RHETORICS
A Matter of Time

Language, in government hands, has a way of stretching to fit the occasion

At a recent press conference, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw described the formation of the Eighth Central Pay Commission as having occurred “within a short span” after its approval in January. It is now October. Nine months have passed.

Language, in government hands, has a way of stretching to fit the occasion. What ordinary people would call a delay is rephrased as efficiency. The words don’t deceive outright; they merely change shape until they mean nothing. “Short span” is one of those phrases that fill the air without saying anything.

Public speech deserves better. When we use words loosely, we loosen our grip on truth. Precision in language reflects precision in thought; a nation that tolerates soft words soon tolerates soft accountability. Nine months is not a short span — it is simply nine months. The first responsibility of any public representative is to call things by their right names. ∎