Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is a man of few words.Persons likehis successor NarendraModiused to call him ‘mauni baba (reticent hermit)’. Yet, he carried on for 10 years doing whatever he could for the country. As he himself claims, he never gloated over his achievements, for he believes that his work alone should speak for the 2004-2014 period he remained as Prime Minister. He made an exception on Thursday when he addressed a video conference to campaign for the Congress in Punjab. As is his wont, he did not use the name of any political leader, least of all the incumbent Prime Minister, to mount a political attack.
Nonetheless, anyone who has heard him knows for sure that he did not show any reticence in putting his viewpoint across. If in the end the speech ended up as an indictment of the current dispensation at the Centre, he could not help it. Yet, his speech should not be seen as the ranting of a Congressman, who has been sulking on the sidelines of national politics for sevenyears. As was only to be expected, BJPleaders, including the Union finance minister, have responded to his criticism in harsh tones.
The point to be noted is that there is an element of truth in what he said. If unemployment in the country stands at its peak in recent years and the divide between the rich and the poor has been widening, the truth should be accepted in order to take corrective steps. Similarly, hugging foreign political leaders and gatecrashing into marriage feasts are not signs of good diplomatic engagements. What the nation expects are steps inaccordance withtime-testedpoliciesvis-a-vis countries likePakistanand China. Using swings to talk withvisiting dignitaries will provide good photo opportunities but nothing more.
Many of those who considered Manmohan Singh a failure as Prime Minister have a different opinion now. Though comparisons are odious, they are inevitable in politics. A political leader is considered a success or failure incomparisonto some other leaders. As someone who brought about economic reforms in the country as the finance minister in PV Narasimha Rao’s governmentinthe 90s, and who was recognisedthe world over as an economist, he deserves to be heard. Needless to say, a sensible leader is one who listens to all views while forming his own view.
