Right to recall and reject : Destabilising nonsense
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: October 18 2011 -

Chief Election Commissioner S. Y. Quraishi says Team Anna's proposals like 'Right to Recall' in the election rules will be too risky in India on October 16, 2011 - Agencies

Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi should be talking about election and not politics or at least should shut up for his very statement that the country would destabilise, especially in areas where 'people already feel alienated' if "the right to recall" or "right to reject" clauses are included in the election rules is treading on territory which should be the turf of the policy makers of the land and not bureaucrats.

Or better still, the CEC should have admitted that his office just does not have the imagination to come out with a blue print on how to fit the clauses in the framework of the election rules as practised presently.

The holes that one can pick in his arguments against the inclusion of the clauses are just too many and too prominent.

Quraishi's very statement lends weight to the overwhelming sentiment of alienation amongst the people of the North East but should the people be held responsible for this ?

Isn't it the collective failure of the policies and programmes of the Government, down the years, to take the people along with the idea of an India as a Union, responsible for this state of alienation ?

Damn democracy, it can be compromised as long as the security of the Nation can be ensured at the cost of certain section of the people, seems to be the underlining thought process in the argument of the CEC and it is this train of thought which has been giving credence to the sentiment that democracy as understood in the context of the whole country just does not apply in this region where the feeling of alienation hangs heavy in the air.

Make no mistake about it, the already alienated people that the CEC was referring to are the people of the North East region and in doing that he was pointing his finger of accusation to the people of the region for the inability to usher in some much needed changes in the election system and this is not only dangerously mischievous but also overstepping his brief as a Government servant.

This can also be an unhealthy precedent. There can be no argument over the observation that the election system in the country is flawed, as it is with all cases of democracy across the world, but the question is how willing is the establishment to incorporate new ideas or models to blunt the flaws, even if it is only to a minimal extent ?

Instead of answering or addressing this question, the CEC talked through his hat while fielding questions from Karan Thapar on Devil's Advocate on CNN-IBN on Sunday evening.

Does this mean that if the right to recall and right to reject clauses are not included in the election system, it would lead to greater stability or did the CEC mean that the status quo should remain ?

Such line of thoughts are flawed and the answer to the question that has just been raised should be obvious to all.

The statement of the CEC is a reflection of the Government, both at the State as well as at the Centre, approaching every issue in the North East region through the eyes of the military.

Lack of development, lack of basic infrastructure, even the failure to ensure the smooth flow of traffic on the National Highways have all been viewed and understood through the prism of the armed movement, without ever a thought or an attempt to fully understand what is the core issue.

And so from the all round decay that is writ large on the region, there is now the top officer in the Election Commission of India saying that reforms in the election process or system will destabilise the Nation especially in places where the people already feel alienated !

If ever there is a medal at stake for the one of the most absurd statements made by an officer, this will be in the reckoning.

Sorry this is not a piece of dialogue mouthed in a Bollywood flick, but a reflection of the political understanding of the region.

It is this same mindset which has found it absolutely alright to continue with the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, which is nothing but a remnant of the British Raj, which was ironically concocted to repress the voices of the freedom fighters of India.

The misconception about the people from the North East region, the discrimination that young girls and boys from this region face, especially in Delhi and other parts of north India can be traced to such utterances from people holding responsible positions in the Government.