Centralisation of India’s Polity-Destroying the Federal Structure of Indian Republic
What they promised:
All States will be developed equally and no special treatment will be given to certain States
All Classical languages would be promoted.
What happened?
Further centralisation of power: India is a union of states which is federal in structure. Under the Modi regime, this federal structure is being undermined by making laws which override state’s autonomy. Moreover, in its 10 years rule BJP led central government appointed governors running their parallel governments and working to undermine state governments became a kind of a general norm. These centre appointed governors act as BJP puppets and help in toppling state governments and installing BJP in power in those states rejecting people’s mandate.
Now BJP is calling for “One Nation, One Election” which is a call to hold all state elections at the same time as the Lok Sabha elections. This will further solidify its centralisation of power and leaves the states totally at the behest of the central government.
Control and non allocation of funds: The implementation of GST made all the tax collected by the states goes to the central government and not to the state coffers. The random way in which some states are getting the amount returned to them has been questioned many times. There has to be an equitable and scientific way of returning taxes to the states. Instead the central government is making state governments beg for their fair share of taxes. Through measures like GST, BJP has made state governments dependent on the centre for funds instead of being self reliable.
Many regions of India are into climate crisis and thus flood prone or drought prone. Central government does not provide adequate state emergency fund for such situations.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when most states were trying to contain the pandemic, the central government used the situation to propagate the hatred among communities. Instead of providing appropriate medical care to patients, the central government was busy profiting from the situation and helping the pharma companies earn millions.
Skewed Development:
All states should have the possibility of equal development. The states and regions that have been historically backward have remained so despite the promises made by the PM Modi regime. During the last 10 years, due to increasing poverty and scarcity, more migration has happened to metropolitan cities. Despite numerous promises of creating local employment, BJP led central government has left states to fend for themselves aggravating further crises like the migrant workers crisis we saw during COVID lockdown.
Some states are serving as Education and industrial hubs hence development is driven in those states while other states serve as mineral and labor reserves. But this is not a sustainable model of development. There should be a holistic model of development with industries based on the state’s specialty. Instead states are pitted against each other.
Provoking communal tensions: India has a long history of communal harmony. Despite what the ruling dispensation tries to make people believe, Indians with its multi-religious and multi ethnic society have been living in peace for hundreds of years. The country that has produced saints and Sufis like Buddha, Narayana Guru, Kabirdas, and Guru Nanak etc is now poisoned by the BJP that has sowed seeds of hate among the people. Engaging in divisive tactics, kindling various prejudices and stoking communal tensions among various communities is a great betrayal of the principles by various saints and philosophers of India.
One language policy: State languages are sidelined. Instead, the centre has been imposing Hindi on many states that is causing immense resentment especially in the southern states.
