Ego within Coalitions!

Navjot Singh Sidhu, former cricketer and one of the more prolific speakers in Indian politics today, had earlier commented rather derogatively on the coalition government between Shiromani Akali Dal and BJP in Punjab. Sidhu being a BJP member, and as BJP had earlier made it clear that the coalition would continue, it was a mistake on the part of Sidhu to make such a comment.

In response to this, the Akali Dal leader Daljit Singh Cheema officially lodged a protest against Sidhu with Punjab BJP President Kamal Sharma. Cheema said that what Sidhu did was against the ‘Coalition Dharma.’ Since it was against the advice of senior BJP leaders to speak against the Akali Dal leadership, Cheema urged Sharma to take strict disciplinary actions against Sidhu.

So, what does all this signify? It’s simple – politics in India is stupid. For days and days BJP leadership has been pestering, and subtly condemning the leaders of Shiromani Akali Dal and one fine day they decide to continue with the coalition. They expect everyone, the leaders, the members and the supporters to change their attitudes then and there. The momentary attitudes of the party leaders must be the attitudes of everyone and if it’s not the same for someone then he is the enemy of the party and must be either strictly disciplined or eliminated. Thus dictates the ‘Political Dharma.’

The Socialist, the Fascist and the Nazi dictatorships have faded away, but their traits are still evidently felt in modern democratic politics. And the sad part is that, they are being more and more evident.

Are we really progressing?