Latest Politics News and Updates: January 2015

Saturday, January 31, 2015

BJP's Bedi files FIR against AAP's Vishwas over 'derogatory sexist' remarks - The Indian Express

Delkhi Assembly Polls, Kiran Bedi, Kumar Vishwas, BJP, AAP Kumar Vishwas said whatever remarks he had made were targeted at BJP and not Kiran Bedi.

BJP’s chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi on Saturday filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) against AAP’s Kumar Vishwas for allegedly making “derogatory” and “sexist” remarks. Bedi also tweeted that a FIR had been filed against the AAP leader Vishwas.

Delhi Election Commission officials confirmed that the complaint, dated January 31, had been referred to them by the ECI. They are in the process of issuing a notice to Vishwas.

“What kind of security and dignity can women expect from AAP’s leadership that itself has blatant sexist and perverse mindsets and uncivil practices that we need to eliminate from our system?” Bedi tweeted.

Bedi filed the complaint following the allegedly derogatory remarks made by Vishwas at a public meeting in Mundka on January 28.

“I made no remark that should elicit this response from the BJP. If they can prove their allegations, I will quit politics,” Vishwas said, adding that his comments were directed at the BJP and not at any individual.

The AAP, in a statement, said, “It is clear from the video that Vishwas made no reference whatsoever to the BJP’s CM candidate in his speech at Mundka.”

The party also said that the BJP had jumped the gun without verifying facts and hence, had been left “red-faced”.

Kunming becomes first destination of Sushma's China visit - The Hindu

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj arrived in Beijing on Saturday to insulate and advance a growing economic relationship with China, from the headwinds of competing geopolitical interests in the Indian Ocean and the Asia-Pacific.

Ms. Swaraj’s arrival follows a high-profile visit to India by U.S. President Barack Obama. “The Presidential visit will not be the focus of discussions, but it is quite likely that the Chinese hosts and the Russians later would be interested in hearing about the visit directly from the visiting minister,” a diplomatic source told The Hindu.

The Sino-Indian border differences are unlikely to draw prime attention during the talks between Ms. Swaraj and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.

Significantly Ms. Swaraj routed her journey to the Chinese capital through Kunming — one of the starting points of the 21 st century Maritime Silk Road (MSR) — a pet project of Chinese President Xi Jinping. China has invited India to join the MSR, but New Delhi has so far, refrained from making a firm commitment. Starting from Kolkata, Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, is also the point of termination of the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) economic corridor — a part of the MSR, which the Indian side is negotiating with the Chinese. However, India has become a staunch supporter of the China-initiated, Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, which is also likely to be used for funding MSR projects.

Sources say India’s reservations on the MSR stem from China’s forays in the Indian Ocean, including Sri Lanka, which was visited by a Chinese submarine, and Maldives. The Chinese, on their part have resented the joint oil exploration bid by India and Vietnam in the South China Sea.

Modi’s China visit

Ms. Swaraj’s visit is also seen as preparation for Prime Minister Modi’s visit to China later this year. The Prime Minister is expected to visit Kailash Mansoravar, which has now been connected by a new route through Nathu La in Sikkim. After talks with her Chinese hosts on Sunday, Ms. Swaraj will confer with her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on February 2. This would be followed by a meeting of the Russia-Indian-China (RIC) grouping, and a dinner hosted by Mr. Wang. Ms. Swaraj is also slated to call on Mr. Xi on Monday. Analysts point out that Ms. Swaraj’s visit is in the crosshairs of two competing trends —Washington’s charm offensive towards New Delhi and the deterioration of ties, following the crisis in Ukraine, of China and Russia with the United States. The Chinese are working feverishly to counter the accumulation of forces in the Pacific under President Obama’s “Pivot to Asia” by sharpening their nuclear and conventional deterrent. Facing sanctions, Moscow is consolidating its energy and defence ties with China in Eurasia, buttressed by currency swap agreements that allows payments in local currencies — the rouble and the yuan.

“Frankly the timing is perfect to test India’s multi-vectored diplomacy. New Delhi is in a good position to leverage its relationship with the United States to move into strategic areas of cooperation with China and Russia,” a diplomat said. The Russian news agency, Sputnik, is reporting that Moscow and New Delhi are considering using their national currencies in bilateral trade to reduce their dependency on the dollar.

India, China natural partners in many areas: SushmaJanuary 29, 2015

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Islamic State claims it has beheaded Japanese hostage Kenji Goto - Times of India

AMMAN, Jordan: An online video released on Saturday night purported to show an Islamic State group militant behead Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, ending days of negotiations by diplomats to save the man.

The video, released on militant websites and highlighted by militant sympathizers on social media sites, bore the symbol of the Islamic State group's al-Furqan media arm.

Though the video could not be immediately independently verified by The Associated Press, it conformed to other beheading videos released by the extremists, who now control a third of both Syria and neighboring Iraq in its self-declared caliphate.

The video, called "A Message to the Government of Japan," featured a militant who looked and sounded like a militant with a British accent who has taken part in other beheading videos by the Islamic State group. Goto, kneeling in an orange prison jumpsuit, said nothing in the roughly one-minute-long video.

"Abe," the militant says in the video, referring to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, "because of your reckless decision to take part in an unwinnable war, this man will not only slaughter Kenji, but will also carry on and cause carnage wherever your people are found. So let the nightmare for Japan begin."

US officials said they were trying to confirm the authenticity of the video.

"We have seen the video purporting to show that Japanese citizen Kenji Goto has been murdered by the terrorist group ISIL," said Bernadette Meehan, a spokeswoman for the White House's National Security Council, using an alternate acronym for the extremist group. "The United States strongly condemns ISIL's actions and we call for the immediate release of all the remaining hostages. We stand in solidarity with our ally Japan."

Goto was captured in October, after he traveled to Syria to try to win the release of Haruna Yukawa.

Yukawa reportedly was killed previously, though authorities have yet to authenticate the video claiming that.

Saturday's video made no mention of another hostage, Jordanian pilot Lt. Muath al-Kaseasbeh, who was captured after his fighter plane went down in December over an Islamic State-controlled area of Syria. The fate of Goto and al-Kaseasbeh had been linked by the militants.

The hostage drama began last week after militants threatened to kill Goto and Yukawa in 72 hours unless Japan paid $200 million.

Jordan and Japan reportedly conducted indirect negotiations with the militants through Iraqi tribal leaders.

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Matang Sinh finally appears before CBI, held - The Indian Express

matang sinh, cbi, saradha scam Former Union minister Matang Sinh after his arrest in Kolkata on Saturday. (Source: Express Photos)

Former Union minister Matang Sinh was on Saturday arrested by the CBI in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam. The former MP from Assam was booked for “cheating, criminal conspiracy and misappropriation of funds”, a statement issued by the CBI said.

Sinh, who presented himself before the CBI Saturday morning after missing several earlier dates for appearance, was arrested after seven-hour-long questioning. CBI sources said he was arrested for “not cooperating with the investigation” and “trying to hide facts”. Sinh had been earlier questioned by the Enforcement Directorate and Bidhannagar police, as well as a Special Investigating Team formed by the West Bengal government. Sinh is said to have told CBI officials that he had handed over all the relevant documents to the SIT.

A minister in the P V Narasima Rao government, Sinh had been suspended from the Congress a decade ago but was re-inducted a couple of years back.

Saradha Group CMD Sudipta Sen had named Sinh among others in a “tell all” letter to the CBI. Sen had claimed that Sinh had “damaged” his business in “a serious manner”.

CBI sources said Sinh had failed to explain why he had taken money from Sen and where the money went. The money was meant for setting up a news channel in the Northeast.

A Guwahati-based businessman also named by Sen, Rajesh Bajaj, was questioned along with Sinh on Saturday. He was later allowed to go.

PTI added that the interrogation of the recently arrested Saradha Realty director Shibnarayan Das by the CBI had given vital leads on Sinh’s alleged role in the scam.

Congress goes quiet after Jayanthi storm - The Hindu

The Hindu

Former Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan.

After reactions by several leaders on Friday following the resignation of former Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan, the Congress seemed to have withdrawn into a shell on Saturday. Party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, the target of Ms. Natarajan’s ire, has not responded to the charges, leaving the job to party spokespersons.

The only Congress line on Saturday on the exit of Ms. Natarajan came from Sharmistha Mukherjee, party candidate in the Delhi Assembly elections.

“If Jayanthi is acting so righteous now, why didn’t she stand up before? Her motive and timing should be questioned,” Ms. Muhkerjee, daughter of President Pranab Mukherjee, said.

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said it has no immediate plans to question Ms. Natarajan in the ongoing probe into the alleged diversion of forestland by two private companies for mining purposes, during her tenure.

“As on date, the then Environment Ministry officials under whom the alleged diversion of forest land took place can be examined and relevant documents studied. Based on the findings, if necessary, we may seek clarifications from Ms. Natarajan at a later stage,” said a CBI official.

Responding to Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar’s statement that all the files related to the projects she had mentioned in her letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, as published exclusively by The Hindu on Friday, would be reviewed, Ms. Natarajan has welcomed any inquiry, including a CBI probe, into decisions taken by her as Minister.

Preliminary enquiries

The CBI has registered two preliminary enquiries against unknown officials of the Environment Ministry, Jindal Steel and Power Limited and JSW Steel Limited for alleged diversion of forest land for mining purposes in Jharkhand.

The Hindu Exclusive: Jayanthi Natarajan's letter to Sonia GandhiJanuary 30, 2015

No information on Jayanthi joining BJP: JaitleyJanuary 30, 2015

Jayanthi Natarajan quits CongressJanuary 30, 2015

Will review files mentioned by Jayanthi: JavadekarJanuary 30, 2015

Jayanthi Natarajan quits Congress, ready to face probe January 30, 2015

Rahul, Cong high-command have to respond to Jayanthi’s charges: CPIJanuary 30, 2015

Jayanthi waged an ‘everyday battle over policy’January 31, 2015

The old unravels in Congress, but the new is yet to emergeJanuary 31, 2015

CBI may seek clarifications from Jayanthi February 1, 2015

Matang Sinh finally appears before CBI, held - The Indian Express

matang sinh, cbi, saradha scam Former Union minister Matang Sinh after his arrest in Kolkata on Saturday. (Source: Express Photos)

A minister in the P V Narasima Rao government, Sinh had been suspended from the Congress a decade ago but was re-inducted a couple of years back.

Saradha Group CMD Sudipta Sen had named Sinh among others in a “tell all” letter to the CBI. Sen had claimed that Sinh had “damaged” his business in “a serious manner”.

CBI sources said Sinh had failed to explain why he had taken money from Sen and where the money went. The money was meant for setting up a news channel in the Northeast.

A Guwahati-based businessman also named by Sen, Rajesh Bajaj, was questioned along with Sinh on Saturday. He was later allowed to go.

PTI added that the interrogation of the recently arrested Saradha Realty director Shibnarayan Das by the CBI had given vital leads on Sinh’s alleged role in the scam.

Chinese President Xi Jinping to break protocol, will meet Sushma Swaraj - Times of India

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping has made an exception by agreeing to meet the visiting Indian external affairs minister, Sushma Swaraj, on Monday. The Chinese president rarely meets the visiting foreign ministers from other countries, who are sometimes accorded respect by a meeting with the country's premier.

Xi's desire to have direct consultations with Swaraj could be related to the recent New Delhi visit by US President Barack Obama. The hallmark of the visit was the Indo-US joint strategic vision for the Asia Pacific and Indian Ocean region, much to China's discomfort. Besides, India's growing closeness with China's arch rival, Japan, in the new regime has also upset Beijing.

Swaraj is slated to have another significant meeting with the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, who will visit her hotel for preliminary discussions with her before the scheduled meeting of foreign ministers of Russia, India, China (RIC) on Monday. Swaraj will also meet Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi separately before the RIC summit.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said Beijing expects "a range of consensus" to emerge between India and China during Swaraj's visit, indicating that officials from both sides are ready to discuss their differences head on. "We believe a range of consensus will emerge from the meeting to further our political trust and our practical cooperation. Our cooperation has made some headway. We are in sound coordination and cooperation on regional and international issues," Hua said.

Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj at the Beijing International Airport on Saturday. (PTI photo)

The RIC summit is expected to formulate joint stand on global issues like terrorism and climate change. "We share similar views on major international and regional issues. So during the meeting, they will exchange views on practical cooperation and issues of common interest," Hua said.

The RIC meeting is being closely watched in diplomatic circles because the three countries combined could pose a potential challenge to western interests in future. Russia, a major supplier of arms, oil and gas, is also looking for business deals because of its major financial crisis, partly due to western sanctions.

Swaraj is also slated to address the Indian community in China at a luncheon meeting on Sunday, besides inaugurating 'Visit India Year' that involves India's tourism department and other agencies.

http://ift.tt/1kZis8I Jinping,Sushma Swaraj,Chinese President

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With no support base, Jayanthi Natarajan staring at a political dead end? - Times of India

CHENNAI: There are hardly any political options for Jayanthi Natarajan, who quit Congress on Friday after an acerbic letter she shot off to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, accusing Rahul Gandhi of stalling many big-ticket projects by blocking environmental clearances during the UPA-II regime, became public. For the record though, Natarajan has made it clear that she is taking a break and would not join any party.

Virtually all through her three decade-old political career, she chose Delhi as her base, rightly so, because her connections were only with some key functionaries in Congress. It was her proximity to G K Moopanar that catapulted her political career during mid-80's. Moopanar introduced her to Rajiv Gandhi, who gave her a break in politics by giving her a Rajya Sabha ticket. In later years too, she drew her clout from the Gandhi family. It not only kept her political career going, but also helped her remain an RS member for 27 years. She also became Union minister twice, first in the United Front government (thanks to Moopanar) and later in the UPA-II.

Jayanthi Natarajan sat on 350 files that had clearances

Jayanthi Natarajan was sacked because of corruption charges: Congress

What she failed to do all these years is create a cadre base for herself. Now, at a political crossroads, she is hardly anybody in the political landscape of Tamil Nadu. Her presence in the media as a spokesperson of the national party hardly helped her build a base.

As usual, Congress functionaries see a BJP conspiracy in Natarajan's diatribe against Rahul and say she is just short of joining the saffron party. Like many Congress functionaries who have defected to the ruling party, joining BJP could have been a possibility for her too. But in the backdrop of corruption charges being levelled against her and CBI conducting preliminary inquiries into some of them, BJP may want to keep her at bay. Her attacks on Rahul, however, will help BJP in undermining the Congress scion's credibility.

Political parties, both regional and national, may not find much utility in taking her into their fold. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi's jibe that she was the only one who did not know that there were serious charges of misdemeanor against her has added insult to injury. Congress functionaries also sought to remind her about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Jayanthi tax' charge during election campaign, a reference to how projects were stalled during her tenure as environment minister.

Will she feel at home in G K Vasan's TMC (Moopanar)? After all, she had walked out of Congress along with Moopanar to float TMC in 1996. After Moopanar's death, Jayanthi was never comfortable with his son Vasan's leadership. She rejoined Congress almost a year before TMC was merged with the parent party in 2003. Sources close to Vasan said they do not foresee a change in circumstances.

http://ift.tt/1neb4Vw Nadu Congress,Sonia Gandhi,Rahul Gandhi,Jayanthi Natarajan,Congress

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'Govt urged to chalk out strategy over India-US agreements' - Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Experts have called on the government to carefully work out a strategy to deal with the aftermath of India-US agreements on defence, space and nuclear cooperation.

The experts on foreign affairs and nuclear issues were speaking at the second session of a seminar organised by Strategic Vision Institute (SVI), Islamabad to discuss over the implications of US President Barack Obama’s visit to India on the eve of its Republic Day.

Former ambassador Ashraf Jehangir Qazi said Pakistan needed to urgently address issues of immediate concern like extremism and sense of deprivation and alienation among the masses. He opined that these much-needed actions should not be meant for appeasing some foreign power, but addressing the basic problems in the country.

“We need not worry about India’s growing relationship with the United States as long as our foreign policy is operational and rational and our image abroad is not worrisome,” he stressed. Ambassador Qazi feared that remaining perpetually locked into a zero-sum game with India could distract the country from its larger long-term economic plan.

Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) President Ambassador (r) Sohail Amin believed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was primarily pursuing an economic agenda as he sought to build stronger relationships with big world powers. He recalled visits by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin to Delhi over the past few months – both of whom signed major agreements with India.

“Modi feels that bigger threat to his position is internal from Sangh Parivar, than external. Therefore, he would continue to work with all major powers for the achievement of his economic agenda,” Amin said.

He said though Indian government immediately decided to dispatch External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to Beijing for explaining its position on reinvigorated ties with US, but still China will warily watch the implementation of agreements signed during President Obama’s visit. China in this situation would like to solidify its relationship with Pakistan and at the minimum would like to see the completion of economic corridor within stipulated time (in 2017), he added.

Brig (r) Naeem Salik, a nuclear expert and a fellow at Centre for International Strategic Studies (CISS), said US agreements generated lot of debate in Pakistan but everyone seems to have missed out the 10 reactors President Putin promised to India during his visit there. US, Salik said, was the lesser beneficiary in the elevated strategic partnership with India. Besides the breakthrough in nuclear agreement, he said, it was important to watch out the accords signed for cooperation in space and high technologies.

These agreements, he said, would help India build its missile capability. Cooperation on Ballistic Missile Defence, Salik feared, could give India the psychological comfort that could lead to temptations of first strike.

SVI President Dr Zafar Iqbal Cheema said the Indo-US agreements on military sales and co-production of state of the art weapons system would seriously further erode the already highly asymmetric conventional military balance; intensify India’s existing aggressive military posture on LoC/Working Boundary; and harden its position on bilateral disputes with Pakistan.

Adviser on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz, who spoke in the first session on Thursday, had feared that the US agreements could stoke arms race in the region. He had called on US and other Western countries to support the objective of strategic stability in South Asia.

Battle rages in eastern Ukraine as Minsk peace talks stall - Financial Times

Peace talks aimed at brokering a ceasefire in Ukraine’s breakaway east stalled before they had even started on Saturday.

Leonid Kuchma, Ukraine’s former president and representative at the talks, blamed the breakdown on the separatist leaders he said had sent lower-level representatives with questionable credentials to sign an agreement.

Meanwhile, fighting claimed the lives of dozens more civilians and combatants in eastern Ukraine, increasing pressure on negotiators representing Kiev, Moscow and the Russian-backed separatists.

As advancing separatist militants boasted they were on the verge of encircling Debaltseve, a strategic railway hub, Ukrainian officials said at least 15 government soldiers and 12 residents of the city were killed by shelling.

“The militants are systematically destroying the Donbas [region] and deepening misery for residents,” Ukraine’s national security council said in a statement.

Fierce artillery, tank and gunfire along the perimeter of separatist and Ukrainian-controlled regions has knocked out utilities in Debaltseve and dozens of other cities.

City officials said shelling had killed eight civilians in the separatist-held town of Horlivka, located west of Debaltseve and nearby Vuhlehirsk, a smaller town that rebel forces claim to have seized.

On Friday, shelling far from the front lines killed at least seven civilians queueing for humanitarian aid in rebel-held Donetsk, the largest city in Ukraine’s war-torn east. Both sides blamed each other.

More than 5,000 people have died since the conflict erupted 10 months ago sparking the most serious east-west stand-off since the cold war.

Though both sides have regularly exchanged fire in defiance of a September ceasefire, hostilities escalated to open warfare in January after separatists captured Donetsk airport and vowed to seize more territory.

By late Saturday afternoon, a representative of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe arrived with Mr Kuchma in the Belarus capital for talks with Russia’s ambassador to Kiev, Mikhail Zurabov, and separatists.

“There is no justification for anyone for all the peaceful people we see dying for nothing in recent days,” news agency Ria-Novosti quoted Mr Kuchma as saying ahead of the talks.

“With God’s help, let these talks really lead to a final result,” he added.

Rebel leaders say their starting point for negotiations is for Kiev to recognise their control over newly conquered territory.

“The line of contact has changed significantly. We are ready to talk about an immediate ceasefire at the actual line of contact,” Russia’s Interfax news agency quoted Denis Pushinlin, a separatist negotiator, as saying on Friday.

The planned talks came days after the EU and US threatened to impose deeper economic sanctions upon Russia for its role in the intensified fighting, which they say includes arming and fighting alongside the militants.

The west has hardened its stance against Moscow since last Saturday’s shelling of civilians in the port city of Mariupol, which claimed 31 lives and injured more than 100.

The upsurge of hostilities has also led to increased international diplomatic efforts to forge a ceasefire.

John Kerry, US secretary of state, is scheduled to visit Kiev and possibly Moscow next week before attending the Munich Security Conference from February 6-8.

The Kremlin said Vladimir Putin, Russian president, discussed the escalated violence on Saturday during a phone call with his counterparts from the US, Germany and France.

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Matang Sinh finally appears before CBI, held - The Indian Express

matang sinh, cbi, saradha scam Former Union minister Matang Sinh after his arrest in Kolkata on Saturday. (Source: Express Photos)

A minister in the P V Narasima Rao government, Sinh had been suspended from the Congress a decade ago but was re-inducted a couple of years back.

Saradha Group CMD Sudipta Sen had named Sinh among others in a “tell all” letter to the CBI. Sen had claimed that Sinh had “damaged” his business in “a serious manner”.

CBI sources said Sinh had failed to explain why he had taken money from Sen and where the money went. The money was meant for setting up a news channel in the Northeast.

A Guwahati-based businessman also named by Sen, Rajesh Bajaj, was questioned along with Sinh on Saturday. He was later allowed to go.

PTI added that the interrogation of the recently arrested Saradha Realty director Shibnarayan Das by the CBI had given vital leads on Sinh’s alleged role in the scam.

Congress goes quiet after Jayanthi storm - The Hindu

The Hindu

Former Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan.

The only Congress line on Saturday on the exit of Ms. Natarajan came from Sharmistha Mukherjee, party candidate in the Delhi Assembly elections.

“If Jayanthi is acting so righteous now, why didn’t she stand up before? Her motive and timing should be questioned,” Ms. Muhkerjee, daughter of President Pranab Mukherjee, said.

Preliminary enquiries

The Hindu Exclusive: Jayanthi Natarajan's letter to Sonia GandhiJanuary 30, 2015

No information on Jayanthi joining BJP: JaitleyJanuary 30, 2015

Jayanthi Natarajan quits CongressJanuary 30, 2015

Will review files mentioned by Jayanthi: JavadekarJanuary 30, 2015

Jayanthi Natarajan quits Congress, ready to face probe January 30, 2015

Rahul, Cong high-command have to respond to Jayanthi’s charges: CPIJanuary 30, 2015

Jayanthi waged an ‘everyday battle over policy’January 31, 2015

The old unravels in Congress, but the new is yet to emergeJanuary 31, 2015

Woman drops plan to join ISIS; returns to Hyd from Turkey - Business Standard

Wanting to join the terror group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a 19-year-old woman from the city who was residing in Qatar had flown to Turkey from there, but changed her mind and came to her parents here, police said today.

The incident took place around two months back, police said.

"Information is that one lady hailing from Hyderabad city, who has been staying in Qatar for the past 10 years happened to get influenced by another lady residing in her apartment. So both of them went till Turkey, where she changed her mind and she came back to India," Hyderabad Police Commissioner M Mahender Reddy told reporters here.

Asked if the woman had been counselled by the City Police, he said, "The incident happened around two months ago. We have not brought her (back to India) she came back on her own," Reddy said.

Another police officer attached to Intelligence Wing said, "The 19-year-old woman stayed in Qatar. Her parents are natives of Hyderabad. She could not go there (Iraq). She contacted her parents and came back to the city."

Asked if she had planned to join the ISIS ranks, the senior police officer said, "It was only due to influence of one lady she initially wanted go there, but went up to Turkey only and came back...Initially it seems she allegedly had plans, but after seeing the conditions there she decided to come back."

Reacting to media reports that claimed one lady from Hyderabad had proceeded to join the ISIS ranks and had got trained from the terror group, the Hyderabad Police chief said "We don't have any such information. It is not a fact that she joined ISIS and got training."

Last year, Hyderabad Police had foiled "attempts" by six youths from Hyderabad including a former Google employee, who were allegedly plotting to join the Islamic State (ISIS) ranks after getting attracted to ISIS propaganda on social networking sites.

"Here in Hyderabad, we are actually scanning all the social networking sites, whoever gets in touch with this kind of literature (ISIS propaganda) on the social networking sites we are getting in touch with them and talking to them and their parents.

"As a law enforcing agency we want to involve the community, parents and the youth. So far, we have been successful. If anybody is trying to cross the 'laxman-rekha' then definitely law will take its own course," the Police Commissioner said.

Ukraine peace talks collapse, Kiev and separatists trade blame - Reuters

By Andrei Makhovsky and Richard Balmforth

MINSK/KIEV Sat Jan 31, 2015 2:44pm EST

Ukrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk (R) arrives to take part in peace talks in Minsk January 31, 2015. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

1 of 9. Ukrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk (R) arrives to take part in peace talks in Minsk January 31, 2015.

Credit: Reuters/Vasily Fedosenko

MINSK/KIEV (Reuters) - Peace talks on Ukraine collapsed on Saturday after just over four hours with no tangible progress towards a new ceasefire but with Ukraine's representative and separatist envoys angrily accusing each other of sabotaging the meeting.

Ukraine's representative, former president Leonid Kuchma, left the talks in Minsk, Belarus, telling Interfax news agency that separatist officials had undermined the meeting by making ultimatums and refusing "to discuss a plan of measures for a quick ceasefire and a pull-back of heavy weapons".

Denis Pushilin, one of the separatist officials, told the Russian news agency RIA that they were ready for dialogue "but not ready for ultimatums from Kiev while shelling by their forces is going on in the background of towns in the Donbass (industrialised eastern Ukraine)".

The meeting of the "contact group", which also involves a Russian envoy and an official from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, took place in the Belarussian capital even as fighting between Kiev's forces and the Russian-backed rebels raged on in Ukraine's east, claiming more civilian and military lives.

The outcome dashed hopes that a new ceasefire could be put together soon to stem nine months of conflict pitting Ukrainian government forces against Russian-backed separatists who have declared "people's republics" in eastern Ukraine.

Shortly before the Minsk talks broke up, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Russia's Vladimir Putin in a three-way phone call had expressed the hope the meeting would at least produce a ceasefire agreement.

More than 5,000 people have died since the conflict erupted last April following Russia's annexation of Crimea in response to the ousting of a Moscow-backed president in Kiev by street protests.

The conflict has produced the gravest crisis between Russia and the West since the Cold War with the United States and the European Union imposing sanctions on Moscow because of what they say is incontrovertible proof that it is providing arms and men in support of the separatists. Moscow denies this is so.

Kuchma also reproached the two main separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine, who signed key agreements in Minsk last September, for failing to attend Saturday's follow-up meeting of the "contact group".

He said Kiev remained adamant that it wanted the separatists to honour agreements made in Minsk last September for a ceasefire as part of a 12-point blueprint for peace. Much-violated from the start, that truce collapsed completely with a new rebel advance last week.

Interfax quoted him as saying he awaited to hear Russia's reaction to the outcome soon.

WIDESPREAD VIOLENCE

The September Minsk peace plan also called for tighter control of the joint Russia-Ukraine border, through which Kiev says Moscow is funnelling fighters and equipment, and the freeing of prisoners held by the sides.

Much has changed on the ground, however, since September.

The separatists have set up self-proclaimed "people's republics", while their forces, which Kiev says are supported by 9,000 Russian regular troops, have seized more than 500 square km (190 square miles) of territory beyond that agreed in the Minsk talks and threaten to seize control of the east's two main regions entirely.

Both sides have accused each other of deadly artillery and mortar strikes on civilian targets in the past two weeks, including on a cultural centre in the main regional city of Donetsk on Friday that killed at least five people waiting for humanitarian hand-outs.

Heavy shelling continued on Saturday in Ukraine's eastern regions as the separatists sought to tighten a circle around government forces clinging on to control of the strategic rail and road junction of Debaltseve.

Regional police chief Vyacheslav Abroskin, in a Facebook post, said 12 civilians had been killed on Saturday by separatist artillery shelling of the town, which lies to the northeast of Donetsk.

Defence Minister Stepan Poltorak said 15 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed and 30 wounded in clashes across the east.

Debaltseve is on the main highway linking Donetsk and the other big rebel-controlled city of Luhansk and is also a vital rail link for goods traffic from Russia which Kiev accuses of arming the rebels.

The rebels were also continuing to threaten Mariupol, a town of half a million in the southeast of the country on the coast of Sea of Azov, military spokesman Andriy Lysenko said.

(Additional reporting by Natalia Zinets in Kiev and Paul Carrel in Berlin; Editing by Alison Williams)

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Promise and Perils of Bedi - The Hindu

When 65-year-old former police officer Kiran Bedi rose to speak at a Bharatiya Janata Party meeting for the first time in New Delhi, less than 24 hours after she had joined the party, both workers and leaders alike did not know what to expect.

The not-so-shining galaxy of BJP leaders, whose infighting had created a situation that made Ms. Bedi’s parachuting as chief ministerial candidate inevitable, sat with their shoulders slumped and faces glum. BJP workers who had been fed on Narendra Modi’s incessant politics as performance over the last year were hungry for more.

“How did I change my mind? By listening to my Modiji over and over again….what leadership qualities he has,” Ms. Bedi began. As her prescriptive speech elaborated on her “6-P formula for women’s safety”, the audience began to murmur.

In a video clip that went viral on the web, Delhi BJP general secretary Ashish Sood was seen whispering into a senior leader’s ears, Pradesh in-charge Prabhat Jha was struggling to conceal a smile and everyone was exchanging knowing glances. “Are you here for entertainment? Tell me, tell me…” Ms. Bedi demanded. “Those who are here for entertainment can go,” she declared and went on to elaborate what the six Ps were about.

In the ten days that followed, before she lost her voice to a throat infection, Ms. Bedi’s speeches failed to inspire much enthusiasm among the BJP workers or the ordinary voters, so much so that uncharitable critics say the party leadership has forced her to remain silent in order to avoid further embarrassment. The BJP had presented her as an able and tough administrator, but the claim hasn’t won many approvals. “I think she shed that image the moment she opened her mouth,” a young woman in Delhi says.

But the BJP had no option. With a 46-year-old Arvind Kejriwal wearing an Aam Aadmi topi already waiting in the ring, it had to push someone in for the big fight scheduled for February 7. When the Aam Aadmi Party dared the BJP to announce its CM candidate, the BJP was on the back foot, and had no candidate internally who could be up to the task. “Bedi may not be doing any wonders.

But in her absence, things would have been far worse for us,” says a BJP leader in the State.

But Ms. Bedi has been trying her best. Since the campaigning started, her morning involves a visit to the Krishna Nagar constituency, from where she will be fighting the polls. There she navigates the lanes by foot, on cycle rickshaw or in an open jeep. With Union Minister Harsh Vardhan by her side, on most days, she appeals for votes in a constituency that elected him to power five times in a row. Yet, the faces that peep out of the windows while she passes by, and the crowds that follow her during the road shows, are a stark contrast to the large gatherings that the AAP chief attracts.

A boisterous road show she was part of in North Delhi’s Timarpur constituency saw several slip-ups . Firecrackers landed on a private car setting it ablaze, a man came under the wheel of the jeep she was travelling in and lookalikes of Mr. Modi and Baba Ramdev stole the show forcing Ms. Bedi to catch up.

It was only a matter of time before the BJP realised that Ms. Bedi, who was soon labelled by her colleagues as the ‘Iron Lady,’ would experience hiccups in transitioning into a full-time politician. Her strict dressing down of party workers at election meetings, her clothing a freedom fighter’s statue with a BJP scarf and the flurry of unflattering media interviews all in a matter of a week left the BJP red-faced.

With the party leadership sensing that things are not moving as they had hoped and campaigns turning out to be lacklustre, some midcourse corrections have been initiated by the BJP President Amit Shah who has unleashed the entire Modi cabinet to take control of the Delhi elections. A battery of Union ministers descended on the state BJP office on Thursday, taking over the reins of the polls displacing local leadership.

Meanwhile, the BJP chief does not miss an opportunity to reiterate how booth in-charges and panna pramukhs are like “God for the BJP.” “Modiji will come (to campaign); Kiran Bedi will come; Rajnath Singhji, Sushmaji, Arun Jaitleyji will all come to speak here, but the person who will make us win is the booth in-charge and the page in-charge ,” he said at a workers’ meeting in Hari Nagar.

Meanwhile, Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay, was put in charge of managing the rifts that erupted within the ranks immediately after Ms. Bedi’s induction. On January 22, he wrote a letter to the local cadre appealing for unity and setting aside of differences and asking that everyone support the party’s “honest and straight forward” chief ministerial choice.

With barely a week left for Delhi to go to vote, it’s apparent that Ms. Bedi alone cannot swing votes in the BJP’s favour. However, with the full might of the RSS behind her, with several having to come in from neighbouring states, and the backing of the central government, it appears that it may not be easy to defeat her either.

And that is the reason why Delhi is a close contest.

More In: Sunday Anchor | Elections | Delhi Assembly Election 2015

Saradha scam: Arrested former minister Matang Sinh hospitalised - Economic Times

KOLKATA: Former Union Minister Matang Sinh, who was today arrested by the CBI in connection with the multi-crore rupees Saradha scam, has been admitted to a hospital after he complained of stomach ailments.

Sinh has been admitted to the NRS hospital after he complained of stomach pain, doctors in the hospital said.

Sinh was arrested in connection with Saradha Realty case on charges of criminal conspiracy and cheating.

He had been earlier questioned by the Enforcement Directorate too in connection with Saradha scam in Delhi.

Sinh was questioned for more than seven hours by the investigating agency, a CBI spokesperson said.

Arriving at the CBI complex here this morning for the first time to face questions regarding his business transactions with Saradha group chief Sudipto Sen, Sinh had told reporters, "Getting into a business deal is not a crime."

"I do not know Sudipto Sen," he said. The former Congress MP from Assam said he had "submitted money to the Shyamal Sen commission", formed soon after the Saradha scam broke, to repay the investors.

Obama spoke as a friend, Modi must heed his sentiments - Hindustan Times

Does the Obama visit and the personal rapport between the two heads of government suggest India's foreign policy is hereafter heading in a new direction? And does this mean we will see Indian and American policies finding increasing areas of convergence? I would say the answer to both questions is yes.

First, Modi and Obama have issued a joint strategic vision statement for the Asia Pacific. That itself is new and, even, surprising. Several of our former foreign secretaries don't believe we share a strategic vision. Furthermore, it reveals a shared concern about and an agreed response to China. Up till now that hasn't been the case. This is another significant departure.

Actually, the Indo-US convergence goes further. The New York Times reveals "Obama and his aides discovered to their surprise that Mr Modi's assessment of China's rise and its impact on the greater strategic situation in East Asia was closely aligned with their own." I doubt if you could have said that of Mr Vajpayee or Brajesh Mishra.

Second, Obama not only thanked India for its Afghan policy but also its stand on Iran's nuclear programme. That took many by surprise. I, at least, was not aware we thought along similar lines.

But that's not all. The two other leaders with whom Mr Modi has established a personal bond are Shinzo Abe of Japan and Tony Abbott of Australia and both are close allies of America. Do we have the makings of a special relationship between these four countries? Will we witness this when this year's Malabar maritime exercises commence? Very possibly.

Third, last Sunday Mr Modi stressed the importance of personal chemistry between leaders in building ties between their countries. Clearly Modi and Obama are not just friends but have a special relationship. Will that be the engine that propels Indo-US relations over the next two years?

I wouldn't be surprised, is the simple answer. And I doubt if the Pakistani thorn will be an irritant for long. America's diminishing role in Afghanistan and, perhaps, changes in Pakistan's own response to terror could substantially reduce that concern.

Now, it's in this wider context that President Obama's town hall warning about religious freedom and the need to guard against sectarianism should be viewed. He was speaking as a friend but he was chiding nonetheless. And very publicly!

When he said: "Every person has a right to practice their faith as they choose... nowhere is that more important than in India", he had the ghar wapsi and love jihad campaigns in mind. When he added "India will succeed so long as it's not splintered along lines of religious faith", he was clearly telling Mr Modi that his silence over these matters endangers India's future.

The President unhesitatingly embraced his "sisters and brothers of India" with the words "when we look at each other we see a reflection of ourselves" and when he added "America can be India's best partner", but that affirmation of commitment and affection only makes the warning that followed stronger and more urgent to heed. Ignore it at your peril.

I don't know how Mr Modi will respond. I hope it won't irritate him, even if he doesn't publicly say so. Actually, my fingers are crossed in the hope it gives him the strength to speak out and stand up to those who threaten his development dreams with their own narrow and dark visions. Remember, that includes the RSS and some members of his own government.

(The views expressed by the author are personal)

Natarajan quits Congress, attacks senior party leaders - Livemint

The letter published in a daily said Jayanthi Natarajan was asked to resign in less than 100 days before the country went to general election.

Chennai/New Delhi: In a sign of growing political dissent within the Congress party, former environment minister and veteran politician Jayanthi Natarajan resigned from the party on Friday with a scathing attack on the party’s senior leadership, claiming that she had been vilified and sidelined by the top brass.

Natarajan, a four-time Rajya Sabha member, said that as the minister of environment she had only followed the directions of party vice-president Rahul Gandhi “to protect and preserve the environment”, suggesting interference by the Congress leader with the workings of her ministry.

“I did my duty with due diligence, investigated projects. I had to put several projects on hold because of this. I served the country,” Natarajan, told reporters in Chennai. “I was asked to resign from my ministerial post in December 2013, a mere 100 days before the parliamentary elections, by prime minister Manmohan Singh and to involve myself with party work,” she added.

Subsequently, she said, she had been “vilified, humiliated and sidelined” by the central leadership of India’s oldest political party.

Natarajan’s resignation and attack on the party leadership is an embarrassment for the Congress, which suffered its biggest defeat in last year’s general election and is reduced to 44 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha.

Denial of environmental clearances to many big-ticket industrial projects during her term in the environment ministry was blamed for stalling investments and contributing to India’s economic growth slowing to sub-5% levels in the past two financial years.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, meanwhile, attacked the Congress for “crony capitalism” and sought a review of projects that were granted or denied environmental clearances during the regime of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

“I hope the environment ministry now will go into each of these permissions which were granted and not granted and make sure that these are expeditiously dealt with only as per law and no other consideration,” finance minister Arun Jaitley said in New Delhi.

The Hindu first reported on Friday that in a letter written in November last year to Congress party president Sonia Gandhi , Natarajan slammed the party chief and vice-president and said that she had become a victim of a “vicious, false and motivated” media campaign by some individuals in the party after Rahul Gandhi shifted from a “pro-environmental stance” to a “corporate friendly” one.

Since the party’s drubbing in general elections last year, the Congress has faced several defections, especially in Tamil Nadu, where its ground presence and organization are already weak.

Senior leader and the late G.K. Moopanar’s son G.K. Vasan quit the party in November and started his own political outfit. Karti Chidambaram , son of former finance minister P. Chidambaram , has been vocal in his criticism of the functioning of the party.

Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi slammed Natarajan for what he called a diatribe that was “hypocritical and opportunistic” and also factually untrue.

One political analyst said Natarajan’s departure would have no negative impact on the Congress.

“Jayanthi Natarajan has done good to the Congress party while quitting by showing Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in a positive light—that they didn’t favour corporates who had vested interests in getting their projects approved with no consideration on the detrimental impact it can have on the environment,” said Gnani Sankaran, a Chennai-based political commentator.

“She accuses Rahul Gandhi of later favouring the corporates but doesn’t give substantial incidents. Her leaving the Congress will not impact the national party in Tamil Nadu, where it has little presence, or at the national level,” he added.

This is not the first time that the 60-year-old Natarajan has quit the Congress party. In 1996, she left the party and joined the Tamil Maanila Congress started by G.K. Moopanar.

This time, she said she has no plans to join any other political party. “I intend to think on my life and future.”

Mayank Aggarwal in New Delhi contributed to the story.

Ukraine peace talks collapse, Kiev and separatists trade blame - Reuters

By Andrei Makhovsky and Richard Balmforth

MINSK/KIEV Sat Jan 31, 2015 2:44pm EST

1 of 9. Ukrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk (R) arrives to take part in peace talks in Minsk January 31, 2015.

Credit: Reuters/Vasily Fedosenko

More than 5,000 people have died since the conflict erupted last April following Russia's annexation of Crimea in response to the ousting of a Moscow-backed president in Kiev by street protests.

Interfax quoted him as saying he awaited to hear Russia's reaction to the outcome soon.

WIDESPREAD VIOLENCE

Much has changed on the ground, however, since September.

Regional police chief Vyacheslav Abroskin, in a Facebook post, said 12 civilians had been killed on Saturday by separatist artillery shelling of the town, which lies to the northeast of Donetsk.

Defence Minister Stepan Poltorak said 15 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed and 30 wounded in clashes across the east.

The rebels were also continuing to threaten Mariupol, a town of half a million in the southeast of the country on the coast of Sea of Azov, military spokesman Andriy Lysenko said.

(Additional reporting by Natalia Zinets in Kiev and Paul Carrel in Berlin; Editing by Alison Williams)

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Hyderabadi girl planning to join ISIS returns home - Business Standard

Hyderabad police Saturday said that a city girl residing in Qatar planned to join ISIS and went up to Turkey but came back without joining the terror group.

The teenager has returned to her parents in Hyderabad and police have counselled her.

Commissioner of Police M. Mahendar Reddy, however, clarified that she neither joined the terror outfit nor underwent any training.

The police chief said the 19-year-old was not brought back by police but returned on her own.

The girl along with a woman living in her apartment building in Doha went up to Turkey to join ISIS. However, they changed their mind after seeing the conditions in Iraq and Syria and returned to Qatar.

The girl, whose identity has not been revealed, later came back to the city. The commissioner said the incident took place two months ago. "She had been living in Qatar for 10 years," Mahender Reddy said.

The incident has come to light close on the heels of arrest of an engineer from the city, who was planning to join ISIS in Syria.

The 32-year-old US-returned techie was arrested at Hyderabad airport on Jan 16 when he was about to leave for Dubai. Police claimed that Salman Mohiuddin, during his stay in the US, had come in touch with a British woman living in Dubai, via social networking sites.

Last year, the city police had prevented six youths including a former employee of Google, from leaving for Iraq to join ISIS.

Police said in all cases reported so far the youth were attracted by the propaganda over social networking sites. The commissioner said they were keeping a close tab on the activities of youth, who scan ISIS related material on Internet or in contact with sympathizers of the outfit.

He said after identifying such youth, police were counselling them with the help of parents.

Promise and Perils of Bedi - The Hindu

But in her absence, things would have been far worse for us,” says a BJP leader in the State.

And that is the reason why Delhi is a close contest.

More In: Sunday Anchor | Elections | Delhi Assembly Election 2015

Matang Sinh hospitalized after arrest by CBI - Livemint

CBI had summoned Sinh for questioning several times. He turned up on Saturday and was arrested after several hours of questioning. Photo: Ramesh Pathania/Mint

Kolkata: Former Union minister and Congress leader from Assam Matang Sinh, who was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the Saradha scam, has been admitted to a hospital after he complained of stomach ailments.

Sinh has been admitted to the NRS hospital after he complained of stomach pain, doctors in the hospital said.

Sinh was arrested earlier in the day in Kolkata by CBI for allegedly exploiting the Saradha Group—an enterprise that ran Ponzi schemes in eastern India till April 2013.

Saradha Group chairman Sudipta Sen had alleged in a letter addressed to CBI and written days before he fled Kolkata in April 2013 that he had paid Rs.28 crore to Sinh to acquire a Bengali television channel—NE Bangla. Though the deal wasn’t concluded, Sinh didn’t return the money, Sen had alleged in his letter to CBI.

The federal agency had summoned Sinh for questioning several times. He turned up on Saturday and was arrested after several hours of questioning.

Even after he was arrested, Sinh tried to forcibly make his way out of the CBI office. Officers of the agency had to physically restrain him from leaving.

A spokesperson for Sinh later said he was suffering from a life threatening health condition.

Former Union minister and Congress leader from Assam Matang Sinh was on Saturday arrested in Kolkata by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for allegedly exploiting the Saradha Group—an enterprise that ran Ponzi schemes in eastern India till April 2013.

The federal agency had summoned Sinh for questioning several times. He turned up on Saturday and was arrested after several hours of questioning.

Even after he was arrested, Sinh tried to forcibly make his way out of the CBI office. Officers of the agency had to physically restrain him from leaving.

A spokesperson for Sinh later said he was suffering from a life threatening health condition.

Fighting to remain relevant - The Hindu

It was on January 24 that the Congress first informed former Kalkaji Member of Legislative Assembly Subhash Chopra about the party Vice President Rahul Gandhi’s plan to launch into the Delhi campaign from his constituency. His team was barely given two days and two nights to make arrangements for it.

Mr. Gandhi had remained non-committal until then. It was only after the Congress announced its candidates early on and internal reports began suggesting that the party would not fare as badly as it had in 2013 that he decided to enter into campaign mode. When Mr. Gandhi’s associates were looking for an appropriate rally venue, Ajay Maken who had been Union Urban Development Minister under the UPA government, and is the Congress’s face in this election as its campaign committee chief, informed Mr. Gandhi that the party’s big idea in this election - a Right to Shelter legislation - could be best kicked off from the slums of Govindpuri in Kalkaji. Mr. Maken told Mr. Gandhi about a Delhi Development Authority (DDA) project for 8,000 in-situ dwellings for slum dwellers that Mr. Chopra had spearheaded during his days as DDA member five years ago.

On January 27, Mr. Gandhi began his road show from the construction site of that project. From there, he promised “a roof over every head” and cheaper power and water supply for the poor.

“The Congress will bounce back because we stand with the poor,” he later told the media at a hurriedly organised interaction. The next day, the party unveiled the draft legislation for the Right to Shelter Act. It now plans to introduce the legislation – which Gandhi considers a game changing idea on the lines of the right to information and employment guarantee legislations– in Congress-ruled states.

When its arch rivals were busy ridiculing it for being absent from the scene, the Congress claims it is undergoing an internal purge and simply regrouping to produce a more battleworthy Delhi unit. The 2013 polls in Delhi reduced the party from a three-time winner to a fringe player. It won eight of the 70 seats. The new Congress, say insiders, is less complacent and has learnt the importance of power and water tariffs as poll issues. It is also less condescending towards its competitors, especially, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

While the AAP and the BJP launched pitched battles against each other on social media as early as November, the Congress’s senior leadership seemed to be in hibernation. According to insiders, this was because there were pressing questions that the party was introspecting over. “Just as there was a vacuum of governance in Delhi over the last year, something similar was being confronted within the party’s state unit, too,” admitted a leader. The biggest dilemma was distancing itself from the taint of the three-time former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s Commonwealth Games scam while holding on to the developmental achievements of her tenure. As the party slowly got down to nominating members for key committees in view of the polls, delegation upon delegation made the rounds of Mr. Gandhi’s office to convince him to grant Dikshit ‘a larger role’ in the party’s activities. Mr. Maken’s appointment as chief of the campaign committee was a declaration that the Congress wanted to move on. Mr. Maken is close to Mr. Gandhi but is also an experienced hand. The Kerala model of extensive block-level committees was replicated in the capital by its former Kerala state chief P.C. Chacko who replaced Shakeel Ahmed as party in-charge for Delhi. More experienced candidates have been preferred over those seeking tickets simply on the basis of being young.

“Just five women candidates and one leader from the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) have been fielded this time,” a leader said. “Even prominent student leaders such as Amrita Dhawan and Ragini Nayak, who fought and lost last time, and had been given tickets upon the insistence of Mr. Gandhi, have been refused tickets this time.”

The Congress has been severely critical of both the AAP and the BJP in this election. While the two big players battle it out for the claim to rule Delhi, the Congress is fighting only in order to remain politically relevant.

More In: Sunday Anchor | Elections | Delhi Assembly Election 2015

Sushma Swaraj arrives in Beijing on four-day visit; China allays fears of regional ... - Times of India

BEIJING: External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj arrived here on Saturday on a four-day visit to China during which she would meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and hold talks with her Chinese counterpart on wide-ranging bilateral and multilateral issues besides attending the Russia-India-China (RIC) trilateral.

This is the 62-year-old leader's first visit to Beijing after she took over the office last year.

Swaraj is expected to finalize arrangements for opening the second route of the Kailash-Manasarovar Yatra in Tibet for which China agreed last year to open it for Indian pilgrims.

The route through Nathu La in Sikkim which facilitates comfortable travel by buses through Tibet was expected to be opened in the next few months.

Swaraj is accompanied by new foreign secretary S Jaishankar, among other senior ministry officials.

This is Jaishankar's first foreign trip after being appointed two days back, replacing Sujatha Singh whose tenure was abruptly "curtailed".

He served as India's ambassador to China for nearly four years before being appointed as ambassador to the US in 2013.

During the trip, that comes within a week of US President Barack Obama's three-day visit to New Delhi, Swaraj will "discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of concern to both sides" with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, ministry of external affairs said in New Delhi on Friday.

The two sides will also explore the possibility of a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi later this year.

Swaraj is also expected to meet Xi, who along with Wang, had visited India last year immediately after the installation of the Modi government.

During her stay here, Swaraj will speak at the India- China Media Forum, interact with the Indian Community of Beijing (ICB) and inaugurate the "Visit India Year" aimed at attracting more Chinese tourists to India.

Mansarovar lake and Mount Kailash. (Getty Images photo)

Earlier, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told media that China attaches "great importance" to Swaraj's visit and bilateral ties between the two largest developing countries and major emerging economies were progressing in a "sound and stable way".

Ahead of her visit, a number of articles in Chinese official media came out with critical commentaries accusing Obama of attempting to create a wedge between China and India to further US Asia Pivot strategy to contain the communist nation's influence.

Swaraj will also attend the RIC meeting with her Chinese and Russian counterparts.

Hua said being emerging markets, the three countries share similar views on major international and regional issues and hence, "will exchange views on practical cooperation and issues of common interest".

"We believe a range of consensus will emerge from the meeting to further our political trust and our practical cooperation," she said.

China admits mistrust about mega Silk Road project

Vigorously pushing its mega New Silk Road and Maritime Silk Road plans over which India has reservations, China admitted "mistrust" among other countries over its "strategic motivations" and sought to allay concerns of "regional hegemony".

Refuting comparisons between Silk Road plans for which President Xi Jinping has allocated $40 billion and that of the US' post-World War-II Marshall Plan aimed at advancing Washington's influence, state-run Xinhua news agency said the "One Belt and One Road" was not aimed at furthering China's "regional hegemony".

"Nevertheless, there remains mistrust in China's strategic motivation behind the Silk Road proposals. It is not surprising, as these are novel initiatives, especially to major powers," it said.

A man on a camel travelling on the the Silk Road near Tashkurgan, Xinjiang, nortehast China. (Getty Images photo)

The Silk Road involving a maze of roads including the ancient Silk route connecting China with Europe through Central Asia, the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) economic corridor connecting China and Pakistan through the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Maritime Silk Road (MSR) connecting China with different ports evoked mixed response.

While India is taking part in the discussions of the BCIM it has not reacted to the MSR amid apprehensions that it was aimed enhancing China's role in India's backyard, the Indian Ocean.

Officials say China may broach the issue during Swaraj's visit. She is due to hold talks with Xi and foreign minister Wang Yi. Xinhua said the plan evoked interest in 50 countries.

Sri Lanka was the first to approve the project under the previous pro-China Mahinda Rajapaksa government last year but the new government said it is reviewing the China funded $1.5 billion Colombo Port City project which if not approved or downsized could cause a setback to MSR as it was regarded as a main centre for the Indian Ocean region.

The MSR also includes Kolkata's port to further trade and commerce integrating regional and global markets.

"Unlike the Marshall Plan, no political conditions have been imposed on participants in the Silk Road frameworks. China has always advocated that countries should respect each other's rights to independently choose their own social system and development path," the Xinhua article said.

It is open to all countries and aims to achieve win-win situations rather than regional hegemony, it said.

The "one belt" and "one road" initiatives are similar to the Marshall Plan a careful view would show fundamental differences in historical context, motivation and potential impact between China's approach and the postwar plan of the US to provide economic and military assistance to its allies of western Europe, it said.

"There is no guarantee that the modern Silk Road will be an easy success, but time will prove that it is much more than the Marshall Plan and that China's gain is not others' loss," it said.

http://ift.tt/1pUA98o Swaraj China Visit,Sushma Swaraj,New Kailash Mansarovar Route,China Silk Route Project

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Saturday, January 31, 2015

India, China natural partners in many areas: SushmaJanuary 29, 2015

The Hindu Exclusive: Jayanthi Natarajan's letter to Sonia GandhiJanuary 30, 2015

No information on Jayanthi joining BJP: JaitleyJanuary 30, 2015

Jayanthi Natarajan quits CongressJanuary 30, 2015

Will review files mentioned by Jayanthi: JavadekarJanuary 30, 2015

Jayanthi Natarajan quits Congress, ready to face probe January 30, 2015

Rahul, Cong high-command have to respond to Jayanthi’s charges: CPIJanuary 30, 2015

Jayanthi waged an ‘everyday battle over policy’January 31, 2015

The old unravels in Congress, but the new is yet to emergeJanuary 31, 2015

CBI may seek clarifications from Jayanthi February 1, 2015

The Hindu Exclusive: Jayanthi Natarajan's letter to Sonia GandhiJanuary 30, 2015

No information on Jayanthi joining BJP: JaitleyJanuary 30, 2015

Jayanthi Natarajan quits CongressJanuary 30, 2015

Will review files mentioned by Jayanthi: JavadekarJanuary 30, 2015

Jayanthi Natarajan quits Congress, ready to face probe January 30, 2015

Rahul, Cong high-command have to respond to Jayanthi’s charges: CPIJanuary 30, 2015

Jayanthi waged an ‘everyday battle over policy’January 31, 2015

The old unravels in Congress, but the new is yet to emergeJanuary 31, 2015

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