Evolution of Multi Dynasty Democracy of India 

Vijay M. Deshpande

  Assembly elections in Maharashtra State have been announced to be held on October 13, 2009 and the nominations are being filed. As the clamor for seat allocations in different parties reaches a crescendo, one thing that stands out distinctly is the criteria for giving party tickets for contesting elections. Single most important criterion for candidates seems to be the family relationships- sons, daughters, in-laws, nephews etc of who’s who of Indian politics. Sons & daughters of veterans of independence struggle did join politics but they were generally low profile entrants and yet very capable.

 Nehru-Gandhi Dynasty:

When Indira Gandhi inherited the mantle from Jawahar Lal Nehru and subsequently Rajiv Gandhi carried the baton, the political establishment as well as educated massed started wondering aloud about the dynastic rule being perpetrated by the Nehru-Gandhi family. It was the charisma of Indira and Rajiv which let them have their way. Sonia was stopped in the track but got more than what she could ask for- power without accountability with a captive prime minister. Priyanka & Rahul have been the most written about heirs apparent to the throne which is being kept warm for appropriate point in time.

Proliferation of Dynasties:

This gradually had impact on political scene in states led by Laloo & Rabri Devi combine with their extended family members much to the chagrin of the people by & large. But we had to accept haplessly. And then following the cue from congress culture, there was flood all over, with every top politician having his son or daughter in the fray. Congress has just managed to stop Jaganmohan Reddy from taking over chief minister ship of Andhra Pradesh and spared the agony of having a first time young MP as CM of a large state. Punjab and Tamil Nadu had unique distinction of having a father son duo Chief Minister & Dy. Chief Minister in the same cabinets of Badal & Karunanidhi.

Today in Maharsahtra, Pratibha Patil, Sharad Pawar, Sushil Kumar Shinde, Vilas Rao Deshmukh, Shivraj Patil, Gopinath Munde, Chhagan Bhujbal, Narayan Rane have their sons, daughters, relatives in the list of top contenders. This second generation just does not have any political experience and have displaced many a successful and good sitting MLAs with parties losing good candidates and getting poor administrators of future with no experience. It is to be noted that once elected they will occupy Mantralaya directly.

Devolution of Power:

But we are not to stop at this second generation of the top first generation politicians of 21^st century. A look at news papers shows that today even for large number of contestants nominated by any party there are several connected relatives in party or political establishments. Even a village sarpanch is related to political who’s who of the area. The village level committees, zilla parishad etc. are packed with relatives of the powerful. Uneducated wives of even political micro weights are holding positions in public institutions. It was shocking to see a girl in her early twenties as “Dy. Sarpanch” on the dais in a public function in Pune. Same is the case with the cooperative societies which are packed with political lightweights who migrate to city corporations and other power structures of state assembly in due course. So the dynastic rule has proliferated and permeated down to village level in political as well as economic spheres. This devolution of power was fastest empowering of the weaker sections without a bill or an Act. It was also perhaps the most significant social re-engineering in the political space without design.

Fast Track for Financial Security:

The main reason for this proliferation and perpetuation of family rule at all levels is the ease with which one can grow from rags to riches without even formal education. A large number of the new political contenders have connections with land or construction activities to get quick rich. All you require is right qualifications of caste certificate to be able to ride the band wagon. It was amazing to read that Kalawati, about whom Rahul Gandhi tried hard to speak in parliament during no confidence motion, wanted to contest elections! One may not have means to make two ends meet for a square meal but political rope seems to be the best hope to quick prosperity.

Political space also provides a white wash for all the crimes and sins committed and almost guaranteed protection with money and muscle power. It provides long term economic life line through contracts, agencies, and allocation of quotas created only for this purpose. A municipal corporator in jail for months and now on bail is in the fray for assembly elections. Thus they participate in true “Bharat Nirman” whether constructive development takes place or not. Who says that Indian democracy is not inclusive? 

Education & Politics:

What I am worried about is that our democracy is getting lesser & lesser “inclusive” of the educated lot. If one looks at the candidates (if at all they have any published profile), one would have to think several times if to cast vote at all or not. Are these the kind of representatives we want to elect to state legislatures? I could not get any statistics on number of graduates in current state assembly of Maharashtra or other states. The connection of education and politics is reflected in Lok Sabha statistics with about 45% members being graduates. May be in the states it is much lower and it is time the data is published. It is time to consider minimum level of educational qualifications for the law makers. I know the degrees will be available for a price! We have stooped down to such levels that we can break any rule before it is even passed.

Right To Free Education:

With “Right To Free Education Bill” passed by Rajya Sabha, there is provision of 25% reservation of seats for weaker sections. With this free education facility, it would now be appropriate to insist on minimum qualifications for different levels of political institutions. For example, at Panchayat levels it may be twelfth standard up to which free education is being made available. For state assemblies and parliament it should be minimum graduation, for which also the reservations are available for admission to colleges. We must endeavor to make a reservation of at least 75% for the educated (graduates) in the political system. These could be enforced over a period of five years so that there is adequate time for preparation and change over.

Since the multi-dynastic proliferation has come to stay and embedded deeply now in our political system, the next best thing to do is to ensure adequate education for the future law makers. After all the current generation of educated MPs like Milind Deora, Sachin Pilot, Jitin Prasad, Jyotiradiyta Scindia or Chief Minister Omar Adbullah would agree that it is important to have educated dynastic successors. And multi-dynasty is better than single autocratic dynastic rule isn’t it?

Vijay M. Deshpande

Corporate Advisor,

Strategic Management Initiative,

Pune

September 25, 2009

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teri chahat k aansu ne mere takiye ko bhigoya hai
teri ashiqui mein pagal dil na jane kitna roya hai


آئیے اپنی بے حسی، قلب کی ظلمتوں، اور دلوں کے زنگ کو دور کرنے کیلیے اللہ رب العزت کے حضور دعا کریں

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his Deputy Sukhbir Badal today met Dera Sachkhand leaders to assuage their feelings after the attack on their leaders in Vienna.

The Badals had a close door meeting with the Dera leaders who requested them to take steps to ensure immediate release of those arrested in Vienna following the attack last week.

“I have come here to condole the death of Sant Rama Nand and condemn the attack on Dera Head Niranjan Das in Vienna,” he said while referring to the attack as “cowardly act” and an attempt to disturb the peace of Punjab.

Badal lauded the role of Dera leaders for restoring peace in the state.

Badal later told reporters that a Committee headed by Divisional Commissioner S R Ladhar and Inspector General (Zonal) Sanjeev Kalra has been set up to review the cases of those arrested after the violence in the state. Twenty five people were arrested in the state.

The CM said the dead body of the Dera will be brought soon and he was in touch with Ministry of External Affairs on the issue. He said state funeral would be extended to the deceased Sant.

On the rising number of racial attacks on Indian students, many of whom are Punjabis, in Australia, Badal said that he has already taken up the issue with concerned Union Ministry.

Sukhbir Badal, who also holds Home portfolio in the state cabinet, said that normalcy was restored in the state and only night curfew was imposed in the disturbed areas as a precautionary manner.

Badals were accompanied by Avtar Singh Makkar, SGPC’s Chief, Punjab Cabinet Minister Manoranan Kalia and Daljeet Singh Cheema, Advisor to Chief Minister.

Dera sources said that post-mortem of the body of Sant Rama Nand was conducted yesterday in Vienna and it is expected that mortal remains would be flown back to India on Wednesday, while funeral will take place on Thursday.

Parkash Badal, Sukhbir Badal, along with his BJP companions, organized an Akhand Paath in room 10 behind Sri Akal Takht Sahib, at Sri Darbar Sahib complex, on behalf of Nirajan Daas, the Ravidasi leader who was injured at the Vienna Ravidas Sabha Mandir in Austria last weekend. Badal also told the press that he spoke with the injured Niranjan Daas, and expressed his condolences for the Vienna events.

The Akhand Paath was initiated with an Ardas by Giani Dharam Singh, and started by Sri Dabar Sahib Head Granthi, Giani Jaswinder Singh. Various members of the RSS linked BJP were present at the Akhand Paath, including the controversial Navjot Sidhu. The senior Badal, himself, sat above the sangat at the same level of the Manji Sahib of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, which itself is a serious violation of the Sikh Rahit Maryada.

Meanwhile, details are emerging that allege controversial comments made against Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji could have triggered the events in Vienna. Both Nand and Daas have allegedly made comments in other European countries questioning the need for Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji at Ravidas Mandirs, but this could not be confirmed by Khalsa Press.

The quick decision by Badal & Co. to hold and Akhand Paath for an individual who has allegedly criticized Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is not surprising. Since the 1970’s Parkash Badal has had close relationships with the psuedo-Nirankaris, and the Naamdharis when they were also openly questioning the validity of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

Punjab may finally look forward to normalcy with relaxation of curfew in the most sensitive areas of the state- Hoshiarpur, Phagwara, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Malout. The curfew was relaxed in the morning and evening.

Normalcy near, Hoshiarpur city was given relaxation from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and then from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. yesterday. According to district magistrate, a 12 hour break would be given in Hoshiapur today., The divisional commissioner said that the educational institutes would remain open on Friday, and added that the necessary night curfew is to be continued for some time., Railway services have also been restarted in the state., CM announces Rs5 lakh compensation, The Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the families of the three people who died during the violence.

He added that adequate and liberal compensation will be given to those who have suffered loss of property., Badal stated that restoring peace in Punjab is his priority. He openly accused the Khalistan Zindabad Force of trying to disturb harmony in Punjab by joining hands with the anti-Indian forces.

The CM and his son Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is also SAD (Shiromani Akali Dal) president, prayed at the Golden Temple, Amritsar, for the “well-being of Dera Sachkhand Ballan chief Sant Niranjan Dass”.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Wednesday blamed “collective forces outside the country” for the attack on heads of leaders of the Dera Sachkhand Balan in Vienna.

“There are forces outside the state and country which are bent upon disturbing peace in the state… Such forces want to destabilise the hard-earned peace,” said Badal, adding that the people of the state and his government were committed to maintaining peace in the state.

Asked about some militant organisations taking responsibility for the attack, Badal reiterated that the matter was under investigation, but there was no doubt of “anti-state and anti-national” forces were trying to create a divide in Punjab’s society.

“I have spoken to the leaders of all political parties and they have shown commitment to work for peace and brotherhood in the state,” said Badal.

Punjab, reeling under violence since Sunday, returned to normalcy Wednesday, on a day Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son, Deputy Chief Minister and Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal prayed at the Golden Temple, the holiest of Sikh shrines.

Road and rail traffic in the state was back to normal with no violence being reported.

But security forces continued to keep a close watch on the central region, which was most affected by the violence triggered by the killing of a Sikh religious leader in a clash in a gurdwara in Vienna.

‘The situation is getting better with every hour. No incident has been reported today,’ Inspector General of Police (Jalandhar Range) Sanjiv Kalra told IANS.

‘We plan to relax curfew in Jalandhar from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday). Only night curfew will continue,’ Kalra added.

Badal and his son prayed at Harmandar Sahib, popularly known as Golden Temple, in the Sikh holy city of Amritsar, 90 km from here.

The chief minister told mediapersons later: ‘We prayed for peace in Punjab. The killing of sect leader Sant Rama Nand was very unfortunate.’

District authorities in Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana, Phagwara and Malout (in Muktsar district of southwest Punjab) relaxed curfew for two to four hours in the morning and evening.

The state had witnessed widespread violence Sunday and Monday with followers of the Dera Sachh Khand sect damaging public and private property to protest the attack on their leaders in the Austrian capital Sunday.

While sect head Niranjan Dass was recovering in a Vienna hospital, his second-in-command Rama Nand Dass was killed in the attack.

Thousands of stranded railway passengers heaved a sigh of relief Wednesday as railway authorities restarted most trains passing through Punjab after two days of disruption.

‘We began restarting train services through Punjab, especially from Jammu and Amritsar sides, Tuesday evening. Trains will also run from the Delhi-Ambala side today,’ a railway official said here.

Nearly 15,000 passengers, most of them coming back from the Hindu shrine of Vaishno Devi in neighbouring Jammu and Kashmir, were severely affected due to disruption in train services.

Passengers coming from Pakistan on the Samjhauta Express ‘peace train’ were taken to New Delhi Wednesday after being stranded at Attari railway station, 30 km from Amritsar.

Railway authorities had Tuesday cancelled or terminated nearly 40 trains passing through Punjab.

Hundreds of goods trucks, which were also stranded due to the violence, started leaving for their destinations. Road traffic on most highways, including the strategic National Highway No. 1, which passes through Ludhiana and Jalandhar cities, was near normal.

But most people ventured out only to get essential items.

‘Though things seem normal now, we don’t want to take chances. It is better to be safe than repent later,’ said homemaker Vandana Sharma in Jalandhar.

Army, paramilitary and Punjab police personnel continued to patrol the areas worst affected by violence.

Three people were killed and dozens injured in the violence.

Punjab continued to remain tense for a second consecutive day after violent protests rocked the state on Tuesday over killing of a Sikh sect guru in Vienna.

Curfew in Jalandhar and Phagawara was relaxed but Hoshiarpur and Ludhiana were still under survelliance.

All highways have been cleared and rail traffic has been partially restored. Earlier in the day, security forces conducted flag marches in disturbed areas.

In Vienna, where it all began, the six men arrested for the attacks have been identified. But for the moment caught in the crossfire are thousands of passengers, waiting in Jammu. CNN-IBN spoke with Punjab Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal and he said the situation was under control.

CNN-IBN: Punjab is limping back to normalcy. Could this have been controlled earlier? Could more have been done?
Badal: The incident in Vienna took place at around 8 o’clock day before yesterday in the evening. It was not a planned incident. Suddenly we got the news of the unfortunate incident so immediately things started getting worse in various parts of Punjab, especially in the Doaba region. We contacted the Government of India and requested for Central forces. It took 7-8 hours for the forces to come in. Then we got in touch with PM to get army’s help but that also took about 4-5 hours. But then that is the whole procedure required. So by night we got all our forces ready and by morning we got control over the situation. I think the response by the administration was quite quick.

CNN-IBN: The Home Minister suggests more could’ve been done. More pre-emptive action could’ve been taken.

Badal: The situation is not localised. It was spread all over Doaba and parts of Malwa and Maaja. So immediately the forces were deployed. But we needed a strong backup to enforce a curfew as soon as the backup was recovered we were able to enforce everything.

CNN-IBN: We have had similar clashes before like between the Sikhs and the supporters of Dera Sacha Sauda. Is there a worry that it does spiral out of control each time?

Badal: Last year, a similar problem happened with the Dera Sacha Sauda and we were able to control it immediately within two to three days. It was quick response from the Punjab government. Even now the magnitude of the crisis was very big but we were able to contain it very fast.

CNN-IBN: Keeping in mind the religious sentiments, will action be taken against those who destroyed property?

Badal: We are examining every aspect of the all-party meeting today which strongly condemned the incidents in Vienna as well as in Punjab. At the moment our main job is to bring normalcy. Today the traffic is moving and the curfew which was imposed has been reduced (sic) and no clashes have been since.

Normalcy is slowly returning to violence hit districts of Punjab, deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said on Tuesday.

However, curfew continued in Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Hoshiarpur, Phagwara and Kapurthala, the districts worst affected by violence as a precautionary measure.

Large scale violence was witnessed in Punjab after rival Sikh factions clashed in the Austrian capital of Vienna during a sermon delivery on May 24.

Sikh priest Ramanand was killed in the incident.

Badal said, curfew in ninety percent areas was lifted following marked improvement in the situation.

Strongly condemning the Vienna incident which claimed the life of a preacher of Dera Sachkhand Ballan, political parties in Punjab on Tuesday urged the Centre to expedite parleys with its Austrian counterparts so that the guilty could be given a stringent punishment.

The all-party meet, convened by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, passed an unanimous resolution here, seeking stringent punishment for those responsible behind the crime.

Addressing the media after the two-hour meeting, attended by the SAD-BJP, Congress, CPI, CPI(M), BSP and Shiv Sena, Mr. Badal said the Indian government must take up the matter with the Austrian government to bring back the body of Sant Rama Nand, an associate of Sant Niranjan Dass, head of Jalandhar-based Dera Sachkhand Ballan.

The meeting strongly condemned the incident and Mr. Badal appealed to the people of the state to maintain peace and communal harmony.

The meeting described the perpetrators of the crime in Vienna as “anti-country and anti-social elements”. Mr. Badal, who was flanked by his deputy Sukhbir Singh Badal and cabinet minister Manoranjan Kalia, said that the state government would compensate those who were killed in the violence in the state.

“The government will compensate those whose private properties have been damaged in the backlash and next of the kin of three killed in violent protests,” he said.

The meeting also observed a two-minute silence as a mark of respect for Sant Rama Nand and those killed in violent protests in the state.

Mr. Badal said he would also take up the issue with the Minister for External Affairs S.M. Krishna again on Tuesday.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Tuesday said his government was willing to pay full compensation for the losses people have suffered in violence in the state following the killing of a Dera Sachh Khand leader in a gurdwara in Austria’s capital Vienna Sunday.

Addressing the media here after an all-party meeting to discuss ways to control the violence in several parts of Punjab since Sunday evening, Badal said the situation was “normal” in most areas Tuesday.

He confirmed that at least three people had died in the violence and dozens were injured.

Reacting to the statement of central Home Minister P. Chidambaram that the Punjab government did not react adequately to control the situation, Badal said: “The situation was not in our control after it erupted. It takes some time to requisition army and paramilitary forces to assist the civil authorities.”

The all-party meeting was attended by representatives of all parties in Punjab, including the main opposition Congress.

After the meeting, Badal told reporters here: “It has been decided in the meeting that the state government would compensate all the losses. All the parties have condemned the demise of Sant Rama Nand and prayed for early recovery of Sant Niranjan Dass. This attack is a big blow on the humanity, brotherhood and peaceful environment prevailing here.”

The meeting urged the central government to ask the Austrian government to punish those behind the Vienna killing.

The state government urged the central government to expedite the process to get the body of slain sect leader Sant Rama Nand Dass, who was killed in the Vienna shrine clash, back to India.

Badal said the government had offered to give a state funeral to the sect leader if the sect wanted it.

Talking about the curfew imposed in various towns, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said: “In Jalandhar, the curfew is still in place while in Ludhiana it has been lifted in most of the areas. In Phagwara and Hoshiarpur, we have given a four-hour relaxation and gradually we will lift it completely as things are becoming quite normal.”

About the alleged delay in police action against the miscreants, Badal junior said: “We had only four companies of PAP (Punjab Armed Police) when violence broke on Sunday and they were immediately sent to the affected areas. We did not have enough manpower so we approached the Government of India. However, the central forces took five-six hours to reach the affected areas and after that the situation was completely under our control.”

Leaders of the ruling SAD-BJP alliance and the opposition were attending an all party meeting convened by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here on Tuesday to focus on restoring peace in the State shattered in the wake of the killing of a sect head in Vienna.

Besides the leaders of the SAD-BJP alliance and the Congress the meeting was being attended by representatives of the CPI, the CPI(M) and the BSP.

Besides Mr. Badal those present at the meeting include SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is also the Deputy Chief Minister, BJP Punjab president Rajinder Bhandari, Punjab Congress president Lal Singh, CPI’s Joginder Dayal, CPI(M)’s Charan Singh Virdi and BSP’s secretary Avtar Singh Karimpuri.

The others present included former Chief Minister and Leader of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Daljit Cheema and Prem Singh Chandumajra (SAD), former minister Balramji Dass Tandon, Local Bodies Minister Manoranjan Kalia and Medical Education Minister Tikshan Sud (BJP).

Three persons were killed at different places in Jalandhar district in the widespread violence and arson since Monday after the head of the Jalandhar based Dera Sachkhand Ballan and his associate were attacked in a Gurdwara at Vienna in Austria on Sunday.

Asserting the situation in the state was under control, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh BadalDera Attack, Situation Under Control: Punjab CM on Monday said the violence sparked by the killing of a Sikh sect leader in Austria was confined only to a few pockets Most read in Jalandhar and neighbouring areas. “The situation is normal. There is no violence at this moment. Some incidents which took place today were limited to a few pockets, mostly in Jalandhar,” he told a joint press conference with his son and Deputy Sukhbir Singh Badal here.

The Chief Minister said one person was killed in a shooting incident in Jalandhar’s Lambra village while seven were injured in violence elsewhere in the state since Sunday night.

Strongly condemning the killing of Sant Rama Nand infighting between rival Sikh communities in Austrian capital Vienna, he said his government would leave no stone unturned in restoring calm in the state.

“We have already deployed 40 armed battalions of the Punjab Armed Police to deal with the situation. We have also sought 25 companies of para-military forces from the Centre,” Badal said.

“Army has been asked to stand by and will be called out whenever required. Army has conducted flag marches in parts of Jalandhar to instill a sense of confidence among people,” he said.

Badal said his government would recommend to the Election Commission to defer the Nurmahal assembly by-election slatedfor May 28 as the segment falls in trouble-torn Jalandhar.

The Khalsa Action Committee and the Dal Khalsa Monday expressed its deep concern over the outbreak of violence in Punjab in the wake of the shootout in Vienna and appealed for calm and restraint.

“We were deeply distressed by the outbreak of violence in Punjab following voilent incidents in Vienna, Austria, said Bhai Mohkam and Kanwarpal Singh. Whatever the provocation, it was important to maintain peace and harmony among different sections of the people,” they said in an appeal to the people.

They said the well being and protection of downtrodden has always been basic principle of the Sikh philosophy. Urging the people to reject violence and maintain peace, they said the inept handling of the situation by the Akali led Punjab government has made things bad to worse. They criticized the Jalandhar administration for its incompetency and inefficiency in containing the voilent incidents well in time.

Condemning those who have gone on rampage destroying properties and creating fear psychosis, they said none should be allowed to play havoc with the lives of ordinary people.

They were of the opinion that the vote-bank politics played by both the major political parties – Congress & the SAD has added fuel to fire.

NAVJOT SINGH SIDHU of BJP win by a margin of 7332 votes by defeating Om Parkash Soni of Congress in Amritsar Lok Sabha 2009 elections.