[WSMDiscuss] India in movement…., Publishing in movement…, Freedoms in movement… : Fwd: [pmarc] 'Paranjoy Guha Thakurta’s EPW article & Feedback on Draft National Energy Policy prepared by NITI Aayog' (Gopal Krishna)

JS CACIM jai.sen at cacim.net
Mon Jul 24 23:14:14 CEST 2017 

Monday, July 24, 2017

India in movement…., Publishing in movement…, Freedoms in movement…

[In the context of the Statement that has now been issued and published in relation to the circumstances under which Paranjoy Guha Thakurta felt it necessary to resign from being Editor of the Economic & Political Weekly in India, signed by over 150 scholars and policy makers from many parts of the world (see https://scroll.in/latest/844821/full-text-in-an-open-letter-155-noted-scholars-express-dismay-over-actions-of-trust-that-runs-epw <https://scroll.in/latest/844821/full-text-in-an-open-letter-155-noted-scholars-express-dismay-over-actions-of-trust-that-runs-epw>), and also of the debate that has started on World Social Movement Discuss on how we should see the present situation and what the core issues are, here is a post – that has appeared on yet another list – that gives both the link to the offending article (that led the Adanis to SLAPP the EPW, and the EPW Board of Trustees to succumb) and also a very incisive wider perspective on the situation, not only the growing exertion of raw power within India and the use of SLAPP (which we have already had a posting on) but also on the massive and growing endemic structural corruption in the energy sector and in energy policy in India today.

[Drawing from the post below and working backwards, the original offending article appeared at http://www.epw.in/journal/2017/24/web-exclusives/modi-governments-%E2%82%B9500-crore-bonanza-adani-group-company.html <http://www.epw.in/journal/2017/24/web-exclusives/modi-governments-%E2%82%B9500-crore-bonanza-adani-group-company.html>, but was taken down by the EPW Board and now shows as ‘Not found’; and / but where The Wire – a relatively new, and bold, publishing initiative in India – has also posted the article, at https://thewire.in/149156/modi-government-adani-group/ <https://thewire.in/149156/modi-government-adani-group/>.

[What is interesting is that at the end of the publication on The Wire, it says : “This article has been republished with permission from the Economic and Political Weekly <http://www.epw.in/journal/2017/24/web-exclusives/modi-governments-%E2%82%B9500-crore-bonanza-adani-group-company.html>”.  The issue now is (a) whether the Board of Trustees of EPW will now try and retract the permission that The Wire got to publish the offending article, and (b), whether the Adanis will now try and SLAPP The Wire as well ?  In short, are we going to very shortly see a widening, and deepening, of this confrontation ? 

[As Pamela Philipose – the Public Editor of The Wire - wrote in her article ‘Backstory : Watch Out for That SLAPP’, at https://thewire.in/160417/backstory-slapp-adani-epw-defamation/ <https://thewire.in/160417/backstory-slapp-adani-epw-defamation/> and posted here on July 22 2017, The Wire is clearly both acutely of the importance of this present issue and also subject to being SLAPPed; and where they are acting in the present matter with their eyes wide open :

“At The Wire, there is an intimate understanding of the importance of this issue, since this news portal has itself been the subject of egregious lawsuits strategically aimed at silencing it or disrupting its operations. It is now playing the role of an intermediary platform carrying the pieces on the Adani matter, which have now been pulled down from the EPW website, perceiving it as content of extreme public interest.”

[We are living in interesting times; this matter is of more than ordinary significance.  Read on :

Paranjoy Guha Thakurta’s EPW article & Feedback on Draft National Energy Policy prepared by NITI Aayog

Gopal Krishna

“In this regard deafening silence of Arun Jaitley, Nirmala ­Sitharaman and Deepak Nayyar, Chairman of Sameeksha Trust & publisher of EPW is intriguing. Notably, Deepak Nayyar has worked as Economic Adviser in the Ministry of Commerce and has been Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India and Secretary in the Ministry of Finance.”

            Thanks, Gopal Krishna, for this very interesting, incisive, and illuminating post and discussion, and Pamela and Siddharth Varadarajan for the role that all of you at The Wire are playing in this unfolding situation…

In solidarity,

JS

fwd

> Begin forwarded message:
> 
> From: "Gopal Krishna" <krishnagreen at gmail.com>
> Subject: [pmarc] Paranjoy's EPW article & Feedback on Draft National Energy Policy prepared by NITI Aayog
> Date: July 24, 2017 at 3:20:33 AM EDT
> To: "Dalits Media Watch" <PMARC at dgroups.org>
> Reply-To: "Dalits Media Watch" <PMARC at dgroups.org>
> 
> 
> Dear All,
> 
> Given the fact that today is the last date to send feedback, a lot of us are busy finalizing the comments on Draft National Energy Policy issued by NITI Aayog. 
> 
> These comments assume greater significance in the context of scandal ridden energy sector. The disclosures in "Modi Government’s Rs 500-Crore Bonanza to the Adani Group <https://thewire.in/149156/modi-government-adani-group/>" by Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, Advait Rao Palepu, Shinzani Jain and Abir Dasgupta on 19th June, 2017 underlines a critical moment. These revelations illustrate the structural reasons for energy injustice in our country. 
> 
> This Economic & Political Weekly (EPW) article (is available on thewire.in <http://thewire.in/> but removed from EPW website) refers to government's notification 9/2016 dated February 16, 2016 which specified that the ­largest power plants in the country with installed capacities of more than 1,000 MW each that received formal approval for establishment in an SEZ prior to February 27, 2009 have been granted complete exemption from payment of duty. This move apparently benefited companies like Adani Power Limited but smaller power plants (of less than 1,000 MW capacity) continued to be taxed.
> 
> As per the EPW article, in August 2016, the Special Economic Zones Rules, 2016, were amended by the department of commerce to insert a provision on claims for refund under the Special Economic Zones Act, 2005. The amendment seems to be made to specifically provide Adani Power Limited a chance to claim refunds of some Rs 500 crore on customs duty. The author of this article is in possession of documents that reveal that this company did not pay customs duty on the coal imported for the generation of electricity. 
> 
> But Department of Commerce is ­allowing the company to claim refunds on duty that has never been paid by it. 
> 
> Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Ministry of Finance noticed over-invoicing in
> coal imports from Indonesia and siphoning of funds outside the country by firms in the Adani and Essar Groups who are also accused of over-invoicing imported power plant equipment. Other firms like Reliance ­Infrastructure & Rosa Power Supply too have been been under the scanner. 
> 
> In this regard deafening silence of Arun Jaitley, Nirmala ­Sitharaman and Deepak Nayyar, Chairman of Sameeksha Trust & publisher of EPW is intriguing. Notably, Deepak Nayyar has worked as Economic Adviser in the Ministry of Commerce and has been Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India and Secretary in the Ministry of Finance.  
> 
> In such a backdrop, Draft National Energy Policy issued by NITI Aayog merits greater attention at a time when invisible and anonymous beneficial owners of institutions of all ilk are calling the shots and draining nation's wealth in myriad disguises. It is essential for establishing energy democracy and securing it from Puppet Masters.  
> 
> thanks & 
> Gopal Krishna
> Mb: 08227816731, 09818089660
> E-mail-1715krishna at gmail.com <mailto:E-mail-1715krishna at gmail.com>
> Web: www.toxicswatch.org <http://www.toxicswatch.org/>
> 
> Technology…is a queer thing; it brings you great gifts with one hand and it stabs you in the back with the other. -- Charles Percy Snow 
> 

______________________________

Jai Sen

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Now based in New Delhi, India (+91-98189 11325) and in Ottawa, Canada, on unceded Anishinaabe territory (+1-613-282 2900) 

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