Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan, Member of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly and founder president, Lok Satta Party, made a strong case for moving towar

Dr. Frederic Grare, Senior Associate and Director, South Asia Programme, of the Washington-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, visited T

A six-member delegation of British Members of Parliament visited The Hindu Centre for Politics and Public Policy in Chennai on April 5, 2013. The delegation expressed keen interest in the Centre’s activities and said it had the potential to take the lead on key issues that are important to restore public faith in democratic institutions. The UK, too, they said, is looking at the issue of reforming its institutions. At a lunch meeting organized by The Hindu Centre, which was attended by staff of The Hindu Centre and senior journalists of The Hindu Group of publications, the delegation discussed a wide range of issues which included economic polices of the States, freedom of the press, the Centre-State relationship, the extent of participation of women in the workforce and the role of women in politics. The MPs spoke about their impressions of Tamil Nadu as a State that has shown a good record of wealth generation and increased business opportunities, as opposed to other less prosperous States in the country. The discussion that followed focused on the State’s strong policies to welcome industry and capital, its higher education system and its welfare-oriented development policies. A. R. Venkatachalapathy, member of the Board of Advisors, The Hindu Centre, told the delegation that the rapid expansion of the media, particularly in the Indian languages, had widened the base for the articulation of peoples’ aspirations in both cultural and political spheres. N. Ram and N. Ravi, members of the Board of Management of The Hindu Centre, introduced the Centre and its activities to the visiting delegation. The delegation was led by Alun Cairns and included Baroness Buscombe, Jonathan Djanogly, Baroness Gale, Mary Macleod, and Lord Rana. The MPs were accompanied by Andrew Tuggey, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Paul Rennie, British High Commission, New Delhi, Mike Nithavrianakis, British Deputy High Commissioner, Chennai, and Rudy Fernandez, Head (South India) Press and Public Affairs, British Deputy High Commission, Chennai. The MPs are in India as part of a visit organised by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association to better understand the complexities and challenges faced by Indian Parliamentarians, and to learn more about the working relationship between the Union and State governments, the functioning of Parliament and State Legislatures, and the relationship between the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

Inauguration of The Hindu Centre for Politics and Public Policy The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, inaugurated The Hindu Centre for Politics and Public Policy at Rashtrapati Bhavan Auditorium on January 31st, 2013.The President unveiled the plaque and inaugurated the Centre, based in Chennai, via video link, amidst a gathering of distinguished guests at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, including Former Prime Minister Shri. H.D. Deve Gowda, Shri. Lal Krishna Advani, Smt. Sonia Gandhi, President, Indian National Congress, Mr. Prakash Karat, General Secretary, Communist Party of India and Mr. Rahul Gandhi, Vice President, Indian National Congress. Welcoming the guests, Mr. N. Ram, Director, Kasturi and Sons Ltd., said: “The mission of the Hindu Centre for Politics and Public Policy will be to provide intellectual ballast and substance to our, and the reading public’s, understanding of selected political subjects, challenges, and issues.” Click here for full transcript of speech.  Dr. Malini Parthasarathy, Director of The Hindu Centre, while introducing the Centre’s work and mission, said that the context in which the idea of the Centre has emerged is the sharp sense of a breakdown of the basic consensus on governance and also an increasing polarization of the national discourse. She said: “We think the Centre should help strengthen the foundational liberal principles that have made this country great. The Centre should be an agent of change, rather than solely engaging in theoretical explorations at a time when there is rising public anger and strong disenchantment with politics and institutions. We see our role as taking forward a re-examination of fundamental constitutional principles which regrettably have become points of controversy and contestation such as nationalism, secularism and social justice.” Click here for full transcript of speech.  Professor Sunil Khilnani, Avantha Professor and Director, King’s India Institute, at King’s College London, also on the Board of Advisors of The Hindu Centre, said: “At a time when the Indian republic is in profound need of renewal, when we need to reinvigorate our institutions, remind ourselves of our founding principles when we face, that is, big and daunting tasks, we need also to rediscover the primacy of policy: the smaller, measurable steps by which a society moves towards high ideals. For it is only if citizens can sense that movement in their everyday lives and struggles that the ideals embodied in our Constitution will appear as worth sustaining.” Click here for full transcript of speech.  Speaking on the occasion, President Pranab Mukherjee spoke of three ‘D’s that are essential for democracy – Debate and discussion, Dissent and Decision. Referring to the frequent disruptions in parliamentary proceedings, he said that such disruptions put a serious pressure on the government and deny the right of individual members to express their views at the highest national decision making body. He spoke of the need to make more effective institutions that are vital to a parliamentary democracy such as an independent judiciary, a free press, legislature and executive. Click here for full transcript of speech.  Proposing the vote of thanks, Mr. N. Ravi, Director of Kasturi and Sons Ltd., said that the Centre could not have hoped for a better start, with the highest office of the land being associated with the inauguration of a fledgling Centre and with the participation of leaders whose actions could shape the future and make a difference to the lives of the people. He said: “The Centre is a small step which we hope can contribute to the political discourse. With all your cooperation we expect to explore solutions to long standing problems, to turn the power of ideas into the utility of practice.” Click here for full transcript of speech.