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Sunday, July 1, 2012

Sonia's Supreme Sacrifice


On the evening of August 9, 2011 Indian news TV made history of sorts. It was the second time that evening that Top Cop Sanjiv Bhatt appeared on Arnab Goswami’s Kangaroo court on TimesNow. Almost as if to tell Arnab ‘Meet my lawyer, don’t ask silly questions’. That’s right, Sanjiv Bhatt brought his lawyer along with him. Arnab must have gawked in surprise. Ever since that episode I have referred to the mouth as Justice Arnab. Former President APJ Abdul Kalam (APJ) must have similarly gawked when Sonia Gandhi (SG) had walked in to stake the Congress’ claim to form the govt after the 2004 elections. Per APJ’s account, they exchanged pleasantries and then SG must have said: ‘Hello Mr.President, meet our new Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’. Here was APJ, all ready with even a letter typed out appointing SG as PM and suddenly she brings in MMS. Damn! Now that letter had to be retyped! So reveals APJ’s latest book ‘Turning Points’. I have to agree that the decision to appoint MMS as PM is indeed a turning point. India’s steady slide down the drain since he became PM will be recorded in history as the greatest disaster.

And so, as the news of excerpts from APJ’s book broke all the news channels and newspapers had mostly only one page to read; no.135. Hindustan Trolls proudly flashed the headline 'Sonia Gandhi could've been PM if she wished'. That wasn’t what APJ said but the delight of Mr.Smirk can be seen in his tweet of June 29. HT quotes: “Kalam reveals that if Gandhi wanted to become PM in 2004, he would have had no option but to appoint her". What HT and other media outlets are not decoding is why APJ is saying he would have had “no option”. Ideally, for an elected and deserving candidate the president should have been saying ‘I would have been happy to appoint her PM but she did not stake a claim’. The loud noises in the MSM will not elaborate the fact that using the term ‘no option’ clearly indicates that APJ was perhaps not in favour of SG but had she so desired he would have been compelled to appoint her PM. That if he did indeed have an option he would have thought otherwise. So we must come to believe that SG, in the true tradition of the Nehru-Gandhi clan, made a supreme sacrifice.

This is what SG said in May 2004 after MMS was proposed as PM: “I was always certain that if ever I found myself in the position that I am in today, I would follow my own inner voice. Today, that voice tells me I must humbly decline this post….. Power in itself has never attracted me, nor has position been my goal. My aim has always been to defend the secular foundation of our nation and the poor of our country - the creed sacred to Indiraji and Rajivji”. Yeah, you see, in a country like ours the only sacrifices have come from the Nehru-Gandhi clan because they were assassinated. Others like L.B. Shastri, Subhash Chandra Bose, Madhavrao Scindia, Rajesh Pilot and many others – they just died. It’s only when somebody from the ‘clan’ dies, it’s a sacrifice. It’s only when somebody from the clan declines the PM post that it’s a sacrifice. JP could have been PM in 1977 but his was not a sacrifice.And, of course, events from May 2004 have substantially established that SG does not seek power. Haven't they?

APJ actually writes: “While this communication was in progress, I had a number of emails and letters coming from individuals, organisations and parties that I should not allow Mrs Sonia Gandhi to become the Prime Minister of our country. I had passed on these mails and letters to various agencies in the government for their information without making any remarks. During this time there were many political leaders who came to meet me to request me not to succumb to any pressure and appoint Mrs Gandhi as the Prime Minister, a request that would not have been constitutionally tenable. If she had made any claim for herself I would have had no option but to appoint her”. I guess the media and Congress party wants us to now believe that all these objections had nothing to do with SG declining to be PM.

My deep admiration and respect for APJ tells me he would do nothing but tell the truth. But I have to wonder if the entire truth has been laid out before us. That for three days since May 15, 2004 no one came forward to stake a claim to form a govt is mentioned by APJ. It is during this period one can assume he would have received all the objections to SG as PM. In the time line he narrates there is a reported letter he wrote to SG at 3.30 pm on May 17, 2004 supposedly mentioning objections to her as PM. Subramanian Swamy has consistently referred to this letter being instrumental in SG backing out of the PM post. (Read Firstpost report) Now APJ must either acknowledge such a letter was written or deny its existence. In absence of either, it will always be in doubt whether the entire truth has been laid out by him. There have also been reports that the release of this letter has been declined even under RTI as being ‘confidential’. Even Swamy’s letter to APJ which he claims impacted the latter’s choices was unavailable for release under RTI. (Read this Outlook report).

Technically APJ is right. Having been elected as MP it automatically entitles SG to be a PM. And therefore he would have had ‘no option’ but to appoint her PM if she had staked a claim. If there were any legal hurdles to her appointment as PM much of those would have also applied to her qualifying for election as MP. Even in the case of Indira Gandhi it was her election as MP itself that was overturned leading to the imposition of Emergency. I, for one, have absolutely no doubts that if SG had chosen to become PM there would have been a flood of cases in various courts, including the Supreme Court, challenging her appointment. Her citizenship history and electoral declarations have too many flaws to withstand scrutiny for a PM.

So, while the Congress’ secular media outlets and the party may celebrate APJ’s revelation as some kind of moral victory it is merely hypothetical. Fact: Sonia Gandhi has gone better than PM. She is comfortable as the back-seat driver enjoying power and all privileges as the Super PM. Unlike a regular PM she doesn’t have to answer anybody – not the press, not the people, not anybody but her own ‘inner voice’. The only person who really knows why SG declined the PMship is she herself and she is not about to make any confessions any time soon or in the future. There is another aspect to the story. If SG had become PM her lack of knowledge about the country, lack of education and much more severe drawbacks would have all been exposed. This is something that also threatens Rahul Gandhi. So for the present, the fairy tale that the media spins about Sonia’s supreme sacrifice is one of those mythical stories that people will be fed with. Only difference is it was so far done without APJ’s help, now it will be done with some help howsoever hidden the actual truth. 
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33 comments:

  1. Media is playing smart now a day. Getting paid for image making of Corrupt congress before GE 2014. Corrupt media can be dangerous for the country.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear loveindia,

      Totally agree to your statement. The Congress who cannot survive without power has started to work on Damage Control for 2014.
      1st : It wants to put Pranab Mukharjee as a Congress Doormat into Rashtrapati Bhavan,
      2nd : The Media has started to pitch for Sonia Gandhi as this new Mother Teresa who after plundering the nation for 10 years through backdoor shall now show us the light of God & put her Duffer son on throne in 2014.

      I sincerely hope Indian people are not as dumb as these Congees take them for.

      Delete
  2. YESS!!...on the ball as usual! i have been having precisely this convo with a gentlemen...he unfortunately seems happy with the half facts!

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  3. Fine work of unraveling the semantics of APJ's "no option" quote.You rightly said APJ could have put it more aptly ‘I would have been happy to appoint her PM but she did not stake a claim’, had he deemed she was eminently suitable for the job. There's enough reason to believe that the wily old fox fired his missile in a more subtle way.

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  4. Yes the corrupt sonia cong and the paid media are screwing this nation with sparrow's frequency, donkeys penetration and pig's duration to make this nation as another Somalia. There are few to assist it to happen pledging the motherland and burn the midnight oil
    for their selfishness and pittance. If the corrupt Sonia congress is taking up this matter means they have done all the spade work to make the lip stick pig as the PM of this nation

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  5. Be exposed this much of scams and corruptions they are relegated to the position of a prostitute or a pimp, still the so called cong which has become corrupt sonia cong for no one in this nation had semen to beget an indigenous ruler and the cong fu@ers are playing with vying with each other

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  6. Salutes Ravi. Two things stand out in this blog for its impact (the whole thing in fact but these two specific points)

    1) The loud noises in the MSM will not elaborate the fact that using the term ‘no option’ clearly indicates that APJ was perhaps not in favour of SG but had she so desired he would have been compelled to appoint her PM.

    The "NO OPTION" which you have dissected rightly says a lot :)

    2) In the time line he (Kalam) narrates there is a reported letter he wrote to SG at 3.30 pm on May 17, 2004 supposedly mentioning objections to her as PM.

    RTI objections in the name of Confidentiality is humbug. When a lot more damning can appear in a Memoir - I am sure this letter will be the game-changer. For a moment - I wish this letter doesn't exist - if it does, respect and reverence I had for Kalam goes down to pits . Dr Swamy's assertion and RTI response not to divulge this letter already indicates there indeed is such a letter and Kalam has not revealed the whole truth.

    Bottom Line: It is media spin on this book excerpt. Kalam never said or opined these things as a memoir. He is entitled not to reveal everything. It is his memoir, after all, No?

    Salutes, Ravi for this wonderful piece

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  7. Nice article, it is also possible APJ used "no option" as result of the objections to SG becoming PM raised by many quarters.He might have meant, despite objections(not being legally tenable, in his opinion) he had no option but to make her PM.
    R.B.Ramesh

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  8. You right sharp and this post proves it again .Couple of things though -

    Link - "Outlook" is not correct, it points to - http://draft.blogger.com/%20%20http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=761508
    You may like to rectify it.

    Since you have added more visible social share button I would suggest to remove the another instance of social share button which comes from blog spot. You could remove it from - Draft > Layout > Blog Posts > Edit

    Another suggestion, create FB fan page. Your followers would love it.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Agree with almost all of what you say. The media no doubt out of motivations unknown is missing the nuances and hyping a particular interpretation

    Dr Kalam's account in no way contradicts Dr Swamy's account but only elides it. No denial of May 17th letter or about questions on the constitutionality of the appointments. He does hold out his opinion that it was untenable to refuse swearing in Mrs Gandhi had she asked. A position which Dr Swamy also maintains. None of this negates the fact that a protracted legal challenge, a recriminative campaign had not been the deterrent or for that matter inner voice. The only other important factor is the operationalization of the actual didac that resulted

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  10. Ah.. this is the piece my 'antar atmaa' was looking for since yesterday when I read about Kalam's book. My mistake, I failed to analyze Kalam's statement with the key word 'No Option' and was taken for a ride with MSM broadcasting it as the sacrifice of SoniaG. Thanks Ravi for explaining it part by part. A big salute to you.

    ArindamSP

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  11. One question that is worth asking 'madamji' is 'who amped up your inner voice and when?' What's it saying today?

    One question to sycophants who still think Sonia is a force for good is 'do you think a leader who can nonchalantly order lathi charging of sleeping women and children will be so thin skinned that they will back down from a dream job as a PM just because some BJP guys are screaming or threatening to tonsure?

    One question to BJP leaders: What the hell is wrong with you people? Why aren't you exploiting the corruption wave and start thinking as a unit? You are getting votes on a platter and here you are all bickering like school kids. Drop the sold-out top leaders and stop cartelization first. Get rid of the fifth column, will you?

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  12. With idiot son showing no signs of maturity, she may bid in 2014 as PM. Pranab is there to help her achieve this goal. This time The President will offer option himself. Hope Pranab does not win this election. Then I would see a Cat on Hot, very Hot Tin Roof.

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  13. We need more people like you to expose Paid Perverted Press. All the news anCHORs are Sycophants/Traitors/Antinationals all in one and they are our worst enemies

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  14. Another one on the button.

    Media could certainly do with your services to set their house in order.

    No narrative will stand the test, facts have been brought out with complete clarity.

    Well done.

    Sincerely
    Anil Kohli

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  15. I admire the man greatly. For all that he has accomplished and the standards he has set for all Presidents after him. But he has let down the people of our country. Not once but twice. He's refused to participate in two successive presidential elections for the fear of losing. That has cost India quite a great deal. First, PP has been foisted on us and has cost the country a couple of hundred crores more than what would have been spent had he been president. And now, he shies away from another election to most probably foist a failed FM to this post. He may be a good man and all, but he has only shown the weakness that is usually attributed to the good men. In parting, there is only one thought that comes to my mind when people speak of Kalam - What is needed for evil to flourish is that good men do nothing.

    ReplyDelete
  16. roshan madhav ‏@roshanmadhav4
    Bharatkalyan97: Citizenship Act, Sonia Gandhi & Dr. Subramanian Sw... http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2012/04/citizenship-act-sonia-gandhi-dr.html?spref=tw
    Expand
    I HATE SONIA BUT SHRI APJ KALAM SIR IS RIGHT....THERE IS ONLY ONE REAL CHANCE....PLEASE GO THROUGH IT

    ReplyDelete
  17. i am a fan of your's but you made a mistake on siddarth mallya...yeah he did become a REV. but he still remains a hindu.....he took it from
    UNIVERSAL LIFE CHURCH....this church does not convert people and is not a christian church...please google it yourself wikipedia will do....he is still a hindu.....BTW i am a proud hindu..in case anyone doubts me..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not picking on you but what is there to be proud? its not an achievement or conscious choice. You just happened to be born in a Hindu family! (just like me). You could admire the Hindu philosophy and literature and feel grateful to be born in such a culture. But I don't get this proud thing.

      Even 'proud to be Indian' is illogical. Will you say 'proud to be 6'2"'? Or 'Proud to be born in 1984'? Just saying.

      Delete
  18. quoting you.."Having been elected as MP it automatically entitles SG to be a PM."... there is a slight difference between a qualification of an MP and a PM of India. There is a so called 'Law of reciprocal disqualification' which stands till date and which states that 'If a person is not an Indian by birth, he/she can only become Prime Minister of India when the country from where he/she originally hails, allow an Indian to become a prime minister(or an equivalent post in that country)' and because, Sonia Gandhi hails from Italy(she hasn't yet applied for Indian citizenship for that matter), she can never become the PM of India in this 'Janam'.....

    P.S. The law of reciprocal disqualification stated here is not exact. It is written in quotes just to highlight it. Reader's discretion is expected.

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  19. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-05-13/india/28325774_1_trends-till-early-evening-sonia-gandhi-left-parties

    Sonia's press meet on 13th evening that does not match her sacrifice few days later.

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  20. What took Dr.Kalam to come out with this statement after 8 years? Dr.Swamy is right in questioning his motive now. Is Dr.Kalam trying to curry some favours from the Govt.? Your guess will be as good as mine

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  21. It is very unfortunate that even someone like Dr. Kalam compounds growing cynicism of common man. He could have cleared the air long ago.

    In a meet with children Pranna Roy probed him multiple times on this issue. Kalam evaded the answer increasing the speculation.

    Sometimes people who want 'good' label do more damage to world than evil.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Black Sheep of Indian Journlism Exposed.
    see following link to know the names of journalists paid by Indira Gandhi to justify emergency.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sivA6A5td9U&feature=g-all-u

    ReplyDelete
  23. Ravi - nice pointed article as always

    Sonia wanted all the power without any accountability / responsibility. Had she been the PM, she would have been exposed as incompetent. But now the poor MMS takes all the blame. (not saying that he doesnt deserve the criticism. He is equally, if not more, inept)

    As a PM of a country you are powerful, but imagine your power, if PM is powerless before you. That was the trick.

    BJP messed it up by shouting nonsensical things like Sushma Swaraj wanting to shave off her head and all that crap. They could have waited for sometime and then attacked Sonia and Congress. Media which is already congress paid, lapped up all and presented BJP as sore losers. The tag which BJP has not been able to shake off till now.

    Since history writers, media, opinion makers are all congi stooges, so till eternity we are condemned to hear/see Sonia's supreme sacrifice !!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Vineet,

      I want to bring to everybody's attention some of the complexities of Indian Journalism :

      1) Indian Journalism is a dangerous mix of various socio-religious-cultural-economics parties. It will be too simplified to say they are only on Congress Payroll.
      A single political party just cannot Control the 4th pillar of democracy. Their has to be a lot more involved,

      2) When I say socio-religious-cultural-economics,it means:

      Socio ( Leftist-Dalit & Muslim scholars),

      Religious ( Missionaries & Pan-Islamic s who put millions of Dollars in Indian Media ),

      Cultural ( Nehruvian Socialists churned out of JNU & other pro-Congress/Leftist Universities,

      Economics ( Non Hindu Industrialists who have been Investing in Media for many decades under Congress rule for Public relations exercise.

      3) Considering such as Deep rooted Anti Hindu mindset, its no surprise that the Media hates everything related to Hindu society.

      Delete
  24. Dear Ravi,
    Out of the context please go through this....... http://www.eng.chauthiduniya.com/black-sheep-of-indian-journlism-exposed/ it can be a healthy fodder for your next post. ........... Thanks for good job !!!

    ReplyDelete
  25. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/family-sway/967973/0
    Family Sway

    Please read this from PB Mehta...

    The story of Gandhis and Ambanis who have become impediments to Democracy and Capitalism.

    One sentence says all...

    Try publishing something on the Ambani business enterprise and you will quickly recognise the subtle censorship that pervades the public sphere in India. Except for fringe right-wing groups, the Gandhis are treated with more self-censorship and deference.

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  26. You said it rightly.I too don't believe Kalam will lie

    Regards
    village girl

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  27. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  28. Perfect as usual !!
    Couldn't agree more than this that SG's supreme sacrifice was her option to get super powers than to get involved in different issues which could have raised if she would have opted to be a PM of this nation.
    People should learn politics and brains these people use .. I wish if they could have used this brilliance to develop a strong governance ..

    ReplyDelete

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