In
democracy, politicians need to be trusted. As a class in themselves, they can
deliver provided they shun being quarrelsome. It is expecting too much at a
time when JNU row shows neta class is also divided on what’s patriotism. But
left to themselves, one likes it or not, we must appreciate one simple thing, politicians
know they are capable of delivering provided they try doing so.
As one of the hyper active pro-Namo FB users among friends...I got a good question from a Mumbai-based journalist Seshadri Ramaswamy. “ND, This govt is going to tax pension and EPF. Are you in favour of these?.....And another indirect tax, as if enough is not there already, called krishi tax, to add to the common man's burden”.
My initial response::
DEVIL IS IN DETAILS AND LATER IMPLEMENTATION...
The
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, we knew from beginning, had a job cut out for
him. But as the Budget 2016-17 approached, Jaitley and to a large extent his Prime
Minister Narendra Modi had all reasons to feel besieged.
"I
have an exam tomorrow", Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday on the eve
of presentation of General Budget in Parliament. Third from Modi regime.
From the beginning,
reviving the growth momentum, containing prices of essential commodities and
altering the pattern of growth to gainful employment remained at the top
of the Finance Minister's agenda. But I have always maintained this is also a
country of populism and freebies. The more things government gives, the more
people will be eager to get things for them -- preferably free of cost and in
lieu of no hard work.
The Haryana reservation row
and Patels stir in Gujarat are pointers that even well to do communities and
historically considered ‘upper castes’ do not shy away from quota politics.
But this budget was expected to be tough.....I
did not expect too much of goodies.
This is 2016 and Modi dispensation has hardly about
two years ahead to run the economy as fierce political opportunism would chip
in by 2018 itself. Therefore this Budget was expected to be little bold;
perhaps it could have been more bold.
But given Jaitley’s pro-status quo image, I am
impressed by the sort of a few risks the Finance Minister has taken. Whether
this helps him and his party remains to be seen?
The Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar tried to spell out Modi
Sarkar’s real intent in terms of running of economic affairs.
He said, “Budget is not a Political tool”.
On its part, the government is was right in their diagnosis and
also prescribing a roadmap that India has to make a choice between mindless
populism and fiscal prudence. It’s more than apparent, like Dr Manmohan Singh had his Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao’s backing,
Jaitley also enjoys the same kind of confidence of his Prime Minister if not
more.
To add to it, unlike Rao, who thrived in delaying taking
decisions, Modi is known as a no-non-sense Prime Minister. In terms of avoiding populism at least for middle class – the crowd
who take onto social networking - Jaitley has tried to work this to his
advantage. Thus neo-middle class, Modi’s chief voters in 2014 could be unhappy.
But the PF and NPS tax proposals should be understood from a good
accountancy point of view. Ministers like Piyush Goyal have tried to explain it
properly that for PF there’s no taxation for 40 per cent.
The fact is: when you deposit there’s no taxation, there’s no tax
for interest you earn. And move is to push an investor to re-invest 60 per cent
more monthly pension or other benefits.
Never there has been a balanced budget between agriculture and
non-agriculture sectors and also a balanced budget between rural and urban
budget.
 |
| PM-FM: Make better duo than Rao-Manmohan Singh? |
The opposition leaders sounded demoralized and more on rhetoric as
they too were stunned by the “balance”, Jaitley has tried. Off the record,
opposition Congress and Left leaders tried to link this year’s budget to Bihar
poll debacle Modi suffered and calling it a “reactionary budget”.
One can debate that. But the bitter truth remains, we Indians see government
of the day to provide us with benefits and subsidies. A Mamata-led Railway
ministry would have announced goodies for journalists and spouses. A Finance
Minister with Lalu Prasad’s arithmetic sense would have sparked off a debate
whether world economy is really on low morale these days. Thus the Modi regime
also needs to continue to play the role of a ‘provider’.
Our patriotism is reduced to shouting slogans against and
pro-Afzal. When it comes to making individual sacrifices, ask staff in
Parliament who is the “best Speaker” they had – the name would be Somnath
Chatterjee…the reason he gave out of turn promotions to all. Those days dare
gone. Hence Modi Sarkar is anti-people! Isn’t it??
(ends)
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