From the Urdu Press: Modi govt’s 9 years to new Parliament House row to Kejriwal’s Oppn outreach

SIASAT

In its editorial on May 28, headlined “Modi hukumat ke nau saal (Nine years of Modi government)”, the Hyderabad-based Siasat notes that while celebrating its ninth anniversary the Modi government has been showcasing its achievements on various fronts which, it says, are being amplified by a large section of the media. The daily writes that no attempts are being made to present a critique of the Modi government’s tenure without turning a blind eye to the prevailing situation and public concerns. “This is a cop-out on the part of a media, which does not shy away from even labelling anyone ‘anti-national’ who dares to pose a question to the government.”

India is emerging as a global power because of the work done by successive governments since Independence, the editorial states. “However, there have also been failures of the governments along the way. This is the obligation of an independent and responsible press that while highlighting a government’s accomplishments it should not blink from flagging its failings too,” it says. “Today, the atmosphere has been vitiated so much that divisive and polarising issues are raised and whipped up just to clinch polls. Real issues like youths’ unemployment, rising prices, women security, state of economy and graft scams have become largely irrelevant for the media.”

The daily points out that it is the country’s communal harmony that has been dealt the biggest blow over the last nine years. “To drive a wedge between two major communities in order to reap political dividends, an organised hate campaign has been mounted. There have been attempts to dominate key constitutional bodies. The Opposition-ruled states have been targeted. While crony capitalism has been encouraged, common people reeling under unemployment and inflation have been left in the lurch. These are the questions that would not get any response,” it charges.

The editorial says the country has also been witnessing rows over people’s choices of food and clothing. “Should Muslim girls wear hijab? Should meat be halal? The Muslim community faces open threats… Such a fraught situation is not good for a vast and great country like India. Efforts must be made to restore communal harmony, uphold the sanctity of democratic institutions and ensure equal opportunities for all sections so that India could truly become ‘Vishwaguru’,”it adds.

URDU TIMES

Referring to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s countrywide tour for mobilising support from the Opposition leaders against the ordinance promulgated by the Centre to nullify the Supreme Court Constitution Bench’s judgment — which gave the AAP-led Delhi government control over services in the national capital — the Mumbai-based Urdu Times, in its editorial on May 27, notes that Kejriwal, accompanied by his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann, met Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar during his Mumbai visit. Opposing the Delhi ordinance, the edit says, Pawar made it clear that in a parliamentary democracy the power of administration must be vested in the elected government and that the ordinance was aimed at undermining it. Pawar also said his party will not only back the AAP in Parliament by opposing the ordinance, but he will also reach out to like-minded Opposition parties over it.

The daily writes that Pawar has been engaged in making efforts to bring together the Opposition parties so that they could collectively take on the Modi-led BJP in the 2024 general elections. “Pawar’s support to the AAP on this issue is part of his larger Opposition unity mission. But there are questions over Kejriwal’s politics, which has been marked with opportunism,” it says, pointing to the AAP chief’s scathing attack on Pawar in 2016.

The editorial also states that while Kejriwal is swearing by parliamentary democracy and federalism, he had sided with the Centre over its Jammu and Kashmir exercise. Kejriwal had rallied behind the Modi government’s move to revoke J&K’s special status under Article 370 in August 2019, when J&K was split and downgraded to a Union Territory. “The point is every Opposition-ruled state has a broadly similar story,” the edit says, adding that it is time the goodwill meetings among the Opposition leaders should result in firming up of their action plan.

SIASAT

Commenting on the opening of the new Parliament building by PM Modi in the backdrop of protests by 21 Opposition parties and a row over installation of the “Sengol” in the Lok Sabha, Siasat, in its editorial on May 29, notes that while these parties boycotted the event to protest the inauguration by PM Modi instead of President Droupadi Murmu — the country’s first woman tribal Head of the State — the government justified its stand, even as 25 parties attended the ceremony. “Both sides stuck to their guns. The government did not reach out to the Opposition to get them on board. And the Opposition too, which despite its objections could have attended the function, refused to budge. This standoff reflected their one-upmanship, which should not have played out on this issue,” the daily states, lamenting that both camps could not rise above their differences even over the inauguration of a sacred symbol of democracy like Parliament.

A day earlier, the editorial notes, 10 non-BJP CMs stayed away from the Niti Aayog Governing Council meeting chaired by PM, which also reflected the deepening faultlines between the Centre and the Opposition.

In a democracy, the political and ideological differences between the government and the Opposition is normal, although they also get onto the same page on crucial issues related to national security, foreign affairs and economic progress, the editorial notes. “The Opposition would accept the arguments made by the government, which would also concede the former’s amendments in its legislation. This has always been the tradition in the country since Independence, which has broken down in recent years,” it says. “The government-Opposition conflict is growing and getting personalised and more bitter. This has a disturbing implication for democracy. There must be bipartisan consensus on vital issues despite their differences. The government must show respect for the Opposition which, in turn, must acknowledge the former’s prerogatives.”

Both sides are key stakeholders of the country’s democratic system, the edit says, adding that they should review their position and take a stand that would strengthen it.