Election 2009: Communalism vs. Regionalism
Posted : April 13, 2009 at 10:54 am [IST]
Will the voters of India appreciate the need to bring back one of the major national parties (including communist party if they all merge in one) for forming the government at the centre? Let them not listen to the bogey of secularism that most of these parties, particularly trio of cow-belt are creating. No party today can afford to be communal and survive in this country. If one of the two or the three major national parties doesn’t get a significantly higher number of its candidates elected in Lok Shabha and or participate in government formation, the only alternative will be a hotchpotch alliance. The country will walk again in political instability phase. It may mean an end of the growing and emerging phase for India as global economic power.
Every regional party will try to exploit the major party to get the best of the pound of flesh that it can obtain. Minister like Baalu and Lalu will have to be accommodated who will be partisan in deciding projects of national importance. Who can deny that DMK’s T.R. Baalu as minister responsible single-handedly killed the momentum built by the NDA government for construction of national highways and changed as many as four chairmen of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) within 20 months? For the knowledge of the voters, the congestion on Indian roads leads to an economic loss of Rs 5,000 crore per annum which could progressively go up to Rs 6,01,00 crore by 2017.
I wonder why a conglomeration of major Muslim organizations came out with ‘Who-to-vote-for manual for Muslims’, that provides “election guidelines” advising the “aam Musalman” whom to vote for so the community’s votes are not wasted on losing candidates. Are not such manuals divisive? Should not the guidelines if any be only for the Indian citizens at large and to vote for any of the national parties for the Lok Shabha and not for the regional parties headed by some families with selfish motives?
I fully agree with Chidambaram that “a country divided on religious and caste lines couldn’t fight terrorism.” Should not any differentiation based on religion or caste be totally shunned, when the country’s 80% population is either poor or on margin of it? Should not the country men force politicians to stop the use of words that has any reference to or smell communal or caste? With the national parties agree for a code of conduct or a legislation to nip in bud any communal flare up?
I personally feel the regionalism and the regional parties headed by one or the other kings are bigger danger. Lack of democracy in the party is the biggest danger, as the policies of the parties are not the will and wishes of its followers, but that of its masters.
The issues for the election for parliament must be national and contemporary. What can be justifications for supporting a party that vows to work against the use of English in education and computers in new projects and that thinks the abolition of “expensive education in English” would create a level playing field for all and less use of computers would generate jobs? How can a regional alliance such as one with Vaiko who is much more interested in saving Prabhakaran rather than dealing with terrorists’ threats for all Indians help the government at the centre? How can a regional party that seeks support of fundamentalists such as Thackeray and sons to get the Prime minister chair for its head be of any help at centre? How can this great democracy keep on voting out of fear for the criminals (such as BSP Mukhtar Ansari) mostly from regional parties?
Let the people demand merging of some parties. NCP in Maharashtra and TMC in West Bengal must merge with Congress. Let the trio of cow belt merge with communists if they like so. At least all the leftist parties can merge in one national party and create an example for the rest.
- Indra
Category: Indian politics |
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