Conspiracy of Silence breeds Corruption

Conspiracy of silence by all political leaders on corruption: Former CJI JS Verma
POLITICS NEWS, Updated Oct 28, 2012 at 08:27am IST
Karan Thapar, CNN-IBN
New Delhi: Former Chief Justice of India, JS Verma has hit out at the political class saying that politicians are colluding with each other against the fight to end corruption. While speaking to Karan Thapar on this week's Devil's Advocate, he accused the politicians of conspiring to tolerate corruption at the highest level. Below is an excerpt of the interview:
Karan Thapar: Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh said to this programme just a week ago that he was aware of things done by Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee's foster son-in-law, Mr LK Advani's children which would not only embarrass their parents but were, he said, equivalent to corruption and wrongdoing. Yet he also insisted he would never reveal what he knew. What you make of that position?
ustice JS Verma: Well, that is a very disturbing statement. It reveals if true a conspiracy at the top against the combating of corruption which people are talking all the time and it shows that political morality is at its lowest ebb. Karan Thapar: But what about Mr Digvijaya's point that it is not ethical to target the children of families of politicians if they themsleves are not in politics. Justice JS Verma: Anyone in a position to influence decision making should be above suspicion.
Karan Thapar: These same ethics determined the silence of the BJP in March 2011 when the economic times first revealed Rober Vadra's DLF connections and the manner in which, the dramatic manner in which his companies fortunes had ballooned. At that time the BJP decided that it would not be ethical and proper to speak about Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law. Now in that instance was that wise discretion on the BJP's part or wrongful silence.
Justice JS Verma: It was failure of duty because, you see, personalities don't matter. According to me, the higher you are in hierarchy the more strict standard of behaviour you have to answer to.
Karan Thapar: So would you also go one step further and say - given on one hand Mr Digvijaya Singh's ethics and behaviour and given on the other the BJP's initial silence over Vadra - that the impression that is created is that politicians behave like a brotherhood which colludes to protect each other and sometimes colludes to cover up for each other.
Justice JS Verma: It would indicate or reveal a conspiracy of silence to tolerate corruption at the highest level.
Conspiracy of silence by all political leaders on corruption: Former CJI JS Verma

Propriety & Impropriety: A nation on the decline

- The Last Word - CNN IBN - 30 Oct 2012
An interesting debate last evening on CNN IBN, a distinguished panel to include an ex-Army Chief, an ex-Naval Chief and also an ex-Cabinet Secretary....of course, with the most popular anchor, Karan Thapar, hosting the show
The topic was " Ex-Army Chief Gen VK Singh demanding that Parliament be dissolved". Earlier it was reported in the newspapers that Anna Hazare and the ex-Army Chief had asked for Lok Sabha to be dissolved since the UPA government had crossed all limits of corruption. VK Singh had also said, "A new set of parliamentarians is needed. Let elections be held so that people can decide if they are satisfied".
While no one was asked on the credibility of the content and the intent of the statement, the issue basically revolved around the 'Propriety' of this demand by an ex-Army Chief, a man in uniform and on the Chief's chair till about a few months back. How could he question the very government he was serving and also enjoys the perk of retaining a government accommodation for a period of six months post-retirement. I shall not delve on the issue of this perk as the government has done no favour as he is entitled to such a perk like his predeccessors/successors and the government is only a custodian of such property and by no chance can claim ownership of such public property.
My comments shall be restricted to 'Propriety'....some definitions are 'The quality of being proper; appropriateness, Conformity to prevailing customs and usages, The usages and customs of polite society'. It is evident, therefore, that no one is questioning the legality or the technicality of such a statement...and the fingers are being pointed at an ex-Army man, a soldier in uniform!!
We need a level playing field...the Army cannot be judged on a template different from others....we are a part of the same society. Let us start from the top in the government, restricting my observations to 'propriety' only.
1. Why should the President of India not be questioned for impropriety for offering his consultancy services to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi on the cabinet reshuffle? Also, was it proper for him to stand for President when his role as Finance Minister is under cloud for going slow on economic offences relating to hawala/money laundering/Swiss-foreign bank accounts
2. Does not propriety demand that the Vice President had no business to arbitrarily close the debate on Lokpal Bill at 12.00 midnight at the behest of Pawan Bansal, when the rules and advisory note by his Secretary General clarified that the session could continue
3. Propriety demands that the Prime Minister should have resigned long time ago, initially on the CVC judgement, which the PM took as 'error of judgement', his involvement in 2G scam, particularly so after the statement of ex-Cabinet Secretary Chandrashekhar, as Coal Minister in the Coalgate scam and other omissions/ discretions... the biggest damage the PM has done is that he has nullified the basic foundation of governance by his misinterpretation of 'responsibility and accountability' giving a leverage to every minister/ bureaucrat in politico-executive and executive to shun these and play safe with no compulsion to govern
4. In case propriety has to be made applicable to the Judiciary, should not ex-CJI Balakrishnan resign as Chairman Human Rights Commission for disproportionate assets accumulated by his kith & kin and offer himself for a thorough investigation
5. Propriety demands that all Governors to include Narayanan and Gen JJ Singh, appointed immediately after retiring from government appointments be asked to quit...all bureaucrats on post-retirement appointments be sent home and hereafter the government must function on its authorised establishment with total moratorium committees/commissions/advisors/consultants
6. Propriety demands that Sonia Gandhi should clarify on her state of health and source of funds/expense on her medical treatment and other visits abroad 7. Propriety also demands that all privileges of Robert Vadra and Priyanka Gandhi be withdrawn immediately as they are private persons and have no business to be allotted government accommodation, SPG cover and exempted from security checks/toll taxes ...all cases against Robert Vadra be investigated by SIT on fast track basis
8. Nitin Gadkari should resign as President BJP as Propriety does not allow him to continue in this post
9. Propriety demands that Laloo Yadav, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mayawati and Sharad Pawar resign from the party posts and offer themselves for investigation into several disproprtionate assets cases
10. After witnessing the conduct of the Parliamentarians during the last session, does not propriety demand that the Lok sabha should have been dissolved immediately and their privileges withdrawn....all perks need to be reviewed
11. Propriety demands that the concept of VVIP/VIPs be done away with, NSG and other security cover withdrawn and those in governance start living normal lives in conformity with the dictates of a polite and cultured society
Let us not attack the messengers of change...concentrate on the issue being raised...there is no governance...the justice system has failed....the 'unelected' and the 'unelectable' are only crying that order be restored in society and the future of the nation be safeguarded... it does not matter whether the voice is raised by Anna Hazare or Arvind Kejriwal or ex-CJI JS Verma or ex-Army Chief Gen VK Singh....what matters is the "ISSUE", the issue of good governance and effective measures to arrest corruption....an aam aadmi needs such people to project their grievances and sentiments...the media does not listen to ordinary people as that does not earn them TRPs
No nation can survive by neglecting its Army....the government has not only shown scant respect for the Defence Services, it has gone out of its way to deny its entitlements and humiliated its own Army on several occasions...In the 'Rank Pay' case, it repeatedly lodged review petitions in the Supreme Court to deny the rights....What can one say of a government which cheats its own Army
Propriety demands dis-solution of the Lok Sabha, fresh elections and responsible voting by the aam aadmi, the actual custodian of this great country called India
with best regards
ajb

Tatra Scam: Will Tejinder Singh sing?

Tatra scam: CBI carries out raids, registers case against Tejinder Singh Oct 20, 2012
New Delhi: CBI today carried out raids at five places here after registering a case against Lt Gen (retd) Tejinder Singh on Ex-Army chief VK Singh’s complaint that he was offered bribe to clear a tranche of “substandard” vehicles.
CBI sources said the agency has registered a case against Tejinder Singh and unknown persons after it gathered prima-facie evidence to register a formal case on the complaint of Gen Singh.
Soon after registering the FIR under relevant sections of Prevention of Corruption Act, the agency carried out searches at five locations here including the premises of Tejinder Singh, they said.
After getting a formal complaint from Gen Singh, the agency had initiated a preliminary enquiry in April this year.
The then Army chief had alleged that Tejinder Singh offered him a bribe of Rs 14 crore, a matter he had reported to Defence Minister AK Antony, to clear purchase of nearly 600 all-terrain Tatra BEML trucks in September 2010.
Tejinder Singh has refuted the allegations and also slapped a defamation case against Gen Singh.
As part of the Preliminary Enquiry, CBI has looked into the alleged relationship Tejinder Singh enjoyed with the Vectra group which purportedly prompted him to make the offer to the then Army Chief, the sources said.
During the course of the preliminary enquiry, the agency has questioned Tejinder Singh with regards to allegations levelled by Gen Singh and his alleged relations with arms dealers including Vectra Chairman Ravinder Rishi.
Tatra scam: CBI carries out raids, registers case against Tejinder Singh

How Ministers children rule India?

Politician to son: Don’t come back to India
by Anant Rangaswami Oct 15, 2012
My dear son,
When you went abroad to study, it was with a clear understanding that, once you finish your education you would return to India. We took a family decision when your education ended; that it made sense for you to stay in the US for a few years more, enjoy your youth, money and then return and stand for elections as Member of Parliament from the constituency our family has represented for so many decades.
It has been five years since you left, and, last week, when we spoke on Skype, you told me that you believed that it was time to return. At first, I was delighted. Then, after the call was over, the import of what you planned to do sank in. My impulse was to call you back immediately, but I thought I’d put my thoughts down in an email so that you have a better understanding of what I want to say and why I say it.
In a nutshell, I do not want you to return to India. The India of today is not the India that you left. Much has changed – and much of the change negatively affects families like ours.
“The India of today is not the India that you left. Much has changed – and much of the change negatively affects families like ours”. AP There is a change in the balance of power in society. People do not understand what people like me, member of parliament, do – and no longer acknowledge that all of us, thanks to the great sacrifices we make for our constituency, do not live like normal people.
Just the other day, a fellow Member of Parliament was almost shamed in the context of what media is calling a Rs 71 lakh ‘scam’. The media, who no longer seem to have respect for people like us, are harassing him the whole day, treating him like a common cheat. Even worse is the case of Robert Vadra, Priyankaji’s husband. It seems DLF lent Robertji Rs 65 crore without any security – and the media and social activists are making that out to be a crime. What crime? Many friends in business have lent me hundreds of crores without any security over the decades – and they haven’t even asked for me to return it. Why would they? After all, as a friend, I’ve helped them on so many instances that they’ve earned fortunes from our friendship. Now, media is making it sound like it’s a crime for MPs and ministers to help friends. What a terrible state of affairs.
Sharad Pawar’s nephew has been forced to resign because of some allegations on a developmental work that he was involved in. Media says that he helped contractors make extra money by approving of rises in estimates after the contracts were awarded. What is wrong with that? Your grandfather used to do the same with his friends, as did I.
Ministers like Raja, Kanimozhi and Kalmadi have been jailed because of trying to help their friends. This is where our country is going to. No one has any respect for our class any more, and the media and social activists are being helped by the courts – they’re ganging up against us.
Things are bad in India, son. It is becoming difficult for people like us to carry on in the way we are used to. We are treated like commoners, we are called cheats and thugs. We’re reaching a stage when toll booth attendants expect us to pay – an FIR was filed against an MP who, obviously got upset at the request and threatened the attendant with a gun for his cheek.
It is getting very petty. The other day, Air-India staff at Guwahati charged three MPs for carrying excess baggage. MPs not being allowed excess baggage on the national airline, and lowly employees of Air-India not respecting them? This is the new India, the India you want to come back to!
That’s why I write this note to you. Do not come back to India, and forget about plans on a career in politics. Come to Geneva next week; I will meet you there. I will transfer money to your account so that you can invest in a house in New York. As far as business is concerned, maybe you could buy a university nearby. After all, your uncle has six universities in India and they are quite profitable. I will ask him to guide you when you begin your venture.
Will discuss in detail when we meet next week.
With love from your father.
Politician to son: Don’t come back to India

1962 war: Governance of the Mughal style caused the defeat

‘Few lessons learnt from 1962 war’
by F wire Oct 13, 2012
New Delhi, Oct 13 (IANS) India was engaged in a bruising war with China in 1962 because the apparatus of the state was at fault but no lessons seem to have been learnt from this, diplomatic, military and media veterans of the “humiliation” that the country suffered 50 years ago lamented.
“The 1962 conflict occurred because the apparatus of the state was at fault but we still don’t take structured decisions,” former top diplomat K.Shankar Bajpai said at the second round table discussion on “50 Years After 1962: India-China Relations” organised by the India International Centre, the Subbu Forum and the Society for Policy Studies (SPS) Friday evening.
“The 1962 conflict was a total example of what a government should not do. It was governance of the Mughal style,” Bajpai, a former ambassador to China, US and Pakistan who was also the convenor of the National Security Advisory Board contended and then posed a question: “Have we learnt from it?”
He left the answer hanging but the implication was quite clear: that 50 years down the line, no lessons had been drawn from the conflict.
Another security expert, Brig (retd) Arun Sehgal, echoed Bajpai.
“Their is talk of jointmanship but there is no thinking on integrated joint operations. Because of this, there is no common operating picture,” he said.
Sehgal also rued that the Indian establishment continues to think that China will follow “the attritional policy of 1962″, while in reality it was “enhancing its capabilities for asymmetrical attacks”.
Lamenting the “casual decisions taken in Delhi”, Mohan Guruswamy. a China expert of the Observer Research Foundation, said: “In 1962, there was no coordination, there was casual decision-making. Are we condemned to repeat it?”
Inder Malhotra, veteran journalist who covered the war, said it was a result of a “total misreading of the situation” by prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru who never thought the Chinese would make an all-out assault but only resort to “small skirmishes” to settle their territorial claims.
“Indian forces at the time were hopelessly unprepared, Malhotra said. He said if the Indian Air Force was used to give air cover to the Indian Army – a flawed decision that has been rued by military experts since then – the results of the war would have been totally different.
However, Arvinder Singh Lamba, former vice-chief of army who retired recently, dismissed such fears saying “there was no scope for any surprises (from China) in future.
“We have come a long way,” he said, in terms of enhancing border surveillance and intelligence and fortifying border infrastructure.
C Uday Bhaskar, former director of the Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), added that the much expected ‘Asian Century’ of the 21st century would be determined by the texture of the Sino-Indian relationship over the next two decades. Enhancing comprehensive national power is imperative , he added, but bemoaned the fact that the Indian political establishment has little time or comprehension of complex national security issues.
‘Few lessons learnt from 1962 war’
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Reality Check: President Pratiba Patil Foreign Visits Deflates Economy

Industry chambers — Assocham, CII and Ficci sing praises
‘Pratibha’s foreign trips boosted trade ties’
PTI The Hindu New Delhi, June 18, 2012
Facing criticism over her numerous foreign visits costing the exchequer Rs. 205 crore, President Pratibha Patil got some reprieve from industry chambers, which claimed that her trips had helped opened new vistas for bolstering trade ties.
Ms. Patil’s foreign trips had raised eyebrows when a query made under RTI revealed that Rs. 205 crore had been spent on her travel expenses since she assumed office in July 2007, surpassing the record of all her predecessors.
During her tenure, President Patil has undertaken 12 foreign trips, covering 22 countries across four continents and spending 79 days abroad.
Industry chambers — Assocham, CII and Ficci on Monday presented a booklet titled ‘Engaging the World’ to Ms. Patil on Monday. The booklet said that during her visits, issues of concern to Indian industry were raised, MoUs were signed and trade and investment prospects of Indian industry were addressed.
“The impact of these state visits has been multi-pronged. New vistas have been opened for Indian businesses...,” Ficci secretary-general Rajiv Kumar said in a message in the booklet.
Mr. Kumar said that as an active participant in the President’s visits, Ficci was able to expand its reach to new regions, cultivate institutional cooperation and develop business synergies.
CII director-general Chandrajit Banerjee said the President’s visits provided good exposure and much-needed access and networking opportunities for the business delegates.
Echoing similar views, Assocham secretary-general D.S. Rawat said the visits to various countries have given a major fillip to the business houses in terms of enhancing their stature and credibility, which in turn has provided them the right platform for meeting their economic engagements in the countries visit.
Pratibha’s foreign trips boosted trade ties’

President Patil’s granddaughter fails to identify United States on world map

President Patil’s granddaughter fails to identify United States on world map Published On: Fri, Jun 22nd, 2012
New Delhi. In a shocking development, outgoing President Mrs. Pratibha Patil’s granddaughter Divya failed to identify the United States of America on the world map. Her failure has shocked her teachers and the Presidential staff alike.
Her Geography teacher Mrs. Sonia Gupta was unable to control her surprise and disappointment, “Divya has been brilliant in Geography. She could otherwise identify even a rice grain-sized country on the world map and give complete description of its beautiful beaches geographical features having accompanied her grandmother President Patil to every known place on the world map. I don’t know what happened this time.”
Faking News spoke to some of her friends to get their reaction. “Divya often shared the taxpayers’ money souvenirs which she used to get from the countries she used to visit while accompanying her grandmother. She even gifted me exotic wines from France on my birthday! Seems like this time she lost her American goodies which could have reminded her of her visit to that country,” said Reeta, her bench-mate.
A pal of gloom descended inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan as soon as the news spread inside. Mr. Sifarishi Lal, Divya’s personal tutor was more candid in his views, “Whenever we accompanied Pratibha madam to her foreign vacations overseas diplomatic missions, I always made sure that I explained every detail of that country to Divya. She, in return was always eager to go on sightseeing expeditions learn more about the country’s geography. As a result she has always been a topper in Geography in her class. So it is beyond reason to my why she should fail to spot a particular country on the map.”
Similar views were echoed by other officials of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
“Divya could even point to a country while blindfolded which was yet to feature on the world map. For instance we accompanied madam President to this island which was inhabited by only 100 people. It was a diplomatic mission where she signed the ‘hijack treaty’ to deny a safe haven to airplane hijackers on that island. We even got an airport constructed over there for madam’s jet to land as they did not have one! Ask Divya and she can provide you with every detail of that island’s geography be it the beaches or snow covered mountains,” said one of the officials.
President Patil could not be reached for her views as she was reportedly busy watching MasterChef India on TV, which is said to be her favorite show.
Unconfirmed reports say that Madam Patil is even preparing to file for a re-nomination to the President’s post as she is keen to go on space missions this time and teach Divya the intricacies of the outer space, as Divya wants to become a scientist like APJ Abdul Kalam when she grows up.
President Patil’s granddaughter fails to identify United States on world map

The coming Dark Age of India

The Hindu- RAGHUVIR SRINIVASAN
Need for positive, clear-headed reform measures
Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra… no, this is not a listing of States with high growth. These are States that imposed rolling power cuts as late as in October, well after autumn had set in.
In fact, Tamil Nadu still has power cuts for periods ranging from 1-3 hours across the state. So, what's new, you might ask. Aren't power outages a fact of life in India?
Well, the difference this time is that it is happening not during the height of summer but during winter, a period of relatively low demand. Second, the duration of the power cuts is longer than what was faced during the summer.
The frightening fact though is that this could just be a taste of things to come unless the government takes corrective policy measures to clean up the mess in the power sector. What ails the industry?
There are two mainly. First, a conundrum over fuel, which, even a couple of years ago was non-existent. And second, a mess created by the inability of state electricity boards and distribution utilities to charge consumers the right price for the electricity they consume leading to losses.

Fuel trouble
As a country we may be tapping every available source of power generation but sadly all those sources are mired in problems either due to faulty policies or resource constraints or simply inept implementation. Thermal power is the most critical for India (see accompanying graphic), yet that is where we seem to have messed up the most.
Thanks to protective policies on coal mining in the country, coal output is unable to keep pace with the growth requirements in power. In the first four years of the current Plan period ending 2012, coal demand, mainly for power generation, grew by 7.3 per cent but coal output grew by just 5.4 per cent.
In the coming XII Plan period (2012-17), the projected coal deficit is 200 million tonnes and the sector to suffer the most will be power generation. Though 194 blocks have been allotted for coal production to public and private companies, only 28 have commenced production. This is mainly due to problems of environmental clearances and “no-go” policies for mining.
Imports were an option till recently, but not anymore. Countries such as Indonesia that have large coal reserves are clamping down on exports and making it more expensive and difficult for buyers. Indian companies such as Tata Power, Reliance Power, the Adanis and others who have a toehold there are now finding their toes crushed by the weight of the Indonesian government's policy to tax exports.
The options are just two: push domestic coal output in a big way through positive policies and second, brace ourselves for high cost coal imports, wherever they are available. With more than half of thegenerating capacity being coal-fired, the country just cannot afford to go wrong here.

Gassed out
The technical problems that Reliance Industries is reported to be facing in the KG Basin have affected gas-based generation. Gas output from the KG Basin now is less than half of what was projected as possible by Reliance and even this is being supplied to fertiliser companies on priority basis. Imported gas is an option but it is expensive.
The hope is that Reliance will be able to surmount the problems in the near term and gas output will rise again. But even if it does, the gas-based generation capacity available now may not be enough to substitute for the shortfall from coal-based generation.

Hydro dam(ned)
Hydel power, supposed to be environmentally-friendly, has ironically run into trouble with the green lobby. NTPC was forced to halt work on two of its projects in Uttarakhand after pressure from environmentalists. Even last week there were protests in Assam against a large hydro project, Subansiri, being executed by NHPC in Arunachal Pradesh. Hydel projects have always been sensitive anyway due to submergence of land.
If we thought that nuclear power will be our long-term saviour that hope is also now fading away. The imbroglio over supplier liability clauses means that American companies are unable to commence business for reactor supplies. With the performance of the French EPR reactor being questioned after the experience in Finland where it ran into time and cost overruns, it appears unlikely that the first of the planned ones at Jaitapur will ever take off.
The public protests against nuclear power at Jaitapur and lately, in Kudankulam, also mean that progress will be slow and painful in future. Public opinion is veering around against nuclear power post-Fukushima and the example of Germany, which will be totally off nuclear power by 2021, is being widely quoted as an example for us to move away too.

Financial mess
Part reason for the fuel trouble may lie outside our control but the same cannot be said for the financial mess that the sector is in today which is entirely due to our governments, Central and State. State electricity boards are estimated to have accumulated losses of a massive Rs.70,000 crore. Ratings agency Crisil estimates that distribution utilities alone had a cumulative loss of between Rs.35,000 crore and Rs.40,000 crore as of 2010-11.
Riding on government backing, the state electricity boards have been borrowing merrily from banks to sew up the gaping holes in their finances due to these massive losses. And the hole is only growing bigger. Banks, after initially accommodating the state electricity boards have now grown wiser and are refusing to lend.
According to a Crisil report, the total debt of state electricity boards and distribution utilities touched a huge Rs.3-lakh crore or Rs.3 trillion as of March 31, 2011. The same report estimates that as much as a third of the 56,000 MW of thermal generation capacity is in trouble due to the combined impact of fuel and financial problems.
So where does all this leave us? Hopefully not in darkness. We need positive, clear-headed reform measures to be undertaken, including passing on full prices to consumers who can bear them and subsidising the genuinely poor. Some States have reluctantly allowed their boards to revise power prices in the last few weeks.
We need to cut down on transmission and distribution losses and untangle the environmental problems that coal mining has run into. Policymakers have to balance the needs of development with environmental considerations. But for some urgent steps from the government the country may well return to the Dark Ages, literally.
The coming dark age
Comment: Only solution for home lighting is dependence on Solar Powered LED lighting which can to a extent reduce darkeness in the houses at night- The nation is really heading for the dark age with the looming and spiralling oil and gas prices!

Fake Degrees on sale in Punjab

PhDs, Bachelor's degrees on sale in Punjab
Vikram Chowdhary, Updated: August 06, 2011 18:26 IST
Chandigarh: If you want a Bachelor's degree in Science or the Arts, you don't have to be a student. A PhD? No problem. As long as you have some cash, you can get the degree of your choice. Exams, attending classes - that's old school.
The Artex Informatic Study Centre in Chandigarh doesn't sound very inspiring. It's a small set up, which offers Under Graduation and Post Graduation programs in the fields of Information Technology and Management Courses. Study centres are extensions of private universities offering courses and degrees. They represent one or more private universities in different parts of the country, but aren't regulated directly by the government.
Study centres like this one can be found all over Punjab...
Read more at: PhDs, Bachelor's degrees on sale in Punjab

Appeal to All: Anti- Corruption Campaign

My dear friend, It is more than evident that our Government and all the political parties are unwilling to enact a strong law against corruption. Because if they did so, many of them would face imprisonment. There is a serious conflict of interest. None of the large scams like the Adarsh Housing scam, the Commonwealth Games scam, the Reddy brothers scam, Fodder scam, Health mission scam of UP, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha scam, Cash for vote scam are covered by government.s Lokpal. What use is such a Lokpal Bill? It is weak and ineffective. It has a very narrow jurisdiction. None of the corruption faced by a common man is covered under it either. Please refer to my recent article click here on this issue for more specifics on why we think the government draft is not serious about tackling corruption.
Anna's fast from 16th August is our last hope. We can't afford to fail this time. For if we fail, we may never get another chance. Its now or never.
A number of people across the country are planning various protest activities. You can organize your own or or you can participate in any manner possible.
1st August to 9th August: Many people across the country are forming small teams and undertaking short and long padyatras. They would talk to people on their way, hold meetings, distribute pamphlets download pamphlet from download pamphlet- click here and show Jan Lokpal film. Would you like to plan a Yatra with your friends?
From 9th August: Mass burning/tearing of government's Bill as a mark of non-violent protest. Anna will start it most likely from Delhi or Mumbai.
From 9th August to 15th August: People in villages, towns and mohallas will form teams and go for prabhat pheri in mornings singing patriotic songs and educating people about corruption and Jan Lokpal Bill. In the evening, there would be candle light and mashal marches.
15th August: Switch off lights from 8 pm to 9 pm on independence day as a mark of support for the anti-corruption movement.
Fast starts from 16th August: Government says they would crush Anna's fast the way they crushed Baba Ramdev's movement. We are ready for that. We will offer ourselves for arrest if the government decides to arrest us. We are ready to face their batons and bullets. But we will not move from there. We will not retaliate. It will be a completely non-violent movement.
But if the people take a week off from their work from 16th August and take to the streets- in front of their house, on the crossings, in parks, everywhere, with a tricolor in their hands, raise slogans against corruption - Government can crush one Anna, but it won't be able to crush 120 crore Annas. Government could impose section 144 on one Jantar mantar. But will it impose curfew on the whole country?
If the whole country takes to streets for a week from 16th August, WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, can force the government to enact a strong Jan Lokpal Bill.
Will you be there? Can we count on your support and active participation?
Jai Hind!
Arvind Kejriwal
Veteran Major P M Ravindran

Online Petition for effective Lokpal

May I take this opportunity to request you to support the online petition at Petition Online; Click here
It is addressed to the PM of India to constitute an effective Lokpal to try and punish the corrupt.
Date: Thu, 16 Jun 2011 21:58:35
Prime Minister,
I was just listening to media reports and discussions on Lokpal Bill and I found Kapil Sibal taking the cake for the most honest comment: Implementing Hazare's demands have lots of practical problems! Sure, I agree. The only thing that your team of ministers (and super ministers too) have no problem implementing seems to be... looting the country!
The tallest claims made by UPA-1 were NREGS and RTI Act. And ask the citizens who know what is the state of those programs/ laws. Almost 25 years back, one of your predecessors had admitted that out of every Re 1 spent by the government only 14 paise reaches the beneficiary. Can you claim today that even 4 paise reaches the beneficiary?

RTI? The CJI himself subverts the law brazenly and instead of being kicked out he is rewarded with another plum appointment after honourable retirement!

Coming to the Lokpal Bill itself, your own draft bill had included you under the purview of the Lokpal but how come that Pranab Mukerjee and his team is opposing it now?

Sorry Mr Singh, you and your minions are fooling no one. It is only that even after seeing the fate of Irom Sharmila and Swami Nigamanda, the civil society seems to be under the illusion that the thugs, scoundrels and traitors will be moved to act justly by such illogical protests as fasting and torturing oneself in the name of satyagraha! Your minister, P Chidambaram is that way right, fasting is no way to make laws. I know that the Indian army also teaches its soldiers the wrong lesson that it is the duty of a soldier to die for his country. I learnt the truth from an American General who had said: the duty of a soldier is not to die for his country but make the other die for his! So let us hope that the educated citizens like the naxalites, maoists and insurgents ruling the roost in various parts of the country and expanding their tentacles by the day can persuade you to make the laws that the citizens want.
Yours truly,
Maj P M Ravindran (Retd)
Blog: http://raviforjustice.blogspot.com
You may also like to visit:
‘Judiciary Watch’ at www.vigilonline.com http://www.judicialreforms.org/
http://www.roguepolice.com

Retired Defence Personnel can enrich the Jan Lokpal Bill if enacted into Law

Drafting of Lokpal Bill
Dear Sh Shanti Bhushan jee,
1. Your letter to FM has been brilliantly written covering all aspects of the Draft being prepared for the Lokpal Bill. Well Done.
2. We the Defence Veterans are totally in agreement with points being projected by the Civil Society Members and would request you all to continue to press for these issues. Lokpal Bill must be strong enough to deliver to the people of India a “Corruption free environment” which should act as catalyst for good governance
3. We implore all members of the Civil Society to stick to all the points put up by you. The whole nation will support you. If required, press for referendum on these aspects of the Bill. The PM, Judiciary, MPs and all public servants, infact every one in the country be brought under the “Lokpal”
4. On more issue, we wish to bring to your notice is that the Defence Officers are selected through a very deep and stringent selection process at the Services Selection Board and have the basic qualities of head and heart in them. The experiences they gain through the inservice period further enrich them to handle national issues. While the other countries like USA, UK etc extensively use their experience and expertise, India totally ignores this aspect except one or two made Governors.
5. We would therefore, request you to strongly project inclusion of suitable Defence personnel in the selection committee of Lokpal and Lok Ayukta as well as part of the Lokpal and Lok Ayukta benches. Please DO NOT FORGET THE SOLDIER. They will deliver the best to the nation.
God Bless you God Speed.
With Regards,
Jai Hind
Yours Sincerely,
Maj Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh, SM
Vice Chairman, IESM
Lok Pal Bill: Letter from Shri Shanti Bhushan to the Finance Minister- Click here

Gandhian Hazare versus Godfather Pawar: Maharastra Mantra

Pawar symbolises Indian Power Politics - The good prevails over the bad
By Abhay Vaidya/DNA-Daily News & Analysis, 17/04/2011
The clash between two sons of Maharashtra — one, an ambitious neta, the other, a social activist — symbolises India’s war against corruption
Anna Hazare's ascent in the socio-political landscape has coincided with the almost proportionate descent of one of India's foremost politicians, Sharad Pawar.
As India battles corruption like never before, it is extraordinarily symbolic that anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare's ascent in the socio-political landscape has coincided with the almost proportionate descent of one of India's foremost politicians, Sharad Pawar.
The all-pervasive cancer of corruption in the body politic is the battleground and the spectators are a billion strong. The moment is historic and both, Anna Hazare and Sharad Pawar, have emerged as the defining symbols of this battle. Once a strong prime ministerial candidate who had challenged 10 Janpath, Pawar has been openly accused by Hazare of encouraging corruption and became the first victim of the Jan Lokpal agitation. It didn't help one bit when days later, the tainted PR handler Nira Radia named Pawar as the godfather of Shahid Balwa's DB Realty empire.
The mass support that Pawar easily drums up, especially from his rural followers, has always been cited as the crown jewel of his five-decade long political career. Even that now virtually pales into insignificance in front of the mass outpouring of support, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Gujarat to Assam, in favour of Hazare.
Hazare's rise coincides with Pawar's decline
Comment: Hazare's Patriotism Vs Pawar's Political Power! Certainly the good will prevail over the bad!

Corruption Malaise- Reform and Improve Governance?

Who is to Reform and Improve Governance?
Extracts from PM's Keynote address at India Today Conclave
The shifts in the balance of power and its implications suggest that we need to adapt ourselves. In many ways, India is well placed to take advantage of the changes in the balance of international forces. We can contribute to the world’s recovery from the recent financial and economic crisis. We can become a pole of political stability in an uncertain world. But for all this we will need to show innovation and flexibility in our approaches. Some inadequacies have become apparent in our systems of functioning. We have to deal squarely with the malaise of corruption. We need to reform and improve governance at all levels.
I am sure that your deliberations in this conclave will contribute to a more informed debate on all the issues that this important topic raises.
Read full address: PM's key-note address at the India-Today Conclave

Asian Games Medal Tally: India moves up to 6th position

26/11/2010
Medals Tally
Country/ Gold/ Silver/ Bronze/ Total

China 181 104 95 376

South Korea 72 61 85 218

Japan 39 68 86 193

Iran 19 11 23 53

Kazakhstan 15 18 32 65

India 14 17 33 64

Chinese Taipe 12 12 33 57

Uzbekistan 10 17 20 47

Malaysia 9 17 13 39

Thailand 9 7 31 47

Hong Kong 8 15 15 38

Citizens Voice
Friday, 26 November 2010 17:02:23
Three cheers to all the Indians who have medals for our country. If our sports persons who excelled in CWG did well here, our medal tally would have been much better. Hope we do well in future events. We all should encourage our children to take part in sports and games. All the schools should be granted recognition only if they have playground and other sports facilities. Should make sports compulsory from school itself. At the same time the corrupt and incapable so called sports heads should keep away from the games. Jai Hind.

Can family based Political Parties safeguard National Integrity?

16/11/2010
Edit: Dial DMK for power-mongering
As Kapil Sibal was given additional charge of the telecom ministry, the DMK was quick to underscore the fact that this was a temporary appointment. In doing so, the party was staking a claim to what it considers its turf, despite A. Raja’s disgrace. The prime minister must rebuff that assumption.

Over the years, the DMK, once a bracing force of revolution, has become the ultimate party of power. Barring a break of a year (1998-99), the party has been part of the ruling coalition at the Centre since 1996 -- or through five Lok Sabhas. It has fought for and won ministries that are most obviously lucrative, from highways to communications, and proceeded to use these in a purely instrumental way.

Once a party of rationalist, progressive ideals, it's now hard to find any consistent principle in its choices apart from power-mongering. Once a party of movement, run by committed cadres, it has become a family huddle, an organisation that turns to the dear leader at every step. And while there might be persuasive reasons for the DMK's tumult, and Karunanidhi is certainly under pressure to manage the different power centres in his party, their private familial transactions cannot hold up the rest of the country.

The Congress, of course, has had an odd relationship with the DMK. The last great rupture was when the Jain Commission implicated the DMK in Rajiv Gandhi's assassination; the Congress, led by Sitaram Kesri, withdrew support and broke up the United Front government. After the 2009 elections, the prime minister might have left out some of the DMK's worst offenders, but retaining the already suspect Raja has clearly blown up in the government's face.

The last UPA government was also turbulent, but at least the issues that rocked them were matters of policy, whether it was NREGA or the Indo-US nuclear agreement, not allegations of brazen corruption. The Congress cannot afford this conveniently amoral calculus when it comes to distancing itself from ministers in the government it leads.

The PM cannot pretend that what happened with Raja happened in a faraway corner -- it happened on his watch, and it taints the entire government. This is a crucial time for the UPA, and we cannot afford to have enormously important matters of governance held up because the ruling coalition's energies are focused on dousing the fires of impropriety and scandal. For starters, the prime minister could tell the DMK where it gets off.
Source: The Indian Express
Edit: Dial DMK for power-mongering
CAG indicts Raja, says he ignored PM, Law, FM advice

The creeping menace versus talkative generals

Ref article by Maj Gen Rajendra Prakash, VSM, dated 13 Sep 10 click here. The concluding sentence of AG Noorani’s article, ‘Only the moral and intellectual authority of the political leadership can nip the creeping menace in the bud’ is indeed a profound statement and deserves serious consideration, both in letter and spirit. He must have implicitly meant it and has offered this as solution/conclusion/recommendation- any or all of these. This last sentence, however, has rubbished his entire article completely. Let me explain how. The ‘menace’ is creeping, as per him, for the last several decades. Thus, by now this poisonous creeper should have entangled and immobilized anything and everything including Noorani. That has not happened. So it is not a menace at all. And where is the bud (to nip) if the off shoot is creeping for tens of years. So much for the snide remark about ‘pious’ and ‘holy’. Next, let us examine the ‘moral’ and ‘intellectual’ ‘authority’ of the ‘political leadership’. Authority is there and is being used with impunity and gay abandon. As for the qualifying attributes of authority, those are conspicuous by their absence as portrayed in TV and newspapers daily. Their ‘intellect’ is confined to the first letter of the word and does not go further, though, mind you, many of them are very well qualified educationally, but ‘morally’? No, sir. For proof refer to TV and newspapers. So, Nooraniji may like to withdraw the last sentence, or better still, the whole article. Therefore, ‘the creeping menace’ is neither creeping nor is a menace. There is no bud to nip. And, of course, there is no political authority with ‘moral’ and (even or) ‘intellectual’ attributes. ‘Mera Bharat’ is really ‘Mahan’.
Veteran Col BN Ratha
14 Sep 10

MPs: Crorepatis or underpaid public servants?

30/08/2010
New Delhi: A 300% salary hike plus doubling of generous allowances is in the offing for our MPs, never mind that the majority of them are 'crorepatis', or millionaires as revealed by their declared assets! The MPs, of course, insist what they get is woefully short of what is required to discharge their duties as people's representatives.

According to available data, 315 of the 543 MPs in the current Lok Sabha are crorepatis. They include 275 male MPs and 40 women, as per data compiled by the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW). There were 156 crorepatis in the 2004 Lok Sabha and the number increased by 102% in the present Lok Sabha.

The average asset of an MP in the previous Lok Sabha was Rs.0.86 crore, which shot up to Rs.5.33 crore in the present house. Among MPs who contested both the 2004 and 2009 elections, the percentage growth in assets has been 289%.

Among the 183 Rajya Sabha MPs whose asset details were analysed by ADR-NEW in April this year, 54% are millionaires. Most parties preferred nominating candidates with high assets during the June Rajya Sabha biennial elections, according to an analysis of the affidavits of 49 of 55 seats.

Out of 54 contesting candidates, 43 (79.6%) were millionaires. Of the winners, 38 out of 49 (77.6%) had assets in millions of rupees. The average asset for the candidates was Rs.24.45 crore, and for the winners it was Rs.25.24 crore. This will cost the exchequer a recurring annual expenditure of Rs.103.76 crore, according to available figures and compiled data.

Except for the Left parties, none of the political parties has voiced opposition to the salary hike. And what is more interesting: none of them has said their MPs will forgo the increase.

A few MPs who spoke on condition of anonymity justified the hike in salaries and allowances saying what they got were far below what their counterparts got in other democracies. They said while it was easy for MPs with business backgrounds to serve their electorate and meet office expenses, it was difficult for members with limited means to do so.

A Lok Sabha MP from Punjab said a parliamentarian has to maintain at least two offices- one at his home and other at his residence in Delhi. "Each of these offices requires staff of about four people- a cook, a driver and assistants. Their salaries are to be paid by the MP. Some MPs also maintain offices in different areas of the constituency," he said.

An MP from Uttar Pradesh said they also have to attend to their electorate who visit their offices and incur fuel expenses on travel within the constituency. The Lok Sabha last week cleared the bill, seeking amendments to the Salaries and Allowances of Members of Parliament Act, 1954. It will now have to be cleared by the Rajya Sabha, the upper house.

It seeks to hike MPs' salaries from Rs.16,000 to Rs.50,000 per month and double their daily allowance of Rs.1,000 for each day when parliament is in session or for taking part in house committee meetings.

Besides, a constituency allowance of Rs.20,000 a month and an office expense allowance of Rs.20,000 each month has also been raised to Rs.45,000 per month. The MPs' conveyance allowance will now be Rs.4 lakh from Rs.1 lakh earlier. The legislation also enhances pension for former members from Rs.8,000 to Rs.20,000 per month.

The increase will be given with retrospective effect since the beginning of the current Lok Sabha, the 15th, which means MPs will get arrears from May 2009. A one-time expenditure of Rs.118 crore would be incurred on account of the arrears of salary and pension from May last year to July this year. Jagdeep Chhokar, a founding member of ADR, suggested that the emoluments to MPs should be measured on "cost to nation" basis as is done in companies where the concept is of "cost to company".

"After factoring in the cost of all the perquisites- including housing, travel, loans and allowances- it should be decided if there should be a hike in MPs' salary," Chhokar said. He said a commission with transparent and objective mechanism should be set up for the purpose.

BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said the hike was necessary but an index- based mechanism should be evolved to decide the quantum and timing of hike. Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said the government had decided on a hike only after proper consultations with all parties.

Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Basudeb Acharya said the party was against the hike as common people were already having to cope with the price rise and would find such demands from their political representatives unjustified. Source: IANS
MPs: Crorepatis or underpaid public servants?

Indian Hawala transanctions finance world terrorism

The Financial Intelligence Unit marked 200 transactions in India- running into Rs 2,000 crore- as terror-financed. Now, it has commenced its probe to trace the origin of the funds.

It is a known fact that terrorist outfits use counterfeit notes to finance terror operations. This is just one of the means adopted by terror outfits and Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence to raise Rs 1,800 crore a year to finance terror. However, in the case being probed by the FIU, there is a considerable amount of money deposited in the banks, meaning they are not counterfeit.

The money which is pumped into terror operations is generated through various sources: smuggling of opium, real estate, fake notes and extortion bids.
How hawala money is used to fund terror
Latest terror finanacer nabbed due to USA pressure
Indian accused of terror financing booked for hawala operation in Delhi

Tailpiece
Every MP of UPA is crorepati (India Today January Issue). Is he a Hawala or Real Estate Agent or Bollywood Actor?

Seize properties of corrupt govt officials, says CJI

12/09/2009
New Delhi: Chief Justice of India K. G. Balakrishnan on Saturday favoured statutory provision for seizure of illegal properties and assets of government officials convicted in corruption cases.

He also wanted specialised teams of lawyers to ensure that they will progressively develop expertise in prosecuting corruption-related cases.

"If a public official amasses wealth at the cost of public, then the state is justified in seizing such assets," Balakrishnan said at a national seminar on 'Fighting Crimes related to Corruption´.

"One prominent suggestion is the inclusion of a statutory remedy that will enable confiscation of properties belonging to persons who are convicted of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA)", the Chief Justice said.

The CJI said procedural delays like granting sanction and difficulty in marshalling large number of witnesses were the major hurdles in achieving meaningful convictions when the anti-corruption agencies was already finding it difficult to grapple with 9,000 pending cases due to shortage of designated courts.

"It is necessary (that) there should be a speedy manner of granting sanction. The prosecution becomes ineffective if the sanction is granted after 6-7 years," he said.

Balakrishnan expressed concern that CBI relies on large number of witnesses in the corruption cases instead of coming out with solid witnesses which unnecessary prolongs the trial of the case for 3 to 4 years. "Instead of having 8 to 10 witnesses, emphasis should be on having one solid witness to prove the case," he said.

However, dwelling on the PCA, the CJI said the foremost criticism of the law is that an investigating agency needs to obtain prior sanction from competent authority to initiate prosecution against a public servant which is delayed or denied by higher executive authorities.

"Even in instances where the investigating agencies have gathered substantial material to proceed against a person, it is felt that the necessary sanction is not given on account of extraneous considerations," he said.

Expressing concern that the country did not have an effective prosecuting agency, the CJI said there was a need for separation of prosecution function from the investigating functions of the CBI which has been a controversial issue.

"I understand that there has been considerable resistance to this suggestion, since investigating officers and prosecution lawyers need to work in close co-ordination.

"The real problem here is that CBI has been relying on government law officers and standing counsels to conduct the prosecutions whereas there is a need for retaining a regular team of lawyers which will progressively develop expertise in prosecuting corruption-related cases," Balakrishnan said.

He said, "having a specialised team of lawyers will also ensure that they thoroughly scrutinise the investigators' efforts in evidence-gathering, thereby improving the presentation of cases.
Source: PTI
Seize properties of corrupt govt officials, says CJI