NO MORE HIGH MORAL GROUND

UPA-II might have got out of the woods when the cut motions were pressed by the determined Opposition last week, but can we say that it was able to do so with political morality in tact? Every time, the government had to be bailed out either by tainted politician or political party with a quid pro quo deal.

In its previous incarnation when the Manmohan Singh government was facing a Trust vote, it was left to a wily and playboy politician like Amar Singh to play all the dirty tricks in his voluminous book of “foul games” to give a fresh lease of life to the government. Like those who live by the sword die by the sword, Amar Singh fell a victim to his own dirty games and today, he is in political wilderness. Remember? In 2004, he was not even allowed entry into the “temple of Congress party’s high priestess”. But in 2008, he was the darling of the party, because the Congress did not mind his “deals” to remain in power. But now, the Congress party has no use for him.

So, in 2010 when the government faced yet another crisis, there was no Amar Singh around. But. who came to its rescue? The principal rescuer was the one whom the party was out to finish with the help of crown prince in Uttar Pradesh. Mayawati, also known as, “Money Mala” replaced Amar Singh who has been her worst critic and political rival. Do you remember the epithets used by UPCC chief Bahuguna Joshi against behen Mayavati and what Maya did in return to her house? Well, you may say this is all common in politics and there is no permanent friend nor foe. If you think however that political morality is “constant” you must be one of those old-timers to have such “fancy” ideas. What is important is political power. Means do not matter. Well, even the principal opposition party, BJP, is no different. Its support to Shibu Soren, withdrawal after cut motion drama, and reconsidering support again smack of rank political opportunism without any moral fig leaf to hide.

Coming back to Mayawati, there is something more to it. Mayawati is not a politician who would, out of concern for political stability, have given her nod to help the government. She openly challenged the Centre as to how it could save Lalu and not her in “disproportionate assets case”. The response was quick and the CBI was made to make a declaration that there was no evidence against the poor dalit leader!

Interestingly, it is the trinity – all accused in the “disproportionate assets cases” – Lalu Prasad Yadav, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mayawati who helped the government to defeat the cut motions. What an irony! Budget has to be passed with the help of people whose financial integrity is questionable. The Yadav duo offered indirect support to the government by walking out while the Behenji’s support was direct. All the three were the beneficiaries of the government’s tacit support to corruption.

Leave alone the political morality. The party itself is in a state of flux. The internal squabbles within the party and within the coalition are out in the open. Maoism and IPL, though both are poles apart in terms of their moorings, have exposed the fissiparous tendencies in the coalition. There are many versions to the induction of “Twitter” Tharoor’s entry into the party and the government. It is a miracle that he survived this long in politics. But he did not go down the political ladder alone. His ignominious exit also exposed the fragile relationship between the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress. May be there is none among the keen followers of public life who may give a clean chit to Pawar and his protégé Patel. After defeating the cut motions, all the efforts of the government are to cover up the tracks of Pawar, not because of any love for the Maratha leader, but to save itself from embarrassment and consequent instability. But the question is how long will it be able to cover up? Lalit Modi, the fall guy, is waiting to bare all. A sot of “kiss-and-tell” story.

Another UPA’s ally, Trinamool Congress and its chief are unguided missiles. It is difficult to predict their trajectory. Yet another ally, National Conference chief, Farooq Abdullah, does not sail with his cabinet colleagues on IPL controversy. An important partner in the coalition, DMK, has got its own “domestic” problems to settle and added to this, there is clamour for Karunanidhi’s trusted lieutenant Raja’s scalp over the 2-G spectrum issue and if he were to go, one does not know what will be the stance of Kalaignar. Surely, after Tharoor, it must be the turn of Raja since his audacity and unhindered corrupt deals are nothing when compared with Tharoor’s misdemeanor.

In the fight against Maoists, knife is out for P Chidambaram, not from the front organizations of Maoists like innumerable NGOs, under the garb of Left intellectuals, but from within the party itself. It does not lie in the mouth of Diggy Raja to criticize anyone for the way the Maoist issue is handled. Chattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh had given a graphic account of how Digvijay Singh dealt with the problem when he was the chief minister of undivided Madhya Pradesh. According to the Congress general secretary, Maoist problem is a developmental issue and not a law and order one. But, Raman Singh challenges him on this very premise of development. He says “He (Digvijay Singh) can’t spell out a single contribution towards Bastar region or its people during the seven years of his governance”.
We have seen the divide within the party on many others issues like Women’s Reservation Bill, Nuclear liability bill, Telangana statehood and Indo-Pak relations. There are reports that the party is not on the same page with its Prime Minister on resuming composite talks with Pakistan.

Therefore, instead of gloating over its pyrrhic victory on the cut motions, the Congress party would do well to strive for a consensus within the party and the government on several critical issues that confront the nation. Further, corruption is eating into the vitals of our economy and without containing corruption, there is nothing that the party or its chief can do for “Aam admi”.