At Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Prof. Parakala Prabhakar who is a leading political economist and social critic, spoke at a seminar “Political Economy of New India''. He addressed a rather enthusiastic audience of students, professors, staff, and prominent social thinkers of Pune. Prof. K S Reddy introduced the Chief Guest, Prof. Parakala Prabhakar, and Dr. RK Pattnaik, who was the Chair and Moderator of the session.

Prof. Prabhakar said in the opening address that it was his dream to be at GIPE Pune he further added, “Once upon a time, I wanted to study here and I also hold Gopal Krishna Gokhale in high regard. Had he lived longer, the trajectory of the Indian social pool would have been much richer,”

He highlights the problems of unemployment and inequality in India at the moment and said, “The crisis in the employment scenario in India is so severe, that people are ready to fight in a war, take their chances of staying alive. I am not trying to compare Jawahar Lal Nehru to you-know-who. There is a poverty of aspirations and poverty of dreams in this country.”

He also pointed out the fact that if India, as is advertised, is the fifth largest economy, overtaking the UK, then why is it that we are 140th in per capita income? He added, “There was a time when Indian Statistical structure was respected and now there are doubts about the Indian data globally.”

Prof. Prabhakar drew attention to the ways of the present government in handling the recent disputed laws and also the expulsion of the members of parliament by saying, “We passed Agriculture laws in 10 minutes and then the Honorable Prime Minister repealed them in another 10 minutes. Democracy is much more than this. Democracy is governance by dialogue, by discussion, by conversation, by disagreement, by persuasion. That’s what I would like my democracy to be.”

He concluded by saying that the New India wants to become Ancient India. The new India has now made the blind worship of the past the biggest enterprise. But Indian citizens must remember that it is not a match between two governments but it must be seen that the winners are the people of India.

About Prof. Parakala Prabhakar:

Dr. Parakala Prabhakar is a leading political economist, a social critic, and a former communication adviser to the government of Andhra Pradesh. Dr. Parakala Prabhakar has studied at JNU and the London School of Economics. Between 2014 and 2018, he worked as a Communications Adviser to the Government of Andhra Pradesh and also held a Cabinet rank. He is currently the MD of RightFOLIO, a knowledge enterprise based in Hyderabad. He also has published the latest book, “The Crooked Timber of New India” which is a collection of: Essays on a Republic in Crisis (Speaking Tiger). In the book “The Crooked Timber of New India”, he openly stated that as a citizen of India, it is his duty to point out the wrongs committed by the Modi regime.