Margret Thatcher often described as the strong willed iron lady in the west of the Iron curtain retired long ago. And she, it is reported is suffering from dementia. She is over eighty.Thanks to the US system George Bush Senior was retired by the ballots. Ronald Regan though he died a few years ago after struggling afflicted by Alzheimer’s, was reportedly behaving senile even while in office.When one cover the European continent and reach Asia it is only in India one will find a Prime minister almost into his eightieth year. Though the average employee of the Government here in India is compulsorily retired by sixty, the political ilk and Mr Singh hang on (wonder if till Kingdom come). Understandably Mr Manmohan Singh is a regent and caretaker of the PMO until the young prince can take over the reins.
There is no intent to deprecate and foul Mr Singh's integrity or his academic credentials. It is also acknowledged that he was responsible for jettisoning India out of the limbo of Nehruvian socialism and license Raj where productivity was licensed and also penalised.
But when many of his recent statements and attention to vital issues of national interests are disconcerting and seemingly emanating from a tired mind well then he must go. Mister Prime minister it is time to retire Sat Sri Akal!
Some of Mr Manmohan Singh’s outlandish comments are inconsiderate, myopic and either without gauging the facts behind or caring a damn.
I quote the news in the Hindu in August 2010, the Supreme Court ordered the Union Government to distribute food grains to the needy millions than let it rot in rain in overflowing government warehouses. It was a Suo -moto decision. And a very piquant observation on the Food ministry and the government! The Government had meanwhile informed the court that 67000 tonnes of food grains have been wasted rotten and not distributed. Angered at this shameful paradox of millions starving and food grains left to rot and waste the Supreme Court ordered the government to distribute the food grains free of cost to the BPL families .To this Mr Manmohan Singh responded exasperatedly that the government cannot distribute food grains free and the Supreme Court should not interfere in policy matters.
Mr Singh’s statement reflected shameful perception and was immoral, it also had no legal substance as letting food grains rot was against the right to life guaranteed by the Fundamental rights of the constitution. Art 21 of the constitution directs the Governments to protect the right to life of every citizen, and no policy can renegade the basic and fundamental rights. A highly irresponsible statement from a Prime minister!
The Hindu dated September 8, 2010 reported that the Prime minister emphasising the economic progress of the country as of paramount concern said, “We cannot solve problems perpetuating poverty in the name of environment. And if mineral wealth of the country cannot be exploited, growth of the economy will be affected. When it comes to poverty eradication, environmental concerns must take the back seat”.
And yet again a bizarre and myopic statement! Was the PM lobbying for the Vedanta, POSCO and other multinational and national conglomerates? Can he provide one example where poverty has been eradicated by virtue of environmental destruction, and dispossession of tribal’s and other locals? The irony is men like Mr Singh who takes decisions on matters that have long term negative implications on environment and society will not be around a few years on to feel and see the demons they have let loose. His statement is unjust to the impoverished millions and to posterity.
The Hindu dated October 24, 2010 reported another statement of the Prime minister. He said that Naxalites are the biggest threat to the nation. What he forgets is that Naxals are not biological phenomenon. They are social creations of a lopsided, insensitive ,selfish, avaricious economic agenda that was peddled by successive governments ,and that Mr Singh seems to advocate.
Propriety must also include hanging your boots when you cannot discern why you wear them.It is time to bid goodbye.
5 comments:
Excellent, Anil! The way you linked the three incidents - the foodgrain issue, the mining and then his comments on Naxalites was smooth.
If this is what one can expect of a person of Mr.Singh stature, no hope of salvation for the poor people. This is why I repeatedly say that democracy is the worst hypocrisy of modern world.
Excellent Post.
This is debate is very old, and those who reach age of 60 are given a farewell, to retire and consider themselves to be unfit and told "sir you are aged now your decision making capacity and physical strengths are not supportive to the challenges you face to be working". We do not have maximum age bar for contesting in elections and people on wheel chairs run for elections and win, people with lost knees,partially blind and deaf and with by pass surgeries and on heavy medication are expected to be fit to do the most critical and difficult jobs with great efficiency!
A PIL has been filed recently in Allahabd High Court against the descripancies in retirement age by a Neelendra Pandey, a local social worker.He quoted the dissimilarities of retirement ages among different establishments.
Having said that,who says the PM makes any decisions in India?They are just pawns of the parties they represent.Apart from the ocassional demented comments he makes,Singh doesnot make decisions on policy matters.For that matter, no PM in India does that.
The criteria that we see in India is that all our PMs are impotent by virtue of age.It is probably a general representation of our character.
@ Bals,
All said and done , debated and discussed or argued, human beings are sensitive to their own -personal welfare, gains and existence.The comments of Mr Singh on these two issues tells that in many words.
@ Dr Antony,
How will they retire, because it is ,"after me deluge".
" To this Mr Manmohan Singh responded exasperatedly that the government cannot distribute food grains free and the Supreme Court should not interfere in policy matters. "
Mr. Manmohan Singh, our Prime Minister, is a well-educated gentleman, unlike most of his ilk. but in spite of it, he has taken the stance of fabled dog in the manger ! He is not ready to give away freely to hungry millions of Indian citizens ( of whom he is the First Servant ) food which is rotting. Food, which in other countries would have been buried,as unfit for human consumption ! Is it the ego of office which has interfered with his gentlemanly judgment, to oppose the third arm of our Constitution, the Supreme Court of India, which has rightly voiced what millions of Indian citizens agree to, wholeheartedly ?
Mr. Singh seems to have abdicated his responsibility to the people and has given ear ( and mind ) to his spin doctors !
@ amalg999
I wonder where the wisdom from his academic life has gone? His comments and conduct of policies and decisions
are outlandish,myopic and nonsense
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