When you say nothing at all

We love you Mr. Manmohan Singh. We love you and respect you for who you are and where you come from. But we are frustrated with the silence and the no-show policy that you have adopted since the beginning of your Prime Ministerial era. I can end up in a quarrel if anyone raised a finger at your morals and values. But what do I do Sir, when people say that you are unfit, you are a lame duck, that you are remote-controlled, and that you lack political authority? Sir, the gloom on your face, the truth in your eyes, the stillness on your lips, says nothing at all.

Your silence and nothing-to-say style of leadership says nothing to a billion people who are waiting to be a part of the growing economy. People of this nation do not understand what’s happening with the checks and balances that fuel our economy. All we see is an expose of a new scandal perpetrated by your most trusted officer at the top every single day. We find ourselves stuck in a puzzle of despair and isolation. Please speak to us Mr. Prime Minister.

I know chhoti-muh-badi-baat (small person giving intellectual suggestion), but Sir, you need to free yourself from the surrounding magnetic forces of your so-called advisors who are feeding you with information that is the maligning the prosperity of this nation both socially and economically. The officials you have trusted and you swear by have back stabbed you. In return the very same trusted ministers have made an empire of their own. We have no complains with ministers who have become cash rich through their hard work and the remuneration they earn. But swindling public money in hundreds of crores is certainly something that needs to be investigated and punished at the spur of the moment. Nonetheless, the checks and balances and action plan of these swindles need to be communicated to the people. Why don’t you speak to us Mr. Prime Minister?

Every time a Minister from your office is caught in a new scandal, you ask them to resign and subsequently shuffle your cabinet. Is cabinet reshuffle the only way to fight the menace put forth by your Ministers? To action upon anything, why do you have to wait for the Supreme Court to issue a notice against your administration or wait for the CBI to press an action against you? Why don’t you take proactive steps of intolerance in matters concerning public money. Get moving and talking Sir. You can’t walk the talk if do not talk in the first place.

Why are you axing your own feet Sir? Or like some say, are you in dire need to create negative publicity for yourself…so that you have genuine reasons to step down mid-term and surrender the PM’s chair to the legacy in waiting? Even if this is the reason, why are you putting the nation and its people at stake to take this political advantage.

Saat samunder paar (over seven seas), the President of the United States – Barack Obama – who won the elections by campaigning through the electronic media, is effectively communicating with his people almost every single day. Exploring the electronic medium, Barack Obama speaks to his people through You tube, emailer, Twitter townhall, and has also been tweeting to his people frequently. We understand that India does not have 100% internet connectivity and electronic medium literacy, but Sir, there are so many other effective channels of communication that you can explore to reach out to the masses across different strata of society. Why don’t you reach out Sir?

It was a happy moment when you recently pledged to speak to your people more often. But to our disappointment, you even attempted your maiden speech half heartedly. In this age of electronic media and live coverage, how could you call five print editors behind closed doors to do an interview with you Sir? Why couldn’t you speak to us as the cameras were rolling? Doing this would increase people’s faith in you and harbor a feeling of hope in their hearts. You even missed this chance Sir.

Post script
Shri Manmohan Singh admits that he works 18hrs a day, seven days a week. Well only wish he worked less and rested more…he would have communicated better. All work and no play makes Singh saab a reclusive man. Barack Obama on the other hand is seen spending time playing golf and dashing inside ice-cream parlours and fast food joints. In the same breath, Barack Obama also finds Osama and shakes up the terrorists outfits terrorizing the world. Hope very soon we all get to see Singh saab enjoying some pani-puri’s at a nearby stall. Just hope!

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