What are your views on the election results of Gujarat that the BJP won and AAP lose?
One Indian eminent industrialist once said – subsidies are burden for the future generation. Nobody took that statement seriously. AAP and Kejriwal is banking on this subsidy like free water, electricity, bus ride etc. as carrot to get votes. BJP on the other hand believes improvement in infrastructure including mega projects to improve economic conditions of future generations. The Gujarat election 2022 result shows people strongly rejected AAP’s subsidy carrots and preferred not to waste tax payers’ money for freebies and self-promotion. Whatever votes AAP got in Gujarat is not because of freebie promises but collapse of congress party. Communists in Bengal done something similar, what Kejriwal is doing, during their 34-year rule (1977-2011) and destroyed the state. Kejriwal is replicating that model in Delhi, Punjab and north India with grave long term economic consequences. This is a long answer to understand loopholes of Kejriwal model.
The Salma Dam, also known as the Afghan-India Friendship Dam, is one of the most significant infrastructure projects undertaken by the Indian government in Afghanistan as part of its $3 billion reconstruction efforts. The 42 MW dam on Hari river was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ashraf Ghani on 04 June 2016 which marked new height’s in Indo-Afghan co-operation.
When PM Modi inaugurated the Afghan-India Friendship Dam with Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani, he referred to the Quran's depiction of rivers as central to the image of Paradise. Drawing a comparison between the Muslim Holy Book and India's ancient scriptures, he told his audience how rivers defined India and were celebrated as "the giver of life". Modi even spoke in Pashto, as he often speak in regional language few sentences at political rallies, referring to a wise Afghan proverb: "Kabul be zar basha be barf ne: May Kabul be without gold rather than snow (as the snow feeds the rivers that sustain life and agriculture)."
This Salma Dam was partly destroyed and became defunct during Taliban 1.0 rule. After USA and UN intervention in Afghanistan post 9-11 New York tragedy, US/UN security forces along with international aid started pouring into Afghanistan to stabilize the country facing decades of civil war and insurgency. USA invested (read wasted) $ 20 Billion in Afghanistan between 2004-2021 to stabilize the country and left huge weapons stock in this unstable region when they left in September 2021. During the tenure of Hamid Karzai and Ashraf Ghani (2004-2021), India spent huge amount of money for development of Afghan infrastructure. The prominent among them are Afghan-India Friendship Dam or Salma Dam, 218-km Zaranj-Delaram highway built by the Border Roads Organisation and a new swanky Parliament building.
The Parliament building at Kabul was built at Rs 710 Crore of Indian tax payers’ money. The foundation stone was laid by Indian PM Dr. Manmohan Singh in 2005 and construction began in 2009. It has 256 seats for lower house (Wolesi Jigra) and 134 seats for upper house (Meshrano Jigra). The marbles came from Chesht-e-Sharif in Herat province with one of the largest dome in Parliament building in this part of the world. The building followed Mughal and modern architecture. A block in the building was named after Atal Bihari Vajpayee. PM Modi also inaugurated it on 25 December 2015.
Nobody raised issue of Rs 710 Cr wasted for Afghan Parliament building but left librandµ and urban naxalites are constantly criticising Modi government for new parliament building being built in New Delhi at Rs 862 Cr
Before Salma dam control taken by Taliban 2.0, the Afghan armed forces have thwarted Taliban attacks thrice on the India-built Dam structure which Taliban tried to damage that provides water to several districts in the region and also generates electricity. When Taliban 2.0 came to power in September 2021, the first thing they said that electricity from the Afghan-India Friendship Dam will be free (true to Kejriwal style). By doing this, this brutal Taliban 2.0 regime was trying to gain public support. This is same as Arvind Kejriwal has done in Delhi in 2015 and Bengal CM Jyoti Basu did in 1977. Free..free..free as they didn’t had any role in building and infrastructures they inherited, they have no problem giving them free. Over the period of time, this ruined state economy. Bengal was top performing state during independence and few decades after independence with 34% share of industrial output. Three decades of communist and one decade of Mamata Banerjee mis-rule brought Bengal to overall 6th position, 3% industrial output and future is grim. Venezuela, Greece, east European countries or Warsaw Pact countries under communist influence during cold war era are some similar international cases. After the end of cold war in 1991, many of these east European countries joined EU for economic improvement and NATO for security. Taliban capturing power with brute force and then applying jeh@di Sharia law as free bonus to maintain control is similar to communists coming to power in Bengal in 1977 and Kejriwal in Delhi in 2015 with freebie promise and then destroying the state economically. Recently Sri Lanka also fallen in this trap of welfare economics under elected dictator Rajapaksha family.
Afghan-India Friendship Dam inauguration by PM Modi
Taliban 2.0 takes control of India built Afghan Parliament building
Taliban like Indian communists, left librandµ andolonjivi Arvind Kejriwal thrives on anarchy, freebies. Leftists call it ‘social welfare’ and radicals called it ‘Shariah rule’.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) decided to adopt Delhi formula to woo voters of Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Punjab, HP, Gujarat etc. AAP has promised free electricity up to 300 units per month for consumers in UP besides waiving arrears. It has also promised to provide free electricity to farmers across the state. Deputy CM of Delhi and senior AAP leader Manish Sisodiya announced before election that if voted to power in UP, his party would provide free electricity upto 300 units to all. He said those getting exaggerated power bills in UP need not worry, as it would become meaningless once AAP is voted to power. Sisodiya said that within 24 hours of assuming office, the AAP government would issue orders regarding free electricity and waiver of power dues. Sisodiya said there are 38 lakh households in UP who have been given exaggerated electricity bills. The UP government is treating them like criminals. The AAP leader said that people in UP are annoyed due to exaggerated electricity bills while in the neighboring Delhi the bills are almost nil. He said that with power of vote, the people of UP would get facilities like Delhi.
I visited many UP cities before the election and saw massive election campaign which was much bigger than many national party. Same was the case in Gujarat as they had Punjab government finances also this time. AAP did extensive Tiranga Yatra in UP and Sisodiya along with other leaders were leading it to replicate BJP style patriotism. AAP also started free pilgrimage for senior citizens. AAP can bring many innovative free schemes but cannot bring sound economic policy. Delhi is union territory with lot of controls and financial backup by central government and hence may not face Sri Lanka type financial crisis but Punjab after five years AAP rule can become bankrupt.
Kejriwal’s political rise in Delhi was based on free electricity promise
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal promised that voting for AAP in Gujarat Assembly polls would bring a monthly benefit of Rs 27,000 to every household in the state. If AAP government comes to power, people will save 3,000 through free electricity, 5,000 through free healthcare, 6,000 through unemployment allowance (2 unemployed members) and 3,000 through Mahila Samman Rashi (3 women) etc. This assumes every family in Gujarat has at least two unemployed youth. The reality is Gujarat is pro-business and entrepreneur state and do not chase government jobs or small freebies that Kejriwal offers. Congress can announce freebies similar to AAP’s but that may not be useful. AAP result in Gujarat is poor as its result in UP, Goa and HP (actually didn’t fight there). AAP won 0.38% in UP, 3.31% in UKH, 1.1% in HP, 6.77% in Goa and 12.87% in Guj. They lost security deposit from 100% to 60% seats. Their vote percentage is mainly from sinking congress party just like in Delhi. As seen in Delhi MCD election 2022, despite 3% increase in BJP vote share, AAP won more municipality wards as congress melted away.
Delhi is ‘union territory’ as it is the capital of the country and where central government funds lot of projects like Delhi Metro. If Kejriwal wastes Rs 5000 crore annually on media ads, free electricity, water and bus ride out of annual budget of Rs 45000 crore, still central government can help fulfil budget deficit by grants and Kejriwal can claim Delhi budget is surplus. But ‘state’ like Punjab, which is already in extremely bad financial condition with highest state debt, will have no money left for planned expenditure for infra, economy after paying salaries and freebies. The state west Bengal is paying back debts of Rs 1 lakh crore to the Centre every year. This debt was accumulated by the Left Front government during its 34-year rule. The CPIM Left Front has left West Bengal in a debt trap, something similar to recent Sri Lanka case. Punjab and Bengal will face more hardships in future, centre-state clash due to leftist mindset, economic stagnation due to lack of infra development by the state etc. Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann spent more money in Gujarat election than welfare of their own state.
Two AAP CMs wasting time and money in Gujarat campaign
Coming back to Taliban rule of Afghanistan, economic stagnation, food shortages and brutal religious persecution brought despair. The Salma dam or the Parliament building will decay over the years due to non-maintenance as international aid dried up. India supplied wheat and essential services although amount of grant reduced considerably during Taliban 2.0 rule. Taliban now asked India to restart 20 stalled projects beneficial for its people as the going gets tough due to lack of finance. This is same as Kejriwal or Bhagwant Mann asking money from central government to implement their promised freebie schemes. If central government refuse, they will blame central government for non-cooperation and play victim card. Most of the institutions and assets built before independence and first two decades post-independence era are in state of decay in Bengal as Mamata Banerjee government is as bankrupt as Taliban 2.0 or Sri Lanka in 2022.
Picture source: Google / Respective rightful owner
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