LTC rule in focus after terror attack
The presence of several government employees, including two to three Intelligence Bureau personnel, at Baisaran meadow in Kashmir's Pahalgam may be a coincidence, but they had one thing in common: the government's revised policy of encouraging them to travel to the Union Territory on vacation. The Centre's tweaked Leave Travel Concession (LTC) norms encourage government employees to go on vacation to J&K and allow even a lower-grade official to avail of air travel facilities.
Among those killed include IB officer Manish Ranjan, Navy lieutenant Vinay Narwal, young Air Force Staff Corporal Tage Hailyang and an SBI employee Shaileshbhai Kalathiya, besides two more unidentified intelligence personnel. Incidentally, the government, in its list of those killed, marked Manish as 'Excise Inspector', but earlier at the incident spot, in the first-person account given by his family members, he was identified as an IB official. IB sources said, other than Manish, two more agency officials were vacationing in J&K and may have been hurt. 'In no way we can officially identify our officials dead or injured,' a source said. Manish was also on an LTC trip with his family when the attack unfolded.
One nation, one poll: Netas' blues
As the BJP pushes a nationwide campaign to build support for the 'One Nation, One Election' initiative, many political leaders, including some from the BJP, face an existential dilemma. They argue that this reform could jeopardise the political futures of many aspirants across parties. Typically, candidates who don't secure a Lok Sabha ticket turn to Assembly or municipal elections as alternative routes. However, with synchronised elections, this fallback option would disappear for the next five years. As one BJP leader put it, 'Without staggered elections, leaders risk losing relevance over time, and new contenders could emerge. The competition for tickets will become fiercer than ever.'
Condolences pour in from US
In his post-Pahalgam killing reaction, President Donald Trump, in his typical style, referred to India and Pakistan as close friends and expressed confidence that they would 'figure it out'—a variation of his usual tendency to offer mediation in global conflicts. Be that as it may, the outpouring of condolences and messages of solidarity from the United States was overwhelming. President Trump and Vice President JD Vance called Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Within three days of the attack, 75 members of Congress, 25 Senators, four governors, and almost all top US officials and the US Commission on International Religious Freedom sent in their condolences.
Synergy between Delhi govt & police
With the BJP in power in the NCT of Delhi, there appears to be a perfect synergy between the National Capital's police establishment and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. Recently, Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora was heard issuing quick orders on a missive the CM sent him. It is learnt that Delhi's top cop has asked the Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) heading the Capital's police districts that complaints related to the police department coming from Delhi CM's 'Jansunwai' programme must be responded to within three days and the response should also be forwarded to the Delhi government's vigilance unit. Gupta holds a 'Jansunwai' programme at her office thrice a week, during which she listens to public grievances.
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Hindustan Times
39 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Ladakh: Statehood issue yet to be addressed, say Kargil leaders
With the Union government notifying new rules for Ladakh, allowing reservation in government jobs for locals, a 15-year residency requirement for domicile status, one-third of seats in hill councils for women, and five official languages as part of efforts to safeguard the region's interests, the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) has said statehood is a big issue for it. At the same time, it also said 'something is better than nothing'. The KDA, along with the Leh Apex Body (LAB), has been spearheading an agitation in Ladakh, seeking statehood, safeguards enshrined under the sixth schedule of the Constitution and a separate public service commission (PSC) for the strategic Himalayan region. In 2023, the Union home ministry had formed a high-powered committee under minister of state Nityanand Rai to discuss ways to protect Ladakh's unique culture, considering its location and strategic importance. Reacting to the Centre's notifications, KDA's senior leader and political in-charge of Jamiat ul Ulama Isna Ashariya Kargil (JUIAK), Sajjad Hussain Kargili, said, 'Though it's good, women reservation was not a part of our four-point agenda. We have been agitating for legislature. Statehood is a big issue for us.' On domicile law, Kargili said, 'Something is better than nothing. In the past six years, not even a single gazetted post (job) has been given in Ladakh.' 'We also arrived at a consensus that domicile law of 15 years should be implemented prospectively. At the same time, we want it to be made 30 years. The government has assured us to consider it,' said Kargili. 'We hope that without further delay, the Ladkah administration will now advertise jobs,' he said. Congress' Tsering Namgyal, leader of the Opposition in Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council of Leh, welcomed 33% reservation for women in hill councils. He lambasted the Centre for fixing 15-year residency for domicile law and described it a ploy to change the demography of Ladakh. 'The LAB and the KDA wanted 1989 as the cut-off year to grant domicile certificates. This 15-year residency rule has been rejected by 80% to 90% people of Ladakh,' he said. Chering Dorjay Lakrook, ex-BJP minister and president of the Ladakh Buddhist Association, refused to make any comment. 'After we study them (notifications), we will address media on Wednesday. Till then, I have been asked not to talk to mediapersons,' he said. The Ladakh Civil Services Decentralisation and Recruitment (Amendment) regulation was notified days after the ministry and Ladakhi representatives met on May 27 and agreed to the rules, an official aware of the matter said. It defines a domicile for jobs for a person who has resided in the UT for 15 years, studied for seven years, and appeared for class 10 or 12 examinations in Ladakh. A similar policy was announced for Jammu and Kashmir in May 2020. The Union Territory of Ladakh Reservation (Amendment) Regulation, also notified on Tuesday, says the reservation shall in no case exceed 85% of the available vacancies, excluding reservation for economically weaker sections. The official cited above said 80% of vacancies are reserved for the region's majority, scheduled tribes (STs), 4% for those living along the Line of Actual Control or Line of Control, 1% for the scheduled castes and 10% for the economically weaker sections. The ministry had proposed 95% of the reservation for locals during discussions. The third notification provides for one-third seats for women in the hill councils by rotation to different territorial constituencies. The Ladakh Official Languages Regulation recognises English, Hindi, Urdu, Bhoti, and Purgi as the official languages and says that the administrator 'shall make special efforts for the promotion and development of other native languages of Ladakh: Shina (Dardic), Brokskat (Dardic), Balti and Ladakhi'.
India Gazette
44 minutes ago
- India Gazette
Great sympathy and understanding in UK for what India has gone through due to cross-border terrorism: Indian envoy Doraiswami
London [UK], June 4 (ANI): India's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Vikram Doraiswami, has said that there is great sympathy and understanding in the UK for what India has suffered due to cross-border terrorism that has emanated from Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled territory. In an interview with ANI, Doraiswami emphasised that India's ties with the UK have gained traction. The UK's approach to challenges that have persisted in South Asia has been much more understanding of India's concerns and more willing to respect that these problems need to be solved by India and Pakistan. Responding to questions about the all-party Indian delegation's meetings in the UK, Doraiswami said, 'I don't want to put words into either our parliamentarians' mouths or those of our British friends, but I think there was a great deal of receptivity to the message. There is great sympathy and understanding in the UK for what India has gone through in terms of our long and painful journey with cross-border terrorism that has emanated from Pakistan-controlled territory and the state of Pakistan. There is a great sense of understanding of the anger and hurt in India that this scourge just doesn't go away.' 'That said, of course, the UK has its own position. It's a sovereign government. It will take its own decisions, but in the last decade and more, we see a steady evolution as our relationship with the UK has gained weight, traction, and strategic dimensions. The UK's approach to challenges that have long persisted in South Asia has been much more understanding of our concerns, much more willing to respect the fact that these are problems that have to be solved by India and Pakistan and indeed all other problems in the region by the region. And that India's rise is, in broader terms, the greatest benefit of the Indo-Pacific region and the world as a whole. So, that sense comes through to all our parliamentarians,' he added. Doraiswami emphasised that the all-party delegation's visit was aimed at conveying the sentiments of Indian citizens, and India welcomed the international community's understanding of the country's need to ensure national security. When asked about the Indian delegation's expectations from the UK, he said, 'I shouldn't, we should never set out expectations of a friend. We have come here as far as I can understand from our parliamentary leaders, the people of India as representatives, that we are not here to seek favour from anybody. We are here to explain our position. We are here to point out what the people of India feel, and of course. We welcome the fact that our partners understand what we have to do, but we will do what we need to do to secure the people of India, any government of India, the current government in particular, are committed and will always remain committed to do whatever is necessary to secure our people, and that message has landed.' The all-party delegation, led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, was in the UK to garner widespread support for India's fight against terrorism and to expose Pakistan's role in fostering terrorism. The delegation led by Ravi Shankar Prasad includes BJP MPs Daggubati Purandeswari and Samik Bhattacharya, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, Congress MPs Ghulam Ali Khatana and Amar Singh, former Union Minister MJ Akbar, and former Ambassador Pankaj Saran. During the visit, they met with the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG)-India. They addressed the media there, during which the delegation delivered a strong message on the global threat of terrorism, highlighting Pakistan's misuse of international funds to support terrorism and arms proliferation. The delegation also received widespread support from British parliamentarians, think tanks, and the Indian diaspora for India's democratic unity and firm stance against terrorism. They were welcomed by APPG India President Sandy Verma, and the meeting was co-chaired by UK MPs Lord Karan Bilimoria and Jeevun Sandher. Many current and former MPs, including Lord Ed Vaizey, Bob Blackman, Barry Gardiner, Gurinder Singh Josan, Gagan Mohindra, Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, Kanishka Narayan, Shailesh Vara, Baggy Shanker, Mark Pritchard and others also joined the discussion. Ravi Shankar Prasad stated that during their time in the UK, the delegation met with key UK figures, including the Speaker of the House of Commons and Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel, emphasising the need for international accountability on terrorism financing amidst appreciation for India's democratic approach. Prasad highlighted the global concern over terrorism as a 'cancer' and called for scrutiny of Pakistan's use of international funds, noting the novelty of the all-party delegation initiative. 'This has been really good. Our visit to England concludes today. We held a press conference at the India House here; we met the Speaker of the House of Commons this morning. We met the Chairman of the Conservative Party yesterday; we also met Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel. We also met Indian Friends in the Labour Party... We also interacted with Think Tanks. All of them are concerned that terrorism is a cancer... We also said that they (Pakistan) get loans from the IMF and World Bank and they get other funding too. So, is the funding being used for terrorism and weapon purchases or for the poor? This should be asked of them... Everyone said one more thing: that the all-party Parliamentary delegation visit is a new initiative,' Prasad said. The delegation met UK Minister for Citizenship and Migration and Minister for Equalities Seema Malhotra at the UK Parliament. The delegation also held a meeting with the UK's Shadow Foreign Secretary, Priti Patel, and her team on Sunday to share India's firm resolve to counter cross-border terrorism. In a post on X, the Indian High Commission in the UK stated, 'The All-Party Parliamentary Delegation met with Shadow Foreign Secretary @pritipatel and her team to share India's firm resolve in combating cross-border terrorism. They also highlighted how #OperationSindoor exemplifies the new normal set by India in this ongoing effort.' An all-party delegation, led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, visited London as part of India's global outreach program to convey the country's firm stance against terrorism. (ANI)
India Gazette
44 minutes ago
- India Gazette
All-party delegation led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad arrives in Brussels
Brussels [Belgium], June 4 (ANI): An all-party parliamentary delegation, led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, arrived in Brussels after concluding their visit to the United Kingdom. India's Ambassador to Belgium, Saurabh Kumar, received them at the airport in Brussels. During the two-day visit, the delegation is scheduled to hold several meetings aimed at consolidating global consensus against cross-border terrorism. In a post on X, the Indian Embassy in Belgium and Luxembourg stated, 'On One Mission, One Message, One India. An All-Party Delegation led by Hon'ble Member of Parliament Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad was received by Amb @AmbSaurabhKumar upon arrival in Brussels. The visit, during which a series of meetings is scheduled over the next two days, aims to consolidate global consensus against cross-border terrorism.' The delegation led by Ravi Shankar Prasad includes BJP MPs Daggubati Purandeswari and Samik Bhattacharya, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, Congress MPs Ghulam Ali Khatana and Amar Singh, former Union Minister MJ Akbar, and former Ambassador Pankaj Saran. Earlier, the delegation, led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, visited the UK to garner widespread support for India's fight against terrorism and to expose Pakistan's role in fostering terrorism. The delegation received widespread support from British parliamentarians, think tanks, and the Indian diaspora for India's firm stance against terrorism. Ravi Shankar Prasad stated that during their time in the UK, the delegation met with key UK figures, including the Speaker of the House of Commons and Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel, emphasising the need for international accountability on terrorism financing amidst appreciation for India's democratic approach. Prasad highlighted the global concern over terrorism as a 'cancer' and called for scrutiny of Pakistan's use of international funds, noting the novelty of the all-party delegation initiative. 'This has been really good. Our visit to England concludes today. We held a press conference at the India House here; we met the Speaker of the House of Commons this morning. We met the Chairman of the Conservative Party yesterday; we also met Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel. We also met Indian Friends in the Labour Party... We also interacted with Think Tanks. All of them are concerned that terrorism is a cancer... We also said that they (Pakistan) get loans from the IMF and World Bank and they get other funding too. So, is the funding being used for terrorism and weapon purchases or for the poor? This should be asked of them... Everyone said one more thing: that the all-party Parliamentary delegation visit is a new initiative,' Prasad said. Congress MP Amar Singh emphasised the delegation's efforts to explain India's terrorism challenges and urged Pakistan's government to clarify its stance. 'We met several people here. We met the Speaker, Ministers, a few State Ministers, Labour MPs, and Conservative MPs. We have tried to explain how India is being affected by terrorism... We have also said how our neighbouring country troubles us again and again. Now, their Government has to decide what stand they take. But we have said everything we had to,' Singh stated. During the UK visit, the delegation met UK Minister for Citizenship and Migration and Minister for Equalities Seema Malhotra at the UK Parliament. The delegation also held a meeting with the UK's Shadow Foreign Secretary, Priti Patel and her team on Sunday to share India's firm resolve in countering cross-border terrorism. In a post on X, the Indian High Commission in the UK stated, 'The All-Party Parliamentary Delegation met with Shadow Foreign Secretary @pritipatel and her team to share India's firm resolve in combating cross-border terrorism. They also highlighted how #OperationSindoor exemplifies the new normal set by India in this ongoing effort.' An all-party delegation visited London as part of India's global outreach program to convey the country's firm stance against terrorism. This diplomatic outreach follows Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 as a decisive military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists, which claimed 26 lives. Indian Armed Forces targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of over 100 terrorists affiliated with groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. (ANI)
