The Fragile Democracy

Ever since Narenda Modi has taken over as the Prime Minister in 2014, suddenly the largest democracy has become extremely fragile and vulnerable! It wasn't so earlier. Rather, it was at its best when Indira Gandhi imposed emergency or when Rajiv Gandhi overruled Supreme Court's decision in Shah Bano case or when the Congress dismissed the State governments a whopping 41 times and so on and so forth ... But some other interesting points have come up of late ...

Recently, the Supreme Court appears to have taken up the cause seriously with Shivsena and NCP splits or majority defections. The Supreme Court is posing to be the supreme guardian of democracy. It has directed the speaker of Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha to take a decision within the specified time frame. We are told that the 3 pillars of democracy viz. the Legislative, the Executive and the Judiciary are equal and independent. If the Supreme Court can direct the Legislative to decide a matter within specified time frame, with thousands of pending cases, why can't the Legislative or the Executive direct the Supreme Court to decide matters within a specified time frame? When decisions of the Supreme Court get so much delayed that they are practically meaningless when delivered, isn't such a delayed justice actually a denied justice? If elections are required for the Legislative, why are nominations allowed for the Judiciary? Or is the Supreme Court the Supreme pillar or more equal pillar than others? What is the constitutional provision or basis for this equality or inequality?

What is democracy? We are told that it is the government of the people, by the people and for the people. We have representative democracy, so hasn't it been reduced to more like the government of the representatives, by the representatives and for the representatives? Doesn't it appear to be so when the Supreme Court is discussing the provisions of the anti-detection law?

When more than 2/3rd legislators challenge or question the party high command for its seemingly faulty decisions and choose to defy the high command's order and defect, how democratic is the anti-defection law that forces them to either join another party or get disqualified? Shouldn't the minority get disqualified instead? And how democratic is the concept of whip as well? How democratic is the act of minority high command issuing whips to the majority legislators? 

Let us leave aside the defective anti-defection law for a moment. Going to the basics, how democratic is the act of defying the mandate of the electorate by the party high command? Shouldn't the so called party high command itself get disqualified for such anti-democratic act? Or is it that the people and their mandate are completely irrelevant and ineffective after the elections and only representatives matter thereafter? How cruel is this joke on democracy? Supreme Court spends days, weeks and months discussing and debating provisions and nuances of the anti-defection law, but doesn't bother to consider basic mandate of the electorate? Shouldn't the party defying the mandate of the electorate get summarily disqualified? Shouldn't the party junking its manifesto get summarily disqualified?

So coming back to the basic question, the Supreme Court may ultimately decide based on the anti-defection law and one parry may win and the other party may lose, but aren't the real losers all of us stupid people who vote so naively to elect some government which ultimately is neither of the people, nor by the people and definitely not for the people? So doesn't it mean that our democracy is really, really fragile? What do you say?

The Gazan Questionnaire

I trust, all educated and learned individuals are fully updated on Israel-Hamas war. I have some points to make, some obvious and some not so obvious ...

First point is the UN resolution which appealed to Israel for immediate humanitarian cease-fire with no reference to, forget condemnation of, atrocities unleashed by and hostages held by Hamas ... So isn't it obvious that 14 nations opposed it, 41 nations abstained and Israel's ambassador to the UN showed it the dustin that it deserved? Why hans't UN passed a resolution denouncing Hamas or appealing to Hamas for immediate and safe return of all hostages? Isn't UN response lopsided? Does UN even matter?

Second point is innocent civilians being tormented by Israel's unprecedented offensive. All of you must have watched video of Israeli girl first raped and then paraded naked in a pickup van with hundreds of boys and men spitting on her naked body or a Hamas terrorist proudly calling his parents after killing all Jews in a family and his parents praising him for his act and so many more. Would you call such civilians innocent? Would you call such boys innocent? These boys and men may not represent entire population, but did you see even a single boy or man opposing them?

Third point is collateral damage. Israel is extremely careful not to intentionally kill civilians as far as possible, most unlike Hamas ... But when Hamas is hiding behind or under them and not coming forward to defend them by taking on the Israeli forces from front like any other nation's army, what do you expect Israelis to do? Plead and beg to Hamas with roses in folded hands that please, please, please come forward and fight with us? Isn't Hamas actually responsible for this collateral damage? With top Hamas leaders worth multi-billion-dollars enjoying life outside Gaza, does Hamas really care about Gazans? Have you seen videos of Israeli soldiers helping civilians with food, water and medicines?

Fourth point is ethical war. When your enemy is not following any ethics, what is the point you strictly following them? Didn't Bhagwat-Geeta teach us, Naro-Wa-Kunjaro-Wa?

Fifth point is how many truly and honestly distinguish between Palestinians, Gazans, Fatah and Hamas? How many actually denounce Hamas, but stand by Palestinians? Hasn't India been right in doing so? Aren't Fatah and Hamas like Bangladesh and Pakistan? Doesn't Fatah possibly want Israel to eliminate Hamas?

Finally, don't Islamic nations appear to have split opinion, most offering only lip service? Which Islamic nation is accepting Gazan refugees? Which Islamic nation has formally sent its soldiers to fight alongside Hamas? Hasn't Jordan learnt its lesson the hard way after ultimately killing thousands of Palestinian refugees? Don't most of them secretly want Israel to eliminate Hamas and Hezbollah?

Again, so many questions, but no honest answers ... Do you have any?

The Supreme Fireworks!

Today is the first day of Deepawali 2023! It was a great pleasure to see the evening sky lit up with non-stop, spectacular fireworks!! Traditionally, this is Laxmi-Pujan time when the fireworks are at their peak. And Deepawali is the only festival when entire nation is in a festive mood to enjoy these fireworks.

Off late, fireworks have attracted some criticism on account of sound and air pollution. Apparently, Supreme Court has imposed a nation-wide ban on the firecrackers this year. And I wonder, why or rather why only Deepawali?

Deepawali is celebrated for a maximum of 4 days every year and firecrackers are burst only for few hours, but the vehicular pollution is there everyday for more than 12 hours and burning of paddy stubble goes on for several days, weeks and possibly months. What does the numerical evidence suggest? How do these pollutions compare? Is the pollution caused by firecrackers even noticeable compared to the other two? Does it make sense to ban firecrackers in Deepawali, but hardly take any effective measures against vehicular pollution and paddy stubble burning? Or is it that banning firecrackers is just the easiest thing? Is it that other two forms are accepted as essential and justifiable activities, but firecrackers are considered as non-essential and unjustifiable, merry-making activity? Why not ban vehicles? Why not ban paddy stubble burning?

And what about cultural traditions and related sentiments? From Vedic times, it has been a tradition to perform Ulka-Danam as mentioned in Kartik-Mahatmya to light up the path of departed souls back to the heaven. Modern day Ulka-Danam is all these fireworks that lit up the path in the sky. But do all these things really matter to the Supreme Court? Or is it that silence of the masses is taken for granted?

Many questions, but no answers that satisfy me or maybe, you too ...