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Lyngdoh slams politicians again
New Delhi, Dec 25: The tough and plain-speaking Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh has once again attacked politicians calling them a `cancer` for which there was `no cure at the moment`.
He has also said that there was no politician in the
country who was committed to democracy and welfare of the
people. He declared he would refuse any post-retirement job,
even if offered.
The CEC, who is to demit office in less than two months,
said his parting message was to build pressure to incorporate
free and fair elections as part of the fundamental rights of
the Indian Constitution.
In an interview he answered questions on his harsh
remarks about politicians and bureaucrats saying many of them
he actually meant.
Asked about his recent statement if people were "exposed"
to too much of politicians they might get "cancer", Lyngdoh
said "yes".
Lyngdoh said no cure has been found for cancer yet and if
in due course cancer is cured "we will have to find some other
expression".
When asked if the body politics is under threat of death
as no cure has been found for cancer, he said "yes".
Asked about a statement he had made once that he could
not really think of a politician who was committed to
democracy and people's welfare and whether he meant that, he
replied, "yes, I do mean it. Yes."
When told it was a stinging indictment of Indian
democracy, Lyngdoh said it was because democracy meant a whole
lot of other things.
"I mean it's not merely going through the motions of an
election. Democracy means basically individual freedom and
that you respect individual freedom to the utter most extent.
I can't think of anybody around now."
To a question on the "pernicious influence" of
politicians, Lyngdoh compared them to zamindars. A five year
term by many governments of the day was looked upon as a
five-year lease of the zamindari and therefore they could do
whatever they wanted in those five years.
"Basically it is exploiting the potential, the resources
of a particular state. That's how many of them look upon it.
....I'm absolutely serious. There are exceptions but by and
large this is so in the present circumstances."
The Chief Election Commissioner said there were "very
few" politicians who knew to talk politely and understood
basic courtesies.
"There are very few who talk to you on equal terms as a
human being. Either they have their noses stuck in the air or
they prostrate at somebody's feet. There is nothing in
between. There are very few politicians in between and speak
to you at the same level as just good human beings."
Asked about the term "cheating" he used against
politicians which was contemptuous and dismissive of them,
Lyngdoh said it was his duty to do that because no one else
was going to do it.
"It might seem strange but somebody has to do that. I
think everyone is flattering them all the time and they only
get worse. Somebody has to tell them they're not as lovely as
they thing they are."
The Chief Election Commissioner also sought to correct
the impression that India was a "marvellous democracy" saying
it was "all self-flattery, self-blandishment".
"We are all gloating over this when we ought not to and
it was about time somebody spoke the truth."
On the perception that under him the Election Commission
was operating in confrontation with governments rather in
coordination, he said it was "absolutely inevitable and you
can't get away from it".
Lyngdoh said as an institution the commission had always
had a power struggle with the political executive to carry out
proper elections.
On the perception that he shot down Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani's suggestion for simultaneous parliamentary and
assembly elections and Chandrababu Naidu's plea for early
polls in Andhra Pradesh, he said his decision should be
understood in proper context because there were not enough
forces to hold simultaneous elections.
Asked why he rejected these suggestions instantly in his
reaction to the press without giving a considered thought to
it, Lyngdoh said "I find it difficult too...I can't tell them
untruth and I can't mislead them...It's difficult to evade."
Speaking about Bihar where he spent 20 years as a civil
servant, he said "that state could be turned around in six
months with proper gardening and proper cultivation. Six month
is more than enough."
The CEC said ultimately Laloo Prasad Yadav has to be
blamed for the state of Bihar. "He has to take the blame
ultimately for what has happened."
Bureau Report