Mr. Mathew, One fallacy in your argument. The Karnataka Vision Document prepared by PWC for the State Planning Board is for the whole of Karnataka for all sectors whereas the limited mandate of ABIDe is to prepare an infrastructure plan for Bangalore alone. The two cannot be compared and there would be very little overlap of their footprints.
Regards, Kathyayini On 3/10/09, Mathew Thomas <[email protected]> wrote: > > Dear Promod and all CAF members, > > > > This is the second part of the response to Promod’s mail CAF 3125 on ABIDe, > where he says that he is confused and concerned regarding the direction we > [CAF] are taking. > > > > He is absolutely right in stating that the man at the top should be able to > use the tools he thinks would best deliver results, but these have to be > lawful tools. Promod says that he does ‘not understand the relevance of this > debate about the constitutionality or otherwise of a body specifically put > in place by the CEO to connect with citizens of Bangalore’. He adds, “For > those who wish to connect in the constitutionally correct way, (to) please > wait for the BBMP elections”! > > > > The next statement is even more interesting. He suggests, “If you want to > get jobs done for now, please connect with ABIDe”. > > > > This is circular reasoning. There is the admission that the > constitutionally correct way is through the elected BBMP council. There is > the suggestion that things could be done [faster ONLY?] by “connecting” with > ABIDe! Would it be right to infer that constitutionally correct ways do not > yield results, and hence, extra constitutional ways need to be found? > > > > If the governments and the people ignore the constitution, whenever > expediency demands it, in the interest of quick results or other reasons, > where would we end up, as a nation? > > > > The confusion arises when we ignore the [lawful] means and concentrate on > the ends. This is what the Mahatma taught us. It is easy to comprehend this > [unlawful means] when terrorists adopt them to achieve their ends. In the > case of “economic terrorism”, issues are so clouded that it is extremely > difficult to perceive the illegality. > > > > Every elected rep, CMs included, take the oath to uphold the constitution. > Even if we wanted, the CM would not be true to the oath he has taken, if he > agreed to our desire to “connect with ABIDe” to get things done faster. > > > > Our objective of ‘accountability of governments’ is the accountability to > the law of the land. The constitution happens to be the highest law. > > > > Secondly, the CM is not a CEO. He is the first servant of the people of the > State. This misunderstanding of a CM’s role could create a great deal of > confusion. There is a world of difference between the two roles. It was > Mussolini who said that Fascism is corporatisation of government. I hope we > don't have him as our role model! > > > > Thirdly, how does one come to the conclusion that things would be done > quicker through bodies, like ABIDe? Would they be working outside the > government processes? Just today, the State Planning Board has come out with > a vision document for the next ten years. ABIDe also has come out with a > “plan” for the next ten years [until 2020]. Are these two plans identical? > If not, which one would the government follow? If they are identical, why do > we need two bodies to come out with the same plans? > > > > Lastly, for those still confused, especially about the top-down or > bottom-up approaches, please study and try to understand the > 74thconstitutional amendment. Those who put that in place were not fools who > did > not know that things like, ABIDe wrought havoc with democratic institutions. > > > > > Many in this group would know how a constitutional amendment is adopted in > our country? Those who do, would appreciate what I am trying to say. > > > > Regards, > > > > Mathew > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Citizens' Action Forum" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/citizens-action-forum?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
