Shiban Khaibri
The theme of the column , most decidedly, could have been different but for posting old pictures and photo clips on the twitter by Congress Party showing the Prime Minister sharing the stage with the rape convict Asa Ram , on the occasion of the latter’s court verdict. As if it did not achieve the “desired end”, what can make one aghast and disturbed, seeing to what levels political dissent and criticism have plummeted, is the motivated post of photo clips bearing the caption, “A man is known by the company he keeps.” Choosing to attack the country’s Prime Minister in such a manufactured projection of propitious manner towards (now) a rape convict reveals intrinsic intentions more than it keeps any behind.
What did the Party once proudly run by M.K. Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, Indira Ji etc thus achieve and try to convey by posting an undated decades old photo coinciding with sentencing of Asa Ram? There must be a self imposed limit of civility even in fighting, attacking and berating, especially by so many against the one and only one. Does it show an unnerving syndrome? Does it show vowing to pin down by employing any means fair and foul? Does it show having no regard for what the parts of world with better or worse democracies look at us like? Does it convey ruling this country to be the divine right of only one Party, if not by one family?
Close on the heels comes a statement from the secular Party’s Chief Minister of Karnataka cautioning the people against “North Indian imports” being thrust on the people of Karnataka. Earlier, Rahul Gandhi tried to divide the Hindus by declaring Lingayats as minorities and hence non- Hindus. While chanting as being divinely secular, most of the Congress leaders vie with one another in projecting to be more Hindus in sum and substance. Are elections sought to be fought like such dodgy tactics and if yes, what next?
Buffoonery in politics and that also in a diverse country like India can be ill afforded in the present day world bogged in economic growth and international trade with an increasing competitive edge. How is the present day Congress leadership going to impress the citizens, even assuming the past scams, policy paralysis etc are forgotten, when its President cannot answer an inquisitive girl student in Amethi . The little girl asked him as to why many laws enacted by the government are not properly being implemented in the villages. The Congress President’s reply was, “Just ask Modi Ji”. It needs a lot of home work and an arduous search to know things. How could the girl student expect such a dodging reply from the one who is supposed to know that Parliament makes laws for us and most of them are implemented by the state governments and not by the Union government?
One of the main reasons of underdevelopment in this country is devoting of maximum time in mutual bickering, settling political scores, leveling allegations and counter allegations, who is more secular and who is less, who cares more for the neglected and the most deserving and who is anti; outpacing one another in statue politics, those in power claiming doing the best and those out of it boasting to have done better. Salt becomes “extinct” in some localities to claim a point against the government. In Delhi, we all are privy to how an elected government came crumbling down just for the (created) shortage of onions. All of a sudden, some ATMs in three states go dry and immediately it is branded as “Note ban terror”. It sends panic across and more currency is hoarded than required because the general public having put their stamp of approval on the government’s daring economic reform of demonetization has got to be avenged in one shape or the other. Some ATMs going dry was a residue of that spirit of “avenging”.
In the name of “saving” the independence and grandeur of our judiciary , the head of the country’s judiciary, an institution in itself , the Chief Justice of India is sought to be impeached, a move unheard of in the annals of Indian democratic set up since 1950 when we adopted the Constitution. The trust and the ultimate confidence of a common man in our judicial system is sought to be shaken which is a disservice to both our democracy and its upholder, the judiciary. Hats off to the experience and political maturity of Dr. Manmohan Singh who refused to sign the “impeachment petition”. Rajya Sabha Chairman, M. Venkaiah Naidu rejected the impeachment notice presented by seven opposition parties led by Congress. The grounds cited were – lacking substantial merit and the allegations being neither tenable nor admissible. The opposition parties plan to take the decision to the Supreme Court as according to Kapil Sibal, “this unprecedented order only shatters the confidence of the people, destroys legitimate process of law and it seeks to hide….”.In the name of “saving” democracy, in the name of “protecting” constitution, in the name of “independence” of judiciary, let the crusaders in the select opposition be sincere in saying and doing that.
The confidence of the people, largest sections of them, feel otherwise shattered that the CJI who is hearing the Ayodya case was requested by Kapil Sibal to defer the proceedings of the case till the elections of 2019 were over as the decision was going to have a bearing upon the 2019 elections. If the request was turned down, the impeachment was no answer or the solution. This is the other way of looking at the unprecedented and unheard of move to remove the CJI. People are matured enough to watch and see through the political tantrums.
Is it not digestible, as it was going to influence the 2019 verdict that China’s growth rate has been coming down, the country known as the engine of Asia’s growth. Indian economy is fast emerging as the fifth fastest growing in the world. Global investors have felt a sort of confidence in the present government in the centre. This could be possible only after a few substantial economic reforms in the country. With it, what is necessary is a sound banking system with Banks overcoming the pressures and pulls on account of mounting NPAs. It is futile and wastage of time and energy to harp on “during whose tenure the loan defaulter fugitives were allowed to run” after having wrecked havoc with the Banking sector in allowing recklessly sanctioning of high profile advances, usually not matched with prime or collateral securities. Created or hyped incidents of even a day or two of ATMs going dry or any other undesirable move was going to press the panic button with which the trust in the Banking system was going to be impaired.
In other words, let there be slew of criticism, even outlandish accusations, series of newer fusillades of whatever nature against the one and the only one by so many but in that, it should be ensured that the country and its institutions, the army, the judiciary etc were not undermined or their importance diluted.
Economically, how much are we stronger matters? The credit goes to the present dispensation in seeing India growing faster than China. India is poised to be another growth leader as China thanks to structural reforms which again are vehemently opposed and ridiculed. Let that process be not stalled to only win elections. Let the left over arrows remain in the quiver for the time being.
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