Don’t test people’s patience any more

It is better for the UPA Government not to test people’s patience with its acts of price rise spree. Petrol price has been hiked by Rs. 7.50 per litre. Steepest-ever hike in petrol prices has shocked the people. UPA Government washes its hands off highest hike in prices of petrol by saying that the price of petrol stands de-regulated and this has been done by oil companies. But in reality, the oil companies can not announce the hike in prices on their own and at the time of their choosing. If the petroleum companies have increased prices to reduce their losses as per the government’s view point, why did they not do so in January when there were elections in five states, including UP and why did it a day after the end of Budget session? This shows that this UPA-II has no sensitivity. The entire nation is in fury over the complete failure of UPA-II to check prices of all essential commodities, including the petroleum products. To galvanize the rising anger of the people against the government, the entire opposition parties need to launch a joint and concerted agitation to paralyze the government so that it could dare not test the patience of the nation. By giving suggestions only to the UPA-II government to do this way or that way to check price rise will not do any purpose. The people of the nation have lost all hopes with Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh-led UPA government. They are impatiently waiting for the opportunity to throw this government out. This government does not deserve to be in power even for a moment any more because of its total failure to halt the running away of prices of all essential commodities. The disenchantment of the people with the government is so deep that if it did not pay any attention to the problems being faced by them due to price rise at frequent intervals; it will definitely be taught a lesson that all predecessor governments will not like to forget. In democracy, sovereignty vests in the people of the nation. They are the masters. The majority of the poor people living below the poverty line are facing hardship to the extreme level. NDA led by BJP must seize the opportunity and come out on the streets against the government. It is good that NDA has decided to hold nation-wide bandh on May 31. But it must mobilize the support of Left and other political parties out of UPA to compel the government to review the price of petrol hike by Rs. 7.50 per litre by oil companies.

Re-think on IPL

Indian Premier League (IPL) is defaming the gentleman game of cricket. It has been primarily formed to make money, offer politicians top level post and enjoy romancing. IPL Franchise owners, players and politicians have made the game of cricket a mockery. IPL has been plagued by match fixing, brawl by famous owner of KKR and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and the charge of molestation against an Australian player of RCB. The charge about an attempt of rape is the most unsavoury incident of the IPL. The way young girls are engaged to encourage the players of different teams during IPL matches only shows the hunger for earning more and more by hook or by crook. IPL is against the game of cricket in India. It should be dissolved as early as possible. Otherwise, the players of the national team will concentrate less in the One-day or the Test matches more in IPL matches to make money in a very short time. IPL is their instant source of money. The falling standard of Test and One-Day matches in the field reflects all the evils borne out of IPL. The franchise owners in the IPL offer huge money to players to play cricket for their team. The players have an easy source of money. They take huge money and play better to increase their amount of contract in the next IPL matches. The players play for their team in IPL with more concentration than what they play for the national team. They also want to earn more in a very short time. Another huge controversy has struck the IPL with an Australian player Pomersbach with Royal Challengers Bangalore being arrested on charges of molesting an Indian American woman and severely attacking her fiancee leaving him in hospital. Pomersbach has been granted bail According to the police, 27-year-old Australian player Luke Pomersbach allegedly misbehaved with the woman, a US citizen of Indian origin, at the Maurya Sheraton Hotel here last night and has been arrested. The court has granted him bail. All these developments show how deep degeneration has set in official and players of IPL that they can go to any extent for pleasure and money.

India must raise terror issue prominently

The two-day Home Secretary level talks between India and Pakistan are going to be held on May 24 and 25 in Islamabad. The agenda for the home secretary-level talks with Pakistan has been approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security.At the talks, the home secretaries would be discussing terrorism and are expected to sign a revised visa agreement to provide for easier travel between the two countries. Among the provisions of the revised visa agreement is the increase in the number of cities allowed to be visited, exempting elderly people from police reporting, multiple entry for business persons and group tourism. It will promote the people to people contact between the two countries. The Indian delegation, led by Home Secretary R K Singh, is expected to press for action by Pakistan to bring the Mumbai terror attack perpetrators, including JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, to justice, and speedy trial in a Pakistani court of seven 26/11 accused like Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi. The issue of Pak-sponsored terrorism is India’s main concern. Since the Mumbai attacks in 2008, India has been making demands with concrete proof to handover the mastermind of Mumbai attacks JuD boss Hafiz Sayeed, but Pakistan has always adopted the dilly dallying tactics and allowed him roaming free to spit venom against India openly. At the Home Secretary level talks, India has to raise the voice to bring the Mastermind Hafiz Sayeed and other perpetrators of Mumbai attacks to justice if they have to be of any sense. It is good that both sides try to prepare the ground for summit level talks to resolve all outstanding issues between the two. Pakistan is moving in regard to India on the strategy of thousands cuts since the military rule of General Zia-ul Haq in 1980s. Pak military and its ISI have major say in the formulation of policy to deal with India. Political leadership has always been weakened there. That is why no fruitful talks have ever been held with Pakistan. Home Secretary level talks may prove to be very successful but one thing is clear that until and unless the final approval of Pak military is given to them, no headway is possible. Hafiz Sayeed’s influence in Pakistan can be known from the fact that even when the US announced 10 mln on his head to catch him, he is freely moving in Pakistan. US has been the mentor of Pakistan since its inception. It always pumps economic package to keep it to going. Even the announcement of huge money on his head made no difference in Pakistan. Because the military backs Hafiz Sayeed and the democratic leadership is weak and shaky.

Real life behaviour

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan must have realized that it was happening in real life and any undeserved action would draw national media attention. And he has defended his real life controversial action at Wankhade Stadium. Though he has rightly said that it has become fashion to defame luminaries in the incident involving them that they were drunk, they have also greater responsibility to maintain courtesy and decorum at the public gathering. Luminaries should also not impose their influence and status at public place. Within days of a TV sting operation that implicated five players in spot-fixing, the IPL was hit by another furore during KKR's match against Mumbai Indians with one of its franchise owners in the spotlight. The MCA officials have lodged a police complaint against Khan for his alleged badmouth at the stadium and decided to ban him for life from entering the premises. Bollywood superstar and Co-owner of Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL is not an ordinary personality. His action must be exemplary. He is expected to control himself, if the allegation of abusing MCA guard and officials of MCA at Wankhede Stadium is considered to be true, and not carry away at a mere victory of his team over Mumbai Indians in IPL match. Being the co-owner of a sports team in IPL and an icon of the nation in the field of cinema , superstar Shah Rukh should have avoided the brawl with guards. MCA has alleged that Shah Rukh Khan was inebriated and he abused the guards and MCA officials while forcing his way along with children into the field from the dressing room after the end of the match. MCA has already lodged a complaint against the with police. Though superstar Shah Rukh Khan has not denied he had abused guards and MCA officials at the provocation . He has reportedly defended himself and alleged that they misbehaved with the children with him. He has also reportedly said that he has not tendered any apology. MCA demands life time ban on Bollywood superstar King Khan for entering the Wankhade Stadium. It has demanded of BCCI and IPL to act against him. Undoubtedly, the nation holds Shah Rukh Khan in high esteem and he has done us proud. His popularity transcends all boundaries. The big personalities of the nation must not flaunt their status before guards and peons. If guards at Wankhade Stadium misbehaved with him and the children, he should have complained against them with the officials concerned at the Wankhade Stadium.

Rise above SP’s culture on law and order

It is less than two months since the youthful, dynamic and progressive Samajwadi party leader Akhilesh Yadav became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh after the massive mandate party was given by the people in the recently concluded assembly elections. The SP legislatures elected him as their leader and he was sworn-in as the Chief Minister of the state. To maintain law and order in the state is the sole responsibility of the government. Samajwadi regime’s track record of law and order has been very shameful in the past. It has always been its most problematic area. Its rule has been identified with deteriorating law and order. Even CM Akhilesh Yadav’s father former CM and Samajwadi party boss Mulayam Singh Yadav’s rule has been infamous for deteriorating law and order. Due to total failure of Mulayam Singh rule in improve law and order in the state during SP’s previous regime, the party was badly defeated in assembly elections five years ago in 2007 by BSP. Though the former Chief Minister and BSP supremo Mayawati had established a fear of law and order in the mind of law breakers, her aristocratic behaviour and drain of public exchequer on building the statues of famous dalit personalities and political leaders, including herself under political aggrandizement plan caused her party’s defeat at the hands of Samajwadi party under its youthful leadership of Akhilesh Yadav in the recently concluded assembly elections. The stigma of bad law and order tagged with Samajwadi Party haunted the people of Uttar Pradesh but the development-oriented outlook, modern thinking, open-mindedness and reflection of good intentioned nature of CM Akhilesh Yadav to work for the people of the state motivated them to vote for Samajwadi Party. The party got massive mandate. But the high thinking of the people itself started breaking when in the swearing ceremony of CM Akhilesh Yadav, some workers of the party gave account of their chaotic action on the stage itself. Chief Minister had assured of taking action against the workers and leaders who created ugly scene but it was taken against only small workers and their leaders were left untouched. Now, the Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has assured action against the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Saharanpur Satish Kumar Mathur who has reportedly endorsed honour killing.The promise of taking action against the top ranking police official has come in view of growing public outrage over the shocking remark. DIG was on caught on camera snubbing complainant, who had come to seek help to find his 14-year-old daughter kidnapped by some local musclemen. The complainant feared that his daughter might be raped and killed. The DIG reportedly told him to kill his daughter if she had eloped with somebody. He had reportedly said to him that he did not have magical power to recover his daughter. But if she has eloped, he should be ashamed of it and end his life. He would have committed suicide or killed his sister if she had eloped. The honour killing remark has been made by none other than the DIG of Police, who is entrusted with the task of maintaining law and order. This is the most shameful remark by the DIG. The stringent action must be taken against the DIG, which could have deterrent impact on law enforcing authorities in the state of Uttar Pradesh. When the protector behaves in this manner, the law breakers will have hey-day in UP. CM Akhilesh Yadav must act against law breakers stringently and come to the expectation of the people in the state. CM needs urgently to rise above his party’s culture so far as law and order of the state is concerned.

Develop tolerance

The offensive remarks made by Baba Ramdev against Members of Parliament may be unconstitutional and uncultured but the way MPs across party line expressed their reactions to them can not be justified in healthy democracy. Members of Parliament have expressed anger over offensive remarks made by yoga guru Baba Ramdev. Samajwadi Party MP has already moved a privilege motion seeking action against people making derogatory remarks against MPs. The MP has initiated the motion without naming Baba Ramdev, who had called MPs "murderers and robbers" at a public function in Durg. In parliamentary system, the people elect members of Parliament and because of that they have every right to criticize them. MPs have been sent to parliament to raise people’s problems before the government. Instead of carrying out their duties towards the people, MPs generally display their vocal cord and muscle power in breaking chairs, microphone phone for disrupting the important parliamentary business. They do these things only to attract media attention to become the topic of talks among the people about their misbehaviours inside the House. Parliament is the highest constitutional institution and temple of democracy. It is an August body and its dignity can not be lowered. At the same time, if the affidavit produced at the time of filing nomination papers for the election of Lok Sabha is anything to go by, 162 MPs are allegedly involved in one kind of heinous crime or the other. It is the political party that is mostly responsible for bringing the persons of criminal background into Parliament. Political parties observe the chance of Winn ability of candidate while distributing the party ticket. Now it is the responsibility of social activists, spiritual leaders and others to launch a campaign to awaken the people to cast their votes in favour of only those candidates who are honest, wise and known for their social background irrespective of their belief in party ideology. Only then we could form the Parliament of clean and honest MPs. In democracy, the people are free to criticize the politicians. Criticism is a healthy system in democracy. What is wrong if either Arvind Kejriwal or Baba Ramdev say that 162 MPs are facing trial for their crime? The charge against them may be politically motivated but allegations are already there on record against the MPs. Social activists and spiritual leaders are free to criticize the members of Parliament. They should also not go beyond the constitutional norms and behaviour. The words rapists, looters, murderers and thieves are used to describe the elected members of Parliament by social activists, spiritual leaders and others. Some members of Parliament are facing criminal charge but it does not allow them to tar all of them with the same brush.

Congress needs revamping urgently

The first and foremost task before the Congress party is to overhaul organizational set-ups at all levels to infuse life into them, which are almost lifeless of all over the nation. The party workers are demoralized at defeat in one election after another in the state. They have become listless from the block to state and national level. Only the charismatic personalities of Gandhi family will no longer bring about any miracle in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. To fight strongly in 2014, the party leaders must listen to workers’ views and desires patiently and act accordingly. The dismal performance of the Congress Party in the just-concluded assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh despite very hard campaigning by none other than party general Secretary Rahul Gandhi has shattered the morale of party workers especially in the areas which have been the pocket boroughs of Gandhi family- Amethi and Rae Bareli. The result in the UP assembly elections is a loss of face for Rahul Gandhi also. It has also given clear signal that the party needs to overhaul its organizational set-up all over the state if it has to be in the reckoning to retain power at the Centre. The party organization at all levels from bock to state capital level is in a mess. This has been reflected in party workers outpourings against local level leaders before Rahul Gandhi who visited Amethi to review the just-concluded elections in Uttar Pradesh. Apart from the organizational paralysis of the Congress party in the state, failure of its government at the Centre to rein in price rise and check corruption are among the most important reasons for its defeat. The organizational set-up of the party is so weak that the workers fail to take the message among the people about the centrally launched pro-poor programmes, policies and projects. The opposition party ruled states take their advantage. While reviewing the defeat, the Congress leadership must ensure that grass root workers’ opinions are not ignored by the local level leaders of the party. Rahul Gandhi has faced a barrage of complaints against local-level leaders and he promised that those who harmed the party during the elections would be identified and shown the door. Congress Party has fared dismally even in areas which were considered its stronghold. Mr. Gandhi has assured that the organization would be revamped and priority would be given to active, honest and dedicated workers. Congress workers are the backbone of the party and their voice must be heard. Party leaders need to motivate and encourage the workers so that they could not get discouraged and start preparing for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in full gusto and sincerity. Genuine party workers are critical of some vested interests in the party who have been harassing them. Party workers’ grievances must be looked into without any delay. Otherwise, writing on the wall is not encouraging.