Politics & Democracy (TitBits-021)

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Goa's phone numbers change from Nov 10, 2002. Prefix old number with a 2. New 
numbers will be seven-digit 2XXXXXX (where XXXXXX is the old number).
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TitBits-021 - Politics & Democracy.

Politics has been defined as the last resort of a crook. Likewise, Democracy
has been define as the government of the people, by the people, for the
people.

In the Indian context, that politics has become the last resort of the
crooks cannot be denied with the umpteen number of criminals, goondas,
extortionists and what have yous' continuing to be the members of  our
august parliament and state legislative assemblies. Just yesterday we read
about a few MPs and MLAs from Bihar vanishing from police custody at the
hospital they were being treated at. Why this is happening is because the
winnability at  elections has become the criteria for candidates to get
party tickets  to contest elections.  A criminal or a crook is in a better
position to influence people rather than a clean and honest person.

So goes a story that after the hectic election campaigning, the master tells
his servant girl to bring out the best whiskey,  for he wanted to celebrate
his long and tiresome but successful election campaign. And when the whiskey
was served, he asks the girl for her opinion as to who, between him, a
righteous person, with impeccable integrity and his opponent , a crook and a
goonda, would win. The girl pondered for a moment and said  "Master,
everyone knows you are a good person, helpful, charitable and will make  the
best MLA. But you are old and not so good looking as your opponent. Besides
he has a terrific sex appeal. He will surely win.

If crooks and criminals (with terrific sex-appeal) are to be kept out of
politics of governance,  the  solution lies in  denying  them the party
tickets in  the first place. But how?  If the society   has  accepted
criminals into this vital field, there is not much one can do about it. The
parties must be made to field good and honest candidates with past track
records for being honest and accountable. That means twisting the arms of
the parties to do just that. And one simple way this may be achieved is to
incorporate the "Blank Slot"  (None of the above) on the ballot paper as
suggested by Late Vice President Shri. Krishna Kant. The people must be
given a choice to revolt positively by casting their negative vote to reject
bad candidates fielded by political parties rather than by not casting their
vote. In the latter case,  only the  criminals benefit. The "Blank Slot"
will see to it that no matter how much money, muscle  and election goodies
like cell phones, TVs, motor cycles and Dayanand Social Security schemes are
flaunted, this will fail to give them the desired results.

Today, criminal activities in high places are safeguarded by criminals  who
attain high positions in  the government. Take the instance of our  Deputy
Prime Minister, L.K. Advani. He, along with others, is  charge-sheeted in
the Babri Masjid demolition case. And there can be no bigger crime than the
crime against the constitution. The case is pending with the Liberhan
Commission, where Advani's guilt is not yet cleared. In all probabilities he
may be sent to jail for this major crime on the constitution of India. If
Italy can send its veteran ex-premier Giulio Andreotti to 24 years in jail
for his complicity in the  murder of a single journalist, I don't see why
Advani should not rot in jail for a  thousand years for his complicity in
the massacre of thousands in the Bombay riots, Godhra riots, Akshardam
Temple massacre and the massacres that are going to take place in the near
future,  just because he is vying for the seat of the Prime Minister of
India.  It suits him to attain higher and higher political offices while he
manipulates the delays in the Liberhan inquiry Commission which will
ultimately can him.  He was earlier indicted in the Hawala case. He had made
a big tamasha of stepping down until he was acquitted. Why is the same
standard not applicable in this case too? Advani's ulterior motives have
come in the open . Hats off to Mr. Arun Sinha for his cutting editorial
"Kingdom of Advani" (NT. 20 Nov, 2002). The sorry state of affairs vis a vis
VHP et al combined ,  MP Kuldip Nayar, Dr. Khrisna and the Ansal Plaza
shoot-out is an eye opener as to what extent power crazy maniacs like Advani
and Modi can go to.  There is no doubt that the line of thought of these
master manipulators  is to create problems and solve them, making fools out
of the public.  Voila! This is Politics a la BJP. Not that it was any better
a la Congress.  It will be befitting for  us to know what a 10 year old
thinks  what  politics is all about.

Seems that this 10 year old school boy tells his dad "Hey Dad. I have been
given an assignment for tomorrow to speak on  politics. I don't know what to
say. Can you guide me please?"  "Sure" said Dad, "its very simple"  "You see
son, politics is about a government, about politicians who are ministers,
about the labour  class who work in factories and mills, about  people who
vote in elections."  "To make it simple for you,  take for instance  our
home" . Your mum is the "Government" for she organizes everything, your
food, your clothes,  groceries, house maintenance etc." " I am the one who
gets in the money, therefore I am the 'politician', the 'minister'" " Sunita
( the servant) is the 'labour class' who does all the house work."  "And you
are the public, the people, the voters"

"But Dad" said the boy. "What about little John?  "Where does he fit in?

 "Sure" said Dad " Your baby brother represents the younger generation which
is the future of India."

" I will explain all this to  you in the morning, so you will not forget"
said  dad. "Off  with you to bed"  "See you in the morning"

In the morning, dad remembered that he had to coach the boy  and when he
brought up the subject the boy said:

"Dad, I've figured it all out last night. I'll be just fine at school with
my speech on politics"

Surprised and curious, Dad asked  "You figured it out by yourself? How?.
Tell me"

"See dad, said the boy,  last night when little John messed up his bedding,
I could'nt sleep with the stink. So I went to your room to tell mum about
it. But she was fast asleep. And you were not there. So I decided to tell
Sunita about it. But you and Sunita were kissing and doing things. So I went
to sleep anyway.

" Shooo" said dad. "Don't tell mum about this, okay?"

"But, what has that to do with your speech on politics ?" Dad asked.

"See dad, it all connects, as you have told me yesterday."

"While the government is fast asleep,

"the politicians cheat on the  government by screwing the labour class",

"The public is terribly confused".

 "And the future generation is all full of shit"

Cheers
Floriano


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What's On In Goa (WOIG): 
Nov 06 Children's book exhibn opens, Walkabout, Anjuna... (all weekdays)
Nov 06 ArtHouse, Calangute: Chaitali's acrylics on canvas till 19.11
Nov 07 Revision of electoral rolls (till Nov 30) See schedule.
Dec 01 Two day conference, Goa Agenda. IT For Society. (Ends 2.12) 
Every Sunday: Music therapy sessions at Moira, 5 pm. 278, N.Portugal

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