State of the Constitution that needs steadfast application with a considered way forward

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.

PROFANITY OF POLITICS WITH THE SACRILEGE OF SECULARISM

The onus of being the world’s largest democracy with the added concoction of being a rich cauldron of myriad set of representations from a multitudes of cultures, social sects, religions and economic demography’s make India’s trysts with the upcoming elections a massive fan fare even if the functional side of democracy is in a state of rigor mortis.

Such is a convoluted state of coalition that even the demonic spectre of the 14th Lok Sabha seems like a serene plausibility in hind sight.
Only last year we saw a year long campaign of the democratic primaries and then the campaign between the Republicans and Democrats play out in such organized manner on global stage. Yet as when we look forward to seeking a mandate from the electorate in India we are hardly certain on who is in bed with whom. More so who is with whom, why?

This will be a watershed year in Indian politics where the party's will focus their energy no as much on winning on their own , rather preempting the opposing party to come to power by forging illicit and irrational coalitions.

It will be intriguing to read the election manifestos and furthermore quizzical to decipher the ideologies. More than ever the citizen of our country will be recipients of tasteless overtures and jarring tunes played by the corrupt pied pipers seeking a seat of power in today’s changing times. To ad to the authenticity one party has secured the rights of the “Jai Ho” Number while conveniently it left partner for 90 % of last term at office.

Even in the quagmire of choices of electoral mandates there are obvious lynch pins which will gravitate attention of the voter and the (umeedwar) aspirant. Secularism, Terrorism and Recession.

A responsible national party will play sacrilege of secularism with unashamed chutzpa. Again. A temple that they will conveniently remember to build even as the temples of commerce and financial institutions world over crumble like a pack of orchestrated cards triggering the worst recession of our times.

The party chronic in ailment of dynasty politics awaiting for a righteous son to rise to the occasion even as the wont of the masses is to see the dance of the charming daughter in the ragging ring of politics. Yet the combative Italian widow who emulated a five years a coalition towards a successful full term what was managed by a seasoned octogenarian last time around remains the czarina in charge.


We might be pardoned for expecting a young Turk at the helm of you heard “the prime minister in waiting” until you realize that it is all about the old mans cherished dream to lead the nation in its 60th year of independence with a fading vision and misplaced ideology of divisive and religious vote bank strategies. One hopes that the protagonist in chief tires from the temple tirade and mellows to be the inspiring statesman he could well be with those over 5 decade in parliament.


Vote bank strategy it seems which will give birth to a third front - Yet Again!! professing secular and protective economic future even as the contours of their coalition may be as thin as lines drawn with erasable markers on the white board. Essentially anti NDA and anti UPA. Effectively ineffective.


Even as the regional and national parties engage in a slugfest there seems to be no distinct platform for them to anchor their political campaign. None seems to have a manifesto congruently addressing the triple challenges posed by Secularism, Terrorism and Recession.

Another feather in the Indian politics is the impeccable alacrity shown by most party’s to anoint bollywood stars and crest fallen cricketers reincarnating their public life with a fresh taint that they can add to their rich repertoire of chronicled blasphemy. Add to those an assorted set of genial criminals cherry picked with an enviable track record murkier than molasses to have a chance to extend their period of self service from the people now – with an office of profit and an authority of a parliamentarian.

Amidst all this a star impostor shamelessly professing change = chiru and likening him to Obama campaigns tirelessly to get a toe hold in the political stage. Along side the matinee idol there seems many more insipid aspirants throwing their towel in the heat of an Indian summer contest.


Indian have forever lived in the audacity of hope and the country; I believe has progressed in spite of the governments at large.

A representative look at two of the possible leaders who will work for a new India in spite of their failings.

The very hopefuls will try and see a pepper bearded reformist and a once darling of the industrialists in one of the largest south Indian states back at the helm. The only irony being that this time he is bed with the left and a bunch of political urchins seeking a new state. An effective king maker , he can steer clear of the muck and lend stability if he has a sizable mandate. A plausible alternative.


Another bearded messiah from the saffron brigade, the now darling of the economists will attempt to shrug his eerie train of the past and focus on the economic express, in the role of a political in charge in the state of India’s financial capital.The masses are only waiting for his nod for anointing him to the country s top job. May be the callings of sanitized secular leader.



Even as we expect these minor mandates, as it rolls up we as Indian must vote for a decisive ballot so that a single largest party emerges with a comfortable lead. Else a fractured mandate will fracture the very spine of the greatest possibility of what can be India’s century of world leadership. Now this is what I call the “Audacity of Hope”. – Jai Ho ! Vote Karo !