Why the common man comes first in the handling of fiscal imprudence

The Indian government has been reprimanded by the CAG for almost 10-15 cases in the recent times including 2G, CWG, Delhi Airports, uncanny expenses to keep Air India afloat, revenue leakage in Reliance gas exploration etc. If we look into the total estimated loss, it runs into many thousand crores.

But I wonder, if the government can be so callous in its approach in handling such high ticket items. Why is it so prompt to correct the fiscal impropriety in pricing of the Petroleum products? If Raja, Kalmadi and other industrialists have benefitted out of an imprudent regime, why only common man is devoid of his share in this whole game.

The government has deliberately benefitted the rich and influential through corrupt practices and crony capitalism. So, a common man may also demand his share through a rightful consumption of petrol, diesel, kerosene and LPG at a highly subsidised rates. The day the government is able to bring fiscal prudence at all other places, it may raise the petroleum prices. Till then, please let the common man relish the subsidised petroleum products. The government has no moral rights to add to my fiscal burden.

Growing success of the Right Leaning Activists in India

With activists like Anna Hazare, Subramanian Swamy, Ramdev successfully striking a chord with the general masses, right to the center ideology is running supreme in the Indian political landscape. It is seemingly for the first time that the entire society is looking up to the Indian right to deliver.

There are two main reasons behind their resounding success:

1. They have been able to break the hegemony of the BJP over the rightist ideology in India. These individuals and their organizations have created a parallel and independent voice representing the right leaning segment in the Indian civil society. The ideological paralysis of the BJP was responsible for literally "no opposition" in the Indian politics for the last 4-5 years. Moreover, BJP post their electoral defeat in 2004 have gone deep into an internal conundrum. It has not been able to come out of their strategic confusion. Is BJP a far right Hindu brigade, is it a middle class party which aims to break the feudal family culture of Indian politics, is BJP a right to the center party with market liberal views, or is it an anti-congress congregation of various streams of ideology. There are various options but the BJP is in a state of freeze. Congress led UPA has tried its level best to associate all the key members of team Anna, Baba Ramdev etc. to the BJP, but the ability of these members to assertively keep themselves away from the BJP has certainly added credibility. It is henceforth high time that the BJP learns its lessons and pulls up its socks. Otherwise, its political atrophy is certainly on cards.

2. The leftists or the left leaning socialists, who have been the custodians of political activism in India for a long time, have suddenly found themselves in a tight spot. A large section is still frozen after the defeat of communists in Bengal and its subsequent marginalization at the center. They are back to the era of the 60s when left was one of the weakest political streams. An equally large left leaning segment has joined hands with the congress through various channels. NAC (National advisory council) led by Sonia Gandhi has mostly left leaning activits. A few noted civil society members have aligned with parties like Trinamool Congress. These sections are in no position to stand tall against the current corrupt regime. This has given a wide space to the right leaning activists to create a niche for them.

It is a historical moment in the Indian politics, where the intellectual leadership of civil society is at the hands of the right. We hope that they will deliver better than others and sustain their leadership role in the times to come.

Anna Hazare is the latest victim of procrastinated and outsourced model of political decision making

Congress has done it again!! It has been able to douse a fire and stop a storm with its time tested "Governance Outsourcing Framework". Congress has been able to seek time to let another issue die a confused death. The congress party in the current form seldom takes a political decision. It has a prime minister who is supposed to be a learned economist and if he can't bring down inflation, what can the congress do! It has a similar professional, Montek singh as the head of the planning commission, still if the plans don’t work, how may you accuse the congress.

In the current context, government has agreed to form a committee which includes Anna Hazare as well. Hence, he is no more a judge but a performer himself. If he is not able to perform and build a consensus and seek a judicial and procedural approval to his wish list, it will be Anna's problem, and you may not accuse the congress anymore.

We have already heard the noise of dissonance from within the activists community as everyone wanted to be part of this process and become a crusader. Congress has seemingly played its cards well and is on the verge of winning round 2.It will certainly continue to propagate this confusion further in the times to come and make things difficult for Anna.

On other contemporary issues needing political decisions, there are committees chaired and attended by the social activists, intellectuals, retired judge, bureaucrats, technocrats et al. In a nutshell, the congress party has learnt to isolate itself from any political decision making. It seems that they have created a protective wall full of gullible and ever desperate intellectuals around them to help them "Not decide" on any major minor issue.

The political party in power seems to be in need of technical guidance on almost all the issues including terrorism, corruption, environment, social sector growth, community aspirations etc. There are committes to look into even basic aspects of governance and the political class is shamelessly indifferent and sometimes even proud of its expressed intellectual inability. We are facing a "governance deficit" because the current leadership doesn't want to decide and hence outsources its lack of political will to the selected few from the activist and intellectual brigade.

I am mentioning three similar cases and the state of their committees, below. We have faced many such cases in the recent times and the list goes on and on. I pray from the core of my hearts that Anna doesn’t get trapped in this pitfall, but my mind doesn't support my prayer. It will be a miracle if this crusader can beat the success string of Congress in such matters.

Telangana: Do we recall that there was a longer hunger strike, a more dramatic and panic stricken congress response and much more frenzied eruption of celebration with Sonia Gandhi getting a mother's status. Within weeks, a committee was formed and more intellectual discussions were initiated. After a few months, the committee comes up with a number of options, adding to the intellectual pandemonium around the Telangana issue. Heard sometimes back, hunger strike is being planned again. Congress may be planning to form another committee in the meantime.

J&K: The valley was burning and a political decision was being sought. UPA came up with one of the most innovative time buying tactics. A set of interlocutors from the civic society were given freedom to recommend any and every possible solution. We have seen them travelling through the valley, meeting separatists, visiting Dal lake and the other picturesque places (probably to feel the pain of people) and performing all kinds of public gimmickry. The report has not been submitted, but can they recommend Kashmir to be merged with Pakistan, can they ask to abolish article 370, can we accept azadi, and do we think there can be a middle path like porous borders et al will effectively solve the issue. The answer is a NO for all the options. Hence, we may conclude that the three good looking people from the mainland had a hearty holiday. I have recently read that Kashmir is readying to have a fight again during the coming summers. UPA may form a parliamentary committee this time.

CWG games: Sunghlu committee delivered the report within the stipulated time. However, if you see the fine print, it recommends an auditor to audit the CAG and 3 membered CVC. This will certainly create more intellectual confusion than a clarity for the decision making process.

Why BJP is the only cadre based national party today

I always wonder why BJP is the main opposition party or the largest political party with extensive internal democracy. Why communist ideology could not reach the masses although we had more poor than Hindus in this country.

I somehow feel that the main reason behind this phenomenon is the difference in their leadership. The BJP top brass works hard and believes in coming out of their comfort zones. It is sometimes amusing to see BJP's national leaders spending umpteen amount of time in Kerala and West Bengal. They know that they may not win a single seat. Moreover, their party organization is also non existant. Still their entire top brass including their leaders in parliament, party president, senior members including the likes of Advani and a plethora of junior leaders are camping on ground. RSS is anyway working at full throttle. This is nothing but political investment to carve a place of your own in both these states.

Not long ago, Sushma Swaraj took up a losing battle against Sonia Gandhi in Bellary, Karnataka and Bhupen Hazarika fought a similar battle in Assam. Today there is a BJP government in Karnataka and Bellary is its stronghold. Similarly, BJP has the audacity to fight on its own in Assam and is also expected to do well.

Compare this with Bihar elections held sometimes back. Left used to be a strong force throughout with some outstanding leaders in its fold. It was  the only rallying point for the educated middle classes till the early 90s. It used to dominate the legislative council elections through teachers and graduate constituencies.

Still Left leaders were seldom seen on the ground in the recent elections. Except for a few constituencies like Purnea where son of the former CPM MLA Ajit Sarkar, was fighting on a CPM ticket (more in line with a congress culture), left leadership was found completely absent. Similarly, if we observe elections in the other states e.g. Rajasthan, MP and even UP, Left leadership believes in literally giving a walk over. We may wonder why Brinda Karat could not fight against Mamta Banerjee in the current elections.


There are times when personality driven politics overrides an ideologically driven cadre based politics. This is happening in West Bengal in the current elections. Left may be reduced to rubble as a political entity in bengal and its ideology may further be alienated at the national level. Such a loss for the Indian leftists is a sad story when a large part of the world is talking about an inclusive growth and government's role in the economy. 

Alas! Left would have created a platform for themselves in the other states. BJP has assiduously carved a place for itself in Karnataka and Assam today. No wonder, it may become a strong force in Kerala and West Bengal in the times to come. At that point, even a loss in Gujarat may be compensated. This is a big achievement in an era when the right wing politics is losing its ground elsewhere.