10-10-2005, 04:48 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>PM rips into Left for its wild propaganda</b>
Pioneer
Though the Bihar cloud watered down the importance of Congress Chief Ministers' conclave, one vital message that came out from the two-day meet is the toughening of the party's stand on the Left. While Congress president Sonia Gandhi clearly asserted that the pro-people schemes in the common minimum programme was her party's agenda, <b>Prime Minister Manmohan Singh strongly ripped into the Communists' for indulging in wild propaganda.</b>
The Prime Minister not only spoke against populism, he also warned against creating false expectations as the "Government functions under limitations." Though he was addressing the Congress Chief Ministers' conference, his assertions must have left the Communists' ears burning.
His candid expressions, coming just after the letter given to the Left on BHEL controversy, is being seen as a fresh warning to the anti-reforms forces within the ruling combine that sustaining welfare schemes won't be possible without new avenues of resource generation.
The Prime Minister said, "Populism and populist gimmicks no longer impress people. Hard work does. Promises like free electricity and others that cannot be sustained will not fetch results. Actual performance does make a difference." His own party never shies away from making promises to waive off farmers' loans and offer free electricity to win elections. The Prime Minister later hinted that he wanted his chief ministers to listen to his advice.
Dr Singh also said, <b>"we must reduce subsidies for the rich and divert these resources into investment and employment generation. There is an urgent need for the restructuring of public expenditure. If we want to generate resources for investment and employment generation then we must make bold to generate revenues and equally important, alter the profile of expenditure."</b>
The Prime Minister also appeared hurt by the persistent criticism of the foreign policy by the Left, which goes to the extent of questioning the Prime Minister's commitments.
In his own subtle way, Dr Singh sent a firm message to the Left by saying: <b>"Our people are patriotic. They understand what is in the best interest of our country. Be it our economic policy or foreign policy, or our national policy. The party must explain what our thinking in Government is to the people. It must ensure that false expectations are not generated. It must ensure that deliberate disinformation by vested interests is countered."</b>
He added: "The people of India will never question the patriotism of the Congress party. Let no one question our intentions and motivations, even if they disagree with our policies. We have only one intention and one motivation. To build an India that is strong, that is prosperous, that is liberal and caring, that is inclusive and secular."
Considering that a day before, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi made sweet noises about the importance of a welfare state, the Prime Minister's tough talk is bound to jolt the Left yet again.
The Prime Minister was equally candid when he spoke of the growing disenchantment of the people with the system. He said, "What is the happiness index of the average citizen vis-a-vis the Government? My own surmise is that <b>there is considerable dissatisfaction with governance and agents of governance." </b>Warning that despite the optimism generated by good economic growth, people were pessimistic about governance, he added, "we cannot ignore the growing desire of an increasingly informed people for better governance, for higher standards of morality and for courage in dealing with the challenges at hand."
By his confessions, the Prime Minister was clearly hinting that he was aware of the Government's failures and compulsions, and the inefficacy of the delivery system, but he made it clear that wanton insult of the ministers and Government decisions wasn't the answer to major problems.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Pioneer
Though the Bihar cloud watered down the importance of Congress Chief Ministers' conclave, one vital message that came out from the two-day meet is the toughening of the party's stand on the Left. While Congress president Sonia Gandhi clearly asserted that the pro-people schemes in the common minimum programme was her party's agenda, <b>Prime Minister Manmohan Singh strongly ripped into the Communists' for indulging in wild propaganda.</b>
The Prime Minister not only spoke against populism, he also warned against creating false expectations as the "Government functions under limitations." Though he was addressing the Congress Chief Ministers' conference, his assertions must have left the Communists' ears burning.
His candid expressions, coming just after the letter given to the Left on BHEL controversy, is being seen as a fresh warning to the anti-reforms forces within the ruling combine that sustaining welfare schemes won't be possible without new avenues of resource generation.
The Prime Minister said, "Populism and populist gimmicks no longer impress people. Hard work does. Promises like free electricity and others that cannot be sustained will not fetch results. Actual performance does make a difference." His own party never shies away from making promises to waive off farmers' loans and offer free electricity to win elections. The Prime Minister later hinted that he wanted his chief ministers to listen to his advice.
Dr Singh also said, <b>"we must reduce subsidies for the rich and divert these resources into investment and employment generation. There is an urgent need for the restructuring of public expenditure. If we want to generate resources for investment and employment generation then we must make bold to generate revenues and equally important, alter the profile of expenditure."</b>
The Prime Minister also appeared hurt by the persistent criticism of the foreign policy by the Left, which goes to the extent of questioning the Prime Minister's commitments.
In his own subtle way, Dr Singh sent a firm message to the Left by saying: <b>"Our people are patriotic. They understand what is in the best interest of our country. Be it our economic policy or foreign policy, or our national policy. The party must explain what our thinking in Government is to the people. It must ensure that false expectations are not generated. It must ensure that deliberate disinformation by vested interests is countered."</b>
He added: "The people of India will never question the patriotism of the Congress party. Let no one question our intentions and motivations, even if they disagree with our policies. We have only one intention and one motivation. To build an India that is strong, that is prosperous, that is liberal and caring, that is inclusive and secular."
Considering that a day before, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi made sweet noises about the importance of a welfare state, the Prime Minister's tough talk is bound to jolt the Left yet again.
The Prime Minister was equally candid when he spoke of the growing disenchantment of the people with the system. He said, "What is the happiness index of the average citizen vis-a-vis the Government? My own surmise is that <b>there is considerable dissatisfaction with governance and agents of governance." </b>Warning that despite the optimism generated by good economic growth, people were pessimistic about governance, he added, "we cannot ignore the growing desire of an increasingly informed people for better governance, for higher standards of morality and for courage in dealing with the challenges at hand."
By his confessions, the Prime Minister was clearly hinting that he was aware of the Government's failures and compulsions, and the inefficacy of the delivery system, but he made it clear that wanton insult of the ministers and Government decisions wasn't the answer to major problems.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->