State Elections reduced to Personality Politics

Strange that Indian's democracy instead of getting more mature is getting more fizzled out with literates being herded by the power leaders to effect their decisions. The power politics have taken toll on the rationalism of the people. The recent concluded state elections have more to do with national leadership taking control of the state. The state issues hardly mattered rather the performance of the center is successfully evaluated and referendum asked for the contesting leaders. The issue of governance and decentralisation have failed to move the people on the issue on which the election could have been conducted. The election though tends to be more participatory with more participation, the sense of disorientation is clear within a political system. Its like one party, one person, one vote, whether you are in local, state or central election. This personality though lying low in southern India, transformed into the central and all India, is set to effect the electoral choice not of one candidate but a serious lobby and policy outcome of the ruling parties. The opposition would be happy to win game one by coming with sufficient majority in most of the states. What emerges is the lack of issues and implementation will by the ruling parties and opposition declaring hordes of populus schemes aimed to woo the voters. This is correct when the leaders often offer the cheapest food to get votes and its said that India is coming out of poverty.

This syndrome continues when others are lured with laptops, sarees, dowry (paid by govt) and other freebies to get the chance to vote for the parties. The value based judgement of the candidates are missing. What would be caricature of Indian politicians when they are supposed to 'give' in advance there share of booty till they achieve power.

Disaster coming to Coastal Odisha, AP and West Bengal: Be Prepared

Cyclone Phailin approaching India's Eastern Coast is supposed to be largest intensity experience by the country. The minimum required disaster preparedness is done, within the states this is not clear about the safety beyond the settlements abutting the coast. The real time tracking of the cyclone gives seriousness of the disaster, which requires ground presence of the teams. Hope the help of defense in such cases are ready on the ground. We are yet to get the live images when its just 150 km sway from the coast.

The image shows the path of the cyclone, majority of them affecting the high population area. The citizens might be now advised to stay indoors into an safe structure. The disaster shelters should be used along with closing all the door and windows, tightned the loose items, put cars and vechicles in locked garrages, do not use electricity or electronic device during the course of cyclone. Store only emergency items, make your selves for the emergency lights, torches, bag carrying only essentials. Take care of old, children and women, do not allow yourself near to the poles, trees and dangerous structures. Evacuate the place if it is abutting the coast,  and help administration only after cylone passes from your area. Heavy rains associated with cyclone may also cause flooding and people are advised to restrict their travel between the cities and water logged areas. We hope the state and their people would have enough awareness about the seriousness, but do not panic. This would also pass.....

Declaration of Prime Minister Candidate

Declaration of Prime Minister Candidate

Is it violation of Constitutional Provision?

On 13^th September 2013, evening the Mr. Rajnath Singh, declared before media the Prime Minister candidate of BJP after party’s  parliamentary board meeting.

“The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday announced Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 general elections. The announcement came after a meeting of the party’s parliamentary board here this evening, which unanimously decided to project Modi as the prime ministerial candidate. “We have projected Narendra Modi as our PM candidate,” BJP President Rajnath Singh told media here after the parliamentary board meeting.”

It’s explained as trend set since 2009 by the BJP to declare its PM candidate the current announcement is made. But the question rises in mind about the constitutional validity of such announcement in current electoral system and parliamentary democracy. Following are some of them; 

(a) Whether a political party are not violating the rights of the Member
of Parliament who as per the constitutional provision chooses their leader. The
Prime Minister heads the council of the minister.

(b) India’s parliamentary democracy does not allow the Prime Minister
to be directly elected by the people. Whether political parties are allowed by
election commission of India or within their rights to declare candidate?

(c) Whether declaration of Prime Minister Candidate by a political
party violates the provisions of Representation of People’s Act 1950? The post
of Prime Minister does not represent people than by declaring the candidate the
concern political party has violated the rights of the citizens to elect member
of parliament and thereby allowing them to participate in election of Prime
Minister.

(d) Whether declaration of PM candidate also violates the internal
democratic setup within the party (vide its declared constitution), by not
granting fair chance to be elected as Prime Minister candidate? Question does
not arise since political parties are not authorized to declare candidate for
prime minister. The candidate can represent a political party, for due election
scheduled as Member of Parliament or Member of Legislative Assembly.

(e) What would be than role of citizens of India, how during elections
the votes would be accounted for the declared candidates? The current
declaration of Prime Ministerial candidates can be honored by whom, the
political party, the current parliament or election commission? Can there be
provision for the direct election of Prime Minister?

Whether
pre-emption of the election process by a party allows than to be unaccountable
for the purpose of election? Who bears the cost of the expenditure before the
announcement of election dates? The concern parties if this amounts to a
political rally are accountable to election commission (concerning with
constitutional post).

Lets go back to constitution and allow political parties to readjust their agenda for nation..or else!

Repeated debate on the what is 'secularism' in the political circles, which tries to negate fundamental essence of constitution of India. The recent polarisation effort by the GUJ CM regarding remains true to agenda thrown by the RSS ideologists aimed at redefining the idea of secular nature of India, by claiming to be Hindu Nationalist. The development of nation and its people would clearly depend on the agenda set in motion by the political parties, which over the years have diverted for being, suited to ideologies dear to them either indulging in religious or caste based political lines. Below are text from the Preamble, (source: lawmin.nic.in) for the benefit of understanding what we adopted  as Indian.


"WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India
into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and
to secure to all its citizens:
JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;
and to promote among them all
FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and
integrity of the Nation;"

This was agenda set by people belonging to all sections and political ideologies and signed by all the members and representative of peoples in 1949. If parties do not agree to this text, they should not have right to propagate their ideologies. The spirit of the constitution is lost during last 20 years for the fight between the party ideologies which tends to divide the nation based on religion and caste or sect line. To practice or propogate the political ideologies the parties has to adhere to constitutional framework. The development issues can only be addressed by working on above ideals, and promoting and securing, Justice, Liberty, Equality and help to maintain unity and integrity of Nation.

People associated with religious or related organisation tend to mix national identities with their religious principles, which can be practiced in their private lives but cannot be enforced to the nation, without any constitutional ammendment. Such organisation who do not adhere to the secular principles as described should be debarred from participating in Indian democratic system. You can practice organisation belief and faith but cannot promote division, hatred and polarisation in society.

When would the content of the constitution and its essence?

Polarising INDIA: Nationalist Debate

Despite decision to stop the blog for some time to observe the development, I have been now forced to resume the thoughts that come across due to timely news regarding the political parties meant to polarise the society.

The national aspiration of one politician and his clout in political party directs the nation now, the people would fall into the trap laid nicely by the much popular Gujarat CM. The agenda from disasters and economic melt down of India is supposed to take back seat, so is corruption with monster communal politics. The agenda of the persons and their success in dividing the country along the political lines has enough materials to create the vertical split.

Be it the society, political parties, businesses, government institutions et al would be now engaged in defining their nationalist colour from saffron to green. The promotion of hindutva ideologies are now getting mixed with philosophies of Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel etc, and them being brought to the discussion to suit the personal political agenda.

The country is shamed once again by the simple debate, whether the political leadership needs to apologize to citizens who suffered by the actions of rioters in year 2002? The administrative failure is evident yet the parties concern in power does not feel enough for the loss of life, or properties. The head is held high enough to prove the power of so called 'hindu nationalism'. The image of India polarised again on the communal lines would call for sacrifice from the nationalists, not able to agree to divisive idea of India. The political parties needs to restrain itself from falling into the trap laid down by RSS to seek mandate on their ideologies.

Why a organisation is above constitution of India? Why not they accept the philosophy of the nation granted by erstwhile leaders? If they find any flaw in our constitution let them come out as political agenda. Lets stop this social re-engineering by polarising societies. We have lot of tasks to be done, development concerns are real, and world would be watching us along with our enemies. Nation needs debate on development rather than the political conflicts which polarises society.