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Journalism of Courage
For the first time, Sonia Gandhi has asserted herself at the level of national policy-making, chivvying her confused flock into line on the insurance liberalisation issue. In the process, she has forced upon the Congress the role of a responsible opposition party. The second round of liberalisation, which the nation has been looking forward to for some time, could not have been kicked off without the constructive support of the party. And the amendments it has proposed have indeed been constructive, in that they encourage a level of social responsibility in the private sector. It is a relief to see a Congress that finally knows its own mind and has the gumption to stick to its core values, irrespective of short-term electoral compulsions.
It is a most heartening change from the Congress of the day before the voting. This is a party that rightfully lays claim to being the originator of liberalisation and, in particular, that of the insurance sector. At that point of time, a party with that history wasprepared to barter its guiding principles to secure a short-term goal: the exoneration of its former leader. Such bartering may be permissible in the political space, in the sense that the nation has become inured to it. But at the level of national policy-making, it tantamounts to working against the interests of the people. The stand of the Left is perfectly understandable its rejection of liberalisation is inevitable because of its ideological compulsions. It has committed itself too unambiguously to the other camp to draw back now. No matter how often the West Bengal government, for one, reaches out to foreign investors, its leadership will have to maintain its stand at the risk of losing its electoral base. The point is that the Congress is under no such compulsion and the party has certainly not painted itself into a corner.Given that, its prior stand on the insurance Bill was most disappointing and against the national interest.
