Atanu Dey is my favourite blogger. His skill, brilliance and anger makes a heady concoction which I drink heartily from. His logic is irrefutable. On some issues, I disagree with him. This blog is about one such issue:- "Manmohan Singh (MMS) and corruption"
MMS presides over an alliance which has bunch of corruption charges against it. MMS government handles issues of national importance like cut-motion-against-price-rise and nuclear-deal by negotiating with MPs/MLAs of questionable morality. Follow Atanu Dey for more on this issue, where he has explained it more logically, more factually and with much more flair.
I respect MMS for his guarded-talk. I believe that MMS with the help of Narasimha Rao ushered in liberalization (I give more credit to Rao though). In this post, however, I am explaining why I do not hold MMS in contempt in spite of everything said above. I do believe that all the corruption charges are true but still MMS stands redeemed in my eyes. Here's why:
Manmohan Singh(MMS) is not the source of corruption that plagues India.
Corruption happens when we pay half the ticket-price to bus conductor and ask him not to issue the ticket. Corruption happens when we happily enjoy a discount from the furniture-stores by foregoing the receipt. Corruption happens due to our unethical greed and lax system.
Unethical greed is universal to our species. MMS cannot control that. However, MMS, being the prime minister, is in a position to change the system. Atanu believes MMS is not doing anything to change the system. I am not so sure. Right To Information was introduced under MMS. That was a significant move.
Why is MMS not doing more? I believe nobody, not me, not you, not even the prime minister, can move very fast against corruption as corruption is deeply entrenched within India. Dictatorship would have helped but it has its own risks. We all have to live in this filth of corruption, engage with it where unavoidable and desist from it wherever it lies within our power. Should MMS have resigned instead of compromising with people in power? Or should MMS continue IN the system in order to change it? I am not sure which is the right option. I am not sure what I would have done if I was in MMS’ position.
Enough said.
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3 comments:
Dear Sambaran da,
I saw on Greatbong's blog that you inquired how Bengalis outside Bengal can help. Make no mistake, there's a massive role for the Bengalis to play - see http://hindusamhati.blogspot.com/2010/09/statement-by-tapan-ghosh-president.html
If you want to help, that would be outstanding - please send an email to futurebangla AT gmail DOT com and cc: hindusamhati AT gmail, mw_mod AT yahoo, introducing yourself, work, location and expertise on how YOU want/can help.
Simple game theory: If MMS sees something CAN be changed, the strategy is to realize that he is currently not replaceable (no other viable alternatives for congressmen, Sonia CANNOT take the bait of PMship and face the wrath of general populace. It will also put some damper to Rahul for next 40 years of gandhi rule)
With this in mind, i think MMS can threaten to quit either to destabilize the congress OR
hope for some internal catharsis and achieve cleaner rule.
Or destabilization will be short term bad but long term it will necessitate all folks to cleanup a bit.
I think MMS is not so vulnerable and can play such card.
I suspect he is just as power slave as others and Sonia&co realize that.
30+ yrs of bureaucratic rise is not possible with no connivance in Indian Administrative circles
Nice conjecture ExquisitelyInquisitive. My view in the blog about MMS' honesty is a conjecture too. Neither of us know MMS' mind.
For the time being, I choose to stick to my conjecture.
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