Belated, but historic

At last, the Food Security Bill has been moved belatedly in the Lok Sabha and passed ; it is going to be the only great achievement of UPA-2 Government in the last four years. After the passage of Food Security Bill in Lok Sabha, it is now almost certain that this historic bill for poor Indian will see the light of the day. It is most likely that Upper House will also clear the Food Security Bill. Food Security Bill is the brainchild of Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi. The fervent appeal she made to all the MPs in Lok Sabha in her speech during the debate on the bill clearly reflected how serious she was to ensure that now no Indian should go hungry. Her stress on the point of resource crunch that India has to manage resources to feed its poor amply reflects about her sincerity to get the Food Security Bill passed in the Lok Sabha. It is certainly going to be the game changer for the Congress-led UPA to bring it back to power for third consecutive time. Food Security Bill certainly identifies the Congress Party with the Aam Aadmi. It will strengthen its bondage with the poor common people of India. With the nearing of Lok Sabha elections, this Food Security Bill will certainly turn the table in elections in favour of the Congress party. As Food Security Bill is important politically and it is specially meant for the poor people of India, no political party dare oppose it despite their strong reluctance initially. Food Security Bill will also help Congress hide most of the scandals that have broken out during its regime. As no political party could dare vote against this bill, it was passed in Lok Sabha very smoothly. After MNREGA, it is the Food Security Bill that has the potential to get the ruling Congress-led UPA through the coming Lok Sabha elections if it was implemented in the remaining 8 months period properly and sincerely. The Food Security Bill seeks to provide cheap food grains to 82 crore people in the country, ushering in the biggest programme in the world to fight hunger. The ambitious bill was adopted by the Lower House through a voice vote after a combined discussion on the measure and a statutory resolution seeking to disapprove the ordinance promulgated on 5th July. Over 300 amendments moved by the opposition were rejected. The legislation was passed after a day-long debate during which Congress President Sonia Gandhi, during her maiden speech in the 15th Lok Sabha, said, “Our goal for the foreseeable future must be to wipe out hunger and mal-nutrition from our country.”

Vote bank politics in full swing

Neither the ruling Samajwadi Party of Uttar Pradesh has any thing to do for the uplift of Muslim minority in the state nor the Vishwa Hindu Parishad has any thing to do with Hindu religion. Both are playing the vote bank politics. With the nearing of Lok Sabha elections, the political parties have started practising vote bank politics in full swing. VHP’s Chaurashi Koshi Parikrama Yatra is a glaring example of vote bank politics being indirectly undertaken at the behest of main opposition party Bhartiya Janata Party to polarize Hindu votes in its favour in the coming assembly elections in five states in November and Lok sabha elections in May 2014. It has been the habit of BJP to exploit the name of Lord Ram for Hindu votes. Though Chaurashi Koshi Parikrama Yatra by the VHP, which is one of the offshoots of Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh, was stopped and not allowed to even undertake yatra upto 84 steps by the Samajwadiwadi Party government of Uttar Pradesh, it has brought the issue of Hindutva to the fore before elections again. UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav government, initially, indicated that a compromise was reached with the VHP that it would undertake Chaurashi Koshi Parikrama Yatra peacefully in Ayodhya, but later on realizing that the message would go out in public about its hands in glove with BJP, it took harsh measures against saints and stopped them from embarking on their mission. It is the fundamental right of the individual to carry out religious practices without any control. It is not possible for the government in a secular state to allow the religious practices, which are carried out with purely religious motive and intention. VHP’s Chaurashi Koshi Praikrama was purely guided by politics. The government in a secular state also must not take harsh measures against majority community unnecessarily to keep its minority vote bank intact. RSS is the doting parent of BJP, VHP, Bajran Dal and other Hindu outfits. All its organizations are working for the benefit of one another. So, with the nearing of elections, VHP has strongly raised the issue of Ayodhya to benefit BJP politically. The way Chaurashi Koshi Parikrama Yatra was stopped before its took off reflects that it was like a match fixed between the ruling Samajwadi Party and the VHP. Both showed how serious they were in protecting their respective vote banks. The common general people of Ayodhya have shown little interest in Chaurashi Koshi Yatra of VHP. They have clearly understood that VHP is the pawn in the hands of BJP. Ruling SP and BJP are trying their best to create communal tension in the state of Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 Lok Sabha members, to polarize the votes of majority and minority communities.

Delhi gang rape replicated in Mumbai

16th December gang rape has been replicated in Mumbai. The entire nation is shocked, anguished and saddened over the brutal gang rape of 22 years old woman photojournalist in Mumbai. We hang our head in shame over the Mumbai photojournalist gangrape. To protest December 16th Delhi gang rape strongly, the people all over the nation had come out on streets. They were protesting against the rapists and demanding the stringent punishment for them. Even the government in Delhi started trembling at the rage of the people on streets against the incident of brutal Delhi gang rape. The Government of India also acted promptly and enacted the stringent law to punish the rapists very quickly. But if the gang rape of 22 years old photojournalist is anything to go by, the laws made by the government after Nirbhay gang rape incident did not make any impact. It did not deter the criminal minded people of the society to attack the woman sexually. It also did not strike any fear among them. Mumbai photojournalist gang rape has proved that it is not effective. How stringent law be enacted there will be no impact on the rapists unless and until there is awakening in our society against rape and any kind of assault on women. So, social awakening about crime against women is also very important. Like Delhi, Mumbai is also a metropolitan city. Delhi is the national capital while Mumbai is the commercial capital of the nation. One thing also to be taken seriously into consideration is that until and unless the law enforcing authorities strike fear among law breakers, they will not hesitate in committing heinous crime like rape, which is also an inhuman act. Mumbai photojournalist gang rape took place around 6 PM as reported when there was no dark. The photojournalist is working with an English Life Style Magazine. She was working on a project in which she had to file the photo of the area where the incident took place. It was an industrial unit. The five rapists raped the photojournalist one by one after she was separated from her friend with whom she had gone there to shoot the photo. The rapists bound her friend’s hands and also beat him mercilessly. So, when the woman journalist is not safe on Mumbai streets, what can be expected of common Mumbaikers? So far Mumbai was considered to the safest metropolitan city of the nation. But the gang rape of photojournalist has hung the heads of Mumbaiker in particular and the entire nation in general in shame. The government should immediately undertake both tightening of law and order machineries and launching of social awakening programmes on crime against women. All accused of rape must be brought to book as early as possible and the rape case hearing must be done by fast track court so that it could be ensured that deterrent punishment was awarded to the rapists as early as possible. This will also send the message to criminal minded people in society that if they dared attack women, they would be punished stringently. It is not that there was no law against the attackers of women before the Nirbhai Delhi Gang rape incident. The most vital issue is that how effectively the laws are executed against the rapists so that they could be awarded deterrent punishment very quickly. A second accused in the brutal gang rape of a 23-year-old photojournalist was arrested on Saturday from south Mumbai even as police launched a manhunt for three others in the case, which sparked a wave of protests.

Finding way to remain unquestioned

The ruling as well as opposition political parties has been seen to be on the same page when either judiciary or executive tries to control and contain the criminal and corrupt activities of political leaders irrespective of political parties. The people of the nation are perturbed at the reaction of the political parties in regard to the Supreme Court ruling that the MPs and MLAs cease to be the member of Parliament and state legislative assembly respectively the day they are convicted by the law court for more than two years. SC has also ruled that political leaders can contest elections from the prisons. SC ruling has been hailed nationwide. This ruling of the Supreme Court upset the leaders of all political parties and they felt that it was an affront to their supremacy. MPs and MLAs consider themselves as supreme and no institution can challenge their supremacy only because they are the members of Parliament and state assemblies. Undoubtedly, Parliament is supreme but on that basis only because being member of this supreme body, they can not become above law. All are equal before law. SC ruling on disqualification of convicted lawmakers is praise worthy and it would prove to be the corner stone in checking criminalization of politics if our political class had not united to make it null and void. UPA government's activism with full support of almost all political parties to negate SC has sent out the wrong signal among the people. It has also strengthened the view among the people about political leaders that irrespective of political affiliations all are one when their personal interest and supremacy are attacked. It also sends the message that the political class itself does not want to decriminalize politics. To make Supreme Court order ineffective in regard to disqualification of convicted law makers, the Manmohan Singh government has given nod to the proposal under which such MPs and MLAs will retain their membership till pendency of appeal but will be barred from voting and drawing salary. The proposal, in the form of Amendments to the Representation of People Act, will ensure that a lawmaker cannot be disqualified after conviction if his or her appeal is pending before a court and sentence is stayed. The Law Ministry's proposal to amend the Representation of People Act makes it clear that an MP or MLA cannot be disqualified after conviction if his or her appeal is pending before a court and sentence is stayed.

Shun confrontationist approach in Parliament

It appears that to adopt confrontationist approach by the opposition parties towards any move of the ruling parties has become a habit, no matter whether it is beneficial for the people or not. It reflects their their sole intention of disrupting the parliamentary proceedings on regular basis only to attract attention and score political points. This sort of behaviour is increasingly seen when elections come nearer. This confrontationist trend is developing very fast in Parliament among our political parties. It is very bad for national development and solution of the problems being faced by the people. All political parties are responsible for it. Today’s ruling party becomes tomorrow’s opposition. So, it can not be said that disrupting Parliament’s functioning is only the trait of particular political party when it is in opposition. Since Dr. Manmohan Singh UPA-II govt came back to power in 2009, the trend of disrupting the functioning of the Parliament has increased immensely. It has been the hallmark of this period in the parliamentary history. It sends the message among the people that all political leaders have made the biggest institution of democracy-Parliament- a place of chaos, anarchy and pandemonium. No session of Parliament in the last four years has been conducted smoothly partly due to the confrontationist attitude adopted by the opposition parties, especially the main opposition party the BJP towards the ruling parties and partly due to breaking out scandals and scams at regular intervals in Dr. Manmohan Singh-led UPA-II Govt. This is the last monsoon session of Parliament before the nation goes to Lok Sabha elections most probably in May 2014. In the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament, Government wants to pass the Food Security Bill, which is considered to be the first of its kind in the world on such a large scale. With the enactment of the Food Security Bill, no poor or their child will go hungry as it would enable them to purchase Wheat at Rs two per kg and rice Rs. 3 per kg. It is not an ordinary bill and the day will be historic on which Parliament passes it. It will provide opportunity to 67 per cent of the population to purchase wheat and rice at the nominal price. Politically, Food Security Bill is definitely going to be a game changer. The Congress-led UPA will naturally going to be politically benefited as Food Security Bill would strengthen its claim of bondage with Aam Aadmi. No political party dare oppose the bill in open but the main opposition party BJP is aggressively looking for an excuse to stall it in Parliament. The ruling Congress-led UPA has also given the opposition parties one opportunity after another to grill it in Parliament. In the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament, missing of files from coal ministry echoes in Parliament and Opposition BJP is adamant on Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s speech how that happened before discussing any bill, no matter how important it is. It is almost a week of the session since there has been no discussion in Parliament. What has been seen is chaos and pandemonium over missing of important files from coal ministry and Telangana.

Enact law to ban black magic

The best tribute to rationalist Narandra Dabholkar would be to enact the law by Maharashtra government to ban black magic, superstition and inhuman practices in the name of religion immediately. Narendra Dabholkar was known for his over two-decade long campaign against outdated and inhuman social practices. He was 69 year old . He was head of ‘Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti’, an organization devoted to eradication of superstition. Narendra Dabhol was a rationalist who fought all his life against superstition, black magic, self acclaimed god men and all types of inhuman practices carried out in society under the patronage of politicians and religious dogmatists. His killing has shaken not only the men and women who think rationally in Maharashtra but all over India. His murder also shows how even in 21st century our society is still dominated by superstition, black magic and self-acclaimed god men. Dabholkar tried to awaken a sense of reasoning among the people and cautioned the society against all types of exploitation in the name of religion. Though he was not asking the people to be atheists, he propagated among them not to be misled by these self-acclaimed god men, practioners of black magic, superstition, tantras and mantras. Dabholkar murder is an attack on the constitution of the nation and the movement for the enlightment of society. He was very popular throughout Maharashtra. He founded ‘Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti and relentlessly worked for educating society against superstition and back magic. He was shot dead while on morning walk in Pune. Before his killing, there were attacks on him during his press conferences several times, but the Maharashtra police took no security measures. His death is a great blow to rationalism in society. Dabholkar had become an eyesore for the exponents of superstitions and promoters of black magic and inhuman acts in society. The politicians of our nation have also greatly contributed to the rise of god men like Dhirendra Brahmchari, Chandraswamy and others to promote medievalism in the society. If they had supported rationalism, our nation would have greatly benefited. Though the allegation has been levelled against some Hindu-outfits for the murder of Dabholkar by his supporters, it is a matter of thorough probe. First, his murderers should be brought to justice as early as possible by the Maharashtra police. Political parties and social organisations have rightly called for a day's bandh in Pune to protest the murder of anti-superstition crusader Narendra Dabholkar, even as police released the sketch of suspects.

Respect sanctity and tradition

Independence Day is celebrated every year on August 15 with full gusto and enthusiasm all over the nation. It is the most auspicious, glorious and happiest day for all Indians. Prime Minister addresses the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Independence Day every year. It is the day to rise above all political rivalries, discord and considerations. It is the day to affirm national pride and take vow to protect it at all costs. The entire nation celebrates it with full gusto and enthusiasm, forgetting all political rivalries and discord. Prime Minister does not belong only to the ruling political party but also the entire nation. In parliamentary democracy, disagreement between the ruling and the opposition parties is natural. But it does not mean that on this very auspicious day itself the prime minister should be criticized vehemently by the main opposition BJP leader and the Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi, who is most likely to be projected as the prime ministerial candidate of the party in 2014 Lok Sabha elections. He should not let PM down by challenging him for a debate on development in the open while hoisting the flag on Independence Day from Bhuj College campus in Gujarat. 15th of August is the Independence Day and all Indians celebrate it with full gusto. The opposition party leaders have every right to criticisize the Prime Minister on other 364 days. At least on this auspicious day, there must not be any criticism of the Prime Minister. Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi who appears to be in mad haste to become the prime minister of the nation after Lok Sabha elections in 2014 if the BJP wins. Modi must know that there are 28 states in India. So, there are 28 Chief Ministers also. All unfurl the flag on Independence Day in their respective states. And all are not Congress-ruled states. There are several non-Congress and non-BJP ruled states. No other opposition Chief Minister has ever challenged the Prime Minister on this auspicious day. Modi has not only criticized the Prime Minister but also let down the image of the nation, and by doing so in the eyes of foreign countries . Modi may be a good administrator and have provided good governance to the people of Gujarat. His Gujarat model of development may be the most suitable for the state, but it can not suit the remaining 27 states. He is also not only the single leader who has brought his party to power thrice and became the CM of the state three times in a row. There are also several other Chief Ministers who have won the state assembly elections and become Chief Ministers three consecutive times. Narendra Modi must not show his vaulting ambition of being the Prime Minister of the nation after 2014. His blunt and arrogant utterings against the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh have rightly been criticized all over the nation. It shows his trivial thinking and approach. He has to cover a very long distance to reach New Delhi and get power. And for that at least in India, he will have to go through penance for the alleged stigma of 2002 Gujarat riot. India is a secular and liberal nation and the leaders of sectarian belief are unacceptable.

People in tears over onion price

The abnormal rise in the prices of onion, which has become the costliest vegetable item, will certainly have political impact. It is true that due to the vagaries of rain and drought, the onion was not cultivated on a large-scale this year. Maharastra is the largest producer of onion. It is produced on the largest scale in Nasik there. With the falling of its production due to drought and heavy rains in many parts of the country, its distribution and transportation from one place to another was badly affected. These factors have also contributed to the rise in its prices. But the state and the central governments are not meant for watching the exorbitant price of all food items, including onion as mute spectators. They have to act. If there is shortage in the production of onion, they should have instantly stopped its export to maintain supply and demand of the market to stabilize its price. Onion is being sold at Rs 80 per kg in Delhi. Even the well off persons can not afford to purchase onion in Kg and they have become compelled to purchase in grams. In the given situation, the poor people can only dream of eating onion with bread and salt. This is the position of national capital New Delhi. Here both at the Centre and in the state, the ruling party is Congress. Both the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and the Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit are watching the situation and uneasiness among the poor people because of the abnormal price rise of all food articles and vegetable items, including onion, which tops the list, as mute spectators. They appear to have lost sense of sensitivity. They have become insensitive to the problems being faced by the common people due to runaway prices of all food items, including vegetables. Their Aam Aadmi slogan is nothing but an eyewash. Profiteers, black marketeers and hoarders have a field day. There is no government agency active to check their activities. Neither the state nor the Central government rises from its deep slumber to act. It is the duty of both the Central and State governments to act to keep the prices of all essential commodities, including all food items under control. They should act to maintain the smooth distribution and supplies of all these items so that the poor people could not face any problem in feeling their stomachs. The Delhi Congress government of Chief Minister Sheila Dixit appears to have forgotten that it is the onion price which had gone beyond the reach of poor Delhiites in 1998 that helped her throw the Sushma Swaraj-led BJP government of Delhi at that time. Since then Chief Minister Sheila Dixit has been ruling here. If she continued to be slothful and did not take any action against profiteers, black marketeers and hoarders, she is bound to face defeat in the November assembly elections of Delhi.

Inaction of Omar’s govt

The communal violences in Kishtwar, Doda and other parts of Jammu region is the result of the sheer inaction of the Omar Abdullah government. It was forewarned a few months earlier by the Intelligence bureau and a senior police officer that there might be communal violence in Kishtwar. But the Omar govt. did not take any notice. It has utterly failed to control violences and their spread to other districts of Jammu region. The communal violence in Kishtwar is not new. It has been a communally sensitive district of Jammu region. So, the government should always be alive to thwart the attempt of communal forces to create communal violences. The developing situation in the state of Jammu and Kashmir in view of the LoC incident in which five Indian soldiers were killed in an ambush by the specialist group of Pak army had already charged the atmosphere communally in the region. It is true that a certain political party leaders gave anti-India slogan in the tense atmoshphere of Kishtwar and they deliberately created communal tension to cause violence to polarize the community and take political benefit of the situation in the coming elections. Though Chief Minister Omar Abdullah asked state Home Minister Sajjad Kitchloo to resign as he was charged by the opposition BJP and others to instigate communal violence in Kishtwar, which is also his assembly constituency, he resigned but Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his father Union Minister Farooq Abdullah did not restrain themselves from politicizing the Kishtwar communal violence by asking the BJP why its Chief Minister of Gujarat Naraendra Modi did not allow any one to enter Gujarat in the aftermath of Godhra train burning tragedy that led to one of the worst riots in 2002. The opposition leader in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley was not allowed to go to Kishtwar as he was detained at airport itself and so was done with PDP boss Mehbooba Mufti by disallowing her to visit there. With the beginning of communal violence in Kishtwar that took three innocent lives and injured scores, eight districts out of 10 have come in the grip of communal violence. It is not only in Jammu and Kashmir but also in the entire country the first and foremost responsibility of both the state and central governments is to protect the lives and property of the minority community wherever they are living from the wrath of majority community so that there could be no migration and their resettlement . The experience of the exodus of minority Pandit community because of one-sided violence against them by the secessionist forces of majority community of Jammu and Kashmir in 1990s is still fresh. Pandits of Jammu and Kashmir were driven out of their homeland by the secessionist elements who were getting support from across the border in 1990s. So, the state government of Jammu and Kashmir with full support of the Centre must take strictest action to stop the communal violence and develop communal amity forthwith. Otherwise, our enemies are sitting across the border to fish in troubled water so that communal flare up could not be stopped. Though Omar Abdullah government has already ordered for judicial probe of the Kishtwar violence, the role of his former Home Minister Kitchloo must also be probed. His order for banning social site like twitter as preventive measure against the spread of rumors is understandable but preventing the entry of mainline media in Kishtwar reflects attemp to conceal his failure to control the communal violence. The leaders of All-party delegation must also visit communal violence affected Kishtwar and other places to help the government restore peace and communal amity. No political motive should be pursued to take political advantage out of communal violence by any political party.

Stop politicizing, send tough message

Today Defence Minister AK Antony in his statement in Parliament held Pakistan army directly responsible for the killing of five Indian soldiers while they were patrolling along the Line of Control. Around 20 heavily armed men comprising terrorists and Pak army jawans carried out ambush and killed five Indian soldiers inside the Line of Control (LoC). The statement given by the Defence Minister A K Antony in Parliament on the LoC killing of five soldiers yesterday had provided escape route to Pakistan. And his statement clearly reflected the Indian government's lineincy with Pakistan.This created uproar in Parliament by the Opposition BJP and demanded of AK Antony to tender apology for his lapses. That he has corrected today in Parliament. Both the ruling Congress-led UPA and the Opposition BJP-led NDA must stop politicizing the issue of our brave soldiers who martyred for the nation. They must not indulge in scoring political points over each other at this juncture.The nation needs to stand united at this moment and every political party must speak in one voice in the interest of the nation. The war can not be declared instantly but tough posture towards Pakistan could be adopted to show it that enough is enough and any more terror operations from across the border will have dangerous consequences born out of retaliatory measures by India. India also must not pursue any move to start talks at any level until and unless terror operations against it from the soil of Pakistan is stopped. Pak army has committed ceasefire violation umpteen times since the Ceasefire Agreement was put in place in 2003. Former Pak President General Musharraf had also given assurance to India that Pak would not allow terror operation from its soil. But it has been going on in blatant violation of his assurances. Did the External Affairs ministry though its diplomats has ever raised this issue against Pakistan on international stage and with the US, which despite all the mischief and misdemeanor of Pakistan impresses upon India to keep talking? What is meaning of this talk? India should also tell the US President Obama that as it has cancelled his summit talk with the Russian counterpart Putin because he has gone against his wishes so is doing with Pakistan as it has been hurting its interest. One the one hand our soldiers are killed in ambush by Pak army and the terrorists sponsored by it frequently and we should engage ourself in talks with it on the other. It is nothing but our foolishness. It also sends the message out that we are a soft, weak and shaken state. Whether the new regime of Nawaz Sharif in Pakistan is in control or not is itself a doubtful matter because the moment he won the elections, he showed positive gestures towards India but the ground reality is that his soldiers carried out ambush on LoC and killed five Indian soldiers. It reflects that Nawaz Sharif’s positive posture towartds India did not go well the all powerful Pak army and its most notorious Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), who give all patronage to terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hijbul Mujahideen to create mayhem and disturbance under the guidance Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed. India must make it crystal clear to Pakistan that no talks can be possible until and unless it takes credible action against perpetrators of Mumbai attacks who are safely ensconsed and availing state patronage there. The same message also must be sent to the US that this is our condition and this must be fulfilled before initiating any talk with Pakistan.

Pak back to its old mischievous activities

The killing of five Indian soldiers along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch sector in Jammu and Kashmir by around 20 armed men comprising terrorists and Pakistani soldiers is a cowardly act. The entire nation is shocked and sad over the death of Indian soldiers and seething in anger to take revenge and send out the message clearly that now enough is enough and we have capability and power to teach the lesson if ever they dared and carry out such tragic and notorious acts from the across the border again in future. India needs to send very tough message, which could have deterrent effect, that if Pakistan continued to do mischief, though would be taught a lesson never to be forgotten. Pakistan should also made to realize that it must not cross the line of our patience and take undue advantage of our gentleness and commitment to peace and amity in the South Asian region. It is certainly beyond any doubt that we are the biggest power in the region in all respects. Our tiny neighbour may have nuclear power but our military is so strong, disciplined, capable and dedicated to protect the borders and territorial integrity that if they are provoked from across the border any more, they can teach a lesson to the neighbour like Pakistan in only 24 hours. But as India is the largest democracy of the world and it has free media, it can not act like Pakistan where even democratically elected government cannot dare go against the wishes of its military and ISI. The unprovoked firing from across the border umpteen times by either Pakistani soldiers or Pak-based terrorists to infiltrate into India under the cover of firing is a routine affair. It is the strict vigil of our soldiers that the infiltrations from across the border are thwarted most of the time. So, morale of our soldiers must not be allowed to let down, no matter what will be its consequences. Even after a ceasefire agreement in 2003 was made between India and Pakistan, Pakistani soldiers have violated it a number of times. With the withdrawing process of US troops from Afghanistan set in motion and the change of regime in Pakistan, the firing and infiltration activities have increased from across the border . The attack on India Consulate in Afghanistan can also be attributed to these activities. Though Nawaz Sharif ostensibly extends the hands of peace and friendship towards India, he had also invited former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to Lahore in 1999 on one hand and his military was preparing to attack on Kargil. Just after the then Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee returned from Pak visit, the Pakistani army launched attack in Kargil. History is witness to the fact that whenever Nawaz Sharif came to power in Pakistan despite his ostensible show of peaceful gestures, terror activities were promoted in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere in India by Pakistan. This is the character of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He is most unreliable and he has no control over his military activities, though Pak military establishment has always greater in every government, irrespective of civilian or military. There is a secret intelligence report that Nawaz Sharif has a 'K' plan in his office under which he has given instruction to ISI and Pakistan based terror outfits that they can do whatever they consider necessary to create mayhem in Jammu and Kashmir so that it could be disintegrated from India but take care that his name should not come in picture. Nawaz Sharif has promised them to provide all resources from behind the scene to create all kinds of troubles in India. Though talk has no alternative resolve all outstanding issues between India and Pakistan, it can never be fruitful unless and until a strong and democratically elected government comes to power in Pakistan.

Unrest among political class over SC verdict

An all-party meeting has voiced concern over erosion of supremacy of Parliament with demands being made for a change in the mechanism of higher judiciary appointments and a response to the recent Supreme Court judgements on disqualification of legislators and barring those behind bars from contesting elections. The leaders of all political parties in their meeting reacted vehemently to Supreme Court verdict that appears that they consider themselves to be above law and no institution can question their rights and privileges, however they might promote in the entry of criminals in politics. The SC in its verdict has said that the day court of law convicts legislators, they will be disqualified and no legislators who are in jail can contest the elections. The political leaders who are seldom seen in agreement with the leaders of other political parties on any burning issues have shown miraculous unity against the highest court of the nation only because they feel that it has made attempt to erode their supremacy. They feel to be supreme and law unto themselves. This is a very dangerous trend growing in our polity. It is true that until and unless the guilt of the accused is proven in the highest court of the land, they can not be held guilty, no matter how serious accusation of crime they are facing in the court of law. But at the same time it is very essential to cleanse polity of criminal elements by disqualifying after the conviction by the court of law at any level and debarring them from contesting elections from jails. The political leaders feels themselves sacrosanct and nothing is above them. Every body knows that Parliament is supreme in Parliamentary democracy. It has right to make law. That is why its members are called law makers. But that does not mean that all other institutions have no say in the country. Judiciary is also one of the fours pillars of governance in parliamentary democracy. It is independent and it has the authority to hear any petition against the law made by the Parliament. So its verdict can not be made null and void by the government to please political class. In a meeting of all political parties a demand has been made on the government to amend the law that the could not disqualify and debar legislators from contesting elections from jails. They appear to be agitated over because 80 per cent of legislators are facing criminal cases. This is the position of our political class.

Beyond UPA- II capability

It is beyond the capacity of UPA-II govt to check price rise and corruption if the experience of fours years is anything to go by. Petrol price has been hiked again by 70 paisa per litre. This is the fifth increase in rates in two months, and diesel by 50 paisa per litre on firming international oil prices.This is the fifth increase in rates since June and in all petrol prices have gone up by a massive Rs 6.82 per litre. Oil firms had on 1st June raised prices by 75 paisa, excluding VAT, and followed it with a Rs 2 per litre increase on 16th June, a Rs 1.82 increase on 29th June and Rs 1.55 hike on 15th July.This hike is the seventh since the 17th January. All losses on diesel sales should have been wiped off by now to make the fuel market priced. The continuing price rise and the fall in the value of rupees against the dollar since the Manmohan Singh-led UPA-II govt got back to power in 2009 now clearly reflect that it is beyond its capacity to check price rise and devaluation of rupee despite the fact that this govt is packed with world-renowned economists. It is said that when the more priests assemble at a temple, it is bound to be destroyed. The same thing is happening with UPA-II govt. Only two things- one is price rise and the other is corruption- have broken all its previous records. Just after assuming power for the second time in a row in 2009, Prime Manmohan Singh had promised to the people in his address to the nation that he would bring down prices of all essential commodities in 100 days. His govt. could not do so in four years and neither it checked price rise nor did stop corruption. This government has become blind to the prevailing ground reality of the nation and it is only concerned with economic reforms without realizing the fact that more economic reforms pave way for more market control as it is happening with the price of petroleum products. As price of petroleum product is decided by the world market, it is beyond the control of the government to regulate it to keep its prices down. The continuing price rise of petrol, kerosene, LPG and diesel has cascading effect on all essential commodities. One thing most surprising is that despite having been self sufficient in food grains, why is the food inflation is going higher and higher? The primary reason behind continuing price rise is the callous approach of the government towards managing economy and that also leads to continuing devaluation of rupee. An another impression has gone among the people that it is due to rising corruption that the prices of all essential commodities have been on the rise. The only gift to the people of the nation given by the UPA Govt-II is the spate of corruption. There is all round disillusionment among the people with the government because of its utter failure to check price rise and corruption. Now the time is not on its side and if UPA-II govt failed to improve its functioning in the remain time left with it, it is bound to lose power in LS elections next year.