Political parties would want to see the ongoing cricketing controversy  buried , at the earliest. Delay will be disastrous.
Lalit Modi is not the one to sit quiet.He will expose all those who helped him once. Repatriate him to India under the extradition treaty, quiz him and see the venom he spews.
International cricket brings with it money, power and political connections. Sharad Pawar , Rajeev Shukla , Laloo Prasad Yadav , Farooq Abdullah ,Arun Jaitley, Shashi Tharoor etc are some biggies who are deeply entrenched in politics of  international cricket.The list is illustrative ,not exhaustive. No motives are attributed. But, did they ever help Lalit Modi for quid pro quo benefits?
As per media reports, Sunanda Pushkarna Tharoor wanted to share something, God know what, about the mystery of   cricket betting etc? Sushma’s spouse Swaraj Kaushal  and their daughter Bansuri work for Lalit Modi. Raje’s son has alleged business transactions with him.
This explains why the Congress-led UPA did not bother to investigate Lalit Modi through Enforcement Dte (ED). The BJP govt. at the Centre indulged  in its masterly inactivity in not ordering the ED appropriately. Who blocked this?
Be that as it may, the monsoon session of Parliament will see unprecedented fireworks, walk-outs, boycotts and what have you.Many heads might roll.

GROWING CORRUPTION, DISTRUST AND MISTRUST IN INDIAN POLITICS.
SCAMS BY POLITICIANS GROWING EXPONENTIALLY,OF LATE.
NEW TWISTS AND TURNS,EACH DAY.
MODI JI's BLIND RELIANCE ON BUREAUCRACY DOES NOT NECESSARILY LEAD TO GOOD GOVERNANCE.
BUREAUCRATIC COTERIE IS HAVING A FIELD DAY.
I SEE A LOT MORE NEPOTISM, FAVOURITISM, SYCOPHANCY THAN EVER BEFORE AT HIGHER ECHELONS OF CIVIL SERVICES.
FEELING DISILLUSIONED , DISENCHANTED , DISHEARTENED AND DISCREDITED BY MODI SARKAR's LACKADAISICAL PERFORMANCE.
THE PATH TO HELL IS PAVED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS, WHICH WE SHOULD NEVER TRUST.

Law does not recognise friendship, Kinship  and enmity in deciding legal matters.
So, Raje's"affinity" and Sushma ji's "family ties " with Lalit Modi .cited as justifications for rationalising their wrongdoings, are irrelevant.
Their actions are patently illegal, immoral and unethical.
The Kinship angle in the sordid  saga of intrigues is ludicrous. Rajiv Shukla is related to Ravi Shankar ji ,Jyotiraditya Scindia is Raje's nephew. Lalit Modi has targetted Rajiv Shukla.But, this does not matter. No motives are attributed to anyone as these are merely coincidental.
The veterans should analyse the subtle message conveyed by L K Advani ji in his rather bizarre observations on emergency.He , Narendra  Modi and Arun Jaitley must have had fore-knowledge of the  events that were to unfold,soon.
Both Sushma ji and Raje ji have been Advani's loyalists,contending for No-1 position in the party.
Dirty politics will carry more explosive disclosures in times to come.
It is clear that Lalit Modi have supporters both in Congress and the BJP. Many heads might fall ,including some among the bureaucrats.

The DMs in States are the most harassed officers in  administrative hierarchy, highly vulnerable to  political pressures. It was thoughtless for Chattisgarh govt to show-cause the officer invoking Section 3 (1) of the Conduct Rules . This provision is draconian, arbitrary, vague and ambiguous. There is no dress code prescribed for govt employees (Centre and States) in the rule books. Wearing Aviator sunglasses and matching dresses cannot be termed as misconducts. The CM was presumably too eager to please the PM.The indiscretion on his part was demoralizing ,immature and  reprehensible.

There is no Supreme court  stay on filling the vacancy of Addl Director,where the matter is sub judice.. It will be inappropriate to keep the vacancy unfilled. Recall, Archana Ramasundaram’s appointment in CBI during UPA-II era of corruption, that led to an unseemly confrontation between CVC and the PMO.Her attempt at joining the CBI without getting relieved by the TN govt,led to her suspension.Her proximity to former ruling dispensation was well known. This is to keep the records straight.

Kejriwal is a failed civil servant and a much failed Delhi's CM.
His ongoing face-off with LG,Delhi will reach the flash point.
Posting of bureaucrats is the bone of contention.
Kejri wants a committed bureaucracy that is now vertically divided-- A large majority owing allegiance to LG.
His indictment of Shakuntala Gablin on corruption charges ,is an open affront to the North-east Indians.
There is a case for filing a defammation suit by the aggrieved against Kejriwal.
Collapse of Constitutional machinery in Delhi , is imminent.
Uncertainty and municipal decay all around.
Conditions are ripe for imposing President rule in Delhi.
Will Modi sarkar please take the call ?

Rahul Gandhi is the moron-in-chief of the Congress party.
His 56 days leave of absence issue has been given a quiet burial.
Poorly educated, boring public speaker, a persistent liar, Rahul G is angling for the top party job.
His sudden passion for the farmers, Amethi Food park and Net neutrality, is pure nautanki.
Sonia G will  be made Congress's Chairperson for life.
Her  frequent visits abroad for treatment to some :un-disclosed illness " needs a probe. She allegedly visited Italy for unethical financial transactions.
Late Quattrochhi was allowed to vanish from India.
Sleuths from CBI. IT and ED were given belated permission to catch Q in London and freeze his accounts.
By that time, the guy had already withdrawn his millions before flying to Italy via Argentina.
I know   from the horses mouth details about late Quattrocchi's Great Escape.
Why did the Modi sarkar  not order investigation into these misdeeds,is an enigma inside a mystery?
It will be inappropriate to reveal names of the then Cabinet Secy, Secretaries in MOF and Home and DOP&T.They were duly rewarded with plum post-retirement  assignments.
 Let CBI find out ,unless it wants to remain a caged parrot.

District Magistrates' are the most harassed officers in States' administrative hierarchy. More vulnerable to illegal political demands than Commissioners , Principal Secretaries and Chief Secretaries.
Section 3 (1) of the Conduct Rules ,is draconian ,vague and ambiguous.
If the employers can't initiating disciplinary action, he can be covered under Section 3, that comes in handy. Total indiscretion, arbitrariness and non-application of mind.
Any innocent act can be called a misconduct " UNBECOMING OF A GOVERNMENT OFFICER " and the fellow can be served with a show-cause notice.
Had the Bastar DM bowed to touch the feet of PM,could it be a symbol of respect ?
Why was no action taken against bureaucrats who prostrated before Amma and Mayavati ? Were these not misconducts ?
Did Raman Singh ,who in his anxiety to please Modi ji, issued a warning to Bastar DM, ever realise the implications of his impulsive action and the extent of demoralisation his action has caused to the entire fraternity.
He was expected to behave with a modicum of maturity.
There is no dress code for govt employees.
Wearing Aviator sunglasses and smart dresses are not misconducts by any stretch of imagination.
Efficiency, honesty , team-manship, quality decision making,responsiveness are indicators for performance appraisal.

China is pastmaster in playing mind games.
The communist party's mouthpiece criticised India and the indians  as uncivilised before Modi ji's visit.
Followed by warm welcome, bon homie, breaking of protocols,and then the sudden cartographic aggression by  China's CCTV by NOT showing   J& K  and Arunachal Pradesh as part of India.
All this,while Modi ji is on their soil.
Recall similar incursions by PLA into AP  during  their Presidential visit .

Lessons for India  :
------------------------
While engaging with China on border issues, India must enhance its military presence with latest weapons at the borders and thwart PLA's incursions into India.
Don't forget ,China is never comfortable with India's growing proximity to the US, EU, France, Japan,Australia, Canada etc.
China will continue to increase its primacy in the region over India ,through its " String of pearls " doctrine.
Having a strong Army, Navy  and  the Air Force  armed with nuclear weapons by India , will act as deterrent against China and Pakistan.
India, one trusts, will soon grow as  an economic superpower under Modi's leadership.

Inter-Services rivalry has been in existence since inception.
It gives sadistic pleasures to DOP&T to keep them divided.
Its motto is : Divide and Rule
Anomalies in  pay scales, promotional avenues ,perks constitutes the bone of contention.
Governance becomes the casualty.
The tendency for every member of organised  Service  to gravitate to the Centre creates a void in the respective cadres.

Based on PILs filed by several NGOs, the Supreme court rules that only photographs of dignitaries like the President , PM and the CJI, should be displayed in central government -sponsored advertisements. I am per se opposed to political publicity by the ruling dispensation at the cost of public exchequer.The Congress-led UPA is a pastmaster in this game.
Immediately after defeat of NDA ,the then Finance Minister ordered manifold increase of publicity budget of the government in DAVP's budget in 2005. The ministries were also asked to enhance their publicity budget. Ads carrying photos of Sonia Gandhi, the de facto PM, started appearing in DAVP ads along with de jure , sorry, the puppet PM Manmohan Singh. The size of photos, its placement etc. in the draft ad used to be forwarded by us to the PMO for onward transmission to 10 Janpath through Pullock Chatterjee, who acted as the general factotum.I was cautious against forfeiture of my pension. The excessive visibility of extra-Constitutional person in ads was irritating. It bred contempt.No NGO raised the issue. My views appeared in print media after my superannuation in 2008. Even the then C&AG turned a blind eye.to this financial misappropriation.Thousands of crores of rupees were wasted on this stupid display of photos of Sonia G, Manmohan Singh and ministers. Interestingly, Sonia G was made a dignitary by virtue of being Chairman,NAC. Her first appointment order was issued under my signature,of course,after approval by the dumb PM
NO LESSONS LEARNT
-------------------------------
Since ,we did not take lessons from history, it is repeating itself.
Where is RULE OF LAW ?
Are the three dignitaries cited by Hon'ble Supreme court.more equal than the poor man on the street ?
It would have enhanced our feel-good factor,had the Hon'ble Apex court ruled scrapping of all photos from govt advertisements -- all out of tax payers' money.
I also respectfully urge the SC to re-visit its verdict besides ordering investigation into UPA's misdeeds and recovery of tax payers' money from the Congress.
Let no one talk of "Judicial Activism" and " Judicial over-reach".
Let the ruling dispensation care for the poor man.
I do not mean any dis-respect to the Judiciary and the Executive .
The views are personal in exercise of my Constitutional right to Freedom of Speech and Expression.

The phrases like " Social activists ", " Public service", " Charitable organisation ", " humanitarian considerations" are all anachronistic symbols of hypocrisy in present times.Let us leave these for misuse by politicians.

Being truthful and straightforward in inter-personal relationship ,remains  the best option for the humanity.

The Supreme court is urged to set up a " NOISE TRIBUNAL " to fight the growing menace of noise pollution in Delhi.
Blaring loudspeakers from places of worship , vehicular honking, pressure horns, marriage party music,religeous processions etc  must be banned.

Maneka Gandhi slapping a UP State Forest guard !!

The news is no surprise to me.

I had a short stint as Joint Secretary ( 2 to 3 weeks) in 1999-2000 with her as MOS ( Env,Forest & Statistics).She specifically sought my services on transfer from the post of JS DOP&T.

I was not happy with the movement as there were lots of anecdotes in the corridors of power , about her short fuse.

She invariably brought her two ferocious Alsatians to office in Shastri Bhavan.

I found her extremely impulsive, impetuous ,using highly intemperate language in conversation with senior officers and personal staff, interspersed with swear words, choicest incestual abuses of north India.

Being new to ministry , I was lucky to escape her wrath.

I thought ,she might have mellowed over the years. But, old habits die hard.

When she was dropped as minister, sweets were distributed by her personal staff in E&F ministry.So ungrateful.

No apocryphal story, this.

NO MALICE TOWARDS MANEKA GANDHI JI

I RESPECT HER SINCERITY AND LOVE FOR ANIMALS.

GST Bill passed in Lok Sabha .

May be passed in RS,too. The Congress knows it will not gain by opposing it.

States assemblies ( half of total) may also ratify.

My queries are :
-----------------------
Will there be two different rates.;one for the Union,other for the states?

Will the rates of commodities fall ? And,if so,by how much ?

How will GST raise GDP,as claimed by FM ?

Will it help in creating job opportunities?

Appointment of KV Choudhry ,former CBDT Chief, to the coveted post of CVC is reportedly beset with controversy.
Reminiscent of P J Thomas whose appointment was cancelled by Supreme court on charges of corruption in UPA - II era.The then LOP (LS) Sushma Swaraj had given a dissenting note.
Selected as consensus candidate by the panel headed by PM with HM and LOP (LS) as members. Absence of dissent, also raises suspicion.
Allegations of clouded credentials against Chaudhry ,are disturbing,
more so, when these are made by Prashant Bhushan.
One hopes, the allegations were investigated by Modi sarkar before issuing orders.
If lessons are not learnt from history, it is bound to repeat itself.
Do not forget,in absence of Lok Pal, the CVC is the sole watchdog against corruption
SAAVDHAAN INDIA.

Under Law of the sea, the continental shelf falls under the coastal state’s jurisdiction. Take Vietnam.
China's warning to India from carrying out oil exploration in south-China sea jointly with Vietnam,is irrelevant and must be responded appropriately.
Recall ONGC Videsh Ltd. that spent hundreds of crores of rupees in the region after signing agreement with Vietnam during UPA-II era. But, it had to beat a hasty retreat after receiving a warning from China.
Unless, the regional powers (including India )and the US do not measure up to the aggressive and expansionist designs of China, the latter will be emboldened irretrievably.
Will Modi sarkar take China's warning lying down like the Congress-led UPA-II ?