Open Forum
New Delhi, 22 February 2023
Socio-Economic Crisis
FIGHTING FOR SURVIVAL
By Dhurjati Mukherjee
It was
enlightening to hear Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while assuming the G20
presidency, that: “Though all of history, humanity lived in scarcity. We fought
for limited resources because our survival depended on denying them to others.
Confrontation and competition – between ideas, ideologies and identities –
became the norm”. He went on to assert: “Unfortunately, we remain trapped in
the zero-sum mindset even today. We see it when countries fight over territory
and resources”.
Further
the Prime Minister pointed out: “today we have the means to produce enough to
meet the basic needs of all people of the world”, and there is no need to fight
for survival. This observation may seem theoretically correct, but in reality
it is not quite justified as the basic needs of the Third World countries are
not being met and hunger and starvation deaths are quite rampant. People
definitely have to fight for survival as even in India, there is rampant
poverty and squalor along with under nutrition and even hunger. Various reports
by international agencies easily establish this fact as also the grim scenario
of over-exploitation of natural resources by most, if not all, countries of the
world.
One is
inclined to point out here that Mahatma Gandhi as an egalitarian propounded the
‘basic needs’ approach of development, in which he clearly stated that
development should ensure reasonable food and a minimum standard of living for
the poorest of the poor. Unfortunately, economic liberalisation has expanded
India’s middle class but failed to uplift the poor and the economically weaker
sections as the Gandhian model of self-reliance, grass-root development and
rural-oriented approach has not been followed.
Modi’s
euphoria, as of previous governments, does not match the developments in the
country as the NDA government is seen as decidedly pro-rich and, while there are
encouraging speeches, there is not much the government has shown on the ground
to improve the lot of the poor. The reduced allocation of resources for the
rural sector, even in the present Union Budget, is testimony to this. It is disheartening
that the government remains oblivious to the ever-widening disparity between
the rich and the poorer section, between the urban and rural sectors and
between the organised and unorganised sector workers.
Another
point highlighted by the Prime Minister was that “some may argue that
confrontation and greed are just human nature” but he refuted this proposition.
To back his view, he pointed to the spiritual traditions pursued by human
beings as evidence of the higher instincts that lie embedded in human beings.
While many Indian political leaders have focussed on the path of diplomacy,
dialogue and negotiation instead of taking recourse to violence and war to
resolve inter-state disputes, Modi sought to provide a theoretical underpinning
to his view on the causes of wars between states and that past reasons for war
are no longer applicable due to technological advances.
This is
indeed a laudable observation, but on the other hand his government has not
denounced the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Obviously, the economic
factor may have stood in the way of India taking a bold stand. It needs to be
mentioned here that apart from the economic factor, ancient prejudices and the
desire to correct historical wrongs are also reasons for hostility. Social
notions of superiority despite the political acceptance of equality cannot be
wished away. These too, lead to conflict within states and between states. And
in India, this is very much evident as the present establishment is in the
process of re-writing history and correcting the so-called wrongs of the
Mughals.
The
resultant violence among communities, specially Hindus and Muslims, has
affected our social fibre and life and has impeded the process of development.
Caste had always been a crucial factor for political parties to garner votes
and now the present dispensation is exploiting religion for political gains.
This does not augur well for a developing country like India with professed
secular ideals. Thus, the present strategy of the BJP-RSS is highly detrimental
to grass-root development and the poorer sections are mostly affected.
It needs
to be mentioned here that the voice of all sections is not heeded in grass-root
institutions such as the gram sabha. The majority, who mostly constitute
members from the higher caste, try to suppress these communities and their
genuine demands are mostly neglected. The bogey of ultra nationalism and other
ideological vice have no meaning for the socially and economically backward
sections.
In such
a scenario though our politicians always talk of the country’s achievements,
there is little that is being done for the impoverished and marginalised
communities. One may refer to a book recently released by Prof. Ranabir
Samaddar which pointed out that the existing networks of solidarity based on
family, religious community, kinship and workplace ties weakened, the
interventions of the State weakened with the increasing “financialisation of
the economy in the wake of globalisation”. Thus, the disparity between the rich
and the poor has grown to unthinkable proportions and will continue to do so in
the coming years with government policies remaining unchanged.
However,
one cannot deny that the middle class has benefitted from various government
measures but those at the bottom, specially residing in the backward areas of
the country, have to struggle for their existence. Not to speak of the rich and
the powerful, who have gained immensely during Modi’s tenure and the example of
Gautam Adani and recent controversy bears testimony of how such corporates got
undue favours for their closeness to the powers that be.
Another
important development of recent years is rampant corruption across the country
and all those who are involved are directly or indirectly linked to political
bigwigs. Economists have attributed these developments to the growth of crony
capitalism and following western models of materialism in trying to develop the
country without thinking of the grassroots.
The
value system in society is lost and the young generation has an uncertain
future. The lack of jobs, the deteriorating social atmosphere and the
corruption in society along with promotion of Hindu nationalism have further
pushed them to a precarious situation. The huge population of the country poses
a challenge to development, but a serious concern of how to bring the poor into
the mainstream of life and activity, which is connected, goes largely
unanswered. Much more needs to be done.---INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)
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