Who Writes Your Scripts?

Source: Times of India
Additional Comments by Bluffmaster

In a powerfully emotional speech, very unlike his characteristic measured approach, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh apologised to the entire Sikh community and the "whole nation" on behalf of the "government, on behalf of the entire people of this country" for the 1984 riots, saying, "I bow my head in shame that such a thing took place." He also said, "I have no hesitation in apologising not only to the Sikh community but the whole nation because what took place in 1984 is the negation of the concept of nationhood and what’s enshrined in our Constitution."

Dr. Singh said the progress achieved by post-Partition Punjab would not have been possible without the leadership provided by country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. "Who can forget the sacrifices of this family," he said.

Is he accepting that Nehru's family was actually responsible for that? First of all, what did Nehru have to do with the '84 riots? He was dead 20 years before the 1984 tragedy. Where the hell does he figure in the '84 carnage? Surely, he played a big part in the development of Punjab. But does that give legal license to his allies to instigate riots? So what Nehru was the 'developer' of Punjab? Does this give 'his' people the divine rights to destroy it and kill people?

Why on the earth did the PM apologize to the nation for something he had nothing to do with? Prime Minister represents the nation and nation can't apologise to itself. Rather than making big statements and demanding the usual inquiries, he should do something about the matter. Unfortunately, it's beyond his powers. And if he can't act, the apologies are absolutely unnecessary. Even an eminent intellectual like him has to bow down to the supreme political powers.