Much vilified, Sonia Gandhi brings hope for India

How can corrupt politicians hang so long to power? That speaks volumes about the state of the value system in Indian politics. 

However, I am heartened by Sonia Gandhi's leadership now, despite my being no Congress supporter.

The lady has been vilified, as inept, corrupt, loyal to foreign masters ... Yet she has been able to blow in change, through her subtle, often behind-the-scenes ways into Indian politics. 

And many Congress leaders who have been under the cloud of corruption in the past have suddenly emerged as 'clean' ones.

We don't have to search far for the answer to that one.

Congressmen have always been lackeys of the supreme leader. Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi never much cared about reining in corruption, for different reasons. Congressmen quickly read the message and went on to make money merrily.

Sonia faced, in many ways, a mostly hostile senior leadership, and had to cut them to size. Also the support she got from the electorate, again for different reasons, worked to her advantage. And Congressmen have been quick to read the signals.

Suddenly corruption is not something brazenly boasted about in the party, though it thrives more healthy than ever.

Thankfully, Rahul Gandhi hasn't let a coterie build around himself; and that gives hope to India.

Yes, because the BJP, Left and the Third Front have effectively demolished themselves in the country's political landscape.

A Dark Diwali for the Tamils

The spirit is muted this Diwali.
The markets are tanking, the political climate is muddled, there is more ambient violence around the country.
Still, one cannot ignore the plight of the Tamils in Sri Lanka. Granted, the LTTE bungled in bumping off Rajiv Gandhi. But that doesn't mean the Tamil people in that country should be punished for the crime of the LTTE. With the Congress-led government in New Delhi happy to turn a blind-eye and with a politically besieged Karunanidhi-led DMK trying to hold on to power, I think the Tamil people have been thrown to the mercy of Rajapakse's Sinhala wolves.
I have not sympathy for extremists, of either the Tamil or Sinhala variety. But even while understanding the Sinhalese's feeling about keeping their country under a single rule, I cannot agree to their letting the Sinhala extremists take on hapless Tamils and hunt them down in the name of political unity.
If India and its current crop of politicians can't engage the Sinhala government in Colombo constructively on this issue, the day may not be far when Tamils in this country will feel antagonistic about New Delhi's political control over them.
And till things take a better turn, who will answer for the innocent Tamil blood that will be spilled?