Monday, September 29, 2014

Court Jails a Chief Minsiter in India

Prime Minister Modi is great orator and gave a great speech at Madison Square Garden today. I applaud him for that.

He will be visiting our President as well and I hope he learns in the next few days that the pragati of America is based on Justice being the key component of the society - 99% of Americans get justice and that brings peace and security to the population knowing that they are safe and protected under the laws. India needs that, every wrong doer must be accountable and brought to justice.

In recent Mushaeras/Kavi Sammelan's in Dallas and Louisville, I recited a poem called "blame the one who can be punished" ( and not his family, community, clergy, religion or the nation)  and one of the 10 couplets was addressed to Modi:

Samaj may insaf ho to ummeed bhi aur pragati bhi
Dharam badnaam, chuta chor tha? a mera dharam kahan tha

When there is justice in the society, there will be peace and prosperity
blaming religion and leaving the thug alone is not being righteous
 
I have nothing against Jayalalithaa, but India is on the right path by punishing the individual criminal no matter who it is and this is a good step forward.  This is how safe and secure societies are built. It is odd to see Subramaniam Swamy support this - he needs to be challenged for his lies ( have refuted twice)  about tearing the social fabric of India. He stabs Bharat Mata in her back.
 
Here is one for him

Gar lagana Ilzam to lagao mujh per, saza do mujh ko 
a aib mera zati tha, a mera dharam kahan tha.

If you have to blame for a crime, blame me the criminal, punish me
this was my personal crime, this is not being righteous.

I am proud of my India
 
Jai Hind
 
Court jails Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa in graft case
 
J. Jayalalithaa (R), chief minister of India's Tamil Nadu state and chief of the AIADMK party, gestures to her supporters (not pictured) after leaving her residence for the airport, in Chennai September 27, 2014. REUTERS-Babu
 
J. Jayalalithaa, chief minister of Tamil Nadu and chief of Anna Dravida Munetra Khazhgam (AIADMK), addresses her party supporters atop a vehicle during an election campaign rally in Chennai April 19, 2014. REUTERS-Babu-Files





















Credit: Reuters/Babu
 
 (Reuters) - Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa Jayaram was sentenced to four years in jail on Saturday in a high-profile corruption case that has lasted nearly two decades.

The verdict against the former movie star, who is one of the most popular politicians in south India, delighted some supporters of rival parties who were beaten in the general election held earlier this year.

A special court in Karnataka found Jayalalithaa guilty of "disproportionately" amassing about 530 million rupees ($8.7 million) outside her known sources of income, prosecution lawyers told reporters late in the evening.

"She has been taken into custody ... Medical check-ups will be done, thereafter she'll be sent to jail," one of the prosecution lawyers said. Three of Jayalalithaa's aides were also sent to jail.

The court has also fined the four-time chief minister 1 billion rupees ($16 million), which will be taken from the properties that have already been seized by the court.

Jayalalithaa is legally obliged to now step down as the head of Tamil Nadu, which she has governed since 2011 under her latest term. However, she will have the option of approaching a higher court which could overturn the verdict.

Television reports showed supporters of Jayalalithaa, chief of the AIADMK party, clashing with police in Bangalore and Chennai. Workers of rival Tamil party, DMK, burst crackers in celebration.

The portly, fair-skinned Jayalalithaa acted in several movies before joining politics and has a huge fan following. She endeared herself to millions by distributing free laptops, grinders and fans to voters.

"I am pleased that the Indian democratic system is working," Subramanian Swamy, a petitioner in the case and a leader of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), told the television channel Times Now. "It is an appropriate punishment."

Swamy said that the verdict could weaken AIADMK and present his party with an opportunity to build its base in the state, where it has had little success so far.

Experts say Indian courts have historically been lenient on powerful politicians, with many former state and federal chief ministers out on bail despite facing serious charges.

"The sentencing of Jayalalithaa and quantum of punishment makes us proud of our judiciary. However, justice ought to be fast-tracked," former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Twitter.


(Editing by Stephen Powell and Greg Mahlich)
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Mike Ghouse is a public speaker, thinker, writer and a commentator on Pluralism at work place, politics, religion, society, gender, race, culture, ethnicity, food and foreign policy. All about him is listed in several links at www.MikeGhouse.net and his writings are at www.TheGhousediary.com and 10 other blogs. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.
 

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