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Congress – Equivocal & BJP – Unequivocal on Black Money:

a brief history

नोट बदलन ेस ेदशे मेंक्या बदलगेया?

“Our efforts of reconstruction need not be clouded by prejudice or disregard for all that is inherited from our past. On the other hand, there is no need to cling to past institutions and traditions which have outlived their utility.”

-Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya

Editorial Advisors:Shakti Sinha, IAS (Rtd)Former Power & FinanceSecretary Govt. of Delhi

Dr. Anirban GangulyDirector, SPMRF

Dr. Shiv Shakti BakshiExecutive Editor, Kamal Sandesh

Dr. Vijay ChauthaiwaleIn Charge BJP Foreign Affairs Department& Convener, Overseas Friends of BJP

Dr. Dhananjay Singh(Assistant Professor)Jawaharlal Nehru University

Professor Santishree D. PanditProfessorSavitribal Phule Pune University &Vice President - Indian Politics Science Association

Dr. Amit SinghAssistant Professor ARSD College,Delhi University

Amit MalviyaNational In Charge, IT & SocialMedia Vibhag, BJP

Research Team• Siddharth Singh• Shivanand Dwivedi • Ajit Jha• Shailendra Kumar Shukla• Shubhendu Anand• Ayush anand• Vaibhav Chadha• Amit Kumar

LayoutPraveen Abhishek

CO

NTE

NT EDITORIAL

Congress – Equivocal & BJP – Unequivocal on Black Money - Dr. Anirban Ganguly

PM MODI’S VISION

Salient Points of PM Narendra Modi’s Inaugural Address at the Sixth Ministerial Conference of the Heart of Asia Istanbul Process on Afghanistan

Salient Points PM’s address to the farmers at inauguration ceremony of Amul units in Deesa, Gujarat

SPECIAL ARTICLE

Increasing Periodicity of Political Engagements with Israel - P R Kumaraswamy

नोट बदलने से देश में क्या बदलेगया? - हर्षवर्षन त्रिपाठी

POLICY ANALYSIS

The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016- Empowering the Divyangs - Nidhi Taparia & Shubhendu Anand

The Taxation Laws (Second Amendment) Act, 2016 – Stepping up the war against Black money - Vaibhav Chadha

Thinking for Differently-Abled - Shreya Kedia

POLITICAL COMMENTARIES

Crypto-Totalitarians Prevent Narendra Modi from Speaking in Parliament - Dr. Anirban Ganguly

गरीबो-ंमजदूरो ंके ललए लयाभकयारी ह ैनोटबंदी - अनंत ववजय

CULTURE

भयारतीय रयाजनीतत के ‘रयाजर्षि’ हैं अटल जी - पंकज कुमार झा दीन दययाल उपयाध्याय के तिचयारो ंमें अन्तर्नहहत है मयानि-कल्याण कया मयाग्ग

- शिवानन्द द्विवेदी

INDIA’S WORLD OF DIPLOMACY

Heart of Asia Conference in Amritsar: India’s endeavour to promote political consultations & regional cooperation for stable & prosperous Afghanistan - Siddharth Singh

PRESIDENT'S BLOG

पयाटटी कया गं्थयालय : रयाजनीतत की संस्यार शयालया - अममत िाह

PARTY PRESIDENT

Salient Points Of Speech by Shri Amit Shah Addressing Karyakarta Sammelan in Raipur on 12th December 2016

EVENT @ SPMRF

Discussion on “The Modi Doctrine: New Paradigms in India’s Foreign Policy” at Sathaye College, Vileparie (E), Mumbai

डॉ श्यामया प्रसयाद मुकजटी शोध अधधष्यान में हदनयाकं 17 हदसंम्बर 2016 को ‘सयाहहत्य और तिचयारधयारया’ तिषिय पर पररचचया्ग

EDITORIAL

4December, 2016

uring a media tête-a-tête sometime in December, BJP president Amit Shah Ji publicly spoke of the need to eradicate the role of black money in electioneering. He argued that the demand made by the BJP today is not something new; it had been doing so since the days of the Jana Sangh.

“What matters to us and towards which we wish to work is the eradication of the role of black money in our elections”, Shah said without mincing his words.

Naturally such a stance has put a number of others in a spot – one can see the extreme manifestations of their discomfiture through a continuous theatrical performance both inside and outside Parliament. The Congress is perhaps the hardest hit with such a stance; historically it is one party which has allowed this practise and habit to grow to gargantuan proportions. In fact Shah was right when he said that it was during Congress rule that the nation suffered from the paralysis of black money and the process of demonetisation was a surgery that was required to free the nation from the clutches of such a debilitation.

It is perhaps after a long hiatus – the last ones who spoke passionately on the issue of tackling the role of black money in elections was perhaps Jayaprakash Narayan, C. Rajagopalachari and Nanaji Deshmukh – that such a discourse is taking centrestage and the president of the largest as well as the ruling party is seen talking in no uncertain terms on the need to neutralise this parasitical disease silently eating away at the crucial entrails of our democratic polity. This, in itself, is a heartening development and must be welcomed by all those who wish to see a true cleansing and reform of our election system gradually take place.

In fact, as early as 1959, writing to one of his private secretaries, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, then President of the Indian Republic, had expressed a deep concern of this growing trend of corruption and had hoped that someday someone would have the gumption to undertake drastic measures. “Are we really walking on mines which may burst any day?” he wrote, “I hear that people are freely talking about corruption, bribery, nepotism...” Prasad called for probe and a “drastic remedy.”

Prasad’s colleague and leader Jawaharlal Nehru, however, exuded ambivalence when it came to tackling corruption and black money. Over fifteen years after he became Prime Minister, Nehru astonishingly argued that “Corruption is... the result of the democratic process; and I am a little afraid that as this process grows, corruption is going down to the villages.” The authors of an assessment of Nehru’s premiership observe, “Surprisingly, Nehru’s Government found no means to bring to book black-marketeers, adulterators and others indulging in dangerous anti-social activities. In a democratic set-up none expected Nehru to hang every black-marketeer from the nearest lamp-post [as he had once famously pledged to do], but if, in West Bengal alone, the Congress Party Government could between 1947-58 jail over “one hundred thousand people connected with the democratic

Dr. Anirban Ganguly

Amit Shah Ji’s point that this struggle against black-money was not a new found cause by the BJP and that the Party has been highlighting the issue of black money since the days of the Jana Sangh bears merit – at least activists and leaders with a sense of history will appreciate it. Those parties which have in any case lost their sense of history, their ideological moorings and have come to rely on the wisdom of imported academics and leaders will scarcely internalise such an allusion.

Congress – Equivocal & BJP – Unequivocal on Black Money

D

EDITORIAL

5December, 2016

movements of different sections of the people,” the country surely had the right to expect the Prime Minister to be equally ruthless towards corrupt and corrupting men.”

Towards the end of his life Nehru’s ambivalence towards corruption had aggravated, in November 1963 he told his partymen that “the talk of graft and corruption in India is exaggerated” while the president of his party – at that point of time N.Sanjeeva Reddy – had warned that the “organisation had lost its prestige “because many Congressmen who, before independence, had been paupers had by now become millionaires.” Nehru immediately modified his stance, adding that “unless corruption was rooted out from every walk of life all talk of socialism would be meaningless.” Gradually the search for his socialist utopia led to the creation of a cronyism and kickback based system where hoarding and black economy became the order of the day. His daughter did little to cleanse the system and instead reinforced and institutionalised the habit of graft and promoted cronies and did much to weaken the democratic system by often subverting the electoral process; her descendents further perfected that approach and under them in a decade between 2004 to 2014 one witnessed a no-holds barred abetting of corruption and squandering of public resources.

As early as 1961, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya had spoken of how a section with ill-gotten wealth was being enlisted in elections. “...A number of people are given tickets”, he pointed out, “for no other qualifications than their capacity to spend money. These people come in the field at election time and then hibernate for five years in the crowded bustees of Calcutta and Bombay. They do not come to the people to solicit their votes but to purchase them. They do not apply or qualify for the party ticket but purchase it. For them no price is too high. All that they want is to grease their way to the Parliament. For them it is a business deal...”

Amit Shah Ji’s point that this struggle against black-money was not a new found cause by the BJP and that the Party has been highlighting the issue of black money since the days of the Jana Sangh bears merit

– at least activists and leaders with a sense of history will appreciate it. Those parties which have in any case lost their sense of history, their ideological moorings and have come to rely on the wisdom of imported academics and leaders will scarcely internalise such an allusion.

In its first party document released on its founding day on 21st October 1951 under Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, the Jana Sangh referred to a “horde of problems” besetting India, both “internal and external, old and new, which instead of nearing solution after independence are daily getting aggravated...Her production is falling, black-marketing and profiteering are rampant and charges of corruption and favouritism against the administration...” are growing.

Jana Sangh’s economic resolution, “Economic Situation in the Throes of a Holocaust”, in its April 1974 session at Ujjain spoke unequivocally on the need to eradicate black-money, “The Indian economy”, it noted “is diseased, and present order of privileges, licences, black-money, and quotas is suffering from incurable cancer. Nothing short of a major overhaul can reverse the unerring descent to disaster.” Proffering detailed suggestions, the resolution said, among other things, that “Currency should be demonetised to unearth present hordes of black-money.”

While the previous ruling dispensation was tight lipped on this need and rapaciously and routinely indulged in scams, Narendra Modi took to serving the bitter brew that would start sweeping the system clean. He has called this a massive clean-up campaign which is sweeping clean a huge heap of accrued dirt and filth. Symbolically speaking Prime Minister referred to this on 22nd December at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and said that once it is cleaned, the ground where it stood will be converted into a garden for our national well-being.

Ironical isn’t it that some so called leaders have a problem with such an act, especially those among the communists, Congressmen and Trinamool congress who have made a career in politics by paying lip-service to the need for integrity in public life, they resist the cleaning up of our national life.

PM MODI’S VISION

6December, 2016

It is a particular pleasure to jointly inaugurate this Conference with our friend and partner, President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan

Since the turn of this century, the international community has extensively engaged in Afghanistan

Our gathering today re-affirms commitment of the international community to durable peace and lasting political stability in Afghanistan

We must protect and build on the gains of the last fifteen years and march ahead

We must demonstrate strong collective will to defeat terror network that cause bloodshed and spread fear

Silence and inaction against terrorism in Afghanistan and our region will only embolden terrorists and their masters

We should all work to build stronger positive connectivity between Afghanistan and other countries of the region

On India’s part, our commitment to our brave Afghan brothers and sisters is absolute and unwavering

As India implements its additional commitments, we are open to work with other like-minded partners for the development of Afghanistan

Salient Points of PM Narendra Modi’s Inaugural Address at the

Sixth Ministerial Conference of the Heart of Asia Istanbul Process on

Afghanistan on4th Dec, 2016 at Amritsar

PM MODI’S VISION

7December, 2016

The farmer of North Gujarat has shown to the world what he or she is capable of

I am told it is after a very long time that a Prime Minister is visiting Banaskantha. But, I am here not as PM but as a son of this soil

There was a time when people from Kutch & Banaskantha would leave their homes in search of better opportunities. It is not the case now

When I took over as Chief Minister, I would tell farmers that you need to focus on water as much as you focus on electricity

The farmers in Banaskantha heard my request and embraced drip irrigation. This changed their lives and lives of future generations

The farmers here turned to dairy and animal

husbandry. This was beneficial for the farmers

Along with ‘Shwet Kranti’, here there is also a ‘Sweet Kranti.’ People are being trained in honey products

The cheese of Amul brand is very popular worldwide

Today everyone in the nation is discussing the issue of currency notes

We took the decision on currency notes to strengthen the hands of the poor of the nation

For how long can poor of India be told to pay for houses in cash. For how long will poor be asked- you want Pucca bill or Kuccha bill

With our step on currency notes, we have been successful in weakening the hands of terrorists, those in fake currency rackets

Salient Points PM’s address to the farmers at inauguration ceremony of Amul units in Deesa, Gujarat on

10th Dec, 2016

PM MODI’S VISION

8December, 2016

Who is unhappy with corruption? Not those perpetrating corruption...it is the poor, the common citizens who are unhappy

We are standing with the poor of the nation

We belong to a nation where we do not think- what my interest. We are not a selfish nation. We think about future generations

Parliament is not being allowed to function

Happenings in Parliament anguished our President, who has tremendous political experience

Government has always said we are ready to debate. I am not being allowed to speak in Lok Sabha so I am speaking in the Jan Sabha

From the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel I want to share something with my friends in the Opposition

Yes, during elections we have a lot of heated debates. But we all call for increased voter turnout

Likewise, yes, you can oppose me but do teach people about banking, using technology for financial transactions

Merely talking about the poor is different from working for the poor, something that the NDA government is always doing

Today your banks and wallets are in your mobile. This is how things have changed

I urge you all to integrate people with e-banking, e-wallets

India wants to progress. Corruption and black money is slowing our progress and adversely affecting the poor. These evils have to end

These games of looting the poor and exploiting the middle classes will now be history

SPECIAL ARTICLE

9December, 2016

residential visits, though ceremonial, often communicate a subtle message about the status of bilateral relations, especially when such visits are less frequent and require

longer preparations. Hence, there are long gaps between reciprocal presidential visits even among friendly countries. While visits by prime minister signal the continued commitments to furthering bilateral ties, visits by heads of state indicate that the importance India attaches to the country in question and its commitment to improve relations. The same applies to Israel as well.

There has been a pattern in the political contacts with Israel since relations were established in January 1992. There was a larger national consensus when Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao reversed the four-decade old policy of recognition-without-normalization policy formulated by Jawaharlal Nehru. Political engagements since normalization however, have been less frequent. In quarter of a century, there were three presidential visits, namely, Ezer Weizman (December 1996-January 1997), Pranab Mukherjee (October 2015) and Reuven Rivlin (November 2016) and one by the Prime Minister, namely Ariel Sharon in September 2003.

Since 1992 three External Affairs Ministers visited Israel, namely Jaswant Singh (July 2000), S M Krishna (January 2012) and Sushma Swaraj (January 2016). From Israel Shimon Peres came to India in

1993 as foreign minister and Silvan Shalom visited in February 2004. Likewise, after the visit of L K Advani in July 2000, Rajnath Singh became the second Indian Home Minister to visit Israel in November 2015. The only defense ministerial level exchange took place when Moshe Ya’alon was hosted in February 2015. Indeed, there were also a few visits that did not happen, especially by Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in the early 1990s and by President K R Narayanan.

On 16 May 2014 as election results were being announced, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu became the first world leader to congratulate Narendra Modi on his landslide victory and since then there were periodic contacts and exchanges between the two countries. In continuation of his earlier exchanges as the chief minister of Gujarat, Modi has been expressing his warmth towards Israel through meetings during UN General Assembly, Paris Climate Summit or during the funeral of Lee Kwan Yew in Singapore. In the past, such occasions were used for photo-ops with the Palestinian leaders. He has also at times expressed his admiration for the Kibbutz system and for the late David Ben Gurion.

There is an interesting pattern in the bilateral exchanges with Israel. While bilateral relations continued to flourish when the Congress party was in power in the Centre, political contacts were few. If prolonged pro-Palestinian position contributed to Rao’s hesitation for high-level contacts, Manmohan

Increasing Periodicity of Political Engagements with

Israel

P R Kumaraswamy

P

SPECIAL ARTICLE

10December, 2016

Singh faced a different problem. As Finance Minister Singh represented in India during the funeral of slain Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in November 1995 but as prime minister his options were limited by coalition compulsions, especially when the Left Parties were demanding a ‘course correction’ and limited politico-strategic ties with Israel. Thus, it was only during the NDA rule, first under Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and now under Modi one could notice visible and—one might add unapologetic—political contacts with Israel.

Seen in this context, Rivlin’s visit indicates the shortened time gap in political contacts between the two countries. The reciprocal visit by the Indian President happened nearly two decade after Weizman’s visit in January 1997 but Rivlin came to India just a year after Mukherjee’s path breaking visit to Israel in October 2015. Both sides wish to avoid too long a gap between political contacts and exchanges.

At the same time, it is essential to remember that the absence of visible political exchanges has not hampered the flow and trajectory of the bilateral relations. In the initial years especially since the late 1990s, military-security ties have become an important component of the bilateral relations with the Ministry of Defense adopting a professional and non-political approach to benefits accruing out of robust cooperation with Israel. Gradually the Ministry of Agriculture emerged as the key driver in furthering the bilateral cooperation with Israel in a host of areas such as agriculture, horticulture floriculture, irrigation and water management, farming techniques, animal husbandry etc.,

Though important, political visits alone are insufficient to further bilateral relations with any country. Most visits by presidents, prime ministers and other leaders from a host of countries to India rarely make it to the front pages and are largely forgotten by

the Indian media. Hence, to be relevant there has to be a substantial content to bilateral relations and this is the case with Israel. Quarter of a century after the belated normalization, the relations are on a stable and progressive trajectory and encompass a host of new areas including waste recycling, infrastructure development and above all academic cooperation. Some of these are long-term projects whose outcomes should not be measured in terms of material gains or even by the number of direct beneficiaries. They have the potential to dent the traditional anti-Israeli rhetoric of the Indian elite and urban middle class and the process provide a rural base for robust ties with the Jewish State.

However, for a sustained growth of the bilateral relations periodic high-level contacts become necessary both for signaling the political support for the process and for providing the direction. It is in this context one should view the likely visit of Prime Minister Modi to Israel. Since May 2014 there were widespread speculations of Israel being high on his agenda and the following May External Affairs Minister even announced that the Prime Minister’s visit would take place ‘this year’. Moreover, beginning with his visit to the UAE in August 2015, Modi had visited all the principal countries in the Middle East, namely, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran and Qatar and only Israel is still pending. Most observers feel that his visit to Israel would be the hallmark of the 25th anniversary celebrations of the bilateral relations.

Professor P R Kumaraswamy teaches contemporary Middle East at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New

Delhi and is the Honorary Director of Middle East Institute, New Delhi (www.mei.org.in) and is the

author of India’s Israel Policy(Columbia University Press, 2010)

SPECIAL ARTICLE

11December, 2016

फ्ट लिबरि या कांग्रेसी सरकार में पोलित अर्थशाल्रियों को जयादा सनु िीलिए तो आप पककरे तौर पर संदरेह में आ िाएगंरे लक सरकार नरे एक ऐसा कदम उठा लिया ह ैलिससरे दरेश की

अर्थवयवसरा धवसत होनरे िा रही ह।ै छो्टरे-मो्टी मदंी भी आ रही ह।ै अमरय्थ सरेन सरे िरेकर पवू्थ प्रधानमतं्ी डॉक्टर मनमोहन लसंह को सनुतरे ऐसा ही समझ में आता ह।ै यरे इसलिए भी समझ में आ रहा ह ैकयोंलक, सरकार को बार-बार नए फैसिरे िरेनरे पड़ रहरे हैं। इस विह सरे भी यरे िगनरे िगा ह ैलक सरकार नरे कहीं गित फैसिा तो नहीं िरे लिया। लफर िब इतनरे बड़रे अर्थशा्रिी यरे कह रहरे हों, तो उनकी बात मानकर सरकार पर संदरेह कर िरेना सवाभालवक बनता ह।ै यरे इसलिए भी मई 2014 करे पहिरे करे 6 साि दरेश में इस तरह की लसरलतयां बन गई ंरीं लक सरकार पर संदरेह सबसरे पहिरे होता ह।ै उसी संदरेहकाि करे प्रधानमतं्ी मनमोहन लसंह अर्थशा्रिी करे तौर पर अर्थवयवसरा करे िगभग धवसत हो िानरे की बात कर रहरे हैं। उसी संदरेहकाि में पहिरे नािंदा लवश्वलवद्ािय करे कुिालधपलत रहरे और बाद में लवश्वलवद्ािय की सलमलत करे सदसय रहरे नोबि परुसकार लविरेता अमरय्थ सरेन तो इस फैसिरे को तानाशाही, अरयाचारी, लनरंकुश लकसम का फैसिा बता रहरे हैं। इतनरे बड़रे िोगों की बात पर भरोसा करना तो बनता ह।ै िरेलकन, मझुरे िगता ह ैलक इनकी बातों पर संदरेह करे परुानरे और नए दोनों मिबतू आधार हैं। डॉक्टर मनमोहन लसंह इस दरेश आलर्थक सधुारों करे चरेहररे करे तौर पर िानरे िातरे हैं। तरकािीन प्रधानमतं्ी पी वी नरलसंहाराव नरे उनहें वो करनरे लदया, लिससरे वो आलर्थक सधुारों करे इलतहास में इलतहास परुुि बन गए। िरेलकन, यरे भी लछपा तथय नहीं ह ैलक सरकार में लकसी न लकसी पद पर रहतरे, चितरे प्रधानमतं्ी की कुससी तक पहुचंतरे उनकी लनष्ा लकस कदर कांग्रेस करे प्रलत रही। और

लिस तरह सरे नरेंद्र मोदी नरे उनकी सरकार की नाकालमयों को िनता को बताकर सत्ा सरे ह्टाया, वो भिा सरकार- खासकर नरेंद्र मोदी- करे लकसी भी फैसिरे को कयों अचछा बताएगंरे। दसूररे अमरय्थ सरेन खिुरे तौर पर नरेंद्र मोदी का िमकर लवरोध करतरे रहरे हैं। इस कदर लक नािंदा लवश्वलवद्ािय करे बोड्थ सरे उनहोंनरे इसतीफा दरे लदया रा। िहां वो यपूीए करे शासनकाि में 9 सािों तक रहरे। अमरय्थ सरेन की कही बातों को सनुतरे ऐसरे िगता ह ैलक िैसरे इस दरेश की सारी समसयाए ंमई 2014 करे बाद नरेंद्र मोदी करे प्रधानमतं्ी बनतरे ही अवतररत हो गई हैं। इतना पक्षपाती लवचार रखनरे वािा लकतना भी महान लवचारक, िानकार हो, उस पर संदरेह करना ही होगा। इसीलिए डॉक्टर मनमोहन लसंह और अमरय्थ सरेन पर संदरेह करना परुानी विहों सरे िरूरी हो िाता ह।ै अमरय्थ सरेन हमरेशा यही बतानरे में िगरे रहतरे हैं लक िो मनमोहन लसंह नरे कांग्रेस उसको भनुा नहीं पाई ह।ै

लसफ्थ परुानी विहें ही नहीं हैं। बल्क, ढरेर सारी नई विहें भी हैं। यरे वो विहें हैं िो नो्टबदिी/नो्टबंदी करे फैसिरे करे दौरान/बाद में हुई हैं और हो रही हैं। लवमदु्रीकरण करे फैसिरे का सबसरे बरुा असर बताया िा रहा ह ैलक दरेश में रोिगार खरम सा हो गया ह।ै जयादातर िोग नकदी नहीं होनरे सरे िोगों को नौकरी सरे लनकाि रहरे हैं। िरेलकन, अभी तक कहीं सरे भी कोई तथय नहीं आया लक कहां नौकरी चिी गई।ं लसवाय इसकरे लक भावनारमक भािण अर्थशा्रि िाननरे वािों की तरफ सरे भी आए। इसलिए नौकरी करे बड़रे िानकारों की बात सनुतरे हैं। दलुनया की बड़ी काम लदिानरे वािी कंपनी ईएमए पा्ट्थनस्थ इ्ंटरनरेशनि करे भारतीय मनैरेलिंग पा्ट्थनर करे सदुश्थन कहतरे हैं लक रोिगार करे बािार की लसरलत अभी लमिी ििुी ह।ै 2017 की पहिी लतमाही तक यरे अलनलचितता बनी रह सकती ह।ै उससरे अगिी लतमाही में

नोट बदलन ेस ेदशे में क्या बदलगेया? हर्षवर्षन त्रिपाठी

ले

SPECIAL ARTICLE

12December, 2016

अनमुालनत नौकररयां होंगी। िरेलकन, लकसी भी कमपनी नरे अभी तक काम करे िोग खोिनरे में कमी नहीं की ह।ै और यरे बड़ी बात ह ैलक कंपलनयां अपनरे काम करे िोगों को खोि रही हैं। यरे आशकंा बरेबलुनयाद सालबत होती लदखती ह ैलक िोगों की नौकररयां िा रही हैं। पारमपररक क्षरेत्ों में नौकररयां पहिरे भी नहीं बढ़ रही रीं। नौकररयां नए क्षरेत्ों में ही लमि रही रीं और लवमदु्रीकरण करे बाद उन नए क्षरेत्ों में पहिरे सरे जयादा तरेिी सरे नौकररयां लमिनरे की समभावना ह।ै नो्टबंदी करे तरंुत बाद कैश ऑन लडिीवरी लवक्प सरे खरीदनरे वािरे 70 प्रलतशत कम हुए। िरेलकन, उसकी िगह लडलि्टि परेमरेन्ट गरे्टवरे सरे िोगों नरे भगुतान करना शरुू कर लदया और अब परेमरेन्ट गरे्टवरे, ई वॉिरे्ट और फाइनेंलशयि ्टरेकनोिॉिी वािी कपलनयों में पैदा हुई नई मांग को परूा करनरे करे लिए नए िोगों की िरूरत तरेिी सरे बढ़ी ह।ै लडलि्टि माकके ल्ंटग करे क्षरेत् में नई नौकररयां आ रही हैं। फामा्थ, रर्टरेि और एफएमसीिी में जयादा नौकररयों का अनमुान िगाया िा रहा ह।ै एक और िो बड़ी आशकंा री लक ररयि एस्टरे्ट क्षरेत् नो्टबंदी सरे धवसत हो िाएगा और यहां पहिरे सरे चिी आ रही मदंी और गहरा िाएगी। मिदरूों को रोिगार लछन िाएगा। पहिरे तािा तथय। तािा तथय यरे ह ैलक 8 सािों में इस साि की पहिी तीन लतमाही में सबसरे जयादा ररहायशी घर लबकरे । इसको ऐसरे समझें लक 2008 सरे 2016 करे दौरान 2016 में सबसरे जयादा ररहायशी घर लबकरे । यरे इसकरे बाविदू ह ैलक मोदी सरकार नरे ररयि एस्टरे्ट ररेगिुरेशन लबि पास कर लदया ह।ै हािांलक, अभी इसका परूी तरह सरे लब्डरों पर असर लदखना बाकी ह।ै िरेलकन, असर लब्डरों पर ह ैइसलिए वो नए प्रोिरेक्ट शरुू करनरे करे बिाए परुानरे प्रोिरेक्ट परूा करकरे उनहें ग्ाहकों को दरेनरे पर जयादा िोर दरे रहरे हैं। िरेएिएि इलंडया करे चीफ ऑपररेल्ंटग ऑफीसर रमरेश नायर कह रहरे हैं लक लवमदु्रीकरण और दसूररे सधुारों- ररयि एस्टरे्ट ररेगिुरे्टरी लबि, बरेनामी टांिैकशन लबि, िीएस्टी- की विह सरे ररयि एस्टरे्ट बािार परूी तरह सरे तैयार हो गया ह।ै बािार में िायि ग्ाहक वापस आ रहरे हैं। इसका मतिब साफ ह ैलक कािा धन करे िररयरे ररयि एस्टरे्ट में लनवरेश करकरे रातोंरात मनुाफा कमानरे वािरे इस बािार सरे बाहर हो रहरे हैं और अपना रहनरे का घर या लनवरेश करे लिए दसूरा घर िरेनरे वािों की तादात बढ़ रही ह।ै

नकदी की कमी नरे एक और कमाि का काम लकया ह।ै दरेश में िमाखोरी पर गिब का अकुंश िगा ह।ै पककरे तौर पर इसकरे आकंड़रे शायद बाद में लमिें। िरेलकन, अभी करे हाि िोगों करे पास घ्टी नकदी की विह सरे िोग रोि की िरूरत का सामान उतना ही खरीद रहरे हैं, लितना िरूरी ह।ै इससरे बािार में मांग में कमी आई ह।ै और करीब 50 लदन का यरे िमबा समय होनरे की विह सरे िमाखोरों करे लिए रोि करे इसतरेमाि का सामान इकट्ा करकरे रखना िोलखम भरा हो गया। इस विह सरे िमाखोरों नरे सामानों की िमाखोरी करनरे करे बिाए उनहें बािार में िा लदया। इसका असर दरेखनरे को लमिा िब नवंबर महीनरे में रोक और खदुरा महगंाई दर में अचछी खासी लगराव्ट दरेखनरे को लमिी ह।ै रो्टी, कपड़ा और मकान की िरूरत परूी होनरे करे बाद ही घमूनरे करे लिए िोग लनकितरे हैं। और अर्थवयवसरा बरेहतर होनरे

का यरे संकरे त भी ह ैअगर िोगों जयादा घमू रहरे हैं, खरीद कर रहरे हैं। साि करे अतं में छुरटियां लबतानरे वािरे कम नहीं हुए हैं। 8 नवमबर की नो्टबंदी करे बाद रोड़ी कमी करे बाद लफर सरे तरेिी सरे िोगों नरे बलुकंग कराई ह।ै और सबसरे अचछी बात यरे ह ैलक जयादातर िोग दरेश में ही घमूनरे को प्रारलमकता दरे रहरे हैं। लवमदु्रीकरण करे फैसिरे करे महीनरे यानी नवमबर में घररेि ूहवाई यात्ा करनरे वािरे 22 प्रलतशत सरे जयादा बढ़रे हैं। 90 िाख िोग दरेश में एक िगह सरे दसूरी िगह गए हैं। नवमबर महीनरे में अब तक लकसी भी एक महीनरे में सबसरे जयादा घररेि ूहवाई यात्ा िोगों नरे की ह।ै यरे आकंड़रे सपष्ट करतरे हैं लक लिस तरह का ह्िा िरेफ्ट लिबरि और कांग्रेस पोलित अर्थशा्रिी लवमदु्रीकरण करे फैसिरे करे लखिाफ मचा रहरे ररे, वो बरेबलुनयाद ह।ै

वैसरे भी प्रधानमतं्ी नरेंद्र मोदी की निर िमबरे फायदरे पर ह।ै उत्र प्रदरेश या लकसी राजय करे चनुाव को िरेकर यरे फैसिा नहीं लिया गया ह।ै इसका अदंािा 16 लदसमबर को भारतीय िनता पा्टसी करे सांसदों करे सार प्रधानमतं्ी नरेंद्र मोदी की बातचीत सरे िगाया िा सकता ह।ै 2 बातें प्रधानमतं्ी नरे बड़ी साफ कही हैं। पहिी लकसी को भी उसकरे परुानरे गित काम करे लिए दोि ठहरानरे का काम यरे सरकार नहीं कररेगी यानी आयकर अलधकारी लकसी कारोबारी या वयलति करे खातरे में अचानक आई जयादा रकम करे आधार पर उसरे पहिरे का लहसाब दरेनरे को नहीं कहेंगरे। प्रधानमतं्ी नरे यरे साफ लकया लक इससरे लपछिरे एक दशक सरे दसूरी काय्थ संसककृ लत करे आदी िोगों को मखुयधारा में नई संसककृ लत करे सार काम करनरे में पररेशानी होगी और वो इन उिझनों सरे बचनरे करे लिए लछपतरे रहेंगरे। इसलिए िरूरी ह ैलक आि सरे िोगों को नई काय्थ संसककृ लत करे लिहाि सरे तैयार लकया िाए। दसूरी बात उनहोंनरे िो कही लक मैं चाहता हू ंलक आनरे वािरे समय में 6 लमन्ट में लकसी कारोबारी को कि्थ लमि िाए। अभी तो छो्टरे कारोबारी का कोई बैंक खाता, िरेन-दरेन का लहसाब न होनरे सरे बैंक उसरे कि्थ दरेनरे में लहचकतरे हैं। यरे बात इसलिए जयादा महरवपणू्थ ह ैकयोंलक, यरे मोदी करे स्टा्ट्थअप इलंडया को मिबतू कररेगा।

लवमदु्रीकरण सरे दरेश में बहुत कुछ बदिा ह।ै एक बदिाव तथयारमक तौर पर यरे भी ह ै लक दरेश करे सभी शहरी लनकायों का रािसव नवमबर महीनरे में गिब बढ़ा ह।ै और यरे कोई लद्िी या हररयाणा की बात नहीं ह।ै आकंड़रे बता रहरे हैं लक दरेश की नगर पालिकाओ ंमें िोगों नरे लवमदु्रीकरण करे बाद तरेिी सरे परुानरे कर चकुाए हैं। 1000 और 500 करे परुानरे नो्ट बंद होनरे का यरे एक बड़ा असर ह।ै एक पहि ूयरे ह,ै तो दसूरा पहि ूयरे ह ैलक परूी तरह सरे नकदी पर चिनरे वािरे गित धधंरे ्ूट्ट गए हैं। यरे दरेश बदिनरे की शरुुआत ह।ै इतंिार कीलिए दरेश बदि रहा ह।ै तरेिी सरे बदि रहा ह।ै अभी और कई बड़रे बदिाव लदखनरे बाकी हैं।

लेखक वरिष्ठ परिकाि एवं स्ंभकाि हैं।

POLICY ANALYSIS

13December, 2016

n a session that was otherwise full of disrup-tions due to a frivolous opposition and its imprudent tactics, the passage of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2016 was the

only silver lining on the black cloud. The Lok Sabha, where the BJP and its allies enjoy majority, passed it on the very last day of the winter session i.e. December 16, Friday. The Upper House had already approved of it on Wednesday, December 14. Prime Minister Nar-endra Modi has termed this as a “landmark moment” that will contribute greatly to the welfare of our soci-ety’s specially-abled sections.

The Census of 2011 reported that there were 2.68 crore disabled persons in the country, who con-stitute around 2 percent of the national population. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, now an Act, will supersede the existing Persons with Dis-abilities Act, 1995. The 1995 Act, which was enacted more than two decades ago, was losing relevance and functionality. Only 7 kinds of disabilities came under the purview of the 1995 PwD Act, sharply limiting its outreach. Countering the obsolescence of its an-tecedent, the 2016 version of the PwD Act takes into account 21 disabilities. Moreover the government is now authorized to notify any other category of special

The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016- Empowering

the Divyangs

Nidhi Taparia & Shubhendu Anand

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POLICY ANALYSIS

14December, 2016

disability. Among its other highlights, it also increases the reservation in vacancies in government establish-ments for benchmark disabilities from 3 per cent to 4 per cent. Persons with at least 40% of a disability are entitled to certain benefits such as reservations in ed-ucation and employment, preference in government schemes, etc. The Act hence, shows the government’s considerateness towards taking up the concerns of our country’s specially-abled citizens and comes with a lot of promise of bringing welfare to them.

Acid attacks have been on a rise in recent years. With the enactment of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, acid attack victims are also covered in its ambit. Specific learning disabilities like dyslexia and speech and learning disability have been included for the very first time. Classes or categories have been created, with one of them also taking into account dwarfism and muscular dystrophy. Further, blood disorders like for instance thalassemia, hemo-philia and sickle cell disease have been in the form of a new category altogether. All the other seven major disabilities, that the previous Act made mention of, like blindness, mental illness and hearing impairment have been retained. The 2016 Act defines disability as an evolving and dynamic concept. It is, therefore, in the larger interests of the nation, that government has been authorized to notify any other category also.

The Bill was moved by Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Thawar Chand Gehlot who an-nounced that a scheme for a universal identity card for the disabled is also on their cards and an agency has already been finalized for this task. Provisions will be made to link this card with AADHAR to make it more useful and universal.

A plethora of other amendments have also been made on the 2014 Bill. Women and children with disabilities have found a special mention in it

and also provides for guardianship granted by District Courts. There will be joint decision making between the persons with disabilities and the guardians. In case of mentally ill persons, district courts may award two types of guardianship. A limited guardian takes deci-sions jointly with the mentally ill person. A plenary guardian takes decisions on behalf of the mentally ill person, without consulting him. One of the import-ant amendments in the Act is that it imposes putative action against those who are found discriminating against the differently-abled persons. The Act Pro-vides for an imprisonment of at least six months up to two years, along with a fine ranging between Rs 10,000 and five lakh rupees for those indulging in dis-crimination.

Private firms have been included in the ‘es-tablishments’ definition and they are from now on, entrusted with the responsibility of providing ob-stacle-free access in buildings, all kinds of public in-frastructure and transport systems. The office of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities and its state-level counterparts have been strengthened that will function as regulatory bodies and grievance redressal mechanisms.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Per-sons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) is the internation-al framework of policies that benchmark concerns of the said people. India, already a signatory to the UN-CRPD, will now also conform to it with the coming of the 2016 Act. This makes India’s policies compliant with international standards.

Nidhi Taparia is studying Economics at St. Xavier’s College, Jaipur.

Shubhendu Anand is a post-graduate law student at Queen Mary, University of London.

POLICY ANALYSIS

15December, 2016

he Taxation Laws (Second Amendment) Act, 2016 came into force on 15th December, 2016. The Bill which is now an Act was introduced by the Government as a Money

Bill to amend the Income Tax Act, 1961 and Finance Act, 2016 to bring in new strict provisions to tax black money deposited in banks post Demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes announced by PM Narendra Modi on November 8, 2016. The Act introduces the Taxation and Investment Regime for Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, 2016 which commenced on December 17, 2016 and will remain open until March 31, 2017. The scheme provides a last window to people

with black wealth to come clean by paying tax or face heavy penalties.

The Taxation Laws (Second Amendment) Act, 2016 comes as a second major step after the Income Declaration Scheme (IDS), 2016 which was announced by the Modi Government earlier this year. Under IDS, the black money holders were given an opportunity by Government to come clean by paying 45% tax on their black money and to have the remaining amount. This 45% included 30% tax, 7.5% penalty and 7.5% surcharge. The scheme turned out to be successful as a total of 64,275 declarations were filed online and

The Taxation Laws (Second Amendment) Act, 2016 – Stepping

up the war against Black money

Vaibhav Chadha

T

POLICY ANALYSIS

16December, 2016

total disclosures worth Rs. 65,250 crore in the form of cash and other assets were made under the Income Disclosure Scheme, 2016. As a result of this scheme, the tax collections of Government swell by nearly Rs 29,000 crores.

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana provides for a 30% tax on the undisclosed income, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Cess @ 33% of tax and a Penalty @10% of the undisclosed income. This makes total tax on undisclosed income 50%. Also, the declarant under the new Act shall be required to deposit 25% of undisclosed income into the ‘Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Deposit Scheme, 2016’ and shall be allowed to withdraw it only after four years, that too, without interest. Eventually, the declarant shall only be able to keep with him the remaining 25% of the total black money declared.

Under the new provisions, the Taxman will neither make the details of declarant public nor will use the declarations made as evidence against the declarant under any other law. However, PMGKY does not provide any immunity to the declarant in respect of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (2002), Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act (1988), Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) & Imposition of Tax Act (2015), the Special Court (Trial of Offences Relating to Transactions in Securities) Act (1992) and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (1967).

The Taxation Laws (Second Amendment) Act, 2016 also brings more stringent provisions for unexplainable income i.e. cases where the taxpayer is unable to explain his income. The Act seeks to increase the tax rate on such incomes from 30% to

60% of unexplained income, and surcharge from between 2-15% on tax payable to a flat rate of 25% of tax payable. Also, a penalty of 10% has been introduced in cases where the Assessing Officer finds the unexplained income.

The Act has even increased the Penalty for search seizure cases i.e. cases where undisclosed income is found during a search. In the cases where the taxpayer admits holding undisclosed income, the penalty has been increased from 10% to 30% of undisclosed income and if the taxpayer does not admit holding undisclosed income, the penalty in such cases has been raised to 60% from 20% of undisclosed income.

There have been many instances post November 8 where people with large sums of demonetised notes have been caught while converting them into new currency notes. Had the Government kept its eye closed over such issues it would have enabled some big fishes to escape the Taxman’s net. And in this backdrop the measure taken by the Government to grant such black money holders one last opportunity to pay taxes with heavy penalty on their amount and to have the remaining money in their hand is appreciable. By this Act, the Government will not only be able to get higher revenue for formulating pro poor policies in the country but also the remaining part of the declared income shall come into the formal economy.

(Writer is a Research Associate at Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation, New Delhi)

POLICY ANALYSIS

17December, 2016

A mid daily adjournments following demonetisation, it was heartening to witness the Rajya Sabha pass a crucial piece of legislation, the only parliamentary work

done this Winter Session, to address the concerns of one of the most marginalised sections of society. It is almost after a decade that India ratified its commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by approving this domestic law that is in conformity with the charter.

Nevertheless, now that the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2016, has been passed by both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha, efforts must be made to ensure that the provisions of the Bill do not remain on paper only, but are implemented in letter and spirit, with a sense of purpose, to enhance the rights and entitlements of the disabled, for their enhanced integration into society.

Crucially, the new Bill seeks to address the discrimination that the disabled community had been facing – they get segregated, face discrimination and barriers at work place and schools, and also suffer from stereotypes. As per Census 2011, only 2.2 per cent of the Indian population have disabilities. However, there is a lurking fear that the numbers could be higher, somewhere around four to five per cent of the population. Of these figures, about 64 per cent of the disabled people were unemployed. In a bid to address this double disability, the Bill seeks to increase reservations for them in higher education and also in employment.

Another key amendment of the Bill is that it imposes putative action against those who are found

discriminating. Violators had until now enjoyed a free run, owing to lack of retaliatory punishment for non-compliance in the 1995 Act. The new Bill will comes as a deterrent for them as it seeks to impose both, heavy penalties and jail term. The new Bill is in compliance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Accessible India Campaign, and seeks to make all Government and public buildings disabled-friendly. The onus now falls on the authorities to make ensure that the disabled enjoy their constitutional rights. Now that the country has taken a big step, through this global commitment, ground efforts must be made to improve the lives of the disabled and for holistic participation and integration of the disabled with the society.

The enhanced provisions of the new Bill are as follows:

Expanding its ambit, the new Bill goes on to recognise a total of 19 conditions under disability: Autism spectrum disorder; low vision; blindness; cerebral palsy; deaf blindness; hemophilia; hearing impairment; leprosy cured person; intellectual disability; mental illness; locomotor disability; muscular dystrophy; multiple sclerosis; specific learning disabilities; speech and language disability; sickle cell disease; thalassemia; chronic neurological conditions and multiple disability.

Additionally, it recognises disabilities resulting from acid attacks and parkinson’s disease.

Gives the Union Government the liberty to notify any other condition as a disability.

Individuals with 40 per cent disability will be entitled to a few benefits which include reservations

Thinking For Differently-Abled

Shreya Kedia

POLICY ANALYSIS

18December, 2016

in education institutes and employment in offices, preference in Government schemes, among others.

With an aim to give the disabled more rights and entitlements, besides Government buildings, the Bill seeks to make public buildings - hospitals, modes of transport, polling stations – disabled-friendly for easy access to all.

Reservation in higher education institutions and in Government offices have been increased from three per cent to five per cent for the disabled.

Provides for an imprisonment of at least six months up to two years, along with a fine ranging between Rs 10,000 and five lakh rupees for those found discriminating against the differently-abled.

Children between the ages of six to 18 years, with a benchmark disability, have the right to free education in a neighbourhood school or special school if required. Additionally, all Government and Government-aided institutions of higher education are required to reserve at least five per cent of seats for

persons with benchmark disabilities. For admission in higher education institutions, they will be allowed relaxation in the upper age limit, by five years.

Five per cent of Government-owned or controlled establishments shall be reserved for persons with benchmark disabilities. One per cent of this must be reserved for persons with (i) blindness and low vision; (ii) hearing and speech impairment; (iii) locomotor disability; (iv) autism, intellectual disability and mental illness; (v) multiple disabilities. In case of mentally ill persons, district courts can award two types of guardianship.

For mentally ill persons, the Bill lays down two provisions: First, a limited guardian who will take decisions jointly with the mentally ill person. Second, a plenary guardian will take decisions on behalf of the mentally ill person, without consulting him.

(The writer is a columnist)

POLITICAL COMMENTARIES

19December, 2016

hen genuflecting intellectuals with cleverly concealed dynastic loyalties write with a clear political objective of

denigrating a particular personality, they are explained away – by a section – as genuine scholars. While posing to be neutral assessors of Indian politics, these types have actually spent a lifetime earning laurels, positions and pelf for their articulate lampooning of a certain trend of thought and of action which differed from the monochromatic reading of India that their political masters sought to impose.

In short, in academics and intellectual

assessments they exude the very type of bhakti that they keep warning against in politics. But camouflaged intellectual bhakti is more dangerous than an open display of adherence. For these types, those who write about Narendra Modi, or choose to explain and interpret his words and vision of governance, of India, of India first, of cleansing the system are to be bracketed as “bhakts” while they arrogate to themselves the label of free thinkers and “genuine” intellectuals.

A certain one among these – at times the most confused among the lot – has compared Narendra Modi and Indira Gandhi and sees an imaginery

Crypto-Totalitarians Prevent Narendra Modi from Speaking in

Parliament

Dr. Anirban Ganguly

W

POLITICAL COMMENTARIES

20December, 2016

personality cult around Modi, which he argues, can “severely damage” Indian democracy. For those who have actually seen the period when Indira Gandhi assumed dictatorial powers, would surely laugh at such a facile comparison.

Indira then and her family even now have always tried to talk their way out of any discussion on the Emergency. Till date one has hardly ever heard them utter any significant recant on the black deeds of that period. For those who have not come up to the mantle of leadership from the grassroots, or have not risen through incessant struggles and a mingling with the ordinary workers of a political party, episodes like the Emergency have scant import. Indira and her descendents or political heirs have always had it easy hence the sacredness of India’s democratic spirit is a notion and not a pulsating reality that they can empathise and identify with.

Modi has of course come up literally from the railway platform and spent the majority of his peripatetic youthful years in actually interacting with the constituent roots of this country and in internalising their aspirations. During Emergency he was among the thousands of activists of the Jana Sangh and RSS who struggled to save democracy from Indira’s prisons. The securing of India’s democratic aspirations is thus deeply internalised in his world-view, this requires no reiteration. The Congress’s first family and its courtier intellectuals prefer to omit this cardinal aspect while trying to paint Modi as a dictator. In Gujarat then and in Delhi now Modi did not and

does not have the luxury of overturning mandates, subverting assemblies, surpassing the judiciary and toppling state governments in the manner, Nehru, Indira and her progenies did.

The danger is not that Modi may turn into a dictator, far from it; the danger is that his detractors and political opponents will try to falsify and suppress the democratic mandate he has earned after a grind and will submerge it in the well of rhetoric and gas talks on peoples’ welfare. The recent habit of not allowing him to speak in Parliament, of subverting the tradition of parliamentary debate is an early manifestation of that attempt.

In fact these crypto totalitarians have always exuded contempt for any democratic mandate that has been won by leaders other than them. Since Narendra Modi won a legitimate democratic mandate – the largest in three decades – in course of an election that has intellectually and politically exposed them, they choose to denigrate it and employ their bhakt-intellectuals to raise the bogey of fascism and of dictatorship. It is they who are the actual propagandists...

(A version of this article 1st appeared in the Sunday Standard, 18th December 2016)

POLITICAL COMMENTARIES

21December, 2016

धानमतं्ी नररेनद्र मोदी नरे नो्टबंदी करे फैसिरे को िाग ूकरकरे बड़ा ररसक लिया ह ैिो अगर वो नहीं भी िरेतरे तो कोई फक्थ नहीं पड़ता और उनकी रािनीलत लनबा्थध गलत सरे चिती रहती।

नो्टबंदी करे पहिरे हो रहरे तमाम सवके करे नतीिरे यह बता रहरे ररे लक मोदी सबसरे िोकलप्रय नरेता हैं । बाविदू यरे िोलखम उठाना इस बात का संकरे त दरेता ह ैलक नररेनद्र मोदी दरेश करे लिए कुछ बड़ा करनरे की लदशा में कदम उठा चकुरे हैं । हिांलक राजयसभा में नो्टबंदी पर चचा्थ में हसतक्षरेप करतरे हुए पवू्थ प्रधानमतं्ी मनमोहन लसंह नरे कहा लक सरकार करे इस कदम सरे िीडीपी पर लनगरेल्टव असर पड़रेगा । उनकरे अनमुान करे मतुालबक नो्टबंदी सरे इसमें दो फीसदी की लगराव्ट दि्थ की िा सकती ह ै। दरअसि इस परूरे मसिरे पर लवपक्ष को लवरोध की िमीन ही समझ में नहीं आ रही ह ै। पहिरे लकसानों को िरेकर सरकार पर हमिरे िरेलकन नबाड्थ की पहि सरे लकसानों की मदद करे लिए उठाए कदम नरे लवपक्ष करे इन आरोपों को भी शांत कर लदया । इसकरे पहिरे कुछ उििििू आरोप िगरे लक प्रधानमतं्ी नरे अपनरे इस फैसिरे करे पहिरे रािनीलतक िोगों सरे लवमश्थ नहीं लकया और अफसरों की सिाह पर यरे फैसिा िरे लिया । राजयसभा में तो समािवादी पा्टसी करे नरेता नररेश अग्वाि नरे च्ुटकी िरेतरे हुए प्रधानमतं्ी की मौिदूगी में यरे कह लदया लक लवत् मतं्ी अरुण िरे्टिी को भी इस फैसिरे की िानकारी नहीं री । दरअसि इस तरह करे फैसिों में िो गोपनीयता बरती िाती ह,ै उसकी िानकारी लवपक्षी नरेताओ ंको शायद नहीं हो ।

1991 में िब आलर्थक उदारीकरण का दौर शरुू हुआ रा तब उस वति करे लवत् मतं्ी मनमोहन लसंह भारतीय मदु्रा का अवमू् यन करना चाहतरे ररे । इसकरे पहिरे इलंदरा गांधी नरे 1966 में मदु्रा का अवमू् यन लकया रा िो लक सत्ावन फीसदी सरे रोड़ा जयादा रा । िब मनमोहन करे मदु्रा अवमू् यन करे इरादरे का पता चिा तो वामपंरी बलुधििीलवयों नरे इसका लवरोध शरुू लकया िरेलकन मनमोहन लसंह इस फैसिरे पर अलडग ररे । उनहोंनरे उस वति करे प्रधानमतं्ी नरलसंह राव सरे लमिकर अनरुोध लकया लक इस फैसिरे की िानकारी कैलबनरे्ट करे मलंत्यों को भी नहीं दी िाए । राव नरे मनमोहन लसंह की सिाह मान िी । उस वति मनमोहन लसंह नरे फैसिा लकया रा लक मदु्रा का अवमू् यन दो चरणों में लकया िाएगा । 1 ििुाई 1991 को रुपए का अवमू् यन कर लदया गया । लवपक्ष समतरे तमाम वामपंरी बलुधििीलवयों नरे इसका लवरोध लकया। कांग्रेस करे नरेताओ ंको भी इस फैसिरे करे बचाव में लदककत आ रही री । सीपीएम नरे उस वति इसको एक खतरनाक कदम बताया रा । िरेलकन असिी कहानी तो तब हुई िब मनमोहन लसंह नरे एक ही लदन बाद यालन तीन ििुाई को रुपए का और जयादा अवमू् यन करनरे का फैसिा लिया । दोनों लमिाकर यरे बीस फीसदी तक पहुचं रहा रा । िब राव

तक यरे बात पहुचंी तो वो घबरा गए और उनहोंनरे मनमोहन लसंह सरे इसको रोकनरे का आदरेश लदया । िरेलकन तबतक दरेर हो चकुी री । िब मनमोहन लसंह नरे ररिव्थ बैंक करे लडप्टी गवन्थर सी रंगरािन को फोन कर इस आदरेश का एिान रोकनरे करे लिए कहा तो उनका िवाब आया लक वो तो इस फैसिरे को साव्थिलनक कर चकुरे हैं । मनमोहन लसंह सनन । उनहोंनरे राव को यरे बात बताई और लफर इसतीफरे की परेशकश की िरेलकन राव नरे अपनरे लवत् मतं्ी का पक्ष लिया और उस फैसिरे करे सार हो लिए ।

यरे परूा वाकया बतानरे का मतिब लसफ्थ इतना ह ै लक हमाररे दरेश में इस तरह करे कांलतकारी आलर्थक फैसिरे पहिरे भी गोपनीय तरीकरे लिए िातरे रहरे हैं । उसका उद्रेशय भी तभी परूा होगा िबलक इसको गोपनीय रखा िाएगा । गोपनीयता बरतरे िानरे की लबनाह पर लकसी भी सरकार को घरेरना उलचत नहीं होता ह ै। मौिदूा लवत् मतं्ी अरुण िरे्टिी नरे भी इस बात को माना ह ैलक इस फैसिरे की िानकारी नीड ्ूट नो बरेलसस पर उन सभी िोगों को री, लिनको होनी चालहए री । प्रधानमतं्ी मोदी नरे तो चदं घ्ंटरे पहिरे अपनरे कैलबनरे्ट को इस फैसिरे करे बाररे में बता भी लदया रा । मनमोहन लसंह नरे तो मदु्रा करे अवमू् यन करे फैसिरे करे बाररे में लकसी को नहीं बताया रा और अपनरे प्रधानमतं्ी करे सामनरे यरे चाहत भी रखी री लक कैलबनरे्ट को इस फैसिरे की िानकारी ना दी िाए । लिसको राव नरे माना भी रा ।

अब अगर हम लवपक्ष करे तककों को दरेखें तो वो बचकाना निर आतरे हैं । इस तरह की खबरें अवशय आ रही हैं लक नो्टबंदी सरे िनता को लदककत हो रही ह,ै िरेलकन िनता इन लदककतों को सहनरे करे लिए तैयार ह ैऔर अब धीररे-धीररे लदककतें कम हो रही हैं । अभी लबहार करे दो शहरों करे िोगों सरे बात हुई ह ैतो वहां सरे यरे िानकारी लमि रही ह ैलक बैंकों में कतारें कम हो गई ंह ै। अब दसूरी बात यरे उठाई िा रही ह ैलक इससरे अर्थवयवसरा पर बरुा असर पड़रेगा । संभव ह ै लक बड़रे अर्थशाल्रियों करे अपनरे तक्थ हों, िरेलकन सरकार भी इस आसनन खतररे सरे लनब्टनरे को िरेकर सतक्थ निर आ रही ह ै । िनवरी सरे माच्थ की लतमाही में इसका असर लवकास दर पर पड़ सकता ह,ै िरेलकन उसकरे अगिी लतमाही सरे हािात बरेहतर हो सकतरे हैं । अगर इस फैसिरे सरे नकदी सरे होनरेवािा कारोबार बैंकों करे माधयम सरे होता ह ैतो गरीबों का भी भिा होगा । नकदी पर काम करनरेवािरे फैकटी मिदरूों को मालिकों को पीएफ और ईएसाई का िाभ दरेना होगा । इससरे मिदरूों को भलवषय करे लिए िमा रालश भी लमिरेगी और लचलकरसा सलुवधा का भी िाभ होगा ।

(लेखक वरिष्ठ पत्रकाि हैं। ये उनके ननजी नवचाि हैं।

प्र

गरीबों-मजदूरों के ललए लयाभकयारी ह ैनोटबंदी

अनं् त्वजय

CULTURE

22December, 2016

पनरे वण्थमािा भी अभी परूी तरह सरे सीखी नहीं हो और कहा िाय लक लनरािा करे अवदान पर कोई लनबंध लिखें; ‘लदनकर’ पर ल्टपपणी आपको तब लिखनरे को

कहा िाय िब आपनरे लवद्ािय िाना शरुू ही लकया हो; इतना ही कलठन ह ैरािनीलत करे अपनरे िैसरे लकसी लशश ुअधयरेता करे लिए अ्टि िी पर कुछ लिखना। और अगर सालहरय करे साधक ऋलि का ‘रािलि्थ’ में रूपांतरण या सालहरय और रािनीलत दोनों को दधू और शककर की तरह लमिा दरेनरे वािरे अ्टि िी करे इस लवशरेि रूप करे मू् यांकन की बात हो, तो यही कहा िा सकता ह ै लक सरूि को दीया लदखानरे का काय्थ चिो कर ही लिया िाय। अ्टि िी नरे ही तो कहा भी ह ैलक आओ लफर सरे दीया ििाए।ं

कया लिखा या कहा िाय अ्टि िी करे बाररे में ? कया यरे लक रािनीलत करे लक्षलति पर सालहरय करे एकमात् और वत्थमान करे अलंतम सरूि हैं अ्टि िी, या यह लक इस संवरेदनहीन समय में, सत्ा प्रालति की लिपसा को एकमात् साधय मान िरेनरे को ‘रािनीलत’ कहरे िानरे वािरे वति में ‘न भीतो

मरणादलसम, करे विम दलूितो यशः (मकृरय ुसरे नहीं, अपयश सरे डरता हू)ं’ कहतरे हुए इसतीफा हार में िरेकर राषटपलत भवन पहुचँ िानरे वािरे अकरे िरे उदाहरण अ्टि िी हैं। यह उस योधिा की बात ह,ै लिसनरे सत्ा में रहकर भी लसरलतप्रज्ञ हो िानरे, उस कीचड़ में भी कमि करे सदृश लखिरे रहनरे को कभी करे वि चनुाव लनशान मात् नहीं समझा।

बताइयरे भिा, रािनीलत में रचा-बसा-पगा रग-रग समलप्थत लकया हुआ कोई यगुपरुुि इस बाि-सिुभ डर करे सार प्रभ ुसरे कभी जयादा ऊंचाई नहीं दरे दरेनरे की मांग करता हुआ नज़र आयरे लक लफर वो अपनों को गिरे नहीं िगा पायरेगा, मानो कंधरे पर झोिा ि्टकाए कोई बचचा बार-बार लपता की साइलकि सरे कूद कर उतर िाना चाहता हो लक वो सकूि नहीं िाएगा, अपनी मां का आचंि छोड़ कर। ऐसी संवरेदना, ‘अपनों’ करे लिए इतना अगाध पयार, ‘अपनापन’ की इतनी वयापक पररभािा, वसधुा को ही कु्ंुटब समझ िरेनरे की भारतीय संसककृ लत सरे होिी करे रंगों की तरह सराबोर, उस वािपरेयी िी का लिक हम कर रहरे हैं, लिनहें रािनीलत की रप्टीिी राहें

आ

भयारती् रयाजनीलत के ‘रयाजल ष्ि’ हैं अटल जी पंकज कुमाि झा

CULTURE

23December, 2016

कभी लडगा नहीं पायी कत्थवयपर सरे। तारीख का हर इमतहान लिनहें कंुदन ही बनाता रहा।

अपनरे-आपमें यह अिबूा ही ह ै लक रािनीलत करे लिस डगर पर िोग चितरे ही इसलिए हैं तालक जयादा सरे जयादा ‘ऊंचाई’ हालसि कर ि्द सरे ि्द अपनों करे ही गिरे में फंदा डाि सकें , वहां कोई एक कलव-ह्रदय रािनरेता अपनरे इश्वर सरे यह प्रार्थना करता ह ैलक उसरे ज़मीन पर ही रहनरे दरेना, नहीं करना ह ैपरवाज़ उसरे लकसी महरवाकांक्षा करे आसमान में। और ज़ालहर ह,ै ऐसरे ही लवरिरे िोग िब तक लकसी ऊंचाई पर पहुचंतरे हैं, तबतक उनका कद उनकरे द्ारा धाररत लकसी भी पद सरे इतना जयादा बड़ा हो िाता ह,ै लक लफर प्रभतुा कभी उनहें मदांध नहीं कर पाती।

कहतरे हैं, कोई वयलति महान तभी हो सकता ह,ै िब उससरे लमिनरे वािों को कभी अपनी कमतरी का अहसास नहीं हो। अ्टि िी िैसरे रािनरेता की महानता इसी बात में लछपी ह ै लक उनसरे लमिनरे वािरे लकसी भी इसंान को कभी नहीं िगा होगा लक वह कहीं सरे भी कम महरवपणू्थ ह।ै छत्ीसगढ़ करे मखयमतं्ी डॉ. रमन लसंह िी करे कक्ष में लिखा वाकय ‘आप मरेररे लिए सबसरे महरवपणू्थ वयलति हैं’ की प्ररेरणा भी लनससंदरेह अ्टि िी करे वयलतिरव सरे ही िी गयी होगी। बहरहाि।

अ्टि िी करे अनय अवदान को छोड़कर अगर करे वि सालहरय करे उनकरे योगदान का ही लिक लकया िाय तो यह कहा िा सकता ह ैलक अगर रािनीलत िैसरे संवरेदनहीन क्षरेत् में च्ुटकी भर भी ‘सालहरय’ लमिा लदया िाय, तो वह लकतना खबुसरूत हो सकता ह,ै अ्टि िी का ककृ लतरव इसका िीता-िागता उदाहरण ह।ै इसकरे उि्ट सालहरय में ‘रािनीलत’ की घसुपैठ समाि को लकतना जयादा ‘असलहषण’ु बना सकती ह,ै वत्थमान इसका सबसरे बरेहतर उदाहरण ह।ै लिस तरह सरे आि करे कलरत सालहरयकार खदु को िांलछत-अपमालनत-किंलकत कर (यानी सममान वापस कर) भी अपनी खनुनस लनकािनरे सरे बाज़ नहीं आ रहरे, लवपरीत लवचारों करे प्रलत इस हद तक असलहषण ुहैं लक उसकरे लखिाफ खदु का ही खभंा, लखलसयानी लब्िी की तरह नोचनरे को तरपर हों, रोक करे भाव में भररे पड़रे ऐसरे सालहरयकारों करे बरकस, मौलिक रूप सरे रािनीलत करे अ्टि धरंुधर िगभग िीवन भर लवपक्ष की रािनीलत करतरे हुए भी, एक सरे एक आक्षरेप झरेितरे हुए भी हमरेशा असहमलत का मसुकान करे सार सवागत करतरे रहरे। ऐसी कलठन साधना करे बाद ही लकसी यगु को एक ऐसा नायक लमिता ह,ै लिसरे अ्टि लबहारी वािपरेयी कहा िाता ह।ै

यगुपरुुि, रािनरेता, िोकनायक, रािलि्थ, स्टरे््टसमनै, पत्कार, िरेखक, कलव, प्ररेरक, भारत का पहरुआ, लवश्व में भारत का प्रसारक, संसककृ लत का अग्दतू और इनसरे भी बढ़कर रग-रग में भररे लहदंरुव करे अपनरे पररचय को तमगरे की तरह पहनरे, मकुु्ट की तरह सिाए, उननत मसतक और उभररे सीनरे करे सार पीड़ाओ ंमें पिनरे, तफूानों सरे ्टकरानरे का साहस संचार करतरे हुए, कदम लमिाकर चिनरे का आह्ान करनरे वािरे अ्टि िी िोकतांलत्क भारत करे इलतहास को एक अनोखा और अदु्त उपहार हैं।

रािनीलत में सालहरय का लचतरेरा, लवचारधारा में असहमलत का रखवािा, संगठन में अपनरेपन का झडंाबरदार, दि में लदि की बात करनरे वािा हीरो, सालहरय में सलहषणतुा का रािदतू… ऐसरे तमाम लवशरेिण इस महानायक करे लिए ज़रा कम ही सालबत हो रहरे हैं। सालहरय करे नाम पर रािनीलत करनरे वािरे आि करे अलधकांश कंुलठत बलुधििीलवयों करे लिए रािनीलत करे क्षरेत् इस दरेदीपयमान नक्षत् का िीवन सनदरेश की तरह ही ह,ै बशतके अपनरे ज्ञान का अलभमान ताक पर रखकर इस सनदरेश को ग्हण करनरे की पात्ता अपनरे भीतर िरे आयी िाय।

(लेखक वरिष्ठ पत्रकाि हैं। ये उनके ननजी नवचाि हैं।)

CULTURE

24December, 2016

ह वि्थ दरेश करे लिए दीन दयाि िनम शताबदी करे रूप में मनानरे का अवसर

ह।ै भारतीय िनता पा्टसी इसरे गरीब क्याण वि्थ करे रूप में मना रही ह।ै वही ँ

दरेश करे तमाम लवचारशीि संगठन इस अवसर पर अनरेक वयाखयानमािा,

काय्थकम, सरेमीनार आलद का आयोिन कर रहरे हैं। इसी कम में द�