It's Durga Puja, and it?s when Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee heads home to turn priest and philosopher. We have seen Mukherjee present budgets in parliament, speaking for hours on matters of policy and governance. But the truly remarkable fact is that he is probably the only Finance Minister who has equal expertise reciting the Chandi Homam.
From policymaker to a priest, we take you on a journey with Pranab Mukherjee, amongst the tallest of contemporary Indian politician, as he deeply balances the role of a devotee, of a loving father and a caring brother.
Our journey starts from Kolkata. Through the lush green fields and winding roads of rural West Bengal to Pranab Mukherjee's ancestral house at Mirati where he performs Durga Puja every year.
The Durga Puja starts on the sixth day of the Devi Paksha, the 15-day period when goddess Durga comes to her father's home from Kailash Parbat where she lives with her husband Lord Shiva. This is also the reason that the daughters of the house come to visit their paternal home during the Puja days.
At Pranab Mukherjee?s house at Mirati in the district of Birbhum, West Bengal, the tradition was started by his grandfather in 1896 and has continued to this day.
The finance minister spoke on a range of issues including Pujo celebrations at home, double-digit growth on the GDP and his targets for the current fiscal.
Below is a verbatim transcript.
Q: Tell us something about the 115-year old tradition?
A: When this Puja was introduced about 115 years ago by my grandfather, he did not make it mandatory. My father was a political activist, freedom fighter. My grandfather told my father, I know your life is not following normal routine. But I will be happy if you can find four days for this occasion. My grandfather did it, my father did it. After my father my elder brother did it.
My father was the only son of his parents. After the death of my elder brother in 1983, my father told me that if you can do it, you try to do it. It is not that he said that you will have to do it. It is not mandatory. So I thought that let me maintain the family tradition. That is the compulsion which brings me here every year. But sometimes if there is a pressing engagement it is not that I will have any feeling of superstitions that I could not do it. I think 3?4 times I missed it. When I was foreign minister, in two terms, twice it synchronized with UN general assembly and so I could not come.
Q: We are about a fortnight away from Diwali, and as we move into the New Year, for the New Year what are your aspirations and hopes and your vision as Finance Minister?
A: As Finance Minister, my ambition is I must have some check on the prices right now which is a matter of concern particularly of the daily commodities. I must break the double digit barrier, barrier to double digits growth which is absolutely necessary.
This time I wanted that our developmental expenditure should be spent fully whichever has been allotted at the time of budget. That's why in the first supplementary I have allotted upfront expenditure so that the full working season can be utilized by the various ministries and state governments. I am making that experiment for the first time.
The tax reforms which I have introduced like direct tax code, I hope with the cooperation of the parliamentary standing committee and with others we will be able to get it legislated in the next session of parliament and I can introduce it from April 1.
For GST, I am engaged in building up consensus with our friends. I will try to do that with the various political parties and state governments so we shall have to buildup the consensus.
So to break the barrier of double digit GDP growth, to contain prices particularly of the food items and essential commodities at a moderate level and to fulfill the tax reform exercises which we have begun.
Even in my budget speech I prayed to Lord Indra that I would not like to have a situation where my production will go down, industrial production or agricultural production weather will be hostile.
Q: One group of people who are probably not so happy this festive season are exporters because of currency appreciation, FII inflows are at record highs. Do you think there is policy required to check this?
A: Let us wait for some more time and see. Of course exporters are affected to some extent because of the appreciation of rupee. But in the financial world you will have to say sometimes you may have to make some trade off. But if it goes beyond a point, naturally I do feel the RBI will intervene at the appropriate time.
I believe this level of financial expansion, fiscal expansion is not tolerable over a longer period of time and as it is not sustainable. Sooner than later we should come back to the path of fiscal consolidation. So we are trying to come back to the path of fiscal consolidation.
Q: Dussehra is just two days away. We celebrate every year the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana, the victory of good over evil. But this year there is special significance because of the Babri verdict. Do you think that Indians have reacted with great maturity to what has happened?
A: Of course the initial reaction and response has shown the maturity. There are certain angles which will have to be looked into. But as the Home Minister pointed out and many other shared his view, this judgement is not the final say in this matter because there is scope of making appeal to the higher court. So it is better to wait till the highest court gives its verdict.
Q: What are your hopes from people from people from both sides of the divide?
A: I think it will be better to accept the situation. Our position is very clear, if there be an acceptable solution to both sides, agreed solution that is the best. But if it fails then we have stated that the court judgement has to be accepted.
Q: What do you think has been your biggest achievement and are there any parts of you which still feel unfulfilled and incomplete? Dreams that you think you still have to achieve?
A: I do not evaluate my achievement or my success. I leave that to others. But I remember this much and that is part of my life which I have inherited from my father, which is that whatever you get you try to utilize that, and give your best to discharge that duty. If something better is in store, it will come. But don't be discontented. If there is discontent, then you cannot give your best in the job that has been assigned to you. That you follow.
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