Democracy at its Best

Since Panchayat polls are due in a month’s time, I shall devote this column to the subject this Sunday. Don’t get me wrong by the title. I don’t condone the way things are today. Far from the ideal. The concept is awesome but the practice is awful. And getting from bad to worse.

In the nineteen-sixties and seventies, a number of good men and women, either after retirement or with years of social service to their credit, used to stand for elections in their villages. They were offering themselves for service, having accomplished their many other goals in life. Making money was the least in their minds. Today it is the other way round. Many who have failed in other spheres want to stand for elections. What with salaries, likely pensions and gifts in cash or kind. Idealism and service are not on their minds but their hearts are in their deep pockets. Education is not the criteria and ignorance is bliss. Manipulations and falsifications have become rewarding. And if my work can be done, to hell with civic concerns and priorities. This goes on because the majority is still silent. At election time the power is with the silent majority. The altruistic activist has to tap this power.

If “we the people” can assert ourselves strongly in this arena, we can make a big difference. Yes, we can.  If the people could bring about a change at the state level last month, they certainly can do it at the village level next month. We need better candidates, educated men and women of character and commitment. This type of people don’t usually come forward to stand for office. Civic minded citizens must come forward, encourage such persons to stand for the elections, support and vote for them. People’s candidates. People’s power. Not party candidates. And certainly not party power. Our elected Panchayat members do not have to be and should not be affiliated to any political parties. Their only affiliation should be to the village in general and to the people of the ward they represent in particular. All other affiliations may be personal and should not have any bearing on public policy and public conduct.

Corruption is now so rampant at the panchayat level. It is one thing, bad enough as it is, when government servants demand bribes. But we have reached such low levels that elected members blatantly demand bribes from people in their own wards and villages. What can be more perverse? Just imagine, some of them wear Anna caps when it suits them. And if a good man or woman wants to set things right, then the common refrain is, “tum anink tamtun kiteak podta?”, meaning leave them alone, don’t dirty your clean hands. The waters of petty politics are so dirty that you can’t even wash your hands clean. And yet I must, cynical refrains notwithstanding, proclaim and proclaim aloud that all is not lost. The future belongs to those who dare. Change is possible if we believe we can. Change is in the air all over the world. We have done it in Goa. We can now do it in our own villages. Next month.

There are allegations that wards are delimited to suit party interests. The Council for Social Justice and Peace, Goa, has pointed this out, and rightly suggested that this process and the whole panchayat election should be conducted by the Goa State Election Commission. Political parties should also not openly enter in the fray. If corruption has to be fought against on a war footing, the battles should begin at the panchayat level. Once elected, the members should build good relations with the MLAs and ministers to get works done but never be their slaves. All are elected at various levels to serve the people, and the only masters are the people.

Our panchayati raj system is unique in the world. It has evolved historically. Late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and late Chief Minister of Karnataka Ramkrishna Hegde are two leaders in recent times who introduced reforms to empower this village system in the country and Karnataka respectively. More reforms are required. More empowerment is necessary. But right now our system falls short of even the possibilities already granted in the constitutional amendments. May be people will have to agitate in the future. But for now, let us do what we can through the ballot box.

Published in The Navhind Times, Panorama 15.04.2012