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Politics Business Expressions General Sports Leisure States 31 December, 1997   Calculating Leftists The anti-Congressism of the Left parties has been proving hollower and hollower with each passing day. The CPI's identification of the BJP as its main opponent in the coming elections and its unwillingness to rule out a post-election arrangement with the Congress prove that its anti-Congressism is just a cosmetic exercise.   Sad, India refuses to be humanitarian The world, unfortunately, is full of disasters and emergencies in which people suffer. The end of the Cold War has done nothing to reduce the numbers and scope of these emergencies. Crucial watchdogs A recent news-item referred to the submissions made by the Attorney General before the Supreme Court in the public interest litigation pertaining to the autonomy of investigating agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate. Party hopping The spate of defections most political parties are now experiencing cannot be dismissed as a normal election-eve phenomenon. True, strife erupts in almost every party during the season of ticket distribution.   Freeing themselves from the typical Indian mindset In sport, where mere winners have to make room for champions, there was this Indian fairy tale being played out on the world stage. It didn't take too long in the making. A win here, a break there and everything fell into place so well that Indian sport, so unaccustomed to world-wide fame, is still grappling with the enormity of the situation. Utterly predictable finale It had all the ingredients of a Bollywood masala film. A powerful script, copious action, myriad emotion, lengthy court room (read inquiry commission) drama and a pre-judgment suspense that people waited with bated breath. In the end -- as in most predictable Bollywood formulas the people's heroes got a clean chit.     Crucial watchdogs   Calculating Leftists   Party hopping   Sad, India refuses to be humanitarian   Freeing themselves from the typical Indian mindset