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

Friday 24 March 2017

How To Shame MPs / MLAs ?


Two days back , Shiv Sena MP , Ravindra Gaikwad slapped an Air India officer 25 times and threatened him with dire consequences , for not providing him with a seat in Business Class ( -the aircraft did not have a Business Class ! )


Nothing new !


Over the past decade , we have had hundreds of cases of MPs / MLAs :


·         Assaulting ordinary citizens / public servants

·         Insulting anyone and everyone / inside and outside of Parliament

·         Breaking all kinds of laws with impunity

·         Increasing wealth 10 times in 5 years of their tenure !



Once in a while, some Newspaper / TV channel conducts a SMS-based poll to find out what general public thought of a given incidence


In the present case , a poll conducted by Times of India , got 1.33 lakh responses , of which 78 % said “ YES “ , when asked :


“ SHOULD SHIV SENA MP RAVINDRA GAIKWAD BE DISQUALIFIED FROM LOK SABHA ? “


Does anyone think Smt Sumitra Mahajan or the Hon Supreme Court can take a suo-moto notice of this incidence and citing the poll results, disqualify this MP ?


Unlikely , since there is , as of now , no law for disqualifying an MP / MLA , based on a public poll !


For a couple of years now , I have been writing to Ministers / MPs / MLAs / Political Parties , etc to enact such a law based on my following suggestion


I don’t expect them to listen to my lone voice !



But , if an Institution ( such as Association for Democratic Reforms / India Against Corruption etc ) were to take the initiative and launch the Mobile App : ROMP : , then things can – and , WILL – change


Any internet – based START UP , would be able to come up with such an App , within ONE MONTH !




Thursday, 6 August 2015


ROMP - A Panacea ?



In past few years , our Lok Sabha has been repeatedly paralyzed by slogan shouting MPs


Perhaps , the past two weeks were the worst in the history of Lok Sabha , with no business conducted


Someone suggested that MPs be made to lose their salaries for this period , following the universally / legally accepted rule : No Work , No Pay


This won't work . Our crore-pati MPs could not care a hoot for loss of pay !


Only thing that might work :

A mobile app called , " ROMP / Recall Our MP " ( Idea for a Start-Up ? )


Only voters who qualify as follows , will be permitted to use this App , in order to recall an MP :


He must be on Electoral Roll


*  He must have actually voted ( even if NOTA ) , in the last general election

   { This criteria is bound to boost voting percentage to 95 %  ! No need to
      make voting compulsory  ! }


*  He can " Vote to Recall " , only MP who got elected from the constituency
   from where he cast his vote in last election


He can vote only if there is no Criminal charges filed against him


The App itself will accept his " Rating / Vote " only on two days of the year
   announced by the Election Commission for each constituency


Any other criteria that readers may wish to suggest ( crowd-sourcing )


ROMP will show following criteria , with " YES "  or "  NO " buttons against each :

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LOG-IN :

#    Suspend MP for next Session................................ YES.......NO

#    Recall MP.............................................................YES ..... NO

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Justify your recommendation by " Rating " your MP , below

( Unless rated on each criteria , your vote will be invalid )


Is this MP ( who is being rated by you ) :


#     Honest.............................................. YES........NO

#     Of high Integrity................................. YES........ NO

#     Sincere.............................................. YES........ NO

#     Hard-working ....................................  YES........ NO

#     Punctual.............................................. YES.......  NO

#     Dignified............................................  YES........  NO

#     Follows Speaker's Orders.....................   YES........  NO

#     Good Listener.......................................  YES......... NO

#     Awaits his turn to speak.......................... YES........ NO

#     Asks only relevant questions..................  YES........ NO

#     Approachable to Voters..........................  YES....... NO

#    Answers Voters' Emails promptly...............  YES......  NO

#    Provides regular feedback to Voters ............. YES.......NO

#    Addresses other MPs with respect...............  YES..........NO

                                        SUBMIT
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Conditions governing use of  ROMP  :


*   It can be downloaded from the web site of Election Commission , upon
     filling up a form, requiring all kinds of proof that you are a genuine voter



*   Upon being satisfied ( that you are a genuine voter ) , the Server will
     issue a User ID and Password, to log in before you can use the App.

     It would be better still , if biometric identification is integrated with the
     App , since AADHAR cards are already having such identification



*   ROMP can be downloaded only once


  
*   At least 66 % of the Voters who had actually voted in that Constituency
     during the last General Election , should take part in ROMP event for it
     to be considered valid

    

Only in case more than 2/3rd ( > 66 % ) of " Ratings " cast recommend
    Suspension or Recall , will the Election Commission / Speaker act
    according to People's Mandate


However , in case where those 66 % are divided between " Recall " and
    " Suspend " , then " Suspend " will prevail


Rating results will be made public on Election Commission web site on the
    next day and also published in leading Newspapers



I do believe that the present NDA government is keen to introduce / pass ,
"  RIGHT  TO  RECALL  BILL  " in Lok Sabha as part of Electoral Reforms


Except that the combined opposition may defeat it in Rajya Sabha  !


Which MP would want to sign his own death-warrant  ?


But even without a legal backing , I feel ROMP would have a salutary effect
on the behavior of our MPs , who would know that they are being watched,
and their conduct is being evaluated ! - and will be made public  !



ROMP , along with my earlier suggested mobile Apps ,


*     VotesApp  ( 18  Aug  2013  )




*     I SIN><U SIN ,  (  18  Aug  2013  )




will take us many steps closer to a Digital India


If you endorse my views , please forward to all Policy Makers


If not , please do come up with a better idea !



25  March  2017

   


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