At home, abroad:
Former PM Vajpayee, during his stint as External Affairs minister during the Janata joke of late seventies, was asked by a foreign scribe: ‘When are you planning to visit India, Sir?’. High flying PM Rajiv Gandhi’s passion for foreign … lands was so much a talking point in the eighties that on his arrival in Delhi once an opposition MP quipped, ‘Welcome to India’. With MSingh of late absconding, at alarmingly regular intervals, from the country that he is supposed to be ruling, we may well have our first NRI PM soon! Now what explains the rulers’ foreign fads?
For V’payee globe trotting must have been a great escape from the local wranglings that the Janata parivar was notorious for. In those days of slow communication the relief offered by such absence must have eased his poetic mind quite a lot though it is not known if any poetry actually came of it. Rajiv, fresh from a landslide mandate, probably thought there was nothing more to conquer here and promptly took off to impress peers abroad. This new kid on the power block’s puerile attempts to project himself as a world statesman, with neither the stature nor the scholarly merit to back it, was an object of silent mockery. To Rajiv’s ‘credit’, however, there was also a free reciprocal flow of chosen foreigners into India too, all of whom availed themselves of our famed hospitality quite liberally. But we are not discussing foreign guns now.
MSingh’s provocations for scooting from the shores of Bharath are a confusing combination. CM NTR lost his throne to a colleague in an inner-party coup while abroad. Most rulers dread this prospect, from paranoid kings of the past to the current democratic demons. But MSingh has no such fears because the throne is already not his, he being a mere regent for Rahul. Keeping the seat warm for someone else, like on a mofussil bus, is not exactly an exalting experience even for an obliging and obedient sardar. On the other hand, a short stay on that seat is eough to energise even that o & o sardar and the first family is unlikely to push their luck on MSingh any further. 10 Janpath’s palace intrigues and the intra-Cong wrestlings over 2G, corruption etc are indications of this trust deficit. And with a total policy paralysis dogging ‘his’ regime and all domestic issues going out of hand, small wonder MSingh feels free in foreign countries. Also, jaunts to UN and junkets to SAARC allows MSingh to open his mouth, a privilege he has forfeited here, except when yawning!
Giving company to the absentee PM are the other similar rubber-stamps of the nation. (correction: rubber stamps leave a mark) President Prathiba was beyond borders frequently and, believe it or not, she even declared that on her visit to Europe, she discussed means of bringing back Indian money stashed abroad. Well, for that she has to start at home, very close home in fact and in any case, we are keen to know what she brought back. Also, we came to know we had a Vice-President when he was spotted in Turkey, walking down memory lanes treaded by his grandfather. Needless to say, all the excursions of these eminences and their entourages are at our expense, with extra damage to the exchequer owing to a plunging rupee!
Look who’s quoting scriptures:
First I was amused. And then apalled. It calls for real gall on the part of Sonia to be saying this. ‘… who in recent times raised the issue of probity in public life and of ending corruption? I can say that we raised it and I personally raised it. Wherever there were complaints, we acted before inquiries could be completed.’ Wow, every word, every syllable rocks! Probity in public life? First, coming from a spurious saint who has only gained from every self-serving sacrifice, the oddity is striking. Sacrificing posts without shedding power is probably the speciality of such probity. The cash for votes scam was another highpoint when such probity was paraded in public view.
And personally raising the issue of ending corruption? If anything, her party actually started corruption while she, along with her compatriots, also raised the bar of corruption to new highs! (Yes, we are certainly discussing foreign guns … and funds!) Maybe, she means it is time to end corruption ‘in its present form’ as there is a crowd at every counter and sleaze is no longer the monopolistic right of one family. Also a more vigilant nation has added to the risks. Right time to step back and sermonise. By the way, on the question of acting even before inquiries, how come so many lakhs of crores vanished if she, her party and her Government had indeed acted when action was actually warranted? In 2G, for instance, there is documentary proof that she and co could have acted before the scam, not just before ‘inquiries’! Aah, the established corruption procedure appears to be this: Loot, allow loot, then (selectively) act and then inquire, even more selectively. With such Indian Made Foreign Leaders, IMFL, in full flow here, real citizens will have to soon join MSinghs abroad!
Annas in arms:
Team Anna is holding up quite admirably. The ultimate test for any activist is reprisal. While physical threats are inherent in any kind of public activism what really puts off a fighter is slander and character-assassination. Few have the stomach for this. Also one has to rise above one’s own conscience-pulls and indiscretions to keep up the spirit of conviction, for true activism is first an inner battle for justice before it spills into the streets. The desperation with which the United Plunderer’s Association, UPA, is unleashing its dirty tricks is proof that the campaign against corruption is hitting home.
But a few reservations linger. Why bring in the issue of Reservations in this? Corruption as we have seen in 2G and before is above caste and so should the fight be. Getting into the quota quagmire may divide, dilute and divert the whole effort. Again, the anti-corruption movement being secular and all inclusive, why should Team Anna be apologetic if RSS members and Hindu community leaders throw in their lot? How can they be denied their legitimate indignation over sleaze like every other citizen? In sharp contrast is the questionable anti-Koodankulam agitation which has its genesis in and is being nurtured by the Catholic lobby and still is not deemed communal.
Tail piece:
A constitutional head has all but abdicated. A practised pretender is now posing as a profound preacher. Ranged against them is a nation led by a shaky coalition of determined activists. Of course, this cine-crazed nation would care less if our leaders & activists deliver or not. All that matters is when Ash delivers!
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