Of Opposition alliance
and social activists
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It must be said that the opposition political parties play an important role in democracy. They ensure that a political party in power does not abuse or misuse its power. It exposes the weaknesses of the ruling party and keeps a close vigil on the bills and expenditure of the government.
The Opposition’s main role is to question the government of the day and hold them accountable to the public. A democratic system is significantly undermined if the opposition does not offer any credible alternatives to the governing party, is invisible in the public debate or does not have a public profile beyond during elections.
In Goa, we have an opposition alliance consisting of various political parties. However, this alliance seems to be a disjointed lot and directionless. There is apprehension that the AAP-Congress Opposition alliance which was stitched together carefully is fraying at the seam. The Opposition alliance appears to have become quite ineffective.
In the absence of an effective Opposition alliance in the state, social activists seem to be playing the role of the Opposition. They are taking up issues like land conversion, illegal land-grabbing, cash-for-job-scams, bank scams and even minor issues like vendors not allowed to sell candles and flowers at Old Goa during the Exposition.
These social activists have made their voices heard by the government. Unlike the opposition party leaders, they are on the ground feeling the pulse of the people. It won’t be wrong to say that people now have more faith in the social activists than the Opposition parties.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Cash transfer schemes to
women, a new poll plank
Direct cash transfer schemes to women in India have been gaining ground over the past decade and they have a positive impact on women’s empowerment and development.
These schemes have significant potential to transform women’s lives and lead to societal progress. The growing popularity of direct cash transfer schemes for women reflects a broader trend in Indian politics where electoral considerations shape welfare policies.
While DBT schemes offer immediate benefits, they cannot substitute long-term structural reforms that address the root causes of poverty and inequality. The challenge for policymakers will be to find a balance between immediate relief and sustainable welfare reforms that can provide lasting benefits to women of marginalized communities. Women are predominantly the recipients of welfare as they are likely to be poorer than men, which is a fact euphemistically disguised as the “feminisation of poverty.” According to the United Nations, “women are the world’s poor,” and the pandemic pushed women further into poverty. This partly explains why unconditional cash transfers to women have emerged as the defining trend in elections in the country.
Ranganathan Sivakumar, Chennai
Challenging task for
Mahayuti ahead
In view of a landslide victory for the BJP in Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis’s return as Maharashtra’s CM was never in doubt. He even prevailed over the powerful Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar to settle for Dy CM posts. Shinde’s brief resistance ended when it became clear that he had no bargaining position. It was unrealistic of him and his supporters to expect that BJP would follow the Bihar model in Maharashtra and offer him CM post. On the other hand, Ajit Pawar is content with his position in the government and with the situation where he can claim to be the real NCP.
Both the allies had to accept the BJP’s dominance, and negotiations can now be only about portfolios. However, there are governance challenges that await the new government. Issues relating to joblessness, rural crisis, food inflation and falling prices of crops will re-emerge. Agrarian distress and industrial expansion are two areas that required early attention. Importantly, the cash-handouts increment as promised to eligible women under the Ladki Bahin Yojna from Rs 1500 to Rs 2100 needs to be sustained and fulfilled.
Gregory Fernandes, Mumbai
