Will UPA Allies Desert Congress Before Polls?

Will the ruling Congress Party find itself left alone to contest the next general elections to Lok Sabha? This question is haunting the political managers of the Congress. From 9, the number of UPA allies has come down to just 2 partners. The Nationalist Congress Party is the second highest after the Congress with 9 Lok Sabha seats and the National Conference with 4 seats in Lok Sabha is wavering. The Government is already in minority and survives on outside support of the Samajvadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party.

The Manmohan Singh  Government has come under attack on its economic policy- something that the Congress has show cased as its major achievement during four years of its term in office since 2009.

The Youth Wing of the NCP at its meeting held on May 30, 2013 has passed economic and political resolutios saying among other things that… “ those who are sitting at the helm of the government are obsessed with GDP ( Gross Domestic Product)”.

It criticizes the government for practicing ‘laissez faire’

The NCP Youth Wing also talks of caring only for a minuscule population of rich and affluent who accounts for just 6 % of the total population and ignoring 94% of the population.

“….the government is squeezing the poor”, it says.

What is significant is the presence of all top leaders of the NCP including Sharad Pawar who supported and endorsed the resolutions against the Congress.

It is less than a year when elections will be held for Lok Sabha. If one takes the systematic and calculated attack on the Congress by Sharad Pawar as a mere posturing, he would demand a lion’s share out of  40 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra. But more than that Pawar is eyeing to join the anti-Congress front to fight the next elections to keep the door open for supporting whichever formation that would be near to forming the government including the NDA.

Pawar is also in touch with Mulayam Singh Yadav to strike at the government. The day Mulayam Singh pulls out of the government, Pawar will pull out himself from the government along with Praful Patel and Tariq Anwar, the other two ministers in the UPA Government. Should this happen, it will lead to a winter polls may be in October-November this year itself.

Coming to the National Conference, Omar Abdullah is learnt to have told his people that his party would withdraw support from the UPA Government. If it is being delayed it is because of his father Farooq Abdullah who favours the alliance to continue and likes to be a Central Minister. It is a matter of time before the alliance between the Congress and the NCP breaks.

With major previous allies like the Trinamool Congress and the DMK already out of UPA, the Congress is facing a total isolation in the political club of India.

Surprisingly, the Congress leaders have been taking jibes at the BJP for losing allies. The BJP as of now has three major parties by its side- the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, the Akalis in Punjab and the JD(U) in Bihar. The Congress is trying to wean Nitish Kumar away from the BJP but it is highly unlikely that JD(U) would risk its chances of winning seats without the support of the BJP in Bihar. Nitish Kumar or for that matter his Party the JD(U) will be in position to maneuver things in the post poll scenario to seek new alliance or remain in the NDA only when they have sufficient number of seats in the next Lok Sabha. This is not possible if it decides to break its ties with the BJP.

~  R. K. SINHA

Conflict of In terest: India, Japan & China

At a time when China is breathing fire over India’s neck, any move that takes India closer to Japan at the cost of Chinese trade interest would be taken as an act of hostility by Beijing. While it is in India’s interest to strengthen ties with Japan which is a natural ally it should not be seen to be joining hands with Tokyo to harm Beijing.

One fine print of statement that was not highlighted by the media was Japan’s interest in pulling out or reducing its investments in China’s infrastructure sector and shifting its focus on India instead. One reason why China has been flexing its muscles against India is South Block’s flawed foreign policy. New Delhi does not miss any opportunity to needle Chinese interests in the neighbouring countries of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. We can hardly influence Pakistan to resist Chinese interests in that country, economic or military.

If China agreed to deescalate tension on our border, it was not because of China’s ‘good intentions’ or seriousness in resolving the border dispute. The real factor was burgeoning trade with India. We import goods from China well over 15 billion US $ against our own export to China which is little over 2 billion US $. Just for the sake of capturing some patches of Indian land, China is not interested in jeopardizing its mercantile interest in India. However, this does not mean that China would stop its campaign on the border to surround India from strategic points. Nor it will be abandoning its claim on Arunchal Pradesh.

Historically, if we look at Indo-China border dispute it dates back to the British Raj in India. For thousands of years, India and China lived together without any defined international border. Even today, there is no defined international border between India and China. When the British established its Raj in the country, it found that there was no international border between the two countries. They decided to draw a line that was line of control. It was in 1913-14 that Sir Henry McMohan concluded a conference to draw a line between Tibet and Assam, hence the McMohan Line.

It was an unclear boundary that led to the Chinese aggression of 1962. Huge chunk of Indian territory are still under the occupation of the Chinese Army.

India, instead of giving pinpricks to China is well advised to strengthen its defence forces. If there is a full- fledged war between India and China or between India and Pakistan we can’t engage them in combat for more than 15 days. Neither our economy nor our inventory of arms and ammunitions are sufficient to sustain a prolonged war with any country. In any case war is best avoided. It does not mean that we should expose our vulnerability to the world because of our poor defence. High time India should increase its defence budget to replace outdated weapons with the new ones.

When we look around, we find that we are surrounded by nations who are far from friendly, be it China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal or Bangladesh.

~ R. K. Sinha

IRREPRESSIBLE RAM JETHMALANI

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At the pinnacle of his career, Ram Jethmalani has nothing to lose and nothing to gain in politics. If the BJP leadership has shown some leniency in the past or in the latest action against him it is because of his age factor. He is in 90s. He has been expelled from the BJP for six years. In turn Jethmalani has said he would ‘teach BJP a lesson’.

People fear him for his outspokenness and for his acerbic tongue. Jethmalani does not hesitate in passing comments on the judges of the Supreme Court while arguing case; something that can invite contempt of the court. But he does not fear or bother. He shoots his missiles without caring for who is the person he is targeting at. Jethmalani has also made derogatory comments against Mrs. Sonia Gandhi but the Congress preferred to keep mum thinking who would throw stone at the beehive.

Ram Jethmalani is only an arm chair politician this is what he is now. But some 24-25 years back when he was comparatively young he hit the streets on a couple of occasion. V P Singh was Prime Minister. Jethmalani took umbrage of some remarks of Chandra Shekhar. He reached at the door of Chandra Shekhar with his supporters, pitched a tent outside his house in Delhi with placards and shouted slogans against Adhyakshji as Chandra Shekhar was popularly called in political circles. Guess what followed. Chandra Shekhar inquired what was going on outside his house. He was told that it was Jethmalani with his supporters who were protesting against Adhyakhsji. Chandra Shekhar maintained silence. But his supporters went outside and thrashed the protestors. Ram Jethmalani posed for the camera with his torn shirt to show how he was treated by the ‘goons’ of Chandra Shekhar.

In 2004 general elections to the Lok Sabha, Ram Jethmalani contested against former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee from Lucknow. He had scant regard for the fact that it was Atalji who got him into his cabinet as Law Minister. On the contrary he made defamatory statements against Atalji in poll campaign.

He was expelled then from the BJP but managed to stage a comeback and also got a Rajya Sabha seat as a BJP member. This time he invited trouble for himself- ‘Aa Bail Mujhe Maar’.

The Parliamentary Board of the BJP was left with no option but to act against him. Two charges made against the Party were of serious nature indeed. First, he charged Mrs. Sushma Swaraj and Mr. Arun Jaitley, leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha respectively of opposing the appointment of Ranjit Sinha as CBI Director because ‘ the two leaders were pushing the case of Neeraj Kumar, the Commissioner of Police for the CBI Director and they have vested interests in that’.

The second charge he leveled against the leadership was that the BJP was ‘soft on Congress while dealing with the corruption charges against the UPA Government’. Mr Rajnath Singh, the BJP President took a firm stand and decided to act though Jethmalani claims that the BJP President had promised him to give an opportunity to defend his statements against the Central leaders of the Party. At the Parliamentary Board meeting of the BJP the issue of running a campaign against Nitin Gadkari when he was President of the BJP also cropped up. The Party finally decided to expel the irrepressible Ramjethmalani. The only lurking fear now is how many arrows laced with poison comes out of the Jethmalani’s quiver to hit the BJP and its leaders.

~ R. K. SINHA

Has Manohan Singh Become a Liability for Congress?

 

 

 

Has Prime Minister Manmohan Singh become a liability for the Congress? This  question is being raised albeit in hushed tone in the top circle of the Congress Party. The latest salvo fired by the Samajvadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav directly questions the continuance of Manmohan Singh in office. In an interview to a leading economic daily, Mulyam dubs Manmohan as the weakest Prime Minister who can’t take decisions.

Mulayam says Manmohan is a good man but to run a country you need a man who can take decisions. If the Prime Minister of the country is not free to take decisions the country becomes weak. Similar concern was shown by the NCP leader Sharad Pawar but in moderate voice.

Is Mukayam’s statement against Prime Minister is a proxy attack? Is Mulayam speaking the mind of 10, Janpath? These questions need elaborations. In the same interview Mulayam has praised Sonia Gandhi. Politically, he likes to keep the door open to the Congress for any post general elections maneuvering to be part of the next government or still better for him to become next Prime Minister in a compromise formula in case of a fractured verdict.

The first sign of major discord between Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh surfaced on the issue of sacking of two Ministers, Ashwani Kumar and Pawan Bansal both being considered close to Prime Minister. Manmohan Singh was against sacking Ashwani Kumar. Sonia Gandhi had to drive down to 7, Race Course Road to tell Prime Minister that the two Ministers had to go.

Going to the polls with heavy anti-incumbency factor, the Congress is in a host of dilemma whether to let Manmohan continue as Prime Minister. He would have been replaced much earlier but the ruling party does not have any ‘suitable man’ to take the reins   of power on the eve of elections. Rahul Gandhi is reluctant to lead the Government and the Party at this juncture. The most touted name is that of P Chidamabaram. But the Congress’ main battle is in the north and central India. A man who can’t communicate properly with the masses can’t be projected as a leader during the polls.

The situation is more or less the same when the name of A K Antony crops up as Congress’s choice for Prime Minister. It must be said to the credit of Antony that he is perhaps the only living Congress leader who believes and practice Gandhism. He is a true Gandhian and honest to a penny.

The Congress faces a situation where it is likely to lose its support base heavily in the next elections with Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister. Thus, directly benefiting the BJP that is geared to return to power in 2014. It is increasingly becoming difficult for the Congress to defend the Government’s ‘inaction’ on graft charges, the government’s flawed foreign policy and the bad economy of the country.

The government publicity blitz of its achievements reminds one of “India Shining” slogan of the NDA government in 2004 that boomeranged. Introduction of Metro rail services in cities and making flyovers in mega cities have not altered the plight of the common man. What hits the common man most is the rising prices of essential commodities and rampant corruption in government headed by Monmohan Singh.

Manmohan Singh will go down the history as the thirst longest serving Prime Minister after Nehru and Indira but he will also be known as a worse performer than H D Deve Gowda, Inder Kumar Gujral and Chandra Shekhar.

~ R.K.Sinha

INDIFFERENT GOVT. MAK SICK BODY

Nothing could be more appalling than the indifferent attitude of the Government towards efficient functioning of Central Bureau of Investigation, the country’s premier investigating agency. There are reports of deep rooted frustration amongst the officers of the CBI cadre who are directly recruited for the agency. They are officers of sub-inspector ranks to the rank of deputy superintendant of police.

 

The government’s interest is confined to its vested interests in cases being handled by the CBI and not in the efficient functioning of the agency.There is no reason why the government should be looking the other way to vacancies at various levels that remain vacant. More than 15% of vacant posts have not been filled for the past ten years.

 

The IPS officers who rule the roost in the CGO Complex, the headquarters of the CBI have blocked the gate to promotion of the cadre officers of the agency.According to a petition submitted by the cadre officers of the CBI to the Supreme Court, 20% of the post of officers of the rank of joint director of the CBI are reserved for the cadre officers, none of the post has been given to them. On the contrary, all the posts have been grabbed by the IPS cadre. The Supreme Court, however, has rejected the petition.

 

The IPS officers manning the agency are on deputation. A Parliamentary Committee report has recommended that the CBI should reduce its dependence on IPS officers and insead build its own cadre. The government has now appointed a Group of Ministers-GOM to look into the demand for functional autonomy for the CBI following sharp observations made by the judges of the Supreme Court during the hearing of Coal Block scam.

 

It is not always a case that the IPS officers function honestly while investigating a high profile case. The Arushi murder case is one example.

An IPS officer who was heading the investigation had given virtually a clean chit to the Talwar couple in the murder case. Once the officer returned to his parent cadre, the case was pursued and all the links pointed out the needle of suspicion to the parents of the deceased involved in the crime.

 

The present incumbent Ranjit Sinha has sought some functional autonomy for the CBI which includes power to take officers on deputation, power to engage independent counsels and power to decide on appeal in the cases the agency is investigating.

 

But the government is disinclined to agree to the proposals. By allowing the agency to pick up officers, it will lose the clout over the officers in the agency. By allowing the CBI to engage independent counsels, the government would not be able to manipulate cases as it was evident in the coal block scam- the former law minister did not want the CBI to engage independent counsel in preparing the affidavit for the Supreme Court in the coal scam, though in this case the CBI Director prevailed.

 

At present there is a divide between the IPS officers and the cadre officers that is adversely effecting the functioning of the agency. Recently two cadre officers were arrested on charges of taking bribe. The accused officers alleged that it was a ploy to remove them from the investigating team of coal scam. But the CBI argues that the cash was recovered from the accused officers. Whom one should believe?

 

~ R.K.Sinha

MALEGAON BLAST: NO EVIDENCE AGAINST ASEEMANAND AND SADHWI PRAGYA

Terrorism has no colour or religion. Yet, the UPA Government has been trying to prove ever since it came to power in 2004, that in India ‘Hindu Terrorists are active’. In the Malegaon Blast that took place in 2006, the Special Task Force of the Mumbai Police had charged Col. Purohit, Sadhwi Pragya Singh Tahkur and Swami Aseemanand among others for hatching conspiracy, aiding and abetting the Maelgon Blast. Now the Centre’s National Investigating Agency – NIA says that there is no concrete evidence against Aseemanand to link him with the conspiracy of engineering the blast in Malegon. The NIA holds the similar view on Sadhwi Pragya but it maintains that she has not faced custodial interrogation. The NIA is waiting for an order from the court to interrogate her in custody. The question is, will the custodial interrogation of a frail woman who has renounced the worldly pleasure lead to any headway in the case? The answer is ‘no’. Many custodial interrogations by the police and the investigators have resulted in the death of accused majority of them were innocent and had nothing to do with the crime they allegedly committed.

The UPA Government in its fond hope of gaining sympathy of the minority community spread the canard of Hindu Terrorism in India. When such accusations come from the government of the day it is obvious that the nations hostile to India would attempt to dilute their own act of exporting terror to India. Pakistan has exploited to the hilt that many acts of terrors in India were the handy work of Hindus and that India was accusing Pakistan and the terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Toiba and Hizbul Mujahiddin without any basis. This apart, it gives Pakistan a handle to counter the world perception that it is the hub of global terrorism.

Kanoon was the first Hindi cinema in the post talkie films that did not have any song. B R Chopra’s  Kanoon released in early 1960s had a character played by Nana Paleskar( not to be confused by Nana Patekar) who was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder. Later it was proved that he was innocent. The accused asks, “Who will return my years that I spent in Jail”?

Can the UPA government return the period of hundreds of innocent people who spent their life in prison without having committed any crime or can it punish the police for falsely framing people in crime cases and robbing their life and livelihood? The answer is a firm ‘NO’.

~ R.K.Sinha

UPA in Power : Celebrations for What?

If no governance, rampant corruption and destroying well established institutions are a cause for celebrations, full mark to the Congress led government of the United Progressive Alliance. The Manmohan Singh led government that completed four years in office on May 22, 2013 in its second term and nine years since 2004. The government is happy to recount it’s so called achievements that are nothing but an eye wash. Let us first take Manmohan Singh as an economist Prime Minister of India.

Despite the claims of a robust growth oriented economy, the realities are:

1. Fiscal deficit touching double digit veering around 10% and above of the Gross Domestic Product or GDP.
2. Current Discount Deficit is running at 6% of the GDP
3. Massive loot of funds running into thousands of crores in the UPA flagship programme: Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. No action by the government to book the babus and the politicians indulging in the loot of public money.
4. The UPA Government destroyed the civil aviation sector in the name of privatization by allowing slush money of drug syndicate and under world operators in the private airlines. The result: The national carrier AIR INDIA is a sick unit and the air fares hitting the roof.

There are many more instances of the Indian economy being in bad shape.

Coming to politics, the Congress that leads the government has least regard for accountabily while in office. For the Congress two wrongs make a right. It’s counter attack on the main Opposition , the BJP is that the NDA Government led by Atal Behari Vajpayee was the first to free the spectrum to private operators on the 2G scam.

It attacked the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (a constitutional authority) for listing the corruption in high places running into lakhs of crores of rupees rather than taking prompt action against the guilty.

The Commonwealth Games was show cased in New Delhi at the staggering cost of public money. People responsible for the loot of public money are still enjoy the comforts of life. Air conditioners that cost in the market say Rs.25,000/- were hired for few months at the rate of Rs.1.5 lakh per month. From toilet papers to dustbins cost more than ten thousands. Today the man who headed the CWG is enjoying the fruits of the loot with the process of law moving at snail’s pace.

In the 2G spectrum case the government and the Prime Minister repeatedly denied any wrong doing or scam by the then Telcom Minister A Raja till the Supreme Court intervened. He was removed and subsequently arrested but there is no trace of the money that changed hands under the table.

The coal scam is still haunting the government. But the government has no regret whatsoever for allowing the scam to take place that runs again into several thousand crores of rupees under the very nose of our Prime Minister.

The way Prime Minister tried to defend and is still shielding former Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and former Law Minister Ashwini Kumar speaks volumes of the contempt for democratic institutions.

You may not take bribe but don’t care or mind others taking bribe and or looting public money is, perhaps the only achievement of the UPA Government so far. With less than a year to go for general elections, the strong undercurrent of anger and disgust of the common man hardly affect the ruling class’ style of functioning. For they believe in the dictum: Make hey while the sun shines.

The UPA is  a Greek Tragedy. 

~ R.K.Sinha