O.Rajagopal denies BJP Role in Handing Over Kovalam Palace to Galfar Group!!!
O.Rajgopal - BJP is not involved, read I am not involved" Muscat visit as Railway Minister was purely personal affair?
Natwar Singh Promises to Resolve NRI Problems,
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - The central government will set up a Central Manpower Export Promotion Council to control manpower recruitment practices and introduce a welfare fund for overseas Indian workers. External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh, who was in the state to launch 'Santhwana', a programme chalked out by `ROOTS-NRK Development Initiative' for rehabilitation of Keralites returning from abroad, said the welfare fund would be set up under the Labour Ministry. A 'Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra' would be opened in Delhi to promote the multi-dimensional welfare of Indian diaspora, including workers in the Gulf, the minister said. Planned as an autonomous institution, the center will address various NRI issues, he said.
The Centre was "open and flexible" to the demand for attestation of educational documents of prospective emigrants in Kerala. The State Nodal Officer could attest documents which are acceptable to foreign embassies. The Ministry of External Affairs was also studying the feasibility of increasing the staff strength at Indian embassies abroad, especially in Saudi Arabia and UAE, Singh said. Steps were also being taken to ensure that fee structure for one-third of 15 per cent super-numerary seats reserved for NRI children studying in the Gulf would be at par with that of Indian students.
The MEA is making efforts to ensure release of Indians languishing in overseas jails for petty crimes. Recently some drug peddling cases have been reported which were serious, he said, adding "there is a need to run an educational campaign to make people aware of the danger of carrying drugs". Singh said he would take up with Finance Minister P Chidambaram the NRIs' demand that the proposal to impose two per cent tax on the interest on NRI deposits be lifted. The Minister lauded the industry, enterprise and innovative temperament of Keralites which had contributed to India's image abroad.
A single-window arrangement for clearance of papers for prospective emigrants was also being thought of, he said. Singh said the `Pravasi Bharatiya Divas' was being held each year to acknowledge NRIs' contributions and the `Pravasi Bharatiya Bhima Yojana' insurance scheme was introduced for their welfare. Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed inaugurated `My Village, My Dream' project of ROOTS for development of villages. In his address, Chief Minister A K Antony said he has written to the Union Finance Minister to withdraw, what he described as "inconvenient" proposals in the Union Budget, like tax on interest for NRI deposits. Finance Minister K Sankaranarayanan and NORKA Minister M M Hassan were also present.
LDF leaders Want Action Against Mohammed Ali, Chief Minister Shares Dias with the VVIP
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JULY 10. At a time when the Thiruvananthapuram district committee of the Left Democratic Front (LDB) was demanding stringent action against the Galfar group for encroaching upon the premises of the Halcyon Castle on the Kovalam beach, the accused, Dr.P.Mohammed Ali, Kovalam Hotels Managing Director was enjoying the pride of being a state guest!!. Dr.Mohammed Ali, a darling of many central and state ministers was sharing a common platform with the State Chief Minister A K Antony, the external affairs minister Natwar Singh, minister of state for external affairs E.Ahmed, NORKA minister M.M.Hassand and other dignitaries. The LDF leaders demanded that the alleged role of chief minister A.K.Antony and other state ministers in handing over a public property to a private individual should be thoroughly probed. They also demanded that the controversial role played by O.Rajagopal, the former railway minister in brokering the hotel deal should be probed.
The management of Ashoka Kovalam hotel located in the beach had been resorting to clandestine means to wrest control of the castle and its adjoining areas and there was reason to believe that this was being done with the connivance of those in authority, alleged A. Neelalohithadasan Nadar, MLA, and M. Vijayakumar, former Speaker, here on Saturday. The same day the main culprit was a state guest attending the launching ceremony of 'Santhwana', a programme chalked out by `ROOTS-NRK Development Initiative' for rehabilitation of Keralites returning from abroad.
Even in the thick of a controversy over the ownership of the castle, the owner of the hotel had the audacity to demolish a portion of the wall around this ancient structure, they said. This had to be viewed seriously and action initiated against the guilty, they added. According to Kovalam Police, "action" has been taken against the Kovalam Hotel M.D.Mohammed Ali. Dramatically Dr.Mohammed Ali has announced a special package to provide employment to at least one member of every family in Thalikkulam, his village.
Meanwhile former BJP Minister O.Rajagopalan has hurriedly convened a press conference to claim that the Kovalam Palace was not sold to the Galfar group as part of the Ashoka Hotel privatization plan. Rajagopal has claimed that even though the central government wanted to sell Kovalam Hotel at Rs.200 crores, there were no other investors to buy at that price. The former minister, one of the leading power brokers, has now accused the state government for handing over the Kovalam Palace and denied that the Haynan palace was part of the Ashoka Hotel privatisatiion deal. Rajagopalan claimed that he was one of the first leaders to visit Kovalam palace on hearing that its wall has been demolished by the Galfar group.
It is another matter that O.Rajagopal was the "unofficial" guest of the Indian Social Club Malayalam Wing Onam Celebrations in Muscat. Rajagopal was one of the Kerala VIPs who made a private visit to the Galfar group M.Ds. private villa in Muscat. Despite strong opposition from a section of the Indian Social Club Malayalam Wing, the BJP sympathizers in the club were very particular about bringing Rajagopal as the special guest for the Onam celebrations. The ISC is a social organization which functions for serving the private interests of business houses like Galfar and the Khimji group. People of Kerala would now like to know what was happening in Muscat during his "private visit". His visit was at a time when the central government was taking crucial decisions about the Ashoka Hotel privatization. The social eadership was also involved in brokering the hotel deal for the Galfar group.
Despite the strong opposition from the secular section of the ISC, C.N.P.Nampoothiri the ISC Malayalam Wing convener was very particular about inviting Rajagopal as a special guest for the Onam celebrations. During the visit Rajagopal was the special guest of Galfar group M.D. Even though many people wanted to meet the minister, he was busy wining and dining with two private businessmen. Now Rajagopal should convene another press conference to disclose what happened during the one night dinner in Muscat with the Galfar group Managing Director. The ISC Wing should also disclose how much sponsorship money was given by the Group as a reward for bringing a crucial decision maker to Muscat.
Natwar Singh, E.Ahmed to study NRK Problems Again!!!
Gulf business tycoons hijack Swanthanam too
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM -NORKA and the Central government are all set to study the problems haunting ordinary Non Resident Keralaites and introduce a new welfare scheme. As in the past, this duty is assigned to none other than the two leading NRK businessmen in the Gulf viz. Galfar Mohammed Ali and M.A.Yousuf Ali. The two dignitaries who shared the dais with the Minister of External Affairs Natwar Singh and his deputy E.Ahmed are well known NRKs who have many years experience as Pravasis. However, their credentials in solving the ordinary NRK problems is questionable.
Natwarsing is just continuing the MEA policy of "studying" NRI problems through intermediaries like big businessmen and diplomats, who have several vested interests. Let us take their rhetoric about reducing high air fare charged by national carriers from the Gulf Malayalis. Both the dignitaries had the honour of serving the board of leading national carriers in the past. However, they never bothered to solve this ailing problem!!! Both are board members of the Nedumbassery International Airport which continues to squeeze ordinary NRKs with the notorious user's fee. Dr.Mohammed Ali is credited with the unique position of taking over a community school as his private property and charging the highest fees from ordinary NRI students.
Whenever official delegations visit the Gulf region to "study" NRI problems, they are "guided" read hijacked by the business tycoons! These so called study teams come to the Gulf to wine and dine with the "rich and famous" in five star hotels and private villas. They never bother to visit the labour camps where majority of Indians work and live. The VIPs who share this fantasy includes the NORKA minister M.M.Hassan and his delegation who preferred to share the Galfar group M.D.'s hospitality. E.Ahmed the new deputy minister for external affairs too is a frequent visitor to the Gulf to oversee Gulf Malayali problems. It is another matter that his son is heading the "private" school which squeezes ordinary parents of Muscat. So it appears that like all other past welfare measures announced by the Indian Government, the new 'Santhwana' for the rehabilitation of Gulf returnees will serve as another avenue to make money for the handful of NRK businessman. The welfare fund for overseas Indian workers will also be another money making machinery for the tycoons?
(Keralamonitor.com Specail Report on NRK issues)
