Does India need a ceremonial figurehead President?

Question

Indian independence is a hoax.They simply outsourced the British Raj to the oligarchs,cronies and mercenaries.Even after 60 years of independence,more than 700 million Indians start their day without a toilet and clean drinking water.Remember,these are the people who are working in the farms and roads and feeding 1.2 billion people everyday.We are living in a dream world by speaking high about our culture and civilization.It is a pity that even small nations with limited resources have made tremendous progress and enhanced the quality of life for their citizens in the past 20 years.Finland-Nokia is a very good example.Mr.Kalam can give some inspirational speeches for the children to dream big.Unfortunately, that is what they are doing everyday.First of all,why India needs a President who is just a powerless,ceremonial figure?.This position should either be completely abolished or empowered as an ultimate authority to weedout corruption and implement accountability in public life.

Answer 1

yes it needs

Answer 2

It is very unfortunate that the governance of our country had a very bad start. The crooked makers of Indian Constitution designed it in such a way that everything goes in their favour but nobody can be made accountable for any lapse which has led to wide-spread corruption at all levels and in every sphere of life.

Our present President, undoubtedly, is the ablest President of all times - an engineer and scientist with many things to his credit, a true patriot, a taskmaster, a philosopher and a real saint. He is even unique amongst the Presidents of many developed countries and outclasses them in many respects. When required, he has proved his mettle in this highest office but what more can he do? He is not vested with powers to act like the Presidents of those countries. The Constitution has been designed in such a way that the Prime Minister and the Parliament wield more power and authority.

Why will the politicians, majority of whom are corrupt and criminals, think of bringing about a change in the constitution which will go against their interests? After protests and fights in the earlier decades, the citizens of present generation have lost the energy and have already reconciled with the existing situation. Hence, little can be expected from them.

Mr. Kalam knows that children are the only hope for the nation and for this reason, he is maintaining regular and close communication with them. Who knows, with his magic touch, a few Subhash Boses will emerge to change the whole scenario?

Let us, therefore, make sincere efforts to groom our children properly so that they become true and devoted citizens of this country, capable of steering it toward an era of truth, honesty, non-violence and plenty.

Answer 3

No, this ceremonial figurehead President is best suitable, as per the Indian Constitution. President of India is the Constitutional Head. Do not think that he is powerless. He holds all the powers of a kingmaker, after general elections. He holds discretion to call upon any party to form a government, when no party got required majority. Our Consitution is as such that we must have the President. In fact we have separation of powers theory,
Legislative, Exeuctive and Judiciary. The President of India is the Legislative Head, Executive Head and as well as Judicial Head, in our system.

Answer 4

Whether we have a ceremonial president or an all powerful president , what matters is the policies of the party that is wielding political power. Individuals alone cannot change the system. Their positions must be backed by peoples movements.
Those who are in power(be it a party or an individual) must have clear vision and commitment for the vision.

Answer 5

i agree on your points regarding presidential position in India.

But please leave honourable KALAM alone. He is one bloke who's made it to the top from grassroots.He's given respectability to his post.

And regarding your dissappointments with India - i share your feelings. But it would be unfair to compare India with such smaller countries.It would be unfair to make comparisons even with CHINA.And my reasons are--

1] In china control is very easy. there's only one official language , majority into buddhism ,taoism or confucianism.

Consider this- In India we have around 500 languages.And the country is being run with 22 official languages.

500 languages effectively means 500 different cultures.This is one of a kind situation in world .And that is why we have democracy here , the only option.With democracy our progress is slow .

And i woud say all world problems at this point of time are accumulated right here in this ancient land.

1] africa like poverty [economic and educational]
2] religious fanaticism
3] Border disputes.
4] there's problem of plenty as well , in urban India , which is blindly following western lifestyle , only to fall into abyss with lifestyle related problems like obese children , mindless partying , drug addiction , absolute lack of peace, and a deep sense of fear much like WHAT you have in the US TODAY.
5] developing countries' very own "CORRUPTION"

And yet when i think why all the trouble on one single country , the answer that i get is- all the opportunities and divine possibilties are also here.I am POSITIVE. ALL THESE PROBLEMS WILL EVOLVE and show us the POSSIBILITIES.We'll lead the world.

When India rises it won't be to dominate, it will be to show the world it's real goal ,HAPPINESS.

Answer 6

This is a good subject for debating. I do not think the system can be changed easily in our country, even though Mrs. Indira Gandhi wanted it to change. The president in our system has a positive role to play, just like Mr. Kalam did in case of office of profit bill. In case of dissolution of Laloo' s ministry also he played a role just like Mr. Ahmed (another muslim president) did by signing on the proclaimation of emergency. What is importent is people's understanding of the situation and their reaction, just like defeat of Mrs. Gandhi or throwing out the ministry of Laloo in Bihar.

Answer 7

I think you dont know the meaning of independence. Independence is when theres is freedom and outsiders are not ruling over you. Independence has nothing to do with people waking up without toilets and food and whatever. Independence and development arn't the same thing.

Answer 8

Yes you are right.People like you have nothing to do but complaining only.How can country move ahead.

Answer 9

i think u don't know ..about the family background of our president..as he hail from the poor family ..and that big thinking got him to the current position....i never seen anyother president coming up of rastrapati bhawan and meeting and visiting sites..in reality..and trying to motivate ..peoples..
tell me what this young generation nned ,,,motivation..or funds..to move ahead...


Born on 15th October 1931 at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, specialized in Aeronautical Engineering from Madras Institute of Technology.
Dr. Kalam made significant contribution as Project Director to develop India's first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III) which successfully injected the Rohini satellite in the near earth orbit in July 1980 and made India an exclusive member of Space Club. He was responsible for the evolution of ISRO's launch vehicle programme, particularly the PSLV configuration. After working for two decades in ISRO and mastering launch vehicle technologies, Dr. Kalam took up the responsibility of developing Indigenous Guided Missiles at Defence Research and Development Organisation as the Chief Executive of Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP). He was responsible for the development and operationalisation of AGNI and PRITHVI Missiles and for building indigenous capability in critical technologies through networking of multiple institutions. He was the Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister and Secretary, Department of Defence Research & Development from July 1992 to December 1999. During this period he led to the weaponisation of strategic missile systems and the Pokhran-II nuclear tests in collaboration with Department of Atomic Energy, which made India a nuclear weapon State. He also gave thrust to self-reliance in defence systems by progressing multiple development tasks and mission projects such as Light Combat Aircraft.

As Chairman of Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) and as an eminent scientist, he led the country with the help of 500 experts to arrive at Technology Vision 2020 giving a road map for transforming India from the present developing status to a developed nation. Dr. Kalam has served as the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, in the rank of Cabinet Minister, from November 1999 to November 2001 and was responsible for evolving policies, strategies and missions for many development applications. Dr. Kalam was also the Chairman, Ex-officio, of the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Cabinet (SAC-C) and piloted India Millennium Mission 2020.

Dr. Kalam took up academic pursuit as Professor, Technology & Societal Transformation at Anna University, Chennai from November 2001 and was involved in teaching and research tasks. Above all he took up a mission to ignite the young minds for national development by meeting high school students across the country.

In his literary pursuit four of Dr. Kalam's books - "Wings of Fire", "India 2020 - A Vision for the New Millennium", "My journey" and "Ignited Minds - Unleashing the power within India" have become household names in India and among the Indian nationals abroad. These books have been translated in many Indian languages.

Dr. Kalam is one of the most distinguished scientists of India with the unique honour of receiving honorary doctorates from 30 universities and institutions. He has been awarded the coveted civilian awards - Padma Bhushan (1981) and Padma Vibhushan (1990) and the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna (1997). He is a recipient of several other awards and Fellow of many professional institutions.

Dr. Kalam became the 11th President of India on 25th July 2002. His focus is on transforming India into a developed nation by 2020.


his book on Vision 2020 shows his intellectual and competiive thinking ..and let me tell u he is not a powerless figure..as one nned to enter this ..political systemm..if u better wanna know the powers of president......