Speech @ Express Conclave - 11-04-08 @ Kochi

Namaskaram and Good evening.

It is an honor to speak here this evening and I thank Mr Manoj Sonthalia, Chairman of Indian Express for having invited me.

Malayalees have done well all over the world and all over our country. Be it in Politics, Business, Entertainment or Arts, there are Malayalee achievers and pioneers in almost all facets of life. Our own Shashi Tharoor and PNC Menon are good examples of that.

The early leaders of Kerala showed true vision when they chose for Kerala a path that focussed on social development – which is why Kerala today ranks the highest in the country on elimination of poverty, primary education and healthcare. This is not an insignificant achievement when you see how poorly many other States, especially in the north, lag on these three issues.

Kerala also showed that there can be a bipolar polity with coalitions - before national experiments like UPA and NDA were even thought of. Kerala showed that Leftist Ideology can exist in a democratic political mainstream.

Whilst we should celebrate Kerala’s primacy in the social index, it is in another critical area - that of the economic index, where Kerala is lagging and, seemingly is falling behind everyday, vis a vis its peers.

It is a fact that over the last decade - since the bleak days of the early 1990s where we were forced to open up our economy to increased private capital, our Country, the States and businesses have all had to adapt to a new model of competitveness and growth – where the basic principle is that of competing for resources and competing for the growth. All the States have spent the best part of the last decade trying to find their new footing in this new model. Some have done so very well. Some are getting into it and some have just not adapted to it at all. I believe that Kerala is still struggling to find its sustainable place in this new model – and it is increasingly clear that it is losing out to other States in this race.

The last decade of growth in the Indian economy and the generation of resources from that has helped us, as a country, to invest much more in new programs, new infrastructure, new security & defence and new social infrastructure – pointing to one truth in today’s world – Growth. It is clear that sustained economic growth is the only way for us to help millions break out the vicious and debilitating cycle of poverty and despair. ‘Growth’ is the mantra that all of us, as citizens, should demand from our politicians and ‘Growth’ is the mantra that all politicians should deliver to their people. The phenomenon of rapid Growth in India is a clear result of the unleashing of the entrepreneurial spirit and energy of thousands of Indians. Unfortunately, Kerala has lagged in this and consequently in almost all key areas of Economic index or catalysts of this growth – Agriculture, Infrastructure, Manufacturing and even Services, Kerala lags behind its peers. It is important for the State’s future that this situation is reversed and it is done urgently and the politics of Kerala must do this.

How? Let me suggest an idea whose time has come.

Robyn Meredith, the author of a book on China and India, called the Elephant and the Dragon, describes India’s growth as one step forward and two steps sideways. If that describes India, then best way to sometimes describe Kerala is one step forward and 3/4th step backward. This can be very frustrating to our people, investors from outside and generally everyone with a stake in the State’s progress. There is increasingly a feeling that the politics of Kerala, as is the case in other States, is becoming more of a problem to its people than a solution. Politics is creating divisions rather than a coherent vision and hope for the future. Disputes and discord between politicians and parties are to be expected but that should not be the only reason for their existence. The slow response by our political class to aspirations is not acceptable anymore. Kerala is, like the rest of our country - in its demographics, pointing to an increasingly young, aware and impatient population. The challenges posed by this change in demographics are not going to be easily addressed by slogans and rheoteric. The young Indians or Malayalees today are increasingly becoming like their counterparts in the West – demanding more from their Governments and intolerant and impatient with slow change.

I have earlier suggested this and I am using this forum and opportunity to do it again. While, ideologically two parties or coalitions may be divided – there can be and should be an attempt to forge a consensus on some minimum economic issues, that is - political parties may disagree on many things, but they must also learn to agree on some things. May I suggest that Political Parties and Fronts work to creating a Common Minimum Economic Agenda that acts as a base minimum catalyst of growth, regardless of which government is in power, and the people of Kerala must seek this common minimum economic agreement between parties as the insurance for future generations. This common minimum economic agenda should be around principles of private investment, governance and fiscal responsibility, leak-proof and efficient delivery of social services and programs and better economic performance of the Public sector investments.

Politicians must, at least for some things, resist the temptation to get credit for themselves and, attempt instead, to forge a consensus which may require sharing of credit. The Indo US Nuclear Deal is a good example of considerable waste of time and energy in the Parliament and outside, in the absence of an effort for consensus at the very beginning itself. The word ‘consensus’ should therefore enter the political lexicon on very high priority.

Media in Kerala, and indeed, in India, has played a significant role in the past few years in keeping the political process in the spotlight. There is a rich tradition in our media, in taking on the establishment – The Indian Express and the late Ramnath Goenka are shining examples of the roles that Media can play. In today’s world, where economic regulation and policies can, in a slight of hand, cause enterprises to be richer by crores of rupees and the State to lose by the same manner and where politico-business nexus can cause serious economic and institiutional loss, a vigilant media is an essential and critical part of the equation. As someone who is building a network of Regional Television News Channels, I take some pride, along with my team, in ensuring and living up to the Asianet News byline of “Nerode, Nirbhayam, Nirantharam” !

Let me end by saying that the transformation of our country in the last decade has been truly amazing. Kerala must follow that path. India is soon going to take its place amongst the group of developed nations and Kerala should take its place amongst developed States, ensuring that all of us live a life of dignity and decent living. We have to set goals that take us to a developed State status in the next decade. This is achievable - but it requires political will to take us there and it requires all of us to ensure that, this political will is created. It is, in all our interests, to ensure that this political will, is created and created soon.

Thank you again for inviting me to speak today and for your patient hearing.

Jai Hind