Needed electoral reforms at the earliest

The vested interests have seen to that electoral reforms were neglected over the decades. Last few years business-politics nexus has reached a level that is unprecedented, politicians have become emissary of business interest in the name of economic development. Money driven market media and their increasing influence among the policy makers has seen to a creation of a world that has reduced the realities of people into talking shops. Symbolism and perceptions are the way issues are tackled. It is as if majority of people and their problems have stopped to exist, even the issue of price rise is a focus when the middle class in cities feel the pinch (to take an example why middlemen in agriculture continue to exploit farmers and consumers alike and nothing could be done against them till now…why no ‘rare unanimity’ on these matters?). Our PM being a true economist refuses to come out of his dream world of GDPs.

It has made it difficult for common people to assert their rights. In 1950s and 60s money for fighting elections was not much of necessity as they had influence that was outcome of skewed social structure-a product of cultural-historical reasons, that denied the majority. The present parliament is a reflection of remnant feudalism that reasserts itself with money and family connections. They have bought the votes. The electoral system has failed the people. It is also about business interests, a nexus that seems to be getting institutionalized in the name of economic development. This parliament doesn’t reflect the reality of this nation. It reflects and accentuates the bias that people face. It is about money and nepotism. The present parliament is a joke on people. Take for instance more than 20 MPs are ex student of elite institution based in Delhi (St. Stephens). That is like representing many times over the entire population of people in north east!!. This is what the present Lok Sabha is all about. It is by product of flawed system.

The lack of electoral reforms and inability of election commission to prevent influence of money has led to this situation. Mr. Moily (apart from other things he also is our Law Minster) makes statements like ‘about mother love’ (that is something market media loves) and related crap. What has he done to initiate judicial reforms? Lakhs and lakhs of cases are pending in the court, many poor people languish in the jail as under trials. Cases take ages and people are frustrated with the system. Laws are archaic (some even existing for over a century, probably as a tribute to colonial British) What has he or any law minister done over the years?.

What is also not intriguing is the role of market media (which carries entrenched business interests), otherwise quite vociferous against ‘reservations and quotas’ they seem to have taken it as crusade. They know where the lick is. Also woman’s empowerment has a glow to it that has international ramification that other forms of ‘reservation’ lacks. It is about “we are the good people” in framework that west understands. Never mind social realities are different.

I want to give an example here that is very pertinent: few days back I was channel surfing and came across an interview with Najma Heptullah. I actually don’t know much about her so thought of spending some time listening to what she had to say. She is one of the major politicians with an advantage of ‘muslim’ name (and could have even become the President of this country. But our woman saw more lick in BJP so left Congress, these people don’t have much of ideology to right home about and when you are too long in ‘national’ politics you tend to live in small holes in Delhi and manipulate for big lick). She was telling the interviewer how children have become smart these days and that her grand daughter calls her on phone and request different brands of jewels (she mentioned few brands…I hope the company concerned will take note and may arrange for her election funding). The woman quite shamelessly even added that she told her grand daughter you got to marry someone rich to buy these. I didn’t listen after that, it made me cringe. It is unbelievable that such uncouth people were in important position. These are the kind of “woman” “muslim” “liberal” leaders. They know these reference points to create positive images and nowadays it is so easy to create tags for oneself (this also equally true for male leaders. There are PR agencies working in street corners). They don’t even seem to have basic ethical context (any home across the country will try to rectify the child, not the least the crude understanding of “smartness”)

So as said earlier (and crudely) replacing dicks with cunts is no empowerment. The fight in the parliament is basically about this. It is not about gender empowerment nor is it about common people. The fight in the parliament is about family and friends. The bill in the present form should be prevented by whatever means.

So much money and time spent on these jokes sickens me.