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/tehelka @tehelka

the best banking experts to run beings, all candidates satisfy that the police personnel too deserve
banks and also ensure a strong urge, for better or worse; unfor- praise for having maintained
regulation regime to control the tunately, NOTA does not. order.
issue of growing NPAs. Hence, even if NOTA is put in While a few anti-CAA pro-
RatnaRaj jain the first position in the ballots, testers in Lucknow were asked
perhaps, it may not guarantee a to pay for damages to property,
The case raises questions on the dramatic change in the politi- it is heartening to know that the
efficacy of present regulatory cal landscape. It is the time to protesters in Chennai ventured
systems and procedures. It is to look beyond NOTA to clean up to clear the roads and streets
be noted that the bigwigs who politics. after they finished their rallies.
commit these huge financial a VenkatasubRamanian The protest was mainly against
frauds are very aware of our the All India Anna Dravida
legal system, where a case can BJP is trying to divide Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)
be dragged on for decades using people on religious lines without whose support in Par-
the maze of adjournments and It is the contention of every liament the CAA could not have
appeals at various levels. It is to right-thinking person that come into force.
be hoped that at least now the the Citizenship (Amendment) a jainulabdeen
banking regulator will thor- Act (CAA) is anti-Muslim. The
oughly reform the regulatory Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Trump’s visit was hyped
systems and procedures and would have included Christians up beyond all measures
that independent bank board too, but it was perhaps wary of With reference to the report “$3-billion defence
deal, three MoUs mark Trump’s visit amid pomp
members will be appointed the possible backlash from the and show” by Dr Anil Singh (March 15)
based on their professional com- US and Europe. Bitterly stung by recent election
petence and integrity. Since there is no ‘Islamic reverses in States like Jharkhand
kosaRaju ChandRamouli superpower’ and most of the and Delhi, the Narendra
terrorist organisations have Modi-led National Democratic
It’s time to look beyond their roots in hard-line Islamist Alliance government had a lot
NOTA to clean up politics ideology, it has become conveni- at stake as far as the visit of the
That the ‘None of the Above’ ent for the BJP to target Muslims, US President Donald Trump is
(NOTA) option averaged just since it can easily escape criti- concerned. The Central govern-
one per cent in the last two Lok cism citing terrorism. But the ment is optimistic that a number
Sabha elections, despite growing BJP is failing to understand that of deals would be inked, though
aversion for certain politicians its Hindutva agenda is cringed Trump before his departure
and political parties among a and frowned upon even by most almost queered the pitch by
section of the public, proves that of the Hindus, and the recent criticising the high trade tariffs
it has not realised its intended string of electoral defeats is in India that have hurt US
objective. proof of this fact. exports.
At the backdrop of ever- The endeavour of any govern- Plenty of store is also be-
increasing criminalisation of ment heading a plural popula- ing placed on the bonhomie
politics, one can conclusively say tion like ours should be to unite between the two leaders though
NOTA never forced any political the masses. But the BJP is trying in the final analysis it would
party to accept the will of the to divide the people on religious count for nothing if Mr. Modi
people and field candidates who lines. It may taste initial success fails to negotiate a good deal for
are known for their integrity. but in the long run it would bite his country. Mr. Modi also faces
Even factors such as money the dust. History is replete with the prospect of being queried
power, muscle power, caste, many such examples. on controversial topics like the
religion, etc. cannot fully explain t anand Raj Citizenship (Amendment) Act,
the paltry share of NOTA. It is a religious freedom and Kashmir,
toothless option for sure; but, Chepauk turned out to be which he may not relish. With
more importantly, it is a faceless Chennai’s Shaheen Bagh during Mr. Trump’s visit having been
option, it lacks a human element. this week’s anti-CAA protests. hyped up beyond all measure,
Indeed, NOTA is not psychologi- Though there was every chance there would be virtually no
cally appealing to us. This per- provocation as the protest- gains for the government unless
haps stems from our primitive ers were emotionally charged, there are some tangible results
urge to second guess the motives the silver lining was that they to show.
and intentions of fellow human observed extreme self-restraint; CV aRaVind

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