Mr. Dinesh Trivedi, the Indian Railways Minister, after presenting the Railway Budget 2012-13 presented a brave face in an interview to ND TV.
He quoted Bhagat Singh.
He would prefer stepping down, rather than rolling back the increased rail fares.
He claimed he had done his duty.
The interview of Mr. Trivedi, is one of the best questions-answers, I have seen on TV. The Railway Minister was very forthright. But, I am sceptic. I still doubt his approach for two reasons.
1. It is not clear why he did not pre-consult his party working Committee/Polit Bureau or the party Ms. Mamta Banerjee. Had he consulted her, at the budget preparation stage, she would have given her mind and suggested him solution. If he was still convinced that he cannot compromise with his convictions on maintaining the Railway Finances, he could have offered to quit, by informing Ms. Banerjee. He owed his position as Railway Minister, to his party Trinamul Congress. If he was going to work in a direction diametrically opposite to party line, it would have been apt for him to offer to quit in the preparation stage itself. This would have obviated the need for rollback through his hands.
2. The tough stance taken by Mr. Trivedi might have been a result of the guidance by Mr. Manmohan Singh, who might have been under pressure from the American President and the Secretary of State/the American Ambassador in India. Circumstantial background: World aircraft makers want to sell their aircrafts by hook or crook. Air India has already purchased some Boeing and Airbuses. More shopping is on the offing. An Air-show is going on in Hyderabad where Boeing 787 aircraft is being exhibited.
3. Kingfisher Airlines is comatose and moribund . Air India is in trouble. Other private airlines are also stagnating.
There might have been constant demand on the Prime Minister to revive Airline businesses in India, so that they can buy Aircrafts from U.S. and France.
Demand for Air Travel will go up if long distance train fares are increased in such a way that the fare differential between air travel and rail travel is waffer thin, and high-end train travellers will shift to air travel..
Like the United States, India is a great land of lobbying. Top Business Empires continuously lobby to influence Govt. policies.
Train fares have not been increased for the last eight years, and that funds are to be mobilised to boost the safety of railway passengers is only a pretext.
Leave aside populism and political convenience, Railways have to fix/raise their fares in such a way that they do not lose their business to airlines and long distance buses.
If Mr. Dinesh Trivedi is genuinely motivated by an idealistic inner drive to repair the Railways, he deserves great appreciation. On the other hand, if he is playing to satisfy lobbyists, Indian, Foreign, Private varieties, he will not be doing his duty, as claimed by him, but will be destroying the Indian Railways.
Lalu Prasad Yadav and Mamata Banerjee, though obstinate they were in not raising the fares, it must be said, did not yield to global pressures.
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