Dance of sycophants: Mani Shankar Iyer's megalomania‏

The quintessential poster boy of Congress - Shashi Tharoor expressed a heartfelt appreciation of Mr. Modi for being inclusive in his approach and graceful as Prime Minister.  His own colleague from the Party with an acerbic tongue -Mani Shankar Iyer derided him in public space and said that MrTharoor has virtually joined BJP. Mr. Iyer's outburst is an expression of commonplace sycophancy of a rare intellectual in the Congress party. It will now be interesting to see how Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi will react to these right and wrong assertions of two elitist MPs of an obsolete political outfit.

What Tharoor said is an important diversion from the usual political opposition maintained by Indian political parties for the sake of opposition.  And what he said is true as truth can be.If Mr. Modi is doing well in the best interest of the country, why should the opposition oppose?  Particularly, Mr. Modi's efforts to establish an inclusive governance are a political virtue that need to be endorsed and not opposed. Iyer just wants Congressmen to oppose the Government, not realizing that such an opposition amounts to opposing the voice and mandate of the people of India.

Whoever thought that Congress may have learnt a lesson in politics from the inglorious drubbing at the polls is sublimely mistaken. As much as the people of India want a clean governance, they want a clean and responsible opposition. They want an opposition to bad performance, exclusive governance, lack of development and non-fulfillment of poll promises. Iyer's thesis of opposition is archaic and can only suit the foundation of sycophancy to his party.

It is interesting that Iyer did not oppose his party's coalition with Regional outfits that were built upon scandals and criminal records.  He did not oppose the massacre at Muzaffarnagar or the 'boys will be boys' statement of his ally, supporting rapists in the heartland of India.  He did not oppose a spineless defense policy and a doomed economic policy of the UPA.  But he chose to oppose a decent acknowledgement of an encouraging gesture of the New Prime Minister, who has only expressed in his public action the will of the people of India.

If Congress wishes to rise from its own ashes, it should learn to silence its sycophants in evolving as a responsible, mature and modern opposition.

VK Saxena

NCCL

Ahmedabad