"The Prime Minister of the country has violated the model code of conduct and code of governance. Such type of promises during electioneering are definitely breach of the election code of conduct," BJP party spokesman Prakash Javdekar told PTI here. He said while the Assam unit of the party would be meeting the state Election Commission, the BJP central leadership would meet the Chief Election Comissioner in Delhi Monday.

Alleging that the Prime Minister has announced the package with "defeat staring the Congress Party in its face", he said "this smacks of political immorality. If he was genuinely concerned, the package should have been announced six months back".

The BJP spokesman said the party was "amused" that while the Election Commission took note of Party General Secretary Pramod Mahajan's press conference in Assam earlier in the day, "which is a non-issue, the poll panel has not taken cognisance of the Prime Minister's indiscretion".

The Prime Minister's media advisor Sanjaya Baru said representatives of some political parties have alleged that the Prime Minister had announced a package for the autonomus district of Karbi Anglong in Assam.

"This is factually incorrect," he said, adding the Prime Minister has not made any such statement. "The Prime Minister was in Assam and met representatives of the autonomous district council of Karbi Anglong and received a memorandum submitted by them.

"The Prime Minister did not make any announcement that contravenes election laws," he added. (PTI)

"Govinda has been receiving threats...for his family members. We have informed the union Home Ministry and Congress Party High Command. We are confident that the party High Command is taking appropriate steps for the safety of Govinda and family," Kumar told reporters.

Asked if the threat had come from underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, he said the media should not indulge in speculation over the source of the threat. "Let the investigating agencies do their work. Please do not give rise to speculation as this is a very serious matter," he said.

Former Maharashtra Minister of state for Home Kripashankar Singh said he had spoken to Govinda but the latter declined to discuss the issue in detail. (PTI)

New Delhi: Indian women have always had a prodigious appetite for jewellery, and even when it is sold online, there are many takers for it. Online sales of jewellery are picking up because of the growing preference for branded products and semi-precious items, industry experts say.

"The growing number of online purchases is an indication that people believe that buying known brands is safe and secure. We expect consumers to buy more than Rs 40 crore worth of jewellery online in 2005-06," says Preeti Desai, President of the Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI).

"Jewellers who are successfully selling online have figured out a way of selling as well to men as they don't shop for jewellery the same way as women do. He will be willing to buy items that cost Rs 10,000 and above, and will most definitely research them before narrowing down the sale," says Desai.

Agrees Rajiv Mehta, Director, Surat Diamond, an online jewellery shop "online shopping for most people means buying within the Rs 10,000 range. It is only when they have to buy very precious jewellery and that too from a not very well-known name, that the touch and feel factor comes. If the seller is a well-known brand, there are no reservations." "The key is the consumer's confidence in the Internet and in a specific brand. Typically, customers will test their first purchases with low-value items like books, DVDs etc. If they find the experience satisfying, they move up their purchase values and get comfortable with buying high-value items," says K Vaithe-eswaran of an online shopping store. (PTI)

New Delhi: The Delhi and Mumbai airports privatisation plan will move another step ahead as the government has decided to sign the operation, management and development agreements (OMDAs) with two private developers on April 4.

Sources in the civil aviation ministry said the Airports Authority of India (AAI) will sign the agreements with private joint venture partners -- GMR and GVK consortiums -- that have bagged the contracts for modernisation of the country’s busiest airports.

"The agreement will lay down the guidelines as to how the activities should be carried out post-privatisation,"' an AAI spokesperson said.

The agreements are being signed between the developers and the AAI for a period of 30 years, he said. The joint ventures that were required to be formed and registered under the Companies Act have since come into effect.(UNI)

New Delhi: Opposition leader in Lok Sabha L K Advani and BJP president Rajnath Singh start their 5,800 km-long Bharat Suraksha Yatra to draw people’s attention towards "jihadi and Left wing extremism and the politics of minoritiyism", from Dwarka and Puri on April 6.

Meanwhile, the Home Ministry has asked all the Chief Secretaries and the Directors Generals of the states to provide all out security to the leaders in the wake of intelligence inputs that the Yatras are ‘fraught with risks’. The Yatras, announced the after the terrorist attack at Sankat Mochan temple in Varanasi, will not touch any of the five states where Assembly elections are being held.

Barring the North-East, the two leaders will criss-cross about 10 states from East to West before reaching Delhi on May 10. "We intend to focus on national security threats, both from the internal and external sources," senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu, who is the overall in-charge of the twin Yatras, said.

During their Yatra, the leaders will also highlight what they call is the misuse of democratic institutions for the sake of protecting the minority vote banks. The Yatra -- originally planned as National Integration Yatra -- will be a sort of political pilgrimage to furthering the cause national interests. "The Yatra is our chosen medium to awaken patriotic fervor in the minds of people," he said.(UNI)

In his complaint before city judicial magistrate Amit Sirohi on Saturday, district official Arun Bhadoria claimed that by taking the dogs to Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial, the Bush administration brought disgrace on the Father of the Nation.(PTI)

Ahmedabad: The Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIMA) on Sunday decided to increase the tuition fees for its two-year Post-Graduate Programme (PGP) to Rs 1.77 lakh per annum, a 12 per cent hike from the present Rs 1.58 lakh. Although the hike in tuition fees was expected, speculations were rife in the media and other circles on the hiked amount.

The board of governors at its meeting here today decided to give effect to the hike for the new batch joining next month. IIMA Chairman N R Narayana Murthy said the hike comes to 3.3 per cent per year on annualised basis over the last three years, which is less than the annual rate of inflation.

The board, which took note of the cost of education for PGP, was earlier told that IIMA spends about Rs 3.50 lakh per year on each student of PGP excluding internship and students exchange programme. This has also been increased to Rs 3.68 lakh per student per year.

However, Mr Murthy later said that no young students would be denied admission for inability to pay and all deserving candidates would get Need-Based Scholarship (NBS) for refund of the fees, as per the family income and other criteria.

Although the board at its last meeting itself had set up a corpus of Rs one crore for NBS, it had also decided to ensure of having no ceiling on the number of students to be paid under NBS. During the outgoing academic year, IIMA paid NBS to 97 students out of 560 students of PGP in First and Second Year combined. The NBS amount also stands to be hiked to the fee level for the new batch.

Moreover, Mr Narayana Murthy said that with the average domestic salary of IIMA graduates steadily going up, from Rs 7.5 lakh per annum last year to Rs 9.7 lakh this year, the students should not find it difficult to repay the fees.(UNI)

Onion growers were enraged after Pawar did not speak a word on declining prices of the commodity in recent times while addressing a seminar on pomegranate organised jointly by Vasantdada Cooperative Sugar Factory and All India Producers Association. No one was hit in the incident, police said adding, fifteen persons have been rounded up in this connection.(PTI)

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala’s opposition alliance LDF on Sunday completed its seat sharing exercise with CPI(M) and independent candidates backed by it deciding to contest the 11 assembly seats that were undecided following a dispute among Front partners.

Briefing reporters after a meeting of the LDF, its convenor Paloli Mohammed Kutty said the CPI(M) would contest eight seats and independents would put up a fight in the remaining three.

Former Youth League leader K T Jaleel would be the LDF independent in Kuttippuram against IUML general secretary P K Kunhalikutty, while expelled Muslim League leader P T A Rahim would take on DIC-K president K Muraleedharan in Koduvally.

Left fellow-traveller Cherian Philip will contest the Kallooppara seat. The decision on seat-sharing was unanimous, Kutty said. He said the LDF had asked its partners Kerala Congress-J and JD(S) to avoid fielding Antony Raju (Thiruvananthapuram West) and Neelalohitadasan Nadar (Kovalam) as they were facing court cases. The parties may reconsider their decision, he said.(PTI)

"The chartered accountants are not allowed to use the institute’s logo. We have engaged NID for designing a new logo which can be used by the members in their visiting cards and their firm’s letterhead," ICAI president T.N. Manoharan said here.

"The members may use the logo on the company’s visiting card if they are employed in a corporation to differentiate them from other finance professionals," Manoharan told reporters. (IANS)

Raipur: Maoist rebels in Chhattisgarh have warned a senior minister that they will behead him if he fails to pay them Rs.1 million. The shocked minister, Nankiram Kanwar, who holds the agriculture and food and civil supplies portfolios, has sought extra police protection and said he 'would prefer to die than honour the diktat of the rebels'.

Of the 13 states affected by violence perpetrated by left wing guerrillas, Chhattisgarh has been the hardest hit. It was the focus of a meeting called by the central government in Delhi Friday to discuss steps to quell the activities of Maoists.

'I received a letter recently at my Raipur residence written in red ink and bearing the signature of a commander of the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC), who asked me to pay Rs.10 lakhs failing which I would be beheaded,' Kanwar told IANS Sunday.

The letter said the minister's head would be cut off and hung from a tree if he failed to pay up. Kanwar represents the Rampur assembly seat in Korba district that is reserved for scheduled tribe candidates. He said he had shown letter to Chief Minister Raman Singh and Home Minister Ramvichar Netam and sought extra police protection.

'It's very serious. The Naxals are seeking money from a minister, and I have instructed officials to probe the matter and throw a security cordon around Kanwar,' Home Minister Netam said.

Chhattisgarh has witnessed an unprecedented rise in Maoist violence in recent months. Over 100 people, a majority of them civilians, have died in Maoist attacks in the state since Jan 1. The Maoists, who operate out of jungle bases in 13 states, claim they are fighting for the rights of poor peasants and landless labourers.(IANS)

The decision followed consultations between the West Bengal Animal Welfare Department and the Alipore Zoo authorities. (IANS)

Gopalganj: In a shocking incident, a youngster from Gopalganj district of Bihar, who was sent to Saudi Arabia on a promise of getting employment in the steel pipe industry two years ago, has reportedly been sold to a terrorist group.

Emam Hassan, a resident of Durg Matihania village of Gopalganj district, went to Saudi Arabia in 2004 through an agent named Israr Ahmed, a resident of Kushinagar district of Uttar Pradesh. The agent promised him a job in a steel pipe factory after taking Rs 1,10,000 from Emam.

Hassan comes from a poor family and has not been able to contact his family members after leaving for Saudi Arab. His father Mohammadin Ansari tells that Hassan has neither sent any money nor made any phone call for the last 18 months . They recently got a secret phone call from Hassan Emam when he informed his father about his condition. He told his father that he has been sold to a terrorist group and has been forced to take training in terrorist activities.

Hassan narrated how he has been kept along with other Indians where they are being forced to take training in terrorist activities. Flabbergasted over the revelations, Emam’s father has filed complaints with the local administration.

"We have no information about his present condition. We don’t know whether he is dead or alive today. We are helpless and don’t know how to get our son back. They have locked him inside their compound and only take him out for the work. They are giving him training to spread terror. They beat him when he refused to work for them," said Mohammadin Ansari, the father of Emam Hassan.

Meanwhile the District Magistrate of Gopalganj said he has written a letter to the Home Secretary regarding this matter and is expecting a reply.

"I have written a letter to the Home Secretary and requested him to talk to the External Affairs Ministry to bring Emam back to India," said Murlidhar Roy, District Megistrate, Gopalganj.

"He called up his father and told him that he had been sold to the terrorists. He told his father that they are forcing him to get training to spread terrorism. He also apprehended that he may be killed as he is refusing to do their work," added Roy.

According to the father, Emam has been badly beaten up and been threatened to be killed if showed reluctance to work for the terrorists. Hassan’s sorry tale only highlights the plight of the unemployed youth in Bihar, who, in a desperate urge to earn bread and butter for their family, often get trapped. (ANI)

Under the provisions of this Act, any member of the State Legislative Assembly can hold the office of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, or member of any Committee, Board or authority appointed by the Government of India or Government of any State.

It is quite interesting to note that the Act stands to protect the members of the Assembly to that an extent that the Clause 5 of Para 3 ensures that any person shall not be disqualified or shall not be deemed ever to have been disqualified for being chosen as, or for being, a member of the Legislative Assembly of Meghalaya by the reason of the fact that he holds any of the offices of "the part-time Professor, Lecturer, Instructor, or Teacher in Government Educational Institution of which term shall include Additional Government Pleader, Government Advocate, Additional Public Prosecutor, Assistant Government Pleader, Assistant Public Prosecutor and any other advocate or Pleader specially appointed by the Government to conduct State cases before any Court or Tribunal.

Though the President of India and the Election Commission are yet to act upon the complaints of the NCP against 26 Congress legislators for holding 'office of profit', under the provisions of the existing Act, it is now doubtful whether the party would get any favourable verdict. The NCP had last week urged the President and the Election Commission to disqualify the Congress legislators who are holding dual posts.

SHILLONG: Two new Bishops - Fr Vincent Kympat and Fr Victor Lyngdoh - of the two newly created Dioceses - Jowai and Nongstoin - were ordained on Sunday at Laitumkhrah Cathedral here by Most Rev Pedro Lopez Quintana, the Vatican Ambassador to India. Most Rev Quintana has been authorised by the Pope to ordain the two Bishops outside Vatican.

The ordination of the new Bishops was held in presence of the Shillong Archbishop Most Rev Dominic Jala, besides several Bishops of North East together with hundreds of Priests, Religious and Laity of the Archdiocese. In his speech, Most Rev Quintana said that the creation of new Dioceses and ordination of two Bishops elect was approved by Pope Benedict-XVI, the head of the Catholic Church on January 28 this year

"The creation of the two Dioceses in Meghalaya is a gift from God and the two new Bishops have been entrusted to carry the mission in spreading the message of Christ to the people", Most Rev Quintana said.

Bishop Kympat will be in-charge of Jowai Diocese, while Bishop Lyngdoh will be in-charge of Nongstoin Diocese. Chief Minister DD Lapang along with some Ministers and MLAs, the Chief Executive Member of KHADC, Mr HS Shylla were also present on the occasion.

Shillong: In view of the collapse of a PWD bridge at Mawlongbah village near Ranikor in West Khasi Hills, the KSU South-West Khasi Hills urged the BSF to allow vehicular traffic to use the Border Road for ease movement of people and transportation of goods.

KSU South-West Khasi Hills unit leader S Basan said the old bridge collapsed last week and created a lot of difficulties for the people of several villages in the area including Ranikor, Borsora, Nongjri. "If the BSF does not allow people to use the Border Road, the miseries for the local people would grow manifolds".

The KSU urged the PWD to take steps in having a new bridge constructed as early as possible.

SHILLONG: The ANVC will submit a fresh memorandum on their demand for Grater Garoland to the Union government representatives during the Joint Monitoring Group meeting in Guwahati on Wednesday. The JMG is sitting after almost nine months since the last meeting that was held on July 18 last year

ANVC publicity secretary Arist Sangma told The Shillong Times over phone from Tura that their memorandum would shed light on the reasons behind having a fresh move for a separate Garo state.

"There is an urgent need for creation of a separate state for the Garos given the state of affairs in the State. Almost all the people of Garo Hills agree to creation of a separate state", Mr Sangma said.

According to him, increasingly people were realising that a separate state was the only solution to the entire set of problems, be it discrimination against the Garos or otherwise. Mr Sangma is of the opinion that "since we have adequate resources, a separate state for Garos is viable".

Commenting on the burning issues of the State, Mr Sangma said, "The MBOSE is already bifurcated and job reservation policy is the next issue which will affect the people of Garo Hills". The outfit will also handover a letter to the JMG to initiate the process of political dialogue.

On the alleged reports of ANVC engaging in extortion, the outfit leader suspected that this could be the handiwork of those against the organisation. He claimed that the ANVC was united for its cause and there was no difference of opinion among its leaders.

SHILLONG: In a sudden change of strategy, Meghalaya Speaker MM Danggo is unlikely to opt for the Cabinet berth in the upcoming reshuffle since he prefers to remain as Speaker till the term ends. Congress sources on Sunday said West Khasi Hills might get a Cabinet Minister's post and the choice for the post is apparently Mr Boldness Nongum.

Moreover, there are indications that Senior Congress leader RG Lyngdoh will be inducted in the reshuffle due after the Assam Assembly elections. Senior Ministers like Mr Friday Lyngdoh and Mr HDR Lyngdoh are likely to lose their berth in the upcoming reshuffle.

SHILLONG: Even after three years of its formation, the Lapang-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) is yet to fulfil its election pledge of formulating a common minimum programme (CMP). The coalition government was formed in March 2003 with a promise of stability, better programmes and policies.

The MDA, a coalition of five parties - Congress, UDP, MDP, KHNAM and HSPDP -soon after its formation made initial efforts to formulate the CMP. The formulation of CMP was necessary as the coalition partners had different ideologies. The MDA initially had made a draft CMP, but it failed to make any headway after that. When contacted, MDA secretary Charles Pyngrope said the matter was taken up for discussion at the recent MDA meeting.

"We have decided to follow the Governor’s address for the common minimum programme, instead of formulating it separately", Mr Pyngrope said.

As the Governor's address specifies the priority areas of this government, the MDA did not feel it necessary to have any additional CMP, Mr Pyngrope said. Other members of MDA too felt that the spirit of CMP was accommodated in the Governor’s address and the government would follow it for the overall development of the State.

SHILLONG: The State Cabinet will shortly discuss whether or not to conduct the Shillong Municipal election, even though the process is afoot to hold elections as per the direction of the Supreme Court. Informed sources on Sunday said the East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner was asked to submit the estimate for conducting the Municipal elections in Shillong. Official sources said that the State government already consulted the Attorney General on the legalities of holding the Municipal elections in all the 27 wards.

However, the Attorney General instructed the State government to consult the Union Ministry of Justice and Empowerment for further consultation and their comments are awaited. The process for conducting the SMB elections was initiated in 2000. But as one of the candidates was shot dead by some unidentified miscreants, the election process had to be kept in abeyance.

There was a strong objection to holding of Municipal elections from certain quarters. The argument of those against the elections is that the appointment of Ward Commissioners would dilute the powers and functions of traditional institutions.

However, the argument in favour of election is that civic election is a constitutional necessity which the traditional heads are unable to discharge. Besides, all Dorbar Shnongs have not been able to act as defacto ward commissioners. Municipal elction was last held in 1967 when Shillong was the capital of undivided Assam. Meghalaya's political leadership has seen to it that civic elections are not conducted due to political pressure. Things changed after the Apex court issued directive to hold the election as required by law.

The statement also urged the travellers to obtain and insist on the acknowledgement Pre-paid Receipt when travelling to Guwahati Railway Station (Paltan Bazar), Guwahati Airport or to any destinations from the office of the Association.

The programme aims to provide an opportunity to the outgoing third year students to interact with experts in the field of higher studies, self-employment and entrepreneurship.

Shillong: The Jaintia Youth Federation has urged the Chief Commissioner of Customs to look into the non-enforcement of the provisions of Standards of Weights and Measures (Enforcement) Act, 1985 as adapted by the State for export business of coal to Bangladesh.

In a statement issued here, the NGO said that weighment of the coal exported to Bangladesh is not being carried out in accordance with the provisions laid down in Standards of Weights and Measure Acts, 1976 and the Standards of Weights and Measures (Enforcement) Act, 1985, since the two laws were adapted by the Government of Meghalaya, and the provisions of other relevant acts which are in force in the State.

The statement said the coal loaded trucks on the export points are measured on the basis of volumetric system and not in terms of the standards weights or measures resulting into huge loss to the coal mine owners.

The NGO further pointed out that the basis of measurement of coal at the Customs Export points has been taken on a higher level (at the rate of 40.50 cft per ton) if conducted by the Directorate of Mineral Resources, whereas if the process is done through the weighbridge, it would be more in actual weighment, which is to the extent of three ton, thereby resulting in an export less by three metric ton per truck load when based on volumetric calculations.

The Federation also pointed out that in 1987, the weighment was initially determined by a renowned international Surveyor (R V Briggs Pvt Ltd Kolkata) at the rate of 39 cft per ton, whereas in Bangladesh, the importers are selling coal at the rate of 35 cft per ton as against the volumetric system, which is based at the rate of 40.50 cft per ton (fixed by the Directorate of Mineral Resources Meghalaya), which leads to loss of tonnage to the extent of 5.50 cft per truck.

"A spot survey conducted by us found that there was a great difference in determining the cft system per ton as compared to the cft determined by the DMR," the NGO pointed out.

According to the data available with the DMR, it shows that 40.50 cft is equivalent to one metric ton. "However, our findings show that the maximum determination per ton is at 36.50 cft, in comparison to varieties of coal (ROM). Thus the difference is 4 cft, which is equivalent to an average of 2 metric ton losses per truck, the NGO said.

The Federation further said that coal owners of the country are getting less tonnage to the tune of two ton per truck in average as well as there is loss to the Foreign Exchange and Royalty to the State Government to the extent of actual loss incurred for not using the proper method of measurement of coal being exported to Bangladesh.

And for the purpose of weighment of coal, weighbridges are therefore required to be operated immediately at each and every Land Customs Export points, the Federation observed.

The loss from Jaintia Hills only is estimated to be at 700 metric ton (Rs 14 lakh) per day for both miners and transporters. While in terms of royalty loss by the State Government, it is to the tune to Rs 1.15 lakh per day and in terms of Foreign Exchange, at the rate of US $40 per ton, the loss is around $ 28,000 per day.

The Federation felt that there should be uniformity in weighment system of coal and the coal being exported to Bangladesh should be measured on actual basis in order to save the huge amount of precious foreign exchange and State royalty while it emphasised on the need to implement the provisions and rules of Standards of Weights and Measures Act 1976 at the earliest.

Shillong: The failure of the Power Department in conducting periodical inspections of the consumers throughout the State cost the State a loss of revenue worth Rs 14.28 lakh. The Comptroller and Auditor General pointed out that the State lost Rs 14.28 lakh due to Power Department's non-conducting of periodical inspections.

"The Government suffered a loss of Rs 14.28 lakh for a five year period commencing from 1999 - 2000.

The records of Inspectorate of Electricity, Meghalaya in March 2005 revealed that as on March 2000 there were 1,45,828 consumers of electricity - 1,27, 396 domestic, 14,980 commercial and 920 industrial consumers.

On scrutinizing, it was found that "no periodical inspection had ever been carried out even though there was one senior electrical inspector, one assistant electrical inspector and two electrical testers in the inspectorate to carry out periodical inspections".

The report pointed out that lack of periodical inspection was a violation of rules, and could have endangered human life and property as electricity connections remained unchecked. The State Government's response in September 2005, which is "not in consonance with the provisions of the rules, stated that the inspection was not mandatory and that the existing man power was not sufficient to carry out such inspection.

The Indian Electricity rules 1956 adopted by the Government of Meghalaya provides that when any installation is connected to the supply system of the supplier, every such installation shall be periodically inspected and tested at intervals not exceeding five years either by the inspectors or officers appointed to assist the inspectors or by the suppliers as may be directed by the State Government.

SHILLONG: The Shillong Club Ltd hosted a 35-member Bangladeshi exchange team from Sylhet Station Club Ltd from March 31 to April 2. During their, stay here the visiting team engaged themselves in playing golf, snooker and cricket with the host club. Fraternity dinners were hosted on this occasion.

On April 2 at a brief function mementos and gifts were exchanged. Among others who spoke on the occasion were Mr T.C. Lyngdoh MLA, Mr Manas Chaudhuri MLA, Mr E. Haque and Mr Farad Zaman of the Sylhet Club and Mr Naba Bhattacharjee and Mr Siddharth Ghosh of Shillong Club.

The two sides exuded confidence that such friendship tours would go a long way to improve bilateral ties. The Shillong Club is likely to undertake reciproactory tour of Bangladesh later this year.

There is a crippling contradiction in Indian society between visionaries in different spheres and routine politicians. While routine politicians are concerned with political business as usual, visionaries try to go beyond routine. They try to make a new road rather than walk on the beaten track. Since visionaries are becoming more and more rare, especially among politicians, it can be argued that there is, so to speak, vision deficit in the field of politics in the country.

Politicians do not just operate in the sphere of public life opened up by democracy. They also intrude into institutions, professions, and other activities. This is done with the objective of politicising them. To politicise in this sense means to serve the interests of those who engage in politics and to offer patronage to those who support them. Since there are competing politicians, factionalism becomes rampant. This may be expressed in terms of competing parties or cliques within the same party. In exchange for support, leaders lend political muscle to their followers.

This political muscle operates in different ways. It may make it possible for someone to openly indulge in harmful activities and to defy rules drawing strength from a powerful patron or a political party. It may on the other hand mean something as mundane as the neglect of duty at the place of work. Thus, to mention a recent event, the death of a patient in a hospital in Patna after ants ate one of her eyelids could have happened only in a condition of shocking apathy. It is reported that the hospital staff refused to remove the ants form the bandage on the ground that this was not their job. It stands to reason that such apathy can exist when the persons concerned know that they will not be punished. Indeed, protection from punishment due to political patronage is common. This patronage may well result in reward for those who ought to be punished.

Professional politicians, who live off politics, are to be differentiated from politicians in different professions. Let us call them micro politicians, for they operate at the institutional level or at best at the sectoral level. The intrusion of professional politicians into public institutions is made possible because there are politicians among those who earn their livelihood through other means. Thus, it is common to see micro politicians among teachers, doctors, lawyers, civil servants, and others. Their objective is to corner the power and the resources of the institutions in which they operate through an optimal use of their skills, which include the skills of networking ad coterie formation. They develop skills for promoting themselves through typically factional politics. Often they cultivate contacts with the politicians, and this enhances their image and serves their interests.

These micro politicians are miniature versions of professional politicians. Some of them aspire to become professional politicians through the skills achieved at the institutional level. Most often, though, this is too high an ambition, and they are satisfied with the limited turf of the institutions in which they operate. These micro politicians often take advantage of the democratic means available to them just as they indulge in intrigues for promoting themselves and their followers. Democratic practices are used to subvert them. Ideology can be a useful tool in this game. These are the people who are usually in the forefront for seeking important official positions. In fact, when a really worthy person gets selected for any of these posts, which does happen at times, it becomes a ground for hope. Some micro politicians are even cleverer. They show disdain for these positions, for they find it better to have power through remote control. This gives them power without any responsibility. It is useful for them to have weak persons in positions of authority, for they can manipulate them easily.

Education has suffered much in this respect. It goes to the credit of Union education minister, Arjun Singh, that he acknowledges that education remains his story of failure. He is reported to have said that he has not been able to eliminate the control that his party exercises in the filed of education. The recognition that all is not well with education is in itself a reassuring beginning. Several academic institutions in the country are nowhere near what they were at their best.

Arjun Singh has talked about disruptions caused by outsiders in the sphere of education. But there is no point in blaming only professional politicians. Any honest appraisal of the state of education in the country as a whole must not overlook the disruptions caused by insiders. This is the story of several institutions at all levels in the country. All those who are outside this game - and I like to believe that there are many of them - get marginalised in their own institutions and are reduced to being sad spectators. They have to sit and watch the decline of their institutions and the rule of mediocrity.

Micro politicians tend to get taken as the representatives of their professions. They not only reduce their institutions but also their professions. Several professional organisations operate in a manner similar to trade unions. These organisations tend to be controlled by them, just as they tend to control internal democratic forums. While they present demands in a routine manner before authorities, they fail to make demand from themselves.

Why is it that organisations representing teachers have not clearly come out, for instance, with the demand that private tuition should be abolished and those found guilty punished? All of us in the teaching profession know what a menace it has become at all levels, including the university level. As I was interviewing once a young daughter of a poor villager for an organisation that gives scholarships to students on a merit-cum-means basis, she confronted me with a counter-question when I asked her why she had taken private tuition when her father was not in a position to pay for it. "What could I have done when teachers of our school teach only outside school?" she asked me.

It is generally believed that more money needs to be put into education at different levels. This is indeed true. If children go to a school without a proper school building or even a noticeboard, not much can be expected. But even more important is to ensure that they go to schools that have teachers. And that these teachers teach in their schools.

A developing society needs to consciously develop social institutions to meet its increasingly complex needs. What is often overlooked is that social institutions are not developing by putting rules on paper and then finding ways to break them to suit selfish interests. It will be na‹ve to overlook individual aspirations. Nor will it be right to deny the existence of differences of interests and ideas. Indeed, if a common commitment exists, these differences can contribute to the growth of these institutions. A great university or a great hospital cannot be built unless different people are willing to find a common ground for collective effort.

This common ground is often overlooked in India. It could have been the task of politics in India to define this common ground. This is what some of our best leaders of the nationalist movement did. What is visible today in routine politics is the opposite. To politicise now means not to build but to bleed. A situation exists that is similar to that of Coleridge's mariner. Indeed, at the time of independence the ship was cheered and the harbour cleared only for the ship to find itself later in a situation sad as sad could be. There is "water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink". INAV

Bangalore might be known as the IT capital of India, but for the employees working there, it's the traffic jam capital. After my three-year stint in Europe, when I returned to Bangalore, the things that remained the same were the width of the roads and potholes. Everything else had changed phenomenally, from the number of vehicles on the roads to the real estate prices. I soon realised that MG Road and Commercial Street are not so often talked about as the present hot spots like Airport Road, Marathalli Bridge and Hosur Road thanks to traffic gridlocks. I had the privilege of working for the best IT company travelling on the worst roads of Bangalore. I was considered lucky as I spent only three hours commuting between home and office compared to some of my colleagues who spent as much as five hours.

Though this time spent might seem unproductive, companies and employees make the most of it. When an IT professional boards his company bus in the morning, he faces the next certain thing in Bangalore after sunrise, the traffic jam. But he is unperturbed as he has many options. He starts by finishing his sandwich, which was half-eaten as he had to rush to catch the bus. He then pulls out his laptop and starts work while listening to the traffic update on his cellphone radio. If computers can do multitasking, why can't its users? The next activity is reading the newspaper.

The return journey is almost an action replay of the morning with the added option of snoozing. However, he is not lonely as his company keeps his best interests in mind. Match-making services are organised by the employer. If a single IT professional thinks traffic jams will not allow him to spend time with his potential spouse he can find one in the office and spend time together in the bus. Creches are provided so if tiny tots have ambitions of joining the IT industry, they can start by getting accustomed to the traffic jams.

Recently, one IT company opened a hair-cutting saloon on its campus. But if the Bangalore lifestyle is making one lose one's hair what is the need for a hair-cutting saloon? (By arrangement with The Times of India)

Sir,

Three years of Governance is quite an achievement for a fragile multi-party ruling alliance like MDA and perhaps, this alliance is poised to complete its full term in office. This is because lack of alternative within and outside the ruling conglomerate.

During last three years, at least two major attempts were made to replace Mr D D Lapang. Yet, both failed miserably owing to the aforesaid fact. However, what surprised the people of Meghalaya most was the fact that a strong anti-Lapang faction has emanated within the ruling Congress Party and it did work overtime to ensure his exit. Contrary to expectations, the non-congress allies within MDA rallied around Mr. Lapang and were fed up with political bickering and leadership change. In fact they stood firm with Mr. Lapang here and in Delhi.

Though there is no finality in politics, yet, the signs are that there is very little time and room for further leadership struggle in the run up to the Assembly, General Elections as most ruling MDA partners, including the Congress, are uncertain about their electoral fate.

Now, turning to performance, except bringing amendment to MBOSE Act, 1973 and settlement of permanent site for the new Assembly Building, the MDA Government has not achieved anything whatsoever, and there is no worthwhile exercises on the ground that the people of the state can be proud of. The inauguration of Meghalaya Houses outside the state, Khyndai Lad beautification are of little or no meaning at all to majority of people who are living hand to mouth. In fact this Government indulges in extravagance and cosmetic showmanship at the cost of the state exchequer nay the poor. Where are the long-term and sound policies and programmes for the benefit of the state? Where are all the projects and schemes that benefit the rural poor (The present ones are of the Government of India)? Are there anything worthwhile in the villages which the Government can really be proud of? Is the CM and the MLAs blind to these stark realities? Are these because bankruptcy of ideas and lack of foresight or old fashioned mindset?

Yours etc,
P. Marweiñ
Shillong,
Via e-mail

Sir,

The pre-primary teachers have not received their salary for the past thirteen months. On visiting the Office of the Deputy Inspector of Schools, Nongstoin to complain about the situation, we were asked to go to the office of the Director for Adult Education (SSA). The Director asked to advice the teachers concerned to have patience. Our teachers who are getting adhoc payment have not received their salary for seven months now. Their salary is Rs.1500. That too is withheld for so long. What incentive do these teachers have to teach, if they do not receive their salary for so many months at a stretch?

These teachers depend on their salaries to feed their families. I would humbly request the authorities to kindly look into this matter and find a solution to this painful situation.

Yours etc,
Fr. Francis Cheeramben

The second phase of the election will be held on April 10 next in the rest 61 constituencies. Fates of as many as 545 candidates will be sealed in the ballot box in the first phase in the 65 constituencies including those in Upper Assam’s tea belt, ULFA affected areas and minorities strong hold in Barak Valley districts of southern Assam Of these 505 are male candidates and 40 are female.

Among the constituencies, Algapur in the Barak Valley has the highest number of 25 candidates in the fray. Titabor in Jorhat district, where the Chief Minister Mr Tarun Gogoi is contesting, has the lowest number of only four candidates in the fray.

Besides the chief minister, some of the other prominent candidates in the fray in the first phase include Assembler speaker and tea tribe candidate Mr Prithbi Majhi (INC) who is contesting from Lahowal in Dibrugarh district. He is facing tough contest from his AGP rival Mr Ravi Barla. State BJP’s prominent leader Mr Bimalangshu Roy is facing tough fight from Mrs Bithika Deb (INC), wife of Union Minister Mr Santosh Mohan Deb at Silchar constituency in Barak Valley.

Former Union Minister for Water Resources Mrs Bijoya Chakraborty (BJP) is engaged in a tough triangular contest at the prestigious state capital constituency at Dispur in the first phase. Elaborate security arrangements have been made for first phase polls. Three hundred additional companies of paramilitary forces have arrived in the state for conducting election.

Besides the police and paramilitary forces, personnel of village defence force in Assam will also be used at some polling stations to help voters outside the polling booths. As many as 44 poll observers are in the state to ensure free and fair election in the first phase .

Guwahati: Senior BJP leader Mr Pramod Mahajan has drawn ire of its opponents for holding a news conference and launching attack on rival political parties on Sunday morning although the campaign for the first phase of polls in Assam ended on Saturday afternoon.

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Mr JP Prakash told newsmen here on Sunday afternoon that the EC had received a complaint against Mr Mahanjan for holding election-related news conference even after expiry of the electioneering period for first phase polls Monday.

He said the EC was of the view that the BJP leader had violated the Section 126 of the Representation of the People’s Act 1951 and had directed the District Magistrate of Kamrup (metropolitan) to file a case against the BJP leader in this connection.

The said Section of the RP Act prohibits any person from holding, convening, attending an d addressing election related holding meeting during the 48 hours ending with hours fixed for conclusion of polling. The senior BJP leader Mr Mahajan held a press conference at a hotel here during morning hours. During the news conference he had launched attack on Congress party, its president Mrs Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh I relation to Assam election.

The EC also received a complaint of violation of model poll code of conduct by sitting MLA and Congress poll candidate from Abhayapuri (South) constituency, Mr Chandan Sarkar who has been accused of holding election rally sans prior permission. The EC is perusing the complaint.

Guwahati: The 'spirit' of politics in Assam may spur the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to adopt a new and less aggressive approach to electoral battles, party leader Pramod Mahajan said here on Sunday. 'I want to change the phraseology from laro (fighting) elections to khelo (playing) elections after being inspired by the spirit in Assam's politics,' Mahajan, who is in charge of BJP affairs in Assam, told reporters in Guwahati. He said he was struck by the manner in which aspiring candidates in Assam sought the BJP ticket after the poll schedule was announced.

'Frankly speaking, I didn't understand when ticket-seekers approached me saying 'Mein election khelna chahta hoon' (I want to play the elections),' Mahajan said. 'I am really impressed by this new political language and I shall try and popularise this slogan across India. We normally say 'Mein election larna chahta hoon (I want to the fight the elections).'

Mahajan said the spirit of the political battle in Assam was healthy. 'Whether you lose or win is another matter, but the spirit is good,' he said.

The BJP is contesting 125 of the 126 assembly seats in Assam on its own, and does not have any electoral alliance. 'Those parties who were running away from the BJP before the elections will run after the BJP when the poll results are announced,' Mahajan said. He was referring to the main opposition Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which spurned BJP's offer of an electoral alliance. (IANS)

Guwahati: Fear of violence has been the predominant factor in earlier elections in Assam for the past two decades but the 2006 assembly polls will stand out for the absence of militant-sponsored violence in the State. Elections -- whether the Assembly or the Lok Sabha -- has been marked by poll boycott call by the militant outfits operating in the State, particularly by the ULFA and the NDFB.

During the 2001 Assembly elections, the banned ULFA targetted AGP and BJP workers killing 37 people, including a BJP candidate from Dibrugarh. Hundreds were injured. Among them being an AGP candidate from Barpeta. Militant sponsored violence was, however, non-existent in the campaigning for the first phase of polls and the reason for this is the ULFA.

In a clear departure from earlier elections, the ULFA has announced that it would maintain equidistance from all political parties in the forthcoming Assembly polls and also warned the parties not to use the outfit's name for their political benefit. Instead of a poll boycott, ULFA Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa appealed to the people to vote for parties committed resolve the issue of Assam's sovereignty.

The banned NDFB, which is currently observing ceasefire, has also announced that it would take a neutral stand in the forthcoming polls and not support any political party. NDFB leader Govinda Basumatary said they were not supporting any party and the voters must exercise their franchise "as their conscience allows".

Both the ULFA and NDFB are, however, sceptical about the elections and have termed it as a routine exercise which has failed to solve the problems of the State. Insurgency, however, tops the agenda of all political parties and they have made promises galore to resolve the 27 year-old problem of the State.

The Congress has promised that the party is committed to ensure a "permanent solution to the long-standing issue".

The party claimed that it was due to the sincere efforts of the State Government, a process of dialogue has commenced with the ULFA and already two rounds of talks were held between the Government of India and the Peoples' Consultative Group (PCG) formed by the outfit.

The main Opposition party AGP has also promised to resolve the ULFA issue through political negotiations and bring about a lasting solution to the vexed issue. (PTI)

Aizawl: The Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee has confirmed that they have requested the disqualification of nine ruling Mizo National Front legislators for breach of the office of profit clause of the Constitution.

A high ranking Congress functionary on Sunday said his party had submitted a letter to the Governor to disqualify nine MNF legislators on grounds that they have violated the Constitution on grounds of holding office of profit while holding legislator posts.

Increasing the number from their original five, the Congress had added four more names to the list. The list now contains K Vanlalauva, chairman KVI Board, Lalchamliana, Speaker, Dr Lalzama, Minister, Dr R Lalthangliana, Minister, R M Chakma, Chief Executive Member, Chakma Autonomous District Council, R Khawpuithanga, Adviser to CM, Vanlthlengliana, Chairman ZIDCO, Vanlalthaliana, Chairman, ZENICS and D Thangliana, Chairman, MIFCO.

However, some of these, in fact four of them, may not be affected at all since the Union Territory of Mizoram Legislature Members (Removal of Disqualification) Act 1975 has included chairman of boards, CEM of autonomous district councils and ministers. A copy of the petition has also been forwarded to the Election Commission by the State Congress party.

The Mizoram People's Conference party had also submitted a petition to the Mizoram Governor where they had named six legislators for disqualification The names are identical to those of the Congress except that the MPC had omitted the two ministers and RM Chakma. These petitions to the Governor will be forwarded to the Election Commission whose decision will be final. (NNN)

When a Nagaland driver was found killed in Manipur, the Manipur Government had even sent a ministerial team to Nagaland to discuss the matter and immediately apprehend the people allegedly involved in the killing.The union appealed to the Nagaland Government to reciprocate the good gesture given by the Manipur Government. The union further said it will agitate if the Government does not take up appropriate action on the matter. (UNI)

Agartala: If there is a will there is a way. And the NEEPCO Agartala plant has exactly done that despite all the odds. The power plant having installed capacity of 84 MW is now producing 86-89 MW power since August last.The power project through its concerted and integrated efforts has achieved an unprecedented level of power generation during the current fiscal year surpassing all previous records since its commencement.

The power project has been running at a PLF between 95 per cent - 99 per cent (optimum utilisation of power generation) since August last and the level of performance of plant is well comparable with any of the best power plants in the country, Head of Project P K Singha said on Sunday on the occasion of 31st Raising Day of the Corporation.

He said such unprecedented level of power generation could be achieved against all the odds prevalent in place like Tripura only due to the wholehearted support and co-operation of the state machinery and the good wishes bestowed on NEEPCO by the people of the state. Mr. Singha further said that this is also attributable to the overall earnest endeavour of the top management of NEEPCO while formulating the meticulous planning and monitoring.

It may be recalled that, during the last festive season as well as during the last winter season, the plant is not only maintained uninterrupted supply of power but also maximised its generation beyond its designed capacity, the peak maximum achieved as 86-89 MW against the installed capacity of 84 MW. NEEPCO Chairman cum Managing Director SC Sharama also praised the success achieved by the plant.

Our Reporter in Shillong adds: Despite the management refusing to observe the 31st Raising Day of NEEPCO, the employees of the Corporation observed the day on Sunday.

In a statement issued here, the employees said they were surprised by the management's decision not to observe NEEPCO Day in its headquarters at Shillong whereas specific instruction was issued for observing/celebrating the same in all other offices of NEEPCO.

In view of the decision, NEEPCO employees decided to observe the Corporation's Raising Day in a befitting manner even though they were denied the right to hoist the Corporation flag by the concern authorities on this auspicious day.