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ASSEMBLY POLL '98
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'If Sonia wins an election and gets a mandate why not give her a chance?'
E-mail from readers the world over
Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1999 21:40:04 +0100 It seems the columnists who write for Rediff have a very good grasp of the popular mood. What Saisuresh has written is absolutely true. I couldn't express better. He has given a verbal form to my feelings. Don't know why, whenever I think of India I get more pessimistic than before. Oh my dear country! Don't know why we vote, don't know what we expect from the government, don't know why we have to bear seeing a government fall because of these cunning, selfish politicians, don't know why we have to vote again. God! where is my motherland being led to? Why is this happening to my country? Are we a bunch of stupid people, a stupid nation or have we become too apathetic to the happenings in our country? Why do we want to get fooled again and again in the hands of these politicians who only have the PM's post in mind? God! Please, please help my country, I can't stand this. I can't stand my motherland abused again and again. Please help my country. Gautam Akkinepalli
Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1999 17:00:29 -0500 Your column: "Why, my beloved country" was very interesting. All said the fact remains what is the alternative? How can we, the people do something to get around the political issues facing us. I feel we should create massive awareness among common people, the electorate. Why don't you write a column on the alternatives to the present scenario? Sajan Thandaserry
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1999 10:47:57 -0400 I appreciate Saisuresh for giving a clear picture of the frustration in the voters' minds. By doing everything in such a hurried manner, these third-rate politicians dream that voters might not have enough to think what is happening. But deception or betrayal will remain in their minds whether or not it was done in years or in a day! In a phase where India only has coalition governments on stage, I wish that the President be given more powers over and above what the Constitution says. Vela
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 99 09:19 EDT The article, 'Why, my beloved country' by Saisuresh Sivaswamy is excellent. It correctly portrays the current political scenario in our country. This is one of the best articles I have read in recent times. It really pains me to see such misuse of our democracy and the Indian Constitution by the politicians. Not only is it sad to see parties with only one MP or a couple of MPs trying to become head of the state when the people of India have given majority (not absolute majority) to a particular party, but the worst part is they are trying to become the head of the country not because of their love for the country or the desire to do some good for the country -- but with the single purpose of getting rid of corruption and all other charges against them. Maybe it's time we rewrite our 50 year old Constitution by plugging all the loop holes and also making our investigative bodies independent from the government, so that anybody and everybody can be made accountable. Raj
Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1999 12:02:44 -0500 If the mandate is for the BJP, then why is it begging all small parties for their support, including the untouchable BSP.. why? Mr Sivaswamy, as the castes of India are spread so are the politicians of India from different regions. They want to suck as much as they can. The BJP+AIADMK fought on the same side but just before that they were arch rivals. This government or any future coalitions will not last, thanks to Sonia. ABV lasted for more than a year, he should be thankful to Ms Gandhi. It is time for India to divide governance on the basis of caste, let the castes decide what is good for them. As they are not going to listen to one caste telling the other how to live as we are not working in unison. VP Singh got it to half way and the BJP will do the other half of the dirty job in the name Hindutva or whatever. Thanks for your article anyway, sorry if I sounded rude, it hurts to see the country go in the wrong direction. One billion people can't produce 12 cricketers, 2 tennis players, 12 soccer players, 2 swimmers, 550 clean politicians, zillion educated engineers/doctors but we can't even provide them decent jobs. Suresh
Date: 13 Apr 99 12:43:43 EDT The column is really good. Currently, I am in the USA. I am a regular reader of Rediff. I really can't understand the political situation of India? Politicians are heading towards a rudderless boat or what? I don't see a potential candidacy with Sonia for prime ministership. It will really be hard to believe if she becomes PM. Vajpayee is the right person in the wrong party. We were proud to have him as the PM. As you know, good things won't last long.... Let us hope -- one fine day -- India will be alright. Pavamana Kumar C H
Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1999 09:42:01 -0700 Wonderful column! Pretty introspecting and thought provoking. But frankly speaking, it made me more nervous about the helplessness of a citizen in a democratic country (which is the best example to follow, how to make a mockery of it!), where we are worth one vote after every five years (that too being an illusion nowadays). One who thinks along the lines as you do... Mangesh
Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1999 12:32:03 -0400 I just wanted to refresh your memory. I, or any Indian can answer or point out the pro-BJP bias in your article, but I don't want to waste my time doing it. By the way, are you in any way related to the Sangh Parivar, even if you don't, you stink of it. The Congress *did not* go to the polls in league with the other parties with whom it is negotiating today to form a government. The BJP*did not* go to polls in league with the DMK, Mayawati etc...with whom it is negotiating today to "stay" in government. Forget public memory, politicians' memory has a convenient off-on mode. Charan Singh in 1979, Chandra Shekhar in 1990, H D Deve Gowda in 1997 and I K Gujral in 1998, three of who are still around, bear ample testimony to the Congress's reliability when it has supported a government from the outside. Why is the Congress going to behave any differently this time round? Why did you leave VP Singh? Is it because then it was the BJP that promised him "constructive opposition" (in your words) and suddenly remembered "constitutional responsibility." Elil Arulraj
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1999 10:26:45 -0400 Thanks for the wonderful column. Why is there no talk about the Presidential system in India? The head of the country needs to have the mandate of the people. I feel it is the only way to avoid these few MP party leaders from even dreaming about becoming prime minister. It is the only way to avoid these yearly elections which is sucking the country dry. If you are likeminded, I would appreciate a column on this issue. Pankaj Agarwal
Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1999 09:29:11 -0700 With all the political drama that's been going on for the last so many years, I think multi-party democracy should be changed to a two-party democracy system. That way, instead of having weak coalitions pulling in different directions, we can understand the two different political ideologies and agendas clearly and make a conscious decision to vote for a party. I have the confidence that this system will lead to more efficiency, less corruption and strong political scenario in our country. Pooja Bansal
Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1999 12:27:43 -0400 Your column is excellent. What is going on today is a blatant misuse of our democracy. But who is to blame? It's our people. Despite knowing how corrupt Jayalalitha is, how incompetent Deve Gowda is, how unpatriotic the Communists are, how power hungry the Congress is, and how ridiculous Subramanian Swamy is, people voted for them. So unless and until people vote properly for the right parties, we cannot expect any miracles. Vasu
Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1999 18:23:18 +0530 Usually, I find your columns bashing the BJP unfairly. The present article is the exception. I agree with you that after some hiccups, the present administration was getting into its stride, something the Congress realised might give the BJP a long life.
Kanak Gautam
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1999 12:03:44 -0400 I am an Indian student studying here in the United States and I agree whole heartedly with your views. The BJP is proving to be a party who is at least doing something, and having a costly election forced on the country by the Congress and other parties is morally, legally and politically wrong. How can we Indians bear Sonia Gandhi as prime minister? Ankur Gupta
Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1999 10:30:57 -0700 I am with you in your question to the Congress and their ilk. I guess it is a very good question about why the Opposition is so interested in taking up the constitutional responsibility!! I do agree that the Vajpayee government was not up to the mark in any sense, but I guess it would have been much better if they did not have problems from Jayalalitha and the fundamentalists who are supposed to be sympathetic to the government. I am resigned to the fact that someday India will have better administrators, for one thing, politicians are reflections of the people. So, I guess most of the blame is on people who elect their representatives purely on their personal perspectives or on selfish grounds.
Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1999 10:58:44 -0700 I read your column and completely agree with your views expressed on the present day of high drama politics. I wonder if our politicians and 'secular' parties will learn the minimum ethics. It is high time our journalists hold interviews with these politicians and bring out the real truth to the public. Why can't you people take up active roles? Let these politicians be questioned squarely about their hidden motives and how they are going to continue building the nation's economy. Sometimes, out of frustration, I feel God should come in a new incarnation to clean up the mess.
Satyam Valluru
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1999 11:22:09 -0500 A very passionate diatribe against the power hungry and remorseless politicians! Honestly, everybody knows the present state of our country and the plight of the common man. It is also well known that our political system thrives on religion, caste and creed (thus negating the assumptions of the founding fathers of our Constitution). We need to realise that to bring about changes in our political system, we need to attack problems at the grass root level, i e, remove the social barriers of religion and caste, which is a Herculean task. It is so unfortunate that there are so many well educated people who are totally into this caste system.We need to bring about an attitude change in the people and help/make them realise the real meaning of their vote-power. We need the people to think that they, collectively, have a tremendous potential and can make all the difference. It is in this direction that we need to harness our capabilities. I sincerely believe it would make all the difference if people like you/us channelise your/our potential on how to bring about these changes rather than unnecessarily dissipating our energies in haranguing these politicians. After all we have been doing it for the last several years without any effect! Srinivas Ganti
Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1999 21:56:19 -0500 I have always liked your columns but this one is in very poor taste. Point number one -- the mandate in 1998 was for the BJP? Are you in Lala land? 172 out of 543 is no mandate. Plus the BJP and its allies had very little to do with the election. There was virtually no opposition and after so much demagoguery, open communalism and killing thousands of innocents -- this was the best the BJP could manage! The BJP won some seats in TN because of Jaya, Orissa because of Naveen and Bengal because of Mamata. To top it all, just because the people are not in a mood for another election is no proof that the BJP still has a mandate! Open your eyes and look around! READ SOME OPINION POLLS! Yes, Atal is still popular! But what about his government? Or his allies? The BJP claimed that it was a "party with a difference!" Yes, why not a JPC into Bhagwat issue? National security at risk! Nonsense. Point number 2: You have raised the issue of Sonia being of foreign origin. Yes, your own words betray your intentions and inferiority complex! You have said that she tried to persuade Rajiv from entering politics. My friend, she is not in politics for power like the rest. She was offered the PM's post on a platter and she continues to insist that she would like to have a mandate. If she wins an election and gets a mandate why not give her a chance? As if the rest have done such a wonderful job! Point number 3: You seem to be condemning the Opposition. What about the BJP? The demands of Jaya or any other ally were not impossible. Plus they were made right from the beginning. If you cannot walk, how will you run? When you have 172 seats you have problems everyday and what if you have 150 or less? Then the saying is, we will run a minority government. Why? My friend, it is obvious that only a mid term election can save the situation. Let us go for it. Let it be a fair game. If the people bring back the BJP so be it. We will have a stable government. If the people choose the Congress so be it. In order to eliminate the wheeler dealers like Mulayam, left, Laloo and Jaya this is the best. Sonia may be born in Italy but she is the only politician to have the backbone to go back to the people. The people do not deserve the "Sangh limpets" who so shamelessly stick to power and are afraid to go for a fresh mandate. People deserve leaders like Sonia who is not afraid of an election!
Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1999 21:39:40 -0500 I had sent in my e-mail to your earlier article on the same topic. I don't believe you chose to publish it. I am going to ask you the same question again. Please tell me honestly, are you, and your fellow journalists not guilty of promoting Sonia's image and her consequent standing all along despite all the negatives about her that you now speak of? Why this sudden wisdom? Pradip Parekh
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1999 05:33:21 +0300 Thank you very much for writing such a clear article. After being in such a responsible position for almost 50 odd years, none of the Indian born Congressmen can run the AICC or the government. Why should they go after Sonia, who doesn't know what is India. If these Congressmen cannot run the AICC or the government, how can they fulfill constitutional responsibilities. It would have been a much better if India is given to America or UK for management for another 50 years, they could train our politicians on how to run the country, than giving to this Italian lady without much education or management or political skills. Long live India and Indians. Ramu
Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1999 22:21:12 EDT Your column very much expresses the sentiments of every Indian. I should also mention that I did not find this kind of a column when I browsed through the editorials of other major newspapers. I do have a humble suggestion (as I find this in most of the newspaper here), a statistics of how many people are disgruntled with the current situation facing the nation. If you could put up a submit vote button, with a number of options such as (1) The President should not allow a no-confidence motion (2) Introduce a clause that a party with n number of seats, if it decides to break itself from a coalition cannot join hands with other parties etc. You can then display this information on your website. If you start such a process, every other newspaper will also do the same and everybody will feel or rather get a chance to feel that they have also participated in a small way. Prasad
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