Perhaps the media also blew and burst it before it became operational and the Indian media needs to have a consensus on such critical issues and what to broadcast and what not to broadcast. Infact, I was watching one such program with 2 spokesperson of either parties and they were just vindicating their stand rather can discussing the point and eventually it was big political gimmick to gather votes.

Your observation of the Left being an outdated party is right. It might be true that they are the only party that diligently audits their accounts, perhaps they can have a frequent intellectual audit of their thought processes as well. For them it is always about pensions, gratuity, strike and at times looking at the China and Pak story from a strategic view piont.

How does the US and other Western countries tackle such problems. Simple keep the press out of the equation. In India it is at the forefront of it with different opinions and thoughts

Mr. PM’s speech was expected to answer questions raised or atleast cool down the opposition. But instead he chose to go it the hard way like saying we meddled so much and got this, you take it or leave it. obvious enough all opposition and CPI(M) are making sure he has more bad worrying days ahead of him on this issue because he said that phrase which was so unfortunate for a leader.

What people get is bad representation of them at the world stage. you call them, layout a plan, send them saying everything is fine, and later fight inside and cancel it and live happy like nothing happened.

Some years back they interviewed people responsible for the bofors deal (non-indians side of it i mean). one of the interviews was of the director of the arms company that sold india the bofors.

i remember he said something like this, “india has paid us for the guns, the technology, and training on setting up and manufacturing more of it themselves.. but so far only the guns were transacted. the rest they haven’t bothered to get from us though they paid for it.. it is because of all the issues with the deal.”

politicians though always crib that “5 years is too less to do anything and it goes off in ensuring we get reelected for the next 5″, they seem to internally take it as a convenience to get away with things.

but, i have seen that the scene is same even in developed countries like the US.

A second, slightly longer term, benefit is that new imported plants can be set up by Indian companies in partnership with foreign companies. These plants can be much larger, ranging in size from 1,000 MWe to 1,600 MWe. Since nuclear plants enjoy significant economies of scale, larger plants will be able to produce power much more cheaply than smaller plants and make them more competitive with electricity produced from coal or natural gas. In a power starved country like ours, it’s not much different from oxygen.

News Channels resemble soaps since they are not assured of a juicy TRP even if they manage to get groups of eminent scientists, lawyers, journos and commentators to come together on air. Our TV viewers, like elsewhere in the world, are happy with reality shows and the like… Who cares for insightful documentaries or news feeds?

It also brings new meaning to A.J. Liebling’s maxim that freedom of the press belongs to those who own one. So it’s wheels within wheels….

With sketchy information about 123 agreement and after pouring through some interviews with nuclear scientists, I think, as you rightly mentioned, the real issue is about educating the politicians and ‘aam junta’ about the agreement. Mr.Singh could not have gotten another issue of such national importance to face the people and make a case in its favor. He had just lost another opportunity to educate India from atop the Red Fort. We have good reasons to be disappointed with the country’s leadership.

There is also some insensitivity in the way disasters and their victims are handled.

About politicians, what can I say excpet that they are our chosen leaders. Perhaps we deserve what we get.