The Professor B K Chandrashekhar Chat
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 6:33 IST)
Hello everyone, here I am...
Jogi (Thu Sep 2 1999 5:57 IST)
Professor what factors do you see swaying the votes in the Congress Party's favour?
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 6:35 IST)
Jogi: The most important factor is the broad but clear understanding of secularism, which simply means that the political system or the state will have equal respect for all religions, people of such diverse cultural and religious backgrounds will be able to live peacefully with each other.
Giridhar (Thu Sep 2 1999 6:0 IST)
Professor Chandrashekhar, how long do you think will the Sonia Gandhi and Jayalalitha alliance last? Why should the AIADMK chief jell well with the Congress when she was the unmaking of the BJP because of her stupid ego?
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 6:37 IST)
Giridhar: I think the test of longevity of an alliance is the willingness to politically accommodate each other within the framework of accepted political values and rules. I believe after her experience with the BJP Ms Jayalalitha will want to continue her alliance with the Congress for quite some time to come.
Jaidev (Thu Sep 2 1999 6:9 IST)
Mr Chandrashekhar why are you using the Kargil issue as an political tool to gain advantage in the elections when Kargil had no contribution whatsoever from the politicians.
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 6:39 IST)
Jaidev, that question should be addressed to the BJP including PM Vajpayee who have been shuffling their feet on politicising Kargill. All that the Cong asked for was a debate on the decisions of the political wing of the Govt and not the conduct of our admirable soldiers.
Jaga (Thu Sep 2 1999 6:12 IST)
Professor, don't you think one needs lot experience to become prime minister? Do you agree to Sonia being prime minister?
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 6:41 IST)
Jaga: The same kind of thing was said for Rajiv Gandhi, but he picked up the nuances of administration very fast. Even Vajpayee was entirely new to the job in 1998, and therefore some terrible, if elementary, mistakes were committed by his govt in respect of the budget and so on.
Karthik (Thu Sep 2 1999 6:22 IST)
Professor sir, what ability and qualities does Sonia Gandhi have to occupy the most powerful position in the nation?
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 6:44 IST)
Karthik: Sonia has shown remarkable maturity and restraint in on an otherwise volatile situation, ever since she took over as president of AICC. She was responsible for the party's victory last year in Delhi, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
In the ongoing campaign, despite extremely personalised and often below the belt attacks on her by so-called experienced leaders, she has not even once responded at a personalised level. Of course, she has the cumulative experience of the Gandhi family to go by.
hegde (Thu Sep 2 1999 6:35 IST)
Why can't Congress choose a dynamic young leader ? Why rely on the old and outdated?
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 6:47 IST)
Hegde: The Cong has in fact chosen a young and dynamic Sonia Gandhi. She is also mature and very rational in her judgement of politics.
Princess (Thu Sep 2 1999 6:41 IST)
Hello professor, they say a neo-convert is more zealous. And your replies prove the point. Why did you cross over to the Congress from the Janata Dal, by the way?
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 6:50 IST)
Princess: Clearly, and with the utmost conviction, let me tell you that I did not cross over for the sake of power. I left the Janata Dal when it was in power in Karnataka and I resisted some interesting offers from them and went to the Congress, which was in the opposition. I believe communalism cannot be fought in this country without the Congress, and unless we do that, the country will disintegrate.
Monish (Thu Sep 2 1999 6:41 IST)
Mr Chandrashekhar please tell me/explain to me WHY should Indians accept an Italian as the prime minister? Why isn't Manmohan Singh being made a prime ministerial candidate?
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 6:51 IST)
Monish: This is an issue which has been discussed in all its dimensions over the last 12 months. Sonia Gandhi is an Indian citizen and an Indian national. Reference to her place of birth is probably not the most relevant issue to talk about.
vadiraj (Thu Sep 2 1999 6:50 IST)
Professor, Why do you keep mum on Sonia's foreign status? You studied in the UK. Can an Indian become a PM there or, for that matter, in the US, the "role model" for so many Indians?
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 6:54 IST)
Vadiraj: The constitutions of those countries at some point of time had enacted only natural citizens could become prime ministers of presidents but there are several other instances in Latin America, Africa and countries like Mauritius where foreign-born individuals have been elected by the people into high office, although not as PM. Right now, a person of Indian origin is an important cabinet minister in the British cabinet.
BSC (Thu Sep 2 1999 6:45 IST)
Professor, you haven't answered this question. I am really interested to know how such a highly qualified man like you is in the Congress. What is it that attracts you to a party that the intelligentsia and the middle class loves to hate?
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 6:57 IST)
BSC: I had strongly believed that Ramakrishna Hegde and other leaders who established the Janata Dal were going to keep communalism at bay as they had promised in their political careers of over four decades, and also that the Janata Dal would offer at least a relatively good and responsive Govt to the people of Karnataka. Vut over the last 4-5 years, the JD has been a disaster. We shall try to influence important policy areas in the Congress. I agree with you that the Congress needs to have a relook at its cultural politics so that the middle-classes would not feel alienated.
Yusuf (Thu Sep 2 1999 6:55 IST)
Professor WHAT DO YOU MEAN when you say communalism cannot be fought without the Congress? You guys are as communal as the BJP/SHIV SENA!! They appease the Hindus, you appease the minority communities of Muslims, Christians and Dalits and exploit everyone. Look at your administration in the last 48 years!
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 7:1 IST)
Yusuf: Beginning with Jawaharlal Nehru, up until recently, the Congress argued for coexistence of the very diverse kinds of people in this country. Given that the majority of the Muslims are very poor and illiterate, they need to be helped just like the SCs and STs so that they can be drawn into the mainstream of life. In fact, most foreign countries have admired the approach of successive Indian govts towards reservation despite its excesses here and there.
Maga (Thu Sep 2 1999 7:1 IST)
Shekharji, has the BJP-JD alliance in Karnataka affected the Congress's prospects?
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 7:7 IST)
Maga: To a limited extent, yes.
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 7:8 IST)
Maga: To continue, however, the conclusion regarding election symbols and candidates from both the parties of the alliance continuing in the fray is an advantage to the Congress.
Jai (Thu Sep 2 1999 7:7 IST)
Go and eat Pizza, Prof Chandra, along with your Cong (Italy).
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 7:10 IST)
Jai: I wouldn't mind eating pizza!
Gaurav (Thu Sep 2 1999 7:9 IST)
Mr.Chandrashekhar: On what basis do you and your party think that the Congress has an edge over BJP+allies? Is criticising BJP the only agenda left in the Congress manifesto. Don't you take into account the scandals and the corruption during the Congress regime?
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 7:12 IST)
Gaurav: Yes, there have been scandals and allegations of corruption. The latest telecom scam, costing the Indian govt Rs 4,000 crores and a total of Rs 50,000 crores by the year 2012, indicates that corruption can overtake any party. The effort should be to keep strengthening legal and other institutions to tackle corruption and to ensure a strong civil society consisting of people like you and me keeps criticising politicians indulging in corruption.
Jaga (Thu Sep 2 1999 7:12 IST)
Tell me honestly, what is the contribution of Gandhi family rule to India? It is lagging behind in all areas except population.
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 7:16 IST)
Jaga: I would say that the Gandhi family's contribution in comparison with govts and rulers in other third-world countries is the creation of a strong middle-class which will defend the Indian state and democracy. It is as much a compliment to the people of this great nation as to Jawaharlal Nehru and others that they have defended freedom and democracy. Look at our neighbour, Pakistan. What Nehru could achieve, Jinnah could not -- unfortunately.
tirupati (Thu Sep 2 1999 7:12 IST)
Prof, why are you not contesting the election?
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 7:17 IST)
Tirupati: I dearly wanted to do so this time. There is nothing like going to the people. I suppose one big disadvantage in my case is the lack of financial resources to fight an election.
hegde (Thu Sep 2 1999 6:39 IST)
secularism is enshrined in the constitution. no govt will be able to change that character easily. why harp on secularism all the time? we need economic and military progress -- not a lecture on secularism and diversity.
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 7:4 IST)
HEGDE: Secularism cannot really be separated from the process of development or what we call the economy. Agreed that we should be watchful about our military preparedness, failing which we shall have more Kargils.
tirupati (Thu Sep 2 1999 7:13 IST)
What is your reaction to the statements issued by Mahajan and Fernandes about Sonia, and Ghulam Nabi about Vajpayee?
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 7:20 IST)
Tirupati: Its terribly unfortunate that only when Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad made some observations which are apparently factually correct that the BJP felt stung by his remarks. Imagine the privation and pain suffered by Sonia Gandhi from persistent personalised attacks on her by all the leading lights of the BJP and its alliance partners in Karnataka.
You might have noticed that ever since the campaign began, I have been persistently arguing that we should discuss issues relevant to the court and the middle classes and fight on that basis.
tirupati (Thu Sep 2 1999 7:18 IST)
How can that be? The Congress has no resources? It's supposed to be India's biggest and richest party.
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 7:23 IST)
Tirupati: Your impressions are not exactly valid. I know that the party has been able to give very little assistance to candidates. My problem has always been my inability to mobilise even the little bit of funding that is initially required. Pls don't think I'm immodest when I say that I have made no money or property from politics or public life.
Padma (Thu Sep 2 1999 7:20 IST)
Prof. Give me one good reason why Sonia Gandhi should be elected as the P.M apart from the "GANDHI" tag she has in the Last part of her name?
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 7:25 IST)
Padma: She has been as good a leader of a large party as leaders of some of the other parties. What has impressed me most is her dignity in her conduct and pronouncements.
Gaurav (Thu Sep 2 1999 7:18 IST)
Mr.Chandreshekhar, I have never been able to understand one thing. This might sound foolish to you. Every party in the Indian scenario wants to come to power by criticising another party. When the last elections were held, the BJP had criticised the Congress in the same way that the Congress is doing to the BJP now.
What for this criticism? Is only the BJP wrong and the Congress totally right or vice-versa. Why the hell do you people keep wasting our money on the stupid acts of some politicians due to which thousands of crores of rupees are wasted on elections..
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 7:28 IST)
Gaurav: We can't be impatient with the political process. I agree with you entirely that our whole lot of politicians has been self-seeking and lacking in commitment. But all countries have gone through this phase. The very fact that you can get angry about such politicians is an insurance against continued irresponsibility.
msayyar (Thu Sep 2 1999 7:28 IST)
Amar,Akbar and Antony have left Congress and this has made Congress WEAK in Maharashtra. What is your opinion?
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 7:29 IST)
msayyar: I agree that their departure will affect Congress' prospects but the conciliatory tone of Mr Sharad Pawar as of yesterday is an indication that he needs also to work with the Congress.
abc (Thu Sep 2 1999 7:28 IST)
If the Congress comes into power, will it try to get to the bottom of the Bofors affair or will it push it under the carpet? If the former, it means the Congress is innocent. If the latter, guilty.
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 7:32 IST)
abc: I would like to remind you that in the first speech Sonia Gandhi made in Bangalore nearly a year ago, she demanded that all papers connected with Bofors be made public and a discussion held. I wonder why the present govt has not done so although they had been claiming, while in the opposition, that they would expose the alleged Bofors dealings.
Gaurav (Thu Sep 2 1999 7:33 IST)
Mr Chandreshekhar.. Just answer one question. This might again sound foolish. But I can't resist asking it: WHO DO YOU THINK PERSONALLY WILL BE A BETTER PM? VAJPAYEE or SONIA. For the good of our country. And the reason for it. PLEASE TRY TO BE AS HONEST AS POSSIBLE...
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 7:38 IST)
Gaurav: This is a good final question for me to answer before I sign off and depart... I honestly feel that you should choose between policies and eliminate forces that are likely to disintegrate this country.
A particular PM maybe good or not so good in administration but it is the entire party and the team in the cabinet that matters.
In the last 16 months, despite Sri Vajpayee's personal standing, I don't think he has been able to give a good government, what with the crisis of prices of essential commodities shooting up, attacks on certain sections of the Indian community, problems created by financial sanctions etc.
Well, then, everyone, its been nice talking to all of you...
Professor B K Chandrashekhar(Thu Sep 2 1999 7:38 IST)
Gaurav: Sonia Gandhi has made it clear that the elected Congress MPs would pick the prime ministerial candidate.
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