DC Debate: Modi’s ‘Team India’ proposal is politically unrealistic

Policy shift or loose talk?

T.K. Rangarajan Vs Vinay Sahasrabuddhe

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T K Rangarajan: ‘Team India’ is a political necessity

Mr Modi’s talk of the Centre and states working together as ‘Team India’ is to get the support of strong regional parties in Rajya Sabha where its numbers are less. They have to stoop to conquer.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made a strong case for the Centre and the state government working together as “Team India” for the country’s progress and promised to usher in the era of “cooperative and competitive federalism” in Centre-state relations. His statement in West Bengal was aimed at roping in support of Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamul and other regional parties in Rajya Sabha to push forward Bharatiya Janata Party’s reformist agenda.

The Indian Constitution envisioned a federal structure of government in which the states would be treated as equal stakeholders of India’s development. But what we have witnessed for the past few decades is the systematic disruption of our country’s federal structure by successive governments at the Centre. Many of the state subjects had been moved to the Centre’s List while some of the subjects were taken to the Concurrent List.

After accepting the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission, the Centre increased the share of states in the Centre’s tax revenue from 32 per cent to 42 per cent. Subsequently, the Modi government has decided to delink eight Centrally-sponsored schemes (CSS), including National e-Governance Plan, Backward Regions Grant Funds, Modernisation of Police Forces and Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyan, from its support in the Union Budget 2015-16.

The delinking of the CSS would severely affect the financial burden of the state governments. The Centre’s move will adversely affect states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala as they do not have any other option but to cut down allocation for the welfare schemes implemented by them. In essence, it is not cooperative federalism. It is not meant to cooperate with the states; it’s meant only to push their reformist agenda.

The Modi government’s unilateral approach can be seen clearly from the way in which the Planning Commission of India, a 65-year-old institution, was abolished and replaced by the National Institution for Transforming India, popularly described as the NITI Aayog. Without consulting any state government, or debating it in Parliament, NITI Aayog was created by a mere announcement during Mr Modi’s Independence Day speech. It shows his government’s disregard for Parliament and the federal set-up.

Mr Modi’s talk of the Centre and state governments working together as “Team India” is aimed at getting the support of the strong regional parties in Rajya Sabha where its numbers are less. They have to stoop to conquer. The BJP wanted the Trinamool Congress, the Biju Janata Dal and All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam to toe the government line in the Upper House. They will try to rope in the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party as well to overcome Rajya Sabha hurdle in passing key legislations.

It is not only that Mr Modi himself believes and practices the system of centralised governance and concentration of power in his own hands; he also adheres to the unitary policy of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Hence, Mr Modi’s cooperative federalism is another name for centralisation and control over the whole country. His preference for a decentralised federalism is a myth because he is guiding the whole county in one direction of capitalism and Hindu Rashtra.

(As told to G. Jagannath)
T.K. Rangarajan is a Rajya Sabha MP and CPI(M) central committee member

Vinay Sahasrabuddhe: It’s about prioritising the nation

Mr Modi’s ‘Team India’ comment was about rising above the party line and party politics once in power. He was talking about the commonality of purpose… making states a part of the national team...

I am very hopeful and positive that the Centre and the states can become partners under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Team India” vision. It will help in strengthening governance in the country irrespective of which party a state belongs to. Mr Modi’s “Team India” comment was about rising above the party line and party politics once in power. He was talking about the commonality of purpose, inter-personal harmony, equal motivation of all parties without doubting each other’s intentions. All these characteristics can evolve only when all the team members take ownership.

Take the implementation of Goods and Services Tax, for example, where difference of opinions could exist but everyone should be mindful of the fact that it has been brought in keeping national interest in mind. If this is clear then there is scope for dialogue, some give and take between the Centre and the state. “Ownership of the issue” means owning the governance of the entire country and not limiting yourself to the state only.

Of course, similar demands will be made by state governments. But Mr Modi is not ignoring the states’ needs. Just as the Centre expects some kind of coordination with state governments, the same is expected from the Centre. If you observe carefully, Mr Modi is talking about federalism, he is approaching the state governments and trying to build a rapport with chief ministers. Had this not been his approach, there was no need to advise Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on health. Mr Modi spoke to Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed about his apprehensions regarding this new-era alliance. Mr Modi even discussed an issue related to Bangladesh with Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi. It’s this group ownership that he is calling “Team India”.

We agree that there are inter-state problems. But these issues have not come up so far in discussions. If the Centre and a state can become partners, then why can’t two states come together on certain subjects? Issues between states will be resolved gradually because the present politics is the politics of performance. State governments have to deliver at the end of the day.

It is expected that common subjects, questions of national interest will dominate the Centre-state relations, like GST, infrastructure, water-related projects, enhancing agriculture production. Such topics will be given priority by “Team India”, as they are the most important ones. Our government is giving more leg room to the states. There’s no reason for the state governments to feel any insecurity from the Centre. The previous Congress government had also talked about the Centre-state relations, but the resources handed over to the states were very poor. Now, under Mr Modi’s leadership, a truly federal set-up is being evolved. We are trying to make the states a part of the national team and they are happy to get more resources from the Centre.

Take the example of the ministry of development of north-eastern region. Set up during Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s government, the ministry was a victim of apathy during the UPA government. Now it has taken off again. Jitendra Singh, Union minister of development for north-eastern region, has been visiting all the Northeast states and is committed to the development of the region. In short, Mr Modi’s “Team India” vision is pragmatic and will evolve good governance in the country.

Vinay Sahasrabuddhe is a vice-president of the BJP