Packed Programme For Mps

From a political standpoint, perhaps the most important aspect of the speech lies in the government views on petroleum and petro-product prices, as expressed through the Presidents speech. Mr Sharma has clearly indicated that they need to be increased and also given the reasons for doing so. This suggests two things. One, that an increase is imminent and two, that the government has decided to brave the Lefts and the Congress partys inevitable wrath when the increase is effected. This decision must surely be based as much on inevitability as on the calculation that neither the Congress nor the Left have any option but to support the UF government, since the alternative is the BJP. In their dilemma lies the UFs current mood of confidence, so well reflected in the speech it gave the President to read.

 

However, few will fail to sympathise with the Presidents ire over the deletions to his customary speech to Parliament on the eve of the Budget session. A sentence indirectly criticising the Congress was blacked out of the distributed copies, but could still be easily read by those to whom it was initially distributed. The sentence ought to have been deleted before the speech was printed for distribution. But since it was not, it should have been left in. By inadequately blacking it out with ink, not only has the government clearly indicated an excessive concern for the Congress partys sensibilities, it has also acted without finesse and sense of propriety. Such acts do not contribute to the dignity of the office of the President. Future governments should be mindful of this as also the fact that authority and dignity go hand in hand. You cannot lower the latter without reducing the former.