What the CII didn’t see

Did the CII invite trouble for itself, what with the raging public discourse over Manmohan Singh’s statement on ostentatious spending and social discord? As it turns out, the PMO had informed the corporate body that the Prime Minister would do some plainspeaking if he attended the function. After all, Dr Singh would have to deliver a hard message after three years in office; he has been constantly needled by his detractors for framing policies which only benefit the rich. The CII, however, persisted and removed every hurdle to have the honour of hosting the PM. Not only did the CII miss the picture, it went ahead with the theme of “inclusive growth”, setting the stage for exactly the kind of speech the Prime Minister delivered.