Sunday, August 21, 2011

Ramlila



Ramleelea – the country capital, now ready to add one more chapter to the history of Indian revolutionary movements. Famous Gandhian Anna Hassare has got approval to proceed his fasting for so called Jan Lokpal bill at Ramleela.
There is no point in discussing about who is Anna Hassare, his intention and significance of Lokapal. But the venue has some special relevance.
1. Venue for fasting for Ramdev (a Yoga Guru) … against black money, a great comedy
2. In 1975 june 25th Jayapraksh Narayanan triggered his vibrant persuasion to people to fight against the policies of Indira Gandhi.
3. 1977 February, Jagajeevan Ram, Moralji Desai, Atal Bihari Vajpaye, Charan Singh, Chandrasheksr etc. conducted a huge rally at Ramleela
4. After India – Pak war in 1972, Indira Gandhi declared the victory against Pakistan at Ramleela
5. The magnificent ‘Jai Javan Jai Kisan’ first heard in Ramleela by Lal Bahadoor Shastri
6. Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Patel etc. shouted at Ramleela against the ironic and iron rule of British in India
7. Founder of Pakistan – Jinnah addresses Muslim League Rally at Ramleela in 1945
Let’s wait to see the result of the political diplomacy of Anna IAC Team.

Another Half ... Irom Sharmila


Again I remembered one real hero in this morning when I was reading the Hindu. There is an article about Irom Sharmila and her a decade fasting. While getting momentum to Anna Hassare and his mass psychology, with little irritation and disturbance; I should ask; why we don't clamor for a right cause?

Irom Sharmila has completed ten years of fasting for freedom, justice and equity. This world’s longest hunger strike started since 4th of November 2000. For justice and to end exploitation by Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), she had pledged a fast-unto-death and entered in the godha of silent war at the age of 27.

Even now, I am afraid.. How many of us really know this wonderful lady?

This Iron Lady of Manipur stands against the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) which had provided the Indian Army all the power in the world to kill and rape civilians of North East India. She was totally disturbed, when Indian Army initiated its massacre by brutally killing ten innocent civilians at a bus stop in Malom, a town in Imphal valley, on November 1st, 2000. The killings by the Indian Army had included a 62 year old woman and a youth, a former national Child Bravery Award winner. But Government remarked her fasting against injustice as ' suicide attempt'. But Irom Sharmila continued her hunger strike and arrested several times throughout a decade. It is true and unobjectionable, She represents a vulnerable group and she is the voice of North East. In the midst of mass raping, massacre and injustice; a person fights alone for a right cause and it is to get the fundamental rights ensured by the constitutions. The action of closing eyes to the peril of thousands is absolutely an evil. At the same time thousands still follow a Man who triggered some notions against the will of our great constitution. What a paradox?

It is really painful and worrying when we know about this great fighter. She still continuing with her fasting with so much pain and patience and it is only for the people of North East India. Remember, NE is also a part of India and people there are similar like us – India Citizens.

Dear friends, please remember Her and our brothers and sisters in NE, while shouting for Anna.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

bits

UPSC PORTAL

NATIONAL EVENTS

APRIL 2011 

  • Census 2011 puts India's population at 1.21 billion
  • SAARC sanitation meet opens  
  • How are Koya Commandos appointed, asks Supreme Court
  • Hazare ends fast, says fight has begun
  • IRRI to set up molecular centre for rice  
  • Reprieve for 44 deemed universities
  • Government to issue biometric PAN cards to taxpayers
  • DGCA teams to check 40 flying schools
  • Home Ministry studying Shunglu report on CWG scam
  • India has highest number of stillbirths: Lancet report
  • Binayak Sen gets bail in Supreme Court
  • India's population to surpass China's by 2025
  • Stamp out khap panchayats: court
  • Nod for e-district project
  • Double fortified salt mandatory in midday meal
  •  ‘Centre will await ICMR report on endosulfan'
  • Panel to probe Tawang helicopter crash
  • Centre informs Supreme Court of the high level committee to probe black money cases
  • PAC draft report puts 2G loss at Rs.1.90 lakh crore
  • Court appoints expert to inspect Polavaram dam 
JULY 2011
    • Expansion of Central List of OBCs
    • Legislation to Curb Honor Killings
    • Remote Sensing Data Policy
    • Criticizes of State Governments for Misusing Provisions of Land Acquisition
    • Extension of the RSBY Scheme
    • National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms
    • High-powered Task Force of Defense Management
    • Salwa Judum is Illegal and Unconstitutional
    • India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management
    • Centre for Social Research Report
    • India Signed Three Agreements with the World Bank for Cleaning the anga River
    • Pension Age-limit for BPL to 60
    • Navodaya Vidyalayas outside the ambit of RTE Act
    • CCS Gave Nod for National Intelligence Grid
    • Janani-Shishu Suraksha Programme
    • MPLAD Scheme Revised
    • Security Audit of Nuclear Stations
    • 20 More Districts in the Naxal-hit states
    • Diesel is dearer by Rs 3 a liter & Kerosene by Rs 2 a liter
    • Grievance Redressal Portal for Insurance Policy Holders
    • NAC directed the Tribal Affairs Ministry to consult Jarawas
    • The Survey of India Report Submitted

    INTERNATIONAL EVENTS 
    APRIL 2011


    • China to reinforce trust with neighbours
    • UPA government not to ban book on Gandhiji
    • Row over huge death toll in Ivorian town
    • Nazarbayev re-elected
    • Laurent Gbagbo captured
    • Nigeria votes on accidental leader
    • Cuba marks Bay of Pigs
    • Iran-Saudi Arabia rift widens over Bahrain
    • Martelly wins Haiti run-off
    • Thailand, Cambodia exchange fire
    • Russia offers to mediate on Libya
    • Russia proposes global nuclear safety plan
    • U.N. panel accuses Colombo, LTTE of war crimes
    • Libyan battles spill into Tunisia; clashes in syria
    • Russia celebrates conquest of space 


    JULY 2011

    • Germany to Shut its Nuclear Plants
    • Amendments to Swiss Banking Secrecy Laws
    • French Nationals to Sue Sarkozy over Crimes in Libya
    • Constitution (15th Amendment) Bill, 2011 passed in Bangladesh
    • 10th SCO Summit
    • UN launched Drive for Sustainable Sanitation
    • Pakistan gets Chinese Aid Against the US Raids
    • Yingluck Shinawatra to Become the PM of Thailand
    • Arrest Warrant for Muammar Gaddafi
    • President of Yemen Left Country
    • IAEA Called for Action on Nuclear Safety
    • US Decided to pull-out Troops from Afghanistan
    • Syria's President Recommended Reforms
    • Germany Announced Easing of Export Control Laws for India
    • Approval of the Constitutional Reforms Moroco
    • The UN-HABITAT Report
    • The World in 2050 Report

    ECONOMY

    APRIL 2011


    • Prepare for long-term climate change impacts on food production: FAO
    • FDI norms fine-tuned to attract more investment
    • 100 % FDI allowed in some areas of farm sector
    • GoM to decide Cairn-Vedanta deal
    • TRAI proposes Rs.1-lakh cr infrastructure investment
    • ADB meet to focus on food, fuel prices
    • Mini Ratna status for Pawan Hans
    • Indian handicrafts to take part in Hong Kong fair
    • Exports jump 37 % to $246 billion in 2010-11
    • Poverty rate declines from 37.2% to 32%
    • 12th Plan to target 9-9.5% growth
    • Discovers gas in Cauvery-Palar basin
    • Inter-ministerial group to examine FDI in pharma
    • SEBI to set rules for art funds, antique investments
    • Record food production in 2010-11
    • DGH to probe decline in gas output from KG-D6 fields
    • RBI moots deregulation of savings bank interest rate

    JULY 2011

    • India-Malaysia CECA
    • Chinese Currency Renminbi in Srilanka
    • Christine Lagarde is Chief of IMF
    • Golden Peacock Environment Management Award for 2011 to SAIL
    • Delhi Cabinet Waived VAT on Increased Price of Diesel
    • India’s Rating for Foreign & Local Currency Debt Outlook upgraded
    • RBI extended 10 % Ceiling of Bank Investment in Liquid Schemes of Mutual Funds
    • FDI in May 2011 Inflows Jumped 111 per cent at $4.664 Billion
    • Recommendation to Make CEIB a Nodal Agency
    • 25 Lakh Penalty on Citibank
    • RBI permitted Re-financing of Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds
    • Buyback of Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds Extended
    • Machendranathan Committee Suggestions
    • Extension for Tax Incentive Scheme for Exporters
    • New Food Security Bill in line with NAC’s Recommendation
    • Gopinath Committee Suggestions
    • Committee on Natural Resources Allocation called for Creation of National Coal Market
    • Guidelines for Public Financial Institutions
    • Google Launched its Mapping Service Street View in Bangalore
    • Ambuja Cements Acquired 85 per cent stake in Nepal’s Dang Cement
    • Wipro Technologies Won A Contract from Chaucer Syndicates
    • HMV Saregama India Bought 10% stake in Timbre Media

    INDIA AND THE WORLD

    APRIL 2011
    • Top SAARC police officers discuss drug trafficking and terrorism
    • Jahangir portrait sold for Rs. 10 crore at London auction
    • India signs chemicals test data-sharing pact
    • West Asia imparts political colour to BRICS summit
    • Chernobyl-like rating for Fukushima accident
    • BRICS panel to intensify economic links
    • BRICS nations make the first move with local currencies
    • Foothold for India in oil-rich Kazakhstan
    • India, Kazakhstan sign pact on nuclear cooperation
    • TAPI talks deadlocked on gas price, transit fee issues 
    JULY
    • India and Uzbekistan Signed 34 Agreements
    • India Extended Duty-free Market Access to Afghanistan
    • India and ADB Signed Agreement
    • India and Japan Signed Agreement

    SCIENCE 
    APRIL 2011

    • Ministry finalises National Health Research Policy
    • Navy preparing for takeover of Vikramaditya
    • Nagpur to be promoted as tiger capital: Jairam
    • Jairam says ‘no' to Ken-Betwa river link project
    • Stockholm Convention discuss global ban on endosulfan
    • PSLV-C16 puts 3 satellites in orbit
    • Resourcesat-2 will beam back huge data on resources
    • ISRO to build orbiter for NASA
    • Green technology to tackle water pollution
    • India seeks postponement of decision on Endosulfan ban at Geneva
    • Contact Group recommends global ban on endosulfan
    • Bamboo is liberated, says Jairam Ramesh
    • U.S. “deeply disappointed” by thumbs down to fighter jets
    • Stockholm Convention approves recommendation for ban on Endosulfan

    JULY 2011
    • The Universe May Bave Been Born Spinning
    • Discovery of Natural Antibody Brings a Universal Flu Vaccine a Step Closer
    • Spermocomet
    • Our Milky Way in Midst of Life Crisis
    • Indian communication Satellite GSAT-8 Successfully launched
    • Hubble Observes Aftermath of Possible Asteroid Collision
    • Drug Shield for Bacteria
    • Best-Performing Machine of the World
    • Anti Mosquito Gas
    • Cure for Glaucoma
    • First Ever Drug to Treat Celtic Gene
    • Werewolf Gene Discovered
    • Hereditary Disease Idiopathic Infantile Hypercalcemia
    • Laser Light Created with Living Biological Material
    • Scientists Set New Data Speed Record
    • WASP-17b Moves Opposite
    • Cure for Prostrate Tumors Found
    • Exemestane
    • 17 Lost Pyramids Found
    • Flexible Solar Sheet Developed
    • Juno Mission: Gas Giant Spacecraft All Gassed Up
    • Herschel Helps Solve Mystery of Cosmic Dust Origins

    AWARDS
    APRIL 2011

    • Nisha Rajagopal, first recipient of The Hindu Saregama M.S. Subbulakshmi Award
    • Indian wins Indu Sharma Katha Samman  
    • Indian-American doctor's book on cancer bags the Pulitzer
    • 2011 Pulitzers spread out
    • Indian mathematician wins Knuth Prize
    • Dadasaheb Phalke Award for K. Balachander 

    JULY 2011
    • G. D. Birla Award for Scientific Research
    • Dadasaheb Phalke Award
    • Anuvrat Ahimsa International Peace Award
    • Crans Montana Forum Award
    • Meghdoot Awards
    • Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding for 2009
    • Hindi Academy Shalaka Samman
    • 12th IIFA Awards
    • Education in Excellence Award-2011
    • International Merlin Award
    • INSEAD Honoured Sunil Bharti Mittal
    • Man Booker International Prize 
    •  
    •  
    • PERSONS


    • Sundari Mani passes away
    • Jacob Mathew elected WAN-IFRA president
    • Legendary archaeologist Lewis Binford passes away
    • Mohandas Pai steps down
    • Nawang Gombu passes away 
    •  
    • Smriti Irani
    • Devendra Pal Singh Bhullar
    • Controversial' Birs
    • Ashok Gehlot
    • Syed Saleem Shahzad
    • Sushma Swaraj
    • Gopal Subrahmaniam
    • Piyush Guha
    • News of the World
    • Mohan Kohali
    • Khodorkovsky
    • Nobel winner Blumberg dies
    • Daulaire new U.S. Rep at WHO
    • Tendulkar & Durrani
    • Shahid Afridi
    • Baba Ramdev
    • Salman Taseer
    • Vikram Pandit
    • K.G. Bhaskaran
    • Lalit Modi
    • Maqbool Fida Hussain
    • Dayanidhi Maran
    • Jyotirmoy Dey
    • Delhi University
    • Ranjan Mathai
    • Nandan and Rohini Nilekani
    • Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple
    • N. Murali
    • Bhupen Hazarika
    • The 25 paise coin
    • Amartya Sen
    • Akhil Gogoi

    SPORTS
    • India Takes The World Cup in Grand Style
    • Paes - Bhupathi duo wins title, becomes No. 1
    • Invincible Djokovic vanquishes Nadal
    • Duncan Fletcher appointed coach 
    • Cricket
    • Badminton
    • Tennis
    • Chess
    • Hockey
    • F1 European Grand Prix



janLOKPAL and Anna Hassare

The Jan Lokpal Bill 
The Jan Lokpal bill is a draft anti corruption bill put forwarded by a prominent civil society activists group India Against Corruption (IAC) to set up a Jan Lokapal, which is an independent body that would investigate corruption cases, complete the investigation within a year and envisages trial in the case getting over in the next one year.
Justice Santosh Hegde (former Supreme Court Judge and former Lokayukta of Karnataka), Prashant Bhushan (Supreme Court Lawyer) and Arvind Kejriwal (RTI activist) are the major players behind the draft Bill. It develops a system which will send a person to jail within two years of the complaint being made against him proved true and his ill-gotten wealth being confiscated. It also seeks power to the Jan Lokpal to prosecute politicians and bureaucrats without government permission. Later noted personalities like
Kiran Bedi (Retired IPS officer)  Swami Agnivesh, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Mallika Sarabhai were became a part of the movement which commonly called India Against Corruption.

Anna Hassare
The movement really got an impetus when Anna Hazare, anti-corruption crusader joined with IAC. He was a social activist not so popular outside Maharasthra. A Gandhian, now 71 successfully came forefront with the demand of a strong Jan Lokpal to curb corruption and he went on a fast-unto-death in April, demanding that this Bill, drafted by the civil society, be adopted. Four days into his fast, the government surrendered under Hazzare and agreed to set up a joint committee with an equal number of members from the government and civil society. But the confrontation between Government and IAC had been strengthening due to the differences in the bill. The government has introduced a bill in the Parliament which was against the views of Anna Team.  Governmnet resisted the intention of JanLokpal that make Judiciary and Prime Minister under the ambit of Lokpal.
The proposed bill of Anna Hassare has the following features.  
  1.  An institution called LOKPAL at the centre and LOKAYUKTA in each state will be set up
  2. Like Supreme Court and Election Commission, they will be completely independent of the governments. No minister or bureaucrat will be able to influence their investigations
  3. Cases against corrupt people will not linger on for years anymore: Investigations in any case will have to be completed in one year. Trial should be completed in next one year so that the corrupt politician, officer or judge is sent to jail within two years.
  4. The loss that a corrupt person caused to the government will be recovered at the time of conviction.
  5. Its members will be selected by judges, citizens and constitutional authorities through a completely transparent and participatory process.
  6. Any complaint against any officer of Lokpal shall be investigated and the officer dismissed within two months.
  7. It will be the duty of the Lokpal to provide protection to those who are being victimized for raising their voice against corruption.

In the back ground of Government opposition Anna decided to start fasting and call for a second independence war. People from all walks of life joined united under the voice of Anna and Government forced to control the situation. But the action of Delhi Police to stop Hassare made the situation worst. Arrest of Anna and related incidents got global attention and foreign media celebrated it as a serious tension in India. Later UPA understood that this will not be a similar situation like the incident of Irom Sharmila, who has been on fast (but forcefully fed by government) for the past 10 yras demanding the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Power Act in Manipur).
Lok Pal and Anna Hassare – A criticism
Observers clearly worried about the threat of an indefinite fast becoming an instrument of blackmail in the hands of a self styled civil society leaders.  It is true that if 1,456 Lac Crores black money comes back to India, it will be sufficient to wash out whole poverty from our nation. So the intention of Hazzare to curb corruption is most welcoming but his strategy to black mail Parliament by a most renowned and ethical method – Sthyagraha still stands as a question? Satyagraha is a last resort after exhausting all alternatives. But Hazzare suddenly initiated his fast without waiting the governments request for consultation and NAC’s recommendations. Thus Anna breached the basic principle of a Satygrahi – Tolerance/Patience.
The constitution gives autonomy to judiciary and executives, means both are independent. The authority to make law vested on Parliament. Government approved all the six demands of Anna Team and requested them to wait for the review. It was for the first time in the history of independent India that civil society representatives have been included in the drafting committee of a bill.  Breaching the law, Anna started unwanted fasting and demanded Janta Mantir as his venue for fasting. The draft Jan Lokpal Bill developed by Anna Team seeking to bring the Prime Minister, MPs and judges under the ambit of Lok Pal is a fraught with danger to the very existence of parliamentary democracy under which Legislature and Judiciary were most sacrosanct. And any unwanted allegations against Prime Minister will affect the ruling party and even ruling government. Subsequent to this that will lead to national unrest and instability. So the suggestion by the Parliament to bring PM under Lokpal after his tenure is most suited. Another observation which we have is, all the PM’s of India so far are not much corrupted and it is a strategy of the ruling party to keep their image. Regarding judiciary, there is strong bill called Judiciary Accountability Bill which waits for approval in Loka sabha can effectively control judiciary. Additionally, public servants can be prosecuted for corruption under the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. In short, this is’ a movement to overrun Indian Parliament democracy’. 
The bill was for the first time presented during the fourth Lok Sabha in 1968, and was passed there in 1969. It was revived in 1971, 1977, 1985, 1989, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2005 and 2008.and it is a question why Anna had been silent all the times. Adding vigor to his doubtful intention, he praised Narendra Modi – the brain behind Godra incident (how Modi’s criminal masterminding of the 2002 communal riots in Gujarth would be worthy of emulation) and another BJP Leader Notish Kumar.A leading members of IAC, Shanti Bhushan was a former central minister of law, BJP member. Prasanth Bhushan his son also in the same committee, critics called it as an instance of nepotism. There are so many allegations against him also.

In the midst of these struggles, foreign media has colored it very well with most suitable captions. Pakistan is celebrating and US alarming that India in a hangover of Middle East tension. There was another argument that, it was motivated by US to deteriorate the world largest democratic country and its democratic values. 

Can we assure that Anna Hazzare is a representative of civil society and India Against Corruption (IAC) is an authoritative system to represent common people? Is it a unanimous voice of 125 lakhs people? And if ‘yes’ , better is Anna and his team should come through the process. Then only they can clearly claim as representative of mass.

I think the statement of Prime Minister is sufficient to answer all our questions on Anna Hassare and his effort. “However, I am not aware of any constitutional philosophy or principle that allows anyone to question the sole prerogative of Parliament to make a law. But differences of opinion must be resolved through dialogue and consensus. Those who believe that their voice — and their voice alone — represents the will of 1.2 billion people should reflect deeply on that position. They must allow the elected representatives of the people in Parliament to do the job that they were elected for.”

Lastly, India is a country with an elaborate, comprehensive and all inclusive constitution and a penal code. And who knows the Lok ball committee will be corruption free even if it will be selected by supreme powers. The huge man power requirement for the setting up of Lok Janpal Team will be burden to Government and People.

At the same time corruption is very rampant from bottom to top. What we need is responsible citizens with courageous mind, vibrant and alert attitude. Act against corruption in each incident even it is painful (think about any situations that we have responded with vigor)  . There is no other magic wand to dominate this evil and remember that Jan Lokapal is not a magical instrument to curtail all the corruption in India. 

I love my India and love to see a corruption free India. Hats off to Anna Hassare if he genuinely represent people without any external influences and unwanted intentions. Thanks to know he eases his stringent stand that was forcing PM and Judiciary to comes under the ambit of Jan Lokpal.     

Lets unite for a corruption free India and work for the same... not globally but locally. Not through great words but through small actions.