Fly on the wall : IBC Code divided the Cabinet, for a change

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

fly on the wall 

IBC Code divided the Cabinet, for a change

For a change, Union Cabinet witnessed some prolonged if not heated discussions when the Insolvency Bankruptcy Code (IBC) Ordinance was brought before it. A couple of Cabinet Ministers felt that if the purpose of the Ordinance is to revive 500 sick companies, it will be rather detrimental. But the Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Arun Jaitley argued that if this Ordinance is brought, then all sick companies will be grabbed by the relatives and friends of those promoters who had looted them for decades. The actual value of these companies is less than 50%. The government wants that new genuine promoters should come forward. Some ministers said the Ordinance is so stringent that there will be no buyers left. When a another senior minister quipped that it would impossible to find such buyers in India, Jaitley said world is looking at India how this government is dealing with corrupt promoters. Another minister pointed out to Jaitley that the money was lent to these companies by the banks and let the banks be given free hand to deal with the situation. Why the government was interfering in the process. At this, Jaitley got irritated but replied in a coll manner that the IBC was evolved only after intense consultations with the bank who are finding themselves unable to deal with the crisis. The willful defaulters are creating all sorts of hurdles in selling these companies after milking them for decades. The government won't allow any relative to buy the sick company of another relative. Prime Minister Modi maintained a complete silence when the debate was going on the Ordinance. The Ordinance was later issued and now set to be challenged.

Sonia to continue as CPP chairman as Rahul cracks whip

Rahul Gandhi has done what none including Sonia Gandhi dared in the past; suspending senior leader of late Rajiv Gandhi era. Manishankar Aiyer who was an IFS, quit his job and joined Rajiv Gandhi and never looked back. He held key positions and often put Dr Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi in trouble for his remarks all these years. But nobody touched him as he was an “uncle” to the Gandhis. Aiyer thought the storm over his “neech” remark will blow over with his “half-hearted regret” and that too with riders. Rahul Gandhi was furious when Aiyer didn't tender unqualified apology as directed and cracked the whip. Though Rahul Gandhi wants to carry the oldies in the party with him and won't reshuffle the pack after assuming office of the Congress president on December 16. But he won't sack anybody. Meanwhile, it is unclear whether Ahmad Patel who is Political Adviser to Congress President (CP) will continue to hold the post. It is clear that Rahul doesn't want political adviser and will rely on the “entire leadership” rather than one individual. It is yet to be seen if Ahmad Patel is made political adviser to the Chairman of the CPP (Congress Parliamentary Party) or not. It is emerging that Sonia Gandhi will continue to be the chairman of the Congress Parliamentary Party until the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Congressmen say that while Sonia Gandhi always avoided taking risks, Rahul Gandhi is no-nonsense kind of a person and by suspending Aiyer, he has sent a signal to senior leaders to keep their tongue under check.

Akola makes Yashwant Sinha a mass leader, BJP worried 

Yashwant Sinha may be in political wilderness and a loner. But over-night, he made the ruling party worried when he landed in Akola in Maharashtra and forced the Fadnavis government to concede all the six demands of the farmers. The tremendous success in a short span of time of the farmers' agitation surprised political class as Sinha was able to mobilise the support of not only local farmers but also West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and other parties looking for a leader worth a salt. She dispatched Dinesh Trivedi and now it transpires that Swabhiman Paskha Party, Aam Aadmi Party, Biju Janata Dal and several others may swim in the troubled waters in BJP ruled states. They have got a leader in Yashwant Sinha who is 80 years plus and working hard to engineer a revolt within the BJP too. Don't dismiss the 80 year old job seeker as he is enjoying a new role of farmers messiah. One will have to wait for some more time how things take shape.

She-Box Zeal takes Maneka no where

Maneka Gandhi launched the a comprehensive She-Box, an online complaint management system for working women to lodge complaints of sexual harassment at work places. This was under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, prohibition and Redressal ) Act which is called the She Act 2013. it was passed during the UPA regime but Maneka has been focusing on its tough implementation ever since she became a minister in 2014. Its an online portal facility and covers even those who have already filed their complaints to the private or government companies or department. The ministry published even a handbook to pretext the dignity and safety of women. The PIB churned out a huge handout of the launching of the She Box on November 7. But shockingly, the same handout with verbatim words was issued by the same ministry on the same subject six months ago, on July 24 to be precise. The Press Information Bureau has both the press releases on its website with a five months gap. The Fly was told that ministers are under so much of pressure from the PMO to show activities relating to their ministries in the media that even when they have no event, they are forced to create an event. Maneka hit upon the idea of recycling press bulletins.

Fly on the Wall : No political secretary for Rahul Gandhi

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Fly on the Wall

Harish Gupta 

No political secretary for Rahul Gandhi

There may be a mad race to grab the post of Political Secretary to Rahul Gandhi, insiders say that the new Congress President will not have a political secretary. The AICC is witnessing an interesting battle with top guns throwing their hat in the ring to grab the coveted post of political secretary to “CP”, it is emerging that there will no such post available. Insiders say that Ahmad Patel is Political Adviser to Sonia Gandhi and he will continue to hold the fort. Sonia Gandhi may not remain CP. But she will continue to be the Chairman of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) and Patel will be political adviser to the CPP. But Rahul Gandhi has his own style of functioning and will have his own team in his office. But there may not be much of a tinkering in the AICC office as a number of changes have already been made. If he has Mohan Gopal, an ideologue and director of Rajiv Gandhi Institute for Contemporary Studies (RGICS), he has K Raju a former IAS working for him as key person in his office. Then former Union Minister Ajay Maken, Kanishka Singh and Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh are also in the reckoning for the key post. Jairam Ramesh's supporters say that he has all the credentials to hold the post as he writes speeches for Rahul. But Rahul's Man-Friday these days is Sam Pitroda who will play a key role in the selection of Rahul's new team. Pitroda is the man who runs the show in the Rahul Establishment. But when it comes to political secretary's post, Rahul Gandhi will not have one. It is explained that there were historic reasons for Sonia Gandhi to appoint a political adviser. Rahul Gandhi doesn't need one.

Rane left high & dry !

Naraian Rane may have been left high and dry, at least foe the time being. He quit Congress and his Legislative Council seat as well. Though there was no formal announcement of his outfit joining the NDA by the BJP, Rane made a suo-moto declaration. It was conceived that Rane will be re-contesting his Council seat with the support of the NDA. The BJP leaders also went to town about it. But after a thorough internal discussion, it is felt that no useful purpose will be served by confronting the Shiv Sena at this juncture in Maharashtra. The Sena had made it clear that if Rane is fielded as a candidate with the support of the BJP, the “war” will begin. Rane doesn't have the strength to file nomination papers on his own. He can do it only with the support of the BJP. The BJP on its own strength cannot ensure Rane's victory either. Secondly, it will provide an opportunity to the Shiv Sena to form an alliance with NCP and Congress to ensure the defeat of Rane. The BJP leadership feels that the risk is not worth taking. The last word has not yet been written on the issue as yet.

The silence for 48 hours

Prime Minister Modi had given one mantra to his core diplomatic team including External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj; to maintain total secrecy. He had burnt his fingers in 2016 when massive diplomatic effort was launched to secure the membership of the Nuclear Suppliers's group which miserably failed. But this time, the PM was very cautious and personally supervised the world-wide campaign for the victory of India's Dalveer Bhandari for the seat at the International Court of Justice. Modi was personally focusing on US, China, France, Germany and Russian and even UK who are members of the P5+1 powerful club. It was Modi who won over China in this crucial battle and in the end all 15 UNSC members voted for India. This is in complete contrast to New Delhi's widely publicized bid for the membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group in 2016. Even Justice Bhandari was told not to make any statement. The 48 hours preceding the vote for Dalveer Bhandari in the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and the UN Security Council (UNSC) were crucial. It was the silence of India for 48 hours that made the difference. It was a massive diplomatic campaign but all private.

Green Tribunal in great misery

The Modi government's apathy towards the National Green Tribunal was too well known and it was felt that this may be confined to the out-going chief Swatanter Kumar. But now it transpires that the government is in no mood to fill the vacancies even in four branches of the NGT at Chennai, Kolkata, Bhopal and Delhi. In fact, the government has virtually stopped communicating except for its lawyers appearing before the body. The NGT is virtually gasping for its own survival and no vacancies are filled of judicial and expert members of the body at its four principal branches. Interestingly, even in benches where judicial members are working, there are no expert members as vacancies remain unfilled. The two names that were sent for consideration of the government to replace NGT chief Swatanter Kumar who is retiring on December 18, have not been accepted by the Modi government. It transpires that the lone judicial member in Delhi NGT justice V D Salvi is also retiring February 2018. Tragically, the other benches of the NGT in Delhi are not even functioning as there are no members.

Modi wants NHRC Act to be amended

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also signaled to the judiciary that he is not comfortable with the current law governing the National Human Rights Commission. Under the law, only a retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Court can be the Chairman of the NHRC. The law was made at the prodding of the Supreme Court when the executive was weak. The government feels that the law benefits only the retiring CJIs and doesn't send a positive signal. Modi is of the view that the law be changed and scope of appointing NHRC chief be expanded. Why only retired CJIs be its chairman and why not a human rights activist of acclaim or veteran jurist, wondered Modi at a close door meeting. The UPA under the Manmohan Singh dispensation also thought of amending the law. But it could not muster the courage to amend the law. But Modi is of the firm view that monopoly of post-retirement post reserved for CJI is discriminatory and be changed. Watch out !