India’s polity becoming more unitary, peril for federalism: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Strong centralising features and emergency provisions were made in the Constitution as it was framed in the wake of large-scale communal violence and bloodshed following the partition, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Thursday, while asserting that India’s polity is becoming more and more unitary in nature even during normal times, which is a peril for federalism.

Addressing a seminar on federalism held here on the sidelines of the 24th CPI(M) congress, along with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin and Karnataka Minister M. C. Sudhakar, Vijayan accused the BJP-led Centre of slashing funds for opposition-ruled states and claimed that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime is unfavourable for the states.

Chief Minister Mr. P. Vijayan has commented, “If we look back a little into history, it can be seen that our Constitution was framed under abnormal circumstances, that is, in the aftermath of large-scale communal violence and bloodshed following the partition, at the dawn of independence. Given this atmosphere that prevailed during the time when the Constitution was being shaped, it came to contain very strong centralising features and emergency provisions. Be that as it may, the question that bothers us most in the present scenario is whether in recent times, our polity is becoming more and more unitary in nature even during normal times. This, I would say, is the peril faced by federalism in India today“, he added.

Mr. Vijayan said recent political actions have made the Centre-state relationship more asymmetrical. “Union-state relations in India have been made substantially more asymmetrical by some recent political actions. These weaken the already fragile base of federalism. Protecting the rights of the states and local governments and guarding against the gathering of the momentum of centralising tendencies is absolutely essential to protect democracy and civil liberties“, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader said.

He claimed that unreasonable restrictions have been imposed on the borrowing limits of the states by unnaturally expanding constitutional provisions to include the borrowings of special purpose vehicles (SPVs) as that of the state governments. The Kerala chief minister further said the fiscal imbalance is being worsened by the expanding number of centrally-sponsored schemes, in which the states are being forced to bear an increasing cost burden. “Since 2015-16, the share of the states has increased from 25% to 40% in most of these schemes”, he said.

The interim coordinator of CPI(M) Mr. Prakash Karat accused the Union government of subverting the rights of the states. “Never since independence, since the Constitution was adopted, has there been such a serious attack on the principal of federalism, a basic feature of the Constitution. Today, every aspect of federalism in our country, whether it is political, economic or fiscal — the Centre is systematically undermining the federal principles enshrined in the Constitution“.

He has also claimed that a delimitation exercise proposed on the basis of population will create a severe imbalance in the southern states’ political representation in Parliament and further vitiate federal principles.

While addressing the seminar, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu – Mr. M. K. Stalin said, “Only with the end of the BJP rule at the Centre, federalism would emerge in the country and in order to achieve that, democratic forces should be mobilised and the BJP-led union government is against state autonomy, federalism, social justice and communal harmony and in short, it is “anti-people“.

Usurpation of state’s rights through various laws, taking away state’s rights over finances through the GST route and denial of nod for laws enacted by opposition-ruled states and governors functioning like politicians in such states were among the key allegations levelled by the chief minister against the entre. Further, the CM alleged, “you (BJP) think that there should be no states“. Also, he alleged that opposition-ruled governments were threatened, governments toppled and opposition parties were split. The Centre attempted to impinge and harm federalism by way of proposed delimitation and states including Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka oppose it.

“The BJP is running a government that usurps Constitutional rights. This is fascism“, he said and regretted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is yet to respond to the recent resolutions of the Joint Action Committee seeking a freeze on delimitation for 25 more years, starting from next year. Only with the end of the BJP rule at the Centre, federalism would emerge in the country and in order to achieve that, “let us mobilise democratic forces across India“. The DMK voices its support for that and the Left parties should also extend support. “Let us fight together, defeat fascism“, he said.

The CM said he took part in the event symbolising the ideological friendship between the Dravidian and Communist movements, since the days of reformist leader Periyar EV Ramasamy, and DMK patriarch, late M Karunanidhi who identified himself as a communist. The Dravidian ideology encompasses communism, and before he arrived at Madurai for the meeting, the CM said he made an announcement in the Tamil Nadu Assembly that a statue of Karl Marx would be installed in Chennai and that his name is ‘Stalin.’ Apparently, the chief minister was named after Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin (1878-1953) by his father, late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi.

Describing the electoral alliance between the DMK and Left parties as one that is based on ideology, the chief minister said it is forged for attaining the goal of an egalitarian society. “Our path and journey towards change is very long and it is not a magic to happen immediately; but it is a process“, the DMK President said and recalled that the Left parties and his party are together in that journey since 2019.

Reiterating that the wishful thinking of some persons yearning for the DMK-led alliance to crack would never fructify, he said no one would provide an opportunity for that to happen. Praising Left leader Sitharam Yechury, who passed away last year, for his staunch commitment to the ideology, Stalin said the very term federalism has become allergic for the rulers at the Centre and they do not like speaking in support of the rights of the state. Stalin alleged he and his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan were the most affected due to the autocratic characteristics of the BJP government at the Centre.

Asserting that the very first article of the Constitution declared India a union of states, the chief minister said it was the reason why he called the centre, the union government. He said: “I did not say what was not there in the law. However, they were unable to tolerate even that. Their anger was a manifestation; which showed that they did not like decentralisation of powers“. Recalling the DMK’s long campaign for state autonomy and also in support of federalism, he alleged the BJP was a “fascist government,” which opposed such ideals.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office favouring a non-Delhi centric, decentralisation of powers. However, his rule however destroys the states, and went thoroughly against the state languages, the people of various ethnicities and one that damages the beliefs of people who have various cultures, the DMK chief alleged.

Reiterating and underscoring his allegation of “unitary, fascist regime” against the BJP at the Centre in which constitutional bodies become ‘dummy’, Stalin said the Saffron party could be defeated only by continuous campaigns. “Above all, we have to be together for the sake of people’s welfare. It is because, federalism in India can be saved only with the regime change at the Centre.” While Modi in 2012 had demanded implementation of the recommendations of Sarkaria and Punchhi panels for strengthening ties between the Centre and states, what are the steps he had taken for implementing it? the CM asked and urged PM Modi to answer during his visit to the state during the weekend.

Team Maverick