Time to end Aya Ram, Gaya Ram drama

Your editorial "BJP raised its ugly head; out to sabotage democracy"( THI, June 21) rightly raised the crucial issue of defections blatantly indulged in by our self-seeking, unethical politicos and highlighted how the democracy in the country is imperilled and deteriorating with unconstitutional practices resorted to unashamedly by the ruling party at the Centre and parties in power in states.

Our leaders in state assemblies and parliament and public meetings deliver grandiloquent speeches day in and day out, describing India as the largest democracy. Can we now claim that our country is the biggest democracy as we successfully hold elections every five years and we, the Indian voters, enthrone our politicians in power at the Centre and in states?

The successful conduct of elections is not the only parameter to demonstrate and prove our democracy.

Indian democracy is the multi-party system with ruling party and opposition parties working together in co-ordination to ensure good governance and well-functioning democracy.

The politicians elected on one political party ticket to the state-assembly and parliament are supposed to represent that party and are bound by the party's ideologies and remain loyal to the party and work sincerely for the welfare of their constituencies.

But what is happening now in the country is quite shameful to the Indian polity and awfully ignominious to India.

The saga of service-minded, unselfish leaders committed to democratic values with moral principles and patriotic spirit is the part of our glorious political history of the by-gone era.

What the country is infested with now is the sordid breed of politicians sans ethics, principles and patriotic fervour who throw to winds, all democratic values and the electorate-verdict in their immoral pursuit of power and self-interests.

Committing crimes such as colossal bank-frauds and amassing huge wealth through corrupt practices, our politicians freely switch over their loyalties from one political party to another party in power in states and at the Centre to safeguard their interests and to save themselves from the long arms of law under the wings of the ruling party and sometimes, they are rewarded with ministerial berths as happened in Andhra Pradesh.

The leaders of the ruling parties at the Centre and in states who are hell-bent on decimating the opposition parties and evolving only one party-system embrace these Aya Rams and Gaya Rams with open arms, proclaiming that they are strengthening their party in the broad interests of the state or the country.

Absolute majority of the party in power no doubt ensures stability of the government, enabling it to concentrate on the development of the state and the country through governance.

But with a single ruling party dominating the state assembly and the parliament with poor strength of opposition or no opposition, there will be danger of dictatorship by the power-drunk, arrogant politicians, playing havoc with all democratic values of the country and the fundamental rights of people. That is what will happen in the country.

Witnessing this wretched political scenario and deteriorating democracy in the country, the Indian voter is getting disenchanted and disillusioned with the whole electoral process and losing interest in the power of vote.

The existing anti-defection act has been proved to be ineffectual to prevent defections, safeguard electorate-verdict and democracy. So, it is time for all politicians in ruling parties and opposition-parties to ponder seriously on defections.

Putting aside all other issues, the members of the parliament make immediately the issue of defections the main agenda, they must take up the present anti-defection act, discuss and debate repercussions and pernicious impact of "defections" on Indian democracy and redefine, restructure and strengthen the anti-defection act to make it effective so that there will be no Aya Rams and Gaya Rams to serve their vested interests and democracy will be saved in the country.

Dr Venugopala Rao Kaki, Kakinada