Indian National Congress must end the dynasty rule

By

Siddhartha Rastogi

…..To protect the country and not the party alone

One month of the Winter Session, 21 days of actual sitting, 92 hours of time lost, 19 hours of actual sitting time and discussion, only 2 bills passed.

This is the state of the Lower House of the Largest Democracy in the World. If one looks at the numbers of the Upper House, it doesn’t look any different. Rajya Sabha, witnessed 22 hours of work in 21 actual sitting days in the Winter Session of 2016 with only one bill being passed by the House.

Keep in mind the Winter Session started on 16^th Nov 2016 and ended on 16^th Dec 2016, immediately after the Government of India implemented the demonetisation program which has impacted the last man standing in India. This is notably the biggest move from the government since India’s independence which can change the way people live, earn and save in the country.

Why do economists and social reformers prefer democracy instead of Communism or socialism?

Democracy provides for a potent system and methodology to keep the checks and balances and ensures that potential abuse of power by the government is curbed through Effective Opposition.

Hence success of democracy rests on two important pillars,

• People who vote and

• the leaders or elected representatives who have not been voted into power to form the government.

Congress, which is the principal opposition party in both houses, has not been able to seek answers and assure the people of India that acts and initiatives taken by Government would ensure long term benefits for the people who have elected them as well as the government.

Both BJP, the party in power and Congress, the opposition, have been charging each other outside Parliament in a monologue without any evidence, facts or figures. Both parties have been pointing fingers at each other for the failure of the democratic system.

Mr Modi, an articulate speaker has been quiet in Parliament, blaming the opposition for not allowing him to speak. The same argument is given by Mr. Gandhi who is blaming the BJP of not allowing him to speak in Parliament.

India still needs answers –

1. What would happen to small and medium sized enterprises which contributes over 45% of India’s GDP, employing over 46 Crore people transacting over 85% in physical cash?

2. 18% of India’s GDP or over 58 Crore individuals and their livelihood is dependent on agriculture, which is mainly run on physical currency exchange.

3. Only 40 to 45% of the total cash/ legal tenders has been put back in the system, is it enough for the businesses and farmers to continue functioning as before?

4. Are there any timelines when normalcy would come back in India and businesses can function as before?

None of these questions were asked or answered. None of these debates took place in Parliament.

Let’s rewind and go back to India’ past.

Congress has ruled India for 55 of the country’s 69 years of independence. Out of these 55 years of Congress rule, for 17 years India was headed by a Prime Minister who didn’t belong to the Nehru – Gandhi dynasty.

As per 04 -05 GDP Growth Series, under the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, average GDP growth for the country was 4.49%. Whilst with non Gandhian Prime Ministers at the helm, under Congress rule, India’s GDP grew on an average by 6.21%, almost 170 basis faster.

One can argue that if data is taken for longer periods, GDP growth tends to gets normalized. But one should keep in mind that in 1991 when PV Narasimha Rao took over as the Prime Minister, India was on the verge of bankruptcy. If not for then Finance Minister, Mr. Manmohan Singh and Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao, India would have defaulted on its sovereign payments.

Congress itself has given 3 powerful reformist socialist Prime Ministers to the country outside the Nehru-Gandhi family.

Then why is Congress failing to introspect and end the legacy to emerge more powerful on meritocracy and save not only its 131 year old establishment but 69 years old democracy as well?

Siddhartha Rastogi

Siddhartha was born to a learned middle class educated family in Semi Urban India. His father was an extremely honest man who because of his honesty had to pay the price in corporate world. Mother is a determined woman who ensured that children are being well taken care off. After a few years of birth, doctors called Siddhartha, a slow child having flat foot. He would fall more than he could walk. Determined mother ensured all therapies for her son to come out strong to fight the world. Siddhartha joined swimming when he was in 6th standard. Seeing other children of his class, he jumped in 10 feet deep pool and learnt swimming on his own, the very same day.

From that day there was no looking back. He topped his city in 12th and went to score highest in his B school exams. During his profession as banker, he became youngest branch manager of a MNC bank managing their biggest wealth branch in the country. There he found love of his life and got married. His love of his life emerged in the form of his daughter who completely changed him for good.

Siddhartha Rastogi is Director for a boutique Investment bank in India.

Siddhartha is a forward looking thinker & writer who has written a book on decision making. 8 Simple steps to effective decision making.

He writes on various social and current issues via his blog and can also be found on twitter.