The biggest casualty of dynastic politics are institutions: Narendra Modi
New Delhi, Mar 20: In a new blog penned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he has said that the biggest casualty of dynastic politics are institutions.
From the press to Parliament. From Soldiers to free speech. From Constitution to court. Nothing is spared, he said.
Read the full text here:
In
the
summer
of
2014,
the
people
voted
decisively
for:
Honesty
over
dynasty.
Development
over
decay.
Security
over
stagnation.
Opportunities
over
obstacles.
Vikas
over
vote-bank
politics.
Indians were tired of our beloved nation being in the Fragile Five, where corruption, cronyism and nepotism made headlines instead of anything positive.
India voted to shed the baggage of the past in pursuit of a better future.
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The mandate of 2014 was epoch-making also because it was for the first time in the history of India that a non-dynastic party was blessed with a complete majority.
When a Government works with the spirit of 'India First' instead of 'Family First', it shows in its working.
Over
the
last
five
years,
the
Indian
economy
has
been
the
cynosure
of
the
world's
eyes.
India
has
made
remarkable
achievements
in
sanitation
coverage
(from
38%
in
2014
to
98%
now),
banking
the
unbanked,
financing
the
un-financed,
building
futuristic
infrastructure,
homes
for
the
homeless,
providing
healthcare
for
the
poor
and
educating
the
youth.
Reflective of this paradigm shift is the fact that now, there is a Government that puts institutions above everything else.
India has seen that whenever dynastic politics has been powerful, institutions have taken a severe beating.
Parliament:
The overall productivity of the 16th Lok Sabha was a phenomenal 85%, which is significantly higher than the productivity of the 15th Lok Sabha.
Between 2014 and 2019, the Rajya Sabha's productivity was 68%.
The Interim Budget session witnessed productivity of 89% in the Lok Sabha and a mere 8% in the Rajya Sabha.
The nation knows the numerical dynamics of both houses. It is clear that when a non-dynasty party in higher number its tendency to work more is visible.
India should ask- why was the Rajya Sabha not working as productively as the Lok Sabha? Which were the forces disrupting the House and why?
Press and Expression:
Dynastic parties have never been comfortable with a free and vibrant press. No wonder, the very first Constitutional Amendment brought in by the Congress government sought to curtail free speech. Speaking truth to power, which is the hallmark of a free press was seen as vulgar and indecent.
The recent UPA years saw the bringing of a law that could land you in prison for posting anything "offensive."
A
tweet
against
the
son
of
a
powerful
UPA
minister
could
land
innocent
citizens
in
jail.
Just
a
few
days
ago,
the
nation
watched
with
horror
when
a
few
youngsters
were
arrested
for
expressing
their
true
feelings
at
a
programme
in
Karnataka,
where
the
Congress
is
sharing
power.
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But I want to tell the Congress that no amount of intimidation will change the ground realities. Curbing freedom of expression will not change people's poor impression of the party.
Constitution and Courts:
When the sun set on the evening of 25th June 1975, it took with it the democratic ethos of India.
A hurried radio address by the then Prime Minister showed the extent to which the Congress can go to safeguard the interests of one dynasty.
The
Emergency
made
the
nation
a
prison
overnight.
Even
to
express
was
to
commit
sin.
The
42nd
Amendment
put
curbs
on
the
courts,
covering
the
Parliament
and
more.
It took a groundswell of public opinion to end the Emergency but the anti-constitutional mindset of those who imposed it remained. The Congress has imposed Article 356 almost a hundred times, with Mrs. Indira Gandhi herself doing so about fifty times. If they did not like a state government or leader the government was dismissed.
Congress' contempt for the courts is anyway legendary. It was Mrs. Indira Gandhi who called for a "committed judiciary", which seeks to make the courts more loyal to a family than to the Constitution.
This pursuit of a "committed judiciary" made Congress overlook several respected Judges while appointing the Chief Justice of India.
Congress' modus operandi is simple- reject, discredit and threaten. If a judicial verdict goes against them, they reject it, then they discredit the judge and thereafter, talk about bringing impeachment motions against the judge.
Government bodies:
In a telling comment, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi called the Planning Commission led by Dr. Manmohan Singh, 'A bunch of jokers.'
This
comment
gives
you
a
glimpse
of
how
Congress
treats
government
institutions.
Remember
the
UPA
years,
when
the
Congress
questioned
the
CAG
just
because
that
institution
exposed
their
corrupt
shenanigans
like
2G,
Coal
Scam
etc.
CBI became the Congress Bureau of Investigation- it was used time and again on political parties just before crucial parliamentary votes.
Tensions were deliberately created in organisations such as IB and RAW.
A
policy
decision
taken
by
no
less
than
the
Union
Cabinet
was
torn
into
pieces
by
someone
who
was
not
a
member
of
any
ministry
and
that
too,
in
a
press
conference.
The
NAC
was
created
as
a
body
parallel
to
the
Prime
Minister's
Office.
And
then,
Congress
talks
about
institutions?
In the 1990s, a fictitious spy scandal was created in India's premier space agency ISRO just to suit Kerala Congress' factional politics. It did not matter to them that a brilliant scientist had to suffer due to that.
Armed Forces:
Congress has always seen the defence sector as a source of income which is why the armed forces never got the respect from the Congress that they deserved.
After 1947, every Congress government has seen multiple defence scams. They began with jeeps and then moved to guns, submarines and helicopters.
Every middleman is linked to one family.
When a top Congress leader calls the Army Chief a Gunda and is subsequently promoted in the party rank and file, it shows their scant regard for the forces.
When our forces strike at terrorist elements, Congress leaders accuse the political leadership of doing 'Khoon Ki Dalali.'
When our air warriors strike at terrorists, Congress questions that too.
Congress' own (lack of) internal democracy and sense of entitlement:
Political parties are vibrant bodies that manifest diverse public opinion. Sadly, Congress does not believe in internal democracy.
If a leader dares to dream to head that party, he or she is shunted out of the Congress.
The
sense
of
entitlement
can
be
seen
in
their
conduct
towards
routine
legal
processes.
At
present,
their
top
leadership
is
on
bail
vis-a-vis
a
major
scam.
When
the
authorities
seek
to
question
them
on
their
dealings,
they
do
not
even
bother
to
reply.
Are
they
scared
of
accountability
or
do
they
not
believe
in
it?
Think wisely:
From
the
press
to
parliament.
From
soldiers
to
free
speech.
From
the
constitution
to
the
courts.
Institutional
insult
is
the
Congress
way.
Everyone
is
wrong,
only
the
Congress
is
correct.
As
you
go
to
vote-
remember
the
past
and
how
one
family's
desire
for
power
cost
the
nation
so
greatly.
If
they
could
do
it
then,
they
can
surely
do
it
now.
Eternal
vigilance
remains
the
price
of
liberty.
Let
us
stay
vigilant
and
work
hard
to
strengthen
the
intuitions
given
to
us
by
the
makers
of
our
Constitution.