The case continues to have political significance as one of the accused was the late Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, who had close family links with the Sonia Gandhi . It was Quattrochhi who introduced Rajiv Gandhi to the Bofors. The corruption scandal was seen as a major factor in Congress's defeat in 1989 Lok Sabha elections. The current re-surfacing of the scam might see all culprits behind the bar.
The scam remained buried for over three decades under successive governments headed by V P Singh, Chandrashekhar, Deve Gowda, I K Gujral and Atal Behari Vaajpeyi and finally Manmohan Singh ( with Sonia Gandhi at the helm as de facto PM ) under UPA-II.
Even the Judiciary seemed helpless. A bona fide court-monitored investigation was not ordered by the Apex court to get the facts verified on priority so as to bring all those responsible to justice. Delay led to suppression of truth that shook people’s faith in democracy.
With a mass of unimpeachable documentary evidence, this was an Open-and-shut case despite Rajiv Gandhi's persistent denials. In an interview with the BBC, Rajiv claimed that “to the best of my knowledge, there have been no payoffs to Indians.” He pre-empted the sensitive investigation by expressing his “view” that “commissions” to neither the “middlemen” nor “Indians” were paid .
Recall some key events and names of bureaucrats, politicians, extra- Constitutional authorities, which were in circulation in those obscure and morally questionable days.
Bofors’ chief jurist had briefed an official team comprising S. K. Bhatnagar, the then Defence Secretary, P. K. Kartha, the then Law Secretary, Gopi Krishan Arora, the then Special Secretary to Rajiv Gandhi, and N. N. Vohra, then Addl Secy in MOD , later, Secy ( Defence Production ) and Ronen Sen, the then Joint Secy in PMO. The team was assisted by T. K. Bannerjee, the then Joint Secretary (Ordnance) in MOD.
Strangely, according to General K. Sundarji’s revelations published in India Today (September 15,1989), Mr. Morberg was due to come to New Delhi at the head of a Bofors delegation in July 1987 to give the information the Government of India “wanted,” before Rajiv Gandhi who initially himself scuttled the idea (leading to resignation of Arun Singh, the then MOS, Defence).
Involvement of Hindujas brothers and Win Chadha was open secret.
How were charges and proceedings by the trial court quashed by the Delhi high court (M K Chawla) and bail granted to the accused when the Law did not provide for it?Hinduja brothers were given clean chit. Worse, appeal against quashing of chargesheet against the Bofors , was not allowed by the UPA –II government to be challenged in the Supreme court?.
The Principal investigator ( of Bofors scam) Sweden's investigative agency , Sten Lindstrom , in an interview to TV channel , has revealed it all by accusing the late Rajiv Gandhi as the alleged mastermind behind the Bofors cover-up in collusion with Olof Palme , the then Swedish PM.
The Congress has obfuscated discussions in Parliament. Sonia Gandhi terms it as a black day for democracy. Rahul Gandhi predicted that the GOI will not be able to prove anything even after investigating it for another 30 years. No further reaction by them except throwing papers on Speaker (LS)
The country wants answers on the following questions :
(a) How did Rajiv Gandhi enter into a secret understanding with Olof Palme, Swedish PM, who was later killed ? Who, in GoI, pressured the Bofors to give a clean chit to the Gandhis ?
(b)How did the then ruling dispensation manipulate the escape of Quattrochhi by deliberately delaying the exit of CBI officers to London during Cong-led UPA-II?
(c) What was the murky role of steel-frame of bureaucracy of MOF and the Cabinet Sectt in making good the escape of Quattrochhi?
(d) Who ordered de-freezing the Bofors payoffs in London, get the same transferred to Italy ? By the time the CBI reached London and then Argentina, Quattrochhi had crossed over to Italy ?CBI could not arrest him .
(e) Why was the CBI not given permission by DOP&T ( in-charge of CBI) in 2005 to file the SLP in the Supreme court for quashing the judgement of Delhi High court ? Suresh Pachauri was MOS (Personnel) who took orders direct from the Congress supremo, which used to be later legitimised by the de jure PM Manmohan Singh. Interrogation of Principal Secy, Secy and Joint Secy to PM will give a mine of sensational information?It may be recalled that V P Singh,the then Defence Minister ,resigned under protest.
(f) What are details of Bank Accounts held by late Rajiv Gandhi ( inherited from his mother,late Indira Gandhi) which are now being operated by the Congress supremo?
(g) What is the guarantee that relevant records kept in boxes, have not been tampered with? These boxes were brought from Sweden to India by a Joint Secy of MHA or MOF, without associating the CBI.
I am raising the doubt as, certain Directors of the caged parrot had dubious credentials. A P Singh and Ranjit Singh,are in question.They might have helped the UPA-II in fiddling with documents.
(h) The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), while casting doubts on the Government's version of selection of Bofors guns, did little to unravel the mystery of the kick-backs.
What next ?
Against this background, it is high time that the boxes are opened in presence of CJI, CBI , forensic experts and the Media. All documents must be kept in public domain for public scrutiny. A court-monitored investigation by the SIT within a pre-determined time frame could be ordered by the Supreme court.
A K Saxena (A retd civil servant)
Delhi University should innovate
The Delhi University is reported to have denied admission to a girl who had 5 languages as subjects of study, as not more than two languages can be counted for best of 4 subjects criterion for admission. No dispute about the rules but it is about the outlandish attitude to languages. Instead of encouraging advanced studies in languages and grooming new generation computer linguists, the university is still stuck up with subjects of stressed employment opportunities. In modern times when communication growth has opened up newer opportunities of employment e.g. in broadcasting, tevevision, social media, print media, online publishing, mass open online courses etc the requirements of trained personnel has increased tremendously. National and international corporations, as also legal services, need multi-lingual professionals. In view of this fact, the DelhiUniversity must revise its criterion to admit students with best of the four even in different languages. There are 122 Major Modern Indian Languages and thousands of dialects. The All India Radio broadcasts in about 179 languages. There was the Word in the beginning! Respect the Word. Can the Delhi University authorities please think out of the box and be innovative before others set better example?
M L Gupta

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation follows the South Delhi Municipal Corporation to replace street lights by LED ones. They have signed an agreement with TPDDL and Havells. This developing scandal under the Narendra Modi, India Against Corruption noise makers and other state governments needs urgent remedial action. There are more than 4 lakh street lights in the area administered by these two corporations. The public is exploited in numbers in crores. The turnover is huge and so are the profits, kickbacks, black money and tax evasion- may be even manipulation of foreign exchange, money laundering and duty drawback also. It is so because the whole market stands captured by Chinese products of suspicious quality standards violating the law applicable to household electrical goods. Traders don’t keep products of popular brands but on asking give a smirk. Nobody keeps Phillips or Havells products because the Chinese goods give traders huge profit margins. Demanding only non-Chinese goods one gets Havells LED tubelights @650/390 apiece. A look at the packaging reveals that the printed MRP on it is Rs. 1190/745 apiece followed by “imported by Havells”. The name of the country of import is not printed. So Havells do not manufacture it in India! It too is likely to be a CHINESE product without disclosing the country name! Hindi Chini Lutaayee khusaayee. If these are the retail prices, the wholesale price will be even less than Rs 40, the same as that of a conventional branded tube light of Phillips. Is this how the Indian consumers should be allowed to be exploited? Is this how government agencies should loot the tax revenue in the treasury? These Chinese tube lights are not even “tube lights” in the conventional sense but a strip sold @25 rupee a metre on Diwali, wrapped in a tube! Is this the Make In India achievement? Is this pricing the usual business (or ease of doing business) in medical devices, medicines, heavy industrial machinery, defence equipment et al? Who looks after consumer interests? Should these products be not banned? Can’t the citizens’ watchdogs like the Competition Commission or the NCDRC take any action suo moto ? Or printing such prices is another trick for maintaining account books to show loss in business ? Only governments at the centre and the states can answer.
M L Gupta

On the outset I congratulate Sanjay Kothari on his elevation and new role as Secretary to the President of India. He is an honest and upright officer who is born with inherent qualities of manoeuvring his team to embark upon his mission with ease. The constructive work and positive contribution that Kothari has made in shaping the path of development of this country is applauded in government and political circles across party lines. He is an asset and his vast experience shall help the President office in matters of crucial decision making in the larger interest of society. I wish him all the best .
O P Sharma, Ex Government Officer
Friendship culture on the wane
Friendship culture among'st the batch-mates is on the wane because of the Television and Mobile Culture.
Anurag Shrivastava
Brilliant choice
Raveesh Kumar is a brilliant choice. We served in Indian Embassy Jakarta in mid 90s.
Kishore Dudani

One heavy rain and the roads are flooded leading to massive traffic snarls. This is in Delhi the capital of my country. Noida, where I live is worse. This is what has happened after this morning heavy rainfall. The service lanes of the sector we live got flooded with dirty water from a nallah nearby water entering the ground floor flats. Leaving the house and getting into the carto leave for one's daily routine to Delhi required wading through dirty water and then one realised the foolhardiness of doing so. A short distance from the house on a flyover we got into a massive traffic jam. The flyover loop, a distance of maybe 200 metres, which puts you on the road taking you on the DND flyover for Delhi was covered in one hour. It took another hour to reach our place in Delhi which normally we cover in 30 minutes. In all this frustration one feels why no one is bothering about these civic problems which result in so much inconvenience to the public and also causes national loss by way of wastage of time and fuel. Yogi Government is busy in doing postmortem of the work done by previous Government rather doing real Governance .
Aarti Khosla
Vijay Gokhle to move to MEA
Excellent step to the post of Foreign Secretary
Kishore Dudani

It is because the culture of 'me first' has taken over all other things. Actually there is a unhealthy competition so much so that no body thinks twice before pulling the leg of his batch mate if he comes in the way.
China Threatens War On India?
China is putting undue pressure on India by creating border disputes only because it’s so called economic cooperation in the form of CPEC looks like devastated by India not joining it. Why should India join a project of military hegemony of China in the region? The Chinese communists have converted into plutocrats, aristocrats and elites controlling not only the entire wealth of China but also the means of production, supply & distribution, incomes and livelihood. China has failed to improve the economic conditions of the ordinary Chinese, who are forced to work in sweat shops to produce export goods at wages below 1 US $ a day, but promises economic prosperity to countries signing up CPEC or OBOR. China is no global welfare state. It seeks to realize its economic goals through OBOR/CPEC. The grand projects are to silence the domestic clamour for democracy, human rights, fundamental rights, decent wages and non-military opportunities of livelihood. Currently they are suppressed. The day the real picture of the economic, educational, health and social conditions of the peasants and the labourers become known, the real picture of poverty and deprivation will expose the hollow claims of the revolution. Like the appeal made openly to Pakistanis to dethrone Modi, China has been approached secretly to check the rise of Modi and ensure his fall before 2019. The secret agents in contact with China have been promised return to power in 2019 in exchange for vast tracts of Indian territory and clearance to CPEC and other Chinese projects. For this China can strike any time. It has no employment for its 25,00,000 army which it has to reduce to just 10,00,000. In 1962 it had similar problem when 70000 of its troops returned from North Korea, whom it thrust into the war with India. It feels threatened with Modi acquiring the stature of a world leader. It had attacked India in 1962 only because it felt similarly threatened by Jawarlal Nehru. India had rejected then, and rejects again today the hegemony or misguided notions of suzerainty of China in this region. China knows the cost of war it wages now, but our traitors have already assured it of full recompense if returned to power in 2019. The country should be alert before it actually happens. Stop buying Chinese goods forthwith.
M L Gupta

Transfer of D Roopa IPS, DIG ( Prison) Bengaluru has jolted the conscience of every right- indian. Her fault : Exposing 5-star facilities for Sasikala in Bengaluru prison. These include 5- BHK suit for visitors, Puja, TV, bedroom etc and an exclusive kitchen. No waiting in co-prisoners’ Q for collecting breakfast and food. She has alleged payment of 2 crores rupees bribe – one crore to junior jail officials and the rest to DG (Prison). Politicos left out knowing fully that nothing moves without their blessings.
Racism in jail tantamounts to violation of Right to Equality of co-prisoners who will be roped in as witnesses during inquiry. Interesting. DG (Prison ) due to retire on July 31,2017 quietly sent on leave. Why was he not suspended pending submission of interim report before retirement? Tracking the money trail will require conducting IT raids. Bribe, unfortunately, is not accepted by cheques. Hawala transactions, shell companies are conduits.Proofs are there for everyone to see- 5BHK prison suit ,kitchen.
Accusations are serious enough to warrant judicial intervention. Supreme court taking suo motu cognizance, if , no PIL is filed, could order a time- bound inquiry by a serving high court judge of a State other than TN and Karnatak.
While the law makers are busy discussing corruption ignoring their own contribution to it, corruption grows exponentially. VIP racism in prisons, is rampant across the country. Lalu Yadav,Tejaswi Pratap, Misa Bharti are convicts-in-making. High profile convicts enjoy all privileges by regularly greasing the palms of jail officials.
Issue of Nexus in corruption has been discussed ad infinitum by committees, commissions, intellectuals , but, without success due to absence of political Will.
Consider Vohra committee report based on inputs from IB, RAW,IT,ED etc in the aftermath of Mumbai serial blast in March 1993. Though submitted in July 1993, the same has been under wraps ever since .
Supreme Court in 1997, recommended the appointment of a high level committee to ensure in-depth investigation into recommendations of Vohra Committee and secure prosecution of those involved. Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Venkaiah Naidu stated in 2015 that the Vohra committee report ( along with Annexure )will be tabled in Parliament by MHA. But, nothing happened.
Annexure carries more explosive details than body of the report.
It contains names of criminals , politicos, bureaucrats, media persons who have indulged in unethical , anti-national activities.
The report as per media report, has been missing in MHA. A big charade, a massive conspiracy to defend the indefensible.Sensitive details must be intact with primary sources like IB, RAW, IT, ED etc.
In the meanwhile, bureaucrats, politicians privy to the report managed to corner important positions under successive political dispensations as reward for keeping their mouths shut. Sheer blackmailing. Vohra has been the biggest beneficiary of the inaction on his report by successive political dispensations . Politicians fear a “ Katl-e-Aam” , if names of criminals are made public. All hypocrites.
Taking into account the totality of circumstaces, the controversy cannot be allowed to rest due to missing documents. This will accentuate the gravity of the offence. Missing file(s) must be retrieved at all cost and exemplary punishment taken against the culprits. Involvement of criminal syndicates and their contacts occupying sensitive positions,cannot be ruled out. Parliamentarians,cutting across party lines, are shy of discussing the issue inside Parliament. India wants to know the truth.Vohra committee Report must be kept in public domain.There is a growing public demand for publishing it. Serious security implications.
Supreme court is expected to step in and order a court-monitored inquiry by CBI into Vohra committee report.
A K Saxena (A retd civil servant)
Make amends
Agree with Parth. No government servant should be allowed to be sickly. DoPT has unwittingly allowed MHA to steal a march over it. They could make amends.
ARC Kumar
Date with RTI
Confusion about the correspondence can be an easy excuse for the CPIO to escape from penalty.
MF

The move to give promotion on fitness is Excellent move. What about those who got in through the Divyang (PH) quota?.
Vijay
No ordinary spat
Incident happened Sector 78 NOIDA The post of Aarti Khosla (Whispers: 17 July 2017) is an eye opener in many ways. What happened in Sector 78 in NOIDA is not the only incident. There are many incidents where household maids, belonging to Bangladesh, have involved themselves in thefts in the houses in which they work, either directly or through their contacts. We are providing employment to these illegal migrants who have sneaked into our country and are a burden on our exchequer. Giving them employment would mean we are depriving genuine Indian nationals of employment. Since the Governments, including the present Government, have failed to check their spread in India and we have now known their character, we, the people of India, need to ensure that we do not give employment to such illegal migrants in our houses and/ or offices even if they offer services at low rates. If they are not able to get employment, they will be forced to leave the country and go back to their own country.
Pradeep Kumar
An eye opener
Fully agree with Aarti Khosla that it is high time that the Central Government thoroughly check the background of these people and send the illegal ones back. Also action should be taken against the officials who helped them in getting the voter’s card etc.
S Gopal

We are nation 125 crores. We created a wonderful AMUL model. Why cannot we have similar model in every economic sphere of activity. People need only good leaders to lead to create such models. This will certainly give birth to reduction to corruption to barest minimum as people will themselves be part of the economic system.
Harish Kumar
Gopal Krishna Gandhi should decline
Why Gopal Krishna Gandhi should decline politely ? It is the biggest insult to the Father of the Nation to nominate his grandson for the office of the Vice President of India. The Congress has only used the Mahatma for political gain bereft of any genuine respect for his ideas or ideology. They have tried to paint him only as a saint but never as a “Leader”, whereas it was the “Leadership par excellence” of M.K.Gandhi which did all the wonders. Just one example: when MKG started the Salt Satyagraha, it hit the British revenues to the extent of 25% of the total. The Congress tried to make its leader look a shade better and aped a Salt Satyagraha in Mumbai sometime during UPA-I rule. The political parties now in favour of Gopal Bhai are out of favour of the people of India because they have committed corruption of a humongous proportion and not even regretted a bit so far. Will Gopal Bhai protect these corrupt politicians as the VP of India ? Was it for that Gandhi ji made the supreme sacrifice for the nation ? Gopal K Gandhi should politely refuse to play ball for these corrupt elements in India and recall how he as Governor of West Bengal had to carry in his hand a tape recorder to record his own public speech as the communist rulers of West Bengal always tried to misconstrue his words and give them a spin. It is the same “progressive/ left/ liberal/secular” brigade which is goading him to fall for a lollypop. Were they, especially the Congress, ever sincere and grateful to the Father of the Nation they ought to have made Gopal Krishna Gandhi the President of India long ago when they enjoyed decisive majority, but they never even nominated him for the office of the VP. Low level politics making even the Mahatma a controversial figure !
M L Gupta
Discontinuance of payment of Family Planning Allowance for adoption of small family norms-
Recommendation of the Committee under the chairmanship of Finance Secretary:
On 7 th July, 2017, an Office Memorandum was issued by M/o Finance intimating all the Ministries/Deptts. /C&AG etc. to discontinue the FPA payments on existing rate as per admissibility.
The O.M shows that those who have adhered to the Family Planning Policy of the GOI were fool, especially, the officials (AIS, CSS, Central Services, State Services) belonging to Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Punjab, Uttarakhand and West Bengal. Most of policy followers are unreserved category officials.
The very purpose to discontinue this policy is to placate BIMARU States belongers whether AIS or other Central or State Government services. The officials belong to BIMARU states have two and more than two children. In some cases, officials belong to IAS have three children.
This irrational step of the government will be giving negative signals to those officials who adhered to the family planning policy under FPA of the government of India. Particularly, the Women Employees who adopted the family planning policy under FPA. There is no relation between the philosophy and action. It is encouraging those who do not adhere to the policies of the GoI.
What was the motive behind discontinuance of FPA? Is it pro-reserved and pro-bimaru state/pro politicians move by incapables. It is as bad as to protect such fundamentalist who kill the innocent in the fake name of COW (IST).
Successive Finance Secretaries have always been interested in implementing the policy of provision of lap tops/ telephone mobile/staff car facilities to the Deputy Secretary and above level officials in the NAME OF OFFICIAL DUTIES. In fact, the facilities are used by their wives and children. IAS and other entitled officials take undue advantage in name of official work. Secretary is entitled for one vehicle but in every department more than two vehicles are being used by Secretaries. The burden on the exchequer comes in crores on such unwarranted expenditures. One of the officials of the committee is within that corrupt category defying entitlement. Is this the governance ?
All the whispers followers are requested to decide whether FPA should discontinue for those who adhered to policy of the GOI or to make happy to those who do not adhere to policies of the GoI ?
Whether the officials adopted FPP contributed towards HDI now being punished by Modiji under the advice of FS or FS is planning to give incentives out of the future savings of FPA to those who are burden on the ex-chequer in the name of official duties ?
BK- A whisper follower

A healthy mind needs a healthy body. So every responsible officer of the government irrespective of his service must have a healthy body. Why isolate police alone.
Parth
Security jeopardised
The Government of India has housed two of its sensitive offices namely NATGRID and National Security Council in a market place areas, which is not correct from the security angle of these agencies. There is free movement of vehicles and people in an around the two offices. It would be prudent, if these offices is located in some area of the city and not right in the heart of the Connaught Place.
B B Srivastava
Is everything alright ?
After Sameer Verma, now Lokesh Kumar Lihare left office of M/o Water Resources. Is everything alright ? I think "No". Whisperinthecorrider kindly through the light.
Parvati
No ordinary spat
An incident that happened in Sector 78 Noida the other day was no ordinary spat between the domestic help and her employer. It brings into focus a larger issue of illegal migrants who have spread from one corner of the country to another. Bangladeshi migrants changed the demographic nature of Assam, got an upper hand in some areas of West Bengal. In Noida and maybe in some other towns the domestic workers are mostly Bangladeshis. They have replaced those from Bihar. The mob violence that was unleashed on the society complex where a Bangladeshi domestic help alleged beating showed how they could become a serious threat to law and order. The moot question that arises how these illegal migrants sneak into the country and settle wherever they find work. All those who wrote in the media about this incident took the side of domestic help. True domestic helps are exploited by some but they are no less exploiters taking undue advantage of the dependence specially of working couples on them. They take up 5 to 6 houses for work and spend half an hour to one hour in each house dishwashing or mopping floor and make good money which they send home through the group of' dadas' who facilitate their entry in and out of the country by bribing the Border Security force personnel. They live illegally on Government land and for that also by giving monthly payment to police. It was shocking to hear both SP and SSP Noida refuting the Bangladeshi tag for the domestic helps who unleashed that violence on Mahagun Moderne Society in Sector 78 the other day as according to them they have "valid documents' of their being Indian national' Yes they do have voter id, ration cards, even Aadhars. It is not difficult to get these made. There is no checkin on the individual getting these made. It is high time we wake up to this nuisance of illegal migrants. Rohingyas from Mymmar have reached even Jammu-at least 10000 of them. Who let them go that far. It could also be some sinister plan to change the population profile of the region. The security agencies must address themselves to this menace which has already engulfed West Bengal.
Aarti Khosla

As on date many farmers are committing suicides for the loans they had obtained from financial institutions and are not able to pay back due to economic and financial conditions of them or their families.
It is happening, many times that their crops are damaged or ruined due to natural calamities, in many cases investments are made in none profitable ventures, in some cases loans availed are mis-utilized by them or their families and or they are not willing to pay back thinking that one or the other day their loans will be waived off as is being seen as such freebies are announced by political parties at the time of General Election in the States or in the country. In this way funds of the banks are going to the drains as banks are not able to realize the same.
In my view for such stressed loan cases of the farmers, State Governments in association with Financial institution should form a committee, prepare a questionnaire and study such cases, one by one, in the presence of the defaulting farmer. First of all the farmer should be assured and told in clear terms that banks are not going to sell his mortgaged land or property so that he is not under tension or stressed towards his loan availed from the bank. Then, the farmer should be put to questions and his reply be recorded. After this exercise the committee should inquire into the truthness of the matter and the reply submitted by the farmer. If the committee finds the problem of the farmer is genuine one, banks should accommodate such farmers with some more funds to start its farming activities, afresh, with some soft conditions, such as:
1. The land pledged with the bank will remain with the bank and its fresh valuation be made.
2. There are two factors in the payable amount. One is principal amount and second is interest applied till date. Banks should make installments for the principal amount for 3 to 7 years looking into his paying capacity which will be calculated based on his land holding.
3. The farmer should be told that he should start paying the payable installments, regularly. If he pays all the installments regularly, he will get rebate in the interest amount.
4. After the principal amount is paid, than farmer should be told to pay the interest amount in one go to avail the said rebate or if he is not able to repay the same as such, the installments for the interest amount be made without the rebate keeping in mind his paying capacity and be informed, accordingly.
5. In this way, farmer will not lose his land pledged with the bank and he will able to do his farming with enhanced help in shape of soft loan, easy installments of the principal and interest amount.
6. With these measures farmers will get a breather with boost in his income and he will be able to work afresh and would start earning and start paying his loan, availed.
7. What I think that small and petty farmers with very little land holding are hard working, honest, loyal and very much emotionally attached to their such property which has been inherited from their ancestors. They avail very little loan with no bad intention but due to the circumstances, some time, beyond their control faces such problems and are not able to repay the same to the banks and banks when threaten them that their mortgaged property will be auctioned or sold, they not able to bear such humiliation in the public and are forced to commit suicide.
8. I will request to Minister of Finance in Government Of India and in States to stop waiving off such loans and should form a uniform policy for all such loans availed by the farmers.
9. While making such uniform policy, only for the benefit of stressed loans of the farmers, Government should boldly and clearly tell the committee to prepare a comprehensive, easy to be implemented and in the best interest of the farmers with small or little land holdings with mention of how and with what measures such poor small farmers can be helped so that they are helped in such a way that they start working to farm their land and earn their livelihood to be able to take care of themselves and their families, also save their land holding.
If such measures are taken, lives of the farmers thinking of committing suicides will be saved.
Ram Kumar Garg
“ Discriminatory, Iniquitous , Legally untenable”
We live in an unequal society, full of disparities, anomalies. Consider Members of Parliament. Supremely arrogant. Their penchant for VIP status, hatred for parity with common man, is well known. They are Law makers; can frame rules for themselves. Austerity is no consideration. Though expected to lead by examples, their life-style is matchless. Have a look at their extravagant lifestyles. Highly subsidised. All at taxpayers cost.
Consider following scales of salaries, perks, privileges, immunity, exemptions,admissible to MPs :
(a) Monthly salary of Rs 50,000;
(b)Free laundry services;
(c) heavily subsidised canteen food @ Rs 30 per thali(Veg) and Rs 90 (non-veg);
(d) Daily allowance @Rs 2000 per day for signing Parl register;
(e) Monthly allowance @Rs 45,000 for constituency work;
(f) Monthly allowance @Rs 45,000 for office expenses (stationary, PA etc );
(g) MPLAD scheme worth Rs 5 crores per annum involving recommending development works to DMs- Rampant corruption, less said the better ; Euphemistically called ATM scheme.
(h) MPs can avail 34 single air journeys during a year with his/her spouse. The MP's spouse/companion can also travel alone eight times in a year to meet the member. The amount is included in 34 journeys;
(i) The MP is entitled to a non-transferable first class AC train pass allowing him/her to travel in any train. The MP is also entitled to one first class and one second class fare each time the MP travels;
(j) Rent-free flat or hostel accommodation; Licence fee for Lutyens bungalow;
(k) An MP can have three landline telephones. One each to be installed at MPs residence and office in Delhi and one at the MP's usual place of residence or any such place selected by the MP;Two mobile phone connections with 3G facilities Total number of free calls on landline and mobile phones is 1,50,000 local calls per year. The 3G data charge is also adjusted within this amount;
(l) Age is no bar for MPs.
Conclusions :
MP's cost to country is among the highest. They, along with muftkhor journalists , Parliament staff , security personnel and guests visiting Parliament house, should feel ashamed to ask for subsidized canteen food. Do they come from the Mars ? Though a monthly pay packet of Rs 1.6 lakh might not be enough for an Indian MP, the perks they get can easily dwarf their salaries. MPs also get pensions for life irrespective of years of service
Why target Senior citizens ?
Against this background, contrast MPs’ concessions with the plight of Senior citizens. The Railways has appealed to all Senior Citizens to exercise the option of foregoing subsidy on purchase of reserved class tickets. This reflects Finance ministry’s insensitivity, apathy and unconcern. Funds have not been allocated by MOF for such concessions in the current fiscal . The concessions, it is threatened, could even be done away with altogether for Senior citizens . Can the Finance Minister show guts to ask all ministers in present political dispensation to forego all kinds of subsidies, a drain on public exchequer ?
A K Saxena (A retd civil servant)