BCCI against any government ‘control’

he BCCI seems to have drawn swords with the government as it says the move to bring the board under its control is unacceptable and only organizations receiving funds from the government can come under the RTI Act.

“Only organizations taking grant from the government can come under RTI so only federations while BCCI doesn`t” BCCI spokesperson Rajeev Shukla said in an interview without speaking anything on the specifics of the proposed Sports Bill.

BCCI has termed it as a backward move when cricket is at its zenith.

However, several MPs and former cricketers have backed the move saying that the BCCI should be more transparent and should set an example for others to follow.

Former cricketers Arun Lal and Kapil Dev supported the Bill, saying there was absolutely nothing wrong in BCCI coming under RTI.

Lok Sabha MP Sharad Yadav asked for more transparency in the functioning of the cricket board while BJP’s Ravi Shankar Prasad and RJD’s Lalu Prasad Yadav expressed similar views putting their weight behind the proposal.

The sports bill to be discussed by the cabinet on Tuesday would introduce a regulatory regime on all national sports federations and BCCI will have to adhere to the norms and regulations of the bill.

Also, if the bill is approved, it will make it mandatory for the cricketers to undergo random doping tests as it makes National Anti Doping Agency the sole body for all anti-doping measures. This has so far being opposed by the Indian cricket team and the board.

Debate on Jan Lokpal Bill unlikely today

The Lok Sabha was all set to debate three versions of the Lokpal Bill, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said the debate on the Jan Lokpal Bill is unlikely to take place today.

"I can't say anything, in today's schedule, nothing is mentioned. So, it'll be decided after the discussion. So, I can't say anything right now," Bansal told.

When asked about the last discussion that took place to end the impasse over the Lokpal Bill, Bansal said: "I was not part of that discussion, so I can't say anything."

Meanwhile, the Congress Party and the government has expressed concern that social activist Anna Hazare may not call off his fast even after the three versions of the Lokpal Bill are tabled.

Sources in the party and the government have reportedly revealed that they want an assurance from Team Anna that he will end his fast once the Bills are tabled.

On Thursday, Hazare placed three conditions before the government, which is inclusion of lower bureaucracy in the Lokpal bill, appointment of Lokayuktas in all states, and implementation of citizen's charter in government offices.

"If there is agreement on all these three issues then I can consider ending my fast, but not protest," he said.

"The fight against corruption must continue even after I die. The Prime Minister has appreciated our movement in the Parliament. I thank the parliamentarians, who appreciated the movement," said Hazare.

"The government sent one of its ministers to me. Prime Minister says he is worried about my health. Why did he take 10 days to think? Discussion should start on Lokpal from tomorrow in Parliament. Lokayukta must be brought under Lokpal. The lower bureaucracy must be brought under the ambits of Lokpal and the citizen's charter must be formed," he added.

Team Anna blames 'why the government took a U-turn on the issues'

 Team Anna feels that the Congress is divided over the Jan Lokpal Bill and believes that the party's internal politics forced the Government to take a U-turn. The Government called Team Anna at 1 am, said sources, and invited them for another round of talks on Today, after Wednesday night's talks ended on a bitter note.

Arvind Kejriwal on Today squarely blamed Union Ministers Kapil Sibal and P Chidambaram for the breakdown.

"Sibal and Chidambaram strongly opposed the talks process. Perhaps that is why the government took a U-turn on the issues we had (earlier) agreed upon," Kejriwal said.

"We have become victims of internal politics of Congress. How many rounds of talks we have had with senior leaders like Kapil Sibal and Chidambaram but nothing has happened till now. Whom will we talk to?," he added.

The Government, after an all-party meet on Wednesday, said that parliamentary procedures can't be bypassed.

The Centre seemed to have hardened its stand during Wednesday night's talks with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee saying that due consideration would be given to Anna Hazare's Jan Lokpal Bill, echoing the resolution passed by an all-party meeting on Wednesday evening. "It's back to square one," said Kiran Bedi after the meeting.

Sources said if the Government doesn't agree, Team Anna will have no choice but to intensify its agitation.

Anna Hazare's is said to be feeling fine even as his fast enters the tenth day on Thursday.

He told supporters to continue protesting peacefully and to court arrest if he is forcibly taken to hospital.

But Delhi's Police Commissioner has allayed those apprehensions and said Anna Hazare would be taken out of the Ramlila Maidan only if the doctors attending to him advised hospitalisation.

Earlier, at the all-party meeting held at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's 7 Race Course Road residence on Wednesday afternoon, the Government offered to make changes in the Lokpal Bill it has tabled in Parliament. But the entire Opposition wants the Government to withdraw its bill.

However, the Government said that there is no need for the withdrawal of the bill.

The Government has agreed that an amended Lokpal Bill will be tabled in Parliament but has refused to give any timeline for the final bill. The final bill will contain amendments suggested by Team Anna or any other group and the Prime Minister will be brought under the Lokpal's ambit.

The Lokpal will replace the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as the investigation agency for corruption cases and a citizens' charter will be included for redressal.

But two main sticking points remain: Lokayuktas for all states and inclusion of lower bureaucracy under the Lokpal.

Anna Hazare's team is ready for direct political dialogue

According today report Anna Hazare said there is no reason why Parliament can't pass the Lokpal Bill within next two weeks and his team is ready for direct political dialogues with open minds.

Reiterating that negotiators should only be political, Hazare said, "If the Prime Minister puts Prithviraj Chavan as negotiator I will be more than happy. Lets start the process of direct political dialogues, we are with open minds". Downplaying the health concerns as his fast entered the eighth day on Tuesday, the 74-year-old anti-corruption crusader said, "My health is fine, I can continue like this for a week or more".

Troubled by reports of people drinking and turning rowdy at the Ramlila Maidan, Hazare said, "I appeal to supporters not to take law into their own hands".

Anna Hazare on Monday said that Lokpal Bill negotiations cannot happen with non-government mediators and added that he can talk with the Prime Minister's Office or Rahul. He also added that he was ready to talk with Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan.

He said that no official mediator has approached him or his associates till now and also added that would not speak to anyone without the presence of his advisers.

Demanding that the Lokpal Bill introduced by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government in Parliament be withdrawn immediately as it was weak and cannot fight the corruption menace, Hazare stated that state level Lokpal mechanism cannot be diluted.

Hinting at some flexibility on the issue of excluding judiciary under the Lokpal, Hazare said that this demand could be discussed during the talks. He, however, added that the Judicial Accountability Bill must be strengthened if judiciary has to be kept out of the Lokpal.

Govt may let Anna fast at JP Park for 7 days

The negotiations between the Government and Team Anna are still on over the proposed fast against corruption by Anna Hazare.

Sources have told that the government is considering offering Anna Hazare the JP Park as a venue for his fast against corruption for seven days.

According to sources, the government has offered Ramlila Maidan as an alternative venue for protest fast by Anna Hazare and his team. The restrictions on the crowd and vehicles are likely to be removed since Ramlila Maidan is a much larger ground. The Delhi police is likely to withdraw section 144 from JP Park.

DCP Crime Ashok Chand is believed to be negotiating with Team Anna inside the Tihar Jail and has given them two options for the venue - JP Park or Ramlila Grounds.

Top aides of Anna Hazare - Kiran Bedi, Medha Patkar, Swami Agnivesh, Prashant Bhushan, Manish Sisodia and Akhil Gogoi - are with him inside Tihar Jail.

Spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravishankar is also a part of the negotiation process underway inside the Tihar Jail. Yoga guru Baba Ramdev was denied permission to enter the jail premises to meet Anna Hazare.

Earlier, sources has told that the government is engaging in back channel talks with Team Anna. The Congress core group met on Wednesday morning over the Anna issue. The Prime Minister, AK Antony, P Chidambaram, Pranab Mukherjee and Ahmed Patel attended the meeting.

"We will find a way out of this impasse," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is believed to have said. The PM also made a statement in Parliament today on the crackdown on Team Anna on Tuesday

Government: Turnaround strategy for Air India soon

The government will soon spell out a comprehensive turnaround plan for flag carrier Air India, which is burdened with a cumulative loss of Rs.22,165 crore and struggling to even pay wages to employees, parliament was informed Friday.

"There are two plans under consideration -- one is the turnaround plan and the other is a financial restructuring plan which is being considered by a group of ministers," said Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions V. Narayanaswamy.

"There will be a rationalisation of loss-making routes, rescheduling of aircraft, return of leased aircraft, rationalisation of manpower and a reduction in contractual employment," the minister told the Lok Sabha.

"A tournaround committee will also be formed, which will include senior management and union representatives," he said in the presence of Civil Aviation Minister Vayalar Ravi in the lower house.

He said while the cumulative losses of the carrier amounted to Rs.22,165 crore, the airline was also burdened with a debt of Rs.22,000 crore, which was borrowed to buy the new aircraft.

Narayanaswamy was replying to a calling attention motion called by five members of the opposition on the situation arising out of dwindling passenger share of Air India, poor financial health and delayed payment of wages to employees.

The motion was called by Gurudas Dasgupta of Communist Party of India and Bharatiya Janata Party's Murli Manohar Joshi, former aviation minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, Bhola Singh and Ramesh Bais.

The members, led by Dasgupta, earlier said it was shameful that in a matter of just four years the domestic operations of the flag carrier -- in the hands of Indian Airlines at that time but now merged into Air India -- had also started making losses.

They also came down heavily on chairman and managing director Arvind Jadhav, questioned his very appointment, while demanding to know the rationale behind the decision taken a few years ago to acquire as many as 111 new aircraft.

"More the purchase, more the booty. That is the perception," Dasgupta said, and wondered why the government had surrendered a host of bilateral flying rights to carriers of other countries. "Air India is being looted by its guardians."

The members also alleged that as opposed to 12-13 hours of average flying time per aircraft of other carriers, that of Air India was a mere 8 hours, and that was the main reason for the operational losses of the carrier.

Narayanaswamy sought to clarify that the flying hours were 10.55 on international operations and 8-9.5 hours on the domestic sector, which was just lower than that of Kingfisher at 10:45 hours. IndiGo logs 11:40 hours and SpiceJet 12:05 hours.

The minister made no mention of the decision taken to replace Jadhav.