Ram Manohar Lohia Sowed the Seeds of Coalition Politics in India; Narendra Modi is Subverting It

by

 

P.S. Sahni

 

The following statements of Prime Minister merit attention:

 

·        INDIA alliance wants to give the PM’s post to each leader for 1 year.

·        No one trusts the coalition government; people want a stable regime.

·        For 5 years, they will stay busy in the swearing-in events; now can any country run like this?

 

Meanwhile the Home Minister of India has chipped in (Quote):

 

India wants a “mazboot” (strong) PM, not a “mazboor” (weak) PM.

 

Lately the Prime Minister of India has been cosying up to Japan; but he learnt nothing about their political history of the last twenty-five years. Japan has had a series of coalition governments from 1996 to 2008. There are currently ten living former Prime Ministers in Japan. It might surprise Narendra Modi that Japan has had ten Prime Ministers in fifteen years (1996-2011)      

 

Period                                                 Duration of Prime Ministership

 

1996 January                                        2 years 202 days

1998 July                                              1 year 251 days

2000 April                                            1 year 22 days

2001April                                             5 years 154 days

2006 September                                   1 year 1 day

2007 September                                   365 days

2008 September                                   358 days

2009 September                                   266 days

2010 June                                             1 year 87 days

2011 September                                   1 year 116 days

                                                                                                  (Source Wiki)

 

Narendra Modi questions if any country can run with a PM for a year? Well, Japan has run and run well, economically, too. Again, the Indian PM opines that no one trusts coalition government. In which case why is he putting trust in Japan which had coalition governments and ten Prime Ministers in fifteen years? Even during the period of frequent coalition governments and Prime Ministers with a tenure of about a year and a half, Japan was the second largest economy in the world until 2010!

 

For a long time it was the third largest economy in the world. It is now the fourth largest economy behind the US, China and Germany. Well, Mr. Narendra Modi till 2030 India will be behind Japan. Don’t try to fool the masses.

 

The longest serving PM in Japan was in office for eight years. Count yourself lucky for being in India where you can concoct fairy tales about the year 2050.

 

Your ‘friend’ Trump will tell you how long a President in America can stay in power – only eight years. Since 2014 you, Mr. Modi have brought a Presidential form of electioneering to India. Take heed, Presidents in western democracies like US don’t go on and on like you aspire in a semi-feudal country like India. Under your dictatorial regime the masses are yearning for a “mazboor” (weak) PM, certainly not a “mazboot” (strong) PM. You are off the mark when you say that people want stable regime. It is the corporate houses, stock-markets, big businesses which want a stable regime which may ensure a constant policy of loot. Stable governments help Adani and Ambanis.

 

As for the toiling masses, that government is best which is weak, preferably coalitional with the least propensity for authoritarianism. The weaker the government, the more power a citizen is able to experience for himself/herself. It is a lie you spread that no one trusts coalition government; masses certainly want such a government.

 

Even now if you feel strongly against coalition government and short-duration Prime Ministership, cancel all agreements/arrangements with Japan viz:

 

·        Bullet train project in which a Japan – backed soft loan will help fund 81% of the construction cost.

·        Japan to invest rupees 12,800 crore for 9 projects in various sectors in India.

·        Deal to procure 24 Bullet trains from Japan.

 

These are just a few examples for your perusal and necessary action.

 

Since your second-in-command, Amit Shah, is likely to come to your rescue and orchestrate a campaign about Japan being an exception, may I add Italy’s case, too. Of the 60 Prime Ministers only two have served for more then 10 years; 6 have served for 5 to 10 years; 35 have served for 1 to 5 years 17 have served for less than 1 year.

                                                                                                    (Source Wiki)

 

Are you not lucky to be in India and weave a dream for yourself for a third-term as Prime Minister?

 

The economy of Italy is a highly developed social market.

 

·        It is the third-largest national economy in the EU.

·        Second-largest manufacturing industry in Europe and seventh-largest in the world.

·        Ninth-largest economy in the world.

·        Eight-largest exporter in the world.

                                                                                                    (Source Wiki)

 

Is the Prime Minister of India listening?