Parliamentary Election of 2009

Haobam Bhuban Singh *

In the run-up to Parliamentary Elections of 2009, lots of hullah-gullah had been created during the campaign period. Varun Gandhi had been put behind bars under NSA, being accused of delivering a hate-speech, which he denied. Since he was not yet convicted by any law-court, Varun can still contest elections like Shri Shyamkumar, currently the Deputy Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly, who contested election from Tihar Jail.

In a polarised voting scenario, where Hindu religion encompasses the Sikh, Jaina or Buddhist religions (under Article 25 of the Constitution of India), Varun who has Sikh and Hindu bloods may turn out to be the winner though no one can predict.

One Sikh journalist flung his chapal at PC (an endearing and abbreviated name of H'ble Home Minister, P Chidambaram), when the Minister was holding a PC (Press Conference). Luckily or deliberately, the chapal missed PC, the Minister. As a result, shoes and chapals are debarred at all PCs (Press Conferences) and the space between Pressmen and VVIP got increased considerably and in the bargain the abbreviation, PC has confused all of us. In the chain reaction fallout, Sarva Shri Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar missed the election bus.

In an election campaign meeting, Railway Minister Shri Lalu Prasad Yadav remarked that Varun Gandhi deserved to be crushed under a road roller. Promptly, the Minister was put under the radar screen of EC (Election Commission).

One pro-Pakistan Kashmiri, son of Huriyat leader Geelani, is also in the election fray. Imagine that the younger Geelani got elected. Then, will he swear to uphold the Constitution of India or not? If he does not, he will be disqualified and will never become an MP, though he may get elected time and again. Mani Charenamei, NSCN (I-M)'s pointsman in the outgoing Lok Sabha, could not do much to help their cause. Therefore, please don't be part of the system, against which you are fighting.

Years ago, Indira Gandhi proposed to the Naga rebels, a solution outside the Constitution of India but within the Indian Union. The Naga rebels refused. That is the end of Naga independence or semi-independence story. Times have changed a lot. In Christian dominated Nagaland, there is a BJP Minister in the Rio Government.

On 22nd October 1947, Pakistan carried out a full scale invasion of Jammu and Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh of J&K foreshook his wavering stand and acceded his State into India. Indian Army was air-lifted to Srinagar airfield and the raiders were pushed out. Pandit Nehru at the instigation of Governor General, Lord Mountbatten appealed to the United Nations Organisation, which immediately clamped a Cease Fire. Thus, J&K remained divided into Indian J&K and PoK (Pakistan occupied Kashmir).

When J&K merged into India, Sheikh Abdullah became Prime Minister and Yuveraj Karan Singh became Sadr-e-Riyashat, which means Governor. Also J&K had a separate flag and a Constitution. Slowly, the Abdullah family gave up all these frills and J&K now has a Governor and Indian National Flag is the flag of J&K, like any other Indian State. Omar Abdullah, the present Chief Minister of J&K is truly a patriotic Indian.

The Father of our Indian Nation, Mahatma Gandhiji went to South Africa to engage himself on legal practice. But the plight of indentured Tamil labourers induced Gandhi to fight for the cause of Tamils of Indian origin. Tamils are enterprising peoples. When the Second world War reached Manipur's border in 1942, I was studying in Class VII. I saw lots of Tamil refugees running away from Tamu in Burma (now Myanmar) to Moreh (India). Tamils are spread all over the world and thus earned the citizenship of various countries.

Therefore, I am pained to learn that Tamilians of Sri Lanka are treated as non-citizens by the majority Sinhalis. LTTE is fighting for rights of Sri Lankan Tamils. So, India should send another IPKF (Indian Peace Keeping Force) to protect the Tamils. I entirely agree with Shri Vaiko, who promised a bloodbath if LTTE Chief, Prabhakaran is arrested by Sri Lankan Army. I am for protecting Tamils of Sri Lanka and also for strengthening of world-wide Indian diaspora which includes all Tamils the world all over.

Coming back to elections of 2009, I cannot comprehend that the Third Front less Congress (I) and less BJP would be forming a Government at Delhi. As per TOl (Times of India) 6 March estimates, Cong (I ) will get 146 and BJP 138 Parliamentary seats. Together, they will swallow 284 which will be much beyond the half-way mark of Lok Sabha's 543 Parliamentary seats.

Prakash Karat of CPM and AB Vardhan of CPI may be day-dreaming. Anyhow, since an elected Government of India is to be installed, there will be many Charan Singhs, Deve Gowdas, IK Gujrals, Chandrasekhars, who will be Prime Ministers for a few months or even weeks. During this unstable period, our beaurocrates will rule India. The result will be quickie re-run of Parliamentary elections in India.

By the way, non-participation in elections on the ground that you have voting rights only but not the right to contest, is a stupid reaction. In all reserved areas, eg, Sekmai researved for SC, no general person can contest in State Assembly elections, but general peoples of Sekmai can contest in Parliamentary elections.

Similarly, the voters of Thoubal District cannot contest in Parliamentary elections, but they can contest in Assembly elections. This is the system in India now, till all reserved constituencies and ST/SC/OBC quota is abolished. We have to bear. I am for abolition of all reserved quotas, since the system uplifts the already uplifted ones, whereas the really downtrodden ones remain always downtrodden.

Though I am not gender biased, I dislike the political role played by our trio of girls (being still unmarried), namely Mayawati, Jaya Lalitha and Mamata Bannerjee. They are completely unpredictable. Also in my way of thinking, outside support means power without responsibility or accountability. In politics, the dictum should always be either you are my friend and be accountable, or my enemy, fit to be destroyed.

Finally, if Parliamentary form of governance is unsuitable for the heterogenus nature of Indian populace with countless regional parties and dozens of national parties, we may consider adopting Presidential form of Government for the Union of India and Governor type of Government at State levels.

Last, but not the least, whereas India is regarded as World's largest democracy, I find that almost all political parties are undemocratic. For example, C(I) is fiefdom of Nehru-Gandhi family, RJD is Lalu's own, BSP is Mayawati's private organisation, AIDMK is Jaya's hoard, SP in Mulayam's wrestling team and regarding CP (I) and CPM, remember Stalin, Nikita Ktuschev etc who were famous dictators of the world. So, vote for democratic parties in a democratic India ?