31 Tuesday May 2011
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According to a report published in Tehelka Magazine, Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran, is alleged to have unduly benefitted from grant of licence to telecom firms during his tenure as Communications Minister. It is alleged that the Sun TV which belongs to Maran family has got crores of rupees as kickbacks. Dayanidhi Maran has filed a defamation suit against the Tehelka.
Further news expected.
30 Monday May 2011
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The 2G scam has exposed the Pandoras Box. Corruption, violation of rules, bribing by private companies, irregular transactions, violation of security concerns, hoarding of crore of rupees in foreign banks, evading tax – there is no limit to what is involved in the telecom sector. The private companies have been thriving with the connivance of the corrupt politicians and bureacrats fully supported by the Government of India. And BSNL and MTNL were being accused of not coming up to the mark. The PSUs have to be transparent, law abiding and straight forward in all its transactions, while the private companies can violate all rules and regulations,
Almost all the private telcos are involved and many officers of these companies are in custody. They include Reliance, Swan, Unitech etc. Now it is reported Tata and Idea are also involved. Is there any major private telco which is not tainted?
23 Monday May 2011
Posted in Corruption, Politics India
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The UPA II Government is celebrating its completion of two years in office now. What is there to celebrate. The entire period has been full of high level corruption including the 2G scam, CWG scam, Adarsh scam, cash for vote scam, Vedas scam and so on involving lakhs and lakhs of crore rupees loss to the Government and the country. Even the enquiries that are being conducted is only due to the pressure from the people as also the strong stand taken by the judiciary.
The Govenment should introspect and act instead of celebrating.
28 Thursday Apr 2011
Posted in 2G Scam Corruption
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The reports coming one after another in the 2G scam has exposed the entire coterie of top politicians, top bureaucrats, Ministers, business big guns, media, lobbyists, MNCs and almost everybody powerful in the country. In addition to the corruption, violation of rules, favouritism, black money, the security of the nation is also involved.
Those who are to safeguard the interests of the nation themselves are involved in this biggest scam of India and probably of the world itself. The latest is the mention in the report of the Public Accounts Committee that the Finance Minister and even the Prime Minister knew everything and did not do anything, but allowed the things to go as desired by former Communication Minister A.Raja.
The Prime Minister and his colleagues owes an explanation to the people of this country.
23 Saturday Apr 2011
Posted in 2G Scam Corruption
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Very intersting developments are taking place in the enquiry on 2G scam in the two parliamenmtary committees viz. Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and Joint Parliament Committee (JPC).
The Parliament was stalled for one full session on the issue of formation of Joint Parliamentary Committee to enquire in to the 2G scam. The opposition parties wanted a JPC but the Government did not agree stating that the PAC can inquire in to all aspects. Now the JPC is formed, Congress says that PAC can only look in to the CAG report. Earlier, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh even stated that he is prepared to give evidence before the PAC. Now, the Congress party is opposing even the Cabinet Secretary giving evidence before PAC.The work of the PAC is almost stopped due to the stalling plan of the Congress members in the PAC.
It is becoming clearer and clearer that the UPA government will spare no pains to defeat the JPC, PAC as also the newly formed committee to draft Lokpal Bill or any action against corruption. From Boffors scandal onwards, you know what happened to all those cases where corruption is involved. The culprits are not punished and they are allowed to go scot-free.
The struggle against corruption has to continue.
22 Friday Apr 2011
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After the appointment of the Joint Committee with Cabinet Ministers and representatives of the Social Activists led by Anna Hazare, there seems to be a concerted effect that the committee should not be allowed to proceed further. The TV and new medias are full of charges against the members of the committee like Shanti Bhushan, Justice Hedge etc. I do’nt hold brief for the innocence of these individuals or anybody else in the committee. But the plan seems to be to derail the entire process of Lok[al Bill and that the Bill is not finalised or presented in the Parliament.
It is very clear that the large majority of the top politicians, bureaucrats and big business do not want any such act to be passed. They want to continue the present mess so that they can benefit themselves.
This sabotage can not be allowed.
21 Thursday Apr 2011
Posted in Corruption
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Wonders are happening! Kaushik Basu, the Chief Economic Advisor, Ministry of Finance, Government of India has openly suggested that ” The Act of giving bribe should be treated as legal”. It is the partial heading of his write up put in his website.
It is one more crucial evidence that the correct politicians and the top bureaucrats are very much worried about the noise and enquiry being made against corruption. They are trying to derail the Lok Pal Bill in a very systematic way. Now Kaushik Basu says that bribe-giving should be legalised. Tomorrow he will say the taking bribe should be legalised.
It has become clear that corruption has become part of them and they can not live without it.
In this connection you may read the article by P.Srinath in Hindu dated 21st April, in the Editorial page (page 8)
10 Sunday Apr 2011
Posted in Corruption, Politics India
The fast-unto-death by Anna Hazare has ended after the Government accepted the demands raised by the social activist. The Government has constituted a 10 member panel with Minister Pranab Mukherjee as Chairman and Shanti-Bhushan as co-chairman. 50% of the committee is from the government side and the other 50% nominated by the social activists. Anna Hazare is also in the committee. The government told earlier that the committee will be constituted after the withdrawal of the fast. But Hazare stood took the firm position that he will end his fast only after notification. Government had to surrender again. The Notification was issued yesterday morning, and after receiving the same, the fast ended.
Ending the fast, Anna Hazare told the massive gathering that the struggle has only started. If the bill is not passed in the monsoon session of the Parliament, further agitation will start. He is right. Unless there is a threat, the government will try to side line the issue as has been done for the last 42 years, since the bill was introduced in the Parliament for the first time.
Let us be vigilant. The fast has achieved the immediate demand. But those who are behind the corruption are powerful people and they will not allow the anti-corruption bill passed easily. Let us prepare for another struggle if the government and the main opposition dilly-dally in the matter.
09 Saturday Apr 2011
Posted in Corruption, Politics India
The fast by Anna Hazare had its results. The spontaneous mass movement all over the country against corruption and in support of the fast by Anna Hazare had its results. The government which stood obstinate first had to climb down and concede the demands raised by Anna Hazare for a tougher and effective ant-corruption bill. Since the details are all in the papers and the TV channels, it is not necessary to give details.
I heartily congratulate Anna Hazareji and the lakhs and lakhs of people who supported this fight for justice.
08 Friday Apr 2011
Posted in Corruption, Politics India
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The Hunger Strike by Anna Hazare, the noted social activist and Gandhian has reached the fourth day. This Satyagraha has captured the minds of the people of this country of all strata.
I visited the satyagraha site near the Jantar Mantar today along with Com.R.L.Moudgil, AGS BSNLEU and other comrades. Thousands of people are patiently sitting hearing the speeches of the various prominent personalities coming there. There are students, employees/workers, business people, intellectuals, cultural and social activists, a good number of them women also. Groups of people are coming and leaving after some time, others are coming. It is a continuing flow. In between, one person who was fasting was taken to the hospital. It was surprising how such a huge crowd was keeping excellent discipline without any coersion.
The fast has caught the imagination of the people, since they are angry with the continuous scams and corruption cases involving the high level politicians, business czars etc. The national assets are being looted. Hence there is alround support for the fast by Anna.
The Government is in the dock. Unless they take immediate action to discuss and accept the reasonable demand for constituting a real anti-corruption machinery as demanded by the fasting leaders, the struggle will take a nationwide struggle. Even now fast and dharnas are being held in many places and this will expand and strengthen every day.
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