Implement Right to Services, civil servants and the public would be saved

We have now before us the case of P.J.Thomas who had to quit as Chief Vigilance Commissioner following Supreme Court verdict against his appointment. Everyone must abide by the diktat of the court, and he has resigned.

But there is a problem sticking with the civil service. Should not they have to say yes to the demands of the political bosses? If not, would not they be chucked out or dumped in some inconsequential posts?

There may be some civil servants who would happily and overenthusiastically do everyting for the political bosses-meaning they would crawl when they are asked to bend.

Then there are others who would obey grudgingly fearing that there would be repercussions. Over-enthusiasm, fear and other interested dimensions can be tackled, if the civil service can be allowed to function legally and with a service motive.

Suppose we have a Right to Services Act which says whatever services are offered by various government institutions, bodies and entities dealing with public affairs, would be done by the official concerned within a timeframe of a few weeks. Otherwise they would be penalized, if there are no cogent reasons against non-action.

The person would not dance to the tune of the political bosses. Law will take its course, for him or her.

The Right to Information Act has more or less worked because there was a penal clause against the information officer who does not divulge the information to the seeker within a justifiable time-frame.

This is not enough, the Right to Information should have a promotion to the Right to Services, for the good of the civil servant as well as the people. The civil servant would not hesitate to take action, he or she would not kowtow to the unjustifiable demands of the political bosses. If he or she demurs, the person would suffer for it. That way avoidable problems can be solved and the public would have a heaven of a service.

In the international arena, what India is dubbed about is with regard to the governance deficit on account of corruption.

The whole image can be salvaged if the Right to Services Act is brought in and implemented.

Some of the same players would remain in the Assembly election arena in Kerala

No doubt, Kerala will have old players calling the shots in the Assembly elections being held on April 13, in all the parties and fronts, even if some have crossed over to rival fronts.

It is certain we would have V.S.Achuthanandan, Oommen Chandy, K.M.Mani, K.R.Gowri Amma, M.V.Raghavan, T.M.Jacob and the like. Mani would insist on giving the Thodupuzha seat to P.J.Joseph, but there would be UDF internecine actions against Joseph, even if he is given the seat. The Congress Party apparatus in Idukki district is dead against Joseph’s candidature. Joseph seems to be prepared to take the risk, for he has a history of taking electoral risks.

Mani would seek a bigger portion of the electoral cake, and the Congress may give in a bit.

M.P.Veerendrakumar would decide for himself whether he would try his hand at the Assembly elections. Son Sreyamskumar would definitely be there.
Controversy-marred P.K.Kunjalikutty has an option to keep off, to save the UDF. But that is for him or the Indian Union Muslim League to decide. Or would the Congress press for it, at least in camera?

If Kunjalikutty is kept out, would Muneer be allowed to be in?
Gowri Amma wants an assurance from the Congress that it would ensure her victory. But the Congress Party seems to be looking askance at her demand for five seats for her party, the JSS.

The candidate list of CPI, RSP etc would also have some of the current leaders.
Seat sharing among the UDF partners, candidate selection in the Congress Party etc would be formidable for the UDF. The bargain would be much harsher than that in the LDF, for the LDF has lesser number of partners and there are a large number of available seats.

For the Congress Party, the exercise as is its wont would be a last-minute affair. Most probably, K.Muraleedharan and sister Padmaja would get seats. If Muraleedharan keeps a low profile and works for the party, it would do him good.
KPCC President Ramesh Chennithala, V.M.Sudheeran and others would be there in the list.

The great electoral exercise in five states announced, life-and-death ambience for many parties

Elections to five states have been announced and in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry (Pondicherry) it would be on April 13, a day prior to the festival of Vishu. All the three states will have single-phase election. In Assam, there will be two phases and in West Bengal there will be six phases. Counting for all states will be on May 13, when the fate will be sealed.

For the CPM, West Bengal has been shaking, something unthinkable a few years ago. Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress is itching to take over after more than 30 years of leftist rule there.

As per the relevant experience, Kerala has been returning Congress-led UDF and CPM-led LDF regimes one after the other. Neither front has been able to retain power after one tenure. In that case, CPM-led LDF will have to bite the dust. A double blow for the CPM, indeed.

But the CPM, in recent days, has been pleased with the harsh developments overtaking some leaders of the UDF. Balakrishna Pillai is in jail in the Idamalayar case, nothing less than one-year rigorous imprisonment. And he cannot contest the forthcoming elections either. Of course, his son, K.B.Ganeshkumar is very much there to lead the party.

P.K.Kunjalikutty of the Indian Union Muslim League has been exposed by his own co-brother, alleging that the sex scandal from which he escaped earlier was because of suppressive measures. Now the arena is filled with moves and counter-moves.

Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan and his son, Arunkumar, have been attacked by the UDF with wrong-doings. One allegation is that the Chief Minister withdrew from the move to cause a CBI inquiry into the lottery muddle. Achuthanandan puts the onus on the Central Government led by the Congress. The Congress puts the blame on the Chief Minister as he was wrongly influenced by his son, the allegation goes.

Now the arena is agog with a lot of allegations, with the Chief Minister saying that a lot of UDF leaders would go to jail for their wrong-doings.

There has been a move to drag Chief Ministerial hopeful Oommen Chandy in the palmolein case. Things are hotting up, with Achuthanandan himself likely to contest the elections again.

Will it bring in an inclusive growth?

Pranab Mukherjee has spoken through his budget proposals which, let us hope, would bring in inclusive growth, without which the country cannot claim actual progress.

A country with five million people living below the poverty line, meaning a lot of them are going hungry every day, should be able to say this country’s progress belongs to them also.

Micro financing companies would get Rs 100 crore and poor people would remain linked to that. Would they be left out of the bigger banking system?

Bringing back Rs 140 lakh crore black money stashed abroad by politicians, businessmen, and other worthies is not an easy task. The Finance Minister says some five-step process is being pursued. That will not bring back the money.

Maybe, no government can outrightly say let the black money be brought back to the country, we will pardon you, or there could be some sort of voluntary disclosure. Perhaps, it would be better than leaving the gargantuan amount of money being kept abroad.

The US could get back their money from abroad because of their strength, other countries would answer to its call. Otherwise, it would pester them. India has not reached that stage in arm-twisting.

So dealing with black money is as good as left out.

Middle class people are taken care of, income tax ceiling limit hike, considering 60 year-olds as senior citizens, special provision for very senior citizens etc are definitely good.

The government says there would be direct payment of subsidies regarding cooking gas, kerosene and fertilizers for below-the-poverty line people.
There is a provision of Rs 1.61 lakh crore for food security, which should indirectly help the farm sector as well as the poor people. Rural employment payment would be inflation figures-based.

Would it finally end up with winding up our public distribution system and the ration shops?

For Kerala, there is a grant of Rs 100 crore for a veterinary unit at Pookode and Rs 50 crore for Malappuram campus of Aligarh Muslim University.

Kochi Metro has not found mention whereas other Metros have got provision.

LDF Government means business, it is trying to nab more UDF leaders in palmolein case

Now it has become clear, the LDF Government would not spare anyone from being netted in the palmolein case, if there is slight possibility.

On Saturday, it filed a petition before the Special Judge and Enquiry Commissioner looking into Vigilance cases, to have a re-investigation in the palmolein case now that new revelations have come up.

It has also been mentioned that there would be other accused in the case.
The case has been posted to be heard on March 7, when it could be known what are the new grounds being bandied about.

After the demise of former Chief Minister K.Karunakaran, T.H.Musthafa who was the Food Minister during the palmolein import has become the first accused.

He has filed a discharge petition before the court mentioning that just as the-then Finance Minister Oommen Chandy was not included in the array of the accused, he should also be excluded from the case.

Now this mention has given a stick for the LDF Government to beat the UDF leaders with. Even as Musthafa has later been saying that he had not said anything against Oommen Chandy, his comparison has raised eye-brows.

Now the LDF Government is picking up from this point and trying to rope in others, possibly Oommen Chandy.

Sound and fury would aggravate in the coming days, prior to Assembly elections

Kerala is now witnessing a cacophony of allegations by the LDF against UDF and by the UDF against the LDF, particularly Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan and his son, Arunkumar.

It seems the UDF had a soft corner earlier towards the Chief Minister as he was involved, the UDF thought, in a diatribe against his detractors in the CPM. The UDF had given the party a long rope to entangle itself in the war cry among the leaders.

Now that elections are around the corner, that situation has changed, for the Chief Minister is going hammer and tongs against the UDF leaders and the CPM as a whole is jubilant about it. Now the UDF, particularly the Congress Party, has energised itself attacking the Chief Minister with allegations on a daily basis about his son’s alleged involvement in murky matters.

The LDF Government is issuing last-minute orders on a daily basis apparently to appease the electorate. There is no harm in it, for any government would be doing such things to refurbish its image as a welfare entity.

But then, the Opposition has every right to rip open the farcical exercise, if any, of the ruling dispensation. And the people at large would take a decision at the hustings.

But then the people should not be overburdened with an overdose of emotional largesse and the allegations and counter-allegations should not erupt out into a law and order problem.

Some people are like the ilk of M.A.John, Fate would not allow them in abodes of power

M.A.John was a well-read man, a scarce variety in politics, and when such few persons in politics with vast expanse of knowledge and thinking have got cosy positions, he was left without power and pelf.

People could say he was a maverick, the term the media confer on people who do not conform to ordinary and freely-available ways, even if the ways are evil to secure positions and pots of gold.

M.A.John was leading a movement in the seventies and there were slogans written on all conceivable places in Kerala saying M.A.John Namme Nayickum (M.A.John will lead us).

He used to address packed audiences and I have seen him speaking to a packed Senate Hall in Thiruvananthapuram, with the audience remaining in rapt attention. And he was an icon for students and youths. Could be he was a fundamentalist in idealism, which might have divested him of all opportunities. Corruption was anathema to him.

He didn’t care about the consequences of his speeches and views and thinking people would be wondering whether there would be such human beings in Kerala again.
No doubt such people enrich societal life with their unblemished record.

Will the new media herald in a new political era in Kerala? After doing wonders in the Arab world

We had media over-play in the politicalscape in Kerala over the years, but can we say that the media played a substantial role in any churning process in the State?

At best we can say that the media could play a role in establishing one-term left rule succeeded by another-term right rule. Surely, there has not been a devastating change in the politicalscape in the state.

We may have scams, assertions of good deeds done, X is better than Y, but did we have a revolution of a change? Not at all.

But we do not know what the most- new media like social networks would usher in for the people of the most literate state of Kerala. Literacy does not mean it could be harbouring a high-potential knowledge society.

It was the knowledge-society that ripped open a cleavage in the politicalscape in the Arab world, right through Egypt, Tunisia, Sudan, Bahrain, Libya and the like. The tyrants may strike powerfully against the popular uprising, but there cannot be wiping out of the knowledgeable minds.

But in Kerala, the resentment is there for five years against one set of parties to be quickly followed by the same sort of resentment for another five years against the same set of parties which were earlier given the reins of power.
All the same, we don’t have tyrants and tormentors, and that is some mercy

There may have been outbursts many, but let there be a clean slate for Muraleedharan in Congress

At last the Kerala unit of the Congress Party has cleared the request of K.Muraleedharan for re-entry into the party. And there is no reason why the high command should say no. On the contrary, Sonia Gandhi may re-induct him soon.

In the realm of politics, there may have been a lot of bad blood between parties, groups and individuals on one count or the other. Particularly so in the Congress Party. There cannot be an eternal block for any individual in the Congress Party as in the CPM or so.

For some time, K.Karunakaran and K.Muraleedharan had entertained hopes of capturing the party for themselves. But time proved that it could not be per se. Now Muraleedharan appears to be a chastened man. Karunakaran had particularly wanted his son’s return to the party.

After a lot of bickering, it was not possible for the party to take him back on the dot as he had requested. Therefore, much talk of the delay in his being drafted back to the party would not be desirable.

In course of time, Muraleedharan would naturally get his due in the party to which he was the PCC president once. But now he should not be carried away by exhortations of his old acolytes who may not be that dependable always.

All the best for Muraleedharan

Want transparent judiciary with ills uncovered or ‘potent’ judiciary with ills covered up?

We have to live up to the times, no limb of the Constitution should be left untouched in the matter of corruption. At least that is what the people want.

If there is a grain of truth in what is being blared out by some people against some of the members of the judiciary, even if the revelations be for their own selfish interests, it would be high time to go in for correction.

At least the judges who are clean and who live a life within the constraints of the judiciary should take up the matter and call for a complete overhaul. If all people go on compromising, thinking why should I court trouble by interfering, corruption even in the judiciary would prolong until an explosion time.

The charges are that the kin of former Chief Justice of India K.G.Balakrishnan have amassed immense disproportionate wealth, meaning getting support of the former CJI himself, that two judges of Kerala High Court had received bribe in the ice cream parlour case, that MP K.Sudhakaran was witness to a Supreme Court judge receiving hefty bribe in the bar licence case etc, unless probed and finalized, would besmirch the judiciary.

There can be no justificiation now-a-days to enforce a rule to see that nothing should be said against a judge, even if he or she is patently corrupt.
Advancement of democratic governance in the world emphasises the need for an open judiciary and not a covered up judiciary.

No doubt, the higher judgement of God Almighty, to whom every good and evil is transparent, would not leave a judge who dispenses justice on the basis of an illegal purse being presented to him or her. God would not spare travesty of justice.

If one analyses the futility of acquiring a lot of money, and that too quite illegally and to the torment of innocent people, no one would be attracted to graft of any sort. But then, men have lost their reason and it has gone to beasts, Jawaharlal Nehru once said.

Political leaders caught in the quagmire of corruption litigation

Each day brings in fresh developments one way or other involving political leaders in corruption cases.

When R.Balakrishna Pillai has been given one-year rigorous imprisonment in the Idamalayar case, another development is with regard to Kuriarkutty-Karappara project involving T.M.Jacob. The Supreme Court has asked for the review report regarding the project from the state government.

It is noteworthy that the state government itself had challenged the exclusion of T.M.Jacob from the irregularities in the Kuriarkutty-Karappara project. That means when V.S.Achuthanandan remains in power, Jacob may also have to suffer going through various procedures.

When things stood like this, the palmolein case is throwing fresh dimensions with former Food Minister and Congressman T.H.Musthafa trying to wriggle himself out of the case roping in Oommen Chandy in the matter.

Musthafa has filed a discharge petition before the special vigilance court, Thiruvananthapuram, saying Oommen Chandy who was the Finance Minister, had given the green signal for import of palmolein.

So why Oommen Chandy was excluded and he was included in the case, asks Musthafa. All these developments are taking place because of the demise of K.Karunakaran. Otherwise he could have been receiving the butt of criticism, but he had managed to secure a stay from the Supreme Court against trying him in the palmolein case.

Lavalin case involving CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan is also getting live. An open warrant has been issued by the special court against Claus Trendl, former vice-president of SNC Lavalin company. He has been eluding notices issued by the court earlier.

Now it is free-for-all, the situation opening up new vistas of campaign for the ensuing Assembly elections.

It would be interesting to note what Dr Thomas Isaac has to say through the budget

It could be a swan song for Finance Minister Dr Thomas Isaac n budget presentation for the time being, but he seems to be undeterred in his determination to present some innovative things this time as well, even as Assembly elections are around the corner.

Other puny figures may say what is the point in highlighting schemes which his government may not be there to execute. But it is the duty of any political governance not to concede defeat before the battle is over with.

And Dr Thomas Isaac says the people would decide let there be another stint for the LDF Government considering his budget proposals.

All the same, whether the LDF gets renewed mandate for governance or not, Dr Thomas Isaac has the right to speak through the budget, which he says would clear the path for Future Kerala.

Last time he had hoped to make some money for the state through sand-mining in dams, but at the end of the day he had the warmth to concede that the scheme did not yield much.

He had the good fortune to keep the treasury open on all days, for there was no want of money on crucial occasions. People may say there was stock money only because implementation of schemes was tardy.He cannot alone be blamed for non-execution of projects, for other departments also have to come up with vigour for carrying out deeds.

Of course, Dr Thomas Isaac’s coffer was immensely benefited by the hike in price of petroleum on several occasions during the last one year. There were five instances of hikes during the last half a year. The tax and duty on petrol would have resulted in considerable levy for the state. It is one thing you can go on berating the Centre for hike in price of petroleum, and it is another thing in economics when you get a lot of money out of it.

Politics apart, no one can say Dr Thomas Isaac is lacking in qualification and experience, theoretical as well as practical, for he has been doing a fine job. One hopes his image would not have been stymied by other mundane things like the lottery imbroglio.

Pepper spray, taser gun and the like essential for women travelling alone

We are living in an idioticm bizarre world, where everyone has fulminations, but no one acts timely.

The trauma suffered by Soumya, the girl who was attacked on train and raped on the tracks to death, presents inexplicable angles. The train guard could have spotted them jumping down the train. The youth who had told others about the episode should have been supported by fellow travellers and the railway officials. Nothing positive happened and the world is essentially poor once again of goodness.

People fall terribly injured on the roads bleeding when others look askance at the scene. They may help cats and dogs which are injured, but not human beings who fall down terribly injured. People are scared that the police would harass them and they have to go to courts all their lifetime if they help someone like this.

Speaking about morality and justice, one should not forget the fact that there are joints in various places where women are enticed and given away for flesh trade.

Young girls are trapped one way or other and they are presented to worthies in the society. No one would complain. In fact, operators of such rackets who are hand in glove with goons who protect them are roaming freely.
Drunkards and drug addicts are having a field day, for they have saviours belonging to the high echelons of the society.

For now, it is high time the authorities thought about providing pepper (red chillies) sprays and taser guns giving electric shock to women travelling alone. Employers should be asked to provide such protective gear to the women employees, for which legal and administrative provision should be created.

These should be available at ladies stores in plenty so that women can buy them at cheap rates.

There is no point in ignoring dangers prevalent in a tumultuous world.

This degeneration cuts across parties and fronts; and so all the culprits escape

Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan has spoken about degeneration in politics and democracy in Kerala. No doubt about it, but almost all of the culprits escape b y hooks or crooks.

Criminals engage in their activities, drawing in worthies from all political persuasions and connections. When all are involved, no one can be arraigned, at least in the final reckoning. Pressures would mount from all quarters to save real culprits.

When political leaders or other worthy individuals are involved in sex orgies, criminals involved would take advantage of them, no doubt.

When big leaders are involved, they would easily win over all the powers-that-be and get ways to wriggle out of the situation one way or other.

Just think about the dirty linen being washed in public in the ice cream parlour case. Now Justices Narayana Kurup and Thankappan have been drawn into the issue as having supported matters in favour of Kunjalikutty!!! There is no direct evidence, only a third party conversation drawing both the justices in the issue. And the conversationalist is an accused in Vithura sex scam!!!

Ajitha, K.R.Gowri Amma, Meenakshi Thampan, all outright activists for women’s rights, if not human rights, have been approached by various people for coercing them to take interested stance, according to reports.

At least there have been media reports about the alleged involvement of T.P.Dasan and P.Sasi, Marxist leaders. These may be false reports, but these have crept into the minds of the people.

Criminals have succeeded in enjoining a lot of worthies so that no cogent action would be possible in the final round. There would be some namesake investigations that would finally fizzle out. The criminals have succeeded.

Still, I would say Kerala mediascape should not be fully immersed in this washing of dirty linen, to the exclusion of other key issues that are very important to the common people. Now the media are concentrating on ice cream parlour and related aspects only.

People do not live by reportage of sex scams alone!!!

The revelations by Rauf, the co-brother of Muslim League leader P.K.Kunjalikutty, as rightly pointed out by Congress leader Oommen Chandy, do not offer any new angle to the sex scandal and related issues.

During the heydays of the ice cream parlour case that ran roughshod for decades media were flush with reports about the coterie that was doing everything to enable Kunjalikutty to come out of the case unscathed. Rauf’s name was also in media circles then and always.

For receiving such help, there would be a heavy price to be paid by such people. Kunjalikutty has learnt this lesson, it seems.

Kunjalikutty’s press conference was actually aimed at people who would be deftly influenced by Rauf and his team for their wrong-doings and manipulation, that he had no role and no responsibility for these deeds. In fact, that is a good gesture so that gullible people can be warned.

Sex scandals have a peculiarity, these do not fade out, however hard the actors try to suppress issues.

Those who were involved or allegedly involved in sex scandals in Kerala have had a hell of a time coming out of the vice-grip of the trauma associated with it. A wag had observed such people would go on devising schemes which ultimately would ruin their brains, causing a burst of the priceless intellectual property.

In a politically overcharged state like Kerala, the affairs of Kunjalikutty now the cynosure of further controversy, would permeate the very air and go on exploding. Only thing is that it should not overshadow the real and pressing issues of the people.

People’s lives need proper attention and governance, sex scams should not be the staple feed for them. Men and women would do anything for quick gains and pleasure. Not all people are like that and they should be provided safety, security and provisions.

If a political leader like Kunjalikutty fears for his life, what about common people?

Indian Union Muslim League’s general secretary, second in line in the IUML hierarchy, says his life is in danger from quotation gangs retained by his own co-brother, we should heave a deep breath and ask how did all these things happen and what are the circumstances.

No one should be harmed by blackmailing and attacks from goons, let alone a senior leader like Kunjalikutty. Some political rivals are attaching imputations to Kunjalikutty’s revelations as a measure to preclude further damage on account of some impending findings.

Whatever it is, people are concerned that a shadow is hanging over them with regard to safety and security. People should not be left to draw conclusions on their own, instead there should be proper investigation about the threat perspective and about darker elements lurking behind the camouflage of certain interests.
Kunjalikutty says he had worked in the past to benefit his co-brother who has turned inimical for some time now.

When private forces take control of affairs which should have been the domain of state forces, it is only natural that there would be boomerangs.
The general public needs the support of state forces which should be just and fair and considerate.

India has grown, developed and poised to soar up and up, but neethi and nyaya should also be provided to all

India is celebrating its 52nd Republic Day with various achievements and accomplishments denoting phenomenal growth in multiple spheres. We must be proud of the existence of the nation as one guarded entity amidst a multiplicity of diversities.

Around the time India achieved Independence, many other nations also got the same, but a lot of them have gone berserk with military rule or totalitarian regimes or namesake democracies.
But we have gone on drafting a glorious Constitution and adopted it to become a Republic in 1950.There were a lot of leaders who contributed to shaping up the Republic.

Some politicians may have gone on becoming selfish and corrupt, but that does not mean that the whole country is supporting them. The people at large want a corruption-free governance, but the regime is under the control of the mighty, always. And there should be efforts to cleanse the system from within. We cannot break the system and create chaos, for which the fight should be from within.

There are a lot of people the world over who would do anything for ensuring transparency. We do not know the intricacies of Julian Assange of WikiLeaks or the German bankman who are disclosing various secrets. Still the facts they present to the world attract a lot of attention, meaning the people everywhere want clean governance.

The other day a youth, Utsav Sharma, attacked Rajesh Talwar, father of Aarushi, on court premises. It was the same youth who had attacked SPS Rathore who was indicted in the Ruchika molestation case. From this it could be surmised that the youth believes that the system has failed in punishing certain culprits. His act is criminal, but suspicion would be created in the minds of the people about why punishment is eluding powerful people.

When the Republic grows older and stabilises further, rule of law should prevail in a better way. But the doubt is whether only the rich and powerful would get their sort of justice and the poor and the indigent are left to fend for themselves.
Definitely, there would be a higher form of justice which is divine would fall on those who bend worldly justice to their benefits.

I always have the inclination that those who dispense justice in this world in an indifferent way would be judged harshly by the Almighty. And teachers who deliberately trouble students, like giving marks lesser than what they deserve, would definitely get the curse of their wards and put to perdition.

The helpless who are taken advantage of by powerful people would suffer fire and brimstone in the bottomless pit, whatever be the Republic’s injustice to the lesser privileged. Those who enjoy and shout ha, ha over persecuting others and tormenting the just would meet with eternal damnation.

Irony of life: Indians stash ill-gotten money abroad, outsiders fleece Kerala through bogus lotteries

It is an irony of life in India; a lot of money is stashed abroad in various banks by individuals who could amass such filthy wealth using their position. America has got back part of its money thus lodged abroad, and it got penalty amount also. If India gets back all the money parked abroad by people who had got it by devious means, the country would at once become a world power, perhaps it can overtake China in money power. That is one aspect of it.

In Kerala High Court, it was argued on behalf of Santiago Martin of Megha Distributors by Manu Abhishek Singhvi of Congress Party, and later by others, that Kerala Government’s lottery ordinance disabling outside lotteries of devious distinction from operating from the State was interfering with the Constittuional powers of the Centre. Kerala Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan had sent a letter to the Prime Minister earlier that Rs 80,000 crore was amassed from the state by such lottery operators during the last four or five years.

And the court has accepted the arguments of the learned lawyers, for it can only discharge justice on the basis of the arguments adduced in its portals.

And now the ilk of Santiago Martin are singing the Constitutional usurpation of the country for fleecing the poor people of the State by running lotteries whose draw, details of payment of bumper and first prize winners, the venue of draw etc are kept in the dark!!!

There is no difference of opinion about this point with regard to Kerala’s Finance Minister Dr Thomas Isaac of the CPM and Congress Party’s spokesman Manu Abhishek Singhvi. They sail on the same boat with similar arguments.
The previous Oommen Chandy Government had banned lotteries of all sorts, in view of the monstrosity of the fraud going on here. But poor lottery vendors had taken up cudgels against the move and that was withdrawn.

Now it is up to the Centre and the State together to find a way out so that the poor people of the State would not be depleted of their hard-earned money.

Nothing done haphazardly, every Ministry move has political meaning

No doubt, considerable thought has gone into the tinkering done with the Dr Manmohan Singh Ministry, appeasing elements in Kerala to utmost extent.

Whatever may be the Opposition BJP harping against it, the Congress Party has a lot to do with regaining the reins in Kerala in the ensuing Assembly elections. Nothing should be left to chance elements snatching away a sure-shot State as far as the party is concerned. Reality check would confirm to it that a lot of under-currents are capable of fouling up the opportunity.

Nair Service Society does not outwardly appear to be particularly happy about K.C.Venugopal having been given a ministerial berth, all the same it is some relief for them. More measures like reservation for the economically backward among the forward communities, fetters in the education sector being removed etc would go a long way in humoring them.

Vayalar Ravi has been dreaming of becoming the Chief Minister of Kerala during his entire political stints everywhere. When the forces here have made a sort of arrangement with Ramesh Chennithala as KPCC President and Oommen Chandy as the natural choice for UDF’s Chief Ministership, Vayalar Ravi steamrolling as a candidate over others would vitiate the atmosphere. The high command has amply acknowledged his stature by providing him with the coveted portfolio of Civil Aviation, retaining his equally important folio of Overseas Indian Affairs. He has become a strongman in the Cabinet.

K.V.Thomas has also been given more powers of making decisions by giving him an independent portfolio of feeding the people, food and civil supplies and consumer affairs. Food security is a strong plank of the UPA II Government. And if Thomas can ensure food security, with all its inherent pitfalls, it would do him further good.

E.Ahamed was doing well as MoS External Affairs dealing with Gulf Arab and connected people and issues. He seemed to have liked the slot and so he got back the same. He could be happy, as well as his party, the Indian Union Muslim League of Kerala.
The Prime Minister has observed that there would be another expansion after the budget session of Parliament. Perhaps, before the next Assembly elections for Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry, some more appeasement acts would be extended covering Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, DMK in Tamil Nadu etc.
Tamil Nadu will have early elections as the term of its Assembly on May 16. The Kerala Assembly term ends on May 23. The Assam and Puducherry Assemblies have their terms till May 28.

The elections will be held for 234 seats in Tamil Nadu, 140 in Kerala, 294 in West Bengal, 126 in Assam and 30 in Puducherry.

Now West Bengal and Kerala are ruled by the Left parties, and Assam and Puducherry by the Congress. In Tamil Nadu, the DMK is in power with Congress support.

So, nothing has been haphazardly done in the present streamlining, every gesture has a political meaning.

Where does the problem lie with regard to Sabarimala? Crowd accommodation absent, only control measures set in motion

As is their wont, the police department, the forest department and Travancore Devaswom Board have filed their reports to Kerala High Court regarding the Pullumedu tragedy in which 102 pilgrims were killed in stampede. No one could prevent the tragedy.

The police deparment justified its position, the forest department too did the same, however the devaswom board blamed both the departments and at the same time it washed its hands off any wrong-doing.

Did anyone commit any wrong-doing. No one willfully did anything, but the problem is the unwieldy crowds at places connected with Lord Ayyappa which are too congested and incapable of developing into facilities that can accommodate such gigantic crowds.
In future, this problem would further aggravate, unless entrance and exit facilities are enlarged on a substantial scale. Now what is being done is to control the crowds. Tigers and Elephants get better attention than the pilgrims in the place which is controlled by the forest department.

Without sanctioning a substantial extent of land now with the forest department, removing tigers and elephants from the area being sanctiond, and developing facilities to accommodate the surging crowds of pilgrims, there can be no way of preventing such tragedies. All other efforts would be just a tinkering process.

Now the court has asked the Travancore Devaswom Board whether the Makara Vilakku is man-made or celestially occurring. What is the difference between the Makara Vilakku and Makara Jyoti?

Now the court can ask the board to do a little bit of reality campaigning about the Makara Vilakku being a human-lit light. Most of the pilgrims from outside the State come here with the impression that the Makara Vilakku is celestial light. The board can take some simple measures by way of propagation that Makara Vilakku is man-made and not celestial. Only the board can do so, otherwise the exercise would be misinterpreted.

Some white light is coming out about need for exposure of money stashed abroad

Governance in all democratic countries would be trickier in view of information about exposure of corruption and black money stashed abroad coming out in different ways.

Military rulers, autocrats and the like need not be bothered about revelation for the time being since they have the country under their iron grip.

In countries like India, it may not be good going for the rulers for long as information about financial malfeasance is coming out in different ways.

If there is no WikiLeaks type leaks, there would be other types of revelations. Now a renegade banker has come out with some names of account holders abroad.

Lately, the Supreme Court has verbally criticized the government for not divulging the names of account holders abroad which have been accessed. The court has said it is plunder of the nation’s money. Stashing black money abroad cannot be the domain of any particular political party or individual. All people who get black money, corruption money, sleaze benefits deposit the same abroad.

Global Financial Integrity, an international group, has pointed out that Rs 20.85 lakh crore of Indian money is stashed abroad.

All the while, people have been enjoying the benefits of the secrecy laws surrounding the banking sector abroad. Now UN has passed a Convention on corruption and laws are being framed for repatriation of money from countries concerned.

It may not be soon that all these corrupt deals would be brought to light and money brought back. But a faint light is visible from whistle-blowers of sorts. Governance may not be that smooth without taking some form of action.

He could donate money; but he chose to part with his kidney for the needy

Industrialist Kochouseph Chittilappally has shown the way forward in distributing the milk of human kindness by offering to donate one of his kidneys to a person whom he did not know earlier.

The is a sort of kidney exchange which offers to result in a kidney chain and it would not be a racket, if it becomes successful.

The recipient has to find a person within the family who will donate one kidney to another person and the link goes on like this.

The industrialist took inspiration from Fr Davis Chirammal of Thrissur who had donated a kidney to an outsider.

What our industrialists do by way of philanthropy could be nothing but donating some money to the needy. Our man’s deed is something akin to renunciation. His family members have concurred in with his intention, though reluctantly.

The industrialist also entertains some original thoughts regarding human conduct and life in this world. He had filed a petition before Kerala High Court seeking court’s sanction for individuals, on attaining certain age, to denounce medicines and surgery. The court has not given its opinion as yet.

There is a practice in the Jain community which is called Santhara or Sallenkhan, a procedure in which a Jain stops eating with the intention of preparing for death. This is different from suicide as it is not taken in passionate mood of anger, deceit or other emotions, but is undertaken only when the body is no longer capable of serving its owner as a instrument of spirituality and when inevitability of death is a matter of undisputed certainty.

The intention is to purify the body, and remove all thought of the physical things from the mind.

As well as giving up food and water, the ascetic abandons all desires and dislikes so that they can concentrate exclusively on the spiritual as they approach death.
Those who undergo Santhara are considered saints in the Jain community, although there is vehement criticism leveled against it by activists such as human rights protagonists. They say there is only right to life as enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution and not right to death.

Remember Acharya Vinoba Bhave had died by fasting in 1982, not heeding to pleas by Indira Gandhi to change his decision.

Whatever the religious implications of higher order thinking, Kochouseph Chittilappally’s decision to donate the kidney and intention to join the kidney foundation activities is, indeed, laudable.

Would be interesting to mull over V.S.Achuthanandan’s fate in his party

V.S.Achuthanandan is an interesting and probably intriguing leader of CPM who would not simply fade away from the party, definitely according to his body language.

He may not go the Nripen Chakravarty way in Tripura, who was expelled by the party. The gentleman comrade remained at that and lived for a 100 years. In between, the party had decided to re-admit him also, for sure he would not be a threat to anyone at that age.

The party set-up in Kerala could be vastly different from the entity in many other states. Caste, creed, forward or backward and other considerations weigh high on a leader remaining relevant upstairs.

That way also Achuthanandan cannot be ignored, for he has his own areas of influence. And he knows that very well.

His completion of the normal tenure of chief ministership itself, in spite of strong opposition to him in many ways within the party, is itself proof that he cannot be vanquished easily.

The latest is that Politburo member S.Ramachandran Pillai has announced that the politburo had not discussed the issue of reprimanding V.S.Achuthanandan for his not consulting the party before requesting the Central Government to order a CBI probe into the lotteries muddle.

Media reports are wrong, according to him. Naturally, the party would have got feedback that anymore action against Achuthanandan could be counter-productive. Achuthanandan may have his own trump cards.

What would be the fate of Achuthanandan in his own party in the near future? Would he remain a mute witness to the goings-on against him? These are all moot questions that would generate interest in the minds of party observers.

You go on increasing administrative prices and withdrawing subsidies; that is the easiest way of bridging gap, but that is not expertise

Once an Englishman, who happened to be in a Press Club for some function, an academic, commented to me about the magnetic effect of liberalization process going on in India during the P V Narasimha Rao regime. The gentleman was commenting about the administration’s success in bridging budget deficit so nicely.

True to my self, I bluntly asked him a question: “Is there any difficulty in bridging the deficit by going on increasing the administrative prices of commodities and at the same time withdrawing subsidies”. The gentleman was dumbfounded.

I was not expressing any ideological hiatus, for my ideology, if it is one, is co-existence of quick and efficient growth, at the same time taking care of ordinary people, whose income is much less.

I always say Indian capitalist system that has been wafted in has not cared to introduce the welfare measures introduced in copy-book capitalist countries.

No doubt, they are now finding it difficult to distribute the largesse of welfare measures as in the past. And there is considerable resentment in those countries. We have not even introduced the same and we are boisterous about the success.

What I mean to say is: Not much of economic expertise, least of all the wisdom of Dr Manmohan Singh or Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalliah, is essential if the fuel companies are given untrammeled powers to hike prices saying international prices are soaring.

This is unilateral, for the consumer does not know how the companies manage their financial affairs. Mismanagement costs are not accounted for. The easiest thing is to raise prices. There are many more taxes and levies on petrol and diesel, over which the people have no control.

Efficiency system calls for a set-up which minimizes the impact on common man. You have to think about streamlining and reducing other levies on fuel.

You speak about bringing down food prices inflation, but you simply think that the system, that is the common people would absorb hike in prices in course of time. But there is a limit to this.

Let common people, the privilegeless, know what transpires between the privileged in court regarding corruption

Ahead of the turbulent future that holds out for the humankind, with whirlwinds of savage forms of corruption, wrong-doings and debauchery of all sorts ruling the roost, it seems there would be a silver lining of sorts regarding the people’s demand for transparency.

The good and evil always co-exist together, for Satan lingers with the angels, quoting the sacred scriptures, to at least that way mislead even the straight and honest ones.

Perhaps in the quest of the people to claim a right to transparency of the goings-on, absolute privilege, qualified privilege and the like enjoyed by legislatures, judiciary, media etc would take a new twist at least in the distant future to give way to openness about what would be transpiring in the sacred portals of these august fora.

Meaning, people would want to know each and every utterances in courts, legislatures and other houses without camouflage, without juicy contents being suppressed. For by then, there would be openness of the form we have never seen before. That way, if the situation would have been such in the coming weeks, the people would know what lawyer Ram Jethmalani would utter in the Supreme Court on behalf of, say Prashant Bhushan and Shanti Bhushan , lawyers who have taken it upon themselves to work against corruption in the highest judiciary.

Ram Jethamalani has already told the court that if contempt of court proceedings are pursued, it would open a Pandora’s box. The court has said, okay let us witness what would be there in the box.

I feel there is no meaning in Jethmalani, Shanti Bhushan, Prashant Bhushan et al exposing all those stuff before two judges or a few judges, if it comes up before a larger bench, enjoying absolute privilege and ‘We the People’ who have framed the Constitution kept in the dark.

Times have changed, let the whole world know what would be transpiring in court. The apex court can definitely help the people in this regard.

The party is not too keen to take V.S.Achuthanandan back into the politburo?

The enlarged central committee meeting has been over a long time ago and subsequent PB meetings have discussed other matters too, but there is no inkling about seniormost CPM leader and Kerala Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan back into the politburo.

It seems VS is resigned to the fate that he would not be re-elevated to the highest executive body of the party in which the seniormost leader had a pride of place until comparatively newer members had consolidated their position.

Also it seems old war horses need not entertain hopes of rekindling the party with old views which have no moorings in the present dispensation. Perhaps the party does not want to live a life as in a social set-up of a century ago.

The PB is having a two-day sitting in Kolkata to take stock of various ongoing affairs and to plan ahead as to how to campaign for the ensuing Assembly elections in April-May next year. The party would try to retain its governance in Kerala and West Bengal, which is a difficult proposition in the given situation.

Meanwhile, VS has infuriated those who matter by seeking CBI inquiry into the outside lottery mafia in Kerala.

Perhaps, he is convinced that there is no gain by kowtowing to the official line in Kerala as well as at the central level in the party.

No one will bell the cat, isn’t it?

Lawyer Ram Jethmalani says everyone was aware of the goings-on in the judiciary during the last two years, but no one was prepared to speak out for fear of the Damocles Sword of contempt of court.

Now lawyers Prashant Bhushan and Shanti Bhushan have come out with statements about the wrong-doings of the judiciary, as claimed by them.

They have not been prepared to apologise to the apex court for their statement regarding specific corruption in the judiciary.

All these things emphasise one thing: No one should be kept infallible by the provisions of the Constitution and the laws concerned.

Earlier, the government had the responsibility selecting judges, but even that responsibility has been given over to the judiciary in the form of a collegiums. It seems the judiciary got further strengthened this way. And if someone had the propensity to go awry, by the lure of money or other forms of gratification, there was every opportunity provided by the added power. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

There is no point in blaming judges in a blanket manner, but if there is cogent proof, the people should be apprised of the fact one way or other. The weapon of contempt of court should not stand in the way of the people’s right to know everything. There should be checks and balances, anyway.

Coalition compulsions are there all right; but there should be a limit to it

Coalition compulsions have been the political talk at the national level and these influence even many of the state administration political fronts.

If the quintessential dimension of any governance is concern for the people coalition bandwagons need not be that nagging. For there are methods in the democratic set-up to deal with such situations, the last resort being bidding goodbye to the intolerable dispensation.

If a good-intentioned front approaches the electorate again with a clear mind and sincere objective, the people of India would not let it down.

Coalition compulsions need not be that indispensable, leaving everything to the whims and fancies of some partners whose political support maintains the government in question.

There should be limits set to every form of misdeeds being done by partners, guided by their shenanigans. If price situation cannot be taken care of because of coalition compulsions, drastic action should be taken to save the people from intolerable situation.
Even when common people are reeling under very many pressures, big companies and super-earning entities, which are allowed to absorb windfall profits without comparable cuts, have a field day. This is not to assert that large companies should be held in check, but their sweeping profits should be shared with the tax payers for which the government should take necessary action. The money thus obtained should be utilised for welfare measures.

What is the utility of a coalition for the people if their crucial interests are not taken care of. Bureaucrats, sitting on easy chairs, may brief the government in their own comfortable way, but it is the bounden duty of the political dispensation to feel the pulse and go in for drastic action.

Price rise is a real issue, common people are suffering

India of the masses is suffering from the unabated price rise of various commodities which craves attention of various governments.

The Central Government and the State Governments may have many things to say, but there can be no alibi, for the people would have no faith in shirking responsibility. What must be done is a co-ordinated effort by the Central Government and the State Governments to bring down the prices by a slew of measures.
What is worse is the situation on the food prices front which does not indicate much progress in declension.

A meeting was held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and attended by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Sharad Pawar, Home Minister P.Chidambaram and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalliah to take stock of the situation.

Action taken was stated at the meeting, and perhaps what is more to be done would be discussed at the next meeting. Everyone agrees with one thing; that the prices have skyrocketed and there was not much respite even after all the measures that have already been launched.

That means more drastic measures are required; like import in bulk quantity of items in short supply and strict vigil against hoarding and artificial creature of adverse conditions.

In the past centuries, India had suffered serious famines, millions had perished for want of life-sustaining food, even in meagre quantity.

That does not justify an India of the third millennium, poised to pop on to the Moon and Mars. Let us first take care of the food materials.

Silence is most strident form of protest; just ignore tormentors

While watching the chat of ONV Kurup and M.T.Vasudevan Nair in a television channel the other day, I was stricken stark by the revelation that the form of protest that is most strident is silence.

Mind you, those who oppressed you the most would be hit hard if you don’t protest by outward gestures in any way. Just ignore them, however high and mighty they are. They would become puny figures in front of your silence, doing nothing about their taunts and machinations. They would become ordinary mortals in front of your higher moral ground through silence.

Jesus Christ remained silent in front of earthly accusers and the judge and jury. He said his kingdom is a different one.

Like that, your tormentors, those who want to do injustice to you for no fault of yours, maybe to please some pygmies, would lie shattered in the higher scheme of things in this world itself, not to speak of the other world.

I had occasion to interact with the noblest of souls in media and the silliest of them whom I simply ignored and dumped them in the thrash basket of my soul.

Dangerous situation as criminals escape to foreign countries and fetch a safe haven there

Kerala’s police chief Jacob Punnoose has disclosed a grave situation regarding the foreign connection of a large number of crimes committed in Kerala.
DGP Jacob Punnoose has said about 10,000 cases of 2010 had foreign connection of one sort or other.

It is a dangerous situation that anyone who commits a crime in the state can freely roam around in some foreign country, particularly the Gulf.

The DGP has observed that there cannot be direct investigation in the foreign country as the Kerala Police Act does not allow this sort of probe.

Many crime committers had secured bogus passports and made the slip from airports in Kerala using fraudulent documents obtained with the connivance of vested interests.

If the situation goes on like this, marauders of various kinds sublimating their deeds in foreign countries would be able to dictate policy matters to various governments in India with their ill-gotten wealth.

What is the trump card of K.R.Gowri Amma, does she have any?

A great plenum, as far as the party is concerned at least, is being held at Alapuzha on Sunday. The plenum refers to the one of Janathipathya Samrakshana Samithi (Democracy Protection Council) of K.R.Gowri Amma.

The crucial issue is whether the JSS should remain within the Congress Party-led UDF or quit the bandwagon to join the CPM-led LDF. There has been no overt invitation from the CPM to the JSS. However there were hints in the media that the CPM would be prepared to take back Gowri Amma, alone. There is no prospect of JSS being drafted as a partner of the LDF. But who knows what happens at the end? Gowri Amma should open up and speak her mind to her acolytes, at least.

Media speculation underscores the fact that a majority of the workers would not follow Gowri Amma if she gravitates towards the LDF. For, the motive is to cling on to those who are poised to be in power the ensuing Assembly elections.

Gowri Amma feels that she was not given her due during the last Assembly elections as some Congress people were responsible for her rout. The 91-year-old stalwart hopes to have another innings at the Assembly elections, but she should have proper support from the Congress that she would not be betrayed this time. But who would come forward to please her, that is the question.

Or is it merely that she wants all the five Assembly seats this time also as in the past for the party to contest? In that case, so much of hullabaloo was not needed, perhaps.

Many minuscule parties in the UDF are scared this time, that they would not get as many seats as last time, not to speak of Cabinet representation. T.M.Jacob, R.Balakrishna Pillai and some others are not feeling comfy. For the UDF, seat allocation talks would be somewhat fiendish, as it may not be able to appease all of them.

Shouldn’t there be a renaming of the daily print product?

In olden days newspapers were the only source of information for the people, and that too received after weeks or months of the event happening and reporters or agents carrying the news piece physically.

About those times, reports spoke about the news of Abraham Lincoln having been assassinated reached the UK months afterwards as brought there by a ship.

Now news is spreading like wild fire every moment, by digital and news channels. There is no point in the daily newspapers carrying the next day the news of the previous day as published by channels and other screen media like internet the previous day.

Daily print medium has relevance only for analyzing, expanding , giving wider backgrounders, and pointing out what next as comprehensible for a wider section of people, maybe with encyclopaedic explanation. The five Ws and one H aspects had already been carried by other channels the previous day.

So why not renaming newspapers as Viewspapers or so?

A lot of Keralites losing realms of common sense, dharma, gobbling up lust of all sorts

It batters the realms of common sense of the people of Kerala that various muddles could take place in this most literate state, considering the recent revelations made in various sectors.

People could get government jobs without even appearing for a test. The Kerala Public Service Commission feigns ignorance about the forgerers going strong in government posts as it is not concerned with the goings-on once advice about appointments is released. Therefore, it is not bothered about usurpers of posts.

So many of them have been continuing like this after paying lakhs to conmen. There were three from one family!!!

Still, latest revelations speak about candidates in PSC test centres getting answers in mobile phones through specially designed sim cards.

And these were for selection of police officers who when recruited should be discharging justice and fairplay to the citizens!!!

And police officers who got initial selection had to get training in swimming. As they could not swim, they get the services of others to act for them. And the illegal substitutes are none other than those police officers who had passed out of the swimming training!!!

In State Bank of Travancore, Pathanamthitta, a plus-two educated girl on contract appointment as data entry operator, defrauded the government of about Rs 1.50 crore by making corrections in pay-in-slips and diverting the amount to personal accounts.
And there are other scams amounting to crores of rupees. Lately, the family members of Justice K.G.Balakrishnan, are accused of amassing assets hugely disproportionate to their known sources of income.

There should be an introspection in the society as to how the people have lost their quintessence of dharma, conscience, absorbed the ambience of lust of all sorts.

Karunanidhi’s plate is full of woes, latest being resignation of Azhagiri

Mullaperiyar and Tamil causes are sentimental for various Dravidian parties, and others as well in Tamil Nadu. To uphold these issues they would go to any extent, even looking a little foolish to outsiders, going beyond the realm of common sense.
Another point of interest seems to be the family political fiefdom with Kalaignar Dr Muthuvel Karunanidhi as the head of the family. No doubt, Karunanidhi wanted M.K.Stalin to be his political successor and Chief Minister. Stalin was made the Deputy Chief Minister who became de facto CM.

For retaining the ground clear for him, Karunanidhi sent eldest son M.K.Azhagiri to the Centre, as a Cabinet Minister in the UPA II Government of Dr Manmohan Singh. Azhagiri, to whom Hindi and English are Greek and Latin, was simply whiling away his time, with bureaucrats and other DMK stalwarts, including his half sister Kanimozhi, holding the reins in Delhi.

Raja who was Communications and Information Technology Minister at the Centre has been humbled after his being cornered in the 2 G Spectrum allocation scam causing a presumptive loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore, as reckoned by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India.

Now as the Raja issue has become hot bad topic, Azhagiri has stepped in to make a pound of flesh in the given circumstances, seeking ouster of Raja from the DMK. He has resigned from the post of Central Minister and DMK’s organising secretary. Raja is the propaganda secretary. Of course, the exit letter has been given to party chief and father Karunanidhi. Kanimozhi has also been not soft to Azhagiri, it seems.

Azhagiri wants to remain in Tamil Nadu itself and he is preparing the ground work for his future moves. The situation would be interesting in Tamil Nadu, with rival J.Jayalalithaa of the AIADMK closely monitoring the situation to make it congenial to her.

Genetically modified crops; wide discussion transcending usual front followers should be welcome

CPM politburo member S.Ramachandran Pillai has shot the first salvo, rather quite unexpected revelation from the leftist camp.

Lately, another strong PB member Sitaram Yechury has offered his support to SRP’s assertion. Other middle level and a little lower level functionaries are taking to safe attitudinal postures, in accordance with ideological postures, but incorporating the latest U-turn by the party honchos.

No doubt, SRP’s argument has been well-thought out by the party’s decision makers. Perhaps, they had not taken its strong ally, the CPI whose leaders have taken blanket opposition to the GM crops.

In fact, SRP had wanted the technology to be pursued by government and related entities so that the innovations would not be a monopoly of multi-national companies like Monsanto. For no one can oppose research in scientific realm, particularly biotechnological innovations.

The principles of selective exposure and selective perception and retention as proposed in mass communication theories are being caught up with in the media sector in Kerala regarding the new attitude of the CPM. Is it a new attitude or a considered view to oppose only the monopolisation of MNCs?

Those who are supporting GM crops are exposing themselves to SRP’s views as direct support and those who are opposing it are also trying to cling on to their considered views on GM crops, saying SRP has been only opposing private monopolisation of GM crops.

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton and brinjal are only examples of genetically modified crops. Other things would follow. Many may not have absorbed the fact that Bt is a bacterium that is being reacted with organic bacteria of the native crops to produce a gene that would be better suited for increased productivity, immunity from diseases and propensity to withstand various aspects of harsh weather, soil and water conditions etc.

Great discussions should follow, incorporating views of independent scientists and intellectuals.

VS committed to CBI probe in lotteries scam, PB to discuss its repercussions

Thiruvananthapuram: CPM state secretariat meeting on Sunday discussed the issue of Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan writing a letter to the Centre, first to the Home Minister and then to the Prime Minister, seeking a CBI inquiry into the lotteries scam allegedly involving Rs 80,000 crore over a period of about five years.

It has been widely reported that Finance Minister Dr Thomas Isaac was against the issue being referred to for a CBI investigation. There was protest against the fact that the corruption involved during the previous UDF regime was not referred to.

Anyway, the party secretariat meeting which was attended by General Secretary Prakash Karat was told by him that the issue would be discussed at the next politburo meeting to be held on January 12. So for the time being the party state secretariat meeting was spared the responsibility of arriving at a decision.

Certainly there was vertical cleavage between the two factions in the party in the state regarding the outside lotteries muddle.

From the single-handed decision taken by Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan to get a CBI investigation into the matter, it was clear that he was determined to pursue the issue, come what may.

He had withstood his demotion from the politburo to the central committee previously Now political analysts are keenly watching the developments to see whether there would be a further demotion even as the state is going in for Assembly elections along with West Bengal and three other states during April-May 2011.

Right to Services Bill: Nitish Kumar is doing it

I have always been campaigning through writings for enactment of a Right to Service Bill, both at the Central and State levels, as a corollary or even follow-up of the Right to Information legislation. But governments have not been able to frame such a piece of law as yet, for various reasons of pressure from within, from coalition partners or other extraneous considerations.

Now the irrepressible Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister of Bihar, has come up with precisely that piece of legislation. Please read the report:

THE Central government may have failed to introduce Civil Services Bill which was drafted almost two years ago, but Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar riding high on his landslide victory is moving ahead fast in undertaking massive administrative reforms in his state.

Bihar government plans to introduce a Right to Service Bill, which envisages a stipulated time for services to citizens, such as issuing a ration card, power connection and birth and death certificates. And once the Bill is passed, there will be a major crackdown on efficient and lazy bureaucracy in the state. Currently, citizens need to wait for a long time to get these basic services, but this new Act will ensure severe punishment for bureaucrats who fail to deliver those basic services on stipulated time.

The Central government’s Civil Services Bill is however different in nature. Indian bureaucrats have been closely watching the development related to the Bill as it envisages to break them free from the clutches of their political masters in matters related to transfers among others.

Now listen to the version of Nitish Kumar himself.

What is this right to service?

It is going to be the biggest administrative reform in Bihar. During my Vishwas Yatras, I saw that people had to make numerous rounds of government offices for the simplest of jobs.

That is why we took this innovative step. According to the provisions of this Bill, simple works like issuing caste certificates, character certificates, medical certificates, birth or death certificates and passports will have to done in set time. If the work is not done within the deadline, the official concerned will be fined. One of the most important provisions is that the fine will be deducted from the official’s salary. These are small steps but will create a huge impact.

We are also planning to take the help of information technology later. We feel that people should not have to visit government offices for these simple things. The government is establishing common service centres, known as Vasudha Kendras, in every panchayat. These will be equipped with computers and internet connections. People will be able to drop their applications at these centres. They will be able to view the status of their applications on the internet.

This can be implemented at a later stage. But right now, we want to ensure that the common man gets the services of civil servants. Our main aim is to ensure that the common man has minimum possible interaction with government officials for getting his work done.

What is the status of the Bill?

The initial draft is ready. I am actively involved with preparing it. This week also, I had a meeting with senior officials on this. You can expect it in the next session of the Assembly. It will apply to all public servants. We are very clear about it. Both the Centre and the state government are spending money for development and this must reflect on the ground.

It is time other state governments also followed suit. Kerala Government should take a cue from Nitish Kumar and frame the legislation for rendering effective services to the people.

Let there be happy 2011 with more and more exposure of corruption and wrong-doing

Evil act will always be there so far as human beings sans the quintessence of dharma, neethi and nyaya survive in this world.

Even during the epitome of good governance by certain kings and emperors, evil had prevailed in one form or the other.

The ilk of Prof Moriarty in the Sherlock Holmes will do extensive research and invent new forms of wickedness and treachery, particularly as technology is improving by the day. These things cannot be wiped out, but of course controlled, if there is a will to do so.

In the murky goings-on, the silver lining during 2010 was that there has been considerable exposure through print, television and internet channels. There can be many examples such as Niira Radia tape and Adarsh Housing Society scams, land scams in Karnataka, alleged irregularities done by kin of a former Chief Justice of India, bank fraud and what not.

The lord of it all was WikiLeaks, whether some people like it or not. There can be argument that some of these were selective leaks. But then there should be efforts by all concerned for exposure of other misdeeds as well.

New tools are there in finding out the darkest deeds done by evil forces in any nook and cranny of the world. But there should be a will to publicise them.

The people have been a little empowered with the prevalence of Right to Information, though there are efforts to weaken the system. One should be grateful to Sonia Gandhi for saying a firm no against pleas for barring several information from the public domain. Mind you, there were people in the government wanting to stifle the provisions.

The weapon for neethi and nyaya, that way dharma, would be the opportunity to expose misdeeds. Let 2011 be not lagging behind any way in this respect.

The ilk of Niira Radia, coporate honchos, political and religious leaders and now judges

The ilk of Niira Radia can cajole not only corporate honchos, but politicians of all hues and contribute to religious institutions like Pejawar Mutt of Udipi by cornering the support of the all-poweful in politics.

If she can put all of them under her thumbs, one should imagine the ever-ready type of journalists, some of whom live like Ek Din Ka Sultan (Sultan for a Day). Make hay while the Sun shines, that is the motto of several of them.

We have only heard about the conversations Niira Radia had with many mighty men and some women. This should not be a selective leak, for there could be numerous other Niira Radias in many other realms. When all those conversations come to the fore , the people would have a bellyful of laughter. For we know that nothing will happen after many rounds of probes and after. Still there is thrill in this sort of revelations.

I sometimes think about a scenario. The world survives because there are a few persons of integrity on the precious planet which itself is going to the dogs. Such people are considered good-for-nothing by pleasure seeking revelers. Let them scoff at the straight and truthful people. Afterall, these days people should be learning as to how to eat lesser and lesser, walk as much and cut on vehicular journey, for life style diseases like diabetes are making preys of human beings everywhere.
Still, lust for everything by the majority is eating into the very fabric of humanity. How long will it continue like that?

Public Accounts Committee of Parliament has started vetting the 2 G spectrum scam with Comptroller and Auditor General of India Vinod Rai appearing before the panel and giving clarifications. Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh himself has offered to appear before the panel. BJP, and some other parties like CPM are against it, for they want a JPC and their stir would lose vigour if the PM has already appeared before the PAC.

Now comes another shot. Former Chief Justice of India K.G.Balakrishnan’s kin have been accused of amassing assets disproportionate to their known sources of income. Former Supreme Court judge V.R.Krishna Iyer has sought a judicial probe. It seems things are moving murkier.

The common man is baffled.

Discriminatory provision for appointment of college teachers withdrawn

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Government has seen reason and withdrawn the controversial directive regarding appointment of college teachers, for the present setting the standards straight for colleges run by minorities and non-minorities.

The earlier directive had put the colleges run by minorities and non-minorities in different categories. The minorities could select two of the subject experts from a panel of five being approved by the Vice-Chancellor. That would give leverage for the minority managements to have their own subject experts to some extent.

But in the case of non-minorities, the Vice-Chancellor would give two subject experts unilaterally, with the managements not having a choice.

This provision was astutely objected to by non-minority managements, particularly the Nair Service Society.

And the objection of the NSS had its grain of reason, for all the colleges had entered into an agreement with the State government, called direct payment agreement, in 1972 in which the mode of appointment was specifically included.

Any violation from the terms contained in the direct payment agreement, and that too with discrimination, could have been a shattering situation in the higher education sector.

Even with regard to changing terms and conditions for appointment of college teachers, much emphasis is there in the direct payment agreement, which cannot be tinkered with easily.

Yes, Endosulfan victims need rehabilitation and specialized treatment

No doubt, National Human Rights Commission chairman and former Chief Justice of India K.G.Balakrishnan, after visiting various places in Kasaragod district, has observed that specialist hospitals should be set up to take care of the victims of Endosulfan.
A special package should be set up for the rehabilitation and treatment of victims, particularly children.

There should be more palliative care centres to look after the ailing victims.
Justice Balakrishnan also observed that he would impress upon the Agriculture Ministry and the Environment Ministry of the pernicious consequences of use of Endosulfan.

One comment made earlier by noted writer M.T.Vasudevan Nair is noteworthy. He could not stand visiting Endosulfan victims due to the sheer bizarre nature of the deformities suffered by them as impact of Endosulfan use.

We have the responsibililty to safeguard the interests of all, and as Endosulfan and its varieties have adversely impacted human beings to a bizarre level, there should be no hesitation in taking action for the welfare of the people.

Will Karunanidhi condone the CBI raids on his clan?

Congress Party can say it wants to project the image that it does not condone corruption. The government has taken steps in various scams including Commonwealth Games, Adarsh Housing Society, 2 G Spectrum allocation and the like.

Now the CBI, which is being directed by the Supreme Court, is increasing the momentum of raids. And that includes the premises of those close to the DMK. The NGO with which Karunanidhi’s daughter Kanimozhi is associated has not been spared. Karunanidhi’s third wife Rajathiamma’s auditor has been raided. Kanimozhi is Karunanidhi’s daughter through Rajathiamma.

If sentimentality is to be reckoned, Karunanidhi should be rattled by these developments.

It is a fact, DMK cannot pull on its government in Tamil Nadu without the support of Congress MLAs in Tamil Nadu and the UPA II Government needs the support of 18 DMK MPs. In extreme case, the UPA II Government may survive with alternative support from other sources even if DMK pulls out of the coalition. The pull-out would harm DMK more than it would cause problems for the Congress. And Karunanidhi’s archrival Jayalalithaa is looking for an opportunity to squeeze through and form an alliance with the Congress.

It is amusing to think about the bland statement given out by the DMK earlier that it was amenable to a joint parliamentary committee probe into the 2 G spectrum allotment scam. Was it thinking that a CBI probe could be averted this way? But the CBI has been probing the issue on the basis of comments made by the Supreme Court. Therefore, even if a JPC probe was launched, the CBI investigation would have continued.

It seems the DMK and not the Congress which is in dire straits now.

Mani is impatient, he wants more seats, wants Congress to conclude seat sharing job early

Things are becoming clear, with Kerala Congress (M) leader K.M.Mani calling for early exercise of seat sharing for the Assembly elections in Kerala.

Assembly elections should be completed by May next year and there are no indications of an early poll. The Election Commission of India itself had said there was no need for advancing the elections in Kerala.

The paradoxical situation this time is that the LDF, after having many of its constituent partners leaving the bandwagon, may not have any problem in seat sharing.
But that is not the case with the Congress-led UDF, which is severely struggling with opulence of front partners. Congress Party has not said that the portion of the Kerala Congress led by P.J.Joseph which had fused into the Kerala Congress led by K.M.Mani was part of the front.

There has been stiff opposition from the Idukki district unit of the Congress in drafting the Joseph group.

Now Mani has made it clear in a channel interview that P.J.Joseph would contest the ensuing elections, no one need entertain any doubt about it. More than that, Mani is expecting more parties to come into his fold. There was an attempt earlier for the unification of the Kerala Congress factions. Now Kerala Congress Balakrishna Pillai faction and Kerala Congress T.M.Jacob factions are keeping out. Maybe, these factions would have re-thinking. Afterall, the motive of all the factions is to have the maximum number of seats in the Assembly.

Now Mani is impatient to get assurances from the Congress Party, for he would not be game for giving in, with a small number of seats for his strengthened party.

The paradox of security and precautionary checks

The world has not been remaining the same after 9/11/2001 attacks in the US by terrorists. And America has since transformed itself into a scared and nervous power. Everywhere suspicion is lurking and they would have a check on all possible and impossible objects.

In spite of all the inspection, cross-checking, physical verification , surveillanace and so-called careful observation of everything suspicious, the world is not a safe place for human beings.

The overzealousness with which Meera Shankar, India’s ambassador to the US, was frisked and patted down by a security agent the other day looks, prima facie, ridiculous. The ambassador was wearing a sari on December 4 at the Jackson-Evess international airport in Mississippi as she was to board a flight to Baltimore after attending the Mississippi state university programme.

Perhaps, the security agents thought that an ambassador may be wearing a suit and not a sari. Ridiculous thinking, indeed, since there were officers concerned with her as she was at the airport and they had pointed out that she was India’s ambassador to the US. Was it not possible for the airport security personnel to get the bona fides of the Indian ambassador quickly?

By all means, take all precautionary measures, but not this ridiculously. Even as this sort of checking is going on, terrorists are having a field day all over the world. Even the US itself is looking askance at the terrorism links in certain areas for parochial interests.

The hardcore of US policies, strategies and actions have been laid bare by WikiLeaks and the mighty power could not stall the incursion into its inner security. When the innermost parts of its security apparatus has been sneaked into, this sort of undesirable frisking on a woman ambassador has taken place.

Ethics, social mores given a go-by; Wallowing in the mess may lead to chaos

Parents of some of the people who managed to obtain fraudulent appointments in government service in Kerala have recounted before news channels the ease with which the process was adhered to, something like people getting a visa for a job in the Gulf.

A girl who has obtained the black job has sought to be made an approver in the horrendous fraud case. Then what about her own two brothers who also secured the vitiated job? The father speaks as though someone else simply led them into this process.

Others may also have their arguments like the as-of-now prime accused promising to disclose the whole details of the fraud at an opportune time. Reports say the key operators have already run for cover and they may be seeking a way-out through the rigmarole of the legal system.

If what is coming out as rectification measures is correct, like vetting all government appointments during the last 10 years, the truth should come out, without covering up the fraud. Still Revenue Minister K.P.Rajendran and others have no reason for cheer.

One may dismiss the argument if it is pointed out that the society has become vicious, with a lot of the members of the society immune to any kind of conscious prick.

Ethics, morality and fair practices have gone down the drains, with the media truthfully citing the instance of the successful venture of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, a 24-year-old man, who did not mind letting down those who had given him money for setting up the venture. When the company was registered, it was done in his name only, leaving out the others who had been promised that they would be in the picture.

Such examples of people getting rich and turning successful through undesirable means may beguile the minds of the young who may also want to traverse the same route.
The US is troubled by the revelations through WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange is being proceeded against for other reasons, sex offences. That is natural reaction and there is nothing unusual about it. The revelations would be informative to the people, but then if Julian Assange has extraneous reasons to give out the complete revelation, definitely that should be explored.

Mankind is now living in an ethical conundrum and people are looking askance at social mores. If this attitude continues, there would be a time when chaos would set in and there would be no seriousness to any kind of offence.

Very bad example of democratic exercise

Parliament has been disrupted for the 17th consecutive day during its ongoing winter session.

Who is taunting whom to make a point? The ruling front as well as the Opposition front has won the situation in clamouring for a point of its own regarding the joint parliamentary committee probe into the 2 G spectrum allocation scam.

The ruling front is taking solace from the fact that it has accepted the demand of the Opposition to sack A.Raja, the minister concerned. The Opposition is not satisfied, for it insists on JPC, and perhaps may want the scalp of the Prime Minister afterwards. No harm in making demands one after the other, for that is the wont of the Opposition anywhere.

However, what is the point in prolonging the sham of a show in Parliament every day, some demanding JPC and others rejecting it?

By now it should be clear to the Opposition that the Congress Party is not amenable to a JPC, for if it had inclination to order one, it would have done so days ago.

Will someone suggest to the ruling and Opposition fronts not to befool the people, common people, majority of them poor and less educated. The tall arguments of either may befit the middle classes and upper middle classes, most of them relishing the studied lectures of sophistication, which may be good fodder for situations like the cliff-hanger decision making time in our higher courts.

The ordinary people may not be amused by all these tactics and tantrums. They want action, results, good administration and way of life that would sustain them and their children.

There is no point in the present goings-on in Parliament. Will someone take the initiative and call it a day. Better adjourn sine die and relieve the anxiety of the people.

This fraud is unimaginable!!!

Simply forge documents of the public service commission and other necessary documents and happily join government service without even appearing for a selection test!!!
People were shocked to hear the news item about this massive fraud. There cannot be execution of this fraud without the complicity of many people at various realms.

Years ago, one had heard of one L.S.Asokan of Kerala University, an Assitant Registrar, simply issuing pre-degree marklists with the desired marks on making a payment. Apparently, he had apprised the beneficiaries that necessary changes were made in the original records of the university.

What a pity, this sort of fraud is taking place in the most literate state of Kerala!

Various media have reported confessions of certain people involved saying they were made to believe that the names of the fraudulent appointees were being included in the official list of the public service commission!!!

As many as three persons of one family have secured fraudulent appointments by paying Rs 23 lakh.The parent who paid the money himself appears to have been responsible for misappropriation of Rs 80,000 years ago while he was working as a postmaster.

All right, now that the fraud has come to light, approach the issue with the view that this is only the tip of the iceberg. All appointments made in various departments of various districts for at least a decade should be verified with the records of the public service commission.

No one should be spared. Also it should be ensured whether a powerful racket is working in the state to cheat the people and vitiate the bureaucracy.

Take heed: Endosulfan is capable of being highlighted as an election issue

No doubt, the fall-out of indiscriminate use of Endosulfan, the destructive pesticide, has been severe and inhuman. We have been listening to reports about the catastrophic effect on human beings. Noted writer M.T.Vasudevan Nair had said he was incapable of visiting victims with deformed bodies, and revolting scenes.
Satirist Chemmanam Chacko has joined forces with the group demanding setting up of a sanatorium for the victims.

World renowned agricultural scientist Dr M.S.Swaminathan had said human beings come first in consideration and harmful effects on them should cause ban on use of Endosulfan.

Likewise, almost all leaders, political, social and intellectual, have fallen in line with the demand for ban of Endosulfan.

The after-effects may have been different in other states and other regions, because of the difference in the soil conditions and lesser propensity for the pesticide to mix with running water, streams and the like. In other areas, the impact on human beings might not have been highlighted.

Anyway, in Kerala, the fall-out has been disastrous, which has not been initially taken into account by Prof K.V.Thomas when he read out a speech on behalf of Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar at Kasaragod. Later, Prof Thomas saw reason considering the all-out opposition to the deleterious substance and he has become neutral in advice.

That a scientist who had endorsed the use of Endosulfan earlier is being pressed into service as chairman of a committee to look into the issue afresh has attracted widespread criticism.

In Kerala, the LDF could seize it as an opportunity to criticise the Congress Party, as it was Prof Thomas who initially made the opinion that no report had pinpointed the harmful nature of Endosulfan.

Luckily, the Congress Party in Kerala has supported the ban on Endosulfan. The State is on the threshold of Assembly election and the Congress Party , as well as the LDF, cannot antagonise the people.

The world has not withered away owing to info leakages

Everything is transparent before God Almighty, according to all Vedas and philosophies. Perhaps, WikiLeaks would prove to be a semblance of making things transparent before the world. Nothing can be hidden for long. That which is hidden in some corner of the house would be proclaimed from the roof-top, it is written.
Cynic would say the world would come to an end through the revelations. Nothing has happened after WikiLeaks exposed many things, which the US says, are not original but only comments or interpretations.

All the things which the US would have found it embarrassing to express to the world in public are coming into the people’s glare. Without looking into the legality or otherwise, one has to come to terms with the fact that the world has moved fast and nothing can be controlled the way it existed years ago.

When President Richard Nixon visited China in 1972, which was a sort of historic occasion for both the US and China as it paved the way for their elusive bonhomie, the Chinese people did not turn up at the airport or on roadside to wave at him. For the Chinese government suppressed the matter and the media were totally controlled. Maybe, for some more time China may continue to gag the media as it pleased, but how long? There may be changes all around the world and the Chinese people would also enjoy free expression of the mind and thought at some point of time in future. A Nobel Prize winner may be incarcerating in jail in China, but one cannot rule out changes taking place.

Likewise, Myanmar may also be a tightly closed society on account of the grip of the military junta over the people. Due to pressure now it has released democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Here in india a serious issue has been thrown up regarding right to privacy as sought to be enforced by people who had utilised their private talks (if talks on phone and otherwise can be considered private) to influence and meddle with public affairs, like appointment of ministers, cornering spectrum space and the like. Can private people expressing themselves to influence public affairs go under cover of this right to privacy? That should be the moot-question.

Exposure of evil in any way is not going to wreck the world, of course some people may be inconvenienced. But then selective leakage of such interferences, saving thousands of others elsewhere at the national, regional and state levels also does not conform to neethi and nyaya. Or is it that only a higher justice can take care of all these evil practices?

End this blood bath serial

Attacks on human beings would not solve any problem, instead these would only create more problems. It may be easy to unleash political attacks, for these can be easily arranged by those concerned as they have organized power. But what sort of problem solving could this be? Ultimately, these attacks would boomerang on the very same people who have launched them.

At one point or another there could be rift among votaries of the same political persuasion and finally there would be a spilling of beans by one or the other.
On Tuesday and Wednesday there were political bloodshed in Palakkad district. An RSS worker, Ratheesh, was done to death on a running bus. A CPM worker had got hack injuries on November 23. And the murder of Ratheesh was seen as revenge killing. Now at least three more CPM workers have been attacked severely and they are undergoing treatment in various hospitals.

BJP has observed a hartal in the relevant areas under Palakkad and Malampuzha Assembly constituencies. A stretch of road in the area was blocked for some time.
Hope peace would return to the area after an all-party meet convened by the district collector. All political shades should be able to operate among people.