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Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, IAF Chief BS Dhanoa will travel to France to receive the first Rafale fighter jet in September

OpIndia Staff
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Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, IAF Chief BS Dhanoa will travel to France to receive the first Rafale fighter jet in September

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa will travel to France to receive the first Rafale jet on September 20. Rafael is manufactured by Dassault Aviation SA, French aircraft manufacturer of military, regional, and business jets, and is a subsidiary of Dassault Group.

As per a report published, Singh will lead a large contingent sent by the Indian government to receive the Rafale planes in the third week of September. In September 2016 India inked a 36-fighter jet deal with the French manufacturer for over Euro 7.8 billion to arrest the fall of combat squadrons and meet urgent requirements on eastern and western fronts. These jets will start arriving in India from May 2020.

Singh and IAF chief will welcome the first jet from the French authorities in Bordeaux.

According to officials, Indian Rafale is an advanced version of the in-operational French Air Force, and the plane would be used to train Indian pilots till May next year. The Indian jets have been equipped with India specific enhancements at the cost of around one billion euros.

Although small batches of Indian pilots have been trained on French Air Force planes already, IAF would train 24 more pilots in various batches to be able to fly the much-awaited Rafales from May next year.

‘Missing’ for a day, P Chidambaram surfaces at Congress office, says he was preparing his petition with his lawyers

OpIndia Staff
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‘Missing’ for a day, P Chidambaram surfaces at Congress office, says he was preparing his petition with his lawyers

After ‘missing’ for more than 24 hours following the rejection of anticipatory bail plea by Delhi High Court, Congress leader and former union minister P Chidambaram appeared at the Congress headquarters in Delhi today. The former finance minister addressed a press conference at the AICC officer, denying all the charges made against him and his son.


Saying that the charges are lies spread by pathological liars, he said that he has not been named as an accused in the FIR in the INX Meda case, and no chargesheet has been filed by either ED or CBI in the case. P Chidambaram said that he along with his lawyers worked the whole night last night, and today morning, preparing the petition to be submitted at the Supreme Court seeking interim protection from arrest. He said that he is aghast at he was accused of hiding from the law, although he didn’t reveal where he spent the last night preparing the documents, as it was reported that CBI didn’t find him at his residence. P Chidambaram said that he was with his lawyers during the last night and the whole day today.


Saying that he respected the decision of the Supreme Court to hear his case only on Friday, P Chidambaram said he respects the law even if it is applied unequally by prove agencies.

According to media reports, ED and CBI reached the AICC headquarters to nab him after he appeared addressing the press, but P Chidambaram had already left by then, evading the teams of probe agencies. He had reached home from the AICC office, and it expected that the probe agency teams may pick up him from his residence.

Russia backs India on territorial integrity and non-interference of third parties during NSA Ajit Doval’s Moscow visit

OpIndia Staff
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Russia backs India on territorial integrity and non-interference of third parties during NSA Ajit Doval’s Moscow visit

As an increasing number of countries have backed India’s stand on Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370, Russia has said that it reiterates the territorial integrity and non-interference of third parties in India. It was said in a press release issued by Ministry of External Affairs during the visit of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to Russia.

The NSA visited Moscow on 21st August and held talks with his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev, the Secretary of the Russian National Security Council.

In the meeting, both India and Russia reaffirmed their intention to intensify counter-terrorism operation. Although the statement does not mention Kashmir, it says that “the longstanding position of both sides on importance of their bilateral consultations and mutual support for principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity and non-interference of third parties was reiterated.”

This implies that Russia has backed India’s position on issues like territorial integrity and rejection of any third party intervention during the trip of Ajit Doval to Russia after he spent over a week in Jammu and Kashmir overseeing the law and order and security arrangements in the state.

Russia was the first permanent member of the UN security council to declare that the Modi government’s decision over Jammu and Kashmir are an internal matter.

The visit by Doval focused on preparations for PM’s visit to Vladivostok for the Eastern Economic Forum in early September, bilateral cooperation between the two National Security Councils as well as regional and international issues. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar will visit Moscow next week to expand talks on strategic and economic partnership between the two countries.

Ajit Doval also met Dmitry Rogozin, Director of Russian space agency ROSCOSMOS, to review ongoing cooperation in the space field and the Gaganyaan programme of India. Rogozin applauded the progress of the Chandrayaan programme and conveyed Russia’s support and best wishes for the Mission’s success. Both sides also discussed long term aspects of space cooperation, which is expected to figure prominently in the Bilateral summit in Vladivostok.

Veer Savarkar’s bust installed at Delhi University, liberals lose their mind, say bust of Nathuram Godse might be next

OpIndia Staff
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Veer Savarkar’s bust installed at Delhi University, liberals lose their mind, say bust of Nathuram Godse might be next

A pillar with busts of Veer Savarkar, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh has been put up at the North Campus of Delhi University on Tuesday. The pillar was installed by the ABVP-led Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU). ABVP is the RSS’ students’ wing. As per DUDU’s own admission, the pillar was installed without the permission of the University.

“We have written to university officials several times asking for permission to set up such a monument — last November, this March, April and again in August — but we got no response. So we decided to go ahead and do it ourselves,” said DUSU president Shakti Singh, who is the “installer” as per the plaque on the pillar.

Some people, however, have objected specifically to the Savarkar bust that was installed on the campus. The youth wing of the Congress is being blamed and it is being alleged that the Congress is a party full of Sanghis.


Others, of a more volatile nature, see the installation of Savarkar’s bust as a prelude to the installation of Nathuram Godse’s bust. “That is who we have become,” says Sankarshan Thakur, editor of the far-left loony The Telegraph.


NSUI, the students’ wing of the Congress party, straight-out lied that Savarkar worked against the freedom struggle. Even the mercy petitions ought to be seen in their proper context. One can read behind the actual reasons of Savarkar’s mercy petitions here. Moreover, Savarkar did not give up his political struggle after being released, he continued to serve our motherland as the president of the Hindu Mahasabha.


The objection to Savarkar’s bust only goes on to show the extremely little respect liberals have for freedom fighters who opposed Nehruvianism. According to them, freedom fighters who opposed the flawed doctrine of Nehruvianism aren’t worthy of any respect. Attempts are made to vilify them and distort their actions to suit their particular narrative.

As much as they may denounce Savarkar, it is a fact that the seeds of Hindutva Savarkar had sown all those years ago have finally bloomed and Hindutva now dominates the corridors of power. Furthermore, Hindutva is not a fringe ideology anymore, it’s the political mainstream of the country and with time, liberalism is poised to become a fringe ideology. It’s only natural that they had the man who envisioned such a future.

1000-year-old Sialkot Temple in Pakistan opens for the first time in 72 years

OpIndia Staff
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1000-year-old Sialkot Temple in Pakistan opens for the first time in 72 years

A temple in Pakistan’s Sialkot region was opened for the first time since the partition between India and Pakistan in 1947. After 72 years, the Shawala Teja Singh temple, touted to be 1000-year old, was thrown opened again for worship. A grand program was organized in the temple according to Hindu traditions Wednesday before throwing it open for devotees.

There was a raging demand from the people of minority Hindu community living in Pakistan to open the temple. Pakistan has long been suppressing the fundamental rights of the minorities in its country and treating them as second class citizens. However, in opposition to its convention, the initiative to reopen the temple was taken by Pakistan Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB). Several Hindu leaders were present at the ceremony, including the President of the Hindu Development Community-Amarnath Randhawa, Dr. Munawwar Chand and Pandit Kashi Ram.

Shrine Secretary Syed Faraj Abbas said that for many years the Hindu community had been demanding that the temple be opened. After the initiative of EPTB, Prime Minister Imran Khan gave instructions to reopen the temple.  Randhawa lauded the Imran Khan government for heeding to their demands.

The gentrification of the temple is in full swing. For this, ETPB has assigned Rs 50 lakh as the first installment. According to sources, idols of gods and goddesses will be brought here from India. Recently the statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was installed in Lahore.

The situation of minorities in Pakistan is abysmal. Hindus and Christians in Pakistan live in a constant fear of state-administered repression against them. Hindu and Christian girls are forcibly married off to Muslim men and converted to Islam. The indignities meted out on them, sanctioned by Pakistan government, have forced many Hindus there to flee to India. Such Hindus live in abject poverty and dire situation in India’s capital-New Delhi.

After the abrogation of Article 370, Imran Khan went berserk in claiming that India has been discriminating against its minorities. However, data suggests that minorities have thrived in India whereas minorities in Pakistan since the partition have withered away. The notoriously draconian blasphemy cases are slapped against minorities in Pakistan, in order to subjugate them. The recent move by Imran Khan to renovate the Hindu temple may be aimed at dispelling his country’s anti-minority perception.

Human rights, vigilance cells: Defence Minister approves major decisions on reorganisation of Army headquarters

OpIndia Staff
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Human rights, vigilance cells: Defence Minister approves major decisions on reorganisation of Army headquarters

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has given his approval to a series of decisions regarding the re-organisation of the Indian Army Headquarters. This approval will now promote major transformations in the administration of the Indian Army.


According to the Ministry of defence officials, these measures are part of four studies being undertaken by the Army for force restructuring and transformation.

The Indian Armed forces are the second-largest military force in the world in terms of size. Moreover, the Indian Armed Forces are considered to be the world’s fifth-most powerful military and have the world’s fourth-largest defence budget.

Though the Indian Army essentially remains a force largely organised, equipped and trained to fight wars, the current decisions have been taken to better prepare the forces to take on the security challenges of the future.

To meet the needs and challenges of the future our Army needs to continuously upgrade and replace its ageing inventory of weapons and equipment while also restructuring and right-sizing in a transformational way.

Keeping this in view, the Raksha Mantri office in a series of Tweets listed the various decision taken in regards to the re-organisation of Army headquarters.

  • A separate Vigilance Cell under COAS with Tri-Services representation has been planned. Until now, the vigilance function for the COAS is through multiple agencies and there is no single point interface.
  • An independent vigilance cell will be made functional under COAS. Accordingly, ADG (Vigilance) will be placed directly under the COAS for this purpose. It will have three Colonel-level officers (one each from the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, and Indian Navy).
  • An umbrella organisation under VCOAS for enhanced focus on human rights issues, to give high priority to the observance of human rights convention and values, it has been decided to set up a special Human Rights Section headed by ADG (Maj. Gen rank officer) directly under the VCOAS.
  • It will be the nodal point to examine any Human Rights violation reports. To enhance transparency and ensure that best of investigative expertise is available to the section, a Police officer of SSP/SP rank will be taken on deputation.
  • Re-location of 206 Army Officers from AHQ to Formations/Units of the Field Army – A total of 206 officers will be optimized from AHQ and these officers will be made available additionally to Formations/Units of the Field Army.

Similarly, understanding the need to modernise the Indian armed forces, PM Modi had on Independence Day announced the creation of a Chief of Defence Staff, the senior-most military officer. The Chief of Defence Staff will act as a single place defence advisor to the central government. The officer will be the head of the three services – the Army, Air Force and Navy, and it is reported that CDS will be a five-star military officer. The service chiefs are four-star officers.

At present, India is the only major country which does not have a chief of defence staff. The modalities of the creation of this post will be completed in the next 2-3 months. According to speculations in media, current Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat could be appointed as the first Chief of Defence Staff of India.

One BSF jawan killed and another injured in clashes with cattle smugglers along Bangladesh border

OpIndia Staff
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One BSF jawan killed and another injured in clashes with cattle smugglers along Bangladesh border

Two separate skirmishes between cattle smugglers and security forces along the Bangladesh border in Assam and West Bengal has led to the death of a BSF soldier and critical injury to another jawan respectively.

The incident along the Assam-Bangladesh border, in which a BSF jawan lost his life, took place on Sunday when Inspector Sanjay Kumar Sadhu fell into the Brahmaputra river in Dhubri while chasing cattle smugglers. Sadhu, 35, belonged to the sixth battalion of the Border Security Force. The inspector, native of Vadodara district in Gujarat, is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son, a senior official said. The wide Brahmaputra river in Dhubri district in Assam is a preferred route of smugglers and illegal immigrants. Although the river is patroled at the border, it is so wide that security forces are evaded by transpassers.

In another incident, where jawan was critically injured pertains to Gobardah border post in southern region of West Bengal. The incident happened on Tuesday where constable Anand Oran was attacked by a group of cattle smugglers while he was on the patrol. When the constable caught one of the smugglers, in the ensuing combat, the smuggler pressed the trigger of the pump action gun held by the jawan. The jawan, Oran, suffered pellet injuries in his stomach and collapsed. He belongs to the 153rd battalion.

The other members in the patrol team rescued Oran and caught the Bangladeshi smuggler, Minto Sardar of Satkhira district. Along with Sardar, 10 cattle heads were also seized in his possession. According to the officials, the constable is in a serious condition.

The porous border along Bangladesh is often used by cattle smugglers to illegally transport cattle from India to Bangladesh. Recently, the BSF discovered a new method adopted by smugglers to smuggle cattle across the border. Smugglers are using flooded rivers to send cattle to the other side. It is estimated that thousands of cattle are smuggled every year to Bangladesh through the 2216 KM long porous border.

CJI’s bench rises for the day, Chidambaram’s plea to be heard by SC on Friday

OpIndia Staff
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CJI’s bench rises for the day, Chidambaram’s plea to be heard by SC on Friday

Former Union minister P Chidambaram’s plea at the SC against the Delhi HC order rejecting his appeal for interim protection from arrest will be heard by the apex court on Friday.


Earlier today, the SC has refused to pass an order over Chidambaram’s plea and has stated that the matter will be placed before CJI Ranjan Gogoi.

Chidambaram’s legal team had tried its best to list the matter today before CJI Gogoi’s bench as the CJI was busy hearing the Ram Janmabhoomi case. At 4.30 pm, CJI’s bench rose for the day without the Chidambaram’s legal counsel mentioning his petition.

Earlier today, Chidambaram’s legal team with prominent Congress leader Kapil Sibal and senior advocate Vivek Tankha had petitioned to justice NV Ramana for immediate relief to Chidambaram.

Justice NV Ramana had refused to list the matter and asked Chidambaram to mention the matter before Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi. Congress leader and senior advocate Kapil Sibal had rushed to the CJI court. Meanwhile, the Ayodhya case hearing had begun and there had been no mention of Chidambaram case till late afternoon.

Earlier today, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) had filed a caveat in the Supreme Court asking the court to keep them in the loop in response to a petition filed by P Chidambaram seeking protection from arrest. The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a caveat in the Supreme Court which said, “Let nothing be done without notice to us.”

It has now been almost 24 hours since the former Union Finance and Home Minister has been absconding. The CBI and the ED have also issued a lookout circular against Chidambaram.

The Congress leader and former Union Minister is facing arrest for his alleged involvement in the INX Media scam.

Update: A bench of Justice R Banumathi and Justice AS Bopanna will hear the petition filed by P Chidambaram against the Delhi High Court order rejecting the anticipatory bail plea.

Granting illegal FIPB clearance to receive kickbacks paid through shell companies: Read about P Chidambaram’s modus operandi

K Bhattacharjee
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Granting illegal FIPB clearance to receive kickbacks paid through shell companies: Read about P Chidambaram’s modus operandi

Former Union Minister for Home and Finance, P. Chidambaram, is in a tight spot. He has been running from pillar to post in order to secure bail, however, the Judiciary doesn’t appear to be in a mood to award him special privileges on this occasion.

Investigative authorities believe that they have a solid case against the senior Congress leader. He is an accused in the INX Media scam and faces allegations of corruption and money laundering. OpIndia.com has now learnt from government sources the details on proceedings against Chidambaram.

As per sources, Chidambaram’s modus operandi revolved around granting illegal FIPB clearances to receive kickbacks, often paid through various shell companies floated by his son Karti Chidambaram. There are several such cases, namely, Aircel Maxis, INX Media, Diageo Scotland, Katara Holdings against him. These cases are currently being investigated by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate.

During the course of the investigation, several shell companies of Karti Chidambaram, registered in India and abroad were identified. In one of these companies, deposits of more than Rs 300 crores were made. A shell company that belongs to Karti Chidambaram has also allegedly received huge payments from a company located in British Virgin Island which had figured in the Panama Papers as well.

The shareholders and directors of a shell company have made their Will of transferring entire their shareholding of the said company to the granddaughter of P. Chidambaram and the executor of the will, as per our sources, is his son, Karti Chidambaram.

Allegedly, the deposits in these shell companies have been used for meeting personal expenditure of the father-son duo, more than two dozen foreign bank accounts have been opened where the money was allegedly deposited and several properties in Malaysia, Spain, UK and other countries were purchased with the said money.

Even though several incriminating documents and emails were seized by the ED and CBI from their premises, P. Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram have been constantly non-cooperative and withholding relevant information, we are told.

Read details of the case against P Chidambaram: Illegal FIPB clearance to six companies and laundering of kickback money

OpIndia Staff
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Read details of the case against P Chidambaram: Illegal FIPB clearance to six companies and laundering of kickback money

Clearing the air over the cases being faced by senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, ED and CBI have said that the INX Media is not the only case that is being investigated by the probe agencies. In a statement, the ED and CBI have informed that P Chidambaram is being probed into illegal FIPB approval granted to several companies, and also money laundering of kickbacks received in return to those FIPB approvals.

The statement says that as a finance minister, P Chidambaram had granted illegal FIPB approval to several companies, which are Aircel Maxis, INX Media, Diageo Scotland Ltd., Katara Holdings, Essar Steel Ltd. and Elforge Ltd. The CBI is investigating the offences of illegal FIPB approvals given in lieu of kickback paid to various shell companies floated by Karti Chidambaram on the name of his employee and other business associates. While ED is probing the money laundering of the kickback and its investments in movable and immovable properties in India and foreign countries.

Refuting the contention of Chidambaram’s lawyers that investigations against P Chidambaram and his son have been completed and there is no need of custodial interrogation, the statement says that investigations are still going on. Chargesheet has been filed only in the Aircel Maxis case, but probe under PMLA under this case is also is not completed yet due to deliberate withholding of information by the Congress leader.

Making an explosive revelation, the statement says that both P Chidambaram and Karti Chidambaram are owners of several shell companies used to launder money and route foreign investments. It says that the official shareholders and directors of a main shell company have made Will of transferring entire shareholding of the shell company to both of them.

ED and CBI have said that money parked in the shell companies have used for the personal expenditure of the Chidambaram family, opening more than 2 dozen foreign bank accounts and depositing money in them, purchasing several immovable properties in different countries like Malaysia, UK, Spain etc.

The shell company of Sh. Karti P. Chidambaram has also received huge payments from a company located in the British Virgin Islands and this company is figured in Panama Papers.

The statement alleges that even though several incriminating document and emails were seized by ED ad CBI during search operation from the premises of P. Chidambaram and Karti P. Chidambaram, both the accused have not cooperated during interrogation and have deliberately refused to divulge any information about their investments in foreign bank account and immovable properties located in several other countries.

Noting that both of them are on anticipatory bail since the beginning of 2018, the probe agencies say that non-cooperation in providing information is delaying the completion of the investigation. They are not divulging required information despite having personal knowledge about the same, and therefore the agencies have to use a time-consuming process to gather data, by issuing LRs to several foreign jurisdictions.

Both CBI and ED could not get a chance to interrogate Sh. P. Chidambaram in their custody as permitted under the law due to anticipatory bails granted to the accused on multiple occasions, the statement adds.

Yesterday the Delhi High Court rejected anticipatory bail plea of P Chidambaram, and the Supreme Court also refused to urgently hear his requesting seeking interim protection from arrest, as the petition had defects, and the CJI was busy with the Ayodhya case hearing. He has been missing since yesterday while ED and CBI have issued lookout circulars for him.

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