Gandhi`s Fast Unto Death against Separate Electorate for SC Communities Determnide the EXCLUSIVE Fate of Bahujan Mulnivasi Majority India. Now RSS Supported Pro Corporate Imperialism Hazaare Ramdev branded Manusmriti Hegemony Drama shifted to Rajghat

Gandhi`s Fast Unto Death against Separate Electorate for SC Communities Determnide the EXCLUSIVE Fate of Bahujan Mulnivasi Majority India. Now RSS Supported Pro Corporate Imperialism Hazaare Ramdev branded Manusmriti Hegemony Drama shifted to Rajghat HERALDS greater DISASTER!
Boost Foreign Capital INFLOW to Sustain FREE MARKET Zionist Brahaminical Apartheid Rule, this is the MOTTO of India INCs LPG Mafia Raj Governace amidst Mass Movement Resistance Hijack by Hindutva Polarised CIVIL SOCIETY Media Intelligentsia Based Ruling Market Dominating Class. Hazaare and Ramdev dose PROVES to be EXCELLENT ANESTHESIA to ensure Surgical Precision of Economic Ethnic Cleansing! As Amid suggestions for opening up of multi-brand retail for foreign investments, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday said discussions were on to further liberalise the FDI policy.Financial Reforms are followed well by Labour Reforms! As demise of Left and INACTVE DIVERTED Brahaminised Ambedkartes create UNPRECEDENTED Absence of the Mobilisation of Peasants, Workers and Students` Movement and Productive Class remains HELPLESS Deprived and DISCRIMINATED of Livelihood, JOB, Home, Property, Resources, Opportunity, Justice, Citizenship, Human and Civil Rights! Social Forces are NOT addressed at all. FDI Raj expands market deep into Rural India and Working Conditions deteriates! Thus, whoc Cares branded Management Maruti so easily declares, No question of accepting workers' demands!



Indian Holocaust My Father`s Life and Time - SIX HUNDRED FIFTY THREE

Palash Biswas

http://indianholocaustmyfatherslifeandtime.blogspot.com/


http://basantipurtimes.blogspot.com/


Gandhi`s Fast Unto Death against Separate Electorate for SC Communities Determnide the EXCLUSIVE Fate of Bahujan Mulnivasi Majority India. Now RSS Supported Pro Corporate Imperialism Hazaare Ramdev branded Manusmriti Hegemony Drama shifted to Rajghat HERALDS greater DISASTER!Taking on the govt, Hazare said that his agitation was the "second freedom struggle" and threatened another hunger strike from August 16.Bal Gangadhar tilak`s cry for SWARAJ and Gandhi`s RAM RAJ ended in BRAHMIN BANIA Rule, what we, the ENSLAVED Bonded EXCLUDED Majority people  may EXPECT from this DOSRI AZAADI which would acomplish the Agenda of Killing LIBERATION!And see, Ramdev said he will raise a 11,000 force that will be trained to retaliate if authorities crackdown on their anti-corruption campaign, evoking a stern response from the Government which termed it "anti-national".The Government hit back at Ramdev saying that his was a "political agitation which is fully backed by the RSS and its front organisations" and made it clear that it would not "allow anything that will trigger a conflagration".

Boost Foreign Capital INFLOW to Sustain FREE MARKET Zionist Brahaminical Apartheid Rule, this is the MOTTO of India INCs LPG Mafia Raj Governace amidst Mass Movement Resistance Hijack by Hindutva Polarised CIVIL SOCIETY Media Intelligentsia Based Ruling Market Dominating Class. Hazaare and Ramdev dose PROVES to be EXCELLENT ANESTHESIA to ensure Surgical Precision of Economic Ethnic Cleansing! As Amid suggestions for opening up of multi-brand retail for foreign investments, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday said discussions were on to further liberalise the FDI policy. Financial Reforms are followed well by Labour Reforms! As demise of Left and INACTVE DIVERTED Brahaminised Ambedkartes create UNPRECEDENTED Absence of the Mobilisation of Peasants, Workers and Students` Movement and Productive Class remains HELPLESS Deprived and DISCRIMINATED of Livelihood, JOB, Home, Property, Resources, Opportunity, Justice, Citizenship, Human and Civil Rights! Social Forces are NOT addressed at all. FDI Raj expands market deep into Rural India and Working Conditions deteriates! Thus, whoc Cares branded Management Maruti so easily declares, No question of accepting workers' demands!

Meanwhile,Preparations are on for the user's trial of the nuclear capable Prithvi-II missile test by Army on Thursday at Chandipur near Balasore.

The indigenously developed nuclear-capable Prithvi-II missile will be tested at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, about 15 km from Balasore.

"Discussions are underway to further liberalise the FDI (foreign direct investment) policy," he said at the annual conference of chief commissioners and directors general of Central Board of Excise and Customs ( CBEC )) at New Delhi.

He said with an aim to make the FDI policy user friendly, all prior regulations and guidelines have been consolidated into an comprehensive document. The document is reviewed every six months.

Mukherjee's statement comes within weeks of an Inter-ministerial Group (IMG) headed by Chief Economic Advisor Kaushik Basu recommending to the government opening up the multi-brand retail sector for FDI to tame inflation.

The IMG constituted in February by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had favoured opening of the sector in a calibrated manner.

Last July, the industry department had initiated discussions on opening the sector for FDI.

The share of organised retail in the total retail trade happens to be just over 4 per cent in India. The unorganised retail sector employs about 33 million people.

As the strike at its Manesar plant entered the fifth day on Wednesday, the country's largest car- maker Maruti Suzuki India on Wednesday said there was no question of accepting the demands of the workers.

"When a union is not even registered, in today's condition, how can we even think of accepting their demands? There is no demand of the workers which we can accept," Maruti Suzuki India Chairman R C Bhargava told PTI.

In the meantime, the strike by the workers continued for the fifth day today, with no production taking place.

"Strike is continuing... The production is fully stopped," a company spokesperson said.

Around 2,000 workers at the plant have been on strike since Saturday, resulting in a production loss of about 3,000 units till yesterday and the value of the loss is estimated to be around Rs 150 crore.

The striking workers are demanding the recognition of a new union -- Maruti Suzuki Employees Union (MSEU) -- formed by those working at the Manesar plant, besides retaining contract labourers for the two upcoming new units inside the complex.

Refraining from any disciplinary action against the 11 office-bearers of the new union is also another demand.

The workers said the company currently has one union, Maruti Udyog Kamgar Union, which is mainly dominated by those working at the Gurgaon facility.

The issues at the Manesar plant are different from those of the Gurgaon unit and hence, they are seeking recognition of the new union, a worker said.

The company had yesterday said its sales will be affected if the strike at the Manesar plant is prolonged.

The Manesar plant rolls out about 1,200 units every day in two shifts.

The factory produces hatchbacks Swift and A-Star and sedans DZiRE and SX4.

The company's shares were being quoted at Rs 1,226.70 apiece in afternoon trade on the Bombay Stock Exchange, down 1.13 per cent.

Anna Hazare and his supporters ended on Wednesday evening their day-long fast to protest police crackdown against yoga guru Ramdev and his followers at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi.

Hazare, joined by his associates and a few thousand supporters, went on the hunger strike to protest the police crackdown on Baba Ramdev's supporters during their agitation against corruption here on Saturday night, which he termed as a "blot on humanity" and attempt to "stifle democracy".

He ended the fast at 6pm. Taking on the government, Hazare said that his agitation against corruption was the "second freedom struggle" and threatened another hunger strike from August 16 if Lokpal Bill is not passed by then.

Anna described his movement as the second battle of independence but underlined Gandhi's non-violent path. He said his Wednesday fast was to condemn the police action on Ramdev's supporters at Ramlila ground. Anna likened the police brutality to the British repression of Indians in Jalianwala Bagh on April 13, 1919. He advised his supporters to refrain from violence. "The government is very powerful, if we indulge in violence, it will give the government an excuse to quash the movement," he warned.

The Gandhian reiterated, "The government has forgotten that people are the masters and not the government. They need to understand that we are one, not different."

Taking on the government, civil rights activist Anna Hazare on Wednesday went on a day-long fast at Rajghat, declaring that his agitation against corruption was the "second freedom struggle" and threatened another hunger strike from August 16 if Lokpal Bill is not passed by then.

He accused the government of putting "hurdles" in the drafting of Lokpal Bill and trying to defame the civil society members of the joint panel, such as Shanti Bhushan, Prashant Bhushan, Santosh Hegde and Arvind Kejriwal through a "discreet" campaign.

Hazare, joined by his associates and a few thousand supporters, went on the hunger strike to protest the police crackdown on Baba Ramdev's supporters during their agitation against corruption here on Saturday night, which he termed as a "blot on humanity" and attempt to "stifle democracy".

After paying floral tributes at Mahatma Gandhi's samadhi, he reached the protest site at around 10.20 am to a rousing welcome from supporters who assembled there amid heavy police presence.

"Mahatma Gandhi fought for our freedom but we are yet to achieve real independence. The second struggle of independence has started. We are ready to sacrifice our lives but will not buckle under pressure," Hazare said.

Mounting pressure on the government to quickly enact a law to curb corruption, he said he will launch an indefinite fast at Jantar Mantar here from August 16 if the Lokpal Bill is not passed by then.

Hazare's indefinite fast in April had evoked nationwide support forcing the government to set up a joint committee of civil society members and ministers to draft the bill.

After striking a conciliatory tone, Baba Ramdev on Wednesday again took up the issue of police crackdown on his supporters, saying he would set up a 11,000-strong force to deal with police and anti-social elements attempting to disrupt his anti-corruption movement.

"I appeal that 20 young men from every district should come here. We will train them in both shahstra (vedas) and shastra (weapons)," Ramdev, who is continuing his strike against corruption, told his followers here.

The yoga guru said, "We will prepare 11,000 men and women so that next time we do not lose any battle at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi ".

However, he said that the Sena will be raised only for self defence and not to harm anybody.

"The sena will safeguard themselves and other followers. It is not for taking lives of anybody," Ramdev said.

Baba Ramdev had yesterday stuck a conciliatory tone, saying he "forgave" the Prime Minister for the crackdown on his agitation.

"The Prime Minister termed it (the police action) unfortunate. In a way he has accepted his sin. Since he has accepted his sin, I have forgiven him," Ramdev had said.

"I have personally forgiven him but the history of not only India but the whole world will never forgive him for the political sin he committed. He has tainted democracy," Ramdev had said.

The yoga guru is observing a fast from June 4 to press for his demands of bringing back black money from foreign nations, tougher anti-graft laws and to uproot corruption from the country.

 

Categorized | MKG Ambedkar

Dr. Ambedkar's biggest self-admitted blunder: Surrendering to Gandhi's blackmail on Separate Electorate

Posted on 29 November 2010.

Dr. Ambedekar was duped by Gandhi

Mohammad Ali Jinnah after winning the elections, and as "the sole spokesman" of all the Muslims of the South Asian Subcontinent fought for and got the British to agree to Separate Electorate for the Muslims. This gave the Muslims tremendous clout in the political spectrum of South Asian Asia politics. Mohammad Ali Jinnah and nurtured and brought in Dr. Ambedakar into the parliament and convinced him to demand separate electorate for the Dalits and Untouchables. Dr. Ambedkar compared the hatred against the Scheduled Castes with apartheid and antisemitism.

Dr. Ambedkar was a protege of Jinnah and Jinnah nurtured him. In the case of Ambedkar, there has been marked response in his life after meeting the different leaders. After meeting Jinnah in January 1940 along with Periyar, Ambedkar became more confident and reassured. Ambedkar, Periyar and Jinnah on Januay 9, 1940: Mohammad Ali Jinnah courted, mentored and helped Dr. Ambedkar get elected. He strived for a Muslim-Dalit coaltion that would have given them the majoirty. The Muslims of Bharat must reach out to the Dalits, form alliances with them, and liberate them from Untouchability through Islam

The Hindu Civilisation…. is a diabolical contrivance to suppress and enslave humanity. Its proper name would be infamy. What else can be said of a civilisation which has produced a mass of people… who are treated as an entity beyond human intercourse and whose mere touch is enough to cause pollution?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Igk1oTrpQg

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Igk1oTrpQg]

Dr. Ambedakar got the concession for separate electorate from the British. When Mohandas Gandhi– a very strong supporter of the caste system and Untenability– heard about the British acceptance o f separate electorate, he went into a tizzy fit. The Hindu mahasabah threatened mass massacres of the Dalits. The enslaved Untouchables were harassed to no end all across the land. Mr. Gandhi went into a fast unto death to blackmail Dr. Ambedkar. Finally Dr. Ambedkar gave in to the pressure, and surrendered the rights of the Dalites. He said that this was the biggest blunder of his life. The Dalits still remain oppressed because of the lack of separate electorate for them. Ambedkar was a fierce critic of Mohandas Gandhi and the Indian National Congress.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiT1pm7ZDv4

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiT1pm7ZDv4]

Ambedkar had become one of the most prominent untouchable political figures of the time. He had grown increasingly critical of mainstream Indian political parties for their perceived lack of emphasis for the elimination of the caste system. Ambedkar criticized the Indian National Congress and its leader Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi, whom he accused of reducing the untouchable community to a figure of pathos. Ambedkar was also dissatisfied with the failures of British rule, and advocated a political identity for untouchables separate from both the Congress and the British. At a Depressed Classes Conference on August 8, 1930 Ambedkar outlined his political vision, insisting that the safety of the Depressed Classes hinged on their being independent of the Government and the Congress both:

We must shape our course ourselves and by ourselves… Political power cannot be a panacea for the ills of the Depressed Classes. Their salvation lies in their social elevation. They must cleanse their evil habits. They must improve their bad ways of living…. They must be educated…. There is a great necessity to disturb their pathetic contentment and to instill into them that divine discontent which is the spring of all elevation.[2]

In this speech, Ambedkar criticized the Salt Satyagraha launched by Gandhi and the Congress. Ambedkar's criticisms and political work had made him very unpopular with orthodox Hindus, as well as with many Congress politicians who had earlier condemned untouchability and worked against discrimination across India. This was largely because these "liberal" politicians usually stopped short of advocating full equality for untouchables.

In 1932, M. C. Rajah concluded a pact with two right-wingers in the Indian National Congress, Dr. B. S. Moonje [4][5] and Jadhav. According to this pact, Moonje offered reserved seats to scheduled castes in return for Rajah's support. This demand prompted Ambedkar to make an official demand for Separate Electorate System on an all-India basis. Ambedkar's prominence and popular support amongst the untouchable community had increased, and he was invited to attend the Second Round Table Conference in London in 1931. Here he sparred verbally with Gandhi on the question of awarding separate electorates to untouchables.[2] A fierce opponent of separate electorates on religious and sectarian lines, Gandhi feared that separate electorates for untouchables would divide Hindu society for future generations.

Dalit leader Dr. Ambedkar and Mohandas Gandhi: In this picture Dr. Ambedkar surrendered to Mr. Gandhi's blackmail. The tension is clearly visible in this picture. There was no love lost between Gandhi and Ambedkar. Mr. Gandhi was fasting 'till death forcing Dr. Ambedkar to abandon his demand for spearate electorates for the Dalits. Mr. Gandhi a firm believer in the Caste system is hated by Dalits all over the world

When the British agreed with Ambedkar and announced the awarding of separate electorates, Gandhi began a fast-unto-death while imprisoned in the Yeravada Central Jail of Pune in 1932. Exhorting orthodox Hindu society to eliminate discrimination and untouchability, Gandhi asked for the political and social unity of Hindus. Gandhi's fast provoked great public support across India, and orthodox Hindu leaders, Congress politicians and activists such as Madan Mohan Malaviya and Palwankar Baloo organized joint meetings with Ambedkar and his supporters at Yeravada. Fearing a communal reprisal and killings of untouchables in the event of Gandhi's death, Ambedkar agreed under massive coercion from the supporters of Gandhi to drop the demand for separate electorates, and settled for a reservation of seats. This agreement, which saw Gandhi end his fast, in the end achieved more representation for the untouchables, while dropping the demand for separate electorates that was promised through the British Communal Award prior to Ambedkar's meeting with Gandhi. Ambedkar was to later criticise this fast of Gandhi as a gimmick to deny political rights to the untouchables and increase the coercion he had faced to give up the demand for separate electorates.

This is the main reason 450 million Dalits and Untouchables hate Mohandas Gandhi

Ambedkar died in his sleep on December 6, 1956at his home in Delhi. Since the Caste Hindus denied the cremation at Dadar crematorium, A Buddhist-style cremation was organised for him at Chowpatty beach on December 7, attended by hundreds of thousands of supporters, activists and admirers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAki71LuxKs

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAki71LuxKs]

Congressman Franks Introduces Dalit Resolution

Speaks on the plight of "Untouchables" in India

May 2, 2007—Congressman Trent Franks (AZ-02) today introduced a Concurrent Resolution of which he is the original sponsor, "expressing the sense of Congress that the United States should address the problem of untouchability in India. In accordance with the Resolution, Congressman Franks offered the following speech on the Floor of the House:

"Mr. Speaker,

"This afternoon, I introduced a resolution calling for the United States to address the ongoing problem of untouchability in India. Last December, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recognized the similarities between untouchability in his country and apartheid in South Africa. It is now time for this Congress to speak out about this ancient and particularly abhorrent form of persecution and segregation – even if it is occurring in a country considered to be one of America's closest allies. This Congress must urge an end to the social discrimination and injustice faced by the nearly 250 million people known as Dalits and Tribals in India.

"Although the Indian Constitution guarantees fundamental rights and freedoms for all Indians, the untouchables continue to face widespread social and caste injustices. Article 17 of the Constitution outlaws untouchability; however, despite numerous laws enacted for the protection and betterment of the Dalits and Tribals, they are still considered outcasts in Indian society and are treated as such.

"At best, untouchability involves social segregation, including separate educational facilities, drinking water, and restaurants. This is a sad and familiar tune to many of us in our own country. At worst, untouchability entails widespread violence against untouchable women – especially in the form of rape with impunity, being targeted for abortions, and comprising the majority of temple prostitutes and women trafficked from India.

"The untouchables are poor, their most basic needs are not fulfilled, and they face great difficulties in accessing employment, education, food and healthcare. Most are among the poorest people in the world, living on less than $1 per day. Moreover, Dalit women are often sold into bonded prostitution and there is increasing religious persecution against untouchables who change their faith. In 2005, USAID stopped funding an organization after it was revealed that they were preventing many of these women from leaving prostitution. In a recent instance, a whole Dalit village was forced to leave their tribal land because they had converted to Christianity in a state that had laws against conversion.

"This resolution is a direct statement by Congress that untouchability is an unacceptable practice in America's largest trading partner and close ally. We appreciate that Prime Minister Singh and many others have recognized this as a serious social problem that needs to be confronted and we urge the rest of Indian society and American diplomats, aid workers, and businesses working in India to do the same, and work toward the eradication of caste discrimination in India.

"This resolution encourages our government to work with India to find new approaches to an age old problem.

"Moreover, this resolution will ensure that we as a government and as a people in no way encourage or enforce caste discrimination and untouchability through our policies with India or through our foreign direct aid. I urge my colleagues to join with me in calling on the Indian government and the world community to look with compassion upon India's untouchables and reach out to one of the most oppressed peoples on earth.

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker."

Congressman Franks is serving his third term in the U.S. House of Representatives, and is a member of the Committee on Armed Services, Strategic Forces Subcommittee, Readiness Subcommittee, Committee on the Judiciary, and is Ranking Member on the Constitution Subcommittee.

http://www.mohandasgandhitruth.com/?p=40

Statement on Mr.Gandhi's attitude at the Round Table Conference towards the untouchables and their demand for Constitutional Safeguards, 19th September 1932.)

I need hardly say that I was astounded to read the correspondence between Mahatma Gandhi, Sir Samuel Hoare and the Prime Minister, which was published recently in the Papers, in which he has expressed his determination to starve himself unto death till the British Government of its own accord or under pressure of public opinion revise their opinion and withdraw their scheme of communal representation for the Depressed Classes. The unenviable position, in which I have been placed by the Mahatma's vow of self-immolation, can easily be imagined.

It passes my comprehension why Mr. Gandhi should stake his life on an issue arising out of the communal question which he, at the Round Table Conference, said was one of a comparatively small importance. Indeed, to adopt the language of those of Mr. Gandhi's way of thinking, the communal question was only an appendix to the book of India's constitution and not the main chapter. It would have been justifiable, if Mr.Gandhi had resorted to this extreme step for obtaining independence for the country on which he was so insistent all through the R.T.C. debates. It is also a painful surprise that Mr.Gandhi should single out special representation for the Depressed Classes in the Communal Award as an excuse for his self-immolation. Separate electorates are granted not only to the Depressed Classes, but to the Indian Christians, Anglo-Indians, Europeans, as well as the Mohammedans and the Sikhs. Also separate Electorates are granted to landlords, labourers and traders. Mr. Gandhi had declared his opposition to the special representation of every other class and creed except the Mohamedans and the Sikhs. All the same, Mr. Gandhi chooses to let everybody else except the Depressed Classes retain the special electorates given to them.

The fears expressed by Mr.Gandhi about the consequences of the arrangements for the representation of the Depressed Classes are, in my opinion, purely imaginary. If the nation is not going to be split up by separate electorates to the Mohamedans and the Sikhs, the Hindu society cannot be said to be split up if the Depressed classes are given separate electorates. His conscience is not aroused if the nation is split by the arrangements of special electorates for classes and communities other than the Depressed Classes.

I am sure many have felt that if there was any class which deserved to be given special political rights in order to protect itself against the tyranny of the majority under the Swaraj constitution it was the depressed classes. Here is a class which is undoubtedly not in a position to sustain itself in the struggle for existence. The religion to which they are tied, instead of providing for them an honourable place, brands them as lepers, not fit for ordinary intercourse. Economically, it is a class entirely dependent upon the high-caste Hindus for earning its daily bread with no independent way of living open to it. All ways are not closed by reason of the social prejudices of the Hindus but there is a definite attempt all through out the Hindu society to bolt every possible door so as not to allow the Depressed Classes any opportunity to rise in the scale of life. Indeed it would not be an exaggeration to say that in every village the caste Hindus, however divided among themselves, are always in a standing conspiracy to put down in a merciless manner any attempt on the part of the Depressed Classes who form a small and scattered body of an ordinary Indian citizen.

In these circumstances, it would be granted by all fair-minded persons that as the only path for a community so handicapped to succeed in the struggle for life against organized tyranny, some share of political power in order that it may protect itself is a paramount necessity.

I should have thought that a well-wisher of the Depressed Classes would have fought tooth and nail for securing to them as much political power as might be possible in the new Constitution. But the Mahatma's ways of thinking are strange and are certainly beyond my comprehension. He not only does not endeavour to augment the scanty political power which the Depressed Classes have got under the communal award, but on the contrary he has staked his very life in order to deprive them of little they have got. This is not the first attempt on the part of the Mahatma to completely dish the Depressed Classes out of political existence. Long before, there was the Minorities pact. The Mahatma tried to enter into an agreement with the Muslims and the Congress. He offered to the Muslims all the fourteen claims which they had put forth on their behalf, and in return asked them to join with him in resisting the claims for social representation made by me on behalf of the Depressed Classes.

It must be said to the credit of the Muslim Delegates, that they refused to be a party to such a black act, and saved the Depressed Class from what might as well have developed into a calamity for them as a result of the combined opposition of the Mohammedans and Mr.Gandhi.

I am unable to understand the ground of hostility of Mr.Gandhi to the Communal Award. He says that the Communal Award has separated the Depressed Classes from the Hindu Community. On the other hand, Mr.Moonje, a much stronger protagonist of the Hindu case and a militant advocate of its interests, takes a totally different view of the matter. In the speeches which he has been delivering since his arrival from London, Dr.Moonje has been insisting that the Communal Award does not create any separation between the Depressed Classes and the Hindus. Indeed, he has been boasting that he has defeated me in my attempt to politically separate the Depressed Class from the Hindus. I am sure that Dr.Moonje is right in his interpretation of the Communal Award although, I am not sure that the credit of it can legitimately go to Mr.Moonje. It is therefore surprising that Mahatma Gandhi who is a nationalist and not known to be a communalist should read the Communal Award, in so far as it relates to the Depressed Classes, in a manner quite contrary to that of a communalist like Mr.Moonje. If Dr.Moonje does not sense any separation of the Depressed Classes from the Hindus in the Communal Award the Mahatma ought to feel quite satisfied on that score.

In my opinion, that Communal Award should not only satisfy the Hindus, but also satisfy those individuals among the Depressed Classes such as Rao Bahadur Rajah, Mr.Baloo or Mr.Gavai, who are in favour of Joint Electorates. Mr.Rajah's fulminations in the Assembly have amused me considerably. An intense supporter of Separate Electorates and the bitterest and the most vehement critic of caste Hindu tyranny, now professes faith in the Joint Electorates and love for the Hindus! How much of that is due to his natural desire to resuscitate himself from the oblivion in which he was cast by his being kept out of the Round Table Conference and how much of it is to his honest change of faith, I do not propose to discuss.

The points on which Mr.Rajah is harping by way of criticism on the Communal Award are two: One is that the Depressed Classes have gained lesser number of seats than they are entitled to on the population basis, and the other is that the Depressed Classes have been separated from the Hindu fold.

I agree in his first grievance, but when the Rao Bahadur begins to accuse those who represented the Depressed Classes at the R.T.C. for having sold their rights, I am bound to point out what Mr.Rajah did as a member of the Indian Central Committee. In that committee's report, the Depressed Classes were given in Madras 10 seats out of 150; in Bombay 8 seats out of 14; in Bengal 8 seats our of 200; in U.P. 8 seats our of 182; in the Punjab 6 seats out of 150; in Bihar and Orissa 6 out of 150; in C.P. 8 out of 125; and in Assam 9 seats for the Depressed Classes and the indigenous and primitive races out of 75. I do not wish to overburden this statement by pointing out how this distribution compares with the population ratio. But there can be no doubt that this meant a terrible under-representation of the Depressed Classes. To this distribution of seats Mr.Rajah was a party. Surely, Mr.Rajah, before he criticizes the Communal Award and accuses others, should refresh his memory of what he accepted as Member of the Indian Central Committee on behalf of the Depressed Classes without any protest. If the population ratio of representation was to him a natural right of Depressed Classes and its full realization was to him a necessity for their protection, why did not Mr.Rajah insist upon it in the Central Committee when he had the opportunity to do so?

As to his contention that in the Communal Award, the Depressed Classes have been separated from the Hindus, it is a view to which I cannot subscribe. If Mr. Rajah has any conscientious objection to separate electorates, there is no compulsion on him to stand as a candidate in the Separate Electorates. The opportunity to stand as a candidate in the general electorate as well as the right to vote in it are there, and Mr.Rajah is free to avail himself of the same. Mr.Rajah is crying at the top of his voice to assure to the Depressed Classes that there is a complete change of heart on the part of the Caste Hindus towards the Depressed Classses. He will have the opportunity to prove that fact to the satisfaction of the Depressed Class, who are not prepared to take his word by getting himself elected in the general constituency. The Hindus who profess love and sympathy for the Depressed Classes, will have also an opportunity to prove their bona fides by electing Mr.Rajah to the legislature.

The Communal Award, therefore, in my opinion, satisfied both those who want separate Electorates and those who want joint electorates. In this sense, it is already a compromise and should be accepted as it is. As to the Mahatma, I do not know what he wants. It is assumed that although Mahatma Gandhi is opposed to the system of separate electorates, he is not opposed to the system of Joint electorates and Reserved Seats, That is a gross error. Whatever his views are today, while in London he was totally opposed to any system of Social representation for the Depressed Classes whether by Joint electorates or by Separate Electorates. Beyond the right to vote in a general electorate based upon Adult suffrage, he was not prepared to concede anything to the Depressed Classes by way of securing their representation in the legislatures. This was the position he had taken at first. Towards the end of R.T.C. he suggested to me a scheme, which he said, he was prepared to consider. The scheme was purely conventional without any constitutional sanction behind it and without any single seat being reserved for the Depressed Classes in the electoral law.

The scheme was as follows:
Depressed Class candidates might stand in the general electorate as against other high caste Hindu candidates. If any Depressed Class Candidate was defeated in the Election, he should file an election petition and obtain the verdict that he was defeated because he was an untouchable. If such a decision was obtained, the Mahatma said he would undertake to induce some Hindu members to resign and thus create a vacancy. There would be then another election in which the defeated Depressed Class candidate or any other Depressed Class candidate might again try his luck as against the Hindu candidates. Should he be defeated again, he should get similar verdict that he was defeated because he was an untouchable and so on ad infinitum. I am disclosing these facts as some people are even now under the impression that the Joint Electorates and Reserved Seats would satisfy the conscience of the Mahatma. This will show why I insist that there is no use discussing the question until the actual proposals of the Mahatma are put forth.

I must, however, point out that I cannot accept the assurances of the Mahatma that he and his Congress will do the needful. I cannot leave so important a question as the protection of my people to conventions and understandings. The Mahatma is not an immortal person, and the Congress, assuming it is not a malevolent force, is not to have an abiding existence. There have been many Mahatmas in India whose sole object was to remove untouchability and to elevate and absorb the Depressed Classes, but every one of them has failed in his mission. Mahatmas have come and Mahatmas have gone but the untouchables have remained as untouchables.

I have enough experience of the pace of Reform and the faith of Hindu reformers in the conflicts that have taken place at Mahad and Nasik, to say that no well-wisher of the Depressed Classes will ever consent to allow the uplift of the Depressed Classes to rest upon such treacherous shoulders. Reformers who in moments of crises prefer to sacrifice their principles rather than hurt the feelings of their kindred can be of no use to the Depressed Classes.

I am therefore bound to insist upon a statutory guarantee for the protection of my people. If Mr.Gandhi wishes to have the Communal Award altered, it is for him to put forth his proposals and to prove that they give a better guarantee than has been given to us under the Award.

I hope that the Mahatma will desist from carrying out the extreme step contemplated by him. We mean no harm to the Hindu Society, when we demand separate electorates. If we choose separate electorates, we do so in order to avoid the total dependence on the sweet will of the caste Hindus in matters affecting our destiny. Like the mahatma we can claim our right to err, and we expect him not to deprive us of that right. His determination to fast himself unto death is worthy of a far better cause. I could have understood the propriety of the Mahatma contemplating such extreme step for stopping riots between Hindus and Mohammedans or between the Depressed Classes and the Hindus or any other national cause. It certainly cannot improve the lot of the Depressed Classes. Whether he knows it or not, the Mahatma's act will result in nothing but terrorism by his followers against the Depressed Classes all over the country.
Coercion of this sort will not win the Depressed Classes to the Hindu fold if they are determined to go out. And if the Mahatma chooses to ask the Depressed Classes to make a choice between Hindu faith and possession of political power, I am quite sure that the Depressed Classes will choose political power and save the Mahatma from self-immolation. If Mr. Gandhi coolly reflects on the consequences of his act, I very much doubt whether he will find this victory worth having. It is still more important to note that the Mahatma is releasing reactionary and uncontrollable forces, and is fostering the spirit of hatred between the Hindu Community and the Depressed Classes by resorting to this method and thereby widening the gulf between the two. When I opposed Mr. Gandhi at the R.T.C there was a hue and cry against me in the country and there was a conspiracy in the so-called nationalist press to represent me as a traitor to the nationalist cause, to suppress correspondence coming from my side and to boost the propaganda against my party by publishing exaggerated reports of meetings and conferences, many of which were never held. "Silver bullets" were freely used for creating divisions in the ranks of the Depressed Classes. There have also been a few clashes ending in violence.

If the Mahatma does not want all this to be repeated on a larger scale, let him, for God's sake, reconsider his decision and avert the disastrous consequences. I believe the Mahatma does not want this. But if he does not desist, in spite of his wishes these consequences are sure to follow as night follows the day.

Before concluding this statement, I desire to assure the public that although I am entitled to say that I regard the matter as closed, I am prepared to consider the proposals of the Mahatma. I however trust the Mahatma will not drive me to the necessity of making a choice between his life and the rights of my people. For I can never consent to deliver my people bound hand and foot to the Caste Hindus for generations to come.

Dr.B.R.Ambedkar

शिल्‍पा शेट्टी भी रामदेव के आंदोलन के खिलाफ

शाहरुख, सलमान द्वारा बाबा रामदेव के आंदोलन को समर्थन न करने के बाद मानो पूरा बॉलीवुड ही इस मुद्दे पर बाबा को कोई खास तवज्जो नहीं दे रहा है। योगगुरु की समर्थक और शिष्या रहीं हॉट अभिनेत्री शिल्‍पा शेट्टी का कहना है कि कि वे भ्रष्‍टाचार के खिलाफ बाबा रामदेव के आंदोलन का समर्थन नहीं करती हैं।

India gears up for terror from seas

Terrorists trained like marine commandos to dive and slip through harbour protection systems could one day unleash havoc by planting underwater bombs or mines at a major port.

This is no longer in the realm of fiction in the backdrop of the 26/11 terror strikes in Mumbai as well as last month's Taliban attack on Mehran naval airbase in Karachi, both of which involved some training of the jihadis by Pakistani marine commandos.

To tackle such threats, India is now also going in for "a major upgrade'' of its harbour protection systems (HPSs) at the naval bases in Mumbai, Vizag, Karwar, Kochi and Port Blair, along with the ongoing security audit of ports, airfields, naval facilities, offshore installations and the like.

Top defence ministry sources say the plan is to "upgrade existing HPSs'' and "plug gaps'' to ensure that any nefarious activity by regular or irregular enemy forces are detected early and neutralized swiftly.

Navy, of course, already has some HPSs like diver-detection sonars and underwater physical nets. "Scare chargers'', which create sound waves to burst the eardrums of hostile divers or frogmen, are also used to secure areas if suspicious underwater activity is detected anytime.

The upgrade plan will take them to an altogether different level. It involves "a composite HPS'' for 24x7 wide-area surveillance through more advanced mobile nets, intrusion detection sonars, infra-red cameras, electro-optical, motion sensors and radars.

"Divers can now be armed with closed-circuit re-breather systems, which do not cause bubbles...that makes it all the more difficult to detect them,'' said a source.

"The composite HPS is to ensure that even a small cut in the nets or some other breach sets off alarms for responders to react in time and defuse the threat,'' he added.

Lessons have also been learnt from the way al-Qaida used a small explosive-laden craft to attack American destroyer USS Cole, which killed 17 sailors and injured dozens more, while it was harboured in the Yemeni port of Aden in October 2000.

As part of the overall harbour security plan, the Navy will also procure 16 new coastal anti-submarine vessels which can operate outside harbours to keep enemy submarines at bay.

Navy's new specialized Sagar Prahari Bal (SPB), one of the measures cleared after the 26/11 marine jihadis exposed gaping holes in India's coastal security, has now also made a beginning towards protecting naval assets, bases and harbours on both west and east coasts.

The first lot of the 15 fast-interception craft (FICs), which can effectively patrol almost up to 200 nautical miles, for SPB were delivered by French shipyard Chantier Naval Couach recently.

These boats are in addition to the 80 FICs approved at a cost of over Rs 320 crore for the proposed 1,000-strong SPB, the deliveries of which will begin by 2012-2013.

Sources said Phase-I of the critical coastal surveillance network will also be up and running soon. It includes 46 stations, with coastal radars, cameras, AIS (automatic identification systems) and other sensors mounted atop old lighthouses to dynamically locate and track vessels. Phase-II, with 56 additional stations, is to follow thereafter.

MMTC seeks 'Navratna' status in disinvestment

BANGALORE: Ahead of the proposed divestment of government equity in MMTC later this fiscal, the trading giant has sought coveted 'Navratna' status, which provides autonomy to a PSU board in terms of investment decisions.

"Disinvestment is during this fiscal year. We will move step by step. We have to appoint five independent directors. Once they are appointed, disinvestment process will start," MMTC Director (Marketing) Ved Prakash told reporters here.

The MMTC disinvestment is likely to be completed by October, he said.

The company, which achieved a turnover of Rs 68,687 crore, has also applied to the Department of Public Enterprises for Navratna status.

"We have already filed application with the Department of Public Enterprises. We are trying... but they (DPE) ask for documents and clarifications which takes time. We hope it should be done as soon as possible," he said.

The board of directors of 'Navratna' PSUs can take investment decision up to Rs 1,000 crore without approval from the government.

The government is likely to sell about 10 per cent of its stake in state-run trading giant MMTC, he said. Presently, the government holds a 99.33 per cent stake in the company.

As the government wants to raise Rs 40,000 crore from the disinvestment, MMTC is one of several bluechip PSUs on the sell-off radar in the current financial year. The others include SAIL, ONGC, RINL and NBCC.

8 JUN, 2011, 02.31AM IST, SHAILESH MENON,ET BUREAU
India HNI wealth to grow 5-fold: Kotak Wealth-Crisil
MUMBAI: Businessmen turn affluent, but forecasting affluence is becoming a business. Kotak Wealth-Crisil joined the big league of Capgemini-Merrill Lynch, Northbridge Asia, Credit Suisse and Barclays Wealth in their own way, launching its first volume of "wealthy Indians" that forecast affluent individuals with assets of at least Rs 25 crore to triple by 2016 to 2,19,000. Their assets may grow five-fold to Rs 235 lakh crore, it said.

Each institution sets its own definition of affluence, parametres and chooses its sample to conclude how the growth would pan out. But statisticians and economists that none of them are probably accurate, or closer to truth. "We live in a country which has a large shadow economy," says Maneesh Kumar, managing director at Burgeon Advisors , New Delhi.

"Putting a finger on the exact net worth of an individual or family is a difficult task. This makes assessing the metrics of net worth a challenging task. Many of these assets such as real estate, art and commodities can be accumulated today in a large part with cash. While calculating net asset, one also has to see their liabilities, which most of the time is shadowed."

Financial services firms, which lure rich clients to earn a fee from advising or investing on their behalf, depend on some perceived to be scientific approach to forecast affluence. These numbers are used to convince the rich to appoint them as advisors.

"There is a lot of subjectivity involved in such surveys; this reduces accuracy of such surveys by a good measure," said Golaka Nath, senior vice-president, Clearing Corporation of India, who is a visiting faculty at many management institutes. "Such surveys are done by collecting data from different sources. Readers of such reports should adopt a conservative approach as findings of such surveys could have several drawbacks."

But in a country like India where less than a tenth of the population pays income tax and millions live without even basic identity proof, forecasting is a lot more complicated. "We've done our survey using well-drafted questionnaires and long personal interviews," said Roopa Kudva, MD & CEO, Crisil.

"Efforts have been put to get as much accurate details as possible; we've managed to get data and process it, taking into account the sensibilities of the respondent," she said at the launch of 'Top of the pyramid', a report on wealthy. These surveys could be indicators of direction, but can't be relied up on in decsion making.

"No, it is not possible," said DV Pai, professor emeritus-department of mathematics, IIT Mumbai.

"The estimates that you derive using such random methods may strictly be off the mark. Incomplete information, data contamination, mental instabilities of respondents and inadequate sample size may not yield accurate results. It is difficult to measure wealth using mathematical models; range of wealth could vary widely among seemingly similar respondents."

Most wealth reports are prepared using questionnaire and personal interview method. These methods are fraught with risks of data contamination as it involves good measure of respondent bias. Getting accurate wealth details of people is a next-to-impossible task, researchers said. Northbridge Capital, which released its wealth report in February, predicts India's individual wealth to double from the existing $1.59 trillion to $3.18 trillion in the next three years.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/indicators/india-hni-wealth-to-grow-5-fold-kotak-wealth-crisil/articleshow/8767824.cms

4 JUN, 2011, 01.29PM IST,PTI
Western economies can learn from India: Amartya Sen

OXFORD: At a time when several economies in the western world are facing severe crisis, Nobel laureate Amartya Sen believes that they can learn from countries such as India and China which are witnessing rapid economic growth.

Launching the Sanjaya Lall Visiting Professorship of Business and Development at the Said Business School of the University of Oxford, Sen said at a panel discussion on Friday that there was much that the developing countries could contribute at the 'level of ideas' to ongoing economic debates in the western world.

The Nelson Mandela Lecture Hall in the Said Business School was packed to capacity, including leading economists from Oxford, London and students.

The panel led by Sen included Martin Wolf of the Financial Times, and Robert Wade , professor of Political Economy and Development at the London School of Economics .

Stating that he was worried about the management of failing economies such as Greece, Sen said the main lesson to be learnt from the developing countries is the crucial link between growth and how it generates public revenue.

"I am concerned with what is happening in Europe. There are a few things that they can learn from the developing world; for example, the importance of growth in generating public revenue. Going straight at budget deficit cuts growth," he said, without mentioning the ongoing major public spending cuts in Britain to reduce budget deficit.

It was a reflection of the state of affairs, he said, that the dominant figures in public discourse in the west were not democratic figures but bankers.

Noting that Europe had done much to develop and further democratic norms in the last 300 years, Sen, however, said that at the current juncture in world history, the "mantle of democracy is now very much strongly held by India".

He reiterated India's commitment to democracy and to implement economic measures within a democratic framework.

Lauding the work of Patna-born Sanjaya Lall in the field of economic and business, Sen said his impact on economics was "truly fantastic".

A prolific writer and research based at Oxford, Lall was considered one of the world's foremost development economists.

The visiting professorship, awarded to Professor Wade , has been made possible by generous gift from the Sanjaya Lall Memorial Fund, whose trustees include Ramnique Lall and Lord Meghnad Desai The visiting professorship is for the period of one Oxford term; the holder is expected to deliver a public lecture and encouraged to contribute to other scholarly activities.

Action against Baba Ramdev internal Indian matter: US
WASHINGTON: The United States has said that it supports the right to peaceful assembly, but it considers New Delhi's action against yoga guru Baba Ramdev as "an internal Indian issue at this point."

"We've seen the various media reports about the incident. We consider it an internal Indian issue at this point," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters when asked to comment about Ramdev's forcible removal from an anti-graft mass agitation.

"Speaking more broadly, though, we do support the right to peaceful assembly, but we also support a democratic government's right to require permits and enforce public security," he said. "But again, we believe it's an internal matter for the Indian government ."

Asked why the US had not asked Indian authorities to protect peaceful protestors, Toner said: "It's a fair question, absolutely, because we have said elsewhere that we support the universal aspirations of people to demonstrate and to express their views in a peaceful manner."

"Look, my understanding of this case is that it's very complex," Toner said in response to persistent questioning about alleged police brutality.

"We obviously support their right to peaceful assembly. We respect India's stature as the world's largest democracy, and we believe it's, right now, an internal matter for them to decide the best way forward," he said.

"It's important to recognize that India is the world's largest democracy, has a responsibility to allow these peaceful protestors to express their views, but equally, there is a responsibility on the part of the protestors to do so in a responsible fashion and with the requisite security requirements," Toner said.

The spokesman also refused to draw a parallel between the Delhi incident and Tiananmen Square episode in China saying, "Again, I'm not going to draw parallels between the two cases, no."

7 JUN, 2011, 11.15AM IST, ABANTIKA GHOSH,TNN
CWG payments: No disbursements till courts resolve graft cases
NEW DELHI: It is not just Suresh Kalmadi whose wait for bail got longer after a court turned down his plea.

Foreign companies who had worked during the Commonwealth Games, too, will have to bide their time for the remaining payments as the law ministry has told the sports ministry to withhold all disbursements related to the Games till the corruption cases pertaining to the mega sports event are resolved by the courts.

These include some payments to companies already chargesheeted by CBI or under the scanner of the investigating agency.

Law minister Veerappa Moily said: "The sports ministry had sought our opinion on whether the pending payments should be cleared. Most of the payments have been done but we have told them that the remaining money should not be disbursed till the cases are pending in court."

Of the 45 foreign companies that had been engaged for various functions in the run-up to the Games , payments of 36 companies amounting to a total of Rs 114.84 crore, have already been cleared in full. The CWG Organising Committee (OC) has paid Rs 191.11 crore to the nine other companies. OC, however, still owes them Rs 17.80 crore. Their payments had originally been withheld because of disputes due to non-performance of contracts.

These companies include Swiss Timing, which has already been chargesheeted by CBI along with Suresh Kalmadi in the timing system scam case, and EKS Workforce which too got some of the contentious deals that are under the CBI scanner. The companies have been exerting diplomatic pressure on the government to clear the pending payments. That was the reason, law ministry sources said, why the sports ministry had referred the matter for a legal opinion.

OC owes Rs 59,376,240 to Swiss Timing and Rs 35,408,740 to EKS Workforce. There were two contracts with the latter. The other companies in the list are Infostrada Sports, K Events SRL, Mark Fisher, Great Big Event, Spectek Production and Production Resource Group.

There are seven Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs) to whom OC owes a total travel grant of about Rs 1.79 crore of the Rs 16.74 crore originally payable to the associations of the 71 participating nations.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/cwg-payments-no-disbursements-till-courts-resolve-graft-cases/articleshow/8757953.cms


Inflation, low demand to moderate India's GDP to 8%: World Bank

WASHINGTON: Rising inflation and slowing demand would moderate India's economic growth to 8 per cent during 2011-12 from 8.8 per cent in the previous fiscal, said a World Bank report.

"... (India's) growth is projected to ease to 8 per cent in FY 2011-12 from 8.8 per cent in FY 2010-11", World Bank said in its June edition of Global Economic Prospects.

Elaborating on the reasons behind the expected slowdown in the country's economic growth, the multilateral lending agency said it "stems from a moderation in domestic demand, as elevated inflationary pressures have cut into disposable incomes and household spending".

The report further said the growth in the developing countries will slow down to 6.3 per cent during 2011 and 2013 from 7.3 per cent in 2010.

The World Bank's India growth projection is in line with the Reserve Bank's economic growth forecast of 8 per cent for the current fiscal.

However, Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has pegged that growth projection at 8.75 per cent (plus/minus 0.25 per cent).

GDP growth of the country slowed to a five-quarter low of 7.8 per cent during the January-March quarter, while the six core industries registered meagre 5.2 per cent expansion in April.

Experts have blamed inflation and the resultant rate hikes by the RBI, which resulted in slowing down of investment, for the poor economic growth numbers.

Inflation has remained at an elevated level despite the Reserve Bank's tight monetary policy stance. RBI has raised its lending (repo) and borrowing (reverse repo) rates nine times since March 2010.

Headline inflation in April stood at 8.66 per cent. The government said earlier it expects the recent hike in petrol prices to put upward pressure on the rate of price rise in the coming months.

"This slowdown partly reflects macroeconomic policy tightening aimed at curbing stubbornly high price pressures and reducing large fiscal deficits", World Bank said.

Food inflation stood at 8.06 per cent for the week ended May 21. A rise in prices of food items was the main reason for inflationary pressure during 2010.

Food inflation was in double digits for most of last year, before showing signs of moderation from March this year.

"Tighter financing conditions have contributed to a moderation in private investment growth, while private consumption growth has been hit by high and rising food and fuel inflation", World Bank said.

Investment growth decelerated sharply in the first quarter of 2011 to 0.4 per cent from 7.8 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2010 and 14.1 per cent for year 2010.

8 JUN, 2011, 03.05PM IST, M RAJSHEKHAR,ET BUREAU
India's welfare programmes are not very good at reaching the poorest of the poor: World Bank
DELHI: How effective are India's innumerable social security programmes at reaching out to the poorest of the poor? If a recent World Bank report is anything to go by, they are woefully inefficient. According to the report, titled "Social Protection for a Changing India", leakages and exclusion errors are endemic across the country.

For instance, just 27% of the PDS . beenficiaries are the poorest of the poor. The World Bank found that this was the predominant trend across all the welfare programmes it studied.

1. Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana: State-run employment programme that provided food and cash for work: 43.4%
2. Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana: Subsidised loans to groups of BPL people: 32.9%
3. Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension: Monthly pension for BPL elderly: 32.8%
4. Annapurna: 10 kilos of food grains for destitutes who are not getting the old age pension: 51.9%
5. Widow pension: Monthly pension for BPL widows: 43.2%
6. Disabled pension: Monthly pension for the disabled: 30.7%
7. Indira Awas Yojana: Subsidy for BPL families for house construction: 28.6%
8. School stipends: Scholarships: 22.6%

This inefficiency is a problem across all Indian states. Take the PDS. Leakages range between 27% (Bengal) and 91.1% (Bihar).

It raises a question. Why does this exclusion take place? Partly because a steady mushrooming of welfare programmes linked to BPL cards has resulted in the village elite competing to get BPL cards. Given that every state has only so many BPL cards it can give out (in line with the Planning Commission's poverty estimates), this excludes the BPL.

That said, the problem goes well beyond targeting. Take MGNREGA. It is open to anyone willing to work below the market wage. However, the poorest of the poor do not turn to NREGA. The programme takes, in the best case scenario, 1-2 weeks to pay its wages. Stories about NREGA workers getting their wages months after working are legion. And the poorest of the poor, so destitute they need cash to eat, if not today then tomorrow, and so disempowered they cannot protest against the delays, instead turn away from NREGA itself.

That is the lesson here. Targeting on its own will be subverted. What is needed is something that reduces this voicelessness of the ultrapoor.

No filing of tax return for salary and interest income up to Rs 5 lakh

As many as 85 lakh salaried tax payers whose taxable income, including salary and interest income, is up to Rs 5 lakh, are not required to file income-tax return from now onwards.

"No income-tax returns is required for salaried persons whose annual annual taxable income including salary and interest is up to Rs 5 lakh. We would shortly notify this," a Central Board of Direct Taxes official said.

However, he said this would not cover income from other sources like house property, capital gains and gains from profession and business.

The scheme would be applicable from assessment year 2011-12 onwards. This means that the salaried persons eligible under the scheme would not have to file returns for the financial year 2010-11 in 2011-12 (assessment year).

Under the scheme, those salaried persons who want to claim tax refund, would have to income tax file return.

As per the Memorandum to the Finance Bill 2011, the government will be issuing a notification exempting 'classes of persons' from the requirement of furnishing income tax returns.

Under the scheme, the salaried person wants exemption from filing IT return, has to disclose about the incomes like dividend and interest to his employer for tax deduction.

In the scenario, the Form 16 issued to salaried employees will be treated as Income Tax Return. At present, it is obligatory for all salaried persons to file income tax return under the Income Tax Act, 1961.

The idea behind the move is that in cases where there are no other sources of income, filing of a return is a duplication of existing information.

8 JUN, 2011, 10.46AM IST,ET BUREAU
Government panel for end to Kisan Vikas Patras, calls for NSC maturity in 5 years

NEW DELHI: A government panel, set up to review the small investment schemes of post offices and banks, has recommended discontinuation of the popular Kisan Vikas Patra, among other changes.

The committee has also proposed a 0.5% raise in the interest rate for post office savings account to 4%, reduction in the maturity period of National Savings Certificates (NSCs) to five years from six, and raising the annual contribution limit in Public Provident Fund ( PPF )) toRs 1 lakh, from the current Rs 70,000.

The panel, headed by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) deputy governor Shyamala Gopinath, submitted its report to the finance minister on Wednesday, a finance ministry statement said.

The proposals are in line with the suggestions made by experts, the RBI and commercial banks to ensure transparency, have market-linked rates, and reform the small savings plans offered by the government.

If the proposals are accepted, it could lead to big changes in the way the National Small Savings Fund (NSSF) is managed and the returns it generates for investors.

The finance ministry had formed the panel after it accepted the recommendations of the 13th Finance Commission to examine all aspects of the National Small Savings Fund.

To address the need for a long-term investment instrument, it has recommended introduction of a 10-year NSC scheme. The panel has also adviced benchmarking of interest rates on other small savings schemes to rates of government securities of similar maturity with positive spread of 25 basis points with two exceptions.

The first is 100 basis points spread for senior citizens' schemes, keeping in view its social objective, and the second is 50 basis points spread for the recommended 10-year NSC, keeping in view of its higher illiquidity.

These rates may be notified by the government afresh at the beginning of every financial year based on the average yields on government securities in the previous calendar year.

Bankers say the recommendations are in the right direction. "We will have to study them in detail, but it certainly looks like a first step in the right direction," said RK Bansal, executive director, IDBI Bank .

The committee has proposed that the mandatory component of investment of net small savings collections in state government securities be reduced to 50%. States can access up to 80% of NSSF for financing their annual expenditure.

The funds are given as a 25-year loan carrying 9.5% interest, higher than rates at which states can borrow from the market.

The balance amount could either be invested in central government securities or could be on-lent to other states on basis of requirement or could be lent for financing infrastructure projects requiring long-term finance, according to the panel.

It has been proposed that the tenure of these loans may be reduced from the current 25 years, including moratorium of 5 years, to 10 years.

Govt allows tax exemption on 9.5% interest on PF for 2010-11

Giving relief to 4.71 crore subscribers of EPFO, the government has allowed tax exemption on the 9.5 per cent interest income on PF deposits for 2010-11.

The Finance Ministry notification last week raises the income tax exemption to 9.5 per cent interest income from 8.5 per cent.

The decision clears the air for the EPFO subscribers who were given increased interest rate by one percentage point for 2010-11, but the Finance Ministry had not matched the interest hike with a commensurate tax exemption.

In the absence of the commensurate income tax exemption, the subscribers were earning higher returns even as it was liable to income tax.

EPFO had decided to provide 9.5 per cent interest rate on PF deposits for 2010-11 after which it was endorsed by the Finance Ministry in March this year.

In 2001, Finance Ministry had allowed tax exemption on interest income of up to 12 per cent on PF deposits. This exemption prevailed till August 31,2010.

In August last year, Finance Ministry had notified tax exemption of upto 8.5 per cent tax on interest income on PF deposits from September 1, 2010, onwards which now stands superseded.

EPFO had decided to pay 9.5 per cent rate of return for 2010-11 after it found a surplus of Rs 1,731 crore. But the rate was stagnant at 8.5 per cent for five years since 2005-06.

EPFO had also maintained interest rate of 9.5 percent for three consecutive fiscals from 2002-03. The rate of return was 11 and 11.25 percent in 2000-01 and 2001-02 respectively.

The interest income was even higher at 12 per cent 10 years during 1989-90 to 1999-2000.

Government scuttling Lokpal Bill, says Anna Hazare

Gandhian activist Anna Hazare Wednesday accused the government of trying to scuttle the proposed Lokpal Bill aimed at ending corruption in high places.

A little over two hours after he began a day-long fast at Rajghat, Hazare also called the mounting nationwide campaign against corruption as India's second independence struggle.

Not mincing words, the 73-year-old took on the government for more reaons than one.

"They are putting roadblocks on the path of the Lokpal Bill," he said, and charged the government with trying to defame his associates, including Shanti Bhushan, Prashant Bhushan and Arvind Kejriwal.

"They tried to defame Prashant Bhusahn and Shanti Bhushan. They tried to find out how much property Arvind (Kejriwal) has... Why do all this?"

The Bhushans, Hazare, Kejriwal and Santosh Hegde form the civil society representatives in a 10-member panel set up to frame a tough Lokpal Bill.

Hazare said the primary reason for his fast Wednesday was to protest the police crackdown on yoga guru Baba Ramdev and thousands of supporters here after midnight Saturday.

"The government should not have done at Ramlila ground what it did," he said to repeated cheers from the thousands gathered at Rajghat, many unceasingly waving the Indian flag.

"And they did it at 1.30 at night. They lathi-chrged sleeping people. What injustice had they (people) done? It is a blot on humanity. It was like throttling democracy."

He compared the police action, which left more than 100 people injured, some seriously, with the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar during the British Raj -- "except that there was no firing here".

"We need to bring a Lokpal Bill to put a brake on corruption. The joint committee meetings are going on. But the government keeps putting obstacles.

"If that continues, the fight for independence which began here at Jantar Mantar April 5 will have to be fought all over the country."

He later said if a desired Lokpal Bill was not passed, he would again launch an indefinite hunger strike Aug 16.

He also asked the government to decentralise power, vesting more authority with the panchayats.

"We have started the second independence struggle but you should not back off. We will be ready to die but we will not surrender."

Govt to provide 5 million tonnes of foodgrain to APL families
The government plans to provide an additional 5 million tonnes of wheat and rice to above poverty line (APL) families at subsidised rates through ration shops, food minister KV Thomas said on Wednesday.

The additional allocation, which would be over-and-above the normal quota under the Public Distribution System (PDS), would provide relief to the common man and also help the government in clearing godowns for storage of new crops.

The government is currently providing at least 15 kg each of grain to 11.5 crore APL families. Wheat is being sold at Rs 6.10 per kg and rice at Rs 8.30 per kg to APL families.

"We have proposed additional allocation of five million tonnes for APL families. The Finance Ministry has given the in-principle approval," Thomas told reporters.

The proposal would be placed before the Empowered Group of Ministers on Food for final approval, he said, adding that the additional quota is meant for this fiscal.

Thomas noted that the total additional allocation would reach 15 million tonnes this fiscal, including five million tonnes for below poverty line (BPL) families and the Supreme Court's order to allocate 5 million tonnes to the poor.

In early May, the EGoM had approved the distribution of an additional 5 million tonnes of foodgrains to 6.52 crore BPL families through the PDS at the central issue price. Under the normal quota, they get 35 kg of wheat and rice per month at Rs 4.15 and Rs 5.65, respectively.

Later, the Supreme Court , too, had directed the government to allocate additional 5 million tonnes to the 150 poorest districts of the country.

With record production and procurement in the last few years, the Centre is grappling with storage problems and hence, has decided to create additional storage space for 15 million tonnes of foodgrains across India through public-private partnerships.

On April 1, 2011, the FCI had storage capacity of nearly 32 million tonnes.

India is estimated to have harvested a record 235.88 million tonnes of foodgrains in the 2010-11 crop year (July-June).

Wheat procurement has crossed 26 million tonnes so far this year, which is an all-time high. The previous record was 25.38 million tonnes in the 2008-09 marketing year (April-March).

Extra efforts would be required to achieve tax targets: Pranab Mukherjee

Amid fears of moderation in growth, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday said sustained efforts would be needed to achieve indirect tax collection target of Rs 3.92 lakh crore, about 15 per cent more than the last fiscal.

The Minister, while addressing the annual conference of chief commissioners and directors general of CBEC, also called upon the tax officials to work towards reducing the tax litigations.

Noting that doubts were being raised over growth projection of 9 per cent for the current fiscal, Mukherjee said, it would be possible to achieve a growth rate of 8.75 per cent (plus-minus 0.25 per cent) with "hard work".

To realise indirect tax collection of Rs 3.92 lakh crore in 2011-12, the Minister said, "you (tax officials) would need a growth of nearly 15 per cent. The task before you is very challenging and will require sustained and strategic efforts throughout the (this) financial year".

On taxes locked in litigations, Mukherjee said it currently stood at around Rs 35,000 crore as against a little over Rs 9,000 in March 2005.

"This in an area of serious concern. You must, therefore, jointly devise a strategy for realisation and liquidation of at least 50 per cent of this locked up revenue during the current fiscal.

"This would also provide the necessary fillip to your efforts in attaining the budget revenue targets for 2011-12," he said.

7 JUN, 2011, 06.30AM IST, SUBODH GHILDIYAL,TNN
Annoyed Congress questions govt on Baba Ramdev botch-up

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday broke his silence on the Baba Ramdev controversy, calling Saturday's police action at the Ramlila Maidan unfortunate. He, however, stressed that the government was left with no alternative.

"It is unfortunate that the operation had to be conducted, but quite honestly there was no alternative," the PM said while responding to questions on the midnight police raid on Ramdev's camp. Singh's response at a media awards function came against the backdrop of the lingering unhappiness in the Congress over the handling of the Ramdev affair.

The organizational unease came through at the meeting Congress chief Sonia Gandhi had convened on Sunday evening. Four ministers, including finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and HRD minister Kapil Sibal who were directly involved in the negotiations, participated in the deliberations where office-bearers questioned the wisdom in according a red carpet reception to Ramdev just three days before he was externed from Delhi. At one stage, Pranab Mukherjee, according to sources, almost lost his cool.

The party's annoyance became evident right at the outset when Sonia interrupted Sibal just when he had begun to detail the sequence of engagement with the yoga guru. It was not necessary, she said in a remark which was unanimously interpreted as reflecting her irritation over the "botch up".

Rahul Gandhi, who is usually reticent on these occasions, also chipped in with the suggestion that the party would be better off if it were to focus on the many welfare schemes it had launched.

The advice was seen as echoing the criticism that the government handlers ramped up the attention on talks with Baba, conferring legitimacy on the spiritual entrepreneur and creating the impression post-Ramlila Maidan raid that it had lurched from one extreme to another.

The issue has revived the perception of a government-organization disconnect that was seen earlier also-most conspicuously over the PM's peace overture towards Pakistan at Sharm el-Sheikh. Party spokesperson Janardan Dwivedi had to face a volley of questions based on the perception of divergence between the two wings. Although he doggedly stonewalled questions on the schism and launched a sharp attack on Ramdev as well as the BJP, Dwivedi kept the party at a safe distance from the unpopular police action. "Some decisions are taken by the party, some by the government. The party takes care of social agitations while legal and official decisions are taken by government," he said.

Sources, however, confirmed that the party was not kept in the loop over details of talks with Ramdev, beginning with the decision to let him pitch his tent in Delhi. The party had made plain its reservations over four Union ministers turning up at the airport. Although it grudgingly accepted the explanation offered by the government at the meeting of the core group on Thursday that there was a need to engage Ramdev, the core group was not briefed of the plan to resort to a dramatic swoop-a grievance that was, according to sources, lodged by an important party functionary at the Sunday meeting.

While the unrest is focused on the Ramdev issue, partymen are increasingly concerned about what is called the "narrow base" of the decision-making party in the government-a code for the growing role of ministers like Sibal and PMO functionaries in influencing decisions which can have a bearing on the party's prospects. No names were taken at Sunday's meeting, but many of the critical observations were seen as directed at Sibal who became the face of government's dealings with Ramdev.

6 JUN, 2011, 03.29PM IST,IANS
Prime Minister failed to discharge his duty: Baba Ramdev

HARDWAR: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Monday criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh , saying he had failed to discharge his duty. He also justified wearing woman's clothes to escape during the police crackdown in Delhi's Ramlila Ground, saying like warrior king Shivaji he too had adopted survival tactics.

"I have all the respect for the Prime Minister of the country on a personal level, but he did not discharge his national duty," Ramdev told reporters in Hardwar a day after Delhi Police acted against him and his supporters during his fast against corruption and forced him back to his ashram here.

He justified wearing women's clothes to disguise himself.

"I preferred to adopt the survival tactics of warrior king Shivaji and wearing a woman's attire is not a sign of weakness. A woman gives birth to a man and her status is superior," he said.

Ramdev also thanked the Supreme Court for its notice to the central and Delhi governments on the developments after Saturday midnight, and said the National Human Rights Commission and the National Commission for Women too should follow suit.

"The cognisance taken by Supreme Court on its own against this injustice, we thank (it) from our hearts. The entire country is grateful," Ramdev said.

Taking suo motu cognisance of the matter, the apex court Monday asked the central and the Delhi governments to reply to its notices within two weeks.

Ramdev said his supporters were planning to move the NHRC and the NCW over the incidents of Saturday midnight in which "atrocities were committed against women and children".

He also contradicted Delhi Police's version of events. "The Delhi Police are lying. They beat up people. They said that people were injured in a stampede. None of our workers provoked violence."

"If (Mahatma) Gandhi was alive, he would have cried," Ramdev said.

He was on Sunday accused by union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal of being a face of the rightwing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

But Ramdev said except the Congress, all other political parties "are supporting me and they are supporting me from their hearts. I am getting support from everywhere, including spiritual and religious organisations".

6 JUN, 2011, 10.14AM IST,TNN
Baba Ramdev vs Government: Outreach to all-out attack in 5 days

June 1: Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, HRD minister Kapil Sibal, tourism minister and Baba's close acquaintance Subodh Kant Sahay and parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Kumar Bansal meet Baba Ramdev at Delhi airport as he flies in on private jet. Delegation day after PM writes to Baba, asking him not to go on fast. Talks begin. Both sides positive

June 2,3: Day long closeted meetings at Claridges Hotel. Baba calls off press conference at govt's request. No consensus emerges. Govt tries to convince Baba for token fast. Baba says "one or two issues" remain, to fast as scheduled. Govt huddle on possible repercussions on law and order during fast, medical implications for yoga guru

June 4: Baba Ramdev begins fast at Ramlila Maidan, with thousands of supporters. Sadhvi Rithambara of Ayodhya notoriety shares stage, triggering rift in civil society. Talks continue, different versions emerge. By evening, govt cries fraud, says Ramdev had given written assurance day ago that fast would be called off by June 6. Baba says govt betrayed him, pressured him into giving statement

June 5: Little past midnight, police storm Ramlila Maidan, saying permission was for "yoga camp" not political agitation. Amid tear gas and reported lathicharge, bundle off Ramdev, fly him to Dehra Dun. Baba says he disguised himself as a woman to escape but nabbed. At Patanjali Yog Peeth in Haridwar, says fastunto-death continues
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/baba-ramdev-vs-government-outreach-to-all-out-attack-in-5-days/articleshow/8743776.cms


8 JUN, 2011, 05.45AM IST, SUTANUKA GHOSAL & DEBJOY SENGUPTA,ET BUREAU
Cognizant proposes Rs 600 crore campus in West Bengal

KOLKATA: Investment proposals don't mean investments for sure, but if such proposals are exciting and come to a government that is merely 18 days in office, it is surely reason enough to feel happy. Still no announcements were made, no drums beaten. But Cognizant, the fourth-largest IT company in the country, has submitted a proposal to the West Bengal government to set up a new IT software campus on 40 acres, that can give jobs to some 30,000 people.

This is the first IT investment proposal that the Mamata Banerjee government has received after it took over the reins at Writers' Buildings on May 20 last.

State IT department sources said: "The expected investment in this new campus will be to the tune of RS 500-600 crore. The company has asked us to provide land 'anywhere in the state' and has also assured us that they will make maximum utilisation of what is alloted to them. They will grow vertically to accomodate more people."

A Cognizant spokesperson said: "Earlier this year, we had announced overall expansion to our country-wide programme, as part of which, Cognizant will invest more than $500 million till the end of 2014, to broadbase our owned-campus footprint by adding over 8 million square feet. This will lead to employment of over 55,000 people. The real estate development programme will create additional software development and training facilities in regions designated as Special Economic Zones in four cities: Chennai, Pune, Coimbatore, and Kolkata."

"We have just received the proposal and we will start scouting for land for the project," the state IT department source said.

Cognizant had started operations in Kolkata in 1996 with 16 professionals in Salt Lake Sector V. The facility now employs 8000 people. Cognizant's second venture, the Rs 200 crore tech park, spread over 20 acres at the Bantala special economic zone in the eastern part of the city was opened in January, 2011. First phase of the project is complete and it now employs about 4000 people, but completed, it will be able to give jobs to about four times the number.

PSUs may hike petrol price by Rs 0.50 per litre from June 16

State-owned oil firms may hike petrol price by about Rs 0.50 per litre from June 16 as last month's steep increase in rates is not enough to cover the cost of raw material (crude oil).

"If there are no (political) pressure, we would like to hike petrol price from midnight of June 15 and 16," a top official of Indian Oil Corp (IOC), the nation's largest fuel retailer, said here.

IOC and its sister PSUs had on May 15 raised petrol price by Rs 5 per litre, the biggest hike ever.

"Even after that hike, we were losing Rs 4.58 per litre. After including VAT, the desired increase at retail level in Delhi came to Rs 5.50 a litre," he said.

The desired hike in price has been calculated based on the average crude oil price of the first fortnight of May. However, from June 1, which takes into account the average of second half of May when international rates moderated, IOC is losing Rs 1.15 per litre. After including VAT, the desired hike in Delhi would be Rs 1.35 a litre.

"We will have to take a view (on hiking petrol price) next week," he said. "The government is not compensating us for selling petrol at below international cost since June 2010 when its pricing was freed."

Though the government had freed petrol pricing from its control, state-owned retailers have been informally being guided by 'advice' from the oil ministry. They did not hike rates in the run-up to the assembly elections in five states, including West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

On diesel , the official said, the company was losing Rs 12.64 per litre. After adding VAT, the desired increase in rates in Delhi is Rs 14.22 per litre.

Similarly, on domestic LPG it is losing Rs 381.14 per cylinder and Rs 27.47 a litre on PDS kerosene.

"We are losing Rs 256 crore per day on selling the three fuel at government controlled price. At this rate, we will end the fiscal with a revenue loss of Rs 89,300 crore.

The industry (IOC, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum) are likely to see Rs 160,568 crore of revenue loss in 2011-12 fiscal.

US trade body hails India's $4 billion Boeing order

WASHINGTON: The US-India Business Council (USIBC), a business advocacy group representing some 400 top US companies, has hailed India's decision to purchase 10 Boeing C-17 aircraft, valued at more than $4.1 billion.

"This is testament to India's appreciation of US technology and confidence in the United States as a long-term defence sales partner," said USIBC President Ron Somers noting that the purchase would make the Indian Air Force the owner and operator of the largest fleet of C-17s outside of the US.

"This largest-ever Indian purchase of US defence technology we hope will be just the beginning of much more to come," he said.

"US defense sales to India began only a decade ago, at a value of less than $200 million for radar equipment. We have come a long way since then," Somers said noting "US-India defense sales today have now crossed the $9 billion mark and continue to grow."

"US industry wishes to provide India with a host of cutting-edge products and solutions to meet its emerging defence, security, and counterterrorism needs," he said.

"Overall, we see the United States and India, the world's largest free-market democracies, forging a deep and lasting strategic partnership, shaping the destiny of the 21st Century," Somers said.

Boeing C-17 is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to main operating bases, and forward-operating bases, throughout the world. It can also perform tactical airlifts, medical evacuation, and airdrop missions. The C-17 can transport large payloads and land on short, rough runways.

According to Boeing each plane supports 650 suppliers across 44 states in the US, and that this order will support Boeing's C-17 production facility in Long Beach, California for an entire year.

8 JUN, 2011, 11.59AM IST,TNN
Parallel economy booms, but hard to tell how big it is

NEW DELHI: The black money issue has angered the masses as various groups have put out staggering numbers to highlight the extent of the problem. Despite several studies since the ear ly Fifties, the exact estimate of the black economy and black money has remained elusive.

Against this backdrop, the government has been forced to commission a study by three top economic thinks tanks to get an estimate on the size of the black economy. The study is expected to be over by September 2012 and provide fresh insights.

In 1955, a study conducted by noted economist Nicholas Kaldor showed that the black economy accounted for 4-5 % of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) amounting to roughly Rs 600 crore. In 1969, a panel headed by Justice Wanchoo recommended several measures to streamline the taxation system and estimated the size of the black economy at Rs 7,000 crore.

Since then, several experts have undertaken various projects and given their assessments of the problem. A study conducted by the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy under the chairmanship of Raja Chelliah in 1980-81 showed that the black economy accounted for 20% of GDP which would now translate to about Rs 15 lakh crore. A study by S B Gupta in 1992 put the figure at 42% of GDP for 1980-81 and 51% for 1987-88 .

Experts say it is difficult to put an exact num ber to the problem. "It is very important to distinguish between black economy and black money. Nobody has an accurate estimate of how large the black economy is," Arun Kumar, professor of economics at Jawaharlal Nehru University says. Kumar who has authored the book "Black economy in India" estimates its size to be 50% of GDP which would translate to roughly Rs 39 lakh crore. Kumar made his estimate in 2005 2006. He says about 10% of this has gone out of the country through different channels such as hawala and trade under and over invoicing.

Kumar says the size and scope of scams have also grown significantly since he undertook his study which would have generated additional black in come. According to him during 1996-1997 there were about 26 scams and in the period 2005 to 2008 there were 150 major scams which would have generated significant amounts of black income.

He says all sectors of the economy, whether it is real estate, construction agriculture or services, con tribute to generation of black money. The services sector, Ku mar says, is the biggest generator of black income. Global Financial Integrity Group in its report - The Drivers and Dynamics of Illicit Financial Flows from India: 1948-2008 - says India lost $213billion in illicit flows and the present value of those flows would be at least $462 billion. The value is based on the short-term US Treasury bill rate as a benchmark for rate of return on those illicit assets.

But the report says the estimate is under stated because of difficulties of capturing the extent of problem. "In all likelihood, this estimate is understated because economic models can neither capture all channels through which illicit capital can be generated nor the myriad ways in which the capital can be transferred."

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/parallel-economy-booms-but-hard-to-tell-how-big-it-is/articleshow/8772107.cms


Amnesty schemes have helped past governments mop up resources

The recent string of scams since last year and rising chorus to bring back black income stashed in foreign banks has fuelled speculation over the government announcing an amnesty scheme.

In the run up to the Union budget, this buzz got even stronger. Word had got around that the government would come up with a scheme to deflect criticism that it was not doing enough to tackle the black money problem. Finally, no such scheme was announced.

There are various versions why the government failed to come up with another amnesty scheme. Some said announcing such a programme when the government was battling sustained attack over corruption would have backfired and invited the wrath of opposition parties and the civil society.

Days ahead of the Budget, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee outlined the pitfalls of such a scheme saying "Amnesty schemes have a double side Sometimes these are criticized. People say these are at the cost of honest tax payers and sometimes it helps bring in money."

But should there be more such disclosure schemes? Some experts believe they work but need tweaking "One has to have an innovative approach. Incentives should be drawn up to enable evaders from organised and semi-organised sector to pay their dues," said B V Kumar, author of the recently released book "The Dark Side of Black Money" and a former director-general of the directorate of revenue intelligence.

In India, these schemes have a mixed track record. The first voluntary disclosure programme was launched in 1961. As many as 20,192 people declared income worth Rs70. crore and Rs10.89crore got collected in taxes. Four years later, two such schemes were floated. These helped net Rs 30.8 crore and Rs 19.45 crore in taxes. Ten years later, the government introduced the Voluntary Disclosure of Income and Wealth Tax Act, 1975 which involved 245,570 cases and netted over Rs 256 crore in taxes.

Similar schemes were launched in 1985 and 1991 and enabled the government mop up much-needed cash. The government also launched the Remittances in Foreign Exchange (Immunities) Scheme, 1991 and the India Development Bond Scheme, 1997 and earned foreign exchange worth Rs 6,400 crore. But all these schemes drew criticism and some commentators said they favoured the dishonest taxpayer over honest tax payers.

In 1997, the then United Front government announced the blockbuster Voluntary Disclosure of Income Scheme. The finance ministry mounted a massive publicity drive. Income tax officials crisscrossed the country raking in maximum possible tax. Their efforts paid dividends. The government's pledge to keep the declarations confidential worked and it was richer by Rs 9,745 crore.

But former finance minister P Chidambaram has argued against more such voluntary disclosure schemes and experts say a new amnesty scheme would succeed if tailored to the new realities.

7 JUN, 2011, 05.46AM IST,ET BUREAU
Spotlight on Delhi-Mumbai industrial corridor
The proposed Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) has increased the potential of industrial development The Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) is a mega infrastructure project of USD 90 billion with the financial and technical aid from Japan, covering an overall length of 1483 kms between the national capital and the business capital of India, i.e., Delhi and Mumbai respectively

This project incorporates nine mega industrial zones of about 200-250 sq. km, high-speed freight line, three ports, six airports, a six-lane intersection-free expressway connecting the country's political and financial capitals and a 4000 MW power plant. Several industrial estates and clusters, industrial hubs, with top-ofthe-line infrastructure would be developed along this corridor to attract more foreign investment.

"About 40 per cent of the DMIC passes through Rajasthan. This will provide an opportunity to companies to set up units along the corridor and thus contribute to the economic development of the state," PHD Chamber of Commerce president Salil Bhandari said recently. Key industries like mineral-based industries, textiles, gems and jewellery, and agro processing units would benefit from the corridor.

Minister of state for communications and IT Sachin Pilot said primary requirement for economic development of a state was connectivity and added that agreements for two airports, to be built in the near future, have been signed.
Funds for the projects would come from the Indian government , Japanese loans, and investment by Japanese firms and throughJapan depository receipts issued by the Indian companies.

The high-speed connectivity between Delhi and Mumbai offers immense opportunities for development of an industrial corridor along the alignment of the connecting infrastructure . A band of 150 km (influence region) has been chosen on both sides of the freight corridor to be developed as the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor. The vision for DMIC is to create strong economic base in this band with globally competitive environment and state-ofthe-art infrastructure to activate local commerce, enhance foreign investments, real-estate investments and attain sustainable development. In addition to this, DMIC would also include development of requisite feeder rail/road connectivity to hinterland/markets and select parts along the western coast.

6 JUN, 2011, 04.26PM IST, THIMMAYA POOJARY,ET BUREAU
Karnataka government identifies land for acquisition for industrial purposes

BANGALORE: The Karnataka government has identified 1,21,304 acres of land for acquisition under the land bank scheme to be used for industrial purposes.

Making this disclosure in the Legislative Assembly on Monday, the State government said of this proposed target, 28,917 acres have been issued the final notification and 57,016 acres has received preliminary notification.

The State government which has approved industrial project proposals worth Rs 5,79,815 crore from FY09 to FY11 fiscal, expects to create large land banks to realise these investments.

According to the government, there have been protests from farmers and landowners against acquisition of their land to the extent of around 2,800 acres in three districts of the State. To date, there has not been any violent protests over the land acquisition policy.

The price determination of the land to be acquired is done by the price advisory committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner of the concerned district. The rate of compensation is determined after giving a hearing on the farmers and considering their representations & demands.

The State government has given approval for large steel and power projects in the Karnataka. Among these include the proposal of ArcelorMittal to build a six million tonne per annum steel plant in Bellary requiring 4,000 acres of land.

ArcelorMittal has already begun acquiring land in Bellary paying compensation in the range of Rs 8 to Rs 16 lakh per acre.

In the Rs 5,79,815 crore investment proposals in Karnataka, the iron and steel sector heads the list with 66 projects.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/infrastructure/karnataka-government-identifies-land-for-acquisition-for-industrial-purposes/articleshow/8747281.cms

 

Activists in India turn to politics of fasting to press for government action against graft

• Text Size
• Print
• E-mail
• Reprints

By Associated Press, Updated: Wednesday, June 8, 4:03 PM

NEW DELHI — A TV yoga celebrity and a Gandhian social activist staged twin hunger strikes Wednesday to demand the government take immediate steps to fight an entrenched culture of corruption that has plagued India for decades.

Thousands of people have joined their protests by fasting in other cities, echoing the tactics of freedom fighter Mohandas K. Gandhi.

0

Comments

• Weigh In
• Corrections?

• 
• 
• 
• 

( Gurinder Osan / Associated Press ) - Indian yoga guru Baba Ramdev, center, greets followers at his ashram in Haridwar, India, Wednesday, June 8, 2011. Ramdev is entering his fifth day of fasting Wednesday as he demands that the government seek the return of billions of dollars stashed abroad by companies and rich Indians avoiding taxes.

The strategy has made for lively political theater, with near-nonstop TV coverage of yoga guru Baba Ramdev swaddled in orange robes and lying on a mattress surrounded by supporters as he forgoes food for a fifth day in his north Indian ashram.

But the hunger strikes have unnerved officials and some analysts, who question whether unelected officials should be able to manipulate policy with public stunts. The government agreed to Ramdev's demands for action last week but was unable to stop his protest.

"An elected government has been hijacked by intellectual charlatans, former babu busybodies, has-beens and wannabes, even some assorted nutcases and loonies," Shekhar Gupta, editor The Indian Express newspaper, wrote in a weekend editorial.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urged Cabinet ministers to declare their assets to improve government transparency, even as officials increasingly criticize the swami, with some saying his protest smacks of religious agitation by Hindu nationalist allies. Some of those Hindu hard-liners have shared the stage during his fast.

Tax investigators are also looking into Ramdev's fortune, which is thought to total hundreds of millions of dollars in donations.

Political analyst Mukul Kesavan said the government appeared panicky as it tried both to accommodate and to dismiss the activists' demands.

"Until now, the government has been completely insensitive to the fact that corruption has become such a public business," Kesavan said. "A hunger strike is easy to ignore, but these tactics are successful when they represent a consensual majority of public view."

In the capital, hundreds of people joined 73-year-old rights activist Anna Hazare at a daylong fast at the main Gandhi memorial. Hazare planned the protest after Ramdev and thousands of his followers were forced from a New Delhi park in a Sunday raid that injured dozens and sparked even more public outrage.

Officials said they were forced to break up the protest after tens of thousands showed up, though only 5,000 had been approved. Police also said the event, billed as a mass yoga session, had taken on a combative tone with "provocative" speeches.

Ramdev — who had temporarily skirted police by disguising himself in women's clothing — resumed his protest Monday from his ashram in Haridwar.

On Wednesday, Ramdev and Hazare both ramped up their rhetoric, with warnings — widely dismissed as hyperbole — of armed struggle and protesters dying of starvation.

Ramdev, who has called for the death penalty for those convicted of corruption, said he was arming thousands of supporters to block any police action to disrupt the fast.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/activists-in-india-turn-to-politics-of-fasting-to-press-for-government-action-against-graft/2011/06/08/AGLRRnLH_story.html

Satyagraha

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

For the opera, see Satyagraha (opera).

Satyagraha (Sanskrit: सत्याग्रह satyāgraha), loosely translated as "Soul Force"^[1] or "truth force" is a particular philosophy and practice within the broader overall category generally known as nonviolent resistance or civil resistance. The term "satyagraha" was conceived and developed by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi(also known as "Mahatma" Gandhi). He deployed satyagraha in the Indian independence movement and also during his earlier struggles in South Africa. Satyagraha theory influenced Nelson Mandela's struggle in South Africa under apartheid, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s campaigns during the civil rights movement in the United States, and many other social justice and similar movements.^[2][3] Someone who practices satyagraha is a satyagrahi.^[4]

Contents [hide] 1 Origin and Meaning of the term 1.1 Contrast to "passive resistance" 2 Satyagraha theory 2.1 Defining success 2.2 Means and ends 2.3 Satyagraha versus Duragraha 3 Satyagraha in large-scale conflict 3.1 Principles for Satyagrahis 3.2 Rules for satyagraha campaigns 4 Satyagraha and the civil rights movement in the United States 5 Satyagraha and the Jewish Holocaust 6 See also 7 References 8 External links

[edit] Origin and Meaning of the term

Gandhi leading Salt Satyagraha, a notable example of Satyagraha

The term originated in a competition in the news-sheet Indian Opinion in South Africa in 1906. It was an adaptation by Gandhi of one of the entries in that competition. "Satyagraha" is a portmanteau of the Sanskrit words satya (meaning "truth") and Agraha ("insistence", or "holding firmly to"). For Gandhi, satyagraha went far beyond mere "passive resistance" and became strength in practising non-violent methods. In his words:

Truth (satya) implies love, and firmness (agraha) engenders and therefore serves as a synonym for force. I thus began to call the Indian movement Satyagraha, that is to say, the Force which is born of Truth and Love or non-violence, and gave up the use of the phrase "passive resistance", in connection with it, so much so that even in English writing we often avoided it and used instead the word "satyagraha" itself or some other equivalent English phrase.^[5]

In a letter in September 1935 to P.K. Rao, Servants of India Society, Gandhi disputed the proposition that his idea of Civil Disobedience was adapted from the writings of Thoreau.

"The statement that I had derived my idea of civil disobedience from the writings of Thoreau is wrong. The resistance to authority in South Africa was well advanced before I got the essay of Thoreau on civil disobedience. But the movement was then known as passive resistance. As it was incomplete I had coined the word satyagraha for the Gujarati readers. When I saw the title of Thoreau's great essay, I began the use of his phrase to explain our struggle to the English readers. But I found that even civil disobedience failed to convey the full meaning of the struggle. I therefore adopted the phrase civil resistance. Non-violence was always an integral part of our struggle."^[6]

Gandhi described it as follows:

I have also called it love-force or soul-force. In the application of satyagraha, I discovered in the earliest stages that pursuit of truth did not admit of violence being inflicted on one's opponent but that he must be weaned from error by patience and compassion. For what appears to be truth to the one may appear to be error to the other. And patience means self-suffering. So the doctrine came to mean vindication of truth, not by infliction of suffering on the opponent, but on oneself.^[7]

[edit] Contrast to "passive resistance"

Gandhi distinguished between satyagraha and passive resistance in the following letter:

"I have drawn the distinction between passive resistance as understood and practised in the West and satyagraha before I had evolved the doctrine of the latter to its full logical and spiritual extent. I often used "passive resistance" and "satyagraha" as synonymous terms: but as the doctrine of satyagraha developed, the expression "passive resistance" ceases even to be synonymous, as passive resistance has admitted of violence as in the case of suffragettes and has been universally acknowledged to be a weapon of the weak. Moreover, passive resistance does not necessarily involve complete adherence to truth under every circumstance. Therefore it is different from satyagraha in three essentials: Satyagraha is a weapon of the strong; it admits of no violence under any circumstance whatsoever; and it ever insists upon truth. I think I have now made the distinction perfectly clear."^[8]

[edit] Satyagraha theory

[edit] Defining success

Assessing the extent to which Gandhi's ideas of satyagraha were or were not successful in the Indian independence struggle is a complex task. Judith Brown has suggested that "this is a political strategy and technique which, for its outcomes, depends of historical specificities."^[9] The view taken by Gandhi differs from the idea that the goal in any conflict is necessarily to defeat the opponent or frustrate the opponent's objectives, or to meet one's own objectives despite the efforts of the opponent to obstruct these. In satyagraha, by contrast, these are not the goals. "The Satyagrahi's object is to convert, not to coerce, the wrong-doer."^[10] Success is defined as cooperating with the opponent to meet a just end that the opponent is unwittingly obstructing. The opponent must be converted, at least as far as to stop obstructing the just end, for this cooperation to take place.

[edit] Means and ends

The theory of satyagraha sees means and ends as inseparable. The means used to obtain an end are wrapped up in and attached to that end. Therefore, it is contradictory to try to use unjust means to obtain justice or to try to use violence to obtain peace. As Gandhi wrote: "They say, 'means are, after all, means'. I would say, 'means are, after all, everything'. As the means so the end..."^[11]

Gandhi used an example to explain this:

If I want to deprive you of your watch, I shall certainly have to fight for it; if I want to buy your watch, I shall have to pay for it; and if I want a gift, I shall have to plead for it; and, according to the means I employ, the watch is stolen property, my own property, or a donation.^[12]

Gandhi rejected the idea that injustice should, or even could, be fought against "by any means necessary" — if you use violent, coercive, unjust means, whatever ends you produce will necessarily embed that injustice. To those who preached violence and called nonviolent actionists cowards, he replied: "I do believe that, where there is only a choice between cowardice and violence, I would advise violence....I would rather have India resort to arms in order to defend her honour than that she should, in a cowardly manner, become or remain a helpless witness to her own dishonour....But I believe that nonviolence is infinitely superior to violence, forgiveness is more manly than punishment."^[13]

[edit] Satyagraha versus Duragraha

The essence of Satyagraha is that it seeks to eliminate antagonisms without harming the antagonists themselves, as opposed to violent resistance, which is meant to cause harm to the antagonist. A Satyagrahi therefore does not seek to end or destroy the relationship with the antagonist, but instead seeks to transform or "purify" it to a higher level. A euphemism sometimes used for Satyagraha is that it is a "silent force" or a "soul force" (a term also used by Martin Luther King Jr. during his famous "I Have a Dream" speech). It arms the individual with moral power rather than physical power. Satyagraha is also termed a "universal force," as it essentially "makes no distinction between kinsmen and strangers, young and old, man and woman, friend and foe."^[14]

Gandhi contrasted satyagraha (holding on to truth) with "duragraha" (holding on by force), as in protest meant more to harass than enlighten opponents. He wrote: "There must be no impatience, no barbarity, no insolence, no undue pressure. If we want to cultivate a true spirit of democracy, we cannot afford to be intolerant. Intolerance betrays want of faith in one's cause."^[15]

Civil disobedience and non-cooperation as practised under Satyagraha are based on the "law of suffering",^[16] a doctrine that the endurance of suffering is a means to an end. This end usually implies a moral upliftment or progress of an individual or society. Therefore, non-cooperation in Satyagraha is in fact a means to secure the cooperation of the opponent consistently with truth and justice.

[edit] Satyagraha in large-scale conflict

Main articles: Bardoli Satyagraha, Champaran and Kheda Satyagraha, Dharasana Satyagraha, Flag Satyagraha, Guruvayur Satyagraha, Non-cooperation movement, Quit India Movement, Salt Satyagraha, and Vaikom Satyagraha

When using satyagraha in a large-scale political conflict involving civil disobedience, Gandhi believed that the satyagrahis must undergo training to ensure discipline. He wrote that it is "only when people have proved their active loyalty by obeying the many laws of the State that they acquire the right of Civil Disobedience."^[17]

He therefore made part of the discipline that satyagrahis:

1. appreciate the other laws of the State and obey them voluntarily
2. tolerate these laws, even when they are inconvenient
3. be willing to undergo suffering, loss of property, and to endure the suffering that might be inflicted on family and friends^[17]

This obedience has to be not merely grudging, but extraordinary:

…an honest, respectable man will not suddenly take to stealing whether there is a law against stealing or not, but this very man will not feel any remorse for failure to observe the rule about carrying headlights on bicycles after dark.… But he would observe any obligatory rule of this kind, if only to escape the inconvenience of facing a prosecution for a breach of the rule. Such compliance is not, however, the willing and spontaneous obedience that is required of a Satyagrahi.^[18]

[edit] Principles for Satyagrahis

Gandhi envisioned satyagraha as not only a tactic to be used in acute political struggle, but as a universal solvent for injustice and harm. He felt that it was equally applicable to large-scale political struggle and to one-on-one interpersonal conflicts and that it should be taught to everyone.^[19]

He founded the Sabarmati Ashram to teach satyagraha. He asked satyagrahis to follow the following principles (Yamas described in Yoga Sutra):^[20]

1. Nonviolence (ahimsa)
2. Truth — this includes honesty, but goes beyond it to mean living fully in accord with and in devotion to that which is true
3. Non-stealing
4. Chastity (brahmacharya) — this includes sexual chastity, but also the subordination of other sensual desires to the primary devotion to truth
5. Non-possession (not the same as poverty)
6. Body-labor or bread-labor
7. Control of the palate
8. Fearlessness
9. Equal respect for all religions
10. Economic strategy such as boycotts (swadeshi)
11. Freedom from untouchability

On another occasion, he listed seven rules as "essential for every Satyagrahi in India":^[21]

1. must have a living faith in God
2. must believe in truth and non-violence and have faith in the inherent goodness of human nature which he expects to evoke by suffering in the satyagraha effort
3. must be leading a chaste life, and be willing to die or lose all his possessions
4. must be a habitual khadi wearer and spinner
5. must abstain from alcohol and other intoxicants
6. must willingly carry out all the rules of discipline that are issued
7. must obey the jail rules unless they are specially devised to hurt his self respect

[edit] Rules for satyagraha campaigns

Gandhi proposed a series of rules for satyagrahis to follow in a resistance campaign:^[14]

1. harbour no anger
2. suffer the anger of the opponent
3. never retaliate to assaults or punishment; but do not submit, out of fear of punishment or assault, to an order given in anger
4. voluntarily submit to arrest or confiscation of your own property
5. if you are a trustee of property, defend that property (non-violently) from confiscation with your life
6. do not curse or swear
7. do not insult the opponent
8. neither salute nor insult the flag of your opponent or your opponent's leaders
9. if anyone attempts to insult or assault your opponent, defend your opponent (non-violently) with your life
10. as a prisoner, behave courteously and obey prison regulations (except any that are contrary to self-respect)
11. as a prisoner, do not ask for special favourable treatment
12. as a prisoner, do not fast in an attempt to gain conveniences whose deprivation does not involve any injury to your self-respect
13. joyfully obey the orders of the leaders of the civil disobedience action
14. do not pick and choose amongst the orders you obey; if you find the action as a whole improper or immoral, sever your connection with the action entirely
15. do not make your participation conditional on your comrades taking care of your dependents while you are engaging in the campaign or are in prison; do not expect them to provide such support
16. do not become a cause of communal quarrels
17. do not take sides in such quarrels, but assist only that party which is demonstrably in the right; in the case of inter-religious conflict, give your life to protect (non-violently) those in danger on either side
18. avoid occasions that may give rise to communal quarrels
19. do not take part in processions that would wound the religious sensibilities of any community

[edit] Satyagraha and the civil rights movement in the United States

Satyagraha theory also influenced many other movements of civil resistance. For example, Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote in his autobiography about Gandhi's influence on his developing ideas regarding the civil rights movement in the United States:

Like most people, I had heard of Gandhi, but I had never studied him seriously. As I read I became deeply fascinated by his campaigns of nonviolent resistance. I was particularly moved by his Salt March to the Sea and his numerous fasts. The whole concept of Satyagraha (Satya is truth which equals love, and agraha is force; Satyagraha, therefore, means truth force or love force) was profoundly significant to me. As I delved deeper into the philosophy of Gandhi, my skepticism concerning the power of love gradually diminished, and I came to see for the first time its potency in the area of social reform. ... It was in this Gandhian emphasis on love and nonviolence that I discovered the method for social reform that I had been seeking.^[22]

[edit] Satyagraha and the Jewish Holocaust

In view of the Nazi persecution of the Jews in Germany, Gandhi offered satyagraha as a method of combating oppression and genocide, stating:

If I were a Jew and were born in Germany and earned my livelihood there, I would claim Germany as my home even as the tallest Gentile German might, and challenge him to shoot me or cast me in the dungeon; I would refuse to be expelled or to submit to discriminating treatment. And for doing this I should not wait for the fellow Jews to join me in civil resistance, but would have confidence that in the end the rest were bound to follow my example. If one Jew or all the Jews were to accept the prescription here offered, he or they cannot be worse off than now. And suffering voluntarily undergone will bring them an inner strength and joy [...] the calculated violence of Hitler may even result in a general massacre of the Jews by way of his first answer to the declaration of such hostilities. But if the Jewish mind could be prepared for voluntary suffering, even the massacre I have imagined could be turned into a day of thanksgiving and joy that Jehovah had wrought deliverance of the race even at the hands of the tyrant. For to the God-fearing, death has no terror.^[23]

When Gandhi was criticized for these statements, he responded in another article entitled "Some Questions Answered":

Friends have sent me two newspaper cuttings criticizing my appeal to the Jews. The two critics suggest that in presenting non-violence to the Jews as a remedy against the wrong done to them, I have suggested nothing new... What I have pleaded for is renunciation of violence of the heart and consequent active exercise of the force generated by the great renunciation."^[24]

In a similar vein, anticipating a possible attack on India by Japan during World War II, Gandhi recommended satyagraha as a means of national defense (what is now sometimes called "defence by civil resistance" or "social defence"):

…there should be unadulterated non-violent non-cooperation, and if the whole of India responded and unanimously offered it, I should show that, without shedding a single drop of blood, Japanese arms – or any combination of arms – can be sterilized. That involves the determination of India not to give quarter on any point whatsoever and to be ready to risk loss of several million lives. But I would consider that cost very cheap and victory won at that cost glorious. That India may not be ready to pay that price may be true. I hope it is not true, but some such price must be paid by any country that wants to retain its independence. After all, the sacrifice made by the Russians and the Chinese is enormous, and they are ready to risk all. The same could be said of the other countries also, whether aggressors or defenders. The cost is enormous. Therefore, in the non-violent technique I am asking India to risk no more than other countries are risking and which India would have to risk even if she offered armed resistance.^[25]

Gandhi's combination of renunciation of violence with active acceptance of suffering also received support from Jewish thinkers. Psychiatrist Victor Frankl and psychologist Bruno Bettelheim, both Holocaust survivors, confirmed Gandhi's experience that individuals who neither submit passively nor retaliate to violence find in themselves a new sense of strength, dignity, and courage.[2] Gandhi's approach has been compared with Frankl's.

[edit] See also

• Civil disobedience
• Civil resistance
• Indian independence movement
• Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
• Nonviolence
• Nonviolent resistance
• People Power Revolution
• Resistance movements
• Salt Satyagraha
• Social defence

[edit] References

1. ^ McKay, John P.; Hill, Bennett D.; Buckler, John; Ebrey, Patricia Buckley; Beck, Roger B.; Crowston, Clare Haru; Wiesner-Hanks, Merry E. A History of World Societies: From 1775 to Present . Eighth edition. Volume C – From 1775 to the Present. (2009). Bedford/St. Martin's: Boston/New York. ISBN 978-0-312-68298-9. ISBN 0-312-68298-0. "Meanwhile, Gandhi was searching for a spiritual theory of social action. He studied Hindu and Christian teachings, and gradually developed a weapon for the weak that he called Satyagraha. Gandhi conceived of Satyagraha, loosely translated as "Soul Force,"as a means of striving for truth and social justice through love, suffering, and conversion of the oppressor. Its tactic is active nonviolent resistance." (McKay 859).
2. ^ http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/525247/satyagraha "Gandhi's satyagraha became a major tool in the Indian struggle against British imperialism and has since been adopted by protest groups in other countries." Date accessed: 14 September 2010.
3. ^ http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=9165422 "In this respect Satyagraha or non-violent resistance, as conceived by Gandhiji, has an important lesson for pacifists and war-resisters of the West. Western pacifists have so far proved ineffective because they have thought that war can be resisted by mere propaganda, conscientious objection, and organization for settling disputes." Date accessed: 14 September 2010.
4. ^ http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861701514/satyagrahi.html sa·tya·gra·hi [ sə tygrəhee ] (plural sa·tya·gra·his). noun. Definition: adherent of satyagraha: a practitioner of nonviolent resistance or satyagraha. [Early 20th century. < Sanskrit satyāgrahī]. Date accessed: 14 September 2010.
5. ^ M.K. Gandhi, Satyagraha in South Africa, Navajivan, Ahmedabad, 1928, pp. 109-10.
6. ^ Mohandas K. Gandhi, letter to P. Kodanda Rao, 10 September 1935; in Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, electronic edition, vol. 67, p. 400.[1]
7. ^ Gandhi, M.K. Statement to Disorders Inquiry Committee January 5, 1920 satyagrahi valvuloplasty (The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi vol. 19, p. 206)
8. ^ Gandhi, M.K. "Letter to Mr. ——" 25 January 1920 (The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi vol. 19, p. 350)
9. ^ Brown, Judith M., "Gandhi and Civil Resistance in India, 1917-47: Key Issues", in Adam Roberts and Timothy Garton Ash (eds.), Civil Resistance and Power Politics: The Experience of Non-violent Action from Gandhi to the Present, Oxford University Press, 2009 p. 57
10. ^ Gandhi, M.K. "Requisite Qualifications" Harijan 25 March 1939
11. ^ R. K. Prabhu & U. R. Rao, editors; from section "The Gospel Of Sarvodaya, of the book The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi, Ahemadabad, India, Revised Edition, 1967.
12. ^ Gandhi, M.K. "Brute Force", Chapter XVI of Hind Swaraj, 1909 (The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi vol. 10, p. 287)
13. ^ R. K. Prabhu & U. R. Rao, editors; from section "Between Cowardice and Violence," of the book The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi, Ahemadabad, India, Revised Edition, 1967.
14. ^ ^{a b} Gandhi, M.K. "Some Rules of Satyagraha" Young India (Navajivan) 23 February 1930 (The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi vol. 48, p. 340)
15. ^ R. K. Prabhu & U. R. Rao, editors; from section "Power of Satyagraha," of the book The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi, Ahemadabad, India, Revised Edition, 1967.
16. ^ Gandhi, M.K. "The Law of Suffering" Young India 16 June 1920
17. ^ ^{a b} Gandhi, M.K. "Pre-requisites for Satyagraha" Young India 1 August 1925
18. ^ Gandhi, M.K. "A Himalayan Miscalculation" in The Story of My Experiments with Truth Chapter 33
19. ^ Gandhi, M.K. "The Theory and Practice of Satyagraha" Indian Opinion 1914
20. ^ Gandhi, M.K. Non-violent Resistance (Satyagraha) (1961) p. 37
21. ^ Gandhi, M.K. "Qualifications for Satyagraha" Young India 8 August 1929
22. ^ King, Jr., Martin Luther (1998). Carson, Clayborne. ed. The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.. pp. 23–24. ISBN 0446524123. 
23. ^ Gandhi, M.K. "The Jews" Harijan 26 November 1938 (The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi vol. 74, p. 240)
24. ^ Gandhi, M.K. "Some Questions Answered" Harijan 17 December 1938 (The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi vol. 74, p. 297-8)
25. ^ Gandhi, M.K. "Non-violent Non-cooperation" Harijan 24 May 1942, p. 167 (The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi vol. 82, p. 286; interview conducted 16 May 1942)

[edit] External links

• 'Satyagraha 100 Years Later', a retrospective with Arun Gandhi from Democracy Now!
• The Story of Satyagraha by Dr. Jyotsna Kamat
• GandhiPoetics.com A site that analyzes and previews the poetry associated with Gandhi's Satyagraha movement.

[show]v · d · eAnti-war topics Opposition to wars or aspects of war Military action in Iran · 2011 military intervention in Libya · Iraq War · War in Afghanistan · War on Terrorism · Sri Lankan Civil War · Landmines · Vietnam War · Nuclear armament · World War II · World War I · Second Boer War · American Civil War · War of 1812 Agents of opposition Anti-war organizations · Anti-nuclear organizations · Conscientious objectors · Draft dodgers · Peace movement · Peace churches · Peace camp Related ideologies Anti-imperialism · Antimilitarism · Anti-nuclear · Appeasement · Hippie · Nonviolence · Nonkilling · Pacificism · Pacifism · Satyagraha · Socialism · Soviet influence on the peace movement  · Peace punks Media Books · Films · Songs · Symbols

[show]v · d · eBengal Renaissance Topics History of Bengal · Adi Dharm · British Raj · Bengali literature · Bengali poetry · Bengali music · Brahmo Samaj · Young Bengal · British Indian Association · Swadeshi · Satyagraha · Tattwabodhini Patrika · Tagore family · Rabindra Sangeet · Rabindra Nritya Natya · Santiniketan · Nazrul geeti  · Socialism · Vangiya Sahitya Parishad · Sambad Prabhakar Institutions Anandamohan College · Jadavpur University · Asiatic Society · Banga Mahila Vidyalaya · Bangabasi College · Bethune College · Calcutta Civil Engineering College · Calcutta Madrasah College · Calcutta Medical College · Duff College · Fort William College · Free Church Institution · General Assembly's Institution · Hindu College · Hindu Mahila Vidyalaya · Hindu Theatre · Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science · Indian Statistical Institute · National Council of Education, Bengal · Oriental Seminary · Presidency College · Ripon College · Sanskrit College · Rammohan College · Serampore College · School of Tropical Medicine · Scottish Church College · Vidyasagar College · Visva-Bharati University · University of Calcutta · University of Dhaka People Sri Aurobindo · Begum Rokeya  · Jagadish Chandra Bose · Satyendra Nath Bose · Bethune · Upendranath Brahmachari · Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay · Rajnarayan Basu  · Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay · Akshay Kumar Datta · Henry Derozio · Alexander Duff · Michael Madhusudan Dutt · Romesh Chunder Dutt · Dwarkanath Ganguly · Kadambini Ganguly · Monomohun Ghose · Ramgopal Ghosh · Aghore Nath Gupta · Muhammad Shahidullah · Kazi Nazrul Islam · Eugene Lafont · Ashutosh Mukherjee · Harish Chandra Mukherjee · Subodh Chandra Mullick · Sambhunath Pandit · Ramakrishna Paramahamsa · Gour Govinda Ray · Raja Ram Mohan Roy · Meghnad Saha · Akshay Chandra Sarkar · Mahendralal Sarkar · Brajendra Nath Seal · Girish Chandra Sen · Keshub Chandra Sen · Haraprasad Shastri  · Debendranath Tagore · Rabindranath Tagore · Satyendranath Tagore · Sitanath Tattwabhushan · Brahmabandhab Upadhyay · Ram Chandra Vidyabagish · Dwarkanath Vidyabhusan · Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar · Swami Vivekananda · David Hare · Kaykobad

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satyagraha"

Categories: Activism by method | Pacifism | Nonviolence | Ethical schools and movements | Gandhism

Activists in India turn to politics of fasting to press for government action ...

Washington Post - ‎7 hours ago‎

In the capital, hundreds of people joined 73-year-old rights activist Anna Hazare at a daylong fast at the main Gandhi memorial. Hazare planned the protest after Ramdev and thousands of his followers were forced from a New Delhi park in a Sunday raid ...

Indian gov't skewered for graft as activists fast

Newsday (subscription) - Katy Daigle - ‎7 hours ago‎

Thousands of people have joined their protests by fasting in other cities, echoing the tactics of freedom fighter Mohandas K. Gandhi. newsday.com & ExploreLI are now available at no charge to Newsday and Optimum Online ® subscribers. ...

India anti-graft crusader goes on fast

China Daily - ‎9 hours ago‎

"We want to have a peaceful day of prayer and fasting," said Arvind Kejriwal, an activist at the frontlines of the India Against Corruption movement being led by 72-year-old Hazare, who is a prominent Gandhian in the country. ...

Team Anna begin fast at Raj Ghat

indiablooms - ‎2 hours ago‎

New Delhi, June 8 (IBNS): Gandhian social activist Anna Hazare and his supporters began a hunger strike at the Mahatma Gandhi's memorial in New Delhi on Wednesday to protest the police crackdown on yoga guru Baba Ramdev's fast earlier this week. ...

Anti-graft fast by "Gandhian" activist pressures India

Reuters UK - Vivek Prakash, Annie Banerji - ‎7 hours ago‎

The septuagenarian Hazare, clad in white, began his fast on a stage at the memorial site of independence movement leader Mahatma Gandhi. With riot police out in force, protesters clapped, sang, beat drums and waved the green, saffron and white national ...

Ramdev eviction: Team Anna ends day-long fast at Rajghat

DailyIndia.com - ‎46 minutes ago‎

New Delhi, June 8: Gandhian Anna Hazare and his supporters on Wednesday evening ended their day-long fast at the Rajghat to protest the police brutality on yoga guru Baba Ramdev and thousands of his followers at the Ramlila ground here late on Saturday ...

Anna should not fast frequently: Doctor

TwoCircles.net - ‎7 hours ago‎

By IANS, New Delhi : Septuagenarian Gandhian Anna Hazare should not fast frequently as it may worsen his health, his doctor said Wednesday. Hazare began a daylong token fast at Rajghat, the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, to denounce the police crackdown ...

Anna Hazare says will fast again if Lokpal Bill not passed by August 15

NetIndian - ‎7 hours ago‎

Today's fast by the 71-year-old Gandhian was to protest against last Saturday night's police crackdown on Ramlila Ground in the capital where yoga guru Baba Ramdev and thousands of his followers were on a hunger strike against corruption and black ...

MORE THAN A 1000 JOIN TEAM ANNA'S FAST

Star of Mysore - ‎6 hours ago‎

After paying floral tributes at Mahatma Gandhi's samadhi, the Gandhian reached the protest site at around 10.20 am to a thunderous applause from around a thousand supporters who assembled there amid a large Police presence. ...

Anna Hazare denied permission for fast: Sources

IBNLive.com - ‎Jun 7, 2011‎

New Delhi: Veteran Gandhian Anna Hazare has been denied the permission for a one-day fast, sources have told CNN-IBN. Hazare had applied for permission to hold a fast on June 8 but sources say that the Government is in no mood to relent. ...

Team Anna slams Govt, shifts its fast venue

IBNLive.com - ‎Jun 7, 2011‎

New Delhi: A defiant Anna Hazare has hit back at the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government and decided to go ahead with his protest fast on June 8. The veteran Gandhian and his supporters including some members of the Lokpal Bill drafting ...

Anna Hazare to go ahead with fast

TruthDive - ‎14 hours ago‎

New Delhi, June 7 (TruthDive): Protesting against the attack on Baba Ramdev's fast in Ramlila, Gandhian Anna Hazare and his supporters will sit on a day-long fast at Rajghat. "We have spoken to the commissioner of police and will fast in the vicinity ...

Team Anna to fast at Rajghat, slams government

Mangalorean.com - ‎Jun 7, 2011‎

New Delhi, June 7 (IANS) Defiant civil rights activists, led by Gandhian Anna Hazare, Tuesday announced they will now hold a fast at Rajghat, the memorial to father of nation Mahatma Gandhi, to avoid a "confrontation" with the police. ...

Anna Hazare Goes Ahead With His Fast

Wall Street Journal (blog) - Krishna Pokharel - ‎14 hours ago‎

... the plans of noted social activist Anna Hazare and his team who have been forced to shift the venue of their one-day fast from the city's Jantar Mantar area—the usual site of such protests and fast—to Rajghat, the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. ...

Anna Hazare to fight from Raj Ghat

Times of India - ‎17 hours ago‎

NEW DELHI: The collision course between the government and team Anna seemed to have been saved for another day with the venue for the day-long fast by the Gandhian being shifted to Raj Ghat from Jantar Mantar where police had refused permission citing ...

Anna Hazare begins token fast at Rajghat

isikkim - ‎12 hours ago‎

Meanwhile the Gandhian said that they had no intention to quit the joint panel. The civil society members had boycotted the meeting of Lokpal bill drafting committee on Monday. Another civil society representative on the panel Arvind Kejriwal said they ...

Hazare, followers ready for hunger strike at Rajghat

Oman Tribune - ‎14 hours ago‎

NEW DELHI/HARIDWAR Defiant civil rights activists, led by Gandhian Anna Hazare, on Tuesday announced that his team would fast at the Rajghat, the memorial in the name of Mahatma Gandhi, to avoid a 'confrontation' with the police. ...

Govt trying to discredit Lokpal panel: Hazare

IBNLive.com - ‎8 hours ago‎

Gandhiji's message has reached the world, our message will reach the Government," said Hazare before launching his day-long fast on Wednesday at Raj Ghat. The veteran Gandhian along with his supporters are protesting against the midnight police ...

Government ready to use force, fasting Hazare tells supporters

domain-B - ‎5 hours ago‎

A number of youths wearing Gandhi caps and elderly people were seen at the spot waving the tricolour amidst a heavy posse of security personnel. Rajghat is the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, leader of India's independence movement. A man dressed as Gandhi ...

Over Rs.2.6 lakh donated during Anna's fast

Mangalorean.com - ‎2 hours ago‎

The details will be given on our website," an IAC representative announced as the token fast ended here. Hazare was on a day-long fast outside Mahatma Gandhi's memorial at Rajghat to protest the midnight crackdown and violence by police at yoga guru ...

Anna Hazare sets Aug 15 deadline for Lokpal Bill

Times of India - ‎5 hours ago‎

The Gandhian reiterated, "The government has forgotten that people are the masters and not the government. They need to understand that we are one, not different." Anna is holding his symbolic one-day fast at Rajghat, the site where Mahatma Gandhi, ...

Hazare's possessions: A plate, a bed

NDTV.com - ‎4 hours ago‎

New Delhi: Gandhian activist Anna Hazare said on Wednesday he lived in a temple in Maharashtra, and his only possessions were a plate to eat food and a bed to sleep on. Speaking briefly about himself after launching a day's fast at Rajghat, ...

Baba Ramdev declares support to Anna Hazare fast on Wednesday

Real Time News, India - Deepti Rajan - ‎Jun 7, 2011‎

Baba Ramdev has declared support to tomorrow's agitation and fast by veteran Gandhian Anna Hazare at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. "Lakhs of our followers will participate in tomorrow's program," Baba said at Haridwar moments ago. ...

As Anna fasts, Ramdev faces government heat

TwoCircles.net - ‎1 hour ago‎

By IANS, New Delhi: Gandhian Anna Hazare took on the government Wednesday as he fasted for eight hours amid thousands of supporters at the Rajghat even as Home Minister P. Chidambaram called the still fasting yoga guru Baba Ramdev "a RSS agent". ...

Indian hunger striker prepares for new fast

AFP - ‎Jun 7, 2011‎

Anna Hazare, 73, said he would hold the one-day protest from Wednesday morning at Rajghat, the riverside site in New Delhi where independence leader Mahatma Gandhi was cremated in 1948 after his assassination. Hazare's earlier 98-hour hunger strike ...

Anna Hazare & Co. Up the Ante

Wall Street Journal (blog) - Krishna Pokharel - ‎6 hours ago‎

Anna Hazare greeted supporters during his one-day fast against corruption in New Delhi on Wednesday. Speaking at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial to an assembly of mostly urban elites Mr. Hazare first condemned the incident on early Sunday. ...

Indian activist Anna Hazare begins anti-corruption hunger strike

The Guardian - ‎9 hours ago‎

Indian activist Anna Hazare, who is holding a day-long hunger strike against corruption, with his followers at a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi in New Delhi. Photograph: Saurabh Das/AP A veteran Indian activist has started a day-long fast against ...

In pics: Scenes from Anna Hazare's fast at Raj Ghat

IBNLive.com - ‎11 hours ago‎

... Gandhi in New Delhi, India, June 8, 2011. Hazare, who seized national attention with a four-day hunger strike in April, is holding a one-day fast in New Delhi even has he says he will continue participation in the government-appointed committee. ...

Anna's protest: From Ground Zero

India.com - ‎2 hours ago‎

Gandhian activist Anna Hazare, who is on a day-long fast to protest against the police action on innocent people at Ramlila Ground, accused the government of trying to scuttle the proposed Lokpal Bill aimed at ending corruption in high places. ...

Anna Hazare to lead daylong hunger strike at Rajghat today

India Today - ‎14 hours ago‎

Hazare began his fast after paying floral tributes at Mahatma Gandhi's samadhi. Security personnel put up a heavy cordon at the venue. Hazare's indefinite fast in April had evoked a nationwide support, forcing the government to set up a joint committee ...

 

08/06/2011

Transparency revolution in India, but not everyone's ready: Antony

New Delhi: India is passing through a transparency revolution, but the four pillars of democracy are not yet ready for the transition, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said Wednesday in the backdrop of a mass movement against corruption.

"Our country is passing through a transparency revolution. Walls of secrecy are crumbling gradually. But politicians, bureaucracy, judiciary, business people, armed forces and journalists are still not ready for this transition to transparency," Antony said at an event in the Press Club of India here.

"But they will have to follow the transition and I don't think anybody can take any step in a different direction," he said.

Noting that the Indian parliament had contributed to the transparency revolution, Antony referred to the Right to Information (RTI) Act, passed by the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in 2005, as one of the major steps in this regard.

"You cannot stop this transparency revolution. It is percolating to all walks of life in India. That is the beauty of Indian democracy and nation. This is the transition the Indian society wants," he added.

He also praised the media and NGOs for contributing to the revolution and noted that Right to Information (RTI) would spread to every walk of life, with the private sector too joining the transition soon.

"Nothing is permanent in a democracy. Change is a must," he said. He also appealed to the media to remain independent in its role.

Antony's comments come at a time when the anti-graft movement started by Gandhian Anna Hazare with a five-day fast in April has caught the imagination of the entire country and yoga guru Baba Ramdev too joined the movement with his own agitation last week.

Source: PTI

Top News

Kejriwal to Sibal: What's wrong in calling ministers 'liars, cheats'?

New Delhi: Rights activist Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on HRD minister Kapil Sibal, asking him what was wrong in civil society members calling ministers "liars, cheats and conspirators."

Other Top Stories

• Sushma meets Ramdev, says govt has lost its balance
• RSS behind Ramdev, says Chidambaram
• Team Hazare attacks government as Anna fasts
• Ramdev's health deteriorates; docs ask to break fast
• Need to bring PM under Lokpal, Bhushan writes to Mukherjee

» More Top News

Editor's Choice

• Transparency revolution in India, but not everyone's ready: Antony
  

  New Delhi: India is passing through a transparency revolution, but the four pillars of democracy are not yet ready for the transition, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said Wednesday in the backdrop of a mass movement against corruption.

• Ramdev's Rs.1,100 crore empire under scanner
  

  New Delhi: The mammoth business empire of Baba Ramdev, its worth estimated at Rs.1,100 crore, is now under official scanner, informed sources said Tuesday. An aide to the yoga guru called it hogwash.

• Ramdev says history will not forgive PM for "political sin"
  

  Haridwar: With the government toughening its stand against Baba Ramdev, the yoga guru today said he forgave the Prime Minister for the crackdown on his agitation but history will not forgive him for the "political sin" he committed.

• Ramdev crackdown: Digvijay's house attacked, charged with sedition
  

  Bhopal: Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh's residence was pelted with stones by some unidentified people who also shouted slogans in favour of yoga guru Baba Ramdev, police said Monday.

» More Editor's choice

Write a Caption

Connect with News

• Twitter
• Mobile

Features & Analysis

• June – month of political blunders for Cong

  The UPA govt committed 5 blunders in dealing with Baba Ramdev. But in June, the Cong is known for committing blunders

• The Death of a Democracy, by UPA2

  June 5, 2011, 1.10 am: The official time of death of the great Indian democracy

• Comment: "Not scared of Ramdev", says Digvijay. Really?

  With the mother of all fasts looming, UPA tries to put up a brave face but the panic is there for all to see

• Bribes: No way out for you and me

  Comment: The very people whom we pay bribes have been kept out of the Lokpal Bill

• The Anna conundrum

  Once the shining light in India's crusade against the corrupt, is Anna Hazare slowly turning into a political yo-yo?

• Next meeting on Lokpal bill on June 15 Hindustan Times - ‎15 minutes ago‎ The joint drafting committee on Lokpal Bill will be back on the drawing board on June 15, the government has informed the civil society members of the committee. The civil society members have asked finance minister Pranab Mukerjee, who is chairperson ... Lokpal bill: Can't let civil society make laws, say experts India Today - ‎20 minutes ago‎ Even as anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare's team went on a token fast on Wednesday over the police crackdown on yoga guru Baba Ramdev at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on Saturday, questions are being raised if frequent fasts are undermining the potency of ... Hazare's fast used to mobilise support for a strong ombudsman Hindustan Times - ‎1 hour ago‎ PTI Civil society activists, who are part of the Lokpal Bill drafting committee, today used Anna Hazare's agitation site to hold an open house to educate people on what they want from the bill and mobilise public support in favour of a strong ombudsman ... Anna Hazare holds fast, gives govt Aug 15 deadline for Lokpal Bill Times of India - ‎2 hours ago‎ NEW DELHI: Seeking to mount pressure on the government, civil rights activist Anna Hazare on Wednesday observed a day-long fast at Rajghat and threatened another hunger strike from August 16 if Lokpal Bill is not passed by then, saying it was part of ... In PICS: 2000 turn up for Anna's fast Rediff - ‎1 hour ago‎ It was a protest of fear to say the least. Anna Hazare's supporters, who arrived at Rajghat in considerable numbers, were afraid. They were afraid of a repeat of the crackdown on Baba Ramdev's supporters which is still fresh on their minds. ... Anna group against Ramdev's decision to raise armed wing Economic Times - ‎2 hours ago‎ NEW DELHI: The Anna Hazare group today distanced itself from Ramdev's decision to raise an armed force to resist any government crackdown on the anti- corruption movement, saying all protests have to be non-violent. Civil rights activist Arvind ... Ramdev, Anna supporters observe fast in protest Times of India - ‎2 hours ago‎ PATNA: Hundreds of supporters of Baba Ramdev and Anna Hazare observed fast here on Wednesday in protest against the crackdown on Baba and his supporters at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on June 4 night. Members of Bharat Swabhiman Trust and Patanjali Yoga ... Hazare sets Aug 15 deadline for Lokpal indiablooms - ‎1 hour ago‎ New Delhi, June 8 (IBNS): Veteran activist Anna Hazare on Wednesday ended his one-day hunger strike against police crackdown on yoga guru Baba Ramdev's protest, but not before shooting off an ultimatum to the government for having the Lokpal Bill ... Team Anna seeks referendum on Lokpal Bill IBNLive.com - ‎3 hours ago‎ New Delhi: Anna Hazare and his supporters on Wednesday challenged the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government to conduct a referendum to find out what form of the Lokpal Bill the citizens of the country were in favour of. ... Over Rs.2.6 lakh donated during Anna's fast Mangalorean.com - ‎2 hours ago‎ New Delhi, June 8 (IANS) Over Rs.260000 was collected was donated by supporters Wednesday during the day-long fast by Anna Hazare to protest the crackdown on Baba Ramdev and his anti-graft agitation, representatives of India Against Corruption (IAC) ... All 213 related articles » Anna Hazare Moneycontrol.com Hazare sets Aug 15 deadline for Lokpal indiablooms - ‎1 hour ago‎ New Delhi, June 8 (IBNS): Veteran activist Anna Hazare on Wednesday ended his one-day hunger strike against police crackdown on yoga guru Baba Ramdev's protest, but not before shooting off an ultimatum to the government for having the Lokpal Bill ... Video: The crusade continues Mint Anna Hazare holds fast, gives govt Aug 15 deadline for Lokpal Bill Times of India Economic Times - IBNLive.com - BBC News - Wikipedia: Anna Hazare all 732 news articles » हिंदी में EPA:MLACO Email this story The Hindu Anna Hazare starts new hunger strike on day after dancing controversy Washington Post (blog) - Elizabeth Flock - ‎1 hour ago‎ Indian social activist Anna Hazare, a member of a government-appointed committee drafting legislation for a corruption watchdog, listens during a day-long protest hunger strike against corruption in New Delhi, June 8. Video: Is India becoming a 'Banana Republic'? NDTV.com Govt slams Ramdev for saying he'll build an army NDTV.com Daily Bhaskar - Hindustan Times - Times of India - India Today all 176 news articles » हिंदी में Email this story BBC News Congress describes Baba Ramdev and Anna Hazare as 'masks' of destabilising forces Economic Times - ‎19 hours ago‎ NEW DELHI: Congress on Tuesday described yoga guru Baba Ramdev and social activist Anna Hazare as 'masks' of destabilising forces, who were part of a conspiracy of national subversion hatched jointly by forces of right reaction and left anarchism. Video: No rebellion please Mint Baba Ramdev, Anna Hazare, Gandhi , Fast and Sathyagraha TruthDive Times of India - Tehelka - Hindustan Times - Express Buzz - Wikipedia: Ramlila ground protests all 1,825 news articles » हिंदी में Email this story People express solidarity with Hazare's fast Times of India - ‎1 hour ago‎ ALLAHABAD: Expressing solidarity with Anna Hazare, who observed a daylong fast at Raj Ghat on Wednesday, members of India Against Corruption also sat on a fast here at Chandrashekhar Azad Park. Anna Hazare begins one-day fast at Rajghat Economic Times - ‎11 hours ago‎ Social activist Anna Hazare sits on one-day fast to protest against police crackdown on Baba Ramdev and his supporters, at Rajghat in New Delhi on Wednesday. 'Ramdev attack was throttling democracy' Indian Express all 187 news articles » Email this story Live music, street play liven up Hazare fast IBNLive.com - ‎7 hours ago‎ Supporters of social activist Anna Hazare, who has become the fulcrum of popular anti-corruption demonstrations, were kept busy the whole of Wednesday to ensure that those who have volunteered to fast for a day do not lose steam. ABC Online Ramdev an RSS agent: Chidambaram India Today - ‎8 hours ago‎ Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare too came under intense attack from the party. "Anna doesn't understand how a government works. Video: Baba Ramdev accused of land grabbing NewsX Return of the Dragon Era Central Chronicle Seattle Post Intelligencer - GlobalPost - New York Times - AFP all 599 news articles » हिंदी में Email this story What if Koda, Raja become PM: Bhushan Indian Express - ‎16 hours ago‎ A Prime Minister enjoying complete immunity from any kind of investigations "would himself become the biggest security threat", lawyer Shanti Bhushan has said in a letter to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, explaining why the Anna Hazare camp was ... One-day fast in Coimbatore in support of Hazare IBNLive.com - ‎2 hours ago‎ PTI | 08:06 PM,Jun 08,2011 Coimbatore, Jun 8 (PTI) About 80 people, belonging to various organisations, today observed one-day fast in the city, expressing solidarity with the day-long fast by Gandhian Anna Hazare to protest against the midnight ... Fast: What Anna, Baba didn't learn from Gandhi IBNLive.com (blog) - ‎4 hours ago‎ Deliberations on the corruption-slaying Lok Pal bill got a new fillip on April 5, 2011 when Anna Hazare started an indefinite fast unto death in New Delhi. India Corruption MorungExpress all 2 news articles » हिंदी में Email this story People in Lucknow join Anna's fast Mangalorean.com - ‎10 hours ago‎ Lucknow, June 8 (IANS) Coming out in support of veteran Gandhian Anna Hazare, people from different walks of life in this Uttar Pradesh capital Wednesday joined his day-long fast to protest the crackdown on yoga guru Baba Ramdev and his supporters. Calcutta Telegraph Anna deviation Central Chronicle - ‎4 hours ago‎ Anna Hazare has deviated from Lok Pal to back to agitation at Jantar Mantar. Although he has announced it in suport of Baba Ram Dev but he has also boycotted the meeting of Joint Committee on Lok Pal accusing it or betraying him. Civility missile flies at civil society Calcutta Telegraph Not the way to fight graft Daily Pioneer Deccan Chronicle - Business Standard - The Hindu all 6 news articles » Email this story Globe and Mail Govt crackdown unites Anna Hazare, Baba Ramdev Times of India - ‎Jun 5, 2011‎ Just hours after the dramatic police raid on Ramlila Maidan, Anna Hazare's camp announced that they would boycott the meeting of the joint Lokpal panel scheduled for Monday and sit on a one-day hunger strike on June 8 as a mark of solidarity against ... Video: Unfortunate turn of events: Pranab Mukherjee to NDTV NDTV.com Centre not serious about drafting effective lokpal bill: Anna Hazare Hindustan Times Economic Times - Daily News & Analysis - The Hindu - Calcutta Telegraph - Wikipedia: Swami Ramdev all 3,228 news articles » Email this story Mid-Day Is this the next battleground? Mid-Day - Shashank Shekhar, Atul Krishan - ‎Jun 7, 2011‎ While the government and Delhi police is facing flak for forcibly removing Baba Ramdev from the site of his agitation, Anna Hazare and his team decided to sit on fast from June 8 at Jantar Mantar. However, the famous protest point in Delhi has remained ... Moneycontrol.com Govt sets up panel on black money to recover tax IBNLive.com - ‎7 hours ago‎ The decision to set up the committee comes as veteran Gandhian Anna Hazare and yoga guru Baba Ramdev have launched agitations against corruption and black money. FM sets up panel on black money Hindustan Times all 30 news articles » Email this story Raghuvir Yadav to play Anna Hazare! Times of India - ‎Jun 7, 2011‎ Raghuvir Yadav's character in Ishraq Shah's Ek Bura Aadmi has striking similarities to Anna Hazare. Says a source from the sets in Udaipur, " Raghuvir Yadav is most definitely playing Anna Hazare. The character is supposed to be a grassroot-level ... At Rajghat protest, a crusader for every cause Hindustan Times - ‎10 minutes ago‎ What better platform to canvass this demand than the daylong-fast site of Anna Hazare, with the media lapping up every detail? 'People expect transparency for others and not for themselves' Pune Newsline - ‎10 hours ago‎ But since I was very close to Prakash Kardaley and Anna Hazare, we used to discuss these issues. I was a member of the Drafting Committee of the Maharashtra Government. Daily Bhaskar In pictures: Anna Hazare's day-long fast at Rajghat Daily Bhaskar - ‎10 hours ago‎ New Delji: Anna Hazare and his supporters on Wednesday began a day-long fast at Rajghat to protest the midnight police crackdown on Yoga Guru Ramdev and his followers during their agitation on the black money issue at Ramlila Maidan on Saturday night. Moneycontrol.com RSS behind Ramdev's campaign: Chidambaram Rediff - ‎4 minutes ago‎ Chidambaram said a section of media was engaged in "competitive populist coverage" of the protests movement of Anna Hazare, Baba Ramdev and others and maintained that it undermined parliamentary democracy. "I think sections of the media, ... Sangh clears protest stand Calcutta Telegraph all 11 news articles » हिंदी में Email this story Baba Ramdev ABC Online Chidambaram accuses Ramdev of eliciting RSS support before campaign The Hindu - Vinay Kumar - ‎2 hours ago‎ File Photo Launching a scathing attack on yoga guru Baba Ramdev, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Wednesday accused him of eliciting full support of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its front organisations in going ahead with his ... Video: Baba Ramdev accused of land grabbing NewsX Govt justifies crackdown on Baba Ramdev IBNLive.com Central Chronicle - Express Buzz - Economic Times - Hindustan Times all 599 news articles » हिंदी में Email this story The Hindu Mangalore: BJP Mahila Morcha Stages Protest over Baba Ramdev Episode Mangalorean.com - Violet Pereira - ‎2 hours ago‎ She also said Baba Ramdev was trying to get the black money back from the Swiss Bank but Congress could not digest the bitter truth and they attacked him and his followers at night. Video: Is India becoming a 'Banana Republic'? NDTV.com BJP comes out in support of Baba Ramdev India.com NDTV.com - Daily Bhaskar - The Hindu - India Today all 160 news articles » हिंदी में Email this story Moneycontrol.com Lokpal bill: Can't let civil society make laws, say experts India Today - ‎22 minutes ago‎ Even as anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare's team went on a token fast on Wednesday over the police crackdown on yoga guru Baba Ramdev at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on Saturday, questions are being raised if frequent fasts are undermining the potency of ... Video: The crusade continues Mint Anna fasts at Rajghat to protest police action on Baba Ramdev Indian Express Times of India - Economic Times - BBC News - indiablooms - Wikipedia: Anna Hazare all 732 news articles » हिंदी में Email this story Moneycontrol.com RSS behind Ramdev's campaign: Chidambaram Rediff - ‎5 minutes ago‎ Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday charged the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh of being behind Baba Ramdev's anti-corruption campaign. Baba Ramdev's 'political' agitation is backed by RSS, says Govt Economic Times Baba's fast RSS-backed political agitation: PC Deccan Herald The Hindu - Calcutta Telegraph all 11 news articles » हिंदी में Email this story BBC News Congress condemns Ramdev's call for "armed rebellion" NetIndian - ‎2 hours ago‎ Decrying the call by yoga guru Baba Ramdev for an "armed rebellion" against the system and Anna Hazare's call for a "second freedom movement" as "dangerous" and "unconstitutional", the Congress today called upon the Centre to take action to protect law ... Video: No rebellion please Mint Baba Ramdev issue: Court accepts complaint against Digvijay Singh Economic Times The Hindu - Hindustan Times - India.com - Express Buzz - Wikipedia: Ramlila ground protests all 1,825 news articles » हिंदी में Email this story India Today Ashok Singhal meets Baba Ramdev; demands strict anti-corruption law Economic Times - ‎10 hours ago‎ HARIDWAR: Senior VHP leader Ashok Singhal on Wednesday met Baba Ramdev extending his support to the yoga guru and asked the government to immediately accept all his demands. Video: NewsX exclusive: Ramdev --VHP secret meeting NewsX 'Creating Baba Ramdev': a clarification The Hindu Times of India - Hindustan Times - Wikipedia: Swami Ramdev all 33 news articles » हिंदी में Email this story International Business Times Protests continue over Baba Ramdev episode Times of India - ‎12 hours ago‎ KANPUR: The lathicharge incident on Baba Ramdev was condemned by the social and political organisations even on Tuesday. It was the second consecutive day when the people burnt effigies of prime minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and ... Anonymous hack Indian govt websites to protest crackdown on Baba Ramdev International Business Times all 3 news articles » हिंदी में Email this story News Tonight Hackers join Baba Ramdev Siliconindia.com - ‎7 hours ago‎ By SiliconIndia, Wednesday, 08 June 2011, 00:45 Hrs Bangalore: Day by day the supporters of Baba Ramdev have increased, and the recent addition to the list is the famous hacker group 'Anonymous'. Hackers join Ramdev's campaign NDTV.com Hackers target Govt site in support of Ramdev CIOL Death and Taxes - Black Friday Deals - Digit - Tech2 - Wikipedia: 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement all 33 news articles » Email this story NDTV.com Salman ignorant about Baba Ramdev Hindustan Times - ‎6 hours ago‎ While Baba Ramdev's fast for corruption is the talk of the country, Dabangg actor Salman Khan claims to be unaware of the Yoga Guru. Salman Khan doesn't know of Baba Ramdev? Apun Ka Choice Salman Clueless About Baba Ramdev's Existence NDTV.com BollyPatrika.com - IBNLive.com - Times of India - Bollywood Mantra - Wikipedia: Swami Ramdev all 13 news articles » हिंदी में Email this story Aide holds key to Baba Ramdev's empire Hindustan Times - ‎15 hours ago‎ While Baba Ramdev is leading a nationwide movement against corruption in austere outfits and with earthy idioms, his key aide Acharya Balakrishna - often seen huddled with the yoga guru - controls a huge business empire of 34 companies, ... SamayLive Crackdown on peaceful crowd handiwork of deranged people: Mulayam Singh Yadav Times of India - ‎13 hours ago‎ AGRA: Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav stepped up his offensive against the Central government as he described the action against Baba Ramdev as an act of "unstable minds". Talking to newsmen on the eve of the party's national convention ... Baba Ramdev's eviction from Delhi unites divided Opposition India Today Cong banks on Yadav resistance to Ramdev Deccan Chronicle Indian Express - Newstrack India - Daily News & Analysis - Hindustan Times all 51 news articles » हिंदी में Email this story India Today Is Sena in two minds over Baba Ramdev? Times of India - ‎Jun 6, 2011‎ MUMBAI: Baba Ramdev's soaring TRPs has prompted the Shiv Sena to bask in his glory. Sena chief Bal Thackeray condemned the police action against Ramdev and his followers in New Delhi, while urging citizens to put black flags atop their homes to express ... Ramdev has the right to dabble in politics: Sena NDTV.com 25 Shiv Sena workers booked for protests without permission IBNLive.com Rediff - Hindustan Times - Daily News & Analysis all 42 news articles » Email this story Ramdev is not Gandhi Livemint - ‎3 minutes ago‎ Baba Ramdev is not Mohandas Gandhi. Ramdev's technique of protest may confuse those who know as much about Gandhi as Munnabhai did at the start of the popular 2006 film, Lage Raho Munnabhai (Carry on, Munnabhai). 'Ramdev attack was throttling democracy' Indian Express - ‎6 hours ago‎ Anna Hazare has started his day-long token fast at Rajghat to protest against police crackdown on Baba Ramdev and his supporters during their agitation against corruption. Anna Hazare begins one-day fast at Rajghat Economic Times all 348 news articles » Email this story India Today The rise of India's EQ Hindustan Times - ‎45 minutes ago‎ Baba Ramdev, the televangelist guru who flies private jets and hopes, through yoga, to reinstate the caste system and find a cure for Aids, cancer and homosexuality, sets the agenda for India - never mind that home minister P Chidambaram calls him 'a ... Indian court challenges crushing of protest Financial Times all 5 news articles » Email this story Ramdev's threat to raise armed brigade not 'proper', says SP Hindustan Times - ‎7 hours ago‎ PTI The Samajwadi Party on Wednesday said the police action against Baba Ramdev's hunger strike in Delhi is condemnable but the yoga guru's announcement to raise an armed brigade is also not proper. Partial bandh observed in Jammu IBNLive.com - ‎7 hours ago‎ PTI | 03:06 PM,Jun 08,2011 Jammu, Jun 8 (PTI) Jammu and adjoining areas today observed partial bandh amid protest marches against corruption and eviction of yoga guru Baba Ramdev and his supporters from the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi on June 5. BJYM, JKNPP support Ramdev's agitation Economic Times Ramdev threatens armed revolt Deccan Herald all 6 news articles » हिंदी में Email this story NDTV.com Baba Ramdev's followers observe Black Day; 3 fall ill Hindustan Times - ‎Jun 6, 2011‎ On Day 3 of the indefinite hunger strike undertaken by yoga guru Baba Ramdev and his supporters against corruption, two of his supporters fasting at Azad Maidan were put on saline as their health deteriorated. Video: Anna undecided on joining Baba Ramdev Times Now A camera and a vow Indian Express NDTV.com - Wikipedia: Swami Ramdev all 29 news articles » Email this story The Hindu BJP asks for special session on Baba Ramdev from President Pratibha Patil Economic Times - ‎Jun 6, 2011‎ NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party has asked President Pratibha Patil to convene a special session of Parliament to discuss the police action against yoga guru Baba Ramdev and the issue of black money . The President goes by the advice of the Union ... Baba Ramdev eviction: An issueless Sangh Parivar gets a godsend India Today Convene special session of Parliament: BJP The Hindu indiablooms - International News Network - Times of India - Deccan Chronicle - Wikipedia: Ramlila ground protests all 65 news articles » Email this story People express solidarity with Hazare's fast Times of India - ‎1 hour ago‎ Addressing the gathering, Santosh Panama said black money stashed in foreign bank accounts is not a social but national problem against which Baba Ramdev and Anna Hazare are waging a struggle. Bringing back the black money would address the issue of ... Featured video The crusade continues Mint all 732 news articles » Images NDTV.com BBC News Calcutta Telegr... The Hindu International B... NDTV.com NDTV.com India Today NDTV.com All related images    Featured video The crusade continues Mint all 732 news articles » Featured photo Indian guru threatens to form yoga militia AFP - Rupam Jain Nair - ‎10 hours ago‎ Led by Anna Hazare, a 73-year-old activist who observed a 98-hour hunger strike against corruption in April, several thousand made their way... all 599 news articles » Images BBC News NDTV.com Tehelka GlobalPost Calcutta Telegr... The Hindu Calcutta Telegr... Mid-Day Moneycontrol.co... All related images »

  Related Lokpal Bill Baba Ramdev Anna Hazare Civil society Ramlila Maidan Hunger strike Timeline of articles Number of sources covering this story Next meeting on Lokpal bill on June 15 ‎15 minutes ago‎ - Hindustan Times Anna begins fast to protest police crackdown on Ramdev ‎12 hours ago‎ - Hindustan Times Anna Hazare to fight from Raj Ghat ‎17 hours ago‎ - Times of India 684 people are on fast with Ramdev ‎20 hours ago‎ - Times of India Team Anna slams Govt, shifts its fast venue ‎Jun 7, 2011‎ - IBNLive.com Govt tells Team Anna we can draft Lokpal Bill without you ‎Jun 6, 2011‎ - Indian Express Civil society boycotts Lokpal committee meeting ‎Jun 6, 2011‎ - Hindustan Times Shanti Bhushan's letter to Pranab Mukherjee on Ramdev crackdown ‎Jun 6, 2011‎ - IBNLive.com Images Moneycontrol.co... NDTV.com BBC News The Hindu The Guardian The Hindu The Hindu AFP NDTV.com All related images » Videos The crusade continues Mint  -  2 hours ago Watch video Hazare on fast for 'second freedom struggle' Times Now  -  8 hours ago Watch video India supports Anna Hazare again Times Now  -  8 hours ago Watch video Anna begins fast against Ramdev swoop at Rajghat Times Now  -  10 hours ago Watch video Anna Hazare takes fight to Rajghat Times Now  -  10 hours ago Watch video All related videos