Sack Antulay

Monday was lost to adjournments in both Houses of Parliament, with A.R. Antulay8217;s remarks on Hemant Karkare8217;s death continuing to dominate proceedings. But the damage being inflicted by Antulay extends beyond the precious legislative hours wasted. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh must consider the costs that accrue to his government, and to the Congress party, with each day that they stall for time. Simply put, this is a dilemma that the government cannot wish away. Antulay8217;s suggestion that Karkare8217;s death on the first night of the Mumbai attacks could be connected to the Malegaon investigations from the beginning was tailored to make the costs of chastising him politically high. His government and his party have acknowledged as such by trying to tide over the controversy with obfuscation, by passing off the comments as 8220;personal views8221; and by alluding to a government clarification later. But by doing so, the government and the Congress only magnify their dilemma and make the costs of eventual action on Antulay that much higher politically.

These columns have highlighted how Antulay was feeding into a very real and genuine apprehension amongst large sections of the population about the credibility of police investigations. But interventions like Antulay8217;s do not engage constructively with those apprehensions; they instead fan those apprehensions and nurture a political constituency based on a fearful distrust of the state, or the official version as it were. Certainly in his personal capacity, he would be as free as any other citizen of India to say what he wanted. The prime minister must liberate him from the Union cabinet to be able to do so.

Because as long as Antulay remains a minister, whatever comments he makes draw in his government too. Can the government afford it? Can it afford to be worried about doing the right thing 8212; letting a minister whose views on a key matter it cannot support 8212; for fear of losing a perceived vote bank? Perhaps the question needs to be reframed. Can the government afford a play to a perceived vote bank 8212; only perceived because in fact any number of Muslim leaders have rebuffed Antulay8217;s overture 8212; and in the process increase the cost of eventual action? It did just that with the anti-terror law, after all, taking the timid political course only to be compelled by circumstances to eventually give in. In the meanwhile, there is nothing stopping the government from assuring the country that the Malegaon probe will continue purposefully.