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Saturday, October 01, 2011

What a Farce of Democracy we are!

Every Indian feels proud when someone describes India as the world’s largest democracy! Life of aam admi in India would be largely different if the focal point of our pride were the quality of democracy rather than the quantity of its population. Hubris over the ‘largeness’ of our population which at best goes to highlight the virility of India’s men and fertility of her women is, therefore, somewhat misplaced. What has ‘democracy’ got to do with it? In the absence of ‘quality’, the value of ‘quantity’ is as meaningless as the abundance of water at high seas where the thirsty voyagers do not find a drop to drink. Rather than boasting about our numbers, there could have been more appropriate reasons to trigger mass euphoria, like quality of governance – better health, freedom from starvation, security against terror blasts, efficient service delivery system, people friendly administration and so on. That humble aspiration of the Indian masses, however, has been sadly belied by the politico-bureaucratic nexus that has firmly rooted itself in India’s governing systems.

There are glaring structural flaws in the world’s largest democracy as its ground application manifests in many ways. Ministers and bureaucrats have devised innovative escape routes and nearly always get away with omissions and commissions, which in a truly responsive democracy would be severely dealt with. While there has been widespread public disgust against poor service delivery mechanism in the government offices, our bureaucrats have displayed their skills in working out machinations that would blunt any tool of honesty and efficiency. There are leaders who are still a source of hope for the masses but the number of those who generate mass despair and disgust is increasing shamefully.

Here is a snap test to confirm this. What kind of emotions do names like these evoke in your mind: Buta Singh, Sharad Pawar, Shibu Soren, Ajit Singh, Mulayam Singh, Amar Singh, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Mayawati, Bhajan Lal, Sukh Ram, Karunanidhi, Jai Lalitha, Yeddyurappa…? Much has been already written about those who are already in Tihar Jail and those on their way to it. They have ushered in a peculiar brand of politics unknown in other democracies of the world. Now think of the risks such a scenario poses when India is critically poised to leap into more responsible and powerful leadership roles at global level.

As is amply established by the endless scams involving high profile ministers and their caucus, it is not odd cases of corruption but the entire governance on a decadent path and needs immediate cure. The contamination has spread infecting all limbs and vital organs of the country including judiciary and the armed forces. It is essential to examine the hows and whys of this decay making inroads into our systems. Let’s accept the fundamental principle – leadership is the nation’s fountainhead, and whatever flows from it, good or evil, shall spread all over. Bottom level corruption and callousness cannot survive the thrust of good policies and actions from the top. In fact, right now a couple of Indian states are already setting new standards of good governance and a responsive democracy infusing hope in place of despair.

How far have we come in redeeming dreams of the founding fathers of our Constitution wherein the preamble itself is an expression of the aam admi’s aspirations (“WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved … and do hereby adopt, enact and give to ourselves this Constitution”)? Ground realities have belied these aspirations in a manner that within six decades of freedom, India has become a prisoner of her own sins – corruption, caste-based divisive policies, communalism, callous and inefficient administration.

No recruitment in a government job is possible without favourable character verification from the local police station, which must state that the applicant has never been involved in any incriminating activity and has a clean personal record. An adverse comment from the police will mean rejection of the potential Babu, constable or soldier. The law of the land, however, mellows down considerably for our leaders, as their character credentials do not seem to matter even as they would boss over the clean record holders and lead the country. There are 162 MPs in the current Lok Sabha who are facing charges for legal offences, some as serious as robbery, murder and rape. As we watch, more politicians including ministers are being added to this number. Besides the public outcry, look at who all have been crying for action:-

• Law Commission of India in its 166th Report dated 4.2.1999 recommended ‘Forfeiture’ of illegally acquired property of politicians and other public servants. The Commission also drafted and sent ‘The Corrupt Public Servants (Forfeiture of Property) Bill’ to the Law Minister. No action in 12 years!

• Four Chief Election Commissioners have consecutively and persistently recommended enactment of a law to debar and disqualify the corrupt and criminal candidates from seeking election to the Parliament, State Legislatures and other public bodies. The Government and our political parties are all in a synchronous mute mode on this issue.

• The Administrative Reforms Commission constituted by the UPA 1 and chaired by Mr Veerappa Moily who was himself the Law Minister till recently also gave voice to the above two proposals and recommended appropriate enactment besides institutionalisation of an effective Lokpal in its 4th Report titled ‘Ethics in Governance’ in January 2007. Yet, India awaits arrival of ‘ethics in governance.’

• The least that the courts can do is to put the cases of tainted MPs/MLAs on a fast track setting a time limit by which the case must be led to its conclusion. Also, the charge-sheeted members should remain ‘suspended’ until absolved of the charges by the court on the same lines as is done for the government officers. Yet, most of them find more comfort in prolonging the cases than expediting. Why?

• The much discussed Lokpal Bill has been now introduced for the ninth time in the Parliament, though the public demand for the same has been raging for over 42 years. The Government has been driven to act only after Anna Hazare’s fast roused unprecedented public ire over the rising corruption in high places. Yet, the air is thick with suspicions about the political intent on institutionalising an effective Lokpal.

In sharp contrast to historic delays and inaction on bills that could significantly change lives of the Indian masses, Bills seeking salary hikes and perks of MPs by as much as 200% (from Rs 16,000 to Rs 50,000 plus 15 types of perks that add to an MP’s annual package of Rs 45 lakh) are passed unanimously in a day without much debate. And, almost at the same time the Planning Commission adds insult to the injury of the suffering masses by declaring that those spending an amount of Rs 32 and 26 per day in urban and rural areas respectively are no longer poor! Whereas India’s own official statistics peg India’s poverty between 37% (Tendulkar Committee) and 77% (National Commission for Enterprises in Unorganised Sector), there are as many as 645 million Indians living in conditions akin or worse than the 410 million living in the 26 poorest African countries. How do our MPs plan to deliver these millions from misery to a liveable, if not respectable, life style vis-à-vis their own?

India is at a peculiar juncture today. The western world is grappling with economic downturn. Starting from India’s immediate west there is terror, turmoil and anarchy in most of West Asia and North Africa. In such difficult times, India is on a growth path and in strategically advantageous position to assume greater global role to influence decision making in vital international affairs provided she first conquers her inner conflicts like rampant corruption in high places and a callous, unresponsive and unaccountable administration.

World’s ‘largest’ can be its ‘Greatest’ Democracy, if we can change course soon enough. Option is ours – we can either capture or lose the Opportunity, for no opportunity waits for long.

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