Who is pulling Anna Hazare down?

The poor show of people turn around at Jantar Mantar  until Anna Hazare himself started  the fast  has raised many questions in the minds of people. Have people of the nation lost hopes from their fight against the corruption? or has Anna Hazare lost his charisma?

Is he saying, "Stay away its Secular means no Hindus?"

Answer to both these questions can be negative, but there are lots of learning lessons for the Anna Hazare and people around him.  Most important of them is to build a team. Anna has a group of people around him and not a team.  The word used by media frequently – “Team Anna” is inappropriate. Team works in cohesion towards a goal.  Here, both focus on goal and cohesiveness are missing.  The result  of this can be that  the round four of agitation will not have dramatic impact it had last year during monsoon session of parliament.

The  groups within have their own agenda to push, as it looks.  Anna is a staunch follower of Gandhi, probably with no personal agenda and selfish interest. That is his USP  but he has failed to prove himself to be a leader.  He has failed to direct the steam of the agitation to vent in the direction of focussing corruption.  Result is, people around  him keep on making statement suiting to their ideology or belief. Congress has one Digvijay Singh, Anna Hazare has  many surrounding him. This can be understood from following incidents.

Some of the  protestors  wrote “chor” (thief) on the wall outside the Prime Minister’s residence.  Delhi police  issued warning to Kumar Vishwas, a core team member. Anna apologised for the defacement saying, “That is not right. Use of such words against the Prime Minister lowers the level of discourse. I apologise for it,”.

Anna had to regret for the words of  its most vocal team member Arvind Kejriwal  who in a press conference before the start of the agitation declared, "Pranab Mukherjee is also among the 15 corrupt ministers. It's unfortunate he will become the President tomorrow."  This was in  disagreement with Hazare’s view that Pranab Mukherjee should not be targeted now that he is the President.

Team Anna member Sanjay Singh  attacked the yoga guru on sharing dais with the Gujarat Chief Minister, “We have never been in agreement with Narendra Modi and never can be. Modi is a murderer of humanity. Ramdev should clarify his position on this.”  Just two days ago Anna and his team welcomed Ramdev on their stage and had given poses to media clippings. Anna Hazare  has praised Modi and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar in the past, saying their work should be emulated by other state governments. 

This is a well known fact that Kejriwal  is very cautious  to retain his identity of “Secular”  as per standards of the Leftists and popular news editors.  But he has  no reservation to seek favour of BJP leaders to get infrastructure and support in parliament to his cause.  Like all communists and Samajvadis  he went to Hisar to campaign against Congress , but when he was asked that, “does he support NDA  candidate”, he was in denial mode.  His logics prove that BSP and SP leaders are less corrupt than two main national political parties.

Kejriwal and  his group is very vocal in attacking certain ministers of UPA  for corruption and Gujarat Govt for their belief.   They forget that these are elected representatives in the democratic way.  Fight against them in legal way if there are proofs to their allegations. Else, the approach is an insult to preamble of the same constitution which Anna refers very frequently. “We the people …”  does  not mean “ We the group around Anna Hazare..”

The next big reason for Anna’s movement losing its popularity is that Anna’s  group and to certain extent Anna himself have become too arrogant.  Anna’s  justification  on the slap on Sharad Pawar did not go well with his Gandhian philosophy. This group does not want to follow the democratic way  of reaching to the solution. It simply wants to impose its doctrine.

Last year was the victory of Anna’s  movement  when Loksabha passed  “Lokpal Bill”. It got  stuck up in the upper house.  Had Anna pressed all political parties to reach to a consensus and pass the bill  every body must have hailed the wisdom of the group.

 If the bill lacked some of its provisions Anna’s group  should have made people aware of the lacunas and raised the voice. The support would have been many fold.  The mass behind him could go with a feel of having tasted  success.  The stand that “pass the bill drafted by us only” has converted the last year’s success into failure. Not many people stand with the failed ones. 

This is the  high time that  Anna  and his group does introspection  and take some corrective steps, else they will go into the history soon and will have no role to play in 2014, their ultimate dream.

Other  Posts :

Can Anna fight against moles to protect his goal ?

Both Anna and Rahul Gandhi lost in parliament

Can Anna again create ripples ?

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This Year plan to Gift Apple Mini iPad in festival season.

The year Apple can surprise its fans with a mini version of the iPad. By doing so Apple will enter into a mass segment in contrast to its niche image and challenge the Google and Samsung’s offerings in the market.

Sibling is Coming

Mini version will have a display area almost half of the present versions of iPad which measures 9.5 x 7.3-inches. The mini tablet version is expected to have a 7.85 x 5.3-inch dimension. Thickness may remain same close to 7.3 mm or 7.4 mm. The sleek and small size is being planned so that it may remain in hands for a longer period.

The current connector of 30 pins may go out replaced by a 19 pin dock connector, but retain all the bells and whistles of the popular bigger pad sibling.

The market experts are guessing on the type of display. Whether here also Apple will first launch with a so-so 1024 x 768 display and later advances a Retina display in high priced niche models, or begin with a bang by launching straight to Retina display.

Ultimate test of mass marketing will be at the price end. If Apple can match its new little gadget close to the 16GB Nexus 7’s $250 price tag, then the brand loyalty will make it a clear winner in this segment. Apple name has its own advantage.

Last is the timing of the launch, before the release of iPhone – 5 in October or after that. These siblings will also have some competition. They are likely to complement each other and jointly will eat away the market share Apple’s competitors.

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Three more Pharma MNCs to setup projects in Gujarat

Three more Pharma MNCs to setup projects in Gujarat

Israeli Pharma Giant

Israeli pharma giant Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has plans to set up a greenfield project in Gujarat. For the same a delegation from Israel is expected to visit to discuss the procedures with Gujarat Food and Drugs Control Authority (FDCA) and other state government agencies.

Teva is likely to sign an agreement with the state government during Vibrant Gujarat investors' summit in Jan 2013. The company has manufacturing plants in the US and Europe and  is working on a $50 million project in Russia from where it plans to produce 1 billion tablets a year.

Bio Devise Manufacturer

Gujarat is a favourite destination for the pharma companies. The state  holds 40% share of India's total pharma production. This will further increase as  and many new facilities are coming up. The list of companies eyeing Gujarat includes Amneal Pharmaceuticals and Apicore from US and Biosensors International from Singapore.

Amneal Pharmaceuticals has already set up a formulations unit and research and development centre at Changodar near Ahmedabad and plans to start operations out of its facility. New Jersey based Apicore LLC is a  manufacturer of specialty Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs). 

Biosensors is a medical device company manufactures medical devices used in interventional cardiology, namely drug-eluting stents (DES), used to treat blocked arteries, and critical care procedures. It has business plans to take major share in Chinese and Indian markets.

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Will the meeting with Montok Singh change fortune for RIL?

Reliance Industries Ltd , India's largest petrochemical is making all efforts to regain its position of the most influencing company. Meeting of its chairman Mukesh Ambani with Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Monday is part of this exercise. However, the indications are not so positive at this stage. RIL is facing hurdles in getting clearances for its oil and gas exploration projects.

Neither Montok Singh nor Big Ambani spoke to media after an hour long meeting at the Yojna Bhavan. The speculation is that besides the three troubling areas of the MoPnG they discussed about the telecommunication policies as well. RIL has plans to bid for the spectrum auction. Montok Singh is likely to play a bigger role in the government after elevation of Pranab Mukharji. He was finance secretary in the period when Manmohan Singh was the Finance Minister in PV Narsinmha Rao’s ministry.

Before the meeting RIL announced revival of 50 of its petrol pumps in Gujarat. After starting with a bang seven years ago, RIL had shut down 60 of its company-owned pumps stating that it was at a disadvantage since they were not covered under government subsidy. Now, with decontrol on Petrol pricing , there is a level playing field. RIL pumps, now can afford to sell petrol and LPG . If government announces it policy to reduce subsidy on diesel RIL may soon start sell of diesel too from these pumps.

The main agenda for RIL in such a meeting with key people of the government includes a demand for higher gas price from Kaveri basin. Ministry of Petroleum, which earlier had an image of being fully under the influence of RIL, has made a U turn with Jaipal Reddy in charge. In last one and a half year MoPnG has remained very tough with RIL, be that the issue of cost recovery, pricing or the production of gas. All the officials who had soft corner for RIL were shunted out.

Another blow to RIL’s ambitions is the indication that the Oil ministry will reject its proposal to price coal bed methane (CBM) from Madhya Pradesh block at import parity price just as is done in case of oil. The ministry’s technical arm, the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH), had in April concurred with RIL proposal to price coal bed methane (CBM).

But the ministry wants DGH to review its decision in the light of Supreme Court ruling in the gas row between RIL and RNRL, sources privy to the development said. MoPnG in a letter to DGH wrote, “Allocation of natural gas made by the EGoM (Empowered Group of Ministers) cannot be overridden by a contractor through a private arrangement.”

Jaipal Reddy’s team is tough while writing to DGH,“Supplies of natural gas can only be made in accordance with the policies of the government and subsequent guidelines issued by ministry of petroleum and natural gas on Pricing and Commercial Utilisation of Coal Bed Methane.” New Director General has taken charge of DGH in the month of June only. He has a tough task ahead to please the ministry and defend the stand of its own team.

Yojana Bhawan, the Ahluwalia’s office, is being thronged by industry top brass ever since Prime Minister Manmohan Singh took direct charge of the portfolio. The list of recent visitors includes, Vodafone India chairman Analjit Singh and chairman of UB Group Vijay Mallya and this will expand in the days before monsoon session of parliament.

Ahluwalia is being seen as key policy maker and is considered close to the Prime Minister and being an important functionary in the government. Besides Ahluwalia, Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council chairman C Rangarajan too is likely to play more proactive role as the government is struggling to put India back on path of high growth path.

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Myths and Facts about Cholesterol

In the office party Srinivasan was not eating anything. When his boss enquired for the reason, he said, “Sir, in the last health check up I was diagnosed with high level of the cholesterol.” His boss Saraf laughed and said, “Sri, your concern for high Cholesterol is ok, but it has more to do with other factors and food has very little role to play. Further, Cholesterol is not always a bad omen. It actually plays an important role in helping cells do their jobs.”

Srinivasan countered, “No, sir! Doctor has asked me to remain at arms length from all sort of oil, Ghee and Butter.”

• The cholesterol is generally associated with fatty foods, but that is not true. Most of the waxy substance is made by our own bodies. The liver produces 75% of the cholesterol that circulates in our blood. It is only other 25% which comes from food. But excess of everything is bad. The cholesterol levels are precariously high in more than 100 million Indians. The good news is high cholesterol is simple to detect, and there are many ways to bring it down.

• High cholesterol does not show any symptoms that is why most of the people never realise that there is high level until damage deep within the body are caused. Over time, too much cholesterol may lead to a build up of plaque inside the arteries that can trigger heart disease.

• Cholesterol testing results show your levels of "bad" cholesterol, "good" cholesterol, and triglycerides. It is required to avoid and reduce the bad - called low density lipoproteins or LDL.

• Some of the following measures can help in the matter.

Cholesterol Buster: Eat More Fiber

• Diet changes offer a powerful way to fight high cholesterol. If you've ever wondered why some cereals claim to be heart-healthy, it's the fiber. The soluble fiber found in many foods helps reduce LDL. Good sources of soluble fiber include whole-grain breads and cereals, oatmeal, fruits, dried fruits, vegetables, and legumes such as kidney beans.

Cholesterol Buster: Know Your Fats

• No more than 35% of your daily calories should come from fat. But not all fats are equal. Saturated fats -- from animal products and tropical oils -- raise LDL cholesterol. Trans fats carry a double-whammy, boosting bad cholesterol, while lowering the good kind. These two bad fats are found in many baked goods, fried foods (doughnuts, french fries, chips), stick margarine, and cookies. Unsaturated fats may lower LDL when combined with other healthy diet changes. They're found in avocados, olive oil, and peanut oil.

Cholesterol Buster: Smart Protein

• Meat and full-fat milk offer plenty of protein, but they are also major sources of cholesterol. You may be able to reduce LDL cholesterol by switching to soy protein, such as tofu, at some meals. Fish is another great choice. It's rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can improve cholesterol levels. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least twice a week.

Cholesterol Buster: Low-Carb Diet

• There's growing evidence that low-carb diets may be better than low-fat diets for improving cholesterol levels. In a two-year study funded by the National Institutes of Health, people who followed a low-carb plan had significantly better HDL (good cholesterol) levels than those who followed a low-fat plan.

Cholesterol Buster: Lose Weight

• Exercise keeps you fit and help in reducing the weight as well as LDL. If you give up smoking

Treatment: Medications

• If high cholesterol runs in your family, diet and exercise may not be enough. In that case, medication can give your cholesterol levels an extra nudge. Statins are usually the first choice. They block the production of cholesterol in the liver. Other options include cholesterol absorption inhibitors, bile acid resins, and fibrates. Your doctor may recommend a combination of these medications.

Treatment: Supplements

• Certain dietary supplements may also improve cholesterol levels. These include flaxseed oil, fish oil, and plant sterols, such as beta-sitosterol. Prescription niacin, a b-complex vitamin, has been found to raise good cholesterol while reducing bad cholesterol. Niacin found in ordinary supplements should not be used to lower cholesterol. Fenugreek seeds, Holy basil also help in the problem

Can the Damage Be Undone?

• It takes years for high cholesterol to clog the arteries with plaque. But there are evidences that atherosclerosis can be reversed, at least to some degree. Several studies show that a low-fat vegetarian diet, stress management, and moderate exercise can chip away at the build-up inside the coronary arteries.