Never mind the country, Manmohan Singh is happy with himself

Saswat Panigrahi

The Congress-led UPA Government on Wednesday completed nine years in office, four of them in its second term.

At the fourth anniversary celebration of UPA 2, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi presented the last annual Report Card of the Government.

The ‘Report to the People’ painted a rosy picture of the Government’s performance (shall I say non-performance?). “The economic growth during UPA is both inclusive and widespread,” it said at a time the nation is facing gloom and doom. The GDP growth of the country has slumped to a measly 5 per cent.

Even that was not enough — Prime Minister Manmohan Singh went on with his babble — that 8 per cent growth rate is possible if the Congress-led UPA is voted to power again.

Let us not forget that nine years ago, when the UPA took over the reins from the NDA, the country’s economy was in a pretty good shape. The GDP growth stood at a whopping 8.4 per cent.

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UPA taint spreads to top law offices

Saswat Panigrahi

All eyes are on May 8 when the Supreme Court is going to come out with its verdict on CBI affidavit on Coalgate which has nailed Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Coal Ministry, Attorney General GE Vanahvati and then Additional Solicitor General Harin Raval.

The CBI, in its affidavit, has admitted in as many as words that “significant changes” were made in the draft report of its probe into Coalgate. Law Minister, officials of PMO and Coal Ministry, and the two top law officers of the country — the Attorney General and the Additional Solicitor General – insisted on the changes.

Though CBI chief Ranjit Sinha maintains that the Coalgate probe report was neither altered and nor did the agency shift its focus of inquiries, there is a lot more to the matter than meets the eyes.

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Obedient CBI nails Government on Coalgate

Saswat Panigrahi

The UPA Government is on a sticky wicket like never before. The CBI in an affidavit told the Supreme Court that it had shared the draft of the status report on its probe into Coalgate scam with Law Minister Ashwani Kumar as desired by him. The CBI further admitted before the Apex Court that the contents of the report have also been shared with a Joint Secretary level officer in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). There is a lot more to the Coalgate probe than that meets the eye.

The development came amid the CBI facing serious allegations of toning down its probe report on Coalgate under the influence of the Government. Though the investigative agency maintains that no alternation was made in the report, reports suggest that it was Law Minister Ashwani Kumar who vetted the probe report. This is not to dispute that vetting the report of a probe agency is a criminal act and the Government is indulged in such acts.

The CBI is an investigative agency and is supposed to carry out an independent and unbiased investigation. But the Congress-led UPA Government, which is responsible for the Coalgate scam is now trying to use the CBI to conceal the truth. The CBI, however, maintains that it is not under pressure on Coalgate probe.

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The time for a Third Front is never

Saswat Panigrahi

Staring at the upcoming 2014 general election, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav has resurrected the mirage of Third Front once again. “Only Third Front can ensure development,” he says.

And as if that was not enough, BJD supremo and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik went on to describe Third front as a ‘healthy option’.

But the fact of the matter is that Third Front has never been a success in the past and it has no relevance in Indian politics today. India witnessed two handicapped Governments — led by HD Deve Gowda and IK Gujral respectively — under United Front rule between 1996 and 1998. Both Governments were heavily dependent on the crutches of the Congress. The nation gained absolutely nothing under United Front rule. India faced an extreme economic crisis under the two Prime Ministers. Such was the situation that India had to deposit gold to the World Bank during the last phase of this period.

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Government hiding truth on 2G scam

Saswat Panigrahi

It was on expected lines. While making former Telecom Minister A Raja responsible for the 2G spectrum scandal, the Congress-led JPC in its draft report gave a clean chit to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister P Chidambaram. The report rubbishes the 2G loss figure of Rs 1.76 lakh crore estimated by CAG and went on to call it “ill-conceived”.

The Opposition has thrashed the JPC report and termed it as nothing more than a ‘Congress report’. The way the country’s biggest scam was probed by the JPC is indeed a moment of concern.

The JPC is a Parliamentary body and is expected to conduct an unbiased probe into any issue that comes before it. But the irony is that while probing the 2G spectrum scam, there was no consensus among the JPC members. It does not help that JPC chairman PC Chacko himself is a Congress spokesperson.

There are a lot of unanswered questions which point to a shoddy and lame-duck investigation by JPC. Former Telecom Minister A Raja, the key accused in the 2G scam, was not even given a chance to depose before the JPC despite his numerous requests. Is it because the Government feared that a lot of skeletons could tumble out of its closets?

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JDU relentless in anti-Modi tirade

Saswat Panigrahi

The BJP on Tuesday appeared to be hardening its stance towards its carping ally, the JD(U). This follows Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar continuing with his harangue and his JD(U) colleague Shivanand Tiwari upping the ante by naming Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

The kind of tantrum thrown by the Bihar Chief Minister in the past weeks had left the BJP leadership fuming. The BJP core group has decided not to go soft on Nitish Kumar if he continues his attack on his Gujarat counterpart.

Having been a part of the NDA journey since 1999, JD(U) is one of the oldest ally of the BJP. Today, when 2014 election is round the corner, it is Narendra Modi which made Nitish Kumar a matter of worry.

Amid a growing clamor to project Modi as BJP’s Prime Ministerial face, Nitish Kumar has issued a veiled threat to snap ties with the saffron party.

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Congress in a tizzy over Modi’s popularity

Saswat Panigrahi

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s induction into the BJP Parliamentary Board — the apex decision making body of the party — has sent Congress into a tizzy.

Senior Congress leader and Union Minister Kapil Sibal said Modi will pose a challenge to the BJP in the next general election. As if that was not enough, Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi went on to add that the Gujarat Chief Minister will prove to be ‘Yamraj’ for the BJP in the 2014 election.

Congress is finding it extremely difficult to come to terms with Modi being given new responsibilities in the BJP. Modi’s popularity is growing by leaps and bounds. The Gujarat Chief Minister has started giving Congress sleepless nights. The Congress has started realising that it will be thrown out of power in the next general election. The party lacks ideas and leaders to tackle Modi.

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US recognises Gujarat miracle

Saswat Panigrahi

The visit by an American delegation, comprising of US Congressmen and business leaders, to Gujarat brought home an important message.

The 15-member US delegation, during its meeting with Chief Minister Narendra Modi, acknowledged the faster and more inclusive development model of Gujarat. The US delegation praised Modi’s efforts towards making a difference in people’s lives and were clearly impressed with the Gujarati work culture nurtured under Modi’s leadership. More specifically, it was Modi’s principle of ‘minimum government, maximum governance’ that impressed them.

The delegation invited Modi to their country and requested him to show them what he has achieved in Gujarat. “People of the US are keen to work with Gujarat and they are impressed by the way the State had facilitated investment,” senior US Congressman Aaron Schock, who was part of the 15-member-deligation said.

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No tears for Sanjay Dutt

Saswat Panigrahi

The Supreme Court, while pronouncing its verdict in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case held that actor Sanjay Dutt has to return to jail to complete a five year sentence.

Sanjay, son of famous actor-politician Sunil Dutt and actress Nargis, was arrested under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA) following the serial blasts and has already spent one and half year behind the bar. The Apex Court reduced the six year jail term awarded to the 52-year-old Dutt by a TADA court, to five years. Sanjay will now spend three and half more years in jail.

Following the Supreme Court verdict, many tears were shed over Sanjay. Press Council of India chairman Justice Markandey Katju, known for his many foot-in-mouth comments, appealed the Maharashtra Governor to pardon the actor. The Congress-led Centre indicated that it will take an “appropriate decision” if the actor makes a plea. “The Governor will use his discretionary power when there is an appeal to him,” Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar said. Prime time television went on to portray Sanjay Dutt as a novice and all but brushed aside the sorrows and sufferings of the actual victims of the 1993 serial blasts. Some have even argued that Sanjay’s going to jail will adversely affect a lot of Bollywood business. But do any of these arguments justify a pardon for Sanjay Dutt?

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Rahul Gandhi is not an option

Saswat Panigrahi

Rahul Gandhi continues to fight shy of donning the crown which fawning courtiers around him believe belongs to the Congress vice president.

In an interaction with select party MPs and journalists, the 42-year-old Nehru-Gandhi family scion said asking him whether he wants to be Prime Minister is a ‘wrong question’.

Given the fact that the chances of Congress coming to power after the next general election look bleak, Rahul Gandhi knows well that he can’t occupy the country’s top seat.

But his statement is an attempt to grab the limelight amid the rising nationwide popularity of BJP’s star performer and Gujarat’s Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

The Congress Chintan Shivir at Jaipur in January was an attempt to build a political foundation for the 42-year-old leader. He was formally annointed as vice president, the official number-two of the party.

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Our futile war against terror

Saswat Panigrahi

It has been a week since the twin blasts rocked the crowded Dilsukhnagar area of Hyderabad snuffing out the lives of 16 people and injured 120 others. But a breakthrough still eludes the police and investigative agencies.

But the modus operandi clearly suggests that it is an act of Indian Muhajideen, an offshoot of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

Investigations so far suggest that the blasts bear a striking resemblance to the earlier terror strikes like those in Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Assam, all of which the IM has claimed responsibility for.

Indian Mujahiddin is headquartered in Pakistan. Iqbal Bhatkal and his brother Riyaz run operations from Karachi. So there really is no doubt that Pakistan-sponsored terrorism is responsible for the Hyderabad bombings. But Pakistani terrorists work in tandem with local terror elements and these local terror elements have political patronage besides.

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Modi has won over Gujarati Muslim hearts

Saswat Panigrahi

In the recently concluded Gujarat civic poll, the BJP won all 27 seats in Salaya municipality, a Muslim-majority town in Jamnagar district. Of the 27 winning candidates, 24 are Muslims and the remaining three are Hindus. Not to forgetten is the fact that in the last Gujarat Assembly election, BJP won 12 out of 19 Muslim-dominated constituencies.

The figures tell a story. Narendra Modi is emerging as a popular leader among Muslims in Gujarat. But one needs to understand what the growing popularity of Modi among Gujarati Muslims should be attributed to.

Muslims in Gujarat are better off than their counterparts in other States. The Sachar Committee — appointed by the Congress-led UPA to study the socio-economic and educational status of Muslims in the country brought home this very fact.

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