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A Tale of Two Speeches.
Two historic speeches were delivered yesterday; one by Barack Obama on America’s new and renewed MidEast policy, in a keynote address at Cairo University – and the other by Pratibha Patil, in her inaugural address to the Indian Parliament. Both are of immense significance; while the former indicates a tectonic, and inevitable, shift in US outlook towards Iran, the Palestine/Arab-Israeli conflict and the AfPak region, the latter speech lays down the contours of future governance in the the world’s largest democracy.
The speeches come at a critical juncture: The MidEast region is expected to witness policy and (even) regime changes in the
light of imminent elections in Iran and Lebanon. The right-wing coalition led by Netanayahu in Israel, has presented several problems to the US, with the question of cessation of settlement construction (along the West Bank) being the latest thorn in US-Israeli flesh. At the same time, there is empathy to the cause of Islamic countries, with Obama recognizing Iran’s right to utilize nuclear power for peaceful, civilian purposes and the two-state solution favouring Palestine. Clearly, the current administration has realized that it must step down from the ivory tower of benevolent patronage, and sit right across the table, treating the other end with respect. Find the text of his speech here.
Smt. Patil’s address to the Parliament also comes after a momentous
exercise, where the Indian electorate has delivered a decisive mandate in favour of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). In contradistinction to most pre-poll predictions, the far-from-fractured verdict allows the UPA to smoothen parameters of good governance, an index that is widely acclaimed to have swung the elections in their favour. Indeed, yesterday’s Presidential address laid down the UPA’s course of action for the first few months of its tenure. The entire text is available here.
Major priorities include:-
1. Fortifying national intelligence on terrorism and internal security
2. Ensuring the approval of the Women’s Reservation Bill, The Right to Free and Compulsory Education Bill, Food Security Bil, the Prevention of Communal Violence Bill and a model Public Services Law
3. Issuing a Unique Identity Card to all citizens
4. Increasing public investment in agriculture and irrigation (strengthening existing plans)
5. Reformulating the National Literacy Mission as the National Mission for Female Literacy (taking into account great disparity in literacy levels)
6. Consolidating the flagship welfare programs of the UPA (NREGS, JNNURM, Bharat Nirman, Indira Awas Yojana etc)
7. Increasing Foreign Direct Investment through proper policy regimes.
8. Widening the ambit of the Right to Information to include non-strategic Government activities.
9. Creation of a National Council on Higher Education; &
10. Strengthening strategic relationships with SAARC neighbours, the US, Russia, Europe, Japan and the developing world.
The speeches from both Presidents also elicited different responses. Obama’s address received mixed reactions from the MidEast and others; while citizens, institutions, analysts and leaders agree that the speech signals a definite attempt to end years of hostility and mutual suspicion, they believe that these words must be followed up with action soon.
The address to the Indian Parliament has, by and large, received favourable response from the media and analysts, as the measures proposed are a logical continuation of the previous Government’s policies. Nonetheless, there will be obstacles, both political and practical, while implementing ambitious and popular projects. The mandate of the people becomes important in this regard and the UPA would do well to return the favour through good governance.
The speeches, given by political and constitutional heads of two of the world’s most influential nations, are iconic in character; once transformed into reality, these words could well shape the course of the 21st Century.
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