Solomon come to Judgement ?

To millions of harassed bureaucrats , that is how Supreme Court's order of yesterday might appear

*    WHAT  ?

>    Bureaucrats must not function on verbal instructions from superiors and the political executives , as it leads to favoritism and corruption

>    Fixed tenures for bureaucrats and the setting up of a Civil Services Board ( CSB ) , to advise governments on transfers , postings , promotions and disciplinary actions

*    WHY  ?

 Supreme Court advanced following reasons :

   #    In the present political scenario , the role of civil servants has become complex and onerous

   #   Often , they have to take decisions with far reaching consequences in the economic and technological fields

   #   Their decisions must be transparent and in public interest. They should be fully accountable to the community they serve

*     HOW  ?

>     Each level of bureaucrat must send their " decisions " to the lower level , in writing . ( Will emails do ? )

>     If a bureaucrat receives " verbal " decision from his superior , he shall make appropriate noting on the file . ( Shall he record that he does not agree with this decision - and why - but is forced to take it under verbal order ? )

*     RESULT  ?

>     Decision making process , which has already considerably slowed down over the past one year , will come to a grinding halt , for the simple reasons that , at the time of taking a decision ,

    *    there is absence of adequate / impeccable data on which to base decision ( - concerned vested interest parties will ensure that relevant data / facts / figures are never revealed ! )

    *    there is no pre-existing and well laid-out " Policy Framework " , governing the issue at hand

    *    no bureaucrat - or his political boss - will ever want to take a decision , which , successors to follow , will quote as a " precedent "and not based on policy

*      QUESTIONS  ?

>    Is there here , some confusion between a " Wrong " decision   and a " Dishonest " decision ?

 Don't millions of honest people continue to take decisions , which in hindsight , appear wrong ?

>    Isn't a " Dishonest " decision one which got taken , solely for the benefit of the decision-taker ( or his family / friends etc )  ?

>    Are we trying to replace honest human " Judgement " by some rigid , hide-bound rules ? by some computer algorithms ?

Historian Arnold Toyanbee , once said :

"  Only two things are certain in life -  death and taxes  "

From now on , in India , it will be   -  death and delays


Will our Ministers re-enact British comedy serial , " Yes Minister " ? 

Only time will tell whether this decision of the Supreme Court , was " Right " or " Wrong " , but we are sure of one thing : this is an " Honest " decision

*   hemen  parekh  (  01, Nov  2013  )

   

We , the People ……..

Bihar CM , Nitish Kumar likens Narendra Modi to Hitler

He is not alone

Many in Congress / Third Front  ( of 17 parties ) too , think likewise , without saying in so many words

They all mean :

Modi is autocratic , authoritarian , undemocratic , etc..

Majority of Indians would agree !

But then ask ,

“ So what ?

  Modi may not be consultative

  He may be taking decisions on his own

  But he takes fast decisions – right or wrong

  And even if some of his decisions prove  to be wrong in course of time,

  these are “ honest “ decisions , taken in the best interest of citizens

  His decisions are never taken in order to benefit himself / family / relatives

  / friends / chamchas / party members / even well-wishers , etc

  He means – and acts accordingly – when he says ,

, “ I don’t take bribe and don’t allow my officers to take bribes  “

 

  He practices highest form of “ Raj Dharma “ of corruption-free and secular

  Governance

  Why else would  24 MUSLIM  BJP CANDIDATES ( out of 27 ) win municipal

  election in Salaya town of Gujarat ( where 85 % population is Muslim ) ?

  Because , in Salaya , not a single Muslim is un-employed !

  That is why , people of Gujarat elected him democratically for the third

  time in a row

  Unlike Hitler , he has not imposed his “ Dictatorship “ through military

  So , we don’t care if he is autocratic

  And “ We , the People “, will elect him in 2014 , constitutionally and democratically

  We are fed up of indecisive and corrupt politicians like you

  Go ahead !

  Like an Ostrich , hide your head in the sands at the approaching storm ! “

·          hemen  parekh  (  31  Oct  2013  )

 

       

Kamraj Plan is now Scam-raj Plan !

Some 50 years ago , Congress President , Kamraj Nadar realized that the ideals on which Congress was founded , were decaying. Congress had started rotting from within because of power-hungry politicians

So he came up with “ Kamraj Plan “, under which , senior congress leaders were required to resign from their ministerial posts and devote themselves to re-vitalizing the party

Six Union Ministers and six State Chief Ministers resigned

50 years later , the current version of Kamraj Plan is “ Scam-raj Plan “ !

Under this new “ Scam-raj Plan “ ,

Ø  Ministers need not resign as long as they are involved in no more than one scam at a time

Ø  Ministers may ignore any adverse comments made against them , either by CAG or by Supreme Court

Ø  Ministers shall conveniently misplace / lose , scam related files

Ø  Ministers may continue to chair GoM appointed to investigate irregularities of their own ministries

Ø  Ministers shall have triple reporting relationships , viz :

·         Congress President

·         Congress Vice President

·         Prime Minister

           (  strictly in that order  !  )

Ø  Ministers shall not hesitate to appoint their near-and-dear relatives to sundry Government posts , as Chair-persons

Ø  Ministers shall ensure that all Government contracts / orders above Rs 100 crores , are mandatorily given out to each other’s relatives , in a quid-pro-quo basis , without fear or favour !


All cases to be decided on the basis of “ merit “ alone – that is whether the relative is a son / daughter / wife or a cousin , with family members getting bigger orders

Then there are many other minor “ Dos and Don’ts “ which readers may wish to add , by way of comments / replies

Who authored this “ Scam-raj “ plan ?

That is a “ Scam Raaz “ ! Relevant file is missing !

·          hemen  parekh  (  30  Oct  2013  )

Can’t you be Specific ?

During Hunkar rally of BJP on 27^th Oct , there were 7 bomb blasts , in and around Gandhi Maidan , Patna

IB ( Intelligence Bureau – GOI ) says , that it had sent an alert to Bihar Govt on 23^rd Oct

Bihar CM , Nitish Kumar says , he had received no “ specific “ advance alert

Being , “ His Master’s Voice “ , Bihar IG , Ravindra Kumar says the same

We have to agree ( even if reluctantly ), that the Kumars are right  !

After all , IB alert did not contain following “ specific “ info :

Ø     Names / Addresses / Mobile Nos / Photos of the attackers

Ø     Number of explosive devices / powers / types / triggers, etc

Ø     Vehicles ( indicating license plate nos ) carrying these devices

Ø     Exact locations where the devices were planted

Ø     Exact time when devices were scheduled to go off

Ø     Specific persons – within that crowd of 300,000 – who were targeted

Ø     Number of police / officers /detectives that Bihar Govt must deploy

A furious , Nitish Kumar is asking IB :

“ Why did you have to email your alert ?

In Bihar , we only look at alerts received through Indian Postal Services , which , like our Law Enforcement Agencies , take their own sweet time to arrive after a few weeks / months !

Also , what is your excuse for sending NIA / NSG teams after the blasts ? Why couldn’t you send them before the blasts ?

And , in future  please be  more specific  “

Sushil Kumar Shinde , please note !

·          hemen  parekh  (  29  Oct  2013  )  

How exactly , Narendrabhai ?

In your “ Hoonkar “ rally at Patna yesterday , you said ,

“  Poor hindus and poor musalmans should not fight each other . They should join hands to fight poverty……

When Congress fought 2009 elections , it promised jobs . How many of you got those promised jobs ?  “

True , for over 55 years , successive Congress governments have been busy in “ Garibi Hatao “ – without success

So what did they do ?

Re-draw the Garibi-Rekha ( Poverty Line ) at Rs 27/day in urban areas , to give an impression that very few people in India , are “ really poor “

Even then , this works out to 400 million people ! By their own twisted standard

If I were to assume that BJP’s garibi rekha is , at a more respectable , Rs 100 per day , then this figure could well go over 700 million people !

Exact figures are unimportant

What is more important is ,

 “ How do you pull these poor , out of poverty ? “

There are only 2 ways , viz:,

Ø      Create jobs

Ø      Enable poor to become self-employed

Now , even though you don’t have a Ph D in Economics ( thank God ! ), you are a hard-headed Gujju businessman !

On top of that , you started your own career as a “ Self employed tea vendor “ on railway stations and in trains

So you know what it costs ( by way of capital investment + working capital ) to create just ONE job in the economy

Depending upon , whether that job is in Public Sector  /  Large organized Private Sector  /  Medium sized industry  / Roadside retail grocery shop or a Pan-Beedi dukaan of a self employed , the figure would range from Rs 10 Crores / job to Rs 10,000 for a Pan-Beedi shop !

(  If in doubt , take Annual Report of any Tata / Adani / Ambani / Birla company and divide the Capital Employed by Manpower  )

Now pick your own favorite figure ( per job investment ) and multiply with your own ( convenient ? ) figure of 700 million poor people , desperately wanting to “ fighting poverty “

In BJP’s poll manifesto , will you please mention , where you will find the money required to fulfill your promise ? I hope , you will not raise taxes !

How exactly , Narendrabhai ?

Hint :

Read my Poll Manifesto Suggestions , sent to Shri Murli Manohar Joshi , 3 days back !

·          Hemen  parekh  (  28  Oct  2013  ) 

Brave Words ?

While talking to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in New York recently , our PM , Man Mohan Singh said ,

“ I have not become Prime Minister to re-draw the boundary “

When the Indians were struggling for independence , the then Conservative Party Prime Minister of UK , Winston Churchill said in British Parliament ,

“ I have not become Prime Minister of His Majesty’s government , to preside over the liquidation of the British Empire “

Within months , the British voters replaced him with Labour Party Prime Minister , Clement Attlee , who granted independence to India – even if reluctantly

The world-girdling mighty British Empire ( on which , at one time , the Sun never set ! ) , got completely liquidated over the next 50 years – if you ignore the Falkland Island , next to Argentina !

With barely 8 months to go till 2014 National Elections , Man Mohan Singh does not have to worry about re-drawing the boundary !

He must be too busy , worrying about the repetition of history when , the Congress government got thrown out of power , after the Emergency !

When brave Indian soldiers – and innocent citizens , are getting killed by Pakistani intruders every day , brave words are not even poor substitute for brave deeds

These are the ultimate in hypocrisy / mockery !

“ Krato Smarah ! “ ( Only the deeds will be remembered )

·          Hemen  parekh  (  27  Oct  2013  )

Congress Poll Manifesto

 

Dear Rahul Gandhi

You have invited suggestions from public for possible incorporation in the Congress Poll Manifesto , if found suitable

Based on my perception of what would benefit the public most ( in order of importance ) , following is how Congress manifesto should read :

Ø   Corruption

We will introduce / pass , a  of Jan Lok-Pal Bill within 2 months of assuming power at the Center

Ø   Jobs

  

     We will create 15 million jobs per year , starting from 2015 , especially thru rapid investments in infrastructure projects , which generate millions of jobs. To bring this about , we will introduce special Infrastructure Bonds , whose interest will be tax-free for 25 years.

No questions will be asked as to the source of funds invested by individuals or by Organizations / Institutions

Ø   Economy

We will liberalize FDI in Insurance / Retail and all other non-defense related sectors of economy

Ø   Productive Use of  Un-Productive Money

We will create a structure, whereby Private sector and Religious Trusts ( such as Tirupati / Lord Padmanabhan / Shirdi SaiBaba / Satya SaiBaba / Siddhi Vinayak / VaishnoDevi etc ) , will come forward to invest , at least Rs 10 lakh crores per year for the next 5 years. This will be done thru,

·          No-Tax  ( for 10 years ) , “ Job Creation “ Bonds , exclusively devoted to creation of Jobs for poor people in less-developed states

·         Enabling investments into these bonds , thru a Voluntary Disclosure Scheme ( VDS ) where no questions will be asked as to the source of the funds. This will bring back Rs 35 lakh crores stashed away unproductively / secretly by Indian nationals and Trusts

·         We will create similar “ Job Creation “ Bonds where subscription will be restricted to,

#  NRIs  /  PIOs

#  Foreign NGOS / Foreign Charitable Trusts (eg Bill Gates Foundation )

#  Foreign Sovereign Funds ( China / Oil-rich countries etc )

  

·         We will introduce this measure within 6 months of coming to power

Ø   CBI

We will make CBI as much  independent of the Central Government as possible ,  by making Chief of CBI report to a panel of retired Judges of the Supreme Court

CBI will have its own Expense Budget ( as part of the Central Budget ) and will be free to hire additional professionals without needing permission from any Central Ministry

Ø   Electoral Reforms

We will introduce , within 6 months , a Electoral Reforms Bill in Lok Sabha. This will have provisions for

·         NOTA

·         Right to Recall

·         Negative Vote …………..etc

Ø   Representation of People Act

We will amend this Act within 6 months of assuming power , by incorporating provisions for

·         Acceptance of donations from abroad

·         Acceptance of ALL donations to political parties only thru cheques

·         Issue of paper receipts for all donations

·         Publishing on party web site ,

    #   full details of funding / expenditure / donations etc

    #   full details of Assets / Liabilities / Income Tax Returns filed etc of Senior party functionaries ( including those holding Ministerial positions ) – updated annually

   #   full details of FIRs / Court-Cases ( whether criminal or civil ) filed against any Senior Party Functionaries ( including Ministers ), with punishments awarded , if any

   #   number of Lok Sabha / Rajya Sabha meetings attended by its elected representatives

Ø   Right to Information Act

        As  interpreted by the CIC ( Chief Information Commissioner ) / confirmed by the Supreme Court and advised by the Attorney General , we will ensure that all political parties are covered by RTI

Ø   Naxal  /  Maoist Menace

We will eliminate this menace thru full integration of these Tribal areas into the mainstream of the Social / Political and Economic development.

We will do this by granting special status to these areas , where industries / businesses / NGOs , will be encouraged to set up Skills Training Institutes , by giving accelerated depreciation benefit for the Capital Expenditure incurred and 150 % write-off on the recurring annual revenue expenditure

Ø   Relations with Pakistan

Whereas we will encourage constructive dialogue with Pakistan to resolve all outstanding issues , this will be done only after Pakistan dismantles all terror-training camps on its territory , as certified by the Home Minister

   Dear Rahul :

 I am not sure how many citizens will take the trouble to spell out their suggestions like this

My last suggestion is that you frame a “ Multiple Choice Questionnaire “

Publish this on as many Media as possible – especially Online Web sites

Then ask people to record their choices

A Smart Phone based Mobile App would be great !

·          hemen  parekh  (  26  Oct  2013  )

PS :

Earlier , I have forwarded somewhat similar suggestions to Shri Murli Manohar Joshi , who is in charge of drawing up Poll Manifesto for BJP

But then , when it comes to serving the national interest , there ought to be no differences amongst the political parties , as to the goals , even if the means to reach these goals may differ somewhat