Honesty and integrity – does Manmohan Singh possess them?

In the wake of the 2G Spectrum scam and the related revelations on the commissions and omissions noticed in the different wings of governance and most importantly, involving the Prime Minister, Mr Manmohan Singh, we often get to hear that the PM can not be faulted, for, he is a man of honesty and integrity. A well written article by Madhu Kishwar is given below on all the areas where Dr Singh has fallen from the high pedestal of honesty and integrity. 

Looking at these two terms – honesty and integrity - for their exact meaning, I got this explanation from Wikipedia.

Honesty refers to a facet of moral character and denotes positive, virtuous attributes such as integrity, truthfulness, and straightforwardness along with the absence of lying, cheating, or theft .

Confucius defined several levels of Honesty. Starting from shallow and ending with deep, the levels are as follows:
Li,  wanting to appear truthful for your own personal gain.
Yi, doing what is right on the basis of how you would like to be treated in return.
Ren, based on the most sincere form of empathy toward others that are different from you in age, gender, culture, experience, family, etc.

The word "integrity" stems from the Latin adjective integer (whole, complete). In this context, integrity is the inner sense of "wholeness" deriving from qualities such as honesty and consistency of character. As such, one may judge that others "have integrity" to the extent that one judges whether they behave according to the values, beliefs and principles they claim to hold.

From these explanations, it seems that Dr Singh may be honest but he fails to qualify for the deeper level of honesty enunciated by Confucius. Dr Singh’s honesty is skin deep or rather shallow that he wants to appear honest. That is all.

If he is ‘really honest’, he would have exhibited some anguish and some reaction to the scam and the related incidents when everything became public. It would have got reflected in agreeing to the JPC probe.

He fails on the issue of integrity too, as he just put up with all the immoral things happening around him. Had he been really honest and a man of integrity, he would have resigned from the Prime Minister-ship at the very first instance of a flip- flop happening under his nose. 

These things apart, let me analyse his level of his honesty and integrity from what I am familiar with -  Dharma.

A person may be honest, but if he allows others to use that as an escape route or a mask, then he is no longer honest. Right on the day of his anointment as the PM, he fell from his high level of honesty because he was chosen for the role as a proxy to the Congress Chief. This is much worse than what we used to call the Presidents as rubber stamps!

A similar rubber stamp existed in Indian history by the name, Bheeshama!

No one questioned Bheehsma for his personal honesty and integrity. That honor arose from a ‘terrible’ vow of celibacy.

But what really happened was that his subjects suffered as a result of that vow. First of all they were denied the privilege of getting the crown prince, an able prince- as their King. When it comes to one’s duty to the father and duty to the country, the latter must be given importance. Moreover his father did not ask him to fulfill his wish. He went out of his way to fulfill his father’s desire. What he did as a son may be good from a personal point of view. But when such an act is not a favorable for the country, Bheeshma clearly loses out.

Think of Rama in this context. He obeyed father’s command. He did not do a thing without being asked by his father / ruler to do. But when he became the ruler himself, he stuck to integrity for which both he and Sita were collectively responsible. If we want to apply the term honesty and integrity to some one, only Rama gets qualified. When the person is the ruler, the level of integrity to be maintained is the highest. The ruler is responsible for whatever happens around him, even though he is not personally involved in them. That is why Rama had to do things that were injurious to Sita.

What constitutes Rama-rajya can be known from the advice that Rama gave to Bharatha when Bharatha came to get him back from vanavasam. From the different issues that Rama enquired, two pertained to the appointment of ministers and the behavior of ministers. He asked whether Bharatha appointed incorruptible ministers.

To quote from Valmiki Ramayana (2-100)

26. "I hope you are appointing those ministers, who are eminent, incorruptible, born of the fathers and forbears of good family and who are full of integrity in matters of great importance."

27. "O, Bharata! I hope your ministers do not watch as mere witnesses, while your subjects in the kingdom wielding tremble with great fear, under your inflexible wielding of the scepter."

Rama rajya envisioned by Gandhiji is that of an honest administration that Rama explained to Bharatha.

Unfortunately even the 3- monkey principle of Gandhiji, had been followed only in the reverse by the Congressmen, particularly Dr Manmohan Singh by not seeing, hearing or speaking what must be seen, heard and spoken out with courage and conviction so as to wipe them out.

Coming to Bheeshma again, Dr Subramanian Swami compared Dr Singh with Bheeshma in the 2G Spectrum issue. Like Bheeshma, Dr Singh has remained as a monumental witness for all the ills that took place around him. When Draupadi called upon Bheeshama to tell whether the treatment meted out to her was right, Bheeshma replied that the words of the strongman is the Rule. That is the level of integrity of Bheeshma. Bheeshma who failed to rise to the occasion; he failed to correct the ruler every time a misdemeanor was committed. He paid for it by getting a thorn bed!

At the last moments he could not hear properly what the Vasus said about the arrival of his end. He fell but was reminded by the saints who came as swans sent by his mother that Uttarayana has not yet set in for his departure. His honesty or adherence to a terrible vow did not come to his help even at the last moment in his life. That is because such a vow had done more harm to the larger interests of the society.

When it comes to society and when there are others who have reposed faith on him, he must rise to the occasion, come whatever it may do to his house (his party) or his personal issues.

In the end, Lord Krishna directed Bheeshma to part with his knowledge of Dharma to the questions raised by Yudhishtira. That knowledge was the only asset of Bheeshma. But he was made to impart it from the thorny bed that was what he got for failing in his duty to the State in the name of his personal integrity in keeping up his vow.

Likewise, Dr Singh will be known for his knowledge of Economics. That is his asset- personal honesty and integrity are not. He has failed on the question of integrity and honesty.

Therefore his Chair is a chair of thorns.

Posterity will remember him for his omissions and commissions which is where he has buried his so-called honesty and integrity. 

-         jayasree

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From

http://outlookindia.com/article.aspx?268620

Honestly Speaking

[ I fail to understand why almost every commentator, every TV anchor, every editorial writer feels compelled to pay ritual obeisance to the “personal honesty and integrity” of Dr Manmohan Singh ]

By

Madhu Purnima Kishwar

Wed, Dec 10, 2010

Today, the Indian media—both print and television—is focusing on the recent corruption scandals involving the UPA Government with unusual zeal. However, I fail to understand why almost every commentator, every TV anchor, every editorial writer feels compelled to pay ritual obeisance to the “personal honesty and integrity” of Dr Manmohan Singh while dealing with the scandals emanating from his cabinet colleagues. They do so even when there is clear evidence that the Prime Minister was well aware of various shady deals, as in the case of Telecom scam, and that he did nothing to stop the brazen economic crimes indulged in by his ministerial colleagues over the last 6 years.


Corruption is not only about personally accepting monetary bribes and stacking them away in hidden bank accounts overseas, buying benami properties or accepting diamond sets for your wife. Corruption can come in insidious avatars, such as knowingly turning a blind eye to the misuse the entire machinery of governance to serve private ends of a few individuals, even to the point of endangering national security. For example, not a single person has been punished thus far for supplying sub standard bullet proof jackets to the police handling the 26/11 terrorist attack in Mumbai. Not surprisingly, we are right now witnessing yet another scam involving sub- standard bullet proof vests.


In recent weeks, some of our most respected columnists have been warning us that we should look at institutional reform rather than target individuals because it can lead to loss of faith in democratic institutions. But how do you retain faith in democratic institutions if powerful individuals use their office to systematically subvert the autonomy and credibility of institutions meant as watchdogs of democracy? The best of institutions take no time in becoming slavish instruments of partisan agendas if you plant subservient and heavily compromised individuals at their helm.


Dr Manmohan Singh cannot escape responsibility for appointing people with dubious credentials to occupy key positions of power — starting with the appointment of Pratibha Patil as the President of India. This despite the fact that that Congress leaders of her own district protested vehemently against her appointment because of her and her close kin's direct involvement in criminal cases. Thereafter, all key institutions, including the Election Commission, the Central Vigilance Commission have been filled with people whose credentials have been questioned not just by the opposition but also the media and respected public figures.


He has also provided key portfolios to people with a proven track record of brazen corruption. For example, IAS officer, Mr Lalli the CEO of Prasar Bharati that manages Doordarshan has been charged in countless corrupt deals and practices. Despite
numerous agitations by the staff of Doordarshan to get him punished, he continues lording over the institution because he is supposed to have the PM's backing.


This regime has also gone out of its way to protect those judges of the High Courts and Supreme Court who have such serious corruption charges against them as to merit impeachment and criminal trials. Justice Dinakaran of the Karnataka High Court was saved from the wrath of and boycott by the legal fraternity of Karnataka by being transferred to Sikkim High Court despite loud protests by people in Sikkim. Judges who are alleged to have shared in the loot of Provident Fund of class 1V employees in UP have not been subject to investigation, leave alone punishment. One of them retired after serving a full term in the Supreme Court. The kingpin of the scam who later provided evidence of the complicity of the judges died under mysterious
circumstances in jail.


Supreme Court Justice Sabharwal was likewise protected from prosecution even though the allegations against him during UPA’s first term were no less serious than that of Kalmadi. He is alleged to have ordered demolition of numerous commercial centres and
complexes in Delhi in order to benefit his son’s investment in high end malls, causing havoc for lakhs of small and big commercial property owners of Delhi.


The CWG scam is not just about misappropriation of funds through inflated bills and money being paid to bogus companies. It all started with the politician-contractor mafia being allowed to violate all environmental laws to convert Yamuna floodplains into prime real estate by building luxury apartments in the name of Games Village. This happened despite the High Court ban on all construction activity on the floodplains. It needed the influence of people far more powerful than Kalmadi to ensure that Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh looked the other way when all environmental laws were being brazenly flouted right under his nose to build high rise apartments and other commercial structures on the floodplains and thus persuading the Supreme Court into over ruling the considered view of the High Court. The game plan behind building luxury apartments on the forbidden land became obvious from the fact that the builders had to be whip lashed into completing at least half the apartments before the Commonwealth Games. They were obviously given to understand that the CWG was merely a fig leaf for converting floodplains into prime real estate in the heart of Delhi.


The choice of the company that built the Games Village, the names of its real owners, its unknown and known partners, and the list of its known and unknown beneficiaries will reveal a scam more insidious than the Adarsh Housing Scam of Mumbai which
involved Congress Party CM and other politicians, top ranking officials of the armed forces and bureaucrats cornering luxury apartments in a prime location in a housing society set up in the name of Kargil widows. In this case too, the only visible
action taken by the Prime Minister is to replace the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. No sign of any heads rolling as yet.


Or take the example of the most politically sensitive state of Jammu & Kashmir. Manmohan Singh allowed an anti- Omar agitation to turn into an anti India agitation much against his own counsel, all because he dare not sack Omar Abdullah from the
CM’s post even when the entire Valley rose in revolt against his high handed, corrupt and callous regime. Senior Congress leaders admit in private that Omar cannot be touched since he is a buddy of Rahul Gandhi. Dr Singh knows well that Omar’s continuation has given a new lease of life to the Pak inspired separatist and terrorist movement in Kashmir.


People attribute his pliability to the fact that the prime minister was appointed and not elected. He has never won a Lok Sabha election. But that cannot be used as an excuse to justify overlooking such gross mismanagement and loot as well as the political drift one witnesses even in areas involving national security.


In fact, his defeat in the one and only election he ever fought is related to his lack of personal integrity. He was defeated in the predominantly middle-class South Delhi constituency because people in general and Sikhs in particular were enraged when Manmohan Singh denied the role of the Congress in the 1984 anti Sikh carnage and instead attributed the 1984 massacre to the RSS. The RSS may well be guilty of many other communal riots but the " credit" for the 1984 massacre goes entirely to Congress politicians, including Rajiv Gandhi who even justified the killings saying:
" when a big tree falls, the earth is bound to shake."  The Congress Party also ensured that those who masterminded and executed the 1984 pogrom did not get punished.


Similarly, in the case of Gujarat riots, the Prime Minister happily joined the chorus initiated by his boss pillorying Narendra Modi as " Maut ka Saudagar " even though it is well known that Congress party cadres merrily joined the riotous mobs unleashed by
BJP-RSS combine in Ahmadabad and elsewhere. This failure to own responsibility for the conduct of his party men and passing the entire responsibility on to Modi is in large part responsible for the lack of credibility of Congress Party in Gujarat and the severe erosion of its political base in Gujarat.


Likewise, getting a Rajya Sabha seat from Assam claiming he is a resident of the state when he has never had any such connection with Assam is a definite indicator of questionable political integrity.


A PM who compromises national interest, as in Kashmir,just to indulge the personal fancy of the PM in waiting, a PM who looks the other way while his Cabinet colleagues brazenly loot public funds and get away with extorting thousands of crores by way of kickbacks, a PM who is widely perceived and lampooned as a “rubber stamp” does not merit being called “an honest man” or a “man of integrity” because integrity in his job demands putting national interest above partisan politics and personal loyalties.


Integrity also involves taking full responsibility for all his acts of commission and omission which have earned UPA II the dubious distinction of being publicly named as the most corrupt and rudderless government in post independence India


Madhu Purnima Kishwar is Founding Editor, Manushi Journal, Founder, Manushi Sangathan -- Citizens First Forum and Senior Fellow, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies.

Recalling talks with dead people is Karunanidhi’s tactic, Mr. Digvijay Singh

Barely a day after Mr Digvijay Singh spoke about Mr Karkare as having confided to him the terror threat from "Hindu fundamentalists", the truth is out that no telephonic conversation happened between him and Karkare at the time he had mentioned. The call records dug out by Mail Today shows that Mr Karakare had not spoken to him. (Details below).

Digvijay's talk reminds of Karunanidhi who is a habitual re-caller of some conversation that he claims to have had with leaders who died long long ago. Karunanidhi is a clever politician who has mastered the art of every kind of evil practice in politics. Certainly he would not recall the talks with people in recent past and that too which happened through the medium of telephone. He would rather say that such and such a person told him personally. You would not have any means to check such a  claim.

If Diggy is really clever like Karunanidhi, he must have said that Karkare confided it to him personally when he met him on such and such an occasion. Who can say what they did not talk in such a one- one conversation?

Unfortunately for Diggy, modern means of communication come with their drawbacks. Let him and his fellow congressmen think a little before opening their awful mouth.

 

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http://in.news.yahoo.com/call-records-don%E2%80%99t--match-diggy-claim.html

Call records don't match Diggy claim

 

Digvijay Singh's claim of having spoken to Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare two hours before his death is getting disproved as the slain police officer's cell phone records show he neither called nor received a call from the Congress general secretary at 7 pm on November 26, 2008, when Digvijay ought to have spoken to him.

Singh had stirred up a controversy when he claimed that the ATS chief had called him to say he was worried as his life was under threat from Hindu fundamentalists. The next day, however, he claimed that it was he who had called up Karkare.

Karkare's wife Kavita denied the statement, saying her husband had not spoken to the Congress leader.

M AIL T ODAY has exclusive details of Karkare's 26/ 11 call records, on which Singh's number does not appear at the time mentioned. The records show that Singh couldn't have reached Karkare at his office at 7 pm, as the ATS chief had left before 5 pm.

 

When MAILTODAY accessed his records, it was found that Karkare had only spoken to two police officials for more than 2 minutes between 5 pm and 8 pm on 26/11. One was a 125-second-long incoming call at 5.42 pm from 98706088**, which belongs to senior IPS officer Vishwas Nangre Patil. There was no call received or taken by Karkare at 7 pm Karkare was also on the line with then DGP A.N. Roy (987017000) for 283 seconds.

Digvijay Singh didn't respond to repeated calls from MAIL TODAY. His response to SMS queries on the discrepancy was, "I have the call record too". Though he said he would speak to MAIL TODAY on the inconsistency, he refused to respond to calls and SMSes thereafter. Singh's claim is incredulous not only because of the call records, but also because those who knew Karkare well said he would not speak to a politician on such matters.

"The point is Karakre would not have spoken to him about all this even if he (Digvijay) had called him. How could he have told Singh he was worried about his life when he had not spoken to me?" said an IPS officer who was a close friend.

The officer, who preferred not   to be identified, said Karkare was threatened by all kinds of people." It was not just Hindutva fundamentalists. Karkare first got threats from the Indian Mujahideen when their cadres were arrested after the 2008 serial blasts. Yes, he did get terror threats from Hindutva fundamentalists.Someone called up the Pune police and told them that Karkare and Ajay Misar, the prosecutor who initially argued the ATS case against Lt Col Purohit, would be bumped off. But Misar is still alive," the officer said. Karkare had also been threatened by the Maoists as he had served a considerable period in Maoist- dominated Gadchiroli.

 

" Can we say tomorrow that the Maoists had a hand in his killing? The fact is, he did face an extraordinary amount of pressure and he felt it was unwarranted because the Hindutva terror case was just a normal case for him. But to say he confided all this to Digvijay Singh, a politician, is humbug," said the friend.

Digvijay – brand of minority appeasement.

Have no doubt about the veracity of the American gossip revealed in the Wikileaks  that the Congress party played minority politics. Mr Digvijay Singh had ‘risen’ to the occasion to prove that the Congress men do have a penchant for playing minority card at every opportunity. The Muslims had been sadly misled all along by the Congress’ opportunism in being led to imagine that Hindus are their enemies. The same tactic was applied to none other than a police officer who sacrificed his life for the nation. 

By saying that Mr  Karkare feared threat to his life, Mr Singh is doing maximum damage to the integrity of the Police officer. Anyone entering the police service would know that his life is in constant exposure to dangers and threats. Fully conscious of that fact they enter the service bravely and work towards scuttling that danger.  

That danger is an occupational hazard about which no sincere policeman would grumble. By saying that Mr Karkare spoke about it to him on the fateful day, Mr Singh is only undermining the caliber of that officer. In addition to doing this to him, Mr Singh has done a great service to the nation at this juncture by showing to us once again that Congress party is indeed engaged in minority appeasement politics rather than honest politics.

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http://www.dailypioneer.com/302971/Digvijay-Singh-does-what-Islamists-do!.html

Digvijay Singh does what Islamists do!
December 12, 2010   3:56:49 PM

By

Kanchan Gupta

Controverting facts is integral to the negationism practiced by Islamists. A lie is repeated a million times so that the faithful, and those who are held in thraldom by bogus political correctness, come to believe the lie as the truth. It’s not for nothing that the forerunners of today’s radical Islamism, which is manifested in horrendous bloodletting in the name of Islam, were eager to make common cause with the Nazis. It wasn’t just hatred towards Jews that attracted them to Adolf Hitler and his supremacists in jackboots and with twisted minds. They were clever enough to sense potential in the art of Goebbelsian propaganda which over the decades has become one of the mainstays of Islamism.

Recall the campaign that was mounted after Mohammed Atta and his fellow terrorists struck terror in the heart of America on 9/11. Despite the mountain of evidence, the incontrovertible proof, the fact that a stunned world watched in horror as Mohammed Atta flew a hijacked airliner into one of the World Trade Center towers, the televised sight of the buildings imploding in a billowing cloud of dust to malign Muslims, that nothing happened on 9/11, leave alone 2,977 innocent , the ummah was told by the Islamists that it was all hocus-pocus, that it was a Jewish conspiracy people dying in that catastrophic assault on humanity. I am not referring to crass propaganda meant to persuade the illiterate and the ill-informed. At an international conference attended by scholars and writers in which I participated, a senior professor of Aligarh Muslim University insisted 9/11 was no more than a fantastic film shot in a Hollywood studio with toy planes and clapboard sets.

Similarly, even before Mumbai’s night of horror on 26/11 was over, Islamist websites were proclaiming that it had been stage-managed by Israel, that it was a Hindu-Jewish-Christian conspiracy aimed at defaming Muslims and tarnishing the fair name of Islam, “the religion of peace”. The Muslim Brotherhood’s website, www.ikhwanweb.com, had an article on its home page which said, “It is clear that Mossad is involved in the whole affair. An entire city has been attacked by Mossad and probably units of mercenaries (sic). It is not possible for one single organisation to plan and execute such a sophisticated operation.” Tragically, that story had been penned by a ‘secular activist-historian’, a certain Amaresh Misra, lending credence to the Islamist bunkum.

It is not surprising that the refrain should have been picked up by the Congress. The party used the then Minister for Minority Affairs, Mr AR Antulay, to slyly suggest that there was a ‘Hindu hand’ behind the carnage in Mumbai, that it was “terrorism plus”. The Congress also allowed the then Minister of State for External Affairs and Muslim League leader E Ahamed (he has now found his rightful place as Ms Mamata Banerjee’s deputy in the Ministry of Railways) to omit all mention of Chabad House, where six Jews, including a rabbi and his pregnant wife, were tortured and killed, while presenting India’s case on 26/11 in the UN Security Council. Neither Prime Minister Manmohan Singh nor his political patron, Ms Sonia Gandhi, bothered to wag a finger in admonition: They saw merit in letting Mr Antulay’s abhorrent allegation and Mr Ahamed’s distorted version go unchallenged and uncorrected as it would help the Congress fish for Muslim votes. Sadly, Muslim organisations did not protest against the slur heaped by Mr Antulay on Hindus to deflect attention from the Lashkar-e-Tayyeba fidayeen who mercilessly slaughtered men, women and children, nor did they object to Mr Ahamed’s abhorrent omission in keeping with the highest traditions of Islamist negationism.

Hence, it is not surprising that Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh, whose proximity to the party’s first family is well known and who is the de facto mentor of the Prince waiting for the Regent to vacate the throne, should have so crudely insulted the memory of a fallen police officer, Hemant Karkare, who died fighting the terrorists on 26/11, by spinning a yarn about how he was killed not by the LeT’s Pakistani fidayeen but by Hindus. Implicit in his shocking lie is the suggestion that the attack on Mumbai was a ‘Hindu conspiracy’.

It is only natural that Mr Digvijay Singh should have found a soul mate in Amaresh Misra; the two now toil together to keep the tattered and torn flag of ‘secularism’ flying. It is also natural that he should have articulated such hideously malignant thoughts while releasing RSS ki Saazish — 26/11 (26/11 — An RSS Conspiracy), a book authored by Aziz Burney, editor-in-chief of Urdu Sahara, at the taxpayer-funded India Islamic Cultural Centre on December 6. His audience comprised notables like Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha K Rahman Khan, Mr Shoaib Iqbal, Chaudhry Mateen and Mr Asif Mohammed Khan (MLAs from Delhi), Maulana Mahmood Madani from the Deobandi sect, Maulana Touqir Raza Khan from the Barelvi sect and Shia leader Kalbe Jawwad.

He has since elaborated on his thoughts, such as they are, in an interview to the Indian Express published on December 11. Not so curiously Mr Digvijay Singh’s bilious outpouring follows on the heels of the Congress getting wiped out in the Uttar Pradesh panchayat elections, including in Muslim-dominated areas. Speculation on why he said what he did, therefore, is not necessary; the reason is no different from that behind his visits to Azamgarh to commiserate with the families of Indian Mujahideen terrorists arrested for bombing cities across the country, his denigration of Inspector MC Sharma who was killed when he bravely confronted terrorists hiding in Batla House in Delhi’s Jamia Nagar.

Hemant Karkare’s widow, Kavita, who has been extremely dignified in her sorrow which we can only feel but not share, has rubbished Mr Digvijay Singh’s fanciful story, saying it’s “wrong to suggest that Hindu groups were linked to the 26/11 terror attacks”. She has put in words what millions of Indians believe: “Such statements will mislead people and benefit Pakistan... Mockery of my husband’s sacrifice for political gain should stop.”

But it won’t stop. Discredited politicians like Mr Digvijay Singh who seek to keep themselves in the news not through legitimate politics but by taking recourse to illegitimate means of heaping calumny and worse on Hindus in the hope of currying favour with Muslims and thus proving their relevance to their benefactors in the Congress will continue to offend and insult sensitivities. They gloat over their ability to shock and awe with words that are spiteful, venomous words that when strung into sentences add up to outrageous lies.

 This is not the first time Mr Digvijay Singh has sought to undermine the Government’s — and the nation’s — position and policy; in the past he has publicly denounced the Home Ministry’s approach to tackling the Maoist insurgency. This time he has reduced the Government, headed by the Congress, to a laughing stock: Even while he was giving Pakistani terrorists a clean chit for the Mumbai massacre, Mr Manmohan Singh was pleading with the EU to put pressure on Pakistan for bringing the guilty men of 26/11 to justice. Ironically, the author of RSS ki Saazish — 26/11 is a member of the media delegation accompanying the Prime Minister on his European tour, no doubt included to showcase India’s adherence to ‘secularism’ on a junket whose bill will be footed by taxpayers. Presumably, now that the most powerful general secretary of the Congress has repudiated India’s stand on 26/11, the Prime Minister will hurriedly eat his own words and toe the newly-laid party line. He knows that it doesn’t pay for a Regent to cavil against the Prince’s mentor.

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http://in.news.yahoo.com/kavita-karkare-rubbishes-digvijay-singhs-claim.html

Kavita Karkare rubbishes Digvijay Singh''s claim

 Mumbai, Dec 11 (PTI) The widow of slain Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare today slammed senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh for claiming that her husband feared for his safety from hardline Hindu groups, who were upset over his probe into the Malegaon bomb blast.

Talking to reporters here, Kavita Karkare accused Singh of playing votebank politics and denied that any conversation had taken place between her husband and the Congress leader, as claimed by the latter.
"When my husband was investigating the Malegaon blast and was looking for Hindu accused, there were reactions from Hindu organisations. Similarly, when earlier he was looking for Muslim accused, there was reaction from that community," she said, adding such reactions were natural.

Kavita said it was wrong to suggest that Hindu groups were linked to the 26/11 terror attacks. "Such statements will mislead people and benefit Pakistan."

"Mockery of my husband''s sacrifice for political gain should stop," she said.

Singh has said hours before 26/11 attacks, Karkare had called him to say his life was under threat. The Congress leader said Karkare was depressed and worried by threats and personal attacks made in newspapers of Hindu organisations.
 
"I had spoken to him three and a half hours...it was between 6 and 7 PM on 26/11....I was very shocked when I came to know that he was killed," he said.

Hope he is Ratan Tata, not rotten Tata!

I think many will agree with me that the current war on corruption is not fizzled out in the wake of the war of words between the corporates.

On the day that Radia tapes came into public notice, Ratan tata had lost half the war. As if to insist on his 'morality', he talked about his refusal to pay bribes for getting entry into the aviation sector. But that talk did not come without a missile having some utility for the politicians. He sent a hidden salvo in that talk directed at the NDA for that incident. And now after the independent MP of the Rajya Sabha Mr Rajeev Chanderashekar has spelt his accusations on the Tatas, Mr Ratan tata has openly revealed on which side of the political boundary he is standing now.

It is only but natural to expect a person in his place to cling to the Congress support for, after all he is the main gainer from the 2G Spectrum. But should a Rattan Tata take such a stance is a question coming in our minds. However a reading of his letter makes me think that Mr Kabil Sibal had rushed with undue haste to reveal his glee before the media friends of the UPA.

The letter does not say that things were amiss with the NDA's Telecom policy. But what he spoke on political affiliation is unnecessary in that context. It shows that he is trying drastically to divert the attention from the core issues. He behaved more like a Karunanidhi who would talk about sacred thread / Aryan dominance / dait subversion when faced with uncomfortable questions.

This is a testing time for Ratan Tata and it is hoped he does not come down to the level of the politicians. The exchange of letters between Rajeev Chandrashekar and Ratan Tata are reproduced below for us to take stock of what they say.

As for Rajeev, he was already known to the public as one who questioned the rationale of hiking the salary of the MPs. That can be read here.

http://news.rediff.com/interview/2010/sep/03/interview-the-mp-who-declined-the-pay-hike.htm

Let us watch what these two persons are going to say in the coming days.

Whatever charges they may trade against each other, it must be borne in mind that the monumental corruption involving A.Raja can not be whitewashed. Dayanidhi' Maran's complicity in the developments also can not be hidden if the events from 2001 are brought under scrutiny.

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Rajeev Chandrasekhar's Open Letter to Ratan Tata

Open Letter to Mr. Ratan N. Tata, Chairman, Tata Sons Ltd.
Monday, December 06, 2010

Dear Mr. Tata,

It is with considerable concern and some confusion that I have watched
your recent Television Interviews and press statements following the
2G scam and the exposure of the infamous Nira Radia Tapes.

I, as countless other Indians, have held the house of Tatas in great
esteem and respect – have seen them as being different from so many
other Indian corporates that play by a different set of rules and
values.  I, along with many Indians, consider JRD Tata as one of the
true builders of modern India.

So, it is with considerable sadness and dismay that I am constrained
to write this open letter to you. I trust you will not consider this
as personal, since my letter has to do with issues of principle and
conduct that are disturbing.

In your recent press interactions, you have made the point that the 2G
scam needs to be investigated and have made several sub-points,
including:
  1.   Out-of-turn allocation of spectrum;
  2.   Hoarding of spectrum by incumbent operators; and
  3.   Flip-flop of Policy

Let me wholeheartedly agree with you. Many in media and public life
including me, have been saying this for several years now, so your
belated realization of these critical issues is very welcome.

I sympathize with your concern about public-policy making in our
country sometimes resembling that of a Banana Republic. But the forces
behind this are helped considerably by the fact that people with power
and influence remain silent and passive spectators to this. So many
including I would have welcomed your intervention much earlier, as in
the case of the alleged bribing offer 15 years ago, of Rs 15 Crores
that you referred to only recently. You will agree that speaking out
against corruption is most effective when it is happening and not
decades or years later. Because then it becomes an intellectual post
mortem, and not active resistance.

Since I was previously a telecom entrepreneur, there will be a
temptation for those that advise you, to attribute agenda and
motivations to this letter of mine. But I assure you that there is
none. I write because I believe that there is a need to join you in
this debate and necessarily bring to your attention the contradictions
between your stand and the position of the Tata Telecom companies,
that you may be unaware of, given your senior position in your
organization.

1.   Out-of-Turn Allocation of Spectrum

According to the CAG Report, the potential loss to the Exchequer on
account of dual technology licenses at 3G rates is Rs. 37,154 crores.
By virtue of dual technology - according to the CAG – your company has
caused a loss to the Exchequer to the tune of approx. Rs. 19074.8
crores.

But it is not just this. It is a fact that the Tata Group is a
beneficiary of out-of-turn spectrum.  In fact, one of the biggest of
them all.

It is a fact admitted by the Government on affidavit that 575
applications were received for 2G spectrum by 01 October, 2007.  Using
an illegal and arbitrary cutoff date, Mr. Raja processed only 122
applications received till 25 September, 2007.  110 were rejected and
343 applications were put in abeyance.  Given the fact that there is
no 2G spectrum available, these applications received till 01 October,
2007 (within the date represented by the Government) have now been put
in the dustbin.  In fact, the TRAI had already recommended on 11 May
2010 that no more UASL license with bundled spectrum can be given.
This means that these 343 applications will never be processed and
will never see spectrum.

In the meantime, 19 days after these 575 applications were received,
the dual technology policy was announced through a press release by
Mr. Raja.  The Tatas put in their dual technology applications around
22 October.  So, in effect, their application went in three weeks
after the 575 2G applications were received.

Today, Tatas already have GSM spectrum allocated and GSM service
launched in most of the circles – But the 343 applications submitted
three weeks before the Tata Group have neither been processed nor have
any chance of ever being processed – so much for First Come, First
Serve.

You will accept that this seems to be a case of arriving late, forming
a new queue, jumping the priority and accusing others of getting
priority on spectrum allocation and meets your point of out-of-turn
allocation of spectrum. I am sure the 373 applicants who were rejected
for no fault of theirs, will agree - while the Tata Group has sold its
equity for billions of dollars to NTT Docomo based on its out-of-turn
GSM allocation on dual technology policy.

In my humble opinion, evidence suggests that the Tatas have benefited
from out-of-turn spectrum allocation. The dispute between Tatas and
Reliance Comm inter se on the allocation sequence cannot dilute the
primary fact of bypassing other early applicants to this spectrum.

2.   Hoarding of spectrum by incumbent operators

This is an important point you have raised. I concur with you that
there is a need for Telcos, old or new, to pay market rates for
spectrum. I also completely agree that the subscriber linked criteria
allocation of spectrum is flawed and is encouraging fudging and false
subscriber numbers. But I bring to your attention, that this is
existing Government policy – flawed or unfortunate as it may be, and
the only solution to this is to replace this with a new policy.

If by hoarding, you mean having more spectrum than number of
subscribers that can be serviced – then please note that Tata holds
spectrum both for GSM and CDMA.  Based on the spectrum that Tata has,
its average efficiency is perhaps the lowest amongst the large
operators.  Equally, that the CDMA spectrum that Tata holds is 3-4
times more efficient than the GSM operators – by its own admission,
which I recall during the WLL scam. Moreover, Tata has received CDMA
and GSM spectrum at 2001 rates.  So even if the hoarding charge was to
apply, it would also apply to the Tatas for having maximum cumulative
efficiency (CDMA and GSM) to serve the least number of subscribers
amongst the incumbents.

Again, I fully support the need to price spectrum beyond 6.2 MHz with
incumbent operators at market rates.  But the charge of hoarding that
you make applies equally to Tata Tele – whether it is total spectrum
held, or subscribers served based on that spectrum, or price paid to
acquire such spectrum, vis-à-vis the cumulative efficiency of CDMA and
GSM.

3.   Flip-flop of Policy

In your interview, you have pointed out that a lot of the current
dysfunctionality in Telecom has arisen from Policy changes and
flip-flops. You would recall that one of the most horrific distortions
of Policy was the infamous WLL scam in 2001– where Telecom companies
with Fixed service licenses managed to muscle their way into cellular
with active support of Policy makers of that time – and not to forget
that it was all done in the name of benefit to the common man!

You will further recall that in 2003, a convenient set of
recommendations by the TRAI and Government allowed this illegality to
be regularized through the UASL policy, opening the gates to
unprecedented and unique (and unheard of) First Come, First Served
form of licensing - bypassing tenders (a form of auction) that were
the norm for obtaining cellular licenses till then.

Your company was the beneficiary of this 'policy flip-flop' and you
chose to accept the benefits of this flip-flop at that time - despite
this blatant violation and distortion. I am personally aware because I
led the fight against it and remember being immensely disappointed at
the Tata Group's remarkably self-serving position. Further, in one of
the most mysterious and indefensible acts, Tata Group took on board as
a consultant, the very individual, who as the Chairman of TRAI was the
architect of this UASL and other shames.

So in summary and respectfully, your positions in the recent
interviews seem to be in stark contrast with the actual conduct,
performance and position of Tatas' Telecom companies in each of the
three points you have raised.

There are several other questions that deserve answers, including why
a group like Tata with its sterling character and reputation requires
outside lobbyists to lobby on their behalf! That, in itself, is enough
to shatter one's confidence!

I reiterate that this letter is not meant to tarnish or disrespect or
distract from the many achievements of the Tata Group including the
acquisition of International Brands like Land Rover, Jaguar and its
increasingly global footprint. But I believe, on behalf of many
erstwhile supporters of the Tata group, that it is my duty to seek and
spotlight the truth. The Tata Group has a responsibility, and indeed,
owes it to its many admirers in India to actually live up to its image
of ethical conduct, otherwise your statements and actions will seem to
be hypocrisy – something that's already available in plenty in our
public and corporate life.

Respectfully,

RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR
Member of Parliament
New Delhi
06 December, 2010
http://mediavigil.blogspot.com/2010/12/rajeev-chandrasekhars-open-letter-to.html

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Ratan Tata's reply to Rajeev's open letter.

 Dear Rajeev,

I am currently overseas and have just seen a copy of the open letter you have addressed to me with copies to the entire media community. This is of course in keeping with the current trend of attempted character assassination through widespread media publicity couched in pain and concern for upholding ethics and values. Your letter is based on untruths and distortion of facts and l feel compelled to place the real facts, as bluntly as possible before you. l hope this will also be broadly disseminated to the same audience as your letter. l am of course well aware that some media houses will choose not to publish or air my response in deference of their owners, who are the real gainers in the telecom sector, with whom you have unfortunately aligned to provide a massive diversion of attention away from the real culprits in the telecom space.

You will appreciate that the Governments stated telecom policy of 1999 set out the principles of a technology neutral environment. When cellular mobile telephony was introduced, the first set of operators, including yourself, chose GSM, the broadly used European technology at that time. The first set of cellular mobile operators received their licenses based on an auction process in circles for which some of them and their partners submitted very high bids. Later in July 1999, in a BJP-led NDA Government, in accordance with the recommendation of a Group of Ministers headed by Mr. Jaswant Singh, the fixed license fee regime was changed to a revenue share regime (which exists even today). lf a hypothetical amount was to be calculated, similar to one which has been done in the CAG report, at that point of time, the loss to the exchequer would be about Rs.50,000 crores and the exchequer would have been deprived of this amount. Realistically, however, the revenue share system would have recouped some amount over time and this important change most probably has been responsible for the greater growth of the industry as it enabled tariffs to be reduced.

CDMA technology (a newer and more spectrum efficient technology), was utilized by some operators for fixed wireless operations such as PCOS and for last mite wireless connectivity for 'fixed line phones. The first attempted deviation of stated policy was in January 2001 when the then telecom minister, Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan, in a NDA Government, sought to allow the fixed wireless application of CDMA - for limited mobility on the grounds that it would be available to the public at a lower price. The GSM operators led by you mounted a campaign lobbying against this on the grounds that it would be unfair to the incumbents who had made investments and who had enjoyed first mover advantage.

You will recall that you and Nusli Wadia approached me in the Chambers in Taj Mumbai in July 2002 to sign an appeal to the then Prime Minister, Mr. A. B. Vajpayee, Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Advani and Finance Minister Mr. Jaswant Singh not to allow fixed mobile service providers to provide mobile services. I enclose a copy of your fax dated July 12, 2002, requesting me to sign and the draft letter which l was supposed to sign. In para 2 of this letter your objective amongst other things was to reach a 50 million subscriber base by 2006. To refresh your memory, l enclose a copy of the letter dated August 16, 2002, that l wrote to you expressing my inability to sign such a letter as it would block the introduction of CDMA technology and l believed that the telecom industry needed to be technology neutral but what l agreed with you was that any new operator should pay the same fee as the incumbents so that all operators were equalized and that no one was disadvantaged. As a result of a technology agnostic policy we achieved more than 100 million subscribers in 2006 and to date 700 million. l am also enclosing a copy of my letter to Mr. Vajpayee dated January 12, 2001, in which l advocated an open, transparent process giving all parties a chance to be heard - a stance that I have not changed till date. This had angered you and the other operators who were not interested in a level playing field and lobbied aggressively through COAI to ensure that a technologically agnostic environment would not come to pass. lt is obvious that an industry driven by technology cannot confine itself to a single technology only because that was the technology employed by a handful of operators who derived early mover advantage, enjoyed high ARPUS and in fact thwarted new - admittedly more efficient technology like CDMA. China, Korea and even the U.S. have built their large subscriber numbers on the utilization of both CDMA and GSM technologies. Growth could have been far greater had incumbent operators like yourself risen above their self-interest of protecting their investment and allowing the existence of all technologies on an equal footing.

However, in pursuance of the spirit of NTP 1999, the Government did indeed implement the technology neutral policy in November 2003. The minister involved was Mr. Arun Shourie in the same BJP-led NDA government under Mr. Vajpayee. This was implemented through the creation of the UASL regime which enabled existing license holders to migrate to UASL license providing freedom of choice of technology and where a pan-­India license could be obtained for a fee of about Rs. l,650 crores, the same fee paid by the successful fourth cellular mobile operator. Mr. Shourie needs to be commended in implementing this far sighted policy, which has enabled technology to be the driver of the industry, rather than technology protected growth.

I will now briefly touch on the points you raised regarding TTSL and the alleged advantage they gained. I have requested TTSL to address those issues in greater detail to you directly.

On the issue of various allegations you have made on the so called benefits gained by TTSL, so called out-of-turn allotment that you claim have been given by DoT, you have chosen to misrepresent the facts as they suit you to justify the claims you have made. The true position is that TTSL has not I repeat not been advantaged in any way by Mr. Raja or any earlier Minister. The company has strictly followed the applicable policy and has been severely disadvantaged, as you are well aware, by certain powerful politically connected operators who have willfully subverted policy under various telecom ministers which has subsequently been regularized to their advantage. The same operators continue to subvert policy: have even paid fees for spectrum, even before the announcement of a policy, and have "de-facto ownership" in several new telecom enterprises. Licenses were granted to several ineligible applicants. Several licensees have spectrum in excess of their entitlement as per license conditions and not on the self-styled capacity spectrum efficiency that you have chosen to mention. This is the smoke screen that I am referring to as these subverters of government policy continue to do so to their advantage and their acts are being ignored or condoned. TTSL, on the other hand, as an existing licensee, applied for spectrum under the dual technology policy after the policy was announced on October 19"", 2007 and is still awaiting allotment of spectrum in Delhi and 39 key districts for about three years whereas operators who applied - and paid the fee even before the policy announcement were not only considered ahead in line but were allotted spectrum with amazing alacrity in January 2008 itself. I am surprised that you have chosen to sidestep this very important aspect

The investment by NTT DoCoMo in TTSL was not based on a zero base valuation, like others, but was based on the performance of the company with 38 million subscribers, pan-India presence of network, offices, channel, turnover of Rs.6,000 crores, 60,000 km. of fiber: - and the potential growth of the company. The valuations are on the basis of a due diligence and service evaluation of the company's service quality by DoCoMo.

On the question of hoarding of spectrum to which I have referred, you will no doubt remember that in 2005 i made an issue of the fact that spectrum was a scarce resource and needed to be paid for rather than given free as was being proposed. The government policy entitled operators to no more than 6.2 MHz on the basis of their license conditions. All additional spectrum should have been returned or paid for. Even TRAI has recommended this in July 2010. l believe that TTSL was the only operator that returned spectrum when demanded by DoT. The CAG report clearly indicates which of the powerful GSM operators are holding spectrum beyond their entitlement free of cost and to the detriment of the other operators

On the question of many disadvantaged new applicants who have supposedly been denied licenses in 2007, you are well aware that many of the applicants were proxy shareholders in high places, and were applying to enter the sector with a view to monetize the license once received. Even those that were granted license and spectrum have failed to effect any meaningful rollout of services. Strangely, you have chosen to ignore this fact and singled out TTSL who have, in fact, put in place a network supporting 82 million subscribers, despite the fact that they have been deprived of spectrum in Delhi and the 39 key districts over the past 3 years as mentioned earlier. How could you or anybody possibly consider this to be a beneficial situation for TTSL?

Let me address the question of the Tatas' need for an external PR service provider. Ten years ago, Tatas found themselves under attack in a media campaign to defame the ethics and value systems of the group which held it apart from others in India. The campaign was instituted and sustained through an unholy nexus between certain corporates and the media through selected journalists. As Tatas did not enjoy any such "captive connections" in this environment, the Tata Group, had no option but to seek an external agency focused at projecting its point of view in the media and countering the misinformation and vested interest viewpoints which were being expressed. Vaishnavi was commissioned for this purpose and has operated effectively since 2001. You yourself have interacted with Niira Radia on some occasions in the past and it is therefore amazing that you should now, after nearly nine years, seek to denounce Tatas' appointment of Vaishnavi. Also, the statement regarding Tatas employing Mr. Baijal is completely false. Vaishnavi is neither owned by the Tata Group nor is the Tata Group Vaishnavi's only client. Mr. Baijal, whom you apparently have a dislike, is part of Noesis, (an affiliate of Vaishnavi in which Tatas have no ownership) and, as facts will show, on various occasions has differed with the Tata Group during his period in office and has not advocated or influenced Telecom policy for the Tata Group in any way.

You and many others have focused your attention on Ms. Radia as a corporate lobbyist. I would like to draw your attention to the following-

You parked yourself at the Taj Mahal Hotel Delhi, for several months since 2002 which was the centre of operations for you to prevent entry of VVLL Limited Mobility and CDMA as well as to interact with the polity and bureaucracy and with other operators to forge telecom policy of your choice. You did this in your own capacity as also as President of COAI.

You also constantly solicited support of CII.

Would you not consider this as an endeavor to influence or subvert policy? To influence politicians or solicit support from selected corporates? l take it that in your view this would not constitute lobbying.

Your affiliation with a particular political party is well known and it appears that their political aspirations and their endeavor to embarrass the Prime Minister and the ruling party may well have been the motivation behind your letter and the insinuations which you make. We should all note that many of the flip flops in the telecom policy occurred during the BJP regime. Whatever may be said, it must be recognized that the recent policy broke the powerful cartel which had been holding back competition and delaying implementation of policies not to their liking, such as growth of CDMA technologies, new GSM entrants, revision in subscriber based spectrum allocation norms, and now even number portability. You yourself have publicly commended in November 2007 such initiatives and the minister for breaking the cartel and reducing the cost of service to the customer.

The 2G scam ostensibly revolved around Mr. Ragas alleged misdeeds and some parts of the CAG report were quoted as having indicted the minister. Much has been made about the hypothetical loss to the exchequer in the grant of new licenses and the grant of spectrum on the basis of 3G auction prices, (which were not known or even foreseen at the time of granting such licenses and spectrum). However, the media and even you have chosen to ignore the rest of the CAG report in which excess possession of spectrum, the disadvantages to TTSL by name, the irregularity in allotment of licenses to most players whose applications were ineligible to be considered in the first place have been clearly stated in detail. You have also not noticed that the CAG has not ascribed value to 48 new GSM licenses issued to incumbents between 2004-08 and 65 MHZ of additional spectrum allotted to incumbents during this period even though the CAG was supposed to cover the period from 2003. l would have thought that all this would have been of public interest and should have been widely reported. l support the ongoing investigations and believe that the period of investigation be extended to 2001 for the nation to know the real beneficiaries of the ad hoc policy-making and implementation.

Finally, you have chosen to lecture me on the responsibilities of upholding the ethics and values which the Tata Group has honored and adhered to through the years. l can say categorically that we have not wavered in upholding our values and ethical standards despite the erosion in the ethical fabric in the country and despite the efforts of others to draw us into controversy and endeavor to besmirch our record. When the present sensational smokescreen dies down, as it will, and the true facts emerge, it will be for the people of India to determine who are the culprits that enjoy political patronage and protection and who actually subvert policy and who have dual standards. I can hold my head high and say that neither the Tata Group or l have at any time been involved in any of these misdeeds.

The selective reporting and your own selective focus appear to be diversionary actions to deflect attention away from the real issue which plagues the telecom industry, in the interest of a few powerful politically connected operators. Perhaps it is time that you and members of the media de some introspection and soul searching as to whether you have been serving your masters or serving the general public at large.

With warm regards,

Yours sincerely,

Ratan Tata

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Rajeev's reply to the above letter of Ratan Tata.

Dear Mr Tata,

I welcome your joining this debate. It is an important one and needs to be settled in full public view. Unfortunately, your response is

a typical one that ducks the main issues and instead attempts to shoot the messenger!

I am only disappointed, but no longer surprised, that in sharp contrast to my efforts to go out of the way to keep this debate relating to facts and policy discussions - your letter is intensely personal, attributes feeble motives (including amusing Political ones) and most unbecoming of the House of Tatas. I can only think that this is a lapse in good judgment. I particularly find your self-appointed defence of the Prime Minister and Government very irrelevant. 
Nevertheless, I promise to keep my response dignified and steadfastly refuse to fall to your level of personal attacks.
On facts, your letter is not just exceptionally weak, but in fact, refuses to engage on the issues that I had raised - the yawning gap between what you say in public and what your companies do. While those remain unanswered, I will certainly reply shortly with my response. I promise to rebut your allegations, claims and innuendo - chapter and verse in the public domain.
Best regards,
Rajeev Chandrasekhar
Member of Parliament

New Delhi
09 December, 2010

Filthiest film song ever heard has been written by Kamalahasan!

Some people have a penchant for doing certain things.

Actor Kamalahasan has done some such thing in the name of a "poem" for his forth coming film, "Manmatha ambu".

Any person with normal sensibilities can not conceive such a poem. But a Kamal can do.

Only recently I wrote an analytical astrological article on why some people have unbridled passion for unapproved relationships and derived the probable astrological hints to identify such behavior. When I checked the horoscopes of the known probables of such behavior,  Kamalhasan expectedly fitted in as one of the right candidates. I have quoted his horoscope in my case studies. This article has been published under the caption "Relationships — An Astrological Understanding" in this month's (December, 2010 issue) Astrological eMagazine.

Within a month of writing that article, I am getting yet another proof from Kamalhasan that he is of course what his horoscope paints him to be.
Though this gives me satisfaction (!) that I am right in judging such unapproved passion from the horoscope, it does cause me immense anguish to write what he actually wrote.

So I request the readers to go to this link to read his poem.

http://www.dinamalar.com/News_Detail.asp?Id=140496

and read the response given below (in Tamil) by Mr Arjun Sampath of Hindu Makkal Katchi.

Initially I did not want to write anything about this poem by Kamal as I did not want to give publicity to it. But today I read a report that the songs of this film "Manmatha ambu" are a big hit more than the Enthiran songs. That puts me into disquiet. I don't know how many young minds are going to be lured by this song or its contents. This song deserves to be banned.

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மன்மதன் அம்பு படத்திற்காக நடிகர் கமலஹாசன் எழுதியுள்ள திரைப்படப்பாடல் தமிழர் பண்பாட்டுக்கு எதிராகவும், இந்திய கலாச்சாரத்திற்கு கேடாகவும், இந்து மத நம்பிக்கைகளை புண்படுத்தும் வகையிலும் அமைந்துள்ளது. குறிப்பாக வரட்சுமி நோன்பையும், அரங்கநாதரையும் அவமதிக்கும் வகையில் இப்பாடல் அமைந்துள்ளது. நடிகர் கமலஹாசனின் இத்தகைய அவருக்கத்தக்க செயலுக்கு கண்டம் தெரிவிக்கும் வகையில் இந்து மக்கள் கட்சியின் சார்பில் கட்சியின் மாநிலத் தலைவர் அர்ஜூன் சம்பத் அவர்கள் எழுதியுள்ள கண்டன கவிதையை தங்கள் முன் சமர்பிக்கிறோம். பரிசீலித்து தங்கள் ஊடகத்தில் வெளியிட்டு உதவிடும்படி வேண்டுகிறோம். கமலஹாசன் எழுதிய அதே கவிதை நடையில் இக்கண்டன கவிதை எழுதப்பட்டுள்ளது. காமம் மட்டுமே வாழ்க்கையாய் நினைக்கும் கமலஹாசனுக்கு எச்சரிக்கை! தாய்க்கும் தாரத்திற்கும் பேதம் தெரியாத தரங்கெட்டோருக்கு எச்சரிக்கை! கல்லானாலும் கணவன்! புல்லானாலும் புருஷன்! என்றே வாழும்  கற்புடை மகளிர் சார்பில் எச்சரிக்கை! ஒருவில்! ஒரு சொல்! ஒரு இல்! என்றே ஒருவனுக்கு ஒருத்தி பண்பாடு காக்கும் பண்டைத் தமிழர் சார்பில் எச்சரிக்கை! உடலில் பாதியை மங்கைக்குத் தந்த உமையொரு பாகனின் அடியார்கள் சார்பில் எச்சரிக்கை! திருமகள் வாழ மார்பினைத் தந்த பெருமாள் அடியார்கள் சார்பில் எச்சரிக்கை! தாய்ப்பாலோடு முப்பால் பருகும் தமிழ் குலத்தில் சார்பில் எச்சரிக்கை ! காம தகனமும் இங்கேதான் ! காமசூத்திரமும் இங்கேதான் ! மனித குலத்தின் நன்மைக்கே மனைவியைத் தவிர மற்ற மங்கையரை தாயாய் நினைக்கும் பூமியது மரத்துக்குச் சேலை கட்டினால் கூட மயங்கிக் செல்லும் மடையன் நீ கதையை நம்பி படமெடுக்காமல் சதையை நம்பி பிழைப்பவன் நீ ஆணும் பெண்ணும் சேரும் வாழ்வை முன்னும் பின்னும் யோசிக்காமல் ஆண் பெண் உறவை அசிங்கப்படுத்தும் குறுக்கு புத்தி கிறுக்கன் நீ காமதாகம் தீர்ந்த பின்பு கட்டிய பெண்ணை துரத்தியவன் நீ! பெண்களுக்கு எதிராய் பொய்யுரை பரப்பும் உனக்குச் சொல்கிறோம் கேட்டுக் கொள் கமலஹாசன்  : துணிச்சல் இல்லா கோழை நான்   தூய்மை இல்லா மனிதன் நான்   தனியே வர பயந்துதானே   தரங்கெட்டவரோடு அணி சேர்ந்துள்ளேன். பெண்  :  நல்வழிக்கு நீ வரமாட்டாய்;   நிச்சயம் நரகம் சென்றிடுவாய்! கமல்  : எதடிடூtதூ அண் அஞிஞிதண்ண்ஞுஞீ பெண் : அப்போ ஜட்ஜ்மெண்ட் சொல்றேன் கமல் : ம் சொல்லுங்க பெண் : உலகத் தமிழர் ஒன்று சேர்ந்து உளறல் நாயகன்   உன்னை ஒரு நாள் துரத்திடுவோம்.   அதற்கு முன்னால் உனது மகள்கள் இருவர் முன்பு   நீ எழுதிய கவிதையை சொல்லிடு   அதுதான் உனக்கு சரியான தண்டனை கமல் : யாருக்குத் தண்டனை பெண் : சந்தேகமென்ன உனக்கேதான் கமல் : நான் பக்தியுமில்லை! புத்தியுமில்லை! பெண் : உனக்கு பக்தியுமில்லை புத்தியுமில்லை !   கௌதமி புத்திமட்டுமே  உள்ளது   என்பதும் எங்களுக்குத் தெரியும்! இந்து மக்கள் கட்சி  :  இந்து தெய்வங்களை மட்டுமே இழிவு படுத்தும்     இவர்களின் கொள்கை      இஸ்லாம், கிறிஸ்துவ நம்பிக்கையை     எதிர்த்து எழுதும்  துணிச்சல் உண்டா?     காமம் பற்றியே பேசி திரியும்     கயவர் பல்லை உடைத்திடவே     கனமான ஒரு தடி வேண்டும் !     காம வெறியார்கள் ஒழிந்திட வேண்டும்     கூடி நின்று நாம் எதிர்த்திட வேண்டும்!     இளைஞர் நெஞ்சில் நஞ்சைக் கலக்கும்     நரகல் கவிதைக்கெதிராக     கொள்ளை முழக்கும் செய்திடுவோம்!     வீசி எறியும் எலும்புக்காக     வாலை ஆட்டும் நாயாம்  வாலி     வக்காலத்து வாங்கினாலும்     கருணாநிதியும் உதயநிதியும்     உதவி செய்து  காத்து நின்றாலும்     காமக்கொடூரன் கமலஹாசனுக்கு     கடும் பாடம் புகட்டிட வேண்டும்.     உள் ஒரு வாழ்க்கை! புறம் ஒரு வாழ்க்கை !     பகல்வேசம் போடும் மேதாவிலாசம் !     நாத்தீகம் பேசும் பகுத்தறிவு போர்வை!     நாயன்மார்களும் ஆழ்வார்களும்     நயம்பட உரைத்த நல்லுரைகளை     திரித்து பேசித் திரியும் உன்னை     நாங்கள் எதிர்த்து நின்றிடுவோம்.     அடுத்தவர் வீட்டு குளியல் அறையை     எட்டி பார்க்கும் வழக்கம் எமக்கு     எப்போதும் இருந்ததில்லை     அரங்கநாதனை அவதூறு செய்ய துணிந்த     உந்தன் முகத்திரையை கொஞ்சம் கிழிக்க முயல்கின்றோம்.     கட்டிய மனைவி வாணி இருக்கையில்     மாதவியோடு சுற்றித் திரிந்தாய்     சரிகாவோடு சல்லாபம் செய்தாய்     நடிக்க வரும் பெண்களையெல்லாம்     படுக்கைக்கு அழைத்து பாழாக்கினாய்     மகள் வயது பெண்களுடனே     மானங்கெட்டு  சுற்றித் திரிந்தாய்     சத்தியவானின் உயிரை மீட்க     சாவித்திரி கொண்டது  வரலட்சுமி நோன்பு!     ஆயிரமாயிரம் ஆண்டுகளாய்     கற்புக்கரசியர் நோற்க்கும் வரலட்சுமி நோன்பு!     அந்தரங்கம் யாவும்அறிந்து     அரிதுயில் கொள்ளும்  அரங்கநாதன்     உன்னை யொழிக்க சுதர்சனமாய், சாரங்கமாய்     எம்மை இங்கே படைத்துள்ளான்     உன்னை போன்ற அயோக்கியர்களை     அழித்தொழிக்க வந்துள்ளோம்     எங்கள் கூட்டம் சிங்கம் போல     எழுந்து நின்று கர்ஜிக்கும்     சீனிவாசனும் இராஜலட்சுமியும்     சேர்ந்து பெற்ற பிள்ளையா நீ?     சீனிவாசனின் தேசியமும்     இராஜலட்சுமியின் தெய்வீகமும்     உன்னைப்போல் ஓர் பிள்ளை பெற்றது     எம்மைப்போன்றோர்க்கு ஆச்சரியமே!     வரலட்சுமியின் மகிமை தெரிந்திட     உன்தாய் ராஜலட்சுமியை வணங்கி நின்றிடு!     அரங்கநாதனின் அருமை தெரிய     உன் தந்தை சீனிவாசனை தொழுது நின்றிடு!     அனுமன் சேனை! ஸ்ரீ ராம் சேனை!     பாரத சேனை!  சிவ சேனை!     ஒன்றாய் சேர்ந்து உன் கருத்தை முறிப்போம்.

Karunanidhi hints there are more persons behind the scam: J. Jayalalithaa

Karunandhi is blackmailing Congress: Jayalalithaa

NDTV Correspondent, Updated: December 08, 2010 11:59 IST

Delhi:  The AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa has taken on her arch rival M karunanidhi again. Issuing a press statement Jayalalithaa said that even as the state is suffering due to floods Karunanidhi has managed to remain unfazed and rather chosen to audaciously defend A Raja accused in the 2G spectrum scam.

Jayalalithaa claimed in her statement that Karunanidhi was blackmailing the Congress party at the Centre by exerting undue pressure. 

Here 's the complete statement of J Jayalalitha.

Like the Roman despot Nero, who reputedly chose to play on his fiddle while his nation was burning, the equally despotic Karunanidhi chose to relax with his ministerial team at a film function, while his state was drowning in the fury of the monsoon. Hundreds have lost their lives. Several thousand acres of crops have been submerged. Hundreds of kilometers of roads have been damaged and lakhs of people have been rendered homeless and are anxiously waiting for relief. At such a critical time, Karunanidhi is busy with his favourite pastime. Attending filmi functions!! His presence at the cassette release function of the film Ilaignan came as no surprise. After all, by his own admission, he has been paid an astounding Rs 45 lakhs for writing the script for the film. What was appalling was that the entire Tamil Nadu Council of Ministers was attending the function rather than attending to the woes of the people.

Interestingly, Karunanidhi used the platform of this function to make an impassioned public defence of Andimuthu Raja, the prime perpetrator of the Rs 1,76,379 crores Spectrum scam. By making an odious comparison with a mythological story, he sought to make out that Raja alone could not have perpetrated a scam of such enormity on his own. How true! It is a tacit, if inadvertent admission of the fact that Karunanidhi himself, his daughter Kanimozhi and many others are also partners to the loot.


Typical of Karunanidhi, the statement is also loaded. It is a veiled threat to the Congress leadership to go slow on the Spectrum investigation. If precipitate steps are taken to corner Raja, Karunanidhi warns, then he will not hesitate to reveal the names of some others directly or indirectly involved in the scam. The implication is that such a revelation could be unpalatable to the Congress.This is Karunanidhi's way of blackmailing his alliance partner…


The nation has suffered a huge loss. This has been pointed out not merely by the opposition and the media but by the Central Vigilance Commissioner, the Comptroller & Auditor General of India and several courts of law as well, including the Supreme Court of India. The CBI has commenced investigations into the issue. The mere resignation of Raja as telecom minister is not the end of the whole imbroglio. The inquiries have to go beyond estimating the loss suffered by the nation.The quantum of kickbacks for perpetrating this mega scam has to be ascertained. The beneficiaries of these kickbacks have to be questioned.The money trail has to be traced. The money has to be recovered. The guilty have to be punished. And the people have to be kept informed on a day-to-day basis of the developments. Justice has to not only be done,it should be seen to have been done. For this, the only recourse is a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe. This is what the opposition parties have been demanding. But the Government has been stonewalling. Parliament has been practically dysfunctional for the best part of three weeks, with the Government showing no signs of relenting.  The more the UPA Government resists, the more it confirms that the buck does not stop with Raja.  A fact acknowledged by Karunanidhi.


There is no alternative to a JPC probe. The opposition will not rest until it is cleared. Meanwhile, since Karunanidhi has hinted that there are more persons behind the scam, it would only be fitting that he comes out with the facts himself. It would save him the embarrassment of having to be summoned before the JPC for questioning. Intriguingly, Karunanidhi has taken exception to my demand that Raja should be interrogated and, if warranted, arrested. "When some of her colleagues resigned from the Union Cabinet did Jaya seek their arrest?" he has asked in an absurd reference to me. I would like to pointout that no AIADMK member, as Union Minister, had ever presided over a huge scam during his tenure as Union Minister, nor did any AIADMK Union Minister have  to resign under a cloud after a public outcry and the combined insistence of a unified opposition, the entire media and even the courts of law. Karunanidhi makes such wild and ridiculous charges merely to divert attention from his own problems.


Former DMK minister Tha Kiruttinan was killed in broad daylight in the presence of witnesses. A newspaper office in Madurai was burnt down and three innocent employees were killed in full view of TV cameras. A lorry load of Horlicks vanished into thin air near Madurai. In all these incidents, the criminal mastermind was one and the same person from Karunanidhi's family, whom he has gone out of his way to protect. Otherwise, why should all these cases still remain in the police records as unsolved?


In the case of Raja and the Spectrum scam, Karunanidhi knows that the place of crime is Delhi and not some place in Tamil Nadu. The complainants and witnesses cannot be coerced into turning hostile. The case cannot be manipulated according to his whims. This sense of helplessness is driving him into making desperate statements, for he knows that the day of reckoning is near.

J JAYALALITHA  

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/karunandhi-is-blackmailing-congress-jayalalithaa-71290?cp