A new film in the making
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Name of Film: Destroy India
Producer: Mr. Corruption
Director: Middle man ,Fixers and Greed
Hero : Manmohan Singh
Heroine : Sonia Gandhi
Villain : A Raja and other top politicians
Script : Karunanidhi
Character Actor : Omar Abdullah
Friendly Appearance : Rahul Gandhi
Comedy : Sharad and Party Spokespersons
Shameless Actor : Kalmadi and Sheila ki jawani
Dancers : Sheila & Jayanti Natrajan
Action : Mamata Banerjee
Music : Nira Radia
Publicity : Diggvijay Singh
Sound : Manish Tiwari & AM Singhvi
Camera: Kapil Sibal
Art Direction: Ahmed patel
Choreography: T K A Nair
Financed By: People of India
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Buying and selling NEWS for a few bucks
Newspapers are not what they used to be. Once a written word carried weight, was sacrosanct, and largely unchallenged. But today, it takes a few thousand bucks to get ‘news’ printed. The phenomenon of Paid News is spreading like cancer and spreading like plague. What is shocking is that the biggest and the best of ‘brands’ in the media industry are leading the race. M K Tayal brings you what it means for you as a reader…
I was sitting in a newspaper office, when a small time courier-cum office boy of a political party walked in with a press release and a photograph. He kept it on the bureau chief’s desk. The worker then took out six Rs 1,000 crisp notes, put the money on the news item, folded his hand and said, “Double column with picture”. The bureau chief nodded and pocketed the money. The worker left. The newspaper claims to be one of the largest circulated in the country. Next day, I read the news in that paper with a shinning headline praising the candidate who was contesting elections. The same news I read in two-three newspapers and then gave up. “What are the readers getting?”
These days much of the ‘news’ in newspapers and television channel is paid by the people who are being mentioned in that particular news. The malaise of the Paid News has gripped almost the entire industry, with big brands of English, Hindi or vernacular press in the forefront. Virtues of honesty and truthfulness have just become words to be delivered in seminars by those who bend and break every rule in the book.
So, be it election related coverage of newspapers or a party in downtown pub, chances are that the candidates or the party organizers would have put some cash above the press release to get their news through to you, the reader-the viewer. The question that arises is that aren’t newspapers and TV channels taking advertisements. The answer is yes, but paid news comes as an editorial package, where readers and viewers are made to believe that the newspaper or that particular channel has got a story running by one of its staffers. Thus the credibility of the news article is much more had it slipped in as an advertisement.
It is alleged that many media houses in the country, irrespective of their volume of business, sell news space to politicians and corporates without admitting that it is those items as advertisements.
Interestingly, while many newspapers offices function without any formal structure to bring out paid news, newspapers like The Times of India have corporatised their paid news structure. It operated a company, Media Net, which later became Optimal Media Solutions. OMS has recently merged with the Times Business Solutions Ltd, a times company. Here you can get pay and get news printed in the prestigious newspaper. Ironically, the Times is not alone. From Daink Jagran to Punjab Kesri or CNN-IBN, all are into paid news.
Newspaper and TV editors are aware of this concept of selling editorial space and content, and have always been cautious of not breaching the thin line. But often, editors and editorial space is marginalized by the owners and entrepreneurs who run the show.
Money is an important factor and whoever has been willing to spend gets his say in editorial matters.
In the good old days of advertising, no publisher would speak or write against big advertisers. That is why corporates resorted to buying advertisement space to influence editorial heads and space. There was still the liberty of journalists slipping in facts in their writings. But even that charade was given up with the advent of paid news.
Then corporate started working on another method to get the ‘news’ across to the readers. They would take editors on freebees and the rest would be palatable crap. This happens with airlines, hotels and big companies that can afford the tantrums of the journalists. Vir Sanghvi’s article on the Taj hotel – Falkunama Palace in the Hindustan Times Brunch was one such superb piece. Of course, neither Singhvi, a food writer, nor Taj would admit that it was a part of the exercise that the industry resorts to.
The practice of paying for editorial content, particularly by political candidates, has been a gnawing issue in India for many years. Lately, a number of influential media organizations have shown their concern with this ill practice. India it seems, has finally woken up to the menace of the ‘paid news’ culture in mainstream media.
At the South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA) India discussed the issue with concern. Even the Editors’ Guild of India expressed anguish at the growing tendency of a section of media groups (both print and visual) receiving money for some “non-advertorial” items in their media space.
The guild sent a letter to each of its member-editors throughout the country to ask for a pledge that his/her “publication/TV channel will not carry any paid news as the practice violates and undermines the principles of free and fair journalism.”
The letter, signed by Rajdeep Sardesai and Coomi Kapoor, president and secretary-general of the guild respectively, expressed hope that “the journalist fraternity would come together on this issue and would stand up to defend their credibility, and make public declarations on the subject in order to restore the reading and viewing public’s faith in the media by undoing the damage that has already been done.”
Today, India supports nearly 70,000 registered newspapers and over 450 television channels.
Though, the media, as a whole, often plays a constructive role, concerns of paid news comes as a cropper.
“Paid news being published as news is not acceptable to anyone, the readers or polity. Star News is using their air space for LG mobile, using word advertisement is good enough, after all now these days media is not a mission it’s a business,” says Shishir Soni a journalist with a Hindi daily.
Many distinguished editor-journalists of India including, K K Katyal, Satich Jacob, Kumar Ketkar (editor of Loksatta), Om Thanvi (editor of Jansatta), Vinod Sharma (political editor of Hindustan Times), Sevanti Ninan and more, have expressed serious concern at the growing trend of selling news space.
Meanwhile, the Press Council of India, decided to investigate the issue and it has already set up a committee to examine violations of the journalistic code of fair and objective reporting by having paid news.
Dr Madhav Kinhalkar of Maharashtra has filed a case against former chief minister Ashok Chavan relating to paid news and subsequently sought his disqualification under Section 77 of the People’s Representation Act in the Election Commission of India.
Lawyers Uday Lalit and Dilip Annasaheb Taur submitted a compilation of 700 pages which includes major newspaper cutting which have published full pull out color supplements in the form of news, 32 advertisements published in major local newspapers which have not been accounted by Chavan in his election expenditure. Meanwhile, Chavan got the boot for the Adarsh scam. The arguments are inconclusive in the ECI and the case goes on.
“But the fact remains, will the ECI count the ‘news items’ as paid news or not, is the question,” Dr Kinhalkar tells The Dayafter at Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi after a hearing at the ECI.
Till the newspaper and TV channels owners decide to put a stop on this, it is unlikely that editors can have a say in such matters. You cannot skip this phenomenon and get good old news as it was unless you give up on the daily dose of TV and newspaper. Till then keep reading, paid stuff.
I was sitting in a newspaper office, when a small time courier-cum office boy of a political party walked in with a press release and a photograph. He kept it on the bureau chief’s desk. The worker then took out six Rs 1,000 crisp notes, put the money on the news item, folded his hand and said, “Double column with picture”. The bureau chief nodded and pocketed the money. The worker left. The newspaper claims to be one of the largest circulated in the country. Next day, I read the news in that paper with a shinning headline praising the candidate who was contesting elections. The same news I read in two-three newspapers and then gave up. “What are the readers getting?”
These days much of the ‘news’ in newspapers and television channel is paid by the people who are being mentioned in that particular news. The malaise of the Paid News has gripped almost the entire industry, with big brands of English, Hindi or vernacular press in the forefront. Virtues of honesty and truthfulness have just become words to be delivered in seminars by those who bend and break every rule in the book.
So, be it election related coverage of newspapers or a party in downtown pub, chances are that the candidates or the party organizers would have put some cash above the press release to get their news through to you, the reader-the viewer. The question that arises is that aren’t newspapers and TV channels taking advertisements. The answer is yes, but paid news comes as an editorial package, where readers and viewers are made to believe that the newspaper or that particular channel has got a story running by one of its staffers. Thus the credibility of the news article is much more had it slipped in as an advertisement.
It is alleged that many media houses in the country, irrespective of their volume of business, sell news space to politicians and corporates without admitting that it is those items as advertisements.
Interestingly, while many newspapers offices function without any formal structure to bring out paid news, newspapers like The Times of India have corporatised their paid news structure. It operated a company, Media Net, which later became Optimal Media Solutions. OMS has recently merged with the Times Business Solutions Ltd, a times company. Here you can get pay and get news printed in the prestigious newspaper. Ironically, the Times is not alone. From Daink Jagran to Punjab Kesri or CNN-IBN, all are into paid news.
Newspaper and TV editors are aware of this concept of selling editorial space and content, and have always been cautious of not breaching the thin line. But often, editors and editorial space is marginalized by the owners and entrepreneurs who run the show.
Money is an important factor and whoever has been willing to spend gets his say in editorial matters.
In the good old days of advertising, no publisher would speak or write against big advertisers. That is why corporates resorted to buying advertisement space to influence editorial heads and space. There was still the liberty of journalists slipping in facts in their writings. But even that charade was given up with the advent of paid news.
Then corporate started working on another method to get the ‘news’ across to the readers. They would take editors on freebees and the rest would be palatable crap. This happens with airlines, hotels and big companies that can afford the tantrums of the journalists. Vir Sanghvi’s article on the Taj hotel – Falkunama Palace in the Hindustan Times Brunch was one such superb piece. Of course, neither Singhvi, a food writer, nor Taj would admit that it was a part of the exercise that the industry resorts to.
The practice of paying for editorial content, particularly by political candidates, has been a gnawing issue in India for many years. Lately, a number of influential media organizations have shown their concern with this ill practice. India it seems, has finally woken up to the menace of the ‘paid news’ culture in mainstream media.
At the South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA) India discussed the issue with concern. Even the Editors’ Guild of India expressed anguish at the growing tendency of a section of media groups (both print and visual) receiving money for some “non-advertorial” items in their media space.
The guild sent a letter to each of its member-editors throughout the country to ask for a pledge that his/her “publication/TV channel will not carry any paid news as the practice violates and undermines the principles of free and fair journalism.”
The letter, signed by Rajdeep Sardesai and Coomi Kapoor, president and secretary-general of the guild respectively, expressed hope that “the journalist fraternity would come together on this issue and would stand up to defend their credibility, and make public declarations on the subject in order to restore the reading and viewing public’s faith in the media by undoing the damage that has already been done.”
Today, India supports nearly 70,000 registered newspapers and over 450 television channels.
Though, the media, as a whole, often plays a constructive role, concerns of paid news comes as a cropper.
“Paid news being published as news is not acceptable to anyone, the readers or polity. Star News is using their air space for LG mobile, using word advertisement is good enough, after all now these days media is not a mission it’s a business,” says Shishir Soni a journalist with a Hindi daily.
Many distinguished editor-journalists of India including, K K Katyal, Satich Jacob, Kumar Ketkar (editor of Loksatta), Om Thanvi (editor of Jansatta), Vinod Sharma (political editor of Hindustan Times), Sevanti Ninan and more, have expressed serious concern at the growing trend of selling news space.
Meanwhile, the Press Council of India, decided to investigate the issue and it has already set up a committee to examine violations of the journalistic code of fair and objective reporting by having paid news.
Dr Madhav Kinhalkar of Maharashtra has filed a case against former chief minister Ashok Chavan relating to paid news and subsequently sought his disqualification under Section 77 of the People’s Representation Act in the Election Commission of India.
Lawyers Uday Lalit and Dilip Annasaheb Taur submitted a compilation of 700 pages which includes major newspaper cutting which have published full pull out color supplements in the form of news, 32 advertisements published in major local newspapers which have not been accounted by Chavan in his election expenditure. Meanwhile, Chavan got the boot for the Adarsh scam. The arguments are inconclusive in the ECI and the case goes on.
“But the fact remains, will the ECI count the ‘news items’ as paid news or not, is the question,” Dr Kinhalkar tells The Dayafter at Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi after a hearing at the ECI.
Till the newspaper and TV channels owners decide to put a stop on this, it is unlikely that editors can have a say in such matters. You cannot skip this phenomenon and get good old news as it was unless you give up on the daily dose of TV and newspaper. Till then keep reading, paid stuff.
Monday, January 31, 2011
You too should get Padma Shri
The Padma Awards, the country’s highest civilian awards, are conferred in three categories: Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The Awards are given in all disciplines - art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc. Phew!
‘Padma Vibhushan’ is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; ‘Padma Bhushan’ for distinguished service of high order and ‘Padma Shri’ for distinguished service in any field. Is honesty, dedication, nationalism, self-less service counted? Interestingly, Padma Shri are given to any member in any discipline for distinguished service but not of high order. There are reports that the 128 odd awards are given away in a matter of few sitting by officials.
Over the years, our national awards have lost meaning. There is enough scope for meddling with the system to get a national award. Our national awards are dictated by media frenzy, politicians and middlemen - all not in that order.
This year, it is said the Prime Minister’s office got its say in giving awards.
ICICI Bank’s Chanda Kochhar, Max India founder Analjit Singh, Infosys CEO Kris Gopalkrishnan, Dr Reddy’s founder Dr K Anji Reddy, GVK honcho Gunapati Venkata Reddy, NIIT founder Rajendra Singh Pawar, ITC’s Yogi Deveshwar have been awarded the Padma Bhushan while Ajim Premji of Wipro got Padma Vibhushan.
What explains awards to industrialists or bureaucrats and what are their specific achievements? What are the criteria to give away national honours to people who are in the business of making money or supposed to do their job?
The list of awardees this year includes names of Brajesh Mishra, Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Shyam Sharn. Brajesh Mishra was a part of the government that dropped off three terrorists to Kandahar and also killed over 500 own soldiers for wrongly deploying the army after the Parliament attack.
Public servants are paid by the government for the job they are expected to do, so where is the question of them getting awarded by the nation for distinguished service.
If doing a job is the basis, then every soldier deserves a national honour. The point is to do your job in rare conditions, ready to give your life for the sake of the country.
What are the achievements of Tabu, Kajol or Irfan Khan who have bagged Padma Shri? Objections should not be only to give awards to actors or singers but even others. Interestingly, awards are given to people staying outside the country and working for the country they are living in.
Prof Martha Chen and Dr Azad Moopen of USA and UAE, respectively, have been given for social work in their respective nations. Prof Upendra Baxi gets Padma Shri for legal services in United Kingdom. Is it time for the parameters of giving awards to NRIs or PIOs to be reevaluated.
Hired lobbyists and news TV channels ran an aggressive campaign before the R-Day openly lobbying Bharat Ratan for cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, an IPL player who has been playing the game for over two decades and features in several ads of various products. Eventually VVS Laxam settled with a Padma Shri for cricket, which is not even an Olympic sport. Ideally, the entire cricketing team should be given Bharat Ratan for engaging and uniting the country. We should give away over around 10 crore awards in a year so that this controversy of giving awards dies in a decade or two.
‘Padma Vibhushan’ is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; ‘Padma Bhushan’ for distinguished service of high order and ‘Padma Shri’ for distinguished service in any field. Is honesty, dedication, nationalism, self-less service counted? Interestingly, Padma Shri are given to any member in any discipline for distinguished service but not of high order. There are reports that the 128 odd awards are given away in a matter of few sitting by officials.
Over the years, our national awards have lost meaning. There is enough scope for meddling with the system to get a national award. Our national awards are dictated by media frenzy, politicians and middlemen - all not in that order.
This year, it is said the Prime Minister’s office got its say in giving awards.
ICICI Bank’s Chanda Kochhar, Max India founder Analjit Singh, Infosys CEO Kris Gopalkrishnan, Dr Reddy’s founder Dr K Anji Reddy, GVK honcho Gunapati Venkata Reddy, NIIT founder Rajendra Singh Pawar, ITC’s Yogi Deveshwar have been awarded the Padma Bhushan while Ajim Premji of Wipro got Padma Vibhushan.
What explains awards to industrialists or bureaucrats and what are their specific achievements? What are the criteria to give away national honours to people who are in the business of making money or supposed to do their job?
The list of awardees this year includes names of Brajesh Mishra, Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Shyam Sharn. Brajesh Mishra was a part of the government that dropped off three terrorists to Kandahar and also killed over 500 own soldiers for wrongly deploying the army after the Parliament attack.
Public servants are paid by the government for the job they are expected to do, so where is the question of them getting awarded by the nation for distinguished service.
If doing a job is the basis, then every soldier deserves a national honour. The point is to do your job in rare conditions, ready to give your life for the sake of the country.
What are the achievements of Tabu, Kajol or Irfan Khan who have bagged Padma Shri? Objections should not be only to give awards to actors or singers but even others. Interestingly, awards are given to people staying outside the country and working for the country they are living in.
Prof Martha Chen and Dr Azad Moopen of USA and UAE, respectively, have been given for social work in their respective nations. Prof Upendra Baxi gets Padma Shri for legal services in United Kingdom. Is it time for the parameters of giving awards to NRIs or PIOs to be reevaluated.
Hired lobbyists and news TV channels ran an aggressive campaign before the R-Day openly lobbying Bharat Ratan for cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, an IPL player who has been playing the game for over two decades and features in several ads of various products. Eventually VVS Laxam settled with a Padma Shri for cricket, which is not even an Olympic sport. Ideally, the entire cricketing team should be given Bharat Ratan for engaging and uniting the country. We should give away over around 10 crore awards in a year so that this controversy of giving awards dies in a decade or two.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Who is Bharat Ratan?
Its amazing how our national awards (padam shris, Bharat ratans etc) are dictated by media frenzy, lobbying and political middlemen. The awards are questionable, in the first place. What is the criteria? Honesty, dedication, nationalism, self-less service of the people – Hardly. In any case, if these awards are to be given why to actors, singers or cricket (which is not even an Olympic discipline) players. Why not to soldiers or teachers and doctors working in rural areas, scientists, engineers etc.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Change is the need of the hour
January is the time to celebrate the Republic. Like all grandfathers, my grandfather too fought for freedom. After Independence, he died without taking help from the government. But the question is: Am I living up to his expectations and dreams. Our forefathers fought for our freedom from the British rulers. Each year we get together on the India Gate lawns to hail the republic. We display our military might and cultural diversity to the world. The national party starts with the President taking the salute from the Armed forces. Out of the three national holidays, (Jan 26, Aug 15 and Oct 2), the January 26 day parade is the only celebration that highlights patriotic fervor and spirit of unity.
Ironically, the day when we got Independence – August 15, there is no collective national effort or celebration to mark the important day except for a speech by the Prime Minister at the Red Fort.
Why does the nation not celebrate the Independence Day they way we mark the day when we adopted the Constitution. Should we shift the January 26 parade to August 15 to celebrate the right cause rather than archaic cut-copy Constitution?
Today, parts of the Constitutions are redundant, obsolete or simply out of sync with the growing needs of the young nation. When Dr B R Ambedkar and his team complied the Constitution taking bits and pieces of the constitutions of UK-USA, it was perhaps very apt. But today, we inevitably need a change.
For instance, we need to relook at our reservation policies. When we got Independence, reservation was needed to bridge the economic and social divide between the people. Today the provisions have been misused, twisted and modified for the worse. We need to ask ourselves, is the reservation system in the country working. We are giving reservations in government jobs and promotions to even communities and tribes that are no long deprived or poor. Children of normal citizens are losing out by not getting equal opportunities. What is the use of giving reservation to the son or daughter of a Dalit IAS? Simply, we ought to scrap this business of reservation. However, even if we have to give reservation, we should be providing it based on economics and geography.
Then, there is the composition of the judiciary. Look at the way we appoint judges – Any lawyer completing 10 years of practice can become a high court judge. Simply, selection process is selective. ‘Lower’ judges who study and pass exams are hardly able to make it beyond the high courts. Only a few, who politicians and senior judges know and recommend can sit as hon’ble justices in the Supreme Court. And the apex court itself is outmoded. There is only one Supreme Court in the country. There are no branches or benches. A poor guy in Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh or Jammu and Kashmir, may take days to reach the precincts of New Delhi’s Supreme Court. Sorry, but we ought to be in the change mode.
Then are contentious issues of the constitution of Jammu and Kashmir (if all the citizens are equal, why all the regions are not), organization of states on language and ethnicity, secularism, appointment of governors, and last not the least of elections and Prime Ministers and Presidents and worn out Rajya Sabha. How can we have a prime minister who is not elected by the people? It’s a shame that we in the Constitution allow someone to head the country who is selected. Is this what our grand fathers fought for! Maybe we need to celebrate January 26 on August 15 with a prayer and hope.
Ironically, the day when we got Independence – August 15, there is no collective national effort or celebration to mark the important day except for a speech by the Prime Minister at the Red Fort.
Why does the nation not celebrate the Independence Day they way we mark the day when we adopted the Constitution. Should we shift the January 26 parade to August 15 to celebrate the right cause rather than archaic cut-copy Constitution?
Today, parts of the Constitutions are redundant, obsolete or simply out of sync with the growing needs of the young nation. When Dr B R Ambedkar and his team complied the Constitution taking bits and pieces of the constitutions of UK-USA, it was perhaps very apt. But today, we inevitably need a change.
For instance, we need to relook at our reservation policies. When we got Independence, reservation was needed to bridge the economic and social divide between the people. Today the provisions have been misused, twisted and modified for the worse. We need to ask ourselves, is the reservation system in the country working. We are giving reservations in government jobs and promotions to even communities and tribes that are no long deprived or poor. Children of normal citizens are losing out by not getting equal opportunities. What is the use of giving reservation to the son or daughter of a Dalit IAS? Simply, we ought to scrap this business of reservation. However, even if we have to give reservation, we should be providing it based on economics and geography.
Then, there is the composition of the judiciary. Look at the way we appoint judges – Any lawyer completing 10 years of practice can become a high court judge. Simply, selection process is selective. ‘Lower’ judges who study and pass exams are hardly able to make it beyond the high courts. Only a few, who politicians and senior judges know and recommend can sit as hon’ble justices in the Supreme Court. And the apex court itself is outmoded. There is only one Supreme Court in the country. There are no branches or benches. A poor guy in Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh or Jammu and Kashmir, may take days to reach the precincts of New Delhi’s Supreme Court. Sorry, but we ought to be in the change mode.
Then are contentious issues of the constitution of Jammu and Kashmir (if all the citizens are equal, why all the regions are not), organization of states on language and ethnicity, secularism, appointment of governors, and last not the least of elections and Prime Ministers and Presidents and worn out Rajya Sabha. How can we have a prime minister who is not elected by the people? It’s a shame that we in the Constitution allow someone to head the country who is selected. Is this what our grand fathers fought for! Maybe we need to celebrate January 26 on August 15 with a prayer and hope.
Why did Salman Khurshid bend backwards to please Anil Ambani ?
While the Telecom ministry, A Raja, and many senior officials and journalists are involved in the 2G scam, Kapil Sibal rubbishes CAG report and Corporate Affairs minister Salman Khurshid recently gave a clean chit to Anil Ambani’s Swam Telecom. Khurshid claimed that Anil Ambani had nothing to do with Swan. Is the Ministry of Corporate Affairs trying to cover up the 2G scam? Can Khurshid be added to the long list of clever lawyer-politicians who defind big industrialists?
According to records, Swan Telecom was a company, incorporated owned and controlled by the ADAG group. By giving Swan Telecom a clean chit, Khurshid and senior officers of Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) are involved in a criminal conspiracy to cover up 2G scam, according to highly placed sources.
While the attention of entire country is focused towards the tug of war between the UPA government and the Opposition over the setting of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the 2G spectrum scam, the juicy details from corporate lobbyist Nira Radia tapes and Telcom minister Kapil Sibal calling the CAG report on the scam as utterly erroneous very little attention has been directed towards knowing the actual owner of the Swan telecom which made a huge amount from the scam.
Anil Ambani owns Tiger Trustee which in turn owns in turn owns Swan Telecom. If this is not the case, then who who owns Swan or Tiger Trustee?
None of the people involved in the cover up have answered the question as to who was the owner of Tiger Trustee from March 2, 2007, the date on which the application was filed for spectrum to October 18, the date on which pan-India license was given to Reliance Communication and the company Tiger Trustee was transferred to Balwa and Goenka for a paltry investment of Rs 4.99 crore? Was it the bribe for the license given to Reliance Communication, one day before the policy was announced.
In this context, a complaint filed by a petitioner from Bangalore before the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) clearly established the complicity of the MCA in the whole game.
The clean chit by Khurshid has been given by certifying that Reliance Communication through its subsidiary Reliance Telecom never held more than 10 percent (9.9 percent) of equity shareholding of Swan Telecom. It has also been certified that Reliance Communication or its subsidiary Reliance Telecom did not hold any shares in Tiger Trustee, the company which held 90 percent of the shares of Swan Telecom. It has been stated that preference shares is not capital but more in the nature of debt and cannot be added to equity shares for the purpose of computing the percentage shareholding.
The certificate of clean chit given to Reliance Communication and the ADAG group as an act of cover up and corruption can be definitely questioned.
According to sources, the promoters of Reliance Communications held more than 66 percent of the shares of the company throughout the period of the scam. That could be seen and certified from the filings on the shareholding pattern of reliance Communication with the National Stock Exchange.
There are 11 individuals and 23 corporate bodies who have been identified as the promoter group in the filings made with the NSE.
The UAS guideline provided “ No single company/ legal person either directly or through associates shall have substantial equity holding in more than one licensee company in the same service area…The ceiling for substantial equity was notified at 10 percent. The guideline mean that only the company cannot hold more than 10 percent in another company or that the promoters of the company too cannot hold more than 10 percent of the shares in another company with a license. It definitely means the latter because if it was the former then Tatas, Mittals and the Ambanis, not to forget the Essars (who incidentally are in a similar Swan Telecom like situation) would float companies by the dozens and corner as many licenses as possible.
ROC and the Minister have not certified that no money has been invested directly or indirectly by the 11 individuals and the various shareholders of the 23 companies who promoted Reliance Communications.
More than 90 percent ( 90.09 percent to be precise ) of the shares of Swan Telecom were held by Tiger Trustee Pvt Ltd).
According to MCA records, Swan Telecom was registered as Swan Capital Pvt Ltd, was incorporated on July 13, 2006. One share was allotted to Himansu Agarwal and 4999 shares to Powersurfer Interactive (India) Private limited and that the address of both the shareholders was Reliance Energy Centre, Santa Cruz (East) Mumbai 400055.
In addition another 5,000 shares was subscribed by Reliance Energy Management Services Private Limited with the same address. The persons signing the Memorandum and Articles were all having the same address of Reliance Energy Centre, Santa Cruz (East) Mumbai 400055.
Is the incorporation of Swan Telecom (registered as Swan Capital) with the registered office address, the subscribers of the share capital and the directors of the company not sufficient evidence of the company being a 100 percent ADAG group company?
It was among the various shell companies that the Reliance group keeps on forming for multifarious activities depending on what is the requirement of the day. Most of them are investment companies in which the ownership is to be layered so that the identity of the true owner has to be concealed as India is the ultimate destination of hot money and crony capitalism. It is the vehicle through which the political masters are bribed and become part owners of the business they help to benefit through their illegal decision making process, the petitioner to CVC Arun Agarwal, in his complaint, says.
Swan Capital was the original name at the time of incorporation and it’s name was changed to Swan Telecom on Feb 15, 2007 since the company was needed for the telecom sector.
The company needed a capital on paper of over Rs 1100 crore to comply with minimum capital requirement norms for applying for license in the 13 circles.
The GSM license for which application was made by Swan Telecom was not pan India but for only those circles in which Reliance Communication did not have GSM license. The application was made for 13 circles as Reliance Communication had GSM license for Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Kolkatta, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal. The fact that licenses for only 13 circles were applied for and that only those circles in which Reliance had GSM license was excluded shows that the ADAG group was the owner and in control of Swan Telecom through its proxy directors.
The company needed to have capital and reserves of over Rs 1100 crore in the balance sheet to apply for the license for 13 circles, according to the fee that was paid in 2001 in the bidding process for the fourth operator.
Whether the ADAG group clairvoyant powers of anticipating the future telecom policy of A Raja of allotting licenses on 2001 prices on a first come first serve basis or were a conspirator in dictating the policy can be decided by the quantum of investment made in Swan Telecom and the circles for which the application made seven months before the policy was announced.
The greater dilemma was to get Rs 1100 crores in Swan Telecom and also not apparently violate the licensing norms of an existing telecom company not owning more than 10 percent of the shares in another telecom company.
The money was there in the public listed company Reliance Communication from where it had to be re routed. It was not there in any of the privately held ADAG companies. The old model of using money from the public listed company and retaining control off the shares by privately held company was used. While 90 percent of the money was invested by a subsidiary of Reliance Communication, a public listed company (Rs 1002 crore), a little less than 10 percent of the shares of Swan Telecom were allotted to the ADAG group subsidiary of Reliance Communication. This was done by Reliance Communication subscribing to preference shares at 8 percent interest at an unimaginable premium of 99900 percent for an amount of Rs 992 crores.
The rest of the shares 90 percent were allotted to a company registered on June 20, 2006 as Tiger Traded Private Limited which was rechristened as Tiger Trustee with the approval of the Registrar of Companies.
It is this company which in effect was the owner of Swan Telecom, which has been ignored by the MCA deliberately. In fact it is this company which is at the root of the fraud and bribe giving. It is therefore not surprising that the Minister has chosen to ignore the holding company of Swan Telecom - Tiger Trustee- while giving a clean chit. The omission is deliberate, malafide and smacks of a quid pro quo.
Tiger Trustee registered address was Reliance Energy Centre, 3rd Floor, Santa Cruz (East) Mumbai 400055. It had two directors Ashok Karyekar and Paresh Rathod. The residential address of both the directors was Reliance Energy Quarters, Chembur. While Ashish Karyekar held directorship in 13 companies of the ADAG group whose name began with Reliance, Parash Rathod was a director in 12 ADAG companies.
The paid up capital of Tiger Trustee was Rs 1 lakh. The capital remained so till Oct 17, 2007, that is well beyond the unrevised cut off date of Oct 1, 2007 for applying for fresh telecom ( UAV) license.
Tiger Trustee owned 90 percent of the share capital of Swan Capital, while contributing only 10 percent of the funds and the balance was contributed by the public listed ADAG company Reliance Communication subsidiary.
Given the address of the holding company Tiger Trustee, the directors and their addresses, the paid up capital of mere Rs 1 lakh and fact that over Rs 1000 crore of money was siphoned off from the public listed company.
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What did Manmohan Singh and A Raja get out of Rs 1.76 crore loss to the nation?
•Telecom minister A Raja awards 2G spectrum at lower price than the existing price •Bidders are selected by Raja and given on first come first serve basis
•122 licenses are given to selected bidders without following procedure
•88 license were given to incompetent and ineligible bidders
• Raja resorts to first cum first serve basis in very short time span
•CAG says the lower pricing caused Rs 1.76 lakh crore loss on the exchequer
•PM Manmohan Singh and A Raja remained silent for one year over the issue
• Nira Radia tapes reveal that A Raja was made Minister under the corporate pressure
According to records, Swan Telecom was a company, incorporated owned and controlled by the ADAG group. By giving Swan Telecom a clean chit, Khurshid and senior officers of Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) are involved in a criminal conspiracy to cover up 2G scam, according to highly placed sources.
While the attention of entire country is focused towards the tug of war between the UPA government and the Opposition over the setting of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the 2G spectrum scam, the juicy details from corporate lobbyist Nira Radia tapes and Telcom minister Kapil Sibal calling the CAG report on the scam as utterly erroneous very little attention has been directed towards knowing the actual owner of the Swan telecom which made a huge amount from the scam.
Anil Ambani owns Tiger Trustee which in turn owns in turn owns Swan Telecom. If this is not the case, then who who owns Swan or Tiger Trustee?
None of the people involved in the cover up have answered the question as to who was the owner of Tiger Trustee from March 2, 2007, the date on which the application was filed for spectrum to October 18, the date on which pan-India license was given to Reliance Communication and the company Tiger Trustee was transferred to Balwa and Goenka for a paltry investment of Rs 4.99 crore? Was it the bribe for the license given to Reliance Communication, one day before the policy was announced.
In this context, a complaint filed by a petitioner from Bangalore before the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) clearly established the complicity of the MCA in the whole game.
The clean chit by Khurshid has been given by certifying that Reliance Communication through its subsidiary Reliance Telecom never held more than 10 percent (9.9 percent) of equity shareholding of Swan Telecom. It has also been certified that Reliance Communication or its subsidiary Reliance Telecom did not hold any shares in Tiger Trustee, the company which held 90 percent of the shares of Swan Telecom. It has been stated that preference shares is not capital but more in the nature of debt and cannot be added to equity shares for the purpose of computing the percentage shareholding.
The certificate of clean chit given to Reliance Communication and the ADAG group as an act of cover up and corruption can be definitely questioned.
According to sources, the promoters of Reliance Communications held more than 66 percent of the shares of the company throughout the period of the scam. That could be seen and certified from the filings on the shareholding pattern of reliance Communication with the National Stock Exchange.
There are 11 individuals and 23 corporate bodies who have been identified as the promoter group in the filings made with the NSE.
The UAS guideline provided “ No single company/ legal person either directly or through associates shall have substantial equity holding in more than one licensee company in the same service area…The ceiling for substantial equity was notified at 10 percent. The guideline mean that only the company cannot hold more than 10 percent in another company or that the promoters of the company too cannot hold more than 10 percent of the shares in another company with a license. It definitely means the latter because if it was the former then Tatas, Mittals and the Ambanis, not to forget the Essars (who incidentally are in a similar Swan Telecom like situation) would float companies by the dozens and corner as many licenses as possible.
ROC and the Minister have not certified that no money has been invested directly or indirectly by the 11 individuals and the various shareholders of the 23 companies who promoted Reliance Communications.
More than 90 percent ( 90.09 percent to be precise ) of the shares of Swan Telecom were held by Tiger Trustee Pvt Ltd).
According to MCA records, Swan Telecom was registered as Swan Capital Pvt Ltd, was incorporated on July 13, 2006. One share was allotted to Himansu Agarwal and 4999 shares to Powersurfer Interactive (India) Private limited and that the address of both the shareholders was Reliance Energy Centre, Santa Cruz (East) Mumbai 400055.
In addition another 5,000 shares was subscribed by Reliance Energy Management Services Private Limited with the same address. The persons signing the Memorandum and Articles were all having the same address of Reliance Energy Centre, Santa Cruz (East) Mumbai 400055.
Is the incorporation of Swan Telecom (registered as Swan Capital) with the registered office address, the subscribers of the share capital and the directors of the company not sufficient evidence of the company being a 100 percent ADAG group company?
It was among the various shell companies that the Reliance group keeps on forming for multifarious activities depending on what is the requirement of the day. Most of them are investment companies in which the ownership is to be layered so that the identity of the true owner has to be concealed as India is the ultimate destination of hot money and crony capitalism. It is the vehicle through which the political masters are bribed and become part owners of the business they help to benefit through their illegal decision making process, the petitioner to CVC Arun Agarwal, in his complaint, says.
Swan Capital was the original name at the time of incorporation and it’s name was changed to Swan Telecom on Feb 15, 2007 since the company was needed for the telecom sector.
The company needed a capital on paper of over Rs 1100 crore to comply with minimum capital requirement norms for applying for license in the 13 circles.
The GSM license for which application was made by Swan Telecom was not pan India but for only those circles in which Reliance Communication did not have GSM license. The application was made for 13 circles as Reliance Communication had GSM license for Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Kolkatta, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal. The fact that licenses for only 13 circles were applied for and that only those circles in which Reliance had GSM license was excluded shows that the ADAG group was the owner and in control of Swan Telecom through its proxy directors.
The company needed to have capital and reserves of over Rs 1100 crore in the balance sheet to apply for the license for 13 circles, according to the fee that was paid in 2001 in the bidding process for the fourth operator.
Whether the ADAG group clairvoyant powers of anticipating the future telecom policy of A Raja of allotting licenses on 2001 prices on a first come first serve basis or were a conspirator in dictating the policy can be decided by the quantum of investment made in Swan Telecom and the circles for which the application made seven months before the policy was announced.
The greater dilemma was to get Rs 1100 crores in Swan Telecom and also not apparently violate the licensing norms of an existing telecom company not owning more than 10 percent of the shares in another telecom company.
The money was there in the public listed company Reliance Communication from where it had to be re routed. It was not there in any of the privately held ADAG companies. The old model of using money from the public listed company and retaining control off the shares by privately held company was used. While 90 percent of the money was invested by a subsidiary of Reliance Communication, a public listed company (Rs 1002 crore), a little less than 10 percent of the shares of Swan Telecom were allotted to the ADAG group subsidiary of Reliance Communication. This was done by Reliance Communication subscribing to preference shares at 8 percent interest at an unimaginable premium of 99900 percent for an amount of Rs 992 crores.
The rest of the shares 90 percent were allotted to a company registered on June 20, 2006 as Tiger Traded Private Limited which was rechristened as Tiger Trustee with the approval of the Registrar of Companies.
It is this company which in effect was the owner of Swan Telecom, which has been ignored by the MCA deliberately. In fact it is this company which is at the root of the fraud and bribe giving. It is therefore not surprising that the Minister has chosen to ignore the holding company of Swan Telecom - Tiger Trustee- while giving a clean chit. The omission is deliberate, malafide and smacks of a quid pro quo.
Tiger Trustee registered address was Reliance Energy Centre, 3rd Floor, Santa Cruz (East) Mumbai 400055. It had two directors Ashok Karyekar and Paresh Rathod. The residential address of both the directors was Reliance Energy Quarters, Chembur. While Ashish Karyekar held directorship in 13 companies of the ADAG group whose name began with Reliance, Parash Rathod was a director in 12 ADAG companies.
The paid up capital of Tiger Trustee was Rs 1 lakh. The capital remained so till Oct 17, 2007, that is well beyond the unrevised cut off date of Oct 1, 2007 for applying for fresh telecom ( UAV) license.
Tiger Trustee owned 90 percent of the share capital of Swan Capital, while contributing only 10 percent of the funds and the balance was contributed by the public listed ADAG company Reliance Communication subsidiary.
Given the address of the holding company Tiger Trustee, the directors and their addresses, the paid up capital of mere Rs 1 lakh and fact that over Rs 1000 crore of money was siphoned off from the public listed company.
Feedback on:-
reporter@dayafterindia.com
Box
What did Manmohan Singh and A Raja get out of Rs 1.76 crore loss to the nation?
•Telecom minister A Raja awards 2G spectrum at lower price than the existing price •Bidders are selected by Raja and given on first come first serve basis
•122 licenses are given to selected bidders without following procedure
•88 license were given to incompetent and ineligible bidders
• Raja resorts to first cum first serve basis in very short time span
•CAG says the lower pricing caused Rs 1.76 lakh crore loss on the exchequer
•PM Manmohan Singh and A Raja remained silent for one year over the issue
• Nira Radia tapes reveal that A Raja was made Minister under the corporate pressure
How did G S Rawat Ph D degree?
It’s a strange case of principal giving full marks to himself and getting the qualification degree to become the principal. The strange distinction goes to G S Rawat, who awarded a doctorate degree to himself by the institute when he was heading it.
G S Rawat, now Ph.D, got the highest degree when he was working as the director of Forest Research Institute in Dehra Dun, one of the premier forestry research institutes of the country.
Rawat, an Indian Forest Service officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre, practically made Research Degree Committee (RDC) of FRI Deemed University a rubber stamp body to award the Ph. D degree to himself when he was also the vice chancellor of the Deemed university.
Interestingly, Rawat was earlier enrolled to pursue Ph D programme on ‘Studies on the chemical nature of Celtis austris Linn’ with reference to its socio-economic importance in the north-west Himalaya. He later changed his previous topic to ‘Exploration of Borehole method of resin tapping in Pinus roxburghii sarg’ after three years of his registration when he failed to submit thesis on the previous topic. The topic guide was obliviously a junior to Rawat who was the authority to review his annual confidential report. Within a few days of submission of the thesis, Rawat got the Ph. D in the year 2002.
According to the Doctor of Philosophy Ordinance, RDC headed by the director and VC of the institute take the decision for awarding of Ph D degree to a candidate.
The Pandora Box opened when Delhi activist Krishan Kapoor reported the matter to the the Ministry of Human Resource Development which asked the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to examine the issue. Kumar approached the Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who wrote to the then HRD minister Murli Manohar Joshi to probe the matter.
Kapoor says the Rawat’s case has crossed “all limits of morality, misuse of official power to achieve personal goals”. “For the first time in the history of any country, a student was made a vice chancellor of the same university where he is himself was enrolled as a student pursuing his Ph D degree at the same time.”
Rawat registered as a Ph D scholar at the FRI deemed university when he was heading one of the branches of FRI. In 2000, he was elevated to the post of director and head of the deemed university. The supervisor was his junior. On March 23, 2002, Rawat at the 2nd Convocation ceremony of the university. On June 10, an examiner conducted a viva voce of Rawat. One June 13, the recommendations of the examiners, of which Rawat was heading as VC, was accepted by the RDC. On June 14, Rawat’s deputation ended with the FRI.
Since then the matter has been hanging and now Rawat has become the director general of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), the organization that controls the FRI.
After examining the case, MoEF wrote a letter (1-6/2002RT) on February 2, 2004, to the director general of Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) to reevaluate the thesis submitted by Rawat by a fresh panel of examiners.
The then DG, also from the Tamil Nadu cadre, called a special meeting of the Board of Management (BoM) of FRI to discuss the directives of MoEF and on October 18, 2004, resolved to shut the case. The BoM meet on November 18, 2005 authorised the DG of ICFRE requested the MoEF to guide further in the matter.
However, in 2010 the matter came up when a complaint was filed under RTI . No official was ready to come on record and go against senior official. However, President of the association of scientists of ICFRE Sudhir Kumar said the MoEF was aware of the matter.
Rawat said the move is “malign my character”. “This is a malicious campaign against me. I have nothing to do with it. I cleared my Ph D and was awarded a degree in 2005 when I was not even posted in FRI. I rejoined the ICFRE in 2006. The ministry is aware of the details and has cleared my name. I have changed the topic of the thesis and it is perfectly allowed to do so.”
G S Rawat, now Ph.D, got the highest degree when he was working as the director of Forest Research Institute in Dehra Dun, one of the premier forestry research institutes of the country.
Rawat, an Indian Forest Service officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre, practically made Research Degree Committee (RDC) of FRI Deemed University a rubber stamp body to award the Ph. D degree to himself when he was also the vice chancellor of the Deemed university.
Interestingly, Rawat was earlier enrolled to pursue Ph D programme on ‘Studies on the chemical nature of Celtis austris Linn’ with reference to its socio-economic importance in the north-west Himalaya. He later changed his previous topic to ‘Exploration of Borehole method of resin tapping in Pinus roxburghii sarg’ after three years of his registration when he failed to submit thesis on the previous topic. The topic guide was obliviously a junior to Rawat who was the authority to review his annual confidential report. Within a few days of submission of the thesis, Rawat got the Ph. D in the year 2002.
According to the Doctor of Philosophy Ordinance, RDC headed by the director and VC of the institute take the decision for awarding of Ph D degree to a candidate.
The Pandora Box opened when Delhi activist Krishan Kapoor reported the matter to the the Ministry of Human Resource Development which asked the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to examine the issue. Kumar approached the Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who wrote to the then HRD minister Murli Manohar Joshi to probe the matter.
Kapoor says the Rawat’s case has crossed “all limits of morality, misuse of official power to achieve personal goals”. “For the first time in the history of any country, a student was made a vice chancellor of the same university where he is himself was enrolled as a student pursuing his Ph D degree at the same time.”
Rawat registered as a Ph D scholar at the FRI deemed university when he was heading one of the branches of FRI. In 2000, he was elevated to the post of director and head of the deemed university. The supervisor was his junior. On March 23, 2002, Rawat at the 2nd Convocation ceremony of the university. On June 10, an examiner conducted a viva voce of Rawat. One June 13, the recommendations of the examiners, of which Rawat was heading as VC, was accepted by the RDC. On June 14, Rawat’s deputation ended with the FRI.
Since then the matter has been hanging and now Rawat has become the director general of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), the organization that controls the FRI.
After examining the case, MoEF wrote a letter (1-6/2002RT) on February 2, 2004, to the director general of Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) to reevaluate the thesis submitted by Rawat by a fresh panel of examiners.
The then DG, also from the Tamil Nadu cadre, called a special meeting of the Board of Management (BoM) of FRI to discuss the directives of MoEF and on October 18, 2004, resolved to shut the case. The BoM meet on November 18, 2005 authorised the DG of ICFRE requested the MoEF to guide further in the matter.
However, in 2010 the matter came up when a complaint was filed under RTI . No official was ready to come on record and go against senior official. However, President of the association of scientists of ICFRE Sudhir Kumar said the MoEF was aware of the matter.
Rawat said the move is “malign my character”. “This is a malicious campaign against me. I have nothing to do with it. I cleared my Ph D and was awarded a degree in 2005 when I was not even posted in FRI. I rejoined the ICFRE in 2006. The ministry is aware of the details and has cleared my name. I have changed the topic of the thesis and it is perfectly allowed to do so.”
Friday, January 14, 2011
PCI members info can be accessed by ISI
Urgent cancellation of contract with web developing Company based in Shimla and gross violation of members right of storing personal information
Dear Members,
This is to bring to the notice that the Press Club of India website has been made by a company, Citizen Media Pvt Ltd, which is flouting the terms of engagement.
The former Management Committee got into a contract with Citizen Media
Pvt Ltd for developing the PCI website on 05 August 2009 for an highly
inflated figure of Rs 1 lakh and Rs 10,000 for maintenance.
Incidentally, this company is based in faraway Shimla. The simple website could have been designed by any company based in Delhi for less than one-fifth of the amount. (Suresh Kalmadi is in the dock for similar reasons.) The entire amount was paid in advance, within one week of signing of the contract by the former secretary general.
The Citizen Media Pvt Ltd has failed to respond to the communication request by the staff and correspondence by the undersigned, who as Website Committee chairperson had called for a meeting to upgrade/improve the website.
There has been no response from the representatives of the company to the mails sent on 17 Dec 2010 and 23 Dec 2010. When I sent the third request, the Company terminated the contract today. The PCI website is badly damaged.
Interestingly, Citizen Media Pvt Ltd and PCI function under a privacy policy that would legally enable Pakistan’s ISI or any other organization in the world to ‘store/process/transfer’ information about the members and the PCI. The privacy policy states that the members agree to cross-border data transfer.
For this I draw your attention to the following para, which is a part of the privacy policy which is a part of the PCI website:
Cross-border data transfers
Information that Press Club of India collects may be stored and processed in and transferred between any of the countries in which Press Club of India operates to enable the use of the information in accordance with this privacy policy. In addition, some parts of the personal information that you submit for publication on the website
will be published on the Internet. You agree to such cross-border transfers of personal information.
Given these unacceptable privacy policy terms and costing and subsequent non-functional approach, the matter may be taken up by the members.
Capt M K Tayal
Chairperson
PCI Website Committee
13 Jan 2010
Dear Members,
This is to bring to the notice that the Press Club of India website has been made by a company, Citizen Media Pvt Ltd, which is flouting the terms of engagement.
The former Management Committee got into a contract with Citizen Media
Pvt Ltd for developing the PCI website on 05 August 2009 for an highly
inflated figure of Rs 1 lakh and Rs 10,000 for maintenance.
Incidentally, this company is based in faraway Shimla. The simple website could have been designed by any company based in Delhi for less than one-fifth of the amount. (Suresh Kalmadi is in the dock for similar reasons.) The entire amount was paid in advance, within one week of signing of the contract by the former secretary general.
The Citizen Media Pvt Ltd has failed to respond to the communication request by the staff and correspondence by the undersigned, who as Website Committee chairperson had called for a meeting to upgrade/improve the website.
There has been no response from the representatives of the company to the mails sent on 17 Dec 2010 and 23 Dec 2010. When I sent the third request, the Company terminated the contract today. The PCI website is badly damaged.
Interestingly, Citizen Media Pvt Ltd and PCI function under a privacy policy that would legally enable Pakistan’s ISI or any other organization in the world to ‘store/process/transfer’ information about the members and the PCI. The privacy policy states that the members agree to cross-border data transfer.
For this I draw your attention to the following para, which is a part of the privacy policy which is a part of the PCI website:
Cross-border data transfers
Information that Press Club of India collects may be stored and processed in and transferred between any of the countries in which Press Club of India operates to enable the use of the information in accordance with this privacy policy. In addition, some parts of the personal information that you submit for publication on the website
will be published on the Internet. You agree to such cross-border transfers of personal information.
Given these unacceptable privacy policy terms and costing and subsequent non-functional approach, the matter may be taken up by the members.
Capt M K Tayal
Chairperson
PCI Website Committee
13 Jan 2010
Paisa, yeh musibat!
Scene 1 - New York: You walk into any store to buy a toffee, pencil or cigarettes, the clerk invariably would return you the last cent.
Scene 2 - New Delhi: You walk up to any retailer, shopkeeper or departmental store and you are unlikely to get any change back. Returning less than a rupee is being considered abnormal. At best, the shopkeeper could offer you a chewing gum, a match box or even a condom pack.
When was the last time you saw one paisa coin? Or three or five paise or ten… A 22 year old office colleague had not seen a paisa coin! He tried his level best to convince that he had seen but failed.
The government has decided to scrap the 25 paise coins even as coins are fast vanishing from the market. Twenty five paise coins may have lost meaning in New Delhi or Mumbai, but in small town India, you can still get small denomination coins from shopkeepers. In rural India, a fifty paise difference can land two parties in a fight. In Uttar Pradesh’s town Shamli, an irritated customer shot a paan wallah for charging a rupee extra and not returning the change.
But this has stopped making sense in the nation’s capital. Tales like what you could get in one anna are simply tales. If we say that in 5 paise we got an ‘Orange bar’ or a churan ki goli for two paise, it may sound strange to a guy who is used to going to a mall to watch a Rs 1,000 movie with his girl friend that includes a popcorn and aerated drink etc.
There are no official estimates on the losses, but if you could total up how much you would have lost or the shopkeepers would have gained the figure could be astounding. (Our report just makes a raw attempt).
Interestingly, even beggars have stopped accepting 50 paise coins. Sometime ago, I tried giving half a rupee to a beggar, just to see his reaction. It was as expected. He made the worst face he could and gave it back to me. Shopkeepers say 50 paise “chalta nahin hai”.
The government instead of rising to the situation made it worse by scrapping 25 paise coins. Why has the government decided to scrap the ‘coins’ from the market? Some overworked, self-centered and obviously corrupt babus sitting in plush air conditioned office make rules and pass orders without even knowing about what they are pushing through or realizing the ground realities. The government talks of ‘Aam Admi’ without feeling the pain of the common man.
The could have nabbed scrap dealers or resorted for better fiscal control. A simple alteration in design could have been useful for the economy. But thanx to the government of India, today coins have become a collectors’ item.
There is no hue and cry about it. Media virtually ignored it. I am raising the concern for the sake of the common man, who is the centre of all yet out of focus.
Scene 2 - New Delhi: You walk up to any retailer, shopkeeper or departmental store and you are unlikely to get any change back. Returning less than a rupee is being considered abnormal. At best, the shopkeeper could offer you a chewing gum, a match box or even a condom pack.
When was the last time you saw one paisa coin? Or three or five paise or ten… A 22 year old office colleague had not seen a paisa coin! He tried his level best to convince that he had seen but failed.
The government has decided to scrap the 25 paise coins even as coins are fast vanishing from the market. Twenty five paise coins may have lost meaning in New Delhi or Mumbai, but in small town India, you can still get small denomination coins from shopkeepers. In rural India, a fifty paise difference can land two parties in a fight. In Uttar Pradesh’s town Shamli, an irritated customer shot a paan wallah for charging a rupee extra and not returning the change.
But this has stopped making sense in the nation’s capital. Tales like what you could get in one anna are simply tales. If we say that in 5 paise we got an ‘Orange bar’ or a churan ki goli for two paise, it may sound strange to a guy who is used to going to a mall to watch a Rs 1,000 movie with his girl friend that includes a popcorn and aerated drink etc.
There are no official estimates on the losses, but if you could total up how much you would have lost or the shopkeepers would have gained the figure could be astounding. (Our report just makes a raw attempt).
Interestingly, even beggars have stopped accepting 50 paise coins. Sometime ago, I tried giving half a rupee to a beggar, just to see his reaction. It was as expected. He made the worst face he could and gave it back to me. Shopkeepers say 50 paise “chalta nahin hai”.
The government instead of rising to the situation made it worse by scrapping 25 paise coins. Why has the government decided to scrap the ‘coins’ from the market? Some overworked, self-centered and obviously corrupt babus sitting in plush air conditioned office make rules and pass orders without even knowing about what they are pushing through or realizing the ground realities. The government talks of ‘Aam Admi’ without feeling the pain of the common man.
The could have nabbed scrap dealers or resorted for better fiscal control. A simple alteration in design could have been useful for the economy. But thanx to the government of India, today coins have become a collectors’ item.
There is no hue and cry about it. Media virtually ignored it. I am raising the concern for the sake of the common man, who is the centre of all yet out of focus.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Slow march of the F-Estate
Media Watch
The Indian media has taken top marks for being in the news. For good or bad, news makers have themselves become news. Drawing flak from China Wen Jiabao to Liz Hurley to Sheila Dikshit or getting praise certificate from ‘hi-tech terrorist’ Australian man named Julian Paul Assange, the Indian media has seen it all this year.
The media takes the lead in reporting as a matter of right but when does it cross the thin line, who cares. The rape of news happen everyday, each hour but in the milieu to break another story, all the norms are flouted and sensitivities ignored with apparent disgust of the audience. Who cares!
When Liz Hurley accuses of the media of causing her split with her husband, Arun Nayar, its not even taken with a pinch of salt. After all she is just a beautiful woman who is an actress, and celebrities like her are more than eager to get in the P3 circuit. Just because she is good text to write, does it give the press the liberty right to report who she is sleeping around with. Liz vent her anger at having been caught by the press with spinner Sharne Warne and the Indian media was the suitable punching bag. But no one is really bothered and her pain, if any, may not even be discussed in seminars.
There is another case in point. When one may have a genuine grouse, those faking an orgasm get away with joyous moments of glory. Delhi Chief minister Sheila Dikshit, who always has a view point of Delhiites way of life, was critical of the media for creating the onion crisis in the country. She was just being outright dense if she really believed so. Of course, Dikshit (spelt this way and not the interesting way some foreigners pronounce it) perhaps is right in her own way. The countrymen have been paying exorbitant amounts for veggies, ration, sugar, petrol, air fare… and making bigger holes in their pockets for over two years. But the morale of the story is that we should have looked at the timing. It was again, too late in the day.
Jonny has been walking late to school. What should have got the attention of media mongers was the Chinese criticism of Indian media. Chinese premier Wen Jiabao pointed fingers at the freedom of Indian media for sensationalising the border dispute between India and China. "In recent years, there has never been a single shot fired... in border areas between us. However, the boundary question has been repeatedly sensationalised by media," he said. Chinese envoy to India, Zhang Yan, thought of a training session. He advocated that both countries should provide “correct guidance to the public opinion and avoid war of words”. They are right. Indian media has a Pakistan bias but China is left off the hook for its border incursions and claims on Arunchal Pradesh. The media doesn’t put China and Pakistan on the same page. Neither does the NSA, who was in sync with the Chinese. NSA Shiv Shankar Menon condemned the shrill and over excitable commentary on the Delhi-Beijing relationship. Perhaps, India would like to keep decibels on the border on the lower side. But media should continue to highlight with the regional imbalance.
But what takes the cake is media reporting of David Hadley. For three months, the media was reporting that National Investigation Agency (NIA) would get access to Pak-American terrorist. After a team got to talk to Hadley in Chicago, the press for five months regularly updated the readers and viewers whereall Hadley did recce, which all places on the target and et al. The planted stories for almost the entire year were unpalatable to digest.
However, lone good news is riddled with unpleasant vibes. The media exposed the rampant corruption in Commonwealth Games and kudos for that. Even though one wonders why the media took so long to expose the racket but it was more than welcome as the Fourth Estate was one step ahead in fulfilling its basic responsibility. Now IOC chairman Suresh Kalmadi is exposed, leading to the Central Bureau of Investigation knocking at his doors in Delhi and Pune. Skeptical as it may sound, given the track record of the tracking agency – the CBI – conviction, if any, will be of officials like T S Darbari or Sanjay Mohindroo. The media recently highlighted that the officials face death threats inside the Tihar jail. A systematic move is already in place to eliminate the pawns and files have reportedly gone missing. How the media would respond to the cover up is to be seen.
The good work stops here. Interestingly, while we are cheering the media for exposing the CWG loot, check out the fact that how the CWG started getting bad press. Thanks to the Time of India. The media conglomerate apparently got miffed with Suresh Kalmadi for not accepting the company’s request for making the TOI the official CWG media partner. After Kalmadi rejected the TOI letter, it started the onslaught of exposes. ‘When you can’t beat them, join them’. Other fence sitters, waiting for the CWG to losen its purse string, joined the race reluctantly.
This slackness was at the fore in the 2G scam. The Pioneer has been carrying anti-Raja stories for over a year. It was only this year that the lid was blown off the spectrum scam involving politicians, bureaucrats and the big names of journalism – Bharka Dutt, Vir Sanghvi, Rajdeep Sardasi…
The Hindustan Times removed Sanghvi’s column albeit a little too late after his name figured in the infamous Nira Radia tapes. But NDTV has had no such luck. So have others also not got the boot for their acts of misjudgments and silly entanglements. Bharka however went on prime time to absolve herself from the murky dealings, liaisoning with Congress leaders for Cabinet berths to DMK leaders and in the process became the centre of national ridicule. When media seeks blood, its wonderful to observe how the big sharks cover their butts and roam with their heads held high.
The media has so far not written about where the money could have gone or who would have got how much. Considering that Bofors money has still not been recovered, it is doubtful that part of Rs 1,76,000 crore plus Rs 70,000 crore will be recovered anytime in the history of the nation. Is the money in Swiss Banks or Sicilian banks, no one in the public will ever know. But will the media take it up, is the million dollar question.
The Indian media has taken top marks for being in the news. For good or bad, news makers have themselves become news. Drawing flak from China Wen Jiabao to Liz Hurley to Sheila Dikshit or getting praise certificate from ‘hi-tech terrorist’ Australian man named Julian Paul Assange, the Indian media has seen it all this year.
The media takes the lead in reporting as a matter of right but when does it cross the thin line, who cares. The rape of news happen everyday, each hour but in the milieu to break another story, all the norms are flouted and sensitivities ignored with apparent disgust of the audience. Who cares!
When Liz Hurley accuses of the media of causing her split with her husband, Arun Nayar, its not even taken with a pinch of salt. After all she is just a beautiful woman who is an actress, and celebrities like her are more than eager to get in the P3 circuit. Just because she is good text to write, does it give the press the liberty right to report who she is sleeping around with. Liz vent her anger at having been caught by the press with spinner Sharne Warne and the Indian media was the suitable punching bag. But no one is really bothered and her pain, if any, may not even be discussed in seminars.
There is another case in point. When one may have a genuine grouse, those faking an orgasm get away with joyous moments of glory. Delhi Chief minister Sheila Dikshit, who always has a view point of Delhiites way of life, was critical of the media for creating the onion crisis in the country. She was just being outright dense if she really believed so. Of course, Dikshit (spelt this way and not the interesting way some foreigners pronounce it) perhaps is right in her own way. The countrymen have been paying exorbitant amounts for veggies, ration, sugar, petrol, air fare… and making bigger holes in their pockets for over two years. But the morale of the story is that we should have looked at the timing. It was again, too late in the day.
Jonny has been walking late to school. What should have got the attention of media mongers was the Chinese criticism of Indian media. Chinese premier Wen Jiabao pointed fingers at the freedom of Indian media for sensationalising the border dispute between India and China. "In recent years, there has never been a single shot fired... in border areas between us. However, the boundary question has been repeatedly sensationalised by media," he said. Chinese envoy to India, Zhang Yan, thought of a training session. He advocated that both countries should provide “correct guidance to the public opinion and avoid war of words”. They are right. Indian media has a Pakistan bias but China is left off the hook for its border incursions and claims on Arunchal Pradesh. The media doesn’t put China and Pakistan on the same page. Neither does the NSA, who was in sync with the Chinese. NSA Shiv Shankar Menon condemned the shrill and over excitable commentary on the Delhi-Beijing relationship. Perhaps, India would like to keep decibels on the border on the lower side. But media should continue to highlight with the regional imbalance.
But what takes the cake is media reporting of David Hadley. For three months, the media was reporting that National Investigation Agency (NIA) would get access to Pak-American terrorist. After a team got to talk to Hadley in Chicago, the press for five months regularly updated the readers and viewers whereall Hadley did recce, which all places on the target and et al. The planted stories for almost the entire year were unpalatable to digest.
However, lone good news is riddled with unpleasant vibes. The media exposed the rampant corruption in Commonwealth Games and kudos for that. Even though one wonders why the media took so long to expose the racket but it was more than welcome as the Fourth Estate was one step ahead in fulfilling its basic responsibility. Now IOC chairman Suresh Kalmadi is exposed, leading to the Central Bureau of Investigation knocking at his doors in Delhi and Pune. Skeptical as it may sound, given the track record of the tracking agency – the CBI – conviction, if any, will be of officials like T S Darbari or Sanjay Mohindroo. The media recently highlighted that the officials face death threats inside the Tihar jail. A systematic move is already in place to eliminate the pawns and files have reportedly gone missing. How the media would respond to the cover up is to be seen.
The good work stops here. Interestingly, while we are cheering the media for exposing the CWG loot, check out the fact that how the CWG started getting bad press. Thanks to the Time of India. The media conglomerate apparently got miffed with Suresh Kalmadi for not accepting the company’s request for making the TOI the official CWG media partner. After Kalmadi rejected the TOI letter, it started the onslaught of exposes. ‘When you can’t beat them, join them’. Other fence sitters, waiting for the CWG to losen its purse string, joined the race reluctantly.
This slackness was at the fore in the 2G scam. The Pioneer has been carrying anti-Raja stories for over a year. It was only this year that the lid was blown off the spectrum scam involving politicians, bureaucrats and the big names of journalism – Bharka Dutt, Vir Sanghvi, Rajdeep Sardasi…
The Hindustan Times removed Sanghvi’s column albeit a little too late after his name figured in the infamous Nira Radia tapes. But NDTV has had no such luck. So have others also not got the boot for their acts of misjudgments and silly entanglements. Bharka however went on prime time to absolve herself from the murky dealings, liaisoning with Congress leaders for Cabinet berths to DMK leaders and in the process became the centre of national ridicule. When media seeks blood, its wonderful to observe how the big sharks cover their butts and roam with their heads held high.
The media has so far not written about where the money could have gone or who would have got how much. Considering that Bofors money has still not been recovered, it is doubtful that part of Rs 1,76,000 crore plus Rs 70,000 crore will be recovered anytime in the history of the nation. Is the money in Swiss Banks or Sicilian banks, no one in the public will ever know. But will the media take it up, is the million dollar question.
Is ex CBI boss Ashwini Kumar involved in idol theft case?
Looking for a gubernatorial appointment after a successful stint as the Central Bureau of Investigation director, Ashwani Kumar, is likely to face a slew of allegations of shielding idol smugglers and installing a fake 350-year Kamru idol in a temple in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh.
Kumar as deputy inspector general of police of the Kinnaur range headed an investigation and tracked down three smugglers, who stole 11 idols and recovered four idols but not before the idols had been shipped to-fro to Italy. In the process, Kumar three accused off the hook.
The case pertains to a theft in 1993 in Sangla’s ancient Bodh temple Kamroo. The lock of the ancient temple were broken early morning and idols lifted by thieves. One Amarjit Singh with Dharam Lal from Delhi were staying in a hotel there. They had driven in a Maruti where they were handed over the idols by local thieves. Amarjit along with Avinderpal Singh too the idols to Delhi in the car while others headed back to Delhi by bus. The temple priests raised an alarm and a case was registered by the police.
The theft was highlighted by media and the police was under tremendous pressure to recover the idols. The police with DIG Kumar as chief of the team with SP Kinnaur in tow, recovered the idols from the security staff of the state guest house, Himachal Bhawan in New Delhi, after getting a tip off from the accused that the idols were delivered to the gate keepers of the landmark building.
Two idols were recovered from Amarjit’s shop in Jama Masjid area in addition to 11 other idols and 46 paintings. Amarjit took the police to Arun Mehra in Greater Kailash, from whom four idols were recovered.
After Kumar moved out from the DIG of the Kinnaur region, B S Thind took over the charge. When investigation reports were presented to Thind, he discovered several discrepancies in the way investigation was carried out and found a deliberate attempt on the part of the police to shield the masterminds of the case: Dharam Paul, Arvind Paul and Beli Ram Sharma. Thind said that Sharma and another accused (Ranzo Rossy) who took the idols to Italy were not arrested despite the police having obtained arrest warrant against them. Sharma reportedly was the one who called and placed the idols in Himachal Bhawan in Delhi and even wrote a letter to the police request that the matter may not be taken up. Sharma claims that upon reading in the newspaper about the idol theft, he called up Rossy and returned the idols which they he had purchased.
Angered why Kumar had favoured Sharma, Thind raised the issue with higher authorities but to no avail. However, a court order upheld Thind’s contentions. Kinnaur District Session judge Ravinder Prakash in December 2007 passed strictures against Kumar as investigating agency head. “In fact, there appears to be an attempt on part of the investigating agency to screen some of the accused who appear to be involved in the conspiracy to commit offences of theft of such invaluable idols which were not antiques but were being worshipped by the public at large from generation to generation,” Prakash said in his judgment on December 21, 2007. The three accused, Dharam Paul, Arvind Paul and Beli Ram Sharma were earlier discharged by the trial court. The session judge not only flayed the investigating agency it took to task the trial court. “There appears to be undue haste on part of the trial court to discharge such accused,” the session judge noted in the order.
Prakash even said that his order be placed before the Himachal Pradesh Home Secretary and state DGP. Incidentally, Kumar was the DGP of Himachal Pradesh, when the court passed the order. A DIG was put in-charge to verify the claims of Thind. “How could the DIG give an adverse report against the DG of police?” questions Thind.
Thind wrote to the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister P K Dhumal Principal Home Secretary P C Kapoor and sought a personal meeting and explained the case but was denied any meeting. However, Kumar was then appointed as CBI director but Thind could not get the government to respond.
Having exhausted all the options, Thind has written a complaint to Central Vigilance Commissioner P J Thomas, who is expected to take up the matter soon. Kumar, despite attempts could not be contacted.
Thind said he approached the CVC after Himachal chief minister and home secretary did not pay heed to his presentations and official submissions.
“Since 1998 I have been submitting to the government of (HP CM) Dhumal about the dubious role of Ashwini Kumar and Mardi (present HP Additional director general of police) in the investigation of the Kamru idol theft case,” Thind wrote to the CVC, a copy of which is available with the Day After. Even the court has ruled against the investigating agency officials but nothing happened, he alleged.
“Unfortunately, Ashwini Kumar was the DGP at that time and Mandi was IGP, hence no action was taken on this (court) judgment. The matter was brought to the notice of the CM by me personally in order to prevent an officer like Kumar from taking over as the CBI director, but Dhumal intentionally did not inform the government of India regarding this complaint,” Thind wrote in the letter.
Requesting the CVC to conduct a proper inquiry, Thind sought for a thorough probe to determine that the idols recovered were genuine or fake.
The HP government however had got an inquiry done in the matter but Thind says that a junior officer is unlikely to submit a report against a senior. “How could a DIG be expected to comment adversely on the conduct of a superior police officer especially the CBI director,” alleges the former additional director general of police.
Thind’s whistle blowing has been systematically suppressed by his senior, Kumar.
According to sources, the HP government moved a file against Thind. But Thind reply to the HP secretary A K Mohapatra virtually trashed the government’s move to hit out at Thind and official rivalry was never taken up.
Kamru – Paradise on Earth
The statues come from the serene region on Himachal Pradesh’s Sangla Valley. Some of the idols stolen are around 350 years old. The market value of such antique idols including Buddha idols ranges anything from Rs 10 crore to 50 crore each, according to sources.
Kamru fort stands at an altitude of 2600 m above sea level, in the beautiful Sangla Valley. The fort is set in a picturesque location and is entered through a series of gates. At the main gate of the Kamru Fort, a stunning image of Lord Buddha greets you. The graceful wooden balcony, at the top of the fort, and the idol of Kamakhya Devi (Kamakshi Dev), installed on the third floor of the fort, are worth seeing.
This idol is believed to have been brought from Guwahati. There is a Badrinath Temple in the Kamru fort, which dates back to the 15th century. This temple serves as the venue of a fair, held once in three years, in the honor of the deity. There is a procession in the fair where the idol of the deity is taken to Gangotri, the origin of River Ganges. There are a number of interesting legends attached to the fort.
Kumar as deputy inspector general of police of the Kinnaur range headed an investigation and tracked down three smugglers, who stole 11 idols and recovered four idols but not before the idols had been shipped to-fro to Italy. In the process, Kumar three accused off the hook.
The case pertains to a theft in 1993 in Sangla’s ancient Bodh temple Kamroo. The lock of the ancient temple were broken early morning and idols lifted by thieves. One Amarjit Singh with Dharam Lal from Delhi were staying in a hotel there. They had driven in a Maruti where they were handed over the idols by local thieves. Amarjit along with Avinderpal Singh too the idols to Delhi in the car while others headed back to Delhi by bus. The temple priests raised an alarm and a case was registered by the police.
The theft was highlighted by media and the police was under tremendous pressure to recover the idols. The police with DIG Kumar as chief of the team with SP Kinnaur in tow, recovered the idols from the security staff of the state guest house, Himachal Bhawan in New Delhi, after getting a tip off from the accused that the idols were delivered to the gate keepers of the landmark building.
Two idols were recovered from Amarjit’s shop in Jama Masjid area in addition to 11 other idols and 46 paintings. Amarjit took the police to Arun Mehra in Greater Kailash, from whom four idols were recovered.
After Kumar moved out from the DIG of the Kinnaur region, B S Thind took over the charge. When investigation reports were presented to Thind, he discovered several discrepancies in the way investigation was carried out and found a deliberate attempt on the part of the police to shield the masterminds of the case: Dharam Paul, Arvind Paul and Beli Ram Sharma. Thind said that Sharma and another accused (Ranzo Rossy) who took the idols to Italy were not arrested despite the police having obtained arrest warrant against them. Sharma reportedly was the one who called and placed the idols in Himachal Bhawan in Delhi and even wrote a letter to the police request that the matter may not be taken up. Sharma claims that upon reading in the newspaper about the idol theft, he called up Rossy and returned the idols which they he had purchased.
Angered why Kumar had favoured Sharma, Thind raised the issue with higher authorities but to no avail. However, a court order upheld Thind’s contentions. Kinnaur District Session judge Ravinder Prakash in December 2007 passed strictures against Kumar as investigating agency head. “In fact, there appears to be an attempt on part of the investigating agency to screen some of the accused who appear to be involved in the conspiracy to commit offences of theft of such invaluable idols which were not antiques but were being worshipped by the public at large from generation to generation,” Prakash said in his judgment on December 21, 2007. The three accused, Dharam Paul, Arvind Paul and Beli Ram Sharma were earlier discharged by the trial court. The session judge not only flayed the investigating agency it took to task the trial court. “There appears to be undue haste on part of the trial court to discharge such accused,” the session judge noted in the order.
Prakash even said that his order be placed before the Himachal Pradesh Home Secretary and state DGP. Incidentally, Kumar was the DGP of Himachal Pradesh, when the court passed the order. A DIG was put in-charge to verify the claims of Thind. “How could the DIG give an adverse report against the DG of police?” questions Thind.
Thind wrote to the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister P K Dhumal Principal Home Secretary P C Kapoor and sought a personal meeting and explained the case but was denied any meeting. However, Kumar was then appointed as CBI director but Thind could not get the government to respond.
Having exhausted all the options, Thind has written a complaint to Central Vigilance Commissioner P J Thomas, who is expected to take up the matter soon. Kumar, despite attempts could not be contacted.
Thind said he approached the CVC after Himachal chief minister and home secretary did not pay heed to his presentations and official submissions.
“Since 1998 I have been submitting to the government of (HP CM) Dhumal about the dubious role of Ashwini Kumar and Mardi (present HP Additional director general of police) in the investigation of the Kamru idol theft case,” Thind wrote to the CVC, a copy of which is available with the Day After. Even the court has ruled against the investigating agency officials but nothing happened, he alleged.
“Unfortunately, Ashwini Kumar was the DGP at that time and Mandi was IGP, hence no action was taken on this (court) judgment. The matter was brought to the notice of the CM by me personally in order to prevent an officer like Kumar from taking over as the CBI director, but Dhumal intentionally did not inform the government of India regarding this complaint,” Thind wrote in the letter.
Requesting the CVC to conduct a proper inquiry, Thind sought for a thorough probe to determine that the idols recovered were genuine or fake.
The HP government however had got an inquiry done in the matter but Thind says that a junior officer is unlikely to submit a report against a senior. “How could a DIG be expected to comment adversely on the conduct of a superior police officer especially the CBI director,” alleges the former additional director general of police.
Thind’s whistle blowing has been systematically suppressed by his senior, Kumar.
According to sources, the HP government moved a file against Thind. But Thind reply to the HP secretary A K Mohapatra virtually trashed the government’s move to hit out at Thind and official rivalry was never taken up.
Kamru – Paradise on Earth
The statues come from the serene region on Himachal Pradesh’s Sangla Valley. Some of the idols stolen are around 350 years old. The market value of such antique idols including Buddha idols ranges anything from Rs 10 crore to 50 crore each, according to sources.
Kamru fort stands at an altitude of 2600 m above sea level, in the beautiful Sangla Valley. The fort is set in a picturesque location and is entered through a series of gates. At the main gate of the Kamru Fort, a stunning image of Lord Buddha greets you. The graceful wooden balcony, at the top of the fort, and the idol of Kamakhya Devi (Kamakshi Dev), installed on the third floor of the fort, are worth seeing.
This idol is believed to have been brought from Guwahati. There is a Badrinath Temple in the Kamru fort, which dates back to the 15th century. This temple serves as the venue of a fair, held once in three years, in the honor of the deity. There is a procession in the fair where the idol of the deity is taken to Gangotri, the origin of River Ganges. There are a number of interesting legends attached to the fort.
Who is to blame for the mess?
A man recently lost his life due to traffic mismanagement in place for the convoy of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who had to attend the Congress party plenary at Burari in Delhi.
This is not the first death due to traffic blockages in place for the PM and that too when he did not take the route. Two other deaths have been reported, one from Chandigarh and another in Kanpur, due to traffic blockades of the PM. Perhaps, this will not be the last, if adequate measures not adopted and soon at that.
Without questioning the need of security for the PM, it raises a pertinent question – Do we value the life of a citizen of the country? If yes, has anyone been held responsible for the deaths? Why has no officer or the PM been held guilty of murder? Who is to blame?
Why can’t we have systems that enable unhindered movement of the PMs and also respect the right of the citizens to live and move freely, and not die or at least reach emergency services in time?
The answer lies in the fact that we do not value the life. A death is just a small news item or a passing mention in the briefs.
We are still living in the mindset of British slavery. Today, in our system, we treat district magistrates as lords and police officials at unbridled dictators. Judges and netas are Gods. Bow down mister, or else…
That leaves us - you and me in a crappy hole. Just run a reality check. We travel in overcrowded buses and metros, bear stench of open nalas, walk in uncleaned streets, beg gas wallahs to deliver our cylinders, traffic is in a mess and we plead cops not to challan … all because most of the bureaucrats and leaders are lethargic, corrupt and work in self-centered mode. Corruption is omni-present and bribe is the way to get your file moving. Governance is in pits. A day in the life of the nation is filled with greed, graft, bribery, dirty money. We are still rated among the most corrupt in the world. Human rights, not the Arundhati-Kashmir variety type, are only for thesis papers.
Corruption at the top – 2G scam, CWG… Corruption at the bottom – at the thana level or in the courts. Can you get a driving license made without getting through the dalal? You have paid the court staff to even see your court file? Can you get a government contract without paying good percentages upfront? Nah, I not only doubt, but am pretty certain that exceptions apart, money is the rule of the game.
So if one of us dies, who cares?
Take it easy. We all have our faults. Its not so bad, argue many who always like to see the picture through the prism of air-conditioned logic.
Why blame the system, since it is so rotten and so irreversible that you too have become a part of it. Agreed, we all have paid bribes or resorted to some sort of corruption somewhere. But we have to stand up.
They take advantage of us being disunited. We have to take the responsibility, here and now. It will take a revolution, perhaps a civil war to cleanse this rot. Perhaps, it will take a few decades but lets start. Today! Dayafter we can reap the benefits and not die because the bloody PMs have to suck the nation’s thumb.
This is not the first death due to traffic blockages in place for the PM and that too when he did not take the route. Two other deaths have been reported, one from Chandigarh and another in Kanpur, due to traffic blockades of the PM. Perhaps, this will not be the last, if adequate measures not adopted and soon at that.
Without questioning the need of security for the PM, it raises a pertinent question – Do we value the life of a citizen of the country? If yes, has anyone been held responsible for the deaths? Why has no officer or the PM been held guilty of murder? Who is to blame?
Why can’t we have systems that enable unhindered movement of the PMs and also respect the right of the citizens to live and move freely, and not die or at least reach emergency services in time?
The answer lies in the fact that we do not value the life. A death is just a small news item or a passing mention in the briefs.
We are still living in the mindset of British slavery. Today, in our system, we treat district magistrates as lords and police officials at unbridled dictators. Judges and netas are Gods. Bow down mister, or else…
That leaves us - you and me in a crappy hole. Just run a reality check. We travel in overcrowded buses and metros, bear stench of open nalas, walk in uncleaned streets, beg gas wallahs to deliver our cylinders, traffic is in a mess and we plead cops not to challan … all because most of the bureaucrats and leaders are lethargic, corrupt and work in self-centered mode. Corruption is omni-present and bribe is the way to get your file moving. Governance is in pits. A day in the life of the nation is filled with greed, graft, bribery, dirty money. We are still rated among the most corrupt in the world. Human rights, not the Arundhati-Kashmir variety type, are only for thesis papers.
Corruption at the top – 2G scam, CWG… Corruption at the bottom – at the thana level or in the courts. Can you get a driving license made without getting through the dalal? You have paid the court staff to even see your court file? Can you get a government contract without paying good percentages upfront? Nah, I not only doubt, but am pretty certain that exceptions apart, money is the rule of the game.
So if one of us dies, who cares?
Take it easy. We all have our faults. Its not so bad, argue many who always like to see the picture through the prism of air-conditioned logic.
Why blame the system, since it is so rotten and so irreversible that you too have become a part of it. Agreed, we all have paid bribes or resorted to some sort of corruption somewhere. But we have to stand up.
They take advantage of us being disunited. We have to take the responsibility, here and now. It will take a revolution, perhaps a civil war to cleanse this rot. Perhaps, it will take a few decades but lets start. Today! Dayafter we can reap the benefits and not die because the bloody PMs have to suck the nation’s thumb.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Please judge us!
The Radia tapes in the public domain are just a tip of the iceberg, says Home Secretary G K Pillai while adding that the leaked conversations have nothing to with the 2G scam. When will the real tapes on the 2G scam made public, the bureaucrat said nothing about it.
It brings up a very important point – why is the Government not acting and also not telling the country who are the real culprits. By not taking action, the government seems to be shielding the guilty. Just conducting CBI raids is not enough. It is too late in the day. Anybody can hide file and make relevant changes to the records in record time. Here we are talking about the inaction of (Sonia Gandhi) PM and the system. Should the systematic loot of the country be allowed to go unchecked, is the moot question.
But while the 5,000 tapes are still in government files, what has come out is itself damning. The so-far-released tapes have showed how corporate lobbyist Nira Radia was hobnobbing with top industrialists, politicians and journalists to ensure that cabinet berths are allocated to her briefs and dictating how journalists should write the stories.
Now there is a concerted effort to justify the ugly conversations. Journalists Rajdeep Sardesai jumped in the fray and defended members of the clan - Barkha Dutt and Vir Sanghvi. Why Rajdeep took the task of defending them should be clear as he also figures somewhere on the tapes. The CNN-IBN and NDTV are showing promos of another magazine justifying the lobbying by journalists and claiming that the journalists mentioned in the tapes were the top shots of Indian journalism. What is wrong in lobbying, is the question.
No one has mentioned anything regarding the gifts or free junkets that the journalists get. Please do not look at the bargain and neat barter that has not been revealed. Let the same editors come clean on the freebees they got, or the gifts they received from Radia. Rajdeep argues that the magazines (that carried Radia transcripts) violated principles of journalism by publishing raw data. The journalists concerned were guilty of "professional misjudgement" rather than "professional misconduct", he clarified. So we now have to learn journalism ethics from the Editors' Guild president. It seems that the ones involved are now digging in to teach the world what journalists should do or not do and how they should conduct their business. Great!
Is it alright to let the public relations companies not only dictate stories to journalists but ask them to act as dalals? It is amazing how corruption is now being legitimatized. The ball is now in the court of the people. You, the readers, decide. Please be the judge.
It brings up a very important point – why is the Government not acting and also not telling the country who are the real culprits. By not taking action, the government seems to be shielding the guilty. Just conducting CBI raids is not enough. It is too late in the day. Anybody can hide file and make relevant changes to the records in record time. Here we are talking about the inaction of (Sonia Gandhi) PM and the system. Should the systematic loot of the country be allowed to go unchecked, is the moot question.
But while the 5,000 tapes are still in government files, what has come out is itself damning. The so-far-released tapes have showed how corporate lobbyist Nira Radia was hobnobbing with top industrialists, politicians and journalists to ensure that cabinet berths are allocated to her briefs and dictating how journalists should write the stories.
Now there is a concerted effort to justify the ugly conversations. Journalists Rajdeep Sardesai jumped in the fray and defended members of the clan - Barkha Dutt and Vir Sanghvi. Why Rajdeep took the task of defending them should be clear as he also figures somewhere on the tapes. The CNN-IBN and NDTV are showing promos of another magazine justifying the lobbying by journalists and claiming that the journalists mentioned in the tapes were the top shots of Indian journalism. What is wrong in lobbying, is the question.
No one has mentioned anything regarding the gifts or free junkets that the journalists get. Please do not look at the bargain and neat barter that has not been revealed. Let the same editors come clean on the freebees they got, or the gifts they received from Radia. Rajdeep argues that the magazines (that carried Radia transcripts) violated principles of journalism by publishing raw data. The journalists concerned were guilty of "professional misjudgement" rather than "professional misconduct", he clarified. So we now have to learn journalism ethics from the Editors' Guild president. It seems that the ones involved are now digging in to teach the world what journalists should do or not do and how they should conduct their business. Great!
Is it alright to let the public relations companies not only dictate stories to journalists but ask them to act as dalals? It is amazing how corruption is now being legitimatized. The ball is now in the court of the people. You, the readers, decide. Please be the judge.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Inter-linking of rivers
Just wondering what has happened to inter-linking of river project...
Date of Publication April 24, 2006 Mid Day
After 3000 kilometers of walking, Bangalore bank manager should be a tired man. But Devaraj, 50, after seven months of walking for the cause of inter-linking of rivers is a contented and happy man.
He wants to rest only after meeting the President A P J Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. "I have walked from Kanyakumari to New Delhi to spread the message of importance of inter-linking of river. I am glad that people have given me such tremendous response. Now I want to meet the President and PM," Devaraja said in New Delhi after meeting Sena leader Suresh Prabhu.
Having already given his memorandum to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Opposition leader L K Advani, Devaraja now hopes to meet Kalam and submit a memorandum giving the response of around 650 schools and colleges including public meetings.
The State Bank of Mysore manager, Devaraja started his ‘padayatra’ on January 12 and reached New Delhi on the eve of Independence day.
Devaraja was joined by Narsimha Setty and Anand in Bangalore but from Kanyakumari he started alone. "All along, people would join me for short duration, but these two have been with me from Bangalore. It has given me a lot of strength," he added.
Devaraja’s is anxiously waiting to see his wife Malathi and son Pritam Dev who is studying to be a doctor. But family reunion has wait till he gets appointment from the PM and even former PM A B Vajpayee.
Covering nine states and 38 districts, Devaraja is filled with emotions when you talk about his experience about the hospitality of the people. "I got rejected also by a few people but most of the people welcomed me with open heart. And most important is that people listened to me," Devaraja said.
Recalling his experience in MP when he was crossing a CRPF unit, Deveraja said he felting talking to the jawans. "I wanted to go in and the sentry told me to stand away. I stood for 10 minutes, he kept looking at me. Then he called us near. Then, he inspected my bag."
The CRPF sentry then sent Deveraja’s pamphlet to his senior officer, who got so impressed that the whole day the dreamer and zealous bank manager was let off.
Spending nearly Rs 50,000, Deveraja has been on leave from SBM. "For the cause of Inter-linking of rivers, I had to do it," he said with emotive eyes.
Braving rain, heat and dust, on an average, Deveraja walked around 15-20 kilometer, seeing the good and tired side of life. Each day, Devaraja would start around 4 am and then would camp by 10-11 am at any village or town. "Then I would rest and recoup and start meeting people of the locality."
Food and shelter were not a problem. "That was not a concern but people were nice."
Date of Publication April 24, 2006 Mid Day
After 3000 kilometers of walking, Bangalore bank manager should be a tired man. But Devaraj, 50, after seven months of walking for the cause of inter-linking of rivers is a contented and happy man.
He wants to rest only after meeting the President A P J Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. "I have walked from Kanyakumari to New Delhi to spread the message of importance of inter-linking of river. I am glad that people have given me such tremendous response. Now I want to meet the President and PM," Devaraja said in New Delhi after meeting Sena leader Suresh Prabhu.
Having already given his memorandum to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Opposition leader L K Advani, Devaraja now hopes to meet Kalam and submit a memorandum giving the response of around 650 schools and colleges including public meetings.
The State Bank of Mysore manager, Devaraja started his ‘padayatra’ on January 12 and reached New Delhi on the eve of Independence day.
Devaraja was joined by Narsimha Setty and Anand in Bangalore but from Kanyakumari he started alone. "All along, people would join me for short duration, but these two have been with me from Bangalore. It has given me a lot of strength," he added.
Devaraja’s is anxiously waiting to see his wife Malathi and son Pritam Dev who is studying to be a doctor. But family reunion has wait till he gets appointment from the PM and even former PM A B Vajpayee.
Covering nine states and 38 districts, Devaraja is filled with emotions when you talk about his experience about the hospitality of the people. "I got rejected also by a few people but most of the people welcomed me with open heart. And most important is that people listened to me," Devaraja said.
Recalling his experience in MP when he was crossing a CRPF unit, Deveraja said he felting talking to the jawans. "I wanted to go in and the sentry told me to stand away. I stood for 10 minutes, he kept looking at me. Then he called us near. Then, he inspected my bag."
The CRPF sentry then sent Deveraja’s pamphlet to his senior officer, who got so impressed that the whole day the dreamer and zealous bank manager was let off.
Spending nearly Rs 50,000, Deveraja has been on leave from SBM. "For the cause of Inter-linking of rivers, I had to do it," he said with emotive eyes.
Braving rain, heat and dust, on an average, Deveraja walked around 15-20 kilometer, seeing the good and tired side of life. Each day, Devaraja would start around 4 am and then would camp by 10-11 am at any village or town. "Then I would rest and recoup and start meeting people of the locality."
Food and shelter were not a problem. "That was not a concern but people were nice."
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Gay or pop corn! What’s your choice!
Have you ever thought that in this world of free speech-modern world with Internet, what choices do you have? No choice at all, I can argue. Let me explain.
Do you want to read news but you get what the newspaper gives you and what the reporter gives to the news editor. So you get half baked and half cooked stuff. (Depends what you are eating or reading.) Heard about David Coleman Hadley lately! The evil spy-cum-terrorist, since the National Investigative Agency, got “access” to interrogate the LeT operative in June, became terrorist-cum-spy and finally, just a terrorist.
Firstly, the Indian sleuths landed in the US to quiz this guy who had friends in Bollywood. The Americans just told them, NO. Indian Home Ministry was flabbergasted. Indian diplomacy was on its knees begging Americans to let them talk to this double agent or was it triple agent.
And since then we have been regularly getting ‘news’ that has done so much but his intentions were even more deadlier than his actions. He went to this restaurant and that tourist place and planned to bomb this and that defence establishment. The NIA has systematically been planting news and we have to endure the hot news. Nobody is asking what our RAW and IB were doing when Hadley was roaming around the country or even when he left. They had bloody no idea at all what was happening in the country. But forget all that and think why do we have to face the music every time. We end up reading such good for nothing plants? It is because we don’t have choices and we are forced to read the news or see TV. Changing the newspaper is no choice. The next one is even worse and besides you have got used to reading that crappy paper for far too long.
We have no choice at all. Look at the Common Wealth Games. Ask yourself this question, why were you forced to leave your vehicles at home and hop into car-pools or metro. You were forced to drive in the lane that was too on the damn left side. You looked at the lane in which probably few vehicles would be plying for entire day. And why, because the city police commissioner says you need to take a break, you should.
And look at Metro. You have no choice but to stand in the crowded compartment. You have no choice but to hang in there. If want to exercise your choice or opting for the next train, it will be equally crowded. So no choice but to stand and travel. And if you want to pee. Sorry, they still have not made any arrangements despite the court taking cognizance of the issue. So no choice but to finish your nature business before taking the Metro ride. Even during the journey, you have no choice but to listen to that computer-controlled voice. This is the Yellow line. Don’t cross it. Don’t lean against the door. Give seats to ladies. Listen to Metro orders.
What choice did you have to select the Prime Minister. Nothing, except for a vote and that was not even considered by anyone (read Sonia Gandhi). She just let him continue. There was Rahul Gandhi, if no body else. But sorry, that is not your game. So you use your choice in other country.
Then again, you have no choice when you enter the favourite city mall to see a movie. To start with it, you have no choice but to buy the costly popcorn inside the movie hall. Not only that, the problem is when you enter the mall. The security guy, who hangs around with a blue dress, generously pours his hands over you and you have no choice but to let him ‘feel’ you. There is always a lurking suspicion that the security guys are employing gays. They do their job with such interest that you cannot imagine anything else. Imagine a gay going inside a mall. “Oh man, yes, yes, feel me! Wow. Let me exit and enter again.” This lot must be in love entering anything… No wonder that malls are full. Don’t get disheartened, I give you a choice, pal. If you enter a mall either you must be a gay or love popcorn. What do you pick?
Do you want to read news but you get what the newspaper gives you and what the reporter gives to the news editor. So you get half baked and half cooked stuff. (Depends what you are eating or reading.) Heard about David Coleman Hadley lately! The evil spy-cum-terrorist, since the National Investigative Agency, got “access” to interrogate the LeT operative in June, became terrorist-cum-spy and finally, just a terrorist.
Firstly, the Indian sleuths landed in the US to quiz this guy who had friends in Bollywood. The Americans just told them, NO. Indian Home Ministry was flabbergasted. Indian diplomacy was on its knees begging Americans to let them talk to this double agent or was it triple agent.
And since then we have been regularly getting ‘news’ that has done so much but his intentions were even more deadlier than his actions. He went to this restaurant and that tourist place and planned to bomb this and that defence establishment. The NIA has systematically been planting news and we have to endure the hot news. Nobody is asking what our RAW and IB were doing when Hadley was roaming around the country or even when he left. They had bloody no idea at all what was happening in the country. But forget all that and think why do we have to face the music every time. We end up reading such good for nothing plants? It is because we don’t have choices and we are forced to read the news or see TV. Changing the newspaper is no choice. The next one is even worse and besides you have got used to reading that crappy paper for far too long.
We have no choice at all. Look at the Common Wealth Games. Ask yourself this question, why were you forced to leave your vehicles at home and hop into car-pools or metro. You were forced to drive in the lane that was too on the damn left side. You looked at the lane in which probably few vehicles would be plying for entire day. And why, because the city police commissioner says you need to take a break, you should.
And look at Metro. You have no choice but to stand in the crowded compartment. You have no choice but to hang in there. If want to exercise your choice or opting for the next train, it will be equally crowded. So no choice but to stand and travel. And if you want to pee. Sorry, they still have not made any arrangements despite the court taking cognizance of the issue. So no choice but to finish your nature business before taking the Metro ride. Even during the journey, you have no choice but to listen to that computer-controlled voice. This is the Yellow line. Don’t cross it. Don’t lean against the door. Give seats to ladies. Listen to Metro orders.
What choice did you have to select the Prime Minister. Nothing, except for a vote and that was not even considered by anyone (read Sonia Gandhi). She just let him continue. There was Rahul Gandhi, if no body else. But sorry, that is not your game. So you use your choice in other country.
Then again, you have no choice when you enter the favourite city mall to see a movie. To start with it, you have no choice but to buy the costly popcorn inside the movie hall. Not only that, the problem is when you enter the mall. The security guy, who hangs around with a blue dress, generously pours his hands over you and you have no choice but to let him ‘feel’ you. There is always a lurking suspicion that the security guys are employing gays. They do their job with such interest that you cannot imagine anything else. Imagine a gay going inside a mall. “Oh man, yes, yes, feel me! Wow. Let me exit and enter again.” This lot must be in love entering anything… No wonder that malls are full. Don’t get disheartened, I give you a choice, pal. If you enter a mall either you must be a gay or love popcorn. What do you pick?
Showing the middle finger to the tapes
It sure rained in November. On a rainy day, a lot happened: Fate of three chief ministers was decided on one single day in November. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar got a thumping majority surpassing the poll pundits and news channels expectations. Andhra Pradesh too got a new Kiran who readily took oath. Karanataka got Urappa batting for more. While of political developments are taking place that require national attention, we get bogged down by the middle finger of actress Rani Mukherjee and no one was playing the talks of Nira Radia with the likes of Barka Dutt and Vir Sanghvi. Ever wondered why!
Because no one wants to tell the truth, is it? While the real stuff is now slowly coming out in the ‘open’, we are still bothered about the middle finger of Rani in a promo of a movie based on the Jessica Lal murder case. It does not require the actress to show her middle finger to attract your attention but nevertheless it will. The film industry gets its say even when it is extremely hot in Delhi in November.
If you observe last couple of movies that made it big on the block buster chart, biggest hits got massive publicity by stirring controversy - getting huge media attention and ending up running to packed houses , for instance, My Name is Khan or 3 Idiots. Actor Shah Rukh Khan tried the name stunt in the US by deliberately using his family name; drawing suspicion of the immigration officials, who asked him a few extra questions. It made news in India. Next came a bigger publicity stunt – he put Pakistan and cricket together, a perfect recipe for controversy. The actor went on to say that Pakistani members were not bought to play in the IPL. Big deal! For the Shiv Sena, it sure was a big deal. They demonstrated in public. The Sena even threatened cinema owners. Before the release, Khan just went to touch the feet of Mumbai show stopper Bal Thackeray, who objects to anything Pakistani or Muslim. The film was released to a big draw. Khan made over Rs 150 crore for uttering two sentences in the right places.
On the other hands, 3 Idiots was plain simple marketing strategy. Aamir Khan made Rs 300 crore. And now the movie on Jessica is hitting headlines for its provocative trailers. The film industry thrives on creating unnecessary controversies. To make money they will do anything, even if it involves showing the middle finger.
As far as the media is concerned, where the real interesting controversies are brewing, you get silence. The Nira Radia-Barka Dutt-Vir Sanghvi-Rajdeep Sardesai tapes have enough masala but you still not get to watch it.
You are still reading the same newspaper or watching the same channel that carries the middle finger story while the editors make away with driving swanky cars gifted by the power brokers - out right corrupt and shameless guys. There was just banter at the Press Club of India that you have not arrived if you don’t show the middle finger or have your tape on the You Tube.
Because no one wants to tell the truth, is it? While the real stuff is now slowly coming out in the ‘open’, we are still bothered about the middle finger of Rani in a promo of a movie based on the Jessica Lal murder case. It does not require the actress to show her middle finger to attract your attention but nevertheless it will. The film industry gets its say even when it is extremely hot in Delhi in November.
If you observe last couple of movies that made it big on the block buster chart, biggest hits got massive publicity by stirring controversy - getting huge media attention and ending up running to packed houses , for instance, My Name is Khan or 3 Idiots. Actor Shah Rukh Khan tried the name stunt in the US by deliberately using his family name; drawing suspicion of the immigration officials, who asked him a few extra questions. It made news in India. Next came a bigger publicity stunt – he put Pakistan and cricket together, a perfect recipe for controversy. The actor went on to say that Pakistani members were not bought to play in the IPL. Big deal! For the Shiv Sena, it sure was a big deal. They demonstrated in public. The Sena even threatened cinema owners. Before the release, Khan just went to touch the feet of Mumbai show stopper Bal Thackeray, who objects to anything Pakistani or Muslim. The film was released to a big draw. Khan made over Rs 150 crore for uttering two sentences in the right places.
On the other hands, 3 Idiots was plain simple marketing strategy. Aamir Khan made Rs 300 crore. And now the movie on Jessica is hitting headlines for its provocative trailers. The film industry thrives on creating unnecessary controversies. To make money they will do anything, even if it involves showing the middle finger.
As far as the media is concerned, where the real interesting controversies are brewing, you get silence. The Nira Radia-Barka Dutt-Vir Sanghvi-Rajdeep Sardesai tapes have enough masala but you still not get to watch it.
You are still reading the same newspaper or watching the same channel that carries the middle finger story while the editors make away with driving swanky cars gifted by the power brokers - out right corrupt and shameless guys. There was just banter at the Press Club of India that you have not arrived if you don’t show the middle finger or have your tape on the You Tube.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Sonia Gandhi
Sonia: Queen of hearts
Sonia Gandhi – the name is enough. Devi, mahadevi, Congress president, UPA chief, Super Prime Minister, Edvige Antonia Albina Maino… call her by any name, it still remains Sonia Gandhi.
From Mahatma Gandhi, Sarojini Naidu, Pandit Jawarhar Lal Nehru, Lala Lajpat Rai, Sadar Patel to even Indira Gandhi have not achieved what Sonia Gandhi has, occupying 10 percent of Congress history. All the past presidents of the Indian National Congress enjoyed no more than a single term or a double term at the most. Sonia as 59th president has come to occupy 10 percent of 125 years of the Indian National Congress and the country.
The last word in Indian history belongs to Sonia nee Maino. From a small town Italian girl to super mother India, Sonia has come a long way.
Sonia was named the third most powerful woman in the world by Forbes magazine in 2004. She was also named among the Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world for the years 2007 and 2008.
In the last 12 years as party president and ever since she entered India with husband Rajiv, Sonia has seen many ups and down.
Sonia was up, close and personal with her mother in-law Indira Gandhi, watching the days of Emergency from the shadows of grand old lady. Then she saw her mother in-law fight back fierce opposition and become Prime Minister again in 1980.
After the assassination of Indira Gandhi, it was Sonia that took her mother in-law to AIIMS. And later when Rajiv was readying to join politics, she is believed to have opposed him.
In a brutal turn of events, Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by the LTTE, leaving Sonia with son Rahul and daughter Priyanka. The nation was with her in grief.
While the Congress won the 1991 elections, she herself stayed in the background. But was cajoled into joining the Congress party in 1997. A year later she became the party president with much drama behind closed doors.
After trying hard and failing, Sonia took up the challenge of ‘India Shinning’. With limited resources at her command and low morale of the Congress leaders who had not seen power for over 12 years, Sonia launched a campaign, which seemed like if the Congress was running with crutches. Ambitious leaders like Sharad Pawar and P A Sangma were gunning for the Congress party after having branched out criticising her foreign origin. The Congress had not won central elections under her presidentship. The party started attacking the Bharatiya Janata Party with gusto.
“India was not shining!” The Congress started saying.
But Sonia keeps ears on the ground. She has developed an excellent understanding of politics. It is visible from a simple example. This correspondent happened to interact with Sonia Gandhi at a tea party hosted by the Congress president. She walked up and started chatting. This correspondent started explaining the flaw of the Congress attack in its fight against the BJP. The argument was the Congress should not take it upon itself to elaborate whether India was shining or not, rather the Congress should talk of the common man. “You should talk about what is the state of the Common man,” this Correspondent explained to the Congress chief. She looked up, nodded while eating fried potatoes. After a few more sentences, Sonia was gone. But the changes could be seen after a week or ten days of campaigning. The Congress was indeed talking of aam admi.
The Congress with the help of 14 odd parties shot back with a bang reviving the party giving a boost to the sagging morale of her coterie and Congress workers. The party got down to serious business of running the affairs of the nation.
From the closed precincts of 10 Janpath, the lady with a limited edition smile oversees the functioning of the country without the official mandate of running the day-to-day affairs. For that, Manmohan Singh was selected immediately after the Congress leaders threw their weight behind Sonia.
Nevertheless the lady is sensitive to public criticism. She resigned from even the Parliament in 2006 and even from the National Advisory Council after the controversy of ‘office of profit’ erupted. Though she won with a thumping majority, with her resignation she won the admiration of crores of people.
Winning with a better margin, the UPA is in its second term. Today, Sonia Gandhi is untouchable, unreachable and inaccessible.
Many MPs hope that Sonia would remember their name, pass a smile or even pose for a photograph if she happen to campaign in their constituency. She rules with an iron fist. A member of Parliament from Andhra Pradesh approached ‘Madam’ to remind her of some work. An irritated Sonia snapped her finger and curtly told the MP not to bug her. The MP apologised profusely and withdrew from scene.
Sonia Gandhi is strict to her Congress folk, dictatorial to a point, and ruthless in her calculations. She runs the party and the government in the same vein. Supported a group of trusted lieutenants Congress leaders like Ahmad Patel and Oscar Fernandes and few friends, she successfully runs a vast organization and keeps a tab on the performance of the government.
However, what is lacking is that she is not meeting enough party workers. Even press interviews have been limited. She is not open to meeting second rung leaders. At times, even Cabinet ministers are vary of paying her a visit.
“A Cabinet minister also thinks twice before meeting her. The agenda of the meetings has to be clear. They don’t want to get on the wrong side,” says a leader privy to the things.
Nobody in the party has the guts to pick up a call and place a call to 10 Janpath. Ditto for walking into Congress president’s office on Akbar Road that rarely opens or even inside the Parliament of India. The Congress has virtually given its spine to counter the power that the baton wields from number 10.
Building Dreams
Sonia has adopted a cautious approach, never over committing and delivering to the people. “The Congress never promises the moon. It is working on plans and has been delivering. From Right to Information to Women’s Reservation Bill, Sonia brand of giving in phases is visible in the UPA,” commented an anti-Sonia leader who branched away from the party.
Far from being ‘Gungi Gudiya’ as some reports made her out to be, Sonia is sharp, quick on the up take and keeps feet on the ground. In difficult situations, she has a point of her own.
Recently, when the Prime Minister’s office was going off track on the right to education, Sonia set the record straight by writing a simple letter to Manmohan Singh. It was enough indication to the Prime Minister sitting in his South Block office.
Her compassion and understanding for the Indian things have taken her places. According to the All India Congress Committee website, her interests include reading Indian contemporary, classical and tribal art, Indian handlooms and handicrafts and, both folk and classical music.
Killing the Opposition
Perhaps, Sonia realises that the best way to ward off opposition is not to give in to the game of lowering the level of attack. Her enemies have silenced down. The Bharatiya Janata Party “foreigner” attack has lost steam. It has stopped being an election issue. “She stuck to her stand of being an Indian widow earned her admiration from within the BJP also. Indians being emotional, the foreigner issue was a non-starter,” remarked a senior journalist Sunil Chawake.
There are reports that President A P J Adbul Kalam had called certain court files against Sonia Gandhi and had even sought advice from Constitutional experts, but legally there was nothing stopping Sonia from becoming the Prime Minister. After the elections results of 2004, Congress leaders in the Parliament’s central got up to swear allegiance by the name of Sonia, it was getting clearer by the second how the party had fallen and was towing the line of the Gandhi.
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