The Hindu : Threat to democracy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Oct 24, 2003

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Threat to democracy

Sir, — It has been widely felt in Kerala that the movement recently launched by several political parties and organisations against the Chief Minister was wrong, ill-motivated and detrimental to the development of sound democratic traditions in the State (apart from being unfair to the individual targeted). Fortunately, the Congress president has intervened and helped restore order. But it is clear now that once again various issues are being raised with the intent of bringing down the Government.

The functioning of a democratic system requires some rules and regulations but, even more, some healthy conventions and traditions. While the system has functioned fairly well in Kerala (of which we can be proud), even when the Communist parties were in power, thanks to the mature leadership of outstanding leaders like E.M.S. Namboodiripad, it is now in serious danger. Conventions and traditions developed in Kerala over more than three decades are now being stamped upon by immature political leaders, as they do not have the wisdom to understand what they are doing or because their egoism and petty ambition have overwhelmed them. I hope they will ponder over what they are doing and that better sense will prevail.

K.N. Raj,
Thiruvananthapuram

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