MyVoice: Views of our readers 17th March 2024

For and against One Nation - One Poll

Even as the high-level committee led by Ram Nath Kovind submitted a report that "One nation, one election" is the need of the hour, given that the first three elections till 1967 were held simultaneously, is welcome. The fear of AIMIM chief that frequent polls keep governments on their toes and Samajwadi Party saying regional parties cannot compete with national parties in strategy and expenditure that may lead to discord between the parties seems unfounded. In fact, opposition must understand that once in place, the new mechanism would not only ensure to remove uncertainty leading to policy paralysis but also try to avoid conduct of multiple elections thereby entailing good governance essential for faster growth and development. In a nutshell, simultaneous polls are a good idea and therefore the argument by the opposition that it will cause a disruptive change without study is short-sighted and incorrect.

– K R Srinivasan,

Secunderabad

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The official report on ‘one nation one poll’ has not surprised many. It agrees with the ruling party, BJP, in declaring the simultaneous polls as good for health of democracy. The cause of uninterrupted governance and less expensive polls are said to be central themes in support of that idea. But it's not convincing. The states and local governance would lose more with such a system as their aspirations would take a backseat. The election process should be made free from money power. The maladies in electoral practices cannot be wished away by piecemeal reforms. They need to be addressed comprehensively.

– Dr DVG Sankara Rao, Vizianagaram

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In theory the one nation - one election theme is very good provided it is conducted as per 'rules' established. The appointed date and one-time transitory measure are crucial to the ‘one nation - one election’ policy rolling smoothly. Within 100 days from the appointed date, if all the elections are completed, for the rest of 4 years and 9 months the ruling parties and the administrative machinery concerned could very well concentrate on the developmental activities and the welfare of the people. Instead of going in for fresh polls in case of a hung house or a no-confidence motion, the committee should have considered President's rule as an alternative for the remaining period. The concept is to provide a clean slate to the administration so that it is not bogged down with any kind of election process/duties.

– Govardhana Myneedu, Vijayawada

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We are not a single unitary state to have (and be content with) the simultaneous polls to the Parliament, the Assemblies and local bodies. When all elections are synchronized and held on a day, it makes the festival of democracy less celebratory and colourful. At the time of simultaneous elections, the voters are more prone to being influenced by one leader or one issue which is not good for the health of a democracy. The financial burden of holding elections at different times is a price worth paying for democracy. If money is a consideration why shouldn’t we consider holding elections once in ten years? ‘One nation one poll’ will reduce democracy to a ‘one day affair’. The argument that simultaneous elections will be more convenient for the electorate to cast their votes all at once is specious as it trivialises the power of the vote. Voters are in a better position to make their choices more freely when elections are held separately. All things considered, the disadvantages of ‘one nation one election’ far outweigh the advantages. Hence it is better to shelve it.

– G David Milton, Maruthancode, TN

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The central idea behind 'One nation, One election' is to synchronise the timing of Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections across all States to reduce the frequency of polls throughout the country. According to a report, during 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, Rs 60, 000 crore was spent. Simultaneous elections will increase the costs for deploying far larger numbers of EVMs and VVPATs at the same time, deployment of security personnel and troops, hiring more election staff on board and other specific arrangements. Therefore, it does not hold much difference in cost. The ONOE will prove a significant political matter to generate trust and confidence of public.

- Dimple Wadhawan, Kanpur Nagar

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Political parties are coming out with their own views and apprehensions in this regard; while such a move in the country would result in election expenses reduced to a great extent. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh describes the move as a ruse to dismantle Ambedkar’s Constitution; while AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi calls this as death knell for Indian federalism as governments would not have to worry about people’s fury for five years. This negative politics played out by the Opposition is the bane for the country.

– K R Parvathy, Mysuru

Will Jagan lose polls?

The analogy by V Ramu Sarma, touching up the previous two ‘yugas’ whose great kings having fallen prey to egoistic arrogance despite having enormous knowledge and valour, was unmissable. There is no doubt that in the present, ‘kaliyuga’ too, similar follies by the democratically elected rulers of some states staring at similar fate – AP and Telangana in particular.

The enormous power wielded by YSRCP Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy in the initial days of coming to power is in front of our mind’s eye that gradually has grown into unilateral decimation of the opposition with least care and impunity, be it during bye-election in Tirupati or in any local body elections in AP. BRS, the pink party of Telangana, had similar negative virtues to nurture, in ensuring that there be no political opponent standing in the way of the grand family's dream of making Telangana its family fiefdom was truly shocking to the masses. With the arrest of MLC K Kavitha by the ED, embroiled in the Delhi Liquor Scam by way of ‘South Group’ - the sins of the BRS have come full circle, irrevocably. The Sharmila factor joining the Congress has shown YSRCP in a dismal light. As pointed out in the write up, the demolition of Praja Vedika, and three capital theory for AP, have shown Jagan in an unhealthy light. The surmise one draws is that the focus of either governments in TS and AP was inconsistent when they were into their second term of governance - losing focus completely on the developmental agenda, to be merely perpetrating redundant rule that left the people enormously nonplussed and disappointed. YSRCP in AP is going to witness the same fate as BRS in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

–S Lakshmi, Hyderabad

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The young CM Jagan's unique governance model in AP has ensured an unprecedented economic transformation, in the lives of 85% of middle and lower middle class population, giving them food, financial and social security in AP from 2019 to 2024. Though Covid, legal hurdles, and Centre's fiscal federal antagonism have added to the misery of an emaciated state in 2019, the Jagan government has overcome both the economic and health disasters very efficiently and deftly. The silent industrial development is another feather in the cap of AP government, which is steadily solving the unemployment problem. The revolutionary reforms taking place in education, health and MSME sectors have elevated the young CM to that of a visionary and statesman. This is the success story of a battle-hardened young CM who won the confidence of 85% of his people in AP state through good governance, which is promising another term of golden rule in 2024-29.

- P H Hema Sagar, Secunderabad

Ryots’ real concerns fall on deaf ears

The farmers are pressing the government to look into their demands particularly a month ahead of elections as the former have of late camped at the outskirts of Delhi to protest against the injustice meted out to them. Industrial sector cannot advance in the absence of a foundation laid for agriculture which is a premier sector as opined by the first PM of India Pandit Nehru. The nation has advanced in the agri sector only after 1965 due to the hard work put up by the farmers.

The crux of the farmers' issue in the country lies in making a legal enactment to provide MSP for the farmer's produce. This is being considered as an agenda of election raised by the opposition led by the Congress. The ryot demands have not been conceded even during the Modi reign, as such a settlement is likely to cost a whopping Rs 10 lakh

crore of exchequer.. The farmers' movement going on at the borders of the capital is rather as good as an aggression and sheer politicisation. The consumers' money is partially going into the hands of the farmers while the remaining into the hands of the middlemen. The farmers' problems vary from state to state and hence need to be resolved by respective state governments rather than centralising the same. It is unfortunate that the agricultural produce in India is relatively low when compared to China and Britain. The stalking capacity too is smaller in India besides a larger wastage of stored contents notwithstanding inequitable distribution of water supply to cultivate the crops.

– Bh Indu Sekhar, Hyderabad

India ranks poorly in Happiness Index

The article "Healthy Atmosphere A Prerequisite for Development" - Part 2 by Mohan Kanda gives an account of Global Happiness Index of different countries, including India, and also discusses various factors which measure the quality of life of citizens living in different countries. His analysis as regards to India is indeed concerning. India stands at 126th rank in the World Happiness Index for 2023 and again its ranking is 126 when it comes to most peaceful country in the World. Finland, Iceland and Denmark are among the top 3 nations when it comes to World Happiness Index. It means these nations offer satisfying and high standards of life to people who live there. The parameters which define a good quality life in any country are literacy, employment opportunities, access to good education, affordable food prices and quality health care system. The factors which work against India are high population numbers, illiteracy, poverty (high Hunger Index), malnutrition, lack of good job opportunities, high food prices and high cost of medical treatment.

In Rural India, children have no access to good educational facilities, electricity and clean drinking water. There are other factors which are prevalent in India such as gender inequality, unequal pay for men and women, a society steeped in patriarchism, lack of safety measures for working women and organised crime. Emission of greenhouse gases, a leading cause of pollution is also high in India, which is an environmental factor. Unless we offer a good environment for growth and development, India will continue to be ranked low in the Global Happiness Index.

– Parimala G Tadas, Hyderabad

Recognise Nari Shakti

In my opinion, in spite of atrocities growing against women day by day, no earnest effort was made by any government anywhere in India. Any party which wants to win in this elections should include in their manifesto benefits and privileges to women. Mahila Rakshan Miission is a must.

Lady IPS officers should be offered key positions. Women in Parliament (104 out of 800 seats and State Legislative Assemblies are meagre in number. Parties should encourage women offering more tickets to them for contesting in the elections. Women are struggling with household work, office work and child care and there is no much help at home. Hence women on job should be given relief in work, say, by 2 hours at least that means 6 hours work till men learn household work and share the work at home. Women's compassion and concern are very important not only for family but also to the society. It is well established that Indian families are prospering as women workers contribute to family income, besides toiling at home.

- Kantamsetti Lakshman Rao, Visakhapatnam

For a healthier India

Immunization stands as a cornerstone in child survival, offering one of the most cost-effective measures to safeguard their lives and secure their futures. India's Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) is not only one of the world's most expansive public health initiatives but also plays a crucial role in protecting children's lives and futures. Annually, it targets nearly 26 million newborns and 34 million pregnant women through over 13 million immunization sessions nationwide.

Over the past two decades, India has achieved significant improvements in child health and immunization, including being declared polio-free in 2014 and eliminating maternal and neonatal tetanus in 2015. Additionally, the introduction and nationwide expansion of new vaccines such as Measles-Rubella, Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV), and Rotavirus Vaccine (RVV) have further strengthened the program.

Despite progress, millions of children in India face immunization barriers, with infectious diseases a leading cause of nearly one million deaths before age five, preventable through immunization.

India's full immunization coverage is at 76.1%, with 1.1 million zero-dose children in 2022, highlighting the ongoing need to overcome barriers and ensure all children receive life-saving vaccinations.

In just a decade, India has forged a robust digital public health infrastructure, leveraging e-platforms and apps to revolutionize healthcare delivery at the grassroots level. With the imminent launch of U-WIN (Universal Immunization Programme-WIN), India is poised to digitalize the world's largest universal immunization program for expectant mothers and newborns. U-WIN targets 12 vaccine-preventable diseases, including diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, rubella, rotavirus diarrhea, and hepatitis B, aiming to bolster the country's immunization efforts. It is set to become the globe's largest electronic immunization registry, ensuring comprehensive coverage for approximately 29 million pregnant women and 26 million newborns annually.

In her Budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the nationwide implementation of U-WIN, akin to CoWIN for Covid-19 vaccination, for the universal immunization programme. Moving forward, it is imperative to adopt a comprehensive approach that integrates healthcare measures and cutting-edge technologies to build a healthier and more resilient India.

– Dr Krishna Kumar Vepakomma, Hyderabad

Why read poetry?

March 21 is celebrated every year as "The World Poetry Day." Why should we read poetry? As a practising Indian-English poet, I confront these questions from some people many times. There are some people who argue that, dominated so much by fiction and nonfiction, poetry is dead and to spend time on reading such a subject as poetry is quite meaningless and useless. The oft-repeated argument against poetry is that poetry, being the stuff of poet’s imagination, is far alienated from the realities of life and transports man to the world of dreams. That’s absolutely an unjustifiable notion, devoid of truth.

Poetry, apart from being the rich imagination of the poet, reflects life and depicts realities of human life. For instance, while reading Robert Frost’s poem ”Stopping by woods on a snowy evening”, the reader is invariably reminded of the journey of human life and the necessity of fulfilling one’s duties and responsibilities before the journey of life ends which is symbolically conveyed in the following lines of the poem. In the similar fashion, the poem ”Virtue” by George Herbert enlightens the reader about the supremacy and the eternal value of virtue in human life as explicitly articulated by the poet in the following lines “Only a sweet and virtuous soul,/Like seasoned timber, never gives;/ But though the whole world turns to coal,/Then chiefly lives”.

Another poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling teaches the reader as to how to form strong personality and to face life successfully as the poet chants and warns us in the following lines of the poem: “If you can dream and not make dreams your master/If you can think and not make your thoughts your aim,/If you can meet with triumph and disaster/And treat those impostors just the same,/Yours is the earth and everything that’s in it/And which is more-you ‘ll be a Man, my son.” Let our youngsters, besides pursuing various technical courses for their careers, read poetry that will mould them into sensitive and refined individuals to live joyous lives and to make the world a happy place to live in. The society is badly in need of sensitive and refined individuals to usher in an era of peace and happiness. That can only be achieved by poetry.

– Dr Venugopala Rao Kaki, Kakinada

It’s BJP versus Cong in Telangana polls

The prospects of Congress winning MP Seats in Telangana look bright, and it will win not less than 10 seats. Its main fight is with the BJP which, unlike other parties, announced candidates 15 seats. The craze for Revanth Reddy continues, and he has not taken any chance to compromise and is doing his best by gaining the confidence of women and young people. There is transparency in the functioning of the government, respecting the representation of the people and the fourth estate unlike the previous government.

The BJP has no prominent leaders in some of the constituencies, and they intend to give tickets to those who change their loyalties. It is expecting not less than 12 seats, but they will certainly win not less than 5 seats. The BJP in the last general elections won 4 seats. Their graph looks to be steady.

Under the BRS rule, scam after scam, misappropriation of funds at all levels and in all schemes are known to the public now. The BRS may not win more than 2 seats. It is finding it very difficult to choose the candidates and most of the sitting BRS MPs are not willing to contest and some of them switched their loyalties to BJP and Congress. They have given seats to them. So far BRS, they have finalized only 6 seats with difficulty.

Revanth Reddy was quite confident that they could win no less than 12 seats. The BJP has an advantage that they recently built Rama Mandir in Ayodhya, which will fetch and increase the voting percentage.

- Kanagiri SN Prasad, Hyderabad