Friday, September 29, 2006

judicial activism and land sealings in delhi

judicial activism is being aggressively pursued by the judiciary in India , which seems to have found a new mecahnism to assert itself over the excutive.
however to my mind and understanding this can lead to a complicated and often fierce struggle for power and even one- upmanship in the current (socio- economic) landscape of indian politics. this is because: as the realities of the coalition politcs are crystalizing, the powers and the nature of it is experiencing a phenomenal change. coalition has its own benefits but gets in its package- certain compulsions which are 'more' natural to sprout in multi cultural and multi faceted dynamics of a competitive democracy. this often results in bargaining of the kind which is no doubt demeocratic, but very often so complicated that it renders political stability a unique level of precariousness.
although our judiciary is dependent on the mecahnism of PILs for this to kick start, but then in this land of polarities and differences, its not hard to find.
the ongoing case of land sealings and demolitions as well as the resultant struggle (which took a ghastly turn just a few days back)in and around delhi - is a befitting example of this.

every one just about every one in Delhi knows that the delhi development authority (DDA) could achieve only 16% of the development in all these years for delhi. in the political and administrative capital of an infant nation, this was way too less to cater to the rising tide of requirements and expectations. quite obviously the govt.(central as well as the relatively young state govt.) were aware of this. in an indirect way this meant that the development and infrastructure work shall spread according to growing private need and initiative- a fact which was seconded through govt. action of providing legal COMMERCIAL power and water connections and collection of regular property taxes from these establishments.

agreed that the government (esp. the state govt.) has been pro- trader in delhi, but this is more about private initiative and effort filling in for ,where the govt. provisions seriously lacked or simply were non existent.
the honourable judiciary seems to have ignored this point or atleast greatly undermined it.

however, today the news has come in that some relief is being offered to small etablishments which has certainly opened a window for the rest.

let wisdom prevail.

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

nothing- not a thing

so much to write
so much to say
at one level it is all bubbling up inside
urging to come out
and the next moment
it is all farce
just a thought
a mere thought
what is its relevance or identity
it is nothing but a mere thought
a rising wave
which is meant to decline