The latest update on the Sethusamudram project depends on how you look at it.
The Congress has all but decided to put the skids on the Sethusamudram project. Not because it has lost faith in the project, but because it is concerned about the political fall-out and the possible impact on the electorate in the north India in the next Lok Sabha elections. …a senior Congress minister had even gone to the extent of telling his DMK colleagues in the Union Cabinet that the Congress could not afford to put its chances in half the country at risk for the sake of one state (Tamil Nadu).
As a positive outcome for all opponents of this project, this relief is just temporary. If the same–or similar motley bunch returns to power in 2009, the destruction of Ram Sethu is assured. The chief party of the motley bunch reveals why it has halted the destruction for now:
According to sources, the committee has concluded that there is no evidence that Ramar Sethu is man made. But DMK sources say that Congress leaders are apprehensive about the impact of such categorical assertion on the Hindu voters.
I guess the Congress party cares about Hindu voters only when elections approach. Or perhaps they have learnt from decades-long minority appeasement that led to Ayodhya 1992. Or perhaps again, they are confident that substantial Hindu voters would buy this we-too-care-for-Hindus bluff. Yet, the realization is a little late especially after the affidavit bungling and the almost-everyday minority-appeasement that it does. I’m tempted to think up a tagline/motto for the UPA: Minority appeasement is Governance. That adequately sums up its record of governance in four years.
All it takes to keep the tradition of Rama alive is vote bank politics. Forget the symbolism, spiritual significance, and values that the tradition has given us and that in many ways, sustains this country.
Cross-posted to Indian National Interest.
wellll…. we live in a democracy after all!
What is this democracy? There are hundreds of thousands of groups in India, they all compete and have been competing for past many millenia. By giving a name to this fact as “democracy”, what has been achieved? You think there is no violence in democracy? As has been said Democracy is just a controlled civil war. Do not confuse the future of Sanathana Dharma which is under constant attack by the 4M nexus as operation of democracy.
>> According to sources, the committee has concluded that there is no evidence that Ramar Sethu is man made. >>
Did they look ?
>> What is this democracy? >>
A democracy where those asking for simple data become enemy of the state. (ie YFE, whose single point demand is a study of the beneficiaries first)
It seems they would publish codes to our nuclear weapons before they tell us how various target groups have fared until now (after 80+ years).
Without data, it would be unreasonable to expect people to vote against protectors of their caste/ religion/ whatever benefits. Why would anyone act against their self interest ?
The congress putting the project on hold worrying for it’s election prospects next year shows it’s shortsightedness. This attempt to put the project on a backburner is hogwash. When it’s only concerned with staying in power, expectations should automatically be low.
The Congress is definately shooting itself in the foot by resorting to such measures. Coupled with it’s indecisiveness on numerous national issues, myopic political views, lack of serious leadership, it is scripting it’s own downfall.
We need leaders with an agenda that takes the betterment of ALL the people & the nation into account & who harbour such passions. There is no room for partisanship. Every leader/party that fails to realise this risks being marginalized. This is becoming increasingly evident.
Democracy in Burma. Democracy in Nepal. Democracy in Iraq. Democracy in Native Americas. Destroy the native culture and rechristen as Democracy. Take comfort in the operation of democracy by christianized Nehruvian British lackeys. Don’t worry, it is life.
Speaking of minority appeasement, did you see the story in Pioneer about the central government coming up with a scheme to hand out doles to the families of Kashmiri terrorists killed by the army? Unbelievable!!