The sudden withdrawal of support to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is more opportunistic than principled. But the party is left with no other option, given the public mood in Tamil Nadu. Had Kalaignar withdrawn support at the time of the genocide, he would have been truly hailed as the "leader of the Tamils". But then, he was more interested in the spoils of power. Still, the pull-out is welcome in that it goes to register a sort of protest against the UPA government's back-door persuasion to dilute the US-sponsored resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council, Geneva; its refusal to introduce amendments to the resolution to condemn the genocide and take steps for an international commission of enquiry under the auspices of a UN initiative and its "appreciation of Colombo for its attempts at reconciliation". Nevertheless, the withdrawal of support has put the UPA government in a vulnerable position. The descriptions "lame-duck" and "in ICU" convey its vulnerability. Either one of the Uttar Pradesh-based parties - the Bahujan Samaj Party or the Samajwadi Party - can bring down the government the moment the "threat" from the Central Bureau of Investigation ceases. More significantly, the UPA government has lost "people's confidence". People are disillusioned with its anti-people economic policies, covert and overt appeasement of communal forces. On issues like Kudankulam nuclear project, Maoist resistance of reckless mining and defence of the tribals, the UPA has shown its true colours. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is supposedly a party that stands for the interests of Hindus. But it is against a strongly-worded resolution against Colombo in Parliament without making the reason known. The Congress' loss must not become the BJP's gain.
G David Milton Maruthancode
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