He's minding the store

Prime Minister Singh reassures the nation

Over fifteen months after being re-elected prime minister, Manmohan Singh participated in a conversation with representatives of the print media to reassure the nation that he was not just in charge but also in control of the government. While Dr Singh did address a national press conference after completing the first year of his second term in office, he has been remarkably reticent to engage the media in a conversation. Indeed, he has so far not given a one-on-one interview, to either print or television media at home. Such interviews enable the interlocutor not just to draw the interviewee out, but also cross-examine and understand the thinking behind publicly stated views. But Dr Singh has chosen to remain shy, perhaps for good reasons best known to him. He has developed the skill of a smart politician of making non-controversial and standard statements. At Monday’s interaction with the print media, the prime minister did a lot of that, without getting into any great detail, not revealing his mind fully on many issues and steering clear from controversy. Indeed, the only statement that sounded even half controversial was his comment on judicial activism. Even on this, his is now a widely shared view. The judiciary has been overstepping its bounds.

Dr Singh was entirely right to claim that his government is no less cohesive, in terms of internal differences on policy issues, than earlier ones, including the Cabinets of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. It was only during the ignominious months of the infamous Emergency that even Union ministers were afraid to express dissent. Some may regard the prime minister’s view that the economy is doing reasonably well, apart from the persistent problem of inflation, and that his real challenges are on the political front — like communal tensions, casteism, Naxalism and extremism — as complacent, given incipient threats to high growth. However, in underscoring the importance of industrialisation and placing issues regarding the environment, rights of forest dwellers and equity in perspective, the prime minister has helped restore balance to a debate on economic policy that has been hijacked by social activists.

The press interaction showed once again that on foreign policy Dr Singh is a visionary in the Nehruvian mould, but pragmatic like Atal Behari Vajpayee. He has an understanding of India’s long-term interests and needs, and is able to place day-to-day events within a larger perspective. Asia is going through turbulent times and the rise of China, on the one hand, and religious extremism, on the other, pose a challenge that India must be able to deal with to ensure the sustainability of its own rise. That he is aware of these challenges and has a clear vision about how India must march forward as an emerging economy and a rising power came through clearly once again. To this extent, the nation remains reassured that the country is in the hands of a wise man.

Now that Dr Singh has reassured the nation and the markets that he is minding the store, he should devote some time to improving the quality of his manpower. He need not be obsessed about inducting younger ministers, given that in his present team the older ones seem to be performing better than the younger ones, but he should certainly bring more rounded personalities to handle more difficult ministries. Having demonstrated that he is still in charge, Dr Singh should function as a prime minister without fear or favour. His party needs him more than he or the party are willing to acknowledge.