Opinion Assessing Obama

Hyderabad-based Rahnuma-e-Deccan,in an editorial entitled,‘Jholi Obama ki’ (Obama’s begging bowl) writes; “all US presidents visiting India have tried to give a particular direction to India’s relations with the US,bringing an assortment of policies in their bowls… but all through Obama’s visit,the strongest president in the world looked weak and India looked strong.” The paper also says he demonstrated a “soft corner” for Pakistan and did not make any “stunning announcement.” Expressing similar sentiments,Rashtriya Sahara,in an editorial on November 8,writes that Obama did not utter a word on the David Headley affair. The paper writes: “the objective of the visit was to develop trade ties with India in such a manner that it would help to reduce the impact of the crisis in the American economy.”

The spreading smear

In its lead story titled ‘A. Raja qusoorwaar’ (A. Raja is guilty),Rashtriya Sahara on November 17 highlighted the CAG report against the former minister. Talking of the Supreme Court’s observation about the PMO,the paper asks: “why the silence relating to Raja ?” The paper has described the Supreme Court’s observation as a “sensational turn in the 2G spectrum scam.”

The Raja affair and other big cases of corruption have been the subject of much discussion. Writing about the Adarsh Society scam,the daily Sahafat (published from Delhi,Mumbai,Lucknow and Dehradun) in its editorial on November 7 says that the army has been hit by allegations. “These things were considered specific to Pakistan and the Pakistani army… as far as India is concerned,the armed forces had a special dignity… inspite of individual cases of spying,the character of the common armyman was considered spotless. Regrettably,that cannot be said now. The paper’s editor and well-known iterary figure,Hasan Kamal,in a column entitled ‘Ae Mere Watan ke Logo’ writes: “In the Mumbai scam of Adarsh society,a name more prominent than that of politicians has been that of former army chief Deepak Kapoor. Remember,he is the same Kapoor whose aide,Lt Gen Avadesh Kumar,was found involved in the Sukna land deal scandal too.” Kamal has also elaborated on several other aspects of the army which have been in the news recently — the pay structure as well as what he terms “caste factors in the recruitment of personnel.” The cases of corruption in the management of the Commonwealth Games and the arrest of two Organising Committee members have also been discussed by several papers.

Runaway train

RASHTRIYA SAHARA on November 8 writes; “a goods train on the Gomo-Gaya stretch of the Dhanbad division of the Eastern Railway kept running for about 42 km without the brake working and then for 10 km without anyone in charge,without a driver or a guard,both of whom jumped out of the train once the brake failed and were badly injured. After great effort to keep the line clear at many stations on the way,to allow the train to pass,the OHT power was cut and the train finally crawled to a stop near a station without any collision anywhere.” An inquiry has been ordered in the incident,according to the newspaper.

Compiled by Seema Chishti