POWs: Court directs UOI to be proactive and provide relief to NOKs

It was on 23 December 2011 that the Hon’ble Gujarat High Court rendered a landmark judgement in a Writ Petition filed by the late Lt Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora and others in the year 1999.
Besides other reliefs that were sought, the case was filed by the late General praying that the Govt may be directed to treat all missing Prisoners of War (POWs) as “on duty” for all intents and purposes till their date of retirement. It was also prayed that the Union of India be directed to take up the issue of the missing personnel with the International Human Rights Committee.
The High Court, through a very detailed and extensive order, which at places recorded bone chilling details on the subject alongwith all related evidence on the matter, directed the Union of India to approach the International Court of Justice in this regard and also to pay all retirement and service benefits to the kin of the missing personnel as if they had retired on superannuation.
The detailed judgement on the writ petition which was ordered to be treated as a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), not only traced the entire length and breadth of the issue but also dealt with accounts of individual cases.
The Ministry of Defence, though has challenged before the Supreme Court the part of the order which dealt with directions to the Govt to take up the case with the ICJ, has however implemented the other part which dealt with treating the missing personnel on duty and releasing benefits to the kin as if they (the missing personnel) remained on duty till their respective dates of retirement.
The Defence Ministry has already forwarded the order for implementation to the Services HQ who in turn have asked the respective Record Offices to immediately take requisite steps.
The entire judgement of the High Court can be accessed and downloaded by clicking here. Posted by Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh at 7:42 PM
Govt of India implements the landmark orders of the Gujarat High Court in a PIL filed by the late General Aurora

Modi magic that makes Gujarat tick

The recently concluded fifth Vibrant Gujarat Global Investment Summit, the man, described as a "visionary" has roped in investments worth Rs 21 lakh crore, from 7,936 MoUs inked across diverse sectors in the two days. Dedicating the summit to the youth and women, he promised to create over 52 lakh livelihoods and job opportunities with the money. Behind his hardcore Hindutva image is a businessman with hardselling abilities.
India Inc leaders can't stop praising the man for his efforts to make Gujarat a civic and industrial example to follow.
"Gujarat is shining like a lamp of gold and the credit goes to the visionary, effective and passionate leadership provided by Narendra Modi. We have a leader here with vision and determination to translate this vision into reality," Reliance Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani said.
Tata Group chief Ratan Tata said: "The leadership of Narendra Modi has proved that Gujarat is not only seeing industrial growth but is also witnessing rural development."
Anil Ambani exhorted other states to take a cue from Modi for development. "Gujarat is a role model for other states to learn from ... Narendra bhai has single handedly transformed the state into a power state," he said. Gujarat today is the power capital and power hub of the country and stands out in a sharp contrast to other states in the country, Ambani added.
Several others who have set up shop in recent times in the state vouch for the "corruption-free" and speedy processes. Little wonder, since Mr Modi believes in "minimum government and maximum governance."
Modi’s Gujarat – The dream destination
Comment: Gujarat is a Citizen Safe destination- free of corruption the state is taking gaint strides in all round progress- piped cooking gas to all rural homes and 24 hour electricity to all homes- extraordinary statistics.

CM gets proficiency certificate from GOC

'Modi has qualities of successful Army commander'
Press Trust of India, Updated: March 14, 2011 18:50 IST
Ahmedabad: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has all the qualities of a successful Army commander, said General Officer Commanding (GOC) Major General I S Singha of the Golden Katar Division here today.
He was speaking at the inauguration of three-day 'Know Your Army' exhibition organised by the Golden Katar Division of the Army.
"Chief Minister Modi has all the qualities of a successful Army commander. His programmes are aimed at development of both the state and the nation," Singha said.
"Like in the Army, he (Modi) keeps deadline for completion of work, and ensures that target is achieved by the set time," he added.
Singha praised Modi and his government for the developmental work in the state.
The Golden Katar GOC also sought land for ex-servicemen housing scheme.
"I would like to request the Chief Minister to provide land to the Army for setting up housing welfare societies for the ex-servicemen in Ahmedabad. Such schemes are available in all other states," Singha said.
The inaugural ceremony saw brilliant performances of Malkhamb, Lazium and Khukri dance by the Army personnel.
The Dare Devils gave a spell-binding performance with stunts on motorcycles.
'Modi has qualities of successful Army commander'

Exodus from Gujarat and Punjab: Illegal immigration and human smuggling

Los Angeles Times, February 06, 2011|By Richard Marosi and Andrew Becker
Surge of immigrants from India baffles border officials in Texas
Thousands from India have entered Texas illegally from Mexico in the last year. Most are Sikhs who claim religious persecution at home.

Reporting from Harlingen, Texas — Thousands of immigrants from India have crossed into the United States illegally at the southern tip of Texas in the last year, part of a mysterious and rapidly growing human-smuggling pipeline that is backing up court dockets, filling detention centers and triggering investigations.

The immigrants, mostly young men from poor villages, say they are fleeing religious and political persecution. More than 1,600 Indians have been caught since the influx began here early last year, while an undetermined number, perhaps thousands, are believed to have sneaked through undetected, according to U.S. border authorities.

Hundreds have been released on their own recognizance or after posting bond. They catch buses or go to local Indian-run motels before flying north for the final leg of their months-long journeys.

"It was long … dangerous, very dangerous," said one young man wearing a turban outside the bus station in the Rio Grande Valley town of Harlingen.

The Indian migration in some ways mirrors the journeys of previous waves of immigrants from far-flung places, such as China and Brazil, who have illegally crossed the U.S. border here. But the suddenness and still-undetermined cause of the Indian migration baffles many border authorities and judges.

The trend has caught the attention of anti-terrorism officials because of the pipeline's efficiency in delivering to America's doorstep large numbers of people from a troubled region. Authorities interview the immigrants, most of whom arrive with no documents, to ensure that people from neighboring Pakistan or Middle Eastern countries are not slipping through.

There is no evidence that terrorists are using the smuggling pipeline, FBI and Department of Homeland Security officials said.

The influx shows signs of accelerating: About 650 Indians were arrested in southern Texas in the last three months of 2010 alone. Indians are now the largest group of immigrants other than Latin Americans being caught at the Southwest border.

The migration is the "most significant" human-smuggling trend being tracked by U.S. authorities, said Kumar Kibble, deputy director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. In 2009, the Border Patrol arrested only 99 Indians along the entire Southwest border.

It's a dramatic increase," Kibble said. "We do want to monitor these pipelines and shut them down because it is a vulnerability. They could either knowingly or unknowingly smuggle people into the U.S. that pose a national security threat."

Most of the immigrants say they are from the Punjab or Gujarat states. They are largely Sikhs who say they face religious persecution, or members of the Bharatiya Janata Party who say they are targeted for beatings by members of the National Congress Party.
Surge of immigrants from India baffles border officials in Texas: click here to read more
Comment: The reasons are simple- Villagers are duped by scamsters who are generally Political criminals- India graduating to a Banana Republic which has hastened grinding poverty and farmers committing suicide- Truly the nation is on the path to FAKE democracy!

Vibrant Gujarat: Model of development through people’s participation

Mr Modi believes in the fact that good infrastructure is the driver of economic development. He therefore, paid utmost attention on physical and social infrastructure and involved private sector in their development. The rapid and qualitative development of ports, roads, railways, LNG terminals, gas distribution and water distribution networks and other infrastructure facilities are being discussed nationwide. He has also created excellent infrastructure at tourist and religious places. Urban sector has been enlivened by up gradation of civic amenities and emphasis on cleanliness and greening and reduction of vehicular pollution. The well conceived, meticulously planned and professionally organized Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Biennial Summits held in 2003, 2005 and 2007 have put Gujarat as a preferred investment destination among global investors. These summits have not only attracted investments worth billions of USD but also created huge employment opportunities in the state. Its logical fall out is skill development for various class of people on a massive scale. To ensure all round, all inclusive and uniform development, comprehensive and well conceived packages like Vanbandhu kalyan (tribal welfare), Sagarkhedu (development of coastal dwellers), Garib samruddhi (upliftment of urban poor) are under implementation.

A leader who believes in team-work and a good work culture, Mr Modi has launched an ambitious training programme for the 500,000 government employees in Gujarat which is being watched in awe by every other state. Many of his initiatives like evening courts, interlinking of rivers, jyotigram, grievance redressal through SWAGAT online and others are being viewed as models for replication at the national level. The state is now rated as the best e-governed state in the country. With his focus on cent per cent computerization of the villages and emphasis on quick disposal of people’s grievances, the state is set to usher into village level e-governance. Narendra Modi government has bagged more than five dozen awards in the last five years including the ones at the international level like the UN Sasakawa award for disaster reduction, CAPAM Gold award for able governance, World Bank’s Green award for environment friendly work during rebuilding after the earthquake, UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Award and award from Global Interpolis, Singapore. Gujarat is today rated as the best state in bio technology initiatives too.

Modi’s model of good governance is being applauded within the country and beyond. The way he has won the hearts of people of Gujarat and his popularity at the national level show that ‘Good governance is also good politics’
Extracted from: Model of development through people’s participation

Modi dedicates flyover to Manekshaw

Modi dedicates flyover to Manekshaw
23 Oct 2008, 0253 hrs IST,

AHMEDABAD: Security personnel and members of armed forces from the state who gain martyrdom on the battlefront and while fighting terrorists would be immortalised with schools in their villages named after them.

This was announced by Chief Minister Narendra Modi while dedicating the newly-built Shivranjani flyover on the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) route, to the city and Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw at a ceremony hosted by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) in the presence of members of the Parsi community and senior defence personnel from the three armed forces on Wednesday.

Hailing Manekshaw, as hero of India's victory in the 1971 war with Pakistan, Modi said, "Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw was known globally for his daredevil acts and he was instrumental in creating a new country, Bangladesh."

Taking a dig at central government, Modi said, "Cental government leadership never checked on the war veteran when he was ailing and admitted at the hospital in Ooty."

On the recent political cries over Azamgarh emerging as a terrorist hub, Modi said, "There have been nefarious activities among political parties in supporting terrorists and these people also had termed Sardar Patel as a terrorist."

In the end, Modi took credit for bringing the Nano project to the state and criticised the Congress for raising questions over Nano shifting to Gujarat.

Field Marshal Manekshaw, MC, was born to Parsi parents who settled in Punjab after moving from Valsad. He died at the age of 94 in June this year. The newly built flyover is located on 132 feet ring road and is part of the BRTS project under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
Modi dedicates flyover to Field Marshal Manekshaw