Indian premier's 'Mr Clean' image takes a battering

[JonAsad]

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, known as India's "Mr Clean," is battling to save his image after becoming enmeshed in a damaging telecom scandal in the twilight years of his distinguished career.

Singh, 78, stands accused of failing to intervene when his telecoms minister, A. Raja, sold mobile phone licences for a fraction of their value, losing the country up to 40 billion dollars, according to the government's audit watchdog.

There is no suggestion that Singh, always pictured in traditional sky-blue turbans, benefited from the licence sales to mostly ineligible firms who won them without making competitive bids.

But the Supreme Court in a rare step last week asked the government to explain its "alleged inaction and silence for 16 months" on a request by an opposition lawmaker to prosecute Raja, who stepped down this month.

Under Indian law, the premier must approve criminal proceedings against any cabinet member. Singh's office has told the Supreme Court the government followed procedure in responding to the complaint.

"The prime minister is an extremely decent man but not a politician," said opposition lawmaker Subramaniam Swamy who made the complaint to the prime minister's office about Raja, unleashing the firestorm.

"He took the line of least resistance and waited too long to take action," Swamy siad.

Singh, a self-effacing and quietly spoken man, has so far managed to handle the notorious rough and tumble of Indian politics at the helm of the fractious alliance led by his ruling Congress party.

The criticism now is that for reasons of political expedience -- Raja's regional DMK party is needed by Congress in its coalition -- he was prepared to turn a blind eye to the alleged plunder.

In a scenario that would shake financial markets and unsettle foreign investors, there are even mutterings in New Delhi that the principled former economics professor might resign if his reputation is further impugned.

"He is prone to that kind of gesture," said one senior bureaucrat who is close to Singh and did not wish to be named.

The father of three daughters also underwent a quintuple heart bypass last year.

He has made two brief comments on the scandal so far, promising to bring anyone found guilty to justice and hinting at the strain of leading a government that has been rocked by a series of graft-related blows recently.

He said Saturday he sometimes feels like "a high school student going from one test to another."

Known as a loyalist to the Gandhi political dynasty, he stepped up to be prime minister when Congress staged its surprise return to power in 2004 and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi decided not to take the top office.

This has led to frequent jibes from critics that he is merely keeping the seat warm until Sonia's son Rahul, 40, feels ready to take over as premier.

Nevertheless, Singh has used his political capital during his six years in power to push through a landmark nuclear deal with the United States and other liberalising policies to open up the economy.

The Oxbridge-trained economist served as finance minister in the 1990s and is seen as the father of India's financial and economic reforms after a crisis that saw the country seek help from the International Monetary Fund.

He is held in huge esteem by his peers in the Group of 20 (G20) leading nations, with US President Barack Obama one among many who has articulated his respect for the premier, the son of a fruit-seller.

Singh was born in 1932 during British rule on the subcontinent in the dusty mud-house village of Gah in what is now Pakistan. As a Sikh, he was the first prime minister in mainly Hindu India from a religious minority.

"The Congress does not want to be seen as having a prime minister who went down in a scandal, it would be a terrific blow, they will fight this tooth-and-nail," political commentator Parsa Venkateshwar Rao said.

"When they decide to replace him it will be at a time of their own choosing," he said.

Indian premier''s ''Mr Clean'' image takes a battering - GEO.tv

 

[Vajra_Yuddh]

Singh was born in 1932 during British rule on the subcontinent in the dusty mud-house village of Gah in what is now Pakistan. As a Sikh, he was the first prime minister in mainly Hindu India from a religious minority.

I thought as much as to why religion was not mentioned initially, being a Pakistani source. But saw this at the end.

"He took the line of least resistance and waited too long to take action," Swamy siad.

This is MMS's main problem; he is himself a good man but he doesn't take firm decisions to undo the wrong that happens around him. This is why his image is now low despite his professional (as finance minister) excellence.

---------- Post added at 04:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:10 PM ----------

Singh was born in 1932 during British rule on the subcontinent in the dusty mud-house village of Gah in what is now Pakistan. As a Sikh, he was the first prime minister in mainly Hindu India from a religious minority.

I thought as much as to why religion was not mentioned initially, being a Pakistani source. But saw this at the end.

"He took the line of least resistance and waited too long to take action," Swamy siad.

This is MMS's main problem; he is himself a good man but he doesn't take firm decisions to undo the wrong that happens around him. This is why his image is now low despite his professional (as finance minister) excellence.

 

[Indiarox]

@ article
bad understanding of Indian law...
and bureaucratic procedure and protocol
If you don't understand some thing don't comment on it......

"He took the line of least resistance and waited too long to take action," Swamy siad.

This is MMS's main problem; he is himself a good man but he doesn't take firm decisions to undo the wrong that happens around him. This is why his image is now low despite his professional (as finance minister) excellence.

Well Mr.Swamy wanted sanction to prosecute on his personal investigation,too bad for him investigation from self investigation don't stand in a court of law till competent authority has verified it.....
He tried to by-pass this investigation procedure so the P.M asked for it to be investigated in the mean time he told Mr.Swamy that his plea for sanction for prosecution has been put on hold till the investigation is complete....

@VY
The P.M did not act in a slow manner Mr. Swamy kept sending dossiers every 2 months with all the so called info and more so this too was added to list which delayed the reply date,so he went to court seeking to know why he got a late reply so Court asked the PMO (and Not PM) so the Govts. lawyers are answering thats all not tell me how MMS is slow in putting through matters...
Also to note PM is not bound by law to respond to the letters of every private citizen so Swamy's plea could well have been rejected on grounds of trivial matter(he quoted news article sand expected the Pm to ask for a minister's arrest based on that) the PM is well within the right to reject it......
So not even a trace of any fault on the PM........

 

[New Vision]

I'm confused ! why has this come to this. The solution (as it should have been) is simple, the playing rules should have be set out from the onset. I believe when it comes to projects like these, the criterion should be transparent, every step should be open to the public. For eg. Prequlifications - if you dont qualify on the set terms, you are out (provision should be made for special cases -well spelt out and if you dont meet these, you are totally out) the bidding process should be open to public as well, and the allocation should be the same. Unfortunately, we come back to square one, all the babus wanna make their buck, so these straight jacket rules will never survive