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| Congress leaders can no longer fool the nation with their haughty harangue | | Time To Call UPA's Bluff | | Sunita Vakil | 6/12/2011 8:04:48 PM |
| Despite the scandalous record of past two years, the congress and its allies chose to go ahead and celebrate their two years in office on May 22 with promises of making course corrections on certain issues. Notwithstanding the opposition's criticism for the poor performance of the government on several fronts, the UPA bosses were seen in a self-congratulatory mode with the congress president Sonia Gandhi patting their backs with a favourable report card. The message from the top is that the UPA II has scored big by delivering stability, economic growth and social progress.
However, the perception is that there seems to be no end to the predilections of the UPA II. Scam after scam tumble out of its cupboard with each passing day. Some recent events have starkly laid bare the hollowness of the UPA's claim to check corruption that has spread to every nook and corner of the country. As if the arrest and incarceration of Suresh Kalmadi and his associates in the CWG scam and DMK MP Kanimozhi and her associates in the 2G spectrum case was not scary enough, the UPA has completely lost its credibility with serious allegations against Union Minister of Textiles Dayanidhi Maran. The government is yet to answer why it is pussyfooting on its 2009 election promise to bring back black money within 100 days of coming to power. Clearly, duplicity is fast becoming the hallmark of the congress.
The UPA has little reason to celebrate. By no stretch of imagination can its governance be called a success especially when it comes to dealing with issues like corruption, ministerial misconduct and abuse of power. Listing of the 2G spectrum by Time magazine as second only to Richard Nixon's Watergate scandal in terms of corruption has conferred upon it the reputation for being the most corrupt regime independent India has seen. What is worse is the arrogance of its leaders who think it their birthright to ride roughshod over the people of this country. It goes without saying that the UPA II's record is one of brazen deceit, bungling, cheating, hollow promises and last but not the least, open loot by ministers and bureaucrats. And on top of that, those guilty of plundering the nation are being offered full protection. The manner in which the UPA has been protecting its partners in loot be it the DMK, the Samajwadi Party or the Bahujan Samaj party blows large holes in its claim of fighting corruption in public life. The UPA Chairperson Ms Sonia Gandhi may talk big about her government being tough on corruption but has no answers as to why the congress led regime is tainted by numerous scams and scandals. What is more shocking is the criminally callous indifference of the beleaguered ministers, who, unperturbed by the suffering masses, are making shameless statements because they wield power. These foot soldiers of the congress would do well to admit that the government has failed to check the menace of corruption that is sucking the country dry and is equally reluctant to bring back black money
Instead of introspecting and accepting its abysmal failures, the congress and its allies are lurching from one stance to another in a most un-democratic fashion as is evident from the Baba Ramdev fiasco. Rather than taking corruption head on as promised by the congress, the fascist regime resorts to placating, vacillating and punishing a weapons to put down any political upheaval. It is highly unfortunate that top rung leaders of the grand old party like Mr Kapil Sibal, Mr Digvijay Singh, Ms Sonia Gandhi and others are trying to suppress the voices of dissent with cruelty with the sole aim of absolving the congress of its misdeeds. But they must accept the fact that they cannot fool the nation time and again with their haughty harangue.
By unleashing a wave of brutality on innocent men, women and children at the Ramlila ground, the UPA government has hardly covered itself in glory. It was indeed a blatant violation of human rights. That entirely peaceful demonstrations led by Baba Ramdev could be brutally assaulted by men in uniform under the cover of darkness and in the very capital of the nation raises pertinent questions about the kind of democracy India is becoming under the present regime. Only an inept and politically bankrupt government desperate to fend off further political trouble due to its non-action on corruption can act in such an undemocratic fashion. It needs no reiteration that the grand old party has time and again proved that it gives two hoots to democratic values. This act is reminiscent of the brutality India suffered when congress led government imposed emergency rule. The government may justify the political action on the grounds that Swami Ramdev's protest was undemocratic. But one may ask was the draconian crackdown, that reminded one of British rule in India, not undemocratic? It is sad that the government that has no compunction in protecting the corrupt like Raja and Kalmadi needs barely 24 hours to thrash innocent people agitating for a right cause. Was Swami Ramdev attacked because he raised questions on corruption? If so, what does it say about the UPA?
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's remark that there was no alternative to police crackdown on Baba Ramdev and his supporters has few takers. Even the Supreme Court in its SUO motu notice has expressed concern over the police force used to disperse people. His mealy mouthed condemnation to the unfortunate incident cannot dismiss the sharp criticism as irrelevant and biased. One wonders why the PM who lost his sleep over an accused terrorist and his family is silent over the excessive use of violence against innocent men, women and children who were subjected to police high-handedness? The reality is that we have a PM who is in a disconnect mode vis-a-vis the citizens. The compulsions of remaining in power have alienated him completely from people's sentiments. In a bid to appear tough on corruption, the PM has asked his counsel of ministers to declare their assets. But it seems to be a futile exercise as it remains to be seen how many ministers will actually disclose their assets that too with genuine details.
It doesn't matter whether Ramdev or Anna Hazare are fighting against black money or indulging in a publicity gimmick. What is pertinent is the cause they stand for. It is time to call the UPA's bluff and expose its morally bankrupt leaders for what they are. They can no longer fool the nation by mudslinging, use of loutish language and opportu- nistic politics. The common man now sees through it all. The need of the hour is for the government to see the writing on the wall and take tangible steps to fight corruption.
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