Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's much-hyped address to corporate India and his interaction with industry leaders evoked mixed reactions on Thursday.
Rahul flagged up a slew of issues dogging growth and affecting the country's progress, but being aware of the fact that the UPA was in power for the last nine years, he remained silent on who was responsible for not resolving these problems.
While the country keenly waited for Rahul to unveil his economic agenda to the captains of corporate India, Rahul clearly told the audience that the Government cannot solve all the problems that beset the country.
"If you expect Manmohanji to solve your problems, then keep expecting. You people have to take the lead and create jobs. The Government's job is to improve the playing field and provide a rule-based, impartial governance system."
As expected, the leaders of India Inc. clapped and hailed the "vision" of the Gandhi scion and the Opposition slammed him for a "directionless" delivery, but the neutral umpire-the social media and online surveys conducted by different newspapers — gave a thumb down to Rahul.
leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley, who addressed the CII meet after Rahul, rubbed salt in his wounds by highlighting what ailed governance: The dual power centre in the UPA.
The thrust of Rahuls's speech was the need for inclusive growth, without hoping for an individual to work miracles for the country. This was seen as a veiled attack on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who was quick to respond from Gandhinagar saying that he had paid Gujarat's debt and the people now wanted him to pay the country's debt.
On his part, Rahul stressed on the need to empower gram "Pradhans" as a panacea to solve the Centre-State relationship issue that is affecting the growth of the industry. However, he did not touch on issues like NCTC and GST, on which the Opposition-ruled States and the Centre do not see eye to eye. His thrust on empowering the panchayats sounded like a well-meaning homily, which was surely out of synch with the aspirations of the industry. It also invited a sharp comment from the BJP.
"Rahul spoke about giving powers to the 'pradhan' but not about giving powers to the 'pradhan mantri' (Prime Minister)," BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.
In his first major interaction with the industry, the 42-year-old, who is seen as the next Prime Ministerial candidate of the Congress, dubbed as "irrelevant" all speculation about him leading the country, saying one individual could not address all the problems of the nation.
Faulting the existing systems, Rahul said these are "closed" and he questioned why all decisions, including the smallest ones, should be taken by "the most senior guy." He said India needs inclusive growth where there is a "strong connect between harmony and growth" and added that this is the Congress vision.
Talking about systemic problems, he said there is a tendency to solve problems in an incremental manner when "exponential" and "radical steps" are the need of the hour.
He underlined the importance of building basic infrastructure like education for empowerment of the common man and asked the industry to help in creating skills and jobs.
Rahul's hour-long interaction did not lay out any road map for development of the industry, nor did it touch on any of the contentious issues like land reforms.
Commenting on the Gandhi scion's speech BJP MP Yashwant Sinha said he was "perplexed" by what Rahul had said, but maintained that he had been relevant in some parts.
"Who was he criticisingIJ Certainly not us, as we have not been in power for the last several years. Was he targeting his family or his partyIJ" Sinha asked.
While the social media was flooded with critical reactions about the lack of substance in Rahul's speech, nearly three fourth of the respondents of two online surveys by two media houses also endorsed the same views. It is obvious that Rahul is becoming a victim of over expectation.
Speaking hours after him, senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley tried to show a mirror to Rahul by launching a scathing attack on the Congress and pointing out that lack of leadership was one of the main issues plaguing governance.
In his direct attack on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said: "The present model of governance is faulty... The elected head of the State should be able to have the final say, but here he has to follow diktats.
"Being in the Opposition, we disagree with the Prime Minister. But we never questioned his wisdom. His ability to implement is suspect... What is the roadmap for 9 per cent growth rateIJ The leader must have the last word. But the elected head of Government does not have the last word. You end up with a three-legged race. This is happening with the present Government.
"There is general worry about the direction in which we are moving. He (Prime Minister) knew where and what the problems are.
"The power sector, telecom, highways, rural roads suffered under the UPA. What has happened to leadershipIJ The Government must lay down rules for successful economic management of the country," Jaitley said.
"Kashmir and cross-border terrorism are two most serious problems. Maoist violence is disturbing. It is growing in large parts of central India. The North-East is a neglected region and the complaints of people from there are genuine," Jaitley said, adding, "We cannot give the impression of being a soft State."
Using the forum to launch a more serious political attack on the Government, the BJP leader said: "The CBI is being run more by the party (Congress) rather than the Government... All past directors of the CBI and NIA have a post-retirement job.
"The UPA misused the CBI to bend its allies. When I heard Mulayam Singh, we can say that those who are vulnerable are pliable. The two UPA allies are vulnerable. They disturbed the agenda of having consensus on economic issues."
Attacking the UPA regime on the country's poor financial health Jaitley said: "The Government expanded expenditure despite limited resources. Now the Government wants the CII to pat its back... The Government is trying for fiscal prudence.
"It is the last year of the Government and now they are saying they will fix everything... Taxation issues have taken investors away from India."
"The credibility of the Government and the premier investigating agency is in question today... I hope that my party is in the valedictory session for the last time," Jaitley concluded.