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Journalism of Courage
There8217;s more than one reformist heart beating in 7 Race Course Road. Manmohan Singh8217;s government has spent much of its tenure so far battling the status-quoist, protectionist demands of the Left parties 8212; and indeed of many Congress leaders sworn to wornout pre-1991 socialism. Now, it appears, they have a fellow traveller in their midst, someone who could humanise the numbers embedded in their economic jargon, someone who could convert the confused to liberalisations and reform. Forget World Bank-speak and tune to Gursharan Kaur, the prime ministerial spouse, for a primer on price management.
On Saturday, she dished out the strongest counter to critics of the government8217;s decision to hike the prices of petroleum products, including liquefied petroleum gas. And she couched her defence in such simple home truths that we eagerly await a response from such eminences as Jyoti Basu and K. Karunanidhi, who demand nothing less than a full-fledged rollback. Much as the raised cost of LPG cylinders is steep, said the good lady 8212; who had just this May instructed her husband to guard the price of an LPG cylinder at Rs 241 8212; but look at the subsidies that are piling up. Of course, she8217;d have liked the price to remain low, instead of this latest Rs 20-hike, but nothing can stay static. Yes, Mr Basu, still intent on a nationwide stir? And Mr Karunanidhi, still determined to politicise economics in a 50-a-barrel world?
