An Unprecedented People's Movement Puts Spotlight On
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Vol 20 I No 5 May 2012 l Rs 20 www.opinionexpress.in A MONTHLY NEWS MAGAZINE AN UNPRECEDENTED PEOPLE’S MOVEMENT PUTS SPOTLIGHT ON CORRUPTION RNI UP-ENG70032/92, Vol 20, No 5 People forced govt to EDITOR PRASHANT TEWARI ASSOSIATE EDITOR go tough on corruption Dr RAHUL MISRA POLITICAL EDITOR PRAKHAR MISRA he nation has witnessed a huge spectacle BUREAU CHIEF from a section of visible population with Anna GOPAL CHOPRA (DELHI), VEELAAS KEN- Hazare's fast for getting the Jan Lok Pal bill be- JALE (MUMBAI), SOUMEN ACHARYA ing drafted and implemented. His fast unto (KOLKATA), DIVYASH BAJPAI (USA), KAPIL T death was an event in which not only we witnessed DUDAKIA (U.K.) RAJIV AGNIHOTRI (MAURI- the 'Tsunami of Sentiments' but was also used by TIUS), ROMIL RAJ (DUBAI), HERMAN media to create an atmosphere as if it a 'second SILOCHAN (CANADA), YASHWANT AMIN [AUS/NZ] freedom struggle'. While one can see that the dis- CONTENT PARTNER satisfaction of the people from the system was Pratham Pravakta overflowing, one also registered that this is a response to LEGAL ADVISOR the massive corruption scams which have been unearthed during last few years. ASHOKA KUMAR THAKUR,GAURAV BHATIA While Government succumbed to the mass pressure and the media projection, the MARKETING DIRECTOR whole episode also raised many a questions about the message which the fasting DIWAKAR SHETTY and Jantar mantar protest gave. ADMINITRATION DIRECTOR Unfortunately the criticism of elected leaders and the doubting of the democratic BAL MUKUND GAUR system itself were taken to the cynical extremes. CORPORATE COMMUNICATION One concedes that there are serious flaws in the QUEENIE SINGH The key to success electoral system, the money power, muscle power GRAPHICS & DESIGN for the entire GREY CELLS and Corporate influence, but to paint all the leaders ONLINE PRESENTATION in the same brush shows the warped understanding movement shall be AMIT SONI of a section of leadership of Jantar Mantar move- the constant public PHOTOGRAPHER ment. Surely our electoral system needs serious re- K P SINGH forms but this type of projection also needs to be se- pressure to be OVERSEAS MARKETING riously questioned. backed by honest OEMCL(Mauritius), OEHCL (DUBAI) Corruption is the big scourge to the system. We do need to look beyond the leaders and parties to re- effort from select ADVERTISEMENT / PR / CIRCULATION alize that Corruption is primarily due to lack of trans- VINAY GOYAL upright govern- parency of the system, lack of accountability of the DHRUV JANAK & CO. R -51 BASEMENT, ment agencies and RAMESH PARK,LAXMI NAGAR,DELHI-92 elected representatives and the very nature of our TELE: +919871232631FAX: 011-22056817 economic system and injustices inbuilt in the social strict SC monitor- system. While one lauds the tremendous response VIJAY KALANTRI - ADVISOR to the anti corruption movement, one can just hope NEW EXCELSIOR BUILDING, 6TH FLOOR, that the sectarianism of Anna Hazare should be totally bypassed and the religious A.K. NAYAK MARG, tilt of the imagers should be done away with. One hopes that while working on the FORT, MUMBAI - 400 001 (INDIA). Lok Pal Bill, the collective leadership of the movement will take note of these points PHONE : 91 - 22 - 2201 9265 / 2201 9160 to ensure that this movement does not meet the fate of two similar earlier one's and FAX : 91-22- 2201 9764 / 2201 9760 that Right wing divisive forces are kept at bay. Anna effect has forced government to act tough on corruption, of course the gov- The magazine is published and printed by ernment has sensed the public anger against series of scams hence finally major Rajiv Agnihotri for Opinion Express crack- down is ordered. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested former Communications & Entertainments Pvt Ltd, from 2 Ashok Nagar, Lucknow And printed head of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, Suresh Kalmadi, in con- at Kumpu Graphic Press. nection with irregularities in the contract for the Queen's Baton Relay (QBR), The CBI is also probing alleged irregularities in the hiring of Swiss firm Event Knowledge EDITORIAL & CORPORATE OFFICE Services (EKS) as CWG's technical consultant. Kanimozhi, the self-effacing journal- OPINION EXPRESS HOUSE ist-poet is today accused of being a co-conspirator in one of the biggest scams the 24 - A Clyde Road, Lucknow-226001 (India) Ph: 91-522-4045728/4060880 country has seen. CBI has charge sheeted Kanimozhi in the 2G scam hence her trou- Fax: 91-522-2208242 ble are about to start in a big way with already jailed former telecom minister A Raja 24x7 mobility +91 9984437000 and several important political and business leaders. Email: [email protected] The road ahead is challenging, the vested interest will try to block the cleanup process with their full might and resources. The key to success for the entire move- All content published may be subject to copyright, ment shall be the constant public pressure to be backed by honest effort from se- seek written permission to re-produce. Opinion lect upright government agencies and strict monitoring of Apex court. Express is trade mark brand of Opinion Express — Prashant Tewari Communications & Entertainment Private Limited. MAY 2012 COVER STORY: WAR ON CORRUPTION P9-30 TERROR TRAIL OBAMA GETS OSAMA P31-35 VROOM P5-8 EVERYONE’S BLUE-EYED BABY IN NEWS END OF P46-47 AN ERA Living: The great indian lok pal Biz Time: Reliance to enter P28trick and other stories P45homeland security business Forum: Energise Indo-Japan Fashion: indians have potential, says P36partnership in education P48Monica Gaba Sports: India on top of the world Post script: Shashi Ruia named P40after cup triumph P50 businessman of the year IN NEWS More Than A Spiritual Guru, He Was A Leading Light For Many Generations Sathya Sai Baba — Saint, philanthropist, educator OPINION EXPRESS MAY 2012 I 5 IN NEWS athya Sai Baba born as Sathyanarayana Raju (23 November 1926 - 24 April 2011 was a guru, spiritual figure and educa- Stor. In 2011, he was listed by the Watkins Review as one of the 100 most spiritually influential people in the world. Sathya Sai Baba claimed to be the reincarnation of the spiritual guru, Sai Baba of Shirdi, whose teachings were an eclectic blend of Hindu and Muslim beliefs. Sathya Sai Baba established schools and colleges, hospitals, and other charitable institutions in India and abroad. The number of active Sathya Sai Baba followers was estimated in 1999 to be around 6 million, though adherents' estimates are far higher.] Since there are no formal ties of membership, the actual figure may never be known. The Sathya Sai Organisation reports that there are an estimated 1,200 Sathya Sai Baba Centers in 114 countries worldwide. In 2002, he claimed to have followers in 178 countries. Early life and proclamation In 1940, Sathya Sai Baba declared that he had no worldly rela- tionship with anyone and, around this time, devotees began to gather to him. In 1944, a mandir (temple) for Sathya Sai Baba's devotees was built near the village. It is now referred to as the old mandir. The construction of Prashanthi Nilayam, the current ashram, began in 1948 and was completed in 1950.In 1957 Sathya Sai Baba went on a North Indian temple tour.In 1954, Sathya Sai Baba established a small free General Hospital in the village of Puttaparthi. In 1963, Sathya Sai Baba suffered a stroke and four severe heart attacks. It is believed by some that he healed himself of these, and on recovering announced that he 6 I MAY 2012 OPINION EXPRESS IN NEWS announced that he would be reborn as Prema Sai Baba in the state of Karnataka. Illness and death Sathya Sai Baba was admitted to a hos- pital at Prashantigram at Puttaparthi on 28 March 2011, following respiration-re- lated problems. After nearly a month of hospitalisation, during which his condition progressively deteriorated, Sai Baba died on 24 April at 7:40 IST. Political reactions were swift with many offering their condo- lences, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Dalai Lama. Others who reacted to his death included cricketer Sachin Tendulkar,who canceled his birthday celebrations. The Hindu news- paper reported that "Sri Sathya Sai Baba's propagation of spiritualism and preaching of Hindu philosophy never came in the way of his commitment to secular beliefs." His body lay in state for two days, after which it was buried on April 27, 2011.The burial was accorded the status of a state funeral by the Andhra Pradesh govern- ment. The Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Union Ministers S. M. Krishna and Ambika Soni apart from vari- ous other political leaders, celebrities and intellectuals were in attendance through the last rites. Around 500,000 people have attended the burial. Institutions, organisations and projects Sathya Sai Baba supported a variety of free educational institutions, hospitals, and other charitable works in over 166 countries. The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (now changed to Sri Sathya Sai University) in Prashanthi Nilayam is the only college in India to have received an "A++" rating by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (an autonomous body established by the HIGH-PROFILE DISCIPLES : BABA WITH FORMER PM VAJPAYEE University Grants Commission).Sri Sathya Sai University of which Baba was the Sathya Sai Baba supported a a Sathya Sai Baba University and Medical Chancellor, has three campuses, one at variety of free educational in- School as well as a world class hospital Puttaparthi for men,one at Whitefield, and research institute are being con- Bangalore for men[and one at Anantapur stitutions, hospitals, and oth- structed on over 200 acres (0.81 km2) to for women.