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[1] From: Sukla Sen <suklasen@yahoo.com> Date: Sat Jul 22, 2006 Subject: India in the Shadow of the Nuclear Lobby India in the Shadow of the Nuclear Lobby July 15, 2006 14:56 | by Subramanian Udayakumar SPECTREZINE http://www.spectrezine.org/resist/India.htm ---------------- [2] http://www.petitiononline.com/rti2005/petition.html Protect efficacy of Fundamental Right to know View Current Signatures - Sign the Petition --------------------------------------------------------------- To: His Excellency President of India Dr. APJ Kalam, His Excellency President of India Dr. APJ Kalam, His Excellency, The Cabinet (Government of India) has approved the proposed amendment in the Right to Information Act, 2005 in the name of ambiguity in the law and to put the ‘File Notings’ and ‘How a decisions were arrived’ out of the preview of the RTI Act, in spite of the fact that law in clear terms defined the exemptions from disclosures which would impede the process of investigation or apprehension or prosecution of offenders, endanger the life or physical safety or any person or would identify the source of information or assistance given in confidence for law enforcement or security purposes, to balance the rights of liberty as against the duty to protect the security of State, public order, decency or morality or incitement to an offence which are protected under Article 19(2) of the Constitution of India. Hon’ble Chief Justice of India Mr. Y. K. Sabharwal pointed out that “the ‘Public Accountability’ is a facet of administrative efficiency. Publicity of information serves as an instrument for the oversight of citizens. By the same token it suggests that law could become a means for fighting corruption. Therefore, a Government which produces a trustworthy flow of information creates greater certainty and transparency. This is especially appreciated by those who intend to invest in the Country. International experience shows that countries that allow citizens access to public information have seen a reduction in indicators of corruption and, consequently, substantial increases in administrative efficiency. ‘Public Accountability’ is a part of governance. It is the Government that is accountable to the public for delivering a broad set of outcomes but more importantly it is the public service consisting of public servants that constitutes the delivery mechanism. Therefore, the accountability and governance arrangements between Government which acts as the principal and the public service which is its agent, impact on the Government’s ability to deliver and on its accountability to the public. The challenge lies in ensuring that the public service is geared to meet the expectations of the Government of the day and that public service is neutral, whichever party is in power. When a Government department translates a Government’s policy into programmes, the success of that translation is very much dependent on a clear understanding of and commitment to the outcomes that are sought. It is not surprising that the history of accountability and governance within the public service has shifted from measuring “inputs” to measuring “outputs”, to matching outputs, and identify outcomes. The key which weakens accountability or the effectiveness of the Government or the public sector is the lack of information.” Government should admit that the ‘File Notings’ and ‘How a decisions were arrived’ are important part of the Information which need to be disclosed to the governed. The decision of the Government to amend the law is result of strong lobbying from the Politicians and Bureaucrats, who feels uneasiness under fear for the disclosure of their way of working at the cost of larger public Interests and to weaken the accountability or the effectiveness of the Government or the public sector. The decision is dead against the fundamental right flowing from Art. 19(1)(a) of the Constitution to know about Administrative Efficiency, Public Accountability and Constitutional Governance in democratic India which requires an informed citizenry and transparence in information which are vital to its functioning and also to contain corruption and to hold governments and their instrumentalities accountable to the governed. Therefore, this is humble request to His Excellency to sent a message to the Government to withdraw its aforesaid decision in favour of amendment in RTI Act, 2005. The decision of the Government to amend the RTI Act, 2005 is undemocratic and unconstitutional. Therefore Your Excellency the Guardian of the Constitution as well as the Fundamental Rights of the Citizens should act promptly to restrain the Government from any further move to curtail the fundamental rights of the governed. Milap Choraria National Convenor Movement for Accountability to Public (MAP) B-5/52, Sector-7, Rohini, Delhi-110085 movement4accountability2public@yahoo.com Sincerely, The Undersigned ---------------------- [3] From: Sukla Sen <suklasen@yahoo.com> Date: Sat Jul 22, 2006 Subject: On the 2006 World Conference against A & H Bombs Online at: http://politicalaffairs.net/article/articleview/3861/1/199/ On the 2006 World Conference against A & H Bombs By Akahata Archives - Dates and Topics Online Edition Archive Jul. 17 – Jul. 23 click here for related stories: Peace/antiwar 7-21-06, 9:20 am ------------------ [4] From: Sukla Sen <suklasen@yahoo.com> Date: Sat Jul 22, 2006 Subject: Indo-US Nuke 'Deal': Through the Eyes of an American [This article remains fairly relevant and useful even today though it had been penned, as it appears, a little before the two Congressional Committees actually voted (on June 27 and 29) on the Bill related to the Indo-US nuke 'deal'. Like any other serious articles, whether 'for' or 'against', it also makes no pretension whatever that the 'deal' is all about nuclear energy or power. The brief 'summary' puts the things in the right perspective, from the author's standpoint, in the following words: "Over the last year, the U. S. and Indian governments struck a deal that recognizes India as a nuclear weapons power. Critics say Washington gave up too much too soon and at a great cost to nonproliferation efforts. Perhaps. But India could in time become a valuable security partner. So despite the deal's flaws and the uncertainties surrounding its implementation, Washington should move forward with it." He must be congratulated for his intellectual honesty. There's no pussyfooting, no mincing of words. Just compare my own comments on June 30 in a forwarding note to the news reports on the passage of the Bill through the Foreign Relations Committee: Quote The global peace movement must do all that it can to scuttle this brazen unilateralist assault on the NPT - and thereby the current non-proliferation regime and the (whatever) prospects for global nuclear disarmament. The NPT is the only multilateral commitment to global nuclear disarmament on the part of the 5 NWSs and all the members of the UN barring the troika of India, Pakistan and Israel signed this treaty. This obnoxious 'concession' to India is openly and shamelessly being flaunted as a bait to coopt it as a sub-junior partner of the American neo-con project to establish its unilateral and unfettered dominance over the globe by foregrounding its awesome military might, including the nuclear firepower, to make up for the deficiencies of its otherwise huge economic muscles and diplomatic/political clout. That's a crying shame! Unquote It's quite interesting to note that while the House Committee broadly followed Carter’s prescriptions in a somewhat tentative manner: "Maximise the American gain", the Foreign Relations Committee, two days after, did just the reverse: "Minimise the 'concessions' to India". This is admittedly a well-researched and well-written piece, from the other side of the divide, notwithstanding a few minor factual inaccuracies.] http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20060701faessay85403/ashton-b-carter/america-s-new\ -strategic-partner.html?mode=print America's New Strategic Partner? By Ashton B. Carter From Foreign Affairs, July/August 2006 --------------- [5] From: Pradip Kumar Datta <pradip200@yahoo.com> Date: Sat Jul 22, 2006 Subject: STATESMAN : Cooch Behar bears protest brunt ( For JMC Report acceptance) http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php? clid=10&theme=&usrsess=1&id=123949 Statesman News Service COOCH BEHAR, July 21: Cooch Behar district unit of All India Youth League (AIYL), the youth wing of Forward Bloc, stalled functioning of almost all banks, post offices and insurance offices in Dinhata, Tufanganj, Mathabhanga, Mekhliganj and Cooch Behar yesterday. Mr Abdur Rauf, a state secretariat member of AIYL and also the district unit general secretary of the party, said that the police arrested 150 AIYL supporters from Haldibari during agitation. The police also lifted 130 agitating AIYL supporters from Tufanganj, he alleged. The movement plan was adopted in a meeting of the AIYL's Cooch Behar district committee held at Khagrabari recently, he said. Mr Rauf said that the AIYL supporters were demanding acceptance of the Mukherjee Commission's report on disappearance of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The historic Netaji Bhavan situated on Elgin Road in Kolkata should be considered as a national museum, Mr Rauf demanded. The AIYL leader said that the Central government has already refused accepting the Mukherjee Commission's report but they believe that the report may throw light on the mysterious disappearance of Netaji. The programme was organised yesterday to draw the attention of the Centre into the matter, Mr Rauf said. Mr Rauf said that the AIYL would organise a massive movement over river-erosion issue. They are also planning to organise an agitation to ensure employment for the unemployed youths and improvement of the NBSTC situation. The AIYL supporters will organise sit-in demonstrations in front of all SDO offices in Cooch Behar district on 21 August and the district magistrate's office on 11 September to draw the attention of the state government to these burning issues, he said. visit www.missionnetaji.org ----------------- [6] From: Pradip Kumar Datta <pradip200@yahoo.com> Date: Sat Jul 22, 2006 Subject: NESO urges Centre to give it special status NESO urges Centre to give it special status Guwahati: The North East Students Organisation (NESO) has demanded that it be granted special status by the Central Government to enable it to combat various menaces in the North East. "The one and only solution of to solve the problem of North East is to provide constitutional status to the North East. It harms, otherwise, our land and national issues. This is the single solution to solve these various problems of North East. Throughout the country it was our alarming slogans towards the countrymen and national leaders to please save the North East to save India for tomorrow," said NESO president Mr. Sammujal Bhattacharya. Citing an example of the recent Mumbai serial blasts, Sammujal said terrorists have a single aim in life -- to disrupt the unity of the country. NESO is the apex body of student bodies in the North East. The three constituent organisations of NESO are the All Assam Students' Union (AASU), All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU) and the All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU). http://www.newkerala.com/news3.php?action=fullnews&id=25420 -------- |
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