The Interview that wasn’t

            The election season has begun. Just 50 days to go. With   this,a new mania has begun. Interviews and Interviews everywhere. The journo-politico combine run after self promotion and TRP . There begins the unholy nexus. The tailors begin their tailoring, Even the interview hall is tailored as a way to cover votes. A Bhagat Singh  for nationalists,Ambedkar for Dalits the list is endless. A genuine interview is hard to find on TV.A interview high on content and low in controversy is extinct. We had Arnab’s empowerment and RTI interview with Rahul Gandhi.I wonder what has 1984 got to do with future elections?. 30 years have passed since 1984,the same goes for 2002. Elections are more about future and not the past.

             Every Journalist around the corner wants an interview with a politician the most sought being Narendra Modi, the Bjp Prime Ministerial Nominee. The topic has either been on communalism or what the Gujarat model is?.For Rahul it goes back to RTI/NREGA.I agree that  past record does have a value on paper. But isn’t it supposed to be what do they plan to do when they come to power? What economic reforms do they intend to bring? Their foreign policy views on Pakistan,China?.Now that nobody is ready make or take an interview on pressing issues.I have decided to make my own interview.

I have my doubts my questions on various issues as a common man.Let me make this clear the questions will not be on  RSS, Yashodaben ,Communalism, Muslims, Advani , Gujarat Model. I don’t give a damn what you did in your past 6 lives. All I care is what you bring to my table now. Please do not speak about your election manifesto. We don’t read it neither do we believe it.

I have serious questions on various issues. The interview will be in “Segments”.

The Segments being

1..National Security-

   (a) Internal

   (b)External 

2.Climate Change and Green Energy

3. Economic Reforms /Welfare Programs

4.Foreign Policy

5.Disaster Management

6.Infrastructure

7.History

8.Experience in Administration

9.Electoral & Police reforms

10.Mistakes that you would like to correct

11.Crucial Amendments that you would like to bring

12.Changes you would like to bring in Public Sector, Your Disinvestment plan

13.The extend to which you will privatise public sector

14.Educational Reforms

15.Corruption at various levels

16.Steps you would take to correct the delivery systems.

17.Health related reforms

18.Agricultural reforms

19.India’s Energy needs

20.Bridging the Urban and Rural divide-steps to nullify the push and pulls factors

21.NGO

22.The Final

These are 22 topics on which the interview will revolve around I give you Mr.Narendra Modi the right to pick the segment in the order you would like it to be. Since I don’t have to privilege to interview Mr.Modi in person.I shall put forth my questions on this blog.what is the use? .Atleast the next time he speaks on TV we could search for an answer that we want.

I request the readers to correct me if I am wrong of facts /logic or question I raise.I am no journalist no a PhD in any subject. Just your good old newspaper reader

National Security(Internal and External)

1.   The Naxal menace is  one of the most stable security threats to internal security how do you intend to change it?

2.   Is only brute force coupled with development the only solution?If yes how far do you intend to push this plan,there has been case of Naxals taking support from terror organization?

3.   Are you open using Army  against the Naxals?There has been double mindedness in this issue,how do you view this?

4.   There has been reports of terrorist entry through the open border with Nepal, are open to open border with any country ?

5.   A lot of terrorist entry has been through the Nepal border,Yasin Bhatkal & Dharbanga Module being the classic example how do you intend to handle this issue?

6.   Are you open to Army reduction in Kashmir?If No how long can sustain this be sustain what do you see as the solution to reduce human rights violation in Kashmir?

7.   It is true that Army presence is important in case of Kashmir but isn’t there a way to improve the way of life in J&K?

8.   The North East been one the major victims of terror and ethic violence how do you view the situation in North East what plans do you have to improve the state of North East section of people?

9.   Illegal immigrants from Bangladesh has been a worry for India there rate of fencing borders has been slow,there has also been accusations of corruption what is your view on this issue?

10.  How do you believe can India weed out Bangladeshi immigrants from genuine Indian citizens?

11.  India has been the largest importer of weapons this a huge loss  of foreign exchange how do you intend to improve Indian domestic weapon production?

12.  Are you open to private player entry in Weapon production?

13.  There has been large scale of suicides in Armed forces how do you intend to improve the life of an normal low level army jawan?

14.  There has been a lesser level of participation from women when it comes to armed forces, how do you intend to increase their participation?

15. There has been repeated attacks on Indian fishermen on coasts how do you intent to handle this?

16.  There has been accusations of Indian fishermen crossing their borders what steps will you take to improve this state of fishermen populace?

17.  What is your view on Nuclear proliferation?

18.  There have been murmurs that India took a wrong step by signing the 123 agreement with USA ,in effect we are yet get anything from this agreement because of the Nuclear liability law which USA doesn’t seem to like what steps will your government take on this issue?

National Security Segment Ends

Economics and Welfare schemes

My first question to you Mr.Modi

1.   India has been struggling to make its ends meet there have been little prudent investment  the most the current government has done is create a group of mass labourers under NREGA,what are your employment creation plans on the long run?

2.   We are running on high inflation both food inflation and core inflation what are steps you have in mind to reduce this?

3.   There has been a talk of abolishing income tax and replace it with a single bank transaction tax do you believe in this idea?

4.   S.Gurumurthy a respected columnist had put forth and idea of bring out the idle gold stuck inside the house holds and transfer it to reserve bank for interest how do you see this suggestion?

5.   NPAs have been on the rise in banks there has been news of some PSBs being in the state on insolvency and barely running,how do you intend to cut short this crisis?The SARFEASI act has been a very late correction do you intend to strengthen the hand of the banks by introducing more powerful laws?

6.   What are your views on black money?will you release the names of these illegal money holders?

7.   Let us assume that a large business with hi reputation is found to hold a large amount of blackmoney and obviously mass employer how do intend do handle such a scenario?

8.   You had claimed that you would bring it back and incentivize the tax payer, don’t you believe it as way on wasting money instead of creating infrastructure or better the health system that needs a bigger over haul and needs larger investments?

9.   Assuming that you really return a chunk of black money to tax payers wouldn’t as such have an cascading impact on price of real estate sector and other sectors and affect the less affordable?

10. The popular scheme of UPA the NREGA seems to be a complete waste of public money neither do they create any returns nor have the made a greater change in the life of lower class,NREGA is basically a temporary job isn’t the govt supposed to create a better and sustainable for of employment?

11.  Though policy rates are not under your control do really believe keeping it high will help control inflation? Doesn’t the high policy rate affect the business environment?

12.  There have been reports and surveys showing that it is the smaller investors who hold up the financial market and as such it is these small scale businessmen who are more affected by this rate hike and not the big businessmen who can bear higher rates?

This ends the economy segment

Environment,Climate Change and  Green Energy

1.   Environmental clearances are crucial for any project, development without destruction is impossible how do you intend to balance this razor thin issue?

2.   A overtly environment sentimental approach could mean loss of revenue but over exploitation and pushing of tribals from their homes leads to discontent leading to Naxalism do you have a innovative plan to balance this sensitive issue?

3.   Indian rivers are the real life sustainers how do  intend to improve the current state of rivers? There has been high level of pollution by dye manufacturers how do you intend to correct this?

4.   If the principle of “polluter pays “ is your answer does that by anyway reduce the rate of pollution?

5.   The rate of deforestation is a cause of worry we have acts to protect forest and endangered species and the state of forest protection has been very poor, how do you plan to improve this?

6.   There has been accusations of cases where a industrial project crossing the allowed mandate of deforestation and later seeking clearances? What kind of plans do you have to correct such anomalies?

7.   Are you open for a binding climate change agreement if not what is a point in running a climate change summit which has no impact assured impact?

8.    If yes you are open to a binding document don’t you believe the possibility of it affecting industrial growth of the nation and why should India agree to sign such an agreement which even larger polluters like USA and China are not ready to.?

9.   India on average has 300 sunny days how do plan to promote solar energy?

10. How do intend to bring down the cost of solar energy production?do you believe  a grid party is possible in India’s case? If yes how?

11. India is one of the lowest investors in R&D there is huge need for funds in Green energy based R&D?How do you intend to involve private players in this Greenfield?

Foreign Policy(Only Neighbours)

1.   What is your China policy?

2.   We have a very skewed balance of trade with china in which India has much to lose than china how do you plan to correct this imbalance?

3.   Do you see China as a threat and an aggressor?

4.  There have been repeated cases of violations from Chinese side what steps will your government take to  cool off these confrontations other than the much clichéd “Confidence Building Measures (CBM)”?

5.   How do you intend to solve the Arunachal and Aksai Chin issue which China claims as its own?

6.   How do you intend to get back Pakistan occupied Kashmir?China has been building massive infrastructure in this region,your views?

7.   Do you believe in Non Alignment policy ?Is such a policy possible in a Multipolar World?

8.   Do you think India and Pakistan can be friends?how

9.   What is you Pakistan policy?

10. How do you plan to take down terror machinery in Indo Pak border?will your Government take pre emptive strikes on these locations?

11.                There has been repeated argument of no talks with Pakistan till it shuts down its terror machinery do you believe in this policy?

12.                What is the point of telling it to shut down its terror machinery when its Schools teach hatred towards India? How do you see this?

13.You have spoken of breaking up MEA into two for better management please elaborate

14. What are your view on Bangladesh?

15. Are you open to Land Agreement with Bangladesh?

16. India needs transit through Bangladesh to reach transit to North East which Bangladesh will accept when the Land transfer agreement is accepted what are your views on this issue?

17.What is your view on the river agreement between India and Bangladesh how do you plan to improve relation between India and Bangladesh?

18.What is your Sri Lanka Policy?

19.Sri Lankan Tamils issue has been a sensitive issue down south what does you government plan to improve the lives of Srilankan tamils?

20.There has been reports of Srilanka moving towards China with port development of Hambantota port and Chinese help in Satellite in Sri Lanka how do you view this?

21. Do you support country specific resolutions in UN?

22.What steps will your government take to attain the status of Permanent membership in UN?

With this I end the Foreign policy segment of the interview.

Now lets take a break folks

I am stopping with this part of the interview the next set of questions will be updated based on the feedback I get.I wish I could ask him all this for real :-)

Thank you