In our child hood, we used to
throw a puzzle at each other- to make a line short without touching or erasing
it. Some related it to Akabar- Birbal stories of wisdom. It is
said, when everyone failed, Birbal just draw a Bigger line( parallel to old one)
and showed that earlier line is now shorter one.
I remember this because, now days,
there is competition among BJP/RSS/Minister to belittle Nehru legacy. All this started with, election campaign of
‘Congress Mukt Bharat’, and continuing with
dismantling of ‘Planning Commission’, revamp of ‘Nehru Museum’, discontinuation
of stamps of ‘Indira and Rajeev’ and so on.
I agree with BJP/RSS charge that one
family got undue importance- and other important leaders of independence
struggle and nation building were neglected- in historical narration. But my
point is, to prove their point BJP/RSS need not waste time in tempering old
things and must concentrate on proving themselves better than congress in
governance. This will be better way to achieve ‘congress mukt bharat’. At state
level the same has been achieved in certain states. Shivraj Singh Chouhan did
better governance than Digvijaysingh and voter of MP forgot Congress.
If this is possible for BJP at
state level, why it is difficult at national level? In my view BJP/NDA has some real problem at
national level.
First, talent crunch. Everybody is ridiculing /questioning
Smriti Irani’s qualification for HRD ministry, but a few experts had doubted
competence of Jaitely (a lawyer by profession) to head finance ministry and
over a period this feeling has percolated among layman. Such examples are more
and varied. People give more value to RBI governor’s than FM’s view on economy
and finance.
Second- lack of expertise in
parliamentary politics and negotiations. Most leaders of BJP are trained as RSS
pracharak and does have different value system than that needed for parliamentary
politics. At extreme level valued key (over rated) person Jaitely have no
experience of electoral politics and is hard liner (against V Naidu a soft
liner). He is good at twisting the argument or justifying situation (like a
lawyer), but for the same reason is antagonising opposition and this is not
helping NDA. While in opposition he justified parliamentary disruption but now
laments about it. For reforms etc, he (NDA) started with ordinance route, then
proposed joint session, now questions wisdom of having Rajya Sabha and again
says many bills will be brought as Money Bills (so nod of Rajya Sabha is not
required). How many of these have failed and how many will fail only god knows.
But all these put BJP/NDA in poor light and expose them to charge of not
knowing the constitutional provisions and procedure. Declaring intention without ability to implement
is taking toll on credibility of Govt. They may blame Congress for it, but
failure to move forward is going to harm them and benefit Congress.
Third-In fact the way BJP/NDA is
prioritising the non core issue, Congress instead of receding in history, has,
as opposition back at the centre stage of Indian politics. They may not win
elections in next 4-5 years, but already they are able to decide course of
debate. Within a year, NDA has to change plank and stop talking big things and
concentrate on poor people. Withdrawal of Land Bill is a big boost for
congress. Why government is in hurry to concentrate on small things like
fighting with AAP in Delhi, appointment row at FTII and so on which gives
excuse for opposition unity. Its minister Like Cultural ( Kalam inspite being
Muslim was patriotic) and HRD minister are more busy
in creating controversy than drawing bigger lines. Many a times govt
itself promotes this view- for example while releasing religion wiase census
data for 2011 it commented Muslim proportion has increased. To be impartial it
could also have added comment that highest percentage fall in growth rate (5 %)
for decade is from Muslim community. These one sided information is helping
Congress and others to prove communal charge against BJP/NDA.
Fourth-In its long term vision,
it is forgetting importance of short term achievement. Many of NDA’s initiative
like ‘Swacha Bharat’; ‘Namai Gange’ etc are long term and are work in progress.
I am happy that Railway Minister did not bow to regional politics and did not
announce a single new train. But due to all these, ground level perception of ‘
Acche Din’ is not being felt. It seems Government is behaving like small kinder
garden kids who dislike old toys, dismantle it but does not know how to
reassemble parts in a new toy.
In foreign policy many initiative
are praise worthy but can Govt hold position of declaring Hurriyat leaders as
third party and no talks with Pakistan?
Ultimately govt. must realise
limitation of parliamentary democracy (limitation to take nation forward on its own) and try taking opposition along with it
to draw a big line for itself. Erasing /tinkering old line is not a proper
strategy. Time is running out, its own people like Swamy has started questioning performance of economy ( exports are down for continuous 9 months). Before chorus becomes louder and lay man start doubting competence to deliver government should change course and style of functioning.
