COALITION POLITICS: WHERE ARE THE BENEFITS?
Going by the basics of coalition politics, it is considered to be an improvised institution of checks and balances in a multi-party democracy. It is expected to preclude the dictatorial wielding of power likely to be practiced by any one political party if incase it gets the popular mandate. In Indian context arrival of Coalition Politics was necessitated by strengthening bond between incumbency and Congress; the bond which was seen as a potential threat to India as a democracy and federation.
But recently, our Prime Minister made a remark which meant that 2G Scam was a result of coalition politics. Agreed that it was a result of coalition politics. But then I have a few questions in this regard:
1. Was the government aware beforehand that it was making unethical compromises?
2. Does the desire to stay in power for this government supersedes the principles of governance that demand the obeisance of the government to the nation and its people prior to any coalition partner?
3. Why does this admission made post the vociferous and vehement claims of innocence of Raja?
4. If the CBI, judiciary, opposition and the media would have succumbed to the government’s denial of the scam (which I know was least likely to happen, but still there was a probability) , then how would our PM have imitated Caesar’s wife (his standard of probity) ?
Finally, where do we have the benefits of coalition politics when the power is shared in a manner so as not to check despotism but to share the perpetration of despotism?
I was unable to find an answer to it, if you can, then please let me know.....
some views. it is true that in coalition we do have to make some compromises, maybe somethings unethical, but what we need to see is the practical side of what was possible and reasonable at that point (mr. Raja's appointment). mr. raja had no bad record as such before becoming the telecom minister. restraining him would make no sense. on the other hand it would have increased the problems for the congress led UPA government by triggering an outcry from the DMK. 2. in a country such as india it is not possible to have the government structured exactly as desired.the solution which i see is to try to make a strong and working vigilance committee. but then again we all know what has just happened. scams like the 2g, s-band, cvc case would to force any developed democracy to lose a government. what we need now is an aware public and an aware press. ps.wonder what mr manmohan's excuse be if the telecom minister had been from the congress...or would he just leave it at "i accept my responsibility" !!
ReplyDeleteThe whole thing finally is a result of our PM's ignorance. Though there could not have been any specific reason to stop Raja's appointment as telecom minister but something should have been done by Mr. Singh when he didn't pay heed to his letter (advising Raja against the irregularitites of his spectrum sale scheme) on 2G spectrum sale....
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