NEWSLINKS
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTION 99
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

Rains leave Sonia high and dry in Rajasthan

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

Politicians will do anything to extract mileage from their rival's cup of woes. The desire for one-upmanship often ignores practical aspects and harsh realities.

Take the expected tour of drought-affected Rajasthan by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. Party managers have shouted from rooftops about the Vajpayee government's "slipshod measures" to provide succour to drought-affected Rajasthan and Gujarat.

On Thursday, Sonia stressed on the Vajpayee government's 'anti-people measures' like the price hike of essential commodities, which was proving to be a 'trauma' for the drought-affected. She was addressing safai karmacharis at the Safai Mazdoor Congress at Talkatora stadium.

She agreed to visit the drought-affected areas following Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's SOS. The plan was to collar the Vajpayee government's inadequacies in helping those in rural areas overcome hardships following the drought.

But in typical Congress style, the party managers, especially the coterie surrounding Sonia, took time in working out a strategy to put the Bharatiya Janata Party-led ruling coalition at the Centre on the mat. Elaborate plans were made to highlight the Rajasthan's miseries following the drought. Sonia's speechwriters (especially Janardhan Diwedi, who writes her speeches in Hindi) stressed her concern for the plight of the people.

Congress leader Girija Vyas told rediff.com, ''We are very happy Sonia Gandhi will visit our state. She will see how the central government has ignored the plight of people and is playing politics. She will address the people and also highlight how their woes have multiplied due to the lethargy and negligence of the Vajpayee government.''

However, the plan to collar the Vajpayee government it seems, took just too long as the parched, dusty and bone-dry landscape of Rajasthan suddenly witnessed rains!

According to a deputy director general level official of the Meteorological office at Mausam Bhavan on Lodhi Road in the national capital, Rajasthan is one of the drought-affected states where some rainfall was witnessed. He pointed out that in 10 days some districts of east Rajasthan, including Udaipur, Chittorgarh, Pilani, Ajmer, Kota, Bharatpur and Sawai Madhopur, had rainfall of up to three cm. In west Rajasthan, Churu received two inches of rainfall, the official pointed out.

Congress spokesman Ajit Jogi confirmed to rediff.com that Sonia would visit Banswara district to see the havoc wrought by the drought and the Vajpayee government's inaction, which had helped increase the woes of people.

There was no mention on why Sonia delayed her visit to the drought-affected areas or how party leaders, especially its chief, would face the people now that it had rained.

The official also disclosed that even though the monsoon had failed in Rajasthan last year, the Vajpayee government had not taken sufficient measures this year.

"Whether it is the Congress, BJP or any political label, our experience for three decades is that governments and politicians either ignore danger signals or they plead ignorance about them. This is the stark but unpalatable reality and unless the mindset of politicians changes, this will continue,'' the official stressed.

Referring to last year's failure of the monsoon in Rajasthan, he said the Union ministries of agriculture and water resources were aware about the harsh reality. "Neither took measures to ensure that the people received at least little water. People suffered untold miseries while the government did precious little. The government could have at least taken measures this year following last year's experience," the official added.

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report