THE REMAINDER THEOREM

Guest post by T. R. Ramaswami
Many statistics are pouring like tears from vested interests to make the BJP victory look less impressive than it is. In fact, in all bipolar contests the BJP has trounced the Congress. One such table shows that the BJP has achieved a single party majority with the least percentage of votes. The table is amusing. It goes from 1952 to 1984 and then jumps to 2014. That itself tells the magnitude of the victory. The table has also been economical with the truth. It should have a column showing how many parties contested the elections. The Congress votes until 1984 are now split between the NCP, BSP, SP, TMC, RJD, JDs, BJD and many more. Until 1984 the main other parties were only the Left and the two DK descendants. The Congress followed the British policy of divide and rule by allowing the political structure to fracture as it suited its interests. However, as in economics, even in politics, the divide and rule policy appears to have a law of marginal utility. Divide too much and you will become the remainder. That is exactly what has happened. The equation has shifted. Now after having tasted blood will the parties that were originally part of the Congress come together again? Let the Congress try for an amalgamation – if it can.
ELECTORAL SOCHIFICATIONS
The election has thrown up so many issues – each can be an article. Rahul Gandhi not to be blamed as he was not PM candidate? OK, he was unfit to be PM candidate, but was he not the leader of the election campaign? If not who was? Moreover, who fights elections – party or government? What started in 1969 when Indira Gandhi neutered anyone with a political base and made personal loyalty the key factor, is now complete. The Congress wanting to be everything to everyone is now nothing to anyone except to the family. It was an ice-cream carton – party size, but to be enjoyed by one family. A democracy was slowly converted into a hereditary wombocracy.
Although the BJP has a majority and pre-poll alliances, post poll alliances must not be allowed. Post poll alliances must statutorily banned and pre-poll alliances formally documented and registered with the EC. The President, EC and the Judiciary must ensure this so that the elections are not a tamasha to get 800 million out of the way so that 550 can decide who loots the country in what proportion.
The role of NOTA has been minimized by deliberately castrating it. Make it potent it with a provision that if NOTA wins in a constituency, all lose their deposits, and see what happens. Only when NOTA can reject everyone, democracy will be in the hands of the voters. If first past the post is undesirable then only NOTA can ensure a true winner.
IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES
The next government needs to begin work on some long overdue national and social reforms. The first is an amendment to the Constitution relating to citizenship. Indian citizenship is too cheap. Many are o not aware that Indira Gandhi and Mujibur Rehman signed an agreement that refugees who came before March 1971 will NOT be repatriated. Evidently this was to get more so-called “secular” votes. Only “Natural Indians” alone would be eligible for ALL Constitutional posts and those involving security. A Natural Indian is one whose both parents were Indian citizens at the time of his/her birth and who has never held the citizenship of any other country even for a single day. That should settle the hash of not only false Gandhis but also Farooq Abdullahs and Navin Patnaiks. Next, if we are secular then we need a secular civil code. Let us formulate one and throw it open WITHOUT COMPULSION to all Indians. Let ALL Indians be allowed to segregate religion from personal life. There are many who want to boot mullahs, bishops and purohits out of their lives. In one generation religion and caste will cease to be a vote garnering issue. The government must affirmatively demonstrate that it is the executive and legislature that run this country – not the judiciary or the EC or even the CAG. Lastly let subsidies and reservations come with riders – like limits on number of children eligible, preferably no children. Why allow poverty to be perpetuated? What about loss of voting rights? The country needs people who work for a living. Not those who vote for a living or need votes for a living.