S.N.VERMA

             Murder of Democracy
         Are we in for 2^nd emergency?

On the eve of India’s Independence towards midnight of 14^th August 1947, Late Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru made a very emotional speech that long years ago, India had made tryst with destiny and now after long slumber and struggle, at the stroke of midnight, India would emerge as a free, independent and democratic nation. After that, Until, the time, he was alive, despite his differences with his political adversaries, he made a conscious effort not to severely violate spirit of democracy, With dismissal of Namboodripad Govt. in Kerala and imposition of President’s rule in 1959 being a sole exception. However, even that act of omission may at most be cited as undemocratic but not to the extent of murder of democracy. Since then twice, his posteriors have attempted to commit the murder of democracy. It is also a coincidence that on both these occasions, attempts to murder of democracy took place in the midnight only. Earlier, his daughter ordered the murder of democracy in the midnight of 25^th June,1975 and this time the order was served upon the nation in the midnight of 5^th June by his grand daughter-in-law. On both these occasions, decisions were guided not by any anticipated untoward situation,break-down of law and order,constitutional crisis etc. in the country but against the apprehension of People’s popular uprising in the country against corrupt misrule of their Governments. On both these occasions, Congress Governments initially refused to do what was required of them; however when People’s movements started galvanizing and when courts of law started making appropriate interventions, governments felt being pushed to the walls and when the realization dawned upon them that enough was enough and if they continued to be any more democratic, they would be thrown out of power and then they took extreme steps of attempting to commit the murder of democracy. On the previous occasion on 25^th June 1975, decision of Mrs. Gandhi to declare emergency was guided by student movements starting from Gujarat through Bihar and then turning into People’s Popular movement at all India level under the guidance of Jayprakash Narayan comprising of all non-communist congress parties and with trigger provided by Allahabad high Court Order setting aside Mrs. Gandhi’s election to Loksabha from Rae Bareily. Now this time also situation is somewhat very similar. Govt. initially refused to probe 2G and Common Wealth Games scams; however after intervention of Supreme Court and investigations by CBI under its monitoring, several ministers, MPs, Businessmen and corporate honchos with close nexus to important leaders of Congress and its allies have been behind the bars. If things were confined to this extent, it would have been fine for the Govt. After all, sacrificing a few “not so significant ones” and preventing the “significant ones”, would have been like paying too little price for staying in power and saving the skins of important ones. Later on Civil Societies also jumped into, aggravating already very critical situation of the party and its allies. First Anna for Lokpal Bill and as if that was not enough for the Govt. now Baba was insisting upon declaring the lacs of crores of rupees in Swiss Bank Accounts as National Asset. Well, this demand, if conceded may benefit over Billion Plus People of the country but what about hundreds of Congressmen and their ally leaders, industrialists and businessmen espousing their cause from time to time. All of them would be robbed of their riches earned by them through years of their corruption,misrule, fraud on people and country. After all they are in power for the money only and if they are deprived of their billions of rupees, what they would be left with? Realizing the inevitability of this scenario for them, group of ministers under the Chairman UPA sat on 4^th of June and decided to unshackle them of this situation and arrived on the decision of a series of punitive and retaliatory measures for giving a strong signal to the all concerned ones for their fight against corruption and black money. First in the series, was committing murder of democracy during the midnight of 4^th June at Ramlila Maidaan.Once the decision of murder of democracy was ordered, it was brutally executed by the most compliant policemen. Lacs of men,women,children,were woken up of their sound sleep at the midnight and were ruthlessly beaten up and were forced to lead to nowhere at the midnight.Most of these people were from different parts of the country and they were camping In Delhi for Peaceful fast and satyagrah along with their Baba for the honest and genuine cause of the nation i.e bringing back billions of black money for the sake of development of the country and welfare of millions of the people of the nation. In this melee, caused by Police lathicharge,teargasing, abusing and thrashing of people, thousands of the people were deprived of their money,train ticket for way back journey besides their other belongings. Most of them being outsiders didn’t know where to go and what to do? Those receiving grievous injuries went to hospitals and others were moving around.Some got shelter at Bangla sahib,some at Gurudwara Rakabgunj and even now thousands of them are still living with the families of supporters of Baba in Delhi and nearby places. While, thousands suffering from brutal atrocities of people were moving here and there, supporter of Osama Bin “Laden Ji” and Lawyer –turned-cabinet minister(preaching Baba to confine to Yoga and not to meddle with Politics as if he himself is practicing only Law, his profession, and not Politics at the moment) were badmouthing Baba and his supporters. Only a few days ago, Baba, who deserved most unprecedented welcome from four senior ministers and top bureaucrats of the Govt at Airport, was found to be a thug,fraud,illiterate. They were joined in chorus by Laloo. After being dropped from the cabinet and losing Bihar elections, he was trying to seize this opportunity to show his unflinching loyalty to Sonia and Congress and in a nutshell was seeking his political rehabilitation .As usual Laloo was at his “buffoonery” best to badmouth Baba and his supporters. May be his this desperate attempt would please Sonia and Congressmen and he is rewarded a ministerial berth in the Govt. Well at least he can hope against hope so. Last month, Amar Singh also tried to seize similar such opportunity against Prashant Bhushan; however after a few days of pampering by the Congressmen, he has been again faded into oblivion. Considering, current “debilitated” state of Laloo, he is also not likely to get a different treatment.

Well, after the midnight murder of democracy, what next in offing? Now, Congress Govt. would be hell-bent to disregard the popular public opinion. Earlier, they would surreptitiously put spanners on the way of Lokpal Bill but now they would do so without semblance of any remorse. Now, no more of sacking of Ministers, Chief Ministers for charges of corruption. Rejection of recommendation of Lokayuta for sacking of a Delhi Minister for charges of Corruption by President(Chairperson UPA) is a case in point. Now, come what may, they wouldn’t order CBI enquiry against one of their most senior ministers, whose stint as a Finance minister earlier is under cloud related to ongoing 2G Scams. Now, they wouldn’t sack Delhi CM, whatever Shunglu Committee may say. Now, they would unleash series of punitive actions against Baba viz. investigations through ED,CBI,Income Tax to break his backbone. In a nutshell, they would go totally autocratic,undemocratic, retaliatory so that in the near future nobody even thinks of talking and making even genuine protests against them and the Government would perpetuate its rein of terror and corruption as earlier.

Today’s situation may again be likened with June 1975. On 12th June 1975 the High Court of Allahabad declared Indira Gandhi's election to the Lok Sabha void on grounds of electoral malpractice.Today on 6^th June 2011, Supreme Court has taken suo motu notice of forceful eviction of Baba Ramdev from Ram Lila Maidaan and has asked the Govt. to explain within fifteen days.With people already so much indignant against corruption of the Govt , their anger has increased further after Police brutal action on lacs of people on Peaceful fast and with Supreme Court taking suo motu notice of the same besides a number of corruption cases pending before it and prospects of number of court cases increasing day- by- day , noose is tightening further on the neck of the Govt. Situation is fast emerging comparable to June 1975.Are we again in for 2^nd Emergency. Well, until the day before yesterday, it was unthinkable; however after midnight murder of democracy day before yesterday, one can’t rule out even this draconian measure from the Govt. Let’s wait and watch and see how situation unfolds from now onwards.