Manmohan Singh's passing marks end of an era; election rule amendments and Annamalai's self-flagellation hog the limelight

Greetings readers,

As 2024 bids adieu to us in three days, the dignified leader and former Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, also said 'au revoir' after breathing his last at AIIMS Delhi on Thursday.

In a striking contrast, another major political development of this week saw the Union government amending the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, to prevent public inspection of certain poll documents, raising questions on the transparency of the process. Manmohan Singh, during his tenure, was pivotal in the enactment of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, a landmark law that empowered citizens to access information from the government, promoting transparency and accountability.

At the world stage, Bangladesh's interim government sent a diplomatic note to New Delhi seeking the extradition of deposed former prime minister Sheikh Hasina from India, a move that may further strain the ties between the two countries.

Hold on tight as this year’s last DH Political Theatre guides you through the week's major political developments on both the national and international stages.

Manmohan Singh: The unassuming statesman who shaped India's future

“Mana ki teri deed ke kaabil nahin hoon main, tu mera shauq dekh mera intezar dekh”

The above couplet by Pakistani poet Allama Iqbal that roughly translates to–"I admit that I may not be worthy of your sight, but look at my passion, look at my longing"–was used by former prime minister Manmohan Singh to counter former foreign minister Sushma Swaraj during a Lok Sabha debate in 2011 and also resonated deeply with Singh’s persona.

Singh, who was often dubbed as the “silent” or the “accidental” prime minister by his political rivals, was a figure whose leadership style was often understated. However, like Iqbal's verse, which highlights a humble recognition of one's perceived limitations, Singh’s true strength lay in his passion and dedication.

Singh might not have been widely recognized for his oratorical style or for being an assertive speaker, but among his many accomplishments, he did add the unique distinction of being the last Indian prime minister to hold a press conference.

Manmohan Singh, the architect of India's economic reforms and a consensus builder in the rough world of politics, breathed his last at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, late on Thursday. He was 92.

President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and LoP Rahul Gandhi were among the top dignitaries who paid homage to the former PM at his residence on Friday.

Curtains down on transparency?

The government has tweaked an election rule to prevent public inspection of certain electronic documents such as CCTV camera and webcasting footage, as well as video recordings of candidates to prevent their misuse.

Based on the recommendation of the Election Commission of India (ECI), the Union law ministry on Friday amended Rule 93(2)(a) of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, to restrict the type of "papers" or documents open to public inspection.

The amendment to the rules came within two weeks of the Punjab and Haryana High Court asking the Election Commission to provide video footage and copies of documents related to votes polled at a polling station in recent Haryana Assembly elections to lawyer Mehmood Pracha.

The decision has kicked up a debate, with the opposition Congress accusing the poll panel of having “chosen opacity and a pro-government attitude in its dealings thus far.”

The Congress on Tuesday also filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court challenging the amendment.

Other opposition parties including the DMK and CPI(M) have also criticised the amendment, with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin alleging that democracy was facing its “gravest threat" under the BJP-led Centre. Stalin has also appealed to all political parties, to counter the "assault on free and fair" elections.

Alliance for one season?

Another week, another drama in I.N.D.I.A. bloc. Months after projecting themselves as two peas in the same pod during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress are witnessing a fallout ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections.

The tensions between the alliance partners of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc escalated when senior Congress leader Ajay Maken called AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal “anti-national”.

Irked over the remarks, AAP on Thursday said it will push for the Congress' expulsion from the I.N.D.I.A. bloc if it fails to take any disciplinary action against Maken within 24 hours, accusing it of colluding with the BJP and trying to harm the prospects of the Kejriwal-led party.

Hours later, the Delhi unit of Congress said AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal is "blaming others" but his party is paying the price for being the "B-team of the BJP".

The fresh crisis within the opposition alliance comes at a time when West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been causing visible discomfort among the coalition partners with her leadership claims.

Annamalai stands up for justice…barefoot & bare-chested

The alleged sexual assault of a girl student in Chennai’s Anna University has taken a political hue as BJP Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai on Thursday said he would not wear sandals and walk barefoot until the DMK regime is dislodged.

The BJP leader took things a notch higher by staging a unique agitation on Friday where he flogged himself while condemning the ruling DMK and the state police over the handling of the case.

Clad in a green dhoti, a bare-chested Annamalai took a whip from his party worker and whipped himself repeatedly in front of his residence in Coimbatore as BJP members stood around him displaying placards condemning the police for the alleged leak of FIR pertaining to the woman's complaint.

In response, DMK organising secretary R S Bharathi ridiculed Annamalai’s way of protest and said that probably some astrologer would have asked Annamalai to take up this "remedy in order to get a higher post in the BJP."

On Annamalai’s vow that he would not wear sandals until the DMK was removed from power, Bharathi said, "then he would not be able to wear sandals for the rest of his life. That is his choice."

Dhaka-Delhi relations strained over Hasina’s extradition

Bangladesh's interim government on Monday said it has sent a diplomatic note to New Delhi seeking the extradition of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina from India, a move that may further strain the ties between the two countries.

India confirmed receiving the 'note verbale' or diplomatic communication from the Bangladesh high commission in New Delhi but refrained from commenting on it.

Hasina, 77, has been living in India since Aug 5 when she fled her country following a massive student-led protest that toppled her 16-year regime.

The relationship between the two countries has reached a low point since the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus assumed power. India has been criticising the attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh.

South Korea appoints second acting president in two weeks

The political crisis in South Korea does not seem to end as lawmakers on Friday voted to oust a second head of state, the acting president, in less than two weeks.

After President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment on December 14 over his attempt to impose martial law in the country, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo stepped in as acting president. As the lawmakers voted to impeach him on Friday, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok became South Korea's new acting President.

The political instability in the east Asian country has led to its currency, the won, to plunge while questions about who is in charge of the government and military of the country also remain unanswered.

That is all about the political drama that unfolded this week. DH Political Theatre will come back again next week, in a new year, with more political developments from around the globe.

Exit Stage Left,

DH Newsletters Team