Waking up after the loot
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has finally woken up to the fact that a Lokpal needs to be appointed. This was one of the assurances he had given during his 2014 election campaign.
In the last five years the central government showed no interest in this. And not since the SC came down heavily on the government, a Lokpal has been appointed with just three months for the government to end.
The selection committee involving PM Modi, LS Speaker Sumitra Mahajan Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatagi and SC Chief Justice Gogoi have selected rtd SC justice Pinaki Chandraghosh as the first Lokpal of the country.
Congress leader of LS Mallikarjun Kharge boycotted the meeting because he was mentioned as only an invitee to the selection committee meeting.
Government should have appointed the Lokpal themselves. It didn’t have to be reminded by the SC for this. PM Modi didn’t show that will power. The authoritarian that he is, he does not like a system such as Lokpal. He had completely eradicated Lokpal even as the CM of Gujarat.
He has had major disagreements with the Lokpal in Gujarat. The Finding Committee was set up last September only because the Supreme Court insisted that it should be done.
The first meeting of this committee happened in February. And the committee finalized the name for the nation’s first Lok Pal. It is the duty of the Lok Pal to put corruption in public life under scanner. It is the duty of the Lok Pal to bring everyone under the radar of LokPal including former PM, current and former union ministers, current and former MPs and senior officers of enterprises under the union government.
Though a Lok Pal was recommended in 1968, no one had shown any interest in setting it up in the last five decades. Modi only offered words to the country despite clinching the power by promising “won’t eat, won’t allow others to either…” meaning he would not engage or encourage corruption in any form.
He kept projecting himself as the Chowkidar. But the scandals regarding Rafale happened during his time. The Hindu paper published a detailed report on the corruption charges in this.
Immediately the government through its AG claimed to the Supreme Court that the records regarding the deal were lost and the whole thing was reduced to a joke. Later they said the records were being copied.
India still ranks the lowest in global corruption index. CBI has been blamed for being partisan and corruption. Rafale deal is smacking of corruption. People are shouting ‘Chowkidar’ has stolen the money. Not just this, a lot of other charges have surrounded the government.
Under such circumstances, Modi government has set up a Lokpal like closing the door after the house is looted, just to show off that they are the integral lot. This is plain joke.
Modi government refuted the need for Lokpal by stating they are most honest ones. He protected those who wanted to escape abroad after looting the country, and compromised the structure of CBI, RBI and UGC.
He didn’t even bring back the black money. He waived off the loans of big corporates to the tune of two lakh crores and protected defaulters.
Though the list of defaulters was given to the PMO by last RBI governor, the govt continued to protect them.
Hence a lot of scandals have been covered up by the government because of the absence of Lokpal. Hopefully the new appointment would breathe some life into brazen system of this country.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
London, Nov 22: A bomb disposal squad deployed as a “precaution” to the South Terminal of Gatwick Airport concluded an investigation into a "security incident" on Friday after making a “suspect package” safe.
The South Terminal of Gatwick Airport, the UK's second busiest airport after Heathrow, which was briefly shut owing to the incident reopened following the incident.
The Gatwick is around 45 km south of London.
Two people detained during the enquiries have since been allowed to continue their journey as the airport was opened.
“Police have concluded their investigation into a report of a suspect package at Gatwick Airport. Officers from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team made the package safe, and the airport has been handed back to its operator,” Sussex Police said in an updated statement.
“Two people detained while enquiries were ongoing have subsequently been allowed to continue their journeys. There will remain an increased police presence in the area to assist with passengers accessing the South Terminal for onward travel,” the statement added.
Earlier on Friday, the incident caused severe disruption at the busy airport’s South Terminal, while the North Terminal of Gatwick Airport remained unaffected.
“Police were called to the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport at 8.20 am on Friday (November 22) following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage,” a Sussex Police statement said.
“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with. As a precaution, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team is being deployed to the airport. This is causing significant disruption and some roads around the South Terminal have been closed. We’d advise the public to avoid the area where possible,” it said.
Footage on social media taken outside the airport showed crowds of frustrated travellers being moved away from the terminal building.
Gatwick said it was working hard to resolve the issue.
“A large part of the South Terminal has been evacuated as a precaution while we continue to investigate a security incident," the airport said in a social media post.
“Passengers will not be able to enter the South Terminal while this is ongoing. The safety and security of our passengers and staff remain our top priority. We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”
Train and bus services that serve the airport were also impacted while the police carried out their inquiries.
In an unrelated incident in south London on Friday morning, the US Embassy area in Nine Elms by the River Thames was the scene of a controlled explosion by Scotland Yard dealing with what they believe may have been a “hoax device”.
“We can confirm the 'loud bang' reported in the area a short time ago was a controlled explosion carried out by officers,” the Metropolitan Police said in a post on X.
“Initial indications are that the item was a hoax device. An investigation will now follow. Some cordons will remain in place for the time being but the majority of the police response will now be stood down,” it added.
