Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Timely alert

Sir,__ We need not learn secularism from anybody'', says the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee. ``Our foundation is strong. There is no reason why people, who in the present circumstances have deviated, should not come back on the right path.''

It is perhaps possible to share such confidence in the ordinary people of Gujarat recognising in due course the mistaken sway of their political emotions but certainly not in Mr. Vajpayee's political convictions or his pronouncements. I have known and watched him fairly closely over a period of nearly five decades, and have been convinced for some time that he is a firm believer in Hindutva who manipulates cleverly the words he chooses in order to stave off criticism and consolidate his power. That the ordinary people of India see through him and the political movements he has inspired is now becoming obvious from the way they have been voting in recent elections even in Uttar Pradesh, which is his stronghold. In the rest of India, particularly in the South, he has little political following and the limited support he gets is through the agency of ambitious individuals like George Fernandes who has helped him to form the National Democratic Alliance. But all this is like a pack of cards carefully arranged as a pyramid, which can collapse any time.

Countries in Europe are perhaps now recognising clearly — particularly after the recent experience in France that it is through such arrangements that fascist movements can surface and even come on top. Far from condemning them for their observations on India, we should thank them for alerting us to this growing danger. In India there has been too much scope for political operators such as Mr. Fernandes to manipulate and gain strategic positions without perhaps ever giving thought to what it is they are consolidating.

K.N. Raj,

Thiruvanthapuram

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Opinion

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• A well thought out policy
• Do not marry her off
• Is Islam really jehadi?
• America's nuclear hit-list
• A defining day for India, Pak.
• Behind every woman... lies history
• BJP on the defensive, not apologetic
• Timely alert
• Save the fabric
• TDP's dilemma
• Betrayal by BSP
• Where are ethics?
• Unholy alliance
• Silver lining

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu