United Commission

n this season of manifold conspiracy theories, add one more to the list. Why didn’t an ugly media-leaked fight break out between CEC N. Gopalaswami (allegedly a BJP sympathiser) and EC Navin Chawla (allegedly a Congress sympathiser) over the Varun Gandhi affair? Sources close to the commission told Outlook that the three-man commission was "rock solid" and "fully united" during their prolonged deliberations on Varun’s hate speech. The commission examined not one or two but three tapes before arriving at the firm conclusion that the tapes were not, as Varun claimed, "doctored". "The commission did not have an iota of doubt regarding their authenticity," the sources said.

Even more surprising, during all the discussions on the course of action to be initiated against the speech, Gopalaswami "led from the front". His behaviour was "exemplary", the sources said. In fact, it seems Gopalaswami was inclined to take even stronger action against Varun Gandhi for what he considered "completely unacceptable behaviour".

The sources told Outlook that the CEC at no point "wavered" or suggested lenient action for what he believed was a challenge to the integrity of the commission. Gopalaswami, who is a deeply religious person, was genuinely revolted and repulsed by the contents of Varun’s speech, especially the references to the "Gita".

The sources said it is possible that Gopalaswami, who retires as CEC next month (April 20), did not, in his last days, wish to leave the commission in an atmosphere of rancour and discord. "He probably wanted to end his stint in dignity," the sources added. "The commission has come out in flying colours on this issue."

The sources noted that Gopalaswami and Chawla, who are "barely on talking terms", worked in complete harmony under the "leadership" of the CEC who set the tone and tenor of the discussions.

Incidentally, the commission has no intention of issuing an "advisory" recommending denial of tickets to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots accused.

Have the media and some political parties been unfair in describing Gopalaswami as a BJP sympathiser?