Competitive clamour

As the Vajpayee government deliberates on its security strategy and confronts the challenges ahead, some are straining at the leash. In the ...

As the Vajpayee government deliberates on its security strategy and confronts the challenges ahead, some are straining at the leash. In the last few days, and in no particular order, VHP vice-president Giriraj Kishore, sanyasin-minister Uma Bharti, BJP president Jana Krishnamurthy and Union Minister of State for Small Industries Vasundhara Raje Scindia have made it known, overly loud and painfully clear, that the government must 8216;act8217;. Giriraj Kishore exhorted the government to go to war first and think later. It could even be a nuclear war, Kishore has no objections. VHP cadres, he helpfully offered, would undertake internal policing to facilitate the deployment of the army and police forces on the border. Uma Bharti publicly 8212; and poetically 8212; dared Pakistan to do battle with India. Anointing himself spokesperson for more than just his party, Jana Krishnamurthy claimed 8216;the people8217; were not prepared to brook the problem any more and called for a 8216;final settlement8217; of the issue. He ruled out all scope for dialogue with Pakistan. Finally, Union Minister of State for Small Industries Vasundhara Raje Scindia was reportedly heard airing her view that only war can end cross-border terrorism. Strong stuff.

It is also hugely irresponsible stuff. At a critical juncture, when the country must choose between war and peace, such voluble exhortations and opinions piping up from within the ruling establishment can do grave damage. At the very least, they detract from the sobriety of the moment. At their worst, they could narrow the government8217;s room for manoeuvre. The plain truth is the Vajpayee government cannot be seen to speak in more than one considered voice at a time like this. It may be too much to ask of a government that has spoken in the most number of tongues than any other government in the past, but it is time the ruling coalition enforced some internal discipline. To avoid confusion, and to keep them from making matters worse, sundry ministers, party presidents, and chiefs of allied organisations must be asked to hold their counsel.

It is also important that these worthies who have an opinion on India8217;s strategy towards Pakistan and are singularly unafraid to air it, are told to mind their own business. The nation has not come to a standstill. Surely Vasundhara Raje Scindia has a lot of work to be done in her ministry of small industries in these times of restructuring. Surely Jana Krishnamurthy should also be worried about why the organisational reform promised at the BJP8217;s Goa meet has not been effected. This is not the time to raise the rhetorical pitch. This is time, instead, to be thoughtful and discreet.