Political Diary

New Delhi, 3 October 2015

MP, MLA Qualification

MEIN ANGOOTHA CHAAP HUIN!

By Poonam I Kaushish

Indeed India is a land of contradictions. Underscored, by a surfeit of kaleidoscopic images during the last week: Prime Minister Modi talks of Digital India and M-governance in America. Back home, the NDA and Grand Alliance are fine-tuning their correct caste calculus for the do-or-die Bihar battle. Alongside, even as Modi states his intention of eradicating corruption, a senior BJP MP squeals of tickets being sold to Bahubalis and criminals for a price!

Raising three vital questions: Is caste and creed the sole qualification for fighting an MP or MLA’s election? What about a minimum educational requirement?  Can law-breakers and ghooskhoras become law-makers?

Think. For all the chatter about development and changing the landscape of Bihar, both Modi-Nitish make it abundantly clear that castes configuration spells electoral success. In the Nitish-Lalu Alliance list over 55 per cent of the candidates are OBCs and EBCs (26% of population), 16 per cent are SCs/ STs and 14 per cent Muslims for the 243 Assembly seats.

The Modi-led NDA has earmarked 42% to upper castes, allotted 26 seats to the Yadav’s and left Paswan’s LJP, Manjhi’s HUM and Kushwaha’s RLSP to cater to OBCs and Dalits. Who have distributed 70 and 75 per cent of the tickets to them.

Alas, nowhere does any educational criteria figure in the selection and decision making process for candidates. Questionably, when there is minimum qualification of 5^th class pass for a peon’s job in any Government office, shockingly, mum is the word when it comes to our leaders who govern us. Isn't this unfair?

According to Article 84 (b) of the Constitution, one has to be an Indian Citizen above the age of 25, a registered voter and not be convicted of crime for two years. Nothing more, nothing less.  Pertinently, why was politics alone singled out by our learned framers where no learning is required?

True, one can argue that given the high rate of illiteracy in the country, over 60%, it is impractical to set an educational criteria as this goes  against the essence of democracy which gives every one equal rights to choose their career path including becoming a politician. Also, they might not be having enough resources to study, are from remote tribal areas and are not getting benefits of the Government schemes.

Moreover, the task of MPs and MLAs is to become the voice of their voters and work towards giving them a better life including roti, kapada, makaan, bijli and paani.  Asserted an angootha chaap, “Why do you presume that only education will make you a MR Know-it-all? I am rooted to the ground, have common sense and know what is good for my area. A farmer knows his agriculture than an educated city slick.”

However, in today’s global village, where technology and communication is vital and M-governance the future, politician should have minimum educational qualification, good knowledge of essential issues because comprehension would lead them to make right decision and further development goals of the country.

If an MP or MLA does not know A,B,C,D or K,Kh,Ga how does one expect him to understand the fine-print of spectrum, digital age, information technology, aeronautics et al. How does he decipher which defence equipment to purchase for the country? While travelling abroad will they always inter-act with their counter parts through translators?

Thus, in this milieu it is high time we set a minimum qualification for MLAs, MPs & Ministers which should be above the criteria for IAS/IPS. Presently, the bureaucrats as also the security personnel of our netagan are more qualified than them, but are compelled to do whatever their mai-baaps demand, even dance to their tunes. They need to earn respect, not command it just because they are netas.

Perhaps, realizing present-day polity’s inadequacies, Haryana recently mandated minimum educational qualifications for fighting Panchayat elections. Under the new proviso males contesting needed to be tenth class and women class eight pass to qualify for the poll. But this is being hotly contested in the courts as over 83 per cent rural women above 20 years and 67 per cent in urban areas would be disqualified from the polls. Till the Supreme Court decides, the election has been postponed. 

Meanwhile in UP, 23 lakh youth have applied for just 368 peon jobs.  More shocking, for a post which demands a mere fifth class pass and ability to ride a cycle the applicants include 250 PhD holders, 25000 post graduates and 1.52 lakh graduates. 

Juxtapose this with the norms in US and UK. Though, there are no specific requirements regarding education or training, but many legislators have experience in the law or business, and they often hold at least a bachelor's degree. Solid leadership, communication and organizational skills are vital for a test-match between political rivals.

Caste apart, is taint the flavour of the Bihar poll season, as alleged by a Bihar BJP MP? It is an open secret that the State is notorious for criminal-politicos flaunting their “bullet-proof jackets” --- MPs and MLAs tag. Reportedly, over 58% candidates boast of criminal antecedents.

Highlighting, the chilling reality that politics has nothing to do with morality and accountability. Crime is now politics and criminalisation of politics the current dispensation. Most distressing is that it doesn’t strike any cord anywhere wherein all Parties are openly recognizing and nominating Bahubalis as candidates. Winning is all that matters.

Why do mafia dons invest large sums in getting a neta’s tag? It is a ticket to continue extortions using political power, gain influence and ensure that cases against them are dropped. What’s more the returns on political investments are so high and profitable that criminals are disinclined to invest in anything else.

Thus, our system has unwittingly created huge incentives for criminals to enter politics. Immortalised by renowned Mumbai mafia don-turned MLA Arun Gawli: “Ab kis ka dam hai ki mujhe encounter me maare. Now no politician can give supari (contract killing) to any police officer or gangster to kill me. Ab mere paas bullet proof jacket hai --- MLA tag”.

Happily, the Apex Court has sought replies from the Central and State Governments on two key issues: Why offenders enjoy political patronage and two, how to stop these elements from dictating terms? The matter came to a head with the Uttar Pradesh Government appealing against an Allahabad High Court order constituting a committee of eminent people to check criminalisation of politics and find answers why politics seems to have become a more attractive and lucrative proposition than crime.

Undeniably, the verdict is still far away, but both NaMo and his ilk need to heed Ambedkar’s words: “If things go wrong under the new Constitution, the reason will not be that we had a bad Constitution. What we will have to say is that Man was vile.”

High time, we had a re-look at Article 84 and work towards cleansing the poll cesspool of criminals and mafia dons. We need to begin an informed public discourse on our caste-infested politics along-with corrupt-criminal netas.

In sum, as Modi’s works his magic and Nitish-Lalu unleash their offensive on who sits on Patna’s Raj Gaddi, we the people need to realize that if we vote for a criminal we deserve bad governance. It should be up to Parties to stem this rot. Any takers? ---- INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)