Modi storms Delhi to unveil his vision

"There can be no good governance without P4 � People-Public-Private-Partnership" � declares Modi. New Delhi: At a time when Rahul Gandhi has come out of the shell and has started speaking on generalities that affect the nation, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who is yet to be named as the Prime Ministerial candidate of the BJP, is in a hurry to explain his new model of Moditva. It is no longer about Hindutva, but about unleashing a new set of economic reforms that even threatens to embarrass the Manmohanomics of the UPA government. Narendra Modi addressed two conferences in Delhi on Monday. At the TV 18 conference, entitled, Think India Dialgoue, Modi unveiled his vision before the intelligentsia, taking tough questions on issues like FDI, land acquisition, decentralisaton and privatization. Earlier, he addressed FICCI Ladies Organization in his bid to impress the fair sex on his roadmap to empower them and bring them at par with the men-folk. Modi, sometime ago, had also addressed the youth at the SRCC in Delhi. He is addressing a few more conferences, including one in Kolkata on Tuesday. In his interactive sessions, where he is trying to reach out to wider audience, Modi, in his new avatar, has shed the image of Hindutva and is at pains to present himself as a compassionate and a witty person. A leader, who understands the complexities of the nation and has the potential to overhaul the entire system that is ridden with corruption and policy-paralysis. Citing the example of Gujarat, in the women's conclave, he said that brands like Amul, Lijjat pappad and Jassuben pizzas, were driven by women entrepreneur. "In Ahmedabad, Jassuben pizza is very popular. People prefer those pizzas over Pizza Hut pizzas," he remarked. Immediately, he cautioned the media not to rush to Ahmedabad to locate Jassuben, as was the case with Rahul Gandhi's Kalawati. Jassuben died five years ago but the pizzas at her place are still selling. Talking about his work in Gujarat, he said, that what he has done so far is only to fill up the pits dug by the previous Congress Governments and has created level-playing field. A lot more remains to be done. He blamed Governor Kamlabehn for sitting over the Bill, passed by the Assembly that provides giving 50 per cent reservation to women in the local bodies. "There can be no good governance without P4 � People-Public-Private-Partnership" � declared Modi, when he moved over to the next business conclave, explaining that the need of the hour was to take radical decisions. He was of the view that decentralization of power was crucial for development as centralization of power derails delivery systems. Flaying the government for losing credibility, the Gujarat Chief Minister said that the goal of good government (su-raaj) could be realized by the implementation of good governance (sushaasan). "Where there is file, there is government, where there is life there is governance," he remarked. Coming up with his out-of-box solutions to improve relations with other countries of the world, he said that now, foreign relations were mainly related to economic diplomacy. He was of the view that all the States should be linked to one country, that could help in better communications and help to improve relations with the countries of the world. He professed the splitting of MEA into two � one that would deal with its neighbours and the other that would help in economic diplomacy. Accusing the Centre of being biased in the distribution of funds to States, he wondered why the Planning Commission was more generous to the tiger and not to the lion? "Is lion more communal and is the tiger secular?" he asked. He said, "Government is about outlay and governance is about outcome." People had lost faith in government and its institutions. Professing Gujarat model on the issue of land acquisition, Modi said that the government should act as a facilitator, so that the farmer could get a good deal and is not exploited. The Supreme Court, in its judgment, has praised the Gujarat model and has asked other States to follow the same. Land cannot be taken forcibly and the farmer has to be convinced and given a good deal. Similarly, on FDI, he said that the BJP was not opposed to it, except in the retail sector. In his own State, in the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, 121 countries participated. In reply to a query, Gujarat Chief Minister agreed that all the political parties should chart out a "Common Minimum Programme" on the vital issues of health, drinking water and other social issues. He said that the priority of the political parties and leaders in India is to win elections and remain in power. "All decision are taken, keeping an eye on the next election. Political parties are under pressure to avoid or delay decisions due to elections," he remarked.Politicians should learn to say no and bureaucrats should learn to say yes. Modi underscored the point that India has the advantage of being a democracy and it has 65 per cent of its population that is under 35 years of age. The government should learn to use the two dividends to advantage. Anita Saluja