Falling in line

The BJP8217;s foreign policy has traditionally tilted towards America and the viewpoint of the Islamic world gets short shrift. BJP preside...

The BJP8217;s foreign policy has traditionally tilted towards America and the viewpoint of the Islamic world gets short shrift. BJP president Rajnath Singh8217;s recent complaint that some aspects of the proposed nuclear deal with the US would infringe on India8217;s sovereignty was therefore out of character. The inspiration behind the criticism was Brajesh Mishra, who was hurt that the Manmohan Singh Government does not take him into confidence8212;although as the NSA he had kept the Congress in the loop on major security matters. This was Mishra8217;s way of showing his peeve.

The Government at one point feared that the BJP might in fact opportunistically join the Left and the Samajwadi Party on the Iran issue in Parliament. Significance was attached to Rajnath8217;s remark in Lucknow that the country should not be perceived to be sacrificing its independent foreign policy. It was left to the VHP8217;s Praveen Togadia to say what many in the Parivar thought privately. The prospect of another Islamic bomb in the neighbourhood was a definite no no. With the RSS expressing the same view as Togadia, the BJP promptly stopped hedging and endorsed the Sangh line.

First among equals

Of the two ministers of state in the MEA till recently, E Ahamed, from the Indian Union Muslim League, often managed to steal a march over the mild-mannered Rao Inderjit Singh. The latter, incidentally, was taken totally by surprise when he was transferred to the Defence Ministry. Singh was in London on his way to a conference in Brazil when the PMO asked him to return home and let his replacement, Anand Sharma, go instead.

Now that Sharma has taken over from Singh, it is Ahamed who has been put in the shade. Sharma is an experienced hand in foreign relations and within a fortnight his presence is being felt in the ministry. Sharma, who is a familiar face in diplomatic circles, has been hosting a series of official lunches and dinners. Evidence of Sharma8217;s dominant role as an understudy to the PM in the MEA was that it was his name that figured on the invitation card for the laying of the foundation stone for Videsh Bhawan, the proposed new MEA complex. Sharma is also active in the preparations for the forthcoming visits of French President Jacques Chirac and American President George Bush.

Iroanical absence

Iran figures prominently in the national consciousness with the UPA split over whether or not to support its nuclear project. But curiously last week, on Iran8217;s National Day, almost none of Iran8217;s high-powered political backers in India showed up for the reception hosted by its Embassy. Apart from Minister of State in the MEA E Ahamed, who was the chief guest, there was no one of any consequence from the Government. Prominent politicians from the Left, Samajwadi Party and Telegu Desam, who have backed Iran, were also missing. As were ambassadors from western countries. A few sent junior functionaries to represent them. The guests were mainly diplomats from the Islamic countries or Indian businessmen dealing with Iran.

On both sides now

When MDMK leader Vaiko first informed the Congress leadership that he planned to join forces with Jayalalithaa in the forthcoming Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, the news did not sink in immediately since they were confused by the way he presented his case. Vaiko courteously kept repeating that he sought their blessings and that he continued in the UPA and not in the DPA. They misheard the DPA as NDA and only later realised that Vaiko was referring to the Democratic Progressive Alliance, which is the DMK-led front in the state.

To justify his move Vaiko cites the example of Bihar where Ram Vilas Paswan and the CPI contested against Laloo Prasad Yadav and the Congress in the election. But the actions are not really comparable. UPA partners may have fought each other in the elections but this is the first time a UPA constituent wants to ally with a UPA adversary. M Karunanidhi is unlikely to allow Vaiko to both hunt with the hare and ride with the hounds.

Alternative guest list

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The guest list for one of Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee8217;s pre-Parliament session dinners last week was odd. The Speaker had invited parliamentarians from the TDP, the SP, the BSP and the Left. The explanation for this curious combination was that the Communists did not want to be counted as part of the UPA partners and Chandrababu Naidu did not want to be included in the NDA combine. But, whether intentionally or not, the Speaker ended up hosting a dinner for three parties which have of late been enthusiastically promoting the concept of a third front, now increasingly referred to as the third alternative. The Communist leaders pointedly excused themselves from attending a dinner hosted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that same night claiming they were preoccupied. Only the RSP8217;s Abani Roy was honest enough to admit that he was free but did not want to break rank with his comrades.

While the Left continues to blow hot and cold, it has no intention of actually pulling the rug from under Manmohan Singh8217;s feet. The Government has also gained a reprieve from the Left8217;s bullying on the Iran issue ever since China backed the US on its vote against Iran at the IAEA meet.

The Indian Communists have not yet resolved the dilemma as to whether they should be supporting Cuba, Venezuela and Syria on the Iran vote or switching their line to be in sync with China and Russia. Their ambivalence is reflected in the CPIM journal People8217;s Democracy, which has yet to spell out the party line on this thorny issue.