SCORE BOARD OF UNITED PROGRESSIVE ALLIANCE PART I
(Abstract from the speech of
SHRI ARUN JAITLEY M.P. ( BJP)
)
The present UPA Govt, which has just entered the final phase of its term, could be characterised
as a directionless, rudderless and a non performing government and do not deserve any praise but utter contempt by this nation.
Moreover, its only achievement has been to stay in power despite no achievements. The ruling combination,quite contrary to its title as an "UNITED PROGRESSIVE ALLIANCE " is neither united, nor progessive and definitely not an alliance at all. Its unpopularity is at its zenith and still drifts towards all the way down the pit.. In the past 2 years it has lost almost all elections in Bihar, Punjab, Uttarakhand, U.P. Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Even in Jharkhand and Goa , through a process of political manipulations managed to come to power. Congress led UPA had never scored a decisive victory in the election but yet has arrogated itself , as if to born to rule indefinitely. The UPA is passing though a phase of self praise, indulging in a propaganda and lives in an illusion of its own glory, little realizing that the ground position is slippery and weak. The recent election in Karnataka has shown the mandate of the people is the outright rejection of Congress which tried to capture power by secret pact with JD(S) ,a Grand betrayal party . Its efforts for a constitutional fraud by postponing the Karnataka elections had proved futile. .
This Government is a threat to democratic and constitutional institutions. as is evident from its track record ----
The primary institution of the Prime Minister has been weakened by a shift of power to extra-constitutional centers of power .
The Council of Ministers comprises of several ' tainted 'ministers and it is the first time that India witnesses the criminalization of the council of ministers.
To support those in
the Govt decided to subvert the CBI and their role in the case of Shri Lalu Prasad, Shri Shibu Soren, Satish Sharma, Ottavio Quattrocchi speaks volumes of its misuse.
The institution of governance has been subverted and misused to support the UPA . The declining fortunes in Jharkhand and Goa are illustrative.. of this state of affairs.
The Election Commission for the first time witnessed partisan appointments. Today the Central Govt.’s plea is that it is not the Chief Election Commissioner but the political Executive (which as the beneficiary of political bias of an Election Commissioner) who will decide on the existence of the bias.
By legitimizing the constitutional violation of several UPA personalities occupying office of profit the Govt has created a constitutional imbalance by making the members of the legislature dependent on the Executive.
Important constitutional functionaries representing the legislature have today launched a virtual war on the judicial institutions.
The Health Minister is busy in fighting doctors, The Sports minister is busy fighting Indian Olympic Association; Shri Paswan is busy in fighting Lalu Yadav and the Commerce Minister is busy fighting the Finance Minister. The Govt. cannot even give an image of collective governance as the title is supposed to project --UNITED Progessive Alliance.
The Left parties by searching for a unique role for themselves; try to be too clever and proclaim that they will maintain this government in power and yet occupy the Opposition space. Nandigram was the war launched by the Left against the peasantry and they have now paid a heavy price for its political acrobatic.
On the economic management of the country, the policy has been one of indecision. It usurps credit for the high growth rates forgetting that there is hardly any initiative that the UPA has taken to accelerate the growth rates. The growth is not because of the UPA but actually is in spite of the UPA. The engines of growth are the services and the manufacturing sectors. While the services sector is not government dependent the manufacturing sector has not received any fillip from this govt. for its acceleration. The growth in the sectors is entirely entrepreneur driven and not policy driven.
The agriculture presents a dismal picture. and growth rate have been extremely conservative. Infrastructure development has slowed down. The ports are clogged; the national highways development program; the rural roads program are no longer the priority of the govt. The courage to enforce power sector reforms is lacking. resulting in high cost of housing, high cost of education, high cost of food grains, high health care costs and high interest rates forming the hallmarks of this government.
The Agriculture growth rates under the UPA have been disappointing. Sustainable agriculture is still a challenge. Over 60 percent of India’s population in agriculture is dependent on less than 20 percent share of the agriculture’ share in the GDP. The rural infrastructure is stagnant. Investment in irrigation is negligible. The input cost of the farmer is higher than the outputs he gets. Thus he is caught in a debt trap. Instead of finding a long term solution the Govt is claiming to provide an instant relief. Although any relief is welcome the country still suspects whether these announcements are real in view of the non provision in the resources to provide for debt relief to suspect whether it is a promise made without an intention to implement it.
konthai
contd part ii