Jumping The Gun

The BJP government, far from forging a political consensus on India's stand on "America's war against terrorism", hasn't quite managed to carry the nda or even its own party with it. Its over-the-top response to the terrorist strikes in the US has provoked angry voices of dissent, with the government, predictably, going on the defensive.

It is reliably learnt that veteran bjp leader Nanaji Deshmukh wrote a stern letter to external affairs minister Jaswant Singh, who seems to be bearing the brunt of the attack. Deshmukh's disquiet was shared—and quite vocally—by a large number of MPs within the ruling coalition, including the bjp, Samata Party, dmk and the jd(u). At the September 18 cabinet meeting, the charge was led by hrd minister Murli Manohar Joshi, joined later by the likes of Pramod Mahajan, Sushma Swaraj, Venkaiah Naidu, C.P. Thakur and Sharad Yadav. While the pmo denies any disagreement, sources say Jaswant Singh was put on the mat by his colleagues for almost two hours.

Joshi pointed out that "discordant notes" were heard even from the western allies of the US. Why then, he wanted to know, had India fallen all over itself to assure all possible help when none had been solicited? To Jaswant Singh's plea that a lot of advantages would accrue to India, Joshi and Swaraj both wanted to know the details of the "advantages". Mahajan commented that Pakistan appeared to have wrested the advantage in the whole issue. Besides, he said, who had asked India for help in the first place? The ministers wanted details on the long-term implications of India's stand, the impact on the economy and on the situation within Pakistan.

That the extreme pro-US tilt should come when the superpower had allied itself with Pakistan against terrorism is what has got the political establishment's goat. jd(u) spokesperson Mohan Prakash said a country which nurtured terrorism could hardly be part of a global alliance against it. Samata spokesperson Shambhu Srivastava agreed, saying India should make it clear to the US that "you cannot fight terrorism in partnership with Islamabad."

Pleas for exercising caution came thick and fast. Former prime minister V.P. Singh said: "What has to be emphasised is that only those involved must be targeted. It should not be misdirected towards the Arab or Muslim world." dmk leader M. Karunanidhi said if the US targeted Afghanistan, it could push the region into a major war.

The US' double standards also came up for severe criticism, both from the Opposition and the nda. Says Samata's Srivastava: "We have lost 50,000 people to terrorism, and the US is thinking of a global effort now. Their approach to the fight against terrorism is purely US-centric." Tarun Vijay, editor of the rss weekly Panchajanya, even went to the extent of asking in an article whether America would appreciate the kind of take-it-easy advice that it gave India during Kargil.

Off the record, reactions have been more harsh, with the government being accused of outright chamchagiri (sycophancy). "Jaswant behaves as if he sits in Bush's pocket," said a senior bjp office-bearer. The vicious attacks on Indians in the US and UK haven't helped matters either. In fact, it has provoked anti-US sentiments further, he observed, adding, "if the party believes that a Hindu-Christian axis against Islam will emerge, it is living in a fool's paradise".

But that's precisely what some bjp leaders from UP eagerly anticipate and what the Opposition fears most. If all this takes the form of a communal polarisation in UP, it can only help the bjp. Says Union minister Shahnawaz Hussain, "An unfortunate fallout is a danger of all Muslims becoming suspect. The patriotism of Indian Muslims can't be questioned."

The Opposition's reaction varied from anger over the government's "overenthusiasm" to fear of a domestic backlash. While the Congress steered a middle course, V.P. Singh, who convened a meeting on the issue, said: "In no way should our sovereignty be compromised by offering military bases." The Left Front and Samajwadi Party agreed, with Mulayam Singh describing the government's reaction as "juvenile".

After going overboard, the Indian government is now in damage control mode. But one thing is for sure. The eagerness to join the US war effort has left many embarrassed faces in the external affairs ministry as also in the bjp. n