Category: National

  • Everything is Fair in Love And War: Ram Madhav on ‘Human Shield’ Video

    Architect of the BJP-PDP alliance government in Jammu and Kashmir, Ram Madhav speaks to CNN-News18’s Shreya Dhoundial about the situation in the Valley. The BJP general secretary talks about the violence during the by-poll in Srinagar constituency, and justifies the controversial video in which armed forces are seen using a Kashmiri man as shield in front of their jeep. Edited excerpts:

    Shreya Dhoundial (SD): The Kashmir Valley is on the boil once again and complicating matters are ministers in the government who are saying ‘pathhar ka jawab bullet se dena chahiye’. Do you agree with such point of view?

    Ram Madhav (RM): No… I disagree with this statement. The politicians better leave these matters to security forces. They know how to handle the situation. I disapprove of such public utterances by political leaders. Having said it, I agree with you that Kashmir situation is certainly troubling all of us.

    SD: There is a battle of narratives going on in the valley. We have seen two videos play out over and over again on television screens. In one of these videos, a civilian is seen tied to the bonnet of an Army jeep as human shield. Do you think the young major responsible for this act should be punished?

    RM: First of all, one has to understand the kind of situations our security forces face in the valley. In this particular case, the young major was left with two options. One was to allow the mob to lynch 50 civilians and closely equal number of security personnel there… allow the people to overpower them and do whatever they wanted. The other option was to indulge in indiscriminate firing because he had 10 personnel with him. He could have used them to indiscriminately shoot people and kill them.

    I compliment the major for not allowing both these things to happen. In either scenario, there would have been huge loss of human life. He tried to avoid that. If I were to blame anybody today for that scenario, it would be those who were responsible for failing to send reinforcements when the situation was critical and it was informed to the seniors. The reinforcements could not reach in time. One can try and take a moral position on what he did was right or wrong. In a war and love, everything is fair.

    SD: Are you suggesting that there is a war happening in Jammu and Kashmir?

    RM: War-like situation emerges when 900 to 1000 people with heavy stones stand in the way, you are left with only two options. Go and crush them, indulge in some kind of killing spree, which that young major avoided. I will compliment him for the decision he took. He saved the lives of the people in the police station, the officials and also his own boys, while not allowing any civilian casualties.

    SD: A lot of commentary on the social media all over the world has been on the human rights of the Kashmiris. What about human rights of the civilian who was used as human shield?

    RM: Those who talk about human rights, everybody knows what they do all over the world. What America is doing, what Russia is doing… so let them stop giving lectures about human rights.

    SD: These are not Americans and Russians. What about Indians voicing their opinion?

    RM: No, since you used the phrase all over the world, I said we are not bothered about what world thinks about us today. We are bothered about saving the life of every single person in the Valley. In fact, I would say that this young major has protected the right to life of a large number of people, both who were in the police station, his boys, as well as the youngsters who were misled into indulging into stone pelting and all. He has protected the lives of the people, he has protected the human rights of the people. In the process, yes, he had to take one harsh decision which nobody wants. Who wants such a situation to be allowed to happen? Nobody wants it. But in order to protect the human rights of many more, if one person’s human rights are assumed to be violated or curbed, I think leave that judgment to the major.

    SD: There are many retired Army Generals who have gone on record saying this one image will haunt the Indian Army for years to come. Do you agree?

    RM: Fair enough. People can have different views. That was the instant reaction of many people, I know, when the video was flashed out. Flashed out in a very dramatic manner by irresponsible politicians, who always have become famous for being irresponsible on social media. When they flashed out those news items, there was immediate reaction by many well-meaning people also. But I am sure after understanding the whole situation, probably they will also revisit their own statements. Even otherwise, let them… I mean in a democracy everyone is entitled to his view.

    SD: Is it fair to interpret that the government is backing the young major?

    RM: Government is committed to maintaining peace. We do not want a dead body a day, which the militants want, which the Hurriyat wants. They only want it so that they can perpetuate their agitation in the valley. They are the real violators of human rights, they use people as human shields. Instead of questioning them, you are questioning a major who has saved the lives of many people in a very critical situation.

    SD: In a second video, armed CRPF man were heckled, hit and kicked. But they didn’t respond. The narrative that has played out is that it was a great story of restraint. But is that the image you want to go out to the rest of the world about our armed forces?

    RM: No, that image, that video shows the kind of unruliness that prevails in the valley. Let people understand that before making a judgment about what the major did is right or wrong. Let them understand that is the kind of unruliness, violent atmosphere that prevails in the valley. Again, in this case, I would say, I would partly blame those who have failed to provide the reinforcements when you have the responsibility of safely taking the ballet boxes (EVMs) to the district headquarters, you’d have enough security forces available to do that. And you have allowed the youth to mock the people, physically assault them. It is very unfortunate. Somewhere down the line, I blame our security establishment in its failure. Nobody can tolerate such things. But yes, we compliment the CRPF jawans in such a scenario that they preferred that ‘my first priority is to protect democracy’.

    SD: What is going on in the valley according to your assessment? You are the point person for the government of Jammu and Kashmir. Polling percentage of 7% and 2%. Young boys in school uniforms throwing stones at security personnel. Last year, you had said we were not prepared. This time too, the government is not looking more prepared. What is going wrong?

    RM: Well, I said in the beginning itself that the situation in Kashmir is certainly a cause of concern for all of us. Not just for us in the ruling party. I think every right thinking Indian is concerned with what is happening in the Valley today. Remember, six to seven months ago we had Anantnag Assembly by-polls. We had 80% polling. Mehbooba won with more majority than her own father, Mufti Saheb used to get. That was the kind of climate 6 to 7 months ago. This after the stone pelting and all. But 6 months down the line, we are faced with a situation where we conducted the election in Srinagar with great difficulty, low percentage of polling. And today, the second phase of elections in Anantnag had to be postponed to sometime in May. There is definitely a change in the situation in the valley. Now we are the ruling party, we cannot go and blame somebody else. We are the ruling party (coalition) in the state. We are the ruling party at the Centre. We have to take the responsibility for it, and we have to try and improve the situation. I am telling you, to the people today, that we are committed to handling the situation in a manner that would not allow these separatists and their sponsors across the border to take advantage of it. We will handle it.

    SD: You are saying very confidently that you will handle it, but where is the government? It was missing in action last time when violence broke out. It’s missing this time as well. The situation in the valley is almost like civilians Vs the security forces. The political establishment, which should have been there taking stock of the situation, calming tempers down, is missing.

    RM: I disagree with you, the PDP-BJP government in the state is trying its best to undertake a number of development projects so that people get benefit out of them. Also, trying to do its best to maintain law & order in the state.

    SD: Aren’t they failing miserably?

    RM: I agree with you. I agree that’s why I repeatedly said that somewhere down the line security establishment and the state government need to be more cautious, more proactive. We needed to do better there, we needed to do better to improve the situation. When Srinagar election happened, half of the central forces could not reach because of the landslides and road blockade at the Banihal Pass. With meager forces, the state government was forced to conduct the polls. There were situations that had led to this kind of an atmosphere in the valley that we have to take that into account. It’s our responsibility we cannot run away, that is what I am saying we will do it.

    SD: You were one of the architects of the alliance between the BJP and the PDP. Has the alliance become a liability now?

    RM: Look, this whole question, is not about alliance or alliance government. There is a challenge to the Indian state, there is a challenge to Indian national unity and integrity. Whatever violence is happening in the state is not about the state government. If you are asking me as to whether the BJP-PDP state government has done enough to control the situation, I am ready to admit that we could have done better. We should do better and it is our responsibility. We can’t blame anybody else because we are the ruling party. But if you ask me if it is a liability, I say no. We are together with a purpose, which is to provide good governance to the state. Our government, both the parties, are striving utmost to deliver. Situation is difficult but such situations have been there in the Valley so many times before.

    SD: Some commentators are saying the situation is almost like the ’80s when militancy began. Do you agree?

    RM: Look, commentators can say anything. Those who are saying it is back to ’80s probably would have not seen ’80s at all. I am saying that in 2017, the situation is much different. Today, there is a large role of social media in promoting violence and separatism in the valley. We have to tackle that and this new-style stone pelting, which the youth have started using in the last 6-7 years also needs to be tackled differently. The whole purpose of the separatist leaders is that they just want one dead body a day, they use it to provoke more emotions and more violence. We have to maintain our calm, maintain our balance and still manage to control the situation.

    SD: Is India losing the social media battle in the valley?

    RM: No not at all, social media is a medium which cannot make you win or lose any situation on its own. It can complicate situations, it has the potential to complicate it. Are you suggesting that if we win on social media, we win over Kashmir? It does not work that way, social media plays a role of complicating your problem, which is happening in the valley today.

    SD: And we have not been able to control it?

    RM: We have to work proactively on the social media front. We have been discussing with the concerned ministries, concerned departments that we have to be more proactive but that is not going to decide whether you win or lose Kashmir.

    Courtesy: CNN-News18

  • Man gets Rs 2,000 notes with ‘Children Bank Of India’ written on them from ATM

    NEW DELHI: A man who had gone to withdraw money at an ATM in Sangam Vihar here allegedly ended up getting four notes of Rs 2,000 with “Children Bank Of India” written on them, police said today.
    Rohit Kumar, a customer care executive, had gone to withdraw cash from the State Bank of India (SBI) ATM in Sangam Vihar on February 6. He got four notes of Rs 2,000 which had “churan” label on them in place of the official watermark.
    The notes also had “PK” written on them in place of the RBI stamp and the top left corner had “Bharatiya Manoranjan Bank” written instead of Reserve Bank of India.
    After the victim approached the police, a Sub-Inspector was sent to the ATM to withdraw money and he also received a note that had “Children Bank Of India” written on it.
    Following this, a case of cheating was registered and investigation has been taken up, said a senior police officer.
    After scanning the footage from the ATM, police has managed to identify the last man who had filled cash in the machine.
    “Till now, there have been no other complaints. Probably, only a few notes were changed. We have to identify at which point the real notes were exchanged,” the officer added.

  • Russia to start deliveries of helicopters to India in 2018

    Moscow: Russia will start initial deliveries of military helicopters to India in 2018, with assembly and manufacturing to follow in Asia’s fastest growing economy, the chief executive of state-owned manufacturer Russian Helicopters said on Monday.

    India and Russia signed an agreement in October to jointly manufacture 200 of the KA-226T helicopters for the Indian Armed Forces.

    Both countries have agreed to cooperate in energy and defense as India seeks to modernise its armed forces and build a nuclear industry and sanctions-hit Russia looks for investment and new markets.

    “The joint venture is in process and the first delivery will start in 2018. After-sales service will also be provided in India,” said Andrey Boginsky, who took over as CEO in January.

    Some 60 helicopters will be delivered to India and the remaining 140 will be assembled or manufactured in India, he said at the International Defence Exhibition in Abu Dhabi.

    The company has started production of the advanced medium multirole Mi-171A2 helicopter, with four deliveries set for Russia this year, he said.

    China has shown an interest in the Mi-171A2, he added, without elaborating.

    Overall sales in 2017 are expected to grow at least 15 per cent as demand for civil helicopters increases.

    “We expect to sell 220 helicopters this year,” he said compared to 190 sold in 2016. Military helicopters account for two-thirds of sales.

    “There is demand for civil helicopters and we plan to increase volumes,” he said, adding that a key market is Iran, where there is demand from the oil and gas sector

  • ‘Surgical strike’ was a big achievement: PM

    New Delhi: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Saturday successfully test fired a Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV) interceptor missile designed to intercept and destroy hostile ballistic missiles in space even before they enter the Earth’s atmosphere.

    This further enhances India’s capability of dealing with a nuclear attack threat. At 7.45 a.m., on the east coast of India, an incoming missile was successfully intercepted at a height of 100 km with a direct hit by an interceptor missile, said a DRDO official.

    The PDV can reach even higher altitudes.

    Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a rally said: “Today (Saturday) our scientists have made a missile that could attack an incoming missile in the sky. Only four-five countries in the world have done this.”

    The two stage PDV missile is part of the two layered Ballistic Missile Defence system developed by the DRDO, the research and development wing of the Defence Ministry, with the Hyderabad based Research Centre Imaarat (RCI) as the nodal laboratory.

    Its interception window spans from 80-120 km.

    The fully automated system consists of a network of sensors, computers and launchers, designed to intercept hostile ballistic missiles, possibly carrying nuclear weapons and destroy them before they can cause any damage.

    This was the second test of the PDV.

    MODI HAILS

    While hailing the successful test-firing of an interceptor missile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday took pot shots at the Congress party saying they would ask for proof of the test.

    Addressing an election rally in Uttarakhand, he also said that more than the business class, the corrupt ways of politicians have harmed the country. He asserted his government’s war against corruption will continue.

    Addressing another rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Badaun, Modi lashed out at the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party government for “sheltering criminals.”

    “You hear news about some country developing missiles with range of 5,000 km or 8,000 km. Last month, you must have heard the news of Pakistan developing a missile that can destroy the Andaman Islands. But let me tell you, India has no dearth of missiles. And today, our scientists have achieved a feat which has made the entire country proud,” Modi said hours after India successfully test-fired its interceptor missile off the Odisha coast.

    “The missile test fired today can intercept incoming missiles and destroy them 150 km into the sky. Only four or five countries so far have achieved this feat,” said Modi.

    Referring to opposition calls for proof of the Indian Army’s September 29 surgical strikes across the Line of Control (LoC), Modi ridiculed the Congress saying they might even demand proof of the missile test.

    “I don’t know what new demand our opponent Congress will come out with. They will say give us proof that the missile went up to 150 km into the sky. They will ask for proof of the missile hitting the incoming missile,” said Modi, evoking laughter among the crowd.

    “The surgical strike was such a big achievement for the country. The enemy is still to come to grips and the whole world is raving about India’s might. But there are few leaders who questioned the surgical strikes, demanded its proof. Isn’t this an insult of our brave soldiers, an insult to the country’s achievements and self esteem,” added Modi.

    He also accused the state’s ruling Congress of undermining development of Uttarakhand and called upon the people of the state to vote the Bharatiya Janata party to power to ensure ‘Vikas’ (progress), Vidyut (Electricity), Kanoon Vyavastha (Law & order) and Sadak (roads).

    “A businessman may charge Rs 25 for a Rs 20 thing, or may pay just Rs 80 instead of Rs 100 payable to government. But it is not the businessmen but corruption by politicians and babus that has hurt the country most. My fight is against these politicians who using their power looted the country’s wealth. I know there will be difficulties in the fight against who have looted the country for 70 years. But our fight will continue,” he said.

    Addressing a rally in Badaun, he accused the Samajwadi Party and Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party of playing with the aspirations of the people for their political gains and asserted the BJP would usher in development if voted to power in the state. IANS

  • Locals in Kashmir joining militancy is not a happy situation: Army chief

    Srinagar: Plans are on the anvil to bring in a shift in the counter-insurgency strategy in Kashmir in which “false” propaganda inspiring youth to take up arms will be targeted rather than individuals alone, says new Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat.

    He is also concerned at the rising number of Kashmiri youth joining militancy.

    Gen Rawat, who has experience in handling the Kashmir militancy, said that unlike naxalism in which locals are joining due to feeling of deprivation, it is not the case in Kashmir which has been under the siege from “Pakistan-backed insurgency since late 1980s.” 

    In an interview to PTI, he emphasised that the “false propaganda” and developments in the Middle East has affected some of the local youth and that is why one finds “more and more educated youth” getting driven towards militancy.
     
    “When the local youth join insurgency and pick up gun it is a matter of concern because our own countrymen getting involved in insurgency is not a happy situation,” Gen Rawat said.
     
    Since the killing of Hizb-ul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8 last year, 59 local youth have joined militant groups as per official figures though security experts say the figure is much higher.
     
    Gen Rawat questioned if the local youth in Kashmir are getting into insurgency because of feeling of deprivation, which he said was happening in other areas.
     
    “Is it similar to what is happening with naxalism? It is not. It has something to do with the false propaganda that is being propagated. I think we need to reach out to people.
     

    Rather than seeing them as targets, we need to sympathise with them and undo the kind of false propaganda that is being spread among the youth,” he said. 

  • Govt simplifies passport services

    New Delhi: Seeking changes in date of birth in existing passports will become hassle-free with government further simplifying services relating to issuance of the travel document.

    Making the changes in existing rule, the government has also allowed digitally signed marriage and birth certificates as valid proofs of marriage and birth respectively.

    As per the revised guidelines, passport issuing authorities (PIAs) have been authorised to consider request of each applicant seeking change in date of birth irrespective of the period that would have lapsed after the issue of the passport.

    According to earlier guidelines, request for change of DOB was allowed within five years of issuance of the passport and the entire process was lengthy and cumbersome as it involved lot of paper work.

    If the PIA is satisfied with the claim based on documents submitted by the applicant, then passports with revised DOB can be issued by the authorities concerned.

    “Based on genuineness of the cases, the passport issuing authorities can issue fresh passports,” Chief Passport Officer Arun K Chatterjee told PTI.

    The Ministry of External Affairs, which issues passports, has already sent instructions to the passport issuing authorities to accept digitally signed marriage certificates and birth certificates as valid proofs of marriage and birth respectively.

    The ministry is also exploring the possibility of making amendments in the Passport Rules, 1980, in order to further simplify the documentation process necessary for issuing passports in a timely, transparent, more accessible, reliable manner and through streamlined processes.

    MEA officials said the process of issuance of passports has been made foolproof and under the new system there was no scope for anti-national elements to obtain passport.

    As per guidelines, the first time passport applicants who furnish Aadhaar Card, Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC), PAN card and an affidavit of non-criminality in the prescribed format, get faster passport services.

    The MEA had processed around 12 million passport applications last year.

  • After 74-day struggle, Jayalalithaa loses battle with life

    Chennai: Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, one of India’s most charismatic political leaders, died here on Monday night after a bitter 74-day battle for life, ending an era in Tamil Nadu politics and plunging the state in deep grief. She was 68.

    Jayalalithaa, a spinster, breathed her last at the Apollo Hospitals just before midnight, over 24 hours after she suffered a cardiac arrest that derailed the halting progress she had been making on the health front.

    “It is with indescribable grief, we announce the sad demise of our esteemed Honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Puratchi Thalaivi Amma at 11.30 p.m.,” the hospital said in a statement.

    As Jayalalithaa’s death became known, a loud wail rent the air outside the Apollo hospital where thousands had gathered since her cardiac arrest on Sunday evening, hoping against hope that she would survive.

    Her body was taken to her residence at Poes Garden, where hundreds of AIADMK cadre were present. Police used batons to keep inconsolable mourners away who tried to break the security barricades outside their leader’s house.

    The body will be kept at the Rajaji Hall for people to pay their respects, said the AIADMK, which the actor-turned-politician headed for nearly three decades after the death of her mentor and Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran or MGR.

    The last rites will be held at the Marina Beach later on Tuesday.

    As national leaders expressed grief, the Tamil Nadu government declared a seven-day mourning. Schools and colleges in the sprawling state will be closed for three days.

    In no time, the AIADMK legislators elected Finance Minister and long-time Jayalalithaa loyalist O. Panneerselvam to succeed the departed leader.

    Shortly after 1 a.m. on Tuesday, Panneerselvam took the oath of office and secrecy. Thirty-one ministers were also sworn-in with him.

    A veteran actor, the self-made Jayalalithaa, who was five times Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, was admitted to the Apollo hospital on September 22 with fever and dehydration, just four months after she led the AIADMK to triumphantly retain power in assembly elections.

    At one time it seemed she was on the road to recovery but that proved to be an illusion.

    President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in paying homage to Jayalalithaa, who was elected to the Rajya Sabha at the start of her political career.

    In his lengthy message, Mukherjee described Jayalalithaa as “one of India’s most charismatic and popular leaders … a visionary and (an) able administrator…

    “She was progressive in her thought and pro-active in pursuing the issues that were close to her heart, such as the empowerment of women and welfare of children.

    “Her life was dedicated to the socio-economic transformation of Tamil Nadu and its people. Her contribution to the progress and development of Tamil Nadu will be long remembered.”

    Modi, who enjoyed a personal rapport with Jayalalithaa, said her demise had left a huge void in Indian politics.

    Defining her as a mass leader, Modi said: “Jayalalithaaji’s connect with citizens, concern for welfare of the poor, the women and marginalised will always be a source of inspiration.”

    Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who too had counted the AIADMK leader as an ally for years, said Jayalalithaa lived the entire life with the same “indomitable courage with which she battled her last illness”.

    West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called her “popular, strong, bold, efficient, people-friendly, charismatic leader”.

    Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar described her death as “very saddening”. He announced a day’s mourning in his state.

    Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: “Very sad to hear the demise of Amma. A very very popular leader. Aam Aadmi’s leader. May her soul rest in peace.”

  • If PM has guts, he must have a dialogue on Kashmir: Aiyar

    BENGALURU: Former Union minister and Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar and noted historian Ramachandra Guha said it needs guts to sit and talk and resolve the Kashmir issue. At a ‘Kashmir Flashpoint’ event organised by the Indian Economic Trade Organisation in association with Lehar NGO and Tawazun Foundation on Monday, Aiyar said India-Pakistan Partition was an accident.
    “If Pakistan was not divided, there would be 1.5 billion Indians today. Kashmir issue needs to be resolved with one-on-one talks with the people concerned in Pakistan. Manmohan Singh (former PM) tried talking to some of them which did not happen,” he said.
    Referring to Prime Minister Modi, he said those who have guts to conduct surgical strikes, seem to have no guts in holding dialogue and resolving the issue. “If they had sat for dialogue, things would not have turned that ugly in Kashmir,” he said.
    “How many surgical strikes will they conduct? The number of surgical strikes on Pakistan for occupying Kashmir is more than the terror attacks by them on Kashmir in India. But the consequences of attack remains the same. Both are increasing,” he said.
    Guha said while the present Congress is a corrupt party filled with cronies, the BJP is no better and it has its hands dirty when it comes to Kashmir.
    “If Modi has the courage, he should go to Kashmir and talk. He mentioned that the Nehru-Gandhi family has been a curse to the Congress party, especially when it comes to Kashmir. “Apart from Morarji Desai, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Nehru, other Indian Prime Ministers have not done much for Kashmir,” he said.
    Guha said in 1949, Sardar Vallabhai Patel in a letter to G D Birla, mentioned that Kashmir will give a headache in the coming days. “Even after so many decades, Kashmir is still a headache, the problem is not resolved,” he said.
    A S Dulat, former RAW chief, said the events during the last four months in Kashmir have been extremely depressing. “Today, the boys on the street, the children of the revolutionaries feel alienated and there is a lot of hatred. They also have more determination and hence have a do-or-die attitude to carry it till the end, which is dangerous,” he said.
    “Hence, it is necessary to engage in talks and to never stop talking,” the former RAW chief added. Agencies

  • 95% exam attendance in J&K ‘surgical strike’ against terror: Javadekar

    NEW DELHI: Students from Jammu and Kashmir have given a befitting reply to militants as 95 per cent of them appeared for their class 12 board examination in the state, which is in itself is a powerful “surgical strike”, Education Minister Prakash Javadekar said today.
    “In Kashmir Valley, for the past several months, schools were shut, over 30 had been burnt. But students from Jammu and Kashmir, Leh and Ladakh have given a befitting reply to militants with a presence of 95 per cent in the board exam held yesterday,” he said.
    Emphasising that this was “India’s reply”, Javadekar said the country believed in education and progress and the message was that no design to break the country would succeed.
    “I’m proud of those children and their parents who are the strength of India. Education is the way to progress. They have understood and given this befitting reply. We have seen the surgical strike of the army, but this reply given by students is also a powerful surgical strike,” he said.
    Javadekar, who was speaking at an event ‘Kala Utsav’, said all should get a basic level of education that supports them in life but added that unique talents should be brought to the fore as well.
    Later speaking on the sidelines of the event, he made it clear that compulsory class 10 board examinations will be introduced for CBSE students from the next academic session 2017-18.
    “There is no confusion, today more than 23 million students appear for tenth board examination over the country through state boards. For CBSE also half the students appear for the exam, while half don’t appear because there was an option available,” Javadekar said.
    Now those 2 million who chose the option will also have to take the exam, he said.
    The measure, however, he emphasised will be implemented from the next academic year, saying goalposts or rules should not be shifted mid-course. The move will bring about parity with state boards, he said.

  • Demonetisation Ended Stone-pelting in Kashmir: Manohar Parrikar

    Mumbai: Since the demonetisation of high currency notes terror funding has come down to zero and there hasn’t been stone-pelting on forces, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said here today.

    He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the “daring” move, which, he said, will also help clamp down on the narcotic drugs.

    “Earlier, there were rates: Rs 500 for stone pelting (on forces in Kashmir) and Rs 1,000 for doing something else. PM has brought terror funding to zero,” Parrikar claimed.

    “In the last few days after PM’s daring move there hasn’t been stone pelting on forces. I congratulate PM for it,” he said, speaking at an event here organised by the BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar.

    Talking to reporters later, Parrikar said those who sponsor terror will be affected by the demonetisation. PTI