Whispers Forum

The spike in COROA-19 cases in India is due to the distortion of constitutional spirit of a unitary system in a federal scheme under the Constitution of India. Today, it is the judiciary that is issuing advisory/direction to the federating units instead of the Government of India. Had the states complied with the central directives to contain the spread of the infection in letter and spirit, India would not have crossed the figures of even thousands. But the defiance, resistance, obduracy, flippancy, assertiveness and politics of some states has brought about this situation. What for are the Emergency provisions of the constitution? Is the central government authorized by the constitution to issue advisory to state(s) government? Is the state government obliged to implement the central directives in toto? War or internal strife alone are not Emergency, COVID-19 like medical infections too are. Can a state government ignore the central government directives, refuse to discharge its constitutional responsibility for public health and thrust the population in to a community infection of Corona/ Corona like epidemic? What can the central government do? Should it go to the court? For the present, nobody is prepared to give a clear verdict on the issue. But it is costly to decide the course of action in emergencies on a case to case basis. Unless the Court reviews its verdict in the S.R. Bommai case to meet the exigencies like COVID-19 effectively, the unitary features of the constitution of India will lie in a limbo.
M L Gupta

Draft of New Education policy 2020,is highly ambitious, focussing on promoting multi-dimensional development of personality of students from school to college level.
Doing post graduation would be almost history under the new dispensation. One has to complete graduation, pursue studies further, if interested, and go straight for the Research. M Phil would be redundant.
Introducing 360 degree assessment system for students is fantastic. The students will have to self-assess their performance before getting assessed by the peer groups.
Will the students be intelligent and fair enough to grade their assessment. A plebeian suggestion, that needs a re-think.
Learning music, painting, sculpturing and other works of Art etc. with Science and humanities subjects, no doubt, will give flexibility to students to fine-tune and promote their hobbies and educational predilections.
Another noteworthy feature of new policy is to make it mandatory for students to study upto class 5th in their mother tongues. During my schooling in a sarkari school, I started learning English language from class 6th onwards.
Earmarking 6% of GDP for Educational sector, as against 4% at present, was long overdue. Fair enough. But, the first priority remains jobs creation. A multi- faceted personality and absence of jobs, will lead to a contradictory situation like : “Padhey Farsi, Bechey Tel”.
Do we have trained teachers and infrastructure to cope up with new Education policy, which will have to pass through many tests and hurdles.
Keeping standards of new education policy at par in all States is not so easy as perceived by the draft New Education policy. This has anti- rural bias.
Success of the new policy will depend how soon we overcome the Implementational road blocks. Possibility of chaos. A mechanism will be needed to bring order into chaos by grasping the inherent factors, harmonise them in right proportion to achieve the objective.
The outcome of the new policy will determine its success or failure.
The policy will take several years to operationalise. Not a matter of one or two years.
As stated earlier, we are living in a highly competitive world. Knowledge of English is the sine qua non in global jobs competition.
Changing Syllabii of subjects will require substantive efforts. This will remain a subject of perennial controversy between the elite schools and sarkari- schools and will further sharpen the urban divide. The impact on municipal schools in rural areas will be disastrous.
All things considered , the new draft Education policy is a welcome change for the sake of change. Fulfillment of BJP Manifesto promised in 2014, is , no doubt, creditable. But, it could be fraught with political undertones and overtones.
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)
Has Modi govt gone intellectually bankrupt ?
What is the urgency for any extensions ? So, the bankruptcy of ideas in Modi Govt is to the extent of (1) second extension to the incumbent, (2) extension to new chap even before vacancy arises. Aren’t there others ? No wonder this govt is earning epithets and ridicules.
Vijay Kumar
Congrats – new DG, AIR News
Congratulations Sir. I hope you will give a new dimension to All India Radio
Matosh Chander

China’s eyes now seem to be set on the island of Hawaii in the United States in the Pacific Ocean. The recent re-election of the pro-Beijing Taneti Maamau as the President of Kiribati in June this year, according to Christopher Pala in his report filed with the FP News on June 19, will raise the “tantalizing possibility of China getting a foothold in Kiribati’s Christmas Island, which is the world’s largest atoll with a land area of 150 square km, located 1300 miles south of Honolulu, home to the US Pacific Command. “
While the ostensible reason for building port facilities on the Christmas Island could be tourism, it could very well be used to park the Chinese warships. Incidentally an analysis by a retired US Rear Admiral Michael McDevitt Chinese Navy will be the Largest in the World in 2035 has warned both the US and its ally Australia about the growing naval capabilities of China.
While Japan used air planes to attack the Pearl Harbour in 1944, state of the art technology could enable China to attack Hawaii from the Christmas Island. That this development has raised concern for the US military is evident from the hush-hush meeting held by the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in June with a key Chinese Foreign Ministry Official Yang Jiechi in Hawaii. During this meeting Yang is reported to have told the Secretary of State that the US should respect Chinese positions on key issues, stop interfering in the matters like Hong Kong, Taiwan and Xinjiang.
The message was loud and clear. If there were to be an attack on Honolulu that could trigger worldwide repercussions. Retaliation has no meaning as only Kiribati will suffer. Even when the world is still reeling under the onslaught of the corona virus, it neither wants the repeat of an attack on Pearl Harbour nor another Hiroshima and Nagasaki after seven decades. The telling fact, however, remains that the sky seems to be the limit for the territorial ambitions of China.
Dr Sitharam Gurumurthi IAS (Retired)
Chennai
In CSS, stagnation galores
This is on account of cadre restructuring of various All India Service Cadres. In the Central Staffing Scheme they continue to stagnate in the posts in which they are at the level of Director and Joint Secretary. Whereas their batch-mates in their own cadre become Joint Secretary level and Additional Secretary level. Why will one like to loose financially ?
BBS

This is not surprising to know that the biggest causality happened with Middle Class families specially those were working with private companies/organisations during the continuing Pandemic period. Not a single Govt. facilities have been classified to benefit them either State/Central. They are righteous/honest Income Tax payers & their contribution is significant. They are under tremendous pressure to meet their family obligations related to Child education, Marriage, Keeping parent care, Home loan etc. kinds of responsibilities to continuously bear/maintain. In this circumstances, they are under going situation like this: -----Job loss. -----Salary cut. ----- Working in strenuous condition facing tension of job loss/threat from employer do it or leave it. Beside the above, most harassing part is Non-payment of Full-final Settlement amount by the companies after forced resignation or pressurized to leave the job. Would like to elaborate that even an amount in between 5 lakhs to 10 lakhs are delayed and those who has worked more than 10 years involves amount more than 15 lakhs & above have kept waiting in this difficult time and still these are not reimbursed. As you all aware, Legal course or action inadvertently delay considering the present day constrained in operations of the Courts. You can think about them how much they are mentally seek & desperate so that they are unable to follow-up even to handle family responsibilities, search for new job,dried-up earning, maintaining through savings and sending reminders to the Company for reimbursement. And nothing is happening. You know after going through this painstaking write-up compliant, so many suggestions will pour in ,but my humble request with folded hand to the DECISION MAKERS that please do take some urgent action and ask each of the private company/organisation to furnish the details of retrenchment of Staff & seek explanation about delay/Non-payment in Final Settlement amount and last Income Tax Department to force them to release by paying TDS amounts so that Ex-employees can submit their Income tax Return in time-some bungling is going on in issuance TDS certificates please do take action. -------A poor middle class without work/job to whom nobody is ready to help.----PLEASE DO HELP US---- AN INDIAN.
Sachidanand
Carrot and stick policy to get rid of an Election Commissioner
Modi is using carrot and stick policy to get rid of Lavasa as Election Commissioner who is in line to become CEC. Stick did not work. Now the carrot of ADB will work or not? If Lavasa goes, Modi can fill the commission with his yes men/women.
Amit

Vikas Dubey, UP's gangster was arrested in Ujjain, then encountered in Kanpur. Reports reveal his web of nexuses with bureaucrats, politicians, Dons, builders mafia, police cops etc who gave Dubey collective protection.
The case is cited in the context of a serious indictment by Jay Panda, Ex MP, against groups of celebrities who surreptitiously control the Bollywood business in cahoot with the underworld dons. Panda is a highly regarded politician. His allegation that several Bollywood artistes have links with the deep state in Pakistan, merits careful investigation. It would help if Panda spells out details of anti-nationals. Nation will be in a state of shock. Investigation is called for. Soft-pedalling the offence would be sinful.
The loose cannons of INC are getting berserk. No action was taken by the ruling dispensation against the congress dynasts who are usually in defiance mode with moronic utterances. Even our Armed Forces were not spared. These traitors have signed secret MOUs with China and the ISI, in lieu of regular pay-offs . It is puzzling that despite clear evidences the NSA, NIA, ED, CB laws were not invoked.
No one can believe that IB, RAW, ED, CBI were not aware of such despicable goings on?
Now to Bollywood specifics.
A majority of blockbluster films are reportedly funded by underground mafia, headed by infamous gangsters stationed in Pakistan. They choose their favourite actors, directors, singers, composers etc for particular films.
Dig out one-time union Home Secy’s( N N Vohra's) secret report submitted in 1997 on the deep nexus of bureaucrats, politicians, builders mafia, extortionists with Pakistan's deep state .
Their details are contained in the marked Appendices attached to the report, not in the main report.
N N Vohra submitted the report, with Appendices, in 1997 to the then Union Home minister. These were later passed on to successive Home Ministers of UPA- I , II before relinquishing the charge.
One cannot say with authority whether the said report, with or without Appendices, was handed over by the last union Home Ministers of UPA-II to subsequent home ministers of NDA, namely Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah.
The Appendices containing explosive details of bureaucrats, politicians, businessmen, builders mafia have been concealed or destroyed ? But, these can be recreated with the assistance of Vohra and Directors of CBI, IB,RAW,ED ,who were all members of the said committee. These can be updated by adding names of latest gangsters,mobsters ,who are enjoying protection of bureaucracy, politicians and the gangsters.
N N Vohra by keeping the Appendices under wrap, derived the maximum advantage by keeping his lips sealed. The report was misused as a tool for blackmailing the remaining in power for over two decades. No more such dirty tricks by the blackmailing bureaucrats.
What should be done?
In order to be just and fair to the posterity, details must be kept in the public domain. If, appropriate action under the law of the land, is not taken against the Bollywood rogues with criminal links, history is bound to repeat itself with vengeance. PM Modi is urged to take the call .
A K Saxena ( A former civil servant)
Delhi needs a dynamic Lt. Governor like Kiran Bedi
There is absolute anarchy in Delhi. Governance is zero. LG House seems to be under old age effect. Control and support of police is essentially required in every field. In such situation some retired Army Officer or Police Officer should immediately be enthroned as LG Delhi. This is more important to control the uncontrolled Delhi Govt. Babus and Leaders as well. If Mrs Kiran Bedi is selected, she will be the best for present situation....
R K Singh

Corona times require some measures by office goers. Here are some tips: Maintain 6 feet distance always and at all times, even in the toilets. Do not remove your mask even if it is hot or you are inside your office space or you are talking. Ensure that masks are clean. Try doing most of the work through telephone, e-mail, Video Conference. Handle files and paper with gloves or sanitize your hands regularly upon handling them. Keep sanitizing your hands every half hour. Do not touch any surfaces unnecessarily. Sanitize your hands if you have touched any surface. Even if you have a scratchy throat, take leave, do not go to office. Meet as few people as possible. Most official meetings will anyway be through Video Conference or web based online meetings. Do not partake of food and water during meetings. Ensure rotation of staff and officers as per government guidelines. Check that you are not walking on anybody's spit. The spit might adhere to your shoes and you might take the virus home. Do not take it casually. It is a deadly disease and can erupt in no time, anywhere. If cases go down, that does not mean you can lower your guard. Senior functionaries cannot presume that the disease will not afflict them. They must also follow all rules, regulations and guidance. 28 Jul, 2020 00:0
Vijay Kumar
Quasi emergency unlike 1975 ?
By granting extension to retiring bureaucrats as matter of general policy, Modi government is creating committed bureaucracy. Is this Quasi emergency unlike 1975 ?
Bharat
Will he be a henchman ?
S K Gupta IRS is honest to the core unlike his several colleagues. But is he ethically honest if he accepts Modi’s largesse in the form of one year extension? The CBDT already became political tool in the hands of this government to hound its rivals. Will Gupta be a henchman ?
Narendra

PM while addressing US India Business Council Meet has invited investment in Health care also in addition to other important sectors. Telemedicines has been mentioned as one of the areas where our Indian companies are progressing. Now it is high time to introduce Telemedicine at large scale. To start with telemedicine or Teleconsultation in medical should be immediately implemented for CGHS beneficiaries specially pensioners so the medical services/consultations can be provided at different locations without physical movements. CGHS HQ can work out methodologies for implementation of the scheme. How the services can be provided, prescription can be issued and how to supply medicines etc with facilities of showing test reports on line to medical specialist/medical officers. On line appointment facility is already available. We have advantage that the Minister for H&FW.is renowned doctor who can appreciate the subject much better and implementation strategies for telemedicines/consultations. This will be big relief to CGHS beneficiaries specially pensioners. We urge our Minister to consider it favourably for early implementations. In Private Hospitals it is already being implemented and people are taking advantages of the technology. We should also use the technology to our needs. Let us hope for early implementation of telemedicines/teleconsult.
Naveen
WIC should highlight black sheep
There is no accountability on part of bureaucrats, who grab all the accolades but simply vanish when it comes to lapses in the Deptt. under their charge. WIC should also highlight such black sheep.
Bosidini

On the issue of Mrs. Kiran Bedi, the present Lt Governor of Puducherry being given a new responsibility in New Delhi, then the present political dispensation would desire to make her Lt Governor of Delhi. It will serve two purpose, one need not be elaborate the reasons. It is well understood by all concerned.
S Meenakshi Sundaram
For Atmanirbhar Bharat Make Whole-Grain Bread First
The lockdown caused by COVID-19 made life difficult in cities, towns and villages in India. In cities like Delhi, Mumbai etc. disruption of domestic help services forced people to eat bread often- and the quality of it does not inspire any atmanirbharata. Can India make and supply to its people whole-grain and multi-grain bread/balls and other varieties commonly available in foreign markets in the next 6(six) months or so? Good quality bread, fortified with iron and vitamins not only tastes better but satisfies the belly abundantly. Alternatively, can the MSME Sector manufacture a complete plant like the bread making one to make India Atmanirbhar in making Roti/ chapatis and Idli/Dosa (not mentioning Vada)? Those imagining bread to be a city folk food ought to note that even the villagers enjoy it provided there is regular supply of what I have suggested. Besides the village housewives also will be relieved of the drudgery of cooking meals all the time and have more time for their social-political responsibilities as many of them are Hon’ble Panch/Sarpach of the village Panchayats. The potential for job creation and addition to GDP have so far escaped the notice of economists/World Bank (closure of Modern Bread need not be mentioned perhaps). The list has other critical items but some other time…
M L Gupta
Fake news ?
How a person can be appointed as member of Patents, Trademark and copyright ? The vacancies for different positions of members were advertised in August 2018.It seems to be completely fake news.
Saroj

Information pertaining to sanction of prosecution against the appellant by his department on CVC’s advice, was denied under section 8(1)(h) of the RTI Act. The appellant submitted that a charge sheet has been filed against him in ACB Court, Kota in August 2016, and hence, the denial of information under Section 8(1)(h) will not apply in the case because the investigation has been completed. The PIO agreed to abide by the CIC’s verdict. The denial of information under Section 8(1)(h) in the matter was rejected by the CIC.
Comments
There has been a contradictory view regarding disclosure of documents relating to a vigilance inquiry after the charge sheet has been filed while the enquiry is still pending. Whenever the information is denied u/s 8(1)(h), the PIO must inform how the disclosure of information would impede the process of investigation or apprehension or prosecution of offenders. It is not merely a perception or an assumption, but a burden on the public authority to show in what manner the disclosure of such information would 'impede' the process.
Citation: Manvendra Singh Raghav v. Central Vigilance Commission in File No : CIC/CVCOM/A/2018/164901, Date of Decision: 06/07/2020.
Dr. Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is an expert on RTI matters and has co-authored the books RIGHT TO INFORMATION - LAW AND PRACTICE and PIO’s guide to RTI. Apart from her weekly article here, her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation of India at the link: www.rtifoundationofindia.com

As per PMO website, Prime Minister Narendra Modi firmly believes that transparency and accountability are the two cornerstones of any pro-people government. Transparency and accountability not only connect the people closer to the government but also make them equal and integral part of the decision making process. However this is hardly followed by ACC in processing appointments.
Ram
Functioning of ACC
The observation regarding the functioning of ACC is very correct. Only connected officers can get their files cleared. Lesser mortals have no such luck. This Modi government is non elite only on paper. Lutyen gang still calls the shots.
S K Singh
Considered seriously !
Suggestions made by Naveen should be considered seriously by Central Government.
S Gopal
Lohani excels !
Yes Lohani excelled both in the Railways and Air India.
Amitabh Agrawal

1. It is an accepted fact that general cleanliness in Government Hospitals is poor; Toilets are pathetic. TOI in a report on 16th July states that “Fear of dirty LOOS ,keep government hospitals beds empty”.
2. It is unfortunate, that our country which can send space craft to moon etc. CAN NOT maintain clean TOILETS in Hospitals !!!
3.While we have been able to maintain a comparatively cleaner TOILETS in Airports/Malls, why can not our administrators do the same in Hospitals? Is it an apathy towards low income/poorer section of the society-( Airports/Malls are generally used by affluent section of the society)?
4. The present Government is spending lot of money on SWATCH BHARAT campaign .Some money should be diverted towards Hospital Toilets. Maintenance job should be given to private firms like Sulabh International etc. To monitor their work Government should appoint Ex-servicemen (JCO) as SANITARY INSPECTORS/SUPERVISORS .
5. It is a well known fact that there is an acute shortage of Doctors ,Nurses ,para medics etc. in ALL Hospitals(Government and Private) across the country. As a long term solution is to open more Medical and Nursing colleges by the Government( Central and State). To overcome the problem immediately, Government(s) should consider the suggestions made by Dr. Devi Shetty,Chairman, Narayana Health in his write up in Times of India dt.17th July 2020.
6. Both Central and State Governments should take immediate action before it is too late .
S Gopal

Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India Covid-19 crisis has affected whole world and we all have to live with it for a long time. People have found different way of living. Many services have started working on line like education, banking, shopping, examinations etc. keeping social distance and mask in view. People started looking opportunities in disaster. We could not do much in telemedicine/teleconsultation even when OPDs were closed for long time. Some State Govt. and also centre started telemedicine services but not in large scale. This is right time to start this service in large scale for CGHS as still large number of CGHS beneficiaries specially pensioners are stuck in various parts of the country where CGHS facility is not available, Pensioners mostly are having long term ailments and requires long and stabilised treatment like diabetes, hypertension, heart problem, kidney related etc. We request the Minister for H&FW to start telemedicine, teleconsultation services for CGHS beneficiaries/pensioners immediately so that they can consult the Specialist/medical officer Incharge after obtaining online appointment. Long term treatment are normally under CGHS Medical Specialist and they prescribe the medicines for four to six months which medical Officer Incharge can not do it. Medical Specialist should be able to have video conversation and review the cases and prescribe the medicines to the beneficiaries without visiting personally. Let this service to start from Delhi. All Medical Specialist mobile number should be available on CGHS website while booking online appointment. Specialist can be requested to be available at least three times in a week. All the Specialist visiting different wellness centres in Delhi to be made available. WhatsApp is one method to have video call. There may be other options available to have video call and prescribe the medicines in authentic way so when such medicines are issued by wellness centres or purchased during Covid-19 crisis, there is no problem in settling the bill. We have to work some method to have telemedicines programme for CGHS beneficiaries specially for pensioners. Govt. has permitted OPD medicines can be purchased till July 2020 but this should be extended till the time situation becomes normal and validity of prescription should not be questioned during the payment by CGHS HQ. Once again Minister for H&FW is requested to look into the telemedicine programme for CGHS beneficiaries to give immediate relief during Covid-19 period and also for long term solution. Minister can very well appreciate the programme being a renowned Doctor. Home care programme for CGHS beneficiaries having Covid-19 virus was appreciated by all. But no consultation with prescription for other ailments were given to the beneficiaries. Good luck Sir.
Naveen
Review IT rules
Fully endorse M L Gupta's suggestions. Government should consider amending/review of some of the IT rules.
S Gopal