Humiliating defeat for BJP

The verdict of Karnataka assembly elections is a moral booster for the Congress Party, which has been voted to power on its own in the state, and a humiliating defeat for the BJP that it has lost the lone southern bastion. The issue of corruption, bad-governance and instability has gone against the BJP. Former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa had brought BJP single to power handedly for the first time in South India in 2008. But the indictment of the Karnataka Lokayukta against him for his alleged involvement in mining and land scam made the Central BJP leadership untenable to allow his continuance in office. He was sacked and there started the instability in Karnataka, and it saw three chief ministers of BJP in the last five years. Even after the sacking of Yeddyurappa, no effort was made by the BJP Central leadership to get the governance improved in the state of Karnataka through its chief ministers. Corruption, bad-governance, instability and cutting into the BJP votes by Karanataka Janata Paksha founded by BS Yeddyurappa after breaking away with the BJP have caused its humiliating defeat. Yeddyurappa has harmed the BJP very much. It is also the ire of the people of BJP government in Karanataka, which has contributed very much to the victory of Congress Party. Congress has won the assembly elections on the basis of negative voting. Neither Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi nor Congress Party Vice-President Rahul Gandhi’s factor has worker for BJP and Congress respectively. Narendra Modi is most likely to be projected by the BJP as its Prime Ministerial candidate and it is most certain in the case of Congress also for Rahul Gandhi in 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The corruption in Karnataka government weighed much more heavily on the minds of the people than the corruption charges and plethora of scandals in Congress-led Manmohan Singh UPA Government. The message for the BJP in its defeat in Karnataka is that it must act on the ground and raise voices against the corruption in Central government rather than only speaking and discussion in air- conditioned newsrooms of different TV news channels. The message for Congress is that the people of Karanataka has not given their mandate because its track record is unquestioned on the issues of corruption and bad-governance but because of that they wanted to be relieved of the corruption ridden BJP government. Karnataka verdict may give a new lease of life to the Congress but it would have to come clean on the charges of corruption before 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Otherwise, it will have to face the same fate as BJP has met in Karanataka on the issue of corruption.

Clear the air of deal over pull out

Quiet diplomacy adopted by India succeeded in uprooting the 5 tents erected by Chinese troops after intruding 19 km inside Depsang Valley in Laddakh since April 15. But the buzz all around us is that China extracted its share of flesh from the Indian side before agreeing to return to the position existed before April 15. According to Indian side, the Chinese troops agreed to uproot its tents and return to maintain status quo. The eye-ball-to eye- ball situation between Indian and Chinese troops ended after the flag meeting between local commanders along with diplomatic exchanges at the higher level. Outwardly, it appears that Indian govt. has succeeded in vacating Indian Territory without any skirmishes through quiet diplomacy. But if the news paper report is anything to go by, the Indian side has reportedly agreed to dismantle its Chumar Outpost along the Line of Control to keep vigil on Chinese activities on Karakoram Highway. This is a very vital post from the security point of view for India. And nation would never accept any deal over dismantling Chumar outpost, though China has been demanding the eviction of Indian troops, dismantling of all the bunkers and stopping of all the construction activities since 2005. But India can not strike any deal with China over dismantling the Chumar Outpost. Defence Minister and Foreign Minister must come out in the open and assure the nation that no deal has been made with China over Chumar for uprooting the five tents the Chinese troops had erected 19 KM inside Indian Territory. If the experience with China is anything to go by, it might be possible its troops may have intruded 19 km inside the Indian Territory in Ladakh as rehearsal of their assault or gauze the Indian reaction to their mischief. It is beyond any doubt that China is always on look out to encircle India in South Asia itself as it considers its archrival in the world power game. India's most hostile neighbour Pakistan is China's closet friend and it can use its military base to attack India as and when required. Nepal is already developing good relation with China. China has also naval base in Sri Lanka in India's backyard and it has also made bases in Bangladesh. It has only made all the neighbours of India its close friend to damage Indian interests. So, keeping all these Chinese activities in view in its backyard, India must keep itself prepared to meet any eventualities and challenges thrown at it at any point of time. China's eye-sour is Tibet, which it has kept under its control based on its military power.China will make Tibet independent. So, when the rival between the two Asian giants has no longer been secret, India must always support Tibettans in their struggle to break the Chinese shackles. It will always act as thorn in Chinese flesh. Besides that, India must not fall behind in co-operating and working with the Asian countries like Vietnam, Japan, Taiwan and others who are considered opposed to China.

Need for the change of mindset

The death of Sarabjit due to brutal attack on him in Kot Lakhpat jail in Pakistan has badly hurt the feelings of the whole India and the ramification of this sad incident will be naturally seen in the pause of engagement between the two neighbours to improve the relations. Sponsorship of terror and prejudiced mindset of successive Pak governments towards India have been root cause of worsening relations between the two neighbours. Pak establishments have the deep-rooted notion that more they appear hawkish and spite venom against India, the more support they will get from the people. That is why they do not miss any opportunity to hurt the feelings of India. Since the inception of Pakistan by carving out of India, the two neighbours have never experienced good neighbourly relations. Pakistan always harbours grudge and animosity against India and has been trying to disintegrate it by sponsoring terrorism. Pakistan's main motive has been to disturb the communal harmony of India by hook or by crook. It is the animosity and hatred against India that Indian national Sarabjit Singh was attacked brutally inside the jail in Pakistan by his fellow inmates. It was a murderous attack made out of animosity against India that resulted in his death. Sarabjit’s death increased excessive ire of Indians all over the nation against Pakistan that has compelled the government to cold shoulder any further talk process. Pakistan needs first to change its mindset towards India. Only then, there should be any initiative to begin peace process from Indian side. Otherwise, no talk will ever improve the relation with Pakistan. Though there has been democratically elected government in Pakistan for the last five years, there had never been made any effort to launch public awareness campaign from the government side there to impress up on the people that India is their neighbour, and not enemy. India is like Pakistan’s elder brother. Undoubtedly, there is dominance of radical religious elements in Pakistan society, but there is also no dearth of people there who want increasing people to people relation with India. There is also cultural, linguistic and civilization similarity between the people of the two neighbours. The only lacunae that exists in the successive governments of Pakistan irrespective of military and civilian is that they never made any effort to rein in radicalism and militancy that have poisoned the atmosphere and sowed the seeds of hatred and enmity against India among the people of Pakistan. So, until and unless the mindset of Pakistan changes, no talks between the two neighbours can be fruitful.

Railway bribery rocks UPA Govt.

Hardly a day passes when a charge of bribery, scandal and scam appears in the UPA-II Govt. UPA Govt. appears to be synonymous with corrupt practices and no morality in public life appears to be left with the ministers of Manmohan Singh Council of Ministers. The CBI has arrested the nephew of Union Railways Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs. 90.000 from a high-level railway official through a conduit to fix a top-level post in Railway Board. Though the Railway Minister Bansal has distanced himself from his nephew V Singla and dismissed any business link with him, he must have the realization that because of his being maternal uncle of accused and very close to him, it is clear that he had allegedly taken bribe to influence him. That is all public knows. Congress Party has also brushed aside Bansal’s resignation and described the demand of his resignation by opposition parties as its disease. But the party forgets that the people know everything, symptoms of corruption as a grave disease are itself clearly reflected within its party leaders in government and how much honest the Congress leaders be reflected in people's verdict in 2014 Lok Sabha elections. It also appears that the UPA Ministers have the motto to loot the nation and the people until they become bankrupt. Why a person who has no relation with Railway Minister or nothing to do with Railway Ministry would take bribe from a top official of the department to fix a top post in Railway Board. To uphold the probity in public life, the Railway Minister must resign immediately pending to the period of enquiry. The Congress Party must ask Pawan Kumar Bansal and Ashwani Kumar Railways and Law Ministers respectively to resign forthwith. Ashwani Kumar is also facing the charge of sharing with the CBI draft status report on Coalgate scam, which was to be submitted to the Supreme Court. If these two ministers resign immediately, the message will go out in public that the ruling Congress Party is committed to upholding probity in public life. Otherwise, its tainted face will invite much public ire in the coming Lok Sabha election in 2014. It is true that Opposition BJP has the habit of demanding resignation every now and then. But where the culpability is all before every naked eye of the public about the bribery charge against the nephew of the Railways Minister, there is no sense in defending him. More the Congress Party defends its tainted ministers, more the harm it inflicts on itself. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi must take the charge of bribery and misuse of office seriously against their ministers and ask them to resign forthwith. Otherwise, the sinking boat of the Congress Party is bound to sink finally in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

Congress in upbeat mood in Karnataka

The Karnataka assembly elections are going to be held on May 5. The electioneering ends and the counting will take place on May 8.The ruling Bhartiya Janata Party in Karnataka is facing not only anti-incumbency but also massive charges of corruption committed during the chief ministership of former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa. Yeddyurappa is credited with bringing the BJP to power for the first time in southern India by winning the state assembly elections in 2008. He was really the only southern stalwart of the party. But as the corruption reigned supreme in his regime and consequently the adverse remark of the state Lokayukta, the Central BJP was left with no option but to sack Yeddurappa. It was not possible for the BJP to attack the UPA government at the Centre on the issue of corruption when it was itself involved in mining and land scam in Karanataka during Yeddyurappa regime. After stepping down from the chief ministership, Yeddyurappa broke away with the BJP and formed Karnataka Janata Party (KJP). In the five year of BJP regime, Karnataka has seen three Chief Ministers. So, it has lost score on the stability issue. On the issue of corruption, it has already been defamed in the state. In addition to that, Yeddyurappa’s KJP is definitely going to cut into the vote banks of the BJP. As Yeddyurappa comes from dominant Lingayat community, BJP may not get wholesome support from that community also. So, the party stands looser on all these counts. However, the Congress Party is trying its best to assure the people in the state that if it were voted to power, it would get rid of all corrupt practices, which were carried out in the last five-year regime of the BJP in the state. Though there is no wind blowing in favour of any party, the Congress Party is in upbeat mood to retrieve its pre-eminent position in the state. If the mood of the people and all the signals coming out from the state are anything to go by, Congress Party may win the assembly elections and form the government on its own in Karnataka. The Congress and the BJP have put everything into electioneering. The BJP finds it difficult to defend itself on the issue of corruption in Karnataka. When the party never falls short of charging the Congress-led UPA government with massive corruption and enumerates scandals like 2G Spectrum, CWG, Coalgate and others, it is morally bound to explain the charges of mining and land scam before the people against its government in Karanatka. The campaigning for May 5 Assembly polls in Karnataka ends on Friday. Congress and BJP made a strong pitch for people’s mandate in the high-stake elections. Elections would be held to 223 Assembly seats, after the one in Piriyapatna was postponed to May 28 following the death of the BJP candidate. Counting of votes will take place on May 8. It would also be interesting to see role former BJP leader and Chief Minister Yeddurappa and JDS Leaders HD Dewegauda and Kumaraswamy play in the formation of new government in the state.

Cold-blooded murder

The entire nation is shocked and saddened over the death of Sarabjit Singh. The way barbaric attack was made on him inside the jail in Lahore leaves no one in doubt about the well-hatched conspiracy of attackers with Pakistani state actors. The barbaric attack on Indian national Sarabjit Singh, who is on death row in Pakistan's Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore, by two of his fellow inmates, who are also on death row, and his subsequent death in hospital is an act of killing under a well-hatched conspiracy. Sarabjit Singh was attacked in a barbaric way inside the jail only because he was an Indian. The security inside the jail for the prisoner like Sarabjit Singh was very lax and it appears that as elections are underway in Pakistan, the Government there too had tacit involvement in the murderous attack on Sarabjit Singh to emotionally blackmail the Pakistani voters for their favour by whipping up anti-India wave in Pakistan. If Pakistan had noble intention, it had conceded India's demand of Sarabjit Singh's release on humanitarian ground for best possible medical treatment. Pakistan neither handed over Srabjit to India for better medical treatment nor did it itself take him to any third country of the world to provide him better medical treatment to save his life. Pakistan deliberately left Sarabjit to die. It might be possible that Sarabjit had already died before he was admitted to Lahore hospital for treatment. His treatment was a state show to hoodwink the international community. When Pakistan did not hear any plea of India to save Sarabjit at least on humanitarian ground, it must be taken to International Human Rights court. India also must launch diplomatic offensive against at all international forums to defame it on its dubious human rights record. There has been naked violation of human rights in the case of Indian national Sarabjit Singh by Pakistan. Its state actors are allegedly involved in the killing of Sarabjit. Without the deliberate oversight of security personnel inside the jail on the activities of attackers, this kind of cruel attack can not be made on Sarabjit. An Indian has been killed out of animosity against India. It is the inimical attitude of Pakistan against India and the price for which has been paid by the brave Indian Sarabjit Singh, who had been languishing in Pakistan jail for the last 22 and was on death row only because of mistaken identity. Pakistan has no moral compunction to hurt the feelings of 1.2 billion Indians. It is our enemy and it must be treated as such. Pakistan does not know the civilized language. It is a rogue state. So, it must be treated as it deserves without any further consideration.

Make CBI autonomous

It is very difficult for the Central Bureau of Investigation to defy government authorities as long as it is working under them. CBI Director Ranjit Sinha has rightly said that it is one of the organs of the government. The Supreme Court has made very strong observation against the sharing of draft status report of the CBI on Coal gate scam with Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, PMO and Coal Ministry officials. The apex court is monitoring CBI investigation. Supreme Court has rightly said that when CBI was investigating the Coalgate Scam under its direction, why has it shared draft status report with its political boss? It is a disturbing development and a breach of trust. The apex court was kept in dark about it. Apex court has also been misled. Which why the apex court has vowed to liberate the CBI from political dominance. CBI should not be influenced by its political masters. But it is impossible for the CBI to work independently as long as it is under the control of the government. It is not only the Manmohan Singh-led UPA-II government at the Centre, which has used the CBI to protect their political and other interests but almost all governments irrespective of the political party have used it since its inception to serve its political interests. The CBI director in the affidavit has stated that he shared the draft status report with Law Minister Ashwani Kumar as desired by him, the PMO and Coal ministry officials.The Supreme Court has termed it very disturbing. CBI should not have shared the draft status report other than the apex court as it was investigating the case under its direction. CBI should have asserted and its director should have shown moral strength by refusing to share the draft status report other than the Supreme Court. The apex court has rightly said that sharing of information with the government about the probe into the scam has shaken the entire process and CBI need not take instructions from political masters on their probe. It can only be possible when the CBI would be made autonomous. The apex court can compel the government in power to make the CBI autonomous.