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

Wednesday, 5 October 2022

Thanks , Shri Kiran Rijiju

 


 

What for ?

Government in talks with Election Commission to overhaul poll laws : Rijiju  /  TNN  /  06  Oct  2022

Extract :

A day after the Election Commission released the proposed proforma for political parties to detail their electoral promises and disclose how they plan to fund them, law minister Kiren Rijiju told TOI on Wednesday that the government is in discussion with the poll watchdog and considering giving legislative backing to “major electoral reforms” through amendments in the Representation of the People Act (RP Act).


The law minister said the “changing time and situation” demands overhaul of some electoral laws that are lacking in ensuring adequate transparency and accountability.

 

“I am already having elaborate discussions with the EC to study major changes in the RP Act and other election rules. The Centre will take steps after due consultation for major electoral reforms which are required as per the new changing time and situation,” Rijiju said when asked if the election watchdog had consulted the government before floating recent proposals.

 

Dear Shri Rijijuji,

 

I suggested :


PIPPPA ( Prevention  of  Irresponsible  Promises  by  Political  Parties  Act ) through my following email :


Freezing of Freebies ……………………………..[ 29 Aug 2022 ]


My logic behind suggesting such a law was obvious


Over past many decades, most Political Parties have , flagrantly violated the Model Code of Conduct , with impunity


Reason is simple > Such “ violations “ were not held as “ crimes “, punishable under any LAW


Not having any power to PUNISH , whenever such “ violations “ were brought to the notice of Election Commission, all that EC could do is to ADVISE – ADMONISH –REPRIMAND the violating party – which went about merrily to commit further violations !

It was a mockery of our democracy !


Proof :

As expected, within 4 days of EC letter to Political Parties re FREEBIES , most parties have come out strongly against the EC proposal , as read from today’s Eco Times :

Ø  Poll Promises: Opposition alleges EC overreach, seeks all-party meet  /   ET  /   05 Oct 2022   

Extract :

Ø  The proposal has generated strong political reaction on the larger debate on ‘freebies’ vis a vis ‘welfare schemes’ even as the ruling BJP did not comment on the matter.

 

Ø  JDU, a former ally of BJP, has demanded that an all-party meeting should be called by the EC even as it said the matter was outside the jurisdiction of the poll panel.



“The mandate of the EC is to conduct free and fair elections in the country,” senior JDU leader KC Tyagi told ET. “This letter indicates that the EC is encroaching into the rights and duties of other constitutional authorities.”

Ø  RJD leader Manoj Jha also pitched the EC move against the narrative on freebies.



“I am surprised by this debate over freebies and time and again I have maintained that it shouldn’t be called freebie. We are a welfare state as per our constitution. If the EC is ready to go beyond their mandate and comment on the constitution, democracy becomes a farce,” he told ET.

Ø  While the ruling BJP has so far maintained a studied silence on the subject, opposition parties alleged that the EC move has been prompted by the party’s discomfort with ‘welfare’ models of other parties.


Ø  EC is not the final authority, and their decisions can be challenged in the court. If it goes ahead, parties will take legal recourse,” he added. Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray also blamed it on BJP and said it is another way to target the opposition.

Ø  However, this is first in the world where ECI will meddle into the functioning of political parties' commitments to its people,” senior Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi told ET. “This is exactly how lines have blurred between administration and governance by BJP by giving unchecked powers to institutions to target opposition,” she alleged.

 



Dear Shri Rijiju :

 

That request by opposition parties for an “ All Party “ meeting, is only to re-iterate / reaffirm their opposition to EC proposal


Emergence of any CONSENSUS is unlikely .


You may still want to accede , call such a meeting and attend , knowing fully in advance, its likely outcome


Much the same way Mahatma Gandhiji went and attended the “ Round Table Conference “ in London, called by the then British Government , knowing fully well its likely outcome


And at the end of such “ All Party “ meeting, you could tell the opposition :


“ Let us decide democratically .


We will call a special session of the Parliament for introducing “  PIPPPA “ and give each political party, 4 hours to put forward its views, before taking a vote . All will get ample opportunity to debate . We will broadcast this live on all TV channels


We will even introduce an APP using which, citizen will be able to air their own views on the subject, as explained at :


Ø  Virtual Parliament : a COVID bye-product ? …………………[ 02 June 2020 ]


Extract :


     Just before the voting starts on any Bill , enable the Members of Parliament to

     receive Instructions ( really ,feedback from citizen who voted for him / her ) “,

     as to how voters want him to vote ( “for “ or “against “  the bill ) , as outlined

     at :

 

     Ø   VotersWill  ………………………………….[  03  Nov  2018  ]

 

-       which “ Will “ take following shape ,

 

:  Now how about modifying UMANG in following way  :

 

 

·         Links users’ Mobile phones with their respective MPs / MLAs

 

 

·         Flash on the voters’ mobiles , each proposed resolution requiring voting by


          MP / MLA

 

 

 

·         Enables each Voter to “ direct / instruct “ his / her MP , to vote “ for “ or


         “ against “

 

 

·         Aggregates “ FOR / AGAINST “ votes polled by UMANG from all voters,

 

 

                 #  MP ( or MLA ) wise

 

                 #  Party-wise

 

                 #  Overall ( for all Members put together )

 

 

 

·         Publish these results on the web sites of Lok Sabha / Parties / MPs and

          MLAs

 

 

 

Irrespective of weather the majority of the voters desired “ FOR “ or “ AGAINST “


any given resolution, voters do not expect a MP / MLA to go against the whip of


the party to which he / she belongs

 


 

 

But at least this mechanism would provide the MPs / MLAs / Parties ,


QUANTIFIED MEASURE of the wishes of the voters and become “ sensitive “ to


their wishes

 

 


 

 

And the voters will get an opportunity to question their elected representatives !

 

With regards,

Hemen Parekh

hcp@RecruitGuru.com  /  06  Oct 2022

 

Related Readings :

 

Ø  2013 ( 6 ) :

Ø  Needed - your Declaration of Intent - NOW ! ……[ 19 Sept 2013 ]

 

Ø  BJP Poll Manifesto ……………………………………………………[ 19 Oct 2013 ]

 

Ø  Selling Dreams ?..............................................  [ 04 Nov 2013 ]

 

Ø  Issues Vs Non – Issues …………………………………………….[ 18 Nov 2013 ]

 

Ø  Perennial Poll Promises…………………………………………….. [ 15 Dec 2013 ]

 

Ø  Congressmen are Confused ! …………………………………… [ 31 Dec 2013 ]

 

Ø  2014  ( 7 ) :

 

Ø  Robinhood of Delhi ?............................................ [ 01 Jan 2014 ]

 

Ø  An Unprecedented Opportunity…………………………………. [ 04 Jan 2014 ]

 

Ø  Selling Rainbows ?............................................... [ 22 Jan 2014 ]

 

Ø  Poll Promises ? Tall Promises ? …………………………………..[ 23 Feb 2014 ]

 

Ø  If / Then…………………………………………………………………………[ 06 Apr 2014 ]

 

Ø  Bribing The Voters……………………………………………………….. [ 28 Apr 2014 ]

 

Ø  What Are the Chances ?..........................................[ 18 May 2014 ]

 

 

Ø  2016 ( 2 ) :

 

Ø  Advantage , Incumbent ?....................................... [ 05 Sept 2016 ]

 

Ø  A Freebie that cannot be Faulted ? ………………………………[ 25 Dec 2016 ]

 

 

Ø  2017 ( 5 ) :

Ø  Model Code of ( Hypocrite ) Conduct ? …………………………[ 07 Jan 2017 ]

 

Ø  We are not bribing the Voters !................................ [ 10 Jan 2017 ]

 

Ø  Time to ditch Model Code of Conduct ?...................... [ 22 Jan 2017 ]

 

Ø  " Election Reforms " Summarized…………………………………. [ 18 Aug 2017 ]

 

Ø  Poll Reforms : Time for a Consensus…………………………….. [ 21 Aug 2017 ]

 

Ø  2018  ( 2 ) :

Ø  Citizen’s Charter of Demand ……………………………………………[ 29 Oct 2018 ]

 

Ø  Divide Quota ? To rule Raj ? …………………………………………….[ 03 Dec 2018 ]

 

Ø  2019  ( 1 ) :

Ø  Simple Summary of Sankalp …………………………………………….[ 10 Apr 2019 ]

 

Ø  2020 ( 1 ) :

Ø  Poll Promise to create 10 lakh jobs……………………………….. [ 21 Oct 2020 ]

 

Ø  2022 ( 2 ) :

Ø  What is price of your Vote ? …………………………………………….[ 27 Jan 2022 ]

 

Ø  Ignoramus ? Gullible ? ……………………………………………………..[ 09 Apr 2022 ]

 

  

 

  

 

 

 

 

A Truss-worthy Solution ?


 

Context :

U.K.’s Truss refuses to rule out welfare cuts to fund economic plan   /  HINDU  /  04  Oct  2022

 

Extract :

Britain’s new Prime Minister Liz Truss triggered a fresh row in her party on Tuesday by suggesting that she could :


limit increases in benefit payments by less than soaring inflation as she seeks ways to fund her tax-cutting growth plan.



 “We have to look at these issues in the round. We have to be fiscally responsible,” Ms. Truss told BBC Radio when asked whether benefit payments would rise in line with record-high inflation to prevent the poorest in society from becoming poorer.

Immediately lawmakers in Ms. Truss’s Conservative Party — some fresh from forcing top tax rate reversal — opposed any move to reduce the increases in benefits at a time when millions are struggling with higher costs of food and energy.

Penny Mordaunt, who is in Ms. Truss’s cabinet of senior ministers, said benefits should rise in line with inflation..

 

My  Take :

 

UK PM Liz Truss seems to be an unorthodox economist

To me, she appears “ like – minded “ ( although I am no economist ), but most

unlikely to win the Nobel prize in Economy ! Going by the internal revolt she is

facing from her own party members, it is more likely that she gets nominated for

Ig-Nobel !


Like-minded because of what I suggested to our Cabinet Ministers, 6 YEARS ago, to :

#  Stop the vicious circle of DA ( Dearness Allowance ) chasing the CPI (

    Consumer Price Index )

#  Which, in turn increases Manpower Cost

#  Which, in turn increases Product / Services Cost

#  Which, in turn increases CPI

 

And,

Set into motion :

#  A virtuous circle ( reversing the direction of the chase )

 

Ø  Automation is Inescapable………………………… [ 30 Nov 2016 ]

 

Extract :

    Reduce " Cost of Inflation " by limiting  " Annual Wages-Salaries Increases " to

    75 % of  the preceding year's GDP number ( ie: if GDP for 2015, is 8 % ,

    maximum salary / wage ncrease that can be granted on 01 April 2016 , will be

    6 % ) . 

 

  

   

Also :

Ø  How to break the Vicious Circle ? ………………[ 03 July 2016 ]

 

Extract :

After recent announcement of 7th Pay Commission recommendations , there were many debates and " Expert Interviews " on TV channels



When asked :


" Will placing of Rs 1 lakh*crore into the pockets of government employees , push

 up the prices of all kinds of  products ? ", experts ( including Shri Jaitleyji )

 agreed that there is a good chance that the prices may go up by 1.5% to

 2%

 

  


Of course , the common man has known this for ages !



Every time he got Diwali bonus or annual salary increment, the prices in shops invariably went up !



It was , as if the Shopkeepers ( and the Manufacturers too ) , were just waiting for these announcements 



Of course , when product prices go up , the CPI goes up 



In turn , the CPI linked wages / salaries go up , raising the cost of manufacture



It is a vicious circle of prices chasing the salaries / wages !


If , somehow , those salaries / wages remained " low " at each stage of processing / manufacturing , then the final product would come out " Cheap " 



And lesser product cost would lead to a lower selling price and consequently , a smaller increase in CPI 



Smaller increase ( or no increase ? ) in CPI , would mean smaller ( or no ) rise in CPI-linked wages / salaries


No problem ! 

 

People would need to earn lesser wages / salaries , to buy that product  !



There will be less demand to raise those salaries !


In 1986 , inflation ( price rise / CPI etc ) , climbed to 9.2 % in Australia , forcing PM , Bob Hawke to tell his countrymen :



"  We have , for the time being , to accept reduced Standard of Living , and

   permanently , increased Standard of Effort "

    

In same year , PM Lee of Singapore was facing 0 % growth in GDP !



So, he ordered one year WAGE FREEZE for all employees ( government as well as private sector )


He could not afford to let Singapore become a " High Cost Economy "

 

With regards,

Hemen Parekh

hcp@RecruitGuru.com  / 05 Oct 2022