The Centre and Targeted Violence

        

In recent months there has been an outcry against violence directed against identifiable interests. These interests have included  individuals not conforming to  extra-constitutional rules, activists working against vested interests and also minorities. In all these cases the attackers have been members of fringe groups of proclaimed or professed  Hindu adherents as a result of which the BJP governments at the Centre and in some States have come in for direct finger-pointing. Exacerbating this has been the continuous silence of the Prime Minister who has done no more than make oblique references  to the undesirability of such violence. The question asked and remains unanswered fully is how the brilliant oratory of the PM in India and abroad  has suddenly dried up in the matter of the unrestrained and targeted violence in some States.

The Central government has made no official condemnation of the series of incidents involving murder of an individual wrongly suspected of eating beef,  killing of writers and attacks on non-conformists who challenge the fringe group’s right to dictate. The response from the Centre which includes comments from the PM and some of his party leaders has cited the jurisdiction of the States over matters relating to law and order and the reluctance of the Centre to interfere with this jurisdiction.

Neither logic nor the Constitution justifies the Centre’s reluctance to condemn the many incidents and rein in the fringe elements that operate under cover of a religious ethos  shared with the ruling party. Articles 245 to 300 of the Conctitution deal with Centre-State relations and say that the residuary powers under it are vested in the Centre and not the States. The Constitution gives the Centre the power to exercise control over the legislation and administration of the States. Admittedly in extreme cases, the Centre can take over the administration of a State on the recommendation of the Governor. This is not without precedent.  Repeated violence bearing the same signature can turn into more than a mere law and order problem and public outrage against the Centre is understandable.

As for the logic of the present dilemma, we have seen the strident marketing efforts of the PM in countries abroad and these are based on assurances of many facilities, concessions and reforms. On what basis is Modi marketing India if his idea of a federal structure gives him no authority among the States ? His invitation is mostly to invest in India and this involves commercial and industrial activity which requires geographical space. Where does the Centre have this geographical space to accommodate favourable responses? It is obvious that the States have to cooperate. They are the direct beneficiaries of this effort which will have its ultimate impact on the national economy. The point is that, subject to political expediency, the Centre has various constitutional tools in its  bag to ensure State compliance and cooperation.

A very pertinent point  for the PM’s constant attention is that by  inviting foreign interests to operate in India he is also guaranteeing the safety and security of foreign personnel and property based here. If he is to say security is a law and order matter in the hands of the States  over which he has no direct control what is his invitation worth? Foreigners may have their faces blackened, their kitchens raided because their food  does not conform to some extreme Hindu code or their women attacked for  wearing  unIndian clothes. Foreigners have been subjected to violence and humiliation. Who will answer for such happenings ?

I am insistent that Modi should succeed as PM as he is the people’s choice by a huge margin.I have only written as a devil’s advocate to reflect the concerns of the likes of us on the sidelines which need to be addressed. I suggest that the PM ponder over all these issues before he goes on his next marketing tour with his  bag of new Indian ‘goodies”. I would like Modi to really be an active national leader besides being PM and assert he is in command. India deserves a break.