Indian Holocaust My Father`s Life and Time - SIX HUNDRED SIXTY ONE
Palash Biswas
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Hazare's team wants no questions
Varghese K George, Hindustan Times
Pune , June 17, 2011
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Author's BlogFirst Published: 01:25 IST(17/6/2011)
Last Updated: 02:18 IST(17/6/2011)
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Anna Hazare and his team of Arvind Kejriwal, Shanti and Prashant Bhushan attacked the Centre on Thursday for running away from an "open, transparent" discussion on the lokpal bill.
"Why can't the ministers engage us in a public debate? Why don't they put out their argument?" Kejriwal
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asked
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Union minister Pranab Mukherjee had earlier rejected the proposal, saying such discussions do take place in Parliament and he had no time for TV debates.
While Team Anna is demanding answers, it does not welcome being quizzed. An attempt by Hindustan Times to seek Hazare's explanation on some controversial positions he had taken was stonewalled by Kejriwal, who cancelled a tentatively agreed on interview.
"We do not want Anna to be drawn into any controversy," he said, after HT discussed the questions in writing, as demanded by him.
Kejriwal, who controls access to Hazare, told HT that any interview could only focus on the lokpal bill and nothing else. After HT explained that these questions were necessary to understand Hazare's political personality, the interview was called off.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Hazare-s-team-wants-no-questions/Article1-710336.aspxUnrelenting downpour since Friday morning has brought Kolkata to its knees. Heavy rains coupled with strong winds have resulted in waterlogging in several parts of the city!
I have been writing and speaking about WORLD BANK and IMF Link to CIVIL Society Movement. We have been seeing the shaping up of ARABIAN Spring for some time. In India, JP Movement is already History to make the BASE of LPG Mafia Rule and US Sponsered Democracy Movement which has to Kill Indian Constitution, Constitutional safeguards for the Majority Mulnivasi AWAM, the Excluded Communities subjected to ECONMIC Ethnic Cleansing in the FREE MARHET. Now, in KOLKATA, amidst Heavy Rain, Storm, Water logging and Stranded Lifelines, a senior US diplomat Friday quoting a World Bank report to say that corruption and lack of transparency posed major challenges to Indian companies . Don`t you get the US link Zionist to acomplish the Agenda of Brahaminical Nuclear Manusmriti Rule?Mind you, US Weapon Industry has CRASHED Gates in Indian market. The latest deal, Strengthening the special operations capability of Indian Air Force, four of the six C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft procured from the US under a USD 970-million deal will join the fleet by month end.
Earlier India Incs Super Icon Infosys founder N R Narayana Murthy said,Corruption hurting India's image abroad!
Got you?
Heavy rains today lashed the metropolis and several other parts of West Bengal claiming three lives and flattening several mud-built houses. Gusts of wind accompanied by heavy rains triggered the collapse of the mud-built houses and uprooted trees in almost all of south Bengal districts since last night. One of the casualties occurred in Kolkata when a person was electrocuted and the three others injured near a cinema house in New Market area, the police said. The other casualty was in neighbouring South 24 Parganas district with a fish seller, Premchand, being electrocuted when he came in contact with a wire lying on the road at Bibirhat in the Bishnu police station limits, police said. A man was killed as a wall gave way at Noapara village under Haroa police station in North 24 Parganas district. All low-lying areas of Kolkata were flooded while 137 trees were uprooted disrupting traffic following the rains triggered by a trough over the Bay of Bengal. Waterlogging on tracks in Eastern Railways' Sealdah division affected EMU services. Metro services were also suspended for some time. Fishermen were advised not to venture into the sea till tomorrow noon. High tides are also forecast in coastal areas. Regional Meteorological Centre Director G C Debnath said the deep depression was lying 30 km north northwest of Kolkata at 2:30 pm and was likely to intensify further, resulting in more rains in the next 24 hours.Nevertheless, Indian and Pakistani foreign secretaries will meet June 23-24 in Islamabad, possibly setting the stage for talks between their foreign ministers later this year.
"Two aircraft are already here at the Hindon air base near here and two more would be joining our fleet by the end of this month," IAF officials said here.
The first aircraft was handed over to India by the US Air Force under a USD 970 million deal in mid-December last year and it was inducted into the IAF in February.
The aircraft will considerably enhance IAF's special missions capability and will also be used for transporting men and material, they said.
In 2008, India had purchased the aircraft under the US government's Foreign Military Sales route that includes an offset clause under which the firm will invest 30 per cent of the deal amount back in Indian defence industry.
The aircraft would also be pressed into service for transporting special forces from the capital to other places in the country in case need arises and reduce their response time as well.
The US government had offered a unique C-130J configuration for special mission roles and these will be the first uniquely configured aircraft in the IAF fleet for its special operations.
The aircraft will be able to perform precision low- level flying and landing in blackout conditions.
Special features are included to ensure aircraft survivability in hostile air defence environment.
In addition, these aircraft will have refuelling probes, advance radar warning receivers and counter measure dispensing system for extended range and additional safety.
India is also planning to place orders for six more similar aircraft and likely to send a Letter of Request to the US Government in this regard in near future.
"As the Indian government itself acknowledges, growth presents its own challenges... Other challenges mentioned by Indian and other companies include corruption and lack of transparency.
"India ranks 134 out of 183 countries on the World Bank's index of 'Ease of Doing Business'. I am confident that Indian policy makers and business together will overcome the challenges to unleash even greater growth to benefit all," said Robert Blake , the Junior Assistant Secretary of State Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs.
The diplomat said that once the massive infrastructure upgrade that India had embarked upon was completed, it would vastly lower the transaction and time costs of doing business.
Blake, who was here to take part in a programme on India-US business links organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry ( CII )), said that the growth of the Indian economy had largely benefited the US.
At a time when the country is grappling with a spate of scams, Infosys founder N R Narayana Murthy has said that corruption issues has taken a toll on India's goodwill abroad.
"... the goodwill for India that exists a couple of years ago, has gotten diminished now. There is no doubt. It is absolutely clear," Murthy said in response to a question on whether issues of corruption are damaging India's reputation abroad.
In an interview to a television channel, Murthy, who would step down as Infosys Chairman later this year, said "there is no doubt" that India's good will has come down globally due to corruption issues.
"... I meet on an average about 30-40 new people every month and and out of that I would say at least about a third have spoken to me on that, in other words about 10-12 people every month," Murthy, a well reputed business leader, said.
Stressing that he was not criticising the country, Murthy said that these are "the facts that I have received from outside people. These are not my words or my perceptions".
Murthy's comments come at a time when there are rising concerns about corruption issues adversely impacting India's business environment.
In recent times, a spate of scams, including those related to 2G spectrum allocation and Commonwealth Games, have come to light.
On the handling of the Lokpal issue, Murthy said the Government could have done a better job in dealing with the civil society demands.
"... for the UPA to kind of put themselves in such a situation is sad.
"I personally feel that a party led by somebody of the stature of Sonia Gandhi, or a coalition led by somebody extraordinary like Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh and Pranab Mukherjee who is another fantastic minister, I personally feel they could have done a much better job in dealing with the demands of the civil society," he noted.
Murthy said that what civil society is asking for is something good for the country. "All that they are saying is that no one should be above the law," he added.
98 kg gold, Rs 12 crore cash found in Sathya Sai Baba's chamber
HYDERABAD: Around Rs 12 crore in cash and nearly 100 kg of gold were found from Yajur Mandir , the personal chamber of late spiritual guru Sathya Sai Baba, at Prashanti Nilayam in Puttaparthi of Anantapur district , a trust official said.
A day after the Sathya Sai Central Trust opened the locks of Yajur Mandir, trust member and Baba's nephew R.J. Ratnakar Friday evening announced details of the cash and valuables found inside.
He told reporters at Puttaparthi that they found Rs 11.56 crore, 98 kg gold and 307 kg silver. Ratnakar said the cash would be deposited with State Bank of India (SBI).
Some bank officials and about 15 disciples of Baba, in the presence of trust members, have since Thursday counted the cash and valued the gold jewellery.
Ratnakar, however, denied that they found any will of Baba. He also evaded queries if the trust found any documents about Baba's personal caregiver Satyajit. There are speculations that the spiritual guru wanted Satyajit to be a member of the powerful trust.
Yajur Mandir, also known as Yajurveda Mandir, had remained closed ever since Sathya Sai Baba was hospitalised March 28 with multi-organ dysfunction. He died April 24.
The trust, which manages the huge spiritual empire led by Baba, owns assets in Puttaparthi, Bangalore, Hyderabad and other cities.
Joshi to present 2G scam report to new PAC
New Delhi" Public Accounts Committee chairman Murli Manohar Joshi on Friday said Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar had given "no reason" for returning the committee's report on 2G scam and maintained that the document would now be presented to the new parliamentary panel to decide its fate.
Asked if the Speaker had cited any reasons for returning the report submitted by him, Joshi said, "No reason was given."
He refused to speak further on the communication he received from the Speaker along with the report, saying the details will come out when the matter comes up before the new PAC.
Joshi, who is also the chairperson of the new PAC that came into existence on May 1, 2011, said it was not the end of the matter as far as the report is concerned. "The 2G report which has been returned by the Speaker will be kept in front of the new PAC and it will then decide what should be done," Joshi said.
He was non-committal on whether the committee would opt for resorting to voting to decide the next course of action.
Joshi still insisted that it was a "PAC report" and not just his report. He, however, maintained that what should be done with the report was the "prerogative of the Speaker" and she had chosen to return it.
Source: PTI
Adarsh plot never reserved for war heroes: Deshmukh
Mumbai: Union Minister for Rural Development and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh today said the Adarsh Society land belonged to the state and was never reserved for defence personnel or Kargil war heroes.
In an affidavit filed before the two-member Adarsh Commission, set up to probe irregularities in scam-tainted Adarsh Society, Deshmukh said, "The records maintained with the office of the Collector of Mumbai clearly show that the land belonged to the state government. The ownership of the land was never an issue at any stage so far I am concerned."
Deshmukh further said that there was no reservation on the Adarsh Society land for housing of Defence personnel or Kargil war heroes either under the Development Plan for Greater Mumbai or under any of the policies of the state government.
Deshmukh's statement is similar to that of Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, who filed an affidavit in this regard last week. Referring to allegations levelled by activist Santosh Daundkar in an affidavit before the Commission, the former Chief Minister denied that he had continuously kept meeting one of the promoters of Adarsh Society, Kanaihyalal Gidwani.
"I deny that it was on the insistence of Gidwani that the Revenue department was asked to put up the case of allotment of land to Adarsh," Deshmukh said in a 15-page affidavit.
Adarsh had made several requests for allotment of land to various Ministers/Chief Ministers from time to time, he said, adding that on a request made to him he merely endorsed "please call for the proposal and put up", which he claimed was a routine noting.
The application made by Adarsh clearly mentioned that the land was in the possession of military authorities.
Assessing comparative merits of multiple aspirants is not the function of the Chief Minister, Deshmukh said, adding that these issued had to be examined at the level of the Collector. "The suggestion that I ordered the allotment of land to Adarsh in an irregular and/or improper manner to favour Gidwani is fully mischievous," he said.
Gidwani was a Shiv Sena MLC and he (Deshmukh) was the Chief Minister at the relevant time and may have met Gidwani, said Deshmukh, who filed affidavit through his advocate. The mischievous attempt of Daundkar to read into these meetings anything improper is unfortunate and denied, he said.
To a query by Adarsh Commission whether any person who is not eligible to become a member of the Society but was approved to be made a member, Deshmukh replied, "I approved the proposal to relax the domicile norm/condition in the case of Generals Vij and Kapoor. This decision was fully justified and fitting considering their eminence and distinguished services to the nation."
He further said the deletion of reservation on the plot reserved for the BEST and its conversion to residential purposes for allotment to Adarsh was in accordance with law and proper.
This was done following the due process of law. Public interest and that of the BEST was also duly protected, Deshmukh said, adding that he too had acted in bonafide interest.
"Neither was any loss caused to exchequer nor any favour shown to Adarsh society. Adarsh in fact paid Rs 6.40 crore for acquiring rights in respect of the said plot," Deshmukh affirmed.
Deshmukh is facing allegations of approving a proposal for granting additional FSI to Adarsh by changing reservation of adjacent BEST depot to residential type.
In the affidavit, Deshmukh said the allotment of adjoining land to Adarsh was subject to various conditions.
One of the conditions was that since the land was subject to a reservation for a BEST depot, this reservation ought to be changed to residential. Only thereafter could the FSI of the plot be released or made available.
"The reservation was changed for good reason and by following the procedure prescribed under MRTP and issuing a notification in 2006. Interests of BEST was protected and access rights of BEST over the land were preserved. BEST has not raised objection in the last six years and public interest has not been compromised and no loss caused to exchequer," Deshmukh said.
Source: PTI
550 fishermen missing in Bay of Bengal
Kolkata: As many as 550 fishermen in 33 trawlers went missing in the Bay of Bengal on Friday in rough weather due to heavy rains triggered by a depression, prompting a search by a Coastguard ship and a Dornier aircraft.
The trawlers had set sail from Kakdwip and adjacent areas in South 24-Parganas district on Thursday and were reported missing in heavy rains following the depression lying 80 km east of Kolkata, said the District Magistrate N S Nigam.
A Coastguard ship and a Dornier aircraft were despatched to trace the trawlers but the search was being; "hindered by low-level high speed air circulation and low clouds", Defence sources said.
Nigam said he had earlier alerted the Coastguard and that the Navy has been approached to locate the missing fishermen. He said the trawlers could have drifted towards Bangladesh. The West Bengal administration has contacted the Bangladesh deputy high commissioner here to help in the rescue operations, he said.
The naval officer-in-charge of West Bengal was also assisting in the search operation, the sources said.
Source: PTI
Posco land takeover to resume Saturday, protest intensifies
Bhubaneswar: The protest against Posco steel plant in Orissa intensified Friday as authorities set to resume land acquisition for its $12 billion project from Saturday.
The villagers, including women and children, continued their demonstration at troubled Govindpur village in coastal Jagatsinghpur district to prevent entry of officials to the site.
"More than 2,000 villagers created a human barricade," Prasant Paikray, anti-Posco agitation leader, told IANS. The protest will continue till the government withdraws the project from the area, he added.
He also accused the officials of forcibly acquiring lands from the villagers. The movement against the project has received a boost with political parties extending their support to the villagers.
Protesting the forcible land acquisition, hundreds of activists of the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), the Forward Bloc, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Samajwadi Party and Ekta Parishad staged a demonstration in Bhubaneswar Friday against the project.
The state's main opposition Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also said they will send their senior leaders to the area to make an assessment of the ground situation.
While the Congress has planned to send a team Saturday, a BJP team led by its state vice president Bimbadhar Kunar will visit the area Sunday. The land acquisition was earlier stopped for four days due to a local festival.
"We were preparing to resume the land acquisition today (Friday), but had to cancel it due to rains," Additional District Magistrate S.K. Chaudhuri told IANS. "If the weather remains conducive, we will start the process again from tomorrow (Saturday)," he said.
Posco has planned to built a 12 million tonnes steel plant - the largest foreign investment in India - near the port town of Paradip, about 120 km from here. The company requires about 4,004 acres of land for the project, of which 2,900 acres is forest land. The local administration said it has already acquired nearly half of the land required for the project.
Source: IANS
'India likely to be largest economy by 2050'
Kolkata: U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Robert O. Blake on Friday said the future of Indian economy seems very bright and the country is likely to become the world's third largest economy by 2030, and the largest by 2050.
He added, "The incredible growth of India's economy has resulted in positive spill-over effect for the U.S. between 2002-2009, U.S. goods exports to India quadrupled, growing from $4.1 billion to more than $16.4 billion in 2009."
"U.S. services exports to India more than tripled from $3.2 billion to $9.9 billion during the period," he said.
Last year, U.S.-India trade in goods broke a record with U.S. exports increasing by 17 per cent and U.S. imports from India rising by 40 per cent, he said during a seminar, 'West Bengal and Beyond: U.S.-India business links and prospects" in Kolkata.
"This surge of nearly 30 per cent to a high of $48.8 billion in goods trade moved India up two notches to become our 12th largest goods trading partner. This positive trend continues, with two-way trade up 19 per cent in the first quarter of 2011, over the same period last year," he said.
Blake said U.S. trade with India was very much a two-way exchange with mutual benefits to both the countries. "Robust two-way trade means citizens from Kolkata to Kansas will see the benefits of our trade agreement," he said.
Blake added that India is also a growing source of foreign direct investment into the U.S. "The total stock of FDI from India stood at almost $5.5 billion at the end of 2009. It has grown at a compound annual growth rate of 35 per cent during 2004-2009, making India the seventh fastest-growing source of investment in U.S."
Indian companies invest heavily in many U.S. industries such as energy and IT, he said, adding that "We expect their investments to increase."
Blake added the Indian market offers tremendous opportunity to U.S. exporters of goods and services. "India has a market of 1.2 billion of world's consumers," he said.
He said U.S. companies wanted to provide the goods and services needed to upgrade and build India's railroads, airports, power plants and fibre optic cables.
He added, "India will need to invest $143 billion in healthcare, $392 billion in transportation infrastructure and $1.25 trillion in energy production by 2030, to support its rapidly expanding population."
Quoting a McKinsey report, he said in 2030, the country would have 68 different cities housing one million plus people each. "India will have to construct as much as 900 million square metres of commercial and residential space each year to keep pace with growing demand," he said.
Blake added that India's military and civil aviation modernisations, priced at around $35 billion, are already slated for some of the world's largest purchases in the next decade.
Source: PTI
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The role of Indian civil society: ensuring State accountability.
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Kolkata, June 17 (IBNS) India's market offers tremendous opportunity to U.S. exporters of goods and services, said a senior US diplomat on Friday.
US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O Blake Jr at a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) function here said India has a market of 1.2 billion of the world's consumers.
"These consumers have growing aspirations, and the disposable income to act on their aspirations. This is a powerful combination," Blake said.
"The limitless potential for e-commerce, social media, and endless other business ideas that will arise from enhanced connectivity is staggering," he said
He said according to a recent Wall Street Journal article, the current internet penetration in India is in the range of only 80-100 million, less than 10 percent of the population.
"With the advent of 3G and the ability of more Indians to go online with their mobile phones, the world of internet access will be completely transformed. Imagine more than half a billion—and growing—people chatting, Tweeting, connecting and innovating from their phones!" he said.
"Over the last few years of traveling in and out of India, I have seen first-hand how your infrastructure has grown to accommodate a burgeoning, more prosperous country, like the new airports that now welcome visitors at many of India's largest cities.
"According to McKinsey Global Institute, 80 percent of the India of 2030 has yet to be built."
He said the U.S. companies want to provide the goods and services needed to upgrade and build India's railroads, airports, power plants, and fiber optic cables.
India will need to invest $143 billion in health care, $392 billion in transportation infrastructure, and $1.25 trillion in energy production by 2030 to support its rapidly expanding population, he said.
He said according to another McKinsey report, India's Urban Awakening, in 2030, India will have 68 different cities housing one million plus people each.
India will have to construct as much as 900 million square meters of commercial and residential space each year, to keep pace with demand. India must also pave 2.5 billion square meters of roads, and tunnel 4,600 miles of subways and metros.
Blake said representing yet another significant opportunity, India's military and civil aviation modernizations – priced at around $35 billion -- are already slated for some of the world's largest purchases in the next decade.
The Cabinet Committee on Security's approval of the purchase of C-17s from the U.S. is just a sample of the sales that we expect will occur over the next several years, he said.
Change historic, we await your FDI wish list: Tokyo to Kolkata
Subrata Nagchoudhury
Tags : Mamata Banerjee, Robert Blake, Mitsuo Kawaguchi
Posted: Fri Jun 17 2011, 00:15 hrs
Kolkata:
In what could be the first substantive breakthrough in attracting FDI for the Mamata Banerjee government, the Japanese government has urged West Bengal to send an "investment promotion mission" of government and industry leaders to Tokyo with a list of projects for FDI.
In fact, the change of political guard in the state after 34 years was boldly underlined by Japanese Ambassador Akitaka Saiki who visited the state early this month and met Banerjee and Finance Minister Amit Mitra. Speaking at a subsequent dinner, he said: "Japan as a country has welcomed the historic change in Bengal and the number of Japanese businesses and level of investments should be increasing rapidly in West Bengal. The Japanese business community has found in the historic verdict in West Bengal a positive signal of increased investment opportunities."
As for government-to-government assistance, he said: "We are ready. We are waiting for the proposals to come for investments."
This invite from Tokyo comes on the eve of the first industry-government interface to be held tomorrow where Chief Minister Banerjee will outline the state's industrial priorities and policies.
A day ahead, Robert Blake, US Assistant Secretary of State, South and Central Asian Affairs, will address the CII on "US and Eastern India Change historic, we await your FDI wish list: Tokyo to Kolkata — A Win Win Partnership."
Speaking to The Indian Express, Japanese Consul General Mitsuo Kawaguchi said that after Akitaka Saiki's visit to Kolkata, Tokyo is waiting for sector-specific proposals from the state government.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/change-historic-we-await-your-fdi-wish-list-tokyo-to-kolkata/804880/
Mamata Banerjee takes away 'starvation death' files
Suman Chakraborti, TNN Jun 16, 2011, 01.26am IST
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Mamata Banerjee
KOLKATA: Are the recent deaths in West Midnapore's Tunlasole a repeat of Amlasole? Food department officials deny starvation deaths. But that is not enough for chief minister Mamata Banerjee. The CM took the files with her while leaving Khadya Bhavan on Wednesday.
The district food controller submitted a report following an enquiry stating that the family of Dukhu Sabar (72) drew the weekly rations on a regular basis. Dukhu took his meal the day he died and it was concluded that it was not a starvation death case.
In another case of an alleged starvation death, the enquiry found that one Ram Chandra Soren of Belpahari block died on Monday due to old age and not from starvation. His family was enjoying tribal pension and there was no scarcity of food in the family, the report states.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-06-16/kolkata/29664762_1_starvation-death-food-grain-food-distribution
Not holding government to ransom with fasts, says Bhushan
The government is not being held to ransom with fasts , an activist and civil society member of the Lokpal bill drafting panel said Friday, adding that they are ready for talks.
"This is not about holding the government to ransom with fasts. If the government wants to talk about anything that is being disagreed upon, we would definitely like to talk to them," Prashant Bhushan , lawyer and member of the Lokpal bill drafting committee, told media on Friday.
His statement comes a day after Gandhian Anna Hazare announced he would go on indefinite fast from Aug 16 following the open disagreements in the talks between the government and the civil society representatives.
After six rounds of talks (the civil society boycotted the June 6 meeting), Hazare accused the government of cheating the civil society that has campaigned for a strong Lokpal, or Ombudsman, while ministers accused the anti-corruption crusader of trying to set up "a parallel government".
"You cannot crate a parallel government outside the government which controls every activity which relates to the government," Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal , one of the five ministers on the panel on Lokpal bill drafting, said Thursday.
Bhushan Friday said:"We are not making a parallel government. We are just putting pressure on the government on something that the people of India want".
Both the sides have left the issue on the hope that the bill, as they mutually agreed, will be presented in parliament June 30.
"We find fast as an effective way right now. Hunger strike will be continued. Let's see if it works or not," added Bhushan.
After Hazare's April 5-9 hunger strike, which evoked wide public support across India, the government set up a 10-member panel - with five representatives each from both sides - to draft an effective Lokpal bill to curb corruption in high places.
The government does not agree with the civil society members' demands that the prime minister and the higher judiciary should be brought within the ambit of the Lokpal.
There are also fundamental differences about the structure of the Lokpal institution and how it should function.
17 JUN, 2011, 04.52PM IST,ET BUREAU
India yet to decide its support on IMF candidate
NEW DELHI: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said India is still to arrive at a decision regarding its choice for next managing director of the International Monetary Fund.
"There are two candidates left. I am in touch with some of my counterparts and our executive director is in constant touch with executive directors of different countries. We will announce our decision at an appropriate time," he said on the sidelines of an Assocham event on Friday.
The two candidates in the fray are French Economy Minister Christine Lagarde and Mexican central bank Governor Agustin Carstens. Both the candidates visited India last week to seek support for their candidacy. Backed by Europe, Lagarde has emerged as the front-runner for the top IMF post.
The new IMF chief is to be elected before June 30. India has a voting quota of 2.34% in the IMF, which has 187 countries as members. The US is the largest shareholder in the multilateral lending agency, with a 16.8 % quota.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/india-yet-to-decide-its-support-on-imf-candidate/articleshow/8889758.cms
CBI seeks death penalty for 3 in Bilkis Bano case
MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court has admitted an appeal filed by CBI seeking death penalty for three convicts for the gang rape of Bilkis Bano and murder of her family members in the aftermath of March 2002 Godhra riots.
CBI's appeal sought enhancement of punishment for Jaswantbai Nai, Govindbhai Nai and Radhesham Shah alias Lala Vakil who were convicted to life imprisonment in January 2008 by a Mumbai court.
Admitting the appeal, Justice N H Patil and Justice Mridula Bhatkar observed, "prima facie we are satisfied that the appeal deserves to be admitted".
CBI argued that the crime of multiple murders and rape was planned and executed by the convicts. Govind had raped Bilkis in Gujarat despite her pleas that she be spared as she was pregnant.
Additional Public Prosecutor Poornima Kantharia argued that Bilkis had specifically mentioned the role of the three convicts in her evidence.
The convicts, however, argued that there were discrepancies in the evidence and the prosecution has mainly relied on evidence given by Bilkis to rope them in the crime.
Defence lawyer Harshad Ponda said the evidence of Bilkis should not be believed.
Hearing a plea made by Biliks, the Supreme Court had ordered retrial of the case in a court at Mumbai.
India loses $16 bn per year to corruption: Bedi
CHICAGO: India loses a whopping $ 16 billion a year due to corruption, IPS officer-turned social activist Kiran Bedi has said.
Speaking at an event here organised by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs , she said, "out of every Rs 100 meant for infrastructure development, only Rs 16 is used and Rs 84 is lost."
She said that if India is free of corruption, it could become the most developed country in the world and all its debt would go away.
"I would like to see Indians in America collectively raising a voice because it is our future," said Bedi, who is associated with social activist Anna Hazare's anti-corruption campiagn.
Speaking about the Lokpal Bill, Bedi said corruption has increased because there was no system to check it and there was no system in place to handle the negative aspects of positive growth.
"It is only in the last two months thanks to the Supreme Court that key players and politicians went to jail for the first time and have not been bailed out till now," Bedi said.
She also spoke at the India Against Corruption event held at the Gayatri Shaktipeeth.
"Scams have increased over the years and the number of recorded scams have also increased," she said, adding that records show that there are no commensurate punishment for such scams.
Bedi said that she needed the support of Non-Resident Indians to give the movement an additional momentum.
"We can also try to weed out corruption if we allocate even 0.5 per cent of budget for anti-corruption," Bedi added.
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