The Hindu : Six in a row

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 16, 2003

Opinion

Opinion - Editorials

Six in a row

AN ADDRESS FROM the ramparts of the historic Red Fort is an occasion for a Prime Minister to salute the nation as well as to showcase his administration's political and economic achievements. Atal Bihari Vajpayee became the first Prime Minister since Indira Gandhi to unfurl the national flag at the Red Fort for the sixth consecutive time. The unwritten message in this milestone, political and personal, had to be the permanence of the shift away from Congress dominance in national politics. Mr. Vajpayee spoke on the occasion as a leader satisfied with his Government's performance and assured about its political acceptability. For a man about to face the first no-confidence motion in the 13th Lok Sabha, it was a stoically non-partisan performance. In a statesmanlike tone, the Prime Minister noted that "we should always care for the minorities and be attentive towards their welfare." He also cautioned that "those who wish to divide society on the basis of religion, caste or community are doing harm to the country."

This message seemed to be beamed as much at his party's ideological parivar as at others. Quite expectedly, Mr. Vajpayee reiterated his Government's peaceful intentions towards Pakistan, taking care to insert the caveat that "our frequent initiatives to normalise relations with Pakistan are not a sign of our weakness; rather, they are an indication of our commitment to peace.'' Although the Prime Minister invited "Pakistan to walk together with India on the road to peace," there was, disappointingly, no indication of any concrete road-map for peace and amity. There was the familiar formulation that the litmus test of Pakistan's sincerity would be an end to "cross border terrorism." Nonetheless, the veteran orator summoned the requisite words and imagery to advance the theme that India was prepared to extend its hand of friendship to Pakistan and it was up to the latter to "abjure its anti-India outlook" in a context where the people of both countries wished to "live in peace." At the same time, he rejected the "right to self-determination" demand for Kashmir as a recipe "to divide India on communal lines for the second time." Aside from indicating that he would be travelling to Srinagar (to attend the scheduled meeting of the National Development Council), the Prime Minister had no fresh ideas or initiatives to offer on ending the cycle of violence and counter-violence in Jammu and Kashmir.

After six years in office, Mr. Vajpayee does not enjoy the luxury of having someone else to blame for his Government's failures. Instead, he did his best to create a "feel good" factor using the Red Fort pulpit. Striking a self-congratulatory note on his Government's economic performance, he asserted that India today was the fourth largest economy in the world. While cataloguing various welfare measures his Government had taken, he committed himself to the goal of social justice — not "as a constitutional duty but also as our moral obligation." The Prime Minister did not sound very credible in claiming progress in two areas of `political reform' — the decision to enact the Lok Pal Bill and the emergence of `new thinking' on ensuring 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures. He also claimed credit for his Government's `live and let live' approach to federalism. This seemed no more than making a virtue out of necessity, given the kaleidoscope that is political India and the inescapability of coalition rule at the Centre. Finally, being the BJP's chief vote getter, the Prime Minister did his best to exude optimism and project the image of the helmsman of a nation on the move and at peace with itself.

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