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DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNALISATION AND ACHHE DIN: The Deceptive 9 months
of Modi Govt.
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“With all and Development for all, will be my
government’s motto, not an empty slogan”, said Narendra Modi while campaigning
for Lok Sabha elections. Promises were made declaring that problems like unemployment,
illiteracy, corruption, poverty, inflation etc. will evaporate into thin air
and within 100 days Black money stashed abroad will be back in the country and the
problems of marginalized sections (Women, Dalits, Workers, and Peasantry etc.)
be dealt on priority basis. The voters outpoured their anger on UPA, with the
results propelling NDA (read Modi) to power, getting 336 out of 543 seats, 282
to BJP alone. 55.1 crore (66%) out of 81.4 crore voters casted their vote and
17.1 crore of them went to BJP. But in order to turn the voters towards itself,
5000 crore were spent and 33% of Prime Time of National TV channels was airing
propaganda for Modi. Now when 2nd budget of Modi govt. is about to
come, we can look into the claims, promises and truth of this demagogue
government.
Modi’s
Development model: Development of Rich and
pauperization for poor
Although, as Finance
Minister Arun Jaitely said, the new government’s last budget has been very much
the continuity of the policies of UPA government. But process of economic
reforms, initiated by Narsimha Rao government (FM Manmohan Singh), has been
accelerated. In the time of Capital scarcity, ‘the most nationalist government’
made every effort to attract Foreign Investment (especially FDI). Apart from
allowing 49% FDI in Insurance sector, the government has increased FDI limit
from 26% to 49% in defense sector. Preparations have been made to allow 100%
FDI in railways (that currently has 13 lakh employees). Along with retrenchment
of 25000 employees from railway crossings, the Train fares have been increased
4.5% and a proposal is to hike it every 6 months.
The
Government has mentioned 18 Lakh crore of expenditure and 14 lakh core income
in its budget but in order to contain fiscal deficit, funds for Social Welfare
sector have been cut down and PSUs are being disinvested for profit making of
Private Institutions. UPA, in the last budget, gave 5.32 Lakh crore of
subsidies in name of Tax exemption to the Corporates whereas subsidy on fuel,
gas and fertilizers was 2.4 lakh crore in total. The current government has
already decontrolled Diesel Prices and next in pipeline is Urea whose price
will rise 7% every year as proposed. If there is possibility of any sigh of
relief, it comes from fall in price of petroleum products and that too, is not
due any decision taken by Modi government but because of fall in price of crude
oil in the international market. Even here the fall in price is much less as
compared to fall in International prices.
The
government has planned to develop 100 smart cities with allocation of 7060
crore rupees. But at the same time, colonies of poor have already been
demolished in the name of beautification and development, question arises for
what ‘smartness’ this project is being undertaken?
1.64
lakh crore that was allocated in budget for Social welfare sector (education,
health etc.) has been reduced to 79 thousand crore. Hence expenditure on this
sector dropped form 12% to 5.6%. Also, the Govt. has decontrolled prices of 108
drugs and medicines that will dearly affect common masses, as for example,
price of Glivec (an anti-cancer drug), rose form Rs 8500 to 1.08 Lakh. The
prices of drugs for other diseases like Tuberculosis, AIDS, Cardiac disease has
also risen sharply.
It
is surprising that government, on the one hand, is ready to spend huge sums in
name of ‘development’ but cutting down subsidies meant to benefit the
marginalized sections. So question arises
what kind of development is this?
It
is the same development model as that of Gujarat, where large chunk of land has
been acquired by sidelining the interests of farmers, and given away to Essar,
Adani, and Reliance etc. at throw away prices. Whereas, the Infant Mortality
rate in Gujrat is one of the worst (44 out 1000) and GER for Higher education
is 39.3% that is 3% less than national average. School Dropout Rate for SC/ST
is 57.9% that is far worse than national average 49.3%.
On
25 September, ‘Make In India’ campaign was launched to clear all the hurdles
for Foreign Corporations in 25 sectors of Indian Economy and much hype was
created to project India as a brand. But the real face of this project came to
fore in the form of amendments in Land Acquisition Act. The amendments were
made to reduce the required number of agreeing owners from 80% to 50% for
acquisition to take place and exemption for the multi-crop fertile land was
also removed. The provision for necessary affirmation from Grahm Sabha in the
tribal region was also dropped. And all
these decisions have come in the period when already a farmer is committing
suicide in every 30 minutes due to deteriorating situation of peasantry.
Another
aspect of ‘Make in India’ campaign came up with name of
‘Sharam Mev Jayate’ that led to changes in various Labour Laws (Minimum
Wages Act 1948, Apprentices Act 1961, Labour Laws Act 1988 etc.). Today when
the workers in SEZs are even deprived of their right to form union, only 3% of
workers are employed in organised sector with some social security while 97%
work in unorganised sector and out of 17.3 crore, 7.3 crore don’t even get the
minimum wage (i.e. mere 94 $ per month) then one must be worried about the
workers’ conditions. According to ILO, 4.3 lakh workers die every year due to
poor working conditions that means more than 1000 workers die every day and 46
every hour. But according to the recent
changes in the Labour Laws a firm can lay off up to 300 (number was 100
earlier) worker without seeking any
permission from government. Minimum membership for registration of union of a
firm has been raised from 15% to 30%. On the very day of launch of ‘Sharam Mev
Jayate’ PM Modi tweeted, “Ease of business is important. It is
essential for success of 'Make in India'.” It clearly shows
that changes in Labour laws are not made to empower workers rather to
facilitate Corporations. Hence ‘Sharam Mev Jayate’ is being utilized to deprive
workers of any of their rights. Moreover, CSO has changed the method to measure
GDP that turn 4.7% growth rate in 2014 into 6.9% by changing the calculation
based on factor cost to market prices
A mere glance at the decisions
of Modi Government and present scenario shows that this development is only the
development of the rich. It can also be mentioned that 442 out of 543 Lok Sabha
Members are millionaires while 77% of Indian population survives at less than
Rs.20 daily. A question that also demands attention is that when government is
doing every possible thing to open up the economy for foreign capital by
depriving the people of country from their rights then how can it be even called
‘nationalist’?
In fact, when bubble of
development is about to burst, the government is resorting to ‘Divide and rule’
policy. With history of Babri Mosque
demolition, 2002 Gujarat riots and other incidents of communalism, BJP is
trying to divide the society on communal lines by demonizing minorities in name
of Love Jihad, Reconversion etc. Now the meaning of nationalism is being
redefined in communal terms that are ‘Hindu’ instead of secularism.
Communal riots in Muzzafarnagar,
Saharanpur, Vadodara, Muzzafarpur in Bihar, and about 600 recorded incidents of
communal violence in UP is a dangerous phenomenon for communal harmony in
society. It will be even dangerous for already shrinking democratic values and
space. Instead of curbing this phenomenon, Ministers of Modi Government and
leaders of other communal organizations are further propagating hatred against
minorities.
In such a situation we have the responsibility to oppose communalization of
society, expose the false promises and lies of Modi Government and struggle for
developing democratic values and space. SFS appeals you all to support us in
this struggle.
SMASH COMMUNAL FASCISM!!
RESIST THE WAR ON POOR!!
RESIST ANTI-PEOPLE POLICIES!!
WAGE ANTI-FEUDAL & ANTI-IMPERIALIST STRUGGLE!!