Assam and the Peril of Populist Pledges
By Dipak Kurmi
The enduring cynicism surrounding democratic exercises is perhaps best captured by the Soviet statesman Nikita Khrushchev, who famously quipped that politicians are the same everywhere, promising to build bridges even where no rivers exist. In the context of poll-bound Assam, this adage resonates with a piercing accuracy as the state prepares for its Assembly elections. As the political calendar advances, a frenzied competition has emerged among candidates of all hues, each attempting to outdo the other in a spectacle of one-upmanship. The landscape is currently saturated with lofty pledges that fly thick and fast, ranging from the tangible allure of flyovers and bridges to the complex, emotionally charged promises of deporting illegal migrants and providing direct benefit transfers. Yet, beneath this veneer of electoral enthusiasm lies a bewildered public, well aware that the very individuals currently courting their favor often become untraceable specters once the ballot boxes are sealed and the victory motorcades have passed.
A reality check on these periodic manifestos reveals a dampening truth: the most significant and pressing concerns of the state remain largely unaddressed, buried under a mountain of unfulfilled rhetoric. While the physical landscape of Assam has undeniably changed over the last two decades through the expansion of roads and infrastructure, using such development as the primary yardstick for successful governance is a fundamental fallacy. Infrastructure is a natural byproduct of an evolving state and the passage of time; it is not, in itself, a testament to visionary leadership. The true barometer of effective governance lies in human resource development and the transformation of a populace into a self-sustaining force capable of navigating a globalized, competitive environment. Instead, the political discourse remains fixated on superficial milestones, ignoring the deeper structural reforms required to lift the state out of its perennial cycles of distress.
One of the most alarming trends in recent years, particularly under the current BJP administration, is the aggressive expansion of the freebie culture. While social safety nets are vital, the increasing doses of public-funded largesse have fostered a parasitic class that remains perpetually dependent on government doles. In a state already notorious for a struggling work culture, this adherence to a perverse form of economy has further eroded the local work ethic. By diverting massive amounts of capital from critical sectors like education, healthcare, and industrial research into direct populist handouts, the government is essentially mortgaging the future of the state for immediate electoral gains. This cycle prevents the populace from becoming independent resources and instead tethers them to the whims of the ruling elite, ensuring that the state remains trapped in a loop of underdevelopment and fiscal instability.
The discourse surrounding employment in Assam is equally deceptive, often characterized by the misnomer of creating government jobs. In reality, the bulk of these announcements pertain to filling existing vacancies created by superannuation, which is a routine administrative function rather than an act of visionary job creation. Many government departments are already burdened by overstaffing, and the persistent drive to create more unproductive posts amounts to a gross wastage of public exchequer. True economic progress requires a shift in focus toward sensitive industrialization and the nurturing of a robust entrepreneurship ecosystem. However, such a vision is conspicuously absent from the current political narrative. Instead of building a foundation for private sector growth that could provide meaningful and sustainable livelihoods, authorities continue to cry themselves hoarse over government recruitment, failing to provide the structural support necessary for a modern economy.
Furthermore, the state continues to grapple with chronic issues that have been part of the political vocabulary for decades without seeing any tangible resolution. The perennial threat of floods, which ravages the Brahmaputra valley annually, remains a seasonal talking point rather than a subject of serious engineering and geopolitical intervention. Similarly, urban centers in Assam are languishing due to the absence of efficient drainage systems, scientific garbage disposal, and reliable drinking water supply. Despite the tall promises made during every election cycle, the authorities appear to be groping in the dark, lacking both the technical expertise and the political will to implement a mass rapid transport system or modernize urban infrastructure. These failures are often nonchalantly dismissed once the election fever subsides, leaving the citizens to contend with the same systemic inadequacies year after year.
Historical context suggests that this pattern of electoral deceit is deeply rooted in the socio-political fabric of the region. From the historic Assam Accord of 1985 to the more recent debates over the National Register of Citizens and the Citizenship Amendment Act, the issue of illegal migration has been used as a perennial carrot to dangle before the electorate. Yet, the legal and diplomatic complexities of deportation remain largely unaddressed, revealing the promise to be more of a tactical tool for polarization than a genuine policy goal. When these grand political narratives are juxtaposed against the reality of burgeoning unemployment and a stagnant industrial sector, the gap between promise and performance becomes an abyss. The public is left in a state of perpetual anticipation, waiting for a transformation that is always described in the future tense but never realized in the present.
The future of Assam depends on a paradigm shift where the electorate demands accountability beyond the immediate gratification of freebies and symbolic infrastructure. Governance must be redefined as the facilitation of an environment where individuals can fend for themselves through skill acquisition and economic opportunity. As long as the political class is allowed to fall back on their words without consequence, the state will remain a theatre of unfulfilled potential. The upcoming Assembly election serves as a critical juncture; it is a moment for the people to look beyond the frenzied one-upmanship of the contestants and ask whether the bridges being promised will ever span the rivers of their actual grievances. Without a demand for substantive policy over populist rhetoric, the cycle of disappointment will inevitably continue, leaving the lofty pledges of today as the dampeners of tomorrow.
(the writer can be reached at dipakkurmiglpltd@gmail.com)
