What punishment should be given to Sonia Gandhi, Teesta Setalvad and others co-conspirators who conspired to overthrow a democratically elected government in Gujarat, malign the Chief Minister at the personal level and launched an all-out persecution to frame Narendra Modi and put him in jail forever?
The entire country would wait for the clock of justice to punish those who were guilty of this grand conspiracy. There is also a need to probe those reporters and media persons who worked as if they were acting with personal angst. Facts were not verified and a narrative based on lies was peddled to ensure that Modi was not able to come out of the image trap. Some had even pronounced their verdict before the court did.
The Wheel of Justice does not stop at getting one’s name cleared of an alleged crime. It does not stop at proving one innocent of the crime for which one was vilified for a very long time and presented as a villain which one was not. It may be personal moment of a sigh of relief. But what about justice? How about getting punishment for those who plotted the most controversial conspiracy to sully the image of a democratically elected leader Narendra Modi?
We have witnessed the persecution of Narendra Modi when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat and later, we have also witnessed his moment of triumph when all layers of judiciary, including the Supreme Court, cleared him of all charges and saw a political design in the attempts to vilify him. Now, we all need to wait for retributive justice.
The conspirators are so thick-skinned that the verdict of the court has failed to produce catharsis, which normally is seen in most criminals—repentance followed by a desire to live a clean life. The players are still belligerent even when the SIT, following the apex court verdict, has found that Sonia Gandhi’s aide, the late Ahmed Patel had allegedly given money to Teesta Setalvad to keep defaming Modi. She did this by creating false evidence, statements and many other chicaneries that define her character.
And what should be done to those who continue to peddle the narrative and spit out venom even when the court at the highest level has cleared the name of the Prime Minister? Calling him names and abusing him in public deserve to be punished as well. Is the law weak in punishing people who try to defame for political reasons? Is it so weak that a legislator in Kerala Assembly would describe the Prime Minister as a “monster” and get away scot free?
Many of my media friends say that democracy is under threat and they allege that the Union government is acting with vengeance and media freedom has been curtailed. But they have no concrete example when I ask them. Has the government acted against media persons for writing any report based on fact? They look the other way. Should the conspirators not be punished for their sins?
“This is the general impression” is one powerful argument. When I tell them that impression is created by them, they say they don’t wish to argue. None has concrete fact to substantiate such wild and baseless allegations against the government that is trying to work within limitations and trying to deliver good governance.
Is it not true that those who committed crime during the regime of UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government are now being apprehended by the State agencies? This includes former Union Home Minister and former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, senior Congress leaders and Gandhi family members Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case and in many cases of misappropriation of funds. I can say with confidence that none of this was possible under any other government since nobody would have dared to touch the high and mighty.
One by one all these leaders, who indulged in corruption by misusing their official positions, are going to be pursued and brought to account for their sins. The process of investigation takes time and the judicial process is tedious. However, they cannot escape the law. The rule by which Lutyens Delhi lived has been redefined by the person from Vadnagar. It is: “You will have to pay for your sins”.
Actually, they are all ganging up to create a narrative of this government being arrogant and intolerant of dissent. They cannot be honest to admit that the government is being forthright and is determined to act against those found guilty.
The Prime Minister cannot be influenced or pressured to spare them irrespective of their political or money power. And this is their biggest worry.
So the best way left for them is to join hands and keep maligning the government on one pretext or the other. Action against them would be presented as vendetta and the handout media they sponsored over the years would still peddle the narrative given by them. Why do the same sets of people get provoked and are visible everywhere, whether in court or on the streets?
They want to create an impression that the government is not popular despite doing its best. While they are busy criticizing Modi at a personal level or the government for failing the country, the Prime Minister is busy realizing the country’s dreams of being developed, by inaugurating one project after the other and by projecting a strong image of India at the global level. They say BJP under Modi is an election winning machine.
They forget that people unaffected by Lutyens media have found a new kind of empowerment under Modi. They have no reason to vote this government out. Their narrative is Modi is their hero for giving what is due to them without a drop being lost in corruption. Hence, the Opposition can go on creating a narrative, but this would not affect election results.
The frustrated and defiant Opposition has hit the wall and has lost creativity. They have forgotten that this country listens to arguments and the better argument wins. Rather than discussing the bills in Parliament, they would prefer to hit headlines by staging a walkout. So whatever the Modi government does is wrong for them.
The other fact that is largely ignored is the bitter realization in the anti-Modi camp that their politics of divide and rule and minority appeasement is not working. And before they stage a comeback, the long arm of the law will catch up with them. The desperation, therefore, is palpable.
None of these people are likely to come out with the truth that the UPA government controlled by Sonia Gandhi tried to destroy Modi when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. They would malign the SIT affidavit on Teesta Setalvad without taking the pains to find out what the SIT is saying. The charges are based on witnesses and would stand scrutiny in any court of law. Everyone knows Sonia Gandhi tried to decimate Modi by appointing fixers. Teesta was a fixer playing on Congress money. Ahmed Patel is not alive to testify. But it would be difficult to hide the crime.
Call it intolerance or whatever, those who suffer pain due to the chicanery of others, would like justice to prevail.
Imagine what would have happened if they had succeeded. The guilt should be seen in that context. This should send a strong signal to those who indulge in similar acts for ulterior motives.
Truth will prevail since it has an uncanny ability to come to the surface. We will all wait for justice.
The conspirators are so thick-skinned that the verdict of the court has failed to produce any catharsis, which normally is seen in most criminals—repentance followed by a desire to live a clean life. Truth will prevail since it has an uncanny ability to come to the surface. We will all wait for justice.