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MODI SARKAR AT YEARS

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EDITORIAL

A National Project and A National Shame

O

pen letters have become a fashion of the day which are mainly aimed for public consumption but never sent to the government for the matters to be addressed. Petitions are increasing. A new vogue has commenced - retired civil servants are writing letters in bundles on almost every issue; more so when they have to oppose matters that are related to national interest such as farm laws, CAA, and NRC. Now some of them have called upon the government to halt the Central Vista considering the rampaging second wave of COVID. What is troubling the commoners in this letter is the sheer ‘superstitious belief’ that the present parliament building is ‘unlucky’ for Narendra Modi Sarkar and hence, it’s searching for a new adobe.

Some have begun to gaze at the UPSC. Did you select these guys? Modi got the majority after three decades in 2014 and repeated quite handsomely in 2019. Does he need more luck?

Civil Services has been a pillar in the development of India so far. But one may not deny the fact that the ‘babu’ was also an obstacle for the debacle of the Indian growth story. Only some of them have been exemplary in their service. Dr Hrusikesh Panda, a 1979 batch IAS officer of Odisha cadre retired from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), and vacated his official posh bungalow in Delhi within hours after his superannuation. Panda has moved to his native village Kalidaspur in Bhadrak district of Odisha and now raising the village comprehensively.

A retired civil servant, who has spent life in creating policies and implementing policies for the country, has not shown any interest in getting into substantial merits or demerits of the Central Vista. It’s disheartening for fellow countrymen to see the level of mental degeneration of Indian civil services. Why are we destined to be run by such people who are

good for nothing?

Many of such retired officers are motivated by the interests of their present masters – the private sector conglomerates as last year, Indian Oil's former CMD Sanjeev Singh had superannuated from Indian Abhishek Verma Oil on June 30, 2020, and had joined Reliance Industries’ services (which is considered the backbone of RIL’s oil-to-chemicals business) in less than 2 months’ time.

He did not serve the cooling-off period. It can easily be imagined the kind of information he would have had about the future plans of the Indian Oil being CMD himself. He is not only there are many like who joined Private sector. So the government of India must take strong action against retired officers who are taking up full-time job/contractual assignments in the private sector immediately after their retirement from services.

"Post-retirement acceptance of the offer by retired government officials without observing cooling-off period constitutes a serious misconduct on their part," the central vigilance commission (CVC) said recently.

Hence, this open letter reiterates the need for making the cooling-off period mandatory for the retired civil servants, and any discrepancy should be treated as serious misconduct on their part.The same position has been held by the CVC too in the past.

Abhishek Verma

Chairman of the Editorial Board

JUNE-2021 NATIONAL POLITICAL MIRROR 03

VOLUME : 7, JUNE-2021

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UTTAR PRADESH

06 Battleground Uttar Pradesh: Will BJP Retain This Crucial State?

VOLUME : 7, JUNE-2021, Rs. : 100

TAMIL NADU POLITICS

CHAIRMAN OF EDITORIAL BOARD

Abhishek Verma

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

10 The Clip and Cling of Sasikala

FOREIGN EDITOR

COVER STORY

Sanjeeb Kumar Anca Verma

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Achyut Nath Jha

DEPUTY EDITOR

10

Subhash Chandra Yadav Anuj Tyagi - Western Uttar Pradesh Anup Kumar - Eastern Uttar Pradesh Ravikant - Jharkhand Bihar Pollob Kishor Phukan - Assam Nitin Kesar - Tamil Nadu Maharashtra, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli Anil Sharma - Rajasthan

NATIONAL INTEREST

24 Central Vista: Inalienable for Nation Building

ASSISTANT EDITOR

INTERNATIONAL

(Health) Santosh Sharma

FINANCIAL ADVISOR PRESIDENT

Ranjeet Singh Rana

OLD MEMORY

22 HD Deve Gowda: India’s first Accidental Prime Minister; 25 Years Ago

ASSISTANT EDITORS

Fareed Ahmad Khan

14 Modi Sarkar at 7 Years; Dented But Still Popular

14

BUSINESS HEADS

28 ISRAEL: One Right Exits, One Right Enters, India in ‘Center’ HEALTH

32 Healthcare: India’s Most Neglected Sector

Robin Khan IT HEAD

Ritesh Kumar

36 Black Fungus – An Epidemic Amidst The Pandemic

SENIOR IT MANAGER

Umesh Chauhan

SENIOR PHOTO JOURNALIST

Hari Om Sharma

THE LAST WORD

DESIGN HEAD

38 UP or Down?

Vinay Kamboj

LEGAL ADVISOR

Utkarsh Singh

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Battleground Uttar Pradesh:

Will BJP Retain This Crucial State?

In order to counter anti-incumbency sentiments, will the BJP change its strategy for the 2022 Assembly elections?

I

By Achyut Nath Jha

n Indian politics, there is a popular saying — the road to Delhi passes through Lucknow (Capital of Uttar Pradesh). In state elections too, it elects the largest numbers of MLAs — 403. In 2017, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies had a landslide victory, winning 312 seats, i.e. 110 seats more than the simple majority to rule the

state Next assembly elections are scheduled for January-February next year, just six to seven months from now. Repeating this feat or even coming back to power in India’s most populous state is an uphill task as much water has flown under the bridge since 2017.

As expected, all eyes now once again focus back on the 2022 assembly polls

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in Uttar Pradesh even as the second and deadlier wave of the coronavirus is receding in the state. Many say that the results of the recently concluded panchayat elections this month have boosted the confidence of the main Opposition party, Samajwadi Party (SP). SP has claimed that of the 3,500 district panchayat seats which went to the polls, it supported 1,500

candidates, of which 800 won.

The SP defeated the BJP in its strongholds of Varanasi, Ayodhya, Gorakhpur and Lucknow. But the ruling BJP claims that it has bettered its performance from the 2015 edition. It will be interesting to see, however, how the incumbent dispensation handles the impact of the farmers’ protest against the Centre’s new agricultural bill that have gained momentum particularly in the western parts of the state.

In the last assembly polls, BJP’s main rivals, SP and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) could win 47 and 19 seats, respectively. The BSP, however, polled more votes than the SP. After almost completing its full term, the incumbent claims that it will return to power next year with more seats than it had won in the 2017 assembly polls even as former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav-led SP maintains that the saffron party has failed people of the UP during the pandemic and people will express their anger through their votes.

Many saw the panchayat elections as a semi-final for the assembly polls as they give an idea of the ground situation prevailing in the rural parts.

The SP says the candidates supported by it performed extremely well as there is resentment against the government among the people in the countryside. The polls are not contested on party symbols but candidates effectively represent one political party or another.

Addressing media after results were declared, SP spokesperson Sunil Singh Sajan said, “The mandate, that the Samajwadi Party has got in the panchayat elections, even after misuse of power by the BJP and the administration working in their favour, proves that the people are angry and fed up with the BJP. In 2022, the BJP leaders will not be able to roam

around with the party flag.The farmers are also upset with them along with unemployed youth, Dalits and those who have lost their family members due to the coronavirus are furious.”

But BJP state leadership expressed satisfaction at his party’s performance while maintaining that it would have done better but for the pandemic.

Party’s senior leaders say that BJP

The BJP is the only party which has, through its organizational setup, stood with the people of the state in difficult times.

Others like the SP and BSP didn’t help anyone has done remarkably well, going by the number of party-supported candidates that had won in 2015.

A section of the ruling party thinks that BJP can’t be solely blamed for a pandemic as it is a natural phenomenon prevailing all over the world. However, the Opposition alleges that people haven’t just died because of Covid but also due to the mismanagement and unpreparedness

of the government. However, BJP spokesperson has reportedly said, “The BJP is the only party which has, through its organizational setup, stood with the people of the state in difficult times. Others like the SP and BSP didn’t help anyone.”

Many political observers say that it will be interesting to see if the coronavirus is able to alter the equations significantly. Akhilesh is of the opinion that Covid will be a key factor in the 2022 assembly polls.

Other SP veterans are of the view that while the entire country was fighting with the coronavirus and everyone acted responsibly, Yogi Adityanath government acted irresponsibly. They say that the people who are in power, who could have arranged for beds in hospitals, oxygen, medicines, such people not just showed laxity but also embezzled funds in the name of Covid.

“People, who have lost their near and dear ones due to lack of oxygen, shortage of beds and non-availability of ambulances, will not forget this cruel face of the BJP” said a senior SP leader.

As elections are approaching, observers say that political parties have already chalked out their plan and

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have started to work silently towards achieving their goals. SP says that during the first wave and the second wave, party workers were helping the people. Many of those who died during the pandemic were given financial assistance by the party and even today the party has been demanding compensation for the teachers who lost their lives during panchayat election duty due to corona. State BJP leadership, however, argues that they have a lot of achievements to tell the people, right from farmers’ issues, jobs, fight against corruption and maintaining law and order and the BJP will return to power with even more seats in the 2022 assembly polls.

Many experts believe that while a slight dent has been caused to the BJP government due to over-reliance on officers, Covid won’t be able to topple it. But there are those who feel that Akhilesh Yadav has an advantage as he has strongly positioned himself as the main Opposition leader in Uttar Pradesh.

In order to counter antiincumbency sentiments, will the BJP change its strategy for the 2022 Assembly elections? However, there is broad consensus that the party may not alter its game plan or project a new face as there is very little time for any major change. The only big thing

that they might do is to include some new faces in the cabinet.

There won’t be any major change and it will be more or less the same as it was in 2017.

The BJP might lose in some areas which were badly affected by the pandemic but it may not affect substantially. The party will be focusing more on the districts where it has performed well in the panchayat polls to ensure a win in the assembly elections.

Meanwhile, the BJP’s central leadership has started work on the party’s election strategy for the assembly election in Uttar Pradesh amidst concerns that the handling of the Covid-19 crisis could have an adverse impact on the party’s prospects in the crucial poll next year.

Several senior leaders have been in a huddle in the past few days to discuss the way forward for the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly attended a meeting of the BJP and its ideological parent, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), to discuss the party's strategy.

The meeting in Delhi also came at a time when the Uttar Pradesh government has been criticized for its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. Not just the Opposition, but

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members of the ruling BJP have also questioned Yogi Adityanath’s handling of the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

But reports from the ground indicate that the Assembly polls in the state no longer seem a cakewalk for the BJP. After the results of the recently-held panchayat elections, even the slight shift in public mood has lifted the spirits in the ranks of the BJP’s principal rival in UP, the SP. It has taken to proclaim its slogan, ‘Akhilesh dobara’ (Akhilesh Yadav once again). But the moot question is: With Mayawati-led BSP showing a terminal decline, does Akhilesh Yadav possess the acumen to defeat the BJP’s triumvirate of Narendra ModiAmit Shah-Yogi Adityanath?

But a loss in swing state for the BJP would boost the morale of the opposition in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. In addition to what was then called, ‘reverse polarization,’ the BJP’s 2017 victory, where the party and its allies won 325 seats, had come on the back of rollout of social several welfare schemes, like the Ujjwala, which provided free cooking gas cylinders to the poor and raising patriotic pitch. Can the BJP do something in the next coming months to neutralize anti-incumbency factors including anger and discontent arising on account of government’s handling of second wave of pandemic? n

TAMIL NADU POLITICS

The Clip and Cling of SASIKALA It was always an open secret that Sasikala will decide her political future post assembly election results and as the AIADMK faced a debacle, Sasikala is all set to put Palaniswami's leadership to a real test, probably with the help and support of OPS.

By Nitin Keshar

T

he political pundits in down south are expecting the the return of Sasikala Natarajan into active politics as the Palaniswami (EPS) government is ousted in the recent assembly polls.

Latest evidence of this is found in an audio clip, which is believed to be true, where the lady is more than just

hinting at her return in near future.

She has indicated her return to active politics after the end of the Covid-19 epidemic. The clip is going viral on social media, in which she has assured her return to politics by talking to her party leader.

“Don’t worry, things of the party will definitely be alright, all be brave.

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Once this corona pandemic is over, I will be back,” Sasikala is heard telling one of her party leader on the phone in the given clip. In response, the party leader says, “We will stay behind you Amma.” The authenticity of the audio is cemented when AMMK general secretary TTV Dinakaran’s personal assistant Janarthan has confirmed it to

be the real voice of Sasikala.

In the turn of event, according to a news agency, AIADMK Coordinator O Panneerselvam (OPS) has also reached out to Sasikala through her close associates, during the lockdown.

As the tension escalates between Panneerselvam and Palaniswami, the coordinator has decided to ally with Sasikala to collapse Palaniswami's surge in the party. It seems that AIADMK is far from being free from leadership disputes.

The agency has held that Sasikala had made hundreds of calls in the recent past to the AIADMK cadres and it is learnt that a sizeable cadre has endorsed its support to the lady and urged her to return to active politics and take over the party from the current leaders. Following the leaked audio clip, one of the cadres, Balakrishnan in Erode, who received a call from Sasikala, had erected digital posters in support of Sasikala and demand of building a single leadership in the ADMK. Tussle between OPS and EPS causing gain for Sasikala The power tussle between the two top leaders—O. Panneerselvam and Edappadi Palaniswami—has once again started flowing out in the open. Both leaders have been giving out contradictory statements to the media on various issues. Just days back, there was more than a tussle for the post of leader of opposition in the assembly. Finally, after several rounds of meetings, Palaniswami won the fight as 60 MLAs out of the 66 total who won from the AIADMK has supported Palaniswami. Notably, most of the legislators were from the western region, where Palaniswami had a strong support and is also a tenet of his strength.

Sasikala’s hidden agenda before the election Sasikala announced retirement from

In the turn of event, according to a news agency, AIADMK Coordinator O Panneerselvam (OPS) has also reached out to Sasikala through her close associates, during the lockdown active politics just before the assembly elections. Nonetheless, Sasikala had said in a letter to her supporters that the cadre of AIADMK should work unitedly to defeat the DMK. When things went awry between Sasikala and AIADMK post Jayalalithaa death, she was suspended from the party.

She was just released from the Parappana Agrahara Central prison in Bangalore after serving a fouryear jail term in case related to

disproportionate wealth case. There is an intense rift in the AIADMK after the loss in elections and it was evident during the selection of the opposition leader. Palaniswami had pipped Panneerselvam for the post of opposition leader and Panneerselvam had left the AIADMK headquarters where the meeting was held, in a huff.

While Palaniswami had emerged stronger in the party owing to his huge victory in his home constituency Edappadi with a margin of more than 90 thousand votes, he was also instrumental in the victories of AIADMK led front in ten of the eleven seats in Salem district. On the other hand, under the leadership of Panneerselvam AIADMK party faced a drubbing in the southern part of the state which had been a stronghold of the party ever since. AIADMK could win only Bodinayknar seat of O Panneerselvam while the party

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Her announcement had poured a major relief to EPS to enjoy his captaincy in the party, but his relief has become temporary as Sasikala tends to come back to politics her feet in a post-Jayalalithaa order.

lost in other seats in Theni. This was a major setback for the AIADMK as the predominant "Thevar" community was always aligned with the AIADMK ever since Sasikala had emerged in AIADMK politics.

Sasikala, according to the sources in AMMK is inclined to take over the AIADMK and pose a threat to the ruling DMK dispensation and it has to be seen how far she will succeed in wriggling her way to the top in the new avatar of AIADMK in which Edappadi K Palaniswami has emerged stronger.

Sasikala’s Unfulfilled Political Journey Sasikala is barred from contesting elections for another six years.

Despite this, her release from jail could shake up the political campaign with backdoor maneuvering taking place courtesy her nephew. At the height of her power, Sasikala was a hugely influential force within the AIADMK and, if she is able to rediscover even some of that influence, she could emerge a key player not far from here.

Sasikala had virtually controlled the AIADMK and had its leaders falling at

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Sasikala – A Wind of Change?

The audio clip has stunned the leaders close to EPS as they are working out to block Sasikala's entry.

While it was speculated that she will make a political resurgence before the assembly polls and take over the AIADMK, she had on March announced that she is quitting active politics. Her announcement had poured a major relief to EPS to enjoy his captaincy in the party, but his relief has become temporary as Sasikala tends to come back to politics. It was earlier speculated that Sasikala will decide her political future after the election results and as the AIADMK faced a debacle in the polls, Sasikala is all set to put Palaniswami's leadership to a real test, probably with the help and support of OPS - the disgruntled fraction.

Sources in the party hold that the audio clip is impacting the minds of the ground-level workers and a change in the leadership may become reality in near future. Few workers are outspoken that Sasikala is the right person to lead the party. Many a key leaders in the AIADMK have been engaged in business with Sasikala in the days of Jayalalithaa and may not mind a return to the status quo.

The key question that now seems would be interesting to witness in Tamil Nadu is that a strong fight between Sasikala – the challenger, and the EPS – who holds his bastion strong and solid. n

COVER STORY

Modi Sarkar at 7 Years; Dented But Still Popular COVID has made an unimaginable dent on the credibility of Narendra Modi government amidst the second wave of the virus, economic growth is nothing and unemployment at record levels. Despite this, the government continues to enjoy the popular support.This is owing to some of the key decisions taken during the past seven years of its rule.

By Sanjeeb Kumar 14 JUNE-2021 NATIONAL POLITICAL MIRROR

T

he Narendra Sarkar completes seven years in a stretch. These years were not devoid of controversies and many key decisions were taken that took the country with surprise or shock.Whether critic or supporter, one accepts without deviation that the ‘Sarkar’ is decisive in nature. The echo of all the decisions of the government reached most corners of the world.

Let us tell you that on 26 May 2014 when Modi was sworn in as the Prime Minister, he had made an achievement in his name. PM Modi is the first Prime Minister of the country who was born in independent India.

Many political commentators viewed the 2014 election results, where BJP on its own secured a majority for the first time, as an aberration which wasn’t going to be repeated again in 2019 Lok Sabha Polls. However, all these theories were proven wrong when Indian voters elected Modi again in 2019 with a thumping majority more than that of 2014.

Politically speaking, the results of 2019 confirmed the change of the pole of country’s politics which had been dominated for decades by the grand old Congress party. BJP is not just in the centre but the centre of politics

is now the BJP. The saffron party led NDA combination fetched a whopping 45 per cent votes more than its 37 per cent share in 2014. In several key states, the vote share was well over 50 per cent; this means no matter what coalition is stitched against the BJP, it was destined to be defeated and defeated quite comfortably. The BJP is now the Congress of Nehru; no less.

Modi Sarkar, today, is facing the toughest test. The coronavirus pandemic pushed PM Modi to declare a stringent lockdown to contain the spread of the virus. This hit the economy hard, and when it was recovering, the second wave hit, forcing many States to impose lockdowns – most of them stringent in nature and it continues to be.

In 2020, the government was praised all over the world for its success in taking tough decisions and implementing them effectively. All the leaders of the world have praised it. People believe that the Modi government was successful to a great extent in dealing with the Covid crisis accept oxygen and ICU bed shortages in some hospitals. Overall, the balance of the seven years in power is a mixed bag of successes and failures.

On the other side, it is also true that the Modi government has been tremendously successful in rural outreach through the various welfare schemes than the Congress led UPA regime. One of the biggest achievements is the distribution of free gas cylinders to the poor women through Ujjwala Yojana, that started in 2016 and continues to expand.

Article 370, CAA In a dramatic series of events in the first week of August, the government moved to abrogate provisions of Article 370, which accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Article 370 and Article 35 were soon revoked even as the Centre imposed a clampdown.

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COVER STORY

It also passed the Citizenship Amendment Bill providing eligibility for Indian citizenship to illegal Hindu migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.

Ayodhya and Ram Temple The Modi administration has formed the trust and the construction of a grand Ram Mandir has begun after the Supreme Court judgement. An active involvement by the Centre, the state of

Uttar Pradesh and the related parties has helped the case to be disposed off without much delay anymore.

UAPA Amendment/Anti-Terror Law Considered a cornerstone in Narendra Modi's zero-tolerance policy against terrorism, the government introduced the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment bill, which was approved by the Parliament. The amended Act confers power upon the central government to designate an individual as a terrorist and seize their property. Many opposition parties have called the amendment draconian.

Criminalized Triple Talaq In a big victory, the NDA finally

managed to turn the triple talaq bill into an Act. Scrapping of the practice had been one of the main planks of the BJP, whose government at the Centre had promulgated a number of ordinances after failing to get the legislation through the Rajya Sabha where it lacked adequate numbers.

Excessive RBI Surplus Transferred to the Government The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was compelled to transfer a record Rs

1.76 lakh crore dividend and surplus reserves to the government, boosting Modi's prospect to stimulate the slowing economy without widening fiscal deficit. This was done under the revised Economic Capital Framework.

Sops for Farmers and Small Traders To boost agriculture and small trade in the country, the NDA government extended PM-KISAN scheme to all farmers, irrespective of the size of landholdings. Under this scheme, beneficiaries, after the age of 60, will receive a pension of Rs 3,000. The government has also announced higher MSPs for Kharif crops.

The government also introduced

16 JUNE-2021 NATIONAL POLITICAL MIRROR

a pension scheme for small traders.

This scheme will directly benefit 3 crore retail traders and shopkeepers.

Finance Minister Sitharaman in her budget speech announced the special pension for shopkeepers and microretailers with an annual turnover of Rs 1.5 crore. She also proposed a boost for MSMEs under which the government will allocate MSME loans of up to Rs 1 crore to the MSMEs. Infrastructure The government has also announced Rs 100 lakh crore of investment in road, railways, ports, airports and other infrastructure projects. It has decided to invest a whopping Rs 100 lakh crore in the next five years in infrastructure, Jal Marg Vikas, Udaan and Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) Phase III. Merger of Public Sector Banks Back in 2019, the Finance Minister announced that the Government would soon carry out a mega-merger of 27 Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) banks. Post the implementation of the merger announcement, the number of PSU banks has come down to 12. The move, which had long been overdue, is likely to increase the lending capacity of the banks and hence, benefit multiple sectors, including real estate.

In what is one of the biggest mergers since the integration of SBI with five associate banks, Sitharaman announced the merger of Punjab National Bank (PNB), Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) and United Bank of India with a business of Rs 17.95 lakh crore and a network of 11,437 branches, making it the secondlargest public sector bank (PSB) in the country.

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code The Modi government can certainly take the all the credit for implementing

a comprehensive bankruptcy law, India’s own version of the Chapter 11 regulation in the US Bankruptcy Code.

Ever since its implementation in 2016 though, the IBC has been the subject of legislative and regulatory tinkering by the parliament, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

The net result is that operational creditors have overwhelmingly outnumbered corporate debtors in using the provisions of the law—by as much as 87%—so much so that the latter are beginning to pay them even before they trigger the IBC. GST The opposition sees it as ‘Gabbar Singh Tax,’, while for the Modi government this many prove another factor to change the balance its favour. The Goods and Service Tax (GST) introduced from July 2017, at the stroke of midnight, has been one of the most significant financial reforms of the Modi government. The implementation of GST has created a single common market in India by subsuming several different taxes into a single tax and applicable pan-India.

The move has helped in removing the cascading impact of different taxes.

Gradually it is being made simpler, as it had some hiccup moments like each month filing, which has been removed.

With signs of more relaxations and abolition, experts believe that GST will definitely be a trump card.

from all stakeholders.

A Corruption Free Run There have been no serious charges of corruption against the government. The UPA was embroiled in controversy with one scam after another hitting the headlines. The opposition has made several charges, but most of them have fallen flat.

Overall the Modi government has been free from charges of corruption.

Schemes for the poor The Narendra Modi government has launched various schemes targeted towards benefiting the poor and the lower middle class. Under the Ujwala Yojana, over 7 crore families under the BPL have received free LPG connections. The Jan Dhan Yojana which was aimed at financial inclusion for the poor has over 34 crore beneficiaries. Through the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, the Narendra Modi has aimed to build 2 crore homes by 2022.

New Acts The government has ratified, amended and implemented various Acts to further the interest of the nation and the marginalized sections of society. The Prohibition of Benami Property Transaction Act

(PBPT) amended the loopholes of the previous Benami Act and came into effect in November 2016. The Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill which was passed in Parliament in 2017 amended a 49-year-old law and declared that the descendants of those who have acquired the citizenship of Pakistan and China will no longer be able to inherit the property of their predecessors.

Revival of Fertilizer Plants At present eight fertilizer public sector plants have been lying closed.

The Modi government has revived five plants namely Talcher, Ramagundam, Gorakhpur, Sindri and Barauni by setting up Ammonia-Urea plants of 1.27 million metric tonne per annum (MMTPA) capacity each with investment of Rs 40,000 crore.

Swaach Bharat Abhiyan Perhaps one of the most socially accepted schemes, which got a wider acceptance. A strong social perception has come up around this programme and a very perceptible awareness became visible. The program is a movement against open defecation and keeping one’s immediate environment clean and hygienic. Constructing an in house toilet and not letting

Economic Offenders Law Under severe criticism for its handling of persons likeVijay Mallya and Nirav Modi, the government approved the Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill.

The Bill that came into force in April would apply with retrospective effect.

It states that the properties of those fleeing the country will be confiscated in cases involving more than Rs 100 crore. A draft of the Bill was circulated in May last year seeking comments JUNE-2021 NATIONAL POLITICAL MIRROR 17

COVER STORY

women folk to go to the open for defection became a social movement.

The construction with joint participating of the government has given it the necessary boost.

Doubling Farmers’ Income The government has passed three farm laws which are expected to usher in much-needed reforms in the farming sector. It has the potential to

make farming a lucrative endeavor and also open the floodgates to private investment and innovation. It will help the government achieve its mission of doubling farmer incomes by 2022.

A section of the farming community, especially those belonging to Punjab and areas around Delhi, is protesting against the laws. The government has approved Rs 20,000 crore Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana to bring about the Blue Revolution through sustainable development of the fisheries sector over the next five years.

As announced in the Budget 202122, over 20 lakh hectare land will be brought under drip and sprinkler irrigation with the creation of a micro-irrigation fund with NABARD of Rs 10,000 crore.

Charging to be 3rd Largest Economy While the government has prepared a blueprint for becoming a $5-trillion economy by 2025, the plans have been hit hard by the pandemic.The resultant lockdowns have impacted economic activity and are likely to shave off 2 years of growth. The government has fulfilled its promise of lower tax rates for the corporate sector, announcing a

reduction from 30% to 22%.

The Government has also introduced a Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for the manufacturing sector to lure companies shifting from China as part of balancing their global supply chains.

This is likely to give a boost to the ‘Make in India’ initiative and help India become a manufacturing hub, creating millions of jobs and facilitating exports.

For MSMEs impacted during the pandemic, a Credit Guarantee Scheme of Rs 3 lakh crore was announced wherein the Government of India guaranteed loans given to MSMEs by banks and NBFCs. The manifesto promised Rs 1 lakh crore by 2024.

Good Governance Modi came to power when the

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country was reeling under the plethora of scams and scandals like the 2G, Coal-gate, CWG and so on. In the last seven years after Modi took over, there has not been a single corruption case that has come to light and haunted the government. He has lived up to his promise of providing a corruptionfree government. However, there is not much evidence that corruption is declining in middle or lower levels of government.

India’s Ease of Doing Business ranking globally has jumped 69 places from 132 in 2011 under UPA 2 to 63 under Modi on account of structural reforms that include streamlining the process of obtaining a building permit, making setting up a business easier, and introducing GST. Reiterating the government's focus on the development of infrastructure and improved connectivity in the Northeastern states, Rs 34,000 crore has been allocated in the current Budget for the construction of more than 1,300 km of national highways in Assam in the next three years.

Yuva Bharat - Tomorrow's India The manifesto promised to create new opportunities for employment by providing more support to the 22 'champion sectors' identified as the main drivers of the Indian economy.

However, COVID-19 has aggravated India’s unemployment problem. Some experts regard such condition as temporary only.

The government’s PLI scheme is expected to create four lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities immediately and more in the future.

The government’s Rs 1 lakh crore infrastructure projects will also help to create employment opportunities.

COVER STORY

To encourage startups and innovation, tax holiday to startups has been extended by another year to March 31, 2022. It also extended the eligibility period of claiming capital gains exemption for the investment made in the startups by one more year to March 31, 2022.

Education for All The BJP manifesto had promised to increase the outlay on education to 6% of GDP in the 2014 manifesto.This has

not been achieved and was dropped in the promise of 2019.A new National Education Policy has been launched which aims at making ‘India a global knowledge superpower’.

Of the promises made, a unique initiative, the Pradhan Mantri Innovative Learning ProgrammeDHRUV, has been launched for extraordinarily talented students, from the premises of ISRO. In the Budget 2021-22, funds have been provided for the strengthening of over 15,000 schools for effective implementation of the new NEP, 750 new Eklavya model residential schools, and 100 new Sainik schools.

Inclusive Development Modi raj is primarily based on

the concept of ‘Antyodaya’ meaning by that the poorest of poor gets his share from the national development. The government has launched the National Pension Scheme for Traders and Self-Employed Persons providing a monthly minimum assured pension of Rs 3,000 for the entry age group of 18-40 years. The scheme would benefit more than 3 crore small shopkeepers and traders.

Working on the mantra of ensuring the welfare of the poor, the

government provided free ration for 6 months to 80 crore beneficiaries last year. The NREGA allocation was increased by Rs 40,000 crore to help migrant workers who lost their livelihoods.

The Cabinet has approved the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019 which provides a mechanism for social, economic, and educational empowerment of transgenders by defining their identity and rights to prohibit discrimination against them. This will lead to inclusiveness and make them productive members of society.

Foreign Policy On the foreign affairs front, the BJP has succeeded in India ‘getting

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its rightful place in the comity of nations and international institutions.

In 2020, India entered the elite club of countries by joining the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI or Gee-Pay) as its founding member. Guided by the philosophy of Vasudev Kutumbakam, the Modi government launched Vaccine Maitri – an ambitious programme to export the two Indian-made shots – Covishield and Covaxin – to the world.

In April 2021, India and three other Quad member nations joined France in kick-starting a three-day naval wargames plan in the eastern Indian Ocean in reflection of their growing maritime cooperation amid China's growing efforts to expand influence in the region.

Miles To Go! Some of the promises like holding simultaneous elections, reservation for women, Uniform Civil Code, establishment of novel mega airports, Gorkhaland issue, UNSC quest, and police and judicial reforms have been long pending and might require more consensus to be built.

It is worth mentioning that despite the economic slowdown, the Modi government has reiterated its resolve to turn India into a $5-trillion economy.

Since Covid-19, the government of India has taken a number of steps to enhance the flow of foreign and domestic investments. From revamping Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) to recapitalisation of PSBs with Rs 70,000 crore and undertaken disinvestment, the government is slowly but steadily working towards the $5 trillion economy target.

So far, the tenure of the Modi 2.0 has been quite eventful with the most productive Parliament session, which saw a total of 38 bills being introduced, out of which 28 passed with a majority. It will be interesting to see if the government maintains the same pace of work or not in future. n

OLD MEMORY

HD Deve Gowda: India’s first Accidental Prime Minister; 25 Years Ago Currently, the 88-year-old leader is a member of Rajya Sabha and is serving as the president of Janata Dal (Secular).

By Ravi Kant

L

ate 90’s; Congress is weak; too many political parties spewing here and there; coalitions and contradictions and a hung Parliament in the scenario. Exactly 25 years ago, HD Deve Gowda was at the centre of one of the surprising turn of events in the country's political history that catapulted him onto the national stage and securing the Prime Minister's post without seriously aspiring for it.

At times one has to give credit to destiny too. With barely 18 months as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Gowda, who has had no big role in national politics till then, assumed charge as the 11thPrime Minister on June 1,1996, after emerging as the leader of the 13-party United Front, which was supported by the Congress from outside.

Congress losing decisively in the 1996 Lok Sabha election. All credit

to the speedy Bhartiya Janata Party riding on the popular ‘Ram Rath.’

The fall of the 13-day government led by BJP's Atal Bihari Vajpayee, preceded Deve Gowda’s entry into the national political scene. Popularly known as "Mannina Maga" (son of the soil), Gowda is the only Kannadiga and second south Indian after P V Narasimha Rao to have occupied the top post.

Gowda, who has called himself an "Accidental Prime Minister" on several occasions in the past, has stated that it was leftist stalwart Jyoti Basu's chance to become PM that surprisingly landed in his lap, and it was the former West Bengal Chief Minister himself who proposed his name for the top post.

Gowda was Prime Minister for less than a year (324 days) until April 21, 1997, as had to demit office, with Congress withdrawing support. It is

22 JUNE-2021 NATIONAL POLITICAL MIRROR

said that Gowda's differences with Sitaram Kesri, who became Congress president after Narasimha Rao, cost him the post, following which Inder Kumar Gujral was chosen as leader of the United Front and he became the Prime Minister.

Currently, the 88-year-old leader is a member of Rajya Sabha and is serving as the president of Janata Dal (Secular).

C M Ibrahim, who was Minister of Information and Broadcasting in Gowda's cabinet has termed the tenure under the former Prime Minister as the "golden era of the country", and for the first time a "man from the soil, a humble farmer", had risen to that level. Ibrahim may have forgotten the history of Lal Bahadur Shastri.

Recalling the "corruption-free" administration, he said, Gowda's ‘dress, character and history’ was all ‘white’,

DEBACLE OF 2019

and pointed out that he ‘showed the world that Kashmir was part of India and the strength of democracy by holding elections, and through his multiple visits there.’

Highlighting Gowda's simplicity and modest living amid Lutyens' Delhi, Ibrahim said he relished his favourite "Ragi Mudde" (Ragi dumplings) even at 7, Race Course Road, the PM's official residence and the doors were open for any one who come to meet him.

"Its bad luck of this country that his tenure was short, Sitaram Kesri knowing that if he will allow this south Indian, he may become another Chaudhary Charan Singh (former PM) from Karnataka, withdrew support," he said, while listing Gowda's various contributions to the country and the state, especially like the Upper Krishna Project.

One-time close associate of the former Prime Minister, Ibrahim is currently with the Congress as its MLC, and has dropped hints about plans to come back to the JD(S).

HD Kumaraswamy too remembers his father’s Prime Ministership as one

of the watershed moments in the political history of India. In a writeup about his father's political legacy on the occasion of the silver jubilee of oath-taking as PM, Kumaraswamy describes Gowda's 11 months of Prime Ministership, as a "milestone",

In his (Gowda) long political career, he was in power only for 18 months as CM and 11 months as PM; but power never made him arrogant; he never gave up his ideology for the sake of power as he took the country towards development without any corruption.

"In his (Gowda) long political career, he was in power only for 18 months as CM and 11 months as PM; but power never made him arrogant; he never gave up his ideology for the sake of power," says Deve Gowda. State Congress President DK Shivakumar

Narendra Modi, another leader who had risen from the ground, secured a massive majority for the second run of his government.

The 2019 results for BJP is mesmerising but many a tall leaders of opposition parties found themselves in trouble in the second Modi wave. Rahul Gandhi’s loss in Amethi became a case study for the country, but many in south believe that the key debacle down south was when HD Deve Gowda, who remained undefeated in elections for ----years, lost to a young BJP candidate from Gowda’s very own constituency -----.

The grand leader of Karnataka lost by a little margin of ------- but the result has sent an uneasy ripple across the opposition parties across the country, let alone south. said it is a matter of great pride for Karnataka that Gowda was the Prime Minister.

Shivakumar apprises, "No one from the state had got that opportunity... because of his struggle he reached the top post. It was a happy moment for all of us, leaving aside political differences.

Let him continue to guide the state," he said.

Gowda counts his visits to Jammu and Kashmir, shortly after taking over, and the first PM do so after a gap of nine years, also about holding elections there in 1996, thereby ending the long stint of Governor's rule (about six years) among the highlights of his tenure.

Another achievement he often highlights is the ceasefire agreement with Naga groups in 1997, which followed his meeting as Prime Minister with Naga leaders Isak Chishi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah in Zurich, in February that year, as a result of "constructive diplomacy.” n

JUNE-2021 NATIONAL POLITICAL MIRROR 23

NATIONAL INTEREST

Central Vista: Inalienable

for Nation Building

PM will reside just opposite VP in front of Rashtrapati Bhawan and to the south of South Block. Present hutments will be moved out from here. Facilities for SPG will be built next to the PM’s house.

C

By Subhash Yadav

entralVista is being attacked from all opposition parties and a chunk of intelligentsia questioning wisdom behind government spending in the times of COVID. A vibrant democracy with more than 1.35 billion people requires a sizeable parliament and a quick secretariat for the central government.

The second wave of the novel coronavirus has struck the country hardest witnessing more than 4000 deaths on a daily basis for a long streak.

The health system almost crumbled

and a fresh attack on the government was raged by the opposition parties calling out the Central Vista project to be put on hold for the moment and divert resources towards fighting coronavirus instead. The project is expected to cost Rs 20,000 crores over the years. Experts believe that there is a need to discuss the merits and demerits of the popular project to generate better and informed public opinion. While some of them are not questioning the need for the project, all of them are asking why now. According to them, including

24 JUNE-2021 NATIONAL POLITICAL MIRROR

to the Congress party, when the economy is facing hardship and the country is facing a pandemic, the money earmarked for the central vista project should be diverted to social welfare.

The project The Central Vista is actually the redevelopment of the area known as Central Vista Avenue which lies between Rashtrapati Bhavan and India Gate. There will be a new parliament building, and a new secretariat complex to bring all the central

government ministries in one place.

Then there will also be development of the Rajghat and the area around it, which is available for the general public, including the development of public amenities. “There is no questioning to the fact that the original capital built by the British was sufficient for that time but it was not built for a country with 130 crore people,” says Amit Bhayana, architect.

Why a new parliament The new parliament building is centre to the Central Vista. There are several reasons for needing a new building to house the two houses of the parliament. The most important one is, the impending expansion of the size of the parliament. “Due to increased population, which have almost quadrupled since independence, there is a need to increase the number of Lok Sabha constituencies that would reflect an ideal ratio between the population and elected representatives,” says Diwan Singh, noted political activist and commentator.

Constitutionally, the number of Lok Sabha members to remain constant and the number of MPs in states were to be changed every 10 years to reflect the change in population in the states. But when the central government adopted a policy of population control in 1970s, it posed a problem. If the number of seats was to be re-allocated to states according to population, states that failed to control population growth would be rewarded with more seats, while states that successful in population control program would be punished with lesser seats. This translated to a North-South conflict, as Southern states were more successful in controlling population. Due to this anomaly, the number of Lok Sabha constituencies was frozen in 1976 up to 2001. This was again pushed back by 25 years and the next delimitation will take place in 2026, which is fast approaching. It is believed that the freeze would no longer be there and a change in parliament composition will occur. “There is too much pressure on the MPs at the present. Lok Sabha

constituencies should be increased so that each MP represents a manageable size of the population. It is speculated that the size of the Lok Sabha will be increased to about 800 from the current strength of 543.

Now just look at the present parliament building. There are only 552 seats in Lok Sabha, with no scope for adding any new seat. Similarly, the central hall of the parliament, used to hold joint sessions, actually does not have enough seats for the MPs of both houses. Such sessions are organised with temporary chairs placed on the aisles. This scenario brings indignity to the largest democracy of the world.

MPs don’t have a separate lounge to spend their time outside session hours.

A lounge enhances discussions in an informal setting. Many state assemblies have sitting arrangements with two members per seat, with proper desks and tables. Even many schools and colleges in the country have abandoned benches and introduced single and twin sitting arrangements, but our Parliamentarians still seat on long benches with no desk at all.

JUNE-2021 NATIONAL POLITICAL MIRROR 25

NATIONAL INTEREST

The need for Central Secretariat The central secretariat is second most vital organ of the project to house the offices of all ministries in one location. Today, a large number of ministry offices are located outside the central vista area, scattered across the city of Delhi. “A nonplanned and widespread government system causes lots of movement in the city contributing to traffic and wastage of precious time in interministerial works.

Another challenge is that several of such offices are located in rented places. An estimated Rs 1000 crore is paid every year for the rents in private buildings,” says Diwan Singh.

Facilities for VP and PM At present, the Prime Minister is residing at a distant place from the secretariat. Under the Central Vista project, both PM and Vice President accommodations will be moved next to the Rashtrapati Bhawan. PM will reside just opposite VP in front of Rashtrapati Bhawan and to the south of South Block. Present hutments will be moved out from here. Facilities for SPG will be built next to the

PM’s house.

PMO will be refurbished to provide enough space for the sizeable staff.

To the east of PM’s house, in the diamond-shaped area, the PMO will be built, along with a garden. This plot is directly opposite to the diamondshaped plot with the new and old Parliament houses on the other side of Rajpath.

This plot also presently has army offices, training colleges etc which are not needed in Central Vista. At present, the PMO is located inside the Amidst heated debate between the government and the opposition in the Central Vista, urban development minister Hardeep Singh Puri has held that the project will prove to be “an important fulcrum of economic revival.”

“In the current economic scenario, the project shall generate large number of direct and indirect employment which could be an important fulcrum for economic revival,” said Puri in a heated debate in the parliament.

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South Block.

Development of public areas The public areas are given much needed impetus in the project. Both side of the Rajpath, from India Gate to North and South Blocks, which is available for public will be developed.

Lawns and gardens will be improved, public amenity facilities will be added and pathways will be rebuilt. Greenery will be focused upon. “New trees will be planted, as many trees in the area has died, and others are so old that they will die in coming years. For this, a tree species survey is being done to ensure selection of proper species of trees for planting. Specific locations will be identified to located streetside vendors who cater to visitors and tourists,” says Mohini Singh, an environmental activist.

Contrary to allegations of change of land use, that public space is being used for constructing buildings, actually available public space will increase due to rationalisation of land use. At present several govt buildings have encroached upon public places, which will be freed up after the project is completed. n

INTERNATIONAL

ISRAEL: One Right Exits, One Right Enters, India in ‘Center’ Political observers regard Bennett of having same national objectives as the government of Narendra Modi in India. He too has taken a hard line in dealing with the threat from Palestinian militants, for whom he has said he supports the death penalty.

By Anca Verma

I

sraelis are very much like Indians, they respect education and family values and are good with ‘jugaad,” the moment Naftali Bennett had said to the IIT Delhi students, claps and laughter swept the atmosphere. The

Israeli leader said this back in 2013 about the probable relationship that India and Israel will share under his leadership in future; more specifically in the domains of economy, military and geo-strategy. The reason Naftali

28 JUNE-2021 NATIONAL POLITICAL MIRROR

Bennett has become too important for the day is that the right-wing party led by him is now forming a coalition government in Israel which will see the exit of Benjamin Netanyahu, another right winger. Under the novel

“

coalition, Bennett and Yair Lapid, leader of the Yesh Atid party, would rotate the role of prime minister, with Bennett taking up the post for the first two years and Lapid the final two. Its noteworthy here that Bennet’s party has won mere seven seats in the national parliament.

Lapid, a former TV presenter and a secular centrist, was tasked with forming a government by President Reuven Rivlin after Netanyahu again failed to put together his own coalition following Israel’s fourth election in less than two years. Netanyahu’s Likud and his natural allies have won 52 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, Israel’s parliament in the March 23, 2021 election that’s he was unable to form a majority with his natural allies.

After Polls results, several of Netanyahu’s opponents have started discussing advancing a bill to disqualify a politician under indictment from being tasked with forming a government, a

measure aimed at barring the longserving prime minister from office. A similar bill was floated after the March 2020 elections, but was never passed.

Netanyahu is on trial for fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three cases. He has denied any wrongdoing and has dismissed the charges as a witch-hunt by biased law enforcement and media. Despite the charges against him, Netanyahu’s Likud party received about a quarter of the votes, making it the largest party in parliament. A total of 13 parties received enough votes to enter the Knesset – the most since the 2003 election – and represent a variety of ultra-Orthodox, Arab, secular, nationalist and liberal factions.

Naftali Bennett: A Rightist of His Own Kind The newly declared Prime Minister, who happens to be 49-years-old, was born to American parents and

is a former tech entrepreneur who made millions before switching to, and getting deeply involved in, rightwing politics and a religious-nationalist political position.

The 49-year-old, who has made pitches to far-right voters throughout his career, leads the Yamina party, which has called for Israel to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.

A firebrand politician who has not shied away from controversy, Bennett is ultra-liberal on the economy and takes an aggressive line against Iran.

Fluent in English and media-savvy, Mr Bennett frequently appears on foreign TV networks, defending Israel's actions. Blunt talking and combative, in a domestic television debate he once admonished an Israeli Arab member of parliament for saying Jews had no right to settle in the West Bank, telling him: "When you were still swinging from trees, we had a Jewish state here."

Bennett rejects the notion of the

JUNE-2021 NATIONAL POLITICAL MIRROR 29

INTERNATIONAL

creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel - the so-called two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (an issue he has likened to "shrapnel in the buttocks") advocated by much of the international community, including US President Joe Biden.

The leader was once considered a protégé of Netanyahu, whom he served as chief of staff from 2006 to 2008, until the pair fell out. He left Netanyahu's Likud party and joined the right-wing national religious Jewish Home party, entering parliament after leading it to success in the 2013 election.

He shares this ideology with Netanyahu and has served in several of the Likud leader’s governments.

In recent years, however, the two have become increasingly opposed.

He went on to serve as a minister in every coalition government until 2019, when his newly formed New Right alliance failed to win any seats in that year's election. Just 11 months later, Bennett reversed the loss, returning to

parliament as head of Yamina (Hebrew for "rightwards").

In 2013, he said Palestinian “terrorists should be killed, not released”. Often labelled an ultranationalist (he has described himself as "more right-wing" than Netanyahu), Naftali Bennett is outspoken in his advocacy of Israel as the Jewish nation state and Jewish historical and

The leader was once considered a protégé of Netanyahu, whom he served as chief of staff from 2006 to 2008, until the pair fell out. He left Netanyahu's Likud party and joined the right-wing national religious Jewish Home party, entering parliament after leading it to success in the 2013 election

30 JUNE-2021 NATIONAL POLITICAL MIRROR

religious claims to the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Syrian Golan Heights - territory occupied by Israel since the 1967 Middle East war.

In opposition and with the coronavirus pandemic raging in 2020, Bennett dampened his right-wing rhetoric to focus on the health crisis, moving to broaden his appeal by releasing plans to contain the virus and aid the economy.

He is Like Modi Political observers regard Bennett of having same national objectives as the government of Narendra Modi in India. He too has taken a hard line in dealing with the threat from Palestinian militants, for whom he has said he supports the death penalty.

He objected to a truce with Gaza's Hamas rulers which ended a flare-up of fighting in 2018, and accused the group of effectively murdering dozens of its own civilians killed in Israeli air strikes carried out in response to rocket fire from Gaza in renewed

hostilities in May 2021.

In India, Prime Minister Modi tenure revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. His administration also introduced the Citizenship Amendment Act and taken tough action on Pakistan as the Indian Army had conducted surgical strikes on terror launch pads in Pakistani side of Kashmir under his leadership.

Tightening the Ties As of 2014, India is the third-largest Asian trade partner of Israel, and tenth-largest trade partner overall.

In 2014, bilateral trade, excluding military sales, stood at US$4.52 billion.

Relations further expanded during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration, with India abstaining

from voting against Israel in the United Nations in several resolutions Even recently, India abstained from voting on the United Nations Human Rights Council's (UNHRC) resolution to open an international investigation into violations with regard to the recent Gaza violence. The resolution was nevertheless passed, with 24 of the council's 47 members voting in favour of the probe.

According to an international poll conducted in 2009, 58% of Indians expressed sympathy with Israel, compared with 56% of Americans.

Not only India, the United States is not a member of the rights council and U.S. officials opted not to speak during the council debate. But after the vote, the United States condemned the

decision, calling it “a distraction” that contributes nothing to humanitarian and diplomatic efforts and instead “threatens to imperil the progress that has been made in recent weeks., reported The New York Times.

It means India’s permanent representative (PR) to the UN, Ambassador TS Tirumurti had taken good decision what New Delhi asked him do at the UN Security Council. Tirumurti had reiterating in a statement that India’s strong support to the ‘just Palestinian cause’ and its unwavering commitment to the twostate solution. Israel is represented through an embassy in New Delhi, and one consulate each in Mumbai and Bengaluru. India is represented through its embassy in Tel Aviv.

India is the largest buyer of Israeli military equipment and Israel is the second-largest defence supplier to India after Russia. From 1999 to 2009, the military business between the two nations was worth around $9 billion. Military and strategic ties between the two nations extend to intelligence sharing on terrorist groups and joint military training As of 2015, the two nations are negotiating an extensive bilateral free trade agreement, focusing on areas such as information technology, biotechnology, and agriculture. n

JUNE-2021 NATIONAL POLITICAL MIRROR 31

HEALTH

Healthcare: India’s Most Neglected Sector As per the government only, India needs an investment of $200 billion by 2025 to meet the global norms of three beds per 1,000 people, as per our estimates.

By Santosh Sharma

A

t times, the most important things are least talked about. India’s healthcare system both in urban and rural sector is a state of tatters and also in dire need of funds to employ more doctors and nurses and build more hospitals and better run primary health centers in rural sector. Moreover, India is among the countries having the lowest public healthcare budget in the world, with the public healthcare system in the country merely getting 1.26% of the total GDP. Compare this with countries like the United Kingdom, Netherlands, New Zealand, Finland and Australia where all these countries spend over nine percent of their total GDP in public healthcare system, while countries like the United States spends over 16% of their GDP in public healthcare, and

Japan, Canada, France, Germany and Switzerland spend about 10%.

Even some of the developing countries of the world have more contribution towards the public healthcare system with regards to their GDP compared to India. For example, Brazil has a total budget of over 8% of its total GDP towards public healthcare expenditure.

Even neighbouring countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan have over 3% of their GDP going towards public healthcare system.

The National Health Policy of 2017 recommends government expenditure on health to be increased to 2.5% of GDP by 2025, but that seems to be a distant dream still, since to reach the set target limit, the country needs to increase its health budget by 0.35% each year from now on. On the contrary, between 2015-16 to 2020-

32 JUNE-2021 NATIONAL POLITICAL MIRROR

21 there has just been a mere increase of 0.02% in the health budget in India.

The National Policy also recommended that expenditure on health by states should be increased to 8% or more of their budget by 2020, but looking at the budget of different states in 2020-21, none of the larger states have allocated the stated budget. On an average, the state governments in India have just allocated 5.4% of their total budget. Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Haryana, Bihar and Punjab have allocated less than 5% of their total budget towards public healthcare between 2015-2021 financial year.

Even in the Healthcare Access and Quality Index released by the medical journal Lancet in 2018, India ranked 145th out of the 195 countries in terms of quality and accessibility to

healthcare, much lower than countries like China (48), Sri Lanka (71) and Bangladesh (133).

Failed Health System Triggers Vicious Cycle of Poverty and Misery A high-level group on the health sector was constituted by the 15th Finance Commission in 2019 and headed by AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria. The committee apprised, “To meet the ambitious targets of improvement in health services, there is a need for larger allocation of funds for the health sector in general. Not only is this a necessity because good health as a key enabler to a happy life is a goal in itself.”

It is also found that beside coronavirus pandemic, the continuous intake of heavily polluted air in urban areas is already doing damage to our lungs and is reducing the longevity by at least 2.6 years. People who are poor have to queue up in public hospitals to seek medical attention.

It is a nightmare for patients to keep waiting in the queue for hours. Private hospitals are often more accessible but are unaffordable for the common person.

According to the Centre for Disease, Dynamics, Economics and Policy, Washington, there is a shortage of 600,000 doctors and two million nurses in India. The number of doctors per 1000 population in India is lower than in advanced and other middle-income countries with one government doctor for every 10, 189 people.

This makes the out of pocket expenditure in healthcare in India, as one of the highest in the world. Sixtyfive per cent of healthcare cost is being spent by patients themselves, pushing 58 million into poverty annually.

In 2016, WHO recommended that a country must have 44.5 health workers per 10,000 population to meet the Sustainable Development

Goals and deliver Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Currently, we have half that number. With such a meagre spending on healthcare, how does the government hope for a rise in labour productivity? Take the case of German workers whose productivity is higher than most countries because of their robust health which is due to a good healthcare system.

As per the government only, India needs an investment of $200 billion by 2025 to meet the global norms of three beds per 1,000 people, as per our estimates. This is approximately the total National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) projected across all the infrastructure sectors. The current NIP shows a committed pipeline of $2.5 billion through the Centre and state governments. This means there is a gap of 99% of what needs to be

It is also found that beside coronavirus pandemic, the continuous intake of heavily polluted air in urban areas is already doing damage to our lungs and is reducing the longevity by at least 2.6 years

invested for India to meet the global norms.

COVID CRISIS: A Lesson for Both India and US India and the United States of America are the two largest democracies in the world. For most of this 21st century, they have served as solid examples for others to follow.

The same cannot be said for their delivery of healthcare.

There are many differences between India and the US healthcare systems.

The primary ones include the level of expenditure; the nature of healthcare support, and the nature of coverage.

According to various reports, the US spends close to 18 per cent of its GDP on healthcare compared to less than just 4 per cent of GDP by India.

The average expenditure per capita in the US more than $10,000 in the US and less than $100 in India.

This difference is huge. So, too is the nature of healthcare support. In the US there is broad and extensive quality support through both public and private facilities. In India, the private sector dominates quality healthcare delivery which restricts access for many middle class or poor citizens.

JUNE-2021 NATIONAL POLITICAL MIRROR 33

HEALTH

This disparity is heightened by the fact that because a majority of Americans have some form of insurance coverage -- only 10 to 12 per cent have to pay for healthcare out of their own pockets. In contrast, around 70 per cent of Indians do not have any health insurance. So, they have to pay out of their own pocket for medical services. In spite of these differences which appear gargantuan, there are some similarities of considerable magnitude in the nature of the healthcare systems as well.

In the US and India alike, there are far too few medical facilities and medical professionals in rural areas.

There used to be an adequate supply in the US but they have disappeared over the past few decades. There have never been enough in India in the rural areas where over 66 per cent of the citizens reside.

In both countries, businesses interests, hospitals, medical doctors and other influentials have a substantial impact on health policies. And, the

individual states (50 in the US and 28 in India) determine to a great extent the nature of the public health system within their boundaries.

Those who fare most poorly in both the US and India are the poor.

In the US, poor adults are five times as likely as those with good incomes to report being in fair or poor health.

In India, a recent study found that the poor in the poorer states made higher use of public health services but were still paying higher out of pocket expenses than those in states that were more well off.

These similarities and differences highlight potential areas to address to improve the healthcare delivery in both countries. And, even though neither the US nor India are at the top of the list, they still have positive healthcare lessons they can teach each other.

The Affordable Care Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010. Its intent was to ensure access to quality healthcare for all Americans

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by providing affordable healthcare insurance coverage to over 55 million uninsured individuals. For a variety of reasons, the ACA has not rolled out as planned and it is threatened by the Trump administration. Nonetheless, it is estimated that it has added close to 20 million to the insurance rolls since its implementation.

India and the US can learn from each other. They can also learn by looking at best practices in healthcare around the world. The rankings show that both of these democracies have much room for improvement in healthcare.

These are moves in the right direction. India should carry on with them and other efforts and new initiatives to make its healthcare system one of the finest in the world.

The US should do the same.This must be the case because in the final analysis, a healthy democracy depends on the health of its people. If they are cared for, they will care for their country and the democracy will thrive. n

HEALTH

Black Fungus – An Epidemic Amidst The Pandemic Higher rates of black fungus cases in India are due to a combination of factors.

For instance, more than 30 million people in India have a diabetes diagnosis.

Despite this, the number of cases of black fungus before the COVID-19 pandemic was relatively low, although prevalence was rising.

By Subhash Yadav

W

hen epidemics hit the health system of a developing country amidst pandemic, then its an extraordinary situation and health governance require extraordinary solutions. India has been facing high rates of COVID-19, with more than 27 million confirmed cases since January 2020. Also, the World Health Organization recently announced that the B.1.617 variant of the virus in India is a “variant of global concern.”

The virus is a challenge of its own kind.Some scientists believe that severe COVID-19 could potentially weaken the body’s immune response. This could lead to increased vulnerability to other infections, especially for people who are immunocompromised. Of particular concern is an infection called mucormycosis, commonly referred to as ‘black fungus.’ In India, hundreds of people who recovered from COVID-19 died from the black fungus, and there are calls by India’s health authorities to declare black

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fungus an epidemic.

Dr Rakesh Nagar says, “Black Fungus is a rare type of fungal infection that occurs through exposure to fungi called mucormycetes. These fungi commonly occur in the environment, particularly in leaves, soil, compost, and animal dung. This can enter the body through breathing, inhaling, and exposed wounds in the skin.” Doctors hold that the symptoms of black fungus are akin to that of the coronavirus itself – mainly respiratory-related.This includes cough, fever, headache, chest

pain, nasal or sinus congestion and pain, blackened skin tissue, redness, swelling and so on. Dr Aditya Sharma holds that people with severely weakened immune systems are at increased risk of the black fungus.

This includes people conditions like diabetes, cancer, HIV and previous surgery are at great risk.

Doctors can treat the infection by administering antifungal medication or performing surgery to remove the affected area. If left untreated, black fungus can be fatal. The travesty is that the mortality rate of black fungus is more than 50 per cent. It affects the sinuses, the brain and the lungs and can be life-threatening in diabetic or severely immunocompromised individuals, such as cancer patients or people with HIV/AIDS. Steroids reduce inflammation in the lungs for Covid-19 and appear to help stop some of the damage that can happen when the body's immune system goes into overdrive to fight off coronavirus.

But they also reduce immunity and push up blood sugar levels in both diabetics and non-diabetic Covid-19 patients.

Higher rates of black fungus cases in India are due to a combination of factors. For instance, more than 30 million people in India have a diabetes diagnosis. Despite this, the number of cases of black fungus before the COVID-19 pandemic was relatively low, although prevalence was rising.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, there has been a dramatic increase. Dr. Aditya Sharma notes that he has “seen more cases of black fungus in the past week than we normally treat in 2 years.”

“The virus, as part of its replication cycle, suppresses the immune system, so the immune system cannot clear other bacteria or fungi. The most famous example of this is HIV, of course, which causes long-term immune suppression. But, other viruses do this on a much shorter

Doctors can treat the infection by administering antifungal medication or performing surgery to remove the affected area. If left untreated, black fungus can be fatal timescale — i.e., the immune system is only slightly suppressed for a few days or weeks while the virus is there.”

GUARDIAN: A number of states have declared the black fungus as an epidemic at the state level and the number of such states is increasing. Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Telangana, have declared black fungus to be an epidemic, and more are expected to follow. The Indian Council of Medical Research has issued an advisory on the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

State After State Reeling Under Epidemic Maharashtra, the first state to be hit hard by India’s second Covid wave, has already reported upwards of 1,500 cases and 90 deaths, the highest in the country. Hospitals in Delhi have also begun reported an unprecedented rise in cases – as much 15 to 20 new cases a day in some hospitals, compared with previous rates of one

or two cases a month. In Delhi and Bangalore, there are now waiting lists for beds for treatment for the disease.

Dr Amit Thadhani, the director of Niramaya hospital in Mumbai, said colleagues had begun to see cases of black fungus in severe Covid patients.

“Nearly all patients are diabetic or immunocompromised,” he said. The health minister in Delhi, Satyendar Jain, said recently that there were about 200 cases of black fungus in hospitals across the city, and special black fungus wards have now been set up in the large government hospitals to deal with the influx of patients. Jain has categorically blamed the “very dangerous” misuse of steroids to treat Covid-19 as a cause of the epidemic.

Balram Bhargava, the director of the the Indian Council of Medical Research, said of the black fungus: “If a person’s immunity is suppressed, it will infect them. If the spores have access to high sugar [levels], it will grow. We have seen this happen with Covid-19 patients with diabetes and uncontrolled sugar, or who are immunocompromised or have been given immune-suppressants.”

The epidemic is spreading fast. In Gujarat, there were 371 cases in the state capital, Ahmedabad, and another 400 in Rajkot, a city hit hard by Covid-19. Goa has so far recorded six cases of black fungus. The first case in Kashmir is also detected. n

JUNE-2021 NATIONAL POLITICAL MIRROR 37

THE LAST WORD

UP OR DOWN?

By Sanjeeb Kumar

P

olitics is an art of complicate the uncomplicated and uncomplicated the complicated. It’s motivated by the desire to get votes, get elected and ultimately rule. Reports are surfacing that BJP may be mulling to divide the large state of Uttar Pradesh into three or four parts. And this has raised the eyebrows of many as the government has a reputation of coming up with surprising decisions.

Reorganisation of states has always been an interesting business in the history of India. We have witnessed peaceful creation of Uttarakhand, mass movement for Jharkhand and immense bloodshed for Telangana. Jammu and Kashmir has been put under an unimaginable lockdown to disallow any popular eruption. What is pertinent is that the reasons that cause reorganisation are settled now. And Uttar Pradesh do not fit to be divided just for the political motivation to rule and expand the rule.

For starters, the Constitution of India does not guarantee the existence of a state. Article 4 empowers the Parliament to create new states and alter the existing ones. This is not even considered as an amendment under Article 368.

This means that a simple majority in the parliament can do it. Also, if you are dividing a state like UP that means you are dividing the very people. Its culture is diverse – the Rohillas, Brij, Bundelkhandi, Awadhi and Purvanchal – but none is ‘separate.’

Interestingly, the recent history of newly-formed states such as Jharkhand does not suggest that things are always better in smaller states; so instead of dividing the state, the government should

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Sanjeeb Kumar

Moreover, it will lack the kind of agro-climatic diversity required for economic and developmental activities. It would also be restricted in its capability to raise resources internally

increase the existing number of districts, municipalities, block, gram panchayat, etc. for governance. This is necessary for democracy to reach the corners and even the weakest to participate in the governance of the country.

A new small state may find itself lacking in infrastructure (administrative and industrial), which requires time, money, and effort to build it. It is likely to face limitations in terms of the natural (physical) and human resources available to it. Moreover, it will lack the kind of agro-climatic diversity required for economic and developmental activities.

It would also be restricted in its capability to raise resources internally.

All these factors would only make it more dependent on the Centre for financial support.

A pertinent question is that why do political parties raise demands for smaller states? This is primarily because the politicians envision additional posts of power as chief ministers or ministers, leaders of the opposition, Assembly speakers and so on. Similarly, government servants think of becoming chief secretaries or secretaries, DGs of police, chief-engineers and so on.

Further, increasing the number of states in the country would expand the span of control of the central ministries dealing with states and of party high commands dealing with state party units.

Centre should weigh the fact that separatist and regional movements have not died down yet. Division of UP will flare them up. I would like to conclude this article with the famous quote: 'Let us trust God, and our better judgment to set us right hereafter. United we stand, divided we fall. Let us not split into factions which may destroy that union upon which our existence hangs'.