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

Distribute Goodies to Electorate and get votes

Elections are too far since the it has not been announced in Gujarat or in other parts of country. The state parties are busy distributing goodies (pots, cycle, vollyballs, bags etc) to the people to lure them to votes. This is apart from the hosts of Garib Kalyan Melas which allowed the state (no the political master) to distribute from his able hands. With all the melas, we may not believe that we are living in developed state. The state which host Vibrant Gujarat and boasts of double digit growth is not shying away from accepting the poverty in the state and makes sure the identified poor by the party workers gets the goodies.

The days of simple political gimmicks have taken over by presenting doles to the eligible voters, even the opposition congress is not behind they have been making promises to give home, laptops, and other articles to their loyal voters. Money can buy anything, Is that the mantra for parties to come to power. Shameless people who would be enticed by the offers cannot resist and why should they, given the horrible state of public life with ever increasing prices. The responsibilities are given to center for the state's apathy and state takes pride in conducting the campaign for general election (which is two years away!!). Is it well timed or BJP is expecting early elections in state.

One thing is common the nature of political class has not been changing, the world may look at India from the pretext of developing nation, the country does not want to claim any status. The political class wants the nation to remain backward and not questioning on their intention, so what if some goods are distributed, poor fellow do they have any questions or doubt about their governments. Its good that they sleep over the state of affairs in state, the media might shell out some news for them to draw some opinion.

The festive season in country has just started with arrival of Ganesha, the political parties would and are exploiting to bring home their points, and so is ideological warfare claiming to be with people, praying to god to save the nation. Thats too much to accept the fate of people without their participation, else let them glue to that 'idiot box'.

Electoral agents would be now hacking the accounts of the individuals lottering on cyberspace for more data on youth behaviour setting campaign (digital and virtual). Let some party also distribute online gaming tools to youngistan to play with political masters. The net savvy politicians have even lot left medium to be free, they have jumped on passing judgements on the issues even those which are pending in courts, they rightly feel the best judge are the people and its now easy to bribe them. Ganesha says, You must be fool enough to discuss all these, the jokers in the game know when to play, which may spoil the opposition. People must be heard not to hate but to work.

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.

Politics of Decentralization and Center

The nature of citizenship offered by India is universal and sub-nationalism was in background when India  adopted new constitution and emerged as a nation state decades ago. The nationalism was fueled by the then freedom fighters and decision makers at the national and state level politics. What ever may be their party affiliation  the concern for nation for the priority, the states were not developed to have become an independent economic strength. The national priorities were together and distributed across the nation with clear mandate to provide boost to economy- including agriculture and industry dedicated to the nation. The national goals are set by the then leaders and obidiantly being followed till the rise of new India post 1991.

The decentralisation of power with centre leaving the development turf to the state, and state governments joining the free market economy to take charge of their development. It was so good to feel the new power of the state, but it also added downfall of the centre both economically and politically. As a nation state the control of centre is limited and state's are running for the money. But till this time all states were not ready for the freedom it has taken almost a decade for the poor states to rise from the ashes.

The states like UP, Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan has increasingly being now prepared to join the league of developed states like Tamilnadu, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana etc. Much needs to be done in order to be attractive for the outsiders, instead the growth in these states would arrest the mass exodus of population to the developed state. In more cases, the developed state might loose some shine due to initial labour shocks.

The politics of nation is also allude the centre-state relationships with little over 10 states, leaders have no ambition to join national politics, its marred with difficulties, its now very tough to be raise a national party. Except, Congress and BJP to an extent has been successful in holding the turf, but badly challenged in their respective party ruled states.

Development policies of centre is more advisory then authentic show of nationalistic flavour, and states often do not offer centre favourable ground, central agencies across states find it difficult to work with state governments. Railways is best example to show the politics of decentralisation and hurdles both sets of government puts to one another.

A state leaders no matter how good they are in administrator or being popular in public finds very difficult to find acceptence at the national level. Its difficult to find national leaders acceptable at the state politics, take case of communist leaders (central and states) they are different roles and destinations.

Party politics for long has used the state has ground to work as national leaders, the nation logic has been used to promote the party ideologies, but in practice the state's across the nation had become laboratories of such ideologies such as Gujarat, Kerala, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Tamil Nadu. Most of the these ideologies ruled by different parties find it difficult to be adopted at the national level.

May be time has also come to review and research on the subject.