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BHOPAL
seats. Mourya further said that we have posed tough challenge on over three dozen seats and the results of the 2013 Assembly elections would for the first time introduce coalition government system in the State. SP state President Gauri Singh Yadav said, Like neighboring state Uttar Pradesh SP has moved firmly towards MP and with the blend of Young leaders enthusiasm and elder leaders experience we are sure of winning on over one and a half dozen seats. Yadav like his BSP counterpart claimed that no Government in the State would be formed without his outfits support. CPI State media in-charge Shailendra Kumar Shelly said, People of the Stare are fed up with the BJP and the Congress due to the corruption and rising prices
and claimed that the results of the election would be surprising and the major political parties of the state would need outside support to form the next Government in the State. JDU state president Govind Yadav said, Our alliance with the Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) have posed stiff competition to BJP and Congress in Jabalpur, Rewa and Sagar divisions besides Ratlam and Jhabua and we are sure that we would emerge victorious on half a dozen seats of the State and would play important role in the formation of next Government in State. However, it would be interesting to witness as how much substance does the claims of these smaller parties and major political players has, the picture of that would get clear on December 8.
How WE look it !
. . . C ar t o o n b y K G O JH A
Capital
WE THE STATE
Chauhan likely to
BHOPAL Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, who contested assembly elections from Vidisha and Budhni constituencies, is confident of his victory from both seats. According to sources, Chauhan has decided that after declaration of election results, he would resign from Budhni seat and continue as MLA from Vidisha constituency . In the last lap of election campaigning in Vidisha, Chauhan had given a clear hint to the party workers on the eve of the polling day that he would retain Vidisha seat. Chauhan had decided to contest from Vidisha seat as there was no local leader capable enough to overcome the factionalism in the party . Even Chauhan had to face several problems due to factionalism and his
der Vidisha seat after election declaration as under present circumstances, the BJP is not in a position to win byepolls from here. As far as the Budhni seat is concerned, Chauhan thinks it will be easier for the party to score a victory in bye- elections.This is the reason why he would surrender Budhni seat. Chauhan has also apprised the BJP organisational leaders about his decision.
Sasan Power Project may see more trouble, asked to provide land for afforestation
BHOPAL
The controversial Reliance Power-owned Sasan Power Limited (SPL) in Madhya Pradesh may see more trouble as they may have to provide 1384.96 hectare of non-forest land, for which it was granted exemption following a certificate of non-availability of land issued by the then chief secretary of the state in 2009. SPL will have to provide land as per the new Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) guidelines, said a senior officer in the state forest department wishing anonymity . "We have not received any official communication in this matter," he said. State forest department has shot off a letter to MoEF seeking status of the guidelines. The ministry had promised for new guidelines after being pulled up by the CAG for extending undue favours to SPL. The letter was sent by the land records section of the
forest department recently, said sources. SPL, a special purpose vehicle created for development of Sasan Ultra Mega Power Project, was a wholly owned subsidiary of Power Finance Corporation (PFC). In August 2007 it was transferred to Reliance Power Limited. In its recent report on Compensatory Afforestation in India, CAG said that SPL, according to guidelines and clarifications for diversion of forest lands for non-forest purpose under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, had to provide equivalent area of 1384.96 hectare of non-forest land for the compensatory afforestation. But, the former chief secretary had issued a certificate of non-availability of non-forest land in Sidhi district instead of a certificate of non-availability of non-forest land for the entire state. "Based on this ineligible certificate issued by the
chief secretary, the ministry 'exempted' Sasan Power Limited from providing non-forest land of 1384.96 hectare in case of Ultra Mega Power Project and for the coal mining project in violation of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980," reads the CAG report, which highlighted deficiencies in permitting diversion of forest land in the state. "Not only did the ministry not exercise due diligence in ensuring compliance with conditions it also inexplicably overlooked the deficiencies in the certificate pointed out by a subordinate authority in the ministry while granting exemption in the instant case," CAG noted. CAG mentioned, "The MoEF had insisted for compensatory afforestation over the non-forest land in latest project of the same company in nearby location in Madhya Pradesh, which clearly illustrates that in earlier two cases undue favour was extended to M/s Sasan Power Limited."
Editorial
WE THE STATE
ASTROLOGY
4-12-2013- Wednesday - Margshrish Mah Shuklapaksh-Dwitiya Positive directions - North and East Bad time - 12:08 pm to 1:30 pm Good time - 6:43 am to 8:04 am and 2:51 pm to 5:36 pm 5-12-2013-Thursday - Margshrish Mah Shuklapaksh-Tritiya Positive directions - East and South Bad time - 1:30 pm to 2:51 pm Good time - 6:43 am to 8:04 am and 10:46 am to 1:29 pm and 4:12 pm to 5:36 pm 6-12-2013- Friday - Margshrish Mah Shuklapaksh-Chaturthi Positive directions - East and South Bad time - 10:46 am to 12:08 pm Good time - 6:43 am to 10:45 am and 12:09 pm to 1:30 pm and 4:12 pm to 5:36 pm 7-12-2013- Saturday - Margshrish Mah Shuklapaksh-Panchami Positive directions - East and South Bad time - 9:25 am to 10:46 am Good time - 8:05 am to 9:24 am and 12:08 pm to 4:12 pm 8-12-2013- Sunday - Margshrish Mah Shuklapaksh-Shashthi Positive directions - West and South Bad time - 4:12 pm to 5:36 pm Good time - 8:05 am to 12:08 pm and 1:30 pm to 2:51 pm 9-12-2013- Monday - Margshirsh Mah Shuklapaksh-Saptami Positive directions- West and South Bad time - 8:05 am to 9:26 am Good time - 6:44 am to 8:04 am and 9:27 am to 10:47 am and 1:31 pm to 5:35 pm 10-12-2013- Tuesday -Margshirsh Mah Shuklapaksh -Ashtami Positive directions- West and North Bad time - 2:12 pm to 4:12 pm Good time - 9:25 am to 1:31 pm By AACHARYA SARVESH E-Mail: acharya.sarvesh@yahoo.com Mobile: 9826609192
n the short period that he has headed the BJP as its prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi has kept the party united and avoided mistakes. The BJP is generally more disciplined than other parties and not given to splitting up, but Modi has kept even minor factionalism in check. After eliminating the threat from LK Advani, he has allowed the others in the party enough space for them not to feel threatened. The party presents a united front and is unworried by its lack of alliances in many states. This is all to the credit of Modi. The coming assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Chhattisgarh will set the tone for the
2014 general elections. The BJP is sweeping Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, according to a consensus in the opinion polls. In Rajasthan, the BJP has a good combination of castes, and it dominates the powerful Rajput communities. However infighting over the leadership of Maratha princess Vasundhara Raje over the Rajputs has fragmented the party in the past. This time around the problem is not as pronounced and the BJP is likely to return to power. The smaller states of Chhattisgarh and Delhi are likely to see a closer fight than the larger states, but here also the BJP is expected to prevail. In Delhi the Aam Admi Party may make a dent with its protest movement, and Poll pundits
are giving it over 15 percent of the vote, which is remarkable for an issue-based party. If this should happen, the state will get a divided house, and the difference between the BJP and the Congress is expected to be marginal. Even in states where Modi is not a factor, he helps the BJP in a few ways. First, the BJP is a cadre-based party unlike the Congress, whose freedom-movement based cadre has long vanished. The BJP foot soldier is from the RSS and is drawn to the partys Hindutva ideology. He is an ideological soldier and therefore more committed. The leader he admires most is Modi, who is Hindutvas poster boy . Modis rise nationally has fired-up the BJP and RSS cadre and this will help the party in every state. Second, Modis star power and charisma is rallying groups who are traditional BJP voters towards him. This is the factor which explains his success at holding public events. This ability to bring and hold potential voting groups is a first rate asset. Thirdly, there is already a feeling in media and also among politicians that the momentum of the 2014 elections has decisively swung away from the Congress and towards the BJP and Modi. The results of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, in particularly, will make this sentiment more concrete. This will guide the undecided voters towards Modi. Every opinion poll shows the BJP is likely to do well in the state elections. Even if Modi is not a factor in them, he is certain to come out stronger when results are announced.
andidates found guilty of providing false information and hiding facts in election affidavits would go to jail for three years and face automatic disqualification from contesting for at least a further six years under a proposal the government is preparing to place before Parliament. The law ministry, in proposed changes to the Representation of the People Act (RPT Act), has also sought to end the practice of candidates contesting from more than one seat, pointing out that this leads to several problems including an early by-election and needless costs. The changes are the governments final attempt to push the electoral reforms agenda before the 2014 general elections. It remains to be seen whether it will manage to get the Act amended during the winter session, which has a maximum of only 12 working days. The Election Commission (EC) has long been demanding an amendment in the law that results in the disqualification of candidates providing false
information in affidavits filed with nomination papers, a demand endorsed by the Justice JS Verma panel in its report earlier this year. Under the existing law, any candidate found guilty of either concealing, failing to furnish or providing false information in the election affidavit faces only six months in jail and a fine. Six months imprisonment is hardly
a deterrent for any candidate who can conceal or provide false information about the criminal record, educational qualification and even his/her property details to play a fraud on democracy , the EC had written to the government. It had strongly pitched for punishing such candidates by sending them to jail for at least two years, a time duration which would attract disqualification under the RPT Act. The ministry has also decided to push its three year-old proposal to disqualify those candidates from contesting elections against whom charges have been framed by courts for allegedly having committed heinous crimes punishable with at least seven years in jail. This proposal has been discussed at various forums since last three years and it will apply in cases where charges have been framed by a court at least one year before the announcement of elections, said an official. This safeguard has been provided to prevent any misuse of the proposed law by ruling parties.
Politics
WE THE STATE
NEW DELHI
The average worth of its candidates is Rs 2.51 crore, despite one of its candidates, Dharmendra Singh, having the lowest declared worth of Rs 20,800. Manjinder Singh Sirsa of SAD is the richest candidate in the fray with declared assets of Rs 235.51 crore. The NGOs have highlighted 14 constituencies where at least three candidates have criminal cases registered against them. These include the high profile New Delhi constituency from which the chief ministerial candidates of Congress and AAP are contesting. Arvind Kejriwal, the AAP candidate, is one of the three against whom criminal charges have been framed. Prof Jagdeep Chhokar, founder member of ADR, said that out of the 796 candidates analysed, 129 were found to have criminal cases
against them. A person could be facing criminal charges for something as simple as violating prohibitory orders or courting arrest. However, 93 candidates had serious criminal charges against them, including attempt to murder, robbery, dacoity and crime against women. There are 14 candidates with charges of attempt to murder and related charges. There are three candidates charged with robbery and dacoity, while 13 face charges of crime against women. BJP has the highest proportion of candidates with criminal cases against them at 46% while Congress has 21% candidates with criminal cases against them. AAP too has five such candidates with criminal cases in their affidavits. While the number of
Congress candidates with criminal cases has come down in the past five years, BJP's percentage of such candidates went up from 35% to 46%. This is also quite a young election in terms of the age of contestants. AAP has fielded the largest number of 'young' contestants, 18 in the age group of 25-35. There are also 57 independents in this age group. The largest number of candidates is in the age group of 36-45 years, a total of 279 of which 29 are from BSP, 17 from AAP and 90 independents. As far as educational qualifications go, 35% of the candidates are graduates or have a higher degree. About 60% are either 12th pass or lower. There are also 22 illiterate persons including one each from SP and JD (U) and two from BSP.
BHOPAL
Eight days before counting of votes and declaration of results, Madhya Pradesh minister for urban development Babulal Gaur said that at least half a dozen of his cabinet colleagues will lose. The octogenarian former chief minister Gaur, who is seeking a record 10th win from Govindpura constituency, also undermined BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan's effect on voters in the urban areas. According to Gaur, both Modi and Chauhan have been successful in wooing the rural voters but they had limited effect on urban voters in the state. Gaur said, "BJP will return to power for a
third term in the state with a tally of about 130 seats but some of my cabinet colleagues will lose their constituencies as their public image have taken a beating. If they don't lose, they will scrap through with very slim margins.'' Gaur's observation comes a day after BJP national vice-president Prabhat Jha and the party's state unit president Narendra Singh Tomar had claimed that all sitting ministers will win their seats. Speaking on Modi and chief minister Chauhan, the veteran minister observed, "In the cities and towns, the Modi-Chauhan effect may have worked in the slum areas but not in the other parts where choice of candidates has been a more important issue. The Congress has fielded better candidates than the BJP .''
But, Modis popularity will add to BJPs advantage in these State elections, he said. On the snooping controversy, Singh said the Gujarat Government has set up a commission of inquiry and that truth will come out. I do not want to say anything more. What more can be said when the Government has ordered a time-bound inquiry. Let the investigation be complete, he said.
Feature
WE THE STATE
cized the composition of the Supreme Court inquiry committee. It has no one outside judges, no one from the womens movement, not even a woman lawyer, said Kavita Krishnan, a leader of the left-wing All India Progressive Womens Association. I see it as setting a bad example, not a good example. A Supreme Court press liaison said the committee was continuing its inquiry, with a meeting scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. He declined to provide further comment.
Region
WE THE STATE
RAIPUR he 'satta bazaar' of Chhattisgarh, which operates clandestinely from all major cities, including Raipur
and Bhilai, is unusually quite after polling. Thanks to the record high turnout, even the hard-core punters seem to be too wary of placing bets. If certain 'satta' operators in the city are
to be believed, virtually no bets are being placed post voting and even political parties, which try to manipulate the market by placing bets in their favour, are shying from putting any money in. A bookie said
on condition of anonymity that even the BJP, which has been in power for a decade and was a favourite prior to the polling, has virtually vanished from the market after the record turnout. Predicting a perfect photo finish in the polls, the bookie said though the odds are still slightly in favour of the BJP, the Congress is likely to win 42 to 44 seats in the 90member assembly. The 'satta' market predicts a narrow victory for the BJP with 46 to 48 seats. The bookie claimed that prior to polls, the odds were clearly in favour of the BJP and the rate was Rs 0.60:1.40 vis-a-vis the Congress. This would mean that anyone betting Re 1 on the Congress would have got back Rs 1.40, implying that the probability the Congress coming to power, was much less than the BJP, which enjoyed a lower rate of 60 paise. However, the odds, though still in favour of the BJP, have changed slightly in terms of the seats likely to be won by the Congress. While for BJP, Raman Singh seems to be the obvious choice as the next CM in the 'satta market', odds favour former chief minister, Ajit Jogi, in event of a Congress victory. "He enjoys a lower rate than his bete noire, PCC chief and Union minister, Charandas Mahant," said a bookie.
LUCKNOW: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has launched a mass awareness campaign in support of Bharatiya Janata Partys prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. VHP international patron Ashok Singhal has urged religious heads in meetings with prominent seers of the temple city to start canvassing for Modi. In the three meetings he held, Singhal said that all political parties except the BJP were busy in appeasing Muslims and were against construction of Ram temple in the temple city of Ayodhya . At the Jhunki Ghat temple and Mani Ram Chhawni meetings, Singhal targeted the Akhilesh Yadav Government and the Congress for their Muslim appeasement policy and said that Hindus were being ignored and they were feeling insecure in the present regime. Singhal urged the prominent religious heads to go to villages and hold meetings in support of Modi because in his prime ministership, the Hindus could see the grand Ram temple. The VHP international patron said only Modi could safeguard the interests of Hindu community . Meanwhile, Mahant of Maniram Chhawni Math, Nritya Gopal Das, Mahant Raj Kumar Das, Mahant Brij Mohan Das, Mahant Kanhaya Das, and other religious heads assured the VHP chief to start a jan jagran programme in the rural areas.
SANGEETA SHARMA E-mail: sangeeta.dsharma@gmail.com Jaipur e will decide who comes to power in Rajasthan, said Kirori Lal Meena of National Peoples Party, floated by former Lok Sabha speaker PA Sangma. If Meena is stomping across eastern Rajasthan, parts of which have huge concentration of his influential caste, BSP supremo Mayawati, who was able to draw good crowd of supporters in regions bordering UP and Haryana, is hoping to improve on the tally of six seats her party won in 2008 polls. Rajasthan, which went to poll on December 1, may appear a twohorse race like Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh but the anti-incumbency factor combined with infighting in BJP has raised the hopes of fringe players like BSP. Political watchers say Meena and BSP may not be hogging limelight like Aam Admi Party in Delhi but they could be very much a force to reckon with post-elections as they were the last time before Congress managed to lure all six BSP legislatures into its fold, which helped it get a simple majority in the 200-seat assembly . I did not have much time to prepare last time. We have been work-
ing on the ground for years now and results will surprise you, Meena, Lok Sabha MP from Dausa, said. He is himself fighting from two constituencies while his MLA wife Golma Devi, an unlettered woman who was elected an MLA in 2008 and became a minister in Ashok Gehlot government, is contesting from two places as well. Independents and others had won 26 seats last time with Congress and BJP getting 96 and 78 seats respectively . Wary of Meena factor, Raje has held numerous meetings with party leaders active in eastern Rajasthan to contain him. BJP has alleged that Congress is funding him, questioning his source of finance as he has been hopping across the state for months in helicopter. Meena claims his supporters have contributed for his campaign as they see in him as an alternative to the corrupt regimes of BJP and Congress. On the other hand, BSP is hoping that it will see a rise in its vote share and seats. It is the only party whose share of votes and seats have grown in the two successive elections and it came second in 15 seats last time besides winning six by pocketing close to eight percent of votes. We have chosen candidates who have been part of the organisation for a long time. We have a loyal support base and will definitely play a crucial role in the formation of the next government in Rajasthan, a state BSP leader, D K Tyagi, said.
Glamour
WE THE STATE
Fast And Rai Bachchan onscreen Furious Star I Paul Walker Dies In Car Crash
NEW DELHI
ctor Paul Walker, best known for his role in the movies such as Varsity Blues and The Fast And The Furious, died in a car crash. He was 40. The accident took place Saturday in Santa Clarita, California. Walker was said to be inside the Porsche GT when the driver lost control. Santa Clarita Valley's sheriff department confirmed Walker's death, reported Xinhua. The cause of the collision is under investigation, police said. Walker was in Santa Clarita for a car show to support the Philippines typhoon relief effort, and went for a ride with a friend in a new Porsche GT. The accident happened during that test spin. "He was a passenger in a friend's car, in which both lost their lives," Walker's representative said in a statement. The representative added that Walker was "attending a charity event for his organisation Reach Out Worldwide." "All of us at Universal are heartbroken. Paul was truly one of the most beloved and respected members of our studio family for 14 years, and this loss is devastating to us, to everyone involved with the 'Fast and Furious' films, and to countless fans. We send our deepest and most sincere condolences to Paul's family," Universal Studios said in a statement. Walker was filming the next sequel of the Fast and Furious before the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend crash. The film was scheduled for release July 11, 2014. The actor, who also has films like Into the Blue and Takers to his credit, is survived by daughter Meadow.
ollywood actress Shraddha Kapoor made her breakthrough in the Bollywood industry with her 2012 film Aashiqui 2 in which she starred opposite Aditya Roy Kapur. She was recently asked why she has not yet signed another film with him. For this, she quickly replied that they havent been offered any films together after their first one together. Shraddha chose her words carefully and said that the two of them are just friends nothing more. She is aware of the link-up rumour sprees that take place in the B-Town and does not want to be caught up in one. The reporter asked the actress if Aditya is more than a co-star. She retorted, "We're friends. Period." Shraddha went on to talk about how she would want her man to be. "Cheating is a definite no-no. My man has to be all mine or never mind," she said. If someone wants to woo Shraddha, the daughter of Shakti Kapoor, she has also given us some hints and clues that will help. So if want to earn yourself a cup of tea with the gorgeous actress make sure you will be honest. "Just be honest and true to yourself. I have a huge appetite and I love ghar ka khana, particularly fried rawa. Also, ghar ka chai. Get me both and we can have a tea party," she laughed. The actress was recently seen in the newly released film Gori Tere Pyaar Mein. Although she has made an appearance for only a few scenes in the movie, she has impressed many with her South Indian look. Shraddha is now looking forward to her upcoming movies. She is working with Shahid Kapoor for a movie titled Haider. Shraddha will be in a new tomboyish avatar while she rides a bullet in another upcoming film titled Villain in which she is paired opposite Siddharth Malhotra. She has also fetched herself a role with Akshay Kumar in the movie Gabbar. We hope to see Shraddha Kapoor give us blockbusters with these upcoming movies.
8
RAJIV TIWARI
Miscellaneous
WE THE STATE
Vindhyachal fire: Experts explore conspiracy angle, ACS says no foul play
rooms of the panchayat and rural development deploring the conspiracy angle and looking into the ernment office. partment were gutted in the blaze. Experts are expossibility of use of chemicals for torching the govJoint director of the regional forensic science
T
BHOPAL
Email: rajivtiwariwts@gmail.com wo days after a major fire broke out at Vindhyachal Bhavan, forensic experts visited the site and collected samples. At least 25
ployees association, Arun Dwivedi said that the ployees against whom various inquiries were pending.
that bore the brunt of the blaze has a huge annual budget with schemes like Mukhyamantri Gram Sadak Yojna (chief minister rural road scheme), mid-day meal, Indira housing, total sanitation campaign being monitored through the department.
laboratory, Harsh Sharma, who inspected the spot with officials of central forensic science laboratois cleared. ry, said the real picture will emerge after the debris
erating throughout the state were kept in the office. Apart from the files, even computers of the locked chambers have been completely destroyed in the fire, said secretary association, Bhanu Tiwari. RTI activist Ajay Dubey who is also a member of
the state level vigilance and monitoring committee of panchayat and rural development said the fire was an attempt to destroy evidence of corruption. Irrespective of which party would form the govmerely an accident, he added. ernment, the fire at the crucial time could not be No evidence of foul play, says ACS ordered a fire audit of the secretariat, Satpura and 2000 sq feet of the office space and service books of employees may have been lost. She said that part of the service book details can be retrieved but the
employees and officials. Many files have been also inspected the power circuits, particularly cables attached to computers.
view that the fire was triggered by short-circuit starting the fire.
and they did not find any sign of chemical use for A section of state government employees have de-
Vindhyachal buildings and all important governthat the fire was deliberate and meant to destroy
said the fire was an accident and there was no evidocuments affected by the fire at the office of the
ment buildings. Rejecting the Congress allegation key documents that establish corruption in certain deals, the ACS said no documents were destroyed in the fire that could affect a probe in the future.
dence of a foul play . She said that the 60% of the development commissioner have been recovered. She said that work is on to recover the remaining ments may be lost completely . documents and said that about 10-15% of the docuAruna Sharma said that the chief minister has
leave records of some employees may be lost forevsaid that fire discipline in general is lax in buildings in India. She denied allegations by leader of
The blaze that broke out during the intervening night of November 29 and 30, timed after polling and before counting of votes in the state, does not appear to be an accident, claimed employees union representatives.
ried out by the police in which prima facie no evidence of foul play was found.
Opposition Ajay Singh that the building housed documents pertaining to purchase of computers by done by district panchayats through MPLUN. panchayats and said that the purchase is being
Sabotage: BJP may take action Delhi constituency witnessing against small fries, spare bigwigs combined force of 3 generations
didates had to face sabotage. Many of the candidates have given the names of saboteurs in writing to the State president and the general secretary (organisation), whereas, some have made verbal complaints. According to party sources, names of three Members of Parliament were in the list of saboteurs. Besides names of senior office-bearers of the party and one of the ministers also prominently figured in the list. The supporters of the minister have worked against the official candidates of the party in two assembly constituencies. The BJP State president Ramsevak Paikara himself has been victim of sabotage. On figuring the names of bigwigs in the list of saboteurs pressure on the party has been mounted of action, but the organisation leaders have failed to muster courage to take action against them. State organisation general secretary Rampratap Singh said that all candidates have furnished information, though some of them verbally informed. After compiling all the information, further action would be taken, though no time limit has been fixed for action, he added. After declaration of the election result, the matter will be discussed in the meeting of senior leaders. Some party leaders assume that action would be taken against small fries only, as it would be difficult for the party to take action against bigwigs. The reason is that the parliamentary election is to be held after six months, as such, if action is taken against the leaders, it could affect the election prospect of the party . Any action would be taken only after the declaration of the election results. If the results of the constituency concerned are favourable, then the saboteur could be left out from action. S. MANI Email: sastrymani@hotmail.com NEW DELHI ne of Delhis 70 assembly constituencies is witnessing the combined force of three generations of a family. BJP candidate from Tilak Nagar, Rajiv Babbar, is a political debutant, but his campaign is unlike that of a newcomers. Even as the 46-yearold businessman has been doing the rounds of his constituency to understand the problems of his electorate, his father and sitting MLA OP Babbar has been campaigning, especially seeking votes from senior citizens in the area for Rajiv. The youngest of the family, Rajivs 17-year-old son, Pragun, meanwhile, has been running Rajivs social media campaign. Rajiv is up against Congress candidate and councillor Amrita Dhawan and Aam Aadmi Partys Jarnail Singh for the December 4 election. The senior most Babbar, a four-time MLA and one from the area, regularly holds meetings with Residents Welfare Associations (RWAs) in the constituency. My father not only has relations with the elderly people in the constituency, but is also known to each voter of the Tilak Nagar assembly seat, Rajiv said. His experience and expertise in managing the election campaign is very handy . While Babbar senior has his feet on the ground, the junior keeps tabs on the youth in the online world. The class 12 student of a west Delhi school puts in time after school and tutions to manage content online for Rajivs campaigns. Being the youngest, Pragun knows what youngsters want and keeps me updated, said Rajiv. He manages the campaign online very effectively with the help of party workers. Pragun says the family is confident of a victory for Rajiv. We try to ensure that people in the area are updated about the promises and campaign activities. We also let our voters know about what my dad wants to achieve in the constituency in the next five years, said Pragun. This support from the family has helped Rajiv intensify his campaign in the run up to the election in the coming week. He is holding a dozen one-on-one interaction programmes across Tilak Nagar. He will also address several public meeting with senior BJP leaders, such as Sushma Swaraj, Smriti Irani, Navjot Singh Sidhu and Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal.
harges of sabotage were levelled against several big BJP leaders during the twoday review of Assembly seats. Even though there are clear evidences, the party organisation could not muster the courage to take action against these leaders. Some of the leaders consider that action against the saboteurs may affect the partys prospects in the Parliamentary election. In the presence of Chief Minister Raman Singh, review of the situation of the party after polling in all the Assembly constituencies was held. In the meeting an attempt was made to know the experience of each candidate. It has come to the fore that in two-third seats the can-
World
WE THE STATE
United Nations security department said there could be violence (Monday) on a large scale staff should avoid government offices and other protest locations. It closed its main office near Government House, which houses several UN agencies. The French Embassy issued one of the strongest warnings of dozens of foreign governments, urging citizens to stay inside to avoid the conflict on Bangkoks streets. The French School is located in a northeastern Bangkok neighborhood where gunshots rang out over the weekend during clashes between Yinglucks supporters and opponents. It was one of at least 60 schools closed in Bangkok on Monday. Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, a former deputy prime minister, says his aim is to install an unelected peoples council to select a new prime minister. Sutheps demand has been criticized by many as undemocratic, and is unlikely to be accepted by a government that was elected with an overwhelming majority . However, his sustained campaign has led to suggestions that he may have the backing of the military, which has long had a powerful influence over Thai politics. The army has often stepped in during times of crisis, carrying out 18 successful or attempted coups since the 1930s. Suthep met with Yingluck late Sunday in the presence of top military officials even though he has an arrest warrant against him. He later told cheering supporters that he told Yingluck the only way to end the protests was for her to step down. The military has said it is neutral in the conflict but army commander Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha has urged the police not to use force. There was no negotiation during this meeting, Suthep said. If Yingluck listens to the peoples voices and returns the power to the people obediently, we will treat Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra with politeness because we all are good citizens. Political instability has plagued Thailand since the military ousted Thaksin, who remains hugely popular among rural voters, in 2006. Two years later, anti-Thaksin protesters occupied Bangkoks two airports for a week after taking over the prime ministers office for three months, and in 2010 pro-Thaksin protesters occupied downtown Bangkok for weeks in a standoff that ended with parts of the city in flames and more than 90 dead. Any further deterioration is likely to scare away investors as well as tourists who come to Thailand by the millions and contribute 10 percent to the $602 billion economy, Southeast Asias second largest after Indonesia. It is also likely to undermine Thailands democracy, which had built up in fits and starts interrupted by coups.
he United Nations closed its main office in Bangkok, dozens of schools were shut and civil servants skipped work as stone-throwing protesters battled through clouds of tear gas in renewed assaults on key government buildings in the Thai capital on Monday . The protests, aimed at toppling the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, have renewed fears of prolonged instability in one of Southeast Asias biggest economies and come just ahead of the peak holiday tourist season. After a weekend of chaos in pockets of Bangkok, protesters regrouped outside the heavily-barricaded prime ministers office compound Monday and repeatedly clashed with the police who fired tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets. Emboldened by their leaders vow to topple Yingluck by Wednesday, they threw rocks at police and tore away sections of barbed wire and concrete barriers. At least three people were killed and 103 injured in skirmishes In a nationally televised appeal, Yinglucks deputy, Surapong Tovichakchaikul, called on protesters to stop hurting Thailands image and the economy . Yingluck has not appeared in public since Saturday, and has not been to her office since last week. On Monday, she posted a picture of herself on Facebook in a meeting with senior officials at the national police headquarters. Using a conciliatory tone, Surapong said the government will exercise utmost patience and adhere to nonviolent principles. The government would like to insist that it will lead Thailand back to peace soon, he said. The protesters, who are mostly middle-class Bangkok supporters of the opposition Democrat Party, want Yingluck to step down, claiming she is a proxy for her brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. He was deposed in a 2006 military coup but remains central to Thailands political crisis, and is a focal point for the protesters hatred. The protesters, who call themselves the Peoples Democratic Reform Committee, say their goal is to uproot the political machine of Thaksin, who is accused of widespread corruption and abuse of power. Mondays violence took place around key institutions the Government House, the Parliament and Metropolitan Police Headquarters in the historic quarter of the capital. The area has some of Bangkoks main tourist attractions such as the Grand Palace, Wat Pho temple, the Bangkok zoo, and the backpacker area of Khao San Road. Most of Bangkok, a city of 10 million, has been unaffected. Many of the protesters wore raincoats and plastic bags over their heads, to protect against the sting of tear gas. In an e-mailed statement to its staff, the
open for talks in a statement issued by the banner group on the appointment of the new Pakistan Army chief. Nawaz Sharif also demonstrated wisdom while picking the new army chief. Had he picked killer of Muslims
of Swat, General Haroon Aslam, as new COAS then all the wishes and desires of the Taliban of holding talks with the government would have died down, the statement had said.
10
Commerce
WE THE STATE
ndian farmers have sold products such as cotton, bananas and nuts under the fair-trade tag in international markets for nearly 20 years, helping to create a multi-billion-dollar worldwide industry . But with Indias growing middle class and more disposable income, the movement is now shifting its focus towards selling Indian-made fair-trade items in the market here. Last week, a group of farmers, business owners, retailers and civil society representatives launched the Fairtrade Foundation India, hoping to build on the success of fair trade abroad and tap into the growing ethical-consumer market here, replicating similar foundations in Brazil, Kenya and South Africa. In terms of consumers, the historical emphasis was Europe and America, but that is very rapidly changing, said Abhishek Jani, chief executive of the Fairtrade Foundation India. Fair trade is an internationally recognized labeling system monitored by German-based Fairtrade International, which offers farmers in developing nations higher than the market prices for their products if they comply with certain social, labor and environmental standards. The objective is to empower producers and enable them to earn a sustainable living, Mr. Jani said. Fairtrade International, which represents 28 fairtrade organizations from around the world, said consumers spent 4.8 billion euros on fair trade food, cosmetics and other items last year. Fair trade-certified goods have been made in India for many years, but with the launch of the Indian initiative, the goal is to scale up operations and make products more readily available to consumers here by partnering with retailers.
French brand Auchan, which has 14 supermarkets across India operated by Max Hypermarket as part of a franchise agreement signed last year, is one of them. It has just opened a dedicated space in each of its four stores in Bangalore to sell around 16 Indian-produced fair-trade food products including green tea, rice and spices. Max Hypermarket says more products will be added and the range will shortly be introduced in all its other stores. Senior vice president of buying and merchandising, Ponnu Subramanian, says its too early to tell how customers will respond, but he said he was very confident that the sales performance will be good. We want to promote the concept of fair trade so that more and more farmers and producers develop confidence in us as their partners, Mr. Subramanian added. Currently, fair trade is a niche concept in India, but there are signs that the ethical-consumer market is picking up pace. Research firm TechNavio, headquartered in London, forecasts the organic food sector in India will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 21.34% between 2012 and 2016, with one of the key driving factors being growing health awareness among shoppers with more disposable incomes. Its very exciting, said Mr. Jani. The organic food movement shows that despite prices being significantly more than conventional food, Indian consumers are still engaging with it, he said. Marisha Kirtane from The Third Eye, a qualitative market research agency based in New Delhi and Mumbai, says many Indian consumers are seeking out organic food because they are unhappy with the low quality of produce available in their local markets and see it as an individual rather than social benefit. When it comes to fair trade, most Indian shoppers simply dont know what it is, Ms. Kirtane said. Its a question of awareness. Ethical trade practices are not part of the current Indian consciousness. The truth is no one knows about it. And at the moment, the mass market is enjoying consumerism in India and not evaluating it, she said. The Fairtrade Foundation India acknowledges that the movement is at a very nascent stage in the country,
so it plans to begin education programs in schools and colleges, and is trying to persuade companies, for example, to provide fair-trade tea and coffee for their vending machines. The hope is to imitate successes seen in South Africa, which in 2009 became the first country to produce and consume fair-trade goods. Last year, shoppers there spent $23.2 million on fair-trade products, a 220% increase from the year before, according to Fairtrade Label South Africa, an umbrella body based in Cape Town. Some in the movement are motivated by the desire to alleviate poverty. Apurva Kothari says he set up his fair-trade and organic t-shirt business in Mumbai when he found out that as many as 270,000 Indian farmers had taken their own lives since 1995 because of poverty, he noticed that consumer action to tackle the problem was missing. Fair trade as a concept has come from the West, its been around for decades, and there are people from around the world helping Indian farmers and to reduce suicides, and I thought Indian consumers need to do the same, Mr. Kothari said. Since March, Mr. Kotharis business No Nasties, started in 2011, has held a license issued by FLO-CERT, an independent international certification body for fair trade production processes and goods, allowing it to use the fair trade tag on its t-shirts. There is skepticism among the India consumer, so for cynical customers, the mark brings value and trust, he said. The certification also allows the company to be transparent in an industry, which, as it becomes more profitable, becomes prone to corrupt practices with people cutting corners, he added. Currently, there are over 121,000 fair-trade-certified producers in India who received 2.4 million euros in 2012 through the fair-trade premium, above what they would otherwise have earned in the market , giving them extra money, which it is hoped they will invest in educating their children, healthcare and other social needs. Mr. Jani, of the new Fairtrade Foundation India, says the initial focus will be to help existing producers sell their goods to Indian consumers, but the plan is also to increase the number of farmers who produce under the banner of fair-trade.
11
Sports
WE THE STATE
Taliban invoke
Playing without Sachin Tendulkar in South Africa will be a big challenge: MS Dhoni
M
MUMBAI
ahendra Singh Dhoni says playing in alien dulkar is a big challenge for his side but the
overs in the same game. Then it becomes more realDhoni said fans will see good cricket in the series as top
Indian skipper is hopeful that playing One-dayers first against South Africa.
will allow his batsmen settle well ahead of the Test series India will play three-match ODI series ahead of two-
you see both the teams are well positioned in the rankbe exciting and interesting series. The key is getting adjusted to conditions as early as possible," Dhoni said.
Test series in South Africa. "If you see there is always a new start," Dhoni said about absence of Tendulkar, who retired recently last month. Dhoni said his batsmen have and playing ODIs first will give them confidence for the plenty of experience in the shorter format of the game Tests. "Many of them have had good exposure if not in
genuine all-rounders," he said. Dhoni said pressure was whether in India or away."
nothing new to India. "Pressure goes hand in hand Asked if the team would use a fifth frontline bowler,
Tests, but in ODIs. It is a new challenge for all of them you go outside. Which length to bowl and to adjust to the bounce of the wickets. It is good to start with ODIs. As the batsmen can play their shots and express themselves and carry it into the Tests," he said ahead of team departure. Asked who will perform the duties of the third opener
that we have to go there and decide. We have to see the strength of our batting line up. At the same time whether four bowlers are good enough to get the opposition out. It's something that we have weigh out," he said. "In the last Test match also we played with four
in Tests, which has only two regulars in Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay, Dhoni surprised everyone by namingGautam Gambhir, who is not part of the 17-member squad. "If you see, Gautam is definitely our third opener they have done really well for us. So third opener as of now is Gautam." that we are considering. As of now, Vijay and Shikhar
bowlers and Rohit Sharma was the one who batted at number six. If you see at times five batsmen are not enough, even six are not enough. And if you see the last two Test matches, the number six batsman has had a lot of impact on the game. We will weigh how it is and then decide." Asked about Ravichandran Ashwin's limited exposure of playing Tests overseas, Dhoni expressed hope that the off-spinner will replicate body starts from even scratch, greatest his home success abroad. "Every-
but he is the third opener. But he never asked if he is part of the team."
that Gambhir is still in the scheme of things for at least number four in the Test squad, Dhoni they are to yet to
Test side. Asked who was likely to replace Tendulkar at decide on that. "We are not decided on number 4. No one is going to replace anyone else," he said before adding in try to bat 1,2,3, 5,6... And 12." lighter vein, "If possible we will omit the number 4. And Bowling in slog overs has been a worry for India but
the
cricketers -- spin-
of
Dhoni was hopeful of a better performance in South Africa. "In different conditions the statistics would be different. There will be pace and bounce on offer for the fast and a little bit pace. So we will see how it goes," he said.
bowlers. Along with the yorkers, they can use bouncers "In the last few matches it has improved a lot but we are
fight it out, you don't really get to know how good he is," said Dhoni. Ashwin has played only three Tests overseas -- all in Australia -- with limited success in his short career of 18 Tests from which he has grabbed 104 wickets. Dhoni said "let it remain a secret recipe". Asked what would be the role of pacer Ishant Sharma,
trying to see how to improve (more), so that we don`t give lot of runs in the last 10 overs. If you see our Champions Trophy performance and if you compare our death bowl-
Former India cricketer Vinod Kambli stable after suffering a heart attack F
ormer Indian Test player Vinod Kambli has suffered a heart attack and has been admitted to Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital. The former cricketer was driving from Chembur to Bandra on Friday when he suffered the attack. He was taken to the hospital by a lady traffic officer. Hospital sources say he is under observation and undergoing various tests to determine his health condition. Kambli, 42, underwent angioplasty on two of his blocked arteries at the same hospital in July 2012, but the surgery was kept well under wraps. Later in the evening, his wife Andrea said the former lefthanded batsman was stable and recovering well. "He experienced chest pain in the morning, after which he was taken to
the hospital. He's stable and recovering well," she said in a statement. Kambli, who played 17 Tests and 104 ODIs for India, is known for his flashy lifestyle and friendship with batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, which hasn't been on cordial terms of late. More recently, Kambli was in news due to his emotional outburst against Sachin, saying that the two are no longer friends. Kambli was hurt because Sachin didn't mention his name in his retirement speech and then didn't invite him to his farewell dinner after retirement. Kambli first made news with his world-record 664-run partnership with Sachin in school cricket in 1988. Since losing favour with Indian selectors, Kambli has been spotted participating various TV shows.
12
Nation
WE THE STATE
BIPIN SASI
rime Ministers rally scheduled for Delhi has been cancelled, it seems that Congress party is unable to deal with Narendra Modi. An important publication which was used in the past for more than a decade to carry on antiModi campaign appears to be collapsing under the weight of its own immorality . Tejpal reminds me of Ravana who was a man of contrast, a paradox of sorts. On one hand he had such a great ego and considered him to be the warrior par excellence, but once he attempted to lift God Shiva with entire Kailash mountain on his hands. This was one distinct attribute of Ravana, the arrogance. When Shiva pressed his toe on Kailash, Ravana's fingers got stuck beneath the mountains. Tejpals story is very similar to the above mythological instance. His support in the Indian media who look upon this sleazebag as a moral crusader for the leftist cause is slowly evaporating. How could senior leaders of Congress Sibal, Tiwari, Digvijay could come out to openly defend someone like Tejpal? Its shows his association with party leaders and it may be possible that he is pressurizing Congress. But Tejpals downfall will give momentum to BJP in the assembly elections. The crucial Assembly Elections in the national capital is slated to take place on December 04 where BJP is
Owned Printed and Published by M.M.Baig. Printed at lucky, 267, Pragati Nagar, Shahanshah Garden, Bhopal (MP) and published from H.No.101, A-SECTOR INDRAPURI BHEL, WARD NO.63 DIST BHOPAL-462021, M.P. Tele/FAX 0755-4292545,Mob.09425029901 email-editor@wethestate.com RNI No. MPENG\2012\46415 Editor: M.M. BAIG -Responsible for selection of News & Articles under PRB Act, Subject to Bhopal jurisdiction