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Dynastic democracy is fashionable

When Priyanka Gandhi’s clothes became a major political story last week, I realised sadly that it was time for me to stop being a conscientious objector to dynastic democracy. You cannot argue with the box office. And, if Priyanka’s fashion sense can become the subject of full-length TV shows, ....Read more

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Our inabilityBy: Dinesh prabhu | Thursday , 14 May '09 14:26:27 PM Reply | Forward Every political party's president has heir-apparent in waiting. All the subordinates have no option but support the heir-apperent. In turn the subordinates give their position to their son/daughter... I guess we, people can do little in this regard

Democratic Reforms...By: Manojk | Monday , 11 May '09 18:29:20 PM Reply | Forward Stupid anchors and shallow TV people deserve stupid dynasty in which no one can even graduate without difficulty. Secondly, no one elected Sonia or Rahul. The kind of Governance we have is due to the fact that we have a system of democracy where by leaders are nominated or imposed. It is the bankruptcy of this disgusting Dynasty and COMMIES that we are not having a dialogue on how to reform our democracy. When Vajpayee suggested we should have at least debated that issue along with Term limits and Priamries where candidates are not imposed by central committees rather than selected by people who can represent their party in the election. Imagine that people register for Congress or BJP or CPM. Then they come out and select who they want to represent their party for their constituency. Each party chooses their best candidate and they all run for MLA/MP. No nomination by party committees. This will greatly reform our democracy.

I'm horrified at myselfBy: Zaf | Monday , 11 May '09 8:27:31 AM Reply | Forward I'm horrified at myself, but I find myself quite liking Priyanka. And the fact that she has good taste in saris (like her Grandmother, and in fact mother) is not completely responsible. I am absolutely against the dynastic principle when it comes to governing a country, but despite this I have a soft spot for Nehru's great grand-daughter (and sons, even the fat greedy one, though he's pushing it these days) - and I think I am not alone in this contradictory stance. Perhaps democracy ameliorates the negatives of dynasty, because in India, it's the dynasty that is on trial at every election, and the dynasty can be (and has been) both thrown out and rehired. The election is the ultimate box office, and the people seem to like some version of dynasty - so long as they are elected.

True National Leader(s)By: Murtaza Arzai | Monday , 11 May '09 0:49:15 AM Reply | Forward I agree with your point, but how can a political leader survive the onslaught he/she faces from leftist JNU/JMI educated media who is on a dole-out from CONgress (via advertisements and Padmashree awards)? NDtv, CNN-ibn, TOI and the likes indulge in character assassiantion of non-Nehru dynasty leaders - Take Advani (fake hawala charges), NaMo (unproven riot allegations), etc.

Dynastic politics, feudal system has great future in India.By: Jay | Sunday , 10 May '09 20:35:25 PM Reply | Forward India will get the quality of leader it deserves! It's not the "leader” but the people are responsible. "Education” and degrees are nothing but farce in India which can make only clerks (be it IT, management, scientist etc); good only to carry out orders. So dynastic politics, feudal system has great future here. May God save the country!

DYNASTIC POLITICSBy: Niranjan | Sunday , 10 May '09 18:12:17 PM Reply | Forward I WOULD STILL PREFER AN EDUCATED AND SANE NEHRU-GANDHI DYNASTY PERSON THAN THE LIKES OF MAYAWATI, KARAT, JAYLALITA, SHARAD PAWAR, MULAYAM SINGH ETC. ALL THESE PEOPLE WANT TO DO IS TO INCREASE THEIR OWN COFFERS AND KEEP INDIANS POOR AND UNEDUCATED. IF YOU DOUBT IT, JUST LOOK AT THE FRONT PAGE OF INDIAN EXPRESS TODAY.

PG - " a PM material" are u joking?By: trupti_inlaw | Sunday , 10 May '09 9:26:53 AM Reply | Forward It is really surprising to see a writer like you to accept the " BOX OFFICE" PM material even though u are not for dynastical politics. In fact it is only TV channels/media that are going gaga over her; the onus lies on you to bring out the qualities required to be PM and how she does or does not fit the bill.Frankly I found her to be just " another person" who happens to be with a " Vadra Gandhi" surname . I still wonder why you the press use the Gandhi name for her . Her " gudhiya" " Budhiya " remarks, her inane replies and " interview " with Burkha Dutt were just ordinary. Nothing of her shows that she has the a PASSION and VISION to serve the nation. Forget vision even if she had the passion she could learn the ropes. So I think press especially the " enlightened" ones like you need to see more than the superficial layers and bring out th facts as it is .Do hope that this brings in more " enlightenment" to the " enlightened ones" Reg

Lage raho Munabhai!By: Ramesh Kapoor | Sunday , 10 May '09 6:57:11 AM Reply | Forward From Munabhai MBBS to Lage Raho, and now Chalo Munabhai Amerika, though the last movie is yet to be completed and hit the screen. Today, late in the (Saturday) evening I happened to see a news clip on Rahul Baba's effigy being kicked around and burned in Chandigarh, though no news had appeared in the press. If the events of the present General Elections are tabled on a sheet of paper, it will be realised that too much repetition and past events have come on the surface, though no one, especially from the Dynasty, come up with the future. What is India? What does it reflect? Sorry, to me, it is a return to feudalism or Rajashahi which was abolished so that reins of the country can be given to the people of India and not to any dynasty.

India needs less governmentBy: rajan | Sunday , 10 May '09 6:32:24 AM Reply | Forward What India needs is a Reagan or a Thatcher. In India, government is Not the solution; it is the problem. There is no way these political dynasties can produce a dynamic leader.

Feudalism has no place in real democraciesBy: Dr.G.Srinivasan | Sunday , 10 May '09 5:45:46 AM Reply | Forward Besides, dynastic democracy is now an epidemic.It is only ao far as india is concerned.We have not come out Feudal system .The dynastic democracy(???) is a term coined to cheat the common man.It is still feudalism unbirdled