January 2013. The planned India-EU Summit in Brussels that Manmohan Singh was to attend in February 2013 to finalise the FTA was then postponed for later in the year.

Since then India has again carried out the death penalty on 9 February 2013 by hanging Afzal Guru. In addition, Pranab Mukherjee, India’s President, has broken all records and now ordered the death penalty for fourteen convicts in the last nine months. On Friday 5 April Amnesty International issued a world-wide Urgent Action appeal (UA 85/13: India: Indian prisoners at risk of imminent execution) that includes Balwant Singh Rajoana.

Bhai Amrik Singh, Chair of the Sikh Federation (UK) said:

‘We have contacted Sikh representatives in Germany about Manmohan Singh’s visit later this week and were in Frankfurt a week earlier urging Sikhs in Germany to increase political pressure on the German Government regarding Professor Davinderpal Singh Bhullar’s case given the German authorities illegally deported him in January 1995.’

‘This is an excellent opportunity for Sikhs in Germany to join forces with Amnesty International and other international human rights groups to exert maximum pressure on the German Government to take up the issue of the death penalty and human rights abuses with the Indian Prime Minister.’

‘In addition, this is an opportunity to work with anti-censorship groups and civil liberty groups in Germany about the controversial decision by state governments to ban the film Saada Haq in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi despite approval by the Censor Board. This is another violation of basic human rights on freedom of expression and cannot be justified.’

‘Manmohan Singh needs to get a very clear message from the German Government and those living in Germany, including Sikhs, that its human rights record is getting worse and will not be tolerated by Member States of the European Union.

Gurjeet Singh
National Press Secretary
Sikh Federation (UK)