Prime Minister's Initiate To Reassure Citizens in Crisis

The office of prime minister in a parliamentary democracy is considered to be an office of extraordinary significance and of great prestige, because he heads the government consisting of people's elected representatives. It is under his leadership and guidance that the council of ministers takes the country on the path of progress and prosperity through important policies and welfare schemes. Such measures add to the stature of the country in the comity of nations.

Scams and Irregularities
Because of the 2G Spectrum, the S-band spectrum, the Commonwealth Games, and Adarsh Housing scams, the United Progressive Alliance government was facing serious allegations owing to the misdeeds of some of its ministers and officials, which were being highlighted in media. The opposition had launched a concerted and continuous campaign against the government. So much so that the winter session of Parliament got completely washed out on the insistence of the demand for the constitution of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to investigate into these scams.

The opposition consistently demanded that the prime minister and union ministers explain and clarify their stand vis-à-vis these allegations. Under these circumstances, it had become imperative for the prime minister, in his position as the head of the government, personally to interact with the media and clarify his position and that of his government to the public, so that the confidence deficit-anxiety, and frustration that have taken roots among the people because of sky rocketing price-rise, could be allayed.

It was because of it that in reply to a question at the meeting with editors and representatives of TV news channels held at his residence, the prime minister said that he does not claim that he has never committed an error, yet he is not as big a culprit as he is being made out to be. He said it in response to a question whether being the head of the government he feels himself equally responsible for the scam and irregularities. He said that he was fully aware of his personal responsibility but to run a coalition, one had to make some compromises.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said: "I want to assure the people that my government is serious to bring to book the guilty in corruption cases, regardless of the position they held." He also urged the media not to focus excessively on the negative aspects, as it affects the self-confidence of the country. He further urged that they should refrain from projecting India as a country of scams only, as it may also have an adverse impact on the domestic and international situation. He added that it is a situation, which is eating into our strength. Therefore, he said, the good works done by the country should also be reported truthfully. He asserted that he was prepared to appear before any committee, including the JPC. The coalition government has its compulsions too. He added that naturally all is not in the shape as I want to see."

Resolving Issues
Replying to another query with regard to bringing an end to discretionary powers of ministers so as to prevent corruption, he informed that a group of ministers, headed by Pranab Mukherjee, h as been constituted which will suggest the way to deal with the issue. The group has been asked to submit its report within 60 days. He emphasized that all countries in the world respect India as a democratic country and, therefore, we all should together inculcate new strength, new sentiment and renewed self-confidence. If we face certain issues, we have the ways to resolve them too, he said and exuded confidence that we will succeed in resolving all these issues.

Criticizing the prime minister after his interaction with the media, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Left parties referred to his assertion that in a coalition government some compromises have to be made, and accused the prime minister of defending corruption. These parties also ridiculed his comparison between the 2G Spectrum and the subsidy being given to the poor. BJP President Nitin Gadkari said that coalition politics is related only to the 2G Spectrum, and S-band ISRO case, Commonwealth Games and the Adarsh Housing scams have little link with these. According to Gadkari, "If one sees between the lines, it is nothing but an attempt to sweep corruption under the carpet."

Extending Subsidies
Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Sitaram Yechuri expressed almost similar sentiments and added, "On issues like corruption and price-rise, the prime minister says that to deal with these two burning issues, nothing much can be done which implies that the prime minister has thrown up his hands failing to resolve these basic and major issues facing the country". According to Yechuri, "Extending subsidies to the poor is an entirely different issue, while extending subsidies to the wealthy people and maintaining that to do so is necessary is sheer nonsense". Both the BJP and Left have targeted the government for the washout of the winter session of Parliament. Gadkari said: "If you are now prepared to appear before any committee, why didn't you do it earlier, so that such a situation would not have a risen."

Let the opposition and the critics term the interaction of the prime minister with the electronic media as an attempt to suppress corruption, yet it is a hard fact that in view of the debate raging for several months on the scams, the impasse in Parliament and the concern of the people, it can only be termed as a welcome and positive initiative. One can hope that the prime minister may continue to carry what is in his mind to people through media in the future.

Wise, Brave Initiative of Congress

Communalism, corruption, terrorism and Naxalite (Maoist) violence are issues, which have not only hampered development and prosperity but have also vitiated national integration and unity. A country can be prosperous after passing through the process of development and burning issues like unemployment, poverty and backwardness can be solved when there is peace and fraternity and national unity. We can, in simple terms, call it our utter misfortune that despite the best efforts of the government some corrupt, vested interests and communal elements, are taking advantage of the weaknesses of laws and privileges of democratic rights, and spreading the venom of communalism in the country, which led to anarchy, civil war and disintegration.

Growing Problems
The country, at present, is passing though difficult times. New scandals, corruption, spreading violence and terrorism in the name of religion are coming to light almost every day. All this has not only brought Parliamentary system to an impasse, but has left the people are greatly frustrated and anxious. It is the bounden duty of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to salvage the country from this perilous situation and bring back on the right track, which has brought India a place of pride in the comity of the nations.

Since the present leadership, including the party president, Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, is extremely worried over the current situation, it had accepted the resignations of some ministers and chief ministers. It had even issued orders to get the 2G-spectrum allotment case investigated by the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament under the supervision of the apex court. Yet, the opposition continued to insist on nothing short of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to investigate the issue and continued to create uproar so that Parliament could not transact any business for days.

All this demanded of the ruling party to take major measures. Going by the need of the hour, the ruling party did exactly the same thing. The party at its 83rd plenary session held at Delhi, not only sounded the bugle of war against corruption but accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Sangh Parivar, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its allies of striving to disintegrate the country, appealed to party activists and senior officials to be extra cautious about these forces and take them head on with al the might at their command. Calling for imposing a war on RSS activities, AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh, likened it with Nazis, alleging that it is indulging in massacre of Muslims. A political resolution was also approved at the plenary, which calls upon the government to deal with religious fundamentalism with a strong hand. It also demanded that the likes and relations between the RSS and its affiliated organizations with terrorists, be investigated thoroughly. Digvijay Singh alleged that the Rath yatra (chariot journey) undertaken by a senior BJP leader, L.K. Advani, was the bases of terrorism and accused both the BJP and the RSS that they "hate Muslims as much as Nazis, hates Jews."

Referring to the argument put up by the BJP that all the Muslims are not terrorists, but all the terrorist are Muslims, the AICC general secretary said that this logic can be advanced that all Hindus are not terrorists but all those persons arrested in the case of bomb explosions at various places are activists of the RSS. On Gujarat, the party has called on the government to get exemplary punishments announced in all perpetrators of irreparable genocide during Gujarat riots in 2002. The resolution maintains that the ruling of the high court does not condone those who brought down the Babari mosque in any way. They must be punished by all means.

2G Spectrum Scandals
Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi alluding to the Commonwealth Games, Adarsh Housing Society and the 2G Spectrum scandals, said that Congress President Sonia Gandhi, has motivated us to fight against corruption. He added that any progress becomes meaningless sin, which the person standing at the last end of the queue does not get an opportunity to progress.

Describing the activists of the party as an important bridge between the Congress and the common man, Sonia Gandhi said that whether we are in power at the centre or in the states we must not forget that the government comes into existence through the party. Hence it devolves in the government and the officials in the government to pay greater attention to addressing the complaints of the workers. She maintained that corruption in such a menace, which is eating into the vitals of every section of our society it, is the common man who pays a heavy price for it.

Sonia Gandhi stressed that fast track courts must be set up to get the cases of corruption against politicians and bureaucrats. To bring transparency in contracts, she wanted that effective legislations and a clear line of action should be put in place. Complete security be provided to whistle-blowers in all such cases of corruption. She called on chief ministers and union ministers of the Congress to voluntarily surrender their right to allot land and. The government should fund elections.

Need of Common Man
Rahul Gandhi, general secretary of the party appealed that the party officials should give top priority to the need of the common man and added that the country's progress cannot be completed until we learn to respect the common man.

Though the top leadership of the Congress has strived to defuse the demand and the mood in the country on the demand of a JPC investigation it he case of recent corruption it remains a matter of conjecture as to how the union ministers, state ministers and others who are at the helm of affairs, succeed in implementing these directions and what stand does the opposition adopt in Parliament on the 2G Spectrum and other scandals.