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Political Notes

	January 30, 2006

Money withdrawn from Quattrocchi accounts



The CBI had to cut a sorry figure in the Supreme Court last week when it informed the court that Bofors accused Ottavio Quattrocchi had withdrawn the entire amount totaling Rs. 26 crore from his two London bank accounts after they were defreezed. The withdrawal happened on Jan. 16, the same day that the apex court had directed the CBI and the Government to ensure that the money was not spirited away.



To a question from the Chief Justice of India whether the CBI which initiated the process of freezing the accounts in July 2003 through the special court in Delhi, got its permission before taking steps for defreezing the accounts, the CBI said, “no permission was obtained.” The agency, however, maintained that no permission was necessary since it was an on-going investigation.





Join hands to develop India : President tells politicians



In his address on the eve of Republic Day, President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam has asked politicians to converge on development politics for upliftment of the people. He said, “In politics there are two dimensions, the first one is political politics and the other is developmental politics. Political politics is required during the election process. Immediately after the election, all parties must converge on developmental politics with a common mission to work with zeal to uplift 260 million people living below the poverty line and remove illiteracy and unemployment.”



“Leaders of my nation, you may meet many people and help them, but you immediately look for those who need your utmost help and bring them to the mainstream. Those who deal with public administration, look for the last person to be served and make him or her feel he or she is serviced with kind heart,” Kalam said.



Similarly, he said, the judiciary and law enforcement agencies should look for marginalised persons “who cannot even reach you because of multiple gates and layers between the judiciary and the citizens.”





Terror attack plan foiled



Delhi Police arrested two Harkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islami militants on Wednesday, Jan. 25, foiling a terrorist plan to strike the capital during the Republic Day celebrations. Mohammad Said-ul and Sohed-ul, both Bangladeshi nationals, were arrested from East Delhi. A huge cache of arms and ammunition was seized from them. Police claimed that the two were part of a bigger module, that had sneaked into the country and was planning to carry out a fidayeen strike on Jan. 26 in the city. On interrogation, the two disclosed that the explosives had been smuggled in from Bangladesh. Both got training in handling arms, ammunition and explosives in Bangladesh.



Elsewhere in the country, Naxalites launched a series of attacks on the eve of Republic Day in Jharkhand and Bihar to disrupt the celebrations. A Railway Protection Force jawan was killed in Jharkhand in the Naxalite attack. Several railway tracks were blown up disrupting train services. There are also reports of violence in Orissa.





Left warning on Iran nuclear issue



CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat has warned the UPA Government that India supporting EU-3 Resolution on Iran at the coming meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors will be outside the limits of tolerance between the UPA and the Left. Speaking at a public meeting in New Delhi to mark Anti-Imperialist Day on Jan. 24, he said the Left parties had not joined the Manmohan Singh Government because of serious differences over its economic and foreign policies. “We are extending support from the outside, but any decision to support the EU-3 resolution will be outside the limits of tolerance,” he said.



The Government’s policy towards the US came in for strong attack, with Karat pointing out that Washington was using the twin arguments of terrorism and spread of democracy to establish its hegemony over the world. He said that it was unfortunate that the Government had decided to support the US and called upon the party cadres to join the large demonstrations planned during the visit of President Bush in March.



The CPI(M) leader listed the India-US defence framework, the civilian nuclear agreement, the Global Democracy Fund, the strategic cooperation on terrorism, the vote at the IAEA meet on Iran last September as examples of UPA Government’s continuing ‘compromise’ with the US.





Maharashtra : Congress wins by-elections



The Congress has won all the three Assembly by-elections in Maharashtra and with this, become the single largest party in the state assembly. The by elections were held after the resignation of Revenue Minister Narayan Rane’s supporters who had left the Shiv Sena to join the Congress. With three more seats in its kitty, the Congress strength has surged to 72 in the 288-member state Assembly - a seat head of its ruling alliance partner 71 - member NCP which had emerged the single largest party in the October 2004 Assembly polls.



On the other hand, the Opposition Shiv Sena’s strength has come down to 57 as against the strength of 54 MLAs enjoyed by its alliance partner, the BJP.