Does charge of BJP "bribing" Press / media people during Rath Yatra and the denial by BJP amuse you?

The news of bribing however blown beyond proportion, does strike a discordant note in the backdrop of the Rath Yathra of LKJ against ''corruption''! Whether it is was done by any overzealous BJP local leader or whatever are beside the point in my humble view!

Yes Congress has a load of sins on its back and we are all making loud publicity to these, since the media coverage of the multiple scandals are grossly inadequate! So we should grill the other party in opposition hunting for power also to behave, however small their lapse. If we start winking at ethical breaches in this manner, they would only end up like the UPA! The country could not afford any more deviancy in public life and we can not waste the energy created by Anna team to wipe out corruption in politics!

We had greater humours - cruel though - from the like of Karuna (calling Raja's arrest as an assault on Dalits!) or Digvijay (calling Anna steeped from head to toe in corruption!). So the political games and media double standards do not amuse us any more sir!

But I note the subtle point made by you that the media, the watch dog in a democracy is not really a sentinel of probity after all, just because some Reporters made a complaint of cash gifts!

Don't we know how the release of a report by The task force of the BJP consisting of four specialists — Ajit Doval, a security expert, Prof Vaidyanathan, a financial expert, Mahesh Jethmalani, a senior lawyer and myself, an experienced chartered accountant — running to almost 100 pages, on the black money stashed away abroad was attended by an array of Press men but none flashed the contents of the same, while they hastened to publish a ''regret'' letter of LKA as ''apology'' to Sonia!

So they would have desired to keep the gents in ''good humour'' to ensure objective reporting! But then with high profile political brokers like Burka Dutt (caught in Radia tapes) in the media world, the insult of a petty bribe may have provoked them to show off their ''honesty''! LOL! In this way perhaps I can try to see the humour! Why only blame the politicians when the other institutions like media - or even the elite scientists as found in Bala sir's list - are no exception!

What is amusing is your defense of the indefensible and that too in the most flippant manner.And to term the whole matter as a non-issue is still worse.What was the need for disbursal of cash?Any gift either in cash or kind is a bribe and brushing it aside either because the amount is small or such a thing is common practice is abhorrent.And just because other parties indulge in such a "Formality",

as you choose to call a blatant case of bribery,is no reason for the BJP to do so.

The BJP is neither competent not qualified to comment or question corruption or corrupt practices prevailing in other parties.Their morals,scruples et al have taken such a severe beating by this single episode that the People will not accept the Party's proclamation of incorruptibility any more.

Have a Nice Day.

Edit:-I have no reason other than the fact that you chose to trivialise a serious matter like disbursal of cash to journalists as a common affair and a non-issue.One doesn't treat corruption where the amount may be small,as an everyday affair not worthy of being discussed or not even amounting to corruption.That sort of distinction or differentiation is,to say the least,not only reprehensible but despicable.I still continue to be apolitical and I claim the right to question the credentials of partisans as a citizen of India though living overseas.You certainly opened a can of worms here.

If you should feel offended by my comments,I do apologise to you as an elder and a good friend but I still stand by my comments and analysis.

Have a Gorgeous Day which I unfortunately can't because the weather forecast says that the next three days will be rainy and gloomy and cold and windy.

I think just big issue of corruption agitation by Anna Hazare completed with motivation to all common/middle class and upper class also.So the time is not good for any political party to show any extra activities in public.Mostly public expecting now in practically by implementation of new amendments by ruler yet and where as if any body start activity of old style will definitely makes disappointments and the adverse effect in election. No issue of who will be the prime minister in 2014 by BJP, because for last 12 -13 days agitation by Anna"s period no political party came to support/no comments has been made to prove good or bad of Anna"s activity's through any media for their interest for the people of India. Now the time is to show the practical thing es which is truly needed from all party elected candidate.

I firmly believe that this was a drama arranged by the corrupt con-grace becoz the way it was shown in the TV it was evident that nobody after recieving Rs 500 ( the amount itself is a laughing matter coz I dont think for such an amount anyone would print what BJP wanted ) and then opening the envelop was clearly visible that it was done for the TV, this was an idiotic move by the opponents.

I am impressed. Seriously I am impressed, even BJP lawyers like Arun Jetley could not have defended BJP's misdeeds in Satna like you have done. Are you a lawyer by profession by any chance.

Cash for Vote was a drama in acted by BJP MPs and directed by BJP senior leadership as confessed by none other than Mr. Jaswant Singh. But Cash for coverage is something very real where journalists belonging to 30 different newspapers have protested against it. It is really amazing the way you have tried to defend corruption in "Yatra against corruption", but this is typical BJP style. Defend corruption its states may it be Karnataka, may it be MP, may it be Punjab, may it be Gujarat everywhere but blame Congress. Sometimes they even go to the extend that they blame Congress for its in-action, and misdeeds.

Three cheers for your arguments to defend BJP but I wonder how many will buy that. BJP tried to bribe journalists to get some coverage for its veteran leader's punctured 5 star bus journey called as Janchetana yatra and they really brought jan chetana by bribing the journalists.

Edit: I already give three cheers to the question, I did not find any useful meaning in utilizing heavy English vocabulary to hide arguments to defend BJP and mislead the forum. I have already accepted that asker is a good defense lawyer for BJP even better than Arun Jetley.

@ Raj Kish, now you have also become Congress fan, congratulations. LoL

I am amused only with you Dilli for getting squarely caught by your familiar antagonists! You wanted to just enjoy the ‘fun’ of a familiar incident being discusses as a new corruption in the media, but the table is turned on you because such a perception would wean the BJP from the charge that is most important at the time of Rath Yathra!

I understand your indignation about the silence of media over fate of many big scams after the Spectrum enquiry suffered interesting twists and turns edged out other news! You know there was new top scandals come to light already which is not also taken for urgent criticism (see 1 below) while the BJP yathra is discussed briskly!

1. This could be the mother of all scams in India – yahoo news On Friday 14 October 2011, 8:30 AM

Official export data shows a 79% year-on-year (YoY) growth in engineering exports in 2010-11. However, exports by engineering companies in the BSE 500 index show just a 11% growth. In dollars terms, the difference is even starker.

Copper exports have also quadrupled from Rs 85 bn to Rs 367 bn. But, how is this possible in India, a country which does not as a practice export this mineral. China apparently bought the whole lot. So is the dragon nation also part of this public hoodwinking?

Also, in 2010-11 foreign investor flows added up to US$ 22 bn, according to official data. The Kotak analysts did a cross-check with international sources like exchange-traded funds and EPFR Global. Their analysis shows that not more than US$ 4.5 bn came in to India. So, where did the other US$ 17.5 come from?

2. Corporate socialism's 2G orgy - Article dated March 7, 2011 in The Hindu by P. Sainath:

In six years from 2005-06, the Government of India wrote off corporate income tax worth Rs.3,74,937 crore — more than twice the 2G fraud — in successive Union budgets. . Unlike the illicit fund flows, this plunder has a fig leaf of legality. Unlike those flows, it is not the sum of many individual crimes. It is government policy. It is in the Union budget. And it is the largest conceivable transfer of wealth and resources to the wealthy and the corporate world

3. Indian Black Money: The Swindler’s List - From Tehelka Magazine, Vol 8, Issue 6, February 12, 2011

It is almost two years since the German Government had passed on the names and bank account details of eighteen Indians who had stashed their alleged ill-gotten wealth in the LGT bank of Liechtenstein. Finance Minister has since said more than once that this list cannot be disclosed to the Indian people. However, once the government launches prosecutions, the name would be made public, he had said. But the cases are still to be filed on the guilty!

4. Exposed: Isro S band scam:

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has indicated that the alleged deal between Antrix and Devas has caused the nation an estimated loss of Rs.2 lakh crore. The government said the agreement was being cancelled. However The Telegraph India, New Delhi, Feb. 10 exposed that India's space agency continued to engage in periodic joint reviews of its contract six months after it was ordered by the Space Commission to cancel the deal. . A senior Isro official contacted by The Telegraph declined to explain why they did so!

5. Akash missile project scam - PTI – Sun, Mar 20, 2011

The CBI has arrested three persons including two former directors of SAMEER, a central government undertaking, in connection with alleged "criminal irregularities". Have we heard anything more later? We are stuck up with Raja and Marans!

6. There are a lot more

Like, the National Bio Diversity Authority scandal (unestimated heavy drains indicted by CAG) suspected to exceed the Spectrum scandal by value of revenue lost, etc which have gone out of focus in the media

To ignore these and to show exaggerated interest to trap the BJP on 'bribe' of reporters appears crude! But yes the roots of bribery have to be eliminated, so they want to start with BJP. Media are offering "free" publicity service to nail the opposition!

What amuses me highly is YOUR take on the whole thing!

Making light of the incident and trying to brush it under the carpet while your pet party shouts from rooftop of the Rath that they want to bring in Jan Chetna against corrupt practices!

This is what in Hindi called..."Chirag Taley Andhera".

The next thing I hope to hear is Advani ji's demand for The Resignation of Dr. Manmohan Singh for his failure to control corruption in BJP cadres and the press!!!

The whole sub-continent is a sick joke.

Any " smile " would be grossly mis-placed.

no one is convinced , every one is amused

Rath with with horse power in engine

5 star moving hotel

at whose cost ?

The providers of this facilities ave to indulge in corrurption

naautanki

Such things are bound to happen in a democratic country.But it is taken note of by the vested interest to twist the incident in their favour or to take avenge.This is highlighted and magnified generally to divert the general public from important economic issues.Let us take it casually.