Dance of Democracy

Dance of Democracy - Next Act - Rajasthan  

The Madhya Pradesh Act has just reached its decrescendo with Aaya Ram's getting their well-deserved Tonnes; the ruffled feathers settling down.

But a decrescendo is no fun in these COVID-19 times.  

A brand new Act in Rajasthan has commenced!  

The Ruling party, it's dissidents, the Gaya Ram's, Speaker, the High Court, the Supreme Court and the Governor are all adding their bit to the orchestra being played for the entertainment of, nay the "benefit' of Rajasthani peoples. 

The issues raising the heat' are 'inner party democracy' powers of 'high command', legislators' right to dissent or defect, and above all the money-power in politics. 

Judiciary is now expected to bring some "light" 

The "People" have no place in this 'for the people, of the people and by the people" orchestra; which of the 'Peoples' Representative' will snatch the how much of the Power (read 'moolah'-Tax money?)   

Mahatma Gandhi fretted in 1940's that the democratic " institutions of governance will over time become anti-people" in  India. (And we are largely there).   

Will this be a seminal moment in the 35 year long debate on the "aaya ram gaya raam" phenomenon /feature of our political life?    

Interesting times !

Random Thought # 4

Listening : For Well Being 
From Listening to Meditation 

Dalai Lama in a foreword to the above named book by Arun Maira laid out a simple path to mediation and therefore happier life. 

Listening without preconceived notion and with respect and full attention, 

Contemplation and introspection leads to love and compassion 

Meditation is done !  

Random Thoughts # 3

Random Thoughts # 3                                             
India lost the second decade of 21^st Century in high-decibel bickering on “corruption” which lead to ascendance of the “right”.

The “right” got us entangled in ‘identity politics”. The eyes were off the ball and the Poverty Levels rose.       

 Analysing the Consumption data from NSA and NSO, of the GoI, for the period 2011-12 to 2017-18, Maiteresh Ghatak a professor at LSE concluded that the Poverty Levels must have gone up. We must now have more poor.

Rural Consumption fell by a whopping -8.8% and it went up by +2% in Urban India adding upto All India drop of -3.7%: a puzzling first in many decades. 

And the Tiger Spirits were drowned.