HOME WORK, WELL DONE

The composition and allocation of port folios to ministers based on their qualification and back ground is excellent. Dr. Singh, Sonia, Rahul and Pranab Mukerji have done good home work before finalizing the team and allocating port folios for them. This shows how the Prime minister and the Congress president are serious about delivering the goods. The important port folios are with the Congress. Due representation has been given to youth. The emphasis is on efficiency and performance. The Congress chief has warned that non-performer shall be shown the door at appropriate time. For Gen X ministers this is a great opportunity to gain experience and good governance lessons from seasoned, experienced senior ministers. A job well done under the compelling coalition arrangement by the top brass of the Congress.

GOVT SHOULD ACT TOUGH

The series of racial attacks on Indian students in Australia are appalling to say the least. The students have been attacked without any provocation. It is indication of growing frustration and non-tolerant attitude of Australians against India which is emerging as a powerful economy. This sort of racial discrimination deserves severest condemnation by all countries. Our government should put extreme pressure on the Australian government to arrest the culprits and take quick action as per the law. The Indian government should warn the Australian government that if such incidents are repeated the country will be declared an unsafe destination. The BCCI and IPL should also issue an advisory, that cricketers from that country shall be disqualified from playing future matches if the racial attacks against Indians are not stopped.

EXPERIENCE THAT MATTERS

This is with reference to the article by Shri R. Jagannathan, executive editor with DNA, -’Why UPA-2 May Bomb’. His observation that the stronger the government, the weaker the performance is not correct. The performance of government depends on who is at the helm of affairs. In 1991 we had Narasimha Rao's cabinet, Vajpayee's team in 1998 and Man Mohan Singh in 2004. In spite of them having weak numbers in LS they all performed very well because their experience and understanding of the problems at gross root level. Though in 1984 Rajiv Gandhi had massive majority in LS, he did not have the administrative experience when he became the PM of the country. There fore his performance has nothing to do with the LS numbers. He was a visionary and dynamic PM is a different matter, but he was lacking in experience. He became the PM, even without the experience of a minister of state. He was less than 40 years of age at that time. The other three referred PMs age were almost double of that of Rajiv Gandhi when they became prime ministers. They all had tons and tons of experience in public life. The UPA led government will provide better governance and there will be economic performance and reforms. And there fore UPA-2 will not bomb as long as Dr. Singh is at the helm of affairs.