India is progressing towards a participatory democracy rather than simply sticking to a representative democracy, say Neha Saluja & N. Sai Balaji
The Arab world is enamoured with its new found love for democracy. A self-immolation of a vegetable vendor in Tunisia sparked a nationwide revolt. People took to streets, protested against autocracy and voiced their concerns. Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, reviled for his dictatorial ways, was confounded and swamped by demands for reforms. Ultimately, people’s power got the better of his tyrannical rule, and he was booted out of office.
Soon, hope mustered confidence in rest of the Arab world.
Supporters of democracy thronged the streets of Egypt protesting against their own despot Hosni Mubarak. Tahrir Square was inundated with youth, women daring lathis, leading Mubarak to step down. Tolerance has its limitations; oppression has its days but what catches a popular imagination takes no time to spread. An exemplary case can be noted in people’s movements in Bahrain, Syria, Yemen and Libya.
United Nations’ data reveals that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s military has gunned down 1,800 pro-democracy protesters since mid-March.
Bahrain’s protestors tasted the bullets of armed forces sent by Saudi Arabia which acts as a guardian for the Arab world, thanks to its colossal wealth. Saudi Arabia is known to be a Western player and its vested interests lay towards its allies. Yemen had it days but what surprised the world was the Libyans’ counter attack on its 42-year-old autocrat Muammar Gaddafi’s regime. Rebels conquered Tripoli as Gaddafi ran for his dear life.
Foundation might be divergent, but contention has to be equivocal. Indians are facing similar turbulences. India is the largest democracy, which the Arab espouses to have, but what we lack is the firepower to battle the malaise of corruption. Finally, when we managed to crack the shell, Gandhian Anna Hazare’s crusade against corruption was termed undemocratic.
The entire tussle has been between the civil society’s Jan Lokpal and the Congress-ked government’s Lokpal. Neither side blinked until the ninth day of Anna’s fast. Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh finally signalled a way and pleaded to an end of the ‘undemocratic protest’. His intention to hold talks and look into Jan Lokpal clauses has been hailed. Impending contention to bring judiciary, the lower bureaucracy and the master of all — the Prime Minister — has led open criticism to the Jan Lokpal. On the contrary, Anna believes by placing an ombudsman with super powers would stamp out all-pervasive corruption.
Abraham Lincoln’s formula of “To the people, By the people and For the people” has branched into numerous directions. India has faced the brunt of discontent among people constantly. What has gone wrong? Did we collude with our glorious vision of development and sacrificed democracy?
With indictment of our first women Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s electoral manipulation and declaration of Emergency and atrocities, the case of probity does not stop with her. It leads to her son Rajiv Gandhi in Bofors scam that tainted the integrity of the PM’s office and lately Dr Manmohan Singh has to give the testimony of his clean image after 41 years in public life.
Coercive methods like ‘fast-unto-death’, blackmailing and many more only heightens the allegations of the movement being undemocratic and unconstitutional. Well, was the functioning of previous governments whose acts of promulgation, execution and formulation of laws constitutional?
Numerous examples can be dug out like the protests and bandhs called by Telangana state agitators, or firing at innocent farmers in Pune or underscoring the fears of people over nuclear power.
In the entire melodrama of the ‘undemocratic’ campaign, ‘not a single incident of violence has been reported till date neither in India nor in foreign were people are exercising their freedom of speech’. Peaceful repercussion can be seen with government agreeing to look into Jan Lokpal arguments.
Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) had protested during the Independence Day parade in New York. Placards with anti-corruption slogans and supporting Anna’s campaign have won many hearts back home. The echoing feeling of resent and discontent and the connection with the parent nation has reinforced the fact that Indians stand united for a cause which they believe in.
The role of social media has energized the essence of the campaign. A search in YouTube or a scan NRIs’ Facebook walls yields unprecedented support for the cause. Video messages from NRIs based in Germany and Ireland managed to grab Indian news channels’ eyeballs, stressing a dedicated channel for their coverage. Regional and national media houses reacted quickly in tracking efficiently Indian diaspora support. America has been the centre of action.
Why NRIs?
“Facebook walls constantly updated, with passionate tweets and a resilient hope to muster support from the out-gone class has subordinated their presence.”
Many reasons can be assigned to such a unity from the diaspora and Indians for the integrity on show. India’s reputation at home is denting the country’s abroad. The pain of seeing too many scandals, scams and the talk about black money is only hampering the NRIs who share an intimate bond with their country.
Corruption can be indirectly cursed for brain drain, where in people went on globally for exploring lost opportunities in their homeland. NRIs’ role in protest stems from their love for the country. Their consent on functioning of the government is irrefutable since their income are channelised back home as investments. Their influence over the country’s growth is indisputable. NRIs are more passionate than their compatriots back home because they know ‘what they miss’. The country’s image and progression is their prime outlook.
Salience of the whole struggle would be attributed to Anna’s integrity and his reputation to be known ‘Mr Clean’ who has held the ‘second freedom struggle of India’ together galvanising the youth, the old and the middle class is only because of the melancholy of corruption. India stood tall behind Anna for a belief that the crusader will drive their agony away. Many agitations motivated by political parties like BJP, Communists etc, have only been a flash in the pan.
A similar kind of movement started by popular yoga guru Baba Ramdev, too, found popular support. Other leaders like Sri Sri Ravishankar — the proponent of Art of Living – and social activists Aruna Roy, Medha Patkar, etc have only rallied more support both at home and abroad.
Why people’s protest is justified? According to Dr. Pushker Srivastava, Project Director, Network 18, citizens have the right to vote and ask if their elected representative misleads them or breach their trust.
Jan Lokpal implementation has to concentrate on instilling fear in official and political hierarchy by bringing in accountability. Eclectic changes have to be made on broader grounds. Technology has to be as an interface, but complete dependence on it for holistic change would only led to the fear factor.
P J Thomas, Chief Vigilance Commissioner, the anti-corruption wing of India was dismissed on charges of graft. Earlier, Dr Manmohan Singh had only appointed him. Criticism reached its apex with the Opposition’s arrival. Considering the credentials of BJP, BSP or any other political party, none would come out clean. An exemplary case would of B S Yedderuppa former Chief Minister of Karnataka who was involved in a mining scandal and had to resign.
Mayawati, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, has got embroiled in the famous birthday garland issue and setting up of statues with public money.
Why people’s protest not justified? Prominent leaders, eminent writers and many more are decrying the justification of people’s protest since they believe that there is ample scope in the Indian Constitution to fight against the injustice by using constitutional methods. Best examples are Right to Information and Right to Education Acts which got passed in the last 10 years.
Hero worship, which is against the ideology of Dr B R Ambedkar, requires to be revisited since rationalism is shadowed by exuberance of emotions and blind faith.
‘Mass Leader’ is a better form of refuting the concept of hero worship.
Protests are fuelled by the middle class and well-educated. The case of hiring and paying protestors is an obscure thought. “No one is paid to come to rallies and is brought in trucks and provided food, liquor or clothes. With one SMS, people are gathering. It might be coercive but it is a need of the hour,” said Ashwin Kumar, an engineering student.
Political rallies might never have seen such a sea of humanity supporting a cause or an ideology voluntarily.
Counter revolution paradigm: Development theory which identifies that government and state involvement bring red tapism, babudom and corruption that affects time, money, productivity and efficiency.
Creativity has enriched people’s way of protesting. Rallies in Metro trains, peaceful candle light protest and humour had its own tale to narrate. Satires and jokes dominated the protests.
Evaluating the whole situation, what seems enriching is people’s willingness to be a part of the system. They are tired of being on the other side and seeing the representatives working. They want their voices to be heard, they want their concerns to be recognised and they want their opinions to be incorporated since they lack the trust in the system due to its performance over the years. India is progressing towards a participatory democracy rather than simply sticking to a representative democracy.
