Indian Interests

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 30 May 2013 06:34

Report card

The Sangh Parivar has found it difficult to digest the fourth anniversary celebrations of UPA 2. A cover story in the Organiser describes the May 22 UPA dinner as Congress-led regime's way of "celebration of loot", with its editorial calling the prime minister as "the team leader of corrupt" claiming that "more than 90 major scams were reported during the nine years" of the UPA. The cover story comes down heavily on the UPA, describing it as a "gang of thieves" from which no "ethics of morality" should be expected.

The editorial seeks solace in the "surveys and forecasts" that the Congress was "losing power" because of the "misdeeds of Sonia, Rahul and their team". In fact, the report on the UPA celebrations in Panchjanya asserts that "surveys" have already "rejected" the government. The report seeks to puncture the government's report card by contrasting its claims of achievements with the reality on several issues. The editorial in Panchjanya invokes one of the quick comments in FMCG advertisements that for the UPA government "daag achchhe hain".

Mourning IPL

Panchjanya puts the spotlight on the IPL spot-fixing. Its cover story wonders if the"Don's dacoits" have taken control of the IPL, with an image of Dawood Ibrahim occupying the front page with Sreesanth. Projecting speculations of Ibrahim's involvement as the ultimate truth, the cover story claims that the henchmen of the "Don" may be using coercion and threats, as they used to in Bollywood, against IPL cricketers to facilitate spot-fixing.

"While some people used to convert their black money into white through cricket, Dawood Ibrahim has made it a route to fill his coffers," the report says, arguing that this net is spread wide across Dubai and Pakistan and the money earned may be used to help India's enemies. Describing the arrested cricketers as gullible "pawns" in the games being played from "Dubai and Karachi", the report laments the alleged failure of government agencies to keep track of hawala transactions and other unfair means being used in the IPL. While Panchjanya has refrained from demanding the resignation of BCCI chairperson Srinivasan, the article demands that the BCCI take effective measures to restore people's confidence in cricket.

Malegaon's shadow

The Sangh Parivar's obsession with issues related to terrorism and Muslims uses two separate developments in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra to give itself a vent. The NIA chargesheet in the 2006 Malegaon blasts case has given not only partial relief to the Parivar but also an argument with which to highlight the political motivations behind the investigation. A report in Panchjanya has sought to emphasise the fact that, while charging Hindus for the blasts, the Muslims accused and arrested in the case also remain in jails. The report wonders how come "neither Muslims are innocent, but Hindus are also guilty" to find fault with the investigation. "Who is telling the truth: the CBI and ATS or the NIA?" it asks, given that the NIA has chargesheeted Hindus while Muslims have been arrested by the ATS. But the highlighting of the fact that "no nationalist organisation" has been named reflects the Parivar's relief. It also helps Panchjanya ask about the whereabouts of theorists of "saffron terrorism" after this development.

Meanwhile, another article in Panchjanya takes strong exception to the UP government's decision to register a case against a former DGP and 42 policemen over the death of an accused Muslim individual, facing trial in a serial blasts case. The article wonders whether the Samajwadi Party would have done the same over the death of a "Hindu prisoner". It seeks to argue that "Akhilesh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh has publicly come out in support of Muslim terrorists".

Compiled by Ravish Tiwari

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 31 May 2013 06:02

From the Urdu Press

The Curious Case of Khalid Mujahid

The death in police custody of accused Khalid Mujahid has been the subject of much consternation. Rashtriya Sahara, in its editorial on May 23, writes: "The murderous attack by some lawyers in Lucknow on Mohammad Saleem, a lawyer defending Khalid Mujahid, who died in police custody... was shameful, and not only an open demonstration of violation of law. They have committed a crime against the Indian Constitution and action should be taken against them. The death of Khalid Mujahid remains a puzzle. Nobody believes the police's story. The police says that Khalid Mujahid was already sick. If so, has the police any record of a previous ailment?"

Jamia Millia professor Akhtarul Wasey in his column in Inquilab on May 30 writes, "the question arises, why, when the release of Khalid Mujahid was near, was he so eliminated? It is possible that the concerned police officials could have been prosecuted. Is it a case of where he was removed from the scene to save themselves from punishment?" He levels a more serious charge: "the issue is not merely Mujahid's. Ever since the SP has assumed power in UP, such things are happening against Muslims".

Jamaat-e-Islami's Daawat, in a commentary on May 25, quoted Mujahid's senior lawyer, Randhir Suman, who made a direct allegation against the police: "Following the Nimesh Commission report, it was proven that the arrest... was made on false premises. Thus, action against the then DIG and his team was inevitable. Therefore, a conspiracy was hatched and he was murdered." Sahafat, in an editorial on May 23, writes: "It is necessary to mention that the Bar Association of Faizabad has cancelled the registration of the three lawyers who pleaded for Mujahid. Was due process followed in this case? Were the concerned lawyers issued notices?"

Tackling Naxal Terror

The Urdu press continues to use the phrase Naxalite and not Maoist in almost all its reports. Commenting on the recent attack by Maoists in Chhattisgarh resulting in the deaths of and serious injuries to many senior Congress leaders, Qaumi Salamati, in its editorial on May 27, writes: "The path of violence and killings chosen by Naxalites... is not correct from any angle. On the one hand, they level allegations against the government machinery of violation of citizens' rights, excesses and atrocities. On the other hand, they are savagely killing innocent persons. One fails to understand this logic... The government has failed miserably in checking the expansion of the net of Naxalism because it is undecided whether a solution to this problem should be found with the help of the army or not."

Rashtriya Sahara, in an editorial on May 28, writes: "The question is rightly being asked is that if the state government could make tight arrangements for the security of one of its leaders (Narendra Modi), was it not its duty to ensure the security of leaders of other parties? If such an incident had occurred in a non-BJP ruled state, the party would have moved heaven and earth."

Jadeed Khabar, in its editorial on May 27, writes: "A few months ago the officials of the Union home ministry had claimed before a parliamentary committee that Naxalites in Chhattisgarh have been weakened and are being hotly pursued... [this attack], a few months after the home ministry's claim, raises many questions regarding the actual situation on the ground."

Cricket's Greatest Scandal

Commenting on the spot-fixing and betting case in the Indian Premiere League, the daily Siasat, in its editorial on

May 18, writes: "The recurrence of incidents of match-fixing is quite regrettable. If the culprits of match-fixing incidents had been given stringent punishment in the past, the blot of fixing would have been eliminated by now. The government and cricket administrators did not take firm steps to control crimes of this nature."

In a front-page signed editorial on May 27, former Samajwadi Party leader and editor of Delhi-based weekly Nai Duniya, Shahid Siddiqui, writes: "Now, police, government and the media are jointly trying to cover up this despicable scandal. Efforts are being made to save the big fish by arresting some small fish. Both the Congress and the BJP are conspiring to put a veil on this crime."

Compiled by Seema Chishti

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 02 Jun 2013 02:41

Coomi Kapoor's Column

Menon rocks

National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon is a singer with a special fondness for the music of the sixties, particularly the Beatles. Menon, in fact, is lead singer in a rock band formed by former chief election commissioner S Y Quraishi. The members of the band include Nirupama Rao, India's ambassador to the US; Rao's husband Sudhakar Rao, who is a former chief secretary of Karnataka; and Madhukar Gupta, a former home secretary. Quraishi plays the keyboard. These senior officials, some of whom are now retired, meet every few months to let their hair down and take part in a jam session. The band members happened to be contemporaries at Delhi University where they first bonded over a shared love for music.

Political connections

BCCI president N Srinivasan learnt his politics from the late Murasoli Maran, to whom he was so close that Jayalalithaa even accused Srinivasan of acting as a banker for Maran. He is also on very good terms with DMK boss M Karunanidhi. However, Maran's sons do not share the same equation with Srinivasan. In later years, Srinivasan developed a very cordial relationship with Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. He continues to be friendly with YSR's son Jagan Reddy and was a big investor in Jagan's Sakshi newspaper. Srinivasan set up an India Cements factory in Cuddapah, YSR's constituency. And the allegation is that the Andhra government favoured him with unauthorised release of water from the state's Irrigation Department and provided other benefits.

Banning superstition

Reacting to visuals of Pawan Kumar Bansal feeding a goat just before he was removed as railway minister, JD(U) MP K C Tyagi plans to introduce a private member's Bill to put an end to superstitious practices. Though an attempt was made in 2011 to introduce a Bill on these lines, it was never passed. The only state in the country which has a law that calls for action against those claiming extraordinary supernatural powers and extorting money on the basis of blind faith in superstition is Maharashtra. Although Bansal's act of feeding a goat was interpreted by many TV channels as part of a superstitious ritual, he has claimed that he was simply feeding the animal and it had nothing to do with superstition.

General houses

Senior babus of New Delhi have built for themselves a cosy complex, New Moti Bagh, a gated community with imitation Lutyens-style bungalows. The houses are sought after by ministers of state, judges, secretaries and joint secretaries. Now, inspired by the New Moti Bagh complex, the Army is replicating it on a grander scale by building 100 luxury houses, each 8,000 square feet in area, overlooking the golf course in Delhi Cantonment. The fancy new bungalows are meant for only major generals and lieutenant generals will continue to stay in Lutyens bungalows.

New-style diplomacy

As External Affairs Minister, Salman Khurshid has introduced a more informal style of diplomacy than his predecessor S M Krishna. Last week, at the Egyptian Ambassador's residence, Khurshid read extracts from his play The Sons of Babur. He had to do a lot of explaining to the Middle East ambassadors as to who was who in the Mughal dynasty. After the book reading, Khurshid signed copies of the book for many of the guests.

Rushing in to chastise

Maverick lawyer Ram Jethmalani had two key supporters for his nomination to the Rajya Sabha: L K Advani and Narendra Modi. But when it came to the question of expelling Jethmalani for six years from the BJP, Advani was the only one who tried half-heartedly to defend him. Modi, who had utilised Jethmalani's services to defend Amit Shah in the Supreme Court, was already disenchanted with him. While officially, Jethmalani was expelled on the grounds that he had publicly berated Nitin Gadkari as party president, his real crime was barging into the party's parliamentary party meeting on May 7 and aggressively attacking all those present, accusing them of being soft on the Congress. Earlier, Advani had tried to defend Jethmalani by arranging a meeting with Gadkari at which Jethmalani apologised to the then BJP president. But Jethmalani backed out of giving his apology in writing. If Advani has emerged weaker after Jethmalani's ouster, party president Rajnath Singh has come out stronger by keeping two other potential dissenters in line. Singh has inducted Yashwant Sinha and Jaswant Singh in the study teams for finance and foreign policy to enunciate the party policy for the coming elections.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 02 Jun 2013 06:49

India - Bright future for solar power

sanjaykumar · Post by **sanjaykumar** » 03 Jun 2013 03:26

A few months ago I chastised India for its lack of involvement in the arctic.
Unknown to me and perhaps 99.99% of Indians, India has had a station at Svalbard, Himadri, for several years.
http://thebarrel.in/indian-arctic-resea ... -location/

I suggest Indian workers spend some weeks in Ladakh to acquire the relevant physical and mental skills; Spitsbergen is very similar from my observations. Of course polar bears or ice bears as the Norwegians call them have been known to kill and consume humans.

They seem to have a fairly diverse program, but no ice core study group.
http://www.ncaor.gov.in/arctics/arcticcurrentprojects

India has now observer status in the Arctic Council.

India has in fact committed to acquiring an ice breaker.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home ... 394773.cms

I am satisfied.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 04 Jun 2013 23:45

From facebook

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 06 Jun 2013 06:42

Views from the Right

Naxal Opportunity

The Organiser accused the Congress of an "opportunistic response" in the aftermath of the Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh, suggesting that its "narrow political considerations are only weakening the fight". The Organiser editorial says, "The party ruling at the national level has to show a bigger heart and it must not sabotage the entire operation for political gain. Development in such vulnerable regions is impossible if any of the national parties start eyeing political gains. Before allowing its leaders to issue such baseless statements [about the BJP's Chhattisgarh government] the Congress high command must set its own house in order." Both Panchjanya and the Organiser appear to be fuelling conspiracy theories by highlighting certain "suspicious" facts. "People in Chhattisgarh are asking who was present and who was not in the Congress rally, who came first, who came late, who survived and who got caught in the attack", says the cover story in the Organiser. Another article in the Organiser seeks to blame Congress members for "violating" the SoPs while travelling in Maoist-affected regions. The Organiser cautions the Chhattisgarh government that while the anger and concern of the Congress leaders may be justified, there are apprehensions that they will "not stop from making politically suggestive and loaded statements" and suggests that Chief Minister Raman Singh's real test of leadership will be "in effectively countering the attempts of the Congress party to politicise this issue to its benefit". Both Parivar weeklies have carried interviews of Singh, where he asserts that the "operation [against Naxals] will continue".

IPL Parivar

The issue of spot-fixing in the IPL continues to attract the attention of the Organiser and Panchjanya, with both carrying interviews of former cricketers and BJP leaders Chetan Chauhan and Kirti Azad, to highlight the "challenge of making cricket free of betting". Chauhan, in an article in the Organiser, has stressed the "need to frame a law under the IPC to book and punish those involved in fixing. All the players, officials, umpires... and the board should be included in the proposed act." Another article in the Organiser speculates that the three cricketers arrested are "scapegoats" and that it is possible that "other, more famous and better connected, names, both cricketers and non-cricketers" are also involved. The article asks if we can "accept that only Sreesanth, Chandila and Chavan were involved in gambling running into hundreds, perhaps thousands, of crores?" Chauhan's article suggests that a "syndicate is being operated from outside the country and there is information that the centre could either be the Middle East or Pakistan." While Chauhan blames BCCI chairman N Srinivasan, Azad, in his interview in Panchjanya, criticises politicians for their "silence". Azad asserts that "every one [of the BCCI members] is keen to become BCCI chairman" and that might be the reason for the politicians joining ranks to cover-up the scandal.

Temple of Democracy

As the BJP prepares for the coming election year, its ideological partner, the VHP, has decided to mobilise popular support for a Ram Temple at Ayodhya. Both Sangh Parivar weeklies have carried reports of the VHP leaders' petition to the president requesting him to "solve the Ram Janmbhoomi issue through Parliament [sic]". Both weeklies have published photographs of the VHP delegation with President Pranab Mukherjee.

Compiled by Ravish Tiwari

member_23629 · Post by **member_23629** » 07 Jun 2013 15:04

A nice example of secularism in action in India:

Delhi University's caste counters spark outrage

“I feel I live in South Africa of the apartheid era.” The segregation is not along racial lines but at Delhi University's form counters, the caste divide is too evident and “humiliating” – as is obvious from the statement of a student who belongs to one of the reserved categories and doesn't wish to be identified.

The university has segregated the sale counters on the basis of caste, a move antithetical to principles of social justice and inclusion.

On Thursday, at the faculty of arts, the busiest centre for sale of forms, paper slips in bold letters above the sale windows indicated the category of students the counters were meant for.

While two of the windows were marked general/OBC (other backward classes) forms, the remaining two had SC/ST/PWD (persons with disabilities) written on them.

Students, understandably, are not happy.

"I came here with a group of friends. While they are standing in the line for the general category, I have to stand in a different line," said a student, who did not want to be named.

The university said they realised the mistake and assimilated the centres on Wednesday, the first day forms went on sale.

"It was decided in a meeting of the centre heads that no such distinction was to be made. We have informed everyone about the decision," JM Khurana, dean, students' welfare, said.

"It seems the change was not made at the faculty of arts. We will ensure that the notes are removed."

sanjaykumar · Post by **sanjaykumar** » 07 Jun 2013 22:52

That is what makes me proud to be an Indian.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 09 Jun 2013 02:26

Coomi Kapoor's column

Not-so-lovely gesture

Lovely Professional University in Punjab recently conferred a doctorate on Afghan President Hamid Karzai at a special function to honour him. It was suggested that the government of India should name a public road after Karzai during his visit as a symbol of Indo-Afghan friendship. But the proposal was turned down by the Ministry of External Affairs as the visit was semi-official. Lovely University was only too happy to step in and name one of its roads on the 600-acre campus after the Afghan president. The Afghans were delighted by the gesture and a diplomatic team from Delhi came down for the naming ceremony. However, they were a little put off by the new signboard, which reads, Hamid Karzai Marg. In Afghani, marg means death.

Home again

While Sushil Kumar Shinde was abroad on holiday with an accompanying party of over two dozen, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh instructed former home minister P Chidambaram to handle the fallout from the Maoist attack on the Congress convoy in Chhattisgarh. Even after Shinde's return, Chidambaram seems to be calling the shots on the security front. The Congress core committee is closely monitoring the Naxalite threat. Although Shinde is a member of the committee, it is Chidambaram who does most of the talking on the law and order situation. It was Chidambaram who attended the chief ministers' meet on internal security in Delhi last week and pushed for the National Counter Terrorism Centre.

The finance minister also accused the BJP of interfering in the Ishrat Jahan encounter probe, for finding fault with the questioning of Intelligence Bureau officials. There is speculation that in view of his poor performance, Shinde may lose his portfolio in the next cabinet reshuffle. Kamal Nath is considered the most likely replacement.

Amma's dosas

Jayalalithaa's brainwave to sell dosas, idlis and upma at Re 1 is a big hit. The Tamil Nadu government is subsidising the price of these snacks, which are sold by private outlets throughout Chennai. The amma canteens, as they are known, have become so popular that there are long queues at the restaurants, with one canteen in each of Chennai's 220 wards.

The scheme is now being replicated in other towns of Tamil Nadu. The amma dosa is a favourite with people and it has been suggested that this scheme makes more practical sense than the Centre's much talked about proposed Food Security Bill.

Noteworthy neckpiece

The garland presented to DMK chief M Karunanidhi on his 90th birthday was made of wads of Rs 1,000 notes. But the currency notes were not strung together with finesse, making the garland look like a stiff neckpiece of money rather than a necklace. In contrast, on Mayawati's birthday, the currency notes on her garland were skillfully fashioned into flowers. According to the DMK, the notes in the garland totalled a 'mere' Rs 90,000, Mayawati's garlands are heavier. But the DMK supremo received many other birthday gifts.

Repeat performance

Modi's clean sweep in the Gujarat by-elections is thanks in part to a formidable father-and-son team from Saurashtra who are new to the BJP. Vithalbhai Radadia, a Leuva Patel leader, was a sitting member of Parliament from Porbandar before 2012. He quit as MP to fight the assembly poll from Dhoraji. Not only did he win on a Congress ticket from Dhoraji, but his son Jayesh fought and won from the Jetpur assembly constituency. Radadia had hoped he would be appointed leader of opposition in the state or at least made a central minister in Delhi. But his image as a muscle man facing bank scam allegations didn't help his cause. Modi took advantage of Radadia's anger with the Congress to strike a deal with him. Both father and son resigned from Dhoraji and Jetpur seats in March 2013, three months after winning them on Congress tickets. Modi nominated Radadia to contest from his former Porbandar seat, which he won with a margin on 1.34 lakh votes. Jayesh was made to contest from Jetpur again and he too won. As there are a dozen police cases against the father, his son is likely to be accommodated in Modi's cabinet.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 09 Jun 2013 03:07

http://www.livescience.com/37285-gondwana.html
What is Gondwana?

Gondwana was an ancient supercontinent that broke up about 180 million years ago. The continent eventually split into landmasses we recognize today: Africa, South America, Australia, Antarctica, the Indian subcontinent and the Arabian Peninsula.The familiar continents of today are really only a temporary arrangement in a long history of continental movement. Landmasses on Earth are in a constant state of slow motion, and have, at multiple times, come together as one. These all-in-one supercontinents include Columbia (also known as Nuna), Rodinia, Pannotia and Pangaea (or Pangea).
Gondwana was half of the Pangaea supercontinent, along with a northern supercontinent known as Laurasia.
(This Bhasha Bhole supercontinenet was India Only)

The creation of Gondwana
Gondwana's final formation occurred about 500 million years ago, during the late Ediacaran Period. By this time, multicellular organisms had evolved, but they were primitive: The few fossils left from this period reveal segmented worms, frond-like organisms and round creatures shaped like modern jellyfish.
In this world, Gondwana conducted its slow grind to supercontinent status. Bits and pieces of the future supercontinent collided over millennia, bringing together what are now Africa, India, Madagascar, Australia and Antarctica. This early version of Gondwana joined with the other landmasses on Earth to form the single supercontinent Pangaea by about 300 million years ago. About 280 million to 230 million years ago, Pangaea started to split. Magma from below the Earth's crust began pushing upward, creating a fissure between what would become Africa, South America and North America.As part of this process, Pangaea cracked into a northernmost and southernmost supercontinent. The northern landmass, Laurasia, would drift north and gradually split into Europe, Asia and North America.The southern landmass, still carrying all those bits and pieces of the future southern hemisphere, headed southward after the split. This supercontinent was Gondwana.
Gondwana's breakup
During Gondwana's stint as the southerly supercontinent, the planet was much warmer than it was today — there was no Antarctic ice sheet, and dinosaurs still roamed the Earth. By this time, it was the Jurassic Period, and much of Gondwana was covered with lush rainforest.The great supercontinent was still under strain, however. Between about 170 million and 180 million years ago, Gondwana began its own split, with Africa and South America breaking apart from the other half of Gondwana. About 140 million years ago, South America and Africa split, opening up the South Atlantic Ocean between them. Meanwhile, on the eastern half of the once-supercontinent, Madagascar made a break from India and both moved away from Australia and Antarctica. Australia and Antarctica clung together longer; in fact, Antarctica and Australia didn't make their final split until about 45 million years ago. At that point, Antarctica started to freeze over as Earth's climate cooled, while Australia drifted northward. (Today, the Australian continent still moves north at a rate of about 1.2 inches (3 centimeters) a year.)
Gondwana theory
The exact mechanisms behind Gondwana's split are still unknown. Some theorists believe that "hot spots," where magma is very close to the surface, bubbled up and rifted the supercontinent apart. In 2008, however, University of London researchers suggested that Gondwana instead split into two tectonic plates, which then broke apart.The existence of Gondwana was first hypothesized in the mid-1800s by Eduard Suess, a Viennese geologist who dubbed the theoretical continent "Gondwanaland." Suess was tipped off by similar fern fossils found in South America, India and Africa (the same fossils would later be found in Antarctica). At the time, plate tectonics weren't understood, so Suess didn't realize that all of these continents had once been in different locations. Instead, he developed a theory of sea level rise and regression over time that would have linked together the southern hemisphere continents with land bridges.Suess got the name Gondwanaland from the Gondwana region of central India, where geological formations match those of similar ages in the southern hemisphere.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 10 Jun 2013 02:28

Ten Suggestions from Ben Bernanke

Interesting and useful for people in their 20s and early 30s.

prashanth · Post by **prashanth** » 10 Jun 2013 10:38

abhishek_sharma wrote:Ten Suggestions from Ben Bernanke

Interesting and useful for people in their 20s and early 30s.

Thanks boss.

nawabs · Post by **nawabs** » 12 Jun 2013 19:19

A grain of common sense

http://www.business-standard.com/articl ... 900_1.html

Viewed from a ration shop in Surguja in the largely poor tribal north of Chhattisgarh, the arguments for and against the food security Bill seem way off the mark. We had travelled there to see first-hand Chhattisgarh's much-celebrated transformation of its broken, corrupt public distribution system (a recent survey found that wastage of PDS grain dropped from 60 per cent in 2004 to an astonishing 10 per cent in 2009). In village after village, we were told that the grain arrives every month on a fixed date, is of decent quality, not worm-infested or broken, and that every ration card holder in the village gets his/her full due of 35 kg of rice at the declared price of Rs 1 or Rs 2 per kg.

The "revolution" began with Chhattisgarh wresting ownership of ration shops from unscrupulous private traders and handing over control to self-help groups, panchayats and cooperatives. This has meant greater accountability, unlike in the past when villagers had to trek for several hours to a privately-run ration shop that would open erratically, overcharge or claim it has run out of grain.

There is also in place an extraordinarily (by government standards) efficient, corruption-free back-end logistics chain. Signals from the top and fear of the law are key ingredients. Regular review meetings are common - as are FIRs. Private rice mills, which mill paddy for the state, no longer dare siphon off or adulterate rice. The week of our visit, FIRs were filed against five rice mill owners and officials of the food department in Surguja.

Corruption by transporters, an endemic problem, has been reduced by a mix of innovations like posting banners on PDS-grain bearing trucks, to sending SMSes to the ration shop once the truck has left the godown. Suresh Dwivedi of Surguja district's food department told us that even the theft of five kg of rice results in an FIR against the transporter. "We call him ration-chor," he says.

What does any of this have to do with the food security Bill? Not very much. The Bill does mention some of the above steps for PDS reform, but in a diluted form.

Political will is key. Until the Naxal attack on the state Congress leadership, PDS may well have ensured Raman Singh a hat-trick in Assembly elections later this year. The electoral potential of PDS has led poor-performing states like Odisha and Jharkhand to borrow elements from Chhattisgarh (which in turn is based on the Tamil Nadu model) to improve their broken PDS systems, again without a food Bill.

But supporters of the Bill argue that it will pick up the extra expenses the states bear as they move towards near-universalisation. Chhattisgarh provides PDS to 70 per cent of its population - 30 percentage points more than the Planning Commission's allotment. If passed, the Bill that mandates a similar expansion nationally (from the 40 per cent to 70 per cent) can pick up the tab for the state's extra spend.

Of course, the spectre of near-universalisation and the associated increase in procurement gives nightmares to critics of the Bill, who think it will burn a hole in the Centre's pocket and create huge distortions in agriculture.

In the case of Chhattisgarh, the first is partially true. The move to 70 per cent coverage cost the state Rs 950 crore last year - out of a state Budget of Rs 40,000 crore. But there is no great distortion of farming practices. To cover 70 per cent, it procured only an additional 600,000 tonnes of rice last year over the one million tonnes it gets from the central pool, hardly a great dent in its annual production of 6.8 million tonnes of rice.

Importantly, Chhattisgarh is happy to take the fiscal hit because the move to near-universalisation proved crucial to its PDS success. More coverage meant that deserving beneficiaries don't get excluded. Yes, some undeserving families sneak into the system, but the figure is far too small to count. The expanded footprint and cheaper rates meant an increase in the numbers of users of the ration shop, which places greater pressure on the system to perform. (The state is moving to 90 per cent coverage under its own food security Bill).

Proponents of the Bill who want to wrap up the PDS and replace it with Aadhaar-linked cash transfers do not have much to cheer from the Chhattisgarh experiment either.

Chhattisgarh proves that you don't need cash transfers or Aadhaar to get grain to the poor. There is an information technology backbone that has placed everything online - from the paddy procurement to the inventory of every single ration shop - but it is basic and low-cost. In fact, a more innovative use of awareness "technology" is painting the walls of every single ration shop and even people's houses with their entitlements.

As activist Samir Garg points out, improving PDS has seen a drop in child malnutrition from 47 per cent to 35 per cent. He says though PDS doesn't directly focus on the child, it allows the poor to afford other food items that, in turn, improves the child's diet.

This is hardly to suggest that Chhattisgarh's regime with its dubious record of human rights excesses and mining-related corruption has suddenly developed a conscience. But regardless of political motivations, those taking positions for and against the food security Bill, would do well to ground their arguments in the experience of states that are finding ways of getting grain to the poor.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 13 Jun 2013 01:15

India Not Considering Overseas Bond Issue
Full Corcle yet? RNI calling NRI Againl

MUMBAI--India isn't planning to issue an overseas sovereign bond or one targeted at non-resident Indians to support the rupee, which hit record lows against the U.S. dollar this week, a top government official said Wednesday."If macroeconomic parameters continue to improve, [and we believe they are], it certainly would have a positive impact on the rupee," Arvind Mayaram, India's economic affairs secretary, told reporters on the sidelines of a conference.There has been persistent speculation in the market that the government could be looking to issue such bonds to raise overseas capital and narrow its current-account deficit, which has ballooned over the past year due to a sharp rise in gold imports and a slowdown in exports following weak demand in the U.S. and Europe.
The deficit was estimated to have widened to a record 5% of gross domestic product in the last fiscal ended March 31.t has weighed on the rupee, which Tuesday sank to a fresh all-time low of 58.98 against the U.S. dollar.The local currency recovered to 58.39 in late Asian trade Tuesday, after the central bank likely sold U.S. dollars, dealers said. It was at 58.15 rupees in trading Wednesday.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 13 Jun 2013 01:33

And recall the QE in US is devaluing the $.
So the blow to the ruppe is much deeper thanks to misgovernance and cherub in charge.

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 13 Jun 2013 02:05

Jhujar wrote:India Not Considering Overseas Bond Issue
Full Corcle yet? RNI calling NRI Againl
MUMBAI--India isn't planning to issue an overseas sovereign bond or one targeted at non-resident Indians to support the rupee, which hit record lows against the U.S. dollar this week, a top government official said Wednesday."If macroeconomic parameters continue to improve, [and we believe they are], it certainly would have a positive impact on the rupee," Arvind Mayaram, India's economic affairs secretary, told reporters on the sidelines of a conference.There has been persistent speculation in the market that the government could be looking to issue such bonds to raise overseas capital and narrow its current-account deficit, which has ballooned over the past year due to a sharp rise in gold imports and a slowdown in exports following weak demand in the U.S. and Europe.
The deficit was estimated to have widened to a record 5% of gross domestic product in the last fiscal ended March 31.t has weighed on the rupee, which Tuesday sank to a fresh all-time low of 58.98 against the U.S. dollar.The local currency recovered to 58.39 in late Asian trade Tuesday, after the central bank likely sold U.S. dollars, dealers said. It was at 58.15 rupees in trading Wednesday.

A fake rally was created by market makers.
Then there was report in Bloomberg that India will issue notes for NRI

Now this response. The entire false rumor has been setup to put pressure on India.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 13 Jun 2013 03:23

IF and When the NRI suuport Ruppee with their hard earned ,saved Rokra , they will be expose to powers be in Desh and Videsh for manipulation. No secret that net worth of the NRIS is close to whole Desh GDP run by RNIS. News came in about 2-3 month (feb)ago that INR will hit 70. It was matter of time before assault happened.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 13 Jun 2013 03:24

Jhujar, Read the post by satya in the Ind economy thread.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 13 Jun 2013 22:59

India Day@Oxford: Can India match its economic growth with political power?
http://www.firstpost.com/india/india-da ... 67433.html

About eight years ago, sometime between the dotcom bust and the financial crisis, during his visits to India, CK Prahalad, the management guru, loved to talk about a strange contrast he noticed as he shuttled between east and the west. “When I talk to businessmen in the US and in Europe, they complain to me that their business is growing too slow, at only 1 percent or not at all,” he used to say. “And whenever I come to India, I again listen to complaints. Businessmen here complain to me that their business is growing too slow, at only 25 percent – 30 percent.” The punch line invariably drew laughter, but it was often reluctant, even diffident. There was laughter because of the recognition that the economic centre of gravity was moving eastwards. It was a bit reluctant because there was a fear that the momentum might not last, and their own worldview didn’t match the optimism of the management guru.Post financial crisis, there’s more skepticism. The economy seems to be in bad shape. Newspapers bring stories of scandals and scaling down more often than they bring stories of triumph or, as they once did, triumphalism. Sunrise sectors such as software and telecom have turned cautious, pessimistic and talk about hiring freeze and even lay-offs.Value of rupee, also an indicator of the demand for products and services from India, has crashed to Rs 60 a dollar. Dalmia is back in BCCI, an internet joke goes, Narayana Murthy is back to Infy; Sanjay Dutt is back to jail and GDP growth back to 5 percent. Welcome to the 90s. It’s as if the country is not going forward, but backwards.
Yet, if one were to look backwards, India has faced tougher times, and emerged only stronger. In the years after independence, there were doubts even about the survival of the country. Even those who were excited about it, harboured doubts. In one of his essays, Ramachandra Guha points to a letter by biologist JBS Haldane. It was written ten years after independence in response to an American writer who called him a world citizen. Haldane insisted he be labeled as a citizen of India. He wrote: “I also happen to be proud of being a citizen of India, which is a lot more diverse than Europe, let alone the USA, USSR, or China, and thus a better model for a possible world organisation. It may of course break up, but it is a wonderful experiment.”Today, few would think of Indian nationhood as an experiment. So it will be with the economy. The road might look bumpy, strewn with potholes, but it will take the country to economic superstardom. In fact, it’s time to think about the next big question: Can India match its increasing economic progress with its growing political power?This question will be discussed on 14 June at Oxford, UK, a city with a long academic history and an oversized influence on philosophy, politics and world affairs. Part of that influence comes from academics, its contribution to scholarship and research and part of it from its alumni – many of whom have gone on to play a more direct role in politics, business and administration. (Manmohan Singh, for instance, obtained his doctorate from Oxford). The event is ‘India Day at Oxford’, the first of a biannual series organised by Network 18. The topic for this year is “India – A political economy for the 21st Century”. The big themes that will be discussed include India’s political power, its enterprise culture, its changing role in world stage.The underlying assumption is that while economic power is necessary it doesn’t by itself endow a country with political power. In the years following independence, India fantasized about wielding the political power at a global stage based on the moral authority. After all, Mahatma Gandhi had just proven that moral force can be more potent than economic strength or military muscle. That ambition, which got lost in the complexities of governing an emerging nation, has surfaced again with the growing economic power.There are many sources of political power, but primarily it rests in how well India is able to address what John Keynes (who went to Oxford’s traditional rival Cambridge) talks about the political problem of mankind. He said it is to combine three things: economic efficiency, social justice and individual liberty. In the big rivalry that defined the last several decades – the one between USSR and USA – where the answers seemed clear for both sides: For USA it was free market capitalism and liberal democracy; and for USSR it was communism and a pre-utopian dictatorship.The rivalry of today – between the West and the rest, and among the rest, between India and China, promises to be far more nuanced than that – not just because of the lessons we have learned from the events of the last few decades (After the fall of Soviet Union one of the most discussed book was written by Francis Fukuyama: It was called ‘The End of History’), but also because of the rapid progress in technology will also impact the way governments engage with people. (It’s the predominant theme of a recent book by Eric Schmidt: The New Digital Age).

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 13 Jun 2013 23:04

ramana wrote:Jhujar, Read the post by satya in the Ind economy thread.

Lets call This Phenomenon SDRE=Stealthily Developed Real Economy,

paramu · Post by **paramu** » 13 Jun 2013 23:05

Can India match its increasing economic progress with its growing political power?

These are false discussion to create imaginary perception

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 14 Jun 2013 07:48

Views from the Right

CONGRESS ENDGAME

The Sangh Parivar is jubilant about the BJP's victory in all six Gujarat by-polls. This happened against the backdrop of the UPA's economic mismanagement, confirmed by government statistics that pegged 2012-13 GDP growth at 5 per cent. The Organiser and Panchjanya have both carried cover stories and editorials highlighting the "mess in the economy". The Organiser's cover story speculated whether India was headed the "Latin American way", while its editorial says, "The revenue generated by the NDA over six years was wasted by the UPA on unproductive programmes. It neither generated jobs nor eradicated poverty, and thus failed to boost the economy..." It adds that the UPA's "Bharat Nirman" was therefore more "Bharat Nuksan". Editorials in both weeklies explained that the dismal performance of the economy over the last decade meant that the "Congress game is over". It further suggests that the Congress has already lost its mandate even before elections, as evinced by the Gujarat by-poll results.

ENEMIES OF STATE

Both weeklies feature RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's speech to the organisation's workers, which he delivered at a recent training camp in Nagpur. Bhagwat suggested the government pay back left-wing extremism in the "same coin". He is also quoted as having suggested that Maoist violence should be dealt with a "firm hand and strong determination" because they are "enemies of the nation". He is also credited with saying that the government's suggestion advocating talks with Naxalites is a "very strange" one. "Those who do not accept our Constitution and believe in violence cannot be allowed to hold the nation and society to ransom. There is no point in holding talks with them. They are the enemies of our country and should be wiped out using force," the weeklies quote Bhagwat as having asserted.

Both weeklies have also carried news of a press conference deploring the NIA chargesheet against alleged Hindu right-wing extremists in the 2006 Malegaon blast case. The report highlights the cases against six Hindus, chargesheeted by the NIA, alleging that their human rights have been violated. The report laments that the NIA's supplementary chargesheet runs counter to "the impregnable and watertight case" against the 13 originally accused SIMI members. It further apprehends this will "certainly lead to their acquittal".

VODAFONE HUNT

Panchjanya criticises the law and telecom minister, Kapil Sibal, for his benign stance towards Vodafone, which has led to the decision to invite the company for reconciliation talks on its tax liability. A report in the latest issue alleges that Vodafone's Rs 20,000 crore tax liability was being forgone in "considerable haste". It further speculates that the move might have been influenced by "Sibal's son, Amit". Interestingly, Sibal's predecessor, Ashwani Kumar, is presented in glowing terms for saying the reconciliation with Vodafone would be beyond the provisions of the law, and therefore, "illegal".The report also mentions that Sibal's son had appeared for Hutchison in the Delhi High Court in a case regarding the deal between Hutchison and Vodafone. "Daal mein kuchh kala hai", concludes the report.

Compiled by Ravish Tiwari

From the Urdu Press

Advani and Modi

Commenting on the brief but thrilling drama in the BJP, Rashtriya Sahara (June 12) writes: "L.K. Advani asked the BJP president, Rajnath Singh, to issue a statement about the withdrawal of his resignation from all party posts after getting assurances on two conditions: no decision on the issue of party's prime ministerial candidate at this time, with the decision deferred and only to be made after discussions between BJP leaders and its allies; and that he should be included in the decision-making process on all issues. Advani's absence from the media and no statement being issued under his signature clearly shows that Advani has bent under compulsion and now, there will be a cold war in the BJP."

The daily Inquilab, in its editorial on June 12, writes: "Everyone knows that Advani was angry, but not for the reasons mentioned in his letter of resignation. He did not hold a grudge against Modi because there is no difference in the two leaders' mindsets. The real reason for his anger was that Modi's elevation appeared to come at the cost of his own urges and aspirations. In his view, he has the first right on the NDA's candidate for PM... Because of this, he was alienated from Modi and angry with the party. If he had been assured he would become PM if the NDA came to power, irrespective of Modi's elevation to any position, he would not have objected to any decision of the party."

In a commentary, the recently launched daily Aziz-ul-Hind, edited by former Rashtriya Sahara editor Aziz Burney, writes: "If Advani's resignation is viewed in light of past incidents, it emerges that the RSS had raised serious objections to his description of Jinnah as a secular person and a symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity and demanded his resignation. But at that time, the BJP was not in a position to treat Advani in the same manner as Jaswant Singh."

Commission Report

The daily Siasat, in its editorial on June 6, writes: "The responsibility of the UP government has increased now, and it should study the report of the commission it constituted and take immediate action on its recommendations... Now that the UP government has accepted the Nimesh Commission report, the question is if it can gather the courage to act on it."

Delhi-based daily Jadeed Khabar, in its editorial on June 7, writes: "All political and religious organisations, particularly Muslim organisations, and secular parties should make a realistic appraisal of terror and indiscriminate arrests of Muslim young men and present it to the government." Sahafat, in an editorial on June 5, writes: "The state government's problem is that the police officers who have been named include the DG, the ADG and two IPS rank officers. Any action against such senior officers might create restlessness among the police force, thinks the government."

It's just not cricket

Rashtriya Sahara (June 6) has expressed regret that "the natural beauty of cricket is in danger." It writes: "It was thought that after the arrest of three Rajasthan Royals players and some bookies, the corruption scandal would be put to rest. But new revelations indicate that the the scandal is spreading. While defending the BCCI, cricket idols like Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri forgot that the real source... is the BCCI itself... Now it is known that captain M.S. Dhoni has also come under the shadow of doubt." Jamaat-e-Islami's biweekly, Daawat, in its main front-page commentary on June 7, writes: "Now, the place of Srinivasan would be taken by Jagmohan Dalmiya, a former president of the BCCI. There are allegations of different types against him as well. He had, in fact, been eased out of his post following charges of irregularities during the World Cup of 1996. It can thus be imagined how clean his image is and what the possibility of an unbiased and transparent investigation with him at the BCCI will be."

Compiled by Seema Chishti

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 14 Jun 2013 14:21

Three attempts were made to kill Sanjay Gandhi: WikiLeaks - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 485275.cms

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 14 Jun 2013 16:35

Import lobbies threaten every oil minister: Veerappa Moily

"I am telling you with all sense of responsibility (that) we are floating in oil and gas in this country. And we don't explore it. We put every obstruction not to do it. There is bureaucratic obstructions and delays.

"And also there are other lobbies. They don't want us to stop imports. There are some lobbies who are working on that. Every minister is threatened many a times. Every minister who occupies this position is threatened," he told reporters here.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/busi ... 588212.cms

Dilbu · Post by **Dilbu** » 14 Jun 2013 16:49

^^
So he wants the people reading newspapers to do something about it? What a bunch of useless idiots this govt is.. god!!

Sanku · Post by **Sanku** » 14 Jun 2013 17:14

Oily Moily wrote: They don't want us to stop imports.

Can Shri Shri 108 Moily Saheb explain, how in heavens name can India **stop imports** in any case? Is he planning to have IOL diversify into used coconut hair oil extraction for petroleum substitutes?

Or is he like his another very very talented colleague, Shri Shri 216 Chidambaramb Saar, planing on handling CAD through appeals to the public to stop consuming oil?

I think he is just gassing, trying to make up for the lack of it in NG valley effort.

Sushupti · Post by **Sushupti** » 15 Jun 2013 20:37

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 16 Jun 2013 03:07

Coomi Kapoor's Column

Conciliatory chief

Unlike his predecessor General V K Singh, Army Chief General Bikram Singh has few points of disagreement with the Ministry of Defence. Some circles link this to his desire to become the first person to hold the post of permanent chairman of the Chief of Staff Committee, proposed by the Naresh Chandra panel. Singh is due to retire in May 2014. The Chief of Staff Committee post would have a two-year tenure.

Staying on

Rajesh Prasad, India's former deputy high commissioner in London, was transferred to Switzerland as Ambassador in June last year. The news was even posted on the MEA's official website. But after waiting for months to move to Bern, Prasad has finally returned to Delhi since the incumbent ambassador in Bern, Chitra Narayanan, has refused to relinquish charge. Narayanan was due to retire in August last year but remains reluctant to move out. Prasad has now got a fresh posting, to Amsterdam. The MEA is reportedly against the special treatment shown to Narayanan, who has got an unprecedented number of extensions, ostensibly on health grounds, but it is helpless in view of Narayanan's clout with the powers that be. She is the daughter of former president K R Narayanan.

Isolated in Goa

The main scene of action at the BJP's National Executive in Goa was the Marriott Hotel, where the convention was held and where most party leaders, including Rajnath Singh and Narendra Modi, had rooms. Even Ananth Kumar's secret parleys, in a last-ditch attempt to stall Modi's appointment, were held at the Marriott. Sushma Swaraj remained slightly isolated at the Taj Fort Aguada and Nitin Gadkari at the Siddharth Hotel. L K Advani miscalculated in assuming that by failing to show up at Goa he could stall the announcement of Modi's appointment as chairman of the party's campaign committee. Advani's supporters, including Ananth Kumar and Swaraj, tried to delay the formal announcement of Modi's elevation on the ground that it was not respectful to do so in Advani's absence, but party president Rajnath Singh did not agree. In fact, some party leaders were so enthusiastic about Modi's nomination that Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar wondered why the party was going in for half measures and did not simply appoint Modi as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate.

Moves, counter moves

It was made out by his supporters that L K Advani's letter of resignation was partly to protest against the RSS's sway over the BJP. But in trying to combat the NaMo effect, Advani himself wanted a section of the RSS to bat for him. That's why he recommended that Nitin Gadkari be made chairperson of a parallel election management panel. This was not out of any great fondness for Gadkari. (Advani had, in fact, played a part in ousting Gadkari as party president.) Advani named him because a powerful group in Nagpur was sympathetic towards Gadkari. Advani's prime target in the RSS is Suresh Soni, who liaises between the RSS and BJP, and RSS nominee and BJP general secretary Ram Lal. He felt that the two men encouraged Rajnath Singh to remain resolute in installing Modi. But so unrelenting was the RSS high command that BJP leaders visiting Advani to placate him were given strict instructions that no compromise formula was to be offered. Advani took back his resignation letter after his supporters requested RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to speak to him.

Sitting pretty

A K Antony now holds the record for being India's longest serving Defence Minister. He has held the portfolio for six years and nine months without a break. In comparison, Jagjivan Ram served for six years and eight months with two breaks. V K Krishna Menon, also a Keralite, served as defence minister for four years and seven months. His term was cut short by the 1962 Indo-China debacle.

Curious omission

Minister of State for HRD Shashi Tharoor had dedicated his book Pax Indica, which was released in 2012, to his wife Sunanda. "To my wife Sunanda who is the love of my life and the life of my love", he wrote in the foreword. But in the paperback edition of the book, set to appear later this year, the dedication has been removed. Tharoor and his wife were once regulars on the Capital's social scene. But partygoers in Delhi have noticed that for the past few months, the minister appears solo at book release functions and other dos. Sunanda is reportedly away in Dubai.

Sushupti · Post by **Sushupti** » 16 Jun 2013 07:41

498 Indians named in tax haven scoop

http://www.dailypioneer.com/todays-news ... scoop.html

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 18 Jun 2013 04:35

Locked House: Inder Malhotra

Both the BJP and Congress are responsible for a dysfunctional Parliament.

For whichever other statement Prime Minister Manmohan Singh might be faulted, he is absolutely right in regretting that the "animosity" between the principal opposition party, the BJP, and the Congress, the core of the ruling United Progressive Alliance, has rendered the Indian Parliament — a role model for the third world during the Nehru era — overwhelmingly dysfunctional. He has, of course, put the entire blame on the saffron party's determination to be "obstructionist" all the way. This calls for a caveat because the ruling party is also to blame, which will be explained presently.

It is surely arguable that at a time when every other institution has been eroded dangerously, why should only Parliament be expected to be a paragon of democratic virtue? But this is a dangerous school of thought because the inability of the country's apex legislature to discharge its responsibilities is wreaking havoc. Indian democracy has been virtually limited to reasonably free, fair and timely elections alone, for which the credit goes to the Election Commission, an unelected body.

This has enabled almost the entire political class — with some honourable exceptions, no doubt — to concentrate on the sole objective of getting elected, by hook or by crook, and thereafter pursuing partisan and crass personal interests. Moreover, since a fair proportion of parliamentary and assembly seats have become family inheritance, and money power combined, among other things, with paid news prevails, the two have jointly muddied the waters even more.

When Parliament and state assemblies ought to be ensuring that their members observe political ethics, they just do not function because they are disrupted almost daily. Strangely, even those with a small presence in the House have converted into a fine art the routine obstruction of its proceedings by barracking, shouting, rushing into the well of the House (which is, alas, not deep enough) and snatching documents from ministers and even the presiding officers.

A brief word now on how there has been such staggering deterioration: even after 1959, when Jawaharlal Nehru's China policy deservedly came under fire and opposition parties said the harshest things, nobody ever refused to listen to the contrary point of view. Never was there any need to adjourn the House.

The rot began during Indira Gandhi's watch for more reasons than one. During her shaky start, the recalcitrant sections of the opposition treated her churlishly and shabbily. There was no corrective action because the Congress party itself was ridden by differences until as late as 1969, when it split. Consequently, when she established her supremacy after the 1971 general elections, she treated Parliament with the same disdain that it had shown her for so long.

Secondly, and this is of critical importance, corruption became a source of increasing clashes between the opposition and the treasury benches, and this soon became a cause for disruption of the two Houses. Corruption has always been a part of India's life. It was there during Nehru's reign also. However, by and large, he tried to counter it. For instance, as soon as the Mundhra scandal erupted he ordered a judicial inquiry that led to the then finance minister and several top officials losing their jobs.

In Indira Gandhi's heyday, her corrupt cohorts convinced her that the attack on them was really an attack "on Madam". The government therefore started stonewalling every protest against corruption. Came the day when, for the first time, an entire session of Parliament was wasted. Currently, this happens often.

Today, corruption has taken a quantum jump. Since the government is trying to brazen it out, all such scams and scandals, from the Commonwealth Games and 2G to "Coalgate", which took place when the prime minister was also coal minister, the BJP easily gets allies to obstruct all parliamentary work that it surely enjoys.

The Congress's case that it is always willing to explain everything and discuss any issue in Parliament if only the BJP allows it is not without substance, but it is also flawed. For one thing, the Congress always objects to a discussion that can end in voting. It insists on every debate being under the rule that disallows voting. This rule needs to be discarded because it runs counter to the basic norms of democratic governance. Also, just look at what a sycophantic Congressman who headed the joint parliamentary committee on 2G has done to manipulate its report.

However, all things considered, the undermining of parliamentary democracy in this country has already gone too far, and it is time to first stem and then reverse the trend. This requires candid and private talks between the rival sides, for which mutual trust is lacking. In any case, any such effort is inconceivable until after the next election.

The write is a Delhi-based political commentator express@expressindia.com

harbans · Post by **harbans** » 19 Jun 2013 23:11

Uttarkhand and other areas disaster some hasty points/ observations:

1. Disgrace that news channels beam videos, have silly debates over eco systems when the need of the hour is different.

2. Not 1 channel or the Govt/ administration running a communication hotline to notify relatives of well being.

3. Key thing in a disaster is communication.

4. Key thing in a disaster is opening up channels for communication in hours. Not done.

5. Silly that areas that were flooded 35 years ago have been allowed to hold parks, housing etc.

6. Silly to think that having any development should not destroy forest/ environs. All development does so. Key is sustainable development and solutions.

Please add.

Agnimitra · Post by **Agnimitra** » 19 Jun 2013 23:22

^^^

Tragedy in what was once Dev Bhoomi - before the mafia took over

In the guise of ‘development’, Uttarakhand, an eco-sensitive Himalayan State, has been turned into a disaster-prone zone. This holds equally true for Himachal Pradesh, and also Jammu & Kashmir. Indeed, the entire Himalayan belt is now a tinderbox waiting to explode. In Uttarakhand, the proverbial spark came in the form of a cloud-burst coupled with a glacial avalanche.

The hills are being ruthlessly plundered and the rivers that spring from mountain peaks are being killed. The timber mafia has denuded ancient forests. The sand quarrying mafia has tampered with the flow of rivers. The mining mafia has made the fragile soil infirm. The tourism mafia has converted idyllic human settlements into crowded and filthy slums that are touted as ‘towns’. Nature has now struck back with fully fury.

The Government of Uttarakhand has been busy selling the State to prospective visitors as ‘Dev Bhoomi’. That’s a travesty. The abode of gods and goddesses no longer inspires faith and piety: temples and shrines are now dwarfed by illegally built hideous ‘hotels’ and ‘ashrams’. Those who come for a fleeting darshan leave behind mounds of festering human and other waste, most of its non-biodegradable.

The consequences of promoting a smash-and-grab economy of unrestricted tourism and unmonitored pilgrimage, which rests on the twin principles of avarice and greed, are there for all to see, as also the lessons that should be drawn from the tragedy.

Rebuilding Uttarakhand will be a Herculean task – literally and metaphorically. Hopefully, while undertaking that task the State Government will restore the lost sanctity of ‘Dev Bhoomi’. This can be done only by keeping the marauders who are to blame for this week’s disaster out of Uttarakhand. Shall we see that happen? Or will corruption pave the way for an even greater tragedy? It’s for the people of Uttarakhand to decide.

Agnimitra · Post by **Agnimitra** » 19 Jun 2013 23:30

From MP Tarun Vijay's Twitter timeline:

RSS helpline for #Uttarakhand. Dehradun central 0135 2624689. Shri Ramprakash Painyuli 09410150833

More RSS helpline nos for various critical places uphills, Rishikesh-Dinesh Semwal-09412320099,Sohan Thalwad-09458389466.

RSS helpline nos-upper region-Rudraprayag--Vijay Kapadwan-09837500926, Sachidanand Nautiyal-09897798646. fata-Dev Prakash-09720502649,

More RSS helpline nos upper region- Agastya Muni- and fata-- Anup Semwal-09627807645, Badrinath-Chamoli-Joshimath-Bhuwan Uniyal-09412965169

More RSS helpline nos upper regions- Badrinath, Chamoli, Joshimath- Shambhu Prasad Chamola-09456579611,Rejendra Bhandari-09411109657

More RSS helpline nos-upper regions- Uttarkashi- Manoj Verma-09897166178,Anil ji-(Maneri)-09690756141, Sate Singh Rana- 09411397108

Help needed for #Uttarakhand. Pl send to Uttaranchal Daivi Apda Peedit Sahayata Samiti.a/c no 3156574681. SBI Dehradun. IFSC no-SBIN 0000630

#Uttarakhand. Uttaranchal Daivi Apda Peedit Sahayata Samiti has 80G exemption .Donors pl send full address ,name at sahaayatauk@gmail.com

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 20 Jun 2013 04:36

Views from the Right

About Advani

Senior BJP leader L.K. Advani has come under severe, though veiled, criticism in the latest issue of Organiser, the RSS weekly, for his stand over Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's projection as the party's prime ministerial candidate. An article titled "India's moment of change" makes the case that opposition to Modi from within his party is "tragic beyond measure" and adds that the campaign against him from all quarters, including his own party, is "based on a wretched tissue of fabrication". Dwelling on the significance of Modi's "political fate", it says the electoral outcome of 2014 may turn out to be "as significant as Plassey in 1757 and Indian Independence in 1947". "He (Modi) is threatening the Indian polity with genuine secularism and espousal of the goals of development and decent governance that a growing minority have come to understand is the only path to national salvation. This is why the opposition to him from within his own fold is tragic beyond measure. Those who were originally products of resistance to the many seriously injurious developments in Indian political life, which turned well meaning early mistakes into catastrophe, have themselves been absorbed by them," states the article.

It adds: "Three politicians stand accused of having been the standard bearers of an exhausted past that profoundly menaces India's prospects. The first and foremost is now the president of India, who could have refused to offer succour to a bankrupt politics and a family... unable to comprehend the dangerous agendas of subversive courtiers. The prime minister himself, who has always known everything, has strained to do nothing to curb the shocking criminality swirling around him... Sadly, the most prominent member of the opposition is destined to join this putrefying duo for his baffling efforts to prolong the national agony over which they have presided."

Organiser clarifies in its editorial that the question of declaring the prime ministerial candidate does not arise at the moment, as the polls have not yet been declared. "The BJP so far has only declared Modi as chairman of a forum and surely not a prime ministerial candidate... What needs to be understood at this moment is that there should be no cheating the people. There is sufficient time to declare a prime ministerial candidate and the decision will naturally be taken at an appropriate time after consultation with all parties concerned."

COAL SCAM

Both Organiser and Panchjanya have targeted the UPA government over the alleged coal block allocations scam. In its cover story, Organiser claims that since the Supreme Court started monitoring the investigation, the UPA government has found it difficult to "shield the culprits and conspirators". "It is but natural that if the CBI has sufficient evidence against the minister of state for coal, how can the head of the ministry, that is, the prime minister himself, who held the coal ministry in those days, remain clean? This is the question nagging not only the minds of the investigative agency officials but also the common man." The article alleges that the CBI officials are of "the clear opinion" that some officials in the PMO are "deeply involved in the scam", but they could not touch them because some Congress leaders and also the PMO are shielding them. An editorial in the latest issue of Panchjanya also deals with the scam, stating that "there is no doubt now that the `chowkidar' in front of whom the country's treasury was being looted misled the nation."

BJP and Telangana

Organiser says that the BJP is set to begin its campaign for the 2014 polls with comfortable placements in Andhra Pradesh and in the Telangana region. According to the article, the BJP has realised that there is potential for the party to grow independently in Telangana and it has, therefore, been working hard for the past four years in the region. The party has a clear policy and has decided to declare Telangana a separate state when it comes to power, and is working to attract the youth and cadre from other parties to join them. "The BJP, which created three separate states, confirmed its support to Telangana on many occasions," it says, citing assertions by senior BJP leaders that the party will form the Telangana state within 100 days if it comes to power.

D.K. Singh

rohitvats · Post by **rohitvats** » 20 Jun 2013 10:00

Agnimitra wrote:^^^

Tragedy in what was once Dev Bhoomi - before the mafia took over
<SNIP>

While the hills have this issue of uncontrolled and unplanned development, I really don't buy the argument that all this destruction is because of this development.

There are two important factors one needs to understand - (1) massive influx of people during this time of year into the region (b) Very high and untimely rains.

The likely high toll in human lives will be because of tourists who had gone to this region for primarily religious purpose - both Hindus and Sikhs. The real estate that got washed away may well be illegal construction in areas not suitable for such construction - but this construction is minuscule in the areas which have witnessed most damage. Mind you, the destruction has been primarily in the upper reaches of the river valleys where the flow of the current is very fast with massive volume of water.

Same goes for Himachal - Kinnaur has hardly any real estate development of any kind. The Sangla valley area which has seen the floods is again a very narrow valley. And compared to UK, the number of people likely to effected are less because apart from local population, the only other people are tourists or staff working in hydro-electric projects. There is no influx of religion based tourism here.

member_20317 · Post by **member_20317** » 20 Jun 2013 10:38

Well actually both of you are right and there is more.

The people of Uttarakhand cannot really take the matters into their hands now because...well the people are not there. Village after village you will see only old people and a few kids and just as few young women to take care of these old people and very young kids. All the menfolk are in the plains and most of the womenfolk are also with them often with the children. You look at Uttarakhand you look at Udhamsingh Nagar, Dehradun, Haridwar. These places are now Uttarakhand. And these places have essentially non-pahadis in top dog positions. They will never be able to understand the situation.

Starting from the foothills at Rishikesh till the border ie. north of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve the terrain is about 150 km of mountains. But typically all the tourism is in the lower reaches while the religious places are in the upper reaches. Both however need tourist facilities. But due to a clueless government the problem of land misuse and poor facilities and unexpectedly bad weather gets aggravated. On top of that you put a comparatively big influx of people from plains who do not come adequately prepared in terms of food and warm clothing. Its a disaster that was just waiting to happen.

The humanitarian aspect of the present problem is cause not by flooding but by landslides. I think there are now about 4000-6000 cars, each with around 4-6 passengers stuck for last few days and these guys are in trouble. Locals around here would simply have started walking. But the tourists that are there are not familiar with mountain routes. Hence the urgent need for IA to step in. Police network in relatively easily accessible areas was already off by yesterday. So the local admin cannot handle it at all, at this point.

Atri · Post by **Atri** » 20 Jun 2013 12:23

Man!!! Times guys are reporting that the number of dead is in thousands...

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 671896.cms

Agnimitra · Post by **Agnimitra** » 20 Jun 2013 13:41

Uttarakhand District Disaster Control Room Nos:

Hemkund Sahib - Badrinath - Chamoli - 01372251437,01372253785,9411352136 | Tehri Garhwal - 01376233433, 9412076111 | Dehradun - Rishikesh - 01352726066, 9760316350, 9412992363 | Pauri Garhwal - 01368221840 |

Almora - 05962237874, 9411378137 | Pithoragarh - 05964228050, 9412079945 | Haridwar- 01334223999, 9837352202 | Bageshwar - 05963220197 | Nainital - 05942231179, 9456714092 | Udhamsingh Nagar - 05944250719, 9410376808

panduranghari · Post by **panduranghari** » 20 Jun 2013 14:45

ramana wrote:And recall the QE in US is devaluing the $.
So the blow to the ruppe is much deeper thanks to misgovernance and cherub in charge.

Smokescreen. http://forums.bharat-rakshak.com/viewto ... 2#p1469872

So looking at it as a daily flow, last year the US in aggregate emitted about $7.3B per day to the world outside of its boundaries and took back in only $5.8B. So the US is a net-emitter of about $1.5B per day. But there's more. In 2009, the federal budget deficit overtook our trade deficit in dramatic fashion. In 2007 the federal budget deficit was only 23% of the trade deficit. In 2008 it was 63%. And in 2009 it jumped to 367% of the trade deficit. In 2010 the federal budget deficit was 259% of the trade deficit, and in 2011 it was 232%. Currently it's over 350%.