AMAR SINGH, general secretary of Samajwadi Party (SP) is likely to replace Sonia Gandhi. But not as Congress president or chairperson of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA). While widespread outrage in the country at a foreign citizen becoming prime minister kept her out of the government, Amar Singh is made of indigenous stuff. He is only interested in the madam’s position as the back seat driver of a loyal and compliant PM! It should matter little whether the PM is Manmohan or Mulayam!
After announcing SP’s recent ’discovery’ that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is a bigger enemy of Indians than the US, Amar Singh had called a Press conference at his residence. He wanted to share with the media another ‘discovery’ that former President APJ Abdul Kalam, who was an NDA nominee in the face of bitter opposition from Congress, was an impeccable scientist! Also, Amar wanted to break the news about the BJP having offered the Prime Minister’s office to his boss, Mulayam Singh in 2007.
At the very outset, the champion of democracy had shown the door to a reporter and cameraperson representing a news channel. He was furious that, instead of being objective, the channel was repeatedly showing old clippings of him. In the not-so-old clippings, the master deal maker was shown indulging in a virulent, nay below-the-belt, vitriol against Congress and its president, Sonia Gandhi!
As mouth-watering eats and goodies were being readied for the assembled journalists, Amar Singh explained his logic matter-of-factly: “Those who say I have changed my position (about the Congress) should remember what Sharad Pawar had said about Sonia Gandhi, what Karunnanidhi and TR Baalu (DMK bigwigs) have said earlier.” Of course, the one-man brain trust of SP was right. Current agriculture minister Pawar broke away from Congress to found his own splinter party on the specific issue of Sonia’s leadership. The Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK) was accused of treason after Sonia’s husband Rajiv Gandhi was killed by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suicide bombers attack. The Congress even got the legitimately elected Tamil Nadu chief minister dismissed through a ‘loyal’ governor and jailed.
Not just that, finance minister Chidambaram is a typical come-back boy, after running away from home and running his own party ’business’ that flopped! Textiles minister Shankarsinh Waghela is a saffronite of 30 years’ standing, who had criticised the Nehru dynasty mercilessly before being booted out of BJP for too much greed. After all, only senile crawlies like Arjun Singh and Pranab Mukherjee will pack the cabinet if only ’pure’ Congressmen were to be in the loot gang!
The BJP was foxed by the ’PM offer to Mulayam’ googly. Its chief and prime ministerial candidate LK Advani called a press conference, but limited himself to the usually hollow political rhetoric on why the government should resign. His trusted deputy, Jaswant Singh, could only beat around the bush, saying Amar Singh’s claim was not ’entirely’ true! The offer of the prime minister’s post was indeed made, but not by BJP.
It was by NDA and it was not to Mulayam Singh, but to the third circus of the country, United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA), of which SP was the main constituent! He said he had been authorised by NDA to make the offer to the UNPA that the alliance would extend outside support to a UNPA-led government.
The condition was that UNPA as a block must support NDA candidate Bhairon Singh Shekhawat for the post of President of India. The offer was conveyed through none other than All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary, Jayalalithaa. He went with the offer to a five-star hotel in Delhi, from where the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) chief and the SP directors were serving their people in TN and UP!
Meanwhile, cozying up to the Congress has cost SP its key ally in UNPA. Om Prakash Chautala of the Haryana-based ’Aya Ram Gaya Ram’ outfit Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has swiftly distanced himself from the claim that it was he who suggested that APJ Abdul Kalam’s views on the nuclear deal be sought. He discounted the ’rumour’ saying: “Look here, everyone knows what Kalam’s views on the deal are, what’s the point of going to him? The UNPA will not support the pact.” Mulayam Singh Yadav and his strategist Amar Singh have touted the advice of Kalam that the US-India nuclear deal was for the benefit of India for taking the U-turn. They, however, had no answers when asked what prevented them from accessing his ‘expert scientific advice’ earlier.
The uncomfortable fact is that Dr Kalam, who uses the prefix to represent his unearned honorary doctorates, had taken a somersault from the NDA stance to UPA position just two months back. Kalam is hailed as a nuclear scientist, but had never worked for Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) or Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) during his bureaucratic career with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). But has enjoyed all top offices, including that of father of Indian missiles, only in recognition of his loyalty to masters of the day! He did not mind being a poster boy of the saffronites for enjoying the goodies after retirement. How was it that the defence and scientific advisor to AB Vajpayee in 1998, who advised him to defy global opinion on non-proliferation, was ignorant of the uranium reserves position then? The Shakti tests ended 24 years of restraint and made the world help Pakistan to become nuclear powered as well.
Yet another fact is that none of these politicians, including the comrades, are genuinely against cooperation with the US, IAEA and NSG. They are only concerned about their vote-bank consequences. After all, deal or no deal, India dare not defy world opinion once again and test a nuke device. Everyone with a little grey matter is aware of the fate of North Korea and Iran. How many of the fiery nationalist patriots, who only enjoy talking, are prepared for sanctions?
Only the nuke officialdom wants to keep the sector under its Other Articles by Natteri Adigal
by hook or crook as long as possible. They understandably want to avoid accountability that will result from opening the sector to competition. After all, the establishment has always squandered monstrous sums, sponged off from the masses who are kept energy starved. And, that is fine with wheeler dealers like Amar or Karat, who have lots of grey matter! However, taking the name of such a character like Kalam will only weaken the real arguments in favour of the deal.
Now, is there any Pakistani who dares to claim that the circus in Islamabad is more entertaining and damaging than the one at New Delhi?
No comments:
Post a Comment