Left Left Left

I just couldn't resist being clever with the title. But its a dream as good as any - Left left Left. They are possibly the biggest anachronism in today's political spectrum. However, Left seems to be relishing the fact that they have suddenly become indispensible to the govt and can hog extra prime time on television now. People who are better placed in the National Museum will now be sharing seats of power. And since they can't relate to the India of today - they wish to take the country to an era they better understand. An era where they feel more powerful and in command. An era of trade unions, protectionism and comrades joining hands against capitalists.

The strange arrangement of support from outside is such that the Left can always dissociate from the effects of the govt policy but wreck havoc by arm twisting congress. The fact that we have an inexperienced politician at helm makes it easier for the Left to engage in these strong arm tactics.

Already the Left and Congress have played a nice little game on the people. They fought elections against each other and having mopped up all seats in kerala and WB between themselves, just decided to come together 'in national interest'.

A coalition of BJP and Congress would be so much more natural than the current one. The NDA and the Congress agree on most policies and it would have been far more easier for them to agree on a common minimum program.

Here is another pipe dream worthier of my sleep - Vajpayee heading a coalition of NDA and Congress :-) Let me go and savor that for some time.

Who has the right to be prime minister?

This is a peculiar juncture in Indian polity. There are people who have been opposing vehemently and venomously the appointment of Sonia Gandhi as the prime minister of the country. Here is one example. The fact that she has been elected (as in any parliamentary system - indirectly) the prime minister seems of no consequence to these people.

Not only this. There are people signing online petitions, contemplating padyatras and what not. If you notice it's mainly the educated class (that includes me I hope) that has become the self appointed guardian of India's self respect. So here are my own 2 paise on this. Why for the vast majority of India Sonia's foreign origin is a non-issue. Here is why -

1. She is Italian
Majority of India follows the patriarchal system and Sonia Gandhi is as Indian as Vasundhara Raje is Rajasthani. Did we hear anyone say an outsider has become a CM of Rajasthan? A bride has full right on the legacy and the culture of her in-laws. That is something that most people in India can identify with for sure.

2. She can't speak Hindi
Ha! Half of Indians can't either. Hindi is another Indian coalition comprising of 16 major sub-languages - try asking a person from Chapra to communicate from a person from Barmer in hindi and you will have some fun. If that seems far apart just try Banarasi and Bhojpuri. Except for people holding a narrow view of what constitutes Indianess, not being able to communicate in the same language is quite natural for most Indians. I myself don't speak Kannada and have not been looked down by people in Bangalore (except once when a roadside Rajasthani shop owner chided me that if he can learn 5 languages why can't I learn one more!)

No wonder the issue did not strike cord with the electorate and became a non-issue. Most of the people who are opposing this are a product of our modern education system that (fortunately?) excludes the vast populace of India. The designers of our syllabi have tried to create a uniform, western, secular course that tries to create a monolithic, pan-Indian identity (the only difference between Left/Congress and RSS is the Secular bit and the degree of jingoism). That is far from reality. The concept of Nation as developed in the French Revolution doesn't apply to us. The concept of Secularism as understood in US is irrelevant in India. These were some digressions that we could discuss in future posts.

Did India vote for Sonia? Is the present coalition a mockery of voters in West Bengal and Kerala? These are different topics that need their own space. But coming back to the topic of this post - Who has the right to be the prime minister? People need to be reminded of one document that is the basis of the rule of law in our country and a particular section called the Fundamental Rights.

16. Equality of opportunity in matters of public employment.-

(1) There shall be equality of opportunity for all citizens in matters relating to employment or appointment to any office under the State.

(2) No citizen shall, on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, descent, place of birth, residence or any of them, be ineligible for, or discriminated against in respect of, any employment or office under the State.

Right to equality is the basis for any political system. What is the meaning of citizenship if it comes with hazaar riders along with it. No, I don't support Sonia but I'll with all forcefulness defend her right to become the prime minister of India. It has a pretty selfish motive too you see - one day I might be a candidate and some group of people might say that my father was not born in the present day India or that I don't have the right accent or maybe I just don't look okay!