NDA’s big lie

Dr Manmohan Singh fathered the reform process in India. He simplified archaic laws and made foreign direct investment easy. He created an economic atmosphere that lured investors to India. This made the reform process irreversible for successive governments to build on it. Frankly, all of the successive foreign ministers followed in Dr Singh’s footsteps and none of them could better Manmohanomics. But still when you switch on your TV this morning or turn this page, it will hit you in the face how it is the BJP-led NDA Government that has done wonders in just five years, not even a reference to the Rao government.

Friday fiasco

The UP government’s move to order schools and colleges to close by noon on Friday was unmatched in the pre-poll sop race.

Understandably, the Muslim leaders were repulsed. Muslim Personal Law Board members wandered if this move was actually to help the BJP to gain political mileage. Ex-MP Syed Shahabuddin dismissed the UP govt decision saying nobody asked for it. The Muslims could do better with a few more schools, he added. He is absolutely right. It is encouraging that muslim organisations opposed the decision and termed it as political gimmick which will ultimately benefit BJP.

Dutt’s the spirit

Sunil Dutt is one formidable Congress candidate in Mumbai. Against all odds, he was the only Congress contender in the metropolis to emerge victorious in the last elections. This time, Rajya Sabha MP and Sena maverick Sanjay Nirupam has dared to take on Dutt. And he has already started his groundwork. After conducting Maha Mrityunjay Yagna, Nirupam has been busy attending Christian functions and visiting Masjids in the city. Not only Nirupam, his Rajya Sabha colleague Praful Patel is also set to contest for a Lok Sabha seat from Gondia. Dedicated that Nirupam certainly is, he has to work really hard if he must give himself a chance to emerge a giant-killer. But at any rate, Sunil Dutt, it seems, has a fight at hand.

On other hand another film actress Hema Malini has joined the BJP, officially. Ever since she was nominated for as a Rajya Sabha member, Hema crossed all limits to prove herself more loyal than the king. Even before that, she was busy campaigning for the BJP. Democracy is as much about conventions as it is about clauses. So it never required any fine print in the Constitution for the nominated members of the Rajya Sabha to conduct themselves above the mundane humdrum of party politics. These members are handpicked for their rare accomplishment in difference walks of life and they honour the Presidential discretion by distancing themselves, irrespective of their individual political leanings, from any party line.

(The author is a Congress MP)