Yesterday we were watching an interview by the new Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagrajan or ‘ PTR ‘of the Tamilnadu government of Stalin. And you know what ? We are impressed . Finally there is a finance minister who talks like a finance minister knowing the nitty gritty of finances with his vast experience at Wall Street and the US . WE also felt good for some politicians to speak fluently, thoughtfully describing what is wrong and how the Tamilnadu govt proposes to move ahead. In fact it was so engrossing that I had to stop other members of the family to not speak in between or just keep quiet.
Palanivel Thiagarajan, son of DMK leader PTR Palanivel Rajan, graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Trichy. He then completed his Master’s from the State University of New York, Buffalo, and then an MBA from MIT. Palanivel Thiagarajan or PTR joined Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. in 2001 and became head of Offshore Capital Markets in 2008. He quit Standard Chartered Bank as the Managing Director in 2014 and entered politics with his stint as the head of DMK’s IT Wing.
IN our opinion such changes and personalities are the need of the hour. We need ministers and government officers who not only know their subject but are experts in their domain and can debate on TV channels like professionals.
The DMK government with all its weaknesses and CM Stalin with all his accusations has done a great job. We have to bring people with the right know how in the political arena and provide them positions that can utilise their expertise and experience.
Unfortunately one other state government which has a well educated CM has failed to give the results. Yes we are talking about Arwind kejriwal who remains a sort of mystery for us with his strategy of blaming the central government always, changing statements by the day, media obsession and fooling everyone.
Between these two extremes of professional politicians one thing is common and which is that they have dumped their professional lives to take politics as a full time work.
We don’t know how many more such ministers are there in the entire country who can speak with such confidence and conviction as PTR. But we felt the need to have some professionals especially in the central government. One of the reasons that the country is facing such a huge pandemic calamity is the absence of professionals who could have executed PM Modi’s without delay. WE also hear bureaucratic delays and complacencies. Then there are people with big ego’s who are unwilling to hear others and take advice. Many ministers of the Modi government are simply sulking and are not active. May be the MOdi governments centralised system of governance has had a toll effect on many bureaucrats and ministers. This is one of the major flaws of the Modi government.
The government has to bring fresh and competent faces everywhere. It must also provide a free hand to all ministries and offices so that decision making is not delayed. Governance is a collective responsibility and no matter how good and competent one is, the role of TEAM work can never be undermined. Moreover, for a country like India, a decentralised system of working is a must.
We would like to request the Modi government to go for the much needed change and do an overhaul of the system. People are getting tired and are unable to perform with 100 percent competence in such tough times. The country will fail if PM Modi does not bring some new faces immediately in the government. There is a need for a decentralised approach atleast in some segment.
We would request PM Modi to consider the same with an open mind and in the larger interest of the nation. He also needs better and competent advisors especially in the science and technology domain where things have gone totally awry in the past. Hope the message reaches to him for path correction.
Asheesh Shah
Samanvaya.
