Economic Highlights

New Delhi, 28 March 2022

High Fuel Prices

SUBSIDIES VITAL, CHECK PRICES

By Shivaji Sarkar

The country needs a new approach on prices, taxes tolls and issues of progress. It wants to control prices as often the leaders proclaim and then go on increasing every bit that is under the administrative control. India must rethink introducing fuel subsidies to boost manufacturing and other activities that could bring more revenue to the nation’s kitty. Cut in prices to generate more manufactured goods sales and revenues.

Post-poll the prices are rising almost 85 to 90 paise a day on the plea of rising crude prices. But the companies did not reduce prices when crude prices crushed to a virtual zero during the pandemic. The high fuel prices have stoked inflation as transport prices spiral making goods and commodities expensive when the people need relief.

The administration says that the petroleum companies decide the prices but despite supposed ‘genuine’ needs they freeze prices for over a month during elections. It may be a coincidence but that is repeated poll to poll.

Rightly, the Ukrainian situation has put the country in difficult situation but wisely it could firm up an agreement with Russia for continued fuel supply. That is prudent though was not easy in an era of US-led sanctions. The balancing act is possible because of India’s moral authority under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the corps of diplomats.

The world can see that Sri Lanka has failed in doing it and again Indian Oil has to come to its rescue by continuing fuel supplies and keep running its power plants. Sri Lanka is in deep economic crisis. Rice is being sold there for Rs 500 a kg and all commodity prices are soaring. Inflation spikes to 14 per cent. India has over 13 per cent wholesale and 6 per cent retail inflation. Income level in India is either thawed or post-covid at a low level. Lanka got into the crisis as it deliberately chose to go into Chinese ambit to keep off India. Its main foreign exchange reserves shrunk due to reckless borrowings from China to finance infrastructure projects, according to Hong Kong Post.

Successive governments in India have been using petroleum as a tax-spinner forgetting that even a paisa hike on petrol has cascading effect on the entire economy. Since the UPA times the economy is dependent on taxes on fuel leading to its collapse to ‘mahngai dain’. The successive administration should have learnt and corrected it. The problem accelerated as domestic production plummeted to around 20 per cent and dependence on imports increased causing the rupee to slide beyond Rs 76.

It has led to overall price spiral. Wholesale and retail prices are going beyond the toleration level. Sunflower oil jumps  by 20 per cent to Rs 182, soya oil sells at Rs 162, dearer by 10 per cent; and palm oil Rs 151.80 dearer by 13.65 per cent. Mustard oil, wheat, rice, pulses rise by over two per cent. Textiles and other commodities are also becoming dearer.

Alternate fuel like ethanol, processed largely from sugarcane, is being proposed for mixing with petrol. It is likely to make sugar expensive. It is a myth that it would sell cheap. Processing cost is high. Ethanol production can, according to US studies, cause air, water pollution, soil erosion and habitat loss. It is being seen to benefit Maharashtra cane growers. This apart ethanol is not supposed to be engine-friendly with its high moisture.

The Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2021 on which battery recharging is to be based would make coal and power dearer. Besides, more use of batteries will lead to higher coal generated power production causing heavy emission pollution and spike power rates. Power workers are planning two-day strike shortly against the bill as it encourages privatisation.

In the months leading up to the Covid-19 pandemic, US oil production hit an all-time high of just below 13 million barrels per day (BPD). As the pandemic unfolded, demand collapsed, and production followed. By May 2020, oil production had dropped by more than 3 million BPD to 9.7 million BPD.

India's domestic crude oil production has steadily decreased in recent years. In 2013-14, Indian companies produced 37.8 million tonnes of crude oil and condensate. That dropped to 32.2 million tonnes in 2019-20, a sharp slide of 15 per cent. India produced 35.68 MTs of crude petroleum in 2017–18.

During the last over 15 years it was noticed that as petrol prices rise, the economy gets into a spin. Under the World Bank and IMF pressure India gave up subsidies causing immense harm to the poor, middle and small enterprises, prices of commodities. A little subsidy, not direct benefit helps every section of the society. Small hair cut is always preferable than its total loss. It is a myth than India has a rich class of people and the middle class is able to fend for itself.

There is nothing like a middle class, except that it is slightly above the poverty level. A bumpy situation hits it hard. Overall subsidies benefit a larger population and help the economy keep prices under check. The nation unfortunately continued with the policies of Manmohan Singh instead of correcting it.

India needs to understand the Lankan stress on infra that drained its resources. India must go slow on infra now. Infrastructure builds expensive assets with a higher recurring expenditure that stresses the economy severely. Had it conserved its reserves, put off expensive infrastructure projects, Lanka could have avoided getting into the mess. Increased money supply, infra investments and depreciation of the rupee stoked inflation there.

The Ukrainian situation has disturbed the oil supplies across the world. India has hedged it for now with the promise of Russian supplies. World leaders could have influenced Russian leader Vladimir Putin to put seize of Ukraine and not go into a full-fledged war. Today, it has put Europe into a tinder box. For the folly of the NATO and European countries, poor countries like India suffer the most.

The symptoms of Lankan and Indian economy are not different except that India has the capacity and the size to sustain which Lanka does not have. It would be prudent on the part of India to reintroduce subsidies on petrol as alternate energy is yet not available. It would change dynamics of economy, generate more revenue and can do better if infra is put in the backburner and manufacturing is boosted to give the economy a kick-start. ---INFA

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)

Round The States

New Delhi, 26 March 2022

Birbhum Killings

TRIGGERS A POLITICAL CIRCUS

By Insaf

A tragedy is turned upside down into a political tamasha. Eight houses were set on fire in West Bengal’s Birbhum district on Monday last resulting in eight persons, including women and children, charred to death. Since then, ruling TMC is rightly under fire for the culture of political violence in the State, but the war of words has turned into a circus, with political parties typically indulging in one upmanship. The BJP said “The entire episode was akin to Nazi concentration camp. These are revenge killings by a political party…” and its MLAs have demanded President’s rule. PM Modi too stepped in and urged people of Bengal ‘to never forgive the perpetrators of incidents like Birbhum violence and those who encourage such criminals.’ Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the sight, offered compensation to the families, resolved no one would be spared, but also said “The possibility of a larger political conspiracy to malign the image of the State cannot be ruled out and the investigation will make all-out efforts to unearth all those who are behind the occurrence of the incident.”. The police version is: “It’s not political rivalry. It could be deep-rooted personal enmity between two groups.” A SIT has been constituted. Governor Dhankartweeted: “Horrifying violence and arson orgy #Rampurhat #Birbhum indicates state is in grip of violence culture and lawlessness…” While North Block has sought a report, a TMC delegation of MPs met Home Minister Amit Shah demanding Dhankar be removed as he has “become a threat to parliamentary democratic system of the country. He’s appearing in a manner that is totally hampering the federal structure of running the government and Constitution of the country, and acting as the Opposition…”Do human lives matter, is a question best not asked.

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Karnataka HC Sets The Tone

The Karnataka High Court has a piece of advice for law makers. ‘Hear the voices of silence’ and it’s time to remove the stark inequality. This while dismissing a petition filed by a man seeking quashing of proceedings of alleged rape and unnatural sex with his wife and sexually harassing his daughter.The judge said “exempting a husband from allegation of rape and unnatural sex with his wife runs against the Article 14 of the Constitution, which speaks about equality….If a man, a husband, a man he is, can be exempted of allegation of commission of ingredients of Section 375 of the IPC, inequality percolates into such provision of law.” The section though defines offence of rape, emphasises importance of consent, it has an exception for non-consensual sex by a husband with his wife.Marriage, said the judge “cannot be used as a license for unleashing brutal beast on the wife.”The anomaly is stark: a woman being a woman is given certain status, while a woman being a wife is given a different status. Likewise, a man being a man is punished for his acts, whereas a man being a husband is exempted for his acts!The court said the age old thought and tradition that husbands are the rulers of their wives, their body, mind and soul should be effaced. And, it’s ‘only on this archaic, regressive and preconceived notion, the cases of this kind are mushrooming in the nation.” The law makers must now ‘hear the voices of silence.’When will the soul searching begin?

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Wise SP Decision

A wise decision indeed! Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav has decided to dig in his heels in the State and not just play the role as the Opposition in Uttar Pradesh but continue the struggle to uproot the BJP and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who took oath for his second term. On Tuesday last, he chose to retain the Karhal Assembly seat and submitted his resignation as member of Lok Sabha from Azamgarh to Speaker Birla. The people, he said “have given a chance to stay in the Assembly and a mandate for continuing the struggle for them, and that the party will do so from sadan (Assembly) to sadak (streets).” Incidentally, it was his first Assembly victory as compared to four times parliamentarian. Importantly, he defeated Union Minister Baghel, once a key aide to SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, by 60,000-odd votes, guess motivating him to do away with the lethargy he had these past five years. Plus, the SP tally going up from 47 to 125 has upped the ante for the cadre and Akhilesh’s presence in the Assembly should ensure his MLAs do their job. In addition, senior party leader Azam Khan, who is in jail, resigned from the Lok Sabha and chose to retain the Rampur Assembly seat. His experience as 11-term MLA should help Akhilesh take on the impossible task of turning the saffron wave to red in the next five years. Tall order though. 

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‘Better Times’ For J&K

The Modi government has made a strong pitch of times being better in Jammu and Kashmir. On Tuesday last, Finance Minister Sitharaman informed Rajya Sabha that efforts to create a “normal environment” there have elicited ‘good results’. Since abrogation of Article 370 the UT, “was attracting many investments--currently, a delegation from GCC is looking at such possibilities; job opportunities shall increase with new industrial policy and investment proposal; people were benefiting from implementation of 890 Central laws ---those who didn’t have any rights there earlier, can now get government jobs, and purchase properties; there’s been a dip in terrorism-related incidents too with 38 terrorists being eliminated just this year and 180 terrorists, including 42 top commanders and 32 foreigners, eliminated in 2021” et al. Expectedly, the debate on Budget for J&K was also used to target Congress by accusing Nehru of taking Kashmir issue to the UN. “It should not have gone to a global forum. It’s essentially an Indian issue. We could have handled it. We are handling it, and we are showing the difference now,” she asserted. Even the controversial film “The Kashmir Files” got weaved into the debate, with the Opposition accusing the BJP of “giving political colour” to a film and the latter hitting back and saying truth can’t remain hidden. The repartee was like missing the woods for the trees. The question doe the Budget offer to the Kashmiri Pandits, their future? They would to want to invest but is the environment conducive? That is the real test of achche din in the Valley.

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Big States’ Poor Performance

Large States need to get their act together. Taps, clean and potable water doesn’t seem to be top priority. As per the Standing Committee on Water Resources report, tabled in Lok Sabha on Wednesday last, in States such as Uttar Pradesh, W Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Assam, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, less than 40% of rural households have a ‘functional household tap connection’ (FHTC). Worse, there is ‘under-utilisation’ of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) funds, which obviously would ‘deprive targeted beneficiaries of access to safe/clean potable water at homes.’ The JJM was set into motion in August 2019 with the goal to provide drinking water to all rural households by 2024. However, “As on date, of 19.18 crore, 8.96 crore (46.48%) rural households have access to clean potable water supply at their homes!” On the other hand, kudos to Telangana, Haryana, Goa, Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Dadra & Nagar Haveli which have achieved 100% FHTC, while others like Punjab, Himachal and Gujarat touch 90%  household coverage and should ‘meet target soon’. Insofar as funds are concerned of the revised estimate of Rs 45,011 crore for fiscal year 2021-22, the ‘actual expenditure was only Rs 28,238 crore.’ More than ‘lack of financial prudence and fiscal discipline’, the statistics are a sad reflection on so-called ’good governance’!

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Mind Your Language

The Thackeray government in Maharashtra has sought to do away with a ‘mistake’ of the past. Now local authorities, including civic bodies and corporations must mind their language. On Tuesday last, both Assembly and Council unanimously passed a bill which aims to make Marathi language mandatory in all official works. Apparently, the Maharashtra Official Language Act, 1964 did not make the same mandatory and thus the minister in charge said: “We are this time not leaving any loopholes for anyone to find an excuse to not use Marathi language in public and commercial places. The State government is also coming up with a dictionary of simple Marathi words that can be used in day-to-day work…..Any (local) authority, be it established by the State or Central government or (State-run) corporations, will have to use Marathi while interacting with people and in internal works too.” Fortunately, there’s an exception: local authorities can use English or Hindi for certain government works such as communicating with foreign ambassadors. The timing of the Bill, or the ‘love of Marathi’, however, has raised eyebrows. Local body elections are due. But the minister was firm: “elections come and go, should we not discharge our duties just because these are round the corner? It is our right to bring the bill.” Need more be said?  ----INFA

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)

Round The World

New Delhi, 25 March 2022

Japanese PM In Delhi

CREATING SUPPLY CHAINS!

By Dr D.K Giri

(Prof. of International Politics, JIMMC)

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was in Delhi to attend the 14^th India-Japan summit. Notably, this washis first visit abroad after taking over as head of the Government. Since that first country happened to be India, observers are alluding to the significance Japan attaches to its bilateralism with New Delhi. Be that as it may, will the summit, taking place after three years,create new supply chains for the world economy? This is the call of the times as alternatives to the existing supply chains held by China are direly sought by world economies.

Recall that India-Japan bilateral relations grew by leaps and bounds since 2006 when the two signed the ‘strategic and global partnership’. The bilateral summits are occasions for boosting trade and investment, and this Summit last week (19th- 20^th March) took place after three  years. The 2019 Summit in whichformer Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was to attend got cancelled due to the anti-CAA agitation in Assam. And subsequent summits in 2020-21 were cancelled because of the pandemic.

In 2014, under the Investment Promotion Partnership, Japan made an investment of 3.5 trillion JPY (28 billion USD). Had the summits taken place in the last three years, there could have been more investments. Fumio Kishida has made a commitment of 5 trillionJPY (42 billion USD) to be invested in India. This investment is aimed at deepening the Indo-Japanese collaboration in the face of Chinese dominance in the region and shall cover a wide range of activities involving Japanese finance and skilled Indian labour, and is expected to build supply chains.

In this visit, six major agreements were signed between India and Japan, covering various sectors --mainly digital security and green technologies. The agreements are: Memorandum of cooperation in the field of cybersecurity, the activities envisaged are information sharing, capacity building and cybercity cooperation; loans from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), under which there will be seven loans from JICA to the tune of Rs 20,400 crore for projects in connectivity, water supply and sewage, horticulture, healthcare and biodiversity conservation; amendment to the India-Japan comprehensive economic partnership, which relates to certification of origin of fish surimi.

The fourth agreement is memorandum of cooperation on decentralising domestic waste water management, wherein Japan will transfer the ‘Johkasou’ technology for wastewater treatment. This technology is used in places where sewage disposal is not developed. The fifth is India-Japan industrial competitiveness partnership roadmap for two industrial partnerships signed in November 2021 is to be drawn. This is a working roadmap to the Memorandum of Cooperation on India-Japan Industrial Competitiveness Partnership that was signed in November 2021.Working groups have been formed in various sectors to facilitate the companies.Setting up of supply chains is also within the scope of this agreement.

The sixth agreement is related to urban development that builds on the MoU signed in 2007. The latest projects include affordable housing, smart cities development, urban flood management and waste water management etc. In addition to these agreements, the other announcements made were, clean energy partnerships, the $ 42-billion investment as mentioned before, and sustainable development initiatives for the North-Eastern Region.

All the above sound quite encouraging as the third and the fourth biggest economies in Asia begin to deepen their collaboration. Indeed, Japanese capital and India’s labour force as well as market will form a formidable combination for economic activities and both countries and in the 3^rd country. But the matter of concern is the divergence of positions and perceptions on security and strategic issues.

Under Shinzo Abe, Japan amended its Constitution to engage militarily in international relations and security issues.Tokyo also has been taking clear positions on strategic and security matters, take for example, Japan’s active involvement in QUAD. It has also taken a clear and categorical position on Russian invasion of Ukraine, whereas New Delhi has been disappointingly evasive on it. New Delhi has been abstaining from voting in condemning Russia or naming it as aggressor.

From available reports, Japan is nudging India to be more vocal on the war launched by Russia. While New Delhi and Tokyo are on the same page, vis-à-vis China, on Ukraine they are divergent. Kishida told a joint news conference on Saturday that “Russia’s invasion … shakes the very foundations of the international order and must be dealt with firmly”.Whereas Prime Minister Modi talked about dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the Ukrainian tangle.

The joint statement issued after the Summit, did not name Russia. It “emphasised the need for all countries to seek peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law without resorting to threat or use of force or any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo”.

In the past, India was known for its commitment to international norms and practice of democracy within the country. Although India’s economy was not growing so rapidly commensurate with its potential, it was known for upholding a robust democratic politics inside and for a rule-based order outside in international politics. Currently, the reverse of that trend is being noticed, New Delhi seems to do smart business with other countries, including Russia. India continues to buy oil and weapons from Russia which is at war with its neighbour.

Interestingly Japan, which was part of the Axis Powers in the Second World War, built its economy systematically as it was political shackled by post-war restrictions. It is now opening up to the world more assertively in politics and security issues. New Delhi on the other hand emerged as an independent political power in the Third World in 1947, when it got de-colonised. Since 90s, with the opening up of the economy, India seems to be forging ahead in building its economic growth, overseas trade, self-dependence, self-preservation and so on. But, politically, especially, on China and Russia, New Delhi has been fumbling.

It may be an order, after Kishida’s visit during which Modi would have talked on a range of issues, that Modi takes a leaf out of Japanese book and reaffirm its international political identity by speaking up on major international developments. New Delhi’s tacit support to Russia in Ukraine war and espousal of democracy and diplomacy do not go hand in hand. New Delhi must have closest collaboration with Japan as they share security concerns relating to Beijing. This collaboration should extend to Afghanistan, Myanmar and other South-Asian and South-East Asian countries. The ball is certainly in New Delhi’s court.---INFA

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)

REWIND

New Delhi, 24 March 2022

POLITICAL HARLOTRY UNBRIDLED

By Inder Jit

(Released on 16 June 1981)

Prostitution is legally banned in India. But political harlotry continues to flourish brazenly. What is worse, it is coming to be accepted as a way of life. Time was when the people at large were shocked. Many reacted strongly and violently. Now even eyebrows are not raised. Those who defect are beginning to see themselves as smart Alecs and are at times welcomed and lauded as heroes. Mahatma Gandhi once warned those singing the praises of British rule that the worst kind of a slave was one who did not know that he was a slave. He was only varying a popular saying according to which no shamelessness was worse than one in which there was no sense of shame. Those who attended Mr. Y.B. Chavan’s press conference last week tell me that the atmosphere there had to be seen to be believed. There was no manifestation of an uneasy conscience or a consciousness of something not done. Instead, Mr. Chavan, who had conducted himself with dignity and poise in the past, almost seemed to feel as if he had been awarded Bharat Ratna.

Harsh words no doubt. But these have been provoked by all the abominable goings on of the past fortnight. Mr. Chavan has come a long, long way from the day in late 1962 when I joined a crowed at Palam airport to welcome him as India’s new Defence Minister in the wake of the Chinese aggression. Mr. Chavan, who had stepped down as Maharashtra’s first Chief Minister to come to the Centre, then raised great hopes both about himself and for the country as he feelingly said:  “We shall drive the Chinese out from our sacred motherland. I shall set foot in Maharashtra again only after this is done.” All that he and others said thereafter was soon conveniently forgotten. No one reminded him of his Palam speech when he made his first visit to Bombay after moving to New Delhi. But few are ever likely to forget all that he has ventured to say on record and informally about his decision to quit the Congress (U) and seek admission to the Congress (I). Never before has a political statement attracted greater sarcasm and ridicule.

Mr. Chavan has denied that he is guilty of defection. He has chosen to describe his return to the Congress (I) as “homecoming” and said that his decision to come back to the “real Congress” is a matter between him and his constituency. The argument is an amazing exercise in casuistry, especially as it comes from one who coined the expression Ayaram and Gayaram. The argument also ignores the recommendations of the Union Home Ministry’s Committee on Defections. Ironically, this Committee was headed by none other than Mr. Chavan, then Home Minister. It was set up in response to a resolution moved by Mr. P. Venkatasubbiah, now Union Minister of State for Home, in the Lok Sabha and adopted unanimously on December 8, 1967. Mr. Chavan, who announced the formation of the Committee on March 21, 1968, described defections as “a national malady which is eating into the very vitals of our democracy”. The Committee included Jaya Prakash Narayan, M.C. Setalvad and Mohan Kumaramanglam and representatives of eight political parties and three independent groups.

The committee made several recommendations: ethical, political, constitutional and legislative. Opinion on some matters was divided. Significantly, however, the Committee was agreed on the definition of a defector, which was as follows: “An elected member of a legislature who has been allotted the reserved symbol of any political party can be said to have defected, if, after being elected as a member of either House of Parliament or of the Legislative Council or the Legislative Assembly of a State or Union Territory, he voluntarily renounces allegiance to, or association with such political party, provided his action is not in consequence of a decision of the party concerned.” It was also agreed that “a defector should be debarred for a period of one year or till such time as he resigned his seat and got himself re-elected, from appointment to the office of a Minister (including a Deputy Minister or Parliamentary Secretary) or Speaker or Deputy Speaker or any post carrying salaries or allowances to be paid from the Consolidated Fund of India….”

The Chavan Committee held that a lasting solution to the problem could only come from the adherence by the political parties to a code of conduct or a set of conventions that “took into account the fundamental proprieties and decencies that ought to govern the functioning of democratic institutions”. At the same time, it was clear that such a code would serve little purpose without a machinery or sanctions to ensure its observance. The Committee considered a “sound” suggestion that this could be achieved by having a Standing Committee or Board comprising leaders of political parties and eminent men of objectivity and integrity. Any political party could take a grievance before the Board which could convey its censure or disapproval. When the Board censured any particular member for violating political propriety, the political parties could be asked to ensure that he was kept out of public life for a prescribed period. But the Committee left it to the Home Minister to get in touch with all the political parties and give the proposal concrete shape from the political and practical viewpoints.

Politics has alas become unbridled pursuit of power in India. Mr. Chavan is, therefore, entitled to choose the best way of serving himself and the country. Nothing must ever bar him or anyone else from admitting that he had gone wrong or, to use a Gandhian phrase, that he had committed a Himalayan blunder in joining or not joining a party or in opting for the wrong group following a split. Our democracy is still young and, understandably, we should not interfere with the natural process of polarization of political forces. Mr. Chavan is also entitled to say today that Mr. Charan Singh or his Lok Dal is “not his cup of tea” anymore even if in 1979 he ignored the fervent pleadings of the younger Congress (U) members, to enthusiastically join hands with the Choudhury and become his Deputy Prime Minister. However, one question arises: should a person of Mr. Chavan’s seniority make a mockery of the recommendations of the very Committee which he had the privilege to chair? Should he at least not act in accordance with the Committee’s agreed views --- and the overall spirit of its report?

Clearly, there are things which Mr. Chavan could do even now and things which Mrs Gandhi could do as the nation’s unrivalled leader. As a man of honour, Mr. Chavan himself should seek a fresh mandate from his constituency. (So also should Mr. B.R. Bhagat, who was also elected on the Congress (I) ticket and once held the privileged office of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.) Mr. Chavan won his seat despite strong opposition from the Congress (I). He should, therefore, have no difficulty in getting re-elected once he is on Mrs. Gandhi’s bandwagon. No one should be misled by Churchill, who was elected as a conservative in 1990, did switch over to the Liberal Party in 1904. However, he announced in the Commons that his constituents were entitled to be consulted on the change of allegiance and, if they so desired, he would resign and submit himself for re-election. This was, however, not pressed as the next general election was barely a few months ahead.

Mrs. Gandhi has, time and again, expressed herself in favour of ending defections. She has repeatedly blamed the Opposition for the delay in bringing forward agreed legislation. Her Government once again reaffirmed its position when the Lok Sabha debated early last year the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, introduced by Prof. Madhu Dandwate, leader of the Janata Party, to stem the rot of defections. The Union Minister of Law and Justice, Mr. Shiv Shankar, then urged Prof Dandwate to withdraw the bill and assured the House that the Government would bring forward some concrete measures to end defections as part of “a comprehensive bill on electoral reform”. That there is no sign of the promised bill even after a year is undoubtedly a matter of regret. Nevertheless, nothing prevents Mrs. Gandhi (and her Parliamentary Board) from taking a principled stand against defections. She should accede to Mr. Chavan’s request for admission to the Congress (I) only if he first agrees to resign his seat in the Lok Sabha. The same should apply to others.

The Government should have no difficult in enacting legislation to stop defections. The Janata Party and all its erstwhile constituents favoured the ban and, in fact, its Government even came forward with a bill on the subject. (said Mr. L.K. Advani the other day: “Had we known that our Government would fall in mid-1979, we would have pushed ahead with the legislation much earlier.”) The Lawyers Group of the Committee on Defections was clearly of the view that defections could be banned by law. The Group,which was headed by P. Govinda Menon, then Union Law Minister, even suggested amendments to the Representation of the People Act for banning defections. These are given as annexures to the Committee’s report. It is now up to Mr. Shiv Shankar to take advantage of the Committee’s formulations. However, he appears to be avoiding the issue. The Lok Sevak Sangh, a non-party and non-power seeking organization of the Servants of People Society, has written three letters to the Minister on the subject since June 18 last year. But these have remained not only unanswered but even unacknowledged.

Perhaps Mr. Shiv Shankar is waiting for a green signal from Mrs. Gandhi. This should be given in the interest of preventing the scourge from playing greater havoc. Mrs. Gandhi already enjoys a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha and addition of Mr. Chavan and Mr. Bhagat and others to her party will not make any difference. (Mrs. Gandhi,I am told, is mainly interested in getting back Mr. A.K. Antony from Kerala,Mr. Priya Ranjan Das Munshi from West Bengal and Mr. Sharad Pawar from Maharashtra.). As I wrote last week, even Bangladesh is one up on India. Its Constitution bans defections. Mrs. Gandhi should see this as a healthy provision and not as seen by one of her close advisers who remarked: “It must have suited Zia”. Things may not be really bad at the Centre yet. But defections have made matters pretty rotten in many States Mrs. Gandhi must decide what kind of a democracy she wishes to help build. Grave damage has been caused already to the quality of public life. This must stop if our people are not to lose faith in democratic institutions --- and in democracy itself. ---INFA

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)