Political backstabbing has always been a way of life in the “democratic socialist republic” of India. An attempt to describe Indian politics is like looking for a superlative for “terribly rotten”. The situation is bleak indeed.

The outcome of the Chandra Shekhar government foretold even before he took oath of office has come to pass. The smallest ever rump government has fallen after holding out for four long months in extremely treacherous conditions Rajiv Gandhi haying tried every other means to become prime minister without holding elections has in his frustration chosen the desperate course of toppling the government he had promised to support unhindered for at least one year. The row kicked up over the surveillance issue was but an excuse to do what the Congress-I had set its mind to do in any case. Perhaps Rajiv now thinks he can win an election with the ease he did in 1985. It is quite unlikely that any party can win an absolute majority this time around. The burning controversies of 1990 Mandal and the Babri Masjid are quiet. Gandhi also feels his own position is stronger in the Congress-I.

It happened to Morarji Desai and then to Charan Singh after the Emergency of Indira Gandhi. A mere four months ago it happened (to V P Singh. Shekhar himself has been party to the intrigues which led to the collapse of the government on all these occasions. He must now know what happened and how it happened. Anyway he has had his lifelong ambition fulfilled. The welfare of the nation is damned.

Rajiv Gandhi played according to a well-conceived plan. Since early January there had been many public attacks on the Shekhar Govt designed to “demonstrate that the Congress-I will not accept the status of a pedigreed dog being waged by the skimpy tail of a mongrel.” There were many clear and often very insulting signals. For instance Rajiv issued blistering statements on Chandra Shekhar holding talks with Simranjit Singh Mann and his backing out of a promise on a joint visit to Punjab for Lajpat Rais centennial.

All this while major political parties were busy chalking out their election strategies. The Janata Dal convention at Puri harped on social justice and there was confidence that the gains made on the Mandal and secularism cards would help them win. There was also a feeling that the urban vote expected to split between the Congress-I and the BJP would be to their advantage. The Janata link with the Leftists was emphasized.

The BJP at its convention in Jaipur was of the view that aggressive Hinduism alone may not be enough and have thus decided to push Hindu nationalism as well. Advani hopes to widen his base without eroding support gathered over the Ayodhya mandir issue.

It is important to note that the burning issues of the freedom struggles in Punjab and Kashmir did not merit any mention in the various plans of these parties. Perhaps the realization is dawning that there is no solution to slavery except freedom. Many half-hearted efforts were made both by VP Singh and Shekhar to appease the Sikhs without even considering their basic demand. Meanwhile hundreds of innocent lives are being lost every week in the terrible repression let loose by the Indian army and paramilitary forces. Every death brings India closer to its total disintegration.

Khalistan zindabad!

Article extracted from this publication >> March 22, 1991