A brief report By TCN News with Lubna Sarwath:
A panel discussion on ‘ Threat to democracy and constitution of India’ was organised by the Socialist Party (India) on 9th September 2018 at Lamakaan, Hyderabad.
The focus of the discussion was the various threats posed to the democracy of India in today’s times both in the country and in the state of Telangana.
The panellists spoke on diverse issues ranging from the role of the election commission of India, vacancies in the posts of judges leading to poor performance of the judiciary, communalisation of politics, encroachment of wakf properties in Telangana state, pseudo nationalists to environmental issues.
The panel comprised Dr Sandeep Pandey Magasasay Award Winner; Founder Member-Socialist Party(India;); Dr Kalapala Baburao: retd Chief Scientist, IICT; President-Human Rights Forum-Hyderabad; Adv Syed Taraq Quadri: General Secretary-Soofi Academy; former State Minorities Commission Member; Shri Ravela Somaiah: Convenor-Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Vignana Samiti and Er Sagar Dhara: former UNEP consultant; Author of two Supreme Court Committee Reports.
Important issues were brought to the forefront by Dr Sandeep, who asked “How can India be one of the largest beef exporters in the world, whereas the common man in India is being lynched on streets in the name of cow?”
He also said the non-disclosure clause in electoral bonds of political parties is the biggest issue for Indian elections today and this rule must go. Due to this clause BJP is the richest party today after 2014. He also criticised the recent arrests of activists and lawyers in the name of plot of assassination calling it ridiculous as these well-meaning activists actually do not have time and thought for such work.
Dr. Babu Rao pointed out that no political party talks about climate change which is the biggest threat today. He criticised the ‘Haritha Haram’ the plantation drive of the Telangana Government. Plantations do not make forests nor does it justify deforestation in the name of growth and development.
Advocate Quadri demanded that the dharna chowk must be opened up again. Telangana state was formed as a result of dharnas and today the dharna chowk- the platform for protest has been removed by the Government. The minorities need a government they can trust. With wakf properties being encroached and illegal sale of the wakf properties, it is difficult for the minorities to trust this present Government.
Sagar Dhara said that panchayats should be given more financial powers. Devolution of powers as per constitution must happen in practise. He said that it is important for us to evolve our own strategies to remove inequalities and have inclusive growth. Today USA and China are in huge debts only because of the ‘ growth factor’.
Ravela Somaiah said it is difficult for the people to choose a political party as nearly all of the parties lack high principles and crave only power and money. We need to fight market fundamentalism and communal fundamentalism and strive for upholding the democratic values of our constitution.
Lastly in consensus of the participants and the panellists the following resolutions were passed:
1- To urge the Election Commission of India not to declare election dates in any of the poll bound states of India, before it can vouch for and declare that all the electoral rolls are ‘purified and authenticated’ in the poll bound states. Especially in light of the NERPAP(National Electoral Poll Purification and Authentication Process) of Election Commission of India launched in 2015, having disclosed that around 5,62,151 bogus votes are found in Hyderabad constituency alone.
2- To urge the Governor of Telangana to declare before the citizens of Telangana the reasons how the Governor justified the dissolving of Telangana Legislative Assembly and was it constitutional and democratic in letter and spirit?
Similarly, the Election Commission of India, is urged to seek constitutional and democratic reasons for dissolving the Telangana Legislative Assembly almost 9 months ahead of scheduled mandate given by citizens of Telangana.
3- Further President of India and Governor of Telangana are urged to impose Governor’s Rule as the Chief Minister has declared himself and his cabinet unwilling and/or incapable to lead and govern the state of Telangana, and, especially, as the Government of Telangana did not take any care to purify and authenticate the electoral rolls, it is imperative that a free and fair governance be enabled under Governor’s Rule.
Why give back governance in the name of ‘care taker government’ to a government that threw away the role of its governance 9 months in advance, without proper justification, thus demonstrating its incompetence and/or unwillingness?
4- People’s Committees would be formed to work on electoral process’ anomalies as an urgent issue apart from other issues.
Dr Lubna Sarwath is an environmentalist and General Secretary and spokesperson of Socialist Party (India)