Outlook Wires

Ex-PM Ashraf Submits Unconditional Apology to Pak SC

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:26:10 GMT

Former premier Raja Pervez Ashraf today submitted an unconditional apology to Pakistan's Supreme Court in a case over alleged corruption in setting up rental power projects.

Ashraf's lawyer submitted the letter of apology in the apex court on behalf of his client.

He apologised for asking the apex court to set up a commission to probe allegations of corruption in the power projects.

The Supreme Court had issued a notice to Ashraf, asking him to explain why he should not be charged with contempt of court for trying to influence the investigation into the power projects.

The rental power projects were mooted by the outgoing Pakistan People's Party-led government as a solution to Pakistan's crippling energy crisis.

The apex court had earlier ordered the arrest of Ashraf and other accused but the National Accountability Bureau said it had no evidence against the suspects to make arrests.

The charges against Ashraf date back to his tenure as Power Minister. The alleged corruption in the setting of the projects led to Ashraf being nicknamed "Raja Rental".

Ashraf suffered a humiliating defeat in the May 11 general elections in a parliamentary constituency in his hometown of Gujjar Khan near Rawalpindi.

BJP Top Brass Discusses Poll Strategy

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:20:48 GMT

With less than a year left for the general elections, BJP top brass today deliberated upon its strategy in run up to the polls during which it intends to highlight the "failures" of the government as well as the scams that afflicted the UPA's nine-year tenure in power.

The government's tenure came in for close scrutiny at the BJP's Parliamentary Board meeting which was attended by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for the first time since being made a member of the highest decision-making body on March 31.

As part of its strategy in run up to the next Lok Sabha polls, it was decided that week-long programmes will be undertaken across the country from next Monday to highlight the "failures" of the UPA government which completes nine years tomorrow.

Modi, who is being projected by some in BJP as its Prime Ministerial candidate, pushed for greater use of social media to reach out more effectively to the people, especially the youth.

"We discussed the nine years of UPA rule. This government has failed on all fronts be it price rise, internal and external security or the economic situation. BJP will launch a jail bharo (court arrest) programme from May 27 to June 2," the Board's Secretary Ananth Kumar told reporters.

The top brass also discussed the Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and Jharkhand to be held later this year.

This was the first meeting of the Board after Singh allocated responsibilities to BJP office-bearers on May 19.

The Parliamentary Board also discussed issues related to the upcoming meetings of BJP National office-bearers and executive to be held in Goa from June 7 to 9, Kumar said.

The party is likely to pass two resolutions in the National Executive Meeting. The political resolution would discuss the political situation prevailing in the country and the threat to safety and security. An Economic resolution on the issue of price rise and other issues will also be moved.

At the meeting chaired by party President Rajnath Singh and attended by L K Advani and other leaders, Modi said the "failures" of the UPA rule in the last nine years should be discussed and people should be informed about them.

As part of this strategy, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and her Rajya Sabha counterpart Arun Jaitley will address a press conference to talk about "failures" of the UPA government tomorrow, the ninth anniversary of the Congress-led coalition in power.

The party is likely to come out with a counter-report card against the UPA-II government to highlight the shortcomings of the Manmohan Singh dispensation. The emphasis will be on the scams and scandals which have plagued this dispensation.

"One cannot call these nine years of UPA rule as one of governance. We can only call it misrule. The people of the country are fed up and want to throw out this government at the earliest," Kumar said.

"Modi suggested in the meeting that the spread and reach of social media and social network should be used to reach out to the people, especially the youth," Kumar said.

The visit of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang was also discussed by the BJP Parliamentary Board. The main Opposition had expressed concern over Chinese incursions in the Ladakh region and asked the government to take appropriate measures.

New Pak Govt May Consider Importing Electricity From India

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:56:45 GMT

Pakistan's new government will seriously consider importing 1,000 MW of electricity from India as part of a short to medium-term strategy to end power outages, according to a media report today.

The import of electricity from India, Iran and Central Asian Republics was feasible, The News quoted its sources as saying.

It is a prerequisite for reviving shattered growth prospects, the sources said.

Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N party, set to form government after its victory in the May 11 polls, is considering various options to overcome the crippling energy crisis.

An Islamabad-based unnamed official of the World Bank confirmed that a feasibility study had been done for exploring the import of electricity from India.

The official said 1,000 MW could be imported from India within the next two years.

According to World Bank officials, electricity trade between Pakistan and India will be completed in the next two years, including conducting feasibility studies, pricing and building a transmission line.

India and Pakistan are working on energy cooperation though there is no energy-sharing mechanism in this region, the report said.

The previous Pakistan People's Party-led government had decided in principle last year to import 500 MW of power from India.

In August, Indian and Pakistani experts agreed to conduct feasibility studies and identify points for the proposed import of electricity.

Vindoo Dara Singh Arrested for Alleged Links With Bookies

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:48:24 GMT

Vindoo Dara Singh, son of late actor Dara Singh, has been arrested by Mumbai Police for his alleged role in IPL spot-fixing scandal.

According to reports, Vindoo Dara Singh was named by Ramesh Vyas, one of the bookies arrested by the Mumbai Police last week.

Vindoo Dara Singh has been arrested under section 420 and 120B.

Vindoo Dara Singh was questioned by the Mumbai police on Monday night while he was formally arrested today.

Delhi HC Grants Interim Bail to Om Prakash Chautala

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:46:18 GMT

Former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala was today granted interim bail for six weeks by the Delhi High Court for undergoing pacemaker implant surgery at a hospital here.

"In view of the facts and circumstances of the case and considering the medical report of the appellant/applicant, the applicant's sentence shall be suspended for a period of six weeks," Justice Siddharth Mridul said while granting the interim bail.

78-year-old Chautala, chief of Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), along with 54 others, is serving jail term in the 2000 teachers' recruitment scam.

The court asked Chautala to furnish a personal bond of Rs five lakh along with two sureties of like amount before the trial court as a pre-condition for his release on bail.

It also asked the former Haryana Chief Minister to surrender his passport with the trial court, besides asking him not to leave the National Capital Region without prior permission of the court.

It also asked Chautala to get himself admitted at Medanta Medicity within 24 hours of his release on bail for undergoing the surgery.

The high court, however, gave liberty to CBI to seek cancellation of his bail if any condition imposed is violated by Chautala.

"It goes without saying that CBI will have the liberty to apply for cancellation of bail if any condition is being violated by the appellant/applicant," Justice Mridul said.

The court, however, disallowed the submission of CBI that Chautala be restrained from addressing any press conference during the period of bail.

"How can this court curtail the fundamental right of a citizen. I don't wish to comment on it. If you persist with it (arguments), then it seems it is not coming from CBI," the court observed during the hearing without elaborating.

Earlier, a report was filed by a medical board which was constituted in pursuance of the court's direction on May 16.

The board, which comprised a doctor from Tihar Jail and one specialist each from AIIMS, RML Hospital and GB Pant Hospital here, in its report had suggested that the veteran Haryana politician needs a pacemaker implant in his heart.

Chautala has moved the high court challenging his conviction and 10-year jail term awarded in the Junior Basic Trained (JBT) Teachers case.

On January 22, the trial court had convicted and sentenced Chautala and nine others, including his son Ajay Chautala, to 10 years jail term for illegally recruiting 3,206 junior teachers in 2000.

Among other convicts, 44 have been sentenced to four years in jail and one was sentenced to a five-year jail term in the case.

All of them were held guilty of cheating, forgery, using fake documents as genuine, conspiracy under the IPC and for abusing their official position under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Arunima Sinha: On Top of the World With an Artificial Leg

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:49:36 GMT

Former national level volleyball player Arunima Sinha, who had lost a leg after being thrown off a moving train, today created history by becoming the first amputee to scale Mount Everest.

Sinha, a resident of Ambedkar Nagar in Uttar Pradesh had lost her leg after being pushed out of Padmavati Express for resisting a chain-snatching attempt, while she was on her way to Gautam Buddha Nagar in April, 2011.

Sinha was a member of the Eco Everest Expedition from the Tata Group. She climbed the world's highest peak today at 10: 55 a.m.

Sinha said the idea to Climb Mt Everest came to her mind only when she was going through a news report in the hospital bed about a group of people's successful expedition to Mt. Everest.

Sinha said her elder brother, Omprakash Sinha, a former CRPF jawan, encouraged her when she disclosed her willingness to climb the world's highest peak, after getting an artificial limb.

"Following the discussion, I had a talk with Bachendri Madam [Bachendri Pal, the chief of Tata Steel Adventure Foundation (TSAF), the first woman to conquer the Mt Everest] over phone, who promised to train me," Sinha, who did her basic mountaineering course with A grade from Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi, said.

Sinha said she had decided to get her life back right in the hospital when she was recovering. "At that time everyone was worried for me. I then realised I had to do something in my life so that people stop looking at me with pity," she said.

For Sinha, cricketer Yuvraj Singh has been an inspiration. "He sent me a cheque of Rs. 1 lakh and also spoke to me when I was recovering. I then got to know later he was diagnosed with cancer. When I saw him back in the Indian team I was inspired and said to myself that if he can get back to the team, I could do something with my life."

In September 2012, Sinha had climbed 21,110 ft of Mt Chhamser Kangri's (21,798 ft). She had to abandon the expedition 690 ft short of the summit due to bad weather condition.

(With inputs from PTI)

Ajit Sarkar Murder Case: Pappu Yadav Released From Jail

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:37:06 GMT

Controversial former RJD MP Pappu Yadav today came out of the jail here after being acquitted by the Patna High Court in CPI(M) leader Ajit Sarkar murder case for lack of evidence.

Yadav, who was lodged in Beur jail, was received by his former MP wife Ranjeeta Ranjan and a large number of his supporters outside the jail.

Ranjeeta Ranjan is now a Congress member.

After being convicted in the murder case by a lower court in 2008, Yadav was in Beur jail.

Last week a division bench of the Patna High Court comprising Justices V N Sinha and K K Lal had set aside the February 2008 conviction of Yadav and two other accused - Rajan Tiwari and Anil Kumar Yadav - by a lower court and acquitted them of all charges in connection with Sarkar's killing nearly 15 years ago.

The court had also directed the authorities to release Yadav from jail forthwith if he was not wanted in any other case.

Sarkar, a former CPI(M) legislator, was shot dead by unidentified persons in Purnia district on June 14, 1998.

PM Files Affidavit, Corrects Age in RS Poll Papers

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:33:27 GMT

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the Congress Rajya Sabha candidate from Assam, has filed a fresh affidavit correcting his age to 80 prior to scrutiny of the nominations today.

The Prime Minister submitted the fresh affidavit two days ago correcting his age to 80 from 82 as given earlier in his nomination papers for the May 30 election, Assembly sources said today.

As per rule, there was time till yesterday for contestants to submit affidavits for making corrections in their nomination papers, they said.

The Prime Minister had filed his nomination papers on May 15 at the state Assembly before the Assembly Principal Secretary G P Das, who is also the Returning officer for the Rajya Sabha elections.

May 23 is the last date of withdrawal of candidatures.

Polling, if necessary, would be held on May 30 from 9 AM to 4 PM.

Votes would be counted on May 30 at 5 PM and elections should be completed before June 3, 2013.

Yesterday the second Congress candidate and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) candidate filed their nomination papers for the second RS seat from Assam on the last day of filing nomination papers.

Congress candidate Santius Kujur, an adivasi leader from the Christian community who had contested the last Assembly polls from Panery in Udalguri district, filed his nomination papers in the presence of senior party leaders and MLAs in the assembly.

AIUDF's Aminul Islam, accompanied by party Chief Badruddin Ajmal and other party leaders, also filed his nomination papers before G P Das.

Meanwhile, Congress president Bhubaneswar Kalita has urged AIUDF to withdraw their candidate in favour of the ruling party's nominee.

Similarly, AIUDF President Badaruddin Ajmal has also urged Congress to withdraw from the second seat as they had left the first seat for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"As partners of the UPA coalition at the centre we respect the Prime Minister and we want him to win unopposed but at the same time, we want the Congress to reciprocate and leave the second seat for us", Ajmal said.

AIUDF is the largest opposition party in the 126-seat Assembly with 18 seats, while the ruling Congress has 78 members.

SC Pulls Up BCCI for Irregularities in IPL

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:27:05 GMT

While refusing to ban IPL matches, the Supreme Court today pulled up BCCI for irregularities.

"The problem is lackadaisical approach of BCCI and it must stop. There has to be scientific, rational, dispassionate approach on part of BCCI to solve the problem," SC said.

The court said IPL cannot be banned just because of certain irregularities on the part of a few players.

The apex court also directed one-man committee appointed by BCCI to submit its report within 15 days on spot-fixing scandal.

"Let the cricket remain a gentleman's game and not tainted by irregularities and scams", SC said.

HC Rejects Talwars' Plea to Examine 14 Witnesses

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:14:48 GMT

The Allahabad High Court today rejected a petition of dentist couple Rajesh and Nupur Talwar seeking examination of 14 more witnesses in the Aarushi-Hemraj murder case.

Justice Rajesh Dayal Khare dismissed the petition of the couple who are key accused in the twin murder case, saying, "There is no need to force the prosecution to call witnesses other than those it deems proper."

CBI counsel Anurag Khanna had during arguments opposed the plea of the Talwars and submitted that their petition was filed with a view to delaying the trial process.

"The court was of the view that the trial court had the right to decide which of the witnesses should be summoned and their statements be recorded," he said.

The Talwars had moved the High Court after being ticked off by the Supreme Court for adopting "a wrong procedure" by approaching it directly without having first moved the High Court.

Rajesh and Nupur had challenged an order of the special CBI court at Ghaziabad of May 4 turning down their request for summoning and recording statements of 14 witnesses, including top IPS officer Arun Kumar who is at present the ADG (Law and Order) of Uttar Pradesh and was a Joint Director of CBI during the probe.

Aarushi (14) was found murdered inside her room at their Noida residence in May 2008. Initially, the needle of suspicion had pointed towards Talwars' domestic help Hemraj as he was untraceable. However, his body was recovered from the terrace of the house the next day.

In February 2011, the special court at Ghaziabad had expressed the view that there was enough evidence against Rajesh and Nupur and initiated proceedings against them.

Delhi HC Agrees to Hear Plea Seeking Ban on IPL

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:10:10 GMT

The Delhi High Court today agreed to hear tomorrow a PIL seeking banning of the Indian Premier League (IPL) till foolproof corrective measures are taken to stop alleged corrupt practices in it.

A bench headed by Chief Justice D Murugesan said it will fix the matter for hearing tomorrow after Additional Solicitor General Rajeeve Mehra, appearing for Sports Ministry, apprised the court that a similar petition was listed for hearing before the apex court.

The PIL, filed by NGO Association for Social and Humanitarian Affairs, has also sought a direction that Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) be taken over by the Sports Ministry.

The NGO, which moved the court through its President Kuldeep Singh Bhogal, has also sought judicial supervision of the investigation into the IPL spot-fixing scandal case in which 18 people -- three IPL players, four former players, 11 bookies and their assistants -- have been arrested so far.

"The IPL's model seems to be designed specifically to suit the requirements of the mafia to quickly and efficiently churn huge sum of money using the routes of hawala," the petition, filed through advocate Rahul Raj Malik, alleged.

"The strategic time out of two to three minutes while the game is being played is misused, as being the only opportunity, for interactions between the players and the bookies to influence the result of the match and session and thereby cheat the nation...," it alleged, adding that the whole nation has been "cheated" by some unscrupulous players, bookies and others.

The petition also quoted various newspaper reports to say that the bookies are operating from Karachi and Dubai.

China Willing to Launch FTA Talks With India: Li Keqiang

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:00:38 GMT

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang today offered Indian goods more access to his country's market for narrowing bilateral trade deficit and expressed willingness to start talks for a free trade agreement with India.

"We also understand India's concerns of trade deficit. China is also willing to provide facilitation to India's products to access Chinese markets.

"I am confident that we have the ability to mitigate the trade imbalance between our two counties and China never has any intention to seek trade surplus," Keqiang told the Indian business community here.

He was speaking at a function organised by industry body Ficci and Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) here.

"China is willing to launch negotiations on a China-India regional trading arrangement," he said.

Keqiang said his government supports Chinese enterprises to increase investments in India and expand trade in services.

"China and India are huge markets with great potential... India has competitive edge in IT, software and bio-medicines...," he said adding China can also help India in its infrastructure projects.

He also said both sides should work together to curb protectionism.

While India's export to China stood at only USD 13.52 billion in 2012-13, its imports from that country aggregated USD 54.3 billion, leaving a trade deficit of USD 40.78 billion.

Modi Meets Advani Ahead of BJP Parliamentary Board Meet

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:52:18 GMT

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who is being projected by a section within BJP as its Prime Ministerial candidate for the next general elections, today met senior party leader L K Advani and termed the meeting as "wonderful".

Modi, who is here to attend the BJP Parliamentary Board meeting ahead of the party's National Executive meeting in Goa on June 8 and 9, also met former BJP President Nitin Gadkari at his residence.

"In Delhi today. Had a wonderful meeting with Advaniji on arrival at Delhi. Now heading to meet Nitin Gadkariji," Modi said on Twitter after his 40-minute meeting with Advani.

The party's Parliamentary Board, the top decision making body of BJP, which is headed by Advani, will meet today to discuss the forthcoming BJP National Executive and National Council meeting at Goa.

Modi was recently inducted as a member of the Parliamentary Board by party president Rajnath Singh.

Heat Wave Claims Three Lives in Madhya Pradesh

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:48:36 GMT

Intense heat wave sweeping Madhya Pradesh has claimed three lives in the state since yesterday, police said today.

A 50-year-old man died due to severe heat in Sagar last evening, while another youth was found dead under a mango tree on National highway No 26, they said.

A trainee constable died following heat stroke at the Police Training School in Gwalior yesterday.

On Monday, Khajuraho remained the hottest in MP with a day temperature of 46.7 degrees C even as the capital sweltered at 44.3 degrees C.

MP: Seven-Year-Old Raped, Murdered by Cousin

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:45:03 GMT

In a gruesome incident, a seven-year-old girl was allegedly kidnapped, raped and murdered by her cousin at a town in the neighbouring Mandsaur district, police said today.

The culprit, Honey Othwal (18), the son of the victim's paternal uncle, was subsequently arrested by the police yesterday at Malhargarh town, about 25 kms from here, in Mandsaur.

During interrogation, Honey told the police that he committed the offence yesterday in an inebriated condition and then threw the victim's body in a water tank after throttling her to death.

The victim had come from Mandsaur to Malhargarh to spend time with her grandparents when the offence took place.

After the incident, angry residents gathered at the local police station and demanded that the accused be handed over to them.

The post mortem of the deceased established rape, police said, adding that that the accused would be booked under relevant sections of IPC.

CAG Does Not Leak Reports: Vinod Rai

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:43:07 GMT

Outgoing CAG Vinod Rai today dismissed charges that he was behind the leak of controversial audit reports on 2G spectrum and coal block allocations.

"In the course of the audit process, if somebody asks a question under RTI, the CIC (Central Information Commission) has held that we are bound to answer. So it is not leaking," Rai told PTI.

The CAG said that he was of the opinion that nobody else should see a report before it is tabled in Parliament. He had written to the Prime Minister in this regard, but it was decided that there was no breach of Parliamentary privilege.

"We felt it was a breach of Parliamentary privilege. So I wrote to the Prime Minister who asked the Law Minister to look into it.

"We had a discussion between the Finance Minister, Parliamentary Affairs Minister and Lok Sabha Speaker. But it was held that there is no Parliamentary breach of privilege. So we continued to give it out under RTI," he said.

Rai said he was following the media policy which was framed after a tripartite discussion between the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC), the Government and the CAG. The CAG hold press conference after presentation of its reports in Parliament to explain the reports.

"The media policy we are following is from June, 2006. And that is before I took charge and it clearly says that press conference could be held," Rai added.

He also informed that holding of press conference was challenged by the Tamil Nadu Government in 2004 and the Court observed that it was very much an authentic activity and dismissed the petition.

Parts of reports, including the audit report on coal block allocation and 2G spectrum, had appeared in media before they were tabled in Parliament.

J&K: More Separatist Leaders Put Under House Arrest

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:39:53 GMT

Authorities today foiled the plans of separatists to hold a rally at Eidgah in old city by placing more senior Hurriyat leaders under house arrest and deploying large number of security forces in the area.

While the Hurriyat chairman is under house arrest since Saturday, the authorities imposed restrictions on movement of other leaders of the amalgam this morning, a spokesman of the Hurriyat Conference said.

Maulana Abbas Ansari, Zaffar Akbar Bhat and Shahidul Islam were among the leaders placed under house arrest this morning, the spokesman said.

Moderate Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had planned a rally at Eidgah to pay tributes to Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq and senior separatist leader Abdul Gani Lone on their death anniversary.

Farooq, the present Hurriyat Chairman’s father, was shot dead by militants on May 21, 1990, and Lone fell to the bullets of ultras during a commemoration rally for the former on this day in 2002.

Although separatists used to hold a rally every year on May 21 at Eidgah, the authorities imposed curbs on these rallies following the 2010 summer unrest.

Official sources said heavy deployment of police and paramilitary CRPF has been made at the venue of the rally and roads leading to it.

They said the deployment is a preventive measure so that law and order is not disturbed.

District Magistrate Srinagar Farooq Ahmad Shah and SSP Srinagar S A H Bukhari had yesterday informed Mirwaiz that the proposed rally will not be allowed.

Meanwhile, normal life across Srinagar city and other parts of Kashmir was affected as shops, schools and other business establishments remained closed.

The moderate Hurriyat had called for a general strike.

Attendance in government offices was also thin as public transport remained off roads in most parts of the valley.

Allow CAG to Audit PPPs, Panchayati Raj Bodies: Vinod Rai

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:59:21 GMT

Outgoing Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai favours bringing all private-public partnerships (PPPs), Panchayti Raj Institutions and societies getting government funds within the ambit of the CAG.

As he prepares to demit office tomorrow after an eventful tenure at the head of the Constitutional financial watchdog, he strongly defends the reports including on 2G spectrum allocation during his term that had triggered a number of controversies and raised the hackles of the government, and bringing in the concept of presumptive loss in audit.

He says at no time during the turbulent days the thought of quitting came to him when he was attacked from several quarters.

After a five-and-half year tenure in the office, Rai also backed demands for a collegium type of selection for CAG though he was not very sure about the effectiveness of a multi-member body.

Targeted by those in government as exceeding the mandate by going into policy formulations, he makes it clear that by nature audit has an adversarial function and it cannot praise government policies.

All PPPs, Urban Local Bodies Should be Brought Under CAG

"All PPPs, PRIs and ULBs (Urban Local Bodies), societies, etc should be brought under the CAG," Rai, who turns 65 tomorrow, told PTI in a wide-ranging interview.

Asked whether NGOs taking government aid should be brought under the purview of CAG, he said, "That's right, the special societies."

Citing the example of National Rural Health Mission executed by societies getting hundred per cent funds from government, Rai said, the government had requested the CAG to do the audit and they did it. "But probably, it would be more advisable to bring it within the automatic legal mandate of the CAG."

The PPPs which have become the preferred mode for executing infrastructure projects in airports, highways and ports are outside the purview of the CAG audit at present. Only special audits are done where the government makes a request.

Rai sought amendments to the CAG Act of 1971 to keep pace with the changes in governance.

"The Act needs to be updated. For example, after the 74th and 75th amendments, came PRIs and ULBs institutions that have come into government's channels for delivery of schemes. Similarly, PPP models have been achieved. These all need to be covered under the CAG Act", he said.

In a presentation made before the Planning Commission a few years ago, it was revealed that 60 per cent of the government expenditure does not come under the purview of the CAG.

Rai, who remains unfazed by attacks especially from some in the government over the audit reports, says, "I don't call them attacks".

To every issue, he said, there was a counter issue and every argument had a counter argument. "These are debated in Parliament and outside Parliament. So we have never taken it as any controversy or attack upon us because all our reports are debated in the PAC," he added.

Today media being so alert and predominant, some of these issues come into public domain and get debated, he said.

'Never Thought of Quitting'

Asked if ever the thought of quitting crossed his mind in the face of severe attacks over his reports, especially on 2G and coal allocations scams, he said, "Never, never. In fact, we never had any attacks of that kind. Every argument has a counter argument. If you give your views, obviously somebody will give his counter views.

"There are two sides to a coin. In fact, I have always had great regards for my colleagues in this department who despite reading all this in the media had never swayed from the path of totally objective auditing," he said.

'Feel Sorry if Anybody Believes There Has Been No Loss in 2G Scam'

Rai strongly defended the concept of presumptive loss in arriving at under-recoveries of the government in spectrum allocation and other matters.

"The external audits we perform is post the event. So we are guided by hindsight only. That is usually the allegation and that is exactly how external audit functions", he said.

Asked about his comments that he felt sorry for those who had propounded zero-loss theory in spectrum auction, an apparent reference to minister Kapil Sibal's remarks, the CAG said, "I feel sorry for the nation if anybody believes that there has been no loss."

Rai said the audit found that there was some loss to the national exchequer in the policy of spectrum auction that was followed in 2008.

"Now the issue is the quantum of loss. Now in the quantum of loss we have given four figures. Nobody can say for definite what is the quantum of loss.

"I pointed out that the quantum of loss, the figures that we had...The CBI is giving Rs 35,000 crore. We have given from Rs 66,000 crore to Rs 1.76 lakh crore. In fact one of our reports also has a figure of Rs 4.19 lakh crore.

"So what I said was whether it was anybody in the political executive or in the bureaucracy, we feel sorry if they feel that there has been no loss. We feel sorry for the country if anyone of these people feel that there is no loss to the exchequer."

Rai also said that the concept of presumptive loss is used worldwide.

"Presumptive is not a word which is of our creation. It is used in international auditing parlance. It's an express used by the IMF too in the international auditing parlance and finds a place in the Direct Tax Code where they have talked about presumptive income and presumptive gains which are liable for taxation. Obviously, they won't use the word presumptive loss because losses cannot be taxed", he said.

On his recent comments that auditors cannot remain only cheer leaders, Rai said there was a context in which he had said that auditors should not be cheer leaders.

"Audit has an adversarial function. In any situation whether it is private or public or government or whatever it is, it has an adversarial function.

"We are not going to praise government policies in an adversarial function. What is the purpose of audit--to look into actions taken and try to ensure that the actions that have been taken are as per the rules and procedures."

Asked whether there was pressure from government that reports be tailored in a particular fashion, Rai said, "Never. Government has been very fair. Everybody in the government whether it is a politician or a bureaucrat, they have given their view points when we go for entry and exit conferences."

Should CAG be Made a Multi-Member Body?

To a question on CAG being made a multi-member body, Rai said, it was for the government and Parliament to take a view.

He cited three models prevalent in the world including the multi-member bodies in countries like France and Mexico where it is a court of audit with punitive powers.

"I don't think it will make any significant difference whether it is a single member or multi-member body," he said.

The outgoing CAG appeared to favour a collegium type mechanism to choose a new CAG on the lines of selecting a Chief Vigilance Commissioner (CVC).

"When we were asked, we gave our opinion that probably the most transparent method being adopted by the government today is the way the CVC is appointed. There is a collegium approach to it. So that could be. So that is the opinion we have given."

Asked whether he would recommend punishment for those who do not follow due financial diligence in implementing schemes that result in losses to the exchequer, Rai said, there was no mechanism and he was not in that business.

"What happens is that we give our report. We give it to the PAC. If there is any irregularity, we give it to the CVC. We don't suggest any punishment. We just say that xyz has happened and accountability of the persons involved should be looked into", Rai said.

To a question about his comments that government should encourage enterprise and not crony capitalism, Rai said, the government should be seen to be totally transparent and there should never be any slant.

"Government should encourage enterprise and not choose between individuals in their enterprise. That's what we have meant. That is why the CVC has laid down the policy of public action or public bidding," he said.

Asked if he has any intention of joining politics after demitting office, he said, he was an apolitical person and he proposed to continue the same way.

"I have already said I am totally apolitical. I have not decided what I will be doing as yet. Firstly, I need to take a kind of holiday, assess my situation and will certainly be doing something part-time.

"But in which particular field I will do it, it depends...Because I have some experience about the role of audit and some experience about the financial sector."

Meghalaya: Suspected Militants Gun Down Five Labourers

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:53:20 GMT

Five migrant labourers were shot dead and few others were injured when suspected tribal militants indiscriminately fired upon them in a remote mining village in Meghalaya's South Garo Hills district, police said today.

Suspected United Achik Liberation Army (UALA), a breakaway faction of the Achik National Volunteer Council-B faction, led by one Norrok Momin went to the mining camp at Darangdura village last evening and fired at the labourers, the police said.

The militants came to the quarry and pushed the labourers to one corner before opening fire on them from their automatic rifles resulting in the death of five workers and injury to others, who fled from the camp.

Police suspected that the shooting was a result of non-payment of extortion by the mine owner.

According to the police, the militants had served extortion notice to the mine owner several times to which he did not pay heed.

The police rushed to the village, about 10 km from Nangalbira area, and took stock of the situation.

Police have intensified vigil in and around the camp area and launched a manhunt to nab those involved in the criminal act, Davis Nestell R Marak, district police chief said.

Several militant outfits have mushroomed in five districts of Garo Hills affecting the law and order situation.

India's Trade Deficit With China Set to Grow: Analysts

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:52:43 GMT

Notwithstanding steps announced by India and China to reduce their trade deficit during Premier Li Keqiang's ongoing visit, Chinese analysts believe the imbalance is likely to keep growing in the short term due to structural problems.

"India's trade deficit with China is expanding. In the short term, that's hard to resolve. The imbalance is mainly because India has limited exports to China, while Chinese manufactured goods have a competitive advantage in the Indian market," Liu Xiaoxue, a researcher on South Asian studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said.

The slower growth pace in China in recent years, together with overcapacity in the steel and iron sectors and the Chinese government's tightening policies in the real estate sector, reduced demand for Indian raw materials — mainly iron ore and iron sand, which account for the bulk of Indian exports to China.

That's the reason behind India's increasing trade deficit with China, Liu told China Daily.

In the first four months of the year, Sino-India trade declined 6.2 per cent year-on-year. Chinese exports increased 3.6 per cent and imports decreased 24 per cent, yielding a trade surplus of USD 8.83 billion, according to China's General Administration of Customs.

In 2012, bilateral trade dropped 10.1 per cent, and China's exports went down 5.7 per cent while its imports plunged 19.6 per cent, leaving a trade surplus of USD 28.87 billion, compared with USD 27.17 billion in 2011 and USD 20.08 billion in 2010, according to customs data.

Indian officials say the iron ore exports from India also fell due to investigations into allegations of corrupt practices in mine sector.

"The trade imbalance is rooted in India's trade structure. India's trade deficit with China will not be reversed in the foreseeable future. Any change depends on whether India can export products that meet the demand of the Chinese market," Hu Shisheng, director of the Institute of South and Southeast Asian and Oceanian Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations said.