POLITICAL DIARY

New Delhi, 27 December 2008

India Wants Change

WHEN WILL NETAS SAY: WE CAN?

By Poonam I Kaushish

A year of mea culpas, home truths and tutorials. Of real politik. A year which began with Brand India on a global roll and ended in tragedy and violence becoming the benchmark of Asli Bharat. A story of high growth rate, over flowing cash tillers, hedonistic consumerism which camouflaged the rising poverty, depravity and unemployment. Only to culminate in a devastating confrontation with terrorism in Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Varanasi et al and economic hardship.  Bringing India once again face to face with cynicism and despair.

While an increasingly angry and frustrated janata cry out for action against Pakistan, demand answers and yearn for change in the New Year our polity continues unaffected. Interspersing their bellicose rhetoric of a fitting reply to Islamabad if it does not take action against its jehadis by rushing to Washington to rein in Pakistan and do its dirty work. Read hot air no action.

To go to war or not?  While Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Foreign Minister vacillate on what to do next, speculations rule the roost. Not a few advocate surgical strikes to teach Islamabad a lesson. Some aver that it would be against New Delhi’s interest and would only strengthen the Pakistan army and it’s ISI. The intelligentsia holds a conflict would be unable to eradicate the root of terrorism, given Pakistan’s military psyche. Others warn that it could unleash a nuclear war wherein even Washington would be helpless.

However, all these pale in comparison to the weirdest conjecture doing the rounds. Both India and Pakistan have decided on an action plan. New Delhi conducts ‘limited’ surgical strikes on places earmarked by Islamabad and its military ‘retaliates’ by attacking our border. Enough to satisfy their respective domestic audiences. Job done both settle for truce.

How does it benefit India? With elections round the corner, the UPA would win the people confidence and the polls and have another go at running the country. What’s in it for Pakistan? It gets respite from the mounting international pressure specially US and UK to act against its “non-State players.” Besides, it suits the Pak army to keep the fragile mask of democracy in place as it pulls the strings from behind. This theory gains currency against the backdrop that the US and UK have their own larger interests in mind vis-à-vis India and Pakistan

Amidst all this hulla gulla lays forgotten a hamla more destructive than surgical strikes against Pakistan. Today India is face to face with its own home-grown terrorists, our Right Honourables who have struck with a vengeance at the highest temple of democracy --- Parliament.

The curtain rang down finally on the extended special session of the Lok Sabha on Tuesday last which encapsulated the decline of Parliament as never before. One has written umpteen articles on Parliament’s sessions and discourses hitting rock bottom but it seems that the bottom is an unending pit.

Appallingly, as many as 8 bills were bulldozed and passed in a record 17 minutes in the Lok Sabha, about 2 minutes per bill, without any discussion or debate amidst slogan-shouting Opposition. In a first of sorts, when a division was sought in the Lok Sabha only the chamber was cleared. After the House reassembled and a division sought again, the chamber and lobbies were cleared but the well was left intact --- a livid Opposition gheraoing the Speaker’s chair.

Sadly, important Bills like the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, LIC (Amendment) Bill, National Highways Authority of India (Amendment) Bill and many others were passed in a jiffy instead of being referred to the respective standing committees. Daily one stood witness to a tug-of-war between the Treasury Benches and the Opposition over the legislative agenda. In the Rajya Sabha one saw the Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee give a CPM MP a push to prevent him from accosting the Minister of State for Finance Pawan Bansal who clutched the Insurance Bill to his chest.

No matter that the all-important Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, 2008 languishes in the Lok Sabha since March 2007 and was introduced in the Rajya Sabha in 2005. Our Right Honourables neither have the time nor the inclination to debate and pass it, notwithstanding, their commitment to preventing outbreak of communal violence in the country.

Typical, the Government and Opposition accused each other for “killing” Parliament. In the 10-day session both Houses lost almost 7 hours each of business. In fact, in an all-time low the Lok Sabha functioned only for 32 days and the Rajya Sabha had a mere 46 sittings this year.

This apart, how does our polity protect the janata from future terrorist attacks?  By spending hundreds of crores of the tax payers hard-earned money on protecting themselves. They surround themselves with gun-toting commandos to flaunt their “status” and harass people by blocking traffic. Shockingly, over Rs 250 crores is spent on protecting 400 plus VIPs annually. It matters little whether these worthies face no risk or at best little risk yet they refuse to budge without the elaborate security paraphernalia.

What New Delhi does, the States do one better. Every State has diverted a number of its policemen for VIP security. In Delhi alone, over 14,200 policemen are deployed on round-the-clock VIP security duty ---- Special Protection Group for the top of the ladder, followed by Z-plus provided by NSG “black cats” consisting of six personal security officers, two head constables, 12 constables, in a cavalcade of AK47 toting ‘black cats’ in a convoy of cars including one pilot vehicle with ‘lal batti.’  Then come the minions with Z (68 VIPs), Y (243) and X (81) categories.

Scandalously, the result of this explosion of VIP security is that commandoes meant for anti-terror operations have been diverted to protect our naam ke vaste leaders. The NSG, set up in 1984 for anti-hijack and anti-terror operations, has two wings: Special Action Group comprising Army personnel on deputation, and Special Rangers Group (SRG), consisting of recruits from the CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CISF and SSB. Worse, more than half of SRG has been diverted for VIP security. Never mind that only our garib desh provides security cover to all and sundry unlike the USA, UK, Germany etc which provide security to only a handful of their leaders.

Not only that. This is in addition to the SPG that is exclusively meant for providing security to the PM, former PMs, Sonia Gandhi and their respective family members including their grand children. Astonishingly, the SPG budget for the next year has seen a rise of over Rs 60 crores from Rs 117 crores to Rs.180 crores, while the 2008-09 budget for the National Security Gaurds (NSG) meant to protect over the billion-plus people from terror is a measly Rs.158 crores, down from Rs.159 crores the previous year. Shockingly, the NSG who saved Mumbai do not have their own aircraft to ferry them to crisis situations.

Bringing things to such a pass that now even Supreme Court judges are demanding two Personal Security Officers instead of one who already guards each judge round the clock. For a 24-hour hour security cover, three officers work for eight hours each. Besides, these PSOs’ 5 security guards are deployed at the judge’s official residence. So what if the Delhi police has to press 192 security personnel and forego setting up two police stations.  After all, aren’t our leaders’ national treasures that need to be protected! Sic.

One can go on and on about the hedonism in the year gone by. Of the majority’s growing disillusionment with the system which explodes in rage and in which more and more people are taking law into their own hands. Slowly but surely, the people’s patience is running out, and running out fast.

Thanks to Mumbai the people have seen through the sham of democracy where our netagan revel in peddling grandiose dreams which cannot feed the hungry stomachs. The aam aadmi wants change. They have blown the conch against the fraud repeatedly wrought on them: Enough is enough. Our leaders had better pay heed. Tough times call for tough action. But the moot point: Who will act tough and assert: Yes, we can! ---- INFA

(Copyright India News & Feature Alliance)

POLITICAL DIARY

New Delhi, 20 December 2008

Tu-Tu-Mein-Mein On Terrorism

OUR NETAS LOSE FOCUS AGAIN

By Poonam I Kaushish

Returning from Thailand, where a 46-year old Oxford-educated Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva promises a ‘new deal’ and the tourism industry tries to pick up the pieces after the recent ‘siege’ of Bangkok’s airport, one finds nothing has changed in political Delhi. In fact, it’s gotten worse. It’s the same ghisa-pita nautanki of petty politics, accusations and counter-accusations with the polity merrily trying to score brownie points on ‘our’ track record on terrorism and ‘your’ track record. Never mind the heavy cost to the nation, still coming to grips with the Mumbai terror aftermath.

Tragically, with elections just months away, both the main players, Congress and the BJP have made terrorism their favourite milking cow. Especially in the Lok Sabha. Where both indulged in who had enacted a better anti-terror law, the NDA’s Prevention of Terrorist Activities Act (POTA) versus the UPA’s Unlawful (Prevention) Amendment Act (UAPA).

Even as the Opposition supported the UAPA, the BJP’s Prime Minister-in waiting Advani could not resist accusing the Congress-led UPA Government of repealing its tough POTA,  “not conceding that it had made a mistake in doing so” and “its delayed reaction” in enacting the UAPA.

The Congress’s lawyer-turned Minister Sibal sagiously countered that “it had learnt from past experience” and had created a more stringent law without giving up on “basic human rights.” Accusing the BJP of using POTA as “a tool to take your politics forward ….you talk of nationalism but you indulge in crass politics. Was your POTA able to prevent the Kandahar fiasco and other terrorist acts?” he punched. Ending with a grand flourish, “If anybody has faced terror it is the Congress.”

Countered Advani, “You say POTA was misused. Is there any law that which cannot be misused? You cannot oppose a law because of this fear.” Notwithstanding his colleague former External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh, who reiterated that he would again repeat a Kandahar fiasco.

Shockingly, when it make to the crux our Right Honorables had neither the inclination nor the time to debate the final Bill. The anti-terror Act was hurriedly passed without any thorough study by our MPs. Not only that. They overturned conventional wisdom and time-honoured practices of referring the Bill to a Standing Committee of the House for in-depth consideration.

Worse followed. Instead of collectively applying balm on the ravaged nation’s psyche following the Mumbai carnage trust our polity to use Union Minority Affairs Minister A.R. Antulay’s intemperate bombshell on the Maharashtra anti-terrorist squad chief Hemant Karkare and his two top officials killing to raise their respective caste and religious electoral bars for the forthcoming general elections.

Asserted Antulay, “There is more than what meet the eyes…Karkare was investigating some cases in which non-Muslims were involved.” He then went on to explain why he is not in agreement with the view that Karkare was killed by terrorists. “Superficially speaking, they (terrorists) had no reason to kill Karkare. Whether he (Karkare) was victim of terrorism or terrorism plus something? I do not know. Somebody who knew both the ends sent him in the wrong direction, otherwise why should he have gone to Cama hospital. He should have gone to Taj, Oberoi or Nariman House.”

“He (Karkare) went to Cama hospital on the basis of a phone call. Who is that person who made the phone call? This should be probed…somebody wanted him to be killed. Why all the three ATS officers went together is beyond my comprehension…”, he added.  Bluntly, what Antulay was suggesting was that Karkare’s death was the handiwork of Hindu outfits, angry with his Malegaon investigations. He reminded Advani that he had called for a change in the investigating team.

Predictably all hell broke lose. The Opposition used Antulay to beat the Government for not being serious about punishing the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks, playing into Pakistan’s hand and demanded Antulay’s sacking from the Union Government. The Prime Minister should explain whether it is the opinion of one minister or collective wisdom of his Cabinet,” said the BJP.

A shell-shocked ruling Congress went into damage control and distanced itself from Antulay, by stating that those were his personal views. In fact, it tried turning the tables on the BJP by getting its MPs to aver that the Saffron Sangh  was blowing the issue out of proportion to deflect attention from the manner in which it had lashed out at the ATS chief when he was alive.

Clearly the Congress is caught between a rock and a hard place. Either which way, keeping Antulay would anger its Hindu constituents and replacing him would further alienate the minority community. Even as Antulay continues to stick to his guns amid growing support from across the political spectrum, be it allies or foes and has become the Muslims latest poster boy with Muslim clerics, minority fundamental organizations, and intellectuals applauding him for “speaking the unspeakable.”

Many minority MPs batted for Antulay. “Karkare died under mysterious circumstances. He and his two officers were killed just when the ATS was making sensational disclosures regarding the alleged involvement of Hindu extremist outfits in the Malegaon blast case,” was their common refrain.  

Forgotten in the Antulay furore is how New Delhi should now ensure that Mumbai is never repeated, carry forward its diplomatic pressure on Islamabad, mobilize international opinion against Pakistan’s terrorists’ breeding grounds and tackling the worsening economic situation and growing unemployment thanks to the global meltdown.

The big issue, as being made out is not the Minister’s statement, resignation or sack from the Government. But it encompasses the larger question of unitedly fighting terror, instead of the perennial tu-tu-mein-mein. The fact is that Karkare and hundreds of nameless citizens died in the Mumbai mayhem. Time for our netagan to rise above politricking and get their act together in meeting the terror challenge. 

In the ultimate, our polity should have a single united approach to fight the scourge of terror. Regrettably, our polity has its eyes only on keeping their seats warm in Parliament. With the elections round the corner it is indeed unfortunate that our political parties continue to grab trivial issues and blow them out of proportion to suit their respective casteist and religious moulds to woo their electorate. Failing to realize that they are further tearing the fragile fabric of secularism.  

It needs to be remembered that as no quarter should be given to Hindu fundamentalism the same holds true of Muslim fanatics. Terror has no caste, colour or creed. The Mumbai attacks have once again spotlighted Pakistan-sponsored terrorism playing merry hell with India. Shouldn’t our polity train its guns against this rogue State and keep the heat on rather than side-tracking the issue in mindless mind games and nonsense. ---- INFA

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)

Round The World

New Delhi, 30 December 2008

Mumbai Attack Fallout

WHITHER INDO-PAK RELATIONS?

 By Prof. Chintamani Mahapatra

School of International Studies, JNU

After years of considerable improvement in India-Pakistan relations, the South Asian peace process has entered a phase of uncertainty. Doubt, indecision, hesitation and apprehensions are in the air. Who is responsible? India? Pakistan? Terrorists? None or all?

Clearly, all are responsible, to varying degrees. The maximum credit (blame?) for the prevailing chaos in the political climate of South Asia goes to non-State actors and in this case Pakistan-based terror networks. Undoubtedly, it is a time for celebrations for the non-State actors, who have been running amok with the nation-States appearing completely powerless.

The 26/11 terrorist assaults on Mumbai took place under the attentive glaze of the visual media. However, the Pakistani Government is asking for credible evidence. The Indian intelligence agencies have concluded that the Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based terrorist outfit, carried out the attacks with the connivance of the ISI. The US, British and several other intelligence agencies have concurred with the finding of the Indian agencies, yet the Pakistan Government is not satisfied with the evidence. One captured terrorist has admitted that he is a Pakistani. His relatives from a Pakistani village have acknowledged his identity. Yet the Asif Zardari Government wants more evidence!

Why is the Pakistan Government so adamant? Simply because of the powerlessness of the ruling establishment to accept the fact that elements of the country’s governing structure have had a hand in the Mumbai mayhem.  But, the Government cannot admit so for two reasons. First, it is under pressure from the very elements who apparently sided with the Lashkar agents. The Government could be easily blamed for siding with the country's acknowledged enemy against some of its own citizens. Second, it would amount to confessing before the international community that Pakistan has a failed government.

But then India too comes across as powerless. More than a month after the terror attacks, which have been compared to 9/11 in the US, it has not been able to take any firm and concrete action against the perpetrators. At best, New Delhi seems to be helplessly asking Pakistan to do something about the non-State actors. Sadly, the Government appears to be satisfied by just making strong demands and appreciating diplomatic support from the major powers such as the US, UK and Germany.

However, let us remember that the US and its European allies have been waging a war against terrorists in Afghanistan and a part of Pakistan, not to make India safer, but to ensure against further terrorist onslaughts against their own territories and interests. It is perhaps foolhardy on our part to expect any concrete action from the Pakistani Government against those responsible for 26/11.

Thus, it seems that the non-State actors have been having a field day thanks to the helplessness and powerlessness of the South Asian States. Pakistan cannot act because the non-State actors have attacked its adversary and India cannot act as it could lead to a full-scale war with its neighbour. This war, people fear, could escalate into a nuclear confrontation in the region.

Going by its past record, the Government will definitely behave responsibly. And, if one makes rational calculations, India has conventional superiority vis-a-vis Pakistan and thus does not need a nuclear bomb to protect its interests. But, Pakistan's track record in responsible behaviour is highly unsatisfactory. Its consistent failure in promoting secessionism in India and encouraging communalism through sponsoring Islamic terrorism has brought nothing but frustration to successive civilian and military governments.

Moreover, Islamabad has been under pressure since 9/11 to take concrete steps that are interpreted within Pakistan as anti-Islam and anti-people. It has steadily emerged in recent years as a failed State with nuclear weapons. The only way Pakistanis think they could unite is through war-mongering against India. And, that out of sheer desperation, the Pakistani Government is more likely to escalate a confrontation with India to the nuclear threshold.

Is there then no way out of this maze? Is the future of international relations and global security environment going to be dominated by non-State actors? Have nation-nation States become irrelevant to sustain human security?

There is no denying the fact that the only country responsible for most of the mess in India is Pakistan. If this country is handled properly, dastardly terrorist incidence in India will be few and far between. However, Maoism, Naxalism and other sources of international security threats will still remain to be dealt with. But unless India is able to handle Pakistan-exported version of terrorism, the local ones will only proliferate.

Certainly, India should not provoke a war with Pakistan. But what it can and should do has regrettably not been even thought about. First, India should call off all dimensions of dialogue with Pakistan. Resumption of composite dialogue should be conditional upon Islamabad's willingness to extend the desired cooperation in reigning in anti-India terror networks. Secondly, India should close down its High Commission in Islamabad and ask the Pakistani Government to do likewise. Thirdly, all contacts should be ended and communications should be conducted through a third party. Fourthly, India should ask for dismissal of Pakistani membership in SAARC. Fifthly, all kinds of economic exchanges with Pakistan should be instantly halted.

Undoubtedly, these measures are extreme. And there cost too will be quite high. However, compared to war expenses these pale into insignificance. The measures need to be taken as these will in all probability send a more robust message to Pakistan and its allies and in no way will constitute a violation of any international law.  ---INFA

 (Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

Round The States

New Delhi, 31 December 2008

Historic Poll In J&K

OMAR TO HEAD NC-CONG GOVT

By Insaf

The Jammu & Kashmir election clearly marks a watershed in India’s democracy. The seven-phase and 73-day free and fair poll exercise has brought the anti-secessionist party, the National Conference back to the helm of affairs. Its President, third generation Abdullah and the youngest Chief Minister today, Omar is all set to form a coalition Government with the Congress, a tie-up first witnessed 20 years ago. NC patriarch Farooq Abdullah will strengthen the party at both the local and national levels.  Former Chief Minister Mufti Mohd Sayeed and his pro-separatists People’s Democratic Party, will now sit in the opposition. The Bharatiya Janata Party, which increased its tally from one to 11 seats, is expected to take up grievances of the Jammu region, starting with removing a strong sense of alienation amongst its people viz the Valley. Be that as it may, all political parties in the State need to respect the poll verdict. The people mainly yearn for peace, good governance and all-round development.

The message to the newly-elected people’s representatives couldn’t have been more loud and clear. The high voter turnout, a record 62 per cent despite the biting cold, was a big rebuff to the separatists and their call for poll boycott. Hurriyat leaders such as Syed Gilani, Sajjad Lone and Mirwaiz Farooq have openly admitted that they would need to “rethink strategy”. At the same time, Pakistan too should realize that the Kashmiri has said a big no to gun culture and the cry of ‘azadi’ has been drowned by that for  pani, sadak and bijli.    However, the verdict has a darker side too. There has been a clear polarization of J&K along communal lines. Jammu voters have pitched in for the BJP, instead of the Congress against the backdrop of the violent Amarnath shrine land controversy. Jammu refuses to be taken for granted by the Valley and its leaders any more. The NC and Congress coalition will need to tread carefully.

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NDA CMs To Meet

Chief Ministers and Home Ministers of NDA-ruled States are gathering in New Delhi on January 5, a day before the meeting convened by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, to discuss steps to fight the battle against terror. BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate L K Advani has convened the meeting not only to formulate a thorough response to the steps taken so far, but to fine tune a common NDA stance. It may be recalled that some CMs had taken exception to the tone of Chidambaram’s letter directing them to do this and that. However, BJP leaders, in consonance with their core constituency, want to be seen ready to do whatever is expected of them to improve national security. Thus, it’s a challenge for the BJP to take along its alliance Chief Ministers, Parkash Singh Badal of Punjab and Naveen Patnaik of Orissa, who are wary like some others of any attempt by the Centre to impinge on the autonomy of the States under the garb of national security. Advani hopes to keep his flock of nine States together at Chidambaram’s meet.

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Peaceful Xmas In Orissa

Christmas in Orissa and importantly in Kandhmal district was calm and peaceful, amidst tight security arrangements. The celebrations were sober in the 60-odd churches and four relief camps in Kandhamal, which had witnessed the worst-ever communal carnage in August-September last year. While it would still take time for complete normalcy to return, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik not only kept his word to the European community of a safe Xmas in the State, but successfully persuaded the Sangh Parivar to call off its bandh that day. This follows investigations zeroing in on Congress Rajya Sabha member and former bureaucrat, Radhakanta Nayak for his alleged role in the conspiracy to kill 84-year-old Swami Lakshamananda Saraswati. The CID is learnt to be preparing a case against Nayak and may even arrest him, notwithstanding his strong denial. Nayak is considered to be the most high-profile Christian political leader in the State. In 2004 he was close to becoming Union Cabinet Secretary during the Deve Gowda regime.

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Mayawati’s Extortion Terror

Birthday celebrations of BSP supremo and UP Chief Minister Mayawati have come under a shameful and scandalous cloud, following the brutal murder of PWD engineer MK Gupta in Auraiya District allegedly by her MLA and his henchmen. The engineer is said to have refused to cough up “Rs 50 lakh” for the party coffers for Mayawati’s birthday, which is celebrated as “arthik sahyog divas” on January 15. Given the popular outrage, the Chief Minister failed miserably to palm off the ghastly act as a case of “departmental rivalry between two engineers.” Eventually she was forced to order the arrest of MLA Shekhar Tiwari and four others. Another MLA and Auraiya district’s BSP President is also accused in the incident, which has provided both the Samajwadi Party and Congress enough ammunition against Mayawati. The two are busy working on a strategy to sharpen the accusation that for the BSP maverick governance is all paise ka khel.  Both have announced their decision to observe Mayawati’s birthday as a “Day of Shame.”

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Massive Loot in Arunachal

Arunachal Pradesh is increasingly facing the challenge of stopping its residents from crossing over to the Chinese side in search of livelihood. While State officials deny any such movement, they admit to cases of ‘crossing sides.” The reason? The Chinese have developed good infrastructure across the Line of Actual Control, whereas border areas in India still lack development and income-generating activities. Of late, the Centre has no doubt woken up to the challenge and a special package has been announced by the Prime Minister. Some 513 habitations along the 1080-km India-China border have been identified for infrastructure development. Roads are to be laid in 22 of 30 border blocks of 10 districts bordering China at a cost of Rs 550 crores. However, the UPA Government at the Centre will need to ensure that funds are not pocketed by those in power. Itanagar and other towns are buzzing with talk of massive loot. Not just that. Rice disbursed under the PM’s relief scheme is, for example, being sold in the open market to the highest bidder. Worse hefty commissions are being brazenly charged.        

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Stalin Will lead DMK

Feudalism continues to flourish in Tamil Nadu. Its ruling party, the DMK zeroed in last week on the successor to Chief Minister M Karunanidhi. In fact India’s south is no different from the north. Like the Gandhi family, Karunanidhi is keen to pass on the mantle to his son M K Stalin. Recently, Stalin was elected as the Party’s Treasurer, which makes him number three in the hierarchy after his father, who was re-elected President, and General Secretary K Anbazhagan. It may be recalled that Karunanidhi held the post of Treasurer before becoming President in 1969, following the death of DMK founder C N Annadurai. While Stalin is seen as the heir apparent, he could well lead the party when the time comes. He came into limelight way back in 1976 when he was imprisoned under MISA for a year. Barring 1980 elections, Stalin has had successive wins since 1984. He was instrumental in forming the youth wing in 1980 and was Chennai’s mayor in 1996.---INFA

 (Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)