The Indian Panorama

Tag: Indian National Congress @INCIndia

  • Wife of Indian ‘illegally confined’ in Iran to seek Sonia Gandhi’s help

    Wife of Indian ‘illegally confined’ in Iran to seek Sonia Gandhi’s help

    VADODARA (TIP): The wife of one of the two Indians who were allegedly confined in a guest house in Iran’s Zanjan city by a private firm has decided to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other senior leaders to seek help in securing their return to India.

    Vadodara resident Sanket Pandya (36) and Mohammed Hussain Khan (from Haryana), working with an India-based private firm, had been allegedly detained and their passports taken away by the engineering firm in December last year following a business dispute with their Goa-based company. Later, officials of Indian embassy in Tehran had got in touch with both the Indians and made arrangements to bring them to the Iranian capital.

    Both were then shifted to a hotel in Tehran city but have not been able to return to India. Sanket’s wife Priti Pandya told PTI over phone today that she has reached Delhi to meet senior Congress leaders to help in securing the safe release of both the Indians. She said till date their passports have not been returned to them. “I do not understand as to why my husband is kept in illegal confinement in Iran when he has not committed any crime or any illegal activity there,” she said, adding that Sanket and Khan had gone to Iran after their employer company sent them for a powerrelated project in Zanjhan.

    “How could Pandya and Khan be held responsible for any business dispute between both these India and Iran based companies? It is for both the companies to resolve their disputes for which employees cannot be held responsible,” she said. Priti had last month written a letter to Sonia Gandhi seeking help in the matter and had also met senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel and given all details to take up the issue with the External Affairs Ministry. The Tehran-based Indian embassy had prepared required travel documents for both of them and sent it to Iran embassy for stamping, after grant of visa for their journey back to India. However, the Iranian authorities have been refusing to stamp their travel documents under pressure from the Iran-based company, Priti alleged.

  • Rajiv Gandhi assassination case: SC stays release of 4 convicts

    Rajiv Gandhi assassination case: SC stays release of 4 convicts

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The Supreme Court on February 26 stayed the release of four convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, ordering status quo on a plea by the Centre challenging the Tamil Nadu government’s proposal to release them.

    The court bench headed by Justice P Sathasivam directed that the central government’s plea would be heard on March 6. The court also issued notice to the state government and the four prisoners on the Centre’s plea against their release. It asked as to why the Centre rushed to the apex court instead of replying to the state government’s letter seeking the stand of the Union government on the release of the prisoners.

    “Is the Centre rushing or you are rushing?,” the bench questioned the state government and made it clear that it will first consider the maintainability of the Centre’s petition before going into its merits. “You take it from us that we would consider the maintainability issue first,” it said, adding,”We would solve the problem amicably.” The bench said that every state must be aware about the procedure to be followed for the release of prisoners.

    The Centre on Monday had moved the apex court to prevent Tamil Nadu government to set free four other convicts serving life imprisonment in the case. The apex court had on February 20 stayed the release of three convicts — Murugan, Santhan and Arivu — whose death sentence was commuted to life term by it on February 18 in the case, saying there had been procedural lapses on the part of the state government on the decision to release them.

    The Centre’s move came after the apex court had said it could file a fresh petition regarding the other four prisoners whose sentence has also been remitted by the Tamil Nadu government. It has sought stay on the release of convicts Nalini, Robert Pious, Jayakumar and Ravichandran. The Jayalalithaa government had on February 19 decided to set free all the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

  • Supreme Court halts release of Rajiv Gandhi’s killers

    Supreme Court halts release of Rajiv Gandhi’s killers

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Rajiv Gandhi’s killers cannot immediately walk free, the Supreme Court on Feb 20 told the Tamil Nadu government, acting on the Centre’s petition seeking a stay on chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s decision to release them. The union home ministry and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also categorically told the state government not to free the seven convicts, saying the move would be legally untenable.

    “The assassination of Shri Rajiv Gandhi was an attack on the soul of India,” Singh said in a statement, adding that freeing his killers would be contrary to the principals of justice. A day after the top court commuted the death sentence of three convicts — Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan — to life on grounds of inordinate delay, Jayalalithaa had on Wednesday announced she would release them as well as the other four serving life terms under the provisions of the criminal procedure code (CrPC).

    She had asked the Centre to give its views “within three days”, after which she’d set them free. But at an urgent hearing on Feb 20, the SC observed, “Commutation of death sentence into life cannot automatically lead to release.” It said the state would have to follow procedure. In its application, the UPA government said the state wasn’t authorized to release the convicts, and definitely not till the court had decided the Centre’s review plea against its February 18 verdict commuting the convicts’ death sentence to life.

    Since the Centre’s application did not mention the names of the remaining four prisoners, the court didn’t pass any order against them. But solicitor general Mohan Parasaran said the ruling applied to them as well. “The issue as to what is the appropriate government — state or Centre — to release the prisoners is being debated before SC. Release of the four not mentioned in the order would amount to violating the spirit of the SC order,” he said.

    Notices have been issued to the three convicts, the state, inspector general of prisons Chennai and superintendent of central prison Vellore Jail, seeking their response by March 6, the next date of hearing. Subramanium Prasad, counsel for the state, said they would contest the Centre’s claim and place their stand in court on March 6. The home ministry conveyed to the state that the seven were prosecuted by a central agency (CBI) under central laws like TADA (now repealed) and the arms act, and that section 435 of the CrPC says in such cases state governments can’t go ahead with remission or commutation of sentence without consulting the Centre. The state’s decision has been severely criticised. The BJP’s Arun Jaitley called it a case of misconceived compassion while the Congress’ Anand Sharma said terrorism and assassinations can’t be “politically legitimised”.

  • Indian Consulate to Screen Frontier Gandhi: Badshah Khan, A Torch for Peace

    Indian Consulate to Screen Frontier Gandhi: Badshah Khan, A Torch for Peace

    NEW YORK, NY (TIP): As part of the Republic Day 2014 celebrations, the Consulate General of India in association with Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, New York, is screening a film on Frontier Gandhi Badshah Khan on 27 January 2014 at 5.30 pm at Consulate General of India, 3 East 64th Street, between 5th and Madison Avenue, New York.

    Titled Frontier Gandhi: Badshah Khan, A Torch for Peace, the film is directed by Teri C McLuhan. All are welcome. Please bring your identity proof. Limited seating: on first-cum-firstserve basis.

  • New York Seniors celebrated Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel Jayanti

    New York Seniors celebrated Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel Jayanti

    New York Seniors celebrated Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel Jayanti on October 30, 2013. Under the auspices of 15 organizations at Hanuman Temple, Glen Oaks, New Hyde Park, was organized by Shashikant Patel and Gopi Udeshi. Excerpts of bhajans sung by a group and a solo by Ghanshyam Joshi Suno Suno Ya Duniya Walo, memories from biographies of both leaders, were recited by Gopi Udeshi, Deepak Dave and Shashikant Patel. Shashikant Patel proposed Vote of Thanks.


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    New York Seniors celebrated Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel Jayanti New York Seniors held Active/ Wellness Health Seminar on November 27 Group- Left to right-Usha Shah,Dr.Sunil Patel, Dr Girish Desai, Shandhya Patel, Khandu Patel Dr Mangubhai Patel Standing Left to right– Jitendra Zaveri, Laxmabhai Patel,Bhart Patel, Gopi Udeshi, Shashikant Patel, Hashmukh Shah and Brahmkumari Madhvi

  • US Sikh body gets more time for plea against Sonia Gandhi

    US Sikh body gets more time for plea against Sonia Gandhi

    NEW YORK (TIP): A US federal court has given Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) time till Dec 3 to file an amended complaint against Congress President Sonia Gandhi in an alleged human rights violation case. Despite opposition from Gandhi’s attorneys, the federal court here Monday granted the Sikh rights body’s request for more time to amend its complaint about her role in protecting and shielding Congress party leaders who allegedly participated in the November 1984 anti-Sikh violence.

    SFJ and violence victims are seeking compensatory and punitive damages against Gandhi for allegedly shielding and protecting Kamal Nath, Sajjan Kumar, Jagdish Tytler and other Congress party leaders. While SFJ claims that the court summons were served on Sonia Gandhi through hospital and security staff at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre in New York on Sep 9, Gandhi’s attorneys are challenging the service of summons.

  • Rahul Gandhi still has to prove mettle: Sharad Pawar

    Rahul Gandhi still has to prove mettle: Sharad Pawar

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar on October 24 said Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has to prove his mettle before taking up a bigger role after the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. “One has to prove his mettle in administration. Rahul Gandhi should have joined the Manmohan Singh government. He did not join,” the NCP chief told a TV channel. “I would have preferred if he had joined the Manmohan Singh government… definitely it would have been beneficial for him,” he added. However, Pawar refused to elaborate on the issue saying he was not opposed to Rahul’s candidature for the post of prime minister. When asked whether he would be uncomfortable working under Rahul, Pawar said, “Here, there is no question of working together. There is a generation gap.” The NCP boss maintained that the two major political parties — Congress and BJP — may be short of the magic number to form government.

    “BJP might get some more seats. Congress might lose some. But the numbers may not add up,” he said. Reiterating his support for the Congress irrespective of election results, the Maratha strongman argued that that UPA had a better prospect of getting support of regional allies. “I am with Congress. My association will be with Congress. Tomorrow, if situation comes, I will stand with Congress and UPA and will help to get likeminded forces to form the government,” he said, adding that Congress must work with allies. Pawar clarified that he was not going to contest in the next Lok Sabha elections, dismissing rumours that he was in the race for the post of prime minister. He rejected the view that there was a Narendra Modi wave in some parts of the country. Reacting to a question on Modi, Pawar said, “I have contested 14 elections so far. In my experience of electioneering, those who begin much earlier will be disappointed.”

  • Judge Cogan denies grant of mandatory Default Judgment against Sonia Gandhi

    Judge Cogan denies grant of mandatory Default Judgment against Sonia Gandhi

    NEW YORK, NY (TIP): Sonia Gandhi’s attorney Ravi Batra submitted to the court of Judge Brian M. Cogan, October 21 that Mrs. Gandhi was at a hospital for treatment of an undisclosed medical condition and was not served with summons and also contested that the court had no jurisdiction over the matter. However SFJ filed a service affidavit claiming alternate service to Mrs. Gandhi on September 9, 2013 through the staff of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, where she had gone for her treatment. The summons were issued by the US court on September 3. The SFJ affidavit also claimed that a security agent was also handed over the summons as the court had allowed service of summons through hospital staff or security agents including those of the US Secret Service and the FBI. While Judge Brian M Cogan did not allow plaintiffs’ request for issuance of certificate of default against Gandhi, which was sought on the ground that Gandhi, after being served, had failed to answer the allegations of human rights violation within the time allowed by the federal rules of civil procedure, the plaintiffs got four weeks time to submit an amended plaint.

    Sonia Gandhi’s counsel Ravi Batra said in a statement to The Indian Panorama, “October 22, 2013, at about 3 pm, plaintiffs filed a serviceaffidavit claiming alternate service on Mrs. Gandhi on 9/9/13 between 7-8pm, via Sloan receptionist, nurse supervisor and security employees. Plaintiffs also requested at 3 pm, the court clerk to issue a mandatory Default Judgment against Mrs. Gandhi. At 3:18 pm, Judge Cogan, aware of our denial of service contained in our notice of appearance, denied the grant of mandatory Default Judgment. “Later, at the Rule 16 court conference, which went overtime till almost 6pm, J. Cogan granted plaintiffs’ counsel 4 weeks to amend the complaint, given the legal infirmities pointed out by Supreme Court precedents on Alien Tort Statute and the Torture Victim Protection Act and relied upon by us to question the court’s subject matter jurisdiction. “We will then move to inter alia, dismiss the case with finality, seek an anti-suit injunction against SFJ, and other appropriate relief to remedy provable bad faith and/or vexatious litigation by plaintiff. “As always, the noble judiciary stands guard to provide a merit-based dispute resolution venue to society, but can never be used as mere fodder for publicity stunts.”

  • Fighting Corruption: Rahul Gandhi takes a stand

    Fighting Corruption: Rahul Gandhi takes a stand

    Indian National Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of the controversial ordinance to protect convicted lawmakers is refreshing and gives us hope in putting the party on sound footing as it faces general election in 2014. Mr. Gandhi’s statement simply reflects the values and principles on which the party was founded upon. Mistakes are often made in the policymaking arena; however, realizing the ramifications of those decisions and rectifying the errors in a timely manner certainly takes courage. Mr. Rahul Gandhi has indeed risen to that challenge and for which he is widely applauded by the NRIs in USA. Corruption, the abuse of public office for private gain, is endemic in India and it transcends all sectors in every region. Though it is not limited to any political party, there is a general agreement to the fact that it is a cancer that is debilitating the soul of the nation. It is indeed a serious issue that is facing the nation; however, there is very little consensus as to how to deal with it or arrest its onslaught especially in the public arena.

    The recent mass movements have not gotten any tracking because they were hijacked by vested interests for political gains. Corruption is likely to occur when there are restrictions and government interventions where there is potential for excessive profits. General evidence based on cross country comparisons suggests that corruption has large and adverse effects on private investment and economic growth. Corruption is also most prevalent where there are political instability, bureaucratic red tape and weakening of legislative and judicial systems. Government with the help of the legislatures needs to create laws that would seriously clamp down on these mushrooming activities that are having a detrimental effect on the development of the nation and the safety of its citizens. The UPA Government has taken a number of steps to fight corruption by introducing several bills before the parliament such as Public procurement Bill, whistle blower’s protection bill, foreign bribery bill and prevention of money laundering and so on. However, what is required is courageous leadership along with strong and unambiguous stand that would create an environment that would seriously discourage people from engaging in corrupt activities. It is a known fact that once a corrupt system is in place, majority of the people operate within that system.

    What is required then is fundamental change to the very culture of corruption we tend to tolerate. Everyone in society might not have received a payoff; however, most folks may have paid here of there to get things done thereby contributing to the process. Mr. Rahul Gandhi has indeed taken a strong stand against ordinance prepared by India’s governing coalition to allow Indian lawmakers convicted of a crime to contest election while appeals against their conviction are pending in higher courts. He said the following at a press conference “My opinion of this ordinance is that it is a complete nonsense. It should be torn up and thrown out. This is the time to stop this nonsense. If we want to actually fight corruption in this country, whether it is my party or the B.J.P., we can’t continue making these small compromises,” Although the timing of his announcement when the Prime Minister was on a foreign trip may have received some criticism, people in general are impressed by the objective assessment of the issue and the courageous and principled stand he has taken. The time has come to define concrete results that might appear to be a tall order. Yet, this incident could well be a turning point in making a difference in fighting the corruption. I hope in the coming days, the Lokpal bill could become law and the Parliament will allow Lokpal to function as a constitutional body, as Mr. Rahul Gandhi has proposed.

  • Ramdev and Swami hit out at Gandhis and Congress at Hindu Unity Day Celebrations

    Ramdev and Swami hit out at Gandhis and Congress at Hindu Unity Day Celebrations

    HICKSVILLE, NY (TIP): Hitting out at Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in his characteristic phlegmatic style, Baba Ramdev called upon the gathering at the Hindu Unity Day celebrations organized by the Indian American Intellectuals Forum on September 29th, to show the door to the corrupt Congress party and bring in Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister of India. He predicted a cakewalk for the saffron party in the 2014 general elections and decimation of Congress, the ‘party of Englishmen’. He said BJP under Modi will get as many as 300 Lok Sabha seats, forming the government, and then the glory of India of old will be restored. He said he had vowed to travel to every nook and corner of the country to seek ouster of the Congress party and its replacement with BJP under Modi. Baba Ramdev recalled the glorious heritage and culture of the Hindus. He said, “We were born to rule”. The time has now come to occupy our rightful place, he said. Paying tribute to NRIs, the Baba said that the number of NRIs in America may be small but they are number one in per capita income in the country.


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    “You should now make India No. 1 in the world,” he exhorted the Indian American audience. Dr. Subramanian Swami, who has been a regular at Hindu Unity Day celebrations, spoke disparagingly of the Gandhis, blaming Sonia for being the high priestess of corruption. He dwelt at length on stories of corruption and involvement of Sonia and others from her family in them. He held Congress party responsible for culture of political corruption in India. He called upon the gathering to drive out the corrupt Congress party for ever. He heaped praise on Narendra Modi for being an upright man whose sole concern was glory to India and Indians. Dr. Swami also took digs at Dr. Manmohan Singh whom he described as a weak person, unable to withstand pressures, particularly from Sonia and Rahul to whom he is slavish. Speaking about terrorism and Pakistan’s support to it, Swami said Pakistan was no match for India and could be annihilated provided China was neutralized. He blamed the government of India for not having done enough to neutralize China and taken on Pakistan. Interestingly, both Baba Ramdev and Dr. Swami made identical remarks on Sonia, Rahul, Dr. Manmohan Singh and Pakistan. A day later, Modi also made similar remarks which leaves no doubt in the mind that the BJP is running a well orchestrated propaganda against the Congress party and its leaders. It is no coincidence that they touched upon the same issues and had the same remarks except for the difference in expression. The pattern cannot be missed.

  • Sonia Gandhi was not Served with Lawsuit, says Sloan-Kettering

    Sonia Gandhi was not Served with Lawsuit, says Sloan-Kettering

    Photo caption: New York based human rights organization Sikhs For Justice filed a lawsuit in a US Federal Court in New York against Mrs. Sonia Gandhi alleging she protected and shielded those involved in attacks on Sikhs in November 1984, which claimed 8000 innocent lives. NEW YORK, NY (TIP): Putting a lie to the claims of Attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Legal Advisor to the Sikhs For Justice and the principal player in the organization, that summons to Mrs. Sonia Gandhi were served at the Memorial – Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, the staff at the Center told India-West Sept. 12 that All India Congress Committee president Sonia Gandhi was not served with a lawsuit by the Sikhs for Justice while she was at the hospital for treatment for an undiagnosed medical condition.

    Gandhi is the subject of a pending lawsuit for her alleged involvement in the November 1984 anti-Sikh riots, in which 8000 Sikhs were reportedly killed over several days. The suit accuses Gandhi – a non-politician at the time of the riots – for protecting and shielding the orchestrators of the attack and doing nothing to bring them to justice in the 30 years since the massacre. On Sept. 9, U.S. Federal Judge Brian M. Cogan had ordered that the suit against Gandhi be delivered to her personally via hospital staff or security personnel at Sloan-Kettering. Gurpatwant Pannun, attorney for the U.S.-based Sikhs for Justice, told India-West that Gandhi had been served with the lawsuit later that evening, and sent a press statement to the media noting that the summons had been delivered to Gandhi. Sloan-Kettering security manager Alvin Milliner told India-West Sept. 12 that Gandhi had not been served with the lawsuit by hospital staff. “Three men came in the middle of the night and started throwing papers on every nursing station on all five floors, saying ‘you have been served.’

    Nobody picked them up,” he said, adding that the men created “quite a commotion during the night while people were sleeping.” The New York Police Department was called in because of the commotion, and now is in possession of the summons against Gandhi, according to Milliner. Judge Cogan’s order requires the person who has been served the summons to then deliver the summons to Gandhi. Meanwhile, PTI reports that Gandhi and her daughter Priyanka returned to India on Sept. 11. Milliner said the documents against Gandhi are still being held by the NYPD. Pacer, a Web-based service to search for court documents, had not listed a “proof of service” affidavit in Gandhi’s case, as of Sept. 12 evening. Gandhi has been at Sloan Kettering since Sept. 2, days after she complained of chest pain and exhaustion in the Lok Sabha during a discussion of the sweeping Food Security Bill. Gandhi first received treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences before coming to the U.S. In August 2011, Gandhi underwent treatment at Sloan-Kettering for an undiagnosed ailment.

  • US court summons Sonia Gandhi in ‘1984 Sikh genocide’ case

    US court summons Sonia Gandhi in ‘1984 Sikh genocide’ case

    NEW YORK, NY (TIP): A US Federal court has issued summons against Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi for shielding party officials allegedly involved in inciting attacks on Sikhs in November 1984, in the aftermath of assassination of the then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, the Sikhs For Justice attorney Gurpatwant S Pannun said here September 3. In a class action suit filed on Tuesday, September 3 before the district court of Eastern District of New York, the Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), a US-based human rights group, and other victims of the November 1984 anti-Sikh violence have sought compensatory and punitive damages against Gandhi.

    Federal rules provide for 120 days to serve the summons and complaint on Gandhi who is reported to be currently visiting the US for medical check-up. The suit under Alien Tort Claims Act (ATCA) and Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA) accuses Gandhi of shielding and protecting Kamal Nath, Sajjan Kumar, Jagdish Tytler and other Congress party leaders from being prosecuted for their alleged role in the 1984 violence. The 27-page complaint against Gandhi alleges that between November 1 and 4, 1984 about 30,000 members of the Sikh community “were intentionally tortured, raped and murdered by groups that were incited, organized, controlled and armed” by the ruling Congress party of which Sonia Gandhi is the President. Asked for his comment on the summons against Sonia Gandhi, attorney Ravi Batra who is an attorney for AICC in SFJ case in Manhattan Federal Court said, “Anybody can sue anybody for anything if they pay the filing fee of the court.

    It remains for the court, if there is personal and subject matter jurisdiction, to then evaluate if the claims are incredulous or not.” Reacting to the issuance of summons to the Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, “Summons issued almost 30 years after the event when the Congress President is on a medical visit is, to put it mildly, astonishing. Undoubtedly, appropriate legal action will be taken.” In the past also the Sikhs for Justice got summons issued on similar grounds by US courts against Union Minister Kamal Nath and Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal. But nothing beyond that ever happened. Meanwhile, the community support for the Sikhs For Justice has been on the wane. The organization that started as a human rights group, with the declared objective of seeking justice for the 1984 riot affected Sikhs, along the way lost its moorings and bearings and got involved in to a political ideology long rejected by the Sikh masses.

    The Akali leaders here and elsewhere in the world who contributed to the coffers of the Sikhs For Justice withdrew their support to SFJ when it got summons issued against Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal. Similarly, many who supported SFJ for seeking justice for 1984 riot victims realized the organization had a different agenda and turned away from it. There have often been hints at the organization’s connections with powers that are on the look out to destabilize India. The credibility and the base of the Sikhs For Justice have, thus, been largely eroded. However, it manages to have sparks at times in the form of summons issued against a visiting Congress or Akali leader or organizing a protest. To be more precise on the organization, having failed to maintain momentum in the US, the organization has given attention now to Canada where it has found soul brothers who share its ideology. It may be recalled that hundreds of Sikhs were killed, their property destroyed, women raped and children rendered orphans in organized violence against Sikhs that began after Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards in 1984.

  • Anna Hazare says neither Modi nor Rahul Gandhi fit to become PM

    Anna Hazare says neither Modi nor Rahul Gandhi fit to become PM

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Anna Hazare, described by some as second Gandhi, was recently on a two-week tour of the US when he met a cross section of Indian Americans at various locations. One of his notable comments was that neither Narendra Modi nor Rahul Gandhi are fit to become the prime minister of India. Anna also favored direct election of prime minister and doing away with party-based political system, which he claimed has destroyed not only democracy, but also “usurped” the constitution. “India’s constitution does not recognize political parties. Both Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi represent political parties. Therefore being representatives of political parties, we would not permit them (to become the Prime Minister),” 76-year-old Hazare told a group of Indian students at University of Maryland August 22 evening. “Our faith is in the Indian constitution. These political parties run against the basic spirit of the constitution.

    It is now important to raise awareness among the people of India. If the country needs a Prime Minister, or a President, the entire country should elect him – centralized,” he said. “The country would get a good Prime Minister if the people of the entire country get an opportunity to select. As long as political parties dominate the electoral set up, the country is unlikely to get a good Prime Minister,” Hazare said at the event organized by DESI (Develop Empower Synergy India), an organization of Indian students. Earlier in the day at a Congressional reception hosted in his honor at the Capitol Hill, Hazare said that he would go back to agitation at Ramlila Maidan on the first day of the winter session of the Parliament, if the Union Government does not bring the Lokpal in the current session. Hazare said after returning to India from the US, he would resume his nationwide tour from Bihar, during which he would urge people to fight for achieving the goal of true democracy. Gen (retd) V K Singh, who is accompanying Hazare, said the country is at the brink of a disaster, if immediate steps are not taken to change the way things are happening now. “It is time for action,” Singh said as he urged the Indian youth to come forward and join hands with Anna to achieve the goal of systematic change in the country.

  • REFLECTIONS ON PEACE: FROM GANDHI TO KING

    REFLECTIONS ON PEACE: FROM GANDHI TO KING

    A CONCERT TO CELEBRATE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The District of Columbia officially begins its commemoration of the March on Washington with Reflections on Peace: From Gandhi to King on Saturday, August 10, 2013 from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Reflections on Peace represents an important cultural collaboration between the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and Her Excellency Nirupama Rao, Ambassador of India to the United States, and The Embassy of India. Reflections is created and produced by NEWorks Productions and DESHO Productions.

    The candlelight program, which is free and open to the public, will feature sacred songs from the Indian, African, and African American traditions. The evening headline performers include Grammy Award winning singer Donnie McClurkin, and internationally renowned Sri Lankan pianist Soundarie David Rodrigo joined by Reverend Nolan Williams, Jr. and the Voices of Inspiration. Other artists joining this tribute include Vidya and Vandan Iyer; Shankar Tucker with Jonathan Batiste; POEM-CEES, Christylez Bacon and Nistha Raj. “The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities celebrates and promotes cultural expression from around the world,” said Judith Terra, Chair of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

    “Reflections on Peace from Gandhi to King honors two peace and justice leaders through the arts and celebrates their legacies in a new way. Washington, DC is the national destination for activism and a global destination for expression through the arts.” The Honorable Nirumpama Rao, Ambassador of India to the United States, explains the significance of these two men, “The spirit of the peoples of India and the United States is joined by the inspirational call of freedom, peace and non violence. It is a powerful bond that unites us and we should forever hold it sacred in our thoughts and deeds.

    “Reflections on Peace from Gandhi to King honors the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, a significant event in our nation’s history and also the District’s history as home to the march,” said Lionell Thomas, Executive Director of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. “As the 50th anniversary celebrations kick off, the Commission provides this singular experience by highlighting some of the finest in international and local talent.”

  • ‘Thinking Through Gandhi’ Released

    ‘Thinking Through Gandhi’ Released

    Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, USA organized a well attended function at the Indian Consulate on July 17 to release the book “Thinking through Gandhi” by Krishna A. Chokshi. Consul General Dnyaneshwar M. Mulay who released the book , spoke also about his literary journey and recited a couple of poems in English, Hindi and Marathi.

  • Susan Sarandon to Play Indira Gandhi

    Susan Sarandon to Play Indira Gandhi

    Natty Kumar, director of the 2011 film, ‘Tum Ho Yaara’, is working on a biopic on Indira Gandhi and he wants Oscarwinning Hollywood actress Susan Sarandon to play the role of the late Indian Prime Minister “It has been a longcherished dream to make a movie on the life of Mrs Gandhi,” said Kumar whose previous film Tum Ho Yaara was the Hindi remake of the Tamil movie Pani Thulli, and starred Tamil actor Ganesh Venkataraman.

    Tentatively titled Iron Lady Indira Gandhi, the film will be made in English, Hindi and Tamil and according to the director, Sarandon is perfect for the role. The Hollywood actress, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1995 for her performance in Dead Man Walking, is best

  • Sonia Gandhi, Indra Nooyi among 10 Most Powerful Women in the World

    Sonia Gandhi, Indra Nooyi among 10 Most Powerful Women in the World

    NEW YORK (TIP): Sonia Gandhi is the ninth most powerful woman in the world, followed by Indra Nooyi at number 10 in the 10 ‘most powerful women in the world’ list compiled by Forbes. The women acknowledged by Forbes are the ones who go ahead by the traditional taxonomy of Indra Nooyi, an Indian-origin American executive who hails from Chennai is the current Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo.

    Nooyi’s name appeared in the list of 50 women to watch in 2007 and 2008, according to a survey conducted by Wall Street Journal.She was one among Time’s list of 100 most influential people in the world and she also bagged the top position of most powerful woman in business, by a ranking done by Forbes (2009 and 2010).

    Others who figure in the Top 10, from 1 to 8 in that order are, Angela Merkel, Chancellor, Germany; Dilma Roussef, President, Brazil; Melinda Gates, Co chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, US; Michelle Obama, First Lady, US; Hillary Clinton, Former Secretary of State, US; Sheryl Sandberg, CEO, Facebook, US; Christine Lagarde, Managing Director, IMF, France; and Janet Napolitano, Secretary, Homeland Security, US.

  • Three attempts were made to kill Sanjay Gandhi: WikiLeaks

    Three attempts were made to kill Sanjay Gandhi: WikiLeaks

    NEW DELHI (TIP): There were three assassination attempts on Sanjay Gandhi, a key figure during the Emergency, including one where a high powered rifle was used when the leader was visiting UttarPradesh, a US cable outed by WikiLeaks has claimed. In a September 1976 dispatch, the US embassy reported the then prime minister Indira Gandhi’s younger son was targeted by an unknown assailant in a “well planned assassination attempt” which failed. The date suggests the incident occurred during the Emergency. “Indira Gandhi’s son Sanjay was shot three times on August 30 or 31 by an unknown assailant,” the cable says, attributing the information to a clandestine source. The report says Sanjay escaped and was not critically injured.

    If Sanjay did suffer injuries, their nature is not specified but interestingly the cable bases its information on information provided by Indian intelligence sources. “According to Indian intelligence, this is the third attempt on the younger Gandhi’s life,” the cable states and goes on to surmise that the attack will eventually be blamed on revolutionary elements sponsored by outside powers. As is now evident, no word was let out on the UP incident or any of the other alleged assassination attempts.

    It is now unclear whether the intelligence sources quoted in the capable were impeccable, but Sanjay’s authoritarian image did earn him powerful enemies. Opposition to Emergency and the Gandhi family came from conventional political sources as well as radical elements of both right and left wing persuasion.

    Other US cables have noted that Sanjay and Indira’s private secretary R K Dhawan were “non-ideological” authoritarian figures behind the Emergency who worked to ensure the PM’s power remained unchallenged. A telegraphic summary provided by US intelligence to the state department on September 6, 1976 says of the UP incident, “The information concerning the incident is under tight control at present, but the attack will eventually be blamed on revolutionary elements sponsored by outside powers.” The excesses of the Emergency led to Congress suffering a decisive defeat in the 1977 election that were held after Indira Gandhi lifted the curbs on fundamental rights. Janata Party swept to power but in all investigations that followed, there was no mention of any attempts to kill Sanjay. Sanjay was killed in a plane crash in the Capital on June 23, 1980 soon after Congress came back to power after internal bickering consumed the Janata Party. He was 33 and a rising star in the Congress clearly seen as successor to his mother.

    His early death brought his elder brother Rajiv into politics who till then was a commercial pilot with Indian Airlines. Rajiv eventually became prime minister after the assassination of his mother and then prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1984.

  • Will welcome Rahul Gandhi as PM anytime: Manmohan

    Will welcome Rahul Gandhi as PM anytime: Manmohan

    NEW DELHI (TIP)Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on April 5 said that he would welcome Rahul Gandhi as PM anyday. Talking to reporters at the sidelines of a function at Rashtrapati Bhawan to give away Padma awards, Dr Singh, in a reply to a question on whether he welcomed Mr Gandhi as prime minister, said oh yes anyday. Gandhi, who was appointed as vicepresident of Congress in January, has been reluctant to join the government. Even yesterday he dubbed as “irrelevant” the questions over whether he would become the Prime Minister.

    The Prime Minister was also asked to comment on Rahul Gandhi’s speech at the CII yesterday to which he remarked, “excellent”. Manmohan also dismissed as a “useless” the debate over two power centres even as he did not rule out his accepting the third term. “This is the creation of the media. It is a useless debate,” he told reporters here when asked about the issue of two power centres coming into focus after senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh raked it up recently. Digvijaya Singh had said the two power centres — one the Congress President Sonia Gandhi and another the Prime Minister — had not worked well and should not be repeated. Congress officially rejected this contention of Digvijaya Singh and said it was an “ideal model” for future also. When asked whether he would accept the third term as Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh said, “it is a hypothetical question… We are yet to complete this term.” The current term of the government will end in May next year. Asked whether he was ruling himself out, he said, “I am not ruling it in, I am not ruling it out.”

  • Fifteen years after taking charge, Sonia Gandhi seeks to reinvent Congress

    Fifteen years after taking charge, Sonia Gandhi seeks to reinvent Congress

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Sonia Gandhi completed 15 years as Congress president on March 14 and thanked partymen for helping her accomplish the tough responsibly. As leaders lined up to felicitate her at 10, Janpath, she told them, “The real credit belongs to millions of Congress workers whose toil ensured that the faith of the poor and the vulnerable in Congress did not sap even when we were not in office.

    I congratulate the legions who are the most extraordinary cadre any party can hope for, and who have been our priceless asset.” The comment was seen to underplay her own achievement, with Sonia widely credited with reviving the party’s fortunes in the last 15 years after it had touched a low, the worst being the nine years out of power after the Narasimha Rao government. Already the longest serving Congress chief, Sonia’s 16th year coincides with the decisive step towards another transition in party leadership. Watching son Rahul ease into the job of No.2, meeting MPs and senior office-bearers daily, seems to be comforting Sonia who is known to have been all nerves when he was reluctant to move to the leadership position.

    The uncertainty has been rankling Congressmen as much in the wake of Sonia’s health problems. Rahul was elevated as vice-president at the Jaipur ‘chintan shivir’ in January. The settling of the succession conundrum has assured Congressmen who thanked Sonia for resurrecting the party after the barren years post-1995 when the party faced divisions and watched the ascendancy of rival BJP helplessly. Partymen underlined that Sonia’s toughest challenge since 2004 would be the coming Lok Sabha polls, with a sense of drift in UPA and charges of corruption and malgovernance dogging the government. That it would also be a comment on Rahul’s leadership adds to the challenge. The political wheel seems to be coming a full circle with Sonia having taken the plunge in 1998 to extricate the party from virtual oblivion.

    Congress then faced divisions and cut a sorry picture of rudderlessness under Sitaram Kesri. In 1998, faced with persistent requests from partymen, Sonia campaigned vigorously despite Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s soaring popularity that propelled the saffron alliance to power for the first time. The bad year saw Congress even lose the Gandhi stronghold of Amethi and Kesri paved way for Sonia to take charge officially as AICC president in March 1998. Despite a withering attack on her “foreign origin”, Sonia stayed the course, even contesting elections from Amethi and taking up the role of leader of opposition to pull Congressmen together.

    The 2004 elections turned the tide as a confident BJP was humbled by Sonia’s stewardship, an achievement that remains undefeated with the repeat victory in 2009. Her decision to decline the prime ministership in 2004 and instead put Manmohan Singh in the chair won her rare plaudits and helped defang the BJP attack about her ‘foreign origin”. While Congress has floundered recently, tripping on old weaknesses of corruption and infighting, AICC managers say Sonia is focused on reviving the party fortunes.

  • Mahatma Gandhi’s Punya Tithi Observed

    Mahatma Gandhi’s Punya Tithi Observed

    NEW YORK (TIP): The ConsulateGeneral of India, New York, inassociation with Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan,USA observed the 65th Punya Tithi ofMahatma Gandhi on January 30, 2013.About 50 guests including teachers,students, journalists and office bearers ofthe Bhavan attended the event.

    Speaking on the occasion, ConsulGeneral of India, Prabhu Dayal, touchedupon various aspects of MahatmaGandhi’s philosophy and its continuingrelevance in the contemporary world.Floral tributes were paid to MahatmaGandhi by the Consul General, BharatiyaVidya Bhavan functionaries and a fewguests.Mrs. Sanjukta Sen and students of theBharatiya Vidya Bhavan sang Gandhiji’sfavorite Bhajans.

  • Rahul Gandhi plans ‘drastic and lasting’ changes in Congress

    Rahul Gandhi plans ‘drastic and lasting’ changes in Congress

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Rahul Gandhi on Feb 1 signalled plans to carry out drastic and lasting changes in the working of the Congress to make it fighting fit ahead of a series of elections including the Lok Sabha polls.

    After giving a patient hearing to the AICC Secretaries narrating their woes, the Amethi MP, whose Lok Sabha bioprofile describes him “strategy consultant” by profession, remarked that no one appeared happy about the state of affairs in the organisation and “we have to rectify” the situation. “No one appears happy about the system as they feel it is unfair and that there are no rules and regulations and, therefore, there is uncertainty and we have to rectify the situation”, Gandhi was quoted as saying by party leaders during the twohour- long meeting with AICC office bearers.

    Gandhi yesterday began his first formal interaction with AICC office bearers as Vice President which saw lot of fireworks, blame game and complaints of oneupmanship. The young leader today said that he would go into depth of issues raised by the leaders and work to set things right. An office bearer said that Gandhi suggested that he was for “drastic and lasting changes”.

    He said that the primary task right now would be to face the immediate elections in various states including Karnataka and try to rectify the overall problems after that. Gandhi made these remarks after an AICC Secretary lamented “lack of coordination” in the party and the growing confusion as “no one is knowing what the other is doing”. Besides, the Secretary said that there was no coordination between government and organisation as the party is not taken into confidence before making appointments on official committees. With several office bearers yet to get a chance to have their say, he will be meeting them again on Monday.

  • Narendra Modi Demands Sonia Gandhi’s Apology

    Narendra Modi Demands Sonia Gandhi’s Apology

    AHMEDABAD (TIP): Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi today said that UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi should apologise for the union government’s failure to control inflation. Addressing different election rallies in the district, Modi attacked Gandhi and the union government over the rising inflation. “Did it (Congress before 2009 general elections) not promise to check inflation in 100 days if it came to power? Did the prices go down after they (UPA II) came to power? When Soniaji came to Rajkot, she did not speak anything about inflation. Is this not cheating?”

    Modi said referring to Gandhi’s recent visit to the state. “Soniaji should apologise for cheating the people of the country on the issue of price rise,” Modi stated. Ridiculing Sonia’s statement that there was no development in Gujarat and that whatever development the state saw was due to the Congress, Modi said that,”while addressing a rally in Ahmedabad, she may even say that this city was established by Ahmed Patel (advisor of Congress President).

    “She has no knowledge of history and that is the reason she is making such statements on development of Gujarat,” Referring to Gandhi’s remarks that chief ministers’ of the Congress-ruled states have decided to give three more LPG cylinders at subsidised rates, Modi said, “I want to give much more… we have laid pipelines in the state to supply LPG to households but the Central government has not allowed us to give connections. I am fighting the case in the Supreme Court for the last two years,”. Modi went on to say that he completed 11 years as chief minister of the state yesterday (Sunday). “Of all the chief ministers that the country has seen in the last 60 years, I have suffered maximum injustice at the hands of the Centre,” he stated.

  • Congress president Sonia Gandhi attacks BJP in its bastion

    Congress president Sonia Gandhi attacks BJP in its bastion

    MANGALORE (TIP): An aggressive Sonia Gandhi on October 18 took the fight to the BJP in its stronghold of coastal Karnataka. She launched a frontal attack on the saffron party for opposing the ruling UPA’s policies, and for dividing the coastal districts on communal lines. The Congress president devoted a better part of her 18-minute address to attacking the BJP. Explaining why UPA 2 increased the price of diesel and capped subsidized LPG cylinders to six per annum, Sonia said: “It’s imperative for the Union government to manage its finances prudently while ensuring that the flagship poverty-alleviation programmes are protected and sustained.”

    She questioned the reluctance of BJP-ruled states to emulate the decision of Congress governments in states to raise the cap to nine. “It is as much your responsibility as it is ours to alleviate the problems of the common man,” she said wondering why the BJP government in Karnataka has not lowered VAT on motor fuels. Pointing out that the BJP, which is opposing foreign investment in multibrand retail, had proposed it when in power, the UPA chairperson said: “The BJP does not care for farmers.” The main beneficiary of FDI will be the consumer, who will pay less, she said. Farmers will get direct links to the market, without middlemen.

    Sonia said: “It is the Congress which empowered people to take it head on by bringing in RTI.” Asking the BJP to look at the track record of its state governments on corruption , she reminded the main opposition how it did not allow the Lokpal bill to be passed in the Rajya Sabha.

  • Rahul Gandhi’s controversial remarks on Punjab youth

    Rahul Gandhi’s controversial remarks on Punjab youth

    CHANDIGARH (TIP): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on October 11 at Panjab University here that “Seven out of 10 youth in Punjab have drug problems.” He said “A diplomat told me that 21st century’s Saudia Arabia is India.” Rahul said the diplomat had told him that just as the 20th century was dominated by Saudi Arabia because of its oil reserves, the 21s century belongs to India because of its young population and “human resources”.

    Referring to Punjab, Gandhi said: “What is happening to human resource in Punjab. Seven out of 10 youths have the problem of drugs.” Mr Gandhi, wearing a white kurta and jeans, said that the government in Punjab, run by the Akali Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is not providing opportunities for the state’s youth. “We send scholarship money for SC, ST (Scheduled Castes/Tribes) categories. It is not utilized here (in Punjab) and is sent back,” he said. ‘We want you to come into politics, cleanse it and change it,’ Mr Gandhi told Congress youth workers at the Punjab University campus in Chandigarh.

    ‘I have been in politics for eight years. One thing I see clearly, the level of participation of youths is not there. Whether in jobs, corruption, development, you are the solution. You have to run this country. You have the power and the knowledge to run it,’ he said. Gandhi said that the NSUI and the Youth Congress, the student and youth wings of the 127-year-old party, were the only ones to give youths a chance to enter politics. ‘Doors of politics were closed for you. We opened them in NSUI and Youth Congress. Today, lakhs of youths, who do not have any relatives in politics, are in our organization. When we talked of elected NSUI and Youth Congress in Punjab, other parties said this cannot be done. We did it and showed to them not only in Punjab but whole of India,’ he asserted.

    He said that when other parties are asked about elections (for youth), they do not reply. Gandhi said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the National Democratic Alliance it leads were opposing the Congress policies without any basis. ‘Our government brought FDI. Its meaning is giving the farmer his rightful share. When the BJP and NDA government were in Delhi, they were not opposed to FDI. We did it, they are opposing it. We gave MGNREGA (rural employment scheme) and land acquisition bill, they have opposed it too.’ ‘They want to stop work. Ask them what you want to do, they will not reply. Whatever Congress wants to do, they want to stop. Because they know that if they let us work, we will change this country. But we will not stop. We have the power of the youth and the future,’ he added. Earlier, Gandhi met senior Congress leaders at the Punjab state Congress headquarters here to get a feedback on the party’s situation in the state.