Our Prime Minister is a man of few words. Fewer than is, at times, desired and required. But for once he has spoken to shed light on dangerously rising tension on the Sino-Indian border. According to him, “the problem is local”—suggesting that the pinprick isn’t something to get worked up about. Things will be managed at the appropriate level. Thank god, he has not instructed his office yet “to keep him at an arm’s length” from the management of this crisis—that strategy is reserved for far more serious issues; threats that have the potential of expanding beyond local limits and can engulf all and sundry in their flames. He has his worthy home minister to divert public attention from the inadequacy of his response by coming out with one of his inimitable faux pas—the LAC is not marked; this territory is no man’s land where no state can claim sovereignty etc. How one wishes that this loose cannon had been let loose on the Chinese intruders.
It is really most unfortunate that Alice-in-Wonderland kind of speech comes so naturally to the Congressmen at the helm of UPA II. The external affairs minister, famous for his command over English language and elegance of expression, declares that the Chinese intrusions and provocations at the disputed Himalayan border are incidents akin to acne and application of a sweet-smelling ointment will cure the irritating malady—an adolescent disorder of no more than cosmetic significance and lower down flunkeys and apologists lose no time in translating it incompetently in vernacular, calling it a phunsi. (Poor Rashid Alvi perhaps hasn’t heard of Hindi for acne—muhanse.) But why blame him? The acne, blister or boil may or may not subside if not cured with some magic medicinal cream, but how do we get rid of the sores on our body politic that masquerade as elected representatives of the people and hold positions in the Cabinet?
Sushilkumar Shinde is a class of his own. He seems to be inspired by Parkinson who famously propounded the theory that work expands to fill available time. Our home minister is bent upon proving that ‘my mouth can expand constantly to accommodate as many feet I like to put in it at the same time’. From rapes to police brutality, his defence of the indefensible leaves listeners speechless. Now he has come out with this priceless gem about the disputed territory in Ladakh being no man’s land where no nation has asserted (or can assert?) sovereignty. Try telling that to the Chinese. And it’s this some time police inspector who is responsible for overseeing the sensitive work of intelligence agencies.
Then there is the law minister, a senior lawyer with ample experience who is now left speechless by the affidavit filed in the Supreme Court by the CBI director. Poor-rich Kamal Nath tries valiantly to make a distinction between routine consultation with concerned ministries and officials and interfering with the investigative process but it’s impossible to put any credible spin on the exposure. The conduct of the law minister, the attorney general is shocking. By the time these lines are printed, the apex court would have decided this matter but regardless of how events unfold, the Congress and PM can’t be absolved of acts that have dealt an almost mortal blow to democracy and rule of law in the land.
The UPA will keep accusing the Opposition, particularly the BJP, of wrecking the parliamentary system and subverting the sovereignty of Parliament, but in the eyes of the people, it is the Congress’s minority converted into a precarious majority in the House by sleight of hand and worse that has resulted in chaos. The unanimous display of lack of confidence in the PAC chairman by members of the Opposition has added to the embarrassment of Manmohan Singh. How long can P C Chacko be saved by letting him hide behind the ‘discretion of the Speaker’s shield’?
Not to forget another minister for parliamentary affairs who struts like a peacock on IPL pitches oblivious of the logjam in the House.
The Congress is hoping against hope that Karnataka will mark the turning point in its fortunes and usher in an era of glorious revival. The ‘victory’, even if it can be claimed, is most likely to be pyrrhic—the last flicker of the flame before the candle is extinguished.
What is deeply saddening is that this UPA government has turned Darwin on his head. In the struggle for existence in the jungle of Indian politics, it is the least fit who seem not only to survive but to shamelessly thrive.
pushpeshpant@yahoo.com
