O J’s Corner
Interests having a field day

The beauty and the vulgarity are at once evident in the democratic exercise of a trust vote being held on July 22, to confirm whether Dr Manmohan Singh Government can survive or not.

The beauty is that, with all the darker forces at play, human ideas, opinions, interpretations, find place somewhere, unlike the times when some autocrat would declare: “ I am the State”. Whether it is for a good cause or bad, at least some people’s thoughts, expressions and emotions are counted. It was not the case in olden times. It is not possible today as well in prevalent totalitarian regimes, betraying religious, military and other dimensions.Considering this, India can be considered as the most vocal democracy in the world.

The bad patch is that a lot of leaders are interested in cornering power and pelf by fluke in the guise of protecting the government. One can say the corporate world is assuming a bigger role in indirect governance, because corporate entities fund various interests. Can a few companies decide the lot of 120 billion people? It would appear that they have considerable clout. But then, there is the TINA factor- there is no alternative.

I agree with Rahul Gandhi’s observation. If the government falls on this issue, let it fall. In that case, leaders of reckoning should make it a point that unparalleled concessions should not be allowed to corner a few votes. There can be freebies, but someone should see to it that all wishful thinkings should not be conceded.