'...as then it brings them closer to the complaints and grievances that the public faces.'
False and acrimonious debates such as Modi versus Manmohan might allow for victories that are political and partisan. But the real loser is the nation, India and Bharat, notes Arvind Subramanian, former chief economic advisor to the Modi government in its first term.
"Dr Singh will reach Arunachal Pradesh on the evening of January 30 and will return to Delhi the next day," Dr Sunjay Baru, information advisor to the Prime Minister, told rediff.com on Thursday evening. However, the details of Dr Singh's visit are still being worked out.
If the prime minister can show once more that he is capable of making difficult decisions, he could restore US-Indian ties to the earlier upward trajectory, believes Ashley Tellis.
While the delegation accompanying Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on his 9th India-Asean summit said that the India-China relationship was a 'complex' one, they also emphasised that India-US relations were in good shape, reports Saisuresh Sivaswamy, who is a part of his media delegation accompanying the prime minister to Bali.
Obama, a great admirer of the Prime Minister, is expected to informally meet with Manmohan Singh during the two-day summit on September 24 and 25, authoritative administrative sources told PTI.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh spoke to mediapersons about a number of crucial issues after the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh. Here is the transcript:
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday pulled up Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, saying his comments made during the interaction with top television news channel editors had exposed the weakness of the United Progressive Alliance government in fighting corruption.
Pakistani experts are disappointed with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's speech in Parliament on the Indo-Pak joint statement, terming it as a response to the pressure exerted by Opposition parties.
The full text of the Indo-US joint statement released in New Delhi.
'Those who are talking of adopting the Narasimha Rao-Manmohan Singh policy must understand now that what was a reform then is no longer a reform now,' argues Sukumar Mukhopadhyay who was associated with the 1991 economic reforms.
In an attempt to end the controversy over his purported remarks about his Indian counterpart, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that he never called Manmohan Singh a "village woman".
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has described his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh as a great leader not only of India but of the world. "It is a great honour for any democratic country in the world to have a leader like Dr Manmohan Singh. He is a great leader not only of India but of the world," Brown was quoted as saying by leading NRI Labour MP Virender Sharma.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said the 'wholesale attack on the democratic system' currently underway in India is the single biggest risk the country is facing, and asserted that allowing different traditions to thrive is very important as 'we cannot do what China does, which is to run an authoritarian system'. IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: / Rediff.com Speaking at a seminar titled 'The Future is Today' at the EIA University in Medellin, Colombia, Gandhi also alleged that there are 'huge amounts of corruption at a centralised level' in India now. "In India, we have huge amounts of corruption now at a very centralised level. So, three or four businesses taking over the whole economy, having a direct relationship with the prime minister, is rampant in India," the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said. "But I believe decentralising power, making things more transparent, bringing people into conversations, and bringing people into processes is the best way forward," Gandhi said while addressing the seminar on Wednesday. Hitting back at the Congress leader for his remarks, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday accused Gandhi of insulting and degrading India on foreign soil. Posting a video clip of Gandhi's speech on X, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said, 'Rahul Gandhi does it again, degrades India on foreign soil. From defaming our democracy in London, to mocking our institutions in the US, now in Colombia he spares no chance to insult Bharat globally.' 'This isn't dissent. It's disgrace to the fake Gandhi. Criticising BJP may be your right but dare you malign Mother India for your cheap and petty politics,' Bhatia said. Speaking at the seminar, Gandhi said India has a much more complex system as compared to China and its strengths are very different from that of the neighbouring country. India also has a very old spiritual tradition and a thought system with profound ideas that are useful in today's world, he said, adding that there is a lot that the country can offer in terms of tradition and way of thinking. "I am very optimistic about India, but at the same time, there are fault lines within the Indian structure. There are risks that India has to overcome. The single-biggest risk is the attack on democracy that is taking place in India," the Leader of Opposition said. "India has multiple religions, traditions and languages. India is actually a conversation between all its people. Different ideas, religions and traditions require space. The best method for creating that space is the democratic system," he said. "Currently, there is a wholesale attack on the democratic system in India, so that is a risk. The other big risk is different conceptions -- some 16-17 different languages, different religions... So, allowing these different traditions to thrive, and giving them space to express themselves is very important for a country like India.
The two leaders noted that the shared values cherished by their peoples and espoused by their founders democracy, pluralism, tolerance, openness, and respect for fundamental freedoms and human rights are acquiring an increasingly greater prominence in building a more peaceful, prosperous, inclusive, secure and sustainable world.
In a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday accused him of lowering the dignity of public discourse and the gravity of the office of the PM by giving "hateful speeches" during the poll campaign.
Stepping up attack after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh rejected CAG's observations on coal block allocation, BJP on Monday alleged that he was directly responsible for causing delay in amending laws on auction with the aim of bringing financial benefit to Congress.
Whether it was the MGNREGS or the NFSA or the Aadhaar-based DBT scheme for cash transfer, the Modi government has built on the basic architecture created by the Singh government. Policy makers in the Modi government, instead of discarding them as products of the previous political regime, worked on them, expanded their scope and reach, and used new tools to improve their performance, explains A K Bhattacharya.
Dosanjh said he's urging, "Dr Manmohan Singh to take action at his level. I am hoping that the Indian government acquires these items and places them in a museum in India or at a place open to the public."
Anna Hazare, who has been hospitalisd after his 12-day fast, on Tuesday received a 'get well soon' message from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh returned to New Delhi on Tuesday after a three-day visit to Russia, during which the two sides signed a path-breaking civil nuclear agreement and three defence pacts. Dr Singh had met Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Monday and discussed a wide range of issues, including terrorism. On Monday, the two sides signed a path-breaking civil nuclear agreement that will guarantee uninterrupted uranium fuel supplies.
India looks forward to the meet between Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Chinese premier Xi Jinping's in Durban on March 27 on the sidelines of the BRICS summit. The next week is important for Sino- India bilateral relations, says Sheela Bhatt.
T P Srinivasan outlines the importance of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's trip to New York for the United Nations General Assembly session
"Mujhe poora yakin hai ki woh zor laga ke har samasya ka hal karenge (I have full confidence that he will do his best to solve every problem)," Manmohan Singh's wife Gursharan Kaur said in an interaction with newspersons in New Delhi today.
"Mujhe poora yakin hai ki woh zor laga ke har samasya ka hal karenge (I have full confidence that he will do his best to solve every problem)," Manmohan Singh's wife Gursharan Kaur said in an interaction with newspersons in New Delhi today.
Dr Singh will hold wide-ranging talks with President Putin.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh left Moscow for home on Saturday after concluding a three-day visit during which he attended the 12th annual Indo-Russian summit and witnessed the inking of five agreements, including one for technical assistance in joint production of 42 more frontline Sukhoi-MKI 30 jets. Dr Singh, who held talks with President Dmitry Medvedev, cleared the uncertainty over the Kudankulam nuclear power project on Friday.
'The UPA's claim of growth at 9.5 percent was absolute nonsense and a fraudulent claim because the country did not grow; it was only statistical growth.' 'I do believe that when there is a determined leader who wants to bring a desired change, the system will begin acting. Today, people think there is policy paralysis, but there is functional paralysis also.' 'When things start moving, people will invest. Many companies are holding cash, many people are not investing. Nobody is making any move. Everybody is waiting for the elections to get over.' Economist and Swadeshi Jagran Manch convenor Swaminathan Gurumurthy in conversation with Shobha Warrier/Rediff.com
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh skipped his usual attire of pristine white to take part in a photo-op with United States President Barack Obama and the top leaders of Asia.
"No, she will not make me the PM," was Dr Pranab Mukherjee's cryptic response in a reference to Sonia Gandhi when he was asked by his daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee about his chances of becoming the prime minister in 2004.
Prime Minister Singh left on Friday morning for New Delhi from Paro International airport, about 60 km from Thimphu, the Bhutanese capital.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday fowarded to President Pratibha Patil the resignation letters of the following ministers in the Union council of ministers with the recommendation that they may be accepted.
Muhammad Yunus proved that he was neither an armchair economist nor a slogan mongering political activist, but a doer destined to do what Mahatma Gandhi said -- to remove every tear from every eye, recalls Rup Narayan Das.
Since Dr Singh did not explicitly tell A Raja to stop, the minister sped down his chosen road, says T V R Shenoy.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi with other dignitaries at the Dussehra celebrations, at Ramleela Maidan on the occasion of Dussera, in New Delhi.
The Congress' new headquarters located at 9A, Kotla Road in New Delhi was inaugurated on Wednesday, as the grand old party turned a page in its history after operating from its iconic 24, Akbar Road premises for the last 47 years.