Interview MODI'S VISION AND PERFORMANCE HAS CAUGHT IMAGINATION OF THE YOUTH: MURLIDHAR RAO

Interview

MODI'S VISION AND PERFORMANCE HAS CAUGHT IMAGINATION OF THE YOUTH: MURLIDHAR RAO

BJP National General Secretary Murlidhar Rao was born in a farmer's family in Andhra. A product of the Osmania University Hyderabad from where he did his M.Phil (Political Psychology), he was also elected General Secretary of University Students Union there. He joined  BJP only in 2009 where had a meteroric rise. Initially attached to the National President Shri Rajnath Singh, in 2010 he was made a national secretary in-charge of Tamilnadu and Kerala. In 2013 he was elevated as national general secretary. He got his initiation into the RSS at a very young age and later joined the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad. Led by  late Shri Dattopant Thengadi he was one of those instrumental in the formation of Swadeshi Jagran Manch and became its All-India Organising Secretary. He did a lot in taking up the causes of kisan panchayats, beedi workers, farmers, fishermen, beedi mazdoors and weavers in different States of the country.  Amba Charan Vashishth interviewed Shri Rao at his residence in Delhi last week. Excerpts:

Now that BJP has finally made its choice for Prime Minister in Shri Narender Modi, how do you visualize the latest political scenario in the country?

Doubts, if any, in the mind of anyone outside BJP about the mass appeal of Shri Narendra Modi throughout the nation are fast evaporating, particularly after unprecedented success of his visits to different parts of the country. His anointment as BJP’s PM candidate has geared up the cadres, rejuvenated our sympathisers and also converted undecided voters into our supporters.

The country as a whole wants this most, corrupt, inefficient and shameless UPA government to go. BJP under the leadership of Shri Narendra Modi will prove to be the game changer. People clearly seem to have made that choice open. This is because the people have seen the performance based track record of Gujarat under Shri Narendra Modi’s leadership.

You come from Andhra Pradesh. Do you think it will have an impact in your State too?

Certainly. The response of AP is also in tune with that of the rest of the country. Congress has messed up in AP. The people feel let down on every front. This impression emerged from the success of the Hyderabad youth rally of Shri  Narendra Modi. The people of Andhra are clear about the opportunistic and flip-flop policy of Congress on Telangana. They have messed up the issue for political gains risking lives of thousands and putting two sides into a conflict. Local leadership of the Congress is a divided house fighting each other. BJP is surely going to gain in the state because of negative sentiment against Congress and a positive feeling for performance of various BJP ruled states and more particularly Gujarat under Shri Narendra Modi’s leadership.

About four years back Home Minister P. Chidambaram announced UPA's decision to carve out a new State of Telangana, but later resiled. This time it was the AICC which took a decision on Telengana. But for the last over two months nothing seems to have moved in the UPA. What is your assessment of the situation?

Congress has bungled on the issue of Telangana. It is the result of their insincerity and dishonesty to the cause. Congress has not done proper homework and preparation before announcing the bifurcation decision. They are trying to appease people without actually delivering on their promises. With every passing day it is becoming clear that Congress is cheating the people of both the regions of Telangana and Seemandhra. They will have to pay a heavy price for the same.

You represent the youth in the Party. Will Shri Modi's anointment have an impact on the young voters?

India is a young nation or the nation of the Youth. The young generation has become very conscious of their rights and is assertively articulating their aspirations. With the level of exposure and information available, the youth are capable of making comparisons . Shri Narendra Modi has caught the imagination of the youth with his vision and proven performance not only in Gujarat but all over the country by ably and openly talking about his idea of Future India. He has focused on transforming governance to achieve the set national goals – particularly those related to development - in time bound manner.  The youth of the country are now impatient for change and increasingly finding themselves nearer to BJP under Shri Narendra Modi’s leadership than ever before.

BJP's opponents had been making a fun of the NDA's hope to form a government at the Centre in 2014 in view of the fact that BJP has almost zero representation in 200 odd Parliamentary seats in the South, West Bengal and North-Eastern States. What would you say?

As I said earlier also, the people across the country are fed up with the corrupt and inefficient UPA rule. The states you are mentioning are no different. In this situation I see substantial gains for BJP in these areas also. More important is the fact that public opinion against Congress is building up day by day in every part of the country and BJP-led NDA is emerging as the only alternative. Therefore political formations involving the non-Congress parties and BJP are very much visible.

As part of its efforts to check the fiscal deficit, UPA government has put a ban on fresh appointments and announced other measures. How do you feel about these?

UPA has not been able to deal with the problems faced by the economy in an innovative way. They are unable to think of any idea to take the country out of the situation they have pushed it into. To reduce deficits, steps like cutting down avoidable imports like telecom and power equipments, edible oils etc. and pushing domestic manufacturing so as to escalate exports etc. should have been initiated on an immediate basis. The government prefers to bring foreign investment instead of all such measures. But just by removing the caps on foreign investment, foreign players are going to trust more a non-performing government and invest in a significant way.

Can you explain the reasons for a poor showing of BJP at the hustings in the South?

In Karnataka during the recent assembly elections we could not do the needed political consolidation based on the good governance of our government. But we are now back to expanding our base and this time we will surely convert the growing enthusiasm and support for BJP into winning seats. The people of Karnataka will soon realize the need of bringing back BJP to power in the state. In Tamil Nadu, the response to Shri L K Advani ji’s  yatra to raise the issue of black money was huge. Also the recent killings of BJP leaders by Jihadi forces have also generated sympathy towards BJP and people are rallying around the idea of a non-Congress government at the centre. The Narendra Modi factor will also benefit BJP significantly. Surveys also demonstrate that there is an enormous response in favour of BJP. In Andhra Pradesh, people are fed up with the state Congress government and will respond very strongly against the flip-flop, opportunistic  policy of UPA government on Telangana. Realignment of political forces seems imminent.

You have been a leading light of the Swadeshi movement for pretty long. How far do you think the NDA's economic policies will be singed with the thinking of your movement?

BJP is an ideology based party committed to self-reliance.  By and large, it has believed and tried to follow the Swadeshi Model of economics. Even during NDA regime we saw it in Doha when Murasoli Maran took a strong stand. I am pretty confident that in future also the ideals of self-reliance will dominate economic thinking of BJP & NDA.

Can you enlighten what steps BJP is going to take to make those sections and areas of the people to vote for you in the next election which had not done earlier?

We are taking a lot of steps to remain in constant touch with all sections of the people and align ourselves with their hopes and aspirations. We have very actively conducted our campaigns to represent the genuine aspirations and needs of the people like women, youth, SC, ST, weavers, fishermen and minorities. We will be focusing through various campaigns on the first time voters. We are working hard to make the different sections of people to understand that BJP is the only party to espouse their feelings and address their concerns.

Would you like to comment on what happened in Muzaffarnagar in UP recently?

Muzzafarnagar riots are yet another example of use of divisive politics for narrow political ends. It is a complete failure of the Samajvadi Party government of Akhilesh Yadav. Congress led UPA at the Centre following the agenda of vote bank politics has not given importance to addressing the riots and instead targeted BJP leaders for narrow political gains. Even during the recent incidents on our border inflicted by Pakistan, Congress preferred to target BJP which is their political adversary instead of the national adversary.

Many important Congress leaders were challenging BJP to name its prime ministerial candidate in the past. But now that BJP has done, Congress is still not coming out with the name of its own prime ministerial candidate. How do you look at the situation?

Now that the BJP has decided its leader, Congress lacks the confidence in deciding its leader as they do not have any capable leader to show up to people as their face for 2014 elections. Rahul Gandhi as a leader has failed in Amethi, then in UP and also in the Parliament.                                                                                                                                  ***

THE SUNDAY SENTIMENT October 27, 2013 Congress over-sensitive

THE SUNDAY SENTIMENT                                                 October 27, 2013

Congress over-sensitive

How is shahzaada "undignified"?

 Congress has taken exception to BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate and Gujarat Chief Minister Narinder Modi using the word "shahzaada" to refer to its Vice-President Mr. Rahul Gandhi.  Calling upon him (Mr. Modi) to desist from using "undignified" language, Congress spokesperson Janardhan Dwivedi said their vice-president should be addressed in the same manner in which he addresses people.

The Congress reaction, on the face of it, displays over-sensitivity on the part of the party.  The word "shahzaada" can, by no standards, be called or considered "undignified".  On the use of word "shahzaada" Congress is fuming — and threatening Mr. Modi — the same Mr. Modi whom Mrs. Sonia Gandhi had no regrets to call "maut ka saudaagar". Shahzaada is an Urdu word meaning a "prince" which cannot be taken as "undignified".

It is true that the word "prince" or shahzaada is an antithesis to democracy. It revives in us the memories of a bygone era of monarchic governance. Yet, at the same time, we cannot deny the fact that since the times of late Mrs. Indira Gandhi in early seventies, even in Indian democracy the ruling Congress Party stands reduced to a dynastic entity where the crown prince is the apparent heir to the throne on relinquishing or death of the head of the ruling family. This transformation of Congress party into a dynastic organism has resulted in Indian democracy, in effective, turning into a dynastic democracy as for as the ruling party is concerned. First, Mrs. Gandhi groomed late Sanjay Gandhi and after his unfortunate death, made the reluctant Indian Airlines pilot, her elder son, Rajiv Gandhi as the heir apparent. This became a reality following her unfortunate assassination and the crown prince was elevated to the throne.

I am reminded of a prophetic comment by a journalist friend in Shimla. Following Mrs. Gandhi's death Doordarshan was giving live coverage to people queuing up before her body to pay their homage. Looking at Rajiv Gandhi and his son Rahul, then in early teens, my friend remarked, "We have a glimpse of three generations of our prime ministers — past (Mrs. Gandhi), present (Mr. Rajiv) and future (Mr. Rahul)".

Only exception to the rule during the last about 40 years was in 1991 when Mr. Rajiv was unfortunately killed. His widow, then, refused to take the reins of the party, then not in power but in opposition. Till then she had not thought it fit even to be an ordinary member of the Congress Party. In March 1996 she came out from her self-imposed political exile, joined the Congress and in just two months was catapulted into the position of national Presidentship of the party. She was, at one time, projected as the prime ministerial candidate and in what circumstances she renunciated her claim and brought in Dr. Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister is a matter of discussion and controversy.

In democracy, people are enrolled into party as ordinary members. They rise to be leaders through a long and tedious process of perseverance, strife and struggle. This is not true either of the three Gandhis — Mr. Sanjay or Mr. Rajiv Gandhi or Mrs. Sonia or now Mr. Rahul.

Since then in the ruling Congress Party dynasty has become the rule; democratic election of leader an exception. Like his father and in the present circumstances, how can calling Mr. Rahul as prince or shahzaada be irrelevant and wrong?

If Congress party, despite its claims to be a stickler to the principles of democracy, is not a political dynasty how is it that after some Congressmen entertained some doubts about the capability of Mr. Rahul Gandhi to steer the Congress boat out of the present turbulent times to the bank of power, some threw up the idea of Mrs. Priyanka Gandhi being made the leader instead of looking up to any person beyond the dynasty?

It is not only the Congress, the likes of Rashtriya Janata Dal of Bihar, National Conference in Kashmir, Samajwadi Party of Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav and the like, too are sailing in the same boat as far as dynastic politics is concerned.

The words shahzaada or sahibzaada we use in our day-to-day parlance. We call our friend or relation's son or daughter as "aapke shahzaade or shahzaadi or aapke sahibzaade or sahibzaadi". Nobody takes offence to such epithets.

We and our media are used to calling Mr. Amitabh Bacchan as shehanshah, Ms Lata Mangeshkar as "Melody Queen" and Mr. Shah Rukh Khan as "King  

कांग्रेस की नज़रों में राष्‍ट्र विकास के लिये भ्रष्‍टाचार रामबाण और विरोध राष्‍ट्रद्रोह?

कांग्रेस की नज़रों में

राष्‍ट्र विकास के लिये भ्रष्‍टाचार रामबाण और विरोध राष्‍ट्रद्रोह?

आज की तारीख में यह कहना कठिन है कि देश में सुशासन की परिभाषा ''राम राज्‍य'' है। फिर क्‍योंकि इसके साथ राम का नाम लगा हुआ है इसलिये यह तो स्‍वत: ही 'साम्‍प्रदायिक' बन जाता है जिससे ''सैकुलर'' कांग्रेस को तो कोसों दूर रहना है। फिर आज की कांग्रेस को 1947-48 वाली कांग्रेस कह देना तो दोनों कांग्रेस व महात्‍मा गांधी को ही नकार देना होगा क्‍योंकि महात्‍मा ने तो स्‍वतन्‍न्‍त्रता प्राप्‍त होते ही सलाह दे दी थी कि इस संगठन को यहीं पर समाप्‍त कर दिया जाये। लगता है महात्‍मा गांधी को आने वाले समय में इस संगठन के भविष्‍य का पूर्वाभास हो गया था। यदि कांग्रेस के तत्‍कालीन नेताओं ने उनकी बात मान ली होती तो आज कांग्रेस भी जनता के सम्‍मान व श्रद्धा की उतनी ही पात्र होती जितना कि आज महात्‍मा गांधी हैं। पर कांग्रेस को तो स्‍वतन्‍त्रता की लड़ाई को सत्‍ता पाने के लिये भूनाना था। वह महात्‍मा का नैतिक पाठ कैसे सुन व मान सकती थी?

आज तो ऐसा प्रतीत होने लगा है कि कांग्रेस व भ्रष्‍टाचार एक दूसरे के प्रायवाची बन गये हैं। कांग्रेसनीत सम्‍प्रग के पिछले 9 वर्ष से अधिक के दो कार्यकालों में तो भ्रष्‍टाचार के सभी रिकार्ड टूट कर रह गये हैं। अब तो भ्रष्‍टाचार का कोई नया मामला जब भी उठता है तो उसमें कुछ नया लगता ही नहीं। यह सब तो बस उसकी अपनी ही संस्‍कृति की ही एक और झलक बन कर रह गई है।

अपने तौर पर कांग्रेस भी इन आरोपों का खण्‍डन करना कुछ आवश्‍यक व उचित नहीं समझती। जब-जब किसी नये भ्रष्‍टाचार घोटाले का भाण्‍डा फूटता है तो यह अपने आरोपियों व आलोचकों पर ही उलटे प्रत्‍यारोप मढ़ कर यह साबित करने की कोशिश करती है कि भ्रष्‍ट केवल वह ही नहीं है उसके विराधी भी उससे कम नहीं हैं। मानो कांग्रेस ने तो देश में सारा प्रशासनिक व राजनीतिक वातावरण ही भ्रष्‍टाचारमय बना दिया हो जिसमें ईमानदार के लिये तो कोई स्‍थान ही नहीं बचा है।

कहते हैं सावन के अन्‍धे को हरा-हरा ही दिखाई देता है। उसी प्रकार कांग्रेस को भी सभी भ्रष्‍ट ही दिखते हैं। पर इतना अवश्‍य प्रतीत होता है कि कांग्रेस भ्रष्‍टाचार की दौड़ में भी अपने प्रतिद्वन्दियों को पीछे ही पछाड़ना चाहती है।

एक ओर तो 2जी स्‍पैक्‍ट्रम घोटाले में आरोपियों को जेल में बन्‍द करने कं लिये कांग्रेस अपनी पीठ स्‍वयं ही ठोंकती फिरती है तो दूसरी ओर आरोपियों व उनके दल का नाम लेने से भी वह उसी प्रकार झिझकती  व शर्माती है जिस प्रकार एक भारतीय नारी अपने 'उन' का नाम लेने से कतराती है।

एक ओर तो कांग्रेस दूसरे दलों को संवैधानिक संस्‍थाओं का आदर-सम्‍मान करने की नसीहत देती है तो दूसरी ओर पिछले चार साल के अपने दूसरे कार्यकाल में उसने भारत के नियन्‍त्रक एवं महालेखा परीक्षक (निमहापरी) जैसी अनेक ऐसी संस्‍थाओं की हर बार भर्त्‍स्‍ना की है जब उन्‍होंने एक के बाद अपनी एक रिपोर्ट में संप्रग सरकार की पोल खोली है और अनेकों स्‍कैमों का पर्दाफाश किया है। इसका तो एक ही निष्‍कर्ष निकलता है कि कांग्रेस की वाह-वाह लूटने के लिये तो किसी भी संवैधानिक संस्‍था को सत्‍य से मुंह मोड़ कर कांग्रेस सरकार की भूरी-भूरी प्रशंसा ही करने पड़ेगी।

पिछले दिनों भारत का सब से बड़ा घोटाला कोलगेट हुआ 1.86 लाख करोड़ रूपये का। जब उच्‍चतम् न्‍यायालय ने इसका संज्ञान लिया और केन्द्रिय जांच ब्‍यूरो को इसकी जांच का आदेश दिया तब ही ब्‍यूरो हरकत में आया। पहले तो उसने एक कांग्रेस सांसद नवीन जींदल और बाद में बिड़ला ग्रुप के एक प्रमुख औदृोगिक घराने व एक सेवानिवृत कोल सचिव को अपराधी बनाया। सेवानिवृत कोयला सचिव ने कहा कि उन्‍हें अपराधी बनाने से पहले अपराधियों में प्रथम नाम तो प्रधान मन्‍त्री का होना चाहिये जिनकी लिखित स्‍वीकृति व आदेश के फलस्‍वरूप ही यह निर्णय हुआ क्‍योकि उस समय प्रधान मन्‍त्री के पास ही कोयला मन्‍त्रालय का कार्यभार था। मीडिया के अनुसार प्रधान मन्‍त्री को बचाने के उद्देश्‍य से ही बिड़ला ग्रुप के विरूद्ध मामला दर्ज किया गया है। 19 अक्‍तूबर को अपनी चुप्‍पी तोड़ते हुये प्रधान मन्‍त्री ने भी अपने इस निर्णय को उचित ठहराया है और उसका पूरा उत्‍तरदायित्व स्‍वीकार किया है। कुछ-कुछ तो अब स्‍पष्‍ट होने ही लगा है।

अब प्रश्‍न तो यह उठता है कि जब प्रधान मन्‍त्री इस निर्णय को न्‍यायोचित बता रहे हैं और उसपर अपनी जवाबदेही भी जता रहे हैं तो यह जो आपराधिक मामला जांच ब्‍यूरा ने बनाया है उसमें प्रधान मन्‍त्री एक अपराधी क्‍यों नहीं? यह मान बैठना सरासर ग़लत होगा कि फाइल को देखे और सोचे-समझे बिना ही प्रधान मन्‍त्री या अन्‍य मन्‍त्री अपने हस्‍ताक्षर छाप देता है। और फिर अन्‍तत: उस ग़लत या ठीक निर्णय के लिये अधिकारी ही जि़म्‍मेवार हैं तो मन्त्रिमण्‍डल की आवश्‍यकता ही क्‍या है?

चीन की यात्रा से लौटते समय प्रधान मन्‍त्री ने कहा कि वह कानून से ऊपर नहीं हैं और जांच ब्‍यूरो के सामने पेश होने को तैय्यार हैं। हमें याद रखना होगा कि 2जी स्‍पैक्‍ट्रम घोटाले के समय भी प्रधान मन्‍त्री ने संयुक्‍त संसदीय समिति के सामने पेश होने का दमदार वादा किया था। पर जब जांच समिति बनी तो न तो प्रधान मन्‍त्री स्‍वयं पेश हुये जैसे कि उन्‍होंने वादा किया था और न ही मुख्‍य आरोपी ए राजा को ही पेश होने दिया। इस बार वह अपने दावे पर कायम रहेंगे यह कहना तो कांग्रेस के लिये भी मुश्किल है।

अब जबकि भारत की विकास दर प्रति वर्ष कम होती जा रही है और नवीनतम् संकेतों के अनुसार उसके 4.4 प्रतिशत तक लुढ़क जाने की शंका जताई जा रही है तो कांग्रेस के नेता अपनी अकर्मण्‍यता व ग़लत नीतियों का सारा ठीकरा निमहापरी की रिपोर्ट के सिर फोडने का प्रयास कर रहे हैं। सरकार यह भ्रम फैलाने का प्रयास कर रही है कि ये सारे घोटाले वास्‍तव में  निमहापरी के दिमाग़ की उपज हैं1   

तो इसका निष्‍कर्ष क्‍या यह निकाला जाये कि कांग्रेस सरकार की नज़रों में भ्रष्‍टाचार राष्‍ट्र के विकास के लिये अचूक रामबाण है और जो भ्रष्‍टाचार मिटाना चाहते हैं वह राष्‍ट्रद्रोही हैं?

Headline Teasers 25-10-2013

Headline Teasers

25-10-2013

I am not above law, nothing to hide: PM        (The Indian EXPRESS)

Except the files.

SINGH READY TO FACE CBI PROBE   (The Statesman)

Promised to face JPC too, but forgot his bold promise.

Onion shortage temporary, says Govt    (The Statesman)

Till the stocks last with hoarders!

PM seeks Chinese investment in infra (The Statesman)

Are they not already actively investing at the border?

सीबीआई चाहे तो मुझसे कर ले पूछताछ: मनमोहन     (नई दुनिया)

यह गारंटी है कि वह तब अपना मुंह खोल लेंगे?

'दुन्‍देलखंड में वच्‍छरों ने काटा, अच्‍छा लगा' (बोले राहुल)   (नई दुनिया)

वहां क्‍या मच्‍छर भी वोटर हैं?

Sheila seeks Centre's help to check prices     (MAIL TODAY)

And voter's wrath!

PM: Sharif's Inaction on LOC disappointing  (THE ASIAN AGE)

That should provoke Manmohan and Salman Khurshid to invite him to a red carpet welcome and a sumptuous dinner in India.

CARTOON OF THE DAY

Courtesy: The Asian Age

http://www.asianage.com/sites/default/files/images/carrr_0.preview.jpg

सोचने योग्‍य बात आओ, 'न' की मानसिकता छोड़ 'हां' की सकारकता अपनायें

सोचने योग्‍य बात

आओ, 'न' की मानसिकता छोड़ 'हां' की सकारकता अपनायें

पता नहीं क्‍या कारण है कि कुछ व्‍यक्ति हर बात में पहले ''न'' ही कहने में विश्‍वास रखते हैं? उनसे कुछ भी पूछिये, वह न ही कहेंगे। वास्‍तव में ऐसे व्‍यक्ति हीन भावना से ग्रस्‍त होते हैं और समझते हैं कि जब वह किसी को कोई बात करने या कहने से रोक देते हैं तो इससे उनकी हीनभावना की तुष्टि हो जाती है और वह समझने लगते हैं कि वह ही बास हैं।

कई बार ऐसा होता है कि पति या पत्नि एक दूसरे को कहें कि आज सिनेमा देख आते हैं तो बहुत से दम्‍पत्तियों में इसी बात पर कहा-सूनी हो जाती है कि एक ने दूसरे की इच्‍छा का सम्‍मान नहीं किया।

इसी प्रकार जब बच्‍चा माता या पिता से सिनेमा जाने, कोई अन्‍य कार्यक्रम देखने या कुछ समय खेल आने की अनुमति मांगता है तो बहुत से मां-बाप अपने अहम् का सिक्‍का जमाने के लिये अकारण ही मना कर देते हैं। इससे उनके अहम् का तुष्‍टीकरण हो जाती है और वह समझते हैं कि इस प्रकार वह अपने बच्‍चों पर पूरा नियन्‍त्रण रख पाने में सक्षम हो रहे हैं।

हर बात पर बिना सोचे-समझे हां कह देना भी उतना ही ग़लत है जितना कि अपने मुंह से 'न' ऐसे बोल बैठना जैसे कि 'सौरी', 'थैंक यू' व 'एक्‍सक्‍यूज़ मी' आदि अंग्रेज़ी के शब्‍द हमारे मुंह से अनायास ही निकल आते हैं।

यदि हम या बच्‍चे आज सिनेमा नहीं देख सकते, या किसी के घर नहीं जा सकते या 'शाप्पिंग' नहीं कर सकते तो उसका कोई ठोस कारण होना चाहिये ताकि जिसे हम 'न' कर रहे हैं उसे बुरा न लगे। उसे ऐसा न लगे कि हम ऐसी ही 'हां' या 'न' कर देते हैं। अकारण ही ऐसा कह देने या कर देने से तो दूसरों के मन में हम अपने प्रति धारणा व छवि को बिगाड़ बैठते हैं। इससे घर में कलह भी खड़ी हो जाती है और मनमुटाव भी पैदा हो जाता है।

सकारात्‍मक ढंग तो यह है कि आप कहें कि आज नहीं सिनेमा कल जायेंगे क्‍योंकि आज अमुक काम है। तुम या तो आज खेलने जाओ मत या फिर थोड़ी देर ही खेलना क्‍योंकि कल तुम्‍हारा टैस्‍ट है। 'शाप्पिंग' के लिये अगले सप्‍ताह चलेंगे क्‍योंकि तब तक मेरा वेतन भी आ जायेगा।

ऐसे शब्‍दों में आपकी सकारात्‍कता व सहजता झलकती है। तब आपकी 'न' चुभती नहीं। तर्क-वितर्क को प्रेरित नहीं करती। इसमें व्‍यक्ति की प्रमाणिकता झलकती है।

मेरे पिताजी इस सन्‍दर्भ में एक कहानी सुनाते थे। वे कहते थे कि एक ऐसी ही महिला थी जो हर बात पर 'न' ही करती थी। उसकी इस आदत से उसका पति बड़ा परेशान रहता था। पर वह भी अपनी आदत से मजबूर थी। पति के पिताजी का श्राद्ध आया। उसे पता था कि वह श्राद्ध करने की बात करेगा तो वह अवश्‍य न करेगी। इसलिये उसने पैंतरा बदला। उसने पत्नि को कहा कि देख, कल मेरे पिताजी का श्राद्ध है पर मैं सोच रहा हूं कि इस बार न करूं। अपनी आदत के मुताबिक पत्नि बोली — क्‍यों? श्राद्ध तो साल में एक बार ही आता है। मैं तो अवश्‍य करूंगी।

मन ही मन पति खुश हो उठा। उसने देखा कि उसका दाव सही पड़ा है। उसने कहा — चलो तुम कहती हो तो ठीक है, पर मैं एक ही ब्राह्मण को बुलाऊंगा।

पत्नि तुरन्‍त बोली — नहीं, मैं तो चार ब्राह्मणों को भोजन करवाऊंगी। तुम चार को निमन्‍त्रण दे दो।

पति बड़ा उत्‍साहित हो उठा। उसने सोचा आज तो श्रीमतिजी बिल्‍कुल ठीक रास्‍ते पर चल रही है जैसाकि वह चाहता था। तो अन्‍त में वह कह बैठा — मैं सोच रहा हूं कि भोजन उपरान्‍त चारों पण्डितों को दस-दस रूपये दक्षिणा दे दूं। अपनी आदत के मुताबिक पत्नि को तो हां कहनी नहीं आती थी। उसने कहा — जब उनको भरपेट भोजन करा देंगे तो दस रूपये दक्षिणा की क्‍या आवश्‍यकता है? मैं तो एक रूपया ही दूंगी।

पति ने अपना माथा ठोका और मन ही मन अपने आपको धिक्‍कारा — यहां तू क्‍यों ग़़लती कर गया? तुझे यहां भी कहना चाहिये था कि दक्षिणा मैं एक रूपया ही दूंगा। तब वह कहती कि नहीं, मैं तो दस रूपये दूंगी।

Sunday Sentiments ASARAM BAPU THE GOD THAT FAILED, BUT CAN SURELY RESURRECT

Sunday Sentiments

ASARAM BAPU

THE GOD THAT FAILED, BUT CAN SURELY RESURRECT

The way events are unfolding in the case of 'Godman' Asaram Bapu it is demeaning not only for him whom crores of devotees looked up as their god incarnate, their guru and their savior but also for those who put their faith in him and other such individuals. Such incidents are violently shaking the faith of people in godliness of individuals. This is a very depressing and disheartening a scenario for all those who subsist just on faith. If people are pushed to losing their mutual faith, their mutual trust and respect in their near and dear-ones, teachers, gurus and leaders, that would be a catastrophic eventuality. It is in an atmosphere of mutual, faith and respect that our universe hangs.

The edifice Asaram Bapu has built in the country and abroad is the sum-total of the people's faith and trust in him and in his professions of godliness.  It is something unique in him that he could ignite so much faith and trust in himself from crores of people all over the world. An impersonator can befool some people for some time but not all the people for all the times. The turn of events in his case has been shocking enough to shake the solid foundations of faith people had laid in him. That an aashram should be equipped with a swimming pool like the one people experience in a five-star hotel has startled one out of one's slumber of blind faith. God can be sought and realized not in the corridors of five-star comforts. If it were, everyone staying in a five-star hotel would have been a saint and a man of god. Only hermits living in complete denial of cosy comforts of a home have attained god and godliness and not the rajas and maharajas luxuriating in their palaces.

Maybe, Bapu himself cannot be blamed for all this. Maybe, some over-enthusiastic of his devotees went out of their way to do all this and even indulged in acts of illegal encroachments on adjoining government and private lands and even violated certain laws. But he too cannot escape the vicarious responsibility for whatever was done in his aashrams in his name.

Why single out Hindus?

The followers of Bapu do have a strong question: Why is it that men of god in Hindu way of life are the only target of our media, sting operations and exposures? Every faith has its share of myths, superstations, blind faith, hypocrisies, wrong rituals, customs and traditions. We do hear and read, though occasionally, of wrongdoings in the places of worship and shrines of even non-Hindu faiths too. Some news reports or even books do appear at times. But it is only the Hindus who are being singled out for exposure of their dark side ignoring the unique positive aspects. There has, so far, not been a convincing answer to this question.

The nature of allegations that are emerging against Asaram Bapu, his family members and the aashramites bring no honour to anybody, not even to his followers. But to take the allegations as gospel of truth is equally wrong. It is none else than Asaram Bapu who knows the truth. As a man of gold, he is the custodian of truth. He preaches truth, so he must also practice the truth.

What should Bapu do?

Throughout his long life as a man of god, he had been preaching his followers to inculcate the virtue of penance, punishment that is undergone in token of penitence for sin. Only a person of virtue — and not of vice — can rise so high as to confess one's crimes and sins.

Bapu needs to avail himself of the opportunity of confinement to jail as a golden opportunity for meditation in solitude. If he certainly has committed no crime or sin, he should stand up to it and face the situation with fortitude. But if he thinks he has inadvertently, in any way, in any circumstances, he should practice the virtue of repentance, "an act that shows that you feel sorry about something that you have done, something for religious reasons". He should undertake atonement of his sins and "suffer the wrath of his God....for having eaten the fruit of the 'Tree of Knowledge'". The believers in God", it is said "are content that man's suffering is ordained and, therefore, he accepts life and its trials and tribulations as a penance for living" (Joseph Lewis)

It would be a very depressing, unbecoming and awkward a situation to confront where, god forbid, a court of law were to come to the conclusion that all his pleading of innocence are a series of lies and he is sentenced to any punishment.

It is time we all — his followers and sympathisers — look into ourselves, calmly and coolly.                                                                                                                                                                                     ***

Satire RAHUL, THE SAVIOUR OF THEM ALL!

Satire

RAHUL, THE SAVIOUR OF THEM ALL!

Son:               Father.

Father:         Yes, my son.

Son:               Rahul Gandhi saved the country in a big way. Otherwise, we're in for a great embarrassment on convicted MPs issue.

Father          That is how all great men have been doing in the past.

Son:               But father a similar Bill had also been introduced in Parliament.

Father:         Yes, it was.

Son:               Congress Core Committee too had put its seal of approval on the Ordinance.

Father:         Yes, it had.

Son:               The government and Congress had been defending this Ordinance till Mr. Rahul Gandhi put his foot down giving air to his 'personal' opinion that the Ordinance was a "complete non-sense" and should be torn and thrown in the dustbin.

Father:         That's right.

Son:               But, father, why did Rahul take so many days to understand the implications of the Ordinance and come to that conclusion?          

Father:         Son, great men take their own time. They know when to act and strike.

Son:               You're right, father. But the President too could put his foot down.

Father:         He could just seek some clarifications and, at the most, ask the government to reconsider.

Son:               If the government stuck to its stand, then?

Father:         The President, according to the Constitution, was then left with no other option but to consent?

Son:               Sign, a "complete non-sense", father?

Father:         Ask them, my son!

THE SUNDAY SENTIMENT RAHUL IS THE LEADER

THE SUNDAY SENTIMENT

RAHUL IS THE LEADER

Nobody in the country, not even those who oppose Congress, deny that Mr. Rahul Singh is the leader of the Congress Party. The only point that needs to be settled is whether he stands at No. 1 or 2. Yet, every now and then every Congress leader, including our Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh himself is too eager to acknowledge that Mr. Rahul is the leader. Dr Singh has displayed that exemplary sportsman spirit that he has publicly declared that he would vacate the prime minister's chair for Mr. Rahul the moment Party, meaning Mrs. Sonia Gandhi asks. He is that much forthcoming that he says he's willing to work under him. Dr. Singh's action looks akin to that of a great batsman who in his effort to strike a sixer to complete a century gives a great catch to the opposite team.

Some say that the quality a political leader should imbibe in him/herself to be successful is the quality and quantity of elasticity and flexibility he can exercise in his thought and action. Rigidity in politics, some argue doesn't pay. A person's body, they say, is flexible as long as he is alive; the moment he is dead, he is as hard as dead wood, inflexible. That rare quality Dr. Singh has displayed so many times.

His government under his chairmanship introduced during the last monsoon session of Parliament a Bill to nullify the spirit of the Supreme Court direction on convicted MPs .When it failed to get the Bill through, it later drafted an Ordinance which it sent to the President for his approval. It didn't struck to Dr. Singh at that his leader, Rahul Gandhi, had his reservations on the issue.

Mr. Rahul Gandhi, too, did keep quiet when the Bill was introduced in Parliament. He continued to maintain his silence when the Core Committee of the Congress presided over by his mother, Congress chief Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, approved the text of the Ordinance which was later cleared by the Manmohan Cabinet and sent to President of India.

The President refused to oblige and sign blindly on the dotted lines. He consulted some legal experts in the government. He also called Home Minister Sushil Shinde and Law Minister Kapil Sibbal for clarifications. This sent some shock waves to the Manmohan government and Congress.

This situation startled out the Congress No. 2 Rahul out of slumber and a state of numbness and dumbness. He gate-crashed into the Press Club press conference of Congress General Secretary Ajay Maken who was singing eulogies of the Ordinance. Mr. Maken gave in to Mr. Rahul who dubbed the Ordinance in now famous words spoken as his "personal opinion": It is a "complete non-sense" and deserves to be torn up. This made Mr. Maken to realize his mistake and in the next breath, continuing with his address to the press people, he declared that Mr. Rahul's views were the party's authorized views.

When Dr. Singh's supporters and well-wishers were pining at this snub hurled at the prime minister and his former media adviser Sanjay Baru said Dr. Singh is left with no other option but to resign, Dr. Singh himself struck a different note in USA. He 'suddenly' recalled that Mr. Rahul had written to him in this behalf and he would address his concerns on return to the country. He did not explain when did he receive the letter and why did he ignore his views while formulating the Bill and the Ordinance earlier.

On return Dr. Singh made a complete about-turn. He withdrew the Ordinance and the Bill was also decided to be withdrawn from Parliament. This left everyone happy. The President too was spared the trouble of signing a "complete non-sense".

IN CONGRESS WHO'S THE LEADER?

In Congress who's the leader – the real one with authority? It is a mystery. Dr. Manmohan Singh accepts both Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and Mr. Rahul Gandhi as his leaders and is willing to work under Mr. Rahul. Mrs. Gandhi accepts Manmohan Singh as "her' prime minister. This situation lends credence to the opposition charge that Dr. Singh is in office but not in power.

With Parliament elections just six months away, it is not certain who will be Congress Party's prime ministerial candidate. Everybody, including Dr. Manmohan Singh, says that Mr. Rahul Gandhi has all the wherewithals of a prime minister. Dr. Singh though refuses to say that he is in the race, yet he does not "rule out" a third stint for him. Mrs. Gandhi remains non-committal. Others say it is Mr. Rahul Gandhi who has to take a final decision in consultation with his mother. At the moment it looks the triumvirate of Sonia-Rahul-Manmohan runs the party and the government. The Ordinance episode is not the first instance where the triumvirate has been found to be wanting and pulling in three different directions. It is in the interest of the Congress party, the government and the nation that Congress finally takes a call who would be the leader.

TAILPIECE

Dr. Manmohan Singh inspires, Pakistan conspires against India numerous times to cater to Singh's insatiable desires for the peace process with Pakistan to go on.

October 13, 2013

अध्‍यादेश मामला कुछ नहीं, राहुल ने केवल कांग्रेस की झेंप मिटाई

अध्‍यादेश मामला

कुछ नहीं, राहुल ने केवल कांग्रेस की झेंप मिटाई

                                                         --- अम्‍बा चरण वशिष्‍ठ

यह मान बैठना तो सरासर भूल होगी कि कांग्रेस राजगद्दी के स्‍पष्‍ट उत्‍तराधिकारी व पार्टी उपाध्‍यक्ष श्री राहुल गांधी अखबार नहीं पढ़ते और न ही कोई समाचार चैनल ही देखते हैं जो उन्‍हें पता ही न चल पाया कि पि‍छले मानसून सत्र में मनमोहन सरकार ने संसद में जनप्रि‍तिनिधि कानून 1951 में एक संशोधन  विधेयक प्रस्‍तुत किया गया था जिसका मन्‍तव्‍य उच्‍च्‍तम् न्‍यायालय के 20 जुलाई के उस आदेश को निरस्‍त करना था जिसके अनुसार यदि किसी जनप्रतिनिधि को सज़ा हो जाती है तो उसकी संसद या राज्‍य विधान सभा की सदस्‍यता तत्‍काल रद्द हो जायेगी। फिर श्री गांधी तो स्‍वयं लोक सभा के सदस्‍य भी हैं। इतना ही नहीं। इस बिल व बाद में 24 सितम्‍बर को मनमोहन मन्त्रिमण्‍डल द्वारा राष्‍ट्रपति महोदय की स्‍वीकृति के लिये भेजने से पूर्व अध्‍यादेश के मसौदे का अक्षरश: अनुमोदन कांग्रेस की कोर कमेटी ने भी किया था जिसकी अध्‍यक्षता स्‍वयं कांग्रेस अध्‍यक्ष श्रीमती सोनिया गांधी ने की थी। भाजपा समेत अनेक विपक्षी दलों ने राष्‍ट्रपति महोदय से मिल कर उनसे इस अध्‍यादेश का पुरज़ोर विरोध कर अनुरोध किया था कि वह उसे स्‍वीकृति प्रदान न करें। राष्‍ट्रपति महोदय ने भी आंखें मूंद कर अध्‍यादेश पर हस्‍ताक्षर न कर कानून विशेषज्ञों से सलाह-मशविरा करने के बाद 26 सितम्‍बर को गृह मन्‍त्री शिन्‍दे व कानून मन्‍त्री सिब्‍बल को तलब किया। स्‍पष्‍ट था कि राष्‍ट्रपति महोदय को कुछ शंकायें थीं।

तो फिर 27 तारीख को यकायक श्री राहुल गांधी को कैसे आभास हो गया कि यह अध्‍यादेश तो ''बिलकुल बकवास'' व बेहूदा है और उसे फाड़ कर फैंक देना चाहिये?  

यह मान लेना भी एक बड़ी भूल होगी कि श्री राहुल गांधी को संसद में प्रस्‍तुत बिल और अध्‍यादेश के मसौदे को पढ़ने व  समझने में इतना लम्‍बा समय लग गया।

संयोगवश एक चुटकुला याद आता है। चार दोस्‍त बैठे गप्‍प-शप्‍प हांक रहे थे। एक ने चुटकुला सुनाया कि सब हंसते-हंसते लोट-पोट हो गये। पर उनमें से एक था जो बिलकुल संजीदा रहा और उसके चेहरे पर मुस्‍कान तक न आई। अगले दिन शाम को जब वह फिर इकट्ठे हुये तो अचानक वह दोस्‍त हंसते-हंसते पेट के बल लोटने लगा और बोला, यार कल तूने बड़ा ज़बरदस्‍त चुटकुला सुनाया था। 

खैर। चुटकुला छोड़ अब अध्‍यादेश के गम्‍भीर मुद्दे पर लौटें। समझ नहीं आता कि 27 सितम्‍बर को जो सारा ड्रामा हुआ वह कैसे हुआ और किसने रचा? उस दिन प्रैस कल्‍ब में  कांग्रेस के प्रमुख प्रवक्‍ता श्री अजय माकन जब अध्‍यादेश की तारीफों के पुल बान्‍धे जा रहे थे तभी यकायक उनकी प्रैस कान्‍फ्रैंस में श्री राहुल आ धमके और अपने ''निजि विचार'' से उन्‍होंने सब को भौंचक्‍का कर दिया। फिर क्‍या था? श्री अजय माकन ने भी कांग्रेस संस्‍कृ‍ति का एक और चौका देने वाला पहलू उजागर कर दिया। एक सांस में अध्‍यादेश की स्‍तुति करने के बाद दूसरी ही सांस में उन्‍होंने पैंतरा बदल डाला और श्री राहुल की हां में हां मिलाते हुये घोषणा कर दी कि श्री राहुल की ''निजि'' राय ही कांग्रेस की अधिकारिक पार्टी राय है।

एक तबके ने श्री राहुल की तारीफ करते हुये कहा कि उन्‍होंने जनता के मध्‍यम वर्ग की भावनाओं का प्रतिनिधित्‍व व आदर किया है। पर यहां भी यही कहना पड़़ेगा कि ''बहुत देर कर दी सनम आते आते''। राष्‍ट्रपति महोदय द्वारा मन्त्रियों से अप्रत्‍याशित व कुछ कड़वे प्रश्‍न पूछने के बाद ही श्री राहुल को इस सच्‍चाई का आभास मिल गया कि राष्‍ट्रपति भवन में कांग्रेस सरकार की दाल आसानी से गलने वाली नहीं है। स्‍पष्‍ट है कि सरकार की खीज बचाने के लिये श्री राहुल ने यह सारा ड्रामा रचा। यह भी पहली बार हुआ कि प्रैस वार्ता तो किसी और की हो और कोई दूसरा बिना पूर्व सूचना के आ धमके और वह वो कह दे जो पहले वक्‍ता की बात को ही नकार दे। इस सारे ड्रामें में जगहंसाई प्रधान मन्‍त्री की भी हुई और श्रीमती सोनिया गांधी की भी । अन्‍त में निष्‍कर्ष तो यही निकला कि कांग्रेस ने ''चित भी मेरी और पट भी मेरी'' कहावत को चरितार्थ करने की कोशिश की जिसे अंग्रेज़ी में कहते है Heads you lose, tails I win.  

इस ड्रामें को ''गेम चेंजर'' की संज्ञा देना उचित नहीं होगा क्‍योंकि जब भी श्री राहुल ने ऐसा पैंतरा खेला है, मुद्दा कभी सुलझा नहीं, उलझा ही है मामला चाहे लोकपाल बिल का हो या कोई और।