Demand right, dictation wrong

The agitation against corruption launched by social activist Anna Hazare since he started public service has been praiseworthy. His agitation against corruption and corrupt politicians has yielded desired result in Maharashtra. But his agitation for the appointment of Jan Lokpal to fight corruption has been in the quagmire. The different views, opinion expressed by the members of Team Anna in a dictatorial style under a political agenda reflect their ulterior motive. They appear to be undermining the supremacy of Parliament, which is untenable in parliamentary democracy. Parliament is supreme and no individual or group from outside can dictate it to do this way or that way under the given time frame. The nation needs the honest and selfless service of Anna Hazare. That is why he was seen by many in August last as the incarnation of Mahatma Gandhi when he sat on fast unto death for twelve days for his demand of Jan Lokpal to eradicate corruption. The entire nation was stirred against corruption and there appeared that people expected something miraculous from the 72 years old social activist. The media were so focused that the people did not watch and hear anything but the evocative lecture of Anna Hazare against corruption. He drew tremendous crowd. Excessive media focus impressed upon the Team Anna members that they could encash people’s emotional support against corruption in government under a political agenda. As Anna Hazare has to be dependent on aid and advice on some of the key members of his team, he is sometimes misguided also and speaks in different voices. This time, Team Anna members Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sishodia and Gopal Rai started indefinite fast unto death strike on 25-7-2012 at Jantar Mantar Delhi for the demand of probing corruption charge, which they have leveled, against 15 ministers, including the Prime Minister by SIT. Anna Hazare also has threatened the government to launch fast unto death strike from 25-7-2012 in support of the team members’ demand. After the August agitation last year, Team Anna committed one blunder after another. Their Hissar decision to vote against Congress candidate in by-election for Lok Sabha seat reflected clearly that Team Anna harbours political agenda against the UPA government with tacit support of main opposition party the BJP. The people appear to have realized that they have nothing to do with corruption or Lokpal but they want the change of regime under a well-planned political game. That is why people in Delhi this time have shown so far indifference to Team Anna fast at Jantar Mantar. As far as the support of Baba Ramdev to Team Anna is concerned, it will be always conditional. Baba Ramdev is a Yoga Guru of world fame. He has lakhs of followers all over the nation. But he has also a business empire through his Patanjali outlets all over the nation. That is why he opposes FDI in retail and propagate that 80 percent of FDI is black money in India. He is going again to launch protest on August 9 at Ramlila Ground for his demand of bringing back black money worth crores of rupees stashed away in foreign banks.

Drifting away from the main demand

Drifting away from the main demand of Jan Lokpal, making personalized charge of corruption against 15 influential Ministers, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and demanding a probe against them by SIT, Team Anna sends confusing signals about its objective and motive among the common people. No one can deny the fact about the prevailing rampant corruption at all levels of Manmohan Singh UPA government. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s credibility is unquestionable but the charge against him about inaction holds water. Otherwise, if he acted promptly against the underhand dealing going on in several important ministries, the plethora of scandals must not have taken place. In the given situation, the civil society has every right to protest against the increasing corruption in the government. But at the same time, fast and protest must be non-violent and must not cause any inconvenience to the common people under the leadership of social activist Anna Hazare. Anna Hazare had launched his fast from Jantar Mantar in Delhi for the first time in April last year. At that, he had sat on fast unto death for Jan Lokpal, and he ended his fast in five to six days after getting assurance from the government that they would consider the demand of Lokpal very seriously and act on it very fast. But when he realized that the Government was not serious for Lokpal on the model of his Jan Lokpal to check corruption, he again sat on fast unto death at Ramlila Ground in Delhi that not only drew tremendous public support but also stirred the entire nation against corruption and the Government was forced to be serious of his demand for Lokpal. But after that Some of the members of Team Anna felt why they should not gauze the mood of people about impact of their appeal, they took a political stand by opposing the Congress party candidate in Hissar by-election for Lok Sabha and appealing the electorates to vote against it .Here, they committed a blunder by singling out only the ruling Congress party at the Centre for corruption. If anyone asked Team Anna why they never charged any BJP leader with corruption, what would be their answer? It only reflects political bias of Team Anna against Congresd. putting the fundamental demand for Jan Lokpal on backburner, Team Anna now have sat on indefinite fast to probe corruption charges against 15 Central Ministers, including the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh by Special Investigation Team. They have leveled charges and they make demand that they must be probed this and that way. There is rule of law in India. If Team Anna members have concrete evidence against the 15 ministers, why do they not move the court of law to initiate an independent probe? Team Anna appears to have forgotten Jan Lokpal- their main demand. This shows their directionlessness and the personal aggrandizement and political grudge with Congress led UPA. Team Anna members seem to have lost the massive support that they had got in August last year by drifting away from the main demand. Sitting on Fast time and again and getting no result have also caused disillusionment among the common people with Team Anna.

NCP’s pressure politics

NCP supremo Sharad Pawar is peeved at being ignored by Congress for number two position in the UPA government after the exit of President-elect Mr. Pranab Mukherjee from it as Union Finance Minister. If seniority and experience is anything to go by, he deserves to be given No 2 position in the government and leader of the Lok Sabha status. But his past political record is so dubious and treacherous in regard to Congress party that he can never be considered reliable by it. That is why his political outfit NCP is threatening the government to withdraw its support to UPA coalition. But one problem is also with him that if NCP withdraws support from the Centre, Congress-NCP coalition government is bound to fall in Maharastra - only one state government where NCP is in power. The prevailing political, economic and other situations of the UPA are at its worst. The government is beset with all sorts of problems and a new charge of corruption against it is being leveled on daily basis. This has undoubtedly demoralized the UPA government. Some of the allies of the Congress-led UPA are threatening of reviewing its continuance in coalition on daily basis. But in reality no one has dared break away from the coalition. Congress knows it too well and that is why it treats its coalition partner so shabbily. The veteran political leader of the nation from Maharashtra NCP supremo and Union Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar has also upped his ante against the UPA to extract as much political space as possible to realize his prime ministerial ambition, which he has been nursing since 1991 when he was in the Congress itself and the party was then led by others than Nehru-Gandhi family. He sees and feels that Congress leadership would never give him any prominence on national political stage to make claim for leadership of secular coalition if ever the Congress party fails to win as much Lok Sabha seats as required to form the government. His prime ministerial ambition is poking him time and again to prepare the ground so that he could be seen as prime ministerial candidate of the secular formation sans Congress. Sharad Pawar broke away with the Congress along with PA Sangama and Tariq Anwar over the issue of foreign national (citizenship) issue of Congress President Sonia Gandhi in 1999. But finding no other secular formation to give him prominence, he decided to leave Congress president foreign citizenship issue and aligned with the party in Maharashtra to fight assembly elections and took part in Congress-led coalition. Congress party would never give him any weight age, no matter whether the NCP remains in the Congress-led UPA coalition or no matters little. Because the NCP has only 9 Lok Sabha MPs. They can not upset the UPA apple cart. But Sharad Pawar is certain to leave UPA coalition before 2014 elections to give a last try to realize his vaulting ambition of being the Prime Minister of India.

People’s President

Forty-three years after Mr Pranab Mukherjee first entered the Rajya Sabha, he has become the President winning 69.3 per cent of the total 10,29,750 votes polled, in a one-sided but bitter contest. In his first public comments after being elected, he has promised to do his best to protect, defend and preserve the Constitution. This reflects his commitment to constitutional responsibility. President-elect Mr. Pranab Mukherjee is going to be sworn in on 25-7-2012 as the 13th President of India. The victory of Mukherjee was a foregone conclusion on the basis of Electoral College arithmetic. Mukherjee defeated BJP-backed presidential candidate with a very big margin. Barring cross voting of some MLAs and MPs in the BJP-ruled state of Karnataka in favour of UPA candidate, overeall voting has taken place on expected political line. BJP-backed presidential candidate Mr. P A Sangama has not only suffered crushing defeat at the hands of UPA candidate Mr.Pranab Mukherjee but the BJP-led NDA also lost two of its oldest allies- JD(U) and Shiv Sena. These two BJP allies cast their votes in favour of Mukherjee. BJP failed to gauze the mood of people and the overwhelming support for Pranab Mukherjee for the highest post of President. It deliberately did not allow the unanimity over the election of Mr. Pranab Mukherjee as President. The victory of Pranab Mukherjee also amply reflects the mastery of UPA strategy in the election. There is no match for Pranab Mukherjee so far as political, intellectual and statesmanlike traits are concerned in the present day politicians. Pranab Mukherjee is politician extra-ordinaries. He is a walking encyclopaedia. Pranab Mukherjee could be the best prime minister after Jawaherlal Nehru and India Gandhi, but the destiny made him the President. Mr. Pranab Mukherjee has unbreakable connection with the people of India for more than four decades. He has been elected to the highest position of the nation not by chance but by sheer merit. He is a village man where the heart and soul of the nation finds its most comfortable abode. He has personally experienced the problems of covering 5 KMs on foot through muddy, broken roads to attend the school in inclement weather. So, Pranab Mukherjee is the most suitable politician to adorn the post of President of the nation. He is the only political personality who can relate and connect himself with rural and urban politician with equal ease.

Mindless shooting

The mindless shooting by a 24 year old gunman in Colorado at Aura Theatre Hall of America killed 12 movie watchers and injured more than 57. This is a highly condemnable incident. US Govt. must try its best to stop the recurrence of this type of blood bath of the innocent for no fault of theirs. The shocking and horrific shooting incident took place when the premier show of famous Batman movie The Dark Knight Rises was going on. The shooting incident depicts the frustration and delusion among the youths in society. Though this is not the first time in America that shooting has taken place at public place, we believe whatever is done there must be emulated. It is nothing but our mad race for modernization and westernization. And because of this emulating tendency of western culture, the shooting takes place at public places sometimes by misguided youths in our country also. Shooting in American cinema hall also clearly reflects the moral degeneration set among youths in all societies of the world. Shooting openly in schools, cinema hall and at public place for wanton of the innocent persons the misguided youths in all corners of the world may be a systematic social failure. The main reason behind encouragement youths to take to violence is the rise of filming violent act and its glamorization through movies in western countries. It leaves deep impact on the minds of the youth. Video games and lack of proper direction to them in society encourage them to take to violence. This type of shooting incident mostly happens in American society where there is no established social norm because of its openness to the extreme. Arms and ammunition can be acquired easily in America. Youths are the power house of any society. The important issue is how the society uses it. It can be used in both ways – positive and negative- when it is used positively, they go into space and when it is used negatively the incident like shooting in Cinema hall takes place. A masked gunman turned the much-awaited premiere of the latest Batman movie in a US cinema hall into a horrific bloodbath, spraying the audience with bullets killing 12 people and leaving 50 others injured in the worst mass shooting incident in the country since 2007. It is also the total security failure at the Cinema Hall. How was the gunman allowed to enter the theatre with a loaded gun as if it were a toy? Armed weapons must not be displayed openly. There must be restriction on the movement of the person with armed weapons. If anyone moves with armed weapon, he must ascribe the reason before movement. The American cinema hall shooting is a lesson to be learnt by us so that we must keep away from following and believing that whatever happens in America should be emulated to be counted among modern men and women of the world.

At last, Cong clears confusion

At last, Congress has given enough indication of bringing out its trump card Rahul Gandhi out in the open by clearing the cloud of confusion about his role. Now it is almost decided that would to lead the party from the front in the 2014 General elections. Congress General Secretary and MP Rahul Gandhi has given clear indication that he is prepared to play larger role in party or government and it is for the party leadership to decide what and when the role is given to him. By giving this indication, the Congress Party has given the clear signal to the nation that it would go for 2014 Lok Sabha under the leadership of Rahul Gandh. The Congress Party has shown clarity and now there is no doubt that Congress has pinned its hope on Rahul Gandhi to win the general elections in 2014. If the party wins 2014 elections, it will be its third consecutive victory. Though Rahul Gandhi has not so far recorded any miraculous performance in the elections if the Bihar and UP elections are anything to go by, the credit goes to him for democratization of Youth Congress and NSUI by holding internal elections in these two party organizations. Nehru -Gandhi dynasty has been the mascot of the Congress party and it has won elections and ruled most of the years since Independence on the basis dynastic charisma. But now the time has changed and charisma works on the people only when the function of the party government would remain unblemished and development oriented. This is a fact and it must be realized by the Congress Party. It is a reality that Rahul’s magic did not work in Bihar and UP assembly elections for one reason or the other but one thing can not be denied that he put his steps forward to face the challenges with paralytic party organization in these two states. Congress party performed badly in these two states because of the inactive, demoralized, divided disconnected, weak and almost dead organization. Victory and defeat are complementary to each other. And a political leader’s ability can not be judged from his or her bad performance in one or two state elections. It is Rahul Gandhi’s effort and labour that Congress won 22 Lok Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh in 2009 Lok Sabha elections. There is also difference in general elections and state elections. In state elections, the people generally vote on local issues whereas in elections at national level people vote on national issue. Congress party has done right by clearing the cloud of confusion over the role of Rahul Gandhi whom it considers to be the future prime ministerial candidate. Now it is clear for the people of the nation that if the Congress voted to power in 2014 elections, Rahul Gandhi will be the Prime Minister. But at the same time it is also clear that if the Congress party failed to overhaul its organizational set-ups at all levels from block to capital in the states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Rahul Gandhi’s magic can not work. The Congress party has to make a united effort only then its young captain Rahul Gandhi would deliver.

It is not Obama’s business

US President Barack Obama’s investment remark on India that the investment climate here is deteriorating baffles Indians because when 55% of the investment in the form of FIIs and FDIs comes from as many as ten countries like Mauritius, Cyprus and Singapore, and only 19% comes from the US and other countries, how has he made such remarks? He has made this remark to score point in his coming presidential polls over his rival Mitty Romney. He has already curtailed and stopped outsourcing to India and has vehemently criticized his competitor Mitt Romney for shipping American jobs to India. So his remark is guided by his country’s economic interest and he has no business to dictate India how to manage its economy and make friendly atmosphere for US investors at the cost of its own. It is for India to decide whether to allow FDI or not in retail. Obama’s concern over disallowance of FDI in retail sector in India and slowing down of its economic growth is uncalled for and it is without any rhyme or reason. Though he has himself accepted that despite the reflection of economic turndown, India has achieved impressive growth rate. As far as what to do or what not to in regard to the management of its economy is concerned, India knows it well. Obama sees his nation’s economic interest in India’s large market while India sees its own domestic economic interest. He has suggested India to start second wave of economic reforms so that his own vested interest could be fulfilled by allowing multi-national giants to invest large capital in India’s retail markets. The second wave of economic reforms is necessary in India to bring back its economy on fast upward movement. But this should not be done at any cost before protecting the interest of small retailers of the nation. The regulatory measures must put in place before allowing FDI in retail sector. It does not mean that if FDI is not allowed, investment climate can not be investor friendly. There is no dearth of scope for the foreign investment in many other areas than retail in India. To protect the interest of small retailers of the nation, it is necessary to make arrangement of their full proof protection and then think of any Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Commerce Minister Anand Sharma has rightly responded to Obama’s investment remark by assuring that the country has an investment friendly climate and his perception is different from reality. Obama had in an interview to an Indian news agency suggested more economic reforms, particularly in the retail sector to enable foreign direct investment (FDI) and entry to American companies. When Obama is against the outsourcing of jobs to India, India has no option but to give top most priority to its own interests on an issue such as FDI in the retail sector.

Take immediate action against Taliban like dictat against women

Taliban like dictat by a khap panchayat in Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat region that forbids women from using cellphones, going to the market or walking unescorted is undemocratic, unconstitutional and illegal. No democracy of the world would ever tolerate this type of Taliban-like dictat. It also reflects that our society is still dominated by the backward looking people. They do not want the society to move forward. Civil society, media, politicians and the government of the day have to come forward against Khaps like panchayat. But in our country, vote bank politics is at the root of the dominance of Khap like Panchayat in our society. Neither the Uttar Pradesh nor the Central government has spoken about the action Khap Panchayat. Khap Panchayat dictat is a slur on our society. On one hand the entire world is advocating for the education, progress and development of women to bring them on par with male members, the Khap Panchayat is issue medieval decrees against them. It is the responsibility of the young, energetic, well educated and liberal Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh to take immediate action against the Khap Panchayat. When the world is moving forward, the Khap Panchayat is pushing the society backward. Khaps have no legal authority in India to issue such decrees. They must be warned to refrain from taking any action against any person on violation of their dictats. The Khaps have taken the law into their hands. Attacking cops brutally, who were entrusted to look into Khaps’ dictat, and setting their motorcycle on fire reflect it amply. The villagers fled after freeing the arrested panchayat members. The villagers also asked the media persons to go back. But their ruling has triggered outrage all over the nation and among activists and politicians. Khap dictat is the result of the existence of archaic and perverted mindset. It must come to an end. The Government of Uttar Pradesh must take immediate action against issuing Taliban-like dictat. This type of Khap Panchayat dictat is also because of the political interest involved in it. The ruling Congress and the opposition BJP have reacted to Khap dictat very cautiously. INLD boss and Union Civil Aviation Minister Chodhary Ajit Singh, who happens to be the Lok Sabha member from Bagpat, has also not criticized the khaps openly. Their eyes are set on votes and nothing else.

Shocking and shameful incident

The video clip shown by different news channels clearly reflects how deep the moral degeneration has set in our society that a defenceless, helpless and frail girl comes out of a bar in Guwahati and some youths jumped at her as if they were making her their prey. It is done before a mob of more than 100 and no one comes forward for her rescue. This has been enacted in the same fashion as a lion does when he sees animal or human being in the jungle to satisfy his hunger, though they are cats and rats in human forms. This is the most shocking incident and the head of every Indian hangs in shame over it. It becomes more shameful and shocking when the video clip shows that while some young men are molesting, beating and tearing her clothe, at least more than 100 men were looking at the animal behaviour without offering any protest as if they were watching a movie. This incident is a blot on our culture and society. It is not only in Guwahati but this type of shocking incidents where the girls are victimized ruthlessly in national capital Delhi, Lucknow, Patna, Chinnai, Banglore and Trivendrum also on daily basis. Neither police, civil administration, politicians nor society takes it seriously, and is repeated frequently. The way that helpless girl was beaten and molested by a group of around 12 young men before a mob of more than 100 men is the reminder of medieval age in 21st century, when we boast of modernity and liberalism. The Guwahati incident clearly depicts the pervert mindset of our society where the women are treated as things of enjoyment and not as sisters and mothers. It is for the all male members to think if such type shameful incident with their own daughter, sisters and mothers had occurred before them, how would have they reacted. As far as the law order is concerned especially in regard to containing this type of incident is concerned, lawlessness prevails all over the country. Society has to come forward. If the law enforcing agencies were tight and alert, that is police, this type of shameful incident would never have happened. In parliamentary democracy, ministers mean politicians who are head of the executives. When the politicians of this nation do not like to give is due to women, what the law and order machinery can do. Women’s Reservation Bill has been lying in Parliament for years and is yet to see the light of the day. This is because of indifferent and patriarchal mindset of our MPs.The Guwahati incident is most shameful. So, the deterrent punishment must be handed to the accused immediately and not left to go through judicial process and paraphernalia for years. Though the subject of law and order is state matter, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi also must take serious notice of the incident and give directives to the state government of their party to take stern action against the accused immediately. According to Guwahati police, there were four girls and two boys, apparently known to each other, entered the bar on Monday night, where they subsequently had a brawl and were forced outside by the establishment’s security. When the six came out on the streets, local people taking advantage of the situation pushed and pulled one of the girls and attempted to strip and molest her.Four persons have been arrested in connection with the incident, which led to a public outcry after a video of the shocking incident was uploaded on a video site.

UK’s welcome step

The British Government is doing its best to ensure the full proof security during London Olympic Games by banning the Indian Mujahideen (IM) ahead of them. It is an important step towards security. Indian Mujahideen is India-based sectarian and secessionist organization which acts for the establishment of Islamic state in India and spreading of sectarian belief and thought. The British government has banned the Indian Mujahideen (IM) by describing it as a threat to national security and citing its alleged involvement in several terror attacks, including the Mumbai bombings. The ban is followed by the arrest of five men and a woman who were arrested in London in a counter-terror swoop ahead of the Olympic Games and the London police have described the arrest as significant, though ruled out any link to imminent attack. It is for Pakistan and the world as well to take serious notice of the statement made by Home Office Minister James Brokenshire while banning IM. He says that there is evidence that the IM had been engaged in indiscriminate mass casualty attacks in India. His statement strengthens the belief worldwide about the credibility of investigations of terror acts by Indian investigating agencies. The example that the British Minister has given in support of his allegation against the IM stands on solid ground. He has rightly said to show the example about May 2008 spate of bomb detonations in the city of Jaipur that killed 63 and in September of last year an explosion outside the high court in Delhi reportedly killed 12 and injured 65. He has rightly enumerated before the MPs all violent incidents in which the IM is allegedly involved. The British government rightly believes that there is ample evidence about the IM being involved in terrorism and its banning is 100 per cent right. The ban makes it an offence to be a member of the IM under Britain’s Terrorism Act 2000. The group is already banned in several countries, including the U.S. and New Zealand. IM has frequently perpetrated attacks against civilian targets with the intention of maximising casualties. IM uses violence to achieve their stated objectives of creating an Islamic state in India and implementing Sharia law. IM has sought to incite sectarian hatred in India by deliberately targeting Hindu places of worship, such as a prayer ceremony in Varanasi which killed a child in December 2010. IM has also publicly threatened to attack British tourists, so they clearly pose a threat to British nationals in India. Banning of IM is a welcome step by the government of Britain.

Exercise utmost caution

Whether it is the issue of fighting naxalism or terrorism by the CRPF personnel or any other security agencies, utmost caution must be taken while launching operation against it. They must not launch any operation without being certain about the identity of their target. Discretion is the better of valor. The security personnel must not carried away by the rumour. They first ascertain themselves about the purpose of any village gathering and then act accordingly. The role of CRPF in last week’s anti-national operation in which 19 people were killed has come under severe criticism. The local people allege that the innocent people were mistaken for naxals by the CRPF. The operation against naxals and terrorist by the security personnel must be based on the principle of law according to which the guilty may be exonerated but the innocent must not be punished at any cost. So, the innocent anywhere in the country must not be made prey to the security forces in the name of either fighting naxalism of terrorism. There is allegation against the CRPF by the villagers is that in the name of operation against naxals, they gunned down the two teen aged boys who were known for brilliance and high intelligence in the village among 19 killed. The killing of the innocent gives birth to an idea of a sense of revenge and an atmosphere against the government and security forces among the people is created itself. And amidst this type of atmosphere, naxalism flourishes easily. As per the newspaper reports, it is tribal village gathering which the CRPF misjudged the assembly of naxals to attack. Now, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram defends the CRPF’s role in last week’s anti-Naxal operation in Chhattisgarh by saying deeply sorry if any innocent villagers were among the victims. Merely saying deeply sorry by the Home Minister, the parents who have lost their brilliant sons would not get them. It would only aggravate grudge against the government. It is a serious mistake on the part of CRPF in launching operation against Maoists. They must be judicious in dealing with such situation in the tribal villages. It is correct that Maoism has flourished in tribal dominated population. But this has happened because of poverty. There is abject poverty in tribal villages all over the nation. They have been exploited by the government, landlord, contractors and dealers since Independence. Jungle has been their place of habitation. Deforestation and cutting of jungles to set up industries and factories have displaced the tribal population on large scale. The security and development measures must start side by side with utmost seriousness and sincerity by the government to deal with the problem of naxal violence confronting most of the states of the country.