NYOMA AIRFIELD IN LADAKH TO BE FULL-FLEDGED BASE IN 2 YEARS

In a two-pronged strategy to match the Chinese airfields located across the Line of Actual Control, the Ministry of Defence has invited bids to upgrade the Nyoma airfield in eastern Ladakh into a full-fledged base with allied infrastructure. Separately, it has approved a new airfield near Kaza in Himachal Pradesh.

Located close to the Indus and some 180 km south-east of Leh at 13,700 feet, Nyoma airfield is a part of the Ladakh plateau and is already being used by helicopters and special operation planes such as C-130J, which can land on mud. The plan now is to have a full-fledged fighter jet base that can launch and recover planes and also carry out minor maintenance jobs.

The BRO plans to complete the upgrade in two years, according to the tender document. The site is spread over 1,235 acres where a 2.7-km runway with allied military infrastructure will come up. The alignment at Nyoma is such that aircraft can land from both directions.

US-based policy research organisation, The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), had in March released its report “How Is China Expanding its Infrastructure to Project Power Along its Western Borders”, which says “China has been constructing or upgrading 37 airports and heliports in Tibet and Xinjiang since 2017”. “The pace of this activity sped up significantly in 2020. That year alone, China began constructing seven air facilities and initiated upgrades at seven others,” the report said.

J&K: AMID ATTACKS, CRPF DECIDES TO DEPLOY 18 COMPANIES IN RAJOURI

In a bid to enhance the security setup in the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch, the CRPF has decided to send 10 of its companies from Delhi and 8 companies from Srinagar to Rajouri town in Jammu and Kashmir.

The development comes in view of twin terror attacks in Rajouri district in which six people were killed and 11 were injured.

“Around 18 CRPF companies comprising more than 1,800 personnel are being deployed for strengthening security in Rajouri and Poonch districts,” an official said, adding that the Inspector General of CRPF and other top officers are supervising the deployment of the troops.

MORE ABOUT SC RULING AGAINST ADDITIONAL CURBS ON FREE SPEECH

In a judgment that helps clarify free speech’s many dimensions, the Supreme Court constitution bench on Tuesday ruled that no more reasonable restrictions can be envisaged other than the eight already listed under Article 19(2). These are sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality, contempt of court, defamation, and incitement to an offence. The implication is that if the state were to bring a law curbing free speech on grounds of public interest that cannot be located within these eight “reasonable restrictions” it can be struck down.

Additionally, the 4-1 ruling also reiterated that rights under Articles 19(1) (free speech) and 21 (right to life and personal liberty) can be enforced against private entities and the state is bound to protect these rights, even when they are infringed by non-state actors. This is an important reminder from SC. Many ordinary citizens find their ways of life, privacy, choices and liberties constrained by dominant groups. It is a cue for officers of the state to proceed against those vigilantes, many of whom are politicians, who muzzle others’ rights.

The majority verdict may have disappointed those hoping that ministers making outrageous, often hurtful, statements would be sanctioned. But SC was clear that individual statements of ministers were inadequate to invoke collective responsibility of cabinet, terming it impractical too when a PM or a CM is politically weak and/or head coalitions. Moreover, violation of constitutional rights and invoking constitutional tort for securing damages happens only when the statement resulted in harm or losses to the complainant.

But what judicial pronouncements aren’t able to fix is misuse of IPC provisions drawing their constitutionality from Article 19(2)’s reasonable restrictions. Anyone claiming that their sentiment has been hurt – reasons can be religion, caste, or even criticism of a politician or an officeholder – can lodge police complaints.

RS 19,744 CR GOVT OUTLAY FOR GREEN HYDROGEN MISSION

The government yesterday announced the launch of the National Green Hydrogen Mission with an outlay of Rs 19,744 crore to make India a global hub for manufacturing clean energy.

Giving the break-up of the outlay, Information & Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said incentives worth Rs 17,490 crore would be given for electrolysers and manufacturing of green hydrogen, whereas Rs 1,466 crore would be spent on pilot projects, Rs 400 crore for R&D and Rs 388 crore towards other mission components.

“The mission seeks to promote the development of green hydrogen production capacity of at least 5 MMT (million metric tonnes) per annum with an associated renewable energy capacity addition of about 125 GW (gigawatt) in the country by 2030, as it envisages an investment of over Rs 8 lakh crore and creation of over 6 lakh jobs by 2030,” the minister said, adding that it will also result in cumulative reduction in fossil fuel imports of over Rs 1 lakh crore and reduction of nearly 50 MMT of annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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RUSSIA BLAMES SOLDIERS’ MOBILE USE FOR ATTACK

Russia’s defence ministry on Wednesday blamed mobile phone use by its soldiers for a deadly Ukrainian missile strike that it said killed 89 servicemen, raising the reported death toll from 63. The New Year’s Eve strike, the deadliest single incident Moscow has acknowledged since the start of the war, has angered prowar Russian commentators, increasingly vocal about what they see as a half-hearted and incompetent campaign in Ukraine. Criticism has been directed at military commanders rather than President Vladimir Putin, who has not commented publicly on the attack, which has dealt a further blow after major battlefield retreats in recent months.

The Russian defence ministry said four Ukrainian rockets had hit a temporary Russian barracks in a vocational college in Makiivka, twin city of the Russian-occupied regional capital of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine. Although a probe has been launched, the Russian ministry said the main reason for the attack was the mass use of mobile phones by servicemen, which it described as illegal. “This factor allowed the enemy to track and determine the coordinates of the soldiers’ location for a missile strike,” it said.

CHINA DATA UNDERREPRESENTS COVID SURGE, DEATHS: WHO

China’s Covid-19 data is not giving an accurate picture of the situation there and underrepresents the number of hospitalisations and deaths from the disease, a senior official at the WHO said on Wednesday. The UN agency was preparing to meet Chinese scientists again on Thursday as part of a wider briefing among member states on the global Covid-19 situation.

On Tuesday, China’s top scientists presented data to a WHO technical advisory group showing no new coronavirus variant had been found in the country. That might ease some concerns about the out-break since Beijing abruptly reversed its “zero Covid” policy last month.

But comments by WHO officials on Wednesday were the clearest criticism yet of China’s recent handling of the pandemic. It underscored worries about the accuracy and availability of Beijing’s data, hampering the fight against the disease. “We believe the current numbers being published from China underrepresent the true impact of the disease in terms of hospital admissions, in terms of ICU admissions, particularly in terms of death,” said Mike Ryan, WHO’s emergencies director.

US RAISES CONCERN AFTER ENVOY HECKLED IN DHAKA

The US has called on the Sheikh Hasina government to respect and protect the fundamental freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly for the people of Bangladesh after a spat involving the US ambassador to Dhaka, who had visited the home of an opposition activist reportedly missing.

The controversy broke out on December 14 when US Ambassador Peter Haas had to cut short a visit to the house of a missing leader, Sajedul Islam Sumon, belonging to the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, after activists of the ruling Awami League heckled him. There were allegations that the personal staff of a minister orchestrated the demonstration against Haas.

Following a sharp statement from the US Embassy in Dhaka, Russia also weighed in by pointing out that Moscow never interferes in the domestic affairs of other countries. “States like Bangladesh, which shape their foreign and internal policy to serve their own national interests instead of following the lead of external powers, take the similar approach,” the Russian Embassy said.

US State Department spokesman Ned Price said, “We often don’t weigh in on propaganda. We routinely meet with a variety of stakeholders across the political spectrum in every country in which the US has a diplomatic presence.”

THE REST

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NOT A DROP OF WATER TO SHARE, CONSTRUCT YSL & REVIVE SUTLEJ TOO: PUNJAB CM

The much-awaited meeting over Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) between Punjab and Haryana Chief Ministers Bhagwant Mann and Manohar Lal Khattar, respectively, in presence of Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat at Jal Shakti Bhawan in New Delhi on Wednesday yet again remained inconclusive, with Mann stating that Punjab did not have a drop of water to share and the Centre should look at some other alternative.

Even as Khattar said that the SYL canal should be built and the Haryana government will apprise the Supreme Court about Punjab’s reluctant attitude over the issue, Mann proposed in the meeting that he had an alternative solution to the contentious problem – to construct a YSL (Yamuna Sutlej Link) to supply water to Sutlej from Yamuna so that Punjab’s river, which is just a trickle now, could also be revived.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Mann said, “They asked me about the alternative to SYL. I told them that they should have a YSL (Yamuna Sutlej Link) instead. Give water to Sutlej through Yamuna. Give water to Haryana also but save our Sutlej. It is just a trickle now. Sutlej does not have water for a single canal. The water from Ganga and Yamuna should also be given to Punjab and Haryana. We have no issues if water is given to Haryana through YSL.”

Mann said, “The case is in the Supreme Court. We have presented our version. I will say once again that how can we give something that we do not have? Our aquifers have dried up. So are our canals. We have Punj-Aab in name only. Otherwise we do not have water. Haryana is our younger brother. We want the neighbouring state to get water, but it should get it from Yamuna and Ganga. If Yamuna can go to Sharda then why can’t it go to Karnal? Why can’t it go to Rohtak? They are encouraging their farmers to grow paddy on more areas. But to us they are saying – stop growing paddy and give them water. How can this be done?”

SC STAYS ALLAHABAD HC ORDER ASKING UP GOVT TO HOLD URBAN LOCAL BODY POLLS WITHOUT OBC QUOTA

The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the Allahabad High Court order directing the Uttar Pradesh government to hold urban local body polls without reservation for the OBCs.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha took note of the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state government, and directed that a panel appointed by the state government will have to decide the OBC quota related issues for the local bodies poll by March 31, 2023.

The top court permitted the state government to appoint administrators to run the affairs of the local bodies after the expiry of the tenure of the elected representatives. It, however, said the administrators will not be empowered to take major policy decisions.

The top court had earlier agreed to hear the Uttar Pradesh government’s appeal challenging the high court order quashing its draft notification on urban local body elections and directing it to hold the polls without reservation for other backward classes.

PLEAS AGAINST RELEASE OF BILKIS BANO CASE CONVICTS: JUDGE RECUSES, HEARING PUT OFF

The Supreme Court Wednesday deferred hearing petitions challenging the remission granted to 11 convicts in the gangrape of Bilkis Bano during the 2002 riots in Gujarat and the murder of her family members after one of the judges on the two-judge bench, Justice Bela M Trivedi, recused herself.

On December 13 last year, the bench of Justices Ajay Rastogi and Vikram Nath had dismissed a petition by Bilkis seeking review of its May 2022 order which said the Gujarat government was the appropriate government to decide the prayer for remission by one of the 11 convicts handed life terms in her case, and let the state’s 1992 remission policy apply in the matter.

Justice Trivedi had recused herself from the hearing in that matter too. She was Law Secretary of the Gujarat government from 2004 to 2006.

On Wednesday, the bench of Justices Rastogi and Trivedi had before it petitions, including that of CPM leader Subhashini Ali, journalist Revati Laul, former vice-chancellor of Lucknow University Roop Rekha Verma and Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, against the release of the convicts.

When these petitions came up, the lawyer appearing for the convicts questioned their locus standi. The bench, however, pointed out that with Bilkis herself filing a petition, that question had been settled and now the parties could argue on merits.

It directed that the matters be listed before a bench that does not include Justice Trivedi.

TWO RAM TEMPLE TRUSTEES BACK RAHUL YATRA

A day after Ram temple chief priest Acharya Satyendra Das “blessed” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, more voices from Ayodhya – from VHP’s Champat Rai to the Hanuman Garhi mahant to Ram temple trust treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri – backed “the cause of uniting the country”.

When his comments were sought on Satyendra Das blessing Rahul and the Yatra, Champat Rai, VHP international vice-president and general secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, said, “Who has criticised the Yatra? I am a worker of the RSS. Has anyone from the Sangh criticised the Yatra? Has the Prime Minister criticised the Yatra?” “A 50-year-old youth is travelling 3000 km on foot in this weather. We are going to appreciate him. In fact, everyone should go on a march across the country to explore it,” Rai said.

Swami Govind Dev Giri, treasurer of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, told mediapersons, “Whoever takes the name of Lord Ram, whoever takes the name of Bharat Mata and does something, we will appreciate it. And will say that Lord Ram should give them inspiration so that the nation remains united and capable.”

“I do not know if it (Yatra) is uniting the country or not, but it is a good slogan and India should remain united,” he said.

HARYANA CM KHATTAR DEFENDS SANDEEP SINGH IN SEXUAL ASSAULT ROW

Allegations don’t make a person guilty, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said Tuesday — his first public statement over the accusations of sexual assault that Sandeep Singh, a minister in his cabinet, is currently facing.

Khattar called the allegations “absurd”. “A woman player has leveled absurd allegations against Sports Minister (Sandeep Singh) but he is not guilty yet. Meanwhile, we have removed him from the post, so that the investigation can be done smoothly. We will wait for the investigation to be over,” he added.

The woman has accused Singh, a former Indian hockey captain who inspired the move ‘Soorma’, of trying to rape her in July last year.

While Singh has denied the allegations, he has stepped aside from the sports ministry, even as he remains the Minister for Printing and Stationery.

Despite Khattar’s stand, opposition parties, women’s rights organisations, and at least one caste council have called for Singh’s immediate dismissal. A khap panchayat (caste council) held in Dawla, Jhajjar, has threatened to go on protests unless Singh is sacked by 7 January, a khap representative who attended the meeting told the media, adding that they want the minister arrested immediately.

RISHABH PANT SHIFTED TO MUMBAI, FOR SURGERY

The need for an urgent surgery on one of the two knee ligaments that Rishabh Pant tore during the road accident on December 30 was the main reason why the Indian cricket board airlifted him from Dehradun to the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai yesterday.

Given the nature of the injuries, Pant is expected to take “more than four months” to recover and about six months to return to the pitch. This means the star wicketkeeper-batsman will miss the white-ball series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand, the home Test series against Australia and the IPL.

A top BCCI official, who is the point person in touch with the board’s medical experts, said Pant’s ligament tear is similar to the one that all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja suffered last year.

“The World Test Championship final is in England in June. So if India qualifies for that, realistically, that’s what we are aiming for,” the official said on Pant’s return to the team. India is currently second on the Test championship table behind Australia.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

I don't believe in an afterlife, so I don't have to spend my whole life fearing hell, or fearing heaven even more. For whatever the tortures of hell, I think the boredom of heaven would be even worse. - Isaac Asimov

OFF TRACK

"Daddy, where did I come from?" the eight-year-old asked.

It was a moment for which her parents had carefully prepared. They took her into the living room, got out the encyclopedia and several other books, and explained all they thought she should know about sexual attraction, affection, love, and reproductions. Then they both sat back and smiled contentedly.

"Does that answer your question?" her father asked.

"Not really," the girl said. "Nidhi said she came from Chennai. I want to know where I came from."