Gen praises Gujarat CM Modi, raises eyebrows at Army HQ

[sayareakd]

Armed forces should be a political they should only follow orders and should not take sides. If they started following politics then it is bound to effect our forces.

 

[Ray]

This is an interesting one on the pillars of our democracy

Is your MP underpaid?

By Pritish Nandy, 22 August 2010, TOI/Blogs 10:01 AM IST

I was a MP not very long ago. I loved those six years. Everyone called me sir, not because of my age but because I was a MP. And even though I never travelled anywhere by train during those years, I revelled in the fact that I could have gone anywhere I liked, on any train, first class with a bogey reserved for my family. Whenever I flew, there were always people around to pick up my baggage, not because I was travelling business class but because I was a MP. And yes, whenever I wrote to any Government officer to help someone in need, it was done. No, not because I was a journalist but because I was a MP.

The job had many perquisites, apart from the tax free wage of Rs 4,000. Then the wages were suddenly quadrupled to Rs 16,000, with office expenses of Rs 20,000 and a constituency allowance of Rs 20,000 thrown in. I could borrow interest free money to buy a car, get my petrol paid, make as many free phone calls as I wanted. My home came free. So did the furniture, the electricity, the water, the gardeners, the plants. There were also allowances to wash curtains and sofa covers and a rather funny allowance of Rs 1,000 per day to attend Parliament, which I always thought was a MP's job in the first place! And, O yes, we also got Rs 1 crore a year (now enhanced to Rs 2 crore) to spend on our constituencies. More enterprising MPs enjoyed many more perquisites best left to your imagination. While I was embarrassed being vastly overpaid for the job I was doing, they kept demanding more.

Today, out of 543 MPs in Lok Sabha, 315 are crorepatis. That's 60%. 43 out of the 54 newly elected Rajya Sabha MPs are also millionaires. Their average declared assets are over Rs 25 crore each. That's an awfully wealthy lot of people in whose hands we have vested out destiny. The assets of your average Lok Sabha MP have grown from Rs 1.86 crore in the last house to Rs 5.33 crore. That's 200% more. And, as we all know, not all our MPs are known to always declare all their assets. Much of these exist in a colour not recognised by our tax laws. That's fine, I guess. Being a MP gives you certain immunities, not all of them meant to be discussed in a public forum.

If you think it pays to be in the ruling party, you are dead right: 7 out of 10 MPs from the Congress are crorepatis. The BJP have 5. MPs from some of the smaller parties like SAD, TRS and JD (Secular) are all crorepatis while the NCP, DMK, RLD, BSP, Shiv Sena, National Conference and Samajwadi Party have more crorepatis than the 60% average. Only the CPM and the Trinamool, the two Bengal based parties, don't field crorepatis. The CPM has 1crorepati out of 16 MPs; the Trinamool has 7 out of 19. This shows in the state-wise average. West Bengal and Kerala have few crorepati MPs while Punjab and Delhi have only crorepati MPs and Haryana narrowly misses out on this distinction with one MP, poor guy, who's not a crorepati.

Do MPs become richer in office? Sure they do. Statistics show that the average assets of 304 MPs who contested in 2004 and then re-contested last year grew 300%. And, yes, we're only talking about declared assets here. But then, we can't complain. We are the ones who vote for the rich. Over 33% of those with assets above Rs 5 crore won the last elections while 99.5% of those with assets below Rs 10 lakhs lost! Apart from West Bengal and the North East, every other state voted for crorepati MPs. Haryana grabbed first place with its average MP worth Rs 18 crore. Andhra is not far behind at 16.

But no, this is not enough for our MPs. It's not enough that they are rich, infinitely richer than those who they represent, and every term makes them even richer. It's not enough that they openly perpetuate their families in power. It's not enough that all their vulgar indulgences and more are paid for by you and me through back breaking taxes. It's not enough that the number of days they actually work in Parliament are barely 60 in a year. The rest of the time goes in squabbling and ranting. Now they want a 500% pay hike and perquisites quadrupled. The Government, to buy peace, has already agreed to a 300% raise but that's not good enough for our MPs. They want more, much more.

And no, I'm not even mentioning that 150 MPs elected last year have criminal cases against them, with 73 serious, very serious cases ranging from rape to murder. Do you really think these people deserve to earn 104 times what the average Indian earns?



Source:

http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/extraordinaryissue/entry/is-your-mp-underpaid

http://blizzard.sulekha.com/blog/post/2010/08/is-your-mp-underpaid-pritish-nandy.htm

 

[Ray]

Armed forces should be a political they should only follow orders and should not take sides. If they started following politics then it is bound to effect our forces.

The Army was and still is apolitical.

One might add that there is an Annual Civil Military Liaison Conference too.

Good work by the Govt is praised and thanked too.

Now, would that mean that the Army is not apolitical?

Indira Gandhi has been praised by the Military for her excellent leadership in the 1971 War then and even now.

Does it mean the Army is not apolitical or that it is a Congress Party organisation?

 

[SADAKHUSH]

Gen praises Gujarat CM Modi, raises eyebrows at Army HQ​

AHMEDABAD/NEW DELHI: In a statement which sent ripples across the armed forces, a serving major general on Monday lavished praise on Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, attributing to him qualities of a top-notch army commander who sets targets and then goes all out to achieve them in time.

Maj-Gen IS Singha, who as general officer commanding of the Golden Katar Division in Ahmedabad is the senior most Army officer in Gujarat, was speaking at the launch of the three-day 'Know Your Army' exhibition which was inaugurated by Modi at the police stadium ground.

"He (Modi) works like we in the Army do. He sets a deadline for completion of projects and then ensures that targets are achieved in time. These are qualities of a successful Army commander," said Maj-Gen Singha.

Praising Modi for his "vision of development for the state and the nation," Maj-Gen Singha also requested the CM to follow the example set by other states in providing land to the Army Welfare Housing Organization to help serving and retired military personnel. Modi, on his part, said his government would look into the request. He then went on to add that there was a need for the National Cadet Corps to impart naval training in schools and colleges in Gujarat's coastal areas, which would ensure that some youngsters opted to join the maritime force.

It is certainly unusual for a senior officer of the largely apolitical Indian armed forces to publicly praise political functionaries. Asked about this, a senior officer at the Army HQ at New Delhi told TOI that an explanation had been sought from Maj-Gen Singha. "The statement has been made in his personal capacity. We are looking into it. If he indeed said so, its inappropriate. His comments have been sought," said the officer.

Another officer, however, said "too much was being read into a customary welcome speech" at the inauguration of a military function. "Maj-Gen Singha spoke in Hindi. It has been twisted out of context in its English translation," he said.

Can any one pick out any political wording from his speech which was translated from Hindi? He is acknowledging his
WORK ETHICS, VISION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE STATE AND NATION. At the same time he is trying to convey a message to those CM's and bureaucrats to learn from his accomplishments and that of our Armed Forces, in particular Indian Army. I look at it as a challenge for the citizen of India who are being let down by the Spineless, do nothing good politicians.
We should also make a law which makes it mandatory for elected officials and bureaucrats to spend at least one month in the forward areas with troops and as well as make them spend one month with the labour force sleeping on the footpaths of the nation. Than these politicians with a brain which works in negative way only will learn what it is like to set goals and achieve them rather than make promises to janta and not deliver them.

We should look at it as it is not because the congressi's want to capitalize on it. He is one of the shining example of what a leader in India should be. Stop playing the politics on non issues.

After Maj. Gen. retire's he should be welcomed to join the political party of his choice. If I was there and leader of a party, I would extend my invitation to him to join our party.

 

[agentperry]

Can any one pick out any political wording from his speech which was translated from Hindi? He is acknowledging his
WORK ETHICS, VISION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE STATE AND NATION. At the same time he is trying to convey a message to those CM's and bureaucrats to learn from his accomplishments and that of our Armed Forces, in particular Indian Army. I look at it as a challenge for the citizen of India who are being let down by the Spineless, do nothing good politicians.
We should also make a law which makes it mandatory for elected officials and bureaucrats to spend at least one month in the forward areas with troops and as well as make them spend one month with the labour force sleeping on the footpaths of the nation.

We should look at it as it is not because the congressi's want to capitalize on it. He is one of the shining example of what a leader in India should be. Stop playing the politics on non issues.

After Maj. Gen. retire's he should be welcomed to join the political party of his choice. If I was there and leader of a party, I would extend my invitation to him to join our party.

actually the thinking that you possess is not in army HQ.
the superiors set time frame for juniors to polish their shoes, set target to laundry their clothes. pass on criticism for proven home made stuff. strategically plan import of under-performer expensive equipments. now if someone praises for a person working for nation off-course it will raises eyebrows. they might ask him- hey dude what happened to you? are not party in t-90 scam. are you sure you dont want share?

 

[SADAKHUSH]

Armed forces should be a political they should only follow orders and should not take sides. If they started following politics then it is bound to effect our forces.

Which word of Maj. Gen. I.S. Singha is politically motivated? I would ask you to read what is posted in the forum once again and as well as my post than we can discuss further.

 

[SADAKHUSH]

actually the thinking that you possess is not in army HQ.
the superiors set time frame for juniors to polish their shoes, set target to laundry their clothes. pass on criticism for proven home made stuff. strategically plan import of under-performer expensive equipments. now if someone praises for a person working for nation off-course it will raises eyebrows. they might ask him- hey dude what happened to you? are not party in t-90 scam. are you sure you dont want share?

I have also spent my life growing up in family of Armed Forces in all three wings and did notice the kind of mind set you have mentioned. We should not paint all the personal with a broad brush because, I had the opportunity of meeting honest to the core personals as well. I also realize we have to clean up the mess in all departments of GOI.

 

[agentperry]

I have also spent my life growing up in family of Armed Forces in all three wings and did notice the kind of mind set you have mentioned. We should not paint all the personal with a broad brush because, I had the opportunity of meeting honest to the core personals as well. I also realize we have to clean up the mess in all departments of GOI.

might is right and might is with corrupt right now. all in all. deep shit

 

[SADAKHUSH]

might is right and might is with corrupt right now. all in all. deep shit

So what are you guys doing to get rid of these parasites? Only talk on the forum. Get up and organize the force to shake them up from their roots and give them run so that they can never look back and come back to their posts.