Opinion Lokpal politics

Siasat,published from Hyderabad and Bangalore,writes: “Efforts are being made to foil the efforts to bring the CBI under the Lokpal… because the CBI is conveniently used by governments while dealing with cases of corruption.” It cites the Taj Corridor case,the fodder scam,the Vajpayee government’s harassing of Jayalalithaa (compelling her to support the Centre),and other instances. Munsif,in its editorial on December 16,writes: “Most political analysts and intellectuals are of the view that if the Lokpal bill demanded by Hazare gets passed,it will result in lowering the importance of the courts,state assemblies and Parliament.”

a hard-hitting column,Hisam Siddiqui,the editor of Lucknow-based weekly Jadeed Markaz,writes on December 18: “Today,Hazare occupies V.P. Singh’s place and his target is Rahul Gandhi,instead of Rajiv Gandhi. The only difference is that the RSS and the US realised that Rajiv was not going to be a toy in the hands of these forces,three years after his becoming PM. The RSS has realised this about Rahul much earlier. The slogan is the same: ‘corruption’.” Siddiqui says: “If we do not try to understand Anna or deliberately remain

uninformed,we will harm the country greatly.”

Wrongly accused

Applauding the Andhra Pradesh government’s decision to compensate 70 persons acquitted in the Mecca Masjid bomb blast case,Hyderabad’s leading daily,Munsif,writes in its December 10 editorial: “The payment of compensation to innocent Muslim men on the recommendation of the National Commission for Minorities is a historic act by the state government. The compensation will,to a great extent,provide relief to the affected families. But it is also important that more effective steps are taken to remove the scar of humiliation they have suffered. Issuing testimonials of good conduct is one such step,and the government has promised early action in this regard.”

The daily Inquilab,published from Mumbai,Delhi,Kanpur,Lucknow and Bareilly,writes in an editorial on December 9: “In our view,compensation is the right step. It is a different matter that neither the amount of compensation (Rs 20,000 or Rs 3 lakh,depending on the case) is adequate,and nor will it help solve other problems that these young men face.”

Condemning security agencies for indiscriminately “associating Muslims with terror attacks before conducting any credible inquiries”,Rashtriya Sahara writes in its editorial on December 9: “It has also come to be known that some of these beastly acts are linked with right-wing communal and extremist organisations.”

Food for all

Welcoming the Union cabinet’s clearing of the food security bill,Rashtriya Saharawrites in its editorial on December 20: “Granting 63.5 per cent of the population the right to get subsidised foodgrain would definitely be a good decision… But it will have to be seen how and where the government will manage the huge amount of Rs 6 lakh crore that would have to be spent in three years as subsidy. The cabinet has not given any clarification on this point while approving the draft bill. And in view of the present drawbacks in the PDS,it is doubtful if the subsidised foodgrain will reach the poor.”

Delhi-based daily Hamara Samaj,in its editorial titled

“Tahaffuz-e-khurak bill,nek mansooba ya jhunjhuna?” (Food security bill,a noble mission or a toy?) writes: “We have doubts about the intentions behind the bill. It appears less a welfare scheme and more a way to bolster Rahul Gandhi’s Mission UP.”