By: Thirmal Reddy Sunkari
“Finally some show of spine from Congress” reports a popular web magazine referring to the suspension of 8 Congress MPs from Telangana. Now come on, let’s call a spade a spade. What has actually been termed as ‘show of spine’ could actually mean cowardice. May be the web magazine suffers from a parallax error. Here’s why.
These MPs have been stalling the house proceedings since the last session and no significant bills were neither tabled nor discussed. What was pressing the MPs to become so unruly? Was it a two day old CD controversy involving Abhishek Manu Singhvi, or the ruckus of the Army Chief over his age, or was it just a year old 2G licensing scam? Everyone knows that these are the tremors of a six decade old statehood movement in Telangana. On a more contemporary note, this is the prime election plank of Congress party both in 2004 and 2009 General Elections. Promising millions of people their right to a geographical identity and then reneging is not the sign of “showing spine” instead a symptom of cowardice.
Further, the suspension move was supported by the Opposition leaders, giving the ruling party all the more impetus to go ahead with their decision. If Congress were to go by this rate of decision making with unanimity from the Opposition benches, then the uproar of its own MPs ought not to be heard. Reason, the Telangana statehood demand has overwhelming support from more than two-thirds of both the houses. Then why isn’t the Congress party ‘showing some spine’ to take a decision? Again, it’s the trait of cowardice that the party is known for. The cowardice of not being able to contain anti-Telangana money mongers from Seemandhra.
The suspension action was lauded as an indication that Congress wanted to change its image among the public. Which action or what version of it is being lauded? The one which ‘showed spine’ in making an official statement to ‘initiate the process of formation of Telangana’ or the cowardice in retracting its statement a week later.
And, lately the party has been propagating the message among the Seemandhraites that if they vote for Jagan in forth coming bye-elections, then the state would be bifurcated to keep him out of bay. A promise of statehood in the recent Telangana bye-elections and a message against statehood in the Seemandhra bye-elections is ‘no show of spine’. It is indeed a third rate show of cowardice in tackling Telangana or Jagan.
Congress led UPA has also been accused of policy paralysis by opposition leaders. Which appears to be true atleast in case Telangana, if not the popular retail FDI or economic reform setbacks. The temporary gains of acting tough on its own MPs might showcase Congress muscle in good health. However, a mind numbing paralysis stroke in the bye-elections or the 2014 general elections is on its way. We will then assess whether its Congress party’s show of spine or its cowardice that caused the paralytic stroke.