Manohar Parrikar had to intervene to sort out a transfer case of a DRDO technician, after 2 BJP leaders took differing sides in the marital row, reports Manu Pubby.
Caught in Tussle Between BJP Leaders, Parrikar Walks Tightrope on Transfer
Manu Pubby, New Delhi:
SORTING OUT A TRANSFER CASE It appears to be a long-standing marital dispute Minister finds time after surgical strikes to counsel DRDO technician
Defence minister Manohar Parrikar had to find time out of a busy schedule just two days after the surgical strikes into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to sort out a transfer case involving a junior technician, after two BJP leaders took differing sides in what appears to be a long-standing marital dispute.
Parrikar, who was in Dehradun on October 1, met the junior technician -Subodh Kumar -who works with the Defence Research and Development Organisation at the Jolly Grant airport, counselling him to take up the transfer.
The reason for the defence minister to get involved is a tussle between two BJP leaders.
While one side has been in touch with the defence ministry to post Kumar out from Dehradun to Kanpur, the other side has sent representations to Parrikar to stall the transfer, citing ill health of his parents and the condition of his disabled brother.
Former Uttarakhand chief minister and Member of Parliament Ramesh Pokhriyal `Nishank’ wrote to Parrikar in September, asking him to stall the posting on the request of Kumar’s parents.On the other side is the BJP’s rep resentative from Saharanpur, Raghav Lakhanpal, who Kumar says has been in touch with the ministry to get him posted out.
“There has been pressure from Mr Lakhanpal who is known to my wife’s family to get me posted out. But my side of the story was never heard, I was asked to report to Kanpur with an assurance that I will be posted back soon,“ Subodh Kumar told ET.
The defence ministry did not respond to a detailed questionnaire sent by ET and despite repeated efforts Raghav Lakhanpal did not offer any comments. Letters and meeting records accessed by ET reveal that Manohar Parrikar is walking a tightrope in the case.On her part, the wife has alleged in her representation to the ministry that Kumar was abusive and was troubling her for the past year.
ANI | Sep 11, 2016,- The Times of India VADODARA: With the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) writing to Brazilian company Embraer, seeking details on a report that it employed an agent to sell three EMB 145 aircraft to the DRDO in 2008, defence minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday asserted that if the issues display a criminal nature, then it will be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Speaking to the media here, Parrikar stated he has asked the DRDO to submit a complete report on the matter on Monday, and it will be only after that that he can make a concrete statement.
“I am not going to give a knee-jerk reaction and just make a statement based on rumours. I have asked for a report, which will be submitted on Monday, and if the issues are of a criminal nature, then we can forward this case to the CBI for a criminal investigation. If there are just procedural issues, then we can do an internal investigation,” Parrikar said.
Admitting that he was himself unaware on several nuances of the issue since it happened in 2008, the defence minister reiterated that he will make a composite statement on the case only after he gets the report on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has asked the Centre to probe the aircraft bribery allegations linked to manufacturers of the Embraer.
A joint US-Brazil investigation into Embraer has uncovered a bribery case leading to a deal signed between the company and DRDO in 2008 for three aircraft equipped with indigenous radars for AEW&C (airborne early warning and control systems).
The company has been under the scanner of the United States Justice Department since 2010 after a contract with the Dominican Republic raised suspicions.
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By MEERA MOHANTY & Manu Pubby, ET Bureau | 11 May, 2015, 07.04AM IST
NEW DELHI: Terrorists, irrespective of wherever they may be operating from, should be neutralised using all types of methods, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar told ET in an exclusive interview. He elaborated that “neutralisation” doesn’t necessarily mean killing terrorists but making them “ineffective.”
Parrikar also criticised ex-BJP minister Arun Shourie, saying the latter “does not have the full brief on what is happening”. Shourie had recently said the Narendra Modi government was faltering on policymaking and delivery.
Responding to a question on how India should deal with terrorists in foreign territory, the defence minister said: “A terrorist has to be neutralised-…Certain issues cannot be discussed but I feel that for any enemy of the country, all types of methods should be used to neutralise them.”
“Neutralising does not mean just killing…it means any method that makes them non-functional – get him to jail or to make him ineffective in any manner,” Parrikar added.
In his wide-ranging interaction with ET covering several key policy areas, Parrikar also set out the exact figure on India’s manufacturing share of the Rafale fighter jet project – France will need to spend 50% of the contract value, almost four billion dollars, as investments in the Indian defence and aerospace sector. The minister said the Rafale jet project will “unleash Make-in- India”.
Parrikar also said that with India buying around 36 Rafale jets for now, government savings on this project is likely to be up Rs 60,000-65,000 crore. This money, Parrikar said, will be used to accelerate defence manufacturing in India, including speeding up the long-ingestation Light Combat Aircraft. The minister said LCA will be inducted in large numbers, up to 200 fighters or 10 squadrons.
Parrikar linked low levels infiltration from Pakistan and fewer incidents of cross-border firing this year to Indian forces’ strong retaliation to “misadventures”.
Acknowledgingthat defence forces face an issue on resources, the minister said all three wings, army, air force and navy, must prioritise spending. All three wings have been asked to make a list of must-have items, Parrikar said. He said Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) would have a new head by May 24.
DRDO will also have a separate Scientific Advisor, who will be attached to the ministry for independent advice. Parrikar said for important projects he will form consortiums of all stakeholders from the government system, it won’t be just DRDO taking all the critical decisions.If the army has to operate in the Jammu & Kashmir, it needs AFSPA: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar
By Manu Pubby & MEERA MOHANTY, ET Bureau | 11 May, 2015, 03.20AM IST
In an interview with ET, Parrikar spoke on alleged Mumbai attack mastermind Lakhvi, changes in defence procurement and PM Modi’s detractors.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar opened up to ET on a range of issues — from modernisation of the armed forces to reforms and policy changes. In an interview with ET, Parrikar spoke on alleged Mumbai attack mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, changes in defence procurement, and PM Narendra Modi’s detractors.
Do the forces have enough money to modernise? There have been voices of a fund crunch from the three armed forces and some concerns in terms of low spending on the military.
As a percentage of total expenditure of the government of India, the spending on defence has gone up from 12.2% two years back to 13.8% this year. I think that the wise use of money is more important than just having more amount of spending on defence. I am working on it and that is why I have been asking the forces for their priorities. On the Rafale deal, for example, we are ordering just 36. If we had ordered 126, it would have been 3.75 times the cost. Yes, there are money issues but spending more effectively is more important.
What are the next steps in the Rafale deal and how will it be linked to the Made in India concept?
The basic message is that the Rafale deal has been restricted in number. By doing this, we will free about Rs 60,000-65,000 crore – money which will be used for Make in India. Even in the Rafale deal, we will have 50% offsets. So this will take care of partial Make in India. But more than that, we now have money released for activities that can be carried out in improving and speeding up the LCA (Light Combat Aircraft). We can have 10-12 squadrons as MiG 21 replacements.
The army says infiltration has come down on the Line of Control but there are indications that the international border controlled by the BSF has seen more activity. What do you attribute this to?
The IB comes under the home ministry so I cannot comment on it but in the last 2-3 months things have been calm. There was some cross-border firing in October-January but that has come down. You cannot stop someone else from doing something but when there was a proper retaliation, the resolve was clearly indicated through our reaction to their misadventure. As of now (firing) has come to a substantial low level. On the army border (LoC), the firing is way down because of stricter action that has been planned.
How do you deal with a terrorist like Lakhvi who operates from across the border?
A terrorist has to be neutralised. I am not using the word for a “suspected terrorist” but for someone we know is a terrorist. Any terrorist who has acted against the interests of this country has to be brought to book, or, if he uses violent methods, should be neutralised. Certain issues cannot be discussed but I feel that for any enemy of the country, all types of methods should be used to neutralise them. Neutralise does not mean just killing, it means any method that makes them nonfunctional — get him to jail or to make him ineffective in any manner.
How is the ministry tackling issues of defence reforms, like the appointment of a new Chief of Defence Staff and the revamping of DRDO (Defence Research & Development Organisation)?
On a joint chief, we will take a view in May-June. Forward movements will be after two months. Let the DRDO chief come in (by May 25) — a lot of things will depend on that. Also, immediately a scientific advisor will also be appointed. In the meanwhile, reforms are being worked out. For example, we are forming a missile team with DRDO, air force, army and navy representatives that will go into the full ecosystem of missile requirements — what we require, how many we require and whether we can work out improvements will be discussed. We will do a similar system for helicopters and artillery.
On Make in India, there are several projects, from artillery guns to aircraft, being discussed. Do we have the resources and right policy for these to go through?
The financial provision will be taken care of. Make in India has nothing to do with finance but to do with making in India rather than importing. We are revamping the defence procurement procedure and have formed a committee on this under Dhirendra Singh, former home secretary, and seven-eight others. By June, it should be on board.
What are your views on the necessity of AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act) in J&K?
To continue or not with AFSPA in J&K is a decision of the home ministry…I will not express my views on it, but if the army has to operate in the area, it needs AFSPA. It is a necessity of operations and an operator cannot do without it.
PM Modi and his policies have recently come under attack from several from the BJP, including Arun Shourie.
An attack on Modi is nothing new. People always attack those who are important in the government. As far as Shourie is concerned, he does not have the full brief of what is happening. It is a nation of 125 cr people and getting results is not an easy task.
Readers’ opinions Madhu Asramam (kuwait) 36 Minutes ago If present defence minister is able to change the so called white elephant of DRDO in to an institution which can meet the challenge of delivering most sophisticated weapons to Indian defence forces-things are to be unpredictable. But it is not sure when it will be achievable.
To 28th July 2014
Hon’ble
Shri Narendra Modi
Prime Minister
Room No. 152, PMO
South Block,
New Delhi-110011
Subject
Non-Implementation of DOPT, Govt. of India, Office Memorandums regarding submission of IPR and put the same in Public Domain in Defence Research & Development Organisation, Min. of Defence
Implementation of IPR Information System in DRDO
Hon’ble Sir,
Good Governance is core issue for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). One aspect of Good Governanceis defined as “Our model of good governance ensures that even the tallest leaders and top bureaucrats are answerable to an ordinary citizen, hailing from any part of India. The Government believes in operating in complete transparency, with every file andofficial record open for public scrutiny, except when these may endanger national security” on BJP website
Main characteristics of Good Governance are Transparency, Accountability and Zero tolerance for Corruption-Eradication of Corruption and Rule of Law.
Sir, I would like to quote your message “Lack of good governance is like diabetes which affects each and every part of the body” and “We did not get surajya (good governance) after swaraj (independence)”.
In ceremony of release of BJP Manifesto you told “DO MOOL BATON KO LEKAR HUM AAGE BADH RAHE HAIN”- First is Good Governance and second is Development.
Sir, very humbly I would quote the News – On June 4, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi met all his 77 secretaries at his 7, Race Course Road residence with a call forsuggestions. “Tell me how to run my Government“.
As a matter of fact, you might agree that Government Servants are backbone of Government System and without support of them Government can’t function, as evident form your statement to secretaries of Government of India.
Sir, It is general perception today that “Corruption is a Termite for India”. Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. Corruption whether in cash or kind lead generation to black money? The major source of investment of black money is immovable property as lack of implementation of transparency system in records of immovable property, it is very difficult to search & assess the value of immovable property whether declared or non-declared by an individual.
Government Employees are bound by two statutory rules, one for conduct (CCS (Conduct) Rules 1964) and other for discipline (CCS (CCA) Rules 1965).
Government felt that all Government Officers (Group ‘A’) should declare their IPR regularly every year under the provisions of Rule 18(1) (ii) of CCS (Conduct) Rules 1964. Therefore, DOPT, Government of India issued various Office Memorandums to all Ministries/Departments/Organisations under Central Government regarding submission of IPR and place the same in Public Domain. These OMs are as follows:
i. N0.11013/3/2011-Estt.A dated 11th April 2011
ii. NO. 11013/3/2011-Estt. (A) dated 23 May 2011
iii. F.No. 11013/3i2011-Estt. (A) dated 8th June 2011
iv. F.No. 110131312011-Estt.(A) dated 23rd September 2013
In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 59 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, the Government of India has notified the rules to provide for furnishing of information and annual return containing declaration of assets and liabilities by public servants as on 31st day of March every year, to the competent authority. Copy of the DO Letter D.O. No. 5(1)/2014 – EO (PR) dated 25th July 2014 issued by DOPT is annexed.
DOPT implemented these OMs fully for IAS and other cadres directly under it and put IPR of all officers in prescribed form for IPR issued by DOPT. Software known as IAS Officer’s IPR Information System also uploaded on DOPT website by which every citizen can get the latest signed and duly filled copy IPR 2013 in prescribed Performa issued by DOPT. Recently DOPT is going to upload its latest developed software “Property Related Information System (PRISM)” by 01.08 2014 for online uploading of assets and liabilities.
DOPT issued a prescribed format for declaration of Immovable Property by Government Officers. Copy of the IPR form is annexed. Most of the Ministries/Departments/Organisations under Central Government implemented the OMs of DOPT regarding placing of IPR in public domain by updating every year and recent IPR 2013 is available on websites of these Ministries/Departments/Organisations.
Sir, recently you also asked your ministers to submit property details to by July-end despite they have already declared their assets to Election Commission in the recent elections in 2014.This shows your commitment towards Transparency and Anti-Corruption in Government of India.
Despite all facts narrated above, there is one organisation under Ministry of Defence that has assumed that it is exempted from rules framed by DOPT, Government of India.This organisation is Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO).
This organisation is having a budget of approx. Rs. 11500 crore in Finance Bill 2014-15 out of which DRDO is spending 48-50% in procurement. So about Rs.5500 crore is being expenditure in procurements. The major source of corruption is procurement and best source for investment of back money is immovable property at manipulated cost.
Transparency and corruption are correlated like light and darkness. Simply where transparency is maintained there will be no corruption and where no transparency in the system then definitely corruption exists there. DRDO chief do not believe in transparency and rule of law the two main features of Good Governance. It can be simply established by non-placing IPR 2013 of 7500 Scientists of DRDO including Shri Avinash Chander and 11 Director General & Chief Controllers.
On perusal of DRDO website, I found surprising facts which stunned me and forced me to write irresponsible fact of DRDO to Hon’ble Prime Minister Sir. Since 2011 the IPRs of all DRDO Scientist including Shri Avinash Chander has not been updated. DRDO is grossly violating the DOPT; Government of India OMs regarding placing of every year updated IPR in public domain. Besides this DRDO is not using the prescribed Form of IPR specified by DOPT and not placed copies of these IPR 2013 duly signed by individuals on its website?
Sri Avinash Chander chief of DRDO is holding the three posts under Government of India viz DGR&D, Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri and Secretary, Defence R&D. Why he is not maintaining transparency and Rule of law in IPR matter in DRDO? The answer is quite understandable in light of above narrated facts. Besides Sri Avinash Chander, Dr. A.K. Singh, Director, Directorate of Personnel (DOP) is fully responsible for such kind of wilful and gross negligence in non-implementation of Government of India orders regarding placing of IPR 2013 in public domain in prescribed Performa.
Sir, for your kind perusal following documents is annexed as follows:
i. IPR Form issued by DOPT.
ii. Snaps of IAS IPR Information System.
iii. IPR details of Sri Avinash Chander, Secretary, DR&Dand SA to RM, Dr. V. Bhujanaga Rao, DG (NS&M) and Dr. A.K. Singh, Director, DOP of 2011 in tabular form available on DRDO website. (Not in DOPT IPR Form)
Sir, non-transparency indicates corruption in the organisation. So I humbly request you to take stern action against the officers in DRDO responsible for such kind of gross violation of Government of India orders & policies for Good Governance and give directive to Sri Avinash Chander, DGR&D and Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri, Secretary, DRD for managing to upload the IPR 2013 of all 7500 Scientists of DRDO and implementation of IPR Information System of DOPT in DRDO.
Hon’ble Defence Minister, Ministry of Defnce, South Block, New Delhi
Hon’ble Minister of State, Min. of Personnel, PG & Pensions, North Block, New Delhi.
LIST OF ANNEXURES
i. N0.11013/3/2011-Estt.A dated 11th April 2011
ii. NO. 11013/3/2011-Estt. (A) dated 23 May 2011
iii. F.No. 11013/3i2011-Estt. (A) dated 8th June 2011
iv. F.No. 110131312011-Estt.(A) dated 23rd September 2013
v. DO Letter D.O. No. 5(1)/2014 – EO (PR) dated 25th July 2014 of DOPT
vi. IPR Form issued by DOPT.
vii. Snaps of IAS IPR Information System
viii. IPR 2011 of Sri Avinash Chander, Secretary, DRD& DGR&D, DRDO
ix. IPR-2011 of Dr. V. BhujanagaRao, DG(NS&M), DRDO
x. IPR-2011 of Dr. A.K. Singh, Director, DOP, DRDO
xi. Budget of DRDO 2014-2015
DOPT-OM-N0.11013.-3-.2011-Estt.A-dated-11th-April-2011DOPT OM NO. 11013/3/2011-Estt. (A) dated 23 May 2011DOPT F.No. 11013/3i2011-Estt. (A) dated 8th June 2011DOPT F.No. 110131312011-Estt.(A) dated 23rd September 2013DO Letter D.O. No. 5(1)/2014 – EO (PR) dated 25th July 2014 of DOPTIPR Form issued by DOPTSnaps of IAS IPR Information SystemIPR 2011 of Sri Avinash Chander, Secretary, DRD& DGR&D, DRDOIPR-2011 of Dr. V. Bhujanaga Rao, DG(NS&M), DRDOIPR-2011 of Dr. A.K. Singh, Director, DOP, DRDOBudget of DRDO 2014-2015
They were allegedly plotting to assassinate BJP politicians, Hindutva leaders and journalists
The Central Crime Branch of the Bangalore police arrested six men from the city, including an English newspaper reporter, and five from Hubli on Wednesday on charges of plotting a terrorist attack in the State.
Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, the Director General and Inspector General of Police Lalrokhuma Pachau said that the accused were plotting to assassinate prominent politicians, Hindutva leaders as well as some journalists. He dismissed earlier claims by police officers, who told reporters on the condition of anonymity, that the Uttar Pradesh police was involved in the operation.
In a release, the police claimed that they recovered a 7.65 mm pistol and seven live rounds from those arrested in Bangalore. The police said that the accused were “working for the Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Harkat-ul-jihad-al-islami”.
Among those arrested was 26-year-old Muthi-ur-Rahman Siddiqui a reporter who covered the higher education beat for the English daily Deccan Herald. He was arrested on Wednesday from his flat in Mubarak Mohalla of J.C Nagar along with his roommates who have been identified as MCA student Shoaib Ahmed Mirza, his brother and DRDO junior scientist Aijaz Ahmed Mirza (26), Abdullah Hakim Jamadar (25), Mohammed Yusuf Nalband (28), BCA graduate and salesman Riyaz Ahmed Byahatti (28).
Those arrested from Hubli have been identified as Ubedullah Imran (24), Mohammed Sadiq Lakshkar (28), Wahid Hussain (26) and Dr. Jaffar Iqbal Sholapur.
Police claimed that the group, which was allegedly linked to an international terror network, was under surveillance for the last four months. They were arrested just before they were to execute their plan, police claimed. The release also said that the accused are being investigated for their role in circulating SMSs and MMSs that led to panic among the city’s residents from northeast.
However, contesting police claims, A. M. Mirza, father of Shoaib and Aijaz Ahmed Mirza, said his sons had been framed as part of a “larger conspiracy.”
New Delhi: With the government admitting that “mischief ” by an insider was responsible for the scare over a routine movement of two Army units, the demand for a probe into the matter is gathering momentum amid indications that Army headquarters may itself seek an inquiry.
The issue figured in the meeting of Parliament’s standing committee on defence on Monday. Asaduddin Owaissi of UPA component MIM demanded a probe to get to the bottom of the manner in which a normal military exercise on the night of January 16 was portrayed as a sinister development. TOI had reported on April 5 that the alarm may have been raised by insiders ranged against the Army chief in a bitter factional feud.
Owaisi made the pitch to defence secretary Shashikant Sharma who had to appear before the panel for the second time to clear the air over the way sections of the government cranked up a routine military movement into an extraordinary and dangerous maneuver.
Owaisi’s demand coincided with a similar stand by the BJP. “What has the government done about the mischief makers?” asked party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar. The defence secretary repeated to the House panel the government’s stand: The suggestion that Army units in the exercise were actually flexing their muscle was based on “wrong inference” drawn from “conjectures”.
Tank ammo stocks low, Parl panel told
Presenting a sobering account of long-term as well as immediate challenges, senior IAF and Army brass told a parliamentary committee that while India’s window to catch up with China’s defence modernization thrust could close by 2017 or earlier, stocks of certain tank munitions are down to four days of reserves. Meanwhile, in an extraordinary step, the committee decided to call the three service chiefs to give an account of the state of preparedness of the forces. P 10 ‘MoD nod not mandatory for routine troop movement’
New Delhi: Defence secretary Shashikant Sharma rejected the premise of panic in the government that the concerned Army units did not inform the defence ministry in violation of protocol. Sharma said there was no procedure requiring units to inform MoD of routine movements.
The day also saw retired Army and Navy chiefs, Gen V P Malik and Admiral Arun Prakash, respectively, asking for a probe.
On Sunday, minister of state for defence Pallam Raju confirmed the widespread suspicion in the top echelons of the government that it was somebody, seen as reliable, who misrepresented an exercise by a mere two units consisting of a few hundreds of soldiers as a potentially dangerous situation.
The subsequent alert saw police being directed to slow down the “advancing” columns. Although CRPF sources have denied that their elite COBRA units were deployed and a ‘lookout’ was mounted at railway stations, many in the government consider it frightening that insiders could precipitate such a situation.
Eventually, it took an intervention by defence minister A K Antony to quell the panic. Antony is learnt to have dismissed the alert sign hoisted by the authorities as misplaced.
Significantly, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi parried a question on Raju’s statement in a TV interview.
Sections in the government seem to have come around to suspect that the artificial scare may have been scripted to prejudice the government against the Army chief, General V K Singh As it happened, January 16 was also the very day when General Singh had, in an unprecedented development, moved the Supreme Court to challenge defence ministry’s rejection of his claim for the revision of his date of birth.
Several senior military officers are of the belief that the government should promptly fix responsibility and take action against those who created the unnecessary scare over routine military movements. The “apolitical and disciplined” Army has been “insulted”, either because of ignorance or deliberate design, they contend.
Appeal to clean DRDO of corrupt and anti-national officials
While one side has been in touch with the defence ministry to post Kumar out from Dehradun to Kanpur, the other side has sent representations to Parrikar to stall the transfer, citing ill health of his parents and the condition of his disabled brother.
