Prakala Prabhakar
Political economist
Social commentator
‘Chennai Thinkers’ Forum’ conducted a meeting recently (16th April 2024) to discuss the present political situation and the values at stake. The Director of the Hindu Group of Publications, Thiru.N.Ram and the research scholar of Roja Muthiah Research Library, Thiru.A.S.Panneer Selvan were the prominent participants. During the event Thiru. Prakala Prabhakar, eminent economist and the author of the book – ‘The Crooked Timber of New India’ was invited to deliver a special address on the topic – ‘The Present Political Situation’. The excerpts from his significant and thought provoking speech are as follows in nutshell:
Unsolved basic problems:
Some of my friends ask me – “Don’t you find even one good aspect in the 10 year long rule by Modi?” Yes. I do find some. But I look at the heart of the matter – not other parts. Let us imagine a patient consulting a cardiologist. The doctor says – “Your heart is weak.” If the patient argues saying – “All other parts of my body are strong” – would it not be funny? The problem is the weak heart. What does it matter if the other parts of the body are strong? I look at the defective part – not at the effective parts.
I look at the heart of the body called “Modi Rule”. There are many media to certify that all other parts of this body are satisfactory. Like a cardiologist, I examine only the heart of the rule, where I find a lot of burning problems remaining unsolved, even after one long decade. Political cardiologists like me alone are worried about the unmitigated sufferings of 140 crore people in the country.
Crystal clear facts need no glasses:
A white paper was tabled in the Parliament explaining the causes of spiralling price rise. Why should I study it in detail? I am able to understand it when I buy groceries and various consumer articles for my home every month. Do I need to look at their statement? Modi rule is adept at confusing the public by its shower of statistics. They say the total price index has declined from 6.9 per cent to 6.8 per cent. The fact concealed is that there is price hike by 12 per cent in groceries. The cost of vegetables has risen by 20 per cent. Of what use are baffling statistics to the common man?
Economic imbalance that was not there even in the British rule:
In the present political world we find economic imbalance that is undeniably alarming. Multi millionaires who are 1 per cent of the population grab 22 per cent of our national income. 44 per cent of the total national wealth is in their possession. This BJP rule seems to tell us – “I shall give you 5 kg of ration rice. Don’t question my giving 5 airports to one of my friends.” This is the present political situation.
The Ex-Vice President of Nidhi Ayog, Arvind Pangaria says casually – “Economic imbalance will always be there. I can’t have my sleep disturbed worrying about it. Allow me to sleep peacefully.” The Chief Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister, Anantha Nageswaran, goes a step further and cracks a joke, saying – “Imbalance is always good for economy.” People like them have been framing economic policies and implementing them on behalf of the Modi’s rule.
Fast increasing joblessness:
Thousands of educated young men and women continue to be unemployed all over the country. For the jobs of fourth grade labourers and sanitary maintenance works nearly one crore and twenty five lakh applications have been received from the youth.
The Government of Israel has terminated all the Palestine workers from the Gaza zones. It requested several countries to send workers to fill up those vacant jobs. Our Prime Minister seems to be very close to the Premier of Israel. He has granted their request immediately by sending thousands of young men from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh to work there. They say in a totally frustrated manner – “It is better to die there rather than suffering in this country. We would be able to send atleast some money to our families before dying.” The horrible truth is that the Modi Government has been sending our unemployed young men even to Ukraine, a war-torn country. The alarming state of joblessness can be understood by this unpalatable truth.
Modi is ‘anti-farmers’:
Our Democracy is in acute crisis today. Three agriculture related laws were enacted in favour of three friends of the Prime Minister. This was done in both the Houses without any formal discussion or debate even for five minutes. When there was wide spread protest by the farmers, Modi abused them harshly, calling them urban Naxalites, Khalistani terrorists and toxic forces. Those three laws were repealed only recently after a year long fight by the farmers. He had to stoop at last but it is clear as crystal that he has no sympathy for the struggling farmers.
BJP rule based on religious extremism:
The minorities are ignored completely in the BJP rule headed by Modi. Uttar Pradesh is a thickly populated State where Muslims live in large numbers, but in the State Assembly not even one BJP M.L.A. is a Muslim. The condition is the same in Karnataka and Gujarat too. Muslim candidates were not even allowed to contest election in these states. This anti-minorities party has been ruling our country for the past ten years. Religious fanaticism and the ultimate objective of establishing Hindu Rashtra is obvious by the attitude of Modi and his BJP. The ideal of secularism is deteriorating. The BJP exposes itself as a majority Hindu Party. Other parties admit that they are Hindus too but that they are different from the BJP. This is the present baffling political situation in India. The claim of the BJP coterie that they are secularists, is sheer hypocrisy!
Secularism as a noble policy:
If we look back in history, we find Hindu-Muslim riots were at the peak for about 3 years, from 1946 to 1949. There were blood shed and violence everywhere. Thousands of people were brutally killed. The credit for the framing of the Constitution should go solely to Dr.Ambedkar. Other members of the committee just conveyed their consensus. This is how the policy of secularism got adumbrated and unanimously accepted.
Animosity towards Muslims:
The RSS coterie has been confusing all our people by its falsehood and white lies. The policy of secularism blossomed from horrible blood shed, but it is under severe threat today. We do not have enough cadres to fight for secularism. The BJP rule takes advantage of our weakness because it has money power and muscle power. People like me truly love this country, but we are now restless, sleepless. Only when we have a well formed army of co-fighters and cadres who rush to safeguard secularism, we, lovers of the country, will be able to sleep peacefully.
We find today all around us serious threat calls against Muslims. Economic offences, mob lynching, targeting their houses and large scale violent attacks on Muslims are on the rise. Provocative slogans are heard from religious fanatics. The BJP Government remains a silent spectator. This obviously implies that they have been instigating these ruffians. If the BJP comes back to power for the third term, calls for violent attacks on Muslims would be heard from the Red Fort itself.
Courtesy: ‘Theekkadhir’ Tamil Daily
This is the translated version of the Tamil text as published in ‘Theekkadhir’.
Translated by M.R. Manohar
