While India’s resurgent enterprise creates new wealth and fills the state’s coffers with taxes, it is the government that is failing to take the benefits where they are needed. So those left out are angry and impatient and, while you can take a judgmental view on what you may describe as an “insensitive, inadequately socially conscious” media, it does take the images of that fast-prospering, but much smaller India, to the larger Bharat that is languishing and is no longer willing to put up with its fate. The result is anger with the state, there’s why anti-incumbency, and also envy with the new billionaires, ESOPs, Bentleys, $100,000 per year starting salary class. Today’s politics is a conflicting inter-play of two strong emotions, greed and envy. Those benefiting directly and rapidly from growth want the train to only climb higher, and faster. Those not on the train yet, are asking what the hell is going on, and voting with their feet.

What is the answer then? Kill Growth? Re-nationalize wealth as Indira Gandhi did in our Socialist, Stagnating Seventies when growth emerged under 3 and inflation reached 17? Can you decree lower salaries, the size of marriage parties? Can Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi ban TV Channels for “vulgar” display of wealth besides flesh, which usually gets his goat?

The challenge of today’s reformer is to find a balance between these two emotions. To speak to the rich, OK, as the Prime Minister did this week, and to also speak to the poor. But in the latter case, you have to back your speech with actions, improve the delivery of government services, roads, education, health and, most of all, power.

... contd.