Talking it out

If the government had been more communicative,it would not have attracted the charge that the Congress has acted unilaterally,without taking the people,the opposition or even its own allies into confidence. The opposition is now taking advantage of this lapse to challenge the government to put the reforms agenda to the test in the House. So pervasive is the culture of silence in UPA2 that even communication within the government has begun to a suffer signal drop. Leaders have taken to hedging and second-guessing the high command,instead of speaking their mind on the issues that matter. When the government has faced inclement weather,as in the situations raised by Mamata Banerjee over the presidential election and FDI in retail earlier,the UPAs top leadership has appeared to respond with stoic silence,though these were opportunities to lay down the line. More recently,even in the controversy over coal allocations,the economist prime minister could have made an attempt to deflate some of the speculation over numbers with a little clear talking on profit and loss.

A government that has staked its future on visible development and welfare in an adverse economic climate cannot be run out of a Trappist monastery. The essence of progressive politics is communication,a skill this government must learn fast. In this season of reforms,this one cannot wait,if the government wants to repair the damage caused by its unwillingness or inability,or both,to reach out and talk to the people.

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