Pyrrhic victory

The editorial in the latest issue of Organiser launches a scathing attack on the UPA government.

The editorial in the latest issue of Organiser launches a scathing attack on the UPA government. In the editorial titled, 8220;When Sonia-Manmohan shamed the Nation8221; it observes, 8220;What a Pyrrhic win it was. It lasted only a day. When the voting for the confidence motion in the Lok Sabha started on July 22 evening, Dr Manmohan Singh8217;s government was in minority. Twenty four hours after he convincingly won the confidence motion he was again in minority. By that time the thick-skinned turncoats were identified and expelled from their respective parties which naturally will result in their disqualification8230;.8221;

It adds, 8220;How did the image-conscious PM manage 24 members from different parties to change their loyalty? His admirers will claim that it was not he but Sonia Gandhi, Amar Singh and Ahmad Patel who carried out the dirty work. How many will believe this claim? The corporate compromises and cabinet berths are offered only at the top level.8221; The editorial launches a personal attack on the PM, 8220;Dr Singh proved that he is a small minded, scornful, vindictive person and he resorted to deplorable levels in personally targeting the Leader of Opposition and the CPM leadership8230;. There is nothing for the UPA to crow about this bogus vote.8221;

Misplaced pride

In his column titled, 8220;Are votes in Parliament purchasable commodities8221; M.V. Kamath writes, 8220;irrespective of the rights and wrongs of the nuclear deal, irrespective of the consequences of the trust vote in Parliament, what this country today is witnessing is the most distressful of political behaviour, apart from being the most disgraceful. Principles are thrown overboard. Votes of Members of Parliament appear purchasable. 8221;The veteran journalist concludes: 8220;What apparently matters to our politicians is not the nation8217;s interests but the upholding of personal prestige. Some of the demands made by coalition partners for supportive votes are close to political blackmail8230; Those in power seem to put party prestige over national interests. This is a sure way of committing national suicide. No international organisation should be allowed to dictate to India on matters relating to its security. Neither should any nation. We are India. And we should have the courage to stand up for our convictions.8221;

UPA8217;s flip flops

A 8220;special report8221; titled, 8220;Then UPA said Ram did not exist, now it says Ram destroyed Sethu8221; observes, 8220;The UPA is bent on hurting Hindu sentiments. As part of its deal to win the confidence vote, the UPA within 24 hours of winning the vote told the Supreme Court a huge lie, that Sri Ram destroyed the Sethu and that the broken Sethu has no spiritual sanctity and that it should be demolished to complete the Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project. This the UPA said to emphasise its determination to go ahead with the project, ignoring the protests of the Hindus8230; This is a major shift in the centre8217;s stand. From a position that Ram was a fictional character to that he built and then destroyed the bridge. In any case it weakens the UPA stand and reinforces the Hindu belief8230;8221;