India’s self-proclaimed “national newspaper” The Hindu has long invited barbs of twits and critics who conflate the masthead with the religion and abhor its secular stance. It has been seen to be pro-establishment, afraid to ruffle feathers of the government of the day, unwilling to say it like it is. And, after the 2G scam, members of the Hindu undivided family have themselves levelled charges of duplicity if not complicity.
The first 179 words of an editorial in today’s paper, titled “Corrupt, repressive and stupid“, should slay many of those demons:
“A corrupt government devoid of moral authority is ill equipped to deal rationally with legitimate public anger. By ordering the illegitimate detention of Anna Hazare before he began his fast in support of stronger anti-corruption provisions in the Lokpal Bill and the arrest of a large number of peaceful protesters in the national capital, the United Progressive Alliance government revealed its ugly, repressive face.
“No representative government in a democracy can deny citizens their fundamental right to dissent and peaceful protest. Insisting on unreasonable, inequitable, and suspiciously contrived conditions that everyone knows the protesters cannot accept is tantamount to denial of the democratic right. Instead of honestly dealing with the issues raised by successive corruption scandals, the UPA government chose to cover up.
“When that became unsustainable, it resorted to slurs and dirty tricks, and incrementally raised the level of repression to smother voices demanding accountability and corrective institutional measures. It is no wonder that from time to time such a government gets into panic mode, miscalculates, and commits acts that everyone outside the regime recognises as politically stupid.”
Read the full editorial: Corrupt, repressive, and stupid
Cartoon: courtesy Surendra/ The Hindu
Brilliant & succinct.
There is nothing more to add.
.
It is totally a (pleasant) surprise to see this in The Hindu! Has a new Editor taken over at last?
Breaking News: UPA to Anna: OK to fast, but not unto death
INC is mocking ‘Satyagraha’ method of protest, invented by MK Gandhi.
I will take whatever the Hindu says with a bag full of salt.
In any case, UPA’s Hazare cock-up is much less ridiculous than The Hindu’s N Ram cock-up.
I remember Madonna’s song, “Papa don’t preach….”
How can some body stay in Tehar Jail at his whims and fancy. Who ever he may be. This shows the spineless UPA Government. You brought Anna by force to the Jail, take him out by the same means to a Guest house out side the Jail.The Government seems to have lost direction. “ANNA STAYS IN JAIL TILL THE GROUND IS READY FOR HIS AGITATION”! Great!
Stupid being the operative word. :D
Sometimes i get the nasty feeling that all is not as it seems…wily Congress making such a faux pas?? Almost too incredible.
Where are those wonderful displays of co-option that we are usually treated to??
If Anna resisted Congressian co-option, then my respect for him is doubled, nay trebled. A lesser mortal would have fallen by now.