Quick blogpost :)
1. For the past two weeks, The Hindu has been releasing cables (through wikileaks) emanating from US offices in India. These cables have established beyond doubt how our Prime Minister has been over reaching to the US on many policy issues. The vote against Iran at IAEA meeting was just one case in point. For months, our diplomats were playing hardball with the US on this issue. US wanted us to vote against Iran. Our diplomats were against it. The US Ambassador to India writes to the US, asking them to urge the Prime Minister when he comes to the US. The Prime Minister meets the President. Shortly after that meeting, instructions go out to the foreign secretary to vote against Iran. An uproar did happen at that time, but then back in 2008, you were not supposed to question the intentions of our Prime Minister, for he was "honest and decent". Murli Deora was bought in as Petroleum minister, and Mani Shankar Aiyar was sacked. Wikileaks reveal that US was very happy with this move. Yet, no outrage because you cannot question this Prime Minister. We buy a Boeing aircraft for VVIP (President, and PM). The US suddenly inserts a clause that says it will inspect them every year. They are high security aircrafts - why should we agree for such inspections? The diplomats were strong enough to resist, but our political leadership again asked our diplomats to compromise. So instead of the word "inspection", we agreed for a "review" and patted ourselves in the back.
The most revealing stuff so far from wikileaks is this subservience to the US, and not the cash for votes revelation. The Prime Minister as usual has denied all allegations. It is futile to go into what he argued, for his arrogance is very telling. More cables are coming out daily, and most of the time we are getting to see how this honest and decent Prime Minister has agreed to anything and everything just to get his favourite Nuclear Deal passed. Surprisingly (or not), the English media is not picking up on our subservience to the US. They are just picking up some political stories here and there. Infact, the first few days when the government was being exposed, the english media has been alert to warn us to wait for BJP leaks also to come out. How does it matter to the media?
Some cables did come out on BJP leaders meeting with US officials. Desperate attempts were made by the english media to look for controversies, but nothing big has come out so far, much to their chargin. So they began to distort! This blog here, gives one such example.
Also, am eagerly waiting for the cables to reveal the names of journalists! All cables are accessible at www.thehindu.com
2. Election heat is picking up in the five states that are going to elections. In Tamil Nadu, DMK has offered more free stuff (laptops, grinders etc!!). Not to be left behind, AIADMK has offered more free stuff ! The TN elections are turning out to be very very similar to how the Andhra Pradesh elections were, in 2009. In West Bengal, Congress wanted 102 seats out of 294, from Mamta Banerjee. Infact, media played it out that Sonia Gandhi was very adamant on getting 102 seats. Guess how many seats Congress was finally offered - 64! And then not a word from the media criticizing Sonia Gandhi! Assam seems to be pretty straight forward - looks like Congress will win again and BJP might make some inroads. Kerala result is also pretty obvious - the Left Front will lose this time. Only TN seems to be the most interesting battle so far.
3. And our Prime Minister is at it again! India and Pakistan will play the semifinal match of World Cup cricket, in Mohali. Not to lose any opportunity to beg Pakistanis, he invites both their President and Prime Minister to watch the match along with him. No ground breaking stuff will be achieved. Pakistan has so far NOT co-operated on ANY terror related investigation and yet our Prime Minister leaves no stone unturned to insult the memories of all those innocent people killed. But then, you don't question the Prime Minister, your honour!
