Mathew Samuel, the Tehelka journalist who conducted the sting operation on the former Bharatiya Janata Party president, Bangaru Laxman, and a number of other government officials in order to expose middlemen involved in defence deals, refused to depose in a special court here on Monday.

He complained that the CBI was not reimbursing him adequately. Mr. Samuel was presented in court after a bailable warrant was issued against him to give testimony, as the star prosecution witness, against two former Defence Ministry officials H.C. Pant and Narender Singh.

However, Mr. Samuel demanded Rs.10,000 per day to testify, telling the court that the CBI had promised him it would pay his airfare for deposing in the Bangaru Laxman case but had not even paid him the Rs.200 daily allowance for deposing for 25 days in the case. The CBI sought time until July 12 to file its reply in the matter. Special CBI Judge Manoj Jain told Mr. Samuel that though he himself felt the amount paid was not adequate, he was bound by law and could not grant the expenses sought.

However, the judge made a concession, offering to put up a recommendatory note, if Mr. Samuel wanted to present his grievance to the Delhi High Court. Though the CBI registered 12 cases on the basis of Operation Westend, the trial in only one of these — involving Bangaru Laxman — has been completed.

Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Samuel said: “The CBI says they want my presence in court for 200 days to depose. I am the material witness in all 11 cases. If I spend 200 days in court, how will I earn my livelihood? Rs. 200 per day is a pittance for a professional like me. The parking charges at courts cost Rs. 50 per day. The lunch at the court canteen costs over Rs. 50 while the lunch allowance is Rs. 25. I told the judge I won’t depose under the circumstances, even if he takes me into custody. The judge finally understood my situation, but I am doubtful even he can help.”

Courtesy : The Hindu

The PHFI – STEPS media fellowship will be awarded to print media journalists working in Gujarat (Anand, Kheda, Banaskantha, Rajkot, Surat, Tapi, Ahmedabad/Gandhinagar) demonstrating interest and/or experience in reporting on issues in public health in general and tobacco control in particular.

Each selected journalist will be awarded an amount of INR 60,000 for the cost of the fellowship.

Any working journalist of print media (either in regular employment or freelancer) with at least 3 years of work experience can apply for the fellowship. Young and amateur journalists demonstrating outstanding skills and interest in health issues will also be considered.

For submission of application and detailed information and guideline, pl visit the following link: http://ctchp.org/index.php?option=com_rsform&view=rsform&formId=5&Itemid=363

Last date: The last date for submission of application online is May 15, 2012.

You may reach us on gaurav.iihmr@gmail.com or +91-79-40099109/9099056615 for any queries / clarifications.

The GMC Executive Committee for the year 2012-13 comprises of:
President                                       Brajesh Kumar Singh, Bureau Chief, STAR News
Sr Vice President                            Nirnay Kapoor, Associate Editor, India TV
Vice President                                Pradeep Mallik, News Editor, Ahmedabad Mirror
Vice President                                Harit Mehta, Sr Asst Editor, The Times of India
Secretary General                          Binu Alex, Editor, Commodityonline.com
Secretary                                      Dhimant Purohit, Bureau Chief, Aaj Tak
Jt Secretary                                   Ashish Amin, Special Correspondent, Sandesh
Jt Secretary                                   Pranav Golwelkar, Executive Editor, Divya Bhaskar
Treasurer                                      Dixit Soni, Special Correspondent, Sahara Samay

Ex Comm. Member           Nandini G Oza, State Correspondent, The Week
Ex Comm. Member           Dakshesh Pathak, Correspondent, Gujarat Samachar
Ex Comm. Member           Viren Vyas, News Editor, Gujarat Samachar UK
Ex Comm. Member           Ketan Joshi, Correspondent, Zee Business
Ex Comm. Member           Sagheer Mehdi, Photographer, Gujarat Vaibhav
Ex Comm. Member           Sanjay Pandey, Media Consultant
More than 500 guests and members’ families enjoyed the evening listening to mesmerizing Ghazals dedicated to late Jagjit Singh, Ghazal Maestro. Among prominent guests, who attended the evening, were Mr Surendra Patel (Former Rajya Sabha Member & Former Chairman, AUDA), Mr PK Lehri (Former Chief Secretary, Gujarat), Mr Ravi Saxena (IAS), Mr SK Nanda (IAS), Mr. DJ Pandian (IAS), Mr. AK Sharma (IAS), Mr. V Thiruppugazh (IAS), Ms Anuradha Mall (IAS), Mr. Vipul Mitra (IAS), Mr Bhagyesh Jha (IAS), Mr Vinod Mall (IPS), Mr MD Antani (IPS), Mr KK Ojha (IPS), Mr Himanshu Shukla (IPS), Mr MM Mehta (Former Commissioner of Police, Ahmedabad), Mr Piruz Khambata (Rasna Group), Mr Pradyumna Vyas (Director, NID), Mr PK Sinha (Professor, IIM-A), Dr Samir Dani, Dr Binoy Palkhiwala, Dr Akhil Mukim and Dr Bharat Gadhvi. Sponsor of the event, ONGC was represented by its Ahmedabad Asset Executive Director Mr Anil Johri.

The BEA feels that the manner in which a House–Committee of Karnataka assembly summoned some editors of TV channels and the tone and tenor of the questions asked of the editors were not in consonance with elementary principles on which pillars of democracy rest. By showing visuals of MLAs allegedly watching pornographic material on mobile phones right when the Assembly proceedings were underway, the channels had worked to serve the most important public interest which overrides all other institutional and individual privileges.

Similarly, in the State capital, Bangalore, journalists were badly beaten up allegedly by lawyers and goons when the former were discharging their professional duty. What was more shocking for the BEA was the response of the Karnataka Chief Minister who reportedly justified the incident.

In Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, the Speaker is said to have claimed in the House that media is subservient to the State Assembly. The BEA feels that such assertions not only show ignorance of those running democratic institutions but also expose their contempt for freedom of expression which is a fundamental right guaranteed to every citizen under Article 19(1) (a). The comment of the Speaker came when some ministers objected to media reporting on malfunctioning of their respective departments.
The BEA also expresses concern at the beating up of a reporter of Star Ananda and other journalists allegedly by the ruling Trinamool Congress workers in Jadhavpur, West Bengal. The Editors of the apex body of the electronic channels also noted with a sense of outrage the subsequent reaction by the state Chief Minister Mamata Banarjee who said that the incident “was a cook-up”.

All the above mentioned incidents and concomitant responses from those holding high and constitutional positions only establish the contempt that powers-that-be have for the media in particular and freedom of expression and public interest in general.

As it is the prime duty of the media to work in utmost public interest, the BEA has decided to constitute a five-member fact-finding committee to go into the Karnataka Assembly incident and subsequent developments. The Committee will be headed by Mr. N K Singh, General Secretary, BEA.

After meeting relevant persons and collecting materials and evidence, the Committee will submit its report within a week. A BEA delegation will meet the Speaker of the Lok Sabha Ms Meira Kumar who is also chairperson of the All India Speakers’ Conference.

www.beaindia.org

Broadcast Editors’ Association is the apex body of Editors of National & Regional TV News channels of India

This prize money will perhaps be the highest any journalist can win in India.

We will shortly be calling entries for the following categories (tentative)

1. Rural Reporting
2. Developmental Reporting
3. Reporting on Gender issues.
4. Best investigative piece.
5. Best use of RTI in journalism.
6. Best campaign.
7. Photograph of the year.
8. Best TV grabs of the year
9. Best creative writing in Gujarati
10. Best blogger among journalists

We will formally be announcing this through various mediums including television, print etc. Alert your friends and keep your nominations ready. Your nominations should pertain to year 2011. The articles should have appeared from 1st of Jan to 31st Dec 2011.

Before we make this formal announcement, this is a chance for GMC members to keep the records ready for nominations. The presentation will be on 31st March 2012 from an eminent personality.

We will be sending more details soon. We are in the process of selecting Jury and other parameters for this award which will be an annual event hereafter.

Your feedback and suggestions are welcome.

No team ever in the history of cricket had this distinction of such awesome and envious record. Not even Ricky Ponting’s ‘virtually unbeatable side from 2003 to 2007′ team could match this record. The likes of Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Ricky Punting, Damien Martin, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds and Adam ‘Gilly’ couldn’t match this record that Indian team holds today. Even Clive Lloyd’s one of the greatest eleven of cricket history from 1980 to 1985, didn’t have this distinction of its first seven batsmen scoring more than 50000 runs among them.

It was one of the strongest batting line up with Gorden Greenidge, ‘Hammer’ Desmond Haynes, Sir Vivian Richards, Clive Lloyd, Alvin Kalicharan ( Later on, larry Gomes took his place ), Gus Logie, Jeff Dujon which ripped apart every bowling attack of every team from 1983 to 1985, but still, today’s Indian batting line up surges ahead in terms of total number of runs scored by first 7 batsmen.

—Another interesting fact about this Indian batting line up is, two batsmen with 10,000 plus runs are playing together in a single team, who also accumulate 86 centuries between them. Sachin Tendulkar with 14965 runs and 51 centuries and Rahul dravid with 12775 runs with 35 centuries. Sachin has scored 61 half centuries and Dravid has scored 60 half centuries. So, if we count both, it reaches to 27740 runs, 86 centuries, 121 half centuries in 338 test matches between them ( Sachin 181 and Dravid 157 ). Also, for the first time in the history of cricket, two batsmen with more than 150 test matches are playing together in a single team.

—The first seven batsmen in today’s team, considered for this record are as under.

— Virender Sehwag — 87 tests, 7694 runs, 22 centuries, 27 half centuries
— Gautam gambhir — 41 tests, 3336 runs, 9 centuries, 16 half centuries
— Rahul Dravid — 157 tests, 12775 runs, 35 centuries, 60 half centuries
— Sachin Tendulkar — 181 tests, 14965 runs, 51 centuries, 61 half centuries
— vvs Lakshman — 127 tests, 8328 runs, 16 centuries, 54 half centuries
— Yuvraj Singh — 35 tests, 1709 runs, 03 centuries, 10 half centuries
— M.S.Dhoni — 61 tests, 3242 runs, 04 centuries, 23 half centuries.

Total : 689 tests, 52049 runs, 140 centuries, 251 half centuries among first 7 batsmen of Indian cricket team which played against West Indies on 6th November 2011.
(The records stated here are till the last test match against England in September 2011, before the start of current test series against West Indies)

– Total number of runs scored among these players –60463
( Sehwag- 7760, Gambhir- 4286, Dravid- 10889, Tendulkar- 18111, Lakshman- 2338, Yuvraj- 8051, Dhoni- 6497, Kohli- 2531 )

– Centuries– 116 ( Sehwag- 14, Gambhir- 09, Dravid- 12, Tendulkar- 48, Lakshman- 06, Yuvraj- 13, Dhoni-07, Kohli- 07 )

– Half centuries–360 ( Sehwag-37, Gambhir-27, Dravid- 83, Tendulkar- 95, Lakshman- 10, Yuvraj- 49, Dhoni- 43, Kohli- 16 )

If we club both test and one day records of first seven batsmen (the seventh batsman in this team has been picked up alternatively between Yuvraj, Kohli and Lakshman at different time phase), it reaches to really awesomeeee——-

– It goes like this……….

—- 2466 matches, 1,12588 runs, 256 centuries and 611 half centuries……

Could any team match this even in slightest possibility?
Well, had there been no second world war, had test matches been played between these years, had oneday matches been introduced at that time itself and had everyone from Sir Don Bradman’s ‘The Invincibles’ fit from 1938 to 1947, with Sir Don and Bill Ponsford taking the charge with strong support from Sidney Barnes, Arthur Morris, Lindsay Hassett and Keith Miller and Ray Lindwall as batting all-rounders like they did many often, had there been no Kerry Packer and had Clive Lloyd’s team not spent 3 years with his unofficial matches from 1977 to 1979 in the prime time of Sir Viv Richards, Greenidge, Haynes, Lloyd himself, Frederics Collis King and Derrick Murray, had all the great batsmen of Ricky Ponting’s team played in a single eleven for longer time with no pre-mature or early retirement by Damien Martin and others……….the possibility would have been there….but this Indian team has shown greater figures than ‘ifs and buts…..’ a very awesome record…which seems to be literally difficult for any future team to surpass…

Dakshesh Pathak is a senior journalist and member of GMC
He can be reached on daksheshpathak@yahoo.com