A debate on India’s changing political landscape

[Cross Posted from Praja.]

The debate was held in Bangalore's Mount Carmel College basement auditorium on Friday the 29th Jan 2010, between 5:30 to 7:30 in the evening. This debate was organized by Janaagraha in collaboration with the Bangalore International center. The participants of the debate were Krishna Byre Gouda of the Congress and Jayant Sinha of the BJP. Jayant an IT professional is the son of Yeshwant Sinha the central finance minister in the Atal Bihari’s erstwhile BJP government. The debate was moderated by Mohandas Pai of Infosys. Ramesh Ramanathan inaugurating the discussions felt that there was an unmistakable political awakening of the middle class in the country.

Jayanth Sinha

Jayant started with a poignant note that he would rather be known as an IAS officer’s son rather than being known as a minister’s son. He having the experience of 5 general elections, managing party affairs had to lead two lives, viz public and private. Though he had spent 20 years in the USA, he could not neglect what was happening in India.

Political scene in the country is changing. The problems are local but the solutions are global. Are we seeing a change in the political scenario? Politics is a bundle of contradictions, hence to generalize is hazardous. Working towards finding solutions could be traumatic. One has to have a three dimensional perspective viz

1. Cast
2. Communal
3. Economic

Burgeoning numbers of Youth of this country will be the driving force of the immediate future. Their being up to the mark is what is going to count. So is the caliber of the middle class. The dual systems of grass root up and top down have to be employed with vision, without loosing the sense of direction. The voters’ dilemma / aspirations can be summarized as

1. Casting votes
2. or vote for your cast?
3. Identify genuine leaders
4. access to them
5. Help of leaders to fix problems (Delivery)

All this for Leading a better life
Jayant’s dilemma was the alienation of the Muslim votes from his party

Krishna Byre Gouda

He felt that while role of charismatic leaders to bring about 7 to 8% swings is crucial in winning elections, there are other factors contributing like

1. Religion
2. Cast
3. Literacy
4. Poverty
5. Money
6. Social issues
7. Individual issues

He wondered whether BJP is running out of Ideas. What is the BJPs counter for Rahul? We have to articulate individual aspirations as well as class aspirations. New slogans etc. Charsma itself will not work. Appointing leaders will be discouraged progressively. Congress will show the way for people to join and grow in the party. Change has to e gradual. In 60 years we are a working democracy. Congress is for change at a slow and gradual pace. Congress has the Muslim vote. Congress will be reborn to lead. We are attracting the youth. The current trend is towards rise in the national parties. Mutinies are happening in all parts of the country. It is good for stability. Congress is working at change at both national and grass root levels. While BJP is accusing congress for dynasty politics does Yeddyurappa’s act of making his son contest and win a parliamentary seat augur well with BJP, he asked.

Mohandass Pai

Media is coming of age. Behavior depends on the context of the situation, National or local. Telanagana issue is a serious one. Demographic Time bomb is waiting to happen. Every body wants job, which is an overriding priority. Current GDP is 1.5 triilan dollars in 20 yrs expected to touch 5Trillion $. There will be wider gap.

Krishna Byre Gouda

More violence is expected. Inclusive politics which is stable can avoid violence. Social equality and growth with inclusion is what is the need of the hour. Walk the talk. Middle class has to be more proactive because they are the beneficiaries.

Jayanth Sinha

India is buzzing (shining?). He felt that it was a fascinating story that can be written faster only if there are stable governments.

Public Interaction

Mr. Anil Katti an advocate started the public discussions. Various points of discussions that followed can be summarized as

1. Rhetoric of why things happen in certain ways seldom take us far
2. You vote you get noticed
3. Urban votes (40%) are less than rural votes (55%)
4. Media is useful
5. Diverse interests are the real challenge
6. 30 years ago things were simple issue based
7. Consolidating issues is the primary task now.
8. Media is not an issue
9. Role of money power
This is an economic issue requiring social changes
Money is required for winning
Only money is not sufficient to win
Money is all pervading debasing and corruptive
10. Criminalization of politics
11. Retail and wholesale corruption

Relevance of minor parties and or independents in the forth comming BBMP elections

Please see to days TOI report
This Debate lays modern politics thread bear.