Illicit liquor claims 57 lives, condition of over 100 serious!The Drama on Lokpal Continues to Cover Up the Most Intensified Ethnic Cleansing!No consensus at all-party meet on Lokpal!LIC Amendment Bill Passed to kill the guarantee to RETURN! AIR India is Killed. Food Security Bill is all set to wipe out Subsidy.Retail FDI is said to be suspended but the Dreaded Walmarts gets the required Cocession by passing the Parliament. No one questioned the justification to hike single Brand Retail FDI from 51 percent to Cent Percent. UID Project Trashed but the Brahaminical Parties NEVER to ask for the accounts of the ILLEGAL Scheme! Forged Economic Crisis is meant Another Bail Out and Tax Load on the Common Man, the Excluded Communities.Reforms Drive is PUSHED Ahead and the CIVIL War in the Aborigine Humanscape ensures ETHNIC Cleansing Unprecedented. Neither the Marxists nor the Ambedkarites seem to beaware of. Worse is the situation that Ambedkarites NEVER takes the Economic Issues as seriously as Dr BR Ambedkar used to do. They follow the line of the Brahaminical Parties to maintain favourable Vote Bank Equation depening on Casteology only. They have NOTHING to do with the Liberation of the ENSLAVED Eighty Five Percent Aborigine Indigenous masses. Rather they tend to help the Brahaminical System to implement its Mass Destruction Agenda!

CBI, CVC chiefs meet Manmohan Singh on Lokpal bill

Fight against inflation hurting corporate investment: Pranab Mukherjee

White paper on black money, promises government!Corruption should be defeated: APJ Abdul Kalam

Companies Bill tabled in Parliament; retains 2% CSR spend

Individual wealth in India to treble by FY16 to Rs 249 trillion: Karvy

Govt hospitals don't comply with fire safety regulations: West Bengal

Mamata Banerjee offers jobs to youngsters who rescued AMRI patients

Indian tax authorities have unearthed 660 billion rupees ($12.3 billion) of unaccounted money, the finance minister told lawmakers on Wednesday, as part of the government's efforts to curb tax evasion.
Government can do little to check rupee slide: Rangarajan
Indian Holocaust My Father`s Life and

Time - SEVEN HUNDRED SEVENTY ONE

Palash Biswas

http://indianliberationnews.com/

http://indianholocaustmyfatherslifeandtime.blogspot.com/

http://basantipurtimes.blogspot.com/

14/12/2011

Petrol prices may go up by 65 paise from Friday

Petrol prices may be hiked by Rs 0.65 per litre this week if state-owned oil firms manage to get political approval for the move.

While a fall in the rupee to an all-time low of Rs 53.75 per US dollar has resulted in an increase in the cost of oil imports, international rates of gasoline -- against which domestic petrol prices are benchmarked -- have also increased, a top source at a state-run oil firm has said.
"The under-recovery on petrol is Rs 0.55-0.56 per litre. After adding local sales tax, the desired increase in Delhi comes to Rs 0.65-0.66 a litre," he said, adding that the oil companies will review prices tomorrow and any change will be effective from December 16.
Source: IANS

Companies Bill tabled in Parliament; retains 2% CSR spend
The Government today introduced the new Companies Bill, retaining some contentious provisions like 2 per cent yearly spend on CSR activities and a fix term for independent directors.

According to the Companies Bill 2011, every company with a networth of Rs 500 crore or more, or turnover of Rs 1,000 crore or more, or net profit of Rs 5 crore or more in a financial year will have to form aCorporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Committee, consisting of three or more directors, of which at least one director should be an independent director.

"The Board of every company shall make every endeavour to ensure that the company spends, in every financial year, at least two per cent of the average net profits of the company made during the three immediately preceding years in pursuance of its CSR Policy," the Bill said.

It added that in case the company "fails to spend such amount, the board shall...specify the reasons for spending the amount".

The Bill also limits the term of independent director in a company to five consecutive years. The independent director can be reappointed on the board after passing of a special resolution by the company and disclosure of such appointment on the board's report.

Further, regarding appointment of auditors, the Bill said that a company will have to rotate an audit firm or an auditor every five years.

Introduced in the wake of the Rs 14,000-crore Satyam fraud, the fresh bill proposes to enhance the accountability of companies, seeking greater disclosure and protection of investors and minority shareholders, the Statement on Objects and Reasons of the Bill said.

In view of changes in the national and international economic environment and growth in the economy, the need was felt to enact a new law, it said.
Illicit liquor claims 57 lives, condition of over 100 serious

In one of the worst hooch tragedies in West Bengal, 57 people, mostly labourers, rickshaw-pullers and hawkers, died and over 100 were hospitalised in serious condition after consuming illicit liquor at Mograhat in South 24 Parganas district today.

While 10 people died at Sangrampur village, around 40 km from Kolkata in the early hours today after drinking from some liquor joints near the Sangrampur railway station, 47 died in other hospitals where they were admitted, official sources said.

Among the dead, most are labourers, rickshaw-pullers and hawkers, they said.

The condition of over 100 people admitted to the Diamond Harbour Sub-Divisional Hospital, Sangrampur and in Kolkata was serious, the sources said, adding they had symptoms of severe stomach ache, vomiting and loose motion.

A medical team has been rushed to the area from Kolkata, Sunderban Affairs Minister Shyamal Mandal said.

Locals smashed a liquor manufacturing unit at Mograhat and the joints from where it was being sold at Sangrampur.

The West Bengal government announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of those who died.

State Public Health Engineering Minister Subrata Mukherjee announced the compensation in the assembly.

Union minister Mukul Roy, District Magistrate N S Nigam, SP L N Meena, Zilla Parishad Sabhadipati S Sheikh and CPI(M) leaders Rezzak Mollah and Sujon Chakrabarty visited the hospitals.

The individual wealth of Indians is set to login a compounded annual growth rate of 23 percent over the next four years and touch a staggering Rs 249 trillion, says a report by Karvy Private Wealth.

Noting that the individual wealth in the country has been growing consistently since the past few years, the report says the growth rate will outshine the rest of the world and treble by 2016.

The wealth of Indians has grown from Rs 73 lakh crore (trillion) last year to estimated Rs 86.5 trillion currently.

"Wealth of Indian individuals has grown by over 18 percent compared to a mere 9.7 percent for the global high networth individuals in the last one year," says the report, adding this growth was led by fixed deposits, insurance, equity and alternative assets.

"At a CAGR of 23 percent over the next four years, the combined wealth of individuals in the country will touch Rs 249 trillion by FY2016," Karvy Group chief executive and head of broking, wealth management abs asset management Hrishikesh Parandekar said here today while releasing the second edition of its India wealth report.

Rejecting Opposition demands, government today refused to make public information received from foreign countries with regard to Indian account holders but expressed readiness to issue an elaborate document on the problem.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee told the Lok Sabha that revealing the information received from other countries would violate the understanding with a sovereign government and could hurt the Indian businesses as some of them could be genuine investors abroad.

Mukherjee said no Member of Parliament figures in the list of account holders abroad that he had received.

He was replying to a debate on Adjournment Motion on Blackmoney moved by BJP leader L K Advaniwhich was later defeated by voice vote. Samajwadi Party staged a walkout.

Mukherjee said the government has received 36,000 pieces of information.

"If I publish it, same country will say you violated the Agreement and we will not share information in future...We will dry up our source of information," the Minister argued.

Rejecting the Opposition charge of "inaction" or "lagging behind", he said the government would prefer to go after those having illegal accounts abroad rather than publicising details as the account holders could even withdraw money.

"Should I publicise or go and seize it... How is intelligence collected? There is an element of surprise," he said.

The report says individual wealth will touch Rs 106.87 trillion by FY12, Rs 132 trillion by FY13, Rs 163 trillion by FY14; Rs 201.29 trillion by FY15 and Rs 248.62 trillion by FY16.

Karvy Private Wealth is the wealth management arm of the financial services firm Karvy Group.

This report is on the combined wealth of all the individuals in the country and not just the richie rich and also does not include government and institutional holdings and assets like gold and real estate.

"We are clearly poised to an inflection point in terms of wealth accumulation. To put it differently, we have added as much wealth in the last five years as we have done in the first 50 years of Independence,"Karvy Private Wealth chief executive Sunil Mishra said.

Indian tax authorities have unearthed 660 billion rupees ($12.3 billion) of unaccounted money, the finance minister told lawmakers on Wednesday, as part of the government's efforts to curb tax evasion.

Pranab Mukherjee was replying to a debate on illicit funds or black money in the Lower House ofParliament.

Mukherjee also said the government had signed agreements with 60 countries to share information about tax evasion and was in the process of signing agreements with 15 more nations.
Meanwhile, stating the government would bring out a white paper on the issue of black money, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Wednesday dismissed reports that an MP was among the rich Indians with black money stashed away abroad.

"There is no MP in the list," Mukherjee asserted, replying to a debate in the Lok Sabha on the huge quantum of black money deposited by Indians in foreign banks. The house later rejected by a voice vote an adjournment motion on the issue moved by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Stating that under an agreement with Switzerland, tax related information will be available to India from April 2011, the finance minister said the government will introduce a bill to strengthen anti-money laundering laws soon.

Mentioning he had obtained information on tax evaders from the French government, Mukherjee said it can not be disclosed as it will dry up the sources.

Mukherjee said tax treaties with 60 out of 75 countries were amended and this would enable the government to track black money.

However, he clarified the information may be made public in case of criminal cases or acts of money launderingagainst persons named by the foreign governments.

"We have 36,000 pieces of information, names of persons... But we cannot disclose the names," Mukherjee said, citing legalities involved in maintaining confidentiality on the matter.

"Tomorrow same nations (that have shared information) can tell us, minister you have violated international agreements... we won't give it to you now," the finance minister said.

Observing there were various estimates of black money available ranging from $500 billion to $1,900 billion, the minister said he has asked three public institutes to calculate the quantum of black money stashed abroad.

Stating that there would be a white paper on the issue, Mukherjee said the government was working "to prevent the menace and bring back" the money that had not been credibly quantified.

He said the government's efforts to deal with the issue had shown some results and sought the opposition's support to fight the problem jointly. He also asked the members if they wanted to make the Income Tax Act a penal law.

He said the government had prevented loss of profit through tax evasion to the tune of Rs.66,000 crore. The Central Board of Direct Taxes had unearthed concealed income worth Rs.18,750 crore last financial year, he said, adding, "Checking tax evaders is a constant battle."

Government can do little to check rupee slide: Rangarajan
The slide in rupee, which fell to a new low of 53.75 against a dollar Wednesday, is driven by external factors especially general appreciation in the value of greenback, so the government can do little to check the volatility, said C. Rangarajan, chairman of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council.

"If the behaviour of Indian rupee is because of certain factors which generate in the Indian economy, then we can use the foreign exchange reserves to control the volatility," Rangarajan said at the Delhi Economics Conclave here.

He said the recent movement in rupee was mainly because of external factors so the Reserve Bank of India can do little to check it.

"The stated policy of the Reserve Bank of India is to prevent volatility in the foreign exchange market. To the extent to which the behaviour can be attributed to volatility, then the Reserve Bank will act," Rangarajan, a former governor of the RBI, told reporters on the sideline of the conclave.

The value of Indian currency has depreciated over 18 percent since July. The rupee fell to a new low of 53.75 against a dollar Wednesday in Mumbai inter-bank trade.

Rangarajan said the capital outflows and widening current account deficit, apart from the external factors, were responsible for the slide in the Indian rupee.

"The behaviour of the rupee is a reflection of the current account deficit and the extent of capital flows. It is always possible that there could be mismatch for the temporary period between the current account deficit and the capital flows," he said.

"If there is a temporary mismatch, this will lead to pressure on rupee. But if the capital flows pick up, then what we are now seeing can also get reversed," he added.

Earlier, addressing the conclave, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said sharp capital outflows have led to recent volatility in the value of rupee.

He pointed out that while excessive capital inflows in the aftermath of global economic crisis led to sharp appreciation in the value of Indian currency, the reversal has now caused a sharp depreciation.

"We have witnessed sharp depreciation of the rupee vis-a-vis the US dollar in the last few months. Slowdown in external demand has led to deceleration in the growth of exports in recent months with the current account deficit widening to around 3 percent of GDP," Mukherjee said.

A depreciating rupee makes imports costlier, and has a major impact on the country's oil bill as it puts pressure on retailers to hike prices of at least de-regulated fuels like petrol and aviation turbine fuel. This adds to the inflationary pressures.

Smartphone Wars

ET Review: Nokia Lumia 800, a spiritual successor to Nokia N9
Where Nokia scores over other Windows Phone 7.5 device is with its exclusive apps - Nokia Maps and Nokia Drive. Nokia Drive is the star.

Airport: Facilities for the Traveller

Costly stay option at IGI for domestic flyers
A room could be booked only for a max of 24 hrs - costing Rs 6,909 - as the no of rooms was limited & was meant to serve as transit facility.

Science: Giant Leap into Space
Next big bet for space: Airborne rocket launcher
The plane can take off the conventional way, then, at 30,000 feet, launch a rocket to orbit, carrying with it satellites and - eventually - people.

Defence

Sukhoi crash: IAF grounds fleet till 'precautionary checks' are over
The crash has heightened long-standing concerns about poor servicing & maintenance record of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd(HAL).

Declassified: The Untold War Story

US promised India help if China attacked during 1971 Indo-Pak war
In a 1962 type of situation, US will not hesitate to give all out help to India against China, and there is no change of position on this Kissinger said.

Commodities: Export-Import Worries

For the first time, Basmati rice exports fetch lower prices
Pakistan and India are the only producers of aromatic basmati, which was once the world's most expensive rice.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/companies-bill-tabled-in-parliament-retains-2-csr-spend/articleshow/11110478.cms

Ahead of the monetary policy review by the Reserve Bank on Friday, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said the fight against inflation is hurting the corporate investment.
The comment assumes significance as all eyes are now on the policy review of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) which has hiked key rates 13 times since March 2010 in its bid to tame inflation, thereby making borrowings by corporates and other loans costlier.
On slowdown in industrial growth, Mukherjee told the Delhi Economics Conclave here that "this is partly a reflection of global trends, but our own fight against inflation has also taken a toll on investments by our corporations".
"Sustained high inflation that has been a major policy concern for us over the past two years is now beginning to moderate...Growth, however, has slowed in 2011-12...We must turn our attention now to reviving growth as quickly as possible," the Finance Minister added.
RBI is scheduled to unveil the mid-quarter review of monetary policy on Friday.
India Inc has been complaining that the tight monetary policy stance of RBI is hurting investments. The industrial production contracted by 5.1 per cent in October.
As the food inflation is on decline and the overall inflation too has eased marginally month-on-month, the industry has urged the RBI to soften its monetary stance.
On the falling value of rupee, he said, "While the Indian economy experienced excessive capital inflows in the aftermath of global crisis leading to appreciation of the domestic currency, with the unfolding of the euro zone crisis, the matter of concern at present is reversal in such flows leading to increased currency volatility."
The rupee today touched a fresh all-time low of 53.71/72 against the US dollar.

Black money: Pranab Mukherjee slams BJP, demands authentic figures

The Lok Sabha today witnessed a raging debate on the issue of Black money. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said that the government had shared information with other countries on black money and that talks with Switzerland are underway to get more information about the bank accounts of Indian citizens in Switzerland with effect from April, 2011
Mukherjee also slammed the opposition's interception on black money and said that the estimate of Rs25 lakh core is wrong. He demanded authentic figures.
He also said that he appreciated LK Advani's Jan Chetna Yatra if it was successful in creating awareness about the black money issue.
The finance minster further said that in order to fight the issue of black money, the government and the opposition need to work together.
Government will bring White Paper on blackmoney, Pranab Mukherjee said.
SP stages walkout in Lok Sabha, dissatisfied with Finance Minister's reply on blackmoney.

CBI, CVC chiefs meet Manmohan Singh on Lokpal bill

Nearly a week after 93 people perished in the AMRI hospital fire, the West Bengal government today admitted that a number of state-run hospitals do not have proper fire safety arrangements.

"Many government hospitals do not have proper fire safety arrangements. Their electrical wiring system is precarious. But these hospitals have wider entry and exits than private hospitals," Fire Services Minister Javed Khan told newsmen.

He said the Fire Services Audit Committee formed after last week's fire incident at AMRI Hospital, was inspecting fire safety arrangements in private and public hospitals.

"The committee will submit a report to the chief minister. The erring hospitals would be given up to 20 days to comply with fire safety norms, failing which, steps will be taken against them," Khan said.

15/12/2011

White paper on black money, promises government

New Delhi, Dec 14 (IANS) After a day-long debate and bitter criticism from the opposition on its poor handling of the black money menace, the government Wednesday said it would come out with a white paper on the issue, claiming it is determined to get back the wealth stashed by some rich Indians in foreign tax havens.
Replying to the debate after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani's adjournment motion was moved in the Lok Sabha, Mukherjee said: 'Yes there is black money stashed in tax havens. The government is putting best of its efforts to bring the money back.' The adjournment motion was defeated by a voice vote.
After demands from the opposition to share with them an authoritative report on what the government was doing to deal with it, the finance minister promised the house that the government 'will bring a white paper on black money'.
He said the government had received 36,000 pieces of information from governments abroad.
The minister rejected the opposition charge of 'failure' and said the government would not share the information it received from foreign countries about rich Indians with illegal accounts abroad.
The government would prefer to go after those having illegal accounts abroad rather than publicising details as the account holders could even withdraw money, he said.
'Should I publicise or go and seize it (the money)... How is intelligence collected? There is an element of surprise,' Mukherjee said.
Mukherjee told the Lok Sabha that revealing the information received from other countries would violate the understanding and agreements with the foreign governments. 'If I publish names, some country will say you violated the agreement and we will not share information in future... We will dry up our source of information.'
The blackmoney debate lasted for about six hours with the opposition citing unofficial reports saying Rs.25 lakh crore have been stashed away illegally in foreign banks.
The amount is not known officially, though unverified figures also put the quantum in the range of $450 billion to $1.4 trillion. Mukherjee also refused to comment on the quantum.
'I don't have liberty to quote any random figure on black money. There are various figure quoted by different sources,' Mukherjee said.
He said he had asked the National Institute of Financial Management (NIFM) and National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) for 'authentic and authoritative assessment' of the quantum of that money.
Earlier, Advani moved the adjournment motion on the issue that was later rejected by the house through a voice vote.
Advani speaking on the motion asked the government to make public the names of over 780 Indians who have illegally stashed in foreign banks their wealth.
'The names of 782 tax evaders are being kept a secret by the (United Progressive Alliance) UPA government... I want your assurance and an oath after the debate that you will come out with the names of tax evaders. Convince the house, convince the nation that you will play all your cards to bring back the black money in foreign banks.'
The BJP leader, fresh from his 40-day nationwide journey for creating awareness on corruption and black money, said it highlighted the 'failure of the government'.
Questioning the government's delayed action on black money, Advani urged it to act fast and effectively.
The BJP leader said the amount of black money hoarded abroad could be invested to develop six lakh villages of India by building roads, dispensaries, schools and supplying electricity.
Congress' Manish Tewari said the opposition was spreading a 'canard' as if the problem of black money was the creation of the UPA government. 'Nothing can be farther from truth,' he said.
Basudeb Acharia of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) said neo-liberal policies of the successive governments were to be blamed for the proliferation of black money.
©Indo-Asian News Service

The Drama on Lokpal Continues to Cover Up the Most Intensified Ethnic Cleansing!No consensus at all-party meet on Lokpal!

Senior Congress leader and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Wednesday expressed "hope" for a political consensus on the Lokpal bill.
Shortly before going for the all-party meeting on Lokpal bill, the UPA government's ace trouble shooter, when asked about the fate of the bill to create a powerful ombudsman, said "Let us discuss, I am going for discussion."
On a question whether the bill will be finalised at the meeting, he said "let us hope so".
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal expressed hope that the bill will be presented in parliament next week.
"Government is making all efforts to bring the bill in parliament for discussion and passage next week," Bansal told reporters.
Law Minister Salman Khurshid meanwhile said the government wants a consensus with all parties on various issues of the Lokpal bill.
Talking to reporters ahead of the meeting, Khurshid said there was need to find a common ground with opposition parties.
"It all started with a consensus (on having a Lokpal bill) and it should end with a consensus," Khurshid told reporters here.
"We have to see what the opposition has to say, we have to find a common ground. We will present our draft to the opposition, if they want a clarification we will clarify. Let's see to what extent they agree," he said.
An all-party meeting has been called on Wednesday evening to discuss the Lokpal bill draft.
The cabinet had already approved three draft legislations to combat corruption and ensure transparency in public dealings Tuesday. These include Judicial Accountability Bill, Whistleblowers' Bill and Citizens' Charter Bill.

LIC Amendment Bill Passed to kill the guarantee to RETURN! AIR India is Killed.

Food Security Bill is all set to wipe out Subsidy.

Retail FDI is said to be suspended but the Dreaded Walmarts gets the required Cocession by passing the Parliament.

No one questioned the justification to hike single Brand Retail FDI from 51 percent to Cent Percent.

UID Project Trashed but the Brahaminical Parties NEVER to ask for the accounts of the ILLEGAL Scheme! Forged Economic Crisis is meant Another Bail Out and Tax Load on the Common Man, the Excluded Communities.

Reforms Drive is PUSHED Ahead and the CIVIL War in the Aborigine Humanscape ensures ETHNIC Cleansing Unprecedented.

Neither the Marxists nor the Ambedkarites seem to beaware of.

Worse is the situation that Ambedkarites NEVER takes the Economic Issues as seriously as Dr BR Ambedkar used to do.

They follow the line of the Brahaminical Parties to maintain favourable Vote Bank Equation depening on Casteology only.

They have NOTHING to do with the Liberation of the ENSLAVED Eighty Five Percent Aborigine Indigenous masses. Rather they tendto help the Brahaminical System to implement its Mass Destruction Agenda!

14/12/2011

Team Anna firm on bringing PM, CBI under Lokpal

New Delhi: Team Anna Wednesday stuck to its demand for bringing the prime minister and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under the anti-corruption Lokpal and indicated that venue of its planned protest from Dec 27 could be shifted to Mumbai if it is too cold in the national capital.

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"On Dec 27th, there will be a guaranteed public discussion either as a fast or as a celebration. Keeping in view the weather conditions in Delhi at that time, we have applied for the booking of Mumbai's Azad Maidan as an alternative," Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal told reporters after a core committee meeting.

"It's being said that the Lokpal bill will be presented in parliament on Dec 20. So on 20th, all the members of the core committee will go to parliament to observe the debate from the visitors' gallery," he said, ahead of an all-party meeting convened by the government to discuss the issue.
Prashant Bhushan said inclusion of prime minister, Central Bureau of Investigation, lower bureaucracy and citizen's charter were critical issues for Team Hazare.
Kejriwal said that two resolutions were passed at the core committee meeting. "We had passed a resolution on Aug 27 that the citizen's charter and entire bureaucracy will be brought under the Lokpal jurisdiction. PM wrote a letter to Anna agreeing on this matter. But Abhishek Manu Singhvi, acting through the standing committee, has insulted the nation by not obeying this suggestion," he said.
He also refuted allegations by Congress that the all-party debate on Lokpal at Jantar Mantar was an insult to parliament. "We don't agree with this...We accept the supremacy of the parliament but debating any issue is not a sole right reserved by the parliament," he said.
On inclusion of CBI under Lokpal, Kejriwal said Team Anna had always made the demand. "We feel that lokpal without its own investigation arm which can only be CBI, is just an empty tinbox," he said. He said Anna's campaign shouldn't be used as an excuse for dividing CBI. "We support all the objections CBI has raised. There can't be several offices to which CBI will be accountable.
There can't be multiple bosses for CBI." He said the CBI director should be appointed by Lokpal or the director should be selected just like other Lokpal members. "CBI's superintending, administrative and financial control should be with Lokpal. CBI director should report to Lokpal."

Bhushan said Team Anna had recommended a broad, independent selection committee for selection of Lokpal but the government has proposed a five-member committee out of which two will be from the government. He said the body proposed under the judicial standards and accountability bill hasn't been given the powers to investigate corruption.
"The body is such that the judge who's being charged of corruption, will be tried by a committee of his/her own colleagues," he said. Bhushan said a full time judicial commission should be formed, independent from both judiciary and government, which should have the right to investigate corruption and allegations of misconduct.
Source: IANS
Full coverage on Team Anna
14/12/2011

CBI, CVC chiefs meet PM on Lokpal bill

New Delhi: Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director A.P. Singh and Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) Pradeep Kumar Wednesday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to express their concern about their autonomy being affected if the two agencies are brought under the Lokpal, sources said.

Asked whether there were any objections about the CBI investigation wing being under the proposed Lokpal, Singh said: "No". Singh however said there were objections to dividing the agency as recommended by the report of the parliamentary standing committee on the Lokpal bill headed by Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi. The meeting with the prime minister came ahead of an all-party meet to arrive at a consensus on the Lokpal issue.
The government had also held a meeting with its allies Tuesday and arrived at a "broad consensus". According to sources, the CBI director expressed his reservations on the imposition of any timeline for investigations to becompleted.

The CBI has also opposed the supervision format being suggested by various political parties in the proposed Lokpal bill, it is learnt.
CVC Pradeep Kumar also spoke about the administrative mechanism and pointed out that the organisation was set up on Supreme Court's directive, sources said. According to sources, the government is considering bringing the prosecution wing of the CBI under the Lokpal.

The standing committee on the Lokpal bill has also backed the proposal.However, Hazare and his team want CBI's investigation wing under the Lokpal Bill. Meanwhile, Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal told reporters that they wanted the CBI to come under the Lokpal, but will not speculate about the meeting the CBI director had with the prime minister.
Source: IANS
Image Source: Reuters
Full coverage on CBI
14/12/2011

Anna Hazare may shift fast venue from Delhi to Mumbai to avoid harsh winter

New Delhi: Anna Hazare may shift his proposed fast later this month on Lokpal Bill from Delhi to Mumbai to avoid harsh winter conditions that could prevail in the capital.

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This was decided by Team Anna's core committee which met here on Wednesday to to chalk out its future plans, including the proposed December 27 agitation, if a strong Lokpal Bill is not passed in the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.
"Depending on what kind of Lokpal law is made in Parliament, Anna Hazare will fast on December 27. Whatever it is, there will be a people's congregation on that day. It will be a fast or celebration depending on the outcome of Parliament.

"Keeping in mind the weather conditions in Delhi during that time, we have also applied for Mumbai's Azad Maidan. If weather would be fine in Delhi on that day, then the protest or celebrations will happen in Delhi," Kejriwal said. The core committee also decided that its members will be in Parliament's Visitors' Gallery on the day when Lokpal bill will be introduced in the House, he told reporters.

Raising his pitch on the issue, Hazare found fault with government for bringing a separate Citizens' Charter bill saying it was against the assurance given by Parliament to him and urged Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee to pressurise UPA on Lokpal issue as she did on FDI in retail.
"Citizens' Charter should not be brought as a separate law. Now that Parliament has made its decision why should a second thought be given. This is not right," Hazare, who sat on a fast in Jantar Mantar last Sunday protesting against Parliamentary Standing Committee report on Lokpal bill, said.
Hazare also requested "behen" (sister) Mamata Banerjee to "put a good word forward" for Lokpal so that corruption is eradicated to some extent as her decision on FDI protected many small traders.
Source: PTI
Image Source: Reuters
Full coverage on Anna Hazare
14/12/2011

PM calls for restraint on Mullaperiyar Dam issue

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday said that both Kerala and Tamil Nadu should observe restraint on the Mullaperiyar Dam issue and create an environment to facilitate a dialogue to find an amicable solution.

Manmohan Singh was speaking to the 23-member all-party delegation from Kerala, led by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, which submitted a memorandum seeking his intervention and permission to construct a new dam to replace the 115-year-old leaking dam in the state's Idukki district.
The prime minister's remark came a day after the Supreme Court warned both the state governments to refrain from inflaming the passions of people on the issue. The court also pulled up Tamil Nadu for using its oral observations reported in newspapers in an advertisement for political gains.
The delegation from Kerala met the prime minister at his office in Parliament House. Besides Chandy, the team included former chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan and several ministers.
"Following the PM's appeal, all agitations regarding the dam will be suspended immediately," Chandy told reporters after the meeting.
Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been at loggerheads over the 115-year-old masonry structure, built under an 1886 accord between then Maharaja of Travancore and the erstwhile British Raj. It is located in Kerala and its waters serve Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu wants the dam's storage capacity to be increased by raising the dam height from 136 feet (41.5 metres) to 142 feet (43 metres) as the state's irrigation needs have shot up.
Kerala is worried that a strong earthquake might damage the dam and cause widespread destruction. It is seeking a new dam in place of Mullaperiyar Dam and has offered to fund and build it, but Tamil Nadu does not agree.
Source: IANS

Full coverage: Mullaperiyar Dam | Kerala | Tamil Nadu

An all-party meeting tonight failed to reach consensus on Lokpal Bill with parties voicing divergent views on key elements like inclusion of PM and lower bureaucracy, even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sought cooperation to ensure its passage during the current session.

Singh said the 'momentous' Lokpal Bill should not become a subject of party politics as the government was keen to get it passed in Parliament based on consensus that is driven by the House as the 'custodian of legislation'.

Seeking 'guidance and cooperation in this matter of paramount importance', Singh said: "I am personally keen that this momentous legislation should be passed on the basis of consensus among all parties as far as possible and that this should not be subjected to party politics in any way."

The nearly three-hour long meeting, however, saw divergent views being aired by leaders of the parties, with BJP pitching for inclusion of Group C and D employees under the Lokpal, a stand staunchly opposed by CPI.

BJP and other opposition parties also demanded that CBI's investigative wing should come under Lokpal, sources said.

However, both the Left and Right were on the same page with regard to inclusion of PM under the Lokpal, they said.

CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said his party feels that Group C and D cannot be brought under Lokpal because there are crores of such employees.

There should be separate mechanism to deal with them, he told reporters.

Meanwhile,Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director AP Singh and Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) Pradeep Kumar Wednesday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to express their concern about their autonomy being affected if the two agencies are brought under the Lokpal, sources said.
Asked whether there were any objections about the CBI investigation wing being under the proposed Lokpal, Singh said: "No".

Singh however said there were objections to dividing the agency as recommended by the report of the parliamentary standing committee on the Lokpal bill headed by Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
The meeting with the prime minister came ahead of an all-party meet to arrive at a consensus on the Lokpal issue. The government had also held a meeting with its allies Tuesday and arrived at a "broad consensus".
According to sources, the CBI director expressed his reservations on the imposition of any timeline for investigations to be completed.

The CBI has also opposed the supervision format being suggested by various political parties in the proposed Lokpal bill, it is learnt.

CVC Pradeep Kumar also spoke about the administrative mechanism and pointed out that the organisation was set up on Supreme Court's directive, sources said.

According to sources, the government is considering bringing the prosecution wing of the CBI under the Lokpal. The standing committee on the Lokpal bill has also backed the proposal.

However, Hazare and his team want CBI's investigation wing under the Lokpal Bill.

Meanwhile, Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal told reporters thatthey wanted the CBI to come under the Lokpal, but will not speculate about the meeting the CBI director had with the prime minister.

"We feel that the Lokpal without its own investigation arm, without the CBI under it, the Lokpal can be only a tinbox," he said.

Mamata Banerjee offers jobs to youngsters who rescued AMRI patients

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Tuesday announced that the locals who had risked their lives to rescue people from the AMRI Hospital fire would be given jobs with the Green Police, a band of volunteers who assist in controlling traffic.
Banerjee was speaking at the Kolkata Police investiture ceremony where she handed over Rs5,000 each to 65 youths who had voluntarily played a key role in the rescue efforts after a fire broke out at the Annexe 1 building of the hospital in South Kolkata's Dhakuria. 93 people - 91 patients and two nurses - were killed in the blaze, the worst in any hospital in India.
"They have done extraordinary work. If they want jobs, we can absorb them in the Green Police," she said.
Two of the bravehearts - Shankar Maity and Tarit Purkait - are now in hospital after they fell ill due to the toxic fumes. Their cheques were received by their family members.

Corruption should be defeated: APJ Abdul Kalam

Corruption was one of the evils in the country that has to be defeated by the 'goodness of the youth', former President A P J Abdul Kalam said today.
"Of course, we have making significant progress in all directions. But, also we have many challenges to overcome.. they include corruption, environment degradation and the need to build a compassionate society," Kalam said while addressing a function organised by "Samudhayaa" Foundation, an NGO, here.
"These are evils which need to be defeated by the goodness of the youth," he said.
Observing that these evils arise from the never-ending greed of 'what can I take?,' he said that it has to be replaced with 'What can I give?'.
'What can I give?' will make the society which is compassionate, environmental-conscious and care towards each and other, he added.

Anna Hazare wants 'behen' Mamata Banerjee to put in a good word on Lokpal

Anna Hazare today found fault with government for bringing a separate citizens' charter bill saying it was against the assurance given by Parliament to him and urged Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee to pressurise UPA on Lokpal issue as she did on FDI in retail.
"Citizens' charter should not be brought as a separate law. Now that Parliament has made its decision why should a second thought be given. This is not right," he told reporters.
His comments came as Team Anna's Core Committee met here to chalk out its future plans, including the proposed Ramlila Maidan agitation, if a strong Lokpal bill is not passed in the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.
Hazare chaired the meeting which is expected to take a final call on his decision to go on an indefinite fast from December 27.
"Yesterday there was a Cabinet meeting to discuss Lokpal. During the meeting the Cabinet discussed making Citizens' Charter a separate law which I think is completely wrong," he said ahead of the meeting.
"It is wrong because when I was fasting at Ramlila Ground, the prime minister had written a letter asking me to end the fast assuring that the three crucial points -- inclusion of citizens' charter, lower bureaucracy and state Lok Ayuktas -- will be part of the bill and Parliament agreed to it," he said.
Hazare said the decision to make a separate law was not right after Parliament taking a decision on the issue.
"This means Parliament was not trusted. It was Parliament that voted for the resolution and then they say Anna has no trust in Parliament. It is they who do not trust Parliament."
Hazare requested "behen" (sister) Mamata Banerjee to "put a good word forward" for Lokpal so that corruption is eradicated to some extent as her decision on FDI protected many small traders.
"She (Mamata) has done a wonderful thing in case of FDI for the country. Her decision protected many small traders. Our request is that the country which is facing such huge threat of corruption should get Lokpal that may eradicate 60-70% of the menace if not 100%.
"Our request to 'behen' Mamata is that you should also put a good word forward for Lokpal so that corruption is eradicated to some extent," Hazare said.
The two-day Core Committee, chaired Hazare, comes soon after the activist's day-long fast to protest against the "watered-down" report on Lokpal bill by the Parliamentary Standing Committee.
The Core Committee is also likely to discuss how to go ahead with their campaign in the five poll-bound state if situation warrants.
Sources said the Core Committee will also deliberate on the mode of Ramlila agitation like whether Hazare should sit on a fast or not and how to mobilise support for the protest, which will be held during the height of winter.
There are also concerns about Hazare's health and all these factors will be considered while deciding on the protest mode, sources said.
Hazare has stepped up attack on government on the issue bringing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on direct line of fire, saying the former does not take any decision and the latter watering down the proposals.
Congress has been insisting that Hazare should wait till Parliament passes the bill before going on a protest.

CBI in or out?

Opposition parties also demanded the CBI should be an independent and transparent body under the Lokpal.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, who emerged from the meeting, told reporters he had demanded the Central Bureau of Investigation should be an independent body.

BJP leader Sushma Swaraj and other opposition leaders demanded that the prime minister should be under the purview of the Lokpal, he added.

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Pyarimohan Mohapatra, who also spoke to reporters, said the party wanted a mechanism to ensure the CBI is independent and transparent.

Prime Minister's address

In his address, the prime minister said that members from all political parties have been 'invited' to the meeting to seek their 'guidance and views' on the Bill.

"It is for this august group to indicate how far the recommendations of the standing committee meet the sense of the parliament and how far the various provisions are feasible and efficacious," he added.

"I am personally keen that this momentous legislation should be passed on the basis of consensus among all parties as far as possible and that this should not be subjected to party politics in any way.

"This is an occasion where we must keep the interests of the country foremost in our minds.

"The government is also keen that we must make all efforts to pass a Lokpal bill in this very session that is based on consensus and that is driven by parliament as the custodian of legislation," he added.

He said a similar meet was held in Aug 24 when Hazare was fasting at Ramlila Maidan for a strong Lokpal.

"Based on that discussion, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had made a statement on the same day in both the houses of parliament about the sense of the two Houses," he added.

Quoting his letter of August 27 to Hazare, he said that he had 'requested him to end his fast'.

"I had said that the parliament had agreed in principle on three matters," he said, while listing Citizen's Charter, inclusion of lower bureaucracy under the Lokpal through an appropriate mechanism and the establishment of Lokayukta in the states - as the three key demand of Hazare.

"The sense of the houses and the records of discussions in parliament had then been conveyed to the standing committee for their guidance," he added.

He said the standing committee formed to examine the Lokpal bill has completed its deliberations.

Manmohan Singh praised the panel for completing its report in 'record time'.

"All of you would have seen the recommendations of the standing committee on the various issues and also the corresponding provisions of the draft bill tabled by the government earlier," he added.

Inadequate preparation, allies develop cold feet: PM on FDI

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today admitted there was "inadequate preparation" on the issue of allowing FDI in multi-brand retail, a reform which has been suspended, and he also said that some partners in the UPA coalition developed "cold feet."
Singh indicated that he hopes to revisit retail reforms after March, by which time Assembly elections in five states including Uttar Pradesh and Punjab are expected to be over and Government hopes that inflation will ease.
"There was inadequate preparation and some partners in the coalition developed cold feet," he told the American news agency Bloomberg.
Singh at the same time held out an assurance that his government will do everything to encourage foreign investment.
"...I can assure you, India remains committed to a system of regulation that is supportive of enterprise and we will do everything to encourage foreign investment," the Prime Minister said.
Last month, the government had to put on hold its decision to allow 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail following stiff opposition from some of its allies like Mamata banerjee's Trinamool Congress and other political parties.
State elections are scheduled early next year in UP, Punjab, Uttrakhand, Manipur and Goa.
Singh also expressed confidence that India's economy will return a long-term growth pace of 9 per cent.
"We will stay the course," he said adding "we will make India an eminently bankable and credit worthy economy."
The economic growth in the current year is likely to moderate to 7.5 per cent from 8.5 per cent in the last fiscal.
Elaborating on what he said "inadequate preparation" by the Government, Singh said, "we didn't have the time, the opposition took advantage on the retail proposal."
"Still, I believe the long-term democratic path is the most credible," he added.
"We have a strong intention to create a situation where the animal spirits of Indian and overseas businessmen continue," Singh told Bloomberg.
"There may be zigzags along the way, but the path is the one I set. It is my conviction that it is the only path, to reduce the chronic poverty of millions still live under."
According to Bloomberg, the prime minister signalled he will revive the proposed retail measure after March.
"That will help bolster public support for the government," he was quoted has having said.

Minister blames AMRI fire on failure of previous Left govt

A West Bengal minister today told the state assembly that the AMRI Hospital fire tragedy would not have happened had there been no "indifference" on the part of the erstwhile Left Front government.
Surabta Mukherjee, who holds Public Health and Engineering portfolio, made the remark while replying to a debate in the state assembly on the West Bengal State Health Service (Amendment) BILL, 2011.
He, however, did not elaborate anything further in the matter.
Mukherjee, who was replying to the debate in the absence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who is also looking after the health department, criticised the previous Left Front government for the poor condition of healthcare during its 34 years of rule.
Referring to the earlier demand of CPI(M) leader and former Health Minister Surya Kanta Mishra who had wanted Mamata Banerjee to step down and allow a full-time Health Minister to take over, Mukherjee said she was a "dynamic" leader and her holding the health portfolio would also benefit the people.
The minister alleged the previous government had not done anything to improve the situation and destroyed the healthcare system.
Earlier participating in the debate, Mishra, who is the Leader of the Opposition, said the present government should focus on improving the health infrastructure built by the Left.
Under the West Bengal State Health Service (Amendment) Bill, 2011, two new state-run medical colleges, each having 100 seats, will be set up.
He said while one medical college would be set up in Malda district another would come up at Kamarhati in North 24 Parganas district.
Mishra, who supported the bill, said there should be one medical college in each district.
He, however, slammed the Mamata Banerjee government for not laying in the House an ordinance promulgated earlier in May this year by the state government in the matter and walked out of the House along with other Left Front legislators at the fag end of the debate on the bill.
The bill was adopted by the House by a voice vote.

Mamata doesn't represent much hope for Bengal

Amulya Ganguli | Wednesday, December 14, 2011

The people of West Bengal must be wondering whether in choosing Mamata Banerjee over the Left, they have jumped from the frying pan into the fire. If the state was looking towards a bright economic future, the prospect does not seem promising in the wake of her stand on FDI in the retail sector, for it is obvious that investors will now be even more wary of her. The reason is that she evidently does not have an economic vision in sync with the central role that the private sector is playing at a time of globalisation.
Even earlier, her chant of 'Ma, mati, manush' was evidence enough of the unsubstantial, emotive nature of her thoughts. It is a slogan that harks back to an idyllic village scene, reminiscent of Hemanta Mukherjee's celebrated song of the 1960s — kono ek gann-er bodhu — about a village wife. The present world is vastly different. Even Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee understood this transformation, which is why he dumped Marxism and asked the corporate czars at home and abroad to kick-start industrialisation.
Arguably, Mamata's successful scuttling of this laudable initiative — though implemented wrongly — in Singur and Nandigram constitutes the basis of her outlook, which has no time for the private sector. For the present, therefore, her emphasis is on the public sector and on handouts from the centre, of which the first installment has already been sanctioned. But, these are not quite the recipes that can lift the state out of its economic morass.
Article continues below the advertisement...In a way, therefore, she is making the same mistakes the comrades made half a century ago when their militancy led to the flight of capital. But, if their blunder was the result of an ideological blind spot, Mamata's error is of someone whose mind still carries the faint imprints of Nehruvian socialism the Congress followed when she was a member. Ironically, while the Congress is abandoning its socialistic preferences in favour of market-oriented reforms, Mamata is still adhering to them.
But, it isn't faith in the dogma that guides her. Instead, her objective apparently is to deny the Left even its customary ideological space in West Bengal after having ousted the commissars from the political field. It is difficult to say, however, to what extent her tactics will be successful, not least because few will believe that her socialistic pretensions are based on a firm doctrinaire foundation. In all probability, she merely thinks that her professed concern for the common man, like her unostentatious way of dressing, is good politics.
Unfortunately, in mimicking the Left's ideology, she has apparently decided to go the whole distance by opposing a whole set of reforms at the centre, whether it is FDI for pension funds or aviation or insurance. It seems, therefore, that she is virtually carrying on from where the Left off after its withdrawal of support from the Manmohan Singh government in 2008.
But, her fallacies do not end here. As her insistence on the West Bengal applicants for the common medical entrance examinations being allowed to write in Bengali shows, she is also imitating one of the Left's major howlers when it stopped teaching English between classes I and V. As a result, several generations that grew up during the three decades of communist rule made themselves ineligible for employment in any other state.
If her economic ideas are half a century old, her recourse toparochialism, which she also displayed by sabotaging the agreement on sharing the Teesta waters with Bangladesh, is new in the sense that West Bengal has never favoured the kind of insularity which, say, the AASU in Assam and the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra flaunt. Clearly, Mamata wants to play any card she thinks can prove useful. The cynicism inherent in this attitude was also evident when she utilised the Maoists to target the Marxists before the elections and then turned on them after the polls with such severity that her one-time admirer and the pro-Maoist writer Mahashweta Devi called her 'fascist.'
There is little doubt, of course, that her popularity remains high if only because the Left remains in a state of shell-shock and her ally, the Congress, is sulking because of the contemptuous manner in which she treats it. So far, her only success has been in defusing, but not resolving, the Darjeeling issue. But without a credible vision for development, she will be unable to sustain her popular appeal.
http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/comment_mamata-doesnt-represent-much-hope-for-bengal_1625550

Anna Hazare's new friends may rob him of his appeal

Anna Hazare seen with Opposition leaders at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi during his one-day fast.

Anna Hazare's appeal lay not just in his compelling message but also in the fact that he was a political outsider. Is he about to lose that status? This is indeed a distinct possibility, judging from those who were with him on the podium last week in Jantar Mantar.
When he was in Ram Lila grounds earlier in August he deliberately kept silver tongued politicians away from him. This was both reassuring and refreshing. He made abundant space for those like Aamir Khan, Sri Sri Ravishankar and, even Om Puri, but no politician. How he has changed. In Jantar Mantar the other day, he was sitting cross legged and happily rubbing knees with Opposition leaders in full public view.
Change
In contrast, the most endearing aspect of Anna's presence in Delhi last August was that everybody but politicians was welcome on stage. This is what separated him from other power seekers and brokers and enhanced his image with a large number of people. He was their man out there, doing it for them from the largeness of his heart without a care for those in high places.
This time around he was surrounded by those he had shunned earlier and clearly loving it. If one is known by the company one keeps, then Anna is on the way to becoming a mainstream politician and not an outlier as he was till the other day. He is even beginning to sound like one. Obviously, it does not take long to get used to the trappings of political eminence and Anna, from the looks of it, is no exception.
Earlier he spoke little, and when he did he stayed close to the Lokpal agenda. He did not comment on whether one needs to spend a night in a hut or a month to be a true leader. Neither did he favour one political party over another. For him, they were all political conspirators, all corrupt, and, hence, plague on all houses.
Today, he is talking far too expansively on almost everything. From electoral reforms to land acquisition, to the consumption of alcohol, nothing escapes his attention. He has also shown his willingness to enter election campaigns where he is ready to support practically anybody from the Opposition. The person can be corrupt to his eyeballs, but so long as he does not belong to the Congress or the UPA, Team Anna will back him. This has brought him within embracing distance of the political establishment.
True, the UPA has undermined its credibility by its inept, arrogant and mindless handling of the anti- corruption movement that was truly massive and national in scope. Consequently, Anna shone for he refused to budge from his original manifesto and stayed resolutely nonparty in his crusade. This upset those who thought they could use him to get their political agenda front stage, but Anna would not yield.
Now with prominent politicians of all parties, minus those in the UPA, crowding the dais with him, the tone of his agitation has undergone a change. Along with it he seems to have lost that earlier innocence that made a huge section of his followers forgive his somewhat intemperate statements in the past.
If present form holds, Anna will quickly evolve into a fullfledged political animal. His easy camaraderie with Opposition leaders in Jantar Mantar on Sunday sent off alarm bells among many of his earlier supporters. Is there a calculating person, they wonder, inside that earthy exterior? Perhaps this new Anna is politically wiser, perhaps even better equipped, but for all that, less attractive to those who were once drawn to him by his seeming innocence.
Meeting
In Anna's camp there is now room for the likes of Sharad Yadav too. Yet, it was the same Sharad Yadav who threatened Anna's supporters in Parliament last August in a most un-Parliamentary way. He had loudly boasted then of his ability to dislodge the turbans of the high and mighty, and Anna was just small fry in comparison.
But all sins are now forgiven. Sharad Yadav has smirked and winked his way into Anna's corner. Some might say that all of this is mere tactics and that Anna knows where to draw the line. He probably does, but millions of his votaries will miss his earlier simple and transparent ways.
If Arvind Kejriwal's efforts to conduct a public debate on corruption in Jantar Mantar went unheeded it was because of the political noise around him. From the left to the right, from Bardhan to Jaitley, they were all there, gleefully relishing the prospect of a coming electoral victory. Their interests lay elsewhere, far from the garden variety concerns of the ordinary Anna supporter.
So many of us are assailed by doubts and would have liked to talk about them in the open sun. We want to know if we can really end corruption, or will we return to status quo ante even if the Lokpal Bill is passed? Should we blame only the UPA for blocking the passage of the Bill, or are there others who are culpable too? Should we include electoral reforms now or wait till the anti-corruption battle is won? But with Anna's new friends around, we did not get the chance to get heard.
So is it a good thing or a bad thing that Anna might soon become a Platinum Member of the political club? Weigh the options. Today the UPA is more vulnerable than it was in August when Anna had last come to Delhi. If the Opposition and Anna get together, there is obviously a greater chance of the government keeling over. It is already over its head with the coming elections in UP and Punjab, and is struggling to come up for air. To stay afloat it jettisoned FDI in retail but it is clearly still in trouble. This would be a great chance to punish the UPA for its past bad behaviour and, doubtlessly, there is a satisfying feel to it.
Warnings
Still the image of a simple, somewhat naive but an internally integrated Anna is something that a large number of us will miss. He now comes through smarter, smoother, feistier and more comfortable in playing the system. These are all essential qualifications to be in politics; but it was his simplicity and transparency that had earlier won us over.
There are already some warning signs flashing on the marquee. Anna is now showcasing a number of issues that are not strictly in the Lokpal ambit. This is worrying for so many of us have not quite made up our minds on alcohol consumption, many more are unsure if the right to reject or recall is what we want.
By adding to his programme, Anna is behaving the way politicians do. They are never satisfied with a single point manifesto for it is power that they are after. Could this be true of Anna as well? Now that he is trading and trucking with political bosses and including other items in his kitty, he does look different from the man who visited us in August. A pity, for he was such an ideal guest then; he had just one demand and was so much easier to look after.
Besides he did not have friends calling on him in their siren fitted, red beaconed cars.
- The writer is a former professor of Jawaharlal Nehru University
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/anna-hazare-opposition-leaders-congress-lokpal-jantar-mantar/1/164175.html

Rubbish to say Kishanji died in fake gunbattle: Mamata Banerjee

Rebutting allegations that top Maoist leader Kishanji was killed in a "fake encounter", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday said the security forces took time to confirm his death as they no idea the senior rebel leader was in the Burishole jungle area at the time.

"I did not know about the operation in advance and that Kishanji was at that place. When the forces launched the operation they had no idea that Kishanji was there. And so after he was killed, the forces took four hours to confirm his death,' Banerjee told a Bengali television channel Star Ananda.

"It's rubbish to say it was a fake encounter. Had it been a fake encounter would they have taken so much time? The post mortem report also proves this. There were 60-64 bullet marks in trees at the spot," she said.

She reiterated that police on Nov 24 cordoned off the Burishole jungle in West Midnapore district after they came to know that some Maoist leaders had gathered there to kill her and carry out subversive activities targeting metro railway stations and other landmarks.

"The police did not want to fire. The Maoists fired first."

The security agencies have said Kishanji - a Communist Party of India (Maoist) politburo member - was killed after a 30-minute fierce gunfight in Burishole village of West Midnapore district Nov 24. The Maoists and rights activists, however, claimed that he was captured, tortured and then killed in cold blood in a staged encounter.

She said the government will conduct all investigation into the death as per legal requirements.

But Banerjee refused to call it a big success of the joint forces, saying "I don't consider any death as a success".

She said her government had tried five months for a peaceful solution to the left wing extremism problem.

"But peace process can take place only if both parties want peace. We will want peace and they will murder. That is not done. This is not any fight for any ism," she said.

Banerjee described city-based pro-rebel organisations like the Nari Ijjat Banchao Samity as "more criminal" than the Maoists as "they were pushing some people towards death and trying to foment trouble in the state".

She said the government can use the central legislation Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) against such sister organisations of the Maoists "but we want good sense to prevail".

The chief minister alleged rebels were extorting money in Haldia of Eastern Midnapore district and Sodepur and Kamarhati of North 24 Parganas district.

But she assured people that they need not panic as her government will ensure peace, progress and development.

--
Palash Biswas
Pl Read:
http://nandigramunited-banga.blogspot.com/

My story Troubled Galaxy Destroyed dreams

Wednesday, December 14, 2011