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August 30, 1999
 Cover Story
Elections 99
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MANIFESTOS
Merging ManifestationsOn most substantive issues the distinction between the major
political alliances has blurred.
By Rohit Saran
You won't be blamed for not taking them
seriously. Replete with noble rhetoric, the election manifestos of political parties were
never meant to be taken at their face value. But the frequency of elections and the
realities of coalition politics has rid the manifestos of even the amusement value they
commanded till as late as the 1996 elections. The manifesto of the National Democratic
Alliance (NDA) is the best instance of the demise of a document which is meant to be the
agenda for a future government. The attempt to reconcile the ideologies of 24 affiliate
parties has reduced the NDA manifesto into an exercise in ambiguity. The Congress
manifesto, though more specific, suffers from another affliction. It is overtaken by the
events since the party last held power four years ago. The party's best-selling
proposition -- the economic reforms agenda -- has long been taken over and adopted by all
other political parties, barring those in the Left Front. Even on erstwhile contentious
issues like patents, foreign investment and international economic relations (mainly
WTO-related issues), there is an unexciting unanimity between the Congress and the NDA --
the two major political groupings in India today. The minute differences that do remain in
words vanish when one considers the deeds of parties when they were in power. Ironically,
the end of ideological uncertainty has only coincided with the heightened political
uncertainty.
WHO'S WOOING WHOM
The target groups of political parties are merging
just about as fast as their agenda |
Protectionists
Targeted by: NDA
Evidence: Its manifesto says: "We will
analyse the effects of globalisation and calibrate its process ... to suit our national
conditions." |
Foreign Investors
Targeted by: Congress
Evidence: Statement:
"Self-reliance is our objective ... but it must be given a contemporary
meaning." |
Infotech industry
Targeted by: Both, but more specifically NDA
Evidence: The alliance promises to formulate
an all new national informatics policy. |
Women
Targeted by: Both
Evidence: Both assure 33% reservation in
Parliament and state assemblies. Congress promises more jobs, NDA a development bank for
women entrepreneurs. |
Farmers
Targeted by: Both
Evidence: NDA's promises to allocate
60% of Plan funds for agriculture. Congress' answer is doubling of credit flow to small
farmers. |
Textile Industry
Targeted by: Congress
Evidence: Commitment to formulation of a comprehensive textile policy which will
also deal with rehabilitation of sick mills. |
Minorities
Targeted by: Both
Evidence: Congress promises to fill all reservation quotas. The NDA proposes a
constitutional amendment to continue with reservation. |
NDA'S SELLING POINTS |
AREAS OF CONSENSUS |
CONGRESS'SELLING POINTS |
| 1. Bar people of foreign origin from high legislative,
judicial and executive posts |
1. A law to limit government borrowing |
1. Cabinet committee to keep tabs on inflation |
| 2. Fixed term for Lok Sabha |
2. One-third reservation for women in legislatures
|
2. Abolition of import licensing by 2003 |
| 3. Special treatment to domestic industry |
3. Hike in educational expenditure to 6% of GDP |
3. Doubling of credit flow to small farmers |
| 4. New infotech policy |
4. Statehood to Uttarakhand, Jharkhand &
Chattisgarh |
4. Review of foreign investment ceiling in telecom
|
| 5. A bank to fund ventures of self-employed and
women |
5. Industry-government partnership in WTO talks |
5. A defence reforms panel |
| 6. Increase national savings from 24% to 30% of
GDP |
6. Passing of Lok Pal Bill |
6. A national competitiveness council |
| 7. 60% of Plan funds for agriculture and rural
development |
7. Annual foreign investment of $10 billion |
7. A national senior citizens' fund |
| 8. New broadcasting
bill to regulate private players |
|
8. Review of labour laws |
| 9. New textile policy |
NDA SPEAK |
| WHAT IT SAYS... |
...WHAT IT MEANS |
| 1.India
shall be built by Indians |
Preferential treatment to domestic industry; but it words not in deeds |
| 2. Poverty will be relegated to history like slavery and colonialism |
More new programmes aimed at poverty elimination |
3. Will assert India's position at the World Trade Organisation
|
Sound tough, but won't do ground-work for trade negotiations |
| 4.
Will create a hunger-free-India within five years |
Ask us after five years why we could not remove hunger |
| 5. Will reserve a third of parliamentary and assembly seats for women |
Will continue to deliver lip service since no deadline is set |
| 6. Will review Prasar Bharati Act and introduce a broadcasting bill |
Only to ensure that Doordarshan doesn't change for the better |
CONGRESS'S SPEAK |
| WHAT IT SAYS... |
...WHAT IT MEANS |
| 1. Stability is not an end in itself |
Given its record, this spells instability for non-Congress government |
| 2. Set up an administrative reforms committee to suggest cut in red tape |
Will add another layer to bureaucracy on the pretext of cutting it |
| 3. Accelerated employment will be the cornerstone of our economic policies |
With industry getting capital intensive, agriculture will create jobs |
| 4. There is no doublespeak in our approach to self-reliance |
We support foreign investment more than any other party does |
| 5 .Will reserve one third of all legislative seats for women |
Will not be done in haste since no time frame is specified |
| 6. Will give a status report on manifesto's implementation every year |
Now, will you take our promises somewhat seriously? |
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