Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Why are RTI bodies manned by bureaucrats?' that was published in Newsband

Why are RTI bodies manned by bureaucrats?

The Supreme Court asked why Right to Information bodies were almost completely manned by bureaucrats. SC pointed out that the Right to Information Act of 2005 mandates that people with a range of experience and from various fields should serve as information commissioners.

When it comes to executives or legislatures or even subordinate judiciary, the apex court has got a good and decisive definite say in matters beyond its rationality and reasonableness. Is RTI just a farce? Does it serve the common man?

SC is right. Everything is not reserved for bureaucrats, common people have also the right to appoint persons they want. The bureaucrats are preferred by the authorities because only the bureaucratic commissioner bows down to the ruling Government who may be in power. Professional usually does not.

It is a happy augury that the Supreme Court is at last waking up to the reality of government handling of such venerable institutions. Retired bureaucrats are ripe for such 'benefits' since 1. They have knowledge of confusing procedures to thwart release of facts, 2. Such appointments are actually 'carrots' held out to them during their service for 'good' and 'apt' behaviour suiting their bosses. In any event what with the retirement age being fixed at 60 or even worse 58, they are all in good health and capable of output for another 5/10 years. Finally this bureaucracy is almost a fraternity or a brotherhood (a mafia?) with each and everyone reaching out to others and hence appointments made by the ones in service will always be for the retired ones who will cozy up. After all appointing outsiders though knowledgeable may not suit the government bureaucracy.

Right to information act was brought by the then Congress with a view to provide basic info and data on various Schemes of the Govts for helping and serving the public cause. However, in recent past this act is stumped out, SC is right in its observations about the functioning of RTI in the country.

Should there not be transparency and experts from various fields with legal background in judiciary too? We see favouritism and activism there too resulting in brushing aside crores of people's rights but upholding minorities and individuals rights to insult desecrate others faith and rights.

Information commissions across the country are there, but political interests block the good candidates and experts. The very reason why India suffers in all areas is because there are no independent experienced officers in any areas.

Hope there is follow-up news on the RTI appointees. Government is like brain, heart, nerves, spinal chord, bones, muscles and skin of the human body. Skin is the politiician. Heart is constituition. Brain is the government official. Nerves is connecting the heart and brain. RTI is the spinal chord that makes the country to rise and shine. Hope it can rise and shine.

Dinesh Kamath’s column ‘New movies released in Navi Mumbai’ (The Fakir Of Venice and Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga) that was published in Newsband

New movies released in Navi Mumbai

By Dinesh Kamath

The Fakir of Venice

The Fakir of Venice is a 2019 Hindi-language comedy drama film directed by Anand Surapur. The film stars Farhan Akhtar, Annu Kapoor and Kamal Sidhu in the lead roles, the film is written by Rajesh Devraj with a story from Homi Adajania.

An Indian con man is hired to find a fakir who can bury himself in sand for an installation art project in Venice. He passes off a slum dweller from Bombay as the real thing, conning the European art world successfully. It is the story of a strange relationship. A relationship between two characters who are brought together to carry out a deception. To pull it off, however, they must learn to shed the layers of deceit, and move towards understanding themselves, and each other. The fakir (essayed by Annu Kapoor) is actually a Muslim posing as a Hindu fakir.

The movie has Farhan Akhtar as Adi, Annu Kapoor as Sattar, Kamal Sidhu and Valentina Carnelutti.

Songs and the background score for the film have been composed by A.R.Rahman. The film has song "Wako Naam Fakir" with lyrics by Sant Kabir and sung by A.R.Rahman, Arjun Chandy & Abhay Jodhpurkar.

Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga

Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (lit. How I Felt When I Saw A Girl) is an Indian Hindi-language coming-of-age film directed by Shelly Chopra Dhar. The tagline as shown on the released film trailer and poster is 'The most unexpected romance of the year'. It stars Sonam Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Juhi Chawla, and Rajkummar Rao, and also features Akshay Oberoi, Regina Cassandra, Brijendra Kala and Madhumalti Kapoor in supporting roles. The film is produced by Vinod Chopra Films and distributed by Fox Star Studios.

Some love stories are not simple, Sweety's (played by Sonam Kapoor) is one such story. She has to contend with her over-enthusiastic family that wants to get her married, a young writer who is completely smitten by her, a secret that she harbours close to her heart and ultimately the truth that her true love might not find acceptance in her family and society. Resolving these issues proves hilarious, touching and life changing. Sweety is lesbian and has to convince her family and her father, Balbir (Anil Kapoor), who has blind faith in his daughter. Rajkumar Rao, who is a well wisher more than anything else, decides to be the good friend and help her convince her family. There are a lot of arguments that happen between Sweety and her family.

The film has Anil Kapoor as Balbir Chaudhary, Sonam Kapoor as Sweety Chaudhary, Juhi Chawla as Chatro, Rajkummar Rao as Sahil Mirza, Akshay Oberoi, Regina Cassandra, Madhumalti Kapoor, Brijendra Kala, Abhishek Duhan, Seema Pahwa and Sara Arjun as Young Sweety Chaudhary.

The music of the film is composed by Rochak Kohli and lyrics are written by Gurpreet Saini. The film has songs like "Ek Ladki Ko Dekha To Aisa Laga" sung by Darshan Raval, Rochak Kohli, "Gud Naal Ishq Mitha" by Navraj Hans, Harshdeep Kaur, "Good Morning" by Vishal Dadlani, Shannon Donald, "Chitthiye" by Kanwar Grewal and "House Party Song" by Sukhwinder Singh, Arjun Kanungo, Parry G.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Indians should think before they vote' that was published in Newsband

Indians should think before they vote

Congress president Rahul Gandhi announced that his party would ensure minimum income guarantee for every poor in the country if it returns to power after the Lok Sabha polls due in April-May. He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling BJP of trying to create two Indias — “one of the Rafale scam, Anil Ambani, Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya, Mehul Choksi and the other of the poor farmers”.

Gandhi distributed loan waiver certificates to some of the beneficiary farmers during the function. Ahead of the Assembly polls, Gandhi had assured to waive farm loans if his party is voted to power in the State. But remember that empowerment is long lasting and endowments are short lived. Try to enable people so that they can earn bread their own.

Anything and every thing is promised to get power. More such promises would come only to get power. What Congress did in decades of their rule in India is open to everyone and what good things were done in Modi’s short rule is also open to every one.

An enactment should come that politicians should be stopped from making false promises or using tax payers’ money. Election Commission should allow only developmental promises and not let waste tax payers money like one which Gandhi is making, i.e. waiver of farmers loan, feebies etc.

This man anyhow want to become prime minister. His proposition will hold water only if he promises to cut the salary and perks of all MPs and MLAs. This is like the promise as given by BJP to deposit 15 lakhs in the accounts of people but Gandhi cleverly does not mention the amount and says that minimum income will be assured to lure the people.

So basically, the tax money of the rich will be used to help the poor and for the politicians to be in power, while the tax payer doesn't even get basic services in return. If this continues, the all the tax payers will prefer to move out of this country or stop paying taxes altogether.

The people of India are fed up with false promises and flop shows. They want development in real terms, employment opportunities created for the educated youth, affordable housing, affordable Education and affordable Health care. They don't want empty rethoric and flop shows. All they want is good and transparent governance.

Just to grab power, the grand old party can do anything. How many of these sloguns since independence have done any good to common man of India? Garibi Hatao by Indira, Indira minimum guaranteed employement, Rajiv Gandhi rural employment program and innumerable number of programs? Did they remove poverty of aam aadmi of India in last 70 years? The family is just trying to enjoy power in the name of sloguns. Indians should think before they vote.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'What will be the electoral mandate of 2019?' that was published in Newsband

What will be the electoral mandate of 2019?

Everyone is interested to know what the electoral mandate of 2019 will be. The forthcoming Lok Sabha elections are expected to redraw the nation’s political landscape with implications for the future of Indian democracy.

The coming together of political leaders at Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s rally in Kolkata on January 19, signalled a common resolve to oust Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. The dominant mood of the nation is visible barely 100 days before the general election. People are crying against rising unemployment, acute agrarian distress, corruption in high places, rising social disparities, continuing marginalisation of Dalits and Adivasis, insensitivity to the plight of vulnerable sections and glaring inequities of wealth et al.  

Sonia Gandhi’s message for the Kolkata rally said “pluralist fabric stands vitiated” and declared that “this will be an election to restore the nation’s faith in democracy, defend our secular ethos and our heritage, and defeat forces that are trying to sabotage the Constitution of India”. There were statements to similar effect by Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Ms. Banerjee and others.

We are entitled to expect that the outcome of the general election will vindicate national conscience so that freedom prevails over fear, inclusion over exclusion and secularism over communalism. The triumph of democracy is anchored in the equality of citizens and is sustained through freedom and assertion. A French philosopher said, “A liberal, wise and energetic government” cannot “spring from the suffrage of a subservient people”

What did we witness during six decades of omnipotent mandate of Congress? Communal criterion for delivery of quota and representation of minorities widened the gap between haves and have nots. A series of corruption charges, excesses committed to humanity during emergency and pogrom unleashed against Sikhs, Bofors, Agusta Westland national herald hdw submarines, 2g cwg coalgate etc can't be forgiven. Indians can't substitute RAGA for NAMO. We prefer surgical strike and no dynastic trends be allowed further. Economic criterion in delivery of quota will turn votes further, which is a harbinger of creative change in India. We don't want charisma and charm; we don't want to hear flowery languages when stomach is in fire.

There should come a day when our politicians will have to qualify a minimum aptitude test to contest election at various levels of democracy.

Some intelligent people do not find any reason for a change of government. Too many politicians are there in India who just elude the gallows only benefitting the slowly grinding wheels of judiciary. Seizing power only can facilitate them to leave all investigations into cold storage and have a good sleep. They have all influence to galvanize untruth, by prompting press to publish fiction. Those who are well immersed neck deep in scams emerging as apostles of morality make us laugh and cry privately, thinking about the immorality of politics.

But thanks to information technology, myopic people are transforming to long perspectives. Present Indian political system is headed by a dynasty or RSS Hinduvadi or regional caste players. They are content with their success in an election and go to sleep. Elections will not turn the tide.

None of the parties have exactly showered themselves in glory over a number of elections. But the piece is not about which party to elect but the future direction of political discourse we should have - one where liberty and freedom of the individual is held inalienable and sacrosanct, and where no party can compromise this foundational requirement regardless of their ideology, whether in the name of development or security.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Does politics overshadow the majesty of National Awards' that was published in Newsband

Does politics overshadow the majesty of National Awards?

Narendra Modi government has come up with a decision to confer the Bharat Ratna on the late Assamese singer Bhupen Hazarika, who contested on the BJP ticket in the 2004 Lok Sabha election, and the late Nanaji Deshmukh who was a Bharatiya Jan Sangh leader and social activist. Former President Pranab Mukherjee is also chosen. Prime Minister Modi described him as “an outstanding statesman of our times”. The fact that he agreed to speak at an RSS event in spite of disapproval of the Congress party was a reason.

Has competitive politics overshadowed the majesty of the National Awards? Transparency is not easy to achieve, and fairness is difficult to establish. But Pranab Mukherjee is a good candidate who proved that no one including RSS is an untouchable in India in the true sense. Recognizing people from different part of the country will also go a long way in making the public of that region will feel part of the proceedings of the country.

During INC and UPA's time, a lot of undeserving candidates were nominated. Rajiv Gandhi's sole merit is that he is from INC and was assassinated. Sachin Tendulkar though deserving got it too much ahead of time before he could get a reputation of having carried rest of his life as a model for people at large. Awarding him was a political gimmick to garner some votes from Maharashtra.

National Awards should be given only to those who have done yeomen service right through their life and towards twilight of their life when they have hung up their boots from public life. Rewarding posthumously is also a requirement for rewarding personalities who either die in office or on the panel that decides the recipients - for example prime minister.

Today, if the Narendra Modi government were to award even Sonia Gandhi, the decision would be met with derision and mocking. Such is the level of bias and prejudice against a government perceived as not of the 'traditional establishment'.The Modi government has done well to democratise the election process for the Padma Awards. Many unknown people doing extraordinary work have been recognised over the past four years - making it truly the “People’s Padma”.

Now, going through the list of all awardees so far objectively, one will find that there is nothing special to question Modi government's list as such. The suggestion to stop giving awards posthumously is not not right. It is in fact better to give such awards posthumously only.

Metro Man Sridharan deserves it easily. Late Dr M Balamuralikrishna, one of India's foremost Karnataic musicians, once lamented, while interacting in a TV Program connected with Music Competition for children: Who are those selecting and awarding people? Do they have enough competence to do that? This transcends into all systems of Award "giving", which seem to have been cornered by Politico-Officer nexus - real stalwarts and talents are often sidelined and awards become a tool to score points - political and social. Let us look at some REAL Stalwarts who had almost revolutionized many things in their respective fields: Dr Varghese Kurian, the man who made "Milk revolution", from starting in a simple less than 1500 sq Ft area work-shop; Dr M Balamuralikrishna, one of India's greatest Karnatic Musicians; Baba Amte, a selfless Social activist; Dilip Kumar, a stalwart Hindi Actor, almost unmatched in quality, till date; E Sreedharan, the "Metroman" who is unmatched - to name a few. There is need for a Transparent Yardstick

The award Bharat Ratna must be given only on genuine and bonafide deserving and not for fulfilling political commitments.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Will Piryanka pass the test?' that was published in Newsband

Will Priyanka pass the test?

Appointing his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as a general secretary of the party was a calculating move by Congress president Rahul Gandhi. The BJP lost no time in decrying the move as another instance of dynastic politics. Her formal induction into politics may have been prompted by the ill-health of her mother, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, her being high on charisma quotient, her Nehru-Gandhi lineage, her being able to command a stage presence and her resemblance to her grandmother Indira Gandhi.

In many ways, the nomination is an admission of the party’s over-reliance on the family. During the Manmohan Singh years, the Congress was able to counter, to an extent at least, the perception that it revolved around the dynasty. BJP will surely start harping on her husband’s allegedly murky land dealings. What should engage the Congress is not what the BJP may say about Priyanka, but what she can say and do for it.

The thing is any right minded and sensible person can never support dynasty. India needs development. There is no harm promoting Hindutva but but do it without sacrificing the secular structure of the country.   

Congress' elevation of Priyanka is to counter BSP SP alliance in UP. The legacy of Indira Gandhi is being employed as a political tool for political sustenance. That the untested Priyanka may be a crowd puller to garner votes is yet to see.

Across the spectrum, it is only the communists and BJP who have some semblance of inner party meritocracy. Indians will continue to be pawns of dynastic power and money brokers unless we express a collective aspirational desire to remove them away from all power structures. Priyanka's entry merely provides another platform for the corrupt power broker structure across regional and congress parties to latch on to people's weaknesses. The congress and all corrupt regional family parties must continue to be rejected by the electorate for India to prosper

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Last card played to save family business' that was published in Newsband

Last card played to save family business

This is the first time that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will be occupying any official post in All India Congress Committee. The Congress has appointed Priyanka as a general secretary of Uttar Pradesh East months before the Lok Sabha elections.

Priyanka has been a regular at Congress strategy headquarters at 15, Gurdwara Rakam Singh Road office. She has campaigned for her mother Sonia Gandhi and brother Rahul Gandhi in Rae Bareli and Amethi respectively in elections.

Speculations had been rife for a long time on Priyanka's political entry. Welcoming his sister into the party's leadership, Rahul Gandhi said that Congress was fighting a battle of ideologies in the coming elections and that the Congress party is not going to play on the back foot anywhere, it will play on the front foot.

Congress has no future if it sticks to communal preferences, vote bank politics, devisive policies, corruption etc. Three generations of general category lost sustenance due to misinterpreted secularism propagated by our veterans. Narendra Modi only could wipe the tears of poor misinterpreted as descendents of oppressors of dominant people glorified as descendents of 1000 years of untouchability. Narendra Modi will be remembered for the legislation made to address the woes of economically weaker sections. In all communities there are poor and rich. Poverty should be taken as index of deprivation. Rich can't be deprived, they can pursue the path of discharging their abilities, they can use money power to access platform. Narendra Modi could understand the flaws in our system, which those born with golden spoons can't.

Now this is perpetuation of Dynastic Politics or you can say "Raksha Bandhan Reversed" because now the sister comes to help the brother in distress. Rahul Gandhi would have done better to have not promoted his sibling to a crucial post in the party, but instead he should have elevated a Congress member unrelated to him. This action smacks of nepotism and further bolsters the charge that the Indian National Congress is an undemocratic and family-operated political entity. This move is not just bad - it is politically and ethically malodorous.

The motto of the Gandhis is ‘Keep it in the family’. Now they might make Robert Vadra head of finance ministry and train the little ones for next leader positions. Priyanka cannot be a threat to BJP but now Rahul Gandhi should realize that Priyanka can be a real threat to his leadership. Let us wait some more time and we will see what the role of Vadra will be. Dynastic politics goes on unabatingly. Meritorious abound when dynastic trends, minority preferences, quota promises are thriving.

Congress mukth Bharat will become a reality when a billion lotuses bloom as a challenge against lie proponents, quota mongers, greasing outfits and communal accessories. Change is in the air, the new development being a harbinger.

Congress could not afford to get less seats than the last elections. So it is a good strategy to select and appoint another family member. So every one can boast she has done a great job. The president is well within his rights to select any one and he has selected his sister. Perfectly understandable since his mother selected him even in an 'election' as the President. Now the last card has been played to save the family business. Congress is trying all tricks for election 2019.

Dinesh Kamath’s column ‘New movies released in Navi Mumbai’ (Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi and Thackeray) that was published in Newsband

New movies released in Navi Mumbai

By Dinesh Kamath

Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi

Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi is a 2019 Indian biographical period drama film based on the life of the Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi. It is directed by Krish and Kangana Ranaut and produced by Zee Studios in association with Kamal Jain and Nishant Pitti. The film stars Kangana Ranaut in title role.

The film is based on the life of Rani Laxmi Bai of Jhansi and her war against the British East India Company, during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Manikarnika - The Queen of Jhansi is the real life story of the warrior queen. She was the first woman in history to fight against the British and started the first war for Independence. The 22-year-old queen refused to cede Jhansi to the British. Dressed as a man, she fought a fierce battle and was killed in combat but her inspiring life story and fight against the British is an inspiring tale of bravery, valor and women's strength that has inspired generations after her and will inspire generations to come.

The film has Kangana Ranaut as Rani Laxmibai (Manikarnika aka Manu), Atul Kulkarni as Tatya Tope, Jisshu Sengupta as Gangadhar Rao, Richard Keep as General Hugh Rose, Suresh Oberoi as Bajirao II, Danny Denzongpa as Ghulam Ghaus Khan, Vaibhav Tatwawaadi as Puran Singh, Ankita Lokhande as Jhalkaribai, Yash Tonk as Rao Tula Ram, R. Bhakti Klein as Lord Canning, Mishti as Kashibai, Unnati Davara as Mundar, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub as Sadashiv, Rajiv Kachroo as Gul Mohamad, Nihar Pandya as Pran Sukh Yadav, Taher Shabbir as Sangram Singh, Naveen Manar as TBA, Kulbhushan Kharbanda as TBA, Manish Wadhwa as Moropant and Nalneesh Neel as Teer Singh.

The film's soundtrack is composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and lyrics written by Prasoon Joshi. Background Score by Sanchit Balhara and Aknit Balhara, Orchestration and studio contracted by KAY-S. Philharmonic Orchestra undered by Sanchit and Ankit Balhara.

The film has songs like "Bharat"  sung by Shankar Mahadevan, "Vijayi Bhava" by Shankar Mahadevan, "Bolo Kab Pratikar Karoge" by Sukhwinder Singh, "Rajaji" by Pratibha Singh Baghel, Ravi Mishra, "Shiv Tandav"       by Shankar Mahadevan, "Tak Taki"     by Pratibha Singh Baghel, "Dankila" by Prajakta Shukre, Shrinidhi Ghatate, Siddharth Mahadevan, Arunaja and "Bharat" by (ft Prasoon Joshi) Shankar Mahadevan, Prasoon Joshi.

Thackeray

Thackeray is a bilingual biographical film written and directed by Abhijit Panse, made simultaneously in Marathi and Hindi. Following the life of Bal Thackeray, the founder of the Indian political party Shiv Sena, the film stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui as the eponymous person and Amrita Rao as his wife.

From a firebrand journalist to an influential political leader who played a major role in shaping the Marathi identity, Balasaheb Thackeray's journey is also the story of birth and evolution of Shiv Sena. The film chronicles the life and times of the charismatic leader whose legacy continues to live on through his words and deeds

The film has Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Balasaheb Thackeray, Amrita Rao as Meena Tai Thackeray, Sudhir Mishra as Mastan, Abdul Quadir Amin as Jaidev Thackeray, Laxman Singh Rajput, Anushka Jadhav, Niranjan Javir, Dr Sachin A. Jayavant as Uddhav Thackeray, Vishal Sudarshanwar as Raj Thackeray, Radha Sagar, Satish Alekar and Anand Vikas Potdukhe as Jambuwantrao Dhote.

Rohan-Rohan and Sandeep Shirodkar composed songs for the film while the background score is composed by Amar Mohile. The lyrics written by Dr Sunil Jogi, Manoj Yadav and Manndar Cholkar. The film has songs like "Saheb Tu Sarkar Tu", "Aaple Saheb Thackeray", "Aaya Re Thackeray" and "Thackeray Theme" (Music by Sandeep Shirodkar).

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Challenge for policymakers' that was published in Newsband

Challenge for policymakers

The multi-month low retail and wholesale inflation poses challenge for policymakers and the central bank. Monetary policymaking is a challenge. Governor Das alluded to this in a recent speech where he pointed to the divergences and volatility in different sub-groups as a major challenge in inflation assessment and projection.

Prominent policymakers, including principal economic adviser Sanjeev Sanyal, have called for the RBI to take a re-look at the interest rate structure. It will be interesting to watch how the RBI reacts to these calls.

The Interesting challenges for the Inflationary pressures has been mounting up ever whenever the RBI announced its policy on its rate cut.

Another thing is India must define a minimum living wage level to measure economy. While "pure" Economists and Planners go strictly theoretically on the basis of "inflation" as the measure for Economy trend, we are not seeing a different reality that is better understood (especially in a relatively poor country like India), where Real Wages at BoP would show us a more accurate picture of how common people feel. There is also a need to define Minimum Decent Living Wage (MDLW) of an adult in India, and we need to monitor how many do earn at least near about that (or how many do not earn that). This reader has estimated that MDLW in India is Rs. 95,000, and there are over 600 million adults (age above 19) who do not earn even a fraction of this value. Were we to look at our Economy's ability to service the MDLW values, a total Value Addition of over Rs.600 trillion are needed. Alas! Our present GDP is about Rs.190 Tr. What is the point in all these window dressing by RBI through "inflation conundrum"?

One need not look far to learn the RBI's likely decision what with the government nudging it to lower the interest rate. The savings habit is taking a blow by the failure of the banking system to pay interest to keep their savings with the same purchasing power at least, in the future. Further, the government propping up falling entities like IDBI on the one hand and IL&FS on the other hand with different means at its hand leads one to live the present without saving for the future or fall a prey to fly by night operators.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Can EVM ensure free and fair election?' that was published in Newsband

Can EVM ensure free and fair election?

The recent Assembly elections were not devoid of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) malfunctions. ‘Malfunction’ suggests a technical defect. ‘Tampering’ is manipulation aimed at fraud. There were several reports of misbehaving EVMs. A discrepancy of even one vote between votes polled and votes counted is unacceptable.

Transparency, verifiability, and secrecy are the three pillars of a free and fair election. Any polling method must pass these three tests to claim legitimacy. Paper ballots obviously do. The voting happens in secret, and the counting happens in front of her representative’s eyes.

EVMs, however, fail on all three, as established by a definitive judgment of the German constitutional court in 2009. The court’s ruling forced the country to scrap EVMs and return to paper ballot. Other technologically advanced nations such as the Netherlands and Ireland have also abandoned EVMs.

Hence the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) was introduced. But VVPATs solve only one-half of the EVMs’ transparency/verifiability problem: the voting part. The third criterion is secrecy. Here too, EVMs disappoint. So, on all three counts — transparency, verifiability and secrecy — EVMs are flawed. VVPATs are not the answer either, given the sheer magnitude of the logistical challenges. The recent track record of EVMs indicates that the number of malfunctions in a national election will be high.

Despite these issues, EVMs continue to enjoy the confidence of the EC, which insists that Indian EVMs, unlike the Western ones, are tamper-proof. It is true that the results come quicker and the process is cheaper with EVMs as compared to paper ballot, but what about the integrity of the election?

The argument made in favour of the EVM is that it eliminates malpractices such as booth-capturing and ballot-box stuffing. But is that true in the age of the smartphone? It is nearly impossible to detect EVM-tampering.

The EC is obliged to provide the people of India a polling process capable of refuting unjustified suspicion. EVMs indeed have to pass the test of credibility.

The problems do exist with the paper boxes as well. Issues of hijacking entire boxes as well as other types of irregularities have been alleged in the past and efforts to corrupt the process will also happen in future.

We should look to adopting technology where possible to strengthen the process as it provides a more effective means to do so. The manual process is easier to manage and more difficult to corrupt in a place like Germany but perhaps not India.

Let us examine how we can bring credibility to the technology-led process by addressing the requirements of transparency, verifiability and secrecy.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Doubt over the Rafale deal' that was published in Newsband

Doubt over the Rafale deal

The questions about the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets persists despite a clean chit of sorts from the Supreme Court. In comparison to the bid under the UPA there was an overall escalation in the price of each jet in the 2016 deal struck by the Modi government. The bare-bones aircraft was spread over 36 jets as opposed to the original 126.

Why did the government drop, or fail to secure, the follow-on provision, which would have given India the option to purchase more Rafales, and reduce the per-aircraft price? The information that could impact the aircraft’s operational capability or jeopardise national security shouldn’t be shared, but the government has been less than willing to come forward to address the issue of pricing. Instead it has been taking cover under the secrecy clause. Naturally, the general presumption will be that it has something to hide.

The government on its part has already sent the Pricing details Brochure to the CAG, which upon full auditing will send it to the Public accounts Committee of the Parliament, so the suggestion that a JPC or Private Briefing by the government to bury the hatchet is infructuous because:- 1. First priority of any govt should be to keep some security matters undisclosed in the interest of the Nation. 2. As far as opposition is concerned. They are known best to play blame game politics and corruption even at the cost of our Nation. 3. Starting with 36 we will surely be moving towards many 126, so the question arising out of the number of aircrafts should be put to rest. 4. At the time of general elections the opposition is in tight corner to use any opportunity to defame the present government. 5. Majority means majority, as quoted 4:3 above, so there is no need to question it. 6. At first the opposition targeted for corruption, then pricing, and now the route of deal.

It seems that the Modi government prudently settled at at the optimum number of 36 jets by striking a balanced between financial constraints and our security needs.

Rafale aircrafts deal was unduly delayed. The seeds of corruption are to be found in such delay. The aircrafts deal could not be finalized by UPA government. How a probe by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) can find out reasons for delay or how secrecy clause is misused by the govt. in power? Congress and other opposition parties are least concerned about finding out the truth or about ending corruption in such deals. Congress and other parties should demonstrate political will to end corruption in all defence deals. Reality is that making allegations of corruption against the NDA government and PM Narendra Modi is a just a poll gimmick. These parties want to be voted to power.

In the deal by UPA there was no fully-equipped-combat-aircraft to compare its price with the present 36 fully-equipped-combat-aircrafts. The matter is very simple. Calculate the total cost of all the bare-bone-aircrafts negotiated by UPA along with escalations and calculate the total cost of the present ones with all their adds-on if universally known as claimed.

Doubts and questions on price deal are genuine and a clear white report of the deal from UPA period till the NDA regime must appearbefore the JPC with facts and figures to clear the air.

The thing is every defence deal involves corruption, only the degree and the recipients change. The bogey of national security silences those who find something is fishy about a deal. They are called traitors. But don’t forget that peace with neighbours is the cheapest and everlasting defence. Defence budget eats into the social sector. Poverty alleviation remains a distant dream.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'National Security comes first' that was published in Newsband

National Security comes first

The controversy over Rafale deal should be put to rest in the interest of national security, said the Ministry of Defence (MoD). It further said that the steep price escalation in the deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets is “factually inaccurate”.

The apex court had not found “anything adverse in the deal” and had refused to order an investigation. The Comptroller and Auditor General [CAG] has been given access to all the files related to the Rafale deal. It is best to await the report of an authoritative agency like the CAG. The Defence Minister has eloquently spoken on it in Parliament and the CAG has access to all files. Yet some are using this for their own political ends.

After this clarification, if the Congress is still maliciously raising the issue, it is only for a political purpose, for which they are also sidelining national security. Chidambaram is taking advantage of the government's strict adherence to national security concerns. In this case the need to keep the details of sensitive weaponry etc associated with the combat aircraft ordered, top secret lest the enemy will take advantage eventually rendering the huge investment on 36 invincible war machines a colossal waste. Let us not play ourselves into the hands of our enemies

The more pertinent and relevant question to ask: over the course of 70 plus years of political freedom, why did not our political establishment, build up indigenous capability to manufacture aircraft in general and fighter aircraft in particular? Thousands of fighter aircrafts have been imported and multiple technology transfer agreements struck: yet HAL is unable to manufacture fighter aircraft on its own. Why is this? What has been the role of the political establishment, the bureaucracy, the media and the judiciary in this? If only HAL or any other PSU was alllowed to develop this capability, there would be no need for a discussion on the Rafale deal now.

This is just an attempt to tarnish Modi’s image. Despite feverish attempts the opposition members are unable to pinpoint a scam. If Congress is politicising issue of Rafale, then, what were they doing all these years? Was that all in national interest? They played Hindu vs Muslim card, dalit vs pandit, Lynching vs Cow, Demonetisation vs counterfeit, Assam vs Migrants, Jobs vs jumla, Farmers vs GST, Verma vs Asthana, Patel statue vs Chinese, and so on. All they do is politicise issue etc. All they have been doing is create controversies all these years. IAS officers should be made PMs, CMs and governers of our country. Otherwise we will be at the mercy of mediocres.

All these allegations by Congress is a lame attempt to implicate Modi and Parrikar on false corruption charges. Hope the power crazy dynasty and the head line grabbing media start thinking in the national interest for once during their lifetime.

The opposition wants to paint the govt as corrupt and inept since there are multiple cases against many opposition leaders who were in power that would be discussed in the election speeches of NDA. So an illusory case has been carved out for propaganda to bamboozle the people. But interestingly the people are very shrewd to see through all the power games in play. The media is least neutral and talk for one or the other party according to its choice. Still we have to wait and see people’s reply in the ballot box. Till then let us enjoy the wise guys in full steam to get to the national coffers.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Big increase in Rafale's price' that was published in Newsband

Big increase in Rafale's price

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision, announced out of the blue in Paris on April 10, 2015, to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France instead of the 126 asked for by the Indian Air Force for six squadrons pushed the price of each fully fitted, combat-ready aircraft up by 41.42%.

Top-level corruption and criminal misconduct have been alleged, notably by Congress president Rahul Gandhi, and three well-known public interest petitioners, Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie, and Prashant Bhushan, who along with two others took their case to the Supreme Court of India but could not succeed.

Comparisons have been drawn with the Bofors scandal, by protagonists as well as antagonists, towards different ends, but unlike Bofors, where journalistic investigation was able to uncover corruption disguised as ‘commissions’ paid secretly into Swiss bank accounts, no money trail has been discovered so far in the current case. What seems guaranteed is that we have not heard the last of l’affaire Rafale.

The fact is that 36 aircrafts have been ordered for the price negotiated between the two countries. Can India afford to buy 126 aircrafts at one go? No way. So, 36 is a good compromise and all of us should be happy that we are getting even that many after years of inaction by the UPA regime.

What PM did was to fast track the procurement. The decision was in the interest of the nation. Some people make it sound like PM just paid money on the spot and bought aircraft. There were negotiations after PM’s announcement for almost a year and half. If INT gave a final go ahead even with 4-3 majority then it says that there were enough people who felt that the deal was in the interest of the nation. In any case we always had the option of moving away from the deal. The fact that India desperately needed the aircraft must have played on the minds of the people involved. And nobody is perfect. Maybe they will negotiate a better deal next time around. What is important is there is no corruption. I hope this politics stops as this will only harm the interests of our nation.

There should be no compromise on national defence. GOI has opted for latest tech in aircraft and did not compromise. It is a right choice through and through. The Supreme Court announced that all procedures laid down in the Defence rule book were followed. The decision on technical specifications, weapon systems, pricing, numbers of aircrafts are all decided by IAF top brass and Defense ministry experts. Modi has very little role except that of talking to French Govt and clinching a best deal.

Any item except computer model prices will always soar - in ten years time it usually doubles. The bare empty machines are now equipped with stealth equipment which would cost more. BTW, these machines so heavily equipped that China and Pak have no answer to these.

One important point in favor of Rafale which Eurofighter do not have is manufacturer's successful history in India. Mirage 2000 is a plane from Dassault which many IAF staff speaks of very fondly and also have shown outstanding performance in Kargil. India due to this reason has a strong bias towards Rafale.

One thing seems clear, everything is not above board as far as the Rafale deal is concerned. The more hoodwinking the Govt does, the more it will eventually get hurt. There is SC judgement in the case, which, however, did not want to sit in judgement over price aspects. JPC, of course, is a political tool. But that is the one and only sure way to unearth if there had been any error.

It's logical that the development costs have a fixed value and hence the lower the quantity, higher will be the per unit Add-on. But look at the other way, If GOI would have stuck to the 126 number then it would have cost neutral. But, the India’s specific ideas were of 2007 thinking. They were supposed to make it more lethal at that point of time. But technology changes every 3-4 years. So what't the point in procuring outdated numbers in large quantity? So the decision by GOI is right and apt.

Now coming to the current fleet of IAF. At present India has acute shortage of flying aircrafts in 2019 but in 2007 we were in starting stage of shortage of aircrafts. This shortage of aircraft also built pressure on cuurrent government which is not fault of current government. Modi took the decesion in the best interest of the country without involving any middlemen. Nation's safety comes first, cost escalation has been due to 'commission' bates expected by Congress leaders.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Is this a political stunt?' that was published in Newsband

Is this a political stunt?

Was it right to file sedition and conspiracy charges against three former Jawaharlal Nehru University students and seven others? This is heavy-handed response to campus sloganeering. A charge sheet has been filed a few months ahead of the general election. Is this a political stunt?

The shouting of “anti-national” slogans and supporting those who questioned the country’s sovereignty do not merit the use of the sedition law. The essential ingredients of Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code, that there should be a call for violence or a pernicious tendency to foment public disorder, are conspicuously absent in the case. There has been a disquieting tendency to brand as “anti-national” those who do not endorse all actions of the state.

Courts admit all cases brought forward by the state to be on the safer side, politically and judiciously, and it ends up in causing the much talked about docket explosion. Instead, the courts may take a few days even to go through the entire case file and then decide their admissibility to enhance the efforts to speed up the judicial process as ' justice delayed is justice denied '.

Media seem to have woken up only after 2014 to take a look at "colonial" laws. Weren't they aware of its existence when the same law was applied to stifle disidents right from 50s until recently?

Those things aside, let us come to the shouting of JNU 'students' - was it against the Government or the ruling party? It was well settled by courts that Afsal Guru was the culprit behind Parl attack and the decision to hang him was taken by UPA which meant that across the political spectrum, there was a large consensus on his anti national character. Therefore, Afzal became beyond politics and was a rank anti national. So should the JNU students have shouted the slogan 'we will break India into pieces' and would it be right for the Government to be a silent spectator?

Positive dissent is not sedition but negative dissent i.e.against sovereignty is definitely sedition.Politics itself is source of sedition

The police sometimes choose to ignore the clear guidelines framed by the Supreme Court in 1962, reiterated recently, about what constitutes the offence of sedition. However, trial courts are bound to follow the law of the land. One hopes justice is done, ideally at the stage of taking cognisance itself. Sometimes the process itself is intended to be the punishment.

Dinesh Kamath’s column ‘New movies released in Navi Mumbai’ (Fraud Saiyaan, Bombairiya, Why Cheat India, Rangeela Raja, Woh Jo Tha Ek Messiah and 72 Hours) that was published in Newsband

New movies released in Navi Mumbai

By Dinesh Kamath

Fraud Saiyaan

Fraud Saiyaan (English: Fraud Husband) is an Indian Bollywood Comedy film directed by Sourabh Shrivastava, presented by Prakash Jha and produced by Disha Jha and Kanishk Gangwal. It stars Arshad Warsi, Saurabh Shukla and Sara Loren in lead roles. The supporting cast includes Deepali Pansare, Flora Saini and Nivedita Tiwari.

Fraud Saiyyan is the story of a con artist in North India who convinces women to marry him just so he can live off their money. It is the story of a con artist whose business plan is marrying woman after woman and living off them. He has 13 wives, but in a potential 14th wife, he meets his match. A woman who also marries for money!

The film has Arshad Warsi as Bhola Prasad Tripathi, Saurabh Shukla, Flora Saini, Sara Loren, Varun Badola, Deepali Pansare, Parag Tyagi, Ritesh M M Shukla, Nivedita Tiwari as Mala, Peeyush Suhaney, Mohit Balchandani, Parul Bansal, Kanchan Awasthi, Anangsha Biswas, Amrita Puri, Mihika Verma and Elli Avram (item number "Chamma Chamma")

The music of the film has been composed by Sohail Sen and Kumaar has pennned the lyrics. The song "Chamma Chamma" which featured Elli Avram, is a recreated song from 1998 film China Gate which originally featured Urmila Matondkar. The film has songs like "Chamma Chamma", "Ishq Ishq Tera", "Fraud Saiyaan" and "Mashoor Hazoor - E - Aala".

Bombairiya

Bombairiya is a 2019 Indian Hindi-language black comedy drama film directed by Pia Sukanya and written and produced by Michael E. Ward with story from Ward, Sukanya and Aarti Bagdi. The film stars Radhika Apte, Siddhanth Kapoor, Akshay Oberoi, Adil Hussain, Ravi Kishan, Amit Sial, Ajinkya Deo and Shilpa Shukla. It follows the story of Meghna, who gets embroiled in a series of events after her phone gets stolen.

Bombairiya follows the story of Meghna, who gets embroiled in a series of events after her phone gets stolen. Three stories merge on one mad December day in the temperamental city of Mumbai. Meghna, a PR agent, has her phone snatched by a 'Biker'; Have-A-Go Hero, Abhishek, puts his private life on hold to help; and Pandya, a politician facing trial in the High Court, hopes his hitman will swiftly eliminate a mysterious witness. Fading film star, Karan Kapoor, and Deputy Home Minister, Irawati, are just trying to get through their day, when everyone suddenly becomes entangled in each other's messy lives. Events quickly snowball to reveal that the fate of the witness lies in all their hands. Will Meghna and this bunch of strangers, from the highest echelons to the lowest ranks of society, overcome their self-obsession for just long enough to prevent the identity of the star witness from falling into the wrong hands?

The film has Radhika Apte as Meghna, Siddhanth Kapoor, Akshay Oberoi, Adil Hussain, Ravi Kishan, Amit Sial, Ajinkya Deo, Shilpa Shukla, Saniya Anklesaria and Shailesh Hejmady.

Arko Pravo Mukherjee and Amjad Nadeem composed songs and also has written lyrics. The movie has songs like "Sanki", "Bairiya" (version 1), "Sajde Karoon" and "Bairiya" (version 2).

Why Cheat India

Why Cheat India is an Indian comedy drama film written and directed by Soumik Sen. It features Emraan Hashmi and Shreya Dhanwanthary in the lead roles.

The movie focuses on existing malpractices in country's education system, the whole concept of buying your way through education, jobs and earnings. Even with an evolving education system, the country faces scams like SSC and HSC paper leaks, CBSE re-examination, Vyaapam, etc. The movie tries to shift the attention of people to understand the vulnerability of hardworking and gifted students who get left out.

The film has Emraan Hashmi and Shreya Dhanwanthary.

The music of the film is composed by Rochak Kohli, Guru Randhawa, Krsna Solo, Kunaal-Rangon, Agnee and Soumik Sen while the lyrics are penned by Manoj Muntashir, Kumaar, Kunaal Verma, Guru Randhawa and Juhi Saklani.

The film has songs like "Daaru Wargi", "Taiyaari", "Dil Mein Ho Tum", "Phir Mulaaqat", "Kaamyaab", "Stupid Saiyaan", "Phir Mulaaqat" (Female) and "Dil Mein Ho Tum" (Female).

Rangeela Raja

Rangeela Raja is an Indian Hindi-language comedy-drama film directed by Sikander Bharti and written and produced by Pahlaj Nihalani, starring Govinda, Mishika chourasia and Anupama Agnihotri.

Set in Rajasthan, Rangeela Raja is the story of two brothers who lead completely different lifestyles. Due to certain circumstances in life, the elder brother gets drawn towards an aimless life which is not for him. The younger brother who leads a life of a yogi, decides to bring his elder brother back on track. What follows is comedy, romance and action. Rangeela Raja features Govinda in a double role, with Mishika Chourasia and Anupama Agnihotri in additional lead roles. The film tells the story of a strong-headed woman, Natasha, who wants to explore her career. She meets Raja Vijendra Pratap Singh, a business tycoon. After meeting Natasha, Raja Vijendra Pratap Singh's life turns around, as do the lives of his family. His younger brother, Ajay Pratap Singh, leads a life of a yogi and decides to bring his elder brother back on track.

The film has Govinda as Vijendra Pratap Singh, a philandering businessman, and Ajay Pratap Singh, a pious yogi, Mishika Chourasia as Natasha, a strong-headed woman working with Vijendra Pratap Singh, Shakti Kapoor as Padampat, a driver, Kader Khan as Special appearance, Prem Chopra as Guruji, Anupama Agnihotri as Aalekha, the love interest of Ajay Pratap Singh, Digangana Suryavanshi as Shivranjani, the wife of Vijendra Pratap Singh, Karishma Kaul as Pallavi, Karan Anand as Yuvraj, Aarti Gupta as Shikha, Govind Namdev as Sharma and Imran Khan as Special appearance.

All the songs of the movie are composed by Ishwar Kumar. There are total 5 tracks in the album. Shreya Ghoshal has rendered her voice to three tracks from the album. The film has songs like "Rangeela Raja", "Jogi Dil", "Dholi Dol Baja", "Jagmag Jagmag" and "Aum".

72 Hours: Martyr Who Never Died

72 Hours: Martyr Who Never Died is an upcoming Hindi movie scheduled to be released on 18 Jan, 2019. The movie is directed by Avinash Dhyani and will feature Avinash Dhyani, Alka Amin, Virendra Saxena and Shishir Sharma as lead characters. Other popular actors who were roped in for 72 Hours: Martyr Who Never Died are Sumit Gulati, Mukesh Tiwari, Gireesh Kr. Sahdev and Prashil Rawat.

The film revolves around the life of Jaswant Singh Rawat and takes us into the 1960s era, when apart from economic instability, famine and religious fights, our country was struggling with a new danger-the war of Indo-China. Jaswant was born in a poor family of Dehradun and his family belonged to the beautiful hills of Garhwal. He grew up to be a responsible son, devoting his life towards study and his family, but destiny wanted him to serve his country. Due to some incidents, he decided to join army at a very young age and received his training in Lansdowne District and became a successful soldier of Garhwal Rifles Regiment. Shortly after his training, their paltan was sent to defend the approaching Chinese army from the North-East front on India. And began the historical war of Indo-China where our soldiers were outnumbered and outgunned but fought till the last man.

Due to adverse circumstances, the infantry had to step back. However, one soldier stood there till his last breath and fought against the Chinese army alone for 72 hours. The soldier was Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat.