Did Afzal just run out of luck?

I think I mentioned it earlier, the Other Idiots blog and its various offshoots such as this and this are sort of like leading indicators for upcoming Congress political strategy. These guys are mostly card carrying party members, they know what's going on inside. For instance, the Other Idiots blog started just around the time Arjun Singh was planning his diabolical OBC game plan. The blog pretended to be a one stop shop for various socialistic weepy issues, starting from stray dogs to atrocities directed towards women. When the reservation issue was at its hottest, the blog was churning out about a dozen posts per day on the topic. Most recently, not only has the frequency of posts gone down, they have moved towards the same ole same ole, i.e. the very original Garibi Hatao. By the way, no post about 7/11 on the blog.

Sometimes I wish I were a socialist. Posh jobs with no responsibilities, guaranteed pseudo-journalistic assignments in various Cong-pet-poodle newspapers, fine whiskey, lavish lifestyle, lots of free time to blog.

Anyway.

After 7/11 happened, some folks (you know who they are) tried their level best to start a riot. It just didn't happen. As a matter of fact, folks reacted with a mixture of bewilderment and confusion, much to the chagrin of the riot-plotters. Then the blasts happened in Malegaon. For a while they tried to pass it off on Hindu fascists. That didn't hold water, since the explosive used was RDX. Another strange fact came out during this time. Apparently the Bombay blasts had been planned several years ago, around 2000-01. At the time the Gujarat riots still didn't happen. So, the revenge motif just wouldn't work. It was a blow to an election strategy like no other.

Then the issue of Afzal came up. It was a golden opportunity, not to be missed. Congress' most vocal spokesperson on the blogosphere went to town on the issue.

Here is a sampling of how the viewpoint changed over time:
1. Death penalty is primitive and immoral (by the way, try seaching for Dhananjay in those blogs).
2. Afzal hanging will be a blow to Indo-Pak relations (as if they are the best of buddies now).
3. Afzal hanging is illegal (read here).

Some of these articles were categorized under "human rights".

Most unfortunately for them, another issue, which had captured the country's attention came into prominence around this time. Well, I am talking about Priyadarshini Mattoo. The man on the street is now unequivocally "hang that bastard". Now this is too sensitive a time to run afoul of popular sentiments. In fact, this is high time to screw Afzal. Last time I checked, they are basically deciding between the lethal injection and the rope from Tihar jail. See?

Of course, this is all verifiable, because apparently now there is only a feeble justification not to hang Afzal.

This is not an argument against the death penalty. I do not claim that Afzal is innocent of the charges against him, or that he did not receive a fair trial. I am simply saying: Afzal alive is our only chance to find out the truth about the attack on Parliament.

Sorry if all this leaves you completely speechless.

India's next Prime Minister

Far fetched? Hardly.

Abu Salem is already starting to contemplate a deeper role in Indian politics. In a country where Osama bin Laden is revered as a hero, this is not at all surprising. As a matter of fact, the likes of Abu Salem is being increasingly seen as martyrs for a cause, for instance here. A man unambiguously convicted of hatching a conspiracy to bomb the Indian Parliament (in case you have forgotten, it is the very basis and symbol of India the sovereign state) is hailed as a hero.

We all know about Arjun's quota games. Laloo's Garib Rath can't be far behind.

Gandhi never won the Nobel peace prize, Yasser Arafat did. You see, all it takes is just a little imagination.