Presidential spin attempts

 

First, a quick question. 

” What does Article 361 of the Indian Constitution say ? How is it relevant to the issues surrounding the presidential candidate Pratibha Patil ?”

Answer at end of post.

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Lets quickly recap (in time order). 

Candidate claims the veil was to protect Indian women from lustful muslim invaders.

Candidate allegedly harbors little brother G.N.Patil who is a murder suspect.  CBI is going to file a chargesheet soon.

Sugar factory run by candidate owes 17.74 crores.

Pratibha Bank waived loans of kin before RBI shut it down. 

Vijay Kumar Kakade, former president of Pratibha Sahakari Bank Karmachari Sangh, told The Indian Express that with the cancellation of its licence and commencement of liquidation process, the bank was closed and people lost their jobs. “Pratibha Patil was responsible for this. There is no personal enmity with Patil madam, but we want to tell our countrymen that such a person is going to occupy the highest office.” 

Read more here

Now, we hear even more dramatic things :

Not only did she assure the House that the government would take “appropriate steps” to ensure that all citizens adopted family planning measures but added: “We are also thinking of forcible sterilization for people with anuvaunshik ajar (hereditary diseases).”  Read full story here

Reality Check wonders if corruption could be counted as a hereditary disease.

It is now clear that Pratibha Patil the new president appointed by the Congress Party has a lot of explaining to do. Barbarindian has exposed the lame attempts by Abishek Singhvi here.

The lamest kind of spin is when you try to use “timing” as a talking point. The CNN-IBN anchors just lets these slip by without any attempt at countering them.

The BJP really needs to take to the streets on this issue if it is still a legitimate politial force. The BJP is already making the cardinal mistake of letting others define them. If the party organization keeps quiet when a national talk show compares an elected CM with Osama Bin Laden and freely uses smear words like communal – then you have lost the game.  Sue the channels or say Goodbye !

Host : What do you have to say about these very serious charges X,Y,Z against your candidate ?

Spin Meister : For 10 years, no one cared to talk about these cases. Now, just hours before the presidential nomination – people are bringing out these stories. The timing is highly suspect.

RC : Yes, the railway TTE does not stop you on the street and check your tickets for next weeks train.  Try again.

Spin Meister : Shut the eff up Reality,  who invited you to this interview ?

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Answer to question at top of post.

Article 361 of the Indian Constitution

361. Protection of President and Governors and Rajpramukhs.—

(1) The President, or the Governor or Rajpramukh of a State, shall not be answerable to any court for the exercise and performance of the powers and duties of his office or for any act done or purporting to be done by him in the exercise and performance of those powers and duties:
Provided that the conduct of the President may be brought under review by any court, tribunal or body appointed or designated by either House of Parliament for the investigation of a charge under article 61:
Provided further that nothing in this clause shall be construed as restricting the right of any person to bring appropriate proceedings against the Government of India or the Government of a State.
(2) No criminal proceedings whatsoever shall be instituted or continued against the President, or the Governor of a State, in any court during his term of office.
(3) No process for the arrest or imprisonment of the President, or the Governor of a State, shall issue from any court during his term of office.
(4) No civil proceedings in which relief is claimed against the President, or the Governor of a State, shall be instituted during his term of office in any court in respect of any act done or purporting to be done by him in his personal capacity, whether before or after he entered upon his office as President, or as Governor of such State, until the expiration of two months next after notice in writing has been delivered to the President or the Governor, as the case may be, or left at his office stating the nature of the proceedings, the cause of action therefor, the name, description and place of residence of the party by whom such proceedings are to be instituted and the relief which he claims.