Friday, February 24, 2012

No united front against Congress on the issue of NCTC

All the Chief Ministers of opposition-ruled states and one UPA Chief Minister Mamta Bannerjee of West Bengal have openly opposed Centre’s move to formulate a new law National Counter- Terrorism Control to fight terrorism. They have described NCTC as an attempt to usurp the power of the state by violating the concept of federalism.
CM Bannerjee has already met Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and apprised him of her opposition. The opposition chorus against NCTC getting shriller and shriller.
In view of the instant opposition to NCTC, Dr. Manmohan Singh-led UPA Government appears to be ready for climbing from its stand on the issue in question. Though terrorism is the most serious issue that the entire country has been facing for the last several years, there are enough laws already in place to fight it out. Terrorism can also be fought successfully by sharing responsibility. It is an issue of shared responsibility.
The need of the hour is apply those laws properly, sincerely and timely to contain terrorism.
It is also correct that a number of our innocent lives have lost in the last 22 year. It is in 1990 that terrorism was at its height. The exodus of Pandit community from the state of Jammu and Kashmir took place in that year also due to the rise in terrorism. They left their place of birth in fear and shock. They still dare not go back their homeland because there is no guarantee that the reprisal against them will not take place again.
All political parties showed crocodile tears and did nothing to assuage the hurt feeling of Kashmiri Pandits. They had been left helpless and haggard. There is also no guarantee that NCTC would help fight terrorism. But as it undermines power of the state, some chief ministers have come out in open to oppose it. They oppose it because it infringes upon their power.
Their opposition does not mean that they are going to form a united political front against the Congress Party. Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Bannerjee is an important ally of Congress Party in UPA. Both are natural allies. To fight against the Left parties in West Bengal, it is her necessity to seek Congress support in the state even if she does not need it to run the state government. She can not share political platform with BJP to keep the Left away in West Bengal. To get secular votes in large scale, it is also her political compulsion not to break alliance with the Congress. Orissa Chief Minister Navin Patnayak has also opposed NCTC but it does not mean that he would be a part of political front against Congress of which BJP would be the leader. Patnayak has built an independent secular image of his political outfit BJD. He would not like to loose it. One thing also be kept in mind that both Mamta Bannerjee and Navin Patnayak have felt the political experience of aligning with the BJP. They oppose NCTC because they think that it is an attempt of the Centre in the name of fighting terrorism to usurp their powers.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jaylalitha has also opposed NCTC for the same reason of the violation of federalism. She is the only CM who could be a potential ally of the BJP-led Front if ever formed in the wake of opposition to NCTC by all BJP Chief Ministers in the country. The last incumbent in opposition bandwagon of NCTC is Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal. He has also opposed NCTC and he is a BJP ally. So, his opposition is natural. Centre must review NCTC and protect federalism in letter and spirit.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Rift is detrimental to cricket

It is not good that the rift in Indian Cricket team has come into open. Discussion among players must not come out of Dressing room. What should be discussed inside must be stated in public. The morale of Indian cricket team is at its lowest ebb because of several defeats in a row.
It is natural that the rift would develop in the given situation of disastrous performance in the two test series one against England and the other against Australia.
India have lost all the 8 test matches in the two series played abroad. Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni being the captain of the team owes greater responsibility. This is almost the first time in the history of test matches that India has performed so shabbily in all the eight test matches they played abroad. Not even a single team member whether it is junior or senior played up to his potential in any one of the eight tests.
Dhoni leads the team. So, he should first introspect why India have reached to such a pathetic stage rather than advocating for rotation system under which the youngsters should be given opportunity and seniors should be rested. Dhoni says that senior players like Sachin Tendulkar, Virendra Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir are slow fielders and because of their slow fielding India loose at least 20 runs. It is not in the interest of the team that the captain should speak openly that denigrates the playing abilities of senior players.
Responding Dhoni’s statement of slow fielding by senior players, Virendra Sehwag, stand-in-captain, has explained clearly by asking the reporters who were taking his reactions that they had ever seen him taking the catch. Sehwag states that he is fielding the same as he was doing 10 years back. It means that Sehwag has definitely not liked his captain’s statement and it also makes clear that serious rift persists among the players of Indian cricket. The time has come for BCCI to think of appointing three captains one each for every format of the game.
It is beyond any doubt that Mahendra Singh Dhoni has not been as successful a captain of test cricket team as of one dayer or Twenty20. So, Dhoni must exit honorably as test captain and give for other aspirant team member and he should lead One dayer of which he is also a terrific player.
It would be detrimental to Indian cricket if the rift was allowed to persist and BCCI looked the other way to generate only money as always. BCCI in the interest of Indian cricket deal with the situation promptly. Indian cricket team is passing through one of the worst phases.
Rifts in the Indian cricket team has widened after stand-in-skipper Virender Sehwag publically taken a dig at regular captain MS Dhoni.

The controversial rotation policy, which has sparked of a heated debate among critics and speculation of a rift within the team, took a more confusing turn with Virender Sehwag saying he did not know that fielding abilities had anything to do with it.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

High turnout of voters in UP reflects regime change

The high turnouts of voters generally reflects anti-incumbency trend while low turnout of voters indicate pro-incumbency result. The polling so far has been very high not witnessed in the history of UP assembly elections. This is for the first time that such big turnout of voters has been witnessed in the elections of the UP assembly of all the four phases so far held.
The analysts and the politicians contending for power in the state make out their own meanings. Whatever may be the result of UP assembly elections, one thing is crystal clear that the people now have realized the power bestowed on them by the Constitution of India. The more they realize their right and power to exercise franchise, the better governance they will get. It is a clear signal for political class also to deliver.
The high turnout of voters has sent out clear signal among the politicians across party line that the voters can no longer be taken as granted. In the last 3 to 4 years where assembly elections were held, the large turnout of voters amply indicated the overwhelming support for the incumbent regime. The last assembly elections in Bihar, Delhi and Assam have witnessed the large turn out of voters that supported strongly the incumbent regimes.
In Bihar, the progressive and development-oriented governance of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar got overwhelming approval from the voters of the state in assembly elections for second consecutive term. In Delhi, partly because of the development-oriented steps of Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit government and partly because of the absence of formidable opposition party, high turnout of voters in assembly elections reflected overwhelming support for the incumbent regime. The Tarun Gogoi Government of Assam got overwhelming support of the people for working seriously to establish peace and amity in the state for second time in a row in the last state assembly elections. But in the recent past, the high turnout of voters in the assembly elections of West Bengal clearly reflected the overwhelming anti-incumbency trend. Trinamul Congress supremo and Chief Minister Mamta Bannerjee threw out the 32 years old leftists’ regime. The voters had turned out in large numbers to give vent to their anger with Left Government in the assembly elections. The people’s power went in favour of Mamta Bannerji, and she broght down the Left citadel of West Bengal.
High turnout of voters in UP assembly elections clearly indicate that the people are no longer want to keep themselves involved in caste and community politics at the cost of development. They have risen to the occasion to express their feelings through voting. People now only want good governance, employment, bread and butter, education, health and drinking water.
High turnout of voters in UP assembly elections so far is the reflection of change of regime because the BSP Government of Mayawati frittered the golden opportunity of bringing the state back on the path of development. Chief Minister Mayawati had full majority in the assembly. Instead of working for the development and progress of the state, she kept herself involved in getting statues of herself and other great Dalit leaders built. She only tried to make herself a deity among Dalit community at the huge cost of state exchequer during her regime.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Need for taking tough stand

India must take tough stand on the shooting incidents of its two fisher men off Kerala coast by the security guard of Italian ship. It is the most condemnable incident. All Indians are aggrieved over the sad incident. The government is genuinely concerned over killing of two fishermen in firing by the security guards of an Italian ship, A case is to be registered against the people responsible for the shooting and they will have to face Indian law. It is the lame excuse that the Italian security guards suspected the Indian fishermen to be pirates.
According to the official sources, the Kerala government as well as the Indian Coast Guard has informed the Home Ministry that the merchant vessel 'Enrica Lexie' was in Indian territorial waters when the incident took place and the security guards of the vessel had no authority to carry or use arms.
Attack on Indians, Indian installations abroad or in international zone has become very easy because of the softening nature of Indian Government. Italian Ambassador has explained before the Ministry of External Affairs that the Italian Navy guarding ship has followed international protocol. It means the security guards of Italian ship have made no mistake. While the matter of the fact is that the Italian Navy personnel adopted uncalled for aggressive posture and shot dead the two fishermen, portraying the incident of shooting a case of mistaken identity.
First of all, the Government of Kerala at the local level must lodge case against the killers and set up an enquiry into the tragic incident and Government of India at the international level must raise the voice against the high-handed action against it by other countries. Indians all over the world are treated generally very shabbily only because of the softening stand of Indian Government with all foreign powers. So, they are targeted anywhere without any fear.
India did right by summoning Italy’s Ambassador and lodging a strong protest over the killing of two fishermen off the Kerala coast, suspecting them to be pirates. It has also rightly termed the incident serious and unfortunate. As the incident has triggered a diplomatic row between India and Italy, Italian Ambassador Giacomo Sanfelice di Monteforte has said his country's Navy followed the international protocol. If that is the fact, how were two fishermen shot dead?
Two fishermen in a boat including its driver were shot dead when guards onboard the merchant vessel 'Enrica Lexie' fired at their boat carrying 11 fishermen off Kollam coast, suspecting the group to be a band of pirates. After the meeting in Delhi, the envoy has said the facts of the case are yet to be clarified.

Friday, February 10, 2012

China creating fear

China is creating fear in Tibet. Under the falls cover of secessionism and rebellion, it is trying to suppress Tibetans with the approach of their new year on February 22. The reported preparation for war by China against secessionist elements and saboteurs in Tibet is not new. It is its excuse to execute oppressive regime in Tibet.
During the 1959 Tibetan uprising, which China regards as an uprising of feudal landlords, the Dalai Lama, who regards the uprising as an expression of widespread discontent, fled to India, where he denounced the People's Republic and established a Tibetan government in exile.
Tibetans under the inspirational and spiritual leadership of Dalai Lama, who has been in exile in India since 1959, have been protesting since then for complete autonomy from China and formation of the Tibetan government.
Tibet has been forcibly kept under the control and administration of China. As there is communist dictatorship in China, no voice of dissent is tolerated by the Chinese government. With the Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and President Hu Jintao retiring later this year, China is trying to create havoc among Tibetans so that they could dare not protest.
Dalai Lama opposed Chinese highhandedness in Tibet and because of that he fled away to India in fear for his life. He stealthily crossed into India and sought asylum from the government. Without having a dubious design on China, India immediately gave shelter to him. Dalai Lama’s exile in India sowed the seed of suspicion in the mind of Chinese leadership about it and that has also played vital role in moving it in favour of Pakistan to keep India tight.
China has described the situation in Tibet as grave. It has ordered authorities there to prepare themselves for a war against secessionist sabotage by the Dalai Lama amid reports that security forces shot dead two Tibetans protesters.
According to Chen Quanguo, regional Communist Party chief of Tibet has told official Tibet Daily that Officials in the Tibet Autonomous Region have been ordered to recognise the grave situation in maintaining stability and to ready themselves for a war against secessionist sabotage
The orders have come ahead of the February 22 Tibetan New Year and this year's Chinese Communist Party Congress to elect new leaders.
The Congress is going to elect new leaders replacing the President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister, Wen Jiabao who are set to retire later this year.
Chen and other top officials have called for extra vigilance to foil any attempts by the Buddhist Monks and supporters of the Dalai Lama pointing out that the Tibetan spiritual leader has a spoken of a decisive battle to be launched ahead of this year's Communist Party Congress, likely to be held in November this year. It is nothing but the false propaganda of Communist Party of China to strike fear into Tibetans.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

BJP's ministers' shocking and shameful act

BJP’s waxing of morality and probity in public life on the issue of corruption has been exposed in its government of Karnataka. The three BJP ministers in Karnataka were caught on camera watching pornographic picture on their Cell Phones in assembly while the session was on. It is completely against all norms of civility and political culture of India. It also amply reflects BJP’s hollow claim of high moral standing.
Though the three ministers have quit, the impression they have left in the public about degrading standard of BJP is difficult to be erased from public mind. It is indeed a matter of big shame that BJP has neither dismissed three highly immoral ministers in Karnataka from membership of the assembly nor suspended them from primary membership of the party. Seeking resignations just from ministerial posts is not enough. Instead of not punishing its ministers immediately, BJP leadership is giving a set of excuses to save its face, which has already been disfigured. As BJP Speaker of Karnataka assembly did not register any complaint for the offence with police, it is necessary that often misused immunity available to members of legislative Houses (both in Parliament and state-assemblies) may be immediately abolished to bring any unlawful activity of erring members of legislative bodies under normal law of land.
Parliament and state assemblies are the temples of democracy where the people’s problems are considered to be discussed threadbare by its members. But what is happening there hangs our head in shame. It is an act of sacrilege by BJP ministers against assembly proceedings. It reflects that the degeneration has set so deep in political class that it would endanger the health of democracy. Today it is BJP in Karnataka and tomorrow there might be some other political parties somewhere else involved in disrespecting acts of corruption and sexual behaviour.
The porn gate scandal that has taken place in Karnataka assembly is shocking for the nation.
The alleged involvement of a former Rajasthan Congress Minister in Bhambri Devi kidnapping and murder also tells a sorry state of affairs in political class. The incident of Hyderabad Governor’s House sexual sleaze is also reminiscent of the unethical acts of politician. So, immorality prevails in other than BJP also. It needs to be cleansed immediately.
Though all political leaders across the parties are not of loose characters, their number is very few. Political leaders represent the people and set role model for society in democracy. Their main business is to involve themselves in social work and national service. Bhartiya Janata Party being the main opposition party of the nation, it has responsibility of giving the nation an alternative which could reflect standard moral principles. On this count, the BJP has failed completely. The Karnataka incident of pornography has demolished all the tall claims of high moral standard in public life made by the BJP. Merely resigning from the post is not enough. The party must expel them from primary membership immediately without any defence. Karnataka porn scandal also proves party’s preaching of attacking women visiting pubs, bar and celebrating Valentine’s Day to protect Indian civilization a hollow and false moral values. BJP is in power in some major states. Porn clip controversy in Karnataka has embarrassed it beyond any repair. This shows the hiatus between preaching and practice by it. It also shows that there is abundance of corruption and pornography in BJP in Karnataka. The ruling BJP appears to be more interested in entertainment than in government work. There is no need of any enquiry. The guilt is established on the Camera. BJP must throw out the accused ministers of Karnataka without any delay.