Today's Take (May
25)
Panacea for innocence: Harish Rawat style
It is but natural that Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat should feel uneasy over the prick of an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) over the allegged sting operation in which he is allegedly shown to be promising money to MLAs for supporting him in the vote of confidence in the Assembly. Now that he has won the vote and is back in chair, the CBI questioning him in connection with the sting operation adds to his uneasiness. On May 24 he is reported to have been quizzed by the CBI in Delhi for about five hours. There are reports that he may be called once again for interrogation.
What transpired during investigation is not
known, but reports of his being summoned again give a clear indication that
Rawat is not out of woods for the moment. That seems to be the cause of his
frustration when he threatened PM Narendra Modi saying "Sometimes even an
ant can trouble an elephant". But such diatribes do not amount to anyone's
innocence. Rawat needs to understand that no chief minister is above law. A floor
test on the floor of the legislature can enthrone or dethrone an individual as
chief minister but it cannot be a verdict on a crime he/she may or may not have
committed. His innocence can be proved only during investigation or in a court
trial.
He also needs to understand that if the CBI
probe stings him, the sting irritates the eyes of the common man who saw it on
the news channels. The people and the representatives of the people had not
chosen him for what he is alleged to have been shown in the sting. Let the truth
come out and Rawat can certainly help in this matter.
Delhi
Power Shortage
Bold
Words no Substitute for Action
Cornered by both the opposition groups, BJP and Congress,
over the deteriorating power situation in Delhi at a time when the day
temperatures are touching new high and June is still a week ahead, the Delhi
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal decided
to go bold. In a stern warning to the private power distribution companies to
address the problem of outages saying government will not hesitate to cancel
their licences if they fail to comply with the directive. So far, so good.
But the warning is not the solution. This could be the
panacea if the Kejriwal government was sure and convinced that the power
companies were the culprit and they had ample power to distribute to meet the
everyday growing demand in this summer season. On the face of it, it is not the
companies who appear to be the only deliberate villain.
But has the Kejriwal government an emergency and
alternative in position. In case the companies fail to come up to the
expectation of the government and the people and Kejriwal proves true to his
threat and cancels the licences, will the situation improve on its own,
automatically? Will the national capital not be pushed to a state of darkness
and misery in this burning hot season? No government agency or a new company
can instantly come into operation the moment licences of old companies are
cancelled.
Provoking
to name a Toilet after Rahul
Congress is not used to taking things lying down. Only
the other day actor Rishi Kapoor questioned why innumerable public institutions
have been named after Gandhi-Nehru family. Baap ka maal samajh rakha tha? (Did
they consider it their father's property?), tweeted the actor.
As a matter of fact, Congress has no convincing
explanation. Former prime ministers Lal Bahadur Shastri, P. V. Narasimha Rao, former
Presidents, Sardar Patel and many others have been pushed to oblivion.
But Congress workers did not let the things to rest at
that. In Allahabad some Congress enthusiasts went to the extent of retorting by
'naming' a Sulabh public toilet after the actor Rishi Kapoor. They hung a
poster "Rishi Kapoor" naming it as such.
So far, Congress party has not come out with its reaction
on the action. But has the Congress not given its detractors the handle and
provocation to name similar places by Rahul and Gandhi-Nehru family? Will it
then come out with a sporting and smiling reaction? ***
