"After waivers, put some money in their hands"

Sanjay Kapoor Delhi

Self-effacing to a fault, R Prabhu, MP from the Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, is perhaps the most enduring Parliamentarian in the Lok Sabha. Into his sixth term, Prabhu, an engineering graduate from MIT, USA, was a close confidante of Rajiv Gandhi, who appointed him fertilizer minister. An articulate and clear-headed politician, Prabhu is also member of the standing committee of the finance ministry. During his speech on the Union Budget, Prabhu presented some fresh ideas on how prices - which is going to be a key issue in the next elections - could be tamed. He suggested that the tax structure should be rationalized, value added tax be lowered and a tough anti-hoarding drive be launched. He also felt that a grand scheme like loan waiver would not work unless the banks are made to behave. He pointed out at how the Indian Bank had scandalously sold non-performing assets of MVR exports, a company that figured in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination enquiry for providing arms to the Tamil Tigers, for a song. He praised Rahul Gandhi's mass contact programme and his criticism of the party's so called high command, who in his reckoning are self-styled leaders who surround the Congress president.

Excerpts from his interview:

This is your sixth term in Parliament. What does it take to get elected all the time?
I came to Parliament in 1980 when Indira Gandhi became prime minister. I have fought eight Lok Sabha elections from the same constituency - Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu. I think if a candidate has to contest from the same constituency in every election he has to be sympathetic to the people's problems. Water has been a major problem in my area, but due to my efforts there is now abundant water supply in rural areas of Coimbatore, which is part of my constituency.

What do you think of the view that scaling down farm subsidies has been responsible for distress in the countryside?
Bringing down subsidies is not an issue. Had we targeted our subsidies to the right people, those who really need help, there would not have been a problem. There is a need to redesign many schemes by ascertaining the history and geography of subsidies and find out what worked where and how.