More letters to the Public Editor

These letters are back-dated. So, bear with them.
Letter # 5
07 Nov 2007
In Nandigram, it is now a reign of terror unleashed by the CPI-M, and will not stop till all opposition is totally wiped out as was in the cases of Chhoto Angria and Keshpur. That 15000 people were hounded out reminds us of Marichjhapi, and the ruthlessness reminds us of the terrible incident on the Bijon Setu.. There is no remedy to this carnage perpetrated by CPI-M because the ruling coalition at the centre which can possibly dislodge this anti-people government in West Bengal will not do so, lest they themselves are dislodged from their seat of power. So, we hear not a word of concern from Sonia Gandhi or Manmohan Singh, not to speak of a visit.
However, we cannot really say that all this was unexpected. Both Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, in his warning “this is only the Act I; Act II is still to come” after 14 March, and Laxman Seth: “we have to fight till the last drop of our blood” (On the record: 3 Nov) were enough warnings indicating the shape of things to come.
In the context of CPI-M-sponsored bloodbath on 6 Nov, your editorial “A human Problem”((1 Nov), though giving a very true and balanced picture, sadly sounds like a sermon which no one is going to listen to. Yes, with so many belligerent people like Biman Bose, Benoy Konar and Laxman Seth all set to ‘regain lost ground’ your call for “need to shed belligerence on either side” is a cry in the wilderness, as does Amlan Datta’s - “for a concerted movement for overcoming the contemporary crisis and for a gradual process of restoring sanity (“Evolution and impasse” : 28 & 29 Oct).
We can only say “Cry, beloved country”, and pray.

Rapists' remission

The Speaker of our Parliament loses no opportunity in denigrating the Supreme Court and the judiciary in general, accusing it of ‘judicial activism’ when all the Hon’ble Court does is upholing the Constitution and rectifying the errors of the Executive when it tries to subvert the Constitution.
There is small news item on page 4 of today's The Statesman (12 March) “PIL against rape convicts’ remission” which states that a PIL has been lodged with the Haryana High Court against the Punjab State Government because it has been remitting the sentences of convicted rapists, and has already released ten such convicts. One convicted rapist sentenced to ten years of prison has been released after he served only one day !
As this amounts to subverting the process of justice, what will the Hon’ble Speaker say ? Should the court intervene or not? And if it does, will it amount "judicial activism"? Does he advise the High Court to let the rapists have a good time in order that it may avoid censuring the Executive?

The Fraud

Excerpt from Editorial. The Statesman, 9 March 2008:
It was annouced in the Indian Parliament that the allowance for those decorated with the Param Vir Chakra was Rs 1500 a month, the Ashoka Chakra Rs 1400, the Maha Vir Chakra Rs 1200, and then decreasingly downward to Rs 250 for those awarded the Sena/Nao Sena/Vayu Sena medals. Dare anyone contend these are “just rewards” for soldiers who have put their life on the line?
Also, here is an excerpt from Col. J.K.Dutt’s article “A gradual decline (6 Mar 2008):
"The scene today is, a soldier is expected to get himself killed or maimed for life at the hands of a terrorist in Kashmir or in the North-east and the most galling thing is this terrorist is protected by our political system. There cannot be a greater proof of this unpalatable truth than the Mohammad Afzal story. Even the Kargil skirmish ~ by no means can it be termed war ~ showed up the country’s devious nature by not permitting our troops to cross the Line of Control and thus save casualties. There is an unwritten belief that a soldier today has forfeited his life to the dirty hands of a politician whose sole aim is to use the uniformed community as a convenient scapegoat for bolstering his vote-bank.
There is an unwritten belief that a soldier today has forfeited his life to the dirty hands of a politician whose sole aim is to use the uniformed community as a convenient scapegoat for bolstering his vote-bank. The opening lines of Field Marshal Sir Philip Chetwode’s priceless credo for officers enshrined in the main auditorium of the Indian Military Academy: “The safety, honour and welfare of your country come first, always, and every time...” has become meaningless today. Youths who otherwise would have eagerly opted for the Army are today seized of the unwritten belief mentioned and thus shy away from joining. The Navy and the Air Force are better off and still draw decent entrees because their personnel do not have to sacrifice themselves as target practice for terrorists"
The above two excerpts make it amply clear that in the present Indian scenario, the politicians, both of the ruling class and opposition are committing a fraud on the nation. They are bent upon breaking the back of the country by making the armed forces weaker. They expect them to fight for the country and lay down their lives without any reward or recognition. It is therefore no wonder that bright, conscientious young men with a sense of dedication and patriotism are not keen to join the defence forces, and, as a result, the armed forces are short by an amazing number of 11000 officers; and the government is quite apathetic to the problem facing the country. Is it so because the army, Navy and Air force do not constitute one bloc of voters?
Again, look at the way Kashmir Singh was treated during his long 35 years in Pakistani jail. His wife had to work as a maidservant during this period. And Kashmir Singh took all the risks because he was a dedicated patriot.
Digressing slightly, one wonders at the truthfulness of the advertisement of the Income Tax Department, urging the citizens to pay their taxes because "a new India is emerging through your contribution". Isn’t that a lie? Indian economy is surging ahead not because of these revenues, but because of our industry and business who are earning billions. The taxes that we pay go to meet the profligacy and prodigality of our governments (read politicians) - whether in buying expensive aircrafts for the loss-making Air India, flying politicians for free, allowing politicians and bureaucrats to undertake foreign trips including trips to Brazil to watch Samba dance while staying in five-star hotels at government expense, or spending crores in advertisements bearing the pictures of politicians.
I can’t but agree with Faizan Mustafa when he says in his article "Demise of Ideals" (The Statesman: 28 Jan): "The political masters have ganged up against the people" and with Winston Churchill’s forecast “Power will go into the hands of rascals, rogues and freebooters”. How true it has proved to be!