Letters: Mum-mohan Singh?

You have correctly diagnosed the malaise affecting Manmohan Singh in your edit “Reconstitute, not reshuffle” (July 12) by stating that “in politics it is all right to be loved or hated, but no one should risk the ignominy of ridicule.” How can one understand the public defiance of the prime minister by members of his own party? A classic instance is that of a Congress minister of state ridiculing the PM’s visit to Brazil a few years ago to promote cooperation between the two countries. The minister raised the question as to how two countries competing in international trade could cooperate. The only tepid response from the PM’s office was that it was the minister’s personal opinion. Would the gentleman have made such a statement if Indira Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi were the PM? Often, we hear Congressmen proposing Rahul Gandhi to replace Singh. Such acts of indiscipline can be put down if the party chief makes it clear that they won’t be tolerated. So, one can draw the conclusion that it has her approval.

 

There seems to be no chance of Singh becoming PM again after the next election. Can he, then, not take the risk of even alienating his party chief, if necessary, for doing the right thing?

A Seshan, on email

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