When Manmohan Singh’s Silence Became his Most Potent Weapon

In office Manmohan Singh was lampooned for his silence even as his government fell apart. But on Thursday he used his silence and brevity to devastating effect as, in a rare parliamentary intervention, the silent ex-PM delivered what is easily the most stinging criticism of demonetization and its implementation.

For once, his trademark soft delivery, often the butt of jokes, became his Brahmasthra as line after line tore apart the demonetization drive of the Narendra Modi government. For a Parliament ordinarily used to competitive displays of lung power, the softness of Singh’s delivery was a refreshing change in norm. And it also helped that the words were coming from someone who was an internationally renowned economist before he became a politician.

Singh chose his arguments carefully, but his rhetoric was stronger than any statement we have seen so far from the Opposition – either inside Parliament or outside. It is highly likely that “organised loot and legalised plunder,” would be the words that will rankle among the Opposition benches as they go about amping up their protests against demonetization. There is a nationwide Aakrosh Day coming up on Monday, you will hear MMS’ words echo there.

While Singh desisted from making his attack personal, he hit where it hurts: RBI, the Finance Ministry and PMO. One of India’s most celebrated RBI governors himself, Singh said the central bank, the Finance Minister, and the PMO stood exposed after its frantic effort to improvise on a daily basis.

From his experience in office as finance minister, he was unsparing in his attack on the RBI, accusing the central bank of having exposed itself to the criticism. Of reviewing policies on a daily basis, of being thoroughly underprepared for the transition.

And he put a figure to it all: 2%, giving ammunition to the Opposition benches scrambling to combat the government narrative of building a national vs anti-national binary in the demonetization debate.

In fact, that could be an important takeaway from Manmohan’s speech today. He has managed to drag the debate back from national vs anti-national to the consequences and ramifications of giving such a sudden jolt to the economy.

During his short speech, Singh played many parts. At first the statesman. Backing Narendra Modi in his effort to weed out terror. Then a subtle digress, donning the role of a politician, reminding the successor of the distress that can befall on people especially the poor in the next fifty days.

Manmohan Singh then fixed the blame in terms of numbers: the loss of lives caused by the demonitisation. That is now part of the parliament record: “60-65 people have lost their lives due to the monumental mismanagement.”

The unkindest cut of all, came in the way of accusing the ruling dispensation of having presided over an "an organised loot and legalised plunder". That was the political attack, the former PM made, without taking names, without personally attacking PM Modi, laying the ground for a JPC by the speaker which would follow him.

And finally, as he wound up his rare intervention, he asked the PM to help find practical ways to provide relief to people.

In other words, the buck, Singh told his successor, stops with the head of the political executive.