AAP has to clarify its economic policy
By A.B. Bardhan
New Year 2014 has rung in. As usual there are great expectations from 2014. What has been happening and what is likely to happen in 2014 has been prepared by everything that has happened in 2013 and the years before. As they say nothing comes of nothing; Nothing ever does.
The world has been changing. Changing for the better. Recent years have seen the victory of more than a dozen Left-oriented and democratic countries in Latin America. They have ceased to be the backyard of the American Imperialists. There are stirrings in several countries of Europe too. Nearer home, Nepal has had a peaceful and defining general election with the CPN(UML) emerging as the second largest party, closely following the Nepapli Congress. One can look forward to a Constituent Assembly successfully drawing up the Constitution of a new Nepal Republic.
The imperialist plan to launch a new war by igniting a spark in Syria which could then burst into a conflagration has been thwarted by a diplomatic initiative taken by Russia.
American troops are being compelled to leave Afghanistan so that the Afghan people can decide their own destiny. Threats to Iran have been replaced by talks on its nuclear programme. China, Vietnam, Cuba continue their advance.
Back home, in recent days there have been significant developments in the political and social spheres.
The two most important phenomena are the emergence of the Aam Admi Party in the Nation’s capital and the decimation of the Congress in the recently held state assembly elections. Two states, – Rajasthan and Delhi which the Congress held before have gone out of their hands. Disgusted and indignant with all-pervasive corruption, series of scams and scandals involving those at the top, ever rising prices leading to misery and hardships not only for the poor but also the middle classes, growing job loss and unemployment causing frustration among the youth, violence and assaults against women and even teenage girls leading to a sense of insecurity, the mass of voters has hankered for a change. The Congress-led UPA has had to pay a heavy price for all its sins of omission and commission.
The main opposition party, the BJP is trying to exploit the situation, taking advantage of the discontent and disillusionment of the people with the Congress. But does the BJP provide an alternative?
In the matter of economic policies the BJP holds the same views as the Congress. Both share the same outlook as regards foreign policy and international affairs.
In addition, the BJP is a communal party. The elevation of Narendra Modi as its Prime Ministerial candidate has given an aggressive tone to its policy of Hindutva communalism.
International Finance capital and Big Business having fully used the Manmohan Singh government now no longer regard it as an efficient instrument for their own purposes. They look to the BJP as better and more efficient. Therefore they and the media which they control have launched a high-decibel campaign in favour of Modi. Glossing over the events of the 2002 Gujarat pogrom and the series of fake encounters that followed, the attempt is to package a new Modi, passing him off as a ‘secular’ man. Of course, along with this extravagant propaganda blitz by Modi himself, the BJP is also carrying on its usual efforts to foment communal tension and riots, such as in Muzaffarnagar. There are some who praise Modi as a ‘strong administrator’. Even such an astute analyst as Yogendra Yadav has observed that though Narendra Modi may have nothing to offer as a genuine alternative to Congress but he “brings energy, some sense of direction, appears to he honest”, and the people see him as a “substitute”. Could not one see the very some qualities in some others who then emerged as full-blown fascist dictators? This eulogy ignores what Modi stands for.
The emergence of the Aam Admi Party in Delhi precisely shows that if the people see a viable alternative to the Congress and the BJP they vote for it in large numbers. Disgusted with the two parties of the Establishment they looked out for a third alternative. Aam Admi Party’s stand against corruption and high prices of essential commodities of life, together with the complete identification of the AAP leaders with the common man won their approval. These qualities are to be observed also among the Communist leaders from the beginning but they were too weak in Delhi to pose an alternative.
The portents are clear. The Congress can not hope to retain power as UPA-III. It may not even secure more than 100 to 110 seats. As for the BJP, it may get about 30 or 40 more seats than before. But the 150 or so seats that it may get, is a far cry from the ‘272-plus’ which is its announced goal.
The future of the AAP is yet uncertain. Is it an urban Delhi phenomenon or can it spread to other places, rural areas included? What is the AAPs policy on economic issues, specifically the neo-liberal policy which is at the root of high prices, corruption and so forth? What is its stand on fighting communalism, which is the BJP’s characteristic agenda? These are core issues for an alternative to both the Congress and the BJP. The AAP has yet to spell out on these basic issues. We have to wait and see how it evolves.
With neither the Congress nor the BJP being in a position together with whatever allies they may be able to win over so as to rig up a majority, the political space is open to the non-Congress non-BJP parties together with the Left and other democratic forces to form a new combination and make a bid for power. But what is essential is to spell out a clear ALTERNATIVE policy and programme for such a government. This is the task before the Left. The ground has been laid by the 1st July Convention of the Left and the 30th October Convention in defence of secularism held in Delhi. Time is short and the Task is big. (IPA Service)
The writer is the former general secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI).