TSUNAMI ENCOURAGES A PERIOD OF POLITICAL AMITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000276

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2015
TAGS: ECON ELAB PGOV PREL IN
SUBJECT: TSUNAMI ENCOURAGES A PERIOD OF POLITICAL AMITY

REF: 04 CHENNAI 1718

Classified By: DCM Robert O. Blake, Jr., Reasons 1.4 (B,D).


1. (C) Summary: The unprecedented scale of the Tsunami
disaster has compelled India's usually contentious political
coalitions to bury their differences and cooperate to relieve
the suffering. Likewise, elements of the Left which strongly
oppose the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government's
economic reform efforts have let up somewhat in their
criticism. This has not prevented individual parties,
especially within Tamil Nadu (reftel) from attempting to use
the Tsunami for political reasons. This is likely to
backfire, however. as the Indian public is in no mood for
partisanship on the issue. The Tsunami has also focused the
GOI inward, which may slow progress on Indo-Pak relations,
the postponed SAARC Summit and other pressing foreign policy
issues for the time being. End Summary.

Burying Hostility for Now
--------------


2. (SBU) India's two main coalitions, the UPA and the
opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA),have agreed to
downplay their political differences to meet the national
emergency resulting from the Tsunami. On December 31,
opposition leaders Atal Behari Vajpayee and LK Advani met
with PM Manmohan Singh to discuss how the two alliances could
work together to alleviate the suffering of Tsunami victims.
the UPA and BJP also agreed to go ahead with India's annual
Republic Day parade scheduled for later in January. After
the meeting, the PM's spokesman noted that the opposition and
the government believe that "this is a national calamity and
together we should face it."


3. (SBU) This new spirit of cooperation was evident in the
January 9 editorial in the pro-BJP "Pioneer," which is a
harsh critic of the UPA. Saying that this "is not an
occasion to score debating points," columnist Swapan Dasgupta
praised the UPA government for its "clarity and focus,"
noting that "discordant notes have been overwhelmed by a
burst of generosity, energy and far-sightedness," and urged
Indians to overcome partisan politics.

Left Tones Down Criticism
--------------


4. (SBU) The Left Parties, which have been sparring for
months with the UPA over economic policy, also appear more
cooperative. Gurudas Dasgupta the General Secretary of the
Communist Party of India (CPI) labor federation (AITUC) told
reporters on January 3 that "we are dedicating the whole of
January to Tsunami and cooperation with the government. We
differ with the government on important policies. But we
have told the PM there is no question of us expressing these
views this entire one month."


5. (SBU) The CPI did not publicly back Dasgupta's statement,
however, with CPI Secretary D. Raja denying any plans to
call-off confrontation. A January 3 article in the Communist
Party of India-Marxist (CPM) newspaper "People's Democracy"
pledged CPM "support for the government in relief and
rehabilitation."

Some Residual Partisanship
--------------


6. (SBU) While the two alliances have forsworn
confrontation, some individual parties have used the Tsunami
for political purposes. The CPM reacted with scorn to a BJP
claim that Goa was not hurt by the Tsunami because it had a
BJP government, with CMP leader Nilotpal Basu arguing that
"the people experienced a Tsunami of hatred for five years
under the NDA regime," and CPM leader Sitaram Yechury noting
that, "contrary to what the BJP people are saying, the
Tsunami is no ominous signal."

SIPDIS


7. (SBU) It appears that the Tsunami has become a divisive
issue only in Tamil Nadu. Janata Party President Subramaniam
Swamy demanded that UPA Ministers from Tamil Nadu resign, as
the UPA government had "betrayed the state in the allocation
of funds from the PM's relief fund." He claimed that all
money raised for the fund was being diverted to UPA coffers.
The opposition DMK party also attacked the ruling AIDMK
government headed by Chief Minister Jayalalitha, accusing it
of nonperformance (reftel).

Comment
--------------


8. (C) The Tsunami has brought about a period of relative
quiet from the normally harsh partisanship and mudslinging
that characterizes Indian politics. Politicians have largely
refrained from conflict and embraced cooperation, although a
minority has tried to use the disaster for partisan purposes.
Political campaigning for the February elections in Bihar,
Jharkhand, and Haryana has been more restrained than usual.
If this period of amity persists, the elections could be
relatively quiet affairs.

9. (C) The massive relief effort has also shifted the GOI
focus inward, and may delay decision making on regional
issues like the India Pakistan Composite Dialogue and
determining a new date for the postponed SAARC Summit.
MULFORD