MONTH-IN-PERSPECTIVE

NEW DELHI : The ongoing T.V debate by some opposition political parties washing their dirty linen in full public glare on the Coast Guard action on suspected terror boat from Pakistan has its own media angle too. When it comes to national security why our political parties cannot talk in one voice, is beyond the comprehension of an average citizen. Parties even wanted the answer on behalf of citizens! That was little too funny. These disagreements in public space not only demoralize forces, which have acted in national interest, but provide ammunition to likes of Pakistan. That is patently bad. Some political parties even referred to media reports questioning the veracity of the security forces’ actions, as if it was fake. But then even these media houses too are in politics. Media too is agenda driven. The Hindu, had two reports on 6th Jan. on the 1st page top, highlighting “Telltale signs of terror” quoting Defence Minister, had a ‘prick’ too, saying “IB sore at being ignored”, in black bordered box print. Was it necessary for The Hindu to carry this ‘prick’ without verification? Indeed Navy clarified on 7th Jan., after reading the media report. The statement by Indian Navy clarified “The Navy denies reports in some sections of the media saying that it had not reacted to the intelligence provided by NTRO”, and Navy confirmed “Coast Guard responded appropriately”. Strangely this clarification by the Indian Navy appeared on 12th page in The Hindu of 7th Jan. without any highlight symbol. What is the The Hindu trying to convey Mr Editor?! Is it the case of undergarments showing!

'Amit Shah discharged by CBI in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case'. This was the news in the media. Is it a surprise!

A news paper called it, in its editorial caption “CBI is like that only”. So, there need not be an element of surprise. It happened in the past, it may continue to happen in the future. At least in the present moment and time the credibility of the premier investigation organisation is much to be desired.

We are privy to the knowledge, how Mayavathi was discharged in the disproportionate assets case. It was a very clear case of ownership of cash and property on a massive scale beyond the known source of income. But CBI did not appeal against it. Since the ruling UPA wanted her support in the parliament. So was the case of Lalu Prasad Yadav. Strangely the name of Nitish Kumar, was never pursued by CBI, despite the clear evidence implicating him as a beneficiary of Lalu’s Chaara Ghotala.

Less said the better, how cases against  Indira Gandhi were never pursued, soon after her return to power, when Janata government collapsed in 1979 under its own contradictions!

How can Indians forget Ottavio Quattrocchi, the Italian connection to the infamous BOFORs scandal? With the death of this Italian, a friend of Rajeev Gandhi family, the Bofors bribery case remains buried deep down. Indians will never know the truth, although for the discerning mind it was a clear case of a political family's involvement. It was the management by CBI which led to the closure of the case. Thus, here too, with the ruling NDA, more specifically BJP being the beneficiary of this Amit Shah episode, it looks unlikely CBI will pursue the case further. This is Yeh Mera India.

Come 26 January, the Republic Day, it’s the time for award bonanzas. Especially the sportsmen and sportswomen who keep hankering for these award. There is Arjuna award and there is Ekalavya for sportsmen, and then Dronacharya for coaches. India being a country of 1250+ million people, a fair number of men and women are involved in all kinds of sports, be it athletics, football, hockey, boxing, tennis, badminton and you name it, there are any number. Influencing sports bodies is a done thing. Whether there are considerations, it is not known. Some of them do get these awards very deservedly, and some without being a fit case. But then there are also those, who do not get, despite being very qualified. But then this is India, and being fair is not necessarily a strong quality among Indians, especially those in power. 

And comes the case of Saina Nehwal, the badminton player.  It is true that she has done well in badminton in different tournaments all over the world. These tournaments are individual entries. She is an Indian alright, but she does not represent Indian team. If memory serves right, she had in the past refused to be a part of Indian team, saying that she is preparing for something bigger. So it is not the country, they are playing for. They are only playing for themselves. They make good money from these tournaments. Once they become famous, advertisement contracts come calling. So they make more money. How is the country benefited? They are already famous and have made money and continue to make more money. Now they want award also. Reportedly, Saina had demanded that it is already five years since Padmashree was given to her, she is eligible for Padmabhushan and that she had expressed disappointment at ministry not doing anything about it. Now this is atrocious, you are demanding and officials and ministries are rushing to placate you. This is certainly poor sportsmanship. If at one end we have people like boxer Saritha who stood upto the Asian Games Authority to reject her 3rd prize for the perceived wrong done to her, thereby rendered service to the country, at the other end there are selfish players like Saina Nehwal, and there are ‘n’ number like her with ‘me and mine’ attitude. This is Yeh Mera India.

In government employment, whether state or central, Indian employees going on leave for long period, either to work elsewhere, or go to Middle Eastern countries to make a fast buck is not unknown. They somehow manage the paper work to let their employment continue to join back, before they can get caught. Of course, it is very evident, that they have active assistance of their superiors for some kind of quid –pro-quo, also colleagues chip in with their help for similar arrangement. Nothing is for free. Only national resources are free to be plundered.

A report datelined New Delhi informed “It took 25 years to dismiss an absentee employee from service."

An official of Central PWD was reportedly dismissed by Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu for being absent from duty for the past 25 years. One A.K.Verma had joined the CPWD in 1980, as Assistant Executive Engineer. In Dec 1990, after working for 10 years, he decides not to report to the work. It was an unauthorized absence from duty and kept extending his absence by writing leave notes. Reportedly, despite directions of the department, to report, he continued to remain absent. A departmental inquiry in 1992 was instituted against Verma and reportedly a major penalty was proposed for his willful absence from duty. Somehow Verma’s connection within the department stalled the inquiry. The department slept over the whole episode. Ostensibly 'due to the non-cooperation of the employee, the inquiry could not be completed', stated the department. The department woke up after 13 years in 2005, and a fresh charge sheet was issued against Verma, and they slept over it again, until the ‘Abki baar Modi Sarcar’ took charge in the corridors of power in New Delhi. On finding this pending case of A.K. Verma, the minister took an immediate decision to sack the erring staff, who remained absent for 25 long years, and exposed the apathetic working style of these government departments. But what is surprising is, how the NDA government of 1998-2004 did not find out and act on this absentee employee! Perhaps, if ‘Abki baar Modi Sarcar’ was not there, A .K.Verma could well still be on the roll of CPWD as absent employee. This is Yeh Mera India.

UTTAR PRADESH: Not often UP comes into the national limelight during the normal course. But then Babri masjid demolition is certainly out of the ordinary. It was 22 years ago that activists of VHP went up the Babri structure to bring it down, which became a kind of watershed in India’s contemporary politics.

Since that day in Dec 1996, the politics of the country changed forever.  The country has seen the transformation of socio-political scene as never before. Although it may be difficult to reduce the evolution in some kind of watertight compartmentalization, it has certainly helped the political fortune of Bhratiya Janata Party in the short run. They managed to be in power for some 7 years at the centre. But failed to keep the momentum. Thanks largely to the anti-incumbency factor of 10 years' UPA rule so also the functioning style of Narendra Modi and his ‘Vibrant’ Gujarat model, BJP came back to power with a majority on its own. Clearly this is an indication of political churning.

Reverting to the Babri imbroglio, it was in 2010, Sept. 30th, that the court in Lucknow decided to trifurcate the land occupied by the Babri Masjid among three parties to the dispute.  Rightly or wrongly, two parties to the dispute wanted the whole of the disputed ‘Ayodhya land’, as was known and the third one too wanted the whole lot for itself. Hence, disagreement remained. However, what is indeed to be celebrated was the IDEA OF INDIA. As a news paper said it “The maturity of average Indian was an spectacular display. Verdict over, a fantastic yet credible quite followed. Not a single incident was reported”. But then politicians being politicians, and some of the print media members being in some kind of weird politics, tried to muddy the waters by taking sides with its constituencies. Logical follow up was to knock at the Apex court, which is where Babri imbroglio is at present. However it is a case which is eminently possible to be amicably settled. There are any number of supporters who would want it closed for a common purpose like an educational institution or a hospital. Hope wisdom prevails for a larger purpose.  

Wouldn’t these politicians, most of them, if not all of them, would have really destroyed this country if judiciary and individual activists were not alive?

Kuldip Narayan, an IAS officer and commissioner of Patna Municipal Corporation had reportedly taken action against close to 500 illegal constructions, either by sealing them or by demolishing encroachments. It was very clear in a state like Bihar or for that matter any Indian state, in this 500, most of them would be either belonging to politicians and those with political connection. Obviously, in the administrative political lexicon, the commissioner has clearly 'overstepped'. The climax reportedly was, the action he took as illegal, to demolish two floors of a Mall owned by a ruling party MLA. 

Kuldip Narayan was suspended for doing this great job, ostensibly for laxity in discharging his duties. So the government of Janata Dal, instead of commending a fine job and awarding him, does the very reverse for equally reverse reason of laxity. Probably such thing can happen only in India. 

An activist Narayan Mishra, files a PIL in Patna High Court on the mushrooming illegal constructions. And taking a suo moto notice of PMC commissioner's suspension, Patna High Court has directed the government not to remove the PMC commissioner until all cases relating these 500 cases are sorted out and disposed. Reportedly, the suspension is likely to snowball into a major controversy.

Former U.P minister in the BSP government of Mayawathi, Haji Yakub Qureshi has gone bonkers once again.

It was in 2006, when this Qureshi, had outrageously declared a reward of Rs: 51 crore and an equal amount in gold to those who would “behead Danish cartoonist”, while addressing a Friday congregation in Meerut. This was sequel to the then cartoon controversy emanating from Denmark. And the U.P government of the day, through its Home Secretary Alok Sinha, had gone on record saying “There is no offence to make such an announcement about a person living in a distant foreign country”. But this time round, after 8 years, the government of Akhilesh Yadav has at least booked the man for not merely defending Paris killing, but has again repeated the bizarre award of Rs:51 crore, only to go to town to deny having said it. People like Yakub Qureshi should be imprisoned as soon as possible for speaking the language of terrorists. He must be made to realise that India is neither Iran nor Pakistan or any such country, where rule of democratic law prevails.

KARNATAKA: Gluttony of the well fed is a dichotomy of the world of homosapiens. Those who have eaten well all their life, still want to eat more and more, unmindful of the hunger around them. Of course this is a metaphor to describe a situation of comfort and power hungry babus and judges. There are any number of IAS, IPS and other retirees including high court and supreme court judges hankering for greener pastures, even after having lived a comfortable life at the cost of public expenditure all their life!

There is this case in point of former Chief Justice of Chattisgarh High Court, Justice SR Nayak. On retirement in 2007, he was appointed Chairman, Karnataka State Human Rights Commission, until July 2012. Reportedly the Karnataka govt – had appointed Justice Nayak again, as Chairman of Law Commission, but he took charge on June 27, 2014.

Now this appointment is challenged by an advocate in the Karnataka High court. According to the petitioner HM Farooq the legal position on such appointment stipulates “on ceasing to hold office, the chairperson or a member (of SHRC) shall be ineligible for further employment under the government of the state or centre”.

This being the case, either it is the government which is inept, doing something illegal or Justice Nayak is after state largesse.

Here, more than the government inefficiency or obliging a friend of the government, the hunger of Justice Nayak to crave for government position and its perks is the issue. A Chief Justice of any court in India has had comfortable living and cannot be physically in pink of health in late sixties. So why not enjoy life with some proactive social work of giving back to society in some form instead of this craving for position of power and comfort!

TAMIL NADU: The English daily THE HINDU carried an ad. of its sister publication, FRONTLINE, on the 11th Jan, indicating its latest issue available “NOW ON STANDS”.

The ad. had, in bold letters highlighted “Sangh Parivar’s Italian Connection”. It had the picture of FRONTLINE front cover, carrying the headline “THE FASCIST CONNECTION”.

THE HINDU daily, for whatever reasons, has a long history of ‘Sangh’ hatred. Why it is so?, is little known, except its own ludicrous claim of secularism.

Although RSS claims itself to be a nationalist organisation, for the purpose of this debate we will go by what THE HINDU say, that RSS is a communal organisation.

But can THE HINDU or any other RSS baiters show how the secular fabric of this country is destroyed by RSS?

It is also to be noted that RSS has, time and again, reiterated its commitment to the composite character of India, not withstanding its untenable demand for a HINDU NATION.

After 67+ years, India has a proud legacy of uninterrupted democracy, except a brief period of 21 months of Indira era. Can the same thing be said about Pakistan?

It too has a history of 67+ years but presently described as the world’s most violent nation! It is not for nothing, that former U.S. secretary of state, Madeline Albright had famously observed that it is ‘an international migraine’.

Pakistan, became a nation because, those who separated and migrated were unhappy and felt unsafe with Hindu majority India. To-day after 67+ years, there have been continuous killings in Pakistan, not by Hindus or RSS, but by its own co-religionists. It is Muslims killing Muslims.

Tehrike –e-Taliban, Lashkar – e- thoiba and many other terrorist organisations operate within Pakistan with impunity. The 30% minority of Pakistan has been reduced to 3% after 67 years. What happened to them?

Did THE HINDU ever ask this question? THE HINDU is sympathetic with Pakistan for whatever reasons it has and trying to keep the Indian society divided by its own cockeyed logic.

That THE HINDU and the FRONTLINE have double standard is very well known. There are any number of instances.

RSS being what it is, has neither destroyed India nor can it destroy India. Indians by nature are a tolerant society, across the board, despite the idiosyncrasies of a small section in the entire social composition.

We certainly do not need stories from the likes of FRONTLINE or THE HINDU, and there are many others too, in this business of “SECULARISM” of being conveniently judgemental.

In the pursuit of intellectual fairness, it is repugnant to the selective digging of history of 1930s of Italy’s Mussolini’s political project, only to malign RSS. It will certainly not win friends nor influence people. It may only help the divide, if any, in society to remain divided. That is indeed very sad.

MAHARASHTRA: Something is seriously wrong with some so-called Hindu outfits. Hindu Rashtra Sena (HRS) had allegedly killed one Mohsin Sheikh, a computer engineer in Pune, sometime mid last year. They allegedly killed him only because, he was Muslim. Now reportedly some organisation in Pune had planned to honour one Dhananjay Desai, the leader of this HRS with Hindutva Shaurya Puraskar (Bravery award). 

If the killing was diabolic, the proposed award is simply sickening. Fortunately the Police refused permission to hold the award function, which organisers hopes to hold it on some future date, as and when this Dhananjay Deasai comes out of prison. 

The question, how can a person be attacked for no rhymes or reason, only because he belongs to a separate set of believers. This is incomprehensible. It is an unprovoked murder because of hatred. The perpetrator must be given the harshest punishment and not this Shaurya Puraskar. Or else, what right anybody can have against likes of Qwassi and his brother, for making hate filled noises? These people like Dhananjay Desai, or those who wanted to award him, or even the like of Qwassi and his brother simply do not fit into the concept of IDEA OF INDIA.

Alleged nexus between under -qualified teachers on the one side and school management of aided schools, Director of Secondary Education, Deputy Director of Education on the other side has been raised by the Bombay High Court, responding to a PIL. The petition had alleged negligence and corruption in the appointment of secondary school teachers with fake certificates in government and government aided schools.

Petition even submitted list of a large number of teachers teaching in various schools across Mumbai without required stipulated qualifications, including fake certificates.

In the light of the recent survey by NGO-Pratham, which has studied the capability of students, which disclosed a startling disclosure where only 35% of Class VII students could read the lessons of II standard. With allegation of poorly qualified teachers and teachers with fake certificates getting employed as teachers, the study of Pratham has only confirmed the true status. These teachers, along with school management and directorates of education are the cause of eroding the future capability of school children and hence have committed crime against these vulnerable children. They should be severely made accountable for the wrong they have committed against these hapless children to endure. Hope the Bombay High Court forces the issue as soon as possible.

GUJARAT: The police in Surat, a commercial hub in Gujarat, must be thick headed, even to think, that a terrorist would appear in skull cap. If it is so, anyone can appear in skull cap and blame it on Muslims.

Never in any of the terror related arrests any person was ever caught with a skull cap on. Hence it is very clear, that police in Surat had clearly decided to show that terrorists are Muslims in their anti-terror mock drill.

It was not merely very stupid for the police to do what they have done, it is the height of insensibility. And for Surat police to defend the indefensible is the height of arrogance.

As usual Congress and others would politicize the incident. But Narendra Modi, who had publicly told that the Indian Muslims are not terrorists, owes an explanation for this idiocy and pull up all those who led to this faux pas, since it happened in his 'vibrant Gujarat'. But there hasn’t been any response from PMO, as usual. In the name of development, these niceties should not be given the go-by in the larger pan- Indian context. 

WORLD: Minorities facing discrimination anywhere in the world is a near normal phenomena. So it is not surprising that “Muslims face worst job discrimination in UK”, as reported in the media. Whether it is African Americans in the U.S. or migrants from other countries, equality of treatment when it comes to jobs or payment at jobs, there has always been ill treatment, or what can at least be called unjust and unfair treatment.

It is a fact of life all across the world of homosapiens. The discrimination is something, as a social reality, may have to be accepted. However it is also possible to overcome the handicap of not being part of the majority in any set-up. Since at least laws are same for all, within the legal framework, it is possible to improve our education and life skills and thereby improve our marketability. This will surely help. For example look at our own Christian brothers and sisters. They improved themselves educationally and made life better for themselves, they did not wait for any governmental or political largesse. Hence it is always possible for individual initiative, even in countries like the middle east, where the law is heavily in favour of locals. But there are thousands of Indians doing well for themselves despite all constraints. Hence the complaint syndrome to which we subject ourselves should be given a go-by, for us to excel in life.

‘36 die in New Year stampede’ was a news from Shanghai, and this included 25 women. The reason, plain and simple, GREED in capital letters.

There was this Hollywood movie, “IT’s A MAD MAD MAD WORLD”. Either it is mad three times or mad over 3 things. One of the three things that drive human beings crazy is the money or anything that looks like money.

M-18, is a bar in the waterfront area of this major financial hub. The bar located in the upper floor of the building threw coupons that looked like US $100 currency note. The waterfront was jam packed with New Year revelers and the throw of US $100 look alike caused a near frenzy and crowd rushed to pick up these coupons mistaking them for $ notes. In the melee, close to 90 were trampled upon, some 36 succumbed and the rest badly injured. By the time this is published, some more would have succumbed.

Shanghai is one of the richer cities of the world. What is a $100! It may not suffice even for a New Year night. Yet look at the way men and women reacted like hungry wolves. Embarrassed at the incident, authorities in Shanghai barred foreign media to cover the police press briefing, lest it be reported critically about the world’s 2nd largest economy’s lack of crowd management skill at a big event like the New Year celebration. It could be a poor reflection on both government and its people. But then like Samuel Butler called, “Its the way of all flesh.” 

Sri Lankans have spoken loud and clear. They have delivered a near death punch to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and the Lankan President Mahindra Rajapaksa. The incumbent government was comprehensively beaten by a margin of about 4% votes, by the combined front of many parties led by Maithripala Sirisena. A former colleague of Mahindra Rajapaksa, Sirisena who left his senior only a few weeks ago, could manage to cobble to-gether most opposition parties. That these opposition parties have come to-gether, is a measure of disenchantment with the Rajapaksa government which has been greatly disliked by most Sri Lankans primarily for its nepotism and abuse of power.

There were far too many powerful family members of Rajapaksa in running the government. That was a major bone of contention to both people and opposition parties. The defeat of Rajapksa is clear rejection of family culture in politics. That is a lesson, Indians of all hues, have to learn, from Tamil Nadu with Karunanidhi family, Karnataka with Deve Gowda family, Telengana with Chandrasekar Rao family, Maharashtra with Pawar family, U.P and Bihar with Yadav families, Kashmir with Abdulla family and there are others too, who would have to learn lessons that larger national pie belongs to the people and not to some select families. Slowly but surely they will lose the power. Hence there is lesson for Sons and Relatives of India’s Pvt. Ltd., in this rout of Rajapaksa relatives Pvt. Ltd. of Sri Lanka.