A Bill that damns the majority

By Arun Jaitley

The draft Prevention of Communal Violence Bill appears to be the handiwork of those social entrepreneurs who have learnt from the Gujarat experience of how to fix senior leaders even when they are not liable for an offence.


A draft of a proposed legislation titled "Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence (Access to Justice and Reparations) Bill, 2011" has been put in public domain. The draft Bill ostensibly appears to be a part of an endeavour to prevent and punish communal violence in the country. Though that may be the ostensible object of the proposed law its real object is to the contrary. It is a Bill which if it is ever
enacted as a law will intrude into the domain of the State, damage the federal polity of India, and create an imbalance in the inter- community relationship of this country.

What does the Bill in effect state

The most vital definition of the Bill is of the expression 'group'. A 'group' means a religious or linguistic minority and in a given State may include the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The Bill
creates a whole set of new offences in Chapter II. Clause 6 clarifies that the offences under this Bill are in addition to the offences under the SC & ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Can a person
be punished twice for the same offence? Clause 7 prescribes that a person is said to commit sexual assault if he or she commits any of the sexual act against a person belonging to a 'group' by virtue of
that person's membership of a group. Clause 8 prescribes that 'hate propaganda' is an offence when a person by words oral or written or a visible representation causes hate against a 'group' or a person
belonging to a 'group'. Clause 9 creates an offence for communal and targeted violence. Any person who singly or jointly or acting under the influence of an association engages in unlawful activity directed against a 'group' is guilty of organised communal and targeted violence. Clause 10 provides for punishment of a person who expends or supplies money in the furtherance or support of an offence against a 'group'. The offence of torture is made out under clause 12 where a public servant inflicts pain or a suffering, mental or physical, on a person belonging to a 'group'. Clause 13 punishes a public servant for dereliction of duty in relation to offences mentioned in this Bill. Clause 14 punishes public servants who control the armed forces or security forces and fails to exercise control over people in his
command in order to discharge their duty effectively. Clause 15 expands the principle of vicarious liability. An offence is deemed to be committed by a senior person or office-bearer of an association
and he fails to exercise control over subordinates under his control or supervision. He is vicariously liable for an offence which is committed by some other person. Clause 16 renders orders of superiors
as no defence for an alleged offence committed under this section.

Any communal trouble during which offences are committed is a law and order problem. Dealing with the law and order is squarely within the domain of the State Governments. In the division of powers between the Centre and the States, the Union Government has no direct authority to deal with the law and order issues; nor is it directly empowered to deal with them nor it can legislate on the subject. The
Union Government's jurisdiction restricts itself to issue advisories, directions and eventually forming an opinion under Article 356 that the governance of the State can be carried on in accordance with the
Constitution or not. If the proposed Bill becomes a law, then effectively it is the Union Government which would have usurped the jurisdiction of the States and legislated on a subject squarely
within the domain of the States. 

India has been gradually moving towards a more amicable inter- community relationship. Even when minor communal or caste disturbances occur, there is a national mood of revulsion against them. The Governments, media, the courts among other institutions rise to perform their duty. The perpetrators of communal trouble should certainly be punished. This draft Bill however proceeds on a presumption that communal trouble is created only by members of the majority community and never by members of the minority community. Thus, offences committed by members of the majority community against
members of the minority community are punishable. Identical offences committed by minority groups against the majority are not deemed to be offences at all. Thus a sexual assault is punishable under this
Bill only if committed against a person belonging to a minority 'group'. A member of a majority community in a State does not fall within the purview of a 'group'. 'Hate propaganda' is an offence
against the minority community and not otherwise. Organised and targeted violence, hate propaganda, financial help to such persons who commit an offence, torture or dereliction of duty by public
servants are all offences only if committed against a member of the minority community and not otherwise. No member of the majority community can ever be a victim. This draft law thus proceeds on an assumption which re-defines the offences in a highly discriminatory manner. No member of the minority community is to be punished under this Act for having committed the offence against the majority community. It is only a member of the majority community who is prone to commit such offences and therefore the legislative intent of this law is that since only majority community members commit these offences, culpability and punishment should only be confined to them. If implemented in a manner as provided by this Bill, it opens up a huge scope for abuse. It can incentivise members of some communities to commit such offences encouraged by the fact that they would never be charged under the Act. Terrorist groups may no longer indulge in terrorist violence. They will be incentivised to create communal riots due to a statutory assumption that members of a jihadi group will not be punished under this law. The law makes only members of the majority community culpable. Why should the law discriminate on the basis of religion or caste? An offence is an offence irrespective
of origin of the offender. Here is a proposed law being legislated in the 21st century where caste and religion of an offender wipe out his culpability. 


Who will ensure implementation of this Act?


The Bill provides for a seven-member national authority for communal harmony, justice and reparations. Of these seven members at least four of them, including the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, shall only belong to a 'group', that is, the minority community. A similar body is intended to be created in the States. Membership of this body thus shall be on religious and caste grounds. The offenders under this law are only the members of the majority community. The enforcement of the Act will be done by a body where statutorily the members of the majority community will be in a minority. The Governments will have to make available police and other investigative agencies to this authority. This authority shall have the power to conduct investigations and enter buildings, conduct raids and searches to make inquiries into complaints and to initiate steps, record proceedings for prosecution and make its recommendations to the Governments. It shall have powers to deal with the armed forces. It has a power to send advisories to the Union and State Governments. Members of this authority shall be appointed in the case of Union Government by a collegium which shall comprise the Prime Minister,
the Home Minister and the Leader of Opposition in the House of People and a leader of each recognised political party. A similar provision is created in relation to the States. Thus, it is the Opposition at the Centre and the States which will have a majority say in the composition of the Authority. 

What are the procedures to be followed ?


The procedures to be followed for investigations under this Act are extraordinary. No statement shall be recorded under section 161 of the CrPC. Victim statements shall be only under Section 164, that is,
before courts. The Government will have a power to intercept and block messages and telecommunications under this law. Under clause 74 of the Bill if an offence of hate propaganda is alleged against a person, a presumption of guilt shall exist unless the offender proves to the contrary. An allegation thus is equivalent to proof. Public servants under this Bill under clause 67 are liable to be proceeded against without any sanction from the State. The Special Public prosecutor to conduct proceedings under this Act shall not act in aid of truth but 'in the interest of the victim'. The name and identity of the victim complainant will not be disclosed. Progress of the case will be reported by the police to the victim complainant. The occurrence of organised communal and targeted violence under this Act shall amount to an internal disturbance in a State within the meaning of Article 355 entitling the Union Government to impose President's rule.

The drafting of this Bill appears to be the handiwork of those social entrepreneurs who have learnt from the Gujarat experience of how to fix senior leaders even when they are not liable for an offence.


Offences which are defined under the Bill have been deliberately left vague. Communal and targeted violence means violence which destroys the 'secular fabric of the nation'. There can be legitimate political differences as to what constitutes secularism. The phrase secularism can be construed differently by different persons. Which definition is the judge supposed to follow? Similarly, the creation of a hostile 'environment' may leave enough scope for a subjective decision as to what constitutes 'a hostile environment'. 

The inevitable consequences of such a law would be that in the event of any communal trouble the majority community would be assumed to be guilty. There would be a presumption of guilt unless otherwise proved. Only members of the majority community shall be held culpable under this law. Members of the minority community shall never commit an offence of hate propaganda or communal violence. There is a virtual statutory declaration of innocence under this law for them. The statutory authority prescribed at the Central and State level would intrinsically suffer from an institutional bias because of its membership structure based on caste and community.


I have no doubt that once this law is implemented with the intention with which it is being drafted, it will create disharmony in the inter-community relations in India. It is a law fraught with dangerous consequences. It is bound to be misused. Perhaps, that appears to be the real purpose behind its drafting. It will encourage minority communalism. The law defies the basic principles of equality
and fairness. Social entrepreneurs in the National Advisory Council can be expected to draft such a dangerous and discriminatory law. One wonders how the political head of that body cleared this draft. When some persons carried on a campaign against POTA -- an anti-terrorist law -- the members of the UPA argued that even terrorists should be tried under normal laws. A far more draconian law is now being proposed.


The States will be watching hopelessly when the Centre goes ahead with this misadventure. Their power is being usurped. The search for communal harmony is through fairness -- not through reverse discrimination.


The writer is Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.


http://dailypioneer.com/341425/A-Bill-that-damns-the-majority.html

Modi’s message: Will it work? Shift in Muslim vote inevitable

By GVL Narasimha Rao Narendra Modi’s Sadbhavana Mission is an attempt by the Gujarat Chief Minister to make Muslims equal partners in the process of development rather than treat them differently as vote banks. The message from the three-day fast by Narendra Modi is loud and clear. Muslims are an integral part of the state’s populace and they would neither be singled out for special treatment nor discriminated against. The results of such non-discriminating governance paradigm are already showing. The human development and economic well being indicators show that Muslims in Gujarat are a much better lot than their counterparts elsewhere in the country, notably in states ruled by pseudo-secular parties.  Hitherto, Muslims were taken in by the bogus promises of the Congress and other pseudo-secular parties. The Congress party and other ‘secular’ parties have always benefited immensely by demonising the BJP and its leaders among Muslims and developing the Muslim community as a vote bank. What they got in return was a raw deal from parties that secured their support. The condition of Muslims is the worst in states like West Bengal where the  Muslims overwhelmingly supported the Left regime for decades.  With his Sadbahavana Mission, Narendra Modi has begun a process of reconciliation with the minority community not by appeasement but by creating awareness and arousing aspirations for better development. Muslims are responding to Narendra Modi’s call because he is speaking with conviction and from a position of strength.  Nationwide, Narendra Modi is perceived to be an icon of development, a role model for efficient governance and a symbol of honest governance – virtues that are extremely rare to find in politics today. For the same reasons, Narendra Modi has been rated as the best Chief Minister in the country by India Today’s “Mood of the Nation” surveys year after year.  Muslims are also experiencing the same level of development as those belonging to other religions. In the last year’s local body polls in Gujarat, more than 120 corporators elected on BJP ticket were from the Muslim community. The tremendous response from the Muslim community to the Sadbhavana fast has rattled the Congress party so much that it has begun to organise campaigns in all districts of Gujarat to woo the minority voters. If Narendra Modi’s efforts pay off in next year’s assembly elections in Gujarat, he may be able to replicate elsewhere in the country. In that event, proving its critics wrong, the BJP may be in a position to dent the Muslim vote bank outside Gujarat as well. Had Muslims been vehemently opposed to Narendra Modi in Gujarat and unwilling to support his non-appeasement policy, the Congress party would have never felt threatened and organised campaigns to woo minorities. That Muslims would heavily oppose Narendra Modi in elections, if  he is given a national role is the most aggressively circulated myth by the opposition parties in the country.  The reality is that the Muslims have always voted vehemently against the BJP in national elections in 1996, 1998 and 1999 even when a moderate Atal Behari Vajpayee was projected as Prime Minister. Yet, the BJP emerged as the single largest party in all these elections and grew from strength to strength despite stiff resistance from the Muslims. What I am saying here about the Muslim consolidation against the BJP is based on evidence and not a hypothetical analysis. The same BJP which was not favoured by the Muslims attracted allies in 1998 and 1999 parliamentary elections despite the Muslim community’s fears and opposition to its ascension to power at the Centre. Admittedly, the allies needed the BJP because it had a popular leader in Vajpayee who could sway general masses. Muslims were also not opposed to Vajpayee as a leader and respected him, but they never supported the BJP in any significant measure in any election held under Vajpayee’s leadership. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had once told a media acquaintance in a personal conversation, ”Who wants the BJP to get the Muslim votes for us? We want the BJP to win Hindu votes for us.” For potential allies of the BJP, electoral success is all that matters and it does not matter whether the votes come from Hindus or Muslims. Alliance Expansion The BJP’s success in expanding the NDA would depend on the appeal and popularity of the BJP and its leadership. No party does anybody a favour in politics. Therefore, the BJP need not bend over backwards to appease any potential allies. Parties join the alliances for their own political success. Potential allies would like to deal with a party and a leader with stature, nationwide appeal, authority and an ability to strike deals. With the BJP on a bounce, a number of parties are likely to sign up with the NDA. The most likely allies would include the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Chautala led INLD, Ajit Singh led RLD, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) etc. Alliances with regional parties like Telugu Desam Party, YSR Congress and Trinamul Congress also cannot be ruled out. The future augurs well for the BJP and its return to power is being widely speculated. The BJP neither needs to dilute its ideology nor be apologetic about its non-appeasement policy for Muslims. The BJP is a national party with much strength and should not follow the minority agenda set by some regional allies for their own selfish considerations. Parties are known for their core beliefs and principles and they should never be compromised at the altar of short term political success.  Source: Organiser

Political Resolution passed in BJP National Executive Meeting

Bharatiya Janata Party
National Executive Meeting
New Delhi
30 Sep. - 01 Oct., 2011

Political Resolution

In the last National Executive Meeting at Lucknow, the BJP in its resolution had stated that Dr. Manmohan Singh presides over the most corrupt Union Government since independence. Each passing day only confirms this impression. Corruption is not because of compulsion of coalition politics as Dr. Manmohan Singh frequently states; rather the UPA Government itself is a coalition of the corrupt. Committing corruption and shielding the wrong door with impunity is the hallmark of its governance. Though, off late different standards are being followed in case of those of the allies who are accused of corruption and those who belong to the Congress Party.

In spite of damning revelations Dr. Manmohan Singh repeatedly asserts that the present Home Minister Shri P Chidambaram continues to enjoy his full confidence. The Office Memorandum of the Finance Ministry of March 25, 2011, which was in fact approved by the present Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukharjee raises serious questions about the role of Shri Chidambaram as Finance Minister when the whole 2G scam happened, which remains the worst case of corruption since independence. Now, Shri Mukharjee has confirmed that this memorandum was a collective effort of the Finance Ministry, the Prime Minister Office and the Cabinet Secretariat besides the Telecom Ministry.

The case against Shri Chidambaram is simple and straight forward. Confronted with the repeated stand of very senior officers of the then Finance Ministry as to how the rate determined in 2001 could be applied in 2007 without any proper current valuation, he as the Finance Minister send a note on 15/01/2008 to the Prime Minister inter-alia stating that “Spectrum is scarce resource and the most transparent method of allotting Spectrum would be through auction.” Not with standing this opinion for allotments already made the Minister observed “in such cases the past may be treated as a closed chapter”. The Prime Minister in his statement in the Rajya Sabha on 24/02/2011 also confirmed that though the Finance Minister had a different view when he sent his note on 15/01/2008 but subsequently in consultation with the Minister of Telecommunication the two worked out an agreed stand on the spectrum charges, which was reported to him on July 04, 2008. The latest Finance Ministry note dated 25/03/2011 which was prepared from the inputs of the PMO as well clearly mentions that the loss of revenue has occurred because “thus the Ministry of Finance implicitly agreed to the imposition of the same entry fee as prevailing in 2001 for licences allotted up to 31 Dec. 2008”. The country is entitled to know as to why Shri Chidambaram and his Ministry changed its position. Admittedly the changed position caused loss to the public exchequer and a substantial pecuniary advantage to certain private entities. In terms of the Union Cabinet decision of 2003 spectrum prices were to be determined by the Telecom Ministry in consultation with the Finance Ministry in a fair and transparent manner. Shri Chidambaram as Finance Minister failed to safeguard public interest and public revenue and colluded with Shri A Raja the then Telecom Minister in this case of massive corruption. If Shri A Raja is being prosecuted for causing wrongful loss of public revenue and of causing gain to certain private entities how can Shri P Chidambaram continue to enjoy the confidence of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh when the same charge is clearly maintainable against him. Did the Prime Minister do his home work well about the role of Shri Chidambaram or there is compulsion for him to express confidence in his favour lest “the embers of 2G fire may not reach the PMO”.

We need to remember that the entire decision to exclude spectrum pricing from the Term of Reference of GoM was taken unilaterally by Dr. Manmohan Singh without any Cabinet approval in the year 2006 at the instance of the then Telecom Minister Mr. Dayanidhi Maran. This led to the beginning of the spectrum scam. The Government on the other hand earned huge revenue of nearly Rs 67,000 crores against the target of Rs 35, 000 crores when the 3G spectrum was allocated in the year 2010 through transparent auction mechanism. The point to note is that Shri A Raja is in jail and Shri Dayanidhi Maran is to follow there very soon. What about the culpability of the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh who bye passed the cabinet and excluded spectrum pricing from the GoM jurisdiction which facilitated the massive 2G scam

Emboldened by the brazen support of the Prime Minister the CBI is refusing to investigate the role of Shri P Chidambaram in spite of mounting evidence against him. On the contrary it has questioned Ministers during the NDA regime Shri Jaswant Singh and Shri Arun Shourie both of whose reputation for impeccable integrity is too well known. They are being questioned for transactions which were transparent, in public domain and greatly benefited the Telecom sector. The credibility of CBI is again suspect. Now Shri Pranab Mukharjee has issued a curious statement on 29 Sep. 11 that the note of 25 March 2011 does not represent his view. He himself acknowledged that this office memorandum authoritatively prepared in consultation with many departments including the PMO had seen by him. This note raises serious questions about the role and complicity of Shri Chidambaram in not safeguarding public revenue by over-ruling the firm and consistent stand of his officers for a transparent mechanism for spectrum pricing. We also saw the theatrical comment of Shri Chidambaram in the presence of Shri Mukharjee that he accepts his explanation. It is not an internal matter of the Congress Party that efforts are being made for two senior Ministers to arrive at a patchwork solution with the intervention of the Party Chief  and then to suggest that the crisis is over. It deals with the public exchequer and public revenue and loss caused to the country. Shri Chidambaram has no moral authority or jurisdiction to comment about the acceptance of the explanation of Shri Pranab Mukharjee.  He is himself under serious cloud who contributed in the substantial loss of public revenue.

The BJP demands that Shri Chidambaram be removed from the Union Cabinet and he should also be prosecuted like Shri A Raja in the 2G corruption case.

Prime Minister Trying to divert from the main issue

When the BJP exposed the series of scams and acts of corruption of this Government suddenly we found the Prime Minister accusing the opposition of trying to destabilize the Government and force a mid-term poll. This is a comment of desperation by the Prime Minister designed to divert from the main issue. Neither the 2G nor the Commonwealth Games or many other scams of the UPA are attributable to the BJP or, the Opposition. The beneficiaries of the cash for Vote are in the Government. There is a civil and uncivil war between the Ministers. The Government is in destructive mode. It does not need the opposition to destabilize it.

Weakening of Institutions

Deeply enmeshed in corruption the Government is out to weaken various institutions and also compromise their integrity. Decisions taken and approved by the Cabinet are unilaterally changed by the Prime Minister. A proper authoritative note in the shape of a Government Memorandum prepared after elaborate inter Ministerial consultation including the PMO and approved by the Finance Minister is suddenly disowned because it points to the culpability of Shri Chidambaram. Institutions like CAG and CVC has rarely been subjected to such vicious attacks by the Ministers of the ruling party as has been done recently. The prestige of CVC could be restored only with the intervention of Supreme Court. Telengana Manipur are in deep turmoil but the Union Government appears to have almost abdicated its responsibility. The CBI is being abused to save Congress Ministers like Mr. Chidambaram and for other political considerations.

Whistle blowers targeted in the cash for Vote Scam

The manner in which the Delhi Police has sought to prosecute the whistle blower like the former BJP MPs Shri Faggan Singh Kulaste, Shri Mahavir Bhagora and Shri Sudhindra Kulkarni in the cash for vote scam is atrocious. It is too well known that Dr. Manmohan Singh Government survived the confidence vote during UPA I through corrupt and dubious means. About 19 MPs were induced to do cross voting in favour of the Government. The whistle blowers were exposing this most shameful saga of Indian democracy. For three years the Delhi Police did not undertake any investigation. In spite of repeated reprimand of the Supreme Court it did not investigate as to who were beneficiary of this scam. Shri Amar Singh was not a Minister in UPA I nor, was his then Samajwadi Party a part of Government. On whose behalf Shri Amar Singh was active in luring MPs to vote in favour of the UPA- I is the most important obvious question. Instead of investigating into the role of the leaders of the Congress Party and the Government who benefited directly from this scam the Police is harassing innocent whistle blowers. The BJP strongly stands with them and would further expose the sheer duplicity of the Congress led UPA Government in the entire country.

Congress not serious in the fight against corruption

When the UPA II completed it second year in office both the UPA Chairperson Smt. Sonia Gandhi and the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh declared their resolve to take strong action against the menace of corruption. Nothing could be more ironical and hollow. But for a very assertive campaign notably by the BJP, a vigilant media and because of monitoring by the Supreme Court no action would have been taken in any of the scams. On the contrary the Government abuses its authority to cover up the misdeeds of those who commit the worst sins of corruption. Former Telecom Minister Shri A Raja was given the certificate of innocence twice by the Prime Minister as is Shri Chidambaram who has his full confidence.

On the contrary the Government has sought to victimise those who have sought to expose the repeated acts of omission, commission, corruption and misdeeds of the UPA Government and sought accountability. The way Shri Anna Hazare was intially arrested and put in the Tihar Jail where all the other scam accused are lodged and subsequently released because of national outcry only confirms this. The brutal Police lathi-charge over the peaceful supporters of Baba Ramdeo in the midnight in the Ramlila Maidan which subsequently led to the death of one of his supporter Rajbala Verma only shows the extent to which this Government can go in crushing the voice of those who demand accountability. The BJP has always supported their cause because they were articulating the deep sense of disgust and distress which the people of India felt over the massive corruption of the UPA Government. The wrong doing of many other Ministers severely indicted for massive irregularity by the CAG including the role of Delhi Chief Minister Smt. Shiela Dixit in the Commonwealth Games, is being defended in the most shameful manner. The Shunglu committee earlier has pointed to serious wrong doings of the Govt of Shiela Dikshit in the arrangement of CWG games. The workers of the BJYM were mercilessly beaten by the Delhi police under the order of the Govt when they were protesting against the rampant corruption of the UPA.

The BJP is in favour of an effective Lokpal which covers the office of Prime Minister as well. The country recently has seen a grate movement in support of this cause all over the country. Whether the UPA Government will indeed bring about a proper and powerful Lokpal Bill still remains in doubt in view of its past record.

Shri L K Advani, former Deputy Prime Minister and the Leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party, right from 2009 has been demanding consistently that earnest and effective steps be taken for recovery of black money of Indian nationals deposited in foreign banks which are profits of crime and corruption. The BJP has made this issue almost a national movement and there is a great sense of outrage in the country. Even smaller countries of the world are taking effective steps in this regards. We repeatedly hear Constitution of multi disciplinary committees five prong strategy against black money. These are just hollow declarations and the Government lacks the political will to execute an effective and well meaning time bound programme to unearth black money and share with the people of the country the details of account holders abroad who continue to enjoy the profit of their crime. The Government knows that revealing the names of account holders will only cause embarrassment to it.

Terrorism continues unabated

Terrorists continue to strike at will causing the death of many innocent Indians. Right in the heart of the capital terrorist struck with impunity before the Delhi High Court recently in which dozens of innocent people were killed. Before that the Jhaweri Bazar in Mumbai was also the target of terrorist attack leading to massacre of many. There has been no worth while progress into the investigation of any of the terrorist attacks in the last two years. The terrorists ably supported by their patrons from across the border continue to commit terrorist acts in Delhi which is the Political Capital of India, Mumbai, the Financial Capital of India, even Varanasi, the spiritual capital of India and Bangalore, the knowledge capital of India. It is indeed a tragedy  that Afzal Guru till date has not been given the capital punishment inspite of so many years of SC judgement  In place of taking effective measures to contain it with resolute political will, the Government is giving the impression that is has almost given up. Now it is being advised by the eminent members of the National Advisory Council headed by Smt. Sonia Gandhi, to consider an ill conceived, ill advised and divisive Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Bill 2011. This Bill is rank discriminatory and has very dangerous implications for the unity, integrity and security of India. It proceeds on a dangerous presumption that only a majority community can commit communal violence and they can never be the victim of the same. It also seeks very unfortunately to subject even the justice delivery system on purely communal considerations because the underlying premise is that a minority group can get justice only if the National Authority for Communal Harmony and Justice (the body proposed in the Bill) has a majority of members belonging to the minority community. The Bill gives sweeping power to the Union Government to unsettle any democratically elected State Government. The BJP strongly opposes this Bill.

New BPL category an insult to poor

The Planning Commission, headed by the Prime Minister, in an affidavit formally filed before the Supreme Court has stated that in order to qualify for below the poverty line (BPL) category daily earning of Rs. 32 in the urban area and Rs. 25 in the rural area should be the benchmark. In view of all round inflation and difficulty being created by the UPA even in the availability of the very basic necessities for daily existence, this benchmark amounts to rubbing salt into the wound of aam adami. The BJP firmly rejects this patently anti people move and demands its recall and a fair revision of the same. The BJP demands that a proper pro-poor mechanism must be developed to identify and prepare a genuine list of people below the poverty line. There are many reports in this connection, which are also contradictory as far as the BPL category is concerned. The insistence by the Govt. to cap the number of BPL category in the different States is not fair because it will tend to conceal the real number of poor people.

The suffering of farmers continues

The Congress led UPA Govt. is completely indifferent to the plight of farmers. The scarcity of fertilizers as also its distributions is in a very sorry state of affairs. The centre discriminates in the allocation of fertilizers to non-UPA State Govts. Even reduced quota is not supplied causing misery to the farmers at the high of sowing seasons. Agriculture activity is now becoming costly because of inputs becoming costly itself. There is the need to develop a proper transparent mechanism to give good remunerative prices to the farmers.

Targeting non-UPA State Governments continues unabated

The UPA record of selectively targeting non-Congress non-UPA State Governments continues unabated. If it is the BJP State Government then it is subjected to all the more vicious attacks. Raj Bhawans in many of the BJP ruled States are increasingly becoming Congress Bhawans where a pliant Governor is violating all Constitutional propriety in destabilising democratically elected Government in the effort to bring Congress into power from the back door. The federal principal is being violated with impunity. The latest example concerns the appointment of the Lokayukta in Gujarat where the Governor acting in concert with the Congress leaders in the State completely bye passed a democratically elected BJP State Government and without any consultation appointed the Lokayukta. The BJP strongly condemns this patent unconstitutional trend and demands the recall of Gujarat State Governor. In the State of Bihar the governor continues to appoint with impunity Vice Chancellors to different Universities without the consultation with the State Govts inspite of legal obligations. He is doing so even when courts have struck down such appointments. On the one hand the Congress led Govt. protects corrupt leaders and the other hand the special courts of Madhya Pradesh Govt. to fast track the cases of corrupt employees is being kept pending by the central Govt.

The Jan Chetana Yatra of Shri L K Advani

The UPA rule has left a legacy of an insecure and suffering India. Common people are the worst hit. Inflation couple with soaring prices of the most basic food products and a general slow down has made their life miserable, continued terrorists attacks makes them insecure. All round rampant corruption patronised and protected by the UPA Government has deeply angered them. There is deep sense of distress and dismay and cynicism in the country over the repeated loot of massive amount of public money at the instance of those in the Union Government who were duty bound to protect it. Good Governance has become a casualty under the UPA. It has no political will to contain corruption. Many Congress leaders at senior level are deeply involved in promoting and patronising corruption without any fear of remedial action against them. In such a scenario of gloom Shri L K Advani has decided to undertake a Jan Chetana Yatra around the country to awaken the people of the country against the cancer of corruption and the quest for good governance. Shri L K Advani, one of the tallest national leaders, epitomises a long career of selfless service for the country whose personal integrity is indeed impeccable. The BJP National Executive calls upon all the party members around the country as also the people at large to make this Yatra a great success. The party exhorts the people of the country to join in this yatra in large number where ever it goes and convey their profound disapproval over the manner in which the Cong led UPA Govt has sought to shame India by it monumental corruption and bad governance. The BJP is confident that the people of the country who are mature and have the good of the country in their hearts would surely rise to the occasion and create conditions to awaken India once again for clean politics and good governance.

Worsening Indian Economy Under UPA Government - Arun Jaitley

Brief of the Talking Points made by Shri Arun Jaitley,
Leader of Opposition (Rajya Sabha)
While addressing the National Executive of the BJP at New Delhi

The current economic situation in India is quite worrisome as we watch helplessly the growth momentum slipping rapidly on account of high inflation and loss of business confidence because of failure of governance and corruption in high places.

The economic environment in the country has suddenly become dismal. The UPA blamed the Left Front for the paralysis in economic decision making during UPA-I. However, there is no such compulsion during UPA-II. The nation had expected the government to take policy decisions so that the economic activity in the country could be expedited. Regrettably, India is no longer being show-cased as an investment destination. There is a decline in economic activity. Infrastructure creation has taken a back seat. Success stories like the National highway Development programme and the Telecom sector have been plagued by scandals. The ministerial choice in some of these departments has been questionable. The government has run out of ideas on how to control inflation. The only step taken so far to control inflation is to hike the interest rates repeatedly which are creating a credit squeeze in the country. No effort is being made to generate further economic activity in various sectors so as to address the supply side problem. Policy initiatives in the matter of economic reforms have come to a stand still. The situation created on account of increase in oil prices has added to the woes of the common man. Not only is he burdened with increase on account of the rise in the price of international crude, he is further burdened by the ad-valorem tax structures where government revenue also increases with every hike in prices. The entire burden has been passed on to the consumers adversely affecting the Aam Admi and the farmers. A heartless government ruthlessly increases the oil prices periodically and hikes interest rates every quarter. This is making the economy sluggish. The lack of initiative in infrastructure and policy formulation fronts has contributed to the depleting investment environment in the country. India is now in the news for the wrong reasons. The maximum cases of corruption particularly corruption of high values and in high places has adversely affected the investment environment in the country.

The cumulative effect of the above situation is that it has contributed to decline in economic activity, loss of jobs, depleting revenue and a flight of investment. High levels of inflation have worsened the investment environment. We are now on the door steps of a visible slow down coupled with high inflation.

Though the monsoon this year has been encouraging and it promises a good agriculture harvest, the Indian farmer is still faced with the inevitable sequence of the rising input costs and moderate procurement values. The indebtedness of the farmer leading to several suicides still presents a gloomy picture.

The UPA Government came to power on the slogan of watching the interest of the Aam Admi. It has played a cruel joke on the poor of this country by having the planning commission recommend that Rs.32/- per day (less than 1 Dollar) is enough for a person to be classified as non-poor. Being non-poor would deny to such a person the benefit of State support in many areas where subsidies are intended to help the poor man. Having committed this blunder, there does not appear to be serious introspection in the Government to retract from this position.

GDP Decline

When the FM presented Budget 2011, he was very optimistic that he would achieve a growth rate of 9 per cent with an outside band of +/- 0.25 per cent in 2011-12. But the latest trends paint a rather gloomy picture. The first quarter GDP growth rate is only 7.7% in 2011-12.

The precipitative fall in GDP is because of the slowing IIP (the Index of Industrial Production). The IIP was a mere 3.3% in July 2011 as compared to 9.9% in July 2010. The IIP growth in April to July 2011 was 5.8% as compared to 9.7% in the April-July 2010 .

The industrial growth slowdown is markedly severe in Mining and Construction . The growth in Mining is only 1.8% in first quarter of 2011-12 as compared to 7.4% in the first quarter of 2010-11 and 7.2% in the first quarter of 2009-10. For construction, the growth in the first quarter of 2011-12 is 1.2% as compared to 7.7% in 2010-11 first quarter and 5.4% in 2009-10 first quarter. The manufacturing sector is showing all signs of a major slowdown. The quarterly growth rates which increased from a low of 4.3% in first quarter of 2009-10 to peak at 15.2% in the last quarter of 2009-10 declined steadily during 2010-11 and the first quarter of 2011-12 it was at 7.2% growth rate. There are thus significant possibility of a major slowdown. With interest rates tightening and inflation leading to rising input costs, the industrial growth story is in complete disarray as on date.

Capital Goods

In fact, if the components of IIP are analyzed, it is seen that growth in Capital Goods which was 40.7% in July 2010 is now a negative of 15.2% in July 2011. The growth in capital goods in April-July 2010-11 was 23.1% has reduced to 7.6% in April-July 2011-12. Similarly, in intermediate goods , the growth in July 2011 turned negative to 1.1% as against 5.8% in July 2010. The growth in intermediate goods which was 10.1% in April-July 2010-11 declined to 0.8% in April-July 2011-12.

There is a marginal slowdown in the Core infrastructure supportive industries such as steel, cement, fertilizers, coal, oil and gas from 6.5% in April-July 2010-11 to 5.8% in April-July 2011-12.

Credit Squeeze

The monetary market has undergone a process of tightening as RBI increased the Repo rates 4 times so far in the current financial year, a cumulative of 150 basis points. With the cost of borrowing moving northward, business is finding it all the more disheartening to pump fresh investments.

Revenue Situation

The revenue position of the Government is also not satisfactory. The budgeted revenue projections (18%) were based on an assumed GDP growth rate of 9% and an anticipation that inflation would remain pegged at around 5%. In the current scenario, the GDP has already slipped to 7.7% and given the inflationary trend close to double digits and the international situation , with US and EU economies faltering under sovereign debt defaults/downward ratings, one would not be surprised if the current years’ GDP falls further. That would throw the revenue receipts off gear completely. The signs of a major slippage in revenue growth are already there. Tax revenue (net) during April-July 2011-12 recorded an increase of only 1.1%. The tax –revenue growth during the corresponding period of 2010-11 was 30.7%. The drastic reduction is certainly indicative of the shrinking health of the economy.

Fiscal Deficit

This brings us to the issue of the fiscal deficit. Containing the fiscal deficit to the levels promised in the Budget (4.6% of GDP) is important to manage and contain public debt to sustainable levels in the long term and inflation in the short term which is the major concern. The current situation is that fiscal deficit as a percentage of the revenue receipts of 2011-12 (BE) is 55.4% as compared to 23.8% of the corresponding period in 2010-11. The revenue deficit is at 63.4% of revenue receipts of 2011-12 (BE) as compared to 18.1% of the corresponding period in 2010-11. The primary deficit is at a whopping 111.3% of the revenue receipts of 2011-12(BE) as compared to 24.5% of the corresponding period in 2010-11. If today’s media reports are seen, the Government has decided to borrow Rs. 53,000 Crores more from the markets than budgeted. This can hardly be called fiscal consolidation ..it is in fact fiscal derailment. With no scope for another windfall bonanza like the 3G auction, the Government seems to be in a desperate situation. The UPA which has all along given lip service to disinvestment now seems to be clutching this as the last straw to bail itself out. With a Government crippled from within, there is not even a ray of hope that anything significant would happen.

Inflation

With ballooning fiscal deficit funded by increased public borrowings, the economy which appeared to be coming out of the grip of high inflation of around 20.2 % in February 2010 to 9.3% in January 2011 is once again being lapped up by another vicious inflationary spiral as the inflation is inching up again towards the double digit figure. The inflation in August 2011 is reported at 9.78% which is the highest in the last 13 months. The inflation for July 2011 is 9.22 %. Sustained high inflation is the cause for slackening business confidence and a declining trend in investments.

FDI inflows Declining

FDI in India has been on the decline since 2008.In 2008, the FDI was 42.5 billion USD which reduced to 35.7 billion USD in 2009 and 24.6 billion USD in 2010.(UNCTAD report). As per the DIPP, the pure equity FDI inflows in India declined from 27.33 billion USD in 2008-09 to 25.83 billion USD in 2009-10 to 19.4 billion USD in 2007-08. The trend in the current year is not too encouraging as in April 2011 only 3 billion USD inflow is recorded. As per a UN report, FDI inflow increased significantly in other BRIC countries during the same period. India’s position in FDI slipped from 8^th to the 14^th position. Even Bangladesh has registered a growth in FDI during this period.

Indian Industries moving out

On the other hand, there is a trend of Indian industries investing abroad in greater measure as they find other economies as more conducive. The outbound FDI which was in the range of 20 billion USD in FY 2009 and FY 2010 has more than doubled in 2011 to 44 billion USD. With capital flight, there is loss of jobs and growth opportunities. The UPA has miserably failed in inspiring the investors both inland and external.

Exports

There seems to be some good music on the Exports front which increased by 81.8 % in July 2011 as compared to July 2010 while imports grew at 53.98% during the same period. The export growth in August 2011 is 44.2%. To a dispassionate viewer, this data would be rather puzzling. We all know that the US and EU economies are going through a very trying time. They are traditionally India’s trading partners contributing the maximum export demand. If these economies are not importing as much as they should be, the question arises as to who is importing from India. There are media reports that a recent IMF study showed that imports from India as reported by other countries do not add up to these exports figures. There are also reports that black money stashed abroad is being illegally brought back as export proceeds through over invoicing. But if the Government is serious to know the truth and plug the loopholes, it should examine these allegations seriously instead of trying to bask in glory where none exists.

There has been much talk by the UPA of channelizing investments in to the infrastructure sector through the PPP route. It has been seven years of UPA rule but no major achievement is worth citing.

To sum up, the current economic scenario in India is one of stagnation in growth saddled with high inflation. Whether it can be strictly called stagflation is a technical issue, but the features all seem to be there. There is a decline of growth with all round increase in prices. It is a structural problem created by the UPA’s inability to bring forth the correct policy prescriptions to a dynamically changing scenario. The reforms that were due have not happened. There is crony capitalism, corruption and the increasing tolerance for the same within the UPA. The economist Prime Minister appears to be helpless.

Delink the Issue of Bangladeshi Infiltration from Vote Politics—Arun Jaitley

"INFILTRATION from Bangladesh has posed a major threat to security of the entire north eastern region. The central and the state governments have no political will to show who is foreigner and who is not in the region. Time has come to take effective measures to detect and deport the infiltrators as the menace has made deep impact on the society, economy and security of the entire region. Since the issue is of national importance it should be delinked from the vote politics,” said senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley on September 20. He was delivering a lecture on “Current Issues of North-Eastern India” organised by North East India Sampark Cell of BJP at party headquarters in New Delhi. 

A large number of advocates, law students and student leaders from north eastern states who settled in New Delhi and the national capital region, participated in the function. 

Shri Jaitley said the BJP has a very clear stand on the issue of infiltration. “BJP is clear on it and feels that detection and deportation of infiltrators is necessary. You cannot allow the demographic and cultural character of some of these states to be completely altered,” he said. “To solve the problems of North East, what is extremely important is to put an end to the porous borders and check further infiltration. We need to have a legal mechanism and separate Tribunals to solve the problems,” he said.

With an obvious reference to Congress party, he charged various political parties with indulging in “vote-bank politics” while dealing with the infiltrators. These political parties, he said, thought that “they cannot politically succeed” without them. “And therefore, there was a conscious effort to alter the demography of these regions—some parts of Assam and Tripura, which are the areas which got adversely affected due to large-scale infiltration,” he said.

Talking about the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, he said the country requires a twin mechanism. “We will need security to eliminate terror and infiltration where security is required. But you also need a safeguard to ensure there is no abuse of this security,” he said. “Mind space in relation to Kashmir should be in relation to North-East also,” he said.

Maintaining that North-East was worst affected due to the country’s Partition, he said access through Bangladesh to the region would reduce the distance by 700-800 kms and would also lead to accelerated development. “When the Prime Minister recently visited Bangladesh, I had expected that the issue of access would be clinched, but it did not happen,” he said.

He said the North East issues should be top of our agenda. “We have to identify the areas of core competence for generation of economy in north east. There is need for raising infrastructure i.e. roads, railways, inland water, communication, etc,” he added.

Seeking a dialogue with neighbouring countries to resolve border issues and infiltration, he said it would bring normalcy in the north east region. “While negotiating this, the sentiments of the people and the country are required to be taken. Government negotiators have to be particularly conscious of India’s territorial sovereignty,” he cautioned.

Stating that the huge presence of students, professionals and employees from the North East region in various sectors in metro cities is a welcome sign.

Earlier, convener of North East India Sampark Cell Sunil Deodhar said the situation in North East with regard to security, development, educational and medical facilities was worst compared to the rest of India. Parents are left with no choice but to send their wards to metropolitan cities for higher education, where they face discrimination on account of their mongoloid features. The BJP has established the Sampark Cell with a view to prevent such discrimination as also to integrate the people of the region into the national mainstream, he said.

Expressing solidarity with the earthquake victims of Sikkim Shri Deodhar said party president Shri Nitin Gadkari has directed the party workers to extend every possible relief to the victims.

Source: http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=417&page=40

Its serious: Govt legitimised encroachment of Indian territories by B’desh

Source: News Bharati

---

visit of the PM of India to Bangladesh

---

New Delhi, October 2: The Bharatiya Janata Party has accused UPA Government for legitimising encroachment of Indian territories by Bangladesh and has expressed deep concerns that the people in border areas are agitated because they rightly feel that the Government of India has legitimised encroachment of Indian territories by Bangladesh through the September 6, 2011 Agreement, which amounts to formally transferring land illegally occupied by erstwhile East Pakistan and later Bangladesh over the years.

Manmohan Singh has signed a Protocol to the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh, which paves the way for settlement of the long pending land boundary issues including the undemarcated areas, territories under adverse possession and exchange of enclaves. The ‘historic’ agreement facilitates 24-hour unfettered access to Bangladesh nationals through the Tin Bigha Corridor.

The BJP has pointed out a very serious distress about the India-Bangladesh Land Transfer Agreement between India and Banlgadesh during the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Bangladesh on September 5-6, 2011. In its Political resolution, the Bharatiya Janata Party has commented that, In the name of rationalisation of adversely possessed lands and exchanging enclaves of Bangladesh in India and vice versa, the rights and interests of the local population have been severely compromised, leading to unrest throughout Assam and in many parts of North Bengal.

BJP has charged that the Government has ignored the feelings and sentiments of the people of the Border States of Assam and West Bengal. Recently a committee of MPs and other Central and State leaders under the leadership of Shri SS Ahluwalia, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, visited the affected border districts of the two States. The team examined the ground situation and spoke to a large number of persons to assess their grievances.

The team found widespread confusion and anxiety prevailing among the people because they had not been taken into confidence in this matter. The people are agitated because they rightly feel that the Government of India has legitimised encroachment of Indian territories by Bangladesh through the September 6, 2011 Agreement, which amounts to formally transferring land illegally occupied by erstwhile East Pakistan and later Bangladesh over the years. Apart from Assam and West Bengal, there are anxieties in Tripura and Mizoram. In Tripura some land near Chandan Nagar is scheduled to be transformed which is being opposed by the settled population of Indian there.

BJP’s political resolution claims that although nearly 1,500 survey maps were exchanged between Indian and Bangladeshi officials before re-demarcation of the border, these maps are not in the public domain. Indian Security forces stationed on the border are also in the dark about the precise redrawing of the border. Indian farmers who appear to have finally lost their ancestral lands as part of the exchange are in the dark about whether they will be allotted equivalent land inside Indian territories or receive monetary compensation in lieu thereof. They fear they may become refugees in their own country.

The BJP has demanded that the Government should put the complete details of the land transfer protocols with all relevant survey maps before Parliament. The Party wants a comprehensive discussion in the Winter Session of Parliament before the Government takes any steps to part with Indian territories.

BJP has stated that improving ties with Bangladesh and curbing activities of separatists cannot be at the cost of the livelihood and properties of Indian citizens living in the affected border regions.

The BJP has passed resolution which also stresses that the demographic invasion of India by illegal Bangladeshi migrants has already severely affected the identity, culture and social cohesion of many parts of Assam and West Bengal. No further compromise with the country’s national interests can be permitted. The BJP pledges to fight for the rights of people adversely impacted by the Land Transfer Agreement of September 6, 2011 and demands that the Government come clean before the winter session of the Parliament.

BJP seeks all party meet on Telangana

0
inShare

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh BJP today appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to convene an all- party meeting to discuss and resolve the issue of separate statehood for Telangana region, which is witnessing a crippling general strike for over two weeks now.

'Sakar Janula Samme' (general strike) in support of Telangana state entered the 17th day today. The stir has spread to virtually all departments and is even affecting functioning of private establishments in the region, State BJP spokesperson N V S S Prabhakar told reporters here.

The Prime Minister should initiate steps to convene an all-party meeting to find a solution of the long-pending issue, he said.

The Centre should announce creation of Telangana state before the situation goes out of hand, he maintained.

The Congress-led UPA Government has been wasting time by holding only talks with MLAs and MPs of the region and not announcing concrete steps, the BJP leader said.

The people of Telangana are fed up with the culture of setting up different committees by the Centre on the decades- old issue, Prabhakar said.

Source : http://ibnlive.in.com/news/bjp-seeks-all-party-meet-on-telangana/188735-60-114.html

BJP never treated Muslims as vote bank, says Najma Heptullah

---

Accuses the Congress of having failed to improve the lot of the Muslims

---

HYDERABAD: Former Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Najma Heptullah on Wednesday said the BJP never treated Muslims as mere vote banks and always believed that they had equal rights like other citizens.

Addressing a meeting of the BJP's State Minority Morcha, she accused the Congress of having failed to improve the lot of the Muslims after having promised for more than 60 years that it would protect their interests. As a result, the Sachar Committee was appointed and it mentioned that the minorities, particularly a majority of Muslims, remained below poverty line and that they did not get their share in the progress.

If the Congress was truly sympathetic towards Muslims, would it accept the Sachar Committee report? she said. She said around 36 per cent of the country's population was being ruled by BJP and its allies in nine States, while 31 per cent by Congress-ruled States. The 36 per cent of the BJP would jump to 63 per cent in the next elections, she claimed.
Equal pace

She said under the BJP government, Muslims in Gujarat had progressed at an equal pace with Hindus. BJP never discriminated in the name of religion. Secularism was nothing but development in the right manner. “Bihar too is witnessing secular development,” she added.

She urged State BJP leaders to make people aware about corruption under the Congress regime and the failure to control prices.
Telangana

She reiterated that the BJP would extend support if a Bill for creation of Telangana was introduced in Parliament.

Earlier, in a brief chat with reporters, she said that the corrupt Ministers in the Union Cabinet would go to jail. She said the Congress was day-dreaming of returning to power at the Centre in 2014.

Source : http://www.hindu.com/2011/06/30/stories/2011063065890600.htm

Don't vote for Congress: Baba Ramdev

Source: News Bharati

---

रामदेव ने झांसी से शुरू की स्वाभिमान यात्रा

---

Hardoi (UP), September 30 : Blaming Congress for rise in corruption, Yog guru Baba Ramdev today urged public not to vote for the party in state and general elections.

"Congress is responsible for rise in corruption in the country. You (public) all should ensure that its candidates do not win in Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha polls," Ramdev told reporters here. He said faulty economic policies of the UPA government have resulted in rise of poverty.

Addressing a gathering here, Baba Ramdev said Jan Lokpal Bill will help in reduce corruption among those sitting at top government posts to some extent. "There are more than ten crore government officials in the country of we combine all those working at the Centre and in various State Governments. How will one Lokpal have control over all of them? So, Lokpal is a step in the whole process of getting rid of corruption. We can control corruption to some extent at the higher level through Lokpal," said Yog guru.

"For that we will have to take a bigger step, we will have to change the economic policies. If we bring a change in our economic policies and formulate laws, we can get rid of hundred percent corruption in the country and all the illegal wealth stashed abroad can be brought back to the country," he added.

Ramdev further said the Parliament will have to play a prominent role in this whole process of getting rid of corruption and bringing back all the illegal wealth stashed in safe havens abroad.

"Third question arises as to who will do this. In a democratic political system, only the Parliament has this power. We will have to send the people in the Parliament. So, we have taken the path of awakening the people of the country. The people of the country have now woke up and come to know the power of the country," said Ramdev.

"The day we recognise the power of the country and the power beneath us, that day India will be all ready to lead the whole world," he added.

BJP’s Jan Chetna Yatra for Good Governance and Clean Politics

Source: News Bharati

---

L K Advani

---

New Delhi, September 29: Veteran BJP leader L.K. Advani will lead a Jan Chetna Yatra for good governance and clean politics. BJP president Nitin Gadkari announced that the Jan Chetana Yatra is being organised to give a voice to the deep distress in the society which is disgusted with the series of scams causing massive loot of public money in the UPA regime. Gadkari told that the Yatra will start from 11 October from Sitab Diara in Bihar the birth place of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narain.

BJP President Nitin Gadkari said that the country is main objective of the Jan Chetna Yatra will be to create awareness among the people about the need to establish an accountable, transparent democratic system which is sensitive to the problems facing the common man and is free from corruption. He added that rule of law, transparency in administration and people’s participation will also be the principle themes of this Yatra.

Gadkari insisted that Jan Chetna yatra will also focus on the need to educate the masses about the details of the monumental corruption scandals of the Congress government at the centre going beyond the rhetoric of media headlines.

BJP is all set to make the Yatra a great success. Nitin Gadkari has appointed party general secretary Shri Anant Kumar as Chief Convener. Party general secretary Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad along with two party secretaries Shri Murlidhar Rao and Shri Shyam Jaju will be  co-conveners of this Yatra.

The Yatra will focus on reforms in four significant sectors:  Administrative reforms; Electoral reforms; judicial reforms and Political reforms. The Yatra will also apprise the people of the BJP’s approach on the vital issues of good governance and clean politics as well as the multi-pronged strategies adopted by the party in this regard, inside and outside the parliament.

UPA suffering from anarchy of leadership crisis : BJP

Source: News Bharati

---

Ravi Shankar Prasad (File Photo)

---

New Delhi, September 30 : The BJP on Friday launched a fresh broadside at the UPA government as its national executive meet started in the national capital on Friday. BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad, briefing the media on party president Nitin Gadkari's opening speech at the national executive meet, took on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his inability to control corruption in his government.

"The UPA government is suffering from anarchy of leadership crisis," Prasad said, adding, "Why is Manmohan Singh holding the prime minister's post if he is so indifferent and oblivious of people's problem?" The main opposition party, which met to fine tune the strategy for veteran leader L.K. Advani's yatra against corruption, turned the heat on the government.

Prasad trained his guns on the government over the 2G spectrum allocation scam insisting that Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was wrong to give a clean chit to Home Minister P. Chidambaram. He sought to know why the CBI was not inclined to question the former finance minister.

Dismissing Mukherjee's clean chit to Chidambaram on the 2G note, Prasad said the finance minister had made a "comical" statement on Thursday. He insisted that Chidambaram should be in jail for his role in the 2G case.

Prasad denied reports thatGujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who missed the first day of the meet, has been upset with the party. "It is wrong to say that he has not come on account of differences, but it is because of Navratra. Yeddyurappa is performing shradh of his deceased wife," Prasad said, adding, "Narendra Modi is one of the candidates for prime ministership and as it has been stated, the issue will be decided by the parliamentary board."

Talking about the forthcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Prasad said the BJP would fight the election on its own and there would be no tie-up with the BSP or the Samajwadi Party. Saying the BJP's position in the state was improving and the party "may be able to come to power" Prasad said there was a triangle in the state involving the Congress, SP and BSP.

"There will be no alliance with any party in any situation. We would prefer sitting in the Opposition (if party loses)," he added.

Protect truth, not tainted minister: BJP to PM

Source: News Bharati

---

The BJP accused the govt of protecting Chidambaram and instead targeting DMK ministers.

---

New Delhi: The BJP on Wednesday slammed the Prime Minister for defending Home Minister P Chidambaram in the 2G spectrum scam accusing the government of having double standards on their policies.

BJP spokesperson Arun Jaitley said that the Prime Minister has distanced himself from ground realities and is living in denial. "The Prime Minister says he has full confidence in Chidambaram and he will save his ministers. The Prime Minister instead of protecting tainted ministers should be seen protecting the truth," Jaitley said.

BJP leader Sushma Swaraj said that Chidambaram is equally liable in the 2G scam as former telecom minister A Raja. She accused the CBI of trying to save Chidambaram.

"The CBI has recorded the statements of Arun Shourie and Jaswant Singh, but they have a different stand on Chidambaram," Swaraj said. The CBI had on Tuesday said in the Supreme Court that there was no need to investigate Chidamabaram's role further.

Questioning the UPA's policies, Swaraj said, "This is a unique coalition policy that if a coalition partner is involved then take action, but if one of their own minister is involved then save the minister."

Targeting the Prime Minister for saying that the Opposition is trying to destabilise the government, Jaitley said that the destabilisation within the government is due to its own doings. "We don't even need to destabilise the government, it is collapsing under its own contradictions," Jaitley said.

Demanding a full enquiry into the 2G Scam, Swaraj said that according to the 2G case files, the Prime Minister had full knowledge of everything. As the war of words continues between the government and the Opposition, it remains to be seen whether or not Chidambaram will be probed by the CBI in the 2G scam as the Supreme Court continues hearing Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy's petition on Wednesday.

How accused Chidambaram ‘accepts’ Pranab ‘explanation’?

Source: News Bharati

---

How accused Chidu ‘accepts’ Pranab ‘explanation’?

New Delhi, September 29: BJP has slammed Chidambaram’s acceptance and Pranab Mukherjee’s hasty explanation saying that Pranab’s disapproval of the ‘note’ is insignificant as it is a matter concerning government exchequer and not an ego issue between ministers.

Within half an hour of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s statement today, the BJP slammed Congress. BJP spokesperson Ravi Sankar Prasad said, “Home Minister P Chidambaram has no right to accept Mukherjee’s explanation.”

“You are an accused, Mr Chidambaram”, he said directly blaming Chidambaram. “This country is not going to accept this completely untenable explanation of Pranab Mukherjee,” said Prasad.

Congress conducted many meetings during the day. Earlier, after parley for days on the controversy over the 25 March 2011 note from the Finance Ministry to the Prime Minister’s Office.

The document that was prepared on 11 March this year by deputy director P G S Rao in the Finance Ministry’s department of economic affairs on the allocation and pricing of 2G spectrum from 2003 and sent it to the Prime Minister. The document came to the public domain as a response to a Right to Information query and on a platter for litigant Subramanian Swamy and the opposition BJP.

The accompanying information—“A copy of basic facts prepared on allocation and pricing of 2G spectrum is enclosed. This has been seen by the finance minister (Pranab Mukherjee)”—perhaps gave the UPA government the biggest shocker in its second term. Chidambaram stands implicated in the memorandum for his decision on the spectrum pricing when he was the country’s Finance Minister.

The memorandum said, “…the fact that a Telecom Commission meeting on the issue was scheduled on 15 January 2008 was also mentioned; no response, however, was sent by DEA to DoT… Finally, a note was sent by the then finance minister (Chidambaram) to the Prime Minister on 15 January 2008. The note of the finance minister did not deal with the need, if any, to revise entry fee or the rate of revenue share.”

Mukherjee finally came out to give the government’s take on it. Mukherjee read out a written statement within minutes putting the whole blame of the controversial note on a junior official of his ministry.

As Mukherjee concluded his statement Chidambaram immediately commented that he accepts what the Finance Minister said and called this ‘chapter’ closed.

Pranab’s surrendering statement and Chidambaram’s hasty acceptance is being seen as a mystery inside the congress party. People are saying that this is not a question either between Ministers or of the Congress. There is growing demand that Congress kingpins should come clear on the issue by kicking out Chidambaram who is accused in the 2g scam.

WHISTLE-BLOWERS MUST BE HAILED, NOT JAILED: Advani

by LK Advani

In August 2005, the Rashtrapati set up the second Administrative Reforms Commission headed by Shri Veerappa Moily “to prepare a detailed blueprint for revamping the public administration system.”


The Fourth Report of the Commission is titled “Ethics in Governance”. The Preface of this report carries this quotation of Mahatma Gandhi at the top:


As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world -that is the myth of the atomic age – as in being able to remake ourselves.


The Preface opens with this paragraph:


The Mahatma’s vision of a strong and prosperous India - Purna Swaraj – can never become a reality if we do not address the issues of the stranglehold of corruption on our polity, economy and society in general.


The report goes on to describe the crucial role played by ‘whistle-blowers’ in exposing corruption and why therefore legislation against corruption must include laws to protect whistle-blowers. The report says:


Public servants who work in a department/agency know the antecedents and activities of others in their organization. They are, however, often unwilling to share the information for fear of reprisal.


If adequate statutory protection is granted, there is every likelihood that the government would be able to get substantial information about corruption.


The term ‘whistle-blowing’ itself is a relatively recent addition to our lexicon. In the United States, in the post-Watergate era, after the trials and tribulations of Daniel Ellsberg , the man who ‘blew the whistle’ on the so called “Pentagon papers”, whistle blowing has not only been protected by statute, but is also encouraged as an ethical duty on the part of the citizens.


Laws providing such protection exist in the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand.


The Law Commission in its 179th Report has proposed a Public Interest Disclosure (Protection of Informers) Bill, which provides protection to whistle-blowers. This ARC report goes on to cite the tragic examples of two Indians who while performing this ethical duty of exposing corruption had to pay for it with their lives.


The Report says: “Manjunath Shanmugam working with Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) was a graduate of the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow. He refused bribes and ignored threats to his life in his fight against adulteration by the petrol pump owners. He paid the price. He was shot dead on 19th November, 2005, allegedly at the behest of corrupt petrol pump owners.


“Satyendra Dubey, working with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) exposed the rampant corruption in construction of roads. He was also found dead on 27th November, 2003”.


* * *


I have quoted all this above because I hold that in the political history of Independent India, the Cash for Votes Scandal has been the most shameful.


If has been a black spot not only for the UPA Government; it has besmirched Indian democracy as well.


And the three MPs who exposed the Government’s dark deed have rendered a signal service to democracy. And Government, whose official ARC report has emphasized that this kind of whistle blowing merits not only statutory protection but is an ethical act as well. Statutory protection may be necessary for government employees. But for Members of Parliament ethical conduct is a justification by itself.


When on September 6 evening I heard that two of the three MPs who had acted as whistle blowers had been sent to jail, I did feel extremely upset. It made me say in the House on the last day of the session: “I knew that they intended to place the entire bribe money on the Table of the House. If I felt that they were doing anything wrong, as Leader of the Party I would have stopped them. If, however, Government thinks that what they have done is wrong and so has put them behind bars I would like to tell the Treasury Benches, I am even more guilty because I did not restrain them. Send me also to Tihar.”


The three MPs who made history in 2008 by laying bare this scam were Kulaste, a Tribal, Bhagora and Argal, both Scheduled Caste. Obviously those who approached them with cash presumed that these MPs would be vulnerable. Argal is a sitting Member and so his case has been referred by the Speaker to the Attorney General.

Source: lkadvani.in