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Constitutional
Reform
Bureaucratic
Reforms
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System for Public Grievance is indeed
working
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Is
Virappa Moily committee on the right track for reforming bureaucracy?
Business
Reforms
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Preventing
future aSatyams
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ASatyam
saga calls for total overall of business systems
Management
Section
Quote
of the Month
Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other
time. We are the ones we have been waiting for. We are the change
that we seek.
- Barrack Obama
(February 5, 2008) |
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Feedback and articles for ቒRO News'
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Dear
Readers,
Those of us who watched the inaugural ceremony of Barrack Obama taking
oath as 44th President of Unites States on 20th January, 2008 are surely
in awe of the first Afro American taking charge of the most powerful country
at a time when not only just the US but the entire world is facing some
of the most serious problems since 1929. Americans (and equally the non
Americans) believe that the new President can deliver. In his brief but
highly eloquent speech, he touched upon almost all the issues facing the
Americans and the mankind at the present juncture, in a very crisp and
common manⳠlanguage. He was confident, full of humility, yet firm in
delivering the message on terrorism. Most importantly, his extempore speech
touched the heart of the listeners.
President Obama is a great leader and great leaders assemble a great team
around them, which he has done. Once upon a time, India too had such leaders.
During the days of our freedom struggle, very bright and intelligent men
with purpose joined the national movement. Some of these great leaders
were in charge of the country for nearly a quarter century after independence.
But, the gradual decline set in thereafter and we only shudder to think
if the decline continues at the pace that we are witnessing today, consequences
may well be serious for the country in the decades to come.
If we really want Obamas to crop up in this country, Indian polity has
to undergo a radical change. At the closing year of sixth decade of our
republic, our leaders and general public have to plan for total reform
of Indian polity. Some of the areas of reform are briefly highlighted
here:
We borrowed largely the ᗥstminsterⳠ(UK) model for our constitution.
But today in practice, features of our political system are very different
from the ones that the parent model possesses. Features of UK model among
others are: an essentially two party system at the center; major parties
adhering to certain ideologies; leaders changing at the helm quite frequently
in order to make the political system vibrant and attractive; leaders
(who would lead in the event of winning) being known to the people in
advance before the general elections, so that people have a focused choice;
and more or less a fixed term of office.
Contrast this with the way our polity has emerged since the general elections
of 1989. In the much applauded coalition-era, center is becoming weaker
by the day. Unfortunately, history of India is littered with examples
which show that whenever the center became weak, country remained weak
for centuries and the invaders exploited the countryⳠwealth and resources
for their narrow end. Conversely, it was only during the strong centralized
periods (Mauryas, Guptas, Mughals and finally during the British period)
that country was on top and all round prosperity including economic growth
had taken place.
Situation in the states has been even worse. Latest example is Jharkhand
imbroglio. We have been witnessing how a mineral rich state, (which had
a budget surplus of nearly Rs 2000 Crores at the time of separation from
Bihar) has been virtually destroyed in last about a decade, where naxal
forces are now ruling the roost.
A time has therefore come to think of creating a ᓥcond Republic of India⮠
The first republic has had a life of nearly six decades and now serious
political and other reforms are required in order to create another (second)
republic. There is nothing unusual about wholesale changes in the constitution.
France currently is called ᔨe Fifth Republic⮠
The second republic will enable us to achieve a stable polity at the center
and in the states, a bureaucracy that will perform and a criminal-justice
system, which will deliver results, besides higher economic growth for
all citizens. To sum up, India would march on the path of becoming a developed
country and become part of the first world.
A four-dimensional change is required to create the second republic. IRRO
(Innovative Radical Reforms Organisation)Ⳡagenda for 㦵ndamental reforms
in the basic institutions and systems of governance namely, in the Political
Institutions, the Bureaucratic Institution and the Judicial Institution,
in a holistic and integrated manner so as to unleash the wealth creating
capacity of India as a whole䠩s an apt objective.
We would keep discussing these issues in detail in future issues.
Sincerely,
President, IRRO
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