Political activity of aided school teachers

This has reference to the demand of the KSU to ban the aided school teachers from contesting elections in the State. The demand has not come a day too early, as I have been arguing for this for several years now. Al all of us know, the aided school teachers and the private college teachers are paid salary by the State Government and hence for all practical purposes they are government servants. When government employees are banned by service rules to join any political party or contest in the elections, why this facility should be available to the aided school and private college teachers who also draw salary and allowances from the State Treasury? In addition to this, the services of such teachers who get elected in the elections will not be available to the students during the period when they remain as elected members. May be the managements can make a killing by making temporary appointments to fill such temporary vacancies.

A related topic is the decision of the state government to ban the government employees from becoming an office bearer of any religious or communal organisations. Many organisations have already questioned this decision and urged the government to revoke this order. I wonder why the organisations make such arguments!. Is it that their community or religion do not have any other responsible persons for holding the post? Or is it that if a government employee is holding an office bearer post the organisation will be able to reap any undue benefits (from the government as well as from public).

I hope the government will ensure both the above points will be implemented strictly so that the services of the persons to whom salaries are paid from the exchequer is available to the tax payer.

Abandoned Borewells- A Death Trap

Yet another report of a child falling into abandoned bore well has appeared in the news papers, and fortunately, this time the child could be rescued. I wonder how such things keep on happening in spite of number of accidents reported recently, in many cases ending with the death of the child. Who is to be held responsible for such tragic incidents? Do they not take any precautionary measures while digging and subsequently abandoning the bore wells? Has any case been registered against the owner of the plot where such abandoned bore well was available in the past incidents?

And what are the circumstances under which the bore wells are abandoned? Don't they make any scientific study to ensure that water will be available if the bore well is dug?  And if the bore well is to be abandoned, why cant they close it or keep it properly covered to prevent accidents? Does anybody has any responsibility in such cases? Many questions need to be answers by the landlords as well as the revenue authorities of the State concerned.

ONLINE TRADE

After the billion dollar trade offer fiasco from Flipkart, it is reported that Enforcement Directorate has decided to look into the affairs of the online trade industry.  Some merchant bodies have also demanded enquiry into the dealings of the online trading companies and have even demanded banning of these activities on the plea that the retail trade shops are losing business because of the online trades!!!

I feel this argument of the traders is ridiculous. These were the same people who opposed the entry of multinational companies in the retail trade business, arguing that they will initially sell goods at throwaway prices to gag the existing retailers and once they close shops unable to withstand the competition, the MNCs will start charging high prices from the customers. Do they think that the customers are so dumb people? For a customer it is his right and privilege to buy goods he wants from a place of his choice. And if he finds a product at a cheaper price, he will definitely purchase from there. After some period, if the prices are increased, the choice is with the customer whether to buy at the increased price or not. If the MNCs (or for that matter the online trading platforms) can procure the goods at a lower price and offer the same to customers, why should the retailers be worried? They can also reduce the profit margin and offer a lower price to the customer, if they want to be in the business. Instead of doing that they cry hoarse saying that the MNCs or the online platforms are under cutting to ease them out of the business. If that be the case, the same thing should be happening with a large retailer and a small next door kirana shop, no? So it is only a question of survival of the fittest in the present world of competition. If anybody is not able to stand up to the competition, it would be better for him to give way to the others.

And I wonder what the Enforcement Directorate is going to look into in the business. The online traders do the proper billing while they effect the sales, and hence there cannot be any instance of tax evasion, I feel. And if the government machinery is going to oversee every such activity by a private party, there will not be an end to it. So I feel these people should be freely allowed to do their business, which will only be beneficial to the customers.

The Taxes department of Government of Kerala has taken a stand that all the sales done on Cash on Delivery (COD) basis by the online traders will be treated as sales taking place in the State and taxes as applicable to sale in the State has to be paid by the companies!!!! Because of this most of the companies have stopped offering the COD benefit to the customers from the State. So isn't the tax department doing a disservice to the customers from the State?

Maharashtra elections

After much discussions and deliberations the two long standing alliances in Maharashtra, which is going to polls in another two weeks, have split and the constituents have decided to sweat it out on their own. This will effectively lead to a six cornered contest in almost all constituencies among the congress, BJP, NCP, Shiv Sena, MNS and the left parties. And quite naturally, it is almost certain that none of these parties will be able to win a clear majority of seats to enable them to form a government. In such a scenario, these parties which had parted ways for some seats, will surely come together in the lust for power to stake their claim to form the government. Should the governor permit such post poll alliances, befooling the common voter? Will it not be against the clear mandate given by the voter? When these parties had fought against each other how can they come together and form an alliance to form the government? Even though there is no clear provision in the Representation of Peoples Act to deal with such a situation, I hope the Governor and the President will apply their mind judiciously and disallow any such claims put forward by any post poll alliances. But then the question will arise what will happen to the governance of the state. Let the state be put under President's rule for one or two terms (for which provisions are there in the constitution) by which time the politicians will become wiser and take a firm decision before approaching the electorate. The governor should be permitted to choose people of eminence from various fields to advise him during the President's rule. I only hope the judiciary will not play their activism in case such an arrangement is challenged in the court.

The Union Government can think of amending the Representation of Peoples Act to deal with such situations, as the era of coalition politics is there to stay in the country. I sincerely hope all political parties will come together and think rationally on the among suggestion and try to avoid a similar situation in other places in the country in the larger interests of the country.