Tragedy Of Indian Politics Today: Tail Wagging The Dog
Posted on February 24th, 2014

Courtesy The Sunday Leader

The imbroglio that resulted among the New Delhi government, the Tamil Nadu state led by its Chief Minister Jeyaram Jayalalitha and the Supreme Court caused a constitutional crisis which was stalled by the ruling of the Supreme Court but unless the basic issues that precipitated the crisis are resolved, it is likely to repeat itself. Sri Lanka is naturally concerned because we are in the eye of the storm and it is incumbent on the part of the Indian government to resolve this crisis.

A Supreme Court bench which included the Chief Justice P. Sathasivam that heard a mercy plea of three convicts for the murder of Rajiv Gandhi – they included two Sri Lankans – decided to commute the death sentences passed on them 11 years ago to life sentences on the grounds that they had been incarcerated for over 20 years.

Whether the Supreme Court was correct in granting such a commutation of sentence or not, it was not questioned by the Indian public or political establishment till the ebullient ex-film actress Jeyaram Jayalalitha decided to commute the life sentences of these convicts and also of other convicts who were serving life sentences. Jayalalitha the politician took on the role of a judge and declared that she would release all those who had been convicted for the Rajiv Gandhi assassination within three days after informing the Central Government.

India has not learnt its lessons by following for long years an unjust and unprincipled policy to make Sri Lanka act as its puppet. It was India that implanted Sri Lankan terrorist groups in the north and east of this country. It then landed an ‘Indian Peace Keeping Force’ on the island presumably to help the LTTE but which the LTTE took on and fought bitter battles killing around 2,000 Indian soldiers.

New Delhi consistently backed the LTTE and protected it and at points of extinction of the terror group, threatened Sri Lanka and saved them. After the military defeat of the LTTE five years ago there was a groundswell of support for the terror group in Tamil Nadu and its leaders such as Karunanidhi, Jayalalitha and Viacom pressurized the New Delhi government to bring international pressure and humiliate the fragile state of the UPA coalition with a wafer thin majority was dependent on Tamil Nadu’s DMK party which had many seats in parliament for survival.

Now with elections looming ahead Tamil Nadu support would be vital for either the Congress or its rival the BJP.  Thus Tamil Nadu politicians are flexing their muscles at the two big parties, particularly Jayalalitha who commands the Tamil Nadu State Assembly. The tail has been wagging the dog, especially where Sri Lanka is concerned and that is what was attempted once again last week.

The miscalculation of Jayalalitha was that she underestimated the reactions of the Leader of the Congress whose husband was killed by these convicts and Rahul Gandhi, the son who is leading the Congress election campaign. They appealed to the Supreme Court for a revision of their earlier order and the court informed Jayalalitha that the status quo of the prisoners prior to last week’s commutation order should remain.

Tamil Nadu political leaders have been whipping up anti Sri Lanka, pro LTTE sentiments in the state since the defeat of the LTTE. This is likely to be used as an instrument to make demands on New Delhi by Tamil Nadu, come whatever government. What New Delhi has not insisted on is that the LTTE is a proscribed terrorist organisation in India and that these politicians in the South are clearly violating anti- terrorist laws by supporting the LTTE. Any new government taking office in May after elections will have to take cognizance of this factor. Whether they will have the sufficient strength in parliament to do so is the question.

The Gandhi family should also resist the temptation of interfering with the judicial process for political gain or other reasons. When one of the accused in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination was facing the death sentence, Sonia Gandhi appealed and had her death sentence commuted to life imprisonment. It was Nalini’s Sri Lankan husband Murugan, one of those sentenced to death and last week had it commuted to life sentence.

This appeal for commutation of Nalini’s death sentence may have been made on humanitarian or political purposes. Wide publicity was given to Sonia Gandhi’s daughter Priyanka meeting with Nalini, on Indian TV. ‘Meeting Nalini was my way of coming to terms with my father’s death’ Priyanka had declared. This family experienced for long years in politics should realise that interfering with the judicial process can lead to precedents for others.

One Response to “Tragedy Of Indian Politics Today: Tail Wagging The Dog”

  1. Lorenzo Says:

    TRANSFORMATION of the Sunday Leader is FANTASTIC!

    Elimination of Lassantha by the LTTE, chasing away of Sonali, Mandana and Fredirica by UNP goons worked well.

    But I propose the govt. use the DAMNED newspaper with a LIMIT.

    KEEP Tamil Elamists and Colombians HOOKED UP to Sunday Leader by taking an ANTI-SL stand.

    Use it SUBTLY to scrww them up and collect information of their NETWORKS.

    IF Sunday Leader becomes another Sunday Observer no one will buy it and Colombians and Tamil Elamists will start another newspaper. Don’t leave room for that.

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