New Delhi:
BJP President Nitin Gadkari, in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, has sought his intervention to put an end to the government's 'sinister' campaign against Team Anna and Baba Ramdev, saying it 'reminds' one of the days of emergency.
Here's the letter by Mr Gadkari to Dr Singh:
Dr. Manmohan Singh
Hon'ble Prime Minister of India
South Block
New Delhi
Dear Dr. Singh,
I am constrained to draw your attention to some disturbing moves by the UPA Government under your leadership. All these moves are by any reckoning contrary to the fundamentals of democratic polity and more particularly, the socio-political culture of our country.
Regrettably, these painful developments have come at a time when the opposition extended every cooperation to the government in finding out a solution to end the impasse caused by the 12-day fast by veteran Gandhian Anna Hazare in Delhi.
It is appalling to note that various agencies of your government are resorting to a sinister campaign against members of Team Anna, Baba Ram Dev and other political adversaries with the ulterior motive of settling score with them.
It seems a witch hunt has been unleashed against some members of Team Anna like Arvind Kejriwal and Prashant Bhushan, Baba Ram Dev and his charitable institutions as well as those who acted as whistleblowers in the cash for vote case. We were not amused when your government indulged in a clear Politics of Vendetta while dealing with leaders like Narendra Modi and Amit Shah in Gujarat, or some RSS and VHP functionaries on frivolous charges. We were also not surprised to find that all of a sudden, your government has found some skeletons in the cupboards of the family members of Late YSR Reddy, a one-time frontline leader of your Party. However, that Members of the Civil Society should now become the latest victims of this vindictive approach is highly disturbing and a cause of serious concern. Undoubtedly, law must take its own course in the cases of all those who are guilty. What disturbs all those who are committed to the principles of democracy and rule of law is the fact that law is taking its course only selectively and after dissent is articulated.
All this reminds me of the days of Emergency when, just as today various central agencies like the CBI, Enforcement Directorate, Income tax Department and Revenue Intelligence were unabashedly misused by your government to harass those voicing dissent against the establishment, whether belonging to the RSS, Gandhian and Sarvodaya organisations, or other independent associations.
The official media is being directed to join this vicious campaign and moves are afoot to gag the independent media supporting democratic forces.
All this, we are afraid, may lead to confrontation rather than reconciliation.
What is all the more worrysome is the fact that through such strong arm tactics and high handed actions of your government are vitiating the political atmosphere in the country which is dangerous for a healthy democracy. Besides, such cheap tactics of your government are adding to the misperceptions about the entire political class, causing a great damage to the popular trust in democratic polity.
Therefore, I seek your personal intervention to rein in all these agencies under your control and put an end to the politics of vendetta harming the entire democratic polity.
Yours faithfully
Nitin Gadkari
BJP National President
September 4, 2011