Recently I came across a few news items, which caught my attention, and would like to share the same with you.
1 This news item is about what happened in Nashik’s session court yesterday. The court convicted and sentenced an MLA from Achalpur Omprakash alias Baburao Kadu to one-year imprisonment each on two charges of assault on a public servant and intentional insult in July 2017. The sentences are to run concurrently. He was charged under section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servants from discharge of duty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The said incident happened, when Kadu was at the Nashilk Municipal Corporation (NMC), making representation on behalf of his organization, which works for the disabled. During the meeting, Nashik civic chief asked Kadu to sit on a chair in front of disabled persons present there. Kadu then abused the civic chief.
Soon after the sentencing by the court, Kadu’s lawyer moved a bail application, and the court granted bail to the MLA Kadu to enable him to move an appeal to a higher court.
Now, these politicians are filthy rich, they can hire top lawyers who can file the bail application immediately to avoid even one-night imprisonment, imagine the plight of poor people, who may not have money to guarantee bail. If every decision given by lower courts can be challenged in the higher court, then what is the use of having lower courts?
In my opinion, after the sentence is pronounced the convict should go to prison, and then in due process apply for bail in a higher court as per the merit of the case. This will be a deterrent to all the politicians who misuse their position and abuse public servants and other people, in the back of their minds they will know that if they are convicted in the lower court, then they will have to spend a few days in jail. Presently when the charge sheet is filed they get the bail, and after conviction by the lower court then also they get the bail.
This is a mockery of the law, and that’s why the cases go on for years and years.
2 A few days back, Rahul Gandhi was in the United Kingdom, where he gave a speech at one of the universities. Where he mentioned that there is no democracy left in India, and the government is controlling all the institutions, and phones of all opposition leaders, including mine, are tapped with Pegasus software. Then he goes on to say that democracy is in real danger, and I request Europe and America to intervene and save the democracy in India.
My views on this
- It has become a habit of Rahul Gandhi, whenever he steps out of India, everything about India becomes bad. Now can someone from Congress throw light on how Europe and America can intervene in the Indian political scene? Up till we have never heard of any country trying to save democracy in another country. Does Rahul Gandhi mean to say that dictator rules the Indian government or it has become a banana republic so he is requesting outside countries to save the nation?
- Rahul Gandhi’s statements are always against the Indian PM Narendra Modi, he should realize that Modi is elected PM of the country, and now he is the most respected world leader, and most of the countries in Europe and the USA highly respect Modi, and they understand very well how the democracy works. Rahul Gandhi should understand that India has a better economy than most of the nations in Europe including the UK, and he is requesting them to save Indian democracy, whereas the fact is that Indian democracy was never in danger.
- I think, all the congressmen, and especially Rahul Gandhi should try to learn the CAR principle, where C stands for CHANGE– now if Rahul Gandhi does not like the functioning of the Modi government, then his party should try to change this. For changing, the Congress party and its allies have to win the general election with the majority to form the government, so that they can throw the Modi government out. At this moment this scenario looks highly impossible. Now in CAR principle, A stands for ACCEPT – So if you can not change something then you have to accept that thing in your life. Here whether Rahul Gandhi likes it or not, the Modi government is here to stay. So the situation here is that Rahul Gandhi can not change the political scenario, and he is not ready to accept the present political situation, here comes the third letter of CAR, which is R which stands for REMOVE, now if you can not change, can not accept then it is best to remove yourself from that situation. Here the situation is Rahul can not change, can not accept, and lastly can not remove himself from the scene. Here comes one more option for R which stands for ‘Rise above what you can not accept’.
- Now can Rahul Gandhi and Congress rise above the BJP and its leader Narendra Modi in the next one year? The thing which they are trying to do for the last 9 years, will they be able to do now in one year? No political pundit will give any odds in favor of Congress and its allies to dislodge the Modi government.
- Then what is left for Congress and Rahul Gandhi to do? In my opinion, the Congress party and its leaders should try to consolidate their position in Lok Sabha from the present strength of 52 seats. They should also see that their allies also strengthen their positions. Then they will have 5 more years to plan their strategy for the election in 2029.
- There is one more problem with Congress, and that is the lack of leadership. Mallikaarjun Khadge is not a mass leader, and what to say about the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, Congress is trying to project him as their future leader for the last 19 years, and the result of the same is known to everyone. Sonia Gandhi has age against her, and Priyanka Gandhi is the second Rahul Gandhi in the making.
- In reality, the future for the Congress party is very bleak, and they have no strategy or plans to come out of this rut. In the end, it is going to be our fortune to listen to Rahul Gandhi and his wild thoughts for the time to come.
Waiting for your views on this blog.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
9th March 2023