CHAPTER 13

13

OPPRESSION

          Dr. Manmohan Singh reached Impal, Capital of Manipur, on 20 November 2004 as part of his three-day visit to the North- East.

      At Impal, consistent with letter No.43 dated 13-11-2004, he said that he did not come there for selling packages to buy the loyalties of the people by doling out money but to quicken the pace of development.

       On the same day, the letter No.44 was sent to His Excellency the President of India. The letter sought the President to open the border with Pakistan for the free movement of bonafide citizens and to consider the question of equitable distribution of  “seats and assets”. The letter follows.

From

V.SABARIMUTHU

Thattankonam,Vellicode, Mulagumoodu 629167

To

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

His Excellency the President of India

Presidential Palace

 New Delhi

Your Excellency

                   Kindly consider a few immediate mandatory constitutional duties and responsibilities of the new system.

          1.       Restoration of the VSNL as the sale was nothing but the appropriation of a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU)   through the appropriation of Bank of India- a Public Sector Bank.

          2.       Restoration of the Indian Petro Chemical Corporation Limited (IPCL) as it was sold to a charge sheeted company. Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL) also must be restored for the same reason.

          3.       Rescinding the privilege granted to the brokers to avail themselves of 5% bank deposits. The permission granted to the companies to buy PSUs in India and assets abroad using public funds and the privilege granted to Mutual Funds to avail themselves of the Foreign Exchange could be revoked in public interest.       

          4.       Giving answer to four unanswered questions in letter No.32 dated 31 May 2004. Further, there are reports that rice could be exported without giving any subsidy. Therefore, the names of those who received huge subsidy in the Re. 9000 crore rice scandals may be disclosed. The reason for the resignation of the former RBI Governor and the Finance Director of the BSNL also could be exposed. These are very important elements for rule of law because the CBI often tends to retreat if the amount involved is, say, more than Re.200 crore.

          5.       Releasing the details regarding the amount released by various banks and the LIC to buy the shares of the TCS and the name of the competent authority that issued orders for the same. In this matter, all right thinking people feel that the Cabinet Ministers failed to control the self-interest of Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India. Such a feeling must be dispelled from the mind of the people. Similarly, the fate of the money collected by the State Bank of India (SBI) in the name of Resurgent India Bond could be released.

          6.       The Banking Service Recruitment Board could be restored to streamline the appointments in Public Sector Banks.

          7.       It is extremely heartening to note that the letter Nos.41 and 42 dated 10-10- 2004 and 30-10-2004 respectively together with other letters is producing momentous changes and giving great impetus to peace talks with militant people in the North-East, Jammu and Kashmir and Andra Pradesh. The Prime Minister is now giving great importance to employment of the youth. It appears that the system had been waiting for someone to point out the message of that letter. However, it required 40 letters for this writer to confirm that conclusion. In this connection, it must be noted that a porous border with Bangladesh resulted in a violent reaction from the people of Assam. Similar resentment would have happened in Jammu and Kashmir had there been an open border. On the contrary, the terrorists are now moving like fish in water. Obviously, the militancy would continue so long as the local people refuse to turn against them. An open border, which allows free movements of bonafide citizens of India and Pakistan would result in the migration of people from Pakistan to India for jobs, provided Jammu and Kashmir is wealthier than the Pak occupied Kashmir (PoK). It may not result in net increase in population because many would marry and go back to Pakistan. The probability for increased militancy and chaos in such a situation is less than 10%. This would save precious human lives and precious money of all people all over India besides ensuring peace. The only condition is that the Nation must be fully alert to frustrate any surprise attacks. John Locke (1632-1704) says that people will put up with many ills before they will embark on the dangerous course of revolution. It is said that the end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom. Even otherwise, “it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all”.

          8.       It must be noted that United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) is demanding sovereignty. The Government could have very easily pre-empted this demand by announcing State wise reservation for the shares of the PSUs and for public employment and education. The problem occurs only when someone oppresses others for their “assets and seats”. It is said that there is one thing only, which gathers people into seditious commotions, and that is oppression. All right thinking people would tell that the act of killing people on one side and selling shares thereby facilitating less than ten people to convert public funds into foreign exchange through other side is nothing but vicious oppression. If the ‘seats and assets’ were apportioned equitably, there would be a virtual struggle to remain with Indian Union because the advantages of remaining with India would far outweigh all other advantages put together. Therefore, the moment the Union Cabinet decides, the militancy-perhaps barring isolated incidents- would cease to exist.

          9.       The permission granted by the Supreme Court on 5 November 2004 to the Governors to sanction prosecution must be fully appreciated. It is an extraordinary judgment consistent with the letter No. 30 dated 12 March 2004 and many other letters to meet an extraordinary situation. It is the will of the Nation and the will of the Constitution. In the judgment lies the hopes and aspirations of the Nation at present. Through this judgment, the learned judges have identified themselves with the Real Will of the Nation and obeyed the dictates of the Nation and the Constitution. Now, it is the overriding duty of the Government, investigation agencies and the President of India to give answers to all unanswered questions. Only then there will be rule of law. It must be noted that in a True Democracy there will be rule of law. It is said, “a State that undermines rule of law would collapse”.

10.     Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) says that the “age we live in is a busy age; in which knowledge is rapidly advancing towards perfection’ was the answer to all the problems that have ever perplexed mankind.  The media syndicate that includes the DD has blacked out all these letters to the detriment of 1000 million people. Now, they find it difficult even to repudiate the unacceptable points in these letters because doing so would amount to acknowledging these letters. Therefore, it is the paramount duty of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to publish all the letters one by one in all English newspapers and translated versions in other newspapers along with important developments that prompted those letters. In order to enable the NHRC or the competent authority to publish these letters, the first 20 letters and the important developments are sent as ‘attachments’.

          Vellicode                                                                       Yours faithfully,

          20-11-2004

                                                                                             (V.SABARIMUTHU)              

                  

         

          Mr. Shivraj Patil, Home Minister, on 21 November 2004 requested the Prime Minister to consider the question of granting more autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir. He sought a discussion over it.

          At Assam, Dr. Manmohan Singh issued an open request to the militant people to come to the negotiation table. He said that there was nothing that could not be solved through dialogue. He said that human knowledge was growing in an unprecedented pace. He added that power flowed from ballot box and not through the barrel of the gun.

          On 21 October 2004, Mr. Soli J.Sorabjee, former Attorney General of India, wrote a big article in the Sunday edition of The New Indian Express. He said that though freedom of expression was a vital fundamental right, it was not an absolute one. He said that censorship was inevitable in certain cases e.g. where the speech has clear potential to incite religious strife or hatred between communities or the expression is patently obscene without any redeeming literature or social element. The message of his article was that the Article 15 in the Constitution of India could not be printed. In this way he wanted the Government to conceal the letters of this writer. Obviously, he must be the head of the “Think Tank” of the industrialists.

          “The Times of India” on 25 November 2004 reported that Allahabad Bank - a nationalized bank - would come out with a public issue in January 2004 to mobilize Re. 500 crore. This contradicted the statement of Mr. P. Chithambaram, Finance Minister, during his visit to the Bombay Stock Exchange on 14 November 2004. Obviously, the industrialists were operating through the bureaucracy to the detriment of the people.

          In the third week of November 2004, the copies of letters Nos from 39 to 43 were sent to the Chief Ministers of Kerala, Karnataka, Andra Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, Assam, Nagaland, Mehalaya and Arunachal Pradesh. Interestingly, the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Mufti Mohamed Sayeed, on 29 November 2004 sought compensation for the “losses” suffered by the State due to the Indus Water Treaty signed between India and Pakistan in the 1960s.He said that economic self-reliance was the key to the problem confronting the State, and invited suggestions from experts and economists for a strategy for its economic resurgence.

          On 27 November 2004 copies of five letters each from letter Nos.31 to 43 were sent randomly to 25 Members of Parliament (MPs).

          Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, Congress President, during her visit to Mauritius on 30 November 2004 said that India had proved that all prophets of doom wrong and it was standing tall among the fastest growing economies of the world.

          A student - during a Video Conferencing- requested Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam to tell his weakness. He said that if someone said that something was impossible he used to get angry. He described that as his weakness. “Malai Murasu”- a local Tamil daily- on 1 December 2004, reported it.

          A Mr. Mahesh Murty wrote an article in the 29 November 2004 Issue of the “Businessworld”. In the first para of the article he said “Those who know do; those who do not know teach”. Those who can’t teach, teach- insert the name of your college here-” It must be noted that this writer is a lecturer in a private college.

          In the above monthly, the cover story decried the attempts of the Government to impose more regulations on financial conglomerates like the UTI, ICICI bank, HDFC, SBI.

        On 4 November 2004, Dr.Manmohan Singh said that the outdated laws must be repealed and the industries must be freed from the “inspector raj”.

       On the same day, Mr. Muhesh Ambani of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) called on the Congress President and the Finance Minister. Further, there was a meeting of the industrialists with the Prime Minister. The media portrayed this as something connected with the management problem in the Reliance Industries. However, it could be discerned that some feeble enquires were going on in New Delhi.

          Five javans were killed in a suicide attack on a Special Operation Group camp in Jammu and Kashmir on 2 December 2004.

          The President of Russia, Mr. Vladimir Putin came to India on 3 December 2004. The President or the Prime Minister did not go to the airport to receive him.

      On his arrival, Mr. Putin said that his country did not favour veto power to India because the Organization would be reduced to a discussion club. On the next day, he backed veto right for India. “The Hindu” on 6 December 2004 said that some blunt talking from the Vice President, Mr. Bhairon Singh Shekhwat, did the trick. It was not in good taste. The Russian President should not have been forced to retract from his words.

          An IED blast in Jammu and Kashmir killed nine soldiers including a Major on 5 December 2004.

          The Union Government on 6 December 2004 announced the formation of a three member “Investment Commission” under the Chairmanship of Mr. Ratan Tata and Mr. Deepak Parekh and Asoke Ganguly as members. The objective was to attract $150 billion foreign investment in sectors like road, power, petroleum, telecom, ports, airports. The Commission would act as an interlocutor for promoting foreign investments. However, the Government did not give any reason for the underutilization of the foreign exchange.

          The President on 6 December 2004 requested the media persons to publish the positive points.

          In the November 8-21 issue of the “Business India” a Mr.Rakesh Joshi said that the then Finance Minister, Mr.Yashwant Sinha, did not have high comfort level with a Mr. S. Narayan, Revenue Secretary, by reason of the fact that the former suspected that the latter was close to a corporate house. This was the way of boosting the image of ministers because people believed that the minister was closer to corporate houses than to any others.