Speech defect

Sir — It was painful to see the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Narendra Modi, stepping up his attack on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on a range of issues on Independence Day (“Congress hits back at ‘desperate’ Modi”, Aug 17). Positioning himself as his party’s prime ministerial candidate without waiting for a formal announcement from the BJP, the chief minister of Gujarat attacked Singh on various issues, especially those pertaining to foreign policy and national security. Describing the prime minister’s speech, delivered from Red Fort, as “uninspiring”, Modi accused Singh of being silent on the issues of inflation, jobs for youth and promises made by the United Progressive Alliance I in 2004.

Modi’s comments have drawn flak from the Congress as well as from the veteran BJP leader, L.K. Advani, who went on to say that Independence Day was not the time for criticism. Modi should have realized that the day is important in the history of India. His campaign speech was in bad taste. This is nothing but a ploy to attract the attention of the people. Modi also went on to challenge the prime minister to a debate on development. He lashed out at the UPA for its poor development record, the food security bill and corruption at high levels. Modi’s comments — he might have thought that delivering such a speech is a brilliant political move — reflected poorly on him. The Shiv Sena also criticized Modi’s words and said that criticisms should have been left for some other day. Modi seems to have inadvertently succeeded in building up a political consensus supporting the prime minister.

Modi should have conducted himself with dignity and waited for the elections to prove his mettle.

Yours faithfully,
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee, Faridabad

Sir — Manmohan Singh’s speech on Independence Day this year, compared to his speech in 2004 when the UPA had wrested power from the National Democratic Alliance, was lacklustre and drew little by way of applause. In this year’s speech, he called for political stability and strong secular values. He also made it clear that relations with Pakistan can improve only when it manages to check anti- India sentiments. He declared that there is no place for “narrow and sectarian ideologies in a modern, progressive and secular country” — this seemed to be aimed at the UPA’s political opponents. The speeches made on Independence Day have become repetitive over the last few years and this year’s was no different.

On the other hand, Narendra Modi’s speech added a dash of colour to the day’s proceedings. Modi spoke not as a chief minister addressing the people of his state on a solemn national occasion, but as the BJP’s campaign chief and a prime ministerial candidate. He used the visibility granted by the day to tackle his political opponent. His campaign speech is a forecast of the rough political weather ahead and is indicative of a more aggressive campaign by the BJP, under Modi’s leadership, before the assembly polls in 2014.

But national prestige should not be sacrificed at the altar of competitive electoral politics. Independence Day is best commemorated with a sober reflection on India’s strengths and shortcomings.

Yours faithfully,
J.S. Acharya, Hyderabad

Sir — Narendra Modi’s speech on August 15 has ruffled quite a few feathers. He has criticized the government and the prime minister on a host of issues. He also challenged Manmohan Singh to compare the development in Gujarat to that in Delhi, saying that the nation was “restless for a change”. His comments have been criticized by the Congress and other political parties. The external affairs minister, Salman Khurshid, said, “Modi could have controlled himself at least on Independence Day. He is himself a khalnayak [villain] and blaming others.” The Communist Party of India has said that Modi should have known better than to deliver a speech fit for a “street- corner meeting”.

It is not that speeches on Independence Day, made by the prime minister or by chief ministers, are apolitical. Thus Modi was not entirely wrong in questioning the ruling dispensation. Modi’s intention and the reaction to his speech notwithstanding, the fact remains that it is his speech, and not the prime minister’s, that has become the talking point.

Yours faithfully,
Manish Garg, Noida

Parting shot

Sir — The rising prices of onions have become a matter of grave concern for the people. It has become impossible to buy the vegetable without burning a hole in the pocket. This is primarily due to the inadequate supply of onions from drought-hit Nasik. The prime minister has expressed grave concern over the “extraordinary price rise” but no concrete steps have been taken so far.

One has to shell out more than Rs 70 for a kilogram of onions in Delhi and other cities. The Union agriculture minister, Sharad Pawar, has said that there is nothing wrong if people cut down on their onion consumption. The attitude of the minister, when the common man is reeling under the pressure of rising price of food items, is shameful, to say the least.

Yours faithfully,
Janga Bahadur Sunuwar, Bagrakote, Jalpaiguri