1st Jan 2015 Letters

The year 2014 was definitely a success for Narendra Modi as he could consistently win elections for his party. Now it is time for him to fulfill his election promises. 2015 should be a year for delivery for the NDA government. Prime Minister and his team of ministers should focus on good political governance which is an imperative requirement of the power attributes of India, aspiring to be a well developed nation. Our leaders must understand that power status, decisive political leadership, strategic vision, military preparedness, economic advancement and national cohesion cannot be achieved with out communal peace and stability. A qualitative change in the polity and political governance of India can only be brought by a conscious, selfless and deliberate effort by our political leaders. It is for our leaders to set irreproachable high standards personally and also ensure that people in public life, particularly ministers are honest, intelligent, mature and dedicated men and women of substance. There are already indicators for the need to discipline the unruly parliamentarians and legislators to bail out India from its passive, defensive, reactive and soft mode. Our country needs to re-invent its strategic culture in a more resurgent mode of proactive and directed disposition.

Is BJP heading like any other political party-not lesser than Congress in particular? All politicians / political parties find a way to do things they like – it may be not proper recourse in strictest sense as for instance if a Bill is not passed in Parliament they use “Ordinance Power”. BJP has eight pieces of temporary legislation — known as ordinances — since coming to power in May 2014. The recent one is to amend The Land Acquisition Act.

Politicians also amend the laws interpreted by Courts against their wishes or if they violet the laws, in Parliament superceding the Court’s decisions , even with retrospective effect like many cases in Taxation laws’ history. I recall once a Congress politician and Minister said –‘Let Courts decide anyway, we have power to make laws (as suits us) we shall supercede in Parliament’. This is a dangerous trend for democracy in real sense. Yes, Politicians are supreme not courts of law –but is this a real democracy? Is there any alternative?  

Every year we usher into a New Year with the bursting of crackers and display of fireworks. Our aspirations run high for a peaceful year, prosperity, good health and to live in brotherhood with understanding. We don’t welcome violence and disturbance to life. This exercise has been going on for the last couple of decades ever since India became independent. But the coming New Year 2015 instills fear in the mind of the minorities given the present trend prevailing in our country. Unpredictable events may push our country into chaos.

With the coming of Bharatiya Janata Party to power at the Centre, some fundamentalists have set an agenda to make India a Hindu nation by 2021. In an attempt to achieve this target mass conversions have gripped the country as of now. Some controversial statements made by the saffron politicians negate our constitutional right to freedom of religion much against the wishes of our forefathers who intended to keep our country secular and united in diversity.

During the Lok Sabha 2014 elections, development of the country was promised to the people. Narendra Modi became the unexpected Pied Pier of India to charm the people into believing what he promised. Somehow, the Prime Minister has now backtracked on the issue instead what we witness today is the revival of religious hatred targeting the minorities which may set India ablaze. The nation cannot be built single handedly. We all ought to stand united for the progress of our country. In that respect what the Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar extended in his greetings on the occasion of Christmas holds good: it is time for us to rise above narrow considerations of jealousy and hatred so as to live in peace and harmony.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s illustrious Test career as captain, wicket-keeper and batsman will always be overshadowed by the manner in which he announced his retirement from Test cricket. Every player has a right to retire and his decision must be respected. But for an otherwise fit captain to quit mid-way is tantamount to a captain deserting his sinking ship.

Assuming that the captain was not physically or mentally prepared he should not have taken charge of the ship in the first place. Leaving the ship in a ‘life-boat’ is not acceptable. Such a captain abrogates his right to command any ship big or small in future.

Dhoni  too has no right to captain Team India in future, in ODIs or T-20s . He may, however, be selected as a player on merit.