L'affaire Madhu Koda

Fri, Nov 6 05:38 AM

The big financial scandal allegedly involving the former Jharkhand Chief Minister, Madhu Koda, has resulted in editorial comments by many papers. Describing the sequence of events in the fast rise of the 38-year old former CM in politics, Rashtriya Sahara, in its editorial (November 2) "Loot of public wealth", writes: "The short story of Madhu Koda's political rise at least speaks of the fact that he may be young in age but his deeds could surprise even politicians double his age." The paper further states: "This is not the first instance of any financial corruption on the part of a politician. From time to time stories of financial corruption of different individuals have been coming to the open. These instances prove that a considerable number of our politicians are up to their neck in muddy pools of corruption. Needless to point out that the role for us, the common people, in giving encouragement to such corrupt politicians (sar charhaney mein) is also not any good. Along with strict legal action against such persons, they should also be rejected by the people and their membership of Assembly or Parliament should be revoked."

Delhi-based daily Hindustan Express in its editorial entitled, "Koda par korey lekin..." (whiplashes on Koda, but...), writes (November 3): "Undoubtedly, our government is aware of the tricky world of flow of black money and income tax evasion and also serious about putting a stop to it. FM Pranab Mukherjee is struggling with the heaven of tax evaders — Swiss banks — so that the country's wealth could be bought back from there. But we cannot succeed in this campaign as long as the law does not catch hold of elements who produce Madhu Kodas. What is needed for this is firm political resolve, inflexible honesty and courage."

Hit at saffron parties

The results of the recent Assembly elections in Maharashtra, Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh have been generally viewed as a great loss to saffron parties. Hyderabad-based daily, Rahnuma-e-Deccan, in its editorial entitled "Firqa parast taqaton par ek aur zarb" (another hit at communal forces) (October 23) writes: "Communal parties, after coming to power, instead of working for the welfare of the people and their progress and for removing their difficulties, had made the people themselves strangers to each other, made them fight each other and get beaten up and destroyed their peace and tranquility — Now the democratic rights of the people have shattered to pieces these communal forces' dream (converting the world's largest democracy into a 'Hindu Rashtra')".

Jamaat-e-Islami's biweekly, Daawat, in a commentary (November 1) says: "The foundations of saffron parties and organisations are shaking." It writes: "The question is not only of continuous defeat of the BJP. The pitiable condition of all organisations of the Sangh Parivar, even RSS, is not different from that of the BJP. There is need for treatment of not only the BJP but of the entire Sangh Parivar. And it is possible only if destructive, riotous and communal viewpoints are made constructive, objective and better in the interest of the country and the nation."

Commenting on the delay in the formation of the Congress-NCP coalition government in Maharashtra, the Delhi, Lucknow, Dehradun and Mumbai-based daily Sahafat (November 3) writes: "Due to the delay of over a week (in forming the government), a very wrong message is going out. There are whispers now that when there is so much delay in forming the government, what all cannot happen in running the government. This situation is not very pleasant in totality for the state." The paper says that following Sonia Gandhi's refusal to become the country's prime minister and Dr Manmohan Singh becoming the prime minister for the second time, "differences of Sharad Pawar and his party with the Congress are difficult to understand... Sharad Pawar too has never made clear the reasons for his opposition to the Congress now."

Pak's baseless allegations

Recent allegations of an Indian hand in some disturbances in Pakistan have given rise to some very agitated reactions. Kolkata and Delhi-based daily, Akhbar-e-Mashriq, in its editorial (October 28) entitled, "ulta chor kotwal ko daantey" (popular proverb about the thief audaciously accusing the police official) writes: "Whenever there is any crisis in Pakistan, it creates an enemy to give childish consolation to the people. Obviously who else except India can be this enemy?"

Commenting on the frequent "baseless allegations" made by Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik, the paper writes: "The fact is that at the international level such comic personalities keep emerging regularly that beat the clowns of circus companies hollow. Janab Rehman Malik too is one of such personalities in business. One can only despair at his baseless flights of imagination."

Rashtriya Sahara, in an editorial (November 1), quotes US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who, during her recent visit to Pakistan "very clearly" told journalists that "America, so far, has no proof about India's interference in Balochistan." The paper says: "She paid no heed to such allegations made by Pakistan against India during her press conference, something that made Pakistani journalists quite disappointed."

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