PM 'violating' Constitution, resorting to confrontational federalism: Congress
Congress on Sunday accused the Modi government of violating the Constitution by resorting to «confrontational federalism». The Congress also accused the prime minister of resorting to fiscal centralisation, obstruction of state programs, destabilising state governments, misusing governors and subverting the rights of States.
In a statement, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said as the INDIA Janbandhan's rally at Ramlila Maidan gets underway, it is necessary to recall how the PM is «violating», in letter and spirit, Article 1 of the Constitution of India that states «India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.»
He said the prime minister started off his innings in May 2014 talking big about cooperative federalism.
«Instead, what he has delivered is confrontational federalism. Cooperative federalism is based on consensus, for which the PM has demonstrated a singular unwillingness and incapacity. In contrast, confrontational federalism is based on creating conflict and division, which is the PM's core skill,» Ramesh charged in his statement.
The Congress leader said there are five major patterns to the prime minister's «concerted assault» on the Constitution's federal structure — fiscal centralisation, obstruction of state programs, destabilising State governments, misuse of governors and subverting the rights of States.
Alleging fiscal centralisation, Ramesh said every time States get their constitutional share of taxes, or their legitimate entitlement, the PM and the FM make it out as though they
