INDIA LAUNCHES AGNI – V = WITH 5000 km RANGE = JOINS ELITE CLUB = BUT WHAT NEXT? = OPERATIONALIZE QUICKLY = GOVT, DRDO DESERVE HUGE CONGRATS

INDIA LAUNCHES

AGNI - V

With India launching today the 5000 KM range, AGNI - V MISSILE, which is a very significant  scientific and Technological achievement, India joins the small, Elite Club of Nations having this marvel of Advanced Technology.

India is now acquiring the capability to launch multiple war heads from a Missile with near, if not exactly, ICBM capabilities. 

Agni-V is a  solid fuel, 3 stage Missile.

The Scientists behind this creditable effort (mainly from DRDO), the Prime Minister and the Government of India who have been a great support to this effort – all need to be congratulated, for achieving this capability.

Now that the capability is proven; (well, it is just that – our capability to make such missiles is proven; nothing more); the real operational and beneficial  part of this capability (for India) must get executed with greater precision and swiftness.

Government of India, DRDO and the Army – must now concentrate on making all out efforts – to manufacture and place at various strategic locations – a good number of these missiles – aimed at being a sufficient deterrent against any adventurous attacks on India. Money should not be a constraint for this effort.

What is the next, immediate step required?

I suggest – that the Government, the DRDO and the Army must put in place a High Powered, Highly motivated team immediately, to monitor and hasten the process of testing, removing snags if any, improving design, and manufacturing sufficient number of these Missiles and placing them at strategic locations – so that by next year, this time, we are much stronger that what we now are. 

It is to be remembered that INDIA is only responding to an existing threat, an existing situation, where INDIA  cannot but possess retaliatory capabilities. 

DEMONSTRABLE STRENGTH is the only DETERRENT against irresponsible Enemies ( or misdirected friends!).

India has never been an aggressor – and has no territorial or other designs against any country in the world. But that said, India does face such designs from its neighbours against itself. This is a factual situation that India must seriously acknowledge.

One wonders sometimes - if this is the result of projecting itself as a TOO SOFT STATE in the past.

India must want FRIENDLY NEIGHBOURS – on all sides, but must never tolerate terrorist or territorial designs against itself, in the name of keeping friendships. There must be clear, strong retaliatory capabilities and measures against such designs – which must be understood and recognized as such – by our neighbours.

One always wanted to see the Government – performing  efficiently and not suffering from any Policy or performance paralysis. In this Instance, Government does deserve huge congratulations. Of course, DRDO deserves much better. As earlier said – If Government can operationalize these capabilities fast – say, within an year or so - it would have done a Great service to India.

I always remember How Kennedy put one single goal before USA, put a man, an American on the moon – and how that one Goal galvanized all Industries in USA, including its agriculture, to perform with super-efficiency and make USA, leaps ahead of its competitors.

India needs a similar goal and zeal today.

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INDIA’S FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION - COMING TOGETHER OF ANNA HAZARE & RAM DEV - WHEN WILL DR.MMS & SMT. SUSHMA SWARAJ COME TOGETHER FOR THIS?

INDIA’S FIGHT AGAINST

CORRUPTION

(06.04.2012)

One of the Best things to have happened recently -  in the fight against corruption in India is, the coming together of Anna Hazare and Baba RamDev.

For some  reason or other, Team Anna became TOO HESITANT to fight alongside of  Baba Ram Dev - after the Midnight  charge on Baba Ram Dev Camp by the Police, which left one person in deep coma and later, death - and many others injured.

If a Police charge happens on Half-asleep people, weird things are bound to happen. No one can be expected to behave in the most intelligent manner when awakened in sleep by a Police force, charging with lathis.

Even the media did much injustice to Baba Ram Dev in this - by projecting Ram Dev in a Bad light - without looking at the circumstances. At least some of the later pronouncements by the UPA political leaders mus have opened their eyes  - that they (the UPA) will act on Anna also in some such manner. Instead of supporting the cause for which Ram Dev stood up - ridiculing him for small slip ups was not the best thing to do - for the Media. It is quite possible that Baba Ram Dev did indeed suspect a possible attempt to kill him. And, there was no point in getting killed in that way, in half sleep.

But, in my view, it was Team Anna which some what cold-shourldered Baba Ram Dev after that. A friend in need - is the friend in deed. Ram Dev did need huge support from Team Anna at that Juncture. Even if Ram Dev was not important, the cause for which he was fighting was important. 

Every soldier fighting against corruption  is important and must be protected by the others - so that the fight goes on to a successful end.

Subsequent events saw Team Anna Members also facing number of charges. One is reminded of the four bulls and the Lion story which we used to study in childhood.

United we Grow.Divided we Perish,  This is the moral.

This country needs a corruption-free Government and corruption-free people. But, right now, the whole world knows - as we all know - that India is one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Do we, or do we not want to rid this country of this stigma of being one of the most corrupt countries in the world?

If Yes - all soldiers against corruption must join together. Not merely Baba RamDev and Team Anna. Every RTI Activist who is waging a lone fight against corruption and facing dangerous people alone - must join these two leaders.

Honest people in all Political Parties must also join the fight - leaving aside all Political loyalties binding them towards corrupt people.

Religion ,caste, creed, sex, state - none of these should stop any one from joining this fight against corruption.

Unfortunately - Bad people join together very easily for achieving Bad purposes. That is the order of the world. That is so in India too.

But, Good people fail to join together to achieve Good Ends - due mainly to their Ego problems. Ego must be sunk and people must come together.

At the same time - we must recognize that the fight is - mainly against corruption, as a practice. Not people as such. 99.9% of people will reform easily - if only they find sufficient emotional satisfaction in it. The hard core 0.1%, who are corrupt by themselves and would convert others also into their path, even by bullying tactics - they are the ones against whom - all Guns must be trained.

That cannot happen - unless all fighters against corruption come together and support each other.

The joining together of Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev is therefore a significant step - but by no means a sufficient step.

And, there are weaknesses in the fighters  against corruption which can be easily exploited.

For one - Team Anna Members are developing a Penchant for accusing X, Y or Z personally for one reason or other - instead of first trying to get a strong Lok Pal Bill, with the co-operation of all MPs.

The Goal is the Bill - not X, Y or Z at this stage. Hanuman could have upturned Lanka and probably killed all Rakshasas himself - but, that was to be left to Lord Ram, and not accomplished by himself.

Likewise, Team Anna must leave it all to the Lok Pal; but, for that, it must first, get the Lok Pal installed. Unfortunately, Team Anna is putting the cart before the Horse. They need a sound Horse sense.

Get the Lok Pal. Get a strong Lok Pal. Get an independent, autonomous, fully equipped Lok Pal. Rest of the things, he will take care of.

What if over 150 MPs are facing grave charges? Will they have to vote for Lok Pal or not? They will vote, any way. So, why this self Goal - by Team Anna? Can't you envision your Goal clearly - the single most important thing - by doing which, all other things will be automatically done?

Get a strong Lok Pal Bill passed - that must be the only Goal. 

Here again, Team Anna says, they want Jan Lok Pal Bill ! And, every body else says, Jan Lok Pal Bill is your baby, why should we deliver it? Can Team Anna not say - we want a STRONG Lok Pal Bill? can they not mentally and verbally stand now for a strong Lok Pal Bill, and not for Jan lok pal bill? If you do that small substitution of one word - more people will feel more comfortable, and more people will find less to criticize you.

And, the Fighters against Corruption - must also know how to praise and whom to praise too.

Whatever some may say against Dr. Manmohan Singh, he is one of the most honest Prime Ministers of India. We don't know whether the next PM will be as honest as Dr.MMS. Dr. MMS may be weak, meek, Powerless, soft or whatever, but, he is an honest PM. He does want to do whatever he can for India ; it is just that the coalition partners are un-supportive and some times, a few of his own party members also, are un-supportive.

Likewise, there are some excellent Ministers in the cabinet. There are some excellent opposition leaders too. Don't you find enough reasons to praise them unreservedly? 

Like - Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley in BJP - they are clean - as clean can be. Don't we find a reason to praise them? Modi in Gujarat may have some problems - but his record is corruption-free. If Time magazine can find reason to praise him, can you not find reason to praise him?

The leftist parties may have non-uptodate ideologies; but they are by and large MOST non-corrupt. Can't we see reason enough to praise them? Was there a time you praised Dr. Jaiprakash Narayan, the lone MLA ,founder President of Lok Satta Party, who is fighting a lone battle in AP? Why this isolationism on the part of Team Anna?

Corrupt are there in all parties. But, Good men are there too - in many parties. We must be able to see that; and praise the Good men and strengthen their hands and their power - against the corrupt men in their party and other parties.

Criticism comes easily to the tongue. But, Praise does not. It must be practiced. Locate the good men and praise them. Else, Good men also will see no reason to join you, or praise you, or support you. This, unfortunately is what is happening.

With each scam revelation, the facets of corruption seem to be growing in India. Likewise, the fear that a strong Lok Pal may not come at all in India is also growing.

Anna and Baba Ram Dev have a lot of responsibility on their head - to strengthen the fight against Corruption and Black Money. A lot of responsibility to consolidate the forces against corruption.

Let us hope that they will succeed. But, the strongest wish is - that Dr.MMS, Smt.Sushma Swaraj and Shri Arun Jaitley (and the Left leaders) must come together and give India a grand gift of a strong Lok Pal. It does not matter, if it is slightly different from what Team Anna wants. But, Give India what India needs - to root out corruption.

The Nation is ready to salute you - for this.

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SACHIN TENDULKAR’S 100TH 100 = A TRIBUTE TO THE GREATEST CRICKETER = AN INDIAN FIRST = WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE?

SACHIN’S

100^th 100

People do get sick…,do get old…,do become weak…,do become incapable of doing what they did effortlessly a few years ago…,and then …,they do fade out.

It happens to everybody. Many thought much the same thing – when  Sachin failed to get his hundredth hundred – for over a year.

Even Sachin must get older; lose concentration; fail (to play) consistently; and disappoint us consistently for over a year.. It was happening every time he batted during last one year or so. 

Yet, we (I) waited…,and waited…,and waited…some of his ardent supporters (many, including me) were not losing patience….but some were losing patience…

Many of the impatient men..the media men, the critics…all the off-field, arm-chair experts…, had started criticizing the Cricketing God…, stressing that older cricketers must fade out into cricketing oblivion – and probably, become enlightened bureaucrats, like K.Srikkanth…,or Sunil Gavaskar. Give chance to younger men..is their advice…, their argument. 

K.Srikkanth was himself drawing flak (as selector) on why he was not demanding strictly for the 100^th 100 from the little master. Tell him to – Get the hundred or get out. Something like that.

We must all be a little more understanding than that. After all, we can’t get another Sachin, to hit a century of centuries, in a century (of years).  It is now or never. This one Sachin or none else.

After 99 100s,  another small hundred will need to wait for its time. Sachin usually takes some time scoring that one run after scoring 99 quick runs to reach his ton. In same manner, he took quite some time, to take his 100^th century - after his 99th ton. 

If we knew that - it had to be against Bangladesh, we would have invited Bangladesh or gone to Bangladesh long ago – instead of wasting time on England, Australia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, South Africa etc. Bangladesh, any way is improving its cricket very well and is an increasingly unpredictable side. Congrats, B’desh for your win - especially after Sachin’s Century.

Had this happened an year ago - with the pressure off his mind, the little master would have again assumed the role of a master Blaster, and hit the Aussies and all others to the covers all through one year. The Maha’ Government would have pressured GOI for a Bharat Ratna for the Great son of M’Rashtra, who claims to be first an Indian and then, anything else. 

I like him much more - for this one statement, than for his 100 100s – because, not one in a hundred (or in a 100 100s) seem to feel so in India now a days. Youngsters (and not so youngsters) in India must all learn this one idea (or ideal) from Sachin and live by it. The country needs it - more than Cricket.

If that happens, Sachin will deserve B’Ratna too – but not for his 100 100s in Cricket. If a 100 patriots say  – be Indian ,Buy Indian (etc) – our Youngsters are in no great mood to listen. But, if Sachin of the 100 100s Fame, the cricketing God of our times, says that- our youngsters will surely listen.

Indian public mind – that is, our mind- is very peculiar. If MS Dhoni hits a 50 we are satisfied. We go into raptures (for a while). But, If Sachin hits 60  –we are dissatisfied. We condemn him. 100 is his Pass Mark. We are all unjust, cruel , biased, one-eyed monsters. We want a hundred from Sachin. Always. 

Otherwise – We may even throw stones at him – like some people sometimes do in Pakistan against Pros(Prostitutes) and we may cry for his blood. Give us a hundred or RETIRE!

This was the battle cry in some sections of media, on the streets, on the internet and all over the world – where the name of cricket is known, or at least, the name of Sachin is known.

Why is he not retiring, if he can’t even hit a hundred – many were asking impatiently. Don’t you have the guts to retire him – some openly asked the selectors. Yet others wonder openly – why are the older players like Sachin not retiring, making way, for younger players?

Some one else, other than Sachin, would have fretted, fumed, and retired in a huff, when such things happen. But, Sachin did have strong protagonists who fought the battles on his behalf, from his side. 

Show us some from amongst youngsters, who has done better than Sachin, even in 2011? Was he at the bottom of the scoreboard – or in the averages in 2011? If so, fine, retire him; fire him; but, if he is still among the top  5 even in 2011 – how can you retire him?

Locate the worst performers in the team – and FIRE THEM! Not one of the best performers, simply because, he is older than the worst performers. Admittedly, 2011 was virtually a washout for Indian cricket. Our cricketers FAILED INEXPLICABLY, but consistently. It was a Grand Team failure – with no one really shining. In Batting, bowling and fielding – we failed.  

Our bowling proved its weakness conclusively in 2011. It is proving to be so even in 2012 – as we saw against Bangladesh in which we lost - even after a marvelous century by Sachin.  We have just won a marvelous match today against Pakistan – by exceptional batting from Virat Kohli (183 –his 11^th ODI ton) , Rohit Sharma(68) and of course, Sachin (52). So,2012 can prove to be a turn around.

After the disaster against Bangladesh – who can say that Sachin should now be fired and the rest of the team retained????

In India most people are emotional, some are philosophical, but very few are scientific – in temperament.

When a team wins 4 matches in a row – we retain the winning team for the next series, or for the next year and so on – including all the duds in the winning team. When we win, we get intoxicated – and then, even the desert looks green. It happens to many teams perhaps – and we are not an exception. But, when we lose – everyone looks a dud.

We  search for those youngsters who are talented –  we encourage them when they do well – we drop them all of a sudden even after they do well – and then, bring then back when they are emotionally down – and drop them if they don’t do well..and it goes on in quirky steps. The Yuvraj Singh Ad says it all. 

Will Sachin hit another hundred Centuries? Well. Mr.Yogendra Yadav can put this to vote and find the result – which we all, already know.

But, Sachin can convert many Indians to the much needed nationalistic philosophy of “I am an Indian first”. When Sachin Bats on field with this LOGO ON -  He can perhaps convert a 100 100 100 Indians into saying and feeling this intensely.

It doesn’t matter how many hundreds and half-hundreds or even half-of half hundreds he hits – but, he must play on for a long time to come to do this – and get his Bharat Ratna – just for this one service. Not for a 100 100s with Bat and Ball – which deserves a New, highest SPORTS HONOUR / AWARD.

But, if he does get B’Ratna, I will still congratulate him. It is just that – I want GOI to search for people  WHO ARE DOING EXCEPTIONAL SELF LESS SERVICE for India, and there are a few who are doing that – and honour them with B’Ratna. 

To draw  a comparison – Bill gates deserves no (B’Ratna like) awards for creating his Microsoft and becoming Number one billionaire in the world. But, he certainly deserves such an award for giving up more than 1/3^rd (so far) of his wealth for saving the lives of millions of suffering people.

I love a few quotes on Sachin – and these are here :

·         A placard at the SCG: Commit all your crimes when Sachin is batting. They will go unnoticed because even the Lord is watching.

·         Peter Roebuck: On a train from Shimla to Delhi, there was a halt in one of the stations. The train stopped by for few minutes as usual. Sachin was nearing century, batting on 98. The passengers, railway officials, everyone on the train waited for Sachin to complete the century. This Genius can stop time in India!!

·         Barry Richards : Sachin is cricket’s God

·         Hashim Amla (South African batsman) : Nothing bad can happen to us if we’are on a plane in India with Sachin Tendulkar on it.

·         Mark Taylor : We did not lose to a team called India…we lost to a man called Sachin – (in Test match at Chennai 1997)

·         Harsha Bhogle : If sachin plays well…India sleeps well.

·         Kris Srikkanth : He is the only match winning batsman we have

·         Ranatunga : You get him out  and half the battle is won

·         Sachin Tendulkar : I want to give my six hours of serious cricket on the ground and then take whatever the result.

·         “To Sachin, the man we all want to be” - - What Andrew Symonds wrote on an aussie t-shirt he autographed specially for Sachin

·         “The joy he brings to the millions of his countrymen, the grace with which he handles all the adulation and the expectations and his innate humility -all make for a one-in-a-billion  - individual” - -Glenn McGrath

·         “Even my father’s name is Sachin Tendulkar.” -  -Tendulkar’s daughter, Sara, tells her class her father’s name after the teacher informs them of a restaurant of the same name in Mumbai.

·         Question: Who do you think as most important celebrity ?
Shahrukh: There was a big party where stars from bollywood and cricket were invited. Suddenly, there was a big noise, all wanted to see approaching Amitabh Bachhan.  Then Sachin entered the hall and Amitabh was leading the queue to get a grab of the GENIUS!! 
-A quote of Shahrukh Khan from one of his interviews

·         “I WILL SEE GOD WHEN I DIE BUT TILL THEN I WILL SEE SACHIN “ - -Displayed on a banner at a cricket ground

·         “Sachin cannot cheat. He is to cricket what (Mahatma) Gandhiji was to politics. It’s clear discrimination.” - -NKP Salve, former Union Minister. This was when he was accused of ball tempering.

·    “There are 2 kind of batsmen in the world. One Sachin Tendulkar. Two all the others.” -  -Andy Flower

·         I have delayed my shoots many times to watch Sachin bat" - Filmstar Amitabh Bachchan.

·         "I don't watch cricket much but I admire Sachin Tendulkar. I like the way he has conducted himself over the years. He has been such a huge star for so long but has not had a single controversy against his name." - Olympic bronze medallist boxer Vijender Singh.

·         "The best thing about Sachin Tendulkar is that he's completely rooted, down to earth, and a thorough gentleman. He's probably the best thing to have happened to Indian cricket and maybe Indian sport as a whole." - Indian tennis star Sania Mirza.

·         Sachin is 99.5% Perfect.. I'll pay to watch him play. - Viv Richards

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SUCCESS ELUDES LOK PAL BILL - ANTI-CORRUPTION CAMPAIGN - Team Anna needs Focus - UPA & OPPOSITION needs to come together - India needs STRONG LOK PAL

Success eludes

LOK PAL BILL

< ANTI-CORRUPTION CAMPAIGN >

Various corruption scandals have aroused the nation’s attention in a big way, to the need for a strong corruption prevention mechanism in the country, away from Politicians’ control, to hit at the roots of this extraordinary menace of corruption in the country and destroy it.

The strong stink of Black Money in the Country can also no more be brushed aside – especially after the CBI itself has spoken of the mammoth amounts stashed away abroad by Indians.

The Anti-corruption campaign led by Team Anna has been a significant land mark – especially in drafting a strong Lok Pal Bill and forcing the Government to consider it – seemingly much against its will. But, ultimately,  nothing came out of its huge efforts. All the public protests staged by Team Anna were met by the Government in ways that will never do any credit to the Government.

The Anti-corruption Lok Pal Bill is now to be considered once again in Parliament in the current session. Will Government concede at least a few of the valid arguments of Team Anna and of the Opposition Parties, this time around? We will have to wait and see.

Why is India so hesitant and so much dragging its legs in having a strong Lok Pal Bill – despite being recognized by the whole world as one of the most corrupt countries?

The answer is a puzzle indeed. All parties in the fray have to share the responsibility in some measure – though the responsibility of the UPA Government is the maximum.

Let us look at what went wrong – and what is likely to go wrong again – in India having a really strong Lok Pal Bill.

ROLE OF TEAM ANNA

MY WAY OR HIGH WAY: The ANTI-CORRUPTION CAMPAIGN  led by Anna Hazare and his team has presented a stubborn face of “Either my way, or the High way” right from the beginning either knowingly or unknowingly. Team Anna always says – we want the Jan Lok Pal Bill! There is a huge difference between saying we want a strong Lok Pal Bill and we want Jan Lok Pal Bill. 

Sri Arvind Kejriwal sometimes did clarify that some views of the Opposition parties, chiefly the BJP, are acceptable to it and Team Anna will not insist on its own version. But whenever team Anna speaks of Jan Lok Pal Bill, everybody starts feeling, it wants its OWN VERSION. In other words – team Anna wants “its way”. Team Anna is still not understanding that public opinion has veered round to the view that while a strong Lok Pal is necessary, the Jan Lok Pal Bill is not. Jan Lok Bill is identified with Team Anna and is anathema to many Political Parties (UPA and others). But, the words, strong Lok Pal Bill has no such identification with Team Anna or BJP – and is more acceptable to more people. Team Anna must learn to play its cards right and mouth its words right – if the nation has to get a strong Lok Pal Bill.

BROADBASE THE TEAM : Team Anna must develop state level campaign Teams in much stronger way. Every state must have a strong ANTI-CORRUPTION CAMPAIGN TEAM – led by good leaders who can mobilize grass roots support for the campaign. Team Anna has a long way to go in this respect.

HANDLING GOVERNMENT / UPA : It is true that UPA Government constantly tried to divert attention of people from the Anti corruption Campaign by allegations and smear campaigns against individual members of Team Anna. But, Team Anna did not handle the smear Campaigns intelligently and as a Team.

First, it failed to Support adequately Swami Ram Dev in his campaign against Black Money. The midnight scoop by Government, on the team of Swami Ram Dev was unprecedented in its methods. Swami Ram Dev might have committed some errors in Handling the mid night scoop which was not only totally unexpected but was ethically absolutely wrong. In half sleep, anybody commits such mistakes. The Nation should understand that. Especially Team Anna must understand that. No one can behave intelligently in Half-sleep. 

In my view, Team Anna should have stood by Swami Ram Dev in that period and thereafter - much more stridently than it did. Subsequently, one after another, many members of Team Anna fell victims to UPA’s smear campaign and various allegations. This was typical of the ancient 4 Bulls Vs The Lion story. The moral never seems to sink into the Bulls. United you live. Divided you perish. Even now, the intelligent thing for Team Anna is to unite with all people including swami Ram Dev – and support each other more stridently than at present.

UNITED FIGHT : Fighting Unitedly with all the ANTI-CORRUPTION campaigners is the best possible way to root out corruption in India. 

The leftists are against corruption. The BJP is against Corruption. Many sections of Congress are against Corruption. Lok Satta president, Jayaprakash Narayan is a strident campaigner against Corruption. TDP Chief, Chandrababu Naidu is against Corruption. Bihar’s Nitish and Gujarat’s Modi are against Corruption. So are Mamata Banerjee and Navin Patnaik. Mobilize them purely – for this SINGLE POINT CAMPAIGN. Request them to come and address your Anti-corruption campaigners individually on different days at different places. There is nothing APOLITICAL  about ANTI-CORRUPTION CAMPAIGN. It is first and foremost, against corrupt Politicians and then against  Corrupt Babus in Government. So all honest Politicians in all Parties must be asked to join the campaign or at least support it from outside. Team Anna must build consensus opinions on the Lok Pal issue, instead of saying – we want JAN LOK PAL BILL.

When Swami Ram Dev talked of Black money issue, many seemed skeptical about his arguments. Now, even the CBI is saying the same thing. Corruption and Black Money are not two different issues, but, one is the cause and the other is the effect; both are two sides of the same coin. You can’t fight Corruption and be silent on Black money or vice verse. Fight both simultaneously.

UNITING RTI ACTIVISTS : It is horrifying – that RTI Activists are being killed by different methods by the corrupt persons and mafia gangs in all States. RTI Activists are fighting lone Battles, which is not good for the country, and not safe for them. It is essential that these courageous people fighting against corruption are brought under a single umbrella and supported ACTIVELY – so that the anti-corruption campaigns remain effective all over India. In this country, Bad People Unite easily for Bad Purpose – but Good People do not Unite for Good Purpose. Bad people are more in number and have money/power etc as common stakes to unite with each other. But Good People want to fight individually, not willing to join each other. This tendency must be avoided. Team Anna must spearhead this “Unite and Win” campaign.

ROLE OF OPPOSITION PARTIES

The opposition Parties need to find a way out of the Lok Pal Logjam in Parliament – by withdrawing the hundreds of amendments proposed and making it simpler for the UPA to come up with an effective Bill. The goal must be clear. The country can’t wait indefinitely for a strong Lok Pal. It is now or never. After all, we lost over 50 years waiting for Lok Pal Bill and unless Opposition parties take intelligent, problem solving stand -  another 50 years can easily go in the same way. Forget Team Anna – but sit with UPA and resolve the issues and offer help in drafting a strong Lok Pal bill.

Enough has been spoken on the Bill. Now, there is no need for elaborate speeches and point scoring. What is needed is – the Bill must be modified and passed quickly.

The only point is – it may be right to suspect UPA of anti-federalist motives in any other Bill; but, not in Lok Pal Bill. If UNO is also urging all countries to have a strong anti-corruption Bill for their countries – we must also adopt a uniform Bill for the whole country. You can’t have a strong Bill for centre, a weak bill for one state and none for some other state. Opposition parties must  see reason in having a uniform anti-corruption bill for the whole country. The Bill will be common, but administering will be by individual structures for each state – with centre having no role on a state. 

ROLE OF UPA

No one really expected UPA to be so much resisting to the obviously good Provisions that Team Anna or the Opposition Parties proposed.

Many were left wondering – is this the same UPA which ushered in an effective RTI Act very recently? If UPA leaves the matter to its leader, Dr.Manmohan Singh, a strong Lok Pal may become a reality very quickly.

UPA can seize the initiative to make the Lok Pal Bill stronger than what was proposed by Team Anna and BJP – and it will lose nothing thereby but gain a lot. Its reputation will go up by many notches in Public Mind.

If CBI is under a strong Regulator like Lok Pal (for anti-corruption cases only), Congress will gain eventually. Country will gain hugely. Business confidence, corporate Governance, Public Governance will all improve considerably. Many crimes will get prevented before their happening.

If Group A and B are directly under Lok Pal, and Groups C and D are also brought under Lok Pal, albeit through their present Departmental / Ministerial Vigilance structures (which can be placed under Lok Pal) – Lok Pal will certainly not be a huge structure as UPA projected, but it will effectively use existing structures and make the best use of them, supervising their efficient functioning.

If a model Law is passed for states, eventually it will be adopted and implemented by all states. If state Law is incorporated in Lok Pal Bill, Opposition Parties must welcome it – and not stand on the plea of Federal structure to scuttle THE BILL on that count. Left to themselves, some states, deeply mired in corruption, will never like to have a Lok Pal Bill. The Bill can be passed for states – and the states can be left to develop structures similar to the central Lok Pal themselves – but, no state must have the option of NOT HAVING A STRONG, Uniform Lok Pal.

If UPA passes a strong Lok Pal Bill – the biggest gain for it will be a handsome win in 2014 elections. But, if it dithers further on it – it will have no further excuses to tell Team Anna or any one – not to campaign against it in 2014 elections on anti-corruption plank. UPA has to make its choice wisely.

ROLE OF MEDIA

In India the Media is typically one which very rarely looks into the Past. Today’s news Today – is good. But, Yesterday’s news which is still burning – cannot be left to the winds.

In my view, the anti-corruption campaign is one which can do a LOT OF GOOD  for the country and for Media itself.

It must lend all out support for a strong Lok Pal Bill. It must also lend all-out support to all RTI activists across the country – in their fight against Corruption and Black money in the country.

What I feel is –every Monday – the Media must start out with a one hour program on the MOST PROMINENT CASES OF  corruption, RTI Activist murders etc – apart from gang rape, other rapes etc on which Government failed to Act well – in LAST ONE YEAR. Media must adopt such a COMPULSORY WEEKLY REVIEW that will force Governments to ACT in such cases.

Media – for this purpose, includes, TV, Radio and News Papers too. India needs a strong Media Presence.

 All of us have a lot to learn from the Higher Judiciary in this respect. Many a time, Sections of Media and Government are seen ridiculing what the Judiciary says – as Judicial Activism. But, it is a fact that – but for this Judicial scrutiny, many corruption cases would not have seen the light of the day. Judiciary is also trying to cleanse its own  ranks. This Judicial Activism – which I think is needed very much India, sharpen itself and stay.

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