Mahatma Gandhi, who led us to freedom and to whom we pay tribute on his birthday every year on October 2, had always said that the means and ends are related to each other like the seed and the fruit. He not merely preached it but practiced it. He withdrew his non-cooperation movement in 1922 after some of the satyagrahis killed 22 policemen in Chouri Chaura. For him, certain values like purity means and ends, truth and non-violence were not negotiable. Something contrary to all these values happened on July 22,2008. Currency notes were thrown on the table of the Lok Sabha - the price paid to change a minority government into a majority. The Speaker did not see the CD of the 'sting operation' conducted by a TV channel to verify whether there has been any breach of privilege or breach of ethics of the House as some members had claimed that they were enticed to vote for the trust motion tabled by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The government won the motion with almost the same number as those killed in 1922 !
'Aya-rams and gaya-rams' have stalked the state governments in India for a long time but this has been brought to the hallowed hall of the parliament for the second time, the first time by P.V.Narasimha Rao. Rao saved the party government but Singh saved the nuclear deal which many believe may not ensure security or energy security. Indira Gandhi sullied the fair name of the country and its democracy with the emergency. She was followed by Rao who had no compunction to bribe JMM and now, by Singh who has become a true politician. Is it the same Congress that is ruling now which was led by Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Vallabhbhai Patel ? What a fall,my countrymen !
July 30,2008
*******
