Friday, February 9, 2024

Federal Gem - Bharat Ratna

. . . . . was angry with the Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao when his government - in 1992 - decided to appeal against the  Delhi high court's decision, to quash a police complaint  in Bofors gun case, says senior party leader Margaret Alva. 

"What does the Prime Minister want to do? Send me to jail?", snapped the Congress President, when Alva met her. 

"What has the congress government done for me? This house was allotted to me by the Janata party's Chandrashekar government. I am not seeking any favors for myself or my children,  from him," she told the minister who was trying to patch peace.

"She was really angry," says Alva in her autobiography. 

Hindustan Times,     July 16, 2016

Sunday, July 23, 2023

rollback disastrous bill

Civil societies demanded roll back of the Forest Amendment Bill 2023.

It is disastrous for forest resources and livelihood of millions, they said

Even renamed Janata party ruled states are unhappy and oppose some clauses of FCA bill 2023

"The proposed amendment would grossly shrink the purpose and jurisdiction of the original Forest Conservation Act 1980, by removing restrictions on conservation of any Forest land," said Pradip Chatterjee  Convenor to the National Platform for Small Scale Fish  Workers. 

The New Indian Express, Saturday    July 22, 2023

Tuesday, June 27, 2023

federal govt. issues leave notice

Federal govt. has issued a 'leave  notice' to Satprem Maini , a long term resident of Auroville, and Director of Auroville Earth Institute.  

"I have given more than 34 years of my life to Auroville, which is my home. And India is my country. Yet I am thrown out like a piece of garbage," said Satprem in a WhatsApp message. 

Satprem released a technical evaluation report alleging that, the crown road laid by the Auroville Foundation, does not comply with the Indian Road Congress Codes. 

Satprem said that officials from FRRO, Chennai had told him that Auroville foundation secretary, had revoked the recommendation  for his stay at Auroville. 

A section of residents feel that revenge is being taken for exposing irregularities in the crown road project. 

Times of India,    June 28, 2023

Saturday, January 28, 2023

raj Dharma vs right wing dharma

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was set to dismiss Chief Minister Narendra Modi's government after the 2002 riots

While going to the federal executive committee meeting in Goa, in 2002, he had made up his mind that the Gujarat government would be dismissed, if Narendra Modi refused to resign. 

But Vajpayee withheld his decision, because his Home Minister Lal Kishan Advani, threatened to resign from federal cabinet. 

- The Economic Times, May 10, 2019 

Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Autonomous States with common currency and defence umbrella?

Reorganization of States  on linguistic basis removed the Kannada, Malayalam and Telugu speaking regions from the Madras State. And Annadurai had to change the call for an independent Peninsular State to an independent Tamil State. 

Remaining in the Indian Union meant economic backwardness and linguistic subjugation.

But the China war brought changes to the Constitution. 

The sixteenth Amendment banned, parties with autonomy ideals, from contesting elections. Annadurai vehemently debated against this amendment in parliament, but could not stop it from being passed. 

And Annadurai worked at better cooperation between the Southern States. 

- Wikipedia 

Thursday, September 29, 2022

stupid Indian policy

Russia is now occupying 20% of Ukraine's land. 

This is going beyond everything we have seen so far. 

But it's a fact that you can't violate borders. 

Borders must be safe.

Philipp Ackermann, German Ambassador to India 

Courts can issue directions to President

"Judges of Supreme Court and High Court already have authority to declare as unconstitutional, laws passed by State legislatures and Pa...