India will go for the ballot in 2014 yet again to choose the lesser evil. Except this time the electorate is more puzzled than ever on which is the next ruling coalition leader. Ministers and former ministers of the ruling Congress coalition are disastrously tainted by reports of massive scams to the tunes of several lakhs of crores from the commonwealth games scam, 2G spectrum scam, coal gate scandal to the more recent solar scam involving state Congress leadership in Kerala. While the present cabinet is certainly the most corrupt since independence it is also one of the weakest since the same time. The poor performance of the economy, is for most and largely, a consequence of UPA II's mismanagement led by an shortsighted finance minister, whom Subramanium Swamy- leader of the Janata Dal party- claims to be a co-conspirator in the 2G scam. The steep rise in price of essential commodities, reduction of fuel subsidies and blatant disregard for public office have been the major achievements of the government.
The most serious failure however was that of its foreign policy, first marked by its inability to impress its concerns on human rights violations on neighboring Sri Lanka during the latter's war against the LTTE which took a heavy toll of needless civilian casualty of ethnic Tamils. Apart from failing to reflect the genuine concerns of the Indian Tamils the government waited till the very end of the war only to finally support a US sponsored UN resolution on Sri Lanka demanding a UN headed probe to investigate violations, after it was hacked by regional parties and student protests. India's management of the issue ran counter to its leadership position in the region as the island nation asserted its aggression heedless to the Indian voices.
Incursions by the PLA of China into Indian territory, its openly aggressive poise in the region and naval build up in the surrounding seas starkly reveals the gaps in our foreign policy leaving the Congress in no favorable position in the upcoming elections.
The alternative camp headed by the BJP is already threatening to unleash a Hindu Rashtra much to the discomfort of the peace loving tolerant Hindus themselves. The assertive and unrestrained Narendra Modi fashioning himself as the prime ministerial candidate has already cost the party an ally- Janata Dal- in the process; who could have presumably tilted the coalition slightly towards being secular. The party has since been flaunting its Hindutva agenda, staunchly supported by the ranks of the party and close ally- the fearsome RSS. With his opposition to the setting up of a lokayuktha in Gujarat and remorselessness to the Godhra tragedy orchestrated under his nose, renders Modi a leader to be feared by the minorities at election time and everyone soon, thereafter, if he ever becomes the prime minister. What is more terrifying than Modi's assertiveness is the unity of the voices than stand by his sectarian stance. If made the PM he may well end being surrounded by an belligerent entourage with no one to counsel him wisely, even if he was prepared to listen.
Such is the choice blaring before us next year with no able third front in sight to offer real succor. Coalition however may provide reprieve by keeping checked the power of the ruling in important internal affairs while supporting it decisive foreign relations and economy. The supreme court and other public institutions have a greater role to play along with the civil society in the coming years.
The most serious failure however was that of its foreign policy, first marked by its inability to impress its concerns on human rights violations on neighboring Sri Lanka during the latter's war against the LTTE which took a heavy toll of needless civilian casualty of ethnic Tamils. Apart from failing to reflect the genuine concerns of the Indian Tamils the government waited till the very end of the war only to finally support a US sponsored UN resolution on Sri Lanka demanding a UN headed probe to investigate violations, after it was hacked by regional parties and student protests. India's management of the issue ran counter to its leadership position in the region as the island nation asserted its aggression heedless to the Indian voices.
Incursions by the PLA of China into Indian territory, its openly aggressive poise in the region and naval build up in the surrounding seas starkly reveals the gaps in our foreign policy leaving the Congress in no favorable position in the upcoming elections.
The alternative camp headed by the BJP is already threatening to unleash a Hindu Rashtra much to the discomfort of the peace loving tolerant Hindus themselves. The assertive and unrestrained Narendra Modi fashioning himself as the prime ministerial candidate has already cost the party an ally- Janata Dal- in the process; who could have presumably tilted the coalition slightly towards being secular. The party has since been flaunting its Hindutva agenda, staunchly supported by the ranks of the party and close ally- the fearsome RSS. With his opposition to the setting up of a lokayuktha in Gujarat and remorselessness to the Godhra tragedy orchestrated under his nose, renders Modi a leader to be feared by the minorities at election time and everyone soon, thereafter, if he ever becomes the prime minister. What is more terrifying than Modi's assertiveness is the unity of the voices than stand by his sectarian stance. If made the PM he may well end being surrounded by an belligerent entourage with no one to counsel him wisely, even if he was prepared to listen.
Such is the choice blaring before us next year with no able third front in sight to offer real succor. Coalition however may provide reprieve by keeping checked the power of the ruling in important internal affairs while supporting it decisive foreign relations and economy. The supreme court and other public institutions have a greater role to play along with the civil society in the coming years.
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