Electoral death. It is something a politician dreads more than death itself. The fear of irrelevance leads to a desperation, no less than the one prompting a drowning man to clutch at straws. This fear seems to have bitten the opposition pretty hard. So hard, that it’s guilty of precisely the crime it accuses the government of.
To say an electorate desires a decisive government would be a truism. And when, at the cusp of elections, a government demonstrates its resolute handling of terrorism? When years of hard work on diplomacy bear such fruit, that no country even whimpers a word of support to Pakistan? And when the very last hope of beating up the Govt, Pakistan’s custody of a Wing Commander, also peters out as his release is secured? One can hardly blame the opposition for being afraid.
In a democracy, politics boils down to elections. Giving an electoral angle to an issue is termed politicizing. A statement seen as enhancing electoral prospects is no more political than one intended to stem certain electoral losses. Denying that would be as true as Pakistan clamping down on terrorism.
Make no mistake, Yeddyurappa needs to be unequivocally condemned for saying those awful things. The man is proving to be such an embarrassment for his party, that it leaves the likes of Digvijay Singh and Mani Shankar Iyer blushing in admiration. Guilty he is. But so are the ones that ask that a development not to be mentioned, to save their skins at the hustings.
Our armed forces have always been capable. They were reasonably potent then, as they are now. The only difference is that the vacuum of political will, has been filled by a decisive government. The knowledge of this, or rather the fear of this knowledge, has united the opposition into silliness. Is it not the opposition’s case that the public will not be fooled by “Jumlas”? Why then bother to cry out?
The media, unsurprisingly, plays a dual role. That of a leader. And that of a cheerleader. When the ideology they identify with is setting the pace, the cheer leader role plays out. And when not, they take over as leaders to set the narrative. As fair as elections in Pakistan. The irony when one accuses the other of being “North Korean” is unmissable!
As children playing cricket, it was absolutely essential that the guy who owned the bat be adored. If he was out and declared out, he would walk out taking the bat away. To ensure the game continued, he had to be allowed to bat. This would continue till someone else procured a bat.
And someone seems to have!
