Good Governance and the Coast Road

Public Hearing on Mumbai Coast Road

Independent People’s Tribunal on Environment

Human Rights Law Network

Rishi Aggarwal

9th October, 2015

St. Pauls Institute, Bandra

Mumbai

Note: [This is upload version of presentation where the parts in red are ones which are added to indicate what I spoke. Also

taking liberty of changing title from What is good governance to Good Governance and the Coast Road Project]

• We had a new government last year which promised Minimum Government Maximum Governance.

• To me the coast road project represents Maximum Government Minimum Governance

• Let us explore some definitions of good governance

“….governance is a process whereby societies or organizations make their important decisions, determine whom they involve in the process and how they render account.”

United Nations economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

Good governance has 8 major characteristics. It is 1. Participatory, 2. Consensus oriented, 3. Accountable 4. Transparent 5. Responsive 6. Effective and efficient 7. Equitable and inclusive 8. Follows the rule of law

It assures that corruption is minimized, the views of minorities are taken into account and the voices of the most vulnerable in society are heard in decision-making. It is also responsive to the present and future needs of society.

The process of deciding upon the coastal road project and then pushing it through is completely incongruent with the principles outlined above.

What does the party in power say about good governance?

http://www.bjp.org/core-issues/good-governance

BJPs take on good governance

• The BJP’s definition of good governance is a administration where even the weakest and the most vulnerable sections of society have an equal stake in charting the country’s growth. Everything starts and progresses from this single idea. Today, the BJP is the only true merit-based democratic political party in India. In governance, the BJP is committed to the ideals of transparency, efficiency and responsiveness. Time and again, the party has demonstrated its commitment towards these principles, wherever it has been voted to power.

• With the BJP at the helm, the Indian voters can look forward to a clean government, free of corruption and scandal; a leadership that hasn’t reached on top on the basis of connections and cronyism, but on the basis of years of unrelenting work for the masses and a youthful leadership that is in sync with contemporary India.

BJPs take on good governance

• Our model of good governance ensures that even the tallest leaders and top bureaucrats are answerable to an ordinary citizen, hailing from any part of India. The government believes in operating in complete transparency, with every file and official record open for public scrutiny, except when these may endanger national security.

• The BJP’s ascendancy is an antidote to whatever has troubled the Indian political system over the last six decades– crony capitalism, feudalism, favouritism and archaic methods of governance. For us, governance is a mission that isn’t complete without proactive involvement of the citizens of India. We strive to provide a clean and efficient government that invites proactive participation and involvement of citizens at every step.

I think in the previous two slides on all accounts BJPs behaviour and response is inconsistent with its stated position.

The emphasis is mine in the previous two slides to indicate where particularly I feel aggrieved.

Its time we started showing respect for our national motto, strive for the enshrined values in

spirit and not make a ritualistic mockery of it.

And I think the coast road proposal represents the triumph of falsehood over truth

Thank you [Note: During the deposition I pulled in

points made in my written deposition found here –

https://rishiaggarwaal.wordpress.com/2015/10/10/points-made-during-deposition-for-coast-road-project-in-mumbai/