Narendra Modi vs the Dynasty: Contrasting Ideas of India

vijayk · Post by **vijayk** » 14 Apr 2013 04:02

RajeshA wrote:
Muppalla wrote:

Pretty cool
BTW, these are white geese (Chen). I don't think we have geese in India! But I could be wrong!

Why are these geese looking at Modi in such a friendly manner?

The DIEnasty wants to terminate these communal geese.They are sending IRS, CBI, ED to investigate the illegal activities of the geese.

Arjun · Post by **Arjun** » 14 Apr 2013 04:37

harbans wrote:Sure. Yet lets for a minute focus on what exactly are people attracted to in Modi. I can list these factors:

1. Disgust at INC scams in contrast to clean governance offered by NM
2. Developmental and Governance achievements of NM
3. Anti vote bank politics realization and NMs message regarding that.
4. Hindutva agenda (RJB issues etc)
5. Disgust at INC leadership 2G, DVS, Sibal et al in contrast to NMs clear, decisive leadership..

IMO 1,2,3,5 are majorly creating the Modi wave.

Agree with you. I would also list 'right wing economics' though this is restricted to the intellectual set and probably not a major force in the electorate. But many of the pro-Modi voices in the media (Tavleen Singh, Aroon Purie, Raghav Bahl, R Jagannathan, Venky Vembu) are primarily bowled over by his views on small government, facilitation role for entrepreneurship, focus on growth and tangible outcomes etc. I would include myself in the category for whom this aspect carries very high appeal.

The hardcore Hindutva (RJB type) guys are also apt to go senile once in a while...(mediacrooks on twitter is one example).

Sushupti · Post by **Sushupti** » 14 Apr 2013 05:28

Narendra is an idea whose time has come

It doesn’t surprise me remotely that the idea of Modi has encountered a roadblock in Nitish Kumar and his Janata Dal (U). The Bihar Chief Minister has made it clear that he doesn’t find Modi to be adequately ‘secular’. Such a man, he believes, won’t sell to Muslim voters who constitute anything between 16 and 18 per cent of Bihar’s population. Some of the Chief Minister’s supporters even believe that by breaking with the BJP on the issue of Modi’s leadership, Nitish will effect an en masse movement of Muslim votes to the JD(U). Coupled with his existing support among a section of backward castes and a slice of Dalits, this, it is said, will see Nitish prevail in a triangular contest.

The JD(U) strategists may have got their arithmetic right. But an election (particularly a Lok Sabha poll) is fought and won on a combination of both arithmetic and chemistry. If Modi is just a flash in the pan or merely a Gujarat leader with national pretensions, neither Nitish, nor for that matter the UPA, has anything to worry about. In that event the 2014 general election will be an aggregation of different State elections and result in a truly mish-mash Government, with the new PM being chosen by lottery.

Alternatively, if Modi does represent an idea that appeals to voters at a time of national drift, Nitish needs to pause and re-think. He must consider the consequences of opposing a campaign based on fulfilling India’s potential through rapid development with a sectarian question mark. The 2014 election will not be about identity politics. Is Nitish determined to make it so?

Nor can he overplay the ‘backward card’: Modi is not merely OBC but from a Most Backward Caste. Denying someone from such humble origins a shy at the top job on the strength of a minority veto offends a simple sense of right and wrong.

As a seasoned politician, Nitish should be wary of being led by people who aren’t adept at deciphering the writing on the wall.

| Swapan Dasgupta

http://www.dailypioneer.com/columnists/ ... -come.html

Sushupti · Post by **Sushupti** » 14 Apr 2013 06:14

Reviving secularism
Tavleen Singh

In this week when the ghosts of 1984 have come back to haunt the 'secular' Congress party, it gives us a chance to talk about what secularism has come to mean in an Indian political context. I thought the subject had become irrelevant after the 'communal' Chief Minister of Gujarat changed the conversation to governance. But I was wrong. Even as I write these words there are meetings being held in Delhi by 'secular, progressive people' who suddenly feel the need to band together to fight 'fascism'. In case you are politically naïve and do not fully understand what that word means today let me make clear that it means Narendra Modi.

His recent speeches and the assiduousness with which they have been reported live by nearly every news channel have caused alarm bells to start ringing in 'secular' circles. So, although last week's reopening by a court in Delhi of cases from 1984 involving Jagdish Tytler have come as a blow, it has not weakened the resolve of secularists to stop Modi in his tracks. This is being done in different ways. In political circles there is a whisper campaign whose objective is to frighten the BJP into not naming Modi as their prime ministerial candidate. From Bihar already come loud noises about 'consequences' if this happens. In activist circles, Marxists, liberals and crypto-Islamists have united to paint doomsday scenarios for Muslims. And, in Congress headquarters the alarm bells ring loudest because of the fear that if the next general election takes on a presidential hue, their prince may not be able to take on the challenger from Gujarat.

Secularism is no longer a word in the Indian political context, it is a weapon. A weapon that has been used very successfully against 'communal forces' many, many times. And, who are these communal forces? Anyone who allies with the Bharatiya Janata Party or dares to question the secular credentials of the Congress party is a communalist. Having said this, I need to add that if you change your political allegiances and even if you once belonged to a communal party like the Shiv Sena, you become secular as soon as you join Congress.

It is an absurd debate and fortunately many, many Indians have seen through it long ago. But, the reason why I felt the need to raise it this week is because I believe it could once more distract us from India's real problems. The most important of these problems is bad governance that is why when communal Mr. Modi talks about 'su-shasan' he draws an increasingly large audience.

Examine the smallest of India's failings to the biggest of them and you will find outdated ideas of governance. It is because of this that vast amounts of taxpayers' money spent by the Sonia-Manmohan government on poverty alleviation has gone waste. The officials needed to administer a scheme like MNREGA are so many that there is almost as much money spent on administration as there is on giving the poor 100 days of annual employment.

It is because of bad governance that government schools do not teach and government hospitals do not heal. And, it is because of bad governance that 65 years after Independence, the Indian state is still unable to provide clean water, electricity, affordable housing and basic sanitation to its citizens. It is because of bad governance that our cities look so bad and it is because of bad governance that it takes us decades to build a highway or an airport that in better-governed countries could be built in less than half that time.

So, in my ever humble opinion, when 'communal' Mr Modi changed the subject to governance he did a national service. It forced even Rahul Gandhi to acknowledge in his first address to the nation that there were serious unsolved problems related to governance. If now we return to that ancient debate about secularism and communalism we will be regressing to a time when temples and mosques were more important than the need to win the war against poverty, illiteracy and disease.

So, to those 'secularists' readying themselves for a new battle against 'fascism' I have only one thing to say: India has moved on and it is time that you did too unless you want to find yourselves in the dustbin of dead ideas. On my travels in our vast and wondrous land, I meet many, many young people and talk to them about their dreams and their idea of the kind of country they would like India to be. And, trust me when I tell you that I cannot remember the last time I met someone under the age of 25 who said to me that he was seriously concerned about secularism. They are not worried about it because they take it for granted.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/reviv ... m/1102064/

vijayk · Post by **vijayk** » 14 Apr 2013 06:23

http://centreright.in/2013/04/to-zahir- ... Wn__6LkvSj

Point by Point rebuttal of communal Islamists ... Please read full article

I have been one of your avid readers over the last few months. Let me express my unadulterated admiration for the style of your exposition, which becomes all the more engaging as you compellingly use the personal anecdotes that you acquired during your Gujarat sojourn. More importantly, though, I find your columns educational because I disagree with many of the perspectives you present. You must therefore indulge me for taking the liberty to try and engage you in an open dialogue over the differences in our ideological positions.

I learned a little about Gujarat during a month long trip that I undertook to satiate my wanderlust. A highlight of my trip has been the engaging conversations that I had with the blue-collar Gujaratis who I would not normally encounter had I been on an academic conference circuit. I started with Ahmedabad, visiting the Nal Sarovar bird sanctuary on December 9, 2012, the morning that I flew in from Philadelphia. I entertained myself with conversations with my boatman in between the bird sightings. He aired his grievances about business slowing down due to the recent prohibition on tourists from driving up right to the lake. I desisted from sharing the environmental ground that I believed motivated the above move in order not to impede his candor.

Little later his cousin ferried me in his motorbike to another viewing location. Emboldened by my success with the first stranger, I initiated a political conversation with my chauffeur. I asked him who would win the impending state elections – he would not hazard a guess. I unabashedly trespassed on his privacy by asking him who would he vote for. Pat came the answer, “Kangress “(Congress). He went on to tell me that the political choices in his village were divided, with some support- ing Bhajpa (BJP). I never asked either about the faith they profess, but, their names told me they were Muslims. The point, Zaheer, you would have noted by now, is that they did not hesitate to reveal their grievances or political choices, to a rank outsider, even though the choices evidently were against the ruling dispensation which was very likely to be voted back.

I could continue with similar stories, for example, that of the auto-rickshaw driver in Vadodara, also a Muslim by faith, who did hazard a guess on the electoral outcome, that in favor of BJP. But, I will fast forward to my Gir safari in a post-election Gujarat. You may know that the limitations in the habitat is threatening to arrest the growth spurt in the Asiatic lion population in Gir. Some neighboring states like Madhya Pradesh have offered to host a part of the Asiatic lions in its forest premises. Gujarat government has so far refused to oblige. I asked the guide and the driver of my safari of what they felt about the prospect of translocation of some royal residents of Gir.

I would not digress to articulate the opinion that I hold regarding the merits of such a translocation, but rather dwell on the fact that I observed in my guide a confident Gujarati Muslim, an equal stakeholder in his state’s economic progress as his Hindu brethren By now, you must be contemplating on whether I talked only with Muslims during my trip – not quite – I just highlighted my interactions with them since they revealed a mindset which is in stark contrast with your observations.

vijayk · Post by **vijayk** » 14 Apr 2013 06:45

It is amazing that idiots of BJP including the President instead of telling Nitish to just go and yank off are indulging him. Just tell him it is BJP to decide its PM candidate and will decide whenever they want. Now if you don't like it, go yank off in a corner. Puke and Cheap Paki drool licker will shut his mouth and vanish

Lilo · Post by **Lilo** » 14 Apr 2013 07:30

@Victor_47 @dhanu_lagna What happened to @Parikramah ? Its suddenly showing A/c suspended, Msg at http://support.twitter.com/forms/submit ... =suspended … to get it reinstated

RoyG · Post by **RoyG** » 14 Apr 2013 07:45

Mediacrooks is overwhelmed. Looks like he's taking a break.

Lilo · Post by **Lilo** » 14 Apr 2013 07:54

Re: Pillorying of "Three stooges" who broke line to attend NDTV talk show (esp by MediaCrooks)

Below quoted is again very relevant

RajeshA wrote:
Sanku ji,

I think there has been a certain social brainwashing of Hindus with a continous propaganda that Hindus and Hinduism are morally, culturally and militarily inferior. This has caused a reaction among Hindus that they try to show that it is NOT THE CASE, that Sanatan Dharma teaches man to have the highest of standards, and so they have gone to the other extreme, tried to show themselves as PERFECT, and developed an expectation of MORAL PERFECTION from their co-travelers. Since that is seldom realizable, we Hindus have become prone to quick disappointment, in fact become self-rejectionists.

I think this is one reason, why many have decided to move away from BJP.

Those who want to destroy Bharat, vote for those who show corruptive and anti-national tendency and of such there are many. Destruction is easy. Those who want to build Bharat, have decided they will vote only for those Bharatiyas who can build it perfectly, otherwise they'll punish the imperfect Bharatiyas.

Quite sad in fact!

Our Dharma is to aim for the highest standards of Perfection in ourselves - not in our co-travellers

VikramS · Post by **VikramS** » 14 Apr 2013 08:10

If you start tagging too many people on too many tweets they suspend you
It is Machine driven.
So fill the form and wait up to 24 hours.
Happened to me a few times.

Lilo · Post by **Lilo** » 14 Apr 2013 08:10

^^ I see, please note @ Carl ji

Sushupti · Post by **Sushupti** » 14 Apr 2013 09:09

Lilo · Post by **Lilo** » 14 Apr 2013 09:47

NDTV's hack job on SM
http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/truth- ... ork/271382

Confirmed: Amaresh Mishra is real on twitter. An this abusive guy is given a platform on Times News Network (TOIlet). He mentions that he roped in middleeast non Indians to trend the #feku tag (most probabaly Islamists like Pakis , BDs etc from ME)
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.co ... horProfile

member_23629 · Post by **member_23629** » 14 Apr 2013 10:15

This Mishra is a closet Islamist and considers Arabs as his own people.

member_20317 · Post by **member_20317** » 14 Apr 2013 10:23

Undie has a agony aunt show on about the MSM troubles with you guys on Teetar.

Poor MSM

And for your Internet Hindus the host is suggesting a backlash

You tee too much and the backlash from the host is going to overwhelm you guys. Fear you internet hindus

Are these guys serious. Bhai jaan you got the backlash in your hands now deal with it.

Sanjay still going about #Feku campaign. Man that gets the cake.

Who is Priyanka Chaturvedi, says does not want 'Mera leader tere se behtar'. But dame he is. So what are you going to do about it? Pull strings to get invited to a feku MSM show?

Hari Seldon · Post by **Hari Seldon** » 14 Apr 2013 10:28

This is pure hate., And the only man with conviction and confidence enough to deal with pestilence such as this is shri NM. Only.

Will break cow-slaughter laws, not scared of Government says Mohd Nurur Rahman Barkati, Shahi Imam of Tipu Sultan Masjid, Kolkata(you tube link)

Jai ho, I guess.

member_22539 · Post by **member_22539** » 14 Apr 2013 10:52

^Please spread the above. This is the true face of secularists and their supporters. This is the poison that commies have allowed to spread. Now it is cows, soon it will be humans (terrorism).

VikramS · Post by **VikramS** » 14 Apr 2013 11:05

Check out @Indosphere poetry
Needs to be hosted somewhere

Arjun · Post by **Arjun** » 14 Apr 2013 11:35

Survey on quality of life: Surat & Ahmedabad top the list

Surat and Ahmedabad topped the list of 11 cities in the public survey on quality of life and city-system. In the Voice of India's Citizens Survey, Kanpur was rated as the worst city to live in.

Arjun · Post by **Arjun** » 14 Apr 2013 11:47

Sushupti wrote:

If BJP openly praises Modinama, wouldn't it look like it has been commissioned by them ? Praise from BJP might be counterproductive at this stage...Down the road when Congress plays the 'communal' card against Modi, that would be a good time to refer journalists to the home truths in Modinama.

Agnimitra · Post by **Agnimitra** » 14 Apr 2013 12:01

Lilo wrote:@Victor_47 @dhanu_lagna What happened to @Parikramah ? Its suddenly showing A/c suspended, Msg at http://support.twitter.com/forms/submit ... =suspended … to get it reinstated

Yeah some honeymoon blues when I tried something kinky - must have snagged a "spam" tripwire. I was tweeting and deleting and re-tweeting the same tweet in different permutations and from two sources (teetar and twitterdeck) to check something out. Turns out they have a weird algo that changes where they post it based on whether there is an @address at the very beginning or somewhere in the middle/end. Guess I'll have to wait out a few days.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 14 Apr 2013 12:15

I met a relative living close to the BD border. the situation is like this.
a cow might cost 12,000 here but 45,000 across the border
subsidized urea is available here
medicines are cheaper here
so also are motorcycles and motor parts
all these are smuggled across the border with the connivance of the political class and some elements in BSF also
the cash flows from these transactions are such that it could be deposited in a border area bank 1 min and withdrawn from mumbai in the next minute...so long range criminal syndicates are also involved to move all that money within india and put it use.

some of these accounts are actually monitored because in savings ac one is not supposed to be used for business deals - current ac having zero interest is the one use for that - but I dont think orders from on high are there to crack down and catch all these scum.

Sanku · Post by **Sanku** » 14 Apr 2013 12:34

Arjun wrote: If BJP openly praises Modinama, wouldn't it look like it has been commissioned by them ? Praise from BJP might be counterproductive at this stage...Down the road when Congress plays the 'communal' card against Modi, that would be a good time to refer journalists to the home truths in Modinama.

I have been thinking about that too. What does Madhu Kishwar expect the BJP leaders to say in response to her article, and why?

I dont get it, Madu's article was targeted for a specific class, her fiberal circle, where it has as expected caused a bomb shell, which is good. But no reason to expect a tremor in Dresden because Nagasaki was nuked is there?

VikramS · Post by **VikramS** » 14 Apr 2013 12:43

Her general question about why BJP does not go hammer & tongs on the SIT report is very relevant.
Clearly shows how D4 is basically not comfortable with Modi.

The fact that not a single BJP offical rep has not even issued a statement means that they dont want to do anything which projects Modi.

Food for thought.

I think it is time people start writing to BJP that no-Modi means no-BJP.

Maybe it is all a part of the strategy to not project Modi as PM so as to allow poll alliances.

Sanku · Post by **Sanku** » 14 Apr 2013 13:06

VikramS wrote:Her general question about why BJP does not go hammer & tongs on the SIT report is very relevant.
Clearly shows how D4 is basically not comfortable with Modi.
.

I did not understand this, Which SIT report?

RajeshA · Post by **RajeshA** » 14 Apr 2013 14:18

Coalgate?

chaanakya · Post by **chaanakya** » 14 Apr 2013 14:24

No, I think he is talking about SIT report on Gujarat Riots which gave clean chit to NaMo. It was appointed by SC and supervised by It.

JohnTitor · Post by **JohnTitor** » 14 Apr 2013 15:29

Lilo wrote:^^ I see, please note @ Carl ji

Note the crow - the crow is associated with war & death by the irish (not the Buddhist association with dharma).

JohnTitor · Post by **JohnTitor** » 14 Apr 2013 15:33

Nitish warns BJP, says follow Vajpayee's 'Rajdharma'

NK is seriously pissing me off now - he should be dumped now. Let him fend for himself. It is only a matter of time before when his political career will be destroyed by UPA and he will become oblivion. It seems extremely foolish for the BJP to entertain this joker. Looks like he is a recent convert to sikularism.

"We don't have anything to do with any individual. We have been with the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) for the past 17 years and we had to suffer because of our coalition... but we still continued."

seriously??? he should be put out of his misery so that he can become another sonia foot licker. Lets see what suffering he speaks of then.

EDITED:
Actually, now that I think about it, the above makes perfect sense in the context of this tweet by vinod sharma

Vinod Sharma ‏@vinod_sharma 2h
No chance RT @unknowncorner: I doubt Nitish can do what he is doing without tacit approval from sections of BJP. It just isn't possible.

It looks like D4 (or anti modi gang) in BJP is trying to sabotage BJP chances even before the elections. They'd rather be out of power than see BJP in power under modi

vijayk · Post by **vijayk** » 14 Apr 2013 16:30

^^ I agree. As I told you before, the traitors in BJP don't mind ITALIAN MAFIA rule at the cost of BJP.

member_20292 · Post by **member_20292** » 14 Apr 2013 16:33

spoke to a maalishwala froma rajasthani village --dausa.

he has an ear to the ground there. said. congi is a thief govt....everyday some scamor the other.

people in the village, because of TV and information tech in the past 5 years, have become much more knowledgable about the way the world works, and are less susceptible to fooling now.

also recommended that bjp declare namo as PM candidate, such that, they win by a landslide....by uniting sc st obc everyone under hindutva plus development plus cult of modi.

seems right imo.

i was stunned to know that this guy fromthe village had so much knowledge about politics ....

Arjun · Post by **Arjun** » 14 Apr 2013 16:34

Split with JDU seems to be a certainty...guess its just a matter of timing now.

ashashi · Post by **ashashi** » 14 Apr 2013 17:10

Sagar G wrote:
kittoo wrote:NO words minced! Wow! This guy makes it clear in very succinct Hindi. All rakshaks must watch-

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfV-k8tglnI[/youtube]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfV-k8tglnI
Awesome video Shivraj Singh hands Nitish's ass back to him. Important points to be noted from the video are

1. JDU is receiving foreign funds from foreign anti India elements hence the sekoolar drama.
2. Nitish doesn't have a huge footing in Bihar as perceived by most of the people.
3. Lalluu said one thing about Nitish to which Shivraj Singh is in agreement "Aisa koi saga nahi jise Nitish ne thaga nahi" (Nitish has conned everybody, even his own people)
4. Nitish can't dare to leave BJP or else his political career is finished.

I don't know why BJP is offering him Deputy PM post given the image that this guy carries even in his own party, I think BJP is being foolish to entertain him this much. Bihar needs it own Modi, time for SuMo to take center stage there.

Video not available anymore.
Anyone know alternate links?

kapilrdave · Post by **kapilrdave** » 14 Apr 2013 17:34

mahadevbhu wrote:spoke to a maalishwala froma rajasthani village --dausa.

he has an ear to the ground there. said. congi is a thief govt....everyday some scamor the other.

people in the village, because of TV and information tech in the past 5 years, have become much more knowledgable about the way the world works, and are less susceptible to fooling now.

also recommended that bjp declare namo as PM candidate, such that, they win by a landslide....by uniting sc st obc everyone under hindutva plus development plus cult of modi.

seems right imo.

i was stunned to know that this guy fromthe village had so much knowledge about politics ....

That's right. The so called political pundits have always undermined the power of Hindutva. Go to any rural Hindi speaking area, you will hear that we want NaMo because of Hindutva. I don't know much about south but from what little I have seen, UP, UK, MP all praise NM for Hindutva. These are the people who suffer from muslims in their routine life i.e. cow slaughter etc. GJ praise him for development and incorruptible image along with Hindutva.

kittoo · Post by **kittoo** » 14 Apr 2013 17:55

kapilrdave wrote:
mahadevbhu wrote:spoke to a maalishwala froma rajasthani village --dausa.

he has an ear to the ground there. said. congi is a thief govt....everyday some scamor the other.

people in the village, because of TV and information tech in the past 5 years, have become much more knowledgable about the way the world works, and are less susceptible to fooling now.

also recommended that bjp declare namo as PM candidate, such that, they win by a landslide....by uniting sc st obc everyone under hindutva plus development plus cult of modi.

seems right imo.

i was stunned to know that this guy fromthe village had so much knowledge about politics ....
That's right. The so called political pundits have always undermined the power of Hindutva. Go to any rural Hindi speaking area, you will hear that we want NaMo because of Hindutva. I don't know much about south but from what little I have seen, UP, UK, MP all praise NM for Hindutva. These are the people who suffer from muslims in their routine life i.e. cow slaughter etc. GJ praise him for development and incorruptible image along with Hindutva.

Even here in Udaipur, Rajasthan (I am there right now), Muslims have been creating some ruckus in past few days. It started with few Muslims harassing a Hindu girl, and then threatening to kill her mother when she showed up to put them in their place. Now even the local newspapers say 'ek samudaay ke logo ne dusre samudaay ke logo se jhagda kiya' (people of one community fought with people of another community), people know whats going on. They even threw stones at women going to Gangaur pooja. Even if newspapers dont mention who did this, people know there is only one community which will do it. Its obvious that people who hear about this will lean towards BJP. Sometimes some pundits really undermine power of Hindutva, maybe because a lot of Hindus dont like to wear it on their sleeve, but its there. The Modi wave is not only because of development.

kittoo · Post by **kittoo** » 14 Apr 2013 17:56

ashashi wrote:
Video not available anymore.
Anyone know alternate links?

Its opening for me still. Click on the link.

member_20317 · Post by **member_20317** » 14 Apr 2013 18:12

kapilrdave ji,

with NM we could be seeing a new flavour of Hindutva. He is unapologetic about his origins. No looking over the shoulders. Basically he seems willing to contest what it means to be Hindutva vaadi. His focus on Swami Vivekananda is known and Swami ji was a different sort of Hindu. I am waiting for how it unfolds but this could be a new evolution on the varnic scale for Hindutva. If it is so, I am already salivating at what the other two evolutions will bring up in time.

Or this could just be Mungeri lal ke haseen sapne.

member_23629 · Post by **member_23629** » 14 Apr 2013 18:32

kittoo wrote:
ashashi wrote:
Video not available anymore.
Anyone know alternate links?
Its opening for me still. Click on the link.

Pls check this new link. This should be visible everywhere.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odn5lmGo ... e=youtu.be

vijayk · Post by **vijayk** » 14 Apr 2013 19:11

varunkumar wrote:
kittoo wrote:
Its opening for me still. Click on the link.
Pls check this new link. This should be visible everywhere.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odn5lmGo ... e=youtu.be

If some one from BJP (some no name fellow. could be a Bajrang Dal/VHP) had said the same, the scoundrel PAID media would have provided him front page for a month.

anmol · Post by **anmol** » 14 Apr 2013 19:36

Dynasty strikes back:

Sindhushree Khullar likely to be new CAG

She will be the first woman to assume the position of CAG.

ABHINANDAN MISHRA New Delhi | 13th Apr 2013

The new Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India is likely to be Sindhushree Khullar, a senior bureaucrat whose name cropped up in both the Commonwealth Games and 2G controversies. The present CAG, Vinod Rai retires on 22 May. Khullar, a 1975 batch officer of the Union Territory cadre, is presently posted as Secretary, Planning Commission. If Khullar is appointed, she will be the first woman to assume the position of CAG.

Official sources say that the government does not want another CAG like Vinod Rai, who questioned the government's role in several scams. So the new CAG is being selected with utmost care and the candidature of Khullar, who is overseeing the crucial Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) scheme in her capacity as Mission Director, is being pushed by a senior Cabinet minister.

Her appointment is expected to generate heated debate as she was summoned last year by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), which is investigating the telecom scam. Khullar was the Additional Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs between April 2007 and November 2008, when the spectrum allocations were made. CPI's Gurudas Dasgupta walked out of one of the 2G JPC meetings in October 2012 accusing Congress member Shashi Tharoor of defending Khullar when she was being questioned.

Last year, Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy, during his arguments to include the name of Finance Minister P. Chidambaram in the 2G scam, had requested the court to include Khullar as a witness.

Khullar was Secretary in the Ministry of Sports and had come in for criticism from both the CAG and the Shunglu Committee for mishandling the 2010 Commonwealth Games that were best known for large-scale corruption.