The Political Air of Delhi And Varanasi
Prof N.K. Singh
former Chairman International Airports Authority of India
We were used to thinking about Rajya Sabha being mere the stage of formality as after legislation went through Lok Sabha it was considered almost formality to get through legislation smoothly. In fact, many experts argue that this is a dispensable formality and it should be abolished. There are many reasons for such a thinking as it is not only indirectly elected house but also not representing people who are connected closely to the commoners. It was supposed to be a house which applies a wise second check on the law being passed and its counsel carried weight.
Now it is no longer a house of intellectuals or scientists or those who represented important segments of the society and professions. It has become a refuge to accommodate defeated politicians. And in few cases, businessmen carrying money bags. It is a pity that 12 seats which are occupied by people nominated by the President of India are also not meant for artists or scientists or distinguished performers but many politicians are inducted here too. Many a time, sportsmen or artists who are nominated to this quota are attending it rarely but reap its perks and prestige. The house of elite politicians is considered by many as redundant like the post of Governors in the states.
We learnt recently that when Government is dependent on the opposition since it lacks majority, the opposition can really make it a roadblock in functioning of the parliament. No legislation goes through it without ruckus or shouting matches. Walkouts or noise makes house functioning impossible. This kind of negative value of the house hasraised the importance of Rajya Sabha which really is meant to Rajya or rule without responsibility to run the government. Each seat for the house has gone up in importance as parties both ruling and opposition are fighting keen battles to secure entry and significant presence.
When I visited Varanasi recently, I found everyone was busy in analyzing UP elections of ten members of Rajya Sabha. It was keenly watched affair as BJP had lost two bye elections for Lok Sabha already and now all eyes were glued on these ten seats especially due to recently grown value of these seats. It was common talk that earlier two bye elections were lost as Yogi Adityanath’s choice of candidates was not taken care due to caste considerations. He was still so popular and no one blamed him for the fiasco. This turned out to be true.
The BJP won nine seats and Mayavati’s candidate symbolically christened Bhimarao Ambedkar, faced rout for one seat doubtfully supported by SP. In Varanasi, every one was displaying faith in Modi with massive development going on. A rickshaw wala puts it characteristically “Varanasi chamke ga sahib”. But now it is full of dust, I say pointing out to construction and debris. He is sharp to rebut “Sir time to lagta hai makan banana main bhi”. This man truly summed up a common man’s story who still has faith in Modi despite trouble and inconvenience to him. Back in Delhi, I find the air full of rumors and Rahul jokes in different addas. Unlike Varanasi, Delhi is now worried about 2019 and opposition unity. No one is thinking of Kejriwal who is considered incorrigible apology seeker after making slanderous statements. Four years back here the mention of Kejriwal used to light up faces and he was considered the future of India. What a rise and fall of a charlatan. No one seemed to be sure of who will lead the opposition unity. No one is front runner. Akhilesh has only UP bound ambition whereas Lalu is in jail, Chandrababu Naidu is recently divorced from the BJP and is a mercurial leader.
Mamta Banerjee is only possible candidate who is running around the country and is voluble enough. She could speak Hindi in Bengali which Parnab Mukerjee considered a handicap to become a PM but after all we had Deve Gowda who did not know much. Back home she is also worried as RSS is invading her citadel in massive strength with 131 more Shakhas this year. Anna Hazare’s fast is attracting not much crowd and is not yet a revolution. How to get rid of Modi, no one knows, yet everyone is talking about it if he gets a chance.
Some BJP men are shatrus and one does not know if they will jump in the arena. It is gradually becoming clear that Rahul will not lead the united opposition though he might play secondary role. In the meantime, politics is getting dirtier day by day by data leaks and shouting matches called debates.
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