Problem of Power Politics: A Solution through Constitutional Reforms

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

In this treatise, the author has addressed himself to a very topical problem. Although we profess to be a democracy, no political party, whichever party it be, can come to power in our country unless its leaders, on the one hand, work in close tandem with the unworthy, anti-social elements and have, on the other, colossus chests at their disposal over-flowing with black money.

Secondly, though the colonial rulers are no longer there to exploit us, our lot has not improved. On the contrary, poverty, hunger and corruption are more deep-rooted and more wide-spread than ever before. According to the author, all this came about because we failed to evolve proper safeguards in our constitutional system. As the problem is chronic, the remedy cannot be effortless nor easy. But a remedy has to be found out and adopted in all sincerity. At stake, after all, is the nation and its teeming millions. The journey may be long and arduous. It has to be completed, a beginning has to be made. It is in this spirit that the author is placing before the public at large his views on what could still be done to save the nation from slipping deeper and deeper into the abyss of corruption and other evils.

Born in 1931, the author graduated in Commerce and in Law from the University of Calcutta. He is engaged in his law practice in the Calcutta High Coutr. Keeping himself totally distanced from party politics, he, somehow, developed a keen interest in political science, which has resulted in this treatise.

It is as clear as day-light that no political party can hopefully think of coming to power unless it is in a position to pay out tons of black money and has, at its command, hordes and hordes of anti-social elements dispersed throughout the length and breadth of the country. Unless, therefore, the present ministerial system of government, which is nothing but a breeding place of corruption and all other evils, is abolished, all talk of honesty and purity in public life will remain idle and hypocritical.

Sri CM. Chopra, a keen student of political science and constitutional law, is placing before the public at large the salient features of some well-known constitutional systems in vogue in various countries and has suggested adoption of a Swiss-type constitution.

It needs to be emphasized, however, that Switzerland, in spite of having some similarities with India, such as, of having within its body politic, ethnic and linguistic diversities, of being divided into mutually antagonistic religious communities, Catholics and Protestants, is after all a small country having a sparse population but with almost 100% literacy. On the other hand, India, a vast and expansive land, is the home of nearly 800 million people, most of whom have not yet attained the safe level of political consciousness. Hence, while the Swiss institutions of popular initiative, referendum and re-call cannot, at least for the time being, be adopted here, the non-political and non-partisan system of administration, which is unique with the Swiss people and which is the most salient feature of their constitution may well be emulated here. Rather it is a must for us. Otherwise, the corrupt politicians, who like the packs of hungry wolves are out to tear each other into pieces, may tear once again the nation apart. The time in fact is running out. It brooks no delay. We have therefore to act and act both decisively and positively. The people, if one could feel their pulse correct, yearn for nothing but a non-political and non-partisan administration.

If men were angels, they will not need a government and if the leaders of the government were angels, they will not need any checks on their powers.

-Hamilton

In spite of all talk of honesty and integrity, the fact remains that some individuals, numbering a thousand or so, and mostly of sub-standard morality, have made it their business to invest enormous sums of ill-got- ten money in "fighting" elections with the set purpose of establishing for themselves the monopoly of power. In the resultant rivalry, the like of which is seen in the jungle amongst packs of hungry wolves, the politicians, as dealers in black money and merchants of death, are fighting among themselves harming the nation. But undeterred by violence, which they gracefully accept as the risk of their trade, they go about their business to be able to come to power or, having come to power, to be able to stick to it, unmindful of what amount of dirt and filth their mindless activities are spreading all around. In this process they create in the lives of their fellow citizens nothing but havoc.

Since we cannot create monarchy nor would like to have dictatorship in the name of the presidential rule as most Afro-Asian and Latin American countries are having, the citizens have generally come to think that ministers are bound to be there. Besides, as nobody can possibly be a minister without resorting to corruption, citizens, by and large, have thrown up their hands in despair and think they have to live with such corruption. In this way corruption has become a way of life with us. In an atmosphere surcharged with so much corruption, life is not worth living for an average citizen.