Wikileaks and India

Wikileaks struck India a few days ago with the leak about 'cash for votes' - the indulgence of Manmohan Singh govt three years back to save itself through bribing of the MPs. The reaction to these leaks by the Indian media and the politicians and the implications thereof were quite incisively summed up by Mr. Rajinder Puri through his article in the Statesman. I doubt if many people had appreciated or even now appreciate these simple but telling implications. First the media. It was clear to any man in the street who was awake that time that the UPA govt had bribed the MPs to survive for the sake of the nuclear deal. But our media was happy to ignore this greatest crime and sing praises of the perpetrators - the PM and the UPA chairperson primarily responsible because of the positions held by them - all these years, just because they defeated the no-confidence motion that time and also won the next general elections. These wins have made the ruling party believe that there is no place left for accountability in present political set up, and rightly so. This belligerence is evident in the reactions of leaders of this party including the PM himself on public platforms to scam after scam hitting the headlines. Against this background, Indian media's renewed interest in 'cash for vote' scandal after all these years just because a leak from wikileaks surfaced not only appears laughable but also exposes their bankruptcy. More so as in no time they again realized that the issue was a non issue. Game of cricket and the Cricket World Cup was to be the all pervasive issue.

Now our politicians. The purpose of politicians is supposed to be to act for betterment of the masses. I hardly find any politician visible on national scene working for the larger or national interest. Their only purpose is to nurture their vote banks by hook or by crook and to enhance their own political careers in order to enjoy or continuing enjoying power. Such men and women of straw across parties also started making noise on revelations through wikileaks. Why had they chosen to forget this issue of utmost importance? Had not JPC formed to probe the issue failed the nation? Had not the govt failed the nation on not acting to probe further on the JPC recommendations? Why were these jokers keeping quiet all these years and started dancing when a vague leak surfaced on foreign soil? Have they been such fools as not to be aware of what was happening around them in their own country?

The further leaks exposed leaders from the opposition as well to show us what our leaders were. Blame game started among leaders as to who were greater scoundrels. The people of India, all this while, continue patting themselves for being a largest democracy and a fast growing economy. They continue throwing up rogues, rascals and men of straw as their leaders and will continue doing so.