Wednesday, August 29, 2012

The absence of any specific contectual factors of the UPA-I

In the absence of any specific contectual factors of the UPA-I, the present government seems to be taking a completely neo-liberal approach. by nilotpal basu

The government’s neo-liberal approach manifest in the severe adverse conditions that the aam aadmi is faced with as a result of the spiraling prices of essential commodities – particularly food. The government has refused to act to do anything meaningful to redeem the situation. The price question is being attempted to be dealt with through monetary measures and tinkering of the interest rates. While nobody is contesting that agricultural production – particularly food production has to be enhanced – but the fact remains, today, the main problem is distribution. 6 million tonnes of foodgrain lies stored in our godowns – part of which is as the Supreme Court has observed – in a state of rot. The government has persistently refused to release them to the poor and the vulnerable through the Public Distribution System.

Overall, the conditions of the people – the aam aadmi – has been precarious during this tenure of the UPA government. The economic situation is not changing for the better and the aam aadmi is at the receiving end. Their condition becomes even more unbearable in the phase of the huge gains that the ‘high and mighty’ have come to enjoy. These are highlighted by the pronounced display of corporatisation of politics and charges of cronyism. The social and the political tensions create a situation of palpable disquiet.

The situation and the government’s critical role ought to have been set out through an articulate direction. Primarily, as is the fundamental requirement of our Constitution, the Prime Minister ought to have led the charge. Prime Minister’s stoic silence to respond to the aam aadmi’s aspirations has been an overwhelming feature of the last year. And, that itself is an eloquent statement!


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