By Sunita Vakil

“Controversy is wretched when it is only an attempt to prove another wrong”, says F.W-Robestson Environmental minister Mr. Jairam Ramesh’s association with controversies is too well known. He has made news as much for doing a splendid job at Copenhagen as for his indiscreet remarks on issues and colleagues. The latest storm whipped up by his critical comments on the UPA’s policies on foreign soil proves that he is at wits end again.
On a visit to China recently, the minister of state for Environment and Forests made the worst gaffe by reportedly saying that the Home Ministry and the security establishment were being “alarmist” and “Paranoid” when it came to Chinese companies wanting to operate in India. It seems that the Minister is suffering from the dreaded foot in the month disease. 
His remarks which are rather strange if not annoying badly reflect on his political wisdom and maturity. He has jointed the likes of Digvijay Singh and Mani Shanker Ayer in speaking out of turn. Such a public assault of one minister by another is disgraceful and reflects political imprudence. 
Indeed, the penchant to comment on the working of other ministers seems  to have become quite a trend among the UPA leadership. Though views are always welcome in a democratic setup and Mr. Jairam Ramesh may have his opinions as he is entitled to them but it is shameful to discuss our internal matters on a foreign soil. Criticising government policies, that too on an international platform, does not suit a serving minister. It goes against the interest of the country. He needs to realize that such irresponsible statements are embarrassing the government. The Minister has to be mindful of the fact that he is a part of the govt. and it is essential for him to act and speak responsibly.
Having said that, Beijing episode is only the latest in a string of embarrassments for the congress led UPA govt. known for courting controversies, Mr. Ramesh’ latest China gaffe is certainly not his first case of foot in month comment. He has quite a few public gaffes to his credit. He doesn’t seem to realize that he is not confining himself to his area of responsibilities. Too often, he has left the govt. red faced whether over a conventional gown in Bhopal or unsavoury remarks while visiting union carbide corporation factory. Even in the cabinet the environment Minister has openly clashed with the senior Cabinet Ministers including Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar (on Bt.Brinjal) Roads are surface Transport minister Kamal Nath   (Construction of roads through Environmentallysensitive areas) and HRD minister Kapil Sibal (by stalling the proposed Vedanta University over environmental clearance). This is not all.Another time he has been found to be acting in this overrated manner was when he stopped work on the Maheshwar Hydro Power Project in Madhya Pradesh and the PMO was forced to intervene to avoid a full blown centre-state crises. In 2006 the Environment and Forest Minister caused a huge embarrassment to the prime Minister just two days before the IBSA Summit by announcing that he didn’t see Brazil and India as allies. He was also publicity censore for his distasteful remarks on Sonia Gandhi dubling her as congress’s Rabri Devi. As if it was not bad enough, the Minister has reportedly given the most stupid explanation for his comments. How our Home Ministry’s security concerns come in the way of his taking forward the Copenhagen spirit of co operation between China and India is beyond one’s comprehension. He should have thrashed out his differences with Home Ministry in India and not in China. This only smacks of bad diplomacy that seriously lacks collective responsibility.
Though Mr. Ramesh’s recent Pro-China remark in Beijing is reason enough for the PM to take an action against him, he has been spared with a superficial reprimand. No doubt the minister has been rebuked by the PM and publicity sensored by the congress but there seems to be no immediate move to remove him from the council of Ministers. Strangely, the Prime Minister who should have sought the environment minister’s resignation for making the Indian govt. an object of ridicule in the whole world has instead advised him to distance himself from the controversy.
Mr. Ramesh, who is a close confidante of 10 Janpath and also close to Rahul Gandhi managed to weather the storm despite a strong rap on the knuckles is an indication that he continues to be in good books of the Prime Minister. Also, he can be optimistic about finding a place in the Upper House of Parliament.
The demand for the ouster Jairam Ramesh from the Cabinet by the principal opposition party, the BJP is quite justified. As expected, the BJP and the Left parties did not lose any time to seek action against Ramesh. The BJP said that it would seek Ramesh’s resignation if the PM did not take action against him. “ The comments of Ramesh in a foreign country, which were critical of the government, are highly objectionable. Lobbying for Chinese Companies, the security threat to the country notwithstanding is unbecoming of a Minister”, BJP spokesperson Prakash Javedkar is reported to have said. The CPI also criticized Ramesh for choosing foreign soil to air his views, demanding that the PM explain the minister’s action.
All said and done, Jairam Ramesh’s remarks might have been improper but that apart, the incident is just a manifestation of the deeper malady in the body politic. It is a common perception that the ministers continue to get away with violating all codes of conduct and probity. The UPA ll has never functioned as a cohesive unit under the excuse of coalition politics. The Prime Minister’s position has been compromised to such an extent that he is powerless to take action against the erring ministers. It needs no reiteration that the PM has put up with indiscipline. Expressing differences between ministries openly in sheer disregard of indiscretion smacks of indiscipline.
The PM who is now  increasingly seen as seen someone who holds office as a proxy has not taken any decisive action against the corrupt Telecom Minister A Raja . One is aghast that the Chemicals and Fertilizer Minister Alagiri gives a miss to the Parliament as often as possible and Railway Minister Mamta Bannerjee was absent from the office and Parliament when Mumbai came to a halt due to motormen’s strike. And yet no action is taken against them. Earlier also, Shashi Tharoor’s gaffe’s caused acute embarrassment to the govt. The big question now is whether the PM enforces his authority since the present scenario paints a picture of a government in disarray.   

The writer is a Delhi based senior journalist