- As you are aware, the election to the Rajya Sabha is an indirect way of choosing our elected representatives in the Indian democracy, where political permutations and combinations play a significant role. We know that most leaders chosen to represent a particular political party or alliance are those who have lost direct elections at the hustings, or those who would have missed the tickets to fight elections, or to accommodate some senior leaders to please the labyrinthine caste equations/vote banks. There are certain nominations too, when renowned personalities and celebrities from various strata of society are chosen. Mind you, the Rajya Sabha is supposed to be inhabited by wiser heads to guide the nation’s policymaking in the right direction.
PC: Mint
- However, certain choices made by the political parties, irrespective of ideologies/philosophies, raise pertinent questions of suitability, effectiveness, and relevance. Agreed, renowned celebrities, successful entrepreneurs, famous personalities, and achievers from diverse fields are proven individuals who have contributed to building the nation’s progress in their unique ways. Are they the right choice for the policymaking exercise expected from the two Houses of Parliament, representing political parties who wish to cash in on the name and fame? Not really, as the experience of the past suggests. The recent announcement of nominating Kamal Hassan to the Rajya Sabha will be any different? Will he become dull like most actors inside the House?
PC: The Hindu
- Recollect how a few years ago, Jackie Chan said that he wished he could join the Chinese communist party. What he was wishing for was something impossible: being able to leverage his fan base into a political campaign. Wishful thinking. That’s going to work only in democracies. What comes to mind is Regan in America, Zelenskyy in Ukraine, Jayalalithaa in India, and Glenda Jackson in the UK, to name just a few instances. The number of actors who have entered politics in India is large, but those who have truly made a mark are few. With Kamal Haasan set to enter Rajya Sabha, all eyes will be on whether he carries his trademark intensity inside Parliament. Even as DMK allocated one Rajya Sabha seat to Kamal’s party, a different story grabbed the headlines.
PC: The Indian Express
He is not naïve while provocatively claiming that Kannada was born out of Tamil during the audio launch of his upcoming film. Controversies are the lifeblood of politics, not unlike entertainment. But it takes special skills to ride these winningly. In the movie business, Kamal has done this time and again. He must realise that his parliamentary avatar needs to be less opinionated. Of course, Jaya Bachchan is in her fifth term in the upper house, has developed a vivid presence, especially in speaking on behalf of women and the film industry. Without naming the previous representatives, not much came forth vis-à-vis impactful tenures from the chosen celebrities. Kamal will likely fade into the benches like his erstwhile predecessors. Not ideal for democracy.
