Empty words of British Prime Minister-Hunting with Hounds and running with Hares

British Prime Minister David Cameron's maiden visit to India after becoming Prime Minister is laced with hopes of bilateral co-operation in multi level economic and political areas going by the sheer size of his delegation. His statement at Bengaluru that Pakistan could not be allowed to Harbour militants and promote terror against India, Afghanistan and rest of the world is a tactful prologue to the diplomatic parleys that will ensue between the two countries.

In the normal circumstances this statement would have created enormous confidence and appreciation towards the Prime Minister among the Indian population. But unfortunately, going by the past experiences of these rhetorics both by American and British authorities and their actions on the ground, this will not enthuse the people. The ground realties are that while American authorities have been making similar or more strong statements in this respect and at the same time pouring billions of dollars in Pakistan and supplying them huge quantities of deadly arms. This is with the full knowledge and confirmed reports of these being used against India. The disclosures of Wikilleds have neither moved Americans nor British and on the contrary India is being preached to observe silence. Is it not hunting with the hounds and running with the hares? So there is an express need on the part of British PM and his team to display sincerity and honesty in strengthening the bilateral ties both in words as well as actions.Incidentally, his refusal to part with "KOH-E-Noor" Diamond need not bother us as we are already short of security staff and the Diamond is jinxed.PM should know that sun has already set in the British Empire.

Whom to go for Justice?

It is most disturbing and distressing piece of news item to read that 24 Judges including one of the Supreme Court has been found involved in a multi-crore Provident Fund Scam against whom the CBI has decided to proceed. It is for the first time in the history of independent India that such a large number of judicial officers have been found to indulge in petty pecuniary benefits through fraud and conspiracy. Judiciary in India has held the pride of place in public estimation for its impartiality, integrity and highest degree of moral standards. It has been rightly compared with Ceasar's wife who should be beyond an iota of doubt in its conduct and dispensation of justice.

2. There have been isolated cases of a judge charged with corruption or misconduct but it is beyond the imagination of the most pessimist that such a large number of judicial officers whom people have been almost worshiping for dispensing even handed justice, would fall from grace. This reflects the general decadence that has afflicted the modern society and Judges are a product of the same society. This incidence should wake us up and call for enforcing a system of checks and balances in the Judiciary also as in other organs of the administration. Now the Judiciary has forefeited its claim of immunity from the procedure followed for other public servants.

Unethical and Biased Press of India

How the Media is prejudiced and acting as the spokespersons for the Govt. can be judged from the following news published in Hindustan Times."VVIP treatment for Shah in VVIP prison"(H.T. Dated 27-7-2010) . It is alleged in this biased piece of news item that Amit Shah the former Minister of Home in Gujarat has been permitted by the Court to eat home cooked food and get clothes from home while in judicial custody. Further, that he ate home cooked Khichri, Dal and rice.

2. Amit Shah has been detained in judicial custody facing trial on various charges which will be proved or rejected by the long drawn judicial process in due course. In other words, he is not a convict and the person is to be assumed innocent till proved guilty. He was given permission by the Court to eat home cooked food and use clothes and bed supplied from home. So what is the big deal? The Paper has given a new imaginative meaning to the word "VVIP treatment" by disclosing that he ate Khichri, rotis, dal and rice cooked at home. I hope that Five Star Hotels will take a cue from it and revise their Menu Cards and Tariffs.

2. On the other hand it did not think it proper to highlight the happenings in Arthur Road Jail of Mumbai where two heinous anti-national terrorists charged and convicted of mass murders, extortions and anti national crimes were enjoying the best things of life viz. Special food, clothings, basket full of fruits and a special bath Room. This is not a imaginative story but the disclosures made by a Minister of the Government. The reporting by the newspapers is expected to be factual and un-biased. That the Press will stoop down so low in its reporting is shameful and regrettable.

Central Bureau of Investigation-. Or Whose Bureau of Investigation

It is unfortunate to observe that an elite Police forces renamed C.B.I. from its earlier Avtar of Special Police Establishment created with a view to independentally probe, investigate and bring to prosecution criminal cases of natlonal significance has become a subject matter of unpleasant controversies. This trend has emerged over the last few years due to the rot that has enveloped over our political system and the affected corrupt politicians devised means to infilterate successfully in the force to avoid public scrutiny of their misdeeds. This force comprised of select Officers of proven integrity and insulation from all influences and outside pressures in the discharge of their duties. That is why when people did not have faith in local authorities or expect a fair lnvestigation in a cases of any kind whether criminal, economic frauds or misuse of authority, there were demands of CBI enquiry. This was the case in all the States whether ruled by majority party or the opposition. Such was the goodwill and standard of confidence and integrity generated by CBI in public minds.


Alas, this is not the case now and the agency is being dubbed as the arm of Government being used mainly against the opponents of the party in power. This development is ,perhaps, a part of the degeneration that has set in our society at large. CBI and the political establishment suffered accusations for misuse of power in some of the most important criminal cases viz. Bofors, Bhopal Gas tragedy, Sikh's massacre of 1984 to name a few. It is now being claimed that C.B.I. Is not an independent statuary authority and even for appointing a lawyer in a prosecution case, they need Government approval who fixes his wages to a ridiculous amount of Rs.150/- per appearance. It is,therefore, right time that CBI should be unshackled from Government control through proper legislation so that it can redeem its face of dignity, impartiality and integrity. Till then, let Central Vigilance Commission oversee its functions.

Indo-Pak Talks in Islamabad- Shameful display of etiquettes

It was no body's expectation that the the Indo-Pak talks in Islamabad initiated in all probability at the instance of U.S.A will produce any worthwhile result going by the past record track of that country. As every one knows in the world that there are two power structures in that country, politicians who ostensibly rule the country and the Army which wields the real power. So the parleys with the political set up for initiating peaceful process with that country cannot and has not produced any results on the ground. It was a well known fact to the people and Governments of both ountries.

2. What is however, deplorable is the fact that it is first time in the history of world diplomacy that a Press Conference at the end of bilateral talks was brought to the lowest level of decency and un precedent debate of mudslinging by Pakistan's Foreign Minister and Pak Journalists. It is a universal practice in international diplomacy that difference of opinions are debated in the bilateral official talks and in the Press Conference that follows both sides broadly explain their points of view. But in the case of Press Conference that followed Indo-Pak talks all cannons of decency and accepted conventions were blown to the winds and Pak Foreign Minister reduced it to a debate and Pak Journalists added fuel to the fire by their rude and undignified questions fed to them. Do you think that this type of behaviour will help restore peace and confidence between the two countries. Pak authorities ignored action against terrorists like Hafiz Sayeed and Salhauddin and infiltrators and on the other hand had the cheeks to ask for Kasab's repatriation. Let us stop this futile exercise of talks and talks.

All Party Meetings for Kashmir

The latest developments in Kashmir's murky politics particularly PDP's Mehbooba Mufti declining to participate in the All Party Meeting convened by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to initiate peace process has exposed the role and intentions of political set ups in the valley. It is not only the separatist groups whose interest lies in continued unrest and disruptive activities but almost all political groups as they can ride easily on the hyped mass hysteria and passion than through democratic process. So numerous efforts towards peace process were scuttled in the past as well as now on flimsy grounds. Kashmir got a young and dynamic Chief Minister for the first time with a vision of development and stability which is inconvenient to the separatists and their masters across the border and they are bent upon a self destructive course. The victims are the innocent common men whose means of livelihood are being deprived by every day senseless violence. The youth of the valley are being deprived of their eduction and employment opportunities through misinformation. It was expected that moderate factions like PDP should not have succumbed to the populist ventures and participated and contributed to the peace efforts direly needed in the valley.The Governmeny of India has poured millions of Rupees and meterioc showers by way of subsidies etc.in futile attempts to curb violence. So what are the problem which will get solved in the all party meeting.The problem in the valley is anti national elements, violence and terrorism which can be solved through use of force against such elements and by no other means.