Yet they are honourable guys

It was fun to witness the show sipping coffee at the office. Smiling Manmohan Singh and glittering Sonia Gandhi pretending to be in high spirits at the TV screens. They were exhibiting the cover of congress election manifesto displaying their photos. To a question by press reporters as to who is their Prime Ministerial candidate, Sonia covered her photo with her hand.

So, Manmohan Singhji will be the PM if the congress / UPA (United? Progressive? Alliance?) comes to power. The super annuated, bureaucrat turned politician who never faced the electorate in his entire lifetime will don the mantle of the Indian PM for the second consecutive term. Kudos to congress for the high democratic tradition. In Indian National Congress everybody holds posts by appointment. This is democracy. Will a day come when the Indian constitution too can be restructured so that we can do away with ‘Nasty’ elections?

My thoughts went astray on reading the statements of Dr. Manmohan Singh that this time also he is not contesting for the Lok Sabha. This decision is said to be on health grounds. A PM can make use of a lot of facilities for the election campaign which are not available to ordinary citizens. If for reasons of health his travel is restricted, is there not a safe constituency in India where the congress can ensure victory for the PM in waiting? For a person who successfully completed his term of five years in the gaddy of the PM, is it not obligatory to attain the peoples' mandate when the occasion comes ? What else prevents him from facing the electorate if not fear, lack of confidence? In the world democratic sphere, it is the prestige and pride of India that is affected if we are to present a person without peoples mandate again as PM of this largest democracy. And there is no restrictions for the PM to fly on all fools day to London to attend the G 20 Meet.

He has the stealthy steps of a cat

the sharp eyes of a dog

and brings out EVIL

with the seeming innocence of a dove.

This Shakesperean dictum seems apt to establish his deeds.

It is only EVIL that the congress regime has presented to the teeming millions of India, especially since the 90s. Manmohan Singh as the Executive Trustee pulled the strings behind the curtain for a certain period and later was placed in the saddle. Just see the cyclical turn around.

* From 70s upto 80s it was a period of nationalisation of the financial sector. Hundred percent of the insurance and 95 percent of banking came under State control.

* Under Narasimha Rao government Manmohan Singh was appointed as Financial Advisor to the PM. Later he took over as the Finance Minister.

* He appointed the Narasimham Committee. The committee came out with a report endorsing all the important recommendations of IMF enumerated in its study on restructuring of the Indian Financial System. It recommended to do away with directed credit system, abolish lending to priority sector, no for nationalisation, opening up the financial sector to Indian and foreign monopolies.

* Huge public sector term lending institutions with vast assets were placed at the feet of the private tycoons.

* Started the process of privatisation of public sector banks. Acts were amended to permit 33 % disinvestment.

* Opened up doors to foreign and private capital to flood Indian Banking, Insurance and equity Markets.


WHILE CONGRESS WAS ON THE RACE, BJP WAS PLAYING TO THE GALLERY. WHEN BJP TOOK UP THE REIGNS OF POWER, CONGRESS WAS ALL IN SUPPORT OF THE ECONOMIC POLICIES.


* The UPA under congress leadership went along with added vigour.

* Attempted to bring in legislation to further reduce Government stakes in PSBs.

* Majority holding allowed for foreign capital in Indian Private sector banks.

* Attempted to bring in legislation for denationalisation of insurance sector.

* FIIs given a free hand on portfolio investments paving way for casino capitalism.

* Flow of unaccounted and unlawful money was encouraged through tax havens and through unrestricted, unregistered participatory notes.

* Thousands of rural branches of PSB’s closed. Rural credit declined leading to rural poverty and suicide of farmers.

* As credit dried up lakhs of small and tiny industrial enterprises were forced to close shop leading to large scale unemployment.

* Recruitments in government service came to a halt.

* Attempts were made to introduce capital account convertibility.

* Privatisation of pension scheme

* Attempts to divert PF, pension funds to portfolio investments.

Some of these were partially implemented. Most of them, especially those which required legislative sanction could not be implemented. Imagine that all were implemented in full, what would have been the fate of the common man in the context of the global meltdown? By the grace of almighty, such disaster did not happen.

Who protected us from the holocaust?

It is the trade unions fighting in the streets.

It is the Left fighting in Parliament and outside with a decisive number of Parliament members to its credit.

It is the intervention of intellectuals, the economists committed to the common man.

It is the democratic sections of the society allied to the Left forces.

* Now major share of the banks remain under State control as the banking regulation amendment act is not passed in Parliament. If not, it would have changed hands to private and foreign cartels.

* FDI in insurance now remains at 26 %. Had the bill been passed it would have gone upto 49%. By another step 49 to 51 would have been possible.

* PFRDA ( Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority) Act is not passed. Hence pension funds did not flow to capital market. Because of that our status of a worker has not been changed to that of a beggar as against what happened to many in the US.

* CAC ( Capital Account Convertibilty) is not implemented. And so, our economic foundations are not devastated.

* Our Navaratna companies are not privatised. The Cargils, Monsantos, Walmarts, et al are still at bay.

And still

Sonia and Manmohan unashamedly claim that

They protected the public sector.

Yet they are honourable guys.

They protected the financial sector.

Yet they are honourable guys.

They protected the poor worker

Yet they are honourable guys.

They protected the poor farmer. (By leading them to the grave)

Yet they are honourable guys.

Yes, it is the question of time to decide what is fair and what is foul. Five years back the NDA felt that India was shining. And the people told them; Look, your leaders may be shining, we are not. Now the congress leaders feel they are glittering. Let them understand all that glitters is not gold. The suffering India will see that they are shown the door.