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Can Modiji Win Election Without Pakistan as his Trump Card?
- Published on 04 April 2019
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(Image culled from a full photo available at mea.gov.in)
“This partition has been a mistake and has to be annulled some day or other. (An Hon. Member: By force?) Why should I not have a right to say that?” stated founder of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee.
He was participating in a debate over the Bill for first amendment to the Constitution in Parliament on 16th May 1951.
Dr. Mookerjee stoutly opposed Partition before and after it happened in 1947. He ultimately quit Nehru cabinet & the Congress Party to start BJP (originally Bharatiya Jan Sangh). Alas, BJP has never transformed Dr. Mookerjee’s vision into a credible initiative on phased merger of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. It owes an explanation (if apology is undignified) to people of Indian subcontinent on this count.
There can never be peace in Indian sub-continent without merger in which religion should be relegated strictly to private space. The Merger should be driven by focus on our common genes, common culture and common goal - jobs, happiness & prosperity for all. Who is scared of rationality & humanity-driven unification?
The only other alternative and very painful one is to secure peace through a war. If this option is exercised, it must lead to break-up of Pakistan, which has become a cradle for global terrorism. The break-up idea has been articulated well by BJP maverick MP, Dr. Subramanian Swamy.
In September 2018, Dr. Swamy reportedly stated: “Pakistan be broken into four regions - Sindh, Balochistan, Pakhtun and West Pakistan - and the first three must be handed over to India. “This is the only solution to the India-Pakistan conflict”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done nothing to exercise either option. He has an unflinching faith in Empty Bravado. He resorts to token action when faced with horrible events and the public resentment over inaction. He loves fear-mongering about Pakistan during the election campaigns. He first tasted fruits of this fear-generating strategy in December 2002 polls for Gujarat State Assembly.
Scrap MPs & MLAs-led 4th Governance Tier For Capital Expenditure
- Published on 20 March 2019
- Hits: 3711
(Edited Image Courtesy: mplads.gov.in)
The Congress Party’s campaign seeking dismissal of Union Textiles Minister Smriti Zubin Irani should turn focus on controversies-ridden Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS).
The focus should also be extended to similar scheme, Member of Legislative Assembly Local Area Development Scheme (MLALADS), which is funded by State Governments.
Both should be scrapped on fiscal, administrative, ethical and electoral grounds. The two schemes are apt instances of institutionalized corruption & fiscal mismanagement that no political party wants to scrap.
This is in spite of categorical recommendation from National Commission to Review the Working the Constitution (NCRWC). In its report submitted to Vajpayee Government in April 2002, NCRWC recommended “immediate discontinuance of the MP LAD Scheme as being inconsistent with the spirit of the Constitution in many ways”.
Like this august panel of constitutional experts, Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and Government-commission studies have found numerous flaws in the schemes.
The Supreme Court, in two separate verdicts, has, however, upheld the constitutional validity of the two schemes. Central Information Commission has, on the other hand, called for law to ensure transparency and accountability of MPLADS.
Reversing Parliament’s Soiled Image Must Figure in 2019 Manifestos
- Published on 27 February 2019
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(Image Courtesy: loksabha.nic.in)
Indian democracy touched a new low with the Promulgation of four ordinances post early closure of budget session of Parliament. There would have been no need for these temporary laws had the Parliament functioned till February-end, instead of ending budget session on 13th February.
The four transient laws are: 1) The Companies (Second Amendment) Ordinance 2019, 2) Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Second Ordinance, 2019 (popularly known as triple talaq law), 3) Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Second Ordinance, 2019 & 4) Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Ordinance, 2019.
The new low is characterized by the Executive (the Government) usurping the powers of the Legislature (Parliament in this case) through repeated re-promulgation of ordinances.
Of the four ordinances notified on 21st February, the first three are re-promulgations for the third time in each case. All four would cease to be laws if the BJP fails to form the Government after the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls!
End Governors’ Discretion Raj By Undoing Constitutional Blunder
- Published on 26 May 2018
- Hits: 3857
(Edited Image from Calligaraphic Edition of Indian Constitution)
The storm over formation of Karnataka Government has turned the torchlight on constitutional blunder of giving discretionary powers to governors. They are the nominees and agents of the Central Government in State capitals. Officially, they also serve as Constitutional heads of States.
In realty, several of them work as agents of the ruling party at the Centre. No wonder then that both BJP and Congress, when in power at the Centre, don’t implement relevant recommendations of four Commissions made over five decades. Even coalition regimes of other parties behave like Congress & BJP.
Gauge the enormity of Union Government’s indifference by factoring in the Opposition’s repeated calls in Parliament for reforming Governor’s role.
Status quo on functioning of governors constitutes unprecedented policy paralysis. It owes its origin to ethics resistant, turncoat DNA of Indian politicians. The status quo has thus persisted due to the ruling party’s fatal temptation to utilize Governors’ as instruments for expansion of political power & aggrandizement. The Governor’s post and its discretionary powers are like apsaras for any party that comes to the power at the Centre.
Polity