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...
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Bengal sits on student benefits by Basant Kumar Mohanty
The Bengal government could have ensured a monthly scholarship of Rs 500 for nearly 22,000 poor schoolchildren in the state over the past three years, without any damage to its own pocket. Instead, it chose to help just about 3,000 get the scholarship.The National Means-Cum-Merit Scholarship, launched in 2008-09, looks to benefit about one lakh Class IX students every year. The State Bank of India pays the entire sum, which...
More »Violence displaced Adivasis file status report in HC
In a matter relating to displacement of Adivasi population in Kokrajhar district of western Assam the Gauhati High Court accepted a status report from petitioners in the matter. Petitioners were displaced on account of violence in the 1980's against them and had approached the court seeking relief.Petitioners who were driven out of their homes during a communal riot at the time of autonomy movement of Bodo tribal community in Assam...
More »NREGA 2010: Politics in Slow Motion?
More things change more they remain the same! UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi has given her full support; two Congress chief ministers have written to the Prime Minister; a High Court (A.P) has ruled that the current wage rate violated the Minimum Wages Act 1948 --- but the rural workers are still getting the same old rate. When the MGNREGA workers lifted their 47-day dharna at Jaipur after the Centre and...
More »Assam: Mahanta Claims NREGA Scam Cost Rs 180 Cr
Former Assam chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta today claimed the state government was responsible for a scam of Rs 180 crore of NREGA funds besides the multi-crore fund diversion in N C Hills. "I have with me relevant documents of the NREGA scam," the Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly told reporters here. The AGP leader also claimed that for the past six months, the government had failed to submit...
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