Promises To Keep

This year, will the PM make the Independence Day speech citizens want to hear?

By : Kiran Bedi

 

 

         Mr Prime Minister, allow me to present you with a draft of your Independence Day speech that this country is eager to hear :

         

         My fellow Indians, i stand here today, on this day of immense patriotism, to ask for redemption. I know that events that have unfolded before us over the last several months do not make any of us proud or indeed happy about our moral compass as a nation that stands shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the world. And while i may be guilty as charged by some of you on not speaking enough about these matters in the past, i do so now with the utmost conviction. 

      First, please allow me the privilege of highlighting some of our achievements since i last spoke to you from the ramparts of this historic monument.

      One, as a result of our social and economic policies, we lifted tens of millions of people above the poverty line.
      Two, as a nation we achieved a world leading growth rate of over 8%.
     Three, FDI inflows reached record levels and major sectors were deregulated further to allow for better productivity and job creation. 

      Four, tele-density, electricitydensity and broadband penetration rose significantly to reach even the remotest areas. Five, as a member of the G20 and the WTO, we increased our leverage with other powers by negotiating significant trade and nuclear agreements for ourselves. Six, women and dalits now form more than a third of our elected representatives, thereby ensuring that their voice is amply heard.        

             
          While i could go on with the complete list which is quite long given what we can and have accomplished as a nation, i know most of you are concerned that we might wither away the advantage we have come to enjoy because of these very accomplishments.

    

     As i stand before you today, my fellow countrymen, i feel the pain in your hearts and the wariness of your spirits. Unfortunately, the list of scam-tainted issues is also long. These events have cast such a cloud of aspersion on our achievements as a great nation that they have thrown into doubt even the relevance and sanctity of some of our finest democratic institutions. 

    

       I am not here to either defend the government or to lay blame at someone else’s door. We have had many occasions to do so and will continue to have many more. 

      I am here to ask you for one more chance at redeeming your faith and trust in these very same institutions as well as newer ones that we intend to create in order to lead our country to its rightful place in the world. While the errors of omission and commission are best left to the investigative agencies and the judiciary to evaluate and act on, i wish to outline my plan for the next 600 days. 

 

                     One, we will enact a strong and airtight anti-corruption law, which includes effective whistleblower protection and swift justice, that will weed out this menace that afflicts our country. I am painfully aware that this menace has touched each and every one of you in some form. Ours is a democracy of the people and i will ensure that we are proud of what we collectively put out. I will ensure that my office is included in the purview of such a law for i must lead by example. As should every member of every public service in this country of ours.  

     Two, my team shall be available to you via public forums, including the internet, to listen to your feedback and grievances. 

   Three, i shall ensure coordination, due deliberation and timebound decisions amongst all members of my cabinet with full accountability and transparency. All decisions shall stand the test of fairness and professionalism. The common man’s interest shall be the end goal and this intent will never be suspect. 

    Four, to improve governance standards, i have instructed all ministers and bureaucrats to make at least two field visits, one announced and the other unannounced, to their respective constituencies – schools, hospitals, public services, offices, police stations, ration offices, Railways, post and telegraph, passport and the like – to ensure their smooth functioning.  

    Five, my office will review the service delivery mechanisms of each ministry on a quarterly basis to ensure that these are kept honest and efficient. 

    Six, our borders are secure because our defence forces and i will ensure that our safety, security, sovereignty and freedom to live, as we desire, are not compromised in any fashion. Seven, i am thankful to our free although not always fair media for their constant hawk eye on us. I am sure they will be equal partners in the enormous tasks that lie before us. 

    We are a nation of high accomplishments. We have many more milestones to reach. We may not have put a man on the moon yet but we certainly made a woman capable of going to space. And let us each do our part on this road to collective excellence. Let us resolve that you too shall fully comply with the law of our land and deliver on your citizen responsibilities. 

    My fellow countrymen, it is time to reclaim our destiny. And we do not have a moment to waste. I am conscious that my seeking redemption may be construed as admission of poor performance. So be it. I am willing to face your vote of confidence. I am confident that with your renewed trust we shall win together as a nation.

Jai Hind...!!!!

The writer is a former IPS officer and a social activist.

 

A battle we must not lose

 By - Pritish Nandy

                      Forget Anna Hazare. The Jan Lokpal movement can go to hell for all I care. Let us just look at the issues over which the battle between the Government and us citizens is being fought. And then let’s decide where we want to stand, each one of us, on the issue of corruption.

                  The first question is : Do corruption and bribery hurt you? If they do, do you want a solution? If your answer is yes to both, do you think such a solution lies with an independent authority? Or do you think a corrupt Government can fight corruption on its own, and within its own ranks? If your answer is no to that, then we need to create an independent institution to fight corruption. Right? Well, that’s precisely what Anna is asking for. He is asking for a Lokpal that the Government cannot influence nor manipulate. This is the first battle.
        
                     The second battle is over four things.
One : Should the Prime Minister come under the purview of the Lokpal? Almost everyone I know thinks he should. A honest Prime Minister wouldn’t care. A dishonest one must be supervised. Or else, we will have cases like Bofors that will never ever be resolved.
Two : Should Members of Parliament come under the Lokpal? I have not met a single person till date who thinks that our MPs are so honest that they need not be supervised. My guess is if a referendum is ever taken, Anna will get a 100% yes to this question, given what people think of our politicians and the standards of probity in public life.
The third question is even more obvious : Do all public servants need to come under the Lokpal? My guess is India’s answer will be yes, yes, yes. Every day, in every area of our life and work, we are constantly harassed, intimidated and extorted by corrupt Government officers. The poorer you are, the worse is the torture. So yes, every public servant, every Government officer must come under the Lokpal.
Question four : Who should give permission to file an FIR against a corrupt judge? If the Lokpal can look into corruption charges against the PM, the MPs and Government servants, isn’t it only logical to expect it to do the same against judges?

            The third and final battle is over an even simpler thing: The Citizen’s Charter. Should every Government office have such a Charter which will clearly state which officer will do what work and in how much time? And should an officer who refuses to do his work in time or asks for a bribe to move a file be punished? The Government says a charter a fine but Government servants must not be penalised if they don’t do their work! Anna believes that officers not doing their work in time amounts to corruption and must face the same treatment. Isn’t it rather obvious what India thinks about this?

             Do we really need a referendum on these simple, basic issues? I seriously doubt it. Every Indian will endorse the idea of a Lokpal as Anna and his team have envisioned it, with the help of thousands of Indians who have contributed online to the process of drafting the bill.

             Yes, there are genuine fears that we should not create yet another monster out there, who will make life more difficult for us than it already is. But even that has been addressed rather adroitly by Anna’s team. It is a complex process, true but it also ensures that the choice is wisely made. And what if there are charges against the Lokpal? Well, there’s a provision there too. You can go straight to the Supreme Court and seek justice out there.

            So why are we arguing so much over this Bill? Why is the Government digging its heels in and refusing to listen to us citizens? Why must Anna go on a hunger strike all over again to press home the point that corruption must be fought back? I guess it’s a question of both ego and fear. No one likes to give up the power they have, and certainly not the Government. In fact, it’s always trying to interfere more and more in our lives, grab more and more authority, more and more space. And fear? Well, I guess we all know the answer to that. This is possibly the most corrupt Government we have ever had. It has good reason to be scared.
    

Pritish Nandy is an Indian poet, painter, journalist, politician, media and television personality, animal activist and film producer

Too Many Hollow Promises

After all the wrangling, the government draft of the Lokpal Bill is still very much a ‘jokepal’
By - Arvind Kejriwal

         In government schools in the villages, teachers rarely turn up. They collect their monthly salaries and pay a part of it to Basic Shiksha Adhikari for marking false attendance. Medicines are diverted to the black market before they reach government hospitals. Poor people are turned away when they go to hospitals. There is endless corruption in the work done by various panchayats. Rations meant for people living in extreme poverty are diverted to the black market.

    This is the reality of the aam admi’s life. Yet, none of this corruption is covered under the government’s draft of the Lokpal Bill. If the Bill does not serve the common man, what options does he have when faced with such corruption? We repeatedly posed this question to the government representatives in our joint drafting committee meetings. According to them, the existing systems would continue. But when we pointed out that the existing systems have not worked, they had no answers to offer.

  

  

     The government claims that it first wants to tackle high-level corruption. However, none of the ongoing large scams like the Adarsh housing scam, the Commonwealth Games scam and the Reddy brothers scam are covered by the government’s Lokpal. Even the 2G scam is only partly covered because the Lokpal would not have the jurisdiction to call for files from the prime minister’s office, which has had a role in the affair. How ridiculous is that?
    Why is the government so adamant about keeping junior officers out of Lokpal? The answer lies in the fact that while slush money received at the top often makes it to personal coffers, most of the money made at the lower levels is channelled directly to political parties. More than 80% of Rs 40,000 crore of the PDS subsidy is siphoned off, all of it through ration shops and food officers. It is this money that is used to run parties and their workers at the grassroots. The Rs 35,000 crore foodgrain scam in UP over many years, which is currently being probed by the CBI, took place at the lowest rung of the bureaucracy. Several hundred employees are involved in this scam. Such scams help feed the very foundations of our political establishment. It should come as no surprise that the government does not want lower-level corruption to be covered by Lokpal.

    The government says that checking the corruption of four million central government employees and two million public sector employees would need a huge workforce. Is that a legitimate reason to keep them unchecked and corrupt? Under law, corruption is a crime, as serious as murder or rape. Can the government say that it will not provide adequate staff to counter murder and rape should these get out of control? Before anything else, it is the first duty of any government to protect its citizens against crime at any cost.
       Another major flaw in the government draft is that it makes no change to its stranglehold on the CBI. The meaningful approach is to take the anti-corruption wing of CBI out of the government’s direct control and merge it with the Lokpal. Even the Supreme Court has said in the Vineet Narain case that the CBI should be made independent of the government. Interestingly, all the cases of corruption mentioned earlier are either being investigated by the CBI or can be investigated by the CBI if it so desires. But Lokpal would have no jurisdiction over them. This means that the government’s version of the Lokpal will give it a very small fraction of the CBI’s jurisdiction.

        Sadly, if history is any indication, the government won’t give up its control over the CBI. Prime ministers have tended to appoint only their most trusted men as CBI directors, which is why appointments and exits of CBI chiefs have usually been almost coterminous with prime ministerial tenures. Not surprisingly, no prime minister has wanted to undo Rajiv Gandhi’s unconventional order of 1988. In 1988, faced with the Bofors probe, Rajiv Gandhi brought the CBI directly under his own control. Since then, if the prime minister indulges in corruption, he can only be investigated by the agency which directly reports to him! Such a system makes a mockery of any kind of investigation. Should the need arise, it makes sense for the PM to be investigated by an independent Lokpal. Despite Manmohan Singh agreeing to this proposal, the Congress has vehemently opposed it. Perhaps the Congress is worried about Singh’s successor? 

 

       Lastly, the government wants the judiciary to be covered through the Judicial Accountability Bill. Under this Bill, if any judge is accused of having taken a bribe, the permission to register an FIR would be given by a scrutiny committee consisting of three judges of the same high court. It is inconceivable that three judges of the same court would ever grant permission for action against their own colleagues with whom they interact on a daily basis.

    The government’s proposals to tackle corruption are far from sincere and will have no impact whatsoever on curbing corruption. ‘Congress ka haath, aam admi ke saath’, is how the slogan goes. But ironically, ‘aam admi’ has been abandoned in this Lokpal draft. In summary, the government draft does not cover junior officers, or the judiciary, or the PM, or any of the recent major scams. All the power is still vested with the CBI which remains directly under the control of the government. If this draft is not a joke, what is?

    The writer is member of the civil society group on the Lokpal committee.

Derailing Lokpal in an Exploitative Democracy

 
By Justice Kamleshwar Nath

“Devil quotes Scriptures”. Look who says: Civil Society undermines Democracy – Government of India’s Chairman of Lokpal Drafting Committee, Mr Pranab Mukherji!

Democracy established by Constitution of India is one of the best in the World; but the People of India, who gave the Constitution to themselves, are reeling under Exploitative Democracy where –

1. An elected Lok Sabha of 543 MPs has 154 facing criminal cases of which about 50 are for committing heinous offences; and this number has increased with every succeeding election.
2. Sitting convicted MPs enjoy immunity from Disqualification under Section 8(4) of Representation of People Act 1951, despite peoples’ demand to repeal the Sub-section.
3. Immunity for conduct in matters related with debates in Houses under Article 105(3) of the Constitution extends to criminal acts, like the infamous Jharkhand Mukti Morcha case of bribe given by the Prime Minister Mr P.V.Narasimha Rao.
4. The emoluments of an MP are 100-times more than the per capita income of a Citizen, and the emoluments go on increasing by leaps and bounds through self-serving enactments passed in no time.
5. Launching of prosecution for Corruption (and related crimes) by elected representatives and bureaucrats needs sanction of some executive authority, and the sanction rarely comes.
6. Anti-corruption measures visualised through an effective Lokpal have been studiously diluted by 9 Bills drafted since 1968 but never passed, the last one being the present Government’s Lokpal Bill 2010 which is the last straw on the back of the Nation in various ways, including ban on the Lokpal to take cognizance of any complaint and certainly not suo motu.
7. International perception of corruption (2010) of 126 countries through surveys made by 10 independent Internationally reputed institutions like World Bank & IBRD, Bertelsman Foundation, World Economic Forum, Global Insight and Transparency International Berlin, ranks India at 87 with countries like Albania, Jamaica and Liberia at index of 3.3 (out of 10) – continuously falling from 3.5 in 2007 and 3.4 in 2008 & 2009 – while countries having effective Ombudsman Institution like Finland, Denmark, Sweden, USA are ranked between 9.7 and 7.
8. Series of Scams have topped with CWG Scam and 2G Spectrum Scam of 2010 which involved some Ministers of Govt. of India, confirming the national level of corruption reflected at (7). Black money stashed away in Foreign Banks has risen to 1,546 billion Dollars which far exceeds the aggregate (1056 bn. $) of ‘next four’ countries namely Russia, UK, Ukraine and China (vide Times of India Ahmedabad dt. 8th June 2011).
9. Violence unleashed by Delhi Police over thousands of peaceful Satyagrahis in the dead of night between 4th and 5th of June last, causing serious injuries to many whose only fault was to be on fast in support of Baba Ram Dev’s call on the Government to get black money indicted at (8) while the Police had given permission to Baba Ram Dev only to hold Yoga camp! Another pretext was that Baba Ram Dev had gone back on his promise to give up fast! Well, this is Pranab Mukherji’s Democracy! A shocked Baba ran for his life and in thoughtless reaction to official brutality announced formation of imaginary volunteer force on some unforeseen period of time to take on the police force when necessary. On the one hand Baba lost his balance due to shock, on the other hand Government lost its balance in sheer anger, born of fear of Peoples’ unification on the Issue of corruption, and on finding Baba’s support from RSS and BJP! And as things unravel from the statements of Pranab Mukherjee, P. Chidambaram, and certain spokespersons of Congress, the Govt. is bent upon using violence not only on Baba but also on Anna Hazare.

Numerous other examples may be catalogued. If this is not Exploitative Democracy, what is it?

   On the moral plane, Govt of India (indeed almost all Governments) run their own model of secularism which excels in Communalism, Casteism, hate for the opponent coupled with ‘divide and rule’. To Indian National Congress, RSS and BJP are the biggest perpetual enemy, shamelessly linking them with the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi despite the fact that they had been cleared by the Court. Religious education in Government educational institutions is prohibited; it is not even substituted by Moral Education of common principles of discipline and good behaviour culled out from all religions in India. The result is growth of generations bereft of morals and ethics – the ever increasing crimes are unfailing signals of that development.

   People have suffered immensely over the last 30 years. It is high time that injustice meted out to the people is remedied of which the first natural step is to eliminate Corruption. The Civil Society is well within its ambitions when it presses upon the Government to enact an effective Lokpal. It has the support of the entire Nation and India-Against-Corruption deserves full-throated praise; Gandhian Seva & Satyagraha Brigade (which floated the concept of Fast), Transparency International India (I believe) and a number of NGOs across the Country have announced their support. Baba Ram Dev too is on the same subject of Corruption; as Anna Hazare said, he is immature added to which is his shocked state due to official violence. He should frankly admit his mistake in being thoughtlessly bold; that will raise his stature in the eyes of people, for acknowledgment of fault is surest atonement of wrong. Even Mahatma Gandhi admitted his “Himalayan Blunder” on Chauri-Chaura episode whereupon he called off his Movement. Government, being what it is, is now linking Hazare and Baba with BJP and RSS, thinking it will justify Government action; but people know better. It is hoped that the crusade against Corruption will go on with added fervour and determination in a non violent, firm and peaceful way. May God be with all crusaders.

Kamleshwar Nath is a Retd Judge, Allahabad High Court and Chairman, Gandhian Seva & Satyagraha Brigade.

Time for Congress to follow Gandhi's Will

By Ashish Tripathi
Ashish Tripathi is a principal correspondent with The Times of India in Lucknow.

 

   There is no doubt that Baba Ramdev has a political agenda, if not a communal. He has floated a political party and is using corruption as an issue to carve out a political space. But the Yoga guru would have now realised that the politics is the game of scoundrels and that he is no match to the Congress.

   Congress leaders first made Baba speak against Anna Hazare's proposal to include prime minister under the jurisdiction of Jan Lokpal. They also tried to break the unity of team Anna by questioning the induction of father-son duo Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan in the Lokpal drafting committee, while ignoring Kiran Bedi. Efforts were also made and are being made to discredit the team Anna through CDs, questioning its funding and doubting the efficacy of Lokpal. Team Anna had an inclining about the nefarious designs of Congress leaders, hence it insisted on videography of the committee meetings. But Baba tried to act smart and ended up with egg on his face. Kapil Sibal threw himself to Baba 's feet only to pull the rug from under it later, while Digvijay Singh labeled the movement of Baba and Anna as Sangh Parivar's 'communal conspiracy' to destabilise the UPA government.

   The conduct of Congress leaders and police action against innocent people demonstrating peacefully at Ramlila ground in Delhi has shown how desperately Congress wants to suppress the issues of lokpal, corruption and black money. Some incidents which took place under the UPA government in the past one year can help analyse as to who (in Congress leaders' words) is 'cheat' and 'darmebaz'. On June 11, 2011, over 400 tribal children at Dhinkia in Odisha, while lying on hot sand, formed a human chain to protest against acquisition of 3,700 acres of land for POSCO steel plant which will leave them homeless. The tribals are wondering where is Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi who last year in August, while addressing a rally in the state, assured tribals that he is their 'sipahi' in Delhi but later his government gave 'conditional' nod to the plant but has now washed its hand off saying "it's state government's problem"

   In April this year, a former Supreme Court judge, VR Krishna Iyer wrote to Rahul Gandhi questioning why he is mum over anti-corruption campaign of Anna. The Gandhi scion replied sarcastically that he is fighting corruption quietly and do not want to become a hero by publicising it. The fact, I presume, was that he was aware of his party's strategy to destabilise anti-corruption campaign. Congress's heir apparent obviously wants to become prime minister and not a hero. While Rahul claims that he is fighting against corruption, the people have lost count of scams taken place under his party's government .
 
   Now sample this: On April 30, 2011, at a Congress's rally at Bundelkhand in UP organised by Rahul, prime minister Manmohan Singh, while announcing a package for the poverty-ridden area, said that he is working as per Sonia ji's 'prerna' (inspiration). The package had nothing but recycling of old announcements.
 
   On August 14, 2010, five persons, including four farmers , were killed in police-farmer clash at Tappal in Aligarh. Farmers were opposing acquisition of their land at low rates by the UP government for construction of Yamuna Expressway township. On August 25, 2010, Rahul escorted a farmer's delegation from Aligarh to meet prime minister. Farmers demanded amendment in the Land Acquisition Act 1894.

   The prime minister assured that it will be done in the next session of Parliament. But nothing was done. On May 7, 2011, four persons, including two farmers, died at Bhatta-Parsaul in farmer-police clash over land acquisition. On May 20, Rahul again took a delegation of farmers to meet prime ministers. And, farmers got an assurance again. Rahul's allegations that men were burnt alive in the village were found to be untrue. So, is Rahul really concerned about farmers or playing politics?
 

   Manmohan Singh, on May 24, 2010, had defended telecom minister A Raja on 2G spectrum scam saying "Raja had only followed the policies of the previous BJP led NDA regime." He also said that the case was being probed. But the fact is that the investigations would have not progressed and resulted in Raja's arrest, had the Supreme Court not taken a strict stand on it. Even after Raja's arrest, the prime minister defended his government in Parliament on February 24, 2011. He said that by giving telecom licences at low prices, the government ensured that cell phones were made affordable to the masses. On skipping an auction for the 2G (which as per comptroller and auditor general caused a loss of 1.75 lakh crore to country's exchequer) mobile network licences in 2008, prime minister said, "while the policy was sound , the way it was implemented, I think, gave rise to the problems."

   Sibal took over the telecommunication ministry after Raja's arrest. Initially, he acted as if he would be tough against corruption but later questioned the methodology adopted by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in calculating losses in 2G spectrum allocation saying that the CAG was utterly erroneous in pegging the loss at Rs 1.75 lakh crore while awarding airwaves for 2G phone services in 2008. He claimed that there was a zero loss. But later, not only the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) proved Sibal wrong but he was also slammed by the Supreme Court. Again, it was after the Supreme Court struck down the appointment of SV Thomas as the Chief Vigilance Commissioner on March 4, 2011, the prime minister 'realised his mistake' that he was not apprised by the officials about Thomas' credentials. Till then, he chose to overlook all the objections raised by the Opposition parties.

   SC Agarwal, an activist, recently accessed some letters on Commonwealth Games (CWG) under Right to Information. The letters were written between 2006-07 by the then sports minister Mani Shankar Aiyar to prime minister alerting him how money was being squandered by CWG organising committee chief Suresh Kalmadi on unreasonable things which has increased the expenditure of the games to over Rs 20,000 crore. But Manmohan Singh only sent back one liner 'acknowledgements' of the letters. It has also been reported that Aiyer even met prime minister and apprised him about the situation. If Aiyer was so vocal about the affair, it can be safely presumed that Soniaji and Rahulji as well as Sibal-Singh duo were also aware of the scam in making but nothing was done. Kalmadi was arrested in April 2011 following CBI probe but why no action was taken earlier to prevent the scam?

   In January this year, the Supreme Court pulled up the UPA government describing black money stashed abroad as "plunder of the nation" and "a pure and simple theft of the national money". But the government has not done anything substantial so far. The issue of black money and corruption is older than Baba Ramdev. The question is why none of the successive Congress governments or for that matter governments of other parties at the Centre did not act earlier? Political parties have today taken different stands over the issue but I am sure none will stop "plundering of the nation" because most of the politicians and their corporate cronies are involved in it. They know that public memory is short and media can be managed. They also know that people can be manipulated to vote on caste, communal and regional lines in elections. After all, they have doing it successfully for years.

   It's not about corruption alone. Last year, when the issue of price hike was giving UPA government sleepless nights, the Congress introduced women reservation bill in parliament to divert public attention. After few months, when the issue of spiralling inflation cropped up again, Digvijay Singh tried to shift focus through his statement that joint commissioner, Mumbai police, Hemant Karkare, who attained martyrdom during 26/11 Mumbai terror strike, was facing life threat from the saffron terrorists. In fact, price rise, poverty and corruption are also inter-linked. The business community use the black money to fund political parties and later reap rich dividends by manipulating prices, grabbing contracts and financial waivers for business. Governments carry on committing one scam after another because we (privileged class) is also involved in corruption and poor is fighting for its survival.

   Instead of clinging on to the power, I think it's high time for Congress to follow Gandhi's "Last Will And Testament" written on January 29, 1948, a day before his assassination. He was aware of corrupt and opportunist elements making way into the Congress to grab power, hence he wanted Congress to be disbanded and converted into an Lok Sevak Sangh, an association for the service of the people.

   Bapu even prepared the Constitution of the Lok Seval Sangh. Here are some excerpts: "...the Congress in its present shape and form, i.e, as a propaganda vehicle and parliamentary machine, has outlived its use. India has still to attain social, moral and economic independence in terms of its 7,00 thousand villages as distinguished from its cities and towns. The struggle for the ascendancy of civil over military power is bound to take place in India's progress towards its democratic goal. It must be kept out of unhealthy competition with political parties and communal bodies.

   For these and other similar reasons, the AICC resolves to disband the existing Congress organization and flower into a Lok Sevak Sangh...the duty of the Sangh will be to serve its master, the whole of India...Every worker of the Sangh shall be a habitual wearer of khadi made from self-spun yarn and must be a teetotaller...The workers will organise villages so as to make them self-contained and self-supporting through their agriculture and handicrafts, educate the village folk in sanitation and hygiene and take all measures for prevention of ill-health and disease among them... The workers will organise the education of the village folk from birth to death...The Sangh shall raise funds from people and make public all accounts.....The Sangh shall have autonomous bodies – All India Spinners Association, All India Village Industries Association, Hindustani Talimi Sangh for basic education, Harijan Sevak Sangh to serve untouchables, Goseva Sangh for Cow-protection..."

400 लाख करोड़ रुपये वापिस मिलने पर हम अमरीका से भी 30 गुना ज्यादा शक्तिशाली बन सकते है

Note by Navneet Goel   From Group Yuva Bharat
Shared by Sushant Pol.

दोस्तों, कृपया 1 मिनट का समय देकर इसे पढ़ें. अगर आपको लगता है कि बात में सच्चाई है तो यह सन्देश दूसरों को भी फॉरवर्ड करें . 

अन्ना, स्वामी रामदेव या अन्य जो भ्रष्टाचार के विरूद्ध लड रहे है उनसे कांग्रेस क्यों परेशान है, जानिए कारण: 

1) सरकार हर साल लोगों से 134 प्रकार के टैक्स से कितना पैसा जमा कराती है और ये पैसे कहा खर्च हो जाते है?

2) मंदिरों का पैसा सरकार किस मद में खर्च कराती है जिसे सिर्फ हिन्दू दान देकर इकठ्ठा करता है, ये बहुत बड़ा प्रश्न है. 

3) काले धन का इतिहास क्या है, पहले कपिल सिब्बल ने कहा कोई भी नुकसान २ जी घोटाले में नहीं हुआ है, फिर अहलुवालिया ने कहा की हा वास्तव में कोई घोटाला नहीं हुआ है, फिर मनमोहन ने कहा इसकी जाँच चल रही है, विपक्ष को टालते रहे, राजा जैसा आदमी जिसके पास अपनी मोबाइल को टाप अप करने का पैसा नहीं हो, यदि वह अपनी पत्नी के नाम 3000 करोड़ रुपया मारीशाश में जमा कर दे, क्या यह सब बिना सोनिया की जानकारी के कर सकता है, उस पार्टी में जहा पर बिना सोनिया के पूछे कोई वक्तव्य तथाकथित प्रवक्ता नहीं दे सकते है, 

4) फिर आया महा घोटाला देवास-इसरो डील का जिसमे की 205000 करोड़ की बैंड विड्थ को मात्र 1200 करोड़ के 10 साल के उधार के पैसे में दे दिया गया, भला हो सुब्रमनियम स्वामी जी का जिन्हें इन चोरो को नंगा कर दिया, हमारी कांग्रेसी और विदेशी मिडिया सुब्रमनियम स्वामी की तस्वीर हमेशा से गलत पेश किया है जब की वास्तव में भारत देश को ऐसे ही इमानदार नेताओ की जरुरत है जिसने कभी भी चोरी के बारे में सोचा ही नहीं, 

5) फिर आया कामनवेल्थ खेल का 90000 करोड़ का घोटाला, फिर कोयला का घोटाला जिसमे ठेकेदारों द्वारा 10 पैसे प्रति किलो के भाव से कोयला खरीदा जाता है और उसे बाजार में 4 रुपये किलो तक बेचा जाता है, यह रकम अब तक 26 लाख करोड़ होती है, 

6) इटली के 8 बैंक और स्वीटजरलैंड के 4 बैंको को 2005 में भारत में क्यों खोला गया है और इसमे किसका पैसा जमा होता है, ये बैंक किसको लोन देते है और इनका ब्याज क्या है, इनकी जरुरत क्यों आ पड़ी भारत में जब की भारत के ही बैंकरों की बैंक खोलने की अर्जियाँ सरकार के पास धूल खा रही है, इन बैंको को चोरी छुपे क्यों खोला गया है, इन बैंको आवश्यकता क्यों है जब भारत में 80% लोग 20 रूपया प्रतिदिन से भी कम कमाते है. 

7) भारत के किसानो से कमीशन लेने वाले चोर कत्रोची के बेटे को अंदमान दीप समूह में तेल की खुदाई का ठेका क्यों दिया गया 2005 में, किसने दिया ठेका, किसके कहने पर दिया ठेका, क्या वहा पर पहले से ही तेल के कुऊ का पता लगाकर वह स्थान इसे दे दिया गया जैसे की बहुत बार खबरों में अन्य संदर्भो में आती है, यह खबर क्यों छुपाई गयी अब तक, इसे देश को क्यों नहीं बताया गया, मिडिया क्यों इसे छुपा गई, और विपक्ष ने इसे मुद्दा क्यों नहीं बनाया. 

8) सरकार ने पहले कहा की बाबा बकवास कर रहे है, काला धन नाम की कोई चीज नहीं है, फिर खबर आयी की काला धन है और सबसे ज्यादा भारतीयों का है, यह स्विस बैंको के आलावा 70 और दुसरे देसों में जमा है, 

9) सरकार ने कहा की टैक्स चोरी का मामला है, हम उन देशो से समझौते कर रहे है, जिससे की दोहरा कर न देना पड़े, यह टैक्स चोरी नहीं भारत देशको लूट डालने का मामला है 

10) फिर बात आई की यदि ये भ्रष्टाचारी और लुटेरे इसमे से 15% टैक्स सरकार को दे तो इसे भारत के बैंको में जमा करने दिया जायेगा और किसी को यह हक़ नहीं होगा की वह पूछे की या इतना पैसा कैसे कमाया या लूटा. सरकार इस पर एक कानून क्यो नही ला रही है, किसको बचाया जा रहा है?

11) यूरिया घोटाला है और यूरिया किसान को दुगुने दाम बेचा जाता है, फिर गेहू सस्ते में खरीदा जाता है, हम अभी तक सुरक्षित अन्न भण्डारण की व्यवस्था क्यों नहीं बना पाए जब की हमारे पास धन की कमी ही नहीं है, क्योकि अन्न को सडा दिखाकर उसे कौड़ियो के भाव शराब माफिया को बचा जाता है जब की गरीब अन्न बिना मर रहा है। 

12) हमारे देश में क्यों अनुसन्धान के लिए पर्याप्त पैसा नहीं दिया जाता है, यह कीसकी चाल है, जिसकी वजह से हम 5-10 गुना दाम में विदेशी चीजे खरीदते है, क्या कारण है की हमारे देश में एक भी सोलर ऊर्जा वैज्ञानिक नहीं है और दुनिया भर के परमाणु वैज्ञानिक है जो हमें हमेशा झूठा अश्वाव्हन देते है की यह परमाणु बिजली सस्ती और निरापद है भारत की परमाणु से सम्बंधित कुल बाजार 750 लाख करोड़ का होगा. जब की हम भारत में 400000 मेगावाट सोलर बिजली बना सकते है, 

13) ऐसे कौन से कारण है जिनके कारन हम नेहरू के द्वारा ट्रांसफर अफ पॉवर अग्रीमेंट 14 अगस्त 1947 को दस्तखत करने के बाद भी आज तक विक्सित नहीं बन पाए, जब की हमारी जनता हफ्ते में 90 घंटा काम करती है जबकि कामचोर अंग्रेज हफ्ते में सिर्फ 30 घंटा काम करते है, 

14) क्या कारण है की हमारे 45 रुपये में 1 डालर और 90 रुपये में 1 पौंड मिलाता है, जब की 1947 में 1 रुपये में 1 डालर मिलता था. 

15) मीडिया को निष्पक्ष बनाने के लिए सरकार क्या कदम उठा रही है, मिडिया , टीवी और पत्रिकाए सरकार को बिक जाती है और निराधार और झूठ को भी सच बताकर प्रस्तुत करती है। 

16) अगर देश में 2 लाख करोड़ रुपये की नकदी सर्कुलेशन में है तो देश की अर्थव्यवस्था करीब 100 लाख करोड़ रुपयों की होती है. और हमारे देश में रिजर्व बैंक अबतक लगभग 18 लाख करोड़ रुपयों के नोट छाप चुका है और कमसे कम 10 लाख करोड़ रुपये सर्कुलेशन में है. इस हिसाब से देश की अर्थव्यवस्था करीब 400 से 500 लाख करोड़ रुपये होनी चाहिए लेकिन अभी हमारी अर्थव्यवस्था केवल 60 लाख करोड़ की है. जबकि इतनी अर्थव्यवस्था के लिए दो लाख करोड़ से भी कम सर्कुलेशन मनी की जरूरत है. 

17) अगर 400 लाख करोड़ रूपये का काला धन देश में वापिस आ जाता है तो देश की अर्थव्यवस्था करीब 20,000 लाख करोड़ रुपये होगी ... क्या आप जानते हैं कि इस समय अमेरिका सबसे शक्तिशाली देश है और उसकी अर्थव्यवस्था करीब 650 लाख करोड़ की है... मतलब 400 लाख करोड़ रुपये वापिस मिलने पर हम अमरीका से भी 30 गुना ज्यादा शक्तिशाली बन सकते है

Feeding On False Fears

Criticism that the Lokpal will become a Frankenstein’s monster is overblown

  By - Prashant Bhushan
   

Ever since the joint drafting committee for the Lokpal Bill was formed, many issues have been raised about the proposed Lokpal by several persons, some of whom are highly respected. The criticism by some people, including some sections of the media, has however been irresponsible. It is said that the Bill makes a mockery of democracy and seeks to create a ‘Supercop’ which could turn into a Frankenstein’s monster. When such criticism is made by respectable people and run as a campaign by sections of the media, it is natural for innocent citizens who are not familiar with the issues to become confused and start wondering if there are indeed serious problems with the Bill. 

   These critics are saying that the Lokpal has been given draconian powers of contempt, search and seizure, laying traps, telephone interceptions, and attaching assets of public servants. But these powers are vested with all investigative agencies and are essential for effective investigation. The difference is that the Lokpal will not need the authorisation of the home secretary for tapping telephones. The Lokpal, being an independent multi-member authority selected by a transparent and broad-based selection process whose functioning will also be transparent, is a much safer body than the home secretary to be entrusted with this power. The power of contempt is required to ensure that the orders of the Lokpal are complied with. The power of freezing assets of public servants and their abettors which have been acquired by corrupt means is essential if those assets are to be recovered. This is a lacuna with the existing law that the Lokpal Bill will seek to plug.
   

It has also been alleged that the Lokpal will be the investigator, prosecutor and judge, all rolled into one. Such criticism arises from a gross misunderstanding of the Bill. The Lokpal will have an investigative wing and a prosecution wing under its administrative and supervisory jurisdiction. If, at the end of the investigation, the investigative wing finds that a corruption offence has been committed, it will send the case to the prosecution wing which will prosecute the case before the special courts which will be part of the normal judiciary. The special courts will not be under the Lokpal. The Lokpal will only periodically assess how many such courts are required to complete the trial of corruption cases expeditiously and the government will be required to set up that many special courts. One of the serious problems today in bringing corrupt people to book is that the prosecutors being under the control of the government often compromise the case. And the inadequate number of courts to try such cases allows them to drag on for years during which time witnesses become unavailable or get compromised.
   

Concern has also been raised about what will ensure the integrity of the Lokpal itself. The Bill seeks to address this by providing several layers of checks. In the first place, the Bill requires that the entire functioning of the Lokpal machinery be totally transparent. It will be required to put the entire record of any investigation on its website. Any complaints against the investigation or vigilance officers can be made directly to the Lokpal or to an independent complaints authority to be set up in each state. These authorities would be required to expeditiously decide complaints against the vigilance officers in public hearings to ensure transparency. Complaints against Lokpal members could be made to the Supreme Court where five senior judges would, if they found a prima facie case of misconduct, constitute a bench to inquire into the complaint. Moreover, the Lokpal’s orders would be subject to judicial review before the high court or the Supreme Court. These measures should make the Lokpal and its officers sufficiently accountable.
   

Some respectable retired officials have raised concerns about the proposal to bring the CBI and Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) under the Lokpal, and want them to be left out. But the entire raison d’etre for an independent and empowered Lokpal is because the CBI is controlled by the very government whose senior officials it is required to investigate. That is why it cannot function independently. It has also become corrupt since it is not accountable to any independent body. The CVC enjoys mainly recommendatory powers which are frustrated by the government often not accepting its recommendations. Moreover, CVC members are selected by a committee comprising the prime minister, home minister and leader of the opposition, all of whom have a vested interest in having weak or pliable officers for a body which can investigate them. That is why they need to be brought under an independent, empowered and accountable Lokpal.
   

Corruption in India has assumed such proportions that it robs public resources, distorts and undermines development and threatens democracy itself. It must be tackled urgently by creating a strong, empowered, independent and accountable anti-corruption institution. That is what the Lokpal Bill seeks to do. We must remain firm in our resolve and steadfast in our course. This is one of the decisive battles of our times which, if lost, would consign us to becoming a banana republic and a mafia state.
   
The writer is a senior Supreme Court advocate and a member of the Lokpal Bill joint committee.

भ्रस्टाचार मिटाओ सत्याग्रह

This poem is a creation of Mr.Ravinder Kumar.

सभी श्रोताओं को रविंदर कुमार का नमस्कार
दोस्तों , आने वाली 4 जून 2011 से स्वामी राम देव जी, लाखो देश भक्त  लोगों के साथ  दिल्ली के राम लीला मैदान में अनिश्चितकालीन अनशन पर बैठने वाले हैं . इस आन्दोलन का नाम है "भ्रस्टाचार मिटाओ सत्याग्रह"

इस आन्दोलन को शुरू  करने के क्या कारण और उद्देश्य है आईए एक हिंदी कविता के द्वारा सरल और रोचक भाषा में समझने की कोशिश  करते हैं
तो प्रस्तुत है कविता "आन्दोलन का एजेंडा ?"

जाग उठे हैं लोग देश में, आंधी चलने वाली है
भूख और भ्रष्टाचार में डूबी, रात गुजरने वाली है

चार जून को राम देव जी, दिल्ली को ललकारेंगे -२
हम भी बाबा साथ तुम्हारे , लाखों लोग पुकारेंगे

लाखों लोग करेंगे अनशन, ऐसी क्या मज़बूरी है  -२
जो नहीं जानते गौर करे , ये मुद्दे बहुत जरुरी है

दुनिया के बाकि देशों में, नहीं चलते नोट हजारी है -२
क्यों भारत में हैं बड़े नोट , भारत की क्या लाचारी है

बड़े नोट ही नकली छपते , छोटे नोटों में घाटा है -२
नकली नोट का देश में आना , अपने मुहं पर चांटा है

भ्रस्टाचारी के घर दफ्तर , रेड जहाँ भी मारी है -२
रजाई , गद्दे , तकियों  तक से , निकले नोट हजारी है

बड़े नोट गर बंद किये तो , आतंकी खुद मर जायंगे -२
नकली नोट नहीं होंगे, तो बन्दूक कहाँ से लायेंगे

बड़े नोट बंद करवाना , नहीं मुद्दा कोई निराला है -२
हुआ तीन बार भी पहले , ये फिर से होने वाला है

बड़े नोटों को बंद करो , ये पहली  मांग हमारी है -२
पड़ा जो इसकी खातिर मरना , इसकी भी तयारी है

फिर ना समझना बेवकूफ है  -२ , जनता भोली भाली है -२
जाग उठे हैं लोग देश में, आंधी चलने वाली है
भूख और भ्रष्टाचार में डूबी, रात गुजरने वाली है

आजादी के बाद देश को, नेता इतना लूट गए -२
खादी से विश्वाश के अपने , धागे सारे टूट गए

भ्रष्टाचारी नेता अधिकारी , भारत को खाते जाते हैं
लूट लूट के देश का पैसा , स्विस बैंक पहुंचाते हैं

स्लम डोग हम  कहलाते  , गिनती होती कंगलो में -२
क्योंकि, 400 लाख करोड़ खा गए नेता , पिछले पैंसठ सालो में

जहाँ डाल डाल पर सोने की  चिड़िया  करती थी बसेरा -२
वहां भूख के कारण एक मिनट में , मरते लोग है तेरह

भूख तोडती लोगों के धरम , धर्य , ईमान को -२
नक्सलवादी बना दिया , भूखे मरते इंसान को

स्विस बैंक में जमा खजाना जब वापस आ जायगा  -२
अर्थ व्यवस्था चमकेगी , हर भूखा खाना खायेगा

UN बिल को पास करो , जो काले धन को लायेगा
जब पैसा वापस आ जाएगा , हर गाँव करोडो पायेगा

रुपया आसमान में होगा , कीमत पर इतराएगा
डॉलर उसका होगा चाकर , पैर दबाने आएगा

लोकपाल जनता की लाठी , मारो तो आवाज भी है -२
जाँच सभी की हो चाहे , देश का वो सरताज भी है

लोकपाल कमजोर बने , ये दाळ ना गलने वाली है -२
जाग उठे हैं लोग देश में, आंधी चलने वाली है
भूख और भ्रष्टाचार में डूबी, रात गुजरने वाली है

अंग्रेज गए जब भारत से , आजादी हमको सोंप गए
जितने भी  क़ानून थे काले , सारे हम पर थोप गए

34735  पुराने कानूनों में से  कुछ उदाहरण देखे :-

कहने को आजाद है भारत , पर क़ानून पुराने है
भट्ठा और परसोल के किस्से , सब लोगों ने जाने हैं

IPC और पुलिस एक्ट , और जाने कितने क़ानून यहाँ
भारत माँ के स्वाभिमान का , हर दिन करते खून यहाँ

फसलों की कीमत आज के दिन भी , तय करते अधिकारी है
इनकम  टैक्स के भेद समझना , सर दर्द बड़ा ही भारी है

बड़ी कंपनी ठेका लेकर , जंगल के जंगल साफ़ करे
एक पेड भी आप ने काटा , क़ानून कभी ना माफ़ करे

ऐसे हजार क़ानून पुराने , जनता आज भी झेल रही -२
और सरकारें   बैठ मजे से , 2 जी 3 जी खेल रही

न्याय नहीं है न्यायालों में ,       जब भी माँगा तारीख मिली -२
भोपाल कांड एक बड़ा उदाहरण , ना सजा मिली ना सीख मिली

साढ़े तीन सो साल लगेंगे, पैंडिंग केस निपटने में
न्याय व्यवस्था बुरे हाल में,   देखा सारे ज़माने ने

क्यों हमे खिलाये जाती है, विकसित देशो की  बैन दवा
क्यों नकली दवा के सौदागर , कभी न पाते कोई सजा

क्यों करदाता के खर्चे पर , आतंकी बिरयानी खाते हैं
क्यों उन्हें जवाई बना कर के , हम खुद साले बन जाते हैं

फाँसी  का कानून बने, जो कोई भ्रष्टाचार करे -२
मिलावट करने वालों को , और जो कोई बलात्कार करे

ऐसे सख्त कानून बिना , अब बात ना बनने वाली है  -२
जाग उठे हैं लोग देश में, आंधी चलने वाली है
भूख और भ्रष्टाचार में डूबी, रात गुजरने वाली है

छोटे उद्श्यों में फंस कर , ना जीवन बेकार करो -२
25 करोड़ भूखे हैं हर दिन , उनका थोडा विचार करो

चुपचाप बैठ के अपने घर में , ना सिस्टम पर क्रोध करो
या बाबा के साथ में आओ , या उनका  विरोध करो

गर समझो बाबाजी ठीक कहैं
सच भी होकर निर्भीक कहैं

बाबा हम भी साथ तुम्हारे , जब नि`कले मुख से ये बोल -२
टोल फ्री एक नंबर ले लो , कर देना उस पर मिस कोल

अब  उठो समर्थन दो उनको  , वर्ना देश प्रेम ये जाली है -२
जाग उठे हैं लोग देश में, आंधी चलने वाली है
भूख और भ्रष्टाचार में डूबी, रात गुजरने वाली है
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रचियता - रविन्द्र  कुमार  [19 मई 2011]

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