archive: Democracy Is High Virtue
Democracy Is High Virtue
Editorial
The Statesman
June 24, 1999
Title: Democracy Is High Virtue
Author: Editorial
Publication: The Statesman
Date: June 24, 1999
IT is one thing for the Congress spokesman, Ajit Jogi to express
disappointment that the G-8 statement on Kargil failed to call
Pakistan by name as the principal culprit, quite another to insist
that it was merely "an iteration of the Sartaj line". The one is
permissible, the other is dishonest and mischievous. The statement
called for the withdrawal of the intruders and Jogi and his boss who
must have cleared the statement, must know that even Sartaj did not
suggest that India sent people into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and
redirected them across the Line of Control on purpose to blame
Pakistan. It remains to express the hope that the "craze for foreign"
implicit in Jogi's reaction is merely a misjudgment for which the
party is acquiring quite a reputation and not influenced by the
foreign element in the party itself.
The other point that needs to be noted is that the only credible voice
from the Congress on the subject so far is that of the respected
Manmohan Singh who warns, and rightly, that a prolonged conflict will
harm the economy. As is expected of him Dr Singh makes sense even if
no one else in the party does. Both countries must count the cost and
if anything Pakistan is in a worse mess as far as the economy is
concerned. But that is another argument and has been discussed in
these columns.
Perhaps for the first time since the dispute over Kashmir, so casually
complicated by Jawaharlal Nehru, a statement from a group of powerful
economic nations has vindicated India's position. Quite simply and for
Ajit Jogi's benefit it is that the intruders must withdraw before
serious talks can take place, no country is obliged to place itself in
a position where it can be conned twice. There is a danger here.
First, we must do what must be done, not wait on anyone's agreement
or endorsement, something the Vajpayee government is doing with a
panache that has not been seen for a long while. This newspaper has
been the first to criticise the Defence Minister and the Parliamentary
Affairs minister for shooting their mouths off simply because there
is a microphone in front and a friendly reporter holding it. That has
stopped and there is a much firmer grip on the situation which is
welcome. We also ask that the Rajya Sabha be convened; the democratic
process must not be suspended simply because there is a serious
conflict on our borders and for the same reason we insist that
elections be held on schedule. Remember Churchill's words as the House
of Commons continued to debate the war even as bombs rained on
London. When the House itself was destroyed they met elsewhere but
they continued to meet. He said the Opposition "strove hard to
present the government as a set of nonentities over which the Prime
Minister towers, and then to undermine him in his own heart and before
the eyes of the nation. All this poured out to all parts of the world
by cable and radio to the distress of all our friends and the delight
of all our foes." And then thundered the old war-horse, "I am in
favour of this freedom, which no other country would use or dare to
use, in times of moral peril such as those through which we are
passing." That was Britain's finest hour. Let us try to reach the
same heights.
Back
Top
|
