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| Diary |
Magazine | 20 Feb 2006 |
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| Delhi Diary by Vinod Mehta |
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Because heated debates in our free-speaking democracy develop a tendency to become polarised, we currently have a situation where urban India is pitted against the two Communist parties who have the potential to bring down the Manmohan Singh government. It may not come to pass but brinkmanship has a habit of getting out of hand. Actually, that is not my worry. Messrs Yechury and Bardhan are grown-up gentlemen, well-versed in realpolitik, so it is presumptuous to remind them of the consequences of the UPA demise. Nevertheless, there is a bigger, infinitely more critical issue wrapped up in the Iran/airport modernisation/FDI in retail controversy. Unless this country arrives at some broad understanding on the said issue, we will forever be thrashing around in a welter of accusations and counter-accusations. Indeed, the issue I am hinting at is of such urgency that its outcome may well decide India's place in the 21st century.
What is the issue? India has to make up its mind once and for all where it stands vis-a-vis the United States. In the post-Cold War, unipolar world, where for the next five or six decades the United States will remain the pre-eminent power, how close a relationship do we wish to forge with the planet's most powerful democracy in which over one million of our citizens live and prosper obscenely? That relationship, whatever its contours, will have to embrace not only economics and politics, but strategic and cultural matters as well. We cannot cherry-pick, because as any South Block rookie will tell you, these relationships are interlinked. In short, is it in our national interest to get into bed with the Americans? Or should we pursue an "independent" foreign and economic policy? Getting into bed with Uncle Sam does not mean India has no options. We can determine the size of the bed, the colour of the bed-sheets, which side of the bed we are going to sleep on. However, we have to decide whether we are in or out; we cannot have it both ways. One other point. We must remember we are getting into bed with a society and its values, not any crazy Republican or Democrat President.
What is the national consensus on this issue? The Great Indian Middle Class, I believe, is in favour of getting into bed, non-shining India doesn't care as long as its concerns are addressed, the CPI and CPM, of course, believe the idea is diabolical.
My own view is that we should sleep with our 1970s "enemy". But I would like Comrade Prakash Karat to act as referee.
Rants and Raves
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In 1989, when I was editing The Indian Post in Mumbai, I too was caught perpetrating a blasphemous act. The paper had a comics-crossword-trivia section, the material for which was supplied by a foreign syndication agency. I never read the page before it went to press. A tiny part was devoted to important historical/religious figures—Socrates, Buddha, Shakespeare etc. One morning when I went to work, I found heavy police bandobast outside and inside there were urgent messages to call the CM and the police commissioner. "What have you done?" the commissioner asked nervously. I didn’t know what he was talking about. "Haven’t you seen the drawing of the Prophet in your paper?" Apparently, we had printed a brief biographical sketch of the Prophet Mohammed accompanied by a fuzzy, but not offensive, drawing of His face. The crowd outside was baying for my blood and threatening to burn down Mumbai. I quickly called some of the protesters, apologised, and printed the apology on the front page next day. The blunder was excused as an oversight caused by material obtained from a Western agency. Since then I have been extremely careful about other people’s religious sensitivities.
The present frenzy of protest over 12 trite Danish cartoons may be a huge over-reaction, but in today’s climate, with mounting Islamophobia and talk of clash of civilisations, you have to be insane to publish material which is grossly offensive to Muslims. The defenders of "free speech" in Europe are making this a civil liberties issue. That is nonsense. To print such an egregious insult is bad enough, to justify it on freedom of speech grounds only adds injury to insult.
Rants and Raves
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I am glad to see Mohammed Azharuddin back on TV screens as expert commentator. Although Outlook may have played some role in exposing his activities, I’ve always admired this stylish, soft-spoken Hyderabadi. Whatever his links with the underworld, Star Sports and ESPN have not been fair to him. You might remember that Azhar was rudely removed from these two channels after being pronounced guilty of match-fixing. Unfortunately, both these channels continue to patronise the mother of all match-fixers, Wasim Akram. He has emerged whistle clean despite having publicly confessed to huge disproportionate assets and regular contacts with bookies. The only reason ICC hasn’t been able to nail him is because the Pakistan Cricket Board refuses to cooperate with the ICC. It’s to the eternal shame of Star Sports and ESPN that they continue to have the discredited Akram as their main commentator.
Rants and Raves
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The charismatic 69-year-old Italian premier, Silvio Berlusconi, has publicly promised he will abstain from sex for 10 weeks, till April 9, to concentrate on his country’s general elections. Mr Berlusconi hopes the Gods will reward him and his party with victory for making this supreme sacrifice.
Which leader in India could promise similar self-denial? The RSS couldn’t because officially they don’t do sex, the BJP doubtless has a few leaders capable of renunciation, the Marxists are too high-minded to bother with carnal desire. That leaves only the Congress. Who? I shall consult Mr Amar Singh on this matter.
Rants and Raves
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