Europe&’s place in a globalised world is changing, but talks of its demise are much exaggerated, writes
shada islam

Believe me: it&’s palpable and tangible. Everywhere you go, every conference you attend, every senior official you meet, the talk is about the economic crisis — and Europe&’s uncertain future.
The fact that the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has again cut its growth forecasts for the eurozone and called on the European Central Bank (ECB) to consider doing more to boost growth has further hammered home the message that European economies are in deep trouble.
In a sign of some hope for a shift in direction, the European Commission has indicated it is switching its focus from austerity to measures designed to promote growth. The shift is generating much talk of a new era of European growth and reform. But it&’s not going to be that simple. Europe&’s current malaise is due to more than the economic slowdown and rising unemployment — especially among young people.
Across the continent, the mood is downbeat about Europe&’s role in a world where the US appears to be abdicating its once predominant global presence, China is becoming more assertive and self-confident and Russia persistently refuses to play by Western rules.
Certainly, Europe still matters enormously. The European Union (EU) market attracts global exports and investments. Despite the crisis, many Europeans still enjoy an extremely good quality of life and there is peace across a continent which was once ravaged by war. Still, there are fundamental changes taking place in how Europe and Europeans see themselves in a globalised world.
Increasingly, EU policymakers say the bloc is more a regional power than a global one. The EU&’s focus, they argue, should be on its neighbourhood, including the Balkans, Eastern Europe as well as the Middle East and North Africa. I have heard much-respected scholars who once waxed lyrical about a “European century” now admit that Europe is becoming increasingly irrelevant.
“People used to ask what Europe thought about events and developments ~ and wondered how Europe would and could contribute to solving world problems,” one well-regarded French scholar told a recent conference in Paris. “Nobody cares about Europe anymore.” Others at the same meeting noted the lack of hope and optimism in Europe, compared to the energy and dynamism in China ~ and even in the US.
There was agreement, however, that despite the dark clouds of pessimism hanging over the continent, Europeans still lived an enviable lifestyle ~ at least for the moment. “I would rather live in declining Europe than in rising Asia,” said one scholar, pointing to the pollution, security, poverty and other challenges facing Asian nations.
There is a strong hope that the current economic problems will soon give way to a brighter economic future ~ an economic renaissance similar to Japan&’s economic bounce back under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The European Commission this week voiced just such sentiments when it decided ~ after a three-year focus on austerity ~ to put an equal emphasis on measures aimed at spurring growth.
Unveiling a highly anticipated evaluation of all 27 EU members’ budget plans, the Commission warned that social safety nets were fraying and poverty was rising dangerously in many parts of Europe as efforts to combat growing unemployment faltered. “There is no room for complacency,” European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said at a news conference. “The social emergency in many parts of Europe and the increasing level of inequalities in some regions add to the pressing need for reforms.”
“The fact that more than 120 million people are now at risk of poverty or social exclusion in Europe is a real worry,” he said. “We need to reform, and reform now. The cost of inaction will be very high.”
As expected, the Commission extended by two years the deadline for Spain and France to get their budget deficits to less than 3 per cent of GDP. Both had been supposed to hit that target this year. In addition, the Netherlands and Belgium were given another year. Barroso said the extra time must be “used wisely” to lift competitiveness. Even Europe&’s stronger economies, including Germany, are being urged to allow wage increases and increase flexibility in the jobs market to improve competitiveness.
Analysts warn, however, that although the rhetoric is now about growth, there has been no policy U-turn.
To be sure, governments are being urged to focus on reforming labour markets and pension systems, opening up more sectors to competition and easing business regulation to improve countries’ growth potential.
Small initiatives are in the works, amid great political fanfare, to combat the scourge of mass youth unemployment, which threatens southern Europe with a lost and alienated generation. The ECB is exploring ways to ease lending to smaller businesses in the hardest-hit peripheral countries of the eurozone.
Much will depend on German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has used Berlin&’s financial clout since the start of the crisis to press for fiscal discipline ~ and who faces crucial national elections in September. Merkel is increasingly unpopular in Europe ~ but much respected within Germany.
Her relations with French President François Hollande are especially tense although the two try to put up a brave face in their public appearances. In short: talk of Europe&’s demise are much exaggerated ~ but it will be some time before the continent can walk as tall as it did in the last decade of the 20th century.

The writer is a Brussels-based journalist.
dawn/ann

press trust of india

BEIJING, 3 JUNE: China will launch a second manned space mission this month to test its space lab being built to rival Mir, the international space station being operated by Russia and the USA.
The Shenzhou-10 manned spacecraft is scheduled to be launched in the middle of June, a spokesperson for China’s manned space programme announced today. The mission has entered the final phase of preparations, with the modified model of the Long March-2F carrier rocket and spacecraft being transported to the launch site today, state-run Xinhua news agency quoted the spokesperson as saying.
The spacecraft for which the dates are yet to be announced will be launched in mid-June from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, will carry three astronauts and dock with the Tiangong-1, a target orbiter and space module sent to space in 2011.
China aims to keep its space lab ready by 2020 by the time Mir, being managed by both US and Russian scientists is expected to be scrapped, making it the lone space mission in operation.
Tiangong-1, which hosted the Shenzhou-9 carrying China’s first woman astronaut last year is currently orbiting the Earth. The Shenzhou-10 will dock with the Tiangong-1, where astronauts will conduct space science experiments and offer lessons to students back on Earth via a video feed.
The space module entered the appropriate docking orbit at the end of May and is now running normally, the spokesperson added. After years of testing, the new mission will mark the first formal application of the manned space transportation system, according to the Chinese space scientists.
The objectives of the new mission include further assessing the performance of the docking system, the combination’s capabilities in supporting life and work, and the abilities of astronauts on the job.
The spokesperson said after propellant was injected into the Shenzhou-10, the launch platform carrying the spacecraft and carrier rocket was safely transported out of the assembly and testing plant to the launch tower on Monday morning.
The spokesperson added that the functional examination and the joint tests of the spacecraft, carrier rocket and ground facilities will be conducted at the launch site in the next few days.
Preparations are going smoothly for all eight major systems of the missions.
Astronauts have finished training sessions, including special simulated training on the ground for space experimentation and teaching during the mission, the spokesperson said.

Unless some serious rethinking is done, the e-counselling process in West Bengal could end in a fiasco this year, says gautam banerjea
IF one were to consider the initial trend this year pertaining to admissions in engineering colleges in West Bengal, the final scenario might not result in being as bleak as last year after counselling ended in the state. However,  optimism does not provide any consolation at this stage for engineering colleges that failed to get enough students to meet their intake capacity. A tentative, unimaginative counselling schedule, announced by the Joint Entrance Examination Board (Jeexab) could prove to be a major cause for chaos in the coming days, thereby marring their possibility of getting more students to enroll for engineering courses this year.
This time, an additional fourth round of counselling has been included in the schedule to allow students, who could get trapped after making mistakes in their initial selections, the opportunity to change previously “locked” choices. But so little time has been provided for that final round that it could prove confusing for everyone concerned at this crucial juncture.
   Interestingly, there is no provision for students who got to choose in the first round to gain immediate admission. Candidates can at best visit reporting centres (26 in all, located in different districts of West Bengal) and report for “remote admissions”. But they will still have to wait — along with the others who are interested in keeping their options open — and will eventually be provided with a slot in the same window, along with all the other admission-seekers.
The time slot for all admissions through e-counselling in respective colleges this year has been fixed from 26-29 July 2013. The opening day is a Friday and the exercise will be over the following Monday. From past experience, most of the colleges feel a major bulk of admissions will occur on the concluding or penultimate day of the window period. In all likelihood, admissions will take place on Sunday or Monday, which could be a problem. As directed by Jeexab, colleges need to submit a report by 5 pm on 29 July indicating that admission formalities have been completed. The timeframe for students to complete this — a process in which the student concerned is also a signatory — is a near impossible task.
It involves a further cascading effect if it isn’t completed within the allotted time. In spite of a student complying with admission formalities, if any admission is not reported online within stipulated reporting time the seat in question will be declared free for reallocation. Apart from creating confusion, such a situation could lead to legal complications that could jeopardise the entire allotment process and delay the start of classes in many colleges.
How this process managed to escape the West Bengal government&’s scrutiny before the timetable could be approved is difficult to understand.
   What is more confusing is that the time span allowed to students to declare themselves at designated centres to get allotment letters to their college of choice is too liberal. After each round, there are a bulk of dates just to report or withdraw from reporting centres. The first round is from 15-19 July (four days), the second round is from 22-24 July (three days), the third round is from 27-29 July (three days) and the fourth is on 31 July (one day). So 11 days have been kept for remote admissions whereas just four days (including two weekend days) are available for actual admissions.
It is felt that a tighter schedule at reporting centres could have allowed more time for admission rounds in colleges. For the record, colleges are involved in huge cash and other transactions while reporting centres deal with verification and collection of documents. Working days are not mandatory for reporting centres whereas at colleges these are necessary.
There is another practical difficulty that has been overlooked. After the third round of counselling, remote admission at a reporting centre is allowed till 5 pm, the same time that colleges close, on 29 July. So how can a student applying for “remote admission” at a reporting centre in a district around closing time report and complete formalities in a college that is located far away?
Apart from the timetable, a more serious issue arises from the West Bengal Freeship Scheme. It is commendable that for the last few years a serious attempt has been made to provide students from economically weaker sections of society with an opportunity to join private colleges and realise their dreams of studying engineering. However, the determination of student eligibility needs to be critically monitored.
An annual family income of less than Rs 2.50 lakh is the ceiling that has been fixed to grant freeship status. However, parents engaged in non-organised sectors are, in some cases, misusing the provisions to enroll their wards in the WBFS category. The stipulation of obtaining certification from local government officials is, at times, made through contacts. Some strong measures like a provision to penalise students and their parents with false declarations need to be introduced.
This corruption goes against the basic preamble. A candidate misusing the provisions deprives a genuine candidate from getting a scholarship. Also, the fast growing numbers of students in the WBFS list indicate that there could be a laxity in the process.   Worse still, there is no monitoring system by which an allotted student can be assured of getting a WBFS scholarship. Many aspirants enrolled in the scheme believe that their scholarship is assured once they get admitted into a college. When this doesn’t happen, it&’s put down to just his/her bad luck that the number of scholarships was exhausted before he/she appeared on the merit list.
On the other hand, students are sometimes unable to take the risk and opt for a lower ranked college just to be certain of the scholarship. They are heartbroken once they find out later that WBFS seats were available in a better college. This year, the West Bengal University of Technology has been given the responsibility of overseeing this procedure. Rather than passing the buck, the state government&’s Higher Education Department could have monitored the process and evolved a foolproof system for WBFS allotments.
All said and done, unless some serious rethinking is done, the counselling process in West Bengal could end in a fiasco this year.
 

Between judicial activism and over-reach
SIR, ~ I have rarely read such a balanced assessment of judicial activism as advanced by the Advocate-General of West Bengal in his two-part article in your paper (31 May and 1 June). More often than not, the executive is in the habit of blaming the judiciary for usurping its powers. So does the legislature. The article enunciates very rightly that while judicial activism is a boon, judicial over-activism is a bane. Mr Bimal Chatterjee has upheld the basic theme of judicial activism unless it goes awry.
Judicial activism, in my opinion, has seldom gone over board. First, the court examines whether the Public Interest Litigation is a Private Interest Litigation. If it is the latter, it is rejected in limine. There are many such cases which are reported in legal journals, though not in newspapers. I know for certain that in tax matters, many petitions challenging the fiscal policy have  not been entertained by the Court. It was only in the case of the Indian Express group of newspapers and others vs the Union of India in the mid-Eighties that the Supreme Court intervened against the government&’s decision to increase the duty on newsprint. The newspaper management&’s argument was accepted by the  Supreme Court ~ if newsprint becomes costly, the cover-price of the newspaper will also rise. This will infringe on the fundamental right of freedom of speech. The principle, laid down by the Supreme Court, was that unless executive or legislative action were malafide and whimsical to the extent that there was an infringement of any fundamental right, the Court will not intervene. And the Court does not do so. Even in the famous Balco judgment,  the court did not intervene.
The people are not always aware of the cases in which the court does not intervene. This leads to the misconception that the judiciary interferes in the affairs of the executive and the legislature. The Supreme Court&’s intervention on the linking of rivers might have been one example of over-activism. But the court did  not press beyond a point when the impracticability was pointed out.
yours, etc., sukumar mukhopadhyay, (former member, central board of excise and customs), new delhi, 3 june.

Minister sized up
SIR, ~ Allow me to thank you profusely for the editorial, “Mira scores” (12 May). It seems that your pen is dipped in gall. You have correctly touched upon certain valid points which appear to be in conformity with facts, reason and logic. You have objectively assessed the panchayat minister, Subrata Mukherjee. There can be no two opinions about the fact that his politics is determined by the scope for personal gain. This is the reason why he tends to switch allegiance. You have been bold enough to state that “Mamata Banerjee must now realise that such elements ~ as chameleonic as disruptive ~ can only manage to make the waters murkier”. Mr Mukherjee has been trying to throw his weight around vis-a-vis the State Election Commission. Regretully, even the court verdict has had no tangible effect on the panchayat minister. The state government wouldn’t have complicated matters if the Saradha scam did not point to the involvement of a section of the Trinamul Congress. One can hear the clamour for change exactly two years after the parabartan.
yours, etc., dhrubjyoti majumder, kolkata, 12 may.

Another pet poodle
SIR, ~ Your bold and candid editorial, “CAG not a lap-dog” (22 May) reminds me of the criticism of the CBI that it functions as a pet poodle of the political masters. On a parity of reasoning, the CAG is not merely a lap-dog, but a pet. Otherwise, Mr Shashi Kant Sharma would not have been able to grab the sensitive constitutional post, whose duty is to monitor the irregularities in government spending. As Director-General (Acquisition) of the Defence ministry, he had allowed the cost of  the Russian aircraft carrier, Admiral Gorshkov, to escalate. He had audited defence procurements during 2003-2010 even while holding the post of Defence Secretary. Mr Sharma is beholden to the UPA government and the interest of the Congress will be uppermost in his agenda as CAG.
yours, etc., baniprasanna datta, 22 may, kolkata.

Li&’s double-game
SIR, ~ The recent Chinese intrusion into Indian territory at  Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) was a brazen instance of transgression of the law that determines boundaries. Yet China&’s astute diplomacy was evident during Premier Li Keqiang&’s recent visit to India.  He was able to convey the impression that China did not want to lose a vast business market in India. Even multinational giants in Europe and America are keen on tapping this market. Mr Li also expressed his eagerness to defuse the border tension. His visit to India was not intended to strengthen the peace process, but to tap the business sector. Indeed, he played a successful double-game.
yours, etc., achyut mukherjee, howrah, 30 may.

Kolkata to Chhattisgarh
SIR, ~ A Union cabinet minister has reportedly attributed  the recent Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh to the “excesses” committed by the Salwa Judum. It that is so, one wonders what was responsible for the emergence and escalation of the Left radical movement in West Bengal in 1967. In Kolkata, innocent people were attacked with Molotov cocktails. The actual reason is that the radical ideology preaches violence ~ “Political power emerges from the barrel of the gun”.
yours, etc., arun malankar, mumbai, 30 may.

India is now Africa&’s fourth largest trade partner after the European Union, China and the USA. India&’s trade with Africa has increased from $20 billion in 2006-07 to $55 billion in 2011-12
statesman news service
KOLKATA, 24 JUNE: A high-level delegation of corporate leaders has left for South Africa, Zambia and Kenya today to showcase the strength and potential of eastern India and explore investment opportunities there. The business mission organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (eastern region) looks towards strengthening business partnership and cooperation between India and Africa.
India is now Africa&’s fourth largest trade partner after the European Union, China and the USA.
At a time when countries across post-colonial Africa are looking for capital, technologies and expertise from across the globe, the 11-day mission also intends to showcase the inherent strength and potential of the five eastern states ~ West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.
The objective of the 17-member delegation is also to build a strong framework for B2B meetings.
The sectors in focus include manufacturing, mining, healthcare, ICT, tourism, said Mr Sudhir Deoras, chairman, CII (eastern region).
“Africa is being hailed as a continent of opportunities. Among the big Indian companies doing business in Africa are the Tatas, Ranbaxy and Bharti Airtel, in sectors such as automobile, engineering, IT, telecom and pharmaceutical,” said Mr Deoras, who is also the managing director of TRF Limited, a Tata group company. With a GDP growth of more than five per cent, Africa is fast becoming alluring for Indian businesses, both in terms of trade and investment. India&’s trade with Africa has increased from $20 billion in 2006-07 to $55 billion in 2011-12. The present mission is expected to go a long way in ensuing that Indo-African bilateral trade reaches the projected volume of $90 billion by 2015.
“That is an eminently achievable target because both India and Africa have globalised their economies. In fact, seven of the fastest growing economies in the world are now in Africa. This mission will attempt to establish deeper and stronger linkages with Africa, particularly these three countries,” said Mr Deoras.
“In our assessment, Indian companies could play a vital role in Africa&’s attempt to ensure food and energy security, high-end manufacturing growth, R&D, and value-addition to its key industries. This mission will certainly help enhance the spirit of cooperation and create a strong platform to forge deeper ties,” he added.
Mr Saugat Mukherjee, regional director, CII (ER), said the CII team will begin its mission from South Africa where the delegation members will hold interactive sessions with the Indian High Commissioner and CEOs in Johannesburg before joining a meeting with senior officials of Rand Merchant Bank and First Rand Bank. In South Africa, the CII delegation will also interact with the members of the ANC Progressive Business Forum.
 

GANGTOK, 3 JUNE: Chief Minister, Mr Pawan Chamling today presided over the coordination meeting regarding the 14th Finance Commission at the conference hall of Chintan Bhawan here today.
This high level meeting was attended by the Speaker, Mr K T Gyaltsen along with the Cabinet ministers, chief secretary, DGP, finance secretary and heads of various state government departments. During the meet, Mr Chamling is said to have reviewed the draft proposals for each of the departments. He is said to have directed the departments to include further proposals and projects for speedy development of the state.
He reportedly urged that the revenue projection of the state should also be as accurate as possible. Mr Chamling is also reported to have reviewed performance of the works sanctioned under the 13th Finance Commission and also stressed that all the works sanctioned under the 13th Finance Commission should be completed within the timeframe.
The Chief Minister is said to have directed all the departments to complete the works sanctioned under Prime Minister&’s Package for earthquake relief, giving major focus on Chungthang which was its epicenter. During this meet, Mr Chamling appealed to all to work in tandem with the policymakers and take personal initiatives in seeing that works and schemes of their respective departments are being undertaken properly. Further, he stressed on accountability and collective responsibility to usher Sikkim to greater heights. sns

Courts must interpret the spirit of laws

Since beginning his career as a journalist, followed by stints as an advocate and a university teacher, octogenarian Dr Subhash C Kashyap has come a long way. His association with Parliament of India for over 37 years, as Secretary General of the 7th, 8th, and 9th Lok Sabha, and vast experience of the Indian polity are well-known and he is recognised as a noted political scientist, scholar and an expert in Indian Constitution and Constitutional Law. Currently president of the National Bar Association of India (NBAI), Dr Kashyap talks to AJITA SINGH about the scope and future of the legal profession in India, besides exploring various raging issues.
Excerpts:

Never before have so many law students graduated every year. Do you think they will have enough career opportunities before them?
It is true that with Bar Council of India recognising many institutions (in India and abroad) providing law degrees, there has been sudden spurt in institutions and the number of law graduates. It is a very positive development for India&’s legal profession. India needs strong administration of justice and more legal professionals will help fill this vacuum. The country needs more judges, prosecutors, corporate lawyers, cyber & IT lawyers, and intellectual property and tax experts for strong business and economic growth.

Has the job scenario improved for law graduates? Are there as many employment options available?
With the growth of the private sector and multinational companies, law graduates are finding new avenues of employment.  Chamber practice is no longer the only option for young lawyers.  Today&’s business environment requires new expertise in the area of legal journalism and reporting, patents, cyber laws, international transactional work, among other things. The opportunities for young and bright law graduates are immense, and ever-growing in the global economy.

Corruption and irregularities of every form are increasing all around. Will ethics prevail in legal practice? What is NBAI doing towards ensuring ethical standards?
It is unfortunate that corruption seems to be increasing in all spheres. There are aberrations in every field and the legal field is no exception. NBAI has developed an ethics code and our members are administered a solemn oath (formulated by NBAI chief patron Mr Ram Jethmalani) to remind them of their obligations towards this noble profession. NBAI Academy intends to focus on the training of lawyers on continuous basis. This is again a good opportunity for us to remind our brethren in the legal profession about commitments and obligations.

There has been a lot of talk about the recently-passed anti-rape law that seeks to ensure safety and security of women. Is the law, in your opinion, adequate? Would it be able to serve its purpose?
   India does need stronger laws to protect and provide safety to women. We cannot progress, socially or economically, if our laws do not take care of inherent gender biases.  NBAI also believes that we should have stronger implementation of laws for safety and security of women. This can be done if police investigate cases fast and courts pronounce verdicts without delays.
The Delhi gangrape incident last December also brought the Juvenile Justice Act into sharp focus.
Do you think the Act needs to be modified, particularly in view of the 16 December gangrape?
Certainly, the Juvenile Justice Act is intended to be a reformist piece of legislation for our younger generation. The intention of the Act is very good. However, the 16 December incident saw such a ghastly act by an alleged juvenile that society&’s collective conscience was shaken.
No doubt everyone thinks that the alleged juvenile is beyond reforms and should be handed the severest punishment. This is a test of our Juvenile Justice Act; our courts have wide power to interpret the Act and make exceptions to punish an alleged juvenile.

Do you think the government was right in not changing the definition of “juvenile”?
Parliament can only change the legislation, and government can only propose.  However, is changing the definition of a juvenile the only solution? As mentioned earlier, Indian courts have wide power to interpret and carve out exceptional cases. If a juvenile is acting brutally in a manner that is not acceptable to society, courts do have the power to punish them in the severest manner. What if Kasab was a juvenile? Would the courts have spared him, in spite of the fact that he had waged war against our nation? I am sure the Supreme Court of India and other subordinate courts cannot be bound merely by the letter of a piece of legislation; they must also look into the spirit of the legislation and formulate sentences accordingly.

If the IPC earlier mentioned age of consent for sex as 16 years, why has there been a reluctance to make it so in the new anti-rape law?
Rising crimes against women is the reason the government (and Parliament) raised the age of consent to 18 years. If our elected representatives think that a girl is incapable of forming a correct decision about her relationships even at the age of 18, they would be right in changing the age of consent.  For any legislation to be effective, a long-term view has to be taken. Any change in legislation should not be guided by only a single case. Therefore, we will rely on the collective wisdom of our parliamentarians to decide on the age of consent for women.

statesman news service
NEW DELHI, 24 JUNE: India has sought investment from Northern Ireland business leaders, promising them “long-term benefits.” This was conveyed by the visiting Union minister of commerce and industry Mr Anand Sharma, while delivering the opening session of the Global India Business Meet at Belfast yesterday.
Mr Sharma said he “remains optimistic that the emerging idea of India will infuse similar confidence to other countries to partner with India. I also invite investors and businesses to invest in India and assure them of long-term benefits from engaging with India”.
The Global India Business Meet is organised by Horasis along with Northern Ireland (NI) Government and Belfast City Council.
Speaking during the opening session, Mr Sharma outlined the current global economic environment and said while last year has been difficult for the Indian economy, he hopes for a rebound in the Indian economic scenario this year. He also outlined the initiatives taken by the Indian government for further improving the investment attractiveness of India, including the National Manufacturing Policy for giving a boost to manufacturing, reforms in FDI and the ambitious skills upgradation programme.
Highlighting the strong business ties between India and Northern Ireland, Mr Sharma said over 30 Northern Ireland firms have commercial operations in India. “Indian IT companies such as Wipro, Tech Mahindra, L&T Infotech, HCL and Polaris are significant contributors to inward investments and employment in N Ireland,” he added.

Such violence has no place in our democracy…The Centre and states need to join hands to ensure that such events do not recur.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Delhi on the Maoist violence

If Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra can control Naxalism, why not Chhattisgarh? The ruling BJP is sheltering Naxals for political advantage.
Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh

I have decided to quit as IPL chairman. It is a decision which I was pondering over for some time. I think it is time to step down.
Rajiv Shukla after resigning as IPL chairman

The Centre keeps neglecting Sikkim. What is needed for this landlocked state is good means of communication. The National Highway 31-A remains in bad shape, the proposed airport keeps hanging for years, the rail link has not seen any progress beyond Bhoomi Pujan.
BJP national spokesperson Prakash Javadekar in East Sikkim

We strongly support providing food security to the people. But the manner in which the UPA-II Government is trying to politicise the issue is unjust. The proposed cash transfer in lieu of food grains will be of no use as banking infrastructure facilities are not available in remote areas, where the poorest and the tribals live. These promises are nothing but political gimmick.
West Bengal chief minister Miss Mamata Banerjee

We are looking forward to further growth in indigenous capabilities and to achieve a goal of 75 per cent self-reliance. DRDO has tremendous potential and the right critical mass to deliver. Today the ambience is right, with the maturity of Indian industry and our own R&D capabilities.
New Defence Research and Development Organisation director general Dr Avinash Chander

The Congress has always maintained that we are not against the creation of smaller states, including Telangana state…the general secretary in charge of Andhra Pradesh affairs is discussing the mater with various groups, and what is the status of such deliberations, what’s the progress, such specifics only he can reveal.
All India Congress Committee spokesman Shakeel Ahmad

Public money has been swindled and developmental work has come to a halt. The people have lost faith in political parties with public cynicism proving to be detrimental to democratic traditions.
Karnataka Governor Mr H R Bharadwaj referring to the previous government’s tenure in Bangalore

The government will soon notify the Special Economic Zones reforms which seek to ease the land requirement norms and provide for an exit policy.
Union commerce secretary SR Rao in Delhi

The people of Gujarat have given a thumping victory to the BJP. The BJP’s emphatic victory and the Congress’s defeat in two Lok Sabha seats is in a way a message of public anger and an ultimatum to the Congress.
Narendra Modi after the BJP won the two Lok Sabha and four Assembly seats in the bypolls  

Coalition is not a compulsion for us. We have proved the credibility and stability of a coalition during our erstwhile tenure. We consider alliance as a religion.
BJP national vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi

Kerry dubs Snowden traitor; warns Russia & China of tense ties over extradition refusal; Ecuador analysing spy asylum request
agence france-presse
MOSCOW, 24 JUNE: Ex-CIA analyst Mr Edward Snowden today continued his globe-trotting game of cat-and-mouse with US authorities on his tail, reportedly slipping out of Russia on his way to seek asylum in Latin America.
Mr Snowden, who embarrassed US President Barack Obama’s administration with his revelations of massive surveillance programmes, failed to appear on a flight he had apparently booked from Moscow to Cuba.
Russia’s Interfax news agency, known for its strong security contacts, said he was likely already out of the country.
US Secretary of State John Kerry meanwhile dubbed Mr Snowden a traitor to his country and warned both Russia and China that their relations with the USA might be damaged by their refusal to extradite him.
Mr Snowden arrived in Moscow yesterday from Hong Kong, from where he leaked to the media details of secret cyber-espionage programmes by both US and British Intelligence agencies. He was said by Russian officials to have spent the night in Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport awaiting his onward connection. He had been expected to take Aeroflot’s 1005 GMT flight today from Moscow to Havana after airline sources confirmed he had checked in.
But the flight left the terminal at Moscow Sheremetyevo airport ~ with a pack of hopeful journalists on board ~ and then took off with no sign that the former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor was among the passengers.
Adding to the mystery, he was not once seen in public in the Moscow airport since yesterday’s Aeroflot flight arrived from Hong Kong.  The Interfax news agency quoted a Russian security source and an Aeroflot source saying that he was not on board the flight to Havana.
It quoted another source familiar with the matter as saying: “Snowden, most likely, has already left the Russian Federation. He could have left by a different plane.”  
The IT contractor is the target of a US arrest warrant issued on Friday after he leaked details of the cyber-espionage programmes.  The leaks forced Obama’s administration to defend US Intelligence agencies’ practice of gathering huge amounts of telephone and Internet data from private users around the world.
Ecuador has said it was studying a request Mr Snowden had filed for asylum and he had been widely expected to fly on to Quito from Havana after arriving from Moscow. He and his accompanying party Sarah Harrison, a British national working on the legal team of the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks, had been checked in on the flight SU 150 to Havana, according to a correspondent who saw the flight roster.
Russian security sources said they had no reason to arrest Mr Snowden, who officials described as an ordinary “transit passenger” who had not crossed the border.
Mr Kerry said today it was “disappointing” that Mr Snowden had been able to
fly from Hong Kong to Russia, warning of consequences for ties with Moscow and Beijing.
Mr Kerry, speaking on a visit to New Delhi, also defended the decision to seek Mr Snowden’s arrest, saying he was a traitor. “He is an indicted individual, indicted on three felony counts,” he said. “Evidently he places himself above the law having betrayed his country.”
Ecuador Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino confirmed that the leftist Latin American country, whose embassy in London is already sheltering WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, was analysing Mr Snowden’s asylum request.
Ecuador’s outspoken leftist President Rafael Correa has championed the cause of Assange and his allies, to the fury of the USA. The US state department has revoked Mr Snowden’s passport and asked other countries to prevent him from travelling. But a source in Russia’s security agencies told Interfax that Mr Snowden could travel without a passport.
The New York Times quoted Mr Assange as saying his group had arranged for Mr Snowden to travel via a “special refugee travel document” issued by Ecuador last Monday.

Fugitive is healthy and safe, says Assange
London, 24 JUNE: Mr Edward Snowden is “healthy and safe”, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said today, although he refused to reveal his whereabouts. Snowden and the WikiLeaks staff member travelling with him, Sarah Harrison, are “healthy and safe and they are in contact with their legal team”, Assange said. “I cannot give further information as to their whereabouts or present circumstances other than to say that the matter is in hand,” he added. “We are aware where Mr Snowden is, he is in a safe place and his spirits are high. Due to the bellicose threats coming from the US we cannot go into further detail at this time.” afp

statesman news service
KOLKATA, 3 JUNE: The state government today turned down the proposal of representatives of private transport operators to hike bus fare citing the  forthcoming panchayat election in the state as reason.
The representatives today met state transport minister Mr Madan Mitra at Writers’ Buildings requesting him to hike bus and mini bus fare.
"The government can’t hike the bus fare at this moment. It will adversely affect the common people if the government hikes the fare, said Mr Madan Mitra.
"It is most unfortunate that the state transport department did not listen to us and increase the fare. Things are turning from bad to worse every day with the price of fuel, lubricants and spares going up. Such indifference will ultimately force us to leave the trade," said Mr Sadhan Das, general secretary of Joint Council of Bus Syndicate.
"Everyday private bus and mini bus operators have to incur losses around Rs 2,100 after plying a vehicle following the massive increase in diesel price and everyday the state transport department earns Rs 650 from a vehicle due to sales tax and VAT," said Mr Abasesh Daw, general secretary of the Mini Bus Operators Co-ordination Committee. 
Representatives will again meet the transport minister after the Panchayat election and will stage widespread demonstration in the city if the minister refuses to hike the fare, they maintained.

dawn/ann
ISLAMABAD, 24 JUNE: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif dropped the strongest hint today to file a written request before the Supreme Court to try former military ruler General (retd) Pervez Musharraf for treason under Article 6 of the constitution.
Addressing the National Assembly, Mr Sharif said that the former president had committed treason by abrogating the constitution and he should be tried under the law.
(Mr Musharraf’s actions came under the purview of “high treason”, Mr Sharif told parliament.
“Musharraf violated the constitution twice. He overthrew an elected government in 1999 and put everything into jeopardy. He sacked judges and imprisoned them,” said Mr Sharif.
The 69-year-old former army chief, currently under house arrest, should face trial in the SC and answer for his actions, Sharif said. If convicted, Mr Musharraf could face a possible death sentence or life imprisonment.
Mr Musharraf may become the first dictator in Pakistan’s history to face trial for high treason in the country that has witnessed three military coups in its 66-year history. Mr Musharraf had come to power in 1999 by deposing Sharif’s last government in a coup, pti adds).
Referring to Mr Musharraf’s decision to impose emergency rule in 2007, Mr Sharif said: “The federal government firmly subscribes to the view that the holding in abeyance of the constitution on 3 November 2007 constituted an act of high treason within the meaning of Article 6 of the constitution of Pakistan.”
Attorney General Munir A Malik submitted his response in the Supreme Court, stating that the procedure to try Mr Musharraf under Article 6 of the constitution has begun today.
Mr Sharif said, “Notwithstanding the fact that the Prime Minister has borne the brunt of Musharraf’s brazen coup, he wishes to assure both this august court and the people of Pakistan that he will act according to the highest standards of justice and follow the due process of law.”
Leader of Opposition Khurshid Shah welcomed the prime minister’s speech and said that the pictures of all past dictators should be removed from the parliament premises.
The Prime Minister is under oath to protect and defend the constitution and “it is implicit in this oath that his government ensures that persons guilty of acts under Article 6 are brought to justice”, he said.
Earlier, the apex court had asked the government to clarify its position on the petitions urging the court to try the former general under Article 6 of the constitution.
(Experts said the government could also face pressure from the powerful military, which would not like to see a former army chief being publicly humiliated. Under Pakistani law, a treason trial can be initiated only by the government, pti adds).

NEW DELHI, 24 JUNE: India will not get fresh access to Mumbai terror attack mastermind David Headley, who is currently in American jail, for questioning, the USA indicated today.
This was conveyed to India during the Indo-US strategic dialogue held here today for which Secretary of State John Kerry is here.India had persistently asked the USA to give access to Headley for a second time to get more information about the November 2008 audacious attack.
The US interlocutors have cited Headley’s plea bargain with the American authorities (under which a person avoids death penalty by confessing to the crime) and indicated its difficulty in allowing Indian investigators to further question him.
Headley, had also opposed further interrogation by Indian investigators, official sources said. Indian investigators had questioned Headley in 2010.However, India may be allowed to question Headley’s accomplice Tahawwur Hussain Rana who helped his childhood friend to recce the 26/11 targets.  Indian investigators believe that if they could quiz Pakistani-Canadian Rana, a lot of  information could come to light as he was a close associate of his Pakistani-American friend Headley.The investigators believe that Headley and Rana have a lot of information and their interrogations could throw more light on the conspiracy hatched to carry out the worst terror strike in India and role of those behind it.
Headley had pleaded guilty to 12 terrorism charges, including his involvement in the November 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai that claimed 166 lives. He had, however, entered into a plea bargain with US authorities. pti

press trust of india
JAIPUR, 24 JUNE: the BJP today criticised the UPA government and said it was reluctant to clear the Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament and has delayed the process for the past four years of its rule.
“The Congress-led UPA government has literally played politics over the  Women’s Reservation Bill,” BJP Mahila Morcha national president, Ms Saroj Pandey told at a press conference after chairing a state-level meeting of party functionaries here.
“The UPA government has not had an honest approach to get the Bill cleared and its allies kept opposing it in every Parliament session. Let the UPA government introduce the Bill, and show its will power to get it passed,” she said.
The BJP Mahila Morcha’s national executive meeting will be held in Delhi next month, she said.
Criticising Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s Sandesh Yatra, Ms Pandey said: “If the Chief Minister is making any allegation against the BJP state president Vasundhara Raje during the latter’s Suraj Sankalp Yatra, he should prove every allegation with evidence.”
Speaking on the occasion, state BJP Mahila Morcha president Suman Sharma said the party would deploy three women workers in every polling booth in the state in the upcoming Assembly elections.

NEW DELHI, 24 JUNE: The Confederation of Indian Industry has described as highly discriminatory, the suggested changes to the UK visa procedure including a security bond of 3,000 pounds for visitors from certain countries. 
“We share UK&’s concern on illegal immigration but surely there are other more effective and non-discriminatory ways to put a check on it,” CII said in a statement issued here today.
It said that adding such blanket rules for visas will negatively affect not only businesses, especially small businesses, but will also further bring down the number of students going to UK for higher studies and affect the tourism inflow from India to UK. This will also not help the cause of early conclusion of EU-India FTA, for which both the parties are committed, the statement said. sns

statesman news service
BANGALORE, 24 JUNE: A herd of elephants comprising about 16 pachyderms, including four calves, has been creating near panic for people living on the outskirts of the IT city; even sparking off fears that the mammals just might stray into Bangalore. Already, the wild herd which strayed into Karnataka from neighbouring Tamil Nadu through Kolar, 90 km from Bangalore, has mauled and even killed four people, including a photographer from a local daily who got too close to the animals yesterday in Hoskote, 26 km in rural Bangalore district.
This morning, however, there was utter panic when the herd came close to the city, about 18 kms away, with residents in a host of outlying villages running out of their homes. Experts from the Bannerghatta National Park told the media that the herd appeared to have lost its way searching for food while trying to follow the traditional  elephant corridor, stretching from Bannerghatta National Park to Erode in Tamil Nadu.
The matter assumed urgency with minister of forest, Mr Ramnath Rai, promising immediate action, even arranging for Abimanyu and Arjun, two tame elephants from Mysore to be brought to Bangalore to drive away the wild herd. The elephant duo is normally used in the famous Mysore Dusshera. In addition, Vanraj, another elephant from the Bannerghatta National Park, was used in the drive to herd the elephants into the elephant corridor .
Earlier today, the herd managed to get into the Inventure Academy, an international school. Luckily, the managing trustee, Ms Noorain was quick  to alert the parents to ensure that they did not send their wards to school. While the elephants did damage the school playground, particularly its tennis court, residents living on the outskirts of Sarjapur which houses a host of IT companies, had reason to worry as the pachyderms settled in the nearby forest.
For the worried forest range officials, the onlookers made matters worse with many attempting to crowd the herd. The officials tried hard to keep the crowd at bay, fearing that the elephants might get provoked.
Till late tonight, attempts were on to drive the wild elephants to the Anekal forest area and then through the Bannerghatta National Park. The officials appeared confident that by morning they would be able to succeed in their attempt though they did not rule out the possibility of a few animals making an attempt to stray into the city.
They were, however, quick to point out that every effort had been made to see that this did not happen with adequate arrangements having been put in place.
The people on the outskirts of the city and those within, however, have remained on tenterhooks. More so as last year, a few wild elephants had managed to sneak into Mysore, injuring a few while trampling one
youngster.

statesman news service
BALURGHAT, 24 JUNE: Former state small scale industries minister and a CPI-M leader, Mr Narayan Biswas along with party district secretary for South Dinajpur and the district Left Front convener, Mr Manabesh Choudhury, are reportedly absconding till date.
Gangarampur police lodged a case against them, charging them with instigating violence during the cooperative society elections at Damdama on 23 September last year. Police have already arrested three CPI-M leaders of the same block ~ former Gangarampur municipality chairman Mr Balaram Ghosh, acting Gangarampur municipality chairman Mr Subal Basak and the local CPI-M leader Mr Achinta Chakraborty ~ on the same charge on 21 June. The district Marxist leaders, however, denied any involvement in the matter.
According to the district CPI-M leaders, the senior state level CPI-M leader and former minister Mr Manab Mukherjee, is currently visiting the district to boost the sagging morale of the rank and file ahead of the rural polls. “We are a bit distraught with the senior leaders having been arrested. Arrest warrants are dangling over the former ministers. We are happy that the party state committee has taken initiative to pump spirit in us. The party state secretary and state Left Front chairman, Mr Biman Bose along with the leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, Mr Surya Kanta Misra will address a public rally on 30 June both in Balurghat and at Gangarampur,” a district Marxist leader said.
Mr Mukherjee called the arrest of the CPI-M leaders and the arrest warrants issued against two others a part of a Trinamul-hatched conspiracy to malign the party and its leaders. “Police filed a politically-fabricated case at the Trinamul Congress’ behest. We will organise a public rally soon in presence of the state level party leaders at Gangarampur,” he said.
The district president of South Dinajpur Trinamul Congress, Mr Biplab Mitra, however, rubbished the allegation. “We have nothing to do with the cases. Our party is against vendetta politics. Police are doing their duty,” he said.
The South Dinajpur police superintendent, Mr P Banerjee, said police are investigating the case from all angles. “While three of the accused CPI-M leaders have already been arrested the other two would be arrested soon,” he added.