Sudden turn of events, quick dramatic enactments are becoming
a simile of a stage where prominent actors unfold a pre-emptive and
well-scripted drama. Are the Indian public still playing the role of obedient
and passionate audience waiting for the suspense to unfurl completely? Or have
they become more vigilant fizzling out the suspense of the drama leaving the
protagonists little bewildered? The audience here are now slowly losing
interest in the stellar performance and the superficial emotional overtures of
the protagonists. In fact this is not a frivolous comparison as Indian public
who currently experiencing the myth of the comprehensive political drama
enacted by the elected representatives in light of the Ordinance for protecting
convicted law makers.
Indian government has become pliable after UPA has assumed
the office, at least as it appears now. Under its regime our government its
policies, decisions are virtually controlled by the so called high command, reminding
us of the quasi-dictatorial system. But when indifferences prop up and fissures
are wide open in public the party in power simply dismiss it as symptomatic of
democratic governance or hail it as democracy within. Sadly, due to its ambiguous
stance, the country has lost its true credence and various policy issues have
taken a back footing. The on going episode of the ordinance to protect convicted
law makers is one classic example. The Vice President of Congress party, Rahul
Gandhi termed it as “nonsense” in public domain. This public denunciation of
the ordinance is perhaps the strongest display of emotions by him. The
statement assumes greater significance as the PM is on a state visit to US and
on the other hand parliamentary board is labouring extra hours to hurl open the
back doors for quick passage of bill by taking ordinance route. Though the
necessity of ordinance has been questioned by several legal excerpts, their
sharp criticisms have been kept at abeyance.
The underlying political scheme is to wrest support of RJD chief Lalu
Prasad Yadav for the ensuing elections. All the hopes have been watered down
the drain by the scion of the Gandhi family.
The public disapproval in the Press Council meeting has
brought the wide fissures in the Congress to the fore. The widely commended
comradeship of Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh stood exposed. The last minute
realisation and confession by Rahul Gandhi has further raised several doubts about
the functioning of the government and the role of the Prime Minister himself
Two important conclusions can be drawn from the whole episode. Firstly- are the
references to the Standing Committee on Law and meeting with the coalition
partners’ a mere formality and hence the Cabinet’s decision can be publicly
ridiculed by the Vice President of the Congress party? Secondly is this a political strategy hitched
by the Congress party as a desperate attempt to win back the credibility of
people and project Rahul Gandhi as a capable leader? In the past decade, UPA
has become synonymous to corruption with its achievements outnumbered by scams
and money floundering activities. Hence the last minute tough stand is
indication of the putative UPA’s prime ministerial candidate’s intention to win
the credibility of people. The entire drama seems to be a trailer of last
minute public rehearsal of Congress’s face saving attempt.
The much anticipated
judgement in the fodder scam case now pronounced Lalu Prasad Yadav, and the JD(U)
leader Jagdish Sharma and 44 others guilty of corruption. Although the quantum
of sentence is yet to be announced, the timely intervention of Rahul Gandhi has
saved Congress from making a self-goal as they were hugely banking on Yadav to
garner votes in Bihar. The minimum sentence punishment is expected to be for 4
years following which both the MPs would face disqualification as per the Supreme
Court’s ruling of July 10th on the Representation of Peoples Act.
With the Prime Minister having returned from the US and met
the party’s leaders to seek explanation for the manner in which Rahul Gandhi
dealt the issue, the media will closely follow all the moves of the trio (both
Gandhi’s and PM) for next couple of weeks and the servility of PM would be
under scanner. The high command had already begun the campaign of placating the
PM. Sonia Gandhi showered encomiums on the performance of PM in a public
meeting in Karnataka. But in spite of the extraneous noise in air, the PM
habituated to indignation over the past 9 years is going to remain a mute
spectator after all. It is going to be business as usual for the PM who is
ready for the next set of instructions from the Race Course Road after a brief
laissez faire at US. The coalition partners of UPA - NCP and SP raised tirade against
withdrawing of the Ordinance and demanded for a Parliamentary Board Meeting. But
what was pitched as a battle between the Prime Minister and the party’s Vice
President has now subsumed into a drama with Congress withdrawing the ordinance
itself.
The Representation of the People (Amendment and Validation)
Bill 2013 was initially passed in the Parliament with the support of BJP and
other political parties. BJP was quick to realise its folly and made a quick
U-turn. Sushma Swaraj wrote to the President urging him not to sign the Bill
when the UPA took the ordinance route. Hence forth it started mounting pressure
on the UPA to withdraw the ordinance. The menace of the criminalisation can be
stemmed only if Bill is completely renounced else our dubious politicians can
get the ordinance promulgated through back doors.
Meanwhile another Rajya Sabha MP Rasheed Masood who rose to
instant fame for his Rs 5 meal comment is now convicted for irregularities in
medical seat allotment. He is awarded a four year sentence under the Prevention
of Corruption Act. He will have the rarest honour of being the first MP to face
disqualification following the landmark judgement of the Supreme Court. This
seems to be just a beginning. Finally justice has prevailed since the
deliverance of justice has sparked a ray of hope among millions of Indians who
have become despondent over years.
The battle pitched between Rahul Gandhi and Manmohan Singh
has now subdued as the Prime minister conceded in favour of withdrawing the
ordinance. Through this turn of events, the Congress party has scored both the
goals in a game that has been fixed even before the PM left to the US. Firstly,
it succeeded in its attempts to project Rahul Gandhi as a serious contender for
the post of Prime Minister in what is proposed to be a pitch battle come 2014.
Secondly it had redeemed itself as a party amenable to public opinion thus
garnering the public support and acceptance of its leader Rahul Gandhi. Public
verdict in the general elections can alone determine the impeccability of the
drama they staged. Hail Democracy. In the meantime, the Indian public who are
tired of the political cronyism, criminalisation of politics and lack of public
order are made to watch the crazy moves of the political buffoonery. Their deep
resentment is evident from outright condemnation of the need for such an ordinance
questioning the veracity of Supreme Court’s judgement.
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