Date: 4/17/2004
Respected Sir,
1. Times of India, dated today, Saturday 17th April 2004 reads as follows:
"Book Tandon for bribery: Election Commission.
Times News Network.
Lucknow: In a major set-back to the BJP, the Election Commission (Election Commission) on Friday, 16th April 2004, asked the Uttar Pradesh government to register a case of bribery against senior BJP leader Lalji Tandon following the sari stampede incident here on Monday, 12th April 2004.
The Election Commission also ordered the transfer of the Lucknow district magistrate and senior superintendent of Police in connection with the incident, in which 21 women and an infant died.
A show-cause notice will be served on the central leadership, seeking why action should not be initiated against it for violating the model code of conduct."
2. Election Commission deserves respectful congratulations from the public of India for initiating action against the top people of the outgoing Government of India. It is a clear case of bribery where poor voters are being purchased against sarees and other small benefits. Let there be no mincing of sentences and words. In simple language, this is an open case of corruption and bribery in securing votes. Not only Mr. Tandon of BJP but the higher ups in the Government of India, including the Hon. Prime Minister of India, are involved in this bribery and corruption in election process. Why should they not be disqualified from contesting the elections since they have violated the model code of conduct? The top-most people should set an example of virtue, lawfulness, and noble conduct in public life. When they are found having violated the basic principles of good conduct, they should voluntarily withdraw from the election contest, to set a noble example for the rest of the peop le to follow. History will remember them for good conduct if they show one.
3. There is also one more reason for them not to contest these Parliamentary Elections: They completed the full term of the outgoing Parliament. As Honorable Members of that Parliament, they obtained some emoluments and also some perks every month. The last Honorable Parliament also passed a life Pension of Rs. 3,000/- per month for them. As such, they have collected not only their monthly emoluments while they were Members, but also the Pensionery benefits for Retirement. As such, they cannot again stand for Membership of the Parliament. They have been Pensioned off.
A person who has been Pensioned off, cannot come back to occupy the same position which he or she has been relieved of.
As a Nation of honor, we must observe certain Basic Principles.
4. It will be for the new Parliament to review the decision of the dissolved Parliament, which has Pensioned off the outgoing members of Parliament. Until that time, the members who have retired from the dissolved Parliament, cannot stand for re-election.
5. The Honorable Election Commission may kindly enforce this simple Law of Justice that a pensioned off person cannot come back to the same position. It will be a memorable and extremely praise-worthy action by the present Election Commission to enforce this simple Law of Justice. No one is above Law.
6. Let us have new faces in the new Parliament: Scientists, Engineers, Educationists, retired Military Generals, retired Inspectors General of Police, retired Supreme Court Judges and High Court Judges, Members of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Journalists, Intellectuals, Trade Union Representatives, and the like.
It will be a new page in the history of Indian Parliament and Indian Democracy.
Yours in the service of the Nation,
(G.C.ASNANI)
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