MyVoice: Views of our readers 17th April 2024

Risk to Constitution looms large

The fear expressed by the INDIA bloc leaders that the BJP might change the Constitution to march on with its Hindutva agenda if it gets a third term cannot be dismissed as ill-founded. It stems from the party’s extreme right wing policies and communally-charged rhetoric impoverishing the citizenry and polarizing the society along religious lines. The party does not admit to being in full agreement with what the Constitution embodies and upholds – secularism, equality of religions, human equality, social justice and human dignity. What the Hindu Right, of which Prime Minister Narendra Minister is the face, represents is antithetical to the values underpinning the Constitution. ‘Hindu-first’, implicit in Hindutva, and ‘Constitution-first’ are a contradiction in terms. So are ‘religious statecraft’ and ‘secular statecraft’. The doubt lingers as all the items in BJP’s wish list cannot be fully implemented without altering the basic features of the Constitution, adopted in 1950 as a legacy of the freedom struggle. The idea of a pluralist democracy runs through the Constitution. It is difficult to envisage how the BJP will actualise ‘one nation, one religion’, ‘one nation, one language’ and ‘one nation, one culture’ in its bid to ‘remake India’ without first providing for it in the Constitution. There are also concerns that it may use ‘national security’ as a fig leaf to water down constitutionally guaranteed fundamental rights and freedoms if it retains its power. Given the RSS’ belief in ‘the purity of the genetic pool’, it is reasonable to suspect that there may be a ban on inter-caste and inter-religious marriages. Disenfranchisement of those who are counted as ‘less Indian’ for whatever reason is also a frightening, yet distinct possibility. It is our patriotic duty to save the Constitution, our secular Holy Book that sanctifies our parliamentary democracy, holds our country together and enables us to live together peaceably and fulfill our aspirations.

G.David Milton, Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

India a poor nation with rich in a few hands

Ahead of elections for Lok Sabha and Assemblies for a few states, Election Commission has seized a big amount of Rs 4,650 crores together with drugs etc, to induce voters as against Rs.3,475 crores caught in 2019. Where these whopping monies are coming from unless it is corrupt one agglomerated by politicians? Wealth accumulation in the hands of a rich group illegally and unlawfully makes India a poor country. Even after quarter century of Independence and said to be great persons ruled the nation, poverty, unemployment, inflation, inequality of income, etc , are still standing as landmarks for backwardness. Ten years rule of present regime is no better than earlier Governments. Absolute power corrupts absolutely and self aggrandisement and one man rule without strong opposition certainly damages the dictums of democracy.

Dr NSR Murthy, Secunderabad

PM Modi making a fool of himself

It is sad that in spite of SC ruling on ill conceived Election Bond Scheme through which the political parties were facilitated to collect donations through anonymous donors with ruling party BJP managing to corner maximum donations, PM continues to claim that there is nothing wrong and has claimed it is the best transparent scheme. If it was indeed a transparent scheme then why responsible citizens and ADR had to approach court to scrap this scheme. Why hasn’t the BJP started disclosing the names of donors from the day the scheme came into force and set the ball rolling for the other parties to follow them. Why did the government then oppose the demand to disclose the amount and donors name inside the court. What is sadder is PM claims that the ruling party got less percentage as compared to others. The claim is something like story floating around now. A group of ten thieves planned a robbery and later two more joined. When the police caught all of them, the head of group of ten member claimed their group got less per head as compared two member group who got more.

N Nagarajan, Hyderabad

Why double standards by EC

In his every election rallies our PM Modi personally attacks Rahul Gandhi and says “Shahensha, Shahzaada, Murkho ka Sardar and Shahi Jadugar(Royal magician)”. He uses the word Tukde Tukde gang on opposition leaders. He links Muslim league with Congress Manifesto and he uses the name of Mughals that they destroyed the Hindu temples just to provoke Hindus against Muslims. He says that Congress Party didn’t attended Sri Rams Temple consecration in Ayodhya and again claims that BJP is not using Sri Ram’s name in elections. He will not talk on the issues like price rise, unemployment and poverty but bring religion in every speech. He often violates the Model code of conduct. Why is Election Commission silent on taking any action on our PM? Whereas the same election commission takes swift action on comments by opposition leaders.

Zakir Hussain. Kazipet. Telangana