Sudheendra Kulkarni in The Indian Express:
“The lesson to be learnt from the political skulduggery in Karnataka is this: It is easy to eulogise the Mahatma, as Sonia Gandhi and Dr Manmohan Singh have done on numerous occasions in recent years in their unconcealed bid to project the Congress party as the sole inheritor of his legacy. But are they heeding what he preached as principled political conduct?
“As one enters Raj Ghat, an attentive visitor will not fail to notice a red-stone plaque that bears Gandhiji’s message about ‘Seven Deadly Sins’. These are: Wealth without Work; Pleasure without Conscience; Science without Humanity; Knowledge without Character; Politics without Principle; Commerce without Morality; Worship without Sacrifice.
“The exhortation about the fifth deadly sin—Politics without Principle—applies to all political parties, to a greater or lesser extent. But there is an additional lesson the BJP must learn from the happenings in Karnataka. After tasting the first betrayal at H.D. Deve Gowda’s hands, when he refused to hand over power to B.S. Yediyurappa in October, it should not have given him the opportunity to administer the second betrayal. By committing this mistake, it too is seen as a party hankering for power—even at the cost of self-honour.”
Read the full story here: Congress party’s fifth deadly sin
Aptly penned and hard hitting, the article is a wonderful read. Mr.Gowda Sr, has been anything but noble. If he has been sincere to anything, it is to his self serving interests : be it the backstabbing now , scuttling of Bangalore Airport, row with NICE or literally sleeping at the wheel (or was it deep thinking !!). He is a man of myopic views and an average intellect. Except for dame luck and manipulative instincts, he should have been history. Wish Hegde had squashed him, it would have done Karnata good.
The sad part is, there is no light in sight to all this mess. Hope Karnataka has enough sense to provide a clear mandate and put an end to the theatrics of the Gowdas, else with a fractured verdict, the morons will be at it again.
I don’t understand: “By committing this mistake, it (BJP) too is seen as a party hankering for power—even at the cost of self-honour.”
What does he mean by it too, as if the BJP was any better to begin with. They are as cheap or as haughty as any political party and will do anything to be in power.
How else can you mourn the loss? Show the other guys in bad light, you seem so much “party with difference”. Yeah ya, we have seen that don’t we?
So BJP is still better, considering Congress has lost gandhi’s ideals? who are you fooling Kulkarni, if not yourself?
Two aspects deserve some comments.
What Kulkarni writes makes a good reading, tickles the imagination of the few persons who consider themselves as intellectuals, who are the ones who keep away from taking part in active politics and whose occasional outbursts on politics is totally ignored by the politicians and people alike.
Kulkarni is right about the BJP’s trying too woo an unreliable party like the JDS, whose charactr is crystal clear. But BJP is not the first one to swallow hook sinker and bait offered by maverick politician Mr Devegowda. Congress had done it earlier. This shows to what extent the national parties stoop only to get power by hook or by crook.
Secondly The King of Hills appears to be unduly touchy about any direct or indirect criticism of Devegowda. What is being written and commented is a part of the persona of Devegowda. And we have to take the man for whatever he is and not for whatever he ought to be.
One comment of admiration here, a barbed comment elsewhere is not going to influence Gowda and the men of his ilk in the two parties.
Lets have some sense of humour and watch the free entertainment given by the worty politicians. I hope no government will levy any entertainment tax on this.
I wish DG reads your blog and takes insults to his hurt, I guess he cant read english, and he too thickskined like the beast of burden (buffaloa) to let anything affect his pyshce.
Today a raid of karnataka govt official showed up he vauled more than 100crores, all amased i guess during JDS regime in past months.
Why cant thier be raid on DG it will found is worth more than billion dollars as he owns most of blore , hassan and i dont know many other cities in poor karnataka.
Karnataka people will say chalta hai , it is ok , that is kannada people nothing can wake them up full of tamas qualities
Good catch; BJP is no saint. But why just go after BJP-Kulkarni and totally leave out the Gowdas from your ire ? Between Gowdas and the BJP, I would pick the BJP (with all it’s banes) every day of the week and twice on a sunday ; Lesser of the two evils Karnataka wise ..