Naresh Kumar Vaid, Director , Vaids ICS

THE day before I was in Delhi High Court as one of  the seven petitioners to challenge UPSC against the introduction of CSAT Paper this year. Our lawyers had warned against the step. They had warned us that the court may dismiss our petition with cost that may be anything up to Rs. one lakh. But we persisted. Fortunately for us, the Court directed the government as also UPSC to reply before March 14, the day for next hearing. TODAY, a special court gave its judgement rejecting the Petition to make Mr. Chadambaram (PC) a co-accused in the 2G case. The UPA particularly is gaga with the decision and wants Mr, Subramanyam Swamy, the petitioner to be satisfied and not to pursue the matter further. OBVIOUSLY, if the verdict had gone against PC, that would have been a great embarrassment for UPA as also a tool against it in the ongoing elections, particularly in UP. In the same wane, it can be seen as a setback for the opposition. BUT, if we look at the issue in larger perspective,...

BY now you must have realised why I am not a great fan of democracy.  Where is the constitutional obligation of collective responsibility of Cabinet when TMC, a coalition partner in the ruling UPA proposes an amendment to the official Lok Pal bill? We all have seen how the government can manipulate the proceedings in both the houses of parliament, even the chairman of Rajya Sabha who is Vice President of the country as well. Previously, we have seen that land acquisition bill was delayed as also the rise in petroleum prices because of elections in West Bengal. We have also seen, only recently the withdrawal of FDI in retail because of opposition by TMC. In UPA I too, left pulled the leg of the government quite often for the government to postpone many decisions. WHAT happened on Dec. 29 was sheer betrayal of democracy by UPA, Congress in particular. If govt. were honest, it could extend the deliberations beyond mid night, Leaders of both the houses_Pranab da in Lok Sabha and Man...

EVER since the government announced it Cabinet's decision to allow FDI in retail (100% in single brand and 51% in multi brand, a couple of days ago, the government has ensured that no parliamentary proceedings take place. There was no consensus even within the Cabinet about the issue (the matter has been in public domain for the last three years, debated twice in the Standing Committee too, but without result) and yet the Prime Minister was adamant. (We, here must remember the background of PM as World Bank stooge, as also his signing the agreement in 1991 itself to open up Indian markets), against the advice of his colleagues including Moily, Jairam Ramesh; and its ally TMC. (Now, SP, BSP & DMK too have opposed) When pointed out by Ramesh that it may have a wrong effect in UP elections, Sharad Powar resorted , Congress has no stakes there (Is Rahul Gandhi listening?). THE day the Cabinet decided, the same day government had reached an agreement with the oppositions for smo...

IT is for the first time that I don't have to say much- the government document speaks by itself. XI Plan has made certain commitments to tribals particularly for their social development (Establishing Primary Schools; Residential High Schools; Distribution of fellowships, textbooks school uniforms etc; Accountable primary health care services; Use of PESA; conservation of ecology; Construction of rainwater harvesting structures, electrification, telecom coverage; Setting up of National Institute of Tribal Affairs. Commitments have also been made for their economic empowerment as also to provide them social justice. BUT, according to the Appraisal : * Priority sectors and need based schemes/programmes for their benefit, such as education, health, and technical/vocational training have not been devised as per   the needs based on equity considerations. * Schemes related to minor irrigation, asset creation, housing, and land distribution have not been given adequate impor...

THE way cash for vote case is being handled by the CBI, it becomes clear how the people on the wrong side of the power can be terrorised. We can easily infer the methods used by the State to traumatize Team Anna before they started the agitation for the Jan Lokpal. It was the masterly stroke of Anna (by refusing to leave Tihar Jail before written commitment by the government of the permission to sit on his indefinite fast - otherwise, he would have been dispatched to Ralegaon Siddhi immediately after his release from Tihar, a repeat of Baba Ramdev episode) that subsequently compelled the government to pass the bill in Lok Sabha as per the wishes of Anna. YESTERDAY again, Anna made the call to oppose all those opposed to Jan Lokpal and the government is shattered by his call. It, by the recent events, has become clear that the Lokpal bill after return from Standing Committee will not fulfil the aspirations of Team Anna. CBI and CVC have made it clear that they want to be a part of Lo...

AFTER thorough investigation, Home Ministry has prepared a list of 103 NGOs involved in anti national activities or funding of terrorists or are engaged in illegal conversion. The Ministry has handed over the list to Ministry of Foreign Affairs for further investigation. ACCORDING to Government of India, there are about 30 lakh NGOs in the country out of which about 40,000 seek foreign funds under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act ( FCRA ) about half of which do not fulfil their obligations under the Act, i.e. either not revealing their sources of funds or not submitting proper audited accounts or diverting their funds for unspecified purposes. Of these only 103 have been listed for further investigations. Why not others? NGO sector has witnessed a boom in the years of globalisation. It has almost become an industry. These days, it has become a status symbol to form an NGO or to be associated with an NGO of some repute. It was not the case previously. A REPORT from the US clear...

THE world is plagued with severe crises economic and political. The country too is struggling to fight corruption, Maoism and a host of other issues and I have decided to write on this trivial issue. Surprising? Shocking? THREE Cheers for Montek Singh Ahluvalia and his team at the Planning Commission (of course, headed by our beloved, honest Prime Minister). In one stroke, they have improved the economy of Common Man by redefining the poverty in terms of Rs. 32/day and Rs. 25/day respectively for the urban and the rural folk. NOW they have a bigger task ahead. By the same norm, they should redefine creamy layer by including everyone earning more than Rs. 50/day or more. They should also start taxing income above the bpl limit. This way the government will earn more than it can handle, and so, will have to open account(s) with Swiss Bank. THEY can also advise the government to decide the salaries and perks of our elected representatives as also the bureaucracy accordingly and reformula...