The sordid affair of Quattrocchi

The Quattrocchi affair is a blot on the Congress led UPA government-which it can not wish away. Never has a government been so consistent and determined in its working against the people. The dropping of the cases against Q was expected .First it was the defreezing of Quattrocchi’s accounts. Second it facilitated the withdrawing of Interpol’s red corner alert. Third it gave the final clean chit to the Italian corrupt swindler ‘Q’ by dropping all charges against him In this whole sordid drama what comes through is the fact that the Congress led UPA connived with Quattrocchi in letting him off the hook. The sum alleged may be small compared to the huge corruption that blurs the whole Indian political scene. But the way it was done and the underhand methods used so blatantly to get Quattrocchi walk free is something which cannot be easily explained off.
Questions that loom large are:-Why was the UPA government under Mrs Sonia Gandhi hell bent on freeing ‘Q’? What is the relationship of ‘Q’ to the first family? Is ‘Q’ a benami of very powerful persons? Why did the law minister sent an envoy to the UK to defreeze his account keeping the PM in the dark? Why did the government blunt the efficiency of the CBI and made it look as a set of fools on a wild goose chase? Why India was exposed to ridicule and made a laughing stock by the world community? Why had the officers been prevented in their functioning-going to Argentina without the required papers? Why was Quattrocchi not extradited from Malaysia, when the Central government did say that it was a fit case for extradition? Why has the Centre so unabashedly admitted its own inefficiency and dropped the case against ‘Q’ because it remained a major cause of embarrassment for the Congress? Why did the Solicitor General argue that all was lost in the fight to nail the elusive Italian when the CBI had once suggested a strong case existed? What happened between then-with a strong case in existence, and now when everything was lost? What was lost by whom and how?
It all started when Margaret Alva was the Minister in charge of Personnel, the Congress allowed Quattrocchi to sneak out of the country? After he had left then the ruckus and the chase.64 crores may be peanuts for the ministers and the first family- the fact remains that the Congress abetted the fleeing and then the freeing of ‘Q’. If there was no case then why had ‘Q’ not appeared to be questioned, faced the charges and cleared himself? Instead he was running as a fugitive from country to country. The role of The Congress is suspect. It has brought disgrace and disrepute to the country and its investigation agencies and made a farce of our whole justice system. The UPA government will not have the credibility to bring back the money of the Indians stashed in foreign tax havens-it will not arrest the amassing of wealth by corrupt means because it is the main culprit.
All the big tamasha of sleeping in a dalit’s house and sharing a night meal with them is big propaganda for Rahul. This is another kind of deception. If the Congress and Rahul really empathize with the plight of the poorest of the poor then it is not one night’s business but a whole change in life style and functioning-through out one’s life. It takes a lot of gumption to fight corruption because corruption is the root cause for all the ills. No NREGS can bring relief. A dirty Hand cannot give a clean government nor redeem it. Like leeches the corrupt men/women suck the blood of the people leaving them emaciated and weakened. To add insult to injury the NREGS, visitations to the dalit hamlets and dalit houses-sharing one night meal with them are all insults heaped on the people. The great propaganda drama of deception-to continue the corruption and offer a tokenism, the belief that one night sharing the poverty makes a whole life time of suffering vanish for the poor. If really Rahul and his mother believe in eradication of poverty then Quatrrocchi’s case should have been different. Because it calls for righteousness and integrity to stand for justice no matter the cost. In this the Congress headed by Mrs Sonia Gandhi failed and failed miserably. It has exposed the bankruptcy of values in the Congress and its leaders. Was there not a single person who could have stood up and demanded truth and justice? Was the inner voice stifled? Was the renunciation devoid of any basic values? It is not the 64 crores but the message that they will go any length to save persons who are close to them; the government led by Mrs Sonia Gandhi will not hesitate to rubbish justice and block its process. No wonder we have corrupt persons in the cabinet. Where do the SCs and the poor stand a chance in this deception drama? And in this betrayal of the people where is the Prime Minister of India-he is conveniently ‘out of the loop’.
Dr Mrs Hilda Raja
Vadodara

Response to ‘In Rome Durgais not welcome

Can you change the leopard’s spots? The denial of permission Can you change the leopard’s spots? The denial of permission to hold the Durga puja last year and again this year by the authorities in Italy should not come as a shock. It was only a couple of weeks ago that the Pope gave a call to redouble missionary activities. Towards what-to bring all people to One faith. A Sunday marked out as Mission Sunday when every church throughout the world the ‘flock’ is reminded of its mission. Through prayer, supplications, preaching and asking for generous giving, it is revitalization of thought, reaffirmation of resolve and realigning of forces to march forward. Planting the Cross in India is on the top of the agenda of Vatican. The European countries put on a specially tinted spectacle when they view India. That almost 3/4th of its population are lapsed Christians is by no means a deterrent for it to proselytize India. The issue raised by them frequently is that religious freedom is violated in India. When this is stated one has to keep in mind what they mean is that Christians are not been given a free hand to proselytize. Any obstacle to this is cited as violation of religious freedom. Just a few weeks ago the Ganesh pandals were desecrated and demolished-Pakistani flag hoisted on a police van in Miraj-Maharastra is no concern of anybody. Hindus can be persecuted and their gods and goddesses demolished. This is the right of the Christian /Muslim community because their books prescribe and ordain this dictum. Hindus have no such compulsion and do not believe (as the Pope does) that there is only one single path and only one single Way. ‘I am the Way and the Life. Literally translated by the church and hence it feels compelled to bulldoze all other religions to pave this One way and one Path.
In reference to ‘ In Rome, Durga is not welcome’ by Kanchan Gupta and the whole narration of how the organizers were humiliated, harassed and hounded leading to the cancellation of the puja but for the timely intervention of our ambassador Mr Arif Shahid Khan makes no shocking news. It is to be expected if one understands the core and the very faith premise of Christianity. To understand this one should have at least a cursory view of the history of Christianity and its very ‘faith’ belief. It was born in blood. It is an imperialistic expansionist doctrine. It has very little to do with spirituality and still less to do with the search for Truth. Christianity’s goal is to Christianize the world. If one comprehends these benchmarks then one will be able to understand the doctrine-which is based on a linear path. No compromise and no acceptance of other faiths. ‘Go ye and baptize all nations in the Name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Ghost’. This is the injunction. The duty of the institutional church/churches and the ‘flock’ is clear-their duty to follow this command given by God. What about then of all the education institutions, the hospitals, the good work organizations, et al they are to give the human face and the softer face of this expansionist doctrine. This imperialistic religion needs to recruit armies, keep them employed and in a process of reaffirming their duty and their mission. These various organizations serve the purpose well. These organizations/institutions also have a double edge they become the PR machinery-and the public support is easily garnered. This makes it difficult to expose the imperial face of Christianity.The Christian organizations control much of the media in the developing countries.hence a humanitarian Christianity is being projected. That its history and growth was through a route that was bloody and ruthless –with religious wars, the Crusades, the Inquisition, the witch burning at the stakes –all in the name of this one God which it upholds and this one faith which it need to propagate-Today it conveniently depicts a humanitarian, compassionate ,good Samaritan face. If it was the bloodletting which justified the growth and the march of Christianity then, today it has changed gears with the evangelists preying among the poor like vultures- mouthing promises and performing miracles. Keeping the people in a trance-fed with the opium, drugged with a kind of hysterical brainwashing and leading them on with false promises-with threat of punishment if they do not denounce the religion in which they are born-and accept the one God to gain a ticket to heaven-along with other perks- this is the business of proselytization.All this comes under ‘religious freedom’, according to the European countries and Rome. A call to ban such a business of proselytization is opposed by our secular UPA government because it has its own agenda in the process of proselytization-vote bank politics.
The doctrine of Christianity does not give space for dialogue. Then why this great dialogue simulation? That too has its PR and business dimensions. To give the impression that the church is willing to learn and to grow-to accept that other faiths as god-centered and lead to salvation. This will generate tremendous goodwill among the ‘secular’ elite. That is part of the sheen given to tolerance and to a semblance of search for the truth. All involved in such an activity cannot be painted black with the same brush. Many are innocently drawn towards this ‘sharing’ because they firmly believe that they need to give what they have-in the process if they pick up a few grains well and good. They can use those as quotes for furthering again their incursions. If the search for the truth was real and genuine then it makes sense to have dialogue. But brainwashed and imbibed with a crusading fervor the Christians embark on a conquering march-conquer souls and along with it land, economic and political power. It is against this background that one should understand the question, ‘Where are the millions of Mother Theresa’? How does one fit in the teaching of Jesus that one cannot serve two Masters- God and Mammon? To this the reply is ‘one should be pragmatic and not take things literally’. In the name of God everything is justified. It has another aim-it keeps the hungry, the assetless and powerless ‘flock’ vision glued to beyond the horizons of today to the green pastures in the next world.
The aim ‘to plant the Cross in India’ must not be forgotten. While the Church is unable to keep its ‘flock’ in Europe within its bounds and where the shepherd’s voice is unrecognized by the sheep the Church’s attention and all energies are directed to Asia-especially India. Conversion and mission activity is the oxygen which keeps the church pulsating in its expansionist march .Just a couple of Sundays ago the church celebrated the Mission Sunday and the Pope’s appeal was again to convert-to bring all under Christ. Why such a appeal, because the ‘faithful’ believe that it has the one and only faith-the and that it is their duty to share this ‘Good News’ and it is their duty to save humanity from falling into the depths of hell. Towards this all means should be employed. So the business of the church is well anchored. For this finance, global corporate starting from foot soldiers to a network of organizations knitting the whole globe has been well structured and put in place. The church is the best salesman/PR with its media. Its firm grip on the media on what to disseminate makes it easy for the ‘flock’ to be controlled with the ‘right’ information. Even prayers to be printed, distributed and accepted to be recited by the ‘flock’ needs the ‘imprimatur’ or the Okaying seal of Rome. The Pentecostal churches by setting out the crusading armies in the form of evangelists in Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu have lured the vulnerable people by promises of the ‘green pastures’.
The European countries and Vatican allege that Christians are persecuted and Religious Freedom is denied which is a fake allegation and far from truth. Culling out news reports controlled and owned by the Christian media is nothing but propaganda. The NGOs and the evangelical churches abet this reporting because they stand to gain. To attract the big money that pours in , it is necessary to keep up the tempo of persecution and the mirage of a persecuted church and denial of religious freedom in India as reality. Does it make sense for Italy to deny Durga celebrations on the basis of this fake allegation? One cannot use a dirty Hand to clean. The statistics of converts, the number of churches constructed in the last five years will prove the fallacy that Christians are persecute. But then what is the meaning of intolerance and persecution? Does it mean silence and inaction by the Hindus when the idols of their gods and goddesses are demolished-when their sacred places are desecrated when their revered priests and nuns are butchered? Does Italy, Vatican and the European countries expect the Hindus to sit back and sing bhajans watching the havoc created by this army of evangelists? When their culture is shredded and their kith and kin are made aliens within their own communities is that not social and psychological ruptures and dismembering of a community? Let the champions of religious tolerance first cite a single instance when the offensive was from the Hindus. Be it Godhara, Gujarat and Kandhamal communal riots et al. It was invariably a backlash. Now when one is beaten whipped, stoned, roasted and dehumanized the backlash cannot be held within rational and logical proportions. It is mandatory for Rome and the EU to undertake an objective survey and enumerate the number of churches that have been constructed in India especially in the four southern States-Kerala, Tamilnadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh with the tax payers’ money in the past five years. Does this reflect persecution of the Christians? Does religious freedom mean the right to the Christians to violate the right of others
It is entirely another matter that Hindu pundits were killed, driven out of their homes and are in refugee camps-does this indicate a persecution of the Christians or a persecution of the Hindus in their own motherland? Has this been a concern of any one of the European countries? Christianizing India is not just for God but for mammon too because it a big money spinning business involving billions. Hence there is vested interest. The litmus test is –ban all foreign funds flowing into this country to the various churches and NGOs, immediately you’ll perceive this crusading spirit evaporating. It will be right for the EU and Rome to watch out the violations and persecution of the minorities in other countries and not chase a shadow in India. This has an ulterior motive. The UPA government with Mrs Sonia Gandhi is there very vigorously carrying out the Christianization in the political power echelons. On the ground level the churches have comprised and are functioning as Corporates-nothing to do with real spirituality –in the business of conversion. It is then imperative in this whole business the Hindus are pagans and heathens are to be converted –This calls for their gods and goddesses to be rubbished and demolished and banished. Is it then a shock that Italy banned Durga?
Dr Mrs Hilda Raja
Vadodara

to hold the Durga puja last year and again this year by the authorities in Italy should not come as a shock. It was only a couple of weeks ago that the Pope gave a call to redouble missionary activities. Towards what-to bring all people to One faith. A Sunday marked out as Mission Sunday when every church throughout the world the ‘flock’ is reminded of its mission. Through prayer, supplications, preaching and asking for generous giving, it is revitalization of thought, reaffirmation of resolve and realigning of forces to march forward. Planting the Cross in India is on the top of the agenda of Vatican. The European countries put on a specially tinted spectacle when they view India. That almost 3/4th of its population are lapsed Christians is by no means a deterrent for it to proselytize India. The issue raised by them frequently is that religious freedom is violated in India. When this is stated one has to keep in mind what they mean is that Christians are not been given a free hand to proselytize. Any obstacle to this is cited as violation of religious freedom. Just a few weeks ago the Ganesh pandals were desecrated and demolished-Pakistani flag hoisted on a police van in Miraj-Maharastra is no concern of anybody. Hindus can be persecuted and their gods and goddesses demolished. This is the right of the Christian /Muslim community because their books prescribe and ordain this dictum. Hindus have no such compulsion and do not believe (as the Pope does) that there is only one single path and only one single Way. ‘I am the Way and the Life. Literally translated by the church and hence it feels compelled to bulldoze all other religions to pave this One way and one Path.
In reference to ‘ In Rome, Durga is not welcome’ by Kanchan Gupta and the whole narration of how the organizers were humiliated, harassed and hounded leading to the cancellation of the puja but for the timely intervention of our ambassador Mr Arif Shahid Khan makes no shocking news. It is to be expected if one understands the core and the very faith premise of Christianity. To understand this one should have at least a cursory view of the history of Christianity and its very ‘faith’ belief. It was born in blood. It is an imperialistic expansionist doctrine. It has very little to do with spirituality and still less to do with the search for Truth. Christianity’s goal is to Christianize the world. If one comprehends these benchmarks then one will be able to understand the doctrine-which is based on a linear path. No compromise and no acceptance of other faiths. ‘Go ye and baptize all nations in the Name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Ghost’. This is the injunction. The duty of the institutional church/churches and the ‘flock’ is clear-their duty to follow this command given by God. What about then of all the education institutions, the hospitals, the good work organizations, et al they are to give the human face and the softer face of this expansionist doctrine. This imperialistic religion needs to recruit armies, keep them employed and in a process of reaffirming their duty and their mission. These various organizations serve the purpose well. These organizations/institutions also have a double edge they become the PR machinery-and the public support is easily garnered. This makes it difficult to expose the imperial face of Christianity.The Christian organizations control much of the media in the developing countries.hence a humanitarian Christianity is being projected. That its history and growth was through a route that was bloody and ruthless –with religious wars, the Crusades, the Inquisition, the witch burning at the stakes –all in the name of this one God which it upholds and this one faith which it need to propagate-Today it conveniently depicts a humanitarian, compassionate ,good Samaritan face. If it was the bloodletting which justified the growth and the march of Christianity then, today it has changed gears with the evangelists preying among the poor like vultures- mouthing promises and performing miracles. Keeping the people in a trance-fed with the opium, drugged with a kind of hysterical brainwashing and leading them on with false promises-with threat of punishment if they do not denounce the religion in which they are born-and accept the one God to gain a ticket to heaven-along with other perks- this is the business of proselytization.All this comes under ‘religious freedom’, according to the European countries and Rome. A call to ban such a business of proselytization is opposed by our secular UPA government because it has its own agenda in the process of proselytization-vote bank politics.
The doctrine of Christianity does not give space for dialogue. Then why this great dialogue simulation? That too has its PR and business dimensions. To give the impression that the church is willing to learn and to grow-to accept that other faiths as god-centered and lead to salvation. This will generate tremendous goodwill among the ‘secular’ elite. That is part of the sheen given to tolerance and to a semblance of search for the truth. All involved in such an activity cannot be painted black with the same brush. Many are innocently drawn towards this ‘sharing’ because they firmly believe that they need to give what they have-in the process if they pick up a few grains well and good. They can use those as quotes for furthering again their incursions. If the search for the truth was real and genuine then it makes sense to have dialogue. But brainwashed and imbibed with a crusading fervor the Christians embark on a conquering march-conquer souls and along with it land, economic and political power. It is against this background that one should understand the question, ‘Where are the millions of Mother Theresa’? How does one fit in the teaching of Jesus that one cannot serve two Masters- God and Mammon? To this the reply is ‘one should be pragmatic and not take things literally’. In the name of God everything is justified. It has another aim-it keeps the hungry, the assetless and powerless ‘flock’ vision glued to beyond the horizons of today to the green pastures in the next world.
The aim ‘to plant the Cross in India’ must not be forgotten. While the Church is unable to keep its ‘flock’ in Europe within its bounds and where the shepherd’s voice is unrecognized by the sheep the Church’s attention and all energies are directed to Asia-especially India. Conversion and mission activity is the oxygen which keeps the church pulsating in its expansionist march .Just a couple of Sundays ago the church celebrated the Mission Sunday and the Pope’s appeal was again to convert-to bring all under Christ. Why such a appeal, because the ‘faithful’ believe that it has the one and only faith-the and that it is their duty to share this ‘Good News’ and it is their duty to save humanity from falling into the depths of hell. Towards this all means should be employed. So the business of the church is well anchored. For this finance, global corporate starting from foot soldiers to a network of organizations knitting the whole globe has been well structured and put in place. The church is the best salesman/PR with its media. Its firm grip on the media on what to disseminate makes it easy for the ‘flock’ to be controlled with the ‘right’ information. Even prayers to be printed, distributed and accepted to be recited by the ‘flock’ needs the ‘imprimatur’ or the Okaying seal of Rome. The Pentecostal churches by setting out the crusading armies in the form of evangelists in Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu have lured the vulnerable people by promises of the ‘green pastures’.
The European countries and Vatican allege that Christians are persecuted and Religious Freedom is denied which is a fake allegation and far from truth. Culling out news reports controlled and owned by the Christian media is nothing but propaganda. The NGOs and the evangelical churches abet this reporting because they stand to gain. To attract the big money that pours in , it is necessary to keep up the tempo of persecution and the mirage of a persecuted church and denial of religious freedom in India as reality. Does it make sense for Italy to deny Durga celebrations on the basis of this fake allegation? One cannot use a dirty Hand to clean. The statistics of converts, the number of churches constructed in the last five years will prove the fallacy that Christians are persecute. But then what is the meaning of intolerance and persecution? Does it mean silence and inaction by the Hindus when the idols of their gods and goddesses are demolished-when their sacred places are desecrated when their revered priests and nuns are butchered? Does Italy, Vatican and the European countries expect the Hindus to sit back and sing bhajans watching the havoc created by this army of evangelists? When their culture is shredded and their kith and kin are made aliens within their own communities is that not social and psychological ruptures and dismembering of a community? Let the champions of religious tolerance first cite a single instance when the offensive was from the Hindus. Be it Godhara, Gujarat and Kandhamal communal riots et al. It was invariably a backlash. Now when one is beaten whipped, stoned, roasted and dehumanized the backlash cannot be held within rational and logical proportions. It is mandatory for Rome and the EU to undertake an objective survey and enumerate the number of churches that have been constructed in India especially in the four southern States-Kerala, Tamilnadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh with the tax payers’ money in the past five years. Does this reflect persecution of the Christians? Does religious freedom mean the right to the Christians to violate the right of others
It is entirely another matter that Hindu pundits were killed, driven out of their homes and are in refugee camps-does this indicate a persecution of the Christians or a persecution of the Hindus in their own motherland? Has this been a concern of any one of the European countries? Christianizing India is not just for God but for mammon too because it a big money spinning business involving billions. Hence there is vested interest. The litmus test is –ban all foreign funds flowing into this country to the various churches and NGOs, immediately you’ll perceive this crusading spirit evaporating. It will be right for the EU and Rome to watch out the violations and persecution of the minorities in other countries and not chase a shadow in India. This has an ulterior motive. The UPA government with Mrs Sonia Gandhi is there very vigorously carrying out the Christianization in the political power echelons. On the ground level the churches have comprised and are functioning as Corporates-nothing to do with real spirituality –in the business of conversion. It is then imperative in this whole business the Hindus are pagans and heathens are to be converted –This calls for their gods and goddesses to be rubbished and demolished and banished. Is it then a shock that Italy banned Durga?
Dr Mrs Hilda Raja
Vadodara

UPA engaged in Proselytization

There was a very disturbing news item in the media this week which cited the expert committee constituted to identify the Below the Poverty Line (BPL) population as calling upon the government to take a call on Muslims. Whether being a Muslim is a valid parameter for identifying the BPL families. One thought that an expert committee would use its expertise and assert the valid criteria and not leave it to the political class for validification. Then why expert committees when it cannot even classify criteria for the purpose. The ball is in the court of the UPA to politicize the BPL population. So it is disappointing that the expert panel failed in its basic duty.
To premise the contouring of the BPL population on Sachar report and affirmative action is already a wrong start. Sachar report is not scientific. It wanted to do what it aimed to do-it wanted to target the Muslim population as the poorest of the poor and Sachar did exactly that. A scientific survey starts with no bias and culls out reliable data with the universe spread well leveled. One does not go to pockets of lumpen poverty groups and makes that a data base to project the profile of the Muslim population. It is a skewed projection because it is a skewed sampling. There is no quarrel to net in poverty groups by any available means except religion-and to project it as an authentic profile of the Muslim population in India is misleading and unrealistic.
Global phenomenon of poverty is conspicuous in India because of various factors that impinge on the Third World countries. The poverty here is lumpen because of structural inequality growth resulting from a historic process. Poverty cannot be studied in isolation for it has structural and causal factors. This is precisely the reason why any numbers of Poverty alleviation programs have been unable to pull up the BPL groups and retain them above the PL. The NERGS is one such which is a cosmetic application to cover the poverty ugliness. An important causal factor of BPL families slipping back into poverty is fertility. So if a BPL family is given an economic input even in hard cash once the family size increases the family slips back to Below the Poverty line. It is this which has to be attended to and Family planning measures is more crucial to alleviate poverty to hold the family above the Poverty Line. This has not been undertaken and hence no amount of inputs will easily pull up those who refuse for religious reasons or for any other to opt for a small family norm. Development cannot be in isolation of this factor. Poverty leads to a culture of poverty-disease, malnutrition, illiteracy, ignorance, et al.
Poverty experts have measured poverty with various yardsticks-consumption norm, poverty line, percapita income, relative deprivation, calories, and entitlements.
Accessibility and availability to basic survival inputs like water and sanitation, health facilities, purchasing power, monthly income et al. Poverty groups have been aimed at area-wise, sector- wise, occupation –wise, group-wise and house-hold wise. The poor were identified not only on these lines but also on the basis of caste. The IRDP was only one of three major poverty alleviation programs-the other two being National Rural Employment Program (NREP) and Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Program (RLEGP) which specified that at least 30 percent of the beneficiaries to be SCs.
India thus has an unprecedented and long experience with poverty, its alleviation and strategies to pull up the BPL population. But no expert committee/panel ever envisaged religion to be one of the identifying factors. Hence the UPA government will be ill advised to bring in religion as a yardstick to identify poverty groups.
No secular government worth its name can use religion as a yardstick to net in poverty groups. It is basically a negation of secularism. Use one or more criterion or a range of factors to net in the poor. And if the Muslims are the poorest of the poor they should automatically come in the net, why this over anxiety to somehow bring them in? For example the expert panel can structure its own identification factors like-percapita income, illiteracy, woman headed family, having a chronically ill family member, –non availability of water source within a 10 furlong from the house, .type of house, .availability of electricity, child labor in the family, SC family. These can be whetted and sharpened and streamlined with distribution of weightages. But surely religion cannot be a factor nor can any scoring be given to it. Religion cannot be equated to caste.
If religion is taken as an index it is a Constitution violation and will have far reaching ill consequences. It gives a body blow to the very concept of ‘secularism’. And it is a governmental jihad directed against the country. It is a blatant proselytization-luring people into a religion to qualify them as beneficiaries to all that accrue to those under the BPL. It is a deception and hence a social sin to force people to be under the BPL when they are not. It is anti-national to project a wrong picture. And lastly it holds the government accountable if BPL figures are augmented to behold a farce of a development and its strategies from the karibi hatao and the 20 point program now to the much bandied Congress’ National rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, the BPL population is ever increasing. It demolishes all that governance stood for. The very existence of a government whose prime task was poverty alleviation.62 years of Freedom and our poverty numbers are increasing because of the politics of vote banks. Is it not a shame that a government which calls for tokenism in austerity is unable to substantially alleviate poverty? Why then a government at all is the question-is it to create a false image, to fleece the people and live on them, to tax Ram to pay Ahmed, to divide and rule, to make a permanency of vote bank of the Muslims to use them as pawns for power grabbing, to building ghettos and keeping them within?
Small wonder that the expert committee report was full of contradictions. With nine out of the 17 members in the panel submitting separate note (dissent) So it has gone to the Ministry of Rural Development to come out with the identification methodology. The UPA government now can appoint another penal –after all it is a panel raj which we have. It would be prudent for the UPA government to keep religion out as an index of measuring poverty and not violate the basic Fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution
Dr Mrs Hilda Raja
Vadodara

Spare the people of your Statements Mr Chidambaram

Evidence against Saeed is in Pakistan’ stated P.Chidambaram.He adds that according to reports Saeed is placed under house arrest and that the J-u-D chief has been charged under two FIRs unrelated to 26/11.The UPA government must sit up and not just issue statements to the media. If the J-u-D chief is placed under house arrest and to Chidambaram it is a face saving technique for which he has no objection only reveals how slipshod the Congress led UPA government is when it comes to fighting terrorism.
The people have a right to know if this government really is resolved to fight terrorism and not just mouth hollow statements. There is substantial evidence that the Congress led UPA government is not prepared to fight terrorism. When it was quite evident that Pakistan’s military is abetting terrorism in giving training and direction to the terrorists Manmohan Singh and Yousuf Raza Gilani met at Sharm-il-Sheikh for talks. This bypassing the Vajpayee Mushrraf Declaration which was based on the understanding that composition dialogue will resume only after a categorical assurance from Pakistan not to use its soil for terrorism against India. This is a basic prerequisite for any meaningful talks with Pakistan.Yet Manmohan Singh bypassed this premise which means that no assurance is sought to continue talks. That was not a mere slip but a major setback and a clear indication of the Indian government’s soft policy towards terrorism.
The Manmohan Singh’s government had information on the militants trained in POK to attack Balighar dam that a secret tunnel was being built near the border town of Sailkot. Inspite of these shocking pieces of information Manmohan Singh had the callousness to warmly shake hands with Yousuf Gilani and worse still give the impression that both are victims. Where then are the perpetrators? When this was done at the highest level what is the use of Chidambaram’s oratory that the involvement of Saeed-the chief of the J-u-D in the 26/11 attack must be probed? Probed by whom Mr Chidambaram- by the government of India or the government of Pakistan? Both are victims then both need to have a joint investigation to get at the perpetrators. It is small consolation for the Home Minister to tell the people that evidence of Saeed’s involvement is in Pakistan. We better have the evidence and not shove the evidence at Pakistan alone because it will only engage itself in face saving techniques and Mr Chidambaram has no objection to that.
How long is the UPA government going to fool the people on its incompetence and its face saving techniques? Is a government’s credibility only to issue statements and to air views? Where is the action?
Why bother about the Saeed when this government is not capable of proving its resolve with terrorists here in India. Its ally the DMK released 9 terrorists of the Ul-Umma group involved in the infamous Coimbatore serial bomb blast in 1998 which took 58 innocent lives. How appropriate to celebrate the birthday of Annaduria by releasing terrorists-one among them-Fakrudeen Ali Ahmed was ‘suicide bomb’ which failed to explode. He and Mohd Ibrahim, Abdul Rehman, Abdul Farook, Abbas Abdul Jaffar, Mohd Rafi, Abdul Rahoop.Shahul Hameed, and Ashraf Sheik Kutty were freed.(Please note that terrorists are terrorists only when a single Hindu is involved it becomes Hindu terrorism). The whole case itself was soft pedaled when the chief of Ul-Umma was in prison two CMs were vying with each other to visit him and to see that all comforts were available to him. His subsequent role in the elections is well known. The UPA government’s persistent and adamant stand on the repeal of POTA and its opposition to the GUJCOC are clear indications of its soft policy towards terrorism. Can terrorists and other criminals be clubbed together? Terrorism is against the country-innocent people are the fodder-terrorism is an act of treason and treachery to destabilize the country and must be dealt as such. The UPA government will not fight against terrorism. Chidambaram can spare the people of his meaningless statements. So why bother about Afzal Guru-why bother about Kasab and why least of all bother about Saeed in Pakistan and its face saving techniques. When the Congress led UPA government has no face even to save when it comes to fighting and taking action against terrorists. But a ridder to the whole terrorism-had the terrorists been Hindus the picture would have drastically changed Chidambaram must answer why Sadhvi is still languishing in the prison?
Dr Mrs Hilda Raja
Vadodara

Walk the Talk with the people

‘Enough is enough’, Modi’s cautioning words to the anti-Gujarat forces has not come a day early. Be it the State fight against terrorism, or the police encounter in which Ishrat and her four companions were killed down to H1N1 it is Modi who is faulted at. But if the State is buoyed with growth and shows a vibrant Gujarat it is not because of Modi but because of unchanneled and unchartered forces in the State which trigger growth. The media is ever at its best when it comes to Modi bashing. The Congress led UPA government reveals its nervous and always targets Modi which is a clear indication that it suffers from Modi phobia. Worse things are happening in UP and in other Congress ruled States. Take for example this- had Modi put up a single statue of his the whole UPA government would have gone hammer and tongs at him. But here is a government in UP spending crores on building statues of those dead and alive and its CM goes to the Centre for more finances. The Congress spokes man Tiwari had the check to call the Modi’s government a man eating government. This because he was given the clue by his leader Mrs Sonia Gandhi who called Modi ‘merchant of death’ Lets for a moment use these against the users-namely the Congress and Mrs Sonia Gandhi. How will the media react? Will the Congress not organize rallies and burn the effigy of Modi? Will it not demand an unconditional apology from Modi? Why this two yardsticks in public probity. Has the Congress and Mrs Sonia Gandhi the license to heap unparliamentary words against Modi and his government?
The very fact that Modi is targeted reveals that he is strong and causes alarm to the Opposition. Even if Nitish warmly embraces him-then Nitish is faulted. Is Modi a political untouchable? P.Chidambaram uses the US soil to hit at Modi’s government in the police encounter of Ishrat. He does not hesitate to rubbish his ministry’s affidavit and Chidambaram is an ‘honorable’ man. Intelligence inputs are given to the Gujarat government not to meant to kill states thereby Chidambaram puts new meaning in an affidavit and in intelligent inputs passed on to the State governments. Being an honorable man he should explain what the State government should do with intelligence inputs? Perhaps even he conveniently forgot that in the Mumbai war attack he confessed that intelligence failed and apologized. He had just taken charge as Home Minister and the elections were round the corner so the Honorable Minister was most profoundly apologetic-apology for the loss of lives-apology for a war waged against the country apology for the targeting of India’s economic capital, hitting at the sovereignty of the country and sending a message clear and loud of the intend of Pakistan. Is it not befitting of the Home Minister an honorable man to engage in the exchange of dossiers and not move one step forward in this 26/11 attack.-but to strut across the political scenario with such apologies. Chidamabram has himself confessed that Maoists menace is on the increase, cross border terrorism is on the increase-and till date the terrorists involved in bomb blasts across the country have not been apprehended. Is the media listening? What a record for the UPA and the Home Ministry. We are only entertained with big talk. Pakistan is fully aware that Indians can only talk but cannot act. Look at China slowly but steadily has occupying our land. Pranab Mukherjee is on record when as Home Minister denied the incursions of China. The same psychology continues till date with the Congress.When Krishna Menon was making the longest speech in the UN Assemble back at home Nehru and Chou Enlai were embracing each other amidst the thunderous slogans ‘India-China bhai,bhai while all the time Chinese troops were readied to attack India in a matter of hours. Has the Congress learned anything from history? One cannot change the leopard spots. So shall we put up another mechanism to monitor the Chinese activities in the border? And Chidamabram can blame the BJP government for not taking necessary precautions. Soon we will have China Occupied Kashmir along with POK. With all this the Congress led UPA government shows no sign of preparedness, firmness and resolve. The whole attention is how to hit at Modi.How to hold on to the gaddi-how to keep the dynasty line succession firm and intacted. The media now the second rung of the Congress coterie plays the game to the hilt. Pota has been repealed simply because it was enacted by the BJP and because the UPA wants to project itself as Muslim friendly. Otherwise why this soft approach towards terrorists?Why has this country not punished a single terrorists till date.Why had Chidamabaram like a offended child run to the US to point at Pakistan and complain how ‘big brother’ is being victimized and harassed by Pakistan allowing its soil and military to abet terrorism. He returns happy that US has taken note of his complaint. Can we not manage our affairs with a little more of courage, and sense of duty-can we not show some guts, can we not put an end to this menace of a Pakistan and shed this dependence syndrome? No, because the first concern of the Congress is to always to project itself as Muslim friendly-does not matter if Muslims are perpetrators. What can be the explanation for the ominous silence of the Home Minster in the communal riots in Miraj, of the desecration and the vandalisation of the Ganesh pandals ?If the governments both at the State level and Centre did not take action will it be shocking if there is a retaliation? Does the UPA government expect the Hindus to sing bhajans while their sacred palces and idols are violated? Will the Maharastra government pay compensation for the vandalized pandals? Did not the Centre give compensation to the riot affected minority communities in Kandhammal .It is unbelievable that the Congress led UPA government is least concerned with the security of the people and the safeguarding of the territorial borders of this country. They are only concentrating on the elections in Maharatra and indulging in cheap gimmicks like economy travel-another political propaganda. Whom are they trying to hoodwink?
The media goes all gag gag when it comes to publicizing Rahul Gandhi’s train travel but the immense hardships the passengers who have no other alternative but travel in the ‘cattle carriages’ had to undergo by this political austerity drama of the Congress is overlooked.
Modi has been elected as the President of the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) Immediately Narendra Modi becomes ‘Narendra Singh Dhoni’ for the media. Was the media given the POA to change the name of the CM? Is Modi the first CM to take charge of the cricket at the State level? Did the media change the name of Sharad Pawar to Pawar Tendulkar? So Modi remains Modi and can by no stretch of the imagination of the media become Dhoni. Why this kind a treatment meted out to Modi. Modi’s assertion that his strength is the 5.5 crore people of his State is an apt reminded to the media and his harassers and anti –Gujarat forces.
‘Enough is enough’ the people of Gujarat will not take it lying if this trend continues. If Modi was refused a visa to the USA again there is jubilation. Is it not an insult to the people of Gujarat that its elected representative was rejected a visa”? Is it not a slap on the face of the Centre Government that one of its constitutional elected Chief Ministers was denied a visa? Why had the USA acted in this fashion-Was it not the duty of the Government of India to register its protest? Is it because of the Gujarat riots then what about the communal riots across the country? On the same score not one of the Congress leaders involved in the Sikh massacre should be given a visa. Sonia Gandhi is guilty by her silence during that time when she was part of the house hold. Now 25 years later to apologize because the Sikh votes counted will not wipe away her guilt because “all that is necessary for evil to triumph is for the good men to do nothing” At least from this angle Sonia and the Congress leaders are guilty and stand indicted in the genocide of 3000 Sikhs-rape of hundreds of Sikh women. This is a blot in its history and in the history of this country. If the rape of one nun can be cited by Manmohan Singh as a blot on the nation then what will he term the rape of hundreds of his own community women, supervised, directed and abetted by the Congress leaders during the riots in 1984? There can be no different justice standards-if Narendra Modi is faulted for the 2002 Gujarat riots then the same kind of justice judgment must be extended to Mrs Sonia Gandhi and the Congress party for its open involvement of the massacre of another minority community. The pot cannot call the kettle black.
The media has lost its credibility to disseminate correct information, to educate people and to create awareness towards justice issues. It is so blatantly one -sided both in its perception and its relay of information. Even the interviewers of the TV channels like Arnab Gosami,Karan Thapar do not made an attempt to hold a straight face but show their bias both in words and in facial expressions and in putting words into the mouth of the interviewees at times not allowing them even to complete their sentences. They talk down to the viewers and give their own versions and conclusions blocking the viewers to get the opinion of the interviewees. The Fourth Estate has become like a cheap columnist of the ruling class and fails in duty and its obligation.This is a tragedy. Who is then on the side of the people, to walk along with the people, to stimulate them to thinking and to air their opinions? The voice of the voiceless need to be heard it cannot be gauged by ‘Walk the Talk’ with individuals. Will the media please stand by the powerless people for Justice and walk the talk with them?
Dr Mrs Hilda Raja,
Vadodara.

Why India remains poor

There are many reasons for India remaining poor-the reasons stated by you including-India has always been ruled by the rich-they do not know what it an empty stomach.To discus poverty they troop into five star hotels-we have armchair democracy. We have a dynasty which without a shedding a drop of sweat live in luxury. This is not only for the first family but has become the rule of the day for the States also. All the big splash of flying in economy class is another gimmick of the ruling rich class. Let the government first present a white paper on the non-plan expenditure and then streamline the various expenditure under the different heads- starting from the President and her household. Drought or no drought it is a social sin to spend the hard earned money of the people while farmers commit suicides, the poor have hardly a square meal a day. Drastic cuts in the government expenditure must be called for. The government must reflect the people whom it serves and whom it represents-Ignorance abets deception. The poor are prepared to cast their votes for hollow promises and for a paltry 100 days employment a year. This they think is a great gift bestowed on them. And this 100 day employment is only on paper. A kilo of rice is thrown to them per day.
The Muslim appeasement -a vote bank strategy- has eroded not only the budget but also abetted terrorist activities. Why has the government of India not thrown out the illegal migrants in spite of the SC’s ruling? They get ID cards and are indicated as the poor, unemployed, they also abet terrorism for example Zeeshan Johar one of the four terrorists killed by the Gujarat police along with Ishrat Jahan had infiltrated into J&K from POK and then obtained an J&K I-card, purported to have been issued by the Tehisildar of Mahore in the name of Abdul Ghani.This according to the affidavit by the Home Ministry. Hundreds of Pakistanis and Bangladeshis have illegally crossed into India. This does affect the demography profile as well as the distributive system. Sachar Survey hence was able to project the Muslims as the poorest precisely because the illegal migrants are the poorest pushed out of their country through compulsion to find a livelihood and of course those who are trained terrorists to accomplish the jihad.
The claim of development will go first to the Muslims stated Manmohan Singh.If the numbers of the poor are increasing inspite of all the poverty alleviation programs then it points to basic flaw in planning and in targeting. No NREG can arrest poverty.
The whole development strategies have made the rich richer. The Indians have found place as world class rich-Mrs Sonia Gandhi has found place in Forbes as one of the most powerful woman in the world. This is an indication of purposeful ignorance and poverty that the masses are kept under so that a few can be ensured of power and wealth.
No meaningful democracy has been operated in India-that’s precisely why no Uniform civil Code, why dynasty rule and the Art 370 continue.
No body has the courage to say that the Partition was made on the basis that the Muslims did not want to integrate in a Hindu majority country. Accepting that India was partitioned then why all the efforts to make them one with the majority-is it possible? Dr Ambedkar was right when he stated that if India is partitioned then all the Muslims should quit and go to Pakistan .This is not only simple logic but also justice. They want to eat the cake and have it too. We have today more Muslims in India than in Pakistan and they make all sorts of demands. For heavens sake after having taken their share why do they continue to stay on and make more demands? Will the minorities in Pakistan make such demands-are they treated with some sort of humanity? All this because the leadership is unable to perform its duty. Hence an appeasement policy hence ‘first claim’ pronouncement-hence sleepless nights if one Muslim is harassed in Australia, hence terrorism becomes terrorism but one single case of alleged Malegoan terrorism is proclaimed as Hindu terrorism. Not a single terrorist has been till date punished. Not only are innocent lives snuffed out and bloodletting is abetted but no action because the affected are Hindus. But if Muslims are affected then the whole media, Congress, the global powers plus the Human Rights organizations are all up in arms. Not even justice for the Hindus in their own country is today available. They are even made to pay for the comfort and security of the terrorists in the jails-while they are thrown a few crumbs under the NREG program. How fair? Not only a change in leadership but a change in perception, a change in the whole strategy is called for. Hindus cannot be made slaves-to work hard but to be told that the first claims are for the Muslims? Hindus cannot be targeted and their killers fed with their money, Hindus cannot be exposed to insecurity and the terrorists allowed infiltrating. Indian cops are demoralized because they should not go after the terrorists if they happen to be Muslims! So how are they first to identify the terrorists-and even after identification let them off if they are Muslims. Look at Magistrate Tamang-even the sworn affidavit of the Ministry of Home did not deter him form indicting 21 cops of Gujarat even without giving them a chance to be heard. The less one says about the media the better. There was a complete black out of the recent communal riots in Miraj in Maharashtra because the perpetrators were Muslims. -Hindus cannot build temples to their gods, hindus cannot gets security for their pilgrimages, hindus cannot celebrate their festivals in public even once a year while the Muslims Friday after Friday block the roads for their prayers. What kind of a justice is this?
Pakistani flags can be hoisted next it will be Italian flags too but Indian flag hoisted in a durgha by Bharati Uma was an offence and a case filed against her. Cry my Beloved country. Hilda Raja

— On Tue, 15/9/

Chidambaram in Washington

It is ridiculous of the Home Minister Mr Chidambaram to state that intelligent inputs in the form of affidavit are mere information and are not evidence or conclusive proof. Mr Chidambaram has done a great political impropriety by making this statement in the US and faulting the Gujarat government. An affidavit is a statement made under oath, it is judicial evidence. Is it Chidambaram’s stand that an affidavit is a mere piece of paper that should be thrown into the waste paper basket? The Gujarat government did not rely only on that affidavit to go after the terrorists but it confirmed that Ishrat and the three others killed were on a Lashkar-e-Toiba mission. There are two dimensions in the Center’s stand. It is not keen on taking any hard stand against terrorists. And the Congress led UPA government used this again to paint Modi black. Did the Congress spokesman not state that Gujarat government is a man eating government? Earlier Sonia Gandhi referred to Modi as ‘merchant of death’. It is clear that the Centre is using politics and vote bank politics to put the country to great risk. After all this what credibility has Chidambaram to state in Washington, ‘Security threats to India from militant groups operating from Pakistani soil have not diminished and that there has been an increase in infiltration from Pakistani side’? For whose consumption is this? If the operation of militant groups have not diminished and if there is an increase in infiltration from the Pakistani side it goes to prove that the UPA government in general and Chidambaram as Home Minister in particular has failed in containing these threats and has to be faulted for exposing the country to greater cross border security threats When action is taken then the Centre buckles under its own vested interest –vote bank politics. Its priority is to be in power and not the security of the country and its people. No wonder Pakistan has invited Chidambaram for a debate. It shows that Pakistan is well aware that India is soft and can only keep exchanging dossiers-that too as Pakistan states with the same evidence. Where is the forward movement in this great announcement of fighting terrorism and stamping it out? What a shame. Why is the UPA government dithering in operating the Supreme Court order in the case of Afzal Guru? Should the country wait for the turn of Afzal Guru’s execution in the serial order? Can terrorists be equated with other criminals?
Another clear indication of the soft policy and the double standard of the UPA and its allies is the recent happenings in Mumbai during the Ganesh festivities. Not only was the shamiana in which the idol were kept desecrated but also the Pakistani flag was hoisted on a police van. While the police were mute spectators. What if a mosque was desecrated? When Uma Bharati hoisted the national flag on a dargha a case was foisted on her. So the national flag is restricted within this country-while Pakistani flags can be hoisted even on government vehicles. Is this not treason? But there is an ominous silence from both the Centre and the Maharastra government. The media is of course not bothered to report because Muslims are the violators. If this happened in Gujarat the police would take appropriate action against the violators and the Centre would cry hoarse that Muslims are victimized! While so much is made of Ishrat’s fake encounter nothing is said about the treason committed by those who hoisted the Pakistani flag.
One thing is obvious this government cannot and will not contain terrorism. It can only mouth hollow words but cannot act. One alleged terrorism in Malegoan and it looked that the government and the media was waiting to brand it as –‘Hindu terrorism’. All the rest are Muslim terrorism but we are told that terrorism is terrorism and one should not give it any adjective-there are only terrorists and not Muslim terrorists. Let those caught in terrorism proclaim that they are not Muslims. We have even the PM warning that the community should not be harassed. The cops are least bothered to do a thorough job because of the attitude of the UPA.governemtn. It would be better if Kasab is simply dropped in Pakistan-why waste time and money on the case which will come to nought. The nation will be saved of witnessing the drama of exchanging dossiers.
To get back to the business of affidavit –when intelligence inputs are given these have to be taken seriously to be act upon. In the 26/11 Mumbai attack Chidambaram himself confessed that intelligence failed. He apologized and said it will not happen again. What will not happen again-that intelligence inputs will be overlooked-or it will be treated as paper to be crumpled and thrown into the waste paper basket? Mr Chidambaram need not have used a foreign soil to fault at a State government. It seems there is a conspiracy against Gujarat-every time something happens its chief minister is being blamed. But by demeaning, faulting and blaming Modi the Congress forgets that it is indulging in hurting and insulting the people of Gujarat who elected Modi for the second time. Yes, the Gujarat riots are a standing show case to damn Modi. But what about the massacre of the 3000 Sikhs and thousands killed in communal clashes all over India during the Congress regime? What about the terrorists attacked? Are all these justifiable? In the Gujarat riots both sides-Hindus and Muslims had casualties. The number of Muslims certainly was higher. It does not matter that by making such incidents election propaganda year after year the communal divide becomes wider and deeper. Modi can be called merchant of death but Mrs Sonia Gandhi’s foreign origin-her naturalized citizenship these cannot be used against her. What a farce of a code of conduct. When it comes to the Sikh massacre which was so well planned, supervised and carried out schematically after the assassination of Indira Gandhi no non-Sikh was affected. The Congress leaders were involved in such genocide and a Congress government at the Centre which looked on for three days-has no credibility to fault Modi and to communalize everything that happens in Gujarat. If Gujarat prosperous it is by magic-not because of the efficient administration and direction of its chief Minister-but if there is one alleged fake police encounter in which the terrorists killed are Muslims-it is the fault of Modi. Suppose in a fake encounter Hindus were killed will the Centre- take up the issue? So the emphasis is not on the fake encounters but on who were the victims that make the issue because Hindu lives are dispensable but Muslim vote bank need to be safeguarded at the cost of justice.
Chidambaram should know better because Tamilnadu there had been a number of police encounter killings. Some of the police men involved have been awarded for their ‘bravery’. Not a single police man had ever been killed in such encounters. One such encounter was when one Venkatase was shot from outside through the window of his closed house and killed! And the police reports said that he tried to be violent and was a much wanted history sheeter. Mr Chidambaram who is from Tamilnadu is the right person who will be able to give a clear picture of all the fake police encounters that had taken place in the regimes of both the AIADMK and the DMK. The media was indifferent, the Centre was not bothered and no Human Rights groups took up the cases-a significant point is that in all these encounters the victims were Hindus. But now it is made to look that the Gujarat police are involved in fake encounters to get promotions, to please the CM .One TV channel went to the extent of giving its headlines in Ishrat encounter incident as “Killed for being a Muslim”. Is this not outrageous, provocative and communal?
Chidambaram will have to answer his conscience –if the nation can be misled. The Congress needs to ask itself which comes first-the nation and its security or its vote bank politics of appeasement of the Muslims. And both need to remember that bashing Modi will not quieten the conscience and Modi faulting will not guarantee the security of this country.
Dr Mrs Hilda Raja,
Vadodara

Teachers’Day Appeal to the Media

It is very difficult to comprehend the media and its deep seated bias. This is not reserved for the electronic media but also the print media. It is well know that the media will not forego a chance to bash Modi. Readers and viewers have taken this in their stride. Too much of anything is good for nothing in layman language. But in communication once the threshold valency power crosses the saturation point then it boomerangs. The message is not only lost but is rejected. A typical example is the Family planning red triangle that was a real sore to the eye in the early 70s.Every tree-every post every wall every imaginable surface was used to depict this symbol. People simply grew so fed up with it that it meant nothing and was a cause if irritation.
Watching the different channels and reading the newspapers,one gets not only irritated but real angry at the way the message is communicated. Take the example of YSR’s tragic death and the eulogies heaped on this great leader. In death a man cannot become what he was not. That he was a popular leader is a fact but that his way up was through violence and bloodshed is also a fact. Yet the media painted him with sheen of gold and placed a halo round his head. One leading English paper had this to say in its editorial, ‘Reddy was representative of the contradictions that characterized many successful Indian politicians: popular but authoritarian with a record of using violence to stifle opposition, efficient administrator but indifferent to norms of transparency and accountability in governance. These qualities clearly helped him to emerge as an undisputed leader..’ How does authoritarianism, use of violence to stifle opposition, indifference to transparency and accountability be called ‘qualities’? Is this the new standard scale of the media to confer Reddy with a ‘Man for All Seasons’? There is no quarrel if this scale is applicable to all political leaders. Suppose it is Modi who is being evaluated, will authoritarianism, violence to stifle opposition, indifference to transparency and accountability become credit points? Will the media say that Modi has these ‘qualities’ which make him a popular leader and a great administrator? So there are two dimensions in the media’s perception. Not just in vocabulary but also in perception. Disqualities become qualities when it comes to the Congress and the same becomes sore points to bash the BJP leaders. Apart from this two dimensional flawed prism through which the media views and reports there is even the oral communication of anger and ire seeping through. Take the interviews conducted by Karan Thapar in the ‘Devil’s advocate’ He not only uses a well modulated soft voice when it comes to the Congress. But put Modi, the Sangha Parivar leaders then his whole face becomes distorted-his eyes narrow and become slits and his voice becomes raspish .He does not even give them enough time to articulate their replies-he pounces on them, interrupts, and leaves them with no option but be flabbergasted. Why is it that that media has become so thoroughly biased?
Vir Sanghavi once interviewed Mrs Sonia Gandhi and all sugar and honey oozed through-his gentleness-his soft approach was apparent and was sickening. The pre-election interviews conducted at the residence of the Prime Minister of his wife and two daughters was another example-the interviewer showed such empathy and understanding-communicating these through the way she sat, her facial expression-the words she used-the emphasis laid on certain words et el. One particular channel’s news reporter thinks that he is on a political platform. He lectures to the audience-expresses his hostility and talks down the interviewees, displays his opinions more than eliciting the opinions of the interviewees. He rushed through as an Express train and packs so much that by the time it is relayed the next is on. Sound takes time to travel-more than light he forgets and at the end of a heated discussion we find that the interviewer talked more than those whom he interviewed.
The media has a crucial role to play in a democracy.It brings the whole canvas social, political and entertainment to the viewers and the readers. Its role is to inform, educate and entertain. Information to be factual above bias, education through meaningful interviews, realities expose etc. Today as in other areas the media has become a big bazaar-and has its version of corruption. The opposite of truth – distorted truth is deception. Can the media forget its portent and its obligation to the people? Even in a classroom can a teacher disseminate distorted facts-can a teacher be biased can a teacher be prejudiced? Today Teachers Day and as one who was a teacher I like to appeal to the media-whose classrooms are open-almost every house, whose students are of different age groups and whose subjects comprise a continuum from the small to the big-from the national to the international-is a awesome task and places a tremendous responsibility on it namely-To stand for the truth-to be unbiased and to join in the task of humanizing. Let qualities be qualities, values not de-valued and let not power and position be the criteria for conferring sainthood and holding out such as examples to the nation.
Dr Mrs Hilda Raja,
Vadodara