Thursday, September 5, 2013

I cannot be counted among the fans of the ruling UPA regime. But I am not rooting for the opposition either. Recently, someone on my B school Alumni network had sent a link to a survey which asked a couple of questions about the political scene in the country and opinion on the possibility of a new political party. I remember that one of the questions was if I have ever attended a rally or a meeting for a political party. I replied in the negative. The next one was 'what would convince you to attend one if it is arranged in your city'. I was sorely tempted to reply 'I would attend one only if God Almighty were Himself to come down and tell me to do so'. I highly doubt if that would be convincing enough.

I would laugh at the whole government-opposition fiasco if it were not for the fact that they are slowly eroding whatever is left of the democratic fabric of this country. The passing of the long-pending Pension Bill in the Lok Sabha is a case in point. The government had to run from pillar to post to secure opposition's support for the same. And yet, all the political parties were in unison when they appealed to the Supreme Court "to review its earlier decision of barring convicted law-makers from continuing in Parliament or State assemblies'. They are arguing that complaints can be filed against the politicians for simply doing their job. What a joke! Whoever has heard of a politician doing his or her job in this country?? Their other argument is that such complaints can be politically motivated. If so, then a due investigation will expose their baseless nature. Or have they lost faith in the country's judiciary system that they always ask the Common Man to trust?

In case you think this was an isolated case of all the parties finding themselves on the same side, think again!They did it again when it came to clearing an amendment in the Right to Information Act - for exempting political parties from its purview. Talk of birds of a feather flocking together!

Hats off to the Supreme Court for rejecting government's appeal about the convicted law-makers. At least someone is doing their job in this country!

No comments: