Author: Editorial
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: July 23, 2008
Congress has lost moral authority
The Congress has reason to celebrate, as has
the Prime Minister. Having accomplished the task of mustering a majority in
Parliament after being reduced to a minority, the UPA Government can now continue
to be in office. It has overcome the immediate threat of losing power following
the Left's decision to withdraw support over the surreptitious manner in which
the contentious India-US civilian nuclear cooperation agreement is being foisted
on the nation. Yet, it will be no exaggeration to suggest that the Prime Minister
and his Cabinet stand denuded of moral authority and the power they will henceforth
wield will be seen as tainted if not illegitimate. For, although the UPA Government
has won the vote in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday evening, the manner in which
it stacked up numbers in its favour has resulted in its losing the trust of
the people. It is at best a pyrrhic victory which will delight only those
who have scant regard and even lesser respect for ethics and probity in politics.
The scandalous scene witnessed by millions of people, courtesy live telecast
of proceedings inside the Lok Sabha, of three BJP MPs depositing bundles of
currency notes, given to them to abstain from voting and thus help the Government
to survive, on the table of the House, has not only served to substantiate
stories about Opposition MPs being bribed but also exposed sanctimonious and
self-righteous UPA and Congress leaders for what they really are: Cynical
politicians who can stoop to any level to retain power, never mind the consequences
of their deed, namely the erosion of people's faith in democracy. Critics
would argue that it would be naïve to expect the Congress and its 'friends'
to act any differently; a party that is scornful of democracy cannot be seen
to be upholding the dharma of parliamentary traditions. Let us not forget
that another Congress Government had won a confidence vote by bribing MPs;
coincidentally or otherwise, Mr Manmohan Singh was the Finance Minister of
that Government. His 'conscience' had not bothered him on that occasion too.
However, it would be wrong to attribute the
UPA's success entirely to Parliament being reduced to a bazaar. The BJP, despite
its bluster, has once again failed abysmally to fulfil its role as the main
Opposition party. Its leadership appeared divided on the issue of defeating
the Government; its political management and coordination left much to be
desired; and, notwithstanding Mr LK Advani's sharp attack, it failed to enthuse
its MPs to close ranks and act in a determined manner. The quarry was in sight,
the goal was achievable, but the BJP floundered, and miserably so. But if
we were to dispassionately look at the debate that preceded Tuesday's vote,
we would find that Mr Advani has emerged taller than the Prime Minister. The
latter's reply to the debate, which begins with a vitriolic personal attack
on Mr Advani and meanders into an unconvincing report card of his Government's
'performance' and equally, if not more, unpersuasive defence of the nuclear
deal -- which increasingly looks like a 'private treaty' rather than a bilateral
agreement -- proves three points. Mr Singh is not an 'accidental' politician;
he is small-hearted; and, he is mean-minded. It does not behove the Prime
Minister of India to resort to such deplorable language. Meanwhile, it is
not surprising that the Americans were first off the block to congratulate
Mr Singh, even before the votes had been counted and the result was officially
declared. After all, not many Prime Ministers 'report' to the US President.
