Navy red flags China subs in Indian Ocean

The state government found itself painted into a corner on Saturday over allegations that it had failed to act against illegal constructions in the Mumbra region where a building collapsed on Thursday despite the issue being on the boil for the last three years and specific assurances, including one by CM Prithviraj Chavan himself in the last Winter session of the state legislature.

As the toll rose to 75, the government announced two probes into the incident — one by additional chief secretary (revenue) Swadheen Kshatriya who will also suggest how illegal constructions can be prevented, and another by Thane district collector P Velarasu to find out the ownership status of the land.

Activists and Opposition parties pointed out that several complaints were made to the state’s urban development department headed by Chavan seeking action in recent months, but to no avail.

Ramesh Patil, Maharshtra Navnirman Sena legislator who represents the area, said he had raised the issue of illegal constructions during the Winter session last December. “Some other MLAs were also vocifer- ous over the issue, and the House was adjourned. Following this, CM Chavan had replied that notices had been issued to all unauthorised buildings in Mumbra, Shil and Kalwa areas and they would be will demolished soon,” Patil said.

However, nothing happened, and now 75 people have lost their lives, he lamented.

Patil said he had also written to the CM drawing his attention to the problem of illegal and dangerous buildings in his area, but again no action was taken.

What was planned as a celebration of the BJP’s foundation day turned into the Narendra Modi show on Saturday as the Gujarat chief minister continued his high-voltage march towards 2014. Making his first public address after his induction into the party’s powerful parliamentary board, he hit out at the Congress-led UPA government and at Rahul Gandhi — seen by many as his rival in the race to be prime minister.

“It pained me when I heard one Congress leader’s speech call- ing India a beehive. For them, this nation could be a beehive but for us, this nation is our mother. This India is my mother,” Modi said.

An increasing number of Chinese submarines venturing into the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) pose a grave danger to India’s security interests, a classified defence ministry document has revealed.

Citing subsurface contact data shared by the US forces, the document said at least 22 contacts were recorded with vessels suspected to be Chinese attack submarines patrolling outside Beijing’s territorial waters last year. It has warned that the “implicit focus” of the Chinese navy appears to be undermining the Indian Navy’s edge “to control highly-sensitive sea lines of communication”.

The document, titled ‘Indian Navy: Perceived Threats to Subsurface Deterrent Capability and Preparedness’, has been prepared by the Integrated Defence Staff whose mandate includes advising the government on developing force levels and capabilities. It predicts intense rivalry between the two navies in the next three years as China ramps up its strategic manoeuvres.

The Gwadar port, seen as the latest example of China’s ‘String of Pearls’ — strategic attempts to surround India with facilities that can be upgraded to naval bases — also has the navy worried.