This refers to A K Bhattacharya's column "The PMO and the PM" (New Delhi Diary, April 16). When a journalist and a former coal secretary both give similar insider accounts of the public office of a political chief, the facts become hard to dispute. The ruling class nit-picking on Sanjaya Baru's book, while leaving the explosive writing of P C Parakh shows the biased mindset. If Baru is using his privileged access for commercial gains, should Parakh's book not be judged likewise, given that it drew copiously from his long service in the government? While the journo admitted to have portrayed the prime minister in a positive manner, the former bureaucrat made scathing remarks about Manmohan Singh's control over his ministers and little political authority. The Congress strongly reacted to Baru's book saying that it's not good fiction, but it failed to muster courage to counter Parakh's serious governance charges. When he was expected to clear the air or give some clarity, the prime minister kept silent in his characteristic style.
R Prabhu Raj Chennai
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