The CBI was initially perceived as an anti- graft agency. It has, of late, been  saddled with cases of murder mysteries, rapes etc leaving little  time for investigation of  multiple scams : CWG, 2G Spectrum, Coalgate, choppergate, Tetra truck, cash-for-vote, Adarsh gate, IPL, Sathyam, National Herald, Vadra land scam, Sunanda and Indrani  Mukherjea murder mysteries,Vyapam, the latest  Bank of Baroda money laundering scam etc. Number of references to CBI has been increasing by the day due to declining credibility of States’ police under political pressures.

 Consider CBI. Total 754 vacancies includes 283 inspectors, 195 constables/ head constables, 65 Deputy and Additional SPs, 41 SPs and Senior SPs, 12 DIGs and three vacancies each at the level of Joint, Special or Additional Directors. 

Whatever be the reasons : poor succession planning , failure in attracting 50% deputationists from  State cadres  and CPOs, delay in filling vacancies in CBI is criminal leading to miscarriage of justice by hampering investigations. These must be filled on a war-footing. Pending sanctions of prosecution of government officials must be expedited. Let the premier agency not become another  “caged parrot “

Bhim Sain Bassi , Delhi,Police chief followed the Congress agenda during UPA regime by taking orders from 10-Janpath.

Taking a somersault he, now, executes the RSS agenda faithfully.

Delhi Police's raid at Kerala house canteen in Delhi in search of beef ( that was never served) proves the allegation.

This is not patriotism , Mr Bassi,but a blatant act of sychophism to ruling dispensation.

Disgraceful indeed.

Incompetent, indecisive , committed police cop, that Bassi gives the impression of being.

Bassi ji, you have gone down in my esteem.

I am pained as I know you for three decades.

This is no way of pleasing the political masters for getting post-retirement assignments on Quid pro quo basis.

We would, surely, expect more such shenanigans by Delhi police before your retirement in Feb 2016.

By the way, who is this Vishnu Gupta belonging to some non-descript fringe organisation called "Hindu Sena " ?

Why has he not been arrested,yet for allegedly making a hoax call about beef cooking in Kerala house?

Every move was pre-planned, it seems.

This could not have been possible without the collusion of RSS , prior knowledge of home ministry and the PMO.

We must hang our heads in shame.

N N Vohra , the then union home secretary currently J&K Governor, was asked in 1993 to investigate growing criminalization of politics and the nexus among criminals, politicians and bureaucrats in India. Findings were on expected lines. Criminal networks with political patronage running parallel governments, getting elected to local bodies, State assemblies and Parliament.

Problem lay elsewhere. The infamous “Annexure “ to the report submitted in 1995 contain details politicians, bureaucrats, police officers, business houses, Bollywood bigwigs, crime syndicates/ mafia gangs who are in the business of providing protection to criminals on quid pro quo basis. 

The annexed details , it is understood, are based on inputs shared by India’s Most Wanted duly substantiated by documentary evidences and Indian intelligence agencies. The annexure has been in cold storage for 20 years( 1995-2015) with NO action by successive ruling dispensations--ostensibly due to clash of interests or coalitions’ compulsions or both.

The Congress party, rejecting RTI requests, has been refusing to share the Annexure with “We, the sovereign people of India“. They did so in case of Netaji files, too.

It is rather unfortunate that NN Vohra,instead of cleaning the system from within, based on his findings, allowed himself to be co-opted into the same system that he had condemned in his report. He was, more than, suitably rewarded by the Congress through crucial assignments without a break.He is happy enjoying his perks with no accountability.

His warning shot in the report that any “any leakage whatever about the crime Syndicate senior Government functionaries or political leaders in the states or at the centre, could have a destabilizing effect on the functioning of Government”, was a ploy to keep himself in position for several years after retirement. 

The Congress, NCP and other constituents of UPA, misused it. 10-Janpath misused it for blackmailing ministers and leaders of other political parties..

PM Modi,in national interests, is urged to take appropriate steps in addressing public concerns:

(a) To consult Supreme court again (after 20 years)before declassification of “Annexure” in view of growing public demand and the need for good governance; 

(b) The annexed list of criminals, being 20 years old must be got updated by the NSA due to exponential growth in criminal activities in the country and entry of new players during the inter-regnum. Directors CBI, IB, RAW,ED,etc must be ready with new details ; 

(c) Tighten internal security through preventive detentions:

(d) For preventing fleeing by criminals , their passports may be impounded and airports alerted.; 

(e) Prominent politicians, bureaucrats, crime syndicates/ mafia groups of builders and estate agents, and ,who knows, Members of the Bars and Benches also fall into the realm of possibilities. The CJI must be kept informed.

This job has been crying for your attention, Mr Modi. It is now or never.

China assisted Nepal in framing its Constitution, since promulgated.

India must now help it in amending it.

Nepal must realize the futility of Chinese oil supply lines due to difficult terrains, at exorbitantly high price compared to India's.

Nepal's future lies with India, not China.

It cannot succeed unless  the Madhesis, tharus and janjati communities are  given their legitimate rights through Constitutional amendments.

Religion is irrelevant now,at least, theoretically.

Nepal must remain a secular rather than a theocratic state.

TIMES-NOW debate with galaxy of legal luminaries and senior journalists, was thoughtful and profound, both for legal fraternity and the rest. The debate, it seems, will continue ad infinitum in the face of Supreme court's verdict on NJAC. 

Top judiciary like politicians -in-power comprise of mortals ,not super humans . Both could be fallible.

Both, collegium system and the NJAC, have defects.

Attempts should be to narrow down the differences and reach a consensus.

The clause about "two eminent persons", seems dangerous as selections are to be made out of the Minorities,SC ,ST, OBC and others,.

Reservation brings with it . politicisation.

At the same time, shelving the NJAC Act would be disastrous.

Let us not forget, the draft NJAC Bill,was passed unanimously by the Parliament and ratified by the States of the union of India.

Arun Jaitley held the ground firmly.

Rajiv Dhavan was at his caustic best.

One hopes, there are more such debates inviting Ram Jethmalani, Markandey Katju and other luminaries. The debate must be taken forward to logical conclusion.

In terms of Apex court’s verdict, the collegium’s recommendations will be required to be submitted to the President, who acts on the aid and advice of Union Council of Ministers i.e. the political Executive. Selection of judges of high courts and Supreme court involves search for essential core qualities in judges in a transparent manner.  Making 360 degree appraisal of aspirants’ credentials through NJAC, is the best option. The in-house mechanism would be opaque, fraught with biases and prejudices. The impasse must be resolved with Presidential intervention as otherwise the “sovereign people of India” will continue to suffer due to judicial delay caused by vacancies in high courts and Supreme court. About 3 crore cases are reportedly pending in courts across the country. This is no time for confrontation, debates and political wrangling.

DOP&T’s circular dt Sept 30,2015 advises all ministries to  create gyms at  work places to de-stress bureaucrats and overcome  threats of  “ frustration, low productivity, absenteeism, sedentary jobs, increasing workload, image  makeover of  offices by  creating a positive  and energetic work force , help in effective discharge of official duties etc.”

DOP&T’s pearls of wisdom or plebian arguments. Insiders reveal on condition of anonymity that suggestion for gyms came from a few top bureaucrats to burn their calories. Juniors do it, anyway, travelling by public transports. Why can’t  seniors emulate their subordinates  and eliminate VVIP racism? Have they forgotten  Modi mantra: Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

Sweeping would surely keep them healthier and happier. Consider logistics. Shortage of office space in Delhi and outside is well known. Scouting for additional office space in the open market would be prohitively costly. Private gyms have sprouted at every nook and corner. Why not avail of  these facilities instead of creating duplicate infra-structure. The cascading effect  on the States has not been visualised?

Expenditure running into thousands of crores of rupees. This could be utilized on projects/schemes to help the less fortunately circumstanced. People are getting increasingly disillusioned. GOI must get its priorities right. Sooner,the better.

Instituted in 1954, Sahitya Akademi (SA)Award   carries a plaque and a cash prize of Rs. One lakh. It is a literary recognition by an autonomous body, independent of GOI.

I suspect a whiff of planned conspiracy hatched by a bunch of political parties headed by the Congress that triggered the award –returning spree by 25 awardees - in quick succession.

A sort of literary hysteria.

Why did the awardees remain unfazed by the anti-sikh riots of 1984, fall out of Mandal Commission report (1991), carnage in the aftermath of demolition of Babri mosque (1992), successive terror attacks on India, corruption patronized by the Congress during UPA I&II etc. Where was their conscience?

Was this a case of selective amnesia ?

It would be unfair to put the blame of Dadri lynching  on The Sahitya Academy  (SA) .Not ,even a shread of it.

The awardees in their naivete behaved impetuously—misled by politicians.

They must be blacklisted by SA for  future.

Other similar bodies may take appropriate action with approval  its General Council ,duly notified in mainstream and regional media.

No room for compassion.

They don’t deserve literary recognition  for shaming not only SA but their own works.

They are expected to return the plaque and entire award  money, with compound interests

Whispersinthecorridors’ Home Page  (2nd Oct, 2015) “ Yeh waala Jhadoo daale gandh...  MMS says all Coal files he did not read!... Or may be Sonia's orders he did heed files for her to see…”,  should serve as  wake up call to those who matter  CBI’s clean  chit to MMS have raised suspicions in public mind.

(a) How could  CBI ignore the Constitutional guaranteed Principle of Equality before Law?

(b) What convinced the CBI that file notings and ex-PM’s non-interference with screening committee’s recommendations, did not suggest his complicity? Misplaced perception;

(c) What precluded ex-PM from perusing files, applying his mind before approving illegal coal blocks allocations;

(d) Did CBI interrogate MMS’s top aides on their failure to advise ex-PM on the propriety of decisions taken ? Were they gagged by the political class? (e) Who is trying to save the wrongdoers? Is there any underhand political deal?

Manmohan Singh’s oft-repeated  public statements like: “ I have respect for judicial processes“… ; “ I am open for legal scrutiny”… ; “Truth will prevail”… ; I will get a chance to put forward my case with full facts” … , are political rhetorics. These cannot absolve him from his responsibilities as ex- Coal Minister in deciding illegal allocation of coal blocks in Jharkhand to Navin Jindal group of firms. It  was open secret that all decisions were taken by ex-PM under oral directions of  10-Janpath. He has now to pay for the sins committed by the “high command”

The public has faith in Judiciary. It trusts that the CBI is no longer the caged parrot?

The Indian Skill Development Service (ISDS), a new Group “A” service, is created by GOI under ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship. Recruitment could be through UPSC's Civil Services exams. All to meet the challenges of “Demographic Dividend".  Fair enough.

No wonder, the State govts  will rush for creation of similar Services.

A slim, trim and smart bureaucracy is not possible in digital India.

Parkinson's Law; "work expands to fill the time available for its completion ", is active.

Demand for creation of  top level posts, supporting and administrative staff, recruitment/ management of new Service,will be obvious corollaries.

There must be a total ban on creation of new posts, purchase of staff cars, hiring of office space etc. Let the GOI make-do from  its vast  human resources and physical assets. Dead wood must be weeded out on grounds of poor performance and corruption.

Will PM  please take the call ?