Whither Indian Democracy Today
When one reads about the bloody scuffle of the legislators of U.P. Assembly or murder of a CPI (M) leader in Bihar or lynching of a District Magistrate in Bihar or the dismissal of the Chief of Naval Staff of India, one gets the feeling of living in a jungle raj and not in a civilized democratic society. It seems as if two of the major organs of the state, the legislature and the executive, have become totally dysfunctional.
Legislators stall the proceedings of assemblies and the parliament instead of debating and enacting the laws or else armtwist the government officials in the matter of postings and transfers. The executive has become so inefficient in controlling accidents due to rash driving that the Judiciary has to interfere and perform the job of the executive by laying down terms and conditions for hiring drivers of school buses.
For months and years Judicial appointments are held up due to differences between the Judiciary and the executive. In short, the governance has reached its nadir in India after 50 years of Independence.
The last decade of the Twentieth Century has unmasked the hypocrisy of the Indian politician. A popular Chief Minister had to spend months in jail. A former Prime Minister had to appear before the court a number of times in connection with bribing of M.Ps. Another former Minister was remanded to judicial custody while facing charges of aiding and abetting smugglers. It seems as if Indian democracy has become a breeding ground for crooks and cheats.
Another disconcerting aspect of many state administrations is an increase in state sponsored bandhs paralysing life and activities in many parts of the country. Thus we have West Bengal, Tripura Bandhs called by CPI (M) led left front to protest against increase in prices or terrorist killings due to failure of the Central Government to contain price or send required strength of security forces to insurgency affected state.
Bihar is sporadically rocked by caste violence
Legislators stall the proceedings of assemblies and the parliament instead of debating and enacting the laws or else armtwist the government officials in the matter of postings and transfers. The executive has become so inefficient in controlling accidents due to rash driving that the Judiciary has to interfere and perform the job of the executive by laying down terms and conditions for hiring drivers of school buses.
For months and years Judicial appointments are held up due to differences between the Judiciary and the executive. In short, the governance has reached its nadir in India after 50 years of Independence.
The last decade of the Twentieth Century has unmasked the hypocrisy of the Indian politician. A popular Chief Minister had to spend months in jail. A former Prime Minister had to appear before the court a number of times in connection with bribing of M.Ps. Another former Minister was remanded to judicial custody while facing charges of aiding and abetting smugglers. It seems as if Indian democracy has become a breeding ground for crooks and cheats.
Another disconcerting aspect of many state administrations is an increase in state sponsored bandhs paralysing life and activities in many parts of the country. Thus we have West Bengal, Tripura Bandhs called by CPI (M) led left front to protest against increase in prices or terrorist killings due to failure of the Central Government to contain price or send required strength of security forces to insurgency affected state.
Bihar is sporadically rocked by caste violence