gfiles magazine

November 14, 2012

Politico-business nexus The collusion


Vol. 6 | Issue 8 | November 2012
 
COVER STORY
politics kleptocracy
 
Politico-business nexus
The collusion
Politicians seem to have lost the cause with Independence. In the vacuum have emerged a new ‘mission money’ class who have no other priority but to make money faster and faster, ridiculing everybody and the system.
 
by Neeraj Mahajan
 
At 83, Lata Mangeshkar, the queen of playback, is worth millions. So is Shahrukh Khan, with eight Filmfare Best Actor and many other awards, who had to act in 100s of blockbusters to account for a net worth over Rs 2,500 crore...................READ MORE

Bartering India’s Security?


Vol. 6 | Issue 8 | November 2012
 
SECURITY
border siachen
 
Bartering India’s Security?
Rumours of an impending ‘settlement’ on Siachen were began to surface of late. Then, the Atlantic Council of Canada that acted as a ‘peace-
 
by Kunal Verma & MG Devasahayam
 
THe 50th anniversary of the 1962 Sino-Indian War has evoked a feeling of anger–not so much at the Chinese, but towards our own leadership that failed the country in the most shocking manner. Amidst the groundswell of emotion that swept through the print and electronic media, the three Service Chiefs and the Defence Minister finally lined up and saluted the dead!...........READ MORE 

Team for 2014


 Vol. 6 | Issue 8 | November 2012
 
POLITICS
cabinet renu mittal
The Congress has neatly balanced both Dr Singh’s and Rahul’s men in the
new ministry, with a eye on states where it seeks to consolidate its position.
 
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi can both take a bow as far as taking the credit for the reshuffle of the council of ministers is concerned. Dr Singh managed to give his loyalists key portfolios in which he has a major interest while Rahul succeeded in promoting young faces, bringing down the age of the Union Cabinet and improving its image in the process............READ MORE 

Nuke-power orFreedom Choice is Yours!


Vol. 6 | Issue 8 | November 2012
GOVERNANCE
m g devasahayam
 
Nuke-power orFreedom Choice is Yours!
The high-handedness adopted against protestors of the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant makes a mockery of democracy and freedom
 
Proclaiming that ‘bread is more important than freedom’, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency in June 1975, extinguishing democracy and fundamental rights. The reverberating voice of Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan thundered in retort: “Freedom became one of the beacon lights of my life and it has remained so ever since…. Above all, it meant freedom of the human personality, freedom of the mind, freedom of the spirit. This freedom has become a passion of my life and I shall not see it compromised for bread, for security, for prosperity, for the glory of the state or for anything else.”............READ MORE

Clamour for clarity


Vol. 6 | Issue 8 | November 2012
 
GOVERNANCE
defence production
 
Clamour for clarity
 
by Naresh Minocha
 
The licensing of production of defence hardware and software is bristling with fundamental issues. One such issue is the nonexistence of clear-cut norms for denial of security clearance to a prospective manufacturer or an existing manufacturer seeking diversification or expansion........READ MORE 

Change the dynamics of leadership


Vol. 6 | Issue 8 | November 2012
 
GOVERNANCE
civil services prabhat kumar
 
Change the dynamics of leadership
The question is whether civil servants can discharge their constitutional responsibility without assuming a specific leadership role in the society?
 
Over the years, there has been a perception of a serious disconnect between public service delivery and the public interest. It has been variously assigned to a lack of sensitivity and absence of accountability at all levels of administration..........READMORE

Why we love to despise the police


Vol. 6 | Issue 8 | November 2012
 
SECURITY
police a k verma
 
Why we love to despise the police
The criminal justice systems and societal fault lines worsen the police
image, making policing a thankless job
 
Ever wondered what lies at the roots of the oxymoron that common people love to despise the police? Its seeds are buried in the deep history of the British Raj, so deep that the modern narrative on the subject hardly ever brings it under scrutiny.............READ MORE 

The wall comes down


Vol. 6 | Issue 8 | November 2012
MANDARIN MATTERS
berlin a madhavan
 
The wall comes down
The eventful days leading to the fall of the Berlin Wall and an analysis of post Cold War geo-political issues in Europe
 
‘Something there is that doesn’t love a wall’.
- Robert Frost, ‘ Mending Wall’
 
In a diplomatic career spanning 35 years, I was witness to several momentous events in different countries, but none as significant or engaging as the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989. As India’s ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, stationed in Bonn, my last post before retirement, I was drawn into an unfolding drama racing to its historic denouement. From the first, the breach in the Wall was recognised as the turnaround or die Wende, as the Germans called it, heralding the end of the Cold War..............READ MORE

Have rules, at your own peril!


 Vol. 6 | Issue 8 | November 2012
 
MY CORNER
civil services amitabh thakur
 
Have rules, at your own peril!
The promotion of IAS, IPS and IFS officers is being regulated by three separate Government guidelines, which do not have the legal sanctity under Section 3 of the All India Services Act and also seem to be in contradiction to some of the rules.
 
It might seem strange but it is true that at present there are no separate rules for the promotion of IAS, IPS and IFS officers. Why is it so, we do not know. It is just that it possibly missed the eyes of the policy-makers. Yet, such a small oversight has the possibility of having an extremely critical effect on any structured service.............................READ MORE

Nosediving


 Vol. 6 | Issue 8 | November 2012
 
SILLY POINT
humour mk kaw
Nosediving
 
Kingfisher is in the throes of death. This is the unanimous verdict of aviation experts. The symptoms are there for everyone to see. The airline has not paid salaries to its staff for the last six months. The staff is on the streets, unwilling to perform duties unless they are paid. The airline has declared a partial lockout....................READ MORE

Book profits before bargains


Vol. 6 | Issue 8 | November 2012
 
STOCK DOCTOR
dr gs sood
 
Book profits before bargains
 
The macro problems of the economy notwithstanding, the markets have ridden on the back of foreign institutional investor (FII) money inflows that are estimated to exceed US$16 billion this year backed by monetary easing by the European Central Bank and the US Federal Reserve. This is even as retail participation has remained lacklustre and domestic financial institutions have preferred to stay away from the market. Also, the risk appetite of retail investors and Indian domestic funds is relatively less compared to global financial institutions...................READ MORE

Full-brain process


 Vol. 6 | Issue 8 | November 2012
 
PERSPECTIVE
leadership sadhguru
 
Full-brain process
 
Leadership is not dominance, it is a certain sacrifice. Leadership is not a question of ruling over somebody’s life, it is a question of making somebody’s life. Leadership essentially means that you are capable of creating the necessary atmosphere, where people can go beyond the limits that they have set for themselves. In the presence of the leader, people are able to do things that they would not have done by themselves, things they would not have imagined they could do.................READ MORE

Touche Rahul! ms. bajwa gets a putdown


Vol. 6 | Issue 8 | November 2012
 
Bric-a-brac
marks & remarks
 
Touche Rahul!
ms. bajwa gets a putdown
 
Whatever else one may say about Rahul Gandhi, he has a keen eye and is visibly observant. Recently on a visit to Punjab, he came face to face with newly elected Congress MLA Chiranjeet Bajwa. The impeccably groomed and well turned out Bajwa introduced herself as a party MLA and told Rahul that her husband is the Lok Sabha MP Pratap Bajwa. She told Rahul that he must do something about the five-star culture that had crept into the party as this was doing a great deal of damage. The reference was obviously to Captain Amrinder Singh, the larger than life Raja of Patiala who likes to live well and certainly makes no attempt to hide it. During the last Congress government in Punjab, the Bajwas were close , very close to Amrinder, as he used to be seen regularly dining at their residence in the company of select “friends”. But when Pratap Bajwa became too ambitious, the Raja cut him out and now he is opposing him tooth and nail and is doing everything to ensure he is not appointed the Punjab PCC President. So when Rahul heard her comment about five-star culture, he looked her up and down and then focused on her watch. With a smile he asked,” Isn’t that a Petit Phillipe which you are wearing? It’s nice. How much would it cost roughly.” The lady turned red since that particular brand doesn’t come cheap and costs nothing less than Rs 10 lakh. Rahul added, “We have already dropped the five-star culture and have now moved to the seven-star culture.” Touche Rahul! This encounter clearly indicates that Rahul is not only updated on his MLAs and MPs but that he does not like the kind of bitching that Congress politicians are known for. A gentle put-down is obviously called for.

Mausam for motherhood refuses cabinet berth


Vol. 6 | Issue 8 | November 2012
 
Bric-a-brac
marks & remarks
 
Mausam for motherhood
refuses cabinet berth
 
MPs and Ministers and other probables waited for a telephone call from the Cabinet Secretary asking them to come for the swearing-in on Sunday morning at Rashtrapati Bhawan. The first call went to the pretty and soft spoken Mausam Noor, the MP from Malda in West Bengal. But much to the shock and horror of the person speaking to her, she declined the invitation to be a minister. She said she was pregnant and not in a position to become a minister at this stage. She recommended that her mamu A H Khan Chaudhary, the brother of Barkat Ghani Khan Chaudhary should instead be made a minister in her place. This is probably the first example of an MP sacrificing a berth in the council of ministers for motherhood. It’s a lesson to many of our senior and greedy ministers who want more, more and still more.

Smooth operations Chaturvedi flexes his charm


Vol. 6 | Issue 8 | November 2012
 
Bric-a-brac
marks & remarks
 
Smooth operations
Chaturvedi flexes his charm
 
The Uttar Pradesh government is working in full swing now. As per reports emanating from Lucknow, the trusted lieutenants of Mulayam Singh Yadav and all his brothers and nephews are very busy. They have variously been deputed to Lucknow, Kanpur, Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad, etc. for the smooth ‘management’ of resources. Wave Industries Group’s controversial chairman Ponty Chaddha had some difficulties in the beginning but his liquor business has again hit a high as he has reportedly negotiated with Mulayam Singh Yadav and ‘settled’ the heat amicably. One thing has changed as far as Noida and Greater Noida is concerned, a new team of ‘personal management’ has been constituted by Mulayam Singh Yadav. Ponty Chaddha is out from the team. He has been instructed to look after his business only. It is reported that Ashok Chaturvedi, the controversial Chairman of Flex Industries has again swung into action. His renewed friendship with Mulayam has led to Noida and Greater Noida being abuzz with the importance of Chaturvedi. He has unofficially been allotted the job earlier done by Mayawati’s brother Anand. So, if you are looking for a contact, google for Flex Industries and call the number, the suave Chaturvedi is ready to help.

Lookout for new CBI Director


Vol. 6 | Issue 8 | November 2012
...by the way
 
Lookout for new CBI Director
The South and North Blocks are agog with activity nowadays. Not only a new Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director has to be selected – the present incumbent A P Singh is retiring on November 30 – but, more importantly, it has to be figured out how to rehabilitate A P Singh for his “commendable Services”. Reportedly, the Government wanted to make him a member of the National Human Rights Commission. But, Opposition leader Sushma Swaraj rejected his name. The Government is now considering appointing him as a member of the UPSC. With decision on Singh hanging in balance, the October 18 select committee meeting to select his successor ended inconclusively. The officers who are in the fray for the prestigious post are Indo-Tibetan Border Police Director-General Ranjit Sinha (1974 IPS), National Investigative Agency Director-General S C Sinha (1975 IPS), Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar Sinha (1976 IPS) and Special Director CBI V K Gupta (1977 IPS). However, sources disclosed that during the select committee meeting A P Singh (1977 IPS) backed DGP Orissa Police Prakash Mishra (1977 IPS), also retiring in November, instead of V K Gupta who is retiring on December 31. Meanwhile, it is learnt that South Block is no mood to appoint an officer considered close to a political party or a business house.

The missing 2G note


 Vol. 6 | Issue 8 | November 2012
...by the way
 
The missing 2G note
 
A hitherto unknown note by former Cabinet Secretary on 2G issue has queered the pitch for UPA II, already besieged in various scam allegations. The note remained allegedly ‘hidden’ because it appears that as far as 2G spectrum allocation was concern there was free for all under A Raja. It seems, Raja neither cared for the Prime Minister of India nor the Cabinet Secretary. Cabinet Secretary is one office whose direction or advice is seldom ignored in the Government. But, Raja showed no such consideration even though former Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar was known as an extremely serious and experienced bureaucrat who did not intervene in each and every issue. This despite the fact that he was overloaded with work on account of being the head of numerous committees............READ MORE

PMO looks for R&AW, IB chiefs


Vol. 6 | Issue 8 | November 2012
...by the way
 
PMO looks for R&AW, IB chiefs
 
Country’s two premier intelligence agencies, Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) and Intelligence Bureau of India (IB), are also looking for the new chiefs with the present IB Chief Nehchal Sandhu and R&AW chief Sanjiv Tripathi retiring on December 31. The top contenders to fill Sandhu’s post from within the IB are Special Directors V Rajgopal (1976 UT) and Yashowardhan Azad (1976 MP), an old IB hand and son of the former Bihar chief minister Bhagwat Jha Azad. Asif Ibrahim (1977 IPS), who served as a PA to late Madhavrao Scindia when he was Railway Minister, is also among the contenders. IB sources say that if he is selected for the job, he will supersede five officers. Another contender is Ram Niwas Gupta (1976 IPS), a Special Director in the IB. Azad seems to have an advantage over other contenders as he retires in 2014, after the others in the race like Rajgopal and Gupta...................READ MORE

High connections


Vol. 6 | Issue 8 | November 2012
...by the way
 
High connections
 
The new gas connection policy of Ministry of Petroleum has come as a boon for gas agency owners to mint money. The cylinders are on sale but one has to pay a hefty premium in Delhi if household quota exceeds the limits. As per estimates, there are 200 gas agencies in Delhi and all are politically well connected as in old days the gas agencies were only allotted to political beneficiaries. One needs guts to take them to task. The State Government’s Department of Food and Civil Supplies (DFCS) looks after the supply. The Department was conscious about the situation but due to political connections of agency owners, they remained quiet observers so far. But when newspapers reported the black-marketeering of the cylinders, DFCS took cognizance and raided the agencies and godowns and made arrests under the Essential Service Maintenance Act (ESMA)............READ MORE

From the Editor


Vol. 6 | Issue 8 | November 2012

From the Editor
 
Scam was the buzzword in October. The people were aghast, as one skeleton followed another. How and who is exposing the corruption is just a matter of name but the critical point is that the ruling and opposition parties, who are at the helm of affairs to ameliorate the condition of the poorest, are allegedly just busy making money. The dynamics of Indian polity is no longer about serving the nation but instead the mantra is “you scratch my back and I scratch yours.”
 
No one could have ever dreamt of such a fallout of economic liberalization, which has mandated ministers to plunder natural resources at their whims and fancies without following the legalities and procedures laid down by Parliament and the Constitution...........READ MORE