First rate people of India victim of third rate Governance

We have to completely overthrow this system: Kejriwal
by Danish Raza Nov 3, 2012
Continuing his attack on the government over corruption and inflation, India Against Corruption (IAC) activist Arvind Kejriwal has asked Delhiites to switch off appliances at their homes for an hour (7 pm to 8 pm) today as a show of protest against electricity tariff hike.
In his tweets this morning, he reiterated that the Sheila Dikshit government increased the tariff to benefit power distribution companies.
Commenting on the Uttar Pradesh government dropping money laundering cases against Amar Singh, Kejriwal tweeted that it was shameful. “Is this criminal justice system? We have to completely overthrow this system. Next Mulayam Singh will withdraw cases against Salman Khurshid. Wait n watch. And in return, congress wud withdraw cases against mulayam,” he tweeted from the handle @ArvindKejriwal7.
In one of the tweets, he said the current crop of politicians gave no hope to India and these leaders and the system ought to be overthrown.
Since he started exposing corruption in political establishment, people have been providing him with information, reading which, he was shocked, he said.
“I am shocked to read all this, the extent of corruption. It is so crystal clear that there is just one reason for rising prices — corruption. Prices wud increase much more in coming years if something urgent were not done. It wud become impossible for people to live. There is just one hope — the people of India. Indians are first rate people who are victims of third rate system and third rate politicians,” Kejriwal said in his successive tweets today.
We have to completely overthrow this system: Kejriwal
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Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi sentenced to a year in jail for tax fraud by MICHAEL DAY MILAN FRIDAY 26 OCTOBER 2012

OROP: Rajeev Chandrasekhar writes to PM

Honour the Commitment and Implement One Rank, One Pension for Armed Forces Veterans, says Rajeev Chandrasekhar - October 08, 2012

Letter to PM

PM Response
Rajeev Chandrasekhar Speech in Special Parliament Session
Speech by Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MP, during special session of Parliament on 60th anniversary of Indian Parliament. On the occasion, Rajeev Chandrasekhar urged for introspection and credible action to regain the faith of people in Indian Parliament as an institution.

IESM in perspective

Dear Veterans,
Sanjha Morcha formation on 02 Dec 2009, was the outcome of all ESM organisation/ Individuals who disassociated themselves from IESM in 2009, formed a common umbrella to continue struggle for OROP.
IESM is now a fragmented Organisation. Veterans like Col Rajan who played pivot role in formation of IESM was shown the door, Veteran Col Bharwaj again a stalwart also dissociated himself due to mishandling of funds and went to court and now asking for elections. Veteran Major SS Dhillon, Col Ranjit Bopari, Col SS Sohi and many others who generated heat in Punjab also dissociated themselves as IESM deviated toward BJP, Leader like Mr LK Advani to meet their own ambitions. In the bargain Gen Satbir Got security contract for his security company and Gen Kadiyan as one of the organisor during Asian games. Again they are up, to degrading the ESM community to meet their own ends and collection of funds. Now asking ESM to be present in uniform to degrade the same like medals. click here to read more
The Views expressed above by Veterans/ ESM organisation are appreciated and Sanjha Morcha agrees with them. Even today IESM has not approached any organisation/ Individuals who have left the IESM in 2009. We don't believe in collection of funds, nor there is need for the same, the funds held in large amount with IESM belong to all ESM hence let individuals organisation look after themselves.
Major SS Dhillon Chairman
Col R S Boparai President
Sanjha Morcha
Moderator Comment
The multi- branded ESM's need to cement their differences and ideas to fight for the rights and welfare of Veterans especially the Jawans who retire early after 17 to 20 years service. Senior retired Officers who govern the ESM Bodies need to be service oriented and not confine to generating funds and enriching the banks. Ideally the Bank Balance should be zero before asking for more... (ref to rules and guidelines incorporated in the Indian Society Act of 1860).

Full speech: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's address to the nation

Full speech: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's address to the nation
NDTV.com | Updated: September 21, 2012 20:47 IST
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today addressed the nation, defending the economic reforms which were introduced last week.
Click here for the Video link
Here is the full text of Dr Singh's speech:
My dear brothers and sisters,
I am speaking to you tonight to explain the reasons for some important economic policy decisions the government has recently taken. Some political parties have opposed them. You have a right to know the truth about why we have taken these decisions.
No government likes to impose burdens on the common man. Our Government has been voted to office twice to protect the interests of the aam admi.
At the same time, it is the responsibility of the government to defend the national interest, and protect the long term future of our people. This means that we must ensure that the economy grows rapidly, and that this generates enough productive jobs for the youth of our country. Rapid growth is also necessary to raise the revenues we need to finance our programmes in education, health care, housing and rural employment.
The challenge is that we have to do this at a time when the world economy is experiencing great difficulty. The United States and Europe are struggling to deal with an economic slowdown and financial crisis. Even China is slowing down.
We too have been affected, though I believe we have been able to limit the effect of the global crisis.
We are at a point where we can reverse the slowdown in our growth. We need a revival in investor confidence domestically and globally. The decisions we have taken recently are necessary for this purpose.
Let me begin with the rise in diesel prices and the cap on LPG cylinders.
We import almost 80% of our oil, and oil prices in the world market have increased sharply in the past four years. We did not pass on most of this price rise to you, so that we could protect you from hardship to the maximum extent possible.
As a result, the subsidy on petroleum products has grown enormously. It was Rs. 1 lakh 40 thousand crores last year. If we had not acted, it would have been over Rs. 200,000 crores this year.
Where would the money for this have come from? Money does not grow on trees. If we had not acted, it would have meant a higher fiscal deficit, that is, an unsustainable increase in government expenditure vis-a-vis government income. If unchecked, this would lead to a further steep rise in prices and a loss of confidence in our economy. The prices of essential commodities would rise faster. Both domestic as well as foreign investors would be reluctant to invest in our economy. Interest rates would rise. Our companies would not be able to borrow abroad. Unemployment would increase.
The last time we faced this problem was in 1991. Nobody was willing to lend us even small amounts of money then. We came out of that crisis by taking strong, resolute steps. You can see the positive results of those steps. We are not in that situation today, but we must act before people lose confidence in our economy.
I know what happened in 1991 and I would be failing in my duty as Prime Minister of this great country if I did not take strong preventive action.
The world is not kind to those who do not tackle their own problems. Many European countries are in this position today. They cannot pay their bills and are looking to others for help. They are having to cut wages or pensions to satisfy potential lenders.
I am determined to see that India will not be pushed into that situation. But I can succeed only if I can persuade you to understand why we had to act.
We raised the price of diesel by just Rs. 5 per litre instead of the Rs. 17 that was needed to cut all losses on diesel. Much of diesel is used by big cars and SUVs owned by the rich and by factories and businesses. Should government run large fiscal deficits to subsidise them?
We reduced taxes on petrol by Rs. 5 per litre to prevent a rise in petrol prices. We did this so that the crores of middle class people who drive scooters and motorcycles are not hit further.
On LPG, we put a cap of 6 subsidised cylinders per year. Almost half of our people, who need our help the most, actually use only 6 cylinders or less. We have ensured they are not affected. Others will still get 6 subsidised cylinders, but they must pay a higher price for more.
We did not touch the price of kerosene which is consumed by the poor.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters,
You should know that even after the price increase, the prices of diesel and LPG in India are lower than those in Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
The total subsidy on petroleum products will still be Rs. 160 thousand crores. This is more than what we spend on Health and Education together. We held back from raising prices further because I hoped that oil prices would decline.
Let me now turn to the decision to allow foreign investment in retail trade. Some think it will hurt small traders. This is not true.
Organised, modern retailing is already present in our country and is growing. All our major cities have large retail chains. Our national capital, Delhi, has many new shopping centres. But it has also seen a three-fold increase in small shops in recent years.
In a growing economy, there is enough space for big and small to grow. The fear that small retailers will be wiped out is completely baseless.
We should also remember that the opening of organised retail to foreign investment will benefit our farmers. According to the regulations we have introduced, those who bring FDI have to invest 50% of their money in building new warehouses, cold-storages, and modern transport systems. This will help to ensure that a third of our fruits and vegetables, which at present are wasted because of storage and transit losses, actually reach the consumer. Wastage will go down; prices paid to farmers will go up; and prices paid by consumers will go down.
The growth of organised retail will also create millions of good quality new jobs.
We recognise that some political parties are opposed to this step. That is why State governments have been allowed to decide whether foreign investment in retail can come into their state. But one state should not stop another state from seeking a better life for its farmers, for its youth and for its consumers.
In 1991, when we opened India to foreign investment in manufacturing, many were worried.
But today, Indian companies are competing effectively both at home and abroad, and they are investing around the world. More importantly, foreign companies are creating jobs for our youth -- in Information Technology, in steel, and in the auto industry. I am sure this will happen in retail trade as well.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The UPA Government is the government of the aam aadmi.
In the past 8 years our economy has grown at a record annual rate of 8.2 per cent. We have ensured that poverty has declined much faster, agriculture has grown faster, and rural consumption per person has also grown faster.
We need to do more, and we will do more. But to achieve inclusiveness we need more growth. And we must avoid high fiscal deficits which cause a loss of confidence in our economy.
I promise you that I will do everything necessary to put our country back on the path of high and inclusive growth. But I need your support. Please do not be misled by those who want to confuse you by spreading fear and false information. The same tactics were adopted in 1991. They did not succeed then. They will not succeed now. I have full faith in the wisdom of the people of India.
We have much to do to protect the interests of our nation, and we must do it now. At times, we need to say "No" to the easy option and say "Yes" to the more difficult one. This happens to be one such occasion. The time has come for hard decisions. For this I need your trust, your understanding, and your cooperation.
As Prime Minister of this great country, I appeal to each one of you to strengthen my hands so that we can take our country forward and build a better and more prosperous future for ourselves and for the generations to come.
Jai Hind.
Full speech: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's address to the nation

Political paralysis has stymied domestic overhauls

Big danger from a declining rupee for India
Deccan Herald Friday 25 May 2012
Swati Bhat, The New York Times
The prevailing situation is indeed grim as the country is grappling with internal and external economic threats
India may face its worst financial crisis in decades if it fails to stem a slide in the rupee, leaving the central bank with a difficult choice over how to make the best use of its limited reserves to maintain the confidence of foreign investors.
Unlike most of its Asian peers, India routinely runs large current account and fiscal deficits. That means it must attract sufficient foreign money, namely dollars, to close the gap, and a weaker home currency makes that costlier. What makes the current situation so worrisome is that India is grappling with big internal and external economic threats simultaneously: Growth is slowing. Inflation remains high. Political paralysis has stymied domestic overhauls.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the last line of defense against a currency meltdown, has cautiously begun to support the rupee, but its firepower may be more limited than its $300 billion in reserves would suggest. Beyond India’s borders, Europe is the biggest worry. As its banks deleverage, investment money has flooded out of Indian markets. If European debt troubles worsen, India could be hit with a balance of payments crisis as severe as the one that forced a sharp devaluation in 1991.
The rupee, which has dropped 16 per cent in the past four months, got a reprieve last week after six of the world’s big central banks banded together to try to ease dollar funding strains, helping it break a four-week losing trend. But analysts widely expect the rupee to resume its slide.
“The Indian currency will be the first casualty of a deterioration in the euro zone crisis,” said Mumbai-based the Bank of Baroda chief economist Rupa Rege Nitsure. If the European crisis deepens, the Indian trade deficit would widen even more rapidly, and India would have even more trouble attracting foreign capital.
“Risk appetite will obviously collapse, and gradually the currency crisis is likely to take the shape of a balance of payments crisis,” Nitsure said. India’s current account deficit swelled to $14.1 billion in its fiscal first quarter, nearly triple the tally of the previous quarter. The full-year gap is expected to be around $54 billion.
Its fiscal deficit hit $58.7 billion in the April-to-October period. In February, the government projected a deficit equal to 4.6 per cent of gross domestic product for the fiscal year ending in March 2012, although the finance minister said Friday that it would be difficult to hit that target. India relies heavily on portfolio inflows, which are foreign purchases of shares and bonds, as a means of covering its current account gap. Those flows are fickle.
Foreign portfolio investors have sold a net $50 million worth of equities so far in 2011, in sharp contrast to the $29 billion they invested in 2010, data from the Securities and Exchange Board of India’s (Sebi) website shows. In November alone, foreign funds pulled $661 million out of Indian stocks.
“The Indian economy is one of the most vulnerable to liquidity shocks in the region, not helped the least by deficits in its key balances,” said Singapore-based Forecast PTE economist Radhika Rao. The drop in portfolio inflows and the hefty current account and fiscal deficits have been the main factors behind the rupee’s decline.
The RBI appears to have intervened to try to slow the decline. Between October 28 and November 25, reserves dropped by $16 billion to $304 billion, yet the rupee still fell by 7 per cent during that period. Trading in rupee offshore forward contracts shows traders are betting on the rupee’s declining a further 1.7 per cent over the next three months and 4.5 per cent over a year. Many economists argue that the RBI has been too timid and deserves part of the blame for the rupee’s weakness.
“The biggest mistake RBI has made is that it has almost given an open invitation to speculators to short the rupee,” said Singapore-based CLSA economist Rajeev Malik. “It is really bizarre for any central bank to openly keep on saying that it will not intervene when there is already pressure on the currency to weaken and globally things are so uncertain.”
Normally, higher interest rates bolster currencies, so the rupee’s weakness is all the more significant. If the RBI decides to step in more aggressively, its maneuvering room is more limited than its reserves tally would suggest. After covering the current account deficit, short-term debt and foreign investment flows, there would be less than $20 billion left over.
Mumbai-based IndusInd Bank head (Market and Economic Research) J Moses Harding said that the Reserve Bank’s immediate concern would be stopping the spread of currency woes into the money market. The Indian banking system already borrows more than $19 billion from the central bank to meet reserve requirements, so if the RBI moved to prop up the rupee, it would drain more liquidity out of an already tight market.
Big danger from a declining rupee for India

Army Line of Succession Trend is Dangerous

“The line of succession has been designed by divine right of General J J Singh... the bureaucrats in the PMO have persisted in this. What is the motivation behind this campaign?”
Former Indian Army Chief Gen JJ Singh worked out plans for Bikram Singh to take over
Thursday, March 15, 2012 Anonymous
M.G. Devasahayam | The Weekend Leader
As is well known, bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected officials of a government or organization who are rule-bound and function under institutional norms and standards. Adhocracy operates in opposite fashion and cater more to individual or group agenda rather than functioning under institutional norms and standards.
In the last few years, Indian Administrative Service, the bulwark of India’s bureaucracy, has been mutating itself into an agenda-led adhocracy. This ‘liberalisation’ agenda, co-promoted by Government, Multi-National Corporations and India’s Corporate Sector, include 100 percent FDI by real-estate; land-grab license for SEZ; surrendering tribal forests to mining giants; billions worth of nuclear bonanza and feeble civil liabilities for energy behemoths; ramming GM-cotton and food down people’s throat; mortgaging India’s farming to US interests through ‘Knowledge Initiative in Agriculture’ and ‘Agriculture Cooperation and Food Security’ MoUs; globalizing retail trade and grand entry of foreign universities into India!
This agenda is in vast variance with the ‘growth aspiration’ the country started with at independence. In the vision of the Father of the Nation, Independent India would be sui generis, a society unlike any other, in a class of its own.
Gandhi’s India would not go for gigantic, FDI-funded development projects and large-scale industry and mining, typical of market-led growth under capitalism. Instead, India would pursue an equitable, participatory, small-is-beautiful, need-based, inclusive, balanced development while conserving nature and livelihoods. It is to nurture this socio-economic ethos that IAS was established and covenanted in the constitution.
The present-day neo-liberal agenda is just the opposite, seeking an India of market-making MNCs, millionaires and billionaires, a middle class of 300 million providing that market and the rest of 800 million Indians surviving as barely literate, malnourished multitude. This agenda is being driven by a new breed of adhocracy within the IAS that has come about through inbreeding and rank favouritism.
Ever since UPA government under Manmohan Singh assumed power (2004) two kinds of adhocracy have been shaping up. One was born of the ‘clan-within-clan’ inbreeding being practiced by a ‘linguistic-parochial’ group that at one point of time occupied almost every top-job in Delhi’s corridors of power.
The other is the ‘loyalist-core’ put together to implement the neo-liberal agenda. With the active participation of PMO patriarchs, spread of ‘clan-within-clan’ adhocracy was fast and furious capturing several key positions of ‘might and money’. And barring honourable exceptions, other coveted positions went to agenda-men anointed by the ‘Moneyed and the Mighty’.
Bureaucracy was meant to administer through laid down rules. The ICS was called the steel frame, precisely for this reason. ICS men viewed any deviation from the rules as a misdemeanor. Its successor, the IAS endeavoured to keep up the standards. Though there were hiccups, the bureaucratic system by and large ensured that men/ women with merit were not denied their due place in promotions and postings.
Adhocracy on the other hand is being nurtured through blatant violation of processes and procedures to ensure that the top positions of Government, Joint Secretaries, Additional Secretaries and Secretaries, are held only by the clansmen and their agenda-abiding loyalists. Such adhocracy, which is antonymous to rule-bound bureaucracy, has substantially skewed and compromised the decision making process and standards. The result is for all to see; policy failure in almost all fronts, suffocating corruption and near total collapse of governance.
As if by intent, adhocracy seem to have permeated the Army Headquarters also as it did in the civil citadel. Sometime in 2005, out of the blue, the then Chief of the Army Staff (General JJ Singh) initiated the unique ‘look down policy’ to determine the ‘line of succession’ to the top position in the Army.
He was not looking for immediate succession but was looking deep-down to the year 2012 and found one favourite - Brigadier Bikram Singh. The Chief also realised that events and dates relating to the then Major General VK Singh, who was sure shot to become Army Chief in 2010, needed to be manipulated if Bikram Singh was to succeed him in 2012!
Once this sub-agendum was set, things started moving. Someone in the MS Branch ‘discovered’ VK Singh’s UPSC application form mentioning 1950 as his year of birth and this was the ‘brahmastra’ to be used to truncate and restrict VK Singh’s tenure as the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) to a two year period, so that the passage could be cleared for Bikram Singh to take over in May 2012. The massive documentary proof establishing 1951 as General’s YoB was ignored. A dismal charade of seeking ‘acceptance’ of 1950 from VK Singh as his YoB was played out.
But there were more hurdles. At that point of time, this favourite was not a front-runner as there were other officers ahead of him, who needed to be ‘eliminated’ at the COAS’s level itself with a bit of deft manoeuvring. A list was prepared, nick-named ‘Op MOSES’ which implied that the Chief would part the waters like in the ‘Ten Commandments’ for Bikram Singh to smoothly walk through! Like a family tree in reverse, Op MOSES listed few potential threats - Brigadiers and Major Generals of higher calibre - who were dealt with and pushed out one by one either through supersession and non-empanelment! For this purpose even ‘records of service’ were tinkered and tampered with and some even made to disappear.
The fallout of this crude manipulation indulged in by the military adhocracy was the sordid age-row of VK Singh that has rocked the nation. The actual DoB is a matter of record as rightly observed by the Supreme Court. But what is of concern is the manner in which the controversy was first stoked, then fanned and finally, brought into play. This calls for thorough investigation. This is all the more urgent because it is alleged that TKA Nair, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister was behind this brazen manoeuvring. Well before the age controversy came out in the open, Nair is reported to have told his confidants that VK Singh had to go in May 2012 because the ‘Prime Minister had assured his wife that General Bikram Singh would be the next COAS’.
Incidentally this gentleman was the chief mentor of the civil service adhocracy! We have seen the neo-liberal agenda for creating and nurturing the civil adhocracy. But what is the agenda for the military adhocracy? This begs the question. But corruption and carpetbagging could be a possible answer. It is believed that there are IB reports about massive kick-backs in the still-born Eurocopter deal and a top Army brass has reportedly transferred 22 million Euros (Rs. 145 crores) to his relative in Paris through hawala post. But unfortunately for him the deal fell through and he had the consternation of returning the moolah! As if to compensate, this man was rewarded with a coveted civil position with powers to award thousands of crores worth of construction contracts! Now, with huge weapon/equipment purchase deals either being processed or pending in the Army HQ a pliable adhocracy is needed to serve the MNC agenda. With the state turning into a non-functioning kleptocracy, corruption is the common denominator between civil and military adhocracy. Of late we have seen several cases of swindling and misappropriation in which General Officers have been court-martialed and dismissed from service. Many more must be lying buried.
Sensing danger the civil-military adhocracy has combined to hound out General VK Singh who does not fit into the adhocracy mould. Bulk of the media including ‘reputed’ scribes and defense analysts partnered with the kleptocrats in this despicable task, which indeed is the real tragedy!
M.G. Devasahayam is a retired IAS officer, who had served in the Indian army before he joined the civil service. He had taken part in the Indo-Pak War of 1965 and counter insurgency operations in Nagaland. The views expressed in the above article are based on information from his sources in the defence establishment.
Former Indian Army Chief Gen JJ Singh worked out plans for Bikram Singh to take over
Comment: Gen JJ Singh the earlier Chief was rewarded by the Arms Lobby by appointing him Governor... Gen Deepak Kapoor former chief is an ardent worshipper of arms lobbyists unluckily got entangled in the Sukhna and Adarsh Land Scams (still hoping for more)... he has already collected the rewards from various arms dealers... The wheels of Justice is just slowly turning around. TKA Nair was gifted land by BEML to shut his mouth and eyes to Tatra Money Laundering Cycle- He wanted Gen VK Singh to go...PM's close aide TKA Nair caught in land row: click Here... these shameless bureaucrats have made our nation a haven for Money Laundering and Generation of Black Money- signalling to where we are heading.... A Democratic Banana Republic.

Hereditary Members of Indian Parliamentary Monarchy

India a Democracy or a Monarchy? Heading towards a Hereditary Monarch and Indian Princelings
India: A Portrait by Patrick French – review
Patrick French's affectionate portrait of modern India hymns the tiger economy but ignores the country's contradictions and complexities

French retells the story of Ramanujan, the brilliant young Tamil mathematician who died in England before he could fulfil his promise. The suggestion is that the talents of 1.2 billion Ramanujans – all of them tremendously multicultural and supremely talented – are on the verge of exploding. The leading historian of modern India, Ramachandra Guha, chose to end his magisterial work, India After Gandhi, on a more sombre note: his countrymen, he pointed out, could be legitimately proud of their democracy but they had to remember that the task of lifting hundreds of millions out of poverty still lay ahead of them.

Patrick French offered this startling revelation about the Indian Parliament:
"Every MP in the Lok Sabha under the age of 30 had in effect inherited a seat, and more than two-thirds of the 66 MPs aged 40 or under were HMPS [Hereditary Members of Parliament]. In addition, this new wave of Indian lawmakers would have a decade’s advantage in politics over their peers, since the average MP who had benefited from family politics was almost 10 years younger than those who had arrived with ‘No Significant Family Background’. In the Congress, the situation was yet more extreme: every Congress MP under the age of 35 was an HMP. If the trend continued, it was possible that most members of the Indian Parliament would be there by heredity alone, and the nation would be back to where it had started before the freedom struggle, with rule by a hereditary monarch and assorted Indian princelings."

He has divided his book into three parts: Rashtra (nation), Lakshmi (wealth), and Samaj (society). While that's a neat division, a multi-everything nation like India can be sub-divided in many different ways. The deeper question is: does it hold together and form a coherent narrative? That depends on the reader's expectations.
Read more: India: A Portrait by Patrick French – review
Another Review: India: Click here

Dr Singh, how do you want to be remembered?

By Rakesh Khar/DNA-Daily News & Analysis, 16/08/2011
Dr Singh, how do you want to be remembered?

The basic challenge of our time is to ensure that wealth creation is not only tempered by equity and justice but is harnessed to the goal of removal of poverty and development for all,” declared Dr Manmohan Singh in his famous July 24, 1991 budget speech.

Twenty years have passed since Dr Singh came to be recognized as the architect of the economic reform story in India but the challenge of either the goal of removal of poverty or development for all is far from over. The challenge has actually become bigger, tougher, and more complex, with no easy solutions in hand.

Ironic as it is, nobody is celebrating the 20 years of reforms era including Dr Singh himself. This is because the ground reality today is that the reform story, despite its many successes, faces the biggest credibility test: the ever growing chasm between the haves and have-nots.

It is a throwback to either the regulatory powers reigning supreme or a total policy paralysis for fear of being caught in the twin spin of judicial and media activism, a space created due to the total governance failure in the second stint of Dr Singh at the top job.

Dr Singh's supporters are out to trot some numbers but the significance of these is lost on the fast gaining view that the poor became poorer and rich became richer during the last 20 years. This has pitch-forked Dr Singh and his reform policy as the villain.

Consider the following:
Estimates say between a low of 37% (Tendulkar Committee) and a high of 77% (Arjun Sen Gupta committee report) Indians live in poverty (these are figures drawn from government appointed committees). For company they have about 25 to 35 dollar billionaires (Credit Suisse Wealth Report 2010). The same report said there were 1,080 Ultra High Networth Individuals (HNIs) in the wealth strata of $50 million-$500 million and 7,800 HNIs in the wealth strata $10 million-$50 million.

Worse, India's performance in the UNDP Human Development Index (HDI), which is a comparative measure of life expectancy, literacy, education and standards of living for countries worldwide, has got worse in last two decades, receding from 95 in 1990 to 119 in 2010. Yes, there is a counter figure as well: 390 million Indians now belong to the middle class; one-third of them have emerged from poverty in the last 10 years. At the current rate of growth, a majority of Indians will be middle-class by 2025.

But the truth of the curse of poverty in the country is as cold as death. It is visible all over like a scar on our psychology. Blaming it purely on the reform programme is being as simplistic as it is a wishful thinking that more reforms would redeem India of all its problems.

Lack of nuance in our public debate as also Dr Singh's inexplicable silence in wake of falling credibility of his government due to a plethora of corruption scandals has only added to his woes. The PM has made it worse for himself and his paltry supporters by repeatedly saying "he has a job to do". The truth gaining ground is that he has merely a job to keep.

Management thinker Subroto Bagchi wrote in 'The Professional' that "if you qualify to be called a professional than you should be able to self certify completion of your work without supervision. And that is all about integrity. That is how only a true professional as opposed to a tactical climber can scale the summit of his profession and remain there."

Dr Singh, time you switched off for a while, to self-introspect. If not anything else, you might as well let us know how would you like to be remembered for posterity?
(The writer is Editor, Zee Research Group)
Copyright restricted. Under license from www.3dsyndication.com
Dr Singh, how do you want to be remembered?

Anna Hazare arouses the Nation's Conscience

Dear Colleagues,
It is a historic day for India. The peoples’ power has been recognized. Our heartiest congratulations go to Anna Hazare for bringing about this momentous change. He has been an epitome of steely resolve, stoic determination and civilized behavior. The government failed to see what had become abundantly clear to the whole world. Had they shown more perspicacity and grace the physical suffering of this true crusader could have been greatly ameliorated.
A battle has been won. The war will be truly won only when the bill is finally enacted, a Lokpal is in place and people start feeling relief from the cancer of corruption. But a beginning has been made, and a very good one. Knowing Anna as the country knows him now, he will carry the baton till the finishing line. We wish him good health and long life. The IESM was happy to be fully visible in the event and its support and contribution was duly recognized.
If events of past two weeks are any indicator, it should lead to another positive; Delhi police may become more people friendly. Hopefully.
Best regards,
Lt Gen (Emeritus) Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman IESM

General who fought a silent battle

THE GOVERNOR WHO FOUGHT A SILENT BATTLE IN AN ECOLOGICAL HOTSPOT
Paying tribute to a decade-old decision we need to value more
Goanet Reader
Fri, 22 Apr 2011 15:38:23 -0700 By A Correspondent
The post-independence history of Goa has had some good periods. One brief but golden period was Lt. General J.F.R. Jacob's term as Goa's Governor from April 1998 to November 1999, during which time he oversaw a number of short-lived governments.
The highlight of this period was the imposition of President's rule in the state during the first half of 1999. During this period, the Governor ruled with a team of only three people; the Governor himself and his two advisors Alban Couto and M.N. Buch.
During Lt. General Jacob's rule, the secretariat was made accessible to ordinary citizens and surprise visits were made to bus stands, local hospitals and the Collector offices. Corruption was completely eliminated. Significant improvements were made to infrastructural facilities related to power, water, transport and medical health. Night landing facilities at Dabolim airport were established.
Lt. General Jacob had inherited a state which was on the brink of financial crises after previous governments borrowed huge sums of money from financial institutions. By the time Lt. General Jacob's rule had ended, he raised enough money to pay back all these loans. He went a step further by securing a grant of Rs 50 crores from the center to improve state administration.
Several press reports which were issued during the end of President's rule focused on calls by the public to extend this rule in the state. At the same time, Lt. General Jacob was always non-partisan in his approach so he stepped aside, thus paving way for a democratically elected government in June 1999.
THE GOVERNOR WHO FOUGHT A SILENT BATTLE IN AN ECOLOGICAL HOTSPOT
Related reading
Army general's battle for hearts in Kashmir
by Ajai Shukla / Srinagar April 19, 2011, 0:47 IST

Veterans yearning for Justice must first fight Corruption

Join Anna Hazare's Movement Today- Be part of History
Dear Colleagues,
Everyone can see a Tsunami of public support building up. The government will surely relent and cave in, but only after a lot of feet dragging. The IESM support is gathering pace too. On April 7, (till 6:00 pm) 235 ESM had visited the protest site. This is higher than the previous two days. We need to keep the flow going.
Best regards,
Lt Gen (Emeritus) Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman IESM

Dear Veterans
07 April, 2011 is the third day of fast of Veteran Anna Hazare. He is in good health and is steadfast in his resolve to continue till Govt agrees to the demands for an effective LokPal bill. Three social activist who were supporting veteran Anna Hazare and were also observing fast felt uncomfortable and their health deteriorated in Delhi heat. These social activist had to be hospitalised. The mood at the venue is upbeat and veteran Anna sahib is fighting fit for the long battle with the Government. It is understood that Government mediators are in contact with the team and are trying to find a solution. Hopefully a workable solution would be found soon. Veteran Anna Hazare has already refused to head the committee to be set up for drafting the bill. He has proved that he is a social activist in true sense and is not after any post or office. More than two hundred veterans have visited the IESM tent every day and signed their support for the cause.
IESM WOULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT TO THE ANTI CORRUPTION CRUSADE OF VETERAN ANNA HAZARE Regards
Gp Capt VK Gandhi VSM
Gen Sec IESM
DO NO LOOK FOR EXCUSES TO BE ABSENT FROM JANTAR MANTAR. BE A PROUD SOLDIER AND BE AT IESM TENT TO SUPPORT ANNA HAZARE. DO SO WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY.
Vande Matram
In service of Indian Military Veterans
Chander Kamboj

DEFENCE VETERANS STRONGLY SUPPORT INDIA AGAINST CORRUPTION AND ANNA HAZARE
Dear Veterans,
1. We have given our Blood to protect the Integrity and sovereignty of the Nation.
2. I don’t know if the country knows that 2 – 3 mortal remains of the martyr soldiers arrive at various Air Fields of the country everyday and 5000 soldiers are maimed and invalided out every year due to the serious injuries and other severe medical sufferings caused due to extreme and severe service conditions and operations.
3. The wealth of the Nation is being plundered away through the extreme terminal cancer of corruption in our country.
4. We therefore, decided to support and join India Against Corruption Campaign and the Veteran Anna Hazare’s Fast Unto Death.
5. All veterans are requested to visit Jantar Mantar wearing Regimental caps any time of the day and mark your presence by signing in a Register placed at Indian Ex – Servicemen Movement (IESM) enclosure just west of Annas Manch. No one should stay back. Come one Come all and support Anti Corruption Campaign.
JAN LOKPAL BILL must be passed by the parliament at the earliest to set the ball rolling to end corruption in our country. Don’t miss the date. “All those who wish to take part in one days relay fast to please give the name and the date to the staff at IESM enclosure at Jantar Mantar or through email/ SMS/ Phone to Gen Secy Gp Capt V K Gandhi (Email: vk_gandhi@yahoo.com, Tele no 01204313951; Mobile 09810541222) “Ham Ne to Wadie Gurbat Me Kadam Rakha Tha, To door Tak Madrie Vatan Ayee Thi Samjhane Ko” (S. Bhagat Singh)
6. “JAN LOKPAL BILL LAANAA HAI, BHARASHTACHAR MITAANA HAI” With Regards, Jai Hind Yours Sincerely, Maj Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh, SM Vice Chairman, IESM Mob : 9312404269,0124 – 4110570 Email : satbirsmgmail.com, satbirsmyahoo.com

Dear Chander,
A small write up is attached. May I request this on the RMS and all other affiliated groups. Chhikara Brig RS Chhikara, Secy Gen, Netaji Subhash Foundation Trust and a devoted member of IESM IS IT OUR DEMOCRACY THAT IS TO BLAME FOR THE SORRY STATE OF INDIA?
I have been witnessing the revolution at Jantar Mantar since yesterday and have listened to responses on TV debates. The Executive and the legislature are worried about losing what they consider their rights and their exclusive space. One basic premise of their responses runs as follows:
We are a democracy with a constitution and nothing can be done or even attempted out side the constitutional frame work. Legislative, Judiciary and Executive alone can make laws, change the constitution, adjudicate constitutional disputes until it is amended and execute laws through procedures and rules laid down by the executive. Civil Society and the citizen at large have no locus standi in decision making once they have sent their pseudo representatives to the legislature.
The following beg serious consideration.

Whose constitution is it? Is it of WE THE PEOPLE or is it of we the legislature?

Who is the sovereign? The Citizen or the MP/ MLA or the PM/ Cabinet?

Does the legislature indeed represent the majority as should be the case in a democracy? Most Win with 15 to 20% of total votes cast.

Do the voting citizen have any say in selecting candidates? Does he have a real choice of selecting? Parties allot tickets through an opaque mechanism.

Is the elected legislator free to work in the best interest of those who he pretends to represent? Or is he subservient to Party whip or his own political interest?

What recourse does the voting community have to correct an errant legislator who manages to get elected on promises he is neither sincere about nor capable of working for?

Does he have the right to recall?

Does our democracy enable citizens to get laws they wish passed? Is referendum not their right especially when his interests are obviously at variance from those of the elected legislators?

Are we not stake holders in our own governance in a democracy ‘of the people for the people and by the people’? People as in the public and as in the Civil Society.

Our legislature has a vested interest in Corruption and power of patronage. Are they our patrons or are they our servants? The question reverts to who is sovereign he or we?
Anna’s agitation as it is being termed is only the starting point for getting answers to these very basic questions in the public mind. It can not stop here because the root causes of the maladies of mis- governance and corruption lie, not in the lok Pal Bill not being in position. It lies with our Electoral System, with our Party System indeed with our democracy. The politician has to find his rightful place as a servant of society who must work for the common good of the majority and for the maximum good of the nation. His own survival (Not his best political interest) must be co terminus with the best interest of the people of India. To that end this movement must aim at rectification of our democratic system. The constitution is sacrosanct only so far as it serves the interest of the people who have adopted it for themselves. A stage of despair and frustration has reached the stage where People don’t give a damn for being called a Democracy. They would rather exchange it with good governance with or without the falce glory of being called the largest democracy in the world.
Long Live Veteran Anna Hazare
Long Live Veteran Solidarity with Anna.
Veterans need to support the Second War of Independence from Corrupt Rule.
Comment: If one answers all the above questions sincerely then one deduces that our Democracy is a Fake and a Farce. Even Banana Republics fair better!

Fighting corruption: Anna's fast-unto-death enters day two

New Delhi, April 6, (IANS)
Veteran activist Anna Hazare's fast-unto-death here gathered steam on its second day Wednesday as he pressed for a stronger anti-graft Lok Pal Bill through greater involvement of civil society - a protest he has dubbed as the second Satyagraha.
“This is democracy and we want people's participation in drafting the Lok Pal bill,” Hazare told reporters at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi where he has parked himself along with around 5,000 supporters.
“We want representation from civil society in drafting the Lok Pal Bill, 50 percent from civil society and 50 percent from the government,” he said. The bill aims to fight corruption in public life.
According to India Against Corruption, the banner under which the activists have united to fight corruption, the government has not approached the fasting activist so far. Hazare, who has sat on the fast Tuesday, however said that government will have to bow to the wish of the people.
“I am not waiting for government, the government will have to bow to the wish of the people,” the 72-year-old crusader said. Hazare, who has named his fast the second Satyagraha on the lines of the movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi against the British rulers, has been joined by thousands of supporters all across the country and also abroad.
Fasts are being observed and rallies and demonstrations are being taken out in over 400 cities across the nation. Hazare, meanwhile, told reporters here that he is doing well and except for a little weakness, his health is fine.
“The doctor came, he said BP (blood pressure) is fine, I only have a little weakness,” he said, adding in jest: “I will only lose some weight, can carry it forward for 10 or 12 more days."
The activists are demanding the government adopt the alternative Jan Lok Pal Bill drafted by leading legal experts and personalities, including Arvind Kejriwal, former Supreme Court judge Santosh Hegde and Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan.
The Jan Lok Pal Bill calls for setting up of ombudsmen - a Lok Pal and Lokayuktas (in states) - independent of government control. In the activists' version, investigation in any case will have to be completed in one year and punishment would be a jail term of minimum five years and maximum of life imprisonment.
The government's version recommends a prison term of minimum six months and maximum seven years as punishment for corruption.
Fighting corruption: Anna's fast-unto-death enters day two
Comment: The most corrupt Nation in the world trying to frame its own anti corruption laws- Can the citizens movement get rid of corruption? Yes we can by joining Anna Hazare's Crusade.

My fast begins today, says Anna Hazare

Social activist Anna Hazare, the former IPS officer, Kiran Bedi, and Swami Agnivesh address a news conference in New Delhi on Monday, demanding an anti-corruption law on the lines of Lokpal Bill. Photo: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar
My fast begins today, says Anna Hazare PTI/Amruta Byatnal
After Manmohan rejected demand by civil society to include them in joint panel to discuss the draft
Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare will observe fast unto death from Tuesday until the government enacts a comprehensive law such as the Jan Lokpal Bill to tackle the menace.
“My fast unto death begins tomorrow. I was saddened when the Prime Minister rejected the demand by leading civil society members to include them and senior Ministers in the joint committee to draft the Jan Lokpal Bill [Citizen's Ombudsman Bill],” 72-year-old Mr. Hazare told a press conference here on Monday.
He said a Group of Ministers headed by Sharad Pawar was looking into the contents of the proposed anti-corruption bill and civil society members would be consulted later.
Retired IPS officer Kiran Bedi and social reformist Swami Agnivesh were also present and pledged their support to Mr. Hazare.
Mr. Hazare lamented that the views of eminent persons such as Justice (retired) Santosh Hegde, advocate Prashant Bhushan and Swami Agnivesh were not considered important by the government and “a Minister like Sharad Pawar, who is known for possessing large amounts of land in Maharashtra, is heading a committee that will draft the bill.”
Swami Agnivesh said he attended the meeting in the morning of the sub-group on transparency of the National Advisory Council (NAC) headed by Sonia Gandhi. A ‘Jan Lokpal' should be set up at the Centre and a ‘Jan Lokayukta' appointed in each State to handle corruption cases, probe them and ensure prosecution.
“If the NAC had also decided to look into our demands, Hazare would not have to sit on fast. At an earlier meeting of ours with the GoM, Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily kept saying there was no precedent of having a joint committee to draft such a bill”, Swami Agnivesh said.
Ms. Bedi said just like the nation was united during the Cricket World Cup to boost India to victory, people, activists and the media had to create a non-stop movement till the Jan Lokpal Bill is adopted by Parliament.
The activists also claimed support of 1983 cricket world cup winning captain Kapil Dev and said he had written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to support their demand. — PTI
A resolve to end corruption Amruta Byatnal reports from Pune:
Gudi Padwa, the day celebrated as the beginning of the new year all over Maharashtra, was marked by a resolve to end corruption at Ralegan Siddhi, Mr. Hazare's hometown in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district.
In solidarity with the India against Corruption movement that is taking momentum across the country, 80 per cent of the residents erected a ‘gudi' with a black cloth, instead of the traditional red.
“The gudi outside every home symbolises a new beginning, and we want to start a life without corruption. Anna is undertaking a historic task tomorrow [Tuesday] by starting an indefinite fast. We want to show our support to the cause,” said Sanjay Pathade, a teacher.
A gram sabha was convened last week, where everyone was asked to erect the black gudi.
Those who did not have a black cloth did not erect a gudi at all, Mr. Pathade told The Hindu.
“There was no excitement over the festival, but the resolution is firm in people's minds. Anna has said he will not return without getting the Bill passed and we extend our whole-hearted support,” Mr. Pathade said.
My fast begins today, says Anna Hazare

Let us join hands with Hazare to wipe out the scourge of corruption

Dear Colleagues,
The IESM newsletter ‘Khabar Nama’ click here has been put on the net. Hard copies are being distributed. It is hoped it will reach out to all remote areas and will help make the ESM aware of the IESM activities. I compliment the IESM Governing Body team, of Rakesh Chaturvedi, CK Sharma and Vinod Gandhi in particular, in knitting it up and reaching it out to all. As is known Veteran Anna Hazare is to sit on fast at Jantar Mantar on 5 April 2011. His is a clarion call against corruption in the country. The scourge of corruption is affecting each one of us who have contributed in India’s rise to her present position in the world order. Anna’s cause is dear to us and the IESM is extending full support to his movement. IESM will set up a tent close to the venue of Anna’s fast. All veterans in the NCR are requested to visit Jantar Mantar on 5 April 2011 from 10:00 am onwards and on all following days to express our solidarity with the cause of ‘India against Corruption’. Veterans in other cities are requested to join and support related events being held in other cities. Best regards, Lt Gen (Emeritus) Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM Chairman IESM

A mahatma announces fast unto death- Get in touch
Anna Hazare has given an ultimatum to the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to enact stringent anti-corruption law – the peoples “Jan Lokpal Bill”! Jail to the corrupt must become a reality! We have been betrayed by those that are leading us!
When and Where? From 5th April at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi and hundreds of cities in India and Abroad. Get in touch with your city leaders.
click here for contact numbers in respective cities- India and Abroad

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MP Rajya Sabha Petitions GOI for One Rank One Pension

Excerpts from the speech by Mr. Rajeev Chandrasekhar on the Union Budget, March 10, 2011
Lastly, the issue of One Rank, One Pension for our Veterans. I feel disappointed that as a nation that we are seeing a need to have this discussed in Parliament at all. These proud men and their families have served our nation selflessly, with a certain belief that the nation and their people will look after them, when it comes to their turn to be looked after. At a time, when there are visible signs of crony capitalism and hundreds of thousands of crores of largesse and benefits being given to vested interests, how can we look into the eyes of these veterans and deny them their legitimate demand quoting budgetary constraints. Let not a few hundred crores come in the way of our duty to these men and their families.
Read more: Four Point Strategy to tackle Corruption in Government caused by Declining Governance
Disabled Soldier Pension
Take action against Defence Ministry for misleading Court about a disabled soldier. Rajeev writes to Defence Minister, A.K.Antony - March 22, 2011- click here to read the letter
One Rank One Pension- Why Delay?
Petition to GOI for One Rank One Pension by Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MP, Rajya Sabha
Visit Webpage
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MP, Rajya Sabha- click here to read his blogs/ tweets/ Letters/ Messages
Articles of Interest
A ship about to sink
Off with his head
Self Help is the best help
The 30-year-old Rajawat, India's youngest and the only MBA to become a village head - the position mostly occupied by elders, quit her senior management position with Bharti-Tele Ventures of Airtel Group to serve her beloved villagers as sarpanch. Read the inspiring story... Indian sarpanch dazzles at UN meet

Movement for undiluted Lok Pal Bill

Dear Friends,
Jai Hind.
We all are most loyal citizens of India first and Military Veterans later. We spent best time of our life protecting the territory and prestige of our motherland, for which the successive Governments have not given us our dues. However, as always - our own welfare and comfort comes last – and safety of the motherland first of all.
The corruption level in the country has reached a level where the very survival of our motherland is in danger.
Top intellectuals of India, sincere social activists, with massive support in manpower and funds of two top honest organisations in the country “Art of Living” headed by Shree Shree Ravi Shanker and the organisation headed by Swami Ram Dev have started the All India movement against corruption.
To top it up all – countries beloved Anna Hazare has decided to go on fast unto death – to ensure that Lok Pal Bill is correctly worded and implemented by the Government.
It is time for all Indian Military Veterans, that we provide whole hearted support to Anna Hazare and the All India movement against corruption.
Please appreciate that major cause of all problems of the Military Veterans is also corrupt and incompetent political leaders and Babus.
Every day I am receiving large number of emails from Indian Military Veterans suggesting that "Report My Signal" should motivate all ESM organisations to participate in supporting Anna Hazare and the All India Movement against corruption.
Please read the emails appended below and help the motherland in passing correct Lok Pal Bill and removing corruption.
KINDLY DO HELP AND MOTIVATE ALL YOUR NEIGHBOURS AND FRIENDS AND SUPPORT ANNA HAZARE AT JANTAR MANTAR STARTING ON 4TH APRIL 11.
Vande Matram
In service of Indian Military Veterans
Chander Kamboj.

Dear Friends,
Please watch the video on Anna Hazare, his life and decision to announcement to start Fast unto death from 5th April... also what he expects from us... the citizen of this country... Please forward this to all your contacts... please... AND please JOIN his noble movement.
With Warm Regards,
Col RP Chaturvedi

Dear Brig,
L K Anand has spoken of the Anna Hazare Fast, being undertaken as a part of the India Against Corruption Movement. I fully endorse his views that we in IESM support this movement. Since IESM supports India Against Corruption movement; it would be only right that we show our presence in large numbers at Jantar Mantar to express our solidarity for the cause. It will help forge an understanding with the office bearers.
Regards,
Vijay Raheja

We must join in the movement
Dear Brig Kamboj Sir,
Jai Bharat,
The proposal made by Brig Kuthiala should be given full considerations and approval by the IESM management committee. We should join with our shining placards to Anna Hazare’s fast w.e.f. 4th April 2011. This event is going to get a national attention in spite of the facts, that, some dark political forces and morally sold out Medias not unknown to us are trying to destroy this honourable efforts by Mr. Hazare & Co. We must seize the opportunities.
Though going on fast as military personnel is no way of protest, however, we must understand this movement of Mr. Hazare is in the best interests to save the nation from the total prospective chaos and disintegration, therefore, the role of the Ex and Serving Armed forces come first and foremost.
Please give some serious thought to it.
With best wishes and warm regards,
Vande Mataram,
Sincerely yours,
Amit
Amit Bhadhuri
Former CISF Officer and IESM Support Member (Settled in UK)

Modi magic that makes Gujarat tick

The recently concluded fifth Vibrant Gujarat Global Investment Summit, the man, described as a "visionary" has roped in investments worth Rs 21 lakh crore, from 7,936 MoUs inked across diverse sectors in the two days. Dedicating the summit to the youth and women, he promised to create over 52 lakh livelihoods and job opportunities with the money. Behind his hardcore Hindutva image is a businessman with hardselling abilities.
India Inc leaders can't stop praising the man for his efforts to make Gujarat a civic and industrial example to follow.
"Gujarat is shining like a lamp of gold and the credit goes to the visionary, effective and passionate leadership provided by Narendra Modi. We have a leader here with vision and determination to translate this vision into reality," Reliance Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani said.
Tata Group chief Ratan Tata said: "The leadership of Narendra Modi has proved that Gujarat is not only seeing industrial growth but is also witnessing rural development."
Anil Ambani exhorted other states to take a cue from Modi for development. "Gujarat is a role model for other states to learn from ... Narendra bhai has single handedly transformed the state into a power state," he said. Gujarat today is the power capital and power hub of the country and stands out in a sharp contrast to other states in the country, Ambani added.
Several others who have set up shop in recent times in the state vouch for the "corruption-free" and speedy processes. Little wonder, since Mr Modi believes in "minimum government and maximum governance."
Modi’s Gujarat – The dream destination
Comment: Gujarat is a Citizen Safe destination- free of corruption the state is taking gaint strides in all round progress- piped cooking gas to all rural homes and 24 hour electricity to all homes- extraordinary statistics.

युवक के लिए सेना प्रहरी है?

न्याय और सशस्त्र बल: एक मृगतृष्णा
सामान्य प्रिय,
आपकी श्रीमती सोनिया गांधी को पत्र बिंदु और साहस के लिए दोनों है. लेकिन क्या फायदा है? इस पत्र को भी पढ़ा नहीं जाएगा और एक से जोकर सचिव (जे एस) के रूप में इन सभी राजनीतिक नेताओं को आग ऐसे जोकर द्वारा घिरी हैं द्वारा जवाब दे दिया. श्रीमती गांधी ने इस तरह के पत्र के हजारों हर दिन हो रही होगी और वह (सभी अन्य राजनीतिक नेताओं की तरह) नहीं इस तरह के पत्र पढ़ने के लिए समय है. नेताओं उन्हें डाल संचार के सार पर निर्भर है, और इस सार फिर से एक तरीके से उन्हें सूट है कि इन जोकर द्वारा तैयार की. संक्षेप में, कुछ भी नहीं पढ़ा है या क्या उन्हें डाल दिया है बाबुओं द्वारा या वहाँ एक आपातकालीन स्थिति है जहाँ अपने अस्तित्व दांव पर लगा है, जब सिवाय नेताओं द्वारा समझा.

क्या इस अभिशाप से बाहर तोड़ने के लिए तरीका है? एक ही रास्ता 'जागो' जनरल की सेवा के लिए है. यदि वे अपने साहस का एक छोटा सा प्राप्त कर सकते हैं, चीजों को बदलने के लिए शुरू हो जाएगा. प्रमुखों को जोकर, सचिवों, मध्यस्थों, छद्म नेताओं और कनिष्ठ नेताओं के माध्यम से जा रहा बिना शीर्ष नेतृत्व से मिलने की जरूरत है. पहली और महत्वपूर्ण बात प्रमुखों रणनीति, प्रशासन और राजनीति के मामले में देश के शीर्ष नेतृत्व के साथ ब्रैकेट खुद को सीखना चाहिए. एफएम सैम मानेकशॉ को ही आया था राष्ट्रीय रणनीति के स्तर पर जब वह बताने के लिए श्रीमती इंदिरा गांधी ने अपने विचारों के साथ लाइन में गिर करने की हिम्मत की. अब हम एक कदम और आगे जाना है और शासन और राजनीतिक अराजकता पर अपने विचार देने के लिए किसी की जरूरत है. अगर किसी को यह कर सकते हैं, हम सभी विभागों में एक बेहतर भारत होगा. समय आ गया है जब रक्षा बल बाहरी खतरे और आंतरिक सुरक्षा मामलों के खिलाफ घड़ी कुत्तों की आवश्यकता नहीं है. समय आ गया है जब रक्षा बल चौकीदार के रूप में और बाबुओं नेताओं द्वारा प्रयोग नहीं किया जा आवश्यकता के लिए उन्हें देश लूट लिए. समय के लिए कदम में भटका जा शक्तियों को फर्म आशावादी और सलाह देने के लिए आ गया है. समय दिखाने के लिए कि रक्षा बलों भेड़ के आसपास बाबुओं से प्रेरित नहीं कर रहे हैं आ गया है. बाबुओं हमें भेड़ के कपड़ों में शामिल है और खुद को शेर की पोशाक में है और दोनों के रूप में अभिनय शुरू कर दिया है. इस अहसास आते हैं और तेजी से आना चाहिए इससे पहले कि जोकर हमें ड्राइविंग शुरू करने के लिए और भी कयामत.
मैं देश में प्रचलित सैनिकों और पूर्व सैनिकों की जरूरतों के अनुरूप होगा हर मामलों के राज्य पर यकीन है कि एक प्रमुखों से व्यापक स्वतंत्र बयान कर रहा हूँ. यह एक गर्जन की तरह एक शेर बना कवर के लिए चला भेड़ों से किया जाएगा.
यह एक और कहानी है कि एक शेर एक उसके गले में अटक गई गाजर है!
अनुभवी राम Gulrajani
चेन्नई.

अनुभवी आवाज़
तीन सेवाओं और अन्य वरिष्ठ सैन्य दिग्गजों की प्रिय पूर्व प्रमुखों - यह हमारी निष्ठा और हमारे बलिदान है कि आप उन उच्च पदों हासिल की है. अब - यह आप सब अपने मातहत के लिए अपनी वफादारी दिखाने के लिए और काम के सैन्य बुनियादी नैतिकता के हिसाब से और अपने सभी सेवानिवृत्त brethern जो पोस्ट करने के लिए स्तंभ से चल रहे हैं के लिए न्याय सुनिश्चित करने के लिए समय है.

Political Corruption in India

What is political corruption in India?
Political corruption can be defined both with reference to the main actors involved, namely persons at the highest levels of the political system, and the purpose of the corrupt behaviour, namely to sustain the hold on power. Hence, political corruption can be for private and group enrichment, and for power preservation purposes. Often these two forms of political corruption are connected. Some of the larger and more serious political corruption scandals include both processes - accumulation on the one hand and the misuse of extracted or public money for political purposes on the other. The latter process is somewhat under-researched and underestimated, since much of the focus in the literature has been on accumulation. The present scams like 2G, CWG, Adarsh, Hasan Ali, Secret Swiss Bank Accounts are minuscule samples.

Political corruption in the form of accumulation or extraction occurs when government officials use and abuse their hold on power to extract from the private sector, from government revenues, and from the economy at large. These processes of accumulation have been called extraction, embezzlement, rent-seeking, plunder and even kleptocracy ("rule by thieves"), depending on the extent and context. Extraction takes place mainly in the form of soliciting bribes in procurement and government projects, in privatisation processes and in taxation. Military procurement is known to be particularly affected by extractive political corruption worldwide, because of the involvement of top-level politicians, national interests and secrecy.

The other process, when extracted resources (and public money) are used for power preservation and power extension purposes, usually takes the form of favouritism and patronage politics. It includes a favouritist and politically motivated distribution of financial and material inducements, benefits, advantages, and spoils. Techniques include money and material favours to build political loyalty and political support. Power-holders can pay off rivals and opposition and secure a parliamentary majority. By giving preferences to private companies they can get party and campaign funds, and by paying off the governmental institutions of checks and control they can stop investigations and audits and gain judicial impunity. Furthermore, by buying loyal decisions from election commissions and by buying votes they can secure their re-election.

Political corruption takes place at the highest levels of the political system, and can thus be distinguished from administrative or bureaucratic corruption. Bureaucratic corruption takes place at the implementation end of politics, for instance in government services like education and health. Political corruption takes place at the formulation end of politics, where decisions on the distribution of the nation's wealth and the rules of the game are made.

Political corruption is usually also distinguished from business and private sector corruption. This is only a matter of academic classification, however, since the bribes offered by private companies, domestic and international, are frequent and significant corruption drivers. Focus now, however, is not on the supply side of corrupt transactions, but on the demand side. Most definitions of corruption also emphasise the demand (state) side, for instance in stating that corruption is "abuse of public authority and power for private benefit".

Challenges facing Citizens
What can one do when the governments and/or senior government officials and politicians are corrupt? These forms of political corruption pose at least three types of challenges.

Firstly, how can the lack of political will to address the problem be confronted? When key individuals with political power are corrupt, there is often a deep lack of political will within government to address the problem. Political corruption cannot be tackled by a technical or bureaucratic approach alone, nor can it be treated only as another problem of market regulation or defective administration. Political corruption calls for solutions of a political nature that can be influenced by citizens only to a very limited extent.

A second challenge is how to contribute to constraining the corrupt extraction practices of the government and of government institutions and officials. On the one hand, this is a question of MNCs/ world companies offering bribes - how to dry out the supply side of the problem. On the other hand, the question is how can citizens help create an environment that makes it harder for politicians to milk the system - to restrict the demand. The challenge is how to plug the holes of illicit extraction, and how to create transparency, accountability and domestic control mechanisms.

A third challenge is how to constrain the corrupt use of resources for power preservation purposes. The corrupt use of public and private money by power-holders to maintain their hold on power is to a large extent a question of democratic controls, by state institutions (institutions of checks and balances, control and oversight), by independent civil society organisations and the media, and by citizens through the ballot box (democratic elections not fake elections).
Extracted: click here to read more

WikiLeaks exposes mockery of democracy in South India
Politicians admit breaking election law: ‘yes, that's the great thing about democracy'!
Politicians and their aides in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh admitted to violating election law to influence voters in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls through payments in the form of cash, goods, or services, according to a revealing cable sent to the State Department by Frederick J. Kaplan, Acting Principal Officer of the U.S. Consulate-General in Chennai.
click here to read more on "cash for votes"

Is the Military Watchdog for the Looters?

Justice and the Armed Forces: A mirage

Dear General,
Your letter to Mrs. Sonia Gandhi is both to the point and daring. But what is the use? This letter too will be read and answered by one more Joker Secretary (JS) as all these political leaders are fire-walled by such jokers. Mrs. Gandhi must be getting thousands of such letter every day and she has (like all other political leaders) no time to read such letters. Leaders depend upon the gist of communications put up to them, and this gist is again prepared by these jokers in a manner that suits them. In short, nothing is read or understood by leaders except what is put up to them by babus or when there is an emergency situation where their survival is at stake.

What is the way to break out of this curse? The only way is for serving Generals to 'jago'. If they can acquire a little bit of your daring, things will begin to change. The Chiefs need to meet the top leadership without going through jokers, Secretaries, intermediaries, pseudo leaders and junior leaders. First and foremost the Chiefs must learn to bracket themselves with the top leadership of the country in matters of strategy, governance and politics. FM Sam Manekshaw came up only to the level of national strategy when he dared to tell Mrs. Indira Gandhi to fall in line with his views. We now need someone to go a step further and give his views on governance and political chaos. If someone can do it, we will have a better India in all departments. Time has come when the Defence Forces need not be watch dogs against external threat and internal security matters. Time has come when Defence Forces need not be used by babus and politicians as watchmen for them to loot the country. Time has come to step in to give firm and sanguine advice to powers going stray. Time has come to show that Defence forces are not sheep to be herded around by babus. Babus have covered us in sheep clothes and themselves in lion's attire and both have started acting as such. This realisation must come and come fast before jokers start herding us even more.
I am sure one broad independent statement from the Chiefs on the state of affairs prevailing in the country will tune everyone to the needs of soldiers and veterans. It will be like one roar from a lion making sheep run for cover.
It's another story if a lion has a carrot stuck in his throat!
Veteran Ram Gulrajani
Chennai.

Veteran Voice
Dear Former Chiefs of the Three Services and other senior military veterans – it is because of our loyalty and our sacrifices that you attained those high posts. Now - it is time for you all to show your loyalty to your subordinates and work according to the basic ethics of Military and ensure Justice for all your retired brethern who are running from pillar to post.