By: K. Gautam
What a joke the political system in this country has become! Two officials of the ASI have been suspended over the Ram Sethu affidavit affair. It looks like in this country, political responsibility doesn’t originate at the top, but somewhere in the middle. Politicians of other countries would love to emulate our political system. “Oh! What a system! Let us adopt it,” they would say. Having already created a political mess for itself by passing a controversial affidavit, which mentions Lord Ram’s existence, the top bosses of the Congress Party are showing absolute lack of guts and gumption by suspending two officials rather than a minister. Are they trying to say that the affidavit was passed without the knowledge of a single minister concerned?
Minister of State and Commerce Jairam Ramesh and Senior Congress leader RK Dhawan’s suggestion that Culture minister Ambika Soni’s should resign accepting moral responsibility and Ambika Soni’s retort that she would resign if asked to do so by the top bosses only add to the sorry state of affairs (the BJP and other opposition parties have demanded for Ambika Soni’s resignation). Jairam Ramesh has also cited former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri’s precedent way back in the 1950s, when he was Minister of Railways and Transport.
Lal Bahadur Shastri had resigned not once but twice during his political career. In 1956, he submitted his resignation as Minister of Railways taking full ownership for a train accident in Mahbubnagar, Andhra Pradesh resulting in over 100 deaths. That resignation was, however, not accepted by Prime Minister Nehru. Just 3 months later, he again resigned accepting moral and constitutional responsibility over the death of around 140 people in a train accident in Ariyalur, Tamil Nadu. Nehru accepted the resignation and made a statement in Parliament that he was accepting the resignation not because he thought Shastri was responsible, but because it would set a political example to all. This unprecedented political gesture was appreciated by both citizens and politicians alike. Well, those were the great deeds of a great man and a great leader, who understood the value and significance of political responsibility. He also inspired the whole nation by coining the ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’ slogan. Those were also the golden days of Indian politics, when people took up politics to serve the nation and its people. Expecting the same from an Indian politician in this present day and era is difficult to envisage.
I also wonder if Mr. Jairam Ramesh would himself resign if something goes drastically wrong in his own portfolio.
What a joke the political system in this country has become! Two officials of the ASI have been suspended over the Ram Sethu affidavit affair. It looks like in this country, political responsibility doesn’t originate at the top, but somewhere in the middle. Politicians of other countries would love to emulate our political system. “Oh! What a system! Let us adopt it,” they would say. Having already created a political mess for itself by passing a controversial affidavit, which mentions Lord Ram’s existence, the top bosses of the Congress Party are showing absolute lack of guts and gumption by suspending two officials rather than a minister. Are they trying to say that the affidavit was passed without the knowledge of a single minister concerned?
Minister of State and Commerce Jairam Ramesh and Senior Congress leader RK Dhawan’s suggestion that Culture minister Ambika Soni’s should resign accepting moral responsibility and Ambika Soni’s retort that she would resign if asked to do so by the top bosses only add to the sorry state of affairs (the BJP and other opposition parties have demanded for Ambika Soni’s resignation). Jairam Ramesh has also cited former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri’s precedent way back in the 1950s, when he was Minister of Railways and Transport.
Lal Bahadur Shastri had resigned not once but twice during his political career. In 1956, he submitted his resignation as Minister of Railways taking full ownership for a train accident in Mahbubnagar, Andhra Pradesh resulting in over 100 deaths. That resignation was, however, not accepted by Prime Minister Nehru. Just 3 months later, he again resigned accepting moral and constitutional responsibility over the death of around 140 people in a train accident in Ariyalur, Tamil Nadu. Nehru accepted the resignation and made a statement in Parliament that he was accepting the resignation not because he thought Shastri was responsible, but because it would set a political example to all. This unprecedented political gesture was appreciated by both citizens and politicians alike. Well, those were the great deeds of a great man and a great leader, who understood the value and significance of political responsibility. He also inspired the whole nation by coining the ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’ slogan. Those were also the golden days of Indian politics, when people took up politics to serve the nation and its people. Expecting the same from an Indian politician in this present day and era is difficult to envisage.
I also wonder if Mr. Jairam Ramesh would himself resign if something goes drastically wrong in his own portfolio.
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