Doormat

Mamata Banerjee does not act like an adult,she acts like a despot. Over and over again,whether it is land acquisition,FDI in retail,the Lokayukta bill,NCTC,or water-sharing with Bangladesh,the UPA has cowered and given in to her demands. What may look like coalition pragmatism to the Congress has ended up destroying its dignity. It is clear that the UPA only cares about its own bare survival. It does not even have the initiative to craft a new arrangement with the SP or the BSP,either of which can easily replace the TMC (the recent NCTC vote saw the Trinamool walk out with the opposition,even as the SP voted with the government). And now that Trivedi has accepted his “error” and resigned,the rail budget hangs in tense balance. If Mamata Banerjee’s nominee Mukul Roy takes over as railway minister,will the revised passenger fares be rolled back?

This rail budget’s decisions are inescapable if the railways are to remain safe,become modern and financially sustainable. Now that it has sacrificed Trivedi,will the UPA have the courage to insulate the rail budget from the Trinamool’s pressure? Mukul Roy,don’t forget,is the same man who defied the prime minister when he was asked to visit the site of a train accident in Assam. He was MoS for railways at the time. Now,he will be at the helm — good luck to the UPA.