Pranab Mukherjee named in UPA's factsheet on Chopper deal
President Pranab Mukherjee enjoys constitutional immunity and may not be probed by the CBI over the murky Chopper deal.
Mukherjee, however, enjoys constitutional immunity and may not be probed by the CBI over the murky Chopper deal.
Barring Mukherjee, two more key decision makers in the AgustaWestland helicopter deal were Bharat Vir Wanchoo and MK Narayanan, who are now Governors of Goa and West Bengal respectively but they too, owing to the office they hold, enjoy constitutional immunity.
Wanchoo was the director of the Special Protection Group (SPG) while Narayanan was the National Security Advisor then.
In India, where national elections are due next year, the oppositionBharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lambasted the Congress-led government for not acting sooner over the allegations.
An internal defence ministry investigation last year found no foul play in the purchase of the helicopters, destined for use by India's political elite.
Critics say the government did too little to follow up later media disclosures that the Italian investigation linked India's former air chief S.P. "Shashi" Tyagi and three of his cousins to the alleged bribery. Tyagi denies any wrongdoing.
On Thursday, one of the cousins, Sanjeev "Julie" Tyagi, denied allegations in the Italian arrest warrant that he had taken 100,000 euros in cash bribes and introduced company representatives to the air chief on several occasions to discuss the helicopter deal.
फैक्टशीट में भाजपा की अगुवाई वाली राजग सरकार पर भी आरोप मढ़े गए हैं। इसमें कहा गया है कि 2003 में जब ब्रजेश मिश्रा राष्ट्रीय सुरक्षा सलाहकार थे, तब उन्होंने तत्कालीन रक्षा सचिव को पत्र लिखकर हेलीकॉप्टर की तकनीकी दक्षता की आवश्यकता को 18 हजार फुट तक से घटाकर 14 हजार फुट करने और मौजूदा नियमों को अनुचित बताते हुए बोली प्रक्रिया में और कंपनियों को शामिल करने की बात कही थी।
पहले केवल तकनीकी दक्षता की आवश्यकता को यूरोकॉप्टर कंपनी ही पूरी कर पा रही थी। तब मिश्रा ने तत्कालीन प्रधानमंत्री अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी से मुलाकात की और उनसे मिलकर टेंडर में और बोलीदाताओं को शामिल करने का आग्रह किया। इस मुलाकात के बाद हेलीकॉप्टर की ऊंची उड़ान क्षमता को घटाकर छह हजार मीटर से घटाकर 4500 मीटर कर दिया गया।
फैक्टशीट के मुताबिक, इसके बाद नया टेंडर निकाला गया और तीन विदेशी कंपनियों में अगस्तावेस्टलैंड का अंतिम रूप से चयन किया गया और इस पर कैबिनेट की अंतिम मुहर 18 जनवरी 2010 को लगी।
डील पर अंतिम मुहर को लेकर प्रणब मुखर्जी का नाम सार्वजनिक होने के बाद अब यह देखना दिलचस्प होगा कि सीबीआइ इस बारे में उनसे जानकारी हासिल कर पाती है। मालूम हो कि राष्ट्रपति को संविधान के अंतर्गत ऐसी किसी भी तरह की पूछताछ से छूट प्राप्त है।
दूसरी ओर, तत्कालीन राष्ट्रीय सुरक्षा सलाहकार ब्रजेश मिश्रा का पिछले साल सितंबर में ही निधन हो गया है। अब सीबीआइ के पास तत्काल एसपी त्यागी से पूछताछ के सिवा कोई दूसरा विकल्प नहीं बचता है।
पार्टी ने हेलीकॉप्टर खरीद घोटाले की तहकीकात विशेष जांच दल (एसआईटी) से या उच्चतम न्यायालय की निगरानी में कराने की मांग करते हुए भारत के एक 'परिवार' को रिश्वत दिए जाने के राज़ से पर्दा उठाने की मांग की।बीजेपी प्रवक्ता प्रकाश जावड़ेकर ने इस घोटाले के संदर्भ में पार्टी की ओर से सरकार के सामने छह सवाल रखते हुए उनका जवाब देने को कहा। इन सवालों में प्रमुख है, इटली की अदालत में दाखिल आरोप पत्र में दो जगह परिवार (द फैमिली) को तकरीबन 200 करोड़ रुपये का भुगतान करने का जिक्र किया गया है। देश जानना चाहता है कि यह परिवार कौन है? सवालों में यह भी है कि हेलीकॉप्टर सौदे को अंतिम रूप किसने दिया और उस पर हस्ताक्षर किसने किए, रिश्वत किसने प्राप्त की, हैश्के और एमार एमजीएफ में क्या संबंध है, आईडीएस इंडिया की इस घोटाले में क्या भूमिका है और क्या सरकार ने घोटाले के बारे में जानकारी हासिल करने के लिए इटली सरकार को पत्र लिखा है।बीजेपी के एक अन्य नेता वेंकैया नायडू ने हैदराबाद में कहा कि या तो उच्चतम न्यायालय की या फिर संसदीय समिति की निगरानी में विशेष जांच दल गठित करके पूरे मामले की जांच कराई जाए। उन्होंने कहा, कांग्रेस भेदभावपूर्ण तरीके से जांच का अंत करने के उद्देश्य से सीबीआई के दुरुपयोग के लिए 'कुख्यात' है, इसीलिए बीजेपी को सीबीआई जांच स्वीकार्य नहीं है। सीबीआई की कोई विश्वसनीयता नहीं है और सरकार के इरादे भी संदेहपूर्ण हैं।नायडू ने संवाददाताओं से कहा, यह मुद्दा वर्ष 2011 में संसद में उठाया गया था और रक्षामंत्री को एक पत्र भी लिखा गया था। इसके बावजूद सरकार ने अब तक कोई कार्रवाई नहीं की। उन्होंने कहा कि जब इस मुद्दे पर इटली में मामला दर्ज हुआ और भारतीय बिचौलियों को भी रिश्वत दिए जाने के खुलासे होने लगे, तब सरकार ने सीबीआई जांच की बात की।
এ দিন প্রতিরক্ষা মন্ত্রকের তরফে জানানো হয়, বিভাগীয় তদন্তে ভিআইপি ১২ চপার কেনার চুক্তিতে কোনও বেনিয়মের প্রমাণ পাওয়া যায়নি। ফলত এখনই প্রধানমন্ত্রী সহ একাধিক প্রথম সারির নাগরিকদের ব্যবহৃত হেলকপ্টারগুলির উড়ান বাতিল করা হচ্ছে না।
হেলিকপ্টার দুর্নীতির তদন্তে ধাক্কা খেল কেন্দ্র। তথ্যপ্রমাণ সংগ্রহে সিবিআই ও প্রতিরক্ষা মন্ত্রকের একটি দল সোমবার রোম যাওয়ার প্রস্তুতি নিচ্ছে। ঠিক তার আগে গতকাল, ভারতের অনুরোধ খারিজ করে ইতালির আদালত জানিয়ে দিল, এখনই এই মামলার কোনও নথি দেওয়া যাবে না।
মিলানের আদালত জানিয়েছে, কপ্টার প্রস্তুতকারী সংস্থার বিরুদ্ধে মামলাটি প্রাথমিক পর্যায়ে রয়েছে। তদন্তে গোপনীয়তা বজায় রাখার স্বার্থে এ সংক্রান্ত নথি দেওয়া যাবে না। শুক্রবার,কপ্টার প্রস্তুতকারী সংস্থা অগস্তা ওয়েস্টল্যান্ডের কাছে কেন্দ্র জানতে চায়, কেন তাদের সঙ্গে আগে হওয়া চুক্তি বাতিল করা হবে না। নয়াদিল্লির তোলা সব প্রশ্নেরই উত্তর দেওয়া হবে বলে গতকাল ওই সংস্থার তরফে জানানো হয়েছে।
অগস্তা ওয়েস্টল্যান্ডের ধারক সংস্থা ফিনমেকানিকার সিইও, ধৃত গিওস্সিপে ওরসি দাবি করেছেন, প্রাক্তন বায়ুসেনা প্রধান এসপি ত্যাগীর পরিবারের কাউকে তিনি চিনতেন না। দিল্লির পুলিস কমিশনার নীরজ কুমার দাবি করেছেন, কপ্টার কেনার জন্য ওই সংস্থার সঙ্গে তাঁদের কোনও কথা হয়নি। এ সবের মধ্যেই কপ্টার কেনা নিয়ে প্রতিরক্ষা মন্ত্রকের বক্তব্য জানতে চেয়ে রিপোর্ট পাঠিয়েছে ক্যাগ। দুর্নীতির তদন্তে সরকারের বিরুদ্ধে অস্বচ্ছতার অভিযোগ করেছে বিজেপি। বিষয়টি নিয়ে রাজনীতির চেষ্টা চলছে বলে বিরোধীদের উদ্দেশে পাল্টা তোপ দেগেছেন বিদেশমন্ত্রী সলমন খুরশিদ।
চপার কেলেঙ্কারির বিষয়ে এখনই তথ্য সরবরাহ করা যাবে না বলে ইতালির আদালত জানিয়ে দেওয়ার পর এবার ব্রিটিশ প্রধানমন্ত্রী ক্যামেরনের কাছে আবেদনের সিদ্ধান্ত নিল নয়াদিল্লি। আগামী সপ্তাহে ভারত সফরে আসা ডেভিড ক্যামেরনের কাছে এ বিষয়ে তথ্য জানানোর জন্য অনুরোধ করবে কেন্দ্রীয় সরকার।
আগামী মঙ্গলবার তিন দিনের সফরে ভারত আসছেন ব্রিটিশ প্রধানমন্ত্রী ডেভিড ক্যামেরন। ইন্দো-ইতালীয় কোম্পানি অগুস্টা ওয়েস্টল্যান্ডকে দেওয়া হেলিকপ্টারের বরাত নিয়ে প্রকাশ্যে আসা আর্থিক কেলেঙ্কারির বিষয়ে তাঁর সঙ্গে কথা বলতে প্রস্তুত হচ্ছে নয়াদিল্লি। ক্যামেরনের সঙ্গে যে যে বিষয়ে আলোচনা হবে বলে প্রাথমিক ভাবে স্থির হয়েছিল, তার মধ্যে প্রথমে চপার চুক্তি কাণ্ডের উল্লেখ ছিল না। কিন্তু এ বিষয়ে বিস্তারিত তথ্য পেতে ভারত ব্রিটিশ প্রধানমন্ত্রীর কাছে সহায়তা চাইবে বলে জানিয়েছেন বিদেশমন্ত্রী সলমল খুরশিদ। ভারত ইতিমধ্যেই ইংল্যান্ডের বিদেশমন্ত্রকের কাছে চপার কেলেঙ্কারির বিষয়ে তথ্য সহায়তা চেয়ে লিখিত আবেদন পাঠিয়েছে। কিন্তু তার চূড়ান্ত কোনও উত্তর এখনও আসেনি। ব্রিটিশ প্রধানমন্ত্রী ভারত সফরে এলে এ বিষয়ে চূড়ান্ত মতামতের জন্য ভারত জোর দেবে বলে সমল খুরশিদের কথায় ইঙ্গিত পাওয়া গিয়েছে।
দিল্লি আসার আগে মুম্বইতে একরাত থাকবেন ডেভিড ক্যামেরন। সেখানে একটি ব্যবসা-বাণিজ্য সংক্রান্ত বৈঠকে যোগ দেবেন তিনি। দিল্লিতে প্রধানমন্ত্রী মনমোহন সিং-এর সঙ্গে একাদিক দ্বিপাক্ষিক, আঞ্চলিক ও আন্তর্জাতিক ইস্যুতে আলোচনা করবেন। পাশাপাশি টেলিকম সংস্থা ভোডাফোনের যে ১২ হাজার কোটি টাকার কর বাকি পড়ে আছে, সে বিষয়েও আলোচনা হবে।
সিবিআইয়ের এক সূত্র জানিয়েছে, সিবিআইয়ের দুজন শীর্ষ কর্মকর্তা ও প্রতিরক্ষা মন্ত্রণালয়ের একজন কর্মকর্তার সমন্বয়ে একটি তদন্তদল গঠন করা হবে। তারা দুর্নীতির অভিযোগ তদন্ত করতে রবিবার ইতালি যাবে। দলটি ফিনমেক্কানিকার কর্মকর্তাদের জিজ্ঞাসাবাদ করবে। তদন্তে সহযোগিতা করার জন্য সিবিআই পুলিশের আন্তর্জাতিক সংস্থা ইন্টারপোলের কাছে সহযোগিতা চেয়েছে।
ঘুষ দেওয়ার অভিযোগ ওঠায় ফিনমেক্কানিকার চেয়ারম্যান ও প্রধান নির্বাহী কর্মকর্তা (সিইও) জুসেপ্পে অরসি পদত্যাগ করেছেন। পদত্যাগপত্রে কোনো 'ভুল' কাজ করেননি বলেও দাবি করেন অরসি। তিনি বলেন, 'আমি যা করেছি, কম্পানির স্বার্থেই করেছি।' গত মঙ্গলবার মিলান থেকে ইতালি পুলিশ তাঁকে গ্রেপ্তার করে। ফিনমেক্কানিকা তাদের কার্যক্রম পরিচালনার জন্য ইতিমধ্যে কম্পানির আরেক পরিচালক আলেসান্দ্রো পানসারকে নতুন সিইও হিসেবে নিয়োগ দিয়েছে।
ভারত ইতালির 'ফিনমেক্কানিকা' কোম্পানীর কাছ থেকে ১২টি হেলিকপ্টার কেনার চুক্তি বাতিল করবে, যদি তদন্ত প্রমাণ করে, যে ইতালির কোম্পানীটি বাস্তবেই এই লাভজনক কন্ট্রাক্টটি পাওয়ার লক্ষ্যে ভারতীয় আমলাদের ঘুষ খাইয়েছিল. বুধবার এই কথা ঘোষনা করেছেন ভারতের প্রতিরক্ষামন্ত্রী এ.কে. এ্যান্টনি. তিনি জানিয়েছেন, যে তদন্তের ভার দেওয়া হয়েছে সিবিআইকে.
ইতালির প্রসিকিউটর দপ্তর গত মঙ্গলবার 'ফিনমেক্কানিকা' কোম্পানীর মালিক জুসেপ্পে ওর্সিকে গ্রেপ্তার করার পরোয়ানা জারি করেছে. তার বিরুদ্ধে ভারতের আমলাদের ঘুষ খাইয়ে ১২টি হেলিকপ্টার বিক্রি করার অভিযোগ দাখিল করা হয়েছে. কোম্পানীটির মিলানের ও রোমের অফিসে খানাতল্লাসী চালানো হয়েছে. কনসার্নটির সাবসিডায়ারি কোম্পানী 'আগুস্তা ওয়েস্তলান্দে'র অফিসেও তল্লাসী করা হয়েছে.
'আগুস্তা ওয়েস্তলান্দে'র উত্পাদিত হেলিকপ্টার কেনার চুক্তি স্বাক্ষরিত হয়েছিল ২০১০ সালে ও তার মূল্য ৪০০ কোটি ভারতীয় টাকা.
হেলিকপ্টার কেলেঙ্কারি নিয়ে ভারতকে প্রয়োজনীয় তথ্যাবলি দিতে অস্বীকৃতি জানিয়েছেন ইতালির একটি আদালত। ইতালির ভারতীয় দূতাবাস থেকে তথ্য দিয়ে সহযোগিতার আহ্বান জানানো হলে দেশটির আদালত তথ্য প্রকাশে অস্বীকৃতি জানান। আদালতের পক্ষ থেকে বলা হয়, এই দুর্নীতিবিষয়ক তথ্যাবলি সম্পূর্ণভাবে গোপন রাখা হবে। এদিকে ইতালির প্রতিষ্ঠান ফিনমেচ্চানিকা ও সহযোগী অগাস্টা ওয়েস্টল্যান্ডের সঙ্গে ৭৫ কোটি ডলার বা তিন হাজার ৫৪৬ কোটি রুপির হেলিকপ্টার কেনার চুক্তি স্থগিত করেছে ভারত। প্রতিষ্ঠানটির বিরুদ্ধে ঘুষ দেওয়ার অভিযোগ উত্থাপিত হলে গত শুক্রবার রাতে ভারতের প্রতিরক্ষা মন্ত্রণালয় এ সিদ্ধান্ত নেয়। এদিকে ১২টি ভিভিআইপি হেলিকপ্টার কেনায় ঘুষ কেলেঙ্কারি ও দুর্নীতি খতিয়ে দেখতে ভারতের প্রতিরক্ষা মন্ত্রণালয়ের শীর্ষ কর্মকর্তা ও সিবিআইয়ের একটি দল আগামীকাল সোমবার ইতালির উদ্দেশে রওনা হবে। হেলিকপ্টার কেলেঙ্কারি নিয়ে প্রমাণ সংগ্রহের উদ্দেশ্যেই এ দলকে ইতালি পাঠানো হচ্ছে বলে জানিয়েছে প্রতিরক্ষা মন্ত্রণালয়। ২১ ফেব্রুয়ারির বাজেট অধিবেশনে হেলিকপ্টার কেনায় দুর্নীতির বিষয়টি উত্থাপন করা হবে। খবর টাইমস অব ইন্ডিয়া, জিনিউজ, এএফপির।
গতকাল শনিবার ইতালির ভারতীয় দূতাবাসকে এক চিঠি দিয়ে এ তথ্য জানানো হয়। বুস্তো আরসিজিও লাবিনাকা ট্রাইব্যুনালের প্রাথমিক তদন্তের উল্লেখ করে বলা হয়, এই কেলেঙ্কারি প্রসঙ্গে ইতিবাচক উত্তর দেওয়া সম্ভব নয়। চিঠিতে আরও বলা হয়, ২০১০ সালের চুক্তি বাস্তবায়ন করার জন্য আগেই ঘুষ কেলেঙ্কারি হয়েছে, এমন অভিযোগ উত্থাপিত হওয়ার পরপরই ফিনমেচ্চানিকার প্রধান নির্বাহীকে গ্রেফতার করা হয়। বিচারিক ধারার ৩২৯ নম্বর অনুচ্ছেদ অনুযায়ী এই মামলা পরিচালিত হচ্ছে।
এতে প্রয়োজনীয় তথ্যাবলি শুধু অভিযুক্ত, বাদী ও তাদের আইনজীবীরাই পাবেন। এদিকে ফিনমেচ্চানিকার গ্রেফতার হওয়া প্রধান নির্বাহী গিউসেপ্পি ওরসি পদত্যাগ করেছেন। শুক্রবার রাতে প্রতিরক্ষা মন্ত্রণালয়ের বিবৃতিতে বলা হয়, অগাস্টা ওয়েস্টল্যান্ডের প্রতি কারণ দর্শাও নোটিশ দেওয়া হয়েছে।
নোটিশের জবাব না আসা পর্যন্ত এই চুক্তি স্থগিত রাখা হয়েছে। একই সঙ্গে জানানো হয়, অভিযোগ প্রমাণিত হলে এ চুক্তি বাতিল করবে ভারত। এ প্রসঙ্গে কোম্পানিটির পক্ষ থেকে কোনো মন্তব্য পাওয়া যায়নি। ২০১০ সালে ফেব্রুয়ারি মাসে ভারত ১২টি ভিভিআইপি হেলিকপ্টার কেনার চুক্তি করে। ইতিমধ্যে তিনটি হেলিকপ্টার প্রতিষ্ঠানটি ভারতকে সরবরাহ করেছে।
এদিকে ভারতের এই ঘুষ কেলেঙ্কারি ব্রিটিশ প্রধানমন্ত্রী ডেভিড ক্যামরনের সফরে প্রভাব ফেলবে বলে মনে করছেন আন্তর্জাতিক বিশেষজ্ঞ মহল। ভারতের সঙ্গে বিশাল অঙ্কের বাণিজ্যিক চুক্তির উদ্দেশ্যেই ক্যামেরন এ সফরে আসছেন।
ইতালির সঙ্গে এ ধরনের কেলেঙ্কারি ব্রিটেনের সঙ্গে চুক্তিকে ঝুঁকির মুখে ঠেলে দিচ্ছে বলেও মনে করছেন অনেকে।
গতকাল শনিবার বিকেলে ভারতের প্রতিরক্ষা মন্ত্রণালয় জানায়, সিবিআই দলের সঙ্গে বিমানবিষয়ক প্রতিরক্ষা সচিব এ কে বালও যাচ্ছেন। সোমবার সকালে তারা রোমের উদ্দেশে রওনা হবেন।
সিবিআই দলে দু'জন ডিআইজি পর্যায়ের কর্তা, একজন আইনজ্ঞ এবং প্রতিরক্ষা মন্ত্রণালয়ের মুখপাত্র যাচ্ছেন। সিবিআই মুখপাত্র জানান, ঘটনাটির পূর্ণ তদন্ত করতেই দলটি ইতালি যাচ্ছে। গত শুক্রবার প্রতিরক্ষা মন্ত্রণালয় এ দায়িত্ব সিবিআইকে হস্তান্তর করেছে।
গান্ধী পরিবারের দিকে আঙুল বিজেপির
হেলিকপ্টার দুর্নীতির সঙ্গে গান্ধী পরিবারের সংশ্লিষ্টতা খতিয়ে দেখতে আহ্বান জানিয়েছে বিজেপি। ফিনমেচ্চানিকার এ চুক্তি পাইয়ে দেওয়ার জন্য কোন পরিবারকে ঘুষ দেওয়া হয়েছে সেটি জানতে চেয়ে বিজেপি সিবিআইকে অনুরোধ করেছে। গাইডো হ্যাশকে নামে এক মধ্যস্থতাকারী দাবি করেছেন, কপ্টার-চুক্তি বাস্তবায়নে তাৎপর্যপূর্ণ ভূমিকা পালন করা একটি পরিবার ২০০ কোটি টাকা চেয়েছিল। বিজেপি মুখপাত্র প্রকাশ জাওড়েকরের অভিযোগ, কংগ্রেস আসল বিষয়টি থেকে লোকের নজর ঘুরিয়ে দিতে চাইছে। কারণ, নির্দিষ্ট পরিবারটিকে তারা আড়াল করতে চায়। বিজেপি দাবি করেছে, এটি সম্ভবত গান্ধী পরিবার। এর আগে বিজেপি এ দুর্নীতির সঙ্গে রাহুল গান্ধীর সংযোগ রয়েছে কি-না এমন প্রশ্ন তোলে।
এদিকে হেলিকপ্টার কেলেঙ্কারিকে রাজনৈতিক ইস্যু না করার আহ্বান জানিয়েছেন পররাষ্ট্রমন্ত্রী সালমান খুরশিদ। শনিবার সকালে বাংলাদেশ সফরে আসার আগে বিমানবন্দরে এক সংবাদ সম্মেলনে তিনি এ হুঁশিয়ারি উচ্চারণ করেন।
Chopper deal: Govt report names Pranab Mukherjee
The government's factsheet further states that the tender was finalised in 2005 when Pranab Mukherjee was the Defence Minister, and SP Tyagi, now retired, was the Air Chief Marshal.
The factsheet also puts the blame on the BJP-led NDA government of involvement in the deal. The Centre's factsheet alleges that in 2003, the then National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra wrote to the then Defence Secretary that the existing rules were unfair as it allowed only single bidding and that the qualifying height of the choppers should be reduced from 18,000 feet to at least 14,000 feet.
It also elaborates that in the initial tender only Eurocopter was found eligible to enter the bidding process. In 2003, Brajesh Mishra met the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, urging him to change the norms to include more bidders. Altitude requirements were brought down from 6,000 to 4,500 metres after that meeting.
Later, Mishra wrote to the Air Chief Marshal suggesting consultations with the Defence Secretary. After the UPA came to power, the factsheet says IAF, SPG, NSA and Defence Ministry held consultations and changes in requirements were incorporated.
In the light of new development, it would be interesting to see whether the CBI will seek to question Pranab for his approval to the project since the President has immunity under the Constitution.
Amidst a blame game over the Italy chopper deal, the government yesterday warned Finmeccanica of legal action, including blacklisting, over corruption allegations in the VVIP chopper deal and asked them whether any slush money had been paid to fix the deal that has led to a political uproar.
The Ministry of Defence issued a detailed statement on the sequence of the $750 million deal for 12 VVIP AgustaWestland helicopters by the Italian firm's subsidiary, two days after a CBI probe was ordered into the bribery charges.
The MoD asked the chief of AgustaWestland to "categorically state the clear position in view of the current developments indicating specifically if any financial transaction has taken place with any Indian individual/entity which violated the integrity pact or any other terms and conditions of the contract".
It also cited the clauses of the integrity pact that was signed, noting that the contract bars paying of bribes or involvement of middlemen. The clause warned of "strict action including cancellation of contract, recovery of payment, blacklisting and penal action" against the vendors.
The Defence Ministry warned that the government is "determined to take all possible legal and administrative action against the guilty parties and accordingly has ordered a thorough probe by CBI".
On Tuesday, the Italian government arrested Finmeccanica CEO Giuseppe Orsi for allegedly paying bribes to fix the chopper deal.
The Italian probe report suggests that the former IAF chief Tyagi had met the middlemen more than six to seven times and allegedly briefed them about the developments in the contract and indirectly received kickback.
http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/chopper-deal-govt-report-names-pranab-mukherjee_829172.html
AFP - India on Friday said it hs started the process of cancelling a $748-million deal for 12 Italian helicopters amid allegations that the contract was won through kickbacks.
The ministry of defence said in a statement it had "initiated action for (the) cancellation" of the contract for 12 helicopters from AgustaWestland intended for use by VIPs such as the prime minister.
The decision is a severe blow to the parent company of AgustaWestland, Italian aerospace group Finmeccanica whose chief executive was arrested earlier this week in Milan amid a probe by Italian prosecutors.
India, which has already put payments to the company on hold, also asked the Italian firm to "reply within seven days" if any terms of the contract and an "integrity pact" it signed in 2010 had been violated.
The purchase came under scrutiny from Italian investigators probing allegations the group had broken the law by paying bribes to foreign officials, leading to the arrest of Finmeccanica's boss Giuseppe Orsi on Tuesday.
Italy's Ansa newsagency said on Friday that Orsi has resigned as Finmeccanica's chairman and chief executive.
Italian prosecutors suspect that kickbacks worth around 10 percent of the deal or 50 million euros ($68 million) were paid to Indian officials to ensure AgustaWestland won the contract, press reports say.
The latest move by the defence ministry is seen as an attempt by the government to contain the fall-out from the corruption scandal ahead of elections in the first half of next year.
Defence Minister A.K. Antony ordered an Indian police investigation on Tuesday.
The chopper deal was cleared by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, whose government has been buffeted by a series of corruption scandals that analysts say could affect the party's electoral chances in 2014 polls.
The cancellation will also overshadow a visit to India next week by British Prime Minister David Cameron.
AgustaWestland, a wholly owned Anglo-Italian unit of Finmeccanica, was manufacturing the helicopters at its plant in southwest Britain.
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News for Helicopter Scam
- UPA government should probe helicopter scam in totality: Murli Manohar Joshi
Daily News & Analysis - 1 day agoBJP leader Murli Monohar Joshi on Saturday said that if the UPA government wanted the upcoming session of Parliament to function, it should ...
- Economic Times - 17 hours ago
- Times of India - 1 day ago
VVIP helicopter scam: Sluggish CBI letting suspects destroy evidence
timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...helicopter-scam.../18524174....
2 days ago – The CBI is yet to register the preliminary inquiry, which is the first step after it receives a complaint from a ministry, court or higher authorities, ...
Finmeccanica helicopter scam: Will UPA government learn the right ...
17 hours ago – UPA got has put on hold all future payments to Augusta, and the firm has been asked to disclose if it had paid any kickbacks to middlemen in ...
Helicopter scam: Front company IDS India that routed Rs 140 cr ...
3 days ago – The company at the centre of the Agusta Westland VVIPhelicopter scandal, IDS India, does not appear to exist in any official database.
VIP chopper scam: Government finally swings into action, CBI team ...
2 days ago – The CBI investigation into the helicopter scam has kicked off with confusion over where to start as the entire case is based on the Italian probe ...
Helicopter scam
kashmirmonitor.org/02172013-ND-helicopter-scam-42042.aspx19 hours ago – LUCKNOW: Dr Rajiv Tyagi of the Tyagi troika -- who are in the spotlight for the AgustaWestland chopper scam -- had once tried to broker truce ...
UPA govt should probe helicopter scam in totality: Joshi
zeenews.india.com/.../upa-govt-should-probe-helicopter-scam-in-tota...1 day ago – BJP leader Murli Monohar Joshi on Saturday said that if the UPA government wanted the upcoming session of Parliament to function, it should ...
Middleman's hard drives pinned down chopper scam ... - The Hindu
4 hours ago – Keywords: VVIP chopper scam, Italian helicopter scam, AgustaWestland, Finmeccanica, Giuseppe Orsi, Guido Haschke, Tribunale de Busto ...
Helicopter Scam - YouTube
3 hours ago – Helicopter Scam. abntelugutv·6,802 videos. Subscribe Subscribed Unsubscribe 33,925. 2 views. Like 0 Dislike 0. Like ...
Saudi Gazette - Helicopter scam clouds Cameron's visit to India
Helicopter scam clouds Cameron's visit to India. Last Updated : Sunday, February 17, 2013 12:36 AM. David Cameron. LONDON — British Prime Minister David ...
ভারতকে তোলপাড় করছে আবার একটা দুর্নীতির কেচ্ছা. ইতালিয়ানরা ভারতের আমলাদের ঘুষ দিয়েছে, এই সন্দেহ যদি সত্যি প্রমাণিত হয়, তাহলে ভারত 'ফিনমেক্কানিকা' কোম্পানীর কাছ থেকে ১২টা হেলিকপ্টার কেনার চুক্তি বাতিল করে দিতে পারে. আর আপাততঃ ভারত ঐ চুক্তিমতো ইতালিয়ান কোম্পানীকে ৭৫ কোটি ডলার পেমেন্ট করা মুলতুবি রেখেছে. সবিশদে শুনুন আমাদের পর্যবেক্ষক গেওর্গি ভানেত্সভের বক্তব্য.
'আগুস্তা ওয়েস্তলান্দ' শিল্প কারখানা উত্পাদিত ১২টি হেলিকপ্টার সরবরাহ করার চুক্তি স্বাক্ষর করা হয়েছিল ২০১০ সালে, যার মূল্য ছিল ৪ হাজার কোটি ভারতীয় টাকা. ৩টি হেলিকপ্টার ক্রেতাকে ইতিমধ্যেই সরবরাহ করা হয়েছে. ওগুলো প্রধানমন্ত্রী সহ ভিআইপি দের জন্য. ইতালীর তদন্তের ভাষ্য অনুযায়ী, ঘুষের পরিমাণ ছিল ৫ কোটি ১০ লক্ষ ইউরো. কোম্পানীর শিখন্ডী জুসেপ্পে ওরসিকে ইতালির পুলিশ গত মঙ্গলবার গ্রেপ্তার করেছে. কোম্পানীর কার্যনির্বাহী পরিচালক ব্রুনো স্পানিওলিনিকেও গৃহবন্দী করা হয়েছে. 'ফিনমেক্কানিকি' ও তার সাবসিডায়ারি কোম্পানী 'আগুস্তা ওয়েস্তলান্দের' রোম ও মিলানের অফিসগুলোতে খানাতল্লাসী করা হয়েছে.
বৃহস্পতিবার ইতালির প্রাক্তন প্রধানমন্ত্রী সিলভিও বেরলুস্কোনি মুলতঃ স্বীকার করেছেন, যে ঘুষ দেওয়া ইতালির কোম্পানীগুলোর জন্য সাধারন ব্যাপার. জনপ্রিয় টেলিঅনুষ্ঠানে সরাসরি সম্প্রচারে তিনি ইতালির বিচার বিভাগকে দোষারোপ করেছেন ও বলেছেনঃ ঘুষ দেওয়া নেওয়া হয়ে থাকে. যখন তৃতীয় বিশ্বের দেশগুলি ও কিছু কিছু শাসনব্যবস্থার কথা ওঠে, তখন প্রতিদ্বন্দিতাক্ষম থাকতে গেলে ঘুষ দেওয়ার প্রচলন আছে – এটা অস্বীকার করা চলে না.
নতুন কেচ্ছাকে ভারতের বিরোধীপক্ষ সোত্সাহে ব্যবহার করছে ক্ষমতাসীন মোর্চা সরকারকে দোষারোপ করে. বলছেন ভারতীয় রাজনীতিতত্ত্ববিদ বিক্রম বয়েল.-
বিরোধীপক্ষের রণনীতি – সরকার ও ক্ষমতাসীন কংগ্রেস দলের উপর নিরন্তর চাপ বাড়িয়ে চলা. যদি বিরোধীপক্ষের আত্মপ্রত্যয় থাকতো, তাহলে তারা নিঃসন্দেহে সরকারের বিরুদ্ধে নো কনফিডেন্স মোশান উত্থাপন করতো. কিন্তু দেখতেই পাচ্ছেন, যে তারা সেটা করছে না. প্রধানমন্ত্রী ডঃ মনমোহন সিং তাঁর বিরুদ্ধে অভিযোগ অস্বীকার করছেন. কিন্তু তিনি যদি প্রতিবার দুর্নীতির কারন এবং ক্ষমতাসীন সরকার ও পার্টির ঐসব দুর্নীতির সাথে জড়িত না থাকার কথা বলতেই থাকেন, তবে সেটা যথেষ্ট হবে না. এই সরকারকে ক্ষমতা ছাড়তে হবে.
অন্যদিকে ভারতের প্রতিরক্ষা মন্ত্রণালয়ের আভ্যন্তরীন তদন্তে আপাততঃ ফিনমেক্কানিকা কোম্পানীর তরফ থেকে ঘুষ দেওয়ার ঘটনার প্রমাণ পাওয়া যায়নি. ইতালির কর্তৃপক্ষের কাছে আরো বিষদে তথ্য যোগান দেওয়ার জন্য ভারতের আর্জিতে ইতালি সাড়া দিচ্ছে না. "প্রথমদিন থেকেই আমরা সত্য আবিস্কার করার চেষ্টা করে ইতালিয়ানদের দ্বারস্থ হয়েছি, কিন্তু এখনো পর্যন্ত বিষদে কিছুই জানতে পারিনি" – বলেছেন প্রতিরক্ষামন্ত্রী এ.কে.এ্যান্টনি. তবে সিবিআই যদি ইতালিয়ানদের সন্দেহের প্রমাণ পায়, তাহলে চুক্তি বাতিল করে দেওয়া হবে ফিনমেক্কানিকা কোম্পানীর সাথে. ভারতীয় আমলাদের কপালেও দুর্ভোগ থাকবে, যারা ঘুষ খেয়েছিল. এ.কে.এ্যান্টনি প্রতিশ্রুতি দিয়েছেন – "আমরা ব্যবস্থা নেব, কেউ ছাড় পাবে না".
http://bengali.ruvr.ru/_print/104911204.html
From Jeep scandal to helicopter deal: A brief history of defence scams
INDIA, Updated Feb 14, 2013 at 01:10pm IST
New Delhi: From time to time a new case of kickbacks in defence deals come to light. Some of the defence deals have led to major changes in the political environment and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi-led Congress lost the 1989 Lok Sabha elections government after the 1987 Bofors scam.
Here is a list of the famous cases of corruption in defence deals that have taken place in India after Independence.
Jeeps scam, 1948: After Independence the Indian government signed a deal with a company in England to supply 200 Jeeps. The contract was worth Rs 80 lakh but only 155 Jeeps were delivered. The then India's high commissioner to England VK Krishna Menon was embroiled in the controversy. But the case was closed in 1955 and later Menon went on to become former prime minister Jawahar Lal Nehru's trusted aide and India's defence minister.
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Bofors scam, 1987: Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was at the centre of the Bofors scandal after allegations that Rs 64 crore was paid to middlemen to facilitate the deal for the 155mm howitzers from the Swedish firm Bofors. The allegations were first made by the Swedish radio. It was alleged that Ottavio Quattrocchi, who was close to the family of Rajiv Gandhi, acted as a middleman in the deal and received kickbacks. The deal for 400 Bofors guns was worth $1.3 billion.
Barak missile scam: India had planned to purchase Barak missile from Israel. But former president APJ Abdul Kalam, who was the scientific adviser to the Prime Minster when the Barak missile deal was being negotiated, had opposed the weapons system. India had bought seven Barak missile systems costing Rs 1,150 crore from Israel. The CBI had registered an FIR in the case in 2006. Former treasurer of the Samata Party RK Jain was arrested in the case. The CBI had questioned why the system was purchased even after the DRDO had raised its objections. According to the CBI the missile system was purchased at a much higher rate than that initially quoted by Israel. It was also alleged that the then defence minister George Fernandes had ignored the objections raised by the scientific adviser.
Coffin scam, 1999: During the 1999 Kargil war coffins were purchased top sent the bodies of martyred soldiers to their families. The CBI had registered a case against a US contractor and some senior Army officers. Then Defence Minister George Fernandes was also accused of being involved in the case.
Tehelka scam,1999: Tehelka.com, an online news portal revealed how army officers and political leaders were involved in taking bribes during arms deals. The sting showed that bribes were paid in at least 15 deals including the Barak missile case. In this sting which was code named Operation West End two Tehelka journalists posed as arms dealers and met several politicians and defence officers. Former BJP president Bangaru Laxam was shown taking a bribe of Rs 1 lakh in the sting. Then Samata Party chief George Fernandes's close friend Jaya Jaitley was also seen speaking to the Tehelka journalists. The government had also acted against one one Major General and four other senior army officers after their name cropped up the in sting operation. Fernandes, who was the defence minister then, resigned after the tapes were made public, but he was reinstated later.
Sudipta Ghosh case, 2009: In 2009 the former Ordnance Factory Board director general Sudipta Ghosh was arrested by the CBI. Ghosh had allegedly taken bribes from two Indian and four foreign companies which had been blacklisted by Defence Minister AK Antony.
Tatra trucks scam, 2012: Former Army Chief General VK Singh alleged that he was offered Rs 14 crore as bribe to clear a the purchase of Tatra trucks. Questions were also raised about the quality of the trucks.
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New Delhi, February 15, 2013
Former Indian Air Force chief SP Tyagi was wrong when he said the controversial decisions in Choppergate were taken during the NDA regime and before his tenure, suggest new revelations.
A day after Tyagi claimed that purchase conditions of 12 AgustaWestland VVIP helicopters were modified long before he became the air chief, the defence ministry in a press statement on Thursday said the changes in the Rs. 3,760-crore tender were made when Tyagi was in the hot seat in 2005-06. Pranab Mukherjee was then the defence minister in the UPA government.
Italian investigators have alleged that Finmeccanica had bribed Tyagi to change the tender requirements to help the firm secure the contract, a charge denied by the former air chief. Tyagi was air chief from December 31, 2004, to March 31, 2007.
The defence ministry said tender requirements for the helicopters were "deliberated at length" between March 2005 and September 2006 before changes were made, a development that support the Italian investigators' claims.
Tender requirements were discussed by the air force, prime minister's office (PMO), Special Protection Group, defence ministry and the national security adviser.
Tyagi had triggered a major political firestorm on Wednesday, claiming that tender requirements were modified during the NDA regime at the behest of the Vajpayee PMO in 2003.
"The changes, made in 2003, may have been finalised during my tenure. But those changes were implemented as it is, except for minor changes in onboard fitments. The helicopter remained the same," Tyagi had said.
A global tender for buying the VVIP helicopters was floated on September 27, 2006, during Tyagi's tenure. Tyagi's cousins - Julie, Dosca and Sandeep - allegedly took bribes to influence the deal signed in February 2010.
Tyagi said he was not in talking terms with his cousins between 1999 and 2006. He said they had patched up towards the end of 2006, a decision he now regrets.
India has enough elbow room to cancel the contract.
The ministry said the contract with AgustaWestland included a clause that would allow India to cancel the deal and recover all payments along with interest in case the use of "undue influence" was established. India has so far received three helicopters and paid the Italian firm more than Rs. 1,300 crore.
India could also invoke the integrity pact to scrap the deal if the CBI probe, ordered by defence minister AK Antony on Tuesday, establishes corrupt practices. The pact is valid till February 2015 under the contract. Antony on Thursday shot off a letter to AgustaWestland asking the firm to clarify on the alleged kickbacks.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Copter-deal-during-UPA-rule-when-Pranab-Mukherjee-was-defence-minister/Article1-1011914.aspx
Chopper deal: Govt factsheet is a red herring, but self-damning
by Sanjay Singh Feb 15, 2013
The UPA government, in hastily putting out its own "factsheet" on the Agusta Westland helicopter kickbacks, appears to have given out one vital piece of information that points to its own negligence.
Days ahead of Defence Minister AK Antony's statement in Parliament on 26 November 2012, where he said that "in the absence of any specific information," no formal inquiry could be ordered in the Agusta Westland deal, the income-tax department was asking the ministry about the existence of middlemen in the deal.
In Italy, a probe into the deal has ended up in the arrest of the CEO of Finmeccanica, parent company of Agusta, and the revelations include the possible involvement of the cousins of former Air Chief SP Tyagi.
Para 32 of the fact sheet released by the government states: "In November 2012, a letter was received in MoD (Ministry of Defence) from the Director, Income Tax (Investigations), regarding allegations against Indians possibly involved in the deal as middlemen and seeking information about them. The current status of the case was conveyed to the income tax authorities in January 2013; in return, MoD asked income tax to share with it any 'credible information'."
By its own revelation, the Ministry of Defence thus took three months, from November to January, merely to inform the tax department to come up with "credible information".
Wasn't me: Can the Defence Minister really claim innocence? PTI
A plain reading of the sequence of events suggests that the defence ministry and Antony did not act on the available information given by the tax department on middlemen making money in theAgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal. Firstpost had earlier reported on Antony's written reply in the Lok Sabha on reports about the existence of middlemen and alleged kickbacks.
The narration in the government's fact sheet, which lists out the chronology of events, suggests indirectly that if at all there was any whiff of irregularity in the deal, it happened when modifications were suggested to the RFP (request for proposal) in 2003 during the NDA regime. At that time, the then National Security Advisor (NSA) Brajesh Mishra had objected to the fact that there was only a single vendor in the deal, and this called for a change in the altitude specifications for the helicopter from 18,000 feet to 15,000 feet in order to bring in more bidders.
Subsequent deliberations, between March 2005 and September 2006, between the Indian Air Force, the NSA, the SPG, the PMO and the MoD, resulted in changes being incorporated into the RFP. During this period SP Tyagi was Air Chief Marshal, Pranab Mukherjee was Defence Minister, BV Wanchoo was SPG chief (now Goa Governor) and MK Narayanan was the NSA (now West Bengal Governor).
But this subtle effort to shift the focus to modification in the RFP is not very material, since the issue is whether kickbacks were paid or not in the deal. Focusing on modifications in the technical requirements leads nowhere and only suits the political sensibilities of the UPA. It will only divert attention from the money trail.
It is interesting to see how the Ministry of External Affairs responded to the situation. From the facts stated in the fact sheet, it appears as though the MEA acted as a mere post office and, when pressed for information, it even opined that "news reports alone could not be the basis for the Ministry of Defence to make any preliminary determination".
Paras 27 and 28 of the fact sheet throw some interesting light: "Since factual information was difficult to arrive at, Defence Secretary wrote to Secretary (West), MEA, in October 2012 reiterating the importance of the need to get information from the Italian authorities so that MoD could take further necessary action in this regard…… MEA's response again was that the matter had been taken up with the Italian side, which called for 'reliable information'. Moreover, "news reports alone could not be the basis for the Ministry of Defence to make any preliminary determination".
But when it came to putting up a defence, another set of reports came in handy. The factsheet says: "MoD also noted the report in The Hindu of 28.2.2012 that, quotingFinmeccanica, states that its subsidiary AgustaWestland is not involved in 'any irregularity in the deal'. Subsequently, MoD received more than one communication from M/s AgustaWestland confirming that the statements in the press are 'completely unfounded and have been issued with malicious intent' and that 'no commissions whatsoever were paid in the case."
Interestingly, when things blew up in Italy and Giuseppe Orsi, CEO of Finmeccanica, was arrested on 12 February, a CBI investigation was ordered merely on the basis of media reports. Also, what the CBI initially got from the MoD was only clippings from media reports. It is still in the process of getting relevant files from the ministry.
Pranab Mukherjee
| Pranab Mukherjee | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| 13th President of India | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 25 July 2012 | |
| Prime Minister | Manmohan Singh |
| Vice President | Mohammad Hamid Ansari |
| Preceded by | Pratibha Patil |
| Minister of Finance | |
| In office 24 January 2009 – 26 June 2012 | |
| Prime Minister | Manmohan Singh |
| Preceded by | Manmohan Singh |
| Succeeded by | Manmohan Singh |
| In office 15 January 1982 – 31 December 1984 | |
| Prime Minister | Indira Gandhi Rajiv Gandhi |
| Preceded by | R. Venkataraman |
| Succeeded by | V. P. Singh |
| Minister of External Affairs | |
| In office 24 October 2006 – 23 May 2009 | |
| Prime Minister | Manmohan Singh |
| Preceded by | Manmohan Singh |
| Succeeded by | S. M. Krishna |
| In office 10 February 1995 – 16 May 1996 | |
| Prime Minister | P. V. Narasimha Rao |
| Preceded by | Dinesh Singh |
| Succeeded by | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| Minister of Defence | |
| In office 22 May 2004 – 26 October 2006 | |
| Prime Minister | Manmohan Singh |
| Preceded by | George Fernandes |
| Succeeded by | A. K. Antony |
| Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission | |
| In office 24 June 1991 – 15 May 1996 | |
| Prime Minister | P. V. Narasimha Rao |
| Preceded by | Mohan Dharia |
| Succeeded by | Madhu Dandavate |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Pranab Kumar Mukherjee 11 December 1935 Mirati, Bengal Presidency,British India (now West Bengal) |
| Political party | Indian National Congress(1969–1986; 1989–2012) Rashtriya Samajwadi Congress (1986–1989) |
| Other political affiliations | United Front (1996–2004) United Progressive Alliance(2004–present) |
| Spouse(s) | Suvra Mukherjee (1957–present) |
| Children | Sharmistha, Abhijit, Indrajit |
| Alma mater | University of Calcutta |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Awards | Padma Vibhushan (2008) |
| Website | Official Website |
Pranab Kumar Mukherjee (/prənəb kʊmɑːr mʉkhərdʒiː/; born 11 December 1935) is the 13th and current President of India, in office since July 2012. In a political career spanning six decades, Mukherjee was a senior leader of the Indian National Congress and occupied several ministerial portfolios in the Government of India. Prior to his election as President, Mukherjee was Union Finance Minister from 2009 to 2012, and the Congress party's top troubleshooter.
Mukherjee got his break in politics in 1969 when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi helped him get elected to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of India's Parliament, on a Congress ticket. Following a meteoric rise, he became one of Indira Gandhi's most trusted lieutenants, and a minister in her cabinet by 1973. During the controversial Internal Emergency of 1975–77, he was accused (like several other Congress leaders) of committing gross excesses. Mukherjee's service in a number of ministerial capacities culminated in his first stint as Finance Minister in 1982–84. Mukherjee was also Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha from 1980 to 1985.
Mukherjee was sidelined from the Congress during the premiership of Rajiv Gandhi, Indira's son. Mukherjee had viewed himself, and not the inexperienced Rajiv, as the rightful successor to Indira following her assassination in 1984. Mukherjee lost out in the ensuing power struggle. He formed his own party, the Rashtriya Samajwadi Congress, which merged with the Congress in 1989 after reaching a compromise with Rajiv Gandhi. Mukherjee's political career revived when Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao appointed him Planning Commission head in 1991 and Foreign Minister in 1995. Following this, as elder statesman of the Congress, Mukherjee was the principal architect of Sonia Gandhi's ascension to the party's presidency in 1998.
When the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) came into power in 2004, Mukherjee, never a mass leader, won a Lok Sabha (the popularly elected lower house of Parliament) seat for the first time. From then until his resignation in 2012, Mukherjee was practically number-two in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government. He held a number of key cabinet portfolios—Defence (2004–06), External Affairs (2006–09) and Finance (2009–12)—apart from heading several Groups of Ministers (GoMs) and being Leader of the House in the Lok Sabha. After securing the UPA's nomination for the country's Presidency, in July 2012 Mukherjee comfortably defeated P. A. Sangma in the race to Rashtrapati Bhavan, winning 70 percent of the electoral-college vote.
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[edit]Early life and career
Mukherjee was born to a Bengali Hindu Kulin Brahmin[1]family at village Mirati in Birbhum district in the Bengal province of British India (now in West Bengal). His father, Kamada Kinkar Mukherjee, was active in the Indian independence movement and was a member of West Bengal Legislative Council between 1952 and 1964 as a representative of the Indian National Congress. His mother was Rajlakshmi Mukherjee.[2][3]
Mukherjee attended the Suri Vidyasagar College in Suri (Birbhum), then affiliated with theUniversity of Calcutta.[4] He has a Master of Arts degree in Political Science and History, as well as a degree in law from the University of Calcutta.[3]
Mukherjee began his career as an upper-division clerk in the office of the Deputy Accountant-General (Post and Telegraph) in Calcutta.[citation needed] In 1963, he began teaching political science at the Vidyanagar College (in South 24 Parganas)[5] and he also worked as a journalist with the Desher Dak (Call of Motherland) before entering politics.[6]His greatest inspiration is Deng Xiaoping,whome he quoted frequently and he worked for noted Bengali publication Desher Dak (Call of Motherland).[7]
[edit]Early political career
Mukherjee's political career began in 1969, when he managed the successful Midnapore-constituency by-election campaign of independent candidate V. K. Krishna Menon. Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi recognised Mukherjee's talents and inducted him in her party, the Indian National Congress.[8] Gandhi gave Mukherjee a seat in the Rajya Sabha(the upper house of Indian parliament) from the Congress party in July 1969. Mukherjee would be re-elected to the house in 1975, 1981, 1993 and 1999.[4]
Mukherjee quickly became a staunch Indira Gandhi loyalist, and is often described as her "man for all seasons".[9] Mukherjee's rise was meteoric in the early phase of his career and he was appointed Union Deputy Minister of Industrial Development in Indira Gandhi's cabinet in 1973. Mukherjee was active in the Indian cabinet during the controversial Internal Emergency 0f 1975–77. Ruling Congress politicians of the day including Mukherjee were accused of using extra-constitutional powers to "wreck established norms and rules of governance". Following the Congress's defeat in the 1977 general elections, the newly formed Janata government-appointed Shah Commission indicted Mukherjee; however, the commission was itself later indicted for stepping "outside its jurisdiction" in 1979. Mukherjee emerged unscathed and rose through a series of cabinet posts to become Finance Ministerfrom 1982 to 1984.[10][11]
His term was noted for his work in improving the finances of the government that enabled Indira Gandhi to score a political point returning the last installment of India's first IMF loan.[12] As Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee signed the letter appointing Dr.Manmohan Singh as Governor of the Reserve Bank of India.[8]
Indira Gandhi made Mukherjee the Deputy Leader of the Congress in the Rajya Sabha in 1978. He was made Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha in 1980. Mukherjee was considered the top ranking Indian cabinet minister and he even presided over the cabinet meetings in the absence of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.[4]
In 1982 Some people also recommended and proposed Mr.Pranab's name for the post of the president of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) but he decided against it as he had never played Cricket and did not know much about the sport and he forwarded the name ofN. K. P. Salve for that post.On Saturday, 16 February 2013 while addressing in theRastrapati Bhawan ,he said "Though I read some literature on cricket and have watched games, I have never held a cricket bat"[13]
Mukherjee was sidelined from the Congress during the Rajiv Gandhi era. It was suggested that he "was not forgiven for suggesting in a way after the assassination of Indira Gandhi that he was the most qualified and the next in line to succeed her."[14] Mukherjee was subsequently marginalised in the party; losing his Cabinet berth and being demoted to take over the regional Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee.[14] It was speculated that a new generation of Congress leaders close to Rajiv Gandhi were "responsible for most of what was happening to [Mukherjee]."[14] "[The] group had emerged as the new power brokers in the party and the Indira loyalists were no longer seen as needed."[14]
Mukherjee quit the Indian National Congress in 1986. He floated the Rashtriya Samajwadi Congress (RSC) in West Bengal which he would merge with the Indian National Congress three years later after reaching a compromise with Rajiv Gandhi. The RSC had fared terribly in the 1987 Assembly polls in West Bengal. Many analysts, over the years, have attributed the muting of Mukherjee's political aspirations as the supreme leader due to his inability to emerge as a magnetic mass leader.[9] On later being asked that did he ever desire to become Prime Minister, Mukherjee, however, replied, "7 RCR was never my destination."[15] The Zee News noted: "The statement assumes heft in the light of the longstanding speculation that Mukherjee, as one of the doyens of Congress, always nursed an ambition to occupy the top executive post."[15]
Mukherjee's political career revived following the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 when P. V. Narasimha Rao chose to appoint him as deputy chairman of the Indian planning commission and subsequently as a union cabinet minister. Mukherjee served as External Affairs Minister for the first time from 1995 to 1996 in Rao's cabinet.[4]
Mukherjee today is considered to be a Gandhi family loyalist and the principal architect of Sonia Gandhi's entry into politics, a mentoring responsibility he is still believed to be shouldering.[9] He was made General Secretary of the AICC in 1998–99 after Sonia Gandhi became Congress President. Mukherjee was made President of the West Bengal Congress in 2000 and held the position until his resignation in 2010. He had earlier held the position in 1985.[3]
Mukherjee became Leader of the House in the Lok Sabha in 2004.[4] He contested and won a Lok Sabha seat from Jangipur in West Bengal which he would later retain in 2009. It was speculated in 2004 that Mukherjee would be made Prime Minister of India after Sonia Gandhi unexpectedly declined the position.[16] However, Gandhi eventually nominated Manmohan Singh to become Prime Minister.[14]
Mukherjee was briefly considered for the post of the largely ceremonial Indian presidency in 2007. But his name was subsequently dropped after his contribution in the Union Cabinet was considered practically indispensable.[14] Regardless, the India Today went on to opine that Mukherjee should be made President. The magazine wrote: "[It] would please the many who see Mukherjee as the best prime minister India never had. It would also lay the ghosts of the past and confirm a confident Congress leadership's ability to acknowledge its debt to the man in whom Indira Gandhi placed her trust."[17]
Mukherjee held many important posts in the Manmohan Singh government. He had the distinction of being the Minister for various high profile Ministries including Defence, Finance, and External Affairs. Mukherjee also headed the Congress Parliamentary Party and the Congress Legislative Party which consists of all the Congress MPs and MLAs in the country apart from being Leader of the House in Lok Sabha and Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee President.[4]
Mukherjee ended his affiliation with the Indian National Congress and retired from active political life following his election as President in 2012. The Economic Times had noted: "[the] decades of activity in critical all-round roles make [Mukherjee's] exit both a structural and generation shift. With him, the last of the Congress triumvirate – along with Rao and R Venkataraman – who formed the core team of Indira/Rajiv regimes bows out. While Rao became PM, Pranab's political marathon too ends where [Venkataraman's] did, at theRashtrapati Bhavan."[18]
[edit]Political party role
Mukherjee is "very well respected within the party social circles."[19] Media accounts describe him as having "a reputation as a number-crunching politician with a phenomenal memory and an unerring survival instinct."[20]
Mukherjee became a member of the Congress Working Committee on 27 January 1978. He also became a member of the Central Parliamentary Board of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) that year. Mukherjee briefly held the position of treasurer of the AICC and the Congress party in 1978.[3]
Mukherjee was appointed chairman of the Campaign Committee of AICC for conducting National Elections to Parliament in 1984, 1991, 1996 and 1998. He was chairman of the Central Election Coordination Committee of the AICC from 28 June 1999 to 2012. He was appointed to the Central Election Committee on 12 December 2001. Mukherjee was appointed General Secretary of the AICC in 1998.[3]In 1997 Mukherjee was voted Outstanding Parliamentarian by the Indian Parliamentary Group.
After Sonia Gandhi reluctantly agreed to join politics, Mukherjee was one of her mentors, guiding her through difficult situations with examples of how her mother-in-law, Indira Gandhi would have done things.[21] His talents were on display during the negotiations for the Patent's Amendment Bill in early 2005. The Congress was committed to passing an IP bill, but their allies in the United Progressive Alliance from the Left front had a long tradition of opposing some of the monopoly aspects of intellectual property. Pranab Mukherjee, as Defence Minister, was not formally involved but was roped in for his negotiation skills. He drew on many old alliances including the CPI-M leader Jyoti Basu (former Chief Minister of West Bengal), and formed new intermediary positions, which included product patent and little else. Then he had to convince his own colleagues including commerce minister Kamal Nath, at one point saying: "An imperfect legislation is better than no legislation."[22] Finally the bill was approved on 23 March 2005.
India Today wrote that Mukherjee's rôle in "skillfully pushing through the historic 123 Agreement and treaty with the Nuclear Suppliers Group" may have saved UPA-II government from the 2008 motion of no confidence.[17]
Mukherjee played a crucial rôle in steering the Cabinet pre Lok Sabha elections when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh underwent a by-pass surgery in 2008–09 by taking additional charges as chairman of the Cabinet Committee of Political Affairs and Union Minister in Finance Ministry despite already being Union Minister of External Affairs.
Mukherjee was the recipent of "The Best Administrator in India" award in 2011. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh commented: "Mr. Mukherjee's knowledge of parliamentary matters was stupendous. The wide respect he commanded and his long association with the political leaders across the spectrum had proved invaluable in conducting the parliamentary business."[23]
Mukherjee's political skills and long experience in government have also led him to heading a large number of committees of Ministers in the government, a device that has been employed to obtain consensus within the members of the governing coalition on contentious issues. At the time of his resignation on being nominated as the UPA's presidential candidate, Mukherjee was heading several Groups of Ministers(GoMs) and Empowered Groups of Ministers (EGoMs).[24]
[edit]Government offices
[edit]Defence Minister
Dr. Manmohan Singh appointed Mukherjee as the Minister of Defence of India when the Congress came to power in 2004. Mukherjee held the post until 2006. He expanded co-operation with the United States during his tenure. The Times of India reported on theWikileaks cables release and noted how " [United States] is full of praise for the "uniformed leadership" of Indian armed forces, especially Navy, as well as ministers like Mukherjee." Mukherjee in June 2005 had inked the 10-year Indo-US Defence Framework deal.[25]
Despite increasing co-operation with the United States, Mukherjee maintained that Russia will remain India's 'topmost' defence partner. He asserted that "Russia has been and will remain India's largest defence partner in the years to come" while inaugurating the 5th session of the Indo-Russian Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) in Moscow in 2005.[26]
Russia held the first joint anti-terror war games with India in Rajasthan in October 2005, during which Mukherjee and Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov narrowly escaped injury after a heavy mortar landed several metres from their platform.[27] The Russian ministry subsequently declared its hopes to follow up joint military exercises in India with further joint exercises on Russian territory.[27]
[edit]Foreign Minister
Mukherjee was appointed the External Affairs Minister of India in 1995. Under his leadership, India was made "Full Dialogue Partner" of ASEAN as part of the Look East foreign policyinitiated by Narasimha Rao. Mukherjee left the position in 1996.
Mukherjee's second term began in 2006. He oversaw the successful signing of the U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Agreement with the US government and then with the Nuclear Suppliers Group, allowing India to participate in civilian nuclear trade in spite of not having signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Mukherjee played a crucial rôle in mobilising world opinion against Pakistan after the 2008 Mumbai attacks. He left the position a year later to take over the Finance Ministry of India.[6]
When asked what legacy he wanted to leave behind as Foreign Minister of India, Mukherjee replied, "As the [man] who prepared Indian diplomacy to address the challenges of a more globalised, interdependent and uncertain world."[17]
[edit]Commerce Minister
Mukherjee has thrice served as Commerce Minister of India. His first stints were in the Indira Gandhi government from 1980–82 and again in 1984.[4] His third stint in the 1990s saw him contribute significantly to the negotiations leading to the establishment of theWorld Trade Organisation.[6]
[edit]Finance Minister
Pranab Mukherjee's first stint as the Finance minister of India was during the Indira Gandhigovernment in 1982. He presented his first annual budget in 1982–83. Mukherjee's first term was noted for his work in improving the finances of the government and for successfully returning the last instalment of India's first IMF loan.[12] Mukherjee signed the letter appointing Manmohan Singh as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India in 1982.[8]Mukherjee was accused of patronage practices in the Ambani–Wadia industrial feuds.[28]
Mukherjee was credited with being an early reformer of the Indian economy. India Todaywrote: "Operation Forward, which [Mukherjee] and then Industries Minister Charanjit Chanana launched in the early 1980s, started the liberalisation process that flowered under Rao and Manmohan Singh."[17] A Left wing magazine once commented that "socialism did not grow out of the pipe Mukherjee smoked."[17]
Mukherjee was removed from his position as Finance Minister by Rajiv Gandhi in 1984. Gandhi had wished to bring in his own team of staff to govern India.[18] Mukherjee was removed from his position even though he was rated as the best Finance Minister in the World that year according to a survey of Euromoney magazine.[12]
Mukherjee returned to handling the finance of India during the premiership of Narasimha Rao. He was appointed the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission. Since the Prime Minister of India happens to be the ex-officio chairperson of Planning Commission of India, the position of the deputy chairperson has great significance. During Mukherjee's tenure 1991–96, Dr. Manmohan Singh as Finance Minister oversaw many economic reforms to end the Licence Raj system and help open the Indian economy.[29]
Mukherjee again became the Finance Minister of India in 2009. He presented the annual budgets in 2009, 2010 and 2011. The 2010–11 budget included the country's first explicit target to cut public debt as a proportion of GDP and Mukherjee had targeted a budget deficit reduction to 4.1% of GDP in fiscal year 2012–13, from 6.5% in 2008–09.[30]
Mukherjee implemented many tax reforms. He scrapped the Fringe Benefits Tax and the Commodities Transaction Tax. He implemented the Goods and Services Tax during his tenure. These reforms were well received by major corporate executives and economists. The introduction of retrospective taxation by Mukherjee, however, has been criticised by some economists.[31]
Mukherjee expanded funding for several social sector schemes including the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. He also supported budget increases for improving literacyand health care. He expanded infrastructure programmes such as the National Highway Development Programme. Electricity coverage was also expanded during his tenure. Mukherjee also reaffirmed his commitment to the principle of fiscal prudence as some economists expressed concern about the rising fiscal defits during his tenure, the highest since 1991. Mukherjee declared the expansion in government spending was only temporary.
In 2010 Mukherjee was awarded "Finance Minister of the Year for Asia" by Emerging Markets, the daily newspaper of record for the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Mukherjee was praised for "the confidence [he] has inspired in key stakeholders, by virtue of his fuel price reforms, fiscal transparency and inclusive growth strategies".[32] The Banker also recognised him as "Finance Minister of the Year."[30]
The final years of Mukherjee in the finance ministry were not considered a success. The NDTV upon his resignation as Finance Minister in June 2012 wrote: "There [had] been a clamour from many quarters for a change in the Finance Ministry, with Mr Mukherjee having faced flak for several decisions where politics seemed to overwhelm economic imperatives."[33]
[edit]Other positions
Mukherjee was chairman of the Indian Statistical Institute in Kolkata. He is also the former chairman and president of the Rabindra Bharati University and the Nikhil Bharat Banga Sahitya Sammelan, as well as a former trustee of the Bangiya Sahitya Parishad and the Bidhan Memorial Trust. He has served on the Planning Board of the Asiatic Society.[4]
[edit]President of India
| Presidential styles of Pranab Mukherjee | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | His Excellency Pranab Mukherjee, President of the Republic of India |
| Spoken style | President Mukherjee |
| Alternative style | Mister President |
Mukherjee was nominated as the presidential candidate of the United Progressive Allianceon 15 June 2012 after considerable political intrigue.[34][35] The elections were scheduled to be conducted on 19 July 2012 and the results were expected to be announced on 22 July 2012. As many as 81 other candidates had filed nominations but the Election Commission rejected all except that of P. A. Sangma, the nominee of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).[36] In order to file his nomination for the presidential poll on 28 June, Mukherjee had resigned from the government on 26 June 2012.[33]
In the election, Mukherjee received 713,763 votes, while Sangma had 315,987.[37] In his victory speech, delivered outside his residence before the results were officially announced, he said:
I would like express my deep gratitude to all of you who are waiting. The figure has crossed 7 lakhs, only one state remains. The final figure will come from the returning officer. I would like to thank the people of India for electing me to this high office. The enthusiasm, the warmth of the people was remarkable. I have received much more from the people of this country, from the Parliament, than I have given. Now I have been entrusted with the responsibility of protecting and defending the constitution as President. I will try and justify the trust of the people. I would like to reciprocate the congratulation Shri Purno Sangma has extended.[38]
Mukherjee was sworn-in by the Chief Justice of India on 25 July 2012,[39] becoming the first Bengali to hold the post of President of India.[15] After being administered the oath of office, he said we are amidist of fourth world war of terror and what minutes of peace can achieve cannot be achieved in many years of war.[40]
Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh both congratulated Pranab Mukherjee on his election as President.[41] Former Communist leader Somnath Chatterjee termed Mukherjee as one of "the best parliamentarians and statesmen of India" and said the country "has got the most able man for the top job".[42] Opposition leader Sharad Yadav declared "the nation needed a president like Pranab Mukherjee."[43] Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit commented and said Mukherjee will be "one of the wisest presidents." She further marvelled at the fact that parties in the opposition ranks supported Mukherjee. "Even the NDA broke up and wanted to vote for the president to be Pranab Mukherjee."[44] The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was reportedly "shocked" and "upset" at the cross-voting for Mukherjee by its legislative members.[45] However, the BJP party President Nitin Gadkari congratulated Mukherjee and said "I extend my hearty congratulations to Pranab Mukherjee on his election today as the new President of India." Gadkari further declared "I am sure that the country will make further development and progress. I wish him all success and a bright future."[46]
Social activist Arvind Kejriwal had stated that he will release proof of Mukherjee's alleged involvement in corruption to coincide with his swearing-in as President. However, Kejriwal failed to produce any such proof.[47] Mukherjee rejected allegations of corruption against him as 'unfair' and 'self-seeking' and said, "it reflected the lack of responsibility on behalf of those claiming to represent high standards of ethical behaviour".[47] Mukherjee further said "the false allegations against him were being levelled with ulterior motive and were malafide and suffered from serious suppression of facts."However no such baffling reports were released[47]
The Zee News noted: "What is striking about [Mukherjee] is that after more than four decades in public life, the Opposition had no ammunition against him after he was declared UPA's choice for President. Inspite of Team Anna making some noise about him being involved in some corruption cases, it has been more or less an easy ride for Pranab to Raisina Hill. Once when Sonia Gandhi announced his name, most of the allies and the Opposition came on board. Whereas, NDA partner JD(U) saw no merit in opposing him, one of the bitter critics of the Congress Shiv Sena too toed the line a little too easily. This support was not for Congress but for [Mukherjee]".[14]
Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2013 was promulgated by Pranab Mukherjee on 3 February, 2013, which provides for amendment of Indian Penal Code, Indian Evidence Act, and Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 on laws related to sexual offences.[48][49]
[edit]Personal life
Pranab Mukherjee married Suvra Mukherjee on 13 July 1957. The couple have two sons and a daughter.[4] He is inspired by Deng Xiaoping and has quoted him quite frequently.[50] His hobbies are reading, gardening and music.[4] His elder son, Abhijit Mukherjee, is a Congress MP from Jangipur, West Bengal. He was elected in the by-polls held after his father vacated the seat.[51]Before his election, Abhijit was an MLA from Nalhati in Birbhum.[52] His daughter is a Kathak dancer.[53]
Mukherjee celebrates the Durga Puja at his ancestral home in Mirati village.[54] He makes it a point to be at Mirati village every year to take part in the four-day rituals, the puja having a 'social dimension' for him. "I want to avail this opportunity to be with the people of my area," Mukherjee said during a puja ceremony on 4 October 2011.[54]
[edit]Honours
Mukherjee has received several accolades and honours. In 1984, he was rated as the best Finance Minister in the World according to a survey of Euromoney magazine.[12][55] In 2010, he was awarded "Finance Minister of the Year for Asia" by Emerging Markets, the daily newspaper of record for the World Bank and the IMF.[32] In December 2010, The Banker recognised him as the "Finance Minister of the Year."[30] The government of India honoured him with the Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award of India, in 2008.[56]Mukherjee was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters degree by the University of Wolverhampton in 2011.[57] He was also awarded an honorary D.Litt by the Assam University in March 2012.[58]
[edit]Offices held
Mukherjee's positions in chronological order:[4]
- Union Minister of Industrial Development 1973–1974
- Union Minister of Shipping and Transport 1974
- Minister of State for Finance 1974–1975
- Union Minister of Revenue and Banking 1975–1977
- Treasurer of the Congress Party 1978–79
- Treasurer of the All India Congress Committee 1978–79
- Leader of the House of the Rajya Sabha 1980–85
- Union Minister of Commerce and Steel and Mines 1980–1982
- Union Minister of Finance 1982–1984
- Board of Governors of the International Monetary Fund 1982–1985
- Board of Governors of the World Bank 1982–1985
- Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank 1982–1984
- Board of Governors of the African Development Bank 1982–1985
- Union Minister of Commerce and Supply 1984
- Chairman of the Campaign Committee of Congress for conducting national elections to Parliament 1984, 1991, 1996 and 1998
- Chairman of the Group of 24 (a ministerial group attached to IMF and World Bank) 1984 and 2009–2012
- President of the State Unit of Congress Party in West Bengal 1985 and 2000–10
- Chairman of the Economic Advisory Cell of the AICC 1987–1989
- Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission 1991–1996
- Union Minister of Commerce 1993–1995
- Union Minister of External Affairs 1995–1996
- President, SAARC Council of Ministers' Conference 1995
- General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee 1998–1999
- Chairman of the Central Election Coordination Committee 1999–2012
- Leader of the House of the Lok Sabha 2004–2012
- Union Minister of Defence 2004–2006
- Union Minister of External Affairs 2006–2009
- Union Minister of Finance 2009–2012
- President of India on 25 July 2012.
[edit]Books written
- Midterm Poll
- Beyond Survival
- Emerging dimensions of Indian Economy
- Off the Track, Saga of Struggle and Sacrifice
- Challenge before the Nation.[6]
[edit]References
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- ^ "Who is Pranab Mukherjee?". NDTV. 15 June 2012. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
- ^ a b c d e "Biography". Pranab Mukherjee. Archived from the original on 4 September 2010. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Shri Pranab Mukherjee". Government of India. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
- ^ No surprises here, it's a staid First Family
- ^ a b c d "FM Pranab's first priority: Presenting budget 09-10".The Indian Express. 23 May 2009. Retrieved 23 May 2009.
- ^ http://www.ciol.com/ciol/news/109412/pranab-mukherjee-didnt#
- ^ a b c "Footsteps of Pranab". Mathrubhumi. 29 June 2012. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
- ^ a b c "Pranab Mukherjee's USP for President: sheer experience". ibnlive. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
- ^ "The tallest short man". Sumit Mitra. The Hindustan Times, 26 February 2010. Retrieved 27 February 2010.
- ^ How they buried Shah Commission report, even without an epitaph Indian Express – 4 July 2000
- ^ a b c d "The Pranab Mukherjee Budget". Business Standard. 22 February 2010. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
- ^ http://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/news/item/203697-when-pranab-mukherjee-turned-down-offer-to-head-bcci
- ^ a b c d e f g "Pranab Mukherjee – The 13th President of India". Zee News. 22 July 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ^ a b c "I won't be a unique President: Pranab Mukherjee". Zee News. 24 July 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
- ^ "Why is Dr Singh Sonia's choice?". Rediff. 19 May 2004. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
- ^ a b c d e "The Man Indira Trusted". India Today. 16 October 2010. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
- ^ a b "Pranab Mukherjee's exit from party politics is a loss and an opportunity". The Economic Times (India). 4 July 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
- ^ "India's new foreign minister Mukherjee: a respected party veteran". Agence France-Presse. 24 October 2006. Retrieved 9 April 2007.
- ^ "India gets new foreign minister". BBC News. 4 October 2006. Retrieved 9 April 2007.
- ^ GK Gokhale (19 April 2004). "Why is Dr. Singh Sonia's choice?". rediff.com. Retrieved 9 April 2007.
- ^ Phadnis, Aditi (29 March 2005). "Pranab: The master manager". rediff.com. Retrieved 9 April 2007.
- ^ Balaji, J. (21 December 2011). "Prime Minister Manmohan Singh presents The Best Administrator in India Award 2011 of the K. Karunakaran Foundation to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee". The Hindu. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
- ^ "Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India". Retrieved 1 May 2012.
- ^ "US preferred Pranab Mukherjee over AK Antony as defence minister". Times of India. 6 September 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
- ^ "Russia to remain India's topmost defence partner". Times of India. 15 November 2005. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
- ^ a b "Russia Hails Defence Cooperation With India". Spacewar. 15 November 2005. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
- ^ Aggarwal, S. K. (1990), The Investigative journalism in India, Mittal Publications, ISBN 978-81-7099-224-0, retrieved 10 October 2011
- ^ Biswas, Soutik (14 October 2005). "India's architect of reforms". BBC News. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
- ^ a b c "Finance Minister of the Year 2011". The Banker. 23 December 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
- ^ Bamzai, Sandeep (26 June 2012). "Pranab Mukherjee's stint as Finance Minister clearly wasn't his best". Daily Mail. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
- ^ a b "Finance Minister of Asia award for Pranab". The Hindu. 11 October 2010. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
- ^ a b "Pranab Mukherjee resigns as Finance Minister; PM to take additional charge, say sources". NDTV. 26 June 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
- ^ Prabhu, Chawla. "Pranab nominated after Mulayam-Sonia secret meet". Retrieved 4 July 2012.
- ^ Hunt begins for head of state – Yahoo! News India
- ^ "Pranab Mukherjee, Sangma final candidates for Prez polls". Daily News and Analysis. 4 July 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
- ^ "CNNIBN Blog". 22 July 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ^ "NDTV Blog". 22 July 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ^ Gupta, Smita (25 July 2012). "Pranab Mukherjee sworn-in 13th President". The Hindu.
- ^ "Fight against terrorism is 4th World War: Pranab". The Hindu. 25 July 2012.
- ^ "PM, Sonia congratulate India's new President Pranab Mukherjee". Zee News. 22 July 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
- ^ "India has got a very able president: Somnath". Zee News. 22 July 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
- ^ "India needs Pranab as president: Sharad Yadav". Zee News. 22 July 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
- ^ "Pranab Mukherjee will be a wise president: Dikshit". Zee News. 22 July 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
- ^ "Prez poll: BJP miffed over cross-voting". Zee News. 22 July 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
- ^ "Nitin Gadkari congratulates Pranab Mukherjee". Zee News. 22 July 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
- ^ a b c "Will give proof of corruption against Pranab Mukherjee on July 25, claims Team Anna". NDTV. 22 July 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
- ^ "Prez Pranab Mukherjee promulgates ordinance on crime against women". Indian Express. 3 February 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
- ^ "President signs ordinance to effect changes in laws against sexual crimes". India Today. 3 February 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
- ^ 2 June 6 – Pranab Mukherjee, India's Defence Minister – 15 January 2011
- ^ "Pranab Mukherjee's son Abhijit Mukherjee wins Jangipur Lok Sabha seat". 13 October 2012.
- ^ "Pranab Mujherjee's son wants his LS seat, party to take call". 24 July 2012.
- ^ Das, Mohua (12 January 2011). "Dancer who happens to be 'his' daughter-Father Pranab Mukherjee misses Sharmistha's tribute to Tagore, mom in front row". Telegraph India. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ^ a b "Pranab Mukherjee's Durga Puja at ancestral home". Rediff. 4 October 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
- ^ "Shri Pranab Mukherjee". Calcutta Yellow Pages. 22 January 2001. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
- ^ "Padma Vibhushan Awardees for year 2008". india.gov.in. Retrieved 3 April 2012.
- ^ "Honorary doctorate for Pranab from UK university". The Hindu. 27 May 2011. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
- ^ "Small price for big prize". Telegraph India. 15 July 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
[edit]External links
 | Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Pranab Mukherjee |
- President of India Official website of the president of India
- Pranab Mukherjee – Official website
- Parliamentary profile at India.gov.in
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Ramaswamy Venkataraman | Minister of Finance 1982–1984 | Succeeded by V. P. Singh |
| Preceded by Mohan Dharia | Deputy Chairperson of the Planning Commission 1991–1996 | Succeeded by Madhu Dandavate |
| Preceded by Dinesh Singh | Minister of External Affairs 1995–1996 | Succeeded by Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| Preceded by George Fernandes | Minister of Defence 2004–2006 | Succeeded by Arackaparambil Kurian Antony |
| Preceded by Manmohan Singh | Minister of External Affairs 2006–2009 | Succeeded by Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna |
| Minister of Finance 2009–2012 | Succeeded by Manmohan Singh | |
| Preceded by Pratibha Patil | President of India 2012–present | Incumbent |
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ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় সমাবর্তন ৪ মার্চ, বক্তা প্রণব মুখার্জি - প্রথম আলো
প্রণব মুখার্জি সস্ত্রীক নড়াইলে শ্বশুরবাড়ি আসছেন মার্চে
ভারতীয় রাষ্ট্রপতি প্রণব মুখার্জি শ্বশুরবাড়ি আসছেন ভারতীয় উচ্চ ...
List of scandals in India
- This is an incomplete list, which may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding itwith reliably sourced entries.
| Political corruption |
|---|
 |
| Concepts |
| Corruption by country |
The following is a list of alleged scams and scandals in India since independence. These include political, financial, corporate and others.
Entries are arranged in reverse chronological order by year. The year is the one in which the alleged scam was first reported or came into knowledge of public.
Contents[hide] |
[edit]Named scandals
| Named scandals in India | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scandal | Year reported | Scope | Location | Key players | Summary |
| 2012 Indian coal mining controversy | 2012 |  185,591.34 crore (US$33.78 billion) | nation | Comptroller and Auditor General of India, the coal ministry, many electricity boards and private companies | coal blocks allotted, not auctioned, leading to estimated losses as per the Comptroller and Auditor General of India [1][2][3] |
| Karnataka Wakf Board Land Scam | 2012 | 200,000 crore (US$36.4 billion) | Karnataka | [4][5] | |
| Uttar Pradesh NRHM scam | 2012 | 10,000 crore (US$1.82 billion) | Uttar Pradesh | Mayawati | [6][7][8][9][10] |
| 2G spectrum scam | 2010 | 176,000 crore (US$32.03 billion) | national | Nira Radia, A. Raja, M. K. Kanimozhi, many telecommunications companies | communication bandwidth auctioned for lower than market value[11][12] |
| Uttar Pradesh food grain scam | 2003 | 35,000 crore (US$6.37 billion) | Uttar Pradesh | Kapil Sibal, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mayawati | Food which the government purchased to give to the poor was instead sold on the open market[13][14][15][16] |
- DIAL Scam - Central government lost
- Granite scam in Tamil Nadu - [19]
- Highway scam -
- ISRO's S-band scam (also known as ISRO-Devas deal, the deal was later called off) -
- Arunachal Pradesh PDS scam -
- Cash for Vote Scandal
- Kerala ice cream parlour sex scandal
- Scorpene Deal scam[31][32][33]
- The Satyam scam [34]
- Navy War Room Spy Scandal (related to Scorpene Deal Scam)
- Oil for food scam [35]
- Gegong Apang PDS scam
- Taj corridor scandal
- Hawala scandal
- Bihar land scam -
- SNC lavalin power project scam -
- Bihar fodder scam -
- Purulia arms drop case* The Mundhra scandal -
- Jeep scandal -
- Bofors Scandal[40]
- Nagarwala scandal -
- Commonwealth Games scam -
- Belekeri port scam
[edit]2012
- Granite scam in Tamil Nadu - Loss of about
- Maharashtra Irrigation Scam – Loss of about
- Kinetic Finance Limited Scam - Banks lost about
- Ultra Mega Power Projects Scam - Central government lost
- Andhra Pradesh land scam -
- Forex derivates scam -
- Service Tax and Central Excise Duty fraud -
- Gujarat PSU financial irregularities -
- Maharashtra stamp duty scam -
- Maharashtra land scam[55][56][57][58][59][60][61]
- MHADA repair scam -
- Ministry of External Affairs gift scam[63][64][65]
- Himachal Pradesh pulse scam[66][67]
- Flying Club fraud -
- Andhra Pradesh liquor scam[69][70]
- Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association scam - Approximately
- Jammu and Kashmir PHE scam[73]
- Jammu and Kashmir recruitment scam[74]
- Jammu and Kashmir examgate[75][76]
- Jammu and Kashmir dental scam[77]
- Punjab paddy scam -
- NHPC cement scam[80]
- Haryana forest scam [81][82][83][84][85][86][87][88][89][90]
- Girivan (Pune) land scam [91] (not to be confused with Pune land scam which came to light during 2011)
- Toilet scam[92][93]
- Uttar Pradesh stamp duty scam -
- Uttar Pradesh horticulture scam -
- Uttar Pradesh palm tree plantation scam -
- Uttar Pradesh seed scam -
- Uttar Pradesh elephant statue scam[101][102][103][104][105]
- Patiala land scam -
- Tax refund scam -
- Bengaluru Mayor's fund scam[111]
- Ranchi real estate scam[112]
- Delhi surgical gloves procurement scam[113]
- Aadhar scam[114][115][116][117]
- BEML housing society scam[118][119][120]
- MSTC gold export scam -
- TIN scam[122][123]
- Haryana Forest Development Corporation Cash Scam- [124]
- Nayagaon (Punjab) land scam[125]
[edit]2011
- Bellary mining scam
- Tatra scam -
- LIC housing loan scam
- NTRO scam -
- Goa mining scam[131][132]
- Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike scam -
- Himachal Pradesh HIMUDA housing scam[137][138]
- Pune housing scam [139]
- Pune land scam [140][141]
- Orissa pulse scam -
- Kerala investment scam -
- Mumbai Sales Tax fraud -
- Maharashtra education scam -
- Maharashtra PDS scam[150][151]
- Uttar Pradesh TET scam[152][153][154]
- Uttar Pradesh MGNREGA scam[155]
- Orissa MGNREGA scam[156][157][158]
- Indian Air Force land scam[159][160][161]
- Bihar Solar lamp scam -
- BL Kashyap - EPFO scam -
- Assam Education scam[166]
- Stamp Paper scam (not to be confused with Abdul Karim Telgi's Stamp Paper scam) -
- Pune ULC scam[168][169][170]
[edit]2010
- Andhra Pradesh Emmar scam -
- Madhya Pradesh MGNREGA scam -
- Jharkhand MGNREGA scam[176][177][178]
- Indian Premier League scandal[179][180]
- Karnataka land scam [181][182][183]
- Karnataka housing board scam[184][185][186]
- Uttrakhand Citurgia land scam[187][188]
- MCI bribery scandal[189][190][191]
- Chandigarh booth scam[192]
[edit]2000s
[edit]2009
- Madhu Koda mining scam
- Goa Special Economic Zone (SEZ) scam[193][194]
- Rice export scam -
- Orissa mining scam -
- Orissa paddy scam[195][196]
- Sukhna land scam - Darjeeling [197][198][199][200]
- Vasundhara Raje land scam[201]
- Austral Coke scam -
- Gujarat's VDSGCU Sugarcane scam -
[edit]2008
- Hasan Ali black money controversy[207][208][209]
- State Bank of Saurashtra scam -
- Army ration pilferage scam -
- Jharkhand medical equipment scam -
- Haryana Teachers' recruitment scam[214][215]
- Paazee Forex scam -
[edit]2006
- Punjab city centre project scam -
- Uttar Pradesh ayurveda scam -
[edit]2005
- Taj Co-operative Group Housing Scheme scam -
- IPO scam [224][225]
- Bihar flood relief scam -
[edit]2004
[edit]2003
- HUDCO scam[227]
[edit]2002
- Stamp paper scam -
- Provident Fund (PF) scam [231][232]
[edit]2001
- Ketan Parekh securities scam
- Calcutta Stock Exchange scam[233]
[edit]2000
- India-South Africa match fixing scandal[234]
- UTI scam -
[edit]1990s
[edit]1997
[edit]1996
- Sukh Ram telecom equipment scandal
- C R Bhansali scam -
- Fertiliser import scam -
[edit]1995
- Meghalya forest scam -
- Preferential allotment scam -
- Yugoslav Dinar Scam -
[edit]1994
[edit]1992
- Harshad Mehta securities scam -
- Palmolein Oil Import Scam, Kerala
- Indian Bank scandal -
[edit]1990
[edit]1980s
[edit]1989
- St Kitts forgery[234]
[edit]1981
- Cement Scam involving A R Antulay -
[edit]1970s
[edit]1976
[edit]1974
- Maruti scandal[234]
[edit]1960s
[edit]1965
- Kaling tubes scandal[40]
[edit]1964
[edit]1960
[edit]1950s
[edit]1956
[edit]1951
- Cycle import scam[245]
[edit]1948s
Jeep Purchase (1948)[246]
[edit]See also
- The Lokpal Bill, 2011
- Corruption in India
- 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement
- Jan Lokpal Bill
- Right to Public Services legislation
- 2G spectrum scam
- Corruption Perceptions Index
- Licence Raj
- Mafia Raj
- Rent seeking
- Concerns and controversies over the 2010 Commonwealth Games
- Lok Ayukta
- Socio-economic issues in India
- United Nations Convention against Corruption
[edit]References
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