Monday, January 28, 2013

Why was Nehru, PM of divided India reporting to Churchill?

It has rightly been said that "All history is contemporary history." 

How can it be forgotten that Netaji was the only Indian to head a government of united India
.

Nehru headed the government of divided India as an outcome of British Parliament's Indian Independence Act 1947 which received Royal Assent on 18th July 1947. There is evidence to suggest that Nehru was reporting to Winston Churchill even after independence. The seeds of Indo-China war might be latent in this relationship. This aspect merits probe.  

Inder Malhotra, the veteran journalist revealed it in an article dated 18 Oct 2010 saying, "Nehru wrote the top-secret note on his visit to China on November 11, 1954, yet it never saw the light of day until the 1990s when it was published first in Nehru's Letters to Chief Ministers first and then in the Selected Works. But I read it in 1987 in Britain's Public Records Office. How did it get there? Well, Nehru had sent a copy to Winston Churchill while the latter was still Prime Minister. At the expiry of 30 years Downing Street had duly declassified it. I published a gist of it in my column. Mercifully nobody prosecuted me for violating the Official Secrets Act." (Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/olympics/news/laying-out-the-red-carpet/698932/0)

Why was Nehru, PM of divided India reporting to Churchill?

British Parliament got the right to pass India Partition Act (named a India Independence Act) because Bengal was sold to British East India Company in 1757. British Parliament controlled the East India Company by extending its charter for only twenty years at a time. 

Clones of East India Company are land grabbing in Africa and within India with implicit and explicit from most of the political parties who depend on their funds for fighting elections.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Netaji, the only Indian to head a government of united India

Why was Bose diminished on Republic Day?

M.J. Akbar

We measure power through size. Check any political poster. The boss gets the biggest face. Others in the pecking order descend till the miniature at the end.

Why was Subhas Chandra Bose struggling among the also-rans in the Bengal Republic Day tableau? Swami Vivekananda, understandably, had pride of place. But it might have been better to keep Bose out of the jumble rather than literally reduce his stature. If Bengal forgets, how long will India remember the only Indian to head a government of united India?

Bose declared independence before the British gave it in 1947. His government in exile did not have Gandhi’s sanction. It fought on the wrong side of the Second World War: but it was a proud and free government whose contribution to our freedom has been reduced by the domestic political forces he challenged.

Bose is an embarrassment to Congress because he challenged Gandhi, and was a powerful parallel icon to Nehru. Bose asked Indians to give him their blood, and he would give them freedom. Gandhi promised freedom without violence. Gandhi refused to join the British war effort in 1939; Bose went a step further, and led Indian troops on the side of the Germany-Italy-Japan axis. However, their horizon, freedom, was the same.

More than six decades later the argument might seem pedantic, and yet it is worth revisiting. Invaluable Indian blood and treasure helped Britain win the First World War. After victory, Britain reneged on its commitment to Indian self-rule within the empire without batting an eyelid. Instead of dominion status, Indians got vicious brutality at Jallianwala Bagh and the pernicious Rowlatt Act.

It is not generally known that Gandhi was not a pacifist: he served on British frontlines in the Boer and Zulu wars in South Africa, and was very eager to lead a medical unit to the killing fields of France in 1914, at the onset of the First World War. In 1918, Gandhi worked so hard as a recruiting agent for the British army, urging Gujaratis to prove they were not “effeminate” by picking up a gun, that he almost died of exhaustion. Farewell bhajans began to be sung before he recovered. Gandhi lost hope in Britain only when he felt betrayed.

Britain had as much to protect in 1945 as in 1918. London knew that its empire would unravel at the point where it had begun, in India, once India became independent. What pushed Britain towards the exit gate? Of course there was the irresistible momentum of Gandhi’s nationwide struggle. But the British had faced this challenge before, in the non-cooperation movement 25 years before. The significant difference was the nationalist sentiment unleashed by Bose among Indians in uniform. Bose’s Indian National Army [INA] showed them where their national loyalties should lie. Bose’s war also inspired the young to surge beyond the confines of Congress.

Even Gandhi, who only had faint praise for Bose in a 1945 obituary [“Subhas Bose has died well. He was undoubtedly a patriot though misguided”], had to admit in an article published on 15 February 1946, “The hypnotism of the Indian National Army has cast its spell on us... [Netaji’s] patriotism is second to none... He aimed high but failed. Who has not failed?... The lesson that Netaji and his army brings to us is one of self-sacrifice, unity irrespective of class and community, and discipline...” When the British put three INA officers — Shah Nawaz, a Muslim, Sahgal, a Hindu, and Dhillon, a Sikh — on trial for sedition, India exploded in wrath. Nehru said on 24 December 1945, “The INA trial has created a mass upheaval.”

Bose broke the backbone of British rule when he destroyed trust between the British Raj and its armed forces. The eminently sensible Sir Claude Auchinleck, commander in chief, accepted that any extreme punishment for INA officers would make governance impossible, because Indians adored them as national heroes. This, he said, was the “general opinion held in India, not only by the public, but ... by quite a considerable part of the Indian Army as well”.

Subhas Bose’s contribution to the formation of a Republic of India was no less than that of the very greatest of our founding fathers. Bose proved in practice what an Indian secular state would be. At a time when the Muslim League was in ascendant, he had the love and trust of Muslims. He lived his dream of gender equality when he set up the Rani of Jhansi regiment, under the fiery and beautiful Lakshmi Swaminathan. When Bose told the Japanese he was setting up a women’s-only force, they thought he was joking. I do not believe Bose could have fought alongside Hitler, who advised the British to shoot Gandhi dead, and resented the Japanese advance because he thought Asia was being lost to white Europeans. Hitler was an undisguised racist, as were all Nazis.

Perhaps India can survive without Bose. But such amnesia will only diminish India.

Byline for 27 January 2013

Arvind Kejriwal's Letter to Mukesh Ambani

Dear friend,

Arvind Kejriwal has written an email to Sh Mukesh Ambani. The mail, written in Hindi, is given below. And below the Hindi version is the English translation. Kindly forward this mail as widely as possible.

Regards

Aam Aadmi Party Team

------------ ---------------Letter in Hindi--------
 
श्री मुकेश अंबानी
रिलायंस इंडस्ट्रीज़ लिमिटेड
मेकर्स चैम्बर्स - IV 
नरीमन पाइंट,
मुंबई - 400021
 
श्री मुकेश अंबानी जी,
 
अभी हाल ही में आपने देश के सभी टी.वी. चैनलों को मानहानि का नोटिस भेजा है। इनका जुर्म यह है कि इन्होंने 31 अक्टूबर, 2012 और 9 नवम्बर, 2012 को मेरी और प्रशांत भूषण की प्रेस कांफ्रेंस का सीधा प्रसारण किया था। हमने अपनी प्रेस कांफ्रेंस में देश के लोगों को बताया था कि किस तरह से आपने गैरकानूनी तरीके से सरकार पर दबाव डालकर गैस के दाम बढ़वाए। हमने लोगों को यह भी बताया कि आपके, आपके साथियों के और आपकी कंपनियों के स्विस बैंक में खाते हैं जिनमें कालाधन जमा किया गया था। हमारे इस खुलासे का  कई टी.वी. चैनलों ने सीध प्रसारण किया। आपने इन सभी टी.वी. चैनलों को मानहानि का नोटिस भेजा है। 
 
मेरी समझ  में नहीं आ रहा है कि मेरी और प्रशांत भूषण की कही गई बातों से यदि आपकी मानहानि हुई है तो इसके सबसे बड़े दोषी तो मैं और प्रशांत भूषण हैं। नोटिस भेजना ही था तो आपको हमें भेजना चाहिए था। टी.वी. चैनलों ने तो केवल उसका प्रसारण ही किया था। फिर भी आपने हमें नोटिस न भेजकर टी.वी. चैनलों को नोटिस भेजा है। इससे जाहिर है कि आपका मकसद केवल टी.वी. चैनलों पर दबाव बनाने का है।
 
देश की जनता आपसे कुछ सीधे सवाल पूछना चाहती है। भारत सरकार को स्विस बैंको में खातेदारों की जो लिस्ट मिली है, क्या ये सच नहीं है कि आपका, आपके रिश्तेदारों का, आपके दोस्तों का और आपकी कंपनियों का उनमें नाम है? क्या यह सच नहीं है कि इस लिस्ट में आपके नाम पर सौ करोड़ रुपये जमा दिखाए गए हैं? क्या ये सच नहीं है कि आपने इस पैसे पर टैक्स जमा कर दिया है? इससे यह साबित होता है कि आपने अपना जुर्म कबूल कर लिया है। कानून के मुताबिक अब आप पर मुकदमा चलना चाहिए और यदि टैक्स की चोरी साबित होती है तो आपको जेल होनी चाहिए।
 
लेकिन ऐसा नहीं होगा। क्यों? क्योंकि सरकार आपसे डरती है। आपने खुद ही कहा है कि कांग्रेस पार्टी तो आपकी दुकान है। आपने सच ही कहा था। मीडिया में छपी कुछ खबरों के मुताबिक सोनिया गाँधी जी आपके निजी हवाई  जहाज से यात्रा करती हैं। लोगों का मानना है कि श्री जयपाल रेडडी का मंत्रालय भी आप ही के दबाव में बदला गया था।
 
केवल कांग्रेस ही क्यों? भाजपा और अन्य पार्टियां भी आपकी दुकान हैं। पहले तो आडवाणी जी स्विस बैंकों के खातों के बारे में खूब आवाज़ उठाते थे लेकिन जब से आपके खाते निकलकर सामने आए तो सारी भाजपा बिल्कुल चुप हो गई। आपके खातों के बारे में भाजपा ने संसद में एक शब्द भी नहीं बोला।
 
ऐसा लगता है कि सभी पार्टियां आपसे डरती हैं। सभी नेता आपसे डरते हैं। लेकिन इस देश की जनता आपसे नहीं डरती। सारी पार्टियां आपकी दुकान हो सकती हैं। लेकिन भारत आपकी दुकान नहीं है। भारत हमारा है, इस देश के लोगों का है। आप अपने पैसे से पार्टियों को खरीद सकते हैं, नेताओं को खरीद सकते हैं लेकिन भारत को हम बिकने नहीं देंगे।
 
आपका कहना है कि हमारे द्वारा कही गई बातों का सीधा प्रसारण करने से टी.वी. चैनलों ने आपकी मानहानि की। आप सोचकर देखिए कि आपकी मानहानि मैंने, प्रशांत भूषण और टी.वी. चैनलों ने की है या आपने अपनी मानहानि खुद अपने कर्मों से की है?
 
1.  2002 में आपने सरकार से ''फुल मोबिलिटी लेने के लिए प्रमोद महाजन को रिश्वत दी। 55 रुपये प्रति शेयर के भाव वाले एक करोड़ शेयर आपने प्रमोद महाजन को 1 रुपये प्रति शेयर के हिसाब से दे दिए। ये तो सीधी  रिश्वत थी। जब आप पकड़े गए तो आपने शेयर वापस ले लिए। मामला अभी कोर्ट में है। क्या ऐसा करने से आपकी मानहानि नहीं हुई?
 
2.  आपने अपना बहुमंजिला मकान 'वक्फ' के ज़मीन पर बनाया है। इस ज़मीन पर अनाथालय बनना था। गरीब और अनाथ मुस्लिम बच्चों के हक को छीना है आपने। क्या ऐसा करने से आपकी मानहानि नहीं हुई?
 
3.  सन 2000 में आपको देश के गैस के कुछ कुएं दिए गए। आपकी जिम्मेदारी थी कि आप इसमें से गैस निकाल कर भारत सरकार को दें। गैस हमारी थी, इस देश के लोगों की। हम उस गैस के मालिक हैं। आपकी हैसियत केवल एक ठेकेदार की थी। आपको गैस के कुएं केवल गैस निकालने के लिए दिए गए थे। लेकिन आप चतुराई से मालिक बन बैठें। सरकार को आपने गैस 'बेचनी' चालू कर दी। सरकार पर दबाव डालकर आपने गैस के दाम बढ़ाने चालू कर दिए। चूंकि कांग्रेस आपकी दुकान है तो कांग्रेस पार्टी हमेशा आपकी दादागिरी के सामने झुकती नज़र आई। अकसर आपके दबाव में कांग्रेस गैस के दाम बढ़ाती गई और देश के लोग हाहाकार करते रहे। आपकी वजह से बिजली, खाद और रसोईगैस महंगी होती गई। लेकिन जब पानी सर से ऊपर हो गया तो श्री जयपाल रेडडी जी ने आपका विरोध् किया। उस समय श्री जयपाल रेडडी देश के तेल मंत्री थे। उन्होंने आपके दबाव में न आकर गैस के दाम और बढ़ाने से मना कर दिया। आपने श्री जयपाल रेडडी जी का ही तबादला करा दिया। आपकी हरकतों की वजह से देश में कई वस्तुएं महंगी हो रही हैं और जनता कराह रही है। क्या यह सब हरकतें आपको शोभा देती हैं? क्या इन हरकतों से आपकी मानहानि नहीं होती?
 
इस किस्म के आपके बेइमानी के कामों की लिस्ट बहुत लंबी है।
 
इस देश के अधिकतर व्यवसायी, कारोबारी, उद्योगपति ईमानदारी  से काम करना चाहते हैं। लेकिन आज की व्यवस्था उन्हें बेइमानी करने पर मजबूर करती है। पर आपके जैसे उद्योगपति जब खुलेआम व्यवस्था का दुरुपयोग अपने फायदे के लिए करते हैं तो इससे सारे उद्योग और व्यवसाय पर काला धब्बा लगता है।
 
एक तरफ आप हैं, आपके पास पैसा है। दूसरी तरफ इस देश की जनता है। जनता अब जाग गई है। जनता के अंदर जुनून है। इतिहास गवाह है कि जब-जब पैसे और जुनून के बीच लड़ाई हुई है तो हमेशा जुनून जीता है।
 
मेरा आपसे निवेदन है कि देश के मीडिया को धमकाने की कोशिश न करें। मीडिया में चंद लोग ऐसे हो सकते हैं जिन्होंने खुद गलत काम किए हों। ऐसे मीडियाकर्मी शायद आपके दबाव में आ जाएं। लेकिन आज भी अधिकांश पत्रकार देश के लिए काम करते हैं। वो आपके दबाव में नहीं आने वाले। इतिहास गवाह है कि जब-जब देश की न्यायपालिका, कार्यपालिका और विधायिका चरमराती नज़र आई तो, ऐसे ही पत्रकारों ने लोकतंत्र को जिंदा रखा। कुछ ऐसे मीडिया घराने हैं जिनमें सीधे या परोक्ष रूप से आपका पैसा लगा है। हो सकता है ऐसे घराने आपके दबाव में आ जाएं, पर इन घरानों में काम करने वाले पत्रकार आपके दबाव में नहीं आने वाले।
 
आपका क्या सपना है? क्या आप बेइमानी से दुनिया के सबसे धनवान व्यक्ति बनना चाहते हैं? मान लीजिए आप इस देश की सारी दौलत के मालिक बन जाए। क्या इससे आपको खुशी मिलेगी? खुशी अधिक से अधिक धन अर्जित करने से नहीं मिलती। बल्कि त्याग करने से मिलती है। आज आप एक ऐसे मुकाम पर खड़े हैं कि यदि आप बेइमानी से व्यवसाय करना छोड़ दें और अपनी सारी दौलत देश के लोगों के विकास में लगा दें तो यह देश आपको कभी नहीं भूलेगा।
 
(अरविंद केजरीवाल)
 
------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------
(Please find below English Translation of the letter. The letter was originally written in Hindi.)
 
Dear Mr Mukesh Ambani,
 
You have recently sent a defamation notice to a number of TV channels. Their “crime” is that they aired the press conference held on the 31st October 2012 and 9th November 2012, by Prashant Bhushan and me, live. In our press conference, we presented before the country how you had illegally pressurized the government into increasing gas prices. We also told the country that your associates and your companies have accounts in Swiss banks where black money had been stashed away. Many TV channels aired our expose live.  All these TV channels have now received defamation notices from you.
 
I find it quite perplexing. If you felt that you have been defamed by what Prashant Bhushan and I said, then we are the real culprits and, if you had to send a defamation notice, it should have been to us. The TV channels merely broadcast what we said. Despite this, instead of sending us the defamation notice, you have sent it to the TV channels. It is evident that your sole purpose of sending this notice was to steamroll the TV channels into subservience.
 
The people of India want to ask you some straight questions:
 
·        Is it not true that the list of those who have accounts in Swiss Banks, as received by the Government of India, includes your name and the names of your relatives, your  friends and your companies?
 
·        Is it not true that a balance of Rs. 100 crores is shown against your name in this list?
 
·        Is it not true that you have paid the tax on this amount after this list was received by the  Government?
 
If the above is true, as we suspect it is, it proves that you have admitted your guilt. As per the law of the land, you should be tried and, if the charge of tax evasion is proved, you should be sent to jail. 
 
However, this would never happen. Why? Because the Government of India is intimidated by you. You have been reported as saying that the Congress Party has been bought by you – it is your dukaan, to be precise. You are right. according to some media reports, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi sometimes travels by your personal aircraft. People believe that Mr. Jaipal Reddy’s ministry was also changed because of your influence.
 
Why only the Congress? Even BJP and many other parties are in your pocket. Earlier, Mr. Advani used to make a lot of noise about Swiss Bank accounts, but since your accounts have been exposed, BJP has suddenly gone quiet. BJP has not mentioned a single word in the Parliament about your accounts.
 
It appears that almost all parties are afraid of you. Most leaders are scared of you, too. However, the citizens of this country are not scared of you. All parties could be your dukaan but India is not up for sale. India is ours, it belongs to the people of this country. You can purchase political parties and political leaders with your money but we will not let India be sold.
 
You say that the TV channels have tainted your reputation by airing our press conference live. That's wrong. I would urge you to answer this question honestly - Did Prashant Bhushan, myself and the TV Channels defame you or did you defame yourself through your own misdeeds?
 
1. In 2002, you gave 1 Crore shares with a market price of Rs. 55 per share to Mr. Pramod Mahajan at just Rs. 1 per share. This was a straight bribe to get “Full Mobility”. When you were caught, you took back the shares. Presently, the matter is In court.  Didn't you defame yourself by doing this?
 
2. You have made your multistoreyed residence on Wakf land. This land had been set aside for an orphanage. You have stolen the right of poor and orphaned Muslim children. Didn't you defame yourself by doing this?
 
3. A few gas wells belonging to the Country were allotted to you in 2000. You were supposed to extract gas and give it to the government. The gas belongs to us, the people of India. We are the owners of this gas. You were only a contractor appointed to extract the gas. However, cleverly you became the owner of the gas. You started "selling" the gas to the government.
Because the Congress is in your pocket, it always bowed before your bullying. The Congress kept increasing the price of gas under your pressure and the nation kept wailing. Because of you, the prices of electricity, fertilizer and cooking gas kept rising. When it crossed all limits, Mr. Jaipal Reddy opposed you. He was the Minister for Oil and Gas at that time. You got Mr. Jaipal Reddy transferred. Because of you many things have become increasingly expensive in India and the people are groaning under the load of these high prices. Do these shenanigans suit you? Do such acts not defame you?
 
The list of such illegal acts done by you is quite long.
 
The majority of the traders, businessmen and industrialists want to do their work honestly. But the system forces them into wrongdoings. But when a businessman like you brazenly subverts the system for his personal benefit, the entire industry and business world gets a bad name.
 
You are on one side with immense wealth. On the other side are the people of this country. The people have now awakened. Fire is raging in their heart. History is witness that whenever there has been a clash between money and such rage, the rage has won.
 
Kindly do not try to intimidate the media of this country. There may be some mediamen who may have done wrong things themselves. Such media-persons may succumb to your pressure. However, the majority of media persons keep the interest of the Country at heart even today. They are not going to capitulate so easily. History is witness that whenever the judiciary, bureaucracy and legislature crumbled, it is the honest fourth pillar, comprising such media-persons that kept democracy alive.
 
You have invested in some media houses directly or indirectly. It is possible that these media houses do your bidding. However, the journalists working for such media houses will not barter their integrity so easily.
 
What is your dream? Do you want to become the world's richest person through dishonesty? Suppose you became the owner of all the wealth in this country. Would that make you happy? Happiness does not increase by accumulating more and more wealth. Happiness comes with sacrifice. If you stopped doing business dishonestly and contributed your wealth for the development of the nation, this country will remember you with pride forever.
 
With regards,
  
Arvind Kejriwal
 
Website: www.aamaadmiparty.org  | Helpline: +91-9718500606 | | Twitter: @AamAadmiParty | 
 

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Protest against asbestos factory


Protest against asbestos factory


Note: Th role of media in Bihar in reporting the protest against two asbestos  plants in Bihar's Bihiya in Bhojpur by Tamil Nadu based Ramco Industries near Mahatin Mai Temple and in Panapur, Vaishali by West Bengal based Utkal Asbestos Limited near a government run school in general has been unsatisfactory. The localisation of newspapers has ensured that what gets reported in Vaishali does not get reported in Bhojpur and vice versa. 

There is a deafening silence about the proposed plants by Andhra Pradesh based Hyderabad Industries Ltd for establishment of 2,50,000 MT per year capacity Asbestos Cement Sheeting Plant in two Phases at Kumarbagh Industrial Area, West Champaran and by Rajasthan based A Infrastructure Ltd for establishment of 1, 25, 000 MT per year capacity Asbestos Cement (A.C.) Sheet and 1,00,000 MT per year capacity A.C. Pressure Pipe at Pandaul Industrial Area, Madhubani.

Besides these Tamil Nadu based Nibhi Industries Pvt. Ltd’s has established 1,00,000 (One Lakh) MT Capacity Asbestos Fiber Cement Corrugated Sheet, Flat Sheet and Accessories and Light Weight Fly Ash Block Plant naming itself at Industrial Growth Centre, Giddha, Ara, Bhojpur behind Trident B-ed College. The faculty and the students who will study there will be under threat of asbestos exposure. This plant is now being run by Utkal Asbestos Limited on lease. 

Gopal Krishna
ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA)


Villagers of Bihar’s Vaishali district took out a protest march in the State capital on Wednesday against an asbestos-based factory in Chaksultan Rampur Rajdhari.

Organised under the banner of Khet Bachao Jeevan Bachao Jan Sangharsh Committee,they submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar demanding stoppage of work at the West Bengal-based company Utkal Asbestos. The villagers have been raising concerns of cancer and other health risks in light of the hazardous factory. Last June the district administration stayed the construction of the factory. However, work on the facility started again in December.

“In India, mining of asbestos is technically banned but its import from other countries is yet to be banned. Trade in asbestos (dust and fibers) is also banned. In the absence of environmental and occupational health infrastructure, the passivity of the State governments cannot be deemed acceptable given the fact that health is a State subject. The Bihar Government should take immediate steps to set a healthy precedent for all the other states, the Central Government and neighbouring countries,” a Press release stated.

RAHI GAIKWAD
PATNA
January 17, 2013

Friday, January 11, 2013

SUGGESTIONS INVITED ON RAPE//SEXUAL OFFENCES & CRIMINAL LAW (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2012

Rajya Sabha Secretarit has published a notice dated January 8, 2013 seeking suggestions on review of laws related to rape/sexual offences in the matter of The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2012 introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 4, 2012. The suggestions can be sent latest by 28th January, 2013.

The 16 page The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2012 is given here:
http://164.100.47.5/newcommittee/press_release/Press/Committee%20on%20Home%20Affairs/press%20release.doc

PRESS RELEASE
STANDING COMMITTEE ON HOME AFFAIRS INVITES SUGGESTIONS ON THE CRIMINAL LAW (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2012
The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2012  as  introduced in   the  Lok  Sabha   on  4 December 2012  and  pending  therein,  has  been  referred  to  Department-related   Parliamentary  Standing Committee on Home Affairs, headed by Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, M.P. Rajya Sabha for examination and report. The Bill seeks to amend the Indian Penal Code, 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 to review laws related to rape/sexual offences. 
2.         The Committee has decided to invite suggestions in the form of written memoranda from the public/associations/women organizations/civil societies, etc, on the provisions of the Bill.
3.         Those desirous of submitting written memoranda to the Committee, may send the same   to Shri D. K. Mishra, Joint Director, Rajya Sabha Secretariat, Room No. 142, First Floor, Parliament House Annexe, New Delhi-110001 {Tele: 23035410 (O) and 23012007 (fax)} latest by 28th January, 2013.
4.         The memorandum which might be submitted to the Committee, would form part of its records and treated as confidential and, therefore, should not be printed, circulated or publicized by anyone, as such an act would constitute a breach of privilege of the Committee.
5.         Individuals/stakeholders may obtain, on written request, a copy of the Bill, from Shri Bhupendra Bhaskar, Assistant Director, Rajya Sabha Secretariat, Cabin ‘A’, Basement, Parliament House Annexe, New Delhi-110001 (Telephone No. 011-23034034). The electronic text of the Bill can also be down loaded from the Rajya Sabha Website www.rajyasabha.nic.in. ® Bills with Committees.
Website:- http://rajyasabha.nic.in         
E-mail:  rsc-ha@sansad.nic.in          

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Foreign Funding of Political Parties, Delhi High Court asks Centre and ECI to respond

A bench of Delhi High Court comprising of justices Sanjay Kishen Kaul and Indermeet Kaur today, on 10th of January 2013, heard the arguments 
of a PIL that has alleged that the two political parties namely Indian National Congress (INC) and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)have violated the 
Representation of People’s Act (RPA) 1951 and Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) by taking donations from government companies 
and foreign sources, which is prohibited under both the legislations.

Petitioners of the PIL

a) Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR)
b) Dr. EAS Sarma, former secretary to the Government of India

Grounds of the PIL

a) INC and the BJP have violated Section 29B of the Representation of People’s Act 1951, which categorically prohibits them to take donations from government companies and from any foreign source
b) The donation of huge sums of money made by the Vedanta Group (being a foreign company) to major political parties like INC and BJP is in clear violation of the FCR Act of 1976 and the FCR Act of 2010.
c) The donation of huge sums of money by the public sector undertakings (who are also State within Article 12 of the Constitution) to the political parties is in violation of Section 293A of the Companies Act.

BJP and INC have confessed to the foreign funding

Both BJP and INC have themselves declared, in their annual contribution reports submitted to the Election Commission of India (ECI), that they have received funding from the Vedanta Group, which is a foreign company listed on London Stock Exchange under the name “Vedanta Resources PLC”.

Court has asked Centre and ECI

After hearing the petitioners, Delhi High Court has asked the Central Government (Home Ministry) and Election Commission of India (ECI) to file their responses within 2 weeks. Court has also said that the two political parties, INC and BJP, will be called upon to respond only after going through the responses of the Home Ministry and ECI. The next date of hearing in the matter has been set as 4th February 2013.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Villagers to protest before Bihar Chief Minister against hazardous asbestos plant

In order to seek direct invention of Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar in this matter of hazardous asbestos plant in Mahuwa, Vaishali to save their land and livelihood, villagers have planned to demonstrate before CM on January 16, 2013 in Patna. 

With regard to the asbestos company making ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA) convener, Gopal Krishna the prime accused in the case of demolition of asbestos factory in Vaishali on December 16, 2013. Incidentally, Gopal Krishna was present in two public events on December 16, 2013 during day time and at night in New Delhi which is properly documented. Companies have mastered the art of lodging fake FIRs with impunity. This is yet another case of a strategic litigation against a public interest person (SLAPP) to silence him.    


People protest setting up of asbestos plant in Hajipur

Ransack unit, alleging the Utkal Asbestos Limited made false promises to them

imageResidents say UAL had shown fertile agricultural land as barren in the environment impact assessment report (photo by Prashant Ravi)
Angered by a series of lies told by an asbestos manufacturing company, residents of 10 villages in Hajipur, headquarters of Vaishali district in Bihar, ransacked Utkal Asbestos Limited’s (UAL’s) under-construction plant on Sunday.
Around 1,200 people alleged that the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report, land purchase agreement and even the FIR lodged against them for protesting these, were lies. Raj Kishore Rai, along with a group of protestors, listed a number of fake promises made by the company management.
Rai said UAL, which has its head office in Odisha, purchased land after promising people to set up an agro-medicine unit there. This did not happen. To their horror, the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report mentioned the fertile land as barren. UAL had promised people that the unit would not become operational till a solution to these were found through a tripartite negotiation between people, administration and the company. This, too, did not take place.
“In the last few months, we witnessed construction inside of the asbestos unit on a large scale. We tried to talk to UAL authorities, but they refused. This angered the people,” Rai said. On Sunday, they protested outside the company gate hoping that senior officials will give in to pressure and hold the promised meeting. But the UAL authorities refused to even speak to the protestors. Tension escalated and people ransacked the upcoming unit, resulting in total loss of Rs 80 lakhs and closure of important roads for around 11 hours.
Police and district administration decided not to take action because the crowd was huge. Later, Rajkishore along with Gopal Krishna, convener of Delhi-based Toxics Watch Alliance, and 35 others were named in the police FIR lodged by Sunil Kumar, assistant general manager of UAL, Bihar. In the FIR, Kumar alleged that he saw Gopal Krishna leading people inside the company premises and ordering them to ransack it. Krishna claimed he was not in Bihar at that time.
A senior UAL officer, who did not wish to be named, said, “We are taking stock of the loss and negotiating with the district administration”. Meanwhile, the district administration has asked the company to stop work for a month till an agreement is reached. “We will try to resolve the issue between the UAL and people,” Jitendra Srivastava, the district magistrate said. A heavy contingent of police has been deputed near the company site.

Alok Gupta, Down To Earth 

Award on behalf of TATA MOTORS, fraudulent or genuine?


Following conversation with Ms Anu of TATA MOTORS, Jamshedpur office on phone no. 0657-6450112 and Mr Dipak of TATA MOTORS, Ranchi office on phone no. 0651- 6450154, it has come to light that the advertisement in Hindustan, a newspaper dated January 6, 2013 on page no. 14 in Bhojpur edition about a picture identification competition appears questionable and dubious. The scanned copy of the advertisement is given below: 



At 10.28 AM, January 11, 2012, there was a call from 07782059087 of Prakash Verma who introduced himself as someone speaking on behalf of Tata Motors. When he was confronted with which advertisement promoting the product of the competitor of Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki Alto. He was speechless and he said he will ask him Madam Soni to explain. When confronted with the statement of Ms Anu of TATA MOTORS, Jamshedpur office who said the award is fake and fraudulent. He had no answers.

At 10.35, January 11, 2012 there was a call from 8229029338 of Sanjay Kumar who said he was speaking from Tata Motors, Guwahati. He also failed to explain the genuineness of the award. 
  
At 8.24 AM on January 10, 2012, there was a call from 8227810638 of Anil Agarwal who introduced himself as the ADG of the Face to Face Contest of Tata Motors. He explained that his staff members goofed up in explaining the procedure. He attempted to provide convincing arguments about the genuineness of the contest, advertisement and the award. His tone and tenor of engagement was sounded more sophisticated than the previous callers. But he could not provide convincing response to the question as to why a contest which is meant to promote the cars of Tata Motors is advertising Maruti Suzuki's Alto car, which is its competitor. He said that it was the mistake of the advertisement agency that was hired to put the advertisement. On behalf of Himanshu Pandey it was argued that the genuineness of the contest, advertisement and award can only be established if the same is communicated in writing.          

Earlier, heated arguments on January 9, 2012 with Nirmal Raj, Anil Prasad, Shriram Kumar and Ranjit Sinha made these so-called officials of Tata Motors reveal their SBI Account no.s to convince that they are not fake. Their account numbers are as under: 32582042291, 32555652764, 32555655548, 32501183497 respectively.     

It all began with a phone call from Manisha who claimed to be speaking on behalf of TATA Motors on January 8, 2013) from her number 9661407183 to inform Himanshu Pandey who had responded to an advertisement in Hindustan, a newspaper dated January 6, 2013 on page no. 14 in Bhojpur edition, Bihar that he is the second winner in a picture identification competition. He got the call on his no. 9546903977. 

He was informed by the lady that he has won the second prize in a competition where there were three awards. As per the advertisement, the first award was Tata Safari, The second award was Alto, The third award is Nano. She introduced herself as representing TATA Motors company, Jamshedpur. She asked him that if he wants to claim the award, he should deposit Rs 3500 for registration and if he wants to claim the money deposit Rs 2500 for registration in the SBI Bank Account no. 32582042291 of Nirmal Raj on January 8, 2013. The advertisement in Hindustan, a newspaper dated January 6, 2013 on page no. 14 in Bhojpur edition, Bihar had given following three phone numbers: 09931880115, 09931882369, 08757134081. Later, it was told that second prize was Indica. 

When a call was made on 09931880115, one Manoj Verma informed that the advertisement was placed on behalf of TATA MOTORS. A call on 9931882369 to Rohit confirmed that the the advertisement was placed on behalf of TATA MOTOTRS. But they were representing Guwahati branch.   

The SBI account mentioned above is that of Nirmal Raj, the junior manager with TATA MOTORs. This was revealed by Nirmal Raj when a call was made on his number 9572096564. He has confirmed that the advertisement and award is genuine. He informed that he also spoke to his senior manager Sanjay Chaudhary in this regard. But they did not share their contact address and their email id. So far there has been no written communication from their end although prior to the transfer of Rs 3500 they had promised that they will provide written information about it. 

In pursuance of this conversation, a transfer of Rs 3500 in the SBI Bank Account no. 32582042291 of Nirmal Raj was done on January 8, 2013 for registration on behalf of Himanshu Pandey.

Ms Anu of TATA MOTORS, Jamshedpur confirmed that there was no employee by the name of Nirmal Raj, Manisha and Sanjay Chaudhary in Jamshedpur. TATA MOTORS must put these SBI Bank Account no. 32582042291 under scanner in cooperation with SBI. And if they are fake it should ensure that the money is returned those who have been cheated and suitable penal action initiated against these culprits. Else TATA MOTORS must issue a clarification statement about the genuineness of the advertisement and the award and ensure that things are set right if the contest and the award has come under cloud as an outcome of communication failure.

Last updated at 10.40 AM, January 11, 2012

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

नदी जोड़ो परियोजना नदी हत्या परियोजना है

नदी सिर्फ पानी का पाइप लाइन नहीं है जिसे नदी जोड़ने के नाम पर तोड़-मरोड़ कर उलटी गंगा बहाई जाये। जल चक्र को मेट्रिक से पहले ही पढ़ाया जाता है। जल चक्र को याद रखे। नदियों का पानी समुद्र में जाकर वापस लौट आता है। सागर से जो बादल बनकर उठता है उसी से तो नदी और अन्य जल स्रोतों का निर्माण होता है। केंद्र का हो या मध्य प्रदेश का या बिहार का या अन्य राज्य का, नदी जोड़ो परियोजना नदी हत्या परियोजना है। बिहार में आठ नदियों को जोड़ने की योजना है। इसमें सबसे पहले कोसी-मेची को जोड़ने के क्रम में कदम उठाये जा रहे है।  इसमें से छह का प्री-फिसिबिलिटी रिपोर्ट भी तैयार हो गया है। कोसी-मेची में अलावा बाढ़-नवादा, कोहरा-लालबेगी, बुढ़ी गंडक-नोन-बाया-गंगा, बुढ़ी गंडक-बागमती (बेल्वाधार) और कोसी-गंगा शामिल है। इसका पुरजोर विरोध होना चाहिए। नदी हत्या का दोष सरकार और उसके समर्थको पर ही लगेंगा।   

गोपाल कृष्ण
टॉक्सिक्सवाच अलायन्स