VOX POPULI
by
S Kamat
as
Aam Admi
Issue: 225 Date: 30.10.2017
skamatblog.blogspot.com or aamadmivoices.blogspot.com
Contents:
**********************************
by
S Kamat
as
Aam Admi
Issue: 225 Date: 30.10.2017
skamatblog.blogspot.com or aamadmivoices.blogspot.com
Contents:
1. Throw Out The Present Brood of Boorish Politicians
2. Modi Should Practise What He Preaches
3. Are We Moving Back To Emergency Days?
4. Controversy Against Tipu Sultan Jayanti Unwanted
Throw Out The Present Brood of Boorish Politicians
The breed of politicians in India is going from bad to worse. We have the worst kind of immaturity and cussedness generated by them being thrust on the people of India with the impudence generated on the strength of numbers achieved out of elections. But this impudence is misconceived since whether it is the winning of an election or the majority amassed in a legislature is based on the manipulation of a largely illiterate majority which is swayed by what are called policy sops that provide incentives or direct cash or gift provisions. We have seen this gratification process in almost every election more so in States like Tamil Nadu where it is done in excess. Is this not corruption? Where on one hand we complain of corruption all around us in daily life and want to be rid of it, we ourselves fall prey to taking something in exchange for exercising your franchise once or twice in five years. Rather contradictory, is it not? We need to analyse this trend of the largely illiterate or less educated voters being manipulated and who thus moderate or should we say completely change the results of the election process. There may be an existing common and considered opinion of the candidates and/or parties involved in the election process which is overturned by this larger number of voters that is bought out and thus throw up winners who may not be all that deserving to represent us as legislators. Maybe this is the reason why urban voters who may be considered to be more educated than others across the length and breadth of India show a disenchantment towards voting. The politicians on their part want the present distorted system, one cannot say biased since there is no element of coercion stopping anyone from participating, to continue since they can manage it to their advantage and remain installed in positions of power.
With the electorate as we have positioned above as largely illiterate or less educated, we need to consider now the match with their leaders who are again largely illiterate or less educated. Across the party spectrums to find a political leader who is educated is like panning for gold and waiting anxiously to see the flash in the pan. Though one must say that the level of education in successive legislatures both at the Centre and in the States has been over the years increasing but it still remains far from satisfactory to believe that we have involved, capable leaders competent of considered reasoning.
Take the oldest party in the country, Congress, and their topmost leadership which has questionable if not dubious educational qualifications. Moreover when there are enough local leaders why the Congress has to have someone of Italian origin at the top is not understandable. Is it to show that the Congress who claim secular credentials has an open mind on who can lead them and that a person of foreign origin is also acceptable? But this open mind has gradually led to a situation today that the Congress party can be said to have no mind at all, so wide are its contours that the horizons are no longer visible!
Let us now look at the nouveau-political outfit the BJP and its broader NDA allies which occupy the seat of government in present times. We are led by a chai-wallah, who takes pride in his origins. Nothing wrong with that but as long as he is aware of his limitations. Unfortunately that he is not and that is precisely why the country both economically and in terms of general law and order is deteriorating badly and very fast. His education credentials at the same time remain dubious. Then as Finance Minister we have an advocate who has the gift of the gab as is required in his original profession but finds himself at sea as an economist but refuses to accept that fact. He is fond of saying that he is working for the long-term benefit of the people but does not realise that for a starving man today's food on the plate is more important than tomorrow's feast. Again he does not realise that mouthing platitudes and jumping on the plank of morality like the need to pay taxes, not to indulge in black money etc. etc. is not going to get the Finance Minister too far unless the engine of the economy is revved up and that too, quickly. Among the other leaders in the rank and file after retiring all those above 75 years like L KAdvani, Murli Manohar Joshi et al, the BJP find today a severe shortage of leaders with true mettle. So sundry persons are elevated to senior party and ministerial positions which has given the country an irregular dose of humour right from taking over the reins of government in 2014 with their foot-in-the-mouth comments. The latest in these annals is KJ Alphons, Tourism Minister holding independent charge, which one would think is important enough, making comments over the last one month, the first that high fuel prices should be acceptable to owners of 2-wheelers and cars since if they can own their vehicles they would have the money to pay the higher prices for petrol. He probably does not understand that a personal vehicle is an essential part of life these days what with the crowded public transport system. The second comment made by him after that was considering that the number of donors who give their eyes after their death is very low in India, Alphons wanted to make it mandatory for all citizens to donate their eyes. Little does the Minister understand that such matters are personal decisions and one cannot thrust these strictures on the people since otherwise he and his party will be open to the charge of being a fascist party. Alphons has continued with his foot-in-the-mouth affliction by saying that the Agra incident a couple of days ago where a Swiss couple was beaten up by a group of young men is nothing much since there have been similar incidents in Europe and also shootings in the US! What the correlation is God only knows since the Agra incident was an incident of eve-teasing and/or moral policing. In the other parties of the NDA alliance the situation is not very much different with the leaders with either no or little education making similar outrageous comments and there is nothing to commend their prowess of the tasks assigned to them.
What is disturbing in this scenario is that educated, intelligent people of proven competence who exist both within the political parties and outside in our society, more in the latter than in the former, are seen to be kowtowing to political leaders who are not educated, have little to show on their ability and proven performance but who claim mass followings. One cannot understand this phenomenon which is obviously either a need to be proximate to power with its concomitant rewards of holding high positions in institutions and/or to be in the running for governmental awards. This a rather sad commentary on the state of affairs within our society.
However, one thinks that this situation of uneducated boors leading the country can be tolerated for long and it is time that we had a re-think or maybe a revolution in educated, sensible people taking a pro-active part in the affairs of the nation. More people within their own spheres of influence or near their places of residences or among their peer groups should actively pursue matters of public interest. This will at the least get us to a wider public opinion on what is good and is beneficial for this nation and its citizens. It is something for all of us to ponder, deliberate and arrive at one's own action plan which can then be knitted into a larger action plan for the country.
With the electorate as we have positioned above as largely illiterate or less educated, we need to consider now the match with their leaders who are again largely illiterate or less educated. Across the party spectrums to find a political leader who is educated is like panning for gold and waiting anxiously to see the flash in the pan. Though one must say that the level of education in successive legislatures both at the Centre and in the States has been over the years increasing but it still remains far from satisfactory to believe that we have involved, capable leaders competent of considered reasoning.
Take the oldest party in the country, Congress, and their topmost leadership which has questionable if not dubious educational qualifications. Moreover when there are enough local leaders why the Congress has to have someone of Italian origin at the top is not understandable. Is it to show that the Congress who claim secular credentials has an open mind on who can lead them and that a person of foreign origin is also acceptable? But this open mind has gradually led to a situation today that the Congress party can be said to have no mind at all, so wide are its contours that the horizons are no longer visible!
Let us now look at the nouveau-political outfit the BJP and its broader NDA allies which occupy the seat of government in present times. We are led by a chai-wallah, who takes pride in his origins. Nothing wrong with that but as long as he is aware of his limitations. Unfortunately that he is not and that is precisely why the country both economically and in terms of general law and order is deteriorating badly and very fast. His education credentials at the same time remain dubious. Then as Finance Minister we have an advocate who has the gift of the gab as is required in his original profession but finds himself at sea as an economist but refuses to accept that fact. He is fond of saying that he is working for the long-term benefit of the people but does not realise that for a starving man today's food on the plate is more important than tomorrow's feast. Again he does not realise that mouthing platitudes and jumping on the plank of morality like the need to pay taxes, not to indulge in black money etc. etc. is not going to get the Finance Minister too far unless the engine of the economy is revved up and that too, quickly. Among the other leaders in the rank and file after retiring all those above 75 years like L KAdvani, Murli Manohar Joshi et al, the BJP find today a severe shortage of leaders with true mettle. So sundry persons are elevated to senior party and ministerial positions which has given the country an irregular dose of humour right from taking over the reins of government in 2014 with their foot-in-the-mouth comments. The latest in these annals is KJ Alphons, Tourism Minister holding independent charge, which one would think is important enough, making comments over the last one month, the first that high fuel prices should be acceptable to owners of 2-wheelers and cars since if they can own their vehicles they would have the money to pay the higher prices for petrol. He probably does not understand that a personal vehicle is an essential part of life these days what with the crowded public transport system. The second comment made by him after that was considering that the number of donors who give their eyes after their death is very low in India, Alphons wanted to make it mandatory for all citizens to donate their eyes. Little does the Minister understand that such matters are personal decisions and one cannot thrust these strictures on the people since otherwise he and his party will be open to the charge of being a fascist party. Alphons has continued with his foot-in-the-mouth affliction by saying that the Agra incident a couple of days ago where a Swiss couple was beaten up by a group of young men is nothing much since there have been similar incidents in Europe and also shootings in the US! What the correlation is God only knows since the Agra incident was an incident of eve-teasing and/or moral policing. In the other parties of the NDA alliance the situation is not very much different with the leaders with either no or little education making similar outrageous comments and there is nothing to commend their prowess of the tasks assigned to them.
What is disturbing in this scenario is that educated, intelligent people of proven competence who exist both within the political parties and outside in our society, more in the latter than in the former, are seen to be kowtowing to political leaders who are not educated, have little to show on their ability and proven performance but who claim mass followings. One cannot understand this phenomenon which is obviously either a need to be proximate to power with its concomitant rewards of holding high positions in institutions and/or to be in the running for governmental awards. This a rather sad commentary on the state of affairs within our society.
However, one thinks that this situation of uneducated boors leading the country can be tolerated for long and it is time that we had a re-think or maybe a revolution in educated, sensible people taking a pro-active part in the affairs of the nation. More people within their own spheres of influence or near their places of residences or among their peer groups should actively pursue matters of public interest. This will at the least get us to a wider public opinion on what is good and is beneficial for this nation and its citizens. It is something for all of us to ponder, deliberate and arrive at one's own action plan which can then be knitted into a larger action plan for the country.
Modi Should Practise What He Preaches
Narendra Modi has said that all political parties should have democratic practices in their working. Should he not practise what he preaches. Does this prescription not apply to him & the BJP? If he believes in inner party democracy, why did he shut up one of his own party MP's from Maharashtra who had wanted to raise a question about farmer suicides and relief to these farmers in his constituency at a Parliamentary party meeting sometime back. Just like Demonetisation could not chase the mirage of Black Money so also mouthing words in the manner of japa's will not get the mirage of Democracy into the BJP.
Are We Moving Back To Emergency Days?
Continuing with the intolerance theme in the early part of this BJP government innings, we have Rajasthan run by BJP's Vasundhara Raje moving to make a law that would require government permission to write anything adverse about legislators, government officials including judges. The legislation also states that the names of those involved in any controversial actions cannot be disclosed by those writing about them without specific government permission which would come within 6 months! This would mean that if there is any genuine issue involved be it of corruption or policy the Rajasthan government would attempt to close the stable doors after the horse has bolted! The media and the Opposition parties have been up in arms against this legislation which harkens one back to the days of the Emergency. Freedom of expression will be strangled by this law which is being ostensibly done to limit fake allegations and also legal cases filed by chronic litigants. Governance does not mean closing the tap and opening it at will and when convenient to the rulers but the ability to regulate the flow of water through the tap is what Vasundhara Raje should realise. With royal blood flowing through her veins falling for such a narrow-minded ploy is a black mark on Raje's fair face. Better sense has prevailed it seems lately and it is reported that Vasundhara Raje is having second thoughts about the legislation which was tabled at the opening session of the Rajasthan Assembly but has now been referred to a Select Committee of the House. With the earlier marking of the houses of the BPL families in Rajasthan with prominent yellow painted labels and now this legislation, questions will be raised on the ability of the present BJP government in Rajasthan to govern.
And then the Tamil film - Mersal, where criticism is aimed at some comments made on GST by the principal actor to which the BJP took umbrage and asked for these to be deleted. Firstly, comments made in films are not to be taken seriously but then with Tamil Nadu cine politics being primary, one can overlook that lapse. Secondly, the question arises whether the citizens of this country cannot express their opinion on government measures through any medium, press, music or cinema? The producers and director of Mersal took the accommodative path and said that they are willing to make the cuts where the comments on GST have been shown. They must have done this since the controversy has enabled the film to garner almost Rs. 250 crores at the box-office since it was released both locally and in overseas circuits. The matter with Mersal did not end there but the Income Tax authorities thought it fit to dig out a case against the principal actor of the movie and move against the actor. Though the IT Dept. has clarified that the tax issue of the actor was pre-existing, the timing of the notice is sure to raise eyebrows. This has been the default practice of this present government that wherever criticism or dissident is shown, move in with more than required force on the person through government agencies lie the police, IT or the ED.
Similarly, a professor at JNU is being currently hounded for some statements on Kashmir that he made in a panel discussion on the Al Jazeera news channel. Free speech as we know is being curbed randomly and deliberately by this government which is an attack on the fundamental right of our democracy which every right minded citizen should protest.
An impartial assessment of the situation prevailing within the country in the light of the above two latest incidents is that with this present government we are moving progressively to an Emergency like situation that is likely to be imposed by the year 2020, just after the scheduled 2019 General Elections. The Emergency will be thought to be necessary by the present NDA government led by the BJP to contain the increasing disenchantment among the people about government policies and the inability and helplessness of the authorities because of incompetence to tackle these matters.
Controversy Against Tipu Sultan Jayanti Unwanted
The controversy being generated against the Tipu Sultan Jayanti y the BJP in Karnataka with Central Minister Anantkumar Hegde protesting even his name being put in the invitation is rather sad. How will the BJP and the people associated with the party who never fought for freedom, understand about Tipu Sultan who waged war against the British to remain free & at one time had the invaders with their backs to the wall and on the brink of leaving the country? There have been excesses by all Muslim rulers in the country including the Mughals and Tipu Sultan is no exception but we need to understand about the times prevailing then where waging war was a necessity and some of the tactics and/or results of war are none too pleasant. In contrast Tipu Sultan is commended by the seers of Sringeri and/or Kukke Subrahamnya temples during his time for benevolent rule. In fact today Tipu Sultan is considered to be the father of modern rocketry used in war and research is on at Bengaluru to try out some of the rockets used by Tipu Sultan in association with government agencies at the new rocket testing range in North Karnataka. It is said that this rocket technology was stolen by the British after the defeat of Tipu Sultan as spoils of war, refined and then used by the Western powers. Concluding, one must say that most people these days and particularly those from the saffron brigade indulge in controversial statements, the more horrendous the better, about figures of our history without any proper study. They also pick on people that are dead and gone and who cannot respond. It is time therefore that a training course be instituted for the BJP cadre, ministers included, on Indian history so that they have a better working knowledge on the contributions of the public figures among our ancestors.
