NATIONAL NETWORK TheIndianEXPRESSwww.indianexpress.com

6l THURSDAY l APRIL 4 l 2013

EXPRESSNEWS SERVICEAHMEDABAD,APRIL 3

KULDIP Sharma, the1976-batch Gujarat-cadre IPSofficerwho

could have beenGujarat Po-lice chief but for his brushwith Chief Minister Naren-dra Modi, has been ap-pointed advisor in the Min-istry ofHomeAffairs.

Sharma,who tookchargeon Tuesday, told The Indian

Express that he would be incharge of modernisation ofthe police force.

Sharma retired on De-cember 31 last year asDirec-torGeneral of Police (DGP)in the Bureau of Police Re-search and Development(BPR&D) inDelhi,wherehewent on deputation after theGujarat government deniedhim a promotion and postedhim as managing director oftheGujarat Sheep andWool

Development Corporation,a post always held by an IASofficer.

In Gujarat, for over twoyears, he fought abitter battleagainst the state governmentfor promotion as DGP. Heapproached the Central Ad-ministrative Tribunal (CAT)demanding that his grades intheAnnualConfidentialRe-port (ACR)be improved.

The state governmenthad also sanctioned criminal

proceedings against Sharmain a 28-year-old case filed byan alleged smuggler, whichwas stayed by the GujaratHigh Court. Barely twomonths before his retire-ment, the Delhi High Courtcleared the way for his pro-motion asDGP.

Sharma’s youngerbrother, Pradip Sharma, anIAS officer, was arrested inan alleged land scam case,and is nowout on bail.

MHA picks Modi baiter as advisor

KULDIP SHARMA

EXPRESSNEWS SERVICENEWDELHI, APRIL 3

THETourismMinistryhas in-troduced a time-boundprocess to deal with approvalandclassificationofhotelsandrestaurants and put in placean online system for the pur-pose inorder tobring inmoretransparency in these proce-dures for the sector.

Tourism Minister K Chi-ranjeevi on Wednesdaylaunchedthisweb-based ‘pub-lic servicedeliverysystem’ thatwill enable the hotels andrestaurants to track theprogress of their applicationsonline,ona real-timebasis.

“By putting this system inplace, therewillbepressureonthe officers of the ministry todeliverontimeandanincreasein accountability. Now on-wards, all applications willhavetobeexaminedwithin15workingdays fromthereceiptfor completeness,” Chiran-jeevi said. He said in the next15days, inspections to the ap-plying hotels would be sched-

uled. “The recommendationsof hotel and restaurants ap-provalandclassificationcom-mittee will be communicatedon the spot to the applicantand these recommendationswillalsobeputonthewebwithfinaldecisionwithin10daysofthe inspection,”hesaid.

“This measure will bringin more transparency, makeofficialsmoreaccountableandenabletheapplicants toaccessinformation and check statusof their applications,”he said.Theministryplanstomoveto-wardsan‘e-regime’andaccept‘e-applications’andproposals.Italsoplanstoputinplacesim-ilarsystemsinotherspheresoffunctioning,astatementbytheministry said.

Time-boundprocessfor approval tohotels, restaurants

OSHUBHAJIT ROYNEWDELHI, APRIL 3

FRANCE has assured Indiathat the UN Arms TradeTreaty—whichwaspassedbya massive majority of theUnited Nations General As-sembly (UNGA) onTuesdaynight—will not affect thede-fence relationship betweenthe two countries.

Although theFrenchgov-ernment voted in favour ofthe resolution, it has said thatIndia’s concerns are legiti-mate and has given firm andpublic support to the Indianposition on “contract protec-tion”, sources said.NewDelhihas been upset with the USandUKfornotaccommodat-ingDelhi’s concerns.

India abstained at theUNGA on the resolution ontheATT,whichwaspassedby154 votes, as it felt that thetreaty was tilted grossly infavour of arms-exportingcountries. As one of thebiggest arms importers, NewDelhi felt that itmay face thebrunt of the treaty if majorarms-exporting countries in-

voke the treaty’s provisionofunilateral termination of de-fence contracts.

Paris, which is a majorsupplierof arms—and ispartof the recent multi-billiondollar deal on Rafale jets —has been quick to assuageconcerns on the Indian side.Sources said French inter-locutors had worked verycloselywith Indianofficials inNewYork andGeneva as ne-gotiationswerecarriedoutonthe textof the treaty. In fact, itwasdue to close coordinationbetweenNewDelhi andParisthat thedraft textof the treaty— in its final stages — wasearlier going to accommo-date India’s concerns.Sources said that it was NewZealand that had come upwith a compromise formula-tion in the final stagesofnego-tiations that was acceptableto the India-led arms im-porters group as well Ameri-can-led arms exportersgroup.

However, on March 27,US interlocutors diluted thedraft text of the treaty andbrought in“unpredictability”

and “instability” in the de-fence contracts. This sur-prised many, includingFrench and Indian officials,whohadworkedveryhard forthe treaty’s text, whichwouldhave“balancedobligations”.

France,whichhadinitiallytold its European partnersthat the treaty must have a“good balance”, finally wentalong with the final text as itfelt that the text was good, al-thoughnotperfect.

Along with India, China,Russia, Egypt, Indonesia,Myanmar, Sri Lanka, SaudiArabia, Qatar, Oman, Cubaabstained in the vote on theresolution. Pakistan,Afghanistan, Bangladesh,Nepal, Maldives and Bhutanvoted in favour.

The treaty will be openfor signature at the UNHeadquarters in New Yorkfrom June 3, 2013 until it isput into force. The treaty issubject to ratification, ac-ceptanceor approval by eachstate that is a signatory andwill come into effect as an in-ternational law once at least50 states ratify it.

UNarms treatywon’t hitties with India: France

K CHIRANJEEVI

Why should state pay for securityto thosewith criminal cases: SCUTKARSHANANDNEWDELHI, APRIL 3

AStheSupremeCourt set its scan-ner on the contentious securitycover for VIPs and VVIPs acrossthecountry,anaffidavit fromUttarPradeshonWednesday threwupalist running into 393 pages thatnamesonly suchpersonswhohavebeen given security although theyhadcriminalantecedents.Someofthemeven faced charges likemur-derandattempttomurder.Thelist,submitted in a sealed cover in thecourt, includedMPs,MLAs,minis-ters and a Vice-Chancellor of anagricultural university of UttarPradesh.

Not only this, Uttar Pradeshdeploys policemen for security ofnot only 527 MPs and MLAs butalso155 formerMPsandMLAs.

Asmanyas76others, compris-ing district and panchayat headsand mayors, have also been givenprotection, besides chairman ofSangeet Natak Academy, chair-man and vice-chairman of stateWomenCommission, chairmanofUP Seat Distribution, vice-chair-man of Unification Commissionand chairman of UP CommerceandTaxAdvisoryCommittee.

Aseparate listof “otherpublicfunctionaries” includedadditionaladvocategenerals, governmentad-vocates,V-Csanddoctors.

Reading out froma note com-piled after receiving affidavits ofvariousstates, senioradvocateHar-ish Salve told a Bench led by Jus-ticeGSSinghvi thatUttarPradeshhas citedno rules for providing se-curitycoverbutgeneral statementsthat it isgiven incasesofemergencyor tomaintain lawandorder.

Salvealsocited thedataofGu-jarat government and wonderedwhy suspended IPS officer D GVanzara,whofaces seriouschargesinconnectionwiththeSohrabuddinfake encounter case, and formerminister Mayaben Kodnani, whohas been jailed in a riot case, werestill beinggiven security cover.

In Punjab, around 1,300 pub-lic functionaries and private per-sons have been provided security.Outof these, 65persons, includingsix MLAs, face criminal charges.Bihar and Madhya Pradesh gov-ernments also provide security toa largenumberofbusinessmen.

Salve told theBenchthat itwasinevitable to evolve a mechanismwhere a defined category of non-constitutionalauthoritiesshouldbegiven security onaneed-based sys-tem,subject toperiodical reviews.

He also referred to a report bythe the Bureau of Police ResearchandDevelopment, sayingavailablestrength of police personnel was“shockingly” less than the totalstrengthbecauseofdeploymentforVIPsandVVIPs.Salvesaidthesitu-ationwassobad insomestates thatlessthanhalf thepolicestrengthwasactuallyavailableforcommonman.

“Howcaninsuchasituationweexpectthem(police)toprovidesecu-rity to all the citizens?Weonce saidDelhihasbecomeunsafebutnobodyseemstobetakingtheargumentseri-ously.Theproblememanatesduetothethreeletters(VIP)andnowtheyhave added a fourth letter to it(VVIP),”observedthecourt.

“Why should state bear the ex-pensesofgivingsecuritytothosewithcriminalcases?Iftheywanttheycanhavetheirownsecurity.Ifsomebody

isfacingseriouscriminalchargeslikemurder, are we to assume they areabsolutely falsely implicated?Simi-larly, businessmen and corporatesshouldspendtheirownmoneyiftheyneedsecurity...,”observedthebench.“We are not concerned about pro-vidingsecuritytoaparticularpersonbut about the availability of policepersonnelforprotectingcitizens.”

Salve said the issue could bedealtunderthreemajorheadings—whether use of beacons and sirensbypersonsotherthanconstitutionalauthoritieswaslawful;whethersecu-rity tosuchpersonswithoutasoundsystem of review was lawful; andwhether closure of roads for VIPmovementswas lawful.

The bench decided to beginwith the first issue.ASGSiddharthLuthra,whoappearedfortheDelhigovernment, said 27 categories ofpeoplehavebeen identified forus-ing beacons and sirens by theCen-tral rules whereas Delhi govern-menthas identified11authorities.

“Forgetabouttherulesandyoutellushowmanypeopledefactouseredlightsontheirvehicles?Whydoyou only challan those using it un-lawfullyandnotconfiscatetheirve-hicles? We assume children andother familymembers of these au-thorities also use beacons...,” saidthe court. It will continue hearingthematteronThursday.

DELHI

Rs 19.91 crMONTHLY EXPENDITURE ON SECURITY BESIDESCONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITIES LIKELIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, CHIEF MINISTER ETC

SECURITY TO436 INDIVIDUALS, including 29who face criminal charges4,284 PERSONNEL from Delhi Police and otherforces are involved in their security

UTTARPRADESH

Rs 14.89 crMONTHLY EXPENDITUREONSECURITY

527MPS and MLAs besides 115 ex-MPs and ex-MLAs get securityALISTOF 393 pages of persons given security de-spite criminal antecedents

PUNJAB

Rs 15.69 crMONTHLY EXPENDITURE, APART FROMWHAT ISINCURREDONCRPFANDCISF1,294 FUNCTIONARIES and private individuals,including 65 facing criminal charges, get security

GUJARAT

Rs 21.78 crANNUAL EXPENDITURE

273PRIVATEpersons, including 179 witnessesand victims of Gujarat riot cases, given security45OF THOSEgiven security face criminal charges

BIHAR

Rs 141.95 crANNUAL EXPENDITURE

TOTALOF3,951persons given security. This listincludes 70 who face criminal charges

MADHYAPRADESH

Rs 21.08 crANNUAL EXPENDITURE

375PERSONS, including 61 facing criminalcharges, given security

KERALA

Rs 11.56 lakhMONTHLY EXPENDITURE

SECURITY TO only 33 individuals, including 14facing criminal charges

WHO SPENDS HOWMUCHON PROTECTION

In some states, only half the police force is for common man

EXPRESSNEWS SERVICENEWDELHI, APRIL 3

SENIORBJPleaderYashwantSinhahasappealedtoCongresschief Sonia Gandhi to ask thegovernment to “quit so thatfresh elections could be held”becauseherteamof“economicmanagers” has failed to revivethe economyandanother yearwouldbe“disastrous”forIndia.

“The people of India havenohopesfromthepresentgov-ernment.It is thegovernment’smismanagement of the econ-omy which has brought thecountry to this pass. Anotheryearofthiskindofmismanage-ment will be disastrous for In-dia.Iam,therefore,appealingtoSonia Gandhi to take a call,”Sinhasaid inastatement.

“Her team of economicmanagers has let down thecountry. She must, therefore,ask them to quit so fresh elec-tions could be held and a newgovernmentcouldinitiatestepsnecessarytobringtheeconomybackontherails,” it said.

Yashwant toSonia: Govtmismanagedeconomy, tellit to resign

GANDHINAGAR: TheComptroller and AuditorGeneral of India has comedown heavily on the Gujaratgovernment and state publicsector undertakings for caus-ing loss of nearlyRs 580 croretotheexchequerbybestowing“undue” favours to large cor-

porate entities. The firms theNarendra Modi governmentplayed benefactor to includeRelianceIndustriesLtd,EssarSteel and Adani Power Ltd,the report said. It also said thegovernment tweaked rules togrant land to Ford India andLarsen& Toubro. PTI

SANTOSHSINGHPATNA,APRIL 3

JD(U)presidentSharadYadavsaid onWednesday there was“not even a remote chance ofalliance with the Congress” inpre-poll or post-poll situation.HesaidGujaratChiefMinister

Narendra Modi being givenmajor role in national politicswas“purelyaninternalmatter”of the BJP and an NDA PMcandidatewouldbedecidedbyNDAattheappropriatetime.

AskedabouttheJD(U)go-ingsoftontheCongressduringtheDelhiAdhikar rally,Yadav

said: “We made our pointsstronglyonourspecialcategorystatus demand. There was im-mediate response from theCentre. But no politicalmean-ing should be made out of it.There are not even remotechancesofpre-pollorpost-pollalliancewiththe Congress.”

Modi govt gave pvt firmsundue favours: CAG

Sharad rules out an alliance with Congress