The Washington Post and its postmortem of the UPA2

The profile of Manmohan Singh in the Washington Post has ruffled the feathers of the Congress. This party is like an ostrich which buries its head in the sand. Not a single sentence in The Washington Post can be faulted. It is a true assessment of Manmohan Singh and the government he heads. It is a pity that the Congress leaders fail to learn and to rewrite their  script. Instead it demanded the WP to apologize. Typical of the Congress which cannot stand truth because it does not abide by truth.It was so quick under the prodding of the new combative Mrs Sonia when it demanded that Advani take back his remark that the UPA 2 is an illegitimate government. Well the Washington Post has mirrored its true reflection which means this government has lost its legitimacy.

When one is not legitimate what is it then? The author has voiced the opinion of millions of people-and sketched the contours of a PM which is not very flattering. In fact it reveals the true state of affairs  and the personality of the PM. From an ‘underachiever’ he has slipped down to a tragic figure.

The unflattering profile is cent percent true. Manmohan Singh should have long ago put in his papers- instead he presides over the most corrupt government India ever had-he preferred to look the other way when as the author puts it when his ministerial colleagues were filling their pockets. Is this a sign of honesty? No wonder the paper has drubbed him as intellectually dishonesty.

As an economist he refused to usher in any economic reform to arrest the sliding down of the economy-the devaluing of the rupee and the raining of scams. Insensitive to all this Manmohan Singh clung to his power. If he had an iota of self respect and integrity he would either have resigned or at least demanded the resignation of his corrupt ministers. No, he had to pretend that he sees nothing-hears nothing and speaks nothing. Well then he is  PM of ‘nothingness’ Why should Ambica Soni be so agitated that she wants the matter to be referred to the MEA.?Is it because the Congress leaders are immature that they cannot digest the truth?

This is one of the many fallouts of allowing a super PM to function; a mini parliament –the National Advisory Council-handpicked men and women of Mrs Sonia Gandhi, with the set objective of advising her. Why a NAC? Does all other party presidents have a NAC which the public exchequer funds? If she needs advise as the President of the Congress party then the party should fund the NAC-not the public The drafting of bills and the recommendations of the NAC then finds their way to the PM. And this is a violation of the Constitution because the backdoor advisors-or a mini parliament is not envisaged in a democratic set up. The Prime Minister then finds himself obligated to accept their recommendations. What for and why God alone knows. The gradual nibbling away at the democratic institutions-depleted the vitality of democracy.

Manmohan Singh is aware of these but then his indecisiveness-his dithering at every stage demeaned his stature and not enhanced it.He was a robot-the remote control was Mrs Sonia Gandhi. Everyone right from the top-including his council of ministers down to the man on the street was fully aware of this.Two power centers in appearance but only one power centre that had power-the other was namesake centre.It was No 10 Janpath to which people flocked and the leaders –be they Congress and or its allies went to. The making and the unmaking of a leader depended on the perception of Mrs Sonia Gandhi.This was well known. And where was the Prime Minister in this power play?

He was the humble, subservient, grateful vassal of Mrs Sonia Gandhi. How could this not dent the dignity, the credibility and the prestige of the Prime Minister? And why the ruckus and furore when the Washington Post came out with the correct picture?
What is the self-worth of the Congress party which is mired in scandals and scams and is the most corrupt. It somehow lives in an ivory tower and thinks that everything is square and fair with its double speak. Imagine what ridiculous figures the national spokespersons of this party cuts when they bravely utter sound bytes just for the sake of holding on to their positions as national spokespersons. Why should they cut such ridiculous figures in defending the indefensible? Of course one can sweep aside persons like Renuka Chowdry who has no substance to utter but is only a face –but what about the others? Have they no sensibility and sensitivity?

Look at the downfall of Manmohan Singh from a high pedestal of credibility and acumen down to illegitimacy-lack of credibility and abettor of corruption. The question rises then who is more corrupt-the abettor of corruption, or one who directly is involved in the act of corruption-The  one who takes the money and fills one pocket or the one who sees it and pretends that nothing is wrong.

What cannot be missed in this is the fact that the PM is under oath (of course the other ministers too are) that he would act without favor or fear. He is the custodian of the people’s faith in governance and clean governance. He has betrayed that faith-he has violated the solemn oath and hence will belong to the dustbin of history when the history of democratic India is written. This is the price he will pay for being a stooge-a lame duck and one who wanted at all cost to stick to power. Thanks to Mrs Sonia Gandhi who led him down such a lane and brought in this state of affairs.

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