Those were the days when men in public life were exponents at reverance and religious application of the tenets of consitution.
They understood law and the societal changes that brought to bear the ramifications of a dated law. Extraordinary long term thinkers who ably lent their intellect with empathy in the process of rendering just ammendments to the constitution and the initiative of law making to expand the ambit of a just society.
Todays self centered , cash rich politicians have scant respect for the consitution and they seldom revisit the living document that needs an application of fresh and congregation of many collective minds at the parliament sessions.Their efforts may lend an influential thrust for fair constitutional framework that desperately craves for speed and fresh avenues for clairvoyant interpretation befitting the demands of a modern just society.
Noise at the podium dominates the days discourse followed by rants at the idiot box by the evening - Thrill a Minute seeded prime time TRP race poses as the representative voice of the nation wants to know notion. The ones with a heaviest purse and the folks who shout the loudest seems to flok togather to pass legislatures benefitting the egalitarian corporate class leaving the poor and underpriviledged in the lurch.
The people too seem to be inspired by the quallity of leadership on offer. Below the belt attacks are the order of the day.Verbal duels have graduated to body blows to showcase intolerance & dissent , be it shoes that get hurled or distaseful personal or inks attacks, these ugly malignant heads pop up every now and then that tarnishes the spirit of free speech and free society.
A majority of the elected repsentatives instead of representing the people who sent them to the treasury benches , represent themselves and their kin with aplomb profiting multifolds compared to the moolah they splurge to get the coveted public offices. An exhibit for one of the highest ROI of any kind. Barring a few who deligently despense the local area development funds the rest do not even know the constituted areas of employment of the MPLADs and MLALADs. Little doubt then that a 3rd of the parliamentarians and legislative assembly members dont spend even 25 % of their funds.
Expecting the elite to debate at the parliament or assembly is a exalted desire when the privileged dont deem it obligatory to attend the law making benches. Yes - There exists a constitution that we all are proud of yet fail miserably in its fundamental adoption and application. Law and Order rules apply only to the down trodden and middle class.
One of the significant parody that played out in the last winter session at the Parliament - A Travesty of the Constitution and democracy - an argument that a convicted person must have the right to represent people was such a tragic yet ludicorous farce.
Given the influence and power prominent politicians and elected legislators wield, it is rare that FIRs are registered against them. As the police force is largely under the thumb of the legislators, such cases are usually buried without any investigation. Only a small number of FIRs registered against influential persons even result in the completion of investigation and framing of charges by the court, this too is because of the vendetta politics pursued by their bitter rivals. It takes endless years for the courts to try a criminal case. After all this, only six percent of criminal cases end in conviction, unless the accused confesses to the crime. Often it is a case of justice delayed equating to justice denied idiom.
Major political parties wanted even such a rare conviction to be disregarded, and were fighting against the disqualification of convicted legislators. That we had to advance arguments against such an obviously absurd stand was an indication of the precipitous decline in standards of political behavior in the country.
Unless we make constituional reforms and ammendments for example - to make it mandatory to bring in the unblemished , educated , qualified & competent intellectuals and visionaries to the highest offices , we cannot fight such absurdities which get a favorable populist fillip because more than a few rich and famous muscle men prevail with the might of the currency over a reticent educated right thinking aam aadmi class. Untill then Movie stars with mass appeal , caste and communal agendas would divide and plunder the vote banks.
The above may seems an idealistic expectation , yet since we allowed minor deviations and created exceptions , that the wedge of malaise has deepned to corrupt the very core fabric of public conscientiousness. Six decade plus is too small a timeline for one of the youngest nation of a billion that enjoys an envious demographic dividend to give up on the sacred promise of self rule that our forefathers earned with such dignity and difficulty.
The poisounous downward spiral of corrupt governing the masses propogating corrupt ideals and eventually the voters falling prey to corrupt doles during elections to resend corrupt people to the highest offices resoundingly resonates with the old adage of the people getting the governments they deserve.
Lest we let the above rut to decay further there will either be an uprising that will gain uncontrollable ground swell resulting in anarchy like it almost did during the anna ,kejriwal India against corruption movement which lead to an eventual formation of a new political force
or
we may weaken the nation so much that we become vulnerable internal splinters or fall prey to aggresive global capitalistic or military ogiliarch nations.
Constitution constitutes the bedrock for a democratic system to florish and florish it must at rendering good and just governance to responsibly redeploy the tax payer money. Nation building ushers when all and sundry irrespective of caste or class universally heed to complying buy the guided social framework facilitated by the constitution.
