Madrid/Barcelona : Twelve Catalan politicians go on trial on today for their role in Catalonia’s failed 2017 independence bid, putting the spotlight back on Spain’s biggest political crisis in decades which could make it flare once again.
To the dismay of much of the rest of Spain, Catalonia defied a judicial ban by carrying out a referendum and subsequently unilaterally declaring independence in October 2017.
There was shock at home and abroad when police used batons and rubber bullets on protesters on the day of the vote. Some of the Catalan separatist leaders were later arrested or fled the country.
The start on Tuesday of the trial will refocus attention on the region’s push for secession which so rattles Spain’s political and cultural identity.
The trial will decide if Catalan nationalist leaders stay in jail. The public prosecutor is seeking prison terms of up to 25 years on charges of rebellion and misuse of public funds. At stake are Spain’s stability, the future of Catalonia’s independence movement as well as the region’s and the central government’s image abroad.
New Delhi, Feb 9: In a renewed attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA government on Rafale deal, the Congress on Friday said the fresh documents on the deal that had come to light, made it clear that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his office were directly involved in negotiations on the deal and that the PMO was almost like a ‘middleman’ in the business transaction.
Talking to reporters after the Centre dismissed a media report that claimed that Defence Ministry officials had raised objections to the parallel negotiations by the Prime Minister’s Office with the French government in the Rafale deal, AICC Spokesperson Manish Tewari said, ‘The note, which has been released or leaked or put out through sources by the government, actually indicts the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister Office much-much more than even the original newspaper report, which has appeared today in the morning and it raises some very pertinent questions.’
With all due respects to him, Mr Parrikar has done the perfect number on the Prime Minister. He could not have nailed him better. Possibly, Mr Parrikar had an old score to settle and he settled it squarely.
‘It appears that the PMO and the French President’s office are monitoring the progress of the issue,’ he added.
‘This means that he does not know that the Prime Minister’s office is monitoring the progress, because there was no monitoring. This was a parallel negotiation! And if you read the note in its entirety, the Defence Ministry is telling PMO, stop this parallel negotiation.
‘You are completely and absolutely undermining our position and, therefore, you have this strange situation, whereby the Defence Minister does not even know that there is a parallel channel open between the PMO and somebody in the French government.
‘The fresh documents pertaining to Rafale that have come to light till now show that the PMO was constantly interfering in the whole process. The Defence Minister and ministry officials were ignored in the process.
‘The documents show that the PMO almost behaved like a middleman in the Defence transaction, the PM or the PMO should tell the country on whose behalf they were acting,’ he alleged.
Mr Tewari said that the note shows that former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar “washed his hands off the deal,” in order to save himself.
‘In the note, Mr Parrikar goes on to say,” it appears that the PMO and the French Presidents office are monitoring the progress of the issue, which was an outcome of the summit meeting.
‘Para 5 appears to be an over-reaction. The Defence Secretary may resolve issue/matter in consultation with the Principal Secretary to PM. So, what has Mr Parrikar done washed his hands off the matter. I am out of it, you Defence Secretary talk to the PS to the Prime Minister, and these guys are up to monkey business.
‘So, you know tomorrow there is going to be a problem and I am not going to be a part of it”. He completely and absolutely absolves himself of all responsibility. Whether that will hold in a court of law tomorrow, I do not know,’ Mr Tewari said.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday rejected Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s allegation, based on a media report that claimed the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) ran parallel negotiations with France, on the multi-billion Rafale fighter jet deal.
“A newspaper published a file noting written by Defence Secretary. If a newspaper publishes a noting, then the ethics of journalism will demand that the newspaper publishes the then Defence Minister’s reply as well,” Ms Sitharaman said.
“Then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar replied to that MoD note saying ‘remain calm, nothing to worry, everything is going alright.’ Now, what do you call the NAC led by Sonia Gandhi’s interference in earlier PMO? What was that,” the Defence Minister asked in the Lok Sabha.
New Delhi, Feb 8: India on Thursday welcomed the Pakistan team to discuss and finalise ‘modalites’ for facilitating visit of pilgrims through Kartarpur Sahib Corridor.
This is seen as a movement forward between two sides for the first round of official bilateral talks to operationalise the nearly 4-km Kartarpur corridor.
“We welcome the visit of Pakistan team to discuss and finalise modalities for facilitating visit of pilgrims through Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on March 13, 2019 to India. Follow up meeting can be held in Pakistan, as required,” MEA spokesman Raveesh Kumar tweeted.
Days after India proposed dates for talks with Pakistan to finalise the draft, the authorities in Islamabad today said it will send across its team on March 13 for discussions.
India has also agreed to the Pak Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) proposal for the Indian delegation to travel across the border for follow up talks on March 28.
India had earlier proposed February 26 and March 7 as possible dates for talks.
“In a spirit of constructive engagement Pakistan has proposed to India that the Pakistan delegation may visit India on March followed by the return visit of the Indian delegation to Pakistan on 28 March to finalise the draft agreement for the kartarpur corridor,” tweeted MOFA spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal who has also been tasked to be the focal person to lead discussions on the Pakistani side. “We look forward to positive reciprocity from India,” he said.
In another tweet MEA spokesperson Mr Kumar wrote, – “For expeditious realisation of Kartarpur corridor, India has also proposed technical-level discussions between engineers on both sides without waiting for discussion on the modalities”.
“We hope Pakistan would positively respond and confirm coordinates of crossing point as well,” added MEA spokesman.
In Pakistan, the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan also approved the formation of a special committee to oversee the development in Kartarpur and Nanakana Sahib.
According to reports, Governor of Punjab province Chaudhary Mohammad Sarwar will head the committee.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, earlier in consultations held in New Delhi this week, hoped that India would share a draft agreement with Pakistan and complete legal modalities for the corridor sacred to Sikh pilgrims within a month.
India has already communicated to Islamabad coordinates of the zero point on the International Border while the land acquisition process for the highway and the Integrated Check Post (ICP) is underway in consultation with the Punjab state government.
The Modi government, on the eve of Guru Purab on November 22 last year, approved the construction of Kartarpur Corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district to the India-Pakistan international border.