India Election Effects: Time to change fundamentals

The parliamentary democracy reached a turn around in India in 2019 when those who fought for independence from the British rule, brought change in the socio-economic status of the nation are not in power. Rather hope for their revival seems very weak. India must move from the basics of food, cloth and shelter to technology, innovation and urbanisation. The people of India desire to have now prestige, power and money to bring revolutionary participation in the world economy and social order. The people now want to be removed from the shadow of government to a world full of opportunity. The vision for them is for a strong nation where cultural divisions and social identity must be removed with little concern about equality. The competitive social order is now caught in class divide more when economic growth outshines the social status. The new economy (led by market) has also arranged the citizens' expectations beyond the basic concerns about poverty. The governments over the periods have targetted the poor through hordes of programs resulting in massive removal of poverty leading to starvation. There is inequality which has increased and distribution of wealth is not as would have been desired by socialists. But in a liberal and secular nation, there now exists the acceptance of majority stake and respect for minority rights. 

Innovation in the technology sector should lead to enhanced participation of young citizens to claim their space in a highly competitive market. There is rising services sector and demand for the employment over the periods diminished however, there is a disparity in the potential for creating jobs various parts of the nation. The man-days may be available to some states in India whereas the opportunity for regular employment diminishes. The new governments should be empowered enough to focus on the opportunities for the youth in sectors outside the governments. There is a positive sign when youth has accepted the fact that governments are no more responsible for employment. It is now there own responsibilities to skill themselves to be worthy of economic earnings. The people themselves must pull others out of joblessness or poverty. The community networks would be strengthened to provide enough opportunities. 

The higher education seems to have reached its pinnacle and with job markets not showing opportunities, the young talents must spend more time on making their skills show some good results. The entrepreneurship must come out from the established families to those who can make a difference. The service sectors need support from higher education, though the highest number of educated youth need to contribute towards making their voice heard through participating in meaningful outcomes. There is a need to take India forward to be competitive.

The cultural recognition of the largest Hindu population is at stake in the multi-cultural world. It seems now there is identity requirement for the community and assertation of culture would bring a fundamental change in our democratic systems. The leadership needs to subsume the cultural dominance by removing the privileges of minorities such as in J&K state to be a more inclusive part of the nation. Nevertheless, there is a need to have a balanced approach in dealing with minorities, while claiming back the cultural symbols through constitutional mandate in the national parliament. There is doubt in fulfilling these desires due to institutions like our courts or justice system giving enough opportunities for such a move by the majority governments. There is dominance now of the majority community in India, not to take away the rights of minorities but giving justice to there own actions. 

The social divisions in India must also go with fewer chances of the reservation to survive these decades. The complexities of identities and historical justice may not prevail in the current century. More disturbance of the social order may not be due to the community where people would be born but how they would be treated by society. The demand for the community for social equality must be met with the justice system. The people might not tolerate such unjustified social behaviour when technology and social relations have moved beyond their identities. The fundamentals of constitutions must identify the rights of citizens more than equal and move towards gender justice and social equality leading to new social order. 

The traditional communities living in hard geographical areas need protection from cultural and economic onslaught. The tribals in India need change when mainstreaming of these communities are almost complete when very few could protect there tradition and culture. The cultural missions in these areas must stop and tribals must be allowed to take there own decisions through government and institutional support. The constitution protection must move towards ecological protection along with communities not only accepting their rights but abstain from removing them from there traditional homes. 

(Photo Courtesy: Author, 2017_18)

Cusp of Democracy, accepting development and the New Government

Elections is nearing to end in the heat of 2019 in India for the national government. Some say this is to save the democracy and others for the security of Nation under threat from terror. The response of the people is neither hysterical nor its indifference. There is a spate of reasoning given to politically finish the erstwhile ruling party but more the suppression it resulted in the expansion of thoughts. The personal aura of the current ruling party faces a crisis for putting its mask over the face of its candidate. The overselling of ideas, high pitch debates and declaration of nationalism has been a political drama guided both by the leader and his media supporters. A successful pitch stays straight and stressed on its main plank of development but a deviation to suit the political outcome is showing discomfort and lack of confidence of the ruling party.

There is a rise of leaders in hordes in response to the singular leader of a ruling party. The face of person so loved or hated is the point of an axis in India politics over the last five years. No matter the ideas of development continued from the government kudos to the people who engaged themselves in providing their ideas. The schemes of success or rather a failure did not enchant the voters for long. India slips back to traditional social dynamism linking with political outcomes. The ignorance of voters now depends on the pitch of media which could never be abstained for being polarised. The expense of the election is high for the government and rather many folds to the parties who were fighting for it. The cost of India democracy has increased but the focus of the development still remain fixed with farmers, youth, poverty and employment. The more the deviation more the dissatisfaction of the electorate. The threat to democracy is from the people who diverted the debates and ready to get away with it by raising and playing the emotional issues.

To an extent, the development of rural India cannot be negated with glittering lights in the cities. The hinterland of India now demands attention and basics of infrastructure might be the deciding factor in this election. The relations with Pakistan may not improve as the majority has won election and minorities in the country has been ignored to showcase political upmanship. There is a possibility of fractured mandate this time to adopt a corrective path without disturbing the essence of Indian constitution. The disturbance at the institutional structure is surprising when central agencies, defence forces, judiciary, planning, banking and commerce feel fate depends on government in power. They are going to lose anyway by following and ignoring someone destined to be powerful.

The point of uncertainty when elections results are yet to declare, makes people feel too long for wanting to go ahead. The country holds breadth after a long pause, last time it happened during 1997-99. The change in the situation would also mean omission or negation of lead whereas efforts lost but continuity would also mean finishing the institution to establish a new wave of governance. There is a possibility of both, yet new government in India would be exciting for all to forecast the arrival of a competitor who needs to face bullying by the US and China.

There are hope and despair in accepting the new government in the nation, not making a life for social media writers easier. A series of humour would continue with new government prank making somebody's nights sleepless. The hunch by industrialists and investors would drive the mood of the nation, however, the spirited entrepreneurship would find its way in to journey to the future. We are into the cusp of democracy when the maturity of the nation is to be achieved by the year 2022. India@75 would be again interesting for the world for the learning it is going to offer a nation. Who so ever may come in power must make nation shine with the hopes for generations to come. Be a part of global society and enhance the partnership to sustain our needs and vision for the future.

Development has got new Engine and Multiple Drivers in India

With the election over in most of the state, the dominance of the new political order is reflected in the way we deal with the issues in our hand. The state were subject to distinct development philosophy than the central government has to align with new change. The sudden shift in the goal post and the drivers of the government from background also reflected in change in direction of development. Instead of chasing the development goals of food, shelter and employment the current national government in India is looking for culture, education and hindu nationalism. The essential ingredient to divert the attention from acute poverty and unemployment, the role of market is now enhanced with more private money (investment) and government wants to achieve the development targets. The babus in the governments would now feel like corporate having made to negotiate with private corporations for the basic needs of the citizens. In no time the civil services are looking to be privatized, with more local governments and state is opening doors for market driven economy. The end of planned era and more dominance of right wing ideology is now tutoring the governments to stand for make over and understand the change.

The correction or readjustment of the historical facts to suit the government in power is up for debate in development circle, the argument of development is on the surface with top most leader is promising for the sea change in the way state has been addressed in last 60 years. The systems of the governance is looking for the change, with initial rise of the market hopes there is downfall on the extreme other hand. The economy hoping for the revival must wait for these fundamental change inside the governance of the plans and schemes. Till than there is scope for the international agencies and corporation to invest and partner with the government for delivering the goods and services to the citizens. More investment is expected in the states but by whom, the international order has also been changing with revival of the US economy.

The cultural change and sudden assertions of majority politics have thrown necessary evil to disturb the harmony in society. The national concern towards the spaces whether its rural or urban is of constant flip flop with little policy consistency. The sense of the urgency as promised in the elections are now tend to reduce as the days passes by the ruling government. Now these are the national concerns which have been little addressed when the government is questions still refuses to acknowledge there role. The clean operations stands foremost important before they start reflecting there thought, hence more active third layers of political class.

The focus on the cultural assertions through the government is must and so is the celebrations changing the national identities with more focus on Gita, Ganga, Gaye (Cow) and other such hindutva symbolism. Of these even many so called Hindu's are shamed by accepting a certain ideology which is still germinating from the heads of Nagpur clan of Hindus. The emergence of identities are distinct and new political class in race of taking control of nation is unsettled with principles of Indian constitutions.

Though its difficult to pass the judgement, but whether the development politics of the past would survive the test of present time. Keep you finger crossed!!

Governments are the party's property?

After years of democratic efforts to form the government the political parties in power have realized that its party's owned government or personalities owned govt. Is this what has been enshrined in the constitution. Whether representatives of people in form of MLA's or MPs are nothing before the rule which now supersedes party and later personalities? The debate is important since the governments are now addressed as congress or BJP governments, and prime ministers becomes the proprietary of a particular party. During last months there has been several instances when spokes person of the party in power also defends the government. Any question raised to the government is defended or responded by the party in power. Is it an attempt to shy away from the constitutional clarity that government belong to everybody and its the government or its representative which are answerable to the people not the party in power. There has been opinion made to supersede the party structure and officials over the government. The party forgets that its representation of people act which allows them to functions at the tops, they represent a group of people who support similar ideologies.

The position of the highest chair in the government does not belong to a party he must be representing the government in all times till he is in the chair. In the mode of opposition the representatives from the public also started to blame the parties rather than the government. A government is not merely contributed from the representatives of the people, rather other two arms too contributes for the success and failures of the programs. The agenda of political parties are to voice the opinion in the forum where other two section has equal chance to participate in administration. In todays time there is notion of supremacy by the political class not among the citizens but also among the functionaries of the governments.

The operation difficulties and understanding of the sectors are limited within the political parties but the latest tradition of enforcing the decision to functionaries of the government is not healthy. The recent cases of health disaster where targets are given by the secretaries are often enforced to the health officers leading to negligence by the doctors while performing their duties. Whether the officials have power to say no? There is amount of fear and anxiety when the voice of the functionaries other than the political class is not heard.

There is total take over of the government by the political class which in many a times not bound to take decision for the interest of the citizens. Often the political class is bound by the ideologies which binds the thoughts, which may not be rationale for implementation of the schemes. The recent cancellation of the planning commission, low lying knowledge commission, and missions by earlier government also points out that there will not be now policy consistency when the government is changed and ruled by different parties.

Majority must prevail in action, but this must also bring the political uncertainity and paralysis more frequent in the country. How does the development planning and schemes going to suffer in such frequent change of governments run by the political parties?

Scope of Urban Planners on Election Eve

Country is going through an election phase which is rolling information and data on the status of various states regards to the development. The basic needs of the humans have not met in many constituency and need of hour is to understand the importance of planning and implementation. Most of the political leaders lack ideas and plan for going about conducting development works in their respective areas. The failures of the urban governance at large in providing the basic urban services and satisfying the citizen has resulted in performance of ruling party. The election to election vision of the party is different than the organised planning procedures adopted in the planning mechanism. The discussions across the board shows the concerns of all to improve the situation, irrespective of the political parties. Very few have distinct agenda for the change, the system of governance relies on the delivery, and urban services depends on efficient management. Most of the cities in India lack the efforts, despite the scores of reforms and financial aid given in last decade.

The problem lies in unwillingness of the political class to provide for the services, where on the ground its divided on the basis of class, vote bank, religious groups and power centers. The services provided in the cities are not uniform, one or the other areas are neglected not because of efficiency of the local bodies but priority which is not granted over the others. The decision makers are often people's representatives who if lucky to be in ruling party gets hearing and priority over those who are from opposition. This selective development framework of the leaders and ineffective the outreach of the services which are responsible in the state of mess in our cities.

As a professional, there is need to understand the political notion of the development for the cities, where the systems and law does not distinct the service delivery on the basis of its political support. The apolitical work of the professionals should be taken up for understanding the need of the service area. The plans so made should cater to all the section of the society without any prejudice. There are cases on the most of the cities where old areas, slums, minority areas, and urban poor are not serviced with the basic need. Cities like Mumbai, Ahmadabad, Surat, Varanasi, Allahabad etc has not been able to provide for the needs of the people in terms of the urban services.

The posh and hip city areas are provided with good road, gardens, clubs, fountains and other urban amenities which envy the poorer section which often creates a social division by the way of differential development efforts. The planners would have scope to reduce the gap of development efforts by the urban local bodies. The people often see the government from the prespective of the services they are able to receive, till the local issues are resolve it would be hard to imagine that elections would be fought on the national issues.  

Carrying Development beyond elections too...

These are election time and people are discussing the development, and political parties are claiming to be one who can perform and deliver the development to the people. After the elections the parties interfere in the functioning of the police, judiciary, independent agencies and influence the reports to rake up their performance. The National Development Council (NDC), where all the CMs are the members are often used to bring the view point which are politically motivated and used to point finger at the Centre and State.

The people have the right to know about the functioning of the departments and their performance. India has yet to see a day when most of the department publishes their progress in tasks, money spent and results achieved. If we all can understand that, the system of governance is independent of the political class in its day to day activities it would be better. The people representatives were given enough rights to represent the people and head the departments to oversee the development works, even then the leaders fail to deliver in most of the cases.  The parties once win the election are not seriously bothered about the constituency they are elected to serve instead people who are not chosen as minister often show little interest in the works of various ministries. The absence of MPs and MLA from their respective assemblies during the functioning shows the real development works which can be carried out.

Out of the 365 days the Corporators, MLA and MPs have less than 90 days of contact hours with the policy making we all can assume the seriousness of the development agenda in the years to come. The system which does not have grievance redressal system has to depend upon the leaders to listen to the voice of the people. With the improvement in the system and service delivery (which is an ongoing process) the development would be more or less would be free from political interference. Most of the interaction of the executives with the departments needs to be accountable and transparent to have assured delivery mechanism, the need for the political class to serve the people would be more directional.

The poor monitoring and decision making system does not allow the development works to be planned, monitored and executed well by the concerned departments. The state does not have full idea of the projects in the districts, and district misses the consistency in the development projects in the habitations (both rural and urban). The central government is virtual entity which has except the union territories have little control over the functioning of the state. With devolution of the powers of the Centre and State it would have been wise all to understand that who are supposed to work on the development and which agency is responsible for facilitating. The central and state governments are more to be working as facilitators for the local bodies, the pitty issue of cleaning street, supply and managing the water supply, drainage and others are the task of local bodies. Where is the question of Prime Minister and Cheif Ministers to look for the such demands of the people. People do not attempt to raise complain on the day to day problems in the localities to respective ward or panchayat offices instead they try to use the powers of the ministers for the petty works.

The work towards the poor and down trodden is often forgotten since they seldom have access to the political masters after the election. They have to wait till eternity to get satisfactory demands of their development needs. Why does the political leaders assume supreme authority in clearing all the doubt of people that they only can deliver once it comes to the development needs of the people? The lack of public education and knowledge are creating a situation where even after corruption at local level the people are made to think about the national level mismanagement, They instantly forget about since corruption upto certain amount was proved to be tolerable in the election debates. Leaders are talking about corruption of Rs.500 rupees instead they should talk about Rs.500 crores.

Post elections lets not forget about the need for the 'development' discussion with all the stakeholders and try to bring the reform in the service delivery by the local bodies. The state and central government together should facilitate the local level functioning and make the 'development' fruits accessible and achievable for the people of India.

'Development' in Political Debates: Beyond People Just Elections

Whatever had been our development philosophies the elections have covered a close agenda with parties after parties have not accepted that there is some requirements which can always grow. The needs are endless and thereby no one can satisfy the needs of people to a hundred percent centrality. Thats why we also see the 'development' now equated with 'roti, kapda aur makan' along swasth aur shiksha (Food, Cloth and Shelther along with Health and Education) as the basics of development.

For any development analysis this would be easy plan,

(a) Even America fails on this pretext because these are growing demands and government often do not reach to the target because of many of the people are out of reach to the governments. India too stands on similar line but more harsher, if you want to target any government you may find plenty of instances where they fail on these counts. There are people who are out these circle of development needs (as mentioned above) because they are wealthy and support themselves. In countries like India 80 percent are dependent on the government for these 'development' needs. Even countries like USA, UK and France more population is dependent on state lead mentioned 'development' doles.

(b) Nine out of the ten country would move along with the population growth, but high growth of population and lack of economic attainment do not allow the people to catch up with others. The cycle of poverty catches them since they seldom have resources to match up with the growing demands. What then a 'development politician' can do to serve the people? The promises to supply them enough finance and materials to fight with needs the governments does not reach to all the citizens groups. May be due to priority and difference among those who are authorized to supply. The different and specific approaches benefits only few but harms many for the want of 'development needs'.

(c) Politicians often claim my development is better than yours, but they often forgets the coffers are same, the finance and ability to meet the requirements of the citizens can not be different during the various political regimes. Recent claims and counter claims of the political parties to become messiah of one or other citizen groups often fall flat due to inabilities of the leaders to understand the development sourcing which are same. No amount of work can satisfy the hundred percent population and opposition would always puncture the long lasting claims of ruling parties.

(d) The media houses across the globe is used by the political parties to fool the citizens in favour  of their idea of development, which revolves around the similar development wheel. The image maker overs to market the 'development' products, which are packaged to suit the party and their ideologies. In countries like India there seems to offers from the media managers to take the political leaderships to these development rides advertising the political campaign to sell the 'development products' offered to citizens. 

Election in democracy is chance for the political leaderships to claim the development efforts by the governments, forgetting that they are by chance the trustees of such works. Its the who system which functions to provide for the 'development needs' of the people. Why do the claims of the parties to correct the wrongs be accepted, which in a way justifies the role of political class to claim the development outcome. The scores of industrialists, academicians, scientists and others who toil hard to reach to there goal thereby contributing to the development requirements often feel neglected and fooled by the political class. The assumed power of the political class and their debates often circles around reducing the development to their party framework, forgetting the needs of the people. 

Development: Must be removed from the shackles of Bad Economics

Election once again has started throwing data on the public forum, when the services of the economists are being used to measure the merits of the development. The key holed eyed economist are again judging using the time and variables which they only can define as the unit for the representation of their argument. The reinvention of the data takes place which even the original collectors of information like NSSO, RBI, WB, or others would have imagined to use. The deconstruction of the economy in the claim to be politically correct development jumps out of the economic boxes and does a shadow boxing for the political masters. The utility of the Nobel and ultra Nobel, elite economists thrown out of race of award often fight for the opposition whom this gentlemen represent. The representation of data in the favour of the parties who tries to disown the economic preferences of the ruling parties often treat the data from the government as farce and not to be quoted. In most of the cases they build the economic argument based on the political notion of the justification as if the data (if its so) can be manipulated to suit a political agenda.

In a way the political masters do not control the economic affairs as it is made to believe, they are not one who can feed the poor or even stop the down slide of the economy. They are no way responsible for the development status of the people, why the economists make us believe that what you are looking at is the outcome of the political gentlemen/women who tried very hard to save you from economic oblivion.

The international development forums have often rejected, economic indicators as true representative of the 'development' of the people and regions. What macro economy represents anyway..a state of health regarding the country. There are some who tries to overthrow the planning commission, who rather shall be strengthened for whatever they would have done in last 60 plus years. Is it so easy that for the sake of the political freedom the division of the nation should be accepted. Whether there is political nexus between a national and regional parties to weaken the development strategies from central organisation, for more federal power to the state in the name of financial autonomy. In the competition between the political parties, which in India is getting transformed into the state autonomy (which on the ground is not true) in the macro economic debates turns out to decentralization of power for the sake of political benefits. If at all the states transfers similar financial autonomy to the constituent districts.

Development in the election year have become a show game for the political parties often reflecting the feudal mindset with exclusive political strategies to corner maximum funds from the corporate. The deprived social class as always were granted little political mileage in the development  debate since they rather contribute little to the national and state domestic product. The growth charts cannot be filled while the poor are serviced by the state, the free education, land rights, rights to health, forest rights, creation of wealth at grassroots shows no insight from the popular economic theorists and thinkers who run after the political masters for the sake of intellectual acceptance. The realization of the development inputs cannot only be take if there is public-private participation where public means government and private means corporate. The sectors which were limited to the government departments mainly tribal, forest, irrigation, education, health etc were privatized by the government citing bad economics after the post liberalization. But these social change by installing the corporate partners did not help in improvement of social sectors. Most of the economically developed states are examples of giving not so good human development indicators. In fact HDI is common indicators where the economic development has lesser impact if the fundamental resources of the respective states remain intact.

In fact the economic principles practiced by many intellectual who often que before the political class are nurtured by desire to gain the power to have say in handling millions of rupees often at the cost of the common men. The idea of the projects and crores of rupees in the schemes gives immense satisfaction to such who are often not bothered to understand the outcome or forget about the social audit. Most the million rupee scheme are wasted on the lack of monitoring, where outcome is not the goal to which economists have worked rather they limit themselves to the funding.

Development Debate: Circus by the political class

'Everybody loves Good Draught' by P.Sainath, tries to explore the dimensions of developmental reality and fate of depressed class in the post independent India. The political class though estrainged with many criticism often look away from the reality. The national parties are claiming for the development models are far from the reality. The people who decide on the government programs, often forwarded by the political class do not belong to either of national parties. The programs are made to feel that people would get some doles from the government exchequer in turn to democratic favour of electing parties into the power. When would people in India understand the governance, and realise that the they need to come forward and participate in governance. The political class often take over the claims, unless privately they are in favour of few individuals, either from their friends, family and business. The unholy nexus is known and many state government particularly in western India, colluded with the corporate to the advantage of the business over the people.

The numerous promises made by the political class often is limited to corporate, the pledging of government land, providing cheap infrastructure and absolute guarantee of the cheap labour by the states encourages the corporate to exploit the land. The encouragement of the state capital by infusing the investment by the state to create companies under the Acts that suits the governments to divert the tax payers money to business ventures. These companies are no more labour intensive public sector units and babus paradise, but a corporate run company managed by the government employees as its managing director. Government becomes a share holders which keeps the money to fuel the state domestic product. Even the social institutions, para goverment institutions and organisations formed by the governments are often used to divert the functions and budget of the standard government to the run an exmarital affairs with the business world.

In many cases the funds are diverted to run a pro government campaign often helps the party in power to play its role in getting the cheap funds for promoting the agenda more closer to the leader. Thus making the circus of the development efforts. Often the leader of the government becomes the ring master who drives the others to fall into the line or tame the opposition to be a quite puppy.  

People who talk about rights are often termed leftist and Maoist...

The loosely used terms in the present 'capitalist' based societies, for the people engaged in struggle for the rights are 'leftist', 'maoist', 'anarchist' and so on. The political class who is currently holding the development of nation, has rights over the resources often target the leaders belonging to particular group engaged in the fight for peoples rights. Recently even for those who wants to restore the constitutional rights in India often termed as 'maoist'. The leaders of the leading political parties during the election time often see a disturbing elements in normal course of political affairs. The urban uprising of the groups engaged in anti corruption activities are not looking for the straight political answers, and rather do not expect the parties to understand their political agenda. The regular parties are unable to understand the political motive, instead they also want the new group to have political ideologies in many cases similar to what they are offering. In no case they intend to deviate from the current political affairs. From national to regional parties no body expects the rights based group to succeed politically otherwise detrimental to current politics-corporate nexus.

The nature of protest against the establishment lead by a political group (established as an outcome of street struggle) emerges as talking point of not offering any political ideology. The establishment of constitutional guarantee and run up to protest does not qualify them to be people who can claim that they can run the country. People by themselves has to follow a political group to expect them to be desirous of being a representative in parliament is often opposed unless they follow the conventional political wisdom. The parties born out of street struggle would seldom be engaged in the running of the government, the clash of political groups in such a situation would bring instability. The case of Nepal is before us where such group after forming the governments also failed to get the constitution running unless they modified it.

The ideologies in such a situation rejects the oppression based social structure and political system, the poor and disadvantage groups in current political system are suppressed to take over the resources. The poor sharing of resources and state controlled by such political class often results in situation in which street protests are fueled. We in the due course would oversee the new loksabha election in India, 2014 would be landmark in the political history of India, when the street based people movement would get the political identity. This is going to destabalise the governance for some time or would force the main stream political parties to have socialistic agenda in the their political discourse.

Political parties and personalities taking over the government today...

The constitution of India a document people of India gave to themselves to decide the future of India and manner in which the stakeholders should be behaving has done well during last six decades by inching towards the progress. The progress so made now also have credit takers as well as those who demonize the development also give credit to political class. The 'government' so defined constituted the four estates, executive, legislative and judiciary. In addition 'media' as forth estate constitute what government was supposed to be in democracy. Some may also cite 'people' community or mob as a part of the fourth estate. But during these last 60 years India's democracy is now fully taken over the political class by claiming government as their own, the government's are now titles as 'congress government' 'Janta Government' or BJP Government, and more brazenly as Manmohan's Government, Modi's Government, Mulayams Governments, Vasundhara's Government etc. It so feels now that we are returning backing to feudal system of governance. The lordships have divided the country among themselves and trying to get control of more territories by claiming victory over the opposition territory. The political class conveniently run the government (as they claim), and asks the people to go to long sleep and slumber till before the next election.

Such is the desire of the political class, that they create the political lobbies in the other estates like in executive, judiciary and media. They are often used to target the opposition, and often purchased by using ill gotten monies from the political slung matches. The furious fight is for the people to believe that they are enemies but as true to their class they do not mind to come together for their own self, or political benefits. The same opposition parties becomes a part of the common minimum program to run the ill mandated governance. The fate of nation though not really being planned by either of the political parties they use the other estates for their own political benefit. The system so builds takes care of the orientation of common citizens towards the political debates and the interest of them takes back seat. It takes few more people to join the political bandwagon to claim government of their own. Democracy in such conditions often fails to address the needs to people (who are not aligned to the ruling parties). The societies across are polarized between the political camps often prevails to feed their political masters and class.

 The dance of democracy from the political claimant's continues till the upcoming election 2014 in India, the political rivalries on the street also tends to friendly affairs among the seasoned politicians. The country divided into the political views ultimately has to follow the constitution, its hard to believe how one can clean the system unless its changed often. 'Swaraj' or 'Self rule' by the people was the essence of the Indian democracy but political class or emerging political class stops short of addressing the people or they themselves have accepted the political masters. Let the parties divide the nations, societies and communities by polarizing the political lines and keep people divided to run their democratic governments. Whether the political class have taken over the governments? we need to be more cautious in understanding the manner in which India's democracy would mature.  

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.

Assertion towards a Secular State

Electoral Politics has time and again have evoked the divisionary practice of claiming India desired to be a 'Hindu Nation'. The BJP though much improvised than its earlier party objectives today concentrates more on the development issues. This must prove that India even though has see communal politics remain extremly tied up with its secular credentials. Though the party in power such as in Gujarat state in all their activities symbolised and used representation by and large dipicting their desire to become a Hindu' centric state government. The use of Kalash (to mark Golden Jublee) and naming of government schemes all emerged from textbook referring to a particular culture. Even Ahmedabad for its projection as a city lost its traditional cultural land marks to the new to derecognise the its history.

Secularism to right wingers have been a hoax call by those who are non-worshippers remain still orthodox in their thinking about the religious paradox.  Ultimately its the secular politics which got wide acceptence in very rightly tilted political parties. The experiments so called with the right wing parties by the organisation claiming to representing the right wing ideologies failed to check the development politics and remodified version of 'Garbi Hatao' with 'Kalyan Melas' of present governments. 

Though the divisionary politics are still being played by all the political parties, the essence of India remains in accepting the people at its face value not from their background. This is good for young India who would be looking forward to see things from being Indian not belong to A, B or C group. Do we have any sureity in assigning the belief that the right wing parties may not start again with communal politics? I belive little their action in past years show that they would not follow shadow game of communal divisions, initiated by the Britishers against the Indian people post 1857. The policy of 'Divide and Rule' continues even with the political parties.

Markandey Katju, esteemed ex supreme court judge mentions following description of Secularism,
'Secularism does not mean that one cannot practise one’s religion. Secularism means that religion is a private affair unconnected with the state, which will have no religion.'
(Markandey Katju is a retired judge of the Supreme Court and Chairperson of the Press Council of India)

But we also know the Govts in Gujarat, MP and Chhattisgarh has different religion, which is Secular.

Shashikant

Pre-conditioning for Election: Early risers

Strange Indian Politics have been observed during last six months, national parties preparing seriously for elections schedule well two years from now! the confidence of the parties seems to be little on accepting the challenge at the right time. The spending on elections or related propaganda materials are on full swing. This is a shift from the politics of yesterdays in past when few months before election political parties would come and work for elections.

The state elections are here and so is the choice for National elections, there is chance for early risers to fatigue out once the national election approaches or Is our national schemes of development targets run election to election, (we might not have five years plan then!!). Let planners work under leadership of PM (elected) and party president in power to plan for country. The state level CMs can also have plan to fight elections from day one once they get elected, (since that seems to be reality) which would make really interesting to be very objective.

The state elections such as in Gujarat is perceived to be mini elections or referendem on the personality or cult politics shaped by leading national parties. Development debates take back step against the managerial and operational issues. Fight along with media lobbies carries forward the warring parties to the people. Opinion makers are brought and sold via media to facilitates electors mind, though suitable marketing techniques are also used to bring home the points.

Public service or working for the larger masses goals of the politicians have transformed into the power - capturing strategies typically corporatization of Indian political system. A series of corporate efforts are made to achieve the targets set by the national committiees, do we need to confirm with democratic setup of parties. Democracy if taken for granted as conceived by early learders through our contitution has recieved its setback recently. Why do not we think to encourage or change the system (may be presidential form ) to accept the reality thrown by globalisation of Indian politics. We are aping the west (now extreme west, USA) for political behaviour.

Least the behaviour of politicians is coming up like fighting WWF sportsmen, with thumping of chest with war cry makes the politics helarious with one challenging others to take the ring and have fight (though political). Ideological differences are not accepted but abused and scolded openly against the political differences. The media is happy to receive 24 hours content and politicians at the national and state levels are eager to supply the bites required to hoodwink the governance over the political ideologies. The character of nation as enshrined in constitution suffers serious setback.