Our Prime Minister has ruled out free lunch for people below the poverty line. Fair enough. He has taken on the Supreme Court for “straying into the executive’s domain by ordering distribution of free food grains for the poor”. But isn’t the Supreme Court the conscience-keeper of the executive and legislature? After all, in our democracy, we are at the mercy of the executive and legislature, apart from the fourth estate. Mercy, yes, we are at their mercy.
The Supreme Court had banned bandhs to help the ubiquitous common man, the aam admi, to commute, to earn his daily wage. But our political parties continue calling for such bandhs. The latest one was today to protest price rise that is seemingly hitting the common man the most. Thank you very much. They have managed to throttle the day’s earning for their aam admi. The government, against which such reckless shows are performed, has even stopped thinking about the bandh as a major pressure move aimed at coercing any reversal of decisions. And, at the end of the day, it is the daily wager who is denied of that day’s earning.
Mr Manmohan Singh has given a wonderful solution to narrow down the income imbalances in our country. He has suggested shifting to industrialisation from agriculture, citing low returns in food production. But, Mr Prime Minister, is there an alternative solution to our nation’s food security? Who will grow our food? Or are we planning to import rice and wheat in exchange for other favours we will have to dole out to the lenders.
Mr Manmohan Singh has also been very vocal about rearranging priorities. He feels the country’s poverty could not be solved by leaving the nation’s rich mineral resources, which happen to be in tribal areas, untapped. Yes, Mr Prime Minister, the country’s poverty levels will not drop. Rather, if these mineral resources are untapped, the billions in the conglomerates’ bank accounts will drop. That will be sad. India will not be able to showcase the growing number of billionaires in Forbes. So what if the country’s poverty line keeps getting altered according to statistical juggling?
But Mr Prime Minister, your party’s dashing poster boy, Rahul Gandhi, has told the tribals that he is their sipahi in Delhi, who will fight for their rights. The aam aadmi would like to know who is the party’s ‘right’ face?
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hi,
ReplyDeletethe writing style is what makes the piece read so well.
as for manmohan and rahul speaking two different ways, i think, the ability to speak with a forked tongue is what makes the ruling classes succeed now and also in the times to come.
You are right. I too was quite surprised at the solution offered by Manmohan Singh - increasing industrialization. When you consider that agriculture is ~70% plus of India's economy such a suggestion is quite drastic. Manmohan Singh could do better by seeking ways for the agriculture sector to create value added products, better remuneration by cutting middle-men, and improving access to newer technologies that would improve productivity. Since there are more than enough smart folks in India, why isn't it possible for the state to create higher yielding, disease resistant seeds that compete with the best. Why do we have to rely on a Cargill or Monsanto.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with Manmohan Singh's assertion that we cannot give free grains to everybody. The former Soviet Union tried that and in the end they were fighting for loaves of bread.