Saturday, December 25, 2010

HCL Tech's Nayar divests own stake for charity

8 Dec, 2010, 06.39AM IST,ET Bureau
HCL Tech's Nayar divests own stake for charity
NEW DELHI: After the generous acts of philanthropy by Wipro chairman Azim
Premji and HCL founder Shiv Nadar , its HCL Technologies CEO Vineet Nayar
turn, who has divested a part of his stake this week in the company for
charity purposes. HCL Technologies vice chairman , and director Vineet Nayar
on Monday sold a million shares in HCL Technologies worth Rs 43 crore, in a
bid to raise money for his charity SAMPARK, which works towards children's
education in India.

"I think we all owe to the world and should give back in some way. In 2004,
I started a non-profit called Sampark which has an aim to create a million
smiles. All proceeds post tax from the divestiture of a million HCLT shares,
will go towards SAMPARK , which works in the education field," Vineet Nayar
HCL Technologies CEO told ET.

Post divestiture, Mr Nayar's equity in HCL Technologies is now reduced to 17
lakh shares (or 0.295% in the company) from 27 lakh shares, earlier. The
company informed the Bombay Stock Exchange in a statement that Mr Nayar had
sold about 10 lakh equity shares in the company dated December 7th, 2010,
through India Infoline , its trading partner. HCL stock closed at a price of
Rs 423.8 on Monday. On Tuesday, HCL Technologies shares closed at Rs 429 up
1.25% on the BSE.

SAMPARK, run as a personal non-profit venture by Mr Nayar, has generally
kept a low profile. "I have no doubt that over time, we can create a million
smiles through improving the quality , infrastructure and opportunity for
education for the underprivileged," said Mr Nayar who joined HCL in 1985 as
a trainee after his MBA from XLRI.
Mr Nayar, 47, is now one of the highest paid CEOs in India with a salary of
over Rs 4.5 crore per year.

The charity is working with ill equipped schools in India to improve the
quality of education through Teach the Teacher program. It is also investing
in basic infrastructure and creating science labs in schools. SAMPARK also
funds engineering education for students from these schools by providing
scholarship to meritorious students.

HCL Technologies chairman and Mr Nayar's mentor, Shiv Nadar also sold a 2.5%
stake in HCL Technologies this June and pumped the entire Rs 585 crore
proceeds into his philanthropic efforts. Mr Nadar has also committed about
10% of his wealth for charity.

Besides, this month, Wipro chairman Azim Premji pledged about Rs 8,846 crore
($2 billion) towards improving school education in India. The proceeds with
effect from December 7, 2010 will go towards an irrevocable trust run by
Azim Premji Foundation. Earlier this year, Tech Mahindra chairman Vineet
Nayyar also gifted Rs 30 crore to Essel Social Welfare Foundation, which
supports the girl child.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-company/corporate-trends/HC
L-Techs-Nayar-divests-own-stake-for-charity/articleshow/7063225.cms

Jan 22 - National Convention on Judicial Reforms, mumbai

From:




Namaskar,

A mega Convention on judicial reforms is being organised by us as above.

We are an NGO relentlessly working on judicial reforms under the
project name of SAVE JUDICIARY-SAVE NATION.

We have shortlisted some subject on which speakers will illuminate the audience.

SLOW JUDICIARY : THE SLOW DEATH OF DEMOCRACY

(i) Promoting Criminalisation among Citizenry.

(ii) Criminalising Politics.

(iii) Perpetuating inefficiency and corruption in bureaucracy.

IMPACT OF SLOW JUDICIARY ON NATION'

(iv) Obstacle in domestic and foreign investments.

(v) Effect on ethics and morality.

(vi) Obstacle in Social Change.

APATHY TOWARDS JUDICIAL REFORMS

(vii) Governments and legislatures.

(viii) Judiciary, ex Judges and lawyers.

(ix) Forum's plans to setup centres across the country.

REDUCING BACKLOG OF CASES

(x) PIL: Janhit Manch (through Bhagvanji Raiyani) & Ors. Vs. Union of
India & Ors. (2008) pending in the Supreme Court.

(xi) Double Shifts, pruning Vacations, Shortening arguments, Orders
and adjournments.

(xii) Other remedies on reaching zero backlog.

FUNCTIONING OF COURTS AND INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY

(xiii) Lower Judiciary.

(xiv) Higher Judiciary.

(xv) Combating Corruption.

LAW EDUCATION FOR BEST TALENTS IN JUDICIARY

(xvi) The State of Law education in the Country.

(xvii) Selection of judges from best talents.

(xviii) Accessibility of Judiciary by Common man, more S.C. Benches.

(xix) Special monetary incentive to judges.

(xx) Conclusion and adoption of resolution.With regards.

The Speakers and delegates are being invited from all over the country.

The convention will be inaugurated by Hon'ble Justice M.N.
Venkatachaliah, the former Chief Justice of India on 22nd January,
2011 followed by the keynote address by Dr.Veerappa Moily, the Hon'ble
Minister for Law and Judiciary.

Other distinguished personalities speaking during next 7 sessions in
two days during 9-30 A.M. to 6-00 P.M. who have confirmed so far to
grace the occasion as Speakers are:

1. Shri Ram Jethmalani: The former Law Minister & renowned Criminal lawyer.

2. Shri Arvind Kejriwalji: The Right to Information Crusader, the
founder of Parivartan.

3. Hon'ble Justice Kamleshwar Nath: The Retd Judge of the Allahabad High Court

4. Dr. N R Madhav Menon: The Founder of National Law School in India

5. Ms. Elizabeth Seshadri: The dynamic Lawyer of Chennai

6. Ms. Medha Patkar: An extremely dedicated Social activist

7. Dr.Jayprakash Narayan: The Founder of Loksatta Party and the
serving MLA from A.P.

8. Shri Shailesh Gandhi: The Information Commissioner at Central
Information Commission.

9. Prashant Bhushan, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court and a renowned activist.

10. Padmabhushan (Dr.) Justice Chandrashekhar Dharmadhikari, former
Judge, Bombay High Court.

11. Jagdeep Chhokar, Management Expert, Electoral Reforms Activist.

12. Dunu Roy, Founder of an NGO HAZARD CENTER.

13. Raj Babbar, renowned actor and Congress M.P.

14. Manoj Mitta, Editor, Times of India, Delhi.

15. Justice Suresh Hosbet, former Judge, Bombay High Court.

16. Dr.Banwarilal Sharma, Gandhian Activist and educationist.

You may consider to enrich yourself by attending this convention.

Please find more details at files attached herewith.

(Bhagvanji Raiyani)

Chairman & Managing Trustee

09820403912

Indian Citizenry wants to know truth about Public Loot through 2G spectrum scam in context of allegation levelled by Dr. Subramanium Swamy?

Indian Citizenry wants to know truth about Public Loot through 2G
spectrum scam in context of allegation levelled by Dr. Subramanium
Swamy?

I am reproducing some of his such allegations published in the
http://gulfnews.com/

In response to some question from Gulfnews.Com Dr. Subramanium Swamy
replied as follows:-

You've also said that if the PM resigns, it will strengthen those who
made money. Could you name them?

Sonia and DMK party chief M Karunanidhi.

You mean Raja is just a face and the real culprits are the biggies of
the DMK?

Raja got 10 per cent, Karunanidhi 30 per cent and Sonia's two sisters
have got 60 per cent of the loot.

Have you done in-depth research and investigation to make such
claims?

Yes, I've enormous access because whatever my enemies may say, one
thing is there that I've never betrayed anybody. Today, people in the
government are so fed up seeing everything happening in close range
and all this material is available with the PM.



http://gulfnews.com/news/world/india/i-saved-prime-minister-in-telecom-scandal-says-swamy-1.722635
Said Interview published in Gulfnews.Com is reproduced as follows:-

December 05 2010

I saved prime minister in telecom scandal, says Swamy

Veteran leader reveals all about scam as he accuses media and
politicians of corruption.

·  By Nilima Pathak, Correspondent

·  Published: 00:00 December 4, 2010








Dr Subramanian Swamy
Image Credit: Nilima Pathak/Gulf News
New Delhi: Dr Subramanian Swamy is President of Janata Party. Well-
educated and honest, he is not only courageous, but extremely blunt
and forthright in his views.

Widely known for publicly challenging and fighting against prime
ministers and chief ministers, it would do well for his political
opponents to remain on the right side of Swamy. For, his wrath can
undo governments, leave alone individuals!

Though his histrionics have earned him the reputation of being a
rabble-rouser, no one can claim to find anything incriminating against
him to charge or drag him to court.

Speaking to Gulf News in an exclusive interview, Swamy has openly
spelt out names on the telecom spectrum scam accusing both political
and media persons for being corrupt.

GULF NEWS: You seem to be treading into familiar territory with 2G
spectrum scam what with earlier taking the cudgels with Janata Dal
leader Ramakrishna Hegde and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
leader Jayalalitha and several others?

SUBRAMANIAN SWAMY: This is a very serious matter. The others were for
a very different reason. Hegde was a member of my party and crafted
the impression that he was a very honest and upright man. But he was
most crooked and did all kinds of rackets. And, of course, he was
tapping telephones of his own people, including his girlfriends! A man
who pretends morality had to be exposed. Strangely, in 1988, our own
party decided to investigate the incident of telephone tapping and he
supported it thinking I wouldn't get to the bottom of it. When
trapped, he filed a defamation case against me and later withdrew,
which ended his career.

In the case of Jayalalitha, I helped her win the elections and become
the Chief Minister. I was also instrumental in providing her adequate
security after the DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) government, which
was close to the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) was
dismissed. But after winning, she began doing all the rotten things
that the DMK was doing. Whether she or her associates did, I can't
say. I questioned her and she got angry with me. In the process she
started letting loose violence against me. That's when I said to her,
‘I'll teach you a lesson'. I dropped everything, sat in Tamil Nadu,
and brought her down.

Is it because of bringing down governments that you are known as a
troublemaker?

That's not true. There are also governments where I've helped. Like,
the Narasimha Rao government couldn't have survived but for me. I
created the Chandra Shekhar government, which actually initiated the
reforms even though it didn't get the credit because it did not last
very long. I helped Rajiv Gandhi survive in his worst days when
everybody abandoned him.

Just because they [the politicians] can't say I'm corrupt or
illiterate, they spread this usual propaganda that I'm a troublemaker.
The public doesn't think so. Else I wouldn't have been elected to
Parliament five times.

But haven't you kind of dragged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to court
— something that was till now unheard of?

Yes, but I also saved him because I thought the press was getting out
of control and over-drawing the picture. I said that he sat on my
petition to permit me to prosecute telecommunications minister
Andimuthu Raja. Now, for the first time in the history of India the
Supreme Court has directed the PM to file an affidavit. This affidavit
shows that every letter of mine was marked by him for action, but his
officials told him he didn't have to. He didn't know the law and I
don't expect him to. But since Raja was forced to resign by him, I
didn't want any more sanctions and said the PM didn't need to resign.
Now they [Congress persons] were wild, because they wanted to shoot
him with their guns on my shoulder.

Who do you mean by ‘they'?

Congress President Sonia Gandhi. She wants someone more pliable than
Singh. He's pliable enough, but obviously, she is not satisfied.

And who do you think could be considered more pliable?

Defence Minister A.K. Antony, if she can't bring in her son Rahul
Gandhi.

Are you getting to all this because your party is nowhere in the
picture and you wish to remain in limelight?

First of all, whether I'm doing it for this or that reason, the
question is am I speaking the truth. Is there corruption or not? It
doesn't matter what my motivation is. These are cheap diversionary
tactics, which I don't take seriously.

Why has it taken two years for the 2G spectrum scam to come to light?

That's because it took me more than one-and-a-half years to get hold
of the documents, which was not easy. I had written to the PM in 2008
and he took two years.

On what basis do you say that it could possibly be the case of the
most monumental corruption in world history?

Look at the sheer size of the amount of Rs1.76 trillion (Dh142
billion) the nation has lost. And I'm not talking about the bribe,
which itself is pretty big. The total loss, had there been an auction,
and what actually it was sold for (Rs100 billion), is huge. The bribe
is a thing that out of the gain these people have potentially made and
will make over the years. My estimate is Rs600 billion of bribe
involved.

Do you suspect the roles of some journalists and editors including
Hindustan Times columnist Vir Sanghvi and NDTV's Barkha Dutt in this
scam?

Most people are relying on corporate lobbyist Nira Radia tapes. But I
know from personal experience that journalists do a lot of hack jobs.
If wanted, they character assassinate you at the behest of the ruling
party. In my case, the media cannot say anything except that I'm a
troublemaker, which doesn't sell very well. They don't publish
anything I say unless it becomes impossible like now, because the
telecom scam has become a big issue. They've been doing it
systematically. When elections take place, many journalists come and
ask for money, saying they'll give favourable coverage in return.

In the case of Vir Sanghvi, I know he used to visit Phuket [in
Thailand ] almost every weekend and the Tamil Tigers used to finance
his trips. Because of his lifestyle, I knew he was amenable and a real
fixer. He's been writing articles depending on who's in power. As for
Barkha Dutt, she's been indiscreet and doing foolish things.

You're quoted as saying that though the PM is honest, others are not.
Who are these persons?

Yes, he is honest, but officials around him like his Principal
Secretary T.K.A. Nair and Cabinet Secretary Pulok Chatterjee are not
with him. They are all Sonia's appointees. Even if you ask for the
PM's appointment, her people decide who can and cannot see him.

You've also said that if the PM resigns, it will strengthen those who
made money. Could you name them?

Sonia and DMK party chief M Karunanidhi.

You mean Raja is just a face and the real culprits are the biggies of
the DMK?

Raja got 10 per cent, Karunanidhi 30 per cent and Sonia's two sisters
have got 60 per cent of the loot.

Have you done in-depth research and investigation to make such
claims?

Yes, I've enormous access because whatever my enemies may say, one
thing is there that I've never betrayed anybody. Today, people in the
government are so fed up seeing everything happening in close range
and all this material is available with the PM.

Why is the UPA - 2 seeing so many scams?

Earlier, the scams were related to the defence deals, where things
were difficult. Now, they have got into things within the country. And
since there are lots of players, some of them spill the beans.

You think the recent Mumbai's Adarsh housing and 2 G spectrum scams
could be inter-related?

Yes, looks like it. Lots of loans have been given, which obviously
have been used

How soon do you think all this will come out?

Raja getting an arrest warrant will happen soon and cancellation of
the licences given so far could happen within the next 2-3 months. As
far as the recovery of the money is concerned, of which there is a big
demand in the country, that will take time.

However, if the Americans, who know it all, co-operate, we can get it
because there is the UN agreement on money laundering.

Do you think the Congress will ask the Americans?

No, they won't. But I can force them to. It's only a matter of time.
They know what I can do in court. They can't buy my lawyers, because I
don't keep any! I argue cases myself.

Why is the Congress so adamant about not having a Joint Parliamentary
Committee (JPC) probe into the 2 G scam?

That's because the JPC will be free for all. And they know that I will
start advising the MPs what questions to ask.

One of the questions is about her [Sonia's] sisters having got the
money. And if the JPC calls for the intelligence people, they will
have to question her because the data is now with them.

Factfile

Dr Subramanian Swamy was born in Mylapore, Chennai on September 15,
1939.
He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University .
He taught at Harvard for 10 years and still holds summer sessions.
Entered politics in 1970 and came into limelight for protesting
against the emergency imposed in the country in 1975.
One of the founder members of the Janata Party, he has been its
president since 1990.
Elected five times to Parliament (thrice to the Lok Sabha and twice to
the Rajya Sabha), representing Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
Has been Cabinet Minister of Commerce and Law & Justice.



TRUTH SHALL ALWAYS PREVAIL
Milap Choraria https://lists.riseup.net/www/arc/RTI-TIMES
National Convenor : Movement for Accountability to Public (MAP)
http://milapchoraria.tripod.com/msp

Binayak Sen judgement

Subject: Let us try to co-ordinate the spontaneous outrage against the judgement into a powerful nationwide protest


Dear Friends,

By now all of you are aware of the outrageous judgement sentencing the President of Chhattisgarh PUCL - Dr. Binayak Sen to life imprisonment on the charge of sedition despite lack of any legally admissible evidence.

 

Dr. Sen's unjust incarceration is also symbolic of the extremely difficult situation in our state of Chhattisgarh

which is becoming a fascist police state intolerant of any dissent

where the judicary is becoming incapable of protecting constitutional rights to life and liberty 

where social activists are being persecuted and prosecuted on trumped up charges

where a repressive law like the Chhattisgarh Special Public Safety Act is being used to criminalise dissent

where thousands of adivasis are languishing in jails as "Naxalite undertrials" without hope of a fair trial

where the corporates are reigning supreme and have a stranglehold over the state's rich resources

where state sponsored bhagwa goondas attack democrats and minorities

where independent journalists are threatened

where hundreds of adivasis are being killed in "collateral damage" and thousands displaced in a war on people

 

Even earlier many of you have organised campaigns and demonstrations protesting these situations and demanding the release of Dr. Binayak Sen and other prisoners of conscience. 

Once again this is the need of the hour.

Particularly since preparations are afoot for escalation of war with direct deployment of army and airforce in anti-Naxal operations and  the grave humanitarian crisis intensifying, and at the same time all human rights activists, journalists, lawyers and social activists working in these areas are under severe threat after this judgement. 

 

Your solidarity is most important for us at this time.

Let us try to co-ordinate the spontaneous outrage against the judgement into a powerful nationwide protest

 

Chhattisgarh PUCL

"Nobody is giving up violence. Neither the state nor the Maoists are giving up violence. I am interested in furthering my cause, which is the cause of peace with justice.- DR BINAYAK SEN 

www.binayaksen.net

 

India: Dr Binayak Sen's conviction and life sentence

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL 

Press Release 
24 December 2010 

AI Index: 
PRE01/432/2010

 

The life sentence handed down against Dr Binayak Sen by a court in the India state of Chhattisgarh violates international fair trial standards and is likely to enflame tensions in the conflict-affected area, Amnesty International said today.

“Life in prison is an unusually harsh sentence for anyone, much less for an internationally recognized human rights defender who has never been charged with any act of violence,” said Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific director. “State and federal authorities in India should immediately drop these politically motivated charges against Dr Sen and release him.”

Dr Binayak Sen was convicted of sedition and conspiracy under the Chhattisgarh Special Public Safety Act, 2005, and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 2004.

He was immediately taken into custody after the announcement of the sentence, having been out on bail since May 2009.

“Dr Sen, who is considered a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International, was convicted under laws that are impermissibly vague and fall well short of international standards for criminal prosecution,” Sam Zarifi said. “Instead of persecuting Dr Sen, authorities in Chhattisgarh should be acting to protect the people of the region from the abuses committed by the Maoists, as well as state security forces and militias.”

“This sentence will seriously intimidate other human rights defenders who would provide a peaceful outlet for the people’s grievances, especially for the indigenous Adivasi population,” Sam Zarifi said.

India’s central government has acknowledged that the intensifying armed conflict with the Maoists in central India is a reflection of serious inequities and a history of human rights violations in the area.  Amnesty International believes that the charges against Dr Sen are baseless and politically motivated.

Dr Binyak Sen is a pioneer of health care to marginalized and indigenous communities in Chhattisgarh, where the state police and armed Maoists have been engaged in clashes over the last seven years.  He has reported on unlawful killings of Adivasis (Indigenous People) by the police and by Salwa Judum, a private militia widely held to be sponsored by the state authorities to fight the armed Maoists.

Dr Binyak Sen was first detained without proper charges for seven months, denied bail, and kept in solitary confinement for three weeks. He spent two years in jail before his release on bail in May 2009. Many of the charges against him stem from laws that contravene international standards. Repeated delays in the conduct of his trial have cast doubts about its fairness.

Amnesty International has repeatedly called on the Indian authorities to immediately drop all the charges against Dr Binyak Sen.

Public Document
****************************************
For more information please call Amnesty International’s press office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566 or email: press@amnesty.org

http://www.binayaksen.net/2010/12/amnesty-statement/#more-2047

 

Goa Governor's X-mas gift - a copy of RTI Act

Panaji:  A ribbon-wrapped copy of the Right To Information Act (RTI) Act - that's one Christmas gift Goa Governor SS Sidhu might not forget for a long while. 

Sidhu, who was summoned on Wednesday by the Goa State Information Commission (GSIC) for denying information sought under the RTI to social activist Aires Rodrigues, was on Saturday given the special gift-wrapped Christmas present.

"I sent him a copy of the RTI Act 2005. In the new year, the people of Goa would like to see Governor Sidhu perform his statutory duty of complying with the provisions of the Right to Information Act in order to ensure transparency and accountability at Raj Bhavan," Aires told IANS. 

"The Raj Bhavan has officially received the copy," he said. 

Sidhu has been issued summons by the registrar of the Goa State Information Commission (GSIC), Meena Naik Goltekar, to be present at the hearing of an appeal slated for Jan 4 at 10.30 a.m. 

The summons follows an appeal made to the GSIC by Aires, whose earlier RTI application made to Sidhu was rejected by the Governor's special secretary, N Radhakrishnan, on the claim that "the governor's office is not a public authority and hence does not come under the purview of the RTI Act".

In his RTI application of Nov 28, Aires asked for details of the action taken on the complaints he made to the Governor against state Advocate General Subodh Kantak. The activist also sought copies of noting sheets and correspondence pertaining to the processing of his complaints against the advocate general. 

"The Governor himself has become a victim of the unsound legal advice given to him by (the) advocate general (AG) Mr. Subodh Kantak, who is costing the state exchequer over a crore of rupees a year. It was on Kantak's advice that he has refused to respond to my RTI query on the AG," Aires said.


Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/goa-governors-x-mas-gift-a-copy-of-rti-act-74871?cp

 

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