As the 13th Prime Minister of India bids adieu, most people would be glad to see the back of the man who led the country for the past 10 years, atleast on paper.
But on closer introspection, one could see that the gentle Sardar, whom the media and political rivals like to label a weak Prime Minister, was infact much more than that. A brilliant academician with Cambridge and Oxford degrees to his name and respected positions like Chief Economic Advisor, Reserve Bank Governor and Planning Commission Chief in his resume, he was easily the highest qualified Prime Minister in the world. An esteemed economist, his biggest achievement of all was how, as Finance Minister in the early 90s, he brought back India from the brink of bankruptcy and laid the way for the country to embark on her journey to becoming an economic powerhouse.
Simply put he was a good man. A good man who had the misfortune of aligning with wrong people at the wrong time. He was always a reluctant politician and never a great leader. He was just what Sanjaya Baru likes to call him – An Accidental Prime Minister. I am glad to see him go, not just because he wasn’t the strong leader India needed at the moment but also because it wasn’t him but ‘The Dynasty’ that was running the country, resigning him to the role of a mere puppet in their hands.
Public memory is ephemeral. Contemporary media has been extremely critical of him and the general public dismissive. Comedians have made a career of mocking him and the internet is packed with MMS jokes. Though I, in no way suggesting that the criticism is completely unfounded, still wonder whatever happened of the man that was the architect of so many things that was good for the country. Did the last 10 years of his career completely overshadow the 40 before that?
Dr. Manmohan Singh, I sincerely hope history will be kinder to you. Cos whoever takes the pain to do the research and look back beyond the last decade will know that you were a far better man than you are made out to be