Flipside: Honourable Mention

India Today
October 12, 1998

FLIPSIDE
Honourable Mention

Dilip Bobb

There's plenty of reasons to celebrate this season, apart from the traditional ones. Despite the trials and tribulations of the recent past, there's plenty of hope for the future, and that's enough reason to bring out the fireworks and light the fuse. All this would not be possible without the active intervention of certain individuals who deserve to be felicitated. Here's the roll of honour.

The President: For showing that democracy is alive and well and living in style in Rashtrapati Bhavan. He could have chosen no better way to showcase India's robust Constitution. The meek don't always inherit the earth but they can, on occasion, put a spoke in the chakra of those who think they have. Deserves a medal instead of having to hand them out to others less deserving.

The Home Minister: For putting a brave face on his losing face by suggesting a debate on Article 356. If his attempts to dismiss the Rabri Devi Government were feeble enough, so are his attempts to dismiss allegations of misconduct on his part. However, deserves dishonourable mention for trying to destabilise opposition governments when his own Government's stability is under serious question.

The Prime Minister: For waking up from his deep dream of peace to stage a bravura performance on India's position on key issues and concerns without the help of aides and interlocutors. The only problem was that he did it in front of his own countrymen rather than at the United Nations, where it mattered the most. However, deserves kudos for converting the converted. Now, if only he could do that to his countrymen living in the country, his Government may survive the Millennium bug.

The Chief Minister: Even though he is one in spirit if not in name, Laloo Prasad Yadav has shown that he believes in the ancient Indian tradition of protecting the virtue of his wife against all potential violators of the Constitution. He has been equally protective about other proposals concerning his state, showing that he does not believe in the theory of divide and rule. Although, in practice, that is exactly what he is doing with Rabri.

The Chief Minister-in-Waiting: For taking a courageous stand in supporting the use of Article 356 in the face of widespread opposition from the Opposition. Jayalalitha has been equally supportive of the United States' stand on targeting terrorist leaders who run a state within her state. By equating the law and order situation in Bihar with that prevailing in Tamil Nadu, has shown her abiding interest in the state's future. Deserves praise for abiding her time.

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