To Be Fair…
by Anshuman Goenka
A friend remarked yesterday that my posts were getting more charged, and seemed more tilted in favor of the BJP. Apart from the fact that the insiders of the BJP may think that I am not toeing the party line enough, this remark actually underscores our message. We are not the BJP, but we are Friends of BJP, and not Friends of Neutrality.
Even so, as I promised in my initial post I am beholden to acknowledge what I see as good in the opposite camp.
To start with, the current government is led by a Prime Minister whose scholarship is not only unsurpassed among anybody who has held that office before but should be the pride of any Indian. More importantly, throughout his long and illustrious he has been known to be for the highest levels of probity. And most importantly, in a pleasant departure from the predecessors within his party, we do not see a fawning coterie around him that has been an irritant earlier. But as I mentioned earlier, all of these virtues, indeed great virtues do not adequately credit his tenure as Prime Minister, because the Prime Minister’s Office is first and foremost a political office. While Rajya Sabha members have run the PMO earlier, they always were the most important political authorities in their cabinet, which clearly is not true now.
There must be a clear, universally accepted legacy of a Prime Minister who has served five years in office. I will say that about the last three Congress Prime Ministers, none of whom I would have voted for - Indira Gandhi led the Bangladesh War & the Green Revolution, Rajiv Gandhi introduced IT and Narasimha Rao supported the 1991 reforms. But in the last five years, I see really nothing that I can count as the universally accepted meaningful legacy of this government.
There are a few things which are often cited as achievements.
First, the RTI, which best appeals to the middle-class sensibilities among Friends of BJP. This is a noble idea, very shabbily implemented. Unless pursued by one with clout within the government or one who has no other occupation but chase an application, this is a complete failure. The recent issue of Outlook shows how ineffective the systems have been in enforcing RTI and punishing those who violate its spirit.
Second, there was the very contentious nuclear deal with the US, which split the UPA and led to the rather unsavory Cash-for-Votes scam. Besides the indelible taint on the outgoing Lok Sabha, we are unsure of how robust this achievement will be in any event where we develop a difference of foreign policy opinion with our new ally.
Third, in some sections there is a support around farm loan waivers and NREGS. These are policies I believe have not only taken us away from the path of sensible fiscal prudence but actually have big gaping holes in implementation.
As a counterpoint, what could have been done, and indeed what should the next government do? Instead of levying an opaque additional tax, involve the private sector in the delivery of our #1 social priority that is education - using vouchers at the primary level and opening up the ground for legitimate private universities. Develop an education funding system that enables everybody to participate in the market. Use India’s latent growth potential and diminishing investment opportunities worldwide to bring fresh investment into sectors currently locked up, which can take us back to 8%+ growth in immediate term. But most importantly, work to reinstate the credibility of a participative, representative government free from the clutches of cronies of one family. Should any alternative other than the BJP be credibly promise to take us in that direction, to be fair, they too will have my support.
Comments
8 Responses to “To Be Fair…”
Manmohan, may be a good man, but he is hardly a PM. He is a bureaucrat who does what he is told. What is the use of ‘buddhi’ if you dont have the ‘vivek’ to do the right thing. He is often referred to as the architect of the reforms. there again the real architect was PVnarasimha Rao, who told him to take the steps and babuji loyally implemented. I am sure Manmohan Singh in his personal capacity is perhaps a gentleman, but as a PM he is an unmitigated disaster. You dont need to be a BJP supporter to say that.
“We are not the BJP, but we are Friends of BJP, and not Friends of Neutrality.”
Being friends doesn’t imply that you have to brag about BJP. Being friends means to give unbiased opinion whether good or bad, to tell them when they are wrong, to commend them when they are right, to show the right path and not necessarily toe what they say. Honestly, this website so far has looked more like a BJP Brag-Page than anything else.
Remember,
“Nindak niyare rakhiye, Aangan kuti chhawaye
Bin sabun pani bina, nirmal karat subhaye”
well guys being friends of bjp in karnataka has meant losing freedom- religious freedom and our personal freedom too…what a tragedy….so please dont promote bjp….
first destroy RSS, Bajrangdal, VHP, Sri Ram sene, ABVP and then you promote bjp….
i will the first one to vote for bjp then…
so tell me, who would like to lose his/her freedom by voting to bjp???
so far it has destroyed only those states that are ruled by it….we dont want india to be destroyed of its secular fabric….
please dont vote for bjp when the lunatic groups like RSS, SRS,BD,VHP,ABVP are around!!!!
woooooooooooo see Raul vinci’s utter blunder ignorance if this guy want to contest elections that is the most blunder one can do.
Recently Rahul Baba while interacting with professionals in Ahmedabad’s Bhaikaka hall said that “Gujarat is bigger than the United Kingdom.” The Congress men gathered there started clapping but the fact is that Gujarat’s geographical area is 196024 sq km while the United Kingdom possesses 245,000 square kilometers area, much bigger than Gujarat.
And Rahul Baba in the same interaction said that “India is bigger than the United States and Europe put together”. But the fact is that India(3,287,263sq. km) is not bigger either United States(9,631,418 km² sq. km ) or Europe(1crore 20 lakh ) alone, forget put together.
So if you own a company (and suppose Rahul Baba is not from Nehru/Gandhi Parivar), would you give Rahul Baba a job after interviewing him? Don’t forget that the Indian National Congress wants to give him Country’s top job, forget company’s.
BAAN KAANGRESS THEY ARE THE REAL TALIBAAN IN INDIA
@Sakthi: Rahul Baba might have been talking in population terms and not necessarily in terms of area. Let’s give him the benefit of doubt.
Mr. Anshuman keep it up, You are very much right.
Mr. anshuman u have told us about achievements of UPA.First to talk about RTI,we r getting lots of trouble in achieving information.Problem with our system is not about laws but about its implementation.RTI has not fulfilled our demands.Maximum can be said is its just an initial step & still long times to go.Another pt u r talking about is loan waiver,u come to vidarbha & I can show u who is the beneficier.No needy farmer has got actual benefit.
Hi friends,
Its very good you have taken initiative to put up this site. It is definitely required because the media is not at all impartial. Wish you all the best and I want to see Shree Advaniji as our PM shortly.