Why hate the CBI?

Last weekend when I switched on the news channels, I was quite disappointed to see all news channels thrashing our very own CBI, black and blue. And their fault - poor fellows had just failed to provide an updated list of the most wanted criminals to Pakistan. It so happened that after handing over the list (for umpteenth time now), it was found that one of the fugitives was in India attending trials and another one was already languishing in jail. A lot of hue and cry was being raised as to how it's such an embarrassment to India and for the CBI. I failed to understand that and decided that I will come up in full support for our premier investigating agency - the CBI.

CBI has far greater (mis)achievements to its credit, rather than these petty acts,  that need to be discussed and appreciated! Failure to update a list is merely a speck in the ocean of its glorious past. Did you forget how judiciously it brought to book the perpetrators of 1984 Anti-Sikh riots or how effectively it cut all the escape routes for Warren Anderson to stop him for escaping after the Bhopal Gas leak? You definitely can't forget how the Bofors scam was exposed - poor Win Chaddha couldn't just withstand the ignominy and died eventually. The other Italian accused, Quattorochi, can roam freely anywhere in the world except India. CBI has shown perseverance and has left no stone unturned to question the suspects in Babri Masjid demolition case over and over again and again and again so that it can come out with the true story on how exactly the events unfolded on that fateful day. Take more recent ones - Mayawati almost lost her mental balance due to the expose in the Taj Corridor land scam. Poor lady had to scout for another alternative to politics - last heard, she was busy sculpting statues of elephants and herself in parks across UP. CBI sleuths can be maverick at times like how they went to Denmark to arrest Purulia arms drop case main suspect with a warrant that was expired - just to check how sharp-witted Danish people are and how well they know law! They have played their role in social awakening also - like the way they acted in 2G and CWG scams. It was a conscious effort to proceed slowly so that people in India also awaken and contribute their bit in the fight against corruption. Now they have another task at hand - to improve the efficiency of other investigation agencies also. Why else do you think that important files are missing from the Adarsh Society case? The lapse in the Most wanted list was also intentional else how would Maharashtra Police and IB (along with whom the most wanted list was prepared) come to know that they already have arrested couple of the most wanted fugitives and that they can easily spare their resources and efforts elsewhere, catching the actual fugitives !

If you look at it objectively, everyone is baking his own bread while CBI's bum is on fire! The opposition, which already had enough ammunition in this season of scandals, has come out all guns blazing at our Home minister, asking for explanations. They conveniently and so innocently forget that the CBI was as inefficient in their times as it is today. No high-profile case was closed earlier and nor will it be closed in near future. The news channels which so vehemently questioned CBI's capability of performing its duty should first question themselves - Were they doing their duty when they were busy telecasting the Royal Wedding, discussing Kate's dresses, the Royal kiss, William's ex-girl friends, the clothes people were wearing at the wedding et al? Were they doing their duty when for one full day they shamelessly telecasted just the IPL auction process? Were these incidents in any way of any significance to the social, economic, political or environmental order of the world, which is actually what they should be discussing? 

At the end, everybody's just doing their job, which is to try to remain relevant in changing times. The opposition which itself is neck deep in corruption is opposing - just to be relevant. The media houses will focus on anything that brings in revenues. The bigger the media house, bigger the clout and greater is its  relevance. So what's it that CBI does to remain relevant - It does nothing !  'Coz by only doing nothing, will it serve its master - which is the govt at the centre. Remember CBI stands for Central Bureau of Investigation? 

So, for God's sake, please spare the CBI and let it do its good(f) job !

Friday, the 13th and the Assembly Election results

Friday, the 13th has ominous connotations associated with it and indeed, ominous it was this year in more than one ways.

It was particularly hard for the Communists whose last bastion was finally breached. Thanks to Mamta who had vehemently upped the ante against the Communist mis-governance all these years. Congress managed to scrape through in Kerala but fared poorly (in % terms) when compared to its allies - While Congress managed a hit rate was 38/82, its other regional allies fared much better with 20/24 and 10/15. Though Assam went to Congress' kitty again, the surprise package was the rise of a regional player - AIUDF which will be the main opposition party in the assembly now, displacing AGP and BJP. People are known to vote cyclically in TN and bring in the opposition, AIADMK in this case (in the previous assembly), with a thumping majority. In Puducherry, another regional player AINRC upset the Congress' prospects. 

There are basically two observations here. Firstly, regional parties still call the shots in many states. Second one, which comes as a corollary to the first is that national parties have still failed to make any significant inroads in some states. While Congress fares marginally better, BJP was unable to open its account in Kerala, TN and Bengal. 

Should this be a cause of concern? 

Most of the regional parties are family owned or owe their existence to one or two charismatic leaders. Take for example, National Conference - the Abdullahs, SP - Mulayam Singh, BSP - Mayawati, TMC - Mamta Bannerjee, DMK - Karunanidhi's clan, AIADMK - Jaya, Shiv Sena - The Thackereys, NCP - Sharad Pawar, INLD - Ajit Singh, RJD - Laloo etc. Barring the names I've mentioned, there's not even a second name worth recalling in these parties. These parties have grown by exploiting the issues related to a particular section of the society (Yadavs, Dalits, OBCs, Jats, farmers) or by creating an identity-crisis (Marathi manoos, anti-North, Kashmiriyat) hoopla. Their sectarian thinking always take priority over issues of greater national interest. No wonder then, that when these leaders or when members from these parties get inducted in the Cabinet they do a fairly pathetic job as they have their own petty interests to cater to. As a result any policy that needs to be implemented for greater good is stalled as it adversely impacts one or the other party's interests (read vote-bank), thereby preventing the Central govt from taking stern and rational decisions.

As the regional players get stronger and get more share of the seats in Centre, politics in India will reach its abyss. The way the regional parties successfully manage to whip up regional and ideological frenzies amongst masses, it will be foolishness to hope to see a wind of change in Indian politics soon. We sure do have quite a sizable youth population, but most of them are uninterested in the political system and can be goaded like a flock of sheep. We sure do have a very active media but they are busy making profits through paid news. We sure do have some of the best education institutes but education has still not reached the section of the society that actually exercises its right to vote and is easily manipulated.. 

Only if the collective power of all these agents of change - aware youth, honest media and education for all -  is harnessed in a constructive way, can we witness a better political establishment in India.

Long live the democracy !

The Real Cost of Development !

My association with NH-15 (connecting Kandla in Gujarat to Pathankot in Punjab) goes back to more than 20 years as I have to traverse through this highway to reach my native place - Pathankot. Nothing had changed much in the past 15-20 years - be it the potholes, the erratic lorry drivers or the dilapidated road side dhabas and shops . I always thought that the pace of development was really slow in this part of India. 

Last week again, I found myself on the same road. But this time, to my astonishment, things were changing finally. The highway was being widened. I thanked heavens for bestowing much needed wisdom on the authorities. But that relief was short lived as I realized that the widening had come at the cost of 100 years old (or may be more) mango trees which had so gracefully lined the boulevard all these decades.

Trees flattened to make the highway

Tree trunks lying by the roadside

As we zipped along the highway, I realized that it would have taken hundreds of trees to make way for the highway. I am no tree-hugging social activist but as we moved on and on I could feel a deep sense of sadness gripping my heart. Over the years, I had somehow developed a bonding with the trees. I could remember peeping out of the bus/car windows to get a cool breeze along the highway. Even in scorching summers (and non-AC car !), the trees with their shade would make a drive on this highway a lot easier. Not to forget the ease with which we could bear the traffic snarl caused due to closed railway-crossings. As I was engrossed in my own memories, my father was engulfed in his own poignant memoirs. He told me how he remembered playing under the shade of the trees with his friends, how they used to pluck mangoes from the trees and then go to the nearby canal to savour them and have a hearty bath later on ! 

That day, I realized that other than the apparent cost of development which may extend up to a few hundred-thousand crores, there is also an undisclosed cost associated with it - the cost of the memories. And no matter what, you can't put a value to the memories !

For the next an hour or so, I did not speak much - was just looking out of the window to enjoy the last few moments of the view that would be completely transformed on my next visit. That was also my last homage to my companions all these years on NH15. 

Life goes on !