In absentia rule

Cong chief's choice of deputies reflects a lack of faith in the party's seniors

b n ramamurti | August 11, 2011



We have been witnessing the turmoil in the establishment of a watch dog (of a Jan Lokpal) for checking the corruption of omissions and commissions  in governance of  this country as a democracy -- at different levels of the executive, judiciary and in the elected representatives of the people.

This is the result of the unabated emergence  of scams of unimaginable magnitude, thanks to the unbridled power enjoyed by the elected parliamentarians, who have scant respect for anything that is moral, ethical or social, leave alone a  sense of responsibility or accountability. In short, the nation as a whole is wading through a political tsunami unbecoming of a democratic government. In this deluge, a new way of governing the government has emerged. UPA II will be supervised by a self-selected body of four from the Congress chief's coterie. Meanwhile, she herself remains absconding (tehnically speaking) undergoing surgery in an undisclosed U S hospital. Every little detail of a public figure's life is being kept a secret "for reasons of  personal security!"

Is this the beginning of a new order for the future functioning of the Indian democracy? This body of four seems to be a superpower of the kind of a vigilance commission over the official Congress Working Committee. The Congress chairperson does not seem to have trust in any of the party seniors, instead choosing to leave the party's running to a team of stooges.

The existing Congress regime  will go to any extent to bury its crimes; it will put  the blame on the BJP for  selection of O C chairman for the CWG, even when the CAG has brought to light the recommendation of the PMO in this regard; it will support chief minister of the national capital despite prrof of her administration botching up crucial CWG works; it will shamelessly disown responsibility for the 2G scam. 

Can  Indian  democracy sink to any further depth? 

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