Friday the 13th
September, 2013. If you remember the movie for the sheer horror of it you must
remember this particular date for the sheer excitement of it. One-two-three…on
three counts of major developments in India. This date is considered
unlucky as per superstitious beliefs of Western culture, but this particular
date proved auspicious and lucky on three major counts. An auspicious beginning
for a rape-tormented country as all the four accused in Delhi Gangrape rape
were sentenced to death by a fast-track court in Delhi. It definitely proved
lucky for Narendra Modi as the faction-ridden BJP finally managed to take the bold
decision of anointing him as its Prime Ministerial candidate for General
Elections-2014. A triumph for all genuine cricket lovers as the disciplinary
committee of the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) imposed life bans on Sreesanth and
Ankeet Chavan for Spot fixing in IPL. Proof enough to make you reconsider the
scare long attached to ‘Friday the 13th’!
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| Crowds Waiting For Verdict |
The whole nation
waited with unabated breath as the fast-track court in Delhi reserved its verdict for the afternoon
of Friday the 13th September, 2013. Finally dot at 2.30pm Indian
time yesterday the court straightaway announced its verdict of death penalty
for all four accused in the Delhi Gangrape case. The Bench observed that the
shocking brutality involved in this case made it ‘rarest of rare’, and the criminals
could not be spared the capital punishment. Whole of India welcomed the
decision—the victim’s family expressing happiness at justice being given after
nine months; the political parties considering it as the beginning of a new
chapter for increasing conviction rate and preventive punishment in crimes
against women; almost all intellectuals saying such stern measures are indeed
required to instill fear into the minds of rapists and all women activists and
youth leaders welcoming it as a positive step. Huge crowds gathered in front of
the fast-track court demanded the same punishment to the brutal juvenile
currently lodged in reformatory for a maximum of three years.
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| Modi Anointed By BJP President Rajnath Singh |
If you thought
the anointment of the Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as Chairman of BJP’S
Campaign Committee in June this year as the first step in eventually making him
the Prime Ministerial candidate too you were almost proven wrong. Because, the
BJP found itself back in square one as earlier. The pioneering BJP veteran Lal
Krishna Advani who resigned from his posts prior to the earlier Modi anointment
and had to be injected a series of right-wing ‘advice’ to comply opposed this
time too and kept crucial senior leaders on his side. BJP troubleshooters worked throughout the
night of 12th September and commendably succeeded in convincing
senior leaders on the side of Advani to participate in the party’s
Parliamentary Board meeting the next day for the formal announcement. This time
the supportive right-wing organizations did not stay limited to only advice,
but volleyed directly for Narendra Modi. However, the veteran still could not
be won over and Advani did not participate in the Board meeting and instead
shot out a strong-worded letter to the BJP President.
The BJP
President said he had followed the anti-incumbency factor and the growing
countrywide popularity of Modi that justified his decision. Finally around 6pm
on Friday the 13th September Narendra Modi was declared as BJP Prime
Ministerial candidate for the forthcoming general elections. Old guards are
getting sidelined for allowing in the new wave and this seems to be the right
step. However it is naïve to think that the most powerful old guard Advani
would behave nicely and cozily hereafter. Apparent divisions in BJP are speculated
widely by both the media and the ruling parties particularly Congress. With Rahul Gandhi almost projected as the
UPA Prime Ministerial candidate General Elections-2013 is set to assume the
form of a presidential poll like in USA. However, the states and the
immense diversity of India
makes any general elections altogether a different proposition blessed with
glorious uncertainties. The alleged polarization factor of Modi form of
politics is also another serious angle to look into.
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| Chavan and Sreesanth |
Finally some
good news for genuine cricket lovers. Two of the cricket fixers in IPL Spot Fixing Scandal, S Sreesanth and Ankeet Chavan, who were arrested and jailed in
recent times, were banned for life by the disciplinary committee of the BCCI
yesterday following an extensive report submitted by the anti-corruption
committee of the Board. Three others
were handed lighter sentences while the fate of the king-pin spot-fixer Ajit
Chandila was not yet decided. Meanwhile, Sreesanth said that he would appeal
against the life ban in court.
Friday the 13th.
A date to remember. For positive reasons, not the scares!
