Nobody even vaguely acquainted with this scribe’s views would doubt his opposition to the UPA government. Repeatedly the government’s actions have been faulted. Repeatedly accountability has been demanded from the government. Resignation has been demanded from the Prime Minister. Explanation regarding alleged personal corruption has been demanded from UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi. 

For example on November 1, 2006 fresh audiotapes related to the aborted HDW and Airbus scams led this scribe to warn the PM to reactivate investigation of both these scams. He wrote: “If the PM does not reactivate investigation in the HDW and Airbus corruption cases he runs the risk of himself being seen as abettor, and part of the conspiracy… If he fails to take appropriate action, there could emerge endeavors to obtain the President's permission to move against him in a court of law.”

After fresh correspondence between the PM and A. Raja related to the 2G scam was released this scribe wrote on December 23, 2010 [Why PM Must Quit?] :

"The released correspondence between Raja and the PM suggests more than violating the constructive responsibility principle. PM had full knowledge of what was being done… Dr Manmohan Singh’s position as Prime Minister has become untenable. He must resign." 

On the basis of information published in a book by Yevgenia Albats, a former member of the official Soviet KGB Commission, this scribe demanded explanation from Mrs. Sonia Gandhi regarding payments allegedly made to her by the KGB. This demand was repeated on August 15 2006, Nov 18 2006 and April 26, 2009. This scribe wrote:

"If the Albats allegation published in a reputed research book is false, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi should promptly deny it. Otherwise, her silence could be perceived as assent. The government remained silent. But so did all the opposition parties! Why? Are the opposition leaders themselves also vulnerable and compelled to maintain discreet silence? Draw your own conclusions." 

Other equally stringent demands for accountability were made to the government. Not once was any allegation made against the government contradicted. Not once did the government respond. Not once did a single opposition leader echo the allegation or seek an explanation from the government.  Now it seems that the opposition is uniting at last to demand the government’s resignation. If the government can be ousted it will be most welcome. But why is the opposition waking up only now? The reason for that leaves little room for comfort.

The opposition has gone on an overdrive because of the Wikileaks exposure of US cables published in The Hindu. Opposition leaders who were tongue tied throughout occasions when several individuals including this scribe had furnished information about documented corruption and misdemeanors by the government actionable under law, are today frothing at the mouth spluttering demands for the government’s resignation. The Hindu Editor Mr. N. Ram on TV justified the opposition by stating hat while all the current Wikileaks disclosures such as money being paid to win votes had been made earlier by the opposition without clinching results, now the disclosures had merited a revival. But then he floundered. He said he could not vouch for the veracity of the leaked US cables or whether these could be admitted as evidence in a court of law. Lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani was more circumspect than either opposition leaders, who ought to have known better, or sections of the media. He said that all that the Wikileaks exposures merited was a fresh investigation.  

TV anchors went to town assuming that all content in the released cables was gospel truth simply because the information emanated from official US sources. They should have reminded themselves about the veracity or otherwise of all information emanating from official Indian sources. Or is it that our great Uncle Sam in Washington cannot ever be wrong? Ah, that is the nub of the problem! The collective opposition response betrays a pathetic servility to the US . It is ironical that the Left that never tires of castigating the US of calumny is also displaying such touching faith in the veracity of its cables right now. 

Well, Mr. Ajit Singh has rubbished the references made to him in the released US cables. He pointed out factual errors. His party had three MPs not four. He denied voting for the government. Mr. Nachiketa Kapoor described as aide to Congress MP Satish Sharma allegedly showed loads of banknotes to a US diplomat for distribution to opposition MPs. He has denied meeting formally any US diplomat, displaying any money, or having been an aide to Mr. Sharma. He has demanded a thorough probe in the whole affair and threatened to sue for defamation those who put out the information. It could be bravado. It could be the truth. But a TV anchor argued that perhaps Mr. Sharma acted individually and not on behalf of the Congress party. He assumed thereby that the leaked cable could not be wrong and by implication Mr. Kapoor was wrong. Why? Because Mr. Kapoor is not an American but Indian? 

This hidden servility that lies at the heart of the Indian elite makes the nation particularly vulnerable. The West can at any time of its choosing manipulate India and make it hurtle or halt. We have reduced ourselves to acting like puppets. One fervently hopes this government goes even if it is for the wrong reason. One also hopes that this opposition does not replace it because that would continue drift towards disaster. One hopes for a mid-term general election. That might throw up a new class of leaders less servile to foreign influence and more committed to homegrown democracy.