Double engine derails federal spirit; Let there be only one engine – India

ONE NATION MOVE

- It is painful to see the non-BJP States complaining about step-motherly treatment from the Centre

- It should be an unwritten rule that the Prime Minister and the various Chief Ministers must cease to be mere leaders of political parties once they assume the Constitutional positions

- BJP will do well if it adopts K'taka and Hijab like policies in dealing with all States and more importantly its own cadre

Let us ask ourselves and ask the ruling dispensations as to why we cannot tackle the national problems in a Covid War like manner. Why can't we have similar welfarism in practice – from the Centre, the States to local bodies and even the Corporates

In Mumbai, the Centre insists on not shifting the Mumbai metro car shed from Aarey Forest where hundreds of trees will have to be uprooted for the structure. It throws a spanner in the wheels of the Maha Vikas Aghadi Government which has decided to shift the project to a salt pan area. West Bengal CM Mamta Bannerjee complains about the Centre owing Rs 90,000 crore on account of share of the GST to the State. Telangana CM KCR talks about discriminatory paddy procurement policy by the Centre and promoting strong Centre and weaker States policies. The Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry speaks of the strained relationships between the State and the Centre that led to the blocking of funds from the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board for dairy development in the State. Kerala Chief Minister P Vijayan also has a grouse against the Centre for allegedly not cooperating with the States.

Then there are FIRs, CBI and Enforcement Directorate inquiries in this tu-tu-main-main friction between the Centre and non-BJP ruled States.

Now let us juxtapose them with the Double Engine policy of the Centre – meaning the BJP rule at the Centre as well as the States. The so-called double engine policy has led to an unprecedented progress and development of Uttar Pradesh with the help of the Centre and it is the same double engine that did the trick of Yogi Adityanath bulldozing his way through in the recent elections to the State legislative assembly. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders have been talking about this as a case study to woo voters in other States as well. Non-BJP parties slam Modi-Shah combine for this strategy to win the elections by hook or crook.

Let us point out here that Modi had tagged himself as the Pradhan Sevak, instead of being called Pradhan Mantri, and he had even declared that all parties should work together for the welfare of the people and to fight against poverty leaving behind the political rancor once the election results were declared. Yet it is painful to see the non-BJP States complaining about step-motherly treatment from the Centre.

Is it not an unwritten rule that the Prime Minister and the various Chief Ministers must cease to be mere leaders of their respective political parties once they assume the Constitutional positions? Electoral politics should be limited to elections. For instance, the rhetoric such as Congress-mukt Bharat should be buried with the election results. As I have been stressing, the PM is expected to behave like a Statesman and lead the nation towards Garibi-Mukt Bharat, Berozgaari-Mukt Bharat, Khushhali-Yukt Bharat.

One must appreciate the Centre and Modi's leadership in tackling the Covid crisis pan-India. After the initial hiccups such as short supply of oxygen, the Centre quickly braced itself to take the crisis head-on and ensured that the Nation stood as one in the war against the Chinese virus. Yes, we did not have any vaccine politics and the Centre had an absolutely transparent policy in ensuring equity among all States. Two years down the Covid crisis, one does not see any rushes or long queues at vaccination Centres. When I had my first dose, I had to wait for an hour, whereas for the second jab, the waiting period came down to half an hour. And when I had the booster dose, it was a walk-in and walk-out affair. Even for quarantining the Covid patients for ten days, one has not seen any discrimination and the municipal centres were the best places to be in.

Let us ask ourselves and ask the ruling dispensations as to why we cannot tackle the national problems in a Covid War like manner. Why can't we have similar welfarism in practice – from the Centre, the States to local bodies and even the Corporates? The Centre did work towards ensuring a Covid-mukt Bharat. Why can't we have a permanent health policy on similar lines?

Viral attacks such as Corona affect our bodies. But the malicious discrimination hits the people's minds which is worse than the dreaded cancer.

One felt very happy when one read in the newspapers that the central leadership has told the Karnataka CM to move beyond the Hijab issue and work on developmental works. The message was: Hijab controversy may get some votes, but development is more important. I think the BJP will do well if it adopts similar policies in dealing with all States and more importantly its own cadre. In our war against Covid, we were guided by the WHO's dictum that 'Nobody is safe until everybody is safe'. Similarly, India can't be strong until every State is strong. The motto should be national development hauled by just one strong, powerful engine called India (or Bharat).

Weaker States weaken the nation. Double engine policy derails Federalism as enshrined in the Constitution of India. It forces people to vote for a particular party. It denies democratic rights to decide without fear of any favour. Moreover, it leads to one party rule all across which, in turn, can lead to dictatorship without any checks and balances. Does India want an Opposition-mukt Bharat in its 75th year of Independence?

The Ram Rajya which our leaders propagate is based on the principles of non-discriminatory welfare State. Britishers had divide-and-rule policy and that should have been abandoned with the pulling down of the Union Jack on August 15, 1947. It is never too late to make a beginning in the national interest and the Diamond Jubilee celebrations are the best opportunity.

The official stationery and websites carry the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav logo. Moving beyond this ornamental symbolism, it is time that the Prime Minister led the nation towards a non-discriminatory welfarism putting a permanent end to politics of hate. Love begets love.

Let me wrap up by invoking Rabindranath Tagore

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high

Where knowledge is free

Where the world has not been broken up into fragments

By narrow domestic walls

Where words come out from the depth of truth

Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection

Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way

Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit

Where the mind is led forward by thee

Into ever-widening thought and action

Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

(The author is a Mumbai-based media veteran, known for his thought-provoking messaging)