The 2G ruling may deliver an even bigger loss of credibility because it shows everyone, from the ministry down to the auditor and investigator, in poor light.
The first-come, first-served policy reeked of arbitrariness, but whether it was against the public interest cannot be subject to not criminal adjudication.
‘Many prominent public-spirited persons made representations before various authorities, but none volunteered to enter the witness box,’ wrote the judge.
India deserves a stronger voice on the global stage. But, expecting Indian Americans, increasingly under attack from both ends, to continue sacrificing and paying for it is not a sound strategy.
As many as 21 policy reforms are under implementation following Invest Kerala Global Summit, as LDF govt works to change perception that the state is not conducive to businesses.
Amid continued concerns over cross-border terrorism, General Upendra Dwivedi further warned the neighbour that India will not show restraint if there is an Op Sindoor 2.0.
Pakistan’s army has been a rentier force available to a reasonable bidder. It has never come to the aid of any Muslims including Palestinians or the Gazans, except making noises here and there.
Sometimes feel having so many regulators – although TRAI is needed – is a cop out. It outsources decisions competent bureaucrats and principled ministers – A Raja does not fall in that category – are equipped to take. Does Indian Railways really require an external entity to fix the price of tickets or freight charges, normal commercial decisions it should be taking, day in and day out. I think in 2 G, Raja became an unstoppable force. If the PM and FM could not resteain him, he was hardly likely to listen to Secretary, DoT or Chairman, TRAI. Coalition compulsions have been a fact of political life in several governments, but some red lines should be enforced.
Now the “cover up”of what is a motivated and incredibly poor judgement starts as does the cover-up of Raja and the politicians – and if anything this article represents poor journalism at best, and motivated false analysis at worst. Some basic points
1. Are we denying that the process by which the allocations were made were wrong ie. sudden change of conditions, suddenly people with foresight that would rival the best soothsayers having drafts in hundreds of crores all prepared, even the camera evidence of assorted lalas pushing their way through. Answer – CANNOT BE DENIED
2. Is the circumstantial evidence of the money flows (much of which was “reversed” rather extraordinarily again with foresight of soothsayers), the trail of organisations, the “flips”of ownership all to be denied. Answer – ONLY IF ONE WANTS TO PRETEND NOTHING HAPPENED
3. Instead of casting blame where it really lies ie. at Mr. Raja, Mdm Kanimozhi and Mr. Behura along with their crony industrialists, we are blaming the people who may have been imperfect at worst but atleast highlighted the daylight robbery. Trying to cast the regulator’s objections as a predecessor-successor tiff is juvenile, and frankly a lie. Trying to cast Mr. Binod Rai’s efforts in poor light is motivated. Even if the number is wrong – and the number for the sake of argument is the lower one the CBI talked of ie. 20 or 30000 crores, we are talking of the BMC budget here. Answer – questioning the scale of a crime does not make a crime a non-crime
4. The “red herring”of hurt investors – guess what Mr. Dhal Samanta – if investors are coming into the country (take for the sake of example a Telenor who have pretty much failed in every market they entered barring the home market as a monopoly) do not perform the necessary due diligence and count on what are “questionable means” involving regulatory “arbitrage” (for the lack of a more polite word for what has been done here) and infact choose a cash strapped partner with NO telecom experience only for their ability to influence sweet deals out of the government – they have NO BUSINESS ENTERING THE COUNTRY. We need real investors, smart investors adn dedicated players – NOT FLY BY NIGHT CARPETBAGGER MNCs. Answer – Get real. If investors are upset that we actually enforce laws and stop crime, then you are perhaps canvassing the wrong investors.
My humble suggestion – dont’write for the sake of writing (or again worse motivations). Read up, and at the very least TRY to be objective and truthful
Sometimes feel having so many regulators – although TRAI is needed – is a cop out. It outsources decisions competent bureaucrats and principled ministers – A Raja does not fall in that category – are equipped to take. Does Indian Railways really require an external entity to fix the price of tickets or freight charges, normal commercial decisions it should be taking, day in and day out. I think in 2 G, Raja became an unstoppable force. If the PM and FM could not resteain him, he was hardly likely to listen to Secretary, DoT or Chairman, TRAI. Coalition compulsions have been a fact of political life in several governments, but some red lines should be enforced.
Now the “cover up”of what is a motivated and incredibly poor judgement starts as does the cover-up of Raja and the politicians – and if anything this article represents poor journalism at best, and motivated false analysis at worst. Some basic points
1. Are we denying that the process by which the allocations were made were wrong ie. sudden change of conditions, suddenly people with foresight that would rival the best soothsayers having drafts in hundreds of crores all prepared, even the camera evidence of assorted lalas pushing their way through. Answer – CANNOT BE DENIED
2. Is the circumstantial evidence of the money flows (much of which was “reversed” rather extraordinarily again with foresight of soothsayers), the trail of organisations, the “flips”of ownership all to be denied. Answer – ONLY IF ONE WANTS TO PRETEND NOTHING HAPPENED
3. Instead of casting blame where it really lies ie. at Mr. Raja, Mdm Kanimozhi and Mr. Behura along with their crony industrialists, we are blaming the people who may have been imperfect at worst but atleast highlighted the daylight robbery. Trying to cast the regulator’s objections as a predecessor-successor tiff is juvenile, and frankly a lie. Trying to cast Mr. Binod Rai’s efforts in poor light is motivated. Even if the number is wrong – and the number for the sake of argument is the lower one the CBI talked of ie. 20 or 30000 crores, we are talking of the BMC budget here. Answer – questioning the scale of a crime does not make a crime a non-crime
4. The “red herring”of hurt investors – guess what Mr. Dhal Samanta – if investors are coming into the country (take for the sake of example a Telenor who have pretty much failed in every market they entered barring the home market as a monopoly) do not perform the necessary due diligence and count on what are “questionable means” involving regulatory “arbitrage” (for the lack of a more polite word for what has been done here) and infact choose a cash strapped partner with NO telecom experience only for their ability to influence sweet deals out of the government – they have NO BUSINESS ENTERING THE COUNTRY. We need real investors, smart investors adn dedicated players – NOT FLY BY NIGHT CARPETBAGGER MNCs. Answer – Get real. If investors are upset that we actually enforce laws and stop crime, then you are perhaps canvassing the wrong investors.
My humble suggestion – dont’write for the sake of writing (or again worse motivations). Read up, and at the very least TRY to be objective and truthful