My Opinion

I have never seen such a battle over a single Rajya Sabha seat in my entire professional career. The manner in which Congress MLAs were first herded to a resort in Karnataka, and then confined to a resort in Gujarat, and later brought in a bus to Gandhinagar for polling, makes people wonder whether the future of a government was at stake. Even during polling, both parties, BJP and Congress, made it an issue of prestige, and when the counting was to begin, Congress demanded disqualification of two votes, because these two MLAs had flashed their ballots towards BJP leaders sitting in the room. And then started the trips to the Election Commission. Senior legal luminaries, including Arun Jaitley and P. Chidambaram,  from both parties along with other party leaders, went to the Election Commission thrice in succession. The Election Commission made a late night decision disqualifying both the votes paving the way for Congress leader Ahmed Patel’s victory. Elections are part of life of any political leader, but the manner in which both parties jostled for a single seat does not send the right message to the people in the 70th year of India’s independence. It could have been avoided.

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The case involving the midnight stalking of an IAS officer’s daughter Varnika Kundu by two youths, including the son of Haryana state BJP chief, raises several questions. These questions need to be addressed. One, why were lighter IPC sections included in the original FIR against Vikas Barala and his associate, two, why did Chandigarh police trust the statements of the accused more, instead of relying on the victim’s statement, and three, how did the CCTV footages of all cameras on the route found missing. It must be understood that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign from Haryana, and the son of the BJP chief in that very state tried to stalk and kidnap a woman in the middle of the night. If the police is found shielding the culprits, a wrong message will go out. There must be impartial action in this stalking case.

Normally senior RSS leaders do not hold press conferences to level serious charges, but on Friday, senior RSS Leader Dattatreya Hosabale alleged that killings of political workers, mostly from the RSS, have increased in Kerala since the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front came to power in May last year. He alleged that 14 RSS workers have been killed since October last year by CPI(M) supporters and demanded that the Centre must intervene.

The Centre, on its part, has decided to send Defence Minister Arun Jaitley to Kerala on Sunday. One should hope that political killings in Kerala will stop after Jaitley’s visit. This is necessary because such killings are not a good omen for democracy.

The CPI(M), on its part has said that nearly 300 political workers have been killed in ‘reciprocal killings’ in the last 17 years in Kerala, out of which 69 murders were in Kannur alone. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury has alleged that 13 of his party workers were killed by RSS activists. If his allegation has any basis, the question arises: why didn’t his party’s government take action? There should be no scope for ‘political Talibanism’. The RSS has alleged that its workers are being targeted through open intimidation, and house marking by CPI(M) supporters. Hosabale has shown videos to buttress his charge. The moot point is: targeted political killings in Kerala must stop.

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Listening to the 8-minute long audio of the final telephonic talk between an Indian army major and terrorist Abu Dujana during the last hours of the encounter, one cannot but admire the sincerity and humane side of our army.  The army major tried his best to persuade Abu Dujana to come out and surrender. He implored him by reminding him about his wife and his parents in faraway Gilgit-Baltistan of Pak Occupied Kashmir. The terrorist refused and was killed ultimately along with his associate. India then approached the Pakistan High Commission and offered to hand over his body, but I do not think Pakistan will agree. You may remember when nearly 450 Pakistani soldiers (official estimate) died while fighting the Indian army in Kargil, Pakistan refused to take their bodies. It pointedly refused to accept them as Pakistani soldiers. The audio conversation between Abu Dujana and the army major is a stinging slap in the face of those holier-than-thou human rights activists, who cry murder whenever a terrorist is killed. The audio tape makes it clear that the Indian army always gives the chance to surrender to such outlaws first, asks them to lay down their arms, and when they refuse and begin firing, it retaliates. One cannot expect our army to stand silently when terrorists rain bullets. The army will return fire and will blow up the houses where these terrorists hide.

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On Wednesday, the Chinese foreign ministry issued a lengthy press note detailing its stand on the Dokalam issue, and also attached maps and pictures to bolster its stand. The Chinese foreign ministry claimed that only 40 Indian troops along with a bulldozer now remain at the spot, whereas in June, when the standoff began, there were more than 350 Indian troops and three bulldozers. China was trying to send a message to its people that Indian troops have been more or less withdrawn. But the cat was soon out of the bag. The Indian army tersely said that there has been no reduction of its troops in Dokalam. In other words, India has not withdrawn its troops. China, till now, has tried all the tricks. Its official media openly issued threats of war against India, its army conducted a major war exercise in Tibet to showcase its might, its President Xi Jinping openly said that his army was ready to defend its sovereignty. But India was not browbeaten by such aggressive postures. It stuck to its stand that the standoff can be called off only when China agrees to sit at the negotiation table. China must talk and explain why it started to build a road in the disputed area at the tri-junction of India-China-Bhutan border despite India’s objections.

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The latest warning from China has come from its Defence Ministry. On the India-China standoff in Doklam, Chinese defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian has said, “Shaking a mountain is easy, but shaking the People’s Liberation Army is hard”. He has also said that India should not harbour any illusion about the PLA’s ability to defend its territory. There is a proverb, “The first shot is fired much before the war starts”. This should be seen with reference to the current standoff in Doklam. Normally, nobody can imagine a conventional war breaking out between two nuclear-armed countries, but China’s intentions are difficult to predict. It can resort to anything and at any point of time. Therefore, its statements should be seen as, “Early fire shots” and be taken as a warning. And, India must stay prepared.

National Conference leader and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Dr Farooq Abdullah on Friday stirred a hornets’ nest by remarking that India should use the mediation of third countries like the US and China to solve the Kashmir issue. This is exactly what Pakistan has been striving for the last several decades. Pakistan had been seeking US mediation on Kashmir, and the US stand had been that it is ready to help if both parties agree. Of late, China, trying to fish in troubled waters, has been offering mediation on Kashmir, though the fact remains that a large part of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir has already been ceded to China by Pakistan. India’s stand on Kashmir has been very clear. India considers Jammu and Kashmir as its integral part and the Indian parliament has passed a resolution calling for the return of Pak Occupied Kashmir to India. On this issue, the entire Indian nation and all political parties are unanimous. There can be no compromise on the issue of J&K being an integral part of India.  India has also made it clear that any future talks with Pakistan will include the return of PoK to India. It would be better if Dr Farooq Abdullah understands the sentiments of the Indian people and stops toeing Pakistan’s line.

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Nearly 35,000 Dalit bastis across India on Thursday celebrated Diwali after Ram Nath Kovind was elected President of India. Kovind belongs to the Dalit Koli community and the first political effect of this election will be seen in Gujarat assembly polls, where Kolis constitute 16 per cent of total votes. BJP president Amit Shah is an astute political strategist and he often keeps upcoming elections in mind before taking major decisions. The second political effect will be seen in Uttar Pradesh, from where Kovind hails. Dalits constitute a deciding factor in many constituencies of this state. It was for this reason that UP CM Yogi Adityanath on Thursday referred to Kovind as the ‘son of Uttar Pradesh’ several times. The effect will be seen in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Kovind’s election was a foregone conclusion, but the cherry on the cake was cross-voting in which legislators from various opposition parties voted in favour of Kovind. The anti-defection law does not apply in Presidential elections, and every MP and MLA is free to vote. No whips are issued by political parties.

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Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agrawal stirred a hornets’ nest when he quoted a derogatory comment about Hindu deities written on the wall of a wine shop in UP, while participating in a debate on lynching by cow vigilante groups in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Clearly, this goes against all canons of parliamentary dignity, and the remark has hurt the sentiments of a large section. The leader of the House in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley rightly said, Agrawal should show courage and make a similar remark about icons of other religions and see the consequences. I would request Agrawal and other MPs who have similar inclinations, not to misuse the privileges that have been given to them as members of Parliament.

As for the lynching incidents, on which the debate was going on, there is no doubt that there has been lynching in the name of cow protection, and the image of India has been sullied outside the country. Despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi issuing stern warnings at least thrice against lynching by cow vigilante groups, such incidents are taking place. The problem is: law and order is a state subject and the Centre’s role is limited to sending advisories to the states. But the opposition is targeting Prime Minister Modi on this issue personally, which is unfair.

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Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Tuesday tendered her resignation from Rajya Sabha saying she was not allowed to speak on Dalit issues. The question now arises: did she resign in a huff or was it part of a well-planned strategy? I think there are two main reasons: first, after BJP nominated a UP Dalit Ramnath Kovind for the post of President, Mayawati refused to support his candidature. Naturally, Dalits were unhappy over this. Secondly, Mayawati’s Rajya Sabha term ends next year. There are hardly ten months left. Her party has no elected member in Lok Sabha, and has only 19 MLAs in the UP assembly. There is no chance of her being re-elected next year to Rajya Sabha. She possibly wants to now portray herself as a martyr for the cause of Dalits, and will go around saying she resigned from Rajya Sabha as she was not allowed to speak on Dalit issues.

Into this drama, Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Lalu Prasad has stepped in. He has offered a Rajya Sabha seat to her from Bihar. Lalu is single-mindedly focussed on challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, and his eyes are on UP. He wants Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav to join hands with BSP, and because of this, Lalu is offering a favour to the BSP leader. The offer is not gratis – by obliging Mayawati, Lalu Prasad is eyeing her support base in Bihar, which accounts for nearly 3-4 per cent of total votes.

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After failing to browbeat India by issuing jingoistic statements on the Dokalam standoff through its Foreign Ministry and state-run media, China has resorted to “live-fire drill” in Tibet to show that its tanks and missile batteries can easily reach the Line of Actual Control. This is not the first time China has done this. It is part of its diplomatic and military strategy. First, heat up the atmosphere by issuing threatening statements, then create tension on the border by sending its soldiers, and follow it up with live-fire drill exercises. China’s sole aim is to browbeat Indian army to withdraw from Dokalam, but the government of India has made it amply clear that if China desires peace and wants to defuse tension, it will have to come to the negotiation table. India will not be cowed down by aggressive military posturing.

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The Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate have taken action against RJD supremo Lalu Prasad’s wife, son, daughter and son-in-law in several benami property transactions, and the process for legal action under Prevention of Money Laundering Act has begun. Under present circumstances, the ruling Janata Dal(United)-RJD combine is facing tremendous political pressure. Voices are being raised for Lalu’s son Tejashwi Yadav, who is Deputy Chief Minister, to resign, but he is adamant on not doing so. The Congress is part of the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) that won the Bihar polls. Congress president Sonia Gandhi is worried that the united opposition challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre may fizzle out if the grand alliance in Bihar breaks. That is why, she has asked her party leaders to salvage the alliance. Lalu Prasad is now in a fix. He cannot antagonise both Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Sonia Gandhi simultaneously. The jury is still out on how and when Tejashwi Yadav will quit because an FIR has been filed against him.

Meanwhile, BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha has come out with a remark backing Lalu Prasad. In his comment, the film star has said mere filing of FIR does not mean, a minister should quit. He said there are several ministers in different parties who have not resigned despite cases against them. Sinha has expressed the hope that the RJD-JD(U) rift will soon be over and Bihar will not be pushed into early elections. Shatrughan Sinha is a nice gentleman and he is my personal friend. But it seems, in politics, he is yet to acquire the required level of sagacity. He often plays the wrong dice. When he was sulking in BJP, he indicated that he was with Nitish Kumar, but now when he finds that Nitish may again join hands with BJP, he has thrown in his lot with Lalu Prasad. Somebody should remind Sinha that he once used to praise his political guru L.K.Advani for resigning after the latter’s name came out in the Hawala diary case. The same person (Sinha) is now saying that mere levelling of charges does not mean that somebody should resign.

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