WEEKEND LIGHTER: MAKE LEGISLATOR'S JOB "FULL TIME"
WEEKEND LIGHTER: MAKE LEGISLATOR’S JOB “FULL
TIME”
(November 18/19, 2017)
Section
III
A POEM
I
Cover Story
Make legislator’s job ‘full-time’*
This
week, a lawyer who is a Member of Parliament appeared in the Kerala High Court to
defend a State Minister who had filed a petition against certain state
government decisions implicating him in a land-grab case. The disgrace
emanating from the political implications of a congress leader defending a
minister whom the local congress party was trying to get ousted will be
discussed by media for long. The Lawyer MP tried to defend his action taking
shelter under the argument that he differentiates profession from politics! Let
the lawyers and politicians settle their problems in due course, as the state
minister resigned today.
With
more and more professionals trying their luck in politics, time is opportune to
debate whether elected legislators should be allowed to consider their job as
legislators as “part time” and return to their main profession as advocate,
actor, anchor or consultant whenever a ‘call’ comes. It would be appropriate to
make relevant conduct rules applicable to government employees in regard to
acceptance of ‘outside’ assignments to legislators who accept salary, perks and
other facilities from government. Some relaxations may be necessary only for
celebrities nominated to Parliament.
M G Warrier, Thiruvananthapuram
November 15, 2017
*A
related link:
II
A recent response
Indecent exit
Your
editorial “The last resort” (The Hindu, November 16) has captured the entire
content of the drama enacted by politicians and the media in Thiruvananthapuram
this week ending with the indecent exit of Minister Thomas Chandy the resort
owner. We, the people are paying dearly for having left governance totally to
the whims of politicians. In politics, professionalism is conspicuous by its
absence. And the resultant rot is spreading
like cancer. You have hit the nail by concluding that the real ‘test for
him (Pinarayi Vijayan ) will be to ensure that governance does not suffer amid
his deft political manoeuvres.’ The test equally applies to leaderships of all
political parties in India irrespective of denomination and size.
At
this stage, Pinarayi Vijayan should break his silence and use his natural
leadership qualities to put the Left Democratic Front back on track, weeding
out recalcitrant partners and disciplining those who would like to continue the
relationship with public interest and commitment to the Front’s approach to
good governance as priority. This will need a break with NCP and telling CPI
plainly that it is not the policy of LDF to take coercive tactics into the
cabinet where deliberations will be the basis for decision-making.
M G Warrier, Thiruvananthapuram
Some interesting web links:
Mumbai: Past,
present and future
http://www.thehindu.com/books/books-authors/resilience-is-mumbais-past-present-and-future/article20005040.ece
UNDERSTANDING CORRUPTION
Creating more awareness among people about corruption will
go a long way in helping society to move towards a less-corrupt era. Corruption
has something to do with legislation, accumulation of wealth, greed etc. This
link may help understanding more about black money and Corruption
M G Warrier
III
Leisure
A Poem by Thich Nhat Hanh**
“I asked the leaf
whether it was frightened
because it was
autumn and the other
leaves were falling. The leaf told me,
“No. During the whole
spring and summer I was completely alive. I worked hard to
help nourish the tree, and now muchof me is in the tree. I am not limited by
this form. I am also the whole tree, and when I go back to
the soil, I will continue to nourish the tree. So I don’t worry
at all. As I leave this
branch and float to the
ground, I will wave to the tree and tell her,
‘I will see you again
very soon.’”
That day there was a wind
blowing and, after a while, I saw the leaf leave the branch
and float down to the soil, dancing
joyfully, because as it
floated it saw itself already there in the tree.
It was so happy. I bowed my head, knowing that I have a lot to learn from the leaf.”
–Thich Nhat Hanh
**Source: Exrbites Group mail
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