Sunday 9 February 2014

Corporate Democracy - Are we ready for it yet?





Dear all,


In the wake of 2014 Lok Sabha elections all the parties are trying to woo each and every individual of this country. The current political scenario is getting messier each day. Ours is a democratic country wherein the citizens of the country choose their own leaders who eventually form the government.


            As you know Indian National Congress, INC has played a pivotal role in our struggle for Independence. The efforts put by its members were indeed laudable. However post independence era saw a drastic fall in the ideologies and principles of this party. Every good thing that happened to India post Independence had hidden in itself growing monsters of corruption, scams, economic imbalance, religious hatred, crimes and so on. Over a period of time after independence more number of parties came into picture. Till date Congress UPA alliance and BJP NDA alliance are the biggest parties in India. As more and more parties sprung up across the nation, gaining majority in the legislative assemblies became a daunting task. And governments were formed with support from other parties. Because of this there has been no unanimous decision on any issue or bill to be passed.


               With all due respect to the freedom struggle that INC did and its efforts post independence the concept of party formation has given rise to a new arena for people. A new area, a new career in ‘Politics’ where you get a ticket to contest elections for State legislative assemblies and Lok sabha. Once you get elected the individual and the party has the right to rule the common man for five years. This has given rise to Corruption and Scams that have even shaken Corporate India. And so more and more money started pouring in for elections to form a government. Why do we want an individual to join a party and prove himself worthy for governance of a region, a state or the nation? Why does the Local corporator, MLA, MP or Cabinet minister has to have the background and backing of a political party? What according to you constitutes democracy? Is choosing someone from a political party democracy for us? Is governance in our nation so cheap that anyone can be chosen worthy of it? If a political party has done some good for a particular region, state, it has also given impetus to corruption, regionalism, casteism, money laundering and communal tensions.


              Now coming back to Corporate democracy! In todays highly competitive times every working class Indian has to prove himself worthy of his position and pay by means of assignments, targets, projects and deadlines. At each and every stage our performance is monitored and tested. Right from joining an institute, course, a company or Government service we are screened among thousands of candidates by means of exams, aptitude tests, Group discussions and interviews. ‘Excellence’ is what is sought after in todays times. IAS, IES, Government machineries, Defence (Army, Navy and Airforce) everywhere there is a highly difficult screening process to choose the worthy candidate. Even the Corporate world chooses candidates from IIT and IIMs getting into which is a herculean task.


                Why don’t we have such a screening process for all the Local corporators, MPs, MLAs and Cabinet ministers for different States and also for the Centre is a million dollar question. Why we have to look out for a political party, its candidate and the job he has done before electing him. If at all we had screened the candidate of the political party based on some criteria beforehand there would have been no need to scrutinize his work over a period of years.
                There are some 30 odd cabinet ministries in every state and also the centre. Hold an examination comprising of Written test, Group Discussions and interviews less stringent than IAS for the position of these cabinet ministers. The exam can also be specialised based on the ministry portfolio (example : Minister of Civil Aviation). Fix a criteria of minimum 25 years of Working experience in any Company, Government machinery, Navratna companies, PSUs or Defence establishments. And just see the kind of talent that we get for these positions. The argument would be raised that these candidates do not have experience of governance. But we have already seen what havoc an experienced candidate from a political party has caused so far. And if we see that the job of a minister is more of decision making, analyzing situations and maintaining socio economic balance. A Candidate having 25 years of rich experience can be a Manager, Vice President, Senior Ranking officer in any Govt./ Private company, Govt. machinery or Defence Systems. These candidates are one among us, coming from a middle class background, struggled through their life personally, professionally, hardworking, target oriented and efficient. Such an individual would of course be capable of Decision making, analyzing scenarios, interacting with the masses, corporates. And most importantly such a candidate would not be bound by any party ideologies, region, religion, vested interests of third party, any corporate body or organization. And do not worry about the Examination machinery we have best of UPSC Examinations, IIT, IIM examinations for establishing this screening process.


               We have got Govt. machinery in the form of Municipal corporations, District collectors, Zilla parishads and Gram Panchayats. These bodies would help and support the candidates in daily administration and understanding the socio economic problems in a region, state. This procedure would be applicable for the selection of members of State Legislative Assemblies, Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, Cabinet ministers and finally the Prime minister and the President. The Grand Finale, the ultimate showdown of this event would be the appointment of Centre Cabinet Ministers, PM and the President. In later stages after elections of these candidates we can have an audit and review of these MPs/ MLAs by an agency every quarter or six months. Pay good salaries, incentives to these MPs, MLAs for the good governance they do, they deserve it!



              Now to make the process a democratic one we would shortlist 3 or even 5 candidates for a ministerial position. Their qualifications, work experience, achievements and credibility will be made public. Interviews, Public interactions, Group discussions would be conducted of these ministerial candidates on national television before the elections. Let a panel of people like Supreme court judge, Defence Heads, RBI Governor etc conduct Interviews for the positions of President, Prime Minister and Cabinet Minister. So that people have full knowledge of the candidate they want to choose. Members of the State Legislative Assemblies, State Cabinet ministers will be chosen from that particular state only. Members of Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and Cabinet ministers will be screened on a national scale. Questions will be raised that this procedure will be an injustice to those leaders who have done a really good job in their tenure. What good job are we talking about? Gathering abundance of property, wealth, siphoning money in foreign shores, awarding jobs, projects to their close associates , overlooking illegal activities and after all these things finally doing some developmental work as a token to the vote given by the public. Its just like eating the entire cake and giving cherry topping for the public to eat. And we get satisfied by the cherry topping itself! There are still a few good men left but their honesty and integrity wont suffice in the final implementation of the laws and policies. And if there are men worthy enough in the current political scenario let them compete shoulder to shoulder with the mighty men from Corporates, Defense establishments and Govt. machineries in a fair and transparent Screening process.


                 Going back to the history pre independence and post independence period after careful reading and understanding it we can imagine the scenario in the pre independence era. We were ruled by Britishers and India was in full control of them. The Britishers had forcefully imposed many policies, laws which were totally against us and challenged our very own existence. We needed some representative group or party which would put forth common man’s grievances in front of the ruling authority. This gave rise to the formation of Indian National Congress a peoples representative party whose objective was giving the people of India their voice, rights, independence and ‘Poorna Swaraj’ . That was the time when there was no media, internet, television and mobiles. Practically no effective communication at all. In such state a political party had a major role to play in mediating the gap between the peasants, traders, labourers and the british authority. But now the case is totally different we are the generation of High speed internet, smart phones, apps, facebook, twitter, news channels, magazines, newspapers and all other print media. Now we do not need these parties to voice our say. Also there is no external ruling authority on India like that of Britishers. We are an independent nation now! The existing political parties are no more like the one we had in the pre independence era. Todays political parties have become safe havens for earning easy money. Now the time has come when we need freedom from these parties just like we needed freedom from the autocratic British. Our freedom fighters and war soldiers have not sacrificed their lives to see our nation run by the goons!



            Last 67 years we saw all the good, bad and worse things in the form of Economic Growth, Development, Liberalisation, Foreign Investments and deterrents like Scams, Riots, Massacres Crimes, Conspiracies, poverty etc. But todays working class, labour class and the Corporates are not interested in the past. They are more concerned about the present and the future. Dear mantriji you have done enough good for the nation and also enough damage. You have made enough money for seven generations of yours to survive. Now sit back and relax, let these high performing professional individuals rock the assemblies. Tax payers money doesn’t come so cheap, govt facilities are not so cheap, govt. funds are not your property to squander around. Today when we decide to vote we are in a dilemma as whom to vote? The Party or the Individual. We do not want this confusion. Why cant we vote and select our MPs/ MLAs from a bunch of Highly experienced and professional candidates rather than select from a bunch of non deserving candidates. Today an honest man, woman does not want to enter politics because of these political parties. No one wants to dirty their hands and make their life miserable and even risky. These political parties will do all that it takes to defeat and destroy an honest man contesting elections. Seeing the current lot of candidates contesting election no one feels like voting. No wonder we have such low voting turnout. This process will encourage people and they would flock the voting stations with all the enthusiasm. People will start taking governance as a serious career or stint. Only encouraging people to go for voting is not going to serve the purpose. 'Change' will happen when qualified, professional and hardworking people will enter the governance system and become the drivers of economy.  This will eventually purify the system and the surge of efficient governance will take India to places. So my dear Indians wake up from the slumber go back to the Constitutional Books check whether any selection criteria for MPs/ MLAs/ Ministers is mentioned in the part 15 (ELECTION) of the Constitution. If not, well and good, then we can very well implement this system. If the Constitution says that the candidate has to be from a political party. Ammend the Constitution! Various sections of the Constitution have been ammended several times. Question the Election Commission, why cant we vote our MPs/ MLAs from a bunch of Highly experienced and professional candidates? Why do we need to have a majority of a political party in the Lok Sabha to form a Government. Why cant we form a Government from a group of Individuals initially screened by a Tough and Transparent process and then eventually selected by the Aam Junta. 


               An amendment of the Constitution can be initiated only by the introduction of a Bill in either House of Parliament. The Bill must then be passed in each House by a majority of the total membership of that House and by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of that House present and voting. The Bill, passed by the required majority, is then presented to the President who shall give his assent to the Bill. With all due respect to the creators of our 'Constitution' let us accept the fact that it is obselete now! The Constitution was good only few decades after the independence. But now it needs a major revamp, as it has many loopholes result of which we are seeing today. All the Codes, Standards, Policies or Procedures that exists in this world are revised every 5 years. How can we expect for a country to run successfully on the basis of a 'Code' written 67 years ago. Its next to impossible!

             India has no future if the party politics persists. We have so much stereotyped ourselves that we cannot think beyond these political parties for governance of the nation. When a government can be formed by bits and pieces of these parties, we can definitely form a government by a group of high performing individuals. These parties have made a mockery of our constitution and our parliamentary form of democracy. They have taken undue advantage of our Parliamentary form of Democracy and exploited us in the name of 'Party politics'. Please note that Corporate democracy does not alter the constitution totally. We still will be having the Parliamentary form of democracy. The only changes will be the initial screening of candidates based on a process of examinations and the dissolution of the parties contesting elections. The examination based process of screening will eventually make the political parties redundant. 


        Crores of rupees go into the funding of elections by the Corporates and the party themselves. Even if 10% of these funds are used to screen and elect candidates a far better lot of MPs, MLAs and Minsters will be churned out. On an average 30% of the Lok Sabha candidates have serious criminal charges against them. We are so much ignorant and complacent that we let these undeserving, controversial and corrupt individuals decide the laws and policies of this country. Its indeed a big shame on us! And this is inspite of having humongous amount of governance and managerial talent available in our country.


                This particular process will never be implemented as it will dissolve all political parties and for that reason no light was thrown on it in 67 years. A simple Bill will seal the fate of these political parties. The current political clout will strongly oppose this and they will never implement it. It is we who have to get it implemented. ‘Corporate Democracy’ will turn the tables for India. Corporate Democracy is ten steps ahead of RTI act and Lokpal bill. Please note that every five years given to these political parties will drag us twenty years behind other nations.
              My dear Indians do not get carried away by the development in the form of Infrastructure, Roads, Flyovers, townships, internet, smart phones, high profile jobs etc. They are nothing as compared to other developed countries and we deserve much more. Do not forget 50% of India is still in poverty, there is religious hatred among people, crimes are taking place day in an day out, literacy levels are low. We have a long way to improve! Five years, ten years or Fifteen years eventually Corporate Democracy will get implemented. The current party politics will reach its saturation soon and the Government will have to succumb to mounting pressure from the public to make the necessary changes in the Constitution. Do not forget, in Democracy the Governments are formed for the citizens of the country and not vice versa.
          Finally it is upto us whether to come out of the Vote bank politics, Regionalism, Caste/ Religion based politics or fall in the hands of those endorsing these. The sooner we come out of it the faster India will march towards becoming a powerful nation. Folks, nation always comes first and then your religion, caste, region and your work that is what we are thought in our childhood!
         So next time you will be seeing an Ex Vice President of a Telecom Company as the State Telecom Minister or a Retired Brigadier as a Defence Minister. That surely will be a moment for India! A moment of Independence of the so called Independent India from the shackles of the these incompetent , incapable and corrupt political parties. Wake up Indians its high time!


Thanking You!


 Yours Faithfully


 A battered and bruised Indian!







 
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