For some, nothing is actually enough

Even though the UPA government has been insensitive, incapable, tainted with galore of scams and shown all the traits of a lacklustre government, it deserves undoubted appreciation for hanging Kasab. For all the wrongs that it has done, is currently doing and will do in the future; the endless criticism it receives, I'd say, it is still less. But it certainly doesn't mean that when it does something good, we should shadow it completely.

In Kasab's case, the UPA needs appreciation. It has hanged Kasab. May be they took time, but considering the complex relations we maintain with Pakistan, this delay can be justified. Even after keeping him alive for four years, giving him enough time to try and use all his and his masters' tactics, the Pakistan defence lawyer still said that 'a key evidence has been lost'. 

Now that Kasab has become history, it doesn't become a reason good enough for the opposition to simply laud the government. If it does, according to them and many others, they fail to be an 'opposition' any more. This is where we really prove to be a not-so-good democracy. Opposition doesn't mean it has to oppose all what the ruling party does, irrespective of the merits. In the race to prove that they are strong and to gain some brownie points every time, they tend to forget what 'constructive opposition' is.

The opposition's and the critics' claim that Afsal Guru is yet to be hanged is right, but they should appreciate the UPA for Kasab's execution. 

Hold your horses people, Afsal Guru too will be given the invitation to Yerwada soon.

'Mango People' in 'Banana Republic' - Procrastinate, the day isn't far!

The shiv-sainiks displayed highest level of discipline on the day of their leader's demise and on the following day during the farewell procession. They need to be lauded for this because not only was the city of Mumbai, but the entire state of Maharashtra was put on high alert and slightest of a spark would have created havoc.

But, I was pretty sure, given the history of the sainiks, that their resort to peace would not last long.

The most happening city of India had come to a complete halt on the 17th and 18th. Vehicles did not ply, local trains ran empty and the all-time-busy Mumbaikars had a zero day, whether they wanted it or not. Most accepted this, unquestioned, as if like a diktat. Some were frustrated, a few vented it out, through the present day pressure release valve - the social media.

One among the few was a 21 year old, candid, some may say immature, girl from Thane district, a strong hold of the sainiks, who wrote on her Facebook page that people like Thackarey die often, but 'bandh' on such days was not required. The girl, in the wildest of her dreams, would not have thought that she would be a victim to the sainik's ire.

Yes, she was arrested, the same night, reportedly under IPC section 505(2) and section 66(A) of the Information Technology act. The former talks about creating enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes and the latter about causing harm to an individual or group by using electronic media. I still find it difficult to understand how the girl's post happened to do either.

Surprisingly, not just the girl, but her friend who 'liked' the post, in Facebook, was also arrested. The ire doesn't end here. The girl's uncle's clinic was also vandalized by a group of people. The group, however, was not arrested, until today morning. Shocked? Come on, this is India folks!

I aired my resentment against this by posting about this in my Twitter handle and Facebook profile. I, using the freedom of speech given to me by the Constitution, did write to what my mind, and I am sure to many others' too, seemed right. I was asked by some of my well wishers to show restraint while commenting on such issues, and some even asked me to remove my posts immediately, for my own good. Bearing the fact that my act may bring trouble to my well wishers and respecting their words, I removed those posts, though I had and still have my own reservations and justification. In the present times of diplomacy, I am sure that my justifications will carry no weight.

We are in the largest democracy. We have the longest written and one of the most respected Constitution in the world. Our leaders chose democracy because they wanted us to be our own masters (but not others' masters like in this case). The democracy gives it's people the right to faith in rationality of the human mind. I take extreme pride in being born and living in a country like ours.

However, there are some sections in our laws that curb our sovereignty or give room for people to misconstrue them, section 66(A) of the IT act, for instance. It may be argued by politicians that the courts are here to interpret these provide clarity, but this cannot be an excuse for framing laws that can be misinterpreted easily.

The freedom given to every citizen is not to be taken for granted, be it the rich or the powerful. The law enforcement departments should be more prudent and ensure that they work without bias and not under the pressure of vested interest groups. The law makers should keep in mind the aam admi while drafting laws. The media should work fearlessly and be bold to condemn the wrong doings of those in power. The courts should take suo moto action, when ever the situation demands, and punish those found guilty. In this case, not just the police but also the forces behind the police who made them to act in this manner. Lastly, the aam admi too should be more thoughtful in actions, I mean the people who resort to violence and not the ones who air their genuine concerns.

I certainly do not feel that what the girls have done is wrong. Many respected people in our country and from abroad have expressed their resent. Justice Markandey Katju has written strongly to the Maharashtra Chief Minister and warned him of dire consequences in case of his failure to act. Well known journalist Vinita Deshmukh has started a online signature campaign against the section 66(A) of IT act. (http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/appeal-to-prime-minister-manmohan-singh-to-amend/)

I wish, this incident, and the ones that happened in the recent past, give enough gravity to the issue and calls for wide spread deliberations, making the concerned people act in favour of the aam admi.

I hope the government doesn't stay oblivious to such issues and make we, the aam admi of our country 'mango people' in a 'banana republic'.

I would like to end by quoting Chetan Bhagat's response to this incident - "Bravery and bullying are two different things. Arresting people and arresting thoughts are two different things."

Jai Hind!

Kejrileaks 4.0 - the larger issues

Firstly, let me suggest you to watch this video, where Arvind Kejriwal is being interviewed by Rahul Kanwal, the Executive Director of the Headlines Today.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/video/arvind-kejriwal-exposes-swiss-bank-account-holders/1/228506.html

I really wonder why politicians, the media and so called 'intellectuals' put the complete onus on a person who dares to put out the grief of the public, which of course is in the interest of the nation, to back all that he puts forth with full proof! Are these people forgetting what a whistle blower really is? Are they forgetting that collection of evidence and making a charge foolproof is the duty of the police, the CBI and such similar institutions?

One can't expect the whistle blowers to do this all, always. In some cases collection of proofs and evidences may be an easy task for the whistle blower. In some cases it may be difficult, but not impossible. In some cases it may be impossible for him to do this, given the complexity of the issue. In such cases he may need the help of many people or even the government.

Also, every whistle blower may have different agendas. Some may be interested in just revealing something so as to ensure that the people around are aware of it. Some may want the revealed information/problem to be solved at the earliest but he may not be able to do the latter, all by his own. Some may reveal and also have good established contacts where he can manage to solve the problem to a great extent. There may be some with malicious intents too. All these are up to them and it is left for us to decide whether we should pay heed to them r not.

Let me now be specific. Why are the media channels, in the case of Kejrileaks, busy only in trying to know the authenticity of the charges made by Kejriwal? Why are they very conveniently ignoring the larger issues?

Kejrileaks 4.0 talked about how easy it was to open an account in Swiss banks in general and HSBC in specific, the government's inaction, double standards adopted by the government in approach towards different people and largely an acute systemic failure. 

Kejriwal clearly says that he got some of the names given in the list of 700 people who are having bank accounts in Geneva branch of the HSBC bank, from a senior person in the Congress party. He also admits that it is impossible for him to gather more evidence to substantiate the points he make, given the fact that the black money issue is not a simple one. But, the media persists in only knowing the authenticity of this and nothing else. Let me point out that when this list of 700 people came to the GOI, Mukesh Ambani wrote to Pranab Mukherjee, the then Finance minister stating that he is ready to pay the taxes to 'buy peace'. Doesn't this indicate that there was something wrong that had been done? 

The government denied revealing the names in the list in the Parliament and to us, the aam admi of the nation. The government's excuse was that revealing these names would create havoc in the country. As soon as the list came to the government, Mukesh Ambani writes to it. How did he get to know that his name had appeared in the list? Obviously someone in the government told him this. Not just him, but also the HSBC bank because as soon as this was known, HSBC publicly apologized Ambani and this did come in the news then. Doesn't this clearly show preferential treatment given to Ambani family by our government to save them? Doesn't this expose the double standard of the government where on one side it says that it will not reveal the names, but on the other it helps the people it needs by giving them the details?

Three people's, whose names had appeared in the list of 700, properties and houses were raided by the income tax departments and their statements were recorded in 2011. These statements categorically stated that HSBC was involved in money laundering and acted as 'hawala' agents. Why hasn't the government still arrested the HSBC authorities yet?  

The United Nations of America enacted the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, under which U.S. taxpayers with specified foreign financial assets that exceed certain thresholds must report those to the government and also mandates the foreign banks to report to the government information about accounts held by U.S. citizens and about any firms in which U.S. citizens hold substantial stakes. Why doesn't our government enact such laws? Lack of political consensus, an excuse the government has to all the issues it faces.

The government is clearly playing a dirty game with the aam admi. The level of one's safety and sustainability in this dirty game is determined by his wealth. It takes a lot of courage to stand up against this. Are you ready?

Jai Hind!

Kejriwal exposes crony capitalism

Arvind Kejriwal after a short hiatus, hit the headlines again. This time around, he did not pinpoint any particular individual and his misdoings, but raised a more serious issue - the faulty system which works at the whims and fancies of big corporates.

A corporate worker turned Indian Revenue Services officer turned social activist and now a politician, Kejriwal knows the system in and out. With his first hand experience of how our government machinery works and the legal acumen of veteran lawyer Prashant Bhushan, India Against Corruption has raised a well known, yet serious issue of the pol-biz nexus.

They did not expose anything new, but they collated many facts and minutes of meetings. They joined the dots to show clearly how the Indian government had to succumb to the pressure put by Reliance, which ended up in increasing fuel prices.

In the recent cabinet rejig, as alleged by many, the Petroleum minister Mr. Jaipal Reddy was removed and given a less important ministry because he did not agree to the terms put forth by Reliance. It is also alleged that Reliance used it's clout in the government to transfer him from the Petroleum ministry. This is a quintessential example of crony capitalism.

Crony capitalism determines the postings of public servants and portfolios of ministers. It decide what prices people should pay for commodities.

No doubt that these corporates fuel our economy and takes India to the global scene, but this should not give them powers to influence government decisions.

Business begets money, money begets power; but it is the government which has to prevent this power from crossing the limits, placing the nation and it's people's interests before anything.

Jai Hind!