Yes, The country is pained
The expectation of people that the first ‘Mann Ki Baath’ of this year would be in support of the country’s farmers has been dashed. Instead, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tried unsuccessfully to mobilize the country against the farmers agitation by his statement that the “nation is pained by the way the National Flag was humiliated on Republic Day.”
There is no doubt that the people of the country have been anguished about what transpired in Red Fort on Republic Day but not for the ‘humiliation of the National Flag’. The Prime Minister has also not clarified how the ‘National Flag’ was humiliated in Red Fort. Other than the fact that one group of miscreants entered Red Fort and hoisted two flags, no other incident occurred there. The group did not in any way harm the building.
But the Prime Minister’s words reflect the intense pain that this incident triggered in him. Though such an incident should not have occurred, the failure of the police was mainly responsible for the incident. Therefore, if the National Flag was humiliated, the government should take responsibility for the act. Farmer leaders have already clarified that farmers were not responsible for this incident. It has also been revealed that the person who took the leadership of the group that hoisted the flag in Red Fort had campaigned for the BJP during the last elections. This incident now seems to be a conspiracy to send a wrong message to the country about the protestors.
Already, farmers have incurred substantial losses protesting for their rights. In this context, the conspiracy against the farmers on January 26th is something that pains the whole country. But this pain does not seem to have touched the Prime Minister.
It is surprising that the nation-wide rally that took place that day did not attract the attention of Modi who said that what happened in Red Fort caused anguish to the country. For the first time in the history of the country, a parallel farmer Republic Day celebration that was an alternative to the official celebration took place.
In a historical move, a large number of farmers, such numbers not seen earlier, participated in the rally with their tractors. Who are these people, where are they from, why did they come, what are their difficulties, aren’t they part of the country? Such questions did not seem to arise as Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ did not answer any of these questions.
In the last two months of protests, more than 60 farmers have died due to rains, cold, and ill-health. Three died due to suicide. But still, the farmers have been peacefully and democratically protesting for the last two months. The country has been in deep anguish seeing what the farmers of the country are experiencing. It was the Prime Minister’s duty to respond to their pain. Following the Red Fort incident, a group threw stones at the farmers who were peacefully protesting reacting. This group was projected as ‘angry locals.’ But according to ‘Alt News’, this group of stone pelters was in fact led by BJP workers. Having unleashed his own party workers against farmers, the Prime Minister’s words that the country is pained is simply inhuman and insensitive.
What is National Flag? Does the Prime Minister think it is a motley collection of three colours? By embracing three colours, the National Flag conveys several messages. The green colour in the flag represents the country’s farmers, agriculture, and prosperity. Today, the representatives of the green colour in the National Flag are protesting in Delhi’s borders and the police are wielding lathis against them. Miscreants are attacking them with stones. These are all covert attacks against the National Flag.
After India gained independence, the farmers salvaged the country from the scarcity of food. When hands were extended towards foreign shores for wheat and rice, farmers of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh made the country self-reliant through what is now called as Green Revolution. The fact that these farmers have come to the streets demanding justice is actually a humiliation to the National Flag. If Modi were to say the country was in pain because of all of these reasons, we could have endorsed it.
But, the controversial farm laws have been passed to protect the interests of two industrialists Adani and Ambani at the cost of the farmers is also a humiliation to the country. Republic Day is not just an exhibition or viewing of lifeless tableaus on Raj Path. Republic Day is rendered meaningful if the Constitutional rights that are accorded to the people of the country are not in danger. When a large group of farmers are on streets protesting, there is no meaning in the celebrations that take place in Rajpath. Such a celebration would render the Republic Day a farce.
By stating that ‘the humiliation of the National Flag has pained the country’, the Prime Minister is indirectly inciting his supporters against the protesting farmers. When the entire country is in protest in Delhi, what does Narendra Modi term as a ‘country’? Does he regard the media houses and TV channels that have become the slaves of the government as the entire country, and address them? The Prime Minister should first give up the belief that he can derail the farmer protest by issuing inciting statements and getting protests organized against the farmers Only by regarding the people gathered in Delhi borders as country men and making an honest attempt to understand their pain can the present conflict end logically.
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LoP Ashoka targets CM govt over corruption, says being 'shameless' in public life not forgivable
Bengaluru (PTI): Targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress government in Karnataka on corruption, BJP leader R Ashoka on Friday said, being foolish was forgivable, but being "shameless" in public life was not.
The Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly claimed that in just 30 months of its tenure, the Congress administration has broken every previous record on corruption-related controversies.
He was responding to Siddaramaiah's post on 'X' on Thursday hitting back at the BJP, stating that Upa Lokayukta Justice Veerappa's claims of "63 per cent corruption" were based on his report in November 2019, when BJP's B S Yediyurappa was the CM.
"But Ashoka, without understanding the Upa Lokayukta's statement properly, has ended up tying the BJP's own bells of sins onto our heads and has effectively shot himself in the foot," the CM had said, as he accused Ashoka of foolishness for trying to twist Veerappa's statement to target the current government.
Responding, Ashoka said, "it is one thing to be called foolish in politics, that can be forgiven."
"But in public life, especially in the Chief Minister's chair, one must never become shameless," Ashoka posted on 'X' on Friday addressing Siddaramaiah.
Noting that the CM himself had admitted on the floor of the Assembly that a Rs 87 crore scam took place in the Valmiki Development Corporation, he said that when a CM acknowledges such a massive irregularity inside the floor of the House, the natural expectation is immediate action and accountability.
"But instead of taking responsibility, you continue in office as if nothing has happened. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
Pointing out that the CM's Economic Advisor and senior Congress MLA Basavaraja Rayareddy had publicly stated that under Congress rule, Karnataka has become No.1 in corruption, Ashoka said, "Yet, you still cling to the Chief Minister's chair without a moment of introspection. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness."
Senior Congress MLA C R Patil had exposed the "money for House" racket in the Housing Department and even warned that the government would collapse if the details he has were made public, Ashoka said.
"Despite such serious allegations from within your own party (Congress), you neither initiated an inquiry nor acted against the concerned minister. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," Ashoka asked the CM.
Highlighting the "40 percent commission" allegation Congress made against the previous BJP government, the opposition leader said, the commission that the Siddaramaiah government appointed concluded that the accusation was baseless.
"After your own panel demolished your own claim, what moral right do you have to continue repeating that allegation. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
For the last two and a half years, Karnataka has been 'drowning' in corruption, scandals, irregularities and allegations across departments. Ashoka said, "If I begin listing every case that emerged under your government, even 24 hours would not be enough."
"And the most tragic aspect of your administration is this: the unbearable pressure, corruption demands and administrative harassment under your government pushed several officers and contractors into extreme distress - including the suicide of Chandrasekharan which exposed the Valmiki Development Corporation scam - a sign of how deeply broken the system has become under your watch," he said.
Instead of fixing this hopeless environment, the government has tried to bury every complaint and silence every voice, he charged.
"Being foolish is forgivable, but being shameless in public life is definitely not."
"When your own ministers admit scams, when your own advisors certify Karnataka as No.1 in corruption, and when your own MLAs expose rackets inside your departments - clinging to power without accountability is not leadership. It is shamelessness in its purest form." PTI KSU
Earlier on Thursday Ashoka had demanded that the corruption case and allegations in the state against the Congress government be handed over to a CBI investigation, citing a reported statement by Upalokaykta Justice Veerappa alleging "63 per cent corruption", following which Siddaramaiah hit back at the BJP leader.
