Pooh-poohing the Congress for attributing inflation to a global phenomenon, Balashankar points out that it was Indira Gandhi in the early ‘70s who advanced the global phenomenon plea to explain price rise. But the Congress’ latest take — urging the opposition not to politicise economic issues — is “hilarious”. In an election year, this is the “supreme sacrifice”, the Congress can ask of the Opposition.

The article further says that economic statesmanship is “sadly absent” in this government. The art of policy-making is to find that set of policies, which are economically, politically, socially, and culturally feasible. All the UPA’s policies to fight inflation have been aimed at reducing the rate of inflation from what they would otherwise be. Such efforts are likely to have at best only “temporary and superficial” success.

Bhutia’s golden goal

Complimenting Indian Football team captain Bhaichung Bhutia for refusing to carry the Olympic torch through Delhi, an article says that he scored a “golden goal” for all freedom loving people of the world and done India proud. To argue against mixing politics with sports is “sheer nonsense”. Beijing wants to make a political statement by successfully holding the games, says the article.

It condemns the UPA government’s handling of the Tibet issue terming it as “a sad tale of political mistakes, tactical errors and communist betrayals”. Communist parties have all along played a pro-Beijing role and they are unmoved by the atrocities committed by communist rulers of Beijing, says the article.

The CPM has cautioned New Delhi to keep in mind that any help to Tibetan freedom fighters may provoke Beijing to take a similar stand on J&K and the northeast. The article says the communists have “conveniently” forgotten that it was China that nourished insurgency in Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur by arming and training secessionists in China and Tibet. They refuse to accept that China is in illegal occupation of a large portion of Indian territory. “For them (communists) these are disputed areas. Can anyone be less patriotic?” says the article.