What Holds for India? January 1, 2012 Kuldip Nayar
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Established 1946 Price : Rupees Five Vol. 66 No. 48 What Holds for India? January 1, 2012 Kuldip Nayar Sufi Islam Versus Wahabi Islam Asghar Ali Engineer India is always a story of shadows triumph of media and public pressure. and sunshine. Which of the two prevails at a particular time gives it However, one positive development In search of the real self bad or good name. The passing year, was the emergence of the Gandhian Zahur Zaidi 2011, is no different except that the Anna Hazare who demanded the shadows have lengthened. Corruption establishment of Ombudsman darkened the atmosphere throughout (Lokpal) machinery to deal with the year and what it exposed was that corruption. Hazare was in reality Manu, Macaulay and the system was reeking with graft. the face of civil society’s resentment Manmohan Non-governance tormented the nation against government. Thousands came G. Haragopal further. In 2011, many skeletons on the streets to demand the Lokpal. tumbled out of the government’s So heavy was the public pressure closet, one after the other. Early in the and Hazare’s threat to go on fast that year, Commonwealth Games were a parliament had to extend its winter Why Socialist Party ? splendid success but it got sullied by session for the relevant bill. Pannalal Surana bogus contracts, exaggerated charges and poor workmanship. When the A new kind of India began taking chief organizer, Suresh Kalmadi, and shape. People felt that their voice his aides were arrested, the nation felt counted if they would only raise it. Lokpal Debate humiliated. Even though India won It was heartening to see all political Rajindar Sachar the world cup in cricket, the stigma parties except the ruling Congress, NAPMovements of Commonwealth Games scandal collecting on the same platform. Kuldip Nayar did not go. Unfortunately, the government was busy in locking the stables after the Still worse skeleton that tumbled bullocks had run away and did little to out of government’s closet was the 2G regain the credibility. Non-governance Editor : spectrum relating to mobiles - a sum told upon the economy. Prices began G. G. Parikh of Rs. 40,000 crores had been denied to rise, the inflation touching a double to the state exchequer, the mother figure. Still worse was the fall in the D-15, Ganesh Prasad, of all scandals. Telecommunication industrial production and only 5.4 Naushir Bharucha Marg, Minister A.Raja was arrested. per cent growth against last year’s Mumbai - 400 007. Another minister, M. Maran, also 10.6 per cent. Investors, both foreign from Tamil Nadu, representing the and Indian, held back their hand Email : [email protected] ruling Congress ally, the DMK, and the rupee against the US dollar resigned from government. It was a fell by 18 per cent. Optimism of the 2 JANATA, January 1, 2012 past, particularly the people’s self- will open in Tamil Nadu despite is happy over his visit to Dhaka, confidence, sagged and they were its Chief Minister Jayalalitha’s even though it is yet to get its share stung with the fear of further slide opposition. The same determination from the Teesta River. Islamabad down. is reflected in his announcement that looks forward to having free trade FDI in retail would be introduced in with India now that it has been Prime Minister Manmohan March. The pro-reform lobby has extended, Most Favoured Nation. Singh, the messiah of economic not yet given up the hope and some People to people contact between reforms, brought before parliament billionaires in America are closely the two countries has improved and the proposal of Foreign Direct watching whether he would open both are discussing steps on easing Investment (FDI) in retail to the nuclear plant and whether he visa facilities. The Prime Minister attract reportedly 100 million brings round his political opponents has visited Russia and has also met dollars and the Pensions bill to to accept FDI in retail. Presidents of China and America utilize the accumulated money for to underline the importance of development. The fear of big giants The sunny side of Manmohan equation with India. New Delhi like the Wallmart crowding out small Singh’s government is that it has expects to become the Security shopkeepers and snapping direct ties improved its relations with the Council’s permanent member next between farmers and local mandis neighbouring countries. It has signed year because China, the only country made all political parties including pact with Afghanistan to have a to bar the entry, has given favourable the allies of the Congress to close ‘strategic’ relationship. Bangladesh hints. (Continued on Page 8) their ranks. It was yet another blow to the Prime Minister whose graph of popularity came down by a few notches more. People’s confidence ‘About Lohia’ in him is shaken because they do not see him raising the growth rate Bapu Heddurshetti’s comments aspired for the substance and not for to 9 per cent as he had done earlier. ‘About Lohia’ (Janata, November the symbol. Does Bapu Heddurshetti Now it is hovering around 7 per 22, 2011), in response to RJ Kochar’s suggest that Lohia should have cent, the minimum to avoid the article, reflect the rankle harboured aspired to get the paper certificate lay offs and dire unemployment. by many PSPites for Dr. Lohia. It when his country was engaged in The ruling Congress has retrieved is true that he did not get a formal life and death struggle? Lohia never a bit of reputation because BJP has degree for his Ph-D, but his thesis used the prefix ‘Dr.’ with his name supported it on the pension bill but was approved by his examiners and and if his friends, colleagues and putting a limit of 26 per cent on FDI. they also gave their reports after admirers used the prefix, which the viva-voce. Lohia did not get the he well-deserved, why should any The last days of the year has degree because under the rules of the gentleman object, unless Lohia had seen measures to give security University, the student was required tried to take up a university job on of food to the poor, nearly 65 per to deposit 150 printed copies of the the basis of his degree. cent of the population. Congress thesis. Lohia might not have been in President Sonia Gandhi, who does position to fulfill this requirement As regards some unpleasant the back seat driving has pushed the due to lack of money or time. He had words used by Lohia for Nehru, JP, unwilling prime minister to own the to leave Germany immediately after Kriplani etc. in informal chats, Lohia measure. However, the project will his exam, according to the advice of himself has accepted his mistake and put a burden of Rs. 95,000 crore on his teacher and also due to urgency stopped visiting Coffee Houses when the over-stretched exchequer. But of Civil Disobedience Movement he came to know that some of his it may win the Congress votes in in India and rise of Hitlerism in friends were giving currency to these the forthcoming elections in five Germany. After returning to India expressions. But Nehru, JP, Kriplani states, including UP, Punjab and and their devotees have used more Uttrakhand. he plunged into the freedom struggle and didn’t care to procure the paper unpleasant language against Lohia The prime minister’s belated certificate. Perhaps, he had lost his and they never regretted. Does Bapu firmness is visible from the copy of the thesis during journey know this? Perhaps, he doesn’t want announcement that Kundan Kalam from Germany to India. Lohia to. 1000 MW nuclear power plant – Mastram Kapoor JANATA, January 1, 2012 3 Lokpal Debate The debate in Parliament on the make any sense. Are we living in a all members of the Parliament proposed Lokpal legislation has democracy or under a king who was are unanimously agreeing to keep unfortunately touched a low nadir; supposed to be a representative of themselves immune from the ambit instead of discussing the legislation the Divine. Recently a sitting Prime of Lokpal or even Directors of in a sober atmosphere and with Minister of Italy was forced to resign C.B.I. for their corrupt actions conscious effort to arrive at as much on corruption charge proved against and bribery if it is done inside the consensus as possible, the political him by a court magistrate. Similarly Parliament. To me this is scandalous parties, instead, indulged in mutual Chirac, Prime minister of France, and unacceptable. In their defence attacks. has been sentenced to seven years Members of Parliament invoke and the President of Israel is being Article 105 of the Constitution, Government’s furtive slip in sent to jail on the grounds of moral and the widely criticized majority of various quotas including the impropriety. judgment of (3 against 2) in Narsimma minorities was a deliberate ploy Rao case (1999-I believe the matter with an eye on U.P. Elections, The most contentious matter is referred to a larger bench). The notwithstanding the doubt on of C.B.I. remains unresolved. His minority Judgment however warned legality of it expressed by former appointment should be by a joint that this interpretation could lead to Supreme Court Judges and jurists. committee consisting of Lokpal charter for corruption so as to elevate Could anyone even imagine that and the standing committee of Members of Parliament as “super- the Prime Minister, the Leader of Parliament. Give C.B.I. director a citizens, immune from criminal Opposition, irrespective of their fixed tenure for say five or 10 years.