Don’t just talk to the hand

Timing is of essence in politics. One ill-timed move and all past efforts and reputation can come undone. Look at what happened to the Prime Minister’s announcement to allow 51 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail and 100 per cent FDI in single-brand retail.

It united the Opposition while alienating the UPA’s allies; the issue of FDI has been pushed to the back burner while the Congress’ credibility has suffered immense damage. Clearly, the Congress leadership had to back down because they lacked the requisite numbers in Parliament.
Though it is sad that political accidents continue to dog the UPA, the fact is that there is a widening communication gap between the Congress Party and the UPA government. Both speak in different voices after a crucial decision has been taken. This puts the party and the coalition to discredit.
That communication between the Congress and its allies is wanting is exemplified by the most recent storm. Union telecommunications minister Kapil Sibal has stirred a hornets’ nest with his proposal to filter user content before it goes viral. The online content row has triggered an assortment of reaction from the virtual world and from the Indian polity. While some Netizens have cried foul and given the thumbs down to censorship, there are others who have backed Mr Sibal’s proposal to pre-screen inflammatory comments.
I am rather ignorant about social networking sites, but any decision that has even a hint of censorship can have a catastrophic impact on the Congress. Mr Sibal may well have a valid point when he talks about monitoring online content, but this can be examined and handled by the law ministry.
The Internet and, more recently, sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Orkut have changed the way we look at and deal with events. I recall the situation in Egypt where thousands of people braved the bullets of Hosni Mubarak’s Army. The role played by social networking sites in creating world opinion and getting people out on the streets was a miracle of sorts. With the uprising in North Africa and West Asia, people became conscious of the reach and influence of the Internet, especially social media. The individual was empowered to voice opinion on issues that affected his life. The Internet has created a revolution that cuts across borders. We should embrace this and assist in getting the system to correct the negatives. Confrontation is not a viable option.
In India, the first major impact of Facebook and Twitter was witnessed when Anna Hazare launched his agitation to press for the Jan Lokpal Bill. People arrived in large numbers, peaceful marches were organised throughout the country, and when Mr Hazare was arrested and taken to Tihar jail, thousands of people stood up in his support and mobilised a movement that continues even today.
There are many flaws in the thinking and actions of members of Team Anna, but the government failed to communicate these effectively to the people. Perhaps, they should have used the Internet to share its views.
The Congress’ pattern of non-communication was repeated when dealing with FDI in retail. A move that has long-term benefits had to be abandoned due to poor communication — within the Congress, with the UPA allies, the Opposition and the public. I sincerely hope that the UPA will pursue this issue and do now what it should have done earlier, i.e. explain the benefits of FDI. Social networking sites could come in handy.

We have a stormy session ahead in Parliament but the electoral action is in the states. Every passing day throws up events that will shape the electorate’s response. The confusion about who will lead the Congress and the BJP at the Centre in 2014 will inevitably help the regional parties consolidate
themselves.
In Uttar Pradesh, Mayawati and her Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) are ahead of the Congress despite Rahul Gandhi leading the charge. The Samajwadi Party (SP) is straggling towards the third slot despite the fact that Mulayam Singh Yadav’s son Akhilesh Yadav has gained a lot of acceptability recently. The BJP looks a tired fourth.
In Punjab, the Congress should win a close race. There is no doubt that Amarinder Singh is ahead of the Badal father and son duo, but much will depend on the ability of the Congress to control internal dissent and ensure proper distribution of tickets. Though Akali Dal’s succession issue is all sorted, corruption remains a major allegation against the Badal family and it may well prove to be a liability.

The writer is a former Union minister