by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Buy Voda-Idea for Re One

Company's startling offer to Govt. as closure looms large

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Feb 20

Vodafone Idea is understood to have made a startling offer to the government unhead of in telecom or for that matter in any other industry ! 

"Pay us Re One and buy the company.” This includes all assets and liabilities as they stand today. The Vodafone Idea has suffered a loss of over Rs 2 lakh crores over the last decade and stare at staggering Rs 53000 crores dues.

Highly placed sources say that Mukul Rohtagi who is representing the Vodafone-Idea in the Supreme Court and actively involved in the back-channel strategies, has made this startling offer to the government. He reportedly sounded out Secretary in the Department of Telecom Anshu Prakash over the telephone last week. The company simply can't pay this money and render 10000-strong work force jobless.

The BSNL which is desperately looking for 4G spectrum and network should buy the Vodafone company's operations with 30 crores subscribers for at Re one. The BSNL is working hard to replace its 3G service with 4G in select areas. But it doesn't have footprints across India either. It is in this context the offer was made to the government that let BSNL buy Voda-Idea with ready made 4G network. Alternatively, the government should come out with a realistic demand of AGR dues and waive off all intrerest, penalty etc. It should also stagger its demand spanning over 15 years.

Efforts to contact Mukul Rohatgi did not succeed. But it was only after this telephonic talk that Aditya Kumaramanglam Birla, chairman of the Vodafone India met DoT officials and later Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman yesterday.

It was stated that if no efforts were made by the government, the whole telecom sector would be affected and company would shut down. This would also wipe out competition and leave only two firms, Rohtagi had told the media last week.

The Supreme Court had ordered telecom firms to pay up all their dues immediately which precipitated a crisis for the loss-incurring firm. The company is seeking staggering the payment of dues for the next 15 years for the sector to survive. The company has already deposited Rs 2150 crores and will be depositing another Rs 1000 crores.

Govt. makes Last ditch efforts to save Voda-Idea

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Govt. makes Last ditch efforts to save Voda-Idea

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Feb 17

Efforts at the highest level in the government are being made to convince the Vodafone-Idea telecom company not to declare bankruptcy before the NCLT.

Vodafone-Idea has made it clear it is unable cough up Rs 53000 crores old dues of AGR and can pay only in 15 to 20 equal installments. Accordingly, it deposited Rs 2500 crores as first tranche. The Bharti Airtel owes Rs 35000 crores and willing pay in installments running into ten year without penalty & interest. It deposited Rs 10000 crores. The Tata Group has also made part payment of over Rs 2,190 crore to the telecom department towards statutory dues.

The government is making serious efforts to save the sector which is facing huge financial crisis. The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi had summoned the Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to update himself of the consequences of a British telecom company winding up its operations in view of huge liability slapped at the company. Prasad briefed the PM last week. Unconfirmed reports also suggest that Prasad paid a courtesy call on Justice Arun Mishra on Sunday last who headed the Supreme Court bench which had strongly rebuked temecom companies for not paying dues running into over Rs one lakh crores. Both had also bumped into each other at the marriage reception of son of late Arun Jaitley on Saturday last. What transpired between them is not known.

But Vodafone-Idea has made it clear that if the SC doesn't grant relief on March 17, it will knock at the doors of National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and go for insolvency..

The operations of Vodafone-Idea had been taken over by the Aditya Birla group's Idea and holds 45% equity. But the company says it has no monies to pay and would prefer to shut shop. Aditya Birla was in the city last week and held prolonged parleys with his legal team headed by noted lawyer & former Attorney General of India Mukul Rohtagi.

Ends

Special Report : PM-Led Lokpal Panel meets on Sep. 4

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Special Report

PM-Led Lokpal Panel meets on Sep. 4

Kharge refuses again,

8-Member Search Committee tio be formed

New Delhi, Sep. 1

The Lokpal panel comprising of Prime Minister Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and eminent jurist Mukul Rohtagi will meet on Tuesday next, September 4.

This will be the fifth meet of the Lokpal panel to set up Search Committee which in turn will select country's first Lokpal. The Search Committee will comprise of eight eminent jurists, former judges and others.

The Prime Minister is keen to fast-track the selection process of Lokpal and wants the institution to come into being during 2018 itself. It was largely because of this very reason that the 5^th meeting of the Lokpal panel is taking place within a fortnight of the 4^th meeting on August 22.

It was decided that all four Lokpal panel members including the PM will furnish five names each. Kharge who has been skipping the meeting, was requested to send the names of five persons for the search committee. But he declined saying that he will be not be part of the process until made a full member. Therefore, it is possible that the Lokpal panel will have 20 names to be considered for the search committee when it meets on on September 4 setting the stage for selecting the Lokpal.

Its a different matter that the selection of country's first Lokpal is turning out to be an Herculean task for the Modi government. Since he is keen that Lokpal is functional at the earliest as it was one of his poll promises. The Supreme Court is also monitoring the process of Lokpal selection and even rapped the government on previous occasions.

However, the process of selecting Lokpal is cumbersome as the 8-member Search Committee will invite applications for the post of 9 Lokpals through advertisement in newspapers. The Lokpal will be a 9-member body.

It may be mentioned that the same task was undertaken by the Manmohan Singh government after the Lokpal & Lokayukta Act was passed in 2013. A search committee comprising of 8 members headed by Justice K T Thomas was constituted in February 2014 which invited applications for Lokpal. There were 300 applicants for 9 posts of Lokpal. But suddenly Justice Thomas decided to quit and the process came to a grinding halt. It will be a miracle if the Modi government can complete the task during the remaining period of its term.

PM, others asked to give 5 names each for Lokpal Panel

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Special report

PM, others asked to give 5 names each for Lokpal Panel

Selecting Lokpal a Herculean task 

New Delhi, July 24

The selection of country's first Lokpal is turning out to be most complicated and Herculean task for the Modi government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is learning the ropes even four years after assuming office and it is highly unlikely that Lokpal will be place before the next General Elections.

This became clear when the first meeting of the Lokpal Selection Committee comprising of the PM, Chief Justice of India Dipak Mishra, Speaker of the Lok Sabha Sumitra Mahajan and eminent jurist Mukul Rohtagi was held to form the search committee on July 19. Since Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Congress Party in Lok Sabha refused to attend the meeting for being invited as “Special invitee” and not as full member, the Selection Committee decided to proceed.

It was decided by the members including the PM that all of them furnish the names of five experts each at the next meeting of the committee. Even Kharge will be requested to furnish five names of experts and out of this mega list of 25 experts, the Lokpal Search Committee will be constituted. The Search Committee will comprise of eight members who will be selected out of these 25.

Interestingly, the four members who attended the first meeting of the Lokpal Selection Committee under the Modi era were finding it difficult to draw the names of five persons capable of being members of the Search Committee. Two members felt they needed time to come out with the names while the PM looked on. Mukul Rohtagi reported to have suggested that experts from all corners should be picked up and then a short-list of eight can be drawn. The government will make a special request to Kharge to send the names even if he is not willing to attend the meeting.

It was not clear when the government will hold the next meeting of the Lokpal Selection Committee. It was largely because of this very reason that the Supreme Court rapped the government in the court today.

But the process is so cumbersome that it is unlikely to be completed anytime soon because the 8-member search committee will invite applications from all over the country through a proper advertisement in newspapers for the posts of 9-member Lokpal body.

It may be mentioned that the same task was undertaken by the Manmohan Singh government after the Lokpal & Lokayukta Act was passed in 2013. A search committee comprising of 8 members headed by Justice K T Thomas was constituted in February 2014 which invited applications for Lokpal. 300 persons applied. But suddenly Justice Thomas quit and process came to a grinding halt. It will be a miracle if the Modi government can complete the task during the remaining period of its term.

Fly on the Wall : Modi prods for NaMo App, MP s not worried

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group


Fly on the Wall for Friday publication 

Harish Gupta 

Modi prods for NaMo App, MP s not worried

Ever since Prime Minister Modi castigated his party Mps for not responding to his “Namaste” every morning, there is virtual panic among them. When Modi disclosed that of the 330 BJP Mps only five respond to his NaMo App daily. Top ministers present at the meeting were sheepish while others rushed to download the NaMo App so that they join the “Namaste” club. While the BJP opened a special counter at the parliamentary party office to enable the Mps to download the App, the Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha internet cell also went out of its way to help the Mps. Some of the Mps are using not one but three phones; one for people in their respective constituencies, the other for party leaders and third for private use. Secondly, they have at least ten What's App groups they have to deal with every minute. The Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha secretariats have one group for their Mps, the other is for BJP parliamentary party, the third is MPLAD, fourth is parliamentary party committees and so on and so forth. In addition, they also have to deal with the problems of family and constituents. As if this was not enough they also tell Modi ji and Amit Shah desperately as to what they have done in their constituencies, upload photos of their visits, update on PM's 20 welfare schemes etc etc. Majority of Mps are not well-versed in technology either and find it difficult to communicate. They cannot hire the services of a full time technical hand as their salaries and perks has not been enhanced. Some of the vocal BJP Lok Sabha MP s made it clear that they will not reply on NaMo App come what may. “If our performance is to be judged by whether we do Namaste every day, then we are better off without a ticket,” said at least five Lok Sabha MP s belonging to Haryana, Maharashtra and even Rajasthan. Surely, the PM may be getting better feedback. At least three ministers say that they don't use smart phones.

Mayawati plays pricey

BSP Chief Mayawati has signaled that she will neither contest in a byelection for the Phulpur Lok Sabha seat and nor seek re-nomination for the Rajya Sabha seat. The byelection for the Lok Sabha seat can be announced by the Election Commission anytime and biennial poll for Rajya Sabha is due this April. The Samajwadi Party and Congress have sent feelers to the BSP that “Behanji” contest a common Opposition candidate from the seat vacated by the BJP MP Keshav Prasad Maurya who resigned to become deputy Chief Minister. Mayawati has not responded but her party sources say that opposition unity cannot be a onetime affair. Secondly, she doesn't want to contest in a byelection. With regard to Rajya Sabha seat, Mayawati said she had quit the Rajya Sabha to fight for the Dalit rights and the battle has ended. She will keep away, say party sources. Perhaps, Mayawati is playing pricey. Mayawati has given any clue whether her party will support the Samajwadi Party in the Phulpur and Gorakhpur bye-polls.

New Solicitor-General ? Modi knows

The appointment of new Solicitor General has been hanging in the air for months after Ranjit Kumar quit the post months ago. Ranjit Kumar quit a couple of months after Attorney General Mukul Rohtagi quit without assigning any reasons. It is said both were uncomfortable and could have stayed on if persuaded. But finding successor to Ranjit Kumar has raised eyebrows in legal & political fraternity. After great difficulty the government was able to find new AG, K K Venugopal. But the new Solicitor General is nowhere in sight. It was speculated that Gujrat's Advocate General Kamal Trivedi be brought to Delhi. But the idea did not find favour with powers that be. Then the name of senior advocate Rakesh Trivedi cropped up. It is learnt that some of the senior advocates considered close to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley didn't find favour somewhere in the Law Ministry. The Law & IT Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad wouldn't say anything except that the new SG will be appointed shortly. There are a couple of vacancies for the post of Additional solicitor general as well. It now transpires that a section in the government favours promoting Tushar Mehta as the new Solicitor General. Mehta also hails from Gujrat and is ASG for almost three years now. It is said that the file pending somewhere in the Prime Minister's Office.

Rahul Gandhi to travel to West Asia

If Prime Minister Modi goes to Davos to address the plenary on January 24 to woo the global investors, Congress president Rahul Gandhi plans to travel to West Asian countries. It is learnt that he had finalized his plans to visit Dubai and Bahrain during the year-end. But he had to change his plans in view of delay in Parliament's Winter session dates. Secondly, he didn't want to give an elbow room to the BJP which always harps on his foreign visits. In fact, Rahul Gandhi is perfecting the art of Modi who garnered support from NRIs long before the announcement of Lok Sabha polls. This biggest constituency was never nursed by the Congress for the past 20 years by the Congress and even her mother Sonia Gandhi. He thinks its a barren land which was wisely cultivated by the BJP and its leader Modi. Realising the tremendous response that Rahul Gandhi received of his interaction at the Berkeley university back home in India, Rahul Gandhi has decided to target NRIs as a policy. Sam Pitroda is his foreign policy adviser and none in the foreign affairs cell of the AICC is aware of what's happening.

Harish Salve may replace Rohtagi

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Special report

Speculation over new Attorney General

Harish Salve may replace Rohtagi

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, May 27,

If Prime Minister Narendra Modi has to select the candidate for the President’s and Vice President’s post during the next fortnight, he also has a difficult task of decide as to who will be the next Attorney General and other law officers.

The tenure of AG Mukul Rohtagi, Solicitor-General of India Ranjit Kumar and dozen other ASGs is ending in June. There is strong speculation that noted lawyer Harish Salve may be brought in as AG in place of Rohtagi and Tushar Mehta, Additional Solicitor General may be promoted as SG. Tushar Mehta is considered close to BJP president Amit Shah and a Gujrati. IN any case, Ranjit Kumar wants to return to active practice once again after three years of stint in the government. He was sounded out to be elevated to the Supreme Court as a judge considering his seniority in the profession. But he is reported to have declined. Thereafter, L Nageshwar Rao, an Additional Solicitor General was elevated to the SC bench.

It may be mentioned that Harish Salve was sounded out by the Modi government in May 2014 itself. But Salve had prior commitments in London then in a series of arbitration cases and he sought excuse. Recently, he appeared for India at the international court of justice and made a mark. But Mukul Rahtagi has extremely impressed the Prime Minister during these three years by his legal acumen and argumentative skills in the Supreme Court. He is considered an upfront and aggressive legal luminary. But Modi has not taken a call on yet on the issue and the suspense continue.

Modi also has to take a call in concultation with the Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on appointing some of the new ASGs also . ASG Parminder Singh Patwalia has already quit and another ASG Neeraj Kishan Kaul has conveyed his desire to relinquish the charge. 

Modi deputes AG Rohatagi to represent India in Geneva

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Exclusive

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, April 29

  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done it what none of his predecessors ever did it. In a rare move that surprised the political & bureaucratic world, Modi deputed Attorney General of India Mukul Rohtagi to represent India at the International Human Rights conference to be held in Geneva.

Normally, a senior minister of the government or bureaucrats in the Ministry of External or Home affairs are deputed to represent the country at the crucial Human Rights conference organized by the United Nations. Since India is always under attack for human rights violations, seasoned politicians and diplomats are sent.

But Modi picked up Mukul Rohtagi to represent India for the international conference in Geneva beginning May 2. The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system made up of 47 States. The 27^th  session of the Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group will be held in Geneva from 1 to 12 May. The Human Rights situation is under review by the Council in all 193 UN member States and crucial for India considering the situation in J &K and  Naxal-hit areas.

  

It transpires that Modi decided to send Rohtagi not only to  strongly defend India at the international body but also to stress the need for the global community to realize the dangers of terrorism and how it will engulf the humanity itself.

Since Rohtagi has been defending the government at various forums including the Supreme Court, the PM was immensely impressed by his forthright approach in expressing the government view.

Though eyebrows have been raised in the government over Modi’s decision. But it is realised by knowledgeable persons in the government that he is the best person to represent India under the present circumstances.

Rohtagi has also been given a free hand to pick his own team of delegation. Instead of a huge delegation, Rohtagi is taking along handful of members.

Andhra-Telangana CMs' face-off: Centre steps in

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Exclusive Report

Centre steps in as CMs of AP-Telangana fight bitterly

Governor to set up SIT to probe Cash-for-Vote scam

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, June 21

The Modi government has decided to step in as the show down between the Chief Ministers  of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana is snowballing into a major crisis over the “Cash-for-vote-" scam.

The Centre has advised ESL Narasimhman who is the Governor of both the states, that he should invoke his special powers and directly take charge of investigations into the bribery and telephone tapping scandal that has rocked Hyderabad for the past several weeks.

Highly placed sources in the government say that a worried ESL Narasimhman rushed to New Delhi to meet the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi two weeks ago, was asked to consult Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to resolve the developing crisis. Later, Attorney General of India Mukul Rohtagi advised the Governor to invoke Section 8 of The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 which gives special powers to the Governor for “security of life, liberty and property of all those who reside in the common capital area” of Hyderabad. It may be mentioned that Hyderabad is the common Capital of the two states for ten years under the Act and the Governor is its Chief Administrator.  

The trouble began when the Anti-Corruption Bureau of Telangana Police arrested TDP legislator Revanth Reddy and two others in Hyderabad for allegedly trying to hand over bribe of Rs.50 lakh on May 31 to buy votes. The TDP-BJP alliance wanted that its candidate to win in the Telangana legislative council elections. The ACB tapped the telephones of Andhra Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu with the TDP MLA Stephenson which surfaced in the media surfaced on June 7 and all hell broke.

The Andhra Pradesh CID swung into action last week and lodged a criminal case against Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.  

This is the first case of its kind wherein the police of two states have lodged cases against the Chief Ministers. The two Chief Ministers  do not see eye to eye and not even on talking terms. This is also first time in the recent history that the CM of one state has lodged a criminal case against the sitting CM of a neighbouring state sharing a common Capital.    

 The Centre has now told the Governor to form a Special Investigation and take over the probe of the case in the interest of peace and tranquility of the two states and Hyderabad.