Governance deficit and taint

Common refrain now is that thieves are ruling us. High ranking industry body yesterday shouted governance deficit. Stock markets, flush with FII money, tanked over a 1000 points in a month, indicating that global perception of India is on slippery grounds. Forget about global perception, people in the country are chanting "sabh chor hai" more often. India is facing the worst crisis with erosion of people's trust in government which they had elected just recently. More saddening is the fact that the government is just in the denial mode, with pathetic arguments dished out by its ministers on a regular interval.   

It has been almost two decades that Indian embarked on the path of new economy. With the crumbling of inspector raj, the ministers at the Centre, however, made a mullah with their discretionary powers. The example is that of A Raja, former telecom minister, who allegedly handed the country a loss of whopping Rs 1.75 lakh crore in 2G spectrum scam. A senior income tax official told this author that Rs 1.50 lakh crores have been stashed away in Swiss banks in the last two decades since the economic liberalisation. It's not a tough guess to think who could be the people having shipped away Rs 1.50 lakh crores in two decades' time. However, we shall soon be knowing the names of the thieves. A Swiss banker has given the Wikileaks a CD with details of people having kept their money in the Swiss banks. The Central government too here has given a list of 20 people with money in Swiss banks to the Supreme Court with a rider that the list if "privileged" and names can not be made public. Let's hope that sooner the names of the scamsters come in the public domain.

This list of corruption is so long that people more often may yawn. The list is only adding up with new disclosures. The wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNAREGA) has been revised upwardly, with the Centre asking the state governments to foot the bill for additional cost. MNAREGA is such a pot that it has innumerable holes and makes a fit case for splurging public money for political purposes. It must be taken into account that MNAREGA gave a big boost to the Congress in the 2009 general elections.

A journalist friend on a visit to Tripura saw how the loot under MNAREGA is taking place. A close relative of him had a marriage party where professional dancers were invited. The journalist here thought of sharing the cost of the dancers to which the host,who is a sarpanch there, said " don't bother NAREGA ka paisa hai naa". Hmmm. Such examples could be found anywhere. A large number of Mukhiya and Sarpanch due to "economic empowerment" thanks to NAREGA had been seeking tickets to contest polls in Bihar Assembly elections as well as the upcoming UP Assembly polls.

In the last two decades if Rs 1.50 lakh crores have been shipped to tax havens, a much bigger share has been accounted for by the black money within the country. The cost of each and everything has zoomed in multiples. The nation is crying against the price rise but the fact is that people at large even if they are in decent jobs earning their livelihoods in lawful manner can not afford most of the things that they might dream of.

It's a fact that most of the black money gets invested in land and properties. However, the government is least interested in making the registrars' offices transparent and linked to the offices of the income tax. A friend from South had an interesting tale to tell. A farmer in the Nilgiri area from here A Raja comes wanted to sell six hectares of his land. Agents came and he closed a deal for Rs 20 lakh. When he reached the registrar's office he was handed over a suitcase containing Rs 1.20 crores. Shell shocked, the farmer wore a face of disbelief to which the agent shout at him saying "you agreed for Rs 20 lakh each hectare, so the sum if Rs 1.20 crores, you wont get anymore". The farmer's fortune saw a six fold rise, thanks to the scamster whom the agent represented rushing in to dispose off his black money. Why is the income tax not going after the land and property deals despite being aware of the well known facts. Is it because the masters of the department do not want this.

It's a long way for the country to start dealing with black money, which makes lives of common man much harsher. For the time being India faces a credibility crisis, though the government is oblivious of the fact.  

Assertive Manmohan Singh?

A write up on a new book "Ayodhya: Battle For Peace" by Nirendra Dev. (Mr Dev happens to be a very good friend of this blogger and appreciates his keen interest in India's socio-political moores )

There is an apparent gap between the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the UPA chairperson Sonia andhi of late. Dr Singh is apparently struggling hard to come clean on the 2G\spectrum scam. His offer to appear before the PAC headed by BJP leader M. M. Joshi also appears to have been taken without taking the Congress leadership into confidence. A confirmation to this came from none other than the Congress' poster boy Pranab Mukherjee who on Sunday stated in Kolkata that had he been consulted he would have advised Dr Sigh against such a move. To put in the perspective, if Dr Singh belives that the mandate in the 2008 elections was for him, then he is not wrong. The Congress got a boost because of his image. But his personal record is at stake now as one of his ministerial collegaue, A Raja of the DMK, an alliance partner of the UPA, allegedly masterminded mother of all scam in the history of India, which Congress, sadly, is attempting to brush under the carpet. There is a palpable unrest within the Congress, as the leaders reading the Bihar verdict know that the party is headed for electoral disaster in the next elections.

Nirendra Dev in his new book "Ayodhya: Battle For Peace" by Nirendra Dev" reveals that the "gap" between the 7, RCR and 10, Janpath began just after the Lok Sabha elections in 2008. The book states that even Dr Singh reject Sonia's nominee as Lok Sabha Speaker. Mr Deb writes that Dr Singh into his second term is getting more assertive and "persuasive in pushing his personal preferences".

"Grapevine is a senior parliamentarian was denied the Lok Sabha Speaker’s post in 2009 even after his name was cleared formally by UPA alliance in a joint sitting," says ‘Ayodhya: Battle For Peace’.  "If the conjectures are to be believed, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee and even top Congress leaders had reportedly complimented the said member for being chosen for the coveted office in June 2009; when Dr Singh threw in the Dalit-woman card to elevate his ‘Water Resources Minister’ Meira Kumar for the key job," says the book. , a publication of New Delhi-based Har-Anand Publication.

"Slowly but certainly, minor scuffle has started between Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and the party – even if not Congress president Sonia Gandhi herself. She is still considered too powerful for ‘non-political’ character like Dr Singh, though his admirers and adversaries feel slowly the ‘underestimated’ politician in him is showing some glimpses of verb." It further says, Dr Singh’s admirers are reported to have floated the theory that the 2009 mandate for UPA was in effect a mandate for him. His media advisor has already

spoken against Congress in a public function; and yet continues to enjoy the Prime Minister’s confidence."

Amid high drama in national polity over scams and alleged 'Hindu terror' under RSS, the book also cautions Congress against going overboard on ‘Hindu terror’ saying in the process Congress is only preparing the ground "for political polarization (based on religions)" "The Hindus in general are anguished as well as shell-shocked at the allegation that their faith, known for its tolerance, is being linked to terrorism. They believe the Congress party led by a Christian and that too a foreign lady is indulging in politics to defame the Hindu

organizations and thus win over its lost support base among the Muslims. There was a deliberate attempt to blow up the issue of ‘Hindu terror’ just on the eve of beginning of monsoon session of parliament in 2010," writes Dev, who had started his career in journalism from Nagaland in 1990s.

He argues the Congress attempts have failed as the opposition parties including the traditionally diametrically opposite planks the BJP and the Left had "remained united on price rise and the corruption". The government of the day would do well to realize that it is only playing a dangerous game, it says.

Dev, who has also authored a book on Gujarat riots of 2002, ‘Godhra –A Journey To Mayhem’ and 'The Talking Guns: North East India', claims that the perceived Muslim appeasement of the Congress party and the secular brigade "without working genuinely for Muslims uplift is only bound to increase hate-Muslims approach among Hindus".

From the government of the day in centre led by Dr Manmohan Singh and other parties like Samajwadi Party and even Trinamool Congress from Left-ruled Bengal all are only indulging in vote bank policies – "at

least the people, a large section of Hindus, think so", the book says Even in the past, the Muslims fell into a political trap of appeasement by secularists and communists from quite beginning. Indira Gandhi’s secular agenda only sought to pamper the Muslims and slowlythe political division only engulfed, it says.

"The Muslims should learn to live in harmony as the confrontationist path does them no good," it says adding

the intellectuals and the upwardly mobile Muslims have failed to educate their common masses and the vibrant community "has been reduced to a mere political tool for garnering votes".

On communal tension in South Asia

The rise of Hindutva communalism in 1992 with the Babri Masjid demolition had its "worst ever" affect in Bangladesh and Pakistan with helpless Hindus getting victimized, says a new book in India even as it claims that fundamentalism would bury its ugly head soon in South Asia.

"The communal problem and violence in one country often triggers a chain reaction in other countries. Therefore, it made a lot of sense when Bangladeshi documentary film maker Shameem Akhtar said a few years back, the rise of fundamentalism in many South Asian countries is simultaneous," says ‘Ayodhya: Battle for Peace’, first book in India on the post September 30, 2010 verdict on the protracted temple-mosque dispute.

"The overall future cannot be very good for the communal forces in South Asia" and cites the illustration of the return of Sheikh Hasina regime in Bangladesh in 2008 as a glaring instance, it says.

"The manner in which people responded to the September 30 (2010) ruling on Ayodhya verdict offers enough reasons to keep the secular disposition optimistic that the days of fundamentalism are numbered for the common man has had enough of it and long since rejected the same," writes journalist Nirendra Dev, who had also authored a book on Gujarat riots of 2002 titled, ‘Godhra – A Journey To Mayhem’.

Even in Pakistan, take a closer scrutiny and one would find that in "a country created in the name of religion, people have refused to play for long in the hands of religious fanaticism", says the book adding firstly, Bengali Muslims decided to carve out an independent nation for them. Muslims in the then East Pakistan proved that they had tremendous pride in past achievements and distinct linguistic and cultural identity. "The religion, the only link between the people of two Pakistans, was thus easily broken and on March 27, 1971, Sheikh Mujibar Rehman proclaimed the creation of an independent nation."

Maintaining that communalism has a lot to do with power politics, the book points out how the Vajpayee government in India had turned "a blind eye" to continuous attack on Christians and later to the 2002 infamous Gujarat carnage.

"In Pakistan, the Late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was once known for his liberal approach. A staunch opponent of Ayub Khan’s fanaticism, in 1970 election campaign in Rawalpindi Bhutto galloped Scotch whisky publicly to decry the ban on drinking. But the same Bhutto after attaining power took up anti-India stance, emulated fanatic mullah practices and declared Friday as weekly holiday instead of Sunday.

The same yardstick would apply to Nawaz Shariff, who was given a massive mandate in 1996 for promise to improve relations with India, gradually started swearing by India bashing phrases. He resorted to Islamisation of the country following the collapse of Pakistani economy after the nuke tests at Chagai in 1998 and allowed Kargil misadventure on the face of sustained pressure from military-mullah combine."

Bihar's date with history

Bihar has finally broken out of its regressive cycle of backwardness. Four fifth majority to an incumbent NDA government on the plank of development is a trend setter and is also full of hope. Some have called that Bihar has entered the age of renaissance. Nitish Kumar is much taller now. He deserves all accolades. We has seen what he has delivered on the ground in terms of roads and law and order. Now the time has come for him to work for electricity. A friend called amid counting of votes with suggestion to buy land near Patna as software companies would start locating there to cut their costs (I do not have that much of money to buy land, given the kind of hand to mouth living that I have). Many commented that Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and other states' land lords may find difficult to get Bihari labourers, with one colleague stating that this is already being witnessed in Punjab. It's a beginning of a journey of hope and Nitish Kumar has been charged with the task to leap-frog Bihar into front ranking states in the next five years.

There was never a doubt that Nitish would come back to power. My estimate was that NDA would cross the 150 mark, which I had later revised to 170 but had never thought that it would cross 200. Such a decimation of opposition has not been seen in any of the state in India. It has no parallel. The dread of Lalu Yadav must have made the people to turn out much stronger to reject him, thus helping the NDA more strongly.

Lalu and Paswan never stood any chance. But the way the Congress contested the polls is open for review. Such a large party could have fought such an important election in such a manner was quite idiotic. The Central ministers parachuting to charge that the Centre gave so much of money and not much of them was spent must be taken up by the Election Commission for abuse of power by the ruling party at the Centre. The transfer of funds to the states is anyways a statutory provision and not just a prerogative of the ruling party at the Centre. The decimation of the Congress was a fitting reply by the people to the joke of the Congress. A Congress state leader who had earlier contested the poll told this author that the party gave Rs 35 lakhs to each of its 243 candidates, with some pegging that party having spent to the tune of Rs 200 crores in Bihar elections. This seems believable given the way all resources that the party had put in use in the state. If Congress goes this way only, UP in 2012 could give it another shiver down its spine.  

Jobs have begun being created in the state. People there are much more informed. The state has real resources to make an economic turnaround. It is also blessed with immense human resources, with a large number of them educated and energetic. Nitish has to keep to the basics and rest will follow. He has given roads. He has to give reliable supply of power. And also he has to convince the banks to give loans to people who can take up enterprises, which they have been avoiding. Bihar figures at the bottom of the list on the banks disbursing its deposits to the people as loan. This has to go up. Nitish needs to talks to the RBI. Also, without rushing in to invite the big business honchos it would be more prudent to revive the jute, silk, sugar industries which have deep roots in the state but were killed over the time.

Millions of people in Bihar and outside wihsh Nitish that he further delivers on the promises. The hope must translate into reality. This can be done, as it's not a big asking.  

Mayawati's Ayodhya booster

The UP chief minister and BSP supremo Mayawati appears to be taking leads by miles over her political adversary. The Panchayat election results indicate that none of her political adversary is anywhere near her. She is marching ahead in a way which may see UP going ahead for political stability in her. Though having no stake in Ayodhya controversy, Mayawati appears to be the only benefitiary with the Congress and Samajwadi Party faced with the task to save their sinking boats. 

September 30 Allahabad High Court verdict on Ayodhya land title and December 6, 1992 Babri mosque demolition were perceived to have similar kind of consequences. Former UP chief minister Kalyan Singh let the mob take control of the state in 1992, while Mayawati ensured that the police had full control over the mob in the run up to the September 30 court verdict. The results of the two actions were in contrast. In the first case riots ensued with hundreds losing their lives, while in the second not even a single stabbing case was reported. The political ramifications are also in total contrast. While the BJP is floundering in UP, Mayawati is gaining strength from strength so much so that her opponents are faced with prospects of political disasters.

Continuing with Kalyan-Mayawati comparison, it's important to bring certain facts here. On December 5, 1992, the BJP had staged a huge rally in a sensitive area of Lucknow, with three of its top leaders namely L. K. Advani, M. M. Joshi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee leading three rath yatars from different parts of the state which converged at the rally ground. Amidst addresses by leaders in the rally, Kalyan Singh left the rally and headed to his residence. After a while, Advani, Joshi and Vajpayee also left, which brought the rally to an abrupt end. They all headed to Kalyan Singh's residence, where Kalyan was reportedly nervous with the kind of intelligence inputs he was getting from Ayodhya.

A top official, still serving, who was privy to what was transpiring at Kalyan's residence revealed that Vajpayee let out his anger on others by saying that he had warned to bring so many kar sewaks at Ayodhya. Vajpayee left Kalyan's residence for the railway station and left for Delhi. All the BJP leaders left for Ayodhya. "Advani, Joshi and others were manhandled by kar sewaks on December 5 mid night when they tried to bring sanity among lakhs of foot soldiers who had come from all parts of the country. They had lost control. The consequence was demolition and ensuing communal riots," the official revealed, saying that the riots intensified after the news was broken that the Kalyan Singh government was dismissed by the Centre.

In the run up to the September 30 High Court verdict on Ayodhya title suit saw similar kind of build up. In fact the police found a bomb placed in a market in Lucknow on that very day and even all the news channels had the footage but they chose bot to broadcast. Two more bombs were found and diffused in two different towns in the state. "The media should be thanked that they voluntarily chose not to break these stories. The state government had not given any such diktat to them," added the official.

The icing on the cake was Mayawati herself stealing the show by hurriedly calling a press conference at 5.30 pm amidst all kinds of confusion. She ensured that all electronic channels headed to her presser and she ensured that the channels broadcast her live and there she delivered her master stroke, that none would be spared for any kind of trouble. She conveyed the message that she would enforce law and order "ruthlessly". She won the day and is now counting the political windfalls. Muslims in UP need her kind of leaders, just like Nitish Kumar in Bihar, who can guarantee security.

People in UP, particularly from the minority community, immediately trashed Mulayam Singh Yadav's attempt to fish in the troubled water, when he termed the court  verdict unjustice to the Muslims. People in Ayodhya effusively thanked Mayawati for saving the day and keeping the monsters at the bay. The Congress is fast losing the plot in the state. Though there are about one and a half year to go for UP state elections, the winner for the now is just one and she is the iron lady of the BSP.