Why is there so much debate on who would be the Prime Ministerial candidate of UPA for the 2014 General Elections? I guess among the top echelons of the Congress, the decision has already been taken. It is very much written on the wall. The media has been rather slow.
The choice of Manmohan as PM in 2004 was a mind-blowing coup of sorts. Not many people anticipated it, barring very intelligent newspapers like Eenadu. In one stroke, the Congress almost made up for the whole Operation Blue Star fiasco. The congress never overtly expressed it, but it is a huge move to gain back the confidence and faith of the Sikh community towards not only the Congress, but also the Indian Republic.
Through history, the allegiance of the Sikh community has been rather wavering. One of the major causes for the failure of the 1857 revolt was the strong support to the British from Punjab. The community realized this and wanted to make up for it. The need to make amends to the historical mistake was stressed by the community leaders while drumming up support for the Indian National Movement.
The community realized the mistake and made amends and how? The majority of Indians imprisoned by the British and sent to gallows were from Punjab. Punjab suffered like no other region in India, during the Independence Struggle, as well as the aftermath, during the partition. Sikhs are known for their bravery and are an important element in Indian military. It is very easy to stoke emotions with such history and geography.
The strong arm tactics of PV Narasimha Rao successfully decimated the Punjab separatist movement. However, in the backdrop of Operation Blue Star and the riots of 1984, there was a need to make the community feel integrated and their confidence in India regained. And that is the reason the choice of Manmohan Singh was such a coup.
He was the perfect choice. In the eyes of the media and people, he was the architect of economic reforms and liberalization. He is clean. He is loyal and humble. He does not talk much, not assertive, does not hanker for any benefits, political, financial, or any other.
Now again, there is another region in India where it is not difficult to raise the banner of separatism. The region is in great contrast to Punjab and much of the rest of India - Tamilnadu, the land of the Dravidians. There is more difference between Delhi and Chennai than between London and Istanbul. The language is similar to none of the Indian languages. Tamil did not originate from Sanskrit. Culturally, the Tamilian is very different from any state North of the Vindhyas. Ethnically, they are almost a different race from the North Indian population. Sanskritisation during the middle ages, integration of their Gods into Hinduism, and a shared history of British rule are the only threads that bind them to the rest of India.
Similar to Punjab and the North-Eastern states, Tamilnadu has been witness to demands of separatism. The 1970's was a period of tumult that saw the Dravidians assert their cultural identity. Though the confrontation never degenerated into an armed uprising, their unique cultural identity is a key political scoring point and an easy instrument to whip up passions and frenzy, even today.
In this backdrop, the neighboring Tamilian issue in Sri Lanka adds fuel to the dormant fire. A prime minister of India was killed in the Tamil heartland in India by a separatist organization in Sri Lanka (read LTTE) as he gave military support to Sri Lankan army. Over the first term (2004-2009), the congress government witnessed the terrorist group erased in Sri Lanka. Nobody knows to what extent Indian involvement or support had been. The handling of this issue by itself was a great victory for the Congress. There was never much hue and cry over the issue except until recently. With the LTTE wiped out and the goal accomplished, the congress government does not want to ruffle the feathers of the Tamilians any further. Soon after the LTTE was wiped out, India began distancing itself from Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka started feeling alianated from India and began moving closer to China.
In such context, there is again a pressing need for the Indian government to make a vastly different group of people and piece of geography assimilated and integrated. And how about a Tamilian prime minister to address that concern? A dhoti-clad Tamilian who is Harvard educated and supports further economic liberalization. A towering intellectual (some say an intellectual snob) who is known for his honesty and clean image. Yes, the current union finance minister, P. Chidambaram.
There is every reason to applaud such a move. Such measures only address the need for reconciliation and sense of integration in this culturally and geographically diverse nation. Not only the two Indian states mentioned above, but more so the North-Eastern states need more conspicuous representation among the top echelons of the Indian government and media, and public life in general. That is the reason not electing PA Sangma for President was such a lost opportunity!
