“Democracy is in our blood”; “India is among the top five countries in Renewable Energy”….These are theatrical statements by Mr. Modi for the international audience. In reality and on a closer examination of the recent Forest Act Amendment Bill that essentially forces the indigenous and tribal communities to relinquish their inherent rights over their ancestral lands while adopting a callous attitude towards natural and well preserved ecosystems in the resource rich north eastern states plunging the states into ecological destruction denotes his lack of honesty in dealing with Citizens of India. The Forest Act Amendment is against all principles of natural justice, environmental justice, prevailing laws on biodiversity and conservation under international laws. It is not clear as to how Mr. Modi concluded that India is among the top five in transitioning to renewable energy when accurate data is not available. The State Pollution Control Board mandates declaration of certain inputs from listed companies under the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR). On a perusal of the Annual Reports of a few of the listed companies it is clear that the PCB insists that these entities use those Vendors that are authorized by them. There are no clear inputs as the extent of renewable energy sourcing and if the companies are involved in projects relating to replenishment of water sources to prevent its depletion. Such cosmetic changes to Annual Reports are not going to help protect nation’s depleting natural resources and a serious attempt to make profit-making companies take sustainable development much more seriously than the State PCB. It is about protecting and preserving resources for future generations and just to increase share prices in the Stock Exchanges. To achieve real sustainable development the State PCB’s need to be less corrupt and more vigilant in taking action against defaulters and ensure more compliance of internationally accepted norms on SD.
The reality of infrastructure in North East India
With regard to the ongoing conflict in Manipur , it is my conclusion that the Prime
Minister with his hatchet men wants to erase the aftermath of Godhra riots by deeming Manipur conflict as
a religious confrontation between Christians
and Hindus and nobody can question his silence over the issue. The
conflict has been aggravated because the Centre has chosen to ignore the
machinations and incursions made by China along
India’s international borders and attempts to use these states as a
drug smuggling
route by cartels and the adjoining nations. There is a need to make
north-easterners
feel more inclusive within the nation by extending them the right to
self-determination
and retain their right to cultivating and managing their ancestral
lands. The
conflict in Manipur was a direct consequence of an order passed by the
State’s High
Court in a petition by the Meitis to be granted the status of Schedule
Tribe. Either it was a mischievous decision by the High Court judge or
an order passed by someone who has no knowledge of the demographic
history of the state. In any case, the whole situation reeks of
incompetence, indifference to the plight of its citizens.
Democracy
is being shredded to pieces by the
present government at the Centre under Mr. Modi’s leadership through a
constant
churning of people’s emotions, spate of amendments to disrupt peace
starting
with demonetization, undemocratic revocation of Article 370,
introduction of the
Citizenship Amendment Act, attempts to make the highest court of this
land its
puppet and by failing to resolve the Manipur conflict amicably. Such
kind of
orchestrations to distract the nation from developing into a vibrant
democracy,
it is my conclusion that Mr. Modi is willing to listen to foreign
elements than
his own people which amounts to treason in my personal opinion. The
nation will gain its democratic status if Mr.Modi resigns and his
government is put on hold until the next elections. It is better to have
a 'policy paralysis' until then instead of a dystopian state where
people are rendered confused and delirious.