Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Every new dispensation involves the throwing out of the bath water. Prime minister-designate, Manmohan Singh, must take care to ensure that while this is being done, his government does not throw out the baby as well. The Vajpayee-led government certainly failed on many fronts 8212; and it has paid a heavy political price for these failures. But there are areas where its efforts have yielded significant results. Political sagacity would demand that the new prime minister in New Delhi discerns the good measures taken by the old political order and ensure that they are supported by continuity of policy and political commitment.
Going by Manmohan Singh8217;s observations to the media on Wednesday, he appears to have already arrived at this conclusion. In any case, he has never displayed petty political oneupmanship when it comes to the country8217;s interests. However, it may be worth reiterating some of the issues for which the Vajpayee government will be remembered. There can be no doubt that a historic breakthrough was achieved in terms of relations with Pakistan, as indeed with the Hurriyat Conference in Srinagar. Manmohan Singh has wholeheartedly endorsed the dialogue idea in order to make friction between India and Pakistan 8220;a thing of the past8221;, as he put it. This is to be welcomed but much would depend on how the process is taken forward and who pilots it. Then there is the issue of infrastructure. One of Atal Bihari Vajpayee8217;s pet projects was the golden quadrilateral, linking the major metros of the country. Here too, thankfully, there is a fair degree of consensus. Manmohan Singh has put on record his commitment to furthering India8217;s road network and to continue with the golden quadrilateral project. Economic reform is the other area that needs to be protected and furthered with wisdom and it is here that the government can come up against a fair degree of opposition from its Left allies. That economic reform must have a human face needs to be stated, but Manmohan Singh must also remember his own words made on the floor of Parliament in December 1991, when he cautioned fellow MPs about destroying investor confidence. As he put it: 8220;We have restored a measure of international confidence in the Indian economy. But let me tell you that this can be destroyed overnight8230; It takes years to build confidence. It takes days to destroy it.8221; This is a message that needs underlining for the edification of his Leftist friends.
