Published: Tuesday, Nov 30, 2010, 0:27 IST
By Harish Gupta | Place: New Delhi | Agency: DNA
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_govt-agrees-to-supreme-court-monitored-probe-in-2g-spectrum-scam_1474205
To blunt the opposition, which continued to stall parliament for the third successive week demanding a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) to probe the 2G spectrum scam, the government took three major steps on Monday.
It issued notices to cancel 85 licences of telecom companies, tried to woo estranged allies such as Trinamool Congress, DMK and NCP and agreed to a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the scam.
Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee invited UPA allies and “shared” seriousness of the situation at a two-hour meeting, after which agriculture minister and NCP chief Sharad Pawar said UPA constituents had decided on a “collective approach” to the issue. National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah said, “We will remain united in our stand against JPC.”
As if this was not enough, the government tried to soothe the corporate world by ordering a high-level inquiry into the leakage of the Nira Radia tapes — conversations between the corporate lobbyist, her clients and certain journalists. Ratan Tata, chairman of Tata Group of companies, has filed a petition in the Supreme Court (SC) saying release of the tapes in the media was violation of the fundamental right to privacy.
Home ministry sources said the probe would be conducted by Intelligence Bureau and Central Board of Direct Taxes.
The government action came after sustained pressure by the opposition, SC’s reprimand and the comptroller and auditor general’s report on the Rs1.76 lakh-crore 2G scam.
Meanwhile, the Centre also launched an offensive, with telecom, HRD and science and technology minister Kapil Sibal saying, “We will show the opposition its face if they allow a debate on 2G”. He was hinting at the various policy changes that were made and violations allowed in the telecom sector in the NDA regime.
Sources said the government was opposing a JPC probe not because prime minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi may be summoned for “assistance”, but because the Radia tapes could become a huge embarrassment for politicians.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Lavasa gets Jairam Ramesh blow: All work in lake city illegal
Published: Saturday, Nov 27, 2010, 1:18 IST
By Harish Gupta | Place: New Delhi | Agency: DNA
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_lavasa-gets-jairam-ramesh-blow-all-work-in-lake-city-illegal_1472750
In a major blow to the ambitious Lavasa lake city project near Pune, the Union environment ministry headed by Jairam Ramesh has termed all construction activities in the 25,000-hectare project illegal.
A show cause notice from the ministry deems all structures so far unauthorised as they have been built without any environment clearance under its notifications of 2004 and 2006.
The notice requires that the “status quo ante for construction and development as on date should be maintained” pending decision on the notice. It simply means that no further construction can be undertaken.
The Lavasa Corporation, a group company of Hindustan Construction Corporation (HCC), has also been asked why the unauthorised structures should not be demolished “in entirety”. It means that all big bungalows, villas and farm houses may face action now.
Ramesh told DNA that he had given 15 days to the state government and the promoters to respond, and halt all activity until a decision was taken in the matter.
Many influential politicians, bureaucrats and others have villas and plots in the Lavasa lake city. No action has yet been taken. Former revenue minister Narayan Rane had gone on record a few weeks ago saying that it was too late in the day to initiate any move since it had already come up.
He has suggested that the state should impose only compounding fee on the developers.
Of late, there has been a flood of petitions to prime minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi complaining about how the entire forest land had been encroached upon, acquired and developed in violation of rules. Ramesh decided to act swiftly as the Maharashtra government had been dragging its feet.
The ministry’s notice has put the fate of the real estate firm’s proposed Rs2000-crore IPO in jeopardy. It was recently cleared by the Sebi. The notice came at a time when Lavasa Corporation is already in the thick of a bribery scam, and its offices have been raided by CBI.
A spokesperson of the Lavasa corporation said, “We are still to receive the notice. As and when such a notice is received we will respond after studying it.”
When asked why the firm figures on the list of recipients of loans from banks which have been under the CBI scanner in the loans kickback scam recently, and there’s a fear in the market that banks may review all the loans given to several companies, Ajit Gulabchand, chairman of HCC & Lavasa, defended the project.
“Lavasa is a project of great importance to the Maharashtra government’s policy of building a hill station. In this context, we had to raise money with the banks and all transactions have been very clear and syndicated without any special favours or anything at all.”
The show cause notice asks the developers to provide the status of the project “with photographs/satellite maps indicating the constructions as on 18.3.2004, 7.7.2004, 14.9.2006 and up to date”. It says that the developers had built over 1,000 metres above sea level on 47.3 hectares of land without obtaining prior clearance.
By Harish Gupta | Place: New Delhi | Agency: DNA
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_lavasa-gets-jairam-ramesh-blow-all-work-in-lake-city-illegal_1472750
In a major blow to the ambitious Lavasa lake city project near Pune, the Union environment ministry headed by Jairam Ramesh has termed all construction activities in the 25,000-hectare project illegal.
A show cause notice from the ministry deems all structures so far unauthorised as they have been built without any environment clearance under its notifications of 2004 and 2006.
The notice requires that the “status quo ante for construction and development as on date should be maintained” pending decision on the notice. It simply means that no further construction can be undertaken.
The Lavasa Corporation, a group company of Hindustan Construction Corporation (HCC), has also been asked why the unauthorised structures should not be demolished “in entirety”. It means that all big bungalows, villas and farm houses may face action now.
Ramesh told DNA that he had given 15 days to the state government and the promoters to respond, and halt all activity until a decision was taken in the matter.
Many influential politicians, bureaucrats and others have villas and plots in the Lavasa lake city. No action has yet been taken. Former revenue minister Narayan Rane had gone on record a few weeks ago saying that it was too late in the day to initiate any move since it had already come up.
He has suggested that the state should impose only compounding fee on the developers.
Of late, there has been a flood of petitions to prime minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi complaining about how the entire forest land had been encroached upon, acquired and developed in violation of rules. Ramesh decided to act swiftly as the Maharashtra government had been dragging its feet.
The ministry’s notice has put the fate of the real estate firm’s proposed Rs2000-crore IPO in jeopardy. It was recently cleared by the Sebi. The notice came at a time when Lavasa Corporation is already in the thick of a bribery scam, and its offices have been raided by CBI.
A spokesperson of the Lavasa corporation said, “We are still to receive the notice. As and when such a notice is received we will respond after studying it.”
When asked why the firm figures on the list of recipients of loans from banks which have been under the CBI scanner in the loans kickback scam recently, and there’s a fear in the market that banks may review all the loans given to several companies, Ajit Gulabchand, chairman of HCC & Lavasa, defended the project.
“Lavasa is a project of great importance to the Maharashtra government’s policy of building a hill station. In this context, we had to raise money with the banks and all transactions have been very clear and syndicated without any special favours or anything at all.”
The show cause notice asks the developers to provide the status of the project “with photographs/satellite maps indicating the constructions as on 18.3.2004, 7.7.2004, 14.9.2006 and up to date”. It says that the developers had built over 1,000 metres above sea level on 47.3 hectares of land without obtaining prior clearance.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Outsmarted Congress redraws strategy in Parliament
Published: Wednesday, Nov 24, 2010, 2:54 IST
By Harish Gupta | Place: New Delhi | Agency: DNA
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_outsmarted-congress-redraws-strategy-in-parliament_1471196
Did the Congress leadership commit a tactical blunder by sacking Maharashtra’s former chief minister Ashok Chavan over the Adarsh housing society scandal and seeking the resignation of A Raja in the 2G spectrum scam? A section in the UPA government believes so. The move in both cases has been perceived as an admission of guilt and it has emboldened the BJP-led opposition to launch a direct attack on the prime minister’s office itself, it feels.
The recommendation of the two-member committee of finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and defence minister AK Antony to replace Chavan should not have been accepted before a debate in Parliament on the issue, neither should have Raja been dumped in a hurry. That’s the growing sentiment in the party now as it redraws its strategy to combat the opposition onslaught over the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the 2G scam and the Supreme Court’s (SC) adverse observations in the recent past.
Even UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi was of the view that if at all Raja has to be sacrificed, the spectrum issue should be discussed in Parliament threadbare. But prime minister Manmohan Singh insisted on dismissing Raja, thinking that the buck will stop there. His strategy, obviously, didn’t pay any dividends to the party. Rather it strained the ties with trusted allies like the Trinamool Congress and the DMK. The Congress top leadership is now making amends.
It has conveyed to the SC that it is not keen on a court-monitored probe into the 2G spectrum and Nira Radia tapes. It also made it clear to the opposition on Tuesday that it won’t succumb to its demand for a JPC inquiry.
It is becoming clear that the court may not resort to monitoring the 2G probe at this stage as the CBI gave a detailed account of the progress it is making in the Radia’s tapes running into nearly 2,000 hours. The attorney general of India, GE Vahanvati has taken a rather unusually strong stand in the SC in the past two days and it indicates a change in the government’s strategy.
Also, the government seems to have put the aggressive media on the back foot by selectively releasing the Radia tapes. A fair number of media personalities were found willing to help the controversial lobbyist in ensuring that Raja became the telecom minister in the UPA-II in June 2009. The tapes that have appeared in the media so far run into merely 10 hours.
By Harish Gupta | Place: New Delhi | Agency: DNA
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_outsmarted-congress-redraws-strategy-in-parliament_1471196
Did the Congress leadership commit a tactical blunder by sacking Maharashtra’s former chief minister Ashok Chavan over the Adarsh housing society scandal and seeking the resignation of A Raja in the 2G spectrum scam? A section in the UPA government believes so. The move in both cases has been perceived as an admission of guilt and it has emboldened the BJP-led opposition to launch a direct attack on the prime minister’s office itself, it feels.
The recommendation of the two-member committee of finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and defence minister AK Antony to replace Chavan should not have been accepted before a debate in Parliament on the issue, neither should have Raja been dumped in a hurry. That’s the growing sentiment in the party now as it redraws its strategy to combat the opposition onslaught over the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the 2G scam and the Supreme Court’s (SC) adverse observations in the recent past.
Even UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi was of the view that if at all Raja has to be sacrificed, the spectrum issue should be discussed in Parliament threadbare. But prime minister Manmohan Singh insisted on dismissing Raja, thinking that the buck will stop there. His strategy, obviously, didn’t pay any dividends to the party. Rather it strained the ties with trusted allies like the Trinamool Congress and the DMK. The Congress top leadership is now making amends.
It has conveyed to the SC that it is not keen on a court-monitored probe into the 2G spectrum and Nira Radia tapes. It also made it clear to the opposition on Tuesday that it won’t succumb to its demand for a JPC inquiry.
It is becoming clear that the court may not resort to monitoring the 2G probe at this stage as the CBI gave a detailed account of the progress it is making in the Radia’s tapes running into nearly 2,000 hours. The attorney general of India, GE Vahanvati has taken a rather unusually strong stand in the SC in the past two days and it indicates a change in the government’s strategy.
Also, the government seems to have put the aggressive media on the back foot by selectively releasing the Radia tapes. A fair number of media personalities were found willing to help the controversial lobbyist in ensuring that Raja became the telecom minister in the UPA-II in June 2009. The tapes that have appeared in the media so far run into merely 10 hours.
Manmohan Singh pats ousted Raja’s back, BJP cries foul
Published: Wednesday, Nov 24, 2010, 2:50 IST
By Harish Gupta | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_manmohan-singh-pats-ousted-raja-s-back-bjp-cries-foul_1471195
After ruffling the feathers of ally DMK by making former telecom minister A Raja resign over the 2G spectrum allocation scam, prime minister (PM) Manmohan Singh seems to be in a hurry to mend fences with the party.
Singh went to the extent of patting Raja on his back at a function in the DMK’s office in Parliament on Tuesday, eliciting disapproval from the BJP and some bafflement in the Congress.
The PM’s move on Raja, considered hasty in a section of the UPA, has irked some of the allies, including the Trinamool Congress, besides the DMK. There is a feeling in these parties that the Congress is “untrustworthy”. On Monday, both had embarrassed the Congress by supporting the opposition’s demand for a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the 2G scam at an all-party meet.
Taking the hint, the PM is walking the extra mile to build bridges with them. While some in the Congress were surprised at his friendly gesture towards Raja, who had dragged the PMO into the whole controversy, the BJP said it sends a wrong signal when the Supreme Court is hearing the scam.
“At such a time, the PM patting Raja’s back at a public event would appear like a message in itself to the people and does not look good,” said the BJP.
The Congress rebutted it, saying, “Personal relationships and emotions do not work on switch-off, switch-on mode. Raja has worked under the PM for six years. I do not think, he (PM) has done anything wrong,” party spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed told reporters.
With PTI inputs
By Harish Gupta | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_manmohan-singh-pats-ousted-raja-s-back-bjp-cries-foul_1471195
After ruffling the feathers of ally DMK by making former telecom minister A Raja resign over the 2G spectrum allocation scam, prime minister (PM) Manmohan Singh seems to be in a hurry to mend fences with the party.
Singh went to the extent of patting Raja on his back at a function in the DMK’s office in Parliament on Tuesday, eliciting disapproval from the BJP and some bafflement in the Congress.
The PM’s move on Raja, considered hasty in a section of the UPA, has irked some of the allies, including the Trinamool Congress, besides the DMK. There is a feeling in these parties that the Congress is “untrustworthy”. On Monday, both had embarrassed the Congress by supporting the opposition’s demand for a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the 2G scam at an all-party meet.
Taking the hint, the PM is walking the extra mile to build bridges with them. While some in the Congress were surprised at his friendly gesture towards Raja, who had dragged the PMO into the whole controversy, the BJP said it sends a wrong signal when the Supreme Court is hearing the scam.
“At such a time, the PM patting Raja’s back at a public event would appear like a message in itself to the people and does not look good,” said the BJP.
The Congress rebutted it, saying, “Personal relationships and emotions do not work on switch-off, switch-on mode. Raja has worked under the PM for six years. I do not think, he (PM) has done anything wrong,” party spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed told reporters.
With PTI inputs
Monday, November 22, 2010
Joint parliamentary committe probe concern grows for Congress as allies back opposition
Published: Tuesday, Nov 23, 2010, 2:16 IST
By Harish Gupta | Place: New Delhi | Agency: DNA
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_joint-parliamentary-committe-probe-concern-grows-for-congress-as-allies-back-opposition_1470647
Desperate to break the logjam in Parliament over the joint parliamentary committe probe (JPC) demand by the opposition, the government found itself in deeper trouble on Monday when two of its key allies — the DMK and the Trinamool Congress — broke ranks and sought a JPC probe into the 2G spectrum scam.
The Congress’s position weakened considerably when DMK’s TR Baalu and Trinamool’s Sudeep Bandhopadhyay supported a JPC probe openly at an all-party meeting called by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee. The government had offered an expanded probe into the scam by the public accounts committee (PAC) headed by a BJP leader.
Highly placed sources told DNA that there are several reasons why the government is resisting the JPC. It will be in a minority when the committee is constituted. The strength of the JPC is decided on the basis of numbers each party has in both houses of Parliament.
The Congress will have only 11 members in the 30-member body. Under rules, the chairman will be from the ruling party. But then nobody is confident which ally will remain with the Congress at the crucial time of voting. In any case, the UPA cannot have more than 15 members under any circumstances. That makes the government’s position vulnerable.
Moreover, the probe will not remain confined to the 2G issue. It will spill over to corporate lobbyist Nira Radia, industrial houses and the prime minister’s office’s role. The JPC can summon any person, including the PM, and call for any file. “We cannot risk such a probe,” said a Congress functionary.
Another reason for the Congress to get worried about is, the opposition will not be contended with one JPC. If the 2G JPC is accepted, it will rake up the Commonwealth Games issue and demand a separate JPC and also another for the Adarsh Housing Society scam.
The Congress is delaying its response in Parliament hoping that the Supreme Court will give direction for the court-monitored inquiry into the scam. Once the court orders an inquiry, the government will say that it cannot have a JPC as another is going on.Therefore, it will not allow the parliament to adjourn sine-die.
While most of the senior Congress leaders are in favour of the JPC, it now transpires that the PM is personally against it as it will put him under the scanner of the parliamentary body.
The shadow of political uncertainty was felt in the Lok Sabha today when Congress president Sonia Gandhi walked up to Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav to congratulate him on his 71st birthday. The fact that the two are at loggerheads and hardly even on talking terms, is a thing of the past. Mulayam Singh was totally taken back to see Gandhi walking up to him. He thanked her with folded hands while others watched.
Political observers do not give too much credence to the DMK-Trinamool support to the JPC, saying they were just doing it for their own political ends in their respective states and will stay put with the Congress.
By Harish Gupta | Place: New Delhi | Agency: DNA
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_joint-parliamentary-committe-probe-concern-grows-for-congress-as-allies-back-opposition_1470647
Desperate to break the logjam in Parliament over the joint parliamentary committe probe (JPC) demand by the opposition, the government found itself in deeper trouble on Monday when two of its key allies — the DMK and the Trinamool Congress — broke ranks and sought a JPC probe into the 2G spectrum scam.
The Congress’s position weakened considerably when DMK’s TR Baalu and Trinamool’s Sudeep Bandhopadhyay supported a JPC probe openly at an all-party meeting called by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee. The government had offered an expanded probe into the scam by the public accounts committee (PAC) headed by a BJP leader.
Highly placed sources told DNA that there are several reasons why the government is resisting the JPC. It will be in a minority when the committee is constituted. The strength of the JPC is decided on the basis of numbers each party has in both houses of Parliament.
The Congress will have only 11 members in the 30-member body. Under rules, the chairman will be from the ruling party. But then nobody is confident which ally will remain with the Congress at the crucial time of voting. In any case, the UPA cannot have more than 15 members under any circumstances. That makes the government’s position vulnerable.
Moreover, the probe will not remain confined to the 2G issue. It will spill over to corporate lobbyist Nira Radia, industrial houses and the prime minister’s office’s role. The JPC can summon any person, including the PM, and call for any file. “We cannot risk such a probe,” said a Congress functionary.
Another reason for the Congress to get worried about is, the opposition will not be contended with one JPC. If the 2G JPC is accepted, it will rake up the Commonwealth Games issue and demand a separate JPC and also another for the Adarsh Housing Society scam.
The Congress is delaying its response in Parliament hoping that the Supreme Court will give direction for the court-monitored inquiry into the scam. Once the court orders an inquiry, the government will say that it cannot have a JPC as another is going on.Therefore, it will not allow the parliament to adjourn sine-die.
While most of the senior Congress leaders are in favour of the JPC, it now transpires that the PM is personally against it as it will put him under the scanner of the parliamentary body.
The shadow of political uncertainty was felt in the Lok Sabha today when Congress president Sonia Gandhi walked up to Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav to congratulate him on his 71st birthday. The fact that the two are at loggerheads and hardly even on talking terms, is a thing of the past. Mulayam Singh was totally taken back to see Gandhi walking up to him. He thanked her with folded hands while others watched.
Political observers do not give too much credence to the DMK-Trinamool support to the JPC, saying they were just doing it for their own political ends in their respective states and will stay put with the Congress.
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