Regionalism Growing at the Cost of Nation, warns TVR Shenoy

Regionalism Growing at the Cost of Nation, warns TVR Shenoy

mangaloretoday.com

Mangalore, 5 March: Looking at the present political scenario, one can easily observe that regionalism is on the rise and this is happening at the cost of national outlook and perspective, warned veteran journalist TVR Shenoy.

Delivering a talk on ‘India – Largest Democracy in the World or a Fragmented Feudalism?’ organized by the Konkani Fortnightly ‘Kodial Khaber’ at World Konkani Centre at Shakthinagar in the city last evening, he observed that while a monarchy like United Kingdom could sustain democracy, India calling itself a republic was harboring countless monarchies.

 

 

 

 

 

Elaborating on the theme further, Shenoy, who is a Padma Bhushan awardee and a former editor of The Week and Sunday Mail, said that at the time of independence, India had 500 kingdoms and it was Sardar Patel who integrated them into the Indian Republic. Today we have reinvented the concept of kingdom in the form of political parties, he observed. “USA has 50 states, but only two political parties. Same is the case with United Kingdom. Here we have 28 states and twice the number of parties,” he said. 

Analyzing the various party structures, he said: “Today we have five ‘One-Person’ parties and they are the ones led by Jayalalitha, Naveen Patnaik, Mamatha Banerjee, Nithish Kumar and Mayavathi. Moreover, with the exception of BJP and Communist party, every other party is a family outfit.” When asked where the newly founded AAP fitted into this, he quipped: “Even I don’t know the answer to that question.” Once the laughter subsided, he explained that the AAP was yet to explain its stand on key matters like foreign policy and economic policy. “AAP is still new. Let us give them some time before making a judgment,” he said. 

Observing the growth of regionalism, he pointed out that in India, Election Commission recognizes only three parties – namely Congress, BJP and CPI – as national parties and all the others are state parties. As a result of this, for petty reasons, national policy is being distorted due to regional thinking, he added. “Today even national parties are becoming regional minded,” he rued.

Basty Vaman Shenoy, President of World Konkani Centre presided over the function. Also present on the dais were Mavinakurve Venkatesh Baliga, Editor of Kodial Khaber; former banker Srinivas Prabhu and  Pradeep G. Pai, Managing Director of Hangyo Ice Creams Pvt. Ltd., who was the co-organiser of the event.
Aruna Kamath compeered the programme.

 

Photos: Annu Mangalore