Governance and Activism

 The year 1991 is notable in India's economic history. It was during this year that substantial reforms were introduced in the industrial and financial sectors. Opinion is divided on who deserves the credit for these path-breaking moves. P.V.Narasimha Rao or Manmohan Singh?

The creative reforms were possible not because of presence of these two. They were made possible by the absence of people like the climate activist Greta Thunberg who has an eye on Nobel Peace Prize, pop singer Rihanna and the writer Meenakshi Ashley Harris. These international busybodies think they have a divinely ordained right to comment on anything happening anywhere. Ignorance about the Farm Laws in India would not stop them from making uninformed criticism. (In a televised discussion yesternight, a participant supporting these nosy parkers ridiculed the other participants for pronouncing Rihanna's name incorrectly. When asked whether she (the participant)  was aware of the Farm Laws, she brushed aside the question!)

A celebrity is not necessarily an expert. In addition, expertise in one field does not make one an expert other fields. The 18-year old phenomenon, Greta Thunberg tweeted a toolkit to make the farm protests effective. The agenda was stated as standing up against India's failing democracy ! It called for boycott of products of Adani and Ambani ! The objective of these global meddlers is clear.

Governance requires that the government push through reforms despite these obdurate protests. The government carried on 11 rounds of discussion with the protesting farmers. These farmers are stubborn that the laws should be repealed. An additional demand is to make MSP obligatory till eternity. The flexible government is termed obstinate and the unyielding farmer leaders are called flexible!

Narendra Modi does not have the advantage (namely the absence of intervention by global busybodies) that P.V.Narasimha Rao had. So he has to strive twice as hard to get even half the yield for the country. Governance is not easy! It is clear that the reforms budgeted now  (privatisation of public sector banks and an insurance company) will face rough weather. We need to apply for approval from Greta, Rihanna and Meena.