Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushana, Padma Bhushana and Padma Shree are national awards conferred by the Government of India. They are not titles. The Constitution of India forbids conferring of titles by the Government of India. They are not meant to be added before names. They are announced at the time of Republic Day. Sometimes Bharat…
Category: India
Presidential System
Events in Karnataka have once again shown the fragility of Parliamentary System. It is high time we followed Presidential System. The President and Governors shall have executive powers. They shall hold office for five years unless they die, resign or removed through impeachment. The President and Vice President shall continue to be elected as they…
Film censorship
Rang De Basanti has faced problems with censorship. There is Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC). Since the film dealt with MIG-21s CBFC referred it to three chiefs of Defence and Defence Minister. The three chiefs did not suggest cuts though they were unhappy about the roll call of pilots at the end to whom…
Telephone tapping
Telephone tapping of Amar Singh‘s telephones has created lots of heat. Congress is hostile to Samajwadi Party but it needs Left Front‘s support to survive. Left Front is associated with Samajwadi Party. It is doubtful whether 80 lakh rupees were spent for tapping Amar Singh’s phones. The next few weeks will bring out more details.
Good Bye 2005 Welcome 2006
The year 2005 is over. For many it was a year of joy, peace, fulfilment and success. For many it did not make a difference. For others it was a year of sorrow, disappointment and disaster. Many who were alive when 2005 are no more with us. Many who were not there are with us….
Happy Christmas
Christmas is a time to celebrate. It is the feast of joy, peace and happiness. Many people are today unable to celebrate. Christ did not have place in the inn. Today many people in Delhi and Ulhasnagar have lost their homes. Innocent people are punished. Guilty are free. They have the gall to ask for…
Unjust demolitions
Many buildings in Ulhasnagar and Delhi are being demolished as they were illegally built. In some of these buildings people were living for 25 years. Builders and civic officials were responsible for their constructions. They got money. People who bought are suffering. Innocent people are punished. The buyers had paid stamp duty and registration charges….
Midnight masses
Christians have traditionally had midnight masses for Christmas, New Year and Easter. Some years back the Supreme Court of India banned use of loudspeakers in open spaces between 10.00 p.m. and 6.00 a.m. The Central Government passed a law permitting such use on 15 days in a year to be decided by State Governments. When…
Ministers without portfolios
Natwar Singh is minister without portfolio. Manmohan Singh holds External Affairs Portfolio. Previously too there were ministers without portfolios at certain times. Mamata Banerjee was minister without portfolio for some time. Dinesh Singh and Jaffer Sharief were ministers without portfolios when they did not resign. At the time of Nehru there were some ministers without…
Extradition conditions
Abu Salem is in India extradited by Portugal on conditions that he would not be given death penalty and imprisonment would not be more than 25 years. TADA court judge told CBI that there could not be conditional appearance before court. It is the government of India that gave the undertaking accepting the conditions. India…