Opinion Democracy doesnt take dictation
Those who decry all politics as corrupt need to sort out their own movement
Corruption,black money stashed in India and abroad,inflation,unemployment are among the major concerns facing us today. Since Independence,voices have been intermittently raised in protest against these issues. Many steps have been taken in this direction,but they have not been sufficient or successful. It cannot be denied that there needs to be a strong popular mobilisation around these issues,in public interest.
Now,many who believe that the Lokpal bill is an essential measure to combat corruption have raised their voices against certain quarters. This is understandable,because successive governments have kept the bill hanging,citing various differences. Frustrated by this deadlock,unhappiness among the intelligensia is only natural.
The government should take these consultative suggestions seriously. The bill must be introduced in Parliament,but setting a precedent to simply take dictation is dangerous for democracy. Right now,we are witnessing an outpouring of anger against all political parties,politicians and political workers and the political parties needs to take this seriously as well,because this atmosphere is dangerous for democracy,and will take this large nation towards anarchy. People are convinced that everyone is corrupt what are political parties,politicians,workers,bureaucrats or civil society,even the relations among people are full of injustice and hopelessness.
It is undeniable that all groups contain good and bad people,and it is also true that the bad outnumber the good,but to call any group bad is to be unjust towards the good in that group,and a defence of corruption. It would be extremely unfair to tar all politicians as corrupt,because the biggest politician in the 20th century was Mahatma Gandhi. There have been individuals like Jayaprakash Narayan,Dr Lohia and Karpoori Thakur,and there are committed party workers as well.
Movements against corruption and other issues are to be welcomed. But if they are directionless,anarchic and short-sighted,theyre not suitable for a democracy. After announcing the unworthiness of political parties,they cannot come up with a new,alternative party. If their vision is that of a party-less democracy,then they should examine the several states where there has been a party-less panchayati raj,and see what results they have produced. Where is the certainty that the outcome will be any better,and in the absence of an cogent alternative,we would not slide into slavery?
In 1974,when the JP movement galvanised many students and many political leaders,including the late Karpoori Thakur were stopped from addressing the people. However,they carried on,undeterred. Emergency was declared,and many of these political leaders were thrown in jail. That movement was reduced to a tool for a change in administration and the issues that were raised,languished. Even during the V.P. Singh-led mobilisation,when he spotted Thakur under the dais at a gathering in Muzaffarpur,Singh himself seated him on the dais and honoured him. So,to pillory political parties without an alternative in sight,as is being done now,is an invitation to anarchy and slavery. Who is going to choose the method,the programme,and the politics of the movement? That is a crucial question.
(Translated from Hindi)
The writer is an RJD MP in the Lok Sabha
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