Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Sunday, 5 August 2012

IS ANSHAN , AN INAPPROPRIATE TOOL?


 Yes , if it is employed,

  • Frequently

  • As a “ threat “ rather than a means of “Self Purification“

  • Then easily given up in search of alternate tools

May be Anna – and his team – failed to learn these lessons from Mahatma Gandhi and Sri Ramulu ( who died fasting for creation of Andhra Pradesh and forced Nehru to constitute , State Reorganization Commission )

Any way, now that Anna Team has decided to ,

  • Create a new political party

  • Contest 2014 National elections

  • Try to change the system “ from within “,

they  must  rigorously follow the following  “Principles/Rules“:

  • Create a broad-based core committee of honest persons of high integrity. These persons must be drawn from all the States , without consideration of caste / religion etc

  • They must be young , working class persons from all walks of life

  • Core Committee members ( Central as well as State level ) , shall undertake , NOT to contest 2014 election themselves , in order to avoid any “ Conflict of Interest “ vis-à-vis their declared and noble objective of “ not wanting positions of power “

  • Only State-level  “ Core Committees “ shall select state-candidates who will get “ party tickets “ to contest election. No role for “ High Command “ will ensure “ decentralization “ of decision making as advocated by Anna’s , much hyped, “ Vi-KendriKaran  “

  • Candidates will be from “ Educated Middle Class “, who will NOT be expected to bear the election expenses , nor bring funds for the party. Since they would need to resign from their jobs , Party shall pay them an equal salary

  • Party candidates shall undertake an oath not to defect and be prepared to be “ re-called “ when demanded by the party

  • Party shall not accept any donation in cash

  • Party shall publish all receipts / expenditures on its web site , monthly

  • Party shall publish its “ Draft Manifesto “ before Dec 2012 and enable public at large to “ Vote Online “ on each clause separately . This could be made in the nature of a “ Yes / No “ referendum, eg:

·     Conduct a plebiscite in Kashmir [ yes / no ]

·     Allow FDI in retail [ yes / no ]

·     Link petrol / diesel prices to international crude prices [ yes / no ]

·     Remove subsidy from LPG [ yes / no ]

·     Close down Air India [ yes / no ]

·     Sell off all loss-making PSUs [ yes / no ]

·     Write-off Central Govt loans to all States [ yes / no ]

·     Acquire farm land for private sector industries [ yes / no ]

·     Sell all natural resources thru auction only [ yes / no ]

·     Provide for 50% preservation for women in Parliament as also all State legislatures [ yes / no ]

·     Disqualify MLAs whose attendance in parliament is less than 80 % [ yes / no ]

  • Media ( especially , TV Channels ) should be requested to conduct “ Yes / No “ opinion polls thru SMS , on each clause of the “ Draft Manifesto “

  • Final Manifesto ( based on the feedback ) must be published , latest by June 2013

  • Criteria for the selection of the Core Committee members as also for the selection of party candidates MUST be made public , latest by Oct 2012

  • Since no individual can be expected to fulfill all the laid down criteria 100 % , once selected , those criteria where he / she failed , must be made public

  • In selection of members of Core Committees ( both Central and State ), as well as party candidates for election , 50 % reservation must be made for women

  • As far as possible , members of Core Committee ( Central and State ) , as also the party candidates , should be under 40 years of age
  
I hope others will come forward with similar suggestions and write to Anna Team

One last piece of “ Caution “ to Team Anna / Baba Ramdev:

You will fail miserably to bring about any change thru our Parliamentary system , unless your party gets an absolute majority and has to depend upon the Mulayams / Lalus / Mamtas etc ! Don’t even attempt !

And that will apply equally to Narendra Modi , should he become next PM

Coalition – Dharma is the worst kind of dharma!

Hemen  Parekh 

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