Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Neeti Ayog
Planning Commission renamed 'Neeti Ayog'
Last Updated: Thursday, January 1, 2015 - 11:54
Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: Following up on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day announcement that the Planning Commission would be replaced, the government, Thursday, renamed the plan panel as 'Neeti Ayog'.
The renaming of the Planning Commission is being seen as the first step towards replacing it with a new-age institution.
The Prime Minister had called meeting of all chief ministers recently to deliberate on the structure of the new body which would replace the Commission.
The majority view that emerged after the meeting was in favour of decentralisation of power.
Congress-ruled states, however, had reservations about dismantling an institution which was set up by the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and they suggested restructuring of the existing body, rather than a complete replacement.
Incidentally, Nehru himself is said to have faced resistance to the idea of setting up of the Planning Commission, but it went on to become a major platform for successive governments to formulate and push forward economic policies and other development plans.
Finance Minister had then said that a principle of 'cooperative federalism' is being followed in setting up the new body in place of Planning Commission.
"Our government stands by the principle of cooperative federalism, empowering states, least number of central schemes and more state schemes," Jaitley said while replying to a debate in the Lok Sabha.
The Planning Commission was set up by a simple government resolution in March 1950 and has withstood many political and economic upheavals, as also some occasional controversies, including those related to its poverty estimates as also about a huge toilet renovation bill and foreign tour expenses of its last Deputy Chairman.
The plan panel has commissioned 12 five-year plans and six annual plans involving fund outlays of over Rs 200 lakh crore in its 65-year-history.
It was set up initially as part of the government's declared objectives to promote a rapid rise in the standard of living of the people by efficient exploitation of resources, increasing production and offering employment opportunities.
The Commission was charged with the responsibility of assessing all resources of the country, augmenting deficient resources, formulating plans for the most effective and balanced utilisation of resources and determining priorities.
The first Five-year Plan was launched in 1951 with total outlay of little over Rs 2,000 crore and two subsequent five-year plans were formulated till 1965, when there was a break because of the Indo-Pakistan Conflict.
Two successive years of drought, devaluation of currency, a general rise in prices and erosion of resources disrupted the planning process and after three Annual Plans between 1966 and 1969, the fourth Five-year plan was started in 1969.
The Eighth Plan could not take off in 1990 due to the fast changing political situation at the Centre and the years 1990-91 and 1991-92 were treated as Annual Plans. The Eighth Plan was finally launched in 1992.
For the first eight Plans, the emphasis was on a growing public sector with massive investments in basic and heavy industries, but since the launch of the 9th Plan in 1997, the emphasis on the public sector has become less pronounced and the current thinking on planning in the country, in general, is that it should increasingly be of an indicative nature.
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Bharat Ratna 2014
Vajpayee deserves the Bharat Ratna, but then so does PV Narasimha Rao
by R Jagannathan Dec 24, 2014 14:28 IST
The announcement of the Bharat Ratna to Atal Behari Vajpayee and Madan Mohan Malaviya by the NDA government will partly be seen as the BJP’s effort to pander to its favourite heroes – one living, one long dead.
Neither name is a surprise (their birth anniversaries being 25 December), but if the BJP truly wanted to make a mark with its political choices for Bharat Ratna, it should have named PV Narasimha Rao as well. Rao’s was the hand the steered India out of economic bankruptcy in 1991. But that is another story.
While Vajpayee’s name will be seen as less controversial given his avuncular, “secular” image, Malaviya’s choice will inevitably be seen as linked to the Sangh parivar as he was a member of the Hindu Mahasabha which espouses Hindu nationalism. He was also founder of the Benares Hindu University.
The award to Vajpayee is non-controversial, but Malaviya’s name will surely raise hackles in the “secular” crowd.
Modern historian Ramachandra Guha has already tweeted his dissent, though he posed the argument as one about living and dead awardees. “Giving Bharat Ratna to Vajpayee is fine, but one should not award it to people dead or long dead. Awarding Malaviya is a mistake”, he tweeted.
But then, by this yardstick we should not have awarded BR Ambedkar, Sardar Patel or Maulana Abul Kalam Azad either, for they were towering personalities of pre- and post-independence India who made huge contributions to nation-building.
In fact, the award of the Bharat Ratna to living legends – or non-legends – can equally be questioned, especially given the varying quality of awardees over the years.
What is worrying is that the award has been tweaked for political ends from the time of Jawaharlal Nehru and worthy awardees have been consistently mixed up with not-so-worthy ones.
For example, nothing beggars the mind more than the fact that Nehru awarded himself a Bharat Ratna in 1955, when he was Prime Minister. This sucks.
'Atalji a living Bharat Ratna': Who said what on award given to Vajpayee, Malaviya
Former PM Vajpayee may be chosen for Bharat Ratna
LK Advani backs Bharat Ratna for former PM Vajpayee
The award to Indira Gandhi in 1971 also happened when she was Prime Minister; the only reason why it didn’t seem so bad then was because of her stellar role in the creation of Bangladesh, for which Vajpayee himself called her a “Durga”.
Rajiv Gandhi, whose achievements in one term as PM can be written on the back of a postage stamp, got one in 1991 because he died a terrible death at the hands of an LTTE suicide bomber. It was his death that got him the award, as the country mourned him for the way he died. He was worthy of national mourning, not a Bharat Ratna.
What this shows is that the nation’s highest award is often given for reasons of hubris, politics or sentimentality. In fact, politics is also the reason for denying some equally worthy candidates of the award like the late Narasimha Rao.
If we want to move away from this situation, the award procedure has to be taken out of political hands and a permanent body of eminent persons set up to figure out the right criteria for a short-list from which the government can take a final pick. One could exclude dead persons, or create another category – a Bharat Jyoti, maybe - for honouring those who did not get their due when they were alive.
Coming to the Vajpayee-Malaviya awards announced today (24 December), it is obvious that Vajpayee truly deserved it as he was one of India’s best non-Congress prime ministers, with respect flowing to him from across the political spectrum. With his genial exterior and easygoing ways, Vajpayee steered the country ably from 1998 to 2004 – a period of economic turbulence following the Asian meltdown, the post-Pokharan sanctions, the post-dotcom bust, and the Kargil war. Vajpayee’s government enabled both reforms and economic rejuvenation in difficult circumstances as head of an unwieldy coalition.
As for Malaviya, his selection is the BJP’s tribute to its Hindu constituency and not unlinked to Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency – Varanasi.
You can rubbish this selection or praise it, but if we accept political decisions on the Bharat Ratna as legitimate, you can’t also say that the BJP has no right to honour its own heroes.
However, a truly political – and genuine – act the BJP could have done (as we noted briefly earlier) was to add Narasimha Rao to the Bharat Ratna list this year. Maybe, this can be rectified next year.
If any prime minister post Nehru, Indira and Shastri deserved this award, it was Narasimha Rao (apart from Vajpayee). A churlish Congress party will never honour Rao, with the Gandhi family even denying him a cremation in Delhi.
The BJP would have done yeoman service to the nation by honouring Rao – which would have both made sensible politics and genuine recompense for services rendered to the nation.
by R Jagannathan Dec 24, 2014 14:28 IST
The announcement of the Bharat Ratna to Atal Behari Vajpayee and Madan Mohan Malaviya by the NDA government will partly be seen as the BJP’s effort to pander to its favourite heroes – one living, one long dead.
Neither name is a surprise (their birth anniversaries being 25 December), but if the BJP truly wanted to make a mark with its political choices for Bharat Ratna, it should have named PV Narasimha Rao as well. Rao’s was the hand the steered India out of economic bankruptcy in 1991. But that is another story.
While Vajpayee’s name will be seen as less controversial given his avuncular, “secular” image, Malaviya’s choice will inevitably be seen as linked to the Sangh parivar as he was a member of the Hindu Mahasabha which espouses Hindu nationalism. He was also founder of the Benares Hindu University.
The award to Vajpayee is non-controversial, but Malaviya’s name will surely raise hackles in the “secular” crowd.
Modern historian Ramachandra Guha has already tweeted his dissent, though he posed the argument as one about living and dead awardees. “Giving Bharat Ratna to Vajpayee is fine, but one should not award it to people dead or long dead. Awarding Malaviya is a mistake”, he tweeted.
But then, by this yardstick we should not have awarded BR Ambedkar, Sardar Patel or Maulana Abul Kalam Azad either, for they were towering personalities of pre- and post-independence India who made huge contributions to nation-building.
In fact, the award of the Bharat Ratna to living legends – or non-legends – can equally be questioned, especially given the varying quality of awardees over the years.
What is worrying is that the award has been tweaked for political ends from the time of Jawaharlal Nehru and worthy awardees have been consistently mixed up with not-so-worthy ones.
For example, nothing beggars the mind more than the fact that Nehru awarded himself a Bharat Ratna in 1955, when he was Prime Minister. This sucks.
'Atalji a living Bharat Ratna': Who said what on award given to Vajpayee, Malaviya
Former PM Vajpayee may be chosen for Bharat Ratna
LK Advani backs Bharat Ratna for former PM Vajpayee
The award to Indira Gandhi in 1971 also happened when she was Prime Minister; the only reason why it didn’t seem so bad then was because of her stellar role in the creation of Bangladesh, for which Vajpayee himself called her a “Durga”.
Rajiv Gandhi, whose achievements in one term as PM can be written on the back of a postage stamp, got one in 1991 because he died a terrible death at the hands of an LTTE suicide bomber. It was his death that got him the award, as the country mourned him for the way he died. He was worthy of national mourning, not a Bharat Ratna.
What this shows is that the nation’s highest award is often given for reasons of hubris, politics or sentimentality. In fact, politics is also the reason for denying some equally worthy candidates of the award like the late Narasimha Rao.
If we want to move away from this situation, the award procedure has to be taken out of political hands and a permanent body of eminent persons set up to figure out the right criteria for a short-list from which the government can take a final pick. One could exclude dead persons, or create another category – a Bharat Jyoti, maybe - for honouring those who did not get their due when they were alive.
Coming to the Vajpayee-Malaviya awards announced today (24 December), it is obvious that Vajpayee truly deserved it as he was one of India’s best non-Congress prime ministers, with respect flowing to him from across the political spectrum. With his genial exterior and easygoing ways, Vajpayee steered the country ably from 1998 to 2004 – a period of economic turbulence following the Asian meltdown, the post-Pokharan sanctions, the post-dotcom bust, and the Kargil war. Vajpayee’s government enabled both reforms and economic rejuvenation in difficult circumstances as head of an unwieldy coalition.
As for Malaviya, his selection is the BJP’s tribute to its Hindu constituency and not unlinked to Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency – Varanasi.
You can rubbish this selection or praise it, but if we accept political decisions on the Bharat Ratna as legitimate, you can’t also say that the BJP has no right to honour its own heroes.
However, a truly political – and genuine – act the BJP could have done (as we noted briefly earlier) was to add Narasimha Rao to the Bharat Ratna list this year. Maybe, this can be rectified next year.
If any prime minister post Nehru, Indira and Shastri deserved this award, it was Narasimha Rao (apart from Vajpayee). A churlish Congress party will never honour Rao, with the Gandhi family even denying him a cremation in Delhi.
The BJP would have done yeoman service to the nation by honouring Rao – which would have both made sensible politics and genuine recompense for services rendered to the nation.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Nobel Prizes
All you need to know about Nobel prizes
PTI
The 1936 Nobel Peace Prize
SLIDESHOW
From 1913 to 2014: Indian Nobel Prize winners
From 1901 till this year, Nobel prizes have been awarded 567 times to 864 Laureates and 25 organisations with the youngest winner being Peace Prize awardee Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan at 17 years.
By winning the Peace Nobel at this tender age along with India’s Kailash Satyarthi, Ms. Yousafzai beat the previous record of Lawrence Bragg, who won the Physics Nobel in 1915 at the age of 25.
Kailash Satyarthi (left) and Malala Yousafzai
The word “Laureate” signifies the laurel wreath awarded to winners of athletic competitions and poetic meets in Ancient Greece. In Greek mythology, god Apollo is represented wearing on his head a laurel wreath, a circular crown made of branches and leaves of the bay laurel.
The statutes of the Nobel Foundation say, “If none of the works under consideration is found to be of the importance indicated in the first paragraph, the prize money shall be reserved until the following year.”
“If, even then, the prize cannot be awarded, the amount shall be added to the Foundation’s restricted funds.”
On 27 November 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his last will and testament, giving the largest share of his fortune to a series of prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and Peace.
In 1968, Sweden’s central bank Sveriges Riksbank established The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in memory of Nobel.
At the Nobel Award ceremonies on December 10, the Laureates receive three things: a Nobel Diploma, a Nobel Medal and a document confirming the Nobel Prize amount.
Each Nobel Diploma is a unique work of art, created by foremost Swedish and Norwegian artists and calligraphers.
The Nobel Medals are handmade with careful precision and in 18 carat green gold plated with 24 carat gold.
The Nobel Prize amount for 2014 is set at Swedish kronor (SEK) 8.0 million per full Nobel Prize.
Interesting facts
The average age of all Nobel Laureates in all prize categories between 1901 and 2014 is 59 years.
Two most common birthdays among the Nobel Laureates are May 21 and February 28.
Since 1901, prizes have not been awarded 50 times, most of them during World War I (1914-1918) and II (1939-1945).
Leonid Hurwicz has the distinction of being the oldest Nobel recipient at the age of 90 for Economics in 2007.
Till now, 47 women have won the Nobel while two Laureates declined the prize.
Jean-Paul Sartre, awarded the 1964 Nobel Prize in Literature, declined it as he had consistently declined all official honours.
Jean-Paul Sartre
Le Duc Tho, awarded the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger for negotiating the Vietnam peace accord, said he was not in a position to accept the award, citing the situation in Vietnam as his reason.
Four Laureates were forced by authorities to decline the Nobel.
Adolf Hitler forbade three Germans Richard Kuhn, Adolf Butenandt and Gerhard Domagk, from accepting the Nobel Prize.
They, however, received the Nobel Prize Diploma and Medal later but not the prize amount.
Boris Pasternak, the 1958 Nobel Laureate in Literature, initially accepted the Prize but was later coerced by authorities of his native country the Soviet Union to decline the award.
Three Peace Laureates — Germany’s Carl von Ossietzky, Myanmar’s pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi and Chinese rights activist Liu Xiaobo — were under arrest at the time of the award.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was given the Nobel Peace Prize thrice while its founder Henry Dunant won the first Peace Prize in 1901.
Linus Pauling has the distinction of being the only person to have been awarded two unshared Nobel Prizes — the 1954 Prize in Chemistry and the 1962 Peace Prize.
Why is Nobel Peace Prize given by Norway?
Since 1901, when Nobel Prizes were first given, Peace Prize has been awarded by a committee of five, appointed by the Norwegian Parliament Storting in accordance with Alfred Nobel’s will.
Alfred Nobel never disclosed why he didn’t give the task of awarding the Peace Prize to a Swedish body.
The reasons are speculative.
One argument is that Nobel admired Norwegian patriot and leading author Bjornstjerne Bjornson while another is that the Storting was the first national legislature to vote in support for the international peace movement.
Nobel may also have favoured distribution of the tasks related to the Nobel Prizes within the Swedish-Norwegian union or he may have feared that given the highly political nature of the Peace Prize, it might become a tool in power politics thus reducing its significance as an instrument for peace.
“It is my express wish that in awarding the prizes no consideration be given to the nationality of the candidates, but that the most worthy shall receive the prize, whether he be Scandinavian or not,” Nobel wrote in his will.
During the 20th century, eight Scandinavians have won the Peace Prize — five Swedes, two Norwegians and one Dane.
In the nomination and selection process, the committee has the assistance of a secretary and since the establishment of the Norwegian Nobel Institute in 1904, this person is also the institute’s director.
There have been several criticism and protests against decisions of the Norwegian Nobel Committee since 1901.
The selection process
The Peace Prize award ceremony on December 10 is the culmination of a long selection process.
According to rules, there can be a maximum of three Laureates in a category every year.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee begins the whole process by inviting nominations which can be submitted by February 1 each year.
Who are entitled to nominate candidates for the Nobel Peace Prize?
Present and past members of the Nobel Committee and advisers at the Nobel Institute; members of national assemblies and governments, and members of the Inter-Parliamentary Union; members of the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the International Court of Justice at the Hague and members of the Commission of the Permanent International Peace Bureau.
Besides them, members of the Institut de Droit International and present university professors of law, political science, history and philosophy; and holders of the Nobel Peace Prize can also nominate.
After reviewing their qualifications, a shortlist of the candidates is made.
The announcement of the Laureate’s name is often made on a Friday in mid-October at the Nobel Institute building and the award is presented annually on December 10, the day Alfred Nobel died in 1896.
PTI
The 1936 Nobel Peace Prize
SLIDESHOW
From 1913 to 2014: Indian Nobel Prize winners
From 1901 till this year, Nobel prizes have been awarded 567 times to 864 Laureates and 25 organisations with the youngest winner being Peace Prize awardee Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan at 17 years.
By winning the Peace Nobel at this tender age along with India’s Kailash Satyarthi, Ms. Yousafzai beat the previous record of Lawrence Bragg, who won the Physics Nobel in 1915 at the age of 25.
Kailash Satyarthi (left) and Malala Yousafzai
The word “Laureate” signifies the laurel wreath awarded to winners of athletic competitions and poetic meets in Ancient Greece. In Greek mythology, god Apollo is represented wearing on his head a laurel wreath, a circular crown made of branches and leaves of the bay laurel.
The statutes of the Nobel Foundation say, “If none of the works under consideration is found to be of the importance indicated in the first paragraph, the prize money shall be reserved until the following year.”
“If, even then, the prize cannot be awarded, the amount shall be added to the Foundation’s restricted funds.”
On 27 November 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his last will and testament, giving the largest share of his fortune to a series of prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and Peace.
In 1968, Sweden’s central bank Sveriges Riksbank established The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in memory of Nobel.
At the Nobel Award ceremonies on December 10, the Laureates receive three things: a Nobel Diploma, a Nobel Medal and a document confirming the Nobel Prize amount.
Each Nobel Diploma is a unique work of art, created by foremost Swedish and Norwegian artists and calligraphers.
The Nobel Medals are handmade with careful precision and in 18 carat green gold plated with 24 carat gold.
The Nobel Prize amount for 2014 is set at Swedish kronor (SEK) 8.0 million per full Nobel Prize.
Interesting facts
The average age of all Nobel Laureates in all prize categories between 1901 and 2014 is 59 years.
Two most common birthdays among the Nobel Laureates are May 21 and February 28.
Since 1901, prizes have not been awarded 50 times, most of them during World War I (1914-1918) and II (1939-1945).
Leonid Hurwicz has the distinction of being the oldest Nobel recipient at the age of 90 for Economics in 2007.
Till now, 47 women have won the Nobel while two Laureates declined the prize.
Jean-Paul Sartre, awarded the 1964 Nobel Prize in Literature, declined it as he had consistently declined all official honours.
Jean-Paul Sartre
Le Duc Tho, awarded the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger for negotiating the Vietnam peace accord, said he was not in a position to accept the award, citing the situation in Vietnam as his reason.
Four Laureates were forced by authorities to decline the Nobel.
Adolf Hitler forbade three Germans Richard Kuhn, Adolf Butenandt and Gerhard Domagk, from accepting the Nobel Prize.
They, however, received the Nobel Prize Diploma and Medal later but not the prize amount.
Boris Pasternak, the 1958 Nobel Laureate in Literature, initially accepted the Prize but was later coerced by authorities of his native country the Soviet Union to decline the award.
Three Peace Laureates — Germany’s Carl von Ossietzky, Myanmar’s pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi and Chinese rights activist Liu Xiaobo — were under arrest at the time of the award.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was given the Nobel Peace Prize thrice while its founder Henry Dunant won the first Peace Prize in 1901.
Linus Pauling has the distinction of being the only person to have been awarded two unshared Nobel Prizes — the 1954 Prize in Chemistry and the 1962 Peace Prize.
Why is Nobel Peace Prize given by Norway?
Since 1901, when Nobel Prizes were first given, Peace Prize has been awarded by a committee of five, appointed by the Norwegian Parliament Storting in accordance with Alfred Nobel’s will.
Alfred Nobel never disclosed why he didn’t give the task of awarding the Peace Prize to a Swedish body.
The reasons are speculative.
One argument is that Nobel admired Norwegian patriot and leading author Bjornstjerne Bjornson while another is that the Storting was the first national legislature to vote in support for the international peace movement.
Nobel may also have favoured distribution of the tasks related to the Nobel Prizes within the Swedish-Norwegian union or he may have feared that given the highly political nature of the Peace Prize, it might become a tool in power politics thus reducing its significance as an instrument for peace.
“It is my express wish that in awarding the prizes no consideration be given to the nationality of the candidates, but that the most worthy shall receive the prize, whether he be Scandinavian or not,” Nobel wrote in his will.
During the 20th century, eight Scandinavians have won the Peace Prize — five Swedes, two Norwegians and one Dane.
In the nomination and selection process, the committee has the assistance of a secretary and since the establishment of the Norwegian Nobel Institute in 1904, this person is also the institute’s director.
There have been several criticism and protests against decisions of the Norwegian Nobel Committee since 1901.
The selection process
The Peace Prize award ceremony on December 10 is the culmination of a long selection process.
According to rules, there can be a maximum of three Laureates in a category every year.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee begins the whole process by inviting nominations which can be submitted by February 1 each year.
Who are entitled to nominate candidates for the Nobel Peace Prize?
Present and past members of the Nobel Committee and advisers at the Nobel Institute; members of national assemblies and governments, and members of the Inter-Parliamentary Union; members of the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the International Court of Justice at the Hague and members of the Commission of the Permanent International Peace Bureau.
Besides them, members of the Institut de Droit International and present university professors of law, political science, history and philosophy; and holders of the Nobel Peace Prize can also nominate.
After reviewing their qualifications, a shortlist of the candidates is made.
The announcement of the Laureate’s name is often made on a Friday in mid-October at the Nobel Institute building and the award is presented annually on December 10, the day Alfred Nobel died in 1896.
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
astrology is superior to science
Science a pygmy when compared to astrology, says BJP MP Ramesh Pokhriyal
Last Updated: Thursday, December 4, 2014 - 10:48
Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: Former Uttarakhand CM and BJP MP Ramesh Pokhriyal courted controversy after he declared that astrology is superior to science.
Speaking during a debate in the Parliament on a Bill to give more powers to the School of Planning and Architecture, Pokhriyal said, “Jyotish is a science to make calculations lakhs of years in advance. All other sciences dwarf in front of astrology. It should be taken forward as Jyotish science is number one in the world. There should be a debate on the subject.” The bill was passed by a voice vote.
Pokhriyal added that lakhs of years back, Sage Kanad had conducted a nuclear test. “Our knowledge and science do not lack anything,” he said.
Nishank also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s earlier remarks on the existence of genetic science during prehistoric times. Modi had said that genetic science and plastic surgery explains the the creation of Karna and Lord Ganesha.
“People raised questions on Modiji’s comments on Ganesh’s surgery. It was actually a surgery. The science or knowledge to transplant a severed head existed only in India,” said Nishank.
His comments elicited strong response from opposition benches with MPs protesting against what they termed as 'regressive remarks'.
First Published: Thursday, December 4, 2014 - 10:39
Last Updated: Thursday, December 4, 2014 - 10:48
Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: Former Uttarakhand CM and BJP MP Ramesh Pokhriyal courted controversy after he declared that astrology is superior to science.
Speaking during a debate in the Parliament on a Bill to give more powers to the School of Planning and Architecture, Pokhriyal said, “Jyotish is a science to make calculations lakhs of years in advance. All other sciences dwarf in front of astrology. It should be taken forward as Jyotish science is number one in the world. There should be a debate on the subject.” The bill was passed by a voice vote.
Pokhriyal added that lakhs of years back, Sage Kanad had conducted a nuclear test. “Our knowledge and science do not lack anything,” he said.
Nishank also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s earlier remarks on the existence of genetic science during prehistoric times. Modi had said that genetic science and plastic surgery explains the the creation of Karna and Lord Ganesha.
“People raised questions on Modiji’s comments on Ganesh’s surgery. It was actually a surgery. The science or knowledge to transplant a severed head existed only in India,” said Nishank.
His comments elicited strong response from opposition benches with MPs protesting against what they termed as 'regressive remarks'.
First Published: Thursday, December 4, 2014 - 10:39
Sunday, July 6, 2014
fatwas illegal: Supreme Court
Sharia Courts have no legal sanctity, fatwas illegal: Supreme Court
Last Updated: Monday, July 07, 2014, 12:13
Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court on Monday declared that no legal status has been granted to the Sharia Courts and religious decrees or fatwas are illegal if they tread on the rights of an individual.
The apex court further objected to the Shariat Courts ordering punishments against innocent people and said that no religion permits the same.
The SC also said that 'Darul Qaza' should not pass any judgment pertaining to the rights of an individual unless asked by the concerned person.
The verdict by the apex court was given after a petition challenging the legality of the Shariat Courts was filed by a Delhi based lawyer Vishwa Lochan Madan in 2005.
In the petition, he stated that institutions like Darul Qaza and Darul-iftaa are operating like parallel courts which take decisions on the fundamental rights of the Muslim citizens.
He also reportedly said that religious clerics qazis and muftis appointed by them cannot take a call on the liberty of the Muslims by issuing fatwas and curtailing their fundamental rights.
The petitioner further argued that the Darul Qaza and Darul-iftaa operate in Muslim dominated districts where people cannot oppose the rulings.
Citing an example, the petitioner stated that a Muslim girl had to desert her husband because a fatwa directed her to live with her father-in-law who had allegedly raped her.
The apex court had reserved the judgment in the case in February earlier this year and had reportedly said that it cannot interfere with the religious decrees issued by the Muslim clerics.
The court further told the petitioner that “some fatwas may be wise and issued for the general good also,” the news report stated.
Last Updated: Monday, July 07, 2014, 12:13
Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court on Monday declared that no legal status has been granted to the Sharia Courts and religious decrees or fatwas are illegal if they tread on the rights of an individual.
The apex court further objected to the Shariat Courts ordering punishments against innocent people and said that no religion permits the same.
The SC also said that 'Darul Qaza' should not pass any judgment pertaining to the rights of an individual unless asked by the concerned person.
The verdict by the apex court was given after a petition challenging the legality of the Shariat Courts was filed by a Delhi based lawyer Vishwa Lochan Madan in 2005.
In the petition, he stated that institutions like Darul Qaza and Darul-iftaa are operating like parallel courts which take decisions on the fundamental rights of the Muslim citizens.
He also reportedly said that religious clerics qazis and muftis appointed by them cannot take a call on the liberty of the Muslims by issuing fatwas and curtailing their fundamental rights.
The petitioner further argued that the Darul Qaza and Darul-iftaa operate in Muslim dominated districts where people cannot oppose the rulings.
Citing an example, the petitioner stated that a Muslim girl had to desert her husband because a fatwa directed her to live with her father-in-law who had allegedly raped her.
The apex court had reserved the judgment in the case in February earlier this year and had reportedly said that it cannot interfere with the religious decrees issued by the Muslim clerics.
The court further told the petitioner that “some fatwas may be wise and issued for the general good also,” the news report stated.
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Reliance Communication and ......
RComm raises $804 million via share sale: Sources
Last Updated: Wednesday, June 25, 2014, 11:31
Zee News
Reliance Communication, Anil Ambani, QIP, RComm Shares, Offer Price
Reliance Communications Ltd on Wednesday raised USD 804 million by selling shares, people involved in the process said, in what is the single biggest equity issue since the pro-business Narendra Modi government took office.
The proceeds will help the company`s third-largest mobile phone operator by customers cut its debt, said the people, who declined to be named as they were not authorised to speak to the media before a public announcement.
A Reliance Communications spokesman declined to comment.
The company`s share sale is likely to be followed by a raft of equity sales by Indian companies in the coming months on the back of growing demand for equities after a landslide election victory last month for new Prime Minister Modi.
Reliance Communications, headed by billionaire Anil Ambani, had net debt of Rs 401.78 billion (USD 6.7 billion) as of end-March. That was more than five times its operating profit, making it the most-leveraged among listed Indian carriers.
"There is a need for corporate India to deleverage balance sheets for growth. There is no other choice. Share sale momentum will continue," said Aneesh Srivastava, chief investment officer at IDBI Federal Life Insurance.
"Foreign investors continue to lap up Indian issues on economy and Modi-driven confidence."
An economic downturn and sluggish corporate earnings growth in Asia`s third-largest economy have deterred equity deals in the past year.
Modi`s Bharatiya Janata Party won India`s first outright parliamentary majority in three decades, spurring hopes of a revival in an economy that is witnessing its longest spell of under-5-percent growth since the late 1980s.
Reliance Communications got total bids of about Rs 120 billion, but has decided to retain about Rs 60 billion worth of bids out of which Rs 48 billion (USD 804.02 million) was via shares sold to institutional investors, said the sources.
The company`s founders also bought shares worth Rs 13 billion, they said. The company had launched the share sale worth up to USD 500 million on Tuesday.
Reliance Communications shares were last trading down 2.5 percent at Rs 148.40, while the main Mumbai market index was trading flat.
Last Updated: Wednesday, June 25, 2014, 11:31
Zee News
Reliance Communication, Anil Ambani, QIP, RComm Shares, Offer Price
Reliance Communications Ltd on Wednesday raised USD 804 million by selling shares, people involved in the process said, in what is the single biggest equity issue since the pro-business Narendra Modi government took office.
The proceeds will help the company`s third-largest mobile phone operator by customers cut its debt, said the people, who declined to be named as they were not authorised to speak to the media before a public announcement.
A Reliance Communications spokesman declined to comment.
The company`s share sale is likely to be followed by a raft of equity sales by Indian companies in the coming months on the back of growing demand for equities after a landslide election victory last month for new Prime Minister Modi.
Reliance Communications, headed by billionaire Anil Ambani, had net debt of Rs 401.78 billion (USD 6.7 billion) as of end-March. That was more than five times its operating profit, making it the most-leveraged among listed Indian carriers.
"There is a need for corporate India to deleverage balance sheets for growth. There is no other choice. Share sale momentum will continue," said Aneesh Srivastava, chief investment officer at IDBI Federal Life Insurance.
"Foreign investors continue to lap up Indian issues on economy and Modi-driven confidence."
An economic downturn and sluggish corporate earnings growth in Asia`s third-largest economy have deterred equity deals in the past year.
Modi`s Bharatiya Janata Party won India`s first outright parliamentary majority in three decades, spurring hopes of a revival in an economy that is witnessing its longest spell of under-5-percent growth since the late 1980s.
Reliance Communications got total bids of about Rs 120 billion, but has decided to retain about Rs 60 billion worth of bids out of which Rs 48 billion (USD 804.02 million) was via shares sold to institutional investors, said the sources.
The company`s founders also bought shares worth Rs 13 billion, they said. The company had launched the share sale worth up to USD 500 million on Tuesday.
Reliance Communications shares were last trading down 2.5 percent at Rs 148.40, while the main Mumbai market index was trading flat.
Friday, June 20, 2014
official language in india
Census dispels Hindi myth, only 25 pc in India claim Hindi is their mother tongue
D P Satish, IBNLive.com ,Jun 20, 2014 at 02:46pm IST
Follow @ibnlive
New Delhi: The newly elected BJP led NDA government's eagerness to promote Hindi on social media platforms has led to a controversy dividing the people on language lines. Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju has defended the Centre's decision to promote Hindi. BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has made a misplaced argument defending the use of Hindi saying that it will dispel the perception that only English speakers are intelligent.
But, the people who are opposing the 'imposition' of Hindi claim that a Hindi versus English debate has now become a Hindi versus rest of the Indian languages debate. They argue that the Centre can promote Hindi in Hindi speaking states and may even replace English with Hindi in these states. But, it must not do the same in non-Hindi speaking states.
The claims that Hindi is our national language have also attracted huge criticism. According to the Indian Constitution, all 15 major languages in the country are considered national languages and Hindi and English are the two main official languages.
The NDA government's eagerness to promote Hindi on social media platforms has led to a controversy. (Hindi, English, via Shutterstock)
Even though the supporters of Hindi are claiming that over 70 per cent of India speaks Hindi, the reality speaks of a different situation. According to 2001 Census figures, just 45 per cent people speak or know Hindi. But, just 25 per cent people in India have declared Hindi as their mother tongue. A little over 25 crore actually speak Hindi, says Census 2001.
The remaining people speak variants of Hindi like Bhojpuri, Magadhi, Maithili, Garhwali, Dogri, Rajasthani, Marwari, Haryanvi etc. All put together, the speakers of Hindi and its dialects are about 45 per cent.
It proves that remaining 55 per cent speak non-Hindi languages and the majority people in India don't even know Hindi.
According to the 2001 Census, 42 crore people speak or understand Hindi all over India. But, only 25 crore declared Hindi as their mother tongue. 8.5 crore people speak Bengali, 7.5 crore people speak Telugu, 7 crore speak Marathi and 6 crore speak Tamil.
5 crore speak Urdu, 4.6 crore speak Gujarati, 4 crore speak Kannada, 3.5 crore speak Malayalam, 3.3 crore speak Oriya, 3 crore speak Punjabi, 1.5 crore speak Assamese, 64 lakh speak Santhali and 55 lakh speak Kashmiri languages.
People in the north eastern states speak more than 50 different dialects. Tribals in non-Hindi speaking and non-north eastern states also speak different dialects. These dialects have nothing to do with Hindi or its variants. The languages like Konkani, Tulu, Kodava, Beary, which are spoken in Karnataka also have nothing to do with Hindi.
Experts argue that the Centre must carefully look into the Census data before claiming that over 70 per cent speaks or understands Hindi. Eminent modern historian and writer Ramachandra Guha in a tweet said, "One should remember that Pakistan split, and Sri Lanka plunged into civil war, because of the mistaken belief in a single national language."
With Tamil politicians who have been vehemently opposing the Hindi hegemony or imposition warning the Centre to modify its circular to promote Hindi, the issue is likely to rock the Budget Session of Parliament.
What India speaks
HINDI
Mother tongue of 25 per cent Indians
More than 41 per cent Indians claim that they know Hindi
BENGALI
Mother tongue of 8 per cent Indians
TELUGU
Mother tongue of 7 per cent Indians
MARATHI
Mother tongue of 7 per cent Indians
TAMIL
Mother tongue of 6 per cent Indians
URDU
Mother tongue of 5 per cent Indians
GUJARATI
Mother tongue of 4 per cent Indians
KANNADA
Mother tongue of 4 per cent Indians
MALAYALAM
Mother tongue of 3 per cent Indians
ORIYA
Mother tongue of 3 per cent Indians
PUNJABI
Mother tongue of 3 per cent Indians
ASSAMESE
Mother tongue of 1 per cent Indians
Hindi as social media language: Don’t provoke a sleeping tiger, Vaiko warns govt
Karthick S,TNN | Jun 20, 2014, 03.28 PM IST
CHENNAI: The PMK and the MDMK, two allies of BJP in Tamil Nadu, on Friday expressed their opposition to the Union home ministry's directive to bureaucrats to use Hindi in official social media accounts.
In a statement, MDMK leader Vaiko said the government's move to impose Hindi on all people would hamper the unity of the nation.
"Tamil Nadu will never accept imposition of Hindi. The state had fought against imposition of Hindi by shedding sweat and blood. The government should not indulge in activities that will provoke a sleeping tiger," he said.
In a statement, PMK leader S Ramadoss expressed his opposition to the government's move to impose Hindi on people speaking different languages. He said, "Since Hindi is the official language, it's being imposed on all people. The only solution is that the government should declare all the 22 languages in the country the official languages."
D P Satish, IBNLive.com ,Jun 20, 2014 at 02:46pm IST
Follow @ibnlive
New Delhi: The newly elected BJP led NDA government's eagerness to promote Hindi on social media platforms has led to a controversy dividing the people on language lines. Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju has defended the Centre's decision to promote Hindi. BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has made a misplaced argument defending the use of Hindi saying that it will dispel the perception that only English speakers are intelligent.
But, the people who are opposing the 'imposition' of Hindi claim that a Hindi versus English debate has now become a Hindi versus rest of the Indian languages debate. They argue that the Centre can promote Hindi in Hindi speaking states and may even replace English with Hindi in these states. But, it must not do the same in non-Hindi speaking states.
The claims that Hindi is our national language have also attracted huge criticism. According to the Indian Constitution, all 15 major languages in the country are considered national languages and Hindi and English are the two main official languages.
The NDA government's eagerness to promote Hindi on social media platforms has led to a controversy. (Hindi, English, via Shutterstock)
Even though the supporters of Hindi are claiming that over 70 per cent of India speaks Hindi, the reality speaks of a different situation. According to 2001 Census figures, just 45 per cent people speak or know Hindi. But, just 25 per cent people in India have declared Hindi as their mother tongue. A little over 25 crore actually speak Hindi, says Census 2001.
The remaining people speak variants of Hindi like Bhojpuri, Magadhi, Maithili, Garhwali, Dogri, Rajasthani, Marwari, Haryanvi etc. All put together, the speakers of Hindi and its dialects are about 45 per cent.
It proves that remaining 55 per cent speak non-Hindi languages and the majority people in India don't even know Hindi.
According to the 2001 Census, 42 crore people speak or understand Hindi all over India. But, only 25 crore declared Hindi as their mother tongue. 8.5 crore people speak Bengali, 7.5 crore people speak Telugu, 7 crore speak Marathi and 6 crore speak Tamil.
5 crore speak Urdu, 4.6 crore speak Gujarati, 4 crore speak Kannada, 3.5 crore speak Malayalam, 3.3 crore speak Oriya, 3 crore speak Punjabi, 1.5 crore speak Assamese, 64 lakh speak Santhali and 55 lakh speak Kashmiri languages.
People in the north eastern states speak more than 50 different dialects. Tribals in non-Hindi speaking and non-north eastern states also speak different dialects. These dialects have nothing to do with Hindi or its variants. The languages like Konkani, Tulu, Kodava, Beary, which are spoken in Karnataka also have nothing to do with Hindi.
Experts argue that the Centre must carefully look into the Census data before claiming that over 70 per cent speaks or understands Hindi. Eminent modern historian and writer Ramachandra Guha in a tweet said, "One should remember that Pakistan split, and Sri Lanka plunged into civil war, because of the mistaken belief in a single national language."
With Tamil politicians who have been vehemently opposing the Hindi hegemony or imposition warning the Centre to modify its circular to promote Hindi, the issue is likely to rock the Budget Session of Parliament.
What India speaks
HINDI
Mother tongue of 25 per cent Indians
More than 41 per cent Indians claim that they know Hindi
BENGALI
Mother tongue of 8 per cent Indians
TELUGU
Mother tongue of 7 per cent Indians
MARATHI
Mother tongue of 7 per cent Indians
TAMIL
Mother tongue of 6 per cent Indians
URDU
Mother tongue of 5 per cent Indians
GUJARATI
Mother tongue of 4 per cent Indians
KANNADA
Mother tongue of 4 per cent Indians
MALAYALAM
Mother tongue of 3 per cent Indians
ORIYA
Mother tongue of 3 per cent Indians
PUNJABI
Mother tongue of 3 per cent Indians
ASSAMESE
Mother tongue of 1 per cent Indians
Hindi as social media language: Don’t provoke a sleeping tiger, Vaiko warns govt
Karthick S,TNN | Jun 20, 2014, 03.28 PM IST
CHENNAI: The PMK and the MDMK, two allies of BJP in Tamil Nadu, on Friday expressed their opposition to the Union home ministry's directive to bureaucrats to use Hindi in official social media accounts.
In a statement, MDMK leader Vaiko said the government's move to impose Hindi on all people would hamper the unity of the nation.
"Tamil Nadu will never accept imposition of Hindi. The state had fought against imposition of Hindi by shedding sweat and blood. The government should not indulge in activities that will provoke a sleeping tiger," he said.
In a statement, PMK leader S Ramadoss expressed his opposition to the government's move to impose Hindi on people speaking different languages. He said, "Since Hindi is the official language, it's being imposed on all people. The only solution is that the government should declare all the 22 languages in the country the official languages."
Ghulam Rasool Balyavi
By PTI
Published: 19th June 2014 10:14 PM
Last Updated: 19th June 2014 10:14 PM
JD-U's Pawan Kumar Verma and Ghulam Rasool Balyavi flash victory sign after they were elected to the Rajya Sabha in Patna on Thursday. (PTI Photo)
NEW DELHI: Congress on Thursday hailed as "good beginning" the rivals Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar shaking hands after 20 years for Rajya Sabhya bypolls in Bihar saying it will be "great if a grand alliance happens" in future.
The two parties coming together has led to the victory of two JD(U) candidates in the Rajya Sabha bypolls in Bihar despite cross voting.
Diplomat-politician Pawan Kumar Varma and Gulam Rasool Balyawi, official candidates of JD(U) defeated Independents Anil Sharma and Sabir Ali, having support of BJP and JD(U) dissidents.
The victory of JD(U) candidates came as a moral booster for Nitish Kumar's party which received severe drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections winning just two of the 40 seats.
RJD had won four Lok Sabha seats while Congress just two and NCP one in an election which saw the Narendra Modi juggernaut ensuring 31 seats for NDA.
The combined vote percentage of RJD, JDU and Congress was way ahead of that of NDA and there is a view that if any such alliance is formed, BJP's march will be halted.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
scrapped four Cabinet committees
PM disbands four Cabinet panels to expedite decision-making
HT Correspondent and Agencies, Hindustan Times New Delhi, June 10, 2014
First Published: 19:29 IST(10/6/2014) | Last Updated: 10:46 IST(11/6/2014)
In the second major decision to end the UPA government's legacy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday scrapped four Cabinet committees, including one on Unique Identification Authority (UIDAI), as part of his efforts to minimise decision-making processes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes oath as the member of Parliament during the second day of First session of 16th Lok Sabha, in New Delhi. (PTI Photo)
The other committees disbanded were the Cabinet Committee on Prices, the Cabinet Committee on Management of Natural Calamities and the Cabinet Committee on World Trade Organisation Matters, an official statement said.
Read: Why Modi doesn’t need ministerial groups, hallmark of coalition regimes
Modi, however, gave additional responsibilities to the all-important Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) which primarily deals with matters of high economic importance such as clearing big-ticket projects, approving FDI or deciding on food export/import.
With regard to the Cabinet Committee on UIDAI-related issues, the statement said major decisions have already been taken and the remaining issues will be brought to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.
Read: Arun Jaitley vows to resurrect economy
The functions of the Cabinet Committee on Prices will now be handled by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, it said.
The functions of the Cabinet Committee on Management of Natural Calamities will be handled by the Committee under the Cabinet Secretary whenever natural calamities occur.
The functions of the Cabinet Committee on World Trade Organisation Matters will also be handled by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs and, whenever necessary, by the full Cabinet.
This is the second major decision of the Modi government to do away with the legacy of the UPA government. Earlier, it had disbanded all the Empowered Groups of Ministers (EGoMs) and Groups of Ministers (GoMs).
Read: GoMs, EGoMs formed due to the complexities of issues: Congress
These decisions are part of Modi's endeavour to have minimum layers of decision-making.
A section of the government sees this latest development as keeping line with Modi’s mantra of minimum government and maximum governance. Another section, however, feels that the exercise is aimed at taking decisions with larger participation as CCEA has more members.
The statement said the Prime Minister will also be re-constituting the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs and the Cabinet Committee on Security.
HT Correspondent and Agencies, Hindustan Times New Delhi, June 10, 2014
First Published: 19:29 IST(10/6/2014) | Last Updated: 10:46 IST(11/6/2014)
In the second major decision to end the UPA government's legacy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday scrapped four Cabinet committees, including one on Unique Identification Authority (UIDAI), as part of his efforts to minimise decision-making processes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes oath as the member of Parliament during the second day of First session of 16th Lok Sabha, in New Delhi. (PTI Photo)
The other committees disbanded were the Cabinet Committee on Prices, the Cabinet Committee on Management of Natural Calamities and the Cabinet Committee on World Trade Organisation Matters, an official statement said.
Read: Why Modi doesn’t need ministerial groups, hallmark of coalition regimes
Modi, however, gave additional responsibilities to the all-important Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) which primarily deals with matters of high economic importance such as clearing big-ticket projects, approving FDI or deciding on food export/import.
With regard to the Cabinet Committee on UIDAI-related issues, the statement said major decisions have already been taken and the remaining issues will be brought to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.
Read: Arun Jaitley vows to resurrect economy
The functions of the Cabinet Committee on Prices will now be handled by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, it said.
The functions of the Cabinet Committee on Management of Natural Calamities will be handled by the Committee under the Cabinet Secretary whenever natural calamities occur.
The functions of the Cabinet Committee on World Trade Organisation Matters will also be handled by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs and, whenever necessary, by the full Cabinet.
This is the second major decision of the Modi government to do away with the legacy of the UPA government. Earlier, it had disbanded all the Empowered Groups of Ministers (EGoMs) and Groups of Ministers (GoMs).
Read: GoMs, EGoMs formed due to the complexities of issues: Congress
These decisions are part of Modi's endeavour to have minimum layers of decision-making.
A section of the government sees this latest development as keeping line with Modi’s mantra of minimum government and maximum governance. Another section, however, feels that the exercise is aimed at taking decisions with larger participation as CCEA has more members.
The statement said the Prime Minister will also be re-constituting the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs and the Cabinet Committee on Security.
Monday, June 9, 2014
encounter Fake/ True in India
U'khand fake encounter case: 17 cops get life term
PTI 13:40 HRS IST
New Delhi, Jun 9 (PTI) A Delhi court today awarded life imprisonment to 17 Uttarakhand police personnel who were convicted for gunning down a 22-year-old MBA graduate in a fake encounter in a jungle near Dehradun in 2009.
PTI 13:40 HRS IST
New Delhi, Jun 9 (PTI) A Delhi court today awarded life imprisonment to 17 Uttarakhand police personnel who were convicted for gunning down a 22-year-old MBA graduate in a fake encounter in a jungle near Dehradun in 2009.
modern madrasa indian democracy
Modi govt to work to fulfill people's expectations: Pranab Mukherjee
by Ajith Vijay Kumar
Last Updated: Monday, June 09, 2014, 14:49
Zee Media Bureau/Ajith Vijay Kumar
New Delhi: Outlining the priorities of the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre, President Pranab Mukherjee said 'Brand India' would be revived and that the government will work to fulfill the expectations of the citizens of the country.
Addressing a joint session of the Parliament, Monday, the President all said that the government will work for the poor of the country.
Pranab's speech - Highlights :
Brand India
Will revive 'Brand India', riding on its strengths of five 'T's -- tradition, talent, tourism, trade and technology -- and will pursue foreign policy on the basis of "enlightened nationalism" and mutually beneficial relationships.
The people of India have given a clear mandate. They want to see a vibrant, dynamic and prosperous India. They want to see a resurgent India regaining the admiration and respect of the international community.
Brimming with hope and expectation, they want quick results. With three 'D's of democracy, demography and demand on our side, ... We must rise to the occasion to fulfill these great expectations. In 60 months from now, we should be able to say with confidence and pride that we have done it.
Election of hope
This was an election of hope, the electorate transcended the boundaries of caste, creed religion to come together and vote precisely for development through good governance. The country needed a strong and stable government that could provide effective leadership. Serving the citizens the first priority.
The surge in aspirations and the belief that these could be realised through democratic processes, has been amply reflected in the record 66.4 per cent participation by voters and a clear verdict in favour4 of a single political party after a gap of nearly 30 years.
My government pledges to the principle 'sabka saath, sabka vikas. We will work to establish the credibility of the institutions of democracy and is committed to minimum government, maximum governance.
Government is dedicated to the poor, poverty has no religion, hunger has no creed and will not be satisfied with mere poverty alleviation but commits itself to the goal of poverty elimination and will focus on those who need the basic necessities of life most urgently.
Economy
Country passing through extremely difficult phase on economic front; putting economy back on track is paramount for my government. We will work together to usher our economy into high growth path, rein in inflation, reignite the investment cycle, accelerate job creation and restore the confidence of the domestic as well as international community in our economy.
The government will create a policy environment which is "predictable, transparent and fair".
Government will formulate clear rules for allocation of coal, minerals and telecom spectrum.
It will embark on rationalisation and simplification of the tax regime to make it non-adversarial and conductive to investment, enterprise and growth.
My government will make every effort to introduce the Goods and Services Tax (GST) while addressing the concerns of states. Reforms will be undertaken to enhance the ease of doing business. My government will follow a policy of encouraging investments, including through FDI, which will be allowed in sectors that help create jobs and assets.
Inflation
Containing food inflation would be the top most prioritise of the government. My government will take effective steps to prevent hoarding and black marketing. My government is aware of the possibility of a sub normal monsoon this year and contingency plan is being prepared.
Corruption
Government is determined to rid the country of the scourge of corruption and menace of black money.
Zero tolerance for violence against women
My government is committed to ensure 33 percent reservation for women in Parliament. Government will launch a "beti bachao, beti badhao" (save girl child, grow girl child) and will launch a mass campaign to save the girl child.
We will have a policy of zero tolerance of violence against women; criminal justice system will be revisited to see its effectiveness in curbing crimes against women.
Education and R&D
IIT and IIM in every state. National e-library to be launched.
Indian languages are repository of our rich history, culture and art. To preserve this, the government will launch e-Bhasha platform that will develop vernacular content and disseminate regional content.
A central university of Himalayan studies will be established.
Will build world class research centres for research in nanotechnology, stem cell and brain. An institute of technology for rural development will be established.
100 new cities and pucca houses for all by 2022
By the time the nation completes 75 years of Independence (2022), every family will have a pucca house with water connection, toilet facilities, 24x7 electricity supply.
100 new cities to be developed focused on specialised domains with world class infrastructure.
Soon 50% of India's population will reside in urban areas. Today urban infrastructure is under severe stress but soon the youth will look at urbanization as an opportunity
Infrastructure
Govt will chalk out an ambitious infrastructure development program, revamping railways on top of agenda. Expansion of railways in hilly states and the northeastwill be prime focus, will encourage R&D. Freight corridors with specialised agri-rail networks for perishable farm products
Diamond quadrilateral network of high speed trains to be developed.
Time-bound programme for national highways network.
Sagar Mala Project to connect sea ports with hinterland through road and rail. Existing ports to be modernised, new ports to be developed.
Low cost airports will be developed to promote air connectivity to smaller towns. A port-led development model will be evolved.
Mission Ganga
My government will work to clean the Ganga river, and ensure perennial flow in the river. Ganga is a symbol of faith of Indians.
Conservation of the Himalayas is also a priority area. A central university of Himalayan studies will be established
Defence
Government to encourage private investments in defence production. Will liberalise FDI in defence production. With available human resources, India can emerge as global platform for defence.
The armed forces will be modernised and manpower shortages addressed on priority. Recognizing the importance of coastal authority, my government will set up national maritime security authority.
National war memorial to be built. Government to appoint a Veterans Commission to address grievances.
Health
National Health Assurance mission will be put in place. AIIMS-like institutes to be set up in every state:
Tourism
India has a vast untapped potential for tourism which can play a special role in our socio-economic progress. The government will initiate a mission mode project to create 50 tourist circuits that are built around specific themes.
With a view to encouraging pilgrimage tourism, a national mission for beautifying and improving the amenities and infrastructure at pilgrimage centres of all faiths will be launched.
Minority Welfare
Government is committed to make all minorities equal partners in the developmental of the country.
Unfortunate that despite several decades after independence several minority communities continued to suffer from neglect.
Youth of minority communities would be provided technical education and the government would initiate steps for modernisation of madrassas.
Foreign Policy
My government was committed to work towards building a peaceful, stable and economically inter-linked neighbourhood and we will never shy away from raising issues of concern to us at a bilateral level.
We emphasise that the future of shared prosperity can only be built on the foundation of stability in the region, which requires sensitivity to security concerns and an end to export of terrorism to neighbours.
Will work with South Asian leaders to revitalize Saarc. Won't shy away from raising issues of terrorism.
Energy
My government will come out with a comprehensive National Energy Policy and focus on development of energy related infrastructure, human resource and technology. Will substantially augment electricity generation capacity through a judicious mix of conventional and non-conventional sources.
The government will also work towards expanding the National Solar Mission.
The international civil nuclear agreements will be operationalised and nuclear power projects for civilian purposes will be developed.
Cleaner fuels will be promoted to bring down pollution levels in our cities. The government will take up mitigation works to meet the challenges posed by climate change and will work with the global community in this regard.
Others
Government will try to end rural-urban divide and is committed to reverse trend of hopelessness among farmers that leads to suicides.
My government is committed to see that the SC/ST can avail all opportunities.
My government will launch a national sports talent search mission.
Will take steps to provide dignity of life to facilitate their participation in all walks of life. The government will take steps to identify the special needs of disabled people and provide institutional help.
Special efforts to be made to ensure that Kashmiri pandits return to the land of their ancestors.
Social media will be used as a tool for participative governance.
Government will work for the digitisation of government records and is committed to e-governance to bring equity and efficiency.
Critical public areas will be made wi-fi zones; will also establish broadband highway in rural areas.
First Published: Monday, June 09, 2014, 09:05
by Ajith Vijay Kumar
Last Updated: Monday, June 09, 2014, 14:49
Zee Media Bureau/Ajith Vijay Kumar
New Delhi: Outlining the priorities of the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre, President Pranab Mukherjee said 'Brand India' would be revived and that the government will work to fulfill the expectations of the citizens of the country.
Addressing a joint session of the Parliament, Monday, the President all said that the government will work for the poor of the country.
Pranab's speech - Highlights :
Brand India
Will revive 'Brand India', riding on its strengths of five 'T's -- tradition, talent, tourism, trade and technology -- and will pursue foreign policy on the basis of "enlightened nationalism" and mutually beneficial relationships.
The people of India have given a clear mandate. They want to see a vibrant, dynamic and prosperous India. They want to see a resurgent India regaining the admiration and respect of the international community.
Brimming with hope and expectation, they want quick results. With three 'D's of democracy, demography and demand on our side, ... We must rise to the occasion to fulfill these great expectations. In 60 months from now, we should be able to say with confidence and pride that we have done it.
Election of hope
This was an election of hope, the electorate transcended the boundaries of caste, creed religion to come together and vote precisely for development through good governance. The country needed a strong and stable government that could provide effective leadership. Serving the citizens the first priority.
The surge in aspirations and the belief that these could be realised through democratic processes, has been amply reflected in the record 66.4 per cent participation by voters and a clear verdict in favour4 of a single political party after a gap of nearly 30 years.
My government pledges to the principle 'sabka saath, sabka vikas. We will work to establish the credibility of the institutions of democracy and is committed to minimum government, maximum governance.
Government is dedicated to the poor, poverty has no religion, hunger has no creed and will not be satisfied with mere poverty alleviation but commits itself to the goal of poverty elimination and will focus on those who need the basic necessities of life most urgently.
Economy
Country passing through extremely difficult phase on economic front; putting economy back on track is paramount for my government. We will work together to usher our economy into high growth path, rein in inflation, reignite the investment cycle, accelerate job creation and restore the confidence of the domestic as well as international community in our economy.
The government will create a policy environment which is "predictable, transparent and fair".
Government will formulate clear rules for allocation of coal, minerals and telecom spectrum.
It will embark on rationalisation and simplification of the tax regime to make it non-adversarial and conductive to investment, enterprise and growth.
My government will make every effort to introduce the Goods and Services Tax (GST) while addressing the concerns of states. Reforms will be undertaken to enhance the ease of doing business. My government will follow a policy of encouraging investments, including through FDI, which will be allowed in sectors that help create jobs and assets.
Inflation
Containing food inflation would be the top most prioritise of the government. My government will take effective steps to prevent hoarding and black marketing. My government is aware of the possibility of a sub normal monsoon this year and contingency plan is being prepared.
Corruption
Government is determined to rid the country of the scourge of corruption and menace of black money.
Zero tolerance for violence against women
My government is committed to ensure 33 percent reservation for women in Parliament. Government will launch a "beti bachao, beti badhao" (save girl child, grow girl child) and will launch a mass campaign to save the girl child.
We will have a policy of zero tolerance of violence against women; criminal justice system will be revisited to see its effectiveness in curbing crimes against women.
Education and R&D
IIT and IIM in every state. National e-library to be launched.
Indian languages are repository of our rich history, culture and art. To preserve this, the government will launch e-Bhasha platform that will develop vernacular content and disseminate regional content.
A central university of Himalayan studies will be established.
Will build world class research centres for research in nanotechnology, stem cell and brain. An institute of technology for rural development will be established.
100 new cities and pucca houses for all by 2022
By the time the nation completes 75 years of Independence (2022), every family will have a pucca house with water connection, toilet facilities, 24x7 electricity supply.
100 new cities to be developed focused on specialised domains with world class infrastructure.
Soon 50% of India's population will reside in urban areas. Today urban infrastructure is under severe stress but soon the youth will look at urbanization as an opportunity
Infrastructure
Govt will chalk out an ambitious infrastructure development program, revamping railways on top of agenda. Expansion of railways in hilly states and the northeastwill be prime focus, will encourage R&D. Freight corridors with specialised agri-rail networks for perishable farm products
Diamond quadrilateral network of high speed trains to be developed.
Time-bound programme for national highways network.
Sagar Mala Project to connect sea ports with hinterland through road and rail. Existing ports to be modernised, new ports to be developed.
Low cost airports will be developed to promote air connectivity to smaller towns. A port-led development model will be evolved.
Mission Ganga
My government will work to clean the Ganga river, and ensure perennial flow in the river. Ganga is a symbol of faith of Indians.
Conservation of the Himalayas is also a priority area. A central university of Himalayan studies will be established
Defence
Government to encourage private investments in defence production. Will liberalise FDI in defence production. With available human resources, India can emerge as global platform for defence.
The armed forces will be modernised and manpower shortages addressed on priority. Recognizing the importance of coastal authority, my government will set up national maritime security authority.
National war memorial to be built. Government to appoint a Veterans Commission to address grievances.
Health
National Health Assurance mission will be put in place. AIIMS-like institutes to be set up in every state:
Tourism
India has a vast untapped potential for tourism which can play a special role in our socio-economic progress. The government will initiate a mission mode project to create 50 tourist circuits that are built around specific themes.
With a view to encouraging pilgrimage tourism, a national mission for beautifying and improving the amenities and infrastructure at pilgrimage centres of all faiths will be launched.
Minority Welfare
Government is committed to make all minorities equal partners in the developmental of the country.
Unfortunate that despite several decades after independence several minority communities continued to suffer from neglect.
Youth of minority communities would be provided technical education and the government would initiate steps for modernisation of madrassas.
Foreign Policy
My government was committed to work towards building a peaceful, stable and economically inter-linked neighbourhood and we will never shy away from raising issues of concern to us at a bilateral level.
We emphasise that the future of shared prosperity can only be built on the foundation of stability in the region, which requires sensitivity to security concerns and an end to export of terrorism to neighbours.
Will work with South Asian leaders to revitalize Saarc. Won't shy away from raising issues of terrorism.
Energy
My government will come out with a comprehensive National Energy Policy and focus on development of energy related infrastructure, human resource and technology. Will substantially augment electricity generation capacity through a judicious mix of conventional and non-conventional sources.
The government will also work towards expanding the National Solar Mission.
The international civil nuclear agreements will be operationalised and nuclear power projects for civilian purposes will be developed.
Cleaner fuels will be promoted to bring down pollution levels in our cities. The government will take up mitigation works to meet the challenges posed by climate change and will work with the global community in this regard.
Others
Government will try to end rural-urban divide and is committed to reverse trend of hopelessness among farmers that leads to suicides.
My government is committed to see that the SC/ST can avail all opportunities.
My government will launch a national sports talent search mission.
Will take steps to provide dignity of life to facilitate their participation in all walks of life. The government will take steps to identify the special needs of disabled people and provide institutional help.
Special efforts to be made to ensure that Kashmiri pandits return to the land of their ancestors.
Social media will be used as a tool for participative governance.
Government will work for the digitisation of government records and is committed to e-governance to bring equity and efficiency.
Critical public areas will be made wi-fi zones; will also establish broadband highway in rural areas.
First Published: Monday, June 09, 2014, 09:05
Sunday, June 8, 2014
democracy of india
Jun 08 2014 : The Times of India (Delhi)
Fear drives many in Pune to shun skull caps, Pathani suits Asseem Shaikh
Pune:
Change Of Look After IT Exec’s Killing
The 1.30pm namaz at the mosque in Unnati Nagar, Hadapsar, on Saturday had the usual gathering but something was different. Pathani suits had made way for shirts and trousers and a few youths had shaved off their beards. The brutal murder of Mohsin Sadiq Shaikh here on June 2 allegedly by members of Hindu Rashtra Sena has left residents worried. The 28 year-old IT manager, returning from namaz, was targeted as he stood out in his beard, skull cap and Pathani suit.
At least 25 Muslim families who have been living in Unnati Nagar for 40 years say there has never been any tension before. A resident said, “Our Hindu neigbours are with us. It's the outsiders who have done this.“
Police have said 30-40 young P men from the outskirts had attacked Mohsin, of whom 17 have been arrested.
“I feel scared sporting a beard and going out for work. So my two friends and I collectively took a decision to shave off the beard till the law and order situation improves in the area,“ said a 28-year-old resident.
“I have only trimmed my beard all these years, but this is for the first time I felt the need to look different, at least for some time.“ Others say they have stopped wearing the skull cap when they step out of their homes.
Hindu families too are shaken, more so because the locality is known for its unity .
A shopkeeper recalled how Muslims in the area built a Ganpati temple many years ago.
“There has been no quarrel, leave alone a clash, among the two communities here. We have already held a peace meeting,“ said Rajesh Lad, the LIC agent outside whose office Mohsin was attacked.
For full report log on to http://www.timesofindia.com
Fear drives many in Pune to shun skull caps, Pathani suits Asseem Shaikh
Pune:
Change Of Look After IT Exec’s Killing
The 1.30pm namaz at the mosque in Unnati Nagar, Hadapsar, on Saturday had the usual gathering but something was different. Pathani suits had made way for shirts and trousers and a few youths had shaved off their beards. The brutal murder of Mohsin Sadiq Shaikh here on June 2 allegedly by members of Hindu Rashtra Sena has left residents worried. The 28 year-old IT manager, returning from namaz, was targeted as he stood out in his beard, skull cap and Pathani suit.
At least 25 Muslim families who have been living in Unnati Nagar for 40 years say there has never been any tension before. A resident said, “Our Hindu neigbours are with us. It's the outsiders who have done this.“
Police have said 30-40 young P men from the outskirts had attacked Mohsin, of whom 17 have been arrested.
“I feel scared sporting a beard and going out for work. So my two friends and I collectively took a decision to shave off the beard till the law and order situation improves in the area,“ said a 28-year-old resident.
“I have only trimmed my beard all these years, but this is for the first time I felt the need to look different, at least for some time.“ Others say they have stopped wearing the skull cap when they step out of their homes.
Hindu families too are shaken, more so because the locality is known for its unity .
A shopkeeper recalled how Muslims in the area built a Ganpati temple many years ago.
“There has been no quarrel, leave alone a clash, among the two communities here. We have already held a peace meeting,“ said Rajesh Lad, the LIC agent outside whose office Mohsin was attacked.
For full report log on to http://www.timesofindia.com
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
1st day of 16th loksabha
Cheat Sheet | Written by Devesh Kumar | Updated: June 04, 2014 15:46 IST
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New Delhi: On the first day of the 16th Lok Sabha, the changed seating arrangements reflected the altered power dynamics in the House. The newly-elected MPs greeted each other and later, stood in a shared moment of silence as a tribute to union rural development minister Gopinath Munde, who died in a road accident yesterday. The House was adjourned after the obituary reference.
Here are 10 Interesting Facts about the new Lok Sabha:
Former union Minister Kamal Nath, who is the most senior member of the Lok Sabha, was earlier elected as the Pro-Tem Speaker. The adjournment of the House after paying tributes to Mr Munde has created a piquant situation. The other members will be sworn in tomorrow. It means that Mr Nath, 67, will be the only member of the Lok Sabha for the next 24 hours. (Kamal Nath Appointed Protem Speaker of Lok Sabha)
Senior BJP leader and former union minister Sumitra Mahajan is likely to be elected as the full-time Speaker of the Lok Sabha on Friday. After Meira Kumar, she will be the second woman lawmaker to hold the post. She is also holds the distinction of being the woman lawmaker with the longest parliamentary experience. She has been a member of the Lok Sabha without a break since 1989. (Sumitra Mahajan Set To Be Next Speaker of Lok Sabha: Sources)
When the Lok Sabha met today to pay homage to Mr Munde, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, 63, was seen sitting in the corner of the first row of the treasury benches. It was the first time he had entered the Lok Sabha. Clad in an off-white, cream-colored Kurta, Mr Modi walked into the House amidst a loud thumping of benches by the NDA members. He was followed closely by BJP veteran L K Advani. (For Gopinath Munde's Funeral, A Sea of People in Beed)
Before taking his seat, Mr Modi went around the well of the Lok Sabha. As he reached the Congress benches, Congress president Sonia Gandhi walked into the House through the aisle. They greeted each other with folded hands. Samajwadi party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav shook hands with the Prime Minister, and congratulated him for leading his party to a spectacular victory. (Modi Fights Back Tears in First Speech In Parliament House)
The change in the seating arrangements reflected the change in power dynamics. The NDA members occupied the treasury benches, which was thickly populated. Facing them across the well were the Congress members. Their benches were relatively empty. The Congress has been reduced to its lowest-ever tally in the Lok Sabha. It could only garner 44 seats, and is only marginally ahead of the AIADMK, which won 37 seats. (Will Work for the Hopes & Dreams of People: PM Outside Parliament)
Mr Advani sat next to Mr Modi, reflecting the change in the pecking order within the BJP. Seated next to them were Murli Manohar Joshi, Ram Vilas Paswan, who heads the Lok Janshakti party, or the LJP, M Venkaiah Naidu, Sushma Swaraj and Rajnath Singh. Nitin Gadkari, a former BJP chief, was sitting in the second row.
The Congress benches too reflected the shift in its equations within the House. The party's leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge was seated in the corner, facing the Prime Minister. Next to him sat Mrs Gandhi, M Veerappa Moily and K H Muniyappa.
It is the first time in three decades that a political party has secured a comfortable majority on its own. The BJP won 282 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, 10 more than the half-way mark of 272. The Lok Sabha has a strength of 543. The BJP's allies won another 54 seats.
The new Lok Sabha has as many as 315 members who are making their debut in the Lok Sabha. This, according to PRS Legislative Research, is the highest number of first-time MPs in the Lok Sabha in the last three decades. These numbers include MPs who might have been Members of the Rajya Sabha before, but have been elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time, a statement said.
The representation of Muslims in the 16th Lok Sabha is among the lowest ever. There are only 20 community members who have been elected this time. Uttar Pradesh, which sends the largest contingent of 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha, failed to send a single Muslim to the House. 12 MPs in the new Lok Sabha are below the age of 30. Dushyant Chautala (INLD) and Heena Gavit (BJP), at 26, are the youngest members, while former deputy prime minister LK Advani is the oldest MP at the age of 86.
ndtv
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New Delhi: On the first day of the 16th Lok Sabha, the changed seating arrangements reflected the altered power dynamics in the House. The newly-elected MPs greeted each other and later, stood in a shared moment of silence as a tribute to union rural development minister Gopinath Munde, who died in a road accident yesterday. The House was adjourned after the obituary reference.
Here are 10 Interesting Facts about the new Lok Sabha:
Former union Minister Kamal Nath, who is the most senior member of the Lok Sabha, was earlier elected as the Pro-Tem Speaker. The adjournment of the House after paying tributes to Mr Munde has created a piquant situation. The other members will be sworn in tomorrow. It means that Mr Nath, 67, will be the only member of the Lok Sabha for the next 24 hours. (Kamal Nath Appointed Protem Speaker of Lok Sabha)
Senior BJP leader and former union minister Sumitra Mahajan is likely to be elected as the full-time Speaker of the Lok Sabha on Friday. After Meira Kumar, she will be the second woman lawmaker to hold the post. She is also holds the distinction of being the woman lawmaker with the longest parliamentary experience. She has been a member of the Lok Sabha without a break since 1989. (Sumitra Mahajan Set To Be Next Speaker of Lok Sabha: Sources)
When the Lok Sabha met today to pay homage to Mr Munde, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, 63, was seen sitting in the corner of the first row of the treasury benches. It was the first time he had entered the Lok Sabha. Clad in an off-white, cream-colored Kurta, Mr Modi walked into the House amidst a loud thumping of benches by the NDA members. He was followed closely by BJP veteran L K Advani. (For Gopinath Munde's Funeral, A Sea of People in Beed)
Before taking his seat, Mr Modi went around the well of the Lok Sabha. As he reached the Congress benches, Congress president Sonia Gandhi walked into the House through the aisle. They greeted each other with folded hands. Samajwadi party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav shook hands with the Prime Minister, and congratulated him for leading his party to a spectacular victory. (Modi Fights Back Tears in First Speech In Parliament House)
The change in the seating arrangements reflected the change in power dynamics. The NDA members occupied the treasury benches, which was thickly populated. Facing them across the well were the Congress members. Their benches were relatively empty. The Congress has been reduced to its lowest-ever tally in the Lok Sabha. It could only garner 44 seats, and is only marginally ahead of the AIADMK, which won 37 seats. (Will Work for the Hopes & Dreams of People: PM Outside Parliament)
Mr Advani sat next to Mr Modi, reflecting the change in the pecking order within the BJP. Seated next to them were Murli Manohar Joshi, Ram Vilas Paswan, who heads the Lok Janshakti party, or the LJP, M Venkaiah Naidu, Sushma Swaraj and Rajnath Singh. Nitin Gadkari, a former BJP chief, was sitting in the second row.
The Congress benches too reflected the shift in its equations within the House. The party's leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge was seated in the corner, facing the Prime Minister. Next to him sat Mrs Gandhi, M Veerappa Moily and K H Muniyappa.
It is the first time in three decades that a political party has secured a comfortable majority on its own. The BJP won 282 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, 10 more than the half-way mark of 272. The Lok Sabha has a strength of 543. The BJP's allies won another 54 seats.
The new Lok Sabha has as many as 315 members who are making their debut in the Lok Sabha. This, according to PRS Legislative Research, is the highest number of first-time MPs in the Lok Sabha in the last three decades. These numbers include MPs who might have been Members of the Rajya Sabha before, but have been elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time, a statement said.
The representation of Muslims in the 16th Lok Sabha is among the lowest ever. There are only 20 community members who have been elected this time. Uttar Pradesh, which sends the largest contingent of 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha, failed to send a single Muslim to the House. 12 MPs in the new Lok Sabha are below the age of 30. Dushyant Chautala (INLD) and Heena Gavit (BJP), at 26, are the youngest members, while former deputy prime minister LK Advani is the oldest MP at the age of 86.
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Wednesday, May 28, 2014
4.5% for minorities
May 28 2014 : The Times of India (Delhi)
MUSLIM SUB-QUOTA HITS NDA WALL Subodh Ghildiyal
New Delhi:
TNN
Ministers Say Law Unconstitutional
With the advent of the Narendra Modi government, it may well be the end of ‘Muslim quota’ promulgated by Congress.
Social justice minister Thavarchand Gehlot told TOI that the BJP government was opposed to the 4.5% sub-quota for minorities because it was reservation based on religion which was “unconstitutional”.
Minority affairs minister Najma Heptulla also said she was opposed to minority reservation because quota killed the “spirit of competition”.
These remarks indicate that the Centre may not stick to its previous aggressive stance to fi ght the quota case in the Supreme Court where it is awaiting review. The sub-quota was struck down by the Andhra Pradesh high court following which the
Centre had fi led for review in the apex court.
If the upfront opposition from the newly-appointed BJP ministers is any indication, the Centre may reverse its stance or even withdraw the review petition from the apex court.
The comments from Gehlot and Heptulla indicate that both ministries, which powered the subquota, appear set to renege on the stance taken by them under the UPA.
In December 2011, the Centre carved out a 4.5% quota within the 27% res
ervation available to OBCs.
The sub-quota was earmarked for backward communities belonging to religious minorities who are part of the OBC list.
While the sub-quota caters to all religious minorities including Sikhs, Parsis, Christians and Buddhists, it has come to be known as ‘Muslim quota’ because Congress planned to win over the largest minority community with the policy. The quota was announced before the assembly election in UP and Rahul Gandhi made it the principal campaign is
sue in his speeches, fl agging it as evidence of Congress’s concern for Muslims.
While Heptullah decried reservation as being “no solution to deprivation”, social justice minister Gehlot was combative, telling TOI that 4.5% sub-quota smacked of reservation based on religion. “It is not allowed by the Constitution and BJP is against it,” he said.
Gehlot said the sub-quota for “minorities” was “unnecessary” because backward communities among all religious groups were part of the OBC list and availed the 27% reservation provision in jobs and education.
Indicating that this could be the end of the sub-quota, Gehlot said giving benefi ts based on Sachar Commission and Ranganath Mishra Commission, the key reference points under UPA, were a bad idea. “They are not required,” he said.
MUSLIM SUB-QUOTA HITS NDA WALL Subodh Ghildiyal
New Delhi:
TNN
Ministers Say Law Unconstitutional
With the advent of the Narendra Modi government, it may well be the end of ‘Muslim quota’ promulgated by Congress.
Social justice minister Thavarchand Gehlot told TOI that the BJP government was opposed to the 4.5% sub-quota for minorities because it was reservation based on religion which was “unconstitutional”.
Minority affairs minister Najma Heptulla also said she was opposed to minority reservation because quota killed the “spirit of competition”.
These remarks indicate that the Centre may not stick to its previous aggressive stance to fi ght the quota case in the Supreme Court where it is awaiting review. The sub-quota was struck down by the Andhra Pradesh high court following which the
Centre had fi led for review in the apex court.
If the upfront opposition from the newly-appointed BJP ministers is any indication, the Centre may reverse its stance or even withdraw the review petition from the apex court.
The comments from Gehlot and Heptulla indicate that both ministries, which powered the subquota, appear set to renege on the stance taken by them under the UPA.
In December 2011, the Centre carved out a 4.5% quota within the 27% res
ervation available to OBCs.
The sub-quota was earmarked for backward communities belonging to religious minorities who are part of the OBC list.
While the sub-quota caters to all religious minorities including Sikhs, Parsis, Christians and Buddhists, it has come to be known as ‘Muslim quota’ because Congress planned to win over the largest minority community with the policy. The quota was announced before the assembly election in UP and Rahul Gandhi made it the principal campaign is
sue in his speeches, fl agging it as evidence of Congress’s concern for Muslims.
While Heptullah decried reservation as being “no solution to deprivation”, social justice minister Gehlot was combative, telling TOI that 4.5% sub-quota smacked of reservation based on religion. “It is not allowed by the Constitution and BJP is against it,” he said.
Gehlot said the sub-quota for “minorities” was “unnecessary” because backward communities among all religious groups were part of the OBC list and availed the 27% reservation provision in jobs and education.
Indicating that this could be the end of the sub-quota, Gehlot said giving benefi ts based on Sachar Commission and Ranganath Mishra Commission, the key reference points under UPA, were a bad idea. “They are not required,” he said.
Indian politics and minorities
MINORITY AFFAIRS Najma has her own way of defining the minorities
New Delhi:
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Minority affairs minister Najma Heptulla on Tuesday said Muslims were not minorities by any stretch of the imagination and instead Parsis with their dwindling population qualified for the tag.
On her first day in office, Heptulla appeared determined to reorient the ministry by playing down its role in the welfare of Muslims and dismissing the policies espoused by the UPA government.
“Muslims are not minorities. Parsis are. We have to see how we can help them so that their numbers don't diminish,“ she told reporters when asked how her government proposed to take the welfare of Muslims forward.
With more questions about the community being lobbed at her, Heptulla snapped back, “This is not the ministry for Muslim affairs, this is the ministry for minority affairs.“
The remarks from the experienced politician, a grand-niece of freedom fighter Abul Kalam Azad who spent a major part of her political career in Congress, reflect the BJP's point of view. There was speculation in the run-up to government formation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may disband the minority affairs ministry or merge it with a bigger ministry like social justice, a reason why the appointment of a minister came as a surprise.
However, a change of approach may be in store.
Given that most of the ministry's policies are specifically targeted at Muslims, Heptulla steered clear of giving her views on the policies or what she planned to do. “Till I get guidance from the PM, I will not draw a roadmap for my ministry,“ she said.
Times of India page no.11
New Delhi:
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Minority affairs minister Najma Heptulla on Tuesday said Muslims were not minorities by any stretch of the imagination and instead Parsis with their dwindling population qualified for the tag.
On her first day in office, Heptulla appeared determined to reorient the ministry by playing down its role in the welfare of Muslims and dismissing the policies espoused by the UPA government.
“Muslims are not minorities. Parsis are. We have to see how we can help them so that their numbers don't diminish,“ she told reporters when asked how her government proposed to take the welfare of Muslims forward.
With more questions about the community being lobbed at her, Heptulla snapped back, “This is not the ministry for Muslim affairs, this is the ministry for minority affairs.“
The remarks from the experienced politician, a grand-niece of freedom fighter Abul Kalam Azad who spent a major part of her political career in Congress, reflect the BJP's point of view. There was speculation in the run-up to government formation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may disband the minority affairs ministry or merge it with a bigger ministry like social justice, a reason why the appointment of a minister came as a surprise.
However, a change of approach may be in store.
Given that most of the ministry's policies are specifically targeted at Muslims, Heptulla steered clear of giving her views on the policies or what she planned to do. “Till I get guidance from the PM, I will not draw a roadmap for my ministry,“ she said.
Times of India page no.11
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