Taxpayers money being spent as part of ‘appeasement policy’ to demonstrate ‘secularism’ or offered as doles in the form of ‘freebies’ to win elections has bled India profusely.
Had Mahatma Gandhi lived a decade or so after the partition of India in 1947, leading to creation of theocratic Islamic Republic of Pakistan, he would have appreciated the decision of Sardar Patel not to pay remaining Rs 55 crore of the total Rs 70 crore to the ‘snake in the neighbourhood’, as the initial installment of Rs 20 crore was transferred promptly. The Mahatma had threatened to go on fast if Pakistan was not paid the balance amount, as he believed that such a gesture was critical for fostering long-term peace between the two nations, notwithstanding the fact that ‘bogies full of slaughtered Hindu and Sikh men, women and children had chugged the railway tracks, leaving behind trail of blood. Gandhi’s idealism vetoed Patel’s realism.
Those opposing release of Rs 55 crore to Pakistan were proven right then when Islamist soldiers in the guise of raiders created mayhem in Kashmir. They are getting vindicated even now after the three full fledged wars of 1965, 1971 and Kargil besides the continuous bleeding of Indian soil by Jihadis in the shape of proxy war since 1990. They had rightly perceived that the payment of Rs 55 crore was aiding an adversary at a time of war.
With the majority of Indians continuing to be poor, India has been assuming the role of ‘Dhaanveer’ to take upon itself the responsibility of reaching out to the comity of nations in economic distress with aid, grants and help, especially in the immediate neighbourhood. In May 2016, India provided a grant of USD 353 million to Mauritius as a Special Economic Package for five priority projects. Similarly, in 2018, India released developmental assistance of over Rs 21,100 crore to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Of this whopping assistance, the major chunk of aid to Afghanistan from 2014-15 to 2017-18 was Rs 2,232.94 crore, to Bangladesh it was Rs 514.13 crore, to Bhutan it was Rs 15,680.97 crore, to Maldives during the same period was Rs 270.39 crore, to Nepal it was Rs 1,322.54 crore, and to Sri Lanka it was Rs 1,080.55 crore. In return what the poor taxpayers’ nation got, Jihadis trained in Afghanistan, sitting ministers of Maldives mocking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sri Lanka hobnobbing with China to demean this nation, Nepal being used as safe haven by terrorists to bleed India. The aid and assistance is continuing because India feels elated to be ‘Dhaanveer’.
As if ‘Dhaanveer’ syndrome was not enough, the policy of appeasement back home has eaten up very vitals of this country. The best example of this syndrome lies in the famous quote of Prime Minister Dr Manohan Singh in December 2006 when he said ‘plans for minorities, particularly Muslims, must have the first claim on resources so that benefits of development reach them equitably’. This remained the Mantra of non-NDA governments. However, the legacy of distributing ‘doles’ at the cost of ‘tax-payers hard earned money’ for functioning of Madrassas or subsidies for performing religious pilgrimages remained symbol of India’s secularism but for the course correction made by Narendra Modi government in 2018 by stopping the Haj subsidy, requiring the pilgrims to meet the costs of their pilgrimage. This government also bade farewell to the culture of hosting ‘Iftaar Parties’ with fanfare by those holding constitutional positions, ironically at the cost of public exchequer. The pseudo-seculars’ appeasement knew no bounds, as the Congress led Union Government and Maharashtra Government spent Rs 28.46 crore on food, security, medicines and clothes of Pakistan terrorist Ajmal Kasab in Arthur Road Central Prison in Mumbai and Yerwada Jail in Pune. The radicalised Kasab along with nine Jihadis including Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Ismail Khan unleashed mayhem, leading to the death of over 160 people during 26/11 Mumbai attacks in 2008.
Having not learnt any lessons, even the BJP partnered Mahayuti caretaker government in Maharashtra, led by Eknath Shinde, issued a government resolution (GR) just a week ago for the release of Rs 10 crore funds to strengthen the State Waqf Board. This sent shockwaves in the BJP rank and file that is girding up its loins to amend the Waqf Act. It was argued that the decision had been taken at the administrative level. This led to withdrawal of the order, as the BJP pleaded that Waqf Board has no place in the Constitution. State Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik confirmed that the order has been withdrawn.
Graduating from spending taxpayers’ money to appease some religious segments has now manifested in freebies to win the elections. The norm to utilize the tax revenues judiciously for the public good gets butchered when the political class opens up government coffers to lure the voters in their favour by way of free rides for women in government transport, free electricity and drinking water, waiver of loans to some sections, whopping health insurance cover, stipends etc. All these ‘so-called welfare measures’ are taken only when the elections are round the corner-not love for the poor and marginalized but votes and votes only. Is this the democracy Indians had envisioned or craved for?