ADVANI BLASTS PM FOR INDEFENSIBLE DEFENCE OF BRIBERY

19 March 2011

LK ADVANI BLASTS PM FOR INDEFENSIBLE
DEFENCE OF BRIBERY

From R Rajagopalan

NEW DELHI: Bhartiya Janata Party veteran leader Lal Krishna Advani on Saturday blasted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh putting up "indefensible defence" of bribery his Congress Party paid to survive the trust vote in the Lok Sabha in July 2008 in the wake of the WikiLeaks expose by citing the 2009 elections as the answer to the charge.

Ridiculing him for claiming that expose carries same "old charges that were debated, discussed and rejected by the people of India," Advani asks: "Since when has an election victory come to be regarded as exoneration of crimes committed by the victor before his election?"

In his latest blog, he refers to the PM's statement in Parliament on Friday "making a frantic but futile effort to whitewash the biggest scandal that has taken place in independent India – the Cash for Votes Scam,"  and asks him to answer the questions pointed five posers by Opposition leaders Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, particularly since he is the principal beneficiary of succeeding in the confidence vote.

The posers are to expose his lie that a parliamentary inquiry failed to come to any conclusion for want of evidence on three BJP MPs tabling bundles of money given to them just before the trust vote was taken up.

Advani draws the people’s attention to a preposterous thesis Manmohan Singh has propounded in this statement and would like Congressmen to question him about his claim that the people responded to these allegations made on the day of voting with more seats to Congress and less to BJP and Left in the 2009 elections.

"All political analysts will readily accept that the core issue in the 1989 Lok Sabha elections in which Rajiv Gandhi lost to Vishwanath Pratap Singh was the Bofors Guns Scandal. And no one can forget that Rajiv Gandhi who in 1984 had secured an all time record of 415 Lok Sabha seats slumped to just 197 seats in 1989, that is less than half ! 

"After this new thesis put forth by Dr. Manmohan Singh to claim that the people of India have endorsed his brazen bribery shenanigans, does he realise that by the same logic the 1989 verdict of the Lok Sabha would mean that the Indian electorate had pronounced Rajiv Gandhi guilty in the Bofors scandal," Advani asked.

Stressing that there seems "no limits to brazenness" in the PM's stand on buying the MPs for survival of his government, the BJP veteran said two WikiLeaks-based reports published in The Hindu in a single week gravely undermine his position in national politics.

The first report quotes American ambassador Timothy Roemer concluding after meeting then National Security Adviser M K Narayanan that the PM has "great belief" in talks with Pakistan, but he is isolated within his own government and even the NSA did not agree with him.

"I believe that if on issues related with terrorism, like Pakistan and J&K, evaluation were to be made of Indian public opinion, Dr. Manmohan Singh would be discovered isolated not only in his own Government but even among the people," Advani affirmed, pointing out that it was the second report that was a "wikibomb" on the MPs bribed to buy their votes.

He then goes on to quote another BJP veteran and former foreign minister Jaswant Singh from his speech in the Lok Sabha early this week during debate on the budgetary demands of the external affairs ministry, in which he brings out how the UPA government is pursuing the US policy. Here runs the quote:

"Whether it is Pakistan or Afghanistan, our policy is no longer ours. That Pakistan is essential to U.S. policy is a given. You do not have to even debate it. I remember very well, Sir. I was already out of South Block and in the North Block when we had a visitor. I do not know whether I should name him or not.  He was a U.S. official.  His body was that of a body builder.  He came to meet me in the Ministry of Finance. I then told him that I have no anger against you.  But you have greatly misjudged (us). If I had anything to do with the management of India’s policy, I shall never-ever ask the United States of America for anything as far as Pakistan is concerned. This is on record. This, Sir, was not a boast. I was then a representative of India. I appeal to you not to bank on the United States of America because we will find an answer left to ourselves. But you will never find an answer if you try and find answers through the United States of America."

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congress begs for two seats from mamta banerjee

19 March 2011

CONG BEGS 2 SEATS FROM MAMATA

From Our Delhi Bureau

NEW DELHI: The Congress is reconciled to Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee announcing her party candidates unilaterally on Friday, leaving just 64 seats for the Congress, and making the alliance in West Bengal a fait accompli.

Sonia Gandhi's diktat to Congress negotiator Pranab Mukherjee was to go for alliance come what may, no matter even if the party does not get the respectable number of seats in bargain nor does it get the winnable seats the state party leaders want.

Hence, the Congress has swallowed the insult and it is now persuading Mamata to at least give it two seats of Calcutta Port and Garden Reach that had elected the Congress MLAs last time, the party sources said.

However, if she sticks to her resolve not to yield a single seat to Congress in Kolkata, the Congress will press for giving it at least two more seats anywhere else, the sources said.

They said Mukherjee had agreed in principle to the seat share but requested Mamata to delay announcement of candidates until Sonia Gandhi returns from London where she went for giving a Commonwealth lecture as he smelt problem in case of at least two party MPs, both Muslims, threatening to field rebel candidates if she remains adamant in not giving the seats of their choice.

It is to be seen now if Sonia Gandhi is able to prevail upon the party MPs from Malda and Murshidabad not to field rebels, though Mamata smells more such rebels from the Congress camp jumping into the fray that she has told her partymen to take in their stride for not agreeing for some give and take on certain seats.

The Congress was also pushing for a share in power in case the alliance wins the majority but that too was shrugged off by Mamata and yet the Congress leaders involved in the negotiations expect that she will have to fall for a coalition government as they do not expect her Trinamul to get a clear majority on her own.

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EC TRANSFERS ALL KARUNANIDHI PET OFFICIALS

TAMIL NADU DGP 

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EC CRACKS WHIP MASSIVE TRANSFERS IN TAMIL NAD 

In the poll bound Tamil Nadu..the Election Commission has effects mass transfers today..

4 Collectors and 7 IPS senior IPS officers have been shifted

EC ordered shifting of Tamilnadu DGP Letika Saran..the first woman DGP of 

Tamilnadu..In her place Bhola Nath is posted..

DMK strongman and Union Minister MK Alagiri's home turf Madurai has also been 

disturbed by the EC..Madurai Collector and Commissioner of Police are also transferred

Other transfers

-4 District Collectors have been shifted.

They are collectors of Erode, Theni, Madurai (Alagiri's home ground) and Tiruvallur districts

-2 IG 's shifted.-1. IG(SOUTH).Balasubramanian.

.In his place Manjunath is posted  

2. IG (Rural) Sanga Ram Jangid transferred.

.In his place Karan Singha is posted

PRESIDENT OBAMA LETTER TO DR MANMOHAN SINGH FOR BUYING US AIRCRAFTS FOR IAF

THE WHITE HOUSE

   Washington

February 4, 2011

His Excellency

Dr Manmohan Singh

Prime Minister of the 

Republic of India

New Delih 

Dear Mr Prime Minister

On behalf of the American people, it was my sincere pleasure 

to experience such a warm welcome from the people of India during 

my visit last November. Both Micheilie and I would like to thank you 

again for the hospitality show by you, Gursharan and the people

of India I viewed the warm public reception as a clear reflection 

of our nations' strong sense of shared values and kindered democratic 

beliefs that underpin and drive our strategic partnershp.

In the spirit of this friendship I want to underscore the stregegic 

importance the United States attches to the selection of a US proposal 

in India's Medicum Multi Role Combat Aircrat MMRCA competition

The United States Government is offering India two of the mot advanced

multi mission combat aircraft in the world-the Boeign F/A 18IN and the 

Lockheed Martin F 16IN. These aricraft have a demonstrated qualitative 

militaty advantage over any current fourth generation plus aircraft,

without the associated developmental or technical risks and both aircraft 

have an unmatched track record for reliability, resulting in lower

opearting and maintenance costs. The US proposals will dramataically 

enhance India's own aeerospace industrial base and defence capabilities. 

Additionaly you can be confident in the probity and transparency of doing 

business with American Companies.

Let me reassure you that the United States is a willing capable and 

reliable defense partner to India. High technology defense sales are 

increasingly a cornerstone of our strategic partnership. We have broken 

new ground with the advanced systems we are offering India with these 

aricrafts including the operatinally proven US Active Electronically 

Scanned Array AESA radar technology. This type of technology is only

provided to our closest allies and partners. Equipped with tihs technology, 

we are confident both of thees aircraft will exceed the expectations of 

the Idnian Ari Force. We are committed to continuing to offer India superior 

technology, including efforts to jointly develop the finest cutting

edge technologies. I view the MMRCA acquisition as a key step along this path.

During my visit in November 2010we committed to expand our relationship 

in new and ambitious areas giving our peopels a vision of strategic 

partnership that promises decades of close collaboration in the pursuit of 

the shared goals of propsperity and security. Through our recent initiatives 

the United States has demonstrated its committment to India's rise and its global

leadership role. The selection of a US proposal for the MMRCA tender 

will strengthen our partnership launch our defese cooperation on an ambitious

and rewarding trajectroy and provide strategic continuity to our growing relationship.

I am grateful fo our friendshp and I respectfully ask that your 

Government will give its full consideration to the commercial technical 

and strategic merits of the US proposals.

Sincerely

Barak Obama

President of USA

BJP SAYS US EMBASSY TO IDENTIFY BRIBER CONSPIRATORS

18 March 2011

BJP WANTS US EMBASSY OFFICIALS
TO IDENTIFY BRIBE "CONSPIRATORS"

From Our Delhi Bureau

NEW DELHI: The Bhartiya Janata Party on Friday wanted the unnamed American embassy officials witness to the alleged stacking up of cash (in then Congress MP Capt Satish Sharma) for bribing in the 2008 trust vote should be pressed to identify the "conspirators" involved in the act of bribery.

The WikiLeaks expose provides an additional evidence that the conspirators had admitted to these officials that they were involved in the offence of bribery to persuade the MPs to cross vote, Opposition leaders Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj said in a joint statement.

They also asked Dr Manmohan Singh to show repentance, even belatedly, accept moral responsibility and resign as the Prime Minister for the cover-up attempt and the "monumental blunder" of distorting findings of a Lok Sabha committee that probed the "cash-for-vote" charge of three party MPs who had tabled the bribe money on the day of confidence vote on July 22, 2008.

The two BJP leaders said they will bring a privilege motion against the Prime Minister in both the Houses of Parliament for distorting the committee report.

The BJP will also press for a debate in both the Houses on Tuesday, when they meet after the Holi recess, on the issue of the bribery to buy votes of the MPs that has been conclusively established with the WikiLeaks expose or else Parliament will not be allowed to function, they told a Press conference after Parliament was adjourned for the day without transacting any business.

They pointed out that the Lok Sabha committee referred by the PM for probing the bribe charge in 2008 was split 4 against 3 and even the majority opined on the role of the bribe givers and wanted further investigation. They said the PM lied in Parliament that the committee had concluded that "there was insufficient evidence to draw any conclusion of bribery." The committee had identified Sanjeev Saxena who carried money to the three BJP MPs from then Samajwadi Party MP Amar Singh as the bribe giver, the BJP leaders affirmed.

Jaitley said he was not challenging Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari's ruling not allowing members to seek clarifications from the PM after he made a statement on the WikiLeaks revelations, but he was sad that the members' voice was "gagged" misquoting a ruling of April 1987 as a precedent. Then chairman did not allow clarifications on the Bofors kickbacks since he had ruled that questions can be asked in the debate on the Defence Ministry's demands listed very next day, Jaitley said.

The two leaders asserted that the PM and the UPA government were the principal beneficiaries of the cross voting and pointed out that not only the MPs were lured to support the confidence motion of the government but the CBI changed its affidavit in the Supreme Court on the disproportionate assets case against Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav who then announced support to the UPA, revering his party's stand.

They also fired five questions at the Prime Minister, seeking his clarifications, that included why he told the India Today conclave he was unaware of the fact of bribes paid despite the parliamentary inquiry returning the funding of the bribe paid to MPs.

"Why have you tried to conceal the investigation of truth and the punishment of the guilty. Are you guilty of dereliction of duty? Are you guilty of breach of privilege of Parliament in not complying with the recommendations of the Parliamentary committee of Lok Sabha," the joint statement asked.

It went on to ask the PM: "Has it ever weighed on your conscience that you procured a vote of confidence through such dubious means which you have admitted tarnished India's image domestically and internationally?"

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hearsay

March 9, 2011

NEW DELHI POLITICAL SNIPPETS

Thanks

R Rajagopalan

Delhi

President Prathibha Patil has convened three days Governors Conference 

from 10th onwards. She wants women empowerment issue to be discussed.

Also President wants to highlight the success story of  NAREGA. For the first

time President wanted Prime Minster Office to present a power point presentation

to Governors about the Right to Information and Right to Education Acts.

UPA2 may come for a criticism in her opening remarks to the Governors

Conference, as she stepped in the last leg of her tenure in  President Estates

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"How many MPs take serious part in Question Hour, and parliamentary works"

A Study by Rajya Sabha Secretariat of four sessions in 2010 explains that

many MPs do not even attend the Session. If this analysis is made public

according to a senior Official, the faith in Democracy would get shattered.

However, Chairman Rajya Sabha plans to write to leaders of Political Parties

asking them to issue whips to the MPs to attend the house atleast three days

a week. Chairman Hamid Ansari who shifted the question hour from morning

to afternoon is also drawing flak from treasury benches as well as Opposition.

MPs come to House at eleven and leave at noon. For one hour should they 

receive honororium- a lump sum?

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Manoj Yadav is now Staff Officer to Director Intelligence Bureau, who will manage

the top secret files and responsible to run the DIB staff. Manoj Yadav a Meerut

born Haryana cadre IPS of 1988 seniority. Manoj Yadav succeeds Harmeet Singh

who served three Directors of IB as Staff Officer. Harmeet is affectionately called

as "Hardy" is too jovial and quick to gather intelligence. Hardy has now been

appointed as Deputy Director in Delhi unit of IB.

--------------------

In yet another example of the lack of governance in the Kiran Kumar regime,

it turns out that it was the sheer lack of coordination between the chief minister 

and chief secretary S V Prasad that resulted in all state government employees 

including Kiran himself not getting their February salaries. Since the Chief Miniser has

not been taking the advice of the Chief Secretary on several issues, the latter did not 

think it fit to discuss the emergency situation arising out of the non-cooper

ation movement and the need to take steps to disburse the salaries. 

And since the Chief Secretaru did not advise the Chief Minister on the issue, the latter 

also did not take the matter seriously, until all hell broke loose. 

Babus are of the view that Kiran needs to take a crash course in how 

do deal with his officers, especially the head of the bureaucracy with 

whom close coordination is vital for the functioning of the government. 

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SONIA IN LONDON FOR COMMONWEALTH LECTURE

10 March 2011

SONIA IN LONDON NEXT WEEK FOR COMMONWEALTH LECTURE

From Our Delhi Bureau

NEW DELHI: Congress President Sonia Gandhi will be away from Delhi for three days next week to deliver the 14th Commonwealth lecture in London on March 17.

Celebrating this year's Commonwealth Day theme, she will be speaking on 'Women as Agents of Change' and considering how the role of women in society can have a positive impact on social, economic and political progress with Commonwealth countries.

The Commonwealth Lecture is organised by the Commonwealth Foundation in partnership with the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association , the Royal Commonwealth Society and the Royal Over-Seas League.

The Lecture will take place in the historic surroundings of the magnificent, newly restored ballroom at 8 Northumberland, just off Trafalgar Square, says a foundation press release.

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PM TO ACCEPT DMK MINISTERS RESIGNATIONS

AICC tells PM

ACCEPT THE DMK MINISTERS

RESIGNATION LETTERS

By R Rajagopalan

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh

on Monday soon after receiving the letters

of resignations from DMK Ministers

is expected to forward to President Prathibha Patil

for acceptance, according to highly placed

Congress sources.

Sunday afternoon a message was communicated

from AICC to PMO about a policy decision of Congress

to snap its ties with DMK. 

Once this decision  was taken the

natural fall out is to accept the DMK Ministers

resignation from council of Ministers

DMK MPs have been asked to remain chill 

and do not make any provocative statements

against UPA or TNCC. 

Who spoiled the DMK alliance?

Insiders in DMK strongly suspect that it was

Rahul Gandhi on whose instructions Gulam Nabi Azad

abruptly ended his discussions with DMK leaders

on Friday - and rushed to Delhi. And that was the

last straw - 

ends

PARLIAMENT WASHOUT BECAUSE OF POLLS

3 March 2011

PARLIAMENT WASHOUT BECAUSE OF POLLS

From R Rajagopalan

NEW DELHI: Parliament's budget session is being shortened to shut on March 25 after passing the next year's financial business and that too without any indepth scrutiny, thanks to the Assembly elections in five states in April and May.

The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs (CCPA) is expected to take a final decision Friday morning in this respect and make the recommendation as Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal spoke of a consensus among parties to cut short the session.

As a result, there will be no department-wise scrutiny of the demands by the standing committees as the recess for the purpose that was to begin on March 16 goes and instead both the Houses will sit for another seven days to finish of the passage of the railway and union budgets.

There will be no second half of the session fixed from April 4 to 21, but the CCPA will explore if a brief session of two to three weeks can be convened after the election results are out on May 13 to handle a very long list of the government-sponsored Bills that have piled up since the winter session remain blocked. Also being planned is a longish monsoon session in July-August.

Meanwhile, debate on the Railway Budget that was to begin in the Lok Sabha on Thursday remained blocked because of the noisy agitation for Separate Telangana that forced adjournment of the House six times before the chair adjourning for the day at 3.15 pm. The Rajya Sabha was also rocked with the Telangana demand that forced two adjournments and thus a washout of the question hour, but it could start the railway debate in the afternoon.

On a day when the Andhra Pradesh Assembly was shut and a state minister reportedly sent in resignation to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Telengana Rashtra Samiti chief K Chandrasekhar Rao and his colleague Ms M Vijaya Shanthi jumped into the Lok Sabha well as soon as it assembled and got impromptu support with slogans from the BJP members while the Congress MPs from the Telangana region also joined the chorus by rushing to the aisles but not entering the well. The TDP members waved placards from their seats wanting "United Andhra Pradesh."

There were repeated disruptions and adjournments and finally Speaker Meira Kumar gave in after trying to start the railway budget debate. The House was finally adjourned for the day by presiding Francisco Sardinha, who found the two TRS members refusing to go back to their seats and the Congress and the BJP members raising slogans in support of a separate state of Telangana.

The government is concerned if it will be able to push through a proper discussion on the general budget and the railway budget that may have to be passed with just a minimum of discussion, the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry sources said.

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