Gadchiroli (Maharashtra), May 14 (ANI): Veteran social activist Anna Hazare has blamed the Central Government for the Maoist menace gripping the country. "We are against violence of any kind. Why the Naxal (Maoist) movement ever surfaced, that\'s an issue that the government ought to have addressed right at the outset," Hazare told media here. "The government should have held talks with the Maoists then itself. So, you (government) are responsible for the spreading of Naxalism. But this does not mean we are supporting the Maoists," he added. News Source: http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/2012/05/14/44-Anna-Hazare-blames-Centre-for-Maoist-menace.html (ɔ) India Against Corruption Mumbai

Addressing a public rally at Police Football ground in Chandrapur on Saturday evening, Anna said, "The power has been centralized at the secretariat, where handful of representatives decide over the fate of massive population. Representatives sent by people to Lok Sabha and state assembly, have assumed the role of masters and treat the people as servants. Hence, there is need of decentralization of power, because only the decisions taken by common people can bring an end to corruption." Anna sought peoples\\\' support in his crusade. "Be ready for an epic struggle, thousands should court arrest and stay in the jails, unless government passes the Lokpal Bill," he said. He claimed, "163 MPs in parliament are tainted. 14 ministers in the union government are tainted. We have sent them letters seeking explanation. If they fail to clarify, I will once again take up an agitation in Delhi for their removal." New Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_centralisation-of-power-root-cause-of-corruption-anna-hazare_1688342 http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-05-14/nagpur/31700688_1_lokpal-bill-decentralization-anna-hazares (ɔ) India Against Corruption Mumbai

UPA government is all set to push for privatising water supply http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_centre-to-go-ahead-with-water-supply-privatisation-move_1684205 Arvind Kejriwal exposing how World Bank had arm-twisted Delhi Jal Board for water privatisation http://www.firstpost.com/topic/person/arvind-kejriwal-arvind-kejriwal-exposing-world-bank-effect-in-indian-policie-video-1wiXKnNbN7w-91618-10.html http://www.moneylife.in/article/rti-expose-of-how-world-bank-had-arm-twisted-delhi-jal-board-for-water-privatisation/23217.html The last time this was tried out in Delhi, it was noticed that the charges for water supply could have gone up by a whopping 700%. However, the privatisation bid was rolled back after major protests from citizens and activists. But this time around the UPA seems to be determined to go ahead with it. In February 2012, when the draft put in public domain, it drew flak for proposing privatisation. Activists were hoping government would change its stance and would instead focus on improving its own water management system. http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Mangalore/article3366969.ece Government is working against people http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_mustnt-commodify-water-experts_1644845 Also check these videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wiXKnNbN7w http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tqaLMOgPH0 (ɔ) India Against Corruption Mumbai

Officials of India\'s drug regulator have been colluding with pharmaceutical firms to speed up approval procedures, allowing some drugs that are not permitted in other countries to go on sale, according to an 18-month investigation by MPs. The parliamentary panel\'s 78-page report names a number of major international drug companies and Indian firms. Thirteen drugs scrutinized by the panel are not allowed to be sold in the United States, Canada, Britain, European Union and Australia, parliamentary panel\'s 78-page report said. News Source: http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/05/09/india-drugs-pharma-regulator-idINDEE84803P20120509 (ɔ) India Against Corruption Mumbai

Here is another incident of voting machine failing. Though this has happened outside India, Election Commission of India should take note and expediate implementing priniting voting receipts as insisted by Dr. Swamy. Manipulation and corruption can not be ruled out if manual verification is not in place. Tests of a number of electronic voting machines that recorded shockingly high numbers of extra votes in the 2010 election show that overheating may have caused upwards of 30 percent of votes in some South Bronx voting precincts to go uncounted. WNYC first reported on the issue in December 2011, when it was found that tens of thousands of votes in the 2010 elections went uncounted because electronic voting machines counted more than one vote in a race. A review by the state Board of Election and the electronic voting machines’ manufacturer ES&S found that these \'over votes,\' as they’re called, were due to a machine error. In the report issued by ES&S, when the machine used in the South Bronx overheated, ballots run during a test began coming back with errors." More details here: http://www.wnyc.org/blogs/empire/2012/may/09/reports-find-machine-errors-led-uncounted-votes-2010 (ɔ) India Against Corruption Mumbai

While irregularities were surfacing in irrigation projects around Mumbai in early April, the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) rejected forest clearance to the Kalu dam in Murbad taluka of Thane district, which would have submerged around 1,000 hectares of forest land. Work started last October without permission from the MOEF, and Indavi Tulpule of the Shramik Mukti Sanghatana said hundreds of trees were chopped, in blatant violation of the Forest Conservation Act. The dam didn\'t have approvals from the MoEF, there was no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), or rehabilitation and resettlement plan, or a public consultation, according to a statement from the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) and the Sanghatana, both of which have been raising this issue. Public interest litigation It isn\'t Kalu alone that is fraught with irregularities. In the case of the Kondhane dam in Karjat, similar violations have been raised in a public interest litigation in the Bombay High Court, filed by Anjali Damania of India Against Corruption (IAC) and some other groups, which is coming up for hearing on May 11. Kalu is just one of the 15 or so dams coming up in the adjoining Thane and Raigad districts of Mumbai, aimed at increasing the drinking water provision in areas under the Mumbai Metropolitan Development Region Authority (MMRDA) and Navi Mumbai Displacement of tribals According to activists of the Shramik Mukti Sanghatana, 18 villages, with around 18,000 inhabitants, mostly tribals, would be displaced by the Kalu dam, financed by MMRDA. The FAC\'s rejection is based on the premise that there is ‘no respect for the laws of the land,\' according to a site inspection report in January by the Regional Chief Conservator of Forests News Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3388388.ece (ɔ) India Against Corruption Mumbai

Lets welcome the good news of Ind Army Chief VK Singh likely to join Anti Corruption Movement. According to VK Singh\'s brother-in-law Aridaman Singh who is believed to be an aide of Baba Ramdev, the Army Chief will join the fight against corruption soon after his retirement. General Singh is due to retire on May 31. Indian Army Chief VK Singh is likely to join yoga guru Baba Ramdev and noted Gandhian Anna Hazare in their much-publicised fight against corruption in the country. NewsSource: http://news.oneindia.in/2012/05/08/ind-army-chief-vk-singh-to-join-ramdev-anna-upa-trouble-997381.html (ɔ) India Against Corruption Mumbai

Absence of Whistle Blower Protection Act and deliberate inactivity by authorities to nab criminals has taken so many lives of innocent activists.Looking at the beneficiaries of the death, it looks as if authorities are hand in hand with goons to wipe of good people from the society.Ravinder Balwani, an aide of RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal and a member of his NGO, Parivartan, was hit by a car on April 23 and died of head injuries three days later. No arrests have been made and police claim there were no witnesses to the incident in Vasant Kunj market.Balwani\'s daughter, Sonia, said her father had been filing RTI queries since 2001. After he retired from Delhi Transco in 2010 as a manager, he had levelled graft charges against senior government officials and politicians. "This earned him enemies. Before that, in 2009, he had complained to the Indraprastha police station SHO on getting threat calls," said Sonia, a physiotherapist. "He was receiving so many threats that he stopped sharing them with us in the past year."New Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/RTI-activist-dies-mysteriously-family-says-he-was-murdered/articleshow/13056722.cms (ɔ) India Against Corruption Mumbai

As a tax payer, Indian pays upto 33% tax to government which anyways is drown into corruption. However foreign capitalist, largely indian black money routed through tax heavens, pays no tax and also dictates economic policies to government. India\'s decision to defer the implementation of the General Anti-Avoidance Rules (GAAR) by one year "is a meek surrender to finance capital ... and the US", the CPI-M said Tuesday GAAR was meant to strengthen India\'s tax laws to prevent foreign investors from avoiding paying taxes on capital gains in India, using the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements (DTAAs) with tax havens like Mauritius, the CPI-M said. "It is noteworthy that over 40 percent of FDI inflows into India are routed through Mauritius, in order to facilitate crores of rupees of tax savings by foreign companies at the cost of the Indian exchequer. These are all meant to favour big financiers and real estate players. News Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/GAAR-rollback-a-surrender-to-US-CPI-M/articleshow/13050575.cms (ɔ) India Against Corruption Mumbai

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IAC Mumbai Volunteer exposes Scam in Construction Of Dams in Maharashtra. She is guided and assisted by IAC Mumbai core team and Santacruz team in carrying out the activities. Only Star Majha (Marathi New Channel) dared to expose the scam. Watch video on youtube.com (ɔ) India Against Corruption Mumbai

As if the countless scams in India is not enough, another fake currency scam is surfacing. The CBI raided the vault of the Reserve Bank of India and found a huge cache of counterfeit Indian currency lying in the denomination of 500 and 1000. This was conducted when the CBI raided some 70-odd branches of various banks on the India-Nepal border from where counterfeit currency racket was unearthed. The officials of these branches told the CBI that they had got these notes from the RBI. But the government of the day has decided to shroud this matter both from the Parliament and the people of India. Currency notes of 500/- and 1000/- was prime medium used for corruption in cash and this fake printing of these notes make an urgent and most important case to stop printing these high value of notes. Baba Ramdev among many people are demanding this from long time to stop printing and circulation of these high denomination notes. General public is struggling for coins of 1/- and 2/- for unrounded transaction value all across country. And RBI instead of printing coins to facilitate general public, instead porinting and ordering these high value notes; which now even enemies are taking advantage of. News Source: http://india--against--corruption.blogspot.in/2012/04/blog-post_8465.html http://www.afternoondc.in/nation/the-fake-money-saga/article_21556 (ɔ) India Against Corruption Mumbai

After a gap of nearly one year, the two anti-corruption activists Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev will sit on a one-day token fast to press for a strong lokpal and to create awareness about black money at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on June 3. http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/Chunk-HT-UI-HomePage-TopStories/Anna-Ramdev-join-hands-to-fast-on-June-3/Article1-843445.aspx Making the announcement, Hazare said, "We will have to awaken people. I will tour Maharashtra from May 1. Same time, Ramdev will tour other parts of the country." "If the black money comes back, our economy will improve. Black money must be brought back... Corruption must stop and for that to happen the Lokpal is a must," the yoga guru said. New Source: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/baba-ramdev-anna-hazare-corruption/1/185262.html http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/anna-hazare-baba-ramdev-to-fast-on-june-3-200055 (ɔ) India Against Corruption Mumbai

As political parties continue to debate the Lokpal Bill, Central Vigilance Commissioner Pradeep Kumar today said it is a "desirable" act to curb corruption. "Lokpal is a desirable act and I hope the Parliament will pass it," Kumar said on the sidelines of a conference on government-industry partnership here. On the issue of governance, he called for wider use of technology and lower human interface in dealings to reduce corruption in everyday life The Chief Vigilance Commissioner noted that petty corruption was rampant everywhere from government offices to corporate India and it made services, which were a right for citizens, many times more costly for them. Grand corruption on the other hand, he said, manifested itself in big-ticket favouritism in allotment of natural resources to companies which was evident from the recent 2G scam. All these observations are covered by Jan Lokpal Bill proposed by India Against Corruption. News Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Lokpal-is-a-desirable-act-CVC-says/articleshow/12707108.cms (ɔ) India Against Corruption Mumbai

Corruption confession: Government paper admits institutionalised graft plagues entire bureaucracy and plays havoc on the citizen The truth is out. What we always knew, but were afraid to say aloud, has been documented by the government for the first time - corruption is institutionalised.   A background paper prepared by the Union ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions for the occasion of Civil Services Day notes that graft is prevalent at all levels of officialdom and spotlights the unholy nexus between politicians and the top echelons of the bureaucracy.   The document, a copy of which is in Mail Today\'s possession, reads more like a confessional. The \'C\' word will be dissected at the April 21 event at Vigyan Bhavan. \'At senior levels, it (corruption) is usually a result of strong nexus between politicians and civil servants and, at lower levels, it is a result of poor systems and ill-defined public service levels,\' the government paper points out candidly. Programmes and schemes have been made in the past to provide social security to the marginalised. However, the benefits have hardly reached these people because of rampant corruption.   Corruption in civil services has been observed across layers (senior, middle and lower) as well as across departments (centre, states and districts).   After all these confessions, government continues opposing Jan Lokpal of Anna Hazare and instead blames political parties supporting the government. News Link: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/government-paper-admits-to-babu-and-politician-nexus/1/184403.html (ɔ) India Against Corruption Mumbai

Farmer Dhanshyam Kachhi and his brother, along with their spouse and children sat inside a half dug six feet well for hours in scorching sun, alleging that the elected representatives and staff of village panchayat Garah had demanded a bribe of Rs 10,000 for completion of work. For calling off the agitation, they put forth two demands: Start work on digging of well and action against those who fudged muster roll and drew Rs 3800 for digging of this well. As the news about the unique protest spread, a large number of people from the surrounding villagers gathered to have a glimpse of the agitation. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Chavarbhata Janpad panchayat, local tehsildar and other officials rushed to the spot to persuade Kachhi and his family members to withdraw their agitation.   Zila panchayat CEO Bharat Yadav, who is holding charge of Narsinghpur district collector, told TOI over phone that the sub-divisional magistrate ( SDM) had been asked to conduct an inquiry into the complaints of the farmer concerned. "We have ordered suspension of the village panchayat secretary, who allegedly demanded a bribe. Besides, we have promised action against all those responsible for the delay in digging the well under the Kapildhara Yojana". News Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/Madhya-Pradesh-farmers-crusade-agitation-corruption-Dharna-inside-a-half-dug-well/articleshow/12651377.cms (ɔ) India Against Corruption Mumbai

Mumbai Corruption cases are piling in court, thanks to an acute staff crunch at the state\'s Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in the city. RTI revelation The facts have come to light following an RTI query filed by activist Jitendra Dhagde, a resident of Opera House. Dhagde said that a friend who works with the Mumbai ACB as a police officer apprised him of the decline in the conviction rate of corruption cases in court. It was as low as 15 per cent in 2009-2010. Expertspeak Senior counsel Rohini Salian said, "If the prosecution\'s case is based on voice samples, then the findings of FSL are decisive. Without the test reports, the ACB cannot file a chargesheet and the entire trial can collapse."  Government have prople to do corruption but not for catching them. New Source: http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/over-100-corruption-cases-pending-due-to-lack-of-voice-experts-196768 (ɔ) India Against Corruption Mumbai

 After having tightened its grip on natural resources such as spectrum and minerals, corruption has flown into the field of water supply too. Along with air, availability of water has been declared the fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution. Its uncontested report says overall, 21% of the surveyed rural households reported that they have either paid bribe or were asked to pay bribe to avail the water supply related services. In order to satiate their thirst for water, poor rural consumers paid bribe to the tune of Rs833 million in 12 states two years ago. News Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column_graft-contaminates-water-supply-too_1673360 (ɔ) India Against Corruption Mumbai

Anna SMS Card initiative is now covered by News Media, here are the links. http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/team-anna-launches-sms-cards_768607.html http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/team-anna-launches-sms-cards/articleshow/12557882.cms http://www.asianage.com/india/team-anna-launches-sms-cards-720 http://www.financialexpress.com/news/now-check-anticorruption-juggernaut-via-anna-sms-card/934461/ Team Anna has launched a pan-India SMS card to spread information about the campaign against corruption. One crore cards, priced at Rs.25, have been issued in the first phase. The Anna SMS Card, once purchased, would keep the holder informed about activities of IAC for one year. People in Mumbai can obtain these cards from Andheri office or call 07303150500 to learn about nearest place to get them. http://iacmumbai.org/updates.php?id=TWpFPQ==

Wondering why buying a flat in Mumbai is so costly. Blame it on corrupt Government for investor friendly policy and then the investors for holding on to stock to keep prices high. More than 10 Lacs homes in Mumbai & Thane are vacant mostly held up by investors. And these figures excludes houses given on rent, so actual figures would be much higher. A huge stock of 37 lakh houses, including 4.79 lakh houses in Mumbai alone, are lying vacant, according to district level data from census 2011 released by the Census Directorate. This year, 10.5% houses are lying vacant in the state as compared to 8.5% 10 years ago. Mumbai, which is ranked the third most promising investment market, has as many as 1,15,947 houses in island city and 3,63,815 in suburban areas lying vacant, while in Thane district, 5,42,463 houses are vacant. Initially refusing to believe that the number of vacant houses could be so high, Anand Gupta, treasurer, Builders Association of India, said that the vacant houses must belong to investors. “Investors neither prefer to stay in these houses nor want to lease them out. They considering renting out their properties a risk, and don’t trust the judicial system either, which is full of loopholes,” he said. Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_a-maha-loss-37-lakh-flats-left-vacant-in-maharashtra_1670779

Coming down heavily on the railways for failing to take action against railway protection force (RPF) officials who are allegedly involved in the fake bail bond scam, the Bombay high court on Wednesday observed that corruption in the government system is like cancer. “Cancer can be treated by chemotherapy. Can you show what is the treatment for this cancer (corruption)?” asked justice PB Majmudar. A division bench comprising justice Majmudar and justice RD Dhanuka was hearing a public interest litigation filed by activist Samir Zaveri, which alleged that a few RPF personnel at Kurla had released persons booked for trespassing and crossing the tracks upon the submission of fake cash bail bonds. Last August, the HC had transferred the probe into the scam to the CBI. But, there has been no progress since then. The railways’ advocate said they haven’t filed a charge sheet for want of material from the CBI. Dubbing the RPF as “railway destruction force”, justice Majmudar said: “They are only enriching themselves.” Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_corruption-is-like-cancer-says-court_1668714

Pathetic state of our system is now acknowledged by Courts. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-04-01/mumbai/31270020_1_corruption-index-corruption-day-bombay-high-court MUMBAI: Observe one day as "no corruption day" - the Bombay high court proposed on Saturday. For a country that ranks 95th in the corruption index (out of 175 countries) it seems a tough act, but a division bench of Justice P B Majmudar and Justice R D Dhanuka feels it is possible.  "If people decide not to pay a single rupee wrongly, nobody will dare ask them for a bribe," said Justice Majmudar . The court was hearing a petition about Railway Protection Force (RPF) officials allegedly involved in a fake bail bond racket. "Citizens must take an oath that they will not pay bribes," he added. The blame for a corrupt society equally lay at the doors of the common man, judges said. "People want things to be done fast in a wrong way and therefore are willing to pay money," said Justice Majmudar. "Any person who is involved in graft-whether a citizen who offers money or government officers who take bribes-should face stringent punishment," added the judge. The court asked the state and civil society to strive for a "corruption-free " day. "No person who is responsible for making fake bail bonds should be spared," the judges told CBI officers.

MUMBAI: A Virar-based Right to Information (RTI) activist, who had sought details of several construction projects in the Vasai-Virar belt as a member of an anti-corruption organization, was shot dead on Friday evening. Two persons are being questioned.  Premnath Jha, 42, was riding towards his residence in Virar (East)\'s Phoolpada on his bike when several rounds were fired at him from a revolver. One of the bullets struck Jha\'s forehead and he fell off. A bleeding Jha was spotted by the watchman of his building, Guru Dutt Nagar Society, who alerted his family. He was rushed to hospital where he died during treatment.  Police had initially registered a case of accidental death. But Jha\'s family members suspected foul play as his forehead had an injury mark that seemed like a bullet hole. A post-mortem at J J Hospital confirmed that Jha had died of bullet injury.  The RTI activist was associated with the Bhrashtachar Atyachar Virodhi Samiti and had filed several queries with the Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation seeking details of several construction projects. The area is now a hub of construction activity as most of Mumbai\'s development potential has been tapped.  However,, there have been allegations of large-scale irregularities and open spaces being constructed on. Jha\'s son Mihir, 22, said his father had exposed several cases of corruption and had been getting threat calls but ignored them.  Inspector Yousuf Bagwan said: \'\'We have filed a murder case under IPC Section 302 against unknown persons." Initially, an accidental death case was filed. Source: TIMES OF INDIA http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/RTI-activist-shot-dead-in-Virar/articleshow/12039192.cms