QBullet: PM’s R-Day With ASEAN Leaders; NCP Chief Leads Oppn March
Here’s a roundup of the top stories of the day.
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1. R-Day Outreach Marks Fresh Start in India’s ASEAN Ties
For the first time ever, as many as 10 heads of state and government participated in the Republic Day parade as chief guests, marking, as officials said, a new beginning in India’s ties with ASEAN, which acts as the fulcrum of India’s act-east policy.
The parade comprised two tableaux by the Ministry of External Affairs showcasing India’s shared heritage, including its ancient cultural and maritime trade links with ASEAN. There was the strong maritime connect displayed in the form of boats depicting Odisha’s festival Bali Jatra and also educational links in the facade of one of the tableaux showing Nalanda University.
(Source: The Times of India)
2. Pawar Gathers Opposition Together for March Before Budget Session
In a move indicating an opposition convergence ahead of the budget session of Parliament next week, NCP chief Sharad Pawar banded together non-NDA parties to lead a “save Constitution” march in Mumbai on Republic Day.
Pawar’s role in organising the opposition show is significant as NCP has often come across as ambivalent in its ties with Congress and has sometimes appeared neutral about BJP. In the recent Gujarat elections, Congress leaders believed that NCP candidates had hurt its prospects to BJP’s advantage.
Every party that has positioned itself as anti-BJP — Congress, Left, Trinamool Congress — took part in Friday’s march, as also Congress-aligned voices like PAAS leader Hardik Patel.
(Source: The Times of India)
3. April’s Two-by-Two: IndiaUS Talks to be Held in Washington
India and the United States are expected to hold the inaugural edition of the simultaneous meetings of their defence and external affairs ministers — called two-by-two — in Washington DC in April, according to officials involved in its planning and organisation.
Though the agenda for the meetings was still under construction — “not pinned down yet”, as an official said in Washington — the broad focus will be, as described in the original White House announcement last August “to enhance peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific region”, a term used increasingly for China-related threats in the area.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
4. DGCA Reports Blame Pawan Hans for Most of its Chopper Crashes
Improper maintenance, non-adherence to procedures, non-compliance of safety regulations by the operator. These are some of the common findings in probe reports prepared by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) into 20 of 25 accidents involving Pawan Hans Helicopters Limited (PHHL) over the last 30 years. Since 1988, 91 people were killed in these accidents, including 60 passengers, 27 pilots and four crew.
The last of these accidents occurred on 13 January off the Mumbai coast, killing seven people including two pilots and senior ONGC officials. Five of the 25 accidents — from 20 November 2013, and including the one this month — are still under investigation. The probe reports, accessed by The Indian Express, directly indict the PHHL management for violation of safety norms and suggest that the accidents were more due to “organisational lapses than technical reasons”.
(Source: The Indian Express)
5. May Drop Cases Against Minorities, Farmers, Kannada Activists: Poll-bound Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is considering the withdrawal of cases filed against “minority communities”, farmers and pro-Kannada activists over the last five years. A circular seeking details of such cases – the fourth in two months – was sent Thursday to all police divisions in the state, prompting a sharp opposition BJP response.
While the BJP accused the Congress government of “working against Hindus”, Siddaramaiah after Friday’s Republic Day event said, “We are considering withdrawal of not just cases filed against people from minority communities during communal disturbances but also farmers during agitations and pro Kannada activists during agitations.”
(Source: The Indian Express)
6. Padmaavat Row: 5 in Gurugram Detained
Three local businessmen believed to have been proactive in mobilising support for protests against the film Padmaavat were among five people taken into preventive custody in Gurugram on Friday. Since Wednesday, when a mob attacked school buses and burnt a Haryana Roadways bus in the city, police have detained 14 people in the city.
This includes Suraj Pal Amu, a former BJP functionary and now general secretary of Rajput outfit Karni Sena, which has been leading protests against the film. Amu has been sent to judicial custody till Monday, DCP (headquarters) Deepak Gahlwat said.
(Source: The Times of India)
7. 1 Killed, 1 Injured After Shots Fired During Communal Clash in UP town
A man was killed and another injured on Friday in firing between two groups in UP’s Kasganj district during a communal clash over an unauthorised rally to mark Republic Day, officials said. According to police, Chandan Gupta (22) died after being hit on the chest by a bullet and Noushad was admitted to a hospital in neighbouring Aligarh district after being shot in the leg. Both groups hurled stones at each other in Kasganj town before shots were fired, police said.
Rakesh Kumar, Additional District Magistrate, Kasganj, said the “Tiranga Yatra” rally was taken out without permission from the administration. Arvind Kumar, principal secretary (Home), said the situation was under control. “Heavy police force has been deployed to ensure that the violence does not spread to other areas. Police are also conducting raids to trace the accused,” he said.
(Source: The Indian Express)
8. Telangana Declares 2 IPC Sections Cognisable; Will Arrest, Jail Those Using ‘Harsh Words’
In what is being seen as a move to throttle criticism and muzzle opposition parties, the Telangana government has declared crimes falling under Sections 506 and 507 of the Indian Penal Code as cognisable offences.
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has given his go-ahead to the move, according to a communication from the Chief Minister’s Office late on Thursday. “The government has declared crimes under Section 506 and 507 of the IPC as cognisable offences and arrest the offenders without taking permission from the court,” a CMO spokesperson said.
Section 506 deals with criminal intimidation of a person, while Section 507 deals with criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication (through social media or anonymous letters, mails etc). The punishment under both sections is imprisonment ranging from two to seven years with or without fine.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
9. Cut Loans to Firms, Focus on Retail: Govt to Smaller Banks
The government has directed small public sector banks (PSBs) to cut their corporate loan exposure to 25 percent of their risk-weighted assets over the medium term and focus more on retail lending. This strategy is being followed to shrink the size of relatively weaker banks over the next two years. According to the latest figures, the corporate loan exposure, for a number of PSBs, is around 50 percent or higher, while retail exposure is around 15 percent.
In a communication to chairpersons and CEOs of PSBs, detailing the government’s reforms agenda, Banking Secretary Rajiv Kumar has said smaller PSBs must cut their corporate loan exposure by a minimum of 15 percent by March 2019. Banks have been asked to ensure board-approved policies in place for achieving the loan exposure mix, for which they can pursue asset swaps and sales with the larger banks.
(Source: The Indian Express)
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