What to do? We feel seized and STRANDED!Civil Society and NGO Blitz has Killed Trade Unions as well as Mass Movement!Corporate Lobbying and Power Brokers rule the Gallery these days. Marxists as well as Ambedkarites fail MISERABLY to understand the G

Govt raises diesel prices to ease subsidy burden!

What to do? We feel seized and STRANDED!Civil Society and NGO Blitz has Killed Trade Unions as well as Mass Movement!Corporate Lobbying and Power Brokers rule the Gallery these days. Marxists as well as Ambedkarites fail MISERABLY to understand the Game. As US Corporate Imperialism and FREE Market Economy of Ethnic Cleansing and EXCLUSION enhanced by Manusmriti Rule makes South Asian Geopolitics a HUNTING Ground. Obama Announcement to Draw Back US Army from AFGANISTAN has NOT Reduced US Interests and Activities a litle bit.It remains the Bloodiest WAR ZONE! Government releases draft Lokpal bill!Stock market wealth grows Rs 1.57 lakh crore!As Air India staff to get May salary next week!The US is likely to be the prime beneficiary of yet another lucrative military contract, after the defence ministry withdrew its commercial tender for the re-engining of the IAF's Jaguar Deep Penetration Strike Aircraft last month!Days after a CAG draft report said his firm got out of turn favours from the oil ministry and its technical arm DGH, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani today met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.PM calls all-party meeting on Lokpal bill!

DIPP clarifies all sectors are open to 49% indirect FDI

Indian Holocaust My Father`s Life and Time - SIX HUNDRED SIXTY SIX

Palash Biswas

http://indianholocaustmyfatherslifeandtime.blogspot.com/



http://basantipurtimes.blogspot.com/


What to do? We feel seized and STRANDED!

Govt raises diesel prices to ease subsidy burden!

 Calling today's hike in the prices of petroleum products as "modest", Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee expressed hope that state governments would reduce their taxes to provide relief to consumers. 

The government increased diesel price by Rs 3 per litre, domestic LPG by Rs 50 per cylinder and kerosene by Rs 2 per litre. It also slashed customs and excise duties on crude oil and products, sacrificing Rs 49,000 crore in revenues. 

"(It is) very modest increase. I have taken the risk of reducing the duties substantially... I think it will be around Rs 49,000 crore on account of reduction of import duty and also the excise duty," Mukherjee told reporters after the hikes were announced. 

He added, "I do hope the states will also reduce their VATs (Value Added Tax) so that relief could be given to the consumer." 

Opposing the hike in diesel prices, Delhi Petroleum Association has urged the Delhi government to immediately reduce VAT so as to minimise its impact on inflation. 

The hike is likely to push up overall inflation in the coming weeks. 

Overall inflation rose to 9.06 per cent in May from 8.66 per cent in the previous month. Besides, food inflation for the week ending June 11 had touched a two-and-half-month high of 9.13 per cent.

DIPP clarifies all sectors are open to 49% indirect FDI!

Civil Society and NGO Blitz has Killed Trade Unions as well as Mass Movement!Corporate Lobbying and Power Brokers rule the Gallery these days. Marxists as well as Ambedkarites fail MISERABLY to understand the Game. As US Corporate Imperialism and FREE Market Economy of Ethnic Cleansing and EXCLUSION enhanced by Manusmriti Rule makes South Asian Geopolitics a HUNTING Ground. Obama Announcement to Draw Back US Army from AFGANISTAN has NOT Reduced US Interests and Activities a litle bit.It remains the Bloodiest WAR ZONE! Government releases draft Lokpal bill!Stock market wealth grows Rs 1.57 lakh crore!As Air India staff to get May salary next week!The US is likely to be the prime beneficiary of yet another lucrative military contract, after the defence ministry withdrew its commercial tender for the re-engining of the IAF's Jaguar Deep Penetration Strike Aircraft last month!Days after a CAG draft report said his firm got out of turn favours from the oil ministry and its technical arm DGH, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani today met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.PM calls all-party meeting on Lokpal bill!

We have been interacting with friends countrywide but NO PROGRESS made. Mass movement and Trade Unions Hijacked, Organised Sector Inflicted with FDI and Disinvestment, Agrarian CRISIS, Economic Reforms, Degenerated Productive and Social forces have created CHAOS as Never Before. US sponsered Civil Society and NGO Movement do DIVERT the fight on Real Issues. LOKPAL Bill remains on Focus as ALL Floodgates for Corruption are WIDE OPEN!

The crisis-ridden Manmohan Singh government on Tuesday decided to defer the monsoon session of Parliament by two weeks to give the Centre more time to deal with troubles over the proposed Lokpal bill. 

The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, or CCPA, which took the decision, was of the view that the government cannot afford a repeat of the washed-out winter and budget sessions and that some agreement will have to be reached on controversial issues before the commencement of the session. 

"The CCPA has decided to recommend to the President for summoning the session of two Houses of Parliament on August 1 and given the contingencies and exigencies of the work, it is likely to go up to September 8," Parliamentary Affairs Minister PK Bansal told reporters. 

He said there have been instances in the past where session reopened later than usual. Sources said that government leaders are keen to ensure tabling of the Lokpal bill before Anna Hazare resumes his fast over the issue. 

In the event of the bill being tabled, political parties across the aisle will have to make their positions public. According to the government's calculations, not many parties will be comfortable with the Anna Hazare team's formulations and this would help the Centre drive home the point that it is not the only party that is opposed to the civil society members' suggestions. 

But this alone will not shield the embattled government. This was clear when the Opposition said that it will continue to focus on the charges of corruption against the government. The UPA partners mired in corruption won't like to face the electorates and this will ensure the stability of the arrangement at the Centre. But the continued assault on it by the Opposition over integrity issues is certain to hurt its credibility. 

The pressure is unlikely to ease as the investigating agencies are preparing to file fresh chargesheets in the telecom and Commonwealth Games scams. There are indications that another member of the Manmohan Singh team could face major troubles when he is questioned over his involvement in the telecom scandal.

*

The Empowered Group of Ministers on fuel headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has decided to up diesel prices by Rs 3 per litre, confirmed oil minister Jaipal Reddy. While addressing the press post the EGoM meet, he said kerosene prices have been hiked by Rs 2 per litre while LPG rates have been raised by Rs 15 per cylinder. The price hike is excluding value added tax (VAT). The oil ministry had earlier said there wouldn't be any hike in prices.
This hike is expected to bring some respite to the bleeding oil marketing companies (OMCs) as every Re 1 hike in diesel prices will save the exchequer Rs 6,700 crore.
Under-recoveries on diesel stand at Rs 15.44 per litre, while that on LPG is at Rs 381.14 a cylinder. Kerosene under-recoveries at present are at Rs 27.47 a litre. "This price hike would cut under-recoveries loss by Rs 21,000 crore," Reddy said.
"I am sandwiched between economists and populists. Economic problems cannot wait for political crisis," he added.
Calling the price hike "moderate", the FM said he hopes that state governments will reduce VAT so that the consumers could be relieved. "I have taken the risk of reducing the duties to a substantial amount of Rs 49,000 crore," he said.
The EGoM has also decided to cut customs and excise duties on petroleum products. The EGoM has announced a 5% cut in custom duty on fuel products. Customs duty on diesel has been cut from 7.5% to 2.5% while the 5% customs duty on crude has been abolished. This will entail a loss of Rs 26,000 crore to the government for the full year (FY12).
It has reduced excise duty on diesel to Rs 2 from Rs 4.60 per litre. This will entail a revenue loss of Rs 23,000 crore to the government for the full fiscal year.

The increases, announced by Oil Minister S. Jaipal Reddy, were roughly in line with expectations.
"This is the only window they have for any cutting of subsidies. By the end of the year they will be in (state) election mode," political analyst Mahesh Rangarajan said.
Since it was first elected in 2004, the government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has more often than not refrained from pushing through tough reforms in favour of pleasing its predominantly rural voter base.
Persistently high inflation as well as its handling of a spate of corruption scandals has led to what many critics say is a state of policy paralysis in New Delhi.
With galloping spending and slowing growth, New Delhi faces the task of reassuring investors fretting over political and bureaucratic delays for major projects that it can run the economy and keep voter support.
Diesel is the most widely-used transport fuel in India and powers tractors and irrigation pumps for farmers in one of the world's biggest producers and consumers of grains and sugar.
"The inflationary implications of the diesel price hike are unavoidable. Broadly, with inflation currently at around 9%, the hike in prices should take the WPI (wholesale price index) into double digits again and keep it there for a while," said Rupa Rege Nitsure, chief economist at Bank of Baroda.
Since the government agreed in principle to lift fuel costs a year ago, international crude prices have soared 39%, swelling the money spent on subsidising fuel prices to a country with 500 million people living in poverty.
Petrol prices, which largely affect more affluent Indians, have gone up about 23% since they were freed a year ago.
Reddy, an advocate of price rises, told Reuters earlier on Friday the International Energy Agency's (IEA's) planned release of strategic stockpiles would give only temporary respite.
"We don't know whether this (softening in global prices) is a stable trend," he added.
J.P. Morgan has already cut its forecast for benchmark Brent oil for the third quarter to USD 100 a barrel from USD 130 but on Friday global crude prices paused from losses.
Adding to inflationary pressures
With inflation above 9% and domestic fuel costs up nearly 13% on the year, raising prices would immediately hit the fractious coalition's core voters among India's poor, who live on less than the cost of 2 litres of diesel a day.
The longer-term benefit to the country's finances would come from reducing massive spending on subsidies and cutting the USD 101 million a day in losses for state-run fuel retailers Indian Oil Corp ,Bharat Petroleum Corp and Hindustan Petroleum Corp on sales of diesel, kerosene and cooking gas at state-set cheaper prices.
A three-rupee increase in the price of diesel would add 40-45 basis points to wholesale price inflation, according to Yes Bank .
Shares in Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum rose 2.8% and 6.1 percent respectively in a market that ended 2.9% higher.
(USD 1 = Rs 44.955)

Bid to put US ties on fast track OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT New Delhi, June 23: India and the US are keen on quickly thrashing out the prickly issues relating to investment and other economic matters that are coming in the way of a closer relationship between the two countries. Top finance officials of the two countries are meeting next week to work out ways to improve economic co-operation and tackle investment curbs. India and the US have agreed to fast-track technical negotiations for an early bilateral investment agreement and discuss Washington's demands that New Delhi opens up foreign direct investment in retail, defence industries and financial services. India has also been demanding US support for a bigger role for itself in global financial institutions such as the World Bank and IMF. Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee will hold talks with US treasury secretary Timothy Geithner as part of the India-US economic partnership dialogue. Indian officials are likely to agree to demands for greater investment opportunities in insurance and banking in a calibrated manner, so as to give large Indian banks and other financial entities time to consolidate their positions. India may also increase foreign voting stake in its banks beyond 10 per cent but will tie this up with greater opportunities for them in setting up branches abroad. Another major demand of the US and EU negotiators is their banks should be accorded the same treatment as given to those from Singapore. India treats Singapore banks on a par with its own banks, giving them easy access to retail customers and the financial sector. "Virtually every nation wants us to extend national treatment to their banks. We have not agreed to anyone's request except for Singapore's two designated banks," said an official. National treatment is a euphemism for allowing level playing field to foreign banks. At present, foreign banks are restricted in many ways. They are not allowed to enter retail banking on a large scale. There are also fetters on the number of branches they can set up as well as on the areas they can enter. However, the government is unwilling to give in at this point as it feels this will jeopardise its own plans for banking reforms. Top finance ministry officials said India would not open up its banking market completely but instead allow more foreign bank branches to be set up along with some concessions in retail banking. The finance ministry wants state-run banks to morph into mega-corporations capable of meeting the challenge of global banks, before agreeing to finally open up the market. Besides Geithner, Federal Reserve chairman Ben S Bernanke, Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Mary Schapiro and Commodity Futures Trading Commission chairman Gary Gensler would take part in the discussion. Impressed by the economic growth of India, Washington has said it wants closer economic co-operation and greater market access, which will help to make India one of Washington's top 10 trading partners. The talks will focus on infrastructure development, capital markets reforms, co-operation on the Group of 20 efforts to reduce trade imbalances and combating money laundering. Commerce minister Anand Sharma yesterday met US trade representative Ron Kirk as part of his US trip. Sharma said the two countries had agreed to speed up a bilateral investment agreement.

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President Pratibha Patil asks Maoists to shun violence, join mainstream Economic Times - ‎4 hours ago‎ RAIPUR: President Pratibha Patil on Friday called upon the Maoists to shun violence and enter into dialogue with the government to ensure development of tribal people. "I call upon Maoists and those others who are engaged in violence to give up ... Indian president urges Maoists to give up arms AFP - ‎6 hours ago‎ RAIPUR, India — India's president urged outlawed Maoist guerrillas on Friday to "leave violence" and accept the government's offer of peace talks. Pratibha Patil's appeal followed a string of Maoist-led attacks which left 18 security personnel dead ... President appeals naxals to abjure violence Mangalorean.com - ‎6 hours ago‎ Raipur, June 24: President Pratibha Devisingh Patil today appealed to naxals to abjure violence and come forward for talks with the government with a positive frame of mind to pave the way for progress of tribals. ''In fact, nothing can be achieved ... Shun violence, come forward for talks: President to Naxalites The Hindu - ‎10 hours ago‎ PTI President Pratibha Patil on Friday asked the Naxalites to shun violence and come forward for talks and join hands with the government to usher progress for the tribal population which they represent. "I would like to urge Naxalites and those ... President Patil asks Maoists to shun violence DailyIndia.com - ‎6 hours ago‎ Raipur, June 24: President Pratibha Devisingh Patil, who is in Raipur on a two-day official visit, has urged Maoists and those involved in violent acts to leave the path of violence. Addressing at the state Assembly hall here, Patil said: "I would like ... India's president urges Maoists to lay down arms Monsters and Critics.com - ‎3 hours ago‎ New Delhi - Indian President Pratibha Patil on Friday urged Maoist militants to shun violence and accept New Delhi's offer of a peace dialogue. The Indian leader's statement follows a spate of Maoist attacks that have targeted security personnel, ... All 6 related articles »

State of Emergency in India

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about general information on Emergency in India. For the 1975 - 1977 Emergency, see The Emergency (India).

A state of emergency in India refers to a period of governance under an altered constitutional setup that can be proclaimed by thePresident of India, when he perceives grave threats to the nation from internal and external sources or from financial situations of crisis. Under the advice of the cabinet of ministers and using the powers vested in him largely by Part XVIII of the Constitution of India, the President can overrule many provisions of the constitution, which guarantee fundamental rights to the citizens of India and acts governing devolution of powers to the states which form the federation. In the history of independent India, there were three periods during which a state of emergency was deemed to have existed.

1. Between 26 October 1962 to 10 January 1968 during the India-China war — "the security of India" having been declared "threatened by external aggression".
2. Between 3 December 1971 to 1977 originally proclaimed during the Indo Pakistan war, and later extended along with the third proclamation — "the security of India" having been declared "threatened by external aggression".
3. Between 26 June 1975 to 21 March 1977 under controversial circumstances of political instability under the Indira Gandhi's prime ministership — "the security of India" having been declared "threatened by internal disturbances".

The President can declare three types of emergencies:

• National emergency
• State emergency
• Financial emergency

Contents  [hide] 1 National emergency under article 352 2 State emergency under article 356 3 Financial emergency under article 360 4 References

[edit]National emergency under article 352

National emergency is caused by war, external aggression or armed rebellion in the whole of India or a part of its territory. Such an emergency was declared in India in 1962 (Indo-China war), 1971 (Indo-Pakistan war), and 1975 (declared by Indira Gandhi to maintain law and order in the country).

The President can declare such an emergency only on the basis of a written request by the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister. Such a proclamation must be approved by the Parliament within one month. Such an emergency can be imposed for six months. It can be extended by six months by repeated parliamentary approval.

In such an emergency, Fundamental Rights of Indian citizens can be suspended. The six freedoms under Right to Freedom are automatically suspended. However, the Right to Life and Personal Liberty cannot be suspended according to the original Constitution. It modifies the federal system of government to a unitary one.

In January 1977 however, during the emergency declared controversially by Indira Gandhi, the government decided to suspend even the Right to Life and Personal Liberty by dispensing with Habeas corpus. Chief Justice Hans Raj Khanna defended the Right to Life and asked: "Life is also mentioned in Article 21 and would Government argument extend to it also?". The Attorney General observed: "Even if life was taken away illegally, courts are helpless"^[1].

The Parliament can make laws on the 66 subjects of the State List (which contains subjects on which the state governments can make laws). Also, all money bills are referred to the Parliament for its approval. The term of the Lok Sabha can be extended by a period of one year but not more than six months from the date when the emergency has ceased to exist.

[edit]State emergency under article 356

State emergency is declared on failure of constitutional machinery in a state. Nearly every state in India has been under a state of emergency at some point of time or the other. The state of emergency is commonly known as 'President's Rule'.

If the President is satisfied, on the basis of the report of the Governor of the concerned state or from other sources that the governance in a state cannot be carried out according to the provisions in the Constitution, he can declare emergency in the state. Such an emergency must be approved by the Parliament within a period of two months.

It is imposed for six months and can last for a maximum period of three years with repeated parliamentary approval every six months. If the emergency has to be extended for more than three years, it can be done by a constitutional amendment, as has happened in Punjab andJammu and Kashmir.

During such an emergency, the President can take over the entire work of the executive, and the Governor administers the state in the name of the President. the Legislative Assembly can be dissolved or may remain in suspended animation. The Parliament makes laws on the 66 subjects of the state list (see National emergency for explanation). All money bills have to be referred to the Parliament for approval.In this situation ministers of state legislature are not allowed to perform action in state.

[edit]Financial emergency under article 360

If the President is satisfied that there is an economic situation in which the financial stability or credit of India is threatened, he or she can declare financial emergency. Such an emergency must be approved by the Parliament within two months. It has never been declared. Such a situation had arisen but was avoided by putting the gold assets of India as collateral for foreign credit.

It remains enforced till the President revokes it.

In case of a financial emergency, the President can reduce the salaries of all government officials, including judges of the Supreme Court andHigh Courts. All money bills passed by the State legislatures are submitted to the President for his approval. He can direct the state to observe certain principles (economy measures) relating to financial matters.

The phrase Emergency period used loosely, when referring to the political history of India, often refers to the third and the most controversial of the three occasions.

[edit]References

1. ^ D'Souza, Jos Peter. "When the Supreme Court Struck Down the Habeas Corpus". A D M Jabalpur vs. Shukla. Retrieved June 2001.

• State of Emergency law

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Categories: Emergency laws | Independent India | Indian law | Politics of India

Related Pratibha Patil Raipur, Chhattisgarh Peace talks India Manmohan Singh Unif

Secretaries to meet on manufacturing policy next week

A group of secretaries is scheduled to meet on Tuesday next week to resolve inter-ministerial differences over issues like labour, budgetary provisions and revenue implications to fine tune the proposed manufacturing policy. 

The group is headed by Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, T K A Nair. 

"The main issues to be discussed in the meeting include labour, employment, issues concerning budgetary provisions and revenue implications of the proposals of the draft manufacturing policy," a Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion official (DIPP) said. 

The secretaries from departments, including industry, labour, environment and revenue would try to fine-tune the proposed policy so that it can be placed before the Cabinet , the official said. 

The industry department claims that tax sops proposed in the draft manufacturing policy, which has got in-principal nod from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh , would have no adverse revenue implications but add more into the exchequer. 

"Tax sops which we have proposed will have zero tax implications in the long run... in short term too there would be no loss," the official added. 

On June 9, a high-level committee chaired by the Prime Minister gave in-principle approval to the policy, which envisages big initiatives, including creation of mega industrial zones with world-class infrastructure. 

The DIPP has proposed tax concessions (including exemption from capital gains tax) on reinvestments by units in the zones and government subsidies for indigenous development of technologies. 

The proposed policy has been stuck due to inter- ministerial differences, with the opposition coming mainly from the labour and environment ministries. 

Aimed at creating 100 million new jobs and taking the share of manufacturing to 25 per cent in the country's GDP by 2025, the draft policy proposed creation of the National Investment and Manufacturing Zones (NIMZs). 

At present, manufacturing contributes 15-16 per cent to the economy. 

India to liberalise merger and acquisition norms

MUMBAI: India will further liberalise norms to facilitate mergers and acquisitions that have been one of the biggest contributors to the country's industrial expansion, an official said Thursday. 

"Corporates will not have multiplicity of reporting formats and that is one commitment we give to the Indian industry," D.K. Mittal, secretary in the corporate affairs ministry, said at a summit organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here. 

He said his ministry, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) - the three main regulators of the mergers and acquisition activities - have been striving hard to further liberalise the norms. 

"We have been careful not to put any restriction on acquisition by Indian corporates outside the country," Mittal said. 

SEBI and the Competition Commission of India have norms to regulate takeover of Indian companies from foreign companies where capital is much cheaper. 

"The idea is that regulation should not be restrictive or destructive and that regulatory framework should have a soft landing which we have been able to achieve," Mittal added. 

Indian corporate sector witnessed mergers and acquisitions deals worth nearly $67 billion in 2010. 

"In an inter-connected world, competition is all pervasive and businesses will have to think big, act fast and transcend geographic boundaries by mergers and acquisitions to stay globally competitive," Adi Godrej, chairman of Godrej Group, said while addressing the conference.

Govt to come out with market-friendly stamp duty norms shortly

he centre is likely to come out with a uniform and market-friendly stamp duty structure for transactions in the capital and commodities markets within two weeks, a senior finance ministry official said. 

"Department of Economic Affairs and Department of Revenue are in consultation to evolve a market friendly stamp duty structure," a senior ministry official said. 

The new structure, he added, would help the states modify their stamp duty regulations for various instruments like equities, futures and other products. 

"We could recommend stamp duty structure for various products in next two weeks," he said. 

Different stamp duty rates are imposed on transaction of securities, futures, delivery and other instruments in the share market and commodity exchanges. 

Since the Stamp Duty is levied by the states, the centre can only persuade them to adopt a structure that would bring about some uniformity in rates across the country. 

The Maharashtra government recently amended stamp duty regulations and came out with a uniform duty of 0.0005 per cent on all transactions in capital and commodities markets. 

"Every state has its own rules. There is utter confusion. Market participants have a long pending demand of making it uniform," CEO of Destimoney Securities Sudip Bandopadhyay said. 

Commodity Participants Association of India (CPAI) has also urged state governments, including Forward Market Commission (FMC), to abolish stamp duty on transactions relating to all commodities trade from next fiscal 2012-13. 

"Cost of trading in commodities is increasing day by day with varying stamp duties and therefore time has come that the FMC in consultation with state finance ministers should consider removal of this duty," CPAI President of D K Aggarwal said.

23 JUN, 2011, 03.27PM IST,REUTERS 

RBI sees more Asia monetary tightening

CANBERRA: Monetary tightening is set to continue in emerging economies, with inflationary concerns becoming more important, RBI governor Duvvuri Subbarao said on Thursday, after giving a speech at an Australian university in Canberra. 

"I would see continuing of monetary tightening across emerging economies," said Subbarao, when asked about monetary policy settings in Asia. 

He noted that the International Monetary Fund has said growth in emerging economies was in line with earlier forecasts, but that inflationary concerns have become more important. 

"We've (India) been experiencing inflationary pressures for the past two years," he said. 

The Reserve Bank of India (BRI) last week lifted official interest rates for the 10th time in just over a year to help curb stubbornly high inflation as growth slows in Asia's third-largest economy. 

The repo rate was raised by 25 basis points to 7.5 percent. Wholesale inflation in India stands at 9 percent, roughly double the central bank's comfort level. 

Economists expect the RBI to lift rates by a further 50 basis points in 2011, with the tightening cycle seen to be nearing its peak. 

Rising rates and slowing growth add to the headaches for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, whose embattled government is buffeted by criticism over inflation, a spate of corruption scandals and its inability to push through reforms. 

India's annual economic growth in January-March slipped to a lower-than-expected 7.8 percent, the slowest pace in five quarters, as the rise in credit costs and inflation weighed on consumption and investment.

DIPP clarifies all sectors are open to 49% indirect FDI

Published on Fri, Jun 24, 2011 at 20:02 |  Source : CNBC-TV18
Updated at Fri, Jun 24, 2011 at 21:36  
The department of policy and promotion has clarified that all sectors should be open to 49% indirect foreign direct investment (FDI). The DIPP has made this clarification in a discussion paper. The clarification will impact sectors like media, defense, multi brand retail, airlines. Insurance though has been kept out of this by the DIPP, reports CNBC-TV18's Rituparno Bhuyan.
As of now, no FDI is allowed in multi brand retail, but some amount of FDI is allowed in media, defence and airlines, but it is less than 49%. Yesterday, the DIPP had released a discussion paper where it sought public comments on abolishing all FDI caps below 49%.
Now, in the discussion paper, there has been clarification at many points, which mention that downstream investments by Indian owned and controlled companies are open in all sectors. So, a company, which has FDI less than 49%, and is Indian owned and controlled, is open to investing in any of the sectors, there are no restrictions.
This clarification has come because the DIPP felt, in its internal discussions, that there was confusion regarding this particular aspect. So, in the discussion paper itself it has clarified this aspect. This has huge implications for these four major sectors, multi brand retail, media, defence and airlines, where as of now FDI caps are restricted, much below 10%.
The discussion paper seeks public comments about abolishing all FDI caps below 49%. The DIPP will get comments from some companies, from individuals and then it will start a process of inter-ministerial consultations. But the fact remains that it has clarified on already stated position that the DIPP had done through press notes 2, 3 and 4 of 2009. So, this clarification means that this position actually exists. This emerged during the inter consultations that DIPP had with its officials.
Is it possible for an Indian owned and controlled company with FDI to invest in defence or even multi-brand retail where FDI is not permitted at the moment? DIPP sources tell this actually can be done provided that Indian owned and controlled company has 15% equity held by resident Indians and has the power to appoint all the board of director, members. So, these are two crucial conditions. If that is satisfied then that company, even if it has FDI, can invest in all the sectors and there are no restrictions.

Singur land row: Tatas pray for status quo on future work

Tata Motors today pleaded before the Calcutta High Court for a workable solution for a status quo in any further work on the Singur land, which  the state has vested, till the case is heard out.
Appearing for Tata Motors Ltd (TML), counsel Samaraditya Pal submitted before Justice Soumitra Pal that since it has lost possession of land at Singur, for such time that the court hears the petition, status quo be maintained.
He submitted that the reason for the prayer was media reports that some guidelines were being formed for distribution of the land vested by the government vide the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act 2011.
Pal prayed that a workable solution be reached to ensure status quo at Singur where 997 acres of land was acquired for the Tata Motor's Nano plant and ancillary units. TML shifted the plant to Gujarat in October, 2008.
Asked by Justice Pal if he would like to discuss the issue with the TML counsel, West Bengal Advocate General Anindya Mitra, in response, said he would look into the proposal over the weekend as such issues could not be talked about in a few minutes.
While TML had a lease over 645 acres of land, the rest was for ancillary industries and other purposes.


13/06/2011

Emergency will not be repeated: Pranab

Kolkata, June 12 (IANS) Noting India's current situation has some similarities to the 1970s which led the then Indira Gandhi regime to impose an emergency, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Sunday assured that there will be no repetition of this in the country.
'The situation is not exactly same but there are some similarities. In 1971 and 1972 the opposition front was crushed by the landslide victory of Congress. Then there was a world crisis and droughts. Some people tried to flare up a movement.... But I can assure you that there will be no repetition of emergency in the country,' said Mukherjee while talking to reporters here.
A 21-month period of Emergency from June 25, 1975 to March 21, 1977 was imposed in India, which gave the government the right to suspend civil rights. This emergency period is considered one the most controversial times of India and has took its place in the black pages of the country's history.
©Indo-Asian News Service

24 JUN, 2011, 10.50PM IST, SOMA BANERJEE,ET BUREAU 

Government announces bailout package for oil cos; diesel, cooking gas to cost more

Petroleum minister Jaipal Reddy today announced a bailout package for oil companies. While the steep duty cuts will sharply impact the government's revenue kitty, consumers will have to pay higher fuel bills, which will push inflation further. 

Customs duty has been eliminated on crude oil (cut from 5%) it has been cut by 5% on diesel and petrol. While the cuts are expected to lead to revenue loss of Rs 26,000 crore for 2011-12, the cut in excise duty on diesel, from Rs 4.60 per litre to Rs 2 a litre, will add a further loss of Rs 23,000 crore, leading to a total revenue loss of Rs 49,000 crore for fiscal 2011-12. The excise duty of Rs 2 per litre on diesel has been kept in lieu of additional tax. 

Meanwhile, the price of diesel has been increased by Rs 3 a litre, PDS kerosene by Rs 2 a litre and domestic LPG by Rs 50 a cylinder (ex revenue yielded for oil companies Rs 21,000 crore on account of price hike). 

The projected losses of oil companies despite the package will be more than Rs 1,20,000 crore for fiscal 2011-12 petroleum minister Jaipal Reddy told reporters after the meeting of the empowered group of ministers late Friday evening. 

Can the government afford a dip in customs or excise collections? More importantly, how does the government make up for the losses? With markets remaining choppy, a fall back on disinvestments proceeds may not be the right alternative. How will the government make up the revenue loss? The finance ministry may be forced to hiking duties on other products like cigarettes or luxury cars that were left largely untouched in Budget 2011 to make good some of the losses, a senior finance ministry official hinted. 

The finance ministry has had to depend on indirect taxes to compensate for the shortfall in direct tax collections. A dip in customs or excise will hurt fiscal deficit calculations. Customs duty on crude as well the excise collections on fuel is a significant share of the revenue kitty. 

The ad valorem structure of customs duties on crude (value-based ie higher oil prices translate to higher revenues) will have an immediate impact. 

While the customs duty cut will help oil companies to reduce their losses, it may not have much of an impact on pump prices of petrol and diesel. On the other hand, an excise duty cut will help reduce the shock for consumers (lower pump price) with no benefit to the oil companies. The government losses revenue on both counts. The choice therefore is difficult. Cut revenues to benefit companies or consumers? 

A price hike, however, unpalatable to the political class, is imminent as there is a huge gap between retail fuel prices and that of crude oil. Indian refining companies have to import 80% of the crude oil and a hiked raw material cost brings down margins if final products like fuel continue to sell at artificially low prices. 

The government's tested strategy of lowering duties to reduce the impact of high retail prices of petrol and diesel on consumers may come to play this time too. But is the government in a position to forgo revenue losses at this juncture? 

The first signs of a slowdown in the economy have started showing with growth figures at lowered levels in the last quarter of 2010-11. Indications are that the growth in the first quarter of fiscal 2011-11 too is likely to be sub-8%. RBI's decision to hike bank rates, under pressure from runaway inflation, is expected to impact growth further. Add to that the prospect of a relatively poor monsoon that will leave its mark on farm growth. 

Revenues for the government therefore are likely to be lower as companies turn in lower profits, even as consumption and sales slow down. Globally too, the picture is far from satisfactory. The Greek crisis coupled with the slow pick up in the US economy is not doing much to brighten India's trade revenue either.

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BJP hopes to ride to power on chariot of Lokpal chaos Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jr | Monday, June 20, 2011
* Comments  |  Post a comment  |   Share this article  |   Print  |   Email
* Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jr Many middle and senior level Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders will tell you in informal conversations that the present political situation resembles that of the period from 1972 to 1975, when Jayaprakash Narayan led the anti-corruption movement in Bihar, Morarji Desai was on fast against a corrupt Gujarat government, there were strikes, prices were going through the roof and there were no jobs. It all culminated in the quashing of Indira Gandhi's election by the Allahabad High Court, and JP's call to the army and police not to obey the government, and then the declaration of Emergency in June 1975. The BJP leaders hope that with the recurrence of a similar situation — corruption cases, rising prices, economic anxieties and public turmoil unleashed by civil society activists like Anna Hazare and yoga instructor Ramdev — the party can ride to power on the chariot of chaos. It is both sad and unfortunate that the main opposition party in the country revels in the unrest and confusion unleashed by Anna Hazare, Ramdev and others and sees it as an opportunity for the BJP to win the next election. There is of course the ambiguity with regard to the attitude of BJP leaders towards Hazare and Ramdev. Article continues below the advertisement... They do not sound as enthusiastic about Hazare as they do with Ramdev. They somehow feel uneasy with Hazare, a cantankerous Gandhian who cannot be easily used. In the case of Ramdev, they feel a certain ideological camaraderie of unstated Hindutva, the unmistakable rightwing tilt. Many of the party's leaders are also incredulous in their faith in yoga guru's standing in society and his large following which can be turned into crucial votes. There was enough brutality for all political parties to condemn the police crackdown at Ramlila Maidan on the night June 4 when Ramdev was surrounded and held, and scores of unarmed people were seriously injured in the lathicharge and by tear-gas. The BJP leaders not only condemned the police action, but also held a 24-hour sit-in protest at Mahatma Gandhi's cremation place — Rajghat. The song and dance was a minor distraction, but it is curious that the BJP had for the first time shown such explicit deference to the symbolic significance of the Father of the Nation. Of course, the Congress' taunt that the BJP and the Sangh were the assassins — direct and indirect — of Gandhi is so much baloney. Hindu rightwingers opposed Gandhi in the same way the Leftists did. Hindu fundamentalists could not understand and forgive Gandhi's respect for other religions, especially Muslims. And some of the extremists among them plotted and succeeded in killing him. The BJP cannot be forced to bear the cross for the ideological sins of its ideological predecessors. There is also the irony that BJP leaders, LK Advani is not alone in this, are more at home with the secularism of Mohammed Ali Jinnah than the eclectic religiosity of Gandhi. But that is a different story. The BJP began its political existence on the note of 'Gandhian socialism' which it threw out in a short time. So, the Congress attempt to prove BJP to be responsible for Gandhis's death is an extreme stance. The problem with the BJP arises from reasons other than its so-called anti-Gandhianism. Despite Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Murli Manohar Joshi and Advani declaring their undying faith in democratic processes and parliamentary practices, the party is unable to resist the temptation of taking the political battle to the streets whenever it can. It sees a great opportunity of doing so on the back of street protests unleashed by Hazare and Ramdev. The party's own attempts to create public awareness with protests and rallies against price rise and corruption has been less then successful. The BJP is placing its bet on Ramdev, the unruly and irrational political agitator. This is the dangerous sign of a national political party backing an unreliable man because he belongs to the Hindu rightwing and not paying attention to the negative political implications of such a move. BJP has to learn to be a normal rightwing party. It has a space in the political spectrum. Many BJP leaders are eager to play the responsible opposition, but the street politics of the Ramdev-kind seems to be a fatal attraction. The road to power in a democracy lies the institutional framework of elections and not through anarchy on the streets.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/column_bjp-hopes-to-ride-to-power-on-chariot-of-lokpal-chaos_1556940

1. The Emergency (India) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2. The Indian Emergency of 25 June 1975 – 21 March 1977 was a 21-month period, when President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, upon advice by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ...

3. Background - Declaration of Emergency - The Emergency Administration

4. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Emergency_(India) - Cached - Similar

5. State of Emergency in India - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

6. This article is about general information on Emergency in India. For the ...

7. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_Emergency_in_India -Cached - Similar

8. Show more results from wikipedia.org

9. Emergency -- Darkest hour in India's judicial history

10. 27 Jun 2000 ... The era of Emergency, which was inaugurated by Indira Gandhi on June 25/26, 1975, was the darkest chapter in the democratic history of India ...

11. www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/.../ina27053.html -Cached - Similar

12. Emergency in 1975 in India

13. 28 Jun 2010 ... Emergency in 1975 in India - Informative & researched article on Emergency in 1975 in India from Indianetzone, the largest free encyclopedia ...

14. www.indianetzone.com › ... › Indian Political Culture -Cached - Similar

15. Indian Emergency of 1975-1977

16. The Indian Emergency of 25th June 1975-21st March 1977 was a 21 month period, when President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, upon advice by Prime Minister Indira ...

17. www.mtholyoke.edu/~ghosh20p/ - Cached - Similar

18. 1975 emergency and after

19. 29 Jun 2003 ... JUNE 26, 1975 was the date on which internalemergency was declared in India, 28 years ago. This event will always remain significant in the ...

20. pd.cpim.org/2003/0629/06292003_prakash.htm - Cached - Similar

21. Ajay Shah's blog: Understanding the Emergency of1975-1977

22. 26 Jan 2007 ... For all of us who are used to Indian democracy and freedom, and the success of India, the Emergency (1975-1977) was a shocking failure. ...

23. ajayshahblog.blogspot.com/.../understanding-emergency-of-1975-1977.html - Cached - Similar

24. The General Emergency 1975-77 | Sankalp IndiaFoundation

25. The Emergency in India denotes the 21-month period between June 25, 1975 and March 21, 1977 when President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, upon advice by Prime ...

26. sankalpindia.net/drupal/node/2199 - Cached

27. 1975 Indira Gandhi establishes emergency rule inIndia. | Vande ...

28. 25 Jun 2009 ... The Indian Emergency of 25 June 1975 – 21 March 1977 was a 21-month period, when President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, upon advice by Prime ...

29. www.vandeindia.com/1975-indira-gandhi-establishes-emergency-rule-in-india.html - Cached - Similar

30. Answers.com - Why was emergency declared in Indiain 1975

31. India History question: Why was emergency declared in India in1975? Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of internalemergency after she was ...

32. wiki.answers.com › ... › History › Asian History › India History -Cached - Similar

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    An all-party meeting has been convened on July 3 by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to discuss the Lokpal Bill, Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP )) leader Sushma Swaraj said on Friday.
    
    Sushma Swaraj, leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, said this on micro-blogging site Twitter .
    
    The meeting follows a stalemate between the government and civil society over the draft of the Lokpal bill, which seeks to fight corruption in high places.
    
    A key disagreement relates to bringing the prime minister under the purview of a Lokpal.
    
    A letter circulated to political parties and state governments by the government seeking their views did not garner much response.
    
    A sharp rally in the stock market today made the investors richer by more than Rs 1.57 lakh crore, as the benchmark index Sensex soared by more than 500 points. Indian shares provisionally closed 2.9 percent higher on Friday, taking cues from firm global markets after Greece struck a deal for an austerity plan to avoid a debt default. Financials led the gains.
    
    The 30-share BSE index provisionally ended up 2.86 percent, or 506.53 points, at 18,234.02, with 28 components advancing.
    
    After a delay of about three weeks, about 30,000 employees of troubled Air India would get their salaries next Tuesday for the month of May, an airline official said today.
    
    Funds to disburse the salaries have been arranged from banks and the payment would be credited to the employees' accounts by June 28, the senior official said.
    
    The employees usually get their salaries by seventh of the month.
    
    The decision came a day after CPI MP Gurudas Dasgupta termed the delay in wages payment as "illegal" and demanded a probe into the poor financial health of the national carrier.
    
    In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Dasgupta, who is also the AITUC General Secretary , said delay in payment of wages to Air India employees violated the Payment of Wages Act.
    
    "A government-owned enterprise can hardly indulge in such illegality," he said, observing that there was "gross human distress" arising out of the delay. He also sought a probe into the reasons "why Air India is in such financial distress".
    
    Facing cash crunch, the national carrier has not been paying the performance-linked incentives (PLI) to its over 30,000 odd employees for the last three months.
    
    The airline official said members of the management have also not been receiving PLI and some allowances, which form a major part of the total pay.
    
    On Thursday last, Air India CMD Arvind Jadhav wrote a letter to the employees assuring them about payment of their salary soon, without specifying any date.
    
    He said increasing debt, rising interest burden and growing fuel costs were financially crippling the company. "It is becoming difficult to sustain our operations without cash flows and revenue generation," he said.
    
    The total investor wealth, measured in terms of cumulative market capitalisation of all listed companies, rose to Rs 65,67,848.15 crore -- up by Rs 1,57,357 crore from its yesterday's level.
    
    More than half of this gain was contributed by the 30 Sensex companies alone, whose combined market value rose by Rs 78,051 crore without any contribution from Reliance Industries , the country's most valued firm and one of the biggest wealth creators traditionally.
    
    Reliance shares in fact closed almost flat with a 0.03 per cent decline and the company's market value fell by Rs 85 crore to Rs 2,84,918 crore at BSE.
    
    The only other Sensex stock to close in the red was Anil Ambani group firm Reliance Infra, which fell by 0.84 per cent.
    
    Among the Sensex companies, the biggest gainers in terms of market value were Tata group's TCS and public sector lender SBI , both of which saw their market cap rising by more than Rs 8,000 crore each.
    
    Public sector energy giant ONGC also saw its market value rising by more than Rs 7,000 crore, while Infosys and NTPC added more than Rs 5,000 crore each to their market wealth.
    
    Other major gainers included HDFC (Rs 4,100 crore), ICICI Bank (Rs 3,500 crore), Bharti Airtel (Rs 3,500 crore), Wipro (Rs 3,400 crore), ITC (Rs 2,700 crore), HDFC Bank (Rs 2,300 crore), Tata Steel (Rs 2,100 crore), Hero Honda (Rs 2,100 crore) and Bhel (Rs 2,000 crore).
    
    Tata Motors , HUL, M&M, Jindal Steel, Hindalco, Bajaj Auto and DLF also added more than Rs 1,000 crore to their respective market values, while gains were relatively smaller for companies like Tata Power, Cipla , Maruti Suzuki, Jaiprakash Associates and Reliance Communications .
    
    The Sensex today rose by 513.19 points to close at 18240.68 points. This was the biggest one-day rally for the Sensex since March 1 and the second biggest rally in more than one year.
    
    The Sensex had gained 623 points on March 1, while it had risen by 561.44 points on May 10, 2010.
    
    No details were available on what India's wealthiest man discussed with the Prime Minister. Reliance Industries (RIL) offered no comments on the meeting.
    
    Separately, RIL wrote to the oil ministry requesting for a copy of the draft report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), after which the relevant portions of the draft CAG report were provided to the company, sources said.
    
    RIL earlier this week had written to the ministry saying that the reported comments from the leaked report reflected a "complete misunderstanding of legal and contractual issues" and hurt its reputation.
    
    RIL shares have fallen 8 per cent since the draft CAG report first appeared in media on June 13. It ended almost flat today at Rs 870.40 even though the BSE Sensex rose 513 points or 2.89 per cent.
    
    Officials in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said the meeting between Singh and Ambani happened around noon but offered no further details.
    
    Ambani, however, did not seek any meeting with Oil Minister S Jaipal Reddy who had earlier this week stated that his ministry will approach the draft report of the nation's top auditor with an "open mind" and give its response within eight weeks.
    
    Government releases draft Lokpal bill
    
    Union Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily Friday released a draft Lokpal bill that he said included the consensus views of the joint drafting panel comprising civil society members and the government.
    
    While Moily chose to call it a draft bill of the joint drafting committee, he said this was the "draft by the government nominees and also (incorporates) the views on which there was consensus in the JDC (joint drafting committee)".
    
    Speaking to newspersons at his office, Moily said the draft clearly showed that "we are not adopting a stubborn (attitude) and (are) accommodating". "This (bill) contains and reflects the points where both of us agree," he underlined.
    
    Moily also made it clear that as of now there was no government bill on the Lokpal and the same would be drafted only after the process of consultations with different political parties was completed. "Government has not commenced the drafting of the Lokpal bill," he said.
    
    Apparently the law minister released the official draft that had emerged from the deliberation in the JDC in order to clear the alleged confusion on account of several claims by members of the civil society.
    
    "They (members of civil society) have changed their views many times" and it is difficult to say where they stand, the minister said.
    
    He said the government draft on Lokpal would emerge only after it gets responses from different political parties.
    
    Moily said: "We have to take along all the political parties, if they don't agree then there will be a difficulty." He added: "It is not a rhetoric. We have to present a bill before parliament" and the one that is acceptable to it.
    
    Besides the Lokpal bill, Moily announced that the first Rajiv Gandhi Advocate Training Scheme would be implemented from June 27. He said the first batch of trainees would include ten advocates from each state who would undergo intensive training in law and its application by senior counsel. The first such training camp will be held at the National Law University in Delhi from June 27.
    
    The main object of the scheme is to motivate and encourage young talented meritorious lawyers to remain in practice at the Bar at grass root level by imparting professional training to them. The scheme targets young lawyers who are practising in Magistrate and Munsif Courts.
    
    Moily regretted that none of the judges in the higher judiciary were from Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes. He said that no chief justice of a high court was from SC/ST category.
    
    He said that it was happening because due to lack of proper training the hidden talent among the Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribes was not getting demonstrated. "Talent is hidden and is not (getting) demonstrated. If the talent is not demonstrated that does not mean that talent is not there," Moily said.
    

    Govt raises diesel prices to ease subsidy burden Moneycontrol.com - ‎41 minutes ago‎ India raised diesel prices nearly 8% on Friday after months of delay, a politically unpopular move that will add to inflationary pressure but also eases the government's subsidy burden and could bolster its image among wary investors. ... Price hike won't impact oil marketing cos: SP Tulsian Moneycontrol.com - ‎38 minutes ago‎ Although the government has raised diesel prices by Rs 3 per litre and LPG rates have been raised by Rs 15 per cylinder, SP Tulsian, sptulsian.com says, the price hike won't affect oil marketing companies (OMCs). "I don't that OMCs are really going to ... Steep hike in diesel, kerosene, LPG prices IBNLive.com - ‎14 minutes ago‎ PTI | 10:06 PM,Jun 24,2011 New Delhi, June 24 (PTI) In a steep hike, the government today increased diesel price by Rs 3 per litre, domestic LPG by Rs 50 per cylinder and kerosene by Rs 2 per litre and slashed customs and excise duties on crude oil and ... Government raises diesel, LPG and kerosene prices Hindustan Times - ‎1 hour ago‎ Over a month after petrol prices were hiked, the government on Friday raised the price of diesel by Rs 3 a litre, cooking gas by Rs 50 a cylinder and kerosene by Rs 2 a litre. Petroleum minister S Jaipal Reddy described it as "a minimal increase". ... India hikes diesel prices by $0.7/litre-sources Reuters - Nidhi Verma, Jo Winterbottom - ‎1 hour ago‎ NEW DELHI Jun 24 (Reuters) - India has raised diesel prices by 3 rupees ($0.7) per litre, two government sources said on Friday after a ministerial panel ended a meeting to decide on the hikes, a move that could stoke inflation that is already at ... Diesel, Kerosene, LPG to cost more; Mamata objects NDTV.com - ‎2 hours ago‎ New Delhi: The government has approved a price hike for diesel, LPG and kerosene. Diesel prices will increase by Rs 3 a litre, and LPG would cost Rs 50 more per cylinder. Kerosene prices have been increased by Rs 2 per litre.... Diesel price up Rs 3 per litre, LPG by Rs 50 Zee News - ‎1 hour ago‎ New Delhi: In yet another jolt to the common man already reeling under rising prices and high inflation, the government on Friday raised the price of cooking gas by Rs 50 excluding state levies, while also raising the price of diesel by Rs 3 per litre. ... Diesel, kerosene, LPG prices hiked Moneylife Personal Finance site and magazine - ‎28 minutes ago‎ Group of ministers increases diesel price by Rs3 a litre, kerosene by Rs2 and domestic LPG by Rs50 a cylinder. Government also reduces excise duty on diesel from Rs4.60 a litre to Rs2 litre New Delhi: The government on Friday hiked the price of diesel ... Govt hikes fuel prices again: Diesel, LPG and kerosene get costlier Daily Bhaskar - ‎37 minutes ago‎ New Delhi: Burning a hole in the pocket of the 'aam admi' yet again the empowered group of ministers (eGoM), headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, on Friday evening hiked the prices of diesel, kerosene and LPG (domestic gas). ... All 59 related articles »

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    2G scam: IT department quizzes A Raja's relatives
    
    TIRUCHIRAPPALLI: Relatives of jailed former Union minister A Raja including his wife and brother were today questioned by the Income Tax department.
    
    Raja's wife Parameswari and his brother A Ramachandran besides two other relatives were quizzed at the regional I-T office for about three hours.
    
    Officials were, however, tight-lipped about today's enquiry.
    
    The CBI , which is probing the 2G spectrum allocation scam and the money trail, had already carried out searches at the premises of Raja's relatives in neighbouring Perambalur, his native district, during its course of investigations.
    
    Raja, arrested for his alleged role in the 2G spectrum scam , has been lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail since February 17.
    
    

    'Govt Lokpal draft better than 2010 draft'

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    Times of India - ‎1 hour ago‎
    

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33. 
    
34. Proposed Lokpal members to leave politics, business, have single term
    
35. The proposed Lokpal bill, according to its draft, envisages an 11-member panel, whose members will have to end their membership of a legislature, political party or association with any work or business before assuming office. They will only serve a single term of up to five years and be ineligible for any elected office or government job afterwards. 
    
    The members will have to be persons of "impeccable integrity, outstanding ability and standing", according to an official draft that was prepared by the five ministers on the basis of consensus reached at the joint drafting committee meetings and released by Law and Justice Minister M. Veerappa Moily Friday. 
    
    The member of the Lokpal will have a term not exceeding five years from the date on which they enter office or until they attain the age of 70 years, whichever is earlier. 
    
    "The Chairman or a Member shall not be a member of parliament or member of the legislature of any State or Union territory and shall not hold any office of trust or profit (other than his office as a Chairman or a Member) or be connected with any political party or carry on any business or practice any profession and accordingly, before he enters upon his office, as person appointed as the Chairman or a Member as the case may be, shall resign or sever that relationship." 
    
    On completing their tenure of the anti-graft body, they would be ineligible for re-appointment to the anti-graft body, contesting election for the office of president, vice president, for membership of Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha, state legislature, municipality and panchayat. They would also be barred from any diplomatic assignment or any appointment that is made by President of India. 
    
    The chairman and the members of the proposed Lokpal should have "special knowledge of, and professional, experience of not less than twenty-five years in public affairs, administrative law, and policy, academics, commerce and industry, law, finance or management." 
    
    Besides this, the judicial member should be either the sitting or former chief justice of a high court or a judge of the Supreme Court. 
    
    The chairman or member of the Lokpal would be appointed and administered oath by the president. 
    
    The selection committee would include the prime minister, the Lok Sabha speaker, leader of the house other than the house to which prime minister belongs, the union home minister, leaders of opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha (in case there is no recognised opposition party either in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha or the both, then the leader of the largest political party in opposition to the government would on the selection panel), a sitting judge of the Supreme Court and a chief justice of a high court to be nominated by the chief justice of India, the president or senior-most professor of the National Academy of Sciences and the cabinet secretary who will also be the secretary of the selection panel. 
    
    The selection panel could constitute a "search committee" for preparing the panel of people to be considered for selection as chairman or member of the anti-graft body. The chairman and the member of the Lokpal could be divested of their office by the president upon making a reference to the Supreme Court for inquiry into the allegation of misbehaviour. 
    
    The five ministers in the joint panel were Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Home Minister P. Chidambaram, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal, Moily and Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid . The civil society representatives were veteran activist Anna Hazare , former law minister and lawyer Shanti Bhushan , his son and lawyer Prashant Bhushan, Right to Information (RTI) activist Arvind Kejriwal and Karnataka Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde.
    
36. 22 JUN, 2011, 06.17AM IST,ET BUREAU 
    

    Lokpal Bill: We can't have parallel govt, says Sibal

37. NEW DELHI: The protracted tug-of-war over the Lokpal bill appeared to have come to the end of its first phase as the joint drafting panel held its final meeting on Tuesday, producing two separate drafts of the bill, signalling the unbridgeable gulf between the views of the government side and the civil society representatives. 
    
    The two versions will now go for the consideration of a soon-to-be convened all-party meeting. After political consultations, the draft bill will be considered by the Cabinet and subsequently will go to the Parliament. It is unclear at this stage how the two drafts will be reconciled or the differences eliminated, and at what stage. The civil society members have already expressed their unwillingness to relent. 
    
    Social activist Anna Hazare , who spearheaded the agitation for a strong anti-graft legislation, announced last week that he was unhappy with the progress made through negotiations, and would resume his fast-unto-death on August 16. 
    
    Addressing the media after the last meeting of the draft panel, Union HRD minister Kapil Sibal indicated that the draft bills might be subject to a much wider consultation process, including all political parties as well as state governments, than previously thought. 
    
    Sibal said the government was happy with the progress made, even though some differences remained. The key differences that remained were over the inclusion of the prime minister under the Lokpal's ambit (government is opposed to this), the inclusion of higher judiciary (the government feels this would duplicate the purpose of the judicial commission ) and inclusion of lower bureaucracy (government favours the inclusion of officers of grade A and above). The other key differences include the conduct of MPs in Parliament and the terms of the selection and removal of Lokpal members. 
    
    Speaking to reporters after the meeting, water resources minister Salman Khurshid said the government was not in favour of amending the CrPC, which would have been required to incorporate some of the suggestions in the civil society's draft bill. 
    
    Sibal said the civil society members were in favour of making death penalty the maximum punishment for graft under the bill, but they settled for life imprisonment. "You can't have a parallel government outside the government to run this country," Sibal said. "We want a strong Lokpal bill, but we don't want to compromise the very delicate constitutional balance provided for in the Constitution by our forefathers. They were far wiser than us," Sibal said.

38. 
    
39. 24 JUN, 2011, 07.06AM IST, SUTANUKA GHOSAL & ANURADHA HIMATSINGKA,ET BUREAU
    Tatas swear by the name of West Bengal, but will they have a second thought?
    
    KOLKATA: The Tatas are perhaps never going to invest in West Bengal again, at least not so long as Mamata Banerjee's government is in power. So much was said by Tata representatives in Calcutta High Court on Wednesday during a break in the court proceedings, without of course wanting to get quoted.
    
    "It is clear that Ms Banerjee's government does not want the Tatas here. There is therefore no point in our trying to be here" a senior Tata Motors official said. The Tatas fought the state government all of Wednesday in court to protest against the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act, 2011.
    
    "We had wanted to cooperate with the state government and had therefore written a letter, expressing our willingness to invest more in future. But with things having turned out the way they are, there is no possibility of our making any fresh investment in future in West Bengal" the official said.
    
    Tata Motors had invested nearly Rs 1,800 crore in the Nano project at Singur.
    
    Angry words said in a huff perhaps, but then Ratan Tata had also left in one in 2008 when he could take it no more. The Nano project was taken out to Narendra Modi's Gujarat. However, once Mamata Banerjee swept the assembly polls in West Bengal, the Tatas wrote saying that they would be eager to make more investments in the state. When the new government was sworn in, the Tatas wrote to the chief minister congratulating her, to which Mamata also replied back a few days later.
    
    The sudden development concerning the Singur Act , however, has now precipitated matters. As another Tata group official present in court pointed out: "The new government's move only sends the message that there is a lack of continuity in thinking, and that at any point, a decision may change. An investor will take all these into consideration before deciding to make fresh investments. People begin to wonder whether they should go into such a situation"
    
    As an after-thought, the official said : "It is not that we are averse to invest in West Bengal, but there should be a congenial atmosphere. Our Telcon project is doing well. Tata Medical Centre is operational and we face no problem there."
    http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-company/corporate-trends/tatas-swear-by-the-name-of-west-bengal-but-will-they-have-a-second-thought/articleshow/8971518.cms

40. Embarrassment on judge's lips  - Court seeks report on Singur pilferage OUR BUREAU Pictures show Mitra and Pal outside the court on Thursday. (Sayantan Ghosh) Calcutta, June 23: Calcutta High Court today said it was "embarrassed" following allegations that pilferage had taken place at the Singur factory despite an assurance by the state government that law and order would be maintained. "It gives me embarrassment," Justice Saumitra Pal said. The judge's remark came when advocate-general Anindya Mitra tried to reassure the court hearing the Tata Motors petition against the Singur land bill that enough security personnel — 591 to be precise and more than what the Tatas had posted — had been deployed to protect the 997 acres. The judge had yesterday refrained from issuing an interim injunction because of the specific assurance by the government that peace and tranquillity would be maintained. Tata Motors counsel Samaraditya Pal opened his argument today by showing media reports and photographs portraying the pilferage. Justice Pal did not pass any interim order but asked the district magistrate of Hooghly to provide a report on the site by 11am tomorrow. The report would be drawn up by the superintendent of the police but filed by the district magistrate. In Singur, 91 policemen were added to the 500-strong state force guarding the factory premises but some people managed to sneak in and pilfer iron rods and bricks. Around 495 private guards were deployed when the Tatas were in charge. The police are now trying to plug the gaps in the boundary wall with tin sheets and making announcements over loudspeakers to desist from trespassing. The second day of the Singur court battle also witnessed Tata Motors explicitly declaring for the first time that it would seek compensation. The Tata counsel used the law-and-order plank to underscore two points: the court should consider an interim order of status quo till the disposal of the case and ensure a joint verification of assets which would have a bearing while seeking compensation. Barrister Pal said no inventory had been made when the state took over the land under the new Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act, making it difficult for the company to verify any claims. "There should be some joint verification (to make inventory). This is a normal procedure which has not been followed… I (Tata Motors) will seek compensation under the act," Samaraditya Pal said. The Tata counsel pointed out that the case could go on for at least for two years if it was taken up expeditiously. As a consequence, an interim order is needed to maintain status quo to prevent "looting" and so that suitable compensation could be made. However, barrister Pal did not specifically ask for an interim stay, leaving it to the discretion of the judge. The hearing will resume tomorrow at 11am when barrister Pal will continue his submission. "If Pal completes his argument by 12.30pm, I will allow you to make your submission from 2pm," the judge told advocate-general Mitra. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee was today mostly confined to her chamber at Writers' but met Kalyan Bandopadhyay, industries minister Partha Chatterjee and law minister Malay Ghatak after the court proceedings were over. Chatterjee said the government would continue with the process of returning land as there was no legal bar yet on doing so.

    More stories in Front Page

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    http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110624/jsp/frontpage/story_14154550.jsp
    24 JUN, 2011, 03.53AM IST, SOUVIK SANYAL,ET BUREAU
    Human rights violations may appear in companies' annual reports
    
    NEW DELHI: Human rights violations by companies may form part of their annual reports as the ministry of corporate affairs is set to introduce norms that will require India Inc to formally recognise and comply with such rights towards all its stakeholders.
    
    A new set of guidelines being worked by the ministry of corporate affairs will require companies to put in writing before the government their respect for human rights and also report on measures that they have taken in support of that cause. A proposal to this effect forms part of the business responsibility guidelines being prepared by the corporate affairs ministry.
    
    Human rights are a set of fundamental rights provided to every citizen and cannot be compromised upon. The broad guidelines on human rights which have been defined by the United Nations and followed by almost all countries, including India, contains various types of rights in the form of civil, political, economic, cultural and social.
    
    Human rights violations are common in the unorganised sector even though recent cases have highlighted gross violation of such basic rights by large multinational corporations.
    
    Recent instances of such violations have been reported in cases of Posco and Vedanta in areas of Orissa. Allegations, as levelled against them by the National Human Rights Commission , relate to their forceful land acquisition and illegal eviction of villagers from their proposed project area.
    
    The new guidelines are an improvement over the corporate affairs ministry's guidelines on corporate social responsibility issued in 2009. While the norms will be kept voluntary, companies will have to provide reasons for not putting in place procedures which will guard against violation of human rights. "While respect for human rights should form part of a company's governance structure, they will have to create structures which enable redressal of grievances," said an official in the ministry of corporate affairs, requesting anonymity. The guidelines are expected to be shortly formalised by the ministry of corporate affairs.
    
    Companies will have to explain reasons for their non-compliance, hence creating an indirect sanction. The government has adopted the strategy of "apply or explain", which effectively means any nonconformity with the norms will have to be reported with reasons. These details will form part of the business responsibility statement, accompanying the company's annual report.
    
    Industry is apprehensive that the guideline could lead to a loss of face for companies. "Making a mention of violations can lead to a loss of goodwill for a company before its shareholders," said an official with a key business chamber, requesting anonymity. He, however, said that the move could serve as a positive deterrence in the long run.
    
    The environment ministry in the recent past has taken a strong stand against companies which have not been adhering to basic human rights of people living in areas of industrial projects.
    
    http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-company/corporate-trends/human-rights-violations-may-appear-in-companies-annual-reports/articleshow/8970311.cms
    
    
    22 JUN, 2011, 04.42AM IST, BISWARUP GOOPTU,ET BUREAU
    US may land deal for re-engining of Indian Air Force's Jaguar Deep Penetration Strike Aircraft
    BANGALORE: The US is likely to be the prime beneficiary of yet another lucrative military contract, after the defence ministry withdrew its commercial tender for the re-engining of the Indian Air Force's Jaguar Deep Penetration Strike Aircraft last month.
    
    New Delhi is likely to proceed through the Foreign Military Sales route as the existing defence policy does not allow procurement from a single vendor.
    
    The latest development is likely to propel the US-based diversified conglomerate Honeywell, which was one of the two vendors invited to supply new engines, as the prime contractor for the new engines, especially after British engine-maker Rolls-Royce pulled out of the competition in March 2011. The tender for the re-engining of the Jaguar aircraft, which was cancelled by South Block last month, has been estimated at $670 million, and calls for the supply of between 200 and 250 engines.
    
    "Commercial tenders cannot end up in a single-vendor situation. This (Jaguar re-engining tender) is likely to be a government-to-government deal," a ministry source said on the condition of anonymity.
    
    For the Jaguar re-engining programme, Rolls-Royce, the world's second-largest engine-maker, had offered its Adour MK-821 engine, an upgraded version of the Adour-811 engines that are currently powering the fleet.
    
    In an emailed response to queries sent by ET, the Westminster, London-based company said it has informed the government, IAF and state-owned defence undertaking Hindustan Aeronautics that it "will not be responding to the RFP".
    
    "The IAF RFP issued in November last year and later confirmed at the Bid Conference in Delhi now calls for a new engine not an upgraded engine," the company said in a statement.
    
    However, Honeywell has elected to stay in the competition, through its offering, the F125-IN Turbofan engine. "Honeywell remains fully committed to supporting the Indian Air Force and the Indian Ministry of Defence in their procurement process for an engine upgrade for their fleet of Jaguar aircraft," Pritam Bhavnani, president, Honeywell Aerospace India, wrote in an email.
    
    The IAF, currently, has about 125 Jaguar strike fighters, but the existing engines on the aircraft have been deemed underpowered as per modern-era battlefield requirements, and a decision to install brand-new engines with greater thrust, has been taken.
    
    With Honeywell still angling for the contract, New Delhi is likely to work directly with Washington for the supply of the engines, with the deal being concluded at the government-to-government level, according to informed sources.
    
    The IAF wants to retain its Jaguar fleet and have been insisting that new engines will increase its longevity. Operationally, the the Jaguars have been used by the IAF, with a great degree of success during the Kargil conflict, in conjunction with its Mirage-2000 fighters.
    
    However, upgrades of existing fighter fleets have not met with much success in recent times, with the Mirage-2000 retrofit seemingly in limbo, as the government continues to be at logger heads with French defence vendors Dassault and Thales over costs.
    http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/us-may-land-deal-for-re-engining-of-indian-air-forces-jaguar-deep-penetration-strike-aircraft/articleshow/8945523.cms
    

    India-Pakistan talks: No to conflict ideology NDTV.com - ‎23 minutes ago‎ Islamabad: The Indo-Pak talks that concluded in Islamabad today were described by the Foreign Secretaries of both countries as "frank and cordial". The two-day talks prepared the ground for a meeting between the Foreign Ministers in Delhi in late July. ... JK can't be resolved under gun shadow: India to Pak Economic Times - ‎16 minutes ago‎ ISLAMABAD: India today told Pakistan that the complex issue of Kashmir cannot be resolved under the "shadow of gun and extremist violence" as the two sides agreed on various confidence building measures (CBMs) during their two-day "substantive and ... India, Pakistan discuss starting women's cricket series Times of India - ‎26 minutes ago‎ PTI | Jun 24, 2011, 10.29pm IST ISLAMABAD: India and Pakistan discussed suggestions for a women's cricket series and setting up a women's forum as part of talks between the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries on the promotion of friendly exchanges ... India and Pakistan in nuclear confidence-building vow BBC News - ‎2 hours ago‎ Senior diplomats from India and Pakistan have agreed to discuss new nuclear confidence building measures, after two days of talks. The talks in Islamabad between the countries' foreign secretaries are a prelude to the Pakistani foreign minister's visit ... Remove shadow of gun: India tells Pakistan The Hindu - ‎3 hours ago‎ PTI AP Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao (left) addresses a joint news conference with her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir on the concluding day of their two-day talks in Islamabad on Friday. India on Friday made it clear to Pakistan that ... Kashmir, a 'core' issue in talks with India, insists Pak Bangalore Mirror - ‎39 minutes ago‎ India and Pakistan on Friday discussed Jammu and Kashmir during the crucial foreign secretary-level talks here, a day after Islamabad insisted that it remained the "core" issue for it. Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, who arrived in Islamabad on ... China looks to rebalance ties with India, Pakistan The Hindu - Ananth Krishnan - ‎3 hours ago‎ China will look to strike a better balance in its relations with India and Pakistan and will focus on improving relations with its neighbours in the next Five-Year Plan period (2011-15), according to representatives of the country's top foreign policy ... India ready to host Pakistan's foreign minister in July Economic Times - ‎3 hours ago‎ ISLAMABAD: India has conveyed to Pakistan that it was looking forward to hosting Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar, who is expected to be made foreign minister, for crucial talks in New Delhi next month. ... India ceding ground on Pakistan NewsX - ‎1 hour ago‎ India and Pakistan concluded two day talk and the talks revolved on Kashmir as Pakistan set the agenda not allowing India to nail it down on the issue of Terror. Must do away with shadow of guns, extremist violence: Rao Hindustan Times - ‎3 hours ago‎ Foreign secretary level talks between India and Pakistan conluded today with both sides agreeing to carry forward the 'dialogue process in a constructive and purposeful manner'. Next level of talks will be held in July. In the joint statement issued ... All 210 related articles »

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    24 JUN, 2011, 08.13PM IST, ASHOKE NAG,ET BUREAU
    Kolkota based production house financing Anindo Banerjee's 'Chaplin'
    
    KOLKATA: Kolkata-based production house Orion Entertainment is financing director Anindo Banerjee's 'Chaplin'. The movie is to an extent inspired by the life of the legendary Charlie Chaplin and shows the odyssey of a man amidst starvation and struggle in the pursuit of achieving fame by showcasing his talent. The movie also equally unveils a beautiful camaraderie between a father and son.
    
    Banshi and his eight year old son Nimua have not been cowered down by the struggle around them. Instead, every passing day is a moment of mirth and laughter for them, a relentless persistence to dig out happiness from misery. Banshi's brilliant performances in birthday parties and marriage ceremonies are hardly applauded and mostly accolades are replaced by brickbats and harsh words.
    
    Fate smiles on him when Reena, a dynamic young lady running an NGO notices Banshi and puts in her best effort to help this man. A rare chance and coincidence take place when Reena's fiance, a top honcho of a TV channel is asked by his senior to launch a reality show nationwide on 'The greatest comedy show'. Banshi mesmerizes the judges with his performance and soon he gets selected for the final round. Banshi feels that success is not too far for him.
    
    All hell breaks loose when he discovers that Nimua is suddenly gripped by a peculiar ailment that has no medicine. Banshi gropes in the dark as his existence revolves around his son. The father struggles hard to make his son happy. The movie, which is under production, leaves us wondering whether but Banshi's indomitable spirt, his never say die attitude, will be able to bring his son back from the jaws of death.
    
    http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/media/entertainment-/entertainment/kolkota-based-production-house-financing-anindo-banerjees-chaplin/articleshow/8978573.cms
    
    
    Payment to Kalaignar TV was for advertisements: India Cements
    
    CHENNAI: City-based cement major India Cements Ltd. on Friday denied any role in the 2G scam by saying that the payments it made to Kalaignar TV were for advertisements.
    
    In a statement issued here, the company said: "The company wishes to clarify that it (payments) relates to commercial advertisement contracts for its products and cricket franchise Chennai Super Kings, made in the normal course of business."
    
    The statement was issued in the wake of news reports that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was looking into payments made by India Cements to Kalaignar TV and whether it was to enable the latter to pay its 'loan' to the DB Group of companies.
    
    Kalaignar TV, running a bouquet of Tamil channels, is majority-owned by family members of DMK chief and former Tamil Nadu chief minister M. Karunanidhi.
    
    Sixty percent of Kalaignar TV is owned by Karunanidhi's second wife Dayalu Ammal, 20 percent by his daughter Kanimozhi and the balance by the company's managing director Sharad Kumar.
    
    Both Kanimozhi and Sharad Kumar are lodged in Tihar Jail after the CBI had named them as co-conspirators in the supplementary chargesheet for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs.214 crore.
    
    They were arrested May 20 after a trial court dismissed their bail pleas.
    
    The investigating agency said the bribe was routed through Kalaignar TV.
    
    It is alleged that Kalaignar TV received Rs.214 crore through a "circuitous" route from Shahid Usman Balwa, the promoter of Swan Telecom, which is one of the companies that received 2G spectrum when the DMK's A. Raja was communications minister in 2008.
    
    India to overtake US as world's second largest trading nation: Citibank
    
    WASHINGTON: In less than 40 years India will overtake the US as the world's second-largest trading nation , pushing today's superpower into third place and Europe in to the little leagues, according to a new report by Citigroup .
    
    "According to our projections, world trade in goods and services will grow from $37 trillion in 2010 to $149 trillion in 2030 and $371 trillion in 2050," Citigroup's William Buiter and Ebrahim Rahbari wrote in a research note released on Thursday.
    
    "But at least as interesting as the growth in world trade that we forecast are the changes in its composition that we expect over the course of the next four decades, with today's emerging markets set to gain much more prominence in world trade relative to advanced economies," they were quoted as saying by CNBC.
    
    China is expected by Citi to become the world's biggest trader by 2015 but it is India's rise that could come as a surprise to many, according to Citi's analysis.
    
    "In terms of the largest countries by trade, we expect China to overtake the US to become the world's largest trader by 2015 and to remain in the top spot for the rest of our forecast horizon," the report said.
    
    "India, which does not even feature in the top 10 of the world's largest traders in 2010, is expected to be the world's second-largest trader by 2050, with the US in third place," the report predicted.
    
    The report as cited by the news channel also predicts that trade between emerging markets will overtake that between advanced economies in just four years in a clear sign that the world's major economies of Europe and North America are set to lose relative importance to the global economy.
    
    The big winner according to the report will be Asia. "Developing Asia accounted for 24 percent of world trade in 2010, but its share is expected to reach 42 percent by 2030 and 46 percent by 2050," said Buiter and Rahbari.
    
    24 JUN, 2011, 05.14AM IST,ET BUREAU
    India in 'Top 12 League' of wealthy investors: Merrill Lynch-Capgemini World Wealth report
    MUMBAI: Private banks and local wealth management firms will have more affluent clients to serve in the coming years. India's population of HNIs surged 21% to 1,53,000 in 2010, according to the Merrill Lynch-Capgemini World Wealth report released on Thursday.
    
    This is the second straight year in which India's HNI population growth has been among the top gainers, the report said. India pipped Spain to gain entry into the 'top 12 league' of countries which have highest number of rich people. "Indian HNIs continue to benefit from a robust economy and asset classes like equities and real estate," said Atul Singh , managing director and head, Merrill Lynch Global Wealth Management-India.
    
    Relatively high GDP growth rates along with higher market capitalisation helped Indian HNIs to generate more wealth, Mr Singh said. While GDP grew over 9%, market capitalisation surged 24% to reach $1,631.8 billion at the end of 2010. Property prices rose 1.9% during the year.
    
    As per Merrill Lynch-Capgemini report, Asia-Pacific posted the strongest regional rate of HNI population growth in 2010. HNI wealth in Asia-Pacific gained 12.1% to $10.8 trillion, exceeding Europe's HNI wealth of $10.2 trillion in 2010. Asia-Pacific is now the second-largest region for both HNWI wealth and population, second only to North America, the report said.
    
    "Asia-Pacific's continued strong performance cements the region's strategic importance to every wealth management firm with global aspirations," said Pradeep Dokania , chairman, Merrill Lynch Global Wealth. In terms of asset allocation, HNIs have reduced their holdings in deposits and fixed income and switching back to the equities market. Allocation to equity assets have grown 33% in 2010, the report said. Global GDP growth to weaken to 3.2% in 2011 and 2012 due to emerging concerns such as high public debt levels and rising oil prices which are driving global inflation, the report said.
    
    http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/indicators/india-in-top-12-league-of-wealthy-investors-merrill-lynch-capgemini-world-wealth-report/articleshow/8970799.cms
    
    
    22 JUN, 2011, 10.03AM IST,ET NOW
    India looks attractive, but inflation's a worry: Philip Poole, Global head of macro investment strategy, HSBC
    
    Valuations in India are looking a lot more attractive now than they have in a long time, said Philip Poole , global head of macro investment strategy, HSBC .
    
    In a conversation with ET NOW, Mr Poole said that RBI has not raised rates enough and further tightening is a pre-condition to control stubborn inflation.
    
    On emerging markets: Emerging markets have underperformed their developed peers so far this year and India is no exception. Valuations in India now look a lot more attractive. Valuations for the overall markets are below the 10-year average and this is a good entry point. At the moment, we are still in this 'risk-on, risk-off' environment and it's difficult to predict how risk appetites will behave. It's very volatile.
    
    The other concern for India is inflation. The authorities have slipped behind the curve on inflation. There is evidence that they are probably getting a grip on the problem, but we need to see more evidence that inflation is going to turn down before the market can perform.
    
    On sectors : We see good value in consumer discretionary. We like that sector and have been a buyer of stocks in that sector. Consumer staples look expensive relative to the overall market. So we are underweight.
    
    We have seen a slowdown in infrastructure and investment spending on the back of liquidity constraints and also high interest rates, we are bullish there.
    
    We are underweight on banks at the moment in India, although we do like some state-owned banks and we are a buyer there at the margin.
    
    On inflation: The headline inflation number can start to roll over by this year end. I think it's quite possible, although the risk is biased to the upside. The concern has been that the RBI has not raised rates enough. I think it's inappropriate to have negative real interest rates at this point in the cycle. So, I am looking as part of the scenario for the central bank to raise rates further and that's a pre-condition for inflation to start to come down.
    
    On commodities: You have seen a sell-off in commodity prices and it has created good entry points. I am quite bullish on both hard and soft commodities as a medium-to-long-term theme and the driver for that is dramatic growth in many of the populist Ems, coming of low per-capita consumption. So, there is a good bullish demand-side story.
    
    We continue to see supply disruptions in agriculture due to climatic changes and climatic disruptions. On a net-net basis, it's a good entry point for those types of trades.
    
    http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/indicators/india-looks-attractive-but-inflations-a-worry-philip-poole-global-head-of-macro-investment-strategy-hsbc/articleshow/8944954.cms
    
    
    24 JUN, 2011, 07.22PM IST, SOMA BANERJEE,ET BUREAU
    Fuel duty reduction may lead to hiked duty on cigarettes and luxury cars
    
    The decision on the fuel prices will be out in a few hours from now, if we go by the Friday's developments. Hectic parleys have been on between the petroleum and finance ministries from the morning with the two ministers Jaipal Reddy and Pranab Mukherjee meeting for over an hour. Although, one will have to wait to see the final decision, but a possible combination of price hike and some adjustments in the levies on crude oil and petroleum products appears to be on the cards.
    
    Can the government afford a dip in customs or excise collections? More importantly, how does the government make up for the losses? With markets remaining choppy, a fall back on disinvestments proceeds may not be the right alternative. How will the government make up the revenue loss? The finance ministry may be forced to hiking duties on other products like cigarettes or luxury cars that were left largely untouched in Budget 2011 to make good some of the losses, a senior finance ministry official hinted.
    
    The finance ministry has had to depend on indirect taxes to compensate for the shortfall in direct tax collections. A dip in customs or excise will hurt fiscal deficit calculations. Customs duty on crude as well the excise collections on fuel is a significant share of the revenue kitty.
    
    The ad valorem structure of customs duties on crude (value-based ie higher oil prices translate to higher revenues) will have an immediate impact.
    
    While the customs duty cut will help oil companies to reduce their losses, it may not have much of an impact on pump prices of petrol and diesel. On the other hand, an excise duty cut will help reduce the shock for consumers (lower pump price) with no benefit to the oil companies. The government losses revenue on both counts. The choice therefore is difficult. Cut revenues to benefit companies or consumers?
    
    A price hike, however, unpalatable to the political class, is imminent as there is a huge gap between retail fuel prices and that of crude oil. Indian refining companies have to import 80% of the crude oil and a hiked raw material cost brings down margins if final products like fuel continue to sell at artificially low prices.
    
    The government's tested strategy of lowering duties to reduce the impact of high retail prices of petrol and diesel on consumers may come to play this time too. But is the government in a position to forgo revenue losses at this juncture?
    
    The first signs of a slowdown in the economy have started showing with growth figures at lowered levels in the last quarter of 2010-11. Indications are that the growth in the first quarter of fiscal 2011-11 too is likely to be sub-8%. RBI's decision to hike bank rates, under pressure from runaway inflation, is expected to impact growth further. Add to that the prospect of a relatively poor monsoon that will leave its mark on farm growth.
    
    Revenues for the government therefore are likely to be lower as companies turn in lower profits, even as consumption and sales slow down. Globally too, the picture is far from satisfactory. The Greek crisis coupled with the slow pick up in the US economy is not doing much to brighten India's trade revenue either.
    
    http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/energy/oil-gas/fuel-duty-reduction-may-lead-to-hiked-duty-on-cigarettes-and-luxury-cars/articleshow/8978025.cms
    
    24 JUN, 2011, 08.19PM IST, SHUCHI SRIVASTAVA,ET BUREAU
    HPCL awaits govt clearance for new refinery at Ratnagiri
    
    MUMBAI: State-run oil marketing company, the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) is awaiting clearances for land allocation from the Maharashtra government to commence work on its new 9-15 MTPA greenfield refinery project in Ratnagiri.
    
    "We have identified 3,000 acres of land in the Lote-Parshuram industrial area in Chiplun Konkan district in Ratnagiri and are yet to begin work as we are waiting for the state government to grant us clearances for land allocation": said K Murali, director, refineries, HPCL. "A detailed feasibility report on the project has been submitted and we are in the process of appraising the report and also need to look at the financials of the project": he added
    
    HPCL is also in the process of reviving its $10 billion refinery-cum-petrochemical project in Visakhapatnam and is currently in talks with various companies like Mittal Energy to enter into a joint venture partnership.
    
    We are talking to a host of companies to forge joint ventures for the petchem project in Vizag, we will need capital to fund these new projects and will be raising debt once we have more clarity,: said B Mukherjee, director, finance, HPCL.
    
    The petchem project was first planned in 2005-06 and was expected to come up in the proposed petroleum, chemicals and petrochemicals investment region at Visakhapatnam. Total France SA and Mittal Energy Investment were HPCL's partners in the project.
    
    But, Mittal Energy exited the project in December 2008 while Total walked out in September 2009. After these major partners walked away from the project, HPCL decided to keep the project on the backburner.
    
    
    HPCL's Mumbai refinery which has a yearly capacity of 6.5 MTPA, will be going in for a scheduled shutdown after the monsoon. "We plan to carry out upgradation work of our two crude distillation units to upgrade capacity to 7 MTPA at the Mumbai refinery. We will also be buying petro products from Reliance, Essar to meet the demand at our retail outlets," added Murali.
    
    HPCL's 9-million tonnes Bhatinda refinery in Punjab will be mechanically completed in coming August and will be fully commissioned by the year-end. HPCL and Singapore-based Mittal Energy Investment Pte Ltd, an LN Mittal Group firm, own 49% each in HPCL-Mittal Energy (HMEL), which is building the Rs 18,919 crore refinery at Bhatinda in Punjab.
    
    http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/energy/oil-gas/hpcl-awaits-govt-clearance-for-new-refinery-at-ratnagiri/articleshow/8978631.cms
    
    
    
    24 JUN, 2011, 01.10AM IST, ROHINI SINGH,ET BUREAU
    Reliance Industries hits out at CAG over KG-D6 capital spending remarks
    
    NEW DELHI: Reliance Industries has blasted the national auditor, whose stern remarks about capital spending in the company's trophy D-6 oil block have sent its shares tumbling, and said the reported comments reflected "complete misunderstanding of legal and contractual issues" and had hurt its reputation.
    
    The company also challenged the views of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in a letter to the oil ministry, which itself has responded to the leaked draft report cautiously saying it had an open mind on the issue and would act on valid issues when the final report is released.
    
    "While the actual contents of the report are not available to us, from the media reports doing the rounds, it is extremely disheartening to note that there is complete and basic misunderstanding of legal and contractual issues which we presumed had been sufficiently clarified in our responses," Reliance said in a letter to the oil ministry on June 21. The company declined comments on its letter.
    
    The CAG has been in the limelight after its estimate of losses to the government in the 2G spectrum scam fanned the controversy surrounding the sale of airwaves and culminated in the arrests of former telecom minister A Raja and top executives of several telecom companies. The CAG's latest report is significant in light of ongoing investigations by the Central Bureau of Investigation ( CBI )) into the dealings of the oil ministry officials with energy companies, including RIL.
    
    The draft report, submitted earlier this month, scrutinised the accounts of Reliance's D-6 block and questioned its move to raise capital expenditure, which the director general of hydrocarbons, the oil ministry's technical arm, had approved.
    http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/energy/oil-gas/reliance-industries-hits-out-at-cag-over-kg-d6-capital-spending-remarks/articleshow/8969276.cms
    
    

    Reliance attacks auditor's gas claims Financial Times - James Lamont - ‎50 minutes ago‎ India's largest industrial group has accused the government's auditor of "misunderstanding" its business in an angry attack after a draft report by the watchdog accused oil and gas companies of costing the exchequer ... Mukesh Ambani meets PM, gets copy of CAG report domain-B - ‎7 minutes ago‎ Days after a draft report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) said his firm got out of turn favours from the oil ministry and its technical arm DGH, Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani today called on Prime Minister Manmohan ... BOM:500325 Mukesh Ambani Meets Manmohan Amidst Adverse CAG Report www.newsworms.com - ‎2 hours ago‎ RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani met the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today. What transpired between them are a matter of speculation as no official word has come from RIL. It is to be noted that recently a CAG draft report had said that his firm got out of ... BOM:500325 RIL's Andhra costs rose by $3 bn in 2 years: CAG draft Times of India - ‎Jun 22, 2011‎ NEW DELHI: Reliance Industries Ltd's investment plan for bringing its showcase Andhra offshore gas fields to production increased by almost $3 billion, a comparison between the cost of major elements of the company's initial and revised estimates shows ... BOM:500325 Reliance Industries stock drops despite bullish market trend Economic Times - ‎5 hours ago‎ MUMBAI: Shares of Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries settled lower today despite a strong rally in the broader market. Shares of the market behemoth closed down by 0.03 per cent at Rs 870.40 on the Bombay Stock Exchange. In intra-day, the stock shed ... BOM:500325 Government cold to CAG's quest for new powers The Hindu - Siddharth Varadarajan - ‎19 hours ago‎ NEW DELHI: The United Progressive Alliance government may have shown a willingness to draft a new Lokpal Bill, but it is dragging its feet on a proposal to strengthen the public institution that has done so much to expose wrongdoings in public life: ... Reliance Industries hits out at CAG over KG-D6 capital spending remarks Economic Times - ‎21 hours ago‎ NEW DELHI: Reliance Industries has blasted the national auditor, whose stern remarks about capital spending in the company's trophy D-6 oil block have sent its shares tumbling, and said the reported comments reflected "complete misunderstanding of ... BOM:500325 Political risks weigh on RIL scrip Livemint - ‎Jun 22, 2011‎ The Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) stock has fallen 10% to Rs 846 per share after a draft report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) accused the government of favouring private companies in production-sharing contracts. ... BOM:500325 All 12 related articles »

    Related Reliance Industries CAG report RIL Mukesh Ambani Manmohan Singh BSE Sensex Images The Hindu Moneycontrol.co... Rediff NDTV.com The Hindu Indian Express All related images »

    
    

    'Govt Lokpal draft better than 2010 draft' IBNLive.com - ‎1 hour ago‎ PTI New Delhi: Contrary to Anna Hazare team's description of government's Lokpal Bill draft as a "very big hoax", Swami Agnivesh, an associate of the Gandhian's anti-graft campaign, on Friday termed the latest draft as an "improvement" of its 2010 ... Scared of the spark Hindustan Times - Rajinder Sachar - ‎38 minutes ago‎ As expected, the government and the team led by Anna Hazare have disagreed on vital points. The question of including the prime minister within the ambit of the lokpal is being falsely blown out of proportion by government apologists. e government, ... Government releases draft Lokpal bill Economic Times - ‎2 hours ago‎ NEW DELHI: Union Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily Friday released a draft Lokpal bill that he said included the consensus views of the joint drafting panel comprising civil society members and the government. While Moily chose to call it a draft bill of ... Team Hazare meets Advani, Bardhan IBNLive.com - ‎2 hours ago‎ PTI | 08:06 PM,Jun 24,2011 Sisodia said Hazare and others will take part in the deliberations with top BJP leaders next week.The Anna camp said they were not looking for assurances from the party at this point as they wanted only to put across their ... Congress tells govt to stand firm against Team Anna NDTV.com - ‎2 hours ago‎ New Delhi: The Congress Working Committee met in Delhi this evening; its session was devoted to the Lokpal Bill which has thrust the government into conflict with activists, and has provoked Gandhian Anna Hazare to announce a new fast starting August ... Prove corporates are behind agitation: Hazare to Thackeray The Hindu - ‎7 hours ago‎ PTI Taking strong exception to Bal Thackeray's allegation that that his anti-corruption agitation was funded by corporates, social activist Anna Hazare has challenged the Shiv Sena supremo to prove the charges against him. "Name the corporate. ... Parallel Government Allegation—Hazare Seeks Advani's Help Daijiworld.com - ‎2 hours ago‎ Mumbai, Jun 24 : For the second time in a week, union human resources development minister Kapil Sibal, who represents the government in the Lokpal Bill, slammed Anna Hazare, accusing him of trying to run a parallel government by demanding various ... Anna says not seeking parallel govt, reaches out to parties IBNLive.com - ‎4 hours ago‎ PTI | 06:06 PM,Jun 24,2011 Mumbai, Jun 24 (PTI) As the civil society members led by him reached out to political parties and met BJP leader LK Advani, Anna Hazare today rejected criticism that he was seeking to create a "parallel government" through a ... Hazare seeks parallel government without accountability: Sibal Economic Times - ‎7 hours ago‎ RANCHI: Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said Gandhian leader Anna Hazare was seeking to create a 'parallel government' through a Jan Lokpal bill without accountability, flouting the basic structure of the Constitution. "Anna asks for prosecution powers ... Better if prime minister is included in Lokpal Bill Daily News & Analysis - Neerja Chowdhury - ‎Jun 22, 2011‎ The main sticking point between the five ministers of the Union and the Anna team on the Lokpal Bill is whether the prime minister should be covered by it. There are arguments on both sides. The principle of politics would dictate that if ministers are ... All 138 related articles »

    Related Lokpal Bill Anna Hazare Baba Ramdev Civil society Timeline of articles Number of sources covering this story Scared of the spark ‎38 minutes ago‎ - Hindustan Times CWC to discuss Lokpal Bill today ‎21 hours ago‎ - The Hindu Hazare team slams govt. version of Lokpal ‎Jun 23, 2011‎ - The Hindu Better if prime minister is included in Lokpal Bill ‎Jun 22, 2011‎ - Daily News & Analysis In their version, Lokpal isn't accountable at all ‎Jun 22, 2011‎ - Hindustan Times Images NDTV.com NDTV.com The Hindu The Hindu The Hindu NDTV.com AFP Reuters India Daijiworld.com All related images » Videos Lokpal Bill: Now UPA allies divided NDTV.com  - 10 hours ago Watch video * Digvijaya's jibe at Team Anna Times Now  - Jun 23, 2011 Watch video * Govt vs Team Anna over Lokpal Bill: The sticking points NDTV.com  -  Jun 22, 2011 Watch video * Govt has betrayed India, will fast from Aug 16: Anna NDTV.com  -  Jun 22, 2011 Watch video All related videos »

    
    
    22 JUN, 2011, 02.10PM IST,PTI
    ONGC overstated reserves in KG basin block: Cairn India
    
    NEW DELHI: State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) may have overstated the natural gas reserves in its much-talked about KG basin KG-DWN-98/2 block, which sits next to Reliance Industries' prolific KG-D6 fields.
    
    Cairn India, which had made four discoveries in the KG-DWN-98/2 block before selling 90 per cent out of its 100 per cent stake in the block to ONGC in 2005, has written to the oil regulator DGH saying the state-owned firm is grossly overstating the reserves in block, sources said.
    
    It believes that "the hither-to discovered oil and gas resources in the block are only marginal to non-commercial, because of their small size and the potential high development costs due to water depth versus the prevailing gas prices."
    
    ONGC estimates that the blocks holds an in-place volume of 25.61 million tonnes of oil and 197 billion cubic metres of natural gas. It is proposing an investment of over USD 7.3 billion to produce up to 30 million standard cubic metres per day of gas.
    
    The warning by Cairn, which holds a 10 per cent interest in the acreage and is credited with finding oil in an area in Rajasthan where global giant Royal Dutch/Shell exited saying there was no hydrocarbons, is significant in view of the fall in gas output from Reliance's neighbouring KG-D6 block.
    
    Reliance had in 2007 estimated that the Dhirubhai-1 and 3 fields in the KG-D6 block would hit 69 mmscmd of output, but production has fallen to 40 mmscmd due to what the Mukesh Ambani-led firm says are reservoir complexities. 
41. 24/06/2011

    Why should CBI be out of RTI, HC asks Centre

    Chennai: The Madras High Court today issued a notice to the Union government on a PIL seeking to declare a recent notification exempting Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from the purview of Right to Information Act as ultra vires or 'beyond the powers' of the Constitution.

    

    A Bench comprising Chief Justice M Y Eqbal and Justice T S Sivagnanam directed Additional Solicitor General M Ravindran, who took the notice on behalf of the Union government, to get instructions from it within three weeks.

    Petitioner S Vijayalakshmi, an RTI activist, challenged the June 9 notification issued by the Centre exempting the CBI from Central Act 22 of 2005 (Right To Information Act). However, the court declined to grant a stay on the notification as sought by the petitioner and posted the matter for further hearing after three weeks.

    The petitioner alleged that since the expose of the Commonwealth Games, 2G spectrum allocation, other scams and the Lokpal movement, the Centre had become "jittery and rudderless" in the war against corruption.

    The Centre had "maliciously" decided to conceal its "wrongdoings" by taking recourse to section 24 of the RTI Act and cloaked the CBI by granting it blanket exemption from the RTI, the petitioner charged.

    

    Claiming that certain bureaucrats at a meeting of the Committee of Secretaries had disagreed with the decision to exempt CBI, the petitioner urged the court to issue a 
    direction to the government to produce the related files.

    Counsel for the petitioner Manikandan Vathan Chettiar contended the respondents have "willfully" overlooked the first proviso to section 24(1) of the RTI Act excluding information pertaining to allegations of corruption and human rights violations from being exempted under Section 24.

    He further submitted that Section 24 exempts only intelligence and security agencies, whereas the CBI was a mere investigating agency.

    Source: PTI

    24/06/2011

    Immigrants' numbers drop sharply in Oz

    Immigration numbers plunge by almost half in two years in Australia, according to the latest data

    

    Melbourne: Australia is not wooing foreigners, including Indians, as latest official data says that the country's net migration has plunged by almost half in the last two years.

    Australia's Bureau of statistics report disclosed that net migration was just 171,000 in 2010, down sharply from 316,000 in 2008 and the lowest since the bureau changed its measuring system in late 2006, according to media reports.

    The report said that country's population growth fell to 325,500 in 2010, down from 467,300 in 2008. However, in the six months to December, net migration slumped 37% year on year, from 121,500 to 77,000. In the state of Victoria, net migration fell even more sharply.

    Since 2003, Indians had been the main source of permanent settlers in Victoria. But in 2009-10, their numbers slumped 14%, and China became the state's main source of settlers.

    In 2010, migration of Indians to Victoria slumped 37%, from 76,000 to 48,000, partly reflecting the impact of Indian media coverage of violence against Indian students. 
    Chinese (8151) and Indians (7739) easily outnumbered settlers from Britain (4282) and New Zealand (3696) in Victoria.

    They were followed by Sri Lankans (2484), Filipinos (2112), Malaysians (1638), South Africans (1477) and Vietnamese (1347). Other bureau figures show the slump in migration has continued in 2011.

    The government planned for an unchanged 168,700 family and skilled migrants in 2010-11, and 13,750 humanitarian refugees, but arrivals' data shows a far different trend.

    The report said the figures suggest that the anti-immigration rhetoric of the ALP and the Coalition in the 2010 election campaign has influenced either the way immigration applicants are being assessed, or overseas interest in coming in the first place, or both.

    A spokeswoman for the Immigration Minister, Chris Bowen, said the sharp decline in net overseas migration reflected immigration reforms that had tackled the potential abuse of student visas and shifted the focus to high-value occupations.

    Source: PTI

    24/06/2011

    Let parties decide if our draft is anti-constitutional: Hazare

    Mumbai: Replying to criticism that he was seeking to create a 'parallel government' through a Jan Lokpal bill without accountability, flouting the basic structure of the Constitution, social activist Anna Hazare on Friday said all parties should decide if that was the case.

    

    "We have decided to approach leaders of all political parties and show them the government's draft and our draft. "We will ask them to study the two drafts and let us know if they find anything that is against Constitution in our draft. We would like to know if our draft is an attempt at forming a parallel government," Hazare told PTI over phone.

    The Gandhian said civil society members would ask the leader of all parties their views on the drafts and how to go about eradicating corruption in our society. "We will meet them and tell them to decide after reading our draft, so that no one says later that they were not shown the draft."

    Friday's meeting of Lokpal bill drafting committee member Arvind Kejriwal and former top cop Kiran Bedi with senior BJP leader L.K. Advani was a part of this process, he said.

    Asked about Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh's reported 'warning' to him not to fast again else he may get the "same treatment" as Baba Ramdev, Mr. Hazare said "If the party is endangered, people (like Digvijay Singh) are bound to speak".

    "They are bound to make attempts to checkmate the agitation and ensure that people do not participate," he said. "We will make our efforts, they will make their efforts (to foil the agitation). Why should I worry about that."

    "Civil society members, including myself, will meet chiefs and leaders of various parties and will also tour some states. I am at my village for a couple of days in connection with court work," Hazare said.

    Asked if he was open to discussions on stumbling blocks in the draft, Mr. Hazare said "I have often said that issues could be resolved through discussions. I told this to those in the government. That you sit with us, be ready for discussions".

    "Some people say that we are going outside the purview of the Constitution, looking at our draft. I want to tell them that we are not acting against the spirit of the Constitution," Hazare said.

    "We are demanding that the same level of autonomy given to the Election Commission and Information Commissioner be given to Lokpal, who should be given powers of inquiry. What stops you from empowering Lokpal with powers of investigation," he said.

    Hazare's remarks came after Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said the Gandhian leader was seeking to create a 'parallel government' through a Jan Lokpal bill without accountability, flouting the basic structure of the Constitution.

    

    "Anna asks for prosecution powers sans accountability for the Lokpal, which means he wants a parallel government. Did our framers of the Constitution ever think of such a situation arising now?" Sibal had said.

    Hazare also took strong exception to Bal Thackeray's allegation that that his anti-corruption agitation was funded by corporates and challenged the Shiv Sena supremo to name such a corporate.

    "Why do I need corporates? And if there is one, name it, that this corporate helped you. (If that is the case), I will become your slave for life. But stop making hollow claims. It is not alright to accuse and defame someone," he added.

    In a statement issued from his village Ralegan Siddhi in Ahmednagar district, Hazare accused the government of lacking the will to check corruption.

    "One cannot say that the government is not aware that not even 10 paise of every rupee spent on development work is not used on the actual work. However, we have realised that it is not the government's desire to have a corruption-free India," he said.

    Almost 75 per cent of the money that comes into the government coffers is spent on establishment cost, including staff salaries, vehicles and housing, he said. There is corruption in the remaining 25 per cent, he added.

    Corruption is a 'maharog' (disease) that has afflicted the country and has made life unbearable for the common man, he said. In many cases, action is not taken against cases of corruption as there is a whole 'chain of corruption' which reaches the top, he said.

    There is no consensus on empowering Lokpal with investigative powers as some bureaucrats and people's representatives, fear that there would be no scope for corruption if this provision is included in the draft, Hazare said.

    "The real question is whether India will ever be corruption-free," Hazare said. He asked supporters to actively participate in his agitation starting from August 16

    

    Hazare seeks parallel Govt without accountability: Sibal

    Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal on Friday said Gandhian leader Anna Hazare was seeking to create a 'parallel government' through a Jan Lokpal bill without accountability, flouting the basic structure of the Constitution.

    "Anna asks for prosecution powers without accountability for the Lokpal, which means he wants a parallel government. Did our framers of the Constitution ever think of such a situation arising now?" Sibal told a press conference here.

    Sibal said Anna wanted the Lokpal to have the power to tap anyone's communications without permission, which again meant an authority unto itself. "It flouts the Indian Telegraph Authority. Is it a military institution? Are we out to make a police state?"

    "The government is accountable to Parliament and any MP can ask for explanation on Jan Lokpal bill. Any one can move the Supreme Court. These are the constitutional issues before the nation," Sibal said apparently referring to the civil society's demand for inclusion of the Prime Minister's Office and the Judiciary into its ambit.

    Alleging that the BJP was not telling them about the constitutional structure and its importance to make democracy moving smoothly, Sibal accused the BJP and the RSS of deliberately creating a chaotic situation in the country by playing politics around the bill.

    He claimed that the BJP was doing all this intentionally because it knew it would 'not come to power for the next ten years' after the drubbing it received during the recent Assembly elections.

    "Therefore they have put (yoga guru) Baba Ramdev upfront to create such a situation," Sibal claimed pointing out the fact that Congress had contested 356 out of 824 seats and won 171 while the BJP had contested 400 seats and won only 5 seats.

    "BJP leaders are disrupting Parliament, shying away from debate, but want action. Is this democratic by not coming to the forefront and debate on national issues, and going to Haridwar to touch Baba Ramdev's feet?" he alleged.

    Sibal said the BJP and its supporters should know that corruption was not confined to any one political party. "Corruption is a challenge before the nation and should be fought in unison. People know that corruption is there and we are committed to curb it," he said.

    He said Congress's commitment to root out corruption had been proved by sitting minister (A Raja's) stint in jail and the government leaving it to the Supreme Court to deal with the corruption issues legally.

    In contrast, Sibal pointed out, BJP leader L.K. Advani did not do anything as the deputy prime minister when 'BJP president (Bangaru Laxman) was caught on camera with cash and defence deals involving ex-defence minister George Fernandes'

    "The Congress was not in power between 1996 and 2004 when the scandals broke," the minister pointed out. "Why did not Advani raise the issue then, but embraced George within four months (of his resignation)?" What action did he take against those corruption issues? And what about Judeo cash-on-camera episode?" asked Sibal.

    Sibal sought to know from Advani why the BJP failed to bring an ombudsman during its tenure.

    

    Prove corporates are behind agitation: Hazare to Thackeray

    Taking strong exception to Bal Thackeray's allegation that that his anti-corruption agitation was funded by corporates, social activist Anna Hazare has challenged the Shiv Sena supremo to prove the charges against him.

    "Name the corporate. Prove the allegation and I will become your slave for a lifetime but do not make baseless statements," Hazare said after his arrival from New Delhi.

    "Why do I need corporates? And if there is one, name it, that this corporate helped you. (If that is the case), I will become your slave for life. But stop making hollow claims. It is not right to accuse and defame someone," he added.

    Thackeray, talking to reporters recently, had wondered as to how Hazare's current anti-corruption campaign would have sustained in the absence of support from the Corporate world. He, however, did not name any corporate house.

    Referring to Thackeray's remarks about his frequent plane journeys and the money spent on it, the Gandhian said, "This expenditure is borne by the government to facilitate my attendance for the Lokpal bill drafting meetings."

    Stating that he practised a frugal lifestyle, Hazare said "I take just one meal in a day. I do not drink tea or coffee or cold drinks." A bachelor, Hazare lives in a room in the precincts of a temple in his native Ralegan Siddhi village in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district.

    Casting aspersions over the Government's resolve to pass the Lokpal Bill, Hazare said "If you really wanted to pass the Lokpal Bill, then it came before Parliament many times in the 42 years but could not be passed."

    

    Lokpal: Hazare Team meets Advani

    Initiating their dialogue with political parties, the Anna Hazare team on Friday met senior BJP leader L.K. Advani to drum up support for their version of the Lokpal Bill.

    Activists Kiran Bedi, Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia briefed Advani about the deliberations in the joint draft committee meetings on the Bill, and their stand on Jan Lokpal Bill as well as the government's draft.

    "The meeting was very encouraging. Advani told us that the country needs an effective Lokpal. He heard us and requested us to make a detailed presentation before senior BJP leaders," Bedi told PTI after the meeting.

    Sisodia said Hazare and others will take part in the deliberations with top BJP leaders which will be held before the all-party meeting convened by the government on the Lokpal Bill in the first week of July.

    The Anna camp said they were not looking for assurances from the party at this point, as they wanted only to put across their views and brief Advani. The meeting was part of the Hazare team's efforts to reach out to political parties. They had earlier announced that they will be meeting all political parties.

    Raising their pitch on the Lokpal Bill issue, the Hazare team alleged that the government version of the ombudsman was not aimed at fighting corruption, but for targeting those who complain against the menace.

    The Hazare team felt that the exclusion of a large chunk of the bureaucracy from the ambit of Lokpal and the provision to hear officials accused of corruption before filing of case and charge sheet were not proper.

    Source: PTI

    24/06/2011

    Maya suspends MLA after rape taint on aides

    Lucknow: A day after security aides of BSP MLA Shahnawaz Rana were arrested for allegedly attempting to rape two Delhi girls, UP Chief Minister Mayawati today directed the Special Task Force to probe the Muzaffarnagar incident and suspended the legislator from the party.

    Taking a serious note of the incident, Mayawati suspended the Bijnor MLA from the membership of BSP, Principal Secretary (Home) Kunwar Fateh Bahadur told reporters here. "She has also directed that Rana should not be invited and allowed to enter any party function," he said.

    "The Special Task Force has been directed to probe the incident and stern action should be taken against anyone found guilty," the Principal Secretary said. He said a friend of the two girls, Gaurav Tiwari, complained to Shahadra police station in the district that some persons attempted to molest the two girls on June 21 following which a case was registered. 
    
    "After investigation, five men - Dilshaad Rana, Rakib, Masroof, Darrar and Narendra - were arrested. Darrar and Narendra are gunners of MLA Rana and his wife Intikhab Rana, chairman of zila panchayat," he said.

    Fateh Bahadur said the two gunners have already been suspended and all five accused have been sent to jail. "The car used in the incident and the licenced pistol of Dilshaad had also been recovered," he said.

    The two women were returning to Delhi from Mussoorie along with their two men friends on Tuesday evening when they stopped at a petrol pump to repair vehicle. A group of seven to eight youths abducted them in a car, according to complainants.

    The youths took them to a house and tried to rape them at gun point but the women managed to escape.

    Source: PTI

    By Mayank Aggarwal & Anil Sharma/DNA-Daily News & Analysis, 24/06/2011

    Anna will get lathi treatment: Cong

    Digvijay warns Anna Hazare of Ramdev-like treatment if he fasts again; ready for it, says crusader

    

    New Delhi: Social activist Anna Hazare on Wednesday minced no words in slamming the government for not being serious in tackling corruption. The anti-corruption crusader termed the government's draft of the bill a 'big hoax' and vowed to go on an indefinite fast from August 16.

    That elicited a fast retort from Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh, who warned Anna that he too would meet the same fate yoga guru Baba Ramdev met if he went ahead with the fast. "Anna saheb says he will fast again. If he does, he may get the same treatment as the other (Ramdev) got recently," he said. The police had cracked down on Ramdev and his supporters when the yoga guru went on a hunger strike in Delhi earlier this month.

    Hazare remained unfazed. "We are ready to face lathis and bullets. We are also ready to go to jail... we can fast in jail," Anna told a press conference. He alleged the government had gone back on several issues they had agreed to during the Lokpal drafting meetings.

    

    "We don't want a parallel government. We want an autonomous Lokpal on the lines of the Election Commission and Supreme Court which are out of the government's direct control," Hazare said while refuting telecom minister Kapil Sibal's claim that the Lokpal would become a parallel government.

    He said the government's version of a bill was 'a thorough betrayal' and that the ministers were misleading the people. "Why is the government not agreeing to bring the CBI and other investigating agencies under Lokpal's ambit?" he questioned.

    Former IPS officer Kiran Bedi joined Hazare in criticising the government's version of the bill. "There is nothing for the common man in it. The common man is directly concerned with the lower bureaucracy, but the government's version only covers higher bureaucracy," she said.

    Copyright restricted. Under license from www.3dsyndication.com

    24/06/2011

    2G scam: I-T dept quizzes Raja's wife, relatives

    Tiruchirappalli/New Delhi: The relatives of jailed former Union minister A Raja including his wife and brother were on Friday questioned by the Income Tax department.

    

    Raja's wife Parameswari and his brother A Ramachandran besides two other relatives were quizzed at the regional I-T office for about three hours. Officials were, however, tight-lipped about Friday's enquiry.

    The CBI, which is probing the 2G spectrum allocation scam and the money trail, had already carried out searches on the premises of Raja's relatives in neighbouring Perambalur, his native district, during its course of investigations.

    Raja, arrested for his alleged role in the 2G spectrum scam, has been lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail since February 17.

    2G scam: CBI may get Mauritius docs by next week

    The CBI is likely to receive by next week the documents it sought from Mauritius through Letter Rogatory in connection with the companies allegedly involved in the 2G spectrum allocation scam.

    Sources in the probe agency said some parts of the documents have been handed over to Indian High Commissioner in Mauritius by the local authorities, while some more are expected soon which will be forwarded to the CBI.

    

    The documents are likely to give boost to CBI's prosecution in the 2G spectrum case as it prepares to file another charge sheet in the case.

    Last month, Supreme Court of Mauritius had directed its Attorney General to collect and provide, as soon as possible, information about companies allegedly involved in the case as sought by the CBI through its judicial requests.

    The agency is looking for share patterns of nearly a dozen companies after it was found that all of them had a common address of a building in Mauritian capital Port Louis, CBI sources said.

    As many as 10 different entities named in connection with the 2G scam have a common address -- The Les Cascades Building on the Edith Cavell Street in Port Louis.

    The CBI has sent its Letter Rogatory seeking details of business and financial transactions of these companies to unravel the money trail of companies which are under scanner in the spectrum allocation case, they said.

    The CBI which is likely to file a third charge sheet in the first week of July has sought from Mauritius details of companies which allegedly had either invested in Swan Telecom, Loop Telecom, linked with Reliance Telecom and Essar Group, sources said.

    The probe agency is trying to get details of Delphi, Apex Fund Services, Maavi Investment Fund, Palab Investments, Capital Global, Black Lion, Inditel Holding, Etisalat, Deccan Asian Infrastructure, Aid-tel Holding, Kaif Investment and Electro Investments, they said.

    It is also alleged that Swan Telecom, one of the accused in the spectrum allocation case, was being controlled by another group through Delphi Investments in Mauritius. The CBI has sought details of stakeholders and beneficiaries in Delphi Investments, the sources said.

    The CBI is probing whether Delphi Investments to which Reliance Telecommunication had sold its 9.9 per cent stake in Swan Telecom was a front for the conglomerate, they said.

    Source: PTI

    24/06/2011

    Sachan cremated, kin to approach SC for CBI probe

    Lucknow: The body of deputy chief medical officer (CMO) YS Sachan was consigned to flames here on Friday evening. The family members of the doctor, who was prime accused in murder cases of two CMOs was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Lucknow jail hospital, said that they will now approach the Supreme Court for CBI probe into the matter.

    

    Earlier, the family had announced that it will not cremate the body till government orders CBI inquiry into the death of Sachan. An application for CBI inquiry was also moved by the family in the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court.

    The court directed state government to provide a certified copy of the post mortem report to the family of the deceased. The application for CBI inquiry was not entertained as state government counsel argued that a judicial inquiry is already underway and the postmortem was conducted in the presence of the family members.

    The family agreed for cremation after senior officers of the district administration went to meet Sachan's widow. They handed her the postmortem report and assured full transparency in investigations.

    RK Sachan, elder brother of Sachan, said that the family will now approach Supreme Court for CBI probe. "There was no pressure from the government on cremation. We decided to cremate the body because filing an application in Supreme Court will take time," he said. However, he added, we have also written to the district authorities to register a case of muder instead of suicide.

    

    Sachan was found dead in a bathroom of jail hospital on June 22. He was lying in pool of blood with a belt around his neck. According to postmortem report, the body had nine injuries of which eight were caused before death and one after death. The report also stated that the death was caused due to excessive bleeding.

    However, UP cabinet secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh had on Thursday said that the prima facie the case appears to be of a suicide. He also said that judicial inquiry ordered by the government will find out the truth. 
    Sachan's family members alleged that he was killed in jail to protect big fishes in the government allegedly involved in murders and corruption in health and family welfare department

    Meanwhile, the UP Human Rights Commission took suo motto cognizance of the news reports which question police's suicide theory. The UPHRC has issued notices to chief secretary, principal secretary (home), additional director general of prisons, Lucknow district magistrate and senior superintendent of district jail Lucknow seeking a detailed report whether the deceased committed suicide or he was murdered.

    

    The UPHRC has also asked for the names of the jail personnel on account of whose laxity the death of the deceased took place and the action taken against them, a complete copy of the post-mortem report of the deceased, cause of death and whether the viscera has been preserved or not and sent for analysis.

    UPHRC member Justice (rtd) Vishnu Sahai said that if the facts stated in news reports are correct, the case requires to be deeply probed whether the deceased was first killed and thereafter strangulated or he committed suicide.

    "The death of the deceased took place in the precincts of district jail, Lucknow, where Sachan was confined as an under-trial and hence the authorities of the state are under a legal obligation to explain how the deceased died," he added.

    Source: PTI

    24/06/2011

    Let parties decide if our draft is anti-constitutional: Hazare

    Mumbai: Replying to criticism that he was seeking to create a 'parallel government' through a Jan Lokpal bill without accountability, flouting the basic structure of the Constitution, social activist Anna Hazare on Friday said all parties should decide if that was the case.

    

    "We have decided to approach leaders of all political parties and show them the government's draft and our draft. "We will ask them to study the two drafts and let us know if they find anything that is against Constitution in our draft. We would like to know if our draft is an attempt at forming a parallel government," Hazare told PTI over phone.

    The Gandhian said civil society members would ask the leader of all parties their views on the drafts and how to go about eradicating corruption in our society. "We will meet them and tell them to decide after reading our draft, so that no one says later that they were not shown the draft."

    Friday's meeting of Lokpal bill drafting committee member Arvind Kejriwal and former top cop Kiran Bedi with senior BJP leader L.K. Advani was a part of this process, he said.

    Asked about Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh's reported 'warning' to him not to fast again else he may get the "same treatment" as Baba Ramdev, Mr. Hazare said "If the party is endangered, people (like Digvijay Singh) are bound to speak".

    "They are bound to make attempts to checkmate the agitation and ensure that people do not participate," he said. "We will make our efforts, they will make their efforts (to foil the agitation). Why should I worry about that."

    "Civil society members, including myself, will meet chiefs and leaders of various parties and will also tour some states. I am at my village for a couple of days in connection with court work," Hazare said.

    Asked if he was open to discussions on stumbling blocks in the draft, Mr. Hazare said "I have often said that issues could be resolved through discussions. I told this to those in the government. That you sit with us, be ready for discussions".

    "Some people say that we are going outside the purview of the Constitution, looking at our draft. I want to tell them that we are not acting against the spirit of the Constitution," Hazare said.

    "We are demanding that the same level of autonomy given to the Election Commission and Information Commissioner be given to Lokpal, who should be given powers of inquiry. What stops you from empowering Lokpal with powers of investigation," he said.

    Hazare's remarks came after Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said the Gandhian leader was seeking to create a 'parallel government' through a Jan Lokpal bill without accountability, flouting the basic structure of the Constitution.

    

    "Anna asks for prosecution powers sans accountability for the Lokpal, which means he wants a parallel government. Did our framers of the Constitution ever think of such a situation arising now?" Sibal had said.

    Hazare also took strong exception to Bal Thackeray's allegation that that his anti-corruption agitation was funded by corporates and challenged the Shiv Sena supremo to name such a corporate.

    "Why do I need corporates? And if there is one, name it, that this corporate helped you. (If that is the case), I will become your slave for life. But stop making hollow claims. It is not alright to accuse and defame someone," he added.

    In a statement issued from his village Ralegan Siddhi in Ahmednagar district, Hazare accused the government of lacking the will to check corruption.

    "One cannot say that the government is not aware that not even 10 paise of every rupee spent on development work is not used on the actual work. However, we have realised that it is not the government's desire to have a corruption-free India," he said.

    Almost 75 per cent of the money that comes into the government coffers is spent on establishment cost, including staff salaries, vehicles and housing, he said. There is corruption in the remaining 25 per cent, he added.

    Corruption is a 'maharog' (disease) that has afflicted the country and has made life unbearable for the common man, he said. In many cases, action is not taken against cases of corruption as there is a whole 'chain of corruption' which reaches the top, he said.

    There is no consensus on empowering Lokpal with investigative powers as some bureaucrats and people's representatives, fear that there would be no scope for corruption if this provision is included in the draft, Hazare said.

    "The real question is whether India will ever be corruption-free," Hazare said. He asked supporters to actively participate in his agitation starting from August 16

    

    Hazare seeks parallel Govt without accountability: Sibal

    Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal on Friday said Gandhian leader Anna Hazare was seeking to create a 'parallel government' through a Jan Lokpal bill without accountability, flouting the basic structure of the Constitution.

    "Anna asks for prosecution powers without accountability for the Lokpal, which means he wants a parallel government. Did our framers of the Constitution ever think of such a situation arising now?" Sibal told a press conference here.

    Sibal said Anna wanted the Lokpal to have the power to tap anyone's communications without permission, which again meant an authority unto itself. "It flouts the Indian Telegraph Authority. Is it a military institution? Are we out to make a police state?"

    "The government is accountable to Parliament and any MP can ask for explanation on Jan Lokpal bill. Any one can move the Supreme Court. These are the constitutional issues before the nation," Sibal said apparently referring to the civil society's demand for inclusion of the Prime Minister's Office and the Judiciary into its ambit.

    Alleging that the BJP was not telling them about the constitutional structure and its importance to make democracy moving smoothly, Sibal accused the BJP and the RSS of deliberately creating a chaotic situation in the country by playing politics around the bill.

    He claimed that the BJP was doing all this intentionally because it knew it would 'not come to power for the next ten years' after the drubbing it received during the recent Assembly elections.

    "Therefore they have put (yoga guru) Baba Ramdev upfront to create such a situation," Sibal claimed pointing out the fact that Congress had contested 356 out of 824 seats and won 171 while the BJP had contested 400 seats and won only 5 seats.

    "BJP leaders are disrupting Parliament, shying away from debate, but want action. Is this democratic by not coming to the forefront and debate on national issues, and going to Haridwar to touch Baba Ramdev's feet?" he alleged.

    Sibal said the BJP and its supporters should know that corruption was not confined to any one political party. "Corruption is a challenge before the nation and should be fought in unison. People know that corruption is there and we are committed to curb it," he said.

    He said Congress's commitment to root out corruption had been proved by sitting minister (A Raja's) stint in jail and the government leaving it to the Supreme Court to deal with the corruption issues legally.

    In contrast, Sibal pointed out, BJP leader L.K. Advani did not do anything as the deputy prime minister when 'BJP president (Bangaru Laxman) was caught on camera with cash and defence deals involving ex-defence minister George Fernandes'

    "The Congress was not in power between 1996 and 2004 when the scandals broke," the minister pointed out. "Why did not Advani raise the issue then, but embraced George within four months (of his resignation)?" What action did he take against those corruption issues? And what about Judeo cash-on-camera episode?" asked Sibal.

    Sibal sought to know from Advani why the BJP failed to bring an ombudsman during its tenure.

    

    Prove corporates are behind agitation: Hazare to Thackeray

    Taking strong exception to Bal Thackeray's allegation that that his anti-corruption agitation was funded by corporates, social activist Anna Hazare has challenged the Shiv Sena supremo to prove the charges against him.

    "Name the corporate. Prove the allegation and I will become your slave for a lifetime but do not make baseless statements," Hazare said after his arrival from New Delhi.

    "Why do I need corporates? And if there is one, name it, that this corporate helped you. (If that is the case), I will become your slave for life. But stop making hollow claims. It is not right to accuse and defame someone," he added.

    Thackeray, talking to reporters recently, had wondered as to how Hazare's current anti-corruption campaign would have sustained in the absence of support from the Corporate world. He, however, did not name any corporate house.

    Referring to Thackeray's remarks about his frequent plane journeys and the money spent on it, the Gandhian said, "This expenditure is borne by the government to facilitate my attendance for the Lokpal bill drafting meetings."

    Stating that he practised a frugal lifestyle, Hazare said "I take just one meal in a day. I do not drink tea or coffee or cold drinks." A bachelor, Hazare lives in a room in the precincts of a temple in his native Ralegan Siddhi village in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district.

    Casting aspersions over the Government's resolve to pass the Lokpal Bill, Hazare said "If you really wanted to pass the Lokpal Bill, then it came before Parliament many times in the 42 years but could not be passed."

    

    Lokpal: Hazare Team meets Advani

    Initiating their dialogue with political parties, the Anna Hazare team on Friday met senior BJP leader L.K. Advani to drum up support for their version of the Lokpal Bill.

    Activists Kiran Bedi, Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia briefed Advani about the deliberations in the joint draft committee meetings on the Bill, and their stand on Jan Lokpal Bill as well as the government's draft.

    "The meeting was very encouraging. Advani told us that the country needs an effective Lokpal. He heard us and requested us to make a detailed presentation before senior BJP leaders," Bedi told PTI after the meeting.

    Sisodia said Hazare and others will take part in the deliberations with top BJP leaders which will be held before the all-party meeting convened by the government on the Lokpal Bill in the first week of July.

    The Anna camp said they were not looking for assurances from the party at this point, as they wanted only to put across their views and brief Advani. The meeting was part of the Hazare team's efforts to reach out to political parties. They had earlier announced that they will be meeting all political parties.

    Raising their pitch on the Lokpal Bill issue, the Hazare team alleged that the government version of the ombudsman was not aimed at fighting corruption, but for targeting those who complain against the menace.

    The Hazare team felt that the exclusion of a large chunk of the bureaucracy from the ambit of Lokpal and the provision to hear officials accused of corruption before filing of case and charge sheet were not proper.

    Source: PTI

    23/06/2011

    Government calls all party meet as Anna vows to fast

    New Delhi: The government will convene an all-party meet July 3 to discuss the two versions of the Lokpal bill, even as Gandhian Anna Hazare Wednesday slammed the UPA government for not being serious about tackling corruption and reiterated he would go on another hunger strike Aug 16 over the issue.

    

    Undeterred by Hazare's call, the Congress warned him not to fast again else he may get the "same treatment" as yoga guru Baba Ramdev, who along with his supporters had to face a police crackdown in New Delhi.

    But Hazare hit back, saying that he was "ready" for "everything" - even batons.

    The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had on Tuesday decided to hold discussions with all political parties on the draft of the bill - a move taken after civil society members, headed by Hazare, and government met for the last time.

    The two sides submitted their versions of the draft, which are to be given to the cabinet which will approve a final version. The two sides failed to arrive at a consensus over the draft bill provisions.

    Dates for the all-party political meet was disclosed Wednesday, government sources said. In this meeting, sources told IANS, the draft bill and notes on the disagreements expressed by the joint drafting committee - the government and civil society representatives - will be circulated.

    Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is chairman of the committee, is likely to preside over the meeting.

    

    Slamming the claim that the civil society's proposed ombudsman will be a virtual parallel government, veteran Gandhian Anna Hazare accused the government of trying to mislead the people.

    "We have an Election Commission and the government can't interfere in its function. We have the Supreme Court and the Right to Information (RTI) Act which they cannot interfere in," Hazare said here.

    "Just like them, the Lokpal should also be beyond government's interference," he said, adding the government's claims were an attempt to "mislead the people".

    After Tuesday's last meeting between them, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal had said that while the government wanted a strong Lokpal, "we cannot have a parallel government".

    "The government is trying to create misunderstanding in the minds of the people before our fast", Hazare said, and likened it to a "second struggle for freedom".

    Hazare said it was also important to bring the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under the Lokpal to uproot corruption in the country.

    "The CBI has investigated so many corruption cases but how many ministers have gone to jail since independence? This is because the government has full control over the CBI. That is why despite corruption ministers don't go to jail," Hazare said.

    

    Hazare has vowed to launch a hunger strike from Aug 16 at Jantar Mantar in the heart of the capital.

    It was after his first fast, which lasted five days and triggered widespread support in the country, that the government set up a 10-member panel to frame an effective Lokpal bill.

    However, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh warned Hazare not to fast again else he may get the "same treatment" as yoga guru Baba Ramdev got recently.

    "Anna saheb says he will again sit on fast. If he does so, he may get the same treatment as the other (Baba Ramdev) got recently."

    The police had cracked down on Ramdev and his supporters in New Delhi's Ramlila Ground June 4, causing injury to several people. Ramdev was forced to continue his fast against corruption in Haridwar.

    Singh also questioned the Bharatiya Janata Party's supporting the corruption issue raised by civil society members.

    "I want to ask BJP, they remained in power for six years. Did they make a single law against corruption?"

    Source: IANS

    24/06/2011

    Defence units line up big plans for Andhra

    Chennai/Hyderabad: Public sector and defence establishment units are lining up huge investments for Andhra, and are in the process of acquiring land with the help of state-owned Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC).

    Disclosing this here today, BR Meena, vice-chairman & managing director of APIIC, said Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) had identified lands in five of the six locations to set up manufacturing facilities with Rs 500 crore investment in each of these locations. BDL builds missile systems for the country's defence forces.

    Similarly, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is in the process of identifying land to set up a Rs 4,000-crore manufacturing facility for aerospace products in the state while Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) will be establishing two new manufacturing facilities -- one in Anantapur and the other in Krishna district -- besides expanding its Machilipatnam facility.

    Also, BHEL-BEL joint venture has sought about 90 acres in Fab City, which has now been transformed into a solar semiconductor park, to set up a solar wafer manufacturing facility with an investment of Rs 2,000 crore.

    Midhani and Punj Lloyd are among the new players to have come forward to set up units in the Hyderabad Aerospace SEZ, which already houses the operations of Tata group subsidiaries, according to Meena.

    Exports from the special economic zones doubled to Rs 11,753 crore in 2010-2011, as compared with Rs 5,554 crore in the previous year. About 27 of the total 75 SEZs are in operations and have attracted Rs 14,267 crore investments so far, he said, while giving the performance highlights of new industrial parks.

    Coming to non-starter projects, the APIIC had so far taken back 4,200 acres of land from 562 companies, which did not make any headway with regard to their investment plans.

    Online processing of applications
    APIIC chairman Sivarama Subrahmanyam today launched online processing of applications for all future land allotment. Companies, which seek to establish units in the state, can directly make their request for land on the corporation's website, which also provides the status and availability of land at a particular location. This online application system would enable the authorities to allot land on a first come, first served basis, the chairman said.

    Source: Business Standard

    24/06/2011

    India Inc raises over $2 bn abroad in April

    Mumbai: India Inc raised around $2.06 billion abroad in April through external commercial borrowings (ECBs) and foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCBs), compared with $5.63 billion in March, according to data collected by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

    Lower borrowings is partly an outcome of hardening of spreads over the benchmark rates like the London Interbank Offered Rate (Libor) and the fact that the period was the beginning of the financial year.

    Around $1.54 billion was raised by 60 companies through the automatic approval route, which does not require the approval of RBI or the government, while $520 million was raised by the Exim Bank under the approval route, to meet its lending requirements abroad.

    State-run Shipping Corporation of India raised $215 million through ECBs for a period of 10 years and seven months to import capital goods. Among private players, Suzlon Energy Ltd raised $200 million through FCCBs for a period of five years to fund its overseas acquisition and JSW Steel raised $166 million through ECBs for a period of 10 years for modernisation.

    Under the automatic route, Indian firms are permitted to raise up to $ 500 million through ECBs in a financial year. All other ECBs fall under the approval route, in which RBI considers each case individually.

    RBI had recently raised concerns on the refinancing of FCCBs raised by companies during 2005-08, which are due for redemption in March 2013.

    "Estimates show a very large proportion of these FCCBs may not be converted into equity, thus requiring refinancing at the much higher interest rates prevalent on Thursday," RBI had said in its third Financial Stability Report.

    Source: Business Standard

    24/06/2011

    Sebi asks Sahara to refund Rs 4,843 cr to investors

    The order, concerning debentures issued by two group companies, is subject to Supreme Court clearance.

    

    Mumbai: In the biggest refund order in its two-decade history, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) today directed two Sahara group companies to return at least Rs 4,843 crore collected under their debenture schemes to investors. The two companies are Sahara Commodity Services Corporation and Sahara Housing Investment Corporation.

    The order will, however, take effect only after it is considered by the Supreme Court. On May 12, the Supreme Court had asked Sebi to "expeditiously hear and decide this case."

    Sahara Commodity (earlier known as Sahara India Real Estate Corp) and Sahara Housing started raising money by issuing optionally fully convertible debentures (OFCDs) in March 2008 and September 2009, respectively. According to the balance sheet of the former, it had raised Rs 4,843 crore in June 2009.

    Sebi, while going through a prospectus filed by another group firm, Sahara Prime City, for an initial public offer, found that this money-raising through OFCDs violated its public issue norms. It banned these entities from raising money in November 2010. Sahara challenged this interim order in the Allahabad High Court and later in the Supreme Court, which passed its order on May 12.

    The 99-page order passed by Sebi whole-time member KM Abraham today held Sahara group promoter Subrata Roy Sahara and three directors of the companies -- Vandana Bhargava, Ravi Shankar Dubey and Ashok Roy Choudhary -- jointly and severally liable for the refund.

    Sebi also asked the entities to pay an interest of 15 per cent per annum from the date of receipt of money till the refund.

    It also restrained the entities from accessing the securities market for raising funds "till the time the aforesaid payments are made to the satisfaction of the regulator."

    "The four individuals have also been barred from associating themselves with any company which intends to raise money from the public till such refund," said the order.

    An email to the Sahara spokesperson did not elicit any response till the time of going to press. During the hearing, the Sahara counsel argued that the OFCDs issued were "hybrid" and therefore out of Sebi's jurisdiction.

    "OFCDs are neither shares nor debentures in their strict sense and are in the nature of 'hybrid' as defined in the Companies Act, 1956," counsel Sudeep Seth argued before Sebi earlier this month.

    "Sebi does not have any jurisdiction over such 'hybrid' issues as the term 'hybrid' is not included in the definition of 'securities' either in the Sebi Act or the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956 (hereinafter referred to as the SCR Act)," Seth said.

    Abraham dismissed the argument saying OFCDs were debentures from the nomenclature itself. "A 'red rose' is as much a 'rose' as any other rose flower. Debentures are securities under the SCR Act and therefore OFCDs are securities under the same Act," he said. In reply to the showcause notice dated May 20, Subrata Roy Sahara said he was only a shareholder and not a director. He said he did not held any executive, managerial or other position in either of the two companies. He said the notice was unwarranted and liable to be withdrawn, the Sebi order said.

    However, Sebi observed that Subrata Roy Sahara, apart from being the founder of the Sahara India Group, was admittedly a major shareholder (holding about 70 per cent capital in each of the two companies). "He can be reasonably regarded as a person in accordance with whose directions or instructions the boards of the two companies were accustomed to act," said the order. Furthermore, with 70 per cent ownership or holding, he is definitely in a position of control and has the power to direct management policy and appoint the majority of directors, the Sebi order says.

    Source: Business Standard

    
    23 JUN, 2011, 09.20AM IST, SANJAY DUTTA & JOSY JOSEPH,TNN
    Reliance Industries's D1 and D3 gas fields costs rose $3 billion in 2 years: CAG draft
    
    NEW DELHI: Reliance Industries Ltd's investment plan for bringing its showcase Andhra offshore gas fields to production increased by almost $3 billion, a comparison between the cost of major elements of the company's initial and revised estimates shows.
    
    Comparison of 13 elements of the two plans for D1 and D3 fields in the Comptroller and Auditor General's draft report shows estimates increasing from $2.39 billion to $5.19 billion. The comparison, carried as 'Annexure 4.3' in the report, a copy of which is available with TOI, points to "abnormal upward" revisions "without providing basis of such estimations".
    
    Reliance discovered the field in 2002 and submitted the initial plan in 2004, envisaging a production of 40 mcmd (million cubic metres per day) of gas. It revised the plan in 2006, with an output of 80 mcmd.
    
    Higher capex reduces government's returns from a field since companies are allowed to recover their costs before calculating profit. The annexure clearly puts a figure to the actual increase in Reliance's capex estimate. But the CAG report itself - first reported by TOI on June 13 - merely said the auditor is "unable to quantify" the government's loss which could be "huge".
    
    Reliance did not respond to queries from TOI. Senior company executives, while maintaining they hadn't received the CAG report from the oil ministry, said the substantial rise in global rates for hiring drilling rigs, oilfield services and installations besides ships and helicopters contributed to the higher capex.
    
    "The daily rate for a rig shot up to $500,000-550,000 around 2006 from $110,000-120,000 in 2004. Similarly, services cost of $125,000 per day in 2004 and rose to $150,000. With such a cost escalation, which is beyond RIL's control, obviously price of drilling a well would go up," an executive familiar with the fields planning said on condition of anonymity.
    
    He said the company had one development concept in 2003, just a year after the "frontier discovery". But with subsequent inputs - data and domain knowledge from international experts - a new design concept was required in tune with the higher potential.
    
    "This too may have contributed to the higher cost... CA or any auditor should have an understanding of the intrinsic characteristics of an industry before taking a critical view in isolation. There has been no wrong doing (in Andhra offshore field). Once we have a copy from the government, we will put all doubts to rest."
    
    But the annexure points out delays in Reliance's tendering process and execution of contracts for engineering, design etc - activities that were under the company's direct control and may have contributed to the cost escalation.
    
    Some of the major elements that saw substantial increase in costs are, development wells (from $944 million in initial plan to $1.16 billion in revised plan), production facilities ($1.34 billion-$2 billion), subsea control systems ($358 million-$722 million), deepwater pipeline ($142 million-$323 million), onshore terminal and site grading ($192 million-$550 million), control-cum-riser platform ($0-$446 million).
    
    On development wells, CAG observed, "There was reduction in the number of wells from 34 to 22 in the revised FDP (field development plan) but cost per well was increased from $27.78 million to $52.94 million. Further, 18 wells were actually drilled till June 2009 with average cost per well of $56.8 million, ie actual cost more than double from FDP cost levels."
    
    "Audit identified that one of the factors responsible for higher cost was non-finalisation of tenders, after bids invitation, for charter hire of deep drilling rigs... and piecemeal hiring," the annexure says on Reliance's project implementation.
    
    http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/energy/oil-gas/reliance-industriess-d1-and-d3-gas-fields-costs-rose-3-billion-in-2-years-cag-draft/articleshow/8959626.cms
    
    

    Indian system lacks transparency

    People in the country are debating corruption but the government is doing little to eliminate it
    • By Kuldip Nayar, Special to Gulf News
    • Published: 00:00 June 25, 2011
    • How do you relate the emergency imposed some 36 years ago this week to the new generation? I have been asked this question many a time. The Congress government will not talk about it as long as the Indira Gandhi-Sonia Gandhi dynasty is in power. It considers the attack on Indira Gandhi's autocratic rule during that period an affront to the family.
    • The BJP which too went through the rigours of the autocratic rule then does not understand the ethos of liberalism. The party's religious identity is an anti-thesis of what India stands for. Scholars of Indira Gandhi's munificence are not objective enough to tell the truth. Some interpret the emergency as a measure to tackle anti-left forces. What happened during the emergency, which lasted from June 1975 to January 1977, is a shameful story of a takeover by a prime minister to save power and her skin. Indira Gandhi suspended the constitution, gagged the press and imposed personal rule to overcome the handicap of disqualification from parliament. The Allahabad High Court had debarred her from the Lok Sabha membership for six years. She had used the government machinery in her election.
    • Leftist Supreme Court judge Krishna Iyer gave her reprieve through a stay order on the high court's judgement. Once she was off the hook, she showed her hand and extinguished the lights of democracy that had distinguished India from the other Third World countries. With the help of her son, Sanjay Gandhi, an extra-constitutional authority, she changed laws and destroyed the institutions, carefully and methodically built by her father, Jawaharlal Nehru, over the years.
    • Autocratic governance
    • First she detained more than 100,000 people without trial. They were her critics. Then she broke the steel frame of civil service so as to reduce it to a mere rubber stamp to endorse her illegal orders. She created so much fear in the minds of people that they stopped differentiating right from wrong and moral from immoral. There were no limits to which Indira Gandhi did not go to serve her ends. Fear stalked the land. So much so, even the judiciary dared not pronounce a judgement which the government would not like. And the media became more loyal than the censors.
    • The institutions never got back their original vigour or sanctity. The rulers coming after the emergency concentrated more on undoing Indira Gandhi than correcting her misdoings. Most of them, even state chief ministers, adopted her autocratic way of governance. They found it easy and convenient to deal with the opposition. Since then, the hapless civil service and the battered police have begun to obey whoever comes to power, notwithstanding the service rules or the age-old traditions. Both have fitted themselves in a new mould where the requirement is obedience, not integrity which the rulers lack. The lower judiciary has still not got out of the emergency hangover when magistrates signed blank warrants of arrest.
    • The new generation must understand that today's non-governance or mis-governance is the fallout of what Indira Gandhi did by destroying the established order, a natural corollary. Scams from the Bofors guns to 2G Spectrum are only a tip of the iceberg. Many more scandals are going to come out in the open.
    • It all started with a by-election in Orissa in 1972. Nandini Satpathy was elected to the state assembly after spending hundreds of thousands of rupees. Gandhian Jayaprakash Narayan raised the matter of corruption with the prime minister. Her defence was that the Congress had no money even to run the party office. When he found no response, he took the issue to the nation. One thing led to another until JP gave the call that the battle was between the people who wanted the government accountable and the government which was not willing to come clean.
    • The same problem has returned after 36 years. The entire debate before the country is on corruption. The government wants to do little to eliminate it. The public is determined to end corruption once and for all, particularly when one minister after another is found involved in either the 2G spectrum scandal or some other like the Krishna-Godavari basin gas scam. The Comptroller and Auditor General has indicted the Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry for allowing 'irregularities and bending rules' to 'oblige' Reliance Industries Ltd, resulting in an 'unquantifiable' loss to the exchequer. This shows how powerful politically the corporate sector has become. People want more and more transparency while the government sees to it that the avenues for public knowledge are lessened.
    • To pay homage to JP, who launched a movement to challenge the central government on issues relating to corruption, I went to Patna. June 5 was the day when he gave the call to bring about Sampurna Kranti (Total Revolution). There were only a handful of people at the JP house, where he lived and died, to hark back on the memory of that day. There was not even a meeting called by the government to talk about the Sampurna Kranti or fight for transparency. Karl Marx correctly said: "The philosophers have only interpreted the world; the point however is to change it."
    • Kuldip Nayar is a former Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and a former Rajya Sabha member.
    • http://gulfnews.com/opinions/columnists/indian-system-lacks-transparency-1.827005
    
    

    West knows victory is not yet in sight

    Claims have been made about stopping and even reversing the Taliban momentum in some of their strongholds
    • By Rahimullah Yusufzai, Special to Gulf News
    • Published: 00:00 June 25, 2011
    • The transition plan had already been drawn up and the Afghan security forces were scheduled to take charge from the US-led foreign troops in seven places in Afghanistan in July 2011, but henceforth there would be urgency in accomplishing this task. Questions are being asked whether the Afghan security forces could do the job once the Nato troops are gone and in most cases the answer is in the negative.
    • Obama's phased drawdown plan would bring home 33,000 US troops from Afghanistan by September 2012. His decision to withdraw 10,000 US soldiers in 2011 is bold in view of the expectations that he would drawdown 5,000 only this year. Obama wanted not only to fulfil the promise he had made to the American people for beginning the withdrawal of US soldiers from Afghanistan by July 2011, but also do it in a significant way by pulling out more troops than generally expected.
    • Though 68,000 US troops would remain in Afghanistan until 2014 as decided by the Nato in its summit meeting in Lisbon, Portugal last year, American military commanders would have fewer soldiers by the next summer to undertake combat operations and the momentum being claimed for reversing the Taliban gains could come to an end. The US military commanders were opposed to substantial troops' withdrawal from Afghanistan, but Obama's decision asserted civilian control over the military in the US and clearly showed that America's first black president had kept his re-election prospects in mind while deciding his next move about the war in Afghanistan.
    • Sharper focus
    • It has now become obvious that other Nato member countries were waiting to hear from Obama about the US troops' withdrawal before making decisions concerning their own soldiers. France moved swiftly to announce a drawdown of its 4,000 troops in Afghanistan while Germany too was considering doing so. It won't be surprising if some other Nato members also start a drawdown of their troops sooner than the US would have wanted. It is unlikely to become a stampede at the door for the Nato components as some critics termed it, but elected leaders of Western countries where elections are due next year are under pressure to withdraw their troops from Afghanistan to improve their chances of success.
    • Western leaders are careful not to claim that the war in Afghanistan has been won. They know and the world knows that victory isn't in sight yet. Claims are made about stopping and even reversing the Taliban momentum in some of their strongholds, though it has been conceded at the same time that the gains were fragile and not sustained. The US-led coalition forces could fall short of troops after the phased drawdown to hold on to territory snatched from Taliban in southern Afghanistan. The dependence on the Afghan National Army to hold captured territory and carry out independent military action would grow once the drawdown begins.
    • As the Taliban also pointed out in their initial reaction to Obama's announcement, the issue of US military presence beyond 2014 would now come under sharper focus. It is widely believed that the US would seek the Afghan government's agreement to retain four to five military airbases in Afghanistan after the 2014 Nato troops' drawdown. President Hamid Karzai has publicly talked about it and his government is planning to convene a Loya Jirga (grand assembly), to seek its approval and also that of the country's parliament for the strategic US-Afghan partnership agreement and US military bases. Karzai has also been discussing the issue of the US military bases with leaders of some of Afghanistan's neighbours to allay their apprehensions. His efforts, however, have yet to show signs of success.
    • For the Taliban, Obama's announcement represents a new phase of the fighting in Afghanistan as foreign forces would remain despite the drawdown until 2014. Beyond that period, there could be permanent US military bases serving as a provocation for them and causing more fighting. The withdrawal of US troops would mean less pressure on the Taliban, though targeted Nato operations and airstrikes would continue. There have been some preliminary contacts between the Taliban and the US and other Western countries, but expecting a breakthrough to lead to a political settlement at this stage is unrealistic. Taliban are still not ready to talk to the Afghan government. The US cannot and won't strike a deal with Taliban by keeping the Karzai government out of it.
    • Pakistan is concerned that it hasn't been taken on board by the US and other western countries while establishing contacts with the Taliban. However, it is sure of its position and is well aware that no deal with the Taliban would work until Pakistan is made part of it. Obama's announcement of US troops' drawdown won't end Pakistan's problems as it still has to contend with the Pakistani Taliban. They are in alliance with Al Qaida which is now fully focused on Pakistan and fighting their own military in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and the tribal areas instead of extending a helping hand to the Afghan Taliban.
    • Rahimullah Yusufzai is a senior journalist based in Peshawar.
    • 

    • Obama maps out irreversible drawdown of US force

    • By Tariq Osman Hyder, Special to Gulf News

    • There is an apprehension that if US withdraws too fast, Afghanistan may plunge back into the chaos that resulted when the Soviet Union was forced to withdraw
    
    
    

    Israel's 'alternative country' scheme

    By As'ad Abdul Rahman, Special to Gulf News

    A stable Jordan is good for Palestinians and Jordanians and this unity of purpose will succeed in resisting the Zionist agenda
    http://gulfnews.com/opinions/columnists/west-knows-victory-is-not-yet-in-sight-1.826958
    
    

    Business

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    Lokpal Bill
    The Lokpal Bill has been presented 'eight times' in the parliament but never been passed. It was far from public conciousness, not many knew what it was about, until, Anna Hazare took up the cause. Will the monsoon session see any progress? Only time will tell.
    24 June 2011 Last updated at 23:08 GMT
    
    

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    Poll on Lokpal Bill

    Will the passage of Lokpal Bill decrease corruption in India significantly?

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    http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/fullcover.cms?keyword=Lokpal_Bill

    The Emergency (India)

    From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    For general information on Emergency in India, see State of Emergency in India.

    

    

    The arrest of socialist labor leader, George Fernandes in 1976. This image of Fernandes standing defiantly with his shackled hand raised, became one of the most iconic images of the Emergency era.^[1]

    The Indian Emergency of 25 June 1975 – 21 March 1977 was a 21-month period, when PresidentFakhruddin Ali Ahmed, upon advice by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, declared a state of emergency under Article 352 of the Constitution of India, effectively bestowing on her the power to rule by decree, suspending elections and civil liberties. It is one of the most controversial times in the history of independent India.^[2]

    Contents  [hide] 1 Background 1.1 Political unrest 1.2 The Allahabad conviction 2 Declaration of Emergency 3 The Emergency Administration 4 Sikh opposition 5 The role of RSS 6 Elections of 1977 7 The tribunal 8 The debate over its legacy 8.1 Support for Indira's decisions 8.2 Charges against the Government 9 Notable incidents 9.1 Rajan Case 9.2 Fundamental Rights during the emergency 10 In popular culture 10.1 Fiction 10.2 Films 11 Timeline 12 References 13 Literature

    [edit]Background

    Part of a series on the
    History of Modern India
    Pre-Independence
    British Raj (1858–1947)
    Indian independence movement (1857–1947)
    Partition of India (1947)
    Post-Independence
    Political integration of India (1947–49)
    Indo-Pakistani War of 1947
    States Reorganisation Act (1956)
    Non-Aligned Movement (1956– )
    Sino-Indian War (1962)
    Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
    Green Revolution (1970s)
    Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
    Emergency (1975–77)
    Siachen conflict (1984)
    1990s in India
    Economic liberalisation in India
    Kargil War (1999)
    2000s in India
    See also
    History of India
    History of South Asia
    This box: view · talk · edit

    [edit]Political unrest

    Opponents had long made allegations that Indira's party, Congress, had practiced electoral fraud to win the 1971 elections. The Gandhian socialist Jayaprakash Narayan had been agitating in Bihar for a change in provincial government, and increasingly sought to direct popular action against the Central Government through satyagrahas.

    Narayan and his supporters sought to unify students, peasants, and labour organisations in a 'Total Revolution' to nonviolently transform Indian society. Indira's party was defeated inGujarat by a coalition of parties calling itself the Janata Party (People's Party), and even faced an all-party, no-confidence motion in Parliament.

    [edit]The Allahabad conviction

    See also State of Uttar Pradesh v. Raj Narain

    Raj Narain, who had been defeated in parliamentary election by Indira Gandhi, lodged cases of election fraud and use of state machinery for election purposes against Mrs. Indira Gandhi in the Allahabad High Court. On 12 June 1975, Justice Jagmohanlal Sinha of the Allahabad High Court found the Prime Minister guilty on the charge of misuse of government machinery for her election campaign. The court declared her election null and void and unseated her from her seat in the Lok Sabha. The court also banned her from contesting any election for an additional six years. Some serious charges such as bribing voters and election malpractices were dropped and she was held responsible for misusing the government machinery, and found guilty on charges such as using the state police to build a dais, availing the services of a government officer, Yashpal Kapoor, during the elections before he had resigned from his position, and use of electricity from the state electricity department. Because the court unseated her on comparatively frivolous charges, while she was acquitted on more serious charges, The Times described it as 'firing the Prime Minister for a traffic ticket'. However, strikes in labor and trade unions, student unions and government unions swept across the country. Protests led by J.P.Narayan, Raj Narain and Morarji Desai flooded the streets ofDelhi close to the Parliament building and the Prime Minister's residence. The persistent efforts of Raj Narain, was praised worldwide as it took over four years for Justice Jagmohan Lal Sinha to finally pass judgement against Indira Gandhi. The ruling later became the primary reason for the imposition of emergency by Indira Gandhi.

    [edit]Declaration of Emergency

    Siddhartha Shankar Ray, the West Bengal chief minister, proposed to Mrs Gandhi the imposition of "internal emergency". He drafted a letter for the President to issue the proclamation on the basis of information Mrs Gandhi had received that "there is an imminent danger to the security of India being threatened by internal disturbances". He showed how democratic freedom could be suspended while remaining within the ambit of the Constitution.^[3]

    President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed declared a State of Emergency upon the advice of the Prime Minister on 26 June 1975. In her own words, Indira brought democracy "to a grinding halt".

    As the constitution requires, Indira advised and President Ahmed approved the continuation of Emergency over every six-month period until her decision to hold elections in 1977.

    [edit]The Emergency Administration

    Elections for the Parliament and state governments were not postponed. Invoking article 352 of the Indian Constitution, Indira granted herself extraordinary powers and launched a massive crackdown on civil liberties and political opposition. The Government cited threats to national security, as a war with Pakistan had recently been concluded. Due to the war and additional challenges of drought and the 1973 oil crisis, the economy was in bad shape. The Government claimed that the strikes and protests had paralyzed the government and hurt the economy of the country greatly. In face of massive political opposition, desertion and disorder across the country and the party, Indira stuck to the advice of a few close party loyalists and her younger son Sanjay Gandhi, who had become a close political advisor.

    The Government used police forces across the country to arrest thousands of protestors and strike leaders. J.P. Narayan, Raj Narain, Morarji Desai, Charan Singh, Jivatram Kripalani, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Satyendra Narayan Sinha and other protest leaders were immediately arrested. Organizations such as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, along with some opposition political parties were banned. Numerous Communist leaders were arrested along with many others involved with the party.

    Indira attempted to re-write the nation's laws with the help of the Parliament, where the Congress controlled over a two-thirds majority. When she felt the existing laws were too slow, she utilized the President to issue "extraordinary laws" (Ordinances) that bypassed Parliament altogether, allowing her to rule by decree. She constructed a 20-point economic program to increase agricultural and industrial production, improve public services and fight poverty and illiteracy. Also, she had little trouble in making amendments to the constitution that exonerated her from any culpability in her election fraud case, declaring President's Rule in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu where anti-Indira parties ruled (state legislatures were thereby dissolved and suspended indefinitely), and jailing thousands of opponents. The 42nd Amendment, which brought about extensive changes to the letter and spirit of the Constitution of India, is one of the lasting legacies of the Emergency.

    One of the consequences of the Emergency era was that the Supreme Court of India ordered that, although the Constitution is subject to amendment (as used by Indira), changes that are ultra vires to its basic structure cannot be made by the Parliament of India.

    [edit]Sikh opposition

    With the leaders of all opposition parties and other outspoken critics of her government arrested and behind bars, the entire country was in a state of shock. Shortly after the declaration of the Emergency, the Sikh leadership convened meetings in Amritsar where they resolved to oppose the "fascist tendency of the Congress".^[4] The first mass protest in the country, known as the "Campaign to Save Democracy" was organized by the Akali Dal and launched in Amritsar, 9 July. A statement to the press recalled the historic Sikh struggle for freedom under the Mughals, then under the British, and voiced concern that what had been fought for and achieved was being lost. The police were out in force for the demonstration and arrested all those who raised the Sikh call of "Jo Bole So Nihaal, Sat Sri Akal" (Whoever speaks, shall be fulfilled, Truth is Undying), including the Shiromani Akali Dal and Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) leaders.

    The Prime Minister seemed genuinely surprised at the strength of the response from the Sikhs. Fearing their defiance might inspire civil disobedience in other parts of the county, she offered to negotiate a deal with the Shiromani Akal Dal that would give it joint control of thePunjab Legislative Assembly. The leader of the protests, Sant Harcharan Singh Longowal refused to meet with government representatives so long as the Emergency was in effect. In a press interview, he made clear the grounds of the Save Democracy campaign.

    "The question before us is not whether Indira Gandhi should continue to be prime minister or not. The point is whether democracy in this country is to survive or not. The democratic structure stands on three pillars, namely a strong opposition, independent judiciary and free press. Emergency has destroyed all these essentials."^[5]

    While the civil disobedience campaign caught on in some parts of the country, especially at Delhi University, the government's tactics of mass arrests, censorship and intimidation curtailed the oppositions's popularity. After January, the Sikhs remained virtually alone in their active resistance to the regime. Hailed by opposition leaders as "the last bastion of democracy",^[6] they continued to come out in large numbers each month on the day of the new moon, symbolizing the dark night of Indian democracy, to court arrest.

    According to Amnesty International, 140,000 people had been arrested without trial during the twenty months of Indira Gandhi's Emergency. Of them, 40,000 had come from India's two percent Sikh minority.^[7]

    [edit]The role of RSS

    Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, which was seen close to opposition leaders, and with its large organizational base was seen potential of organizing protests against the Government, was also banned.^[8] Police clamped down on the organization and thousands of its workers were imprisoned.^[9]

    The RSS defied the ban and thousands participated in Satyagraha (peaceful protests) against the ban and against the curtailment of fundamental rights. Later, when there was no letup, the volunteers of the RSS formed underground movements for the restoration of democracy. Literature that was censored in the media was clandestinely published and distributed on a large scale and funds were collected for the movement. Networks were established between leaders of different political parties in the jail and outside for the coordination of the movement.^[10]

    'The Economist', London, described the movement as "the only non-left revolutionary force in the world". It said that the movement was "dominated by tens of thousands of RSS cadres, though more and more young recruits are coming". Talking about its objectives it said "its platform at the moment has only one plank: to bring democracy back to India".^[11]

    [edit]Elections of 1977

    See Also: Janata Party, Jayaprakash Narayan, Morarji Desai, Raj Narain, Nandini Satpathy

    On January 23, 1977, Indira Gandhi called fresh elections for March and released all political prisoners. The Emergency officially ended on March 23, 1977. The opposition Janata movement's campaign warned Indians that the elections might be their last chance to choose between "democracy and dictatorship."

    In the Lok Sabha elections, held in February, Indira and Sanjay both lost their Lok Sabha seats, as did most of their loyal followers. Many Congress Party loyalists deserted Indira. The Congress was reduced to just 153 seats, 92 of which were from four of the southern states. The Janata Party's 295 seats (of a total 542) gave it only a slim majority. Morarji Desai became the first non-Congress Prime Minister of India.

    [edit]The tribunal

    The efforts of the Janata administration to try government officials and Congress politicians for Emergency-era abuses and crimes were largely a flop due to a disorganized, over-complex and politically-motivated process of litigation. Although special tribunals were organized and scores of senior Congress Party and government officials arrested and charged, including Indira and Sanjay Gandhi, police were unable to submit sufficient evidence for most cases, and only a few low-level officials were convicted of any abuses.

    The people lost interest in the hearings owing to their continuous fumbling and complex nature, and the economic and social needs of the country grew more important to them. An impression was created that corruption and political subversion stalled the process of justice.

    [edit]The debate over its legacy

    Indira's Emergency rule lasted 21 months, and its legacy remains intensely controversial.

    [edit]Support for Indira's decisions

    The Emergency was endorsed by Vinoba Bhave (who called it Anushasan parva or Time for discipline) and Mother Teresa. Pioneer industrialist J. R. D. Tata and writer Khushwant Singh were among the other prominent supporters, though Tata regretted later that he spoke in favor of emergency as cited in his biography Beyond the Last Blue Mountain by RM Lala. Some have argued that India badly needed economic recovery after the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war had strained the exchequer. Others have argued that Indira's 20-point economic program increased agricultural production, manufacturing activity, exports and foreign reserves. Communal Hindu-Muslim riots, which had re-surfaced in the 1960s and 1970s, reduced in intensity, leading to increased productivity.

    [edit]Charges against the Government

    Criticism and accusations of the Emergency-era may be grouped as:

    • Detention of people by police without charge or notification of families
    • Abuse and torture of detainees and political prisoners
    • Use of public and private media institutions, like the national television network Doordarshan, for propaganda
    • Forced sterilization of men and women under the family planning initiative. Indira's son, Sanjay Gandhi, was blamed for this forcible treatment of people.^[12]
    • Destruction of the slum and low-income housing in the Turkmen Gate and Jama Masjid area of old Delhi.
    • Large scale and illegal enactment of laws (including modifications to the Constitution) which shifted the country towards socialism.

    The Emergency years were the biggest challenge to India's commitment to democracy, which proved vulnerable to the manipulation of powerful leaders and large parliamentary majorities.

    [edit]Notable incidents

    [edit]Rajan Case

    Main article: Rajan case

    P. Rajan, a student of the erstwhile Regional Engineering College, Calicut, was arrested by the police in Kerala on March 1, 1976^[13], tortured in custody until he died and then his body was disposed. The facts of this incident came out owing to a habeus corpus suit filed in the High Court of Kerala.^[14][15]

    [edit]Fundamental Rights during the emergency

    The government of India took the position in courts that no fundamental right existed during the emergency, in spite of Kesavananda Bharatijudgment of the Supreme Court of 1973. A judge asked whether a citizen had a remedy against a policeman who want to shoot, the then attorney-general, Niren Dey, replied in court that not as long as the Emergency would last, that it shakes the conscience but there was no remedy. ^[16]

    [edit]In popular culture

    [edit]Fiction

    • Writer Rahi Masoom Raza criticized the Emergency through his novel Qatra bi Aarzoo, which is the most direct and effective condemnation in Hindi fiction.^[17]

    • The book A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry takes place during the Emergency and highlights some of the abuses that occurred during that period.

    • The book Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie has the protagonist Saleem Sinai in India during the Emergency. His home in a low income area called the "magician's ghetto" is destroyed as part of the national beautification program. He is forcibly sterilised as part of the vasectomy program. The principal antagonist of the book is the Widow (a likeness that Indira Gandhi sued Rushdie for).

    • India: A Wounded Civilization, a book by V S Naipaul is also oriented around Emergency.

    • The Plunge An English novel by Sanjeev Tare is their own story told by four youths studying at Kalidas College in Nagpur. They tell the reader what they went through during those politically turbulent times.

    [edit]Films

    • Although Satyajit Ray's 1980 film Hirak Rajar Deshe was a children's comedy, it was a satire on the Emergency.

    • The 1985 Malayalam film Yathra directed by Balu Mahendra has the human rights violations by the police during the Emergency as its main plotline.

    • 1988 Malayalam film Piravi is about a father searching for his son Rajan, who had been arrested by the police (and allegedly killed in custody). He was accused of being a Naxalite during the Emergency.

    • The 2005 Hindi film Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi is set against the backdrop of the Indian Emergency. The film, directed by Sudhir Mishra, also tries to portray the growth of the Naxalite movement during the Emergency era. The movie tells the story of three youngsters in the 70s, when India was undergoing massive social and political changes.

    [edit]Timeline

    • 25 June 1975: Emergency is declared, censorship is imposed and opposition leaders are arrested.
    • 5 August 1975: The Maintenance of Internal Security Act bill is approved by the parliament.
    • 26 September 1975: The Thirty-ninth Amendment, placing election of Prime Minister beyond the scrutiny of judiciary, is approved .
    • 9 January 1976: The government suspends seven freedoms guaranteed by Article 19 of the Constitution of India.
    • 4 February 1976: The Lok Sabha's life is extended by one year.
    • 2 November 1976: The Lok Sabha passes the Forty-second Amendment, making India a socialist secular republic and laying down the fundamental duties of its citizens.
    • 18 January 1977: The President dissolves the Lok Sabha.
    • 21 March 1977: The emergency promulgated on 25 June 1975 is withdrawn.
    • 22 March 1977: The Janata Party gains absolute majority.

    [edit]References

    This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (March 2009)

    1. ^ INDIA: Symbol in Chains - TIME, 18 Oct 1976
    2. ^ "India in 1975: Democracy in Eclipse", ND Palmer - Asian Survey, vol 16 no 5. Opening lines.
    3. ^ Yes, Prime Minister, KULDIP NAYAR, June 25, 2000
    4. ^ J.S. Grewal, The Sikhs of the Punjab,(Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1990) 213
    5. ^ Gurmit Singh, A History of Sikh Struggles, New Delhi, Atlantic Publishers and Distributors, 1991, 2:39
    6. ^ Ram Narayan Kumar, Georg Sieberer, The Sikh Struggle: Origin, Evolution and Present Phase, Delhi, Chanakya Publishers, 1991, 250
    7. ^ J.S. Grewal, The Sikhs of the Punjab,(Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1990) 214; Inder Malhotra, Indira Gandhi: A Personal and Political Biography,(London/Toronto, Hodder and Stoughton, 1989) 178
    8. ^ Jaffrelot Christophe, Hindu Nationalism, 1987, 297, Princeton University Press, ISBN 0691130981, 9780691130989
    9. ^ Chitkara M G, Hindutva, Published by APH Publishing, 1997 ISBN 8170247985, 9788170247982
    10. ^ Post Independence India, Encyclopedia of Political Parties,2002,Published by Anmol Publications PVT. LTD, ISBN 8174888659, 9788174888655
    11. ^ 'The Economist' London, dt.4-12-1976
    12. ^ Gwatkin, Davidson R. 'Political Will and Family Planning: The Implications of India's Emergency Experience', in: Population and Development Review, 5/1, 29-59;
    13. ^ PUCL Archives, Oct 1981, Rajan.
    14. ^ Rediff.com, Report dated June 26, 2000.
    15. ^ The Hindu Jan 25, 2011.
    16. ^ http://www.indianexpress.com/news/judges-for-mrs-g/28062/0
    17. ^ Mathur, O.P. (2004). Indira Gandhi and the emergency as viewed in the Indian novel. Sarup & Sons. ISBN 978-8176254618.

    [edit]Literature

    • The Judgement by Kuldip Nayar
    • India Country Study
    • "Memories of a Father," a book by Eachara Varier, father of a student killed in police custody during the emergency
    • Indira Gandhi: A Personal and Political Biography by Inder Malhotra, (London/Toronto, Hodder and Stoughton, 1989) 165-97; Northeastern Univ Pr (1991) ISBN 1555530958
    • Economic policy and political insights into the Emergency
    • A History of Sikh Struggles by Gurmit Singh, (New Delhi, Atlantic Publishers and Distributors, 1991) 2:36-40
    • The Sikhs of the Punjab by J.S. Grewal, (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1990) 213-14
    • The Sikh Struggle: Origin, Evolution and Present Phase by Ram Narayan Kumar, Georg Sieberer, (Delhi, Chanakya Publishers, 1991) 250-51
    • A. Z. Huq Democratic Norms, Human Rights and States of Emergency: Lessons from the Experience of Four Countries

     This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Library of Congress Country Studies.

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