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The UPA government has proved the vote of confidence on 22nd July by 275 over 256 vote victory but the dramatic scenario of waiving cash bundles by a few MPs at the floor of lower house has shocked the moral values of Indian Democracy. Amid these allegations has the UPA really won?

It is not the only incident of involvement if cash in politics. Cash and politics is not a new story but such an open display of corruption in the parliament is really shameful. Corruption is eating the moral values of the society and it has crawled into the parliament also. Corruption and bribery have become the order of the day.

Bharatiya Janata Party MPs’ bribe allegations shocked the House and their waiving of wads of currency notes in the sanctum sanctorum of the Lower House raised many questions on the morality of the Indian parliament. The dramatic scene sidelined the UPA victory and the headlines were covered by the cash for vote allegations episode.

Congress described the entire episode of displaying cash in the Lok Sabha as a planted operation by ‘those who know that they will lose in the vote of confidence’. While the opposition BJP leaders including L K Advani claimed that 3 MPs of their party-Ashok Argal, Faggan Singh Kulaste and Mahavir Bagora were bribed 3 crores each with an advance of 1 crore. He demanded a detailed probe in the matter by the speaker.

Meanwhile the speaker, Somnath Chatterjee, the veteran leader of Left has been expelled in view of his refusal to step down as the Speaker of Lok Sabha before the trust vote.

The government was speechless on the issue. No matter whether the shocking allegations will proved correct or not, the day has stained the Indian government history. It is like a hard blow to Indian democracy. 22 July, Tuesday has been listed as the Black day in the history of Indian Parliament. Although PM wins but there was a bigger defeat of the government. It was a shameful drama and the Indian government has lost the trust of public.

Tags: Bribery, Corruption, Government, Horse Trading, India, Parliament, UPA

The UPA government today circulated the text of safeguard agreement accord to its 35-nation Board of Governors for approval and stepped on towards the controversial Indo-US nuke deal.

“At the request of the Government of India, the IAEA Secretariat today circulated to members of the IAEA board of governors for their consideration the draft of an ‘Agreement with the Government of India for the Application of Safeguards to Civilian Nuclear Facilities’,” International Atomic Energy Agency spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said in a press statement issued at the Agency headquarters in Vienna.

The agreement was sent after the Left parties withdrew support from the UPA government and submitted their resignation letters to the President on Wednesday. Left parties are against the Indo-US nuke deal and demanded the government to prove a vote of confidence in a week before approaching towards the deal.

The move described by Fleming as a “turning point” in India’s effort to push the deal came under attack from the Left and the BJP which saw a contradiction in government’s stand but the Congress said there is no contradiction.

According to the agreement, India will place its civilian nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards to facilitate full civil nuclear cooperation between India and members of IAEA.

“The chairman of the board is consulting with board members to agree on a date for a board meeting when the agreement would be considered,” she added.

For the complete text of India-IAEA safeguard agreement, visit: http://im.rediff.com/news/2008/jul/iaea.pdf

Tags: Congress, Government, IAEA, India, Safeguards Draft, UPA

Dowry, the word always ends with sympathy for women only but many times the dowry laws are misused against men and hence government has decided to look into the other side of the matter after getting complaints of misuse of dowry laws by women. Government announced to hold a consultation program to get views and suggestions from NGO’s and activists working for men where men from different walks of life would be invited to express themselves on June 25.

“The ministry has received complaints from men about the urgent need to amend Section 498A of the dowry law claiming that many women misuse the law to their benefit. After the consultation, the ministry will examine how far this claim is right before deciding on any thing,” Union Minister for Women and Child Development Renuka Chowdhary said.

The anti-dowry provisions state that any willful conduct that is likely to drive a woman to commit suicide or cause grave injury or danger to life, limb or health whether mental or physical of the woman will be liable to be punished.

Complaints of dowry are the common occurrence in every city and every town which can be some times fraud cases and following complaints about the misuse of dowry laws, the Union Ministry for Women and Child Development would organize a consultation program.

The ministry has put out advertisements about this subject and asked people to write to them about such grievances. The government has received many suggestions and case studies through its website that invited affected persons to share their woes and offer suggestions to check the misuse of such laws.

“The consultation is a platform to provide them an opportunity to express their concerns about the legal provisions in Section 498A. The government would thereafter examine whether the concerns are a Grey area and whether they require attention,” Chowdhary said.

The decision is unique in itself and the issue is really thoughtful. This will make clear the other side of the picture of dowry laws where men are exploited in place of women.

Tags: Dowry, Government, NGO, Renuka Chowdhary, Women

Formation of next government in Pakistan is expected to be completed by mid-March. Caretaker Law Minister Afzal Haider said that they are waiting for the Poll results and parliament meeting date will be fixed as soon as the poll results are declared.

He expected the first session of the new Parliament assembly on March 5 after the formal notification of the poll results.

The poll panel is expected to notify the final results of the February 18 parliamentary elections for the general seats in the national and four provincial assemblies tomorrow, and for the seats reserved for women and minorities by March 3, Haider said.

All the arrangements for convening the session on March 5 are complete and there will be no delay by the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry as well, he said. Haider made clear statement that the new members will take oath under 1973 Constitution

The PML-N, which emerged the second largest party in the February 18 polls, has insisted that it wants the rolling back of all amendments made to the Constitution by President Pervez Musharraf during last year’s emergency rule.

Haider told that the first session of parliament will be for 2 days. Oath will be taken by new members on the first day. Speaker and Deputy Speaker will be elected on second day. Oath function will be held in President House.

Tags: Government, Pakistan, Politics

Pakistan People’s Party leader Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif from Muslin League (AN) agreed to form coalition government. These two apposition parties announced this decision on Thursday night.

The announcement of the two parties formally joining hands was made after a hectic two-hour negotiation in Islamabaad between Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif after they overcame differences on some key issues. Both the leaders had made clear that this will not be Musharaff’s party. President Pervez Musharraf stood isolated on Thursday.

This is the first meeting between Zardari and Sharif after the ruling Musharraf-backed PML (Q) was routed in this week’s momentous elections. Zardari and Sharif, once bitter rivals, discussed a “national consensus government” that will also include smaller parties like the Awami National Party and the Sindh-based Mohajir Quami Movement.

Soon after the meeting, Zardari told reporters that there will be no relationof this new government with Musharaff’s Muslim League (Q). There first task would be to ask the UN for an impartial probe into the assassination of his wife Benazir Bhutto at an election rally on December 27.

“We have agreed on a common agenda. We will work together to form a government together in the Centre and in the provinces,” Sharif said at a joint news conference with Zardari, husband of the slain PPP leader Benazir Bhutto.

Zardari stressed on their plans to take the nation towards development and stability. This needs to make the parliament stronger. He said that Pakistan can be taken out of all problems and political controversies.

Tags: Government, Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan, Zardari

Governmet may soon issue Stamps on famous personalities like Shahrukh khan, Sachin Tendulkar, Sania Mirza, Harbhajan singh, Remo Fernandes and other national icons.

It was customary to issue stamps on the name posthumously but now government has decided to issue the stamps on the name of living legends and celebrities to honour them.

It is proposed by Shakeel Ahmad, Minister of State for Communication and IT to honour the young achievers from various fields and to encourage Indian youth.

He, however, said that there was no custom to issue stamps on living persons yet. “It is very rare and exceptional… We are debating on this in the ministry and we expect to take a decision on this soon,” he said.

There will be no change in the Postal Act and rules. “We just need to take a decision. I have written a note to (Communication and IT) Minister A Raja suggesting this,” he said.

Tags: Government, postal stamp