In defence of Sanjay Joshi

Another front page report is devoted to Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh8217;s loud campaign on phone tapping. Taking Amar Singh8217;s side, the writer not only feels that 8220;it could finally turn out to be India8217;s Watergate8221; but suggests that it could herald the revival of the Third Front. The chorus of complaints from political leaders against phone tapping has made the Congress fear the emergence of a Third Front. In a fulsome tribute, the report adds: 8220;And the key to this front would be with Samajwadi Party and particularly its ultimate networker Amar Singh, who enjoys a good rapport with leaders of all political parties.8221;

Balkanising India

Describing the UPA as a latter day Muslim League, this week8217;s editorial slams the government8217;s proposed move to introduce a system of allocating funds for key social sector programmes 8220;on communal lines8221;. Citing other instances of minority appeasement, it says that 8220;by encouraging Muslim, Christian, communalism and dividing the polity on religious and caste lines the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi is obviously hoping to create a conducive atmosphere for her evangelical mission and balkanisation of India. No word of condemnation is sufficient to emphasise the damage this foreigner by her proxy regime is inflicting on this ancient nation and its tolerant tradition.8221;

Two gems: Priyanka and Rahul

The editorial8217;s anti-Sonia venom is repeated in Prof M.D. Nalapat8217;s column. Accusing the Sonia-led adminstration of auctioning India8217;s interests, the writer claims that 8220;those who oppose Sonia Gandhi in politics do so not because she was born in Italy 8212; a country with a rich history where family loyalties parallel that found in India 8212; but because of their conviction that Sonia Gandhi has very little understanding of India, even less regard for its culture.8221;

The tirade against Sonia is followed by high praise for her children. He writes: 8220;Rajiv Gandhi gave two precious gifts to Sonia, and these are his two children. Priyanka has charm and chemistry, and is clearly a winner in politics. Rahul has a sensible head on young shoulders, and the few comments that he has been allowed to make have been suffused with a wisdom in excess of his years.8221;

He goes on to advise Sonia to make Manmohan Singh AICC president and UPA chairman and focus her own energies on 8220;those two treasures, Priyanka and Rahul8221;. That would be the best way 8220;to reverse a course that is compromising not simply the future of India, but also that of the Congress Party8221;, is the rather surprising 8212; and sarcastic 8212; conclusion.

Reading Brinda Karat8217;s mind

The Brinda Karat versus Swami Ramdev issue continues to agitate the Organiser, long after it has ceased to be of much interest to the rest of the media. In an article headlined 8220;Brinda as major embarrassment to Left brigade8221;, S.R. Ramanujam praises the immense mass appeal of Swami Ramdev but disagrees with him on one crucial aspect. 8220;Swami Ramdev is not correct when he accuses Brinda Karat of acting at the behest of MNCs. As an activist of the Left that has no respect for anything that has the mark of Indian tradition, she has a different agenda8221;: to denigrate Hindu spiritual leaders. If her interest was to ensure that Ayurvedic drugs were not adulterated, she should have begun the exercise in Kerala 8220;which has an Ayurvedic dispensary in every street corner8221;. But since she would then 8220;encounter protests from her own party8217;s rank and file8221;, she chose soft targets like Swami Ramdev, he argues.

Compiled by Manini Chatterjee