Manish Srivastava Hindvi, the Congress spokesperson, says federalism does not finds any mention in the dictionary of the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Centre under BJP has not only put a noose on the working of its own state governments, but has also placed puppet governors in the states ruled by other parties, in order to carry forward their nefarious agenda. In a candid Q&A session with Rajat Rai of Lokmarg.com, Hindvi also discusses his party’s plans to counter the saffron agenda.
Q. As the principal Opposition party in Parliament, how do you see the importance of federalism in a country as diverse as India?
Ans. Federalism is the root of a model of governance that is pro people and pro-democracy but the idea is completely missing from the work culture of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It is quite obvious that the Centre does have some interference in the working of the state governments but making a state government (be it of the BJP or any other party) literally helpless and keep looking towards the Centre for even a smallest work or decision is not acceptable in a healthy and transparent democracy. This `dangerous’ model is quite visible in the state runs by the BJP and to keep its agenda going, and in state run by other parties, it has appointed Governors who work on the directions of the Centre and keep hindering the smooth working of state governments.
Q. Do you believe federalism, where power is decentralised, is steadily getting weakened in India after Narendra Modi took over the reins in 2014? If yes, please give examples to support your view. Also, there have been allegations from several regional parties that the BJP wants a strong Centre which can influence areas and power that come under States list as per the Seventh Schedule. Do you find any merit in such allegations?
Ans. Federalism is indeed steadily getting weakened ever since the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014 and eventually, the BJP wants to keep all kinds of power in its hand and run the states from the Centre. Leave aside the states having a BJP government, there are burning examples like Kerala, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in the past where, for example, the governors used to sit silently on bills passed by the Vidhan Sabha and the shamelessness fell to such an extent where at times, the Supreme Court has to interfere. Another fresh example of how federalism is choked to death – the MNREGA, which was started by the UPA government and the beneficiaries were those at the end of the social chain, used to work on a model that started from the poor (labours) who were, in a way, the decision makers. Now, it has literally been quashed and replaced by a model where everything – be it work days, kind of work, mode of work, etc. – will be decided by the Centre. Is it not murdering federalism in broad daylight? A strong Centre is a basic need for strong and flawless governance (at both Centre and states) but this is missing in the NDA government. It only wants to eventually concentrate all kinds of decision making power in its hand and keep the states choking for fresh breath.
Q. Are minorities in Uttar Pradesh feeling increasingly marginalised amid a rise in Hindustan forces both at the state as well as Central levels? Please substantiate your views with examples.
Ans. Minorities are definitely not feeling safe not only in UP or any other state but across India due to the narrative that the BJP is setting since day one of its coming to power. I will not go into specific incidents but its agenda is quite evident from its team of `aggressive’ leaders who are only into giving provocative statements that eventually passes down the line to its last level of workers. Let’s begin with UP CM Yogi Adityanath who recently said in the UP Vidhan Sabha that he will deliver such a treatment to offenders that they will not be in a position to read `Fatiha’. What is this? Is this permissible in a healthy and secular democracy? Then there are other state and national level leaders like Hemanta Bisva Sarma, Ramesh Bidhuri, Anurag Thakur, etc., who it appears, have been given the job to start and end their days with such provocative and offensive statements to hurt the minorities. This has not only given free hands to their workers down the line but has also helped fringe groups like X Sena, Y Dal, Z Rakshaks, etc., to operate and disturb social harmony without the fear of the law of the land.
Q. Does the Congress have a political strategy to push back divisive communal forces? Do you think the Congress can effectively strengthen federal forces in the country?
Ans. We are the only party that stands with the oppressed irrespective of his/her social, ethical or religious beliefs and it was visible from the 4000 km of Bharat Jodo Yatra that was taken up by our leader Rahul Gandhi from Kashmir to KanyaKumari. The only message that was conveyed throughout the Yatra and that still resonates in our working at all levels is the `Mohabbat Ki Dukan’ which is strongly gaining popularity amongst the masses. We also make it a point to reach out to each and every oppressed person and the incidents of Kushinagar and Behraich are examples where we were the first to reach out and make sure that the incident does not go unnoticed and the government was forced to take action.
As far as strengthening the federal forces is concerned, I would like to start from the scratch when, in 1947, we were handed over only a piece of land and it was with great effort and pain that we devised a federal structure – from the Centre to the state to the Panchayat level – to run the country peacefully and effortlessly. Though some loopholes are left in any type of governance, it is the moral duty of every government (BJP, Congress or any other) to fix it rather than pin pointing it and making an issue out of it.
Q. What are the limitations and challenges before a regional party while countering a powerful political network like the BJP?
Ans. This is true that a regional party has less or limited resources and power as compared to a national level party especially when it is in power in the Centre. If at all a regional party dares or appears to offer some resistance to BJP or its vote bank, central agencies like ED, CBI, I-T are put into work to harass local leaders in all possible manner. The fresh example was of Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren who was `tortured’ in all possible manners to break down and eventually shun politics. However, hats off to his wife Kalpana Soren who stood strong and helped his husband ward off all kinds of pressures. The sentiments of the people of Jharkhand were also with Soren which also helped as a cushion and enabled him to come out more strongly. Similar was the case with the BJD in Odisha where not only its CM Naveen Patnaik bid adieu to politics but the party is also in shambles.
Q. The BJP is seen as cannibalizing its own regional allies, gradually weakening them and then pushing them to margins. This was seen in Maharashtra recently. Why do you think BJP feels threatened by regional political groups, including its own allies?
Ans. There are many live examples of this phenomenon – that eat up your allies and finish your opponents – Shiv Sena and Akali Dal are now in the history books and JDU is slowly and steadily following the same fate. If you observe TV debates in connection with Bihar politics, you clearly see one thing – while two of BJP leaders are advocating the leadership of Nitish Kumar, another set of leaders is justifying a change of guard in Bihar. This is a burning example of the state of mind of BJP – to ally and eventually finish its allies. This is done only for the sake of the regional vote bank of such parties as BJP’s strong vote bank comprises mainly of the middle class and upper class voters and to penetrate the OBC, SC, ST, etc., vote bank, they need regional allies who are lured inside NDA and eventually sacrificed for the sake of the vote bank they enjoy.
Q. There are voices of change of guard in the UPA by some of its partners as Rahul Gandhi is also the LoP. What are your views on this?
Ans. One thing is for sure that only a national party can run a government at the Centre and it is also a fact that it is also not quite possible without the assistance of regional parties. Regional parties do have an urge to move to central politics and they have limitations of being limited to only a state or a region. There are voices in some regional partners but there is nothing going as such inside the UPA for a change of guard. Additionally, the BJP keeps running narratives of differences between allies of the UPA regarding the leader of UPA but we, as a team, remain intact with the sole motive of returning to the Centre in 2029.
Q. There are also allegations on some regional parties like AIMIM and the BSP of participating in Vidhan Sabha elections to help BJP. Your views?
Ans. In a democracy, everyone has the right to contest elections and it will not be fair to term any party as a B team of BJP or any other party. In a democracy, if any entity contests elections, it may be beneficial to some and on the other hand, someone else may incur some kind of loss. However, the fight at present is even bigger – to fight against dictatorship and to fight for survival – as the BJP is making all efforts to finish all its opponents by hook or by crook.
Q. Does Congress has any plans to go solo in any of the upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections as concerns are being raised in the inner circle of the party. Your views?
Ans. At present, our `Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan’ is going on at all the 403 Lok Sabha seats at grass root level and the UPA is united for a single cause – forming a government at the centre in 2029. As far as going solo in any election is concerned, there is no such discussion at present and a decision, if any, will be taken by our central command.
