03-17-2007, 05:40 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/mar/13sareen.htm
Clearly, the real story to emerge from the election results in Punjab is the remarkable performance of the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party combine in the urban seats which were generally considered a bastion of the Congress party.
Hindu-dominated urban Punjab has never been a major supporter of the Akali Dal, which drew its support primarily from the farming community, mostly Jat Sikhs.
If ever there was a logic for an alliance between the Akalis and BJP then it derived from their representing entirely different constituencies, something that helped both allies. But never before, except perhaps in 1977, did non-Congress political parties sweep urban Punjab like they have done in this election. Indeed, more than the disappointment over being booted out of office, it is the loss of the urban seats that has shocked the Congress.
What has also set alarm bells ringing in the Congress is the resurgence of the BJP which won 19 out of the 23 seats it contested. But so far it appears that the Congress has failed to correctly identify the reasons for its rout in urban Punjab.
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But it now appears that the Congress wants to undo this and polarise the polity along communal lines.
The other thing I want to say is that there will be no change in the moribund public education system until and unless the ruling class -- the politicians and bureaucrats -- have a stake in it. The only way this can be done is by making a law that the children and grandchildren of all government servants and all elected politicians -- from the municipal level to Parliament -- will have to study in government schools. If they don't, then the bureaucrat loses his job and the politician loses his seat. Once such a law comes into force, I can assure you that within months the government school system will become as good, if not better, than the private schools.
Does Dr Manmohan Singh have the moral courage and the political will to pass such a law?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Clearly, the real story to emerge from the election results in Punjab is the remarkable performance of the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party combine in the urban seats which were generally considered a bastion of the Congress party.
Hindu-dominated urban Punjab has never been a major supporter of the Akali Dal, which drew its support primarily from the farming community, mostly Jat Sikhs.
If ever there was a logic for an alliance between the Akalis and BJP then it derived from their representing entirely different constituencies, something that helped both allies. But never before, except perhaps in 1977, did non-Congress political parties sweep urban Punjab like they have done in this election. Indeed, more than the disappointment over being booted out of office, it is the loss of the urban seats that has shocked the Congress.
What has also set alarm bells ringing in the Congress is the resurgence of the BJP which won 19 out of the 23 seats it contested. But so far it appears that the Congress has failed to correctly identify the reasons for its rout in urban Punjab.
.......................
....................
But it now appears that the Congress wants to undo this and polarise the polity along communal lines.
The other thing I want to say is that there will be no change in the moribund public education system until and unless the ruling class -- the politicians and bureaucrats -- have a stake in it. The only way this can be done is by making a law that the children and grandchildren of all government servants and all elected politicians -- from the municipal level to Parliament -- will have to study in government schools. If they don't, then the bureaucrat loses his job and the politician loses his seat. Once such a law comes into force, I can assure you that within months the government school system will become as good, if not better, than the private schools.
Does Dr Manmohan Singh have the moral courage and the political will to pass such a law?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->