Political Reality in India

Political Reality in India

Sri Mani Shankar Aiyar, Congress who once said Modi is fit only to serve tea in Congress Office has now told that only if all parties come together Modi can be defeated. Yes on paper and based on statistics, that no party in India could garner more than 50% of votes polled so for, in almost all the elections, except around 40 instances in State elections. The party which wins gets around 40-45% as a maximum, in many elections to States and Centre is common. All India level national elections have not seen any party at any time getting more than 50% on its own. Thus this suggestion of Sri Mani Shankar Aiyar. Though it appears to be logically correct, no party could survive the association of Congress of late, as many State elections have proved. Out of necessity of survival and to be existing as a force for a future onslaught only all these combinations have served so for, except Bihar elections. Parties are wary to have alliance with Congress and the image of that Party has been brought down beyond imagination by successive ineptness shown by its leaders and "clinging to opposing BJP" as its strategy. Opposing for the sack of showing their presence in many national issues and being done at the instance of the President of the Party, where there is merit or not and various accusations of corruption on its leaders only are in the minds of the people.

The Congress party which wants to thrive on negative vote to BJP in that case have to wait for another 10 years for picking holes in the present governance. If it really wants to make a presence and that it expects people to support overwhelmingly, it can happen only with totally changing its present pattern of working.

Regional leaders, who have no connections with any past leadership being son or relative and a new set of leaders who can be really projected that no corruption charges in any form exist in their family may bring fresh air. Punjab elections have proved that. The country also can have a national party as a real opposition which does not take decisions to protect its already acquired wealth and have no interests to put down proven leaders for the sake of protecting the interest of a few persons. A beginning from now may bring in a healthy political climate to the country in about 5 years from now which will call for bold decisions in Congress party to come out of the clutches of the present family rule. Will the Mani Shankar Aiyars of the Congress can do this or will rely on the negative impressions to be built up on the ruling party.

As for the Communists, unless they come out of their image of building up party cadre in Adminstration, the days that it would be wiped out completely is not too far! It is clearly felt by the people, when anarchy prevails and the people could do nothing but to watch the party cadres unleash their unlimited powers in the day to day life of the people. The murders in Kerala will definitely have a backlash and it is only going to bring in BJP initially present in small way and finally occupying power in that State.

As for the Aam Admi Party, it can proved that it would go back on assurances given to the people, especially on the corruption front. The corruption crusaders have not acquitted well in opposing Ms. Shiela Dixit before coming to power and later changing their stance. Instead they have brought disrepute on their selves by themselves involving in corruption, dramas starting immediately before elections starting from throwing ink, shoes or asking an army veteran's family members to protest. It may appear that it all gives some room initially, but in the long run does not serve the purpose. Assuming roles offered by the people in elections have to be respected in action, whether in ruling or in opposition. This is going to be biggest test for this party and more the party takes its decision on unilateral level, the more the party will disintegrate into splinter groups.

The days of caste/religious equations will not serve in the long run and UP elections have proven it. Yes this time too, parties would have ventured on regional population on caste/religious basis to nominate candidates. But when you present a larger picture of national interest, people are ready to go by it.

Thus with BJP gaining all around from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, where is the opposition for a healthy democracy who will oppose for the interest of the country and not for their self interest and real corruption crusaders and watchdogs not swayed by the positions in governance. Certainly this cannot be expected from any conglomeration of regional parties with family as their interest or a national party with a similar cause.

Corruption in India and personal honesty

CORRUPTION IN INDIA AND PERSONAL HONESTY

The importance this topic has assumed of late after the news that India is one of the most corrupt countries in the world needs attention by every right thinking individual.    When India had the reputation of Gupta’s Golden Age when a lady could walk on the street in the night with all jewelleries.    India was one of the richest countries with lot of wealth and was leading the better part of the world in Trade by Sea and as well as land.  The Kings of the South had even established their reign as far as Thailand on the  Northeast and Indonesia on the Southeast.  There are many stories based on the trades these South Indian Kings with Romanians and Italians.  The Kings could fetch the Arab horses in number for their army and use for peace as well as during war.   The people were trained in sword fight and their army consisted of cavalry, elephant squads etc.,  Even after winning of these lands, the primary cause was for expanding the trade and brought wealth in the form of gems and jewellery.  They were not plundered as by Mugals and but brought after successful trade.  Ghandhara as seen in Mahabharat, a kingdom in Bharat Varsha had been ruled by many Hindu kings so much so, Ghandari derived her name from that place.  This is to only bring out the fact that they were following principles based on Honesty and were following dharma even when they engaged countries in war.  A clear expansionist motto was only seen on these wars and the countries so held were treated very well.   So much so, these countries have a fair number of south Indians settled there.  When the Kings found there were wrongdoings the punishments were very severe on the one hand and when the Kings found that the person punished was later found not guilty they have gone to the extent of giving up their lives, as the case of the Pandian King of Madurai in the case of Kannagi episode.  Ghandhara as seen in Mahabharat, a kingdom in Bharat Varsha had been ruled by many Hindu kings so much so, Ghandari derived her name from that place.  

This is to say that when honesty had its pride, dishonesty was put down with a heavy hand.   Common people who wanted to live a fair life had it easy and the kings had even spies to check what is going on in the raj.   Where is the problem presently, where Judiciary, Legislature represented by the Politicians, Executives represented by the officials in the Government and the fourth estate, the Media have all gone wrong – where the entire society is given to the practices of corruption.     The point to be noted here is where practically no corruption was existing in Judiciary,  open talk goes on accusing the same of Corrupt and not just corrupt of the few, but of the many.  What does the suicide note of the CM of Arunachal Pradesh indicates – he has leveled charges on the Judges and closer to their family and Advocates of the SC and not just in terms of a few lakhs but in terms of Crores and Hundreds of Crores.  Whether this can be substantiated and especially with the present system of investigation remains to be seen.   Lot of accusations have come up on Justices of the Supreme Court, many who have retired from service.  A clear pointer is - all is not well with the Judiciary.  Once when a common man looses faith in the Judiciary, there Is no meaning in talking of elimination of corruption.  We would be fooling ourselves by thinking that everything is fine.   An uncorrupt investigating agency closely follows this.  But what we are seeing on this front too is dismal.  Retired officials from the investigating agencies are accused of favouring thus sabotaging the investigation itself.  This along with executives of the government discharging various decision making areas have been accused of corruption and even CAG has come very heavily during the UPA2 regime on many of the projects, auctions etc.,  It does not augur well for Indian politics with reported seizures during the UP election by the EC of the following:  122.26 Cr Cash/ Rs65.31Cr Liquor/ Rs9.61 Cr narcotics/ 25.61Cr gold and silver.   Then the Police force controlled by the various home ministries of the State and Centre have been found wanting in arresting the wrongdoers, not filing and presenting to the court in a way, conviction follows.  Many a times, the court has let people free for Charges not proven conclusively and the benefit of doubt going to the accused.   Charges are not framed on appropriate sections. There are cases of selective filing of charges even among the accused leading to partial conviction of the accusers.   Here our Politicians also will join hands in interfering in the cases as they are interested in some of the individuals connected with the cases.  Mafias control or armtwist justice.  All the same, whether an accused is let off with any one of the means with improper functioning of the Judiciary, selective misuse of powers by the government officials and interference from the rulers.

Media – the present day – less said the better.   Most of the media are owned by the business companies and they in turn have interests of their own, so much so, they back political parties of particular ideology or shall we say no ideology – and go to the extent of funding the political parties in violation of all norms and hoodwinking the laws meant to cover political funding.  Now a new situation has arisen which can be seen that the Judiciary, executives, politicians and Media combine and wreck the truth and their priorities on each case varies according to the interests they serve.  No doubt, the common man is the sufferer.  But for the social media being active as seen now, these people will have a free run.  Apart from these, still honest men are left in all the fields mentioned above, who are a minority, and feel suffocated with the present environment of Corrupts all around.

How is the new way forward can overcome the present state?  It is going to be very difficult.  It is not going to be that easy to bring to book a majority by the minority, who are honest.   Cartels will start functioning to protect their interests.  It is easier in one way, by identifying people who were vested with powers to relax conditions for payment to government – whether excise, customs or IT.  Find these people whether they have the wealth according to their known sources of Income.  Inspectors of all hues, whether law and order, food/health, commercial tax, Factory, environments, forest, revenue… they are the kingpins of corruption in this country backed by the Governments and the Ministers.    Unless a concerted effort is made to bring to book these men initially and the rest in all the four areas of Judiciary, executives, legislatures and Media – we can never claim to be a country without corruption.

Thus the question of what has changed from days of the Gupta’s Golden Age?  How did we falter in our Personal Honesty?   A series of measures taken by the invaders and total dependence on office jobs in foreign rule have made us boneless wonders and have totally given up our resolve to be honest.  Our safety under the British Raj assumed more importance than the concern for society and our totally giving up Joint Family System has made us not to answer to anyone, especially those elders who lived very much for principles and austere life.   Thus erosion of culture and a selfish life lead to wants increasing and the need to cope up with that resulted in corrupt life.   Values built up in the society through the ages were forgotten or violating it for the sack of personal happiness has become the order of the day.  When societies concern diminishes, self got importance, corruption became a way of life.   The people who vote are no exception who vote based on caste, religion and for consideration given during elections both in cash and kind, clearly bring out the sad state of personal honesty today.  Severe punishments, water tight cases by investigating agencies, no political interference, stopping of funding of political parties, transparency in dealing with matters relating to public by government establishments and above all Personal Honesty by returning to our older ways of respecting our tradition and culture which were in the larger interests of society – is the need of the hour.   Will we bring our land the lost glory – will we have leaders who are men of calibre who could motivate and a top to bottom correction of the pyramids of power, will we have a Judiciary which will ape of Algu Chaudhary of the Panchparameswar story by Munshi Premchand, will we have a police force without blemishes, will we have a Politician of calibre of Sri  C. Rajagopalachari who had made his political partymen not to be seen in the Secretariat corridors,  Will we have a media that is fair and just.  Seems quite difficult indeed.

May we give credence to our culture and traditions and uphold truth which ensures personal honesty to get over the present ills of the society.