After Karnataka, one more state has been destabilised with the Congress split in Goa, a state that has seen incessant political manipulation. It is facile to blame the BJP for its predatory politics, but the cynical hunger for power displayed by Congress MLAs shows how fungible political ideology has become.
CBI raids on Jaising, Grover are only messaging
The CBI raids on the homes and offices of lawyers Indira Jaising and Anand Grover for “violating foreign funding norms” are excessive. If they broke rules two years ago, they must be prosecuted. Raiding them now is futile. Headline-grabbing raids are harassment aimed at sending a message, not finding evidence.
There is a certain dissonance between the extreme realpolitik at work in states like Goa / Karnataka and the central plank of probity in public life, which dates back to the 2014 campaign. On economic ideology, it is becoming absolutely clear that there is no fundamental difference from the Congress of Smt Indira Gandhi and Smt Sonia Gandhi, no appetite for reform. It is also reasonable to expect that governments formed after these large investments are made will have a cash and carry flavour. After a while, it will become difficult to sustain the narrative of exceptionalism. The Budget is unlikely to have a single admirer abroad. These are early days for a second term, earned with so much faith and trust. It needs to be justified in full measure.