Sudheendra Kulkarni
Encyclopedia
Sudheendra Kulkarni is an Indian politician and columnist. He is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
, earning a B. Tech in Civil Engineering
in 1980. He began his political career as a full time activist for the Communist Party of India (Marxist)
. He became a member of Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) in 1996. He has been associated with such initiatives as Delhi–Lahore Bus and India Shining
.
He has helped former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
write his speeches. A 2008 Outlook
article describes him as a strategist for Lal Krishna Advani
. Kulkarni resigned from the BJP in 2009.
Kulkarni worked with Blitz a taboid edited and owned by Russi Karanjia
, and published from Mumbai
.
In 2008 Kulkarni was involved in setting up a sting operation
to record on camera payments allegedly made by the Indian National Congress
(Congress) led United Progressive Alliance
(UPA) government to BJP MPs. These payments were allegedly made to buy their support votes in support of a parliamentary motion.
as deputy editor was replaced with him by Karanjia. Kulkarni was tasked with having Blitz reflect such an ideology. According to Rafiq Zakaria
, Kulkarni then transformed Blitz from a left-wing newspaper into a BJP-oriented publication.
was carried out and later televised, called the cash-for-votes scandal
, it involved Kulkarni and another BJP activist. It allegedly showed a bribe of Rupees
one crore
being allegedly offered on behalf of the Congress led UPA government, to each of three BJP MPs to seek their support in the July 2008 confidence vote
in parliament. A parliamentary panel probed the operation and asked the Delhi police to investigate some of those alleged to be involved, including Kulkarni whom they said had "facilitated the giving of bribes to members [of Parliament]. On 17 July 2011, two of those involved were taken into custody for questioning. Kulkarni, who had been questioned earlier by the Kishore Chandra Deo committee said that he had been interrogated by the police on the matter and that he was prepared for further interrogation by them. He was arrested and remanded judicial custody until Oct.1.
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay , popularly known as IIT Bombay or IITB, is a public research university located in Powai, Mumbai...
, earning a B. Tech in Civil Engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
in 1980. He began his political career as a full time activist for the Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
The Communist Party of India is a political party in India. It has a strong presence in the states of Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura. As of 2011, CPI is leading the state government in Tripura. It leads the Left Front coalition of leftist parties in various states and the national parliament of...
. He became a member of Bharatiya Janata Party
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...
(BJP) in 1996. He has been associated with such initiatives as Delhi–Lahore Bus and India Shining
India Shining
India Shining was a marketing slogan referring to the overall feeling of economic optimism in India in 2004. The slogan was popularized by the then-ruling Bharatiya Janata Party for the 2004 Indian general elections....
.
He has helped former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Atal Bihari Vajpayee is an Indian statesman who served as the tenth Prime Minister of India three times – first for a brief term of 13 days in 1996, and then for two terms from 1998 to 2004. After his first brief period as Prime Minister in 1996, Vajpayee headed a coalition government from...
write his speeches. A 2008 Outlook
Outlook
Outlook or The Outlook may refer to:In computing* Microsoft Outlook, an e-mail and personal information management software product from Microsoft* Outlook Express, an e-mail and news client bundled with certain versions of Microsoft Windows...
article describes him as a strategist for Lal Krishna Advani
Lal Krishna Advani
Lal Kishanchand Advani known as Lal Krishna Advani is a Veteran Indian politician. A former president of the Bharatiya Janata Party , which is currently the major opposition party in the Indian Parliament. He also served as a Deputy Prime Minister of India from 2002 to 2004...
. Kulkarni resigned from the BJP in 2009.
Kulkarni worked with Blitz a taboid edited and owned by Russi Karanjia
Russi Karanjia
Rustom Khurshedji Karanjia was an Indian journalist and editor. He typically signed his reports as "R. K...
, and published from Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
.
In 2008 Kulkarni was involved in setting up a sting operation
Sting operation
In law enforcement, a sting operation is a deceptive operation designed to catch a person committing a crime. A typical sting will have a law-enforcement officer or cooperative member of the public play a role as criminal partner or potential victim and go along with a suspect's actions to gather...
to record on camera payments allegedly made by the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
(Congress) led United Progressive Alliance
United Progressive Alliance
The United Progressive Alliance is a ruling coalition of center-left political parties heading the government of India. The coalition is led by the Indian National Congress , which is currently the single largest political party in the Lok Sabha...
(UPA) government to BJP MPs. These payments were allegedly made to buy their support votes in support of a parliamentary motion.
Editorial position with Blitz
According to Kulkarni, Karanjia a person sympathetic to the communist movement in India, became disillusioned with it and its anti-Hindu secularism. He became a strong sympathiser of the BJP and the Ayodhya movement. Kulkarni claims that thus P. SainathP. Sainath
Palagummi Sainath is an Indian journalist. He calls himself a 'rural reporter', or simply a 'reporter' – and photojournalist focusing on social problems, rural affairs, poverty and the aftermaths of globalization in India...
as deputy editor was replaced with him by Karanjia. Kulkarni was tasked with having Blitz reflect such an ideology. According to Rafiq Zakaria
Rafiq Zakaria
Rafiq Zakaria was an Indian politician and Islamic scholar and father of well known Indian-American journalist Fareed Zakaria and former Merrill Lynch investment banking head Arshad Zakaria...
, Kulkarni then transformed Blitz from a left-wing newspaper into a BJP-oriented publication.
Cash for votes scandal
In 2008, a sting operationSting operation
In law enforcement, a sting operation is a deceptive operation designed to catch a person committing a crime. A typical sting will have a law-enforcement officer or cooperative member of the public play a role as criminal partner or potential victim and go along with a suspect's actions to gather...
was carried out and later televised, called the cash-for-votes scandal
Cash-for-votes scandal
The cash-for-votes scandal is a scandal in which the United Progressive Alliance, the majority-holding parliamentary-party alliance of India led by Sonia Gandhi, allegedly bribed Indian MPs in order to survive a confidence vote on 22 July 2008...
, it involved Kulkarni and another BJP activist. It allegedly showed a bribe of Rupees
Indian rupee
The Indian rupee is the official currency of the Republic of India. The issuance of the currency is controlled by the Reserve Bank of India....
one crore
Crore
A crore is a unit in the Indian number system equal to ten million , or 100 lakhs. It is widely used in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan....
being allegedly offered on behalf of the Congress led UPA government, to each of three BJP MPs to seek their support in the July 2008 confidence vote
2008 Lok Sabha vote of confidence
The United Progressive Alliance , the governing alliance in India elected in 2004, faced its first confidence vote in the Lok Sabha on 22 July 2008 after the Communist Party of India -led Left Front withdrew support over India approaching the IAEA for the Indo-US nuclear deal...
in parliament. A parliamentary panel probed the operation and asked the Delhi police to investigate some of those alleged to be involved, including Kulkarni whom they said had "facilitated the giving of bribes to members [of Parliament]. On 17 July 2011, two of those involved were taken into custody for questioning. Kulkarni, who had been questioned earlier by the Kishore Chandra Deo committee said that he had been interrogated by the police on the matter and that he was prepared for further interrogation by them. He was arrested and remanded judicial custody until Oct.1.