POLITICS IN IN INDO US NUCLEAR TREATY

It refers to an on-going political drama like Ekta Kapur’s unending TV serials of ‘Kahani ghar ghar ki’ or ‘Kyoki saas bhi kabhi bahu thi’ on Indo-US nuclear treaty. India is facing evils of a democratic form of governance where sole aim of politicians is to remain in power irrespective of their principles and ideologies! Why blame only Congress and BJP? Even Left parties speak loud but hesitate to act, especially on matters like much talked-about Indo-US nuclear treaty. It is correct that BJP in this matter has a policy of opposing for the sake of opposition.

Can’t we have a system where main national parties Congress and BJP ally to form government like is in Austria and Germany? Such a system can even undo ill-effects of regional parties mainly created for self-interest of leaders having floated these. It will be of beginning of national-government because party-based system has failed in the country.
 

RTI ACT IN MP

Chief information Commissioner of India should take note of shocking move of BJP-led MP government in extending one-month period for responding to petitions filed under Right To Information Act now to six-months in sharp contrast to provisions of the Act and without taking state’s Chief Information Commissioner in confidence. Rather some sections of RTI Act like 27 and 28 giving undue power to public-authorities to twist rules should be repealed to ensure same rules and same fees for all those covered by RTI Act.

It is evident that RTI Act aimed to effectively check misdeeds in government-offices can never be comfortable for any corrupt regime, and perhaps this is why BJP-led NDA government failed to pass RTI Act in its regime. UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi deserves compliments and appreciation for making UPA government pass this bill in a time-bound period as per her promise.

SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL

MERCY PETITIONS

It refers to practical thinking of Afzal Guru waiting for decision on his mercy petition that waiting for death in solitary prison-cell is worse than being hanged. Rule should be for a time-bound decision in say maximum three months on mercy petitions filed before the President against death-sentence. Delay in deciding the issue creates unnecessary emotions and provocation, apart from diluting fear against committing the crime.

CRIMINALS AS MINISTERS

It refers to killing of a police-constable in a police-station allegedly by persons of a UP Minister Yamuna Prasad Nishad in presence of the minister, and subsequent his sacking from the UP Ministry. Criminal cases involving ministers have become a quite usual trend. Interestingly their influence turns even prison-cells luxurious health-resorts in their own states. To effectively check such tendency, trial for legislators and ministers should be carried on outside their home-states as decided by a high-powered National Judicial Commission with retired Apex Court judges as member-nominees of President, Prime Minister, Opposition Leader, Chief Justice of India and Central Vigilance Commissioner. Secondly any imprisonment for persons having held any legislative post any time in life should be compulsorily outside their home-states. Best is to have only non-members not having contested any election in last say one year may be made Ministers but with some norms and minimum educational qualification fixed for ministerial-appointments leaving job of MPs and MLAs to be king-makers and watchdog for such appointed ministers.

MADHU AGRAWAL

Blooming lotus, trembling hand

It is becoming clear that the ‘hand’ has lost its touch. One after the other the Congress is losing elections and the BJP that stood discredited in 2004 is on the comeback trail. While it is easy to put all the blame on the rising prices in the international market the fact remains that the UPA government must share blame for the inability to provide any relief to the common man. Add to it the fact that the faces of leaders that emerge are those who have little credibility when it comes to canvassing votes. The fact that the core group of the Congress advisers constitutes of members from the Rajya Sabha indicates that the people who should be shouldering responsibility are busy defending their own turfs. They cannot be expected to sway public opinion in favour of the party. In this scenario there is little hope for Congress and it should prepare itself for sitting in the opposition.

M. Krishna Rao
R.K.Puram Part II
New Delhi

Bangladeshi immigrants stoking terror

We have made a habit of blaming the Bangladeshis for each and every unfortunate incident in the country. It must be borne in mind that they are uneducated and poor people who have had to leave their motherland in search of livelihood. They are also contributing to the economy of the country and are not normally associated in any unlawful activity. Blaming them for incidents of terror is very unfair. In fact the need of the hour is to introspect and see that the foot soldiers of the terrorists are our very own home grown fanatics. Effort should be made to understand why and where we have failed them. Also, the government should be squarely blamed for failure to gather intelligence and anticipate such attacks. That would automatically take the Bangladeshis out of the list of suspects. If after that there are some militant outfits from Bangladesh then the matter should be taken up with the Government of Bangladeshis instead of witch hunting ordinary people.

Prabhu Dayal
Hauz Khas, New Delhi

Fighting illiteracy with lunch

Difficult situations need complex solutions. Primary education is a complex issue in the country because of the socio economic factors. Not surprisingly when hunger is the number one enemy literacy appears to be a luxury. Thus the mid day meals scheme should be whole heartedly supported and no effort be spared to make it a success. Those states that have demonstrated the will to implement these schemes have also reaped the benefits and they should be further rewarded with funds to consolidate the gains of mid day meals. By arresting the drop out rate an inroad has been made now the next step should be to ensure that these children get quality education so that at the end of schooling they do not just have a certificate in their hand but are equipped to make contribution in nation building.

Arpana Gulati
Sector 15, Chandigarh

Bollywood demi-gods go blogging

It is an interesting medium to settle scores and raise new controversies. What has come as a surprise is that the normally reticent Amitabh Bachachan is using this to answer and take pot shots at those whom probably he cannot face. Shatrughan Sinha has a genuine grouse that though he has been a long time friend of the Bachachans yet he was not invited by them for their star son’s marriage while new friends like Amar Singh held the center stage. Blog has come to the rescue of the Big B for he diverted the whole issue by raising different controversies. But you are right that more than the issue of settling scores it is a way of popularizing a new medium which is likely to become big business.

Narayan Dutt Sharma
Sector 6, Dwarka, New Delhi.

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