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An experienced observer’s take on Indian polity
Reviewed by Harihar Swarup
Pitfalls of Indian Democracy: Bapu to Anna
by Hari Jaisingh
S. Chand Publishing. Pages 430. Rs 600
 Whether
we like it or not,
Narendra Modi is unstoppable because of his futuristic agenda and good
governance and all inclusive faster growth and his ability to take
quick decisions", says Hari Jaisingh, former Editor of The
Tribune, in Pitfalls of Indian Democracy: Bapu to Anna. Jaisingh
says "Modi is a world-class leader but he remains grounded
because of the dark shadow of the 2002 Gujarat riots." "I do
not know when this shadow will vanish since his rise at the national
level does not suit ‘secular-cum-socialist’ Congressmen and
Leftist force as well as vested interests within the BJP itself",
says Jaisingh in his well-researched work. He also assesses the
personalities of Prime Minister Dr Mohan Singh, L K Advani and Rahul
Gandhi. He has praised as well as criticised Dr Singh. "The
biggest disappointment in recent years has been the way Dr Singh has
conducted himself as the Prime Minister. At one stage, he had three
advantages: One, as a reform-oriented economist; two, a modest and
honest gentleman; three, a knowledgeable administrator who was not
seen as the usual run-of-the-mill politician but a pragmatic person
with the ability to run a Congress-led coalition government". He
could not use the advantage of "stability" in a coalition
government for faster growth of economy. Rather the UPA stability was
seen being used for corrupt power-wielders. He says "Advani has
shown superb qualities of heart and mind. A good organiser, he has not
been able to get to the top. Could it be a bad luck or clumsy handling
of men, matters and issues within the BJP and beyond? History will
probably judge him as a clean and honest person who could not prove
himself to be the 'iron man', a la Sardar Patel." On Rahul
Gandhi, he says: "I am not sure if youthful heir-apparent Rahul
Gandhi would prove to be a good leader." The 400-page volume
discusses in-depth, post-Partition problems and issues that haunt the
polity even today. The volume is concerned with governance and policy
matters affecting the life of the nation since Independence. Few of
the younger generation know that the Shiv Sena is the creation of the
Congress, primarily of the Bombay Pradesh Congress Committee under S K
Patil and had the support of the then Maharashtra Chief Minister, V P
Naik. They, along with business and industrial tycoons of Maharashtra,
used the Shiv Sena to break the hold of militant leftists trade unions
over the flourishing textile industry. Besides being the Editor of The
Tribune, Jaisingh, occupied senior positions in the Indian
Express, National Herald and Business and Political
Observer. His experience is on display in the book.
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