The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government has completed two years in office. How has it fared? And what is the man on the street thinking on what it has done in the foreign policy, financial and social sectors?
NDTV tonight aired a nationwide opinion poll done in association with the market research agency, MODE. 4,000 urban and rural respondents were polled. Prannoy Roy says the sampling error is 3-4%. These are the findings:
1) Is Manmohan Singh overshadowed by Sonia Gandhi? Yes: 71%, No: 25%
2) Who between them is more powerful? Sonia: 61%, Manmohan: 36%
3) Who would make a better PM? Manmohan: 32%, Sonia, 31%, Vajpayee: 29%
4) What kind of impact does the Left have on the UPA government? Big: 51%, Minor: 39%
5) Does the Manmohan government listen to the Left? Yes: 46%, No: 43%
6) Is Left pressure good for the country? Yes: 61%, Bad: 28%
7) Is UPA taking India closer to the United States? Yes: 80%, No: 15%
8) Is India getting closer to US good or bad? Good: 76%, Bad: 15%
9) Is UPA taking India closer to Pakistan? Yes: 72%, No: 21%
10) Is India getting closer to Pakistan good or bad? Good: 72%, No: 26%
11) Should colleges have more reserved seats? Yes: 64%, No: 32%
12) Should there be reservations in the private sector? Yes: 58%, No: 37%
13) Is reservations in private sector a good thing? 74% SC/STs say yes, 72% OBCs say yes, 43% general category say yes
14) Will the reservation policy help or hurt the UPA government? Help: 62%, Hurt: 32%
15) Is the new reservation policy a gimmick or a genuine move? Gimmick: 57%, Genuine: 37%
16) Is Manmohan Singh an honest politician? Yes: 88%, No: 10%
17) Can Manmohan take tough decisions: Yes: 62%, No: 35%
18) Is India better/worse than before or the same under Manmohan? Better/worse: 53%
ESTABLISH ‘MERIT’ MINORITY INSTITUTIONS
The ongoing debate and politicking on the issue of Reservation will probably result in none too satisfactory culmination due to populism and vote bank politics of the powers that be.
The argument for reservation stems from the perception that the so called merit students are for historical reasons from the forward classes and hence deny the majority the fruits of education which is their right. That is to say, merit is a minority.
Fine! But what happens to a student from the forward community who has better academic and entrance examination achievements and yet is denied a seat because of the quota raj? How do you justify denying him his due? Also, aren’t we slipping when meritocracy is ignored?
My suggestion is that since according to everyone, merit is in minority, it would be ideal to establish ‘merit’ minority institutions. There would be no quotas here nor would anyone be asked about his caste, tribe or religion. The selection would be based purely on merit- academic achievements and properly designed entrance tests.
Will there be any takers in our political dispensation?
The whole poll on NDTV looks like a sham especially with the question like Should there be reservations in the private sector? getting 58% vote. and Is Manmohan Singh an honest politician? If it is really yes then why he has not issued single statement relates to Reservation. A Big pupet PM India ever had after I .K. Gujral. The poll may sponsored by Congress it self @ the time when NDTV requires funds badly as CNNIBN hitting prime time big way.
VK you hit it on the head.
NDTV and Pronnoy Roy has always been a congress mouthpiece. Now with CNN-IBN in the fray NDTV is like stale bread. These so called opinion polls can be doctored anyway the “sponsor” wants it to be.
I am sure the poll was really done by the ‘Karat and Yechury opinion polls limited’ Hats off to NDTV, i am sure that every comrade in Kerala and West Bengal will be proud of them