Visit to Rahul Gandhi's house was a routine check: Delhi Police
The Congress on Saturday expressed outrage over a visit by the Delhi Police to the residence of party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, charging the government with "snooping" and carrying out "political espionage". The police, however, called the visit a routine part of a security audit. The party claimed that officers had visited Gandhi’s residence last week, where they asked for details such as the colour of his eyes and hair. Spokespersons for the party questioned the need for such an exercise, considering Gandhi had already been given the highest level of security in the country. “Rahul Gandhi is a famous person who has nothing to hide,” said senior leader PC Chacko. Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi, however, refuted the Congress’ claims. Bassi stated that the exercise was done for all members of Parliament on a regular basis. Gandhi, who is currently on a leave of absence, is expected to return to Delhi by the end of March.
Under Indian pressure, Pakistan detains Lakhvi for 30 days
Pakistan on Saturday detained Laskhar-e-Taiba commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi for 30 days under pressure from India. Lakhvi, who is the prime suspect in the Mumbai attacks case of November 2008, was detained under the ambit of the Maintenance of Public Order Act, a day after the Islamabad High Court had yesterday released him from detention under the same act. India welcomed the move, with an official from the Ministry of Home Affairs saying that Pakistan had to present all available evidence to oppose his bail hearing, due to take place on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Lakhvi’s lawyer Raja Rizwan Abbasi said that the new detention order was “unconstitutional”, and that it was a contempt of the Islamabad court’s order.
Modi visits war-ravaged Sri Lankan Northern Province
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Northern Province of Sri Lanka on Saturday, becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to do so. Modi’s visit comes a day after he called on the Sinhalese government to fully implement the constitutional provision of 1987, which calls for greater autonomy to the country’s Tamil minority. Modi, who was welcomed to the capital city of Jaffna by Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, visited the holy town of Anuradhapura. The Indian Government has been pressing Sri Lanka to implement the devolution of powers to the region, which has been ravaged by decades of ethnic conflict.
Cameron, Jaitley unveil Gandhi statue in London
A statue of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled in London on Saturday by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and British Prime Minister David Cameron. Also among those in attendance at the unveiling were Gandhi’s grandson Gopalkrishna Gandhi, and Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan. Cameron called the statue a “magnificent tribute” to Gandhi, and said that it celebrated the friendship between the world’s oldest and largest democracies. Jaitley, who had been invited specially for the unveiling, said that the statue was also a tribute to British civility, considering Gandhi had been once regarded as their adversary. Gandhi is the only person never to have held a public office to be given a statue in the square, which also includes the statue of South African President Nelson Mandela.
Army Chief says One Rank One Pension to be approved by April
The One Rank One Pension policy would be approved by the end of April, said Army Chief Dalbir Singh Suhag. Suhag told a rally of 17,000 ex-servicemen that pensions would be paid from April 1. The policy aims to ensure a uniform pension for defence personnel who retire at the same rank with the same length of service. However, Suhag ruled out the possibility of exempting veterans from paying income tax as it would be a violation of the principle of parity. The General has also sought a hike in the pay and allowances of soldiers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to a statement from the army.
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The Congress on Saturday expressed outrage over a visit by the Delhi Police to the residence of party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, charging the government with "snooping" and carrying out "political espionage". The police, however, called the visit a routine part of a security audit. The party claimed that officers had visited Gandhi’s residence last week, where they asked for details such as the colour of his eyes and hair. Spokespersons for the party questioned the need for such an exercise, considering Gandhi had already been given the highest level of security in the country. “Rahul Gandhi is a famous person who has nothing to hide,” said senior leader PC Chacko. Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi, however, refuted the Congress’ claims. Bassi stated that the exercise was done for all members of Parliament on a regular basis. Gandhi, who is currently on a leave of absence, is expected to return to Delhi by the end of March.
Under Indian pressure, Pakistan detains Lakhvi for 30 days
Pakistan on Saturday detained Laskhar-e-Taiba commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi for 30 days under pressure from India. Lakhvi, who is the prime suspect in the Mumbai attacks case of November 2008, was detained under the ambit of the Maintenance of Public Order Act, a day after the Islamabad High Court had yesterday released him from detention under the same act. India welcomed the move, with an official from the Ministry of Home Affairs saying that Pakistan had to present all available evidence to oppose his bail hearing, due to take place on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Lakhvi’s lawyer Raja Rizwan Abbasi said that the new detention order was “unconstitutional”, and that it was a contempt of the Islamabad court’s order.
Modi visits war-ravaged Sri Lankan Northern Province
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Northern Province of Sri Lanka on Saturday, becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to do so. Modi’s visit comes a day after he called on the Sinhalese government to fully implement the constitutional provision of 1987, which calls for greater autonomy to the country’s Tamil minority. Modi, who was welcomed to the capital city of Jaffna by Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, visited the holy town of Anuradhapura. The Indian Government has been pressing Sri Lanka to implement the devolution of powers to the region, which has been ravaged by decades of ethnic conflict.
Cameron, Jaitley unveil Gandhi statue in London
A statue of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled in London on Saturday by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and British Prime Minister David Cameron. Also among those in attendance at the unveiling were Gandhi’s grandson Gopalkrishna Gandhi, and Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan. Cameron called the statue a “magnificent tribute” to Gandhi, and said that it celebrated the friendship between the world’s oldest and largest democracies. Jaitley, who had been invited specially for the unveiling, said that the statue was also a tribute to British civility, considering Gandhi had been once regarded as their adversary. Gandhi is the only person never to have held a public office to be given a statue in the square, which also includes the statue of South African President Nelson Mandela.
Army Chief says One Rank One Pension to be approved by April
The One Rank One Pension policy would be approved by the end of April, said Army Chief Dalbir Singh Suhag. Suhag told a rally of 17,000 ex-servicemen that pensions would be paid from April 1. The policy aims to ensure a uniform pension for defence personnel who retire at the same rank with the same length of service. However, Suhag ruled out the possibility of exempting veterans from paying income tax as it would be a violation of the principle of parity. The General has also sought a hike in the pay and allowances of soldiers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to a statement from the army.
