ArpitGarg's Weblog

Growing up in late 90’s and early 2000’s, I came to know about Manmohan Singh. Everyone talked about him with respect as the man who liberalized India’s economy. How he helped the nation out of a potential bankruptcy by his economic vision.

Then came 2004 and I saw Manmohan Singh accompanying Sonia Gandhi to meet the President to stake claim to form the Govt. Few days later, I saw Sonia Gandhi accompanying Manmohan, who became an unelected PM. Then came the swearing in ceremony, I saw a humble man who was thankful to Sonia Gandhi more than to the nation. It was understandable, as nation didn’t choose him, Sonia did.

UPA 1 went without major hiccups. Nuclear Deal was the first time people saw Manmohan’s political acumen. And he was rewarded by public with a second term. Though he did not choose to stand for election this time too. Amidst this, UPA 2 began and all hell broke loose. The scams of UPA 1 tumbled out one by one and Manmohan Singh cut a sorry figure. It was not his cabinet but UPA cabinet. He didn’t appoint the ministers; he himself was appointed.

The desire he had to stick to his chair (I can’t blame him completely, who wouldn’t want to remain PM of India), did him in. From the golden legacy, he became the PM of one of the most corrupt Govt. ever in India. His decision to remain silent was not his decision, it was his compulsion else he would have been thrown out from PM chair. He chose to remain in the chair. I agree that he didn’t make money out of it, but he catered to his ambition to remain as PM. This was his corruption. He sold his soul and shielded his corrupt cabinet.

When he said, “Compulsions of coalition politics”, he would have hoped to divert blame to the coalition partners. But he was himself the biggest culprit. It was not due to compulsions of coalition politics, he was being blamed due to his own greed for the PM chair. The devil in him was compelling him to continue to turn a blind eye to corruption and stick to the chair.

Who started out during my childhood as a man who liberalized India, ended up being head of the most corrupt Govt and a morally bruised soul. How the might fall!