Lit fest debates role of regional parties in coalition government at centre

CHENNAI: A three-day-long literary festival kick-started in the city on Saturday with a wide variety of insightful debates on governance, future of Indian politics, feminism and India.Sessions like ‘Governance a Responsibility’ in which eminent politicians spoke on State governance, Her Music Her Life- a tribute to DK Pattammal and Literature on Myth- a session which explored more about writings on Indian Mythology saw a packed house.

The 9th edition of the fest was organised in such a manner that plastic was avoided in all forms. The fest which ends on January 14 has an array of interesting debates and discussions.In the afternoon session politicians including Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi, CPI leader C Mahendran, Congress leader Peter Alphonse and VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan discussed  the difference between stable and responsible governance. In the session which was mediated by journalist S Karthigaichelvan, many questions regarding coalition governance, caste equation and effect of regional parties in national politics surfaced. 

Speakers agreed in unison that responsible governance trumped stable governance as the former reflected the true qualities of the Constitution. “The primary aim of responsible governance is to provide education to all, especially to those belonging to the backward classes to help them get liberated from the shackles of caste and discrimination,” said Thirumavalavan.

Also, a coalition government like the ones during PV Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh’s tenure will ensure that governance does not become dictatorship like in the case of majoritarianism, said Kanimozhi.