Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'A vote bank move' that was published in Newsband

A vote bank move

The government has come up with food security architecture which gives roughly 67 per cent of the population a legal right over cheap food grains. It was done with an eye on the 2014 general election. The National Food Security Bill, which has already been tabled in the Lok Sabha, was a commitment the United Progressive Alliance government made in its 2009 manifesto.

Food security bill passed by central government is admirable as it provides food for our 67% of population on cheaper rates. As it is a costlier bill which will cost around 1.25 lakh crores in government revenue it will have a impact on inflation. Instead of merely transferring money, the government should do some investment on infrastructure of the country to boost up the economy which will give positive result towards employment of our huge talented work force who are unemployed right now.

Whether it is Food security bill or Government security bill - it is really tough to understand. It is become a habit for the government to play the poverty, religion, regionalism, as the top cards of the political game in the election. Be in power by hook or crook – this is one of the significant mantra in politics.

To capture the vote bank of BPL community, such bills or approvals are being given. The question that arises is that instead of passing a new bill why not government take actions to curb the abnormalities of the existing scheme. Even proper implementation of these schemes will help in upliftment of the society.

In India, we have no shortage of food but ill-distribution of purchasing power and bad delivery system. You can find in almost all the states the politicians and their cronies organizing looting of food grains meant for PDS and it goes unchecked. At many places, truck loads of rice, sugar and wheat meant for ration shops are diverted to the godowns of the political class only to be sold in open market for making money. What is the guarantee that same thing will not happen in this new venture except that it may benefit Congress in 2014 elections and they come to power

The Congress has always wanted to keep people poor and dole out subsidies as alms. Even 66 yrs after independence, we are talking about food security. How about creating jobs and opportunities for people to earn their livelihood? Or will that improve the standards of living and erode the Congress's vote bank? What was the Congress doing for the last four years? How has it suddenly awakened to needs of poor? The motive behind this move is very clear.

Congress since 'garibi hatao' trump card of Indira Gandhi in 1970s has evolved a mechanism to win elections by making eleventh hour 'on the name of poor' policies. MNREGA, Food security programmes and other snarls of populist propaganda are living examples. Despite every policy of it being abysmal at ground level it is pig headed to woo 'poor voters' that too almost unsuccesfully. Whole of its term of five years passes farwarding neo-liberal policies and in the terminating year it comes with populist lolipop betraying its rural vote base in the long run and satisfying neo-liberal institutions in the long run. This one too is obviously the vote bank move.