Saturday, January 22, 2011

UID Number, a tool for holocaust in Bihar

Addressing a meeting of divisional commissioners and DMs on 21st January in Patna, chief minister Nitish Kumar asked them to concentrate on three programmes: census, unique photo identity card and upcoming panchayat elections.

It must be noted that seventeen eminent individuals have raised concerns on the manner in which Unique Identification Authority (UIDAI) has been constituted on basis of government notification and the risks it poses to civil liberties with the convergence of UID and NATgrid project.

Through a signed letter the activists working in different areas have asked the government to halt the project, initiate a feasibility study, analyze the constitutional implications, bring a privacy act, do a cost benefit analysis and initiate a public debate on the UID.  The signatories included Justice VR Krishna Iyer, Prof Romila Thapar, K.G.Kannabiran, Kavita Srivastava, Aruna Roy, Nikhil Dey, S.R.Sankaran, Deep Joshi, Upendra Baxi, Uma Chakravarthi, Shohini Ghosh, Amar Kanwar, Bezwada Wilson, Trilochan Sastry, Prof. Jagdeep S. Chhokar, Shabnam Hashmi and Justice A.P.Shah.

UID is direct opposite of the Right To Information (RTI) Act. The RTI enables citizens to know everything about the government and UID will allow government to know everything about citizen. Justice A P Shah, retired judge of Delhi High Court expressed his apprehensions that various actors of the state may misuse such information in case of state sponsored violence. 
Concerns about privacy, surveillance, profiling as a result of the UID Number led to countries like US, Australia and UK abandoning such Nazi projects.

जयपुर साहित्य उत्सव की जाँच करें


'नागरिक समाज' की पहल के बतौर 2006 में शुरू हुआ जयपुर साहित्य उत्सव पांच वर्षों में डी एस सी लिमिटेड द्वारा प्रायोजित साहित्य उत्सव का रूप ले चुका है. यह ज़रूरी है कि इस उत्सव के सहारे कंपनियों के जन-संपर्क प्रयासों और कॉर्पोरेट सामाजिक दायित्व के दावों पर विचार हो. इस उत्सव को प्रायोजित करने वाली कुछ कंपनियों की पड़ताल से चिंताजनक तस्वीर उभरती है-
  • दिल्ली में हालिया संपन्न भ्रष्टाचार के आरोपों से घिरे राष्ट्रमंडल खेलों की जाँच कर रहे केन्द्रीय सतर्कता आयोग ने पाया है कि डी एस पी लिमिटेड को 23% से अधिक की दर से ठेके आवंटित किये गए थे.
  • दुनिया की तीसरी सबसे बड़ी खनन कंपनी रिओ टिंटो समूह के सम्बन्ध कई फासीवादी और नस्लवादी सरकारों से रहे हैं और उस पर दशकों से दुनिया भर में मानवीय, पर्यावरण और श्रमिक अधिकारों के उलंघन के आरोप हैं
  • दुनिया की सबसे बड़ी ऊर्जा कम्पनी और आय के हिसाब से सबसे बड़ी कम्पनी शेल तेल कम्वानी नाईजीरिया के लेखक और पर्यावरण कार्यकर्त्ता केन सारो वीवा की मौत की ज़िम्मेदार है
इस उत्सव में हिस्सा ले रहे प्रतिनिधियों के लिये क्या यह संभव है कि वे ओगोनी छात्र संघ के जनवरी 4, 2011 की उस मांग को नैतिक समर्थन दें जिसमें छात्र संघ ने संयुक्त राष्ट्र संघ के आदिवासियों के अधिकारों संबंधी घोषणा की 18 वीं वर्षगांठ पर नीदरलैंड की सांसद से चुप्पी तोड़ते हुए शेल तेल कम्पनी को ओगोनी समुदाय के शोषण, उनके पर्यावरण की बर्बादी और नाईजीरियाई डेल्टा में रह रहे निवासियों की ज़िंदगी तबाह करने के लिये जिम्मेवार ठहराने और कम्पनी को नाईजीरिया से बाहर करने की मांग की है?
क्या साहित्य को सत्य की परवाह नहीं होती? या वह उन मौकों की तलाश में रहता है जब विभिन्न ताकतें अपना वर्चस्व बनाये रखने की कोशिश में उसे अपने साथ जोड़ लेती हैं? क्या साहित्य उस झूठ के फेर में होता है जो एक आभासी सच गढ़ता है, लोगों के व्यापक हित के बारे में महज़ अवधारणात्मक उछाल-कूद करता है जबकि दरअसल वह व्यावसायिक मठों की चाकरी भर कर रहा होता है? अगर इस उत्सव में हिस्सा ले रहे लेखक मानते हैं की एक बेहतर जीवन संभव है और उसे हासिल किया जाना चाहिय, तो उन्हें यह भी समझना होगा कि यथास्थिति को बनाए रखने में उनकी मिलीभगत उनकी मान्यताओं के बिल्कुल उलट है. अनैतिक और पापपूर्ण व्यापारिक समूहों के सहयोग से आयोजित एक साहित्य उत्सव को एक खूबसूरत अवसर के रूप में प्रस्तुत करना क्या सिर्फ़ सम्मोहन कि कोशिश-भर नहीं है? क्या इस उत्सव और इसके प्रतिभागियों में संवेदनात्मक और बौद्धिक क्षमता है कि वे वर्तमान और आगामी पीढ़ियों पर 'सम्पूर्ण नियंत्रण' स्थापित करने वाली विचारधारा को ठीक से समझ सकें?
उत्सव में भागीदार लेखकों को सोचना चाहिए- नाईजीरियाई लेखक और पर्यावरण कार्यकर्त्ता केन सारो वीवा के हत्यारों से उत्सव को प्रायोजित करने का अनैतिक समकक्ष और क्या हो सकता है? पर्यावरण-संरक्षण के लिये सारो वीवा को मरणोपरांत संयुक्त राष्ट्र संघ की सम्मान सूची में शामिल किया गया था. नाईजीरिया सेना द्वारा नियुक्त अदालत, जिसने सारो वीवा को फंसी दी, के सामने उन्होंने अपने आखीरी बयान में कहा था- 'इस मुक़दमे में शेल कठघरे में है...भले ही कम्पनी ने इसबार अपने को बचा लिया है, लेकिन वह दिन ज़रूर आएगा...ओगोनी समुदाय के ख़िलाफ़ कम्पनी के वीभत्स युद्ध के अपराध के लिये कम्पनी को सज़ा मिलेगी'.

क्या कोका कोला द्वारा प्रायोजित साहित्य उत्सव का नैतिक दायित्व नहीं है कि वह इस तथ्य को समझे कि केरल और राजस्थान के कम्पनी के सयंत्रों ने भू-जल और कुओं को सोख लिया है जिसके कारण वहाँ के निवासियों को बाहर से पानी ढो कर लाना पड़ रहा है? यही स्थिति देशभर में फैले कम्पनी के तकरीबन 52 सयंत्रों के आसपास के क्षेत्रों की है.
क्या नरसंहारों, गृह-युद्धों, युद्ध-अपराधों, आक्रमण, कब्ज़े, तानाशाहों को समर्थन और वित्तीय घोटालों की दोषी सरकारों द्वारा प्रायोजित इस साहित्य उत्सव के पास इस भयावहता को समझने का विवेक है कि क्यों वैश्विक महाशक्ति के दुनिया भर में फैले 702 सैन्य-ठिकानों में 8000 से अधिक सक्रिय और हमले के लिये तैयार परमाणु हथियार हैं? साहित्यिक मानस कैसे 'बचकाने पागलपन' के मनःस्थिति को समझ पायेगा जब वह स्वयं इसके प्रभाव में हो?
साहित्य के नोबेल पुरस्कार से नवाज़ा गए हेरॉल्ड पिंटर ने 2005 के अपने स्वीकृति-भाषण में कहा था- 'लेखक की ज़िंदगी अत्यंत खतरनाक होती है, लगभग नंगी प्रक्रिया. इसके लिये हमें रोने की ज़रुरत नहीं. लेखक यह ख़ुद चुनता है और जीवन भर उसपर कायम रहता है. लेकिन यह भी सच है कि हर तरह की हवाएं आपको निशाना बनायेंगी, कुछ उनमें बर्फीली भी होंगी. यहाँ आप अकेले हैं, अपने हाथों-पैरों के सहारे. आपको कोई आश्रय नहीं, कोई सुरक्षा नहीं -जबतक कि आप झूठ ना बोलें- और तब आप अपनी सुरक्षा ख़ुद बनाते हैं, तब यह कहा जा सकता है कि आप राजनेता बन जाते हैं'. पिंटर ने यह भी कहा था कि 'हमारे जीवन और समाजों के वास्तविक सत्य को पारिभाषित करना हमारी जिम्मेवारी है. दरअसल ऐसा करना जरूरी है'.

जयपुर साहित्य उत्सव से उम्मीद है कि वह पिंटर की बात पर ध्यान देगा और अपनी कारगुजारियों से तौबा करेगा. हम उत्सव में शामिल लेखकों से अपील करते हैं कि वे मानवता के ख़िलाफ़ जारी कॉर्पोरेट अपराधों और राज्य के दमन की मुखालिफत करें

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Round Table on "World Bank Group in Bihar"

Round Table on "World Bank Group in Bihar"

This is an effort to initiate the process of critically examining the impact of Bank's investments in Bihar.

Recently, World Bank Group and Bihar government have signed a new agreement for the Bihar Kosi Recovery Project, worth $220 million, which aims to support flood recovery efforts, reduce risks from flooding, and boost emergency responses in the event of future disasters. The project falls under the theme Natural disaster management.

The new project aims to help Bihar’s flood-affected people by supporting the reconstruction of about 100,000 houses, and the rebuilding of 90 bridges and 290 kilometers of rural roads. Of the total cost of $259 million, Government of Bihar would contribute $39 million for the project. The documents were signed on January 12, 2011. The project was approved in September 2010 and it will close in 2014.

The credit is from the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank’s fund for the poorest, which is providing an interest-free loan with 35 years maturity and a 10-year grace period.

The Bank is also assisting the state government with technical assistance through a grant from DFID for the Bihar Flood Management Implementation Support Project–II, which seeks to strengthen the institutional framework for flood management and to improve flood warning and preparedness for people living in the affected areas of Bihar.

Bihar is also a priority state for the World Bank Group’s private sector arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC). IFC’s work with the state includes the design and implementation of a tax reform program to save cost, time and enhance ease of paying taxes for small and large businesses. Although IFC normally works with private sector companies, it is providing advisory services to Bihar government.

Earlier, the Bank had published a report "Bihar: Towards a Development Strategy" in 2005. The Bank’s support to Bihar began in the mid-2000s.
Dr D K Mishra, a well known river basin expert will share his insights into Bank's investments in Bihar and the responses from civil society and political groups. The meeting is held at a very short notice because we wished to benefit from Dr Mishra's presence in Delhi for a meeting of a Planning Commission's committee.

The participants presence and submissions on the subject will enable us to comprehend World Bank Group's monetary and non-monetary role in Bihar.

Date: 20 January, 2011
Time: 6 PM
Venue: INSAF Office, Opposite Indian Statistical Institute
124-A/6, First Floor, Katwaria Sarai, New Delhi

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Supreme Court slams conduct of criminal trials in Bihar

Criminal trials by some of the subordinate courts in Bihar are conducted in a "neglectful" way, a concerned Supreme Court has said and asked the Patna High Court to take corrective measures. "It is our experience that in criminal trials in Bihar no proper attention is paid to the framing of
charges and the examination of the accused under section 313 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the two very important stages in a criminal trial," said a bench headed by Justice Aftab Alam, who earlier was a judge in the Patna High Court.

"The examination of the accused are mostly done in the most unmindful and mechanical manner," said the bench, which also included Justice R M Lodha.
"We wish that the Patna High Court should take note of the neglectful way in which some of the courts in the state appear to be conducting trials of serious offences and take appropriate corrective steps," the bench said. It also directed that a copy of its judgement be sent to the High Court registry and state's judicial academy.
The bench made the critical observation over the functioning of the state's subordinate judiciary, while acquitting a murder convict Sajjan Sharma, sentenced to life imprisonment by a Naugachia session court in Bhagalpur district of Bihar. The trial court ruling had also been upheld by the Patna High Court.
The apex court's observations came after it detected that Sajjan was falsely implicated in the murder case at a later state by the victim's family despite his having no role in the offence. His father and brother were among those allegedly involved in the case.
"We are constrained to say that this is not an isolated case but it is almost a stereotype," the bench said while referring to cases where a member of the assailant's family, who has been left out in the First Information Report, is implicated at a later stage.
"It is endemic that some other innocent persons or even such of the members of the family of the accused who might not be present at the time of commission of offence are also roped in and falsely implicated," said the court. The court gave its ruling while adjudicating the appeal of Sajjan, whose father Satto Sharma and brother Shambhu Sharma were involved in the November 1994 killing of one Naraion Kunwar by an armed gang of his co-villagers over old enmity.
The others in the gang included Bodhan Rai, Sukesh Kunwar and Paro Kunwar. Though Sharma's father and brother died during the course of trial, Naugachhia's session court convicted Sajjan along with two others. "Let a copy of this order be placed before the judge of the Patna High Court, in-charge of the State's Judicial Academy," the apex court said.

HT

Nitish Orders CBI Probe in Purnia MLA Murder Case

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on 8th January decided to recommended a CBI probe into the killing of Purnia MLA Raj Kishore Keshri, who was allegedly stabbed to death by a woman in full public view.
The Bihar government has decided to recommend the CBI to launch an inquiry into the killing of Keshri, sources at the chief minister's office told PTI.
The move followed Kumar's deputy Sushil Kumar Modi urging him in a letter to order a CBI inquiry into the case earlier in the day.
Modi had ruled out a CBI probe into Keshri's murder three days back saying, "There is no possibility of the state government handing over an inquiry into the Keshri murder case to CBI at the moment."
Editor's arrest questioned in Bihar legislator murder case
Journalists in Bihar have termed the arrest of Navlesh Pathak, editor of Purnia-based English weekly 'Quisling', in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Raj Kishore Kesri's stabbing case as an attempt to suppress press freedom.
Kesri, a BJP legislator from Purnia assembly constituency, was knifed Jan 4 in his home by a woman teacher Rupam Pathak, who alleged the politician had raped her for over three years.
Navlesh Pathak had first reported about Rupam's sexual harassment complaint.
Police arrested Navlesh Thursday after an FIR was registered in the case against three accused, including Rupam, by Kesri's nephew. A Bihar court Friday sent him to judicial custody for 14 days.
'I was really shocked and failed to understand the arrest of Navlesh Pathak. Is it a crime to report the truth? Police have arrested him under political pressure to suppress his voice,' said Irshadul Haque, Tehelka magazine's senior correspondent in Bihar.
Another journalist Santosh, a reporter for ETV Bihar, said Navlesh's arrest was done in haste.
'Navlesh Pathak is a responsible man. Editing an English weekly newspaper in a small town like Purnia, he dared to expose a big story but was arrested after being named as a mere accused. There are hundreds of prime accused in serious crime cases who are roaming free in Bihar,' he said.
Nikhil Anand, political editor of News India, Bihar said it was shameful that a journalist was put behind bars for exposing a scandal.
'It is unfortunate that leaders who led the anti-Emergency movement during mid-1970s in Bihar are at the helm of affairs... when a ruling party legislator is stabbed to death, it exposes the relation between power and sex. It appears to be the biggest sex scandal involving politicians. Navlesh should be rewarded but he is being punished,' Anand told IANS.
'Bihar media is facing its biggest test in recent times. It is torn between constant praise for the state government led by Nitish Kumar and professional excellence as shown by Pathak,' said Anand S.T. Das, a senior journalist working with Asian Age.
Amit Kumar, chief reporter with Bihar's leading Hindi magazine Tapman, said it was unfortunate that no journalist union had raised its voice against Navlesh's arrest.
'It appears that for journalist unions, Navlesh Pathak's arrest is not an issue,' he said.
A senior journalist who did not wish to be named said that Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, soon after Kesri's killing, shrugged off the editor's arrest by saying that his weekly was a small, insignificant publication.
Earlier, Ruma Pathak, Navlesh's wife, alleged that police was biased in its inquiry and apprehended a threat to him in custody.
The news of Kesri's killing spread rapidly across Bihar, where the BJP is the junior ally of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United (JD-U)-led government.
Rupam Pathak, around 40, went to Kesri's home in Purnia and stabbed him to death in the presence of a number of people.
'He died soon after being stabbed because his vital organs were badly damaged,' an employee at Kesri's house said.
Rupam was badly beaten up by Kesri's security guards and supporters following the murder. She alleged Kesri, 51, had raped her for over three years, a charge refuted by the party.
A Bihar court Thursday sent Rupam to judicial custody for 14 days, officials said.
IANS

ITS MORE THAN A MURDER
PURNIA: Whether the local tabloid Quisling's editor Nawalesh Pathak abetted or conspired in the killing of BJP MLA Raj Kishore Kesri is still under probe, but his proximity with the assailant, Rupam Pathak, is now beyond any iota of doubt.
Purnia SP Nayyar Hasnain Khan made this observation while speaking to TOI on Saturday after a prolonged interrogation of the journalist on Friday.
The journalist, who was arrested on Thursday, has since been remanded to judicial custody till January 18.
The SP said Nawalesh Pathak, whose revelation of the charges of sexual exploitation of Rupam allegedly by the BJP MLA and his aide created a political storm some months back, was constantly in touch with the principal of Rajhans Public School and often talked to her over her cellphone.
Nawalesh had a long conversation with Rupam Pathak the night before the killing, i.e. on January 3, barely 12 hours before she stabbed her alleged tormentor Kesri at his residence on Chunapur Road in full public view, police sources said.
Besides, Rupam, who bore serious grudges against Kesri, had gone over to Nawalesh's village home at Bhatotara under Barharakothy block in Purnia district in her school Maruti van only a week before the gruesome killing, it was revealed during the interrogation. Nawalesh, son of a retired judge and brother of a senior government servant, also conceded that Nawalesh often called Raj Kishore Kesri for financial aid to sustain his fledgling tabloid, police sources said.
The journalist's proximity to Rupam was further corroborated by the fact that his wife, Rama Pathak, also worked in the same school, the SP said.
Responding to the allegations levelled by Nawalesh's wife Rama Pathak that the slain BJP MLA was harassing and targeting Rupam's 17-year-old daughter, the SP said the charges were unsubstantiated and that even Rupam had been requesting not to drag her children into the matter.
The arrested journalist had confessed during interrogation that Rupam had filed the protest petition in the court after her retraction only after he prevailed upon her to do so, police sources said.
The SP informed that the school Maruti van in which Rupam went to the MLA's house on the fateful morning has been recovered and seized. The van's driver is, however, absconding, Khan added.
Meanwhile, a forensic team has reached Purnia which will not only visit the site of the incident, but also examine other evidences collected during the investigation, the SP said.
When asked why Kesri's aide Bipin Rai, who had also been charged with sexually abusing Rupam as mentioned in her FIR lodged with the Khazanchihat police station, was not being arrested for which different women organisations were crying hoarse, the SP said, "We have already submitted the report in the court. Action will be taken only after the court's direction."
Meanwhile, Nawalesh Pathak, during his short interaction with the media, remarked, "It is not just a murder case... There are far too many things behind it."
The Times of India

NCP seeks Modi's resignation
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has sought the Bihar Deputy Chief Minister, Sushil Kumar Modi's resignation for allegedly making derogative comments against the prime accused Rupam Pathak and trying to influence probe in the BJP MLA Raj Kishore Kesri murder case.
"Modi should resign from the post of deputy chief minister for making derogatory comments against Pathak and seeking to influence the investigation in the matter by giving a character certificate to Kesri," NCP national General Secretary, Tariq Anwar told reporters at Patna.
The deputy chief minister had been casting personal insinuation against Pathak - the main accused in Kesri murder case - ever since the incident took place on Janaury four last and sought to malign her character, he said.
The NCP leader, however, expressed satisfaction that the state government had recommended a CBI probe into the sensational murder case and hoped that the truth would come out to the satisfaction of all.
Anwar sought to blame the Bihar police for its failure to impartially investigate the woman's complaint in the past and said that the BJP MLA's murder might not not have taken place if her grievances could have been sorted out earlier.
The NCP leader, who was in Patna to review his party's performance in the Bihar assembly polls held late last year, said that the RJD supremo Lalu Prasad's projection as the chief ministerial candidate by the RJD-LJP combine was the main reason behind the ruling NDA's landslide victory.
The fear of Lalu worked pyschologically among the electors who closed ranks in the last minute and voted for the NDA to scuttle the remotest chance of the former's comeback in power, Anwar said.
The NCP leader said that he was satisfied with the performance of his party as its vote percentage increased to 2.58 per cent as against about one per cent votes in October 2005 assembly polls.
Anwar warned the NDA Government, headed by the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, against going overboard on its massive victory and said that it should not not forget that the opposition put together had polled 61 per cent votes in the same assembly polls.
The NCP leader also sought to poke holes in the mantra of good governance by the NDA by saying that 41 per cent of its MLAs faced serious criminal cases like that of murder, kidnapping and ransom.
SAMAY LIVE
Rupam Pathak's husband backs sexual abuse claim against BJP MLA
The husband of Rupam Pathak, the woman who stabbed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Bihar's Purnea district Raj Kishore Kesri to death on Tuesday, has backed her allegation that the politician had raped her on different occasions over the last three years.
Buzz up!Ashok Kumar Pathak, who lives here, said that Rupam had lodged an FIR against Kesri at the Khazanchihat Police Station on April 18 last year, but was forced to withdraw it after they received death threats from the MLA.
"As the threats continued and became stronger, Rupam was forced to withdraw the FIR," Ashok said.
Kesri was stabbed to death by Rupam on Tuesday morning when he was meeting visitors at his residence.
Rupam, a teacher in a private school, is currently in hospital in critical condition after she was assaulted by Kesri's bodyguards and others present at the scene of the attack.
Ashok also insisted that his wife's action was an act of revenge, and "an outburst of her pent up anger".
"The killing of the MLA was shocking, but I strongly feel it was an outburst of her pent up anger, which had escalated to such a level that she avenged his sordid crimes on her in such a manner," Ashok said. (ANI)

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Bihar Ministers Decalre Assets

All 30 ministers in Bihar have submitted the details of their assets to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, after he asked his cabinet colleagues to place records of their properties. Its available here: http://gov.bih.nic.in/Scripts/DocList.asp
In a bid to weed out corruption, Kumar had asked his ministerial colleagues earlier this month to submit the details of assets that they possess by today so that the records can be put on the websites for public. Circulars were issued to officials, including IAS and IPS cadre, besides other public servants from Grade I to Grade III ranks to declare their assets, official sources said. The details of assets owned by Chief Minister would also be placed on the government's websites.

The ministers who declared their assets include Road Construction Minister N K Yadav, Urban Development Minister Prem Kumar, Cooperative Minister Ramadhar Singh, Animal and Fishery Resources Minister Giriraj Singh, Arts and Culture Minister Sukhda Pandey, Health Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey, PHED Minister Chandramohan Rai, Mines and Geology Minister S N Arya, Labour Resources Minister Janardan Singh Sigriwal and Tourism Minister Sunil Kumar Pintoo (all from BJP).

The JD(U) Ministers who declared their assets, include P K Sahi (HRD Minister), Vijendra Yadav (Energy Minister), Vijay Choudhary (Water Resources Minister), Brishen Patel (Transport Minister), Hari Prasad Sah (Panchayati Raj), Ramai Ram (Land Reforms and Revnue), Bhim Singh (Rural works Minister), Nitish Mishra (Rural Development Department), Praveen Amanullah (Social Welfare Minister), Jitan Ram Manjhi (SC welfare Minister) and Shyam Rajak (Food and consumer affairs).

Other Ministers from JD(U) are Renu Kushwaha (Industry Minister), Narendra Narayan Yadav (Law Minister), Gautam Singh (Science and techonology Minister), Damodar Rawat (Minister for Building construction and Housing), Sahid Ali Khan (Minority Welfare Minister), Awadhesh Prasad Kushwaha (Sugar Cane Industry and Minor irrigation).

Beyond the shadows of politics

Around a decade ago, LK Advani gave a sagacious advice to the Ambani brothers. “Let politicians do their politics and run the country; you concentrate on your business,” Advani is believed to have told the Ambanis when they called on him at his office at North Block. The meeting followed what appeared to be brazen attempts by the two brothers to influence public policy and politics.

Advani was the second most powerful politician in the country after prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. And he was worried about the speculation over the clout wielded by the Ambanis and their efforts to influence politics. His message was obviously no threat. It, in fact, contained an unambiguous assurance that industrial groups like that of the Ambanis would continue to 
get the support of the government irrespective of political affiliations.

It was nothing short of an acknowledgment of the enormous clout wielded by a powerful industrial house. It was also an acknowledgment of the fact that the government could ill-afford to rock the boat of a large corporate house. This episode bears relevance in the present context when corporate houses are seen as brazenly interfering with matters that fall strictly within the domain of the government.

Apparently there is nothing wrong if an industrial house gets the support of the government in promoting its business and creating more wealth. Even at the height of Nehruvian socialism, when it was fashionable to see the state in perpetual conflict with capital, the Tatas were pampered. Despite abolition of the Zamindari Act, the Tatas continue to retain their zamindari in Jamshedpur. The Birlas got their unhindered access to the corridors of power and gained substantially from the licence-permit raj. The enormous clout wielded by these traditional industrial houses has never been a secret.

But economic liberalisation has veritably unleashed an “animal spirit” that is running riot in the corridors of power. For the first time, India’s prime minister PV Narasimha Rao stood accused of accepting bribe in what is known as the Harshad Mehta case. In the 1990s , the fine distinction between the political class and Indian corporate houses got blurred. The natural shyness of politicians to cosy up to corporate houses gave way to defiant flaunting of such relations by politicians as a new statement of power. This was summed up by BJP’s Pramod Mahajan when he said, “I don’t treat my friends like prostitutes.” Mahajan perfectly exemplified the growing clout of corporate houses on the Indian state.

In the late nineties, particularly during the NDA regime, the corridors of power were abuzz with a new term, “RH positive”, which connoted favourable inclination towards Reliance and the Hindujas. It was a measure of corporate India’s growing clout during the NDA regime that public policies were tailored to suit corporate interests. Those keeping a close watch on the government knew how policies pertaining to petroleum, disinvestment and telecom were subjected to corporate warfare. And more often than not, such corporate struggles threatened to even unsettle the Atal Behari Vajpayee government.

Advani’s elderly advice to the Ambanis should be seen in this context. But has corporate India paid heed to such a sagacious advice? If the Niira Radia tapes are any indication, business houses have emerged as the most unscrupulous subversive force in the country.

What is really worrisome is the fact Niira Radia has been employed by India’s two most powerful corporate houses – the Tatas and the  Ambanis. Both must have known that the tactics adopted by Radia in manipulating policies were unfair to say the least. She has been interacting with second rung political executives with superb ease on account of her proximity to the Tatas and the Ambanis.

In effect, she is running errands for her bosses who find it beneath them to interact with the likes of Raja, NK Singh and Ranjan Bhattacharya.

If anything, the Radia tapes are indicative of the worst kind of snobbery and over-confidence that the corporate India has acquired over the years.

Ajay Singh, the author is a senior Indian journalist
© Governance Now

Quisling Editor, Navlesh Pathak Arrested in Bihar MLA Murder Case

 Sexual harassment of Rupam Pathak by Bihar MLA was reported for the first time by Quisling magazine
Navlesh Pathak, the editor of a local weekly, which had first reported the sexual harassment complaint of Rupam Pathak who stabbed to death in full public view BJP MLA Kishore Keshari, was today arrested after an FIR was lodged against him and the woman.

Keshari's nephew Sudip Keshari lodged an FIR with the K-Hat police station against Rupam Pathak, who was arrested soon after she stabbed the MLA to death, Navlesh Pathak, editor of an English weekly and an unknown person last night, DIG (Purnia range) Amit Kumar said.

Police then arrested Navlesh Pathak from his residence here and subjected him to a marathon grilling in the case, the DIG said. He said the police is yet to identify the third person in the FIR,. Pathak, editor of English weekly Quisling, had for the first time reported the sexual harassment complaint of Rupam some months back.

Meanwhile, family members of the journalist, including his wife, alleged that police was biased in the investigation and apprehended a threat to him in custody. Keshari was stabbed to death by Rupam in full public view at the MLA's residence at Sipahi Tola under K-Hat police station on Tuesday.
Kumar said there were two different aspects involved in the case. The killing of the MLA was separate from the complaint of the woman who stabbed him to death, the DIG said.

The investigation was going on in full swing in the case, he said, adding the FIR by the slain MLA's relative also said there was a conspiracy behind the murder.
PTI

21 HOUSE COMMITTEES OF BIHAR VIDHAN SABHA

 Uday Narayan Chowdhary, Bihar assembly Speaker has constituted 14 House committees. BJP is yet to announce its choices for MLAs who will be part of assembly committees. Consequently, seven committees are yet to be constituted most of which is likely to be chaired by them.

RJD's Lalit Yadav has been appointed as chairman of the all-important Public Accounts Committee (PAC). The chairpersons of all these committees will get the rank and benefits of minister of state. Yadav has won assembly elections four times. He is elected from Darbhanga rural. He was twice elected MLA from Manigacchi which is now Manigacchi merged with Darbhanga rural constituency.

The office of the PAC chairman goes to the main opposition party as per tradition. Abdul Bari Siddiqui, the current leader of opposition in the Vidhan Sabha was its chairman in the last assenbly.

Raghvendra Pratap Singh, RJD MLA has been made chairman of Library Committee. 
Izhar Ahmad, JDU MLA is the new chairman of Estimate Committee.
Shaligram Yadav, JDU MLA is the chairman of Petition Committee
Subodh Rai, JDU MLA is the chairman of Internal Resources Committee
Ramesh Rishideo, JDU MLA is the chairman of SC/ST Committee.
Bima Bharti, JDU MLA is the chairperson of House Committee
Poonam Devi, JDU MLA is the chairperson of Women and Child Committee
Guddi Devi, JDU MLA is the chairperson of Agro-industries Committee
and Lesie Singh, JDU MLA is the chairperson of Assurance Committee

The rest seven of the total 21 House committees will be constitured later. Besides RJD, no opposition party is entitled to claim chairmanship of any House Committee in view of their strength.
VIDHAN SABHA STRENGTH :   243
SESSIONS : 3, (Budget, Monsoon, Winter)

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

What's rotting, what is being brushed under the carpet?

Note: Why are two MLAs of Bihar Vidhan Sabha dead in less than one year? Its high time the MLAs introspected to set matters right. There is an unacknowledged festering sore that merits attention. Who will point out the root cause and the remedy before the next tragedy strikes?  Gopal Krishna

 Raped principal stabs Bihar MLA to death
Jan. 4: An MLA of Bihar’s ruling BJP was on Tuesday stabbed to death in public by a lady school principal who had levelled charges of rape against him last year. The incident shocked the state, prompting the Chief Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar, to suggest frisking of people visiting MLAs henceforth.

Raj Kishore Kesri, 51, an MLA from Purnea in eastern Bihar, was fatally attacked with a butcher’s knife by Rupam Pathak, 37, principal of Rajhans Public School, when he was meeting people at his house at Sipahitola area in Purnea town at about 9 am. Pathak hid the knife, said to be over 15 inches long, under her shawl and shoved it into the MLA’s left abdomen while speaking to him in a crowd of about 150 people. A profusely bleeding Kesri was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead at 10.10 am due to deep abdominal injuries.

The MLA’s bodyguards instantly grabbed Pathak and beat her up, drawing blood from the face and the knee, before handing her over to the police. She was rushed to Katihar Medical College. Initially, she refused to believe the MLA was dead. Pathak, who has been living separately in Purnea from her Assam-based businessman husband and children for over 10 years, had alleged in April 2010 that Kesri and his assistant Vipin Rai had raped her. Sources said the slain BJP legislator and the woman knew each other well.

“The MLA had inaugurated her school and was chief guest at its annual function. He had also got a road leading to the school built,” said BJP sources.
Jan 05, 2011, The Asian Age

Opposition for judicial probe into Bihar legislator's killing
Bihar's opposition parties, including the Congress, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), have demanded a judicial inquiry into the murder of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Raj Kishore Kesri by a woman teacher who had accused him of rape.

"Congress has demanded a judicial probe by a high court judge because we have no faith in the state  government's order of a probe by the police," Congress spokesperson Prem Chand Mishra said. "The state government should order a judicial probe if it is committed to justice for the woman," CPI(ML) leader Meena Tiwari said. Tiwari said that CPI(ML) also demanded adequate security for Rupam Pathak, the school teacher who knifed Kesri. She is undergoing treatment at Katihar Medical College and Hospital under judicial custody.

"Her life may be in danger and some people may want to suppress the truth and facts in the case," she said.
The CPI(ML) also staged a march to protest Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi's clean chit to Kesri and his remarkes about Pathak being a blackmailer. "It is a shameful act on part of Sushil Kumar Modi, who is leading light of BJP in Bihar, to call a woman a blackmailer for accusing his party legislator of raping her," Meena Tiwari said.

The BJP is a junior partner in Bihar's ruling coalition led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United.
LJP leader Pasupati Kumar Paras said the Bihar government should order a judicial probe into the incident.
Sudha Verghese, a noted social activist, who also runs the NGO Nari Gunjan, said the authorities were jumping to conclusions before the probe was complete. "I was anguished at the statements of Modi and other BJP leaders who had already  pronounced their judgement and by the haste of the police to bring her (Pathak) to book at any cost and in the shortest period of time," she said.

Rupam Pathak, around 40 years old, went to Kesri's home in Purnia town, some 350 km from Patna, and stabbed him to death in presence of a number of people. Kesri, a BJP legislator from Purnia assembly constituency, was 51. A police officer told IANS over phone from Purnia that the school teacher had last year accused Kesri of raping her for over three years and lodged a criminal case against him.

"But later, she had withdrawn the rape charge. It is a matter of investigation as to what prompted her to do so," he said. A local political activist told IANS that Pathak had withdrawn the case before the October-November Bihar assembly polls after she was promised a large amount of money by Kesri, who was contesting from the Purnia seat. "But after Kesri won the seat, Rupam was not given the money," he said.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has directed the state's Director General of Police to thoroughly review the security of all legislators.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/646562.aspx

Bihar BJP MLA Keshri stabbed to death by woman in Purnea
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and the MLA from the Purnea Assembly constituency Raj Kishore Keshri was stabbed to death at his residence in Purnea today by a woman who had earlier accused him of sexual harassment.
State Additional Director General of Police P K Thakur told journalists that the woman, Rupam Pathak attacked the MLA with a knife and stabbed him. He died instantaneously from injuries he suffered in his spleen, the official said.
According to him, the woman had apparently hidden the knife with a shawl she was wearing. She came to the Sipahi Tola house of the four-time MLA when he was meeting visitors, and asked to see him alone. The attack took place when she was talking to him at a little distance away from the others on the premises, Mr Thakur said.
The woman, who was later manhandled by supporters of the MLA, had been arrested.
"She is being interrogated. It was revealed that the MLA had allegedly outraged her modesty a year ago and the woman acted in vengeance," a UNI report quoted Bihar Director General of Police Neelmani as saying.
The woman had lodged a complaint of sexual harassment against Mr Keshri about six months ago.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar directed Mr Neelmani to review the security arrangements for MLAs.

Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said the funeral of the MLA would take place tomorrow after the arrival of his son and other family members from Delhi.
http://netindian.in/news/2011/01/04/0009788/bihar-bjp-mla-keshri-stabbed-death-woman-purnea

JD (U) MLA kills wife, son, then self
Ruling JD (U) MLA Abhay Singh shot dead his wife and infant daughter before allegedly committing suicide by turning the gun on himself at the official residence of his father and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Narendra Singh in Patna.
Narendra Singh, who was sleeping in another room, was found lying unconscious and has been admitted to the ICCU of Patna Medical College and Hospital.

Gunshots were heard at Singh's residence near Governor's House and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's official residence at 2:00 am sending local people rushing, police said.
The 34-year-old Singh, who was elected from Jamui, shot his 6-month-old daughter and wife dead before shooting himself during a quarrel, they said.

Abhay Singh's 3-year-old elder daughter was with her grandmother in another room at the time of the incident. Terming the incident as very sad, the Chief Minister said, "We are all with the family members of Narendra Singh."

Leader of the Opposition Rabri Devi also extended her condolences to the family. Bihar Assembly was adjourned for the day after condoling the "untimely" death of the MLA. Director General of Police, Anand Shanker, said investigations would be carried out from all angles into the death of the 35-year-old MLA. "We have collected samples from the site of occurrence and scientific investigation will be carried out from all angles," he said.

The DGP said family members could not be interrogated as they were in a state of shock after the incident.
Shanker directed the Patna zone Inspector General of Police to monitor the investigation.

JD-U MLA, son of key Nitish man, kills self, family
Patna JD-U MLA from Jamui Abhay Singh, son of a senior cabinet minister in Nitish Kumar government, killed himself after shooting down his wife and two-month-old daughter at his Patna residence early on Friday morning. Singh’s eldest four-year-old daughter, however, survived her father’s fury as she was sleeping with her grandmother in another room. Singh, 35, two-time MLA, had not been getting along well with his wife for some time. Police ruled out any foul play.

The incident took place at around 4 a.m. after the MLA, who stayed with his minister father Narendra singh Tomar at his ministerial residence near new secretariat, first shot his wife Soni Singh, 30, and two-month-old daughter Rashi with his licensed revolver in their heads and ended his life in the same fashion. Singh’s father, who holds food and consumer protection portfolio, was in his residence when the incident took place.

A distraught Narendra Singh had to be admitted to hospital after he fainted several times from the shock. Family sources said that it was a pure case of “marital dispute”. Abhay’s suicide came a rude shock not for Narendra Singh but also Nitish Kumar, who has been trying hard to keep upper caste Rajputs in JD-U fold after bataidari confusion.

Abhay Singh, political heir of his father among his four brothers, was a very popular face in Giddhore belt under Jamui having big clout among Rajput population. The minister’s eldest son Ajay Singh works in administrative position with a media group at Patna. Amit Singh and Sumit Singh, younger than Abhay, are not in politics. Abhay represented the third generation of Jamui’s political family of Srikishna Singh, a former minister. Narendra Singh comes from Bhramarpur village near Jamui.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who visited Singh’s residence to offer condolences, said it was a very unfortunate incident and a personal loss from him. Meanwhile, scores of people had flooded Patna from MLA Singh’s Assembly constituency. Vimal Singh, a resident of Jamui, said Abhay had come out from his father’s shadow with his mass appeal. Abhay’s marriage ceremony in Jamui stadium in 2005 is still fresh in public’s mind.

Santosh Singh, Feb 26, 2010
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/JDU-MLA-son-of-key-Nitish-man-kills-self-family/584781/