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Political Notes

	December 18, 2006

Tough counter-terrorism doctrine in the offing



Facing high level threats from a number of terrorist outfits, the Manmohan Singh Government is giving finishing touches to a tough counter-terrorism doctrine. The policy framework of the doctrine has been prepared by the Intelligence Bureau after detailed consultations with the State police forces. The doctrine rules out negotiating release of terrorists in situations like a hijack, apart from aiming at persuading hostage takers to surrender, or create a time cushion for action by anti-terror squads.



The new doctrine is likely to be put up before the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) soon.





7/11 Mumbai train blasts case : Pak complicity established



Confessional statements of 11 men suspected of having carried out the 7/11 terrorist strikes in Mumbai clearly bring out Pakistan’s complicity. All the statements have been retracted, but under the special anti-terror law in Maharashtra, they are admissible as evidence in court. The confessions tell a story of conspiracy, planned and executed at the behest of Pakistan’s intelligence agency (ISI). The confessions are reported to have been submitted in a special court ahead of the trial.





Terrorist threat in Goa



Warnings have come in from Israel about a possible terror attack in Goa during the peak Christmas New Year tourist season. Israel’s anti-terrorist unit has asked the country’s nationals to stay away from Goa during the period after intelligence reports indicated a possible attack by Al Qaeda.



Goa’s DIG has said that security has been tightened to counter any possible terror threat.



In the national capital, Delhi, two militants of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, have been arrested along with 1.5 kg of RDX and Rs. 6 lakhs in cash.





Parliament attack case anniversary



Parliament functioning was affected on December 13, anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack when BJP and Shiv Sena members demanded immediate hanging of Mohd. Afzal, a convict in the Parliament attack case. Home Minister Shivraj Patil said the law would take its own course in the Mohd. Afzal case.



The same day, i.e Dec. 13, Mohd. Afzal filed, what is called a Curative Petition in the Supreme Court seeking reconsideration of the death sentence awarded to him. In the petition, Afzal has said that he was denied a fair trial in the sessions court as the Judge failed to follow the laid down procedure.



In a related development, family members of the nine victims of the Parliament attack have returned the gallantry medals to the Government in protest against the delay in the execution of Mohd. Afzal.





NDA ends BAC boycott



The National Democratic Alliance has ended its boycott of the Business Advisory Committee meetings after Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee assured the Opposition alliance that he will, as always, keep the issues raised by the opposition in mind. The problem arose when the Speaker conducted business including a discussion under Rule 193 amidst din. The BJP wanted a clear assurance from the Chair that business will not be conducted amidst disorder unless it was an urgent financial matter or a bill aimed at replacing an ordinance. The Speaker did not give such an assurance in black and white, but BJP leaders believe that henceforth, their concerns would be better addressed.



In the meantime, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said on December 15 that tainted members did not dominate Parliament as only 40 among the 545 Lok Sabha MPs had serious criminal cases against them. He made the remarks at a seminar in New Delhi.





NCP thrown out of LDF in Kerala



The ruling Left Democratic Front in Kerala, has asked the Nationalist Congress Party, currently being led in the state by former Chief Minister K. Karunakaran to leave the alliance. LDF convener V. Viswan said in Thiruvananthapuram that the decision to ask the NCP to leave the LDF was taken unanimously. Earlier, LDF had decided not to accommodate the DIC(K) in the LDF. DIC(K) later merged in the NCP.





Andhra Chief Minister surrenders surplus land



The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister has decided to surrender over 310 acres of family land which was above the permissible limit of the Land Ceiling Act. But the move backfired with the Opposition demanding Rajsekhara Reddy’s resignation, alleging that he possessed the excess land despite being aware of the law.



Observers see the surrender of the land by the Chief Minister as a move to target media baron Ramoji Rao and Congress Rajya Sabha MP and newspaper publisher Girish Sanghi. Both of them were served notices soon after the Chief Minister surrendered his land to the District Collector.



The Congress has alleged that several opposition leaders including former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of the Telugu Desam are also holding land in violation of the law. The CPI(M) and the BJP have sought the Chief Minister’s resignation and his prosecution.





Maoists hijack train



A group of about 40 Maoists hijacked a passenger train on the border of West Bengal and Jharkhand on December 10 and snatched wireless communication equipment from its guard and driver and two rifles from police constables before fleeing. Passengers were not harmed, but the constables received injuries. This is the second instance in a year of Maoists seizing a train in Jharkhand.





Police officer awarded capital punishment for custodial death



In an unprecedented order, a Delhi court has awarded capital punishment to a police officer for a custodial death. The fast track court held R.P. Tyagi, retired Assistant Commissioner of Police, guilty of torturing a young man to death at a police station in East Delhi way back in 1987. The court held that the crime fell in the category of “the rarest of rare” cases. Additional Sessions Judge Rajinder Kumar said, “Torture by a law enforcing agency is like cancer in the blood. A murder by a police officer and that of a victim in his custody should be dealt with seriously.” The court said that the retired ACP deserved death by hanging “as it might serve as a deterrent for other such public servants of this armed force duty-bound to protect life and liberty of subjects.”