K.Veeramani
Our country is to witness 18th Lok Sabha Election from the mid of April. Having associated with Periyar Movement from the age of 10, I have participated and campaigned 19 General Elections including the one held in 1946.Dravidar Kazhagam is not a political party but has got political interest in deciding who has to be elected and who has not to be. With that subjective experiences and objective ideas, we offer our observation on the 10 year rule of BJP government led by PM Modi. The 10 year period was flooded with plenty of promises by the PM Modi and umpteen number of projects with catching captions which were commenced and left incomplete. PM Modi is unmindful of looking back at the old promises made by him but continues to make new promises whenever he has to face elections. People were attracted by his advertisements in 2014 but have lost faith at present owing to all the false promises. ‘Gujarat Model’ was projected when he contested for Lok Sabha in 2014, after being declared as Prime Minister Candidate on the side of National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Growth was propagated in the line of Gujarat Model of Governance since Narendra Modi was formerly the Chief Minister of Gujarat.
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In 2019 election, the ‘Gujarat Model’ did not see the light at all. ‘Growth’ was completely forgotten by the saffron propagandists. Instead of that, new promises were made. The entire 10 year rule of Modi led BJP government was able to manage merely with promises, of which certain vital ones may be recalled and discussed.
Black Money: In 2014, PM Modi promised that the black money within the country would be blocked. The black money piled up in foreign countries was to be brought back, and every account of the people was supposed to be credited by an amount of Rs.15 lakhs. What sort of public finance policy was this? Demonetisation was announced by Modi led government in 2016 making the currency notes Rs.500/- and Rs.100/- invalid. Without an application of mind on economic consequences, the currency notes that accounted for 86 per cent of the notes in circulation were demonetised. Common public people suffered a lot and the small vendors, traders, micro, small and medium industries had to pull down their shutters due to demonetisation. The normalcy is yet to return after that shock. The very idea of demonetisation was announced as a measure of blocking black money and making it valueless. To that extent, the black money circulation in the open market would be arrested.
The economy was expected to get stabilised. Instead of it the government announced that the demonetised currency notes could be deposited by people in their bank accounts. As the result, almost all the black money kept as unaccounted money in the form of demonetised currency notes – (99 per cent of that in the circulation) came to the banking channel. Reserve Bank of India also acknowledged its receipt. No action has been taken so far by the Union Government agencies who had deposited their black money in banks. The purpose of demonetisation was defeated. The black money that was in circulation was converted as white money without any penal action against it. Afterwards there was no talk on black money by Modi and his colleagues in the Union Government.
Farmers’ crisis: Major chunk of population depends on agriculture for their livelihood. The production of agricultural commodities were ensured but the marketing facilities, including the profitable prices were not fixed to that extent.
Modi government promised that farmers’ income would be doubled in 2020. Instead of correcting the deficiencies, Modi government enacted THREE Farm Laws that were detrimental to the interest of suffering farmers. Pending demands, the farmers from Punjab and Haryana went on a massive protest ‘Delhi Chalo’ in 2020. The farmers, from all the States supported the protest. The protest took place for more than a year. The adamant P.M. Modi ultimately accepted to withdraw the farmers’ laws and promised to provide legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for various agricultural commodities; the criminal cases foiled against the fighting farmers were to be withdrawn. Even after the lapse of 3 – 4 years the promises were not kept up by Modi government. The farmers started the protest against which Modi government took severe steps that were undemocratic. When the promises were not fulfilled, the protest was also arrested by all means. The approach and action of the Modi led BJP government is akin to the adage “The horse not merely threw down the rider, but also ditched him “into a pit.”
Social Justice: The 10 year rule is the blatant opposition to social justice, adumbrated in the Constitution. When the suppressed sections of society have not been liberated from the servility, the BJP Government had favoured only the privileged section who have been in the advantageous position claiming their supremacy over the rest. Without any formal demand, conference, protest, the Modi government voluntarily came forward to make upper caste move forward by amending the Constitution for reservation in education and jobs for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) [upper caste]. The time schedule within which the enactment of 10 per cent reservation for EWS was formulated and its immediate implementation shows the affinity and interest the BJP government possesses for the upper castes. The reservation measures provided for SC / ST and OBCs were not implemented as fast as 10% for EWS. The promises made by Modi led government were not kept up. But unwarranted schemes were carried out actively by the government. They were all detrimental to the marginalised people in the country.
Corruption: The BJP is the major beneficiary by donations through Electoral Bonds. The scheme was cleverly designed by the BJP government. The scheme was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of India. A sum of Rs.8,250 crores has been received by BJP (almost more than 50 per cent of the total Electoral Bond donation). The quid pro quo received by the donors from the present BJP government have come to light. The Central agencies like Income Tax Department (IT), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have been forced, it seems, to get donations from the respective corporates. The investigation dates juxtaposed by the donation dates lead to such a conclusion. This sort of extracting money for political activities of BJP through Electoral Bond was never heard of in India and in other countries too. The Modi rule has no moral authority to blame the opponent parties as corrupt.
To sum up, the entire rule of 10 years by the Modi led BJP Government proves its mal administration, corruption and mismanagement of powers. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections should make a new era dawn. Let us believe, our relief is not far away!
