What is new
Pawar gives credence to Jairam’s charge that Political Sherpas failed to communicate
- Published on 10 May 2014
Sharad Pawar Image Courtesy: NCP
The Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar or rather his Ministry has unintentionally substantiated the allegation that UPA top brass did not communicate effectively its achievements and this, in turn, has harmed its electoral prospects.
Before discussing Agriculture Ministry’s belated disclosure that justifies the charge of UPA leadership was uncommunicative, recall what Union Rural Development minister Jairam Ramesh recently stated while bemoaning that top Congress leaders (effectively UPA top brass) were found lacking in political communication.
Mr. Ramesh reportedly told PTI on 4th May: “I always believed that one of the foundations of politics is communication and communication from the very top...by the ‘sherpas’ alone. So, political communication is very, very important but unfortunately we were found lacking.”
Last month, the prime minister's communications adviser, Pankaj Pachauri stated: “The government is working. Its achievements are not reaching you. As for the media, the priorities are different.”
And now consider the proof of UPA sherpas being uncommunicative. Mr. Pawar/Agriculture Ministry sat on two major overseas communications hailing India’s achievements for more than two years. These should have been flaunted as global certification of India’s sterling attainments on the farm front under the UPA Government. The impact of communicating what reputed, independent entities say about the success is far more important than blowing one's own trumpet in the form of UPA's report to the people.
Manmohan Singh exalts the success of mega schemes under the business arrangement, but the new project is also a showcase of crony capitalism
- Published on 04 May 2014
(Published by India Legal Magazine dated 30th April 2014)
India drags its feet over delinking Agusta-Tata JV from chopper scam
- Published on 04 May 2014
aw119Kx helicopter: Image courtesy Agusta
The Indian Government has not yet let Agusta Westland-Tata joint venture (JV) off the Defence/VVIP helicopters scam hook. This is in spite of the fact that the JV has categorically written to the Government on 31st January 2014 that it would only sell its choppers in the domestic civilian and overseas markets.
The JV named Indian Rotorcraft Limited (IRL) had first indicated that it would keep itself away from the defence sector in February 2013 when the Government put the chopper scam under the criminal investigation.
Before taking a fresh call on JV’s plea for certain approvals, the Government wants to first decide whether the manufacture of helicopters for civilian market is delicensed. It also wants to decide whether foreign investment in this business should be allowed through the automatic route.
The Government intends to take a policy decision on these two issues after consulting Ministry of Defence (MOD) and Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP).
IRL’s stance that it wants to keep away from the defence market is expected to become redundant if MOD decides to blacklist Anglo-Italian Agusta Westland group. MOD can do this to penalize the Group for allegedly paying kickbacks to influential entities to bag the Indian Air Force (IAF) contract for 12 helicopters. Of these choppers, eight were required for flying the so-called very very important persons (VVIPs).
Set up a probe panel to unmask dealings of Vadra & all such VIPs
- Published on 01 May 2014
Image courtesy: BJP
The nation should be grateful to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for narrating a sob story about the slur campaign against her husband, Robert Vadra. She has thus inadvertently turned the national focus on the larger issue of suspicious and perhaps illegal benefits accruing to politically exposed persons (PEPs), their family members & associates.
Mrs. Vadra claims she has eternal faith in the truth. So has the public. Then what is the hitch in the UPA appointing an independent commission to unravel the truth about the wealth amassed by her husband and other such VIPs?
Congress’ bête noir Narendra Modi has publicly challenged UPA to undertake all sort of investigations into his activities to uncover any alleged wrongdoing. Can Priyankaji formally urge the Supreme Court to institute such a probe into all business transactions of the Gandhi family to prove her faith in the truth?
The case for probe against Mr. Vadra is strong as he is a deemed public official by virtue of alloment of a ministerial house, grant of special protection group security and provision of other privileges available to super VIPs in Government.
The proposed commission should be mandated to not only investigate her husband’s real estate deals but also the transactions of all other PEPs’ families right from the initiation of economic reforms in mid-1991. This would effectively rule out political vindictiveness.