Karnataka needs time to probe Love Jihad

The Karnataka State Police Chief in a report to the Karnataka High Court has stated that he would need an additional two months to probe whethere activities pertaining to Love Jihad was present in the state. The DGP in his report while seeking two months time has also recommended the establishment of an Anti Human Trafficking Cell in Karnataka.

The 8 page report filed in the High Court was in response to a case in which the family members of a girl had alleged that she had been forcibly converted by a Muslim youth. Allegations regarding the spread of a concept known as Love Jihad were also made. This had prompted not only the High Court, but also the Home Minister of Karnataka to order a probe into allegations of widespread Love Jihad in the state.

While referring to the instant case on hand, the DGP says that they did not find any proof to suggest that the girl had been forcibly converted. In fact she has gone to the boy on her own will.

Dealing with the larger issue, the report states that they need to probe deeper into the matter. The report mentions that there are some Islamic Organisations such as Popular Front of India and National Development Front which are very active in the state. However there is no proof as of now to suggest that they may be involved in conversion activities. We will need to probe those organizations in order to put out a comprehensive report on whether there are activities of Love Jihad in the state, the report also states.

The report also stated that there is an alarming rise of the number of girls who are going missing in the state. Based on these reports it is essential that a Anti Human Trafficking Cell is established in the state.

Karnataka: Tug of war continues

B S Yeddyurappa

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Saturday told journalists that the ongoing crisis in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in the state had come to an end, and he was headed to the Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu to offer his prayers.

He reiterated that he will continue as the state chief minister and thanked the party’s top leadership for putting their faith in him.

Yeddyurappa stated that he would maintain a cordial relationship with all party Members of Legislative Assembly and will take them into consideration before making any major decision.

But the Karnataka CM refused to divulge the details of the ‘compromise formula’ that has been worked out by the party leaders to solve the crisis. Informed sources said that as per the formula, certain changes will be made in the state cabinet.

However, rebel leader and state Tourism Minister B Janardhan Reddy, who is demanding a change in the state leadership, declared that he had not changed his stance.

Reddy, who has been meeting top party leaders in New Delhi, left for Hyderabad to meet the 55 MLAs backing him, who are currently holed up in a resort.

While updating the MLAs about the latest developments, Reddy told them that the party high command was willing to accept all their demands, but remained adamant that Yeddyurappa would have to continue as the CM. The rebel MLAs reportedly told him that they would abide by the final decision he took about the matter.

Refusing to give up his demand for leadership change, Reddy told reporters after the meeting, “Evil forces have to be wiped out from the state and this is our only demand. The high command will need two more days to resolve the crisis and I am hopeful that they will listen to our version of the story”.

Reddy is expected to visit Bengaluru and then again return to Delhi to continue lobbying for Yeddyurappa’s removal. The BJP’s top brass in expected to meet on Saturday evening to take a final decision on the issue.

Is Shobha Karandlaje bane of Yeddi’s problems?

Since day one, Karnataka Rural Development minister Shobha Karandlaje has been in the eye of a storm. Today, the only woman minister in the Bharatiya Janata Party government is being cited as the main reason for Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa’s problems.

Yeddyurappa will have to take one of the hardest decisions of his political career when he drops Shobha from the ministry in order to save his chair.

But just who is Shobha Karandlage?

Hailing from Puttur in coastal Karnataka, Shobha renounced all pleasures of life and joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh at a very early age. In fact, she is one of the few women ‘purna pramana’ (full-time worker) in the RSS. Full time workers of the RSS sacrifice everything, including family. They also vow that they would never get married.

Shobha Karandlaje and B S Yeddyurappa. Photo courtesy: Dajiworld

Hence, Shobha has always been RSS’s preferred worker. Even when she decided to join politics, the RSS gave her the initial push since they believed that she would not have any business interests and would work selflessely for the party.

Once she entered into active politics in the BJP, she worked alongside Yeddyurappa. She treated him as her godfather. Critics now allege that Yeddyurappa had a soft corner for the 44-year-old, which ensured her growth within the party.

Shobha has always courted controversies. When she was made BJP’s general secretary, there was a major uproar in the party. Several leaders thought that her proximity to Yeddyurappa earned her the position. It was also alleged that she was preferred over several senior leaders. However, the only explanation given at that point of time was that she was a dedicated worker and that the party needed such workers in the state.

The RSS backed Yeddyurappa and ensured that Shobha stayed on the post.

The next round of discontent was witnessed when she was made Member of the Legislative Council in Karnataka in 2006-07. During this period, Yeddyurappa was deputy chief minister in the Janata Dal-Secular-BJP government. Once again, Yeddyurappa managed to scuttle all voices of protest. He never let her down.

Although several allegations have been levelled against the two, Yeddyurappa has always maintained that Shobha is a dedicated worker and that there is nothing beyond that. Shobha too, in her defence, has reiterated that Yeddyurappa is a like a father to her and that allegations of favourtism are baseless.

The biggest issue that the duo confronted was when Yeddyurappa fielded her as candidate from the Yeshwanthpur constituency during the last elections. Despite severe opposition Yeddyurappa went ahead. He had a feather in his cap to take up Shobha’s case when she won the elections convincingly.

There was more opposition when he decided to induct her into the ministry and also gave her the crucial portfolio of Rural Development. However, Yeddyurappa ignored the voices of protest.

The importance of Shobha in the BJP was clear. All one could see during a drive from Mysore to Bangalore are banners with Shobha on it. She has stamped her presence and her message is clear — she is here to stay.

Over time, the voices of opposition continued to grow against Shobha. In particular, the Reddy brothers from Bellary were upset with her. They have, on several occasions, termed her as the de-facto chief minister of the state. Her proximity to Yeddyurappa irked many and there was not a single photograph in any media that did not have the CM and Shobha together.

The faction led by the Reddy brothers even alleged that she influenced Yeddyurappa’s every decision. They claimed that the CM was using her to get back at them. Some bureaucrats in Karnataka, who speak in a hushed tone, say that several times the files meant for the CM went through Shobha.

While all these allegations were being made, the last straw for the Reddy brothers was when she interfered in their portfolio. During a trip to Bellary, Shobha openly conducted a review of the revenue department and is said to have pulled up a lot of officials for apathy.

Karunakar Reddy, one of the Reddy brothers who is the revenue minister, screamed out on roof tops that this was utter interference and she had no business to do so. This is being cited as one of the primary reasons for them to demand the ouster of Shobha from the cabinet.

Yeddyurappa, all through this crisis, did try to fight her case but gave up in the end and decided that he had no option but to remove her in order to save his seat. Shobha too has been very supportive of his decision. When asked about the development, Shobha said she would resign in the interest of the party if she was asked to do so. However, rumour has it that Yeddyurappa plans on accommodating her as the next BJP state chief.

Shobha, according to the BJP, was in an advantageous position compared to the other woman folk in the BJP. The other powerful woman leader, Pramila Nesargi failed to win an election for the second time and hence the party distanced her. While the initial push for Shobha was given by the RSS, it was Yeddyurappa who played a major role in shaping her career.

China will invest a total of $590 billion in India in 2009

A high-level delegation from Chengdu, China’s IT and outsourcing capital, is in Bangalore to promote investment in China. The team also aims at exploring an opportunity to work with the Indian IT and outsourcing industry.

Victor Johan Jansson

Victor Johan Jansson, Vice President of Chengdu Tianfu Software Park Co Ltd and a core member of this Chinese delegation, said that the Chinese government will invest a total of $590 billion in infrastructure in 2009.

In an interview with rediff.com, Jannson said that China is a land of opportunities and an excellent country to invest in.

Why should Indian companies invest in China and what are the attractions that are not available in other investment hot spots?
China is a land of opportunities and an excellent country to invest in.
The reasons for investing in China are many.
•Large pool of talented engineers, especially in the research and development space.
•Low operation costs.
•Excellent infrastructure: The government will invest a total of RMB 4 trillion ($590 billion) in infrastructure in 2009, more than any other country in recent years.
•Mature business environment. China already has 30 years of opening up to businesses.
•Stable social and economical environment.
•Languages: English language skills are rapidly improving. The language is now taught at all levels starting from kindergarden or primary school.
•Large number of people speak Japanese and Korean since there are strong language affinities with Chinese. Also it is easier for a Chinese person to learn Japanese or Korean compared to a Western person.
•Favourable policies: The Chinese central government is pushing for the development of IT and service industry. The government wants to turn into a greener economy, as opposed to an economy based on a manufacturing. It wants to move from ‘made in China’ to ‘innovate in China’.
•Large domestic market. (Three of the top 10 banks in the world are headquartered in China).
Reasons to invest in Chengdu:
•Very efficient government. It knows how to deal with foreign invested enterprises and is fully dedicated to the development of the IT and service outsourcing industry
•Low operation cost in comparison to coastal cities such as Shanghai and Beijing (human resource cost is 30 to 50 per cent lower, while rental offices are at least 50 per cent cheaper).
•International city: It has13 five star hotels (including Intercontinental, Sofitel, Sheraton), sixth largest airport in China in terms of passengers volume, 31 international flight connection, 9 foreign banks with presence in the city (including HSBC, Citibank, OCBC, Standard Chartered), 134 ‘global 500′ companies (more than any other 2nd tier cities in central and west China), international schools such as Leman International School.
•Good living environment. Chengdu has been ranked as one of the most suitable locations for living in China.
•Stable labour force with an attrition rate of about 5 to 8 per cent (reason: housing prices are much lower than prices in first tier cities such as Shanghai, so people do not not consider changing companies for salary increase. Average price in Shanghai: $165 per square feet, whereas in Chengdu it is $50).
•Well developed IT and electronics industry (Intel, Motorola, IBM, Accenture, Symantec, SAP, Alcatel-Lucent have operations in the city).

Given that China and India are considered economic rivals, doesn’t it go against India’s interests?
China should be an economic partner and not a rival. For example, China is the most suitable location to set up centres to back-up operations in India because with India, China has the largest talent pool in the world.
Also, IBM, Accenture, BT are all setting up back-up operations in China. Indian companies can also offer more solutions to their customers that way.
Indian hi-tech companies have developed technologies and products that can meet a demand in Chinese market.

How many companies have established operations in China? Who are the new ones? What is the kind of money they will be investing in the Dragon?

For the past 6 months the following companies have set up back-office operations in Chengdu: Accenture (500 seats), Wipro (1,000 seats, first phase), Alibaba (one building), DHL (800 seats, first phase), Maersk (1,500 seats within 1.5 year), Siemens, VXI (1,000 seats).

Is the atmosphere conducive to do business with India currently, given the border dispute between the two countries?
We have not seen border disputes affecting Indian businesses in China. In fact, Wipro set up an operation in Chengdu in May 2009 and NIIT in June 2009.
How is it doing business with India compared with other nations?
Since first establishing in China, Indian service providers (Infosys, Wipro, HCL , etc. . .) have not expanded as quickly as expected. This is quite unlike companies from the United States and Europe such as IBM, Accenture and HP, that are doing well in our country.
The reasons why Indian companies have not been as successful as expected are:
•There is no — or very little — localisation of management (staff is mostly from India).
•Cultural gap.
•Little brand recognition of Indian companies in China, which makes is harder to attract talent.
•Lack of reach in tier-2 cities (still mainly located in Shanghai/Beijing where competition is the hardest).
•Few partnership strategies, weak government relations and conservative investment strategies.

Will India have an advantage over other countries while establishing operations in China?

There will be no special incentives for Indian companies setting up in China and Chengdu. India will be treated like any other country.

India, Russia, China talk terror, UN reform

India, Russia and China have decided to join hands in the fight against terror and narcotics trafficking with special focus being on Afghanistan.

During their ninth trilateral meeting in Bengaluru, foreign ministers of the three countries emphasised on the need to assist Afghanistan in fighting terrorism to ensure security, restoring peace and stability, and building a democratic nation.

Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna and his counterparts Yang Jia Chi (China) and Sergey Lavrou (Russia) strongly condemned terrorist attacks in all forms and stated that there could be no justification for any such act.

Stressing the need for international cooperation on the issue, the ministers stressed that all concerned must implement resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly, Security Council and anti-terror protocols.

Further, the three nations also discussed the impact of the global meltdown. The foreign ministers stated that there will be a common approach to enhance trade and business.

They also reiterated that there was a need for a comprehensive reform of the UN with a view to make it more efficient so that it can deal with the global challenges more effectively.

The Chinese and Russian ministers acknowledged that their countries attached importance to the status of India in international affairs and supported India’s aspirations to play a greater role in the United Nations.

The ministers also discussed the recent talks between Iran and representatives of the P5+1 (US, Britain, France, Russia and China plus Germany) and the European Union in Geneva and emphasised the need to achieve a political and diplomatic settlement of the nuclear imbroglio.

The next trilateral meeting will be held in China. The foreign ministers of India and China will meet later in the afternoon for talks. The meeting is expected to revolve around the rising tensions between the two countries.

Serial killer nabbed

In a shocking incident, a serial killer in Mangalore has confessed to killing 18 girls in the past five years. He made the confession following his arrest on Wednesday by the Mangalore police.

Mohan Kumar, 46, a primary school teacher, who is a resident of Kanyana in Bantwal taluk, confessed to the police that he had murdered 18 girls. He said that he resigned from the post of school teacher in the year 2003 following which he committed the murders.

The police say that Kumar used to approach the girls and tell them that they resembled someone he knew. He used to then strike a conversation with them, asking them about their caste and family background. After a couple of meetings, he promised to marry them without insisting on dowry.

In some cases he was rejected, but in some he got his way. He then used to invite the girl to the temple and marry them. Later he took them home and had sex with them. The next day he used to tell them that they had unprotected sex and hence they needed to have some medicine. He then offered them some powder — which was actually cyanide.

He has duped girls and murdered them since the past five years, the police informed. He comitted crime in places between Mangalore, Mysore, Madikeri, Bengaluru

Mohan Kumar in Mangalore police's custody. Photograph courtesy: Dayanand Kukkaje/Daiji World

and Hassan, the police also revealed. In most of the cases he decamped with the girl’s jewellery.

 

 

In his confession, Kumar said that he did all this to satisfy his sexual urge and at times to get a hold of jewellery the girl had. He also said that he had been married thrice before indulging in such acts. He also confessed that one of his wives was still around.

Western Range Director General of Police Gopal Hosur said that they got a tip off about his antecedents through a girl who Kumar tried to take for a ride. 

This Is It

Blow to FICN racket probe

Majid Manihar’s death in Nepal has dealt a body blow to the ongoing probe into the Inter Services Intelligence-sponsored fake Indian currency racket.

Manihar, who the police describe as the kingpin in the racket, was found dead in a hotel in Nepal two days ago with bullet wounds all over his body.

The interrogation of Sudhanshu Sudhakar, an ex-army man arrested in Patna and Ateeq Ansari and Rajesh Gupta arrested in Uttar Pradesh last month, revealed certain startling details regarding this racket.

The three of them had spoken in length about fake currency and its link with the ISI, Dawood Ibrahim gang and also the former crowned prince of Nepal, Paras.

Manihar was picked up from India and trained by the ISI two decades ago.

At least five years ago, he was sent into Nepal where he was asked to oversee the fake currency business along with Sudhakar. IB sources say though both Sudhakar and Manihar operated as first-level operators, the latter had a better bonding with the ISI. Manihar was the man who set up the supply route between Nepal and India and he took overall charge of the same.

IB sources told rediff.com that he was also directly in contact with Paras who was also involved in the racket.

Why did he die? Following the interrogation of Sudhakar and two others in India, it was evident that getting hold of Manihar would solve a huge problem for India. After collecting evidence against Manihar and his direct ISI link, Indian agencies were all set to seek his extradition from Nepal.

The ISI realized that India if India managed to get hold on Manihar, this would spell doom for their racket operating out of Nepal. The most important aspect in the fake currency racket is the route that is being used to pump in fake currency and this was an aspect that Manihar was well versed with.

Sources say that the ISI is known for such operations and even in the past they have killed people who are about to get arrested.

Another worry for the ISI was that the Uttar Pradesh police had managed to get a hold of Vicky Manihar, who happens to the son of Manihar. The cops managed to corroborate a lot of information from Vicky. Vicky revealed that fake currency was being printed in Lahore. He also gave details as to how it was transported from Pakistan into Nepal.

The Venky you did not know

Nobel Laureate will now always precede Venkatraman Ramakrishnan’s name. But for Professor Umesh Varshney at the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru he will remain Venky. Professor Varshney, who teaches at the IISc’s microbiology and cell biology department, has known Venky since the latter was a G N Ramachandran Fellow at the institute. “For us, he is a complete scientist, always committed to his work. I have hosted Venky several times at the IISc after he left India and he always obliged. Every time he came down, we discussed a lot of science and, I must say, every interaction with him was memorable. The last time I met him was in December 2008. He promised to return this December. I must ensure that. I am sure there will be a lot of chasing around considering he has won the Nobel,” says Professor Varshney with a laugh.

“We have also met several times at international conferences, and each time we have made it a point to catch up for dinner.” “What strikes me the most about Venky is his simplicity. He is a great scientist and has loads of knowledge, but the way he talks to any person — be it a great scientist or a child — is unique. Anybody can be at ease speaking to him. This quality of putting people at ease is a trait that is extremely enviable and I must say most scientists do not possess it.”

 ”While at the IISc, most of our interactions were based on science. However we did make it a point to go out for dinner very regularly. A lot of people kick back after a hard day’s work with a drink. But for Venky, alcohol was never an option. This man never even touched a glass of beer. However, the interactions were great and at no point was there was a moment when he felt left out from a conversation.”

Professor Varshney has been witness to Professor Venkatraman being a great teacher and a great friend to his students. “Students had a special attachment towards him. They found themselves to be in a comfort zone when they were with him. The manner in which he handled the students was worth watching. Usually, scientists talk in a manner which many people do not understand. But the way Venky could simplify things and explain them was simply amazing.”

 ”Apart from his work, Venky made it a point never to miss a music show. His other passion was Carnatic music. Whenever he managed to get some time, he would make it a point to attend a music show. There have been several times when his students have accompanied him on such shows.” “Venky is a complete and great scientist,” says Professor Varshney. “He hails from a family of scientists — both his father and sister are reputed scientists. A very rare trait that Venky has is he not only speaks of his own work, but also integrates the work of other scientists. This is what makes Venky a perfect and a very great scientist.”

HRW report highlights dismal maternal healthcare in India

Thousands of Indian women are dying of medical complications during pregnancy, during childbirth and in the weeks after giving birth, says a report by the Human Rights Watch. The 150-page report, which was released on Wednesday, states that such deaths are occurring despite the government programmes guaranteeing free obstetric health care.

The report ‘No Tally of the Anguish: Accountability in Maternal Health Care in India’ documents the repeated failures — both in providing health care to pregnant women in Uttar Pradesh and in taking steps to identify and address gaps in health care.

Uttar Pradesh has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in India, but government surveys show that it is not alone in struggling with these problems, and most state authorities have failed to even record the number of women dying.

The report cites numerous examples of cases in which breakdowns in the system resulted in the tragic death of the patient.

The HRW cites the example of Kavita K from UP, who had developed post-partum complications, but the local community health centre was unable to treat her, according to her father, Suraj S, who said the family then tried to take her to government hospitals in three different towns.

From Wednesday to Sunday — for five days — we took her from one hospital to another,” he told Human Rights Watch. “No one wanted to admit her. In Lucknow , they admitted her and started treatment. They treated her for about an hour, and then she died.”

India created a flagship programme — the National Rural Health Mission — in 2005 to improve rural health, with a specific focus on maternal health. The programme promises ‘concrete service guarantees’, including free care before and during childbirth, in-patient hospital services, comprehensive emergency obstetric care, referral in case of complications, and postnatal care. But the system is not working as it should in many cases, Human Rights Watch research showed.

The report identified critical shortcomings in the tools used to monitor the health care system and identify recurring flaws in programmes and practice. While accountability measures, such as monitoring how and why women die or are injured, or how many pregnant women with complications can use the government’s emergency obstetric facilities, may seem dry or abstract, they are critical to intervening in time to make a difference and to saving the lives of women.

The major gaps in the system identified by Human Rights Watch are:
The failure to gather necessary information at the district level about where, when, and why deaths and injuries are occurring and whether women with pregnancy complications get access to emergency obstetric care.

The absence of accessible grievance and redress mechanisms, including emergency response systems.

“India has recognized that thousands and thousands of its women are dying unnecessarily, and it could be leading the world in reversing that deadly pattern,” said Aruna Kashyap, researcher at HRW. “But for all India’s good intentions, the system still leaves many women at risk of death or injury.”

The research for the report was conducted between November 2008 and August 2009, and included field research and interviews with victims, families, medical experts, officials and human rights activists in Uttar Pradesh and elsewhere in India. Researchers reviewed government surveys and reports by local and international non-governmental organisations.

The investigations in Uttar Pradesh also show that while health authorities are upgrading public health facilities, they still have a long way to go. The majority of public health facilities have yet to provide basic and comprehensive emergency obstetric care. Many have a health worker trained in midwifery, who can do little to save the life of a pregnant woman unless supported by a functioning health system, an adequate supply of drugs, emergency care, and referral systems for complications.

The reality is far different from what is guaranteed to women on paper.

Niraja N, a health worker who routinely accompanies pregnant women to health facilities so they can give birth, told Human Rights Watch, “Nothing is free for anyone. What happens when we take a woman for delivery to the hospital is that she will have to pay for her cord to be cut, for medicines, some more money for the cleaning. The staff nurse will also ask for money. They do not ask the family directly.”