Ram Jethmalani > Quotes

“During his visit to India in December 2010, the soft-spoken Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao seems to have succeeded in convincing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the border dispute between the two countries belongs to the past, won’t be easy to resolve, and requires patience. Instead of using whatever diplomatic language was necessary to call this statement pure poppycock, the even more soft-spoken Dr Singh appears to have succumbed completely. When Mr Jiabao was asked whether he would advise Pakistan to stop terrorist activity, he made it clear that he would not. ‘That’s for the two of you to resolve,’ he bluntly said. Our prime minister obviously tried to flatter his guest in the hope of getting some response which he could sell to the Indian people when he declared that ‘the world will listen when India and China will speak with one voice’. The response he received to this piece of flattery was, ‘Our relationship is greater than the sum of its parts.’ To me the statement is an attractive piece of diplomatic craftsmanship meaning nothing. Without any countervailing advantage, the visit yielded a trade pact which will take the bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2015, a complete economic sell-out in a year when the trade deficit was already approximately $20 billion.”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“The 2 September 2010 issue of prestigious British magazine, The Economist, published on page 29 an article with a large photograph of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Below the picture was the caption ‘India’s Disappointing Government’. The word ‘disappointing’ is an understatement. The epithet ‘criminal’ would have been appropriate.”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“My political relevance persists till today as India’s neo-monarchists continue to rear their ugly heads and perpetuate themselves in power by recourse to rampant self-aggrandisement, through loot of public resources and the public exchequer, and by subversion of all institutions.”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“The leaders of our armed forces are patriotic, sober people. They do not go about shooting innocent persons. Though I am willing to concede that there must have been some unfortunate cases of this kind, mercifully, they have been very rare. Besides, the so-called powers of the armed forces are not powers, but duties. They are the duties of ordinary police officers, which the Army is always most reluctant to perform. There will be no need to keep that Army if the people of Jammu & Kashmir take on the responsibility of defending its frontiers from infiltrators and terrorists, imported or indigenous. Kashmir is the master of its own destiny. This is what the interlocutors should explain to the people.”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“Justice Thurgood Marshall of the US Supreme Court once remarked, ‘History teaches us that grave threats to liberty often come in times of urgency, when constitutional rights seem too extravagant to endure.”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“The evidence available and the behaviour of the Congress party, whether in power or out of it, to stall and derail any effective investigation into the Bofors case lead to a clear inference that Quattrocchi was the face of Sonia Gandhi, and that this was her share of the deal. In July 1993, the Swiss courts had permitted official naming of the account operators, including Quattrocchi. Yet, before the CBI could question Quattrocchi and detain him, he bolted from Delhi on the night of July 29-30 1993. It is common knowledge that this was made possible through the direct intervention of Sonia Gandhi and the Congress government. The spurious and slapstick efforts made thereafter to secure Quattrocchi’s extradition, the de-freezing of his accounts, the deliberate errors and gaps in documentation by the CBI that had the least intention of trying to extradite the accused Quattrocchi, only establish the misuse of the entire government machinery and tools to subvert legal processes and fool the people of our country.”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“What happened to the money Carbide paid? There is enough circumstantial evidence to prove that the real settlement made by Union Carbide was different and most of the money clandestinely went into the pockets of national criminals who were then at the helm of affairs and are not difficult to identify. The settlement was a fraud on the people of India. The spurious explanation that the money was urgently needed to provide relief to the victims makes it clear that a dishonest deal had been entered into. This was also clear from the manner in which Mr Warren Anderson, an accused on bail, was allowed to abscond despite his bail being conditional on his remaining in India. To add insult to injury, he used a state aircraft and had dinner with the bigwigs of the Congress before his flight from the country!”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“It is time for us to behave like a self-respecting nation instead of encouraging spurious politeness and wasted hospitality. We have had enough of this futility during the last few decades. It is now time for India to reclaim her lost pride”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“Many of the problems of today’s Kashmir are rooted in Pandit Nehru’s unforgivable blunder of taking the Indian case to the Security Council. The seemingly naïve, (some called him arrogant), Pandit Nehru had no experience of the intricacies and pitfalls of international politics. Even the United Nations, partial though it was to Pakistan, mandated a plebiscite only on the condition that all Pakistan forces, regular and irregular, withdraw from the entire state and the plebiscite be held under the umbrella of Indian sovereignty.”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“The selection of P.J. Thomas as CVC exposed the deficiencies in the process, and subsequent revelations in the Supreme Court case challenging his appointment revealed the complete lack of ethics in the UPA government in selecting a highly unsuitable candidate for this very crucial appointment that is meant to be the national instrument to check corruption.”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“I am in sympathy with the demand that the Army’s special powers be taken away, but the Government of India can well argue, ‘Deserve before you desire.”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“Manifestly, a dynastic party puts personality and charisma at a premium and policy and programme at a discount. Ideology in such circumstances is reduced to populist slogans and vacuous shibboleths. Some articles in this collection are devoted to exposing the true nature of the dynastic beast and the pitiable obsequiousness of its followers. Absence of ideology and the cult of personality entails that the adherents of a dynastic party are not wedded to it on a matter of principle or precept. A dynastic party’s members are attracted by the opportunity of accumulating largesse that it affords them. Its regional satraps are leaders wedded to the patronage system. Public resources are thus allotted not on rational transparent criteria, but to crony capitalists. Auctions are the exceptions, and arbitrary exercise of discretion the rule. The economic advantage of the patronage system is shared between the ruler and the privileged class of people. This system, it is axiomatic, is inherently corrupt but is so entrenched that what objectively is tantamount to rampant corruption, appears to the party faithful to be a legitimate mode of governance.”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“Without any qualifications whatsoever, Sonia Gandhi fancies herself as an uncrowned empress of India and has psychologically bulldozed her similarly unqualified son into believing that India’s prime ministership is his birthright. For a long time I did not believe that he would succumb to his mother’s monarchical passion. It was in November 2008, after the monstrous terrorist attack in Mumbai, that I started having doubts.”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“The function of the judge is to see that law is enforced and the lawbreaker punished. Today the Rule of Law is unfortunately displaced by the rule of successive scams. The soul of Law is in torment. Good lawyers and all good men can see that law enforcement is suffering from lack of oxygen. It needs fresh air to fuel the combustion hidden in its heart.”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“A random check of the ombudsmen appointed at the centre, or states, indicates that a majority are retired persons from the judiciary or the administrative services. It can safely be assured that these appointees had not caused any inconveniences to the appointing government during their service, and managed the media by doling out catchy phrases and dramatic headlines, not necessarily reflecting the truth. Recall the corruption of the former minister for telecommunications, Sukhram. Has anyone discovered till date how and why N. Vittal, his secretary, failed to prevent his minister from indulging in corrupt practices? Subsequently, the same Vittal was appointed as central vigilance commissioner.”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“Indira Gandhi left behind several legacies—dynastic rule, economic control through populism—such as, bank nationalisation, Garibi Hatao and the 20-point programme—but most importantly, she left behind a centralised institutionalisation of political corruption that has matured into another Frankenstein, devouring the nation and the poor of India.”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“The intimidatory tactics failed and Anna called for gheraoing MPs’ houses and Parliament. A gherao contingent, evading the police barricade by using the Metro, actually reached the prime minister’s house on 25 August 2011. It was only then that the prime minister, who appeared either marginalized or deliberately detached, seemed to wake up. The seasoned firefighter Pranab Mukherjee took over, and some semblance of sanity was brought into the discourse. The arrogant brigade peopled by Kapil Sibal and Manish Tiwari was silenced, and the prime minister in his usual self-effacing style became conciliatory, stating that ‘our government was prepared to request the Speaker of the Lok Sabha to formally refer the Jan Lokpal Bill also to the Standing Committee.’ As confusion continued in the government camp, so did negotiations between government and Team Anna. Pranab Mukherjee successfully drew the discussions towards a consensus on most points, including the three sticky issues of including the lower bureaucracy, appointing Lokayuktas in states and having a Citizens’ Charter, which for long had been a bone of contention. Finally, a compromise was reached.”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“I am hopeful that the PAC will examine these issues, as well as the processes and legal propriety of Pratyush Sinha’s khap panchayat carefully, particularly regarding its tainted chairmanship and tainted membership of Chairman ISRO Dr Radhakrishnan, who not only had silently approved the construction of GSAT 6A in the Space Commission, but also hobnobbed with Devas, even after the Space Commission’s decision to annul the deal. Cherry-picking the guilty only substantiates my suspicion that the Pratyush Sinha Committee had clear instructions from its appointers about who should be made the fall guys, and who should be let off. An examination of the Space Commission membership that approved GSAT 6 and GSAT 6A, with their present and past positions will give accurate information of those members who knew about the deal and sat like silent conspirators, committing the same offence of concealing facts from the Space Commission as Madhavan Nair. Why have they been exonerated?”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“According to every patriotic Indian, India was a victim of unprovoked Chinese aggression, and China is in illegal occupation of vast tracts of Indian territory. Although the Hurriyat and its friends in Pakistan do not care for the feelings of India’s citizens, the Hurriyat claims to stand for Kashmiris. How then can it ignore the fact that 42,000 sq miles of Jammu & Kashmir territory have been ceded to the Chinese by the Government of Pakistan? The Hurriyat has never protested against this Pakistani action, nor shown the slightest concern for the Kashmiri inhabitants of the ceded territory. They are China’s slaves, with neither azadi nor jamhooriyat, nor with any guaranteed human rights enjoyed by citizens. The Hurriyat is supremely indifferent to their fate, which is an inconvenience for those playing mercenary politics and depending on Pakistan for a livelihood.”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“However, in October 2010, the Government of India appointed a set of interlocutors—Dilip Padgaonkar, Radha Kumar and M.M Ansari—with the mission of taking the peace process further after due consultations with the several stakeholders in Jammu & Kashmir. Mr Dilip Padgaonkar was my colleague in the Kashmir Committee, but I do not have the pleasure of knowing the other two interlocutors personally. This does not detract from their stature or merit. Whispers around Delhi suggested that while the interlocutors were sincerely trying to talk to the people of J&K, they were scarcely talking to one another. This subsequently appears to have blown up into a full scale war, after it was discovered that two of the three interlocutors accepted hospitality from the ISI-funded Ghulam Nabi Fai to attend conferences in plush capitals of Europe and the US. Till date, the interlocutors have made no significant contribution to the peace process.”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“One of the most damning statements regarding the government’s apathy towards corruption and recovery of black money was made by the Swiss ambassador in March 2011. He publicly stated that the Swiss government had not received any requests from India for the release of data regarding money illegally stashed in Swiss banks during his tenure. So much for our government’s determination to fight corruption!”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“All laws are made in the context of clime and circumstance. Like all biological species, they too must change in response to changes in the context, which means imperatives of social needs at a given time. Those who cling to unsuitable laws, claiming they are unalterable because sanctioned by some ancient scripture, I condemn as unalterable fools.”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“With the birth of Christianity, the idea of an all-powerful god, beyond reproach criticism or even scrutiny, and the divine right of kings took hold of the minds of people, and democracy was bound to dissolve. Society sank into a condition of slavery; denial of god or any questioning of Him as creator of injustice, evil and pain became punishable under the capital offence of blasphemy. The era of intellectual and spiritual servitude was born, nicknamed by historians as the Dark Ages.”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“Rajkumar Keswani, a journalist working with a small weekly magazine called Rapat, wrote a prescient article two years before the tragedy titled ‘Bhopal Jwalamukhi Kagar Pe’ (Bhopal on the edge of a volcano) warning the nation that the Carbide plant was in poor shape and there was likely to be a horrible disaster very soon. He wrote that the management knew about it, but was in no mood to make further investments on repairing the plant because the business was making huge losses. The management’s mood almost seemed to be one of waiting and welcoming the disaster. Despite these warnings, Arjun Singh, then chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, said on the floor of the legislature that everything was all right and there was no cause for any concern. If a journalist representing a small paper predicted the disaster, it is extremely disquieting that the state government and the union government armed with their enormous powers of inspection and control did not anticipate or take any steps to prevent it. It is not an unreasonable inference that all key functionaries including the Chief Minister Arjun Singh, had a very comfortable relationship with the management of Union Carbide, and it was unimportant and irrelevant in their priorities to make any ostensible effort to protect the life and health of thousands of their citizens.”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“one must read a letter written in November 1950 by Sardar Patel to Nehru. He warned, ‘We can, therefore, safely assume that very soon they (the Chinese) will disown all the stipulations which Tibet has entered into with us in the past... The undefined state of the frontier and the existence on our side of a population with its affinities to Tibetans or Chinese has all the elements of potential trouble between China and ourselves.’ Patel wanted the Indian government immediately to set out a definite policy, particularly in regard to the McMahon Line. Had Patel’s advice been followed, we would not have suffered the humiliation of 1962. Despite advice from within the Congress, Nehru continued to champion China’s cause at the United Nations. It is now well known that even President Truman wanted India to commit itself to the defence of Tibetan independence. Chou En Lai continued to make a fool of the gullible Jawaharlal Nehru.”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“the fact of the matter is that information regarding Thomas’ criminal case was successfully screened out by the DOPT from the Committee. Had it not been for the Public Interest Litigations (PIL) filed, these facts would not have surfaced in the public domain. The government persisted in its defence of Thomas in the Supreme Court. It was only after the Supreme Court order of 3 March 2011 that the prime minister publicly confessed in Jammu, ‘There has been an error of judgment in CVC appointment and I take full responsibility.’ This was reiterated on 7 March 2011 in the Lok Sabha, and on 8 March in the Rajya Sabha, with a curious addition: ‘Until I went to the meeting of the Committee, I was not aware there was any such case of Palmolein and that it would involve corruption.’ He added that he became aware of the case only when Sushma Swaraj raised the issue in the meeting. He also informed the House that the notes for such committees are prepared ‘under the guidance of minister of state in charge of the DOPT.’ The honest answer should have been that the note which was prepared by the DOPT did not contain this conclusive information. Minister of State DOPT, Prithviraj Chavan, at a press conference in Pune on 8 March 2011, casually passed on the blame to the Kerala government, saying it was the latter that gave vigilance clearance for Thomas. This was strongly refuted on 9 March 2011 by V.S. Achuthanandan, the Kerala CM who accused Chavan of lying. Copies of official communication sent by Kerala to Delhi regarding Thomas’ corruption were being waved around by TV anchors. Chavan then said he was misquoted. But by whom? His own sound box in the live interview in Pune?”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“People were rightly disgusted that like Kumbhakaran of Ramayana our prime minister managed to sleep while the populace was crying aloud in agony, ‘We have long credited you with integrity, but our confidence is fast melting; please speak to us in your own interest. If you don’t do it soon, we will conclude that you are no better than the crooks surrounding you.”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“Religion may have brought hope and comfort to some, but it has a terribly negative balance sheet. It is no exaggeration that all the ships of all the navies in the world can float comfortably in the ocean of innocent blood that has been shed in its name. I respect religious freedom, but only subject to public order, health and morality. My religion is to make as many people happy as I can. The secular Constitution of India mandates a life guided by reason and inspired by love.”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“It would have been easy to understand the terrorist element in Kashmir and the said agents of Pakistan objecting to the hosting of the flag in a public place, but it is difficult to forgive Omar Abdullah, the grandson of the Sher-E-Kashmir, temporarily joining that odious class of mischief makers. The only extenuating circumstance for young Omar is that he lost his courage to fight the practitioners of mayhem and murder whose number seems to be increasing in the valley under the influence of Pakistani incitement and money. Some people may well forgive the inexperienced Omar, but it is impossible to condone the despicable action and attitude of the Congress, the entire central government and of course the prime minister and the president of the Congress Party. The opinion of Rahul Gandhi, touted as the heir apparent, is also of interest here. Did he concur with the decision of the government that the flag should not be hoisted at Lal Chowk? If he did, he should have the honesty to proclaim to the people of India why he indulged in such shameful action.”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT

“The judgement of the court is an indictment of the government which has been shedding crocodile tears for 14 years during which they have done precious little for the relief of the poor victims. The court has wisely left all other issues untouched. The government should easily be able to read in the judgement a gentle reprimand for its hypocrisy.”
― Ram Jethmalani, RAM JETHMALANI MAVERICK UNCHANGED, UNREPENTANT