Tribute to Aarushi

He came, He killed, He is free now...

A small girl has done it again. She has shown the nation what people want our Indian System to be like.

Aarushi and Hemraaj were found dead with their throat slit around 30 months back. Aarushi's parents along with the nation filed the case with a hope of justice. CBI investigated for 30 months and came up with a verdict of "No Justice" as they were not able to find any evidence.

CBI has filed all the documents and is ready to submit those for the closure of the case. In its statement, the agency, without giving details of its failure, said, "The agency has filed a final report for closure of case on ground of insufficient evidence in the competent court."

30 months time and they did not manage to find any evidence, or should we say that this is again great attempt to show how these people want our Indian System to operate like. These actions may not harm the people like them, but it can really affect people like us - THE COMMON INDIANS.

Sorry Aarushi, case is closed!!!

This innocent smile of the slain 14 year old girl named Aarushi taunts at the CBI credo- Industry, Impartiality and Integrity. The greatest investigation agency of the country falls flat in finding any evidence linked to the murderer and eventually, the calls closure of the very complicated and tragic Aarushi double murder case. But doing that, CBI also sends a message that a murderer who such brutally killed the young girl has successfully deceived the law enforcing agencies.

Here is our India where assassins and embezzlers are moving freely, and innocents and poor are attempted to be framed on false charges. Not to forget the laxity of police in the particular case can be drawn out by just the fact that the person who was a suspect prima-facie, was also found lying dead two days later.

Its not a case of just a murder or a case of justice being denied, but its a case where barbarism slaps on the face of humanity. Its a case of being morally corrupt, its a case where apathy slapped sensitivity. Its a depiction of ongoing self centeredness and depleting humanity. It is quite difficult to imagine how a human can just relax with callousness, knowing that a girl as young as 14 was killed in cold blood.

There was no stone left unturned by the police in botching up the case and framing false charges on people. They also assassinated Aarushi’s character time and again by plotting up a story of her sexual relations with a male help.

‘Aarushi’ which means the “first ray of light”, has undoubtedly revealed the shadowed part of Indian legal proceedings. Why is it somebody like A Raja comes out smiling from the CBI HQ after facing an enquiry, and several uninflential people are held for no reasons? Why a Common Indian is not given the right to lodge an FIR even? Why common man fears to go to a court or a police station? Why a policeman has such disrepute among the masses?

There are many Aarushi’s in the country beseeching justice but only thing they get are either a Closed Door or a Closed File....

Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

Many a times in my childhood when I needed motivation, my grandmother would illume optimism through various stories where a grisly era ruled by devils came to an end when god exorcised the earth off them. Our Hindu mythology is deluged with such stories; they tell us how every oppression is repressed by the Divinity. But this time, they do not give any relief when India is daunted by devil of corruption. Although, the BJP led opposition leaves no chance to square off the government on corruption, yet there seem bleak chances of the devil being subjugated.

Corruption is no new word in the lexicon of Indian politics, time and again we have seen political parties creating brouhaha over CAG reports and media revelations but none of them really appealed for reforms to prevent such irregularities. Haunted by the spectre of corruption, nation has gone through some ghastful phases including national emergency. Jai Prakash Narain effectively projected Indira as a tyrant and ran an anti-Indira juggernaut all over the country. Consequently, the congress party lost its throne and Indira was ousted of the parliament and her residence.

But today India beseeches its JP, to not only revolt against the perpetrators but also to find a permanent solution to the problem. The allegations on the government are gross and opposition finds no way out other than resisting the proceedings of the parliament in demand of a JPC probe. While the government continually dismisses its demand in the pretext of the ongoing probe by various agencies including the PAC headed by Murli Manohar Joshi, a BJP leader, all that is going on is exchange of words and shooting questions on one another.

Wonder! What is the reason that no political party has had the audacity to put forward a proposal to whet out the sword against corruption? Why there has been no debate so far, to hasten the investigation and judicial process against the crooks? And why there has been no law passed that could ensure the independence and viability of the investigation agencies?

The BJP which consistently profess itself of being the flag bearers in the march against corruption gets subdued by its own chief minister facing almost similar charges in the state of Karnataka. However, its tenure in the centre had also not been spick and span. The leaders who beguile as reformist now, had earlier condoned its ministers allegedly involved in embezzlements. Not to forget the Tehelka expose in which the then defence minister George Fernandes and other members of his Samata Party were allegedly benefited by the swinging of arms deal. Although George Fernandes had resigned from his post, but later on was given a clean chit and reinstated in the same port folio.

Stung by the back to back Tehelka operations which revealed BJP president Bangaru Laxman receiving bribe and also those which inferred 2002 Gujrat Riots of being connived by the state government, the BJP came down heavily on the enterprise and practically ruined it by framing severe charges on the editor-in-chief and its financial backers.

Today, when we bid farewell to year 2010 we look back at it not only as a year when many scams were divulged but also a year when the Indian democratic system was proved impotent in combating corruption. This year has witnessed inefficiency of a central government to take strict actions against its tainted minister, a national party which was restrained by its chief minister from taking action against him and also the influence of corporate houses in politics and media. There was also an instance this year, when the Supreme Court had remarked at the discrepancies in Allahabad high court.

Significantly, it has been a year when the government, opposition, judiciary and the media have been at the receiving end of allegations and brickbats related to the unscrupulousness and ineffectiveness. The Common Indian on the other hand stands helpless in situation where he has to choose between devil and the deep blue sea....

An article by Gaurav Tripathi produced in general interest of public by GAAP