'Those above 75 should quit politics'

By Our Special Correspondent

VIDYANAGAR (Bangalore Dt.), JULY 30. The Congress(I), which is chary of any talk of a presidential form of government, has a fervent advocate of the same in its ranks in the former Chief Minister, Mr. S. Bangarappa, MP.

Mr. Bangarappa expressed his ``personal view'' while addressing a training camp for Youth Congress office-bearers from the southern States and some union territories here today. The issue raised by him also drew forth the sharp difference of opinion in the party as his successor in the office of Chief Minister and next speaker, Mr. M. Veerappa Moily, cautioned against advocating the presidential form of government. He warned that it was the agenda of the BJP to go in for it in the name of a review of the Constitution of India.

The third and final day of the camp also witnessed some sort of a debate in which the Youth Congress workers from Karnataka and Kerala in particular were active participants.

The AICC General Secretary, Mr. Oscar Fernandes, shot down the proposal to adopt a resolution stating that all those above the age of 75 should retire from politics. The Indian Youth Congress General Secretary, Mr. Ranjib Biswal, had said that the camp would adopt a resolution to that effect. Mr. Fernandes made it clear that a training camp could not adopt resolutions.

On the presidential form of government, Mr. Bangarappa said that he was not the first one to suggest it. Even in the days of Indira Gandhi, two party leaders, Mr. Vasanth Sathe and Mr. A. R. Antulay, had advocated it. It was the antidote to the problem of weak coalitions at the Centre. Countries such as the United States and France were having presidential form of government. The only danger in it was that it could be distorted into a dictatorship. The American Constitution which had provided for a strong Congress provided the answer.

The party MP from Shimoga also called for a fresh look at the Constitution, though stressing that he was opposed to the current review undertaken by the committed headed by the former Chief Justice of India, Mr. M. N. Venkatachalaiah. He also said that the country should be careful in inviting foreign investment. Agreeing that he too had visited foreign countries as Chief Minister to attract capital, Mr. Bangarappa said that at that time the country was not permitting foreign direct investment in sectors such as power.

Mr. Moily, who now heads the Committee on Tax Reforms, called for a debate on federalism. He also wanted the Directive Principles of State Policy placed on a par with the Fundamental Rights and made justiciable.

It was the former Vice-Chancellor of Gulbarga University, Dr. K. H. Cheluvaraju, who suggested that politicians should have an age of retirement as in the case of the salaried people, judges and others.Those who reached the age of 75 should quit active politics and could devote themselves to social service. Democracy was on the decline in the country and what was needed was meritorious and enlightened political leadership.

Mr. Oscar Fernandes decried the tendency among the Youth Congress leaders to canvass for becoming office-bearers. Most of its committees had become bloated. The leadership expected the Youth Congress to become a movement. When a participant from Karnataka complained that some of the ministers were not giving the respect due to them, Mr. Fernandes said that if the Youth Congress became a strong movement, the ministers would run to its leaders and not vice versa.

The Pondicherry Minister and Youth Congress President, Mr. Valsaraj, said that power politics was affecting the organisation.

Mr. Dinesh Gundu Rao, MLA and President of the Karnataka Youth Congress, and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart, Mr. Sudhakar Reddy, spoke on the challenges facing them.

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Section  : Southern States
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