Compromising the federal system
One fails to understand what PM Narendra Modi perceives himself as, and whether he has actually forgotten the fact that he is a Prime Minister to the federation of states called India or he is just pretending like that. There seems to be some illusion about the post he has occupied that he is the permanent king of this land called India. And that makes him assume all the state heads are his subordinate rulers while he is the undisputed emperor. Hence his way of treating other state heads is not conducive to democracy.
What we have here in India is a federal system. There are precise policies, conventions, protocols and practices to explain how the state heads must act. But the PM is simply violating most of them without even the slightest concern of how this would cause the federal system to be blown into smithereens. He had visited Karnataka in the recent days to participate in many events in Hubballi and IIT Dharwad. He laid foundation stones for some new projects. But the CM of the state Kumaraswamy was not invited to any of these events. Yet, as a protocol, minister Deshpande was present at these. State government has given 300 acres of land to Dharwad IIT apart from providing basic infrastructure. Yet, the CM of the state has been left out. What does this mean?
This was not some party event that happened in Dharwad. It’s an official one which should and must have the state CM being invited or being part of it. This protocol was not heeded to. Some time ago, when the PM dedicated the Kalaburagi-Bidar train route to the people of the region, he should have invited local MP Mallikarjun Kharge. But Kharge was kept out in order to humiliate him. This was widely criticized and the same thing has repeated in Dharwad too. The central government is acting with total callousness in non-BJP ruled states. PM’s behavior is affecting the federal system that we have. His conduct in West Bengal. Andhra, Delhi and Kerala is simply deplorable. He had sent the CBI team to arrest most senior police officer and that team was arrested by Bengal cops and was kept under detention.
None of this is a crowning glory to the federal system that we have. Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu is coming across as a personal enemy of PM Modi who is refusing to honour special status to Andhra that was assured to them during the state division in prior to 2014. Modi criticizes the Andhra CM in his own home state in a language that is unbecoming of a PM. BJP goons are launching attacks on Kejriwal. And the central government is safeguarding those attackers.
PM has been criticizing even the implementation of Supreme Court order to allow women to enter Sabarimala temple in Kerala because the state is governed by a left government. PM is calling for unrest in Kerala. This is not a right precedence to set with states that do not have BJP government. Such vengeful behavior is getting him black flag welcome in Assam. “Go Back Modi” has become a regular in many states wherever his visit is slated now.
Some time ago, Atal Bihari Vajpayee of the same party was the PM. Whatever may be his ideological differences with anyone, he maintained dignified relations with states. For instance if he had to appoint a governor to West Bengal, he would not take unilateral decision without consulting his ideological contrast, Communist to the core Jyoti Basu. W. Bengal was ruled by the communists for the longest time. Modi’s behavior is in total contrast to this. If this continues, this may cause irreparable harm to the federal system. Unless he mends it, it would not be good for the federal structure or to his own political journey.
India is a country with different languages, faiths and cultures. This is our diversity. We have a binding towards the constitution. Unity in diversity is our core commitment. If we try to make a uniform culture, faith and language, this country will be destroyed. Modi has got his education from the RSS Shakha. Now he is occupying the chair of the PM. He should not degrade the constitution and democracy of the nation. He needs to take the CMs of the state along, with respect. This alone can beget respect for him too.
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'Warm and engaging atmosphere reigned', Shashi Tharoor on Putin banquet
New Delhi (PTI): Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who on Friday attended a banquet for Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, on Saturday described the atmosphere there as "warm" and "engaging", and said he enjoyed his conversations with many of the attendees.
Tharoo’s remarks came a day after President Droupadi Murmu hosted a banquet for the visiting Russian president at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here.
“Attended the @rashtrapatibhvn banquet for President Putin last night. A warm and engaging atmosphere reigned. Enjoyed my conversations with many of the attendees, especially my dining companions from the Russian delegation!" Tharoor said in a social media post.
Murmu, while welcoming President Putin and his delegation at the banquet, had said that his visit marked an important milestone -- the 25th anniversary of the India-Russia strategic partnership, which was established in October 2000 during his first visit to the country as president.
Murmu also appreciated Putin's support and personal commitment to the India-Russia special and privileged strategic partnership.
The Congress on Friday said that the leaders of the opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, were not invited to the banquet, and took a swipe at Tharoor for accepting the invite.
The party’s media and publicity department head, Pawan Khera, accused the government of breaking protocols daily and not believing in democratic principles.
“There is no invite to both the LoPs, Mr (Mallikarjun) Kharge and Mr (Rahul) Gandhi. This comes as a surprise, but I don't think we should be surprised. This government is known to be breaching all protocols. What else to say, ask the government,” Khera said on Friday.
Asked about Tharoor accepting the invite for the banquet, Khera said, "Ask Mr Tharoor. All of us who are in the party, if our leaders don't get invited and we get invited, we need to question our own conscience and listen to our conscience. Politics has been played in inviting or not inviting people, which in itself is questionable, and those who accept such an invite are also questionable."
“We would have listened to our voice of conscience,” he added.
Earlier, Tharoor had said that there was a time when the chairman of the external affairs committee was routinely invited, but that practice seems to have stopped some years ago.
On Thursday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the government tells visiting foreign dignitaries not to meet the leader of opposition due to its "insecurity".
His remarks came hours ahead of Putin's two-day visit to India.
