Amit Shah, correct yourself please

The president of Bharatiya Janata Party and Rajya Sabha Member Amit Anilchandra Shah, popularly known as Amit Shah, whenever visiting Hyderabad and Telangana state, funnily turns hysterical , exceeding his limits and in the process exposes himself. After Chief Minister Telangana K Chandrashekhar Rao, in a press meet, contradicted his remarks made during his earlier visit in May 2017 demanding an unconditional apology, Amit Shah maintained stoic silence until his current visit. Once again Shah voiced blatant lies and made misleading statements in Mahbubnagar.

Amit Shah illogically questioned the propriety and rationale for dissolution of State Assembly and going for elections alleging that it involves huge expenditure. Shah also criticised KCR of indulging in family rule and selfish politics. He also claimed that central funds to state to a tune of Rs 2.3 lakh crore (even if it is true, it is nothing but part of centre’s responsibility in a federal system) were released.

Amit Shah has forgotten the earlier rebuttal of CM KCR with statistical evidence when he made a similar remark in May 2017. Amit also attempted to mislead people when he said that the TRS Government did not fulfil its promises made in election manifesto. In fact, neither his BJP nor the Congress Party that ruled the country alternately for most of the time, never-ever fulfilled the electoral promises they made in every election they won. For the first time in the country, here is a government which fulfilled all the electoral promises. In addition, 72 more schemes and programmes that were not part of 2014 manifesto, were also initiated and implemented in the state by TRS Government.

If these are also considered, then, it is 172 per cent implementation of manifesto! Amit Shah should make a note of this please. Shah’s objection for dissolution of Assembly and decision to go for early polls are not palatable. KCR decision is hundred percent reasonable, constitutional, legal and justifiable. It is ridiculous on the part of Shah to portray KCR as the first CM of any state to have recommended for dissolution of assembly and going for an early election causing huge expenditure to the exchequer. His argument looks like as if this never happened in India earlier. How can a person of Amit Shah’s stature be so ignorant and not aware of political happenings in the country?

In India recommending to President of India or the Governor of a state as the case may be, for dissolution of either Lok Sabha or State Assembles before completion of its term and prefer an early election is not new. Right from the present Prime Minister Modi as Gujarat CM to the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee many on different occasions resorted to this political game. Indira Gandhi as well as the Janata Party led by Morarji Desai in which BJP was a partner too indulged in this sin (if it is a sin as Amit Shah depicts).

Constitution of India which provides full five-year term to Lok Sabha and State Assemblies also through Articles 85 and 174 empowers the President and Governors, to dissolve legislatures before the expiry of term on the recommendation of concerned Council of Ministers. When this is invoked in Telangana by KCR, does it amount to any crime?

What is the justification behind Amit Shah questioning KCR in recommending for dissolution 9 months earlier than its full term?
In the recent past, quoting BJP sources, news was in circulation that PM Modi wanted to go for early polls. Later he might have deferred the proposal for reasons best known to him. The CM or PM, as long as he or she enjoys absolute majority in the House, has unquestionable and absolute right, to recommend for dissolution of legislature, whether it is for political, administrative reasons or otherwise. Constitution provided for this and no one should have any objection.

If we glance into past history, we will know that the Lok Sabha formed after 1957, 1962, 1967 and 1989 General Elections continued for full five- year term. For the first time in 1970 once and later in 1977 after the Emergency rule, following recommendation of Indira Gandhi, Lok Sabha was dissolved earlier than its term. The fourth Lok Sabha was formed in 1967. Indira Gandhi was PM for about a year by then. In the elections, Congress Party which was in power till then, both at the centre and in states tasted considerable setback for the first time.

Besides losing nearly 80 Lok Sabha seats to opposition parties, in six states Congress party lost power. The internal fight in the party resulted in split in the Congress party in 1969 and 30 of Congress party MPs joined the rival group of Indira. Indira Gandhi government fell into minority and had to depend on regional parties. After proving her majority with their support Indira recommended for dissolution of House and went for fresh mandate earlier than the expiry of term. She won the elections and returned to power. However, in the same term, she imposed Emergency, extended the term of House and later again dissolved to go for elections in 1977 post- Emergency.

For dissolution of legislatures, the Constitution is highly flexible. KCR made use of these flexible provisions to put an end to the prevailing political fragility in the state and to prevent hurdles for continuation of developmental and welfare programs.

The Congress party and BJP as partner of Janata used the Constitutional provision for political interests. For instance, after the defeat of Indira Gandhi in 1977, the Janata (in which the present BJP known as Jana Sangh was a partner) with one pen stroke dissolved Congress governments in nine states. That was highly unconstitutional. Whatever Janata did, in 1977, Indira repeated the same in 1980 after she returned to power second time. She too dissolved nine state assembles that were ruled by non-congress parties.

In 1979, Lok Sabha was dissolved on the recommendation of Charan Singh in the wake of internal struggle in Janata Party. In 2004 the then BJP Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee despite having few more months for the full term recommended for dissolution of Lok Sabha and went for elections. Will Amit Shah find fault with all these including with Vajpayee? The then decision of Vajpayee was not in the national interest as is done in Telangana now in the State’s Interest.

Encouraged by the results giving victory to BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan Vajpayee with political opportunism in mind decided to recommend for dissolution. If it was right then, how can KCR decision be wrong? How can Amit Shah forget the example of Narendra Modi who recommended for Gujarat Assembly dissolution in 2002? Narendra Modi’s move was opposed by the Election Commission but with the support from BJP Government at the centre Modi went ahead for dissolution.

In Britain, the mother of parliamentary democracies, dissolution and early elections are very common. During the last 200 years it happened several times. Once in 1910 and 1911 the House of Commons was abolished in succession. In 1974 after Edvard Heath dissolved the House, in the same year within months, Herald Wilson recommended for dissolution.

In Indian Parliamentary democracy there is adequate provision in the Constitution for dissolution of legislatures. In accordance with these provisions only CM KCR recommended for dissolution and going for early elections and what is wrong in this Amit Shah Ji?