BJP MP Varun Gandhi is not always in sync with the party line on key issues. Varun, who has no qualms in proclaiming that equitable and inclusive politics is in his blood, says in unequivocal terms that the repealed farm laws were harmful to farmers and consumers.
Voters in UP should introspect about the promises made by the BJP in 2017 says Varun hints only time will tell if his association with the saffron party will continue. Excerpts from an interview with Malayala Manorama.
UP assembly Elections are on and the BJP leaders are hoping the party will return to power with a two-thirds majority. What is your assessment? Will BJP get a second term?
In the 2017 assembly elections, the people of Uttar Pradesh gave us a massive majority. The mandate was given with the hope that there would be a radical change across the State -– not just in infrastructure development, but in the entire system of governance. But have these hopes of the people been fulfilled?
What is the main poll plank of the UP elections?
Our young nation is facing an unprecedented level of unemployment. Did you see what happened during the Railway Recruitment Board examinations? One crore 25 lakh students applied for 35 thousand vacant posts of RRB-NTPC in Railways. When the Railway Recruitment Board started talking about 5 per cent recruitment instead of 20 per cent, the aspirants lost their patience and they decided to peacefully protest. The police caned them. Will these youngsters get justice? Will their desire for decent employment be fulfilled in this manner?
Inflation has also made life difficult. People will be able to breathe a sigh of relief if government schemes ranging from the PDS system to education and medicine can be freed from corruption. This time the election is being fought around important issues like inflation, unemployment, unrest in the farm sector, Dalit oppression and women's safety.
Voters vote in elections keeping many things in mind. All these issues will have an impact, but it is difficult to predict which issue will have what effect.
Will farmers' agitation and the controversial farm laws influence voters?
In a democracy, every mass movement has its strength. From the JP movement to the Anna movement, it has been proved time and again that not only does the people's movement have the ability to change any government, but also that it has the strength to create new leadership. Our farmers are our blood. It is crucial to find a solution to all the issues that they face today.
They are still waiting for answers from the government on the legal guarantee of MSP, the demand for compensation for families of the 700 farmers who died during the protests, the quashing of the fake cases were filed against them, and the resignation of the Union Minister of State for Home in the Lakhimpur case.
If the government continues to ignore these issues, the farmers' movement may likely start again.
You have criticized your party's governments in UP and at Centre over inflation and unemployment. You wrote a letter demanding registration of a murder case and SC monitored CBI probe in the Lakhimpur case; What is happening? Ruling party MPs defend their governments. You are attacking them. Why?
Issues are not raised at the convenience of the party or the government, or to make anyone uncomfortable. It is my democratic duty to speak on the issues of the people. If I will not raise the problems of the people, then there is no point in contesting elections.
I always follow and listen to what is the conscience of our nation. In support of youth employment, farmers' movement, issues related to women's safety, and serious issues like cancellation of 27 exams in UP and the innocent students who were victims of police brutality in Gaya. How is it possible that I stay quiet? To whom am I responsible?
I did not enter politics to fulfil any personal ambitions. People have elected me as an MP to raise their issues. I don't believe in the politics of fear, or of personal gain or loss. If you cannot raise the issues that concern the public, then such politics has no meaning. I speak in the interest of the people.
Why did you criticise the appointment of the new JNU VC?
With few higher education institutions at par with global standards, India needs to have the right leaders to run its universities. Appointing someone with little to offer in academic vision, credentials or even the ability to communicate, is a path to mediocrity.
We need leaders, with the right values, and discipline -- not those who cannot do basic due diligence on their first press release with regards to their appointment. A great institution like JNU needs empathy, sensitivity and careful steering, not a loudmouth, with little verbal control. Academic credentials and experience, not retweets, should be the criteria for selection.
Though the BJP started off with the issue of "Vikas", of late it has shifted to divisive tactics ass is evident from the statements of leaders. If you have development to flaunt, what is the need to adopt a divisive agenda?
I don't want to put any election in the 80:20 or 85:15 mould. It would be immoral to look at any voter on the basis of religion or caste. I consider the voter as the biggest 'stakeholder'.
In this election, voters of Uttar Pradesh have to seek answers for these basic questions: Has corruption waned in these five years? Was justice done to the farmers? Did the public get relief from the impact of inflation. How long will the contractual workers have to wait for justice? Another big question is whether the youth got employment. In any election, these essential questions must be at the forefront.
You've been a vocal critic of the repealed farm laws. What were your fundamental objections?
There were provisions in the farm laws, due to which commodities trade could be confined to some private companies. After a while, both the farmer and the consumer would suffer, and basic food items would become very expensive in the country.
Are you ready to contest the next election as a BJP candidate? Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
No one can predict what will happen tomorrow. Only time can answer such questions. I aspire for people-based politics. Equitable and inclusive politics is in my blood. The concern for the last man of society is at the top of my politics.
CM Yogi has said UP will become like Kerala, Bengal and Kashmir if the people make a mistake while voting. Is this a sign of BJP feeling the heat in the western part of the state at least?
Whatever noise you hear is about Hindu-Muslim or backward-forward. In fact, the vote will not be on any of such divisive issues. I am against seeing any voter based on his religion or caste. The voter is the biggest 'stakeholder' of democracy today – either include him in your decisions or else he will not include you in his decisions.
You've said 'a push for privatisation is a push for mass layoffs'. There's also this argument that privatisation is shrinking jobs for reserved categories. What do you think is the best way to run PSUs?
We need to create the right incentives and provide greater autonomy in terms of working style to drive a result-oriented, value-added approach. Restructuring of PSUs can also be done as in a single large public company holding stakes in PSUs to define the roadmap, help them expand to achieve global scale.
Meanwhile, policy-formulation can be done by the various ministries with enhanced rigour. Such moves have given good results in China & Singapore. In Singapore, the holding company Temasek helps various companies (SingTel, Singapore Airlines, Singapore Power) achieve scale, while policy making is done by the Ministry of Finance. On the other hand, Chinese growth is fuelled by its PSUs, all under a holding company (SASAC), which drives efficiencies towards stated goals, leading to 94 Chinese PSUs in the Fortune Global 500 list in 2020.
You've also termed the present period as 'a period of low job creation'. Why do you think the present government failed to create as many jobs as it had promised?
Our unemployment challenge grows unabated as we need to create around 90 million non-farm jobs (between 2023 to 2030) to leverage our demographic dividend. Meanwhile, PSU jobs have actually reduced (from 11.3 lakh employees in 2017 to 10.3 lakh employees in 2019). We need a national conversation around unemployment, especially among our youth. This can focus on multiple levers.
First, filling vacancies, converting contractual posts to permanent assignments, and ramping up public services, especially healthcare and education, can generate as many as 5.2 million jobs itself, besides providing an additional benefit of increased demand for goods and services by the beneficiaries of these jobs.
Second, a National Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme can be announced (benefiting 20 million casual urban workers) focussing on urban public works.
Third, we should encourage job creation in areas of water conservation, waste management, urban farming and renewables. A full-fledged municipal corporation can create 10 thousand jobs and which when expanded across all our cities can lead to significant job creation. Without concrete steps, our youth shall be forced to continue living in misery without any job.
