Project Kalahandi

Nevertheless, the counter-argument that the electorate has not only given a thumbs-up to reforms but a thumbs-up to widen and deepen reforms is a trifle suspect. Indeed, some free-market ayatollahs maintain the result should be interpreted as more reforms, not less reforms. Even the generally wise New York Times columnist, Thomas Friedman, in a series of pieces for his paper, concludes that the Indian voter has sent a clear and urgent message to his rulers: quicken the reforms process and rid local government of petty corruption so that the common man’s life is less harassed.

Here is my take. There are close to 400 million in India who live on less than a dollar a day, in other words, in absolute poverty. These people are neither pro- nor anti-reforms simply because reforms for them are irrelevant. Does it matter for the family in Kalahandi whether the cap on FDI in airports privatisation is 49 per cent or 74 per cent? The Kalahandi family is unlikely to use the facilities of our admittedly run-down airports. The shame of India is not criminalisation of politics or defence scams or the murder of whistle-blowers, the shame of India is that we have created an obscenely unequal society in which you and I can happily spend Rs 3,000 for a single meal, while for millions Rs 3,000 means three month’s earnings.

How do we make reforms interest those out of the loop, the 400 million who have no stake in reforms? We have had reforms for nearly 15 years, but they have made little or no impact on poverty levels. If anything is trickling down, it is trickling down very, very slowly. Besides, the trickledown theory is now universally rejected—something reformists themselves concede.

The challenge for Manmohan Singh and other governments who come to office is not to make a U-turn on reforms but how to reach those destined never to benefit from them. How does Dr Singh give 400 million of the poor and the destitute a stake in Indian democracy? I believe he has to give these citizens self-esteem by putting money in their pockets through gainful employment so that they too can eat two square meals a day, every day. Otherwise, Dr Singh will be sitting in the Opposition benches in 2009. That is the message of this election.