“Birla saheb ka cement, Tata saheb ki machine

And they say the Kisan will benefit.’

Former Prime Minister VP Singh took on the Government at Centre besides hitting fresh salvos at the Mulayam Singh Yadav’s three years in the Government, during a press conference recently. He was returning from a Janta March at Haidergarh near Barabanki at the time of addressing the presspersons.
VP Singh criticized the UPA Government’s anti-poor anti-farmer policies saying that the Governments of the day have bowed down in front of the moneyed corporate sector.
The former Prime Minister also categorically dismissed the Government’s plans to remove jhuggi jhopri clusters and give the land of the farmers to the SEZs. “No body is thinking seriously; if this continues then people will be left with no choice but to look at the extreme left,” he said, adding that “development means taking everybody along.” “If the Central Government is serious in this regard, it must amend the land acquisition act,” Singh added.
“If the basic rights of Indian citizens are not addressed in India, where would they go,” Singh said adding that the conditions have reached a stage where “Birla sahib ka cement, Tata sahib ki machine istemal hotee hai aur kaha jaata hai kisan ka faida hai.”

Transport Minister Reaping Personal Benefit

It is more than understood! Either the Government does not do anything to provide benefits to public or if it does, the concern person makes it a point that some of the benefits come back to him. The same is happening in the case of Mulayam Singh Yadav’s much publicized dole distribution schemes, where allegations have come to light of people demanding a percentage of money back. So ultimately the result is that it is the high officials who continue to become richer. Perhaps taking a cue from the prevailing practices, when the Transport Minister decided to provide convenience facilities for those traveling in UP State Transport buses, he made it a point that the Suvidha Kendra is owned by none other but himself.
Mayur Parivahan Suvidha Kendra, built on Kanpur-Lucknow highway is allegedly owned by Naresh Aggarwal, the minister heading the transport department. Bus drivers as well as men posted in the complex attributed its ownership to the Minister saying that in spite of the fact that no facilities were provided at the complex, they all were under orders to stop there. An irked driver even went on to say that this arrangement will remain in existent only for next few months and once this government goes, the complex too would be closed down.
What’s more, the UP State Transport Department has even put up a check-point here so that the buses plying on the road compulsorily stop here. An inspector on duty, whom this correspondent spoke to, too was annoyed at being posted at that check-point. There’s a check-point near the Ganga bridge in Kanpur and another in Unnao, then there was no point making another check-point a few kilometers from Unnao, said the Inspector who refused to reveal his name.
“Hum logon to ko bewaqoof bana rahe hain,” were the words of a driver, annoyed at being made to stop at a place where nothing was available to eat other than a few snacks, cold drink and tea. This was in spite of a long list of snacks on the menu board.
You can judge where the money is going considering the fact that water bottle, having an MRP of Rs. 10, is available for Rs. 12. Thank you Mr. Aggarwal for providing this outlet for the ‘convenience’ of the passengers!