One small (MIS)step for Indian politics, One giant leap for India?

Friends, as we near another election, we need to think back on what would affect it. Terrorism is definitely one thing. But what about the nuclear deal on which the govt might have collapsed much earlier and triggered a election in 2008.

July 22nd 2008 was a seminal day in the annals of Independent India.

The Government of India survived a historic confidence motion in Parliament, primarily brought about by the Indo-US nuclear deal.

This day might have huge implications on the future of India with the US and maybe even the world, if the promises of clean energy come through.

For those who missed it, here is the final tally:- 275 for, 256 no

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFcLz4rTcd0

The misstep of course was the dramatic allegations of vote buying, with millions of rupees being dumped in the Lok Sabha LIVE!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JUVV4Ynkpw

There were some good things too:-

Omar Abdullah’s passionate speech

http://www.mypopkorn.com/news/india/upa-trust-vote-omar-abdullah-slams-bjp-and-left.html?show=MTA1MDk=

Rahul Gandhi’s “I am speaking as an Indian first” speech

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhJTeS2DUc8

And of course Lalu’s hilarious speech

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGWdzyoCv28

Maybe the end (i.e. India’s national interest) justifies the means (i.e. vote buying)?

Time will tell whether that’s the right way or not…but on that day, the PM must have sung “Singh is King” as he staked his government and political career on it.

A “crying for Indian politics but smiling for India” Indian.

All of us should watch and see for ourselves the frailty of the much-touted Indian democratic politics.

And the sad fact is that this “democracy” was not of, for and by the people of India but it was of, for and by the elected politician of India…the debate hardly touched India’s supreme national interests.

I hope the Indian people have gotten a good jolt out of this and in the next election, they vote a party in with absolute majority.

They say it will not happen till the basic needs of the millions of poor people are taken care of first…they don’t care about a nuclear deal when they don’t have food to eat and their local issues dominate.

But then how did China do it? She faces the same problems, but yet their political system – however dictatorial – at least puts their country’s interest first.

We need a change in the political system with strong national forces given pre-eminence…maybe the voting should be directly for the PM (like in the US where everyone votes for the president).

Really doesn’t matter whether he/she is the Congress, BJP, SP etc but whoever gets in should have a mandate to proceed with their vision without being hampered.

The UPA-Left alliance has been an impotent govt for at least the past 4 years….India has had upwards of 8 PMs from different parties in the last 20 years!!!

I wonder when will India rise up over this crass self-interest of the regional parties and naked greed of the politicians and take our place in the world order.

Not surprising that we still don’t have a permanent seat in the Security Council, even though we represent one-sixth of humanity.