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| May 1, 2000 | ||
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| Mahajot's
Mahadanger If local issues dominate politics, it spells problems for the dynasty
The Congress may have been able to cope with the problem far more effectively if it was blessed with a more self-confident leadership. After all, by shedding its own anti-Congressism, the BJP should have been faced with a similar dilemma. That hasn't happened and, instead, the BJP is busy calculating the likely gains from a further erosion of its pariah status. The Congress, however, reckons it will be pushed to playing a subordinate role in yet another state. More than electoral consequences, it would set another precedent of local concerns prevailing over rigid national positions. The reverberations from West Bengal could then be felt in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. From there to a fundamental redefinition of the role of the high command would be a small logical jump. And, if votes are perceived to come from local issues, what is the role of the dynasty? No wonder for Sonia Gandhi, the mahajot isn't merely a West Bengal issue. Low Life, Bad Taste The
apology by the editor of French daily Le Figaro to President K.R.
Narayanan may have lessened the likelihood of an Media foibles apart, the incident does, however, shed light on the prevailing stereotypes about India. Nuclear status and new technology notwithstanding, the old image of India as a mysterious, caste-ridden, slightly bigoted and exotic place prevails. This may be good for backpacker tourism -- in fact, India self-consciously promotes this brand of oriental colour -- but it isn't good for business. The furore in Germany over the entry of computer professionals from India was an outcome of prejudice born out of ignorance. These misconceptions can't be removed overnight, more so because there is a thriving market for contrived exotica of the Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom variety. But it would definitely help if Indian missions devoted a little more time to painting a more contemporary picture of India. Apart from preventing repetitions of Le Figaro's astonishing cretinism, it would also serve the cause of accuracy better. Of course, that may involve more hard work than some of our missions are accustomed to. |
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It
is not difficult to fathom the Congress leadership's intense discomfiture
at its West Bengal unit's willingness to embrace Mamata Banerjee's mahajot
or grand alliance against the CPI(M)-led Left Front. Participation in the
umbrella coalition involves having a direct political tie-up with the
Trinamool Congress, a constituent of the ruling NDA at the Centre, and an
indirect association with the BJP. In short, the Congress' joining the
anti-CPI(M) mahajot would effectively dilute, if not demolish, the party's
stand of
unequivocal opposition to the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government. Equally
important, it would establish the principle that for the Congress, the
Left is a bigger enemy than the BJP. These are positions that the average
Congress supporter in West Bengal, frustrated by 23 years of Jyoti Basu's
rule, can digest effortlessly. In other states, however, such a monumental
shift is certain to cause grave indigestion.
Indo-French
diplomatic incident but it has done little to minimise the sheer
tastelessness of the whole episode. The President was perhaps right when
he attributed the offence to the European fixation with caste but it would
have been more telling if the accusing finger had been pointed at the
sensationalism of the media. In the unseemly rush to create catchy
headlines, there is often a tendency to bypass ordinary norms of civility
and good taste. The French media is not alone in overstepping bounds; the
British tabloids are notorious for catering to the lowest common
denominator of popular prejudices.