Harish Khare, The Hindu‘s deputy editor based in Delhi, has termed Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar‘s suggestion that the ruling United Progressive Alliance should contest the next general election together as a collective entity, as “most practical”:
“First, it instantly resolves the Congress’ central dilemma: choice of the prime ministerial mascot. Under the Pawar formulation, the status quo re-constitutes itself. Manmohan Singh remains the prime ministerial mascot, Sonia Gandhi the UPA chairperson, and Rahul Gandhi gets another breather to get his act together. Above all, Sonia remains the captain, third umpire as also match referee….
“When all is said and done, the UPA represents a very acceptable moderate face of the Indian political opinion. It can answer the nation’s need for a centrist, liberal, middle-of-the-path, plural and secular governing arrangement. If the UPA holds together, as per the Pawar formulation, it can bargain its way into an expansion: with Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal and possibly with the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh. Above all, a consolidated UPA group will be best suited to produce stable and purposeful governance in New Delhi.”
Read the full article: The Sharad Pawar formulation is workable
“It can answer the nation’s need for a centrist, liberal, middle-of-the-path, plural and secular governing arrangement. ”
1. Centrist? Not with the taint of Commie influence
2. Liberal? Taslima <cough?
3. Middle of the Path? Only if it means bowing to Commie pressure every time
4. Plural? After all what is good for Lalu, MK, Sharad Pawar, etc. is good for India.
5. Secular? As in anti-Hindu, anti-moderate Islam, pro-Muslim fundamentalist
Heaven help us.
i think what he means is
centrist: Leftist ,
liberal: a big silence on Tibet , Kashmir pandits
middle-of-the-path:as long as it is toes the commie line
plural : minority appeasement
secular governing arrangement: as long as it is anti hindu ( as Alok put it )
UPA should come back to power so that we can continue to bark but not bite. Also, we can continue to blackmail the govt to keep mum in the case of Tibet and Arunachal.
@Alok, I am a hindu. But I am perfectly fine with a government which does not pander to Hindu sentiments by making negative statements about muslims. As a minority, muslims need to be given certain benefits which would help them get ahead along with the rest. I am not anti BJP. But BJP has to shed its fundamentalist colors before it can form a government.
There is a lot to be lost if the world community sees hindu-muslim riots in India prop up again and there is a very high probability of such instances under a BJP government.
@PTCBus
There is no need to apologize for being a Hindu.
I have a problem with Governments that prefer to pander to the most backward, obscurantist sentiments among the Muslims in the name of “minorities”. Such a government ignores the ultimate minority, the individual.
The Central Government has had little or no role in Hindu-Muslim riots, ever. It is mostly the handiwork of power-hungry/ utterly incompetent State Governments and it matters little if it is the UPA or the NDA at the centre.
Besides, the hounding of Taslima (with the tacit approval of the UPA Govt.), the beating up of the Tibetan protestors, the continual humiliation of India at China’s hands without so much of a whimper, the impending failure of the nuclear deal and Rahul Gandhi, also have led to us losing a LOT before the world community.
@ Alok,
Why do you consider my mere statement of my religion as Hindu being apologetic?
If the central government had no role in the riots, why did the government vote against a motion to even censure the Gujarat govt in the Lok Sabha?
As of now India has been making headlines in a good way in the world media. I do not think the current government has commited any major blunder that has diverted the attention of the world’s community towards India in a negative way. wrt Tibet, we have provided refuge to Tibet’s supreme spirtitual leader His Holiness Dalai Lama who is pretty much enemy no. 1 of China. I think being tactful at this time and not taking aggressive stances against your neighbour will be very smart at this juncture. The world community outside is not very much worried about whether the congress or the bjp is in power. But their media will train their guns on us if something like Gujarat riots repeated again.
The only way we are going to progress is by keep improving our economy and reducing poverty unaccompanied by raising religious sentiments.
@PTCBus:
“BJP has to shed its fundamentalist colors before it can form a government.”
I agree.
“[T]here is a very high probability of [Hindu-Muslim riots] under a BJP government.”
I disagree. The evidence is that the minorities were no worse off under the BJP-led government than they are now. Remember the NDA government’s big hike in Haj subsidy, proactive Pakistan policy, etc.? — all the things that rankled the “communalists”?? There were no communal riots then except in Gujarat — and in those riots, Prime Minister Vajpayee was severely critical of the Modi government’s conduct, a fact confirmed in Shri. L.K. Advani’s recent autobiography. Shri. Vajpayee and the then Chief Justice of India V.N. Khare, the liberal Congress-nominated “secularist,” had exactly the same position on Chief Minister Modi and on so many other issues — if anyone cares to read their speeches. Those speeches could have been made by the same person.
On the other hand Shri. Manmohan Singh’s government is clearly inept. The language of Shri. Harish Khare’s analysis, despite his apparent bidding by Shri. N. Ram, clearly indicates Prime Minister Singh’s inadequacy to address our society’s complexities.
Why, there has been neither a single inspiring speech, nor a single visionary/pragmatic legislation, nor a single bold/controversial decision, initiated by Shri. Manmohan Singh. Since when did pussyfooting become leadership?
Governance is too complex to be labeled “secular” or “communal” or “pseuo-secular” whatever. Good governments are pragmatic in a John Dewey-ian sense — and we must be too, if we are to make any sense of right and wrong in Indian politics.
If the NDA is re-elected, it would be in the BJP’s interest to keep communal harmony. How can that make for less safe minorities?
Cmon guys, dont compare the gentleman architect of India’s economic resurgence and nuclear ascendency (Manmohan Singh) with a foul mouthed, ultra right wing jingoistic, self-styled political Hawk (Advani). It was the same Advani who after 2001 attack on Parliament engineered the massive military buildup on the western front, only to backtrack without a whimper in the face of a Pakistani nuclear blackmail.
“gentleman architect of India’s economic resurgence and nuclear ascendency (Manmohan Singh)” – Sad. Even this man has to bow before upstart Rahul. And fellow travelers like Khare and DanniX will keep applauding this “gentleman architect”!
Lal Krishna Advani sucks
Manmohan Singh up