Article 164 of our Constitution states "The Chief Minister shall be appointed by the Governor and the other Ministers shall be appointed by the Governor on the advise of the Chief Minister..."
The Council of Ministers is responsible to the Lower House which alone can vote it out. Hence, the Chief Minister should be such a person who is likely to have the confidence of the House. Of course there is the provision of dismissal of a Ministry and imposition of President's rule on the breakdown of constitutional machinery.
The State acts not only according to the Constitutional provisions but according to conventions, practices, precedents and traditions when not in conflict or contradiction to the Constitutional provisions.
So, when Mr.Rosiah was administered the oath of office as CM. the constitution was followed in toto. When the rest of the Ministry was administered the oath a second time, again the book was followed as they are to be appointed on the advise of the incumbent CM and not his predecessor.
However, some conventions established like election of the leader of the majority party or the other unhealthy convention of 'reaching a consensus under the watchful eyes of central party observers' were not followed indicating the nervousness of the ruling party. But that is a political issue.
When Rajiv Gandhi was sworn in as PM after Indira Gandhi's assassination, he was not yet elected leader of CPP. No constitutional impropriety but a goodbye to conventions.
Now, the CLP refusing to elect Mr.Rosiah as its leader but leaving the decision to the Head is an act of subtle defiance while at the same time not rocking the boat. That too it took more than a month for the party to get the nerve to convene the meet and get on with the formality is an indication of the brink to which the party was tottering.
Mr.Rosiah is an experienced, articulate and witty persons with no pretensions to pan-Andhra Pradesh popularity. Making him the CM serves the twin objectives of having the best at the helm of affairs while ensuring a non-charismatic leader who is also with little batting left.
...ponder
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Pollution
A lot of noxious gas is being emitted on Carbon emissions by politicians. But rapidly India is getting polluted at alarming rate.
Todays' Hindu reports on the alarming levels of antibiotic pollutions at Patancheru. The scientist making the study calls the waters there 'a soup of different antibiotics' and 'a swim there exposes the body to antibiotic treatment'.
Another report in Times of India traces huge domestic wastes from UK to Chennai where it is recycled to dangerous uses. Sometime back it was reported that huge amounts of hospital wastes is being dumped in Kerala.
Ship breaking is another big foreign contributor for dangerous wastes being dumped on Indian soil.
Instead of delegation after delegation going on foreign junkets to attend conference after conference, why can't the Government ban
a) import of any type of waste that is not domestically re-used or re-cycled in the country of its origin.
b) ban manufacture of chemicals like drugs which are consumed but not manufactured in such countries.
c) ban import, production and consumption of dangerous chemicals whose use is banned abroad.
This may be easier said than done what with liberalisation and free trade, powerful lobbies, foreign exchange earnings,etc. However, the least that the Government can do is to ensure recipocity in these matters with individual countries. If import of garbage is banned in UK, India should ban import of garbage from UK and so on.
Time to take the wake up call.
...ponder
Todays' Hindu reports on the alarming levels of antibiotic pollutions at Patancheru. The scientist making the study calls the waters there 'a soup of different antibiotics' and 'a swim there exposes the body to antibiotic treatment'.
Another report in Times of India traces huge domestic wastes from UK to Chennai where it is recycled to dangerous uses. Sometime back it was reported that huge amounts of hospital wastes is being dumped in Kerala.
Ship breaking is another big foreign contributor for dangerous wastes being dumped on Indian soil.
Instead of delegation after delegation going on foreign junkets to attend conference after conference, why can't the Government ban
a) import of any type of waste that is not domestically re-used or re-cycled in the country of its origin.
b) ban manufacture of chemicals like drugs which are consumed but not manufactured in such countries.
c) ban import, production and consumption of dangerous chemicals whose use is banned abroad.
This may be easier said than done what with liberalisation and free trade, powerful lobbies, foreign exchange earnings,etc. However, the least that the Government can do is to ensure recipocity in these matters with individual countries. If import of garbage is banned in UK, India should ban import of garbage from UK and so on.
Time to take the wake up call.
...ponder
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Why do some people deliberately shy away from security and comfort to think, speak and act for others' sake even at the cost of courting insecurity, poverty and unpopularity? What is that in the human body chemistry that propels people towards public causes at grave danger to themselves? How can one shun material wealth, comforts, social standing and security to chart unknown paths? How do their families react? Are they supportive or suffer the eccentricity?
Prakasam Pantulu had a monthly income of more than Rs,50,000 in thirties before he jumped into the freedom movement to die a pauper. Subhas Chandra Bose and Duggirala Gopalakrishnayya preferred freedom movement to coveted ICS. Recently personalities like Medha Patkar, Sandeep Pandey, take up causes at grave risk to their personal safety and welfare. There are ever so many people who have sacrificed budding careers, lucrative jobs, princely incomes, cushy lives to pursue causes in which they believe.
One such light of beacon that recently got extinguished is K. Balagopal. Without going into his differences with the establishment or those opposed to it, the causes he fought for were pro-poor, pro-justice and pro-nation. There can be no argument about the legitimacy of the causes though perceptions may differ on individual events or issues.
His untimely death is a loss to the spirit of justice, dissent and sacrifice. He will be forgotten - like many others before him - except by a few because Indian Heros have already been short-listed and there can be no additions for all times to come. Nothing will be named after him and no anniversaries.
That is the way he would have preferred. No use for routine mouthing of homilies. But as long as there is quest for saner solutions to problems, he will be thought of.
...ponder
Prakasam Pantulu had a monthly income of more than Rs,50,000 in thirties before he jumped into the freedom movement to die a pauper. Subhas Chandra Bose and Duggirala Gopalakrishnayya preferred freedom movement to coveted ICS. Recently personalities like Medha Patkar, Sandeep Pandey, take up causes at grave risk to their personal safety and welfare. There are ever so many people who have sacrificed budding careers, lucrative jobs, princely incomes, cushy lives to pursue causes in which they believe.
One such light of beacon that recently got extinguished is K. Balagopal. Without going into his differences with the establishment or those opposed to it, the causes he fought for were pro-poor, pro-justice and pro-nation. There can be no argument about the legitimacy of the causes though perceptions may differ on individual events or issues.
His untimely death is a loss to the spirit of justice, dissent and sacrifice. He will be forgotten - like many others before him - except by a few because Indian Heros have already been short-listed and there can be no additions for all times to come. Nothing will be named after him and no anniversaries.
That is the way he would have preferred. No use for routine mouthing of homilies. But as long as there is quest for saner solutions to problems, he will be thought of.
...ponder
Sunday, August 23, 2009
God of American Visa
About 20 kms from the heart of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India, a small village called Chilkur is located. Till about a decade ago this place was unknown even to the Hyderabadites. Suddenly this place acquired the aura of major pilgrimage centre especially for those aspiring Software Specialists intending to go to US. The reason is an ancient shrine dedicated to Lord Venkateswara or popularly known as Visa Venkateswarulu.
As a temple, this is small in size and the main deity not more than 24" tall. A visit to this shrine and a prayer for grant of US visa is said to guarantee securing of that manna, US vias! You can see those whose passports have been stamped coming for for a thanks giving visit by way of circumbulating the shrine 108 times.
You can see jeans clad boys and girls occasionally accompanied by thier proud parents going round and marking on a matrix sheet the number of times they have gone round, concentrating on the correct scoring, oblivious of the God.
This temple has another feather to its credit. The Temple authorities have successfully warded off attempts by the Government to take over its administration. There is no collection box unlike other temples. If desired Visa Venkateswarulu can wallow in NRI Dollars. But He prefers austerity and freedom from Governmental control to wealth.
Though the temple proper is maintained well despite the crowds and its smallness, the adjacent shrines and surroundings are very shabby. The temple is beseeched by vendors and beggers. I dont know whether the Trust Board is legally capable of evicting the encroachers and beggers, beautify its surroundings and maintain its general upkeep given its status and deliberate shying away from funds.
By the Grace of Visa Venkateswarulu, people may earn mega bucks and live in secluded villas in gated communities with mith manicured lawns, but the Giver is ever content in His modest abode.
....ponder
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Beginning of the end?
I have not read the book written by Jaswant Singh. Nor have I read the one written by Advani. Both are supposed to have viewed Jinnah's role in a different percpective from that popularised by contrived historians/politicians. It is ironic that Jaswant Singh should be expelled from the party when the most visible and tallest leader is Advani of similar guilt
Is it not a fact that Jinnah was a suave and liberal Indian than most of the Congresswallahs till he was driven to the wall by power mongers. Is it also not a fact that the congress negotiated partition of the country behind Gandhiji's back and in the face of his total opposition.
Jaswant Singh says he was expelled by those who have not read the book. Appears true as the expulsion is indeed in indecent haste as the book has barely hit the stands. Was he served a show cause notice? Was he given a hearing? So much for internal democracy and right to dissent.
BJP cannot unshackle itself from the vice-like grip of knickerwallahs. Today the party is devoid of issues or direction and is drifting from one crisis to another. It had abandoned democracy long ago. Remember what happened to Madhok and Sondhi.Leaders of legislative party are supposed to be elected by MLAs. Overwhelming numbers are with Vasundhara Raje Scindia. Still she is being asked to quit. The disease of nomination culture has taken deep root in BJP.
BJP can do a service to the country by merging with Congress. Their ideologies are not very dissimilar except for occasional Hindutva noises from BJP and congress pursuing covert soft Hindutva. This will eliminate rump parties like DMK from arm twisting the government.
...ponder
Is it not a fact that Jinnah was a suave and liberal Indian than most of the Congresswallahs till he was driven to the wall by power mongers. Is it also not a fact that the congress negotiated partition of the country behind Gandhiji's back and in the face of his total opposition.
Jaswant Singh says he was expelled by those who have not read the book. Appears true as the expulsion is indeed in indecent haste as the book has barely hit the stands. Was he served a show cause notice? Was he given a hearing? So much for internal democracy and right to dissent.
BJP cannot unshackle itself from the vice-like grip of knickerwallahs. Today the party is devoid of issues or direction and is drifting from one crisis to another. It had abandoned democracy long ago. Remember what happened to Madhok and Sondhi.Leaders of legislative party are supposed to be elected by MLAs. Overwhelming numbers are with Vasundhara Raje Scindia. Still she is being asked to quit. The disease of nomination culture has taken deep root in BJP.
BJP can do a service to the country by merging with Congress. Their ideologies are not very dissimilar except for occasional Hindutva noises from BJP and congress pursuing covert soft Hindutva. This will eliminate rump parties like DMK from arm twisting the government.
...ponder
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Silence is not Golden
Those were days when public men quit posts as the slightest hint of any accusation of wrong doing. Along with the general slide in the moral fibre of the nation persons developed different perspectives.
Two incidents have recently been reported in press.
First, a Union Minister had allegedly instructed his staff (of educational institutions owned by him) to insist on a minimum capitation fee for admission to medical college in blatant violation of Hon'ble Supreme Court's orders. This isssue died a natural death with TOI, which broke the news, itself failing to follow it up. They should atleast publish a denial and apology.
Second and more recent, a Union Minister had allegedly tried to influence the Bench in the case of granting bail. The Hon'ble Judge had gone on record though he stopped short of naming the individual.
During the debate in the Parliament, there is no reaction it appears from the Treasury benches. Though it is the absolute right of a Minister or Member to speak or not on a particular subject, silence sends wrong signals.
Where there is a gap between Law and Justice, Justice should prevail. Morality should be higher than mere rules and regulations. Either there should be a flat denial and vindication of the character of the individual and the will to face consequences so that truth prevails or there should be exemplary action. No need for a cumbersome enquiry. The pleasure of the President on the recommendations of the PM should be sufficient.
Otherwise credibility of the system stands to ridicule.
...ponder
Two incidents have recently been reported in press.
First, a Union Minister had allegedly instructed his staff (of educational institutions owned by him) to insist on a minimum capitation fee for admission to medical college in blatant violation of Hon'ble Supreme Court's orders. This isssue died a natural death with TOI, which broke the news, itself failing to follow it up. They should atleast publish a denial and apology.
Second and more recent, a Union Minister had allegedly tried to influence the Bench in the case of granting bail. The Hon'ble Judge had gone on record though he stopped short of naming the individual.
During the debate in the Parliament, there is no reaction it appears from the Treasury benches. Though it is the absolute right of a Minister or Member to speak or not on a particular subject, silence sends wrong signals.
Where there is a gap between Law and Justice, Justice should prevail. Morality should be higher than mere rules and regulations. Either there should be a flat denial and vindication of the character of the individual and the will to face consequences so that truth prevails or there should be exemplary action. No need for a cumbersome enquiry. The pleasure of the President on the recommendations of the PM should be sufficient.
Otherwise credibility of the system stands to ridicule.
...ponder
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Are we secular?
Chidambaram goes to Kandhamal and apologises to those in refugee camps there. It is presumed that they are Christians. Why they are are still in refugee camps needs to be investigated. Are they still terrorised to go to their villages? Are they better off in these camps? or are they kept as show pieces of propoganda value? Naveen Patnaik should answer.
I hope Chidambaram will go to Jammu and apologise to the Hindu refugees there who have no hopes of going home even after decades.
What about victims of Congress sponsored and Rajiv Gandhi approved (when a tree falls earth shakes) anti-sikh pogrom?
Will our foreign minister apologise to the sikhs of Pakistan who pay tax to keep their hair for India's failure to protect them?
Will YSR apologise for the conversion activities going on in Gandhi Medical College?
Please read the report in today's Hindu.
...ponder
I hope Chidambaram will go to Jammu and apologise to the Hindu refugees there who have no hopes of going home even after decades.
What about victims of Congress sponsored and Rajiv Gandhi approved (when a tree falls earth shakes) anti-sikh pogrom?
Will our foreign minister apologise to the sikhs of Pakistan who pay tax to keep their hair for India's failure to protect them?
Will YSR apologise for the conversion activities going on in Gandhi Medical College?
Please read the report in today's Hindu.
...ponder
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