BACHCHAN HAS TO DECIDE

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan is facing a huge dilemma. From the time his close friend Amar Singh has been expelled from the Samajwadi party (SP), both Bachchan & Singh have been looking for a new political patronage. Given the number of controversies the Bachchans have been involved in, it is imperative for them to get some concrete political shelter.

Bachchan’s parents shared a very close & cordial relationship with the Nehru-Gandhi family. Bachchan himself was a very good friend of Rajiv Gandhi. But things changed drastically after Rajiv Gandhi’s death. The two families started drifting away and reached a point where the bitterness with the two was out in the public. In the 90’s when Bachchan was going through financial crisis, the Gandhis didn’t do much to help them out. It was during this period that Amar Singh’s proximity to Bachchan grew and eventually also brought him closer to Amar Singh’s Samajawadi party. In the early part of this decade Amar

Singh, Amitabh Bachchan & industrialist Anil Ambani became to be known as the famous ‘A’ group. This was also the time when the Samajawadi party was not only growing in UP but also had a strong growing influence in Delhi. But for the last 4 years Samajwadi Party has been on the decline. And during that period Amar Singh’s open fight with Samajwadi’s top bosses also didn’t do much good for the Bachchans. And now with Amar Singh out of Samajwadi, things are looking dicey for the Bachchans & Singh.

Bachchan’s proximity to Bal Thackeray has been growing for years even during the time he was in SP. Though last year when Jaya Bachchan (Amitabh’s wife) had to face Raj Thackarey’s rage for insulting the so called sentiments of the Marathi people, Bal Thackeray did not back him publicly. Surprisingly just a couple of months back the Shiv Sena went on a rampage against Shahrukh Khan for criticizing the non-selection of Pakistani players in this edition of the IPL. Where as on the other hand no one including Bal Thackarey even uttered a word against Amitabh Bachchan even though he publicly criticized the non inclusion of the same Pakistani players in the IPL and he was also the brand ambassador of the peace initiative by the two leading English dailies of India & Pakistan.

But given Bal Thackeray’s declining power & influence in national politics & with no Samajwadi to back him anymore, Bachchan needs to look for new political friends. Last month to everyone’s surprise Bachchan landed up in Gujarat to screen his latest hit ‘Paa’ for none other then Narendra Modi. A new friendship was seen brewing between the two when Bachchan immediately agreed to become the brand ambassador for the state of Gujarat. This growing proximity between Bachchan & BJP’s posterboy has send ripples across political circles. But another stunner came this week when Amitabh Bachchan was invited by the Congress government in Maharashtra to inaugurate the 2nd phase of the famous Bandra-Worli sea link in Mumbai. While just a year back the 1st phase of the same sea link was inaugurated by Sonia Gandhi. This latest invitation is seen by many in political circles as an indication by both the Congress & Bachchan for a public patch up. And this would have never been possible with out the permission of Sonia Gandhi.

It would be interesting to see in the near future which party will Bachchan publicly show more inclination. With bollywood always landing in the middle of some political conspiracy or the other, Bachchan is trying to keep good terms with all the parties. But on bigger issues it would be imperative for Bachchan to take a clear stand. With Shiv Sena on the political downslide and Raj Thackeray waiting for an opportunity to attack Bachchan again, Bachchan will have to make sure that atleast one out of the Congress or BJP gives him political protection. The emperor of bollywood desperately needs allies for future security. This script could end up having a much more thrilling climax compared to any other superhit bollywood movie would have had.

THE COMMUNAL RIOTS BILL

The last few weeks saw high voltage drama surrounding the controversial women’s quota bill. Though the bill has been passed in the Rajya Sabha, it still has to pass the acid test in the Lok Sabha. But there is one other bill that is bound to create a huge debate if not less when it is introduced in the parliament. The much delayed bill which should have become a legislation much earlier- the ‘communal riots’ bill.

One of the basic foundations of the strong Indian republic has been its emphasis on secularism. But a country that is home to more than half a dozen religions of this world

has been battered by bloody communal riots after periodic intervals. Communal riots have been part of Indian history for centuries but even independent India has seen thousands of lives lost in communal riots between communities. Among the many the more impactful ones include the hindu-muslim riots post partition in 1947, hindu-sikh riots in 1984 post Indira Gandhi’s assassination, hindu-muslim riots in 1992-93 post the Babri mosque demolition, the Gujarat riots of 2002 & the Orissa riots in 2008-09.

Right wing groups like the RSS, Bajrang dal have described the latest move as a ‘minority appeasement’ policy of the Congress. But human right groups && NGOs are blaming the bill’s current content as anti- minority. The current bill does not hold the police machinery or politicians accountable for the riots between two communities. It is this contentious issue against which human right groups are voicing their concerns. The current bill could become a weapon in the hands of the state machinery to use it against the minorities.

They have a valid point as the bill does not hold the police & people in power accountable. The Ehsan Jaffri case during the 2002 Gujarat riots is a good example to illustrate this point. According to Jaffri’s widow they made innumerable telephone calls to the city police commissioner when a huge mob started gathering outside Jaffri’s house. But the police refused to help them. Eventually Jaffri and dozens were pulled out from the house and hacked to death. Similarly, the sexual crimes committed against the victims is also been treated as ‘rape’. It is imperative to realize that sexual violence is a lethal weapon used by rioters to terrorize the victims.

It is vital for the bill to hold the state administration, police & above all the state government accountable for the riots. It has been proved in all the riot cases that section of the police and the state government encourage rioting between communities. Technically they are bigger culprits as compared to the actual rioters. The bill should be brought in for public debates so that changes can be made intune with the ground reality.

This bill is not only crucial to preserve riot victims but also highly critical to keep the secular fabric of India intact. If the government does not make the necessary changes as voiced by various groups then the bill would be complete eyewash. And the likes of Tytlers, Sajjans & Modis would continue to haunt & rape the secular credentials of this nation for years to come.

TO TALK OR NOT TO TALK

The Pune bomb blast on Saturday comes just ten days before the Indo-Pak foreign secretary level talks were scheduled to take place. This will be the first diplomatic engagement between the two countries post 26/11. But the Pune blast has again raised the issue whether ‘To talk or not to talk to Pakistan’.

For the record, the Indian government has maintained that the talks are on, even as investigating agencies are gathering evidence to get leads about the suspects. The most startling aspect of this whole incident is that on the 5th February, Jamaat-ud-Dawa’s (group waging war against India) deputy chief, Abdul Rehman Makki in a public rally stated that the war against India was not restricted to Kashmir but would also include cities like

‘Pune’. This merely 10 days before the actual attack comes as a shocker for many in India. This incident has again raised doubts about Pakistan’s inability in taking action against terrorist fundamental groups based out of Pakistan.

But the talks must go on. Yes, it is true that Pakistan has failed to clamp down on terror groups and nor has it made any significant progress on the 26/11 case. But without talks India won’t be able achieve anything. Till now India was banking heavily on the US to pressurize Pakistan. But the fact remains that for the US, Afghanistan is the priority. The only support India can expect is intelligence support from the US investigating agencies. Any major political step is out of question. India will have to carry out its battle alone.

Stopping people to people contact, breaking sporting ties is a wrong strategy. Let all the cultural, art & sporting activities continue but on a diplomatic level the agenda for the talks have to be focused. Pakistan will not act unless India discusses the concerns of Pakistan. Its take two to tango & therefore it is imperative for India to discuss valid concerns of Pakistan. If Pakistan wants to discuss Kashmir, no harm in discussing it as long as the demands are valid & practical. No point trying to achieve something very significant on that front which both the nations have failed to achieve for over 6 decades now.

The focus should be on two issues- 1) Working together to eliminate terror groups out of Pakistan, which Pakistan also claims to be a victim of.2) Easing tension on the Kashmir border. Many would argue that the focus should be only on cross border terrorism. Then let’s be realistic, Pakistan will never act if you make them feel that only India has genuine concerns and Pakistan does not. But yes, the stipulation attached to these talks should be that the dialogue will move forward only if both the sides act upon what has been discussed. E.g. - If Pakistan has agreed to take legal action against the 26/11 suspects and India has agreed to ease up military forces on the Kashmir front then there must be a timeline attached. If either side fails to deliver then the other side should also revoke the steps taken by it. But dialogue is the way forward with a focus and objective.

The Pune incident is a chilling reminder that terror groups can still strike at will and will try every bit to create hurdles as far as peace is concern between both the countries. But it’s high time that both nations display maturity in their approach. I know that it’s not as easy as it sounds but the cruel reality remains that other than this option both the nations have no other choice!!

MY NAME IS ‘CONTROVERSIAL’ THAROOR

Shashi Tharoor, apart from holding the distinction of been the first Indian to have held a high diplomatic post in the UN and also a ministerial post in the Indian government could also go on to add two more ‘records’ to his name. The first could be – to have the maximum number of followers on twitter in India and second, to have been involved in maximum controversies as minister.

When Shashi Tharoor’s stint at the UN came to an end many though that the suave diplomat cum intellect would go back to the literature world to pursue a career in writing (he has already penned many books). But to everyone’s surprise he decided to enter the big-bad- world of politics, which was drastically different from the world he came

from. But in all fairness to him, he did slug it out in the hinterland of India and won the Lok Sabha seat from Trivandrum, Kerela. He could have easily got a Rajya Sabha seat on a Congress ticket but then a ministerial berth would have remained elusive for a while atleast. But luckily for him the Congress president & the prime minister gave him an important portfolio during his first tenure in the parliament itself. Given his UN background, the minister of state for external affairs seemed the apt post for him.

But from the time he has taken over the role of a minister, Tharoor has made much more headlines than the PM himself and for all the wrong reasons. It all began when he posted a tongue-in-cheek remark on twitter with regards to the ‘austerity’ drive initiated by the PM. Then was his disagreement with the government’s new visa policy which he again tweeted. He was publicly reprimanded by his boss, SM Krishna, the external affairs minister on this issue. On Gandhi Jayanthi he attracted huge criticism for stating that people should be working instead of staying at home. In January this year it was reported that he criticized the foreign policy followed by Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. And now his latest remark that Saudi Arabia can play the role of an ‘interlocutor’ between India-Pakistan has added one more to the long list of controversies. Though Tharoor was quick to deny that he never referred to Saudi Arabia playing the role of a mediator but unfortunately for him, the English dictionaries refer to the word ‘interlocutor’ as ‘the man in the middle of the line of performers in a minstrel troupe, who acts as the announcer and banters with the end men’, which in plain English means a ‘mediator’.

Tharoor has been unlucky on some occasions to have been caught on the wrong foot but the fact remains that Tharoor belongs to the club of intellectuals who do not hesitate in elucidating their views and are very bad at party politics. Having been a journalist during early part of his career which was followed by a long spell at the UN and simultaneously having authored books on myriad subjects; it is a tough task for him to undo his way of putting across views in public.

But Tharoor forgot one very basic rule that being a minister he no more enjoys the liberty to practice ‘free speech’ on government policies & decisions in public. So even if he disagrees with some of those decisions, he will have to keep it restricted to the four walls of the ministry. Call it an irony in a democracy or a curtailment of free speech but opposing the government in pubic is like giving a lethal weapon in the hands of the opposition.

Tharoor will quickly have to mend his ways for his own good; otherwise the possibility is high that he might find himself out of favour from the Congress high command. Tharoor is probably one of the most qualified, intelligent & able ministers in the current UPA government. But he might loose the opportunity rather even before his experience of handing foreign policy issues could come handy for the government. Tharoor is a highly influential and renowned name in the global diplomatic world. His strong connections at the UN can be of great significance for India especially on thorny issues when they come up for debates & voting.

Whether Tharoor will escape this latest controversy surrounding him is still to be seen but if he does then, Tharoor should make sure that this was the last of them all, otherwise he will end up as another Mani Shankar Aiyer. Aiyer, the outspoken Congress leader was dropped from the cabinet (it may be noted that he lost the Lok Sabha elections 2009) this time for uttering views contrary to the party & the government during the last UPA tenure. Tharoor has to do a lot damage control if he wants be an integral part of Indian governance. Time is running out for him!!

THE LANDMARK BILL

Sonia Gandhi’s desire to pass the much debated & awaited controversial women’s quota bill on women’s day was left incomplete thanks to the ‘weak’ strategy of the UPA government. The day saw huge uproar by a handful of MPs in the Rajya Sabha when the bill was tabled. RJD & Samajwadi party MPs threw away the mike and stationary from the Vice President, Hamid Ansari’s table to make the day even more shameful. This was an absolute mockery of the largest democracy in the world. As one of my journalist friend pointed out that this shameful act performed by the MPs reinforces the fact that the Indian Parliament needs more women MPs to bring in some kind of Discipline.

Finally after years of debate, the bill has been accepted by the three main political parties- Congress, BJP & the Left. Despite having a comfortable 2/3rd majority (which is the requirement to amend the constitution) the government still failed to pass the bill on the first day. After a lot of hue and cry the bill got passed on tuesday in the Rajya Sabha.The Samajwadi & RJD’s demand is to include quota within a quota for the women belonging to the backward class. Their contention is that this bill will equip the Brahmins to hegemonize the parliament & that will lead to further inequality. Their argument has some merit and should be factored, given that out of the total women parliamentarians only 20% belong to the backward class while over 50% are from the upper class. Ironically, the leader of the ruling UPA and leader of the main opposition BJP are women.

But at this stage the introduction of this bill is a landmark achievement considering that women are very poorly represented in the parliament. History is a testimony that reservation for women in the past has seen a huge transformation in their daily lives. For instance from 1993, when one-third seats for all local body structures were reserved for women sparked a change in the lives of thousand of women residing in the villages. The cruel reality still remains that women in India continue to suffer and are victims of sexual assault, molestation, violence etc.

Politically the three parties that will benefit the most from this bill are Congress, BJP & the Left. All these parties have active women wings and this latest move will give them maximum political mileage. But the larger picture still remains that this is the right step forward that will empower the women of this country. Quota within a quota is something which the government will have to introduce sooner or later to make this bill effective & fair which is the primary objective.

India can never emerge as the super-power of this century unless the other half of this country is empowered and is on the same level. This bill might not change the lives of Indian women drastically but atleast it will reduce the agony & suffering which they have endured for centuries.