BRING THAT BLACK MONEY

Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi emerging out of SC.

When all spotlights are on black money; does it remain black? In last many years; we have cried hoarse to get back black money. Thief, after all, a thief, would hide, would run away from the reach of sleuths. But in this world, who would be dumb to keep black money parked in their accounts for so long. This optimism is bit far-fetched. Remaining optimistic that money will be brought back to India is a foolish wish. 

In last many years, we have shouted from rooftops to bring that money back. Wasn't this enough to forewarn the thugs.

There were allegations that Narendra Modi government was going slow on black money probe, government was trying to shield somebody? There are no clear answers to these allegations but why would opposition leave an opportunity to charge the government in power?

Congress, which is trying to corner BJP government on black money, did honestly everything to keep the flame low.

Supreme Court’s concern on black money is easily fathomable. When BJP government at the Centre brought out names of few individuals holding black money in Swiss banks, court feared that government may use “name and shame” tactics to browbeat opposition parties.

Congress, AAP and the communist party leveled this as “pick and choose policy.”

Supreme Court’s tough stand on black money issue caught BJP unaware.

When attorney general Mukul Rohtagi said that SIT was probing the accounts; the court observed, “It will never happen in our lifetime.”

Apex court said; “not one, two or three, give the entire list to us. You don’t do anything, just pass the information of accounts holders to us, we will pass order for further probe.”

There is no denying the fact that court was unhappy over the pace of investigation; hence it has wrested black money list from the government. Court said government thank you very much, ‘we will probe the black money trail.”

In the din of allegations and counter allegations, black money account holders might be smiling over the inordinate delay.      

Khattar, a common man, is Haryana CM

What is most striking about Manohar Lal Khattar is his simplicity. When he filed his affidavit before elections, he mentioned agriculture and giving tuition to the students as his prime avocation. This was a big departure from the past. “Lal” families and the Hooda were all rich, or they became filthily rich after becoming chief minister.

When Manohar Lal Khattar was chosen as chief minister, my colleagues in journalism and others scoffed at his simplicity. They said he lacked charisma, he did not have attitude. He didn’t have ego that a state level leader generally carried.
Khattar became a full time swayamsewak of the party. He joined BJP in 1994. From 2000 to 2014, he was Organizational General Secretary of BJP in Haryana. He was the Chairman of BJP's Haryana Election Campaign Committee for 2014 Lok Sabha Elections.

His rise would be important for various reasons. Voters have chosen a common man, who worked silently to rise to this level.

Maohan Lal Khattar during election campaign

His ascension to the CM post proves that there will be lot of emphasis on simplicity. Governance will be transparent. Bureaucracy will be under control and people friendly. Hooda’s regime has seen bureaucracy going berserk, where honest officers were literally haunted.
If BJP has to make a mark, it has give honest officers due credit for their good work. RSS, which is practically not a force to reckon with in the state might get a fresh lease of life.

RSS WALKING AN EXTRA MILE

I woke up at 6 in the morning to the chants of “mother India,”(Namaste sada vatsle matribhume). A motley group of 10-15 lads were jumping and crossing ropes in the field. It is usual morning ritual beside my apartment in Vasundhara (East Delhi) The whistle blowing group leader charges youth to run fast and faster in the field.

It was going on for long time but enthusiasm and fervor was missing. But for some time participation seems to have increased many times since Modi government came to power. Shakhas or the training centres of the RSS have gained strength with new entrants coming and joining the ranks thick and fast.

The field near my apartment used to be the place, where youths in their teens were eating and smoking banned substances. They have been replaced by cheering youths. Mobilising directionless youths to join the ranks would be difficult task.

BJP remained out of power for a decade, in those years; RSS ran shakhas with mass support wearing thin.

Shakhas would be set up all across the country and especially in Hindi heartland where BJP lost it to regional parties, namely Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party. During Ram temple movement shakas  used to be a common sight. RSS would walk an extra mile to bring those dalits to the training camps, who were watching it from sidelines. It remains to be seen, how SP&BSP react to it.

On the political front, BJP government at the centre would try to engage those close to RSS and its affiliates to bring them into mainstream politics. This is a long drawn process. Those who are watching politics in Delhi vouch for Modi's reticence.

"Modi would be the last man to allow RSS and its affiliates taking centrestage, given his autocratic style of functioning."

Modi, who has been trained in traditional Sangh family, has however adopted conciliatory tone much to the surprise of secular class. It's a long road ahead; country will see many more churning. Country would see politics changing its shades.

Hooda, Haryana, tennis and exit polls

Haryana is waiting with bated breath; who will be the next chief minister of the state? Will BJP make government own its own, will INLD will be the single largest party or will there be a coalition government? These were not easy questions to answer until various pollsters made it easy to decipher the highest ever voting percentage. Chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who ruled the state for 10 years, was seen playing tennis with his classmates at the CM house, where he lived for 10 years happily. In all these years Hooda made tennis his favourite pastime, he made no bones about his love for the game. His energy, his vitality perhaps came from the game, he always claimed. It may be his last few days at the CM house. He will perhaps miss the tennis court, which he made for great care. I remember my numerous interactions with Hooda, while he was simply an MP and after he became CM. Hooda looked to me as a hardworking politician, who was keen to make change. But he always appeared to be a weak administrator. Many politicians berate his achievements but I find that Hooda has already made his mark in state politics. I go back to the days when Bhajanlal was the tallest leader of the party not the Hooda. He managed to sideline him and finish his entire clan with great smartness. He dealt with many senior politicians, who were his adversaries. Kuldeep Bishnoi lost his sheen after he departed from congress. Birender Singh quit the party. Rao Birender Singh, too, left the congress after his rather prolonged the party. Those who survived in congress were Kumari Selja, Randeep Surjewal and Kiran Choudhary but they were not so vocal, not a great political threat. As a politician Hooda has been greatly successful but as a chief Minister his achievements will be questioned.

When Modi goes on AIR, TV follows him

When did you last tune into All India radio? When did you last check whether your transistor works perfectly? I do recollect how radio disappeared from our collective consciousness. For those who were born in 70’s and 80’s, radio was their first love. TV and more so color television came into our lives much later. Internet came much later, in late 1990s.

Gone are days when radio used to be our only source of breaking news. Our romance started with AIR and famously bloomed with BBC Hindi service. Every household could afford couple of radio sets. Radio reigned supreme. 

 We used to expect newsbreaks during bulletins in the morning and then for whole day, it used to be all quite on all fronts till noon. In the evening, it was a collective radio listening session. 

Who cared if radio will ever make a comeback? Till Prime Minister Narendra Modi discovered the power of radio.

I was reading BBC’s news site when I saw a proper report on Modi’s unique way of reaching out to the millions of people, who have no access to the television, no access to electricity.

The address titled as Mann ki baat (a talk from the heart), ran on state run AIR, FM channels and community stations. No other government in the past thought about exploiting AIR’s huge reach. What Modi plans to do is not original, US president reaches out to countrymen on weekly basis or whenever they wish. But unlike India, there is no noise.

It is not a secret that Modi wants to use government media to reach out to the citizens and he is exactly doing that.

All India radio claimed that Modi reached to 1.2 billion of population and broadcast covered 99 per cent of Indian territories.  

Why it didn’t occur to other leaders? Who nobody could think about the huge potential of radio?

Modi has given indication that he will work for the betterment of DD and Air. One would be surprised to see all private channels, which used to charge heftily from government for airing even social messages, are doing it free of cost. Media watchers say this is all about selling your ideas.

Naysayers would cast gloom and allege that Modi’s new ways will not solve country’s problems but he has reached out to a segment, whose needs were never catered to.