Esteemed Mr. Shashi Tharoor,
Read
your article in Tehelka 17 Dec.2011 on Presidential form of Govt. While I
highly appreciate your strong arguments on the subject; wish to put across my
opinion on the subject for your kind reference and contemplation at leisure.
1.
Why go for an expensive surgery while we can manage with a few dosages of
strong medicine?
2.
The problems with the current model as you have rightly pointed out:
a. Parliamentary paralysis- a few MP holding entire
parliament to ransom
b. Quality of lawmakers
c. Politics at the cost of Policies
d. Divisive Politics against Decisive Governance
e. Too many political parties/lack of single party
parliamentary majority
f. Emergence of strong regional parties’
vis-à-vis Declining National Party
g. Competitive Politics-little space for
collaboration
3.
In my opinion all the above problems can be easily dealt with within the
current model if and when realization dawn on the two major political
formation—how little have we achieved even after 64 years of Independence in
terms of Human Development/ Economic progress. While China made 10 times of GDP in 28 yrs. (1978-2006)
and other Asian countries progressed much faster. Our politicians are apparently,
innocent about the butter in their bread; and, not very sure if they wish to be
ruler of a rich & prosperous country or a poor & deprived Nation?
4.
The current spate of divisive politics is due to INC desire to regain single
party majority and BJP trial & tribulation to regain power at any cost and
stakes are so high for both the parties that no body wishes to miss one punch
any where to gain in the game of public perception; eventually, which ever
party wins India is going to loose.
5.
SOLUTION:
- Equal respect for each
political party in parliament
- More inter and intra party
debate on all issues
- Opposition view point given
weightage beyond their numbers
- A permanent mechanism of
engagement with opposition
- Private member’s bill for
enactment of law
- Filibuster mechanism
- Stronger house rules against
frivolous stalling of parliament
Though
Presidential model looks alluring; as India currently needs a
benevolent dictator and could find one in a directly elected President; but,
difficult to predict how the system of division of roles between Executive
& Legislative would work in a highly heterogeneous country like INDIA ?
Thanking
you a lot.
Warm
regards,
BIKASH
CHOUDHURY
BHUBANESAR
ODISHA
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