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Karnataka govt must shun sentiment’ and by denouncing
Special RepoRt Govt must discard ‘let the court decide’ attitude, says apex court 24
` short-term political gains the secular coalition as

issue
10 With reference to the column Hard Line titled ‘opportunistic’. Many people are
Volume 15 “The political drama continues in Karnataka”
31 may 2018 now so disaffected that they feel
New Delhi by Anil Singh
The Opposition parties seized that anything - even a clumsy
the best opportunity (the and imperfect ‘rag-tag’ coalition
occasion of the swearing-in — is better than a further period
ceremony in Bengaluru) for a of rule by Modi.
long time to present a united A secular coalition is more
face in the face of BJP’s seeming and better suited than the
predominance and seek to monolithic Hindutva Parivar to
hung nataka achieve the aim of “Modi-mukt an India ‘disparate and explosive
in its mix of race and religion’.
India”.
a pointer to To their credit, Congress Secularism and social justice
2019 polls? and JD(S) leaders acceded to will succeed in neutralizing the
overarching, if primarily upper
of secular parties to form a
Amid uproar over Yeddyurappa’s swearing-in the entreaties by the leaders caste, appeal of Hindu Rashtra.
as CM, the fractured mandate in the Assembly
poll hints that regional parties will play The tasks for the broad-based
coalition government that can
crucial role in the 2019 elections 14
be projected as a trailer and a secular coalition are cut out: 1,
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Cover 10th 2018.indd 2 17/05/18 6:16 PM template for 2019. Beat back Hindutva forces and
It is now incumbent on both prevent a drift to Hindu Rashtra
LIBERALISE FDI IN the parties to rise above short- 2, Deliver an economic policy
that works for the impoverished
MULTI-BRANDS term political calculations and people.
interest and take the long view
and prove BJP’s prediction that G.DaviD milton
the government will fall apart
With reference to the report “Walmart-Flipkart to kick up new era Powerful theatricals during
in retail sector” by Bharat Hiteshi (May 31) under its own weight wrong. the Karnataka election displayed
BJP President Amit Shah’s
The Flipkart-Walmart deal raises accusation, made after he lost our politicians’ unquenchable
multiple issues such as the lack out in the ‘unedifying’ battle for greed for power. Though the
of a comprehensive e-commerce power in Karnataka, that the BJP emerged victorious having
secured 104 of the 222 seats,
policy, ambiguous foreign direct Congress ‘stole the entire stable’ it failed to achieve the magic
was a tribute to the commitment
investments (FDI) in retail of both the parties to the ideal of number — 112. It was, however,
clearly that public opinion was
policies and taxation issues in secularism now under challenge in its favour.
more than ever by the Hindu
such big-ticket deals. India’s FDI revivalist forces. That the Janata Dal (Secular)
in retail policy is in a mess. One request to Amit Shah is could secure only 37 of the 222
seats, made it clear that the
While it allows 100 per cent that he should not use his ‘might’ electorate never wanted it to
and ‘manipulative skills’ to bring
FDI in the cash-and-carry down the government led by assume power. The JD(S) formed
wholesale sector and single HDKumaraswamy whose father an alliance with the Congress
against the people’s mandate.
was praised by Narendra Modi.
brand retail, FDI in multi-brand Four years on, the Modi For the Congress, which has
retail is limited to 51 per cent government has quite clearly been facing frequent setbacks,
shocks and reverses for want
stake with multiple riders which failed to deliver basic living of leadership, the situation
standards and commodities to
are reminiscent of the pre- the common man. There is more now has become all the more
LPG era. The government must than enough resentment of its precarious. Democracy in India
will be effective and stable if
failure to bring ‘vikas’ and ‘acche
further liberalise FDI in multi- din’ and impatience for an end to right to vote is made mandatory.
brand retail and come up with a it for the Opposition to tap and nimai charan swain
holistic e-commerce policy. send it packing. There is never a dull moment
Modi, so beloved of TV
ShAMBhoo YADAv anchors, cannot seek re-election in Indian politics and the sordid
merely by appealing to ‘Hindu drama in Karnataka ended
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