The Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Bill and the Mines & Minerals (Development & Regulation) Amendment Bill had been placed in the Rajya Sabha. At the end of the show, there was a mismatch between the viewpoints expressed by some of the parties up to March 19 (when the debates were on) and their subsequent conduct. Having vociferously opposed, with some reasonable justification, that some parts of the Bills needed to be revisited, the very next day there was a full U-turn. They supported the Bills and quietly voted in their favour. For example, on Thursday last, the BJD opposed the amendment Bill vociferously asserting that it infringed on the rights of the States and violated the Federal structure.
This view had found support from some other parties. But on Friday, by an overnight change of hearts, BJD, TMC and SP supported the Bill. What perplexes the citizens, whom these members represent, is the overnight new reasoning that occasioned the dramatic change. This flip-flop could not have been based on any new wisdom that suddenly dawned on these high priests of political morality and consistency.
Much bravado about asserting the rights of a State as demonstrated in an organised manner appeared to be analogous to stage acting. If the regional parties like BJD and TMC were convinced of the stand they had hitherto taken, public accountability demands that they disclose the real reasons leading to the summersault. At the midnight hour, the tryst with destiny was forgotten. Inflow of the increased revenue cannot adequately answer the pertinent issues originally raised by the regional parties.
The morale for an ordinary citizen is that the much-asserted Constitutional and statutory rights of States could be the merchandise of overnight trade in the barter-house of political expediency. It is expected of the citizens to be inquisitive about the realities of this expediency and convenience that could suddenly render the collective Federal interests of the State irrelevant for this entity within the Union of India.
The emergent pattern indicates that when political expediency demands, the regional parties could be taken to be tacit and behind-the-scene supporters while otherwise projecting themselves to be the sole guardians of the adequate protection of the interest of the concerned States.
There are several reasons for the inconsistent conduct, and they shall gradually be revealed in the public domain. The need for political protection seems to be the lurking logic conditioning these activities. Alongside, there are provisions in the amendments that are meant to cover up the more-than-decade-old scams through abuse of Rule 24(A)(6) of the Mineral Concession Rules. Though the Supreme Court has laid down this rule to be limited to the first renewal to the mining lease, this rule is inherently ultra vires the parent Act. This issue remains res integra. The designed resort to “deemed” extension of the mining leases had its vitiating effect on mines administration over the last two decades and that should not be swept under the carpet.
The faith of the common citizen in the rationality and majority of the decision-making is bound to be shaken. Jugglery of principles continues to dominate with the regional parties being pliant enough to overnight change their views. This leads one to reasonably believe that policies and professed interest of the people of the State are capable of overnight radical alteration to subserve many collateral political needs.
*While we give up genuine and important causes concerning the State, in the Odisha Assembly, the Minister affirms that the State imports three essential food items, sugar, edible oil and dal. The State needs 1.92 lakh tonnes of sugar, 1.55 lakh tonnes of edible oil and 2.6 lakh tonnes of dal per annum. The State also imports 4.83 lakh tonnes of wheat and 8.71 lakh tonnes of potato per annum. It is common knowledge that but for the movement of trucks and other modes of transport from Andhra Pradesh to Odisha, we may have an acute shortage of bananas, fresh limes, chilies, fish, eggs and many other items. The overall scenario is one of selling prime raw materials with no substantial value addition and be dependent upon the import of basic requirements of food and allied agriculture products.
*It was ironical that in a conference held by the Institute of Social and Cultural Studies & Research and Information System for Development Experience, the Central Minister for External Affairs and the Chief Minister of Odisha found great benefits out of the industrialisation of Odisha and believed that more and more industries would be attracted to locate themselves in the State of Odisha. The investment and growth of the MSME sector have been dismal. To a great extent, they are neglected and ignored. large industries are sitting on large chunks of land when the trade, business and employment benefits have flown out our State into other pockets of India. It is time that an evaluation was undertaken by a competent independent body to ascertain “what we have given and what we have got”.
Such a study is to begin at a micro level and then be converted into a macro analysis. But loud voices are often not audible to the self-styled deaf. Even the loudest of voice may not help. The most vital section of the society, i.e., the youth (the largest in number) are actually being misdirected and defrauded of their rights. So, the movements have to emanate from them and not from the elder sections of the society, who like some regional parties, would buy peace for their own political expediency and sometimes for their improper objects. Odisha needs today an uprise of this choked youth power. This power is already ignited. It has to spread out in constructive directions and raise its voice and demand the necessary change and effectuate them. Several Governments in Odisha have had their fate decided in the hands of the youth. One wonders what the opiate is that has made this immense potential power go into a slumber and forget their future.
Where do we start this debate -- in the street corners or in the campus cornersIJ Every concerned citizen, specially the senior ones, is legitimately expecting the youth power to be articulate, audible and effective. Why should they suffer lack of basic medical facilities at the grassroots, non-availability of basic infrastructure, schools without buildings and schools without teachers (such a list can be very long). It is painful for them to feel the pinch of simultaneous spending of public money for publicising the pretended achievements of the Government. The taxpayer is further cunningly taxed. It is time that the youth of Odisha arise, awoke and were forcefully audible. And this certainly concerns us all!
(The writer, a Senior Advocate, is a former All India Service officer, a former diplomat, a former editor, a former President of the Orissa High Court Bar Association and a former Advocate General of Odisha. jayantdas@hotmail.com)