Tonight's (29/2/04) NDTV 24 x 7's 10 PM news clip showed the New Election Commissioner Mr. Krishnamurthy as saying that the Election Commission has proposed to the Government that the voting ballot paper should have an additional sloth captioned "NONE OF THE ABOVE" which the voters may stamp incase they feel that none of the candidates portrayed on the ballot come up to their expectations. And these votes will count as negative votes.
But he said the Government has shot down this proposal and wants to hold an all party meeting to discuss this proposal. What the BJP should have done is to summarily accept this proposal ( if it really believes that India is Shining and wants it to shine) and since the government stands dissolved at the moment, convene the all party meeting to okay this proposal. And if it was shot down at that point, the voters would know who are against it. In the absence of the BJP's acceptance, we expect that it views the proposal as harmful to its interests. Voila!! the party with a difference!! I would like to reproduce the introduction to our website www.goasu-raj.org and my second write-up in the series of Tits & Bits to refresh the memory goanetters re: the above proposal by the EC. Cheers Floriano Lobo goasuraj *** Tits & Bits .002 The news of the sudden passing away of India's best Vice President Mr. Krishan Kant has made us, at Goa Su-Raj, sad indeed. He should have been India's President, and, that is that. As far as I am concerned, he was the best, because, he is the person who openly criticized our electoral system and pointed out gaping, sucking holes in it. His suggestion that our ballot paper should have a blank slot, so that voters can reject the good for nothing and/or criminals and/or communal dogs as candidates fielded by political parties by marking the blank slot and bringing to light the serious implications of this action by serious and genuine voters. The Supreme Court and the Election Commission, of India should honour our late Vice President by installing this provision in the electoral system to give credence to the depth of sincerity and concern Mr. Krishan Kant had for cleansing the present political decay. The blank slot on the ballot paper will surpass all other dubious electoral reforms. A note to remind the readers that Mr. Krishan Kant will always be revered by Goa Su-Raj Party for the above suggestion, and this has been prominently displayed in the 'Introduction' to its website www.goasu-raj.org. As the President of India, I am sure Mr. Krishan Kant would have brought respect and esteem to this nation. May his good soul rest in peace. *** Introduction on the Goa Su-Raj Party website: The reason GOA SU-RAJ PARTY is one more addition to the already existing wide spectrum of political representation in GOAN POLITICS ********* The suggestion put forth by the Vice President of India Shri Krishan Kant that provision must be made in the Indian Constitution to add a blank slot on the ballot paper so that conscientious voter may register his/her vote as a protest vote if he/she feels that any or all candidates portrayed on the ballot are un-deserving, so as to pressurize the political parties into fielding better, and, people oriented and sincere candidates in the future. Since such a provision is, presently, not available in our electoral system, GOA SU-RAJ PARTY intends to make such a slot available to the conscientious voter in the future elections to public offices in the State of Goa by fielding candidates of un-impeachable character so that he/she may not waste his/her vote on bad candidates or abstain from voting for want of a good alternative. This has been necessitated in view of the deplorable political situation prevailing in Goa where political parties have been criminally guilty of FISCAL INDISCIPLINE and MORAL TURPITUDE which has now resulted in chronic political instability where the most important consideration is the LUCRE OF OFFICE. ********* The political situation in Goa has been going from bad to worse from year to year, election to election. The major contributor to this downslide of the political scene has been the steady decline of individual and collective morality. Social values have lost out miserably in the milieu of fast setting trend of selfishness, loss of respect for the law and for the individual. The "who cares as long as my work is done" attitude has been strengthening the arms of lawlessness and irresponsibility where the conscientious objectors have been losing out as abiding by the law is more painful and trying than not. Seeing no hope of this political downslide arresting itself in the near future, considering the neo-politicians in the making at the self governing bodies likes Panchayats and Municipalities ,who, being trained in the art of mismanagement and misappropriation at the very grass-root levels would be more canny and corrupt than their gurus when they climbed the ladder of opportunity to occupy the chairs in the legislative assembly and/or the Parliament, thereby killing the hope of any meaningful governance at any level of administration. Concerned citizens, not being able to be the silent spectators to this game of debased political scenario, and who would , under normal circumstances, be unwilling to enter into politics, have come together to give birth to GOA SU-RAJ PARTY as the only alternative, for the people of Goa to redeem themselves and their beloved GOA from the course towards destruction that the present day politician are hell bent on steering. But there is only so much that one can do, as the famous adage goes " One can lead the horse to the water but cannot force it to drink" It is high time Goan people realize that the time is ripe to discard the self made politicians who have only their own interests to serve. They are seen grouping and regrouping themselves to stay in power with the only motive of enriching themselves at whatever cost, even at the cost of selling themselves to the highest bidder. If only our politicians had the heart and the mindset, GOA today should have been at least halfway to being the paradise of the dreams of every right thinking Goan. ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
