OUR INDIAN DEMOCRACY
Friends,
I am a Political Science Post-graduate and this is one of my subjects. Although Democracy cannot be defined in its correct sense, it was former President of the United States, Mr. Abraham Lincoln who defined DEMOCRACY as a GOVERNMENT of the people, by the people and for the people. However, such a short definition cannot be conceived properly and requires certain details:-
A country to boast as democratic has to fulfill certain basic requirements which need not be written anywhere but to be kept in the minds of all politicians and those who are in authority.
The following are the basic requirements:-
(1) The topmost priority is to be given to the BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS to every individual with regard to social groups like religious groups etc.
(2) Separation of powers between legislature, executive, Judiciary
(3) Freedom of Opinion, Speech and Press. I do not mean, by saying freedom of speech, that anyone can say anything even if it totally obscene or against the interest of the state, or directed as harmful to any individual’s esteem. However, our legitimate opinion can be aired on any matter if it is not against any individual’s legitimate esteem.
(4) Religious liberty. By religious liberty, I mean to say that anyone can follow any religion if it is not coerced on him/her. There should not be any discrimination between individuals belonging to any religious groups, male and female etc. in Voting. In other words, to provide equal rights to vote.
(5) Uncorrupted governance which focusses on the interest of the public at large.
(6) People (Public) should have the power to recall any person who is elected to govern since, it is these public who have elected the person, to govern, provided his/her governance is not satisfactory to them.
These were incorporated only in 17 and 18th century by political philosophers of western countries, which include separation of church. Before I go further , although the majority of the countries are republics, there are some countries like England, Belgium, Netherlands etc. the King or the queen is the Head of the state or in other words still have constitutional Monarchy. There are many types of Democracies like (i) Representative Democracy, (ii) Parliamentary System like we have in India (iii)Presidential form of Democracy (iv) Semi-presidential form of Democracy, and Liberal.
I shall deal with Presidential Form of Democracy which is prevalent in the United States of America, which will give a fair idea about Democracy in America which I find is more suitable type for India.
(1) In India, in my opinion the voting system is to be changed to PROPORTIONAL VOTING SYSTEM as in Germany, Sweden and in many other states.
As a layman if someone asks what is this PROPORTONAL VOTING SYSTEM, my answer is representation of Candidate(s) of all parties in proportion to their popular vote .In other words Proportional Voting assures that political parties or candidates will have the per cent of legislative seats that reflects their public support. A party or candidate need not come in first to win seats. In our country we have chosen the FPTP that is the First Past the Post as our electoral system, to provide our representation in the State Assemblies and Parliament. The weakness of this system is that even if a party gets 20 or 30 per cent of votes win more percentage of seats and claim to form the government. This is one of the reasons why corruption is gaining popularity in the government. CERI ( Campaign for Electoral Reforms in India) proposed a Proportional electoral system in INDIA, mainly to minimise the corruption which is rampant in the government. Anna Hazare’s aspiration to certain extend can also be fulfilled by changing from FPTP system to proportional voting system.
Now I shall tell the Forms of Governments :-
(1) Democracy (2) Totalitarian regime ( Just like Hitler’s Regime) (3) Authoritarian regime (4) Authoritarian regime (5) Theocracy.
In Democracy itself there are many types as (a) Representative Democracy (b) Parliamentary Democracy (c) Presidential Democracy (d) Semi-presidential type of Democracy (e)Liberal Democracy (f) Constitutional Democracy (g) Direct Democracy.
Our India is a constitutional republic consisting of many states on linguistic basis and seven centrally-controlled union territories with New Delhi as the nation's capital.
India is the biggest democracy in the World. Now, let us see whether we have all these elements in the present context:-
1. BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS : I wonder, whether we have it now or not. In India in the name of protecting minority religion, majority religions are getting suppressed. Why I say this is the intolerance of the any political party to suppress either minority communities or majority communities. The congress government (UPA) is against majority religion and trying to suppress in the name of protecting minority religion. Example: If we cannot have RAM JANMA BHUMI in AYODHYA, where can we have it in this world? Kindly do not wound the hearts of Majority Hindus to please the Minority Religions. Why prolong litigation? Kindly note “JUSTCE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED”. Why intolerance of having Hindu governments in certain States? . For example complete world praises MODI GOVERNMENT in GUJARAT for its developmental activities. To say GUJARAT is the best administered state will not be a misnomer. Why the Central Government is totally against that state? Is it because it is a state which has seen development san UPA? I feel it is because of U.P.A government in Centre’s jealousy that a non-U.P.A government is able to achieve what they could not achieve during their regime in Gujarat so far. It is evident from the fact that it is trying to unstable a duly elected government by foisting many cases like GODHRA, and threatening by recent Police Officer, Bhatt’s case by the Home Minister of U.P.A Government without leaving it to the law enforcing agencies to act. Recent action of arresting Sri. Anna Hazare for no fault by him. Although, the central government blames Delhi Police, I am not convinced by the Home minister’s answer, since Police in DELHI cannot act without the authority of the Centre . Is this not against HUMAN RIGHTS ? I do not wonder why such things happen in INDIA because of the government’s policy by which, in their anxiety to create two classes called Upper and Lower class , they suppress middle class people instead of bringing up LOWER CLASS people to Middle class. Is it correct to suppress middle class people ? Action against Sri. Subramanian Swamy by the government to file case against him comes out of sheer vendetta.
2, SEPARATION OF POWERS: I am of the opinion that In writing we have SEPARATION OF POWERS but in actual practice we are for committed Judiciary and other such autonomous bodies. The Central government also pressurizes CBI, although they say now they are autonomous body. But it actual practice, they are the puppets of the Central Government. Friends in fact in INDIAN DEMOCRACY we are strictly prohibited by coercion, to call A SPADE, A SPADE. If we open our mouth against the government in power, we will be targeted. It is also of paramount importance that central state cordial relationship is maintained for which we must follow American system of confederation of states and Presidential system of government. Centre sending a governor to states without the consent of the state government should be stopped forthwith. Governors are acting as pro-center tools than becoming independent observers. I feel the tenure of the governor is fixed.
5. RELIGIOUS LIBERTY : If this present SARKAR is against HINDU MAJORITY , the BJP is against other religions although they say that they are strictly SECULAR, and call the Congress party pseudo-secular. The government either at the Centre or in the STATE unnecessarily interferes in HINDU religious affairs to appease the minority religions by interfering in HINDUS’ religious matters. No one is prepared to leave RELIGION to grow of its own. From DEVASWAM BOARDS, the government’s restrictions start. Please treat RELIGION as our fundamental right and only those who believe in it should become members of the BOARDS. No TOM, DICK and HARRY should be made as members of any religious bodies. When the Left Government was in power in KERALA I saw a nonbeliever of GOD who was a minister, in Sabari Malai. Such things should not happen. Will it happen in a Muslim congregation? In Sri. Padmanabhaswamy Temple of Thiruvananthapuram, even the Supreme Court of India hesitate to pronounce the judgment whether to open the unopened vault or not! . I am of the firm opinion that any government or executive is subsidiary to the Religion. No person whether male or female should be compelled by any person to change his/her religion under any circumstances be it by marriage or any such circumstances. I make this point very clear that I have seen many Hindus change their religion under coercion by some religious fanatics if they want to marry a female or male from those religions.
4. RIGHT TO VOTE : It is of paramount importance that all as per the age limit, get the right to vote without fear. No money power to be exercised by any individual on the voter, to vote for him or the party candidates. I find, many illegal means being adopted by the candidates and parties to get the votes of individuals. Their main goal is not to represent the people but to MAKE MONEY. I Remember a proverb in Malayalam “ ദീപസ്ഥംഭം മഹാശ്ചര്യം എനിക്കും കിട്ടണം പണം”. This is the inherent attitude of the present SO CALLED NETHAS. They are ready to give any amount of money, liquor etc. to purchase the voter. This attitude is to be stopped. The person who is a candidate for election should be asked to declare his/her assets including his/hers husband/wife/children and other benami transactions, if any, before he is given a ticket to stand for election and such information are to be published in at least all prominent English and Vernacular News Papers for the information of the public apart from publishing in Election Commission’s Notice Board and which can be accessed by all, through computers. If a person is an independent candidate, he/she must declare his/her assets including his/hers/children’s and other close relatives’ assets and any benami transactions made by him/her/husband/wife/children and other close relatives. I do not agree with ANNA HAZARE when he says that he is going to tell the voters not to vote for the candidates of CONGRESS PARTY if they do not pass the JANLOKPAL BILL. Most probably they might have certain compulsions or the JANLOKPAL BILL might be defective. If the Congress Party is prepared to select an honest person to the core, I do not think we must not cast our vote to such people. What we require is that corruption should totally be uprooted. I give a suggestion that the Government exclusively should bear the expenses and the candidates should be asked to deposit some reasonable amount of money with the Election Commission which should be returned to the candidate provided he/she gets certain percentage of votes totally casted. Percentage of totally casted votes is to be fixed by the Election commission and the Supreme Court in consultation with the government in power. Consultation does not mean that whatever the ruling party says should be taken as the yard stick. The candidates should not be made to spent money on account of election and any expenses made by him for this purpose should be heavily penalized, on detection. Receiving money or any presentation from the candidate or any person or organization, by an individual to vote certain candidate is to be proclaimed through enacting laws to this effect, a serious offence with heavy penalties.
I have one more suggestion to make that if the voter is not satisfied with the candidates chosen by the party or who stands as an independent candidate, there should be a column in the Voting Slip that the voter is not satisfied with all candidates on which he/she affixes the stamp and cast his/hers vote. Such votes are to be treated as negative votes while total votes obtained by all candidates are counted. I also feel that as per the Party’s strength the candidates should be allotted with certain time to make his/her speech in Televisions and radios without casting any aspersions on other candidates and projecting what he/she will do for the people at large if he/she is voted to power. The independent candidates should also be allowed to speak in all television channels and radios about what he/she will be doing for the people at large, provided all pay to the channels in which they make speech at reasonable price. The only difference is the payment of a candidate belonging to any political Party is borne by the Party concerned, and by individual candidates, by them.
5. UNCORRUPT GOVERNNANCE : Herein, I would like to quote what Sir Winston Churchill said about Democracy : Quote “No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time “ Unquote . I feel that he is right when he says that DEMOCRACY IS THE WORST FORM OF GOVERNMENT. It may not be possible to get a totally uncorrupted government in a Democratic set up. Why I say this is in Indian Democratic System any person can become an MLA, MP, MLC etc. whether he/she is capable to become an MLA/MLC/MP etc. We have to learn from Britishers as to who makes the best choice. They always employ those who have the titles of Sir, Lord etc. since they cannot become corrupt. In democratic set up such a classification is impossible. We are now at the verge of degeneration of Democracy into OCHLOCRACY or MOBOCRACY. The incidents occur in Andhra Pradesh for forming a separate TELENGANA, the undue interference of central government in state affairs and Corruption in government point out that our democratic set up is about to perish. As per the great Political thinker, POLIBIUS, this is a natural phenomenon of any type of government namely Democracy, Aristocracy and Monarchy to get degenerated as Mobocracy, oligarchy, and tyranny. The governments have to undergo this cycle since all these forms are subject to degeneration in course of time because of selfishness of the politicians. I fully endorse the view of Polibius. I will not wonder if different states within India ask for more autonomy to start with since the Central Government unnecessarily interfere in the STATES’ affairs, ruled by opposition parties.
In India, that may happen earlier. As I had already mentioned, it is imperative if our Democracy is not to degenerate, that the right to recall an MLA/MLC or MPs of both the houses should be given to the people , if they are found corrupt or not fulfilling the aspirations of the people who elected them, by making suitable amendments to the constitution. I stand by with Anna Hazare on this point. It is because of the folly of the Congress in giving Linguistic states rather than dividing India into states of equal zones and amending the education policy, by making the first language as the mother tongue of the child, which is to be given by the parent(s) during the admission of the child in school, such problems crop up.
The Judicial system in our country requires total overhaul. Justice gets delayed and there- by it is denied. As Sri. Karunanidhi of DMK said about releasing the LTTE prisoners who were instrumental in killing Sri. Rajiv Gandhi, I am of the opinion that justice delayed is justice denied. Of course, they are worth hanging but we have delayed the action. Our judicial system is such that no innocent person to be punished even if we are to sacrifice real justice. Judiciary should take immediate action to punish a person found guilty on the first count itself. All appeals on flimsy grounds should not be entertained which is not tn practice now a days.
In India we are to give DAKSHINA (underhand dealings) from the peon to the highest official of the government even to get a death certificate. In all offices there should be only one counter to give applications for any document where it should be mentioned the documents to be attached along with the applications. This office should be away from the Main Office to where no one should be allowed free access.but within a village or in more populated areas within a street . These offices should be kept closed except for the executives. A time stipulation should be given to get back the official documents for which we have sought for, from the government as against our request which should not exceed 10 days’ time, irrespective of whether it is from central govt. Or state government. By this, the Government servants will be made to work. We can also avoid paying DAKSHINA.

CONCLUDED.
Regards and NAMASKARAMS,
P.R.RADHAKRISHNAN