Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s address to the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort may have been a speech full of good intentions but the events he will attend in the week immediately following indicates, he has no intention of merely mouthing platitudes.
Top sources say that a governance road map will be evident from the other speeches he makes: the address at the meeting of Chief Justices and Chief Ministers on 16 August, a unique conference of its kind where the interface between judicial and governance reform will be highlighted.
On 17 August, he will meet Chief Minister again for a conference on internal security. Here he will talk not just about terrorism but also the threats from naxalism and the development of tribal areas, and may deliver a more powerful message than the anodyne reference to the problem in his Independence Day speech (“Some parts of our country continue to be affected by the Naxalite menace. It is the constitutional obligation of the government to protect the life and liberty of our citizens. Those who think that they can seize power by recourse to the gun do not understand the strength of our democracy. The Central Government will redouble its efforts to deal with Naxalite activities. We will extend all help to the State Governments to make their police forces more effective. Central forces will be provided wherever they are needed. We will also do more to ensure better coordination among States. I would also like to state here that we will endeavour to remove those causes of social and economic dissatisfaction which give rise to problems like Naxalism. We believe in a development process which will remove backwardness, unemployment and reduce disparities in income and wealth. We seek active partnership of our brothers and sisters of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in our development processes”)
On 18 August, the Prime Minister will address state environment ministers, an office which represents the convergence of a variety of interests. At this meeting, he will talk not just about the environment, forestry, and animal protection (including the Tiger), but also the need to sensitise politicians to the challenge of climate change. As state environment ministers symbolize crucial point of state authority, the PM will not just talk but also listen to what they have to say.
On 19 August, at a conference of vigilance commissioners, the PM will spell out his views on corruption, and how to check it without being obstructionist. In his 15th August speech he said : “the benefits of good programs will not reach the people till the government machinery is not corruption free. Public administration has to be more efficient. There is need to improve delivery systems to provide basic services to our citizens”.
