While the West is focused on bombing Libya, Wikileaks’ cables are convulsing the world’s largest democracy:
The Wikileaks’ expose on the cash-for-votes issue paralysed proceedings in Parliament on Tuesday with the Opposition demanding immediate discussion on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s statement on the matter.
The Rajya Sabha witnessed three adjournments and the Lok Sabha one as an aggressive Opposition insisted on taking up the debate straightaway notwithstanding the government’s plea that Finance Bill be taken up first in the Lok Sabha.
Speaker Meira Kumar told Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj that her notice of Breach of Privilege against the Prime Minister was being examined by her.
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the U.S. need not preach to India on human rights in the wake of its concerns on this issue in his State as reflected in leaked diplomatic cables from an American Consul, accessed by The Hindu through WikiLeaks.
Mr. Modi at the same time noted that the cables had also spoken of him being “incorruptible” and Gujarat being a “progressive” State.
He also said that the Central government should address the issue of U.S. “interference” in the internal affairs of India.
“(Michael) Owen had discussed Gujarat..I looked into his eyes and said America should not give us advice on human rights,” Mr. Modi recalled. Michael. S. Owen was U.S. Consul General in Mumbai when he had a meeting with Mr. Modi in 2006.
“This America should not give us advice on human rights. I am son of India and I know what human rights violations you have done. Good that dialogue is faithfully reproduced,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
It’s important to remember that the image of Washington as a meddling and destructive force is constant through Cablegate. America isn’t a stabilising force but a reckless and bullying one. Goodbye, empire (slowly but surely).
Here’s Julian Assange discussing the Indian case: