& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Level playing field?
What does a level playing field mean? Does it mean to equate everybody irrespective of their virtues or vices, depending on the respective situation, add, or subtract virtues or vices as the case may be? Our learned discussants in numerous TV talk shows seem to believe just that in case of our leading political parties.
The immediate past democratically (?) elected government in its last term has beaten everybody by far in excelling in corruption. It has been able to corrupt every institution of the country including the judiciary. Every charge labelled against it has proven true by admission ofitsown party members. Looting, plundering, land grabbing, murder, repression, oppression, nepotism, favouritism, vandalism, syndication- everything but whenever corruption unlimited is mentioned both the major parties are mentioned as if they are equally responsible for sins unlimited. Almost all the major political parties are tainted by corruption but the degree varies greatly. Without any consideration to the extent of corruption, mentioning all in the same category giving a perception of equality in corruption is a gross injustice. Injustice is a corruption too. Thus, when the seemingly upright speakers in our media with an air of neutrality label charges of corruption on both the major parties without any mention of degrees is a blatant transgression of truthfulness. In doing so they are only diminishing the hugeness of sins of the immediate past democratic government, that is, if not greater an equal offence.
The immediate past democratic government (IPG) used a very ingenious ploy. It has been able to diminish its sins largely by forcing the other major party into its fold, helped by the present non-party government's super neutrality. The CTG in its quest to prove neutral has pursued members of both the major parties with equal zest and labelled charges, of corruption without any consideration of extent or degree. This is sheer violation of all moral and
legal ethics. This could have been justified if these leaders were tried in courts of law in accordance with the merit of the cases. And if trials were perceived fair then none would have benefited unduly as is the case now. Time and non-conviction have greatly served the cause of the immediate past democratic government.
Thus, our discussants are easily guilty of misrepresenting the truth giving a huge benefit to the perpetrators, in this case the immediate past democratic government. They are doing it knowingly or ignorantly, time will prove that but in both the cases, they are equally guilty. They simply are pretentious. Just yesterday, a pretender of sagacity and learnedness in an unguarded moment veering from his neutrality suddenly charged a leader of promising the impossible such as giving free fertilizers, if elected. However, he chose to say nothing specific about the other party. That very statement sounded as if the party insinuated is the only party making untenable promises. The implication is far more serious and far-reaching. It clearly says that the party in question is undependable, irresponsible and untruthful. IPG's corruption, howsoever grave, is greatly dwarfed by the neutral remarks of the discussants. Unfortunately, the charges of corruption have alresuy lost its punch by the ingenious equation discussed earlier.
I heard another very astute debater saying in a breath that there are no identified war criminals, since nobody has been so judged by the courts, and his party will sure try the war criminals if identified criminals are found! What a twisting of tongue! These pretenders of neutrality and justice are greatly damaging the cause of justice. They are responsible for perpetuation of corruption in society by subtly trying to cleanse the guilty.
Mir MahboobAli
Former Sen tor Execu ti ve The Bangladesh Observer Dhaka