I
agree that NDA’s term has given stability to country in economic terms. Better
management/ control over fiscal deficit have reined the inflation and also
ensured better delivery of goods and services. Its record, though not
impressive in terms of new initiative, is excellent in taking the old issues to
logical conclusion (Aadhar and GST to name a few). As its basic ideology is
strong India, it has a new vision for our frontier, especially North East (see
the fast expansion of Rail Network there in last 3 years).
But
still work is less on Ground and boasting is more in Air (sometimes logically
wrong also, the job creation remains the single biggest failure as job creation
is at lowest in eight years and with falling interest rates , earners feeling
pinch with no one taking their plight ). Take just started UDAN scheme where
(in Shimla) PM said now air fare is lower than that for Taxi hiring, by
comparing single ticket of plane to full taxi charges. Correct thing is to
compare charges for chartered plane to hiring taxi or other way plane ticket to
charges for shared taxi. Similarly when, Govt declares saving of Rs. 40/ 50 tho.
crore in LPG subsidy due to DBT/Aadhar, it conceals the fact that saving is
cumulative effect of de-duplication done prior to DBT, reduction in subsidy
amount per cylinder ( main reason), and
effect of give up.
Hype and realty is differing in many
areas also. Take the demonetization, if we look only at the economic data –
putting aside political victory in Uttar Pradesh- demonetization was a failure. Cash is back in flow, with little to impede the fresh generation of illicit
funds. Also the original two arguments (for it) - attacking counterfeit
currency and terror funding- forgotten
over the time.
In
foreign policy, a new initiative, with India approaching ICJ ( in Jadhav case),
only time will decide whether we were better with Shimala Agreement or better
now with internationalizing bilateral issue with respect to Pakistan. (Pakistan
too will take issues at international forums that we may not be able to resist). We should also not celebrate this win, like
we did on surgical strike and demonetization ( but down the six months,
situation in Kashmir is worst in last three decades).
But
my central idea of this article is not to dispute well of Governance but
essentially to cross examine trends that are visible due to actions of
government. More particularly, the tendency of Center becoming more powerful
visa-vis state /local governments, State (as an organ not state government) is becoming
more powerful against citizen. Further,
Hinduism is being defeated by Hindutva.
In
the name of -one nation strong nation- center is concentrating more power with
it than constitution gave it. (If implemented, simultaneous election to Loka sabha
and state assemblies may also strengthen this trend). There is tendency to move
state subjects to concurrent list. With advances in technology and full
majority at center and same party ruling most of state, making all India data
or model laws (overriding state specific differences) is becoming norm. Take
the example of enacting RERA, Motor Vehicle Act and the changes being made in
Agriculture Marketing and so on, list is long. However only one example is
sufficient to close the argument, it is GST (No offence on merit of GST or any
other move). Though it is being hailed as big work of federalism, the way power
has been distributed in GST council (2/3 for Center and 1/3 for all sate
together and in case of voting 75% is required to carry out the decision, thus
in case of dispute center will have its way) we are going towards centralization
of powers .(In new regime state govt will lose autonomy and will not be able to
raise resources to implement its state specific schemes as TN led welfare model
under existing arrangeemnt). Further local governments have been left
altogether in GST setup as well as distribution of Tax collected( now they will
be at the mercy of state government, only Maharashtra has specific provision in
its GST bill for mandatory grant to local govt.) It is reversing the earlier
trend when we had created third tier in governances, Panchayati Raj system.
Sometimes
I do feel, whether GST and GST council
can be challenged in Supreme Court as it violets basic structure of
constitution and supremacy of Parliament and Sate Legislature?
My
second argument is- balance of power is tilting in favor of state or
establishment. While citizens are asking accountability and transparency from
Govt and, for that matter, from all establishment ( Lokpal, RTI), but
Government is keen on expansion of AADHAR (transparency for citizen), but
delaying appointment of LOKPAL ( transparency for establishment on technical
ground and no action in spite of Supreme Court instruction). Scope of RTI is
also being restricted; most of the issue /information are being refused on
ground of national security and so on. Noose is tightened around NGO (I am not
in favor of all NGO, some are crooks) or any one asking difficult question or
have dissent, stifling spirit of enquiry. It is not only about Govt. when it
comes to SC (restricting media from reporting Judge Karnan’s version on
dispute) or RBI (No details of demonetization so far) or any other
establishment, same result.
We
claim to be Republic (Different and beyond democracy, where people elect to
govern them). But negate essence of republic where Citizen decides to form
organization, and Citizen’s interest is upper most, even above the
establishment. But here if any dispute is there between citizen and state, as
stated above state get upper hand( In this environment Election Commission’s
approach/ response on allegation of tempering of EVM is refreshing and ideal,
close to concept of republic) and citizen loses out and citizen may even be
branded – activist, islamist, naxalist, maoist separatist, terrorist and so on but not given response as citizen of
republic. Anything anti government is labeled as anti national. It is dangerous
trend.
My last
worry is-(as citizen and Hindu) – in the name of Hinduvata, Hinduism is being
crushed. In Hinduism /Vedic system, basic thing is open society, open to
question and answering it ( Geeta is
best example, no order to Arjuna only solving doubts). Lots of God. Lots of belief, rituals, each contradicting
other. But with aim to stand against other religions, Hinduvata is adopting
their mono culture (Only Ram no other god), rigidity and closeness (Romio
Squad, Gou Rakshak and so on). Is it not an irony that most unlikely organization-anti
Muslim and pro male- is taking keen interest in Muslim women’s issue? Let us
take lesson from history, when to entrench themselves in India, Britishors started
(in the name of reform) to fiddle with Hindu practices (I am not commenting on those
wrong practices but on the intention of Britishors to interfere in it) and
gained support of some population and in turn ruled India for over 200 hundred
years.
Will
citizen and Hindu see through, what is coming to them in the name of economic
prosperity and good governance ( remember , Aaadhar started as project of
welfare state but ending as instrument of state surveillance) and stand up or ready to sacrifice autonomy, independence
for economic security. We need to decide. I see some change in mood of citizen in TN
farmers and Bhim Sena protesting in
Dehli, these are the section most suffering under strong India.
