Leadership can come in the form of long sentences, speeches and even pithy phrases. Remember the time when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was asked in Srinagar as to within what framework talks would be conducted in Kashmir. He had in one quicksilver moment said “insaaniyat ke aadhaar pe”. Kashmiris still recall that.

Cut to now, to an India that is wondering when and where the next blasts will be, and increasingly vocal public opinion incensed at the government for not showing any purpose or plan. Then there are Muslim leaders (the same set of people, who were the first in the entire Islamic world to issue a fatwa against terrorism in February this year) fuming at what they perceive to be the way in which investigations appear to be going. It’s a tough act to be labelled as incompetent by both these points of view, but this government seems to have managed it.

It is inexplicable that a coalition supposedly founded on the principles of inclusion and economic growth (a modern approach, jobs and security to minorities) is speechless at a time like this, and unable to politically respond to new challenges.

In fact, what the UPA is failing to utilise is the immediate context the blasts have come in — Jammu is quiet after a very low phase, two NDA states are reporting attacks on Christians virtually every day. It should have stood up and made its political case for peace, and cogently argued that none of the goodies of Rising India would be around if a basic premise — that of the right to life — is violated.

... contd.