Newsletter 19 Feb

Top 5 of the news of the Week

1- Trump signals No trade deal in Current visit, but May Be Later
2- Interlocutors met Shaheen Bagh Protesters
3- Notifications issued for panchayat by-elections in J&K withdrawn
4- 3 Ansar Ghazwa ul Hind terrorists killed in encounter in J-K’s Tral
5- Equipment found on Karachi vessel off Gujarat coast triggers suspicion of ‘proliferation of nuclear weapons’

National

Trump signals No trade deal in Current visit, but May Be Later

President Donald Trump has signaled that a “big trade” deal might not be on the agenda during his visit to India next week, saying that he is saving “a very big” US-India deal for later.
“We can have a trade deal with India, but I am really saving the big deal for later, maybe before elections. But we will have a very big deal with India,” Trump said while talking to reporters.
Foreign Secy, Harsh Vardhan Shringla on visit, India and USA to hold talks in areas of defense, counter-terrorism, people to people contact, energy and regional issues. PM Modi will also host lunch for President Trump.
This will be the 5^th meeting between PM Modi and President Trump in the last 8 months.
He added, President Trump is expected to be accompanied by a high-level delegation on his upcoming visit to India. Many cabinet ministers expected to accompany him.
It is a strategic partnership and a forward-looking relationship
President Trump was ambiguous about whether a trade deal with India was imminent and larger trade deal was in the works for later, potentially after the U.S. elections in Nov.
Trump’s comments come days after U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer cancelled a trip to India – as reported in The Hindu – to finalize a mini trade deal which the two countries were hoping to finalize when Mr. Trump visits India.
have decided to engage in talks. Both the countries will have a wide-ranging discussion and will have a Free Trade Agreement later. India will seek restoration of Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) by the US (ANI)
Program
- The US President will reach Gujarat’s capital city of Ahmedabad by noon on Feb 24 and is slated to address a mammoth crowd of more than 100,000 people which is expected to turn up for an event at the Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad on the lines of the ‘Howdy Modi’ function that was addressed by the US President and PM Modi in Houston in Sept last year.
- The President is also likely to visit the Gandhi Ashram in Sabarmati.
- Later in the day he will arrive in New Delhi and is expected to hold talks.
- On Tue morning, the US President will first receive a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhawan as per protocol.
- PM Modi could then accompany the US leader to the Gandhi Ashram in Delhi (subjected to time availability if the Sabarmati ashram cannot be visited).
- The two leaders will then meet at the Hyderabad House, New Delhi and will lead official state meetings.
  - On Tue, President Trump will meet with executives of Indian companies — with business interests in the US during his visit to the capital – at an event organized by the US embassy in New Delhi.
  - The companies expected to be represented at the meeting include the Indian oil and gas company Reliance Industries, Tata Sons, Bharat Forge, Mahindra and Mahindra.
  - POTUS’s visit will conclude with an early banquet dinner, following which he will depart for Washington.
  India-US Trade
  India has become an important trading partner for the United States over the past two decades, but the relationship has been marred by long-standing
- disagreements on everything from dairy products to intellectual property rights protections.
- Trade between the US and India has grown steadily ever since India’s economy began to take off in the mid-1990s and its IT sector shot to prominence in the early 2000s.
- From 1999 to 2018, trade in goods and services between the two countries surged from $16 billion to $142 billion. India is now the US’ 8^th-largest trading partner in goods and services and is among the world’s largest economies.
- India’s trade with the US now resembles, in terms of volume, U.S. trade with South Korea ($167 billion in 2018) or France ($129 billion).

But as trade between Washington and New Delhi has increased, so too have tensions. U.S. and Indian officials have disagreed for years on tariffs and foreign investment limitations, but also on other complicated issues, particularly within agricultural trade.
Concern for intellectual property rights has preoccupied the United States for thirty years, while issues concerning medical devices and the fast-growing digital economy have more recently emerged. On top of this, the Trump administration has exacerbated tensions by creating new dilemmas, including a focus on bilateral trade deficits and the application of fresh tariffs, prompting retaliation from Modi’s government.

[for detail see link 1]

Congress raised question on investment incurred in welcome of President Trump. Is Trump God that 70 lakh people will gather to welcome him, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

Interlocutor met Shaheen Bagh Protesters, discussion couldn’t concluded today

Delhi Police has held a meeting with senior advocate Sanjay Hegde, along with Sadhna Ramchandran, who has been appointed as an interlocutor by the Supreme Court for mediation between the government and people who are staging a protest against CAA at Shaheen Bagh in New Delhi.
The Supreme Court has said that Hegde can take the assistance Ramachandran and former Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) Wajahat Habibullah for talking to the protesters.

A video also surfaced over social media by BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya, wherein ‘activist’ Teesta Setalvad,

who has been earlier accused of embezzling 2002 riot victims’ money, appears to be tutoring Shaheen Bagh ‘protestors’ on what questions to ask the Supreme Court appointed interlocutors.
In the 2-minutes long video, a lady can be heard reading out a list of questions the women could ask the interlocutors appointed by the Supreme Court to mediate and convince the Shaheen Bagh protestors to relocate to an alternative place.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, (CM, under which jurisdiction Shaheen Bagh comes), said, on media question on his meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah, did he discuss Shaheen Bagh? “There was no discussion on that.”
Background
- Earlier on Mon, the Supreme Court asked senior advocate Sanjay Hegde to “play a constructive role as an interlocutor” to persuade the protesters to move to an alternative site so that it does not block a key road.
- People have a fundamental right to protest “peacefully and lawfully” but blocking public roads and places is a matter of concern as it might lead to a “chaotic situation”, the apex court said, stressing that there has to be a “balancing factor”.
- “Democracy works on the expression of views but there are lines and boundaries for it,” a bench of Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph said, adding, “The question which is arising is where to protest.”
- “Our concern is if everybody starts blocking public areas then where will it end,” the bench asked while hearing pleas seeking removal of protestors from Shaheen Bagh and ensuring smooth traffic flow in the area.
- The bench, however, observed, “We want to solve the problem and we have expressed our opinion. If nothing works, we will leave it to the authorities to deal with the situation”.
- Sanjay R Hegde is a senior advocate at the Supreme Court of India who began his career in 1989. In the recent past, he has appeared for citizens excluded from NRC, in a habeas corpus case on Kashmir, mob lynching cases and in the recent Aarey forest case in Mumbai.
  - In October last year, his Twitter account was suspended by the micro-blogging site for posting an anti-Nazi picture. He had then sent a legal notice to Twitter for violating his freedom of speech. He was also on Union of India’s arguing panel before the Supreme Court from 1996 to 2004.
- Wajahat Habibullah is the former CIC who earlier has also served chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities.
  - He was Divisional Commissioner of eight districts of the Kashmir Division in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir between 1991 and 1993. Given his experience of working in the state, he has written three books on Kashmir. Vocal in his criticism of revoking Article 370 by the Centre in August last year, Habibullah had said that he was unsure as to how the new step of the Modi government would help in reducing or checking terrorism in the state. He had called the government’s decision to convert J&K in a Union Territory “regressive and unwise”.
- Sadhana Ramachandran Senior Supreme Court lawyer Ramachandran has been the Secretary of the Arbitration Department at Delhi High Court Resolution.

CAA Row….continue

Tamil Nadu: People march towards the State Secretariat from Walajah Road to protest against the CAA, NRC and NPR.
Heavy police force has been deployed in view of the ongoing Assembly session.
As seen in media report, huge crowed, headed by females are leading a march.
‘Women refusing to give up is an important development,’ says Amartya Sen, Indian Noble Laureate on CAA protests
The protest call was given by a collective of Muslim outfits.
Agitators carrying placards against CAA, NRC and NPR, besides the Indian flag, converged at Chepauk as part of their original plan to lay siege to the Tamil Nadu Assembly, located inside the state Secretariat, and raised slogans against the amended law.
The Muslim outfits in the state have demanded that the state Assembly adopt a resolution against the controversial legislation in the ongoing session, concluding tomorrow.
The Madras High Court had on Tue restrained the Muslim outfits from going ahead with their siege protest.
Earlier, protesters converged at Chepauk, resulting in traffic congestion at key points on the arterial Anna Salai.
Security had been beefed up in and around the Secretariat.
Anti-CAA protests were held elsewhere in the state, including Madurai and Tirunelveli, with members of the Muslim community hitting the streets against the CAA.

Notifications issued for panchayat by-elections in J&K withdrawn

Jammu and Kashmir, the notifications dated Feb 15 and 17 issued for Phrase 1 and 2 (Panchayat by-elections) respectively and the schedule issued on Feb 13 for other phases of Panchayat by-elections are hereby withdrawn, says office of the election authority, chief electoral officer.
Political parties in meeting with the CEO expressed apprehensions of holding elections when the top leadership of two main parties in the Union Territory was behind bars.

The last round of the Panchayat elections was also boycotted by the NC and PDP. But this time, the polls are likely to be fought with all parties in the play. Over 12,000 seats were left vacant from theprevious poll, which was expected to be filled up now.

3 Ansar Ghazwa ul Hind terrorists killed in encounter in J-K's Tral

The three terrorists who were killed in an encounter earlier on Wednesday belong to the terror outfit Ansar Ghazwa ul Hind, said Army sources.
The terrorists have been identified as Jangeer Rafiq Wani, Raja Umar Maqbool Bhat and Uzair Amin Bhat.
“Police killed 3 terrorists in an encounter at Tral. Further details shall follow,” Kashmir Zone Police had tweeted earlier today.
While Pak radio reported it, as “In occupied Kashmir, Indian troops in their fresh act of state terrorism, martyred three Kashmiri youth in Pulwama district.”
In press briefing, DGP Dilbag Singh JnK, said the frequent violation of cease fire from Pak side was due to pushing terrorist LoC, and some time they have succeeded, as result of which some of them might be infiltrated. Today’s encounter could neutralized 3 out of them.
Huge cache of ammunition recovered from the 3 terrorists that were killed earlier today in Tral.
One of them, Jahangeer was a commander of Hizbul Mujaheedin was involved in 8 big terror activities which resulted in a fearful environment in region.
He further added, in total, 10 operations in which 2 have taken place in Jammu and 8 in Kashmir have been successfully conducted in the year 2020. 19 terrorists in Kashmir and 4 in Jammu have been neutralized so far.

JnK Police detains man who was working as domestic help at residence of ailing separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani. Ganaie, a resident of Tral in Pulwama, was suspected to be circulating the videos of the hardline Hurriyat Chairman through social media. Interrogation is underway. PTI

Equipment found on Karachi vessel off Gujarat coast triggers suspicion of ‘proliferation of nuclear weapons’

A team of intelligence agencies, Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) scientists and customs officials are inspecting suspected equipment on a Karachi bound merchant vessel at Kandla port in Gujarat, according to government sources (ANI).
The vessel was intercepted by Indian customs officials on Feb 3 after it halted at the Kandla Port on its way back from China’s Jiangyin Port
- “From the shape and dimension of the equipment, it is primarily being suspected to be an autoclave machine which is used in aerospace industry especially to make high-performance composites, government sources claimed.
- Nuclear scientists from DRDO had reached Kandla port on Mon to inspect the Chinese ship, which was end route Port Qasim in Pakistan’s Karachi. The crew on the ship had tried to pass off the autoclave saying it was “an industrial dryer”.
- “The commercial ship had a Hong Kong flag and was carrying a machine that is used to launch ballistic missiles,” news agency IANS quoted sources as saying on Mon.
  - The vessel was intercepted by Indian customs officials on February 3 after it halted at the Kandla Port on its way back from China’s Jiangyin Port.
  - The autoclave (18×4 meter) in dimension is basically a pressure chamber that could be used both for civilian (scientific and industrial) as well as military purposes.
The vessel ‘Da Cui Yun’ had left for Karachi from China on Jan 17^th. The port it was headed to in Karachi is near the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission, the same agency that developed Pakistan’s nuclear technologies some years ago.

CBI vs CBI alleged graft case: A special court adjourns the hearing on CBI charge-sheet for 12-noon today and has asked the CBI to get the case diary in connection with the case.

Court also interrogated CBI regarding the investigation details. The Court is considering the charge-sheet filed by CBI recently, which gave a clean chit to its officials.

Ram temple trust's first meeting today, will include Mahant Nritya Gopal Das and Champat Rai

The 1^st meeting of the trust set up to build the grand Ram temple in Ayodhya is going to be held today.
The proposed meeting in Delhi will include all members of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra Trust along with Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) International General Secretary Champat Rai at the residence of K Prasharan, Chariman of the trust at Greater Kailash, New Delhi.
As per norms, 2 IAS officers from UP Govt, Addl Chief Secy Avnish Awasthi and District Magistrate of Ayodhya Anuj Kumar Jha have been included in Trust.

Under the trilateral cooperation between India, Afghanistan and China, a capacity building program for a team of 10 senior Afghan National police officers started in India on Feb 17, 2020 at Central Detective Training Institute (CDTI), Ghaziabad

The program is specially focused on the various aspects of community policing. The program is aimed at further strengthening India and China collaboration on Afghanistan. A similar joint program for Afghan diplomats was held at Foreign Service Institute in Nov 2019.

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar after cabinet meeting informed to media that the Cabinet has approved

To assist the Reproductive Technology Regulation bill in this session of the Parliament.
To elevation of Bhaskaracharya Institute of Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG) in Gujarat as Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics.
To launch the second phase of Swachh Bharat Mission which will cover the all rural areas as well.

To assistance of Rs 4,458 cr scheme to boost dairy sector, benefitting 95 lakh farmers:

Appointments

Government has approved the appointment of Kamal Kishore as a Member of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), for a fresh term of 5 years.
Krishna Vatsa (Policy Advisor, Disaster Recovery, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction, UNDP),
Rajendra Singh (former DG, Coast Guard) and Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Syed Ata Hasnain as Members of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

SIT, under DCP (Crime) Rajesh Deo, visited Jamia Millia Islamia today and inspected various locations including the Library, says the Delhi police

It interacted with faculty and examined few students. Chief proctor was requested to help in securing presence of students whom SIT wants to examine.

Crime branch team of Delhi Police probing the December 15 Jamia violence case has reached the University campus. DCP (crime) Rajesh Deo, ACP (interstate cell) Sandeep Lamba and other officials have reached the campus.

NIA files charge-sheet against 11 accused in Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) Bengaluru Module Case in NIA special court, Bengaluru, today, says the agency

Delhi: Nine working groups of Election Commission of India officials and over 20 chief electoral officers met over a two-day long conference, reports ANI

The agenda was to deliberate on the learnings from the Lok Sabha elections and other elections held recently. EC had formed 9 working groups of Chief Electoral Officers & EC officers covering various facets of election process, including electoral roll issues, polling stations management, Model Code of Conduct, voting processes and material inventory, capacity building, expenditure management, SVEEP etc.

Defense ministry shipyard Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited today handed over anti-submarine corvette Kavaratti to the Indian Navy, reports ANI

The warship was handed over by GRSE chairman Rear Admiral VK Saxena to Navy’s Commander Sandeep Singh.

Border Security Force: BSF troops of South Bengal Frontier apprehended 1 Phensedyl smuggler & seized 563 bottles Phensedyl cough syrup worth Rs 86,263 & 15.9 kg cannabis. These were being smuggled to Bangladesh through border districts, West Bengal

Corona Virus Row…

China virus death toll surges to 2,000, according to the government: AFP news agency

As per New York Times, Our analysis found that at least 150 million people in China — over 10 percent of the country’s population — are facing government restrictions about how often they can leave their homes because of the coronavirus.

Ministry offers to fund research projects to find ingredients in dung, milk and urine of cows-Telegraph India

The science and technology ministry has offered to fund research projects that seek to pinpoint ingredients in dung, milk and urine of “pure indigenous cows” for use in medicinal, nutritional, agricultural and household products.

The department of science and technology (DST), an arm of the ministry, has invited research proposals from academic institutions and non-government organizations for systematic investigation into prime products of indigenous cows, setting Mar 14, 2020, as the deadline for applications.

The call for proposals, titled “Scientific Utilization Through Research Augmentation-Prime Products from Indigenous Cows (Sutra-Pic), has stirred speculation among some senior scientists whether the initiative is a genuine open-ended inquiry into claims on cows or an agenda-driven program.

Political

West Bengal: Rania Free Primary School, located in South 24-Parganas district has decided to remove lotus from its logo that is embroidered on the school uniform. Bijali Das, Teacher In charge says, “we have been using this logo for last 11-12 years as lotus is our national flower.”

Bijali Das, Teacher Incharge: Suddenly some people have started raising objections so we thought of changing it. Wewill soon start using the logo of ‘Sarva Shiksha Mission’. People who were protesting includes TMC Councilor but no parents have protested.

Avinash Pande, Rajasthan Congress In-charge said Priyanka Ji (Priyanka Gandhi Vadra) is a well-accepted leader in the party, Rajasthan is one of the states which is in a position to send two people to Rajya Sabha. All workers and leaders of party wish to send her to Rajya Sabha.

States

UP CM, Yogi Adityanath in state Assembly: “Jin logon ne Ayodhya mein Ram Bhakton pe goli chala kar, Ayodhya ki manyata ko dooshit karne ka prayas kiya tha, ve aaj upadraviyon pe hone wale karyawahi par humse jawab mang rahe hain.”

Kerala: The vigilance and anti-corruption bureau register FIR against ex-health minister and Congress legislator VS Sivakumar in a disproportionate assets case, reports ANI

The agency registered the case with Sivakumar as first accused, and Rajendran, Shaiju Haran and MS Harikumar as co-accused.

Two teachers of a govt school in Trivandrum, were asked to go on leave after they distributed pamphlets with pictures of Goddess Saraswati, Lord Ayyappa and Om symbol, to students on 10 Feb. Headmistress says, “Parents complained when students took pamphlets to their homes”.

Pushpakumari, Headmistress: A probe was ordered by education department & the teachers were asked to go on leave. Assistant Educational Officer carried out the probe & also spoke with Parent Teacher Association. Issue has been resolved & classes are going on peacefully.

Two more persons have been arrested today, in connection with the alleged molestation of students during a cultural festival at the all-women Gargi College. Total 17 persons have been arrested till now.

Maharashtra: Mumbai Police Crime Branch has given clean chit to Shifa Sheikh, daughter of gangster Ejaz Lakdawala in an extortion case.

Police filed plea under section 169 of CrPC in Esplanade court. Other case related to her passport obtained through fraudulent manner will go on as earlier.

Background

Fugitive gangster Ejaz Lakdawala arrested in Mumbai once worked for underworld don Dawood Ibrahim before forming his own gang. He has been arrested by Mumbai Police, an official said on Jan 09, 2020.

A Red Corner notice had earlier been issued against him.

Supreme Court directs the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), appointed by SC to go into question of illegal sand mining in Rajasthan and file a report along with its suggestions to stop illegal mining in state in 4 weeks.

SC orders Rajasthan Govt and District Magistrates and Superintendent of Police of each district in the state to take immediate steps to stop rampant illegal sand mining.