Where Is PM's 'Na Khaunga, Na Khane Dunga' Resolve?

'Na Khaunga, Na Khane Dunga' was Prime Minister Narendra Modi top resolve after taking over in 2014 as well as in 2019. But, the resolve is just confined to letter than in deeds. Except for cosmic resolve of taking action now and then against corrupt "babus", there is hardly any perceptible change towards "clean and honest India". On the other hand, the massive political maneuvering (read corruption) to grab power leaves no room for 'Na Khaunga, Na Khane Dunga".

According to Transparency International survey, bribery still continues undeterred in government offices despite CCTVs and computerization. As cash is mainly preferred as bribes is even computerization is circumvented. Property registration and land issues is a top area of corruption and a majority of people have to pay bribes due to coercion or inefficiencies prevailing in government offices.

Survey shows as many as 67 percent of Indians had to grease the palms of corrupt officials to get the work done. Telangana leads south India in terms of corruption this year. This is followed by Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.As such India’s overall ranking in the Corruption Perception Index has risen three places to 78 out of 180 countries.

Corruption affects everyone including our lawmakers. Its hurdles our economic growth and

inhibits business operations, investment and employment generation. The wider impact of the corruption is that it lowers trust in rule of law and ultimately affecting quality of life. It is the impunity upon the corruption is built. "So we need to demolish this impunity. Otherwise, all efforts to bring an end to corruption are in vain, says Nobel Prize laureate. Rigoberta Menchú.

That's why corruption in India is growing as there has been no serious efforts to cut down the impunity. And this impunity can't not demolished unless or until, we don't radically reforms the electoral systems. The corruption breeds right from the time our netas enter electoral battle. They lie in declaring their assets, file false election expenditure details while spending colossal money for getting elected. Data shows India's May, 2019 elections were the world’s costliest one. An unprecedented more than Rs 50,000 crore ($7 billion),were spent, according to the New Delhi-based Centre for Media Studies.

The whole system has become corruption-elastic. Don't expect any drastic change from netas. There has been a lot of debate on electoral reforms but nothing has been done even by Modi government.

So let us make an initiative. As the actor Jennifer Lawrence said," “We need to tell each other our stories. We need to show that everyone — our neighbors, our families, our community leaders — everyone we know is touched by corruption.”

"Khazane ko choro se nahin pehredaro se dokha hain,

Is desh ko sirf dushmano se nahin,in gaddaro se dhokha hai."

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Kettle Calling The Pot Black

Call me a muckraker but I can't help but to laugh at our lame duck politicians out and out to muck "Kettle calling the Pot Black". A responsible citizen really gets irritated when Indian political outfits otherwise leaving no stone upturned to dump Mahatama Gandhi's ideals, swear by him. Mahatma Gandhi was killed tha day  Congress refused his sane advice to dissolve the party that fought for freedom movement. Mahatma  wanted a new organisation but power-hungry Congressmen mascoted Mahatma to cash his name  but dumped his ideals. 

Citizen like me would want all politicians, who swear by his name to work for Mahatma's ideals, not to insult him the way contemporary politicians are doing. The latest is saffron firebrand lawmaker Pragya Thakur. After eulogizing Mahatma's killer Nathu Ram Godse in parliament, she made u turn on Friday saying she never meant insulting Mahatma Gandhi. But its just a cover up on party leadership pressure.Not only Pragya Thakur. another BJP MLA from Assam, Shiladitya Dev,the other day also called Godse a "patriot".  Earlier, BJP lawmaker, Sakshi Maharaj had called Mahatma 's Killer Nathuram Godse a brave person. 

Speaking out your mind is an admirable act. At least, we can read his mind and understand his or her views. So, we need not to blame or condemn them. They are 'brave' enough to speak out. But we should really beware of demagogues who double speak and wear Mahatma's mask. A majority of Congressmen and BJP leaders fall in this category.      

Religious tolerance, harmonious co-existence, mutual respect and non-violence were Mahatama's greatest principles he wanted every Indian if not every human to follow. Religious tolerance, harmonious co-existence are anathema to saffron people. Pragya Thakur and other Godse "bhagats" are just articulating their feelings and views indoctrinated by RSS. 

Mahatma Gandhi lives in the hearts of Indian people.To disrespect him would mean hurting people's sentiments. Eulogizing killer of Mahatma can poison our young mind. This can be very dangerous.  Gandhi has been murdered by contemporary leaders again and again to further their political interests. Why to single out Godse only. 

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(Dis)Remembering Nehru In Modi Era

Today is the birthday of Jawaharlal Nehru, the architect of modern India. As a tribute to independent India’s first Prime Minister, his birthday is celebrated as children’s Day. However, in Modi era, country seems to have forgotten him because Nehru and his doctrine is anathema to saffron party.

Born on November 14 (1889), Nehru was known for his love for children and was fondly called ‘Chacha Nehru’. Apart from being as one of the top leaders of India’s independence movement, Nehru played an important role in framing the country’s education policy. He strongly favored scientific knowledge and propagated rationality as the basis of all learning. He once remarked, “Children are like buds in a garden and should be carefully and lovingly nurtured, as they are the future of the nation and the citizens of tomorrow. Only through right education can a better order of society be built up.”

India started celebrating Children’s Day in 1959. Initially, it was celebrated on November 20 as the United Nations Universal Children’s Day to promote peace, togetherness and awareness among kids.However, after Nehru’s death in 1964, India decided to celebrate his birthday (Nov 14) as Children’s Day. But, day has, literally, lost its sheen since BJP came to power.

Notwithstanding saffron party out rightly rejecting the Nehruvian foreign policy, the word still respect Jawaharlal Nehru's "Panchsheel". He was the Architect of the doctrine of "Peaceful Co-Existence". It was Nehru's "Panchsheel" that China was forced to sign 1954 treaty with India. China still respect this treaty and is willing to work by its principles. Beijing has

reiterated it many times . In September 2017, Chinese President Xi Jinping in his meeting with Prime Minister Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in China's Xiamen , expressed his desire to work with India within the five principles of Panchsheel, or the five 'Principles of Peaceful Co-Existence'.

It was on 29 April 1954 that Nehru and China Prime Minister Zhou Enlai signed the treaty to lay the roadmap for stability in the region . Asia was then torn by wars for independence, bloody migrations, and religious rioting. The five principles of "Panchshhel were":

1: Mutual respect for each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty; 2: Mutual non-aggression; 3: Mutual non-interference 4: Equality and mutual benefit and 5. Peaceful co-existence

It was unanimously adopted on 11 December 1957 by the United Nations General Assembly. Nehru was instrumental in taking the principles far and wide even though Zhou propounded them.

Though 2019 is different from 1954 when the principles were propounded, the Panchsheel has assumed more importance in view of increasing regional conflicts and mutual disrespect. And as long as "Panchsheel" is there, Nehru will ever remain alive saffron people may like it or not.

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BJP-Shiv Sena: Opportunist Alliance

Shiv Sena has shown BJP the limitations of saffron based coalition politics. In coalition, no one is big brother. All are equals, irrespective of legislators'strength. It was BJP big brother attitude which led to stalemate in Maharashtra . The India second largest state with 48 parliament and 288 assembly seats, by all probability, is heading for a president rule.

The arms-twisting by Shiv Sena hasn't worked. Shiv Sena is out to grab chief minister post but BJP is not ready to cede. Amid brinkmanship over power-sharing,the 30 years old coalition of two saffron colors, literally, looks torn apart. The harsh words used by the top leaders of both parties remind the fate of power-grabbing unholy alliance between BJP and PDP coalition in Kashmir.

The message is clear: Loose strings of power are bound to collapse sooner than later. Politics is all about grabbing opportunity. The very word “Politics" is itself an syndrome . “Poli”, a latin word means "many" and "tics" meaning "bloodsucking creatures", said Robin Williams, the American actor and

stand-up comedian. Its only aim is to grab power.

The collapse of BJP-Shiv Sena alliance will be a big setback to far-right coalition politics. The power corrupts even 'holy' alliance. There was hardly any commonality between BJP and Shiv Sena, except Ram Mandir and hating Muslims. Shiv Sena is a purely parochial outfit. It hates Northern Indian and seeks to oust them from Mumbai. BJP , on the other hand,has a strong base in North India and champions North Indian's interests in Mumbai. Both parties came together just to grab power.

Merely Power can't sustain even an 'holy' alliance. There has to be some minimum commonalities as is in Kerala. This state is an living example of coalition politics dominated by two fronts: the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Indian National Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) since 1970s and working well. The main reason for its success is that there are some commonalities between the alliance partners. Its lacking in Maharashtra and Punjab and even in Bihar. Sooner or later, all opportunist alliances are set to collapse.

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From Camelot To Shamelot

What would have been our country's fate, if judiciary was not pro-active. From admission to submission, countrymen depend on judiciary and have more faith in it than the public representatives. Every time our law makers cheat public , judiciary comes to help. Had it not been judiciary, most of the public interests would have been compromised by the law makers. The Rs 1,800-crore Tata Camelot Housing Colony (Camelot) is the latest case in point.

It was meant for the luxury and comforts of Punjab present and ex-law makers and was proposed to be developed by the Tata Housing Development Company Limited near Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh. The project was cleared by the Punjab govt in a haste despite strong objection from environmentalists. For all intent and purposes, the project hugely violated the environmental norms. Yet, Punjab govt didn't bother. As such Supreme Court has scrapped the project on the ground that it was against permissible norms.

This housing camelot was to be built in Kansal village of Kharar tehsil in Mohali district, just at a distance of 123 metres from the northern side and 183 metres from the eastern side from the wildlife sanctuary near Sukhna lake. It also falls within catchment area of Sukhna lake, the pride of Chandigarh where all ministers including chief minister, law makers and Punjab leaders live.

The apex court has indicted the state administration for violating the public trust observing, “The court has to perform its duty in such a scenario when the authorities have failed to protect the wildlife sanctuary eco-sensitive zone.”

As the court observed." origination of the project itself indicates that the State of Punjab was not acting in furtherance of Doctrine of Public Trust". It was only meant for benefiting 95 MLAs with luxurious flats. Public interest was at receiving end.

Delhi High Court’s April 12, 2017, had set aside the permission granted by Nagar Panchayat Naya Gaon for the construction of the project. Court also quashed the Environmental Clearance dated September 17, 2013 granted by SEIAA, Punjab, for development of the project proposed.

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court challenging the permissibly of the housing project on grounds that it violated the Punjab New Capital (Periphery) Control Act, 1952 and was not authorized under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 as it was in an eco-sensitive zone and protected area.

A Division Bench had on March 26, 2012, allowed the project to go on subject to grant of relevant permissions, clearances and approvals, The order was challenged in the Supreme Court. In 2014, Supreme Court had set aside the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s March 26, 2012, order.

This housing project at Kansal village near Chandigarh was seen as a big threat to the Capitol Complex,a UNESCO world heritage site. It will also save Sukhna Lake,the hotbed of illegal construction activities.

As law makers from all political parties were to be benefited from this project, there was, literally, no voice against this project. Our leaders become deaf and dumb when their vested interests are involved. Its shameful for democracy.

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The Dog's Heroics, Underwear's Importance

There is an old saying,'every dog has his day'. And the fresh saying is " every underwear has also its day". So, the dog who subdued the world's most wanted terrorist- Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the boss of deadly terrorist outfit ISIS - had his day on October 26 . So had the al-Baghdadi's underwear. The US military dog who pounced on al-Baghdadi to dead end forcing him to commit suicide and his underwear was used to tell world with concrete evidence that world deadliest terrorist outfit boss has been wiped out.

It was a meticulous planned operation,even more deadly than the one which was carried out to kill Osma,-bin-Laden in Abbota, Pakistan. As the US soldiers zeroed in on Baghdadi's hide-out main compound, he fled through a network of underground bunkers and tunnels that snaked through the compound. He was wearing a suicide vest and dragging along two of his children.

After a military robot crept towards him, a dog was dispatched to trap him. Baghdadi was confronted by a dead end. He ignited his suicide vest, killing himself and his children and causing the tunnel to collapse.

The sniffer dog was injured but retrieved by the commandos. As soon as news reached White House, US president Trump tweeted a photo of the dog. Later, Islamic State confirms Baghdadi's death.

The US began to receive intelligence on the whereabouts of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi about a

month before the 26 October raid. Intelligence officials were able to trace out his exact location – near the village of Barisha in north-west Syria – in mid October.

The most interesting part of this operation was the stealing of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's underwear. It was intended to ascertain the identify of the deadly terrorist after his killing.

A spy stole Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's underwear in order to obtain his DNA sample to help lead the US military to his location. Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had been working with the CIA to track Baghdadi since 15 May, and had discovered that he was hiding in Idlib province, where the raid took place.The SDF is the key ally of the US in the battle against the Islamic State (IS).President Trump had pulled American troops out of northern Syria recently.The spy had obtained Baghdadi's underwear and a blood sample that was used for the DNA test which confirmed his identity before the raid took place.

Can India do to trap Pak-backed terrorists like Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, Syed Salahudeen and underworld criminal Dawood Ibrahim?

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A Fascist Move

What would do if your official status, or status of your state, city or street is downgraded? I am sure you would feel badly cheated and if can't dare to protest, would, at least. fret and fume. There is no worst severe punishment than hurting your sentiments.

A responsible citizen is closely associated with his-her state, city and street or village. He takes pride in its existence and if this is threatened, his very existence is also under attack.

This is what has happened to India's only Muslim majority state- Jammu & Kashmir. The people of this state has been deprived of their legitimate constitutional rights because it didn't suit the saffron agenda. For saffron people, all other than 'khalis' Hindus (read RSS sympathizers) are anthems. So liquidating the Muslim majority state was BJP long-time cherished agenda. Modi govt has just fulfilled that.

But all in all its a fascist move. Its fascist as it has been done in the same spirit, what Smt. Indira Gandhi did in 1975 by promulgating the emergency and putting all those opposing her move behind the bar. Fascism is an authoritarian and dictatorial power, used forcible with the help of military to suppress the popular voices of opposition, and regiment· Whether right or ‎left, Indira Gandhi's 75s or Modi 2019 move, fascism is the enemy of democratic fervor.

I call the Modi govt's Kashmir move as fascist as it has just replicated the 1975 Indira Gandhi's emergency move. And remember BJP (then Jan Sangh) leaders called Indira Gandhi's move as fascist. So two wrongs can't make one right. In a democratic country. any move against the wishes of concerned people is always seen as undemocratic.

Despite cherry feeding, Kashmir valley hasn't come to the terms. Even after three months streets are,by and large, deserted. Shops and business establishments remain closed. And there are few students in schools and colleges. People remain indoor except for

emergencies. Business, tourism, local craft and industries are almost ruined.

There is a universal truth that when king fails to conquer mightier,he just unleashes his anger at weaker sections. China has, since long, occupied the large tract of Jammu & Kashmir as well Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. India, hasn't recovered an inch from China. On the contrary. Modi govt has alienated the Kashmiris and it will be quite difficult to bring them back to mainstream. We can only share the pain and agony of Kashmiris.

(Chander Sharma)

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