Double Standards

Published on August 23, 2004 By Confusing Musings In Current Events

This is related to a gossip news item - Storm in another biz family cup? published in TOI and ET, recently . It talks about the family feud in another high profile business company, without naming it. So the reader has been the left with the job of guessing it. However a few hints have also been dropped.

Hints:

- There are two brothers in the family.
- Their wives don't get along well.
- There business are some what different.
- About a couple of months ago, one of the brothers took a decision that had deeply upset the other .

To cut the long story short, the brothers are Mukesh and Anil Ambani. The 'decision' is the announcement by Anil Ambani of setting a world's largest gas based power plant in Uttar Pradesh with the capacity of generating 3500 mega watts of power. The investment involves about 11000 crores in Rupees or or $2.4 billion.

Now comes the more intriguing part. Mukesh Ambani was so deeply upset "that he virtually skipped his meals the day it was announced." To further quote the article "there was widespread speculation among top businessmen and politicians as to the reasons behind the decision which, strictly speaking, had nothing to do with business."

If all this crap is true, Mukesh Ambani should give up the chairmanship of the Reliance Industries, and TOI should seriously reconsider the brand of journalism it's practicing these days, because both of them stink of stereotype which is very openly flaunted in the country these days.

Double standards was also very eminent on the part Mukesh Ambani. Two days back he was seen singing Hosannas in favour of West Bengal's industrial situation. He was talking about how the times have changed in WB now, and Reliance is planning to invest over there.

Holy shit! I guess, it's time for Ambani junior to choke on the meal. A state with a thoroughly crippled industry, an all powerful, state back labour unions is attractive for investment, while a consistently reforming state, with second largest GDP and biggest consumer market in the country made him skip meals. A Mulayam or a Budhadev alone won't convert Uttar Pradesh or WB to a Maharashtra or Gujarat, but atleast give the equal footing and appreciate the efforts.

Here is the reason why setting up of the plant is nothing but business instead of "nothing to do with business". Uttar Pradesh is short of 1500 mw of power. Reliance will sell 40% of the power generated to the state and rest will go to Delhi, MP, Haryana and Punjab. The first phase will get complete within 2 years and it will start supplying power.

For those doubting Thomases, who are worried about the completion of the project, I would like to inform that not only the venue has already been decided but the land has also been provided to the company . The RBI has cleared the country’s largest-ever external commercial borrowings (ECB). The state support pact has bee signed, as well.

Not only that, now Tata Powers also want to set 1000 mw plant in the state. Are they fools or blind? No sir, they are smart. Make no mistake, businessmen are not here for charities. They put their money where their mouth is. This FE editorial and this Anil Ambani interview clearly points out the fact.

We should do away with those stereotypes and let the country prosper. Media has a constructive role to perform for achieving that. It took a long time for world to realize that India has more than snake charmers and sadhus. Similarly, Uttar Pradesh has also more to offer than just dhoodhwallas, cow belt and Taj Mahal

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