‘Kejriwal Freed’ from RSS, BJP II – Ramdev, Anna, VK Singh, Bedi

It was obvious Kejriwal worked for RSS BJP for over a decade.

It is also clear RSS wanted Second BJP team to replace Failed BJP party formed by ‘Emergency Accident’ – all its leaders are of either 1985 Vintage or few top leaders from Jan Sangh days of 60s.

RSS initial strategy to defame UPA-II and bring down the government back fired – over two years UPA II maintained lead over BJP in all state elections including large states West Bengal and Kerala.

Karnataka and Gujarat are in deep trouble – ‘Modi Gimmicks’ work no more – he has now come down to distributing Sewing Machines, Bicycles, Foot Balls and Cricket Bats to lure voters. Over 62 companies are Under CBI Investigation for Iron Ore Loot and in Gujarat key ministers close to Modi are Convicted for Mass Murders post Godhra Riots, Home Minister in charge sheeted for Fake Encounters.

Kejriwal too realized he has no Future Working as ‘Street Executioner’ targeting UPA II in every sentence. He responded by GOING FREE at peak of his popularity before losing credibility.

Kejriwal was the only one in BJP-II who has his Own Brain and fit to Lead BJP-II but some how RSS wanted Barking Ramdev to lead the BJP-II who could puppeteer from out side.   

Masses shall follow Kejriwal in greater numbers since he has come out of RSS shadow.

Freed Kejriwal will be Positive to Indian Politics.

Eventually he may lead BJP-II.

Ravinder Singh

Progressindia008@yahoo.com

Day after, Arvind Kejriwal faction suspects Ramdev hand behind split with Anna Hazare

Abantika Ghosh Fri Sep 21 2012,

New Delhi : A day after their split became official, there was speculation in Arvind Kejriwal’s India Against Corruption (IAC) group that Anna Hazare’s growing association with yoga guru Ramdev may have been the final breaking point.

Significantly, Hazare was closeted in a meeting with Ramdev and former Army Chief Gen V K Singh last night, immediately after the IAC meeting.

Sources in the Kejriwal camp also pointed to “close RSS links” of some of Hazare’s aides, saying that Kiran Bedi and Sitaram Jindal had pushed for a dialogue with the “principal opposition party”.

Ramdev’s spokesperson confirmed Gen (retd) V K Singh’s presence at the meeting last night, and said the Baba might address a press conference on Friday to reveal details of what transpired.

In Pune, Hazare refrained from commenting on the split or his meeting with Ramdev. “I will not speak on this subject for the next four days,” he said. “I came here to pray to Lord Ganesh to rid the country of corruption. I will not comment on other dirty things.”

In a video address earlier in the day, Hazare reiterated that the movement had split, and both groups would work for the common goal of eradicating corruption.

“We respect Anna Hazare, he is our guru and father. Yesterday’s developments were shocking, unbelievable, unfortunate and sad. Anna’s five principles are the foundation of our party. Anna’s photograph and name are printed in our hearts...

We will keep seeking his blessings,” tweeted Kejriwal today.

Sources said both Hazare and Ramdev agreed that they would not be a part of any political outfit and would not allow any party on their stage. Incidentally, Ramdev’s last fast at Ramlila Maidan had ended with a show of strength by top NDA leaders including BJP president Nitin Gadkari and JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav.

“Hazare was originally slated to meet Ramdev at 5 pm and he started becoming very restless. Three people were not even allowed to speak,” said a member of Team Kejriwal. “Sitaram Jindal and Kiran Bedi urged a dialogue with BJP. Jindal said Italy’s rule has to end... There are reports that VHP and RSS functionaries were present at the Hazare-Ramdev meeting,” he claimed.

But Bedi retorted that she has always targeted the party in power. “It does not mean any sympathy or alignment with the opposition,” she said.

The IAC publicity machinery also stressed on former bureaucrat Avinash Dharmadhikari’s past association with the Shiv Sena, Bedi, Jindal and Dharmadhikari were among those who opposed a political option at yesterday’s meeting.

According to sources, Kejriwal and his team tried hard to convince Hazare to lend his name to the proposed party. “Without you we are nothing. Everything will come to nought if you are not with us,” Kejriwal reportedly told Hazare.

But Hazare did not relent. “You are free to launch a party... but you will have to do it on your own strength and not by using my name,” he is reported to have said.

At the nine-hour meeting mediated by social scientist Yogendra Yadav, Shanti Bhusan reportedly recounted his experience with the Janata Party. He said that if the party could come to power within two months of its formation, there was no reason why Kejriwal’s party could not do so with two years to go for Lok Sabha elections.

Meanwhile, Bedi said they were now searching for a new IAC office in Delhi.

— With inputs from ENS, Pune

Jindal Aluminium to set up Rs 500cr foil plant

Jindal Aluminium will invest Rs 500 crore to set up a factory for making foils and sheets near its existing extrusion facility in Bangalore, a top company official said today.

"The plant will come up near our plant in Bangalore. It will go on stream by March next year. We are investing Rs 500 crore on the plant. This will make foils and sheets," Jindal Aluminium's Executive Director B D Garg told PTI.

The company, promoted by S R Jindal, younger brother of O P Jindal, has already acquired 50 acres of land and has placed orders for plant and machinery.

"In the very first year of operation, production will be around 12,000 tonnes per annum, which would be ramped up to 35,000 tonnes a year in three years," Garg said. 

Buoyed by the growing demand from the packaging industry, India had to import around 65,000 tonnes aluminium foils last year, mostly from China, to cater to the domestic need.

Garg said the company would stand to have a great chance to cash in on the burgeoning demand for aluminium foils in the country.

Jindal Aluminium, a leading player in the country's Rs 3,500 crore aluminium extrusion space with over 20% market share, hopes to clock total sales of Rs 900 crore in this fiscal from Rs 800 crore in the previous one.

"In the next fiscal, this should go up to Rs 1,300 crore with contribution of Rs 1,000 crore from the existing aluminium extrusion business and the remaining from aluminium foils and sheets," Garg said.

The company hopes to sell more than 50,000 tonnes extrusion from 45,000 tonnes sold last year. The industry size is two lakh tonnes and has been growing at 8-10% per annum.

PM meets Prez amid speculation on Cabinet reshuffle

Amid intense speculation of a Cabinet reshuffle, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday met President Pranab Mukherjee during which the two discussed the political situation in the country.

The meeting lasted for 45 minutes during which the two leaders discussed the current political situation, Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson Venu Rajamony said in New Delhi on Saturday.

The meeting comes a day after the 19-member Trinamool Congress gave a letter to the President announcing withdrawal of support to the Congress-led UPA government.

Both the government and the Congress have maintained that with the outside support of 43 MPs from the SP and the BSP, the ruling coalition has a strength of over 300 in the 545-member Lok Sabha, which is well above the halfway mark of 273.

Singh's meeting with Mukherjee also takes place against the backdrop of his strong defence of FDI and hike in diesel price. The decisions have been attacked by allies, the NDA and the Left parties.

Explaining the rationale behind the decisions, Singh, in a televised address to the nation, had said if this was not done, the fiscal deficit would have shot up resulting in price rise and more hardships for the common man.

Saturday’s meeting comes amid speculation of a Cabinet reshuffle in the wake of vacancies caused by the departure of Trinamool ministers as also some ministers holding more than one portfolio.

An official announcement said Union minister C P Joshi has been given additional charge of Railways held by Mukul Roy of Trinamool Congress.

This is seen as a stop gap arrangement ahead of significant changes in the Council of Ministers.

President Mukherjee is scheduled to leave on a three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir on 26^th September.

FDI IN RETAIL:CAIT THROWS CHALLANGE FOR AN OPEN DEBATE

FDI IN RETAIL NOTIFICATION-MORTGAGING THE RETAIL TRADE

CAIT THROWS CHALLANGE FOR AN OPEN DEBATE

The Government's notification of allowing FDI in Retail issued on 20th September speaks the fact that the Government is playing a game with the people of India as it has provided various concessions to foreign investor to pave and easy way for them to establish their business in Indian Retail Trade. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT)  while strongly criticising the Government for such a step has termed the notification as an attempt to mortgage the Indian Retail Trade at the hands of MNCs.The CAIT has thrown a challange for an open debate on the issue.

CAIT National President Mr. B. C. Bhartia and Secretary General Mr. Praveen Khandelwal today said that as per para 6.2.16.5 (vi)  the retail outlets of MNCs will be in cities with population of more than 10 lakhs. But going a step further the notification authorises the MNCs to set up retail stores in the cities of their choice in such states which do not have population of 10 lakhs as per 2011 Census which means that MNCs will have a free hand to set up their retail stores anywhere in India. Para 6.2.16.5 (iv) mention that at least 30% of value of procurement has to be done from small industries with investment not exceeding US$ 1 million. However, great relaxation has been given to MNCs to meet this requirement in total purchase of first five years and not year wise which means that MNCs will be at liberty to outsource even 100% procurement from anywhere over the globe even from the starting year of their operations and later on to meet the requirement of procurement of 30% from small industries In other wards it is not mandatory for MNCs to procure at least 30% from Indian small industries right from 1styear. Vide Para 6.2.16.5 (v) most surprisingly, the MNCs have been allowed to self-certify the conditions stipulated in the policy. There will not be any Government mechanism to regulate whether these companies are complying with the condition mentioned in notification. It is an open fact that global retail giants are known for flouting the laws. Thus whatever conditions have been stipulated in the policy will go redundant because of self-certification conditions. Interestingly such a facility of self-certification has not been given to any domestic company in any sector.

The trade leaders further said that vide para 6.2.16.5 (iv) the Govt. has permitted to open front end retail stores immediately but has given a time period of 3 years to MNCs to develop backend infrastructure against the repeated statements of the Govt that development of backend infrastructure is first priority. Further, It is also not clear that whether these FDI’s will have to be owners of backend infrastructure or they will do it indirectly and claim that they have invested in it. Surprisingly establishment of cold storage and running of cold transport chain do not figure in list of backend infrastructure. Constantly the Government is referring to wastage of fruits and vegetables as a major issue and therefore seeking immediate requirement of Cold Storage but it appears that the same has been intentionally not referred to in the policy while defining backend infrastructure. It creates a major doubt on the intention of the Government.

Vide para 6.2.16.5(i)  the Govt. has allowed FDI in Multi Brand Retail Trade in all products but under disguise of fresh agriculture produce, it has permitted sale of grains and pulses in loose (unbranded) which is a major diversion from the earlier policy. This will directly attack the business of small Kirana Stores. This step has enough indication that the Government has a clear intention of allowing global players to do business in non- branded items also at a later stage.

Both Mr. Bhartia and Mr. Khandelwal said that under backend infrastructure the policy has a mention of agriculture market produce infrastructure which is very dicey and needs to be defined. They further informed that considering the seriousness of the matter the CAIT has called an emergent meeting of its National Governing Council comprising of leaders of different States on 26th and 27th September at New Delhi to draw future countrywide agitational strategy.

For more information please contact CAIT, Secretary General, Mr. Praveen Khandelwal@9891015165, 9310199771.