We are witnessing a dangerous shift from cooperative to coercive federalism: CM Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Tuesday that the country was witnessing a “dangerous” shift from cooperative federalism to “coercive” federalism.

“Decisions are being made in Delhi, imposed upon the states, and celebrated as reform, even as they suffocate local realities. This is not just a policy issue. It is a threat to the very structure of the Indian Union, executed through financial control, political pressure and constitutional manipulation,” Siddaramaiah said while speaking at the conference of South India socialists that discussed issues related to federalism.

The chief minister explained that the idea of India was not of the Centre “ruling” over many states but instead of the many states strengthening one Union.

“Socialism in India has never been an imported ideology. It emerged from our freedom struggle, shaped by Mahatma Gandhi’s moral economics, Nehru’s social democracy, Lohia’s federal vision, and Ambedkar’s insistence on social justice and economic democracy,” he added.

Former Supreme Court Judge B Sudershan Reddy referred to the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 and the process of converting the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories (Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh).

“The Supreme Court has stamped its approval but did not engage in any substantive discussion as to how a presidential order could amend a constitutional provision and bypass the mechanism for a Constitutional amendment provided for in Article 368.”

Referring to Article 371(J) that provides special provisions for the Hyderabad Karnataka (now Kalyana Karnataka) region, he said: “Could it also be abrogated by a Presidential order without amending the Constitution. For incorporating (371) J, you have amended the Constitution, followed the procedure laid down under Article 368 and made it part of the Constitution. Because I do not like the government or for some reason, can you decide to abrogate that particular Constitutional provision which provides some special protection to those areas?”

Speaking on the occasion, senior Congressman and Aland MLA BR Patil felt the proposed delimitation exercise based on the upcoming census would be a “huge blow” to the southern states.

As per the statistics produced by Patil, after delimitation, Uttar Pradesh will have 143 seats (currently 80), Bihar 79 seats (currently 39), MP 52 seats (currently 29), Rajasthan 50 seats (currently 25) and Haryana 18 seats (currently 10).

In contrast, he said Tamil Nadu would merely have 49 seats instead of 39, Karnataka 41 (currently 28), Andhra Pradesh 32 (currently 25), 22 (currently 17) and Kerala will continue to have 20 seats.

“The above-listed North Indian states will stand to gain 86% more than their existing seats and southern states will gain only 27%,” he added.