Issue 67 Vol III, July 15, 2008

E D I T O R I A L

A boogie democracy

INDIA’S national capital New Delhi these days is host to a boogie dance. Here each big or small political player inspired either by ideology or attracted by money or power is in a state of trance. Ever since the Communists opposed to the Indo US nuclear deal withdrew support to the Congress led United Progressive Alliance government, a new tandav started where friends are turning into foes and foes into friends–most attracted by the powerful smell of power or wealth. New ideologies in step with this dance are being discovered daily.

The Prime Minister and the Congress president have struck a deal with a muscular adversary, the Samajwadi Party, a regional group from country’s largest province of Uttar Pradesh with 39 MPs in its pocket. This party has suddenly discovered that the Indo US nuclear deal will serve the country best. It finds its former mentors, the Leftist out of step with the new dance. “We had no idea earlier what the deal was all about. We had confined to what our left friends told us. We now know it is in India’s best interests”. Samajwadi leaders are declaring from housetops. They have forgotten their enmity with the Congress. They have forgiven its leaders for the abuses they hurled on them till yesterday. It is a different matter for this new tune, they have asked the UPA government to mend its ways to help particular industrialists.

Samajwadi Party is asking for dismissal of two ministers, finance minister P. Chidambaram and petroleum minister Murli Deora. “We are not asking for any pound of flesh. We are against anti-people policies. Deora's behaviour is disgusting. He should come clean on whether he is a corporate honcho or a minister,” and, Chidambaram should go as, “under his stewardship, price rise and inflation have happened.” There are detailed letters seeking concessions and favour.

Other parties with two to seven MPs are daily being sought and assured of meeting all their needs. Some blackmailing here and some arms twisting there only add to more twirl to the dramatic tale played through this tandav. A member of parliament from Azamgarh in UP, currently in jail on murder and other criminal charges is being sought for support.

The Congress party that leads the United Progressive Alliance government is in a state of moral and political confusion. Badly demoralised by a series of Assembly election defeats in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, and Karnataka, and besieged by economic and political troubles, it has absolutely no idea where it is heading. It is becoming more a party of wheeler dealers. Perhaps feeling that it has nothing to lose during the shadowy period leading up to the 15th general election, which must be held no later than April-May 2009, it has taken to political adventurism and opportunism.

Opposition BJP, which may have done the same in a similar situation now referring to the government's move to go ahead with the nuclear deal, now, speaks from high pedestal. Referring to the government's move to go ahead with the nuclear deal, it said, “The UPA is now a charade ... It has neither the needed majority nor the required moral authority to trade the future of many generations of Indians to come."

Meanwhile as this absurd dance goes on the wholesale prices grew by 11.89% in the year to the end of June, the fastest rate since the measure began in 1995. Inflation has tripled over the last six months, driven by the soaring cost of food and fuel. Figures also showed that the output of India's factories grew by its slowest rate in six years. Industrial output rose 3.8% in May, compared to the same month in 2007, a sharp drop on the April's 6.2% growth.

This galloping inflation is causing severe hardship to the poor and the disadvantaged. The gap between the haves and have-nots has widened. While the rich roll in wealth as the poor, large sections of the society suffer malnutrition, scarcity, ill health and a certain death.

We now have the spectacle of a government that promised transparency and enacted a quite radical Right to Information Act now taking decisions on key policy issues under the cloak of secrecy. A party that promised a secular and progressive alternative to the Bharatiya Janata Party is now embroiled in maneuvers that are short-sighted and deficient in political logic. Political morality is a passé. The Congress might be able to keep the UPA government afloat for a while by cutting a deal with ex-adversaries but the cost of such opportunism will be extremely high. Gains would go again to the rich who during this lame duck period would extract concessions. And, what is there for the communists to enjoy from this short honeymoon.

Enjoy countrymen this charade called democracy.

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