Columns: The Usual Suspects

Columns

India Today, May 31, 1999
May 31, 1999

THE USUAL SUSPECTS
Forked Tongue

Since she had to go, this was the best way to do it.

By Swapan Dasgupta

There is a journalistic anecdote about the 1984 general election that may be worth recalling in these sycophantic times. Visiting Amethi, where Rajiv Gandhi was contesting against his estranged sister-in-law Maneka, a reporter came across a group of Youth Congress hangers-on from Delhi. They were in characteristically high spirits since the outcome of the election seemed a foregone conclusion. Yet when the routine question about Rajiv's prospects was asked, the reply was bizarre. "Of course he will win," said one of them. And added, "But it will be great fun if he loses."

There is a certain impish perversity about the Congress that Sonia Gandhi has been forced to come to terms with. At one level, there is the competitive fawning and flattery that was so much in evidence outside 10 Janpath throughout last week and even before that. "We have won because of you and, therefore, if you do not want to stay allow us to go," battle-scarred chief ministers told Sonia. "We have been orphaned," added others while joining in the farcical resignations race. Even educated voices were not far behind. "She is steeped in contemporary Indian history," said Mani Shankar Aiyar, contesting charges of foreignness. Historian Mushirul Hasan drew on the examples of C.F. Andrews and Annie Besant and one account of Sonia's Indianisation spoke approvingly of her awareness of Calcutta's mishti doi (sweet yoghurt). From pedigree to pudding, the sycophantic range was awesome.

Yet, speak to Congress leaders "off the record". Almost every one will freely admit that the nationality issue is being debated throughout the country and that there is widespread uneasiness at the Congress' failure to find one Indian. Not many will speak up for the reviled Amar-Akbar-Antony trio but not many will honestly say that they raised a spurious question. It was this doublespeak that Sonia correctly gauged at the May 15 Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting. Her response was naturally haughty-she, in effect, told the party to stew in its own juice-but it was also based on an accurate understanding of true feelings. After 17 months of active politics, Sonia finally pierced the multiple layers of Congress-speak. She was well and truly devastated.

Of course, with customary imperiousness, Sonia imagined that she was being targeted for her origins. That is certainly true. But if the Italian factor overwhelmed Congress stalwarts, it was not because of a sudden onrush of xenophobia coinciding with the World Cup. Sonia's nationality was the cover for the party's exasperation at her political ineptitude during the fortnight between the defeat of the BJP-led Government and the dissolution of the Lok Sabha. At a time when she needed to demonstrate her skills, Sonia revealed herself as a complete amateur unaware of both political and constitutional realities. Worse, the crisis clearly indicated her exclusionary style of working. It was dissatisfaction born out of concrete failure that led to the May 15 revolt. The Congress didn't betray Sonia. She spoilt the party's comeback chances. Italian or Indian, she wasn't upto the top job.

The Congress may not be entirely happy that it ended this way. But they will be delighted at the manner of departure. In the language of Congress doublespeak, if she hadn't quit the party wouldn't have been energised. Now it can lose an election with honour and dynasty intact. Sonia can be reinvented.

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