Shootout in Mumbai

A few hours into the incident and people have already started asking questions if the extreme action of the Mumbai police was really necessary.

While I am not averse to the Mumbai police resorting to any extreme action when an individual is believed to be capable of endangering the lives of others around and seems set to do just that, I should say that the statement of the Maharashtran Home Minister is not reflecting the the ground realities, let alone suiting the deeds.

He said mad men with guns will not be allowed to have a free hand on the streets. Going by what he said, should I replace the word 'guns' with 'weapons', I see it as a statement that applies to the leader and the activists of the MNS to-the-T, who have not only been holding the city of Mumbai to ransom but also question the integrity of our great nation.

The minister also said that the same treatment will be meted out in the future should a similar situation arise. That is actually saying it with a lot of conviction and dedication to the cause. But as I try to apply the same rule to the MNS then I realise that the first man in the line to be shot at would/should be none other than Raj Thackeray himself.

The Congress' psuedo fight

The centre has been making every effort to try and make sound, calls to fight terrorism sternly synonymous with profiling the Muslim community. While the BJP who are always on the targetted end of this so called secular tirade, does not even mention the minority community in any way  when demanding the government to tackle the menace of terrorism sternly.

Prime Minister Dr. Singh today at the NIC meeting made an oppurtunity for himself, yet again, to put the above mentioned two aspects on the same front. The fact that he has chosen the National Integration Council meeting to make such a statement, which ofcourse is not a new one in itself, shows the enthusiasm of the ruling alliance in general and the Congress Party in particular to try and score political brownie points than to address the issue of integration or for that matter, terrorism which was not on the agenda of the NIC.

I wonder if these statements mean any more than trying to suggest to the minorites that it is the Congress that is fighting for them and the BJP whch is tagetting them. But the reality is a contrast from Congress' assertions and statements.

Dr Singh said at the NIC:

My heart is pained when I see what is happening in Orissa and Karnataka. Right thinking individuals would be pained with what is happening. 

There were three other states in the country, even as he spoke at the meeting, parts of which are under curfew for atleast a few days now, owing to communal riots. Assam, one of the three states, has been on the boil owing to mob fights between warring communities for many days now. Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh are the two other states where communal riots broke in small towns that led to imposing curfew for days at a stretch. Loss of lives is now a matter of statistic to the respective governments in these states. But these riots and communal flares have not caught the attention of the Prime Minister nor the Union Home Ministry, which had been very enthusiastic in serving notices to the Orissa and Karnataka governments following communal riots targetting minorities.

While it goes without saying that the Orissa and Karnataka governments should have done more and could have worked effectively in tackling the respective issues before they could spread and put us all to shame, it should be noted that it is as deplorable to merely take political stances and make statements against a few states and establishments when in reality all is required is to stand upright and fight the menaces effectively.

TDP's "Jai Telangana" slogan: gamble or a clever tactic

The Hindu in its editorial today says the TDP has deviated from its 'firmly articulated policy' of a unified Andhra to support the cause of telangana keeping in view the 'prospect of electoral'

alliance' in the forthcoming elections.

Here is why I think its not solely so:

Firstly, the TDP has, as far long back as in May has announced its decision to consider the proposal of Telangana seriously and also categorically stated then that it cannot go against the sentiments of the people of the region if they wish to have a state of their own.

Which explains yesterday's announcement as not being a sudden one in that.

Secondly, over the years the party has proven to be a major player in the elections in telangana, never going below 30% vote share, despite strictly advocating the concept of a unified state. It 

has managed to get a decent vote share in the 2004 elections when  it got a drubbing all over the state despite facing a formidable opposition in the form of the Congress+ TRS+ Communists.

Even in the latest round of by-elections that followed the resignations of the TRS's members from the assembly TDP managed to win 4 seats which was an all gains-no loss scenario. And this is when the other two parties are avowed supporters of a separate state.

So to even think that TDP would decide in favor of seperate Telangana just to ally with the TRS, whose own credentials are serisously bruised over the past two years, would be premature talk.

Thirdly, with the emergence of new political parties on the block like Praja Rajyam, which could steal a significant share of votes from every party owing to the star power of its founder Chiranjeevi, TDP has had to take a stance on an issue that has long been in the field to pre-empt any possible damage that may incur due to the new parties which include the breakaway leader Goud's NTPP.

So now this leaves the Congress party in a tricky situation. It has now no option but to come clear on its policy on Telangana.

Fourthly, everyone knows that a seperate Telangana is an eventuality excepting that its a matter of time. So this latest move would now put the TDP in a very advantagious position which would actually pre-empt any other party from hijacking the issue of Telangana.

In all ways I view this not as a gamble by Mr. Naidu, but as a challenge from him to other parties to face him now on a different ground because this decision is a likely game changer in many aspects in this part of the country.

Let wait and see what is going to unfurl in the coming days and months.