Page 24 - June2018

OpiniOn
Spotlight
Vipin pubby
Former resident editor
of The Indian Express,
Vipin Pubby is a senior
journalist based in
Chandigarh. He can
be contacted at
vipinpubby@gmail.
com. The views
expressed are personal
The BJP, and its
earlier avatars, did
not compromise on
principles for long.
Former deputy PM
Advani tendered his
resignation after
allegations were
levelled against him
24-25 Opinion Vipin Pubby.indd 2 06/06/18
Now principles seems to
have no place in politics
While national parties are grabbing every chance to be in power,
the proliferation of small and regional parties has further eroded
the high moral standards as they change sides at the flip of a coin
long time ago, the leaders leled, spectacle of a party leading the
of the Congress party
as the third largest party. The Janata Dal
would swear by princi-
A government even though it emerged
(S), led by HD Kumaraswamy, has earlier
ples and lead an exem-
plary public life. That was vowed not to take support from either
the time when leaders the Congress and the BJP. He had de-
like Lal Bahadur Shastri would resign as clared in TV interviews that he and his
Union Railway Minister owning moral party would rather sit in the opposition
responsibility for a train accident. Over than to have any alliance with the two
the decades, the party lowered the national parties.
standards and went about misusing All his protests went for a toss when
power, including dismissal of legitimate the Congress offered its unconditional
state governments, declaring emer- support just to keep the BJP at bay. He
gency and compromising on reforms suddenly found so many virtues in the
to remain in power. After its hegemony Congress and personally went to the
began to wane, it forged opportunist UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and the
alliances and rode roughshod over the Congress president Rahul Gandhi to in-
conventions and principled politics. vite them to his swearing in ceremony.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and The line-up of diverse political leaders
its earlier avatars, also did not com- and sworn rivals like Samajwadi Party
promise on principles for long. Former leader Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan
deputy prime minister Lal Krishna Samaj Party leader Mayawati, or those
Advani tendered his resignation after from across the political spectrum like
allegations were levelled against him. West Bengal chief minister Mamata
Former prime minister Atal Behari Banerjee and Delhi chief minister
Vajpayee, likewise, resigned rather than Arvind Kejriwal, stood united with
engage in any horse trading when he just one ambition — to prevent the BJP
could not muster enough support to run led by prime minister Narendra Modi
the government. from retaining power in the next year’s
The proliferation of smaller and general elections. A perfect example of
regional parties has further eroded the enemy’s enemy is a friend.
high moral standards as these par-
The Modi-Amit Shah combine
ties changed sides virtually at the flip deserves all credit for its winning streak
of a coin. The culture of Aya Ram and and registering victories, barring the
exception in Punjab, and establishing
Gaya Ram further vitiated the political
scenario and now few eyebrows are BJP led governments in over 20 of the
raised if various political parties indulge 29 states. However, in the process, it
in manoeuvring and setting up alliances too compromised on principles and
which appeared impossible at one stage. raked up controversial and unneces-
sary issues. In Karnataka, for instance,
The political uncertainty caused by
the unclear mandate emerging from the it projected BS Yeddyurappa as its chief
recent Karnataka Assembly elections ministerial candidate even though he
reflects the changing times. We now was asked to quit following corruption
charges in the previous BJP government
have the strange, and perhaps unparal-
Tehelka / 15 june 2018 24 www.Tehelka.com
1:18 PM