Concerned with future of country: Gopalkrishna

Former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi today said he was quite concerned with future of the country seeing the current trend of hate politics prevalent in the Indian political arena.
"I should not be answering questions as a former governor but as a citizen. What I see, I should say that I feel very concerned about the future of our country, about the role of hate politics, of sectarian politics and I want to see a plural society strengthened and preserved against all the politics," he told reporters.
He expressed his views during the launch of third edition of "An Undocumented Wonder; The Making of The Great Indian Election" written by Former Chief Election Commissioner of India S Y Quraishi here at a city hotel.

According to Gandhi, the country's election system "badly" required a cleaning and praised Quraishi for penning down issues related to this in his book.
"Elections are the Gangotri of our democracy and Yamunotri of our republic but the sangam needed to be cleared up very very badly," he said.
Hailing the Indian election system as an unique one in the world, Gandhi pointed out to its five pillars of pride.

Permeation of the poll system across the country, the complete fairness it offers, the technological evolution by bringing in EVMs replacing the paper ballots, the awareness of itself as a political entity and the equality it has created for every citizen of the nation irrespective of his social or financial status constitutes the five pillars of pride of the nation's election system, Gandhi pointed out.

However, there were five pillars of shame which needed to be addressed as well, he said.
"What's the point in being the world's largest democracy if the quality of that democracy is suspect. The quality of our election system has grossly been undermined by the misuse of money. Nothing wrong with money but its the use of money which is wrong," he said.
"Besides, muscle power, manipulation, unchecked verbal abuse practised by almost everyone during polls and the divisiveness during elections are the five pillars of shame in the country's election system, Gandhi said.