Guest Column : Modi's experiment with personal ambitions should be rejected ~ Asu Keyho, President Nagaland unit AAP

(The writer is also a former leader of Naga Students' Federation and  former MLA, Western Angami, Nagaland Legislative Assembly)

My attention was drawn to the hyped news item and a chaotic discussion on television over the fact that the central government has set up a panel headed by former President,  respected Shri Ram Nath Kovind to explore the possibilities of 'One Nation, One Election'.

The NDA government at the centre headed by Shri Narendra Modi is noted for such extraordinary kinds of announcements. 

This country had to face the whimsical or Tughlaqi orders of the Prime Minister on Nov 8, 2016 when the high value currency notes were  banned. In 2020 Shri Modi announced national lockdown on the ground of Covid19 leaving migrant workers and thousands at the mercy of fate.

Sept 1, 2023 is another such day. The root of the present issue actually started on August 31 when Parliamentary Affairs Minister tweeted announcing summoning of a Special Parliament session from Sept 18.

All these combined together to establish one fact that Shri Modi as a leader of 140 crore Indians and the BJP as a party are hardly democratic. 

The prime minister rejoices in such theatrics.

But this time, he has gone beyond a few steps and named former President Shri Kovindas the chairman of an official panel. This is unheard of. A former President should not be put to such big embarrassment wherein he has to submit a report to the government.

Left to people like us in my individual capacity and as a former lawmaker from Nagaland, I will request Shri Kovind to reject the request.

A government in power can always set up some panels.

Nothing wrong with any proposal but a former President's status should not be taken for a ride. The man in question or discussion should have the right and good sense to refuse the offer.

Our understanding is very simple. Any person who occupied the highest office of the world's largest democracy and has retired from public life is not expected to become a committee member/ Chairman.

Let me submit humbly, his dignity and sense of honor should no be ridiculed.

As for the merits of setting up of such a panel and whether the country should adopt 'One Nation, One Election' norm, my party the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has already reacted officially at the central level.

Delhi Minister Shri Saurabh Bhardwaj has said that the government headed by Shri Modi  is "scared of growing popularity and footprints of INDIA bloc".

I do share the same sentiment strongly. 

Lastly, I also feel Prime Minister Modi may be ambitious to call himself India's 'first President'. Is he taking the country towards US-style Presidential form ?

India's social fabric may not be very enthusiastic about the proposal. India is not America.

An objective scrutiny of the US system will make it clear that in India, unlike with Americans, our challenges, expectations and way of life are absolutely different.

ends 

Mr Asu : Aam Aadmi Party