Govt must function as servant of people: Economist

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 14

During the 75th anniversary of the proclamation of the provisional Government of Azad, the function of which was held today, internationally acclaimed agriculture economist and Chancellor of the Central University of Punjab (CUPB), Bathinda, Padma Bhushan SS Johal today talked on the present scenario in the Indian election and political system.

Johal while talking on the occasion, first discussed the vision of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and later highlighted problems in the current political system.

He read out the vision of Netaji on governance of the country which states “The government of free India must have an absolutely neutral and impartial attitude towards all religions. We must have a government that will function as servant of people and have full powers to put through new reforms concerning industry, education, defence, etc.”

Johal continued: “Whereas in the Netaji’s scheme of governance, religion, caste, creed, etc, had no place, today’s Indian democratic system of elections is completely dependent on these divisive considerations. In most cases, the ticket are sold by parties, thus caste and creed-oriented representatives are elected.”

On the current education system and unemployment, he said on one hand, highly qualified master degree holders and PhD degree holders were hankering for Class IV jobs and there is no system of social security and pensions for them and for the public in general. On the other hand, MLAs and MPs were getting their salaries increased at will and earning pensions for every term they get elected.

Johal said: “The vote bank politics had rendered our society into a fractured one which is divided into religions, regions, castes and creeds. There appears to be no way now to mend this fractured society and get out of this vortex of poverty and stagnation created by political cliques.”

“There should be priority emphasis on universal education, which is the last with our politicians,” he said.

Ashwani Kumar, former union minister, also talked about the present times which had been taken over caste and creed.

Sugata Bose, grandnephew of the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, put light on prime incidents of the latter’s life. He narrated the journey of Netaji through many unseen photographs which include Netaji’s picture with the crew of the Japanese submarine, his address to the assembly while accepting the leadership of the Indian independence league, Indian National Army (INA) in Singapore, the first presentation of arms by the Rani of Jhansi regiment in saris, laying of INA martyr’s memorial foundation stone and the last salute.