Indian President coming to China on May 24-27
- By Shastri Ramachandaran
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail China.org.cn, May 30, 2016
|
|
|
Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with Indian President Pranab Mukherjee in Beijing, capital of China, May 26, 2016. [Xinhua/Liu Weibing] |
President Pranab Mukherjee, who is visiting China from May 24 to 27, is one of the world's most accomplished political leaders with extensive experience in economic affairs, finance, banking and diplomacy.
An outstanding parliamentarian elected for five 6-year terms to the Upper House and twice to the Lok Sabha, he is a scholar, author and orator of remarkable intellectual prowess. Across India's political spectrum he commands respect for his grasp of international relations, financial affairs and the parliamentary process.
Earlier this year, President Mukherjee was in the news after the second of his three-part memoirs – The Turbulent Years: 1980-1996 -- was released. The first part – The Dramatic Decade: The Indira Gandhi Years – came out in 2014.
This is the first time a President has released his memoirs in office with controversial details relating to the time of two of India's most powerful PMs, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, the politics of that turbulent period, their assassinations and the aftermath of these killings.
Although an author with several publications, none of his earlier books were of a "political" variety. Hence, they did not stir curiosity like these two did.
Beginning as a Deputy Minister in Indira Gandhi's government in 1973, a year later he moved up as Minister of State for Finance. He became a Cabinet Minister in 1980 and remained one in every Congress party government until July 25, 2012 when he was became the 13th President of India.
From 2004 to 2012, under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mukherjee had a pre-eminent role in path-breaking measures such as Right to Information, Right to Employment, Right to Education, Food Security etc. His capacity for work is phenomenal as was evident in his chairmanship of over 95 Groups of Ministers (GoMs) in the eight years before he became President.
The Chinese, like people in the US and many other countries, are often surprised by the fact that, in India, the Prime Minister is more powerful than the President who appoints him.
The present system of electing the President is there from the 1950s. The President is the Supreme Commander of India's Armed Forces, and he can declare war or conclude peace, but on the advice of the Union Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister. The President is a titular head of state. Yet he has vast constitutional powers arising from his primary duty to defend, protect and preserve the Constitution and the rule of law.
The President of India, unlike the presidents of China and the US, takes office by a different method. He has a term of five years and can be re-elected. He is not directly elected. The President is chosen through secret ballot by an electoral college comprising elected members of Parliament (MPs) and of all the state legislative assemblies (MLAs).
The role of the President is largely ceremonial and his visits to other countries are of symbolic significance. However, President Mukherjee, who has served as India's Minister of External Affairs, Defence and Finance at various times, is a skilled political and diplomatic negotiator. Therefore, the Chinese should not be surprised if President Mukherjee goes beyond the merely ceremonial to engage his hosts on issues that impact Sino-Indian relations.
For instance, one issue could be India's membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, on which Beijing is at odds with New Delhi.
The author, an independent Indian political and foreign affairs commentator, is Senior Consultant & Editor of China-India Dialogue, published by China International Publishing Group (CIPG).
Courtesy: China India Dialogue
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)