March 1, 2011

You shut up - Budget 2011

If you ask me to describe the budget in one sentence, I would say it could well be described as a ‘you shut up budget’. Budget 2011 has left opposition & media both bewildered & weak to find the kinks to criticize it from some angle. The budget proposal may not be great, but it certainly has virtually shut up the blaring media hollering which is nothing but a honking in the parking area. Good job Pranab babu!

Indian political parties have large number of journalists & advocates at the helm of affairs. Wonder if we have many doctors, engineers & professionals active in any political party for shaping the future of our poverty stricken, superstitious, divided and underdeveloped society. Although, as a ground rule in India, every parent dreams of making his child into a doctor or engineer and those who fail to study hard end up in other careers, some of them make it into the field of politics. Consequently, our political & media scene is dominated by empty talks and directionless speeches about the state of affairs in the nation. It’s only in last couple of decades that we have started to make any progress towards achieving out national goals.

It’s generally said that if you happen to fall sick in India, you will have more prescriptions than the visitors. And most of the visitors would tell you that the doctor knows nothing as compared to their expertise in the medicine. Well a similar scene pervades our national life too. Semi literate journalists know all experts & self appointed Gurus take it upon themselves to occupy news studios and pontificate over serious national issues. Baba Ramdev thinks that he knows more than Manmohan Singh about economics and leading the country, what a joke?

Budget 2011 is a smart political budget that shows the great political management by the Congress party & UPA. The FM has carefully tried to keep the ship in the same direction which has served them politically in last elections too. The opposition has to devise a new agenda focused away from the middle class, to convince the large numbers of people that come out in large numbers to vote.

Media needs to shed its traditional old fashioned role of an anti-government critic for democratic functioning of our society. Media would do well by taking a balanced view wherein it highlights good work done by the government and criticize it for what more could be done. Similar treatment shall be given to opposition parties. The unsavory & unintelligent attacks by media on Manmohan Singh’s comments during the press meeting happen to accentuate the lack of maturity on the part of media. PM’s remarks were quoted out of the contest and twisted meaning that lay in the mind of media was ascribed to his clear statements. Manmohan Singh is respected globally for nothing. He is a gentleman and India is lucky to have him.

The constant harangue of nailing the corrupt could only upset the corrupt in our midst. The media & BJP may first set its own house in order. Secondly how can you arrest someone without any proof? And if BJP & sections of media has proof against the guilty why don’t they approach the courts to nail the guilty? Just to inform you that despite large scale fraud in Banking & financial sector in USA, no one has yet been punished as the process of law is going on.  The UPA government has taken strong measures by throwing out a CM, a Cabinet Minister Etc, which is unprecedented. Let’s strengthen them by supporting them rather than annoying them with pot shots and innuendoes. 

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