tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20338491432461347672024-03-14T11:38:10.907+05:30vinayviewsBlogging is a way of expressing oneself freely, without any inhibitions and sharing one's ideas and views. Only recently I have taken to blogging. Let me make it clear that whatever I am writing here are my personal views/opinions. The organisations I am associated with may not necessarily subscribe to these views.vinayviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284047484109738874noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2033849143246134767.post-2803379155348945882016-02-17T13:53:00.000+05:302016-02-17T13:53:11.915+05:30<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Haryana: </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Enhancing quality of
democratic representation for a</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 20pt;">Democracy that delivers </span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">The question of palpable tensions between elect-ability and functional
ability of an elected representative has always figured as a prominent theme in
contemporary discourse about democracy world over. This discourse often opens
with a matter of fact-ly observation that democracies are increasingly being
seen as failing to deliver. Many believe that while acceptability of democracy
continues to be unquestionable, there is enough empirical evidence suggesting
that efficacy of democratic governance has always remained doubtful. </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Of the several factors responsible for this abysmally low
result-orientation of democratic governance, the most commonly discussed is
about the quality of elected representatives. Those who get party nomination,
by hook and in some parties possibly even by crook; are more often than not,
unable to boast of any high personal qualification. Electability or ability to
get elected remains the single most decisive factor in award of candidature.
This is bound to affect quality of representation, impacting on deliberations,
decision-making and delivery in a democratic set up. And being a part of competitive democratic
polity, there is obvious limitation for any single party taking a meritocratic
view. Obviously then, electability becomes the common single denominator
leading to a situation where people get a representative that they in fact do
not deserve. </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Driven by the need to overcome this quality-crunch, democracies in
different countries have evolved some screening mechanisms. Measures such as
Term-Limit to facilitate entry of fresh blood, qualifying thresholds for
parties and candidates, age limit and similar such regulatory provisions were
introduced by different countries at different levels. </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Last August, Haryana amended the existing law </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">mandat</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">ing</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">that matriculation
is required for a general male candidate, middle pass for a general woman
candidate and for Scheduled Caste (SC) male candidate and only Class 5 pass for
a SC woman candidate</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">, as minimum educational qualification to be
eligible for contesting the elections to the Gram Panchayats or village bodies
and other Panchayati Raj institutions. Besides, possessing a functional toilet
at home was also made a mandatory eligibility criterion. </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Many opposed these amendments and it was later contested in the apex
court as well. It was argued that whether man </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">or woman, SC or general, the functions of a
pnchayat member is the same</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"> and hence</span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"> if a Class 5 pass is enough
to discharge a member</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">’</span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">s function, why has a higher qualification of middle pass and
matriculation pass been imposed?</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"> It was also argued that the
amendment goes against the spirit behind the principle of adult franchise.
However, much to the dismay of the critics, the apex court upheld the
amendment, which is now in force. In fact, the State went ahead with elections
to village bodies under this amended act and the impact of the same is highly
remarkable and hence noteworthy! </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">There are many achievements that have truly created a new history. For
the first time, Haryana, a State that had acquired a bad name for female
feticide saw several young women making it to the positions of Sarpanch! Also,
most elections were held without any violence, the reason being that many
congenial hooligans were automatically driven out of the fray. </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">It has also helped achieve greater gender justice as the number of women
making it to rural local self-government institutions has gone beyond the quota
limit of 33%. The State has as many as 43% women members across its Zilla
Parishads while in Taluka Panchayats the number of women is 42%. More
importantly, a total of 41% villages are now headed by a woman as its Chief, or
Sarpanch. </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">A by-product of this new measure making minimum education mandatory is
the fierceness of the contests disappeared hugely. Of the total 70071 seats for
which elections were held, on as many as 39249 seats the elections were
unanimous. This takes the number of Consensus Candidates to a whopping 56% !
Again, of the total 6187 Sarpanchs elected, 274 got the mandate unanimously. </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Much to the surprise of many, this amendment, being assailed as
'meritocracy' -promotion has also led to social democracy with greater representation
to the marginal sections of the society. Table below is a testimony to the fact
that many more backward class candidates have made it to the elected bodies,
leaving the statutory quota figures far behind. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"> Panchayati Raj body <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Percentage
of seats reserved for SC/BC <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Percentage
of actual seats won by SC/BC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Zilla
Parishads <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">20/05<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">23/18<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Panchayat
Samiti<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="Body" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">20/05<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 132.4pt;" valign="top" width="177">
<div class="Body" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">27/26<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Positions
of Sarpanch <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">20/05<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">24/-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Positions
of Panchs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="Body" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">20/05<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
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<div class="Body" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">25/31<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Those who relish in falsely portraying BJP the fall guy would do well to
understand that one of the BJP ruled states has sent several backward class
candidates from non-quota seats to the elected bodies promoting greater social
harmony. </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="Body" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Not only SABKA Sath, but the verdict of Haryana Panchayat elections has
also brought the yearning for SABKA Vikas to the fore. In a way, this is an
example of democratisation of aspirations too. Manju, first time entrant to
village Panchayat from Janoli in Palwal wants to make her village a model
village while Sunita, newly elected Sarpanch of Village Nagpur from Fatehabad
district has resolved to make villagers addiction free. Also noteworthy is the
fact that with toilet-at-home as a mandatory qualification for the contestants,
the State saw construction of as many as 51530 toilets in record period of
time, a feat unheard of! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="Body" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">However, one thing is beyond
doubt! The real test of the impact of these amendments will be in the way these
representatives conduct themselves. This will largely depend upon the quality
of deliberations, decision-making and delivery. Also under the watch will be
their public conduct. Happily both, the State Chief Minister Manohar Lal
Khattar and Rural Development Minister O P Dhankad </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">–</span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"> together architects of these reforms -- are
conscious of this and they are working on a massive capacity building campaign
of these newly elected representatives. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="Body" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">When popular confidence in
democracy is under severe strains mainly due to the quality of public
representation, although debatable; reforms oriented experiments are always
very important. Not satisfied with mere shedding tears about </span><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;">degeneration's</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> in
our democratic system, particularly the quality of representation; Haryana has
taken a bold step. Apex court has already validated these reforms. Now, it is
for the new entrants in Haryana</span><span style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">’</span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">s Panchayati Raj
institutions to establish that quality representation also leads to good
governance, leading to achieving egalitarian goals of a society where justice,
harmony and avenues for aspirations are accessible to all. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="Body" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Vinay Sahasrabuddhe is the National Vice-President of the BJP. Views
expressed here are in personal capacity. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</div>
vinayviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284047484109738874noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2033849143246134767.post-7857244831924131102016-02-08T19:04:00.000+05:302016-02-08T19:04:27.898+05:30<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
अमित शाह : अध्यक्ष के नाते उल्लेखनीय योगदान!</div>
</h2>
<br />जब हमारी आदत विषयों पर “अतिसाधारण सोच-विचार” की पड़ जाती है, तो उसमें एक प्रकार की जड़ता आ जाती है। हमें जो सामने दिखायी देता है, हम उसके आगे नहीं देख पाते है। फलस्वरूप संदर्भित विषय का गहराई से विश्लेषण नहीं हो पाता है और निहित अर्थों को समझने में भी हम असमर्थ रहते है।<br /><br />अमित शाह जी के दोबारा भारतीय जनता पार्टी के राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष बनने पर जो न्यूज रिपोर्टिंग हुई और जो सम्पादकीय टिप्पणियाँ लिखी गयीं, उनमें भी कुछ ऐसा ही देखने को मिला। बेशक, वे प्रधानमंत्री श्री नरेन्द्र मोदी जी के सबसे निकटतम और विश्वस्त व्यक्ति हैं। परंतु ‘अतिसाधारीकरण’ से वशीभूत होकर अनेक राजनैतिक विश्लेषकों ने शाह के योगदान की अनदेखी की है। विगत 18 महीने के उनके अध्यक्षीय कार्यकाल के दौरान उन्होंने पार्टी को आगे बढ़ाने में जो श्रेष्ठ काम किया है, वह इतना उल्लेखनीय है कि उसकी अनदेखी नहीं की जा सकती। उनका संक्षिप्त “प्रथम कार्यकाल” महत्वपूर्ण मानने के प्रमुख कारण हैं :-<br /><br />1. मोदी और शाह ने मिलकर सफलतापूर्वक यह सुनिश्चित किया कि सत्ता में आने के बाद पार्टी व संगठन का महत्व कम न हो। आज सरकार और संगठन के बीच पूर्ण समन्वय है। इसका प्रमुख कारण दोनों के बीच का आपसी गहन संवाद और परिपक्व पारस्परिक सहयोग है। विगत 18 माह में यह बात आदर्श रूप से देखने को मिली। प्रधानमंत्री जी स्वयं नियमित रूप से पार्टी के मुख्यालय पर जाकर राष्ट्रीय तथा विकास के कार्यक्रमों में पार्टी कार्यकर्ताओं की भागीदारी सुनिश्चित करते हैं और इसी वजह से सभी जगह सुदृढ़ नेतृत्व स्पष्ट दिखायी दे रहा है।<br /><br />इस तरह का सुदृढ़ राजनैतिक नेतृत्व राष्ट्र के लिये बहुत जरूरी है। हमने यह बखूबी देखा है कि कांग्रेस के शासनकाल के समय में उनके कुछ प्रसिद्ध प्रधानमंत्रियों के कार्यकाल में किस तरह “पार्टी-संगठन” उनकी निजी संस्था हो जाती थी। पूरे देश ने यह देखा था कि कांग्रेस पार्टी के एक उपाध्यक्ष ने किस तरह लोगों के बीच मंच से अपनी छवि बनाने के लिये अपनी ही सरकार के विधेयक को सार्वजनिक रूप से फाड़कर फेंक दिया था<br /><br />2. चार राज्यों के विधानसभा चुनाव में लगातार जीत हासिल करके तथा झारखण्ड, महाराष्ट्र व हरियाणा में भाजपा की सरकार बनवाकर अमित शाह ने अपनी पार्टी के राजनीतिक जनाधार को और बढ़ाया है। जम्मू-कश्मीर में भाजपा की भागीदारी वाली सरकार का बनना एक ऐतिहासिक व अभूतपूर्व उपलब्धि है। पार्टी के लोग जानते हैं कि इसके लिये अमित शाह ने कितने “दृढ़-संकल्प” और कर्मठता के साथ काम किया है।<br /><br />3. पार्टी कार्यकर्ताओं में “राष्ट्र-प्रथम” का भाव मजबूत करने के लिये शाह ने बहुत कड़ी मेहनत की है। उन्होंने कार्यकर्ताओं को विशेष रूप से तीन रचनात्मक कार्यों में संलग्न होने के लिये प्रेरित किया। इनमें कन्या भ्रूण हत्या रोकने के लिए “बेटी बचाओ” और स्कूलों में कन्याओं के “ड्रॉप-आउट” कम करने तथा गंगा को स्वच्छ बनाने के लिये चलाये जा रहे “नमामि गंगा प्रोजेक्ट” ही नहीं, अपितु किसी भी जिले की एक नदी को स्वच्छ बनाने में भागीदार होने और सिर पर मैला ढोने वाले लोगों के पुनर्वास के लिये काम करना शामिल हैं।<br /><br />एक कार्यक्रम में उन्होंने कार्यकर्ताओं को भी स्पष्ट किया कि बड़ी संख्या में लोगों को कार्यकर्ताओं के रूप में नामांकित करने का काम पार्टी को चुनाव जिताने की ‘मशीन’ में बदलना नहीं है। भाजपा इस मशीन के लिये नहीं, बल्कि ‘मिशन’ राजनीति के लिये है। भाजपा ऐसी राजनीति के लिये,जिसका उद्देश्य लोगों की सेवा करना है। पार्टी की सदस्यता को 10 करोड़ से अधिक करके और पूरे देश में कम समय में त्रिस्तरीय प्रशिक्षण कार्यक्रम संपन्न करके उन्होंने अद्भुत उपलब्धि हासिल की है।<br /><br />4. पार्टी संगठन के रणनीतिक विस्तार में भी उनकी उपलब्धियाँ महत्वपूर्ण हैं। उन्होंने हमेशा उन राज्यों पर फोकस किया, जिन्हें हम "कोरोमण्डल राज्य'' कहते हैं। इनमें केरल, तमिलनाडु, आन्ध्रप्रदेश, तेलंगाना, ओडीसा और पश्चिम बंगाल तथा केन्द्र शासित प्रदेश पुदुचेरी भी शामिल हैं। वह इस बात को अच्छी तरह समझते हैं कि पर्याप्त जनादेश पाने के लिये भाजपा को हिन्दीभाषी क्षेत्र से आगे जाकर काम करना होगा।<br /><br />5. उन्होंने सामाजिक क्षेत्र में भाजपा की पहुँच बढ़ाने के लिये भी महत्वपूर्ण काम किये। भविष्य की संभावनाओं के प्रति हमेशा सजग रहने वाले शाह ने पार्टी संगठन में “ओबीसी मोर्चा” के रूप में एक और अनुषांगिक संगठन जोड़ा। वह अच्छी तरह जानते हैं कि पार्टी को अपना जनादेश बढ़ाने के लिये अन्य पिछड़ा वर्गों के बीच मजबूत आधार बनाना होगा।<br /><br />6. राजनैतिक विश्लेषकों द्वारा पार्टी की कार्य-प्रणाली को संस्थागत स्वरूप देने के लिये उनके द्वारा किये गये प्रयासों की भी अनदेखी की गयी है। सच यह है कि पहली बार उन्होंने पार्टी कार्य के लिये 18 विभाग गठित किये हैं, जिन्हें स्पष्ट रूप से “परिभाषित” कार्य सौंपे गये हैं। इसमें अनेक गैर-पारम्परिक विभाग शामिल हैं जैसे- नीति, शोध, ई-लायब्रेरी, दस्तावेजीकरण और कार्यालय आधुनिकीकरण। प्रत्येक जिले में पार्टी के स्वामित्व वाला कार्यालय उनका सपना है और वह इसे हकीकत में बदलने के लिये लगातार काम कर रहे हैं।<br /><br /> <br /><br /> सरकार और संगठन के बीच मजबूत संबंध, भाजपा का चुनावी विस्तार, भाजपा कार्यकर्ताओं में ध्येयशीलता का विकास, भाजपा के रणनीतिक विस्तार के लिये कार्य, सामाजिक क्षेत्र में कार्यों का दायरा बढ़ाना और पार्टी के कार्य को अधिक संस्थागत व व्यवस्थित स्वरूप देना शाह की प्रमुख 6 उपलब्धियाँ हैं।<br /><br /> राजनीतिक पंडितों और विश्लेषकों को याद रखना चाहिये कि शाह की इस सांगठनिक व राजनैतिक कार्यकुशलता की बदौलत ही उन्हें पार्टी का पुनः अध्यक्ष बनने का अवसर मिला है।<br /><br /> <br /><br /> </div>
vinayviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284047484109738874noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2033849143246134767.post-64846087779753342432014-03-25T15:16:00.001+05:302014-03-25T15:17:24.186+05:30<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">‘Policy-Matters’ cause policy matters for sure! </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-size: medium; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Vinay Sahasrabuddhe </i></span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dictionary of Policy and Government defines
Policy as follows: “policy – (noun) a detailed plan of how something will be
done.” Traditionally, mostly at the popular level policy is considered as
something dry, theoretical and at times irrelevant to day-to-day lives of the
people. However, in reality most parts of our lives are controlled by; what
they call as Policy Regimes. Policies aimed at liberalization, privatization
and globalization changed our lives in the last decade of the previous century.
Car manufacturing industry reaped the harvest and in India we started choosing
from several options of vehicles of different makes, thanks to probably a
wanton disregard of growing need for a smart, dependable Urban Public Transport
Policy implemented in every city. It is the Policy or the lack of it made us
witness contradictions in public administration in several ways. We had grains
stored in the open; allowed to rotten in rainy season and shortage of food grain
for the marginal sections. Students from the North- East subjected to
humiliation for their distinct facial features and our school geography
syllabus compelling us to learn about Brazil and Nigeria more than Nagaland and
Arunachal Pradesh. Government wanting to reduce crude oil import bill and
disallowing use of ethanol in petroleum products, at the same time. Continuing
with the department of prohibition in several States on the one hand and
encouraging production of wine on the other. Consistency, Jawaharlal Nehru had
famously said; is the virtue of an ass and like Nehruvian secularism; we are
yet to free ourselves from the hangover of this crass theorization of
contradictions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In today’s
world, where governance has acquired a place of prominence in public mind and
people are becoming more and more aware and alert on issues of public concern,
it is necessary that every citizen acquire at least fundamental
policy-literacy. After all Public policies are the instruments of State
intervention in the political economy. These policies set out the plans and
strategies of government in trying to work effectively for the larger good of
the people. Therefore, it is important that the content of policies meet the
aspirations of the people at large. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Evolution of
public policy is largely considered as the domain essentially that of experts
and researchers. However, off late; with the continuing spread of democracy and
renewed emphasis on public participation, there appears<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a healthy trend of citizenry taking keen
interest in public policy issues. With continued erosion of the quality of
governance in major democracies and the resultant frustration, it is
significant that the level of interest of the people at large in policy issues
in rapidly enhancing. People are the principal stake-holders in any democratic
polity and hence no citizen can afford to be ignorant, much less unconcerned
about public policy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Through this
column, what we want to attempt is promoting greater policy literacy, creating
a space for policy education and ultimately public scrutiny of policies and
thereby aiming at policy transformation, wherever required. This is a long
drawn process that can become interesting only if as citizens we are able to
appreciate the organic relationship between several issues concerning the
desired quality of our life and the present situation. Understanding policy
issues is a two-way process. Policy makers need to listen to people for sure,
but people also have to say something! Lets therefore share our ideas,
experiences, impressions and criticisms of the prevailing policy regime and in
our own way and together, take this discussion ahead. Through changing the
shape of the things to come we can achieve shaping the change, beyond doubt! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Vinay
Sahasrabuddhe <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: large;">Vinays57@gmail.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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vinayviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284047484109738874noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2033849143246134767.post-23373940431435445572014-03-21T13:00:00.002+05:302014-03-21T13:00:25.682+05:30<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #383737;"><i>2014 : Politics of Performance : Notes 01 </i></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #383737;"><i><br /></i></span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Conserving forests, involving people..</span></b><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: justify;">
<u style="text-underline: #383737;"><span style="color: #383737; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">A Note on few unique
forest conservation efforts in Gujarat being released on the occasion on World Forestry Day. March 21st 2014 </span></u></div>
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<span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">In a democratic polity, politics ideally has to be about ideas.
Electoral competition essentially needs to be around thoughts and concepts and
their relationship with basic human values as well as practicality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, our electoral campaigns
have always focused more on personalities than principles. In this atmosphere,
I thought I could share some<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ideas
that have been successfully implemented in Gujarat<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>with regards to forest and forest conservation on the
occasion of World Forest Day. </span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Fast depleting forest cover is a major challenge before the
Humanity today, goes without saying. This happens because typically, the
ownership and hence responsibility of conservation always remains with the
government. Understandably then, not only to people at large but also to those
who dwell in the forests, forest conservation becomes an alien process. This
brings in a crisis of ownership.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Whether it is the question of receding levels of ground water table or
shrinking forest cover, unless people are made to realize that not the
government but they themselves are the real stakeholders in conservation of
natural resources, saving the task of Mother Nature will remain just another
government programme. Hence, very rightly Gujarat govt insisted that greater
people</span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">’</span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">s participation always
has to be at the centre of Mission Conservation. </span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Two examples are quite revealing! The first one is about an
experiment that was undertaken in Gujarat. The forest department embarked on a
unique initiative named as Canopy Plantation Programme.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>Conceptualised in 2009, the programme aims at promoting bio
diversity, ensuring climate proofing, promoting disease resistance in plant species
and restoring forest cover.</span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"> </span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">However, at the core of
this programme is the forest dweller. This programme has proved to be offering
a socio economic umbrella over the forest dependent tribals who can then
utilise the produce from the plantations for income generation. The canopy thus
acts as a source of economic security for the dependent population.</span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"> </span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">This programme has been
designed in such a way that it provides multiplier benefits especially to the
Below Poverty Line (BPL) tribal population in the State.</span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Now, forward market linkages are being established for the
products too. Marketing of the products is done through existing local channels
with the Forest Department giving leverage to the local people to sell their
products at competitive prices<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">.</b></span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"> </span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Off late efforts are
afoot to brand these forest products with the help of specialists.</span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">The second example is
that of the Vanbandhu Yojana and other initiatives. When one thinks of forests,
the thought of forest dweller communities, especially the tribal</span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">’</span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">s has to be at the top of your mind. To
further the government-forest dwellers partnership, what is essential is giving
land rights to tribal people. Now, The </span><span style="color: #404040; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">1.10 lakh tribals from
Gujarat have become owners of over 10.25 lakh acres of forest land. The land
ownership documents have been given to tribals as part of the state
government's commitment to implement the Forest Rights Act, 2006.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"> Under the Rs.15, 000-crore </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">‘</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojna</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">’</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"> for the welfare of the tribal, the State Government has embarked
upon empowerment oriented schemes and programmes. Opening Coaching Centres for
MBBS entrance tests in every tribal taluka, opening Engineering Colleges and
Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), Science Stream Schools, Nursing and
Physiotherapy Colleges and Agro-Polytechnics in different tribal talukas
feature in our Vanbandhu Yojana. So far, Vanbandhu Yojna has achieved a huge
success in uplifting economical growth of the tribals through farming and
animal-husbandry. Tribals are also being encouraged for opting for organic
farming</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Whether Vanbandhu
Yojana or </span><span style="background: white; color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">the ambitious bio-diversity programme the core thinking is
the same. Central to all these programmes is the realization of the intense
interdependence between livelihood security and ecological security. Gujarat
government is aware that </span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">people
living in bio-diverse areas have acquired rich indigenous ecological knowledge
through generations of interaction with local ecosystems, which they have
shaped, and which, in turn have shaped their cultures, lifestyles and
livelihoods.</span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Efforts to partner with
the people have two other aspects too. Firstly, this process requires
establishing a linkage between popular folk-culture and conservation needs.
Secondly, it also requires bringing in innovative ideas showcasing some out of
the box thinking. In<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>their efforts
to make development issues a part of the popular ethos, looks like they have
embarked upon the idea of Cultural Forests, one step ahead of social forestry. </span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">The objective of
establishing Sanskritik Vans or cultural forests is to increase active
participation of the people and create awareness among them. </span><span style="background: white; color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Such
plantations are planned according to various Indian traditions like Navgraha
Van, Nakashatra Van, Rashi Van, Panchvati, Trithankar, Saptarshi, Shriparni,
Arogya Van etc., which have become popular amongst people of Gujarat.</span><span style="background: white; color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Remarkably, Gujarat has succeeded</span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"> in conservation of
mangroves. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Gujarat, which
had 427 sq km of mangrove forest cover in 1987, increased it phenomenally to
1045 sq km by 2009.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today, it has
increased further.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Another important feature is that </span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Gujarat
perhaps is among the few States where you can see Women Forest Guards,
protecting the wild life resolutely. While appointing women as guards, factors
like the natural tendency of women to foster togetherness and their indomitable
convincing power were taken into consideration. We can reasonably conclude that
women guards have facilitated the process of emotionally connecting the village
and other communities with the wildlife. Wildlife conservation is a combined
effort of checking poaching activities as well as creating a favorable
atmosphere where wildlife and humans can live symbiotically.</span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"> </span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"> The women forest
guards have successfully taken care of both these aspects.</span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Take for example, Manisha Vaghela, a woman guard who single
handedly caught a gang of poachers in the year 2011.</span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"> </span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Like Manisha, several
other women forest guards are also very pro-actively discharging their duties.
As a result the population of Gir lions has increased. </span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Democratic governance
is all about enabling people to shape their own destiny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Narendrabhai has always believed
citizens to be instrumental in ushering positive change in their own lives. The
</span><span style="background: white; color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">remarkable
aspect of Gujarat's Forest and Environment protection initiatives has been that
they usually addresses both, the ecological as well as economic concerns of
society.</span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">As Ban Ki Moon, the
Secretary-General of the United Nations has said, we must begin to create a
model for a 21st century economy that rejects the myth that there must be a
zero-sum trade-off between growth and the environment, meaning growth and
environmental protection have to go hand in hand.</span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span><span style="color: #383737; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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vinayviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284047484109738874noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2033849143246134767.post-25537108331791439682014-03-07T15:57:00.000+05:302014-03-07T15:58:13.401+05:30<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Postmortem of Kejri-cry<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">A point-by-point response to questions raised and rebuttal of
irresponsible allegations made by Arvind Kejriwal</span></i></b><b><u><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></u></b></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">(A compilation of authentic inputs for public education) </span></u></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">On Gas
Pricing<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It was BJP
leader Yashwant Sinha who led the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Gas
Pricing, which gave a researched yet aggressive critique of the gas pricing
policies </span></b><b><span style="background: white; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">seeking
a re-think on the formulation of pricing through recommendations of the
Rangarajan formula and urging the UPA government to review its decision to
increase prices from April 2014.</span></b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftn1" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[1]<!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> The report
makes these points mainly:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l9 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></i><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Committee advised the government to subject
gas producers to closer regulation, especially on aspects of cost recovery and
technical parameters related to production. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l9 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></i><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Committee opined that the contractor responsible
for supplying gas from the KG-D6 gas field should deliver the shortfall in
supply at the original price and not be allowed to take advantage of a possible
upward price revision. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l9 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.</span></span></i><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l9 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></i><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Expressing concerns about the adverse impact on
different sectors of a possible price rise due the implementation of the new
formula, the Committee suggested that the government re-think elements of the
formula and impose a cap on the price suggested by it. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.</span></span></i><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l9 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></i><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Committee expressed the view that the
government needs to do a thorough impact study of gas pricing on the core
sectors of power, fertiliser, steel and small scale industry.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It is also important to remind Kejriwal that <b>Gujarat’s
Energy Minister Shri Saurabh Patel has also expressed his disappointment and
opposition to the gas pricing which would lead to increased rates</b>.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftn2" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[2]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Coming to Kejriwal’s charge of undue favours to
Ambani, this is again a blind allegation in which Arvind Kejriwal specializes. <b>Gujarat
under Narendra Modi has seen transparent governance which has cut red tape and
corruption tremendously.</b> <b><i><o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The
question to be asked to Arvind Kejriwal is that <b>why did his party not raise
its voice or demand any FIR in the Augusta Westland case which directly
involved Sonia Gandhi?</b> Did their political alliance play a part or it has
more to do with the personal closeness of Arvind Kejriwal to the Sonia Gandhi
& the NAC nexus?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="background: white; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">On
Agricultural Growth<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Again
Kejriwal used non existent figures to rubbish the most exceptional story of
transformation in agriculture. Gujarat has indeed grown at close to 11% in the
last decade. This data sourced from the Gujarat Socio Economic Survey proves
him a liar once again. Gujarat has indeed been growing at 11% in the past
decade.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="Agri.jpg" height="157" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image002.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_0" width="423" /><!--[endif]--></span><span style="background: white; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="background: white; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Electricity
Supply<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Gujarat’s
Jyotigram Yojna has been lauded over the country & in the world for
revolutionising agriculture in rural areas. It has also been recommended as the
ideal model by planning panel as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">On subsidies to farmers, </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">At a time when electricity consumers in Gujarat are paying about
Rs 5 for every unit of electricity, farmers in the state are getting the same
at a subsidised rate of just 56 paise.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftn3" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[3]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><u><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">On Crony Capitalism<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By asking such questions Arvind Kejriwal tries to indulge in
innuendo, which has been the characteristic of the AAP. However if he did just
some research on Gujarat and it’s progress in the last decade, the answers are
clearly visible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Under Narendra Modi’s rule in Gujarat, businesses have
thrived and progressed immensely. Not only Adani, almost all industrial houses
have done well in Gujarat. This is due to absence of red tape and excellent
infrastructure in Gujarat. These policies of the Gujarat Government have
directly benefitted the common man, by increasing employment opportunities
& incomes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Even the PSUs which were loss making entities in Gujarat before
Narendra Modi came to power, are making great profit now. </span><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">While they
incurred a loss of 2702 crore in 2001, the same companies turned a profit of
4041 crores in 2012-13. <i><o:p></o:p></i></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The per capita
income in Gujarat has grown at the fastest rate in Gujarat in the entire
country in the last decade. SMEs & MSMEs have also blossomed like never
before. There are many success stories in Gujarat, which is truly the growth
engine of India.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If he is
specifically interested in only Adani, he should also know that Adani has
invested in </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Himachal
Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa,
Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Assam apart
from Gujarat. In addition to it, the Group has made investment in
Indonesia for coal mining project and Australia for port and coal mining
projects. It’s investments in Gujarat comprise of only 35% of its total
investments.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-left: 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Hence questioning
ties between Adani group and the Gujarat CM is just nonsensical. Also all the
exchanges between the Gujarat Government and the company are in public domain,
unlike the AAP which holds closed door meetings in hotels with industrialists
to make political deals.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<b><u><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Health &
Education<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo6; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Arvind Kejriwal would be pleasantly surprised to know that
Gujarat’s performance in education, health and helping farmers is indeed a
model for the nation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.4pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo6; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Modi Government with its Kanya
Kelvani and Shala Praveshotsav programme in Mission Mode focused attention on
primary education in the State for the first time. At the time Mr. Modi became
Chief Minister the drop out rate in primary education was as high as 20%. These
means that one in every five children dropped out of school at the end of class
V. In 2012-13, this has come down to 2.04 . </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo6; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This huge success in education was
due to more money being spent on education especially in building
infrastructure. The performance of Gujarat is far better than the National
performance which can be seen below:</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l12 level1 lfo5; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">99%
of schools in</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Gujarat have electricity Vs 72</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">%
nationally</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l12 level1 lfo5; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">82%
of schools in Gujarat have ramp facility Vs 53% nationally</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l12 level1 lfo5; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">89%
of schools in Gujarat have boundary walls Vs 58% nationally</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l12 level1 lfo5; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">100%
of schools in Gujarat have girls toilets Vs 72% nationally</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="background: white; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l12 level1 lfo5; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">100%
of schools in Gujarat have drinking water Vs 23% nationally</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l10 level1 lfo7; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">According to the latest figures of
IMR are for 2012, released by Registrar General in 2013 IMR of Gujarat has
declined by 33% as compared to decline of 30% for All India between 2003 and
2012. Gujarat’s IMR at 38 is lower than the All India IMR of 42 hence Gujarat’s
IMR has declined from 57 in 2003 to 38 in 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-left: 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l10 level1 lfo7; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Gujarat had a rank of 10 in 15
Bigger States in<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>SRS 2005. This
rank improved to 8<sup>th</sup><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>in
19 Bigger States which have been taken up in<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>SRS
2013. Also important to note that in Gujarat IMR reduced from 69 in 1991 to 60
in 2001, but in the next 11 years decreased from 60 to 38! Hence Gujarat has
done well in reducing IMR and this indicates that growth in Gujarat has been
Inclusive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-left: 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l10 level1 lfo7; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It is interesting to see Arvind Kejriwal
raise similar questions on farmer suicides which was raised by his Rahul Gandhi
sometime back. Gujarat has an excellent track record in<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>not<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>being
known for farmer suicides. The states of Andhra Pradesh & Maharashtra are
known for farmer suicides. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-left: 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l10 level1 lfo7; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If any
party is responsible for farmer suicides, it is Congress Party. Also
Maharashtra & Andhra Pradesh, two Congress ruled states have the highest no
of suicide cases in India.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l10 level1 lfo7; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">According
to a reply given in the Lok Sabha<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftn4" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[4]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>,
Andhra Pradesh recorded 7303 while Maharashtra recorded 10,264 deaths in 2010,
2011, 2012. It is ironic that Arvind Kejriwal asks this question to Narendra
Modi when it is the party who he was associated with previously which is
responsible for most farmer deaths.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l10 level1 lfo7; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Gujarat has the country’s best
record in BT Cotton but the state has make excellent arrangements for provision
of infrastructure and inputs, especially water and has been able to avoid
farmer suicides. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 14.4pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l10 level1 lfo7; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It
would be good if Arvind Kejriwal answers what has AAP Government done in Delhi.
Rapes continue abetted. Racial crimes are flourishing. Infact their ministers
are indulging in racism. As many as 174 people are reported to have dies in
Delhi due to cold in 23 days of AAP regime itself. Even the NHRC had to step in
and question the death of people due to cold.<b><u><o:p></o:p></u></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #17365D; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Facts on the
Purshottam Solanki case<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #C6D9F1; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">No proven
findings against Purshottam Solanki<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo8; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Primarily
imperative to ask anyone who levels any allegations against Purshottam Solanki
as to what are the charges against him? If he/she is aware of the case details?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 72.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l7 level1 lfo9; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Whether there is a court order against him?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 72.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l7 level1 lfo9; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Whether there is a CAG finding against him?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 72.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l7 level1 lfo9; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Whether any allegation of corruption has been proved
in a court against him?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 72.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l7 level1 lfo9; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Whether his actions have led to a loss to the public
exchequer?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 72.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l7 level1 lfo9; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Whether there is any allegation of a quid pro quo?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 72.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo8; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The reality is there is <b>no chargesheet/no court
finding against Purshottam Solanki.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #C6D9F1; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>His decision was in the larger
interest of the community<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo8; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Being from the fishermen community himself, the
Minister for Fisheries <b>Purshottam Solanki,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>took a decision in the interest of the fishermen community
by allowing communities, co-operatives, displaced & adversely impacted
people to get contracts for fishing at upset prices. This decision was actually
a medium of Empowerment for the local communities.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo8; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Some private individuals went to the High Court
against this decision. The High Court asked the Government of Gujarat to study
the matter and take appropriate decision.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo8; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Cabinet studied all aspects of the case extensively
and deduced that no spurious practice was followed by Purshottam Solanki in the
case.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #C6D9F1; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Governor gave
sanction to prosecute disregarding Cabinet opinion<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo8; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But the <b>Governor of Gujarat, in yet another example
of partisan politics, disregarded the opinion of the Cabinet & gave
sanction to prosecute Purshottam Solanki.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #C6D9F1; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Matter being
probed, important to wait for verdict<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo8; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This matter is currently being probed by the Anti
Corruption Bureau as per the Court Orders.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> There has been no
chargesheet/court finding against Purshottam Solanki till date.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo8; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The question arises that how can someone judge
Purshottam Solanki even before the court finds any evidence against him or
pronounces its verdict. <b>It is important to respect the sanctity of our
judicial systems & wait for the verdict before declaring anyone guilty to
score political points.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo8; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The case has not even come for trial; no
chargesheet has been filed and there are no adverse findings by any court
whatsoever<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #17365D; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Facts on the
Babubhai Bokhiria Case<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #B8CCE4; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Stay on
Conviction<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo10; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The
opposition & sections of the media are routinely peddling lies that
Babubhai Bokhiria remains in the cabinet inspite of being convicted. Nothing
can be farther from the truth than this assumption.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo10; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The fact of
the matter in Babubhai Bokhiria’s case is that his conviction has been stayed
by a superior court.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo10; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Both his conviction and his sentence stay
suspended.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #B8CCE4; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Rationale
behind Stay<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo11; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The District
Judge after taking into account the trial order has passed a detailed speaking
order.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo11; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The District Judge has said that he is aware that a
conviction should not be stayed unless it is a rare case. After detailed study
of the case, the <b>District Court Judge has come to the conclusion that this
conviction should be stayed as it is a rare case.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #B8CCE4; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Supreme Court
Judgment<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l8 level1 lfo12; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Supreme Court judgment which repealed section 8
(4) of the RP Act 1951 while allowing disqualification of convicted
representatives, also <b>observed that the same will not apply retrospectively.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l8 level1 lfo12; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So it would
be unfair to question the wisdom of the Supreme Court & asking Babubhai
Bokhiria to be removed from the Cabinet as legally his conviction has been
stayed<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>at present.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #B8CCE4; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Moral
Argument<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l13 level1 lfo13; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Argument may
be made that keeping in mind morality and commitment towards eradicating
corruption, Babubhai Bokhiria should be removed from the Cabinet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l13 level1 lfo13; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Here it is
important to remind that <b>morality should be applicable on both sides.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if a higher court strikes down his
sentence and conviction entirely and proves him innocent?</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l13 level1 lfo13; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Hence we
should wait for the Court to decide the case before coming to conclusions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #95B3D7; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Questions
Kejriwal needs to answer<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l11 level1 lfo14; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">While Arvind
Kejriwal in his self righteousness questions a person as honest as Shri
Narendra Modi, he himself has been found running away from the same questions. </span><span style="background: white; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo15; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It has been
found that on direction of the Court, <b>the Centre has sent notices to the AAP
to reveal it’s source of funding. But the Kejriwal led AAP is yet to reply
inspite of 2 notices.</b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftn5" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[5]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a><b>
</b></span><span style="background: white; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo15; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Arvind Kejriwal should
question Manish Sisodia who is <b>accused of misusing the money meant for his
NGO</b>. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftn6" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[6]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo15; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Arvind Kejriwal also needs to
answer the nation as to why is the <b>Ford Foundation aiding the AAP </b>and
what are the ulterior motives behind it. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftn7" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[7]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo15; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">He is also yet to <b>answer
the Courts on crossing the election spending</b>. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftn8" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[8]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo15; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">While Arvind Kejriwal positions himself as the champion of
honest politics, it is strange to find that Arvind Kejriwal is yet to answer <b>13
RTI applications asking him questions </b></span><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">pertained to funds received by way of donations and membership,
details of expenses, statements of the party’s bank accounts, internal
elections, candidates selections process and the proof of corruption against
politicians</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> whom
Kejriwal has called corrupt in the recent weeks. The petitioner also adds
“While Arvind Kejriwal was in the chair, the chief minister’s performance on
RTI was at its worst ever. I had asked for reasons for the transfers of the two
transport commissioners. <b>The CM’s office replied that the citizens have no
right to ask why the transfer happen</b>” <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftn9" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[9]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 58.5pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<u><span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 115%;">AAP Manifesto
Report Card<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; margin-left: -44.1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-insideh: .5pt solid black; mso-border-insidev: .5pt solid black; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 567px;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 42.25pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="background: #EEECE1; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 42.25pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 76.5pt;" width="77"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sr
No.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #00B050; border-left: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 42.25pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 286.8pt;" width="287"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Promises<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: red; border-left: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 42.25pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 203.7pt;" width="204"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Status<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="background: #F2F2F2; border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 76.5pt;" width="77"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">01<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #CCC0D9; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 286.8pt;" width="287"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The VIP culture should be stopped in Delhi. No
MLA, minister or</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Delhi</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">official will
use red beacon on their cars. Neither they will live in big bungalows nor
will take any special security.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #FBD4B4; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 203.7pt;" width="204"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Definitely no red-beacon is used. But big
vehicle with VIP numbers were allotted to the ministers. Even Kejriwal
himself asked for two 5-bed room bungalows. Thus on this front AAP government
failed seriously because only tokenism was displayed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="background: #F2F2F2; border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 76.5pt;" width="77"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">02<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #CCC0D9; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 286.8pt;" width="287"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Passing of the Jan Lokpal Bill, the same
version for which Anna Hazare held fasts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #FBD4B4; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 203.7pt;" valign="top" width="204"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This in fact was opportunistically used by AAP
in order to reap some benefit in Lok Sabha elections<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="background: #F2F2F2; border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 76.5pt;" width="77"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">03<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #CCC0D9; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 286.8pt;" width="287"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 97.5pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">People will
take decision directly in 'mohalla sabhas', which will be held in every
locality and colony.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #FBD4B4; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 203.7pt;" valign="top" width="204"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">‘</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Swaraj Bill’ even could not pass the cabinet.
No opinion was taken for decisions during the tenure of government. This is a
failure<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="background: #F2F2F2; border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 76.5pt;" width="77"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">04<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #CCC0D9; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 286.8pt;" valign="top" width="287"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">AP demanded complete statehood for Delhi.
Central government's hold on DDA and Police should end<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #FBD4B4; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 203.7pt;" valign="top" width="204"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">No such bill came in the Assembly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td style="background: #F2F2F2; border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 76.5pt;" width="77"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">05<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #CCC0D9; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 286.8pt;" valign="top" width="287"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The party also demanded a special audit of all
electricity companies in the national capital from the time these were
privatised. The companies that refuse to participate, their licenses should
be cancelled<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #FBD4B4; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 203.7pt;" valign="top" width="204"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Audit has been ordered. But because of
resignation, how this can be followed up? - <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 34.6pt; mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td style="background: #F2F2F2; border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 34.6pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 76.5pt;" width="77"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">06<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #CCC0D9; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 34.6pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 286.8pt;" width="287"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Electricity meters should be checked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #FBD4B4; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 34.6pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 203.7pt;" width="204"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This has not yet started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td style="background: #F2F2F2; border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 76.5pt;" width="77"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">07<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #CCC0D9; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 286.8pt;" width="287"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There is 220 liters of water available for
every person daily. Where is it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #FBD4B4; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 203.7pt;" width="204"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In this tenure, Kejriwal never wanted to
investigate this. No answer to </span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.merinews.com/country/india/state/delhi"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Delhi</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Public
till date<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 8; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="background: #F2F2F2; border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 76.5pt;" width="77"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">08<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #CCC0D9; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 286.8pt;" width="287"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">AAP wanted unauthorized colonies to be
regularized. 30% of Delhi's population lives in such colonies and these
should be regularized<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #FBD4B4; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 203.7pt;" width="204"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This hasn’t been done yet nor any action
initiated till date! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; margin-left: -44.1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-insideh: .5pt solid black; mso-border-insidev: .5pt solid black; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 567px;">
<tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="background: #F2F2F2; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 76.5pt;" width="77"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">08<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #CCC0D9; border-left: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 286.8pt;" width="287"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">AAP wanted unauthorized colonies to be
regularized. 30% of Delhi's population lives in such colonies and these
should be regularized<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #FBD4B4; border-left: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 203.7pt;" width="204"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This hasn’t been done yet nor any action
initiated till date! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 77.35pt; mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="background: #F2F2F2; border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 77.35pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 76.5pt;" width="77"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">09<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #CCC0D9; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 77.35pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 286.8pt;" width="287"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The party demanded to know if the Congress and
the BJP will support its decision to give clean and affordable 'pakka houses'
(built up houses) to those living in slums.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #FBD4B4; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 77.35pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 203.7pt;" width="204"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Both BJP and Congress agreed to it. But AAP
government didn’t initiate any action<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="background: #F2F2F2; border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 76.5pt;" width="77"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">10<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #CCC0D9; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 286.8pt;" width="287"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It also sought their support to give regular
jobs to those working on contractual basis. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #FBD4B4; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 203.7pt;" width="204"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">No Action initiated by AAP government despite
their promise. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 62.5pt; mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="background: #F2F2F2; border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 62.5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 76.5pt;" width="77"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">11<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #CCC0D9; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 62.5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 286.8pt;" width="287"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It wanted to give infrastructural facilities
like roads, electricity, water and basic facilities to the ordinary trader<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #FBD4B4; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 62.5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 203.7pt;" width="204"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Not once these promises were discussed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="background: #F2F2F2; border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 76.5pt;" width="77"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">12<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #CCC0D9; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 286.8pt;" width="287"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">AAP said it is against FDI in retail.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #FBD4B4; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 203.7pt;" width="204"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A letter from Delhi government sent to the
central government withdrawing earlier consent of allowing FDI in retail at
Delhi <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 48.1pt; mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td style="background: #F2F2F2; border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 48.1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 76.5pt;" width="77"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">13<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #CCC0D9; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 48.1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 286.8pt;" width="287"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The party wanted to provide facilities and
subsidies to farmers in the villages in the national capital.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #FBD4B4; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 48.1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 203.7pt;" width="204"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">No attempt is made in this tenure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 84.1pt; mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td style="background: #F2F2F2; border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 84.1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 76.5pt;" width="77"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">14<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #CCC0D9; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 84.1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 286.8pt;" width="287"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The party also demanded to know the Congress
and BJP's stand on opening 500 government schools, stopping donations in
private schools and making the fee system transparent. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #FBD4B4; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 84.1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 203.7pt;" width="204"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Nothing has been done by AAP government.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 36.85pt; mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td style="background: #F2F2F2; border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 36.85pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 76.5pt;" width="77"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">15<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #CCC0D9; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 36.85pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 286.8pt;" width="287"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The party said it wanted to open new government
hospitals with better facilities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #FBD4B4; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 36.85pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 203.7pt;" width="204"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Nothing is done.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 62.5pt; mso-yfti-irow: 8;">
<td style="background: #F2F2F2; border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 62.5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 76.5pt;" width="77"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">16<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #CCC0D9; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 62.5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 286.8pt;" width="287"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It also wanted to have special security units
for women and wants all harassment cases to be tackled within three months.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #FBD4B4; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 62.5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 203.7pt;" width="204"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Some initial discussion started but nothing
concrete done by the government. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 58.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 9;">
<td style="background: #F2F2F2; border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 58.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 76.5pt;" width="77"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">17<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #CCC0D9; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 58.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 286.8pt;" width="287"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It wanted to set up enough courts and appoint
judges so that all cases are dealt within six months.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #FBD4B4; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 58.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 203.7pt;" width="204"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Not done and neither initiated any action.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 67.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 10;">
<td style="background: #F2F2F2; border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 67.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 76.5pt;" width="77"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">18<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #CCC0D9; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 67.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 286.8pt;" width="287"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The AAP wanted to know whether the municipal
corporations of Delhi will support them on these issues. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #FBD4B4; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 67.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 203.7pt;" width="204"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">No such situation has aroused during the
tenure where MCD’s support is required.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 107.5pt; mso-yfti-irow: 11;">
<td style="background: #F2F2F2; border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 107.5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 76.5pt;" width="77"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">19<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #CCC0D9; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 107.5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 286.8pt;" width="287"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Providing electricity at 50% reduced tariff:
The original promise was to make the audit of discoms, check their
irregularities so that Delhi public could the reduction of 50% in their
tariff.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #FBD4B4; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 107.5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 203.7pt;" width="204"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Audit ordered and in the mean time 50% subsidy
upto 400 units was announced. This subsidy included prevailing subsidy. This
is applicable to only metered house. This can only be seen as a populist
measure benefiting affording class only at the cost of Public money.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 80.5pt; mso-yfti-irow: 12;">
<td style="background: #F2F2F2; border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 80.5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 76.5pt;" width="77"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">20<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #CCC0D9; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 80.5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 286.8pt;" width="287"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Providing free water up to 700 litre per day
per house hold <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #FBD4B4; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 80.5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 203.7pt;" width="204"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">20kl water is made free for each household
those have meters. Those who don't have meters (particularly poor people)
wouldn’t be benefited. Further the main issue of providing water to everyone
was not addressed. Thus in coming summers, the people who were suffering
since years and became victim of tanker mafia are sure to suffer, because AAP
is now interested in national ambition.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 80.5pt; mso-yfti-irow: 13; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="background: #F2F2F2; border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 80.5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 76.5pt;" width="77"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">21<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #CCC0D9; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 80.5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 286.8pt;" width="287"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Shelters to homeless: After assuming office,
Kejriwal had announced that his government would set up porta cabins for the
homeless.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #FBD4B4; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 80.5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 203.7pt;" width="204"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But the government set up makeshift homes of
plastic sheets. According to reports, at least 178 people lost their lives
due to </span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-field-code: "HYPERLINK \0022http\:\/\/daily\.bhaskar\.com\/trending-topics\/cold%20wave\/\0022 \\t \0022_blank\0022 \\o \0022Cold\0022";"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Cold</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> in the
past one month.<br />
Delhi High Court also pulled up the AAP government over deaths due to cold at
night shelters in the national capital.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ending 49 days of
AAP rule in Delhi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-insideh: .5pt solid black; mso-border-insidev: .5pt solid black; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 24.25pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 24.25pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">No.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 24.25pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Manifesto Agenda<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 24.25pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Status<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">01<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">01<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">BRINGING AN END TO CORRUPTION IN
DELHI</span><span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Undecided<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">02<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">0203<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DEVOLVING POWER DIRECTLY TO THE
PEOPLE</span><span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_1" o:spid="_x0000_i1026" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image003.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image004.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_1" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">03<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">03<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">FULL STATEHOOD TO DELHI</span><span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_i1027" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image005.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image006.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_2" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">04<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">04<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ELECTRICITY BILLS TO BE REDUCED
BY HALF</span><span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Undecided</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">05<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">05<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">CLEAN WATER IN EVERY HOME</span><span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_3" o:spid="_x0000_i1028" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image007.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image008.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_3" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">06<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">06<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">MAKING SEWERAGE SYSTEMS WORK,
BUILDING COMMUNITY TOILETS</span><span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_4" o:spid="_x0000_i1029" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image009.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image010.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_4" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">07<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">07<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">BETTER WASTE MANAGEMENT, A
CLEANER DELHI</span><span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_5" o:spid="_x0000_i1030" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image011.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image012.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_5" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 8;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">08<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION IN
GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_6" o:spid="_x0000_i1031" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image013.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image014.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_6" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 9;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">09<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">IMPROVING PUBLIC HEALTHCARE
FACILITIES<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_7" o:spid="_x0000_i1032" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image015.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image016.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_7" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 10;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">10<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">SECURITY FOR WOMEN , CHILDREN AND
SENIOR CITIZENS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_8" o:spid="_x0000_i1033" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image017.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image018.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_8" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 11;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">11<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">SWIFT AND FAIR DISPENSATION OF
JUSTICE<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_9" o:spid="_x0000_i1034" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image019.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image020.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_9" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 12;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">12<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DEVOLUTION OF POWER TO GRAMS
SABHAS AND BETTER FACILITIES IN DELHI’S VILLAGES<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_10" o:spid="_x0000_i1035" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image021.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image022.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_10" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 13;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">13<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">BETTER FACILITIES AND
REGULARISATION OF UNAUTHORISED COLONIES<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_11" o:spid="_x0000_i1036" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image023.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image024.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_11" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 14;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">14<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">BETTER FACILITIES AND
REHABILITATION OF SLUMS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_12" o:spid="_x0000_i1037" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image025.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image026.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_12" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 15;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">15<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">PROTECTING THE COMMON MAN FROM
RISING PRICES<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_13"
o:spid="_x0000_i1038" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image027.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image028.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_13" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 16;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">16<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">INCREASING EMPLOYMENT IN DELHI<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_14"
o:spid="_x0000_i1039" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image029.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image030.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_14" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 17;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">17<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">FACILITATING TRADE IN DELHI<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_15"
o:spid="_x0000_i1040" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image031.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image032.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_15" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 18;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">18<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">IMPROVING FACILITIES IN
INDUSTRIAL AREAS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_16"
o:spid="_x0000_i1041" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image033.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image034.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_16" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 19;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">19<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">NO CONTRACTUALISATION OF JOBS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_17"
o:spid="_x0000_i1042" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image035.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image036.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_17" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 20;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">20<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">SOCIAL SECURITY FOR UNORGANISED
SECTOR WORKERS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_18"
o:spid="_x0000_i1043" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image037.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image038.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_18" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 21;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">21<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">LICENCES AND PERMANENT SPACES TO
STREET VENDORS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_19"
o:spid="_x0000_i1044" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image039.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image040.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_19" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 22;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">22<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">CONVINIENT AND INEXPENSIVE PUBLIC
TRANSPORT<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_20"
o:spid="_x0000_i1045" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image041.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image042.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_20" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 23;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">23<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">IMPROVED ROADS, WITH SPACE FOR
NON-MOTORISED TRANSPORT<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_21"
o:spid="_x0000_i1046" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image043.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image044.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_21" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 24;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">24<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">FAIR ARRANGEMENTS FOR
AUTO-DRIVERS AND AUTO-COMMUTERS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Undecided</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 25;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">25<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">YAMUNA: ENDING POLLUTION AND
ENCROACHMENT<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_22" o:spid="_x0000_i1047" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image045.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image046.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_22" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 26;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">26<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">REDUCING POLLUTION, SAVING THE
RIDGE<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_23" o:spid="_x0000_i1048"
type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image047.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image048.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_23" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 27;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">27<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">PROTECTING CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS
OF SCHEDULED CASTES<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_24" o:spid="_x0000_i1049"
type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image049.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image050.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_24" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 28;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">28<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">LIFE OF DIGNITY TO THE VALMIKI
COMMUNITY<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_25" o:spid="_x0000_i1050"
type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image051.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image052.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_25" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 29;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">29<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">PEACE, JUSTICE AND EQUALITY FOR
MUSLIMS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_26" o:spid="_x0000_i1051"
type="#_x0000_t75" alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"
style='width:29pt;height:29pt;visibility:visible'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image053.png"
o:title="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5"/>
<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img alt="12065738771352376078Arnoud999_Right_or_wrong_5" border="0" height="31" src="file://localhost/Users/VINAY1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image054.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_26" width="31" /><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 30;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">30<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JUSTICE TO VICTIMS OF 1984
MASSACRE<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Undecided</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 31;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">31<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">TRUE SECOND LANGUAGE STATUS TO
URDU AND PUNJABI<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_27" o:spid="_x0000_i1052"
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<tr style="height: 28.8pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; mso-yfti-irow: 32;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">32<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS
WITH DISABILITY<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_28" o:spid="_x0000_i1053"
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<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 28.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-height-rule: exactly; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">33<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">OTHER MARGINALISED COMMUNITIES<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_29" o:spid="_x0000_i1054"
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<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">34<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f82be; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">SPORTS AND CULTURE<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_30" o:spid="_x0000_i1055"
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<v:textbox style='mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/>
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<!--StartFragment-->
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<!--[endif]-->
<br />
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftnref" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[1]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a><a href="http://www.prsindia.org/administrator/uploads/general/1378107940~~SCRS%20on%20impact%20of%20revision%20of%20natural%20gas%20price.pdf">http://www.prsindia.org/administrator/uploads/general/1378107940~~SCRS%20on%20impact%20of%20revision%20of%20natural%20gas%20price.pdf</a></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftnref" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[2]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <a href="http://deshgujarat.com/2013/07/02/gas-price-hike-to-cost-gujarats-gas-fired-power-plants-rs-9485-cr-gas-based-fertilizer-plants-rs1985-cr-extra/">http://deshgujarat.com/2013/07/02/gas-price-hike-to-cost-gujarats-gas-fired-power-plants-rs-9485-cr-gas-based-fertilizer-plants-rs1985-cr-extra/</a></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftnref" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[3]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a> http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/farmers-pay-56-paise-per-unit-of-electricity/<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftnref" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[4]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a> http://164.100.47.132/Annexture/lsq15/14/as24.htm<span style="color: #292d33; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftnref" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[5]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <a href="http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-aap-not-replying-on-funds-source-centre-to-hc-1958115">http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-aap-not-replying-on-funds-source-centre-to-hc-1958115</a></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftnref" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[6]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/AAPs-Manish-Sisodia-under-cloud-for-misuse-of-NGOs-foreign-funds/articleshow/29832432.cms">http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/AAPs-Manish-Sisodia-under-cloud-for-misuse-of-NGOs-foreign-funds/articleshow/29832432.cms</a></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<br /></div>
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<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftnref" name="_ftn7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[7]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <a href="http://www.ibtl.in/news/exclusive/1162/arvind-kejriwal-and-manish-sisodia--has-received-400-000-dollars-from-the-ford-foundation-in-the-last-three-years---arundhati-roy/">http://www.ibtl.in/news/exclusive/1162/arvind-kejriwal-and-manish-sisodia--has-received-400-000-dollars-from-the-ford-foundation-in-the-last-three-years---arundhati-roy/</a></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<br /></div>
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<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftnref" name="_ftn8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[8]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <a href="http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-delhi-hc-asks-arvind-kejriwal-somnath-bharti-for-response-on-poll-expense-1964948">http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-delhi-hc-asks-arvind-kejriwal-somnath-bharti-for-response-on-poll-expense-1964948</a></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftnref" name="_ftn9" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[9]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/arvind-kejriwal-accused-of-running-away-from-rti-queries-on-aap/">http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/arvind-kejriwal-accused-of-running-away-from-rti-queries-on-aap/</a></div>
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vinayviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284047484109738874noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2033849143246134767.post-25741820280001855072014-02-03T15:28:00.001+05:302014-02-03T15:29:19.072+05:30<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Narendra Modi: Mr. Out-of- the-Box<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Vinay Sahasrabuddhe<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Senior BJP
leader Arun Jaitley recently observed that running a country is different from
running a state. There certainly can't be any dispute about that. But in the
case of Narendra Modi, crores of Indians seem confident he can manage the
nation's affairs with as much dexterity as in Gujarat.</span><span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">This confidence springs from several factors.
The most important of them all is his innovative approach and creative
thinking, and that he has risen from the ranks. His elevation is highly
reassuring for those who are frustrated and have lost hope in Indian democracy’s
ability to deliver.</span></span><span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">It is primarily to them that the BJP has given a
strong signal that the party values ability and rewards skills.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">In a largely dynasty-based political party
canvas, the selection of Modi marks a refreshing change, and provides a ray of
hope in an otherwise frustrating polity with hardly any internal democracy.</span></span><span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">That pressure from grass-root level party
workers, hastened his anointment should encourage political workers of every
hue as it underscores the importance of ideology-driven party cadres and how
much their opinion matters.</span></span><span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Harold Laski, renowned British political thinker
once said that a true leader leads the masses and refuses to be led by the
masses. For a state chief minister who has won three elections, back to back,
without succumbing to populist pressures, to get the party’s nomination largely
because of the cadre-sentiments is noteworthy.</span></span><span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">What's the secret of Modi’s popularity amongst
the NextGen voters? What makes him stand apart? Notwithstanding his image as a
stubborn and inflexible leader, how is he able to win the hearts of people from
all walks of life? From where does he gather courage to turn his back on
populist measures?</span></span><span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">The answer lies in his style of governance.
The strength of Narendra Modi is in his courage of conviction and purity of
purpose. Nationalism, as he had pointed out several times is his ideology.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Besides, unlike several established politicians
who are insecure, and scared of losing the comforts they are accustomed to,
Modi is free from cravings for personal aggrandisement, which saw him have the
strength to say “Neither do I indulge in corruption, nor would I allow others
to do so” (hun khato nathi, ane khavane deto nathi). </span></span><span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">It’s the other part of the Modi mantra -
Innovation – that has attracted even more interest. In every state we have
water canals and most of our states are facing energy shortage. But it was Modi
who first thought of covering canals with solar energy panels, thereby
preventing vapourisation and generating solar power.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Again, in the era of Internet, with the book
reading culture on the wane, Modi sensing the danger of diminishing reading
habits, launched a campaign called Vanche Gujarat (Gujarat Reads), and himself
went from school to school to promote book reading. Whether its infrastructure
or education, urban transport or agriculture, Modi’s creative thinking covers
all aspects of governance. </span></span><span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt;">The </span><span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Modi-mantra is minimum government and maximum governance. His
government has entrusted the job of rural water management to villagers, mainly
women.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Notably, his emphasis on greater participation
of people also has helped him shun populism. Instead, he insists on educating
the people.</span></span><span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">A decade ago at the historic border village of
Dholavira while inaugurating a reconstructed township for the quake-affected,
he told the large gathering of villagers up front that it was their duty to pay
bills on time.</span></span><span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Even when he was told that bills do not reach in
time, his homespun logic was this: “While traveling in a bus, don't you go up
to the bus conductor and get your ticket? If bills do not reach you in time,
enquire; but pay you must!”</span></span><span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">He introduced an innovative imprest fund scheme
for private rural maternity homes to enable them to pay travel charges to the
expectant mothers, successfully reducing the mother mortality rate. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">For farmers, confused, due to lack of timely
guidance and counseling, he introduced an Annual Soil Health Card scheme that
greatly helped them improve their farm produce. Recently, when the paucity of
teachers afflicted</span></span><span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">As part of Gujarat government’s efforts for
preventing school dropouts, he embarked on an ambitious e-recruitment of
teachers. Within a record 30 days, as many as 28,000 teachers had been hired
through video interviews. Carried out with utmost transparency, there was zero
corruption.</span></span><span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="background: white;">Again, as I was told; every new police station building that is coming up in Gujarat is now equipped with several new features. All such police stations are now energy-self-dependent. Moreover, all of them are now housing a library-cum-reading room, a </span></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #362f2d;"><span style="font-size: 19px;">crèche for the kids of especially women police persons as also a gymnasium. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">To inculcate a sense of belonging and an
attitude of serving the people, Modi introduced a karma yogi training campaign
in which over two lakh government employees participated. Other experiments
included a chintan baithak, which meant brainstorming with departmental
officials at the beginning of every financial year.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Little question then, that Modi has become a Mr.
Out of the Box thinker, with innovation and creative governance as his
hallmarks. When people are fed up with politics that bring no change that
cannot deliver under leaders who seem to be clueless about the path forward
Modi, comes across as an icon of performance who can step into the void.</span></span><span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;">- The author is in charge of BJP’s good
governance cell and is also member, National Executive, of the BJP. He
can be reached on </span></span><span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt;"><a href="mailto:vinays57@gmail.com">vinays57@gmail.com</a></span><span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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vinayviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284047484109738874noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2033849143246134767.post-87750704400602306642013-11-15T15:22:00.002+05:302013-11-15T15:25:10.326+05:30<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Beyond statistics and symbols ...</span><br />
<br />
Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe<br />
<br />
Christopher Jaffrelot's article ( Indian Express, November 7, 2013) unfortunately; is not free from the stereotype outlook towards what Nrendra Modi in particular and BJP in general has been saying and doing as well.<br />
<br />
Firstly, about the planning commission data, lets not forget that there are too many ways of defining poverty even amongst the planning commission experts and hence different statistics may come out if one chooses to apply different definitions of poverty.<br />
<br />
Now lets turn to Sachar Committee report. While it is nobody's case that Gujarat now has nothing more to do for the Muslim community in the State, following observations of the Sachar Committee speak for themselves --<br />
<br />
- In terms of literacy level, Muslims in Gujarat stood at 73.5 percent as compared to the national average of 59.1. While the figure for the urban males was 76, it was 81 for those living in rural areas as compared to the national average of 70 and 62 respectively in similar category. [The Sachar Committee report : Appendix table 4.1, Page No. 287]<br />
<br />
- Even Muslim women in the urban areas of Gujarat have average literacy rate 5 point higher than the national average whereas their counterparts in rural areas of Gujarat fare even better with a literacy rate of 57 percent as compared to the national average of 43 in similar category. [The Sachar Committee report : Appendix table 4.1 b, Page No. 289]<br />
<br />
-Also in Gujarat, a greater percentage of Muslims have attained primary, secondary and higher secondary level education compared to the national average and compared to other states. Against the national average of 60.9% (and 42.2% in UP), Gujarat had 74.9% Muslims at the primary level while the percentage is 45.3 at Secondary level as compared to national average of 40.5% and 29.2% in UP. [The Sachar Committee report : Appendix table 4.6 & 4.7, Page No. 295-296-297-298]<br />
<br />
-The average years of secondary schooling for Muslim children between age 7 and 16 years is higher in Gujarat at 4.29 years compare to the national average of 3.26 years. The figures in West Bengal, UP and Bihar are 2.84, 2.60 and 2.07 years respectively. The truth is that the Muslim children in Gujarat are benefiting from equal opportunities to access secondary schooling as other children. [The Sachar Committee report : Appendix table 4.2, Page No. 290-291]<br />
<br />
- In terms of per month per capita income, Muslims in the urban areas of Gujarat earn an average Rs 875 which is more than the national average of Rs 804. In contrast, it is Rs 662 in UP, Rs 748 in West Bengal, Rs 811 in Punjab, Rs 803 in Andhra Pradesh and Rs 837 in Karnataka. [The Sachar Committee report : Appendix table 8.2, Page No. 364]<br />
<br />
- The story is similar in rural Gujarat where the per capita monthly income of the Muslims 20-25% more than the Muslims living in the rural areas of most other states. It is on an average Rs 668 as compared to the national average of Rs 553. [The Sachar Committee report : Appendix table 8.3, Page No. 365]<br />
<br />
- In terms of people living below poverty line, Gujarat had 54% Muslims living below it in 1987-88 while the figure stood at 34% in 2004-2005 showing a healthy pace of improvement. [The Sachar Committee report : Appendix table 8.5, Page No. 367]<br />
<br />
- Even in terms of share of Muslims in state employment, i.e, government jobs, it is 5.4% in Gujarat while it is 2.1% in West Bengal, 3.2% in Delhi and 4.4% in Maharashtra. [The Sachar Committee report : Appendix table 9.4, Page No. 370]<br />
<br />
However, the discourse about Muslims and minority needs to be taken beyond statistics. The moot point is how, exactly; the BJP looks at Muslims and other minorities. There is enough body of evidence available to point out that BJP abhors the idea of minority-ism as it considers both majority and minority as equally important limbs of nation's body politick. In fact Pt Deendayal Upadhyay had rightly said way back in 1967 that `Musalman hamare shareer ka ek ang hain, unka khoon hamara khoon hai' (Muslims are a part of us, the same blood runs in our veins). This, I believe is the fundamental view of BJP which was also manifested through our slogans like “Justice to all, appeasement of none” or "One Nation, One People", stressing the essential oneness of our nation and society, without any kind of straight - jacketing whatsoever.<br />
<br />
Since we are against straight jacketing and generalising, we never consider that all Muslims essentially use skullcaps or burqas. However, televised campaigning has its own compulsions and limitations. For them it is lot easier to establish the presence of a community at a gathering, through a particular apparel traditionally identified with that community. Taking this into consideration, local organisers requested Muslims to make their presence visibly felt simply to establish that Muslims are also participating in BJP/ Modi meetings, as against the media perception. This has nothing to do with any official policy of the Party. We have always believed that both, our Unity and Diversity are beyond visible presentation. A uniform help create oneness, but most important is unity of minds. Likewise, different apparels underscore the element of diversity but even without that, we have always believed in diversity of opinion, of world-view and life approaches as well. Hence, it would be futile in taking a course of action simply to send a message with a mere symbolic value. We know that there are groups besides Muslims who wear a skullcap and use burqa as well.<br />
<br />
When we say, Nation First is our definition of secularism; we express our desire to go near to the definition of Ataturk Kemal Pasha of Turkey or Veer Sawarkar, closer home. We do understand that we can neither copy Turkish secularism nor go by the lessons learnt by other countries in totality. We have to build upon our own tradition of spiritual democracy, inherent to our culture and that alone is the sole guarantor of sustainable pluralism. We believe, discriminating people on faith and belief systems is against the very grain of true secularism. Our consideration has been that faith can not and need not be the criteria even for affirmative action and those in the Constitution Assembly of India had underscored this point while rejecting the idea of quota on religious lines, some 64 years before. This should explain quite a few actions of Gujarat government.<br />
<br />
Coming to giving tickets to Muslims for the assembly poll, again the traditionally used prism to look at the things may not really help. BJP has its own Minority Morcha, a constitutional body to facilitate greater representation and participation of Muslims and other minorities. Parties give tickets only to those who are winnable. Although for Gujarat assembly elections BJP failed in finding out a candidate, at the local-self govt. level, we have dozens of Muslim members elected at various levels. We recognise their electability and give candidature. In fact, Haj Committees and Waqf Boards under BJP ruled States have performed well as compared to the Congress ruled States. This is because we dealt with them from pure good governance point of view. Poor economic status of Muslims even after 50 years of Congress rule out 60 years after independence, underscores the fact that Congress brand of appeasement has not served the cause of development of Muslims adequately.<br />
<br />
For those who are used to take Congress brand of secularism credulously, one fact needs to be remembered well. In 1977, the Janata Party government introduced a Constitution Amendment Bill wherein one clause sought to define the word ‘Secular’ as ‘equal respect for all religions.’ The proposal was passed in the Lok Sabha where the newly elected Janata Party was dominant, but was rejected by the Congress majority in the Rajya Sabha.<br />
<br />
Simply put, BJP / RSS views that the relationship between an individual and the society is that of a an organ and the body as a whole. With any of our organs being neglected or allowed to under-perform, the whole body will have to face the consequences. In this fundamental approach, there is absolutely, I repeat, absolutely no scope for any discrimination towards Muslims or any other minority group or the socially, economically, weaker sections of the society. To do so, will be to the nation's peril. After all, it was Natendra Modi who had told Nai Dunia editor not too long ago that his heart also beats for Indian Muslims. ("Let the dreams of Muslims, and their children, be fulfilled. This is what I want.")<br />
<br />
The author is Director of BJP backed Public Policy Research Centre, Delhi. Views expressed in personal capacity.<br />
vinays57@gmail.com<br />
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vinayviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284047484109738874noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2033849143246134767.post-57032648280609020832013-11-06T12:59:00.002+05:302013-11-06T12:59:33.842+05:30<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
Second International Conference on Elections and Democracy<br />
Kuching, Malaysia <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
Good Governance and Delivering Democracy:<br />
Elections are not enough!<br />
<br />
Learnings from the situations after Rose Revolution, Arab spring and anti-corruption movements in India<br />
<br />
Background <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
With the passage of time, connotations of concepts change, without much of a change in the core of the idea. What was luxury yesterday has become comfort today and comfort, almost necessity. Individualism today also connotes yearning for personal space while the concept of Human Rights in modern times, has covered recognition for personal choices as well. Similarly, due to the wider realisation that changing traditional male mindset is a pre-requisite for real gender equality, the issue has gained prominence in the entire gamut of issues concerning gender, today.<br />
On the one hand while concepts are becoming more and more broad, wide enough to accommodate multiple shades of meanings they are also acquiring a more practical dimension. Modern day popular thinking has shaped a trend to abhor anything that is just theoretical. To day, unless concepts manifest in practise, their impact remains limited and relevance, questionable at least in the eyes of the younger generation.<br />
All this compels one to have a relook at the traditional vision of democracy. While the talk about deepening and widening of democracy continues to dominate democratic discourse, the reasons for the lack of ability to deliver on the part of democracy gets lesser attention than it deserves.<br />
True, democracy is widening. There is absolutely no doubt that the global community has marched towards making democracy a universally accepted model of governance. Nobody disputes that of all the available options, democracy is the ‘available best’ model .As pointed out by many, liberal representative democracy has emerged as the dominant system of national rule across the globe - at least in a formal sense. And yet, the gap between reasonable popular expectations from democratic governance and the actual performance of elected rulers seems to be widening more and more. Professor of International Relations at the University of Southampton Anthony McGrew is right in observing “While public disenchantment with elected politicians and the capacity of democratic governments to deal with many of the enduring problems - from inequality to pollution- confronted by modern societies suggest that all is not well within the old democracies.”<br />
When it comes to concepts like democracy and good governance, things become all the more complicated. This is because at least at the conceptual level, the idea of Good Governance was rightly considered as is inherent to the concept of Democracy. “When elected representatives of the people, supported by a majority are at the helm of affairs; the governance will naturally be people oriented and hence ‘Good’ ’’; was the simple logic behind this consideration. But in the last century, all over the world, while the acceptability and preference for democracy has increased manifold, efficacy of democracy in the specific context of making the lives of the principal stakeholders; -- i.e. the people-- easier and qualitatively better has largely remained a chimera. It would not be an exaggeration to say that democracies have sustained not because of the overwhelming popular support, much less because they have developed a strong conviction about democratic values. Democracies have sustained because – regardless of the fact whether they are sham democracies or genuine--- simply because they seemingly provide at least some window of opportunity for the people to have some say in selecting their rulers.<br />
This certainly is a potentially dangerous situation! It does not effectively negate the possibility of any autocratic regime providing Good Governance being seen as acceptable to the people, who are fed up of a democracy that has failed to deliver. The most significant factor in such a scenario is the all-pervading cynicism. When people appear to be more than convinced about the inability of democratic governance to deliver anything significant, the atmosphere of cynicism deepens further. The only way to effectively overrule emergence of this situation is to make democracies—both established, as well as emerging or recently reformed—deliver!<br />
Democracy and State Building<br />
But, for democracy to deliver, first of all it must take a proper birth where it is non-existent, must be groomed and cultivated where it is a new-born infant and must undergo a process of structured overhaul where people perceive it as ineffective on governance count. In all the three categories what is essential is the consideration of what Pippa Norris calls as the Unified Theory where liberal democracy has to go hand in hand with State building. This Unified Theory has been elaborately explained later in this paper.<br />
Rose revolution in Georgia, Arab Spring in Egypt and Jantar Mantar upsurge in India present before us three distinct cases. In Georgia, State Building was stressed to such an extent that democratic liberalism itself came under a dark cloud. In Egypt, neither liberal democracy could found its roots nor State building was paid any proper attention. In India, the recent popular upsurges remained extempore and short-lived besides being highly unstructured. In effect, the full-blown popular upsurge did reflect relatively strong credentials of liberal democracy, making political establishment sound irrelevant. However, in the process the objective of ensuring reforms in State apparatus bringing greater accountability and transparency just remained unachieved. In a way, all the three examples offer us great learnings. In all the three cases, the outer structure of representative democracy was present all along, but the mandate failed in articulating, much less translating into reality; the popular yearning for bettering their lives.<br />
In a way recent happenings in all the three countries provide copybook lessons on two distinct counts. Firstly, they tell us how not to handle popular upsurges and cause shaking of popular confidence in mass movements. Secondly, they also tell us that mere conduct of elections—even if truly free and fair --- is far from enough for responding to democratic aspirations of the people as the generation next expects democracies to go beyond elections. In a way, the upcoming generations of all the democratic countries are looking for the second-generation democracy.<br />
<br />
Georgia<br />
The experience of Rose Revolution in Georgia presents before the world an example of how lack of deepening of democracy may eventually allow a democratic upsurge manifesting a yearning for corruption-free good governance; go simply waste.<br />
On the one hand it is true that Rose Revolution seemed to have aggressively and assertively implemented certain very noteworthy and purposeful reforms in multiple sectors. True, few of them have yielded results and brought in significant change in the lives of the people. No wonder, in its report on Fighting Corruption in Public Services: Chronicling Georgia’s Reforms; the World Bank also rightly emphasised that “Georgia has proven that success can be achieved in a relatively short period of time given strong political will and concerted action by the government. By no means is this fight over—much remains to be done, especially with respect to strengthening institutions (the best safe- guard against a relapse of corruption) and ensuring an adequate system of checks and balances. Although every country has a unique set of initial conditions and the nature of the corruption problem and the type of political economy differ, many elements of Georgia’s story can be replicated in other countries. Georgia’s success destroys the myth that corruption is cultural and gives hope to reformers everywhere who aspire to clean up their public services.”<br />
<br />
The Economist too commended the Georgian reforms, saying, “The fight took place on many fronts simultaneously. Ideological purpose lent clarity to the government’s efforts. Driving out corruption became part of a broader, libertarian effort to roll back the state; a smaller government would give fewer opportunities for graft. …. They adopted other countries’ practices with enthusiasm, such as Italian anti-Mafia legislation and German police training techniques. Keeping public opinion onside was critical, although it was an area where the authorities could have done better.”<br />
<br />
However, the fact remains that even after having introduced an array of reforms, Mikhail Saakashvili’s party lost the elections in late 2012.<br />
Before we go to the reasons behind Saakashvili defeat, it is important to understand the nature of such reforms. First and foremost, these reforms have noticeably improved the management of public affairs in key areas. But they were all majorly dealing with technical institutions like Central Electoral Commission or the much maligned traffic police. Secondly due to lack of any structured efforts for public education and participation towards durable legal institutions, the reforms remained half way. A glance at the World Economic Forum’s annual Global Competitiveness Report helps one understand the strength and limitations of Georgian reforms. In the organization’s latest report Georgia is ranked second out of 144 countries for the number of days required to open a business and ninth when it comes to “burden of government regulation.” However it comes in 95th place with regard to “judicial independence,” a lowly 131st place when it comes to “property rights,” and in 141st place with regard to “effectiveness of anti-monopoly policy.”<br />
Under Saakashvili rule, in the name of enforcing the rule of law and weeding out corruption, three kinds of excesses happened. These excesses were of three categories. The first involved physical crimes, second comprised crime against privacy and personhood and the third involved economic issues.<br />
On this backdrop, it was almost expected that in spite of the fact that Saakashvili regime brought significant changes and people’s lives were better than earlier, in general; they could not help him win the hearts of the people at large. What was more appalling was the fact that principal players during the Saakashvili regime were convinced about the harsh measures they were taking. Many believed that almost any social and humanitarian costs should be borne in the name of transforming Georgia into “a country of the future.” Many will suffer, they argued, but those who weather the change will live in a fundamentally different state. However, there were not many buyers to this logic. People wanted reforms but were not in favour of the mannerism in which they were imposed. In the ultimate analysis it was a case of misreading the public mind and squandering the mandate given by the people, who while overthrowing the previous regime had pinned huge hopes on Saakashvili. Sadly, Saakashvili failed in giving, what people were looking for that is Governance with a Human Face.<br />
Arab Spring<br />
The Arab spring has a multi-dimensional message. The popular unrest has served a notice to all those elements failing in ensuring a secured future. Secure, both politically as well as economically. The three main factors behind the Arab spring were –<br />
<br />
1. A very corrupt or weak government<br />
2.Unhappy wealthy and military classes of people and<br />
3. A desire for change supported and acted upon by different political and popular groups.<br />
<br />
At the backdrop of these factors is the fact that most of the countries witnessing extempore popular uprising were governments working under a façade of democracy.<br />
<br />
Governments in Egypt and Tunisia were corrupt and more importantly weak on delivery count as well. Autocrats in both countries did not have genuine popular mandate and hence they severely lacked in legitimacy. The abysmal lack of good public administration added to the restlessness not only amongst the poor and disadvantaged sections but also the affluent and powerful sections of the society. Military, too had no reason to not to support and revolt against the corrupt heads of governments. In a situation of this kind, a desire for change got further fillip and people took to streets, without caring so much for the immediate consequences.<br />
<br />
What has happened recently in Egypt is a reminder of the fact that while popular mandate could be earned through massive supporter base, as was in the case of Mohammad Morsi; running an administration without giving in to the populist pressures is an altogether different ball game. It is educative, therefore to understand as to how Egypt’s first freely elected president found himself isolated, abandoned by allies and no one in the army or police willing to support him.<br />
<br />
It was a fact that during his last days, Morsi and all major institutions together (like judiciary, the armed forces, police and even the intelligence) were at loggerheads with each other. Mutual trust had ceased to exist. Political opponents of the Morsi regime had successfully fuelled popular anger that Morsi was giving too much power to the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists, and had failed to tackle Egypt's mounting economic problems. Morsi, like many others; habitually took shelter in the fact that he had won popular mandate in the June 2012. Although that certainly was an undeniable fact, students of democracy must now understand that when people are restive, such mandates become evaporative. Even independent observers in Egypt had mentioned that during his last days, Morsi wouldn't address the mass protests; mainly due to lack of moral courage as he had utterly failed in addressing any of the country's most pressing problems – tenuous security, rising prices, unemployment, power cuts and traffic congestion.<br />
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Were the uprisings in the Arab countries merely for democratic rights? To consider that replacing sham democratic structures by genuine one will leave the people happy thereafter is denying the hard reality. Democracy is essential, but perhaps no more enough. Along with democracy, people are now aspiring for State building where quality public administration as a part of overall good governance is delivered. If democracy fails in delivering this the specter of people preferring a dictator to a democratically elected government may not be all that remote. In history, there are several examples indicating that benevolent dictators are preferred to failed democracies especially when there is a guarantee on the delivery count.<br />
<br />
It is a fact that strengthening institutions that facilitate the expression of democratic demands is extremely important. Introducing elections is an essential ingredient of this process, but that alone is perhaps not enough. If this process eventually fails in enhancing governance capacity in managing the delivery of basic public goods and services, it will ultimately end up promoting greater public disenchantment. Hence, the future of Arab spring movement is pregnant with the grave challenge of establishing State mechanisms that are open, participative and democratic and at the same time efficient and productive while making democracy deliver.<br />
<br />
All in all, the lessons one learns from the Georgian and Egyptian experience is all about –<br />
Political Will<br />
Strong implementation mechanisms and mutuality of institutions.<br />
Multi-sectoral and sustained nature of reforms <br />
Genuine commitment to democratic rights<br />
Greater Public Participation<br />
<br />
In a way, all the five aspects are intertwined. Without a strong political will on the part of the rulers or leaders of popular upsurge, nothing can happen. It is only this strong will that would generate a courage of conviction required for twin post-regime change developments: putting strong implementation mechanism in place and ensuring that institutions of democratic governance evolve a mutuality and commonality of purpose. This, of course calls for highly dexterous and visionary political leadership spearheading the movements. Only such leadership, with strategic thinking at its command; can moot multi-sectoral and structured reforms, being introduced one after the other. While doing all this, nobody can ride roughshod. Dictatorial ways are of no use in deepening democratic governance. Hence, rulers ought to give due consideration to and betray their commitment to democracy. For that, involving people at every possible level becomes highly critical.<br />
<br />
Here, we can also take recent happenings in Brazil into consideration. Recently, Brazilians in some parts were up in arms against their own Government headed by popular leader Dilma Rousseff. In an outburst of anger against politicians of all stripes, hundreds of thousands of Brazilians took to the streets in June to protest against corruption, mismanagement of government money, the high cost of living and poor public services.<br />
<br />
Rousseff had to scramble to improve public transportation, health and education services, immediately and push for reforms to make the country's political establishment more accountable. When people are not ready to believe politicians, much less the ruling party; they become permanently restive and even an incident or two work as a trigger, powerful enough to bring about change of regime. In Georgia this was prevented at least till the elections were held by the semi-authoritarian regime of Saakashvili, in Egypt Morsi could not prevent it, in Brazil Rousseff could escape narrowly and in India the Govt survived because of unstructured popular movement and its leadership that miserably lacked creative imagination and decisiveness.<br />
<br />
India<br />
When Arab countries were witnessing this democratic upsurge, in India there was Lokpal movement. Two years after the series of protests had begun with fasts undertaken by Anna Hazare, the movement started by him is nowhere on the scene. True however, is the fact that the challenge of finding answers to some issues thrown by the movement, continues. <br />
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There are at least four clear reasons that have contributed to the marginal success of movements led by Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev, the famous Yoga Guru. First and foremost, their fight appeared to be against the amorphous challenge of wiping out corruption where the end product (i.e. bringing a strong Lok Pal or an ombudsman to take care of complaints about corruption in high places) was largely technical and difficult to understand with limited capacity to catch the popular imagination in a sustained manner. Secondly, the movements failed in aligning with the opposition parties and groups as they painted the entire political class with the same brush inviting the wrath—overtly or covertly---of the entire political spectrum. Thirdly, they lacked in intellectual as well as organisational prowess due to incoherence and non-coordination. Fourthly and most importantly, the movement could not carry home the point that every citizen is equally responsible for the spread of corruption and hence if it is to be really wiped off; at least all the participants of the movement – if not every citizen-- need to demonstrably adopt a code of conduct and adhere to some key ethical values to add to the credibility of the leading lights of the movement. Thanks to all these reasons; leaders of the anti-corruption movements in India seem to have wasted a golden opportunity and may end up, perhaps; pushing the citizenry further in the morass of cynicism.<br />
<br />
In the Indian context, it would be misleading to get unduly impressed by the increased percentage of voting in Uttar Pradesh assembly elections of 2012. Winning elections has already become a technique and with flawed electoral system, rarely it turns out to be a genuine popular mandate. The sooner people in India stop relishing in being the largest democracy of the world and start introducing reforms to wipe off the wide spread disparagement and frustration about the political system, the better.<br />
Happily, the atmosphere created by the movements has encouraged some state governments take some concrete actions in the form of bringing new legislations aimed at greater transparency and accountability in governance.<br />
Responsive and Effective<br />
From Georgia to Egypt and Brazil to India, events underscore the importance of what has been effectively theorised by Pippa Norris Norris as the combination of democratic responsiveness and state effectiveness. According to her, regardless of whatever the theory suggests, in practice, liberal democracies often prove imperfect on the count of accountability and good governance related procedures “particularly where party competition is limited, electoral systems are manipulated, or channels of participation are skewed towards money votes over people votes.” Norris further argues that “The institutions in liberal democracy can limit the abuse of power, but curbing Leviathan does not ensure that leaders will necessarily have the capability to implement effective public policies addressing social needs.”<br />
<br />
Norris further points out that “Moreover the initial move from autocracy, and the rhetorical promises commonly made by leaders during transitional elections, often encourages rising expectations among ordinary citizens. If these cannot be met by elected officials, due to limited state capacity, this can be a recipe for frustration.”<br />
The Arab Spring brings to the fore the fault lines of as well as recent anti-corruption movements in India makes us keep our fingers crossed as nothing could be conclusively stated about the success or otherwise of these movements. Although some measures by the governments in some Arab countries as well as India and some of its State governments leave a scope for hope, popular turbulence in both these countries leave a lot to be desired.<br />
Senior American journalist and political commentator David Broder once pointed out that there is a widening gap between acceptance and effectiveness of democracy. Analysing the reasons for the same, he says that death of ideology, decline of state, decline of religion, low esteem of politics as a profession, and the irresponsible role of media in general, are the causes behind democracy becoming less effective.<br />
On the performance count, new and emerging democratic governments all over the world have more often than not, met with failures. Even countries where democracy was supposed to be already well established, such as Venezuela and Columbia, became “destabilized and seriously threatened in the past decade by economic mismanagement, corruption, and state decay as established parties and politicians grew complacent and distant from popular concerns.” Many countries in South America, suffered a deep crisis of governance that inevitably resulted in sharp erosion in the authority and capacity of the state as also public confidence in democratic institutions. Similar is the case with some of the former Soviet countries. Even after a decade of democratisation, here, power is wielded with the same old style that smacks of authoritarianism, elections are still less fair and rule of law continues to be fragile.<br />
Learnings<br />
What Pippa Norris has analysed is significant in the context of India and Brazil too. Venomous statements of the likes of civil society leaders Arvind Kejriwal in India will come always under flack, and perhaps rightly. But the emergence of the likes of Kejriwal in India and Marina Silva, also a non-traditional politician in Brazil has a lesson for all those traditional politicians. People are increasingly saying it from the rooftops that they are now sick of the established and routine politics. They want a decisive leader who is strong yet sensitive, resolute yet responsive. In the absence of any such leader, non-traditional political players may spoil the show.<br />
Continuously widening gap between the electors and the elected is a pointer to the grave situation. When in India we have 78% of the Lok Sabha members today winning the election despite the fact that 50% of the electors in respective constituencies have voted against them, legitimacy of the representative democracy itself has become questionable. Should this continue for long, world may witness democratic governments offering neither good governance nor genuine democracy.<br />
While describing the huge popular response to Lokpal movement, media had compared Jantar –Mantar in Delhi to Tahrir Square. Comparisons like these have limited meaning. But, like those who were spearheading the Tahrir Square upsurge, Lokpal movement also lost its way and failed in unveiling a larger agenda for political and institutional reforms for an effective democracy. In fact, this failure has given a new set of reasons to the people to be more cynical about the system, of which civil society has become an integral part.<br />
Like Brazil, India will be facing general elections in 2014. Elections will establish which of the available alternatives people prefer. However, electoral choice is conditioned by several factors. Through impromptu and unstructured demonstrations, people are expressing what a laity cannot articulate in a cogent manner. It is the restlessness within. It is their pet up anger against the cluelessness all around. The apparent choice that democracy as a theory offers has been negated by the principal vehicles of given democratic system; parties, electoral systems, media and now even the civil society. This has given rise to the feeling of having been trapped. Interestingly, the liberators in the form of democratic system have themselves apparently become chains. One must develop an insight to understand the meaning of popular risings – whether in Latin America, Middle East, Eastern Europe or South Asia. The strong but simple message of the popular unrest in parts of the democratic world that students of democracy need to understand is very clear: Elections are just not enough for a democracy to succeed. Even the democratic world is appearing flat. Factors like strong visionary leadership with organisational skills; strategic thinking and ability to balance strong capacity to enforce reforms while ensuring greater public participation in a strategic manner after all are in short supply on the banks of all, Kura (on the banks of which Tbilisi is located), Acari in Brazil or Nile in Egypt and Yamuna in India. Time will only tell us whether leadership will shape the nature of things to unfold or the situation will throw new kind of leaders, who are sensitive and still strong.<br />
To a great extent, the democratic deficit in most parts of the world is a product of failed institutions. Political parties, Parliaments and Electoral Systems; all need a re-look at their functionality.<br />
Dr Vinay Sahasrabuddhe<br />
Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini, Mumbai<br />
Vinays57@gmail.com<br />
References<br />
Diamond, Larry et al (Ed.): Consolidation of the Third World Democracies (Baltimore, John Hopkins Press, 1997)<br />
<br />
Uncertain World: Saakashvili’s Election Defeat is His Main Achievement by Fyodor Lukyanov (http://en.rian.ru/columnists/20121005/176418276.html)<br />
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vinayviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284047484109738874noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2033849143246134767.post-77237275753708838502013-05-18T14:01:00.002+05:302013-05-18T14:01:21.996+05:30<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">A note on Identity Politics presented at the Samvimarsh on Cultural Nationalism organised by the National Training
Cell of the Bharatiya Janata party <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">New Delhi on May 4-5, 2013 <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 22.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Identity
Politics: Handle with care!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">-- Vinay Sahasrabuddhe <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The
dilemma with Identity Politics is like a two-edged sword. It can unite a
cultural group but it can also give fillip to fragmentation if the whole gamut
of issues is not handled with due care! At the core of the challenge of
negotiating with identity issues is the fundamental thesis of developing a
synergy between identities and recognising that larger and wider identities are
supreme but they also are a sum total of smaller and indelible identities. Pt.
Deendayal Upadhyay had rightly emphasised on this principle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Identity
Politics encompasses a broad spectrum of movements woven around a cause, which
is essentially of a particular social/cultural or even regional/geographical
identity. Prominent themes that have dominated the academic discourse on
identity politics include secessionist struggles within countries, indigenous
rights movements worldwide, nationalist projects, or demands for regional
self-determination. Predictably, there is no straightforward criterion that
makes a political struggle into an example of “identity politics;” rather, the
term signifies a loose collection of political projects, each undertaken by
representatives of a collective with a set of distinctively different social
characteristics that has hitherto (many a time supposedly) been neglected,
erased, or suppressed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;">Identity Politics is both, a unifying force as
well as a divisive one. Politicians in several countries where society is very
diverse have played the game of uniting to divide very adroitly. There
obviously are some short term and contextual gains as well as some longer-term
losses in the whole process. A researcher has put this succinctly in the
following comment: - <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;">What makes identity politics a significant departure from earlier,
pre-identarian forms of the politics of recognition is its demand for
recognition on the basis of the very grounds on which recognition has
previously been denied: it is</span> <i>qua</i> <span style="line-height: 150%;">women,</span> <i>qua</i> <span style="line-height: 150%;">blacks that groups demand recognition. The
demand is not for inclusion within the fold of “universal humankind” on the
basis of shared human attributes; nor is it for respect “in spite of” one's
differences. Rather, what is demanded is respect for oneself</span> <i>as</i> <span style="line-height: 150%;">different.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;">In countries that had undergone a colonial rule,
the talk of cultural nationalism acquires a distinct dimension, which is that
of pre-colonial indigenous cultural past. This involves appeals to a time
before oppression, or a culture or way of life damaged by colonialism,
imperialism, or even genocide. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;">Indigenous
governance systems embody distinctive political values, radically different
from those of the mainstream. Western notions of domination (human and natural)
are noticeably absent; in their place we find harmony, autonomy, and respect.
We have a responsibility to recover, understand, and preserve these values, not
only because they represent a unique contribution to the history of ideas, but
because renewal of respect for traditional values is the only lasting solution
to the political, economic, and social problems that beset our people.
Normally, all traditional cultures abhor divisiveness. About both, African as
well as Asian traditional societies one can say that their native inclination is
generally towards finding similarities and evolving a consensus. </span>Nigerian
scholar Adebayo Adedeji has said, “Africans are past masters in consultation,
consensus and consent. Our traditions abhor exclusion. Consequently, there is
no sanctioned and institutionalized opposition in our traditional system of
governance. Traditionally, politics for us has never been a zero-sum game.”</div>
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How this traditional social system had both, adequate space for
preserving distinctive features as well as scope for evolving a collective
social defence mechanism in the context of India was portrayed by Charles
Metcalf is a vivid manner. In 1761 Charles Metcalf has written to the 1832
Select Parliamentary Committee on the East India Company’s charter in
brilliantly evocative term. He wrote: 'The village communities are little
republics, having nearly everything they can want within themselves and almost
independent of any foreign relations. They seem to last where nothing else
lasts. Dynasty after dynasty tumbles down; revolution succeeds to revolution;
Hindoo, Pathan, Mogul, Mahratta, Sikh, English, are all masters in turn; but
the village community remains the same...This union of the village communities,
each one forming a separate state in itself, has, I conceive, contributed more
than any other cause to the preservation of the people of India through all the
revolutions and changes which they have suffered, and is in a high degree
conducive to their happiness, and to the enjoyment of a great portion of
freedom and independence'.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftn1" name="_ftnref" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[1]<!--[endif]--></span></a></div>
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However, beyond
the structures and systems that existed in India, what is more important is the
India’s cultural unity in the midst of apparent diversities. To quote Rajni
Kothari India is perhaps “the only great historical civilisation that has
maintained its cultural unity without identifying itself with a particular centre….The
essential identity of India has not been political but cultural….it was through
a constant interplay between the political and the cultural, the secular and
the spiritual, that the system was able to adapt itself to changing
situations.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftn2" name="_ftnref" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[2]<!--[endif]--></span></a>
One can safely infer that this culture of accommodation in India paved way to
the smooth functioning of political democracy. Besides, unlike in China where
state is also considered as the moral custodian, such a monopolistic stance of
the rulers was never acceptable in India, thanks mainly to its tradition of
“society’s autonomy”.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftn3" name="_ftnref" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[3]<!--[endif]--></span></a> </div>
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All this makes
it amply clear that inherent cultural unity with an essential spirit of
accommodation at its core was something like a strong foundation on which
representative democracy should have easily flourished in India. </div>
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In spite of all
this, India and several other democracies too are facing challenges of dealing
with those streams of identity politics that are proving to be divisive in
nature and hence harmful for social and national integration. Factors that are
a potential source of disintegration are as follows -- </div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Limitless yearning for back-to-the roots –
Conducting oneself socially and culturally is an evolutionary process. What was
relevant yesterday may not always be relevant today. Change, as much as
continuity is an integral part of the socio-cultural past of societies and
civilisations. Hence, digging too deep into the past through an essentially
puritanical approach is an indication of favoring stagnancy. Those who clamor
for limitless yearning for back-to-the roots eventually harm the cause of
cultural nationalism </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Unity in Diversity or other way round? : In
India we celebrate our diverse social and cultural characteristics often
describing it as Unity in Diversity. Unfortunately, the lure of identity
populism is making the reverse i.e. Diversity in Unity appear more true. In our
political narrative, political class has been overtly and covertly emphasising
on the elements that separate a particular social group from the larger group,
a sub-set of a set! Besides in Hindu society, it is very easy to renounce
Hinduness as the idea or definition of Hindu is extremely liberal and flexible.
To be accommodative and receptive to diversity is commendable but it also
invites the dangers of an essentially revolving door approach where one can
come and go as per his/her sweet will. The motivating factor behind all such
thought processes has ---more often than not ---been politics of fragmentation
aimed at electoral benefits. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Employing adroit unifying strategies: In order to overcome the threats of
identity politics, pro-unity and integrity forces will have to employ effective
unifying strategies in an adroit manner. These strategies necessarily should
prevent social and cultural fragmentation. In that context, while the salad-bowl
theory of social assimilation should not be opposed, the integrationists should
also try to emphasise the ultimate truth of melting-pot theory. This, of course
will have to be done carefully. The onus of making this happen is always on the
better placed, socially and economically advanced sections of the society.
Unless the aspirational India largely representing the educated, city-dwelling,
financially well-placed and socially settled classes sensatise themselves
towards the agonies of the deprived sections, this is hard to happen. In that
context, imaginatively crafted pedagogical processes making people realise the
essential unity of the society and the meaning of one-people, one-nation will
have to be vigorously evolved and promoted. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Systemic factors promoting fragmentation: Social
fragmentation is inbuilt in our First-past-the Post electoral system. Otherwise
fairly integrationist elements too indulge in harping upon diversities when it
comes to electoral arithmetic. This happens because the path of electoral
victory goes via greater fragmentation as atomization pays rich dividends in
this system, and more importantly it is always easier to divide and rule. Harp
on diversity- create an emotional insecurity – promote en-block voting through
sectoral appeasement and eventually outsmart the social majority has proved to
be the most effective strategy of political parties. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
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<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="margin-right: -9.0pt;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftnref" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[1]<!--[endif]--></span></a>
Dewey C.J., <i>“</i>Images<i> </i>of
the Village Community (1972):a study in Anglo-Indian ideology”, ‘<i>Modern
Asian Studies’</i>, Vol. 6, No. 3 (1972)</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftnref" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[2]<!--[endif]--></span></a> Rajni
Kothari, ‘<i>Politics in India</i>’ p.251</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftnref" name="_ftn3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[3]<!--[endif]--></span></a> <i>ibid.</i>p.264</div>
</div>
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<!--EndFragment--></div>
vinayviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284047484109738874noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2033849143246134767.post-61714225245433235512013-02-03T11:50:00.001+05:302013-02-03T11:50:30.937+05:30<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">Trivializing
Terror <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">Vinay Sahasrabuddhe <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">Predictably, RSS and BJP workers put up a
spirited agitation on January 24 in protest of the Home Minister who has
committed two major blunders. Firstly, he tried to link terrorism to a belief
system and specifically commented on the growth of what he called as Hindu
Terror. Secondly, he went overboard and highly irresponsibly politicized the
discourse on terror by taking the names of the RSS and the BJP claiming that in
the training camps of both these organisations terrorism is taught. This has
added to the pleasure of those who are masterminding terror attacks from across
the border. They have already gleefully grabbed these pearls of wisdom of our
Home Minister. The minister was so very engaged in obtaining political brawny
points that he absolutely had no time to even say hello to Justice J S Verma
who presided over the govt. appointed committee to look into the issues
concerning safety and security of women. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">For the benefit of Home Minister Susheel Kumar
Shinde it is necessary to bring to his notice as to how at several instances
Congress workers have been caught red-handed while indulging in terrorist and
anti-national activities by the law enforcing authorities from time to time.
This should bring Mr. Shinde out of selective amnesia and may prevent further
trivialization of the issue of terrorism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Former Fisheries
Minister of Gujarat and a prominent Congress leader Mohammad Surti and ten
others were found guilty in 1993 Surat twin blast case by TADA court on October
4, 2008. While Mohammad Surti along with four other convicts including former
Congress corporator Iqbal Vadiwala received 20-year prison sentence</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">, another six received 10 year prison
sentence. Total 21 persons were found guilty out of which five were not
traceable. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">According to police, a part of the arms cache
smuggled into Mumbai for 1993 Mumbai blasts was diverted to Surat.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Mohammad Surti had procured hand
grenades from the late Ahmedabad don Abdul Latif for the bombings, the court had
then observed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Again,
as reported by the </span><i><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">The Indian Express</span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">on
March 5, 2002 several Congress leaders feature in the list of accused in the
Godhra train - bogey burning case. Prominent among them are </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Mehmud Hussain Kalota, convener of the Congress district minority
cell and president of the Godhra municipality, Salim Abdul Ghaffar Sheikh,
president of the Panchmahal Youth Congress and Farroukh Bhana, secretary of the
district Congress committee. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">Later,
when 31 people were convicted for Godhra roasting, two Congressmen were given life
imprisonment while one was given death penalty. <i><span style="background: white;">The Times of India</span></i></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">dated 9 August 2003 reported that at least 25 Congress leaders were
accused of being involved in attacks on Muslims.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">Again it is the same Congress party that had allied with</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Tamil Nadu Muslim
Munnetra Kazhagham</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">-</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">a
party involved in 1998 Coimbatore blasts. So much for 'links' with terrorists,
Congress entered into an electoral agreement with this party in Tamil Nadu in
the 2006 Assembly polls.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"><br />
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">An incident like the deadly
Coimbatore blasts in which Shri L K Advani miraculously escaped but nearly 58
Hindus, mostly BJP workers were killed. The prime accused of this case is PDP
leader Abdul Madani. In 2006, </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt;">the then ruling and
Opposition parties had joined hands to unanimously pass a resolution in the
Kerala Assembly on March 16, calling for Madani’s release on “humanitarian
grounds” from the Coimbatore prison. Later when Madani was arrested by the
Karnataka police and kept in a Banglore prison for the 2008 Banglore serial
blasts case, Congress and Muslim League along with the PDP undertook a </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">campaign to force the Karnataka Government to
provide medical help and other facilities to Abdul Nasser Madani. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt;">It is a well known fact that the Kerala-based PDP, of which
Madani is chairman, and a group called Justice for Madani Forum formed after
his arrest by Bangalore police in August, 2010, have been trying to garner
support for moves to influence the Karnataka Government for quite some time and
the UPA at the centre is refusing to prevent such highly objectionable
precedents being set. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The record of the Congress party on the
count of resolutely facing the challenge of terrorism has always been dubious. Nation
has not forgotten as to how the ghost of Bhindranwale was nurtured by those who
were at the helm of affairs at the Centre then. Again, it was Mrs. Gandhi the
first who introduced the Illegal Migrants: Determination by Tribunals (IMDT)
Act in early eighties with the sole objective of protecting illegal Bangladeshi
migrants staying in Assam. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Again, can we forget as to how keen was the Congress to
oppose the passage of POTA that it compelled the then NDA government call for a
historic joint session of both the houses of the Parliament? And as if this is
not enough, read what Madhu Agarwal, the irrepressible RTI activist from Delhi
has to say through his personal dispatch of January 29, 2013: “</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It refers to media-reports about country’s top
secret-agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) suddenly aborting its important
‘Operation Morocco’ mission relating to 26/11 militants’ attack on Mumbai
aiming to reach out to Faiza Outalha, the estranged wife of Pakistani-American
terrorist David Coleman Headly, who acted as a ‘scout’ to identify various
targets for the deadly strikes.”</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Agarwal further observes: “At a time when
India is expressing its anguish over Headly escaping death-penalty and his
extradition to India, such media-reports now appearing about RAW aborting its
important mission sometime in mid-2012 are indeed a cause of serious concern on
working of RAW whose activities cannot be made public under
‘Right-To-Information Act’. However Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) should make a
detailed study also because the media-reports doubt if PMO was aware of such
aborting of RAW mission. PMO should in larger national interest issue
clarification on such media-reports.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Dear Mr. Shinde, it is easy to single out a
particular organisation and apply a particular tag to some terrorist
activities. It takes hardly any dexterity to play politics on these lines. But
you must remember that people are least interested in this name-calling. They
want results and your own irresponsible statements have seriously dented your
credibility. What has come under cloud is the very authenticity of your government’s
plan to fight with terror. This is downright demoralising for the police and
disillusioning for the people of India in general. No wonder, terrorists beyond
the boundaries were the happiest lot to read about your statement. Mr. Shinde,
you are trivializing the threat of terror and it is we the people who will have
to pay price for this. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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vinayviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284047484109738874noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2033849143246134767.post-25461338545135006392013-01-09T12:36:00.000+05:302013-01-09T12:36:09.643+05:30Mend your mindset, man ...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="color: #362f2d; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 22.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Mend your mindset, man…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> - Vinay Sahasrabuddhe </span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">More than three weeks after the December 16 gangrape in Delhi,
the nation continues to be outraged over incidents of sexual assault against
women. Even those who have never heard anything about either feminism or gender
justice are aghast by the utter insensitivity betrayed by some individuals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">A large section of the media and some self-proclaimed champions
of women’s cause chose to ignore the utterances of CPI(M) leader Anisur Rahman
that were an outright insult to womanhood. On the other hand the lure of scoring
brownie points made many wantonly misinterpret what RSS chief had observed. In
the ensuing cacophony the fundamental issue of how and why the traditional male
mindset needs to change never came to the discussion table. Thus one can
understandably be afraid that at the end of the day even all this noise on
issues concerning women’s security and safety may not result in any real public
education.<br />
It must be noted that gender occupies prime position in the UN Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs). Apart from gender equality, ending poverty and
hunger, universal education, reducing child mortality and improving maternal
health are the other four goals where the role of women is critical and needs
universal recognition.<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Over the last over 25 years,
societal perspective towards gender issues has undergone transformation. This
has happened due to two principal reasons. First, large-scale self-realisation
on the part of women has led to greater awareness about gender issues all over
the world. And second, thanks to sound theorisation of gender equality by
social scientists, thinkers and opinion makers, gender issues have acquired an
element of political correctness. As a consequence, nobody dares to challenge
the logic behind gender equality, especially in public. However, sadly but
certainly, this pressure of political correctness has masked the mindsets of
men — and at times even women — majority of whom continue to believe that men
and women are naturally unequal and any effort to bring equality is bound to
fail. This thinking prevails not only in the educationally or socially backward
societies but also in the most advanced, economically affluent sections, the
so-called progressive people.</span><span style="color: #362f2d; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">This makes one realise that women empowerment
hinges, among other things, primarily on changing the traditional mindset of
men. If men continue to not understand the meaning of women’s rmpowerment, or
if they wantonly ignore the applied gender-justice principals, it often adds to
the agony of women, already under the burden of changing expectations in the
midst of unchanged social climate.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Decades ago, Acharya Dada Dharmadhikari, a
well-known Gandhian and Sarvodaya leader, had advocated what can be described
as “reverse discrimination” within the four-walls of our homes. In traditional
societies, when women started occupying all those spaces that were
traditionally considered the sole reserves of men, family-centric societies
started experiencing upheavals. It also created a picture of apparent
imbalance. To correct this, as prescribed by Dada Dharmadhikari, what was
needed was men’s entry into and occupation of those areas that were and are
traditionally considered women’s only. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">What he meant was something very
practicable and yet very difficult. If women are flying airplanes, why can’t
men babysit and cook a meal, was his question. But majority of men are not
inclined to do this and this is what has added further to the already stretched
relationship between men and women. No wonder many male politicians find it
hard to digest the proposed quota for women in political representation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">To correct this, building capacities of men
through change-mindset training is the only effective way. We, at Rambhau
Mhalgi Prabodhini, which is South Asia’s only training institute for elected
representatives, has been doing this for a decade, right after quotas for women
at the local government level were implemented in Maharashtra. Our experience
in the context of a structured training aimed at changing the male mindset has
been very interesting and the results very insightful.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">After conducting a series of interactive
training workshops for municipal councillors and other elected representatives,
we have drawn four main conclusions. First, it is a must that men take extra
effort towards understanding a woman’s world: women, their life-approach, their
role in the family, their expectations and revisiting the typicality of the
male view about these issues. Second, there is a need for men to empathise with
women: understanding the psychological-emotional process that women go through
and then developing an intellectual understanding of it. Third, men need to
recognise that gender equality is integral to the concept of social justice.
And last, understanding and pro-actively utilising the inherent leadership
qualities of women while ungrudgingly accepting the fact that women are better
managers. At the practical level, one may also think of introducing a set of behavioural
norms or do’s and don’ts to ensure that gender justice gets translated in our day-to-day
lives.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">All this again makes us revisit the
question of quota for women in Parliament and also Legislative Assemblies.
Quotas are nothing more than accepting the fact that women need to be given the
space, which is due to them. But much</span><span style="color: #362f2d; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span><span style="background: white; color: #362f2d; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">before that, they need their legitimate share in our
mind-space, in our thinking world. Changed mindset of men alone will make way
for that space.</span><span style="color: #362f2d; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">For women to be able to walk freely and
fearlessly, the one small but powerful step needed is to create enabling
environs for them to gain a firm foothold, be it in politics or governance.
Sadly but truly, empowering men with the ability to think in this way has
become the precondition of genuine and effective women empowerment. The sooner
both men and women understand this, the better.</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #362f2d; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #362f2d; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="background: white;">The Asian Age has carried this piece today but with a misleading title. The right title is what appears </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>
vinayviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284047484109738874noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2033849143246134767.post-48720170790022232552012-05-15T16:24:00.003+05:302012-05-15T16:24:50.681+05:30<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Electors
and the Elected </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Why is the bonding missing? </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Vinay Sahasrabuddhe </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
“Your
representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment and he betrays
you instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion”. – </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
Edmund Burk,
speech at Bristol 1774</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It’s
a strange coincidence that just when the Parliament is celebrating its 50<sup>th</sup>
anniversary, the hiatus between the electors and the elected is becoming more
and more pronounced. After Arvind Kejriwal now it is Baba Ramdev who has
indulged in calling names to our Members of Parliament. Expectedly, both of
them have received flack from the parliamentarians and others as well. </span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">While members of civil society and parliament may continue with
their war of words, it is enlightening to know as to how members of the public
view these allegations and counter allegations. If the comments that readers
routinely post below a news item on a newspaper portal are any indication,
eight out of ten see nothing wrong about such comments, regardless the fact how
irresponsible they are. But the real issue is not the comments or the
objections to them. What is more important is looking into the factors that have
adversely affected the relationship between people and their representatives.
Withering away of the mutual bonding between the voters and the voted doesn’t
augur well for the health of our representative democracy. If this distance
remains uncovered, democracy will not be deemed as ‘of the people’ as what
Abraham Lincoln had envisaged.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Why the very people who elect a representative tend to disown
him/her almost the very next day? Why those who praise an elected
representative publicly, assail almost the entire politician community
privately? Why there is so much of derision and contempt all around about those
whom we do not mind voting for? Why has the sense of belonging towards our
elected houses been evaporating so unmistakably every time?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where exactly has the bonding between
the electors and the elected gone? Questions galore. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">There are obviously multiple factors responsible for this
situation. Not that people do not want to love the leaders, they elect. But the
quality deficit understandably puts them off. More importantly, the crisis of
purpose that has haunted politics of today has now come to the nerves of the
people. They hardly believe that politicians fight elections genuinely for the
cause of serving the people. Most of them continue to commit this mistake of
over-generalisation thanks to the sensation-mongering media that routinely
overlooks the contribution of serious, silently functioning, committed and
studious elected representatives. As a consequence the image of an elected
representative today is far more distorted than the reality. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Another important reason behind the public disdain for elected
politicians is the weak connectivity between the electors and the elected.
People who face some problem approach an elected representative with the hope
of redressing their grievance. Rarely, those who want to offer some suggestions
or give some policy inputs also meet an elected representative. But those who
do not want to seek any favor or have no particular work with the elected
representative, hardly think of visiting him and vice versa. Majority of the
electors come in this last category and they end up feeling that the one whom
they have elected hardly bothers for them. Obviously, this adds to the existing
chasm. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The third, and perhaps the most vital reason is the nature of
our electoral system. First-past-the-post system adopted by us has done several
harms to our body polity. It has converted electoral battle into a mere matter
of mastering the technique. Besides, it has promoted divisive tendencies, as
the victory in our elections hinges more on dividing the negative vote than
accumulating the positive one. If an electoral system is facilitating victory
of a candidate who gets a mere 20% votes and ignores the huge (80%) popular
opinion that has rejected him/her outright, how would the elected have
legitimacy in the eyes of the electors? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">All this has contributed to the fact that ‘aam admi’ today
relishes denouncing the politician. This crisis of dis-connect has been
compounded by our continued neglect of political parties as institutions. With
no mechanism for monitoring the functioning of political parties and a
deafening silence on the front of even electoral reforms, let alone all
encompassing political reforms; this distance is bound to grow. It was proper
on the part of the Lok Sabha speaker to admonish Team Anna Hazare for their
utterances. But, lets not forget that their keeping the mouths shut is not
going to create the missing connectivity trapped by the system. IN UK, in 2000,
a commission headed by Lord Norton was set up to look into the ways and means
of strengthening parliament. In its foreword Lord Norton had said, </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Parliament
has a number of functions that it has generally fulfilled effectively. However,
there is an imbalance in the relationship between Parliament and the executive.
There is a need to ensure that Parliament can call government to account</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">.” </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Sixty
years before we decided to institutionalise our democracy on the British model.
Now, we realise that we have inherited the infirmities of the system as well.
But in Britan there is a quest for solutions. There is no reason why this
passion for finding answers should be in short supply here. </span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span></div>
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Vinays57@gmail.com</span><br />
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%;">THIS was carried by The Asian Age and DECCAN CHRONICLE in their issues on May 14, 2012 </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span>
</div>vinayviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284047484109738874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2033849143246134767.post-49940134709263925152012-04-01T14:50:00.000+05:302012-04-01T14:50:40.873+05:30Strengthening Institutions to make Democracy Deliver: Learnings from Arab spring and after<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>2389</o:Words> <o:Characters>13621</o:Characters> <o:Company>HOME</o:Company> <o:Lines>113</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>27</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>16727</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">(<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Text of the paper presented at the International Seminar on Arab Spring and After organised by </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Centre for International, Strategic and Development Studies, Mumbai in Mumbai on 28-29-30 March 2012</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">) </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There are clear messages that the Arab spring has sent out to the outer world. The first and the fundamental message is that people have become restive. Aspiring societies in the modern world today are not going to remain silent in the face of deception, deprivation, and non-deliverability on the count of good governance. They want results. With the atmosphere full of uncertainty and insecurity, people all over the world are understandably losing patience. The desire for a promising tomorrow is now so acute that they would like to examine the seeds that are being sown to make sure that the crop is going to be as per the their expectations, both in quality and quantity. Besides patience, people are also fast losing whatever the faith in the system. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Arab spring therefore has a multi-dimensional message. The popular unrest has served a notice to all those elements failing in ensuring a secured future. Secure, both politically as well as economically. When Arab countries were witnessing this democratic upsurge, in India we had Lokpal movement. A year after the first protest fast undertaken by Anna Hazare, there certainly are question marks before the movement’s future. However, they should not make us unmindful of the challenge of finding answers to some issues thrown by the movement.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The three main factors behind the Arab spring were –<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1. A very corrupt or weak government <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2.Unhappy wealthy and military classes of people and <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">3. A desire for change supported and acted upon by different political and popular groups. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">At the backdrop of these factors is the fact that most of the countries witnessing extempore popular uprising were governments working under a façade of democracy. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><b>Sham Republics <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Governments in Egypt and Tunisia were corrupt and more importantly weak on delivery count as well. Autocrats in both countries did not have genuine popular mandate and hence they severely lacked in legitimacy. The abysmal lack of good public administration added to the restlessness not only amongst the poor and disadvantaged sections but also the affluent and powerful sections of the society. Military, too had no reason to not to support and revolt against the corrupt heads of governments. In a situation of this kind, a desire for change got further fillip and people took to streets, without caring so much for the immediate consequences. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0cm; mso-para-margin-right: 0cm; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Were the uprisings in the Arab countries merely for democratic rights? To consider that replacing sham democratic structures by genuine one will leave the people happy thereafter is denying the hard reality. Democracy is essential, but perhaps no more enough. Along with democracy, people are now yearning for state building where quality public administration as a part of overall good governance is delivered. If democracy fails in delivering this; the specter of people preferring a dictator to a democratically elected government may not be all that remote. There is evidence to suggest that people may even prefer autocratic rule to democracy if there is a guarantee on the delivery count. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Yearning for effective governance <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Senior American journalist and political commentator David Broder once pointed out that there is a widening gap between acceptance and effectiveness of democracy.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftn1" name="_ftnref" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[1]<!--[endif]--></span></a> Analysing the reasons for the same, he says that death of ideology, decline of state, decline of religion, low esteem of politics as a profession, and the irresponsible role of media in general, are the causes behind democracy becoming less effective.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman";">On the performance count, new and emerging democratic governments all over the world have more often than not, met with failures. Even countries where democracy was supposed to be already well established, such as Venezuela and Columbia, became “destabilized and seriously threatened in the past decade by economic mismanagement, corruption, and state decay as established parties and politicians grew complacent and distant from popular concerns.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftn2" name="_ftnref" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[2]<!--[endif]--></span></a> Many countries in South America, suffered a deep crisis of governance that inevitably resulted in sharp erosion in the authority and capacity of the state as also public confidence in democratic institutions. Similar is the case with some of the former Soviet countries. Even after a decade of democratisation, here, power is wielded with the same old style that smacks of authoritarianism, elections are still less fair and rule of law continues to be fragile. Little wonder then, that Richard Rose of University of</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> Strathclyde</span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman";"> in Glasgow found that 41 percent of Russians and 51 percent of Ukrainians favored the restoration of communist rule.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftn3" name="_ftnref" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[3]<!--[endif]--></span></a> As recently as in 2003, public opinion all over the world showed an alarming decrease in the support base for democracy. The results of ‘<i>The Pew Global Attitudes Project for 2011’</i>,<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftn4" name="_ftnref" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[4]<!--[endif]--></span></a> has brought out some interesting findings. The report says: </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 150%;">In 1991, majorities of Russians and Ukrainians clearly favored democracy, rather than a strong leader, as the best way to address their country's problems. By 2002 opinion had reversed, with two-thirds or more in each country saying they preferred a strong leader. In Poland and Bulgaria views were mixed on the issue, while publics in the Czech Republic and Slovakia continued to strongly support democracy.</span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman";"> A recent report about the State of Democracy in South Asia<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftn5" name="_ftnref" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[5]<!--[endif]--></span></a> has revealed that only 49% of Indians prefer democracy while 14% believe that democracy or dictatorship makes no difference to them. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0cm; mso-para-margin-right: 0cm; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0cm; mso-para-margin-right: 0cm; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It is a fact that strengthening institutions that facilitate the expression of democratic demands is extremely important. Introducing elections is an essential ingredient of this process, but that alone is perhaps not enough. If this process eventually fails in enhancing governance capacity in managing the delivery of basic public goods and services, it will ultimately end up promoting greater public disenchantment. Hence, the future of Arab spring movement is pregnant with the grave challenge of establishing state mechanisms that are open, participative and democratic and at the same time efficient and productive while making democracy deliver. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0cm; mso-para-margin-right: 0cm; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0cm; mso-para-margin-right: 0cm; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify;"><b>Unified Theory <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0cm; mso-para-margin-right: 0cm; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In this context, it is worth examining what noted political scientist Pippa Norris has presented as ‘unified theory’.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftn6" name="_ftnref" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[6]<!--[endif]--></span></a> This theory predicts “that the institutions of both liberal democracy and state capacity need to be strengthened in parallel for the most effective progress deepening human security, within the broader enduring fixed constraints posed by structural environments. Democracy and governance are rightly regarded as separate and distinct phenomena both conceptually and empirically.” Norris’s ‘unified theory’ underscores that regimes reflecting both these dimensions are necessary (although not sufficient) for effective development<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0cm; mso-para-margin-right: 0cm; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There is a particular pattern in the way dictators of the Middle East, whether they are called kings, presidents, and prime ministers, some of them disguising their authoritarian</span><b> </b><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Schoolbook"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">regime better than others. This pattern involves a two-pronged approach. Keeping the wealthy elite in good humour on the one hand and satisfy the lower classes through providing heavily subsidized essential commodities. However, while this pattern helps a dictator stick to power, it also makes his position vulnerable. When economy is in bad shape, the elite expect more than the leader can give, and the now educated population wants jobs, prosperity, and the voice in the government, which has previously been denied to them. This leads to the end of legitimacy of the leader and people gather courage to raise a banner of revolt. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">Arab spring was a surprise for many. The general impression was that the Arab republics were generally doing well. Most of them even today are republics for namesake. There were houses comprising representatives elected by the people and at least ostensibly, the governments were run by these elected representatives. People were fed up of this façade of democracy, as it did not deliver at all. They tolerated the autocrats who were ruling under the garb of a republic state till such a point as things became absolutely intolerable. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">Democracy being a holistic idea, mere elections or mere freedom of expression is not enough. With technological advancement as it is preventing access to information and avenues for expression of thoughts has become lot more difficult, if not impossible. Besides, universally there is an acute sense of insecurity filled in the climate and hence somehow, people want to express their pent up feelings. Uprisings in the Arab world as well as the largely extemporary character of the Anna Hazare-led Lokpal movement are a pointer to this state of mind of the people. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b>Delivering democracy <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">Developing sound institutions for facilitating a delivering democracy is fundamental to the idea of effective democracy. If democracy is all about free exercise of the right to select then availability of worthy options of groups and leaders for selection, and evolving smart electoral systems facilitating undistorted expression of genuine public opinion become extremely important. This has to be coupled with a deliberative system for result oriented and decisive governance mechanism. Political parties, Electoral system and Parliament are therefore the three critical corner stones of any democratic edifice. Absence of sound institutional development and the resultant poor quality of governance coupled with muzzling of public opinion has arguably proved to be the lethal cocktail for overthrowing of the established regimes in Arab spring. On this backdrop, it is high time for democracies like India to look within, audit the performance of its institutions and adopt an agenda for massive reforms. In democracy, traditions and precedents are important and tokenism too is a part of this. But too much of tokenism often leads to hypocrisy. A feeling of deception is inherent to hypocrisy, and this very feeling of being deceived all along seems to have caught the imagination of the masses in India too. When the entire edifice of democratic governance is perceived as unproductive, democratic institutions evoke not respect but revulsion. India is passing precisely through the same process. Anna Hazare-led movement could rightly be described as an expression of the deep- seated popular disenchantment with the entire political class. <o:p></o:p></div><div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In order to understand the striking similarities in the ground situations both in Egypt and India, it would be enlightening to read what an article in Foreign Affairs has said about Egypt. The article says, “Everything in Egypt -- from obtaining a driver's license to getting an education -- is formally very cheap but in practice very expensive, since most transactions, official and unofficial, are accompanied by off-the-books payments. The government pays schoolteachers a pittance, so public education is poor and teachers supplement their salaries by providing private lessons that are essential preparation for school exams. The national police were widely reviled long before their brutal crackdowns at the inception of the January 25 revolt because they represented, in essence, a nationwide protection racket. Ordinary citizens had to bribe police officers all too ready to confiscate licenses and invent violations”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftn7" name="_ftnref" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[7]<!--[endif]--></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Both, in Arab countries as well as in India, the young activists in each country have been sharing ideas, tactics, and moral support, but they are confronting different opponents and operating within different contexts. Now that the euphoria about Arab spring is over, it is high time efforts for building strong democratic institutions in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya are taken up by social and political leaders with all dexterity at their command. Much has been said about the role and impact of social media in the context of both, the Arab spring and the Lokpal movement. It does have a role, important but also limited. It allows informal association, temporarily overcomes the lack of leadership and enables free flow of information. All this helps greatly in organising protests. But it must also be remembered that communication can start the process of democracy but it cannot complete it. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Challenges ahead <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Preventing corruption, arresting economic decline and establishing a rule of law are the three basic challenges in all Arab spring countries. Corruption and economic decline have remained common obstacles in the path of successful new democracies. While these factors added to the popular skepticism about democracy in Latin America, in Russia they seriously undermined the country’s democratic experiment during the Boris Yeltsin presidency. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If the challenge in Arab world is that of building institutions, in India it is that of preventing their collapse and revitalizing them. India, will have to pay urgent attention to all encompassing democratic reforms about which little is being discussed. In Arab world as well as in India the common point to be placed high on the agenda would be reducing the gap between those who are empowered and those who are not, both politically as well as economically. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">In the Indian context, it would be misleading to get unduly impressed by the increased percentage of voting in Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. Winning elections has already become a technique and with flawed electoral system, rarely it turns out to be a genuine popular mandate. The sooner we stop boasting about being the largest democracy of the world and start introducing reforms to wipe off the wide spread cynicism and frustration about the political system, the better. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">Pippa Norris<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftn8" name="_ftnref" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[8]<!--[endif]--></span></a> noted political scientist from Kennedy School of Government presents a brilliant analysis of similar conditions, which is worth understanding. She says, “…development is most effective where regimes combine the qualities of democratic responsiveness and state effectiveness.” According to her, regardless of whatever the theory suggests, in practice, liberal democracies often prove imperfect on the count of accountability and good governance related procedures “particularly where party competition is limited, electoral systems are manipulated, or channels of participation are skewed towards money votes over people votes.” Norris further argues that “The institutions in liberal democracy can limit the abuse of power, but curbing Leviathan does not ensure that leaders will necessarily have the capability to implement effective public policies addressing social needs.” Norris further points out that “Moreover the initial move from autocracy, and the rhetorical promises commonly made by leaders during transitional elections, often encourages rising expectations among ordinary citizens. If these cannot be met by elected officials, due to limited state capacity, this can be a recipe for frustration.” <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftn9" name="_ftnref" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[9]<!--[endif]--></span></a><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b>Learnings for India <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">What Pippa Norris has analysed is significant in the context of India. Venomous statements of the likes of civil society leaders Arvind Kejriwal will come always under flack, and perhaps rightly. However, how exactly we as a nation are going to meet the questions that are posed by the situation continues to be a big challenge. Continuously widening gap between the electors and the elected is a pointer to the grave situation. When we have 78% of the Lok Sabha members today winning the election despite the fact that 50% of the electors in respective constituencies have voted against them, legitimacy of the representative democracy itself has become questionable. Should this continue for long, we will have neither good governance nor genuine democracy. <o:p></o:p></div><div style="border-bottom: double windowtext 2.25pt; border: none; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm;"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: 150%; mso-border-bottom-alt: double windowtext 2.25pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;">While describing the huge popular response to Lokpal movement, media had compared Jantar –Mantar in Delhi to Tahrir Square. Comparisons like these have limited meaning. But, like those spearheading the Tahrir Square upsurge, Lokpal movement also loses its way and fails in unveiling a larger agenda for political and institutional reforms for an effective democracy, people will have a new set of reasons to be more cynic about the system. One certainly cannot rule this out. Strong visionary leadership with organisational skills and strategic thinking after all is in short supply on the banks of both Nile and Yamuna. <o:p></o:p></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><a href="mailto:Vinays57@gmail.com">Vinays57@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" /> <hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" /> <!--[endif]--> <div id="ftn"> <div class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftnref" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[1]<!--[endif]--></span></a> David Broder, Lecture at the Salzburg Seminar session 384, on Democracy. June 13, 2001</div></div><div id="ftn"> <div class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftnref" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[2]<!--[endif]--></span></a> Larry Diamond, “The Global State of Democracy”, in ‘<i>Current History’</i> Dec. 2000, Vol.99, No. 641 p.416</div></div><div id="ftn"> <div class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftnref" name="_ftn3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[3]<!--[endif]--></span></a> <i>ibid </i>p.417</div></div><div id="ftn"> <div class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftnref" name="_ftn4" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[4]<!--[endif]--></span></a> http://www.pewglobal.org/2011/?cat=commentary</div></div><div id="ftn"> <div class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftnref" name="_ftn5" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[5]<!--[endif]--></span></a> SDSA team, <i>State of Democracy in South Asia</i> p.228-229</div></div><div id="ftn"> <div class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftnref" name="_ftn6" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[6]<!--[endif]--></span></a> For reference, please see - http://www.hks.harvard.edu/fs/pnorris/Acrobat/WhyDemocraticGovernance/Chapter%201.pdf</div></div><div id="ftn"> <div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftnref" name="_ftn7" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[7]<!--[endif]--></span></a> <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Demystifying the Arab Spring, Foreign Affairs, <a href="http://www.foreignaffairs.com/issues/2011/90/3">May/June 2011</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div></div><div id="ftn"> <div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: 150%;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftnref" name="_ftn8" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[8]<!--[endif]--></span></a> http://www.hks.harvard.edu/fs/pnorris/Acrobat/WhyDemocraticGovernance/Chapter%201.pdf</div></div><div id="ftn"> <div class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2033849143246134767#_ftnref" name="_ftn9" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[9]<!--[endif]--></span></a> ibid </div></div></div><!--EndFragment--></div>vinayviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284047484109738874noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2033849143246134767.post-6216714553549210622012-02-06T21:22:00.001+05:302012-02-06T21:23:38.691+05:30UPA: The Crisis of Ownership<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="itemIntroText"><b>Nobody seems to be in charge of the Government, hence none is accountable! </b></div><b> </b><b> </b>The way the UPA is being run, the way almost with unmistakable regularity blunders are being committed one after the other and the way persons at the helm of affairs continue to give a false impression of business as usual, one wonders as to who is the <i>maai-baap</i> of this Government. Is there a single soul around who would own up the acts of omission and commission of the UPA?<br />
Serial blunderers at the helm of affairs of this Government have not only added to the overall cynicism but also severely damaged popular confidence in their ability to lead. No Government in the past had reduced itself into a virtual lame duck regime due to its own non-performance. In the 1980s, Mrs Indira Gandhi had at least promised a Government that works. Her daughter-in-law seems to be happy presiding over a Government that shirks.<br />
Event after event, the Government seems to be in competition with itself as to how further messy can things be made. Anna Hazare and the complete saga of his Lokpal movement was the height of complicating simple things. The fact that none of the senior members of the Cabinet has had any brush with a popular movement became more and more telling when senior UPA functionaries appeared clueless in dealing with Team Anna. The Government could have easily rectified its initial mistakes by roping in the Opposition in the consultation process, thus making it a broad-based negotiating platform. As if the earlier mistakes were not enough, in the Winter Session the Government’s sheer inability on every front — from media management to floor management — was on full display.<br />
Expectedly, the new year dawned with no fresh approach towards a better management of the multi-dimensional task of running a Government. The near total relationship breakdown with Ms Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress, the abysmal lack of tack and dexterity in dealing with the issue of date of birth of the Army Chief, and the highly disappointing weak-kneed approach in handling the Salman Rushdie visit are three cases in point.<br />
Ms Banerjee is known for being unpredictable. After having agreed to play second fiddle to her,it was not difficult for the Congress to pre-empt some teething problems. Right at the beginning of the partnership, the Congress could have played hardball with Ms Banerjee, making her accept an institutional set-up like that of a coordination committee. Besides, the party would have lost almost nothing had it chosen to call it a day after her insulting treatment and reminded her that, like marriage, alliances endure only when both the partners realise the need for it.<br />
The unseemly controversy over the date of birth of the Chief of Army Staff speaks volumes about the lack of the Government’s administrative acumen. The UPA leadership appeared devoid of foresight, essential for preventing any institutional damage such incidents cause. Forget preventive measures, even the semblance of damage control mechanism also seemed to have been in short supply. Was it inevitable? Were all the available options for avoiding this public controversy tried?<br />
If mishandling of the Lokpal issue and the avoidable relationship-breakdown with the Trinamool Congress betrayed a sheer lack of political management, the dispute over date of birth of Army Chief brought to the fore the insensitivity and the lack of politico-administrative decision-making on the part of the Government. This ineptness by the UPA leadership is also seen as an insult to the entire community of ex-Army men.<br />
As if all this was not enough, the Salman Rushdie episode was handled with abject lack of imagination. Perhaps, it was wrong on the part of the liberal fraternity to expect the UPA leadership to be taking a truly secular approach while dealing with this issue. The international literary fraternity realised that both the liberal establishment as well as the Government here readily crawl when, in fact, they are just asked to bend a little, when it comes to caste and community politics. Again, adroit handling of this issue was certainly not all that difficult.<br />
The latest is the series of crises emerging out of the multiplicity of approaches on the part of different arms of the Government is the controversy over Indian Space Research Organisation scientist Madhavan Nair. Merits of the case apart, how can the Government move without taking the head of the Prime Minister’s Scientific Advisory Council on board when the issue is so very sensitive and involves some leading lights of the nation’s scientific community? Besides, how can the chief of the Prime Minister’s SAC go public and assail the Government’s move so very brazenly?<br />
At the root of this series of failures is a crisis of ownership. Whose Government is this, after all? Is it a Manmohan Singh Government managed by Sonia Gandhi from behind the scene or a Sonia Gandhi regime with governance outsourced to Mr Singh? Who owns this Government? Who is responsible for repeated mistakes? Are the Government officials and Ministers out to hoodwink us by pointing fingers at one another? Is there any internal assessment mechanism? In these days of acute power shortage, do the UPA leaders ever turn the searchlight inward?<br />
Remember, a division of responsibility on the political and the administrative lines is not only meaningless but also against the popular interests. In an arrangement like this, one can hardly expect any accountability and transparency. In a situation like this, accountability is shrouded in mystery and transparency has become illusionary, as what is being seen is not what is happening in reality.<br />
India has witnessed several coalition Governments in the past. UPA1 could easily pass the burden of its non-performance on the recalcitrant Left parties. But if UPA2 is delivering almost nothing, it is mainly because of the ‘mutually beneficial’ arrangement of ‘coalition of convenience’. Once and for all, the nation needs to be told as to who is running this Government? If at all, who owns UPA2?<br />
(Published in The Pioneer, Delhi, February 6, 2012) </div>vinayviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284047484109738874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2033849143246134767.post-1088778992597180612011-08-08T13:37:00.000+05:302011-08-08T13:39:41.936+05:30 <style>@font-face { font-family: "Times"; }@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }</style> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Times;font-size:16pt;" >A resurgent Republic can't eschew reform</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<br /><span style=";font-family:Times;font-size:16pt;" ></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;"><span style=";font-family:Times;font-size:16pt;" ></span><i style=""><span style="font-family:Times;">Vinay Sahasrabuddhe</span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;"><i style=""><span style="font-family:Times;"> </span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family:Times;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times;">EVENTS in the recent past clearly manifest what can be described as the delivery deficit of democracy in India. Judiciary has raised the pitch of its activism. Civil society suddenly has become very articulate and assertive. A pro-active media — even in the days of its diminishing credibility — has suddenly started pointing fingers and conducting trial by itself. All these are the symptoms of a situation where most of the principal players continue to be clueless and yet pretend that they have some answers — answers to the all pervading in-efficacy of our model of democratic governance!
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<br />Forget mega challenges like corruption-free good governance, poverty, unemployment and national security. Has this republic been able to give potable water to everybody? What to speak about cities free from slums? Or, say footpaths without squatters? When we, all the taxpayers hope a safe and secure civic life, are we asking for moon?
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<br />Political scientists and observers believe that India has chosen stability of a sort over growth. India-born British economist Lord Meghnad Desai had once cryptically observed that to stay a peaceful and stable society India has to be a muddle and mess. While many will certainly differ with this observation, the fact remains that a country like India with a billion plus population, 28 states enjoying considerable autonomy, 33 major languages and 1650 dialects and six major religions, one of which is Islam followed by 13 per cent of people, understandably; has to put staying together above everything. As what the Economist had once observed we appear to be satisfied with remaining “a slow moving but flexible democracy” as if that “is the only way of holding all this together”. But still, questions remain unanswered. Was it really necessary to tolerate the lack of jeepable roads and schools sans teachers or live with power cuts and load shedding even 65 years after Independence?
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<br />However, with changing times, people have become restive, not happy with just “holding together” and are craving for change. Many believe that India requires both political and economic reforms together. There also appears a very strong opinion that unless either of the two major political parties has at least 200 plus seats and coalition government has a majority in the Lok Sabha, serious efforts for major reforms of any kind will continue to be neglected. One cannot find fault with Rahul Bajaj’s observation that what absorbs most of the energies of the Government are mainly “short-term political expediency and crisis management.”
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<br />Several others also have stressed the need for political reforms. After more than half a century of the attainment of Independence and having given the present Constitution a chance, it is worthwhile to ponder over as to where are we exactly heading. Let us accept the ground reality that ‘we the people’, have failed in achieving the goals set before by the makers of the Constitution and we all need to have a re-look at the present system. To say that the Constitution has not failed people in India but the latter have failed their own Constitution takes the discussion only little ahead. And even if people have failed the Constitution, what is essential is to study all those factors that have led to this situation. Many concur with this conclusion. Founder chairman of software giant, Infosys, NR Narayan Murthy, had once gone on record without mincing words. He had insisted that we require reforms since “our institutions—from parliament and legislatures to courts and distribution systems—have become pervaded with corruption.”
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<br />As a consequence, popular faith in democracy is fast on the wane. People, mainly those who have experienced the Emergency of 1975 do not say it in so many words. They understand what lack of democracy means. But what about others? Many who are socially conscious and ideologically committed rightly believe that to be cynic is a luxury. No wonder then the younger generation may want to ask “can you give us a single reason why one should not get frustrated with the non-functioning of the systems here?”
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<br />This depleting popular faith in democracy and the consequent tightening of the grip of all pervading cynicism on the minds of the people has resulted in an absolute lack of popular initiative. A sense of utter contempt, almost bordering on a deep-seated hatred, about the political class is visible when people voice their opinions. A glance at the excerpts of a letter written to the editor by some of the readers of a newspaper in Ahmedabad soon after the 1999 elections have been quoted by Jagdeep S Chhokar, a senior activist of Association of Democratic Reforms. Excerpts quoted by him read as follows—“Thank God! The verbal cacophony, throwing of abuses and trading of charges by political parties with each other is over…what democratic values this bunch of self-appointed leaders will propagate with such narrow-minded approaches. Our democracy ends the day we cast our vote No wonder people showed fatigue and displayed lack of enthusiasm in the type of democratic exercise now repeatedly held to elect the begging candidates so that on being elected they can sit in power and loot us, and amass wealth and power for their dynasties.”
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<br />A popular ballad-type folk song in Maharashtra originally sung by Shahir Sable in 1956 in a Marathi folk-theatre programme named Bapacha Bap ridicules the entire political class by narrating a story. The narrative suggests that god had once wrongfully sent a brain-less creature on the earth and how the same has become a political leader. These examples are a true reflection of public disdain and all pervading cynicism about the entire electoral process that has singularly occupied the centre-stage of our democracy.
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<br />Several Indian-observers abroad also believe that introducing reforms is the only way to retrieve the situation. Few years before when as a researcher, I interacted with some prominent political scientists in some foundations in UK and USA, they insisted that we in India essentially have to do away the populist character of parliamentary democracy by cleansing the entire body politic. Many of them further advocated that political parties in India must tighten the formal control and revitalise their organisations. Power brokers must not be given any patronage at all. If this is not done, the next generation will get more disillusioned.
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<br />Unfortunately, widespread disdain about politicians has acquired centrality in public discourse. In the April 2011 agitation led by Anna Hazare, ridiculing politicians had become a favourite pastime. While politicians have to seriously look into the reasons behind this widespread disdain, others must understand that mere disdain can take us nowhere. This situation has added to cynicism, the virus of which has generated a crisis of motivation as also a crisis of leadership practically at all levels. According to experiences narrated by a group of newly elected members of Municipal Corporations in Mumbai, Pune and Solapur, a noteworthy aspect of the 2007 elections for Municipal Corporations and District Councils (Zilla Parishads) in Maharashtra, political parties had to organise stage performances of beer bar-girls prior to the public meetings in several parts of districts like Ahmednagar in order to ensure people attending public meetings. Whereas in the 2007 elections to the municipal corporations in Maharashtra, in cities like Mumbai, Pune and Solapur, members of some housing societies collectively bargained with a brazen demand for sops in the form of taking care of the construction of compound wall, or payment of electricity charges against assured en-bloc voting of the society members. According to a sitting member of a Municipal Corporation of Mumbai, he had to outsmart his rival by actually completing the work of paver blocks in the courtyard of a housing society, which was his traditional stronghold; and where the voters were preparing to auction their votes en-bloc. These are all symptoms of the erosion of popular faith in democratic values and by implication, in the democratic system.
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<br />Discussion about political reforms in India is not new. Need for such reforms, has been felt by many for several years. Some of them also have articulated the same. Once, our former Vice President Shri Krishan Kant had correctly diagnosed what ails our electoral system. According to him, there was an urgent need “to break nexus between the individual and the constituency”, because of the fact that the present “election process has established and consolidated such individuals and interest groups all over the country.”
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<br />If a particular factor is to be held responsible for this, it is the gradual weakening of party organisations. In the case of several smaller political parties in India, the party organisation today is a loose alliance of such interest groups. Neither do they have any ideology nor a national programme. Any individual desirous of getting in elected has to succumb to some pressures. This has created an invisible divided in our polity. Dominant corrupt social and political elite on one side and the people on the other. There is now a complete alienation between the two. This has led to a decline in popular deterrence, giving fillip to unscrupulous politics. Uncontrolled corruption and growing social tension are the net results of all this.
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<br /><b style="">Systemic Change?</b>
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<br />Many political analysts, thinkers and several Constitution experts have squarely blamed First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) system for the present day ills. To many, this system results in the election of candidates and of parties on a minority of votes cast making both unrepresentative. A Handbook for Electoral System Design, prepared by the Stockholm based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IIDEA) has clearly brought several disadvantages of the FPTP and one can easily conclude that India provides an example of how FPTP proves to be perilous. Some of the key disadvantages are:
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<br />1. Exclusion of minorities as well as women from fair representation.
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<br />2. Encouragement to the development of political parties based on clan, ethnicity or region, and
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<br />3. Exaggeration of “regional fiefdoms” where one party wins all the seats in a province.
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<br />Commenting upon the Indian experience of the FPTP, IIDEA handbook says: “The nature of the system meant that small changes in vote share often had a dramatic impact upon the shape of the resulting parliament.” Obviously then political parties often tend to influence small but guaranteed chunk of voters and lure the same by hook or by crook. To make this happen, mobilising monetary resources becomes essential and for that illicit money gathered through corrupt practices comes handy. This is how; electoral system or the voting system becomes central to the discussion as it is rightly deemed as the fountainhead of corruption.
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<br />Several of the problems associated with democracy in India are in fact, products of the FPTP system. Domination of electability factor, pressure of electoral compulsions and the resultant competitive indulgence in electoral mal-practices, greater chances of victory of candidates despite being opposed by majority of the electorate thanks to an inbuilt mechanism facilitating strategic division of votes, ability to give over-representation to en-bloc voters’ community at the cost of numerically stronger but scattered communities, are widely recognised as systemic flaws of the FPTP.
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<br />Another serious factor that calls for a systemic change is the fact that the FPTP system also promotes fragmented politics. Consequently, caste and community loyalties become the foundations of parties. This also influences the politics of larger parties with a national appeal and they too give in to the pressures of caste considerations. All this has had a great impact upon voting behaviour of the people. Candidates are generally selected on caste lines and citizens vote on caste appeal. States like UP, Bihar and Tamil Nadu are already in the grip of caste politics and other states like Karnataka, Maharashtra or Rajasthan are not far behind. In a situation like this, the electoral system has been almost totally subverted by money power, muscle power and vote-bank considerations of caste and communities. As a result, caste considerations and communalism apparently weakening in social life, in fact are provided vitamins and nutrients through electoral process.
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<br />Although reforms are hard to come about, they are integral to any living society and polity. There are scores of examples of nations who have opted for a particular form of democracy and subsequently switched over to the other. In neighbouring Sri Lanka, several experiments were tried during the last three decades. Starting from majoritarian democracy at the time of Independence (1947) to executive presidency and proportional representation (1978) to the present combination of run-off and preferential voting for the election of a president, Sri Lanka has come a long way. In far off Australia too, parties and politicians have experimented with a variety of voting systems that they believed would advance popular democracy and pragmatic politics. Between 1911 and 1962, Australia introduced major reforms to the electoral systems. Compulsion in the enrolment of electors was introduced in 1911, while FPTP was replaced with preferential voting for the House in 1918 and for the senate in 1919. Again, in 1948, PR was introduced for the Senate. Similarly, New Zealand and South Africa too have experimented with changes in either forms of governments or the electoral systems, or even both.
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<br />One of the most crucial aspects of representative democracy—where elected officials make decisions on behalf of the people—is how these officials are being elected. This translation of the citizen’s votes into representative seats is performed through elections and by way of using an electoral system. When it comes to election, the strength of numbers comes into the play. Ideally, it is expected that an electoral system should reflect the strength of numbers without leaving any scope for distortions. Hence, electoral system is the most fundamental element of representative democracy.
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<br />As growing numbers of people are becoming alienated from the political process, the debate needs to focus on which electoral system can best empower voters by extending the range of political voices, by treating all voters equal, by offering an effective choice between parties and candidates, and by providing an incentive to vote. With just one act of voting, a voter elects a parliament and also chooses a government. Electoral systems have to be judged in terms of how democratically voters are able to perform each of these functions through equalising the value of the votes polled.
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<br />All this calls for a deeper thinking about and dispassionate review of the electoral system with which we are trying to make our democracy work. While debate must happen one cannot forget the fact that massive political reforms alone will make our republic a resurgent one!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /><span style="font-family:Times;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times;">This post has been published by Weekly Organiser, August 14th, 2011</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
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<br /></span></p>vinayviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284047484109738874noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2033849143246134767.post-22700303724183552152011-08-02T12:25:00.000+05:302011-08-02T12:29:02.414+05:30<style>@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.MsoFootnoteText, li.MsoFootnoteText, div.MsoFootnoteText { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.MsoFooter, li.MsoFooter, div.MsoFooter { margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }span.MsoFootnoteReference { vertical-align: super; }p.MsoBodyText, li.MsoBodyText, div.MsoBodyText { margin: 3pt -16.55pt 3pt 0cm; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%; font-size: 14pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }span.FootnoteTextChar { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }span.FooterChar { }span.BodyTextChar { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }</style> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Why Politicians Amass Wealth? </span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><i style=""><span style=""> </span></i></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i style=""><span style="">Vinay Sahasrabuddhe </span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i style=""><span style=""> </span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i style=""><span style="">Can this be a question? One would ask. But beyond greed, one of the fundamental human weaknesses there are other reasons too that make corruption indulged in by the political leaders a phenomenon worth analysing. </span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="">Corruption is not new to India. Right after the independence Mahatma Gandhi had advocated dissolution of the Indian National Congress as he believed that Congress has outlived its purpose and if it has to continue to function, it should convert itself into a voluntary social service organisation of sorts. Mahatma Gandhi firmly believed in ethical and disciplined functioning of all Congressmen, especially party legislators<a style="" href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="">[1]</span></span></a>. He had also approvingly welcomed a draft declaration to be signed by all those holding public offices, mooted by one Brijlal Nehru.<a style="" href="#_ftn2" name="_ftnref" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="">[2]</span></span></a><span style=""> </span>However, no institutional set up to ensure disciplined, ethical and value-oriented functioning of party organization was mooted during his times. In the last over sixty years, the nation has paid a heavy price for this absence of any institutional set up ensuring cleaner electoral politics. This has also facilitated percolation of corruption further.<span style=""> </span>Little wonder then that sometime in sixties, Shri Prakash, then Governor of Maharashtra openly admitted the deterioration of the moral fiber of our society when he said that ‘I can resolve that I will not take bribe, but I cannot resolve that I will not offer bribe’. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="">What could not happen in the lifetime of Mahatma missed the functional agenda of the party almost forever thereafter. Mrs. India Gandhi, in fact; tried to rationalize corruption when she had openly stated that it has become a Universal Phenomenon. It was during her time that the nation witnessed Tul Mohan Ram and the Nagarwala episodes. Thereafter, we had seen affairs after affair. Until Bofors, digging out cases of corruption involving crores of rupees used to cause some turbulence in the society. There were times, when people used to discuss these issues on their dining tables, family gatherings and at work places like college staff rooms. But later, looks like our society internalized corruption. People started pretending and hypocrisy quietly entered our personal lives. Understandably, we started shying away from discussing issues about morality and ethics. To each other, we kept on convincing that morality, like character; is simply a personal matter. With concepts of individuality and privacy gaining firm and disproportionate ground in our collective societal values, we almost stopped raising morality issues. Consequently, we pushed the element of answerability or accountability even from within the four walls of our homes and within our once famous close-knit families. What was externed from our personal lives soon got suspended from our public life as well. What more fertile ground was required for a bumping crop of corruption? </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><em><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-style: normal;">Besides it is a fact that our governance systems and our judiciary are devoid of effective and timely grievance redressal mechanisms. In a situation like this, our street-smart politicians could easily make money dispensing a La Robin Hood justice, acquiring immense nuisance value as well. Add to this the near total absence of moral leadership and the picture becomes complete.</span></em><em><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></em></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="">Three other factors added to the worsening of the conditions. They were diminishing importance of austerity, growing sense of alienation and insecurity in our political leadership and most importantly; our overall inertia in respect of bringing in massive political reforms to cleans our body politick. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="">When it comes to austerity, today hardly anyone even refers to this value let alone practice it. Carried away by mindless consumption, GenNext India probably finds it to be a worthless and irrational concept. Since “Be Seen” is the mantra of modern management, then “Be seen as Smart as possible” is its logical extension. Popular approach to the concepts of luxury, comfort and necessity also has undergone a drastic change. Yesterday’s luxury is today’s comfort. Besides, life in the fast lane today has become far more competitive and hence ‘life style one-upmanship’ also has become the order of the day. More importantly, since austerity as a principle or high human value has apparently lost recognition, many apprehend that simple living is likely to be misconstrued as a sign of weakness. Obviously then, nobody likes to be seen as lacking in anything. Add to this the difficulties in defining as to what is austere and what is not. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="">When it comes to discussing the importance of taking due care of their family relations, some of my younger friends, who are MLAs, Municipal Councilors and political activists, often realise how they have always taken their close family members for granted. Emotionally detached from their loved ones, suspicious of their colleagues and unsure about their own political future, many politicians end up as loners at the top. When this feeling of being alone gets acute, political leaders give needless free hand to their progeny who often land in deep trouble. When they realise their mistakes, they cannot help but feel trapped. The fact that they just cannot share their agonies and apprehensions with anyone adds to the severity of the crisis. Many psychiatrists say that this deep sense of insecurity motivates several of our politicians turn unscrupulous and amass illicit wealth. </span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 18pt 0cm; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria;">The third and the most important factor is off course our inertia for -- forget introducing but even discussing -- political reforms. Lack of internal democracy in most of our political parties has made organisational decision making arbitrary. With no mechanism like primaries as in the US, factors such as personal likes and dislikes and artificial proximity in interpersonal relations often dominate political decisions. Lack of objectivity also impacts candidacy decisions in several ‘unorganised’ political parties. </span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 18pt 0cm; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria;">In fact, majority of our political parties are unstructured and un-institutionalised. Many have stressed urgent need for a comprehensive law for political parties. Election Commission has repeatedly recommended bringing a new law for regulating the functioning of political parties but the government refuses to pay heeds. True, that politicians and more particularly parties can do a number of things to check factors that promote corrupt practices; but certainly it is not the making of political class alone. It is because of this that parties need to be considered, what two American researchers Andrew M Appleton and David S Ward have described as "unwilling victims, attempting to adjust their organisational patterns to the vagaries of an undisciplined electorate.” Although most of the factors that have contributed to this degeneration of political parties are embedded in the system itself, the fact remains that the very system creates an inertia leading to a passive approach towards even simpler reforms, on the part of the political parties. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 3pt 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="">An important point for everybody’s consideration here is the fact that in flawed systems contributing to the process of perversion of democracy; parties get an escape route. While looking into the systemic solutions, the objective is to explore ways and means of plugging this escape route. Once this is done, parties could be held squarely responsible and that may pave way for reforming the party system and thereby prevent the degeneration of political culture in India. If we are able to make this happen, chances are that the systemic checks and balances will deter politicians. If not total eradication, this may lead at least to a substantial reduction in political corruption. Eventually, this also may reinstate the credibility of the political class. With more credible political parties, popular confidence in India's democratic system could also be reinstated. <span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""> </span></p> <div style=""><br /> <hr width="33%" align="left" size="1"> <div style="" id="ftn"> <p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a style="" href="#_ftnref" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="">[1]</span></span></a> M.K. Gandhi, ‘Indian National Congress’<i>, </i>in ‘<i>India of My Dreams’</i>, p.288 </p> </div> <div style="" id="ftn"> <p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a style="" href="#_ftnref" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="">[2]</span></span></a> M.K. Gandhi, Chapters 7 and 8 in Section 3,”<i>Members of Legislatures”, </i>Gandhiji Expects. P.15, 16, 17</p><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><br /></p><p class="MsoFootnoteText">vinays57@gmail.com<br /></p><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><br /></p><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><br /></p><p class="MsoFootnoteText">------</p><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span style="font-style: italic;">Blog writing is the expression of personal thought process. Views expressed in the blog are the writer's personal views. Organisations with which a writer is associated may not necessarily subscribe to these views.</span></p><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span style="font-style: italic;">--------</span></p><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /></p><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><br /></p><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><br /></p> </div> </div>vinayviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284047484109738874noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2033849143246134767.post-89243671478882042212011-07-17T17:21:00.000+05:302011-07-18T22:34:03.639+05:30Individuals fail, institutions collapse...<style>@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }</style> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><b style=""><br /></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><i style="">Vinay Sahasrabuddhe </i></p> <div style="border-width: medium medium 2.25pt; border-style: none none double; border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%; border: medium none; padding: 0cm;"><i style=""> </i></p> </div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><i style=""> </i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;">Three serial blasts, and the entire public discourse seem to have shifted from Team Anna to what can be called as Team <i style="">Thanana</i>. (In colloquial Marathi, <i style="">Thanana</i> is a term often used to describe sheer emptiness or hollowness.) People seem to be becoming used to to the usual making of noises particularly from the side of those who are in power about incident like that of the last Wednesday. Popular response, as always had started from initial scare mongering to sensationalizing to a mature and the much talked about Mumbai Spirit, which; one wonders as to how has not evaporated so far. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;">In so far as blasts in Mumbai are concerned, since 1993, when the metropolis first witnessed a dastardly attack on its citizens, things have changed to such an extent that people have become familiarized. A newspaper, reporting on the highly satisfactory response to the newly released movie Zindagi Na Mile Dobara (ZNDB), in terms of Box Office has quoted a reaction of a movie buff. “Mumbaikar’s are now accustomed to blasts and in fact immediate post-blasts period is the most safe and secure as the police is on high alert!” says he. Also, it is said that the restraint on the part of both, the people and the government of India, acclaimed worldwide, has been construed as cowardice, not by outsiders but Mumbaikar netizans themselves. Somewhere down the line, does it look like that the City that never sleeps, is slipping in a kind of coma? </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;">There is a quintessential state of numbness all around. One wonders whether, this very de-sensatisation masquerades as the spirit of Mumbai. If political compulsions are making particularly those in power respond in a typical manner, economic compulsions are making Mumbaikars react in a particular way. Their spirit is being applauded but that certainly cannot be a solace. By praising Mumbaikars for the so called Mumbai spirit, the establishment cannot wash of its hands and continue to test the tolerance of its people till another series of blasts takes place. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;">Nothing brings this all-encompassing hollowness to the fore in a more vivid manner than the stereotype handling of these blasts by the government. When it comes to governance, one wonders when exactly are we going to learn the art of handling such crises in a more mature manner. People no more believe that the government is serious enough when it talks about not allowing any such blasts taking place in the future. No body believes that those in government can and will do anything substantial and serious for preventing such blasts. From Rahul Gandhi to the Zaveri Bazar traders, all are talking about helplessness. As if, just like the issue of preventing infiltration from Bangladesh, preventing bomb blasts too is beyond our capacity. No question of “Catching the bull by horn”, spirit; not even a semblance of “We shall overcome!” attitude. A sense of having given up is all around. Tired of reassuring the people, the guilt-conscious rulers seem to have thrown both their hands in the air. Far from Ram rajya, what UPA is giving is a Ram Bharose rajya, for sure. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;">The statements made by the Chief Minister barely within forty-eight hours after the blasts have brought his sheer ineptitude to the fore. When people were expecting some strong action and few reassuring words, in an interview to a TV channel the CM went on record nursing his coalition woes saying that<span style=""> </span>“giving Home ministry to the coalition partner NCP was a mistake”, as if a Congress minister would have had greater efficiency and prevented the blasts. Granted that what CM was saying was perhaps factual. But was this the appropriate time to discuss these issues? May be inadvertently, but has not the CM, through his statements poured salt on the wounded psyche of the Mumbaikars? </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;">The decease of Oral Diarrhea seems to be catching up with all and sundry in the Congress establishment. Where was the need for Home Minister PChidambaram to point out that every city in India is vulnerable to terrorist attack? Everybody knows this. But when a Home Minister says the same, it smacks of a war; lost even before being fought.<span style=""> </span>As if this was not enough we have Prince Rahul telling us that 1% of the terrorist attacks cannot be prevented. How does he know about the exact percentage? Does the internal security establishment concur with him? Is it not adding to further demoralization of the police? Why should heroes like Late Tukaram Ombale sacrifice their lives if 1% of such attacks are kind of permissible? Is it not an insult to the entire internal security establishment? Adding insult to the injury is our usual Diggi Raja. How can he sleep quietly without referring to the RSS and the Hindu forces? After all, a character has to say all that a playwright wants him to say. All these happenings and the utterances about them point to twin factors. They are, failed individuals and collapsing institutions. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;">While Mumbai continues to cry for justice, in the corridors of the apex court, the Central Government is trying to put a brave front and argue that the courts cannot take the role of the executive. The government reminded the judiciary that the courts “do not substitute their views and judgment in matters which squarely fall within the executive's domain,” alleging that the black money order completely erased the executive's role. The government has also reminded the apex court that the “function of the court is to see that lawful authority is duly exercised by the executive, but not to take over itself the tasks entrusted to the executive”. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;">Legally, perhaps; the argument may win the battle. But if politics is majorly about public perception, then what matters is the fundamental question as to why; other pillars of democracy are able to occupy the space that belongs to the executive? Whether it is the media, the judiciary or the civil society; if any of these are overstepping; let us not forget; it is the passive and ineffective executive that had asked for it. Like nature, democracy also never allows any vacuum. Never have people in democratic countries allowed a deficit to be carried forward too long. Some one or the other has to occupy the space. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;">With the issue of LOK PAL having still not satisfactorily resolved, and with people in the country witnessing a sense of having given up through the articulations of several Sate Actors, one wonders whether the civil society will be constrained to ask for LOK Police? Obviously, that is not the answer. But when established institutions continue to fail, those in power continue to be clue less, interventions of judiciary continue to be opposed, the only way people may feel left for them is asking for a parallel mechanism. People have supported the idea of LOK PAL primarily not because they have understood the thinking behind, but because they see a ray of hope even in an unclear and amorphous concept of its kind. If Mumbai continues to bleed, those in government continue to defend their lapses by way of expressing sheer helplessness, the days when sections in the newly enthused civil society coming out with a demand for LOK POLICE may not really be far away. If those in power do not want this to happen, they will have to show that they are serious in tackling the terror menace and come out with credible and effective deterrence infrastructure. What the situation demands is a POTA like act, and certainly not a highly ill conceived Communal Violence Bill. Is someone in the UPA listening?<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Author's Note:- Blog writing is an expression of personal thought process. To believe that the organisations, a blogger is associated with, will also subscribe to this thinking every time is oversimplification. </span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"> </p>vinayviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284047484109738874noreply@blogger.com5