Twenty something years ago, India's finance minister delivered a startlingly bold budget to the nation with the memorable words- "No power on earth can stop an idea whose time has come". The idea he was advancing was that of the liberalization of the Indian economy, and the reforms he ushered in proved almost revolutionary, lifting many of the controls of the license-Raj and transforming India's pitiful Hindu rate of growth from below 3% to a galloping, 8% plus in the coming decades.
Today, that finance minister, now Prime Minister Stands on a crossroads of indecision and trepidation amid policy paralysis, while corrupt colleagues allegedly make off with the nation's silver.
In a nation where politics is dominated by all sorts of undesirable elements, he is known and perceived to be a man of impeccable integrity. I have always believed that Dr. Manmohan Singh will be viewed by the history as the most influential man in the history of Independent India. But lately his legacy is on the lines. His silence- a mutual answer to all the questions, has shuddered the nation.
It is true Dr. Singh; silence is the best answer to the stupid political squabble. Perhaps, there is some honor in not responding to each and every politically motivated accusation. However was it okay to remain quite when an Indian businessman was caught stashing Rs.35K crore (almost $8B), and the Supreme Court reprimanded your government for not interrogating the prime accuse? Was the silence golden when during the Commonwealth Games scam, CBI charged your own party man and the Chairman of the Organizing Committee as the mastermind behind the whole scandal? Should you also remain quite on the 2G scam when the trail of corruption not only involved dirty politicians from your coalition but also bureaucrats, corporate personalities, media persons and lobbyists? I guess it was better to remain quite, than respond to the letter from the outgoing Army Chief, about how our defense procurement procedures are being mired in bureaucracy and corruption!
Dr. Singh, I am in no position to question your integrity or intentions, but should we just close our eyes when the International media, day in & day out, publish a cover story on India’s ‘new corruption scandal’? Should we cover our ears when multinational corporations blame India’s bureaucracy and ethics of our leaders?
I have said it before and will say it again- I still believe that you are not unethical. Period. However, at this juncture of your term, it’s not integrity that we seek from you- it is the courage of being a leader. It will be naïve to think that you will wipe out corruption, but at the very least, let justice be delivered when corruption is exposed. I know it’s a little late but I beg you, open your eyes and look around at the desolation, the politicians have caused under your leadership. Your nation, our nation, my nation is being raped by this filthy, low class creatures. Bit by bit they are selling the soul of our nation to the highest bidder…each passing day.
The time for silence is over. The time for words is also over. It is time for action.
(Thank you for the inspiration, N. Vaise)
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