Watching Manmohan Singh's last press conference as PM, where he answered 62 unscripted questions from 100 journalists, is an exercise in realising how far India’s political culture has shifted.
The launch of former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi's book, India and I, was more of a storytelling event. There was not a dry eye in the packed hall in IIC, Delhi.
India once again finds itself at a cusp, confronted by new challenges of economic security, technological adequacy and an inclusive pattern of growth that have no easy answers.
Revelations are part of SY Quraishi's experience during his 40-year journey in civil service which saw him coming in contact with who's who in power corridors.
Congress has accused Modi of 'genuflecting' before Trump, Netanyahu amid current round of conflict. Back in 2005, UPA govt had aligned with the western bloc in voting against Iran at IAEA.
At the inaugural Manmohan Singh Memorial Lecture, former German chancellor slams major powers’ retreat from the UN, while lauding Singh for reforming India.
On first death anniversary of Manmohan Singh, senior advocate says he 'regrets' having participated in a movement that 'vilified him and helped a rogue regime' come to power.
Though once seen as a platform for non-partisan excellence, analysts say members have increasingly been nominated to the Rajya Sabha to help BJP expand its footprint.
In a written statement, without referring to Tata Trusts Chairman Noel Tata, Chandrasekaran said his reappointment was deferred as it did not receive one of the board members’ approval.
Face-off happened late July when patrol parties of 2 countries came face to face in remote Taksing village. The Chinese are said to have returned in early August.
It’s evident Bhagwat was watching from a distance and was worried about youth’s anger towards Modi govt. The first thing he did was to demolish any criticism of Gen Z protesters as anti-national.
As terrible as things become towards the end of UPA II, it cannot compare to what we have been reduced to now. Our Press Freedom Index and Passport Index have gone down, the value of the Rupee has almost halved (and to imagine, the current PM was making fun of it back then!), and then the raids etc against opposition or critics and so on. As for unscripted questions, just one from Karan Thapar was enough for the 56″-chested strongman to run away with his tail between his legs.
The India-US nuclear agreement that was signed during PM Singh’s tenure was a landmark deal, not least because the US had had to pass the Hyde Act with bipartisan support in both the Congress (for the bhakts’ benefit, Congress is the House of Representatives in the US, not a party) and the Senate. India was able to get a waiver from the NSG and not have to sign the NPT. At home, the UPA had to get enough members on the floor to agree on the deal. All of this makes for fascinating reading (the current party in power and its people have a serious deficiency in that area). Since BJP have always had a majority or close to a majority, they believe in ramming bills or ordinances through the parliament and not in debating and developing consensus, which is fundamental to a democracy. This either hurts the economy badly (as demonitisation and botched GST did) or leads to protests (as the farm law bills, Agniveer etc did). If they really cared about the people and about democracy, they would try to develop consensus and make appropriate changes so that everyone could be on board.
Even Aadhar and UPI, which the current government keeps beating its drums on and putting its own photos on was initiated during PM Singh’s tenure. It’s good to know that history has, indeed, been kinder to him, and many of the scams that dogged him, and which he claimed were false, have been proven so by the courts. I only wish he were alive to see the courts clear his name. He was a properly educated, well-read, gentlemanly statesman, unlike the current crop of illiterates at the helm of power.
Maun Modi asked for fifty days to bring back all the black money, after demonetisation. He said he’d subject himself to punishment after that. The nation is still waiting. As is it for 15 lacs in every bank account. From the PM to the peon, everyone in the party is a liar.
No patriotic Indian misses Manmohan Singh.
Only Khalistanis and their sympathisers miss him.
Unfortunately, Ms. Karanjeet Kaur is one of them.
What is even more unfortunate is that Mr. Shekhar Gupta allows her to use his media platform to spread her gospel.
And he has the gall to ask for our subscription money – all the while promising us ‘unhyphenated’ journalism.
The same “accountable” PM who let Sonia Gandhi demean the office of PM by running the govt herself, and turned a blind eye to mammoth scams and policy paralysis? Wasn’t that dereliction of oath of office?
Yes. He was held accountable for policy paralysis, third-rate socialist schemes of Medha Patkar of national advisory council, astronomical cost of land acquisition, double-digit inflation, divisive statement of minorities have first claim on resources, and Keynesian quackery. The nation will remain grateful to him for his contribution to economic liberalisation of 1991 and the resulting cut in poverty including deaths due to socialism.
On 26 / 11 We saw how citizens of Mumbai were hunted and killed. We also saw Manmohan’s Singhs strategic patience and its fruits i.e. Pahalgam, Uri, Balakot. Accountability is not merely apologizing or explaining one’s wrong actions. Sometimes it is to have the heart to do something risky to protect the nation. Be it the demonized demonetization which was completely subsumed by UPI now(also monitored transactions) or hitting Pakistan, Manmohan Singh lacked the will and courage to do what was right.
MMS exposed pakistan on a global stage and had a president of the US call it a sponsor of terrorism unlike today where it is known by president favorite field Marshall that too after our top leader campaigned for him.
MMS is not responsible for removing security in Pahalgam for terrorists to come in, or declining air travel to solders in Uri or strategic missteps in Balankot. Learn to put the blame at the right doorstep. During MMS time Pakistan was globally shamed and exposed todsy we have to send delegations of leader to sing and dance on our tax payer money to convince others.
UPI was devised during MMS time and if he was there we would not havr to lose 100 people standing in lin3s to get their own money because of a bad policy not even the people who did it speak about.
Nobody misses Manmohan Singh – the Prime Minister of India – with the exception of Ms. Karanjeet Kaur and, maybe, Sonia Gandhi.
But yes, we all do miss dearly Manmohan Singh – the visionary Finance Minister.
As terrible as things become towards the end of UPA II, it cannot compare to what we have been reduced to now. Our Press Freedom Index and Passport Index have gone down, the value of the Rupee has almost halved (and to imagine, the current PM was making fun of it back then!), and then the raids etc against opposition or critics and so on. As for unscripted questions, just one from Karan Thapar was enough for the 56″-chested strongman to run away with his tail between his legs.
The India-US nuclear agreement that was signed during PM Singh’s tenure was a landmark deal, not least because the US had had to pass the Hyde Act with bipartisan support in both the Congress (for the bhakts’ benefit, Congress is the House of Representatives in the US, not a party) and the Senate. India was able to get a waiver from the NSG and not have to sign the NPT. At home, the UPA had to get enough members on the floor to agree on the deal. All of this makes for fascinating reading (the current party in power and its people have a serious deficiency in that area). Since BJP have always had a majority or close to a majority, they believe in ramming bills or ordinances through the parliament and not in debating and developing consensus, which is fundamental to a democracy. This either hurts the economy badly (as demonitisation and botched GST did) or leads to protests (as the farm law bills, Agniveer etc did). If they really cared about the people and about democracy, they would try to develop consensus and make appropriate changes so that everyone could be on board.
Even Aadhar and UPI, which the current government keeps beating its drums on and putting its own photos on was initiated during PM Singh’s tenure. It’s good to know that history has, indeed, been kinder to him, and many of the scams that dogged him, and which he claimed were false, have been proven so by the courts. I only wish he were alive to see the courts clear his name. He was a properly educated, well-read, gentlemanly statesman, unlike the current crop of illiterates at the helm of power.
Maun Modi asked for fifty days to bring back all the black money, after demonetisation. He said he’d subject himself to punishment after that. The nation is still waiting. As is it for 15 lacs in every bank account. From the PM to the peon, everyone in the party is a liar.
No patriotic Indian misses Manmohan Singh.
Only Khalistanis and their sympathisers miss him.
Unfortunately, Ms. Karanjeet Kaur is one of them.
What is even more unfortunate is that Mr. Shekhar Gupta allows her to use his media platform to spread her gospel.
And he has the gall to ask for our subscription money – all the while promising us ‘unhyphenated’ journalism.
Manmohan Singh was surely a well educated and competent Finance Minister.
As Prime Minister he was simply puppet of Sonia Gandhi. – presiding over loot of public money as the Congress and the Gandhis filled their coffers.
For some strange reason, the Hindu-hating Modi-hating West-aping Indian “liberals” like to reminisce about Singh.
The same “accountable” PM who let Sonia Gandhi demean the office of PM by running the govt herself, and turned a blind eye to mammoth scams and policy paralysis? Wasn’t that dereliction of oath of office?
Yes. He was held accountable for policy paralysis, third-rate socialist schemes of Medha Patkar of national advisory council, astronomical cost of land acquisition, double-digit inflation, divisive statement of minorities have first claim on resources, and Keynesian quackery. The nation will remain grateful to him for his contribution to economic liberalisation of 1991 and the resulting cut in poverty including deaths due to socialism.
A modest man with much to be immodest about.
On 26 / 11 We saw how citizens of Mumbai were hunted and killed. We also saw Manmohan’s Singhs strategic patience and its fruits i.e. Pahalgam, Uri, Balakot. Accountability is not merely apologizing or explaining one’s wrong actions. Sometimes it is to have the heart to do something risky to protect the nation. Be it the demonized demonetization which was completely subsumed by UPI now(also monitored transactions) or hitting Pakistan, Manmohan Singh lacked the will and courage to do what was right.
MMS exposed pakistan on a global stage and had a president of the US call it a sponsor of terrorism unlike today where it is known by president favorite field Marshall that too after our top leader campaigned for him.
MMS is not responsible for removing security in Pahalgam for terrorists to come in, or declining air travel to solders in Uri or strategic missteps in Balankot. Learn to put the blame at the right doorstep. During MMS time Pakistan was globally shamed and exposed todsy we have to send delegations of leader to sing and dance on our tax payer money to convince others.
UPI was devised during MMS time and if he was there we would not havr to lose 100 people standing in lin3s to get their own money because of a bad policy not even the people who did it speak about.
Nobody misses Manmohan Singh – the Prime Minister of India – with the exception of Ms. Karanjeet Kaur and, maybe, Sonia Gandhi.
But yes, we all do miss dearly Manmohan Singh – the visionary Finance Minister.