ALTHOUGH the recent riots have revealed the extent of communal divisions in existence in India it has also demonstrated the political acumen and shrewdness of Prime Minister Rao.
In a country the size of India, people die every day of unnatural causes and the recent 1,200 or so deaths from the communal flare-up, tragic as they are, do not in any way show that India has slipped into a state of anarchy.
Communal disharmony is an age-old problem which Indians have learnt to live with and the recent riots are in a long line of similar happenings.
The astute handling of a delicate situation like this by Mr Rao speaks volumes about his genius as an administrator and a caring politician.
With one stroke of his pen he dismantled three BJP-led governments in three key states, barred a number of extremist organisations, put top BJP leaders behind bars, and was able to restore, to varying degrees, confidence among the minorities.
His promise to build a mosque and a temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya should be a confidence builder among Muslims and Hindus alike.