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Journalism of Courage
Last sponsored supper
The change of guard as head of the external publicity wing of the Foreign Office from author and leading light of the Capital8217;s party circuit, Pavan Varma, to Zail Singh8217;s one-time deputy secretary K.C. Singh, was as sudden and abrupt as the earlier switch from Talmiz Ahmed to Varma last November.
Incidentally, it was K.C.Singh who had helped pen the controversial letter that Zail Singh had once sent then Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, complaining that he was ignoring the presidency.
Though a Gujral appointee, Varma was hopeful of retaining his post thanks to his top drawer connections. Just two nights before his ouster, he hosted an official party to introduce the new Minister for External Affairs Vasundararaje Scindia to the media. But the guest list proved his undoing, Scindia complained that she was not consulted and the invitees included the Capital8217;s glitterati, literati and BJP baiters and not just MEA correspondents. Varma8217;s detractors claimed cattily that thedinner seemed like a bash for his new book The Great Indian Middle Class, which was to be formally released by Penguin the next day.
Bloated budget
Under former Prime Minister I.K.Gujral, the already bloated budget for External Publicity XP was raised from Rs 9.5 crore to Rs 11 crore. The XP budget is blown up on parties, travel for journalists from all over the world, commissioning vague publications and documentary films all this done with very little accountability. It is no wonder that the job of XP spokesman is much sought after and the candidate is selected not by the ministry but through intense political lobbying.
A social worker who claimed to be a friend of former Prime Minister I.K. Gujral was gifted Rs 40 lakh to make a documentary and on this pretext was included in the press party accompanying the former PM abroad. An excellent two-part serial on SAARC which brought out the Indian roots of most of our neighbouring countries was not given clearance for telecasting on Doordarshan,even though the division had footed a bill of Rs 11 lakh for the project, probably because it was commissioned by Varma8217;s predecessor.
Swami and friends
The ubiquitous Chandraswami has disciples no matter which political party comes to power. At the wedding last week of the son of former BJP MP, J.K. Jain, Chandraswami was given pride of place on a large sofa along with the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister, Sunderlal Patwa, at whose residence the wedding reception was held. The senior BJP politicians who were invited to the do greeted the tantrik with due deference.
The BJP attempted, through Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, to persuade the Chandraswami to use his good offices to rein in Subramaniam Swamy, but that is a task which even the miracle man did not want to commit himself to. The CBI, meanwhile, has informed the court that it has no objection to Chandraswami going abroad for medical treatment.
Silent partners
Jayalalitha has instructed important members of her parliamentarycontingent to carry two cellphones at all times one is reserved exclusively for the Tamil Nadu supremo so that she can contact them instantaneously. But some of her alliance partners were not even been consulted before Jaya mounted her threats against the Vajpayee government.
If Amma8217; ditches the government, all the 27 MPs who form part of the alliance may not necessarily follow suit. There are two weak links the Pattali Makkal Kutchi PMK party led by Dr Ramdoss with four MPs which represents the Vanniar community and V. Gopalsami8217;s MDMK with three MPs. Both parties have remained silent during the on-going sparring matches on corruption.
Vaiko, as Gopalsami prefers to be called now, has a mind of his own. Considering the paucity of talent in the TN contingent, Vaiko who was an active member of the Rajya Sabha for 18 years, seemed an obvious choice for a ministerial berth but Jayalalitha wanted him to remain outside the government. Vaiko had quit the DMK in protest against Karunanidhi8217;s promotion ofhis son Stalin. His simple lifestyle and regular interaction with the cadres sets him apart from most of the state8217;s leadership.
Crown of thorns
Prime Minister A.B.Vajpayee8217;s normally cheerful countenance is generally glum these days, reflecting the sorry state of the government with Jayalalitha ever ready to draw fresh blood. The PM8217;s trouble-shooter Pramod Mahajan compares the new government8217;s objective to a cricketer trying to simply stick to the crease, even if he is not scoring any runs. Rather than tottering on the edge, it might be wiser to take the plunge into the unknown and call Jaya8217;s bluff.
A rough calculation suggests that if Jayalalitha walks out with her band of 20 minus PMK and MDMK, then the tally of BJP and anti-BJP forces would be near equal at around 263 without Jaya. Either side would be dependent on Jayalalitha to remain in office and faced with the thankless task of fulfilling the lady8217;s diktats. Six months down the line the Congress will be delighted to take over thegovernment, but not before the passing of the budget, since the BJP can then be conveniently blamed for all the economic woes facing the country. If the BJP is living on borrowed time it should at least grasp the opportunity to implement its agenda.
