Farmers' land should be acquired only with their consent

The land should be acquired by government for national development only with the consent of the farmers or whoever the owner is.National Advisory Council (NAC) has rightly suggested that land owners be given six times the registered value of their land as compensation if it is acquired for development projects like dams and highways. The Land Acquisition Act of 1894 is now out dated. So, it requires to be modified immediately. The faulty land acquisition act is the result of the recent farmers’ unrest in Greater Noida villages. The agriculture has been the primary source of livelihood in India. Land is the invaluable assets for farmers. The government must have power to acquire land of the farmers for purposeful work but in return it must compensate the land owners adequately. The acquired land must also be meant for the development of the nation. Any private party who is allowed to acquire the farmers cultivable land must not be for only development of individual’s business and industry. There also be provision that unless and untill 70 percent of the farmers agree to give their land for the development of the public of that area as well as the nation, acquisition must not be carried out. Before acquiring the cultivable land of the farmers, they must be properly and adequately given compensation and made arrangement for rehabilitation.As far as the issue of land acquisition by the government and private party is concerned, the agricultural land only be acquired when there is no barren land left to used. If the case of Nandigram and Singur is anything to go by, the government must be alive to the consequences. Otherwise, farmers’ unrest is bound to take place. It is good that the NAC has reached a consensus on combining the Land Acquisition (Amendment) Bill, and Resettlement and Rehabilitation Bill into a single National Development, Acquisition, Displacement and Rehabilitation Bill.All land transfers for public purpose must come under the purview of this law.There was consensus in the Council on inclusion persons working on the land into the category of project affected persons which would make them eligible for receiving compensation. This would be recognise the most invisible persons in the land acquisition process who lose their source of livelihood once the land is acquired. The NAC recommendations also include giving farmers the right to annuity for a certain number of years over and above the compensation for the land acquired from him.

ISI-link confirmed

With the nature, magnitude and modus operandi of Mumbai attacks, not only the Indian Intelligence agencies but also the defence analysts were firm in their view that it was the handiwork of LeT and ISI of Pakistan that killed 166 innocent persons. Pakistani American national David Coleman Headley, a prosecution witness and one of the accused in Mumbai attacks has also vindicated during his trial appearance in Chicago court that ISI helped him and LeT founder Hafiz Sayeed instigated him to attack India. They provided enpormous support for laying ground work for the attack. In this way, Pakistan has been exposed before the world community that its intelligence agency and military establishment provided all sorts of help in carrying out the Mumbai attacks of 26/11. It has completely failed in providing protection to the innocent people in Pakistan against the onslaught home grown terror groups. It is an appropreate time for the world community to take a decisive step to wipe out vestiges of terrorism from Pakistan so that there remained no danger to peace anywhere in the world. Though Pakistan, these-days, is itself in the throes of terrorism, it is not altogether worrying because now it is reaping the crops the seeds of which it had sown to bleed India. The international community should also be in no doubt now that the tree of terroris is deep-rooted in Pakistan. And it has to pay the price for its senseless evil design on its next-door neighbour India. Pakistan has never accepted that world’s most wanted terrorist Osama bin Laden is hiding there like it is denying of any role in Mumbai attacts. But what has happened after 11 years of 9/11 is that Osama bin Laden the mastermind of the worst ever attack on America was killed by the US armed personnel in Abotabad of Pakistan. Since the killing of Osama, the Taliban militants are acting in revenge mode in Pakistan. Though peaceful and stablised Pakistan is a necessity not only for India but also the entire world.In further indictment of ISI, 26/11 accused David Coleman Headley said the Pakistani spy agency and its operatives like Major Iqbal and LeT founder Hafiz Saeed had helped him in laying the groundwork for the Mumbai attacks.

Cleansing process set in motion

With the arrest of CWG sacked Organising Committee Chief Suresh Kalmadi by the CBI in CWG scam, it seems that the Manmohan Singh Government has started the cleansing process. As the public perception was developing about the government being surrounded by corruption charges of various nature, it had become difficult for the main accused to escape the net of law.

Undoubtedly now it can be said that the government is serious to root out corruption and punish those who are involved in corrupt practices. Government is duty bound to stop swallowing up of public exchequer by anyone. But still the long fight is yet to be fought. And many more involvements in CWG Scam need to be exposed and those found guilty must be punished without any loss of time.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has said that the Delhi Govt would soon send a detailed response on the Shunglu Committee findings on Commonwealth Games irregularities to the Home Ministry and ruled out action against anybody without a thorough probe. Shunglu Committee findings have been contested by the Delhi government. Because it has raised the questions of irregularities relating to infrastructural developments in Delhi. It has sent its responses to Shunglu Committee to Home ministry. It must be probed thoroughly.

It is good that the sacked CWG Organising Committee Chief Suresh Kalmadi has been arrested by CBI on charges of cheating, conspiracy and corruption in connection with awarding some Games contracts and the ruling Congress wasted no time in suspending the Lok Sabha MP.

First of all, the government must make a statute prohibiting politicians of doubtful credibility to head the sports bodies of the nation. Mostly politicians who liken to be in limelight and believe in pomp and show have been found to head the sports bodies. In the given situation, they breed corruption in sports organisation. So, politicians, whose public life is not above suspicion, must be prohibited from heading the sports organisation. They make no contribution in the development of sports organisation they lead but only busy with self aggrandisement exercise. Govt. must continue its spree against corruption and bring all corrupt practioners to book.

Embodiment of divine qualities

The death of Sathya Sai Baba has saddened the lakhs of devotess at home and abroad. Lakhs of devotees from home and abroad are pouring into Puttaparthi to have a last glimpse of Sathya Sai Baba whose body has been kept in a hall.

With grief writ large on their faces, the devotees, both young and old, made their way to the Sai Kulwant Hall at Prashanti Nilayam Ashram to have a darshan of the 85-year-old Sai Baba’s mortal remains.

The body will lie in state at the hall till Tuesday to enable devotees pay their last respects.

Sai Baba will be buried at the Sai Kulwant Hall on Wednesday in line with the practice adopted for spiritual leaders in India, contrary to the Hindu custom of cremating bodies.

Sathya Sai Baba was a spiritual leader who inspired millions to lead a moral and meaningful life even as they followed the religion of their choice.

Sathya Sai Baba was the embodiment of divine qualities whom the devotess hold in the highest steem. He was no less than a god for his devotess. He was also considered as the incarnation of Sai Baba on the earth.

It is a matter of faith of the people who paid obeisanceto him like god. He taught the people how to live the life of high values, brotherhood and affection irrespective of the caste , creed and community they belong to.

Sathya Sai Baba in his earthly life of 85 years has done yeoman’s service for the poor people in the field of education and health. In Puttaparthy of Andhra Pradesh, he has established his Ashram where people from all corners of the nation and across the world flock to seek his blessing. He has opened super speciality hospital, school , college and university.

His devotess have unshkeable faith in him. The blessings he gave to his devotess always turned out to be true. That is why they treat him as living god on the earth. He was above everything and always worked for the upliftment of the poor people, though among his devotees come big, famous and general people .

After the month long illness, he died on Sunday. He was so respected and revered personality that his death plunged all his devotess into gloom. Some of his devotess still believe that Sathya Sai Baba would again re-appear among them and continue to guide them all their life. We pay highest respect to Sathya Sai Baba. We have been deeply pained by his death. Sathya Sai Baba is in our heart.

Urgent need for fair play

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh must know that by merely exhorting the officers of Civil, Foreign, Police Services (IAS, IFS IPS) to act honestly and set an example before their juniors to follow them and never bow to pressure and temptation of political executives can not serve the purpose of fighting corruption boldly. There also is no doubt about the honesty and integrity of the PM in the country. No body even his opponents raise question on his honesty and integrity.

But there a notion developed among the people that the class he represents is thoroughly corrupt. And the first crying need before the nation is to clease that corrupt class.

They are few civil servants in bureaucracy who can show courage and refuse to bow to the wrong dictats of their political boss. Because in democracy, political executives head the bureaucracy. They make plans and programmes and bureaucrats have to implement them. They make law and police officers have to implement them. So, untill and unless political executives irrespective of their political affiliations start cleansing themselves, the system of corruption that has taken deep root in every department of the government can not be checked.

One development that has taken place among the civil socieity is praiseworthy. It is awareness and vigilance. The people have become conscious of rooting out corruption by lagislating new bill, and this is the result of Anna Hazare’s hunger strike and thereafter the formation of Joint Drafting Committee for the Lokpal Bill to be drafted in the monsoon session of the Parliament.

It has become very difficult now for corrupt persons in the government to escape from the prying eyes of media and civil society. But it will be better if the political class takees initiatives in fighting corruption. Because bureaucracy is a group of government servants and government is the members of political parties elected by the people.

Admitting that there is little public tolerance now for the prevailing state of affairs on the issue of corruption, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said that his government is committed to face this challenge boldly as people expect swift and exemplary action. But the need of the hour is to translate high moralistic words into action.

Need of development with human face

Every citizen of this country wants development in their day to day life as early as possible. But at the same time no citizen will want development at the cost of his existence.

Jaitapur nuclear project is being vehemently opposed by the local public there because of the fear of being displaced with its installation and of nuclear disaster caused by earthquake and Tsunami in Fukushima in Japan. The region in Maharastra in which is Jaitapur is in moderate seismic zone. So, the apprehension of the people can not be outright rejected and it can not be said misplaced one.

The natural calamity of earthquake and tsunami has caused havoc among the people when they hear about the nuclear disaster in the developed country like Japan. So, first of all, government must take all preventive steps and precautionary measures to meet any eventuality like earthquake and Tsunami if ever they strike in future at any point of time around the nuclear project region. Government’s first priority is to remove fear from the minds of the people who oppose the project on this ground.

Undoubtedly, the five units of Jaitapur nuclear projects are estimated to produce 9990 MW of power, which would be of great use in the development of our nation. Presently, we are power starved. And untill and unless there is the supply of enough and uniterrupted power, no imagination of development can be possible. At the same the public who are displaced must be adequately compensated in time.

Enough care must also be taken about the impact the nuclear project would make on the environment and bio-diversity in the region. All systems necessary for the safety and security of the people in the region must be in place. There must not be any politics over the nuclear project.

It is completely improper and imprudent on the part of the opposition party in Maharastra to oppose the project through violent ways, while they had taken initiative for installing industries in the area when they were in power. Government needs to make the people aware of the benefit from the nuclear projects that would be of immense importance in the development of our nation. No nation can develop without adequate power. It is our urgent need.

Recommend with responsibility, but not alarcrity

Before becoming the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, Ikbal Singh was a Congress party Rajya Sabha MP and lokking after party’s affairs in Bihar. During his Bihar assignment, it is natural for him to come in contact with several state leaders of the party and Amlendu Pandey was one of them. Pandey approached Singh for the recommendation for the passport for the alleged tax evader Hasan Ali reportedly on the ground that his relation is seriously ill in some foreign country so he has to go to provide him help and see the patient.

Ikbal Singh has already denied having known to the accused in multi-crore money laundering scam of the country Hasan Ali. It might be possible. Because the political leader has professional responsibility to work for the people in need and win their support. But it does not allow the political leaders without knowing the people for whom they working.

It is the responsibility of the political leader to know that the influence he is exercising must be for genuine people and justified work. Political leaders in genral and MP, MLA and Minister in particular must not exercise their influence for some anti-social, crminal and kidnapper who want to use it for their criminal activity.

Ikbal Singh may not have done anything wrong intentionally or for any other motives but what he has done under the influence of the Bihar leader Pandey exposes how carelessly the political leaders exercise their day to day business. PMO has rightly given its nod to ED to question Puducherry Governor Ikbal Singh because it is also not possible that unless and untill without the blessings of some powerful political leaders, the money laundering scam of this magnitude as committed by Hasan Ali can not be possible. There must be thorough probe into Hasan Ali’s tax evading activities and his modus operandi of stashing away thousands crores in foreign bank. Hasan Ali may have stashed black money in foreign banks belonging to others for whom he might be working. All aspects must be probed thoroughly.