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Journalism of Courage
What Aseemanand said
Roznama Khabrein, in its editorial on February 8, wrote: “First, Swami Aseemanand’s confession of his crime and now the revelations [in Caravan magazine] about RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat have established that those dragging India into terrorism are none other than the ones making false claims of patriotism — the RSS and similar organisations… Hats off to the investigative agencies that have exposed the dangerous campaigns being run in the country.” It added: “As Caravan has claimed that Aseemanand gave the interviews in jail, he should be grilled immediately. The magazine has also claimed that copies of the questions had been sent to Mohan Bhagwat but he refused to answer any. Should not the RSS demand an inquiry instead of coming to the defence of Bhagwat?… The UPA, at least, should take this matter seriously, because this is not only a matter of votes. It also concerns the nation’s unity and integrity that is linked with the country’s asmita.”
Sahafat, on February 9, wrote: “Mohan Bhagwat’s statement to Aseemanand that this (act of planting explosives) would not be a crime, and that people would not treat them as having committed one because it was part of their ideology, is most provocative. This provides a solid ground for a probe and the National Intelligence Agency should take action.” Rashtriya Sahara, in its editorial on February 5, wrote: “The main reason behind the Sangh’s lobbying for Narendra Modi as the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate is there is no more a suitable person than Modi to… give practical shape the RSS ideology described by Bhagwat”.
Third Front Season
Inquilab, in its editorial on February 12, wrote: “If the 11 parties in the non-Congress, non-BJP group work seriously using resources in their areas of influence, their current strength of 92 in Lok Sabha can certainly go up… The BJP seems nonplussed, as demonstrated by its allegations that these parties are pro-Congress. The BJP is restless because a majority of these parties would, in case of a hung Lok Sabha, align with the UPA, but not with the NDA…”
Litterateur Hasan Kamal, in Rashtriya Sahara (Feb 8), wrote: “The most important factor (in the pre-election scenario) is the formation of a third front. But who would be the leader of this front? It is being said that J. Jayalalithaa is joining because she is confident of becoming PM… the one who brings the maximum number of MPs would have the brightest chance of leading the front. But, even in this context, apart from Jayalalithaa, the claims of Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee and Mayawati cannot be ignored. This is the most difficult issue for this front.” Hamara Samaj, in its editorial on February 12, suggested that “this front should be welcomed because people are fed-up with the double standards of the Congress and the BJP, and are looking for a new political alternative.”
Telangana solution
Commenting on the complexities of a possible solution of the Telangana issue, Inquilab, in its editorial on February 6, wrote: “We believe the government wants the bill to be introduced in an atmosphere of extreme opposition. Thus, the proponents of Telangana could be given the impression that no stone was left unturned by the government to fulfil its promise and the demand would be met if the government is back in power. Through such a strategy, the bill would once again go into cold storage and the proponents of a united Andhra could reconcile.”
Discussing the possible fate of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, Hyderabad’s Munsif, on February 1, wrote: “Insofar as inaction on the part of the Congress high command against the CM despite his rebellion is concerned, it seems that the Congress is preoccupied with the plan following the state’s bifurcation. It wants to build Kiran Kumar Reddy as a strong Congress leader of Seemandhra so that there is at least one popular face of the Congress to counter Jaganmohan Reddy in the area.”
Compiled by Seema Chishti
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