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| | Skeletons in Pranab Mukherjee’s Cupboard | | | That Mr. Pranab Mukherjee will move into Rashtarpati Bhavan after the election in July is a foregone conclusion. He has the blessing of Ms. Sonia Gandhi and the support of several UPA partners, the Hindu rightwing Shiv Sena, the middle roader JD (U) and the leftist CPI (M). As he says the presidential election is a “number game”. The question to ask is whether the election of the Head of State should be a mere number game controlled by “part whip” or should the members of the Electoral College be free to vote according to their conscience.
The President and the Party Boss
The number game began in 1967, when the united opposition under the banner of Samyukta Vidhayak Dal, nominated former Chief Justice of India, K. Subba Rao. Justice Rao was the author of the famous Golaknath vs. State of Punjab where he ruled that Fundamental Rights could not be amended by the parliament. Congress party, led by Mrs. Indira Gandhi had lost control in the “Hindi belt. She opposed Subba Rao. Drummed up support of the left parties and other allies and got Dr. Zakir Hussain elected as the President. President Zakir Hussain died on May 3, 1969. In August 1969, defying the party leadership, Mrs Gandhi supported the candidature of V. V. Giri in the presidential election. The leadership of the official Congress issued a whip to all party members to vote for Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy. Mrs. Gandhi appealed to all Congress MPs and MLAs to vote according g to their “conscience”. V. V. Giri was elected. Mrs. Gandhi was expelled from the Congress. She walked away with 210 members of the Congress Parliamentary Party and split the Congress into two. However, Mrs Gandhi commitment to freedom of conscience evaporated soon. Inner party democracy was replaced by “high command”.
Since then Presidents of India have been selected by the party boss and elected on the basis of the party whip. I believe it is unreasonable to expect a person to completely severe all relationship with the political party of which he/she was a lifelong member or not to be beholden to the “high Command”. As we know, sycophancy was clearly visible in some cases. President Fakhruddin Ahmed was a minister in the cabinet in Mrs. Indira Gandhi’s government. He moved directly for the Cabinet room to the Rashtrapati Bhavan. On the night of June 24/ 25, 1975, when Mrs Gandhi deemed that declaring a state of “emergency” was necessary as the country’s security was threatened by “internal disturbances”, the President did not ask any question. He signed on the dotted line.
Indira Gandhi’s Man
On June 29, Pranab Mukherjee told NDTV that Indira Gandhi was his mentor. Referring to Mrs. Indian Gandhi he said, “She built me up. She gave me the opportunities. I became Finance Minister at the age of 46-47. She allowed me to preside over the Cabinet in her absence, when there were many senior to me”. He was Minister of Revenue and Banking (Independent Charge) from December, 1975 to March, 1977. Pranab Mukherjee like Fakhurddin Ali Ahmed followed every order of Mrs. Gandhi most diligently. The Shah Commission indicted Pranab Mukherjee and others for carrying out the illegal orders of her son, Sanjay Gandhi. The Commission accused Pranab Mukherjee of gross misuse of the provisions of the Maintenance of Internal Security Act and the Defence of India Rules He used the CBI to harass, intimidate and arrest businessmen and political opponents. Some of his victims were Prabhat Kar and D. P. Chaddah, President and General Secretary of All India Bank Employees Association, Baroda Rayon, Bajaj and Mukund Group of Industries. The Shah Commission found that Mr. Mukherjee was involved in altering the notes on the file bearing No: 686/100/75-CUS VIII/75 to extend the illegal incarceration of Gayatri Devi and Bhavani Sing on verbal orders of Mrs. Gandhi. The Shah Commission found that the enquiry into the identities of two women shareholders of then Sanjay Gandhi owned Maruti Ltd. was abruptly halted by the orders of the Chairman of the Revenue Board, which was controlled by Pranab Mukherjee then the Miniser of Revenue and Banking.
On her return to power in 1980, Mrs. Gandhi destroyed almost most of the copies of the Shah Commission’s report. However, a few copies escaped. The Supreme Court Bar libraby has a copy. In 2011, former member of the Lok Sabha, Era Sezhian published a copy. (Aazhi Publishers, Chennai). Mrs. Gandhi also withdrew the FIR against Mukherjee lodged on recommendations of L.P. Singh Committee. The police investigation into some of the misdeeds of Mr. Mukherjee and others was halted. She rewarded him for loyalty by making him the Finance Minister.
Pranab Mukherjee and Rajiv Gandhi
After Indira Gandhi’s death Mukherjee was forced to leave Congress as a result of the leadership. Apparently Mukherjee had staked his claim for the post of the Prime Minister because of his seniority in the cabinet. Rajiv was angry and after 1984 election he did not include Pranab Mukherjee in his cabinet. Mukherjee left Congress and formed a new political party, the Rashtriya Samajwadi Congress. Mukherjee made his peace with Rajiv Gandhi and rejoined the Congress in 1989. Seemingly Mukherjee has erased this episode from his memory. His personal webpage does not mention anything about this period.
After Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination in 1991, Mukherjee was re-nominated to Rajya Sabha in 1993. Mukherjee’s first foray into direct contest in 1980 was a disaster. His second attempt was successful. He was elected for the first time to the Lok Sabha from Jangipur in Murshidabad district of West Bengal.
Pranab Mukherjee and Dhirubhai Ambani
Did Pranab Mukherjee favour Dhirubhai Ambani? Difficult to answer. His relationship with Dhirubhai goes back a long way. There are allegations that as the Minister of Commerce he gave a large number of export-import licences to Reliance, while other applicants got little. Those were the days of license Raj. Apparently, whenever the government decided to grant such licenses, Reliance industries were the first to know and submitted their applications for import of Polyester staples much before others. As the licenses were allotted on “first come first served” basis, it was the Ambanis who benefitted the most. There were also perceived preferential treatments of the import duties on the ingredients of polyester, such as Reliance vis-a-vis Bombay Dyeing
Then there was the case of the Isle of Man companies (1979-82). The dummy companies of Isle of Man and the mysterious churning of Reliance shares. Apparently a UK based person known as “Mr. Shah” had invested U. S. $ 220 million through 11 bogus companies registered in Isle of Man like Crocodile, Lota and Fiasco. In 1982, Bombay Stock Exchange was closed for 3 business days after rattled by Ambani’s bear-bull game in the trading of Reliance shares. Reliance industries virtually controlled the BSE. Madhu Dandavate, in 1983 brought a privilege motion against for giving wrong information to the parliament about purchase of shares of Reliance Textiles by “UK based companies”. Mukherjee continued to protect the identity of the persons behind these UK companies.
Many people feel that his flourish in politics as a result of the patronage he received from the late Dhirubhai Ambani. But then the same may be said about the entire Congress party, Mrs. Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.
After Pranab Mukherjee becomes the President these stories will be buried deep. One expects the president of India to be a person of integrity. Someone who has earned the respect of the nation for his/her deeds. It would appear, that the Congress and the UPA, uncertain of their political future in the next general election would like to have a friend in the Rashtrapati Bhavan, As we know, in the event of a “hung house” the President decides who to ask to form the government. |
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| ‘Militant’ killed in Handwara encounter | | SRINAGAR, Jul 17: An unidentified ‘militant’ was killed in the wee hours today in an encounter with police and army at Batsunjhi in Handwara area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, police said.
The militant, according to the police, was hiding in the forest near Jaba in the village. On a tip off, the police and army started a search operation overnight, resulting in a gunfight that ended at 9 AM with death of the ‘militant’.
“On receiving the information, the police and 6 RR jointly launch | | > Govt dismisses KAS officer for graft | | > 16-years on, son wants to see father’s grave | | > Laila Khan case | | > Army worries over infiltrations, happy about cricketing ties | | > 2 more Amarnath pilgrims die, toll toll rises to 85 |
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