Who is saying what?

It is amazing that Shashi Tharoor could say this:

"Earlier during his speech at the function at the DG Vaishnav College, he said students awaited hard roads as challenges ahead in their lives.

"But you should believe in yourself, you should believe in the truth. I have been on those hard roads and that was the only way I was able to cope as well," he said."

Is this hallucination or chicanery?

Sunanda Pushkar's death : Emerging picture

Details emerge over time. Cover-ups and obfuscations give way to evidence and clarity. But the process may take an excruciatingly long time. In the mean time, the main actors may even have died. The mystery relating to Sunanda Pushkar's unnatural death (it would have been called a gruesome murder but for the high-profile minister's involvement) is undergoing such a meandering process.

Had she been married to a commoner, such a nasty event would not have occurred. If it had happened, the cruel inhuman husband would have been arrested straightaway. But ministers seem to be immune from criminal investigations for spousal cruelty and uxoricide.

Sunanda Pushkar's relatives are now beginning to gather strength to speak the truth. Her cousin, Ashok Kumar, has voiced the most sensible and straightforward concern about the husband's obvious involvement. He has attributed Sunanda's son Shiv's so-called clean-chit to the minister to mortal fear.

The needle of suspicion matter-of-factly has right from the beginning pointed to one person and he has been allowed so far to walk free, travel abroad and curry favour with the new ruling establishment for ten months. Yet, the law continues to be otiose. National Commission for Women and various women's organisations should hang their heads in shame for letting down a murdered woman so shabbily.

Involving unclean minds in 'Clean India' campaign

Shashi Tharoor is one of the nine persons chosen by Narendra Modi to initiate the Swachh Bharat campaign. It is unfortunate that a misogynist Casanova who divorced twice and most likely murdered a third wife is enlisted for this national purpose.

Ever since Modi became the prime minister, the shameless Tharoor has been getting closer to him possibly to stave off criminal proceedings relating to Sunanda's death. Tharoor should not be allowed to continue mocking at justice to his departed spouse.

Manmohan Singh's autobiography

It is reported that the former prime minister has decided to author a book about himself to set history straight. One wonders whether he has obtained permission from Sonia Gandhi to express his views.

If he wants to write the truth, he cannot but offend Sonia. If he desires, as usual, not to displease her, he cannot be truthful. It will be interesting to see the route he takes.

One hopes that the book will be in the form of a mea culpa. In case he turns economical with truth, his already low credibility will further get eroded.

Updated on 22nd Oct:

Manmohan Singh is reported to have denied any thought about an autobiography. Very surprising that an 'economist' is shy of communicating.

Supreme Court, Al Gore and Jayalalithaa's conviction

The Special Judge, John Michael Cunha has quoted the Supreme Court and Al Gore while finding Jayalalithaa guilty:

"Regarding corruption, the Hon’ble Supreme Court
in the case of Niranjan Hemachal Sashittal vs. State of
Maharashtra, 2013 (4) S.C.C. 642 has held as under:

“It can be stated without any fear of
contradiction that, corruption is not be judged by
degree, for corruption mothers disorder, destroys
societal will to progress, accelerates undeserved
ambitions, kills the conscience, jettisons the
glory of institutions, parayses the economic
health of a country, corrodes the sence of civility
and mars the marrows of the Governance”.

Al Gore, in his book “Assault on Reason” (Paper
Book Edition 2013, pages 72, 73) writes:

“If political and economic freedoms have been
siblings in the history of liberty, it is incestuous
coupling of wealth and power that poses the
dreadliest threat to democracy. If wealth could
be easily exchanged for power, then, the
concentration of either could double the
corrupting potential of both. Freedoms helix then
spirals downward toward unhealthy
combinations of concentrated political and
economic power”.

Heady Mix of power and Wealth is the bottom line
of this case. Huge accumulation of wealth by accused
in a short span of five years is a telling example of how
power would lead to concentration of unlawful wealth
posing veritable danger to democratic structure. "

Types of Justice

Jayalalithaa's imprisonment has activated many discussions on what justice is about. Has she not done enough good to the public to merit condonation of corruption relating to early nineties? Are n't there other politicians who have been even more corrupt and yet not facing any punishment now?

Both are logical and ethical questions. The first question draws our attention to concepts of 'gross' and 'net' justice. Netting of good deeds from bad deeds is not a law of nature. Consequences of both good and bad actions need to be enjoyed and suffered separately. Nature believes in and ensures "Gross Settlement" though not on Real Time basis. RTGS is not in vogue here.

The second question addresses 'absolute' and 'relative' justice. We are able to experience justice in individual cases but are unable to make a meaningful, satisfying comparison of 'rewards' and 'punishments' faced by one vis-a-vis another person for similar turpitude. This is because the consequences may be spread over different time periods for different persons. Nature is unerring in punishing the errant.

Jaya's padhuka

The Hindu reports:

""'Since he is now a Chief Minister, he should not visit the jail, and that he should focus on administration'

Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, who has been convicted in the disproportionate assets case, on Tuesday refused to meet the newly sworn-in Chief Minister O Panneersevalm, when he went to meet her at the Central Jail in Parappana Agrahara, where she is lodged since September 27.

A prison official said: “Ms. Jayalalithaa conveyed the message through prison staff that as he was the Chief Minister he should not visit the jail, and that he should focus on administration…. This message was conveyed to him by the prison staff.” "

When Bharata went to forest to meet his brother Lord Rama during Rama's exile, the latter advised him to concentrate on administration instead of spending time with Him. Bharata pleaded with Rama atleast to give him His 'padhuka' so that he would administer Ayodya under the aegis of Lord's padhuka.

Similarly, if Panneerselvam had requested Jayalalithaa for her 'padhuka', she would have asked him, " Of 750 pairs of footwear, which one do you want?" Panneerselvam would have been flummoxed. I hasten to add that this conversation is only imaginary, the former chief minister's response only hypothetical and therefore does not warrant a defamation suit.