Respected Sir,
Dr. Manmohan Singh- the name stands for the most powerful position of our country- the PRIME MINISTER of India. You have been labelled as our only honest politician. Someone who works extremely hard at the age of 78 for his country, one of the greatest economists of India and yet the most humble, the nicest human beings.
Yet, today, things seem to go wrong. Everywhere- news papers, news channels, internet- I see criticisms against you. Lot of people have complaints. Corruption, Inflation, 2G scam, CWG scam, etc etc. Some say that you’re being controlled by Ms. Sonia Gandhi, others use phrases like ‘Lame Duck’.
On 20th February 2011 an article in the Times Of India titled, “THE END OF AN AURA’ used phrases like a puppet prime minister who is using coalition as an excuse; failed to control inflation; corrupt cabinet and so on. Questions like – Has Manmohan Singh lost the plot? – are being asked today. ‘A quiet man who is lonely at the top.” “I’m not that big a culprit as is being made out.” “The man who just last year was on the Time’s magazine’s power list seems to be losing his halo.”
When your leadership skills are being questioned and such awful things are being said about you, I’m hurt and extremely saddened.
You have been my idol and my inspiration since forever; since the time I had enough sense to decide for myself. I am an Economics student. When most take up this subject because of its value and future prospects, I took it up for the love of the subject. I wanted to grow up and be like you. When I read about you, I decided if I can be even a bit as smart and as humble a human like you, I’ll call it a success.
I know at this point of time a lot many hurdles have diseased our country. With the Lokpal Bill rampage, hue and cry over corruption and an ever increasing inflationary rate; we live in difficult times. We live in the times of scams and lies. With every fuel price hike or an interest rate increase, the efficiency of the government is questioned. I won’t say that’s wrong because I myself see and experience the ordeals we face today. I realise how difficult it is to survive today with the increasing prices. I see how thanks to the corruption, all the money of the tax payers that could’ve helped in these troubled times are pocketed by a few people. I mean, that money which is pocketed could easily be used to give a higher fuel subsidy and hence control over all inflation. We see everyday how people with money can bribe their way to grow whereas an honest worker is still stuck at the bottom as he can work hard but can’t bribe. Every day, sure is a struggle.
But I don’t see how these issues can be used to put up a Congress versus BJP argument. We all know that, had BJP been in power, things would have been no better. I feel when people are living in hard times; it’s a common nature to blame because it gives us a hope that the other can solve our problems. I agree when people say the government can do a lot to help its people. It’s completely true. But I don’t agree when one man – you alone – are blamed for it. I can only imagine how hard it is to run a coalition. Not just coalitions, we all know how our political system works. If one man alone could change things, India wouldn’t have been a multi party democracy. It would have been something close to a dictatorship. Yes, you are the Prime Minister. And yes, it’s your government but we all know you’re also bound to the majority. No bill can be passed without a majority in the Parliament so how can you alone change everything?
Another allegation is that you’re not television friendly and don’t communicate. And probably in response to that you held a discussion with five senior print journalists, recently. But that didn’t go too well either. The argument put forward is that in today’s times with so much technology and media spread all over, the Prime Minister should speak to the masses when addressing their concerns. Not to a handful. To a large extent that is true. Contrarily, I feel that the decision is with you. You choose to work rather than to talk on what SHALL be done. And really, if a person talks less you can’t hold it against him/her.
Basically, all I’d like you to know is that I support you. If at all it makes a difference, I believe in you when many don’t. You have been my idol and whatever people may say, I won’t believe that you’re being controlled or whatever. Because I know you wouldn’t hold the position of the Prime Minister if you knew that you can’t deal with the nation’s problems. Your economic policies in the 90s are the reason India has grown. It has become that strong a power because of the policies introduced by you. So how can someone who let to its growth let it all fall down in an instant?
Yours,
An Indian.
