India Against Corruption wants that an independent special investigation team, comprising retired Supreme Court judges, should go into the business dealings of Robert Vadra with realty major DLF. Arvind Kejriwal finds the case to be a fit one for income tax scrutiny. But the Congress has rejected all charges against Vadra as baseless. It said the matter relating to land deals was examined and i
Congress president Sonia Gandhi`s son-in-law Robert Vadra is drawing flak from all corners for his recent facebook update, which he was prompt enough to delete (along with his FB profile) after seeing people’s furious reactions. Vadra`s status message "Mango people in a banana republic" was a dig at Arvind Kejriwal and lawyer Prashant Bhushan, who on Friday levelled allegations
What stinks — a statement by a minister that wasn`t as politically nuanced as it should have been? Or all that drying faeces in the fields, across railway tracks, teeming with pathogens? Union minister Jairam Ramesh is being pilloried for saying, "Toilets are more important than temples." VHP and Bajrang Dal have condemned him for using the word `temple`. Some young men
The policy paralysis is apparently over, and the UPA has sprung a surprise by launching big-ticket economic reforms. Will this newfound confidence continue? Some of the reforms will require support from the allies as well as the opposition to pass through parliament. They are not likely to support many measures, for example, allowing more FDI. Does UPA have that much political capital to carry
Abhishek Manu Singhvi could not remain chairperson of a Parliamentary Committee after his name figured in a controversial CD episode. But breaking all norms of morality in public life, tainted Parliamentarians having spent long days in jail for corruption-charges have unfortunately been placed in Parliamentary committees even though they are not cleared of the charges levelled against them and
Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi has raised the matter of expenses incurred on Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s foreign trips. According to reports, Modi has cited an RTI reply that put the expenses at Rs 1,800 crore, but the man who made that RTI query says he is yet to get the reply. The point is, if expenses on Sonia’s travels abroad since 2004 have come from the exchequer (and
New car owners in the capital are having a tough time in getting their high-security number plates (HSNP). Despite calling up the dealers for several times, they have failed to get their number plates. Now with cops planning to penalise them for not having HNSP, people are left fending for themselves. They will be fined under registration certificate violations and even their vehicles may be im
Doctors say they are now getting complaints of hearing problems from youngsters in their twenties. They say overuse of mobile phones could possibly be the reason behind spurt in cases of hearing loss. Although the doctors are not sure but it cannot be denied that use of mobile phones has increased. There have been incidents when it has proved fatal, too, when people fail to hear horn of vehicle
Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra deputy chief minister, resigned following allegations of irregularities in clearing irrigation projects in the state. NCP ministers have supported him and around 20 of them have offered to resign. Pawar’s resignation is seen as a tactical move in improving his public image as he wants to take the centre stage in state politics and position himself as the NCP’
The cabinet has cleared a Rs 1.9 lakh crore-debt recast package for state power distribution utilities, most of which are inefficient and have huge accumulated losses. A similar bailout was given to them in 2003 as a “one-time” financial clean-up exercise. Had the earlier breather been of any help, the state electricity boards (SEBs) would not have accumulated so much losses again.
Planning commission, in the final draft of the 12th Five-Year Plan has suggested allowing higher education institutions to run for profit. The suggestion has been incorporated on the ground that the philanthropy-driven institutions in India do not have the resources to bridge the demand-supply gap in higher education. So not-for-profit status in higher education should be re-examined.
Prime Minister’s message to the nation on 21.09.2012 had for the first time some blunt remarks making a direct frontal attack on the opposition, which is contrary to his usual sober style. Even his facial expressions and body language were full of confidence and somewhat extra smart never seen before. However fitness of things require that Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha may als
A day after activists Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal formally split over taking a political plunge, both Kejriwal’s and Hazare’s camps continued to be in a state of shock. However, the worst suffers were those thousands who actively participated in the fasts and protests launched as a part of the movement against corruption and those lakhs who saw hopes in the humble Gandhian.
The re-appointment of retired IAS officer Ajit Lal as chief of the joint intelligence committee (JIC) – the apex security agency responsible for collating, assessing and disseminating intelligence relating to national security that works under the National Security Advisor (NSA) in the PMO – for a year on the “contract” basis after he retired from the post on August 31 h
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has withdrawn support to the UPA government. She is against the government’s decision of FDI in retail, diesel price hike and wants 12 LPG cylinders instead of the said six per year. Mamata sees these decisions as anti-poor and hence is pitching for a review by pulling out of the government. But it is also true that some strict decisions need to be
Miniskirts, shorts or outfits ending above the knees are banned this year for devotees who want a `darshan` of Andhericha Raja idol of Lord Ganesh, during the Ganeshotsav starting in Maharashtra on Wednesday. The reason being cited is that offensive dresses distract and cause embarrassment to devotees. Many people have welcomed the decision and find it in sync with the Indian culture and people
Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde is drawing flak from most parties for his recent statement on coal scam. The minister while addressing a function in Pune attempted to play down the scam. He said, "Earlier, the Bofors was a talking point. People forgot about it. Now it is coal. This too will be forgotten." While the political parties are critical of his statement, do you think
The government has introduced for the first time a quota system for LPG cylinders. Each consumer will get six cylinders a year at the subsidised rate, and then pay market price for the rest. The move is aimed at bringing down the hefty subsidy bill. But is a quota system the fair way to do so? Also, the move will hurt only those who do not have piped gas supply.
The government plans to levy a one-time additional “urban transport tax” on private vehicles to discourage their use in cities and towns that have been contending with the growing rise of four-wheelers over the past few years. On the contrary, the result of a recent Punjab & Haryana high court order to make the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway toll free (for 15 days) to ease congestion
The union ministry of women and child development is mulling to prepare a draft to financially empower housewives. Soon, the housewives will be paid for their hard work in line with the working women. Once the proposed bill becomes the law, it will become mandatory for the husband to pay a definite amount of his salary to his wife each month. The idea is being backed by union minister Krishna T
