Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'President’s speech was incomplete' that was published in Newsband

President’s speech was incomplete

It was clear during the Republic Day address that President Pranab Mukherjee was trying to justify people’s anger at the weakening of democratic institutions.  He said that Indians are witnessing corruption and waste of national resources and that if governments do not remove these flaws, voters will remove governments.

 Mr Mukherjee referred to the Aam Aadmi Party as ‘populist anarchy’ and the Bharatiya Janata Party as ‘communal forces’. And what did he have to say about the Congress Party? It is difficult for a person who has been politically very active in a party for over five decades to suddenly assume a neutral position just because he was thrust into Presidency. Hence he couldn’t help but defend the ruling dispensation's actions, of which he had been a pillar until recently. This is a pitfall that worried many when his name was suggested for Presidency and that has come true.

Thus Mr Mukherjee spoke about AAP, BJP and Congress. It was clear that Mr Mukherjee wanted Indians to believe that he was on the side of the people and democratic institutions, not blindly supportive of governments and certainly not sympathetic to those in power. Mr. Mukherjee also wanted the people to vote in a stable government.

But Mr Mukherjee’s speech was incomplete. Mr Mukherjee, who had been the Finance Minister in the past, should have made clear as to how much promises made in his previous budget are fulfilled. Not a single word in the speech mentioned as to how he would solve women security deadlock in Delhi and India. Is it because his own son who is a Member of the Parliament had in the past made a loose statement against women protesters against gang rape calling them `dented and painted`?

Other things that were missing in the President’s speech was as to how the Police in Delhi under Center Government fails to register even a petty FIR by a common Indian and why the President has failed to protect FDI not as `charity` as he had promised while he was a minister?

President was part of mainstream till recently. Surely things have not gone worse after he left. He himself was with this system. Can he explain what prevented him from bringing foreign money? He had the complete list under wraps.

What we are witnessing in the streets is this lax attitude towards corruption which has reached disproportionate levels. Mr President who was in administration and in politics for a very long period is also responsible.