Commentary/ Rajiv Shukla

What to do? The Communists are like that only

Put forward anything to the Communists. Any proposal, any policy or any suggestion. You can be sure they will oppose it tooth and nail. Whether it is from Manmohan Singh, P Chidambaram, Murasoli Maran or I K Gujral, the Communists are ever ready with criticisms.

I can't tell you why they are so negative -- maybe they are still living in the 16th century and want India in the bullock-cart age. Or maybe, they are just made like that; I don't know.

Communist policies failed in Russia, Poland, Bulgaria and Romania because of this. But still, Indian Communist leaders want the same policies to be implemented here.

The leaders of the Third Force (the Janata Dal and regional parties), who used to criticise Rajiv Gandhi, P V Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh for their policies, have implemented the same policies after coming to power. Why? Because they realised there is no other way out. If we have to progress in today's world, we have to be open minded.

Earlier, Rajiv Gandhi and Sam Pitroda were tongue-slammed for their telecom agenda. Now, everybody is appreciating the progress in this area. Same is the case with computerisation. The criticisms had flown fast and furious from Communist tongues. Today, you find that many of these leaders have gone and got themselves not only computers, but Internet service too!

That's all forgivable. Now we come to the unforgivable part.

What are leaders like Harkishan Singh Surjeet doing with their constant criticisms of the Gujral government? Are they not consciously widening those chasms that has always existed in the UF and inviting instability into the country?

Surjeet and company had been after Gujral right from the beginning. Why? Because Gujral does not dance to the Communist tune anymore. Earlier, while Deve Gowda was the prime minister, all Surjeet had to do was pretend to sing -- and the humble farmer would start jigging.

Thus, what Surjeet wants is a prime minister who will do his bidding without question. Anyone else, even if he is as diplomatic as the devil himself, will cut no ice with the Communist veteran.

Consider Sitaram Yechury. He too is critical about many of the government policies. But Yechury's criticism has substance in it. It is not a jaundiced eye from which it arises, but a logical sequence of unbiased thought. There is no personal animosity involved.

Which, precisely, is why there is no hatred against Yechury in political circles. Sadly, the same cannot be said of Surjeet.

Today, most of the political parties including the UF constituents are criticising Surjeet's attitude. Right from Sitaram Kesri, K Moopnar, M Karunanidhi and N Chandrababu Naidu to Laloo Prasad Yadav, Chidambaram and Gujral nobody likes his politics. Even in the Left front, there is a lot of resentment against him. He has got only three supporters in the UF now -- Deve Gowda, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Balwant Singh Ramoowalia.

Any prime minister would like to work in a free atmosphere where he can implement what he thinks correct. He should not be pressurised. But here we have Gujral looking worried and hassled at the attitude of his political colleagues.

The Karunanidhi drama should not be taken lightly. For the time being, Gujral may be able to persuade Karunanidhi or Moopanar to stay back. But they are not going to remain there for long.

Not if Surjeet does not give up his rigidity.

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