Dear BK:
Thanks for your explanations. You make some good and persuasive
points:
Even though majority will is the foundation in a democracy, it is
not absolute.
Often many of our friends overlook that point. In fact I shudder
when I read newspaper editorials or columns of 'erudite' intellectuals
in the desi media who are oblivious of this point.
A well crafted constitution defines, among other things, those
fundamental rights that cannot be tampered with by majority will. But
for such a constitution to remain the bedrock of the principles of a
functioning democratic state, it has to be zealously defended by a
truly independent and enlightened judiciary.
Now for the question of the 'minorities' of India holding all
that power:
I have two questions here:
1: HOW, in an avowedly SECULAR democracy, has a religious
minority come to play such an important role in governance?
Ordinarily, in a secular democracy, majority and minority issues
will be based on every interest but RELIGION, which , by definition,
ought to be out of governance.
Obviously, Indian democracy is NOT really secular. Even though
the intent was there, it never turned out to be so.
Why? Because religion or what passes for religion, has always
been the main
force behind political contests: Not about ideology, such as
capitalism/socialism/communism, or about
conservatism/progressiveness/liberalism, not about particular pressing
social issues, such as the economy, or education or healthcare-- or
what have you.
Elections have been fought, by and large, on caste, on religion,
on ethnic/cultural issues and they continue to dominate the
scene.
It is obvious that the Indian polity has been unable to dig
itself out of this
mode, even today. The modern thinkers (?), the BJP, itself is
totally mired in it. The Congress talks the right talk, but exploits
secularism blatantly. The result is that the religion based divisions
get even worse.
Isn't it time to steer the national discourse around to ISSUES
that effect people's lives, here on earth?
2: HOW does a 13% Muslim minority and the numerous other smaller
entities, along language, culture, religion , ideology and even though
rare--issue based ones, come to play such significant role in the
electorate system?
You already explained that--the need to form govts.,
because there is no single political party in the country any more who
can form a govt. on its own.
The result therefore is this enormously need for continual
horse trading that is required to keep a fragile coalition together,
taking the energies away from performing their duties to govern.
A national will is impossible to forge.
Is it likely to change in the foreseeable future? You
take a guess.
It is for this reason, I have been convinced for some years now,
that India will continue to founder. Its polity is just way too
fractured, too fragmented, to be able to effect meaningful reforms for
the greater good of the country. And my belief is strengthened by the
prevailing tenor of the national discourse in India, which is
reflected by some of the countries best and most informed -- the NRIs
and even NRAs.
Best,
c
At 7:25 AM -0400 6/13/05, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
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You've raised a proper question which I think I am not
prepared to answer it in all its ramification. The subject has been
dealt with academically and may be pursued on the website. Minorities
are playing a vital role in Indian politics wherever a single party
has failed to rule with absolute majority. It is during a hung
Parliament that the minorities can play their trump card effectively
as it were by holding the prospective rulers to ransom.
In governments formed with marginal majority in Parliament the threat of a break-up always looms large in the horizon since the parties today are so much torn with rivalry and aspirations within and outside the party. Look at the BJP in Assam which hopes to capture power in the near future. And look at the Congress Party in Assam which commands majority in the State legislature and yet from the very day Tarun Gogoi was sworn in office there have been attempts to throw him out either by his own colleagues, if not by the unhappy members of the minority groups. The minorities' machinations within the party appear to be more serious than the political agitations mounted by the tribal, scheduled caste, Tea Estate labourers, and so on outside the legislature..
In governments formed with marginal majority in Parliament the threat of a break-up always looms large in the horizon since the parties today are so much torn with rivalry and aspirations within and outside the party. Look at the BJP in Assam which hopes to capture power in the near future. And look at the Congress Party in Assam which commands majority in the State legislature and yet from the very day Tarun Gogoi was sworn in office there have been attempts to throw him out either by his own colleagues, if not by the unhappy members of the minority groups. The minorities' machinations within the party appear to be more serious than the political agitations mounted by the tribal, scheduled caste, Tea Estate labourers, and so on outside the legislature..
Politics is power-sharing. This power is exercised a by a small
coterie of people called the Cabinet. From time to time we hear about
a Cabinet within a Cabinet. These members called Ministers distribute
the loaves and fishes of the State. They have enormous power. And
since the Cabinet always includes representatives of the minorities,
these Ministers have the taste of power which is known to be
more stimulating than alcohol. The convention is that once a peoples'
representative becomes a Minister, he is supposed to work for the
State rather than for his own constituents, the voters who elected
him. In practice they (the Ministers) tend to serve their own
community in various ways. As I said earlier as Members of the
minority communities are invariably included in the Cabinet, a
majority government also becomes some sort of a coalition. Mind you,
depending on the circumstances the possibility of a member of the
minority community becoming the leader or Chief Minister cannot be
ruled out..
Bhuban
Bhuban
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