The Vice President of India Shri Venkaiah Naidu recently released a book titled Listening, Learning and Leading on the eve of completing his two years in Office. His speech at book launch function held in Chennai is very interesting. Here are some of the excerpts from his wonderful speech which need to be pondered:
"The Prime Minister Modi ji’s mantra of “Reform Perform and Transform” has given a new impetus to transformational development of our country. These far reaching and path breaking reforms must be further accelerated.
How effectively are we able to deliver public services like water, sanitation, power, housing, transport, education, health?
How effectively are we able to provide support to farmers, youth, traders, entrepreneurs and industrialists?
How efficiently are we building durable, world class infrastructure like road, rail and air connectivity and an eco-system for growth and development?
How swiftly and sustainably are we creating conditions for inclusive growth and empowerment of people?
I have been emphasising the urgency to decide certain category of cases that are time bound like the election petitions and criminal cases against sitting MPs and MLAs.
It has been found that election petitions, criminal cases and disqualification proceedings under anti-defection law are not decided even for the entire term of the legislators defeating the very purpose of these laws.
I would suggest that we should have special judicial tribunals which will decide the cases within a reasonable time of, let us say six months or at the most one year. I would also suggest we revisit the 10th Schedule of our Constitution, containing anti-defection provisions, to ensure a time bound disposal of such cases and make it more effective by plugging loopholes.
The procedure for appointment of judges may also have to be revisited and a credible, transparent process instituted which will steer clear of avoidable controversies. While the Judiciary didn’t quite approve of the National Judicial Commission passed by the parliament and the system of collegium has not been without certain drawbacks, the appointment of Judges needs to be done through a process which inspires confidence and credibility. The procedures must be simplified and the proceedings should be, by and large, conducted in the language understood by common people in a particular state.
What we need to guard against today is to take all media posts as authentic. We need media literacy and an ability to identify the fake news, biased analysis and material that is intended to promote hatred, division and discontent.
The media should be a dispassionate watchdog, an honest messenger, a friendly adviser and a wholesome entertainer. This is the ideal we must aim to achieve. Media should also like other organs of governance be more accountable for the authenticity and objectivity of the content.
We should focus on the five ‘D’s I have already mentioned:
‘Discuss, Debate, Decide, Decentralize and Deliver’. This can transform the quality of our polity.
And we have an excellent set of circumstances to transform our country. We are a young, aspirational India. An untapped demographic dividend, a fundamentally sound economy that is growing faster than most of the other countries, a pool of front ranking individuals and a strong leadership at all levels. "
"The Prime Minister Modi ji’s mantra of “Reform Perform and Transform” has given a new impetus to transformational development of our country. These far reaching and path breaking reforms must be further accelerated.
How effectively are we able to deliver public services like water, sanitation, power, housing, transport, education, health?
How effectively are we able to provide support to farmers, youth, traders, entrepreneurs and industrialists?
How efficiently are we building durable, world class infrastructure like road, rail and air connectivity and an eco-system for growth and development?
How swiftly and sustainably are we creating conditions for inclusive growth and empowerment of people?
I have been emphasising the urgency to decide certain category of cases that are time bound like the election petitions and criminal cases against sitting MPs and MLAs.
It has been found that election petitions, criminal cases and disqualification proceedings under anti-defection law are not decided even for the entire term of the legislators defeating the very purpose of these laws.
I would suggest that we should have special judicial tribunals which will decide the cases within a reasonable time of, let us say six months or at the most one year. I would also suggest we revisit the 10th Schedule of our Constitution, containing anti-defection provisions, to ensure a time bound disposal of such cases and make it more effective by plugging loopholes.
The procedure for appointment of judges may also have to be revisited and a credible, transparent process instituted which will steer clear of avoidable controversies. While the Judiciary didn’t quite approve of the National Judicial Commission passed by the parliament and the system of collegium has not been without certain drawbacks, the appointment of Judges needs to be done through a process which inspires confidence and credibility. The procedures must be simplified and the proceedings should be, by and large, conducted in the language understood by common people in a particular state.
What we need to guard against today is to take all media posts as authentic. We need media literacy and an ability to identify the fake news, biased analysis and material that is intended to promote hatred, division and discontent.
The media should be a dispassionate watchdog, an honest messenger, a friendly adviser and a wholesome entertainer. This is the ideal we must aim to achieve. Media should also like other organs of governance be more accountable for the authenticity and objectivity of the content.
We should focus on the five ‘D’s I have already mentioned:
‘Discuss, Debate, Decide, Decentralize and Deliver’. This can transform the quality of our polity.
And we have an excellent set of circumstances to transform our country. We are a young, aspirational India. An untapped demographic dividend, a fundamentally sound economy that is growing faster than most of the other countries, a pool of front ranking individuals and a strong leadership at all levels. "
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