The Metro board should be applauded for its integrity in refusing to ratify an agreement that would have run the grave danger of being fiscally irresponsible in the long run.

It should be noted that the Metro board was under no obligation to accept the state-mediated agreement. And they chose not to accept the agreement. That was their legitimate option.

It has been said that courage is doing what you think is right, even though it is scary.

The Metro Board did what they thought was right, even in the face of an all-but-inevitable tsunami of misunderstanding.

This brings to mind a saying that doesn't perfectly apply here, but is nonetheless somewhat relevant.

First a little background: Gandhi's followers were all set to have him lead some kind of big protest march. All the preparations were made, and crowds were assembled, and the fever was high.

At the last minute, however, Gandhi could see that the premise for the decision to have a protest march was flawed, so he canceled it.

Of course, many people were not at all happy. They cast aspersions on Gandhi's integrity.

Gandhi, however, commented, "My commitment is to truth, not consistency."

This reminds me a bit of the Metro Board not going along with the state-mediated agreement. Every indication was that their commitment was to truth, not consistency.

They could not in good conscience ratify an agreement that seemed quite likely to cause troubles down the road.

They were courageous leaders, doing what good leaders sometimes have to do, which is to make a lonely decision in the face of widespread public misunderstand and antagonism. As in the case of Gandhi, aspersions aplenty have been cast upon their integrity.

I am glad they made what they considered to be the right, not just convenient, decision.