Promises can’t sway voters

“PROMISES can’t sway voters: stability with performance needed” by Mr Hari Jaisingh (The Tribune, August 27) is an eye-opener for the masses. The Election Commission of India is doing an excellent job. The unfair tactics used by political outfits to woo voters have been discouraged. The orders issued by the Election Commission for a fair conduct of the world’s largest democratic exercise may be contrary to the taste and feelings of political stalwarts. Indian democracy seems to be in a maturing phase. With the popularisation of democratic functioning in the rural areas through the implementation of the Panchayati Raj scheme, the Indian voter has grown wiser and intelligent in exercising his franchise.

To fulfil their lust for power, political leaders are giving precedence to issues based on caste, religion and foreign origin over national interests. Fake promises have become the order of the day.

Today the economy has become the pivot of a country’s development it helps in assessing the living standard of its people. The stability of the government at the Centre depends on its ability to acquire economic might and a considerable say in world affairs. India, being a country of vivid geographical dimensions with its mantle enriched with vast natural resources, has immense potential to acquire a respectful status in the world. The only factor needed is the sacred political commitment to national interests.

After the parliamentary elections for the 13th Lok Sabha, like-minded parties should come under a common minimum programme umbrella and accord top priority to nation-building. The need of the hour is to restore the eroding faith of the voters in the country’s leaders.

SANJAY GULERIA
Biotech Centre, HP Agricultural University
Palampur

CLEANSING THE POLITY: It is true that election manifestos make only “pious” promises which are rarely kept by the parties concerned.

Mr Jaisingh has aptly held that political parties “must field persons with a clean image”. This will be far more acceptable to the voter than speeches full of rhetoric and manifestos full of “holy” promises.

From criminalisation of politics we have moved to criminals in politics. The role of criminals is increasing in politics all over the country, but UP and Bihar have the most dismal record in this respect. In UP criminalisation of politics started way back in 1974 when Hari Shankar Tiwari was elected to the Assembly from Gorakhpur district. And then there was no looking back.

In the 1985 Vidhan Sabha elections there were over 100 candidates with a criminal background. Four of them contested from jail and won. In the 1993 elections their number rose to 133. More than two dozen such candidates had a record of committing heinous crimes.

In the latest Assembly elections a total of 123 men with a criminal record entered the fray. Ninety of them were accused with murder, 22 had more than three murder cases each hanging on their heads and 28 of them were history-sheeters. Who can forget that Phoolan Devi was elected to Parliament from UP courtesy Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav? The only way out of this monstrous situation is that the voters defeat criminals with no eye on which political dress they are wearing. The sooner the criminals are weeded out from our legislatures, the better for the health of democracy.

DURGA BHARDWAJ
Solan

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Demands of democracy

Democracy demands that we elect candidates whose role benefits society, if we wish to see more good people getting elected.

Ostentatious marriages, female infanticide, the curse of dowry, elected representatives not taking their responsibilities seriously, candidates forgetting their constituencies after getting elected, are some of the ills that plague our society.

Normally, I am against independent candidates. In the dynamics of coalition politics, some are forced to stand as Independents. Exceptions, therefore, become necessary.

Bright examples involving some politicians act as beacon lights.

Some ministers in the J.H. Patel ministry have set outstanding examples. Mr M.S. Patil, conducted the marriage of his two sons at a “mass marriage” of 111 couples at Raichur. His family has a history of conducting mass marriages. Mr B.N. Shivannayar and Mr Nagappa got their children married in simple, mass marriages, Former Congress minister H. Vishwanath organised a mass marriage at Mysore, in which his own daughter was also married, like the others. Should we not support them?

The Chairman of the Karnataka State Temperance Board, Mr Dayananda Rao, thoughtfully invited 91-year-old Nirmala Ramdas Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi’s low profile daughter-in-law, to attend a felicitation. She gave a strident, urgently relevant message — “Families accepting dowry should be boycotted socially”. She had sheltered him during the Emergency at Sevagram, Wardha. He described the function itself as “not a felicitation but pooja for a mother”. Should we not support him?

Mr Narendra Babu, as a corporator for two years, has served the Nagpura Ward — his BCC constituency — in a most exemplary manner. Cheerful, helpful, soft spoken, young and easily accessible, the initiatives he has taken on civic needs, the projects he has followed upto conclusion, are a legion. A Lok Shakti candidate earlier, he is now forced to stand as an Independent for the Rajajinagar assembly constituency. Should we not support him?

Mr V. Somanna, a Cabinet Minister, has worked hard — an engine of energy. Each morning he has been out on inspection, with his officers from the Urban Development Department, and dealing with different issues, effectively, ceaselessly working till late in the night. He is standing as an Independent. Should we not support him?

Another Minister Mr S. Gopala Gowda, has been a paragon of integrity. Should we not support him?

Look at the Congress candidate, the respected Sri Made Gowda. His integrity has been his strength. Should we not support him?

In this election we need to vote for candidates based on our evaluation. Let us start cleaning.

N. NARASIMHAN
Bangalore

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Reservations: an economic challenge

This has reference to Mr Sunanda K. Datta-Ray’s article titled “Question of reservation: a fundamental economic challenge” (The Tribune, August 26). The issue of caste-based and class-based reservations in admissions and jobs needs to be reviewed and revised in the light of the changed caste and class scenario in society after over half a century of our winning freedom from alien rule.

Mr Datta-Ray rightly points out: “The most telling evidence of India’s social and economic failure is that a system that was devised in 1950 for only 10 years should have been strengthened, expanded and perpetuated, with more and more communities applying for inclusion at each review.”

Has at any point of time during the last over 50 years the outcome of the policy of reservation been reviewed? If on review it is found that some castes/ classes have moved some steps up the social and economic ladder, it would be wise to discontinue the benefits of reservation to them so that these may be extended to those who actually need them.

The Supreme Court’s verdict in the case of reservations for admission to the postgraduate medical courses is salutary. It deserves to be hailed by one and all. The cases of reservation in admissions to the postgraduate courses in other faculties also need a thorough judicial review.

Initially, the purpose behind the reservation policy was to undo the centuries’ old social injustice and economic discrimination done to the Scheduled Castes/ Tribes and other backward classes. But it is equally wrong to aver that to nullify that injustice and discrimination, it will take hundreds of years. After all, there must be a comma or a full stop somewhere.

It must not be forgotten that reservations based on caste and class considerations have, by and large, divided society on narrow caste and class lines. Besides, social differentiation in a democratic set-up breeds negativism. Law of the land has enough teeth to crush the evil of untouchability, if any. What is required is a strong, discreet and judicious political will to review and revise the policy of reservations.

IQBAL SINGH
Bijhari (Hamirpur)