UN war crimes resolution: India to vote against Sri Lanka

In a victory for the DMK and the AIADMK, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that the government intended to vote in favour of the US-led resolution against Sri lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), but the final draft of the resolution was awaited. "We are still waiting for the final draft of the resolution, but we intend to vote in favour of the resolution," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in the Lok Sabha. Speaking on the issue of alleged war crimes and Tamils in Sri Lanka, Manmohan Singh said, "India has stressed on reconciliation and healing the wounds of the Lanka Tamils. We have asked Lanka govt to stress on meaningful devolution of power." The Prime Minister also claimed that normalcy was returning to the Tamil areas of Sri Lanka. DMK chief Karunanidhi welcomed the Prime Minister's statement and said, "I welcome the Prime Minister's statement. We will wait to see the final decision." He also announced that the DMK will fast on March 22 for Sri Lankan Tamils. The DMK and the AIADMK had been stepping up pressure on the Centre to vote in favour of the resolution and take a strong stand against Sri Lanka. The resolution demands those found guilty of war crimes against Lankan Tamils be declared as war criminal.While the DMK indicated a review of ties with the UPA, AIADMK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa wrote to the Prime Minister to take up the issue of war crimes with the United Nations. DMK chief Karunanidhi had said, "DMK will deem it as betrayal of Tamils if Centre does not support US resolution on Lanka. I can't decide on withdrawing support to Centre on this. We would discuss and decide in our executive meet." Earlier, DMK MP Kanimozhi also hoped that the Centre will "not push" the party to take a decision on its continuance in the government over India's stand on the US-sponsored resolution against Sri Lankan Government in the UN Human Rights Council.

Indian call centres selling Briton's details...

Indian call centres are selling confidential personal data, including credit card details and medical records, of over 500,000 Britons, a media report said. Citing an undercover investigation by The Sunday Times, the Daily Mail said the data is being sold by "corrupt Indian call centre workers" to criminals and marketing firms. The report said that two Indians, claiming to be information technology workers at call centres, met undercover reporters and boasted of having 45 different sets of personal information on nearly 500,000 Britons. 

The data included names, addresses, and phone numbers of credit card holders, start and expiry dates as well as the three-digit security verification codes, the report said. Much of the information is related to customers at major financial companies, including HSBC and NatWest. An Indian named Naresh Singh, who met the undercover reporters in a hotel room in Gurgaon near Delhi, was allegedly carrying a laptop full of data, it said. "These are ones that have been sold to somebody already. This is Barclays, this is Halifax, this is Lloyds TSB. We've been dealing so long we can tell the bank by just the card number," Singh was quoted as saying. He said much of the data would be less than 72 hours old. Other information being sold was about mortgages, loans, insurance and mobile phone contracts. According to the report, call centres are a $5 billion industry in India, with an estimated 330,000 people employed by them. Many British companies outsource services to India. Conservative MP and member of the House of Commons' public accounts select committee, Richard Bacon said this was not only a matter for the organisations involved but also the authorities.

Narendra Modi - on TIME magazine

Gujarat Chief Minister Mr. Narendra Modi figured on the  cover of the March 26 issue of Time Magazine which praises him in an article for development of the state he has been ruling for over a decade but wonders if he can become the Prime Minister. 
The cover of the Time magazine's March 26 issue features Modi, with the caption: "Modi means business but can he lead India". In an article titled "Boy from the backyard",  the US magazines describes Modi as a "controversial, ambitious and shrewd politician". It also mentions his series of day-long Sadbhavana fasts to reach out to the people of the state. "It's Modi in makeover mode: an act of self-purification, humility and bridge building in a state that is still traumatised by the Hindu-led anti-Muslim massacres of 10 years ago and the flawed investigations in their wake...," the article says. The Time magazine article says Modi is a firm, "no-nonsense leader" who can steer India out of a "mire of chronic corruption and inefficiency". 

Union Finance Budget 2012-13 (in pics)

Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee arrives at Parliament House to present the Union Budget 2012-13 in New Delhi on March 16, 2012.

A large number of tax payers turn up for filing the IT returns in New Delhi. The IT exemption limit for salaried people has risen to Rs. 2 lakhs. From Rs. 2 lakhs to Rs. 5 lakhs it is 10 per cent. From Rs. 5 lakhs to Rs. 10 lakhs it is 20 per cent and above Rs. 10 lakhs it is 30 per cent.

The Right to Education (RTE) Act is being implemented with effect from April 1, 2010 through the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). For 2012-13, the Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, in his Union Budget 2012-13, provided Rs. 25,555 crore for RTE-SSA. This is an increase of 21.7 per cent over 2011-12.

National Urban Health Mission is being launched to emcompass the primary healthcare needs of people in the urban areas. The Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) aimed at setting up of AIIMS-like institutions and upgradation of existing Government medical colleges is being expanded to cover upgradation of 7 more Government medical colleges. It will enhance the avaailability of affordable tertiary health care.

According to Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, agriculture will continue to be a priority for the Government. The total plan outlay for the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation is being increased by 18 per cent from Rs. 17,123 crores in 2011-12 to Rs. 20,2 08 crores in 2012-13. The outlay for Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) is being increased from Rs. 7,680 crores in 2011-12 to Rs. 9,217 crores in 2012-13.

In his Union Budget 2012-13 speech the Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said his attention has been drawn to the plight of a few sectors that are highly labour-intensive and produce items of mass consumption. As a measure of support, he proposed to enhance basic customs duty on bicycles from 10 per cent to 30 per cent and on bicycle parts from 10 per cent to 20 per cent.

In the Budget 2012-13, a provision of Rs. 1,93,407 crores has been made for Defence Services which include Rs. 79,579 crores for capital expenditure. As always, this allocation is based on present needs and any further requirement would be met. Government is making efforts to increase the availability of residential quarters to forces. In 2012-13, it is envisaged to construct nearly 4,000 residential quarters for Central Armed Police Forces for which Rs. 1,185 crore is allocated.

Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in his Budget speech, along with water quality, poor sanitation is one of the factors contributing to malnourishment. He also proposed to increase the budgetary allocation for rural drinking water and sanitation from Rs. 11,000 crore in 2011-12 to Rs. 14,000 crorre in 2012-13. This is an increase of 27 per cent.

According to Union Budget 2012-13, for the Indian economy this was a challenging year. A number of global and domestic factors militated against the growth that had revived in the last two years. But India has thrived under challenges and India will do so now. The sovereign debt crisis in the Euro Zone intensified, political turmoil in Middle East injected widespread uncertainty, crude oil prices rose, an earthquake struck Japan and the overall gloom refused to lift.

Union Finance Minister in his Union Budget 2012-13 has increased the basic customs duty on standard gold bars; gold coins of purity exceeding 99.5 per cent and platinum from 2 per cent to 4 per cent and non-standard golds from 5 per cent to 10 per cent, In sync, basic duty on gold ore, concentrate and dore bars for refining is being enhanced from 1 per cent to 2 per cent. On the excise side, duty on refined gold is being increaswed in the same proportion from 1.5 per cent to 3 per cent.

In the Union Budget 2012-13, the Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said completely built units of large cars/MUVs/SUVs having engine capacity above a prescribed threshold and whose value exceeds $ 40,000 per vehicle are permitted for import without type approval. Basic customs duty on such vehicles is being enhanced from 60 per cent to 75 per cent ad valorem.

The Union Budget 2012-13 stated that full exemption from excise duty is currently available to hand-made matches while others attract the standard rate. It is proposed to reduce excise duty on matches manufactured by semi-mechanised units from 10 per cent to 6 per cent.

TN follows Jaya lead on US resolution on Lanka

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has done what no political leader has done: To unite the people of Tamil Nadu on an issue and giving a legitimate voice to their collective aspirations, which has sent shivers down the spine of the Centre. Even as the Centre is dilly-dallying on the question of extending support to the US resolution against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC meeting in Geneva, the people are exuberant that the Chief Minister has told the Centre what it should do in an international forum. That has led to activists from Tamil rights groups, who persistently protest against the Sri Lankan government’s alleged war crimes, see in Jayalalithaa the right leader, around whom Tamil people can rally around. As they say, “If Jayalalithaa had been in power in 2009 when the war in Sri Lanka was at its peak, things might have been different. She would have exerted pressure on the Centre to intervene.” They point to the courage with which she slammed the Union Railway budget, saying that it “lacks direction and has not attempted to provide any solution to the problems daunting the leviathan of Indian Railways.” Her statement, “It is disappointing to note that there has been no announcement of a dedicated freight corridor in the Southern Sector, originating from Chennai” not only spoke of her genuine concern for the development of the state but also her understanding of economics. Nobody else has pointed out that lapse in the budget. Citing many such examples, people say that more than the courage, it is the commitment of the Chief Minister that has made her urge the Centre to support the US resolution, first. Other parties, particularly the DMK, had no choice but to tow her line. 

Railway Budget 2012-13 (in Pics)

Railway Budget 2012-13 proposes to increase passenger fares across all classes, add 100 new trains and hire more than one lakh employees.

Union Railways Minister Dinesh Trivedi at Rail Bhavan before leaving for Parliament to present the Budget.

The Railway Minister announced marginal hike in passenger fares ranging from 2 paise per kilometre to 30 paise per kilometre in various categories of trains.

The Minister promised to set up Indian Railways Stations Development Corporations to re-develop stations and maintain them like airports.

Minimum fare and platform tickets will cost Rs. 5 as per the new Railway Budget.

All unmanned level crossings will be abolished in the next five years due to safety concerns.

Two double-decker trains and a Shatabdi train are among the 72 new express trains announced in the Rail Budget 2012-13.

New passenger services include escalators at major stations, alternative train accommodation for wait-listed passengers, laundry services and AC lounges.

Specially designed coaches for differently-abled persons will be provided in each Mail/Express trains, according to the Minister.

Porters listen to the Railway budget 2012-13 speech in Moradabad. Indian Railways will target 1,025 MT freight loading this year. 

Centre impervious to T.N. sentiments

Strategic considerations have always prevailed over Tamil Nadu's opinion on Sri Lanka, and the latest stand of the Centre on the UN Human Rights Council resolution reflects the trend, say analysts. In guarded remarks in Parliament, senior Ministers have said India is traditionally against country-specific resolutions, indicating that it is unlikely to back a U.S.-sponsored resolution demanding accountability in the island nation. The Shastri-Sirimavo Bandaranaike pact of 1964 on repatriation of people of Indian origin, the 1974 maritime boundary agreement ceding Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka in the interest of “good neighbourly relations,” and the indifference to the protests in the State demanding an end to war in 2009 and various resolutions of the State Assembly show that the Union government has remained impervious to Tamil Nadu's sentiments. South Asia expert V. Suryanarayan argues that while dealing with Tamil Nadu's role in the making of the India-Sri Lanka foreign policy during the year of one-party domination in New Delhi, the Centre had ignored the sentiments and wishes of Tamil Nadu.

He recalled that in 1964, when Lal Bahadur Shastri and Sirimavo Bandaranaike signed the pact, it was bitterly opposed by the late Kamaraj and V.K. Krishna Menon, in addition to DMK leaders. In 1974, the maritime boundary agreement that resulted in Katchatheevu falling on the Sri Lankan side was opposed by the DMK in Parliament as they were against the surrender of territory. Besides, the agreement took away the traditional fishing rights of Tamil Nadu fishermen. Although seldom spelt out officially, India's traditional support to Sri Lanka in international forums on issues concerning human rights is seen in the light of perceived fears that the island may gravitate towards China in the emerging geo-strategic scenario.

D.S. Rajan, Director, Chennai Centre for China Studies, says India's concerns over the growing strategic influence of China in Indian Ocean is one of the factors behind the country's continuing support for Sri Lanka. “While the government of India has not so far voiced it clearly, there is a perception that China's presence in Sri Lanka, its projects such as the building of the Hambantota port, has some military potential, although Colombo has denied it,” Mr. Rajan said. Prof. Suryanarayan contends that India cannot afford to take a “cynical view,” citing the China factor, as India's foreign policy had always been guided by the principles of idealism. “We had condemned the Pol Pot regime,” he says, explaining that in the affairs of South Asian countries, there was nothing strictly “domestic.” “They are closely knit and what happens in one country will have a profound impact on another country,” he adds. He notes that Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has not implemented the 13 amendment and has also taken New Delhi for a ride by undoing many of the provisions and deliberately creating demographic changes by settling Sinhalese in Tamil areas.

Commenting on India's stand in Geneva, Prof. Ramu Manivannan, Head, Department of Politics and Public Administration in the University of Madras, has said in a recent paper that India might once again ignore this growing constituency of parties, leaders and people in Tamil Nadu, who remain disenchanted with India's foreign policy towards Sri Lanka. “Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has only been articulating this concern through resolutions passed in the state legislature, making a political appeal to the Indian government with regard to the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Sri Lankan government and its authorities. There is a certain sanctity to popular legislature and peoples' voice in a democracy that the government cannot ignore for long before it is too late,” says Prof. Manivannan. Tamil nationalists such as P. Nedumaran and K. Veeramani have also demanded that the Centre take a clear stand against Sri Lanka at the Human Rights Council. New Delhi's argument that it cannot support a country-specific resolution does not hold water, says Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam general secretary Viduthalai Rajendran. “India cannot put forth this policy premise, when the security of the people of a sovereign nation is under threat. The United Nations and the international community have the responsibility to protect (R2P, as the doctrine is referred to in global parlance) when a country fails to protect its own citizens. This was the basis for the intervention in Sudan,” he says.