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Journalism of Courage
Indian journalists covering Pakistan in the wake of Benazir Bhutto8217;s death were struck by the extraordinary parallels between the Gandhis and the Bhuttos. The subcontinent8217;s two powerful political dynasties are blessed with charisma and good looks. Both families have lived through the highs and lows of politics and have been dogged by tragedies and unnatural deaths. There is even an obvious parallel between the two pretenders to the throne, Zulfiqar Bhutto, Benazir8217;s nephew, and Feroze Varun Gandhi. Both are young, articulate, named after their grandfathers, and kept out of the family party.
Seventeen-year-old Zulfiqar Bhutto sat for two days outside Benazir Bhutto8217;s house in Larkana during her funeral ceremonies but was not allowed in. Zulfiqar Junior is the son of Benazir8217;s younger brother Murtaza, who was killed in a police encounter when Benazir was prime minister. He is viewed with suspicion by the Zardaris, who claim exclusive rights to the Bhutto legacy. Zulfiqar says he has no memory of his aunt and does not know his cousin Bilawal, older by two years, but nevertheless, he kept a vigil for Benazir.
Advantage or handicap?
Indian journalists may have difficulty in getting visas to Pakistan, but once in the country, they receive favoured treatment over the locals, some Pakistani correspondents complain. For the Bhutto funeral, it was practically impossible for journalists in Lahore to fly to Larkana in Sindh as most flights were cancelled and influential PPP supporters had booked whatever mode of transport was available. Nawaz Sharif, who had chartered a plane to fly to Larkana for Bhutto8217;s funeral, however, chivalrously invited three Indian women journalists to travel with him. The local scribes and their male counterparts from India were left behind. The new co-chairperson of the PPP, Asif Zardari, gave his first interview after the announcement of Bilawal8217;s appointment as head of the PPP to an Indian TV journalist. An Indian correspondent was allowed to ask the first question at Bilawal Bhutto8217;s press conference. The Indian media even dominated at Pervez Musharraf8217;s press conference for the foreign media.
Unending commission
The Liberhan panel set up in 1992 by Narasimha Rao to fix responsibility for the demolition of Babri Masjid got its 43rd extension last week. That prompted some in the media to assert that it was the longest serving judicial panel in the country. Not quite, though. Probably that somewhat dubious honour belongs to the Ravi-Beas water tribunal to adjudicate on the water distribution of the Punjab rivers between the states of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan. Justice V. Balakrishnan Eradi was appointed to head the commission in 1988 by the V.P. Singh government when he was still a Supreme Court judge. Justice Eradi continued in the job post-retirement, and now, at 85 years, is a veteran of the commission circuit.
Elephant walk
In Maharashtra, the Congress has to keep looking over its shoulder to see just what its ally Sharad Pawar is up to. Political pundits see significance in Pawar8217;s recent meeting with Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray. The Congress has also to worry as to just what it8217;s new recruit, former Shiv Sena leader Narayan Rane, will do next. Rane, who claims that the Congress dangled the carrot of chief ministership to allure him into its fold, has publicly attacked Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh.
Actually, if Rane does quit the Congress, he may not settle for any of the conventional political alternatives. Mayawati has made overtures to him as she wants him to head her party unit in Maharashtra. The Uttar Pradesh chief minister has made a similar offer in Andhra Pradesh to film star Chiranjeevi, who seems all set to take the plunge into politics.
Plane talk
The BJP8217;s Yashwant Sinha was the last man to enter the aircraft on a flight from Bangalore to Delhi last week. Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh, who was also travelling executive class, greeted him jocularly with the remark, 8220;Welcome incoming passenger, next finance minister.8217;8217; Ramesh8217;s greeting, in a light vein, was a reference to the BJP8217;s Gujarat victory. Sinha replied that while he didn8217;t know about the finance minister bit, Karnataka would soon be in the BJP8217;s pocket. After all, his party has made him its observer for the state.
