Of late, we have been observing political opportunism getting a paint of political professionalism and receiving general acceptability in our country. It has association with expediency and hypocrisy in trying and discovering new initiatives which often go contrary to ethics and the niceties of democracy and the democratic institutions. Many politicians are emboldened, partly because of no resistance from the people and partly because of wearing demagoguery, using a tragic event to gain political ascendancy or using a tragic event to make a political statement to reap its political benefits in the near future. How come otherwise they realize the needs of the prospective active voters only at the time of approaching elections and at once, list out their “difficulties” one by one in election speeches with promises to resolve? Did not our Prime Minister, coming out of the citadels of pure Economics, converting to a matured politician, promise in 2008-09 general elections speeches, a complete turnaround of our economy in just 100 days if the UPA of which he was the Prime Ministerial candidate, was retuned to power? We believed him and voted him to power and have been waiting continuously far beyond the due date of 100 days which fell on August 19, 2009 only with hope against hope. Taking it the other way, did he not prove himself wrong by not keeping the promise, instead he kept on extending the “due date” by months and quarters and finally blaming lack of political consensus and compulsions of coalition “Dharma” preventing him from introducing speedy economic reforms. Even now, the important ally of UPA, the Trinmool Congress is determined to oppose FDI tooth and nail. The question is what benefit an Aam Aadmi derives from Dr. Singh’s coalition compulsions and how can coalition compulsions answer Aam Admi’s economic woes: the two ends meal followed by the “luxuries” of the wear, the shelter, the health care, the education of children et al? The bone chilling inflation, the rising prices of the bare necessities have made compulsions of coalition or lack of political consensus prosaic rather redundant. Has Congress, therefore, acknowledged economic and political policy paralysis or else why should Dr. Singh be not considered for the third term as PM which prompted Union Minister Beni Prasad openly declare 2014 to be Rahul Gandhi versus Narindra Modi?
Have we reached that point of our democratic set up when the concern of the party or parties in power is fighting and winning elections only and for that be liberal in raining sops and freebies even if they be in conflict with operating economic variables, that too under the leadership of an economist PM? Can such things revive our economy, curing the associated ills and is it no body’s concern as to how burning economic issue like taking on the much troubling inflation, the problem of fiscal deficit and enlarging investments can be brought about? The ruling dispensation is fairly appearing desperate to employ all means only for winning elections to state assemblies and the Lok Sabha. Taking the example of Gujarat, the state Congress has come up with a unique idea to attract voters who are below the poverty line by promising houses if voted to power. Raining housing schemes ahead of assembly polls in the form of distributing 38 lac forms with congress party symbol imprint followed by another poll sop of residential schemes of housing plots and houses (15 lac each) for poor and middle income earning women residing in rural areas with 15 year term loan, proves the point. May be in hush -hush words, the waiver of such loans in the years to come might also be an undeclared poll promise. Under Indira Awas Yojna and Sardar Awas Yojna, as many as 9.14 and 3.52 lac houses respectively have already been otherwise built from 2002 to 2012 in Gujarat but still the “pain” of prospective active voters has sprouted in the heart of the Congress party.
Having an eye on 2014 elections , 6.5 crore BPL families are to benefit from yet another populist plan of providing free mobile phones only because UPA wants to “stay connected” with the masses and to prove it as a tool of their socio economic empowerment. At the outset, 60 lac BPL households were going to be benefited with 200 hours of free talk per month. Do not please ask whether the prospective beneficiaries have any support infrastructure or this scheme shall also follow the foot prints of the public distribution system (PDS), the free electricity and other agricultural subsidies schemes? The fact that only the upper layer and the influential in their own right, get benefited under such poll schemes notwithstanding , let us hope that this massive Rs.7000 crore project does not get any infection, even mild one, like that of CWG, 2G spectrum, Aadrash flats, coal block distribution and other state and central level scams. Mr. Beni Prasad must go through the survey conducted by the National Sample Survey which says that 10% of our rural population lives just with Rs.17 as income per day, not even the barest of Rs.22.42 fixed by the Planning Commission.
Another interesting “feat” of political professionalism was made known again by the Union Minister Beni Prasad, that rising inflation was benefiting farmers in our country and that he was happy that prices of different commodities were continuously rising. This piece of new Economics from the Minister did not say how and why then under inflationary environs, as many as 256913 farmers committed suicide in a period from 1995 to 2010 in our country if the figures of the National Crime Records Bureau were to be believed? Should not our rulers and policy planners be made accountable and answerable for this stark piece of truth and that every 12 hours one farmer on an average, commits suicide in our country? Has the latest census not revealed the declining number of the farming community that feeds the nation as more and more are bidding farewell to farming activities in our country, why? Has the Union Agriculture Minister coming from the state reported with maximum farmers’ suicides, attended to this issue in an innovative way or attending to and ensuring playing of 24×7 cricket matches under BCCI, in and outside our country, not taxing his time and priorities?
Political opportunism is tantamount to changing ideologies with each new election, often betraying set principles only for furthering political career, just to continue to cling to power thereby accomplishing a personal agenda. However, political opportunism is fast taking precedence over political will. Not attracting with cogent economic and political policies but purchasing votes through populist measures is overall quite bad for the health of our democracy. Populist measures are regarded as intrinsically opportunist forms of politics catering to the lowest common denominator. Populism is a short term gain, destined to give long term pain.
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