Daily News (In Short)-20-July-2015

#* Congress aggressive, BJP adamant: Will monsoon session be a washout?

The monsoon session of Parliament beginning Tuesday is set to be stormy as the opposition will target the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over a string corruption allegations against some of its most high-profile ministers and leaders.
The Congress is in no mood to cooperate and has mounted pressure on the government to remove external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje – both linked to a controversy over former IPL chief Lalit Modi’s efforts to obtain British travel documents – and chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, whose government in Madhya Pradesh is on the back foot because of the raging Vyapam scam.

The Congress' message to the government has been “remove them, and we ensure a smooth session”. The Congress has also targeted Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh and Maharashtra minister Pankaja Munde over alleged scams. The opposition has indicated it will also target human resource minister Smriti Irani, who is facing charges related to her educational qualifications.

Read: Centre likely to re-promulgate land ordinance for record 4th time

But the BJP too is adamant about brazening it out. "We will aggressively and effectively counter the disinformation campaign of Congress," said party media cell in-charge Shrikant Sharma.

And it seems the BJP-led government and the Congress as well as other opposition parties are headed for a 'muqabla' (contest) as pointed out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

So, what's expected in the upcoming session? Will it be a complete washout? Or will the government be able to weather the storm? Here's all you need to know about who stands where ahead of the key session.

Strategy meetings

The government has indicated that it is taking the opposition’s challenge seriously, holding or planning a series of meetings. Modi held a nearly two-and-a-half-hour meeting with BJP leaders and ministers at his official residence on Sunday evening.

Earlier in the day, BJP chief Amit Shah held strategy meetings with party colleagues, including Union ministers Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Smriti Irani, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Piyush Goyal and party spokespersons. He also met Raje and Chouhan.

Modi has called a meeting of all NDA constituents on Monday. This is the first time he has called a meet of the ruling alliance since he stormed to power in May 2014.

Before meeting the allies at his residence, Modi may attend two separate all-party meetings called by parliamentary affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to discuss ways to ensure a smooth session.

"As far as the Lalit Modi controversy is concerned, Congress is totally confused. On one hand, they are seeking resignation of our leaders on the basis of Lalit Modi's comments, but have no answer to his charges against Priyanka Gandhi, her husband Robert Vadra and an alleged deal by Sonia Gandhi's sister. We will seek their answers on these," said BJP leader Shrikant Sharma.

#* Stabbed 35 times for resisting molestation: Why Delhi teen's murder has AAP protesting

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday held a protest against Delhi Police, holding it responsible for the stabbing of a 19-year-old girl in Anand Parbat locality three days ago, saying it has failed to provide security for women.
The protesters outside Delhi Police headquarters, some of whom climbed barricades set up by the police, were then sprayed with water cannons.
Few of the protesters were detained from the spot and later released.
The uproar in Delhi began when reports revealed that  a teenage girl had been stabbed to death for resisting sexual assault. Here are some key facts you need to know about the entire issue:
1) Girl stabbed 35 times for resisting molestation: A 19-year-old girl was allegedly stabbed to death by two youth in New Delhi in the Anand Parbat area, police had said on Friday. The Class 11 student, had been allegedly stabbed by Jai Prakash and his brother on Thursday, when she went to a market, a police officer had told IANS.
AAP workers being water cannoned while crossing the barricades during a protest against Delhi Police over the girl's death. PTIAAP workers being water cannoned while crossing the barricades during a protest against Delhi Police over the girl's death. PTI
Reports had also said that the victim was stabbed 35 times, including in the face, neck, back, chest and stomach. The girl had filed a molestation complaint against the attackers in 2013.
2) Both attackers arrested: While Jai Prakash, the main accused, had been arrested soon after the murder on Thursday, his brother Ajay Prakash was arrested late on Friday night and has been accused of helping his brother in the attack on the girl, reported The Times of India.
The victim's family has also alleged that the mother of the attackers was also involved in the attack and said that she should be arrested. However, Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi on Sunday said, "We have not arrested the accused's mother till now because we have not got any evidence which shows her as one of the culprits."
3) Kejriwal announces Rs 5 lakh compensation, slams Delhi police: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday had announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the family of the victim and ordered a magisterial probe into the case while slamming Delhi Police for the "deteriorating" law and order situation.
"The law and order situation is deteriorating in Delhi every day. Delhi Police comes under the Prime Minister. Either he should do something or Delhi Police should be handed over to the Delhi government," Kejriwal had told reporters.
The Chief Minister, accompanied by his deputy Manish Sisodia, had visited the girl's family and assured them of all possible help.
Making a strong pitch for handing over of Delhi Police to the city government, the CM had said, "If the police is not answerable to Delhi government then how will they be held accountable? Right now, Delhi police is a law unto itself."
4) AAP government seeks report from Delhi police: Delhi Home Minister Satyender Jain had written a letter to Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi, seeking his explanation on why no FIR was registered against the accused despite repeated complaints from the victim.
"The family of the deceased girl had filed numerous complaints against the accused Jai Prakash since 2013 with the local police alleging that he used to stalk the deceased and traumatise her but no FIR was registered by the police," Jain had claimed.
In his letter, Jain had also asked the police as to what change had been in the national capital after the 16 December gangrape case in 2012.
5) Hang the killers, says victim's mother: The parents of the teenage girl demanded on Sunday that the culprits be hanged for killing the girl. "A compensation of Rs 5 lakh can't bring my daughter back. I want justice. They should be hanged," Hindustan Times quoted the mother as saying.
The victim's father added that even though they had once complained to the police about his daughter being subjected to "abuse and vulgar comments" by the men, no action had been taken by the police. "They were arrested once by the police on our complaint at Kamla Market police station, after which they started venting their anger by showering abuses on her whenever they liked," HT quoted the girl's father as saying.
6) Kejriwal to meet Bassi on Monday: Kejriwal had asked the Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi to meet him on Monday to discuss the law and order situation in the national capital.
"CM office on Sunday wrote to the Police Commissioner stating that the Chief Minister wants to meet him to discuss Delhi's law and order situation and other issues including Meenakshi murder case," said a senior government official.
7) Will try to dispel misconceptions about Delhi Police, says Bassi: BS Bassi on Sunday said he will try to dispel "misconceptions" about functioning of his force during his meeting with Kejriwal.

#* Cops crack down on Sikh hardliners across Punjab

Punjab Police launched a massive state-wide crackdown on Sikh hardliners beginning Saturday night and took several key radicals into preventive custody. The midnight operation was planned to prevent the hardliners and their supporters from taking out “peace vitiating” marches on Sunday.

 
The radicals had planned three marches — Faridkot to Hasanpur, Ludhiana to Hasanpur and Ajnala to Amritsar — seeking premature release of Sikh prisoners lodged in jails within and outside the state. A clash took place between Khalsa’s supporters and cops at Ajnala after a police party reached there to stop protesters from taking out a march. A deputy superintendent of police was injured as protesters hurled stones at cops.

What alarmed the police was an “aggressive build-up” in and around the house of hardliner activist Surat Singh Khalsa at Hasanpur village in Ludhiana district. Khalsa is on a “fast” since January 16 seeking release of political Sikh prisoners.

The police on Sunday removed stacks of petrol bottles, which were allegedly to be used as petrol bombs, tyres and bricks from Khalsa’s house. Later, senior police and administration officials held meetings with Khalsa and explained to him “facts” about Sikh prisoners in jails across Punjab and outside the state and why they cannot be released prematurely.

Senior government functionaries said it was after political clearance that police were given the green light to go ahead with the operation.

Prominent radicals taken into preventive custody were Mokham Singh and Gurdeep Singh, president and general secretary of United Akali Dal, respectively, Amrik Singh Ajnala, chief of a Damdami Taksal faction, Harpal Singh Cheema of the SAD (Panch Pardhani), Wassan Singh Zaffarwal, former Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) chief and now activist of United Akali Dal and members of Sangharsh Committee, including Manwinder Singh Giaspur, Damandeep Singh Khalsa, Malkit Singh Mor, Gurpreet Singh Guri and Inderpal Singh, and Suba Singh Ramroni of the Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Committee. Cops crack down on Sikh hardliners

“An appropriate action was taken to stop activities which were aimed at vitiating peace by some elements. The decision was taken not to let hardliners hold three separate marches. All troublemakers were identified and taken into preventive custody to avoid any untoward incident,” a senior police officer told Hindustan Times.

Protesters, who had assembled to take part in marches, were rounded up peacefully at Ludhiana and Faridkot.

THE STANDOFF

The state government’s decision to launch the crackdown on hardliners clearly indicates the failure of talks between the police and the Sangharsh Committee that is behind the fast by Khalsa. The hunger strike by the activist had forced the state government to fasttrack the shifting of Sikh prisoners, including Devinderpal Singh Bhullar and Gurdeep Singh Khera, from other states to Punjab. The sangharsh committee, however, has been demanding that other Sikh prisoners sentenced to life must be released prematurely. The committee has submitted a list of 82 such prisoners.

According to the government, of the 82 prisoners, five have already been acquitted, five others are on bail, 15 are under trial, identities of six persons was yet to be established in absence of sufficient details not provided by the sangharsh committee, 26 persons are convicts lodged in Punjab jails, while 25 persons are in prisons of other states for offences committed in those states.

Government sources said of the 26 convicts lodged in Punjab jails, one was sentenced to death, eight are life convicts and 17 are short-term convicts.

“The government has explained its position to Sangharsh Committee members, which include lawyers and various other organisations, in a series of meetings with senior government functionaries. The hardliners know that their case is not legally tenable, a government functionary claimed, hinting that some hardliners are using Khalsa for their vested interests.

#* IPL GC meets to announce formation of working group

The need to form a working group had been revealed to Mail Today way back on Wednesday itself by some of the BCCI officials and even Shashank Manohar had said on Saturday that rather than forming a committee from within the Board, handing the case to an independent agency like the CBI made more sense.The power corridors have changed in the BCCI. But unfortunately, apart from that nothing else has changed as far as the functioning of the Board is concerned from the time when the spot-fixing scandal broke out in 2013 with N. Srinivasan at the helm. Rather than making noteworthy recommendations, the IPL governing council, which met in Mumbai on Sunday to discuss the report of the Lodha committee, decided that formation of a working group to study the order was the need of the hour.
Interestingly, the need to form a working group had been revealed to Mail Today way back on Wednesday itself by some of the BCCI officials and even Shashank Manohar had said on Saturday that rather than forming a committee from within the Board, handing the case to an independent agency like the CBI made more sense.
While the governing council can't pass decisions and can only make recommendations for the working committee to ratify it, the decision to form a working group and asking it to brief the BCCI in six weeks only indicates that the Board has still not learnt its lessons. In fact, R.M. Lodha had himself clarified that the BCCI was well within its rights to scrap Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals. To travel all the way to Mumbai and officially pass the decision that has been known for almost five days now, definitely is nothing short of hogwash.
The governing council members should have made a more serious effort and also passed recommendations on how they are looking to fill the places left vacant after CSK and RR's suspension. But sadly, the governing council, rather than cracking the whip, decided to fake concern, just like it has done in the last two years.

#* DoCoMo's India exit gets more painful after Tatas offer just Rs 23.34 a share for Tata Tele stake

DoCoMo's attempts to exit India has just got a bit more bumpier with the Tata group offering to buy out Japanese telecom giant's stake in Tata Teleservices at Rs 23.34 per share, more than 50 percent lower than earlier offer of Rs 58.
According to an exclusive report in The Business Standard, the Tata group has made this offer valuing the company at just Rs 11,000 crore. Docomo had invested in Tata Teleservices at Rs 117 per share valuation.
The Tata group's move comes after the RBI rejected its earlier proposal to buy DoCoMo's stake in the struggling joint venture for about Rs 7,250 crore or Rs 58 a share.
The latest offer, which is 60 percent lower than the earlier offer, is based on a fair value arrived at by PriceWaterhousecooper. The yen's 30 percent depreciation is adding more trouble to the company, says the BS report. What this means is that the value of of DoCoMo's original investment in Tata Teleservices would see a 90 percent erosion.
DoCoMo has moved the London Court of Arbitration to get a valuation of Rs 58 per share.
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Tata Sons had in November 2014 applied the RBI to purchase DoCoMo's 26.5 per cent stake at Rs 58.045 per share (totalling about Rs 7,250 crore) - half the price which the Japanese firm paid in 2009. DoCoMo had invested $2.2 billion in Tata Teleservices.
The joint venture agreement had a clause that promised DoCoMo at least 50 percent of the value of its original investment if it decided to exit in five years. The Japanese company had also agreed to increase its investment subject to certain performance milestones of Tata Teleservices. The Tata group company has, however, failed to meet the milestones, and has been making losses. That is the reason for DoCoMo's decision to exit the venture.
Tata Sons had engaged PwC to determine the fair value in relation to the equity shares of Tata Teleservices Ltd. As per their report, the fair value was Rs 23.34 per share.
Unable to find a buyer for DoCoMo's stake, Tata Sons in November applied to the RBI to purchase the stake at Rs 58.045 per share - half the price DoCoMo had paid in 2009.
But it could not get the requisite approvals in time and DoCoMo earlier this month dragged Tatas to an international court of arbitration.
The Japanese firm had stated that as per the 2009 agreement that formed Tata Teleservices, DoCoMo can sell the shares if the joint venture fails to meet performance targets in the fiscal year that ended on March 31 last year.
DoCoMo, TTSL and Tata Sons had in March 2009 signed shareholder agreement for the business alliance. DoCoMo picked up 27.31 per cent stake in Tata Teleservices for Rs 12,924 crore and 20.25 per cent in Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) Ltd - the listed arm of TTSL - for Rs 949 crore. Overall, DoCoMo holds 26.5 per cent in Tata Teleservices.

#* Google gains billions in value as YouTube drives ad growth

Google Inc's shares soared as much as 16.8 per cent on Friday, crossing the $700 mark and adding nearly $68 billion to its market value, as strong growth in YouTube viewership allayed concerns about Facebook Inc's push into video.
The stock's surge, which sent the Nasdaq composite index to a record intraday high, came a day after Google reported better-than-expected profit for the first time in six quarters.
The rise in the Web search giant's market value was more than the total market capitalisation of Caterpillar Inc, the world's biggest construction equipment maker.
Google's shares hit a record high of $703, valuing the company at $471.50 billion and cementing its position as the world's second most valuable company after Apple Inc.
At least 27 brokerages raised their price targets on Google's stock by as much as $150 to as high as $800, with analysts also welcoming new Chief Financial Officer Ruth Porat's emphasis on disciplined spending.
At the highest price target, Google would be valued at $545 billion. Apple is valued at about $740 billion.
The energy brought to Google by Porat, who joined in May from investment bank Morgan Stanley, is likely to drive the stock in the short and medium term, analysts say.
"She is known to be tough as nails when it comes to expense management " FBN Securities analyst Shebly Seyrafi told Reuters. "A lot of investors are comforted by the fact that her first quarter as CFO, reporting, she is delivering."

YOUTUBE CLICKS
Google said on Thursday that watch time for YouTube rose 60 per cent in the second quarter and the video service had more viewers aged 18-49 on mobile alone than any US cable network.
Online video ads could be a $17 billion opportunity in the United States alone by 2017, Jefferies & Co analysts wrote in a note, and YouTube looks best positioned to benefit.
Google and Facebook are trying to woo big companies to market their products via online videos.
But YouTube has an edge over Facebook as it has a more mature monetization platform that seems to attract the best content, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster said.
Google's advertising revenue rose 11 per cent to $16.02 billion in the second quarter. The number of paid clicks increased 18 per cent.
"This growth has steadily held in the mid-to-high teens since at least Q1:13," RBC analyst Mark Mahaney said. "Such consistency is a rarity, especially for a behemoth business..."
Google said the gap was closing between mobile and desktop "cost per click", or the average price of online ads. Mobile ads are usually cheaper than desktop ads because of smaller screen space.
Mobile CPCs are likely to exceed desktop CPCs in the long term, Munster said.
Google's CPCs fell 11 per cent in the quarter, pressured by YouTube TrueView ads - lower priced ads for which advertisers pay only when viewers don't skip an ad.
Google's intrinsic value is $443.23 per share, according to Thomson Reuters StarMine calculations based on analysts' earnings estimates over 10 years.
Of 48 analysts covering the stock, 38 have "buy" or higher rating, while 10 have "hold." The median price target is $672, according to Thomson Reuters data.
Google's shares were up 15.7 per cent at $696.09 in afternoon trading on the Nasdaq. Facebook's shares were up 4 percent at $94.61, reacting to Google's ad revenue growth.
Up to Thursday's close, Google shares had risen about 13 per cent this year. The stock trades at 19.7 times forward earnings, while Facebook trades at 38.1 times.

#* US firm bribing scandal: Goa Congress remains defiant even as BJP goes on offensive

The Louis and Berger international bribery scandal has reached the doorstep of a former Goa chief minister even as it also puts the spotlight back on the Rs 847 crore water and sewerage project in Goa funded by Japanese government whose mismanagement has already cost the state exchequer a loss of Rs 166 crore.
According to a report in The Indian Express, in what is being viewed as a fallout of the latest revelation in the matter, two senior executives of the controversial firm in India have quit their posts. Meanwhile, it has become fodder for political fight in Goa with the BJP taking the attack to the Congress camp.
A day after Goa chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the $ 976,630 bribery allegations levelled against a Goa minister and officials, as revealed in United States Justice department documents, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar’s charge on Sunday has brought the role of then chief minister Digambar Kamat in question.
Former CM of Goa Laxmikant Parsekar. AgenciesFormer CM of Goa Laxmikant Parsekar. Agencies
“The project was related to JICA (Japan International Co-operation Agency), therefore then PWD minister may be involved, but since the project also deals with financial approval, there is a likelihood that another minister might be involved,” Parrikar told party workers at a mahasampark campaign meeting in Margao, 35 km south of Panaji.
While the Public Works Department minister in 2010 was Churchill Alemao, the Congress-led coalition government of the day was headed by chief minister Digambar Kamat, who was also in-charge of the finance ministry.
Kamat, who is being probed for allowing illegal mining in Goa, told Firstpost that he was open to any inquiry deemed fit by the government. “Any PWD tender has a process and everything has to be done according to it. I am not involved in this. Let them investigate,” Kamat said, laughing off the charge made by Parrikar.
The New Jersey-based consultancy firm’s top officials have already pleaded guilty in a case which charged them for offering bribes to the tune of $ 3.9 million to secure contracts in Asian countries including India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Kuwait, etc.
Among the Louis and Berger officials who have pleaded guilty to paying bribes is James McClung from the consultancy firm’s Dubai office, which oversaw the India operations. While the settlement announced by the Justice Department did not identify the politicians and officials who were offered the bribes, the documents revealed that the $ 9,76,630 was paid in bribe over a period of time from 2009-2010.
The consultancy firm was a part of an international consortium which had eventually won the contract to execute the JICA project in Goa. JICA is an independent governmental agency, which coordinates official development assistance for the government of Japan, which in 2007 had lent the Goa government the Rs 847.50 crore soft loan in order to build a major Water Supply and Sewerage project.

The bribes allegedly were offered to secure the tender for execution of the project, which includes expansion and augmentation of three water treatment plants, which would cater to both the state’s districts catering to a population of about 6.60 lakh over 30 years.
The bribery scandal has stunned the Congress, which has been forced to put up a brave face. “The government should initiate a probe. We are ready,” leader of Opposition Pratapsingh Rane said.
Former PWD minister Alemao, who quit the Congress last year, said that he was unaware of the US treasury department documents, which have revealed the pay offs. “Yes, the Congress was in power that time. But I do not know what documents you are talking about,” Alemao said.
The shoddy implementation of the JICA project by the implementing agencies was exposed in a CAG report tabled in the state legislative assembly last year. The CAG report said that the Goa government had squandered Rs 166.37 core due to delay and poor implementation of a water and sewerage project.
“The delay in tendering of works under JICA projects resulted in additional burden of Rs 166.37 crore to the state government. Moreover, delays in tender acceptance resulted in additional liability of Rs 69.02 crore due to price escalation,” the report said.

#* BCCI to constitute working group under IPL head Rajeev Shukla to study Lodha committee's verdict

Mumbai: Under pressure to resolve the crisis triggered by Justice RM Lodha committee's verdict on the IPL betting scandal, an embattled BCCI on Sunday decided to constitute a working group to study the order and give recommendations within six weeks.
The decision to form the group was taken at the crucial IPL Governing Council meeting here where members discussed the implications of the verdict, suspending Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals from the IPL for two years.
The BCCI working Committee is to be headed by IPL Chief Rajeev Shukla. PIB Imge.The BCCI working Committee is to be headed by IPL Chief Rajeev Shukla. PIB Imge.
The BCCI said that it will adhere to the verdict in totality. The Board will reveal the names of the working group members on Monday.
"BCCI respects the verdict of the Lodha Commission and will abide by their decisions. The members recognised that there is an urgent need to understand the impact of this decision and the wider ramifications for BCCI in detail, so as to uphold the paramountcy of the game in our country," the Board said in a statement after the meeting which lasted little over an hour.
"The IPL GC hence authorised the Chairman, Shri Rajeev Shukla, to constitute a working group which will study this verdict, in consultation with all our key advisors and explore all the possible measures to be adopted, with an objective to protect the interests of all the stakeholders involved," it added.
The Board said the recommendations of the group will be sent to the BCCI's all-powerful working committee.
"This group will work within a time bound period of 6 weeks and report their recommendations to the IPL GC, which will deliberate and share their views with the working committee of the BCCI, for further action," it said.
IPL Chairman Rajeev Shukla said the members of the group would be finalised by Monday.
"House has entrusted me with responsibility to make a small group that will take 6 weeks to submit a report as to how we implement the order and way forward for IPL. How to conduct IPL, how many teams and all stakeholders CAC members, sponsors, broadcasters, state associations, legal experts that report will come to GC and it will go WC which will take decision," Shukla said.
"Members will be announced tomorrow. We have decided to implement Justice Lodha verdict in spirit and decided to work accordingly. All stakeholders have given their opinion, everybody is of the view that the show must go on. And I reiterate that IPL 9 will be bigger and greater," he asserted.
Shukla, however, refused to reveal the details of Sunday's meeting and took a jibe at former BCCI President Shashank Manohar for demanding that CSK and RR be terminated.
"We cannot divulge the deliberations of the meeting. A sub-group has been constituted which will recommend what needs to be done.
"A Supreme Court-appointed committee has deliberated on it (the IPL scandal) and after it has given its verdict, I don't think there is scope for anybody else to comment," he said.
BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya skipped the meeting as he is indisposed, while Ajay Shirke, Ravi Shastri and Jyotiraditya Scindia joined through video-conferencing.

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