On 18th of this month, the Founder - President of Jaya Karnataka Organisation, Muthappa Rai, told his followers in city here that these days he found a number of organisations fighting for the cause of Kannada language, which was good. However, his organisation would think of people who speak Kannada language and work for them. His organisation would help the people to get the benefits of government projects and programmes.

So far so good, in speech and in newspapers that carried the news. However, since it is not yet a political party with elected representatives in the Assembly or Council, there is no harm even if Muthappa Rai does not keep his word! However, the same cannot be said of political parties who have their elected representatives in the Assembly and Council, the important law - making bodies for all - round development of the State and well - being of its people.

I have been reading reports of our political leaders in the opposition, the Congress and the JD (S), making statements in press conferences and in public functions which are irrelevant and totally unconnected to the administration of the State by the ruling party. It is an accepted principle that the primary duty of an opposition party and a newspaper (including electronic media) is to be critical of the establishment. Every government has a duty to perform and no government discharges this duty flawless. Hence criticism. But, should it praise the Government, it may do so sparingly.

However, when the country faces a critical situation like war, economic recession or internal law and order, the political parties should keep aside their differences and show solidarity for the greater good of the country. They should come together in such extraordinary circumstances keeping aside their differences “to fix up the country,” like Barack Obama the President - Elect of America and the defeated candidate John McCain are doing. I thought of these tall political leaders of America after seeing our pygmies in Karnataka and their public statements and conduct. One thing was very clear. These Karnataka political leaders, specially the opposition JD (S) and the Congress seem to have absolutely no concern for the problems of the people. Absolutely.

The Congress, which has ruled Karnataka for over 40 years since Independence, has very little to show for such a long rule. For much of our present day miseries and problems related to the basic requirements of a civic society like water (both for drinking and irrigation), electricity, roads, housing, education and health, we can squarely blame the corrupt and poor governance of the Congress.

Except for some good work done during the period of S. Nijalingappa and D. Devaraj Urs, with a long term impact in terms of infrastructure and land reforms, Congress party has nothing to show to the people of Karnataka. All others came, saw and ruled. Routinely. Politicians became rich but people remained poor. The number of BPL cards is itself a proof. Even now, after the people of Karnataka threw out both Congress and JD (S) and opted for the third alternative BJP, the Congress does not seem to have learnt any lessons. The leaders of the opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, the newly-installed KPCC President R. V. Deshpande and his Deputy, the Working President, D.K. Shivakumar are busy mouthing personal criticism of Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa and spitting venom against BJP for its “Operation Kamala”. Their duty as a constructive opposition is to criticise the policies and programmes of the BJP Government and not to indulge in character assassination of fellow politicians.

The opposition can make suggestions in critical areas like power, instead of criticising the government for the sake of criticising. Congress should realise that for our present power crisis, it is much more responsible than the present government because Congress itself was ruling the State in the immediate past.

The same can be said of JD (S). The party had all the money and man-power to assemble over five lakh people in Bangalore as a show of strength on the occasion of the coronation of H. D. Kumaraswamy, son of JD (S) supremo H. D. Deve Gowda, as the President of the Karnataka JD (S). I expected the new President of the party, who was also the Chief Minister of the State for 20 months, to spell out solutions to the endemic problem of power shortage, the public transport system, the roads in Bangalore and Mysore and such other big cities, the evil of acquiring farmers lands and then denotifying them, the irrigation, shortage of fertilisers etc., that touch the people of Karnataka directly. Though H.D. Kumaraswamy mentioned all these problems, he did not come up with any solution to these problems. Apparently, he did not have any solution to these problems. It is said when an advocate has no points, instead of arguing the case, he will turn vitriolic, bang the table and confuse the judge.

Similarly, Kumaraswamy was simply magnifying the same problems that existed when he was the CM, in front of lakhs of people through microphone.

In a like manner, some of the BJP Ministers, as if to please their Chief Minister, have picked up the cudgels thrown by H. D. Kumaraswamy and his father H. D. Deve Gowda and foul-mouthed these JD (S) leaders no end. Of course, it might be necessary by way of rebuttal or retaliation. However, at the same time, being ruling party Ministers, they should also tell the people what action they are taking in various areas of administration. Particularly, with regard to the pressing problem of power, bad roads and water supply, for example.

It is also left to the ingenuity of the Chief Minister and his Ministerial colleagues to inveigle the opposition leaders into extending co - operation on major policy matters that affect the common man and also the people in general. Personal attacks and mud-slinging by politicians among themselves will not help our State in making progress, economically or socially and not even politically. It was this kind of conduct that brought the State under President’s rule. It happened simply because the JD (S) totally lacked political morality at the given time. In a world where there is honour even among thieves, it is sad our politicians do not have what thieves have — morality!

Be that as it may, these politicians might learn something at least now from the American President - Elect Barack Obama and his rival John McCain who was defeated. They both met last Monday (Nov.17) to discuss how to work together to roll back some of the most controversial policies of the Bush years, putting aside the bitter words that the two threw at each other with abandon. They met to discuss about realising the legendary American dream at a time when America is facing an economic recession and an unending war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Obama told the press later that he and McCain discussed about how they could do some work together to fix up the country. Why not our Karnataka politicians too rise above the petty personal politics and discuss about how they could do some work together "to fix up the State", which is presently facing power crisis and other related issues mentioned above?

To be continued….

K.B.Ganapathy
Courtesy: Star of Mysore

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