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A K Pathak
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Imaginary debate between Prime Ministerial candidates
Moderator: Welcome to this debate. As you both have been nominated by your Parties for the Office of PM hence you have been invited. The Third and Fourth fronts have not declared any Prime Ministerial candidates. So let's start this debate ……..
Advani: Manmohan Singh is weak and meek…. I'm strong and aggressive
Manmohan: Your strength and aggressiveness were seen post Babri and during the Kandahar hijack!
Moderator: Sirs please you will get an opportunity to have a personal go at each other at the end of the debate. Now please let us know something about yourselves.
Advani: I am L.K. Advani and I've been in politics for over five decades. I've been the I&B Minister in the Moraji Desai Government and Deputy PM and Home Minister in the NDA Government. I'm fond of books, theatre and cinema.
Manmohan: I am Manmohan Singh....... I've been the Economic Advisor, Ministry of Foreign Trade, Chief Economic Advisor, Ministry of Finance , Director, Reserve Bank of India; Director, Industrial Development Bank of India; Alternate Governor for India, Board of Governors, Asian Development Bank; Alternate Governor for India, Board of Governors, IBRD, Secretary, Ministry of Finance (department of economic affairs); Member, Finance, Atomic Energy Commission; Member, Finance, Space Commission, Member-secretary, Planning Commission, Chairman, India Committee of the Indo-Japan joint study committee, Governor, Reserve Bank of India, Alternate Governor for India, Board of Governors, International Monetary Fund , Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, President, Indian Economic Association, Deputy chairman, Planning Commission, Secretary-general and Commissioner, South Commission, Geneva , Advisor to the Prime Minister on Economic Affairs , Chairman, UGC , Union Finance Minister. Since 2004 I've been the Prime Minister of India. I'm fond of reading.
Advani: And I'd like to add that Manmohan Singh has Sonia Gandhi's permission to say this.
Moderator: Advani Ji would you kindly refrain from these comments. What do you feel have been your achievements in politics?
Advani: I've travelled all over India to understand India. I have the lengthiest Yatras to my credit. As Deputy PM, I feel I had a hand in the achievements of the NDA Government.
Manmohan: As MOF I've been credited with saving India from the brink of bankruptcy. I am credited to be the architect of Indian Reforms. The Nuclear Deal and a host of novel pro poor schemes have been the achievements of my Government.
Advani: Not his Government …… it was Sonia's Government! Manmohan Ji if you say 'my Government' Sonia Ji will get angry!
Moderator: Now Advani Ji this is getting a bit too much. I've told you at the end of the debate you'll get an opportunity to express your personal views about Manmohan Ji. Now I'd like you to answer certain controversies about yourselves. First Advani Ji…….. as Home Minister how is it that you say you had no information about the release of terrorists in the hijack case? George Fernandes who was the Convener of NDA says you had information about this.
Advani: I had no information and George Fernandes seems to be suffering from some delusions. I have nothing more to say on this.
Moderator: Your response Manmohan Ji.
Manmohan: It is impossible that as the Home Minister Advani ji was not in the loop. There is more to this and in my opinion either way, be it he was in the know or not in the know, Advani ji comes out in poor light.
Moderator: Advani Ji why did you describe Jinnah as Secular?
Advani: Well the reason I did this was because Congress and many other Parties that are totally into Muslim appeasement call themselves Secular.
Moderator: Your response Manmohan Ji.
Manmohan: In my opinion via sheer lip service Advani ji tried to dilute his pro Hindu image ….. nothing more or less!
Moderator: Manmohan Ji …… time and again you've been called a puppet PM. Are you a puppet PM?
Manmohan: I'm an apolitical individual. I think right from the time I became FM it was very clear that I'd concentrate on the job and leave the politicking to others. Mrs. Gandhi looks after the politicking and I after the administration.
Moderator: Advani Ji your response
Advani: But as has been seen in your 'administrative decision' there has been a lot of politics! There is merit in the opinion that Manmohan Ji could not take any decision on his own......and this was not because Manmohan Ji wanted consensus but because unless Sonia Ji did not give the final okay things simply did not move!
Manmohan: As a Politician Advani ji you are aware of the compulsions. And when NDA was in power weren't you and Vajpayee ji under RSS's control? So were you puppets of the RSS??
Moderator: Okay please stop this personal banter…… Manmohan Ji it was felt that because of vote bank appeasement your Government was soft on terror
Manmohan: During NDA's regime there were terror attacks…... POTA did not restrict the terror attacks.
Moderator: Your response Advani Ji
Advani: I feel terror Organizations know that BJP means business and will not pussy foot on terror. In my opinion in UPA's rule the terror organizations felt 'comfortable'.
Moderator: Manmohan Ji as you are the incumbent PM I'm going to ask you one more question than Advani. Shouldn't you stand for Lok Sabha elections …… this entry via Rajya Sabha is not right when you have been nominated to lead the Nation.
Manmohan: It's not a Constitutional impropriety. And then in Rajya Sabha one gets elected by the representatives of the people. In Lok Sabha you get elected by just one constituency whereas in Rajya Sabha one gets elected by the representatives of the entire State!
Moderator: Your response Advani Ji
Advani Ji: The PM should be elected directly. Manmohan Ji is an election-less wonder and in indirect elections to the Rajya Sabha its not the will of the people but of the political Party at play!
Moderator: Please I'm not asking you to highlight your Party's manifesto…. I'm asking you personally what would you like to achieve if you were to become PM after the next election?
Advani: Secure India…… be it internal or external ………progress....... and showing that BJP is actually the only secular Party in India.
Manmohan: Pro poor and pro minority schemes. Education and job creation would be my other two priorities. And food security.
Moderator: You started with something about yourselves now as we come to an end to this debate please do say something about each other….. in a few words.
Advani: Seat warmer …. puppet
Manmohan: Jumping jack…... tape recorder
Moderator: Tape recorder?????
Manmohan: Yes with his penchant for recall
Moderator (addressing the audience) : Hope you all have enjoyed this debate. Now it's for you to decide or worry

Bharat Kumar
<aaj_ki_aawaz@yahoo.com>
Empanelment meeting of 1979 batch IAS on April 25 !
Meeting for the empanelment of 1979 batch IAS officers to the rank of Additional Secretary in the Government of India is now expected to take place on April 25.
Review of 1975 batch IAS
Review of 1975 batch IAS officers to the rank of Secretary in the Government is expected to take place in a couple of days.
Who will be new Foreign Secretary ?
Hardeep Puri's move to New York means the race for Foreign Secretary is now between Nirupama Rao, currently Ambassador to China and Nalin Surie, Secretary in MEA. Both are very aggressive candidates and belong to the 1973 batch.
A tug of war between Pranab Mukherjee & P.Chidambaram over DG, RBI
As the grapevine has it a tug of war has been going on between Indian
Home Minister P Chidambaram & his cabinet colleague Pranab Mukherjee
over the appointment of Deputy Governor (DG), Reserve Bank of India.
While, Mukherjee is favouring candidature of Kamalesh Chandra
Chakrabarty Chairman cum Managing Director (CMD) Punjab National Bank
(PNB) whose name had been finalized, but Chidambaram is favouring
TS Narayasami Chairman cum Managing Director (CMD) of the Bank of
India (BOI).
Jalaj Srivastava to join Commonwealth Games Secretariat ?
ED FCI Jalaj Srivastava who has been recalled by the Delhi Government is likely to join the Commonwealth Games Secretariat. He is 1984 batch IAS officer of UT cadre.
Satyam inquiry report submitted
Satyam inquiry report conducted by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs headed by 1982 batch Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS officer Ajay Nath has been submitted to the Government .
Who will be General manager, Southern Railway?
The Railway Minister is believed to have sent the name of CP Verma of Indian Railways Signals Service to the ACC for this prestigious post. On the other hand Karunanidhi is insisting on MS Jayanth of Indian railways Service of Mechanical Enginners, who has been General manager of Integral Coach Factory at Chennai for the last four months to be General manager of Southern Railway. Karunanidhi's logic is that if CM of AP can have a say in the posting of Union Power Secretary and Election Commissioner, the CM of TN cannot be denied the choice of a mere General Manager. If the PM accepts Karunanidhi's recommendation, Laloo's candidate, a signals and telecom person, will be posted as General Manager of a production facility producing railway coaches.
Dr. Shreeranjan to be JS Child and Women Welfare
Dr. Shreeranjan is all set to join the Government of India as Joint Secretary Child and Women Welfare next month. He is 1985 batch IAS officer of Assam-Meghalaya cadre.
( We said this on April 1 )
Pervez Dewan's term as CMD, ITDC ends on May 31,2009
As the grapevine has it Pervez Dewan who is serving as Chairman ITDC
on an extended term will by next month end. He is an IAS officer of
the 1977 batch who belongs to the Jammu & Kashmir cadre. The
Government of India (GOI) has approved his two years leave with effect
from April 2009.
Who will be the PS to PM if Advani rises to the occasion ?
Who will be the Principal Secretary to PM if Advani rises to the occasion ? This question is being hotly debated in the bureaucratic circles these days and the majority view is that he would be either Anil Baijal or Ajay Prasad..Both are former 1969 batch IAS officers Only time will tell.
LEFT to support Pranab Mukherjee not Manmohan Singh as PM ?
LEFT may, or may not, support the Congress in forming the next government if the situation arises so but one thing is certain that they would not support Dr. Manmohan Singh for the post of the Prime Minister. Last time when they did so, it was because of Comrade Surjeet Singh. They may, however, consider supporting the Congress if Pranab Mukherjee is brought forward as the next incumbent for the prize post.
Three Haryana cadre IPS officers empanelled for DIG level post
Three Haryana cadre IPS officers of 1994 batch have been empanelled to hold DIG and equivalent level posts under the Government of India. They include Mrs. Suman Manjri, Mrs. Kala Ramachandran and Shrikant Jadhav .
IDAS officer VI Mathew promoted
Indian Defence Accounts Service Officer VI Mathew of 2005 batch has been promoted from Junior Time Scale officer to Senior Time Scale and retained at CDA (0) Pune.
CVC penalizes Divisional Manager, National Insurance Co.Ltd.
CVC has ordered reduction of pay by two stages permanently in the case of
one, Divisional Manager, National Insurance Co.Ltd.
CMD NTC Pillai to get extension !
Hectic lobbying is reportedly going on for the extension to CMD of the National Textile Corporation K Ramchandran Pillai. UPA Government seems to be in a hurry to clear the file of Pillai's extension before the election results. Tenure of Pillai is coming to an end in May end.
Will increasing gap between Lalu and Congress lead to Nitish's rise to PM post?
The manner in which the relations between the RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav and the Congress are getting sour, it is not only clear that Nitish Kumar may come to the UPA fold after the elections but, if need be, he may even be supported for the post of the Prime Minister by the Congress.
Appointments of Members of Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT)Mumbai
The Appointments Committee of Cabinet has reportedly cleared the appointments of Members of Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT)Mumbai. The SAT Members are of the rank of Secretary to GOI. PK Misra, 1971 Batch IRS and retired Chairman Central Board of Direct Taxes, New Delhi and Samar Ray, 1972 Batch IA&AS and retired Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General of India are to be appointed as the new Members of SAT.
WB not to insure poll officials
Providing insurance cover to poll officials has been brought into effect in several other states but not in West Bengal. West Bengal state election commission would not be insuring polling officials, who will be on duty during the forthcoming Lok sabha elections, 'due to dearth of funds'. Failure of the insurance companies to clear dues on time has also been held as one of the reasons for taking such a decision.
WB SEC for ex-gratia to poll officials
Instead WB state election commission has decided to pay ex-gratia and a compensation worth Rs 5 lakh to those who die in harness. In case of physical disablement, the election commission has decided to pay a compensation of Rs 2.5 lakhs. The state chief electoral officer, Debashis Sen, said adequate security arrangements have already been made for polling personnel. "But we are not providing any insurance cover to polling personnel. Instead, adequate compensation will be paid in case of death on duty or physical disablement."
Who will succeed P J Nayak ?
Who will succeed Chairman of the Axis Bank P J Nayakj ?.Search has already started.
Ved Prakash to be Vice Chairman of UGC ?
Vice Chancellor of the National University for Educational Planning and Administration Ved Prakash is likely to be appointed Vice Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC).
Who will be ED Northern Region Air India ?
Who will succeed D S Kohli ED Northern Region of the Air India on May 1 ?.Three names of Mssrs Vijay Paul, Capt A K Sharma and Rohita Jaidka are in circulation for the post.
Rajasthan DGP proceeds on one month leave
Rajasthan DGP H S Meena has proceeded on one months leave. He is 1976 batch IPS officer.
Is the Supreme Court covered under the ambit of the RTI Act?
The CPIO of Supreme Court (SC) was requested to provide information on any declaration of assets etc. ever filed by the Hon’ble Judges of the SC as per the Resolution dated 7.5.2007 passed by all the judges of the SC which required every judge to make a declaration of assets to the Chief Justice which was declined. While directing the the CPIO of the SC to provide the information asked for within ten working days, the CIC observed that: - the SC is an institution created by the Constitution and is, therefore, a Public Authority within the meaning of Section 2(h) of the RTI Act. - the Act empowers the SC to make rules under the Act and entrusts upon them an additional responsibility of ensuring that the RTI Act is implemented in letter and spirit.
- the declaration of assets are filed with the Chief Justice of India and the Office of the Chief Justice of India is the custodian of this information. It is available for perusal and inspection to every succeeding Chief Justice and, therefore, cannot be categorized as "personal information" available with the Chief Justices in their personal capacity.- the SC is an institution or authority of which the Hon’ble Chief Justice is the Head. The Institution and its Head cannot be two distinct Public Authorities. Information available with the Chief Justice must be deemed to be available with the SC. Comments The PPF scam amongst others have brought into sharp focus the question of transparency in Judiciary. The RTI Act is giving a fillip to the such demands for informed citizenry.
Mrs. Anuradha Verma
Co-author of the book RIGHT TO INFORMATION - LAW AND PRACTICE
Delegation from Botswana in meeting CMD,NSIC

Delegation from Botswana in meeting CMD,NSIC
Dr. T.T.K. Matome, Chief Executive Officer of Local Enterprise Authority, Gaborone, Botswana visited NSIC and met Dr. H.P. Kumar, Chairman cum Managing Director, NSIC for discussion on issues of mutual interest and sharing experiences for the development of Small and Medium Enterprises in Botswana.

CORPORATE
Saran is now ED Bongaigaon Refinery
Anshumali Saran, Director (Operations) of erstwhile BRPL, has taken over as the Executive Director of Bongaigaon Refinery, Indian Oil.
Kapoor gets extension in Ambuja Cement
Tenure of MD of the Ambuja Cement A L Kapoor has been extended for one year beginning April 30.
Thariyan is ED of South Indian Bank
Abraham Thariyan has taken over as Executive Director of South Indian Bank.
Choudhari elected President of TMA
Anjanikumar Choudhari has been elected president of Tractors Manufacturers Association for 2009-10.
Pranav Upadhyay joins Havmor
Pranav Upadhya with long experience both at desk and in the field has now joined Havmor as PRO. His last assignment was with Gujarati Jansatta which had rendered many jobless through its compulsory voluntary retirement scheme.

Forum
Investors need to be extremely cautious
As rightly pointed out by aaj-ki-aawaz, investors need to be extremely cautious and not get carried away by the present spurt in the share prices. Prices of even extremely vulnerable companies such as some in the real estate business, have also shown very high jumps which are not warranted at all. In fact, some of them are so weak due to high debt and interest burden that they may even collapse. Therefore, the spurt is only due to manipulation by interested parties who want to dump their holdings on gullible investors and raise liquidity or make short term gains and leave the small investors with thousands of crores in losses. It has been seen in the last five years that the govt. agencies are not really bothered and sometimes have even facilitated such murky dealings.
R Swami
It is a world wide phenomena
If Manmohan Singh has to be treated as a weak person, then an insecure person who feels that that he has been 'ordained by the almighty to occupy a post' & that his sitting on a particular post should be 'national effort' is also a weak person. Indiscipline in public life and recession during the last few years is not unique to India but has been a world wide phenomena. One cannot compare India with the Western countries, on whom the God has been very kind in terms of weather, population and resources.
Anurag Shrivastava
BJP's promisse worries bureaucrats
Many bureaucrats are a worried lot since the time BJP has started harping on the issue of bringing back the black money stashed in tax heavens across the globe. In case BJP is actually serious about what it is proclaiming then these guys have something serious to worry about as well. It seems there is an informal word going on that defeat BJP at all cost and let our soft PM carry on.
MB
We all belong to a soft society
As Advani wondered, we all belong to a soft society. We are still ruled by a foreign power (nee) lady. Only mistake I can point out in the Kandahar reaction was the time taken to block the air craft in Amritsar. But at least there was a command and control in existence.
Can we say the same about Mumbai attacks? So many heads speaking in different languages. While Commissioner and other Police heads were speaking one thing, there entered a publicity seeking Local Area Commander, a full medaled Major General talking all bull shit about the operation. Then came the highest joke .A Marine Commando (MARCOS) Officer with his face bandaged(I do not know whether he had facial VD) with a black bandage and funny looking white rim dark glasses giving a long winding oration to the news seeking TVs. All these were going on when the terrorists were killing people in side the hotel. The NSG commandos could not reach Mumbai earlier since there were no air craft to carry them. It took them almost 1 hour to reach Taj from the air port, since they have to traverse by road. Why no air crafts were commandeered nor why did Navy not help them with a chopper. I am told that because of the impotency of both our PM and Defense Minister Service chiefs especially the Navy care two hoots for the Government. Thank God Kasab and party did not attack our naval ships which were only yards away from their route.
The problem with our country is that people who head organizations like IB,CBI etc are appointed on the basis of personal loyalty to the dynasty and not for professional integrity and efficiency. Even our rootless PM is appointed due to this reason. No wonder we became the laughing stock of the world. If any body finds a similarity in Nehru's baying when Chinese attacked us in 1962, he can not be blamed. There was utter confusion then as it is now in this incident.
At the same time look at how Pakistan faced the Lashkar attack on their Police Academy. It is a lesson to us.
N Krishnan
Follow our culture to protect ourselves from shoe-gate
A BJP worker threw a shoe on the dais that Advani was seated!!! Shoe- gate repeated!!!!! But please do note that the other two shoe-gates are of the political kind!!!! Only in PC's shoe-gate a non political reason do we find!! My comment on this is to keep out shoes and chappals outside the meeting hall or rooms. This is perhaps why Our Indian culture proscribes wearing shoes or chappel inside any house or rooms. Follow our culture and protect yourself from such attacks, shoe attacks!!
Srini