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HomeShop at BookSurgeTravelSpecial InterestDa Vijay Code: The exit of the Nehrus |
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2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
first document Jan 10, 2006
By SamJohn(II)
"Saja"
This book will definitely bring down the political curtains for India's premier republican dynasty,the Nehrus, if what has been expounded here finds acceptance by the Indian political elite. First Document discusses the reasons why Indian democracy continues to be majoritarian centric when it comes to access to headship of government (Prime Ministership).
Since Independence, 59 years ago, the Prime Ministers of India have all risen only from the majority Hindi speaking states of India. There was only one non-Hindi speaking prime minister and he did not last more than 10 months. In spite of this lopsided representation of Hindi speakers in this most powerful cabinet post the 500 million strong linguistic minorities have not made an issue of it because the categorization of minorities in India was based on religious grounds.
The identification of the word minority to refer only to say Muslims or Christians was a brilliant masterstroke in the evolution of political categorization in India. India's linguistic minorities were made to believe they belonged to the majority. Prior to every Parliamentary elections their local linguistic identities are dissolved in this pan Indian/pan Hindu majority. While assimilation is used as a political strategy to ensure governmental formation, non-assimilative, local identity however is used as a criteria to reject the candidature of the non-Hindi candidates for prime ministership.
The author's case is that this state of affairs is too good to be true for the Hindi speaking groups to last for long. With the arrival of coalition governance India's non-Hindi linguistic groups would soon become vociferous and demand a share in the Prime Ministerial pie. First Document should serve to provide the intellectual basis for such a demand.
Even though First Document revolves around India denying its 500 million strong linguistic minorities the right to become Head of Government (Prime Minister) what he says is true for all countries wedded to a democratic polity. The worlds largest democracies have been denying the right of its minorities to become Head of Government. This denial is being done by them by clever manipulation and selective interpretation of the majoritarian written constitutions.
In most democracies members of the minority are told that being citizens they have equal opportunity and equal ability as any other to become Head of Government. Though opportunity exists for a member of the minority to make it to the most powerful job of the land, the ability or probability of their making it to the top job is either low or next to impossible? Opportunity is just eligibility neither does this so called ability convert itself to a probability of any measure. First Document addresses precisely this question. The author suggests a method call PCR to set right this anomaly seen even in mature democracies.
Democracy Version 2 Jan 23, 2006
By steve_tudor_jr
"Stv_tdr_jr"
Brilliant.The book poses some valid questions that beg an answer. If democracy is about equality why do democratic countries not allow members of minority communities living within its borders to become Head of Government? The author has set forth some cogent arguments demanding a share for minorities in the most powerful job of a land. In the world of computers there are version releases for software. Lower software is upgraded to a higher release. First Document's PCR democracies should come under the category of upgraded democracies. The author comments, tongue in cheek, that democracies that do not allow members of its minority communities to become head of government as belonging to the same category as the bogus Peoples Democracy of the Soviet era. First Document is without doubt a brilliant work of political literature.
good book Jan 14, 2006
By Prashant_muralidharan
"Prashant_muralidharan"
First Document has all the ingredients to shake the Indian political world. The author claims, not unjustifiably, that the Nehrus may have to seek retirement from political life if his suggestions become a reality. The book calls into question the very basis of the strength by which the Nehrus have survived this long in Indian politics. The Nehrus would have no place in an Indian democracy that practices PCR. In India in future the contest for the Prime Ministerial position is no more going to be limited to just the Singhs the Tiwaris and Lals one can see the Naidus, Jeyalalithas and Subramaniams from the South too entering the fray.
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