Inder Malhotra

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Inder Malhotra

Once upon a time, India loved its PM

Just imagine how burnished and bright the image of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance and that of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would have been today if only they had handled their latest crisis with wisdom and in accordance with political ethics. What they needed to do but didn’t were two simple things.

Too much restraint, too little resolve

Restraint in the conduct of foreign and security policies, especially in relation to neighbours with whom one has a long-standing dispute and particularly in a time of tension, is a commendable attribute. New Delhi has, therefore, been wise not to overplay the provocation China has offered in Depsang valley in eastern Ladakh since as far back as April 15.

Ever since the Indian Premier League (IPL) spot-fixing scandal broke on Thursday morning (May 16), there have been two equally tiresome responses. On Thursday itself, a succession of former cricketers, Indian or otherwise, turned up in television studios and spoke about the “romance of the game” being violated.

Counting on continuity