In State elections in a federal set-up, the
grievances and issues of the State’s people
are voiced. Diversity adds to the richness
and strength of the federation. All that will be
smothered by a sweeping national poll in which
the star performer will be a highly popular
Prime Minister.
This reminds one of Indira Gandhi. She went to
the polls in 1971 as a riposte to the Supreme
Court, which she attacked for striking down
her ill-conceived measure to strip the erstwhile
princes of their privileges and privy purses.
After the Bangladesh war, she got the states
to hold Assembly elections in 1972, and won
handsomely. That is when “Delhi-made” chief
ministers were sent down to the States from the
Centre. Simultaneous polls at the Centre and
states will facilitate such tactics.
The reason Modi keeps giving exposes his
game. It will “promote development and public
welfare” — the very reason autocrats give for
not holding polls. He convened a meeting of all
parties in Delhi on June 19. Twenty one turned
up; 11 major ones, including the Congress,
skipped it. What this revealed was the lack
of national consensus so indispensable for
a proposal of this kind. The law commission
prepared a working paper listing a host of
constitutional provisions that would have to be
amended.
Not a single political party gave the idea
unqualified support at the conference. Modi
had no qualms in claiming that it was not his but
“the nation’s idea”. The upshot of the farcical
conference was, predictably, a committee. But
the conference’s participants had no voice in
either its composition or its terms of reference.
It would be Modi’s baby entirely.
Not the Prime Minister but Rajnath Singh as Man
Thursday (Man Friday is Amit Shah) summed
up the result (He happens to be defence
minister). He said, “The Prime Minister will
form the committee to look into possibilities
of simultaneous polls. The exact nature of the
committee will be made public.” Wait for that
announcement with bated breath. But watch
carefully the capers that the Modi regime cuts
hereafter.
Source: ‘Deccan Chronicle’At a time when the ‘one nation, one election’
plan is evoking protests from regional parties
and intellectuals, the Central government, led
by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking
to impose ‘one nation, one ration card’.
In Tamil Nadu the standard of medical
education is commendable comparatively.
When National Eligibility cum Entrance Test
(NEET) may be required for others, it is being
imposed in Tamil Nadu too. Similarly the
public distribution system in Tamil Nadu is
well established and it is appreciated by the
developed countries, renowned economists
and intellectuals. ‘One nation, One ration
card’ plan has been announced by the
Centre. It is not at all warranted for the State
of Tamil Nadu.
Lot of protests are forthcoming from the
leaders of prominent political parties in
Tamil Nadu.
Dr. K.Veeramani (DK): The series of
announcements made by the BJP led
government at the Centre are aiming for
one nation, one religion, one language and
one legal code plan of Hindutva. In fact
by bringing ‘uniformity’ in all spheres, it
endangers the unity of the country.
M.K. Stalin (DMK): This is an attempt to
uproot the tenets of federation and is against
the Constitution.
Vaiko (MDMK): The announced plan would
undermine the public distribution system,
which is being effectively implemented
in Tamil Nadu. People of different States
have different food habits and by seeking to
control the public distribution system, the
Centre is trying to impose a uniform food
habit.
T.T.V. Dinakaran (AMMK): The proposed
scheme would lead to the collapse of the
public distribution system to Tamil Nadu.
The State Government is under severe
financial crisis after signing up to the Food
Security Act.The Modern RationalistJuly 2019