An Interview with Nehaa Patil..

Dear All: Following the series of interviews on my blog of young, aspiring, independent politicians, I am pleased to carry below an interview with Nehaa Patil, Lok Sabha candidate from Bengaluru North constituency. Many of you may have already joined Nehaa’s campaign page on facebook…She now also has a website where you can join as a volunteer, contribute and express your support. Nehaa’s initiative is commendable and deserves full support. She – and others like her – are showing the way that change can come to India..

All we need are a few young women and men of integrity who are passionate about India and clear that change has to come via the democratic process by providing an alternative in terms of leadership to the poor choices we have… Please do all you can to support her in this endeavour…We need many many more like her…Read on…

** Interview with Nehaa S Patil, LokSabha candidate from Bengaluru North ***

What prompted you to jump into active politics?

I am a woman with the drive and determination to help myself, my family, my community as well as contribute to the progress of the nation. The society in which I live has played a great role in providing me all the facilities and for making me what I am today. I am grateful to my society & this gratitude has created a hunger in me to serve the people. I have been thinking for many years to join active politics and I have finally joined it, no matter what, now is the time to serve the people and contribute to the progress of the nation. I have joined active politics because I believe that politics is that one field which provides an opportunity to help the people of my constituency as individuals with direct assistance, and also help them as a member of a larger group by supporting policies that contribute to their joint well being.  I intend to represent the people of Bangalore North Constituency as MP not only to take care of the people’s needs but also to develop an effective relationship with my constituency people that contributes to democracy by strengthening the people’s connection with their government, and by providing “real life” assessments of how government programs are actually working on the ground.

What are the biggest hurdles/challenges you are facing?

The biggest challenges that I am facing are

• How to devise effective and genuine communication strategies to connect and build trust with my constituency people at an affordable cost; and
• How to raise funds from the general public to meet my campaign expenses

What are the critical ingredients that will make this campaign a success?

I feel that running a political campaign is one of the most challenging and exhausting activities. The critical ingredients that can make campaign a success in this modern political age are:

• Using technology as a backbone of the campaign to make our campaign effort much easier.
• Having the right persons to hold three key positions namely treasurer, fund raiser, and campaign manager, in the campaign.
• A carefully formulated campaign budget calculated on the basis of the vote target- the number of votes needed to win.
• Formulating the right strategy and message for the campaign that reflects my personal beliefs and makes people comfortable with it.
• Running the day-to-day campaign with this sound planning and revising the same based on changed circumstances.

What is your position on campaign finance? What are your views on corruption in elections/ vote-rigging?

I believe that as a candidate for MP from Bangalore North Constituency, I should communicate with each potential voter at least six times. This voter contact cannot happen without spending. In addition, I need to spend on fund raising, staff, and other overheads.  Wherefore, without campaign finance, there are no chances of running a successful campaign. On the one hand, political candidates are left on their own to raise funds to meet their campaign expenses though candidates from political parties receive some financial support from their respective political parties. On the other hand, political parties are dependent on the contributions from special interest groups. Lack of proper campaign finance has encouraged only those who have enough money, to contest elections.

To have clean elections, we need to spend clean money. Election reforms in this aspect are the need of the hour. Till then, political candidates like me have to rely on grass root supporters and generous public for contributions to meet campaign expenses. General public should get into the giving mood to contribute to the campaign funds of deserving candidates.  Using money to buy votes, spending money beyond the limit fixed by the election commission, vote-rigging and other election related offences are not new in India. There are effective laws to prevent them but election commission requires a strong commitment and infrastructure to implement them to the fullest extent. Even people can play a vital role in having free and fair elections.

What is the single biggest problem in Indian politics today? Is it Corruption? Is it Criminalization? Is it lack of competence? Is it fragmentation of electoral base – along casteist, religious, regional lines? Is it something else?

The single biggest problem in Indian Politics today is voting in ignorance or with indifference. People should realize that their one vote could doom this country to failure, or it can help this country flourish for years to come. Everything will fall in line the day people realize the importance of their vote and use it to support issue-based politics.

What are your views on “criminalization” of politics and views on banning people with criminal convictions from standing for elections?

The evil of criminalization of politics needs to be addressed on top priority because it destroys the very foundations of our democracy.  One the one hand, electoral reforms is the need of the hour to bar people with criminal convictions from contesting elections. On the other hand, the people should wake up at once and force the political parties to field good people so that people facing serious criminal charges and undergoing trial are also not given ticket to contest elections.

What is your stance towards economic reforms?

It is a known fact that India was exposed to economic reforms in 1991. India’s economic performance in the post-reforms period has many positive features. India’s economic reforms have been piecemeal and incremental, giving the casual observer the impression that nothing has been happening. If one takes the totality of reforms over the last two decades however, the change is unmistakable. We still have a long way to go. Lack of sufficient progress in land, labour and infrastructure reforms is actually holding back growth. Economic reforms needs to be fine tuned to achieve the objective of inclusive growth that helps the poor reap a fair share of the growth dividend.

What are your views on reservations in education, jobs, promotions, and private sector and also your views on reservations on the basis of caste, religion, socio-economic measures?

Those who enjoy the benefits of reservation want it to be continued and those who do not, want it to be discontinued. It is very essential for us to understand why reservations were provided in India in the first place. It was meant to improve the well being of perceived backward and underrepresented communities in India. The easy way to provide reservations then was to use caste as a base because caste was a vital reason for a person to be educationally, socially, and economically backward. However the creamy layer of people belonging to those castes and communities is enjoying all the benefits of reservations and others from those castes and communities remained where they were before and after independence. The reservation policy needs to be fine tuned so that the benefits of reservations reach those who are in real need. It is important to note that neither the ruling coalition nor the opposition oppose reservations. It is the People who believe in development, competency, equality and unity who want reservations to be removed. It is an issue that needs to be tackled carefully by taking ground reality into consideration.  However, I am of the opinion that the best solution would not be to remove reservations, but to amend the Constitution to provide reservation for the poor belonging to all castes.

What is your position with regards to hot-pursuit across the border?

It is quite natural that any sovereign country including India will never allow any foreign boots to intrude on its soil. I am not in favour of ‘Hot Pursuit’ as it may be misinterpreted as a provocation that could spark wider wars or lend greater legitimacy to nations that launch preemptive strikes under the legal mantle of “anticipatory self-defense.” However there is nothing wrong in utilizing the same when sanctioned by the UN Security Council because such sanction reflects the backing of international community for such a measure.

What are your views on sanctions against Pakistan?

I am not for any sanctions imposed on a nation by a single nation because the nation that faces sanctions can always claim that such sanctions imposed are illegal and also because other nations react negatively or positively to such sanctions with their self interest in mind. I am for the international sanctions, backed by the UN, on Pakistan in case any act of Pakistan is a threat to peace.

What are your views on taxes – should there be an infrastructure tax? How about direct taxes and indirect taxes?

Tax Reforms are the need of the hour. Through Tax Reforms, India needs to position itself as a common free flowing market to truly leverage its stand as a fast growing economy in the global platform and thereby improving its competitiveness.
The Direct Taxes Code (DTC) is being brought to replace the existing Income Tax Act, 1961. I anticipate the impact of Direct Taxes Code as largely positive even though many of the provisions of the Income Tax Act will be part of the Direct Tax Code.
One of the most important reforms needed in the indirect tax system is to have a coordinated consumption tax system for the country. Such a system is necessary to ensure fair distribution of the tax burden among different sectors and between goods and services, to improve revenue productivity, to minimize relative price distortions, and above all, to ensure a common market in the country without placing impediments on the movement of factors and products. The uniform Goods and Services Tax (GST) is an important indirect tax system being brought to replace the existing indirect tax system. Done right, we would be left with only three taxes: the Direct Tax, the GST and the Property tax. This will reduce compliance costs, economic distortions and harassment.
The GST and DTC were anticipated to come into force w.e.f April 1st, 2012. The present Government needs to take effective steps to make GST and DTC a reality.
When there is a measure to remove almost all the existing taxes leaving only three taxes: The Direct Tax, the GST, and the Property Tax, There is no need for levy of separate taxes such as ‘Infrastructure Tax’.

What are your views on the parallel economy: how do you see the problem and how would you deal with it?

Parallel economy is that one insect that eats into the root of a Country’s Robust Economy. Parallel economy ensures that the rich becomes richer through illegal means at the cost of the poor and the middle class. One of the outcomes of parallel economy is generation of black money. While black money which operates within the country can be productive to some extent, what goes overseas is non-productive. I believe in what the Wanchoo Committee concluded: “It is no exaggeration to say that black money is like a cancerous growth in the country’s economy which, if not checked in time, is sure to lead to its ruination”. I am for any measures which are within the purview of national and international laws. In addition, it is necessary to enact legislations that make all transactions transparent, and also to evolve a stringent and deterrent punishment system to discourage people from involving in parallel economic activities.

What is the most important “social” issue facing our country today?

The most important social issue that also has an economic angle facing our country today is ‘Poverty’. With nearly four out of five Indians living in poverty, millions of Indians are caught in a lethal web. The present economic and political policies framed to eradicate poverty amounts to a mere tokenism. The present and future Governments should have a concrete goal with a time frame to reduce poverty with an aim to provide adequate nutrition, clean water, basic sanitation, education, enforced constitutional rights, and basic health care for all.

What is the most important “economic” issue facing us today?

The most important ‘economic’ issue facing our country today is ‘inflation’. Higher the inflation, the higher is the cost of living for the populace. With most of India’s vast population living close to or below the poverty line, inflation acts as a ‘Poor Man’s Tax’. This effect is magnified when food prices rise as food represents more than half of the expenditure of this group. The Government should take immediate measures to bring down the inflation to a rate where it ceases to be a cause of major concern.

*** End of Interview ***

I invite you to ask questions to Nehaa on other issues that you may have an interest in – either by leaving a comment below – or of course on her facebook page. In the meantime, pl consider how you can support and contribute to her campaign. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat!

Related Posts: An Interview with Nisha Singh,

Interview with Deepak Mittal, “Jago Party”

Interview with Ujjwal Banerjee and Interview with Geeta Gokhale, BPD