06-24-2009, 01:03 PM
(This post was last modified: 06-24-2009, 01:42 PM by Bodhi.)
In fact I am going to make another speculation about this 3.4% drop in the national BJP voteshare.
Can the proportion of the "original" Hindutva voter in the national vote be gauged from the first few national elections?
In 1951, Jan Sangh received 3.06% of votes winning 3 Lok Sabha seats, and Hindu Mahasabha 0.9% votes winning 4 seats. Hindutva total: about 4% votes with 7 seats. Congress 44.9%. Communists (CPI+ FB + RSP) about 5.5%.
58 years later, communists are almost at the same vote share, and at the same seat share.
What has happened to the 1951 Congress votes of 44.9%?
Looks like these have drifted to what is BJP votes today. (BJP-09:18.8% + Congress09:28.5%) = 47.3%.
So can we guess that like the original communist vote, original Hindutva vote is still around 3.9% nationally, concentrated as these were, in the same pockets of the country???
The UPA Government in its second innings has announced that certain targets are to be reached in various spheres of activity in the first 100 days after the assumption of office by them. The general public backed by the private electronic media is expecting deliverance from this Government.
<b>Biggest Achievement of UPA in 2nd phase</b>
<b>Visit HAJ Passports without police verification now</b>
Police will not come to verify your address and credintials if you intend to go for Haj and in need of a passport.
Imagine the misuse of this scheme. This govt is of no use and are actively working for vote bank politics.
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http://in.news.yahoo.com/139/20090629/808/...-t-require.html
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Pakistan Taliban, LET can infiltrate to INDIA and apply for Indian passports.
<b>Thanksgiving to Church - 'Anti' - Anti Conversion law in offing</b>
According to Christian sources within the Ruling Christian Congress , Central Government is going to bring a bill that will nullify all anti Conversion laws in the states.
A Missionary Website, Christian Today reports with authority that Congress has agreed to repeal Anti Conversion bills.
Presently, anti-conversion laws are in force in five states - Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat.The current move is as a part of Thanks Giving to Christians by the Congress for their support in the Lok sabha election.They claim that Church leaders have appealed that the anti-conversion legislation in all states be overruled and a minority-friendly atmosphere be created .
Yes, Create a Majority Hostile atmosphere to appease the invisible hands which now governs the Nation
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Don't blame Hindus if they go like Maoist way.
<!--emo&  --><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tongue.gif' /><!--endemo--> The UPA-II is witnessing its first major political conflict. While the Left Front gave the Congress-led UPA-I sleepless nights last year, the new ally from West Bengal â Trinamool Congress â is now flexing muscles over two crucial legislations.
Upset by the Cabinetâs consideration of the land acquisition Bill and relief & rehabilitation Bill, Mamata Banerjee on Friday boycotted Parliament, called back her MPs from the Houses and skipped an all-party lunch thrown by Pranab Mukherjee. Faced with the opposition, a red-faced Government is treading the middle path, determined to introduce the Bills in Parliament but hoping to buy time by referring them to a standing committee.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/191502/Cracks-...n-UPA-Govt.html
If one follows the proceedings of the parliament in the last one week, then one gets the impression that certain elements within the House are keen to ensure that the Government is unable to settle down to do serious business. The same is true in some of the States notably in J&K and in West Bengal.
In this whole process of political one up man ship, the political parties in the opposition are not understanding that it will further dilute their electoral support as the Government of the day will hold them responsible for the poor results at the end of the day.
From Deccan Chronicle, Aug 30 2009
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->UPA redux
August 30th, 2009
By Our CorrespondentÂ
Full steam ahead
NEW DELHI
<b>A 100 days ago, on May 22, the Manmohan Singh government took oath for a second time.</b> On exactly the same date five years ago, the UPA had taken charge of the nation. <b>The combined force of Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi finally demolished the hopes of L.K. Advani, the BJPâs âiron manâ, to lead the nation. Politically, the field appears to be clear with the main Opposition BJP enmeshed in internal strife and Mr Advani standing isolated and discredited.</b>
The Manmohan Singh Cabinet set up a new order with a blend of old and young talent to lead the nation. Yet, spiralling food prices, swine flu and drought have provided roadblocks to the smooth sailing of the government.
<b>Indiaâs foreign policy led by PM Manmohan Singh </b>achieved success by resuming dialogue with Pakistan after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Also, in a welcome departure from the UPAâs first tenure, Dr Singh, for the first time, attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Russia in June.
Taking Rajiv Gandhiâs dream forward, the PM kept his word on empowerment of women at the grassroot level with the Cabinet clearing a proposal to increase women reservation to 50 per cent in panchayats. However, the much promised womenâs reservation bill continues to hang in the balance. <b>The HRD ministry led by Kapil Sibal</b> swung into action right from the word go. Its major achievement was the Right to Education Bill. Catching public interest and that of students alike, Mr Sibal made Class 10 boards optional and introduced the grading system of assessment for CBSE students.
The information and broadcasting ministry led by <b>Ambika Soni </b>initiated a dialogue to bring in a content code for the broadcast medium. This regulatory mechanism for broadcasters had been pending for the last 12 years.
Law minister <b>Veerappa Moily stepped up the judicial reform process</b>. The ministry will bring in the comprehensive judges inquiry bill in the next session. The bill is expected to bring in more accountability for the judiciary as it gives an option apart from impeachment. <b>Defence minister A.K. Antony went full steam ahead with the launch of INS Arihant,</b> Indiaâs first nuclear-powered submarine intended to provide crucial nuclear second-strike capabilities. Dr Singh gave a push to rural development and employment programmes. Rs 39,100 crores was set aside for the UPAâs flagship National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. This was a jump of over 114 per cent from the previous outlay.
<b>Pranab Mukherjee-run finance ministry led the charge </b>by announcing the proposed new tax code, regarded as major tax reforms after 50 years. It has increased tax slabs, which will substantially benefit the middle class. This also simplifies tax laws in the country. Mr Mukherjee also stepped on the disinvestment process with NHPC and Oil India getting listed in stock exchanges.
<b>If these were achievements, price rise has hit all sections.</b> Concerned over the issue, UPA chairperson <b>Sonia Gandhi has written to the Prime Minister urging him to take steps.</b>
<b>Swine flu, which hit the country some time in March, wreaked havoc. The virus has claimed over 75 lives in the country. The health minister is blaming the states and the states say they are doing their best.</b> The government was also held somewhat responsible for its delayed response of the <b>agriculture ministry, led by Sharad Pawar, to the drought situation in the country</b>. The rural development ministry under C.P. Joshi enhanced wages to a minimum of Rs 100 under NREGS, it failed to get the ambitious Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation Bill passed following stiff opposition from Mamata Banerjee.
Kapil sibal
Right to Education Bill passed. Class 10 boards optional for CBSE students. Grading system of assessment from next academic year. A dialogue for the creation of a Central Madrasa Board has also been initiated.
SM Krishna
Making a fresh beginning post-26/11, talks were held with Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari at Yekaterinburg in June and PM Yousaf Raza Gilani at Sharm el-Sheikh in July in the hope to have a salutary effect on the bilateral relations.
A.K. Antony
Launch of INS Arihant, Indiaâs first nuclear-powered submarine. Proposal for 22 attack helicopters. field trials for acquisition of 126 fighter aircraft. Latest equipment and weaponry for Army commandos. Six second-line submarines with air independent propulsion.
Veerappa Moily
to table the Compreh-ensive Judges Inquiry Bill for discussion. Launched judicial reforms, but was unable to table the Judges (Declaration of Assets and Liabilities) Bill.
Ambika Soni
Initiated the consultation process for finalising a content code for the broadcasting sector.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--emo&:thumbdown--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsdownsmileyanim.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='thumbsdownsmileyanim.gif' /><!--endemo--> According to the cabinet secretariat, cabinet ministers - 30 in all in the UPA's first term - spent Rs 137 crore on foreign travel between fiscal 2006-07 and 2008-09 with highest in the year 2007-08 when more than Rs 115 crore was spent.
Incidentally, domestic travel too cost the public exchequer a pretty penny with the amount spent totalling Rs 163 crore. The expenditure incurred by them during 2008-09 was Rs 94.4 crore, which was 38% more than the cumulative expenditure incurred on domestic travel in the previous two years.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/U...how/5213054.cms
<!--QuoteBegin-Capt M Kumar+Nov 10 2009, 03:35 AM-->QUOTE(Capt M Kumar @ Nov 10 2009, 03:35 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin--><!--emo&:thumbdown--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsdownsmileyanim.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='thumbsdownsmileyanim.gif' /><!--endemo--> According to the cabinet secretariat, cabinet ministers - 30 in all in the UPA's first term - spent Rs 137 crore on foreign travel between fiscal 2006-07 and 2008-09 with highest in the year 2007-08 when more than Rs 115 crore was spent.
Incidentally, domestic travel too cost the public exchequer a pretty penny with the amount spent totalling Rs 163 crore. The expenditure incurred by them during 2008-09 was Rs 94.4 crore, which was 38% more than the cumulative expenditure incurred on domestic travel in the previous two years.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/U...how/5213054.cms
[right][snapback]102462[/snapback][/right]
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
how many trips were to Europe specifically Switzerland?
01-12-2010, 09:38 AM
(This post was last modified: 01-12-2010, 09:41 AM by dhu.)
another notch for the kangressites.
[url="http://http://www.zeenews.com/news594464.html"]India has lost 'substantial' land to China: Official report[/url]
another stellar showing by kangressiyas
[url="http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/india-agrees-to-cede-17000-acres-to-bangladesh/382717/"]India agrees to cede 17,000 acres to Bangladesh[/url]
Quote:At last India has decided to settle some of its dues with history with Bangladesh, by agreeing in principle to cede control over some 17,000 acres of territory as part of a larger, comprehensive agreement, in which the remaining tiny part of the 4,096 km-long boundary will be demarcated, while several pockets of adverse possessions and enclaves claimed by both sides are likely to be settled on an ââ¬Åas-is-where-isââ¬Â basis.
The Vice President Hamid ANsari wants to bring the Indian intel agencies under Lok Sabha control. He seems to think they are rogues like ISI.
BTW Indian agencies are accountable to the Executive ie the PM who is a member of the Parliment. So what is the problem? The PM and his cabinet can be dislodged by trust vote if there is an issue.
<img src='http://www.india-forum.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/angry.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':angry:' /> The advertisements issued by the government's Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) for the ministry on the occasion of National Girl Child Day had inexplicably included the photograph of former Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Ahmed, who was Pakistan's air chief 2006-2009, along with such national heroes as Kapil Dev, Virender Sehwag and Amjad Ali Khan.
With television channels playing it up, the government quickly ordered a probe into the faux pas. http://news.in.msn.com/national/article....id=3572141
Ex-MLA could face minimum 3 yrs in jail for giving shelter to IM terrorist
Dhananjay Mahapatra, TNN, 6 February 2010, 04:30am IST
NEW DELHI: Indian Mujahideen terrorist Shahzad Alam's startling disclosure that he was sheltered by a former Delhi MLA after fleeing from the Batla House encounter scene in September 2008 could make the ex-legislator face a minimum sentence of thre years under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
For the IM terrorist had allegedly told the Delhi police that he was provided shelter and financial help by a former Delhi MLA after he escaped from the Batla House shootout on September 19, 2008, an incident which still evokes sharp reaction from political parties.
After the repeal of POTA to keep its election promise, UPA-I was in 2004 forced to make amendments to UAPA, 1967, and bring in specific provisions to deal with the growing shadow of terrorism on the country.
Section 19 of the amended UAPA provides for a minimum punishment of three years, which could in serious cases be extended to life term, for those who harbour or help conceal a terrorist, even after knowing that the person harboured is a subversive element.
The only loophole in the section, which the ex-MLA can exploit, is that the person giving shelter to the terrorist must have the knowledge about the activity of the guest.
Section 19 says: "Whoever voluntarily harbours or conceals, or attempts to harbour or conceal any person knowing that such person is a terrorist shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three years but which may extend to imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine."
The stricter anti-terror laws enacted by the US and UK shortly after the 9/11 attack that snuffed out the existence of twin towers also have similar provisions to deter persons from extending help to terrorists.
Section 803 of Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act enacted a few weeks after 9/11 refers to a host of provisions in other laws against terrorism and says anyone who harbours a terrorist "shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than 10 years, or both.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india...540425.cms
[size="4"][/size][sup][/sup]
Despite the price rise, continued violence by the Naxal elements and complete lack of motivation on the part of the Government to set the things right, the opposition is maintaining a benevolent silence. What is the reason for such a calmness in the political sphere. Even the last parliament session did not generate much heat.
Quote:A year of UPA : Corporate over Cabinet
[url="http://www.dailypioneer.com/256387/A-year-of-UPA--Corporate-over-Cabinet.html"] link[/url]
Sidharth Mishra
This Sunday the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government completed one year of its second term in the office. In its second term, the Manmohan Singh-led Government has maintained a distinctively different profile from its first avatar and rightly so the present Government has come to be christened as UPA II. The obvious difference between the two UPA Governments is the support of the Left front.
With a solid block of Communist MPs supporting the Congress-led UPA I Government, Manmohan Singh did never face any challenge to his authority. He used the first four years of his term to consolidate his position and thereafter marshaled the nuclear deal with the United States of America, in the process dumping the Left but also ensuring divorce between the Marxists and their socialist comrades of the Samajwadi Party.
The Left had never made a more miserable bargain. It suffered the ignominy of supporting for full four years a Government which successfully piloted a nuclear deal with the United States of America. All the while Communist leadership patted itself for having decided who should be the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the President of India, it realised little that whilst losing small battles to them the Congress leadership was preparing for the bigger battle of Kurukshetra ââ¬â getting the nuclear passed through Parliament. To the Leftââ¬â¢s dismay ââ¬â Somnath Chatterjee, their face in Parliament for decades, was to turn Trojan horse and facilitate, as the Speaker, the passage of the bill.
This had repercussions in their electoral fortunes too, losing in their stronghold States of Kerala and West Bengal to the Congress-led alliance during the Lok Sabha polls in the summer of 2009. The Leftââ¬â¢s loss proved to be Congressââ¬â¢ gain. The party came back to power with more number of seats, not needing either the Left or its deserter allies like Samajwadi Party or RJDââ¬â¢s support.
This should have led to better governance by the Congress-led coalition but the year has been in news for Environment Minister Jairam Rameshââ¬â¢s blabber, former Minister Shashi Tharoorââ¬â¢s twitter and DMK squatter on the issue of the sacking of Communications Minister A Raja. This has largely been due to the corporatisation of the Government.
With the leadership of the Government resting outside the cabinet structure, the collective responsibility of the Cabinet has got overtaken by the core leadership of the party and by extension the coalition collegium. For the students of Public Administration, UPA II Government makes a unique case study of a Government having de jure responsibility towards Parliament but de facto accountability to the party leadership.
The present arrangement marks a big departure from the structure which the Congress leadership had till the turn of the last century. Between 1980, when Indira Gandhi returned to power after the Janata deluge, and 1996, when PV Narasimha Rao bowed out as Prime Minister, the leadership of the Government and the party was merged in one person. It would have remained that way had then President APJ Abdul Kalam in 2004 not shown the reluctance in swearing in Congress president Sonia Gandhi as the Prime Minister.
It was first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru who started to contest the hegemony of the party over Government. In September 1951 after a protracted struggle, Prime Minister Nehru replaced PD Tandon as the Congress president. Tandon was dubbed as conservative, who could not keep pace with a progressive Nehru. Nehru, however, did not hold onto the Congress presidency forever but considerably devalued the office of the Congress president vis-ÃÂ -vis that of the Prime Minister. In 1956 he handed over Congress presidency to UN Dhebar, a leader acceptable to all factions, to be only replaced by Indira Gandhi in 1959.
Indira Gandhi did away with the façade of the autonomy of the party after she returned to power in 1980. After becoming Prime Minister in 1966 she was faced with the attempt made by the party heavyweights, identified as the Syndicate, to dictate terms on the Government. Her resistance led to the split of the Congress in 1969. Even after this split she preferred another leader as president of the faction of the Congress led by her.
However, after ouster from power in 1977 and the second split in the Congress in 1978, Indira Gandhi not only became the president of the faction led by her but also named this faction as Congress(I). This assimilation of the leadership of the party and the Government was followed by her son Rajiv Gandhi and also PV Narasimha Rao.
Today the situation stands totally reversed as it is also unique. The repository of power in whose name the ruling party contests elections heads the party but such circumstances has prevailed that she cannot take the charge of the Government. However her accountability to the voter cannot allow Sonia Gandhi but to maintain a tight leash over the Government.
However, the mechanism of the partyââ¬â¢s control over the Government has undergone a metamorphosis as Nehru, Indira and Rajiv Gandhi did away with the traditional structures like the Congress Parliamentary Board. Today the Congress decides the policies for the Government through an informal core committee which has at times come to be referred as coterie. More importantly, this coterie decides only for the Congress component in the government and not the allies.
The allies, on the other hand, behave like the 26 per cent stakeholder in a corporate rather than be integral part of the Cabinet. The DMKââ¬â¢s petulant insistence of having Communications Minister A Raja on board despite serious charges of abuse of his Ministerial responsibility goes against the very grain of the collective responsibility of the Cabinet.
How would the Congress core group restore the Ministerial responsibility and the dignity of collective responsibility of the Cabinet is the biggest challenge before the UPA II. Hopefully Manmohan Singh and the Congress leadership are hearing.
LINK
Op-ed in Pioneer on Sonia Gandhi taking charge in UPA-II
Quote:OPED | Friday, May 21, 2010 | Email | Print |
Sonia takes charge of policy
Kalyani Shankar
With UPA completing the first year of its second term in office, real authority has clearly shifted away from the Prime Minister to the Congress president
In May 2005, one year after he took over, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gave himself six out of 10 marks for his Governmentââ¬â¢s performance. How would he rate his second innings? How does the country rate his one year in office? Before judging the UPA 2.0ââ¬â¢s performance, one has to bear in mind the circumstances under which the Congress came to power in 2004 and 2009. The UPA 1.0 was formed when the Congress was weak. It was Congress president Sonia Gandhi who took the initiative for building up a coalition. When the time came to occupy the throne, she declined to become the Prime Minister, choosing Mr Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister.
The Sonia-Singh duo shared power and worked in tandem during the UPA 1.0 but the remote control was in Ms Gandhiââ¬â¢s hands. It was the Congress president who managed the allies and kept the coalition going even after the Left parties parted ways. While everyone expected her son Rahul Gandhi to take over after 2009 elections, both mother and son pitched for Mr Singh once again.
The composition of the UPA 2.0 is slightly different from the UPA 1.0. It was minus Left parties and plus Trinamool Congress. The NC also joined the coalition. The DMK continued while the JMM was out. One important thing was that the Congress performed better crossing the 200 mark.
It may be too soon to judge the performance of the UPA 2.0 as its mandate is for five years but, by and large, it has not done badly. Credit should be given for getting the Womenââ¬â¢s Reservation Bill passed in Rajya Sabha as also the Right to Education Bill. Introduction of the Civil Nuclear Liability Bill also needs mention. The Food Security Bill is the next important pro-poor legislation. Some measures for economic reforms have been taken up. The handling of Maoists is a serious concern. On the economic front, price rise and inflation are two serious problems and the Government is not very successful in containing them.
The perception is that the Prime Minister is not in command over his Cabinet colleagues or in checking corruption. Cohesiveness is lacking in the Cabinet with Ministers speaking in different voices on various issues. There is a kind of drifting away from the pro-poor programmes.
The Congress has to improve its relationship with allies. The stability with which the UPA 2.0 came to power has eroded somewhat with the Government struggling to mobilise the numbers to pass the Bills. There is no trust between the Congress and its allies ââ¬â the NCP, the Trinamool, and the DMK. The allies complain they are not consulted. Strangely enough, a common minimum programme, which was the bible of the UPA 1.0, does not exist now.
There is a perceptible change in the Congress-Government relationship with the party asserting itself over the Government. The UPA 2.0 Cabinet bore the stamp of 10 Janpath. This was evident in the case of Mr Shashi Tharoor, Mr Jairam Ramesh and Mr A Raja.
The Congress president has also asserted herself on certain issues. The party is concerned that the Government was not doing enough on pro-poor programmes. It distanced itself from the India-Pakistan joint statement at Sharm el-Sheikh. On the Womenââ¬â¢s Reservation Bill, it was evident that it was Ms Gandhi who overruled the Prime Minister and got it passed in Rajya Sabha. While the Prime Minister is in favour of diluting the Right to Information Act, it is Ms Gandhi who is not in favour of any amendments. Mr Singh is cautious about the Food Security Bill, which will cost about Rs 40,000 crore but Ms Gandhi is very keen to bring it. Even the caste Census bears the stamp of Ms Gandhi while the Government is reluctant. Above all, the revival of the National Advisory Council which functions as a super-body under the chairmanship of Ms Gandhi shows that she wants to run the party and the Government from the front and not through remote control any more.
To me that SG had to take over means there are shortcomings in MMS way of doing things.
[url="http://www.dailypioneer.com/260418/UPA2-and-the-ends-of-power.html"] UPA2 and the ends of power[/url] Quote:Hiranmay Karlekar
The report card on the United Progressive Allianceââ¬â¢s performance in the first year of its second term in office need not be faulted on its self-congratulatory tone. All Governments or parties supporting them pat themselves on the back while presenting such documents. What leaves one with a profound feeling of disquiet is its failure to link its performance with any vision of the kind of India it stands for. It is important to mention this because in the absence of the statement of such a vision, the targets chosen and the success in achieving them become mechanical and bureaucratic exercises where success is measured in essentially statistical terms. Implementation lacks the kind of zeal that informs it when it is seen as a part of mission to transform society, which, in turn, requires a defining ideology.
There is, for example, the Gandhian vision of polity and society based on the concept of gram swaraj (village autonomy), an ethical public and personal life resting on a strong commitment to truth and non-violence, recognition of the dignity of physical labour and the virtues of simplicity and austerity. Marxism views ideas as super-structures of economic relations. Its ideological locus is the materialistic interpretation of history which is perceived as unfolding through the dialectic of class struggle leading to a proletarian revolution, paving the way to a final withering away of the state and the establishment of a classless society where alienated labour is a thing of the past.
The essence of the Humanist weltanschauung is encapsulated in Protagorusââ¬â¢ classic aphorism, ââ¬ÅMan is the measure of all things.ââ¬Â Protagorus belonged to a period when gender equality and justice did not feature as a principal concern of political and societal discourse. A contemporary re-iteration of his encapsulation would be, ââ¬ÅHumankind is the measure of all things.ââ¬Â Be that as it may, the central point of the humanist message is that freedom is the basic urge of human beings and rationality, the defining attribute of the species, enables it to be moral and the maker of destiny.
The three, besides political Islam, and their variants and derivatives ââ¬âMaoism in the case of Marxism and Radical Humanism and Integral Humanism in the case of Humanism ââ¬â have shaped political debates, with varying degrees of impact since the end of World War II. It is important to distinguish between philosophies/ideologies and agendas. The latter are the means of achieving the goals set by the former and, hence, have an instrumental role. Most of the non-Congress constituents of the UPA2 have not been terribly vocal about their ideologies. Their forays in this area have at best been desultory and platitudinous. So, unfortunately, have been the Congressââ¬â¢s as well. One can understand this in the case of the allies. Their emergence has more to do with the dynamics of regional politics and individual and collective rivalries than differences over first principles.
One expected things to be different with the Congress, an heir to the political legacies of Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Unfortunately, the expectation has been increasingly belied over the past several decades. One may, of course, be told here of the Congressââ¬â¢s commitment to socialism (still?), secularism and democracy and the UPA2ââ¬â¢s common programme. The latter is essentially the allianceââ¬â¢s agenda and does not fall into the domain of philosophy. Socialism, Secularism and Democracy have become shibboleths through ritualistic reiteration and lack of sustained debate at the level of the party as to their content.
It is important to emphasise this. Each of these concepts is not only capable of a multiplicity of interpretations but is also instrumental in nature. There is, for example, Guild Socialism, Syndicalism and various hues of social democracy. Each of these brands, again, is vulnerable to misappropriation. Thus, Mussoliniââ¬â¢s concept of a fascist polity was based on liberal borrowals from the ideas of the Frenchman George Sorel, the best-known proponent of Syndicalism, who conceived of a state structure based on federations of collectivised trade unions. Adolf Hitler thought nothing of calling his ravings National Socialism!
Similarly, there are many perceptions of secularism which most people believe stands for the separation of politics and religion. Though this concerns a very important dimension of secularism, it reflects a mechanical and legalistic approach which leaves the door open to a wide range of diverse interpretation of such issues as societal approach to religious minorities and minority-related affirmative action. Nor does such a definition address the issue of tolerance which can well be the subject of several debates.
Democracy too is a multi-dimensional concept comprising aspects such as constitutional forms, political systems, majority rule, minority rights, equality, access to opportunities and so on. Governments considered to be democracies emphasise these in their functioning in varying measures. Besides, Governments which are not democracies camouflage their authoritarianism by affixing to their names labels that mislead. Thus Field Marshal Ayub Khan had his Basic Democracy, and President Soekarno of Indonesia his Guided Democracy.
The instrumental character of the three concepts becomes clear on recognising that they are not ends in themselves. Democracy is a political arrangement that derives its justification in terms of maximising the freedom available to individuals in a society. Secularism derives its rationale from the need to protect discourse and governance from religious domination, secure freedom of faith and worship from sectarian restrictions, and ensure freedom from strife among religious communities. The various hues of socialism have stood for freedom from economic and social exploitation, and the freedom of the exploited and disprivileged to access economic power, which alone can lend content to the egalitarian dimension of democracy.
It is a reflection on our times that most political parties, in India and abroad, do not engage with ideological issues with the required seriousness. The reasons partly relate to the manifest decline in the quality of leadership, particularly the intellectual inadequacies of most politicians. Partly, they stem from the fact that politics is increasingly the business not of people keen to reform or remake society but to milk the system to make personal fortunes.
Whatever it is, the result is a failure to focus on the ends of power and question the basic premises of the pattern of development thrust on the country. One may have to pay a very heavy price on both counts.
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