[rti4empowerment] Fw: Re plastic pollution - share the call

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Urvi Sukul Singh

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Subject: Re plastic pollution - share the call

 

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This is unbelievable -- western governments are dumping millions of tonnes of plastic waste on developing countries with paradise coastlines instead of recycling it! A summit in Geneva is deciding now whether to stop the export of plastic trash to countries that can't process it, but the Trump administration is trying to block it. A massive show of support could make the difference -- so let's build an urgent worldwide campaign with a single clear message: stop dumping plastic in paradise!

This is unbelievable -- western governments are dumping millions of tonnes of plastic waste on developing countries with paradise coastlines instead of recycling it! A summit in Geneva is deciding now whether to stop the export of plastic trash to countries that can't process it, but the Trump administration is trying to block it. A massive show of support could make the difference -- so let's build an urgent worldwide campaign with a single clear message: stop dumping plastic in paradise! Sign now Dear friends, This is unbelievable -- western governments are dumping millions of tonnes of plastic waste on developing countries instead of recycling it! We've all seen shocking pictures of paradise beaches choked with plastic waste. But I bet none of us knew the plastic could be from Europe, the US, and Canada! Right now, in a bid to tackle this scandal, a summit in Geneva is deciding whether to stop the export of plastic to countries that can't process it. There's huge support for the idea, but big business and powerful governments like the Trump administration are trying to block it. Champions say a massive show of public support could make the difference, and are taking our voices into the room today -- so let's speak out urgently with a single clear message: stop dumping plastic in paradise! Sign to stop plastic dumping Plastic is literally choking our oceans. Everywhere we look we see the carnage -- dead whales washing up with stomachs full of plastic, seabirds suffocating, turtles drowning in plastic nets. And most of the plastic enters the sea in developing countries without strong recycling systems. Which is why it's so INSANE that rich countries are shipping their plastic waste to some of these exact countries! Now we have a chance to change it. A coalition of countries led by Norway is pushing to add plastic to a deal on hazardous waste, meaning it couldn't be exported unless there were safeguards it would be properly processed, and giving poorer countries the right to refuse it. We can't solve the plastic crisis engulfing our oceans while using pristine coastlines as a global plastic dump. The decision will be made in days -- so join now to tell our governments: stop dumping plastic in paradise! Sign to stop plastic dumping Our movement has fought the scourge of plastic pollution again and again. We've helped win bans on plastic bags, funded clean up plans on polluted rivers, and delivered a giant call to ban throwaway plastics to the UN. Now we need to rise to defend our oceans again. With hope and determination, Risalat, Rewan, Bert, Iain, Spyro, Alex, Rosa, and the rest of the Avaaz team More information: The world's recycling is in chaos. Here's what has to happen (Wired) https://www.wired.com/story/the-worlds-recycling-is-in-chaos-heres-what-has-to-happen/ Norwegian proposal to place trade controls on waste plastics gains support (Resource) https://resource.co/article/norwegian-proposal-place-trade-controls-waste-plastics-gains-support-12823 America's new recycling crisis, explained by an expert (Vox) https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/4/2/18290956/recycling-crisis-china-plastic-operation-national-sword

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Re: [IAC#RG] No political party has resolve to eliminate reservations

I feel, this forum or any other conscientious citizen of this country will agree that discrimination of the society should go and mainstreaming of the marginalised should happen for the greater good of the country. The question is if the present system of reservation and it's further proliferations as a political or vote bank tool has achieved this objective so far. The reservation percentage has gone up way beyond the constitution makers have thought them to be. Has any concrete study was undertaken on the societal impact of the reservation system after 70 years in terms of the following?

1. Minimising the exclusion of the marginalised class.

2. Economical uplift of the excluded and marginalised section.

3. Impact on the merit and efficiency in the educational system and Government sector jobs

Without getting into any statistics, it was common sense to assume that it didn't achieve the objective for the very reason that it has been getting a 10 year's renewal lease of life even after 70 years. While the objectives were kept lofty and philosophically broad with the principle of equity, the implementation has been monumentally poor and directionless. It has in fact broadened the societal divide, widened the discrimination. Now every section is in a race to be included in the reserved list. It's like a race to the bottom has started in our country with each one claiming they are more poor and marginalised. This was happily being exploited and used by the political class. For some, this is the very basis of their political survival.

A sincere approach could have led to creating more opportunities for the marginalised to provide them access to quality education and skills at the local level. This will empower them to think, act and claim their rights. You visit any remote  tribal area and you will  find no good  schools with very poor access to health. Whats the point in having a reservation in higher education, jobs and promotion? This infact helps the already mainstreamed sections to claim those benefits for their children and posterity and recirculate it within the affluents of the backward community. The large vacancies in the Govt. jobs in the reserved category suggest that successive Governments have not been able to made them capable enough  even claim these reservations. So whose interest it serves? 

The answer is loud and clear. So should the country continue with this for few more generations?

Nabajyoti Das

      

On 30-Apr-2019, at 3:51 AM, Vidyut (via indiaresists Mailing List) <indiaresists@lists.riseup.net> wrote:

It is important to not fall prey to casteist propaganda when understanding these issues.

Reservations are important for several reasons, but two are the most important.

• The obvious - to prevent exclusion of marginalized communities.
• To create opportunities for the upliftment of marginalized communities.

This issue isn't merely about seeing some seats that could be freed up to the golden children. It is a complex social upliftment intervention. These are important national goals that go beyond the entitlement of the already privileged to get the cut-off maybe one or two percent lower by denying entire swathes the opportunity to educate themselves. Even without reservation, the cut-off marks would be unreasonably high. This is because the facilities for education are inadequate, not because of the underprivileged.

The underprivileged also suffer from poorer facilities for education all through. Government schools have horrendous standards and the further deterioration in the last five years is mind boggling. Where hundreds of schools fail to have a single student passing matric and inter exams at all (100% fail. Not a single person passed.), I think it is clear that education for the underprivileged does not prepare them for competitive exams. Additionally, the underprivileged are disproportionately less likely to benefit from additional coaching or a lack of other responsibilities (like work in home/farm/etc) in order to become a one trick pony and puke out marks at showtime. Few of your upper caste/class students are likely to study in such schools. The student's background and access to basic education determines a lot about what they learn, and this is the responsibility of the government, which we have failed at. 

Then, to further use the poor results to deny the few that do pass the right to educating themselves further and influencing their community may make a few elites happy, but will further handicap the influence of education among the underprivileged. Let us begin with understanding the magnitude of the impact. Where cut-offs are in the high 90s, getting rid of total reservation still won't even drop them below 90%. Like I said, the issue isn't one of reservation, it is one of inadequate facilities. This suits powerful people, because demand and supply means great big fat bribes. I think they call them donations, these days. If seats were in plenty, the cost of education too would have to come down, not to mention standards would matter. In short, providers of education would have to do better and have less control to auction off.

Anyway, that is a separate issue. The key issue is the reach of higher education, jobs, prosperity. Where your schools are so horrendous that none of the students pass, you can forget about the people from that area doing higher jobs, getting access to information, or even achieving basic literacy reliably. You have to live among the underprivileged to see how much inspiration as well as assistance the few achievers are to the community. It is worth taking as many as possible to higher education, because they in turn will encourage more from the community to study. This in turn means a better educated population.

It serves the purpose of casteist propagandists to emotionally influence the powerful elites against the underprivileged, by blaming their discontent on the very existence of those they wish to do away. By creating a perception that if only those people didn't take the seats, your son would have got it. The fact is that even if all the underprivileged simply went extinct, the seats are still unlikely to be enough for your son to get in, unless he narrowly missed cut-off. The reality is that the capacity for education is a national resource and even with reservation is currently not shared with any kind of equable proportion. Without reservation, the whole would be appropriated by the able, and the divide between the haves and have nots will be rendered near impossible to bridge.

There is a reason a certain level of marks is considered PASS - it is because it denotes passable knowledge for the level tested. As long as someone has passed, them going on to study further is not the end of the world. Regardless of whether they passed with 99% or 80% or 45%. There are bigger things at stake here than turning education into a race track and gamifying the very right to education among those who have better gaming stations. There are lives of entire communities at stake. Not to mention the role of reservation in preventing flat out discrimination. In a country where college canteens have separate tableware for dalits or entirely separate canteens altogether. In a country where it is impossible to prosecute flat out murders of the underprivileged by the privileged, how long do you think it will take to deny admissions to even the underprivileged who do meet general cut-offs? Where murders don't get justice, you think denying admissions is going to get anything?

And I say this as an extremely high scoring upper caste, upper middle class "star student" with an IQ of 145 who did not get enough marks to meet the cut-offs (I didn't try either, which is a different matter). There are bigger things at stake than the entitlement of a few to the resources of a whole and the utter rage when they are prevented from doing so.

On Tue, Apr 30, 2019 at 2:36 AM Sarbajit Roy <indiaresists@lists.riseup.net> wrote:

Dear Vidyut

1) Reservation today is the biggest discriminator, in INDIA (as distinguished from "Bharat").

2) Let us look at the HAVOC which reservation is wreaking in society by analysing this in-line graphic of the IIT JEE Main cut-off scores released 4 hours ago.

<2019 IIT JEE CUT OFF.png>

A General category student has to have a 90+ percentile (ie. to be in the top 10% of all candidates) to be able to sit for the qualify exam to get in an IIT, whereas an SC has to be in the top 45% and an ST to be in the top 55%.

But these percentiles are grossly misleading by virtue of BAYESian distributions as applied to this exam.

The lowest qualifying "General" candidate would need about 45 "nett correct" answers out of 90 to SIT for the next exam, whereas an SC or ST would qualify for ADMISSION to IIT even if they got 10 "nett wrong" answers out of  90.

ie. a "General" candidate needs to score of 200+ marks out of 360  to qualify but a reserved candidate could even qualify with a raw score of -10 (a negative score because there is negative marking) marks.

Ball is in your court.

Sarbajit Roy

On Tue, Apr 30, 2019 at 12:20 AM Vidyut <wide.aware@gmail.com> wrote:

I don't think removal of reservations before discrimination is resolved is a good idea.

Vidyut

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On Mon, Apr 29, 2019 at 9:25 AM Sarbajit Roy <indiaresists@lists.riseup.net> wrote:

If there is one thing which these 2019 elections expose, it is that no major political party has the resolve to publicly oppose caste, sex or religion based reservations and demand immediate scrapping of all reservations for employment, representation or admissions based on these criteria.

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Re: [IAC#RG] No political party has resolve to eliminate reservations

In the current format of democracy, no political party is capable to eliminate reservations. A social movement, with primary contributions from the recipients of the benefit of reservation, is the only way out.

Regards, 

Syamantak Kshirsagar 

On Tue 30 Apr, 2019, 12:53 AM Vidyut, <indiaresists@lists.riseup.net> wrote:

I don't think removal of reservations before discrimination is resolved is a good idea.

Vidyut

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On Mon, Apr 29, 2019 at 9:25 AM Sarbajit Roy <indiaresists@lists.riseup.net> wrote:

If there is one thing which these 2019 elections expose, it is that no major political party has the resolve to publicly oppose caste, sex or religion based reservations and demand immediate scrapping of all reservations for employment, representation or admissions based on these criteria.

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[IAC#RG] Any Public Notice for Recruiting Public Servants?

Dear All, If come across a public notice for recruitment of High Court Judges of India, Please let me know. Regards, Babubhai Vaghela from Ahmedabad.

[IAC#RG] RE the study group on reservations

I completely agree with your suggestion of starting with the Const. Assembly debates where upper castes had expressed their indignation  at B. R. Ambedkar's views on the Indian village being 'a den of iniquity'. I'm sure there are hundreds of references to this conflict of views and it's resolution  which must be documented by the SC-ST Commission and various commissions on the subject.

As for women, Congress has again shot itself in the foot by promising 33% reservation in govt. jobs for them. Whereas women's groups have been asking for reservation in Parliament and assemblies,  not so much in govt. jobs. Why can't we study and emulate the equal opportunity legislation enacted by other governments including the former Soviets and the US? The NCW would have relevant literature.

Joya Roy

Re: [IAC#RG] IAF (Air HQ) says : Alleged Balakot air strike never happened ?

The current situation in the country seems to be such that any questions that you raise against this government makes you anti national and eligible to be sent to Pakistan.

Where is this country headed?

Ramesh Sharma

On Tue, Apr 30, 2019 at 9:08 AM Sukla Sen <sukla.sen@gmail.com> wrote:

LOL!

The response speaks for itself. 

No regard for documented "facts".

None for rule of law as under a "democracy".

The most amusing part is that this "jihad" against "facts" and "democracy" is carried out from under the banner of "nationalism", by the ideological progenies of those traitors who had scrupulously stayed away from the epic struggle for Indian freedom and democracy joined in by millions and millions - many even sacrificing their lives.

Sukla 

On Tue, 30 Apr 2019, 07:44 vinodprakash singhal <vinod.prakashsinghal@gmail.com wrote:

How much have you received People like you deserves action as to Anti national which means death on main crossing of Country you really worship .It appeares you may be Janeu Dhari Brahman as Rahul who never told how he is Brahman nor her mother ever spoke against it mother,s silence makes it clear he has  never been told by  her how ? 

On Tue, Apr 30, 2019, 12:54 AM Sukla Sen <indiaresists@lists.riseup.net wrote:

The helicopter "crash" was widely covered. And, the consequent deaths as well. 

But, there was, to my knowledge, sparsely any talk of "friendly fire".

Please correct me, if you like, with ***evidence***

Sukla  

On Mon, 29 Apr 2019, 09:12 Anant Trivedi <trivedianant@gmail.com wrote:

I recall everything you describe, from electronic and print media at the time. The deaths of own service personnel and friendly fire. There was speculation amongst the villagers that this was an enemy aircraft. But IAF did not conceal the truth. 

On Mon, 29 Apr 2019, 9:06 am Sukla Sen, <sukla.sen@gmail.com> wrote:

The helicopter "crash" was widely covered. And, the consequent deaths as well. 

But, there was, to my knowledge, sparsely any talk of "friendly fire".

Please correct me, if you like, with evidence. 

Sukla 

On Mon, 29 Apr 2019, 08:58 Anant Trivedi <trivedianant@gmail.com wrote:

The helicopter shooting down was widely covered by both electronic and print media. There was no concesling of this info. 

On Mon, 29 Apr 2019, 8:16 am Sukla Sen, <indiaresists@lists.riseup.net> wrote:

For a brief comprehensive account: 'Further Exposure on Balakot Bluff: 'IAF findings that India shot down own helicopter put on hold until after elections (Updated with IAF rebuttal and my response)'' at <https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/greenyouth/IcTSWbDQ1cI>.

One may find the above relevant, in the current context. 

Sukla 

P.S.: Is also reproduced below.  

Further Exposure on Balakot Bluff: 'IAF findings that India shot down own helicopter put on hold until after elections (Updated with IAF rebuttal and my response)'

27 Aprme

[Let's recap.

I. On the last Feb. 14, no less than than 40 CRPF jawans got killed, in Pulwama, on account of an act of suicide bombing by a local Kashmiri youth - travelling in a vehicle driven by him, rather recently recruited to a terrorist organisation (ref.: <https://in.reuters.com/article/india-kashmir-bomber/kashmir-suicide-bomber-radicalised-after-beating-by-troops-parents-say-idINKCN1Q41M2>), Jaish-e Mohammad, headquarterd in Pakistan.

It was by far the severest attack (ref.: <https://www.indiaspend.com/as-car-bomb-kills-44-crpf-troopers-94-rise-in-death-toll-of-security-forces-in-jk-in-4-years/>), in terms of loss of lives, that too of uniformed men, in decades.

It, apparently, indicates a serious security lapse on the Indian side (ref.: <https://drive.google.com/file/d/11yDBhr-n9Ue9OFBwwZnQk7sngnDFnud-/view> and <https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/pulwama-attack-not-a-one-man-job-took-place-due-to-security-lapse-says-ex-raw-chief_in_5c6a1792e4b033a79943c18d>).

II. Twelve days thereafter, on February 26, India launched missile attack within Pakistani territory, beyond the disputed zone, in Balakot in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The attack would first be announced by Pakistan - asserting no meaningful damage (ref: <https://twitter.com/OfficialDGISPR/status/1100251560985145346> and <https://thewire.in/security/indian-planes-were-inside-pakistan-for-just-four-minutes-pak-army-claims>) and then by India, claimimg hitting of the biggest JeM training camp resulting in death of a large number of terrorists (ref.: <https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1100278675763798017> and <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/air-strike-on-jaish-camp-in-pak-full-text-of-foreign-secretarys-statement/articleshow/68164724.cms>). (Ref. also: <https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/25/world/asia/india-pakistan-kashmir-jets.html>.)

The Indian claim of hitting "target" was just not trashed by Pakistan but would also be negated by independent foreign analysts, based on analyses of satellite imageries (ref.: <https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-kashmir-pakistan-airstrike-insi/satellite-images-show-madrasa-buildings-still-standing-at-scene-of-indian-bombing-idUSKCN1QN00V?fbclid=IwAR2vqhJhxSSEX_BeykMZxwWetYsa6-y8_W4i3wItuNMaoZbfjIpU9_7Wqoo> and <https://medium.com/dfrlab/surgical-strike-in-pakistan-a-botched-operation-7f6cda834b24>).

Also by foreign journalists (ref.: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xtXnS9Fw6g&feature=share>, <https://www.dailyo.in/politics/iaf-airstrike-on-jaish-camp-in-balakot-satellite-images-asif-ghafoor-international-media-real-photos/story/1/29796.html> and <https://www.news18.com/news/world/pakistan-takes-media-to-balakot-air-strike-site-curtails-interactions-2096733.html>.

Quite interestingly, the claims of damage, by the representatives of the GoI and the ruling party varied widely, wildly oscillating between zero and 400 (ref.: <https://twitter.com/myogiadityanath/status/1100787313330728960> and <https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/ashanka-what-happens-in-balakot-stays-in-balakot/cid/1686249>).

III. The next morning, on Feb. 27th, Pakistan, sort of, reciprocated the Indian move, carrying out an aerial attack breaching the LoC.

The outcome was matter of controversy.

Pakistan claimed to down two Indian fighter jets and India claimed downing one Pak fighter jet.

The Indian claim was, again, rather unsurprisingly, outright rejected by Pakistan, but, also would be, sort of, negated by a prestigious American journal (ref.: <https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/04/04/did-india-shoot-down-a-pakistani-jet-u-s-count-says-no/?fbclid=IwAR1VEhAkoBQklAMEpdodFq-ZSh9ToILRpspTjp2wP7GTLUFgKR0IatlAshQ>).

(Also relevant: <https://www.boomlive.in/the-mysterious-tale-of-paf-wing-commander-shahzaz-ud-din/> and <https://www.newslaundry.com/2019/03/05/why-claims-about-the-paf-pilots-lynching-dont-add-up>.)

India, in turn, rejected the Pak claim of downing a second Indian aircraft.

What, however, came out undisputed is that India lost a fighter jet with pilot captured by Pakistan, who would be released two days thereafter.

(Ref.: <https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/from-pulwama-terror-attack-to-wg-cmdr-abhinandans-release-a-timeline/article26423658.ece>.)

IV. For a comprehensive account and reasoned analysis of the whole episode: <https://scroll.in/article/918686/opinion-on-balakot-and-after-real-mystery-is-how-the-indian-response-has-been-touted-as-a-triumph?fbclid=IwAR0QxrawU6JG2kfhIhW25MRabQwjYtIV-BHei8MAXUbEPV2ryrV5pm-i2P8>.

V. What, however, needs be highlighted here that on Feb. 22, in Washington, the US President had observed, after his meeting with a visiting Chinese trade delegation: "India is looking at something very strong [emphasis added]. And I mean, India just lost almost 50 people with an attack. So, I could understand that also."

He'd also further add: "We are talking and a lot of people are talking. But, it is a very, very delicate balance going on right now. There's a lot of problems between India and Pakistan because of what just happened ... We're very much involved in that ... It's a terrible thing going on right now between Pakistan and India... it is a very, very bad situation and it's a very dangerous situation between the two countries. We would like to see it stopped."

(Ref.: <https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/trump-says-india-looking-at-something-very-strong-after-pulwama-attack/article26348183.ece>.)

On the following 26th, India would launch the Balakot air-strike.

On Feb. 28th, Trump, in Hanoi, said: "We have reasonably attractive news from Pakistan and India. They have been going at it and we have been involved trying to have them stop. [Emphasis added.] We have some reasonably decent news. I think hopefully that it's going to come to an end ... There has been a lot of dislike, unfortunately. So we have been in the middle trying to help them out, see if there is some organisation and peace. I think that is probably going to happen soon now.* (Ref.: <https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-pakistan-tensions-to-end-soon-have-reasonably-decent-news-donald-trump-5604820/> and <https://c-6rtwjumjzx7877x24nrl-x78-rx78s-htrx2efpfrfnejix2esjy.g01.msn.com/g00/3_c-6bbb.rx78s.htr_/c-6RTWJUMJZX77x24myyux78x3ax2fx2fnrl-x78-rx78s-htr.fpfrfneji.sjyx2fyjsfsyx2ffrux2fjsynydnix2fGGZgTa5.nrlx3fmx3d119x26bx3d279x26rx3d1x26vx3d15x26tx3dkx26qx3dkx26cx3d793x26dx3d13x26n65h.rfwpx3dnrflj_$/$/$/$/$>.)

Later, the same day, the Pak Prime Minister Imran Khan announced the decision to release the captured Indian Pilot the next day, by way of addressing a joint session of the National Assembly.

(Ref.: <https://youthdarpan.com/world-news/indian-pilot-to-be-freed-friday-as-peace-gesture-says-pakistan-prime-minster-imran-khan/>.)

The tensions got very palpably defused.

The conclusion becomes, thereby, almost inescapable that as in 1999, in the wake of Kargil war (ref.: <http://foreignpolicy.com/2013/05/14/the-story-of-how-nawaz-sharif-pulled-back-from-nuclear-war/> and <https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/WCPD-1999-07-12/pdf/WCPD-1999-07-12-Pg1278.pdf>), the subcontinent escaped a looming nuclear apocalypse, by the skin of teeth, on account of forceful external interventions.

VI. Getting back to the Balakot, and its immediate aftermath, the write-up reproduced below shows up that it was because of "friendly fire" that an IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter got downed during this period, on Feb. 27, resulting in loss of precious lives of six IAF personnel and a civilian on the ground.

The report of the coirt of inquiry is deliberately held back, to sustain a false narrative of euphoria. (Ref., e.g.: 'This election is about taking revenge for martyrs, says (BJP President Amit) Shah' at <https://indianexpress.com/elections/lok-sabha-election-amit-shah-bjp-pulwama-balakot-narendra-modi-5697034/?fbclid=IwAR2bWec32zeCHBLX3KJolAa3pmxPt2GQzprBP-EpHvhBG6CYSNKZW6hWmHo>.)

VII. But, the stark fact remains that at the end of the day, India has lost one fighter jet, with its pilot having been captured by the enemy and then released, and, also, another helicopter, resulting in the loss of seven lives, including those of six IAF personnel.

With nothing, just nothing, to show in return.

In the process, the subcontinent faced the very real threat of extinction via nuclear apocalypse, which it could narrowly escape, thanks to external interventions.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has been told to keep on hold the findings of a "court of inquiry" (CoI) that has conclusively determined that an IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter was shot down by an Indian missile battery that was guarding Srinagar air base.

A senior helicopter pilot, of the rank of air commodore, heads the CoI.

Six IAF personnel and a civilian on the ground died in that "friendly fire" incident on February 27. Top IAF sources say the incident happened after officers from the ground missile battery misidentified the IAF chopper as a Pakistani aircraft on a mission to attack Srinagar.

The disaster took place the day after IAF fighters had struck a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist camp in Pakistan to retaliate against a JeM suicide bomb attack 12 days earlier, which killed over 40 Indian troopers in Pulwama, near Srinagar.

The CoI has found that, with IAF and army units across Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) in a state of hair-trigger alert against expected Pakistani retaliation, two crucial omissions led to the missile battery opening fire and downing their own helicopter.

(Excerpted from below.)]

http://ajaishukla.blogspot.com/2019/04/damning-iaf-findings-on-india-shooting.html

Saturday, 27 April 2019

IAF findings that India shot down own helicopter put on hold until after elections (Updated with IAF rebuttal and my response)

The smoking remains of the chopper after it was shot down by an IAF missile near Budgam

By Ajai Shukla

Edited version in Business Standard, 27th April 19 (<https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/iaf-probe-findings-on-india-downing-own-helicopter-put-on-hold-119042700073_1.html>)

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has been told to keep on hold the findings of a "court of inquiry" (CoI) that has conclusively determined that an IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter was shot down by an Indian missile battery that was guarding Srinagar air base.

A senior helicopter pilot, of the rank of air commodore, heads the CoI.

Six IAF personnel and a civilian on the ground died in that "friendly fire" incident on February 27. Top IAF sources say the incident happened after officers from the ground missile battery misidentified the IAF chopper as a Pakistani aircraft on a mission to attack Srinagar.

The disaster took place the day after IAF fighters had struck a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist camp in Pakistan to retaliate against a JeM suicide bomb attack 12 days earlier, which killed over 40 Indian troopers in Pulwama, near Srinagar.

The CoI has found that, with IAF and army units across Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) in a state of hair-trigger alert against expected Pakistani retaliation, two crucial omissions led to the missile battery opening fire and downing their own helicopter.

First, to guard against misidentification of aircraft in the prevailing state of alert, all IAF aircraft coming in to land in Srinagar were required to approach the air base only through a designated air corridor. Ground missile units would know that the aircraft approaching through the narrow "funnel" was a friendly aircraft.

For reasons that remain unclear, the Mi-17V5 helicopter was not in the safe corridor as it approached from the direction of Budgam, to the south of Srinagar. The ground missile units assumed the radar track they picked was that of a hostile aircraft.

Second, IAF aircraft are equipped with an electronic device called an Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system, which beams out a coded signal that identifies the aircraft as a friendly one to all IAF radars and IFF receivers. The IFF system is required to be switched on, especially in a situation where ground missile units are on high alert.

For reasons that remain unclear, the CoI has found that the ill-fated helicopter's IFF system was not switched on that day.

IAF officers say they are keen to serve justice quickly and make an example of those found guilty of operational lapses. However, they are held back by a "go-slow" order from above.

They say the reason is: With the Balakot bombing and the Pakistani response, including the alleged shooting down of a Pakistani F-16 fighter, being painted in election campaigning as a major Indian victory, admitting the loss of a helicopter and seven personnel due to friendly fire would present a bleaker picture.

On February 27, the downing of the helicopter was obscured by the media attention on the downing of an IAF MiG-21 Bison fighter and the capture of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman.

The IAF has declined to comment, stating: "The CoI is still in progress". Asked specifically about the delay in finalising the findings of the CoI, the IAF said: "The time line of any CoI cannot be predicted."

It is learned that the missile that was fired was an Israeli short-range surface to air missile (SR-SAM), which can engage incoming targets at ranges out to 20 kilometres. While engaging targets at those ranges, there is no scope for visual identification. Aircraft are merely a blip on a radar.

The incoming helicopter was engaged with the permission of the Base Air Defence Officer at Srinagar, who was required to satisfy himself that targets being engaged were indeed hostile.

==============

Update:

In response to this article, the Indian Air Force tweeted at 10:26 a.m. on April 27:

"Today in an article written by Ajai Shukla he has incorrectly speculated that the IAF Court of Inquiry constituted to investigate the Mi-17 V5 crash at Srinagar on 27 Feb has been put on hold. This is his imagination and IAF categorically denies this."

"CoI of aircraft accidents are meticulous & time consuming. All past inquiries of aircraft accidents bear testimony to this. Proceedings of a CoI are not commented upon by IAF till completion of the inquiry in all cases. There is no connection between elections & completion of CoI."

Ajai Shukla responds:

This corespondent contacted the Indian Air Force for comments before publishing the article. The report carried their comments: "The CoI is still in progress" and "The time line of any CoI cannot be predicted."

The IAF accepts the article's basic point: that, two months after the deaths of seven persons in a "friendly fire" incident, the CoI has not been finalised.

None of the other details in the report, about how and why an IAF missile battery shot down an IAF helicopter, are being rebutted by the IAF.

The IAF claims that a two-month delay in finalising a CoI relating to an operational debacle is normal. However, top IAF officers say the delay in finalising the CoI has been imposed from above.

I stand by the report, which is based on inputs from two highly credible IAF officers.

Peace Is Doable

sukla.sen@gmail.com  -  Switch accounts  -  Desktop

On Sat, 27 Apr 2019, 18:54 Sarbajit Roy <indiaresists@lists.riseup.net wrote:

Dear Robin

Please fnd images

and also

On Sat, Apr 27, 2019 at 12:15 PM Robin Deans <robin_deans@hotmail.com> wrote:

Dear Mr. Roy,

                       rather than post a gist of your claimed reply to your RTI inquiry, It would have been appropriate had you posted a scanned copy of the reply so that the source could be established/authenticated.  I fully endorse Vijay's views 

Best wishes

Robin Deans

---

From: indiaresists-request@lists.riseup.net <indiaresists-request@lists.riseup.net> on behalf of Vijay Shivdasani <indiaresists@lists.riseup.net>
Sent: Friday, April 26, 2019 3:13 AM
To: rnsgss@gmail.com
Cc: Sarbajit Roy; indiaresists
Subject: Re: [IAC#RG] IAF (Air HQ) says : Alleged Balakot air strike never happened ?

 

Dear Mr Sarbajit Roy,

I do not think IAC should be involved in such a matter. I think the attack on Balakot has had its own favourable consequences (notwithstanding your RTI findings). I am not even sure this is an issue under your charter. Had I been Chief of the Airforce and there was any hanky-panky, I would not have put out the briefings which are on record. (I am NOT being naive!) I urge you to concentrate your energies on the many corruption cases which exist.

Sincerely,

Vijay Shivdasani

On Fri, Apr 26, 2019 at 9:50 AM Ramesh Sharma <indiaresists@lists.riseup.net> wrote:

It is better to presume that no strike took place than to get into any unnecessary discussion/ argument about it. 

The armed forces need to be kept out of all the nonsense that goes on in political circles. 

Why politicise the armed forces?

Regards,

Ramesh Sharma

On Fri, Apr 26, 2019 at 9:06 AM Sarbajit Roy <indiaresists@lists.riseup.net> wrote:

Dear Shri S.P. Mathur, IPS (Retd)

You would be interested to know that as per official filings I have made to Ministry of Defence immediately after alleged Balakot air strike, the MoD and Air HQ presently claim (in interim updates) that they have no information about the Balakot air strike or its damage assessments or number of persons who were injuriously affected by it. (NB: This is very different from refusing me the information under national security exemptions which they could very well choose to do).

Because of the careful and precise way my duly registered and acknowledged (and long overdue for disposal) communications to Min of Defence were made, they are now unable to dispose of them and are apparently internally laying the blame at doorstep of politicians and Ministry of External Affairs for giving wrong briefings. There are notings of protest inside Air HQ and MoDef that Armed forces are being misused for political purposes.

As a consequence of IAC's communications on this issue, MEA Minister Sushma Swaraj was forced to publicly concede that nobody was killed as a result of the (alleged) Balakot air strike.

Accordingly, you can rest assured that IAC is doing its work silently, as a very potent force, within the corridors of power to ensure that the steel frames do not get corroded or converted to plastic by rogue politicians.

sincerely

Sarbajit Roy

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Re: [IAC#RG] No political party has resolve to eliminate reservations

Why can't well studied and intelligent views from diverse sources be first got on board,and why pre-judge the issue?

Of course,as part of the more comprehensive study,proper SWOT analysis,and ,if necessary,regression analysis,need to done.

AS research scholar of knowledge management,surely I can be considered to be well aware of multi-dimensionality of the complex issue of reservation.

Mushkil hai,kintu namumkin nahin hai.

He can,who  thinks he can.

spm

BE MBA PhD

On Tue, Apr 30, 2019 at 3:20 AM ravi kapoor <indiaresists@lists.riseup.net> wrote:

Dear Roy

What you posted to IAC mailing list is truly shocking and unbelievable. This is the reality of degradation and absolute perversion of Indian education system by our uneducated lumpen netas and their tame corrupt IAS babu.

You are right that a revolution is needed. What will be the thoughts in minds of those 6 lakh "failed" GC students after seeing a "succesfull" ST with 45% getting his seat. Why should such discriminated against students not turn to the gun ?

What you left out is most of reserved students dont make it through IIT or IIMs, it is a drain on taxpapers and wastage of many seats which GC students would benefit from.

Love

Ravi

On Tue, Apr 30, 2019 at 2:37 AM Sarbajit Roy <indiaresists@lists.riseup.net> wrote:

Dear Vidyut

1) Reservation today is the biggest discriminator, in INDIA (as distinguished from "Bharat").

2) Let us look at the HAVOC which reservation is wreaking in society by analysing this in-line graphic of the IIT JEE Main cut-off scores released 4 hours ago.

A General category student has to have a 90+ percentile (ie. to be in the top 10% of all candidates) to be able to sit for the qualify exam to get in an IIT, whereas an SC has to be in the top 45% and an ST to be in the top 55%.

But these percentiles are grossly misleading by virtue of BAYESian distributions as applied to this exam.

The lowest qualifying "General" candidate would need about 45 "nett correct" answers out of 90 to SIT for the next exam, whereas an SC or ST would qualify for ADMISSION to IIT even if they got 10 "nett wrong" answers out of  90.

ie. a "General" candidate needs to score of 200+ marks out of 360  to qualify but a reserved candidate could even qualify with a raw score of -10 (a negative score because there is negative marking) marks.

Ball is in your court.

Sarbajit Roy

On Tue, Apr 30, 2019 at 12:20 AM Vidyut <wide.aware@gmail.com> wrote:

I don't think removal of reservations before discrimination is resolved is a good idea.

Vidyut

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On Mon, Apr 29, 2019 at 9:25 AM Sarbajit Roy <indiaresists@lists.riseup.net> wrote:

If there is one thing which these 2019 elections expose, it is that no major political party has the resolve to publicly oppose caste, sex or religion based reservations and demand immediate scrapping of all reservations for employment, representation or admissions based on these criteria.

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