Our former Finance Minister
I happened to read an article which was almost a requieum for our Former Finance Minister who dons the mantle of Home Minister albeit reluctantly by his own admission in Business today. The author had sugggested that the brilliant man that Mr.Chidhambaram actually is, was most disliked by his peers and subordinates for he was a tough task master. He paid the price for having been rude and arrogant as if others are so polite including his boss our own PM whose looks are so deceptive. There was rumour mongering as to our PM keen on taking on either MS Ahuluwalia or Dr.Rangarajan as FM instead of Chidhambaram who made it due to his perceived proximity to 10 Janpath. Infact, Dr.Singh was waiting for an oppourtunity to show him the exit. The other Sonia loyalist Shivraj Patil however incapable he had been was literally humiliated in a cabinet meeting that he had to take his bow which facilitated the transfer of the erstwhile FM to this hot bed so that he could be crucified for any shortcomings hereafter.
To his credit one must say Chidhambaram was a minister with common sense and immense knowledge in his domain forgetting his arrogance. The author had compared him to Arun shourie who had an understanding PM in Atal Bihari Vajpayee while Dr.Singh hardly trusted his own FM. Chidhambaram had been at the Ministry of Home Affairs as a Minister of State of internal security overshadowing Sardar Buta singh when Rajiv was PM. If I remember righ, he did a commendable job even though his cabinet elevation was to take place much later under United Front dispensation under Deve Gowda. He brought about the dream budget and he created history when he collected 30000 crores of rupees through his Voluntary disclosure of income scheme. Chidambaram in fact is reported to have advised his mentor late G Karuppaiah Moopanar to support BJP as did DMK which Moopanar refused. Had that happened, Chidambaram could have become India's Finance Minister even earlier.
Let us wish the new Home minister all luck for he is a man who runs his ministry seriously unlike others. He does his job well despite his rude behaviour. One should appreciate the former FM for a job well done under tryning circumstances.
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