N. Ram, the editor of ‘The Hindu newspaper,’ played a crucial role in publicising the corruption over the purchase of Bofors guns, the news about which is still a haunting ghost for the Indian National Congress. N. Ram, a senior journalist of high standing as yet again struck, this time over grey areas in the Rafale jets procurement.
Rahul Gandhi, the president of the Congress party, has been charging the government in and outside the parliament over Rafale, and the government has been fumbling, sometimes under the murmur of ‘National security issues,’ or, the story having been planted by competitors, who have lost over the multi-billion euros deal.
The attack did not spare the ailing Chief Minister of Goa, Manohar Parikkar, who earlier headed the defence ministry. The present defence minister, apparently never believes in the word ‘accountability’ to the nation, and has steadfastly defended the prime minister, despite her answers never too satisfying.
In the midst of all this, the Rafale issue has come to the doors of Supreme Court yet again, with an activist lawyer like Prashant Bhushan reiterating corruption in the deal, putting the government in a sticky wicket. The attorney-general K.K. Venugopal insists that stolen documents cannot be a shred of admissible evidence, despite the court dismissing such argument put forth to safeguard the government.
Modi has no progeny and family and why should he steal, is the retort from the BJP party. Some of the people who surround him like his shadow have rich and famous children though. Probity and accountability should not be viewed with such a narrow perspective. The purchase of aircraft is not out of party funds and is from the taxpayers’ money, and the nation has a right to know the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
The scathing revelations could have been leaked by bureaucrats who want the truth to be known. Instead of crucifying, they need to be rewarded for the chivalry amidst ruthless reaction from the government.
The government is slipping on its submissions, from the success of attacks in Balakot to Rafale and is dangerously leaning on TV anchors, and Twitterati to spread misinformation suited best to their survival. The trust of the ordinary man, in the top policing wing, the CBI is at its nadir, and now government’s reputation is also skidding dangerously down. The rhetoric that ‘we can hit them at their home,’ could boomerang with exasperated voters ‘hitting the government in the elections.’
Rahul is threatening of filing an FIR and Mamata agrees to. Modi will be, I guess, the first PM in harness, to be given such an honour. If Modi belongs to a party, clean as a lotus, and places all the facts, exonerating he and his cabinet colleagues, he could be severely jeopardising the political future of the two vociferous opponents, Rahul and Mamata.
Do reveal the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth and by demanding so, neither I become anti-national, a friend of Pakistan or a member of the Congress party.
Jai Hind
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide voix
