Saturday, December 27, 2025

The level of apathy grows with each mob violence

By
tehelka
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Mohammed Alimuddin, one of the victims of lynching.

It’s not that the country was free of alteractions, scuffles and violence a few decades ago. But things, definitely, were not like this earlier. They have deteriorated over a period of time. Until eighties, I still vividly remember, if and when there were disputes or arguments between two individuals or groups, there were people who used to intervene and help the issue get resolved. During early nineties, people slowly started staying aloof if two people were arguing or a group of people fighting. The level of apathy kept on growing. People became so indifferent to mishappenings around them that they wouldn’t bother even if someone is raped or stabbed in a public place by miscreants and left to die.

The recent incidents of violence such as the mob-lynching of 16-year-old Hafiz Junaid in a train or killing of the Jharkhand trader Alimuddin highlight the new degree of insensibility. In these incidents, the onlookers not only supported and cheered the criminals but many of them joined the act. Another worrisome and dangerous thing about the latest violent incidents is that they do not seem to be random but pre-planned and well-orchestrated attacks targeting members of minority communities to instil fear in them. The worst part is the silence and inaction on part of the Central and State governments.

Amid all these grim developments, the good news is that a section of public across the country has started voicing its concern. #NotInMyName and black band protests on Eid day did have an impact and forced Prime Minister Narendra Modi to say that killing people in the name of gau bhakti (devotion to the cow) is not acceptable. This is the third time in past three years that Modi has spoken on the issue. The first time he spoke about a week after Mohammed Akhlaque was killed in Dadri on September 28, 2015, for allegedly storing beef in his refrigerator. The second time the prime minister spoke was after the incidents in Una, Gujarat on July 11, 2016, when four Dalits were flogged for allegedly killing a cow.

But, unfortunately, he never talked about it in so many words. He should have said that the law and order machinery will act quickly and firmly and the Centre has zero tolerance for such crimes. The government, he ideally should have assured, will make efforts to reach out to assure minority communities — particularly Muslims, Sikhs and Dalits — that their rights will be protected at all costs. He should have taken the names of at least a few victims such as Akhlaq, Pehlu Khan, Hafiz Junaid, etc and condoled their families while adding that such heinous acts would be dealt strongly.

People have become so indifferent that they don’t bother even if someone is raped or stabbed in a public place by miscreants and left to die

But nothing of such sort was uttered. While he was issuing the soft warning to lynch-mobs in Ahmedabad, Mohammed Alimuddin, a meat trader, was being killed near Ranchi. Modi is yet to advise state governments to take legal action against such brutal killings. BJP President Amit Shah is yet to make any statement on the recent violent incidents. Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states are yet to issue orders to nab the culprits.

Apparently, no one from the ruling party has so far visited the families of the victims of the latest mob violence. And this is too much for the so-called Achhe Din.

Frequent lynching incidents point to a method in madness

By
Charanjit Ahuja
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lynching“There is a method to his madness”, the lines penned by William Shakespeare in Hamlet aptly sum up the character and intent of those behind lynching of people. The recent lynching of a police officer in Srinagar and a Muslim teenager of Haryana in a train are indicators that a set of people is trying to force ugly set of values on people. The fear on the streets is palpable as a mob can suddenly appear from nowhere baying for your life. There seems to be a sinister design and pattern. First it was lynching of Swachh Bharat activist Zafar Khan of Partapgarh in Rajasthan by a group after he objected to them clicking photographs of women defecating in the open. And now there have been two more incidents in quick succession. In Nowhatta, Srinagar, the deputy superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir police, Mohammed Ayub Pandith was lynched outside Jamia Masjid where he was supervising Kashmiri separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s security. In the other incident, a minor, Hafiz Junaid, was stabbed to death and four others were injured on board a Mathura-bound train. Reason -argument over a seat turning into religious slurs, triggering a mob attack on family members returning home from Eid shopping.

The stepped lynching incidents began with the lynching of Mohammad Akhlaq at Dadri in 2015 followed by hanging of a 12-year-old child, Imtiyaz Khan, along with a 32-year-old cattle trader, Majlum Ansari in Balumath block of Latehar district in Jharkhand. The virus spread in 2017 when Abu Hanifa and Riazuddin Ali from Kasomori village near Guwahati, were beaten to death for “stealing cattle”. Pehlu Khan, a dairy farmer, suspected of cow smuggling, was killed in Alwar (Rajasthan).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently broke his silence on the issue, warning that killings in the name of cow protection won’t be tolerated. Sadly, on the same when he made the remark, a man was beaten to death by a mob in Jharkhand on suspicion that he was carrying beef in his vehicle. The lynching of helpless men by enraged mobs on mere suspicion of indulging in an act that went against their belief systems is illegal. Unfortunately, the law has been rather slow in apprehending the culprits. The motive and intent in all lynching cases remain the same: to sentence someone to death without a trial. The inaction on the part of

The inaction on the part of government and lackadaisical attitude of public at large against lynch mobs empowers them the most. It is high time now that we understand the serious implications of the communalization of public spaces, backed by those in power.ot? There is also a reminder- resist at your own peril!

Overconfidence kills the cat, but not always

By
tehelka
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Overconfidence killed the cat. The results of the June 8 general election in the United Kingdom suggest nothing else but this. Prime Minister Theresa May, who was a sitting prime minister with a comfortable working majority in the House of Commons, decided to call a general election three years before it was due. Even as the Conservatives emerge as the single largest party, Tories finished the election with 318 seats, eight short of the 326 needed for a majority. For now, Theresa may be able to stitch a hung parliament, but she is not likely to hang on to power for long. An inward-looking anti-immigration policy and running a lacklustre campaign may have acted as political liability for her.

Just imagine, what would happen if our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose majority government recently completed three years in power, decides to go for a premature polls in coming weeks. “Growth for all” slogan helped him catapult in the government head’s chair in 2014. Since then, inflation is down to a record low of 3%; fiscal deficit has dropped; growth is at 7% despite demonetisation pangs; and the country has surplus electricity. The GST, despite its flaws, is being termed as game-changer. The bankruptcy code, easing of FDI limits, auctioning of natural resources, self-attestation of documents are few other achievements for which Modi government should be applauded.

But all is not rosy. India needs to create 34.35 crore jobs by 2028, that is 3-4 crore jobs every year. “At current speed, the government will take 1,560 years to create as many jobs,” Congress general secretary and former Union minister CP Joshi recently said. The latest curbs on the H1-B professional visa, which is widely used by the Indian IT professionals to work in the US, has added to the country’s employment woes.

Majority of the Muslims, Dalits and farmers are upset with the present government over their maltreatment. The incidents of mob lynching, hooliganism and attack on religious places have become regular occurence. Women abuse and rape cases have increased manifold while crores allocated for the Nirbhaya Fund for initiatives to support women’s safety and dignity lie unused. Increasing instabilty in Kashmir and rising tension at boders add to negative markings of the government’s performance. Upset over beef ban, thousands of BJP workers are quitting the party.
However, the party’s confidence seems to be in tact. The reason is: BJP has 1,387 legislators in the country, governments in 13 states and with 330 MPs is the biggest party in the Parliament. At global level, BJP is still boasting itself to be the world’s biggest party with 11 crore members. BJP President Amit Shah is going around calling names to Father of the Nation. Suppose, amid all these developments, BJP, Modi or Election Commission, for some reason, decides to hold a premature election like the one in the UK. Can any one guess what will be the outcome? No, not really. Indians are very different from their European counterparts. Most of them have a very different set of criteria and priorities while they go out to cast their votes. The party’s overconfidence may make it even stronger. But then, these are just hypothetical assumptions.

Weighing in on NDTV’s CBI raid: Resist at your own peril

By
Charanjit Ahuja
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Prannay Roy-CBI Raid-Pic by Jitender Gupta-Outlook (1)“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out — Because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out — Because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out — Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak for me”. This is the poem written by German Lutheran pastor, Martin Niemoller about the cowardice of German intellectuals following the Nazis’ rise to power and subsequent attack on chosen targets. The poem was recalled by the Constitutional Lawyer and intellectual, Fali Nariman at Press Club of India where senior journalists and intellectuals had assembled in a show of solidarity after teams of the Central Bureau of Investigation raided the premises of the NDTV founder, Prannoy Roy and his wife, Radhika Roy for allegedly causing a loss of `48 crore to a private bank. Whether the raids by the premier investigative agency showed exemplary efficiency of the CBI or were tantamount to intimidation or an attempt to muzzle critical opinion as alleged by the NDTV, it has led to animated debates across the nation. Immediately, thereafter, the CBI came out with a statement clarifying that “the CBI has not conducted any search of registered office of NDTV, media studio, newsroom or premises connected with media operations. CBI fully respects the freedom of press and is committed to the free functioning of news operations. The allegations under probe are not regarding the default in loan repayment; but relate to the wrongful gain to the promoters.

Were CBI raids conducted just because the NDTV was in conflict with the ICCI Bank or the alacrity with which the agency functioned had something to do with the channel airing a dissenting note is questionable? Had the oldest news channel NDTV towed an independent line and was targeted? Agreed our Constitution does not allow any special immunity or rights to journalists or media organizations, but we have seen in the past how law can be conveniently twisted. Significantly, a week before the NDTV raids, Tehelka editorial praised President Pranab Mukhrjee for his wake up call to media, advising that media needs a forceful reminder to “check, recheck and contextualize the information”. And now amidst the debate on freedom of press, Vice-President Hamid Ansari has observed that India needs a free and responsible media to hold “power to account”. We at Tehelka believe in the journalism of public interest but surely this is a testing time for media as who decides whether it is in public interest or not? There is also a reminder- resist at your own peril!

Hate-mongering will take us nowhere

By
tehelka
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adolescents_cartoons_200722Life, we as children were told, is sacred. Live and let others live peacefully. Respect fellow human beings and try to understand their point of views. The laws of the country are sanctum sanctorium and must be followed. We grew up hearing several such gems that were aimed at strengthening the societal bonds almost on daily basis. And it used to reflect in our dealings with our friends, neighbours and every other person we met.

But the very approach of life seems to have changed drastically. Rising incidents of violence in past few years make us wonder what today’s children are being taught. The youngsters, who now form majority in the country, could be seen picking up fights and killing someone at mere drop of a hat.

The case of an e-rickshaw driver, who was recently beaten to death by a group of people near the GTB Nagar metro station in Delhi for objecting to the accused urinating on the road, is just one example of the changed mindset.

Pointing out even the most sanest thing to someone, it seems, now upsets the person to the level that he doesn’t hesitate in attacking and killing the person. In another incident, a 24-year-old auto rickshaw driver was beaten to death in Mumbai, allegedly over the suspicion that he stole a mobile phone. Separately, an agitated customer who had lost his cable connection due to non-payment of bills killed the cable operator in Ahmedabad.

Again, a 26-year-old mentally challenged youth died at a birthday party in Bhagrekar Nagar of Mumbai, after he was brutally assaulted by five members of a family after a woman of the family thought he was harassing her. In a Jharkhand district, three men were dragged out of a house and beaten to death as villagers accused them of kidnapping children. In Chandigarh, a rickshaw-puller’s throat was slit at Sector 17 allegedly over parking issue.

Mind you, these incidents have nothing to do with the ongoing violence being flamed by a handful of vested interests across the country in the name of cow protection, love jihad, etc. In a latest incident, two Muslim men were beaten to death by a mob in Assam over allegations of cow theft. Since May 2015, the violent vigilante campaign against beef consumption has led to the killings of at least 10 Muslims, including a 12-year-old boy, in seven mob violence cases, according to Human Rights Watch. Members of other minority communities, including Christians, Sikhs and Dalits are also being regularly targeted on one pretext or the other.

Mob lynching trend, if left unbridled, will add to chaos, which even security personnel won’t be able to handle after certain point of time. Hate-mongers must understand that encouraging individuals and groups to carry out violence against particular communities may benefit their short-term political and social agendas, but these youngsters, who have started caring less for the law and order, are more likely to become threat and liability for their own organisations and the country. Parents, at their end, should once again start teaching their kids about importance of life, respect of fellow human beings and crucialness of living in peace and harmony. Hopefully, then the things will again start looking up.

Minimum Government, Maximum Governance?

By
Charanjit Ahuja
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In recent years the World Bank has often debated good governance as a general tool in the international development process and its perspective of good governance is “the manner in which power is exercised in the management of a country’s economic and social resources for development”. The government led by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has knowingly or unknowingly followed what World Bank has to say about good governance. The Government has completed three years in office, leading to release of flurry of scorecards on its performance or lack of it. When we look at the big picture, we find that the underlying motif of the government has been on ‘minimum government, maximum governance’. The Modi Government has been at the top as far as garnering space on social media, audiovisual media or broadcast media is concerned.

Mann Ki Baat

Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ is first such initiative in India where a top leader addresses millions, that too periodically. The programme even featured the then US President Barack Obama during his visit to India. Every minister and every ministry is now on Twitter. The government has tried to keep away from most spheres of economic activities by shunning over-regulation coupled with plans to do away with loss making PSUs. While this has led to minimum government, the government has over stretched its role in certain activities relating to public welfare, raising standards of living, enhancing per capita income, improving law and order situation, provision of basics like education, health, civic amenities and empowerment of its citizens. The move to provide LPG connections to those who still use firewood or kerosene stoves won appreciation particularly from women. Initially started as a ‘Give It Up’ campaign, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry barred subsidy to customers who earn more than Rs. 10 lakh per annum. The amount saved was used to give over five lakh new LPG connections to those who were deprived of LPG connections.

Aadhar for transparency

The focus area for maximum governance is to ensuring transparency in methods by linking ‘Aadhaar’ with various benefits. For maximum governance, the government has meant an equal relationship between the Centre and the States by abolishing Planning Commission. Doing away with the Planning Commission and forming a National institution for Transforming India is a new approach for economic transformation. The greater devolution of finances to the States, involving States in Union Policy through Central schemes like Skill India, Swachh Bharat, digitalization and so on speak volumes about maximum governance. The one rank one pension scheme acceptance and go ahead to bullet train are also important decisions of this regime.

GST-the game changer

The Goods and Services Tax is a step in that direction. The GST Council has already agreed upon the rates applicable on 500 services and about 2,000 goods. Rates of GST range from zero per cent, 5 per cent, 12 per cent, 18 per cent and 28 per cent for all goods and services.Twelve States have already passed their respective SGST legislations while the Centre has passed its CGST law .The rest of the States are expected to pass their SGST laws in near future. A document spelling out the process of transition from VAT to GST would now be needed to see a logical conclusion to a 17-year journey which will culminate in a landmark tax reform. By subjecting all taxable goods and services to just four or five rates, our tax system would not have asked for more. After GST regime, the manufacturing side, FMCG goods will attract a lower GST, while in the case of capital goods, cement, metals and pharma there is almost no change in levy. However, B2C services that would move into a higher rate bracket (from the current level of 15 per cent to 18 per cent or 28 per cent) and will become expensive. These could include telecom, finance, AC restaurants and business class travel. However, in the long run, the uniform tax rate would benefit all.

Little doubt that a majority of 2,00,000 citizens surveyed across the country on the performance of Modi Government that completed three years on May 26 this year point out that they were satisfied with its performance.

However, the majority number which stands at 61 per cent is down from 64 per cent that was seen last year and 68 per cent satisfied population in the first year of Modi Government. The ruling Bharatiya Janta Party has mostly been on a winning spree during these three years clearly exhibiting that the ‘achhe din’ have not only been for people but for the party as well. Local Circles, a citizen engagement platform conducted the survey in tier one, two and three cities and villages of the country to evaluate performance of Modi Government during the three years. The survey paints a healthy picture for the government as 61 per cent say that the government has come up to their expectations while 17 per cent people say that the government has exceeded their expectations in the three years. About 44 per cent of those surveyed say that the government performed on the expected lines. About 59 per cent of the people surveyed observe that the government would fulfill the promises made in the election manifesto. About 65 per cent of people felt that the government handled Parliament effectively and took Opposition along to deliver the key Bills to bring about long-awaited economic reforms. The survey had another interesting data to share as 69 per cent of those polled say that individual MPs still remain disconnected from their constituencies.

Swachh Bharat campaign

Significantly, though the recently released Swachh Survekshan 2017 reported that 80 per cent people say that the clean India drive had made their cities cleaner but the LocalCircles survey says that only 35 per cent gave credit to the Swachh Bharat campaign for bringing cleanliness, about 57 per cent disagreed with the suggestion. The pet project of Modi, Swachh Bharat mission got wide public support, particularly in social media after celebrities joined the Clean India challenge and began tweeting and liking the Facebook pages. Not just stopping with cleaning the locality, the government has built more toilets and given the social measure wide publicity. The Modi government created a separate ministry for rejuvenation of Ganga and the Namami Gange project with a budget of 20,000 crores over a period of five years has been cleared.

RERA aftermath

The new Act called Real Estate Regulatory Authority Act, apart from making the process transparent and keeping checks and balances in the form of a Real Estate Regulatory Authority, the new legislation is boosting confidence of buyers in real estate. When housing sector contributes to nine per cent of GDP, this law, if effectively implemented by the States, would be a game-changer in the housing sector.

Already many states have implemented this Act including some none BJP governments. The government has kick-started the process by short-listing 20 cities in the first phase and earmarked 7060 crores for the project.

Job creation still remains a major concern for many as only 21 per cent people thought that the government was doing enough on the job creation front. About 65 per cent of citizens believe that infrastructure development in the fields of irrigation, roads and telecom has become faster in the last three years. On the success of demonetization, about 39 per cent of those who participated in LocalCircles survey agreed with the suggestion that demonetization helped reducing corruption. However, 51 per cent of people believe that demonetization was a decision in right direction. They believe that though demonetization may not have reduced corruption, it helped fighting black money.

Jan Dhan, Make in India

The Modi Government’s initiative in the form of Jan Dhan Yojana for 100 per cent financial inclusion has got laurels for the government. Now anyone can now open an account in a bank, thanks to this financial inclusion scheme. In just 14 days of its launch, Jan Dhan Yojana found a place in Guiness Book of World Records for maximum number of accounts opened in a week. Another project of Modi Government ‘Make in India’, to make India the manufacturing hub, the government is taking efforts by easing foreign investment norms, revamping labour laws and cutting down the red tape. India has conducted road shows abroad and a number of multi-nationals have pledged their support. The survey shows that a massive 81 per cent of people feel that India’s image and influence in the world has improved under the Narendra Modi government. This is still lower than last year, when the number stood at 90 per cent. About 64 per cent of people supported the Modi government’s Pakistan policy in the backdrop of last year’s surgical strikes. In the last year’s survey, before the surgical strikes were carried out in Pakistan-
occupied Kashmir, only 34 per cent approved of the way India handled Pakistan However, conversely, dissatisfaction has also risen. During the last year only 36 per cent citizens said the government’s performance was below expectation. This has gone up to 39 per cent in the third year.

Cause of concern

What could be a cause of concern for the Modi Government would be that 66 per cent of citizens believe that the prices of essential commodities and cost of living have gone up in the three years of the Modi government. This is in spite of the fact that inflation has come down to below three per cent. Only 28 per cent citizens agree with the price index readings.

Incidentally, 38 per cent people last year gave credit to the government for keeping the prices down. Another cause of concern could be that about 60 per cent of participants in the survey felt that crime against women and children has not come down. Only 28 per cent people say that crimes against women and children have been checked.

letters@tehelka.com

Mr President, thank you for your wake up call to media!

By
Charanjit Ahuja
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New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee addresses the nation on the eve of 67th Republic Day celebration at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, on Jan 25, 2016. (Photo: IANS/RB)When “Complex issues are being reduced to binary opposites, resulting in polarisation,” media needed a forceful reminder to “check, recheck and contextualize the information”. And who could have been better qualified than President Pranab Mukherjee to do this? During Ramnath Goenka Memorial Lecture at the Indian Express, the organisation where I worked earlier, the President said “When so many voices speak through many mediums, then many are drowned out in the cacophony. This is when the role of journalism comes in.” Unfortunately, the downside today is the sheer scale and volume of data means that information available today remains unfiltered and in many cases even unchecked.” Indeed fact-checking plays one of the significant roles in the media. When opinions are deeply divided, objectivity is at a premium. Facts must be never sacrificed to elevate opinion into truth.

We at Tehelka are in complete agreement with the President Pranab Mukherjee on the role of Fourth Estate. President has rightly said, “Democracy without a free press is like a blank piece of paper” and in the same breath added, “Media must be the watchdog, the mediator between the leaders and public. It must raise and create awareness and hold the public institution accountable for all its actions or inaction.” The concentration of media power in few hands is dangerous. Objectivity has to be resorted to regain public confidence. Dumbing down news to attract more is another consequence of the phenomenal growth of the media. The bedrock of Indian civilization has been its pluralism and its social, cultural, linguistic and racial diversity.

President deserves kudos for reminding media of its responsibilities and about the threats that are looming large like “paid news”, failure to cross-check facts, ethics shown the door and unfiltered news. Ideas must be cast in stone and followed by all journalists who love democracy and freedom. Almost as a coincidence Haryana Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar compared the role of a media person to that of a soldier, as he had to perform duty in difficult circumstances, and also capture rare photographs even at the borders. They have also to consider which news should be released and when because while positive news could create new consciousness in the society, negative news could create sensation. He minced no words saying that some media groups are indulging in yellow journalism, which can bring them fame for some time, but ultimately it creates hurdles in the creation of a welfare society. Indeed, a much needed timely wake-up call for media!

Not much to celebrate about press freedom

By
tehelka
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Yet another World Press Freedom Day came and gone without much fanfare. And rightly so, as there is nothing to celebrate about the media, which is ever less free. Reporters Without Borders recently warned that press freedom is facing serious threats in 72 countries. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) maintains that governments are using increasingly sophisticated tactics to control information and limit criticism.

Journalists, directly or indirectly, are being attacked across the world with India having its own share of it. The country ranked 136th on the 2017 World Press Freedom Index, which is three spots below the previous year’s position. A report compiled by media watchdog Hoot suggests that as many as 54 journalists were attacked in 16 months, mainly by lawmakers and law enforcers. Going by the statement of Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir, the actual figure could be much higher. The minister had told the Parliament last year that 142 attacks on journalists took place between 2014 and 2015.

Beside attacks, the report highlighted invocation of sedition law, suspension of Internet services, self-censorship on part of media companies, censoring of films and other arts, among other instances which may frustrate free functioning of the media. The shutdown of the printing presses of two Kashmir newspapers after Burhan Wani’s killing, and the ban on Kashmir Reader for three months during the same period were cited by Hoot as instances of media censorship.

Interestingly, Indian Constitution, which is considered as the longest written constitution of any sovereign country in the world, nowhere mentions ‘The Freedom of Press’ in particular. Article 19 (1) (a) of the Indian Constitution states the ‘right to freedom of speech and expression’ and it is assumed that it also includes the ‘freedom of press’.

Attacks are not limited to death threats, physical assaults and censorships. The “My-Way-or-Highway” attitude of the employers and their vested interests are adding to the woes. Mediapersons, particularly investigative journalists, are being put under mental and financial stress to toe the line. People related to the industry are also bearing the brunt of a few government policies such as demonetization of 500 and 1,000 banknotes. The sector, like any other segment of the Indian economy, is yet to recover from the ban on high-value notes that has left the country’s media market in duress as advertisers have slashed budgets.

In February, Hindustan Times had shut down a few of its branch offices and fired a large number of its employees. Earlier, ABP Group, publisher of The Telegraph and Ananda Bazaar Pratika, had reduced the pages of its publications and intimated departmental heads of a decision to reduce staff. The combined layoffs of the two firms had crossed 1,000-mark. The situation, in general, is somewhat similar across all the media houses in the country. With rising unemployment and fewer jobs in the market, journalists are being abused and misused across the media industry.

Amid all this, a new breed of mediapersons has been introduced and is being appreciated. On May 13, RSS-backed Vishwa Samvad Kendra awarded “nationalist journalists” of West Bengal as a “celebration of journalism” in the state. Ironically, as long as one keeps on praising particular parties, organisations, individuals and their policies, he or she is considered nationalist. This is too much, particularly when it comes to fair journalism and press freedom.

Why writing obituary of AAP won’t be wise

By
Charanjit Ahuja
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kapil mishra (1)The Aam Aadmi Party had immensely benefited by launching a vilification campaign against its opponents and promised a culture of righteousness. Ironically, its own leaders have ganged up against the party resorting to mud slinging. It was then that trial by media began which without substantiating the charges went gaga with sacked minister, Kapil Mishra’s allegations. For Kejriwal, it must be a déjà vu moment as he had built a career by hurling un-substantiated accusations at political opponents. If the allegations are to be believed on the face value, Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal took 2 crore in cash from Health Minister Satyendra Jain after a 50 crore land deal was settled for a relative of the Chief Minister. Satyendra Jain is currently under CBI scanner.

The allegations come after party’s poor performance in recently held Municipal Corporation elections where BJP swept the poll thanks to the vote catching prowess of the Modi-Shah combine. AAP’s display of snags in Electronic Voting Machines has led to animated discussions that Arvind Kejriwal and AAP are losing sheen and are finding excuses for their failures. Many have jumped to the conclusion that the party may not even last its full term in Delhi. To add to its woes, the party after losing the battle in Punjab and Goa is staring at serious crisis as some fresh appointments in Punjab have angered a major section of the party. There are rumours in the corridors of power that at least 11 of its recently elected legislators are in touch with the Congress and Bharatiya Janta Party. Convener of AAP in Punjab, Gurpreet Singh Ghuggi has resigned from the primary membership of the party couple of days after he was replaced by party leader and comedian Bhagwant Mann alleging that the party had ditched its ideas. He alleged that the entire process of appointment of the new state chief was “fake and unfair” and the party had adopted a “pick and choose policy”. Meanwhile, Mann has expelled Upkar Singh Sandhu who was the party candidate for Amritsar Lok Sabha bypoll from AAP for anti party activities.

The result is that questions are already being raised if AAP Government would last its full term in Delhi? Will the party disintegrate?

AAP’s comeback ability

Still jumping to hasty conclusions and attempting an obituary for AAP and its leader Arvind Kejriwal, just based on the outcome of MCD elections, charges of corruption and misgivings among Punjab leadership would be a figment of imagination of some because the party has tremendous comeback ability. We all know that AAP came as a movement against corruption and raised expectations of masses but saying that it is out forever would be wrong. Although Anti Corruption Crusader, Anna Hazare was strictly against entering electoral politics, Kejriwal assured his supporters that if they were to change the way the political leaders think and act, they themselves had to enter politics. As a result an army of such like-minded people who wanted to become politicians to change the fate of nation got together. Not in agreement, Anna Hazare confined himself to Ralegan Siddhi in Maharashtra. However, what went wrong for Kejriwal from day one was that he entered the political playground with the sole intention of winning. In the process, AAP compromised on the very principles on which it rode to power. Many of his ministers and MLAs were booked in cases of land grab, extortion, wife bashing and so on. It is here that Kejriwal committed a series of mistakes. He sacked Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, two of the four MPs in Punjab turned against him and divergent opinion was curbed. All this filled negative perception in the public mind that all was not well with the party that was supposed to offer panacea to all the ills of society. The situation has culminated to a level that now even Kejriwal finds himself embroiled in allegations of corruption.

Many people who spoke to this writer observed that it would be almost necessary to have a party like AAP in mainstream politics. However, they agreed that party had lost connect with the masses and it needs to resurrect itself. Its critics should remember that the party was still able to get over 25 percent votes in MCD.

Past record of AAP shows that after being routed in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls during Modi juggernaut by drawing a blank in Delhi, the party won 67 Assembly seats out of a total 70 in Delhi. All AAP needs to do is to go to masses and its core vote bank comprising middle class, lower middle class and poor instead of Modi bashing and putting blame for everything that does not work in Delhi on Centre. Even when the MCD results began pouring in, the Aam Aadmi Party blamed EVMs and reacted that “ It isn’t a Bharatiya Jatnata Party wave but an EVM wave”. Time is running out for AAP and the party has to concentrate on delivery and show Delhi as an example of good governance. It could be the question of women safety, better roads, promised Wi-Fi zones and corruption free government.

Filling the vacuum

Focus area for AAP would be introspection as to why friends of Kejriwal had left him. It could be top leaders like Dr Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan in Delhi or Dr Dharamvir Gandhi in Punjab. Whether it was result of the style of functioning of Kejriwal or lack of internal democracy in party or both is anybody’s guess? AAP is a product of anti-corruption movement and this party promises alternative politics based on clean governance. It was happening at a time when Modi Model of Development in Gujarat was making waves. It may again be a co-incidence that both the AAP and Narendra Modi emerged on the national scenario almost at same time. It was time of reformation in India’s national politics. Both campaigned against corruption, exposed scams during the UPA regime and promised to ameliorate the sufferings of common people. This was the space that BJP and AAP could capture. It is here that the green horn AAP failed while Modi-Amit Shah duo emerged victorious to grab the space and fill the vacuum. It is time AAP finds its moorings and fills the vacuum.

letters@tehelka.com

Justice delivered at long last in Nirbhaya case

By
Charanjit Ahuja
-

C_DLi6DXkAAxN8JThe Supreme Court has finally confirmed the death sentence in the Nirbhaya case. Ever since the apex court upheld the death sentence for the four accused in the December 2012 heinous gang-rape case that shamed the nation, Twitter and Facebook are abuzz with activity. One of the strongest reactions that have now gone viral came from a celebrity, writes on Facebook “Yes, it has taken five long years, but today justice finally prevailed. The flame of this verdict should singe not just the dastardly four but other such perpetrators in India as well”. Another celebrity who is quite vocal on Twitter wrote “Public Hanging” was needed to set an example for an everyday menace”.

A tweet by Taapsee Pannu, who acted in the movie Pink that examined how society labels women as ‘loose’, besides delivering the message of “A no means no” said that “At last, justice delayed is not always justice denied! Wish there was a more cruel way to make them feel the pain they evoked Ms Pannu said on the microblogging site. Wrestler Geeta Phogat tweeted “Justice finally served. Thank You, Indian Judiciary”. Barring perhaps firm opponents of the death penalty, citizens across the land will feel justice has been delivered, even if delayed. The Nirbhaya case did not just horrify India but also focused attention on the need for women’s safety. Sensing the public outrage, Parliament amended various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Indian Evidence Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. A provision was made for handing out the death sentence to rapists convicted earlier for such a crime.

Stalking was made non-bailable offence if it is repeated for the second time. A law to slap a 10-year jail term was enacted for acid attack. No doubt the Supreme Court judgment will revive memories of that horror but it would also strengthen the national resolve to move away from the preying mindset. How the court felt could be understood from the judgment of the Supreme Court’s sole woman judge and a member of the Bench that confirmed the death penalty in the Nirbhaya case, Justice R.Banumathi who observed, “offences against women are not women’s issue alone but a human rights issue”. “Increased rate of crime against women is an area of concern for the lawmakers and it points out an emergent need to study in depth the root of the problem and remedy the same through a strict law and order regime”.

We at Tehelka echo what Justice R.Banumathi has observed in her Nirbhaya case judgment!

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