There is a general feeling that Parriker is a BJP moderate. Leaving aside Parriker's own sins of commission and omission, let us not forget, Parriker is part of a larger party, one that has never been able to reign in its extremists.
The fact of the matter is, the BJP gives expression to that which is most vile in Indian society, and legitimizes that which is irrational (such as the sale of cow urine as medicine) and immoral (communalisation of Indian society). Thomas Friedman, well versed in the Middle East, writes tellingly of Arab countries and the rise of Muslim fanaticism. It is not merely a material poverty that drives them, but more so a poverty of ideas. It is this same poverty of ideas that drives the BJP, from wanting to revise school curriculums, control women, create an ideology of Hindu victim-hood, and define the national ethos of India on their redundant terms. Ofcourse India needs an empowered Opposition. Every mature democracy does, but an empowered Opposition must display as much integrity as the ruling party. It serves the people, not itself. I once watched an interview between Manohar Joshi and a BBC reporter. After quizzing him about Sai baba, he lost his temper and asked her, "do you know who I am?". Yes, Mr Joshi, we know who you are. You are nothing more than a servant of the public that elected you. Arrogance is the calling card of the BJP. Nehru and Gandhi will always be Indian icons to me, their image never to be tarnished by revisionist historians. I learnt about them from the British. It seems British historians have treated them far more kindly than our own do these days. There is however, another icon amidst us today. That is Bilkis Bano. The former defined the contours of our great democracy, the story of Bilkis Bano will define the content of what we do with our democracy from here on. (No, this great line is not my own, it is roughly paraphrased from Thomas Friedman writing in another context.) selma ____________________________________________________________________________________ Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping