Away in the mountains, outside the buzz of a hill-station, in a cottage perched on a hill-top in Himachal, surrounded by the Himalayas, living amidst quiet and dignified people in these hills, the only negative is political news from the Capital. One becomes addicted to television bulletins here because distance, and a comparatively remote location, compels the need to stay ?in touch? with one?s base. Invariably, there is a disconnect with government initiatives and the reality one experiences out in the hinterland.

How old, tired and out of sync the CPI-M appears to be, as it fights every new move or measure. To think that in 2005, as international oil prices soar, this party is exhausting its energy and wasting its time fighting a petrol price hike in India. For how long is the CPI-M going to demand this unnatural and, therefore, fake pricing? Why are they overwhelmed by the unreal, the inappropriate? Why do they want everything to be subsidised or free? When will they comprehend that this unnatural pricing will make for more fundamental problems in the future? Correctives of this past policy will have to gradually be put in place. And that is the responsibility of the petroleum minister?to see what is best within the parameters of the reality today. He is accountable. And, Mani Shankar Aiyar, a diehard lefty, would not hike the price unless it was imperative, in economic terms, to do so. Karat should trust Aiyar. Coalitions are about trust and not mere rhetoric.

Then there is the issue of the 10% divestment of Bhel. What is the problem with that? The government continues to hold the majority share and is looking to mop up money from the public. Surely, public ownership makes more sense than allowing government to have the monopoly. All monopoly is unhealthy?private and public sector?which is why it is essential to generate money from the market. Is it not healthier to be accountable to the large and anonymous mass of the Indian public, than to changing coalitions and governments?

Outside of the politics played out by those few thousands who are desperately trying to determine policy, the majority constituents in India couldn?t care less about the 10% divestment of Bhel. What they want is honest governance, a delivery of basic infrastructure and an environment within which they can be productive.

? The CPI-M seems old, tired and out of sync with every new government move
? Why does the CPI-M want everything to be subsidised or free?

The CPI-M should lead a nationwide yatra, de-manding that water from village wells be freely available to lower castes as well. They should be tracking all corrupt officers in the administration who get away with blue murder, without reprimand or accountability. They should be devising strategies to rectify those endemic problems in this polity. Since they are not part of the coalition, not part of national governance, they should advise, and that?s all. When they have the mandate to rule from

Delhi as the single largest party in a coalition, they can give everything to us all, subsidised, cheap or free!

Listening to the CPI-M leaders speak on all such issues, one is transported back in time…to the 50s. Petrified and unchanging. All parties talk endlessly about doing good for the ?other? side of the coin, for Bharat as opposed to India, but nothing substantial has been done. Forty percent of India wallows in a mess, spoken for by the politician, but ignored and neglected by the same breed. Indians know that truth and they look upon the politicians as greedy no-doers. They vote for those who they feel are ?less worse,? to use an Indianism. By and large, they vote them out the next time around. And, there is not one politician I know who is ashamed of being seen as utterly incompetent by his or her electorate.

It is all much too disheartening…the two steps back, half a step forward jig of the government, the stale and predictable rhetoric of 60-plus Left leaders, the inability to celebrate the living strengths of this country, the greed and corruption. Step away from the nexus of power and you do see hope, which generates much pride. India is alive and kicking and it well recogni-ses the ?games? played out of Delhi…smiling and patiently ignoring it all.