Bihar Finance Minister's Budget Speech 2013-14

Budget Highlights बजट 2013-14 के मुख्य आकर्षण Main Features of Budget 2013-14 Budget Provision for Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCSP) नई पहल नये कर प्रस्ताव वित्त विधेयक के कर प्रस्तावों के संदर्भ में प्रेस-नोट Press Note on Bihar Finance Bill माननीय वित्त मंत्री का भाषण | Hon'ble Bihar Finance Minister's Speech वार्षिक वित्तीय विवरणी | Annual Financial Statement अनुदानों की माँग | Demand For Grants राजस्व एवं पूँजीगत प्राप्तियाँ | Revenue & Capital Receipt गैर-योजना व्यय (विस्तृत) | Budget Expenditure Details (Non-Plan) आयोजना व्यय (विस्तृत) | Budget Expenditure Details (Plan) वित्तीय लेन-देन का सार | Budget Summary नई योजनाएँ | New Schemes बजट पर व्याख्यात्मक ज्ञापन | Explanatory Memorandum बिहार वित्त विधेयक | Bihar Financial Bill 2013 आयोजना भिन्न (विस्तृत) एवं आयोजना (विस्तृत) | Non-Plan Expenditure & Plan (Detail) 2013-14 बिहार राजकोषीय उत्तरदायित्व और बजट प्रबंधन अधिनियम, 2006 के अंतर्गत प्रस्तुत विवरण | Details presented under Bihar Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2006 आयोजना भिन्न (विस्तृत) एवं आयोजना (विस्तृत) स्थानीय निकायों का बजट प्रावधान | Plan/Non-Plan Expenditure (Detail) for Local Bodies बजट पत्रों का संक्षिप्त विवरण | Key to Budget Documents आर्थिक सर्वेक्षण | Economic Survey 2012-13 लोक-ऋण तथा गारंटी | Loan Budget केन्द्र सरकार से प्राप्त ऋण | Loans from Govt. of India बिहार सरकार के आंतरिक ऋण | Internal Loans बिहार सरकार द्वारा दी गई गारंटी | Guarantee and Bonds

Bihar Chief Minister promises to ‘puncture’ construction of asbestos factories

Press Release

Bihar Chief Minister promises to ‘puncture’ construction of asbestos factories

Chief Minister’s environment friendly intervention welcomed

Memorandum demands stoppage of asbestos factory and withdrawal of fake cases

Patna/New Delhi February 14, 2013: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar met the leaders of ban asbestos movement led by Vaishali’s Khet Bachao Jeevan Bachao Jan Sangharsh Committee (KBJBJC) and the leaders of left parties and promised to ‘puncture’ construction of asbestos factories in the State. The Chief Minister met the leaders at his residence at 1, Anne Marg in Patna in the evening hours of on February 13, 2013. The Hindi Press Release of Khet Bachao Jeevan Bachao Jan Sangharsh Committee (KBJBJC) and their Memorandum to the Chief Minister is attached.

This announcement of the Chief Minister follows declaration of Shri Awadhesh Narain Singh, Chairman, Bihar Legislative Council saying ‘buying asbestos is akin to buying cancer’ at a conference on environmental and occupational health on December 24, 2012, in his address to the health experts, scientists, trade union leaders, academicians, civil society leaders and villagers. The conference also adopted a Patna Declaration urging State of Bihar to ban Asbestos Product Use and to ban Asbestos Product Use. Speech of Chairman, Bihar Legislative Council is available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9TbemRUkYM The Declaration which has been submitted to the Chief Minister is attached.

Officials present at the meeting suggested a campaign to end the use of asbestos based products in the State.

Bihar Chief Minister expressed outrage at the granting of ‘No Objection Certificate’ by Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) to hazardous asbestos based factories in fertile agricultural lands.

In a remarkable move Bihar Chief Minister phoned Chairman, BSPCB and fixed an appointment for the villagers of Vaishali for February 14 and expressed his disapproval for asbestos based factories to him in front of the leaders of the left parties and the villagers’ committee.  

Villagers met the Chairman, BSPCB today. The Chairman spoke to District Magistrate, Vaishali and assured the villagers of necessary action for cancelling the approval given to the asbestos company’s plant.    

The current status of the asbestos factories in Bihar is as under:

1) Kolkata based UAL Industries Ltd for Establishment of 2, 33, 000 MT per year capacity Asbestos Cement Sheet and Corrugated Sheets Plant in two phases at Goraul, Vaishali in the name of UAL-Bihar. Earlier it was proposed at Bakhtiyarpur. This has been suspended temporarily

2) Chennai based Ramco Industries Ltd for establishment of 1, 20, 000 MT/Annum Capacity of Asbestos Cement Sheet Plant and 2 Lakh MT/Annum Capacity of Cement Grinding Plant at Industrial Area, Bihiya, Bhojpur. In his speech of Chairman, Bihar Legislative Council available above on the youtube, he expressed concern about this plant.

3) Chennai based Nibhi Industries Pvt. Ltd for establishment of the One Lakh MT Capacity Asbestos Fiber Cement Corrugated Sheet, Flat Sheet and Accessories and Light Weight Fly Ash Block Plant at Industrial Growth Centre, Giddha, Ara, Bhojpur. In his speech of Chairman, Bihar Legislative Council available above on the youtube, he expressed concern about this plant. This has been taken on lease by Utkal Asbestos Limited (UAL) in a strategic move realizing that construction of its asbestos based plant will not be allowed by the villagers of Vaishali.

4) 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

5) Kolkata based Balmukund Cement & Roofings Ltd for establishment of 1.5 Lakh MT capacity production unit of Asbestos Fiber Cement Sheet (Corrugated/Flat) and Accessories at Chainpur-Bishunpur, Marwan, Muzaffarpur. This has been stopped following bitter struggle of villagers of Marwan block of Muzaffarpur.

6) 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.

Following Chief Minister’s intervention Bihar’s State Investment Promotion Board (SIPB) and the State Cabinet must disapprove asbestos based industrial projects and rescind earlier approvals.

Struggle of villagers of Vaishali’s Chaksultan Rampur Rajdhari near Panapur in Kanhauli Dhanraj Panchayat in Goraul block against asbestos based factory has reached a decisive phase. Villagers have been protesting against this lung cancer causing hazardous plant under the banner of
KBJBJC for more than 2 years.

After the villagers Mahadharna of June 14, 2012, the district administration had put a stay on the construction of the factory. When the construction started again on December 16, 2012, the villagers blocked the Mahua-Samastipur road for 9 hours to express their protest against the proposed white asbestos plant of UAL company in their village on June 14. Cancer causing white
asbestos also called chrysotile asbestos is banned in 55 countries.

It is noteworthy that "The Government of India is considering the ban on use of chrysotile asbestos in India to protect the workers and the general population against primary and secondary exposure to Chrysotile form of Asbestos." This has been revealed in a concept
paper by Union Ministry of Labour revealed during 19-20th September, 2011. The resolutions of WHO and ILO in 2005 and 2006 have called for the elimination of asbestos.

In India, mining of asbestos is technically banned but its import from other countries is yet to be banned. Trade in asbestos (dust & fibers) is also banned.  

The shady designs of the UAL company against the villagers and protesters to protect its hazardous plant at the cost of villagers’ health was condemned by the speakers who spoke at the demonstration. In a dubious move, the UAL has filed case no. 252/2012, 509/2012 and
510/2012 to silence the voice of public interest persons. This appears to be done to trap villagers into concocted cases as part of company’s design to malign the movement of the KBJBJC. The memorandum sought the withdrawal of three fake cases lodged in Mahua Thana, Vaihsali.

Asbestos Virodhi Nagrik Manch, Patna and left and socialist parties participated in the demonstration on January 16, 2012 to express solidarity with the villagers struggle against the asbestos based factory of Utkal Asbestos Limited.

Now that the construction of asbestos based factory in Vaishali is all set to be permanently stopped, the issue of three asbestos plants in Bhojpur’s Giddha and Bihiya will come to the forefront where protest has been going on for more than 2 years. Notably, the Giddha plant is situated behind a B Ed College. The villagers are protesting against this plant. In Bihiya, Tamil Nadu based Ramco Industries is operating two asbestos plants amidst protests from villagers. Memorandum has been submitted to the District administration in this regard.

The memorandum to the Chief Minister demanded white asbestos based plants should be closed in public interest keeping public health in mind and dismissal of fake case registered by Utkal Management.

For Details: Gopal Krishna, ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA), Mb: 08002263335 (Patna), 9818089660 (Delhi)

Ajit Kr Singh, Khet Bachao Jeevan Bachao Jan Sangharsh Committee (KBJBJC), Vaishali, Mb: 08002903995, E-mail:ajeetsinghpushkar@gmail.com

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.

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 31^st October 2012 and 9^th 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 | 

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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)

Protest against asbestos factory

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

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 28^th 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 28^th 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