Saturday, December 29, 2012

India lost her daughter

The brave girl lost her battle of 13 days for life. The entire nation is shocked, rattled and aggrieved at the death of the 23-year-old victim of the brutal gang rape and assault in Delhi. She was shifted to a prestigious hospital of Asia in Singapore to save her life but all endeavours went in vain. She was a brave girl who fought for her life valiantly but lost. With her death, a message must go out to the government that now enough is enough and there must not be recurrence of this kind of crime against women. Undoubtedly, it is the failure of police machinery that this kind of horrendous crime against the girl in national capital Delhi but at the same time the society can also not evade from its responsibility. Several records show that in 95 percent rape case, rapists are known to the victims in one way or other. Women are victimized everywhere. They are victimized in their home, on streets, buses,metro,trains, work places, schools and colleges. Untill the idea that women in the form of goddess Durga, Kali, Lakshmi and Saraswati are worshipped by us on one hand and the same women in flesh and blood are raped and assaulted on the other is revived in the minds of the people, atrocities against women can not go from our society. This sad and tragic incident of Delhi gang rape had triggered an outrage across India. The death of the girl in Singapore hospital has shocked and dejected all Indians. We all feel as if we have lost our own daughter. Now, the brave girl has succumbed to her injury inflicted on her by the rapists. The Government of India must take into serious account the seething of entire India in anger over the horrendous crime and the massive protests of young girls and boys at India Gate for the harshest punishment i.e. death sentence to rapists. There must be immediate promulgation of law that could award swift and deterrent punishment in any offence against the women. The legal procedure of cases of atrocity against women must be speeded up by forming fast track court. The police machinery of not only Delhi but the entire nation must be overhauled and sensitized to the crime against women. The lack of interaction between the police and the people in society must also be brought to end. Police should be made more accountable to the people. They must not display their Lathi as sign of their power. They must think that they are meant for serving the people. Their business is to strike fear among criminals on one hand and friendly with law abiding society on the other. But contrary to this happens. Police strikes fear among law abiding people and they dare not deal with criminal elements with heavy hand.

Monday, December 24, 2012

Pacify students' anger with prompt action against rapists

The anger of the students and their demand is justified and they need to be pacified by the Government of India with prompt and appropriate action against rapists. The entire nation is shocked, shaken and outraged over the gang rape of 23 year old girl. She is paramedic student. She was gang raped and brutally beaten along with her boy friend and thrown on the side of the street from in moving bus in South Delhi area. Whoever has heard about the horrendous rape is extremely angry. The scene of scuffle between the hundreds of protesting students, who had arrived at India Gate and on Raisina Hills to express their anger over the horrendous incident of rape and brutal beating of the girl, and the Delhi police is itself by no measure appreciating. Delhi police has used excess of force against the peaceful protesters of young students and women. The gathering of angry and protesting boys and girls against the horrific rape incident was lathicharged, tear gassed and firing of water canon by the police to disperse them is their excesses. Some lumpen elements got mixed up with the students protest to sabotage the government establishment. All the rape accused have been caught. All government assistance is provided to the victim of horrendous rape who is battling for life at Safdarganj hospital. No one in the country will tolerate any excuse from the Delhi police and the Government in not taking strictest action possible against the rapists. Government must know that young boys and girls are on boil and their fire against the rape incident can not be easily extinguished. Delhi police and the Government of India need to be judicious in dealing with the issue related to the young and growing students of the nation. Some lumpen elements might have entered the students’ protests at India Gate and Raisina Hills with some ulterior motive against the government but that does not mean that the police should resort to indiscriminate lath charge, fire of tear gas and water cannons on the peaceful protesters. At least 150 people, including 78 policemen, were injured and a constable suffered cardiac arrest and was battling for life in hospital as street protests over the gang rape of a 23-year-old woman on board a bus a week ago turned violent in the heart of New Delhi on Sunday. There is no sense in sealing all the roads leading to Rajpath and India Gate. The sealing of roads has caused enormous inconvenience to general public. The normal life has been thrown out of gear on Monday in national capital Delhi. Delhi Metro closed its nine stations on Monday without taking into account the difficulty its decision caused to office goers and general Delhiites. The need of the hour for the government to restore normalcy without any delay.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Nation seethes in anger over Delhi gang rape

The anger of the entire nation over the Delhi gang rape has spilled on the streets. It is not only in Delhi but also in Patna, Lucknow, Kanpur and other cities the students have come out on the streets to protest Delhi Gang rape and demand capital punishment for the rapists. The rape victim 23 year old girl, a paramedic student, has been battling for life since last Sunday. Parliament, students and the general public have demanded capital punishment for rapists and the trial of the rape case by fast track court on daily basis. The Government is also demanding fast track court for the trial of rape cases. The worsening condition of the gang rape victim instantly angers not only Delhiites but all human beings over the inaction of Delhi police. It is correct that the Delhi police reached to rapists and took him into custody in shortest possible time but if the security arrangement by them in the area within which the crime was committed had been tightened, this unfortunate thing would not have occurred and the innocent girl would not have under gone the ordeal for no fault of hers. This heinous crime against the 23 year old paramedic girl has taken place in Delhi due to both systemic failures of governance, insensitivity in society and Delhi police. The rapists deserve to be hanged publicly without any wastage of time. It would have deterrent impact on other criminals in society and they would dare not commit rape out fear. It is surprising no action has yet been taken against any police officials under whose jurisdiction the gang rape has taken place. The anger of Delhiites over gang rape is genuine and justified. They have come out on the streets and even reached to the gate of Rashtrapati Bhavan to make the President aware of what is going on against the women on the streets in national capital Delhi. When the women are not safe in Delhi, what to talk of their condition in other cities and towns of the country? It is shameful that Delhi has become the most unsafe place for women. This is Bharat where women are considered as goddesses. We Indian worship Maa Durga, Kali, Lakshmi and Saraswati as goddesses. They are women. How in the given tradition rapes are committed against women and they are beaten brutally. It appears that the rapists are not human beings. They are animals. So, they must be treated as such. The way 23 year old girl was raped, brutally beaten and thrown out of the moving bus along with her boy friend naked by the roadside is a telling commentary on the degradation that has set in our society. How deep the degradation has set in our society can be felt in the ordeal of rape victim and her boy friend that were wreathing in pain in this wintry night by the roadside of Delhi but nobody cared to stop to help them and ask what happened to them. This has crossed all sense of sensitivity. Our society has also become insensitive. The need of the hour is to overhaul Delhi police and get all Police Stations cleared of all corrupt SHOs, Beat officers and constables. Had there been better policing by the police station in the area, this hair raising incident of gang rape would not have happened. There must be social awakening about crime against women, stricter laws, trial by fast track court, better policing with accountability. Delhi police needs to be made sensitive to the protection of women.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

SC/STs Quota uproar for politics

Whether the Bill for SC/ST reservation in government job promotion is passed in LS or not after its approval by the Rajya Sabha, it matters little for the majority among SC/STs who have so far been deprived of the benefit of any type from reservation. This is the ground reality. Reservation must not be a life long gift for a section of society when some among them are far more solvent than the section of the people who are financially weak but not in reserved category. Reservation for SC and ST was granted since our Constitution came into effect to bring them on equity with the other developed section of the people in society. After the reservation for SC/ST, our Constitution was amended to provide reservation for OBCs for purely political reasons. First of all, there should be no reservation on the basis of caste, creed and community and its benefit should only reach to the financially weaker section of society. They must be given all economic incentives in pursuing their studies to compete in competitive examinations for government jobs with other financially well off section of society. The Upper House has already passed the Bill for SC/ST reservation in promotion in govt. jobs. Now, it is the turn of the Lok Sabha to pass it. But the way one Samajwadi Party MP behaved, snatched the Bill from the hands of Minister and stormed in the well of the House is nothing but shocking. SP is the arch rival of Mayawati’s BSP. Mayawati has the strongest grip on SC/ST vote bank. SP opposed the Bill only because the largest beneficiary from it would be BSP in terms of vote. BSP has established its image as the champion of SC/ST. So it goes all out to get the bill passed. Reservation for SC/ST and OBCs is purely a politics. Congress and BJP are arch rivals but on this issue there is unanimity between the two because of its being an important for them in terms of vote bank politics. Neither the Congress nor the BJP are concerned with the reality of reservation. Reservation is the greatest political issue for pursuing caste-based politics and thereby dividing the society for political benefit. Lok Sabha has witnessed repeated uproar before the quota in promotion bill was to be taken up for consideration, with the Samajwadi Party members storming the Well in protest against the measure. As soon as Speaker Meira Kumar called for the Question Hour, SP members trooped into the Well raising slogans against the Constitution (117th Amendment) Bill.To counter the SP onslaught, Congress members were in the aisles raising slogans in favour of the Bill and urging the Speaker to evict the SP members.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Nation shamed, Delhi Police failure exposed

Entire nation is shocked and outraged over the most shameful act - the rape of 23 year old paramedic- in national capital Delhi. It hangs our head in shame. A Para medical student was raped in moving bus in South Delhi on Sunday evening. She was raped, brutally tortured and thrown naked along with her friend out of the moving bus. It is most horrible and the rapists deserve to be hanged till death. They even do not deserve any legal recourse. Their act is so outrageous that they must be bound by a poll in the open and whipped up till death in full public view. The 23-tear old Para-medic and her friend took a bus to return to home after watching a movie. Just after she and her friend stepped into the bus, the crew members started taunting and molesting her and when her friend objected, he was beaten and locked in the cabin of the bus. All the crew members numbering about four to five took the girl by turn to rape and after that they were thrown out of the moving bus by the roadside. The girl was so sexually and physically tortured that even the doctor attending on her at Safdarjang hospital has reportedly said that he had not seen such a grievous rape victim so far. The rape incident is so horrible that the body hair stands on end in fear. It shows that Delhi is the most unsafe place for women despite its being the national capital. They can not move out of their residence after the dusk. The raping incident in the bus reportedly continued for 90 minutes and during the period it reportedly passed by three PCRs, but no notice was taken by Delhi police. Undoubtedly, there is no fear of Delhi police among the goondas, criminals, rapists and anti-social elements. They are only tough with law abiding Delhiites. This is not the first time that Delhi has been shamed with rape. It was in the year 2005 that Delhi earned the dubious tag of ‘rape capital’ when the number of rape cases reached a record high — 660 in a year. The police took a number of measures and as a result the cases came down to 452 in 2009. But rape cases are again on the rise and for the first time in six years the number has crossed the 600-mark this year. Till December 15 this year, 635 cases of rape were registered across the city and despite the fact that there are still 15 days left for the month, the number of rape cases are highest in six years. Cases of molestation have also seen a rise as 653 cases were reported in 2011 against 601 cases in 2010. Quick deterrent punishment must be awarded to rapist so that it could have impact in society against the heinous and barbaric act of rape. Parliament was in unison in amending law to award capital punishment for rape. Leader of the opposition Sushama Swaraj made demand of capital punishment to rapist. The ruling as well as opposition in both Houses of Parliament has spoken in one voice in awarding punishment to rapists. When the woman is not safe in national capital Delhi where the Chief Minister is a woman, Lok Sabha Speaker is woman, leader of the ruling Congress Party and opposition BJP is woman, how can we expect them to be safe in other cities and small towns of the nation? Sunday night rape of para-medic in South Delhi is a telling commentary on the failure of Delhi police. Delhi police strike fear into common innocent Delhiites. Its slogan is farce. They are always away from help and that goes in favour of criminals and anti-social. Some head's must roll and being the head, it is total failure of Delhi Police Commissioner. The Sunday night rape incident reflects callous negligence of Delhi police in providing safety to women.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Pak showed its colour

Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik’s visit to India has been unproductive and in no way different from the previous visits of other Pakistani dignitaries. India’s Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde has failed to make any impression about his side on Malik. He did not present his side strongly to punish the mastermind of 26/11 Hafiz Sayeed, who is roaming freely in Pakistan. Rehman Malik visited India, interacted with his Indian counterpart and several other top officials, including leader of the opposition Sushama Swaraj and had talks but with no positive sign. His description of 26/11 accused Abu Jindal as an Indian and agent of elite intelligence is nothing but ridiculous. Abu Jindal is a Pakistani citizen and he was working with LeT. He had choreographed all the terrorists involved in 26/11. He kept constant supervision on executing the terror attack on Mumbai. Abu Jindal was deported to India from Saudi Arabia where Pakistani diplomat claimed about him as Pakistani citizen. Rehman Malik says that the dossiers submitted by India to Pakistan are not evidences about LeT founder Hafiz Sayeed’s prime role and others involvement in 26/11 but only information. He says that they will not stand in the law courts of Pakistan. How could they would stand in the law court in Pakistan when its all powerful military backs Hafiz Sayeed strongly and patronize him to bleed and disintegrate India. So long as this perception of Pakistan persists, there would be no improvement in relations. All talks with Pakistan is fruitless unless and until it realizes its deliberate weakness to reign in terror elements from acting against India from its soil. Pakistan military is so dominant that their influence on judiciary and executive can not be ignored. The weak democratic government can not run its writ large. And the same is with Pakistan. Military has always overreaching influence on the duly elected democratic government. To be in power, Pak President Asif Ali Zardari has to keep military establish in good humour. Mumbai attack was conceived, plotted directed and instructed from there under Pak military observation. Malik’s version that non state -actors from both sides were involved in the attack is not correct but his attempt to cover Pak clear involvement in 26/11. Terrorism has been an instrument of state policy since the military regime of Zia-Ul-Haq in Pakistan. Malik’s belief that it was because of the absence of interaction between the two countries on intelligence and government levels the Mumbai terror strike could not be foiled is his attempt to impress upon India to continue talking despite terror. But Talks and terror acts from Pak soil can not go side by side. Rehman Malik’s logic does not hold any water. His way of comparison between Mumbai attack and the demolition of Babri-Masjid is non-sensical. He wanted to raise India’s internal issue deliberately. He had visited India only to put Pakistan’s view of Mumbai attack just opposite to India and nothing else.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Narendra Modi is ahead of others

Gujarat goes to poll today. Bhatiya Janata Party (BJP) and particularly Chief Minister Narendra Modi have more at stake than that of the opposition Congress in Gujarat. Gujarat victory would increase BJP’s popularity graph. Modi is fighting not only for retaining power in Gujarat for the third consecutive time but also achieving it with greater margin to back his claim of being the BJP prime ministerial candidate in 2014 Lok Sabha elections strongly. He is charged with espousing the Hindu cause and pursuing anti-minority policy. There is also the charge against him of orchestrating the worst-ever Gujarat riot. There may be charge against him for giving state patronage to the alleged rioters but on the development front he has kept its tempo. Gujarat has been a developed state for a long time but Modi has carried forward the development measures to their logical end. It is also correct that Narendra Modi is not only the most influential, seasoned and dominant leader of Gujarat but also of BJP at national level. But there are lacunae in his political attitude that goes against him. He is alleged to be dictatorial and authoritarian. He has sidetracked all his rivals within Gujarat BJP during his regime and even compelled some of the veteran state BJP leaders to leave the party and form their own political outfit. Breaking away from the BJP, former Gujarat Chief Minister and towering leader of dominant Patel community Keshu Bhai Patel and alonwith some other senior members has formed Gujarat Parivartan Party that throws challenge to Modi. Keshu Bhai’s unwavering influence on Patel community is a cause for big concern for Chief Minister Narendra Modi. In the absence of any leader of CM Narendra Modi stature in Gujarat Congress who could stand up to him, the chances of party's victory is not only slim but also impossible. Congress Party General Secretary Rahul Gandhi and Party President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi campaigned strongly in the last leg of the first phase of Gujarat poll. They may have charishma but no organizational backup in the state to translate it into votes. They can pull crowd but it is the responsibility of the workers to turn it into votes. Congress Party has no state leader who could command respect among the workers and raise their morale. Successive defeats have demoralized them. So, in absence of any formidable opponent, the third consecutive victory for BJP in Gujarat under Chief Minister Narendra Modi is a foregone conclusion.

Monday, December 10, 2012

Need for immediate overhauling of Team India

Team India appears to be in its worst shape in recent days. Earlier England have already badly defeated Team India in an away series in England and its position in home series against the same team is pathetic. England are going up 2-1 over Team India in the ongoing test series of 4 matches. Only Nagpur Test is to be played from Dec 13 in the ongoing series between India and England. Neither any Indian batsman nor has bowler shown consistency and performance in the last two matches. Team India is known all over the world for its gigantic batting strength. But its third class batting has become the cause of sheer humiliation of the team in cricket world. England have outplayed Team India every department of the game very convincingly. Even its world renowned fast and spin bowlers were easily outplayed by their English counterparts. Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, who is called the God of Cricket and has world record of making highest number of runs and century to his name, has been a total failure on the field for more than a year. He appears to be past his prime and now the age is also not on his side. The movement of his feet does not reflect any sparkle as they used to do when he was in his prime. Undoubtedly, he is the most experienced player of Team India and one of the greatest batsman of the world but that should not be the criteria for being in the team in the role of a non-performer. The team needs his experience. But the question here arises how long he will be in team to face humiliation even against the mediocre bowlers of the opposite team. The BCCI must pave the way for his honourable exit and engage him life-long for invaluable suggestion for the Indian cricket. It is totally unfair to block the way for new, young and talented player to play for the nation. All senior players, including the Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, should be asked by the selectors to make their way for the new comers in the interest of the team. Almost all are past their prime. Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni neither shows his captaining skill nor performs with his bat to leave any impression on the team. Loosening grip on the team by the captain due to his own pathetic performance on the field makes it directionless and disoriented. Not only Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan but also few more seniors should have been shown the door for the fourth and the last Test against England. The BCCI and Selection Committee must apply perform or perish principle while selecting the team for Test, One-Day and T-20 matches. Players' seniority and their service to the nation must not be ignored but the interest of the team and nation always be kept uppermost. Captain Dhoni has undoubtedly brought laurels for the nation many times but if his performance as a captain or player is counted in the last 18 months on the field, he proves to be total failure and deserves no place in the team. It is not one test or one series; he has been a total failure in almost all matches held in the last 18 months. Nagpur Test must be his last test as captain if India again face defeat. The impression of 'Chalta hai' culture must be removed and no player howsoever senior and great he must be removed forthwith.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Now, FDI a reality

After getting Lok Sabha approval on FDI in retail, the Government is set get also its approval in Rajya Sabha also. When the BSP supremo Mayawati announced in the Upper House that her party would support the government, it became crystal clear that FDI is going to become a reality. FDI issue is purely related to the economy of our nation. The ruling UPA being the exponent of FDI in multi-brand retail enumerates only the benefit from it whereas almost all the opposition parties describe it as anti-poor and nation as well. The UPA government advocates that FDI in multi-retail will immensely benefit the farmers as it would close all doors of middlemen between the farmers and purchasers of their products. The bigger share of the price of products is generally gulped by the middlemen as there is no direct contact between farmers and purchasers of their products. Opposition parties -BJP and Left- say that the multi-national giant like Walmart, Tesco, Carrefore and others will make purchasing in bulk from outside and nominal percentage of purchasing from the domestic market. They also advocate that with their entry in multi-brand retail, they will devour our small retailers and thereby creating a huge problem of unemployment. While the UPA government claims that with the coming of FDI, crores of jobs will be created. The reality on the ground tells contrary to what the opposition parties say. Big Shopping Malls have come up in almost all big cities of the nation. But no news in any dailies of the nation has ever appeared that the particular small shops had to be closed because the malls came up in their vicinity. So, the clear picture has not emerged before the general public about the advantage from FDI. The people are confused whether to accept ruling or opposition version on FDI. One thing is also tested that whenever a new economic policy and programme is introduced, a lot of hue and cry by the opposition takes place over it. But when it starts giving huge benefit to the general public all over the nation, it is accepted across the party lines. The UPA government has already shaken off the Opposition challenge on the FDI in retail issue by getting approval of the Lok Sabha as BSP and SP bailed it out by not participating in voting. The Congress-led UPA scored 253 against 218 votes after two days of heated debate and came out victorious.BSP and SP, key outside supporters with a total of 43 members in the Lower House, which were against the FDI in multi-brand retail, staged a tactical walkout.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

FDI is need of the hour

In the period of weakening economy, the nation urgently needs foreign investment to strengthen it. FDI in multi-brand will not only make our market competitive but also offer the consumers with many options to make their purchasing of daily needs. They will get competitive market and price. FDI will also bring down prices and do away with middlemen to benefit farmers as they will have direct interaction with the shopping malls. There are a number of big shopping malls in every big city already running before the FDI in multi-brand retails. There is also no example in the nation that a small shopkeeper had to close down his shop because of coming up of big malls. So, the opposition explanation against FDI that it will destroy business of small shopkeeper is baseless and politically motivated. The motion for debate on FDI in multi-brand retail has been moved by the leader of the opposition Sushama Swaraj in Lok Sabha and it has also the support of CPI (M). So, the BJP and the Left are on the same page against the government's decision to bring FDI in multi-brand retail. The motion of debate has been moved under the article 184 in Lok Sabha and 168 in Rajya Sabha and both entail voting. UPA Government is confident of the numbers in Lok Sabha and they will sail through Lok Sabha comfortably. Their main difficulty is in Rajya Sabha to get through as they are short of numbers there. Both Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party support the UPA Government from outside but both are opposed to FDI. Both the ruling SP and the Opposition BSP in Uttar Pradesh are arch rivals. They support the UPA government in the name of secularism avowedly but have their interest in keeping it running. They also want to keep the Hindu-leaning party the BJP out of power at the Centre. Internally, no political party wants untimely Lok Sabha elections. But as the political graph of the ruling Congress-led UPA has gone down because of several corruption charges against them and their failure to rein in price rise, BJP wants Lok Sabha elections in near future before schedule to encash the people’s disillusionment with the ruling coalition. Though both the SP and the BSP have not shown their intention whether to vote with the Govt or not, they will decidedly go with it and will certainly come to its rescue. Both SP and BSP support the UPA to save their skins of secularism. SP being the ruling party in UP, it needs to have a friendly UPA government at the Centre. BSP has also got assurance from UPA to support the Bill for reservation in promotion for Dalits and tribals. Congress party has never tasted defeat on the floor of the House. So if history repeats itself, the Congress-led UPA will come out victorious in Rajya Sabha also on the issue of FDI.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Economist’s figment of imagination

Foreign media have started conjecturing over the prospective prime ministerial candidates from Congress and BJP in 2014 Lok Sabha elections. It is not the business of Economist to speculate in air about who could be prime ministerial candidates from Congress and BJP in Lok Sabha elections. The Economist may be the most prestigious British magazine but its story that finance minister P Chidambaram could be the PM candidate; especially if it comes to a face off against Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi does not appear to be well researched one. As Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh would be well past 80 by the time Lok Sabha elections take place in 2014, his third term to adorn PM’s office appears impossible. As far as projecting Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as prime ministerial candidate by the BJP is concerned, the party is itself vertically divided and in addition to that most of the major allies like JD(U) and Shiv Sena have already expressed their opposition to him on the issue. As far as the candidature of Finance Minister P Chidambram as prime ministerial candidate of the ruling Congress Party in Lok Sabha elections 2014 is concerned, the Economist should know that even a leaf can not budge without the consent of Sonia-Rahul duo as they are acknowledged leaders of the party. Rahul Gandhi may not have made any spectacular performance in his more than eight years of parliamentary experience but one thing is certain that the day he entered politics it became the foregone conclusion that as and when the Congress got majority on its own, he would be elected Prime Minister. Rahul Gandhi may not have shown any remarkable achievement in politics nor would have made the nation aware of his views on the burning issues of the day; he is still one of the biggest crowd pullers at the national level. Narendra Modi may have edge over others in the state of Gujarat but at national level he is far behind Rahul Gandhi. Finance minister P Chidambram may have growth-oriented outlook and extra-cautious approach in reading the mind of Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi on matters of economy but his political standing on the ground is still dependent. He has not even once been able to win his Lok Sabha seat on his own. He has either been supported by AIADMK or DMK. Neither Narendra Modi nor P Chidambram has nationwide acceptability among all sections of people to become the Prime Minister of India. Projecting Narendra Modi and P Chidambram as prospective prime ministerial candidates by BJP and Congress respectively is nothing but the Economist's figment of imagination.