Dr. Manmohan Singh says "....our government is dead...."

 My take on the Prime Minister’s press conference today (read the detailed report here):

• On negative perceptions of government: "Whatever some people may say, that we are a lame duck government, that I am a lame duck prime minister, we take our job very seriously, we are here to govern, and to govern effectively, tackle the problems as they arise and get this country moving forward."

My comment: Not sure whether he is accepting that he is a lame duck Prime Minister or denying it. But if he is required to deny that he is a lame duck Prime Minister, he surely must be one! Lame duck or not must be decided by others, not by self.

• On rumours of his resignation: "I never felt like resigning because I have a job to do. The country voted our party to be the leader of the coalition, and we have a lot of unfinished business to accomplish ... I will stay the course."

My comment: So sad! Given the complete sense of helplessness that he admits elsewhere in the interview, anybody with even a small sense of self respect would have felt like resigning.

• On corruption scandals: "I wish to assure you and I wish to assure the country as a whole that our government is dead serious in bringing to book all the wrongdoers, regardless of their position they may occupy."

 My comment: Actions speak louder than words, Mr. Prime Minister. As he admits in the next point, “…complaints were coming from all sides…” even before the 2^nd Term began in May 2009 but he did nothing. It is Swamy’s PIL which forced the matter. And it is the Supreme Court which is driving the investigations now.

I agree partly with him though – “……our government is dead….”

• On appointment of former telecoms minister A Raja : "……I did not feel I had the authority to object to Mr. Raja's entry because quite honestly in May 2009, although complaints were coming in, although complaints were coming from all sides, some from companies not benefitting (from the telecoms spectrum allocation) ... I was not in a position to make up my mind that anything seriously was wrong."

 My comment: Though he agrees complaints were coming in from all sides, he says he had no authority. If this is not a lame duck Prime Minister, what is?

• On his role in a second scandal over spectrum allocation by ISRO : "There has been no effort in the prime minister's office to dilute the decision taken by the space commission."

 My comment: Exactly what he has been accused of in 2G scam also – INACTION.

• On the next parliament session: "India as a whole has to march forward. Parliament has not been allowed to function for reasons that I am not able to understand”

 My comment: Not able to understand???? Are you serious?

On the whole, the Press Conference was a total waste of time. The Prime Minister had nothing concrete and meaningful to say. Just the usual blabbering. One would have expected the Prime Minister to atleast give a commitment that the guilty would be sent to jail within so many days, and all the money recovered. But nothing of the sort. Total waste of time.