Sunday, May 4, 2014

My comments on Lok Satta's JP's interview


JP Email Interview Link

Thats a very healthy and informative discussion. Have my disagreements on some of them though:
1. JP supports GM crops and claims ppl who are against are emotional activists, thats not true to my knowledge. For Eg., Vandana Shiva, Devinder Sharma(Journalist) are not plain emotional ppl. Also so many articles there on how GM crops failed and failing
2. PM and CBI should not come under Lokpal: JP's argument that no single institution be given extreme powers makes sense,but how does it work in Singapore where CPIB (Lokpal of singapore) though comes under PMO can infact investigate its prime minister on consent from President?
(You can google to know more on CPIB singapore)
3. "NREGA has also distorted labour markets and destroyed the work ethic. " - Appreciate his view on NREGA
4. Supports FDI in retail : AAP opposes only because FDI is possible only when there is level playing field for all players and in Retail it is not the case. I dont think it is comparable to computerisation of banks
5. "The absence of Uniform Civil Code is not the greatest problem India is facing." - Thank God he understands
6. "the notion that an accused person continues to stay eligible for public office until he is convicted is nonsensical. Holding public office and the right to remain outside prison are not on the same footing." - Wow
7. Disagrees with Dharna - "A free society cannot survive unless people, citizen’s groups and parties exercise restraint and discipline." - This is unfair, when the system doesnt work that is when you are forced disrupt. How else do you handle the police himself committing a crime. Ambedkar's statement I respect, but thats applicable when you infact have a working system.
8. on AK: Glad that you see the quest for ethics in politics by AK but you fail to see that he has no sense for the "senseless and failed" institutions thats not actually functioning harmoniously. Its a loss in a sense for the nation that JP and AK are not standing together.
Dr. JP, with all due respect to your knowledge and intentions, you do have something to learn from AK 
Finally, i would love to see a healthy debate of AK and JP in the very near future for the country's Prime Ministerial role