On Montek, the chhota ustad

New Delhi: May 15, 2008
It is indeed great fun when wars of words occur between senior government functionaries, like the spat between Montek Singh Ahluwalia, deputy chairman of the planning commission, and Praful Patel, the minister for civil aviation, that has been in the news for a few days.

Apparently, Montek had called the privatization of Delhi airport a “complete failure” – and the minister retorted by pointing out that everything the planners do is a complete failure too!

Quite simply, I am just loving it!

(You can find the report on Patel’s letter to Montek here. Montek’s counter-attack is reported here.)

But is Montek high-tech or low-tech?

Central planners in 2008, 20 years since the Soviet Union collapsed, must be very, very low-tech indeed. Complete and total duds.

Montek was with the IMF before this appointment.

Swaminathan Aiyar once said – in public and in Montek’s presence – that Montek always sported pink turbans in Washington, while in Delhi his pug is always blue!

Doesn't that sound like a seriously schizoid personality disorder?

My question is: Did Montek take a hit on his IMF salary when he joined the PC? Is Mamohan paying Montek IMF wages?

I hope some RTI activist will find out.