Three cheers and two boos

BY Darius Nakhoonwala| IN Opinion | 18/01/2008

One of the biggest problems leader writers face is when an important event – like the prime minister¿s visit to China -- takes place but nothing useful emerges from it. The dilemma then is: we can¿t ignore it because the event was important but we can¿t say anything sensible because nothing happened at the event. What do you do then?

The usual ploy is to fill space by recounting facts. The more innovative leader writers let the words flow. But it is the duds who say the obvious and earn the ire of the powers-that-be. For example, only the Asian Age made bold to say "Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has concluded an inconsequential three-day visit to China with just a little more of the same."

This was the first sentence of the edit and there was really no need to go on but space, like vacuum, has to be filled. So the paper soldiered on. "The joint vision statement was not visionary in content…it is not clear whether Dr Singh himself discussed the frequent incursions of Chinese troops into Indian territory that are clearly causing some concern to the Indian Army and the intelligence community here. There was no mention of China¿s claim on parts of Arunachal Pradesh, or any path-breaking decisions on reducing the trade deficit. In fact, it almost seems as if Prime Minister Singh¿s visit was centred around getting China on board on the nuclear issue…"

Well, surprise, surprise. That indeed was the main purpose. So the question really was if it was served. Not a single paper – at the time of writing, perhaps because they were very distraught – the Hindu and the Telegraph were yet to write their edits – told us the answer.

The Pioneer, as befits it status as a BJP mouthpiece, was also full of scorn. "a dispassionate reading of the joint statement… and a close scrutiny of the comments made by Mr Singh and China¿s Premier Wen Jiabao, suggest that the Prime Minister returns to New Delhi with few, if any, substantial gains. This is in sharp contrast to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee¿s June 2003 visit to China when purposeful dialogue yielded tangible results…." Spiteful, boastful and loyal, all in one sentence. Bravo!

The Hindustan Times put a positive spin on it by stating the unverifiable. "Prime Minister Manmohan Singh¿s four-day visit to China is a reiteration of what Beijing watchers have been saying for a while: there¿s a subtle, but sure shift from the political grandstanding of over four decades to a sort of quiet pragmatism…" How do you know, Sir? Because, says Sir, "this is reflected in the unusual absence of rhetoric at the state level of late and a corresponding increase in official visits at different levels between the two countries." Ah! Yes, of course, how silly of me not to see that. The paper adeed, without much backup, I am afraid, that the vision document "boldly underlines the willingness of the two sides to cooperate in the civil nuclear sector." Really? The paper brushed the other contentious issues aside as being of no consequence.

The Times of India said the government "deserves credit for a supple and imaginative China policy." That being the opening line, the rest could be taken as read. But I must mention the coyness in one sentence. I have italicized the words. "Beijing has declared its interest in civil nuclear cooperation with India consistent with its international commitments, which should be a signal to those in India who are opposed to the nuclear deal."  This as the government line and the paper dutifully regurgitated it.

The Indian Express also took the party line . In fact, it went way overboard. "…Dr Manmohan Singh has exceeded all expectations about his maiden visit to Beijing as India¿s prime minister…  The seemingly simple joint formulation…marks an important political triumph for Dr Singh… he has at once underwritten the enduring independence of India¿s foreign policy and improved the prospects for the implementation of the nuclear deal with the United States."

As Tamils say when in distress, aiyyo, aiyyo, aiyyo!