Since eight days Delhi Mumbai rail route has been jammed by Gurjars. Till now neither Gurjar leaders are thinking about the inconvenience caused by their unjustified (court has already rejected their demand)to common people nor government is doing any thing to remove this blockade. This is nothing less than terrorism. Constitutionally their demand are wrong that's why court has ruled out, still they are forcing government and troubling common people. They should be booked for contempt of court. They have damaged railway track, who has given them authority to do this. These acts are done by either terrorists or nexalites. Gurjars must be dealt severely. But I believe in giving first chance to negotiation. Bainsla is most selfish and stubborn leader. Actually he is not a leader. He has started loosing ground so to make his ground he has involved in terrorist act. If he were a great leader then he would not have made his wife another Rabri Devi.
In democracy how few handful of people are allowed to take whole nation for a ride. I also believe in right to strike for lawful and justified demands. But right to strike does not mean troubling other especially innocent and common people. Since there is no organisation of common people, otherwise they would have been thrown from railway tract for taking whole nation for a ride. Bainsla must be punished severely. He is trying to fulfill his selfish desires for that he does not mind to trouble lakhs of common people. If he has got problems with government then he should stop government from work, but he is stopping railways. Presently our country is facing with the problems of terrorism. Think about this, there is terrorist attack and we are unable to mobilise our forces due to strike by Gurjars or terrorist may take advantage of this situation and may go with their nefarious design smoothly. In any case communication should be stopped, because it slows down whole nation and sometimes it may cause grave danger to security of our nation. There must be provision in our constitution to declare such type of leader as gaddar should be punished severely and immediately. They are playing with national security. I request Gurjars to reject those psycho leaders and go Bihar way. If they think that their demand is genuine then either prove in court or to country and get it fulfilled. I hope god will give them little wisdom.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
The New Nababs or vultures.
The new nawabs
By Priya Sahgal and Kaveree Bamzai | India Today – Wed, Dec 15 12:32 PM IST
When Ratan Tata moved the Supreme Court, claiming his right to privacy had been violated, he called Harish Salve. The choice was not surprising. The former solicitor general has been topping the legal charts ever since he scripted a surprising win for Mukesh Ambani against his brother Anil. That dispute set the gold standard for legal fees. On Mukesh's side were Salve, Rohinton Nariman and Abhishek Manu Singhvi. The younger brother had an equally formidable line-up led by Ram Jethmalani and Mukul Rohatgi.
The lawyers' fees alone, at a conservative estimate, cost the Ambani brothers at least Rs 15 crore each in their famous war over natural gas. -
India Today
The dispute dated back three-and-a-half years to when Anil filed a case against his brother for reneging on an agreement to supply 28 million cubic metres of gas per day from its Krishna-Godavari basin fields at a rate of $2.34 for 17 years. The average legal fee was Rs 25 lakh for a full day's appearance, not to mention the overnight stays at Mumbai's five-star suites, business class travel, and on occasion, use of the private jet. Little wonder though that Salve agreed to take on Tata's case pro bono. He could afford philanthropy with one of India's wealthiest tycoons.
Welcome to the world of new nawabs. The lawyers' fees alone, at a conservative estimate, must have cost the Ambanis at least Rs 15 crore each. Both the brothers had booked their legal teams in the same hotel, first the Oberoi and, after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, the Trident. "Well, if you're going to write all this, then you can also add that Mukesh bought me a pair of pyjamas as well," laughs Salve, recalling how he was called to Mumbai suddenly from Orissa where he had gone for a day's hearing. "I told Mukesh I had packed nothing. He insisted on buying me the essentials."
It's not the essentials as much as the frills that raise eyebrows. The veteran Jethmalani is surprisingly the most modest in his fees since he does not charge rates according to the strength of the client's purse. But as the crises have multiplied, lawyers' fees have exploded.
**************************************************
Harish Salve, 54- Landmark case: Won the gas dispute for Mukesh Ambani, though what he enjoys most is being amicus curiae in the Forest Case of T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad vs Union of India and Others.- Legal Style: Is a master strategist. Gives a balanced argument rather than an aggressive, one-sided view.- Fee per appearance: Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh. For a full day, it's Rs 25 lakh.- The indulgence: Drives a Bentley.
**************************************************
Ram Jethmalani, 87- Landmark case: Got the Jain Hawala case against L. K. Advani squashed; is currently defending former Gujarat home minister Amit Shah.- Legal Style: Argues forcefully. Has an acerbic wit.- Fee per appearance: Rs 5 lakh.- The indulgence: Has an indoor badminton court built in his MP bungalow that is the envy of Lutyens' Delhi.
**************************************************
Mukul Rohatgi, 55- Landmark case: Represented Anil Ambani in the gas dispute.- Legal Style: Is a slogger. Argues aggressively and goes straight to the point.- Fee per appearance: Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh and Rs 25 lakh for a full day.- The indulgence: Drives a black Bentley, has Souza on his walls, a holiday home in Goa.
**************************************************
Majid Memon, 55- Landmark case: He represented Yakub Memon but could not set him free.- Legal Style: He argues in the court with his right leg on a chair.- Fee per day: Rs 10 lakh. Charges Rs 2 lakh for a bail application.- The indulgence: Likes to travel, makes frequent trips to exotic locations.
**************************************************
Satish Maneshinde, 50- Landmark case: He secured bail for Sanjay Dutt in the Bombay blast case and for Salman Khan who allegedly killed one person while driving drunk.- Legal Style: Argues calmly in court and looks straight into the judge's eyes.- Fee per day: Rs 10 lakh.- The indulgence: His Mercedes and a passion for Page 3 parties.
**************************************************
Aryama Sundaram, 53- Landmark case: Represented the West Bengal Government against Haldia Petrochemicals and UBS Securities against sebi.- Legal Style: Persuasive speaker, argues his case in a measured tone.- Fee per appearance: Rs 3.5 lakh
**************************************************
Arvind Datar, 53- Landmark case: Was one of the lawyers in the Vodafone vs Income Tax case.- Legal Style: Says one lesson he learnt is to never antagonise a judge. It's not only your bread and butter but your client's life.- Fee per appearance: Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh.- The indulgence: His first car was a Toyota Corona in 1990. Now he drives an Audi. Has penned a three-volume commentary on Constitutional law.
**************************************************
Abhishek Manu Singhvi, 51- Landmark case: Won the right to fly the tricolour for Navin Jindal.- Legal Style: From logical in court to rhetorical flourish in Parliament to snappy sound bites for the media on tv.- Fee per appearance: Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh. For a full day, it's Rs 25 lakh.- The indulgence: A limited-edition Visconti pen with a custom-made nib and watches from every luxury brand.
**************************************************
The 50 court hearings in the Haldia Petrochemicals vs the West Bengal Government cost the former a total of Rs 25 crore in lawyer fees and the 20 hearings in the Bombay Mill Case, which dragged on for three years, cost the mill owners almost Rs 10 crore. Large corporate firms, which engage star counsels on behalf of the client, also need to know their quirks.
For instance, Salve will only accept the first brief. He will never be the second counsel in a case. Some lawyers prefer to be paid partly in cash but the best are content with cheques. Some expect the client not to blink while picking up a dinner tab of Rs 1.75 lakh at a Chennai five star. A lawyer is known to carry his home linen and curtains with him while travelling on work. A firm may even have to pick up a hot Vertu phone of the moment or a Jaeger-LeCoutre watch of the hour to keep a lawyer in good humour.
Some are even paid to not appear at all for the other side - Aryama Sundaram was retained by Anil Ambani in the gas feud but he did not fight the case. Or take Raytheon when it was fighting the Jindals. Raytheon had paid seven top lawyers a retainer fee of Rs 2.5 lakh each just to ensure that the Jindals would not be able to make a proper case on a taxation issue.
They miscalculated when a star lawyer fought the case at the last minute. "I don't take negative retainers," shrugs Rohatgi, former additional solicitor general. "A lawyer's job is to appear for any client that comes to him. It's not for the lawyers to judge if a client is good or bad but the court." Indeed. He is, after all, the lawyer who argued so famously in court that B. Ramalinga Raju did not fudge any account in the Satyam Case. All he did was "window dressing".
Some high profile cases have continued for years, providing a steady source of income, from the Scindia succession battle which dates to 1989, to the JetLite Sahara battle now in taxation arbitration to the BCCI which is currently in litigation with Lalit Modi, Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab.
Think of the large law firms as the big Hollywood studios and the senior counsel as the superstar. There are a few familiar faces to be found in most of the big ticket cases, whether it is the Ambani gas case, Vodafone taxation or Bombay Mills case.
Explains Salve, "There is a reason why we have more than one senior advocate on a case. When you're arguing, he's reading the court. He picks up a point or a vibe that you may have missed." Says Raian Karanjawala whose firm has prepared the briefs for cases ranging from the Tata's recent right to privacy case to Karisma Kapoor's divorce, "The four jewels in the crown today are Salve, Rohatgi, Rohinton Nariman and Singhvi.
They have replaced the old guard of Fali Nariman, Soli Sorabjee, Ashok Desai and K.K. Venugopal." He adds, "The one person who defies the generational gap is Jethmalani who was India's leading criminal lawyer in the 1960s and is so today."
The demand for superstar lawyers has far outstripped the supply. So a one-man show by, say, Rohatgi can run up billings of Rs 40 crore, the same as a mid-sized corporate law firm like Titus and Co that employs 28 juniors. The big law firms such as AZB or Amarchand & Mangaldas or Luthra & Luthra have to do all the groundwork for the counsel, from humouring the clerk to ensure the A-lister turns up on the hearing day to sourcing appropriate foreign judgments in emerging areas such as environmental and patent laws. "We are partners in this. There are so few lawyers and so many matters," points out Diljeet Titus.
As the trust between individuals has broken down, governments have questioned corporates and corporates are questioning each other, and an array of new issues has come up. And as the government has weakened, the courts have become stronger. The lawyer, says Sundaram, with the flourish that has seen him pick up many Dhurandhares and Senakas at pricey art auctions, has emerged as the modern day purohit.
Each purohit is head priest of a particular style. Says Karanjawala, "Harish is the closest example in today's bar to Fali Nariman; Rohinton has the best law library in his brain; Mukul is easily India's busiest lawyer while Manu Singhvi is the greatest multi-tasker." Salve has managed a fine balancing act where he has represented Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mayawati, Parkash Singh Badal and Amarinder Singh, Lalit Modi and Subhash Chandra and even the Ambani brothers, of course in different cases. Singhvi is Sonia Gandhi's go-to-guy on most legal issues, whether it is citizenship or filing a case against a publication.
Jethmalani is the man to call for anyone in trouble. In judicial circles he is known as the first resort for the last resort. Even Jethmalani's junior Satish Maneshinde, who came to Mumbai in 1993 as a penniless law graduate from Karnataka, shot to fame (and wealth) after he got bail for Sanjay Dutt in 1996. Now he owns a plush office in Worli and has become a one-stop shop for celebrities in trouble, from getting bail for Rakhi Sawant when a youth committed suicide after she called him namard (impotent) to representing Salman Khan in a drunken driving case.
With wealth come perks. In 1992, Karanjawala and Desai were chatting in the Supreme Court car park when former law minister Ashoke Sen zipped by in his Fiat. "What Ashoke, small car?" asked Desai to which Sen replied, "In Bangla we have a saying: known Brahmins need not wear the sacred thread." Now the car park is filled with Bentleys, Mercedes and at the very least, an upmarket Toyota. The symbols of success include a holiday home in Goa, Souzas on the office walls, shopping expeditions to Bond Street (where they can expect to bump into other lawyers). As Salve says, "Only Brioni and Canali make boring suits for lawyers, the blacks and dark greys." Also the pens, the watches, and in Arun Jaitley and Rohatgi's case, the jamewars. Then there is the public profile, amplified by talking head status on tv channels every other night.
Most of the prized lawyers such as Salve, Jethmalani, Sundaram and Rohatgi do some pro bono work as well, if the cause is right. But in all this, the pil bar has come crashing down, upheld only by men such as Rajeev Dhavan and Prashant Bhushan. "I subsidise my pil work by taking on commercial cases, which I needed when I had to send my daughters to study in the US," says Dhavan. In many cases, it's the take-off point for a job in the government like Indira Jaising's work with Mumbai's homeless pavement dwellers which has got her the additional solicitor general's job. As Dhavan notes, the dense gravity of private marketing lawyering has created black holes in activist lawyering.
Says an angry Sorabjee, "To charge Rs 30 to 40 lakh per day is nothing short of extortion. It is no excuse to say that the client can afford it. Lawyers are professionals, not tradesmen in a market place. I get mad if a client says fees are no question. You think you can buy me? You can charge heavy fees but not extortionist fees." The octogenarian constitutional expert charges Rs 2 lakh per appearance as opposed to the going rate of Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh charged by younger lawyers. Sometimes, if the court breaks for lunch at 1 p.m. and the matter has come up for hearing at 12.45, the lawyer even bills the client for two separate appearances.
In Mumbai, for instance, veteran criminal lawyer Majid Memon charges Rs 2 lakh simply for securing bail in a sessions court. There are those who recall him coming to the tada court in 1996 on an old scooter. He now drives a Mercedes. In Chennai, Arvind Datar charges anything between Rs 50,000 and Rs 5 lakh per appearance.
As for the chartered flights, they all claim that this is a necessity rather than a privilege. "The advocates come to us with that offer (of chartered flights). It's not flaunting of power but the idea is to return the same day from a badly connected destination, says Singhvi, putting on his most earnest expression. Rohatgi complains of being claustrophobic on small planes. "During peak hours, chartered flights don't get preference over commercial," he adds with the jaded fatigue of a seasonal traveller.
There is a reason for this exorbitant fee structure. In recent years, the stakes in corporate litigation have hit the roof, as in the Rs 12,000-crore Vodafone vs the Income Tax department case. Moreover, the legal fraternity argues that when clients don't mind paying investment bankers fees worth millions of dollars, then why are only lawyers coming up for censure? The fate of several crucial corporate battles hangs on the slender thread of which matter is listed before which court and which lawyer would work there. "Why should we earn less than the CEO of a big corporation?" asks Sundaram. Except that this CEO often goes on to become a minister in the government-law as a profession offers immense mobility-and deal with the same organisations he once represented.
Most corporate bosses also have their legal favourites. For instance, Nusli Wadia's favourite lawyer is Fali Nariman who hates "skullduggery"; ITC's was Desai but he has since been replaced by Salve; the late Madhav Rao Scindia's family favours Singhvi. Of course, the Ambani brothers too have their chosen legal soldiers: while Anil's first choice is usually Rohatgi, his brother opts for Salve. As does Ratan Tata. The Birlas go with Sen. Many have created mini-dynasties, whether it is Singhvi, Salve or Rohinton Nariman.
"Sometimes, it's the thrill of the forensic complexity that counts, not winning or losing," says Singhvi. He recalls how during the Ambani gas case, a friend called and asked him, "The stocks are fluctuating wildly. You're the oracle: which way will it go?" Singhvi laughed and said he had no idea. Salve agrees. "Mukesh called me that morning and said we have done our best. The rest is up to God," he recalls.
However, Rohatgi who appeared for Anil says, "I had a premonition we would lose. But Anil thought otherwise." Salve adds, "After the judgment, Mukesh was too choked to speak. Nita said they had one more request. I should handle the media. She said, Harish bhai bahut negativity ho gaya. There should be no loose comments." Clearly a lawyer's brief is not just limited to courtrooms.
Ironically, it was during the Battle of the Brothers last year that Salve told the Supreme Court how Mukesh Ambani had told him about the millions of dollars demanded by laptop consultants just to create holding companies, resulting companies and other such complexities. Quick to retort, Rohatgi had quipped, "Is this how Salve justifies his high fees?" Grinning, a sheepish Salve said, "I plead guilty on my behalf and on behalf of my colleagues." But it was Justice R.V. Raveendran who had the last word, "The only difference between Salve and the consultants is the laptop." And perhaps the Bentley, the BMW and the Mercedes.
By Priya Sahgal and Kaveree Bamzai | India Today – Wed, Dec 15 12:32 PM IST
When Ratan Tata moved the Supreme Court, claiming his right to privacy had been violated, he called Harish Salve. The choice was not surprising. The former solicitor general has been topping the legal charts ever since he scripted a surprising win for Mukesh Ambani against his brother Anil. That dispute set the gold standard for legal fees. On Mukesh's side were Salve, Rohinton Nariman and Abhishek Manu Singhvi. The younger brother had an equally formidable line-up led by Ram Jethmalani and Mukul Rohatgi.
The lawyers' fees alone, at a conservative estimate, cost the Ambani brothers at least Rs 15 crore each in their famous war over natural gas. -
India Today
The dispute dated back three-and-a-half years to when Anil filed a case against his brother for reneging on an agreement to supply 28 million cubic metres of gas per day from its Krishna-Godavari basin fields at a rate of $2.34 for 17 years. The average legal fee was Rs 25 lakh for a full day's appearance, not to mention the overnight stays at Mumbai's five-star suites, business class travel, and on occasion, use of the private jet. Little wonder though that Salve agreed to take on Tata's case pro bono. He could afford philanthropy with one of India's wealthiest tycoons.
Welcome to the world of new nawabs. The lawyers' fees alone, at a conservative estimate, must have cost the Ambanis at least Rs 15 crore each. Both the brothers had booked their legal teams in the same hotel, first the Oberoi and, after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, the Trident. "Well, if you're going to write all this, then you can also add that Mukesh bought me a pair of pyjamas as well," laughs Salve, recalling how he was called to Mumbai suddenly from Orissa where he had gone for a day's hearing. "I told Mukesh I had packed nothing. He insisted on buying me the essentials."
It's not the essentials as much as the frills that raise eyebrows. The veteran Jethmalani is surprisingly the most modest in his fees since he does not charge rates according to the strength of the client's purse. But as the crises have multiplied, lawyers' fees have exploded.
**************************************************
Harish Salve, 54- Landmark case: Won the gas dispute for Mukesh Ambani, though what he enjoys most is being amicus curiae in the Forest Case of T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad vs Union of India and Others.- Legal Style: Is a master strategist. Gives a balanced argument rather than an aggressive, one-sided view.- Fee per appearance: Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh. For a full day, it's Rs 25 lakh.- The indulgence: Drives a Bentley.
**************************************************
Ram Jethmalani, 87- Landmark case: Got the Jain Hawala case against L. K. Advani squashed; is currently defending former Gujarat home minister Amit Shah.- Legal Style: Argues forcefully. Has an acerbic wit.- Fee per appearance: Rs 5 lakh.- The indulgence: Has an indoor badminton court built in his MP bungalow that is the envy of Lutyens' Delhi.
**************************************************
Mukul Rohatgi, 55- Landmark case: Represented Anil Ambani in the gas dispute.- Legal Style: Is a slogger. Argues aggressively and goes straight to the point.- Fee per appearance: Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh and Rs 25 lakh for a full day.- The indulgence: Drives a black Bentley, has Souza on his walls, a holiday home in Goa.
**************************************************
Majid Memon, 55- Landmark case: He represented Yakub Memon but could not set him free.- Legal Style: He argues in the court with his right leg on a chair.- Fee per day: Rs 10 lakh. Charges Rs 2 lakh for a bail application.- The indulgence: Likes to travel, makes frequent trips to exotic locations.
**************************************************
Satish Maneshinde, 50- Landmark case: He secured bail for Sanjay Dutt in the Bombay blast case and for Salman Khan who allegedly killed one person while driving drunk.- Legal Style: Argues calmly in court and looks straight into the judge's eyes.- Fee per day: Rs 10 lakh.- The indulgence: His Mercedes and a passion for Page 3 parties.
**************************************************
Aryama Sundaram, 53- Landmark case: Represented the West Bengal Government against Haldia Petrochemicals and UBS Securities against sebi.- Legal Style: Persuasive speaker, argues his case in a measured tone.- Fee per appearance: Rs 3.5 lakh
**************************************************
Arvind Datar, 53- Landmark case: Was one of the lawyers in the Vodafone vs Income Tax case.- Legal Style: Says one lesson he learnt is to never antagonise a judge. It's not only your bread and butter but your client's life.- Fee per appearance: Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh.- The indulgence: His first car was a Toyota Corona in 1990. Now he drives an Audi. Has penned a three-volume commentary on Constitutional law.
**************************************************
Abhishek Manu Singhvi, 51- Landmark case: Won the right to fly the tricolour for Navin Jindal.- Legal Style: From logical in court to rhetorical flourish in Parliament to snappy sound bites for the media on tv.- Fee per appearance: Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh. For a full day, it's Rs 25 lakh.- The indulgence: A limited-edition Visconti pen with a custom-made nib and watches from every luxury brand.
**************************************************
The 50 court hearings in the Haldia Petrochemicals vs the West Bengal Government cost the former a total of Rs 25 crore in lawyer fees and the 20 hearings in the Bombay Mill Case, which dragged on for three years, cost the mill owners almost Rs 10 crore. Large corporate firms, which engage star counsels on behalf of the client, also need to know their quirks.
For instance, Salve will only accept the first brief. He will never be the second counsel in a case. Some lawyers prefer to be paid partly in cash but the best are content with cheques. Some expect the client not to blink while picking up a dinner tab of Rs 1.75 lakh at a Chennai five star. A lawyer is known to carry his home linen and curtains with him while travelling on work. A firm may even have to pick up a hot Vertu phone of the moment or a Jaeger-LeCoutre watch of the hour to keep a lawyer in good humour.
Some are even paid to not appear at all for the other side - Aryama Sundaram was retained by Anil Ambani in the gas feud but he did not fight the case. Or take Raytheon when it was fighting the Jindals. Raytheon had paid seven top lawyers a retainer fee of Rs 2.5 lakh each just to ensure that the Jindals would not be able to make a proper case on a taxation issue.
They miscalculated when a star lawyer fought the case at the last minute. "I don't take negative retainers," shrugs Rohatgi, former additional solicitor general. "A lawyer's job is to appear for any client that comes to him. It's not for the lawyers to judge if a client is good or bad but the court." Indeed. He is, after all, the lawyer who argued so famously in court that B. Ramalinga Raju did not fudge any account in the Satyam Case. All he did was "window dressing".
Some high profile cases have continued for years, providing a steady source of income, from the Scindia succession battle which dates to 1989, to the JetLite Sahara battle now in taxation arbitration to the BCCI which is currently in litigation with Lalit Modi, Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab.
Think of the large law firms as the big Hollywood studios and the senior counsel as the superstar. There are a few familiar faces to be found in most of the big ticket cases, whether it is the Ambani gas case, Vodafone taxation or Bombay Mills case.
Explains Salve, "There is a reason why we have more than one senior advocate on a case. When you're arguing, he's reading the court. He picks up a point or a vibe that you may have missed." Says Raian Karanjawala whose firm has prepared the briefs for cases ranging from the Tata's recent right to privacy case to Karisma Kapoor's divorce, "The four jewels in the crown today are Salve, Rohatgi, Rohinton Nariman and Singhvi.
They have replaced the old guard of Fali Nariman, Soli Sorabjee, Ashok Desai and K.K. Venugopal." He adds, "The one person who defies the generational gap is Jethmalani who was India's leading criminal lawyer in the 1960s and is so today."
The demand for superstar lawyers has far outstripped the supply. So a one-man show by, say, Rohatgi can run up billings of Rs 40 crore, the same as a mid-sized corporate law firm like Titus and Co that employs 28 juniors. The big law firms such as AZB or Amarchand & Mangaldas or Luthra & Luthra have to do all the groundwork for the counsel, from humouring the clerk to ensure the A-lister turns up on the hearing day to sourcing appropriate foreign judgments in emerging areas such as environmental and patent laws. "We are partners in this. There are so few lawyers and so many matters," points out Diljeet Titus.
As the trust between individuals has broken down, governments have questioned corporates and corporates are questioning each other, and an array of new issues has come up. And as the government has weakened, the courts have become stronger. The lawyer, says Sundaram, with the flourish that has seen him pick up many Dhurandhares and Senakas at pricey art auctions, has emerged as the modern day purohit.
Each purohit is head priest of a particular style. Says Karanjawala, "Harish is the closest example in today's bar to Fali Nariman; Rohinton has the best law library in his brain; Mukul is easily India's busiest lawyer while Manu Singhvi is the greatest multi-tasker." Salve has managed a fine balancing act where he has represented Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mayawati, Parkash Singh Badal and Amarinder Singh, Lalit Modi and Subhash Chandra and even the Ambani brothers, of course in different cases. Singhvi is Sonia Gandhi's go-to-guy on most legal issues, whether it is citizenship or filing a case against a publication.
Jethmalani is the man to call for anyone in trouble. In judicial circles he is known as the first resort for the last resort. Even Jethmalani's junior Satish Maneshinde, who came to Mumbai in 1993 as a penniless law graduate from Karnataka, shot to fame (and wealth) after he got bail for Sanjay Dutt in 1996. Now he owns a plush office in Worli and has become a one-stop shop for celebrities in trouble, from getting bail for Rakhi Sawant when a youth committed suicide after she called him namard (impotent) to representing Salman Khan in a drunken driving case.
With wealth come perks. In 1992, Karanjawala and Desai were chatting in the Supreme Court car park when former law minister Ashoke Sen zipped by in his Fiat. "What Ashoke, small car?" asked Desai to which Sen replied, "In Bangla we have a saying: known Brahmins need not wear the sacred thread." Now the car park is filled with Bentleys, Mercedes and at the very least, an upmarket Toyota. The symbols of success include a holiday home in Goa, Souzas on the office walls, shopping expeditions to Bond Street (where they can expect to bump into other lawyers). As Salve says, "Only Brioni and Canali make boring suits for lawyers, the blacks and dark greys." Also the pens, the watches, and in Arun Jaitley and Rohatgi's case, the jamewars. Then there is the public profile, amplified by talking head status on tv channels every other night.
Most of the prized lawyers such as Salve, Jethmalani, Sundaram and Rohatgi do some pro bono work as well, if the cause is right. But in all this, the pil bar has come crashing down, upheld only by men such as Rajeev Dhavan and Prashant Bhushan. "I subsidise my pil work by taking on commercial cases, which I needed when I had to send my daughters to study in the US," says Dhavan. In many cases, it's the take-off point for a job in the government like Indira Jaising's work with Mumbai's homeless pavement dwellers which has got her the additional solicitor general's job. As Dhavan notes, the dense gravity of private marketing lawyering has created black holes in activist lawyering.
Says an angry Sorabjee, "To charge Rs 30 to 40 lakh per day is nothing short of extortion. It is no excuse to say that the client can afford it. Lawyers are professionals, not tradesmen in a market place. I get mad if a client says fees are no question. You think you can buy me? You can charge heavy fees but not extortionist fees." The octogenarian constitutional expert charges Rs 2 lakh per appearance as opposed to the going rate of Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh charged by younger lawyers. Sometimes, if the court breaks for lunch at 1 p.m. and the matter has come up for hearing at 12.45, the lawyer even bills the client for two separate appearances.
In Mumbai, for instance, veteran criminal lawyer Majid Memon charges Rs 2 lakh simply for securing bail in a sessions court. There are those who recall him coming to the tada court in 1996 on an old scooter. He now drives a Mercedes. In Chennai, Arvind Datar charges anything between Rs 50,000 and Rs 5 lakh per appearance.
As for the chartered flights, they all claim that this is a necessity rather than a privilege. "The advocates come to us with that offer (of chartered flights). It's not flaunting of power but the idea is to return the same day from a badly connected destination, says Singhvi, putting on his most earnest expression. Rohatgi complains of being claustrophobic on small planes. "During peak hours, chartered flights don't get preference over commercial," he adds with the jaded fatigue of a seasonal traveller.
There is a reason for this exorbitant fee structure. In recent years, the stakes in corporate litigation have hit the roof, as in the Rs 12,000-crore Vodafone vs the Income Tax department case. Moreover, the legal fraternity argues that when clients don't mind paying investment bankers fees worth millions of dollars, then why are only lawyers coming up for censure? The fate of several crucial corporate battles hangs on the slender thread of which matter is listed before which court and which lawyer would work there. "Why should we earn less than the CEO of a big corporation?" asks Sundaram. Except that this CEO often goes on to become a minister in the government-law as a profession offers immense mobility-and deal with the same organisations he once represented.
Most corporate bosses also have their legal favourites. For instance, Nusli Wadia's favourite lawyer is Fali Nariman who hates "skullduggery"; ITC's was Desai but he has since been replaced by Salve; the late Madhav Rao Scindia's family favours Singhvi. Of course, the Ambani brothers too have their chosen legal soldiers: while Anil's first choice is usually Rohatgi, his brother opts for Salve. As does Ratan Tata. The Birlas go with Sen. Many have created mini-dynasties, whether it is Singhvi, Salve or Rohinton Nariman.
"Sometimes, it's the thrill of the forensic complexity that counts, not winning or losing," says Singhvi. He recalls how during the Ambani gas case, a friend called and asked him, "The stocks are fluctuating wildly. You're the oracle: which way will it go?" Singhvi laughed and said he had no idea. Salve agrees. "Mukesh called me that morning and said we have done our best. The rest is up to God," he recalls.
However, Rohatgi who appeared for Anil says, "I had a premonition we would lose. But Anil thought otherwise." Salve adds, "After the judgment, Mukesh was too choked to speak. Nita said they had one more request. I should handle the media. She said, Harish bhai bahut negativity ho gaya. There should be no loose comments." Clearly a lawyer's brief is not just limited to courtrooms.
Ironically, it was during the Battle of the Brothers last year that Salve told the Supreme Court how Mukesh Ambani had told him about the millions of dollars demanded by laptop consultants just to create holding companies, resulting companies and other such complexities. Quick to retort, Rohatgi had quipped, "Is this how Salve justifies his high fees?" Grinning, a sheepish Salve said, "I plead guilty on my behalf and on behalf of my colleagues." But it was Justice R.V. Raveendran who had the last word, "The only difference between Salve and the consultants is the laptop." And perhaps the Bentley, the BMW and the Mercedes.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Passionate About India: To change this ‘demonocracy’ to a democracy, we mu...
Passionate About India: To change this ‘demonocracy’ to a democracy, we mu...: "Last week I was very fortunate to be a part of this wonderful, moving and inspirational seminar on the ‘Power of One’ (coverage of the same ..."
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Enlightened Bihar
Laloo Yadav after seeing Bihar election results commented that results are surprising. I agree that results were surprising. All speculations and calculations failed. Laloo Yadav is unable to digest the results. Actually results were more surprising for Laloo Yadav. He was in the view that undeveloped, uneducated, backward and divided Bihar on the basis of caste and class will ride the wave of anti incumbency factor. Actually he was in a fog of anti incumbency factor.That's why his speculations failed and got surprised. Biharis may be uneducated, undeveloped and backward but are not fools which others may think of. This result has opened a new chapter in Indian political history. This result will work as eye opener for other part of country. In 2005 election Bihar voted out all tainted leaders. This time totally rejected all daporshankhis. This is enlightenment of a state to regain its glowry.
Election results also indicates amount of expectations from Nitish. Nitish has to work hard to maintain faith of public. Presently Bihar is progressing in few areas only. Only road construction will not work. He has to pay more attention towards education and infrastructure. I am from Begusarai. I still can not go from Begusarai to Mokama in same Tata mini bus(sorry there is no state bus in that route only Tatas are running by private goonda type owners. For 36 kilometer you have to board two Tata mini buses because as per settlement by local goondas Tata from Begusarai will go upto Hathidah only and Tata from Mokama will run from Hathidah to Mokama. Begusarai is largest minuspality but power supply remains for less than 15 hours. If there is power than voltage is low. Roads are constructed without planning. Drainage system are not made properly. Like this there are many problems which Nitish has to address. Lack of roads, lack of public transport, lack of education facilities, lack of industries, lack of job opportunities etc are major problems from which he has to fight.
When I was in Bihar one of Laloo Yadav's supporter told me that this time Nitish will not come into power. I asked him why. His reply was that Nitish is only making roads in that also huge amount of commission is eaten up by government officials, mukhias and politicians so this time public will reject him. Still Nitish won, how. Actually corruption is part and parcel of administration in all over India. Even saints are not totally perfect. Asa Ram Bapu is example. Earlier out of 100/- rupees 85/- to 100/- rupees were eaten. But here out of 100/- rupees 15/- to 25/- rupees were eaten and rest were spent on development. That's why people are happy. People of Bihar now wants to live in developed and progressive Bihar. To be frank Bihar is not undeveloped. Bihar is ahead in many front only thing is that Bihar was not projected properly. Bihar may be backward in percentage of literacy but Bihar is far ahead in terms of intellect. Bihar is now politically cultured. This is enlightenment of Bihar. Bihar will regain its glory add up to greatness of India.
Election results also indicates amount of expectations from Nitish. Nitish has to work hard to maintain faith of public. Presently Bihar is progressing in few areas only. Only road construction will not work. He has to pay more attention towards education and infrastructure. I am from Begusarai. I still can not go from Begusarai to Mokama in same Tata mini bus(sorry there is no state bus in that route only Tatas are running by private goonda type owners. For 36 kilometer you have to board two Tata mini buses because as per settlement by local goondas Tata from Begusarai will go upto Hathidah only and Tata from Mokama will run from Hathidah to Mokama. Begusarai is largest minuspality but power supply remains for less than 15 hours. If there is power than voltage is low. Roads are constructed without planning. Drainage system are not made properly. Like this there are many problems which Nitish has to address. Lack of roads, lack of public transport, lack of education facilities, lack of industries, lack of job opportunities etc are major problems from which he has to fight.
When I was in Bihar one of Laloo Yadav's supporter told me that this time Nitish will not come into power. I asked him why. His reply was that Nitish is only making roads in that also huge amount of commission is eaten up by government officials, mukhias and politicians so this time public will reject him. Still Nitish won, how. Actually corruption is part and parcel of administration in all over India. Even saints are not totally perfect. Asa Ram Bapu is example. Earlier out of 100/- rupees 85/- to 100/- rupees were eaten. But here out of 100/- rupees 15/- to 25/- rupees were eaten and rest were spent on development. That's why people are happy. People of Bihar now wants to live in developed and progressive Bihar. To be frank Bihar is not undeveloped. Bihar is ahead in many front only thing is that Bihar was not projected properly. Bihar may be backward in percentage of literacy but Bihar is far ahead in terms of intellect. Bihar is now politically cultured. This is enlightenment of Bihar. Bihar will regain its glory add up to greatness of India.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
DABANG
After release of Dabang film, this word is widely used by media. Now president Obama is in India. So media has given him upadhi (title) as Dabang of world.He may be Dabang for country like India where buttering is main lubricant to run the machine. But there are many countries where self respect has got more value than any person, personality or even life. For China Obama is no Dabang. For Israel also Obama is no Dabang. Germany or France also does not consider him Dabang. But we the people of India, by following the principle of "Atithi Debo Bhava" we always forget that Athithi comes, enjoys and kicks us. Still we laugh like a fool. CWG is better example. They came here, enjoyed like any thing and abused us also, and we always acted as betiwala. Who has to always keep his head down to satisfy baratis. If same behavior has been done by our player in their country, they would have been in jail like Pakistani cricketers. Obama has come for business in India. He has come to take from us, He is not going to give anything to our country. No MFN status. Pakistan is MFN for him. He will earn money from India and give it to Pakistan. We also want stable Pak as our neighbour, but not terrorist Pak. US has always followed double standards. Philistinies or Irish cannot be given independence but Kashmiris should be given Azadi is their thinking. US thinks that only US citizen has got right to enjoy lavish life, they want to eat up (or control) maximum of world resources. That's why in lieu of controlling Fazool kharchi (wastage of money)they want to increase their share in business. We also like fool in lieu of talking tough we are busy in appeasing Obama as we are following same policy in our country. Obama does not want to pull Pak for 26/11, whereas they destroyed Afghanistan for 9/11. US destroyed Iraq to control fuel. On this earth might is only and always right. So in lieu of watching Obama like fool, we also should try to attain strength. For that we should learn from China. We must groom our nation consisting diverse population. Education should be main buzz word. Qualified and responsible administration only can make us to stand as a great nation. India can not called "risen" only because Obama has called. In lieu of acting as a failed nation we should act a matured nation. Then only we will get respect. Otherwise we will be thrown out from Australia or other places same way.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: ECONOMICS IS FUNNY!
COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: ECONOMICS IS FUNNY!: "India should focus on GPI for a real picture Economics is funny! I remember my professor used to say that instead of conducting classes in ..."
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Who Should Be Our Leader.: Who is Responsible
Who Should Be Our Leader.: Who is Responsible: "Sonia Gandhi in Bihar told that Bihar is suffering since 20 years. I could not understand first. After some thinking I came to conclusion th..."
Who is Responsible
Sonia Gandhi in Bihar told that Bihar is suffering since 20 years. I could not understand first. After some thinking I came to conclusion that there is no congress government in Bihar since 20 years that's why Bihar is suffering. But she forgot to tell that out of these 20 years Bihar suffered for fifteen years due to her. When she appointed Lalu Yadav Railway minister then whole India suffered. For profit showing (I don't know whether Railway actually made any profit)Lalu Yadav made Indian Railways as goonda organisation. TTE,s became recovery agent especially for those Bihari's who come from Punjab with hard earned money to celebrate some happy moments with their families. Food prices increased, quantity and reduced. But Laluji was great Railway minister and staying in Manmohan Singh's heart. Now she it telling that Bihar is suffering since 20 years. What about before 20 years when there were congress government in Bihar. Actually Bihar suffered more during that period. This 20 years is outcome of that period. Whether congress (confused) or Lalu or Rambilas or Nitish, Bihar will continue to suffer.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Australian voyage towards Nazism
Australian envoy summoned over cops' racist email
Sat, Oct 9 12:04 PM
New Delhi, Oct 9 (IANS) Australian High Commissioner Peter Varghese was Saturday summoned by the external affairs ministry over a racist email police made in Victoria state, officials said.
Varghese was summoned over reports that police officers in Victoria had been caught joking in a racist email about the electrocution of a train passenger in India.
The officers circulated video footage of the death of a man who was travelling on the roof of a crowded train in India and suggested it could be a way to fix Melbourne's Indian students' problem, according to a report in the Herald Sun.
When the train stopped at a station the man stood up and touched an overhead power cable. Onlookers screamed as he was electrocuted.
The email containing the shocking video began circulating in the Victoria police computer system and racist comments were added, suggesting 'this might be a way to fix the Indian student problem'.
Chief Commissioner Simon Overland said the emails were 'disturbing, offensive and gross'.
Premier John Brumby Friday criticised the circulation of the racist material.
'This is completely offensive and contrary to the views and values at the heart of the Victorian community - tolerance and respect,' he was quoted as saying.
Federation of Indian Students spokesman Gautam Gupta said: 'It is outrageous that police officers would joke about the death of anyone. I am really shocked. This is humour in very, very bad taste.'
The newspaper said some of the force's highest-ranked officers have been implicated in the scandal, which also involves pornographic material.
Three superintendents were nabbed during an investigation into the circulation of inappropriate emails through the police computer system. Several inspectors have also been caught.
Sat, Oct 9 12:04 PM
New Delhi, Oct 9 (IANS) Australian High Commissioner Peter Varghese was Saturday summoned by the external affairs ministry over a racist email police made in Victoria state, officials said.
Varghese was summoned over reports that police officers in Victoria had been caught joking in a racist email about the electrocution of a train passenger in India.
The officers circulated video footage of the death of a man who was travelling on the roof of a crowded train in India and suggested it could be a way to fix Melbourne's Indian students' problem, according to a report in the Herald Sun.
When the train stopped at a station the man stood up and touched an overhead power cable. Onlookers screamed as he was electrocuted.
The email containing the shocking video began circulating in the Victoria police computer system and racist comments were added, suggesting 'this might be a way to fix the Indian student problem'.
Chief Commissioner Simon Overland said the emails were 'disturbing, offensive and gross'.
Premier John Brumby Friday criticised the circulation of the racist material.
'This is completely offensive and contrary to the views and values at the heart of the Victorian community - tolerance and respect,' he was quoted as saying.
Federation of Indian Students spokesman Gautam Gupta said: 'It is outrageous that police officers would joke about the death of anyone. I am really shocked. This is humour in very, very bad taste.'
The newspaper said some of the force's highest-ranked officers have been implicated in the scandal, which also involves pornographic material.
Three superintendents were nabbed during an investigation into the circulation of inappropriate emails through the police computer system. Several inspectors have also been caught.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Mulayam hits out at Ayodhya judgment
Mulayam hits out at Ayodhya judgment
Fri, Oct 1 12:52 PM
Lucknow, Oct 1 (IANS) Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav Friday hit out at the judgment in the age-old Ayodhya dispute, saying it was hardly based on legalities.
'The verdict appears to be have been given more on the basis of faith and belief rather than on the basis of legalities and evidence,' the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister told reporters here.
'I am firmly of the view that the court has somehow ignored or overlooked various legal issues and relied more on the faith and belief of people. This is not how a court should have acted,' said Mulayam Yadav.
'I am disappointed with the verdict, which does not appear to show any healthy signals for the country and the judiciary. I will not be surprised if it creates more complications rather than solving its problems.'
Hailing the decision of the Sunni Central Waqf Board to challenge the judgment before the Supreme Court, he said: 'I am confident the apex court will take a purely legal view and give a judgment without being influenced by extraneous considerations of faith and belief.'
He said 'the verdict had hurt the sentiments of millions of Muslims of this country as they feel cheated because justice has been denied to them.
'I have always been of the view that a nation cannot be run on the basis of faith. It is the constitution and law that govern a nation.
'I had stated this before the National Integration Council way back in 1990 when the entire country faced the threat of a major turmoil.
'It was there that I compared myself with Arjun in Mahabharat because I may have to order firing on my own brethren in the larger interest of law and order. That is what I had to do because law is supreme.'
Mulayam Yadav's reference was to the firing by paramilitary forces at a 100,000-strong mob that raided the Babri mosque in 1990 when he was chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.
The mosque was eventually razed in December 1992 by Hindu mobs, triggering nationwide riots.
Fri, Oct 1 12:52 PM
Lucknow, Oct 1 (IANS) Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav Friday hit out at the judgment in the age-old Ayodhya dispute, saying it was hardly based on legalities.
'The verdict appears to be have been given more on the basis of faith and belief rather than on the basis of legalities and evidence,' the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister told reporters here.
'I am firmly of the view that the court has somehow ignored or overlooked various legal issues and relied more on the faith and belief of people. This is not how a court should have acted,' said Mulayam Yadav.
'I am disappointed with the verdict, which does not appear to show any healthy signals for the country and the judiciary. I will not be surprised if it creates more complications rather than solving its problems.'
Hailing the decision of the Sunni Central Waqf Board to challenge the judgment before the Supreme Court, he said: 'I am confident the apex court will take a purely legal view and give a judgment without being influenced by extraneous considerations of faith and belief.'
He said 'the verdict had hurt the sentiments of millions of Muslims of this country as they feel cheated because justice has been denied to them.
'I have always been of the view that a nation cannot be run on the basis of faith. It is the constitution and law that govern a nation.
'I had stated this before the National Integration Council way back in 1990 when the entire country faced the threat of a major turmoil.
'It was there that I compared myself with Arjun in Mahabharat because I may have to order firing on my own brethren in the larger interest of law and order. That is what I had to do because law is supreme.'
Mulayam Yadav's reference was to the firing by paramilitary forces at a 100,000-strong mob that raided the Babri mosque in 1990 when he was chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.
The mosque was eventually razed in December 1992 by Hindu mobs, triggering nationwide riots.
End it all, please, says veteran Muslim litigant
End it all, please, says veteran Muslim litigant
Fri, Oct 1 12:27 PM
Ayodhya, Oct 1 (IANS) An elderly Muslim man who has fought legal battles since 1961 over the disputed land where the Babri Masjid once stood says the time has finally come to make peace with Hindus.
At age 90, Mohammed Hashim Ansari says it is no point taking the matter to the Supreme Court now that the Allahabad High Court has decided that a Ram temple can come up where the 16th century mosque was razed.
'We always said that we will respect the judicial verdict, and we respect it,' Ansari has been saying parrot like ever since the high court's Lucknow bench came out with the epoch making judgement Thursday.
It was almost half a century ago when Ansari filed his title suit in the Faizabad court claiming ownership of the mosque land after it was also claimed by Hindus calling it the birthplace of Lord Ram.
For years, the man -- now frail and hard of hearing -- doggedly fought on, first away from media glare and then amid blazing publicity.
But he always remained a simple person at heart, living in a cramped house only a kilometre from the mosque, never wanting to make political capital out of his status as one of the key litigants in Ayodhya.
'This is now a closed chapter for me,' he said in a matter of fact tone. 'Hindus should be allowed to build their temple (in Ayodhya).'
Personally, he does not want other Muslims to approach the Supreme Court challenging the Thursday verdict that split up the disputed land into three -- two-thirds going to Hindus and a third to the Sunni Waqf Board.
If the matter again goes to court, he is convinced it will take decades for it to be settled.
Age, he points out, is against him.
'I am already 90 years old. How many more years will I live? Will I be alive when the final verdict comes? What is the point?'
Ansari also feels that Muslims should not despair over the judicial ruling -- since a third of the disputed land has been legally accorded to them.
In fact, he did not want the Allahabad High Court ruling to be postponed -- as sought by those who feared it could ignite violence at a time when India is hosting the Commonwealth Games.
Naturally, Ansari is pleased that none of the anticipated trouble took place. He feels credit for this should go to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati.
Tens of thousands of security personnel were deployed all across the sprawling state -- indeed all over India -- fearing possible violence in the wake of the judicial ruling.
Ayodhya, a riverside town dotted with Hindu temples, is located about 700 km east of New Delhi.
Hindus consider Ayodhya to be the birthplace of their god Ram. In December 1992, Hindu mobs tore down the Babri mosque and quickly built a makeshift Ram temple on its ruins.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and allied groups have said they plan to construct a grand Ram temple at the site.
Fri, Oct 1 12:27 PM
Ayodhya, Oct 1 (IANS) An elderly Muslim man who has fought legal battles since 1961 over the disputed land where the Babri Masjid once stood says the time has finally come to make peace with Hindus.
At age 90, Mohammed Hashim Ansari says it is no point taking the matter to the Supreme Court now that the Allahabad High Court has decided that a Ram temple can come up where the 16th century mosque was razed.
'We always said that we will respect the judicial verdict, and we respect it,' Ansari has been saying parrot like ever since the high court's Lucknow bench came out with the epoch making judgement Thursday.
It was almost half a century ago when Ansari filed his title suit in the Faizabad court claiming ownership of the mosque land after it was also claimed by Hindus calling it the birthplace of Lord Ram.
For years, the man -- now frail and hard of hearing -- doggedly fought on, first away from media glare and then amid blazing publicity.
But he always remained a simple person at heart, living in a cramped house only a kilometre from the mosque, never wanting to make political capital out of his status as one of the key litigants in Ayodhya.
'This is now a closed chapter for me,' he said in a matter of fact tone. 'Hindus should be allowed to build their temple (in Ayodhya).'
Personally, he does not want other Muslims to approach the Supreme Court challenging the Thursday verdict that split up the disputed land into three -- two-thirds going to Hindus and a third to the Sunni Waqf Board.
If the matter again goes to court, he is convinced it will take decades for it to be settled.
Age, he points out, is against him.
'I am already 90 years old. How many more years will I live? Will I be alive when the final verdict comes? What is the point?'
Ansari also feels that Muslims should not despair over the judicial ruling -- since a third of the disputed land has been legally accorded to them.
In fact, he did not want the Allahabad High Court ruling to be postponed -- as sought by those who feared it could ignite violence at a time when India is hosting the Commonwealth Games.
Naturally, Ansari is pleased that none of the anticipated trouble took place. He feels credit for this should go to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati.
Tens of thousands of security personnel were deployed all across the sprawling state -- indeed all over India -- fearing possible violence in the wake of the judicial ruling.
Ayodhya, a riverside town dotted with Hindu temples, is located about 700 km east of New Delhi.
Hindus consider Ayodhya to be the birthplace of their god Ram. In December 1992, Hindu mobs tore down the Babri mosque and quickly built a makeshift Ram temple on its ruins.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and allied groups have said they plan to construct a grand Ram temple at the site.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Inspirational Quote
"The first thing which I can record concerning myself is, that I was born. These are wonderful words. This life, to which neither time nor eternity can bring diminution – this everlasting living soul, began. My mind loses itself in these depths." -- Groucho Marx
Monday, September 20, 2010
Stop being in denial, Mirwaiz tells India
Stop being in denial, Mirwaiz tells India
Mon, Sep 20 06:57 PM
Srinagar, Sep 20 (IANS) Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq said Monday that Kashmir was an international dispute and that the time had come for India to stop being in denial.
'Sitting in Kashmir, we come to the conclusion that the people of India are so ill-informed about Kashmir... Kashmir is an internationally accepted dispute. It is time to call a spade a spade,' the Mirwaiz told a group of Indian political leaders who called on him at his residence.
The Mirwaiz suggested the formation of a Kashmir Committee in the Indian and Pakistani parliaments that would exclusively discuss nothing but the decades old Kashmir dispute.
'Let a beginning be made,' he said, addressing mainly Communist leader Gurudas Dasgupta.
'Kashmir is an international dispute and it has to be addressed according to the wishes of the people,' he said.
He added that the issue of 'azadi' (independence) should be addressed by the people and political actors in India.
'We don't want to live in a constant state of fear and state terrorism,' he said passionately while displaying photographs of young boys killed by security forces in firing since June 11.
'You cannot force the will (of India) on the (Kashmiri) people. You are seeing the reaction to force,' he said, referring to the unending protests in Srinagar and other parts of the Kashmir Valley.
He denied accusations that the Hurriyat members were Pakistani agents. He also emphasized that Kashmiris were not looking for economic sops from New Delhi.
'We are not beggars... We want justice... We don't want jobs,' he said. 'The voices of dissent in Kashmir are not being recognised by New Delhi. New Delhi is in a constant state of denial.'
Dasgupta said while he did not agree with the Hurriyat demand for 'azadi', he would raise the issues raised by the Mirwaiz in parliament.
'We are not here to defend any indignity, not to defend any barbarism, not to support any wrong being done (to Kashmiris),' he said. 'We represent different political voices. We have never believed you are Pakistani agents. You are equally Indians.'
Mon, Sep 20 06:57 PM
Srinagar, Sep 20 (IANS) Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq said Monday that Kashmir was an international dispute and that the time had come for India to stop being in denial.
'Sitting in Kashmir, we come to the conclusion that the people of India are so ill-informed about Kashmir... Kashmir is an internationally accepted dispute. It is time to call a spade a spade,' the Mirwaiz told a group of Indian political leaders who called on him at his residence.
The Mirwaiz suggested the formation of a Kashmir Committee in the Indian and Pakistani parliaments that would exclusively discuss nothing but the decades old Kashmir dispute.
'Let a beginning be made,' he said, addressing mainly Communist leader Gurudas Dasgupta.
'Kashmir is an international dispute and it has to be addressed according to the wishes of the people,' he said.
He added that the issue of 'azadi' (independence) should be addressed by the people and political actors in India.
'We don't want to live in a constant state of fear and state terrorism,' he said passionately while displaying photographs of young boys killed by security forces in firing since June 11.
'You cannot force the will (of India) on the (Kashmiri) people. You are seeing the reaction to force,' he said, referring to the unending protests in Srinagar and other parts of the Kashmir Valley.
He denied accusations that the Hurriyat members were Pakistani agents. He also emphasized that Kashmiris were not looking for economic sops from New Delhi.
'We are not beggars... We want justice... We don't want jobs,' he said. 'The voices of dissent in Kashmir are not being recognised by New Delhi. New Delhi is in a constant state of denial.'
Dasgupta said while he did not agree with the Hurriyat demand for 'azadi', he would raise the issues raised by the Mirwaiz in parliament.
'We are not here to defend any indignity, not to defend any barbarism, not to support any wrong being done (to Kashmiris),' he said. 'We represent different political voices. We have never believed you are Pakistani agents. You are equally Indians.'
Sunday, September 12, 2010
The Unfortunate Patwari
A local court in Kurukshetra, Haryana punished a patwari (who keeps land records) with five years of Rigorous Imprisonment for taking a bribe of rupees 1000/- only. This is a great achievement against corruption. I am worried for Suresh Kalmadi, Lalu Yadav and Madhu Koda and all those officials and other corrupts who have been caught with crores of unaccounted rupees in their possession. When a patwari got five years RI for taking a bribe of rupees 1000/- only then what will be the state of all those corrupts who take bribe in lakhs and crores. They will have to take birth for many times to complete their sentence. When I shared this great victory on war against corruption with my friends then everybody stared me as I am a stupid. One of my friend passed a harsh comment on me that “you are the foolest person on this earth like that patwari who took bribe for rupees 1000/- only”. That patwari should have taken bribe in lakhs so that even after being caught (which is a rare phenomena with corrupts), he could have hired best among best lawyer to pursue his case. So that he could have been taken out from jaws of laws through loopholes of our constitution. You can see Sanjay Dutt. SPS Rathore is trying to come out from jail to become farmer. Alas! Nobody is there to guide that patwari. Oh God! Why he took bribe for rupees 1000/- only? I was listening to my friends like a fool. I was unable to understand that why my friends are showing sympathy with that corrupt patwari. This is a matter of judicial victory over corruption. In my opinion corrupts should be hanged then only our nation can be free from dirty demon like corruption. My friends were watching my face which was looking totally blank. I was staring at them like a fool. Then one of my friend came to my rescue and told me, my dear greatest of great stupid friend. You don’t know anything. Whether you are corrupt or not doesn’t matter. First, you should not get caught. For that you should be in a superior position like you should be official or leader or business tycoon. If you are not in superior position then you must have patronage of people on superior position. I was trying to understand them. If you want to be corrupt then you must have political base so that even CBI will loosen it knot, examples are Shibu Shoren, Lalu Yadav, Madhu Koda, Amit Shah, Sajjan Kumar etc. If you are a leader then constitution may be amended, which was done to save Sanjay Dut from TADA (Now deceived to join SP). Being a layman you are not permitted to be corrupt. It you are corrupt then you are not permitted to get caught. If you are caught then you must be able to sustain judicial and then social punishment. See all those who invested money in private financial institutions. Still cases are pending in court. You cheat hundreds of crores of rupees to public. What will happen? First, you will never lose battle in court, if you lose then also what will happen? Just jail for few years, after that you enjoy like maharaja with that looted money. This is a great idea to be rich, you cheat public in crores, spend few lakhs to save yourself, if freed then enjoy your life, if punished then enjoy after sometimes. Still my mind was blank, my face was plane and I was looking like a fool.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
UNQUALIFIED AND IRRESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP
Unqualified And Irresponsible Leadership
TV channels are always flooded with reality shows. To decide the fate of contestants so many so called judges are appointed who does not know anything about law of natural justice. They qualify to become judge only because they are famous (especially film personality) personality and are considered most successful in their field. Even Rahul Mahajan could become judge. They decide as per their inhibitions. Many times they are biased. You can see judges propagating Marathi language and shouting slogans like “Jai Maharastra”. I don’t know where India is. This only suits to contestants, not to judges and guests coming for promos. Sometimes judges fight or create controversy for TRP. What is this? Actually they should have been called promoters of program and channel. But they are called judge. I don’t know how lawyer community is accepting this devaluation of judicial system and justice. I will take the example of talent hunt program aired on colors channel. This is a good program and is for noble cause to promote hidden talent and give them exposure. I appreciate this program. This program is also having three judges who are famous film personality and in show business since long. Due to this they were considered to be judge of this program. What I feel that there must be some more criteria to appoint judge in such type of program. They must have wide range of knowledge and must have respect for others emotion, faith and feelings. They should not be biased and regional. They should not act in manner they want. They are not god, they have been appointed to see the smooth running of program. How Sajid reacted when he saw a five year old sikh boy performing Gatka with a sword in his hand. He suddenly became savior of children’s right. But he forgot that he is hurting the sentiments of sikh community. Why a five year old boy can’t hold sword in his hand. When that boy is properly trained and is his act is also a religious sacrament. Another day he commented on a martial arts trainer and parents of two children performing martial arts and showing breaking technique on his head that they should be in jail for this act, because children’s skull are not seasoned in such a tender age. I as a martial artist also know this. In martial arts we take utmost care to train children. We don’t give those hard exercises especially affecting growth. They are given mainly flexibility exercises. Breaking techniques are performed by children as gimmicks to show the beauty of martial arts to public. Don’t you think that films are also nothing but gimmickry. If Budhia can run marathon then why he should not be given opportunity. Or since you are physically incapable that’s why you don’t want others to be capable. This is not only weak but sick mentality also. These are children from well off families. There are many who do not get food even for a single time in a day leave the matter of education, games or other recreation. Please comment on their rights or if you people could do anything then please do something for them. Don’t act god or try to show extra wisdom which you don’t have. In China, Japan and Korea children are sometimes getting Black Belt in Kung-fu, Karate or Taekwondo in such a tender age. What about child artist participating in reality shows? Are they not earning fame and money for parents? Don’t you think that their rights are also snatched? Which type of country we want to live in. A flabby, dull and irresponsible like Sajid or a brave, energetic qualified and responsible country. China has entered our backyard and Pakistan is already in. Do you think it is only responsibility of military and police to safeguard the nation? They also come from same community. Today’s children are tomorrow’s future. If we don’t train and polish our children from today then tomorrow they will become like Sajid, flabby and making argument foolishly when given big responsibility. We have to work from today to make our children for tomorrow (Qualified and responsible). Whenever a dreaded act is performed by artists, Sonali and Kiran reacts as she has never seen or they don’t know that such things also happen. Are they Buddha in making? These are the people who have never seen poverty and misery of common people in their life. Around 40 % India is illiterate and more than half of India is below poverty line.
Same things are happening in our political system also. Everywhere unqualified and irresponsible leadership are sitting on chair and taking foolish decisions. Even a murder, rapist or corrupt can become legislators and make law for common people. They don’t become leader due to qualification or their social work but by virtue of bahubal, money or family background. Anybody with just 20 - 25% (sometimes below 20%) vote of total voting population become our Bhagya Bidhata. It is a matter of research that how many MPs got more than 50% vote of total voting population in their constituency. But what to do, our constitution accepts those unqualified and irresponsible leaders. Please bear with it till the time our constitution is revised or changed.
TV channels are always flooded with reality shows. To decide the fate of contestants so many so called judges are appointed who does not know anything about law of natural justice. They qualify to become judge only because they are famous (especially film personality) personality and are considered most successful in their field. Even Rahul Mahajan could become judge. They decide as per their inhibitions. Many times they are biased. You can see judges propagating Marathi language and shouting slogans like “Jai Maharastra”. I don’t know where India is. This only suits to contestants, not to judges and guests coming for promos. Sometimes judges fight or create controversy for TRP. What is this? Actually they should have been called promoters of program and channel. But they are called judge. I don’t know how lawyer community is accepting this devaluation of judicial system and justice. I will take the example of talent hunt program aired on colors channel. This is a good program and is for noble cause to promote hidden talent and give them exposure. I appreciate this program. This program is also having three judges who are famous film personality and in show business since long. Due to this they were considered to be judge of this program. What I feel that there must be some more criteria to appoint judge in such type of program. They must have wide range of knowledge and must have respect for others emotion, faith and feelings. They should not be biased and regional. They should not act in manner they want. They are not god, they have been appointed to see the smooth running of program. How Sajid reacted when he saw a five year old sikh boy performing Gatka with a sword in his hand. He suddenly became savior of children’s right. But he forgot that he is hurting the sentiments of sikh community. Why a five year old boy can’t hold sword in his hand. When that boy is properly trained and is his act is also a religious sacrament. Another day he commented on a martial arts trainer and parents of two children performing martial arts and showing breaking technique on his head that they should be in jail for this act, because children’s skull are not seasoned in such a tender age. I as a martial artist also know this. In martial arts we take utmost care to train children. We don’t give those hard exercises especially affecting growth. They are given mainly flexibility exercises. Breaking techniques are performed by children as gimmicks to show the beauty of martial arts to public. Don’t you think that films are also nothing but gimmickry. If Budhia can run marathon then why he should not be given opportunity. Or since you are physically incapable that’s why you don’t want others to be capable. This is not only weak but sick mentality also. These are children from well off families. There are many who do not get food even for a single time in a day leave the matter of education, games or other recreation. Please comment on their rights or if you people could do anything then please do something for them. Don’t act god or try to show extra wisdom which you don’t have. In China, Japan and Korea children are sometimes getting Black Belt in Kung-fu, Karate or Taekwondo in such a tender age. What about child artist participating in reality shows? Are they not earning fame and money for parents? Don’t you think that their rights are also snatched? Which type of country we want to live in. A flabby, dull and irresponsible like Sajid or a brave, energetic qualified and responsible country. China has entered our backyard and Pakistan is already in. Do you think it is only responsibility of military and police to safeguard the nation? They also come from same community. Today’s children are tomorrow’s future. If we don’t train and polish our children from today then tomorrow they will become like Sajid, flabby and making argument foolishly when given big responsibility. We have to work from today to make our children for tomorrow (Qualified and responsible). Whenever a dreaded act is performed by artists, Sonali and Kiran reacts as she has never seen or they don’t know that such things also happen. Are they Buddha in making? These are the people who have never seen poverty and misery of common people in their life. Around 40 % India is illiterate and more than half of India is below poverty line.
Same things are happening in our political system also. Everywhere unqualified and irresponsible leadership are sitting on chair and taking foolish decisions. Even a murder, rapist or corrupt can become legislators and make law for common people. They don’t become leader due to qualification or their social work but by virtue of bahubal, money or family background. Anybody with just 20 - 25% (sometimes below 20%) vote of total voting population become our Bhagya Bidhata. It is a matter of research that how many MPs got more than 50% vote of total voting population in their constituency. But what to do, our constitution accepts those unqualified and irresponsible leaders. Please bear with it till the time our constitution is revised or changed.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
SAFFRON TERRORISM
SAFFRON TERRORISM
Which type of leadership we have. Being a home minister, is it not his responsibility to bring harmony in society by his act of omission and commission. But he is interested in one part of his act only. Being a home minister it is his responsibility to see that nobody in this country should be deprived of justice. But he is more interested in working as a congress member than a home minister. Earlier he failed as finance minister now he is proving disaster as a home minister. He has got no control over his ministry. Nexalism is on rise. Big criminals are demanding CBI enquiry because they know that if they have close proximity with congress party then nothing will happen to them, so many examples are available. Till now only three blasts have been done by so called hindu organisation and our beloved and greatest of great home minister Chidambaram has uttered this phenomena as "Saffron Terrorism", without thinking that how much he is going to hurt the sentiment of majority hindu people. Out of appeasement to one community for his party he forgot that he is home minister of a country and uttering such type of stupid remarks will not only create dissatisfaction in people but will also cause hatred between communities in country, bringing bad name and disrespect to country. Since independence we are facing terrorism specially promoted by one community but we never given it name, even many time congress leadership gave statement that terror has got no face, then now, how terror has got a face in saffron colour. Mr. Home minister please don’t involve yourself in such type of foolish activity and please pay attention to national security. For you terrorist should be terrorist let them be from any community, caste or creed. Your police should show same alertness and keenness to book those involved in either Malegaon blast or Mumbai blast. If you are more interested to work as congress worker then please resign and join the rank of congress party and do any damn thing whatever you want and face the public. But the philosophy “divide and rule “ which your party inherited from Britishers will not work for long, it did not worked that time also. Very shortly our muslim community will understand that you people are using them as vote bank, you don’t want their development, because if they are educated and developed then they will not be subject to appeasement. Please go ahead with caste basis census. Please do proper census of muslim community so that they will come to know that where they are and how much good has been done to them by your secular government in these many years of congress rule since independence barring few years of other’s. It’s not me, people has to decide which type of leadership they want?
Which type of leadership we have. Being a home minister, is it not his responsibility to bring harmony in society by his act of omission and commission. But he is interested in one part of his act only. Being a home minister it is his responsibility to see that nobody in this country should be deprived of justice. But he is more interested in working as a congress member than a home minister. Earlier he failed as finance minister now he is proving disaster as a home minister. He has got no control over his ministry. Nexalism is on rise. Big criminals are demanding CBI enquiry because they know that if they have close proximity with congress party then nothing will happen to them, so many examples are available. Till now only three blasts have been done by so called hindu organisation and our beloved and greatest of great home minister Chidambaram has uttered this phenomena as "Saffron Terrorism", without thinking that how much he is going to hurt the sentiment of majority hindu people. Out of appeasement to one community for his party he forgot that he is home minister of a country and uttering such type of stupid remarks will not only create dissatisfaction in people but will also cause hatred between communities in country, bringing bad name and disrespect to country. Since independence we are facing terrorism specially promoted by one community but we never given it name, even many time congress leadership gave statement that terror has got no face, then now, how terror has got a face in saffron colour. Mr. Home minister please don’t involve yourself in such type of foolish activity and please pay attention to national security. For you terrorist should be terrorist let them be from any community, caste or creed. Your police should show same alertness and keenness to book those involved in either Malegaon blast or Mumbai blast. If you are more interested to work as congress worker then please resign and join the rank of congress party and do any damn thing whatever you want and face the public. But the philosophy “divide and rule “ which your party inherited from Britishers will not work for long, it did not worked that time also. Very shortly our muslim community will understand that you people are using them as vote bank, you don’t want their development, because if they are educated and developed then they will not be subject to appeasement. Please go ahead with caste basis census. Please do proper census of muslim community so that they will come to know that where they are and how much good has been done to them by your secular government in these many years of congress rule since independence barring few years of other’s. It’s not me, people has to decide which type of leadership they want?
Friday, August 20, 2010
POLITICAL LEPROSY
Don't you think that these two leaders has become political leprosy which requires major treatment. Sharad Pawar has got no regret for grains wastage in FCIs and does not want to follow SCs advice to distribute those grains to poorer. He does not have time to think about nation or people because he is not in touch with them. He is enjoying the company of rich of riches and busy with property making, I don't know where he will take all these properties. Now it is time for Maratha manus correct their verdict. Being an agricultural minister he is against farmer and poorer people because he is scared that if they will get sufficient food then they may not accept his slavery. Mamata didi another disaster in politics. She thinks that whatever she has done in railways was not done in last fifty years. She is right, no body could run bangla train duranto in last fifty years. She is right that in last fifty years first time trains were hijaked. She is right that in last fifty years railway was not in cooperation with naxalites. She is right that in fifty years no minister run railways from Kolkata. I don't know what will happen to West Bengal. What i feel that West Bengals condition will be worst.
CWG CWG CWG, HAVE A FUN.
CWG CWG CWG, WHAT A FUN.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN.
KNOWS NONE.
WHAT KALMADI HAS DONE.
KNOWS EVERY ONE.
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE.
KNOWS NONE.
AFTER CWG WHAT WILL HAPPEN.
KNOWS NONE.
FINALLY NOTHING WILL BE DONE.
CWG CWG CWG, HAVE A FUN.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN.
KNOWS NONE.
WHAT KALMADI HAS DONE.
KNOWS EVERY ONE.
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE.
KNOWS NONE.
AFTER CWG WHAT WILL HAPPEN.
KNOWS NONE.
FINALLY NOTHING WILL BE DONE.
CWG CWG CWG, HAVE A FUN.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
SALARY SALARY IN GALLARY
SALARY SALARY IN GALLARY
Is it not a matter of shame that leaders are fighting in parliament for hike of their salary. When they are demanding salary hike then they shoul act as employee also. They should attend parliament properly and regularly, they should not be absent, they should not destroy property in parliament and waste time of parliament, they should behave as disciplined employee of nation. They should not be involve in other profitable activity like government employee like sharad pawar and suresh kalmadi and many others. Their demand for more (even 1 rupees) salary than cabinet secretary is indicative of their narrow mentality inherited by angrejs (britishers) who used to treat Indian as their slave. These netas also think that every body in this country should act as their slave. When they demand salary then they should also talk performance, honesty, integrity, responsibility and commitment. Since they are rule maker so they can do any thing by twisting the constitution. They are forgeting that leaders are just patron of democracy, they have to guide people for nations betterment, they have to keep eyes on civil administration and help people who does not understand administrative complications and make way for national development by modifing laws by passing legislation in parliament, that also by taking whole nation into confidence. But what is happening, many provisions are anti public and parliamentarians many times pass the legislation without discussion and knowledge of public. Here my point is that if they want salary then they should be treated as government employee and they must follow the proper governmental procedure followed by other government employees.
Is it not a matter of shame that leaders are fighting in parliament for hike of their salary. When they are demanding salary hike then they shoul act as employee also. They should attend parliament properly and regularly, they should not be absent, they should not destroy property in parliament and waste time of parliament, they should behave as disciplined employee of nation. They should not be involve in other profitable activity like government employee like sharad pawar and suresh kalmadi and many others. Their demand for more (even 1 rupees) salary than cabinet secretary is indicative of their narrow mentality inherited by angrejs (britishers) who used to treat Indian as their slave. These netas also think that every body in this country should act as their slave. When they demand salary then they should also talk performance, honesty, integrity, responsibility and commitment. Since they are rule maker so they can do any thing by twisting the constitution. They are forgeting that leaders are just patron of democracy, they have to guide people for nations betterment, they have to keep eyes on civil administration and help people who does not understand administrative complications and make way for national development by modifing laws by passing legislation in parliament, that also by taking whole nation into confidence. But what is happening, many provisions are anti public and parliamentarians many times pass the legislation without discussion and knowledge of public. Here my point is that if they want salary then they should be treated as government employee and they must follow the proper governmental procedure followed by other government employees.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Can't we have a full fledged leader, who can work for better cause of people and country. Can't we have a full fledged minister, who can work for better cause his ministry only. Sharad Pawar being an agriculture minister he is giving more (only) time to ICC (Cricket) and Mamata Banerjee being railway minister giving time to Bengal only. Actually these type of people are not coming into politics to serve people or nation, they are more interested in only power only. They like to become power centre by becoming parliamentarian and minister. You can take the example of Suresh Kalmadi, who may not be knowing how to play gilli danda but he is IOA chief. He has done not only harm to sports but to the repute of nation also. When an official or policemen or doctor or teacher or jawan or any government employee is not permitted to involve in other business because they are drawing payment and benefit from government then how the ministers and parliamentarians are permitted to involve in other business than they are deputed for by public when they are drawing payments and pension. Because they are rule maker so they can make rule for their benefit only. I don't know when we the people of India will get a proper leader.
Friday, July 9, 2010
one women has written to sonia gandhi for death of her child due to vip security.but of what use. our great leadership are spineless and insensitive. our security official likes to take upmost precaution rather than securing. they dont like to fight, they want that nothing should happen so that they can relax, they have lost their fighting spirit. pl bear with these stupid things for the sake of new maharajas.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
we have lost 76 valuable lives, still we dont have guts to fight naxalism. actually people responsible for this massacre are enjoying all sorts of patronage. what u can expect when so many criminals are sitting in parliament and mayawati and mulayam like perple are in command. all those jawans died were from lower strata of society and were victim of government's wrong policy. naxalites are claiming that they are fighting for the cause of exploited but before killing security personnel they are forgoting that whatever security personnel are doing is just following the orders. actually if somebody is exploiting then its not security personnel. if naxalites think that they can change the world by bullets then why not the actual people who are making wrong policy are killed. naxalites claim that they belong to downtrodden class are totally baseless. to be frank due to naxal movement only people from lower class are suffring. u already know that insects class people are travelling by train and using road transport (because cattle class are traveling in economy class in flights). so due to bundh or blockade only people from lower class are affected. now it high time to use all sort of forces including army, navy and airforce and destroy the naxls bastion. for this pc and pm has to talk in same tune.
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