Time for a Women's Party?

We are strange people. We worship goddesses like Laxmi, Durga, Kali and numerous others with great fervour in homes and temples across the country. Some people can also be seen touching the feet of contemporary powerful women like Sonia Gandhi, J. Jailalitha, Mamta Banerjee, Mayawati, etc. But in real life, many of us subject our women to all possible kinds of atrocities and deny them even their most basic rights.

In line with our hypocrisy vis-à-vis women who constitute half of our populace, the MPs we sent to New Delhi five years ago ensured that the Women’s Reservation Bill proposing to reserve 33% of seats for women at all levels of legislature lapsed with the dissolution of the 15^th Lok Sabha. Similar bills had been introduced thrice earlier in 1990s and had met the same fate.

In spite of the fact that we had the world’s second woman prime minister way back in 1966, the number of women in parliament and state assemblies has been abysmally low. The percentage of women MPs has varied from less than four in the 6^th Lok Sabha to eleven in the 15^th. Closer home, only 5 women (7%) got elected to the Uttarakhand Assembly in 2007 as well as 2012, while the state has sent one woman MP apiece to Rajya and  Lok Sabha so far.

To ensure the right of women to participate in politics, the Women’s Reservation Bill, drafted in 1996, was introduced by the UPA government in May 2008 in Rajya Sabha during its first tenure. It was duly passed by Rajya Sabha on 10^th March 2010. Our representatives kept the bill pending in Lok Sabha for four years on some pretext or the other, even as numerous others were passed with little or no discussion.

Those opposed to the bill were supporters of the government like Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Bahujan Samaj Party and Trinamool Congress; whereas Janata Dal United and Shiv Sena were from the NDA camp. BSP’s Mayawati claimed that the bill was an example of anti-dalit mentality of the Congress and other political parties, while SP’s Mulayam Singh Yadav was not in its favour as he feared his own political career could come to a premature end if his constituency got reserved for women! Yadav also made certain unsavoury statements in reference to the bill.

It is worthwhile to note that this bill had widespread backing of various women’s organizations across the country; and the ruling Congress, the opposition BJP and many other parties in the parliament. AIADMK chief J. Jayalalitha, DMK’s M. Karunanidhi and BJD’s Naveen Patnaik welcomed the bill and appealed that it be adopted without delay time and again.  It also had full support of CPM, CPI, NCP, Telugu Desam Party, Akali Dal and AGP.

Notwithstanding a joint appeal to Lok Sabha MPs to pass the bill in its last session by women leaders Sushma Swaraj (BJP), Sheila Dixit (Congress) and Brinda Karat (CPI-M) from a shared platform in December 2013 and in spite of the fact that parties supporting it had more than the required strength to carry it through, it was not passed;  even as the government worked overtime to successfully push the bill for bifurcation of the state of Andhra Pradesh through both the houses of parliament in record three days.

Interestingly, had this bill been passed and had the government lost its majority in the house as a consequence following withdrawal of support by some of its allies, it would not have mattered at all at this stage. Sonia Gandhi’s “regret” at the bill not being passed by Lok Sabha for lack of consensus thus appears hollow.  

Whether our leaders genuinely want the presence of more women in legislature, or their intent is merely to exploit the issue for garnering votes, will be known to us over the next few weeks. The onus now is on political parties currently in business to ensure that women comprise a respectable percentage of the candidates they field in the forthcoming general elections on their tickets.

Should they fail to do so, it would perhaps be time for the women of this country and their well-wishers to dump them altogether and form a new party dominated by women.

(Published in Garhwal Post on 11/03/2014)

Notional Highway 58

Dear Satish Sharma ji,

This has reference to your “Open invitation to the CM” (GP dated 18/02/2014).

Let me first bring to your notice that you took an inordinately long time in congratulating Shri Harish Rawat ji, our new Chief Minister. You could easily have done so on 1^st February itself at parade ground where hordes of people from across the length and breadth of our state had assembled for this specific purpose.

You were, perhaps, unaware.  Maybe caught in a traffic jam. Or did you have some sort of an understanding with the BJP that you greeted the CM on the day the opposition party tabled the no confidence motion against his government in Vidhan Sabha? Please come clean on the matter.

State of the road from Doon to Delhi? Well it is UK-UP-UK-UP-Delhi if you take the Mohand route and UK-UP-Delhi if you want to go via Haridwar. Even a X standard child knows that. You urgently need to upgrade your knowledge of local geography.

That you feel the road is in an appalling condition is quite surprising. It is possible that you are ignorant of the fact that each of the thousands of potholes have been carefully designed, carved and put in place purposefully by none other but the Rain God himself. The sole objective being to bring people approaching Doon face to face with the almighty every few metres so that even the most stubborn atheist enters Uttarakhand as a spiritual person! Our state, after all, is Dev Bhoomi.

The road in question ensures that the first lap of adventure tourism begins at Uttarakhand Martyrs memorial at Rampur Tiraha itself; Mussoorie and Rishikesh being the stopovers for the second. NHAI should, in fact, seriously consider setting up a few “Fool Plazas” to make users of this notional (or is it national?) highway to pay tax for the thrills that they are presently getting for free. Moreover, this road has also been providing more and more self-employment opportunities to local folks who have set up puncture repair and motor workshops en route; as well as supporting our auto ancillary industry amid the current economic downturn.

This being the situation, your demand for repairs is unreasonable on two counts. One, it would amount to interference in divine work which you yourself oppose when, for example, trees are cut for road widening; and two, you seem to have no knowledge of how the government works. Unlike your newspaper that you bring out a new edition of everyday, government work is serious and thus takes time.

Orders are issued at the top, transmitted down the entire political and then the bureaucratic hierarchy to the concerned babu in the secretariat, before the first alphabet on the first page of the file is written. The file then goes up and comes down similarly with notings, sightings and initials several times before it is complete and ready to be acted upon, assuming that clearance from the high command in New Delhi has been obtained somewhere in between.

Concern for road repair will duly be announced just before the enforcement of the model code of conduct for parliamentary elections, while the file will be completed and contracts awarded a month or two before the 2017 assembly polls, thereby gaining brownie points twice instead of just once if your suggestion is considered.

And now the real reason for writing this letter to you. You have either forgotten to or deliberately not mentioned the type of vehicle you are going to use on your intended ride to Muzaffarnagar with the CM.  Is it a bicycle, scooter, motorbike, auto-rickshaw, vikram, car, jeep, SUV, tractor, bus, truck, jugaad or one that I may be ignorant of? Is it bullet proof?

As per my information, for security reasons, Chief Minister is permitted to use only a bullet proof car along with his fleet consisting of many other vehicles when travelling by road, primarily for commuting locally in Doon; taking the aerial route for inter-city and long distance journeys. So choose an appropriate automobile prudently.

And while doing so, don’t forget that Shri Satpal Maharaj ji  carried out survey for Doon Saharanpur railway line in 1997 by helicopter!

With best regards,

Rajive Singh.

(Published in Garhwal Post on 21/02/2014 as Upgrade knowledge of Geography!)

Missed the Plot

The constitution of India came into effect on 26 January 1950, giving power to its citizens to rule themselves, i.e., being administered by a government of, by and for the people. More importantly, it endeavored to secure to all its inhabitants justice, liberty and equality; as well as promoting fraternity, individual dignity and unity and integrity of the nation. The world’s largest Democratic Republic was thus born, full of hope and promise.

Sixty four years on, many of the goals we set for ourselves continue to elude us.

Based on the situation prevailing then, our constitution provided reservation on the basis of caste in parliament, legislatures, educational institutions and government jobs for a period of 20 years, hoping that disadvantaged sections would attain parity with others within the stipulated time. Whereas this in itself was controversial as not all upper caste people were rich, educated and well off, and vice versa; what instead happened was the cornering of most such benefits by the affluent of such castes in the initial years and by their progenies thereafter. Few of the actual intended beneficiaries could actually use it to their advantage.

Such quota system not only continues till date, but more and more castes have been included, while many others are clamoring to get in, even as the percentage of reservation itself has gone up significantly, amid shrinking opportunities. Worse, our political parties have been trying to bring private sector under the reservation net too.

            For the quota system to really have a positive effect on the lives of the have-nots, it should be a one-time concession made available to an individual - and not for all his descendants for all times to come - poverty being the only basis. Moreover, its quantum must come down to reasonable levels.

Secularism is one feature that can unite people of different faiths like no other. For us, however, it means selective minority ism, i.e., a particular religious minority is wooed and pampered for political gain, other minorities and the majority being given a go by. Anyone talking about the interest of the majority community is branded a fundamentalist. Following a communal disturbance, a large number of our secularists shed bountiful tears for one group but fail to do the same for sufferers belonging to the other.

In 1989 when militants subjected Kashmiri Pandits to numerous indignities and brutalities such as murder, rape of women, torture, forcible seizure of property, etc., forcing them to flee their homeland, our elected governments in New Delhi and Srinagar watched helplessly and spinelessly, failing to take tough action. Even as the Pandits complete 25 years as refugees in camps in their own country, our secularists have failed to take notice of their plight, their return to and rehabilitation in Kashmir seemingly not even being on anybody’s agenda.

Rather than promoting fraternity, reservation and secularism have become tools in the hands of our politicians to compartmentalize us for exploitation as vote banks.

Law and order has deteriorated across the country as a result of political interference in police work and its increasing use in providing security to VIPs. Politicians have also been patronizing big time criminals increasingly, many of them being lawbreakers themselves.

Ghastly crimes are on the rise; particularly against children, women and senior citizens; with no respite in sight. Meaningful action is taken only if people come out on the streets to protest or political scores are to be settled.

Bribery, larceny and lethargy reign supreme in government offices. Contracts are awarded not on merit but on the amount of kickbacks received. Public funds are frequently embezzled in the corridors of power. Security of the country is compromised for easy money.

Justice remains an illusion for most. Our courts take years for delivering verdicts, resulting in even well-intentioned witnesses frequently turning hostile. Conviction rates are abysmally low as police commonly botch up investigation.While our brave defence personnel have been making supreme sacrifices for us in increasing numbers, our governments have been shying away from taking tough decisions. Pakistan not only controls part of Kashmir and repeatedly violates the LOC, but also sends in terrorists regularly. Chinese forces have been intruding into our territory more and more frequently. Bangladesh has been exporting illegal immigrants to us in ever increasing numbers. We have been repeatedly failing to protect our national interest. What went wrong? Where did we lose the plot? Nobody seems to have any answer.

Amid the great hope of 1950 turning to despair, we celebrate our 65^th Republic Day. A great official - of, by and for the government -  spectacle in New Delhi, exhibiting our military might, heritage, culture, and unity; for Chief Guest Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, our elected rulers and the world to witness.

All is not lost, though. For the ordinary citizen of this country is increasingly refusing to play the mute spectator.

(Published in Garhwal Post on 25th January 2014)

How far can AAP go?

The euphoria amongst the residents of Delhi in general and the supporters of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in particular after AAP’s success in the December 2013 Assembly polls is quite like the one witnessed in March 1977 across the country in the wake of the defeat of the Congress at the hands of the Janata Party in the general elections and the installation of the first ever non-Congress Union government. Shiela Dixit herself got humiliated in her own constituency, as had Indira Gandhi in Rae Barielly then. Elsewhere, Congress lost out to the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh, while it retained power in Mizoram.

Post the debacle, a sudden flurry of activity from the Congress has been witnessed. The Lokpal Bill was hurriedly gotten passed by both the houses of parliament in record two days and has already received presidential assent. Maharashtra government, that had rejected the Judicial Commission report on Adarsh scam on 20^th December, is likely to reverse its decision soon. In the wake of the recent Supreme Court judgement upholding I.P.C. section 377 as valid a review petition has been hurriedly filed by the government, though nothing had been done for the last 13 years after Law Commission recommended that it be scrapped. Augusta Westland helicopter deal has been scrapped. Some twenty five years after Rajiv Gandhi famously admitted that barely 10% of the funds meant for the poor actually reached them – 90% being swindled en route, his son Rahul has suddenly realised that people are in a “mood” to fight corruption!

Anti-corruption crusader turned politician Arvind Kejriwal donning the mantle of the first non-Congress non-BJP Chief Minister of Delhi, albeit of a minority government, has to walk the tightrope in his bid to keep his populist poll promises on electricity and water; provide transparent and corruption free governance; as also to keep the Congress party in good humour to ensure its continued support. He has started off well by doing away with unnecessary heavy security in the Secretariat as also beacons on ministers and bureaucrats cars. After all, public servants who are not easily accessible to and have to be shielded from the ordinary citizens they are supposed to serve are not only useless but also a huge drain on scarce public funds.

All right thinking and forward looking citizens of India are fed up of the raging all round corruption that has taken firm roots in our country to an extent that, if not dealt with and uprooted urgently, will soon put a question mark on our very existence as a nation. Tales of how politicians, bureaucrats and power brokers are routinely looting us are uncovered regularly as newer scams get exposed. Police is busy guarding the “servants” of the public while the “masters” must fend for themselves. Kejriwal himself stood up for such issues and much of his electoral success can be attributed to this. As such, his working, particularly in the area of tackling graft, will be under constant public scrutiny.

Our political parties compete with each other in making unreasonable promises while wooing voters, subsidy being the magic word. LPG, kerosene and diesel are sold at less than what they cost in the name of “taming” inflation, rendering blue chip oil companies sick on one hand and preventing private players from competing on the other. Safety and services on Indian Railways, the third largest globally, take a back seat as passenger fares are not hiked for a decade since the incumbent ministers want to add to their political clout. Our leaders, perhaps, want us to become a nation of freeloaders wanting all without paying for anything.

In line with this tradition and as promised, the AAP government has already announced 700 litres of free water per household per day and slashed the electricity tariff by half for three months. More sops may be in the pipeline. How, why and for how long can goods and services can thus be provided is anybody’s guess. Ultimately some other vital plans have to be put on hold or abandoned altogether to support such subsidies. It would have been much better had AAP promised uninterrupted supplies at normal rates.

Congress has a notorious history of opportunistically propping up and ditching other dispensations at its whims. In 1979, it promised outside support to an ambitious Charan Singh who split the Janata Party to form a minority government, only to ditch him on the floor of the Lok Sabha. It meted out similar treatment to Chandra Shekhar in1990, H.D. Deve Gowda in 1997 and I.K. Gujral in 1998, thus forcing three early general elections on the country. Against this backdrop, it would be foolhardy to think that the present AAP government can last very long. As such Kejriwal has to work swiftly and hard to showcase his administrative skills. 

By lending support to AAP, Congress seems to have struck a political masterstroke. It has not only denied an upbeat BJP a 4-0 victory in the Hindi belt, but also ensured that Kejriwal and his team are kept busy in Delhi ahead of the parliamentary polls six months away, thereby minimising the influence of AAP elsewhere in the country. These twin objectives achieved, it is expected that Congress will lose little time in dumping Kejriwal soon after the general elections, irrespective of their outcome.

(Published in Garhwal Post on 3rd January 2014)

Exemplary Netas

Our netas are truly great. They lead by example, their leadership skills being constantly on public display, which common people ought to emulate. Take our fundamental duties, for instance. The first duty, among ten others, that every citizen of India is obliged to fulfil is to “abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem”.

Our neta’s allegiance to our constitution is complete. Whenever there is any difficulty in following our constitution, it is suitably amended so that it can truly be followed in letter and spirit. 

Staging walk outs and stalling the functioning of the houses of parliament and state assemblies are but a few ways our netas use to express their respect for the ideals of our constitution. Towards this end our MLAs - particularly those belonging to the northern and eastern states – who frequently hurl shoes, mikes and abuses; as well as damage property, tear up documents and manhandle their adversaries inside state assemblies, are way ahead of their national counterparts.

Bills are frequently passed with little or no debate. Keeping this in mind, the UPA government recently allotted just 36 hours of time for discussion on 30 bills in the ongoing monsoon session of the parliament. Whenever legislation pertaining to granting reservation based on caste or increasing their own perks and privileges are tabled, our leaders cut across party lines and exhibit great camaraderie to pass such laws unanimously. That the likes of Women’s Reservation Bill, which can benefit half of our population in one go, are never passed is quite another matter.

Recent Supreme Court judgement prohibiting criminals from contesting elections and unseating MPs and MLAs on being sentenced to two years or more in prison in a criminal case; or the Central Information Commission’s edict bringing political parties under the ambit of the Right to Information Act 2005, that seek to cleanse our system and restrain the supreme authority of our leaders has not gone down well with them. Predictably, they are resolutely against both these orders and are exhibiting exemplary unity in their endeavour to supersede them with legislation and amendments.

Our netas also show their respect for constitutional institutions from time to time. The Central Bureau of Investigation, for example, is frequently used to settle political scores while the Central Vigilance Commission is deployed for cornering uncompromising bureaucracy.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), which exposes scam after scam committed by our ministers and their associates, is perhaps the only constitutional establishment which is functioning independently without any political interference.

If our national netas have accomplished so much, our Uttarakhandi ones can do still better. On 15 August this year MLA Ganesh Joshi of the BJP and Mussoorie Municipal Chairman Manmohan Singh Malla of the Congress argued, roughed each other up and almost came to blows on the podium in their bid to unfurl the tricolor to mark the 67^th Independence Day in Mussoorie, thereby exhibiting a unique way of respecting our National Flag.

Our netas will, hopefully, not keep us waiting for long to show us how we can respect our National Anthem!

(Published in Garhwal Post on 23/08/2013)

International Day of Children Victims of Aggression

In the wake of the miseries borne by a large number of innocent Palestinian and Lebanese children victims of Israel's acts of aggression, a dismayed United Nations General Assembly, on 19 August 1982, decided to observe 4 June of each year as the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression. The purpose of the day is to acknowledge the pain suffered by children throughout the world who are the victims of physical, mental and emotional abuse and affirm the UN's commitment to protect the rights of children.

In his message on 3 June 1983, the eve of the first International Day of Children Victims of Aggression, UN Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar emphasized on the urgent need to “recall the sacred duty, enshrined in the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child, to ensure that all children, without any exception whatsoever, enjoy special protection; and that they are given all possible opportunities and facilities to enable them to develop in a normal and healthy manner, in conditions of freedom and dignity, and to grow up in an atmosphere of affection and security.”

Refugees Magazine (Vol. 1, No. 122, dated 01 March 2001), a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) publication, is an exclusive edition titled “Children” that lays bare shocking facts. At the turn of the century there were nearly 50 million uprooted peoplearound the world - refugees who sought safety in other countries and people displaced within their own countries - half of them being children under the age of 18. More than two million children are believed to have been killed, another six million wounded and one million orphaned in war and terrorist conflicts in the 1990s.

An estimated 3,00,000 boys and girls, some less than 10 years old, were also serving as soldiersaround the world, with many girl soldiers being forced into different forms of sexual slavery. Children were also found to be the main victims of 60 million land mines in 87 countries that were claiming thousands of lives every year. School buildings, teachers, children and civilians were increasingly becoming deliberate targets in warfare, a glaring example being the destruction of 45 percent schools in Mozambique during its 1977 - 1992 civil war.

The magazine also identifies HIV/AIDS - that had killed 3.8 million children and orphaned another 13 million in the 1990s - as one of the greatest threats to children, particularly in countries ravaged by war. Sale of children for exploitation for labour, sex and pornography, and the fact that preventable diseases and malnutrition claim the lives of ten million children worldwide under the age of five each year, are some of the other truths uncovered.

The UN 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most important legal framework for the protection of children. Like the Constitution of India, it is derived from a core set of human values and ethical promises based on the natural dignity and equal inalienable rights of all humanity, including children. It incorporates children’s civil, political, social, economic, cultural and protection rights. The Convention has the highest number of state parties to any human rights treaty, approved by all countries except the United States and Somalia. With India's ratification on 2 December 1992, over 90 percent of the world's children came within the ambit of this Convention.

In December 2005 the Indian Parliament passed the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act under which the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) was set up in March 2007. NCPCR's obligation is to ensure that all laws, policies, programmes, and administrative mechanisms are in harmony with the child rights perspective as enshrined in the Constitution of India and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Another key duty of NCPCR is to inquire into complaints of violations of child rights, take suo moto cognisance of serious cases of their violation and examine factors that hinder their enjoyment. State level commissions have been established barely by half the states so far, though Uttarakhand Commission for Protection of Child Rights was constituted on 10 May 2011.

Notwithstanding the existence of adequate legal framework, and mainly because of public indifference, children in our country continue to increasingly suffer from poverty, homelessness, abuse, neglect, preventable diseases, unequal access to education and the like. Child beggars at traffic signals, in the market place, outside malls, temples, bus and railway stations is a common sight across our country. Children can also be seen delving into garbage for food or discarded items they can use or sell. Exploitation of children also continues unabated in the form of their employment as domestic helps, dhabhas as well as in hazardous industries like construction, manufacture of beedis, bangles and fireworks. In spite of having the right to free and compulsory education up to the age of 14 many of our children are not enrolled in schools; and the ones that are drop out mid-way in large numbers.

Like her adult counterpart, the position of girl child is even worse. Atrocities against her begin even before she is born. Pre-natal sex determination tests, though banned, are extensively carried out and female fetuses are shamelessly aborted in our quest for a male heir. Within many homes, girls are made to work more and given lesser facilities than their brothers. Heinous crimes against women and girls like kidnapping, rape and murder are increasing day by day. Even infant in arms and two year old toddlers are not spared. The situation is nastiest not in some remote strife-torn location, but in and around New Delhi, the seat of the world’s largest democracy, the aggressors being not from across the border but home grown Indian males!

Consequently, there are only 940 females in India per 1000 men. Among the states (UTs excluded), Delhi and Haryana have the dubious distinction of occupying the last two positions with sex ratios of 866 and 877 respectively. Kerala occupies the top rank with 1084 and is also the only state where women outnumber men, while Uttarakhand with 963 is twelfth. The position in the 0-10 age group is worse though. The good news is that between 2001 and 2011 censuses the sex-ratio improved marginally by 7 nationally with most states registering increments. J&K (-17), Bihar (-5), Gujarat (-3) and Uttarakhand (-1) being the exceptions.

Trafficking of children also remains a serious problem in India. The nature and scope of trafficking range from industrial and domestic labour, to forced early marriages and commercial sexual exploitation. Existing studies show that over 40 per cent of women sex workers enter the trade before the age of 18 years. Thousands of girls are also moved into India from Nepal and Bangladesh every year for the same purpose. Moreover, for children who have been trafficked and rescued, opportunities for rehabilitation remains scarce and reintegration process arduous.

The situation continues to be grim as we join the rest of the world to observe the 31^st International Day of Children Victims of Aggression. The standards and principles articulated in the Convention can become a reality only when they are respected by everyone - within the family, in schools, institutions, communities, neighbourhoods and at all levels of administration. We have to shed our apathy and come together as mature citizens of India to put an end to our children’s plight and enforce, nurture and further their legitimate rights.

(Published in Garhwal Post on 05/06/2013 as Further Children's Rights)

Close contest - for second place !

Local Bodies elections are essentially the basic foundation of a democratic system, the kindergarten of politics of a free society.  Homegrown folks get a chance to try their hand at politics in their neighborhoods among people individually known to them, work for collective welfare and vital amenities, and, if they have it in them, emerge as state and national leaders of the future. The most important features of these elections are low key but personalized house to house campaigns and fierce competition for each vote as the victory margin is frequently in single digit. Being sort of a talent hunt, they attract a large number of participants and usually have a festive aura much like a local sports meet.

A large number of women candidates are contesting the upcoming 28^th April Dehra Dun Municipal Corporation elections as twenty seats out of sixty are earmarked for them. While this reservation is to ensure the participation of more ladies in our public bodies, more often than not, political parties dole out tickets to the wives or female relatives as stand-ins for the men they intend to field, rather than genuine deserving candidates. In this respect BJP has been the only major party that has not tried to circumvent the ladies seats by propping up proxies, but has, on the contrary, fielded women candidates from ten general seats as well.

Women are, without doubt, more honest, sincere, hardworking, dedicated and compassionate than men. At an election meeting I happened to be present at, I witnessed a rare show of feminine large heartedness, discipline and camaraderie. That of the sitting BJP legislator Anuradha Garg, who found herself out of contention as the boundaries of her constituency had been redrawn, canvassing vociferously and whole heartedly for Anita Singh, her party’s candidate from her area West Patel Nagar (ward no. 54) this time, instead of sulking or contesting as a rebel aspirant.

Congress, the other major political party, finds itself on a sticky wicket. Unpopular decisions, like imposition of VAT on LPG gas on one hand and its reduction on liquor on the other, taken by its government in office in Uttarakhand, will surely cost it dear across the state. Suryakant Dhasmana, the controversial candidate it has put up for the post of Mayor of Dehra Dun, will most likely nullify any anti-incumbency factor that BJP’s Vinod Chamoli would have faced under normal circumstances. Former mayor Manorama Sharma, who was made to withdraw in favour of Dhasmana, would perhaps been a better candidate.

BSP’s Rajni Rawat, who finished second ahead of the Congress candidate and gave a scare to Chamoli in 2008 as an independent, is the third big mayoral candidate in fray. It will be interesting to watch if the BSP ticket will bring Rawat more votes than she secured last time on her own. With barely a couple of days left for polling, Chamoli seems comfortably placed ahead of others and looks set for a second term. All eyes would rather be on the struggle between Dhasmana and Rawat for the second place!

In their bid to have their “yes men” down to the last rung, “high commands” sitting in New Delhi are increasingly interfering in the selection of candidates for local bodies, taking much of the sheen out of these elections. Not only should there be no meddling from political bigwigs, but even political parties should stay clear of such elections in order that all candidates have a level playing field and civic polls maintain their essence of the carnivals of democracy that they really are.

(Published in Garhwal Post on 24/04/2013)