India at the Cross-Roads
it is incontrovertible that India is at the cross-roads of its economic destiny, and Europe - why, even the rest of the World - is watching anxiously the direction it will take. All that brouhaha of the recent few years about the Nation being unstoppable, it becoming a super=power in the next decade, becoming the second largest economy in the world etc. are seen vanishing into thin air. .Industry and Business groups are beginning to lose hope for the future, banks are under pressure, more and more people are getting disgusted with what is happening around. Factor into this scenario, the staggering inflation - unique to India among Asian Nations - the continually increasing prices for daily necessities, the falling investor confidence, the massive corruption in every walk of life, and the picture is perfect and ready to be framed.
Not to be outdone, we have a Government for almost a decade, headed by an internationally recognised and admired economist and many qualified and experienced Ministers to take care of the various departments. What, then, has gone wrong? The ruling party spokesmen on the media have made laughing stocks of themselves, in trying to defend the indefensible policy frame=work and implementation systems of the Government. Neither the National Advisory Commision Chair-person, nor any of the Congress Party Secretaries have any clue to this explosive situation. Surely, they must be alarmed at the rising discontent among a large majority of the people, alhough they pretend not to recognise it. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh put his best foot forward, by saying that the Indian misadventure is consequent to the Global economic malaise - the Finance Minister blamed Europe, especially Greece and Spain -
and excused himself from timely remedial action owing to the compulsions of coalition politics. In Management parlance, there is the Peter Principle, ' If you are not making profits in business, what the hell are you doing there?"
The time for reckoning has come. We need a Government that understands what has gone wrong, also what needs to be done now and over the years. We cannot give excuses for inaction or policy-paralysis. In short, we need leaders who can deliver on their promises. Our people are more empowered than ever before, and are impatient to see results. They have no patience to hear excuses. The only way that this can be achieved, in my opinion, is to form a National Government, at once. All willing political parties should be in it, and they should agree on a Common Minimum Programme, which is aimed at bettering the economy without much loss of time , and bringing solace to a troubled people. It should also be ensured that there is total transparency in governance and no corruption of any kind. The Parliament - even a Committee constituted by it - should review the government performance, periodically and publish progres reports for the knowledge of the people at large.
To ward off Durvasa's curse of mortality, Lord Vishnu asked the Devas to churn the milky ocean, and extract 'Amrut' therefrom. This was a tiresome and perilous task and he asked them to take on board the Asuras, even on their terms Even so, the time has come in India for a National Government to be formed, to administer the country until its external and internal problems are solved satisfactorily. All our political parties are patriotic and nationalist, and have the national welfare as the goal to be achieved. Minor differences may be there about the content and methodology of governance, but these can be ironed out if a sincere effort is made. The people are waiting. They are watching.
