And one wonders if any naturalised Briton named Muller might have survived in London during the blitz. A major factor which has brought about the sympathy wave is what may be called ''the Mussolini made the trains run on time'' syndrome. Like every sensible citizen, the serviceman, too, has watched with distaste the general decline in discipline and efficiency in the country over the last three decades. In service messes they talk nostalgically about the Emergency, when the office staff in the South Block came to work on time. They recall the late sixties when a Jan Sangh government ''straightened out New Delhi''.
Servicemen have little patience with the slow and ponderous ways of a democracy.
To them the ends justify the means. What really matters is the result. What this country really needs is a good kick on the backside and the BJP would be the only party which can give it. Never mind the fact that its performance in the states that it ruled so far has not been particularly spectacular. The final argument trotted out for the admiration wave is the 'give them a chance' plea.