Editorial, "Vote we must but to sincere and honest.." in LAW ANIMATED WORLD, 15 April 2014, Vol. 10: Part 1, No. 7 issue

VOTE WE MUST BUT TO SINCERE AND HONEST

persons and parties/groups which espouse noble ideals – especially who are committed to a corruption-free, exploitation-free human welfare oriented social democratic society. In the context of our soon-to-be-officially-divided state of Andhra Pradesh, there is still some hope lingering that somehow this bifurcation can be stopped or at least stalled for the time being by the Apex Court so that at least a dignified process of equitable bifurcation, if not a change of heart toward maintenance of unity, can be initiated. This is quite essential in case the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act 2014 passed in the Parliament scuttling all democratic processes and with the sheer collusion of the two principal corrupt political parties of the country can have any constitutional/moral standing worth the name and the interests of common people in both the regions are to be firmly protected and promoted. Some sort of a turning back to the fourth option suggested by the Srikrishna Committee could be the best way-out in this regard and the new Parliament to be convened after the completion of the ongoing general elections can address this issue in all seriousness, honesty and with priority to democratic ethics. As such, it would be proper for right thinking people in our State to vote for parties like the CPM or the Jai Samaikyandhra Party which seem to be honestly dedicated to the cause of Telugu unity all along and are till now free from electoral corruption. But simultaneously, the persons contesting need also to be scrutinized and in case any moral or political, etc. lacunae felt and no candidate is deemed deserving, people have now the option of registering their protest vote – by pressing the NOTA (None of The Above) button. This is a very practical and useful method which in times to come can evolve into an effective means for even countermanding any sordidly corrupt election process and calling for fresh elections with new and better candidates in the field. It can also pave the way for the realization, in course, of the ‘right to recall’ of elected but unsatisfactorily or woefully/corruptly performing representatives. So even those who are disappointed by the horrid corruption evident in the current election process better avail this protest vote than cynically abstain and lapse into a sort of inanimate state.  §§§

Editorial, "FOR ACHIEVING THE MARTYRS' IDEALS" in LAW ANIMATED WORLD, 15-31 March 2014, Martyrs Memorial Special issue, Vol. 10: Part 1, Nos. 5-6

FOR ACHIEVING THE MARTYRS’ IDEALS

Let us dedicate ourselves to the struggle to create a new world – for a novel human society free from ‘exploitation of man by man’, based on cooperation and mutual aid instead of being riven by strifes and base selfish interests, for which innumerable martyrs of our freedom struggle, as also of democratic and progressive movements and national liberation struggles all over the world fought unto their last. Bhagat Singh’s last letter delineating a revolutionary programme, published in this issue, makes it amply clear that the Shaheed-e-Azam and his comrades unequivocally supported and propagated the ideal of scientific socialism. May be the actual efforts and experiments made to establish socialism in the world, with Lenin, Trotsky and Stalin taking the lead and founding of the first Soviet Socialist Republic of the world, the later activities of socialist construction, the indefatigable spirit and enormous sacrifices of the Soviet people defending democracy in the world and vanquishing the dreaded fascist menace, and the several later socialist, democratic revolutions in East European countries, China, Cuba, Vietnam, etc. and the liberation of the world from the curse of colonialism,  with one-third of humanity coming under the protective wings of a socialist camp, etc. had also their negative factors and deleterious consequences leading to the downfall of the very State Socialisms at one time so admired by the oppressed people around the world. Now we find a free market economy again taking over all such countries in various degrees and a capitalist globalization spree led by the US and other developed countries once more generating an atmosphere of extreme alienation and misery among the peoples – that in an era where the productive possibilites of advanced technologies now can easily carry all humans to a state of abundance that can satisfyof at least all the basic needs but only for the prevalent exploitative and constrictive socio-economic systems based on greed and egoism. And we find the world economic system again facing a deeper crisis, but can also see several thinking, empathetic persons, even in developed countries, desiring a new socio-economic system for societal welfare and collective happiness as, for example, the Zeitgeist movement shows. This cooperative and zealous endeavor to achieve the ideals of social harmony, welfare and a right development for the happiness of the entire human family – by whatever name the desired ideals be called – is the struggle to which all right thinking and socailly conscious individuals should subscribe to and fight for.  §§§