Bihar deserves special status

If Bihar does not have the criteria for special status, the parameter of special status needs to be urgently changed. And if it is not possible immediately, Bihar must be tagged as Backward state and provided enough financial package immediately. It is the birth right of Bihar and without its all round development, the national development will remain incomplete. Biharis are intelligent, talented, laborious, hardworking and committed to take the nation forward in all fields. Wherever in the country development is visible, the contribution of Biharis is there. It is the lack of opportunities in Bihar because of its backwardness, there has been migration of people from the state in search of livelihood in different parts of the country. Though Bihar has been developing fast for the last eight years under chief minister Nitish Kumar and it has left behind all states this financial year by recording 11.99 percent economic growth, it deserves special status to match the national development indices very quickly. It is one of the most backward states of India if all round development is taken into account. It is also the first among so-called 'Bimaru' states. That is why it must have the tag of backwardness and thereby the adequate financial package from the Centre. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been demanding special status for Bihar. He held a mammoth meeting at Ramlila Maidan ground in Delhi on March 17 to demand special status for Bihar. Bihar may not be fulfilling the criteria for special status but undoubtedly it deserves the tag of backward state. The economic growth rate achieved by Bihar in the financial year 2012-2013 under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been profusely praised by none other than Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister P Chidambram. There may be political interest behind the praise by the PM and the FM in the given fluid political scenario where the ruling Congress-led UPA at the Centre is getting weaker and weaker day by day with its alliance partners like TMC ,DMK and some other small parties breaking away from it. Samajwadi party of Mulayam Singh Yadav supporting from outside till now is also threatening to withdraw its support anytime. In order to offset any possibility of uncertainty about the UPA at the Centre before 2014, the Congress has also swung into action by showing warmth towards Nitish Kumar as his JD(U) is in a mood to break alliance with BJP if it projected Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as prime ministerial candidate in 2014 Lok Sabha. He had already shown aversion to Narendra Modi in 2010 when he did not allow him to enter Bihar for electioneering in assembly elections for JD(U)-BJP. Nitish has also made clear that the candidate for prime minister must be of secular credentials. Modi is in no way considered to be secular and the stigma of Gujarat riot of 2002 is still on him. The rally, meeting and signature campaign for the demand of special status to Bihar has been spearheaded by JD(U) only. Its coalition partner BJP in the state has been kept aside from this campaign. Congress knows it very well that if ever BJP projected Naredra Modi as prime ministerial candidate of which there is strong possibility, JD(U) will take no time in parting ways with BJP in NDA. Having political interest in mind, the Centre will certainly grant backward tag to Bihar and thereby pump economic package to the state to keep Nitish Kumar in good humour. And on the issue of secularism, Nitish Kumar may extend his party's outside support to UPA to run its course.

Issue of pardoning Sanjay Dutt

Supreme Court of India has given its verdict in the 20 years old case of 1993 Mumbai Blasts. The apex court handed down 5 years imprisonment to celebrated and popular film actor Sanjay Dutt in this case for possessing prohibited weapons. He has not been held guilty of involvement in the blasts. He has also not been held a terrorist by the highest court of the land. Undoubtedly, the 1993 Mumbai blasts which took 257 innocent lives, injured several and brought unending misery on many families. So, whoever has been found guilty of involvement in this heinous crime must be punished stringently. Sanjay Dutt has not been found connected with Mumbai blasts. As far as the chorus for letting off Sanjay Dutt is concerned, Press Council of India Chairman Justice Markanday Katju has appealed Maharashtra Governor K Sankarnarayan to grant pardon to the film actor Sanjay Dutt on humanitarian ground. Many are in full agreement with the appeal of Justice Katju. Even the Supreme Court has also decreased the period of his imprisonment from six to five years. Sanjay Dutt has already gone 18 months of imprisonment and suffered a lot during these 20 years. During this period, Sanjay suffered a lot and had a cloud hovering over his head throughout. He had to undergo various tribulations and indignities during this period. He had to go to court often, he had to take the permission of the court for foreign shootings, and he could not get bank loans. It is correct that due to his imprisonment, his wife, children, family and bollywood would suffer a lot at this juncture. For possessing prohibited weapons, there is minimum of 5 and maximum of 10 years imprisonment. The gun found with him is not an ordinary gun that sold in the market. License is not issued for AK-56 to any individual. Sanjay Dutt family background, personal behaviour, talent in the bollywood and inadvertent illegal action make a strong case for his pardon. He may have no knowledge of law that it is illegal to have unlicensed weapons, though ignorance of law is no excuse. But for this, he had already gone imprisonment of 18 months and during this ordeal he must have reformed himself. Justice Katju has made appeal under article 161 of the Constitution wherein there is clear provision that Governor could grant pardon to the convict. Nanawati case is already there for example before us. Nanawati case was a murder case and the case against Sanjay Dutt is illegal possession of weapons. So, Justice Katju’s appeal to grant pardon Sanjay Dutt is not misplaced and the Governor of Maharastra may consider it on humanitarian ground. Though all are equal before law, the case of Sanjay Dutt deserves humanitarian consideration as the incident happened 20 years ago in which he was not found to be involved. The case against him is virtually of illegal possession of weapons.

DMK’s domestic political compulsion

DMK pulling out UPA has been necessitated by the domestic political compulsion of Tamil Nadu where each Tamil political party is in race to score political points on its rival over the issue of Sri Lankan Tamil. It has nothing to do with the national interest. Whether the DMK pulls out of the Congress-led UPA and breaks its 9 year old relations with the government at the Centre to keep its political interest in Tamil Nadu intact or not matters little for the UPA as it would make no impact on its health. DMK has taken this drastic step to show full solidarity with Sri Lankan Tamils to put pressure on the UPA government to adopt stringent amendment to US sponsored resolution at UNHRC against Sri Lanka. DMK’s pulling out of UPA-II is also not a matter of any significance for the nation. It is the interest of the nation that matters most. It must be kept above all domestic political considerations. DMK has pulled out of UPA government for allowing the watering down of US resolution against Sri Lanka at UNHRC and not considering its suggestion on the matter. Though the three UPA ministers had met DMK Chief and persuaded him not to pull out of the UPA a day earlier in Chennai, he saw the interest of his party in going with Elam Tamil and announced the pulling out of the UPA on Tuesday. DMK has 18 MPs in Lok Sabha. Its pulling out will make no impact on the stability of the UPA government at the Centre so long as both the archrivals SP and BSP of UP continued to support it from outside. This shows the management skill of Congress that has struck fine balance between the two arch rivals. As far as the stand of India at UNHRC on US sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka is concerned, it is for the government to tackle the issue diplomatically and not come under domestic political pressure of its ally to deal with the issue. The UPA government has already voted on UN resolution against Sri Lanka under pressure from southern Tamil political parties. It is for India to decide to decide how to handle the issue at UN. The interest of the nation must be kept above all considerations. One of the amendments that the DMK suggest is to declare that genocide and war crimes had been committed and inflicted on the Eelam Tamils by the Sri Lankan Army and the administrators. The second is establishment of a credible and independent international commission of investigation in a time bound manner into the allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law and crime of genocide against the Tamils.

India’s befitting reply

Indian Parliament has rightly given befitting reply by rejecting outright Pak resolution passed by its National Assembly condemning the hanging of Parliament attack accused Afzal Guru. Pakistan has deliberately interfered in our internal affairs. It must be rebuffed resolutely. The motive of passing the resolution of condemnation of Parliament attack accused Afzal Guru's hanging is to provoke the people of Jammu and Kashmir against the government of India. It was necessary for India to show the solidarity and unity of the nation against any attempt by any corner of the world to interfere in our internal matter. The show of unity in both of Houses of Parliament against the censure resolution passed by National Assembly of Pakistan is praise worthy. The entire state of Jammu and Kashmir and the territory under illegal occupation of Pakistan is and shall be the integral part of India. By passing the resolution in National Assembly against the hanging of a proclaimed terrorist, Pakistan has shown open support to terror in India. Pakistan itself has been the breeding ground of terrorism. It has been running nursery schools of terror. World' most wanted terrorist Osama bin laden had been living in the backyard of Pakistani military cantonment before he was killed by the American military. India has borne the brunt of Pak-sponsored terror most. So, India must brought the Pak Assembly resolution of March 14 to the notice of world's sole super power the US so that it could know how terror is encouraged by its ally in international coalition to fight against terrorism. Pakistan is also the protégé of the US. On the one hand Pakistan has committed that it would not allow the terror act against India from its soil and it has passed the resolution condemning the hanging of Parliament attack accused Afzal Guru on the other only to provide support to the extremist and separatist elements in Jammu and Kashmir, who are protesting against the same thing. So, by condemning the hanging of Guru, Pakistan is only promoting terrorism and secessionism in Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere in India. Parliament has rightly rejected Pakistan resolution on Afzal Guru and told it to desist from such acts. The Lok Sabha has also rightly passed a resolution asserting that the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir, including the territory under illegal occupation of Pakistan, is and shall always be an integral part of India.

Lack of security and vigilance

Whether the Delhi gang rape prime accused Ram Singh committed suicide or murdered is a matter of investigation. But one thing is clear from his hanging that there is a serious lapse in security and vigilance inside the country's high security Tihar Jail. It was the warder of Tihal jail who saw the main accused of Delhi gang rape hanging at 5.30 AM in the morning while he was making rounds of the cells. He immediately alerted Tihar jail staff. The 55-year-old Tihar jail is one the largest in Asia and the country’s foremost high-security prison. It has more than 12,000 inmates although it has an official capacity of about 6,000. It is equipped with CCTV cameras, mobile phone jamming devices, scanners and metal detectors. In the last few years, it has also had well-publicized rehabilitation programmes for prisoners. The hardened criminals are kept in this jail. Though according to legal eagles, the death of the prime accused in the case will have no impact on the proceedings of the trial, the circumstances under which he committed suicide have created several doubts. From the news paper reports, it was clear that he was remorseless about the gruesome gang rape and killing of 23 year old paramedic student on the moving bus. The prime accused Ram Singh was the ring leader of the gang. He was neither depressed nor remorseless and according to his counsel, he was happy with the proceedings of the trial of the case. How could it be possible that one of the four cellmates hung to eight feet high grill meant for ventilation and the other 3 mates, who were sleeping in the same cell, did not have any idea? Ram Singh’s other three inmates remain asleep during which he hanged himself to death. His right hand was reportedly deformed so he would have tightened the noose around his neck single-handedly. All this makes the theory of his hanging suspicious, though postmortem report says that he died due to hanging. Ram Singh was a short-sized man barely of 5 fit and 5 inches. He had taken the help of the bucket to hang himself to eight fit high grill to death. The arrangement for hanging himself to death made by the prisoner can not be possible in half an hour. How could he tore the carpet and made the thick and strong cord to hang himself and haw could it be possible that no fellow prisoners saw him doing all these things? So, the picture is completely unclear and the suspicion of murder can also not be out of place. It is not the first time that the prisoner in high security Tihar jail killed himself in mysterious circumstances. It is also clear that the prime accused Ram Singh would have apprehensions that he would be given death sentence by the court of law. No prisoner is guilty until proven by the court of law of the land. It was the responsibility of Tihar security authorities to ensure that every prisoner is safe and secure within its premises. The death of the Delhi Gang rape prime accused in Tihar jail under mysterious circumstances has exposed the lapses on the part of jail administration and security.

Welcome the guest, but with reservation

Welcoming guest is our culture and tradition; however, the guest may belong to our hostile neighbour. It is our culture, courtesy and tradition to welcome even the enemy when he comes to our door. But at the same time it is not proper to make inference from our welcoming Pak PM Raja Pervez Ashraf that we have forgotten the inhuman act of beheading an Indian soldier, killing another brutally by Pak soldiers and 26/11 Mumbai attack. These tragic incidents are fresh in our mind. And we will try our best to bring the culprits to justice. Pak PM is coming to Ajmer Sharif to offer prayer at the 13 century old dargah of Moinuddin Hasan Chisti. He has offered prayers and sought peace and happiness in Pakistan and the entire world. People from all corners visit and offer prayer there. Most of the heads of government and state of Pakistan have visited Ajmer Sharif and sought to fulfill their wishes and aspirations. Pak PM is following the footstep of his predecessors. All have visited when they are confronted with problems. Raja is also facing the charge of graft and because of the alleged graft charge in Pak Power Project Randal against him he is also known as Raja Randal. This is domestic problem and we have nothing to do with it. He is coming a pilgrimage and being the prime minister of our neighbouring country, he must be facilitated with due respect. External Minister Salman Khurshid has rightly hosted lunch for Pak PM with all respect and humility to maintain the courtesy and tradition of our nation. In the wake of the beheading of an Indian soldier and the brutal killing of another by the Pak Soldiers, the sentiment of all Indians is bruised and hurt. The anger is prevailing over Pak soldiers inhuman act all over the nation. The opposition of the spiritual head of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti to his visit to Ajmer Sharif embodies and reflects national mood. But as he has come on a pilgrimage and it is his private visit, he should be offered all facilities as were to the other Pakistani dignitaries who had already visited to Ajmer Sharif before him. As far as Pak-sponsored terrorism is concerned, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has already made known to all that until Pak stops sponsoring terrorism, dialogue process can not continue. It means that there will be no talk with Pakistan until it stops promoting terror in India and help normalize relation. This is the right stand taken by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in regard to future talks with Pakistan.

Aggression without action

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh appeared aggressive in Parliament on the motion of thanks on President’s address. He appeared upset over the scathing remarks on the performance of the UPA government under him made by the BJP leaders at their party's national council meeting concluded recently in Delhi. BJP poster boy and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi called the Congress party termite and MP CM Shiv Raj Singh Chauhan described both PM Dr. Singh and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi as two Mauni Babas. If the BJP remarks hurt them most, he should have patience and replied them with action and not in aggressive words. There is still no action by the UPA government visible to check price rise and corruption. It is correct that the people have elected UPA-I and UPA-II to power in 2004 and 2009 respectively. They have rejected the BJP in the last two Lok Sabha elections. But they have not given the mandate to Congress-led UPA government of PM Dr. Singh to see the runaway price of all commodities and tsunami of scandals as mute spectator. UPA Govt. must not sit idle to the surfacing of tsunami of scandals on daily basis and price of all commodities should going up and up. People are looking out for opportunity to teach the govt. a lesson, which they would never forget. It is correct that the UPA-I under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh managed all national affairs well and kept the economy growing despite the downturn elsewhere in the world. No scandal had surfaced during UPA-I. Prices were in control. But the spate of scandals that have surfaced on daily basis in the last four years during the UPA-II and shooting up of inflation are anything to go by, there certainly appears that this UPA-II is headless, helpless and directionless. And only God can save the nation. Now the time is running out very fast and Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to go next year. So, UPA-II govt. is required to be decisive in action to manage economy and check corruption. But no measure step appears in sight. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s integrity, credibility and honesty are unquestioned but the Cabinet over which he presides is under scanner. He either appears to be a guard of the nation who has been given gun without cartridge to prevent the robbery of national wealth or lacking will to take stringent measures to check price rise. The BJP leaders’ remarks against the Congress-led UPA-II may not be sanctified but the UPA Government deserves no praise for worsening situation in the country. The average economic growth rate may be a little better than the previous six years rule of BJP-led NDA but the rising corruption with spate of corruption and unbridled price rise of all commodities have made the lives of the poor unbearable.