Political Diary

New Delhi, 4 January 2014

10 Years Inning

SINGH NO LONGER KING

By Poonam I Kaushish

It was a tutorial in history. In fact, histrionics at its best, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh style! “I honestly believe that history will be kinder to me than the media or Opposition Parties.” Whereby, he lost a historic opportunity to change his sub-zero public image, provide logical insights and reasons for turning a Singhing mandate into a sleazy stinging stew of scandals galore. Succinctly, a damp squib!

Forget the pokerfaced exterior and false bravado of doing his best and putting the country on a good growth momentum, Manmohan Singh’s 75-minute presser (his third in 10 years) did not throw up anything that we weren’t conversant with.  Other than his definite assertion that he would hang-up his boots as Prime Minister post elections.

Worse, he underscored that I-am-squeaky-clean-tried-my-best-so-buck-does-not-stop-with-me, an art which has come to define his Premiership. In cricket they call the person spoilsport!

Indeed, it was sad to see the man who ushered in economic reforms to becoming the first aam aadmi (honest-humble-middle-class-professor-bureaucrat) hand-picked to lead India in 2004 and emerging as King in 2009 to reach a pass where he is lampooned, mocked and trashed for a “nonsense” ordinance to keep criminal-politicos in business and much else. Amputating the last morsel of his personal authority, pock-marking him no different from ghise-pite-netas who cling to power despite invectives.

So what went wrong? Did he overstay and ignore Congressmen demanding his head? Alas, Singh has only himself to blame for squandering much of the goodwill that he commanded when he began his second term. Engulfed in scandals, sans control over his Ministers he not only failed to function as primus inter pares but also willingly lumped the jibes. Why?

For reasons best known to him, he chose to remain silent on the “loot” that turned his Administration into an inferno, only to singe him in the process. Can “compulsions of coalition politics” be the raison d’ etre for turning a Nelson’s eye and compromising on corruption?

Amazingly, his denunciation on slush leaves one flabbergasted. He claimed the “dimensions of the corruption scandals” that rocked his Government were “over-stated” and these were “irregularities” rather than outright plunder of the people’s wealth. Really?

Add to this his convoluted logic that controversies surrounding coal blocks allocation scam and the 2G spectrum licenses pertained to UPA I were much ado about nothing as “people had voted the coalition back to power”.

When pushed to the wall, no matter of hard he tried to argue that he favoured “transparent and fair auctioning” of 2G spectrum and coal blocks Manmohan Singh fell flat. Then what went wrong Prime Minister? Was he unaware that the 2G scam would result in monumental financial loss to the exchequer? Why carry tainted baggage in his Cabinet?

Why didn't he stop ex-Telecom Minister Raja in his tracks? Or did the Prime Minister turn a blind eye simply because his Government would have been destabilized if the DMK had walked out? Recall, in 2008 a Damocles sword hung over UPA 1 as the CPM had already withdrawn support over the Indo-US nuclear deal and it was at the mercy of Mulayam’s Samajwadi Party.

Can compulsions of coalition politics be the cause célèbre of inaction? Also, under the Transaction of Business Rules the Prime Minister has unrestricted right to get any file, any record from any Ministry.  And all decision above Rs 500 crore has to go through the Union Cabinet. 

More. Why did he allow coal allotments to firms belonging to Ministerial colleagues, MPs and a firm selling garments? What measures were taken to stop the flagrant and crude diversion of public funds into our polity’s private pockets?  Undeniably, Singh could have retrieved some lost ground, by sacking CWG accused Suresh Kalmadi and Raja as soon as the scandals became evident

More shocking, he was nonchalantly dismissive that corruption cases merited urgency as he rejected Himachal’s Bribegate as “I-read-about-it-but-haven’t-had-time-to-read-it. Suffice to say just ignore it and pray to God it magically disappears. As last recourse parrot the much-rehearsed-abused line ‘law will take its own course!

Notwithstanding tall claims that Sonia-Singh’s dual centres of power worked in tandem, his reluctance in sacking his Law and Railway Ministers clearly showed both were not on the same page. Underscoring his timidity, bordering on obsequiousness towards the Congress President thereby highlighting the inherent weakness of their personal arrangement between Singh as Government head and Sonia as Party Chief. Consequently, exposing the Prime Minister as scrawnier than the Party, contributing to a political and moral void.

Furthermore, he botched up all attempts at dispelling the negative image of his Government. Made worse, by the Premier hedging questions on being a weak Prime Minister and remote-controlled, “for me it was a remarkable achievement that I have been able to complete 10 years without any hiccups” Sic

He was at his vacuous best on the few biggest issues that confront India today, spiraling price rise, skyrocketing inflation, lack of governance, corruption and security issues. The Prime Minister spoke on these issues on expected lines -- he did not say anything substantially new.

Sadly, the Prime Minister forgot that basic principles of truth and probity cannot be sacrificed at the altar of coalition dharma, precisely what his UPA I &II did for almost 10 years. Disregarding that leadership is not merely an exposition of ones abilities or honesty. Intrinsic to leadership is the ability to enforce and demand the highest standards. As US President Barack Obama said in his address to Parliament, “With increased power comes increased responsibility.”

Besides, no matter his attempt to appear holier-than-thou and an honest man surrounded by chaalis chor, indeed Manmohan Singh has graduated to become a past master in politicking. He knew only to well that his acerbic attack on Modi being “disastrous” for the country would hog media headlines pushing crucial issues on the back burner. But as the Aam Aadmi Party’s success shows people are no fools, they see through.

What next? There are many remedies if the Prime Minister and his Congress are serious. As he himself states five months is a long time in politics. True, none doubt his personal honesty and integrity. Nor does anyone disagree that Singh is a good man who has the nation's wellbeing at heart. But often, as an old proverb goes, a good honest man's silence is likely to cause more harm than a bad man's deeds.

By letting scams tar the two UPA Governments, Manmohan Singh talk of serving his country to the best of his ability sounded fake. As the first among equals it was his moral duty that he sticks his neck out and veto his Cabinet colleagues irrespective of the “compulsions of coalition politics”

Not only has his credibility been damaged beyond repair but as the four Assembly results show, it has proved very costly for him and the Congress. Perhaps, history will be kinder to Manmohan Singh. But that is in the future. Also, he needs to remember, in a democracy time doesn't tell, it is voters who tell compellingly. Please heed, Prime Minister. INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)