15 March, 2011 (English) - Bharatiya Janata Party

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Indian democracy and institutionsupholding it imperiledThe Bharatiya Janata Partyexpresses its concern andanguish at the prevailingnational crisis: An unimaginableseries of corruption, unbridledrise in inflation, lack of credibilityof the Government and itspolicies, disregard and dilutionof institutions, a complete lackof governance, and the deafeningsilence of those inpower. As a resultthere is a sense ofhelplessness in theminds of the peopleleading to cynicismand desperation.Indian democracyand the institutionsupholding it areimperiled. Thishappened once earlierin the ‘70s when theCongress declared astate of Emergency.Now, again thanks tothe Congress ledUnited ProgressiveAlliance (UPA), Indiais being pushed to thebrink. There is a crisisof confidence in theminds of our citizens.Administration has come to astandstill. Remedies andsolutions are not forthcoming formonths, now two years, even onan issue such as the food priceinflation.Growth or Inflation? Canattend to only one!This government’s obsessionon growth, uncaring as itremains about the rising foodMarch 1-15, 2011 14prices was not justified even bythe Reserve Bank of India whenit observed, “inflation needs tobe controlled if growth has to besustained…”It may not be out of placehere to remind that during therule of National DemocraticAlliance (NDA) led by Shri AtalBihari Vajpayee, inflation waskept well reined in. Based onConsumer Price Index (CPI), theyear-on-year December rate ofinflation clearly indicates thatsince the UPA came to power,inflation is only rising andstubbornly remains now for 3years continuously near or over10%.A cruel reminder is that theFood Price Inflation has hoverednear 15%-18% in the last 24months. They have failed to takeany substantial remedial stepsto curb inflation. They shifted theblame by saying that hoardersand black marketers were states’responsibility.In fact even on that matter,the non-Congress States were farbetter in clamping down onPolitical resolution passed by BJP National OfficeBearers meeting in Kolkata on 15 February 2011these operators, but their actionswere not supported by theGovernment at the centre. Worsestill, the faulty policies of thecentral government in exportingfood grains and sugar at lowerprices without an understandingof the demand and supplyposition, and then importing thevery same commodity at pricesthree times higher have only
complicated the matter. Theworsening fiscal deficit and thegrowing external borrowings arefurther weakening the economy.Money laundering addingto inflation?As the facts and figures ofthe series of scams are openingup, money trails are beingestablished. They show thatsince 2007 slush and illegalmoney from tax havens arecoming through various routesand most financial sentinels hadnot even blown the whistle, untilthe Comptroller and AuditorGeneral (CAG) flagged off suchissues both on 2G spectrum andthe CWG scandals.Money laundering, likenever before has emerged inIndia. The blatant nexus ofrealtors, corporate builders,bureaucrats and politicians isthreatening India. But not theUPA! It took more than a year,even after sustained media andOpposition pressure for theGovernment to file a FIR, albeit,without naming anyone!India is a member of theFinancial Action Task Force(FATF) on Money Laundering.This is an inter government bodywith an objective to develop aninternational response to combatmoney laundering. FATF laysspecial emphasis on monitoringtransactions with PoliticallyExposed Persons (PEPs).Notwithstanding, under theUPA, institutions have beensilenced that they failed to raisean alarm on the large scalemoney laundering by the scambeneficiaries. They have allowedtransactions to carry on. Eventoday their perpetrators moveabout freely and with impunity.Black Money abroadLegally earned but taxMarch 1-15, 2011 15evaded money and crime moneyare both stashed abroad. TheUPA after coming to power in2009, promised to act within a100 days to initiate steps to getthe crime money back. TheFinance Minister is well awarethat black money became amatter of debate at the G20 meetin 2009. India is yet to ratify theUN Charter on Corruption. Byratifying, India stands to gainwhen demanding informationon black money abroad. Clearly,there is a hesitation on the partof the UPA to move forward!One list of Indians who heldmoney in Liechtenstein, it isclaimed, reached GOI two yearsago. Not till the Supreme Courtcame down on the Governmentfor failing to act on the matterdid the UPA start its effort. Eventhen, it formed only a multidisciplinary group to estimatethe actual quantum of blackmoney abroad and to suggest theway forward. The SupremeCourt’s observation said it all:“It is a pure theft of the nationalmoney…a mind boggling crime,is plunder of the nation and thatis the pure truth.” The GlobalFinancial Integrity claims thatIndian money in Swiss banksalone is estimated to be Rs 20.85lakhs crores. Roughly, Indianblack money abroad is estimatedto be more than 10 times India’sforeign debt.The black money and theIndian wealth stashed abroad isa very serious matter of greatnational concern. Indiangovernment is only taking halfheartedefforts to get this wealthback to this country. Hasan Ali’sname stands out as the top taxdefaulter in the country withover Rs 76,000 crores as tax duesfrom him. He is roaming free andonly a few days ago the SupremeCourt observed that theprosecuting agencies shouldensure that he does not leave thecountry.A Series of UnbridledCorruptionA series of unbridledcorruption beginning with thedisbursement of 2G Spectrum,Commonwealth Games (CWG),Adarsh Housing Society and thenow shocking ISRO-Devasscandal have shattered the faithof the common man. In each ofthese scandals the nation’sexchequer was looted of lakhs ofcrores of rupees. Scarce nationalassets were frittered away or soldfor a song to ineligible fly-bynightoperators. The UPAgovernment is legally andmorally responsible for theproliferating corruption.The 2G stands out for theloss in astronomical figures andfor the realtor-politician nexus,the actual kick back earned is yetto be ascertained. It revealed howsystematically authorities wereby-passed, regulations weretweaked and manipulated,advisories brazenly rebuttedallowing arbitrarinesscompletely to overwhelm thesystem. All the while theconcerned minister affirmed thathe had obtained the due andnecessary clearances. In thename of collective responsibilityand being the first among equalsthe Prime Minister owes thenation an answer on the variousomissions and commissions inthis matter. The loss to the nationis shocking and the PM’s silenceon the matter deafening!The CWG stood out for thenepotism and the kickbacksearned at various levels. Equally,...Continued on page 28
Page 1 and 2: CONTENTSFortnightly MagazineEditorP
Page 3 and 4: India needs a strong, not ahelpless
Page 5 and 6: BJP punches a stunning defeat to Co
Page 7 and 8: Janathaa Vandan-Karyakartha Abhinan
Page 9: Coalition dharma doesn’t meanouts
Page 14 and 15: sport14Il NuovoYoung Volley on the
Page 16 and 17: Navjagran Yatra rally, Kolkata (WB)
Page 18 and 19: CVC and SIT (Special Investigative
Page 20 and 21: Gadkari launches ‘WaterManagement
Page 22 and 23: Atal Khadyan Yojana launched in Utt
Page 24 and 25: Prime Minister’s media interactio
Page 26 and 27: Continued from page 15...it lowered
Page 28: Continued from page 18...corrupt re

15 March, 2011 (English) - Bharatiya Janata Party

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