“Which is worse between political opportunism and corruption”? Corruption is cancer that has been eating into the vitals of our nation. I will choose political opportunism any day if it results in greater public good. It is not a sin because of the ever increasing role and importance of regional parties in Government formation. A combination of both however would be devastating for the country. UPA rule is a testimony of this fact as this combination was very much prevalent pre 2014. When the people rejected this combo by giving a historic mandate to the BJP under Narendra Modi, the Mahaghatbhandhan Club was formed by the losers to remain relevant in the political spectrum.
When Nitish Kumar decided to leave the MGB, everyone from the opposition to Media went into an overdrive, calling him an opportunist, communal etc. Nitish Kumar gave a befitting reply to all of them in his speech in the assembly before the trust vote. He lambasted them by saying that he didn’t need to learn secularism from those who use it to disguise their corruption and promote their dynasty. The MahaGhatBhandhan is in tatters now though. Most of the alliance partners have no faith in the Congress President to take on the BJP due to which top leaders of the party have been forced to issue statements that the PM candidate will be decided after the election results- a sign of extreme desperation or a calculated move perhaps.
We all know about the scams during the UPA era, the loot, the plunder. Every politician, every Ministry, bureaucracy, even the Media was compromised. The Radia-gate exposed the politician-media nexus and it severely dented the image of the Media, especially Lutyens Media. This very Media, fed by their masters in Delhi, ran a smear campaign against Mr. Modi for over a decade to somehow FIX him, but they could not succeed. THE CM BECAME THE PM. The major jolt to this Media was when the Govt as a policy, decided not to take along the Indian Media contingent on PM’s foreign trips. So they had to bear their own travel costs which was something they weren’t used to. The access they had to top Ministers like in UPA also diminished. From being power brokers, they were relegated to just what they were – journalists. The royal snub given by Mr. Modi is the reason why they are in a perpetual whining mode. Barkha Dutt had even expressed her frustration in an interview to Madhu Trehan and her columns in Washington Post are an extension of that.
We know what is happening in Kerala and West Bengal, the violence, brutal murders of BJP cadres, but there’s a deafening silence in the camp of the preachers of free speech and secularism. Their outrage comes with a “Conditions apply”. Don’t we know how and why and at who’s behest NYT, WP, BBC etc and International NGO’s are used to spread false and fake propaganda about our country! It’s done to defame the image of our Prime Minister because of his growing popularity amongst the world leaders and to discredit the great work he is doing back home. But these third rate deliberate attempts have fallen flat.
People of India have seen through the unctuous ways of the Congress, their fake secularism, fake promises, fake agendas. These are different times, unlike 2004, when India was actually shining under Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s leadership but Congress with a fresh face of Sonia Gandhi (head covered with pallu like mom in law) used the ‘India Shining’ slogan to their advantage. From 2004 to 2018, we have come a long way. Social media has also changed the rules of the political game, unlike the people of our generation, who were dependent on now the redundant newspapers. People’s aspirations are huge but realistic. They want real development, transparency, Govt accountability, corruption free country…a New India about which the Prime Minister has himself promised and doing everything to fulfill it.
न खाऊंगा न खाने दूंगा is not just a catchy slogan given by him, he means every word of it. Unfortunately, it is also the bane of all the problems that he is facing because as a nation we were so deeply entrenched in corruption. But nevertheless, steps are being taken. Govt has transferred 791 cases in June against all the high profile MPs/MLAs to 12 fast track courts which are going to be concluded within next 6 months. These fast track courts had been set up in 11 states for speedy trial of these cases. As @_NAN_DINI rightly said…it’s happening.
The Corrupt are nervous and feeling the heat. The CONs have further sunk in a hole along with their appeasement politics. All was fine for them till one tea seller smashed their Darbar to bits.
Watch history in making, the coming year. It is a privilege accorded to very few.
