- Written by: Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai (Secretary General World Kashmir Awareness)
NEW YORK (UNEDITED): The participants of the International Kashmir Conference adopted the âNew York Declarationâ unanimously. The conference which was organized by âInternational Educational Developmentâ at âChurch Center of the United Nationsâ was attended among others by the academics, researchers, the delegates from various United Nations Missions, representatives of the United Nations NGOâs, social and civil rights activists, political analysts and prominent Americans of South Asian origin.
For any information, please contact Dr. Fai at: [email protected]
UDHAMPUR: A Ceremonial Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) on the occasion of âDiwali Festivalââ was conducted on today at Indian BPM hut in Chushul Sector of Eastern Ladakh and at DBO in Eastern Ladakh. The Indian delegations were led by Brigadier RS Raman in Chushul and by Colonel BS Uppal in DBO. The Chinese delegations were led by Senior Colonel Cao Guasheng in Chushul and by Colonel Song Zhang Liin DBO.
The Ceremonial Border Personnel Meeting was marked by saluting the National flag of India by both the delegation members. This was followed by the ceremonial address by both delegation leaders which was composed of exchange of greetings and wishes and reflected the mutual desire of maintaining and improving relations at functional level at the border. Thereafter, a culture programme showcasing vibrant Indian culture and traditional grandeur and firework display was organised, followed by sumptuous lunch.
Both the delegations interacted in a free, congenial and cordial environment. The delegation parted amidst feeling of friendship and commitment towards enhancing the existing cordial relations and maintaining peace along the LAC. Both sides also sought to build on the mutual feeling to uphold the treaties and agreements signed between the Governments of the two sides to maintain peace and tranquility along the LAC.
UDHAMPUR: Indian and Russian Armies would be conducting a joint military exercise as a part of a continuing series of annual joint exercises under the banner âExercise INDRA-2015â. A 250 member strong Russian Army contingent would arrive in Bikaner for INDRA-2015 for the joint exercise to be held with the Indian Army from 07 November to 20 November 2015. Exercise INDRA-2015 is the seventh edition in a series of bilateral exercises under this banner. The joint exercise this year would focus on âCounter Terrorism Operations in Desert Terrain under a United Nations Mandateâ.
To achieve inter operability in joint operations in the future, troops from an Independent Russian Motorised Brigade and Indian Armyâs Infantry Battalion would initially acquaint themselves with the approach to such operations, Command and Control systems as well as arms and equipment of each other. The joint training would also focus on ensuring a high degree of physical fitness, tactical drills, techniques and procedures. A comprehensive training program for a period of four weeks has been worked out for the same. During the exercise, participants will engage in variety of missions including joint planning, Cordon and Search operations, Search and Rescue, joint tactical drills and special arms skills.
The exercise would be conducted in two phases, namely âCombat Conditioning & Tactical Trainingâ and âValidationâ phases. The exercise would be witnessed by senior Indian as well as Russian Generals. The broadened and unprecedented scope of the exercise stands as a testimony to the deep and mature, âpeople to peopleâ as well as âmilitary to militaryâ ties between Russia and India.
Kuala Lumpur: The Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar today expressed Indiaâs hope that all parties to the disputes in the South China Sea region will abide by the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, ensure its effective implementation and work together to ensure a peaceful resolution of disputes.
Addressing the 3rd ASEAN Defence Ministersâ Meeting (ADMM-plus) at Kuala Lumpur, Shri Parrikar said the situation in the South China Sea and recent developments there have attracted interest and concern. âThis is natural since freedom of navigation in international waters, the right of passage and over flight, unimpeded commerce and access to resources in accordance with recognized principles of international law including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, are of concern to all of usâ, he stated. He also hoped that the Code of Conduct on the South China Sea would be concluded at an early date by consensus.
Following is the full text of the Defence Ministerâs address:
âI am honoured to represent India at the 3rd Meeting of the ADMM-Plus. My delegation is grateful for the outstanding hospitality extended to us since our arrival yesterday. I would also like to thank our host, Malaysia, for the excellent arrangements made for this meeting.
In a short span of time since its foundation in 2010, the ADMM-Plus has emerged as a compact and useful forum for discussing security issues among officials of the Ministries of Defence of our region. Our meetings at the level of ministers and other activities undertaken under the aegis of the ADMM-Plus are contributing to greater trust and confidence within the region.
2015 is an important year for the ASEAN. We congratulate ASEAN on its impressive achievements and wish the ASEAN Community greater success. 2015 is also the 10th anniversary of the EAST Asia Summit, whose membership footprint matches with that of ours.
ASEAN is at the heart of Indiaâs âAct East Policyâ and is central to our dream of an Asian century. As neighbours and as countries belonging to the same region, India and ASEAN member states face common security challenges both traditional and non-traditional. The overriding priority for all of us is development and the transformation of the lives of our people. A peaceful and stable regional and international security environment is critical to our goal.
India has been working bilaterally and multilaterally with all the States represented here to enhance the security and stability of the region from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific. Our efforts include joint military exercises in areas such as disaster response and humanitarian assistance, training and capacity building in areas such as navigational safety and cyber security, exchange of perspectives and cooperation on counter terrorism and support for ASEAN-led initiatives for security cooperation.
ASEAN has also led useful and constructive discussions in the past couple of years on the regional security architecture. India was pleased to co-host with Cambodia, the 4th Workshop on the Regional Security Architecture in July this year. We welcome the very useful and constructive ideas presented by Indonesia, Thailand, China, Russia, Japan and others and we share the common assessment that any future framework must be cantered on the 18-member EAS as a premier leaders-led forum for dialogue on strategic issues thereby reinforcing ASEANâs centrality in the evolving architecture. India would like to see a closer relationship between the EAS and the ADMM-Plus.
The five areas of cooperation that we have identified for work in the ADMM-Plus, namely, HADR, maritime security, military medicine, counter terrorism and peace-keeping operations â have progressed well through the mechanism of Expert Working Groups (EWG). India was honoured to co-Chair within Vietnam the EWG on the new area of humanitarian mine action last year. We look forward to hosting ADMM-Plus experts in the joint Humanitarian Mine Action and UN peacekeeping Operations Field Training Exercise in March 2016 in India in Pune. Going forward, we should give thought to future areas of cooperation and dialogue beyond the 2014-17 cycle. In this regard, I propose that we look at the welfare of ex-servicemen and veterans as an area of exchange of national experiences.
We are all concerned with the persistent threat of terrorism and radicalism. There can be no justification for acts of terrorism and we have to work resolutely to choke off recruitments, funding and arms for terrorists. We commend Malaysiaâs initiative on Global Movement of Moderates and other efforts to combat radicalisation.
Maritime security is again a common challenge. The seas and oceans in our region are critical enablers of our prosperity. The situation in the South China Sea and recent developments there have attracted interest and concern. This is natural since freedom of navigation in international waters, the right of passage and over flight, unimpeded commerce and access to resources in accordance with recognized principles of international law including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, are of concern to all of us. India hopes that all parties to the disputes in the South China Sea region will abide by the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, ensure its effective implementation, and work together to ensure a peaceful resolution of disputes. We also hope that the Code of Conduct on the South China Sea would be concluded at an early date by consensus.
Let me conclude by assuring you, Mr Chairman, and all my colleagues in the ADMM-Plus our full cooperation in achieving the objectives we have set for this forum. We wish Malaysia all the very best with the Summits you would be hosting shortly.
I thank you for your attention.â
NEW DELHI: The Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh has emphasized on the need for maintaining transparency and accountability in the execution of road projects by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Addressing the Annual BRO Chief Engineersâ Conference 2015 at New Delhi today, the Minister who is also the Chairman Border Roads Development Board (BRDB) said the main concern in road construction is maintaining the quality in construction with transparency. âI am told that few steps have already been taken in this regard and few more are in the pipelineâ, he stated. He further added that there is a general awareness amongst the users and there is an increased aspiration in terms of riding quality and roadside amenities.
Speaking on environmental and ecological issues pertaining to construction of new roads in remote areas, the Minister reiterated that the Government has taken various policy decisions in easing-out procedures for according clearances to defence projects. All these initiatives will help executives and engineers on ground for faster construction of infrastructure in border areas. He also stressed on the need for the organisation to put in their best to fulfil the strategic needs of the country and to meet the requirements for the socio economic development of the region as a whole.
The Minister commended the organisation for doing excellent work in building roads in remote areas and achieving the targets set for construction of strategic roads which includes Indo-China border roads in north and north-eastern borders despite all odds. He also acknowledged rescue and rehabilitation works carried out by the Organisation despite adverse climatic conditions during the devastating floods in Jammu and Kashmir last year. Earlier the Minister was received by the DGBR Lt Gen RM Mittal on his arrival at BRO headquarters to address the conference.
SAHNEWAL: National Secretary BJP Kisan Morcha said that Every blood donor is a heroâ the human blood is of the same color. He said that It's a lesson from the youngsters of Punjab to each and every person especially to some Leaders of Punjab for now a days. Talking with the media persons after Inauguration a blood donation camp by Ahluwalia Youth GYM in Sahnewal, Grewal urged youngsters to participate in community activities and social service so that they would become good citizens. Grewal said that the youngsters would campaign for blood donation with a caption that âEvery blood donor is a heroâ.
Grewal asked youngsters to be the members of youth committees which were involved in adult education, sanitation improvement programme and protection of the environment. At this time Grewal also condemned the various incidents of Sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib have brought the Sikhs in India and around the world under immense Grief. Grewal called for Sikhs to pray for Peacefull Punjab and in this moment of remorse one should not celebrate Diwali as the Sacrilege of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji our Holy Guru.
Grewal said that during the day time there are peaceful protest whereas during late hours there are several elements who pose as Sikhs and try to disturb the protest by giving them radical colour, but the blood of human is of the same color. Grewal called every Punjabi to pray for peace and stability of Punjab. Now the State has been sign of prosperity and diversity in culture for whole of the nation but it's has been an easy target for the Politicians and political party's which feed on polarising the citizens in the name of religion and this does more harm than good. Grewal said over the course of last few months Chief Minister of Punjab Prakash Singh Badal have often referred to the dark old days of emergency and 1984.
He even went on to the extent of defining alliance in centre that Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party (SAD-BJP) alliance being a cultural alliance than being a political one and went on air saying he doesn't want to see those black days of 1984 again which was mainly aimed to instill fear in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership which clearly didn't wanted any such incidents to happen again but it all happened as the Soothsayer of Punjab Sardar Prakash Singh Badal predicted over and over again in the past. When everything was normal and these conditions weren't even in people thoughts there was one man continuosly popping this issue up Sardar Parkash Singh Badal.
Grewal questioned Was there a hidden agenda? If any then why? He explained This period in the past few weeks have been a time of popular unrest in Punjab. Teachers are protesting for salary Hike and some for lose of there jobs which were promised to be made permanent. There were series of Farmers Protest in the state where there are constant cases of farmers suicides emerging due to debt risen from low harvest, non procurement by state and the most recent being the white fly incident which ate up the whole of bathinda cotton belt and farmers demanded compensation form the bankrupt goverment of Punjab . Now one can blame the political parties in opposition present in Punjab but to put icing on the already existing Akali cake of land sand media and transport Mafia came the Pesticide Scam of the Punjab Goverment which was buying of sub standard pesticide. Various test were done on the pesticide purchased.
After the issue of âsub standardâ pesticides being deemed âineffectiveâ to check the white fly attack came into public domain. The chief aid of Sardar Parkash Singh Badal Agriculture Minister Tota Singh involvement in a scam of his department was seen as a likely possibilty but Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal came out quick with a response and gave Tota Singh clean chit and went on saying " the damage to cotton crop in Punjab is far less than adjoining States of Rajasthan and Haryana and Punjab has already given maximum Compensation " this provoked the agiators as they claim this to be complelet Lie and there protest continued.
Grewal in a sad tone said The Sacreliege of the holy Guru of Sikhs Sri Guru Granth Sahib was something none of us Sikhs and even other religions could imagine. With the elections coming in the near future one would ask why this type of hideous act happened? There are all sorts of outlandish theories arising in media regarding this being done by some international agents who want to hamper the religious harmony in Punjab but one would ask why would a radical outfit tear pages of there own Guru? The most important being how is this possible without the help of state Actors? with this comes to mind the future predictions of Sardar Parkash Singh Badal who has a clear edge over other seasoned political leaders of Punjab when it comes to his favourite format of Politics which involves his Panthic agenda in which he woos Sikhs and portray himself as the true jewel of the Sikh Kaum.
This was all done to deviate the minds and alienate the Sikhs who are basically farmers involved in anti Badal protests from there ongoing agitations. The decision to revoke the decision regarding the Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was supposed to be Prakash Singh Badal's master Stroke as he would declare himself as the protector of Sikhs but even it backfired to some extent as the people of Punjab who belong to Sikh, Hindu, Muslim are now aware and together and with the advent of social media these petty moves to woo don't bear desired results.
At this time Vinod Kumar Vice Chairman Market Committee Sahnewal, Balwant Singh, Arun Kanwal @ Kala Topi senior BJP Leader, Chamkaur Singh Pandher Kohara, Sarabjit Singh Grewal Arthia President, Nirbhai Singh President Kisan Morcha, Mukhtiar Singh Bhaini Sahib, Ram Singh Sarpanch Bhairomuna, Lakshmi Ji from Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sang (RSS), Swaran Singh Secretary Barwala, Satish Kumar, Rajveer Singh, Satnam Singh Ahluwalia, Harvinder Singh, Chinnu Lamberdar, Jassi, Raghav, Jaspreet Ahluwalia, Nikhil. Ajaypal Singh, Jaspreet Ahluwaia and large number of youngsters were present.
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