The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Tuesday, July 23, 2002, Chandigarh, India

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

M A I L B A G

Saving polity from mafia power

As Hari Jaisingh has pointed out, the NDA stand is fallacious because it looks at the issue from the Politician’s point of view, not from the people’s point of view. That is why the NDA and other parties have failed to realise that they are trying to protect the lawbreaking parliamentarians and not the law-making power of Parliament. Vaiko’s stand on the LTTE is the latest example. Surely, he has no right to speak in favour of an organisation banned by Parliament and sit in Parliament at the same time.

Similarly, the whole talk of the MPs and MLAs forgetting to pay income, water taxes etc is not convincing. These worthies never forget to draw their allowances and advances; why should they forget to pay their dues? In fact, they make light of their own administration.

Breaking laws, organising bandhs etc had their merit under the imperial government, but now that we make our own laws, such activities are indefensible. It is wrong to consider Vaiko as a political prisoner. And there are crores and crores of Indians who have never been prosecuted or jailed. Why should they not be preferred to convicts like Sukh Ram and Narasimha Rao and others? What is so special about Laloo Yadav or Jayalalitha? A total and faithful implementation of the EC directives will put a stop to the practice of glorifying the acts of breaking laws and organising bandhs. The politicians will not do anything that could land them in jails and thus lead to their disqualification at the next elections. Is this not what we want?

Finally, India’s cultural tradition requires that we should learn and acquire wisdom from whomsoever it comes. Remember Panchtantra? Why not learn from the EC, who has done what Parliament should have done but has not done?

L. R. SHARMA, Solan

System to blame: Hari Jaisingh has very lucidly brought out flaws in our electoral system in his article “Saving polity from mafia power” (July 12). He is right that “the failure, in a way, is mainly political”. However, I do not agree with Justice B. Lentin’s finding that “the Constitution has not failed the people nor have the people of India failed the Constitution. It is only the unscrupulous politicians who have failed both”.

The electoral system which has become simply a game of numbers in Parliament/state legislatures, with absolutely no concern for quality, is the gift of our Constitution based on the parliamentary system of government which is not suitable for a country of India’s large size. Unless we switch over to the presidential system of the US type, even God Almighty cannot improve the quality of our politicians and save the polity from mafia power.

DALIP SINGH GHUMAN, Chandigarh

EC, the saviour: The disgusting political scenario prevailing in our country is a matter of grave concern. In Indian democracy the power of money and muscle play a dominating role. That is why tainted characters, history-sheeters and mafia elements get a lion’s share as the people’s representatives. All crime cases against them are dropped and our democratic set-up stamps them as “sacred cows”. In Bihar Laloo Yadav is a Mughal king, who feels no threat to his bastion despite many a blunder on his part.

Mr T.N. Seshan did a commendable job through drastic reforms. He was declared a “persona-non-grata” by political leaders. All political parties are opposing the present EC reforms as ordered by the apex court except the Akali Dal (Badal). No wonder many former ministers of the Badal Cabinet are in the vigilance net for amassing wealth disproportionate to their known sources of income.

Educated persons of proven track records must be encouraged to enter the political field. Every top leader must set an example of selfless service for others. The politics-mafia nexus is detrimental to the health of democracy. The EC, duly supported by the Supreme Court, is the only saviour at this critical juncture.

KARNAIL SINGH, Ranjit Sagar Dam

Cases of corruption

In Punjab every day a new case of corruption is coming up. It highlights two points. One, that the Punjab Chief Minister is fulfilling his election promise of uprooting corruption and, secondly, the investigating agencies are doing their job unhindered. While the Chief Minister needs people’s support, he himself should not succumb to any pressure whatsoever in his fight against corruption, though it looks unlikely given the fact that he is basically a soldier who would rather quit than compromise.

However, the most important role in this crusade against corruption is being played, as usual, by the Press (both the print and electronic media). I would particularly like to thank and congratulate Hari Jaisingh for his bold write-up “No, My Lord” taking upon, on behalf of all the people, the mighty one-stroke-summary order directed at muzzling the Press and thereby suppression of the people’s right to information. He has given us — “We, the people of India” — the assurance that our country would remain ultimately safe from the looters.

It is once again established that but for the Press, our babus and netas would have in their “joint venture” sold off our country by now to some “Musharraf”. Those who accuse the Press of bias and unfairness actually have skeletons in their own cupboards.

RASHMI JOTSHI SHAROTRI, Kasauli

DMC happenings

This is to convey our appreciation and admiration for the fantastic front page editorials by you in The Tribune on vital issues facing most of us. We pray and hope that you will continue your crusade against the undesirable and unscrupulous elements and practices in our social milieu.

Failure of The Tribune to cover the unfortunate happenings (July 14, 15) at DMC Hospital, Ludhiana, has left most of us baffled. We have been wondering if the blackout was deliberate or some local edition covered it. If that is so you need to change the policy, all editions of this Punjabis’ lifeline ought to cover vital events in the region.

Dr BHOLLA SINGH SIDHU, Amritsar