The doctor is ‘In’

Manmohan may not be completely wrong if he thinks he was chosen by destiny. But as an economist who became Prime Minister, he didn’t get a chance to make a mark even in a debate on the Finance Bill. He was unable to have a fully functional Parliament, with the NDA’s constant boycotts.

Adding to all this was a totally avoidable incident. His ‘‘namaste’’, a common enough gesture, to Priyanka Vadra’s son at a prayer meeting held for late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, was blown out of proportions by the Opposition who interpreted it as a shameful act of servitude.

Manmohan is not assertive by nature. And the present situation with twin power centres has placed him in an even more precarious situation. Soon after being sworn in, he invited all the Chief Ministers for a conference. Only the BJP CMs attended it. He could not rein in Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. He knows his office cannot keep the ministers in check.

So, he poured his ire on the wrong people, one with whom he should have been extra polite. It happens. Those who take this issue too far would be doing an injustice to him, and themselves.

Manmohan cannot run away from a situation where he is attacked more from within the Congress and its Left allies than from outside. All that noise raised by Arjun Singh was clearly aimed at denting the doctor’s image. The media are being led to project Manmohan as a good but ineffective leader, with the limelight more focussed on the Lalus, Aiyars and other Singhs.

So effective is this campaign that some worthy journalists have unashamedly declared where they stand, attacking Manmohan for his ‘‘lacklustre’’ and ‘‘ineffective’’ governance and favouring Arjun Singh as a true leader to take on the ‘‘communal’’ and ‘‘fascist’’ forces by ‘‘consolidating’’ anti-BJP forces. And when it becomes ‘‘clear’’ to all that although he may be a decent person, he cannot run the affairs of the nation, Sonia may suddenly replace the doctor under ‘‘great compulsion’’ from her allies and the public to ‘‘save the nation’’. While this may seem a fascinating speculation at present, the motive of the people leading the campaign surely cannot be saintly.

Therefore, the need of the hour is for all those who have the nation’s interest at heart to support Manmohan. With problems like Manipur, Islamic terrorism, the growing gap between the rich and the poor, there is no other alternative to speedy infrastructure development.

A coalition government has to function with contradictions, and the Congress has many experienced leaders who can strike the right balance. Then there are the low-profile, yet brilliant, posse of hand-picked bureaucrats. Yet, the general perception is that this government cannot last long and mid-term polls will be held after a year or two. One principal reason for this is the politics of confrontation and vendetta, with Congressmen and Communists baying for the blood of saffronites.

An over ambitious person like Arjun Singh, who’s got the age factor against him, announces his ‘‘desaffronisation’’ campaign from the rooftops. But has that strategy worked at all? As HRD Minister, he should be more concerned about providing good books and ensuring education for all. Similarly, while Mani has every right to his views about Savarkar, he cannot denigrate him in such a brazenly uncivilised manner. What he did in Port Blair was like desecrating Gandhi’s memory at Rajghat. What if some BJP member did the same with a memorial to EMS, on the grounds that his views were against national interests?

And what if Dharam Singh had invited Uma Bharati to unfurl the tricolour with him at Hubli’s Idgah maidan, along with the Muslims. It would have made the same impact as Sonia’s refusal to be PM.

People wanted someone above the petty politics of today. That was the image that Manmohan provided at the time of his ascendancy. And despite all these controversies, that hope should be kept afloat. Instead of letting such issues occupy the national debate, we should be discussing how to improve our Olympic performance, how to assuage the feelings of the Manipuris, how to protect the Pandits’ and women’s rights in the Valley. So, could Dr Manmohan Singh please assert his authority with the people he should be really harsh on.

The writer is editor, Panchjanya