By Anil Thakraney

Usually, I review entertainment TV shows. This time, I shall dissect the PM’s address to the nation. It was quite a landmark event because the nation was so far convinced that MMS had lost his voice.

One thing the PM did deliver on in his speech was his promise to get the ‘animal spirit’ back into the economy. Facing the camera, he wore the expression of a sheep caught directly in the path of a ravenous tiger. MMS must take tuitions in reading from the teleprompter. There are enough young TV anchors who can help him.

One was expecting the maha neta to use the occasion to apologise to the nation for the various billion dollar scams that have happened right under his watch. Scams that have bled this nation of the tax payers’ money. But, not a single word on that. Instead, he focused on the importance of bringing Wal-Mart into India. This may have sent the stock market into a minor tizzy, but will have eroded his party’s chances of winning the next elections. Which anyway appear quite feeble.

And, quite amazingly, the PM put out street talk on the price of diesel. That, why must the government subsidise fuel guzzling SUVs. Sirji, bachcha bachcha of this nation is asking the same question. We expect YOU to find the answers, and create a system whereby the SUV sahibs pay more for diesel, while the truckers continue to be subsidised. Thank you for whining, but that doesn’t help matters.

Many Tweeters feel he’s the right PM. They say it’s better to have an economics expert in charge, someone who talks logic, rather than a rabble rouser who only appeals to the emotion. I agree, that’s very true. But then the nation’s economy has taken a crashing nose dive under the leadership of this so-called expert. So what’s the use of all that knowledge? The PM is better off taking up a job as a professor of economics. He’ll do swimmingly there, provided he can manage to keep the students awake.

Yes, economic reform is important for the nation’s future. But we need a PM who can make it happen. Not someone who (allegedly) has all the answers, but is paralyzed by political games.

Finally, Dr Singh must talk to the nation more often. All his faults aside, he does look like an angel, compared to all the screamers and howlers we are saddled with every day on prime time television.

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