Logjam continues as Centre fails to convince CMs

May 6, 2012

LagiNew Delhi, May 6: Though almost all Chief Ministers acknowledged the need for a counter-terror body, on the lines of the proposed National Counter Terrorism Centre, the Centre failed to convince them at Saturday's deliberations here to break the logjam over the final and decisive move towards setting up the hub.

Briefing journalists after the Chief Ministers' meeting, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said: “The final decision has not been taken.” While all the Chief Ministers recognised the need for the NCTC or a similar organisation, they voiced two principal concerns: the NCTC's location within the Intelligence Bureau (IB); and why should the NCTC have to undertake operations on its own even in exceptional circumstances?

“There was strong support from many Chief Ministers, qualified support from many and outright rejection of the idea by three Chief Ministers,” Mr. Chidambaram said. The conference was attended by 24 Chief Ministers, Ministers from three States, the Lt. Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the administrators of some Union Territories, besides Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

“We will examine the issues raised by the Chief Ministers carefully, and the government will then take a final decision,” Mr. Chidambaram said, hinting that the NCTC, in its present form, would not come into existence for the time being.

Even the Prime Minister's pitch that the NCTC was not a State-versus-Centre issue failed to cut ice with some of the non-Congress Chief Ministers.

Mr. Chidambaram argued that intelligence gathering and investigation were two key areas, and India needed a counter-terrorism body that would be more than a police organisation, capable of mobilising all elements of national power — be it police, diplomatic or judicial. “This gap can be filled only by a highly qualified and trained counter-terrorism body. We feel the NCTC can fill this gap. And, if not the NCTC, then some other body, and that body has to be given certain powers and functions.”

In the past 15 months, he said, 21 terror modules had been busted, thanks to the cooperation between the Central agencies and the State police forces. “What about cases where we have failed? These were potential terrorist attacks. I firmly believe that we need a counter-terrorism body. I came to the meeting with an open mind, and I am leaving with an open mind to examine every suggestion given by the Chief Ministers.

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News Network
March 5,2020

Lucknow, Mar 5: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said last night that the role of teachers would come under the scanner when "anti-India" slogans are raised at universities and institutions of higher education.

"When anti-India slogans are raised at institutions of higher education, we should be prepared to ask why this type of distortion occurrs among our students?" he said at a programme organised by the Basic Shiksha Parishad in Lucknow.

"We begin our work with pledge for the country's unity and integrity and today slogans are raised for the division of the nation. In such a situation, questions are raised over the role of teachers who are considered equal to god in society," he said.

"Who all are involved in this sin and chaos? Governments can provide resources, but the one who has given them basic education, who has given them secondary education and who has led them to that place, all of them should evaluate their actions today," the chief minister said.

Speaking about the condition of education in the state when his government came to power three years ago, he said there was an atmosphere of chaos and anarchy in the state and the condition of basic education was very bad.

"The worst problem was that of proxy teachers. Our government started the process of prohibiting proxy teachers in the first phase," he said.

Adityanath said that a teacher is not just a government servant, but the fate of the nation. He said teachers should learn from Chanakya.

Had Chanakya confined himself to Nalanda University, he would not have been able to make India a superpower of the world during that period. Teachers will have to prepare themselves according to the challenges and need of society, he added.

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Agencies
February 6,2020

Bijnor, Feb 6: Apprehensions over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) are now so strong that a team of economic enumerators were allegedly manhandled in Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor district and faced stiff resistance from the people.

A team of the economic census enumerators in Bijnor, on Wednesday, sent a letter to the District Magistrate narrating the difficulties they are facing in some parts "due to misinformation".

District magistrate Ramakant Pandey, when contacted, said that he had asked the department concerned to complete the work on time. "If teams are facing any problems, we will sort it out at once. No hurdle in economic census will be tolerated," he said.

According to District Economic and Statistics Officer, Harendra Malik: "Our teams are facing protests in minority-dominated areas as people are linking it to the NRC. Some team members were manhandled.

"We have now asked village heads and municipality chairmen to help our teams in the survey and convince the people. Our teams are trying to convince them that it is a routine work which is being carried out for years. It has nothing to do with the NRC or CAA."

He further said that they plan to hold a series of meetings with people's representatives, including village heads and chairmen, so that they could put an end to this confusion.

The seventh economic census was flagged off in Bijnor by District Magistrate Ramakant Pandey on January 6. There are around 3,000 enumerators and 569 supervisors engaged in the census being carried out under the supervision of economic and statistics department. It is expected to be completed by March 31.

The economic census is aimed at collecting data about the financial status of people engaged in unorganised sector.

Meanwhile, the areas where the enumerators are facing stiff resistance include Kalhari village in Najibabad block, Amipur Narain village in Mohammadpur Devmal block, Anisa Nangli village in Dwarka block and the Mirzapur Bella village in Jalilpur block.

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News Network
January 8,2020

Howrah, Jan 8: Following the 'Bharat Bandh' called by trade unions, protesters blocked railway tracks in Howrah and Kanchrapara in North 24 Parganas on Wednesday.

They raised anti-government slogans and criticised the Center for its policies. They were holding placards, posters and banners against the government.

Commuters faced difficulties as bus services were also affected. CPI (M) protesters also stopped the operation of state transport buses. In Odisha, the public agitation started around 6 am at Talcher, Bhubaneswar, Brahmapur, Bhadrak and Kendujhargarh.

Due to the protests, the following trains are detained enroute at different stations --Bhadrak-Brahmapur passenger at Bhadrak, Kendujhargarh-Bhubaneswar passenger at Kendujhargarh, Bhubaneswar-Balangir InterCity at Bhubaneswar, Howrah-Yesvantpur Express at Brahmapur, Ichhapur-Cuttack MEMU at

Brahmapur and Puri-Rourkela passenger at Bhubaneswar.

The ten central trade unions including Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), among others have given the call for strike with a 12-point charter of demand. Trade union Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) is not taking part in the strike.

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