Our Manchurian Candidates
It's never been in doubt that the Left parties in India openly support their comrades in Beijing. This was the case, in 1962, when they were on China's side in the Sino-Indian war and were full of glee when India lost that skirmish and it is the case today as they try their level best to scupper any solidifying of India's ties with the "devil" (i.e., mainly the United States and Israel). They're held up the Indo-US nuclear deal because a strategic relationship with the United States is unfathomable for them.
OK, despite how much disgust I have for them, they are allowed to voice their views and when they have power, follow an agenda that serves their narrow, outdated mindsets. That's the beauty of India being a democracy and for all the frustration it brings about, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Unfortunately, the Leftists themselves don't seem to get that concept. It's not just the China-style appropriation of farmers' lands for building large industries and firing on and massacring farmers that protested. Revolting as the Nandigram violence was, the drubbing the CPI-M government received from 24 hour media coverage of the massacre, the denunciation by the Governor of West Bengal (who also happens to be Mahatma Gandhi's grandson), the isolation of the party in Parliament on the issue and the ruling by the High Court last November that
"The action of the police department to open fire at Nandigram on 14.03.2007 was wholly unconstitutional and cannot be justified under any provision of the law ... The action of the police cannot be protected or justified on the ground of sovereign immunity ... The action of the police cannot be justified even under the provisions of Criminal Procedure Code; The Police Act, 1861 for The Police Regulations, 1943 ... we direct the State of West Bengal to pay to the victims of the deceased as a result of the indiscriminating police firing on 14th of March, 2007 immediate compensation in the sum of Rs.5 (five) lakhs each ... We further direct the State Government to pay immediate compensation to the persons who were injured and whose particulars have been given the pleadings sum of Rs. not less than 1 (one) lakh each ... We further direct the State Government to pay compensation to the victims of rape who have been duly identified in the pleadings a sum of Rs.2 (two) lakhs each." seemingly would have reminded the Left Parties that they worked within the framework of democratic India, not Communist China.
The message has not clearly gotten through. The West Bengal government banned a peaceful protest rally by Tibetans and their supporters that was to take place a few days ago. Police canceled the protest citing "pressure from above." The [weak] excuse provided by the West Bengal government is that the protests run counter to India's "China-centric policy". First of all, India does not have a "China-centric policy" ... the Left parties may, but they don't represent either India or the Indian government. Secondly, so what even if we did have a China-centric policy. The protest could be anti-Indian policy for all we care. In a democratic society, the people do not have to toe the official government line.
An excellent editorial from the Times of India on the topic:
"Whatever their long-term goals, the fact is that Left parties in India function within the framework of a constitutionally sanctioned parliamentary democracy.
They contest elections like any other political outfit, run administrations in three states and support the current dispensation at the Centre."
"The Indian government has assured China of a safe and incident-free passage for the Olympic torch. It has not suspended the democratic rights — to disagree and protest peacefully — of either its own citizens or that of the Tibetans-in-exile.
That is because we are a democracy, and therefore value human and individual rights and give space for the expression of dissent.
To be sure, West Bengal is part of the Indian union and the state government cannot suspend democratic rights, especially when there is no threat to public order."
"The Left in India is often accused of being more interested in China's well-being than India's.
It only gives more reasons to believe that the accusation is not completely baseless."
My question now is: who will be held accountable? The protests did not take place, but someone in the West Bengal government has to be held accountable for the outrageous abrogation of citizens' political rights.
Meanwhile, the Chinese government had the gall to ask the Indian government if we would ban Tibetan protests all across the country. Oh, wouldn't that make them happy! Thankfully, the central government seems to have given them a fitting reply. The central government has also given them a firm no for being part of the security cordon in New Delhi. What's next? Will the Chinese request access to India's intelligence files?
China had better check its expansionist ambitions at the Himalayas. India is not and will never be a Chinese puppet or be willing to kowtow to its demands, regardless of what some of our own politicians may think.
OK, despite how much disgust I have for them, they are allowed to voice their views and when they have power, follow an agenda that serves their narrow, outdated mindsets. That's the beauty of India being a democracy and for all the frustration it brings about, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Unfortunately, the Leftists themselves don't seem to get that concept. It's not just the China-style appropriation of farmers' lands for building large industries and firing on and massacring farmers that protested. Revolting as the Nandigram violence was, the drubbing the CPI-M government received from 24 hour media coverage of the massacre, the denunciation by the Governor of West Bengal (who also happens to be Mahatma Gandhi's grandson), the isolation of the party in Parliament on the issue and the ruling by the High Court last November that
"The action of the police department to open fire at Nandigram on 14.03.2007 was wholly unconstitutional and cannot be justified under any provision of the law ... The action of the police cannot be protected or justified on the ground of sovereign immunity ... The action of the police cannot be justified even under the provisions of Criminal Procedure Code; The Police Act, 1861 for The Police Regulations, 1943 ... we direct the State of West Bengal to pay to the victims of the deceased as a result of the indiscriminating police firing on 14th of March, 2007 immediate compensation in the sum of Rs.5 (five) lakhs each ... We further direct the State Government to pay immediate compensation to the persons who were injured and whose particulars have been given the pleadings sum of Rs. not less than 1 (one) lakh each ... We further direct the State Government to pay compensation to the victims of rape who have been duly identified in the pleadings a sum of Rs.2 (two) lakhs each." seemingly would have reminded the Left Parties that they worked within the framework of democratic India, not Communist China.
The message has not clearly gotten through. The West Bengal government banned a peaceful protest rally by Tibetans and their supporters that was to take place a few days ago. Police canceled the protest citing "pressure from above." The [weak] excuse provided by the West Bengal government is that the protests run counter to India's "China-centric policy". First of all, India does not have a "China-centric policy" ... the Left parties may, but they don't represent either India or the Indian government. Secondly, so what even if we did have a China-centric policy. The protest could be anti-Indian policy for all we care. In a democratic society, the people do not have to toe the official government line.
An excellent editorial from the Times of India on the topic:
"Whatever their long-term goals, the fact is that Left parties in India function within the framework of a constitutionally sanctioned parliamentary democracy.
They contest elections like any other political outfit, run administrations in three states and support the current dispensation at the Centre."
"The Indian government has assured China of a safe and incident-free passage for the Olympic torch. It has not suspended the democratic rights — to disagree and protest peacefully — of either its own citizens or that of the Tibetans-in-exile.
That is because we are a democracy, and therefore value human and individual rights and give space for the expression of dissent.
To be sure, West Bengal is part of the Indian union and the state government cannot suspend democratic rights, especially when there is no threat to public order."
"The Left in India is often accused of being more interested in China's well-being than India's.
It only gives more reasons to believe that the accusation is not completely baseless."
My question now is: who will be held accountable? The protests did not take place, but someone in the West Bengal government has to be held accountable for the outrageous abrogation of citizens' political rights.
Meanwhile, the Chinese government had the gall to ask the Indian government if we would ban Tibetan protests all across the country. Oh, wouldn't that make them happy! Thankfully, the central government seems to have given them a fitting reply. The central government has also given them a firm no for being part of the security cordon in New Delhi. What's next? Will the Chinese request access to India's intelligence files?
China had better check its expansionist ambitions at the Himalayas. India is not and will never be a Chinese puppet or be willing to kowtow to its demands, regardless of what some of our own politicians may think.
posted by Vivek at 3:30 PM
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