The writer has blown big holes in the concept of “Team India” (“The problem with Modi’s “Team India”, Aug.31). The critique points out glaring inconsistencies within the present socio-economic conditions that present an almost Augean hurdle towards the establishment of “Team India”. Cooperation is at the core of this notion, and also the creation of an altruistic atmosphere. The oft-used metaphor of India as a business entity ruling over its citizen-employees (untiringly used to highlight Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s capitalist underpinnings) fails to take note of widely accepted management principles. For example, the classical guru, F.W. Taylor, talked of a “Mental Revolution” to explain that employees (citizen) and the management (government) don’t have dichotomous interests. Instead, each must realise that all of them exist in a cooperative cycle of mutual altruism. To view business (governance) as a purely exploitative enterprise and to link that to the theme of “Team India” is quite unfair to the principles of management. Furthermore, aspiring for an ideal is not a crime. The writer is correct in shedding light on the adverse situations that impede the idea of “Team India”; but adversities alone cannot be a reason for wishing away high goals.
Prithiv Sassisegarane,Bengaluru
The writer seems to have presented his own commentary on the Independence Day address and, unfortunately, seems to have missed the context. It is true that “Team India” is not yet a reality but only a dream, but how is the dream worthless, as portrayed by the writer, if it doesn’t suit his ideology? Where did Mr Modi mention in his speech that his vision of “Team India” is to merge the nation with the state or to neglect the welfare of the poor?
Anoop Suri,New Delhi
