Random thoughts
Whenever someone in the government is asked about the election, you will automatically hear a standard answer that it is the responsibility of the Election Commission to arrange it. And if you put the same question to the gentlemen of the Election Commission, you are almost sure to hear that they are almost ready and it is the government which has to create the congenial atmosphere and facilitate holding of this grand event. The question is a normative one. And both the answers are correct, politically. But is something missing?
The government that came to power after 28 October 2006 failed to create the enabling environment for holding of the national elections within 90 days as ordained in the constitution. The Election Commission in office at that time also failed to hold an election within the stipulated time. Despite all the tall talks, they didn't even have an accurate voter list in their possession. Individual failures of these institutions have presented the nation with a compounded problem and a constitutional crisis. But how far have we recovered? Has the buck stopped! Yes and No ----- Yes, because the present Election Commission has assumed the responsibility in right earnest and No, because there is a tendency of evading blame, if not an outright blame game. I wish I am dead wrong and I fervently wish to be so. With the fourth set of caretaker team and into the fourteenth month, with about only eight months to go, gnawing doubt still looms large.
The Chief Adviser is often extolling the nation for building a knowledge based society. Being a man of letters, his call perhaps emanates from an innate desire and from an inner calling of patriotism. Starved of material resources per capita , education, knowledge, culture, skills and intellectual property might make up for some of the shortfalls of this over-populated country.
Knowledge has to be acquired through the process of education, learning, and experience and through careful sifting of gathered information through the application of individual judgment. Experience and judgment complement each other. Someone rightly observed that judgment comes from experience, and good judgment comes from bad experience. Hopefully, there is no need for the feeling of exasperation in the present state of things, for we are still in the process of experimenting and gathering experience. The abstract entity known as knowledge must also be useful for enlightenment of self and society. But the real test of knowledge is the adaptability and ability of its holder in freely moving in and out of that “control volume” of knowledge and the ability to respect and honour a different view and accept whatever is the best.
Going back to my first question: Let the answers be pronounced, simple, complete and comprehensive ones, so that we start seeing the elephant in its whole! Further delay will only fuel uncertainty, frustration and the already erratic and volatile market.
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