The Jan Lokpal Bill, Anna Hazare, and Baba Ramdev

somnath · Post by **somnath** » 11 Jul 2011 15:27

harbans wrote:North Korea is the least corrupt country in the world

Not really - its ruling elite is incredibly corrupt...But your essential point is right - corruption does not endanger growth, if policies are guided sufficiently well...On the other hand, its only good policy that can engender "cleaner" polities in the long run...

harbans · Post by **harbans** » 11 Jul 2011 15:36

^Somnath Ji, yes it's elite is corrupt. But i'm talking about the UN giving corruption perception index a miss in NK, because no person there would say there Govt is corrupt. Thus the Corruption perception index for NK would possibly be the highest in the world along with the Scandinavian type countries. But from what i know, DPRK officials that deal with the public don't take bribes etc. Trains do run on time. Only problem is there's no food to eat.

Sanku · Post by **Sanku** » 11 Jul 2011 16:18

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/chida ... c/815893/2

Chidambaram behind midnight attack on me: Ramdev to SC

Senior advocate Ram Jethmalani appearing for Ramdev sought a direction that the Home Minister explain the incident. He said a notice should be issued to him personally.

Sanku · Post by **Sanku** » 11 Jul 2011 16:31

http://www.dailypioneer.com/352363/SC-p ... kdown.html

SC pulls up Delhi Police for Ramdev crackdown

Neela · Post by **Neela** » 11 Jul 2011 17:01

Sankuji

Have you heard? ITAT still holds its position on Bofors case. So the CBI can withdraw ( and we know the reasons why ) and everyone can claim 15 days /15 years but what the fish has got is a very long tether.

Oh my ! super comprehension CON-gress cheerleader ain't gonna be happy with that

Sanku · Post by **Sanku** » 11 Jul 2011 17:07

Neela wrote:Sankuji

Have you heard? ITAT still holds its position on Bofors case. So the CBI can withdraw ( and we know the reasons why ) and everyone can claim 15 days /15 years but what the fish has got is a very long tether.

Yes Neela Saar, for better or worse, unless things are truly resolved, we Indians dont forget.

devaraj_d · Post by **devaraj_d** » 11 Jul 2011 18:30

somnath wrote:
Arjun wrote:From what little I have heard of Mayawati - not so sure her image is entirely 'clean' nor business-friendly....
Ask Jaiprakash Gaur ...As I said, political authority is more important than a paragon of virtue (and no politician is, or can be, a paragon of all possible virtues)...

I know there is a certain fascination for Narendra Modi - but he is unlikely...He cant deliver 272 seats to BJP on his own, and has virtually no support outside (a large part of) BJP...

Nitish Kumar, on the other hand, can deliver one large state, influence a couple of more (hindi speaking ones), and above all, can command support across the political spectrum...Additionally, he has a fair track reord of managing (and ostensibly turning around) one of the toughest states in India...Mayawati falls in the same category, but political support for her across the spectrum is somewhat muted compared to Nitish...But I guess OT here...

OT. But please do not forget Subramanyam Swamy. I would like to include Varun Gandhi as well.

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 11 Jul 2011 18:53

So super-comprehension is also connected to "water-sports" expertise nowadays! Possible, possible - entirely possible! The gratuitous insults first hurled at posters who differ from the Congress-Left-Maoist-Ultra-Left agenda, when returned - is whined about! Obsession about "homosexuality", "cross-dressing" and now "water-sports" - in a discussion on corruption, and always aimed at individuals - posters or public figures. Psychiatrists would have a field day homing in on the connections!

V.PSingh has to be bashed because he dared to challenge the dynasty. Cannot be allowed - sets a bad precedence! So everything connected to "Bofors-allegations" has to be bashed - and note carefully, because it "paralyzed" Rajiv-admin, prevented "transactions", and "bizness". Profits onlee - rest are mayaa onlee!

VinayB · Post by **VinayB** » 11 Jul 2011 19:56

somnath wrote: And that would be BJP?

Hell no! I will vote for You-Pee-Yay-3. As was said on teeter once, You-Pee-Yay-3 will ride on strong anti-incumbency of You-Pee-Yay-2. If I vote bjp what will I tell wimmens and chillens?

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 11 Jul 2011 20:01

Rahul Ghandi Sidekick Uvacha: I feel sorry for Suresh Kalmadi, he is innocent

One thing I dont get the Textbooks his Governments print out state that Vedas are Fiction, Rama and Krishna are Fiction. And for 364 days and 23.5 hours the throw filth on religious Hindus and then they think thier sins will be cleansed in 1/2 hour for that year.

If you belive somthing belive it clearly, these secular folk are Maya onlee

P.S - So it clearly shows Kalmadi only the public face ~~Dynasty~~ clan that looted a fair % 70000 crore for CWG and not the only one as certain Media would like us to belive.

sanjeevpunj · Post by **sanjeevpunj** » 11 Jul 2011 20:06

^^^ I just read that, seems this gravedigger singh is going to eventually succeed in digging Congress ka grave, Dig hard, Dig Vijay singh, dig dig and fall into it.

Sushupti · Post by **Sushupti** » 11 Jul 2011 20:14

Signal to Kalmadi to keep quiet and conveying of the message that dynasty has not dumped him.

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 11 Jul 2011 22:27

Sushupti wrote:Signal to Kalmadi to keep quiet and conveying of the message that dynasty has not dumped him.

Good point. Which means the 2G's and their hangers-on must be somewhat worried, that they feel the need to send such a signal.

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 12 Jul 2011 00:18

‘Reveal names of Liechtenstein account holders against whom probe is over'
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/a ... 159326.ece

MMS governance is at the peak of hiding or protecting those people with blackmoney.

'Govt Must Reveal Names of Those with Black Money'
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?726775

Anti-corruption crusade: The arrogance of power is killing democracy
http://www.moneylife.in/article/anti-co ... 17373.html

How a Supreme Court judge exposed a self-centered government
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/column_le ... il_1564440

Black money and terrorism are directly connected and so present Government by protecting those with black money is also indirectly protecting those who support terror in India. Much of these black money is also supplied as donation for terror activities in India!

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 12 Jul 2011 10:25

on the other hand I feel the uvach by Dogvijay singh about kalamadi's innocence was to turn the attention away from the news that high court delhi asked police to explain why they lathicharged sleeping protestors in night which emerged yesterday, it was immediately lapped up by faithful media such as ToI & HT and spinned all day .

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 12 Jul 2011 10:34

Yes but in the general Public consicious the CWG scam was supposedly carried out by 1 induvidual only with no one else invloved, i.e Suresh Kalmadi, now he has linked the whole Congress to it.

Sushupti · Post by **Sushupti** » 12 Jul 2011 23:04

Truth of Black Money

http://www.chauthiduniya.com/2011/07/tr ... money.html

VBG on SC constituting SIT for the recovery of black money. He says that Indian branches of Italian and swiss banks do not abide by RBI guidelines on transparency. All thanks to Chidambaram (Rajmata). What the hell BJP is doing??. Further, an agreement with Swiss Govt has been signed (India being the only country among 70) setting cut-off date for sharing of information on bank accounts . He says, he shared PTI news report about this event with MM joshi of BJP but he just ignored it.

Sushupti · Post by **Sushupti** » 13 Jul 2011 00:16

PP guy first time implicates Rajmata.

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 13 Jul 2011 00:18

Sushupti wrote:Truth of Black Money

http://www.chauthiduniya.com/2011/07/tr ... money.html

VBG on SC constituting SIT for the recovery of black money. He says that Indian branches of Italian and swiss banks do not abide by RBI guidelines on transparency. All thanks to Chidambaram (Rajmata). What the hell BJP is doing??.

Maybe because that will bring in international lobbies - off-shore banking interests, trans-national criminal networks, Hong-kong-Shanghai-SE Asia, Indian subcontinent-AFPAK-Dubai-Gulf-East Africa-Europe drug channel [read in China-UK ancient flow], and relevant portions of western and islamic secret services, as well as certain organized theological networks. They all need not be controlled from one centre, but they easily can overlap and come together in common interest.

There could be heavy accumulation of investments in the regime - so much so that BJP could face a concerted annihilation programme if it goes too far on such issues. Especially where big money is concerned.

somnath · Post by **somnath** » 13 Jul 2011 08:00

Sushupti wrote:Truth of Black Money

http://www.chauthiduniya.com/2011/07/tr ... money.html

VBG on SC constituting SIT for the recovery of black money. He says that Indian branches of Italian and swiss banks do not abide by RBI guidelines on transparency. All thanks to Chidambaram (Rajmata). What the hell BJP is doing??.

He is smoking dope...Something really powerful...

Sanku · Post by **Sanku** » 13 Jul 2011 21:20

somnath wrote: He is smoking dope...Something really powerful...

If one is speaking out instead of weaseling in to make more money onlee, that person must be smoking dope.

The sober ones are looking for what is the next piece of India they can sell in the name of trade.

devesh · Post by **devesh** » 13 Jul 2011 23:50

there is nothing "dopey" about financial muscle of various nefarious groups. for starters, read Edwin Black's books. the man has written various books and employs vast research teams to collect data and put it all together. his books are "information sinks." literally reams of data all presented in a cohesive manner.

somnath · Post by **somnath** » 14 Jul 2011 06:36

devesh wrote:there is nothing "dopey" about financial muscle of various nefarious groups.

Do corporate groups try to influence decision-making? All the time..Are some of the actions illegal? Absolutley...Does RBI deliberately allow "lower trasnparency" to banks of a certain nationality? No way - the "system" doesnt work in that fashion...Random sloganeering cannot replace facts (or absence of the same)..

devesh · Post by **devesh** » 14 Jul 2011 18:36

^^^
i am a believer in the idea that RBI is still one of the last few central banks which sticks to the basics and runs a tight ship. their policies were instrumental in India avoiding the meltdown.

at the same time, I've witnessed the total corruption of supposedly "government" employed bankers. I have seen the sheer two faced hypocrisy of central bankers and their behind the scenes supporters, and I'd rather be safe than sorry. we should be carefully watching RBI to make sure the same infection does not spread here.

sumishi · Post by **sumishi** » 16 Jul 2011 14:33

devesh wrote:^^^
i am a believer in the idea that RBI is still one of the last few central banks which sticks to the basics and runs a tight ship. their policies were instrumental in India avoiding the meltdown.

at the same time, I've witnessed the total corruption of supposedly "government" employed bankers. I have seen the sheer two faced hypocrisy of central bankers and their behind the scenes supporters, and I'd rather be safe than sorry. we should be carefully watching RBI to make sure the same infection does not spread here.

An RBI related article in The Pioneer of 10/05/2011

RBI seeks law-backed autonomy

Dispelling talks of encroachment on RBI’s autonomy by the Government, the Reserve Bank of India disputed any instance by the Government ever, but insisted on a legally-backed formal autonomy.

Governor D Subbarao in his address to Central Bank Governance Group in Basel on Monday said Reserve Bank has not been accorded autonomy under the statute. “The RBI Act lays down that the Central Government may give directions to the Bank, from time to time, after consultation with the Governor, where considered necessary in public interest,” he said, adding the above arrangements present a picture of a central bank with limited autonomy, and that too enjoyed at the pleasure of the Government, juxtaposed with relatively loose systems of accountability.

As a matter of practice, the RBI Governor meets the Finance Minister and Prime Minister before the monetary policy to give them an assessment of the macroeconomic situation and indicate to them his proposed policy stance. “This is only a matter of courtesy, and the process has not impinged on the autonomy of the Reserve Bank in monetary policy making,” Subbarao said.

Subbarao said that RBI should be moving towards a Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) system - a body to advise RBI on policy issues -- but in a phased manner.

However, he said that in a situation where inflation dynamics are more often dictated by supply side elements, an MPC in such a situation can weaken the coordination between the Government and the Reserve Bank.

Subbarao also stressed upon the fact that inflation-targeting is neither feasible, nor advisable in India and expressed monetary policy as a tool to curb supply side inflation, often seen in India. “Monetary Policy, as is well known, is an ineffective instrument for reining in inflation emanating from supply pressures. It is unrealistic, under these circumstances, to expect the Reserve Bank to deliver on an inflation target in the short-term,” Subbarao said.

Ruling out targeting core inflation (excludes food and fuel), Subbarao said an inflation index, with half the basket excluded from it, hardly reflects reality. Considering India has many inflation index, the challenge is to recognize which index to target.

Against setting up of separate debt management office

The Reserve Bank on Monday opined against setting up a separate entity -- Debt Management Office (DMO) -- to manage the sovereign debt of the government, saying only the central bank has the requisite expertise to manage market volatility.

“Only central banks have the requisite market pulse and instruments to aid in making contextual judgements which an independent debt agency, driven by narrow objectives, will not be able to do,” Subbarao said.

The government is in the process of setting up of an independent Debt Management Office, aimed at separating RBI’s role as the decider of interest rate in the market, and at the same time being the banker to the government.

The Governor further said that in order to achieve monetary and financial stability, separation of debt management from central bank seems to be a “sub-optimal choice”..

somnath · Post by **somnath** » 16 Jul 2011 17:51

^^^Not sure how the above is related to corruption or 2G...

RBI is being bull-headed and plain stupid about the DMO - there is a clear conflict of interest in monetary policy making if the Central Bank is responsible for raising public debt....In this one instance, RBI is way behind the curve...

sumishi · Post by **sumishi** » 16 Jul 2011 19:13

somnath wrote:^^^Not sure how the above is related to corruption or 2G...

RBI is being bull-headed and plain stupid about the DMO - there is a clear conflict of interest in monetary policy making if the Central Bank is responsible for raising public debt....In this one instance, RBI is way behind the curve...

The article reflects the attitude of the RBI, which "..we should be carefully watching"[devesh].
Bull-headed? Plain stupid?? No, methinks it wants to prevent dilution of its existing power, and also dreams of attaining the level of autonomy of the other powerful Central Banks.

somnath · Post by **somnath** » 16 Jul 2011 20:02

sumishi wrote:No, methinks it wants to prevent dilution of its existing power, and also dreams of attaining the level of autonomy of the other powerful Central Banks

In terms of formalising its autonomy on monetary policy making through legislation - its an unexceptionable point, though as Subbarao himself says, he has practically has had no reasons to complain...

On DMO - he is behind the curve, most Central banks no longer have that function, its an obvious conflict of interest scenario....But even that is more in the domain of policy-making, not in currying favours...So fail to see how it is relevant here..

sumishi · Post by **sumishi** » 16 Jul 2011 21:13

somnath wrote:In terms of formalising its autonomy on monetary policy making through legislation - its an unexceptionable point, though as Subbarao himself says, he has practically has had no reasons to complain...
On DMO - he is behind the curve, most Central banks no longer have that function, its an obvious conflict of interest scenario....But even that is more in the domain of policy-making, not in currying favours...So fail to see how it is relevant here..

Rightly so, not relevant in this thread, but was merely pointing out RBI's attitude, which "..we should be carefully watching"[devesh]. Its DMO stance is a reflection of the conclusion in BIS's Guidelines for Central Banks on Sovereign Debt Management [PDF] in May 2011, which states that "...in the current circumstances, or where financial systems are still developing, there is benefit in debt managers taking a broad view of cost and risk. Central banks can likewise benefit from keeping abreast of SDM activities....."
And getting into genesis and history of BIS (which is not accountable to any national government) will be way OT.

sanjeevpunj · Post by **sanjeevpunj** » 17 Jul 2011 19:24

One smiling face.
Citing the police crackdown on Ramdev and his supporters at Ramlila Ground here, activist Anna Hazare on Sunday said he will approach the Supreme Court seeking its intervention to ensure that the government does “not suppress” his fast on Lokpal issue beginning August 16.
Source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/a ... 235912.ece

harbans · Post by **harbans** » 17 Jul 2011 20:29

SS Aiyer explains in TOI in a letter to Justices of the SC:

Neo illiberalism is India's Bane

Excerpts, para's may represent different parts of article:

Dear Justices Nijjar and Reddy,

Many of us welcome your decision in the Supreme Court case on black money, castigating the government for its inaction and setting up an independent special investigative team. This approach needs to be institutionalized:

However, in a long preamble to your judgment, you attribute black money and the “predatory state” to neo-liberal ideology. Excuse me, but the very opposite is true: the licence-permit raj is what creates a predatory state in which politicians make money out of controls. This would be difficult or impossible in a liberal framework that has impartial rules and no political discretion.

Liberals aim to get rid of controls imposed in the holy name of socialism and then used for kickbacks and patronage networks. Instead, liberals seek a rule-based system and free competition that ends kickbacks and favours.

Far from being neo-liberal, India remains terribly illiberal. The 2G scandal, the Adarsh housing scam, the Commonwealth Games scam and many others are the consequence of politicians making money out of allocations, permits and contracts.

Again, consider the Doing Business reports of the IFC/ World Bank. The 2011 report rates India 134th out of 183 countries in “ease of doing business”. Is it not a cruel joke to call this neo-liberal? India ranks among the most illiberal countries in the world in starting a new business (166th), getting a construction permit (177th) and enforcing contracts (182nd). Is there really a case for tightening controls and coming last in the world?

India has indeed liberalized industrial licences, import licences and foreign exchange. But in other areas, we have half-baked liberalization where permits and allocations are still needed, enabling politicians and their cronies to mint money. Full liberalization ends corruption and black money. For instance, if industrial licensing is abolished, nobody can demand or receive bribes for licences. Foreign exchange convertibility on current account has killed the black market premium on the dollar. The slashing of import duties has virtually ended the once massive smuggling of gold, electronics and synthetic fibres.

But we have moved from the old illiberalism (where everything was controlled) to a new illiberalism, where some sectors are liberalized (helping increase the economic cake), while other sectors are kept illiberal to enable politicians to extract more than ever out of an expanding economic cake. This is not neo-liberalism. It is neo-illiberalism.

sumishi · Post by **sumishi** » 18 Jul 2011 16:49

TOI Tabloid, Today: The Way Of Satyagraha -- MADHU PURNIMA KISHWAR (The writer is professor, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, Delhi.)

Dear Baba Ramdev. Just some weeks ago, you were the envy of politicians, most of who ferry people and rely on bribes to bring them to attend their rallies. In contrast, you had a devoted following who supported your anti-corruption campaign by coming to Ramlila Maidan at their own cost and dipping into their wallets to support the movement. The numerous trusts and institutions you have set up are flush with funds. You have an army of dedicated cadres spread across the country who could play an important role as watchdogs of democracy, if guided properly. Yet, you messed it all up.

The bizarre drama you enacted to escape arrest by the Delhi Police - jumping down from a 14 ft high stage, expecting women to form a protective ring around you and finally fleeing the pandal disguised in women's clothing, leaving thousands of your followers to face the police wrath - was shocking. We are used to governments ordering such crackdowns. We are used to our police behaving like an army of invaders. But we were not prepared for undignified behaviour from a yoga guru, who is loved and revered by millions.

Worse still, your first response to this public humiliation was to announce that for your next round of agitation you will train a private militia to give a fitting response to police action. It must have thrilled the Maoists to hear you say that you finally understood why they have taken to the gun. But you backtracked from your statement the moment you were faced with the home minister's open threat and a hostile media reaction.

Your press conference in Delhi was no less disappointing. You explained you ran away in a woman's attire because you did not want to be hunted down like a wolf by the police. Firstly, there was not a chance that if you had allowed yourself to be arrested in full view of TV cameras, any physical harm would have come your way. In fact, you would have emerged a hero in the public eye. The quintessential quality of a satyagrahi is not his ability to stay without food for a certain number of days but to be absolutely fearless in the face of repression. Therefore, though yours may have been a peaceful agitation, it was far from being a satyagraha.

Till recently you were considered the advertisement for the miraculous power of yoga. But your behaviour on the night of June 6 was not a display of inner calm. Therefore, this is not the time for knee-jerk reactions, angry outbursts or forcing yourself on a reluctant Anna Hazare's bandwagon by announcing that you will join his fast on August 16, 2011. Not long ago, Team Hazare wooed you to join the anti-corruption movement because of your countrywide massive support base. Today, they see you as a liability.

This is time for serious introspection. Perhaps you should start by taking a course in the "Art of Living" from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Like you, he too was an integral part of the anti-corruption movement. But he was not agitated by his representatives not being included in the drafting committee for the Lokpal Bill.

To start with, you need to review the manner in which you practise and propagate yoga. Even the most elementary text or instructor, leave alone a guru, teaches us that yoga is not just physical exercise. It involves bringing body and mind in perfect union, with focus on calm breathing, the very manifestation of the life force in each of us. Pranayam is not the same as "breathing exercises" but an endeavour to gain total concentration and inner equilibrium by shutting out the noises and distractions of the outside world.

I admire the way you have succeeded in convincing millions to avoid unhealthy food and dependence on the allopathic system of medicines whose indiscriminate use does more harm than good. I also admire the way you lighted the spark in millions to stand up and fight corruption in governance. But your excessive demonisation of the allopathic system and exaggerated claims for yoga weaken your case. When you mix yoga with political or dietary sermons you take away from the seriousness of both and the lessons lose their intrinsic worth.

Moreover, bringing several thousand people together for a two-hour class transmitted on TV clearly shows that people are expected to follow your complicated yogasanas by watching giant video screens, doing what they can in their own way with very little monitoring. Yoga cannot be imparted like you teach PT to schoolchildren. Yoga needs close individual attention to ensure that the person being taught is able to obtain the correct posture and correct breathing. Otherwise, it is like any other exercise.

You have every right to nurture political ambitions or build a wealth-generating ayurvedic empire with your marketing genius. But if you wish to succeed in influencing or cleansing the politics of India, you have to understand that electoral politics requires a different genius altogether. You have to learn the art of teamwork and acknowledge your limitations in dealing with complex political and economic issues. It is naive to assume that you single-handedly have a cure for all political ills. The demand list you submitted to the government had some sensible but many absolutely untenable ideas. It also diverted attention away from your main demand. Most importantly, a yoga guru has to live up to that honorific title by acquiring inner calm. Otherwise, it is a negative advertisement for yoga.

Pranay · Post by **Pranay** » 18 Jul 2011 22:07

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 273100.cms

Questioning Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's honesty, the Anna Hazare team on Monday raised its pitch on the Lokpal Bill demanding that its version be placed before Parliament, saying that the "weak" government draft was a "joke" played on the nation.

Hazare stood firm on his threat to go on indefinite fast from August 16 and announced that a referendum will be conducted from July 21 in Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha constituency from where HRD minister Kapil Sibal was elected.

Swami Agnivesh, a core member of the Hazare team, sought to question Singh's honesty, saying that he was elected to the Rajya Sabha after being shown as a resident of Assam after renting a room in the house of former chief minister Hiteshwar Saikia.

"You (Singh) got elected from Assam saying you are a resident of the state. You are not from Assam. You are from Punjab. Prime Minister talks about honesty. What is this, honesty?" Agnivesh said, adding that he has to listen to the voice of the people of Assam on the Lokpal issue.

RamaY · Post by **RamaY** » 18 Jul 2011 22:20

^ I thought they changed the law. RS members can be from any state. They just have to Indian Citizens ?

Pranay · Post by **Pranay** » 18 Jul 2011 22:40

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neNDT4ZpARc

India Against Corruption Video - Get Ready for Aug. 16.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 19 Jul 2011 00:50

http://techpresident.com/short-post/ind ... ns-himself
Indian Gov't Official Turns Lens On Himself
top government official in the Kerala state in the southwestern portion of India has launched a webcam in his office in an effort to create a culture of transparency, the New York Times' Vikas Bajaj reports.

Kerala's chief minister, Oommem Chandy, began the video feed of his office on July 1. Through last Friday afternoon, it had been visited by over 293,000 users, Bajaj writes. But he also collects the insight of a critic who points out that corruption in India is more common in bureaucratic outposts than anywhere else:
Sunil Abraham, the executive director of the Center for Internet and Society in Bangalore, said he applauded Mr. Chandy’s webcams, even if the effort amounted to no more than tokenism.
“This type of tokenism is also quite useful,” said Mr. Abraham, predicting it might check the behavior of not only the chief minister, but also his underlings and the powerful executives and politicians who come to visit him.Of course, he noted, if people are intent on paying bribes, they could probably still do it outside the office.India's government was expected to participate in a multilateral partnership on open goverment announced last week, but had withdrawn from the partnership's leadership committee by the time its membership was made public. A top civil society organization in that country, however, is still participating in a leadership role.The world's largest democracy, Indian government is known both for occurrences of corruption and waste and for efforts to fight it, especially through technology.

Pranay · Post by **Pranay** » 19 Jul 2011 01:38

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 277245.cms

Until Corporate India cleans up its act, coruruption-free India would remain a fantasy. This was the consensus at a panel discussion on why Corporate India is lagging behind civil society in the debate on corruption.

The debate organized by IIM-Calcutta Alumni Association began on Saturday with an exhortation from Anu Aga, member of National Advisory Council and former chairman of Thermax, that business chambers should acknowledge that companies indulged in corruption and should therefore engage with the government to reform the system.

While echoing Aga's sentiment, civil society stalwart Arvind Kejriwal said that the involvement of black money in elections was just one of the reasons for business people being under pressure to pay bribes.

To him, the fundamental problem faced by everybody, whether in the corporate sector or not, is exactly what Team Anna has been try to combat through Lokpal: the lack of "certainty and swiftness in punishing the corrupt".

Sociologist Dipankar Gupta said that Corporate India — as also the middle class as such — was compromised by a "patron-client relationship" it had entered into with politicians and bureaucrats.

Virupaksha · Post by **Virupaksha** » 19 Jul 2011 01:42

RamaY wrote:^ I thought they changed the law. RS members can be from any state. They just have to Indian Citizens ?

yes, but he was one much before that law.

all is well when you are Mr.Honesty

vijayk · Post by **vijayk** » 19 Jul 2011 20:09

http://www.rediff.com/news/report/cops- ... 110719.htm

More trouble is lurking for former Samajwadi Party leader, Amar Singh [ Images ]. After his alleged former secretary, Sanjeev Saxena, was arrested by the Delhi [ Images ] police, police are training their guns on several 'whistle-blowers' in the case.

Under pressure from the Supreme Court, which, last week had reprimanded the Delhi Crime Branch on the shoddy pace of investigation into the cash-for-vote scandal, the police is all set to question Sohail Hindustani.

Highly placed sources in the Delhi police told rediff.com that Hindustani, the purported whistle-blower of the 2008 scam and a small time Bharatiya Janata Party [ Images ] worker, has been summoned to the office of the Crime Branch on Wednesday.

Hindustani had shot to fame after he became a part of CNN-IBN's sting operation in July, 2008, which suggested that leaders Amar Singh and Ahmed Patel offered money to BJP MPs for voting for the United Progressive Alliance's [ Images ] during a trust vote.

Hindustani told rediff.com, "Yes, it is true. They have summoned me for interrogation. The truth will finally prevail. They have been sitting on a case for almost three years. I hope this time they see the case to its logical end."

Police sources said that they would jointly interrogate Hindustani, Saxena and Sudheendra Kulkarni, the former advisor of BJP leader L K Advani . Kulkarni, who is a BJP worker and a media columnist, had reportedly coordinated with Hindustani to conduct the CNN-IBN sting.

Talking about investigations into the case, a senior crime branch official said, "Amar Singh's driver, only known as Sanjay, is absconding. It was Sanjay who drove accused Sanjeev Saxena with the bag of cash to the house of the third MP, Ashok Argal. We are trying to ascertain his whereabouts and a team have been dispatched to his hometown."

a_bharat · Post by **a_bharat** » 20 Jul 2011 17:13

Suhail says Manmohan, Sonia involved in cash-for-vote scam

"I received calls from Amar Singh and Ahmed Patel (Political Secretary to Congress President Sonia Gandhi). Those close to Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) called me and even from 10-Janpath (Gandhi's residence)," claimed Hindustani to reporters before being questioned by Delhi police's crime branch officials probing the case.

But he did not not identify all those who called him.

"I challenge them. These people tried to bribe me. They asked me why are you aligned with BJP? Is your life going haywire? Come, align with us and we will give you some big posts like chairmanship. They told me that if you get one MP, we will give you Rs 5-10 crore as commission," he alleged.

Hindustani alleged that Amar Singh told him that he was working on Prime Minister's directions along with Ahmed Patel to save the government.

People could not believe that Manmohan Singh and Congress party could stoop to this level to save the government," he said.

Police summoned Hindustani for questioning after it arrested Sanjeev Saxena, once considered close to Singh, for allegedly delivering cash to three BJP MPs.

Before entering the police complex, he said he would tell police whatever he had told the Parliamentary Committee which probed the cash-for-vote scam.

Hindustani alleged that the operation was done by Amar Singh and some Congress leaders. The police should examine his call records, which he claimed would throw light on who all who called him between July nine and 22 of 2008.