A Presidential Vision or a faux pas

In his customary Republic Day address the President made two highly loaded statements."The Govt is not a charity shop and "Populist anarchy can not be a substitute for governance and elections do not give any person the license to flirt with illusions.Those who seek the trust of voters must promise only what is possible".

Presidential addresses so far were generally predictable, cliche ridden drab monologues, largely aimed at promoting the cause of the ruling party by sweeping their ills and failures under the carpet and blowing minor successes into accomplishments of gigantic proportions. However, Mr Mukerjee  embarked on a new adventure by exposing his political leanings/ likes and dislikes, which, under the given circumstances, have the potential to give it a controversial twist.

What could be the drivers of such an outburst? Was it an omnibus message to all parties or a wake up call for select few. He also spoke about corruption and there is no denying the fact that without dealing with the cancer of political corruption blighting the country and robbing it of revenue from mineral resources, through corrupt politicians receiving bribes from investors, the country shall continue to have the worst poverty levels globally.

Yogendra Yadav of the AAP displayed astute statesmanship when he deflected the whirlwind by saying that the President meant the Economic policies of the UPA, where Mr Mukerji was once a Finance Minister. A clever repartee indeed.

AAP  has a tough road ahead. It's growing political  interests at national level require it to step up its campaign to harness  those interests.  But when it does so, it is often accused or perceived as "anarchic, indiscreet and assertive," as it  challenges the status quo and the turf of the Congress and the BJP. So whatever AAP does will draw criticism. Thus, the best option for them to avoid heartburn  is  to ignore it, as they did in the instant case. It will augur well for the nation and its political climate if political parties were to avoid partisan polemics and diatribes that are coarse and crafty.

Regrettably being  past masters at the politics of decadence, it is well nigh impossible for the old genre politicians to reconcile to the new thoughts and nuances behind the emerging aspirations.It may seem anarchic and revolutionary to them, but this is not an isolated case. Frustration of the people against governance of doles and high handedness is manifesting the world over. Ukraine, Tunisia, Egypt and Bahrain are few examples.

While it does not behoove well for the President, the custodian of the Constitution, to air  his political preferences ,India will do well to maintain its resilience and ignore such faux pas.

Republic Day Celebrations,Pride hounded by Prejudices and Archaic Mindset

Arvind Kejriwal's utterances about the futility and worthlessness of Republic Day celebrations drew tremendous media  attention and criticism from his detractors.Was he utterly wrong, when the media was trying to hound him for sabotaging the Republic Day Celebrations, and he said "Republic Day does not mean people enjoying tableau at Rajpath... it means the rule of people. Or " what is the point of celebrating Republic Day when women are getting raped in Delhi ?

Prima facie nothing unparliamentry,derogatory or disrespectful, especially when the onus to bring about a rapprochement and end the impasse(Dharna) rested with the Central Govt. But then, true to their style, to garner a few brownie points, at whatever the cost to the nation and its homogeneity, the opposition and the media went hammer and tongs to project it as the most blasphemous, sacrilegious and anti national comment made by any Indian.The likes of Prakash Jawadekar,of BJP, in order to influence the most apolitical organisation in the country, the Armed Forces, went on to term it as an insult to them.  Did Arvind say anything about the Armed Forces? No, nothing! So shouldn't such derelicts(PJ) be tried  for sedition when they try to arouse and inflame the passions of uniformed men against a Chief Minster ? Equally untenable and incoherent were the statements made by almost all the spokespersons of other political parties, displaying intellectual bankruptcy that obtains amongst the political class.

Why as a nation are we so hackneyed, intolerant and apathetic to discuss or question some archaic practices. Shouldn't we change with changing times and environment or continue to be stuck in a time warp? 

 Let us examine the rationale for the pride that we take in the jamboree that occurs on the Raj Path on 26 January. What is it all about? What are we trying to showcase? Is it our Military Might  through military hardware,more than 90% of which is imported, or the impeccable demeanour,discipline and commitment of the Armed Forces and Paramilitary Forces marching ever so smartly, in inclement weather, to the patriotic melodies of various bands. Or by parading  the few gallant men who have earned the highest gallantry awards over the years. Regrettably both are conveniently forgotten by the evening of 26th and remembered and revered only when a calamity strikes the nation. Or Is it the colourful tableau's of various States, which are getting so predictable and jarring over the years. 

So what is the message conveyed and the end state achieved by the mega bucks and time spent to host this event.Wonder if anyone has ever worked out the cost/benefit analysis, not economic but cultural,national unity, national pride etc etc.

Can a nation whose 70% of the population lives below the poverty line,toiling relentlessly for two square meals yet dying an impoverished death afford such extravaganza. How proud are we of the fact that many die on the streets of Delhi for want of a shelter in extreme cold yet our Head of the State lives in a 340 room mansion in a estate sprawling over 330 acres, with a repertoire of almost 2000 staff. Or does his travelling in a cavalcade of 20 vehicles led by an entourage of horse riding military men(a battalion of whom is housed in the Rashtrapati Bhavan) down the Rajpath, an imperial legacy inherited from the Viceroys, on 26 January arouse a sense of pride and nationhood in us.

 But then he says Govt is not a charity shop.Wonder who is living on charity?

 Is Arvind wrong when he questions the status quo and the living prejudices trained against the common man and wants to set them right ? Do we too need some answers or are we going to continue with the blinkers on, reveling in the dreams that the Media, Movies and self serving Politicians sell us.

Anarchy,Brinkmanship or Wake up Call

What happened in Delhi on 21 and 22 jan was a  shame,a crying shame for this country. Not because of what Arvind and the AAP did but the way the Central Govt, the political parties, womens welfare organisation and particularly the media acquitted themselves over the last two days.It was not anarchy unleashed by AAP as pronounced by Mr Shinde but brinkmanship of the lowest order unleashed by the practitioners of our archaic political and social system.

 Occupation of Rail Bhavan lawns by AAP volunteers occurred after a couldn't careless response by the Home Minister of India, Mr Shinde, to the complaint lodged by the Chief Minster, against dereliction of duty and misdemeanour by some personnel of Delhi police. Consequent blockage of traffic and suspension of Metro services to the heart of Delhi  causing inconvenience to the commuters in the central vista of Lutyen's Delhi was a small price paid to highlight the rot that has set in the functioning and administration of Delhi police. 

Travails and trauma suffered by the common man to get a favourable response from Delhi police, to their complaints against hooligans,rapists and drug peddlers are well known. As is the well known fact that the police is in cahoots with the criminals and connives with them to ensure a steady, uninterrupted business. Yet, despite decades of dilly dallying and Supreme Court intervention, no effort has been made to pass the police reforms or make Delhi Police accountable to the CM of Delhi.

So when the Law Minister of Delhi, Somanth Bharati, responding to peoples complaints against a flourishing drugs and sex racket,asked the police to  raid the colony,Kharki extension, they blatantly refused to help. Not only they failed to perform their duty but declined any plea by the Minister to raid and arrest the perpetrators of these heinous crimes. Inevitable fallout was the Chief Minister, who justifiably has no love lost for the police, was piqued by their misdemeanour and failure to perform a legitimate function.So he requested  the Home Minister of Govt of India, Mr Shinde,the custodian of Delhi Police, to suspend the Police Officers for dereliction of duty  and order an inquiry, who, true to his form did not respond leaving the AAP no choice but to protest.

And then the Opposition, the intelligentsia, the womens organisations and the media went berserk, and without a shred of evidence pandered every possible homily and insult on hapless Mr Bharti and the AAP seeking immediate removal of Mr Bharti from the Law Minister's post.Things came to a head when Arvind, in the given circumstances, made small change of the Republic Day celebrations.Was he wrong in what he said is a subject of deep introspection based on realism.I will come back to it some other day. 

 However, it gave ample opportunity to the hoity toity, the beneficiaries of the existing political disposition, to project their holier than though attitude and fire their illogical, illegitimate and unintelligent salvos against Arvind and the AAP. Every cliche in the political,social and media's lexicon juxtaposed on the half understood provisions of the Constitution,Law and environmentally governed social norms was unleashed to castigate Arvind Kejriwal, his cabinet colleagues and the Party.So much so that some disgruntled elements, unable to measure up to the exacting standards set by AAP, like Kiran Bedi, Beany, Capt Gopinath and Tina Sharma, wanted nowhere else, found ample time and space on the ever pliable media to air their ignorance and stupidity.

But what was most disturbing was a concerted attempt by the Media and the Women Organisations to turn the episode into a racial and gender issue,where non existed. Regrettably all these self styled well wishers forgot the men and women on the spot, the residents of Kharki Ext.The daily ignominies,lawlessness and high handedness of the Police and criminal elements they endure has no meaning for these wannabes.What matters the most to them is to flout their half baked  pseudo concepts of governance,social conduct and welfare.The country be damned!Pakistan and other smaller neighbours of India can sleep in peace because India is hurtling down the chasm in self atrophy mode set by these pseudos.

India, time has come  to wake up from the reverie of pseudo secularism and hypocritical democracy based on Class,Caste and Religion.The unproductive and adjustable norms have unleashed rampant corruption, promoted  "chalta hai" attitude and set us back by half a century.Time has come  to restore a degree of accountability and transperancy in  the political and administrative class.