ACADEMY OF HONEST POLITICS

CONCEPT NOTE FOR THE PROPOSED
‘ACADEMY OF HONEST POLITICS’

AIM :

The ultimate aim is to cleanse the political arena and Governmental administration of corruption, nepotism, and inefficiency ensuring better governance leading to over all peace and prosperity of the country with equitable distribution of wealth to all sections of the society, irrespective of caste, creed, religion, or social status.

SCOPE 

The scope of the project is to create honest politicians for better governance. The proposal envisages setting up of an Institute with the nomenclature of ‘ACADEMY OF HONEST POLITICS’. Young graduates in the age group of 20 to 25 will be recruited after a process of selection, and will be given training in the basics of governance grooming them for an ultimate career in politics.

PREFACE

Governance is a natural trait. It requires inborn leadership qualities. Some people have it in them to devote their life, energy and resources for the welfare of the society without any selfish motive. Leaders of the country in the past were all of this genre. They had no any special training for political career. The situation of the Country under foreign rule was such that it called for sacrifices and there were any number of patriotic people who were only too willing to subject themselves to unimaginable trials and tribulations to free the mother land from the shackles of the foreign rule. India got independence in the midnight of August 15 1947.

For some period following the freedom, the country was in able hands and every thing seemed to go on well. But after a period of about two decades the rot began. New generation of rulers began to surface. People began to crave for power and more specifically for money. Elections became a ‘tamasha’. All and sundry elements saw an easy opportunity in politics to make quick (illegal) money. Rigging the polls and indulging in rowdysm came to be accepted as legitimate means to capture power by hook or crook. A lot of money mostly illegal are spent in the process. Once the seat of power is captured these people indulge in looting people’s money with a vengeance to recoup the lost booty and to amass for the future. Politics became an asylum for goondas, bootleggers and unsocial elements. The activities of the society came to be controlled by these undesirable men. Honest and conscientious citizens chose to stay away from such a scenario, and the few who dared to challenge were literally prevented from entering in the fray. Thus corruption has found patronage from those wielding governmental power and poses as a speed breaker in the development of the country and progress of the people. This situation calls for some concrete and drastic action by patriotic citizens to stem the rot before it gets worse.

DR.ABDUL KALAM, India’s great former first citizen has rightly sensed this. He has thrown an open invitation to students to come readily and in good numbers to wear the mantle of governance. He advised them not to shy away from politics which was indirectly the cause for the entry of bad elements. Today’s young children in schools are deprived of moral education perhaps by design. The situation is worse when they enter the portals of higher education, perhaps misguided by the selfish politicians. The recent chaos in the campus of Madras law college is a stark example of this malady.

A number of non governmental organizations have realized the need for clean politics and have been advocating and appealing to the major political parties to field only deserving candidates, but have not got any sort of response from the parties. There is perhaps a dearth of such good and honest people. There is information making rounds and not being disputed by any authority that there are more than 200 members of Parliament with criminal background and cases pending against them. How then can any one expect cleanliness in politics? In such a grave scenario, this venture is a bold attempt to fill up the vacuum to the extent possible, by imparting training to aspiring young men to take to politics seriously sans its prevailing short comings.

INSTITUTE

The Institute will be set up in Chennai and will be in the charge of a capable and versatile person from any discipline, preferably honorary or on a nominal remuneration.

The faculty will consist of well known politicians, well versed administrators, professionals, disciplined police officers, elite members of judiciary, college professors, lawyers, noted historians, famous artists, sports personalities. Consumer activists, social workers, business men, well the list is end less. Obviously these men should be of impeccable integrity and should come forward to render free service.

THE COURSE 

The course material should include
1)      History of Governance
2)      different forms of Govts. Their benefits and disadvantages
3)      Indian and English history in brief
4)      Democracy, its origin and development
5)      Freedom struggle and independence
6)      Independent India and its progress
7)      Five year plans
8)      Budgeting and financial management
9)      Public welfare measures. Education, health,
10)    International and Interstate relations
11)    Power and atomic energy
12)    Languages and correspondences
13)    Panchayat raj
14)    basic provisions of the constitution etc, etc.

It may be decided whether to have few things of every thing or everything of few things.

ACADEMIC COUNCIL

An academic council consisting of say about 10 members will be put in position to finalize the syllabus and course material, and also to manage the Institute.

Volunteer academicians will be requested to help in preparing the course contents free of charge.

COURSE DURATION

Not more than 3 months followed by a month’s field assignment

STUDENT ELIGIBILITY 

1) Should be an Indian national, and a graduate in any discipline
2) Should be between 20 and 25 years of age.
3) Should have sound moral convictions
4) Should have a basic penchant for politics
5) Should be selfless and society conscious
6) Should preferably have family means for basic sustenance.

SELECTION PROCESS

Based on interview by a select committee

COURSE COMPLETION

There will not be any test for pass by the trainees. They will however be assessed and graded suitably. Crtificates will be issued on completion of the course and submission of the project report after assignment.

PLANS FOR THE TRAINEES

It can be safely assumed that no political party in the current scene, would like to consider any of the Institute’s candidates as their nominee in a poll. In fact this attempt is an alternative to the present clan of greedy and unscrupulous politicians. Therefore the candidates will have to stand on their own. But the organizers and various interested NGOs will do every thing and go all out to project such candidates. Some NGOs have joined together and formed a ‘Peoples’ Alliance for good governance’ and this forum would come to the assistance of the candidates.

In any case, as mentioned in the beginning, this is a bold experiment and the response of the peoplewill have to be gauged.

FINANCE

Even though this may be seen as a laudable suggestion, no Government can be expected to buy the idea as they would think it is suicidal.

Actually this project is envisaged without minding about the finances. It is presented with a fond hope that in this corruption torn country there will be sufficient men with resources to back up the project if approached by proper persons in the proper way. In fact when this proposal was mentioned to a political activist he offered to consider providing accommodation in a centre place in the city free. The constituent organizations of the ‘Alliance for good governance’ and its representatives can be expected to lend their hand in all the efforts.

Where there is a will there will always be a way.

S.M.ARASU
General Secretary