The meaning of opposition------just not to oppose,propose also

The meaning of opposition – just not to oppose, propose also

India is a democratic country. All citizens have a right to voice their views. This fundamental concept is prevalent in our parliament also. But sometimes the members of this highest body cross their limits of suavity and decorum. Most of the MPs raises his voice, starts shouting and slogans and sometimes even abuses to corner the other persons or parties.  In any particular parliament session, the government proposes some new issues or bring in changes in the old issues in the form of bills on the basis of their findings and almost all the time the opposition parties try to ignore the same. The opposition parties think that it is their birth right to oppose anything and everything. They forget one thing that the particular issues for which today they are ignoring or trying to oppose, in the immediate past when they were holding the government, these same MPs were strongly supporting these types of bills. Why it is so?  Because the duty of an opposition is somehow to oppose, which resembles like a shambling gait of a wicked person. The opposition means not to accept your any findings without analyzing the ground reality, whether that is going to benefit the countrymen  or not. Their rights are to stop the bills at any cost, to stall the proceedings in the parliament performing all undemocratic scenes; and then show the countrymen how much they respect the people of the country and their verdict to elect them as MPs to debate for their causes.  Finally, of course, they get exhausted wasting the precious time and resources of the parliamentary system.  If you happen to know the name of the Prime Minister of Britain, Earl of Derby of 1800s, you might remember above sarcastic words about the nature of the opposition.  Even in twenty first century in India, the scenario is not changed with the glaring example of the Insurance Bill. Fundamentally, almost all the opposition parties of India today are convinced about the usefulness of this bill. Still, Modi’s government is being snared with the painful and torturous words in Rajya Sabha on the other day and they were not able to raise and pass the bill as they lack in the majority.  Despite the NDA government’s efforts during the time of Vajpayee, the ceiling of FDI could not be raised from 26% to 49%. In 2009, Congress was interested to step into the shoes of Vajpayee, this BJP that time, was in the rank and file of opposition, not only jumped on the shoulder of the then minister  and treasury bench persons, but also made no stones unturned to block the smooth sailing of this bill.  After a span of almost ten years, the bill is yet to see the green light and now the NDA’s government’s main party BJP are getting the shabby treatment in the hands of Congress making the proverb ‘tit for tat’ 

All these conclude that country’s growth, development, resurgence are not that important. My duty is to oppose as I belong to the opposition, whether my color is black or white. A vibrant democracy always calls for a good and effective opposition.  India’s democracy is now plodded to nearly seven decades of maturity with stalwarts of politicians, but they are still immature to understand the nitty-gritty of the dynamics of parliamentary systems, how to effectively run the same and how to continue the purposeful and meaningful debates.  Just by raising the protests, making the environment hullabaloo, polluting the cordial atmosphere of the highest political echelon, the opposition is not going to gain anything. This will be a colossal losses of countries taxpayer’s money, which is not less than  a crime.

By now, one thing, Modi-led BJP government understands that their own habit of doing opposition for the past ten years is like a contagious disease, which has now afflicted Congress.

If this insurance bill is attacked with so much chaos, Modi has to taste his own political acumen before the other sensitive issues like the Land Acquisition Act and the Nuclear Liability Act, which are to be tabled in the Parliament in the near future for debate and then making the bills passed. No doubt, the same will be passed in Lok Shava, but what about Rajya Sabha? All the opposition parties are working on a common strategy that somehow they will defile Modi’s initiations to augment the process of reforms and introducing the passage of the new bills and stall the activities of parliament frequently, sometimes without making any sense, but to embarrass Modi and his government.In this way the opposition will create an environment of only oppose whereas in reality, they must  propose and support these types of bills for the benefit of the country and its people.

Revamping of Planning Commission Panel

As of now, Modi is firmly in the saddle in his new job of ruling the country. Wherever he finds nooks, he is putting his best efforts either to change or alter the same. The latest one is related to his government’s dictum to revamp the Planning Commission panel with a new fruitful structure.  On last Sunday, Modi and his NDA government decided to bury the present structure of the Planning Commission before 26^th January, 2015.  Most of the non-congress chief ministers have vehemently supported this school of thought.  Barring the Congress led states and the Bihar government controlled by Nitish Kumar, the spontaneous support of  all other chief ministers  for this  strategical political decision will provide Modi an enough elbow to implement this revamping proposal.

The Prime Minister, as per his nature, to consult each and everyone before making any new decision of important dimension for the benevolence of the country and its people, discussed this sensitive issue of the futuristic role of the Planning Commission panel with the chief ministers and then announced the outcome to replace the same with a new entity. Of course, he will be formally announcing this political issue related to governance in his speech on the ensuing Republic Day.  He emphatically expressed that time has come for a new approach of “bottom to top” revamping the top down approach. In this new approach, the states will be given more dominating roles to pursue their cases with more thrust and vigor.  This formula is basically to implement the federalism culture and think for a more “Team India” concept.  Despite the strong protests bestowed upon by the Congress chief ministers, Modi had cited  his predecessor Manmohan Singh’s views in this respect.  Based on Singh’s rich experience of holding the post of Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission, Modi says, “Singh is very clear that the role of the Planning Commission is very much limited in the post-reforms period as they lack the vision of futuristic growth.”  Modi says that the Planning Commission must reinvent themselves to remain more vibrant and show effectiveness in discharging their responsibilities in the present days scenario.

Of course, Jaitley has informed the media that there is no clear cut deadline to revamp, but there is news from the inner circle of the government that the new entity will be in place within a couple of weeks.  This new structure of the Planning Commission will be represented by a few chief ministers, central ministers and experts.

Apart from this issue of the Planning Commission, Modi has been pondering to revamp many unwanted rules, which are difficult to enforce.  In many of his recent election campaigns, he narrated that it is an ideal phenomenon to replace ten unwanted rules and simplify the same by a one prolific and workable rule.  Not only, it will enfetter the common public, but also the same will reduce the tenacity of corruption, mass evasion of legislations and misusage of various meaningless and obstinate rules. The proposal of an anti-smoking rule is a glaring example. The government is considering to reduce the sales of cigarettes by controlling the loose cigarette sales in the retail outlet and also to increase the age limit permitted to smoke. How far it is justified to control and monitor this proposition to reduce the smoking, which is no doubt is injurious to health, even a boy of average sense and intelligence will doubt and smile. So, it will not be a wise proposal  and it is advisable  not to implement this type of rule. 

Considering the coffer’s position of the central government and dishevel condition of the financial statistics of the various states and the country as a whole, Modi has to take these types of  unpleasant decisions and at times, he may have to sacrifice his popularity. It is but natural that he has to stop these unproductive activities, which are direction less, not yielding productive results and wasting  his minister’s precious time and resources. The rules are framed for the purpose of good governance and expedite and increase the effectiveness of governing the people, but if the same rules become detrimental, the productive results will be nil and counter effective. So, taking this decision to bury the panel of the Planning Commission is a laudable and attractive one, considering the fact that many more reforms of this nature are going to be announced by Modi’s government in the near and distant future.

Modi is synonymous with Ram-as per your Wigneswaran

 On his visit to India in the week before last, C.V. Wigneswaran, the first Chief Minister of Sri Lanka’s Northern Province profusely praised Modi for his political acumen and ability to work with everybody in consensus. Ever since, he has become the Chief Minister in the poll of 2013, which took place in Sri Lanka after twenty five years, he is keen to establish a good relationship with India.  Though the war in Sri Lanka is now stopped, but the remnant and the aftermath of the war are felt now also. The civil war, which prolonged for nearly three decades in the Northern Province ended five years ago, but its effect in the form of various conflicts, is still continuing.  Wigneswaran is forthwith in his statement that war is over officially, but unofficially, it has started.

No sooner, the rebellion group of LTTE was wiped out by Sri Lankan army, an election was held in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka after a span of 25 years.  Wigneswaran has expressed that there is a need of strong solidarity in his area where he is now ruling as a CM.  He visited India to attend the World Hindu Congress, organized by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. His whole idea is to establish a strong alliance with India, now ruling by by Modi.  But many political analysts opine that his views and attitude toward India is not very clear. The reason is very explicit. Despite his chance to attend Modi’s Prime Ministership oath ceremony in the month of May 14, he refused to do so. Because he was not interested to accompany the delegation, which was led by Mahinda Rajapaksa.  His non-participation is nothing of his reservation against India, but he is a staunch critic of Sri Lanka’s President Rajapaksa as he feels that he is completely failure to rule the country, namely Sri Lanka properly.  Wigneswaran justified his strategical move not to be a part of the said delegation as he was not interested to show the world that both of them are very friendly.  He also said, “Modi is like Ram and Rajapaksa is a Ravana, who exercising all his evil powers is completely downgrading the political and economical condition of Sri Lanka.”  He compares Modi as a very strong ruler and at the same time, he advocates that Modi must handle issues related to humanity with a human touch, but the same should not be deadly.

Wigneswaran is also very critical and emphatically comments about the role of DMK and AIDMK in Lanka’s Tamil community and as per him, these parties should concentrate on their state of affairs instead of poking nose to Sri  Lanka’s political conditions..  The Chief Minister does not name someone particularly except to say that these political parties of South India should not advocate much to  the welfare of Lanka’s Tamilians in his area.  It is his responsibility.  Further, he blames the President Rajapaksa to instigate the army and also the government to violate the human rights.  He condemns the presence of so much so army in the Northern Province and where the ratio of civilian vs army is completely improportionate and  abysmal. The lands after lands are occupied by the armies to set up base camps.  Even as a Chief Minister, he is also not allowed to enter in these camps without the permission of the army.  Wigneswaran is very critical of the 13^th amendment of the 1987 accord between India and Sri Lanka signed by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Lankan President Jayawardene. This amendment is the cause of all troubles in his Northern Province. Some of the places of his territory are starved and even UN World Food Program is unable to reach the people because of  stringent procedural problems.

As for Modi’s efforts to get the Indians fishermen released from the Sri Lankan jail, Wigneswaran says, “Rajapaksa wants to show his goodness to the world by accepting Modi’s plea.”

Wigneswaran says, “I am a politician by default.  I was not that interested to plunge into this field, as I was from judiciary line holding a post of judge in the Sri Lankan Supreme Court. But by the persuasion of various people and my party’s leaders, I fought the election.  In fact, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), which is a formation of five different parties, won 30 seats out of 38 seats in the Northern Province.  By virtue of this landmark victory, I became the leader and ultimately elected as Chief Minister.” 

He wants that Modi should not follow the pattern of UN and must lift the ban on LTTE. He refuted the allegations cited by Sri Lankan government that giving too much power to the Tamil dominated TNA could yield the resurgence of the LTTE.  Further, he says, “This accusation is baseless as for the last five years, his area is violence free.”  In coming January’s  snap poll, as per him, Rajapaksa is going to face a very tough time as his popularity is diminishing very fast. He is of the opinion that Rajapaksa is concentrating to increase his power along with his family members and he is completely controlling the economy and welfare of his countrymen though his clout.   

He feels that Sri Lanka must elect a leader like Modi to rule their country. He is of the opinion that  time has come for a radical change, which is to be taken place in Sri Lanka, sooner or later, once it is come out of the clutch of Rajapaksa and his coterie.

India is very much prone to terrorism

As per statistics, India was the sixth affected country out of all the countries in the world, who was badly affected due to severe terrorism in the year 2013. This was flashed in the survey report of global terrorism  index 2014. This report is very explicit  that the death occurred due to terrorism, rose substantially by 61 percent between 2012 and 2013.

Altogether, nearly 10,000 attacks caused due to this terrorism and a significant percentage of 44% was increased in 2013 as compared to the previous year. But India showed a phenomenal increase in terrorism attack in the same period. The attack increased up to 71% and the number of deaths increased from a figure of 238 to 404 within a period of two years. The report also highlights that the border between India and Pakistan is more prone to this attack. As many as forty three different terrorist groups are very proactive in their terrorist operation and causing political and social disturbance and disharmony.

Though the government at the center always shows to be very agile to curb this terrorism with a tough posture and attitude, but the increased number of deaths and attacks prove that the administrative and political machineries are not well equipped and adequate to combat this heinous activity.

The terrorists are broadly categorized in three groups; Islamists, Separatists and Communists. These different groups are the main culprits behind this attack.  The figure of 80% of the total deaths from various barbaric and nefarious attacks that took place mostly in five countries, namely Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria and Syria. Out of these countries, Iraq was the leading one which emerged as the worst affected country with respect to terrorism. In a peer rating scale of ten, which is the  maximum level, prone  to terrorism, India scored 7.86.

The number of deaths increased on a year-to-year basis from 11133 to 17958 and this record was of the past years of  2012 and 2013. The total 87 countries witnessed the terrorist attacks of various gravities in 2013. This record was slightly higher than 81 countries in 2012.

Regarding the number of attacks in India, the same increased by a number of 55 more in between the year of 2012 and 2013. The statistics say that the terrorist attacks which invaded India caused lesser casualties and were classified as non-lethal.

The communist terrorist groups in India are the main and frequent perpetrators and they are more responsible  for cases  of deaths in India. The Maoist groups are identified as the major death and half of the total deaths amounting to 384 were their brain child. These Maoist prefers to target the police personnel because they are their most hated enemies and these fraternities are susceptible to injuries and deaths in their hands.

The dispute between India and Pakistan over the issue of Jammu and Kashmir is the source of Islamist terrorism in India. As per this survey report, this group accounts for 15% deaths in India. The prominent Islamist group is Hizbul Mujahideen, who create all nuisance and undemocratic activities pertaining to this terrorism. They use weapons, arms and sharp arsenal and easily target the police and they also target the common citizen by bombing attack.

Globally, the four major terrorist groups, say Al-Qaida, BoKO Haram, ISIS and Taliban are the major attackers and killers of citizens, police and authorities in government making this terrorism issue as a sensational one.

Modi has to sell an India story with more punch as a team

In the past nearly six months, Modi is assiduously selling India story alone to his Asian counterparts and some of the Western powers. Back in the country, most of the people are watching with rapt attention to see the desired outcome. They are also enjoying his solo performance and that too when the atmosphere and the environment of India’s business and product image are not so conducive. Despite his full and well conceived efforts to sell India story, many overseas businesses conglomerates prevail aware of the ground reality in our country, mainly when it comes to start a mammoth business venture. It is well understood that if a sizeable investment is not brought in, in the days to come from very many corners, India’s economical boost, as proclaimed by the ruling government’s political whiz-kids, will remain confined in the files or speeches only.

Modi’s rhetorical skills, his moment of inertia to undertake whirlwind tours in domestic and overseas sectors and his ardent desire coupled with impetuosity to circumvent the world market to sell an India story, is needless to mention a great achievement and a hallmark, but how far it is going to fetch  FDI is a debatable logic. It is like a cricket match, you as a captain score a brilliant century, but because of your team member’s lackluster performance, if the team defeats, then all your efforts are meaningless. So, the need of the hour is to make India as a very business friendly country to call upon more and more FDI.

The more FDI in manufacturing, construction, health and insurance and science and technology means more job opportunities, eradication of unemployment and alleviate the poverty by increasing the per capita income and then only Modi will be in a position to prove the effectiveness of his arduous struggles.

Politically winning an election and come to power is one facet, but to bring in a sizeable FDI by convincing overseas investors is completely a different ball game. Modi has to understand this fact and accordingly develop a team of like minded and most efficient people very quickly.

The bull and bear market of the stock exchange may be a benchmark to identify India’s financial graph, but in real sense if more and more FDI is not being poured within a defined period of time, the situation of India will be more or less stagnant no matter whatever prediction of GDP growth is professed by our present political gurus. Inviting China’s President, Japan’s PM and the impending visit of American’s President Obama are not the real answer to  solidifying our  economic posture, India must open their market with their broad product lines to allure the overseas investors to invest here. Otherwise, only visits of these high officials will remain as a marketing gimmick. The overseas investors are not bothered how you sell an India story, but they are more concerned whether Modi’s government is in a position to assist them to start new ventures and run the  same smoothly and hassles free. No industrialist will invest, be it from the country or overseas unless they are one hundred percent sure of their return on the investment. Modi’s verbal assurance in the USA to their business tycoons had given some momentum in this regard, but the assurance needs to be translated into realities by his team members, which is not that visible.

Politically, you can win elections enamoring your proletariat with emotional speeches and dividing them based on the religion, caste, creed and monetary allurement, but you cannot adopt the same techniques to woo overseas investors as they need concrete and unbeatable logic. They have various alternatives for investments. Why they will choose India and that should be the most pertinent question behind sell India story.  Modi needs to inquire from his members and ministers how his actions are being transmuted to the practicalities, which he is doing periodically; of course the visibility of his efforts in terms of results, will take its time. But it should not happen that this government also gets paralyzed with only talks after talks without producing any tangible benefits to its countrymen.

When Modi is  ensconced in his hot seat very firmly, it won’t happen, but he needs to develop a strong team, otherwise his solo performance will not materialize and yield a fruitful outcome as desired many sections of our country,  in the near future.