Amartya Sen has stated that “democracies have, without exception, abolished famine. A free press and lively opposition ensure that early warnings are given about

drought and starvation, and political competition obliges the ruling party to take remedial as well as preventive measures.” Ashutosh Varshney, on the other hand,

states that democracy encourages indirect rather than direct attacks on poverty. And since indirect attacks are less effective than direct attacks, poverty falls only

slowly.
Using what you know about Indian politics, why is democracy in India such a powerful tool to end famines but not poverty?