The Hindu reports:
Some members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday gave individual and separate notices for privilege motions in both the Houses of Parliament objecting to remarks attributed to India’s Ambassador to the United States Ronen Sen in an interview to Rediff India Abroad, a news website…The BJP was equally upset with the envoy’s remarks, especially since the former External Affairs Minister and Rajya Sabha MP, Yashwant Sinha, was reportedly named in the report ….
Ronen Sen belatedly tried to clarify his headless chicken remark directing his ire at the media rather than the “honorable” members of parliament. The mood in Parliament being what it is, Ronen Sen would need more than an apology for cover. Just when the week long mind game had come to resemble a ping pong of unspoken threats tossed between the Congress and the Left, the Sen remarks come as a welcome diversion.
Sen with his remarks has presented himself rather unwittingly as the sacrificial lamb to the blood thirsty politics raging on all sides. To the Government the Ronen episode is a great diversion from having to answer the Left’s questions. By offering him up for sacrifice it might even be able to extract a concession or two from the Left. To the Left which has been ravenously hungry but was restrained from going for the kill, the Ronen episode is a great opportunity to show it can bite and not just bark. Mr. Ronen the politically correct animal he was, made sure the BJP was invited to the party as well by targetting Yashwant Sinha.
So a poll wary parliament can now begin the rites while the Government remains on Life Support for it has now been gifted with a Sacrificial Lamb for a surrogate.
While the mindgame takes a backseat and the sacrificial rites keep our poll-wary Members of Parliament busy, Offstumped reflects on What is the Indian National Interest ?
First an anecdote from watching GeoTV, the Pakistani Private TV Channel, which carried an hour long discussion in Urdu on Pakistan’s Geopolitical Strategy between a Dr. Shahid Masood and a Retd General Assad Durrani, former DG of the ISI.
Somewhere in the middle of the conversation Gen Durrani makes an interesting observation that Iran as an ancient Civilization is set in its ways, India as an ancient civilization has its links with Iran, but Pakistan an upstart nation is different.
After listening to the hour long conversation one would draw the conclusion that to Pakistan National Interest in the General’s opinion is really about the Geopolitical Adventurism of a dominant Sunni Majority which thinks and acts like an Upstart Nation not burdened by a sense of history or civilization. It (the dominant Sunni majority) sees the territory of Pakistan as gift which allows can be used as leverage in its Geopolitical Adventurism with no responsibility towards the other minorities that dwell in its territory who are both a territorial burden/nuisance (the Shias) and a geopolitical leverage (the NWFP Tribes, Kashmiris etc). Leverage on Afghanistan is hence guaranteed via the Tribes and can be used as a laboratory for its geopolitical experiments. Unfinished business with India is really about Water Security which if ensured could herald a complete ethnic break with the Indians, the Kashmir issue having outlived its usefulness. It can then move on with its geopolitical adventures in Central Asia to secure hydrocarbon sources and thus exercise leverage on Iran, India and everybody else who cares about Central Asian Hydrocarbons.
So there you have it a glimpse into what constitues Pakistan’s National Interest or really what constitutes the Sunni Majority’s Geopolitical Interest neither burdened by history nor by territory.
Can we answer the same question of the Indian National Interest ?
Is there a coherent answer that emerges from the cacophony of political voices ?
To the Left National Interest is about holding brief for the Chinese, for Iran, for the Hezbollah and every other repressive regime the world over. To the Regional Parties National Interest is anything that festers Muslim fears and anxieties while preserving State Sponsored Entitlement in the name of Social Justice. If the fringe Right that routinely swears by Nationalism has blinkered its vision of National Interest with settling “historical wrongs” the Center Left and Center Right in the Congress and the BJP have been guilty of shifting the goal post on National Interest with opportunism depending on which side of the political divide they happen to find themselves in.
But then why is it that the Center Left and Center Right have been opportunistic. It is important to reflect on this question for in it lies the answer to why we dont have a coherent view of what constitutes our National Interest.
The political opportunism that the BJP or the Congress display when in Opposition has to do with the flawed model of Democracy we have been burdened with where the Executive is subordinated to the Legislature to a degree where unless you control the Legislature you have no stakes in Governance for the next 5 years till the next elections and are pretty much irrelevant watching on the sidelines.
To better appreciate this let us examine why is it that despite having a strong Non-Proliferation agenda the Democrats in the U.S. Congreess are able to work with a Republican President on the Nuclear Deal. The American Model of Democracy that separates the Executive from the Legislature while requiring Legislative Oversight of the Executive at the same time allowing for wide latitude in Executive Privilege is largely responsible for this. The separation of Executive and Legislature means the two principal parties can control separate functions of the Government thus both can be invested in and have a stake in National Affairs at the same time. Also the wide latitude the party system in Congress allows for bi-partisan sponsorship of legislation with Legislators cutting across Party Lines to come together on issues which also creates a stake for the opposition in the affairs of the Government.
By creating the opportunity for the opposition to stay engaged in National Affairs and by making it a stakeholder it is possible to evolve a coherent view of National Interest and to ensure consistency whether inside or outside the Government.
Offstumped Bottomline: So while we can blame political opportunism for obscuring National Interest unless we create a stake for the opposition to stay engaged in the affairs of the Government, it is opportunism that will rule the day.
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Ronen Sen may have unwittingly offerd himself as the sacrifical lamb, but he has very appropriately called the “jokers” on both sides of the fence – as “headless chickens”. Finally, somebody has told them what they are in no uncertain terms!!
The Opposition has already demanded that Ronen Sen be recalled immediately from Washington. Troublemaker-in-chief Prakash Karat said, “Sen seems to be working as ambassador of President Bush”, toeing the usual anti-american line.
Leader of the Opposition LK Advani described Sen’s reported remarks as ‘unacceptable’. Interestingly, Advani had found nothing unacceptable in George Fernandes’s statement about shooting the PM with a bullet on his head a few days back!
IT WILL BE GROSSLY UNFAIR IF RONEN SEN HAS TO GO – ON A CALL BY “HEADLESS CHICKENS” WHO REGULARLY ISSUE THE FOULEST OF COMMENTS AGAINST CONSTITUTIONAL HEADS (PM, PRESIDENT,ect) AND COMMIT GRAVE CRIMES AND GET AWAY WITH IT.
yossarin,
can you please email me the geo-tv debate link?
thanks
Yossarin – congratulations on penning a balanced article atlast..
You have correctly pointed out that political opportunism of the kind we see in India these days, is not found either in the US Presidential System or in the British Parliamentary System – when it comes to matters of National Interest!
A closer democratic system to ours is the British political system. On matters of national interest, the Opposition does behave responsibly there. Why ?
For well over 50 years, the Conservative and Labour Parties have dominated British politics, and have alternated in government ever since. The UK is nearly but not quite a two-party system however. The current Indian political landscape is somewhat similar.
But here lies the difference…. In India, Congress has been the main Party in power since independence. BJP was the only other party which was in power for a few years (just once). Other fringe parties have never been in power(worth mentioning).
The few times (of short duration each) Congress has ceeded power to the Opposition (BJP, JD, etc) it has has dramatically raised their expectation to Govern. A hungry predator which has tasted blood once is more ferocious than one who gets his feed regularly !…
Atleast vis-a-vis the British system – this is one difference that possibly explains the “extreme level” of political opportunism that we see in India, overshadowing matters of National Interest !!
Apart from this historical reason, it can also be due to our upbringing & cultural make up (Indians) that make us come across as self-centred & self-serving politicians.
In this background, while systemic solutions to increasing the political stake of the Opposition may be explored, but I am not sure how effective they will be ??
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE PRIMARY POLITICAL PARTIES HAVE TO DO SERIOUS SOUL-SEARCHING TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. BUT BEFORE THAT, THERE HAS TO BE A RECOGNITION OF THIS PROBLEM WITHIN THESE TWO POLITICAL PARTIES..
Balanced analysis. Ronen Sen is drunk on Wash DC air and it shows that he is actually spineless and an American Stooge. Come what may , a person representing India at the higest level has no right to call some one names. Let someone look into the life of Mr.Sen. He is spineless, flat-footed, low on cerebral power and drunk on Wash DC American wine, woman…it looks like he feels he has the protection of American Government. His impatience clearly shows he is tunnel visioned and given to DC American way of life. He must be recalled and put infront of Parliament for furthur action. Every Indian even if he works for CPI,CPM,CONG, BJP ect is an Indian first and Sen has no right to comment. He is entitled to an opnion but has no right to talk on these issues. God bless India
Right or Wrong.
This article is also true and factual as before (I have written similar comment on last blog, where I said yu can expect support from opposition here).
You couldnot accept other because they were critical to present Government.
Let congress come in opposition and you will see all non-sense from them too. But I know you will not agree to them like you couldnot for Bhanu Pratap Mehta (you just abused him without any facts with yourself)
But I will be worried if you are successful in taming the author in being less critical or come up with articles that bail out the current government (I saw that when he came up with this kind of article after he was criticized by you on being partial towards NDA at the time of UP election).
I hope the author keeps on writing the articles which he believes on and passionate about.
While your comments/criticism are welcome, but most of the time I see them as abuses/accusation and less factual.
Without actually going into whom he called names, he should be sacked. Unbecoming of a diplomat. Purely on performance grounds.
Yossarin,
I have read the said article by TVR Shenoy that you mention. Before commenting on the point itself, lemme just add that the points made by columnists like TVR Shenoy, Arvind Lavakare, Rajeev Srinivasan, Kanchan Gupta, hide more than they reveal. I can understand a Ram madhav using that kind of rhetoric but these columnists profess themselves to be journalists, and then follow a political agenda. I am a great fan of the writings of Arun Shourie……except when he writes on political matters. A columnist must give a comprehensive picture to the reader, pros & cons & then let the reader decide based on that info. But these columnists focus on the part that they want us to see & keep the other parts of the picture covered.
Anyways, I dont think MMS could have done with N-deal what PVN did with UN mission on Kashmir. 2 reasons
#1 That was a one-off mission with clear timeframe & no ambiguity or space for negotiation/budging from India’s position
#2 It was a international political mission.
The nature of N-deal is totally different. The deal negotiations have been going on for at least 5 years now. It encompasses a large sphere…international diplomacy, defence strategies, political leadership, technical evaluation by scientists etc. WHy one could not have the fingerprints of JS/BM
#1 The time frame. Too long to involve someone from different political leanings because the intricacies of the deal ( some concessions or demands acceded or not asked for) could be brought into public sphere & politically exploited
#2 Veto of political leadership. Something that involves such a wide gamut and spheres, must ultimately agree to the final say of PM, who would have to iron out any difference of opinions or take an overall perspective. In such a case even JS/BM would have to surrender to PMs veto which I think is an unlikely scenario.
Right or wrong – ronen’s fate will be decided not so much so on fairness but on the terms of his employment however flawed they maybe
vivek – i saw this on live tv not on the internet you can check on Youtube if someone has posted this
gurunath – you are calling him names as well “american stooge” i think that is patently unfair to characterize india’s envoy to the USA, he may have erred in judgement in making his remarks to a journalist but that does not make him unpatriotic
Raaj – thanks for the defense
Sriram – bad judgement yes, not sure if you can make a poor performance accusation though
Sanjeev – thanks for the rejoinder I will let you have the last word keep visiting
[...] bordering “the delusional”. Some time back Offstumped had related an anecdote from a GeoTV discussion on strategic affairs with a former DG of the ISI in which he described Pakistan as an upstart Sunni majority nation with [...]