Deepali Gaur Singh writes on the unfinished business of women’s representation in parliament:
India ranks 115th of 162 countries in terms of gender development. Lack of representation directly translates into a de-sensitized political leadership that is completely cut-off from the issues facing half the population of the country. It also results in disproportionately less legislation empowering [...]
Archive for the 'General Elections 2009' Category
Women’s representation in parliament
Published by May 26th, 2009 in Caste, Democracy, Gender & Sexuality, General Elections 2009, Human Rights, Justice, Patriarchy, Policy, Politics, Prejudice, Society and Women. 0 CommentsYet another farce?
Published by May 24th, 2009 in Adivasi, Caste, Dalit, Democracy, Education, General Elections 2009, Health and Politics. 0 CommentsKarthik RM asks questions that weren’t raised in the recent polls:
For the poor, however, the polling booth is one place – in my opinion, the only place where democracy functions. This again, when you exclude cases of booth capturing or rigging. Democracy, otherwise, doesn’t exist for the underprivileged in India. The country’s healthcare sector is [...]
Have Dalits rejected Mayawati’s sarvajan formula?
Published by May 23rd, 2009 in Caste, Corruption, Dalit, General Elections 2009, Policy and Politics. 0 CommentsSR Darapuri analyses why Dalits ‘have slammed Mayawati’s sarvajan formula’:
This alliance with BJP not only confused the dalits but Muslims also moved away from BSP as they consider BJP as their bitterest enemy. During the first tenure of BSP rule in 1995 some land was distributed to empower the dalits because till then the party [...]
‘The Shan sines again’
Published by May 19th, 2009 in Culture, Democracy, General Elections 2009, Government, History, Language and Politics. 0 CommentsRama says the Shan sines again in Bengal:
It took 32 years for the ghost of Siddhartha Shankar Roy to be buried, and for the self-destructive negativism underlying much of life in Bengal to be set aside. Bengal has rejoined the national mainstream. It has been part of a national wave, and played a significant part [...]
“How left are you guys?”
Published by May 18th, 2009 in General Elections 2009, India and Media. 0 CommentsJiby John Kattakayam is mad at the media for their misleading coverage.
I am no admirer of Karat, after the way he bungled the issues in the Kerala and West Bengal CPI(M) which lead to the party’s marginalization in these two states, but it seems almost malicious, the anger of corporate India and media against him [...]
Caste in politics
Published by May 18th, 2009 in Caste, General Elections 2009, India and Politics. 1 CommentShivam sees it.
Another Congress candidate, Krishna Tirath, has to to best of my knowledge, not been similarly honoured by the ‘Vaish samaj’. I wonder why. My feeble mind wonders if this could have something to do with her not belonging to the ‘Vaish samaj’, unlike JP Aggarwal? I wonder. I also wonder if this could [...]
Random samajwadi
Published by May 15th, 2009 in Books, Fiction, General Elections 2009, Humour and Politics. 0 CommentsShilpa Jamkhandikar tells you why Jeffrey Archer likes the Samajwadi Party.
Arranging alliances
Published by May 15th, 2009 in Democracy, General Elections 2009, India and Politics. 0 CommentsQuicktake takes a look at possible post-poll scenarios:
Scenario 3
Congress and BJP get less than 150 seats each. One gets 130 – and the other gets 150! The Third and the Fourth Front get around 250 seats by themselves.
1.BJP has said that it may partner with Congress to form a ‘stable Government! A BJP leader has [...]
‘..to be a piano-player in a whorehouse or a politician’
Published by May 14th, 2009 in Democracy, General Elections 2009, India and Politics. 0 CommentsSalil admits elections have made him a cynic:
India is the largest ‘demo-crazy’ in the world, and it can get ‘real-crazy’ (get the pun?). Therefore, one would assume that people would be keen to exercise their franchise. But the (sad) fact is that they were not. I guess that only 40% of the population is registered [...]
Statism or the Market?
Published by May 13th, 2009 in Capitalism, Dalit, Democracy, Economy, General Elections 2009, Government and Politics. 0 CommentsSauvik Chakraverti suggests the only hope for the Dalits lies in the market:
Yet, if you search the archives of the Dalit website dedicated to Dr. BR Ambedkar, you will find my old article “Caste and the Market Economy” that argues urbanization and globalization are in the best interests of the lower castes. That is, the [...]
The brown man’s burden
Published by May 13th, 2009 in Activism, Adivasi, Caste, Dalit, Democracy, General Elections 2009, Human Rights, India, Politics, Prejudice, Religion, Secularism and Women. 0 CommentsAnother good post (after Adnan’s) that I found today: Jason Keith Fernandes looks critically at the dynamism of the ‘Friends of the BJP’:
It is because the BJP and the ‘Friends’ stresses this coded language of the club, that they appeal to the middle-class constituents of the ‘minority’ groups in India. ‘We are one of you’ [...]
Do the poor matter?
Published by May 13th, 2009 in Democracy, Development, Economy, Education, Food, General Elections 2009, Health, Human Rights, India, Politics and Poverty. 1 CommentAdnan talks to Panditji and Aslam:
Aslam has also his share of problems. “If I manage to sell groundnut worth Rs 150, then I save Rs 40-60 per day but that’s not enough to meet my expenses”. On bad days he makes Rs 30.
He has a wife and a young kid. Wife makes carry bags out [...]
Children and Indian elections
Published by May 13th, 2009 in Activism, Children, Democracy, Education, Food, General Elections 2009, Human Rights, India, Policy, Politics and Poverty. 0 CommentsRuby Nakka ponders on the question: how to make children count in elections?
Children need our attention because they are defenseless. Recently I also read a profound statement on the status of India’s children (to describe why they need our attention) published in the Hindu newspaper on May 3rd, 2009 which states the following: “If you [...]
Should the Prime Minister be a member of the Lok Sabha?
Published by May 13th, 2009 in Democracy, General Elections 2009 and Politics. 1 CommentVipul Tripathi looks at the arguments in favour of and against that proposition:
AGAINST
– The most convincing argument against the idea is that the constitution puts no such caveat.
– The upper house is seen as a talent pool where competent candidates are sent after consideration. This compensates for impulsive behavior of voters which can sometimes make [...]
Open Letter to Sudheendra Kulkarni from An Aam Aadmi who exchanges notes with the powerful
Published by May 12th, 2009 in General Elections 2009, Humour, India and Politics. 0 CommentsRead this ‘open letter’ to ‘a senior most aide to the most important political leader to one side of the political divide‘ from ‘An Aam Admi’ who has ‘exchanged many notes in private’ with the ’senior most aide…’ and is ‘privy to facts’ that enable him to ’say without doubt’ that ‘Mr.Advani’s Campaign has conducted [...]
Beware of those exit polls
Published by May 12th, 2009 in General Elections 2009, India, Media and Politics. 0 CommentsGurumurthy Kalyanaram tells you why:
What does this mean? If an exit poll states that Congress party is likely to obtain 150 parliamentary seats, then there is 66 percent probability that the actual number would be between 142-158 seats. However, if you want to place 95 percent confidence on the results then the number of seats [...]
‘So, what is the difference between elections in India and elections here in America?’
Published by May 12th, 2009 in General Elections 2009, Geopolitics, India, Politics and World. 0 CommentsSriram Khe observes:
In India, elections are conducted over one month, and the results are announced in a day. In America, elections are held on a single day but the result may not be known for months and months!
Interesting post.
John Elliot gives a birds eye view of the election scene from Barackpur:
As word of our approach spread, women and men came out of their houses to the roadside to tell us they have been scared to vote in elections – echoing what we had earlier heard in a local town.
“Will I be able to [...]
The cyber portals to their kingdoms
Published by April 27th, 2009 in General Elections 2009 and Humour. 0 CommentsWanderlust has done some extensive research on the various parties contesting the polls in India this year, and their websites. Move over BJP, you cannot beat these gems:
Shiv Sena (http://www.shivsena.org) Bala Saheb needs a nail-cutter immediately. The sharp finger jab at you from the homepage is not very welcoming to say the least but then [...]
We deserve it
Published by April 27th, 2009 in Culture, Democracy and General Elections 2009. 0 CommentsSameer says, with a 40% voter turnout in Pune, we deserve the kind of criminals we get as our government:
Well the question is open, but the one that probably needs to be anwered by all of us… all of us Indians.. Inspite of so much of crowding @ the Election booths pune only saw 40 [...]
Bangalore, shame shame
Published by April 27th, 2009 in Culture, Democracy and General Elections 2009. 0 CommentsWith only a 50% voter turnout in Bangalore, Deepak is very disappointed:
I am getting no words for those who were enjoying sitting/relaxing at their home, roaming or just ignoring. Today’s young generation out of which those who belong to corporate crowd, all days sit in AC buildings, roam around in luxury AC cars, eat the [...]
Elections – A Farce?
Published by April 25th, 2009 in Democracy, General Elections 2009 and India. 0 CommentsHip Hop Grandmom tried to cast her vote, but could not find her booth. I bet she isn’t the only one.
I checked the internet and visited the concerned site. It opened a page with 255 booths listed and asked me to click on my booth. Had I known the number of my booth I’d have [...]
Whoever finds my name in the list, I’ll vote for that party
Published by April 18th, 2009 in General Elections 2009 and Humour. 0 CommentsWith that as the bait, Shantan’s mom finally got someone to “find” her name on the Voters’ list. Go read the full story on the post:
“Its only one vote mam! its ok…nothing will happen”, said one of them.
“Hello! The Vajpayee government fell down coz of one vote 2 elections ago. Dont u know that????,” said [...]
The battle at Ganges
Published by April 18th, 2009 in Democracy, General Elections 2009 and Media. 0 CommentsOn the blog at The Hindu, an interesting perspective is presented about the battle in the elections in Uttar Pradesh:
But there is another side to the story. Of all the players in U.P., the BSP alone has a rock solid core vote that is also almost fully transferable. Unflinching in their support to Ms. Mayawati, [...]
Does my vote really count?
Published by April 18th, 2009 in Democracy, General Elections 2009 and Politics. 0 CommentsRuchi thinks because there are roughly twice the number of political parties compared to the number of Lok Sabha seats, who you vote for does not necessarily represent your own constituency:
It doesn’t matter which party one votes for. Coalition politics renders ideology irrelevant since policies in coalition trend to the mean with extreme positions canceling [...]
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