N Gopalaswami - A Hero

N Gopalaswami, the Chief Election Commissioner of India did something unusual that never happened in independent India. He wrote a 2 page letter to President Of India, with host of supporting evidence recommending the removal of Navin Chawla, one of the Two Election commissioners in the Election Commission of India. This is unprecedented by any measure. Now this letter is slowly taking political angle with Congress playing for Navin Chawla and BJP playing in for N Gopalaswami.

It is well documented that Navin Chawla, a career Civil Service officer from elite Indian Administrative Service (IAS) has many indictments since his early days of career. He is a hardcore congress supporter and "app rears" ready to die for that party good. A charity run by his wife was offered huge donations until recently, till he became Election Commissioner.

Now the problem is - Navin Chawla has been showing (according to CEC) keen interest towards protecting Congress party interests rather than national interests, while the three member election commission arrive a decision by a majority vote . This can be termed unconstitutional since the appointment is one of the highest Constitutional post in democratic India, that prides itself as the largest democracy in the world.

N Gopalaswami, the CEC was also career Civil Servant but with not any record of misconduct during his career. CEC is due to retire in April this year. After four decades of illustratious career, if N Gopalaswami took a decision that would create a unprecedented storm, then definitely something seriously wrong and unconstitutional is going with the Election Commission. To support all his allegations, Gopalaswami provided sufficient evidence in his letter to President of India.

Unfortunately, President of India does not have any powers and all the decisions must be taken by Union Cabinet headed by Manmohan Singh. But Dr Singh, considered to be the weakest Prime Minister India ever had - is a proxy for the real power - Sonia Gandhi. Now the story comes to the full circle because, N Gopalaswami is claiming that Navin Chawla acting partially in favour of Congress party headed by Madam Gandhi. Thus, the letter would not go into any consideration - since Gopalaswami is due to retire in a couple of months and Navin, the Senior Election Commissioner is due to take his position (under normal circumstances).

Despite knowing all these, Gopalaswami took the biggest risk of his career. Why? It is a known fact that the bureaucracy and politics in India work for each other and in the past six decades, the integrity of the bureaucrats came into big question mark as most of them are becoming parasites for the chosen political masters. Yet, Gopalaswami took a brave decision - may because, the corruption and mean attitudes should not get into the constitutional posts and that the seriousness of the issue is beyond his powers and influence.

In the end as I said, nothing may happen and Navin Chawla might be rewarded with the CEC position for his intelligence gathering work rather than serving the nation.

Yet, this incident clearly shows - slowly but surely the constitutional positions - until recently remained above the partisan politics are getting slowly into the same platform.

Gopalaswami might be forgotten in few months, but his letter is a reminder to Democratic India that not everything is going well even in the sacred places.

Truly N Gopalaswami is a hero for raising the voice - to highlight an alarming trend - never good for democratic India.