Cash for vote inquiry--- What is the BJP protesting about? | Girish Nikam

Published on 29-07-2008 In General

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Cash for vote inquiry--- What is the BJP protesting about?

The Cash for vote controversy is assuming a distinctly uncomfortable hue. This is despite the prompt action taken by Speaker Somnath Chatterjee as expected of him from every quarter. His decision to call the three BJP MPs, confer with them to convince himself about the prima facie need for an enquiry and his subsequent decision to form a seven member committee all follow a pattern expected of him in such a controversy.

Now the BJP does not seem to be satisfied, and have started raising objections. One of its objections is that they were not consulted by the Speaker before forming the Committee. Second they have raised suspicion that the tapes handed over by the CNN-IBN news channel to the Speaker, has been tampered. Third they want the Speaker to release the tapes and want them to be aired on TV channels.

Let's look at their first objection. Has the Speaker done anything unusual? Has he packed the committee with people who have any baggage or a record which the BJP needs to worry about? Apparently none. The committee headed by V.Kishore Chandra Deo (Congress) has six other members--- Mohd.Salim (CPI-M), Vijay Kumar Malhotra (BJP), C.Kuppuswami (DMK), Ram Gopal Yadav (SP), Rajesh Verma (BSP) and D.P.Yadav (RJD). Deo considered one of the most objective and unbiased MPs has an awesome reputation among his peers in Parliament for his balanced approach. Being a fourth term member of the lok Sabha since he was elected as a 30 year old for the first time in 1977, he has also been a member of the Rajya Sabha for a term.

And he is also the Chairman of the Lok Sabha Privileges Committee, succeeding former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar.

And incidentally the six members named in the latest committee to look into the cash for vote scam, are the same members who have probed into three other scams--- cash for questions, MPLADS scheme and improper conduct of members—during the term of the present Lok Sabha. Kishore Chandra Deo has been the Chairman of two of these Committees. Except in the cash for question scam, the reports of all other committees, incidentally chaired by Deo, have been unanimous. In all these committees, BJP's Vijay Kumar Malhotra has been a member, which he is part of in the latest committee too. Why now this sudden suspicion in the BJP about the composition of the Committee which has an un-tainted track record? There has been a suggestion also comparing it with Bofors JPC, which is extra-ordinary, because the composition of the Lok Sabha now and when Bofors JPC was formed, are incomparable. And certainly Kishore Chandra Deo is no B.Shankaranand.

As far as the party not being consulted is concerned, it has to be reminded that on the day, July 22, after the scam broke out in full view of the millions on the TV screens inside the Lok Sabha, an all party leaders meeting had authorised the Speaker to take necessary action.

Now coming to the allegations or suspicion about the tapes having been tampered. Anyone who closely followed the shocking happenings of July 22 and the subsequent news stories which have appeared in the media, it was evident that the tapes were not of good quality. Even on the first day soon after all hell broke loose inside the Lok Sabha, Rajdeep Sardesai who was forced to admit that his channel had conducted the sting operation with the active assistance of some BJP leaders, had said that they had decided not to air the tapes as the story was "incomplete".

What he had also hinted was about the poor quality of both video and audio in part of the tapes. Anyone with any knowledge of sting journalism would be aware that such instances are more often possible, as it is done under tremendous pressure and technical quality can never be as good as when events are shot openly.

One of the reasons for this suspicion is that the tapes were not handed over immediately after the controversy broke out when the BJP MPs showered wads of currencies in the well of the Lok Sabha on July 22. However Sardesai has clarified that when he approached the Speaker's office that evening, he was given an appointment for the next day, July 23, at noon by the Speaker, which he did keep. During that meeting, Sardesai and his colleagues explained to the Speaker the sequence of events, which Chatterjee heard patiently. And mind you, he did not ask for the tapes. The reason one can surmise is that the Speaker had already decided to appoint the committee, and had wanted the committee to decide its course of action.

However, again mind you, Sardesai volunteered to hand over the tapes to the Speaker and he did it the same evening by 5.30 p.m. The reason for this alleged "delay" was that the channel had to collate tapes in different spools into one CD. And this took some time to do. If this is what is called as "tampering", so be it, and it is now upto the Kishore Chandra Deo committee to decide.

As far as the BJP and its chief L.K.Advani's insistence that the Speaker should allow the tapes to be aired immediately, it smacks of a complete disdain towards the freedom of the press. How can the Speaker direct any media house to air as in this case, or print something which it is not convinced about? If this bizarre demand is fulfilled, what will happen to the journalistic freedom to decide what should or should not go on air or in print? Should politician decide what should or what should not? And consider this---- if Rajdeep Sardesai and his team had felt that they had a good story on hand, would they have hesitated to air it? Especially in these days of maddening TRP race, would any channel have missed an opportunity to cash in—sorry pun unintended--- on a story like that?

Is the BJP nervous about what may come out of the inquiry and is that the reason for them protesting too loudly? If it has nothing to hide and wants justice to be done, would it not be right on its part, as a responsible national party, to let the inquiry be conducted in a conducive atmosphere? Is it not its responsibility now, having made the allegations, to assist in the conduct of the inquiry, without pre-judging it? Is it too much for the people of the country, already disgusted with the way the entire confidence vote queered itself, to expect atleast this much cooperation from the main opposition party? Time for judgement will come later.

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Mr. Girish has conveniently omitted an assertion of Mr. Advani that when the MPs were shown these CDS they were clear and there is a media report that lot of grains are there in the visuals hampering video and audio. There is no logic not televising the video. The speaker has left out 4 of the original members of the Cash for questions scam thereby ensuring majority for UPA. In fact it would be wise to leave the UPA-SP and NDA members and allow only the BSP - Left block to investigate the scam. Consider this the channel could have made a higher buck without TRP race in not telecasting.

	sundars - Comments as on 29-07-2008
MPs have not been shown the CDs. Advani i dont think has made such assertion, if he has, he is mistaken, Until the committee looks at the CDs, no one will be show the CDs. Of the Four “original” members that Sundars talk about, two belong to opposition and two to ruling combine. So even if they are added, UPA will be in a majority of one. So it is not going to make any difference.All such committees reflect the strength of major parties in the House, and always the ruling combine will have a majority.

	yekpah - Comments as on 29-07-2008
If I were a leader in one of the Opposition parties, I would make and keep making some kind of statement-stunt to keep the cash-for-vote scam in the fore front, especially considering the recent terrorist attacks taking all the front page material. I totally agree the country and its citizen’s safety is of the atmost importance; but so is the credibility of the legislature and honour of the constitution.

	rsiriraam - Comments as on 29-07-2008