Here are 10 major points that Mamata Banerjee has made against demonetisation

1. While we are strongly against black money and corruption, we are deeply concerned about the common people, the small traders. How will they buy essentials tomorrow? This is financial chaos, disaster let loose on the common people of India. He (the Prime Minister) could not get back the promised black money from abroad, hence so much drama.

2. We want to know from the Prime Minister how our poorest brothers and sisters, who’ve received their week’s hard-earned wages in one Rs 500 notes, will buy atta, rice, etc. tomorrow. This is a heartless and ill-conceived blow to the common people, middle class, agricultural cooperatives, tea garden workers, unorganised labour sector, shopkeepers, farmers and small businesses. All will suffer. There will be deaths due to starvation.

3. Trinamool means ‘grassroots’. Trinamool Congress is the voice of the people. More than 150 people have died. Lives have been ruined irrespective of caste, community and creed. This is not merely an inconvenience, this is the killing of the economy.

4. During a year, the three months from December to February are the most productive time for construction and development projects. Now everything is shut, progress is halted. The tea garden and jute mill workers are not receiving their salaries and are in distress. The transport sector has been hit.

5. The Centre has given exemption from demonetisation to all its sectors – railways, transport, petroleum – but the State Government-controlled agricultural cooperatives have not been permitted to exchange currency. This is not federalism; states have shut down.

6. Trinamool Congress raised the issue of black money in Parliament in 1998. Trinamool MPs staged a demonstration against black money both inside and outside Parliament in 2014. What is the Government doing about electoral reforms? We have been raising the issue of electoral reforms for two decades. Eighty per cent of donations received by parties are from ‘unknown sources’.

7. Demonetisation is a big black scandal. People are suffering. This is a grim situation. We have offered concrete suggestions. One of the suggestions offered is to allow old and new Rs 500 currency notes to function parallelly. If you had to keep demonetisation a secret, what prevented you from printing more Rs 100 notes and other smaller denominations?

8. Four out of five villages in India do not have a bank. We all want to have a cashless society. But 95 per cent of debit cards in India are not used to buy anything, only to withdraw cash. One minister may want to buy his vegetables and do his laundry with plastic, but not everybody can.

9. It is not that everyone who is opposing the government’s policy is supporting black money, is corrupt or anti-national. The Prime Minister thinks that he alone is the messiah and all of us are devils. We strongly oppose the Central Government because the poor are suffering and the economy is being killed off.

10. Try as you may, through your agencies, to hassle and harass us, it will embolden only our conviction to fight. You may even try to jail us, but that will only make our movement stronger because we are fighting for the people. This is not a political movement. This is a people’s movement.

 

Mamata Banerjee slams Centre on Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary raid

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today slammed the Centre after central agencies carried out raids at the residence of the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu.

Calling it “vindictive” and “unethical”, the Chief Minister wondered if the raid was aimed at disturbing the federal structure. She also demanded to know why raids are not conducted on Amit Shah or others who collect money.

Here is her full statement:

Earlier the Principal Secretary of Arvind Kejriwal was raided and harassed. Now I read Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu has also been raided. Why this vindictive, unethical, technically improper action? Is it only to disturb the federal structure? Why don’t they raid Amit Shah and others who are collecting money?

While corruption needs to be condemned strongly, the raid on Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu by Central agencies devalues the institution of head of the civil service.

The proper procedure should have been to take the State leadership into confidence and removing him from the post prior to any preemptive action, based on information.

 

তামিলনাড়ু মুখ্যসচিব এর বাসভবনে আয়কর ভবনের তল্লাশির তীব্র নিন্দা করলেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী

কেন্দ্রীয় সংস্থা তামিলনাড়ু মুখ্যসচিব এর বাসভবনে অভিযান চালানোয় কেন্দ্রের প্রতি তীব্র ক্ষোভ প্রকাশ করেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়।

এই পদক্ষেপকে “প্রতিহিংসাপরায়ণ” এবং “অনৈতিক” বলে মুখ্যমন্ত্রী জানান যুক্তরাষ্ট্রীয় কাঠামোকে আঘাত করাই পদক্ষেপের লক্ষ্য।  কেন অমিত শাহ বা যারা টাকা সংগ্রহ করছে তাদের বিরুদ্ধে অভিযান চালানো হচ্ছে না বলেও প্রশ্ন তুলেছেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী।

টুইটারে মুখ্যমন্ত্রীর প্রতিক্রিয়াঃ

আগে অরবিন্দ কেজরিওয়ালের প্রধান সচিবকে হেনস্থা করেছে। এখন তামিলনাড়ুর মুখ্য সচিবের কথা পড়লাম। তাঁর বাড়িতে তল্লাশি চালাচ্ছে আয়কর দপ্তর।

কেন এমন উদ্দেশ্যপ্রণোদিত, প্রতিহিংসাপরায়ণ, অনৈতিক পদক্ষেপ? যুক্তরাষ্ট্রীয় কাঠামোয় আঘাত করতেই এই পদক্ষেপ/ চক্রান্ত?

কেন ওরা অমিত শাহ এবং অন্যান্যরা যারা টাকা সংগ্রহ করছে তাদের বিরুদ্ধে অভিযান চালাচ্ছে না?

দুর্নীতি দমনের তীব্র নিন্দা করা উচিত কিন্তু কেন্দ্রীয় সংস্থাগুলি যেভাবে তামিলনাড়ু মুখ্যসচিবের বাড়িতে অভিযান চালালো তা সিভিল সার্ভিসেস ব্যবস্থার অবমাননা।

এমন ঘটনায় শীর্ষ আমলাদের সঙ্গে গুরুত্বের অবনমন হয়। রাজ্য নেতৃত্বের সঙ্গে আলোচনাই সঠিক পদ্ধতি।

PM equating corruption with anyone who opposes his policy: Mamata Banerjee

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said that the Prime Minister was attacking anyone who opposes his policy, retorting to his charge that political leaders behind multi-crore chit fund scams are attacking him  over demonetisation.

“Pradhan Mantriji, you are equating corruption with anyone who opposes your policy. Are you the only magician?” Mamata Banerjee said in a tweet this evening, reacting to Modi’s remarks seen as sharp attack on the Trinamool Congress Chairperson.

“Listen to the voice of the people. Feel their pain. People will not forgive you for this. They are suffering,” she said in another tweet.

She also posted a poem on her Facebook page.

 

প্রধানমন্ত্রীর বিরোধিতা করলেই দুর্ণীতিগ্রস্তের তকমা দেওয়া হচ্ছে: মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়

রবিবার নোট বাতিল ইস্যুতে কড়া  ভাষায় প্রধানমন্ত্রীকে আক্রমণ করেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়।  যারাই প্রধানমন্ত্রীর বিরোধিতা করেন, তাদের দুর্ণীতিগ্রস্তের তকমা দেওয়া হয়, রবিবার ট্যুইট করে বলেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী।

কড়া ভাষায় প্রধানমন্ত্রীর নিন্দা করে তিনি বলেন, “প্রধানমন্ত্রী, আপনার সিদ্ধান্তের যারাই বিরোধিতা করছেন তাদের আপনি দুর্নীতিগ্রস্তের তকমা দিচ্ছেন, আপনি কি একাই জাদুকর?”

তিনি আরও বলেন, “”মানুষের কথা শুনুন, তাদের দুঃখ বুঝুন। জনগণ তাদের এই চূড়ান্ত দুর্ভোগের জন্য আপনাকে কখনো ক্ষমা করবে না।”

Vivek Gupta speaks on the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013

Corruption is probably one of those words that are most commonly understood by the Indian people. However Sir, before we start talking about the corruption we must understand that there are two different types of corruption.

One is the senior citizen who is not getting his pension, he is forced to resort to corruption to start getting this pension or the people who don’t get their ration or basic common facilities and amenities; then have to resort the corruption. We as a united country have failed to provide people some basic common necessities and which is why they have to resort to corruption.

The other is, Sir, where someone in position of power or influence uses his position to give some benefit which is not due to some group of people. It is that corruption that we should tackle and come very hardly on.

We should first look at the basic root of corruption. Sir, one of basic root of corruption is black money. And it is no secret that black money has its origins in election funding. Herein comes my party Supremo and popular leader Hon’ble Mamata Banerjee. You know she was first one to talk about electoral reforms; it is even mentioned in the election manifesto of Trinamool Congress. We believe in massive comprehensive electoral reforms drawing on international base practices so that the corrupt and criminals do not becomes the people’s representatives.

We also believe that to reach this goal of corruption free politics, time has come for the nation to adopt government funding of elections which is already functional in many nations of the world including UK, Germany, France etc .

Sir this Bill has several defects. I am just outlining a few one of them so that through you I can draw the attention of the Hon’ble Minister who, if he so wishes, correct them.

Sir, all relatives of the person have been left out. This is a very important ommission. Family and friends are one of the most important forms of the corruption that has been left out completely. They have not been included in this Bill. If I do not wish to be part of the corruption directly I can always ask to take the money or the draft to my wife or my father or my family or friend. That has been left out completely.

Sir, we have witnessed in the past that people who are sitting in eminent positions have asked the corruption to be given to the charities or to the companies they own. That also has been left out in the definition of corruption in the Bill. I would not like to take the name but a previous Election Commissioner got money from a political party into his favorite charity. After that what happened the world knows.

Sir, lobbying is a dirty word or a good word I don’t know. But lobbying activities are not at all covered. Sir, it is an open fact and open secret that lobbying takes place in India both at public policy and political levels. However it happens in hush-hush manner in the name of funding, in the name of NGOs; it is also one very effective tool used by people for corruption. Lobbying is also not included in this Bill.

Sir, recently a magazine featured an article how public servants are regularly getting free tickets of airlines and upgrades in airlines and most of these public officials belong to be ministry of civil aviation. Now it is an open understanding that it is a quid pro quo. These are also not included in the definition of corruption.

Sir there is Supreme Court case going on where a major Corporator has said that whenever a politician writes a recommendation letter we give them jobs. Now whether there is a quid pro quo involved or not that they did not spell out. But these possibilities, these definitions have not been included in the Act. Sir, I would not like to repeat but just reiterate that the post retirement posting of all people does influence these people to take their decisions.

Sir, this Bill has severely diluted the procedure to prosecute public officials. The requirement of intentional enrichment and the onus of the proof on the prosecutions will make it much more harder for advocates of anti-corruption. The prosecution will need to prove the position of unexplained assets as well as intention to enrich oneself. It may be difficult to be prove that the intention to amass wealth above the description of law.

Sir, in the previous Bill at least collusive bribery, where both parties have benefitted, and cursive bribery had a differentiation. Sir, through you I would like to draw the attention of the Hon’ble Minister that cursive bribery has been left out where citizen is compelled to give bribes. This is the one scenario I referred to in my earlier speech where the citizen is forced to pay the bribe.

Sir, towards the end of my speech, I would like to give a few quotes by Hon’ble Mamata Banerjee:

“Black Money leads to money power, money power leads to muscle power. Money and muscle power are together a toxic combination for parliamentary democracy.”

“I have referred to the 14 cases to the central agency but it did not take up those.”

Sir, the Supreme Court has referred to the CBI as a caged parrot and His Master’s Voice. Sir if a body like the Supreme Court refers to such examples that means something is wrong there. Hindi mein kehte hain bina aag ke dhuwa nahi hoti hain. So that means there is something.

Sir, what would suggest as a party is to make the CBI more powerful, more transparent and independent of its political master. Our last suggestion is to expand the definition of offences of bribery and compulsory disclosure by company’s expenditure on  bribery.

Statement by Partha Chatterjee

Statement by Partha Chatterjee at 11:00 AM:

The incident at Calcutta University (CU) was uncalled for. I have spoken to all sides and heard their views. Having done that, the VC is now examining details of the incident.

Let me reiterate, the larger issue is about weeding out corruption in CU. Corruption and education can never go together.

My earnest appeal to ALL sides is to focus on education & look ahead.

SS Ray speaks on the restriction of the jurisdiction of anti corruption cell of Govt of Delhi | Full Transcript

Full Transcript

The anti-corruption branch of the Government of Delhi is a notified police station for the purpose of registration of FIR and the investigation of offences covered under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988.

Sir, this branch has been in existence for almost half a century and the officers of the branch who are authorised to investigate the offences under Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 by a notification dated March 21, 1968. They were authorised to make arrests and the branch was declared as a police station for offences recorded for illegal gratification in 1975. The anti corruption branch functions under the overall supervision and control of the Director of Vigilance, Government of the NCT of Delhi.

During the 49 days of the Aam Aadmi Party government, Sir, the anti-corruption branch of the Government of Delhi was revitalised and an anti-corruption helpline was launched to facilitate the citizens who wanted to report incidents of corruption in public life. The citizens of Delhi responded enthusiastically to this initiative and complaints poured in against different authorities including officials of the Delhi Police, DDA, municipal corporations, central government and various departments of the government of NCT, including a few former ministers and corporate haunchos.

Sir, thereafter a notification dated July 23, 2014, was issued surprisingly by the Minister of Home Affairs, Government of India, restricting the jurisdiction of the anti-corruption branch of the government of NCT over the officers and employees of government of NCT of Delhi.

Sir, this has created a problem for the administration of the Delhi government to go against the corrupt officials. This notification is also attempting to limit the power of the popularly-elected government which is highly unconstitutional and against the principals of federalism.

If the Central Government is serious about introducing reforms in administration and wants to bring about a positive change towards transparency in governance to facilitate the business environment and image of the country, it should immediately withdraw the notification and maintain the principles of federalism.

Thank you Sir.

Derek O’Brien speaks on the corruption in private health care | Transcript

Sir, it is an open secret that  laboratories, radiology clinics and other institutions offer doctors commissions and kickbacks for the act of referring a patient.  The amount of commission is as high as 30- 50%. This deplorable practice encourages doctors to send patients for unnecessary tests, increases the cost of health care and reduces the quality of outcomes.

The Code of Ethics Regulations laid down by the Medical Council of India, forbids fee splitting or accepting of commissions by doctors. The code has, in recent, years been amended to make stricter rules against doctors receiving benefits in any form from drug and implant makers. However, rarely is action taken against offending doctors and institutions.

While there is a regulation that prohibits doctors from receiving commissions from other doctors or diagnostic laboratories, this regulation does not cover private hospitals. It is a common practice for institutions running high tech and high cost investigations and treatments to offer incentives to doctors who refer patients to them. They are free to pay doctors openly and even treat such payments as business expenses for income tax purposes.

The rampant corruption in Indian private health care has recently sparked a debate in the British Medical Journal as well. However, the MCI and the Ministry of Health have been slow in taking up the issue.  I strongly urge the Government to take urgent steps to declare all commissions in health care illegal and create a strong deterrent against such practices.