Opinion Vs Facts - Former PM Manmohan Singh and PM Modi


Two speeches in the Rajya Sabha, one by the former PM, Dr Manmohan Singh (MMS) and the other by the PM Mr Narendra Modi. Listening to them is very educative. One is an opinion and the other is facts.

The reactions of the two are worth pondering over. When MMS made his remarks on demonetisation, the PM was seated in the Rajya Sabha. He appeared very disturbed on hearing a former PM and economist speak ill of the demonetisation effort. The words like 'monumental mismanagement', 'organised loot' and 'legalised plunder' did not go down very well with the PM. However, the PM sat through the speech, and listened.

The organised loot and legalised plunder would have been valid only if the RBI had refused to honour the legal tenders; this was not the case; the RBI was only attempting to exchange the legal tender over a period of time, which was supported by a majority of the population of India.

The PM got a chance to respond to the comments by MMS on 08 Feb 2017. His response was sarcastic and hard hitting but was based on facts, which brought out that the former PM had been in very senior financial positions in the country for 30 - 35 years out of the about 70 years of independent India's existence. He also brought out that the former PM had presided over the biggest financial scandals in Indian history, and had yet come out with his personal integrity intact. The entire Congress party, including MMS, walked out along with the TMC and other parties. 



MMS had invited a response with his very strong remarks, which were his personal opinion. Events and the people of India did not seem to agree with MMS and the united opposition. However, the PM was gracious to have sat through and listened to the remarks.

MMS and the Congress on the other hand walked out on remarks that were only stating known facts, but in a sarcastic manner. 

To a layman it seems that the PM is more of a democrat than the entire Congress party. He sat through and listened to the unpalatable remarks whereas MMS and the Congress party could not listen to his views.

Comments

Renu said…
Modiji is a true statesman..he even made MMS open his mouth, which he never did earlier.
J P Joshi said…
Renu: It was nice to see MMS speak. We need learned people's opinions, and MMS is the most learned of them all in our parliament. However, I wish MMS had spoken as an economist and not as a politician; his choice of words were not reflective of him as a learned economist.