0.18 Smear campaign

April 18, 2011 (Monday) : Smear Campaign

Worst fear is coming true today. The issue of CD (Compact Disk) is subjected to an extensive media scrutiny today. The CD allegedly reveals that Shanti Bhushan, an eminent lawyer and co-chair of Joint Committee constituted to draft Lok-Pal (Ombudsman) bill, had a conversation with Amar Singh, Member of Rajya Sabha (Upper Parliament) about fixing a judge. As feared, the issue of Lok-Pal bill has been pushed back in the light of CD delivered to media. It is typical of the way all national issue is handled in India – no matter how serious be the matter. The side issue of controversy linked to purported conversations in CD has taken the center stage. There are whole lot of interviews, claims, counter-claims and conspiracy theories going around. The seed of doubt has definitely been sown in the minds of people. The fate of Lok-Pal bill now solely depends upon Anna Hazare - though he may also find it difficult this time around as the enemy here is the Indian fertile mind working to destroy itself.

Yesterday, Shanti Bhushan had filed the case in a police station about the fabricated CD. Today, he moved Supreme Court seeking criminal contempt action against Amar Singh whose voice is also appearing in CD. He appealed the Supreme Court to order a probe to find out persons involved in the fabrication of the CD. In his petition, he argued that by fabricating the CD, Amar Singh is trying to derail the 2G case investigation and the phone tapping case already registered before the court. This is a clear case of contempt of court and the Supreme Court should initiate criminal contempt proceedings against Amar Singh.

Hitting back, Amar Singh dared Shanti Bhusan to give voice sample for examination by forensic expert. He lodged a police complaint against Bhusans duo for distributing discs containing conversations despite a Supreme Court stay. He accused that the Bhushans are deliberately implicating him in the CD case. In his complaint, he claimed that despite a stay by the Supreme Court, they have distributed the CD containing fabricated conversations, which are presently the subject matter of a writ before the court. He also claimed that the father and son duo have made more than five different versions of the CD in order to confuse people.

The news about these claims and counter-claims are being presented with different shades depending on the underlying leaning on either of two sides. Looking at the players in the ongoing drama and their close association with corporate houses, some news presenters and analysts are inclined to give credence to the conspiracy theory. Swami Agnivesh, the interlocutor between activists and Government, had, as a matter of fact, hinted at the involvement of certain corporate entity in the matter. During a discussion on a TV channel, panelists suggested a particular conspiracy theory that Government, sensing that they cannot touch Anna Hazare , have engaged Amar Singh to attack the vulnerable among the activists. Arbind Kejriwal, the civil activist and member of Joint Committee, responding to the possibility of withdrawing Bhusans from the committee, said that asking Bhusans to withdraw will be tantamount to fulfilling the objectives of the forces working against civil activists and inviting similar attack on other members as well.