The aam Modi sarkar: Stung by land bill, BJP highlights it pro-poor policies

As the Modi government inches closer towards completing a year in office, the leadership both in the government and in the BJP have decided to actively take on the constantly levelled charge that it was pro-rich. It wants to be known as a government that cared for the poor and whose policies were largely shaped by taking into account the concerns of the marginalised sections of society.

The party has lately been using every single opportunity to convey messages centred around this theme. Whether it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech during the national executive meet in Bangalore, or those at official functions like the launch of Mudra Bank and announcement of a modified relief package for rain-hit farmers or his first interview to a domestic media organisation, the pro-common man thrust has been emphasised every time.

Taking a cue from Modi, the party too has been speaking in the same voice. While Modi was asking corporates and the economically well off to voluntarily give up their LPG subsidy, party president Amit Shah shot off a letter to all party MPs, MLAs, central and state office bearers and other “capable” public representatives to immediately surrender their cooking gas subsidy in keeping with the call given by him at the Bangalore national executive.

The party has, interestingly also released the 22-slide presentation made at the national executive on the contentious land acquisition bill, comparing and contrasting its provisions with 1894 and 2013 version of the legislation. The BJP claimed that the second ordinance, which incorporated nine amendments approved by Lok Sabha, takes care of the interests of the farmers and the public at large. It also said that its passage is the need of the hour to ensure comprehensive development of the nation.

The presentation made by Gopal Agrawal to senior party leaders, however, in its conclusion conceded that despite its merits the bill was facing resistance because the BJP was on a weak footing in the battle of perceptions. The party noted it had lost ground and therefore suggested an all out engagement with farmers and other stake holders.

“The ordinance and amendment is more of a battle of perception. Need to engage with the farmers and explain the provision in detail,” the presentation noted.

BJP leaders are engaged in diplomacy with the leaders of various political parties. It is aware that the Congress, Left and TMC will not support it, but others possibly can either support it or walk out before voting on the bill begins in the Rajya Sabha as they had done during voting on insurance, mines and coal bill in Rajya Sabha. Parliament re-opens for the second half of budget session on 23 April and will continue till 13 May.

Senior ministers in the government including Arun Jaitley, Nitin Gadlari and Venkaiah Naidu are highlighting the fact that land acquisition is in the concurrent list, so the parties that are in state governments opposed to the bill were free not to implement it in the states which they rule, but they should not hamper the development of the other states. BJP leaders are also at pains to explain that the Forest Rights Act and Tribal Rights Act protect the rights of tribal people and their forest land, thus they were not affected by the provisions of new bill.

The passage of the bill is inextricably linked with fulfilling some of the key pre-poll promises made by Modi, the most important of them being job creation in the hinterland and tier II and tier III cities. The BJP leadership in government and the party is thus making an all out effort to see that when the bill is presented before Parliament, particularly in Rajya Sabha where it does have a majority, it is able to break the ranks of the opposition in its favour.

It therefore came as no surprise that PM Modi chose to announce a modified relief package for the unseasonal rain-hit farmers while inaugurating the Mudra Bank, which intends to give loans to those who are engaged in small businesses. Farmers will now be eligible for input subsidy if 33 percent of their crop has been damaged, as opposed to 50 percent or more, which was the norm till now. The compensation and subsidy given to distressed farmers will be enhanced by 50 percent of the existing amount. The banks have been asked to restructure their loans to farmers in rain affected regions and insurance agencies have been asked speed up compensation disbursement.

As for Mudra Bank, Modi stressed on the fact that it will be financing six crore small vendors and businesses, 61% of whom are SCs, STs, OBCs and minorities. He has also been consistently talking about social security schemes for the poor and marginalised. Modi’s ‘chaiwala’ credentials have earned rich dividends for the party. He now has the huge challenge of sustaining it through delivery mechanisms and through the conscious cultivation of a pro-poor image for his government. The problem for him and the BJP is that so far they have not been very successful on that count.

While Modi’s interview to Hindustan Times, the first to a domestic publication since he took over, was mostly a combination of what he had been saying at various party and public forums, he did seem keen to convey a message that his government was not beholden to corporates, but that it was pro-poor.

“There is a very large Hindustan beyond Delhi. It did not take much effort to convey in Delhi that India lives in the villages and towns and the homes and cottages spread over the vast length and breadth of the nation. And that we stand and exist for them. The departments, their offices, their policies and procedures should all be oriented and geared to serve them," Modi said in that interview

“First of all, you have to understand that my government is working for the common man. Our priority is the poor of the country. We want good governance through a dynamic and seamless government. Results are visible in all sectors. Industry has to come forward to take the benefits of the process we have set in motion.”

“I would request the media to counter pose two things together: The allegations our Congress friends level against us, and the complaints that businessmen have. The Congress says we are a government of industrialists and industrialists say we do nothing for them”, he said.

The ruling BJP has begun working on its pro-poor report card, which may be presented next month on completion of its first year in power and it has begun working on igniting a debate on that aspect. The Land bill row seems to have taught it many things.