4. Manmohan Singh- Sonia Gandhi- The Existence of the Good

4

THE EXISTENCE OF THE GOOD

Now, there were reports that the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) had released money to buy shares.

The sale of the shares of the NTPC appeared imminent.

Thus the Government was poised to release public money through one hand and sell the shares of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) through the other hand. Thus the vicious cycle would go on.

This reinforced over the impression that the rule of Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and Dr. Manmohan Singh would be in very bad faith only. Therefore,    one more letter was addressed to Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, His Excellency the President of India, on 11 July 2004.

The letter explained that the Nation was reeling under “Stakeocracy” –a rule by the industrialists. Overall, this was letter No. 35. It was the letter No.4 to the present United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government. The letter follows.

Form

V.SABARIMUTHU

Thattankonam

Vellicode

 Mulagumoodu, 629167

To

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

His Excellency the President of India

Presidential Palace

New Delhi

Your Excellency

          Kindly consider the reasons why India is still reeling under  “Stakecocracy” – a rule under the industrialists.

1.       A Union Minister for Finance  -working  in bad faith - could manipulate more than what all the Members of Parliament minus one put together could do. So long as the four questions in the letter No.32 dated 31 May 2004 remain unanswered, one would imagine that the industrialists achieved their objectives in the first day of new Government formation itself. However, the President of India alone knows whether this writer is right or not.

2.       The first major decision of the UPA Government was the privatization of airports.

        Everyone knows that the airports are constructed by contractors and not by managements.

      Therefore, privatization is not a pre-requisite for modernization. Apparently, the Government has dropped the plan for the privatization of the airports.

      Yet, it must be pointed out that the usual way of privatization is first 49% then transfer of management control followed by 74% and finally 100%.

      In the above matter the industrialists are pushing the nation into a bottomless pit. Later the Government privatized the Mumbai and Delhi Air ports.

3.       The prices of petroleum products - particularly diesel - could be decreased or made independent of the international prices so long as the Nation maintains foreign exchange exceeding, say, $ 100 billion. Apparently, the Government went in the direction shown by the industrialists in this matter also.

         There are great dangers in accumulating the foreign exchange beyond a critical level because the former Minister for Finance had requested the industrialists to utilize the foreign exchange for starting projects abroad.

      Only a very alert President could save it.

4.       The moment certain allegations were leveled against the former Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, the LIC, UTI and the Banks became very circumspect in giving money to the industrialists, brokers and manipulators. Even if given, they were not reported. The UPA Government, within days of its formation, has given permission to the LIC to invest Re. 9000 crore in stock market! Is it right to sell the shares of a PSU to an industrialist with right hand and buy the shares of another company of the same person with the left hand?

       The only apparent difference is that Mr. A. B. Vajpayee gave the money after three years of careful preparation but someone in the present Government gave the nod to give the money within three days.

      Therefore, all industrialists that bought the PSUs should be debarred from accessing banks, LIC, UTI and other financial institutions because the Constitution does not allow conversion of public property into private property using public funds. However, the industrialists have the last laugh until this day.

5.       The new Budget has a suggestion to privatize 49% shares of the NTPC - a PSU - step by step. A drop of poison has been added in the Budget, as it is not clear whether the Government wants disinvestments by offending or defending the Constitution.

      There is a provision in the budget to give 5% more money to the brokers for gambling. This could be misused because the amount is not specified.

6.       In the USA, the local law requires reporting of any currency transaction over $ 10,000/-. In fact, the USA imposed a fine of $ 7.5 million on State Bank of India in November 2001 for violating similar local laws. Is it not in the public interest to split all financial institutions, at least notionally into State level units to prevent flight of capital? If each Government allows the industrialists to enjoy such stranglehold over the Governments, what would the people do?

7.       If the ideas of an individual were good for the nation, the selfless leaders - in their intuition - would listen to him and take a decision accordingly. It could be seen that most of the Chief Ministers decided to part with privatization although they received the first seven or eight letters only.

        No letter had been sent to the Chief Minister of Delhi and it lost even its Electricity Board. Mrs. Sonia Gandhi had to intervene to prevent further privatization in Delhi.

     Even otherwise, why did the NDA Government impose service charges after the budget or start reducing the interest rates after receiving letters from this writer?

       Why did Mr. A.B. Vajpayee ignore hundreds of decisions taken by his own Cabinet on privatization or why did he stop the banks from giving money openly to the stakes?

       Why did the Presidents go to the Supreme Court one after another?

       Why did the Supreme Court change its color?

       Plato had given the answer    long before these letters. He had said, “The good exists, whatever men may think about it. And because it exists they have at least the hope of escaping from their predicament”.

     However, the change is inexorably slow.

      Thus, the suggestion to impose transaction charge/tax for share transfer was given to the NDA Government on 21-12-2001through the letter No.4. The Government had been sleeping for three years and then the “Divine Spirit or Reason” prompted Dr.A.P.J. Abdul Kalam/ Dr. Manmohan Singh/ Mrs. Sonia Gandhi to request the Finance Minister to impose this transaction charge/tax for share transfer in the present budget! The difference is that this writer had suggested 5% for the situation prevailing then and it is now just 0.15%.

       Now this transaction tax could be extended to all financial institutions. This was given as suggestion No.1 in the same letter.

      Earlier, this suggestion was sent to most of the Chief Ministers in 1996. A reminder was sent to the present Government through letter No.32 e-mailed to the President on 31 May 2004.

     Why should the Government wait and lose Re.500 crore to Re.1000 crore daily? It is an inexhaustible gold mine. The treasuries would be replenished within minutes even if the Government throws the money in Arabian Sea.

       Even the members of the opposition parties inclusive of the BJP - in the present changed atmosphere - would support this in public interest.

     In this connection, everyone must imagine the predicament of employees and poverty and misery of the people. The Government cuts 30% of their salary above Rs. 150,000/- per year as income tax but refuses to cut 0 .1% as transaction tax! Is it a reasonable act?

        Eight more suggestions that are similar also could be implemented. The Minister for Finance through his able persuasiveness would remain as an obstacle as long as possible is another matter.

8.The leaders could invite any person to occupy a position also. The history is replete with such instances.

 On 24 June 2004, Dr. Manmohan Singh Prime Minister of India in the gaze of 1000 million people invited this writer to join politics. It is true that he did not use the name of this writer. As the message was clear, this writer sent a letter to him on 25 June 2004 through speed post. 

        On 29 June 2004, Mr. Kuldip Nayar -in a half page article - in “The New Indian Express” beseeched the present Government not to bring any Government servants retired from inconsequential jobs anywhere near Delhi. Now Mr.Kuldip Nair and therefore the industrialists have the last laugh.

      The tragedy is what transpires in the Prime Minister’s Office that reaches the hands of the industrialists minute by minute.

9.    If the imaginary invitation had materialized, this writer would have requested Dr. Manmohan Singh to substitute all internal taxes that stand in the way of growth and exports by transaction charge/tax after calculating the amount that would accrue to the nation from post offices, banks, LIC and other financial institutions including private banks and left the place.

10. This is letter No.35.Too much individualism would destroy anyone,  this writer included. The ideas are such that one may think that this writer is pompous and full of conceit. However, the letters deal with things dear to the 1000 million people.

       It is said that human will has freedom to alter society.

      It is said knowledge is indissolubly bound up with action and its function is to change the World.

       It is said that change takes place gradually, imperceptibly, until a certain point is reached beyond which it becomes sudden. It is often compared to the qualitative change of water into water vapour. Water absorbs heat slowly and indiscernibly and becomes vapour abruptly.

      Thus, the nation is at the very exciting frontier from where one can see a door. The moment the “Divine Spirit or Reason” inspires the President/Prime Minister/ Congress President/Ministers/Members of Parliament to open the door to collect transaction charge/tax from all financial institutions a new Nation and all kinds of wonderful things would appear.

Vellicode                                                                                       Yours faithfully

11-7-2004

                                                                                                (V.SABARIMUTHU)