Manmohan Singh is really and truly a despicably dishonest man

Mohan Murti writing in Business Line of May 31 asks “Is the nation in a coma?” I think so. The nation’s leaders are dishonest, corrupt, venal, and criminal. Yet the citizens don’t seem to know or care. The most telling fact is that Dr Manmohan Singh, the prime minister of the country, is an astonishingly dishonest person. But he enjoys a reputation of being clean. Dr Singh presides over a collection of the most heinously dishonest bunch of criminals ever to have walked the earth and yet there is no outrage among the citizens.

Mohan Murti’s article is an exception to the fashion that holds that Dr Singh is a nice man. I have been saying for a while that Manmohan Singh is a despicably dishonest person. Wake up, India, and see the rot that infests the nation. The greatest enemies of the nation are those who rule the country and they are stealing your and your children’s future.

Here are a few excerpts from Murti’s article, which is a must-read:

One German business daily which wrote an editorial on India said: “India is becoming a Banana Republic instead of being an economic superpower. To get the cut motion designated out, assurances are made to political allays. Special treatment is promised at the expense of the people. So, Ms Mayawati who is Chief Minister of the most densely inhabited state, is calmed when an intelligence agency probe is scrapped. The multi-million dollars fodder scam by another former chief minister wielding enormous power is put in cold storage. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh chairs over this kind of unparalleled loot.”

An article in a French newspaper titled “Playing the Game, Indian Style” wrote: “Investigations into the shadowy financial deals of the Indian cricket league have revealed a web of transactions across tax havens like Switzerland, the Virgin Islands, Mauritius and Cyprus.” In the same article, the name of one Hassan Ali of Pune is mentioned as operating with his wife a one-billion-dollar illegal Swiss account with “sanction of the Indian regime”. [The Indian regime presided over by Manmohan Singh — AD]

A third story narrated in the damaging article is that of the former chief minister of Jharkhand, Madhu Koda, who was reported to have funds in various tax havens that were partly used to buy mines in Liberia. “Unfortunately, the Indian public do not know the status of that enquiry,” the article concluded.

“In the nastiest business scam in Indian records (Satyam) the government adroitly covered up the political aspects of the swindle — predominantly involving real estate,” wrote an Austrian newspaper. “If the Indian Prime Minister knows nothing about these scandals, he is ignorant of ground realities and does not deserve to be Prime Minister. If he does, is he a collaborator in crime?”

The Telegraph of the UK reported the 2G scam saying: “Naturally, India’s elephantine legal system will ensure culpability, is delayed.” [Emphasis added.]

It is worth recalling why Manmohan Singh is the prime minister. He is pliable, as he lacks a backbone. He follows orders without questioning, since he lacks any sense of decency, ethics, and morality. His master gives him orders and he meekly goes about doing what he is ordered to do. He’s a rubber stamp. Anyone else with even an iota of shame and humanity would long have quit that dishonorable position. But not he. He is blissfully unaware of the low status he holds.

Not one but scores of mega scams pass unnoticed by him. Corruption is so rampant in India under his “leadership” that people have become inured to it and the next multi-billion dollar scam does not even evoke the mildest surprise. Practically all the news channels and agencies in India drink deep from the well of corrupt money that the politicians have. They are complicit in the rape of India that Manmohan Singh and his cohorts are engaged in.

But this cannot last. As Lincoln said, you can fool some of the people all the time, and all the people some of the time, but not all people all the time. The Italian and her Indian lackeys will pay a price for the rape of the land. It is up to us to see that the day of reckoning is not too far.

Author: Atanu Dey

Economist.

36 thoughts on “Manmohan Singh is really and truly a despicably dishonest man”

  1. How long we indians will work under foreign regime.Everywhere from north to south and from east to west there is negativity flowing.And innocent citizens almost unware and least concerned about the ground realities.In which direction are we heading for?I feel evry indian is clueless and confused.Mr Dey please suggest us as to what shall we do because most of us working in a corporate environment think that we are safe and money can buy all of our comforts.But i can see ultimately whatever wherever we are we will be the worst sufferers.So something should be done.I have a request Mr Dey as to write something which enlighten us and start working on that and atleast make the situation a little bit better.

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  2. Dear Atanu

    Agree. I’ve argued for MANY years that Manmohan Singh is a party to the corruption of the Congress party. And so is Rahul Gandhi, who has conveniently agreed to join the mafia that is the Congress. Sonia Gandhi’s case is the same (btw, I have no theoretical objection to an erstwhile foreign citizen becoming India’s PM. I think nationhood is not a hereditary or birth-based concept; it must be treated as part of the social contract: i.e. a matter of choice).

    I know your sympathies perhaps lie with BJP, but let me ALSO assert vigorously that Vajpayee, Sourie, and others considered honest are PRECISELY in the same boat as Manmohan Singh whom you so lavishly criticise. Trust me – BJP is NOT particularly less corrupt than Congress. Both are essentially a bunch of gangsters, misusing power to the hilt, willing to stooping to anything to gain power. A few hundred people dying due to their misguided communal statements doesn’t matter to either group, either.

    More importantly, though, I believe that merely complaining against these ‘leaders’ is not enough. I rank ALL of these leaders, even the MOST CORRUPT of them, higher than everyone who sits by as a spectator, doing nothing. In other words I rank 99% of Indian educated people, including people like you (and me!) FAR LOWER than these corrupt people who lead India. I’m grateful that at least we have some people willing to run the country. What would happen if we left it to the 200 million “educated” clerks who populate India? IITians, IIMites and the lot – sucking up to the most corrupt but never willing to stand up as citizens. Not the least self-respect among the educated Indians, is there?

    You know that I see the problem in black and white.

    I argue simply this: If we the educated have not offered a systematic national alternative to the people, then we have NO BUSINESS and no right to complain. Let us shut up and go home. Or accept that these blogs are just there for us to pat our egos.

    After three failures, the fourth political attempt that I’m working on, as you are aware, is the Freedom Team of India (http://freedomteam.in/). Unfortunately, the Indian educated citizen is such a hopeless and useless creature that he/she’d rather be a subservient clerk to the most corrupt leader he/she can find, than to step aside as a citizen and form an opposition. Despite so many bright people in India so few have so far come forward to join FTI and stand up and be counted as leaders of the India of tomorrow. What can be done about India? Definitely nothing so long as we have 1 billion sheep.

    Through this comment I am throwing a firm and serious challenge to EVERY educated Indian. If you **really** think this country is yours, and you are not born a slave to serve the corrupt ‘leaders’ of India, then rise! Join the Freedom Team or become a Freedom Partner.

    The battlelines have been drawn. Either you join the White force, or you’ll be deemed to be part of the Black force. I’m sorry, guys, but in this battle there is no grey. You’ll have to take sides. By doing nothing, you side with the Black.

    Regards
    Sanjeev

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  3. Atanu.. I wonder what all could be done to improve readership of your blog? Then i think most of the guys who would read you r blog already know what MMS is and is doing to our country. But Now we can not just sit idle and let him and his madam ruin our country. As for my part ,for fight against corruption, i have started by suporting Ramdevji and i have a lot of hope from him. i urge people to liten to him and support his cause.

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  4. Murti seems to apologize for the maoists
    “Europeans believe that Indian leaders in politics and business are so blissfully blinded by the new, sometimes ill-gotten, wealth and deceit that they are living in defiance, insolence and denial to comprehend that the day will come, sooner than later, when the have-nots would hit the streets.

    In a way, it seems to have already started with the monstrous and grotesque acts of the Maoists. And, when that rot occurs, not one political turncoat will escape being lynched.”

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  5. >>> Cherian Tinu Abraham said: Are you a pro-BJP man ?

    CTA, Just in case a pro BJP man/woman/child say ‘Sun rises from East’, would u discount the fact since being told by them?

    :)He or Me might not be pro BJP but are Nationalist to core, any doubt?
    Focus on points and refute them if u can, if you can not- which of course u JUST can not- can u please stop wasting bandwidth please?

    Grow up or stay away 🙂
    PI

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  6. MMS was kicked out of the Afghan meeting attended by 5-6 nations last year held in London. He encouraged congress and non congress corrupt politicians so that his own personal corrupt practices will draw no attention, just as sonia and rahul can escape scrutiny as well. Great strategy.
    The Hadley issue will drag on for another year shamefully. Instead refusing to interrogating him and using that as a stick to stem all future requests by US would have been a better strategy IMHO.There is no think tank in Delhi. They want to impress NDTV, IBN nad TOI thats all . Nation is left to dogs…

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  7. @sanjeev Sabhlok, the educated indian citizen you are talking about cares about his/her interest. The fact is that s/he thinks that his/her interest are best served under Congress. Today, if you look at people’s behavior (this is purely based on my personal experience and I am not trying to generalize) on the road, or what you hear on the radio, or what you read in the newspapers, you really wonder where is the moral compass of the so called ‘educated people’.

    Last week, a motorcyclist, with a girl sitting in the back came and hit me from behind, they both were shouting at me because I applied break on red light!!!

    Do you believe that these kind of people would fight corruption? People are loosing sense of right and wrong in a day to day life.

    Coming back to the congress party. It is a party that has perfected the art of doling out favors for support. If you dig deep, it is a big pyramid model (with Sonia Gandhi at the top, a lot like Amway). Where people associated with it (or support it) feel that their interest are being served. How can we get people to know that congress party is working against their interest and create an alternative model that really serves their interest. This indeed is a million dollar question.

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  8. Dear Atanu

    I agree about the remark of Dr Singh being a dishonest person, but not from the direct corruption cases that are happening around him, but because he has not continued economic reforms. He started off well During the initial Rao days, diluting the IDRA. But there are still so many despicable laws to be dismantled – labour legislations, allowing FDI in education, infrastructure & retail, forex laws bringing in capital account convertibility, and so on. It is because of continuing with the socialist practices, that corruption thrives.

    The present UPA Govt has been given such a good electoral mandate by Indians, where it does not have to rely on the Left parties; this is being squandered away by Dr Singh.

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  9. Few are delusional about UPA politicians, but your haranguing specific politicians and parties is getting annoying and futile.

    Look at the bottom of the pyramid. People delivering you goods and services, without exception, make false promises, fail deadlines and flout quality norms. Even after forking out the cash you as a customer have to keep pushing and following up incessantly to get anything done. And this is true from the vegetable stall to the mighty MNCs-turned-desi. Why does spinach bleed green color when washed? Why does the milk taste of urea? Why will the AC maintenance guy never specify in writing what they cover and what they don’t? Why do top developers in mega cities take almost half the payment for property in cash and without receipt/invoice? Why is the cereal carton smeared with “Real Cashews”, “Real Almonds”, “Real Blueberries” and so one where the basic assumption should be that they are all “real”? Why does no one know how to take a right turn properly? Why do people honk to call someone from their house? Why do people never switch off a fan in a public place when they leave? Why do educated Indians flying in planes disobey crew instruction?

    You think a series of a few thousand bad politicians could do this to a country if our moral fabric was intact and we had any respect for other people and the property and land we live in, and a code of conduct that we would not subjugate to expediency and wealth? Most (over 90%) of Indians need remedial parenting and disciplining. Most Indians are too hassled with life in this dismal country to parent the next generation with the right principles. It’s a death spiral in slow motion. Have you seen an elephant die? It can take hours and hours. Like the Titanic sinking. The final implosion of the subcontinent have been at least six decades in the making. Since the 1980s it has been plainly inevitable, that’s all.

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  10. @ Cherian Tinu Abraham

    Getting a bit too touchy are we? Most regulars to this blog do not like pro-Congress or pro-left morons.
    Why ? Read Indian history(and current affairs too) without blinkers and you will know.
    You have every right to stay and post whatever you want. But please don’t expect others to take your drivel seriously.

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  11. Dear Atanu,

    I fully agree that Manmohan Singh, our dear PM being a defenceless, exploited and once put on defensive can never become offensive’ person, an unfortunate choice of a leader to lead India.

    However, he is a very nice, straight and humble person with a mind of a government servant with ‘yes’ for the vocabulary. India needs a lion with a roar that will start an avalanche in the Himalayas that will bury and chill out Pakistan or even China for that matter.

    That apart, I fully agree with the views expressed by Sanjeev Sabhlok above and I endorse those views. I too am totally disapointed with the educated subservient class of back-boneless people we have. If I had only one tool in hand which is the hammer, I would see every educated head in Goa, in India, as a nail and hammer away at it, mercilessly untill it is driven more than it could go so that it would never come out. YOu may call this utter frustration, the frustration that Sanjeev Sabhlok feels in his bones.

    India, Goa, needs men/women of what it takes to be a leader. Congress, Manmohan Singh are wooing a sissy Rahul for the top job?. The only qualification he has is to sit on the floor of a dalit’s home and eat a meal with him. What a smunck! I wonder if Rahul has the word ‘NO’ in his vocabulary. If India gets leaders like pansy Rahul Gandhi, Devil save us.

    http://www.goasu-raj.org

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  12. Pingback: Weekend Reading
  13. Atanu:

    Do you really think people would stand up and things would change? I ain’t so confident – but am trying to find solace in Loksatta JP Narayan’s words that a tipping point is about to come by soon and at which time status quo is bound to change. But how many of us are really striving towards that end? The way Indians are becoming increasingly immune to an increasingly pathetic state of governance is alarming. The few that see things otherwise are being crowded out by the ever-increasing might and size of the comatose club.

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  14. @Sridhar — a tipping point may be around the corner, but because of likely resource shortages: fresh water, farming water, electricity, affordable food. Dishonesty and shortchanging abstract civic institutions is so ingrained in the typical Indian that politicians caught with their veshtis around their ankles can, ahem, arouse no ire. Refined democratic rage against demagogues cannot come from the sans coulot.

    (Note to boneheads who wish to protest that dishonesty is not a unique Indian trait: I am not saying Indians are genetically prone to dishonesty any more than sahibs. I am saying given the trace of history and its effect on Indians leading up to present times, most Indians cannot be trusted to behave ethically outside their narrow familial bonds, if that.)

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  15. TiredProf: Thanks for the comments. I don’t think there is anything innate in Indians that would relate them to dishonesty or corruption. But I would attribute the sorry state of affairs to the fundamental weakness in our government and its institutions. Eroding values and discipline as you described above among the general public and businesses is a result of their adaptation to the rules that govern them, the ecosystem that they live in, and the incentives that exist in such a broken liberal democratic system. I probably am being pessimistic but no amount of concern or enlightenment from minority voices like you or me would tilt the system a wee bit. A minority like us can make a maximum impact by exerting influence over the laws that govern us and bring relevant structural changes in the moribund government machinery. Imagine we have a hundred Nilekanis infiltrating the government with cutting edge technologies aiding good governance and transparency and a hundred Loksatta JP Narayans that can campaign for the need to bring about laws like RTI or election reforms or strengthening the local governments.

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  16. Manmohan Singh may not be clean but be it at the state or central cabinets is there one single minister in India who can be called clean? In fact there can never be one such, and even had there been one he would not have survived a month. That is because the majority of the general public in India (at least the majority of the educated and have a voice) have totally accepted corruption. Now, corruption need not necessarily mean just taking money for a favor. It also means making a recommendation for someone who do not deserve what is recommended to him or her. 90% of the families in India ( I cannot talk about the world as I did not live in another country) would love to promote the advancement of their relations in jobs/contracts etc. despite them not being deserving for that. They do not have the national interest in mind, but have their own interest uppermost.

    A politician does not drop down from heaven. He is an evolute of the society he lives in and imbibes its values. When the society itself is like that how can you expect clean politicians? Moreover in a democracy whatever the majority thinks right is just, so how can corruption be wrong when the majority thinks otherwise?

    Why has our society become like this where each seeks his/her own or his family’s benefit at the expense of everything else? I do not know. Perhaps we should ponder more on this than blaming Manmohan Singh or Sonia Gandhi or someone else for being corrupt. Individuals do not matter at all. What is worrying is that our society itself is corrupt.

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  17. @Sridhar: You are not in the least pessimistic, it’s realism. I am afraid I am not a Nilekani fan; he won’t be able to figure. JPN’s is a much more promising sort of movement.

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  18. @R.Krishnayya — My thoughts exactly, thanks. Dynasty rule is depressing, and it is even more depressing to see “one of us with a PhD” (MMS) being a puppet in the grip of party scum. But Atanu’s vitriol is easily misinterpreted to mean that (in his opinion) the end of Dynasty will automatically translate into (even relatively) honest politicians.

    Only one thing can bring in honest governance around here: if there was a “fatwa” establishment that ensured swift demise of politicians whose dishonesty or complicity in dishonesty was established beyond reasonable doubt. People should quake with fear before ascending to their seats. They should pee in their pants if a businessperson so much as hinted at a bribe.

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  19. “”Off topic, but you may find this useful: Indian Students and the Strangulating State

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703703704575277373270122754.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEFTTopBucket“”

    What a depressing article! Such articles need to be plastered all over so people awake from their apathy! Why does he truth only appear in foreign journals? What happened to the Indian papers? Too busy with the latest Bollywood news? Such few educated people out of a billion plus people! Why the colossal lack of respect and concern for education? When people talk about India being a superpower you need to show them such articles to get a strict reality check!

    tired prof speaks wise words below:
    “You think a series of a few thousand bad politicians could do this to a country if our moral fabric was intact and we had any respect for other people and the property and land we live in, and a code of conduct that we would not subjugate to expediency and wealth? Most (over 90%) of Indians need remedial parenting and disciplining. Most Indians are too hassled with life in this dismal country to parent the next generation with the right principles. It’s a death spiral in slow motion. Have you seen an elephant die? It can take hours and hours. Like the Titanic sinking. The final implosion of the subcontinent have been at least six decades in the making. Since the 1980s it has been plainly inevitable, that’s all…”
    The above is so true. But you suggest this to some Indians and they call you anti-national! At least there are some realists on this blog who look at reality at the face. It is too depressing. India has gone on the wrong course since independence….One wonders if the downward spiral is irreversible or its just too late?

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  20. “This national ship, my countrymen, my friends, my children — this national ship has been ferrying millions and millions of souls across the waters of life. For scores of shining centuries it has been plying across this water, and through its agency, millions of souls have been taken to the other shore, to blessedness. But today, perhaps through your own fault, this boat has become a little damaged, has sprung a leak; and would you therefore curse it? Is it fit that you stand up and pronounce malediction upon it, one that has done more work than any other thing in the world? If there are holes in this national ship, this society of ours, we are its children. Let us go and stop the holes. Let us gladly do it with our hearts’ blood; and if we cannot, then let us die. We will make a plug of our brains and put them into the ship, but condemn it never. Say not one harsh word against this society. I love it for its past greatness. I love you all because you are the children of gods, and because you are the children of the glorious forefathers. How then can I curse you! Never. All blessings be upon you! I have come to you, my children, to tell you all my plans. If you hear them I am ready to work with you. But if you will not listen to them, and even kick me out of India, I will come back and tell you that we are all sinking! I am come now to sit in your midst, and if we are to sink, let us all sink together, but never let curses rise to our lips.” – SV

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  21. some examples from the history of the “clean”mms,may seem trivial but point to basic flaws in character.

    1.getting elected to rajya sabha by claiming to be a “normal resident of RAJ BHAVAN ASSAM”.
    2.waiving of income tax for the people drawing pension in foreign curency.a category that suited himself very well.

    cases of irresponsibility/possible financial benefit.

    1.harshad mehta scam when for months the stock market was uncontrollable due to money supplies from state bank to harshad mehta,with him as fm and him pretending to be oblivious of the goings on.

    cases of the nehru dynasty/dmk dynasty etc. brazenly let off hook are a long list and are well known.

    A very CLEAN pm is mms

    ashwani

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  22. You know what. Sometimes I think the attck on parliament should have been successful. Most of the India’s problems would have been solved in one stroke.

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  23. Manmohan Singh(MMS) is not the source of corruption that plagues India.
    Corruption happens when we pay half the ticket-price to bus conductor and ask him not to issue the ticket.
    Corruption happens when we allow the furniture-stores to sell their wares at a reduced price by not taking a receipt.
    Corruption happens due to our unethical greed and lax system.

    Unethical greed is universal to this planet. MMS cannot control that. However, MMS, being the prime minister, is in a position to change the system. Atanu believes MMS is not doing anything to change the system. I am doubtful. Right To Information was introduced under MMS. That was a significant move.

    Why is MMS not doing more? I believe nobody, not even the prime minister, can move very fast on anti-corruption as corruption is deeply entrenched within India. Dictatorship would have helped but it has its own risks. Should MMS have resigned instead of compromising with people in power? Or should MMS continue IN the system in order to change it? I am not sure which is the right option. I am not sure what I would have done if I were in MMS’ position.

    I guess I now join the ranks of lobotomized cretins which Atanu despises so much. So be it.

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  24. @Sambaran Mitra “Manmohan Singh(MMS) is not the source of corruption that plagues India.”is incorrect. He is protecting all corrupt politicans(RAJA/PAVAR/KODA/MYAWAT/LALOO) He time and again misuses CBI . Well thats not his biggest crime, his biggest crime is, he is selling india cheap. (See nuclear libality bill)

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  25. @Pushkar
    Yes, Manmohan Singh is protecting all corrupt politicians. That cannot be denied. My point is that (based on media reports only) Manmohan Singh is not amassing wealth for himself. Nor is he ensuring power for his progeny.
    As you rightly said, there is a possibility that Manmohan Singh is a despicably dishonest man because he is protecting corrupt people in order to cling on to PM’s chair.
    However, there is also a possibility that Manmohan Singh wants to correct the system. Only way to do so is to compromise and push the agenda silently, as has been done for RTI. “Oh! The system stinks and I must resign” is an escapist attitude.
    Out of these two possibilities, I choose to believe the later one…… at least for now.

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  26. @Pushkar
    About your statement about nuclear liability bill, I am unable to comment. For a layman like me the only source of info is what other learned men/women are talking. On this nuclear-liability-bill there are equal number of supporting and opposing voices. Hence I am not in a position to judge MMS based on his stand on nuclear-liability-bill.

    On a lighter note, Atanu Dey (and many others) recommend that one way to form an opinion is to see what the leftists are saying about it. Whatever the leftists state, the opposite view is the correct one. Based on that logic, nuclear-liability-bill is certainly good for India.

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  27. A honest man gets hurt and acts immemorially when ever any unwanted incident occurs. There are multiple multi billion dollar scams surfacing everyday but Mr singh & his collegues seems not in knowledge of any such news.Most in English media personalities ( may be paid)tries to convince the public about PM’s honesty. Now no logical argument can justify silence & non action as the sign of any honesty. it exposes the dishonest man who is hiding under artificial cover.

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  28. i only wish to overturn the ruling parties irrespective of Congress or BJP and briging them to shit level, again in next vise versa. so that next time they fear people and do something for people and not just gether wealth. fear is only remedy to this politicians. i believe they have a lot to fear if they are down. this will either make them accountable or quit.

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