DailyPost 2510
NON-SERIOUS POLITICIANS
All politicians request others of their ilk not to indulge in politics, giving the people an impression that politics is not a positive and proactive intervention more so in the times of crisis. It also gives a feeling that they are not in a position to direct governance and enforcement in the direction it should or at least make sincere efforts to that. At the core of this discussion is what does the political class treat as their job? It can be broken into three parts; one as being a part of the political executive, second, when you are an elected representative and third, you are just a political worker, office functionary or a leader.
While the job descriptions, roles and responsibilities of all the three can be discussed, here we will discuss their non-seriousness more from the point of view of an elected representative or as a member of the political executive. To start with, who is a serious politician and what does he do? Lots of times we hear of a full-time politician, a person who is immersed in what we understand by the politics of the day. To be precise, all the ills of the political class and system we see all around the place.
It ranges from stage managing variety of things, keep your position intact for whatever it takes, indulge in electioneering of the dirtiest kind and come out successful. Having emerged successful, find your way in into the cabinet by hook or by crook and preferably get a cabinet birth of your choice. The ones who play a key role in making and breaking governments are the star performers. The capability to exert influence successfully, gives them the clout, right or wrong is generally immaterial. What is described above is the description of a serious politician in a politically vitiated world. Unfortunately, the same traits and some more make him a non-serious politician, when we examine on the touchstone of what he is mandated to deliver.
The just concluded parliamentary debate on Manipur, had all but Manipur. The tone, tenor, content and lack of seriousness belies even the lowest benchmark of any debate leave aside at the highest level of delivery, performance and accountability. How many of our elected representatives have played a worthwhile role in law making? Worse still, how many of them have the competence and inclination to do so? What efforts does a court adjudicate the same law, will make it amply clear as what they have been doing with law making. The country keeps struggling with the legal regime endlessly. The less talked the better about their competence at governance. Though they have great ideas about their competence to govern yet it is at a level that even for smallest of things, notes have to be provided, just to read. Being in public domain / governance for decades, how many of them have emerged even as functional experts. Fifty or hundred copybook sentences depending upon the day and age is all that they carry with them to handle the unending forced interplay of politics, law making and governance.
CAN THE POLITICAL CLASS BEREFT OF EXPERTISE AND INCLINATION DELIVER?
Sanjay Sahay
Have a nice evening.