The irony is stark. The tenure of an acclaimed economist has seen galloping inflation running over the aam admi on whose shoulders his government came to power. Even while the mandatory references are made to his honesty and integrity, corruption has reached stratospheric levels while his party and government bury their heads in the hand and shortcircuit the Lokpal bill by seeking to keep the prime minister’s office out of it.
Now, while Congressmen with an ear to 10, Janpath light a fuse under his chair by announcing the readiness of Rahul Gandhi to take over, and others are bugging the offices of other pretenders to the throne, the battered and beleaguered PM is set to met the media scrum tomorrow, his third such interaction in 13 months since May 2010, after a national press conference and a meeting with print editors, followed by a pow-wow with the TV types.
What Manmohan seeks to achieve is clear—to convey to the nation that he is in charge, that he is doing his damnedest to put an end to all the troubles, and to show that reports of his prime ministerial death in the 20th year of reforms are grossly exaggerated. Underlying all this is the notion that the solution to the problems ailing him and his government magically lies not in meeting the aspirations of the people, but in meeting the media.
But as with all such gatherings, the PM will only be addressing “select” editors, each of whom will only be allowed to ask one question (no supplementaries, please), which means any attempt to pin him down will be impossible. Result: the prime minister who has a face for the radio, will reel out his answers in his trademark deadpan, monotonous manner that is unlikely to set the Yamuna on fire.
What is the one question the gentlemen of the media should ask Manmohan Singh because “the nation wants to know”?
Illustration: courtesy Xavi/ Toon Pool
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Also read: One question I’m dying to ask Manmohan Singh-I
One question I’m dying to ask Manmohan Singh—II
Have the middle-classes deserted Manmohan Singh?
churumuri 
Whether previously collected questions (I & II) have been answered ? First of all whether they have been asked ?
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“What is the one question the gentlemen of the media should ask Manmohan Singh because “the nation wants to know”?”
Aren’t there any women in the media?
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“How did it feel when Diggy baba uttered that “Harvard-returned” Raul Gandhi was ready to take over as PM?”
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So it takes J Dey’s murder for PM to shower his sympathies!?
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/cornered-upa-govt-to-go-in-for-cabinet-reshuffle/163419-3.html
Howcome there is not even a single article on the murder in churumuri or sans serif?
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Probably this will be MMS last press conference as PM?
Diggy baba and co are beginning to feel that congress may not come to power next time, so they want the ‘prince’ to become PM during this term only. That’s why they have increased their rantings(saying prince is ready)
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From now onwards you have to remove “dying to ask” from the headline as I think nobody from the fourth estate(anybody else included ) is “dying” to ask any question to this “power” less guy.
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i think he should be given a year max, to clean the rubbish and burn it. If not he should resign. if he does not do that the dustbin is waiting
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Nothing, no question at all. It’s a farce. It would be fun if no one from the press or media turned up, leaving puppet Singh sitting twiddling his thumbs.
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Will you write a book about your days with PVN and the dark days of the early 90s?
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He can’t open his mouth. What is the use of these questions? And what happened to previously collected questions by other people.
Good for nothing
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An meaningless exercise in futility.. There is a joke going around these days – MMS goeas to a Dentist to get his toothache fixed accompanied by Sonia. When the Dentist asks MMS why he has brought along Sonia, he replies ‘How else can I open my mouth if she is not around?’
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Murthy:
“Not a single article on churumuri or sans serif”?
At least take the minimum trouble to search before making such comments!
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I would say “The media” has failed this country. As the people of this country get betrayed by their “Democratically elected” representatives, this powerful bastion for reasoning- the media- has sold its soul and stabbed the people in their backs.
If the uncomfortable and probing questions are not asked of the politicians, there is no accountability in this democratic set-up. So, the point is… Why should it be just one question? Why should I die to ask? Shouldn’t the questioning be relentless?
In any case, to start with…
One for MMS
Do you think of the millions who are struggling to earn a meal-a-day as a result of inflation while you sit down for your meal each day?
One more for MMS
Have you actually got a plan to curb inflation and bring down the level of poor in this country?
One for the media
Have you stopped following up on all the scams that have come to light recently?
One more for the media
When HDK threatens Yeddy with statements like “I will expose all the land scams if Yeddy doesn’t do this or doesn’t do that”, what is the media doing? Why isn’t anyone asking him what he knows and why is he not exposing whatever he knows as is his duty in the opposition? …Mute spectators!!
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It was amusing to see Kumar Ketkar giving sound bites to the media in admiration of this extraordinary press conference of their hero.
And it was not amusing but sickening to see NDTV and the other chamcha channels coverage about “how the PM had answered his critics”. Probably tonight Barkha Dutt will appear on NDTV grinning away in glee about how we have such a fantastic PM who has crushed his detractors, with his brilliant press con.
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I am not finding proper words for MAJBOOR & KAMZOR & JIHAZOOR , P.M.Sr. Manmohan Singh ji. If being honest is the only criteria & qualification to become P.M.of India, there are more than one billion honest people in India.MMS is neither a statesman nor a politician nor an able administrator,nor a leader of masses,nor a captain of his own cabinet team & minister, nor effective economist, nor an elected reprsentative of people,I wonder what qualification he posseses to be P.M. of world biggest democracy? He is only a puppet,dummy & like an electronic toy whose remote controal device is in the hand of Sonia & Rahul Gandhi.For God sake & for betterment of our motherland India, please resign immidiately in order to pay due respect to the chair,designation&office to Prime Minister of India. Sir,once a P.M.will always be called as Ex-P.M. Enough is Enough
Suneel Sardana
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As an eminent economist, MMS, you have earned a good name. You earned a good name as the Finance Minister under late Sri Narasimha Rao, and the two of you liberated India from Nehru brand of socialism and the Hindu rate of growth. You cannot add any value to the government when all controls are in others’ hands. You do not need the office of PM, and it is best that you retire from the scene now preserving the goodwill of people for your considerable achievements in the past. Go now, MMS. Save India.
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