Nation edit: Irresponsible, Mr PM

Even before the dust of his crumbling FDI dreams has settled, prime minister Manmohan Singh seems to have set himself up for another fall. While committing that the first phase of the Kudankulam nuclear power plant will be operational in ‘a couple of weeks’, and the second phase within six months, the prime minister, currently visiting Russia, seems to have ignored the silent but strong grassroots-level protests going on around the plant and the concerns of experts over India’s safety regulations.

Making an assurance on a sensitive issue on foreign soil smacks of disregard for concerns back home where talks between the protesters and a government-appointed committee are still inconclusive.

Nuclear energy may well be the solution to all of India’s power woes, but in a democracy, important policy decisions are best taken after a consensus — not just with the opposition but also with the people. But time and again, UPA II has proved that it neither has time for nor values the due political processes.

The PM’s modus operandi when it comes to pushing big ticket policy is worrying. From the India-US civil nuclear deal, which he militantly pushed through, to the recent still-born move to bring FDI into the retail sector, Singh conveys the impression that once he is convinced of an idea, everyone else, be it the opposition, his own party, civil society, or protestors, should fall in line. Such disregard for the democratic process is unbecoming of a two-term prime minister, especially when public opinion about politics and politicians is at its lowest ebb.