Skip to main content

Election Commission must intervene: Naming Opposition alliance 'India' unacceptable

By NS Venkataraman 

The recently concluded meeting of some opposition parties in Bangalore to jointly put their efforts to defeat the Prime Minister Modi in 2024 election, has named their group as Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, which can otherwise be referred as “INDIA” in short. This nomenclature has caused considerable surprise and anxiety amongst the discerning people.
Of course, there are number of political parties in India and the name of such parties have the term India included such as Indian National Congress, Communist Party of India, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and so on. There is nothing wrong in having such names with India being there. However, having a name only as “ India” for political group has several serious implications. While this political group would claim that its name is Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance , In practical terms , in speeches and writings , only the short name” India” will be used to refer to this political group. This is already happening in media reports and even by the parties involved in this political group.
When this opposition political group would contest in the elections, they would, of course, contest only in the name of their political party. But, in the election campaign, they would seek votes for their group which they would clearly refer as “India”. In practical terms, this would make it look as if 2024 election would be between the political group “India” and Narendra Modi led political group. The gullible voters would be misled thinking that Narendra Modi led political group is fighting against “India”. This may create view amongst gullible voters that they have to vote only for “India”.
Certainly, the implications are known to the opposition political group while carving out the name Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, as they can advantageously call themselves as “India”.
India’s electoral system is such that anybody beyond 18 years of age can vote irrespective of their educational qualification or their level of understanding of economic, social and political issues. The opposition political groups is certainly targeting to exploit this situation in their favour by using the short terms “India” to mislead the gullible voters.
This is an unacceptable situation, though it appears that there is no law that prevents a political group to call themselves as "India”.
The ball is now clearly in the court of the Election Commission of India and it should take note of this situation . The election commission should ask the opposition political group not to refer their name as “India” during the political discourse or in the election campaign. The Election Commission should tell the media clearly that whenever they refer to this political group , they should term it I.N.D.I.A both in writing as well as in discussions and never use the term ”India”.
Certainly, the opposition political parties should refrain from using such negative tactics to defeat the Prime Minister Modi in 2024 election.
Today, it appears that the opposition political group have virtually reduced their strategy to a hate Modi campaign and have not discussed any policy programmes or development plans while meeting in Bangalore. In such conditions, ethos of India’s electoral democracy has gone for a toss and it is made worse by using such tactics of using the name of the political group as “India” in short.

Comments

TRENDING

Crucial to revisit roots, embrace core Hindu principles: love, compassion, harmony

A note on religious leaders'  Satya Dharam Samvad in Haridwar: *** In a groundbreaking gathering, more than 25 religious leaders including Swamis, Acharyas, Pujaris, Gurus, and Sadhvis from all over India convened to discuss the tenets of Hinduism on September 16th, 2023, in Haridwar, to discuss and discern the current trajectory of Hinduism. This brand new initiative, the Satya Dharam Samvad, was inspired to organize its first assembly in response to the December 2021 Dharma Sansad, where hate speech and calls for violence against the Muslim community contravened the essential principles of Hinduism. Religion is being used to incite riots among Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, etc. In the face of such hatred, Swami Raghavendra felt that something meaningful should be done in the present climate. 

Commodification of road accident deaths: The hidden health hazard of motonormativity

By Chandra Vikash*  Jahnavi Kandula, an Indian student from Andhra Pradesh, studying in America was killed in a road accident by a police motor car in January 2023. Now, 8 months after the accident, a bodycam video of Daniel Orderer, who is the vice president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, has gone viral on social media. He was laughing at her death and saying that “she was 26 years old, anyway… she had limited value… just give her $11,000 (ie Rs 9.13 lakh)”.

Maoist tendency of mechanically adhering to Chinese path ignores Indian conditions

By Harsh Thakor  The C.P.I. (Maoist) formed in 2004 with merger of the C.P.I. (M.L) Peoples War and the Maoist Communist Centre has demonstrated courage in intensity compared to any great revolutionary struggle in the history of the world. It leads the largest armed movement of a Peoples Guerrilla Army in the world today and proved themselves as the true torch bearers of the Indian Communist movement.

We need to resurrect Neruda, give birth to poets of his kind amidst neofascist rampage

By Harsh Thakor  On 23rd September we commemorate the 50th death anniversary of Pablo Neruda, whose contribution to revolutionary poetry was path breaking. Pablo Neruda’s poetry manifested the spiritual essence of revolutionary poetry and how poetry was a weapon for a revolutionary struggle. The story of his life illustrated the spiritual transformation undergone a human being to transform him into a revolutionary and how environment shapes the lie of revolutionary.

Understanding universe, time, space: A crucial, unresolved question before humanity

By Prof Sudhanshu Tripathi*  A crucial question before humanity, still unresolved, is to comprehend the true nature and expanse of Time and Space in Universe. If both are indeed limitless, there is no question then to go beyond them. Because both Time and Space are indeed the two key determinants in this mundane world which define the very expanse of the life period of all living organisms and non-living entities and their relative spatial area producing mental and extra-mental consciousness. 

Abrogation of Art 370: Increasing alienation, relentless repression, simmering conflict

One year after the abrogation by the Central Government of Art. 370 in Kashmir, what is the situation in the Valley. Have the promises of peace, normalcy and development been realised? What is the current status in the Valley? Here is a detailed note by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties , “Jammu & Kashmir: One Year after Abrogation of Art. 370: Increasing Alienation, Relentless Repression, Simmering Conflict”:

Informal efforts to help children of remote Bundelkhand village unable to go to school

By Bharat Dogra  Rajaram Ka Purva is a remote rural hamlet in Banda district of Uttar Pradesh inhabited by the poorest of the poor. Almost none of the children in this hamlet are able to go to school. The reasons relate to poverty, distance of the nearest school as well as the unsafe path to school.

2024 elections in India: An agenda for justice, peace, democracy and environment

By Bharat Dogra  As debates leading up to 2024 union elections in India preceded by some important state assembly become intense, it is not enough to talk about election alignments among various political parties and their seat adjustments; the questions relating to the most important priorities and a future agenda based on justice, equality, peace, environment protection and democracy must get the most importance.

Job opportunity in unexplored territory... to bulldoze hurdles on way to Akhand Aryavart

By Abdul Puncharwala*  Baba and Mama the Jai-Veeru Jodi of Shuddh desi politics bring an excellent opportunity of employment to all the bright matriculate drop-outs busy with their Insta and YouTube reels. Keep your phones aside for a moment and read this advert carefully. It is going to change your life forever.

By undermining Dravidian politics, can Tamil Nadu regain glory of Kamaraj governance?

By NS Venkataraman*  For over fifty years now, Tamil Nadu has been ruled by two Dravidian parties namely DMK and AIADMK alternately. Before the Dravidian party came to power, Tamil Nadu was ruled by the congress party and had experienced the golden rule by K. Kamaraj who was succeeded by Bhaktavatsalam for a short period.