Nauseating affairs in the Legislative Assemblies of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka – Evidences of Democracy deficit or the End of Public Morality?

The position of ‘Leader of Opposition” reduced to a theatrical show in Tamil Nadu

The history of State Government (Provincial Government) in India takes root in the Government of India Act 1919 (very inception) and in Government of India Act 1935 (expansion to Federalism).  The debates of the Legislative Assembly are a treasure house with debates that would demonstrate the greatest acumen and presence of mind of the members. One peculiar aspect of Indian Democracy is that in an electoral democracy, the voices of dissent voters are also recognized through the opposition party/parties. Motilal Nehru, has held the position of the ‘Leader of Opposition’ in the Central Legislative Assembly.

Position of Leader of opposition

Many of our students of Political Science and Public Administration are not aware of that the position of “Leader of Opposition” of the Lokshabha, Rajyasabha (Indian Parliament) and also in the State Legislative Assembly. Apart from the definition what media has given for Leader of Opposition, such as opposing each and every activity of the ruling party, there are many other statutory responsibilities for a Leader of Opposition that includes being the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, in which any administrator can be summoned and called for explanation for non compliance of Legislative Directions/ Policies and also for audit objections. In fact, the model of business in Parliament is the source of inspiration of conducting the statutory meetings like Universities’ Senate, Academic council and the Syndicate. The debates of the assembly are carefully recorded, documented and preserved for future reference because that is the only source of documenting popular decisions in an electoral democracy.

Apart from the power of raising questions, moving of resolutions, motions while the Assembly is in action, there are very many legislative procedures that centre on the Leader of opposition. Apart from these, a leader of opposition is a part and parcel of the business of the following committees:- 

Committee on Estimates

Committee on Public Accounts

Committee on Public Undertakings

Business Advisory Committee

Committee on Rules

Committee on Privileges

Committee on Delegated Legislation

Committee on Government Assurances

House Committee

Committee on Petitions

Library Committee

Committee on Papers Laid on the Table of the House

Decorum of Conduct of Members of the House

            It is a sad reality that people who aspire for political leadership are seldom aware of the basic etiquette and public manners. Just like an advocate appointed as a Judge required to refine his public presentation, a candidate contesting for election need to change his attitude, focus and behavior once he gets elected. Gone are the days when honest, thical men used to contest in elections and nowadays the infamous saying of Bernard shaw on Politics is proving to be a bitter truth. This deficiency of public morality, the crisis of personal conduct, the erosion of values in public life is very recently testified in the Assembly of Tamil Nadu with the uncouth behavior of a responsible leader of opposition what is described as a “Rude behavior”.

The First Leader of opposition to be suspended in the History of Tamil Nadu Assembly – Mr.Vijakanth.

It is extremely shocking that the 14^th Legislative Assembly of the State Government of Tamil Nadu has suspended the Leader of Opposition from entering into the House for ten days. Yes, the Leader of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, Mr. Vijakanth, the actor turned politician have been shown the way out by the speaker of the house for the first time in the history of Tamil Nadu’s History of Legislative Assembly. Many might say, it is the decision of the Chief Minister Jayalalitha or they might say decision by a ruling party with a ‘Thumping Majority’. Here the issue as telecast in television depicts Mr. Vijayakanth re-enacting his film shoot, shouting in a dramatized manner. During his earlier election campaigns, he categorically made it clear that he is drunk and coming for election canvassing, still the hatred, wrath and public anger earned by the “family politics” of Mr.M.Karunanidhi , the DMK leader and the then Chief Minister even pardoned the drunkard politician who was blabbering in public and manhandling his own party candidate in the eyes of the public.

            Thus, Mr.Vijayakanth has started a new episode of being the nastiest leader of opposition of Tamil Nadu Assembly!

 The Case of Karnataka – Three ministers Watching Porn Clips in the House

When its mere a comical tragedy that squared up Mr.Vijayakanth in Tamil Nadu Assembly, three ministers of BJP were caught on camera watching porn mms clips. What is subtle here is that the press persons have acted as moral police, who are equally unethical on other grounds. The three ministers, all married in their late 50’s, have been caught watching porn clips sitting inside the Legislative Assembly. Here the issue of watching porn clips has been made an issue with the backdrop that BJP has been the right-wing moral police known for its agitations against Valentine’s Day celebrations and Hindutva ideology. The shocking aspect is one of the ‘porn watchers’ is the Minister of Women and Child Health. This is a classical example of the end result of erosion of family values, public morality and ethical standards.

The far reaching consequences of sidelining moral values, making fun of an honest man as being a fool and living in unrealistic world, parents paying bribes for getting school admissions and even jobs in service sectors, shamelessness for the demand of dowry, pleasure seeking spirit at the cost of other’s pain, selfishness to the core, vote for cash, claiming corruption as a pride and above all, the erosion of Ethical values in Family, School, Community, Market have now reflected in the State Politics.

Immediate needs

1.      There is a great need for Psychological counseling for Mr. Vijakanth and also for the three ministers. In fact, they are mentally ill and unrealistic and live in a different world.

2.      The State and Central Governments should realize that mere lamenting on the erosion of values is not enough and a great thrust must be given for inculcating moral values among school, college and University Students.

3.      Just like USA went for a willful surrender of pistols, the Government might think of a definitive policy of delimiting the technical specification of Mobile Phones to be just mobile phone and not a multi functional device that could be permitted in Official places and schools.

4.      Legislative Procedures need to be taught from Schools and this should make the representatives of people right from Village Community to Indian Parliament, aware of their official etiquette and decorum.

Before I finish some Observations:-

1.      The media persons who exposed the three porn watchers should also be aware that they conduct a similar affair when featuring the personal lives of celebrities ( Jaya’s Beef Eating is a classic Example)

2.      The BJP, known for its conservative face lift in Indian Polity, should be aware that this is a universal phenomenon of all men who are suffering from sexual starvation – a mental condition. This is the reality. Just imagine what would be plight of the porn watchers, if they happened to women, instead of men. The BJP might take this as the yardstick in dealing with the Porn Watchers.

3.      Parents should know that this is the first Alarm bell that tells that inculcation of Moral values is the first duty then fulfilling their material needs! 

“Bhagavat Gita” – The Meeting Point for An American Scholar , An Australian Expert and an Indian

The Chinese word for "crisis" 

School Psychology Programme in Pondicherry

A couple of days ago, upon invitation from the Organizers of a “Five Day Training Programme in School Psychology” for the Government School Principals and Teacher Educators of the Union Territory of Pondicherry, I joined the team of National and International Experts in School Psychology. Prof. G.B.Thakur, former Chairman NCTE and a phenomenal personality , Prof. Bill Pfol, President, International School Psychology Association and Professor, Western Kentucky University, USA and Ms.Coosje Griffith, a practitioner of school psychology in Western Australia with a very good reputation.

I was the part of the training team and was invited to speak on Indian School Education System, Right to Education Act and the Policy Dimension of School Education.

The audiences were school principals with more than three decade of service in schools in and around in Puducherry.

Indian School Education’s Condition

I was almost to suffer a heart attack that none of the participants have ever seen a copy of India’s National Education Policy, 1986 and its amended version of 1992. When Prof.Bill Pfol was speaking about Policy Advocacy in US on School Psychology and Ms.Coosje Griffith was speaking about “a definitive School Policy” as a guideline for a program of action plan, it is a sad reality that our Teachers are kept in dark about the National Education Policy, 1986, that is the guiding light for Indian Educational System! At least we lack the developed countries by six to seven decades in knowledge growth! I wish to write about this in a separate occasion and hence reserve my comments on the same.

An Interesting Piece of knowing Chinese Word for Crisis

            In course of our conversation, I found I was talking more on Western Thinkers like Maslow, Freud, Jung and Prof. Bill was speaking more on Eastern Thinkers and the Oriental cultures and Ms.Coosje, the Australian versatile person and a sweet person was almost obsessed with Tagore as she was quoting him in and out.

            It was in that encounters, Prof.Bill Pfol introduced me about the Chinese word for Crisis. Popularized in a public speech by JFK in 1959, in a convocation address, where he mentioned as follows:-

When written in Chinese the word crisis is composed of two characters.

One represents danger, and the other represents opportunity.

( Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_word_for_%22crisis%22) and also there are some counter arguments for the same http://pinyin.info/chinese/crisis.html).

            Mentioning the above, Prof. Bill Pfol, asked me if there is any Indian equivalence for the Chinese Expression of Crisis.

            I after making a quick references, replied Prof.Bill as follows:-

Regarding the Indian response for Crisis:

This is my understanding that I also cross checked with some good friends who have a great depth in Indian Philosophy and Mysticism.

You would be surprised to note that according to Hindu Traditions, our acts and deeds are outcome of our own actions ( Karma). (You can find the correlation of Einstein’s third law of motion – Every Action has an equal and opposite reaction). Further, there is nothing called Good or Bad, Crisis or Bliss since this world itself is an illusion (Maya- which goes hand in hand with the word “void” of Ecclesiastes of the Old Testament).

Therefore, the question of crisis management or rejoicing is to be treated alike by a stable human ( Sithapragnyan), as Bhagavat Gita, the sacred Text of Hindus say. With these backdrop, I would like to draw your attention to what “Acceptance Theory of Hindu Tradition to whatever happens”, is elicited in the summation of Bhagavat Gita called “ Gita Saaram” ( ‘saaram’ means essence). It is as follows:-

The ‘Gita Saaram’, or the wordings which Lord Krishna told to Arjuna during Kurushetra War is translated in English as below.
Whatever has happened is for good.
Whatever is happening is going on well.
Whatever will happen will also be good.
Why are you repenting for whatever you have lost?
Have you brought anything with you that you have lost?
Have you produced anything that is destroyed?
Whatever you have gained, you have taken it from here.
Whatever you gave, you have given it here.
Whatever belongs to you today, belonged to someone yesterday,
And It may belong to someone the day after.
“Change is the Rule of Nature”. 

            This is the absolute essence of a Hindu way of encountering Life/World.

I wish you this mail would have given you some clarity. If not, please get back to me.

Sincerely,

Sd/-

However, on a deeper thinking I wonder whether the ‘Gita saram’  is a deliberate construction for consoling the weak and the meek and do not have nothing to do with people who are deeply self motivated. Does it not enforce “Status Quo” or a standstill of all activities and simply enforce an implicit discipline to accept things as they are? Does it not sound that it addresses the “Losers” or does it really caution a victorious person not to be complacent?

In any case, When Hinduism itself is a democratic institution that even accommodated atheism as a part of it ( Choonyavadh – again reminds me few selective portion of of Ecclesiastes of the Old Testament),  does this ‘Gita Saram’ really a part of the understanding of Gita? Because, I am alarmed at the mechanic approach it applies to human liberation and slavery, both alike! I started thinking on it seriously wish you also join me, despite our other chores and expected functions to fulfill all our existential needs!

            How beautiful is this world of Ideas?

(I again sound a caution to the readers that I have given the treatment of Bhavat Gita for this very particular context and not the whole idea of society, caste and divisions)