‘One country one election’ is good only when the Election Commission takes the responsibility of the expenditure – Raghu Thakur

New Delhi. Regarding the book ‘Questions of Time’ by the famous socialist thinker and public leader Raghu Thakur, eminent people from journalism, politics and social fields have expressed the opinion that this book finds solutions to all the problems of the country, world and society in the security of democracy and the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi. Raghu Thakur while speaking on ‘One Country One Election’ said that this slogan will be meaningful only when the election expenses are borne by the Election Commission and any candidate, irrespective of rich or poor, can contest the elections.

The book was launched today at the Constitution Club. On this occasion, Raghu Thakur along with Harijan Sevak Sangh President Laxmi Das, Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh, writer Shivdayal and book editor Dr. Shiva Srivastava had special presence.

HN Sharma, former Prime Minister Chandrashekhar’s associate, Aparna, granddaughter of Acharya Hazari Prasad Dwivedi, journalist-writer Arvind Mohan, cartoonist Irfan, journalist Dharmendra Bhadauria, writer-researcher Ashok Pankaj, Harijan Sevak Sangh Secretary Sanjay Rai, journalist Akanksha Thakur, Shambhu Dayal Baghel and Mukesh Chandra ji had special presence. The vote of thanks was given by Mrs. Anita Singh and the publisher of the book Santhananda, Nityanand. It is noteworthy that this is Raghu Thakur’s twenty-second book on public questions.

Raghu Thakur pointed out the inconsistency of many subjects including internal democracy, one country one election, electoral bonds, caste system, Swadeshi, world parliament and media and explained their solutions in democracy, simplicity and self-reliance.

Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said that apart from Raghu Thakur, no politician in the country is seen properly reviewing the decisions of the judiciary. The importance of what Raghu Thakur writes becomes understandable after three-four decades. The views expressed in Sultanpur in 1997 on economic liberalization and globalization were taped, transcribed and given the form of a book. Reading that book today makes one understand how important it is to get out of the capitalist and corporate-driven global system.

At the beginning of his statement, Raghu Thakur narrated an incident related to Acharya Hazari Prasad Dwivedi and said that during his student life, Hazari Prasad ji, in a lecture at Sagar University, while speaking contrary to the opinion of the Vice Chancellor regarding the students, had said that the movement is like the knocking of a blacksmith and it should be considered as a process of construction. Today the space for disagreement and movement is decreasing in the world. This is the reason for all the problems and discrepancies in the world.

Speaking on ‘One Country One Election’, he said that it was he and his colleagues who were the first to demand and initiate it, but there is a need for improvement in the way the government wants to move forward in this direction. As important as it is to hold elections from Panchayat to Parliament simultaneously, it is equally important not to dissolve the governments of other parties and let them work for the stipulated period. During the time of Janata Party, when some state governments were dissolved considering them unfavorable, he alone opposed this mentality.

He said that Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia used to say that political parties should learn to criticize themselves. In 1955, Lohia had asked the Chief Minister of his own party’s government to resign in protest against the firing in Kerala, saying that morality should be applied not only on the opposition parties but also on oneself.

Amendment in the party or constitution is acceptable not only for expansion of power but for principle-policy-programme. While discussing the failure of the United Nations, Raghu Thakur expressed the need to realize the World Parliament also. It is noteworthy that the preface of the book has been written by journalist and President of Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts, Ram Bahadur Rai. Discussing him, Raghu ji said that Shri Rai has generously written the introduction to those books in which his ideology is criticized. Lakshmi Das ji said that tomorrow people will discuss that Raghu ji had written like this.