Arun Jaitley
If some student belonging to weaker section of society suffers distress, humanity says it must be addressed.Collection: Society
A finance minister should have a basic understanding of the country, know where the shoe pinches and, hence, have some compassion in policy formulation. An ability to understand economic issues should certainly be there.Collection: Finance
In the life of any country, the most defining moment is the creation of the country itself.
Extraordinary situations require an out-of-box thinking. Conventionalists cannot find such solutions.
Only a state with resources can deplete poverty.
Hate speech can't be a part of free speech.
Parliamentary obstructionism should be avoided. It is a weapon to be used in the rarest of the rare cases. Parliamentary accountability is as important as parliamentary debate. Both must coexist.
Far as the government's reform agenda is concerned, a series of measures have been enacted which should increase the supply potential of the economy.
Parliament's job is to conduct discussions. But many a time, Parliament is used to ignore issues, and in such situations, obstruction of Parliament is in the favour of democracy. Therefore, parliamentary obstruction is not undemocratic.
There are occasions when obstruction in Parliament brings greater benefits to the country.
Who lives if India doesn't survive?
We as a government are entitled to be criticised.
Step by step, brick by brick, the edifice of India's legislature is being destroyed.
Narendra Modi promised a future and represented a hope. He wanted to rid the nation of a non-performing, corrupt government. People voted for him.
When you become a consultant to a political party, your views are no longer objective. You do it at a cost.
Surplus RBI reserves can be used for poverty alleviation.
In a mahagathabandhan, who will use whom and who will trip whom is not clear.
Terror must be attacked from where it originates. Otherwise, you will only be defending yourself against terror.
I've always had full confidence in the professionalism and the assessment of the armed forces.
My own dealings with the RSS and allied organisations have been extremely positive and a pleasant experience.
No election is a single issue election.
What makes the BJP or its government of Modi a brand for the elections - it is some content that makes the brand. Hollowness cannot create a brand, chest-thumping can't create a brand. Ultimately, the quality of the product creates a brand.
Politicians will be politicians, they will have a weakness at times for not seeing beyond their nose.
The two most charming politicians who stand out are Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pranab Mukherjee.
Politicisation of armed forces should not be done.
Logically, a Congress-led government looks difficult.
I think the Indian media suffers from a feudal mindset.
The Gandhi family is a pampered lot. They have only dealt with people at their beck and call.
Manmohan Singh is the best politician India has seen. I can't say the same about him as an economist.
Leaders are judged on merit and not on caste or family names.
The concept of UBI (universal basic income) is a good concept and when Arvind Subramanian had started it, I told him that Indian politicians will say continue the existing subsidies and give this over and above.
According to me when former governors join the political mainstream, the whole cause propagated for autonomy of the institutions, itself gets impacted. When they dwell into statements which are politically loaded, rather than during their tenure as a governor, it is far easier to analyse those statements.
In an economy where public spending is extremely important, the governments must spend, they must spend more but at the same time you can't afford to be reckless and do away with all kinds of fiscal prudence.
When the Emergency was proclaimed at midnight on 25 June 1975, they came to arrest me. I managed to escape by going to a friend's house nearby.
Merely slogans and statements will not remove poverty.
Should National Security Issues be decided by a Local Referendum?Collection: Issues
Over Legislation is not necessarily a virtue. It often leads to misuse of law.Collection: Law