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RE: SONIA - Manmohan Singh Government Activities

Admin · Guru

TURNING A BLIND EYE
MoS did not help whistleblower

Nitin Sethi TNN

New Delhi: Documents revealed under RTI show that V Narayanasamy,minister of personnel and training,argued that the Union government could not intervene when a central service officer complained of and sought inquiry into corruption in the state where he was posted,or claimed victimization.
Writing to the PMO in the case of the whistleblower Haryana forest officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi,who had sought a central probe into a forestry scam in the state,Narayanasamy contradicted the recommendations of the CBI,Central Vigilance Commission,earlier orders of the home ministry and the department of personnel and training (under his charge) and the environment ministry.
Narayanasamy wrote in his recommendation,The charges leveled by Sanjiv Chaturvedi primarily fall within the jurisdiction of the state government and hence,the Centre is not competent to order an inquiry into a representation received from the member of service working in connection with the affairs of the state therefore,institution of an inquiry in the matter by the environment and forests ministry was ultra-vires of their powers and hence devoid of any force of law.
RTI documents show that unlike what Narayanasamy advised,the home ministry and the DoPT has in the past acted upon other cases of presidential memorials.The home ministry had accepted two out of 11 received by it over six years from IPS officers.Chaturvedi had also used the same route,writing a presidential memorial to the Centre on the corruption cases and his harassment.

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Select CEC,CAG via collegium: Advani

Cong Says BJP Leader Trying To Divert Attention From Partys Internal Squabbles

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: BJP veteran L K Advani sparked off another row on Sunday after he wrote to PM Manmohan Singh seeking electoral reforms,including selection of election commissioners through a broad-based collegium,and also suggesting that the current system was vulnerable to manipulation and partisanship.
This prompted a quick reaction from the Congress,which said Advani was only trying to divert attention from BJPs internal squabbles and from his own controversial blog in which he criticized his party chief Nitin Gadkari.
Advani recommended the same selection process for CAG too.He said he was writing in the context of the upcoming vacancy in Election Commission with chief election commissioner S Y Quraishi retiring later this month.Advani said the collegium should comprise the PM,Chief Justice of India,minister of law and justice and leader of opposition of both Houses.The present system,whereby members to the Election Commission are appointed by the President,solely on the advice of the PM,does not evoke confidence among the people, he said in the letter dated June 2.
Keeping these important decisions as the exclusive preserve of the ruling party renders the selection process vulnerable to manipulation and partisanship.Indeed,the credibility of this system was severely dented when a dubious appointment to the crucial office of CEC was made a few years ago, he added,referring to Navin Chawlas appointment as CEC.
Advani said that in respect of the CVC and the CIC,the change had come about because of the intervention of the Supreme Court.
Let the wholesome change come this time as a result of an initiative taken by the executive, he added.
Next year,a vacancy will arise in the CAG.I would like to suggest in advance that,in this case too,a broad-based collegium should be empowered to select the best possible candidate, he said.He also mentioned that even the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC),which had been appointed by the UPA government,had recommended in its report in 2009 that the CEC and other members of the Election Commission be appointed by a collegium.

BJP leader L K Advani said that in respect of the CVC and the CIC,the change had come about because of the intervention of the Supreme Court

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CBI keeps heat on Shinde,Deshmukh

Swati Deshpande TNN

Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation has shown no signs of letting two Union ministers off the hook in the Adarsh scam case.It told the Bombay high court that it is thoroughly investigating the allegations against Vilasrao Deshmukh and Sushil Kumar Shinde,who are also former chief ministers of Maharashtra.
Besides,the CBI says,in its affidavit filed last week,that it will look into acts of omissions and commissions made by public servants,including water resources minister Sunil Tatkare.
The affidavit was in response to that filed by Praveen Wategaonkar,who sought a fresh probe against those named or referred to in the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
The CBI said it had taken up the investigation after registering a case of cheating,forgery and corruption in January against R C Thakur;Ashok Chavan,the then chief minister of Maharashtra;K L Gidwani;Ramanand Tiwari;Subash Lalla and others.

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Officials were direct beneficiaries: Report

Ravindra Singh,investigating officer from the CBIs anti-corruption bureau,said in the affidavit,I say that the CBI has examined all relevant witnesses,including two previous CMs,the principal secretary and whatever evidence has come on record is being ascertained on the basis of other evidences. The probe details cannot be disclosed at this crucial stage,the CBI said,as it plans to file its final report after completing investigations at the earliest.
Wategaonkar,whose petition resulted in the Bombay HC directing the Enforcement Directorate to probe the aspect of benami transactions and source of funds in the Adarsh housing society scam,had cited extracts of the CAG report to seek a probe against Deshmukh,Shinde and former principal secretary (revenue) D K Sankaran among others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and Prevention of Corruption Act.
The report had said that Most decisions that were taken resulted in undue favour to the society.Many of the officials who were involved in such decisions were direct beneficiaries.Either they or their relations already were or later became members of the society...

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Govt swings into action after CWC rebuke over economy

Pushes For FDI In Aviation,Pension Reform

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: Barely 24 hours after the Congress Working Committee expressed its concern over the dismal economy hurting the UPAs electoral prospects,the government swung into action on Tuesday.The Union Cabinet will take up the pension Bill and recapitalization of regional rural banks on Thursday,while civil aviation minister Ajit Singh has been deputed to bring Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee around on permitting FDI in aviation.
Banerjee,who was crucial in blocking FDI in multibrand retail,has been the stumbling block for the entry of foreign airlines as well.
A Cabinet minister confirmed that Singh had been authorized by the UPA leadership to get Banerjee on board because of its anxiety to clear the proposals,whose delay have stoked the perception of a paralysed government.Keeping Banerjee in the loop will also help the government pre-empt the embarrassment it inflicted upon itself when it rushed to permit FDI in retail without having taken its allies or for that matter even sections within the Congress into confidence.
While the commerce & industry ministry had sent the final Cabinet note on FDI in aviation nearly two months ago,opposition from Banerjee has forced the government not to take a call on the issue.The renewed push has been necessitated by the growing urgency in the government to rebut the perception that indecision was a major factor in pulling down economic growth to a nineyear low of 5.3% during January-March.
Commerce minister Anand Sharma also indicated that the government could be raring to take a fresh shy at permitting the entry of foreign multi-brand retailers.

Seven-point plan to boost exports

T he government on Tuesday unveiled a seven-pronged strategy,including subsidized loans,to boost exports,which are targeted to rise a minimum 20% during the current financial year.Commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma also sought to provide a fillip to labour-intensive sectors,particularly textiles.P 16

Services sector at 3-month high

I ndias services sector grew at its fastest pace in three months in May on the back of new work and firms were optimistic about the business outlook in the months ahead,but price pressures remained strong,a survey showed on Tuesday.The latest PMI survey showed that the situation had improved in May.P 16

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Retail FDI: Govt not to wait for unanimity

Commerce minister Anand Sharma said the government would take a fresh shot at permitting the entry of foreign multi-brand retailers.
In a diverse country you will have to go by consensus.You dont seek unanimity because unanimity will always elude you.The rights of some of the states to embrace a particular policy should be accepted.It is the prerogative of some others not to accept it and that must be accepted, Sharma said in the clearest-ever indication yet that the government may not prefer to be detained by lack of unanimity on an issue that has the political class vertically split.
When asked about the resistance from the Bengal CM,whose leverage with Congress has enhanced because of the presidential polls in July,Sharma said there were other CMs who have written to the Centre supporting the proposal.It does not have to go back to the Cabinet.Once we are convinced that there is a strong consensus,we will operationalize it.
The UPA has decided to go with the recommendation of the standing committee on finance,headed by Yashwant Sinha,in limiting withdrawals from pension accounts,although it has not fully accepted the panels recommendation for guaranteeing returns on all schemes.Instead,the proposal seeks to get the regulator ensure that there is at least one scheme which offers a minimum assured return.By agreeing to some of the suggestions made by the panel,the government is hoping to ensure that BJP,the principal Opposition,sticks to its promise of backing the pension Bill.TNN

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India missed airport hub bus

Govt Report Blames Bilateral Pacts Signed In Last Few Years

Manju V TNN

Mumbai: No Indian airport matches the ability of those in Dubai,Doha or Frankfurt to attract transit passengers.The fact known all along has now been registered by the government in a recently released report conceding that India has lost the opport-unity to turn its airports into aviation hubs.
In other parts of the world,airports and airlines teamed up years ago to develop new-age hubs from where flights fly in and branch out to destinations across the globe carrying transit passengers,especially from countries like India and China.Among the formidable airportairline hubbing partners that have profited most from Indias opportunity loss are Dubai-Emirates,Frankfurt-Lufthansa,Changi-Singapore Airlines,Doha-Qatar Airways and Heathrow-British Airways.
The ministry of civil aviation report has quantified the said loss with statistics.Of all the international passengers handled by Mumbai and Delhi airports in 2011,only 12% and 9% respectively were transit passengers those who landed at these airports and then boarded onward flights (most likely domestic) to their final destinations.Compare that to Dubai,where transit passengers comprised 44%.Passengers from India made up for about 19%.These are the passengers who would have booked flights like say,Mumbai-Dubai-Barcelona or Delhi-Dubai-Lisbon.The report says about 26 lakh passengers from India flew via Dubai to countries across the world in a year.
In a self-indictment,the report has chiefly blamed the bilateral agreements the government signed with other countries in the last few years (when Praful Patel was the minister of civil aviation though the report does not directly state this) for causing the transit passenger loss to the Indian airports and airlines.

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RISING EXPENSES
Adarsh case: Govt lawyer gets 1.15 lakh a hearing

Prafulla Marpakwar TNN

Mumbai: The state government has spent Rs 4.5 crore till date on the judicial commission probing the Adarsh scam.Even then,the case is yet to get off the ground with the commission getting repeated extensions to complete its assignment.At the same time,the CBI which was directed to investigate the matter on January 2,2011,hasnt even filed charges against the nine key accused.
While the commission was set up on January 8,2011,it submitted its report on April 13,2012,but sought and got another three-month extension up to September 30 this year.
A bulk of the jaw-dropping expense comprises salaries of the two members of the judicial commission and fees paid to senior counsel Anil Sakhare and his assistants.A senior official said the commission has worked for 350 days from its inception to May 31,2012.V B Nighot and R H Vasudeve.Sakhares team has been hired to represent the departments of general administration (GAD),urban development (UDD),revenue,forests and environment before the commission.According to reports,Sakhare is paid Rs 1.15 lakh for every effective hearing,Rs 55,000 per non-effecting hearing and conference fees of Rs 7,500 per hour.Nighot and Vasudev are each paid Rs 25,000 per appearance.So far,the urban development department has paid him Rs 63.41 lakh,while the payment status of the other departments is not available.What is surprising is the state governments reluctance to provide specific information on the payments made to its counsel.On January 5 this year,RTI activist Vikrant Joshi sought information from GAD about the names of the advocates representing the state government before the commission,their terms and conditions,particularly remuneration and the payment made.The public information officer of GAD S H Umranikar informed him that since the data sought pertained to other departments,the application under the RTI had been forwarded to them.The pass-the-buck continued with UDD telling Joshi that the original application had been redirected to GAD.
Nearly Rs 4.5 crore has been spent on the commission and since its term has been extended to September 30,another Rs 1 crore will have to be provided for it, said a senior official.

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AI cancels two Mumbai flights for VVIP travel

Mumbai: The list of woes for Air India passengers seems to have no end.After being hit by the pilots agitation,the next blow comes from the national carriers compulsion to operate VVIP flights.Air India has pulled out a Boeing 747-400 aircraft to operate a VVIP flight and as a result the twice a week flight it operates between Mumbai /Cochin and Riyadh will remain cancelled from 12 June to the end of the month.The Jeddah flight from Mumbai/Calicut too has been affected as the airline will operate on this route only five times a week during this period instead of the scheduled seven flights per week.
Air India has been operating VVIP flights for decades now it flies the Prime Minister,President on their foreign visits but the airline usually works out a way to keep its passenger flights unaffected.TNN

Domestic air fares soar in April-May

New Delhi: Domestic air fares have risen significantly between April and May this year as compared to the same period last year,mostly due to reduction in capacity by Kingfisher Airlines and the peak holiday season.AGENCIES

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HC SETBACK
Official,peon get 2-year jail for 150 bribe

Shibu Thomas TNN

Mumbai: Inflation and the price rise in the last 14 years proved to be detrimental to a senior government officer who was charged with accepting a bribe of Rs 150 in 1998.The Bombay High Court threw out the officers plea that the amount was trivial and he should not be convicted on corruption charges.
This court has no hesitation to observe that the amount involved,Rs 150 was not a trivial amount,as it was demanded and accepted in the year 1998.In those days,ordinary labour was getting hardly Rs 30 per day as wages,'' said Justice T V Nalawade while upholding theconviction of Ramrao Kale (48),a sub registrar,and Shivrao Deshmukh,who was a peon,on charges of corruption.The high court said that the trial court was right in sentencing the duo to a two-year prison term.
The accused refuted the bribe allegations by claiming that the money was donated by the complainant for the Flag Fund and for buying IndiraVikas Patra.The court chided the accused for trying to create false records and cautioned the government against keeping officers on the same post after bribe allegations are levelled against them.

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OBC creamy layer cap may be raised to 7L

Centres Bid To Widen Quota Ambit

Subodh Ghildiyal TNN

New Delhi:The Centre may revise the creamy layer for OBCs at around or less than.7 lakh per annum by diluting the existing ceiling of.4.5 lakh,which will bring more backward members in the reservation net and satisfy OBC satraps who resent the eligibility bar for quotas.
However,despite the hike in the review carried out every four years,the revised creamy layer would be much less than.12 lakh annual income that the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) had recommended arguing that value of.100 in 1993 had dwindled to.29 in 2011,which made income limits like.4.5 lakh redundant.
Creamy layer represents the income ceiling that bars OBCs earning higher from availing reservations in jobs and education.It has gone up since being introduced at.1 lakh in 1993,and was revised to.2.5 lakh in 2004 and.4.5 lakh in 2008.
The Centre is also likely to keep a unified creamy layer for urban and rural areas,contrary to separate classifications suggested by NCBC.
The governments conservative approach,as opposed to NCBCs activism,seems dictated by concerns that allowing OBCs with.1 lakh monthly salary to avail quotas would trigger criticism that the creamy layer had virtually been give a go-by.
Taking the middle path,sources said the Centre may peg the ceiling under.7 lakh after taking into account the dip in the value of money since 2008.This would mean a monthly salary of around.58,000,enough to make a significant number of middle-class OBCs eligible for reservation.

RAISING THE BAR

Creamy layer represents the income ceiling that bars OBCs earning higher from availing reservations in jobs and education Reviewed every four years,this time the Centre may raise the creamy layer cap to 7 lakh a year The limit was 2.5 lakh in 2004 and 4.5 lakh in 2008 after it was first introduced at 1 lakh in 1993 The Centre is also likely to keep a unified creamy layer for urban and rural areas This is against the NCBCs proposal to hike the limit to 12 lakh a year and have separate limits for urban and rural areas

Govts income ceiling to disappoint panel for OBCs

Though significantly below the NCBCs suggestion,the revised creamy layer may still be enough to please OBC leaders who have resented the bar on quota benefits.While the aggressive Mandal satraps have not been able to tinker with creamy layer because of judicial imprimatur on it,they made a strong bid to keep creamy layer out when UPA-1 introduced backward quota in central educational institutions.The move failed in view of the hostility that HRD ministrys 2007 quota proposal faced and invited judicial intervention.
The income ceiling that government is mulling to be finalized soon followed by approval of the Cabinet is sure to disappoint the NCBC that strongly pushed for a three-fold leap from Rs 4.5 lakh to Rs 12 lakh.
The backward panel,headed by M N Rao,argued that affirmative action revolves around social discrimination and economic advancement alone could not determine social advancement.Quoting Supreme Court judgments on creamy layer,he said the basis of exclusion (from quotas) could be economic only if financial advancement was high enough to translate into social progress.
Rao recommended that Rs 12 lakh annual income be the creamy layer ceiling in urban centres and Rs 9 lakh in rural areas.
Realizing that its argument for quantum hike would raise eyebrows,the Commission cited the low share of OBCs in Central services to argue that unrealistic income bar had kept the bulk of aspirants out of quota benefits.It said the OBC aggregate at the Centre was only 7% Group A (5.5%),Group B (3.9%),Group C (8.1%) and Group D (5%).

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Six cops indicted for Ramlila lathicharge

Smriti Singh TNN

New Delhi: Delhi Police has indicted six of its own officers a sub-inspector,a head constable and four constables for using force in their own capacity,without orders from senior officers,in the lathicharge on the night of June 4/5 last year at Ramlila Maidan.Incidentally,police commissioner B K Gupta and other senior officers were also present on the spot that night.
In February,the Supreme Court had asked Delhi Police to investigate the role of police officers in the incident.Filing its chargesheet before Metropolitan Magistrate Anil Kumar recently,Delhi Police has charged the six cops under section 336 (act endangering life and personal safety of others) of the IPC.Those who have been chargesheeted are Sub-Inspector Sushil Kumar,Head Constable Vijender and four Constables Tejinder,Ravi,Dinesh and Krishan Pal.The six police men were posted in Kamla Market police station when Baba Ramdevs dharna was being held at Ramlila Maidan.The cops were reportedly on duty at the spot that night.
While taking cognizance of the chargesheet,the court said,The chargesheet has been filed by the IO after investigation conducted in compliance of the directions given by the Supreme Court of India.I have perused the chargesheet and documents filed by the IO.I hereby take cognizance of offence Under Section 336 IPC. MM Kumar has now summoned the accused for July 7,2012,the next date of the hearing.
The police said that it may file a supplementary chargesheet.In its 1,000-page chargesheet,Delhi Police has used video footage procured from at least 12 TV channels present there and statements of 36 witnesses,including some mediapersons,as evidence.

Ramdev may float party ahead of Guj polls: IB

Ahmedabad: The political pot-boiler of Gujarat is all set to get another saffron touch.Now,yoga guru Baba Ramdev is likely to float his own political outfit and jump into the fray during Gujarats assembly elections which are slated to be held later this year.The Central Intelligence Bureau has sent a report to its Gujarat unit in which the agency has unveiled Ramdevs political plans which are slated to kick off from Gujarats hustings.The IB report has asked several questions to its Gujarat unit about Ramdevs political ambitions.The Central IB officials want to know the mass base and support enjoyed by Ramdev in Gujarat.We have been asked to look into the number of people registering for his yoga camps in the state.Names and background of office bearers of Ramdevs organisation are also being collated along with names of the likely candidates who would represent the new party in the election, said IB sources.TNN

File photo of police action during Ramdevs agitation at Ramlila Maidan

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Cyber protection norms await Manmohans nod

Josy Joseph TNN

New Delhi: India is set to take steps to protect its cyber infrastructure and designate agencies for carrying out offensive cyber attacks on other countries.The move comes at a time when evidence reveals countries launching cyber attacks not just for intelligence gathering and many nations describing such attacks as an act of war.
According to sources,the National Security Council NSC) headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would soon approve the comprehensive plan and designate the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) and National Technical Research Organization (NTRO) as agencies for carrying out offensive cyber operations,if necessary.All other intelligence agencies would be authorized to carry out intelligence gathering abroad,but not offensive operations,sources said.
The detailed policy for national cyber infrastructure protection is currently before the NSC awaiting its approval.The policy would identify all government agencies that would have a role in the protection of Indian cyber infrastructure and define their roles.
The move to not just define defensive mechanism but also designate agencies for offensive operations comes as New Delhi tackles repeated waves of cyber intrusions,though all of them are aimed at gathering information from critical networks.But the next stage,of an adversary carrying out offensive cyber attack,of bringing down a power grid,stalling air traffic control systems,or manipulating controls of a dam are now believed to be a real possibility.
Stuxnet,the cyber worm created by USs National Security Agency and Israeli military and specifically targeted at Irans nuclear enrichment center at Natanz,was found to have infected Indian systems.It was probably unintentional,but an intentional attack on Indias critical infrastructure cannot be ruled out, says an official.We havent yet seen a cyber attack,but only intelligence gathering.An attack that can debilitate our infrastructure is what we must be prepared for, he said.
CERT-IN (Computer Emergency Response Team India) would be responsible for protection of most of the cyber space,while NTRO would be tasked to protect the critical infrastructure such as important government networks.NTRO would be tasked to create the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIPC),which would be a command-and-control centre for monitoring the critical infrastructure.It would be a roundthe-clock centre,providing real time response to cyber security breaches.

Admin · Guru

India may become 1st fallen angel in BRIC

S&P Warns It May Lose Investment-Grade Rating

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: The clouds over the Indian economy just got darker.Global ratings agency Standard & Poors on Monday cautioned that India seriously risks losing its investmentgrade rating,citing slowing growth and political roadblocks to economic policymaking as some of the factors pushing up the risk for Asias third-largest economy.
The S&P report,a followup to its April outlook revision,says Indias ability to pull back from the edge will depend on the way the government handles potentially slower growth and economic shocks.That would determine whether the country can maintain an investment grade rating or become the first fallen angel among the BRIC nations Brazil,India,Russia and China.
Setbacks or reversals in Indias path towards a more liberal economy could hurt its long-term growth prospects,and therefore,its credit quality, S&Ps credit analyst Joydeep Mukerji said in a report titled,Will India be the first BRIC Fallen Angel The report had its impact on the financial markets,hurting stocks and the rupee.
Reacting to the report,finance minister Pranab Mukherjee said the government was fully seized of the situation and vowed that there would be a turnaround in growth prospects in the months ahead.
He rejected the S&P report which warned that India could be the first BRIC country to falter.

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Plan to raise income ceiling of OBC creamy layer on hold

Cong Lobby Felt Hike To 6L On Lower Side

Subodh Ghildiyal TNN

New Delhi: The OBC lobby within the Congress blocked the governments proposal to enhance the creamy layer for reservations to Rs 6 lakh,protesting that it was on the lower side.The resistance prompted the PM to refer the issue for consultations.
The fresh look may be handed over to a group of ministers or be done by the social justice ministry that had moved the Cabinet note.Revised every four years,the creamy layer represents the income ceiling that bars OBCs earning higher from availing reservations in jobs and education.
Sources said the Cabinet erupted in dissent when the proposal came up for discussion.The social justice ministry had proposed to hike the creamy layer from an annual salary of Rs 4.5 lakh to Rs 6 lakh.
Three key cabinet ministers from the Congress stable,led by MoS in the PMO V Narayanasamy,objected to the meagre hike.They felt the salary bracket to exclude beneficiaries from quota benefits should be pegged at Rs 7 lakh at least.
The higher the salary bar,the more people would be able to tap the quota regime.OBC satraps have resented the creamy layer being pegged lower.
What riled them,sources said,was that the social justice ministrys uniform Rs 6 lakh salary bar contrasted starkly with the recommendation of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) to peg it at Rs 12 lakh.In fact,it had asked the government to have separate levels for rural (Rs 9 lakh) and urban areas (Rs 12 lakh).They felt the ceiling did not factor in currency devaluation /inflation since the last time it was revised to Rs 4.5 lakh,and felt that the issue could be seen by NCBC.

Cabinet OKs 1,100 crore to strengthen security infra

New Delhi: Stepping up the move to strengthen security-related infrastructure in the country,the government on Thursday approved Rs 1,100 crore for purchase of sophisticated equipment to kick start the National Intelligence Grid (Natgrid).It also extended by three years the duration of a project to set up a system to track crime and criminals across the country.While the Natgrid,conceived after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks,is aimed at linking 21 categories of databases for ready access by intelligence and investigation agencies,the Crime and Criminal Tracking & Network Systems (CCTNS) project is being implemented to connect about 15,000 police stations and over 5,000 higher police offices across the country to ensure smooth sharing of crime-related information among various agencies.
The Cabinet Committeeon Security gave its nod to the proposal of Natgrid for acquisition of certain technological items mentioned in the detailed project report,home minister P Chidambaram told reporters.The Natgrid is conceptualized as a constantly evolving tool that will mature over several horizons with additional functionalities and enhancements over a period of time.The CCTNS project was scheduled to end on March 31,2012.In view of the requests of the state governments and the uneven progress in states,the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has agreed to extend the period for completion of the project till March 2015, Chidambaram said.TNN

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Bhanwari case accused flee after court shootout

Jodhpur: In a sensational escape,Kailash Jakhar,a key accused in the high profile government nurse Bhanwari Devi murder case,slipped out of the hands of the police while his accomplices fired at cops in the Rajasthan high court premises on Thursday.
Several rounds were fired from both sides,but,curiously,no one was hurt.And despite an attempt to free the accused three months ago,there wasnt adequate security or pre-emption on part of the Rajasthan Police.
While Jakhar escaped,the police did foil attackers bid to run away with the second accused,Bishna Ram Bishnoi.Police had brought them for routine hearing from Jodhpur Central jail.Sacked Rajasthan minister Mahipal Maderna and Congress MLA from Luni Malkhan Singh Bishnoi are among the main accused apart from 16 others that include the alleged killers,Shahabuddin,Sohan Lal and Baldev Jat,in the shocking murder case.Jakhar and Bishnoi are charged by the CBI with burning the nurses corpse and dumping the remains in a canal near Jaloda village.In their last attempt to secure their release,a few men had rammed their vehicle into Lohawat police station building where Jakhar and Bishnoi were in custody.The police had foiled the attempt and arrested three people then.
Around 15 gang members of Bishnoi and Jakhar fired at the police to free the under-trials.Jakhar was in a Bolero outside the court,but a policeman took away its key, said Jodhpur police commissioner Bhupendra Kumar Dak.This forced Jakhar to rush to another vehicle.There was panic and all ran from the spot in two other vehicles parked at the courts entrance.Bishnoi was caught and taken to jail, Dak added.
Police managed to nab one Hanumana Ram Bishnoi of the gang and he is being questioned.They also recovered a Bolero and a Scorpio used in the getaway from a check post.The shootout created an atmosphere of terror in the court.Litigants and advocates ran for cover as bullets whizzed.The fleeing attackers tried their best to get Bishnoi as well,firing at the feet of cops holding him,but they did not succeed, said Dak.
The CBI had to sweat it out to arrest Jakhar and Bishnoi.After searching for them for months,the two were arrested on January 4 this year.The escape is likely to impact the Bhanwari Devi murder trial.The government nurse was kidnapped on September 1 last year and killed a few weeks later.

ESCAPE DRAMA

1

Kailash Jakhar,along with cops,comes out of court

2

Jakhars aides open fire and abduct him

3

Jakhar escaped but one of the shooters arrested

Admin · Guru

I forced Cong to name Pranab,claims Mulayam

SP Explains U-Turn,BJP Looks For Allies

Pervez Iqbal Siddiqui TNN

Lucknow : Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Saturday claimed that it was his pressure that forced the Congress to declare finance minister Pranab Mukherjee its candidate for president on Friday.
Mamata and I took the three names as we wanted the Congress to promptly come up with their choice on Friday.This helped us pre-empting the Congress from springing a surprise candidate as it had done during the previous presidential polls by announcing the name of Pratibha Patil.If you remember,Pranab was in the reckoning even then, top SP sources quoted Mulayam as telling party workers here on Saturday.

Mamata and I took 3
names... This helped us pre-empt Cong from springing a surprise candidate as it did (last time) when it announced the name of Pratibha Patil.If you remember,Pranab was also in the reckoning then

Mulayam Singh Yadav (REPORTEDLY TOLD SP WORKERS)

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Nalanda University project marred by irregularities, nepotism - Deepshika Punj & Ajay Kumar

Nalanda University project marred by irregularities, nepotism

By Deepshika Punj and Ajay Kumar|ENS - NEW DELHI / PATNA

25th June 2012 10:10 AM

Nalanda University, a prestigious project of the UPA government, is yet to take off. It has been marred by irregularities and nepotism. In the centre of the storm is the newly appointed Vice Chancellor, Dr Gopa Sabharwal. Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, chairman of the Interim Governing Board of Nalanda University and Nalanda Mentor Group (NMG), had recommended her as one of the three candidates. In his letter on February 6, 2009 to the then External Affairs Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, the Nobel laureate says ‘it has been a difficult choice’ (selecting a Rector).

He recommended three names in the following order—1. Dr Gopa Sabharwal (Sociologist, Delhi University and Lady Sri Ram College) 2. Dr Ramchandra Guha (Historian, biographer and writer) and 3. Dr Pratap Bhanu Mehta (Political scientist, President, Centre for Policy Studies). The Nobel Laureate’s letter, written on a Harvard University letterhead, is a single page communication. It carries no details about the selection process, search committee or annexes any document submitted by the candidates. There is no information about the total number of candidates considered for the said post.

Sabharwal was eventually chosen though she doesn’t have the necessary qualifications; she was only a reader in the sociology department of Lady Sri Ram College, Delhi. The UGC states that vice-chancellors of central and state universities should be distinguished academics who have been university professors for a minimum of ten years.

Appointment Before

Act Enforced: Sabharwal was made ‘Vice Chancellor Designate’ through a DO letter dated September 9, 2010 instead of the mandatory Office Order. Fresh communication dated March 19, 2012 signed by Sanjay Singh, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs confirmed her as the Vice-Chancellor, Nalanda University with retrospective effect from October 8, 2010. This was before the Nalanda University Act, 2010, was enforced by the Ministry w.e.f November 25, 2010.

Orders Galore: At the time Dr. Sabharwal was officially claiming to be the Vice-Chancellor, Nalanda University, the MoS, External Affairs E Ahmed—in a statement to the Rajya Sabha on August 25— 2011, denied that any Vice Chancellor has been appointed. On two of the three office orders, Dr. Sabharwal had signed as ‘Vice Chancellor’ even before her confirmation.Copies were marked to the Registrar, Delhi University. The first is dated January 20, 2011 appointing Dr Anjana Sharma, Associate Professor of English, Delhi University as OSD (University Development) in Nalanda University. Incidentally Dr Sharma has co-authored a book with Dr Sabharwal. Sources say the Ministry of Finance has not sanctioned the post. Sabharwal explains, “The decision to get them on board was taken during the last board meeting in Patna. Dr. Sharma joined us as the OS, in order to get the university functioning.” However, not even construction has started. Sabharwal also appointed Dr Padmakar Mishra, Deputy Registrar, Delhi University as OSD (Finance). Both appointments were made without issuing

public notifications, mandatory for government jobs.

Capital Affair: The VC, meanwhile, works out of an office in Delhi. The university’s Governing Board is in a fix over toilets for her and her OSD in the Rajgir Office. Dr Anjana Sharma is on record saying that since there was no proper toilet facility in Rajgir, they chose Delhi. In the building lease and other document, Delhi is marked as the Headquarters of the university in contravention of the Nalanda University Act, which clearly states that the HQ shall be located in the district of Nalanda only. Sabharwal explains, “You cannot start office functions or classes at Rajgir without all the facilities on campus.”

http://newindianexpress.com/nation/article550328.ece#

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Praful, aide sunk airline, says ex-IA chief

In 2005,Sunil Arora Wrote To Govt On How Carrier Was Pressured To Take Unviable Decisions

Mohua Chatterjee TNN

New Delhi: In an unprecedented whistle blowing act,former Indian Airlines chief Sunil Arora wrote to the then cabinet secretary B K Chaturvedi in May 2005 complaining that he and the IA board were being pressured by then civil aviation minister Praful Patel and his OSD to take financially damaging and commercially unviable decisions.
In his May 28,2005 letter,Arora listed the decisions on which the board was overruled: purchasing more aircraft than required,disallowing IA to fly on viable routes to make way for other operators and,even changing the seating configuration to favour a particular aircraft manufacturer.
Two Lok Sabha MPs,Prabodh Panda (CPI) and Nishikant Dubey (BJP) have now approached the CVC for a probe into Aroras allegations,saying the government has failed to act.I would like to place before you a series of events and certain directions given to me by my immediate superior officer and the minister of civil aviation which have a vital bearing on certain critical decisions being taken in Indian Airlines and Air India I have been constrained to write in detail to be able to explain the nuances of the verbal directions,the infirmities in the subsequent decisions taken and my consequent sense of unease in the matter, Arora wrote.He also expressed apprehension over the consequence of his action.Sir,kindly pardon my impertinence but I implore you to share the contents of this communication only with the Prime Minister I would not have taken the liberty of making such a suggestion but for the fact that like every mortal,I fear for my personal and family safety. Complaining of pressure,Arora said,During the last one year,almost all board meetings of Air India,and even some board meetings of Airports Authority of India have become a farce.Instructions on key agenda items are communicated before hand on telephone or personally by minister,civil aviation,or by his OSD K N Choubey.No suggestions to the effect,that the issue in question requires a more detailed examination or that there are some implications are countenanced.The key word is immediate and unquestioned compliance.Some of the most glaring instances are cited:
Air India discussed their dry leasing plans in 99th board meeting held in Mumbai on 17.7.04.Prior to this meeting,minister spoke to me said since he and secretary,civil aviation were satisfied about the correctness of the plans,it is expected that we should immediately endorse it during the board meeting.When I tried to tell him on telephone that the agenda item raises some issues,I was curtly asked to endorse the proposal and a counter question was posed on the telephone that when the minister and the secretary himself are satisfied,what more is there for us to see
Arora further wrote that the minister forced him to seek flight slots for IA to the UK and the US during the winter schedule instead of the profitable summer schedule even as private airlines were allowed to fly to these destinations in the summer.There is a clear mismatch between the reply given before the members of Parliament and the real facts.On 18.01.05,I got a message to immediately speak to the minister on telephone at his Mumbai landline There was a conversation which went on for 15 to 20 minutes and minister civil aviation told us not to file for flights to London,for the summer schedule 2005.

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WEIGHING THE ISSUE
Centre accused of misleading SC

Swamy Produces PMO Note To Contradict Govt On Chawla Panels Advice

Dhananjay Mahapatra TNN

New Delhi: The Centre found itself in a piquant situation in the Supreme Court on Thursday as Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy produced a PMO release to contradict the governments stand that Ashok Chawla committee recommendations on distribution of natural resources for commercial exploitation were still under consideration.
On the last day of arguments on the presidential reference seeking reconsideration of the SCs 2G judgment laying down auction as the only mode of allocation of natural resources,Swamy said the Centre was misinforming the court that Chawla committee recommendations were under consideration though three months back,a meeting of ministers headed by the Prime Minister had accepted 69 of the 81 recommendations.
Before reserving its opinion on the reference,a bench of Chief Justice S H Kapadia and Justice D K Jain,Justice J S Khehar,Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked attorney general G E Vahanvati to furnish a clarification from the government by Wednesday about the status of the Chawla committee recommendations.
We do not know what the exact status of the recommendations is.It should not happen that the government avails the Supreme Courts opinion and then takes a decision on the recommendations.If Chawla committee recommendations are already accepted,then it gives a different connotation to the opinion sought on the reference.We must know whether the government in principle has accepted auction as the method for allocation of all natural resources, the bench said.
Swamy compounded the confusion by producing answers given by the government in Parliament and a press release from PMO saying majority of the recommendations had been accepted and claimed that most of the suggestions by Chawla committee favoured auction for allocation of natural resources.Vahanvati said on instruction from the Cabinet secretary,he made the statement that Chawla committee recommendations were still under governments consideration and that it had not yet been accepted.
On May 25,a meeting chaired by PM Manmohan Singh and attended by then finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and ministers Jayanthi Natrajan and Jaipal Reddy had decided to accept 69 recommendations,which intended to ensure transparency in allocation and pricing of natural resources like coal,petroleum and natural gas.
The Chawla committee report,which was submitted to the government in May 2011,had recommended,among other things,that all future telecom licences should be unified licences and spectrum be delinked from licences.In the case of government land,it suggested competitive and transparent e-auction to curtail discretionary powers of decision makers.
At the end of the meeting,it was decided that all the 69 agreed recommendations would be pursued for implementation by individual ministries in a timely manner.Detailed timelines will be finalized, the PMO had said in apress release.
Citing the May 25 PMO press release,Swamy said,It is a matter of deep regret that on such an important policy decision,the attorney general was kept in the dark.The Chawla committee report recommended market-related mechanism which is a different expression for auction.
However,the AG kept arguing that the 2G judgment should be seen only from the context of cancellation of spectrum licences allotted in 2008 and nothing more.No law was laid down as the court had even refused to cancel the licences issued to operators between 2001 and 2007 even though they were admittedly not allotted following auction route, he said.

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Maha water body confirms cost hike of 17,700cr

Nauzer K Bharucha TNN

Mumbai: The Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) has confirmed a TOI report and acknowledged it increased costs of 37 irrigation projects in Vidarbha by Rs 17,700 crore within just three months in 2009.This is the first official reaction from the controversial Nagpurbased corporation following a series of reports in TOI which exposed dubious cost escalations in irrigation projects running into thousands of crores.The VIDC reports to the state water resources department,a portfolio which has been retained by the Nationalist Congress Party for over a decade.
The corporation said costs increased due to increase in district schedule of rates,land acquisition rates,increase of royalty charges for construction material,increase in rehabilitation grant to project-affected persons,change in scope of project,shortage of funds and delay in construction due to opposition from locals,among other things.It reasoned that sometimes there is increase in completion period of project due to various reasons like clearances of projects falling under forest areas.
An expose in this newspaper on August 6 had said that VIDC had okayed a Rs 20,000 crore hike in the cost of 38 irrigation projects in Vidarbha,from Rs 6,672 crore to Rs 26,722 crore,by VIDC in three months.
In its reply to this newspaper,VIDC said,32 projects were cleared by VIDC between June and August 2009,and five projects which were submitted to the government prior to 2005 were accorded revised administrative approvals.During this period,VIDC approved increases of Rs 17,700 crore from the previously approved costs of these projects.Interestingly,several of these approvals were given just days before the election code of conduct for the state assembly polls came into force in August 2009.
VIDC said,Increase in costs are technically assessed by superintending engineers and chief engineers of VIDC in the field.The precise increases by various causes are identified and submitted with recommendation to the corporation office.Orders sanctioning revised administrative approvals (RAA) are issued after general scrutiny and ascertaining the fulfilment of prescribed norms of feasibility,and after the approval of the competent authority of the corporation.

TOI exposed the scam

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Despite Tatra FIR,BEML placed more orders

Tatra Sipox Said Delivery Could Only Be Made By January 2013

Dhananjay Mahapatra TNN

New Delhi: Undeterred by the ongoing CBI investigation into allegations of irregularities in import of Tatra trucks and the filing of an FIR in the case,public sector undertaking BEML had written to Tatra Sipox in the UK placing orders for purchase of more trucks.
The CBI had on March 30 registered an FIR naming UK-based businessman Ravinder Kumar Rishi,his firm Vectra and unnamed officials from defence establishments as accused in the Tatra truck import scam.
But nearly two months later,BEML wrote to Tatra Sipox UK seeking delivery of more Tatra trucks,Rishis counsel senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi claimed in the Supreme Court on Wednesday and produced one such letter by BEML to Tatra Sipox UK seeking urgent delivery of a 4x4 Tatra truck for 88,000 euros.
Rohatgi told a bench of Justice Altamas Kabir and Justice J Chelameswar that on one hand the CBI had issued a lookout notice against Rishi to prevent him from going back to the UK alleging that the charges were serious in nature but on the other hand,the government unit was still doing business with Tatra Sipox UK,which was owned by Rishi.
Responding to BEMLs May 28 letter,signed on May 31 by assistant general manager (purchase) A V Surendra,Tatra Sipox UK replied through Elena Ustynovic,We would like to inform you that the chassis will be ready for shipment on or before January 15,2013 and we request you to establish L/C with an expiry date of February 2,2013 for an amount of 88,000 euros.
If this was the factual scenario,then the charges against Rishi could not be termed serious and he should be allowed to go abroad for urgent treatment of his ailments,Rohatgi pleaded.He said travelling abroad was a fundamental right and CBI,which has not expressed any intention of arresting him for the last six months,could not have issued the lookout notice preventing him from going home.
But additional solicitor general Siddharth Luthra said the CBIs case was that BEML officials were handin-glove with Rishi,who first sought permission to go back to UK on the ground that his business was suffering and then changed it to health grounds.Arguing for the CBI,Luthra said,The accused is a British citizen and in case he leaves the country,it will be a long legal battle before he can be brought back to India to face trial.That was the reason for immediate issuance of lookout notice after registration of the FIR as a preventive measure to avoid future litigation to secure presence of Rishi in India.
He added,The lookout circular issued against the petitioner is meant to stop him from travelling abroad and not for detaining him at this stage.Therefore,the petitioner is free to travel within the country for whatever purposes he wishes to,including treatment.
The bench asked why Rishi was not seeking bail after surrendering before the special CBI court.Rohatgi said when there was no arrest,how could his client seek bail.He could not even seek anticipatory bail as there was no apprehension of arrest, Rohatgi said.
The bench said,If there is no apprehension of arrest,he could go abroad without being bothered. Rohatgi said his client would be arrested at the airport as there was a lookout notice issued by the CBI to the immigration authorities.

The CBI had on March 30 registered an FIR naming UK-based businessman Ravinder Kumar Rishi,his firm Vectra and unnamed officials from defence establishments as accused in the Tatra truck import scam

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SC notice to Pranab aide for illegal hiring of Sebi chief

Dhananjay Mahapatra TNN

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Presidents advisor Omita Paul on a PIL challenging U K Sinhas appointment as Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) chairman.The PIL alleges that as the then finance ministers advisor,she played a crucial role in the illegal selection of the market regulator.
A bench of Justices S S Nijjar and H L Gokhale also issued notice to Sinha,finance ministry,department of personnel and training,Sebi,Central Vigilance Commision (CVC) and CBI on the PIL filed by Arun Agrawal.
The petitioner alleged Paul had played a crucial role in an alleged sham selection process to hand-pick Sinha,who,prior to becoming Sebi chairman on February 18 last year,was the CMD of public sector undertaking UTI Asset Management Company Pvt Ltd.
Shortly after the appointment of Sinha as Sebi chairman,all out efforts were made by the finance ministry to appoint the brother of the then advisor (Paul) as the CMD of UTI AMC.The post remained vacant for 16 months as a foreign shareholder who had bought 26% stake in the company had objected to his appointment on the ground that he was not suited for the post, Agrawal alleged.
Issuance of notice on the petition,although limited to the selection process and not extending to advocate Prashant Bhushans plea for criminal investigation and prosecution,is significant since on November 21 last year,a bench of Chief Justice S H Kapadia and Justices A K Patnaik and Swatanter Kumar had dismissed another PIL on an identical issue challenging Sinhas appointment as Sebi chief.
Bhushan argued that through RTI,the petitioner had been able to procure documents which showed the role of the then advisor to the finance ministry in changing the composition of the selection committee to handpick U K Sinha as Sebi chairman even though he had not applied for the post.
The bench told Bhushan that he was making allegations against Paul without making her a respondent in the petition and this would make it difficult for the court to entertain the plea.Bhushan immediately made a request to make Paul a respondent in the petition.The court accepted the request.

The PIL alleges that Omita Paul,as the then finance ministers advisor,played a crucial role in the illegal selection of U K Sinha as Sebi chief

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Farm loan-waiver scheme flawed: CAG finding

Pradeep Thakur TNN

New Delhi: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG),Vinod Rai has pointed out serious flaws in the implementation of over Rs 52,000 crore farm debt-waiver scheme in a finding that can annoy the UPA government besides raising doubts whether it can continue to reap political dividends from the populist programme which turned out to be the game-changer for the ruling coalition in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls.
In a draft inspection report sent to the finance ministry seeking its comments,the federal auditor has pointed out that beneficiaries of the scheme were selected at random and were concentrated in certain pockets,while those who really deserved the relief were inexplicably left out.
Sources said the final report is likely to be completed by end-October,and the auditor has planned to table the final report in the winter session of Parliament.
The audit into the debt waiver has been a mega exercise,with the CAG taking RBIs help to look into the books of accounts of government banks,regional rural banks and the cooperative banks that had disbursed the relief.The auditor has carried out field visits to corroborate its findings with sample surveys.
Sources said the draft report has pointed out major deficiencies in identifying beneficiaries,expressing the fear that undeserving farmers may have cornered the bulk of the waiver at the cost of the deserving beneficiaries belonging to the small and marginal category.
The finding is contrary to governments repeated claims in Parliament that benefits accrued only to the eligible.Debts of more than 3.7 crore farmers were written off by the government under this scheme that brought windfall gains to the Congress.

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Ex-CMs son drops bomb on Isro spy case

Thiruvananthapuram: Former Kerala chief minister K Karunakarans son K Muraleedharan on Sunday alleged that if there was a conspiracy in the Isro spy case,then former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao would have had a role in it.
Rao often used to target his political rivals by hoisting false cases on them.If there was a conspiracy in the Isro spy case,then Rao would certainly have played a role, said Muraleedharan,who is also a Congress legislator.
He made the remarks while taking part in a meeting along with S.Nambi Narayanan,a former scientist with Indian Space Research Organsation (Isro) who was arrested on espionage charges along with another top official of Isro,two Maldivian women and a businessman.
The case first surfaced in 1994.At that time,Karunakaran was the chief minister.He resigned in 1995.Karunakaran had to resign following pressure from Rao and he did it in a weeks time,after being asked to, said Muraleedharan.But in 1996,things changed drastically after the CBI and the apex court of the country cleared Narayanan and gave him a clean chit and he got back his job.
The need of the hour today is to have a re-investigation into the role played by the three police officials who investigated the case, said Muraleedharan.IANS

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No reservation under RTE in Army schools

New Delhi: The Army is opposing implementation of 25 per cent reservation for children of weaker and disadvantaged groups in around 150 of its schools under the Right to Education Act,saying it will hamper the educational prospects of wards of its own personnel.
A letter in this regard has been sent to the Defence Ministry by the Army Headquarters,Army sources told PTI here.
The 1.3 million-strong force runs around 150 schools across the cantonments in the country.The stand in this regard was taken some time back and the government has been apprised about the reasons behind it,they said.
This position has been taken in view of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act,2009 which makes it compulsory for every private unaided school to admit at least 25 per cent in its entry level class children belonging to weaker and disadvantaged groups.Explaining the reasons for opposing the provision of reservation,Army sources said this would deprive our own wards of quality education in our schools.AGENCIES

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CITY CITY BANG BANG
The toilet versus temple question

Santosh Desai TNN

As is his wont,Jairam Ramesh has sparked off a debate by saying something provocative.His statement about there being more temples than toilets in the country has sparked off a controversy,the best and perhaps only way to get conversation about any subject going in India.The protests come from the BJP,that sees in his statement,an attack on faith,and its more extreme and uninhibited partners the VHP and Bajrang Dal which rail against the marking out of temples as against mosques and churches,claiming religious discrimination.
So we do have some conversation around the important subject of sanitation and public hygiene,but not surprisingly,it is the wrong one.The issue is not one of respect for all religions as the Congress partys hurried statement indicates,but the need for setting priorities correctly in terms of progress.The use of temples specifically to make this point comes from a demographic rather than political perspective;it merely reflects the fact that there are many more temples because there are many more Hindus in India.if anything,it serves to conflate the majority community with the nation,something that happens quite routinely in the way we begin any public function with a Saraswati vandana or with the lighting of a puja lamp for instance.At that time,there are no complaints of discrimination,are there
But the BJPs argument is a little different.It questions the attempt to posit faith and sanitation as opposites,decrying the attempt to juxtapose the two.This is worth thinking a little about;apart from its ability to provoke a conversation,how valid is Rameshs bracketing together of the two From one perch,it would seem clear that toilets are the most basic units of modernity and progress.Modern sanitation is more hygienic,convenient and efficient;it brings down disease and the costs of managing public health.To the modern,urban sensibility,a toilet is a non-negotiable essential,and it appears confounding that it does not get precedence over virtually any other need.And yet,that is undeniably true;as Ramesh himself pointed out earlier,rural India would any day prefer to spend money on a mobile phone before thinking about a toilet.
The reason for what appear to be a warped set of priorities is easy to attribute to faith.According to this worldview,the backward are responsible for their own backwardness as they choose to enmesh themselves in superstition and faith.They refuse to uncoil themselves from their misery because of ignorance;only education,discipline and the robust application of technology can improve their lot.The temple becomes the implicit polar opposite of progress;the reason why the poor are not repelled by their own poverty.The dirtiness of rural life causes offence at a visceral level;a primitive distaste that is presented as an objective prescription of the modern;a campaign that progressive forces carry out against the dark forces of irrationality and blind faith.
Looked at from the perspective of the village dweller,this very rationality might throw up a different outcome.If rationality were to translate into allocating incremental resources behind incremental utility,then it is clear that a mobile phone changes ones life dramatically by offering utility of a transformative and unsubstitutable kind whereas a toilet merely upgrades an existing practice.The long-term benefits are neither visible nor immediately palpable.Given that the larger state of hygiene is no better,not only in their immediate surroundings,but even in the institutions of the state that they have access to,not even in government offices or clinics,the perceived cost of not building a toilet is not significant.From an urban perspective,utility is calculated by the loss of hygiene and convenience which is both tangible and significant,which is why it evokes a sense of horror.
In effect,what is the responsibility of the state is being presented as a failing of the people.Given that the hope of getting running water,or for that matter any water,in the very toilet that is being advocated is remote,why is it so difficult to imagine that building one is not a priority Before putting the responsibility at the doorstep of the backwardness of mindsets,why does not the state at least look after its own institutions,and deliver a basic level of hygiene there.The adoption of toilets would gallop if the surrounding ecosystem changed.Dirt is a relative idea;the same rural dwelling that lives in external filth is most often spotlessly clean inside.The issue is not one of faith,but of the viability of change.The perceived value of sanitation would change when to be unsanitary became a visible sign that had a cost attached to it,both physical and cultural.
In the search for incremental meaning,whatever is deemed more rewarding will get adopted.To look down on an alternative way of attributing meaning and processing its advantages is a common failing.As anthropologist Mary Douglas has pointed out,notions of cleanliness and order are relative and serve purposes other than what are purported.The idea of dirt is often used as a means of controlling behaviour,and we see evidence of this in both sides of the current debate.Faith-based practice uses the idea of separating the ritually pure from the impure while the rational scientific discourse uses it to separate the progressive from the backward.In all this,there is no denying the need for toilets,but the responsibility rests first and foremost on the state.
As for culture,it is much better to harness it rather than curse it.and that process would begin with humility and understanding.If people dont want toilets that badly,there must be a good reason.And it certainly isnt because of blind faith in temples.
santoshdesai1963@indiatimes.com

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Corrupt ministers of UPA: Full texts of allegations (26 July 2012)

Dr. Manmohan Singh

P.Chidambaram

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Sharad Pawar

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Kamal Nath

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Praful Patel

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Virbhadra Singh

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Kapil Sibal

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Farooq Abdullah

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M K Alagiri

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Sonia, Rahul convert trust into over Rs. 600 crore property - Sandhya Jain

Sonia, Rahul convert trust into property
-- National Herald assets worth Rs 600 crore acquired for Rs 50 lakh!

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT8yN9e-Mh8esd-tgbtbD_ctBo16K_UQOBxLdE1vIzMkbsxebYX

By Sandhya Jain on October 29, 2012

See also:
http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/rahul-running-fraud-company-subramanian.html
Rahul running a fraud company: Subramanian Swamy
http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/rahul-gandhis-firm-misappropriated.html
Rahul Gandhi's firm misappropriated funds - Swamy
http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/rahulg-priyankag-foreign-exchange-money.html
RahulG scam: violation of Forex, Company Laws : Dr. Subramanian Swamy

A private company managed by Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Moti Lal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey and Satyan G Pitroda, has quietly acquired the over Rs 600 crore estate and properties belonging to the Jawaharlal Nehru-founded The Associated Journals Ltd for the paltry sum of Rs 50 lakh. The acquisition, which was finalised as recently as April 26, 2012, covers an ‘extinguished’ loan of over Rs 90 crore from the All-India Congress Committee.

The Associated Journals Ltd is the owner and publisher of National Herald (English daily), Qaumi Awaz (Urdu daily) and National Herald International Weekly.

Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi is a Director in the said firm, Young Indian (Registration No 55-210686), which is a private company registered under section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956. Its principal aim is to inculcate “in the mind of India’s youth, commitment to the ideal of a democratic and secular society for its entire populace without any distinction as to religion, caste or creed and to awaken India’s youth to participate in activities that promote the foregoing objective”.

As this has nothing to do with journalism, it is unclear why Young Indian is acquiring the huge assets of a newspaper company for its activities.

As per the Notes to Accounts for the period ended March 31, 2012, a public limited company started by Jawaharlal Nehru with 5,000-odd shareholders has effectively become a private firm managed by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, using funds from the AICC. The legality of a political party giving a loan to a private person to set up a private firm remains questionable.

In fact, many aspects of the deal are problematic. The Notes to Accounts (II.1) states that in pursuit of its objects, “the Company acquired loan owed of Rs 90,21,68,980 by The Associated Journals Ltd (‘the said Company’), presently engaged in achieving a recast of its activities so as to have its main object congruent to the main object of the company, for a consideration of Rs 50 lakh”.

It continues, “As a part of restructuring exercise of the said company, the said loan was converted into 9,02,16,898 ordinary shares of Rs 10 each fully paid. Since said acquisition is treated as application on the objects of the company (and accordingly, treated in the financial statements of the company), the same has not been reflected as an investment in shares. Besides, even if the shares were to be treated as an asset (‘investment’), having regard to the fact that the net worth of the said company is negative, recognising the entire cost as “diminution in value” would result in an equivalent charge to the Income & Expenditure Account.”

This statement has been signed for and on behalf of the Managing Committee by Pradeep S Shah, Partner, Chandrakant & Sevantilal Chartered Accountants, Suman Dubey, director, and Moti Lal Vora, director.

It is pertinent that the official address of Young Indian is 5A, Herald House, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Delhi, 110002, which is also the official address of publications owned by The Associated Journals Ltd, the registered office of which is Nehru Bhawan, 1 Bisheshwar Nath Road, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

Prima facie there seems to have been no general body meeting of shareholders to discuss and approve this huge disbursal of public property to a private firm. The records show that Moti Lal Vora, chairman, The Associated Journals Ltd, informed the Board of Directors in their meeting held on February 26, 2011, that 9,02,16,898 equity shares of Rs 10 each be allotted to Young Indian in consideration of the extinguishment of the amount of Rs 90,21,68,980 due to Young Indian under loan facility availed by the Company from All India Congress Committee.

Resolution No. 3 continues that this loan facility and all the benefits thereunder was approved by the board in the board meeting held on 21.12.2010 and by the shareholders by a Special Resolution in the Extraordinary General Meeting of the members held on 21.01.2011.

Vora requested the board to approve the allotment of 9,02,16,898 equity shares of Rs 10 each to Young Indian.

This is simply unprecedented and by far surpasses the generous loans extended by DLF, a private sector corporate house, to facilitate the staggering acquisitions of Robert Vadra (now reputedly holed up in Dubai).

The AICC loaned and wrote off the amount of Rs 90 crore plus to Young Indian, but Young Indian paid only Rs 50 lakhs for the entire transaction and became owner of the immense properties and estates of The Associated Journals Ltd.

Then, the objectives of Young Indian have nothing to do with journalism, which is the sole reason why the then Government allotted prime land to the publishing house. It stands to reason that if the publications are defunct and cannot be made viable, then the trust managing the same must be dissolved and the land returned to the Government.

If Rahul Gandhi has no intention of starting a new newspaper or magazine, or re-launching the National Herald and allied publications – which his staff reputedly asserted when asked by journalists who learnt that something was afoot in the trust – why has he acquired The Associated Journals Ltd and all its assets?

It may be pertinent to note that in The Associated Journals Ltd’s List of Shareholders and Debenture Holders 2008, the name of Rahul Gandhi has been inserted by hand at Page 49, with no shares or debentures allotted, and no other particulars given. In the List for 2011, Young Indian figures as the last entry, with the address N-125 Panchsheel Park, New Delhi-17, and the shares allotted are 9,02,16,898. Moti Lal Vora has signed this document in his capacity as managing director.

The whole thing reeks of crony capitalism and seems prima facie illegal. A public trust cannot be made private in this surreptitious manner.

http://www.niticentral.com/2012/10/sonia-rahul-convert-trust-into-property.html

Young Indian to relaunch Congress mouthpiece 'National Herald'

DEVESH KUMAR | October 12, 2012 | 18:43

Sonia and Rahul Gandhi hold 76 per cent stake in the new venture.
Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are the principal shareholders in a company that is set to relaunch National Herald, the Congress mouthpiece started by Jawahar-lal Nehru way back in 1938. A private non-profit company, called Young Indian, was formed in March 2011, with Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul holding 38 per cent shares each, with the specific aim of taking over the liabilities of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), the parent company which owned National Herald and its Urdu version, Qaumi Awaz, all with money spent from the Congress's coffers.
The two newspapers had folded up on April 1, 2008. AJL's liabilities of Rs 90.21 crore have been taken over by Young Indian for Rs 50 lakh, the entire amount paid by the Congress. Another Rs 1 crore, it is learnt, has been spent by Young Indian in renovating the newspaper's headquarters, Herald House, at 5 A, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg. This amount too has been funnelled by the Congress as loan.

While Sonia and Rahul hold 76 per cent stake in the new venture, the remaining shares are owned by Congress Treasurer Motilal Vora, who is also the chairman-cum-managing director of AJL, and party General Secretary Oscar Fernandes. Young Indian has been registered under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956. Veteran journalist Suman Dubey has been designated as managing committee member in the new company. National Knowledge Commission Chairman Sam Pitroda too is a member of the committee.

When asked, Congress spokesman Manish Tewari said he had no information about the project. Attempts to reach Vora and Fernandes did not yield any result. Rahul's political aide Kanishka Singh, however, denied there was any plan to relaunch National Herald. "Young Indian has no intention of starting any newspaper," he said. Documents filed by the Registrar of Companies point out that the company is "engaged in activities to inculcate in the mind of India's youth commitment to the ideal of a democratic and secular society and provides for application of its profits or income in pursuit thereof". The newspaper will try to achieve this aim.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/national-herald-congress-mouthpiece-sonia-gandhi-rahul-gandhi/1/224540.html

National Herald Eyes Revival After Four Years of Closure

After about four years of its closure, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru-founded newspaper National Herald may be revived soon under the under the guidance of top leadership of the Congress Party.

A new company 'Young Indian' has been registered with the Registrar of Companies (RoC), Delhi with registered office at Herald House on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg here.

The erstwhile National Herald, which was founded by Nehru in 1938 and closed down in 2008, was also housed at the same address.

Young Indian was incorporated in November 2010 and held its Annual General Meeting on May 15, 2012, RoC filings show.

Senior journalist Suman Dubey is the authorised signatory for the company, the RoC documents show. Others involved include technocrat Sam Pitroda, Adviser to Prime Minister on Public Infrastructure, Information and Innovations.

Dubey and Pitroda could not be reached over phone for their comments, while emailed queries remained unanswered.

Some reports said Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul Gandhi and senior leaders Motilal Vohra and Oscar Fernandes are shareholders, but there was no confirmation from the Congress Party.

A senior Congress leader said a meeting of Associated Journals was held recently to discuss the revival plan of National Herald and Qaumi Awaaj newspapers, but declined to comment on the shareholding pattern of Young Indian.

The papers were being run earlier by Associated Journals.

In reply to emailed queries, Rahul Gandhi's office later said: "Young Indian is a company registered and holding a license granted under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956.

"As a Section 25 company, Young Indian, is a not-for- profit company and does not have commercial operations. The activities of Young Indian are in the public domain. Anyone who chooses to can inspect the Objects of Young Indian. Young Indian has no intention of starting any newspapers."

In a section 25 company, the profits from its business are ploughed back into its operations.
FILED ON: OCT 09, 2012 23:01 IST

2/D-157
OCT 09, 2012
11:43 PM
Who will own the Herald House - AICC which paid for the new venture or the Gandhis' who own the venture? The question arises because even in the previous case when land was alloted to AICC it was appropriated by Sonia family run Rajiv Gandhi foundation.

BHARAT, DELHI
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1/D-156
OCT 09, 2012
11:27 PM
http://www.dailypioneer.com/home/online-channel/360-todays-newspaper/100312-sonia-rahul-set-to-revive-media-interests.html

AICC funds the new venture, but Madam Sonia Gandhi and son Rahul own 38% each. WHY is it private business of Madam and son when it is funded by Congress party?