Governing off the record

With the spectacular resurgence of the coal block allocation scam after the Central Bureau of Investigation named industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla, the mandarins on and around Raisina Hill have revived the old refrain of policy paralysis. But in recent months even senior ministers have become wary of taking ownership of key policy decisions. So, whenever the Cabinet decides on a controversial matter these days, neither are journalists briefed on the record nor are press releases issued by the Press Information Bureau, which is otherwise extremely prompt about issuing statements. Instead, off-the-record briefings after significant Cabinet decisions are becoming commonplace - which is hardly an example to set for the bureaucracy let alone a good example of transparent governance.