Corruption Archives - Page 4 of 5 - Voice from the rooftop

People, Fasting and Parliament

Posted on April 8, 2011 by Vincent Augustine D'Souza

The fast by activists led by Anna Hazare has elicited different responses from different people. While there is agreement on the need to fight corruption, some have criticized the method.

Their objections are as below:

1) In a parliamentary democracy parliament is supreme. Parliament can not be pressurized by fasting.

2) Self-appointed people can not make law. It is for elected representatives to make law.

3) The agitators have contempt for politics and democracy.

4) The agitation amounts to blackmail.

5) The agitation is fascist.

Let us examine the objections.

1) People are supreme in a democracy. Parliament represents people. MPs are elected to do the will of the people and not as they want. Fasting is a legitimate way to put pressure on parliament. MPs forget they are representatives of people and not lords and masters. The constitution begins with the words â€œWe the peopleâ€.

Fast for Lokpal Bill

Posted on April 8, 2011 by Vincent Augustine D'Souza

Anna Hazare is on an indefinite fast for Jan Lokpal Bill. This bill is different from the Lokpal Bill the government has in mind. The government is not ready to meet representatives of activists to reconcile the two bills.

Lokpal Bill is a small step in fighting corruption at the top. The bill has made occasional appears over the last 42 years. Many people have come forward in support of Anna Hazare and there are indefinite fasts in various cities. In California, Indians marched supporting the fast against corruption. Candle light vigil has taken place.

Removing Corrupt Judges

Posted on March 12, 2011 by Vincent Augustine D'Souza

Judicial corruption is the worst corruption. Judges are the ultimate hope for justice and when they are corrupt justice is denied.

Judges enjoy constitutional protection so they may do their job fearlessly. The procedure for removal of corrupt judges of Supreme Court or High Court is long and difficult. A motion has to be moved in Lok Sabha, signed by 100 members, or in Rajya Sabha, signed by 50 members. When the motion is admitted the speaker of chairman appoints a committee of three members. When the committee submits report recommending the removal of the judge the motion is put to vote and must be passed by two-thirds majority in both houses. The voting is presented to the president of India and the president removes the judge.

PDS and cash transfers

Posted on February 11, 2011 by Vincent Augustine D'Souza

There are people who say PDS does not work and cash transfers is the way. Some give example of Bihar where it is said to be 92% effective.

If PDS does not work it should be scrapped. That does not mean people should be given cash. When it is said 92% effective it means 8% ineffective which can become 80% or more. Fictitious accounts can be opened. There is swindling in NREGA and complaints are not investigated. One person in Uttar Pradesh who got an award for his work in NREGA returned it as his complaints were not investigated and swindling continued. Whether the swindling in NREGA is 5% and in road transport 50% as Chidambaram said in Davos or more is a matter of debate.

Economic Traitor

Posted on December 19, 2010 by Vincent Augustine D'Souza

Praful Patel is an economic traitor. As civil aviation minister his actions have led Air India to loss and disaster. There was Indian Airlines. Praful Patel changed its name to Indian. That did not make any difference for better. Then Indian Airlines was merged with Air India. The merger was supposed to save money. Things…

Nira Radia Tapes

Posted on November 30, 2010 by Vincent Augustine D'Souza

On 23/11/2010 I read “Beware the single brush” by Pratap Bhanu Mehta in The Indian Express. The article had a sentence “Tapes of conversations between journalists and various lobbyists have been put online and some publications have carried stories on these conversations.” I did not know who were the journalists or lobbyists. On 26/11/2010 at…

Cursed be the corrupt

Posted on November 18, 2010 by Vincent Augustine D'Souza

In India corruption has reached stratospheric levels. Thousands of crores of rupees are siphoned off. Criminals get away. An ordinary citizen can not do much in his fight against corruption. RTI activists are killed. There is one thing an ordinary citizen can do and that is to curse the corrupt and criminals. Cursed be every…

A Tale of Two Scams

Posted on November 10, 2010 by Vincent Augustine D'Souza

After Commonwealth Games were over investigation into corruption in Commonwealth Games began by various agencies. There was lot of noise about raids. Contractors were raided. No raid on residence or office of any IOA official or minister associated with the Games.

Then Adarsh Society scam made news. Ashok Chavan, chief minister of Maharashtra, offered to resign. The scam reports exposed many ministers, bureaucrats and defence personnel. Ashok Chavanâ€™s predecessors who wanted to replace him were also exposed. Media reported about Adarsh Society and forgot about Commonwealth Games.

Rugby stadium built for Commonwealth Games at the cost of three hundred crore rupees is dismantled. Money spent on it is a waste.

http://go4quiz.com/vincent/2010/india/a-tale-of-two-scams/ ?

Food Insecurity Bill

Posted on November 1, 2010 by Vincent Augustine D'Souza

The government wants to bring Food Security Bill which in fact is Food Insecurity Bill. The bill is dictated by NAC which functions as super cabinet and should have no place in a democracy.

The members of NAC either do not know what happens in India or do not care. Both cases are unpardonable.

Food grains are acquired but not stored properly. They rot in godowns or outside godowns. Some godowns meant for stocking food grains stock liquor bottles. Food grains, that would have gone to people who die of starvation, rot. In Haryana food grains stored outside FCI godowns have rotten so much that they are not fit even for animal consumption and Haryana Warehouse Corporation wants to auction them at 62 paise per kg for those who want to use those rotten food grains as manure. Many starvation deaths would not have taken place if acquisition of food grains had been proper. When Supreme Court tells to distribute food grains free to prevent their getting rotten prime minister says it is not for Supreme Court to decide policy. Money is wasted on procuring food grains and food grains are wasted without proper storage and delivery.

Shunglu Committee is an eyewash

Posted on October 26, 2010 by Vincent Augustine D'Souza

On 15/10/2010 Shunglu Committee was appointed to probe into Commonwealth Games corruption. It was given 90 days time. Someone said it was cover-up. The corrupt people had two months for cover-up before Commonwealth Games and now they have three months. V. K. Shunglu was a CAG. He is out of country, no idea when he will return, may be after 90 days.

On 23/10/2010 on Big Fight on NDTV 24×7 a panellist said Shunglu Committee is an eyewash. It has no powers. Under what law it is appointed? Can it question Manmohan Singh? Can it question Sonia Gandhi? This is not the time for political correctness. Money has gone all the way to the top. Money has gone to Suresh Kalmadi, Sheila Dikshit, Jaipal Reddy. Money has gone to Manmohan Singh. Money has gone to Sonia Gandhi. A junior engineer will be punished. The panellist said that.