All eyes on India

A government flailing to live, MPs jumping jails and hospitals to vote, intrigue and ambition, Parliament exploding in self...

AUSTRALIANS ON CONVICTS

•The Australian (July 20) reports that “India will grant bail for a day to six jailed members of parliament, including three convicted over murders, so they can vote on a no-confidence motion triggered by the US nuclear deal that threatens to bring down the Government”. The report refers to these members of parliament as ‘honourable jailbirds’. In a later piece, referring to the defection of Shahid Siddiqui, Rajya Sabha MP of the SP the paper says, “being a member of the upper house, his defection does not directly affect the numbers in the vote; but he has immense influence and there are fears that he may affect the voting intentions of other MPs”. Referring to Mayawati’s role in the crisis and her future political ambitions, the report says, “the fly in the Government’s ointment remained the formidable Ms Mayawati, to whom the political crisis is manna from heaven for her ambition to become prime minister”.

“FRENZY OF MUDSLINGING”

• The British press also gave play to the issue of jailed MPs and political horsetrading. The Independent says, “multimillion-pound bribes, MPs serving jail terms and some in intensive care are among the arsenal of weapons being wielded in a dramatic battle as India’s government and its political opponents prepare for tomorrow’s crucial confidence vote”. The report focussed on Mayawati’s increasing clout , identifying her as one of the five parliamentary brokers along with Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, Prakash Karat and L.K. Advani. The Times (July 18) says, “in the run-up to Tuesday’s vote, Delhi has been gripped by a frenzy of mud-slinging, back-slapping and deal-making as the Congress Party and its main rivals try to make up the numbers”.

DO THE MATH

Story continues below this ad

• The China Post (July 19) says, “The realities of having to secure a majority in parliament that represents more than 1 billion people of different castes, tribal and political groups appear more complicated than ever”. The South China Morning Post, Hong Kong’s biggest English daily mentions how large amounts of money are being offered to win support from Members of Parliament for the confidence vote.

PAKISTAN ON UNCERTAINTY

• The Pakistani press could not resist a jab at the jailed MPs either. Dawn (July 21) says “India’s parliament could resemble a prison and hospital ward this week with rival parties ordering all MPs, including the seriously ill and the jailed, to show up for a key government confidence vote”.

The Nation (July 20) says that both the future of the Indian government and the nuclear deal are uncertain. If the government loses the vote, not only will the country head for elections but, “it will also spell curtains for a deal with Washington designed to bring nuclear-armed and energy-hungry India out of decades of isolation and into the global nuclear energy marketplace”.

“BOUND TO THE BURNING BUSH”

• Manmohan Singh bound to the burning Bush?’, asks Sri Lanka’s Daily Mirror, claiming that the no-faith motion has showed up not only the ‘apparent hypocrisy of the west to the all-important issue of global disarmament but also India’s subservience to the global bully’, claiming that the deal was mostly to do with US geo-strategist policies and how India ‘could be so naïve as to accept a neocon-promoted deal without going into the merits of it?’

“EMISSARIES AND PRIVATE EYES”

Story continues below this ad

• The Straits Times (July 21) writes, “India has been captivated by the political theatre unfolding in its national capital the past week, with allegations of riches being handed out and ministerial portfolios offered to buy loyalties. Floor managers on both sides have been working the telephone, sending emissaries and even private eyes to monitor those whose loyalties are suspect”. The report adds, “a victory in tomorrow’s vote would shore up the government for the next few months, helping it to tackle soaring inflation and accelerate economic reforms that had been stymied as long as the Left parties lent critical support to the government”.

MONEY AND POWER

• The New York Times points out how closer ties with the Bush administration brought Manmohan Singh’s government to the brink of its own demise. If it wins this vote, “it will be permitted to remain in power until its five-year term ends next May. If it loses, national elections will be scheduled sooner — not an inviting prospect for an incumbent government troubled by rising food and fuel costs.”

The Washington Post traces Manmohan Singh’s political career, from a mild-manned Oxford economist, who ‘fearlessly heralded India’s economic reforms”, now trying to “implement another radical initiative, one that he hopes will transform India in the 21st century: the historic nuclear energy agreement with the United States.” The paper quoted Rahul Gandhi saying “I also believe that you need guts to do it — I would tell Singh to take the risk again, again and again. That is leadership.”

According to CNN Money, ‘bribes as high as $6 million have been offered to some MPs to switch sides — welcome to politics in India where worries about inflation and an economic downturn have had no effect on political parties’ spending’. It also refers to the Ambani brothers’ shenanigans, and concludes that “no one is sure who will win, apart from those who receive big payouts and are temporarily released from jail – and have an airport named after their father”.