Offstumped – Commentary on Indian Politics

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Politics and Public Policy in India

A Vision for the Right of Center Movement – 2009

The politicial silly season for the year is pretty much over, barring any unforeseen external events one can pretty much predict where things are headed:

- Expect to see more nuisance value from the Left, their boroughs secured, they have nothing to lose in turning up the decibel level

- Expect to see Madam and her sycophants push the little lamb up the party hierarchy

- Expect the dinosaurs in the CWC (read Arjun singh, ajit jogi etc) to ratchet up the Anti-Manmohan Singh rhetoric

- Expect Manmohan Singh to be headed for some tough times and potentially a diminished role going forward

- Expect a year of quiet introspection and churning within the BJP as UP heads for polls next year, DONT EXPECT ANY RADICAL VISION OR LEADER TO EMERGE THIS YEAR

- Expect Telangana State to be carved out sooner than later

- Expect the Reservations in IITs and IIMs to sail through despite the anti-reservation protests, with some kind of carrot held out in terms of more seats, essentially more DOLE AT TAX PAYERS EXPENSE

- Expect the decibel level on Reservations in Private Sector to continue but HIGHLY UNLIKELY THE GOVERNMENT WILL MESS WITH THE MARKETS AND ECONOMY BY LEGISLATING THIS THE QUID PRO QUO WOULD BE RESERVATIONS IN IITs and IIMs

So with things headed this way what of the Right of Center Movement.

Offstumped has taken the lead in spelling out a Right of Center Vision for the next 3 years leading upto the 2009 general elections.

It remains to be seen if the Center Right within the BJP or the Congress will show the imagination, leadership and foresight to don the mantle and further this cause.

Offstumped’s Right of Center Vision for 2009.

Strategic Interests

Secure Energy Sources in our extended neighbourhood

Invest in Energy Independence

Secure the immideate Neighbourhood – Nepal, Sri Lanka, Burma, Tibet, Bangladesh

Ensure permanent NATO/U.S. presence along Pakistan/Afghanistan – A Musharraf assasination will be fatal without NATO/U.S. presence to ensure orderly transfer of power

Secure Free Movement of Labor through International Trade Agreement

Invest in Science/Technology/Space-Exploration and Innovation

Open Defense R&D and Production to Private Sector

Internal Security

DESTINATION KASHMIR – Proactive policy and implementation to boost investment and economic opportunities in J&K, let economics take the sting off separatism

NO SAFE HAVEN POLICY – Time-bound Center/State strategy and operations to cut off all sources of supply economic/military to Naxals and ZERO TOLERANCE for those who shelter them

ISLAMIC SOCIAL REFORM – Time bound Center/State strategy and operations to engage mainstream Islamic Clergy and Community Leaders to De-Ghettoise local communities and to encourage modern scientific education
Economic Freedom

EXIT PUBLIC SECTOR – Government should get out of the business of doing business

OPEN ALL SECTORS TO COMPETITION – Let competition flourish and market forces determine price/value to consumers

STRENGHTEN REGULATORY REGIME – To create the right policy environment for competition to flourish and to enforce Corporate Governance and Ethics

STRENGHTHEN INFRASTRUCTURE (Physical and Electronic) for Commerce to flourish

STRENGHTHEN THE JUDICIAL FUNCTION – More courts, more technology, speedy judicial process

Local Self Governance

EMPOWER CITIES AND VILLAGES TO GOVERN THEMSELVES – Free cities and Villages/Towns from the shackles of state bureaucracy and let them modernise to meet the needs of burgeoning populations and booming economic activities

MODERNIZE LAW ENFORCEMENT

Constitutional Reform
Abolish the role of Governor

Abolish the role of President

Separate the Executive from the Legislature, Let the Chief Executive be elected directly by the people along the lines of the U.S. Presiden, Fixed Terms for

Legislatures with Executive no longer linked to majority in the Legislature

Enforce Grass-roots democracy in Political Parties

Abolish Legislative Councils and the Rajya Sabha in the current form

Let the people elect representatives directly along the lines of the U.S. Senate instead of indirect representation in the Rajya Sabha

Time bound phasing out of Reservations with targets set for key social indicators

Offstumped invites comment, debate and improvements to this Vision from all those who are “Right” Minded.

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Opinions expressed on this site using the alias Offstumped are the blogger's personal opinions and do not in any way reflect the views of the blogger's Employers.