Cartoons evoke within us a sort of soothing laughter that helps release our tension at foolish deeds and misdeeds of those in authority, their hangers-on and sycophancy specialists. A sharp and penetrating satirical work on a leader or state of drift in the polity could be worth more than 10,000 words spoken or written. Shankar of unique Shankar’s Weekly was a political cartoonist par excellence who through his imaginative black and white strokes reflected the mood and feelings of people on state of affairs. His was a simple straight-forward exercise without prejudice or malice during those vibrant post-freedom days of Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Nehru, Sardar Patel and Maulana Azad.
As a members of the Fourth Estate, I also remember Abu’s famous cartoon showing President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed comfortably perched in his bath tub and signing the Internal Emergency Ordinance sent by Indira Gandhi. That one cartoon candidly underlined the drift in the polity then, with a committed President who was willing to sign on dotted lines on a freedom-cutting measure from the PM that had not even been endorsed by the cabinet as required under the constitution. This is what a committed presidency is all about. Later we had some glimpses of a committed judiciary and even even of obliging media persons who began to crawl when just asked to bend ! No wonder, laughter in the corridors of power and beyond just vanished during the Emergency !
I am recalling this unpleasant chapter of the Indian Republic to make one simple point : a cartoon is a mirror of society which is meant to correct the wayward rulers and help keep the people’s sense of humour alive and kicking. Take the fountain of laughter away, people could be haunted by dark shades of Emergency or by deadly silence of the graveyard !
Intolerance is a curse on democracy as it takes away the right to laugh quietly. Well, why should the bully and the mighty be scared of people’s “Paper Laughter.” Equally disturbing is our netas’ illiteracy in the art of laughing at themselves !
Nehru had a terrific sense of humour. He knew the art of laughing at himself. A liberal democrat, he could take things in his strides. Even Dr B.R. Ambedkar had a lively sense of humour. He had no problem with Shankar’s pithy cartoons. Both Nehru and Indira were great fans of Shankar. In fact, Shankar was an inspiration for several next generation political cartoonists who later dominated the media for decades, R.K. Laxman’s cartoons in TOI have been virtual appetiser at the breakfast table for millions of readers .
The art of political cartooning is unfortunately on the decline today. Isn’t this a bad omen for our democracy? I hope not, though what I saw in the Indian Parliament after one MP resurrected Shankar’s 1949 cartoon in the NCERT textbooks makes my heart sink. All that murky business makes our body politics look more sick than ever before. A few protesting voices of the civic society sounds more like a cry in the wilderness. There was, however, only one brave heart from Kashmir National Conference MP Sarifuddin Shariq who stuck a dissenting note among the MPs of all shades and colours who wish to see even laughter on the touchstone of electoral politics ! This is a poor commentary on the state of Indian parliamentarians who are otherwise supposed to be persons of wisdom and common sense.
If we look at the 1949 cartoon dispassionately Nehru was only dittoing Ambedkar’s action in whipping the slow-moving snail. His eyes are on the snail on the ground as are Ambedkar’s. But then, what answers can we have if in tune with the slow-paced governance and reforms, MPs of all parties feel disconcentred by whipping of snail-paced system of today that suits them to carry on their business !
In this United Front of Intolerance, laughter is the first casualty. With it on the chopping block is also voices of dissent. In the circumstances, we could still quietly laugh while following a loaded truck on the National Highway No. 1 that proclaims : Sao mein ninanave baiman fir bhi Bharat mere mahan ! Mahan our Bharat, that is, India is. This is one perpetual truth that keeps the nation going on a snail’s speed, courtesy our slow-witted politicians and their hangers-on !

The four-state people’s verdict has thrown up some crucial policy pointers to our leaders engaged in the business of politics. First, corruption and corrupt practices while being in public life, beyond a tolerable limit, cannot be justified as a compulsion or as a necessary evil because of the nature of coalition politics. This point needs to be kept in mind by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh since he is supposed to be different from our usual run-of-the-mill politicians. His problem is that he is not assertive enough to set the desirable standard among his ministerial colleagues. It is a pity that he allowed A Raja of the DMK to swing against established institutional norms. The second related point worth remembering is that a wrong act cannot be accepted as right on the plea of survival for continuity and stability of government. Third, the DMK’s humiliating defeat, among other factors, was also a vote against the syndication and marketing of the 2G spectrum scam booty within members of K Karunanidhi’s family and their close loyalists. Four, in Tamil Nadu the corruption issue provoked as much the educated urban class as the rural folks. It is, therefore, futile to draw a line in the urban-rural divide, especially when the price rise and the quality of governance have been hitting every segment of society. Thanks to television reach, people know, howsoever selectively, what is what and who is what. A close look at the rural-urban voting pattern even in DMK strongholds candidly underlines this message. Five, a personality cult-cum-dynasty rule ultimately does not stand the test of dynamics of democracy, though it may be justified in the old raja-praja tradition. True, we do suffer from a raja-praja psyche but we cannot forget the enlightened nature of this old tradition of which one shining example is King Vikramaditya who ruled and acted justly. The message is clear: unless the ruling elite follow the Vikramaditya creed of justice and fair-play, the people’s faith among the rulers and their policy cannot be sustained. In West Bengal too the historic triumph of grassroots leader Mamta Banerjee is a tribute to her relentless fighting spirit against the Marxist sensitivities towards the people’s sufferings and mafia-like corrupt operations by communist cadres. It used to be said that you pay at the party headquarters and show its receipt at Writer’s building for any work sought to be done. What seems to have got lost among CPM leaders is that in a democracy a strict line must be drawn between party funds and public (government) funds. It is equally pertinent to draw a line between personal, party and public money. It is equally relevant to the power-wielders in Delhi to keep this harsh fact constantly in mind. For, commissions or pay-offs received on account of defence, aircraft, or any other foreign commercial deal must be accounted for and deposited in the treasury. Most of the scams that have rocked the country from time to time would not have acquired disturbing notoriety had the rulers been honest about overseas and domestic public deals. In fact, we could have surpassed China in all spheres of economy and social upgrade had our rulers not indulged in duplicity and double-standards in public life. Even the wafer-thin majority win for the Congress-led UDF in Kerala carries similar messages. The Thomas and palmolein oil episode did strike a jarring note among large sections of educated Kerala voters who nearly endorsed V. S. Achutanandan’s party. This shows how the CPM politburo had been out of tune with the people. In fact, one more point deserves attention: the people do not blindly go by the age factor. Achutanandan is 87 and still a crowd-puller because of his old-world charm as a true value-based Marxist. Anna Hazare at 73 is a big draw on the corruption issue even among the new generation of Indians. The question here is one of credibility of the leader and his policies. The success of Tarun Gogoi of the Congress in Assam for the third term as Chief Minister is also public endorsement of his positive qualities in public life amidst divided opposition parties. Well, more than anything else the people of Assam want peace and the Chief Minister is seen by them as a credible peace pusher vis a vis the ULFA’s terror acts. Indeed, Assam badly needs change with a dawn of peace and stability in the face of fragmented opposition ranks. Every change has to be with a purpose. Every change also carries with it a warning signal to the losing side: behave or get dumped in the dustbin of history. Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi and other top-ranking leaders of various parties ought to note that the people want transparency and accountability in the system as well as in the conduct of those at the helm of public affairs. This includes the bureaucracy and the police force and heads of various institutions. The sooner they learn from the successes and failures of the others the better for their credibility and reputation and the health of Indian democracy. Amen!

A New Policy strategy Needed For AfPak Belt

India need not have knee-jerk reactions to post-Osama bin Laden developments in the AfPak belt. It must conduct itself as a mature democratic nation keeping in view its larger national objectives. It has to shrewdly and diplomatically tackle a very difficult Islamic neighbour while promoting socio-economic bonds with Kabuliwalas living under the shadow of al-Qaeda and Taliban terror outfits and crafty Pakistan’s dubious games.

It is a pity that varied shades of political opinions in our country do not understand the complexities of the situation the country is faced with. They are prompted more by vote bank or minority-majority syndrome than by national politico-economic stakes we should have in building a stable, cooperative and peaceful region. I was rather disappointed by the BJP’s no-talk stance with Pakistan. It has stated that a policy of “talks and terror cannot co-exist.” Theoretically, the party could be  seen to be making sense. But on principle and for the sake of realpolitik, the doors for communication should never be closed, especially when the problem area happens to be the next door
neighbour.

Every Indian move towards Pakistan needs to be cool and calculated. A subtle tactical approach towards Islamabad alone can help us to achieve larger objectives to mutual advantage. We cannot allow ourselves to be emotionally carried away by the US success in Abbottabad. I feel Army Chief V K Singh should have avoided talking
about Indian capabilities for an Abbottabad-like strike. We know for certain that we are no match to the American capability as seen on May 2. India is not yet a super-power. It has still a long way to go before it acquires the requisite military capability. Our leaders have failed the people though they have been suffering at the hands of
Pak-sponsored militants for decades.
The Abbottabad operation was a superb case of in-depth intelligence-gathering and swift hi-tech military operation. Washington could get away with its adventure on Pakistani soil as Islamabad depends heavily on American mercy of arms and dollars. In
any case, it has made deep inroads into the Pakistani system because of its military alliance which has been operational from the fifties. Of course, Pakistan has its own geo-political ambition in the region, especially in Afghanistan and Central Asia. It has used America’s anti-terror agenda to promote its own interests in Kabul and beyond. We also know that Pakistan’s army and ISI have been desperately trying to consolidate its position in Afghanistan. It has organized its own favourite terrorist groups to push its goal.

One major objective of Islamabad is to neutralize the Indian sphere of influence in Kabul. India and Indians have tremendous goodwill in Afghanistan but unfortunately, the Delhi establishment is unable to exploit the situation to its advantage. I believe that South Block ought to have a fresh look at its strategic, political and economic interests in the AfPak belt following the elimination of Osama bin Laden. It will be advisable for Indian leaders to evolve an entirely new strategy for the AfPak belt in consultation and coordination with US leaders. Today’s ground realities are such that India cannot act on its own.

We also must not forget the fact that we don’t have an Indira Gandhi in our midst. Manmohan Singh lacks the requisite political will to act independently in view of complex global power realities. He is a confused and weak leader. He does not realize that a desperate state like Pakistan cannot be handled with the one-track process of dialogue. Only a multi-dimensional policy approach can put Islamabad on the right track. Moreover, we have to be well-focused on our short-term and long-term goals. It is wrong to assume that the Mohali spirit will make Islamabad see reason on Kashmir and other outstanding issues which have become Pakistan’s obsession.

On Kashmir, we can certainly have a dialogue but at the same time we must be clear about outlines of a possible deal with Pakistan. We must not overlook the fact that Pakistan-sponsored jehadi terrorism has virtually destroyed the rich secular fabric of Kashmir society and the Sufi tradition of love, brotherhood, compassion and tolerance. In its place, it has sown seeds of violence, hatred and intolerance. This has happened because the Indian establishment has acquired a soft-state image to the advantage of separatist Hurriat leaders like Geelani.

Here I would recall an American expert’s warning based on Indian security considerations. Yossef Bodansky, a specialist on terrorism and non-conventional warfare, warns India that if for some reason it decides to quit Kashmir, the state will be grabbed by Islamists. The Islamists have apparently a vital interest in absorbing Kashmir in the revivalist Islamic bloc, he says.  Bodansky holds that the Kashmiris will never enjoy independence or  azadi and that they will always have to obey the order of  fundamentalists. He believes that the loss of Kashmir will have  serious consequences for India’s security. I fully agree with this  assessment. However, the moot point is: why don’t our leaders take a  clear position. We must understand how Pakistan has treated  Pak-occupied Kashmir. It has virtually integrated the strategic area of Gilgit Baltistan. And a large chunk of Kashmir is in the possession of China.

The message underlined by the US expert must never be lost sight of by our policy- makers while seeking a solution to the problems with Pakistan through the process of dialogue. I believe that Pakistan’subious activities in Jammu and Kashmir is posing a ajor challenge to our country’s security and communal harmony. We can achieve the
objective better if we know how to handle the hardliners in the valley
firmly.

In this context, it is worth knowing that the assets the various militant and fundamentalist outlets have amassed in Kashmir are disproportionate to their known sources of income. In fact, terrorism in the valley has become a big business. Many small and big players own palatial houses and mansions. They have all gained at the cost of the poor Kashmiri people.

History does not view successes and failures selectively. It applies hard objective yardsticks to judge leaders, matters and issues. What is regrettable is that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has not learnt from the follies of the earlier rulers. As it is, the soft state image is seen as a sign of weakness of Indian leaders. It also indicates their inability to distinguish right from wrong.

Can we obliterate this soft state image over a period of time? Why not?  All that is required is a well-focused leadership that knows how and when to strike at the terrorists without making a public show of rhetoric. At the same time, we need to realize that the war on jehad is a long drawn out battle of ideas against the syndication and marketing of bin Ladenism that believes in killing and silencing people into submission. I am sure even the people of Pakistan and Afghanistan ultimately will not accept al-Qaeda and Taliban brands of terror.

The new instrument of terror is being used by Pakistan’s army and ISI to perpetuate their hold in the corridors of power. I distinctly remember that during my visit to Pakistan during the Nawaz Sharif regime, a retired General told me that “we are not interested in solving the Kashmir problem because it will make us irrelevant to Pakistan’s power realities. Today, we control the power structure even if a civilian regime is in power”. This is a harsh reality of Pakistan. President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani are just figureheads. Real power is actually controlled by General Kayani and the ISI Chief. Unfortunately, this suits the US, though it occasionally sheds crocodile tears in the name of democracy.

We are well aware of the history of evolution of terrorism in Afghanistan in which Americans have played dirty power tricks and Pakistani Generals dubious games. Between the two, India has suffered the wrath of jehadis as well as the complex mindset of our leaders. The time has come to demolish the terrorism structure ruthlessly and
set the pace for a stable and development-oriented South Asia. In this setting small-minded leaders should have no place. We have to think of  the Gen-Next in the subcontinent.

Until recently , through his acts of reckless terrorism, Osama bin Laden was the single most destabilizing factor in the international arena. He gave a shattering blow to the American commercial hub and reduced New York’s magnificent twin towers to the ground zero. The 9/11 terror act was a turning point in the history of the US, nay, of humankind. The Muslim world has never been the same since then. It continues to be in a state of flux and uncertainties even after the killing of the world’s dreaded terrorist by American forces in Pakistan’s suburban military town of Abbottabad. It is ironic indeed that al Qaeda’s supremo was being sheltered in the hilly hideout of Pakistan, apparently under the protective cover of ISI and within the knowledge of top brass-tacks of the army, which has military alliance with Americans.

After years and years of manhunt in the strategic AfPak belt, the American forces have taken the revenge for the 9/11 dastardly act. Full marks to the CIA for operating within the territory of Pakistan, and carrying out the 40-minute strike in Abbottabad single-handed without local backup. This has had its serious fallout beyond the boundaries of Afghanistan-Pakistan belt. It has thrown up several new questions on America’s futuristic equations with Pakistan as well as democratic regimes.

I have particularly Indian sensitivities in mind vis a vis Pakistan and Afghanistan. Equally relevant here is the question of American double standards on its response to counter-terrorism action by countries like India which has suffered the most by Pak-sponsored terrorism in Kashmir and beyond.

Osama today is part of the turbulent history of militancy. He is dead and gone but bin Ladenism is very much around and will continue to kick unless Washington reorients its policies and makes its counter-terrorism strategy more inclusive and broad-based while ensuring total secrecy. Interestingly, Osama’s terror strategy could successfully change the global focal points – from Europe to the rugged mountainous areas of Afghanistan, the Northwestern tribal region of Pakistan, South Asia as a whole besides Iran, Central Asian republics and parts of Africa where one could hear echoes of Osama’s militant Islamic teachings with varying effects.

Not that the majority of Muslims are or were willing takers of what the Saudi fugitive billionaire preached or stood for. Still, he caught on the imagination of the frustrated, the humiliated jobless young Muslims grounded in madrassa roots who, rightly or wrongly, feel that they have nothing to lose and everything to gain with Osama-blessed gun power. The operative word of Osama has been jehad against all shades of ‘kafirs’. And death in terror acts is supposed to take them directly to heaven. What could have been more alluring than this gospel?

Be that as it may. The current global order is not going to change overnight. The process of change is bound to be slow and halting since the present players on the anti-terror job – from President Obama and his team to Pakistan army chief General Parvez Kayani to President Karzai of Afghanistan and NATO countries have their own politico-strategic agendas and priorities. India too needs to have its own perspective if it wishes to take on Islamic terrorism minus the old mindset.

As it is, in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region, there are various terrorist groups which work at cross purposes and for different masters. Osama’s al-Qaeda might have lost its sheen in the Arab world but it is still held in awe. Pakistan has its own favourite terror groups, especially the Pasthu dominated Taliban faction. The Taliban group is also active in Pakistan. In this complex setting, we need to constantly remember that the tribals are traditionally warring groups. This makes the American task difficult for any anti-terror operation.

We also know about Pakistan’s ambition to establish its supremacy in the mineral rich strategic region of Afghanistan. The point which I wish to draw is that the exit of Osama will not make any substantial difference in the AfPak belt, at least in the near future.

In this explosive setting, things are going to be equally worrying for India which wishes to see emergence of a peaceful and stable neighbour. It also wants to promote economic and related interests in Afghanistan. There cannot be any ready answer to the current mess. A lot will depend on how the US conducts itself and how Pakistan behaves
vis a vis India.

As already stated, there are no shortcuts to fighting terrorism. This is a long drawn-out battle which has to be waged with determination and courage. Ironically, the US as a super power can do anything it wishes to in any part of the world including striking at terrorist camps. But it has said a blunt ‘no’ to use of the same option to India
for reasons unexplained.

What is not being realized by American policy-makers is that in the absence of concerted and coordinated efforts they are, consciously or unconsciously, generating new forms of fundamentalism and extremists not only in Pakistan and Afghanistan but in other parts of the world as well. Herein lies a major challenge for democratic regimes like
India.

It will be worth recalling here that Karl Marx and Lenin gave the world a new ideology to demolish the edifice of capitalism. However, the Soviet regime collapsed under the weight of its own dictatorial traits. Apparently, the followers of Marx and Lenin failed to account for human characteristics and weaknesses. They, of course, put a stop to sate sponsored religious shows. Things have changed dramatically since then.
We cannot yet be certain about the fallout from Osama’s exit. All the same, I do not wish to see post bin-Laden terror threat as part of the clash of civilisations. Islam is not what its misguided promoters are propagating. It is a fact that certain teachings of the prophet and the Quran have been taken out of context to push hate-concepts and violence by vested interests.

Well, enough is enough. We do not wish to see a new form of bloodshed in the name of Islam and possible retaliation by the democratic forces. In the long run, the believers in democracy have to come together and work unitedly at the policy level as well as on the
ground. Unless this is done, the battle against militant forces will be lop-sided and misplaced. President Obama ought to keep this basic fact constantly in mind if he means business and learns to evolve better trust equations with a democratic country like India.

Washington ought to draw appropriate lessons from the Gitmo files, WikiLeaks revelations and the documents and videos seized from Osama’s Abbottabad mansion. They clearly establish that anti-India terror operations were being directed by Pakistani army officials and Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate. Even anti-India training
camps in Pakistan are run by the army and ISI. Indeed, several terror groups like Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jamaat-Ud-Dawa and Hizbul Mujahideen have enjoyed direct support from the Pakistan army and ISI. We ought to take into account these basic facts and overall complexity of the situation in totality and work out counter-terrorism strategies
keeping in view Pakistan’s jehadi face.

The Abbottabad-like operation apart, the democratic regimes need to take the challenge of Islamic terrorism as a battle of ideas. The objective should be to wean away the misguided youth from the terror path and bring them into the mainstream of modern education, economic well-being and better job prospects.

The only answer to jehad is an all-inclusive comprehensive development agenda with a human face. This is not an easy proposition, but it is worth trying since the global stakes are high for peace, development and stability. Even the Muslim leaders ought to learn from the Middle Eastern and North African states, including Egypt, Yemen, Libya and
Bahrain. Even Saudi Arabia has clear signs of unrest. The youth in these countries are not for jehad but for better economic deals and jobs. The underlying message is clear: the world of tomorrow has to be seen and assessed afresh against Osama’s disastrous jehadi phenomenon.

It was an instant show of People’s Power against rampant corruption that has affected every segment of the polity. The response to social activist Anna Hazare’s protest fast-unto-death at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi was spontaneous from all sections of society – the very young, professionals, middle-class persons, old timers and the aam aadmi in the real sense of the term. You may call them a sum total of Civil Society which instantly acquired mass support on the core issue of corruption.

The ruling Congress-led coalition parties and the Manmohan Singh establishment apparently had no idea that the Anna Hazare fast would acquire such a wide dimension. This was clear from their slow and halting response. This underlines my oft-repeated point that those in positions of power and authority live in their ivory towers and in the process get delinked from the grassroots.

It must be graciously acknowledged that Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption crusade refleced the people’s feelings for freedom from corrupt practices in today’s politico-bureaucratic system. What led to the eruption of this anti-corruption volcano was a series of big scams – from Kalmadi’s bungling in the Commonwealth Games to the DMK Telecom Minister A Raja’s 2 G Spectrum scam, Adarsh Society expose in Mumbai running into several lakhs of crores at the cost of the public exchequer.

What made the people’s angry was the impression that the Prime Minister and the UPA Chairperson were deliberately looking the other way in this scam parade exposed by public bodies like CAG and followed up by the media. Their promises of action against the corrupt and corrupt practices were either slow or unconvincing. These indifferent postures were probably adopted either to protect their ‘favourites’ or not to disturb the apple cart of coalition power-show. This may not be acknowledged officially but these harsh facts are very much part of our insensitive system. Rightly or wrongly, the people in authority have come to believe that they could get away with anything by silencing the right sources with the help of their money power or through official largesse.

What has disturbed me most is that such massive scams should have taken place under a government presided over by the Prime Minister who has enjoyed the reputation of being an  honest and clean person. The moot point is: was he under some sort of pressure? Or, was he under the compulsion of coalition politics realities for survival? I would like to leave this question for an honest assessment of history.

The problem with Manmohan Singh is that he is a half-baked politician but well-known economist. He does understand rudimentary elements of politics, but doesn’t have the pulse on the grassroots realities. Besides, he is too decent a person to indulge in political jugglery which is past-time of most of our politicians. No wonder, he sat pretty for three days after Anna Hazare’s fast and allowed the drift to gather momentum. He acted only after Sonia Gandhi’s letter in support of Anna Hazare’s cause. Even then as Prime Minister he did not take the coalition partners along with him in seeking proper response to Hazare’s protest fast which should have been done as part of the decision-making process. He thus allowed the coalition partners in the government to be free from public focus on corruption. This is surely not the way political games have to be played, Mr Prime Minister.

The trouble with the P M is that he does not move an inch unless he gets the go ahead signal from the right quarters.  Nothing wrong with this functionally, on the ground of loyalty. But this does not provide an ideal setting for the image and credibility of his government.

Looking beyond, we ought to understand that a terrible vicious circle has overtaken the Indian polity and it is difficult to identify who are the real corrupt and who are comparatively cleaner persons. What we see for sure is a continuous drift because of the indulgence extended by the powerful ruling clique to mafia gangs and their patrons.

Loose ends of the system apart, political waywardness has only added to the country’s problems. Small wonder that bribing has virtually become a way of life. And, as I have said before, this has thrown up a kind of auto-compensation principle ie: A bribes B and B bribes C and C bribes A, and like this corruption show goes on. This is a sad commentary on the state of the nation.

Mr Prime Minister, if corruption and corrupt practices are systematised, what hope is there for the betterment of condition of the common man? Anna Hazare has done a yeoman’s service to the nation by mobilizing the young and the old against the tentacles of corruption. The task of tackling corruption is surely far more gigantic than one Lok Pal Bill which is before the joint panel of UPA ministers and civil society members. To work out an agreed bill will in itself be a very tough task since the government has its own set of ‘safety first’ ideas. The moot point is: has the UPA leadership got the requisite political will to launch a cleansing operation of the system? Over a period of time the politico-bureaucratic system has been tampered with and it seems to work mainly for the benefit of those who are at the helm. Recent CWG, 2G and Adarsh Society scams are clear examples of weak spots in the corruption nexus for power and big money. In this new permissive atmosphere everyone wishes to look after himself to the detriment of public good. On the face of it, the situation looks hopeless. Still, all is not lost yet. The nation is vibrant. So is the media. All that is required now is to build up public pressure on the government and maintain the momentum against corrupt practices. In this context, honest communication to the public, the media and other channels of information like social networking in facebook, twitter etc. is absolutely imperative.

Anna Hazare has so far played his cards well. He has adopted a pragmatic approach to the sensitive question of tackling corruption. His anti-corruption mantra clicked since the people are already fed up with increasing corruption in public life. No wonder, the masters in Delhi have had no choice but to respond to Hazare’s demands. Corruption has actually hit every section of Indian society. But ironically, people prefer to suffer silently to the advantage of power operators.

Gone are those days of Kolkata when one paisa rise in tram fare could lead to mass protests. These days even unprecedented rise in essential commodities hardly generates a mass protest. This is baffling. I have often wondered what has happened to our fire within? How could the poor, persons of modest income and middle class people manage their household expenses when even dal sells at Rs 70 to Rs 100 a kilo. Not that this is because of the problem of scarcity. More than that, it is a classical case of non-governance and non-action against hoarders and black-marketers.

Then, there has been bungling in operation policy of exports and import. If Anna Hazare singled out Sharad Pawar for his ire, he apparently knows the real face of the Maratha strongman. What shocked me equally was that the Prime Minister in the first place should have put Pawar in the Group of Ministers to go into the question of corruption. Nothing could have been more ironic than this. This in itself is a glaring example of the PM’s casual approach to men, matters and issues of corruption.

Corruption-prone trends in the system can be reversed, provided we develop right attitudes and put the right type of persons in key and sensitive areas of public affairs. Equally crucial is political will among the ruling persons to break the  vicious circles of black money operations and corrupt practices.

Viewed in this light, the Lok Pal bill apart, administrative, fiscal and electoral reforms alone can build a cleaner polity for the generation next.

It is necessary to minimize the influence of black money in public life. This is possible if public accountability and transparency become part of our democratic operation. Of course, law has to take its course against the corrupt and corrupt practices. But while changing the law, we must not forget the law must have a human face. And there must never be two sets of rules – one for the poor and other for the rich and influence-wielders.

Fair play and fairness in the system are two essential elements for ensuring a clean polity. This can help to build the confidence of the people in the system. Equally vital is the task of simplification of rules and regulations. Too much of red-tapism tends to become a breeding-ground for corruption.

The challenge before us is not of just saving the constitution, but of saving the Nation. As it is, the prevalent attitude of sab chalta hai is destroying the fabric of our society. The rot is at the top. And it is fast eroding the basics at the middle and ground levels. It is a fact that everything gets conveniently distorted to suit the convenience of the powers-that-be. This goes on merrily in varied areas of national activity. Occasional correctives do get applied because of the intervention of the judiciary. But then the judiciary requires major reforms. A visit to distric-level courts could give us a complete picture of poor state of affairs in the lower courts.

Equally vital is the working of the police force. No one seems to bother about the growing nexus between criminals and politicians, including legislators and bureaucrats. We have often talked about reforms in the police force, but unfortunately the nature of such reforms is being dictated by criminals, corrupt officers and their patrons.

It needs to be stated honestly that nothing can improve matters unless we simultaneously ensure moral and ethical standards in public life. In this context, it will be interesting to recall the observation of a British judge, Mr Justice Buckley, in the R versus Curre case. He said the claim of immunity in respect of cases of corruption even by members of parliament is “an unacceptable proposition at the present time”.

The UKs committee on standards in public life, set up under the chairmanship of Lord Nolan in May 1995, spelt out seven principles of public life: unselfishness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership. No one dares these principles. However, the point is: how do we go about this task and make these principles part of our public life. This has to be done as part of the checks and balances device.

The problem with us is the increasing criminalization of public life. Here, Anna Hazare and his team ought to critically examine the loopholes in the electoral and related laws of the land which make it possible for criminals to thrive and even fight elections and in the process acquire respectability in public life. We cannot and must not accept such a situation.

No one has the right to loot the public treasury. Public money is sacred. But those in positions of power and authority all the while try to gain privately at the public cost. We cannot accept this. For that matter, ministers, bureaucrats and operators have no right to stash away ill-gotten wealth in overseas banks as part of their globalised bonanza. Public life has to be clean and seen to be clean. We deserve better governance and a clean, liberal and democratic order that works for the good of the people.

Anna Hazare is an idealist cast in the Gandhian mould of non-violence, simple living and high thinking which draws sustenance from the grassroots. He is a social activist, having turned some poverty-stricken villages in Maharashtra into self-sufficient prosperous outfits – a la village republic – that Gandhiji had once visualized. Anna does not call his village ventures as village republics. His focus for the present is on corruption which, he feels, denies the fruits of development to the poor and the deserving lot.Even Rajiv Gandhi had once talked about it. But he did nothing to improve the system. Today, even Rahul Gandhi feels disgusted at the rottenness of the system. The moot point is: will he be different from his father and act differently? We can judge him as and when he takes command of the country as his mother and the Congress Party desire. Right now  it is Anna Hazare’s crusading drive against corruption that has caught on the imagination of the people. It has put the ruling establishment on the mat. Never before in free India has the country seen in matters of four days such a massive show of anger against corruption, thanks to Anna’s civil society which draws its support mainly from the middle class people and professionals. Even the generation-next seems equally agitated.
Ironically, India must be unique among democracies for hardly jailing its corrupt lot. Even Tanaka as Japanese Prime Minister had to undergo imprisonment for accepting bribe. Richard Nixon as US President had to go for abusing power. In India though many politicians are known to have amassed wealth, more through unfair than fair means, barring a few stray cases they have escaped the arrest – jail net of the law which is promptly used for the lesser crimes for the lesser fry. In this situation, should we proclaim: corrupt politicians unite you have nothing to lose except your conscience!Here comes Anna Hazare. He has virtually stirred the conscience of the educated middle class, professionals and Gen-Next youngsters. Glimpses of candle-light protest rallies have ignited a new hope for corruption-free transparent India. It is going to be a tough task, but the Anna Hazares in India and overseas seem prepared to fight it out.Perhaps it is worthwhile to recall a famous story of a king who was faced with a palace revolt because of widespread corrupt practices indulged in by his brother-in-law. The king got so disgusted that he banished him to the seaside and assigned him the innocuous task of counting waves. A master operator he stopped the ships passing by on the plea that they were interfering with his royal duty of counting the waves. The ship owners got the hint and started bribing him lavishly. The king’s brother-in-law again made a fortune from a job which he thought could not generate any money.The moral of the story is that one who gets into the business of corruption becomes fully addicted to it unless he is summarily and severely punished. Over to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has followed the political script on dotted lines in denying the WikiLeaks cash for votes allegations during the 2008 UPA government’s US nuke deal trust vote in the Lok Sabha. What could strike a jarring note is his explanation that the people ,however, rejected the charge by giving the UPA coalition victory in the 2009 poll and defeat of the NDA and Left Front. He probably does not yet appreciate that ours is still an ill-informed democracy and that he people’s mandate depends on a number of local and extraneous factors of caste, class, community, religious and family labels. No single factor is generally at play at the hustings. The only exception probably was the post-Emergency election that saw the rout of Indira Gandhi’s Congress.

In any case, we don’t have to go by the WikiLeaks charges against the UPA government to understand the present state of drift in the country. We know what is what and who acts as whose bidding. We are also equally aware of internal and external factors that are constantly at play in the making of f the government’s policies and postures. In the fifties and later decades, it used to be the Soviet factor in foreign affairs that played a decisive role. From the eighties or so, the US has taken more than marginal interest in our domestic and foreign affairs. The India factor has invariably been in the background since economically and militarily we have been a weak state.

China exposed our weak spots with its 1962 operation in the north-east frontier. We continue to be under tremendous pressure on the economic and military front vis a vis China, though we put on a brave face at the 9 per cent growth rate.

Of course, as a nation our greatest strength is our vibrant democracy despite its limitations and handicaps. Another major strength of ours has been the freedom to say what we wish to say. Equally noteworthy is the Indian entrepreneurship spirit – from roadside small ventures to scam-ridden big shows. The missing links in these successes are lack of discipline, misplaced rule of law, missing merit considerations, poor quality of leadership, decline in ethics and morality in public life, big money play in politics, unhealthy craving to go rich and richer, leaving the poor and the disprivileged in the lurch.

Political life in the country is vitiated in the absence of public service spirit among our leaders and bureaucrats which has virtually blurred the line between good politics and bad politics. The conduct of many of our public men gives the impression that they are purchasable commodities. In this atmosphere a clean politician is a rare sight.

For that matter, all issues of public interest have acquired political overtones, including critical decisions on nuclear deals. Amidst inflated rhetoric and subjective projection we tend to ignore the lessons from the tsunami devastation that Japan has suffered. If we play with nature beyond a reasonable limit and fail to maintain ecological balances, we would only be inviting Japan-like disasters.

In a developing and transitional society like ours, we should be sure of our steps forward. As a nation, we have to rise above petty politics and think of the empowerment of the energy-starved people instead of indulging in note and vote-bank politics. Amidst these sordid games, what is particularly disquieting is the conduct of our public men and legislators with criminal records. As Walter C Smith put it:

“No more ashamed of doing wrong,

We are ashamed of doing right…”.

What a shame!

We know that the Prime Minister personally could not have been involved in the cash for vote show. But he ought to have known who “directs” the money show in the party. We are surely well aware of certain external factors which are active in our polity. At disadvantage in this murky situation is Indians who put the country first in their scheme of things. Any hope for such Indians, Mr Prime Minister?

“Integrity ” Is  A Matter Of Practice

It is just as well that the Prime Minister has owned “responsibility” for his “error of judgment” in opting for P J Thomas as the central vigilance commissioner despite the reservations on his credentials expressed by opposition leader Sushma Swaraj in the three-member selection panel. This, however, does not provide an answer to a number of questions as to the hows and whys of the unexplained messy CVC affair.What has gone wrong and where? Do we blame the system or the persons at the helm? What has happened to the much-talked-about concept of transparency and accountability? Which are the forces and the persons actually calling the shots without any accountability?The Prime Minister must not lose sight of the fact that history will judge him alone for wrong policies and operational decisions which he might have taken under political compulsions or extraneous considerations or for sheer survival on the coalition power chessboard.No responsible person is, of course, expected to cut off the power branch of “democracy tree” he has perched himself on. At the same time, he has to see that his government does not become vulnerable on the touchstone of billion-dollar scams and corrupt practices.Even in the coalition system, the Prime Minister can be correct and seen to be correct provided he knows the intricate art of governance and management of bureaucrats and advisers supposed to guide him for a correct decision-making process.In the CVC and other sensitive matters, the country wishes to be reassured that the Prime Minister’s mini-secretariat, ie the PMO, is in the right hands. We have stakes in the success of “our honest Prime Minister” in today’s scam-ridden nation in which honesty doesn’t have a premium. Rather, persons of honesty and integrity are invariably at a disadvantage in today’s atmosphere of intrigues and conspiracies. No wonder, the quality of governance is suffering in the absence of a viable system of transparency and accountability at all levels. Those holding high offices of profit think themselves to be the Lords. They even manage to get away with criminal charges. Well, their arrogance of power is seen to be believed.In this context, it is worth recalling the controversial quote of the sacked CVC’s counsel before the honourable apex court on February 7. In defence of his client facing criminal charges in the Palmolein import case in Kerala, he said, ‘out of 543 MPs of Lok Sabha, 153 are facing charges. Fifty-four are facing charges of very serious nature, including murder’. His observation is broadly correct. But MPs’ wrong acts do not give the CVC a licence to take to the dubious path since he is supposed to act as a watchdog on corruption within the system.The advocate’s remark, of course, raises a larger issue of bureaucratic, political and electoral reforms. We need a series of reforms in order to keep our house of governance clean and in order. The apex court has set some new norms to ensure more transparency in the selection process of the CVC. We hope that the UPA government would look within and initiate correct steps to restore the credibility of our democratic institutions and of the persons occupying key positions.The Supreme Court has rightly observed that personal integrity is secondary to institutional integrity, especially when the institution is an anti-corruption watchdog. We do believe that institutions are bigger than individuals. All the same, it needs to be borne in mind that individuals make all the difference in making or breaking the credibility of an institution.India today is at the crossroads. We have to take the best foot forward in institution-building and in this forward movement integrity has to be the mantra, the watchword. Mr Prime Minister, somewhere down the line we have lost the path of wisdom depicted in the Panchtantra where animal characters expose all that is humbug and falsehood as well as the intrigues of all those who go astray while in command. The warning against such characters is spelt out in the words below:Wrong is wrong,the wisdom neverWrong as right will treat;None would drink,howsoever thirsty,Water in the street.Well, Mr Prime Minister , thirst for power does not make the nation great. Nor can scam-ridden polity push anyone to glory in the eyes of the Almighty and his bande, i.e., the people. The concept of coalition dharma cannot be treated in isolation – for power and money-making at the cost of the public exchequer. Coalition dharma has to follow certain norms of honesty and integrity which must not be allowed to be hijacked just to keep the power show going for vested interests or for personal or party considerations. Those holding high offices must also keep it in mind that the  Generation Next wants India to be a corruption-free, transparent nation.

A Charter For Reforms For New Generation India

We are giving below a charter for all-round reforms for a New Generation India if we mean to save this great nation from autocratic and dictatorial traits in the leadership system, governance and party functioning:

1. A corruption-free transparent system of governance at all levels.
2. Political and electoral reforms to keep criminals, anti-social elements out and also to prevent today’s political power games to become a slave of money-bags.
3. The process of socio-economic engineering and planned development must be decentralized and de-bureaucratised on the Gandhian lines.
4. Curbs on wasteful public expenditure that shatters tax-payer’s confidence.
5. putting a stop the current tamasha and loot mentality of public money.
6. Root out favouritism and nepotism based on caste, creed, personal, family, community and political considerations.
7. Those at the helm of public affairs ought to be clean and seen to be clean.
8. Credibility of institutions must be ensured and honoured at all levels.
9. An open government openly arrived at.
10. The concepts of collective responsibility and legitimate distribution of power and patronage must be ensured among various departments and units.
11. The entire gamut of reservation needs to be viewed afresh so that those millions who groan under the weight of deprivation and injustice are speedily helped to shake off their burden.
12. Growth with social justice has to be our goal.
13. We need a balanced vision of modern India which should hold all communities together.
14. Turn India into a land of opportunities.
15. Work culture and work discipline are two major chains in striving the much-needed higher productivity.
16. A streamlined infrastructure and industrial peace can ensure a faster growth of the economy
17. A Second Green Revolution is a must.
18. Simplification of rules and procedures urgently needed.
19. Delhi-centric approach in planning and development is neither good nor desirable.
20. We cannot sustain the poor through doles from outside agencies.
21. Think of building Village Republics as per Gandhian thoughts.
22. A more rational educational policy which strengthens the base of the “educational pyramid”, i.e. elementary education and qualitative back-up for higher education.
23. A massive drive to fight illiteracy.
24. Judicial reforms to speed up the process and quality of justice.
25. Must address ourselves to the basic national priorities such as: drinking water, afforestation, halting deforestation, pollution control exploiting hydel potentialities, further strengthening road network and generating new job opportunities by encouraging rural, cottage and small industries.
26. A new deal for women for an honourable place in society.
27. A children charter for all-round growth and protection.
28. We have to work for a Better Informed Indian Society.
29. Accountability at different levels of governmental functioning can be ensured by further strengthening the Right to Information provisions.
30. India’s foreign policy must rest on strong domestic foundations and good neighbourly relations.
31. A more responsive system, a cleaner political environment and honest and truthful leaders and administrators
32. This is a broad tentative list. Any number of items can be added as per changing needs of times and situation
33. Each point raised above will have to be worked out detailed policy and time-bound action plan.

Heal Thyself Before A Tahrir Square Hits Ram Leela Grounds!

The upheaval in Egypt, Tunisia and some other Arab countries provides a stern warning not only to the autocratic and semi-autocratic regimes of the Muslim world, Pakistan included, but also to democratic countries like India that show a terrible trust deficit between the leader and the led because of insensitivities of their leadership to the people’s genuine problems.I honestly believe that we must redefine and re-assess the parameters of our working democratic structure on the touchstone of people’s hopes and aspirations and the politico-bureaucratic response system thereto as seen over the years, nay, decades.Serious gaps exist between promises and performance at all levels of leadership and governance with the result the people’s sizzling anger within tends to become stormy and fiery.Lest I may be misunderstood as politically partisan,  I would like to distance myself completely from the opposition games of dubbing  Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as  “desi Hosni Mubarak, ”and drawing parallels between him and the fallen Egyptian dictator. However, the way the current  system is being run — the prevalent perception is he is just the technical head of the government with the actual power being exercised by the all powerful UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi from 10 Jan Path—does raise serious legitimate questions. I would ask : Do any of our leaders who swear by poverty alleviation or tribal uplift really care for the ever widening distance between the poor and the rich? Do Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi miss their meals at the very thought of the poor man’s struggle for survival with dal selling between 80 -100 rupees a kilo? Rahul Gandhi’s conscience suddenly pricks as he sees black money, worth Rs 23 lakh crore in Swiss Bank accounts of our shady Indians as hope for the poor! But he does not talk about how the money has to be brought back. What a shame! Pranab Mukherjee talks but does not give the impression of being serious about follow-up action. We understand his dilemma since there are innumerable black sheep within the present establishment itself having invisible network of black money overseas? How can Truth triumph in the circumstances?In the complex coalition power-sharing setting, inner contradictions in the country seem to be getting sharper and sharper. So are the complexities. No wonder, we see around us new forms of “colonial exploitation”. Instead of tackling the problems head on, the New Class Indian Lords have perfected the old colonial policy of divide and rule into a fine instrument of governance. India today is suffering because of small-time leaders who are busy building their personal wealth and assets while decrying their rivals of doing so. Why do we have to suffer hosts of corrupt politicians, bureaucrats, policemen, criminals, mafia gangs and unscrupulous power brokers?Over 60 years of operational democracy has no doubt galvanized the moribund socio-economic system and generated new hopes as well as frustrations. Progress is surely visible even in rural areas. The rulers look prosperous. So do the hangers-on. But prosperity is not evenly distributed. Some are filthy rich and others slum-dog poor as the economy is caught in a never-ending cycle of pulls and counter-pulls that has thrown up new pressure groups within an already battered system. Most of India’s basic economic problems stem from poverty, which breeds more poverty by adding to more underfed and undernourished babies. Well, the Indian baby boom is the “productive face” of poverty. No one seems to be bothered over this frightening scenario of population explosion.Ironically, while our elitist leaders talk about fighting poverty, the polity has thrown up a new class of vested interests which thrive on the existing disparities. A new system has surely emerged. But it is shamelessly tilted in favour of the New Class of power brokers, influence peddlers, moneybags and the Radias and their collaborators.Looking at the parallels, it is crystal clear that money, illegitimate or otherwise, flows from and follows power. As the system goes, misuse of power has become a major cause of corruption. And like water, corruption flows from top to down below. Who can and how can the system be reformed if the corrupt lot get well entrenched in the system? Here in India along with bhajans and kirtans we have got used to the Devils of the system quoting the scriptures! Poor Prime Minister! He must have reasons to feel helpless and frustrated. But he alone is responsible for his plight. His insipid and lackluster interaction with TV editors on Feb 16 only puts him in poor light on the question of tackling corruption within the UPA coalition government.Governance of the country like India requires a lot more than being honest and being politically convenient to Sonia Gandhi and her undesirable UPA coalition partners.Take any scam scene – Kalmadi’s Commonwealth Games (CWG),  A Raja’s 2G spectrum and S-band spectrum — I am sorry  power has become a means not of serving the public but of extending favours and patronage. The Prime Minister, the UPA Chairperson and other leaders are well aware of these harsh realities, but they hardly act for the fear of upsetting the coalition adharma of keeping the power show going.As stated earlier, power these days is being used not for the greater good of the greater number but for the benefit of a few at the cost of the millions deprived. Do we have the answers to this messy situation? I am optimistic by nature. My answer to the query is an assertive ‘yes,’  provided we learn to be better informed about what is what and who is what and then assert ourselves on the basis of right information inputs and in the interest of the country. We do not need the Radia brigade either in the government or in the media. Every problem and issue can be and must be decided on merit of every case. This is simple arithmetic of democratic governance if we wish to avoid the repeat of Egypt here.Here I would like to recall the words of Dr B R Ambedkar, chairman of the drafting committee of the Indian Constitution. He told the Constituent Assembly on November 25, 1949: “The working of the constitution does not depend wholly upon the nature of the constitution. The constitution can provide only the organs of the state such as the legislature, the executive and the judiciary. The factors on which the working of these organs of the state depend are the people and the political parties that they will set up as their instruments to carry out their wishes and politics. Who can say how the people of India and their parties will behave?”Well, how have they behaved? I am not unduly concerned about the behavioural pattern of ordinary people, but of leaders and their parties who are expected to set high standards of public conduct. These areas of governance and the system as a whole require a shake-up of reforms if we mean to stop an Egyptian-like situation surfacing in India right at Jantar Mantar or Ram Leela grounds.