Some questions you might want to ask of the prime minister

But don't expect Monday to bring satisfactory answers though

ashishm

Ashish Mehta | May 22, 2010



As prime minister Manmohan Singh addresses his only second full-fledged media briefing on Monday on the occasion of the first anniversary of the UPA II, here are some questions you and I would like to pose to him:

* There seems to be little coordination in the cabinet, with different ministers pursuing different agenda, some taking pot shots at some others. Are they disregarding the central authority or is it the case that there's no central authority?

* Within a year, a Congress minister had to quit over a controversy, but several non-Congress ministers continue despite bigger controversies. Is this the price you (and we) are paying for coalition politics?

* You called Maoists the biggest security threat. In the couple of years since that comment,the rebels have only stepped up the campaign while the UPA is simultaneously talking all mutually exclusive strategy options -- not to mention the states that have their own views. Is there a unified anti-Maoist policy in the offing?

* Our Pakistan policy has undergone a sea change in a year without any change on the other side. If there's a justification to change from no-talks to talks, why is that justification not shared with people or parliament?

* The aam aadmi, the one who returned you to power, is crushed under the rising prices of nearly everything but primarily food articles. While the prices have eased a bit of late, nobody has any hopes of household budgets returning to levels of the previous year. Is there any solace for the common man coming round the corner?

* The way various parts of the government have gone about managing or mismanaging the Commonwealth Games is a shame. The event has already showcased what's wrong with our governance instead of showcasing the best of India to the world. And yet no heads have rolled, no responsibility fixed. Why?

* Congress president Sonia Gandhi has termed the advent of RTI as the single biggest achievement of the UPA I. In a well-publicised letter to her, you have advocated some amendments to the law, though all RTI activists have unanimously told the government to back off. Will you please formally clarify the government's stance?

If you have any question in mind, why don't you put it down in the comments space below?

Comments

 

Other News

India reaffirms commitment to climate multilateralism

India has reaffirmed its commitment to climate multilateralism and the principles of Equity and Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC), calling for a fair, equitable and ambitious outcome at the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framewo

How the mind can help the body heal itself

Why do some people recover from illness against all odds? Can our beliefs, emotions and consciousness influence the body’s ability to heal? Drawing on over three decades of experience in medicine, research and medical innovation, internationally trained ophthalmologist and author Dr Dinesh Verma ex

1,364 anti-cancer formulations to cost less from today

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, has capped trade margins on the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of 137 anti-cancer drugs. This was based on the recommendations of an Expert Committee constitute

Who checks the books?

I read about the news about the Coimbatore library over coffee this morning. On the face of it, the headline was about a political ‘war’ between the DMK and TVK. But what stayed with me was something much more important than the blame game behind what had transpired. A writer walking through

Development paradox: Falling poverty miracle and an inequality problem

India’s reduction in poverty over the past decade is a development achievement of considerable significance. The World Bank’s April 2026 ‘India Development Update’ estimates that the share of Indians living below the international extreme-poverty line of $3.00 per person per day i

In Arunachal, a river we call mother

In Arunachal Pradesh, the Siang is not just a river. For many of us, especially the Adi people, it is part of our family. Our grandparents fished in it. Children learned to swim in it. Our farms drink from it. When someone says a huge dam will be built on it, we do not hear the word "project".

Upcoming Conferences



-->

Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter