No one’s buying the government’s desperate arguments to keep the prime minister above Lokpal scrutiny Points Of Friction   Government and civil society representatives have sparred on the question of including the prime minister in the proposed Lokpal Bill on seven key grounds: Point: The Prime Minister is accountable only to Parliament, and to the people of India Counterpoint: Does this mean a PM can never face action for criminal liability, however serious the charge,...

-The Times of India   While participation of the Anna Hazare group in the drafting of the Lokpal Bill to check corruption in public life is uncertain, the government is set to draw a line that will see a conditional inclusion of the prime minister and exclusion of higher judiciary and actions of MPs in Parliament. Despite having opened the web of consultations wide with finance minister Pranab Mukherjee seeking the opinions...

Haryana's infamous khap leaders has decided to pitch for Baba Ramdev in Delhi on Saturday with a large number of supporters. Khap leader Om Parkash Dhankhar, who is coordinating with other khap leaders of Haryana to mobilize support for the yoga gura, on Friday claimed that more than 50,000 people from the state would participate in the indefinite hunger strike called by Baba Ramdev to press for his demand to...

-The Indian Express   Ramdev Baba has found unlikely support from Maoists for his proposed indefinite fast in Delhi from Saturday. "We invite the people of the country to join Baba Ramdev's movement from tomorrow against corruption and bringing back black money stashed abroad," Maoist State Committee member Aakash said over phone. "We extend our full support to Baba Ramdev ... It is not only Ramdev or Anna Hazare but Maoists will actively...

The World Bank has cleared a $975-million (Rs 4,387 crore) loan for a pet rail project of Mamata Banerjee, the funds signal flashing at a time Bengal is on the lookout for affordable funds. The loan is meant for the first phase (Ludhiana-Mughal Sarai) of a dedicated high-speed freight corridor that will eventually link Calcutta and Delhi. But those familiar with the World Bank’s operations suggested that the approval could be more...