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- Created on 20 January 2018
Indian Constitution (Image Courtesy: World Digital Library)
“Look at our new constitution drafted by Dr. Ambedkar. There is nothing new in it. He has mostly copied out either the Government of India Act of 1935 or, as admitted by himself, has drawn from the constitutions of other countries. A bit from here and a bit from there - it is a Pandora’s Box…. My biggest complaint on this account is that if for the purpose of drafting a constitution he had to copy out the constitutions of other countries, then why did he not embody the latest and the best constitution?....He has retained all the bad points that he could lay his hands upon”.
Thank God. This was not an outburst from Union Minister of State for Employment and Skill Development Anant kumar Hegde. He was last month hounded out by self-styled sentinels of democracy. Mr. Hegde was forced to apologize in Parliament for hinting at a rally that BJP-led NDA Government would amend the Constitution.
The quoted harsh words were uttered by Maulana Hasrat Mohani in the Constituent Assembly (CA) on 4th November 1948. And this was neither an isolated attack on the drafted constitution nor on Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the Chief architect of the Constitution and Messiah of Dalits.
Certain other CA members too picked holes in the Draft. A few even questioned the competence and legitimacy of non-elected CA to frame a constitution, representing ostensibly as the will of the people.
Before discussing the need of framing a new Constitution, one more quote from Constituent Assembly Debates (CAD) would make discourse meaningful.
Read more: Cacophony Against Amending Constitution is Music for the Ignorant
- Created on 30 December 2017
(Image Courtesy: taxindiaonline.com)
Policy Paralysis (PP) was one of the catch phrases that enabled BJP-led NDA to defeat Congress-led UPA in 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Has PP ended?
The answer is both Yes and No. Yes because there has been modest increase in policy decisions taken by NDA. Couple this with terrific marketing of repackaged schemes and policies. NDA’s performance is thus slightly better than UPA’s.
And no because Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports, presented during the winter session and earlier, show that bad governance continues to rock as it did under the UPA. Certain indicators, in fact, imply that misgovernance has risen under the Modi Government.
Anyone can arrive at this conclusion by comparing the observations, conclusions and recommendations made by CAG every year in its reports on different ministries. Three years is adequate period to judge ruling alliance’s passion or aversion for policy paralysis.
If continuation of same errors, same indifference, same revenue leakages, same fiscal opacity and same deficiencies under NDA is not policy paralysis, then what it is?
Read more: The Rulers’ Indifference Towards CAG reflects Policy Paralysis
- Created on 03 August 2017
Image Courtesy: transformingindia.mygov.in
Has #TransformingIndia & its theme song, Mera Desh Badal Raha Hai, Aage Badh Raha Hai, lost its appeal after two year of its launch? How is its fate different from that of a typical bollywood Song? Who, for instance, now sings Choli Ke Peeche Kaya Hai that was once a rage even in Pakistan?
The reason for tossing the issue of projecting growth through propaganda is that this slogan and its theme song was hardly trumpeted during the recent ModiFest. It was organized to celebrate achievements of Modi Government on completion of three years.
ModiFest instead focused on New India with theme song Saath Hai, Vishwaas Ha; Ho Raha Vikas Hai. It appears that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has learnt from history of voters’ fatigue from empty political slogans.
Recall how the slogan ‘India Shining’ backfired on Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government in 2004 Lok Sabha polls. No wonder then that Mr Modi ever recalled ‘An Agenda for A Proud, Prosperous India’ that helped BJP win 1999 Lok Sabha polls to form NDA-I Government. Mrs. Indira Gandhi’s slogan Garibi Hato nowadays invites derision from all.
With such perspective, no analyst has thus raised hackles at the black-out of ‘Transforming India’ from the assumption speech delivered by the new President Ram Nath Kovind.
Read more: Has ‘Transforming India’ lost its Inspirational Magic?
- Created on 01 May 2017
(Image Courtesy: PIB)
The NDA Government is set to get into chest-thumping mode next month. The word had last month gone to all ministries to list all achievements for inclusion in the NDA’s report card for its 3rd year. Modi Government would complete three years in office on 25th May 2017.
A news story dated 31st March 2017 stated that Information and Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu has urged all ministers to garner all attainments and communicate them to masses.
The story quoted Mr. Naidu’s note to ministers as stating “We need to transform ourselves into mission mode to present to the people the three-year report card ... we must prepare concrete action plan and be ready with facts, figures, data to propagate the government's achievements in a big way”.
The most interesting part of news is that two editors-turned-MPs have been assigned the task of countering “any possible negative narratives”.
Should self-certified, sterling performance of Modi regime overshadow its alarming governance deficit. Bhakts might well ridicule even whispers about governance deficit as outlandish and irrelevant. They believe Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies are repeatedly getting thumbs-up from voters. This is a fallacy.
Have voters endorsed increase in unemployment rate for three years in row? Has electorate voted for continued paralysis in framing National Employment Policy (NEP), which is key to reforming labour markets and growth? Have citizens voted against BJP’s 2014 poll promise of “Zero Tolerance on Terrorism, Extremism and Crime”? This resolve is articulation of Modiji's forgotten quote: “Terrorism and Modi cannot coexist in country”. The ground realty is contrary with Mr. Modi rocking and terrorism rocketing.
Read more: Check what will be Missing from NDA's 3rd yr Report Card
