Hindu Editorial Snapshot – 02 June – 2025
Growing pains: On economic performance, Viksit Bharat
India’s economic performance in 2024–25 presents a mixed picture. While Q4 GDP growth reached a surprising 7.4%, driven by strong performance in construction and agriculture, annual growth stood at just 6.5%, the lowest since the pandemic. Optimists cite the robust quarterly data, while pessimists point to the year’s weak overall performance. Realistically, the data reflects both encouraging signs and significant concerns. Manufacturing growth slowed to 4.8%, and the much-anticipated “Maha Kumbh effect” on consumer spending did not materialise, with private consumption growing only 6%, the slowest in five quarters. A 12.7% rise in net tax collections played a key role in boosting headline GDP, without which real economic growth would be closer to 6.8%. On the positive side, capital formation rose by 9.4%, aided by increased government investment. Government officials have highlighted India’s growth as the fastest among major economies, despite the slowest rate in four years. However, critics argue that ‘not bad’ is not good enough given India’s ambition of achieving “Viksit Bharat” by 2047, which requires consistent 8% growth annually. While a phase of low inflation and stable growth is positive, it may also imply limited future acceleration.
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Wrong call: On Assam and arming civilians
The Assam government’s decision to issue arms licences to “eligible” indigenous communities in remote and vulnerable border areas has raised serious concerns. The move, aimed at boosting personal safety and confidence in regions bordering Bangladesh, is seen as fraught with danger due to its potential for misuse, vigilantism, and inter-community tensions. Despite assurances that inter-state border areas are excluded, the policy risks blurring the line between state law enforcement and armed civilians.In a state with a history of insurgency and violence, such as threats from ULFA (Independent), arming civilians could escalate conflict and contribute to arms proliferation. The government, critics argue, appears to be abdicating its core responsibility of ensuring security through institutional mechanisms.Indian law — notably the Arms Act of 1959 and Arms Rules of 2016 — allows for restricted, individual licences, not for group-level arming, which poses legal, administrative, and security risks. Even well-intentioned implementation could lead to weapons leaking into grey markets and potentially backfiring on the state.The Salwa Judum example in Chhattisgarh, where civilians were armed to counter Maoists, serves as a cautionary tale, ending in human rights abuses and a Supreme Court intervention declaring the policy illegal. The passage concludes with a strong recommendation: Assam must reverse its decision to prevent further instability.
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