Newsletter 21 Feb

Top 5 News

1- Trump says ‘really like’ PM Modi so businesses ‘will be discussed’
2- Rajnath Singh lays foundation stone of new Army HQ building in Delhi
3- DRDO system destroys drone in trials, being deployed for Trump’s security
4- women sitting on dharna made it clear that their condition for talks is not acceptable to them
5- “Long Live All Nations,” Woman Charged For “Pak Zindabad” Slogan Had Said

Tweet of the Day

National

Ahead of Trump Visit…. Despite India 'hitting US with tariffs for many years,' Trump says 'really like' PM Modi so businesses 'will be discussed'

High-level delegation likely to accompany Pres Trump to India including Senior Advisor Jared Kushner, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, NSA Robert O’Brien, Secy of Treasury Steve Mnuchin, Secy of Commerce Wilbur Ross and Director, Office of Management and Budget, Mick Mulvaney [ANI]
Dhanraj Nathwani, VP of Gujarat Cricket Association: Prominent Gujarati singers like Parthiv Gohil, Purushottam Upadhyay, Kirtidan Gadhvi, Kinjal Dave, Sairam Dave and Bollywood singer Kailash Kher will perform at ‘Namaste Trump’ at Motera Stadium event on Feb 24.
A dairy industry perspective (those tracking US-India trade know how important these issues have been): “Trump’s hopes of a trade deal with India may again be dashed”
- India enjoys a gaping trade imbalance that sees it benefit to the tune of US$16bn. The US wants to wipe this out by ramping up its share of overall bilateral trade worth an estimated US$160 bn in 2019.
- Jaime Castaneda, senior VP of trade policy at US Dairy Export Council, has been reported saying he has “never met anybody as protectionist as the Indians”.
- “So, this is why, even though the market is big and the opportunities could be large, and we could actually benefit significantly, I’m always going to be lukewarm about expectations.”
- “It’s an enormous opportunity, but it’s really complicated and different,” he added
- Lot of good trade/econ detail in this one: “Donald Trump in India: High hopes from US president’s visit but challenges remain”
  - 25% and 10% on steel and aluminum, also affecting India. [2]
  - “Trump Should Make Defense Part Of the U.S.-India Trade Deal” by Ben Schwartz
    - Here’s a report that differs from the dairy reporter “India offers to import U.S. dairy, chicken legs to seal elusive trade deal with Trump”
    - India has offered to partially open up its poultry and dairy markets in a bid for a limited trade deal during U.S. President Donald Trump’s first official visit to the country this month, people familiar with the protracted talks say. Reuters [3]
    - “The privacy and localization piece will be raised independently and in concert with the trade discussions,” said a Washington-based source with knowledge of the U.S. administration’s thinking.[3]
  - “Trump, PM Modi To Outline Next Chapter Of Natural Alliance”: US Diplomat
    - the two leaders will outline an ambitious vision for the next chapter of the “natural alliance” between the two countries, a top American diplomat has said.
    - Westinghouse set to sign pact with Indian firm for nuclear reactors during Trump visit [Reuters]
      - “We are encouraging moving forward with Westinghouse and NPCIL to sign a MoU. It certainly is a private industry to private industry, a business to business decision,” Dr. Rita Baranwal assistant secretary for the Office of Nuclear Energy in the U.S. Department of Energy.
      - S. energy firm Westinghouse is expected to sign a new agreement with state-run Nuclear Power Corporation of India for the supply of six nuclear reactors during U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit next week, officials said, aiming to kick start a long-running project.

Rajnath Singh lays foundation stone of new Army HQ building in Delhi

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone for construction of a new Army headquarter building in

Delhi Cantonment on Fri. A multi-faith prayer held at the foundation stone laying ceremony.

The newly conceptualized ‘Thal Sena Bhavan’ expected to be built over the next 5 years by 2 lakh hours of skilled and unskilled work.

This will allow the Army to functions its headquarters under one roof, bringing together different offices currently working in 8 different locations in the national capital.

“The complex will house offices, residential area for security personnel and basic amenities. Approximately 7.5 Lakh square meter of the area will be constructed to house the office complex and parking. A total of 6,014 offices will be constructed which will house offices for 1684 officers both military and civilian,” the Army said.

CAA Row…
Shahin Bagh Row….

On Friday, ahead of the interlocutors’ meeting, the women sitting on dharna made it clear that their condition for talks is not acceptable to them.

One of the protestors, Mehrunisa, when asked about interlocutors suggesting women can meet them in a group of 20, she said that there would be no talks in groups as suggested by Ramchandran.

“There would be distrust among the rest who did not meet them in that particular group. Whatever they have to say, they should say it before all of us,” stated Mehrunisa holding a stick in hand. Shakila Begum too became agitated when suggested why not meet interlocutors in groups. [ANI]

Earlier, Sanjay Hegde and Sadhana Ramachandran, mediators appointed by SC reach Shaheen Bagh. They were there for talks with the protesters for the 2^nd day which ended inconclusive y’day.

Hegde, said to media that we urged protestors to come up with creative solutions to the traffic situation, while simultaneously protecting their right to protest.

He also added, that we are happy that Delhi Police has cooperated with our suggestions and the usage of some roads may soon be restored, especially for commuters going towards Faridabad.

We will continue to meet the protestors, hopefully in a more organized manner.

DRDO system destroys drone in trials, being deployed for Trump's security

At a time when drones are being used by Pakistan-based terror groups against India, the Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an indigenous anti-drone system which has successfully destroyed UAVs during trials.
The system is also being deployed for security of the US President Donald Trump during his forthcoming visit to India.
Almost all security agencies including the Air Force, Army, paramilitary forces and those involved in VVIP security are looking at acquiring anti-drone systems after the terror groups and others started using them.
Over the recent past there have been instances of smuggling of small arms and narcotics using drones which can carry 3-4 kilograms of weight and can fly at very low heights.
“The DRDO system successfully neutralized an incoming drone during trials using its kill system. The counter drone system has capabilities to both detect and destroy drones in air,” [ANI].
The DRDO counter drone system was first deployed to provide security cover to the Republic Day Parade this year which was attended by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and PM Narendra Modi, along with other dignitaries.
A number of instances of drones being used for smuggling weapons have been taking place along the riverine borders with Pakistan in Punjab and Jammu where small drones fly at very low height and drop supplies, sources said.

Gold deposits found in Uttar Pradesh's Sonbhadra (UP)

“The government is thinking of putting these deposits on lease for mining, for which survey is being done. Gold deposits are found at two places – Sonpahadi and Hardi field. GSI estimated gold deposits of 2700 million tonnes in Sonpahadi while 650 million tons in Hardi filed,” KK Rai, District Mining Officer told ANI.

The discovery of gold deposits is around five times the current gold reserves of India, which is around 626 tons.

Apart from gold, officials are also exploring the possibility of rare minerals like uranium in the area. Bundelkhand and Vindhyan districts of UP are rich in minerals like gold, diamond, platinum, limestone, granite, phosphate, quartz, and China clay.

The exploration of the vast goldmines and other minerals will give a big boost to the state’s revenue. Apart from providing both skilled and unskilled jobs, this will also lead to the much-needed development of the backward regions of these two districts of UP.

"Long Live All Nations," Woman Charged For "Pak Zindabad" Slogan Had Said

Bengaluru CP informed media that the case has been registered against the girl (Amulya Leona) and others under sections 124A (sedition), 153A and B (promoting enmity between different groups) and imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration). She has been sent to 14 days judicial custody.
He added “we looking at role of organizers. Role of MP (Asaduddin Owaisi) does not figure anywhere as he was also an invitee”.
- written: “Whatever country may be – long live for all the countries!”
- She had also written: “Long live India! Long live Pakistan! Long live Bangladesh! Long live Sri Lanka! Long live Nepal! Long live Afghanistan! Long live China! Long live Bhutan!”
- V Muraleedharan, MoS (MEA) on this incident, said “It’s an alarming situation that protest against CAA is turning to be occasion for pro-Pakistan slogans.” Govt will take suitable action to see such things are nipped in bud itself
  - CM BS Yediyurappa: Bail should not be given to Amulya (who raised ‘Pakistan zindabad’ slogan at anti-CAA rally in Bengaluru, yesterday), her father has also said he won’t protect her. It’s proved now that she had contacts with Naxals. Proper punishment should be given
  - Karnataka HM Basavaraj Bommai: Amulya comes from a place where Naxals have been very active for a long time. She has shared a lot of posts on Facebook. We will investigate these angle as well.
  - Chikmagalur: Residence of Amulya was vandalized by miscreants late last night. Police have begun investigation. Sri Ram Sene and Hindu Janajagruti Samiti members protest against Amulya.
- Leaving the organizers of an event to protest against the CAA, NRC and NRP in Bengaluru red-faced, a young woman raised “Pakistan Zindabad” slogan in the presence of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, who denounced her action and asserted “we are for India”.
Student who shouted ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ on Owaisi stage had praised Modi hours before [The Print]

Petition filed in SC today by activist seeking directions to quash the FIR, registered in Bidar (Karnataka) sedition case

Petition filed in Supreme Court today by activist Yogita Bhayana seeking directions to quash the FIR, registered in Bidar (Karnataka) sedition case. Petition has also sought directions from SC for a mechanism to deal with ‘misuse of sedition law by governments’.
Background
- A sedition case was slapped against two women — the headmistress of Shaheen School and the mother of a 9-year-old student, for their alleged involvement in staging a drama against the CAA and the NRC at the institution.
- The play had allegedly portrayed Prime Minister Narendra Modi in poor light over the CAA and NRC. The two were granted bail on Friday.
- Nazbunnisa, 26, the mother of the girl who participated in the play, and Fareeda Begum, 52, the headteacher of Shaheen School, who staged it, were arrested by Bidar New Town Police Station officers.

Both were booked under Sections 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 505(2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes), 124A (sedition), 153A (promoting, attempting to promote disharmony) and 34 (common intent) of the IPC.

National Commission for Women (NCW) has written to Anil Mukim, Chief Secretary (IAS), and Dr. Jayanti S. Ravi, Principle Secretary (IAS) to look into the matter thoroughly, and send the Commission the action-taken report details at the earliest.

NCW, has taken cognizance of a media report that female trainee clerks of Surat Municipal Corp, Guj were allegedly made to stand n*ked in a state-run hospital for a long time while lady doctors subject them to a gynecological finger test.

Directorate General of Civil Aviation proposes to introduce regulation for examination of aviation personnel for the consumption of psychoactive substance like Cannabis, Opioid and their various variants. In the first phase, flight crew members and ATCs to be examined at 6 airports

Indian Army sources: 1 Pak Army soldier killed, many others injured in Indian Army retaliation to ceasefire violation by Pak opposite Kupwara sector y’day. Pakistan has been trying to push terrorists into India from Neelam valley in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir in the last few days.

JnK Police: Budgam Police arrested a terrorist, claimed to be associated link to proscribed terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), today. Incriminating material was recovered from his possession. Further investigation is underway.

Inducted into service in March last year, Indian Air Force’s American-origin Chinook helicopters have started getting operationalized in the high-altitude locations including the Siachen glacier area in the Ladakh sector and are ferrying military equipment to higher reaches.

International

Pakistan to stay on FATF's grey list till June 2020

The Paris-based anti-terror financing watchdog, Financial Action Task Force (FATF) will likely give Pakistan some more time until June to achieve full compliance with its 27-point action plan and secure exit from its grey list failing which it could slip into the blacklist.
Informed sources from Paris told Dawn News that Pakistan’s performance vis-a-vis the action plan had been reviewed at the working group meetings.
FATF decides continuation of Pakistan in ‘Grey List’, [PTI]. A formal statement today on the conclusion of the group meetings and plenary that continued from Feb 16 to 21.
The sources told the daily that Pakistan has been asked to take action on eight following areas;
To demonstrate that remedial actions and sanctions are applied in cases of AML/CFT (anti-money laundering/ combating the financing of terrorism) violations relating to terrorist financing (TF) risk management and TF standard obligations.
Demonstrate that competent authorities are cooperating and taking action to identify and take enforcement action against illegal money or value transfer services.
FATF also urged to demonstrate the implementation of cross-border currency and BNI controls at all ports of entry, including applying effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions.
Demonstrate that law enforcement agencies (LEAs) are identifying and investigating the widest range of TF activity and that TF investigations and prosecutions target designated persons and entities and those acting on behalf or at the direction of the designated persons or entities.
Demonstrate that TF prosecutions result in effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions.
Demonstrate effective implementation of targeted financial sanctions (supported by a comprehensive legal obligation) against all 1,267 and 1,373 designated terrorists and those acting for or on their behalf, including preventing the raising and moving of funds, identifying and freezing assets (movable and immovable) and prohibiting access to funds and financial services.
Demonstrate enforcement against TF standard violations, including administrative and criminal penalties, and provincial and federal authorities cooperating on enforcement cases.
Demonstrate that facilities and services owned or controlled by designated persons are deprived of their resources and the usage of the resources.
The FATF has advised Pakistan to continue to work on implementing its action plan to address its strategic deficiencies with 100 per cent compliance by June 2020 or else it will be put on the blacklist.
On the basis of this legal framework, Pakistan’s performance would be judged in the next FATF plenary in October 2020.
Y’day, the International Co-operation Review Group (ICRG), a part of the FATF, took up the matter to evaluate whether the South Asian nation has taken sufficient steps to curb terror funding and implemented its action plan to fight the global menace.
A day before, on Monday, Islamabad, led by Revenue Minister Hammad Azhar had submitted a report on action regarding the implementation of the watchdog’s plan of action during the Paris meeting. More than 800 representatives from 205 countries and jurisdictions around the world including the IMF, UN, World Bank, and other organizations, will take part in the meeting.

Demo held in New Delhi for restoration of Article 370: Radio Pak

A large number of people from different civil rights organizations held a demonstration in New Delhi, demanding restoration of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution that granted special status to occupied Kashmir.

The occupied territory is under continued lockdown since August 05, last year, when Narendra Modi-led communal

government in New Delhi revoked the special status of the territory by repealing the Article 370.

The demonstrators expressed solidarity with the people of occupied Kashmir who have been facing severe hardships due to continued military siege for the last over 200 days.

Sentenced to death for blasphemy: Surviving Pakistan's death row

After spending almost half of his life on death row, Wajeeh-ul-Hassan had given up hope that he would ever be freed.

Convicted of committing blasphemy and sentenced to death by a court in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore in 2002 – when he was 25 – he spent almost 19 years in jail in a country where the crime of insulting Islam, its Prophet Muhammad or its holy book, the Quran, has been at the centre of alleged rights abuses for decades.

Political

Tejashwi Yadav, RJD on Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Waris Pathan: The statement is condemnable, he should be arrested. AIMIM is working like B-team of BJP. Similarly, leaders like Anurag Thakur & Parvesh Varma should also be arrested. Action must be taken against anyone who makes provocative remarks.

BJP also targeted by raising many questions against not only Pathan, but other intelligentsia of India, which is supposingly against BJP. “Today we have brought an example of the kind of hate politics that some people are doing in the whole country in protest against CAA. If there’s any so-called leader of these protests that are happening in the country, then it is Asaduddin Owaisi and the AIMIM party,” alleged BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra.

BJP leader Nalin Kohli has questioned whether the AIMIM leader’s communal statement is part of his party’s constitutional mandate.

Background:

Y’day, AIMIM leader Waris Pathan has issued a clarification saying his “15 crore can outweigh the 100” remark has been quoted “out of context” and that neither he nor his party supports anything that “creates a divide between people.” A video of the remark made during an anti-CAA rally in Karnataka’s Kalaburagi region on Feb 15 went viral.

Addressing the crowd in Kalaburagi, Pathan purportedly said, “…Ikattha hoke chalna padega, azadi leni padegi aur jo cheez mangne se nahin milti, usko chhin ke lena padega yeh bhi yaad rakhna…humko bola ma-behno ko aage bhej diya…abhi toh sirf sherniya bahar nikli hain aur tumhare paseene chhoot gaye, samajh lo agar hum log saath mein aa gaye toh kya hoga, 15 crore hain lekin 100 ke upar bhari hain, yaad rakh lena yeh baat (We have to take freedom, and when you don’t get something by asking for it, you have to snatch it…they said we put the women in front…only the tigresses came out and you have started sweating…imagine what would happen if all of us came along…we are 15 crore but weigh heavy on 100 crore).”

Sanjay Nirupam bats for Rahul to take over as Cong chief

Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam on Thurs slammed Sandeep Dikshit for suggesting other than Rahul Gandhi for taking over as the president of the party.

“Sandeep Dikshit and people like him are a part of some groups inside the Congress. If anyone from these groups is given the rein of the party, then it will bring doom to the Congress,” Nirupam told ANI.

“The Congress party is presently going through a rough time. The thoughts of someone other than Rahul Gandhi taking charge of Congress will break the party,” said Nirupam.

Bengal Communists say need to be closer to god to fight religious fanaticism

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) believes that the way forward, in combatting “religious fanaticism” and the “vicious political atmosphere”, is to have its members in religious places.

In a review report circulated last month, the CPI(M) had said that “temples and other religious places” cannot be left at the “mercy of the RSS and its various outfits” and that the party must “intervene to see that secular-minded believers and devotees are in the management of temples”.[the print]

‘Not departure from ideology, but need of the hour’

Maharashtra CM and Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray arrives at Delhi airport, to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi today.

While Shivsena said it as ‘Curtsy Meet” but this become important, when collision Govt (Maha Vikas Agadhi) are not in very healthy state.

States

MP Health Minister Tulsi Silawat: The State government has withdrawn the order male MPHWs

MP Govt removes National Health Mission state Director, Chhavi Bharadwaj who issued the order informing male multi-purpose health workers that they would be compulsorily retired if they fail to convince even one man for sterilization in 2019-20.
IAS Chhavi Bhardwaj has been posted as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) at state secretariat.
After strong opposition from BJP, and recalled emergency, then Govt has to withdraw it.
- Earlier, MP Govt has issued order informing male multi-purpose health workers (MPHWs), who failed to convince even one man for sterilization in 2019-20, that their salaries would not be given and they would be compulsorily retired.
- PC Sharma, MP Min: Earlier there was a saying ‘Indira Gandhi ke do haath, Sanjay Gandhi aur Kamal Nath‘. So our CM is the most visionary leader in the country. He is taking MP on a new path of development and welfare.
- He added, this is routine order. Such orders were issued during BJP rule too. There is growing awareness these days among people that small family is happy family. No worker will be put under pressure.

Chhattisgarh: Paddy farmers protest in front of Collector’s office in Kawardha, demanding extension of the deadline for procurement of their crops by the state government.

Madras High Court dismisses a writ petition filed by Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy against a decision taken by Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi and the Centre to disburse cash instead of free rice to ration card holders.

Previously, MK Rao, Puducherry Min in media said, “Bedi has a habit of curtailing powers of elected ministers and creating hurdles for welfare projects here. She stopped various projects meant for Yanam.

So, I consulted law experts and concluded that soon I am going to file case against her.