Last day only, CPIM Polit Bureau CRITICIZED India Incs MNC LPG Mafia Governmnet Head, the Washington Superslave for CVC appointment while the West Bengal CPIM ALIMUDDIN not only defended King sing but CERTIFIED him as HONEST and Innocent. Toady, BJP expressed satisfaction as the PM accepted RESPONSIBILITY! What a NAUTANKEE Show! All Brahaminical Forces, NDA, UPA and LEFT are UNITED Rock Solid to acomplish the Agenda of EXCLUSION, Ethnic Cleansing, Manusmriti Rule all on the name of Economic Reforms and INCLUSIVE FreesenSEX Growth Manipulated!Congress old-timer PC Chacko, a four-time Lok Sabha MP, was Friday appointed as the head of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) that will probe the alleged finanicial irregularities in the allocation of 2G spectrum ! What a cover up game!

Indian Holocaust My Father`s Life and Time -FIVE HUNDRED NINETY NINE

Palash Biswas

http://indianholocaustmyfatherslifeandtime.blogspot.com/

http://basantipurtimes.blogspot.com/

Last day only, CPIM Polit Bureau CRITICIZED India Incs MNC LPG Mafia Governemnet Head, the Washington Superslave for CVC appointment while the West Bengal CPIM ALIMUDDIN not only defended King sing but CERTIFIED him as HONEST and Innocent. Toady, BJP expressed satisfaction as the PM accepted RESPONSIBILITY! What a NAUTANKEE Show! All Brahaminical Forces, NDA, UPA and LEFT are UNITED Rock Solid to acomplish the Agenda of EXCLUSION, Ethnic Cleansing, manusmriti Rule all on the name of Economic Reforms and INCLUSIVE FreesenSEX Growth Manipulated!Congress old-timer PC Chacko, a four-time Lok Sabha MP, was Friday appointed as the head of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) that will probe the alleged finanical irregularities in the allocation of 2G spectrum ! What a cover up game!

The apex court judgement striking down the appointment of Central Vigilance Commissioner P.J. Thomas shows how "honest" Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is being "victimised for the wrongdoings" of coalition partners, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) central committee member Md. Salim said here Thursday.

Speaking after the Supreme Court struck down Thomas' appointment for his alleged involvement in a corruption scandal, Salim alleged that Manmohan Singh was "run by proxy".
Salim told media persons: "He (the prime minister) is being victimised for all the wrong doings of coalition partners. I am pained to see his condition."
"He is a great academician, economist, and known for his integrity. But being good is not enough. He has to be judged in a broader perspective, especially when he is the prime minister. It seems he lacks judgment of his own. He is run by proxy."

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj on Friday said that the controversy over P.J. Thomas' appointment as the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) should rest now following Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's statement that he accepted responsibility for the appointment.
"I appreciate the statement of the Prime Minister owning responsibility for the appointment of CVC which has been quashed by Supreme Court," Swaraj wrote in her Twitter post.
"I think this is enough. Let matters rest at this and we move forward," she added.
Earlier in the day, Dr. Singh said that he accepted responsibility for choosing Thomas as the CVC.
"I have already said I respect the judgement of the Supreme Court. I accept my responsibility," Dr. Singh said.
Thomas, who is facing a corruption case in a Kerala court, handed over his resignation to the government on Thursday after the Supreme Court struck down his appointment as the CVC.
A three-judge bench headed by the Chief Justice of India S.H. Kapadia delivered its verdict on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that sought removal of Thomas from the position of CVC.
The apex court, which had on February 10 reserved its on petitions challenging the appointment of Thomas, said that the appointment was illegal and that he must go. The apex court further said that criminal case should have been considered.
The Centre for Public Interest Litigation, an NGO and others had earlier challenged Thomas's appointment as the CVC, quoting the Palmolein import corruption case in which Thomas is an accused.

Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani today said that India would become USD 5 trillion economy by 2022-25.

A more optimistic ICICI Bank chairman K V Kamath said that India would be USD 5 trillion economy by 2022.

India, at present, is a USD 1.2 trillion dollar economy. Participating in a discussion organised at the meeting of the Institute of International Finance ( IIF )) here, Ambani said, "India will be a USD 5 trillion economy by 2022-25 ... there can be a debate whether it would 2022 or 2025."

Citibank CEO Vikram Pandit, who was also a participant, underlined the need for expanding trade and commerce as it would help every one, especially the emerging economies.

He said that the financial crisis is behind but the imbalances that caused the financial crisis still need to be worked out.

Appreciating the Budget 2011-12, Ambani also said fiscal consolidation proposed in the Budget would lay the foundation of "strong growth".

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the Budget 2011-12 proposed to reduce fiscal deficit to 4.6 per cent of the GDP from 5.2 per cent in the current fisca

Singh song, sung by Bengal CPM

OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Calcutta, March 3: The state CPM today showered praise on the personal integrity of Manmohan Singh, revealing shades of "the Bengal line" that is in contrast to the tough stand the party's central leadership has adopted against the Prime Minister.

"The PM is an honest and educated person. However, it's unfortunate that he has to defend so many scams and scandals," CPM state secretariat member Mohammad Salim said after the party's secretariat meeting at Alimuddin Street. He was responding to questions on the court verdict on the chief vigilance commissioner.

In case it was construed as a stray comment, Salim made sure such an impression was dispelled. "We really feel sorry for him. He is a clean man who is being forced to defend corrupt colleagues and others and own responsibility for their actions. It's unfortunate that he has been made a proxy."

But Salim made sure to draw a distinction with the Trinamul Congress, the CPM's principal opponent in Bengal. "The Trinamul Congress, being part of the UPA government, cannot shirk its responsibility. It must take responsibility for the economic ills and corruption of the central government," the CPM leader added.

CPM general secretary Prakash Karat had time and again talked about the need to mount a stiff fight against the neo-liberal policies of the UPA government and had been a rallying point for all the Left parties in their demand for a joint parliamentary committee to probe the spectrum allocation.

After the party's politburo meeting in Calcutta in February this year, Karat had said that the Prime Minister could "not look the other way", referring to his silence when the 2G scandal was erupting.

Before leaving for Delhi today, CPM state secretary Biman Bose picked up from where Salim had left off. "The Prime Minister is a gentleman… a good person," Bose said.

"He is an academic… educationist. He doesn't know what corruption is and what is happening around him. It's a pity to find him in such a condition. He is being made to do all sorts of things though he doesn't want to do them. Actually, he is not a politician. He was made a politician," Bose said.

Party sources attributed the comments to a still-afloat hope in the state CPM that any wedge between Trinamul and the Congress would benefit the Left.

But the praise for Singh also reflects the divisions in the CPM over attacking the Prime Minister in the last Lok Sabha elections — the Karat-led withdrawal of support to the UPA was perceived as a direct confrontation between the general secretary and Singh. The stress on Singh's personal qualities is also an acknowledgement that the earlier hostility had backfired at the hustings.

The CPM's central committee is meeting in Delhi for three days from tomorrow. CPM sources said chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was likely to skip the central committee session as he was "preoccupied with party work".

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110304/jsp/frontpage/story_13666040.jsp

President, VP, PM, Sonia condole Arjun Singh's death

Times of India - ‎1 hour ago‎

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CVC: BJP in a dilemma as PM takes responsibility

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CVC: BJP in a dilemma as PM takes responsibilityAshok Bagriya , CNN-IBN

Updated Mar 04, 2011 at 11:03pm IST

Share Click to play video

New Delhi: After PJ Thomas on Thursday ejected out, it's time to fix the blame for his appointment as the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC). And under fire from the Opposition, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the chairperson of the high powered committee, really had no option but to say, "I accept responsibility".

"I disagree" was what Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj had written on the letter appointing Thomas as the CVC, showing her dissent based on the case pending against Thomas in the palmolein oil import scam.

While the Government contended it wasn't aware of all facts, the Opposition was unwilling to buy the argument.

But on Friday, within the BJP, there was a clear split on how to interpret the PM's admission.

Sushma Swaraj tweeted, "I think this is enough. Let matters rest at this and we move forward."

But her other party colleagues weren't as generous.

"This very statement does not absolve the Prime Minister of his moral responsibility," said BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy.

The controversy around appointment of Thomas as CVC is one, which won't die out easily.

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http://ibnlive.in.com/news/cvc-bjp-in-dilemma-as-pm-takes-responsibility/145015-37-64.html

2 MAR, 2011, 03.40PM IST,ET BUREAU

Budget 2011: India is in good fiscal shape despite populist spending, misgovernance: Swaminathan Aiyar

Malcolm Muggeridge once said that every time an Indian tried to speak English, he realised that the days of the white man's burden were not over. We have created entire panoply of words called Hinglish (a hybrid of Hindi and English). We have also given totally new meanings to standard English words. For instance, "my tight friend" in India means not "my drunken friend" but "my close friend". In ordinary English, a budget lays down what you earn and spend.

A government budget determines how much money each department gets, with a clear understanding that nothing more will be given save in exceptional circumstances. Budget discipline for each department is supposed to ensure that the government overall does not overspend, and that spending priorities are not distorted by excessive demands from this department or that. Departments with lowered allocations are supposed to sack consultants and even staff if salaries cannot be financed from their allocations.

In India, however, budgetary allocations have long ceased to be sacrosanct. Cynics say that the Budget is now simply the starting point for finance ministry negotiations with every department for additional funding . Supplementary demands for grants grow year after year. This year's Budget sets a new benchmark in allocations that defy credibility. In one area after another, spending in 20011-12 is budgeted to be less or only marginally more than actual spending in 2010-11. Sonia Gandhi is a dedicated populist who swears by subsidies, and her National Advisory Council constantly produces new ideas for evermore subsidies. Yet the Budget says subsidies will fall from Rs 1,64,153 crore this year to Rs 1,43,570 crore next year.

The oil subsidy looks like ballooning after the recent surge prices in global prices, yet is projected to fall from Rs 38,386 crore to Rs 23,640 crore. Global fertiliser prices are skyrocketing, yet the fertiliser subsidy is projected to fall from Rs 54,977 crore this year to Rs 49,998 crore next year. Non-Plan capital outlays (excluding defence ) are to be more than halved, from Rs 27,696 crore to Rs 13,212 crore.

The food subsidy is to remain virtually unchanged at around Rs 60,000 crore, although procurement prices have gone up and carrying costs for the huge government food stock are high. Something as innocent sounding as "other non-Plan expenditure" is to be slashed from Rs 1,45,884 crore to Rs 1,28,859 crore. Pranab Mukherjee claims in his Budget speech that social spending will rise 17%. Yet the Budget papers show non-Plan expenditure on social services plummeting from Rs 35,085 crore this year to Rs 20,862 crore next year.

A small part of this may be explained by the reclassification of some revenue spending as capital spending. Yet look at the bottom line, which is total government spending. This is budgeted to rise just a smidgeon from Rs 12,16,576 crore to Rs 12,57,729 crore. Is this possible at a time of high inflation and raging political populism? Optimists like economist Surjit Bhalla interpret the Budget figures as Mukherjee's determination to get spending under control. Cynics like me will say the spending targets are no more than the start of negotiations with each department on how much more it will get. Optimists may think Mukherjee is going to be the toughest finance minister in history, wielding a fearsome budgetary axe.

Cynics like me see this Budget as simply the preface to the real spending figures that will show up in supplementary demands for grants in autumn. Having said that, let me add that the recent era of highly elastic Budget estimates has not been a fiscal disaster. On the contrary, Mukherjee was able to say with pride in his Budget speech that the ratio of central government debt-to-GDP for 2011-12 is now estimated at just 44.2 % of GDP, against the Finance Commission's recommendation of 52.5%. This looks very impressive at a time when the same ratio looks like crossing 100% in the US and 200% in Japan. We need to add state government debt of around 24% of GDP, but the resultant consolidated government debt of around 69% of GDP does not look unreasonably high.

The credit goes not to budgetary stringency, but to two other factors: revision of GDP data and buoyant revenue. Based on new GDP deflators, it turns out that we have understated GDP for years, which in turn means we have overstated our fiscal problems for years. Besides, revenue buoyancy has consistently surprised us on the upside, and is doing so again this year. Revenues look like rising 25% this year against the budgeted 19%. Conclusion: populism in India has not wrecked government finances, as widely feared. India does not require a painful fiscal squeeze that would be politically difficult. Fairly modest steps in the direction of fiscal virtue are enough. The revenue gains of rapid growth have consistently been underestimated by financial analysts. Fiscal prudence is the last thing on the minds of our venal politicians, who are always looking for ways to buy off voters disgusted by political venality .

Yet, without intending it, the populist giveaways of politicians have been well within the limits of fiscal prudence. This is called serendipity. The word is derived from an Arabian tale of Three Princes of Serendip (a mispronunciation of Swarna-dwip or Ceylon), who had the happy ability to constantly make fruitful and productive discoveries without intending to. Our politicians too have discovered without intending to that they can boast of fiscal virtue even while indulging in farm loan waivers, enormous oil and food subsidies, and other giveaways. Their aim is to buy popularity, not stimulate GDP, but they have achieved both through serendipity.

This may not continue forever. But as of now, India looks in surprisingly decent fiscal shape. This is not because of good governance but in spite of terrible governance. So, even slightly improved governance — like waste reduction by using cash transfers instead of subsidies — can improve fiscal fundamentals faster than venal politicians can erode them.

Budget 2011: Gradual shift to GST track
The Budget aims at maintaining a sustainable economic growth, while the indirect tax proposals primarily focused on driving the current legislation towards the proposed GST regime.

GST set to miss next year deadline

Private PF trusts get one more year for licences

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'Rs 40K cr PSUs disinvestment target achievable'

Budget 2011: Benefits for home buyers
The affordable housing segment had some good news with the FM raising the slab for the one percent interest subvention scheme on home loans to Rs 15L from Rs 10L.

Tips to invest money spared by the tax axe

Budget 2011: Insurance players feel left out

Dicussions underway to relax infra sector FDI policy: FM

PTI
Pranab Mukherjee said the govt is considering further liberalisation of the country's foreign direct investment policy for attracting investment in the infrastructure sector.

'Concerned over removal of SEZ incentives'

Min wants rollback of excise duty on carpets

Budget 2011 provides policy direction on tax
FM showed confidence that the country's GDP would grow above 9% and has sent a strong signal of continued growth to the world at large.

Healthcare sector demands rollback of service tax

Finance Bill proposes to curb tax evasion

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ET Bureau
Govt will have to make a tough choice between deregulating diesel prices & shelling out more subsidy to oil firms.

Welcome to Keyword Budget

Budget 2011: An opportunity squandered

Corner Office
1 / 4

Budget mildly positive for pharma industry

Umang Vohra
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, CFO

Union Budget 2011 will push growth further

Sandesh Kirkire
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Union Budget 2011 is growth oriented

CS Verma
SAIL, Chairman

Impetus to infra will help achieve target growth

N K Jain
ICSI, Secretary & CEO

Budget pampers the rich and burdens consumers

Sitaram Yechury
CPM, Member Polit-Bureau

No big-bang reform measures announced

Sunil Mittal
Bharti Enterprises, Chairman & CEO

Budget is highly disappointing on economic reforms

,

Budget to help broad based rebound in agriculture

Anil Murarka
ICSI, President

FM's head is in right place, so is his heart

Mukesh Ambani
RIL, Chairman & MD

Smart call on keeping stimulus, tackling corruption

Kumar Birla
Aditya Birla Group, Chairman

Govt must hold the line on expenditure

Ajay Srinivasan
Aditya Birla Group, CEO

GST will solve lot of macroeconomic issues

Adi Godrej
Godrej Group, Chairman

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Budget 2011: Ice cream to become dearer
12:02 PM, 02-Mar-11, TNNGCMMF, which markets Amul brand of milk products, said ice cream prices would go up in a month or so, after all costs are taken into account.

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You'll have to shell out 75 bps more for Ulips
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MSME's disappointed with Union Budget 2011-12
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SIR PLEASE STOP 1000 AND 500 TYPES NOTES AND MAKE ALL TRASECTION ABOVE RS.10,000 THOUGH NEFT / RTGS OR THORUGH CHEQUE. IT WILL CURB BLACK MONEY AND REDUCE CORRUPTION



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Government will meet fiscal targets: Finance Secy
The finance ministry said the govt will meet fiscal targets through a mix of a robust increase in tax collections and prudent spending.

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Foreign investors can now invest in equity MFs
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High service tax on life policy to lower returns

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http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/budget.cms

The Thomas frown affair
- SC sets aside appointment, govt accepts

SANJAY K. JHA AND SAMANWAYA RAUTRAY

New Delhi, March 3: The Supreme Court today invalidated the appointment of P.J. Thomas as the chief vigilance commissioner by a panel headed by the Prime Minister, prompting the government to opt for a damage-control drive that hinged on accepting the verdict, acknowledging some mistakes and cherry-picking positive elements.

The government, which had steeled itself for an adverse verdict following withering questions from the court during the hearing, responded with humility instead of trying to brazen it out.

"I respect the Supreme Court verdict," said the Prime Minister who helmed the three-member committee that chose Thomas, against whom a palm oil import corruption case is pending in a Kerala court.

Sources in both the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and the Congress said a "mistake" had been corrected by the apex court and there was no question of confrontation.

Asked if the verdict was not a huge embarrassment for Singh as he was heading the committee that overruled Opposition leader Sushma Swaraj's objections, a PMO official said: "The issue has been embarrassing for the past few weeks when the court began to question the appointment. The verdict is not a surprise. We have to learn from the mistakes and move on."

The Congress, too, adopted a deferential approach. "Errors are there, which is why courts intervene. Fallibility doesn't mean motives. The court has set the error right and the entire country, including the government, has to bow to the judgment, respect it," party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said.

Other party and government sources echoed the sentiment in private, too, unlike earlier when some court rulings and observations — such as the one on free grain distribution to the poor — had drawn suggestions of judicial interference in the domain of the executive.

The sources conceded that the blot would be difficult to erase. Government sources said a review petition from their side was unlikely, although Thomas's lawyers said he was still considering his individual options.

Asked if Thomas had resigned, a government source said: "When his appointment has been annulled, there is no need for resignation. After the SC order, there is no CVC." Thomas's lawyers had earlier said he had not resigned.

The government appears to think that there is no point in dragging the issue and prolonging its shelf life, which will diffuse the impact of the steps it has taken — such as arrests — to combat corruption. The Prime Minister today persisted with similar efforts, inviting activist Anna Hazare for discussions on the anti-corruption Lokpal bill.

Speculation was rife through the day that the Prime Minister would make a statement in Parliament on the CVC case but the sources said no decision had been taken till this evening. "There is no question of the Prime Minister resigning. I don't see the need for anybody taking moral responsibility. Every decision which is legally wrong need not necessarily be morally wrong," the Congress spokesperson said in response to questions.

Senior lawyer C.S. Vaidyanathan, who was not associated with the case, said the verdict was in no way a reflection on the Prime Minister's personal conduct.

The BJP, reluctant to raise the pitch just when Parliament is getting down to business, has so far refrained from seeking Singh's resignation, saying the party would wait for a statement from him.

The government and Congress sources sought to underscore that the Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia, had said it did not want to discount the personal integrity of the candidate. They said this showed the government's assessment of Thomas was flawed only on technical or legal grounds and there were no extraneous motives.

But the sources did not refer to the court's statement elsewhere in the 70-page judgment that the selection committee did not consider "relevant material" that dealt with Thomas's personal integrity. The court was referring to the panel's reliance on only the bio-data of the candidates.

The government and the Congress leadership are seeking to find some solace in the court's decision to reject the "consensus theory" which vindicates the position taken by the Prime Minister and the home minister who was the third member. The court said unanimity among the members — Swaraj had dissented — was not mandatory as insistence on consensus would in effect mean arming members with the right to veto.

The Congress core committee met in the evening. Party sources said they did not expect any single person to be held accountable as many stalwarts were involved in the selection process.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110304/jsp/frontpage/story_13666055.jsp

04/03/2011

Delhi court accepts CBI plea to close case against Quattrocchi

New Delhi: Paving the way for the end of the Rs.640 million Bofors kickbacks case, a Delhi court Friday accepted the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) closure report seeking to drop all charges against Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrochhi in the two-decade-old scandal.

CBI closes 'Q' case

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vinod Yadav observed: "At this moment we have to end the case therefore I allow the CBI plea to close the case. I think the CBI has moved this application to close this case after applying their minds, therefore there is no need of wasting public money in continuing the investigation."

"About Rs 250 crore already spent on the case. When will this spending end? There is a long list of pending cases. We can't allow it to drag more," the Court said.

The HC observed that all attempts to extradite Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi in the past 25 years have failed. In fact, Quattrocchi has never appeared before any court in India. This is the second attempt on part of the lawyer to close the case, the court said.

Reacting to the verdict, the Congress party said, "Don't flog a dead horse. We should respect the court's judgement and trust our systems."

On the other hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party said, "The CBI is under a lot of pressure because Quattrocchi knew a lot."

Delhi court accepts CBI plea to close case against Quattrocchi

The premier investigative agency was seeking to close all criminal cases against Italian businessman Quattrocchi, one of the alleged recipients of kickbacks in the controversial Rs.15 billion Bofors gun deal in 1986 that had led to the fall of the Rajiv Gandhi government in 1989.

Many influential figures were accused of receiving payoffs in the deal which involved the purchase of Bofors guns for the Indian army.

The CBI had been seeking withdrawal of the case against Quattrocchi, who had never appeared before any Indian court to face trial citing lack of evidence, even as a tax tribunal ruled in December 2010 that illegal commissions were indeed paid in the deal.

The agency had said that its plea to withdraw the case has been filed with bonafide intention as it has spent a huge amount of money on the investigation but has not been able to arrest Quattrochi.

Delhi court accepts CBI plea to close case against Quattrocchi

Bofors payoffs: Twists and turns in case against Quattrocchi

The over two-decade old case against Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, the lone surviving accused in the Bofors payoffs scam, has taken tortuous twists and turns since he was named in a 1999 CBI chargesheet as the conduit for the alleged bribe.

Seventy-year-old Quattrocchi has never appeared before any court in India to face trial in connection with the Rs 64 crore Bofors pay offs that rocked the country.

He was known to be close to the family of late Rajiv Gandhi who was prime minister in 1987 when the bribery scandal in connection with the Rs 1,437 crore deal between the Indian government and Swedish arms company AB Bofor for supply of 410 155 mm howitzer field guns broke. The deal was signed on March 24, 1986.

The scandal became an unprecedented case of corruption and contributed to the defeat of Rajiv Gandhi's Congress party in the general elections in November 1989.

The nearest the Central Bureau of Investigation came to him was in February 2007 when Quattrocchi was detained in Argentina on the basis of an Interpol warrant. But the CBI took time in translating documents that were to be presented in the designated court there and also put up a half-hearted effort towards his extradition. It finally lost the case for his extradition four months later.

Delhi court accepts CBI plea to close case against Quattrocchi

The 12-year Interpol Red Corner Notice, or lookout notice, against Quattrocchi, who has till date evaded interrogation, was taken off from the "wanted" section of the agency's website reportedly on the legal advice of Attorney General Milon Banerjee last year.

Quattrocchi was accused by the CBI of receiving millions of dollars in commissions for helping to fix the gun deal. News about the kickbacks broke on April 16, 1987 when Swedish Radio claimed Bofors paid kickbacks to top Indian politicians and key defence officials to secure the deal.

Four days later, the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assures the Lok Sabha that no middleman was involved and no kickbacks were paid.

A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) was however set up on August 6, 1987 under B Shankaranand to probe allegations of kickbacks. The JPC report was presented to Parliament on July 18, 1989. CBI registered a complaint in the payoffs case on January 22, 1990. Quattrocchi, who represented Italian fertiliser firm Snam Progetti for years, left India on July 29, 1993 apparently to avoid any arrest.

CBI set up a special investigation team for the case on January 30, 1997 and questioned former army chief Gen Krishnaswamy Sundarji ten days later. CBI filed the first chargesheet on October 22, 1999 naming Win Chadha, Quattrocchi, former Indian defence secretary S K Bhatnagar, former Bofors chief Martin Ardbo and Bofors company. Rajiv Gandhi's name figures as "an accused not sent for trial" -- as he was assassinated in 1991.

Delhi court accepts CBI plea to close case against Quattrocchi

Trial court issued arrest warrants against Quattrocchi, while summoning other four accused on Nov 7, 1999. Five weeks later, CBI team goes to Malaysia to seek extradition of Quattrocchi but fails.

Quattrocchi approached Supreme Court in early 2000 to quash arrest warrant against him. The court however asked him to appear before the CBI for interrogation while protecting him from being arrested. Quattrocchi refused to accept the order.

He was arrested in Malaysia on December 20, 2000 and gets bail but is asked to stay in the country. A Malaysian court denied India's request for Quattrocchi's extradition on December 2, 2002. Britain froze Quattrocchi's bank accounts on July 28, 2003 and six months later Swiss authorities agreed to consider CBI request to provide his bank details.

On December 31, 2005, CBI told Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), London, that it has not been able to link the money in two accounts of Quattrocchi with Bofors kickbacks. A week later, two accounts of Quattrocchi in London banks containing 3 million euros and $1 million are defreezed after the then additional solicitor general B. Dutta met CPS lawyers.

Delhi court accepts CBI plea to close case against Quattrocchi

Quattrocchi was detained in Argentina Feb 6, 2007 on an Interpol lookout notice. A week later, CBI wrote to ministry of external affairs and told Interpol that documentation are being prepared for extradition proceedings inA rgentina. A fresh arrest warrant was issued Feb 24, 2007 against Quattrocchi after it was obtained from Delhi court. He was released on bail two days later with the condition that he does not leave Argentina.

Pursuing the case, a two-member CBI team left for Argentina on February 28 and an Argentinean judge examined CBI application seeking Quattrocchi's extradition.

Hearing of extradition plea began in Argentina on March 23 and on June 8 a Court in El Dorado rejected extradition request. A Red Corner Notice against Quattrocchi was withdrawn on November 25, 2008. CBI sought two weeks' time from trial court on September 8, 2009 to explore options against the Italian.

On Sept.29, Government told Supreme Court about decision to withdraw case against Quattrocchi.

A Delhi court on December 14, 2010 reserved order till January 4, 2011 on a plea of CBI seeking to drop criminal proceedings against Quattrocchi. On January three, 2011, An Income Tax tribunal ruled that commission in violation of Indian laws was indeed paid to Quattrochi and Chadha in the gun deal that cost the national exchequer Rs. 412.4 million some 23 years ago.

Source: PTI, IANS & India Syndicate

04/03/2011

I accept my responsibility: PM on CVC's appointment

Jammu: "I respect the judgement of the Supreme Court and I accept my responsibility," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh responded today, a day after the apex court struck down the controversial appointment of P J Thomas as the Central Vigilance Commissioner.

I accept my responsibility: PM on CVC's appointment

"It is necessary to ensure that such things do not happen again," Singh said at a press conference on being asked about his future course of action on the issue.

The Prime Minister, who has been targeted by the opposition, also said this issue did not relate to coalition compulsions.

"Well, I think what we see, this is not a question which relates to the compulsions of the coalition. As for the rest, I have already said that I respect the judgement of the Supreme Court," he said.

"Obviously, I think the Supreme Court has pronounced and as a loyal citizen of the country...I accept it. I respect the judgement and I accept my responsibility," he said.

He was asked about earlier having hinted at coalition compulsions after the 2G spectrum controversy broke out. Since he heads the high power committee (HPC) having Home Minister P Chidambaram and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj for the the appointment of CVC, who "misled" him, Singh was asked.

I accept my responsibility: PM on CVC's appointment

To another question on what would be his line of action now, he said, "I should speak first in Parliament. I have not made up my mind. But the issue you have raised is an important issue. It is necessary to ensure that such things do not happen again".

While quashing the appointment of Thomas, the apex court faulted the HPC on grounds of arbitrariness and ignoring

"relevant material" like the pending corruption case against Thomas.

Coming down heavily on the HPC's decision, the court said in future appointments to CVC's post should not be restricted to civil servants alone and that people of impeccable integrity from other fields should be considered.

Thomas, a former IAS officer of 1973 batch who was appointed as CVC on September 7 last despite a dissenting note by leader of opposition Sushma Swaraj in the HPC, is facing a corruption case in a Kerala court relating to Palmolein imports in 1991 that allegedly caused a loss of over Rs two crore to the state.

Thomas was the Food Secretary in the Kerala government at the time of import and the then chief minister K Karunakaran, who died recently, was also another accused in the case.

Training its guns on the Prime Minister, the BJP has asked the Prime Minister to explain who will take responsibility for the appointment despite objections raised by Swaraj.

Source: PTI

04/03/2011

Fire in Mumbai suburb

Mumbai: A fire broke out in the slums near the Bandra (East) station in Mumbai.

Fire in Mumbai suburb

The fire was reported from the Garibnagar area around 8:45pm. Garibnagar slum has a famous resident -- Rubina, who starred in Danny Boyle's 'Slumdog Millionaire'.

TV reports claim that five gas cylinder blasts have taken place in the area. About 26 fire tenders have been rushed to the spot. In fact, fire fighters are calling in reinforcements from other areas.

The local train services on the Western Line has been affected. No casualities have been reported so far. Shiv Sena leader Anil Parab said, "The fire is huge and difficult to control.

Source: India Syndicate

04/03/2011

Rajat Gupta: Corporate climb, insider info

Wall Street's biggest scandal, the Galleon Group insider trading case, in recent times is creating ripples in the US as well as India. Though the central figure in the insider trading scandal involving the group, a large hedge fund based in the US, is its founder, Sri Lanka-born Raj Rajaratnam who was arrested by the FBI on October 16, 2009, the case has ensnared several India-born professionals, too, like former McKinsey chief Rajat Gupta, Intel Capital's Rajiv Goel and McKinsey director Anil Kumar.

Rajat Gupta: Corporate climb, insider info

Man at the centre

Raj Rajaratnam and 25 others have been charged in a sweeping insider-trading case that has allegedly led to $45-85 million in illicit profits. Rajaratnam and others -- including Gupta, Goel and Kumar -- - were accused of conspiring with others to trade based on insider information involving 35 companies, mostly the who's who of technology companies including Intel Corp, Google Inc, Advanced Micro Devices Inc, Clearwire Corp and Akamai Technologies Inc.

With the alleged inside help from these people and others, Rajaratnam built a hedge fund that managed $7-8 billion at its peak in 2008. The US Securities and Exchange Commission has said success was achieved more by guile than by genius.

Rajat Gupta: Corporate climb, insider info

Forbes magazine had described Sri Lanka-born Rajaratnam as the 236th richest American in 2009 with an estimated net worth of $1.8 billion. He was the richest Sri Lankan-born person in the world till 2009.

The others

Rajaratnam allegedly profited from information they got from Robert Moffat, an IBM senior vice president who allegedly provided data about a possible IBM merger with Sun Microsystems that led to a $1 million windfall for Rajaratnam's New Castle Funds. Rajaratnam has also been accused of conspiring with Intel Capital treasury department managing director Rajiv Goel, and Anil Kumar, a director of McKinsey & Co. The alleged offences took place over three years starting in January 2006. Rajaratnam, Goel and Kumar were all of class of 1983 from Wharton business school.

Crackdown

Rajaratnam, 53, was arrested in October 2009. The US agencies charged more than two dozen former hedge fund managers, traders and executives in a probe dating back at least three years. The investigation has been expanded in recent months to include charges against researchers who provide hedge funds with company information. Rajaratnam and five other investors allegedly secured inside information regarding firms including Google, Advanced Micro Devices, and Hilton Hotels.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission said it has filed an insider trading complaint against Rajat K Gupta for tipping Rajaratnam with inside information about the earnings at Goldman Sachs and Procter & Gamble as well as an impending $5 billion investment by Berkshire Hathaway in Goldman. Rajaratnam used the information to trade on behalf of some of Galleon's hedge funds, or shared the information with others at his firm who then traded on it, the commission said.

Rajat Gupta: Corporate climb, insider info

The Fallout

Pressure is now mounting. Former Galleon Group portfolio managers have already pleaded guilty to trading ahead of corporate takeovers based on inside information and agreed to co-operate with the government in its case against Rajaratnam. Galleon's former portfolio manager Adam Smith pleaded guilty to securities fraud and conspiracy to commit securities fraud in a federal court in New York on Wednesday. Prosecutors alleged his trades resulted in $1.3 million in profits. Former trader Michael Cardillo also pleaded guilty to having received and traded on inside information in stocks such as JM Smucker and Procter & Gamble.

Not just Wall Street but the Indian corporate world is watching the unfolding drama in the US courts.

First India-born global CEO

When Rajat Kumar Gupta became the managing director (worldwide) of global consulting and management firm McKinsey in 1994, it made him the first India-born professional to gatecrash into the privileged club of CEOs in the United States.

After joining the firm's New York office in 1973, Kolkata-born Gupta never looked back while climbing the corporate ladder and steered McKinsey till 2003. Gupta now faces allegations of giving the Galleon Group founder insider information on two companies.

Gupta, 63, had his initial education in India. His studied at Modern School, New Delhi, and later got his Bachelor of Technology degree in mechanical engineering from IIT-Delhi. Later, he went to the US for an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Rajat Gupta: Corporate climb, insider info

In his 34-year career in consulting, Gupta served many leading companies on a broad set of topics related to strategy, organisation and operations. He has played a thought leadership role in organisational thinking throughout his career, and led the organisation practice for McKinsey. After leaving the firm, he became a founding partner and the chairman of New Silk Route Partners, a leading Asia-focused growth capital firm founded in 2006 with $1.4 billion under management, focused on the Indian subcontinent, as well as other rapidly growing economies in Asia.

Gupta, who is the chairman of Pan IIT Alumni Board, is very active in many non-profit institutions focused on education, health and development. He took a pivotal role in setting up the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad and continues as the chairman of the executive board and the governing board of ISB. India Inc veterans give much of the credit for the success of ISB to Gupta.

Gupta served on the board of many multinational companies like American Airlines Inc, Genpact Limited, Procter & Gamble and Sberbank. Tapping Gupta's expertise, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan appointed him special adviser on management reform. US investment firm Goldman Sachs brought him as an independent director in November 2006 and he continued on its board till March 2010. He left the boards of Goldman Sachs and Procter & Gamble as the insider-trading case surfaced by that time.

The US media reported in April 2010 that federal prosecutors were investigating Gupta's involvement in providing inside information to Galleon hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam during the financial crisis, specifically about the $5 billion Berkshire Hathaway investment in Goldman Sachs at the height of the financial crisis in 2008.

This week, the Securities and Exchanges Commission (SEC) of the United States filed a complaint against Gupta for tipping Rajaratnam with insider information about the earnings at Goldman Sachs Group and Procter & Gamble. The SEC's division of enforcement said Gupta had learned this confidential information during board calls and in other aspects of his duties on the boards of the two multinationals. Gupta has already denied the charges.

Gupta currently lives in Connecticut, United States, with his wife and four daughters.

Source: Indian Express

04/03/2011

Govt revokes Lalit Modi's passport

Mumbai: The government on Friday revoked the passport of former Indian Premier League chief Lalit Modi. It had done so on the reccomendations of the Enforcement Directorate.

Govt revokes Lalit Modi's passport

TV reports suggest that orders to cancel his passport were issued last night. In an interview to CNN-IBN, Modi said, "It's not fair. I have not received a showcause notice. I am the victim of a political witch hunt."

Saying he is "ready to cooperate with any probe", Modi said, "I don't want to come back to India, as I fear for my security."

Process of repartriating Modi now begins, a TV report suggested. Modi can appeal in local British courts against the repatriation.

Adding to his woes, the Bombay High Court on Friday dismissed an application filed by Modi, seeking confirmation of the interim stay to the proceedings of BCCI's Disciplinary Committee (DC).

The DC was formed last year to look into charges of financial improprieties against Modi during his tenure as IPL Commissioner.

Justice S J Kathawala of the High Court had granted an interim stay to the proceedings of DC on December 25 last year, after Modi approached the Court challenging the continuance of the DC.

BCCI subsequently challenged the interim stay before another bench of the High Court; this petition is still pending. Modi recently moved an application before Justice Kathawala seeking confirmation of the interim stay, which got dismissed today.

But High Court has kept Modi's main suit against DC pending. In this suit, Modi has challenged the very existence of the DC, saying its term expired on September 29 last year and it was not reconstituted.

Source: PTI

04/03/2011

Protests in Tripoli, Interpol issues global alert for Gaddafi

Even as Gaddafi's forces launched fresh air strikes on the rebel-held areas, Interpol issued an Orange Notice against the Libyan leader and 15 others, including members of his family and close associates. US President Barack Obama said Gaddafi has lost legitimacy and must leave office immediately. Meanwhile, the Indian government said that all Indians would be evacuated from the strife-torn region by March 10.

Libyan forces launch fresh air strikes, Obama wants Gaddafi to go

Cairo/Washington/New Delhi: Libyan forces today launched fresh air attacks on rebel-held eastern parts as hundreds of protesters came out on heavily-guarded streets of Tripoli demanding the immediate ouster of Muammar Gaddafi, who faced an Interpol global alert putting restrictions on his travel.

Military jets struck hard on the eastern city of Ajdabiya, but caused no casualties or damage, witnesses were quoted as saying by the media.

In Tripoli, the stronghold of Gaddafi, braving the large presence of gun-totting security personnel and mercenaries, over 1,000 protesters hit the streets in large numbers after Friday prayers, demanding the end of his 41 years rule, chanting "Gaddafi is the enemy of God", witnesses said.

They were tear-gassed and fired upon by the forces loyal to Gaddafi. Media reports said the protesters tore down posters of the Libyan leader and spray-painted walls with graffitis such as: "Down with Gaddafi" and "Tajoura will dig your grave." Reports said security forces resorted to firing tear gas at the protesters to disperse the crowd.

For the first time since the uprising began on February 15, Interpol issued an Orange Notice against 68-year-old Gaddafi and 15 other Libyans, including members of his family and close associates.

The alert is aimed at ensuring that law enforcement agencies in each of the world police bodies in 188-member countries will be able to take all necessary measures to enforce travell ban against the Libyan leader and others.

Libyan forces launch fresh air strikes, Obama wants Gaddafi to go

Gaddafi must leave, says Obama

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has lost legitimacy and must leave office, US President Barack Obama has said and authorised the use of military aircrafts for humanitarian purposes in the strife-torn African nation.

"Muammar Gaddafi has lost legitimacy to lead, and he must leave," Obama said at a White House news conference. The US president said, the "violence must stop... Those who perpetrate violence against the Libyan people will be held accountable... The aspirations of the Libyan people for freedom, democracy and dignity must be met."

"I have approved the use of US military aircraft to help move Egyptians who have fled to the Tunisian border to get back home to Egypt." Tens of thousands of people from many different countries are fleeing Libya.

"We commend the governments of Tunisia and Egypt for their response, even as they go through their own political transitions," he added. Obama said he has also authorised USAID to charter additional civilian aircraft to help people from other countries find their way home.

"We are supporting the efforts of international organisations to evacuate people as well," he said. He has also directed USAID to send humanitarian assistance teams to the Libyan border, so that they can work with the United Nations, NGOs and other international partners inside Libya to address the urgent needs of the Libyan people.

With respect to America's willingness to engage militarily, Obama said he has instructed the Department of Defense, and the State Department to examine is full range of options.

"I don't want us hamstrung. I want us to be making our decisions based on what's going to be best for the Libyan people in consultation with the international community," he said.

"We are doing that not just here in the United States within our own agencies, but we're also doing it in consultation with NATO," he said.

Libyan forces launch fresh air strikes, Obama wants Gaddafi to go

Foreign journalists blocked
Libyan authorities, meanwhile, blocked foreign journalists from leaving the main media hotel in Tripoli to report on any protests, BBC said. It quoted a government spokesman as saying that correspondents were being kept in the hotel for their own protection in case of violence from "al-Qaeda elements".

Control of Tripoli, the strongest remaining bastion of the Libyan leader is crucial for him with most of the eastern half of Libya out of his control in the face of the uprising. Pro-Gaddafi forces have repeatedly used his stronghold to launch operations and bombings to take back territories in the west near Tripoli that have fallen following the uprising in the last two weeks.

The protests today in the capital comes amid more reports of clashes between rebels and pro-Gaddafi forces in strategic cities. Al-Jazzera channel quoted rebels as saying that Libyan forces carried out an air strike near a military base on the western outskirts of Ajdabiya, a town that fell in the hands of the anti-Gaddafi rebels. However, it said there was no casualties or damage.

It also reported skirmishes between Gaddafi loyalists and rebels in Ras Lanuf, the eastern oil port 660 km from the capital and in Az-Zawiyah, 50km west of Tripoli.

Pro-government forces are said to be battling hard to regain control of rebel-held towns close to the capital in a bid to create a buffer zone around Gaddafi's stronghold. According to media reports, at least four people were killed today in heavy clashes between pro-Gaddafi forces and the rebels near an oil compound at Raslanuf.

There were conflicting reports over the control of the strategic Zawiyah, near Tripoli, with claiming that the Libyan army took control from rebel hands. However, opposition forces claimed that they were still in control of the town.

Meanwhile, hundreds of mourners buried victims of clashes between pro-and anti-government forces in the country's east, where the opposition beat back an offensive by forces loyal to Gaddafi. "For the people of Ajdabiya, these men are marytrs to their revolution. And the more of their comrades who are killed, the more they are determined to defeat Muammar Gaddafi," the Al Jazeera said.

Angry mourners chanted slogans, 'The blood of marytrs will not be spilled in vain', 'Gaddafi get out, Libyans don't want you', and 'Gaddafi you're crazy' as they buried the victims of clashes with pro-Gaddafi forces.

Amid the mounting pressure on the Libyan leader, a belligerent Gaddafi has refused to step down as he warned against any foreign intervention, saying it will lead to "a bloody war" in which "thousands of Libyans would die".

"We will not accept (an) American intervention. This will lead to a bloody war and thousands of Libyans will die if America and NATO enter Libya," he said at a public gathering on Wednesday. Libyan fighter jets yesterday pounded rebel-held oil terminal town of Brega, a day after clashes between the two sides left at least 14 people dead in the region.

Libyan forces launch fresh air strikes, Obama wants Gaddafi to go

All Indians to be evacuated from Libya by Mar 10: Govt

India today said it will evacuate all its citizens desirous of leaving strife-torn Libya by March 10.

By tonight, over 9,200 of the 16,000 Indian nationals stranded there would have been evacuated from Libya, Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur said in a statement in the Rajya Sabha.

"We expect to complete the exercise of evacuating all those desirous of leaving Libya by March 10," she said adding around 10 per cent of the Indian citizens may have decided to stay back in the North African country.

In response to members' concerns, the Minister said there is "no cut-off date" for completion of evacuation. To a member's remark that China and Phillippines had completed their evacuation exercise much before India could do so, she said China had not issued any official figure and Phillipines was yet to complete its evacuation process.

To a query, she said the Government was not charging any fare from them. "Indian nationals are not required to pay any money for the repatriation... the cost towards their evacuation is being met by the Government," Kaur said.

She said External Affairs Minister S M Krishna has already talked to his Libyan counterpart on March 2 and "was assured of all possible assistance for the purpose."

The Minister said a passenger ship Scotia Prince will reach Benghazi tomorrow morning after dropping the first batch of 1,188 Indian nationals to Alexandria in Egypt last night. She said passengers dropped by it have already reached Delhi and Mumbai in Air India Special Flights.

Kaur said another passenger ship Red Star One was on its way to Misurata and Sirte to take Indian nationals to Malta from where they would be brought back in special flights from Valletta.

The Minister said an air bridge is being established between Sehba and India from tonight and 2,000 Indians would be evacuated from there in next five days. She said 750 Indian nationals have reached Benghazi from Kufra in Southern Libya by land route and would be picked up by a passenger vessel reaching there.

Kaur said a large number of Indian nationals have crossed the Libyan border into Tunisia and Egypt and are being assisted by the Indian Embassy officials there. Similar help was being provided to Indian citizens who have managed to reach other countries like Malta and Greece.

On the issue of protecting properties of Indians in Libya, Kaur said it was the duty of the host country and India will take up the matter with the government which comes to power there.

Kaur said an IL-76 aircraft has been positioned in Cairo to undertake possible evacuation operations from Libya and a second aircraft is also being kept in readiness.

Two Navy warships - INS Jalashwa and INS Mysore - are also expected to be there by March 8 to assist in evacuation of any Indian who might still be in the coastal towns of Libya. Kaur said only two Indians have lost their lives in accidents in Libya.

The Minister said additional staff has been deployed in Libya and other nearby countries to help in the evacuation operations carried out by the External Affairs Ministry.

Source: PTI

04/03/2011

Protests in Tripoli, Interpol issues global alert for Gaddafi

Libyan forces launch fresh air strikes, Obama wants Gaddafi to go

Military jets struck hard on the eastern city of Ajdabiya, but caused no casualties or damage, witnesses were quoted as saying by the media.

For the first time since the uprising began on February 15, Interpol issued an Orange Notice against 68-year-old Gaddafi and 15 other Libyans, including members of his family and close associates.

Libyan forces launch fresh air strikes, Obama wants Gaddafi to go

Gaddafi must leave, says Obama

With respect to America's willingness to engage militarily, Obama said he has instructed the Department of Defense, and the State Department to examine is full range of options.

"I don't want us hamstrung. I want us to be making our decisions based on what's going to be best for the Libyan people in consultation with the international community," he said.

"We are doing that not just here in the United States within our own agencies, but we're also doing it in consultation with NATO," he said.

Libyan forces launch fresh air strikes, Obama wants Gaddafi to go

It also reported skirmishes between Gaddafi loyalists and rebels in Ras Lanuf, the eastern oil port 660 km from the capital and in Az-Zawiyah, 50km west of Tripoli.

Libyan forces launch fresh air strikes, Obama wants Gaddafi to go

All Indians to be evacuated from Libya by Mar 10: Govt

India today said it will evacuate all its citizens desirous of leaving strife-torn Libya by March 10.

By tonight, over 9,200 of the 16,000 Indian nationals stranded there would have been evacuated from Libya, Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur said in a statement in the Rajya Sabha.

She said External Affairs Minister S M Krishna has already talked to his Libyan counterpart on March 2 and "was assured of all possible assistance for the purpose."

Kaur said another passenger ship Red Star One was on its way to Misurata and Sirte to take Indian nationals to Malta from where they would be brought back in special flights from Valletta.

On the issue of protecting properties of Indians in Libya, Kaur said it was the duty of the host country and India will take up the matter with the government which comes to power there.

Kaur said an IL-76 aircraft has been positioned in Cairo to undertake possible evacuation operations from Libya and a second aircraft is also being kept in readiness.

The Minister said additional staff has been deployed in Libya and other nearby countries to help in the evacuation operations carried out by the External Affairs Ministry.

Source: PTI

03/03/2011

The big fat Congress wedding

30,000 attend wedding of Cong leader Kanwar Singh Tanwar's son with daughter of ex-MLA Jaunapuria

The big fat Congress wedding

New Delhi: A helicopter claimed as a wedding present, 30,000 guests, 100 vegetarian dishes, 2 mammoth pandals that took 1,000 workers nearly 40 days to erect, 12 giant screens to televise the wedding ceremony, and return gifts for guests who came to bless the couple.

The groom and his family couldn't have asked for more during these austere times. But then Lalit Tanwar is no ordinary groom. On Tuesday night, the son of Congress leader Kanwar Singh Tanwar tied the knot with Yogita, daughter of former Sohna MLA Sukhbir Singh Jaunapuria.

With declared assets of more than Rs. 150 crore, Tanwar was the richest candidate during the 2008 Delhi Assembly elections. As son Lalit arrived in a BMW, the giant screens at Jaunapur in Fatehpur Beri came alive, capturing every detail. Both Lalit and his bride Yogita are said to be MBA graduates.

The scale of the wedding left guests stunned. But the father of the groom maintained that it was a "simple" affair. "I got many poor girls married, but no one noticed. True, a Bell 429 helicopter was given, but it was a simple wedding," Tanwar told Newsline.

The big fat Congress wedding

However, DGCA records show the only Bell 429 helicopter in India was delivered to Span Air in November 2010. Its registration code is VT-NKL. A Chennai-based group is in talks to buy another Bell 429 later this year.

When told about this, Tanwar said: "I don't know these details. All I know is that it is a Bell 429 that we have."

There were two pandals -- one for the aam aadmi and the other for VIPs. Nearly 30,000 people went in and out of the two pandals as the feast began. There were nearly 100 dishes -- Thai, Chinese, Indian and Continental -- but all vegetarian. Alcohol and non-vegetarian food was a strict no-no.

Tanwar said the Rs. 33-crore chopper is parked at the Delhi airport, so a silver replica was gifted by the Jaunapurias to the family. "We are not going to construct a helipad. We will use the helicopter as and when required from the airport itself. Many in Delhi have their own aircraft. No one has a helipad," Tanwar said.

Sources said the first trip of the newly wed couple could be to Vaishno Devi. The Tanwars have planned a grand reception at their Asola farmhouse on Thursday, which several celebrities likely to attend. Another reception is planned for March 6 at Hotel Ashok where political heavyweights have been invited. Those who made it to the wedding included Kamal Nath, Ram Vilas Paswan, D P Yadav and Girija Vyas.

Asked about the ostentatious wedding of the son of a party leader, Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president J P Agarwal said: "I am not aware about the wedding expenses. We were not the ones who brought him to the Congress fold. He was initiated into the party by AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh."

The big fat Congress wedding

Here are some of the other most expensive weddings that have already taken place

High-end marriages
Vanisha Mittal and Amit Bhatia

Date: November 18, 2006
Cost: $78 million

The highest ranked in Forbes list of most expensive weddings. Daughter of steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, Vanisha was married to investment banker Amit Bhatia at Vaux le Vicomte, a 17th-century chateau in France, in 2004. The wedding celebrations went on for five days, and included extravagances such as invitations on a 20 page silver book. Bollywood stars like Aishwarya Rai, Akshay Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukherjee and pop star Kylie Minogue were also present at the wedding.

The big fat Congress wedding

Elizabeth Hurley and Arun Nayar

Date: March 2, 2007
Cost: $2.5 million

Hollywood actress Elizabeth Hurley and Indian textile heir Arun Nayar got hitched at a lavish wedding including an eight-day celebration spanning Europe and Asia. The couple was married at Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire, Britain for Hurley's family and friends, then again in Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, India for Nayar's people.

Vikram Chatwal and Priya Sachdev

Date: February 18, 2006
Cost: $20 million

The son of a New York hotelier, Vikram Chatwal married model/actress Priya Sachdev during a 10-day celebration spread across three Indian cities Mumbai, Udaipur, and Delhi. Six hundred guests from 26 countries attended the nuptials, and were flown in on private chartered jets. Guests included Bill Clinton, Naomi Campbell, and P Diddy

Source: The Indian Express & India Syndicate

By R Shankar, India Syndicate, 01/03/2011

The Curious Case of Rizwanur Rehman

The Supreme Court on Tuesday accepted the CBI findings in the Rizwanur Rahman case – that it was not murder, but a case of suicide. We present the peculiar facts of the case and the twists and turns over the years.

The Curious Case of Rizwanur Rehman

People involved

Rizwanur Rahman, 30: A computer instructor working in an institute in Kolkata and had specialised in graphics. He came from a poor middle class family but was well educated.

Priyanka Todi, 23: A student of Rizwanur's and the daughter of industrialist Ashok Todi -- the maker of Lux Cozi branded undergarments and hoisery. Estimated worth: Rs 200 crore.

Pradip Todi: Brother of Ashok Todi.

Anil Sarogi: Brother-in-law of Ashok Todi.

What happened

Rizwanur and Priyanka fell in love and got married on August 18, 2007. Except for a few close friends who were witness to the marriage, Rizwanur and Priyanka kept their wedlock a secret.

Though she got married, Priyanka stayed in her palatial house with her parents and Rizwanur at his small apartment in a largely working-class Muslim neighbourhood.

A few days later, Rizwanur told his brother of the marriage. The Rizwanur family met and decided to bring Priyanka to their house. On August 31, Rizwanur brought Priyanka home and the family sought police protection from the Todis as they were `influential.' Priyanka too signed the letter seeking protection.

She later went on to say that her mind was 'blank' while signing the document. "I was just signing whatever letters Rizwan was telling me to sign. I once told him we shouldn't mention my father, but he said Pappu (Syed Mohiuddin, a family friend) and Rukbanur (elder brother) had insisted that we frame the letters like that and they knew best."

The Curious Case of Rizwanur Rehman

The Todis pull the strings

Rizwanur's family then informed the Todis about the marriage and hell broke loose at the Todis'.

Ashok Todi allegedly told Rizwanur to send Priyanka back home and get out of her life. The hosiery king pulled a few strings as he had top-level contacts in the Kolkata Police. The couple were reportedly summoned several times to the State Police Headquarters at Lalbazar, Kolkata.

In many of these meetings, according to subsequent investigations, Rizwanur was coaxed and threatened. On September 8, the police summoned the graphic designer and told him that he would soon be arrested on charges of abduction if he failed to return Priyanka to the Todis.

Rizwanur tried to buy peace by saying he was ready to convert to Hinduism if that was a pain point for the Todis.

On Sept 8, Rizwanur was summoned again to the police headquarters where he found Priyanka's uncles there. After intense negotiations, where the police officials were seen on the side of the Todis, Rizwanur was forced send Priyanka back home. An agreement was signed by Priyanka's uncles that she would be sent to the Rizwanur's a week later - on Sept 15.

That was the last that Rizwanur saw Priyanka. But on Sept 11, Priyanka spoke to Rizwanur on phone. When the day of her return approached, Rizwanur tried calling Priyanka several times, but every time the phone call was answered by either Ashok Todi or his wife who refused to put the call through to Priyanka.

On September 21, Rahman was found dead lying beside a railway line in Dumdum area, his hands folded over his chest and a deep wound on the back of his head.

After his death, there was turmoil in the locality where he was staying. Rizwanur's mother, brother and elders in the locality accused the Todis of murder and also pointed an accusing finger at the police.

Following these allegations, a delegation of the State Women's Commission met Priyanka to ascertain the facts. She told the Commission that "there was no police pressure on me" and that "no police officer ill-treated me".

The Curious Case of Rizwanur Rehman

The police's moral stance

The police then blundered. Even before the post-mortem results were released, the then Police Commissioner Prasun Mukherjee told the media that Rizwanur's death was a "simple case of suicide". How did he come to that conclusion remains a mystery.

Mukherjee then made a bigger blunder when he told the media that cases of eloping, even by adults, were unacceptable morally. So the police had always intervened in such cases in the past, and would continue to do so in the future. But when he was told that the Supreme Court held exactly an opposite view and wanted the police to provide protection to legal inter-religious marriage, a furious Commissioner stormed out of the press conference.

The media then took up the sensitive case and found that Mukherjee had become the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal with the support of West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and Ashok Todi. It was also established that Mukherjee had met the brother of Ashok Todi a few days after Rizwanur got married, and assured him of all help to separate the couple.

Adding a new twist to the case, the train driver, who first spotted Rizwanur's body beside the tracks, said that he was not hit by the train he was driving.

A probe and a few transfers

Following an uproar, the State government ordered a probe. But on Oct 16, 2007, the High Court ruled that the investigation by the State Government was illegal, and ordered a CBI enquiry.

Another turmoil later, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya said on Oct 17 that all five suspected police officers, including Prasun Mukherjee, and deputy commissioners Gyanwant Singh and Ajay Kumar, who were allegedly involved threatening Rizwanur would be transferred from their current posts with immediate effect.

The case took another twist with allegations surfacing that the Todis and Rizwanur's family had struck a huge financial deal to get the couple separated. However, this was denied, but the family members admitted that they were offered a blank cheque, which they turned down.

The Curious Case of Rizwanur Rehman

The case of the text messages

A month after Rizwanur's death, there was a leak in the media which published the messages allegedly sent by Rizwanur which clearly indicated that he was about to commit suicide.

One message sent to Ashok Todi on Sept 21 read thus: "Papa, there is 10 mins before I kill myself, let me talk to her for the last time."

Five minutes later it was to Vimala Todi, mother of Priyanka: "Mom, I will kill myself in five minutes, please let me talk to her".

But what raised doubts was that both the messages were in Hindi. According to Rukhbanur, his brother was never sent messages in Hindi as he was not conversant with the language. He always texted in English.

Priyanka's 'letter' to Rizwanur's mother

On Nov 6, Kishwar Jehan, mother of Rizwanur, got an official letter from Priyanka which stated: "Priyanka Todi will not return to the house of Rizwanur Rehman. She will stay with her father Ashok Todi at his residence. She is equally shocked after the incident as is Rizwanur's family. Please return her belongings... including saris, greeting cards, personal diaries, photographs, birth certificates, school certificates and others."

Kishwar Jehan replied: "You should have come to meet a mother who lost her son because of the conspiracy hatched by influential police officers and your father. It is a matter of deep regret that you have sent the letter through your advocate. I am hoping that you will come yourself and take these things. It will be very unfortunate if I have to hand them over to an advocate's peon or clerk instead of my daughter-in-law with whom I have no judicial dispute."

The Curious Case of Rizwanur Rehman

Another twist

On February 11, 2009, Arindam Manna, the Government Railway Police officer who started the probe into the death of Rizwanur, was found murdered near a railway track. His body was found with injuries on the left eye, right leg and a deep cut on the throat. He was one of the witnesses in the case.

The family members of Manna claimed that he was murdered. The police recovered his cell phones, but the sim cards were missing.

Subsequently, the Government Railway Police was first entrusted with the investigations, following which the state government ordered a CID probe.

After this, the state instituted a judicial probe by a retired high court judge, which was withdrawn after the CBI probe was ordered by the Calcutta High Court on October 16, 2007.

CBI had in its report concluded that Rizwanur's death was a case of suicide and recommended initiation of abetment to suicide case under Section 306 of the IPC.

The battle in the courts

A single bench on the High Court accepted the CBI findings and ordered initiation of case against the Todis. But on appeal, a division bench rejected the CBI report and ordered a fresh probe into murder charges.

The Todis and the CBI went in appeal to the Supreme Court which, on March 1, 2011, agreed with the findings of the single bench of the Calcutta High Court, upholding the suicide theory.

With the latest verdict, the following persons will be tried for abetment to suicide: Priyanka's father Ashok Todi, her uncle Pradip Todi, maternal uncle Anil Saraogi, three police officers -- former deputy commissioner Ajoy Kumar, ACP Sukanti Chakraborty, sub-inspector Krishnendu Das, and Mohiuddin alias Pappu, who acted as a link between cops and the Todis.

The CBI has already chargesheeted them for non-bailable criminal proceedings. The CBI also recommended departmental proceedings against former Kolkata Police commissioner Prasun Mukherjee and administrative proceedings against former DC Gyanwant Singh.

Source: India Syndicate with inputs from agencies

04/03/2011

Congress leader Arjun Singh passes away

New Delhi: Veteran Congress leader and former Union Minister Arjun Singh, who had served in various capacities including as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, died today. He was 81.

Congress leader Arjun Singh passes away

New Delhi: Veteran Congress leader and former Union Minister Arjun Singh, who had served in various capacities including as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, died today. He was 81.

Admitted to the AIIMS some days ago with chest pain and neuro problems, Singh complained of breathing problem around 1730 hours. He suffered a heart attack and breathed his last around 1815 hours, sources said.

A loyalist of the Gandhi family, Singh was Vice President of the Congress under Rajiv Gandhi in the eighties and was also Governor of Punjab at the height of militancy and was instrumental in the Rajiv-Longowal accord.

Incidentally, Singh was today dropped from the party's highest policy making body Congress Working Committeee today and was made a Permanent Invitee.

Singh leaves wife Saroj Devi, two sons--Ajay Singh, an MLA in Madhya Pradesh and Abhimanyu--and daughter Veena.

Congress leader Arjun Singh passes away

Crafty Congress strategist, Rajiv loyalist

Arjun Singh, who died here Friday, was a wily politician who badly wanted to be prime minister at one time, but who saw his ambitions thwarted by the widow of Rajiv Gandhi, the man to whom he remained loyal through his life.

Of the many hats he wore during his five-decade long political career, he really came into his own when he was the virtual number two in the cabinet of prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao 1991-96.

As the human resource development minister in the Rao cabinet, Singh was not only responsible for launching the National Literacy Mission but also launched a not-so-covert political mission to unseat Rao when the latter was under siege because of the swirling corruption scandals.

At that time, Singh stayed in 3, Race Course Road, that was still not part of the prime minister's official residence, and it became a hotbed of dissident activity before it ran out of steam and support and ended his prime ministerial aspirations.

Congress leader Arjun Singh passes away

But Singh, along with senior colleague Narayan Dutt Tiwari launched a rebel party - Congress (T) - which played spoilsport in the 1996 elections and denied Rao a second innings.

He rejoined the Congress in 1997 after Rao was sidelined in the party. He played a role in prevailing upon Sonia Gandhi to lead the party when it was in a bad shape.

Even though Singh came back to become a minister in the cabinet of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2004, he never reconciled to a party junior as his boss and kept taking decisions that were not in tune with the reformist thinking of the prime minister.

He was dropped, much to his displeasure, from the second United Progressive Alliance (UPA) cabinet in 2009, and there was speculation that he would be made governor.

He never got the job and died an unhappy man who thought he had been denied by the party that he had served loyally all through his life. On the day of his death, Singh was dropped as a member of the newly announced party working committee and made a permanent invitee.

He was known to be a good and firm administrator and was chief minister of Madhya Pradesh and governor of Punjab during challenging times.

Congress leader Arjun Singh passes away

Known for his sharp political intellect, Singh started his legislative innings in Madhya Pradesh in 1957.

He rose to become the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh and continued in the post for almost six years in different tenures.

He was appointed governor of Punjab by former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi during the height of militancy in the state and worked towards the Rajiv-Longawal accord.

Singh's decision as human resource development minister to provide reservations to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in higher education stoked a controversy leading to an agitation by a section of students.

He was the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh when the deadly gas leaked from the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal in 1984.

Singh came to parliament last year to answer charges about his government providing safe passage Warren Anderson, the chief executive officer of Union Carbide, saying he had no role in the episode.

He was working on his autobiography for the past few years which promised to be a tell-tale account of his half-a-century innings in politics.

Source: PTI & IANS

By E Jayakrishnan. India Syndicate, 23/02/2011

JPC on 2G spectrum scam announced; What now?

Make no mistake, the JPC on the 2G scam will put the political spotlight on the UPA govt and its leader Manmohan Singh

2G: PM to announce JPC in House today

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday announced the setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Commitee (JPC) on the 2G Spectrum scam in the Lok Sabha.

Consequent to announcement, a motion for setting up the JPC would be formally moved by Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal. Once it is carried, the motion will be referred to the Rajya Sabha for its approval.

The parties would now utilise the next two days to work out the modalities. The Congress has to make up its mind on the chairman of the panel, besides finalising the terms of reference.

Both sides are in favour of a broader panel so that more parties can be taken on board. Whatever the size, the Lok Sabha would have double the members drawn from the Rajya Sabha in the panel.

As it is, only seven parties -- Congress, BJP, Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, BSP, JD-U and DMK -- are certain to get representation in the committee. Though it is impossible to accommodate all 37 parties which have their representatives in the two Houses, efforts are afoot to get in sizeable groups, particularly the Left Front, which has a combined strength of 24 in the Lok Sabha.

The modalities apart, the formation of the JPC signals an end of one chapter of the ongoing tussle between the UPA government and the Opposition; and the beginning of another.

JPC

But what does the setting up of the JPC portend; and what is that the UPA government fears for it to go into denial mode for so long, which virtually aborted the Winter session of Parliament?

The JPC which is composed of members from both the Houses of Parliament - from the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in a two-third, one-third ratio - is constitutionally a powerful body.

Its "power" comes from its mandate and freedom to question any agency it deems fit to pursue its probe. And, that power extends to even summoning the 'first among equals", the Prime Minister of India. Other than the courts of law, that is not a power any other executive organ enjoys.

Whatever the Prime Minister and the Congress party may put out, it is primarily this power that can lead to potentially, and politically, embarrassing consequences. It is one thing to find a Union Minister wanting or even be economical with the truth; but quite another if the Prime Minister is caught evading his responsibility.

Simply put, while the investigations by the CBI and other agencies go into criminal culpability of the players, the JPC will take it one step further and go into the political culpability. And, that can extend to the Prime Minister.

To cite just one instance. Arun Shourie, the senior journalist and Rajya Sabha MP, has cited an instance where he met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the corridors of Parliament and put him abreast of the "loot going under the Prime Minister's good name" in the 2G spectrum allocation. He even presented the Prime Minister the list of companies who benefitted from the scam under A Raja, the former Union Telecom Minister.

Shourie requested Singh to allow him to meet the Prinical Secretary to the Prime Minister T K A Nair to apprise him of the wrongdoings, and hand over the evidence. The Prime Minister is known to have told him that he would ensure that Nair called Shourie.

But when no overtures from the Principal Secretary even after a month had elapsed, Shourie got in touch with the then CBI chief to hand over the papers and point them to a former bureaucrat in the Telecom minister during Raja's tenure who was ready to be a whistleblower with evidence against Raja and his associates.

Now, this prime ministerial inaction, even after being told of the wrongdoings of his own ministerial colleague, cannot be construed as a criminal act. But in front of the JPC, it can be construed as an act lacking in political courage - a leader who shut his eyes to illegality in the government he presides, choosing the plea of coalition compulsions over political and personal convictions.

The fact that the JPC's proceedings are 'in camera' - confidential - is not protection enough. For two reasons.

One, the JPC can, if it so decides, empower the Chairman or any other designated member to brief the press, as happened in the case of the JPC into "Irregularities in Securities and Banking Transactions".
Even if the JPC decided to formally keep the proceedings confidential, it is almost certain that the members from either side will launch into selective leaks to the media, almost to the point that we are likely to get an over-by-over account of the what took place, if not a ball-by-ball insight.

The media and the public are scheduled for exciting times ahead and soon.

Source: India Syndicate/ Indian Express

By R Shankar, India Syndicate, 03/03/2011

CVC verdict: Another blow to Caesar's wife

The Supreme Court striking down the appointment of Central Vigilance Commissioner PJ Thomas and his subsequent resignation on Thursday is yet another blow for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and a major one for the UPA government.

CVC verdict: Another blow to Caesar's wife

The ruling is likely to put the UPA government on the mat and in a very embarrassing position. Not that it cares, but it will definitely be a major blot on Manmohan Singh's image. This is the third time that the Supreme Court has tweaked at the ears of Singh - the 2G spectrum and the CWG being the earlier occasions.

Like Caesar's wife, Singh should have been above suspicion in the case of Thomas'. In this case, the Prime Minister is personally culpable.

Remember what Singh said during the Congress party's plenary session in December last? "Like Caesar's wife, I should be above suspicion".

The expression is attributed to an incident in Julius Caesar's life. His wife Pompeia Sulla held a festival called Bona Dea in 62 BC -- a festival that paid tribute to 'good goddess'. In this festival, held in Pompeia's house, only women were permitted. But Publius Clodius Pulcher, a naughty, young and ambitious patrician, sneaked in dressed as a woman with an intent to seduce the beautiful wife of Caesar. He was caught, well, pants down, and prosecuted. But during the trial, Caesar never acted or gave evidence against Clodius. The patrician was thus acquitted. But days later, Caesar divorced Pompeia, saying "my wife ought not even to be under suspicion." This gave birth to the expression "Caesar's wife must be above suspicion."

CVC verdict: Another blow to Caesar's wife

In the case of Thomas, Caesar's wife is not above suspicion. Here is why the shadow of doubt is on Manmohan Singh:

The Prime Minister cleared the name of Thomas despite strong objections raised by leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj.

A person who claims that he should be seen to be above suspicion and a Prime Minister who wears a badge of integrity on his sleeves, should have struck out the name of Thomas the moment there was a shadow of doubt. But in not agreeing to it, Singh and the UPA government had displayed arrogance and stupidity.

The government had claimed that when the name of Thomas figured in the list nominees for the post of next CVC, the panel comprising the PM, the Home Minster and Opposition leader in the Lok Sabha was `not aware' that the IAS officer was an accused and that a chargesheet was pending against him in the palmolein import scam.

CVC verdict: Another blow to Caesar's wife

This is what Attorney General G E Vahanvati had argued before the Supreme Court. This is what he had said: "The fact that he (Thomas) was an accused in a pending case was not informed. The fact that the state government gave sanction under Section 120B was also not informed. The only information was the bio-data, which did not include these matters. The committee goes by what is placed before it."

This was clearly a falsehood because of two reasons: Sushma Swaraj had raised objections to the appointment of Thomas. In her words to The Indian Express: "What the government has stated in the Supreme Court is totally wrong. I brought (it) to the notice of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister that a case is pending against him. I specifically mentioned about the palmolein case."

The government had argued that Sushma's objections were not part of the record of the panel's proceedings. But Sushma had an answer. "The Home Minister (P Chidambaram) said he (Thomas) has been exonerated in that case."

The government then came out with a strange argument: That Sushma only wrote `I disagree' on the proceedings of the meeting and did not mention why she disagreed with the name of Thomas. Then for what joy did Sushma write her dissent note?

CVC verdict: Another blow to Caesar's wife

Assuming that the Palmolien case was not discussed and the PM and Home Minister did not know why Sushma wrote those two words, was it not the job of the PM and the Home Minister to find out why the leader of the Opposition did not agree with the name of Thomas? The Supreme Court verdict now nails the lie of the PM and the Home Minister.

The Supreme Court was told that the bio-data of Thomas did not mention the chargesheet against Thomas. How could this have happened? The names are finalised after due diligence by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). This panel, it seems, gave details about the educational qualifications of Thomas but did not mention his criminal liability as an accused in the palmolein import scam pending prosecution for almost 20 years.

Nor did it mention that the Kerala government, in November 1999, had already granted sanction to prosecute Thomas in the case under Section 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC.

Will someone in the DoPT stand up and claim responsibility for this? It is hard to believe that the bio-data was cleared without any reference to the pending case.

CVC verdict: Another blow to Caesar's wife

If the fact regarding the chargesheet was deliberately hidden from the panel, it is the duty of the Home Minister to find out why this was done. But all this has become bunkum considering the fact that the leader of the Opposition did point out to the chargesheet at the panel's meeting.

Assuming that the panel was kept in the dark about the palmolein case, was the government also unaware that Thomas was the telecom secretary when the 2G spectrum scam took place? Were the Prime Minister and Home Minister unaware that the 2G Spectrum case was pending before the Supreme Court and that the CVC will have to deal with it?

It is still a mystery why the PM and HM were bent on appointing Thomas. With Thursday's verdict, Manmohan Singh and Chidambaram owe the nation an explanation.

Source: India Syndicate

CVC gone, now Oppn wants PM, Home Min out

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Workers March to Parliament The massive workers' demonstration is a display of the united will of the working class movement to fight against the neo-liberal and anti-working class policies of the UPA government. The CPI(M) extends its full support to this united... Date: Feb. 23 2011 [More..]	Congratulations to the People of Egypt The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) conveys its warm greetings and congratulations to the people of Egypt and particularly the youth for the brilliant success of their historic 18 day struggle against the despotic ruler Hosni Mubarak, which finally... Date: Feb. 12 2011 [More..]
On S-Band Spectrum Scam The latest decision by the Prime Minister to constitute a two-member committee to "review" the agreement is highly questionable. What is the necessity for a "review" when already the contract has been found to be unjustified and needs... Date: Feb. 11 2011 [More..]	Memo to Election Commission: West Bengal Elections West Bengal's electoral history is unique characterized by abnormally heavy voter turnout underlining the peaceful, free and fair character with massive popular participation under the strictest scrutiny of the EC. A number of times the... Date: Feb. 7 2011 [More..]
People's Upsurge in Egypt The United States, which is notorious for engineering "regime change" in countries that do not act at its behest, should be warned not to interfere with the will of the people of Egypt.The Egyptian people will not accept anything... Date: Feb. 1 2011 [More..]	TMC-Maoist Nexus -- Letter to Home Minister CPI(M) Polit Bureau Member and Rajya Sabha MP, Sitaram Yechury, has in a letter written to the Home Minister, Shri P Chidambaran drawn attention to yet another serious development regarding the Maoist-TMC nexus in West Bengal. The full text of... Date: Feb. 1 2011 [More..]
Confiscate Black Money Stashed in Swiss Bank Accounts Unaccounted and ill-gotten wealth, amassed through tax evasion, money laundering and other illegal means, parked in these Swiss Bank accounts should be directly confiscated by the Union Government from the Swiss Banks. These monies should be... Date: Jan. 21 2011 [More..]	Memo to Election Commission: West Bengal It is well known that of the 333 civilians killed in the three Maoist violence-affected districts in 2009 and 2010, around 230 belonged to the Left parties. In no other Maoist violence-affected state can you find such a large number of civilian... Date: Jan. 21 2011 [More..]
Call for Anti-Price Rise Agitation Conduct a week-long agitation against price rise from February 3rd to 9th. During this week, there will be picketing of central government offices, protest demonstrations, dharnas and rallies. On 9th February, on the last day of the week, there... Date: Jan. 20 2011 [More..]	Polit Bureau Communique The Polit Bureau strongly criticised the UPA government for its refusal to accept a JPC enquiry into the 2G Spectrum affair. Though the minister, A Raja, was forced to resign after the CAG report on the scam, the UPA government continues to... Date: Jan. 16 2011 [More..]

Arjun Singh अर्जुन सिंह

Union Human Resources Development Minister
In office 2004–2009
Preceded by	Murli Manohar Joshi
Succeeded by	Kapil Sibal
Union Human Resources Development Minister
In office 1991–1994

Born	5 November 1930
Died	4 March 2011 (aged 80)
Spouse(s)	Saroj Kumari
Occupation	Politician, former Union Minister

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Last day only, CPIM Polit Bureau CRITICIZED India Incs MNC LPG Mafia Governmnet Head, the Washington Superslave for CVC appointment while the West Bengal CPIM ALIMUDDIN not only defended King sing but CERTIFIED him as HONEST and Innocent. Toady, BJP

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CVC: BJP in a dilemma as PM takes responsibilityAshok Bagriya , CNN-IBN

Updated Mar 04, 2011 at 11:03pm IST

"I disagree" was what Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj had written on the letter appointing Thomas as the CVC, showing her dissent based on the case pending against Thomas in the palmolein oil import scam.

While the Government contended it wasn't aware of all facts, the Opposition was unwilling to buy the argument.

But on Friday, within the BJP, there was a clear split on how to interpret the PM's admission.

Sushma Swaraj tweeted, "I think this is enough. Let matters rest at this and we move forward."

But her other party colleagues weren't as generous.

"This very statement does not absolve the Prime Minister of his moral responsibility," said BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy.

The controversy around appointment of Thomas as CVC is one, which won't die out easily.

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