K.V Seetharamaiah
Electricity Minister V. Senthil Balaji has been arrested by Enforcement Directorate (ED) for interrogation in connection with cash-for-job scam. As is the wont, the arrest has been condemned by the opposition parties. It is not unusual for a Chief Minister to defend his minister and the opposition parties to charge the central government with the misuse of the investigating agencies to tame the opposition. The health of politicians upsets soon after they are arrested or detained for interrogation. The charge of vindictive action against the politicians of opposition parties always will be hanging over the head of central government. Balaji has been hospitalized after he complained of chest pain. The 18-hour search operation at his home, secretariat and several other places across the state has “pained” him. His hospitalization prompted the Sessions Court Principal judge to visit the hospital before passing the order. For most of the politicians accused of wrong doing, “jail darshan” precedes the “hospital darshan or hospital stay”. When D.K. Shivakumar was arrested he also suffered set back in health. Satyendra Jain got bail on medical grounds. To avoid ED’s questions, he said he has loss of memories. The health of politicians is regained soon after they are released from jail and will be active enough to physically fight with their opponents anywhere. The too thick-skinned politicians outside the jail become too sensitive inside the jail. H.R. & C.E. Minister P.K. Sekarbabu quotes doctors as saying that there is variation in electrocardiogram (ECG). Babu, not the doctors, says that these are symptoms of torture.
The setback in health may be genuine. What is astonishing is that the politicians who are used to use abusive language at others and are being abused by others are so sensitive on health issue soon after the law starts taking its course. For arresting Balaji, AICC President Mallikarjn Kharge says that the Union government wants to break the opposition’s unity by indirectly threatening the leaders of opposition parties through such arrests. If the arrest of one or two persons from the opposition rank for wrong doings can break the unity bid, then the opposition parties can be deemed to be standing on weak pedestal to forge unity. It is not the job of ruling parties to strengthen the opposition unity just as it is not the job of the opposition parties to keep the ruling party members united always.
Nothing can shake anybody so long as space is not given for wrong doings and corrupt practices. There are countless number of politicians who have unblemished record of service during their political career. To mention a few, Vajpayee, Advani, MM Joshi, Anthony, T.A. Pai. NCP Chief Sharad Pawar has charged the central government with crushing the voice of critics against “undemocratic” government. The statement of Pawar is proved only when charges against Balaji are not proved or when Balaji proves his innocence. Mamata Banerjee has denounced the ED raid at the office of the minister.
In the cash-for-job scam, the opposition parties can only understand the “pain” of the politicians arrested for interrogation but they cannot understand the pain of job-seekers who have to shell out huge sum of money to get job.
