SAARC in Trouble? Pakistan Opposing India's Proposals, Say Sources

New Delhi:  Before it could start, the SAARC summit in Nepal is apparently in trouble. While the group operates on the basis of consensus, Pakistan is opposing India's proposed agreements on several issues, sources told NDTV.

A host of key issues were discussed on Tuesday by the foreign ministers ahead of the summit-level deliberations that start on Wednesday. India, which has been focusing on three Cs - culture, commerce and connectivity - had proposed amendments to agreements on greater connectivity through ease of vehicular movement, power and railway links.

India said it wanted "concrete outcomes at SAARC, but one country said its internal processes were not ready".

The India-Pakistan stand-off, which started in August with Pakistan envoy Abdul Basit's invitation to Kashmir's separatist leaders and led to the cancellation of the foreign secretary level talks, is still continuing.

The SAARC summit has triggered speculations about talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif. No official bilateral meeting with Pakistan has been scheduled on Day One of the summit.

While India has remained non-committal on the matter, Mr Sharif said in an interview to Geo TV that it was up to India to re-start the negotiations.

"Cancellation of talks was New Delhi's unilateral decision. The ball is now in India's court for talks between the two countries," Mr Sharif said. The question, he said, should be put to Mr Modi.

In a statement hours before leaving for Kathmandu, PM Modi had said, "Development of close relations with our neighbours is a key priority for my government."

On Tuesday afternoon, at the meeting of foreign ministers, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's brief chat with the Pakistan's foreign policy adviser intensified speculation, but she described the interaction as "minimum courtesy".

"When you meet someone at an international forum, you greet someone," she said.

When pressed, she repeated what she had said on the subject earlier: "Thoda intezaar kijiye (Please wait a bit)."

Pakistan Taliban Chief Survives Drone Attack

Islamabad:  The Chief of Pakistan Taliban Mullah Fazlullah narrowly escaped a US drone strike in the border region of Afghanistan in which five militants were killed, officials said today.

The chief of outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was in Nazyan village of Nangarhar province of Afghanistan near Pakistan border when a drone targeted him last night.

The CIA-operated unmanned aircraft fired four missiles on a compound in the village, security official said, adding at least five Pakistani and Afghan militants were killed in the attack but Fazlullah escaped unhurt.

Pakistan believes Fazlullah is hiding in Afghanistan since he escaped a military operation by army troops in his native Swat valley in 2009 and has demanded his repatriation.

Pakistan has also blamed Fazlullah of sending militants to their country from his sanctuaries in Afghanistan.

Fazlullah became the chief of TTP last year after his predecessor Hakimullah Mehsud was killed in a US drone attack last year.

So far two TTP chiefs, including the dreaded Baituallah Mehsud, have been killed in the US drone attacks.

Pakistan is fighting the Taliban in its northwest tribal areas and so far more than 1,200 militants have been killed in the operation Zarb-e-Azb, launched in June this year, to flush
out local and foreign militants from the region.

No Respect For Women in India, Says Sania Mirza

Sania Mirza at a promotional event.
New Delhi: She might be one of the most sought-after sportspersons in India but tennis ace Sania Mirza says "it's difficult to be a Sania Mirza in this country" due to the prevailing "gender inequality" and called for an urgent need to bring about a cultural change.
"Yes, it is difficult to be a Sania Mirza in this country," the tennis star said while explaining the difficulties she faced during her career as a sportswoman.
She added, "I think a lot of controversies that I had faced in my career was because I am woman. Had I been a man, I could have avoided some of the controversies." (Read: Sania Says she is Spared of Nonsense Writing Only When She's Not Playing)
Sania on Tuesday became the United Nations Women's goodwill ambassador for the South Asian region, joining the campaign to end violence against women and girls and also raise awareness on gender equality.
"I think for more women to come into sports (in India), the culture needs to be changed. Government is getting involved and I guess that is going to change a lot of things. Our current Sports Minister, Mr Sarbananda Sonowal supports women sports a lot and I have personally seen it," she said.
"I am happy that the government is also opening up and speaking about the gender inequality that is present in our society. And the fact that they are trying to do something about it, speaks volume about it.
"We need a cultural change and I hope media takes the responsibility, too. Media has the biggest voice, they can and should make a difference," Sania added. (Small-Screen Explosion: Sania Promises to Wow All in 'Bond' Avatar)
Sania said she today vowed to take up the most important battle "I might face off the field".
"Gender equality is something we all advocate. Some speak about it, some don't. I have chosen to speak about it. I hope one day everyone will say that we are equal and women are not treated as objects. I will try and do everything I can to bring about a change," said Sania after becoming the first South Asian woman to be appointed the goodwill ambassador in UN Women's history.
Stating that the mentality of not just men but women also needed to undergo a major transformation for a country to achieve gender equality, Sania said, "Women's safety is something that has been going on. Nirbhaya case had opened our eyes. Not that it was the first case that had happened, but a lot of people woke up to 'what's going on'.
"Women face discrimination. They are treated like animals and it is not right. The thinking needs to be changed. Mentality needs to be changed. Men must understand that women also go out to do their work just as they do. But even women have to realise their own worth," India's most successful women's tennis player said. (Sania Wants to Win a Grand Slam in Women's Doubles)
Meanwhile, Sania said she was looking forward to playing in the upcoming Indian Premier Tennis League (ITPL), starting on December 6.
"I am actually leaving tonight...in a few hours. I heading to practice from here and then to the airport. I am very excited about it. I am looking forward to playing in the ITPL," she concluded.

Tarun Tejpal, Lacerated Again

(Shobhaa De is an established writer, columnist, opinion shaper and social commentator, who is considered an authority on popular culture.)

Aaah - The tyranny of  notoriety! Tarun Tejpal has always been something of a rogue. There. I said it. So what? A rogue's life is never easy... and eventually things catch up. As they did in Tejpal's case (let me not bore everybody with tedious details of 'that' dreadful incident in Goa last year). Tarun was accused by a junior female colleague of indulging in some pretty loathsome sexual misdemeanours - okay - rape. After which,all hell broke loose, with Tarun making it worse and worse for himself, till finally the Goan authorities did what the law of the land dictates and the swashbuckling Tejpal found himself in a grotty local lock up - disgraced and isolated for the most part.

That's the brief history.

I am not going into whether or not he 'did it' (let the courts decide). Neither am I going to join the over-heated feminist debate regarding the victim's trauma. For me, this nasty scandal was less about sex and more about abuse of power - an even worse offence. Let Tarun and his lawyers figure out how to extricate him out of this monumental mess.

This piece is about a specific invitation extended to Tarun by the organizers of the annual Times of India Literary Carnival to be held in Mumbai from December 5th to 7th. The furor that was generated by Tarun's inclusion as a panelist in a topic aptly titled, "The Tyranny of  Power," was such that the invitation was promptly withdrawn, albeit with a jaunty if weak explanation ("....the reaction to his inclusion suggests that our litfest was in danger of being overwhelmed by an extraneous issue.") Oh well... that's elegant understatement for you! 'Extraneous issue'??? That's a pretty cheeky euphemism for a much-discussed sexual assault case!

Here's the thing. It was an audacious move on the part of co-organisers Bachi Karkaria and Namita Devidayal (both veteran journalists with the TOI) to have invited one of the most despised and notorious men in India to the Litfest. It was even more audacious of Tarun to have accepted. This is the amazing part. Did the organizers really believe Mumbai is 'cool' enough to handle his presence without protest? Was that their only miscalculation? After all, it was a perfect fit - the subject and the moderator (Manu Joseph) would have ensured a full house on 6th December. Controversy never killed a Litfest - right? But the accusations both ladies faced on social media were different. They were suspected of being part of a complex 'rehabilitation' programme.

This is rubbish! What would they gain by 'rehabilitating' Tarun??? Come on! Then there was the other thing about displaying insensitivity towards the victim, when the case is sub-judice .What nonsense! I don't think there was ever a deep, dark, devilish plan to 'exonerate' Tejpal by giving him some respectability at a Litfest. I'd say all they were probably doing was providing Tarun a platform. That's what Lit fests are about it - or ought to be. Is there an unwritten rule somewhere that says only pure, untarnished saints can be  invited to Lit fests?? How dull and boring that would make these events! Is Tejpal the only person with a dodgy reputation to be extended such an invitation? Hell, no! Half the people who draw readers to Lit Fests are pretty colourful characters, some with criminal records, others who have made being offensive in public their main objective in life.

Tarun Tejpal would not have broken any law by attending the TOI Literary Carnival. Neither would the organizers. And that's the whole point. People who have issues with Tejpal (I certainly do) were free to stay away, stage protests, boo. Ditto for writers taking the high moral ground. By buckling to pressure, the organizers have surrendered a fundamental right, and given in to shrill public opinion. I so wish Bachi and Namita had stuck to their guns and boldly fought this round. Instead Bachi fell for the bait and responded to media's taunts  by saying, "We are not film stars or a gossip magazine. The Litfest is serious business."  Oh dear. I wonder how invited film stars to this Litfest are going to  feel after this?

Well.... someone has to self-lacerate and recuse himself/herself.

If not Tarun, then....?

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. NDTV is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

25,000 DDA Flats Allocated in Delhi's Biggest-Ever Housing Scheme

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on Tuesday held the draw of lots for its biggest ever housing scheme. More than 10 lakh applicants were in fray for over 25,000 flats across various categories. In other words, there were 40 applicants for each flat on offer. This is also the first time DDA completed the draw of lots within 45 days.

10 Facts:

1) DDA vice-chairman Balvinder Kumar told NDTV that flats will be handed over to the lucky winners only after they are complete with all amenities.

2) DDA expects to begin the flat handovers from January. "Each allottee shall be provided with an ID and password through which he will be able to track the status (of the allotment process). Allottees will also be notified through SMS and email alerts," Mr Kumar said.

3) For successful applicants, DDA will hold a documentation camp at its headquarters, Vikas Sadan in New Delhi. Successful applicants can also collect the demand and allotment letters at the documentation camp.

4) Successful applicants have the option to surrender the flat before the issue of possession letter from DDA. Allotment will be automatically cancelled in case the payment is not made within the prescribed period. And the amount deposited will be get refunded without interest.

5) DDA will refund the registration fee (Rs 1 lakh) to unsuccessful applicants who had paid on their own through the bank branch wherein they had deposited the application form. The bank will dispatch refund cheques to the applicants.

6) Launched on September 1, the housing scheme drew a strong response. DDA received over 10 lakh applications for the flagship 'Housing Scheme 2014' and about 17 lakh application forms were sold. The last date for the scheme was October 9 initially but was extended till October 15.

7) The draw was held in two stages. In the first phase, called randomization process, the applicants form numbers and the flat numbers were assigned unique random numbers. This process started around 9 am and was completed in around 1 hour 50 minutes.

8) The final process of draw of lots (picking of lucky numbers and the mapping of applicants and the flats) started at around 12 noon and was completed in less than two hours.

9) DDA also webcasted the draw process live on the internet for the first time.

10) C-DAC (Centre for Development of Advanced Computing) was the technology vendor for the draw. C-DAC had also conducted the draw for DDA's last housing scheme in 2010.

Here's the list of winners of the DDA Housing Scheme 2014:

Comedy Central Yanked by Government for Allegedly Obscene Content

New Delhi:  Entertainment channel Comedy Central has gone off-air for at least five days after the government found its shows having "obscene" and "vulgar" dialogues besides being derogatory to women.

The Delhi High Court had on Monday upheld the Centre's decision to stop the channel's transmission for 10 days and also imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 payable to the Centre.

"We have carefully perused the contents of the two programmes to which objection has been taken and having gone through the same, are of the opinion that the matter requires no interference.

"The appellant is engaged in a business/enterprise which owing to its mass appeal/base has the potential of influencing the thought, behaviour and conduct of the citizens, especially the future citizens of this country," the court had said dismissing the plea of Viacom 18, which owns the channel.

Viacom 18 had approached the division bench against a single judge order upholding the Centre's decision saying, "Prohibition of transmission will cause irreparable loss and damage to the appellant. It will also put an end to the popularity and the viability, commercially or otherwise, of the channel."

The channel had also claimed that transmission is its fundamental right and said, "The right to operate and broadcast television channel is protected under Article 19 of the Constitution. In this view of the matter, the appellants submit that they are entitled to fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution."

But the court said, "Merely because the government has done away with the system of checks, does not entitle such entrepreneurs to commence an enterprise in a half-baked manner."

Earlier, on May 24, the single judge of the high court had upheld the Centre's decision banning the transmission of the channel for 10 days from May 25 to June 4.

Accepting the recommendation of Inter-Ministerial Council (IMC), the Information & Broadcasting Ministry had on May 17 had asked Comedy Central to go off air for telecasting "offensive" words in 'Stand Up Club' and 'Popcorn' programmes on May 26 and July 4 last year.

The ministry had prohibited the channel's transmission or retransmission for 10 days on any platform throughout India with effect from 00:01 hours on May 25 till 00:01 hours on June 4.

Dismissing the plea of Viacom 18 Media Pvt Ltd, the single judge bench of the high court had said the penalty prohibiting the telecast of the channel for 10 days cannot be termed as "excessive, harsh or unreasonable".

Jammu and Kashmir Has Record Voter Turnout: 10 Developments

People wait to cast their votes at a polling station in Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir (PTI photo)Srinagar:  With long queues and brisk polling through the day, Jammu and Kashmir today recorded a 71.28 per cent voter turnout in the first phase of Assembly elections, its highest in 25 years. Many people were still waiting to vote beyond the scheduled close of polling at 4 pm.

PM Modi Gifts Nepal a Chopper

Kathmandu:  Showing India's commitment to strengthening ties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today handed over to Nepal an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) which will be used for military operations.
Handed over the DHRUV Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Mark III to Nepal tweeted PM Modi.
"This will add to Nepal's shield of protection," Mr Modi said.
The Dhruv Mark 3 is manufactured by state-owned aerospace and defence company Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.
The Mark-3 is the latest version of the original Dhruv helicopter and comes equipped with Shakti engines, new electronic warfare (EW) suite and warning systems, automatic chaff and flare dispensers and improved vibration control system.
The helicopter, which can cost anywhere between Rs 60-80 crore, is currently exported to at least three other countries, including the Maldives and Ecuador.

Government Agrees to Opposition Demand, Black Money Debate in Parliament on Wednesday: 10 Developements

Trinamool Congress MPs protest over black money issue during the Winter Session of Parliament in New Delhi on Tuesday. (Press Trust of India)New Delhi:  Targeted by Opposition parties over untaxed or black money parked in foreign accounts, the government has said that it is ready for a debate on the issue in Parliament on Wednesday. The Opposition has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of reneging on his promise to bring back crores stashed by Indians abroad.

In Kashmir, He Crawled a Kilometre to Vote

"We need development, that's why we nee Srinagar:  Around 10 in the morning, the temperature in Kashmir's Ganderbal hovered around 7 degrees Celsius. But neither cold, nor disability could keep 54-year-old Abdul Majid at home today. The state had an appointment with democracy.
d to vote," said 54-year-old Abdul Majid.
"We need development here, that's why we need to vote. Where will we go if we don't vote? It is important," said Majid, a supporter of the ruling National Conference led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Ganderbal was the bastion of the Abdullah family for 40 years. But it lost its shine after Omar Abdullah shifted out to contest from Srinagar's Sonwar and Budgam's Beerwah constituencies this time. The NC supporters are pinning their hopes on Ashfaq Jabbar, who is up against People's Democratic Party's Qazi Afzal.
Despite being part of a high-profile constituency, this area of Ganderbal needs electricity, education, health facilities and jobs. To get to the Barsoo polling booth, Majid had to crawl around one km from his home.
Almost 80% of the over-1000 registered voters turned up at the booth today. Six months ago, only one voter had turned up at the booth to vote in the parliamentary elections.
People said it was possible to vote today in the first of the five phases of the assembly elections as there was no militant threat or effective separatist boycott campaign. Last time, after a boycott call separatists were determined to enforce it.
With no fear to hinder them, the state turned out in droves to vote - by the end of the day, the overall voting percentage had crossed 71, the highest in 25 years.
"This time, it is not politics, but local governance issues. That's why we are coming out to vote," said Barsoo resident Ghulam Nabi.
Fifteen of J&K's 87 constituencies voted today. The votes will be counted on December 23.