Khaleequr Rahman: Joint Drafting Committee on Lokpal Bill meets toda...

Khaleequr Rahman: Joint Drafting Committee on Lokpal Bill meets toda...: " Lokpal Team Eight days after Shri Anna Hazare called off his fast demanding a stronger Lokpal law, the joint committee to draft t..."

Joint Drafting Committee on Lokpal Bill meets today in New Delhi

 

Lokpal Team

Eight days after Shri Anna Hazare called off his fast demanding a stronger Lokpal law, the joint committee to draft the bill met here today for the first time amid a controversy over a CD allegedly involving eminent lawyer and panel co-chairman Shanti Bhushan.

The meeting chaired by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was held at North Block and attended by Ministers P Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal , M Veerappa Moily and Salman Khurshid from the government side and Anna Hazare, Arvind Kejriwal, Santosh Hegde, Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan from the civil society side.

The deliberations came in the backdrop of a controversy over a CD in circulation which purpotedly has conversations with senior Bhushan, a former Law Minister, and politicians Mulayam Singh Yadav and Amar Singh . Bhushan has termed the CD as "clearly fabricated" but there is always a question mark about this which needs to be probed first before the committee goes ahead with the drafting of the bill to be introduced in the Monsoon session of Parliament. The main concern of everybody is how can a bill be drafted and finalised without taking the parliament into confidence.

It may be mentioned here that Anna Hazare had on Saturday last called off his fast-unto-death agitation after government conceded his demand for a Joint Drafting Committee on the legislation showing its earnestness and the commitment towards eradicating the corruption.  Rahul Gandhi is committed to pave the way for the younger generation and root out the corruption from the country.

Government said it had an open mind on the proposed legislation and hoped that discussions will pave the way for a convergence of ideas. The activists on their part said they would want the Jan Lokpal Bill to be the base for the discussions and would press for videographing of the proceedings.

The activists' side also made it clear that they would press for bringing within Lokpal's ambit Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India and bureaucrats. Though Anna Hazare was of the view that the higher judiciary should not be under the ambit of Lokpal, the activists rejected his argument and decided to argue for pressing its inclusion in the legislation.  Kejriwal said only criminal misconduct by the judges is being sought to be probed under the Lok Pal bill and not not professional misconduct.  First there has to be consensus among the civil society representatives of the lokpal bill. It seemed as if they had not done there home work properly before coming to the meeting.

Khaleequr Rahman: Gulbarga Utsav Mushaira held on April 13, 2011 in ...

Khaleequr Rahman: Gulbarga Utsav Mushaira held on April 13, 2011 in ...: "Lighting the Lamp to mark the opening of the UtsavSeen in the Pic from L to R : Mr.Ashfaq Ahmed Chulbul, Mayor Gulbarga City, Mr.Allam Prabh..."

Gulbarga Utsav Mushaira held on April 13, 2011 in Gulbarga-Karnataka

Lighting the Lamp to mark the opening of the Utsav

Seen in the Pic from L to R : Mr.Ashfaq Ahmed Chulbul, Mayor Gulbarga City, Mr.Allam Prabhu Patil, M.L.C., Khaleequr Rahman, Senior Congress Leader from A.P., Qamar ul Islaam, M.L.A. & Former Minister amd Khusru Qureishi, Chairman-Karnataka Minorities Comission

The Gulbarga District in Karnataka state is celebrating the four day long Gulbarga Utsav. It opened with the All India Mushaira on 13th April 2011 at 9 PM and went on till 2 AM. The unique feature of the Mushaira was despite the heavy rains, the entire audience sat throughout enjoying the rains. The Mushaira started with the lighting of the lamp as can be seen in the above picture. The Chief guests of the Mushaira were Shri Dharam singh saheb M.P. and former Chief Minister-Karnataka, Qamar ul Islam, M.L.A and former Minister Govt.of Karnataka, Khaleequr Rahman, Senior Congress Leader and Member-High Level Committee of Govt. of Andhra Pradesh for Monitoring and Computerising the Wakf Properties, Janab Khusru Qureishi, Chairman, Karnataka Minorities Commission and others. It looked as if the entire Gulbarga had gathered in the National College grounds in the bacdrop of Haft Gumbad.

Azm Shakeri reading his poetry

Justaju Milne ki hai...woh mere rubaru hai

Azm Shakeri read his favourite and the selected poetry. He created the lively and the electrifying atmosphere with his poetry in the heavy rains. The compering and the Mushaira management was done by Janab Mohib Kauser saheb, a very senior poet from Gulbarga, renowned internationally. The other poets who attended the Mushaira were Salahuddin Nayyar, Anjum Barabankavi, Afzal Manglori, Sohail Lucknowi, Bedharak, Shyama Singh Sama, Hina Taimuri, Zartaj Hasmi, Naeem Akhter, Hamid Akmal, Fazal Afzal, Khaiser Razzack, Khaiser Rahman, Mazher Mohiuddin, Suleman Qamar, Akram Naqqas and Jabbar Jameel.

Janab Bedharak Saheb in his typical style

The highlight of the Mushiara was the urdu dosti of Janab Dharam singh saheb. Despite the heavy rains, he sat all through and even made farmaish from Azm Shakeri and Hina Taimur. They presented their best kalaam and the crowd was cheering them and applauding them. It was as superb atomosphere and a unique experience for me. I never had thought that Gulbarga would be such a urdu loving city but I was highly impressed and the hospitality, the spirit and the respect for poets really touched my heart. Gulbarga has produced one of the best poets in India. On of them and my favorite in Mizhaiya kalaam is Suleman Khateeb. My favorite of Khateeb is " ek dost dosre dost se kehta hai: Unh barasti hai meri biwi bhi, oole girte hein jaise teenon par, Usko start kar ke dekho na. Dosra dost: Shukar Allah ka kar bhai usko start karna padhta hai, meri biwi hai self starter."

Khaleequr Rahman, Dharam Singh saheb and Qamar ul Islaam enjoying the great poetry in heavy rains fully drenched as can be seen in the picture

A view of the Dias Khaleequr Rahman

                                               One of teh poets presenting his Kalaam

                                              A great view of the audience of the Mushaira

It was a very memorable Mushaira and the poets who were at their best were Salahuddin Nayyar, Azm Shakeri, Hina Taimur and Sama ji. The Mushaira ended aroung 1.30 am.