Sane advice

Sane advice

The Independence eve speech of the President of India was laced with a heavy dose of anguish at the state of affairs in the country. The president is someone who had been in active politics and in the forefront of decision making in his party not long ago. Who better than the President therefore to post-mortem the present political climate and warn about the future, even while handing out words of wisdom and advice to the nation.

Especially his take on a stable alliance looking at the next elections in 2014. It is a known fact now that the present alliance has been facing the wrath of its partners with each pulling in different directions, due to their regional compulsions. Also regional satraps prevent the alliance in moving as a cohesive unit, because that which is good for the goose may not always be good for the gander.

This is a serious problem for the country and therefore the President has rightly advised the people to vote on the lines of a stable government one that could deliver and move the country forward without having to give in to blackmail from its coalition partners. Regional parties are so immersed in their own agendas and regional issues that the country’s prestige is often held at stake.

Take the problem of sharing of Teesta river waters, although the central government had promised Bangladesh regarding forward movement the Trinamool Congress a constituent of the present alliance at that point in time refused to accede this demand so much so, that the Prime minister had to go on his official visit to Bangladesh without an agreement to this effect being firmed on the Indian side.

It would be worthwhile to remember here that the present government in Bangladesh has acted in the interest of the Indian establishment and has been responsible to a great degree in curbing the flow of terrorism from that country. In this case a regional party and its leader forced a mighty nation to eat humble pie and forced it to look silly in front of the international community all to satisfy their own ego even while leaving the nation dishevelled.

Land enclaves that are mismatched in each other’s territory due to the rigours of partition merely needs to be exchanged for which the opposition has to give the nod, but in spite of the foreign Minister of Bangladesh personally pleading with the opposition, they are yet to give their accent.

The Unified tax regime in the form of the General sales tax that has been hanging in limbo even after so many discussions is being tarried by the opposition ruled states as they want to emphasise the importance of the federal system. Many a subject that are the subject of state legislation are held up sometimes purposefully by them as they do not want the centre to take credit for these developments and are restricted in their outlook to that of the effect on their own state.

Now look at the food security bill, the opposition is trying all tricks to stall or delay its introduction, so much so that the central government had to introduce an ordinance. It is a matter of who is taller, who is important and what effect welfare measures have on the state subjects. Ultimately it all boils down to vote catching antics by regional parties or denying the ruling party its credit and therefore share of votes.

The problem with the regional parties is that they are so engrossed in their own vote bank politics that they do not care about the effects on national politics or welfare of the country as a whole or even the prestige of the country in the international arena. The regional parties are answerable to their regional voters while the centre has to take everyone’s view and satisfaction to earn another term. Both are therefore at crossroads as far as the scope and reach of developmental activities are concerned.  

Seen against this backdrop, the anguish of the President is warranted and his advice should be taken in right earnest and studied within the realms of one’s own imagination and studied view. It is high time the country viewed this speech of the President as one coming from a seasoned politician, who knows the pulse of the nation and is considered a veteran of his trade.

Robin Varghese

Mail to: robin_vargh@yahoo.com
August 16, 2013