Anna Movement's Crisis of Confidence

ANNA MOVEMENT’S CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE

The crisis of credibility is torturing almost every institution of the country at the moment. If Congress-led UPA is suffering from this malady, the Anna movement too does not lag behind. The movement at one time looked the greatest threat to the present government since the Second Revolution launched by Jannayak Jayaprakash Narain in 1973. But because of over-confidence the Anna movement did go through a period of eclipse since it shifted its dharna/fast from Delhi to Mumbai.

It looks when Anna and his team decided to campaign against Congress in elections to five State assemblies results for which were declared on March 6, it seems not to have  done its home work properly. It had not taken into consideration the pros and cons of embarking on such a course.. It had also made it clear that it will go against the Congress only as a punishment for its failure to get a strong Lokpal Bill passed in the last winter session of Parliament. Anna had made it clear that while appealing for defeat of Congress the team will not support any particular political party or candidate but appeal for voting in favour of only those candidates against whom there are no allegations of corruption.

Initially the Movement supremo Anna fell ill. Later, the plans of the movement went hay-ware. It went clueless on the course of action its should take. It invited suggestions from public. Despite the bold declarations to go in for against Congress, it failed to make its appearance felt in the elections. Whatever it may be, the movement failed to make its impact felt in the ultimate results.

Whatever excuses the Team Anna may proffer, the facts remains that it failed to live up to its valiant declaration. It also raised public eyebrows on its going back on its declaration.

Three reasons are going round prominently. First, the Team became apprehensive of the quantum of support its campaign may attract from the people during the elections. Therefore, it developed cold feet on implementing its resolve.

Two, the Team developed fearful of violent response to its campaign.

Three, it gave rise to some rumours of compromise or understanding struck between the Team and the Congress.  Even if it were true, the same seems to have now turned sour.

Whatever it was, the Anna Team should either not have made its valiant declaration to jump in the election fray during the five State assembly elections or should have stood by its word. Failure to do so has put Team’s credibility in doubt.

Failure to show its face during the recent elections has also put a question mark on the Anna Team’s claim that it made the deciding difference in the defeat of Congress in the Hissar Lok Sabha by-election last year.    

Why did Rahul sport a beard during UP elections?

Why did Rahul sport a beard during UP elections?

There is no denying the fact that Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi put in his very best campaigning for his party during UP elections. For the last over two years his main target throughout remained this largest State of the country.

During electioneering he experimented with many innovative skills to appeal to the voters. He stayed in dalit homes. He violated the 144 in Bhatta-Parsaul to sneak into the area in the wee hours of the morning on a motor-cycle to exhibit his solidarity with the sufferers of the police atrocities on the agitating farmers.

But what struck the eye the most was his sporting a beard throughout the election campaign. On completion of the hectic campaign the moment he returned to Delhi, he was seen a clean shaven young man handsome and bright as ever. What could be the reason?

It is true that Rahul spent many sleepless nights campaigning in UP. He had staked his political career with the outcome of the results. Maybe, he had no time to spare for shaving. But there were other leaders too within Congress and opposing it who were equally involved yet they could find time to get a shave.

There are also leaders who vow not to have a haircut or a shave till the campaign was over. This can be on the advice on a soothsayer or astrologer.

Another reason could be that with a beard he could strike a better and greater affinity with the Muslim voters — a community to appeal to which for votes the Congress had done all it could.

But the reality will continue to be evasive as ever.

हास्‍य–व्‍यंग — मिलते रहते हैं मगर प्‍यार नहीं होता

हास्‍य–व्‍यंग

मिलते रहते हैं मगर प्‍यार नहीं होता

बेटा-         पिताजी।

पिता-        हां, बेटा।

बेटा-         हमारे प्रधान मन्‍त्री डा0 मनमोहन सिंह पाकिस्‍तान के प्रधान मन्‍त्री गिलानी से एक      

             बार फिर मुलाकात करने जा रहे हैं सियोल में।

पिता-        अच्‍छी बात है न। आपसी मिलना-जुलना तो चलता ही रहना चाहिये।

बेटा-         पिछले पांच-सात सालों में तो वह कई बार मिल चुके  हैं।

पिता-        यह तो हमारे प्रधान मन्‍त्री का बड़प्‍पन है कि अपनी ओर से सतत प्रयास करते जा

            रहे हैं कि भारत-पाक रिश्‍ते सुधरते जायें और अमन-शान्ति बनी रहे।

बेटा-         अनेक आतंकी घटनाओं के बाद भी जिनमें पाकिस्‍तान का सीधा हाथ दिखाई देता था

       हमारे प्रधान मन्‍त्री जी ने पाकिस्‍तान से मुंह नहीं मोड़ा।                    पिता-        हमारे प्रधान मन्‍त्री बहुत धैर्यवान और इराइे के पक्‍के हैं।                     बेटा-         पिताजी, अभी तक कुछ बात तो बनी नहीं।                              पिता-        बेटा, यह दो देशों की बीच की बातें हैं। बात बनने में तो समय लगता ही है।    बेटा-         ऐसा लगता है कि दोनों में मुलाकात तो होती रहती है पर प्‍यार नहीं होता।

पिता-        बदतमीज्। पिता से ऐसी बातें करते तुझे शर्म नहीं आती? तू सीधे प्रधान मन्‍त्री जी से

            ही पूछ।

Whose honour safe in media hands?

Whose honour safe in media hands?

There is no gainsaying the fact that the cut-throat competition among our media organs is neither in its own interest nor that of the people. There is a tendency to generate a media hype on any issue and event it can lay its hands on. Sensationalism seems to have become its lifeline. That adds to their TRP and the circulation.

A smear campaign, obviously at the behest of some MNCs, was leashed against Baba Ramdev’s Patanjaliyog  Baba had been leading a vigorous campaign against foreign products by MNCs and some popular soft drink brands. The first shot was hurled by former MP Brinda Karat who exploited her relations with NDTV to the full. First, the issue of exploitation of people working there was raised. That flopped. Then was raised a great hue and cry alleging Baba’s medicines contained bone content and animal oil. A number of discussions and debates were organized by various media channels and print media to run down Baba. Ultimately, the then Congress government in Uttarakhand declared that laboratory tests got conducted by it had disproved the allegations against Ramdev medicines. But, surprisingly, the doyen of news channels, Mr. Prannoy Roy of NDTV suppressed this truth from his viewers.

That speaks high of the absence of media accountability towards its readers and viewers. Not only were they fed on false information and biased views, in the process Baba Ramdev’s reputation and medicines too remained suspect for some time. Who is to be blamed? None has the moral courage to accept responsibility for this malicious campaign based on falsehood.

There is no doubt media did play a great role in preventing denial of justice in Jessica Lall murder case.  But for the media, the guilty would have got scot free. Yet, that does not give it the right to put anybody in the dock without first verifying the facts against a person.

The Arushi murder case is one instance. Its trial stands vitiated only because of the overheat generated by media. Channel after channel and newspaper after newspaper put question marks on the way the investigation was progressing giving rise to a new theory, new leads to the story every other day. After about four years of investigation and various theories the case stands where it started. Things came to such a pass that the investigating agency filed a closure report saying the parents remained the prime suspects though it had no evidence against them. When the court refused to accept the plea, the CBI took a u-turn saying it has a foolproof case against them. Now wait and watch for the final outcome which may take years.

Latest is the case of two BJP MLA of Gujarat allegedly caught viewing pornographic material while attending the Assembly session. Some media persons branded it “porngate” and declared the two guilty. They wanted the head of these alleged accused. On March 23 both were found not guilty of the ‘crime’ after an examination by experts of the evidence against them.

Therefore the question remains: Should our media not be responsible? Should it have the license to declare anybody guilty or innocent without going into the evidence against the individuals(s) and without giving the accused the opportunity to  prove their innocence? Our media is guilty of taking sides — either rejecting or disbelieving the other side of story. The media trial is alright, but, at the same time, it should never be summary and one sided. Media does not only usurp the right to be the investigator but also to be the final judge.

Further, who will compensate the innocent duo who feeling embarrassed had to keep themselves out of public gaze for about four days because of the media channel coverage of their ‘misdeeds’ twenty-four hours of the day. Media wanted them to be most contemptuously thrown out of the house, expelled from the party and even debarred from contesting any election in future. The vituperatives hurled at them have inflicted a deep injury to their reputation and caused mental torture. Some self-righteous may still maintain that the ruling party has manipulated their innocence. But can the media be allowed the right to toss anybody’s hat at will without a simultaneous sense of accountability? 

दुश्‍मन हों तो मायावती व मुलायम जैसे जो आड़े वक्‍त पर तारणहार बनें

हास्‍य-व्‍यंग

दुश्‍मन हों तो मायावती व मुलायम जैसे जो आड़े वक्‍त पर तारणहार बनें

बेटा:      पिताजी!

पिता:      हाँ, बेटा।

बेटा:      मायावती की वसपा और मुलायम की सपा दोनों ने ही संप्रग सरकार को समर्थन देकर सरकार को स्थायित्व प्रदान कर दिया है।

पिता:      यह तो अच्छी बात है। सरकार में स्थायित्व और निरंतरता तो बहुत आवश्यक होती है।

बेटा:      पर हाल ही के उत्तर प्रदेश चुनाव में तो काँग्रेस के युवराज राहुल गांधी इन दोनों दलों के विरूद्ध जिहाद खड़ा किए हुये थे।

पिता:      बेटा, यह सच है। पर यही तो राजनीति है।

बेटा:      यह सब कुछ समझ नहीं आ रहा।

पिता:      बेटा, तू अभी छोटा है। यह बातें तेरी समझ के बाहर हैं। जब तू बड़ा हो जाएगा तो सब समझने लगेगा।

बेटा:      पर राहुल तो कहते थे कि वह यूपी से वसपा का भ्रष्टराज और सपा का गुंडाराज खत्म कर के ही चैन लेंगे और उसके लिए ही उनहों ने जनता से वोट भी मांगे थे।

पिता:      बेटा, हमारे यहाँ जनतंत्र है। जनता कर निर्णय अंतिम होता है। जनता ने मायावती का भ्रष्टराज तो समाप्त कर दिया न।

बेटा:      और सपा का गुंडाराज स्थापित कर दिया?

पिता:      बेटा, मैं यही तो कह रहा हूँ कि यही प्रजातन्त्र है। हमें जनता का फैसला सिर आंखों पर लेना चाहिये।

बेटा:      पर पिताजी, केंद्र में भ्रष्टाचार की तो पहले ही कमी नहीं थी जो मायावतीजी के भ्रष्टराज की सहायता/सहयोग की आवश्यकता पड़ती?

पिता:      बेटा, सरकार को सत्ता बनाए रखने के लिया मायावतीजी के सहयोग की आवश्यकता अवश्य थी।

बेटा:      केंद्र में तो गुंडाराज नहीं था। तो क्या सपा के गुंडाराज की भी आवश्यकता थी?

पिता:      तू बहुत बहस करता हैा बेटा, यह तू मुझ से नहीं, उन से पूछ।

हास्‍य-व्‍यंग सोनियाजी विश्‍व की चौथे नम्‍बर पर सब से धनी महिला झूठ, सरासर झूठ

हास्‍य-व्‍यंग

सोनियाजी विश्‍व की चौथे नम्‍बर पर सब से धनी महिला

झूठ, सरासर झूठ

बेटा-  पिताजी।

पिता-  हां, बेटा।

बेटा-  कुछ समाचारपत्रों में छपी खबर तथा सोशलनैटवकों के अनुसार हमारी नेता श्रीमति सोनिया गान्‍धी संसार की सब से धनाडय व्‍यक्तियों में चौथे स्‍थान पर हैं। उनके पास 10-40 हजार करोड रूपये की सम्‍पत्ति है।

पिता- यह तो फिर भारत के लिये गर्व की बात है।

बेटा-  पर पिताजी, इतना धन उनके पास आया कहां से?

पिता-  वह बहुत बडे घर की बहू हैं।

बेटा-  पर राजीव व इन्दिराजी तो इतने धनी कभी नहीं थे।

पिता-  देख बेटा, ईश्‍वर की महिमा अपरम्‍पार है। वह जब देता है तो छप्‍पर फाड कर देता है।

बेटा-  पर पिताजी ऐसी घटना तो कोई सुनी नहीं जो उनके साथ घटी हो।

पिता-  बेटा, बडे लोगों की बातें बडे ही जानें। यह सब हम आम आदमियों की समझ से बाहर की बातें हैं।

बेटा-     पर पिताजी ऐसी खबर छप कैसे गई?

पिता-   मुझे तो यह सब उनके विरोधियों की घिनौनी साजिश लगती है जो उच्‍च घराने की एक सम्‍भ्रान्‍त महिला पर यों ही उंगली उठा रहे हैं। तुम्‍हें पता है उनके पास तो अपनी एक छोटी सी कार भी नहीं है। फिर इतनी सम्‍पत्ति कहां से आ सकती है?

बेटा-     पिताजी, क्‍या यह सच है कि उनके पास एक कार भी नहीं है?

पिता-   हां बेटा, हां। मुझ पर विश्‍वास नहीं तो उन से ही पूछ ले।

                                             

Satire: Soniaji-Rahulji not responsible

Satire

Ask them, son!

RAHUL-SONIA NOT RESPONSIBLE

Son:            Father.

Father:      Yes, my son.

Son:            Congress lost UP election very miserably.

Father:       That’s very unfortunate, my son.

Son:            Rahul says not he but the party fundamentals and poor

                   organization are responsible for this rout.

Father:       True.

Son:            Soniaji also says Rahulji is not at fault but the poor organization

                   and wrong selection of candidates are the culprits.

Father:       That’s also true, son.

Son:            Who finally selects the candidates?

Father:       Of course, the Congress high command.

Son:            That means Rahulji and Soniaji.

Father:       Rightly so. Who else can?

Son:            Whose duty and prerogative is to tone up the organization and

                    make its fundamentals strong?

Father:       Rahulji and Soniaji only who is president. No other can.

Son:            Then, how are they not responsible for the ugly debacle?

Father:       I don’t know. Ask them, my son.  

www.acvashishtha.com

Ask them, son!

Satire

Ask them, son!

  Son:  “Father.”

Father: “Yes, my son”.

Son:   “Do you know what Mayawati has said?”

Father:  “No, my son”.

Son  : “She has said that Congress and BJP are responsible for BSP’s defeat”.

Father:  “That can be true.”

Son:        “Then, is Mayawati’s BSP responsible for victory of Mulayam’s Samajwadi

                  Party?”

Father:     “Ask them, son!”

                                                                                                 www.acvashishtha.com