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| << June07, 2006 - [India Thinkers Net] Christian tribals raped,reservation, S.498 A,GM foods etc |
June11, 2006 - [India Thinkers Net] Sunday updates >> |
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[1 ] Cabinet to decide on pvt sector quota soon: Meira Press Trust of India New Delhi, June 7, 2006 Despite the raging controversy over OBC reservations, the Government has not given up on the idea of reservation in private sector telling the industry that "time is running out" for it to act voluntarily. Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Meira Kumar says she plans to go to the Cabinet with the report of the Group of Ministers on the issue "at the earliest" as the reservation "has to be done and done fast". In an interview, she, however, declined to hazard any guess on whether the Government would act in the matter before the monsoon session of Parliament commencing next month or before the next round of assembly polls including in Uttar Pradesh scheduled early next year. "There is a lot of pressure on me. I am working under great pressure but I want it to be done, done amicably and without any type of confrontation. Time is running out," Kumar said dismissing suggestions that the issue has been kept on the backburner in the wake of the OBC quota row. Asked if she is referring to bringing legislation in this regard, Kumar said, "I am not talking about legislation. I am telling the industrial and business houses how to do it.... "If they will not do it, then the matter is before the Cabinet and it will decide," she said admitting at the same time that the "reluctance on the part of the industry is petering down and its position has "softened". Rejecting suggestions that the matter has taken a backseat in the wake of OBC quota row as also due to lack of consensus with industry on the issue, the Minister said, "our next step is that there has to be a collective decision on it". Kumar sought to emphasise that there has been unanimity among all political parties on the issue of reservation in private sector. Discussions in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya had witnessed all round support on the matter. Telling the industry and business that she does not have much time, Kumar reminded them that there was affirmative action in 20 odd countries including US, France, Germany and China and what the Government was suggesting was not a new thing. The Minister said that for 57 years, the Government did not ask for any such thing from them but the situation has undergone a change with economic liberalisation and privatisation, which has witnessed fast growth and more job opportunities in private sector. This, she said, should also be seen in the backdrop of downsizing of Government and PSUs, which earlier used to provide job opportunities to the weaker sections. The Social Justice Minister, however, rejected demands for applying the "creamy layer" concept in reservation for SC saying, "unless you provide the benefit to a few generations, they would not be able to get maximum benefit of the reservation. It will be a punishment if creamy payer is applied in the community". She also dismissed suggestions that merit was lacking in the community and reservation will kill the competitiveness of industry and business. "Looking down and doubting the ability of these sections is not good", she said. --------------------- [2] From: "sanjeev nayyar" <exploreindia@vsnl.net> Date: Fri Jun 9, 2006 Subject: [hc] On Nepal Being Declared a Secular State <nepalwatch@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Friday, June 09, 2006 4:28 AM Subject: [hc] On Nepal Being Declared a Secular State "Born as an 'untouchable' in Nepal, I should have been the most critical to Sanatana Dharma due to the oppression meted out to my people by 'upper caste' Hindus. However, a deeper understanding tells me that Hindu Dharma has nothing to do with social evil of casteism practiced today in our society. I blame the people not the Dharma for this social behavior." On Nepal Being Declared a Secular State Swadeshi Nepal ---------------- [3] From: Sukla Sen <suklasen@yahoo.com> Date: Fri Jun 9, 2006 Subject: Two Interesting Developments on the Nuke Front I. http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1715361,001301790001.htm US think-tank suggests compromise on N-deal Arun Kumar (IANS) Washington, June 7, 2006 If Congress does not approve the Indo-US nuclear deal, "it would damage the bilateral relationship" between the world's two largest democracies, an American think-tank warned on Wednesday, suggesting a two-stage compromise approach. In a new report released on Wednesday, Council on Foreign Relations, a New York-based independent, national membership organisation and a non-partisan centre for scholars, says it was suggesting the two-stage approach as an enduring strategic partnership cannot be founded upon legislative action taken grudgingly. "Legislation passed with broad support will benefit both India and US in the long term," say the authors, Michael A Levi and Charles D Ferguson, both Council fellows for science and technology, in the report, "US-India Nuclear Cooperation: A Strategy for Moving Forward". The deal, envisaging nuclear cooperation between the US and India for the first time in more than 30 years, would help create a stronger bilateral relationship that would, in turn, improve US' position in Asia and the world, they say. By strengthening relations with China's next-door neighbour, the US has the potential to improve its strategic position, when US policymakers of both parties have long been concerned about a rising China, the report indicates. Meanwhile, as the US policy increasingly focuses on promoting democracy worldwide, the appeal of a deeper relationship with the world's largest democracy is undeniable, it says. "American exclusion of India from nuclear commerce has long grated on New Delhi, proving an irritant in the bilateral relationship, and removing this point of friction would no doubt strengthen the relationship," says the report. While it criticised the Bush administration for conceding too much in its negotiations with India, Levi and Ferguson concluded that, as long as Congress can reinforce a handful on non-proliferation bottom-lines, it would be unwise to scuttle the deal now. The authors thus suggest that Congress should adopt a two-stage approach: formally endorsing the deal's basic framework, while delaying final approval until it is assured that critical non-proliferation needs are met. "Patience and a few simple fixes would address major proliferation concerns while ultimately strengthening the strategic partnership," say the report. The Bush administration has stirred deep passions and put Congress in the seemingly impossible bind of choosing between approving the deal and damaging nuclear non-proliferation, or rejecting the deal and thereby setting back an important strategic relationship. But this is a false choice, they argue. Levi and Ferguson advise Congress to reserve the bulk of its political capital for a handful of top-tier objectives. It should focus on preventing Indian nuclear testing and fundamental changes in Indian nuclear strategy, rather than on blocking growth in the number of Indian nuclear weapons. "It should focus on obtaining cooperation --from India as well as other countries -- in controlling the spread of sensitive nuclear technologies, instead of on measures that would shape the development of nuclear technology in India itself." "Congress should issue a set of bottom-line requirements for the formal US-India nuclear cooperation agreement, for India's inspection agreement with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), and for new [Nuclear Suppliers Group] rules that would allow nuclear commerce with India, and enforce those requirements by refusing to pass final legislation enabling nuclear cooperation until the agreements are in place and are satisfactory," the report says. The report urges Congress and the administration to focus on five principles as the basic framework for solidifying the deal: * "Congress should ensure that, if India breaks its unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing, nuclear cooperation will cease. * "To reinforce [India's] commitments (to strengthening export controls), Congress should ask the administration if it requires any money or legal authority to assist India in improving its export controls, and it should provide whatever is needed. This support would most likely fund American experts to work cooperatively with Indian authorities, rather than comprise direct transfers to India. * "US legislation, while not mandating the future shape of the Indian nuclear complex, should provide incentives to steer India in the right direction. * Future cooperation should be freed from the "formal annual review [that could] undermine the confidence-building purpose of the Indo-US deal. Instead, in exchange for giving up its annual right of review, Congress should provide less-intrusive incentives for India to label future reactors as civilian and place them under inspection." * Congress should accept that India will not "unilaterally cap its nuclear arsenal". II. http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2006_06/FissileTreaty.asp U.S. Unveils Draft Fissile Material Treaty Wade Boese --------------------------- [5] India rejects "judgemental" US report on human trafficking 07 June 2006 NEW DELHI, June 6, 2006 (AFP) - India Tuesday rejected the US State Department's annual "Trafficking in Persons Report" which accuses New Delhi of not doing enough to eliminate "bonded labor slavery". "The US has a practice of issuing global reports on a wide variety of subjects ... Such reports are, by their very nature based on US viewpoints and preconceptions," the Indian foreign ministry said in a statement. "On the subject of trafficking in persons, as with other areas, we reject judgemental and prescriptive approach by a foreign government," the statement said. The 290-page report which analysed trafficking for forced labor, prostitution, military service and other purposes in about 150 countries, was issued in Washington on Monday. It blacklists countries that do not take adequate action to stem human trafficking. On India, the report said that gauging the seriousness of trafficking problem had become difficult due to lack of data from India. India and giant neighbour China remain on the watchlist from previous years and could be relegated to the lowest-ranked Tier 3 from a special "Tier 2 watchlist", if they do not take prompt action, said John Miller, a senior US advisor on trafficking issues. While India had taken some steps to check sex trafficking, there was "lack of action" on "bonded labor slavery" in the vast nation, the report said. ---------------- |
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| << June07, 2006 - [India Thinkers Net] Christian tribals raped,reservation, S.498 A,GM foods etc |
June11, 2006 - [India Thinkers Net] Sunday updates >> |
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