F O C U S

In an Ideological Vacuum
Gobind Thukral

IN a few weeks time, Punjab’s voters will have a chance to elect another government. It is a privilege that democracy offers them so often. Side by side they would be coaxed, cajoled and offered almost everything under the sun. Money, caste, religion and clan politics would be in full display. Observers of Punjab’s political landscape are asserting that this would be one of the costliest elections so far. They say money would flow as liquor and other intoxicants to humour ‘dear voters’. They may not be wrong. This means that Punjab has great wealth to display and devour during elections. Already high pitch rallies, vikas yatras and propaganda through media has been a costly affair.

For weeks leaders from all levels, particularly the aspirants for the coming assembly elections and who so ever mattered were busy forcing transporters to provide trucks and buses, taxis and tractor trailers. They were collecting funds and buying supporters with cash and liquor to add to the crowds. If the ruling party brazenly exploited officials, the Akalis had the huge resources of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee at its disposal. If the party in power cared little in misusing taxpayer’s money, the Akalis are unabashed in wasting the money of the faithful intended for religious purposes and charity. One cheats the public and the other does not spare even God. For the first time the Akali Dal officially celebrated the birth of its leader, which is a taboo under the established Sikh tenets.

Increasingly the political culture is becoming more akin to a private limited company, collecting huge funds, adopting modern management and public relations techniques and dispensing favours and enriching leaders. Media too is making a fast buck in the process as advertisements flow. Politics is becoming more of family business. There are scores of political dynasties: Badals, Amarinders, Dullos, Ranas, Bajwas, Sandhus, Chaudhrys and many more poaching all the political parties. It is plutocracy at its worst in Punjab.

How does this specter of rallies that Punjabis would be witnessing more and more as the d-day, February 13 draws near help the political debate on basic issues? The Punjabis shall have to look elsewhere than the political class to understand the reasons and solution for agrarian crisis, drug addiction, ever-rising unemployment and high cost of living and the rising crime graph including corruption. Meanwhile, they would have endless tamashas, ironically at their own cost.

Akalis, the Congress has alleged had left Punjab bankrupt and their leader had amassed huge wealth by all sort of means. It is now the turn of the Akalis to level similar allegations. The Congress promised to punish the Akalis and put them behind the bars forever and the same threat the Akalis are holding against the Congress. Public, perhaps, knows this hoodwinking. But cannot do much, as the choice remains limited, as does alternative politics. A healthy democracy means availability of choices and it is constant participation. Sadly both are missing. The way our elected legislators of different hues behave inside and outside assemblies and parliament often leads to cynicism. Choice in Punjab is restricted to two combinations; the Congress and Akali-BJP. Sometimes it is a case of Devil and Deep Sea. As far participation, it is limited to the ritual of voting once in five years and that too can be denied or manipulated as it happened in Punjab for years during militancy.

Yet the people do understand despite high voltage misinformation campaigns.   They know that agrarian crisis where the Congress government at the center is no better than the previous NDA and has messed up the situation and except offering lips sympathy, has so far failed to redress the malady. Overburdened with debt and poor return the farmers are committing suicides through out the country. Did not our great Guru Nanak tell us that kheti is uttam- farming is supreme? Where is that now?

Unemployment has been on the rise, some 35 lakh this year. With education in a mess, we shall be adding an army of unemployable half-baked youth. This in turn would cause social tensions and push up criminal activity. Health care has suffered the worst and the state no longer considers its duty to either provide safe drinking water, clean cities and towns or hospitals. Schools and health institutions are in bad shape, suffering from paucity of funds and manpower. Yet Punjab is swashed with funds and the state government can rightly boast of a big financial recovery.

I had a chance to look at the state of finances. By most yardsticks Punjab is in a happy position. Till November 2006, revenue receipts were nearly double: Rs 16,996 crore against a bare Rs 8,930 crore five years back. So is the plan size from 1,794.39 crore in 1996-97 to Rs 3,825.41 crore in 2005-06 and this year at Rs 4,500 crore. Fiscal deficit has been reduced from Rs 4,458 crore to Rs 2,654 crore in five years, despite increase in revenue expenditure from Rs 12,710 crore to Rs 21,429 crore. Not bad. Fiscal deficit as percentage of gross state domestic product too is down from 5.33 to 1.28. Total deficit is half. Government claims that Punjab is now spending less on salaries, pensions and other revenue expenditure. It asserts that capital expenditure has increased which means more on development projects. For good financial performance the state has earned Rs 152 crore as a debt waiver. In addition, the government of India has finally written off Punjab’s security burden of Rs 3,372 crore. It was nagging all the time and earlier commitments were only partially met.

For this year, Punjab total revenue would be Rs 20,040 crore. What sum is this?  Let this be stated that Punjab’s plan performance has been good. Capital expenditure this year shows a total Rs 1530 crore against a mere rs471 crore five years back. The state provides free power to farmers and other poor and less privileged sections. Octroi  has been abolished and the state while keeping the army of tax collectors is sparing Rs 170 crore per year for the civic bodies. Panchayats too for the last three years got more funds. There are concessions for others also.  In appeasement, the two parties match each other. Also, roads are in a better shape. Farmers have consistently got better price for their produce and with less hassles. Yet they are not happy, as the government has been insensitive to their debt burden, poor yields from the land and land acquisition through deception and force.  Debt burden is the result of bad economics and it cannot be good politics.

How this gets translated into votes is anyone’s guess as issues have taken a backstage. Foul language and threats and counter threats are the staple food of the politicians. It is money that is talking politics.

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Gogi Sidhu
President

Satish K. Jain
Executive Vice President

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