When V. K. Singh termed the UPA-II Govt as a “puppet of market forces”, thereby demanding dissolution of Parliament, the anti-corruption crusader was pointing to the Government being the Gangotri of corruption. With economic disparities soaring, inflation continuing to rear its ugly head, hunger multiplying and all-out efforts being made to hide growing poverty, does this Government have any justification to rule?
In the name of economic growth, there is rampant and ruthless exploitation of natural resources. Massive land acquisition for real estate and industry is driving out millions of farmers.
Corporatisation of agriculture is forcing small farmers to migrate to urban centres; tribals have been hounded out in the name of development, their land rights being snatched away, and increasing emphasis on public-private partnership (PPP) is handing over control over public infrastructure and natural resources to the private sector. Jal, jangal and jamin are being usurped by the private sector at a phenomenal pace.
ANTI-PEOPLE POLICIES
Land riots across the country have only fuelled the discontent against the Government. Regardless, the Government fans crony capitalism, which is all-pervasive. Scam after scam has revealed the close nexus between policymakers and corporates.
In the process, while the number of high net worth individuals is growing, the poor are being driven to the wall. Jobless growth is adding to the number of unemployed every year. With a third of world’s hungry living in India, the Global Hunger Index 2012 places India 65th among 79 countries.
As Singh said, FDI in retail is a classic example of faulty policies being pushed aggressively. The Indian retail sector employs 44 million people for the same turnover that Walmart, for instance, has. Walmart employs just 2.1 million people.
The hype generated over big retail’s ability to save fruit and vegetables from going waste and thereby providing higher income to farmers is a clever manipulation. In the US, 50 per cent of fruit and vegetables in superstores go waste, and it is the direct income subsidies that keep farmers alive.
Team Anna wants an overhaul of the existing system. It calls for dissolution of Parliament and, as part of electoral reforms, wants economic policies to be spelt out at the time of going to polls. In addition, let us have a referendum on crucial policy decisions. The aam aadmi cannot be sacrificed at the altar of development.
(The author is a founder member of India Against corruption, and was part of the erstwhile Team Anna.)
Read also: Is Team Anna’s demand for dissolution of Parliament valid? - NO
Keywords: Demanding dissolution of Parliament, Team Anna, anti-corruption crusader, economic disparities soaring, inflation
Comments:
1.2 billion heads where 505 young and 70% are poor.
Time for decision makers travel to the 600,000 villages first before making any hasty
decisions.
study the conditions well - we are not Europe or America yet.
sitting on high chair with pen and computers will not help AAM-AADMI at the
grassroots level.
Sitting in A/C rooms to make decisions just with some statistics or figures provided by
secretaries are totally different.
Money allotted is being percolated and misused by the people in between and bare
bone if any left will go for execution of the project.
what can happen on the quality?
This has happend from before since independence and still continuing as a legacy.
we cant even mfg a Fighter aircraft given 1.2 billion heads.
why? pls analyse -discuss and debate this issue.
because who doesnt want commission or cuts in purchasing? plus travel on cos
expense traveling to europe?
Look at the sttae of Roads- without potholes nothing is complete why?
who cares?
local politicians
Health of the govt and confidence of the people - with the nations interest is most important. UPA - 2 is in the ICU and making the
country's economy sick.
yes i agree with anna hazare there are no agenda other than coruption and no action is taken against them
I only want to comment on a phrase appearing just in the introductory
part of the article 'Gangotri of corruption'. From Gangotri flows only
Ganga water, that had been sustaining india over times immemorial.It
is defamatory to gangotri to be used in this manner. Let us learn to
respect our great heritage; that is important to move towards that. A
more appropriate word has to be found for the 'Anargal' flow of
corruption.
The source of river is termed 'Gomukh'. A river is sacred to us. A
river sustains the flora and fauna and human beings, there for aptly
considered sacred.
Rampant corruption is 'karmanasa' or 'Vatarni'.
I am an aam adami of Bharat and not a pundit, therefore, if there is
any mistake in presenting the idea, it may be corrected, and I may be
excused.
There is pessimism alround .then why restrict dissolution to parliament why not all
assemblies also be dissolved. So the country constitution provides for any fool to ask for
dissolution of parliament. Assuming within a year of a divided mandate can some other fool
ask for dissolution.is there no law or constitution to be follow.people are really exceeding
their limits just because they are covered by tv channels?
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