Normally a person even with less intelligence can be fooled once or twice or at the most thrice. Then he/she will become cautious. But there is one country in the world where its people are fooled thrice (in local body, state assembly and Lok Sabha elections) every five years and this has been going on since 1952. But what is most intriguing is that those who are fooling a billion plus people of this country are ordinary criminals and crooks. Your guess is right, that country is India.
Mockery of Democracy
In India if you are a rowdy or criminal and want to legitimize your nefarious activities, you join as an apprentice with a politician (who himself was a former rowdy who got promoted as a politician by working as an apprentice with another rowdy politician) and then by pleasing him get a ticket to contest municipal election and later assembly elections. Hence S.Y.Quraishi, Former Chief Election Commissioner of India had said -“If one don’t have money in lakhs and crores or if one is not a ‘dada’ (rowdy), he doesn’t have a chance of winning elections”-(The Indian Express, 28th April, 2011). The way elected representatives scramble for cabinet posts and start dissidence if not given clearly shows with what intention they came to become MLAs. But the voters with poor memory, lack of political awareness and also helplessness continue to be fooled in every election.
Politicians lack basic civic sense
Just observe how political parties during elections paste posters all over the public spaces disregarding municipal rules not to deface the town. They hold massive roadshows obstructing free flow of traffic, hold massive show of strength (to threaten whom?) and on the election day dug up roads to set up pandals near polling booths to house their agents and on winning the election burst fire crackers right in the middle of busy roads hindering movement of traffic and polluting the atmosphere. This shows that political parties and their workers lack even basic civic sense and to these idiots we are asking to run the administration. But sometimes I wonder who is the real idiot; they or the people who vote for them.
Scrutiny for everyone except politicians
In TV channels we find expert singers/choreographers as judges even to select small kids in singing and dancing competitions. Small business companies reissue advertisement if they don’t get suitable candidates for the post called for and in the advertisements they highlight that those applied earlier need not apply, which shows their seriousness for choosing the right candidate. We have University professors framing questions for candidates appearing for I.A.S. examinations. But ironically no expertise is required for selecting those who are supposed to give orders for I.A.S. officers and frame policies and programmes for the nation. Isn’t this pathetic and stupidity that to govern a vast and varied nation like India all sundry can act as arbiters to select. Remember it was the politically ignorant people who exercised their voting rights defeated Baba Saheb Ambedkar twice.
Public positions to siphon public money legitimately
If a person is really sincere about serving people, he will just declare his intention to stand for elections and lay bare his programs and policies which he will implement if he or she wins in the election. There will be no need to beg people to vote for him, cry or act in such a way to gain their sympathy or seek votes based on his caste or spend money to entice voters. But all these things happen in Indian elections. Hence even a common illiterate man in the street knows why people are so eager to contest elections and spend huge amounts of money to ensure their success at the polls.
In India people are eager to enter politics and seek positions and posts as it is the only easy and legitimate means to siphon public money by planning projects which in no way benefit the common man. For instance, airports in every district, community halls, statues of historical personalities, unneeded skywalks, bus shelters, etc., but not basic infrastructures like roads, toilets, sewerage treatment plants, provision for good drinking water and medical service. While planning these types of projects they deliberately spike the cost several times and award contracts to their henchmen. The residual amount left after finishing the project is then shared with bureaucrats who help them prepare the projects and with contractors. Hence the desperation to become a legislator, minister, chairman of a corporation, board, etc.
Why people vote for their fellow castemen
In India while purchasing goods or availing the services of electricians, plumbers, drivers, maids, etc., people do not think whether the shop which sells the goods or the service provider belong to their caste. This is because what they are looking for is a fair price, durability and quality of goods they are purchasing or the service they are seeking. The same parameters, they do not apply while voting and prefer the candidate who belongs to their caste as their mind is ingrained with the belief (and which is also a fact) that the post of a municipal corporator, MLA and MP is for enjoying perks and privileges. If the politicians can make a lot of money with impunity why not he be from our caste is their thinking. Hence we don’t find a Brahmin representative in a Dalit dominated constituency or a Muslim representative in a Brahmin dominated constituency. It is only in countries like the UK where real democracy exists that a person like Rishi Sunak can be elected as Prime Minister as the people there know that he is there to serve them and not to embezzle public money.
Adult franchise not suitable for political illiteracy
Now the question is how can such a vast majority of people be fooled by a bunch of rowdy elements on a regular basis? Firstly India has a population with a large number of illiteracy, who are poor and ignorant. Even the so-called educated are politically illiterate, for instance we may have professionals like doctors, engineers, scientists, accountants, artists, teachers, etc. who may be experts in their respective field, but don’t have historical and political awareness, and hence lack ability to choose eligible candidates in elections. Some don’t have interests to take part in the political process just like everybody is not interested in sports or literature. So a small percentage of people with historical and political awareness are left who actually can participate in elections and can play an important role in choosing a right candidate and party to power. But as in democracy the majority prevails and hence this small minority who are eligible in all respects to play a decisive role in the country’s democratic process are made redundant. According to Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) democracy can be established only in very small countries in which direct representation can be achieved. Even in western countries people were enfranchised gradually.
Befooling oneself continuously by voting
But unfortunately, the educated class, the intellectuals and especially those in the media who have great responsibility to the society and the country at large take the incidents in which politicians demand for positions very lightly. Does not demanding positions through threats and blackmailing reveal the unscrupulous character of the said person. Will he not himself become naked in the eyes of the public as a person hungry for power and who wants to make use of his position for illegal gratification and nepotism? It is strange that the media discusses which caste or community should receive representation in the ministry as though the minister’s post is for enjoying perks and privileges instead of serving people. Demand for ministerial posts is also made by persons who have been successively getting elected in their constituency, say for five or six times in a row. In spite of being elected successively why has their constituency not been developed nobody asks. Does that not show the incompetence of the said legislator? In spite of the above developments in our political system which is becoming worse day by day, why do educated people go and participate in the elections? Is it because there is no other alternative to the present system or admitting failure in the system means exposing their own incapableness to change the system which involves a lot of sacrifices? Real change means just after a party comes to power the next day you go to any government office and get your work done without any delay, hassles or by paying a bribe.
Choice between a rascal and a scoundrel
Many people sermonize that for a democracy to flourish people should vote. But what is the guarantee that the person whom I vote for will not join another party if offered money. We have examples of many Congress and JDS MLAs joining BJP in Karnataka. In case if someone wants to vote for a particular party, its candidate will be the opportunist who had been associated with all political parties at one time or the other during his political career. In case of casting a vote in favour of an independent candidate, there is no guarantee that once elected he/she will not switch his/her loyalty to the parties aspiring to form government, in the name of ‘development’. Hence for the voter it is a choice between a rascal and scoundrel.
In the present setup the politicians have fine-tuned their strategies of befooling the people with promises of reforms and good governance so well that people vote for them in every election in spite of these wily politicians not fulfilling their earlier promises. One should go to a government office to see how helpless people are when they refuse to pay bribes to get their work done. This system is flourishing as the bureaucrats are hand in glove with the politicians, the latter getting a percentage in the bribe and all the embezzlement done by the officials. The people are helpless as if they raise their voice against the officials the latter takes the help of the police against the people saying that they are not allowing them to carry on their duties. Being a part of the system, the police always support the corrupt bureaucrats and their political masters, the politicians.
Slum dwellers more intelligent than educated middle class people
There are some activists who criticize the apathy of the middle class and the literate to cast their vote and ask them to emulate the poor and slum dwellers who stand in long queues to cast their votes. But many do not know that unlike these activists these people are not under any illusion that by casting their votes their plight will be changed overnight. They vote because political parties ferry them to the polling booth in vehicles and give them money, liquor, biriyani and other goodies. For these people the election day is some sort of relief from their daily drudgery and a day on which they are pampered. Some of them (especially in rural areas) are also very innocent who believe in the sweet talks of candidates who go to their doorsteps, address them as mother, brother, sister and fall at their feet to receive blessings. Another reason why the slum dwellers go and cast their votes is because political parties would have given contracts to rowdies to get a certain number of votes on their party’s candidate. These rowdies distribute money or liquor to the slum dwellers and as a result they have to vote for the candidate dictated by the rowdy.
After elections voters discarded like condom
In India there are a lot of similarities between a voter and a condom. An individual uses a condom for safe sex. Similarly the politician uses a voter to legitimize his nefarious activities. The politician wants to show to the world that he has been elected by the people and hence what he does is legitimate. When there is shortage of condoms an individual who is in dire need of the same is ready to pay more than the prescribed price of the condom. Similarly as there is severe competition between politicians striving to come to power, the politician will go any length to entice voters with bribes and false promises. And finally just as an individual throws away the condom after its use, the politician discards his voters, the day after the elections. On the eve of the elections he visits each and every house and addresses the voters with respect, but once elected the voters have to wait for his audience. If questioned on the inadequacy of his service and not fulfilling his promises, the voter gets a kick in the back from the henchmen of the politician who now has the additional service of the police.
Real Democracy exist in western nations
In the UK, Boris Johnson had to resign from his post of Prime Ministership just because he partied during the lockdown period during the Covid crisis. In New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern who was just 42 years old resigned as she was feeling too much work pressure and wanted to spend quality time with her family. Can one expect these types of conduct from our politicians in India?
In our country even those struck with paralysis, confined to wheelchairs due to illness or old age, criminals, film stars, widows; whose husband had expired recently and illiterates, all are eager to stand for elections ‘to serve’. Sometimes whole family members; husband, wife, father, mother, son, daughter-in-law, grandson stand for elections. Such is the eagerness for them to serve people.
Passion for Public Service
The great statesman Gopala Krishna Gokhale felt that public service or politics was a whole time affair and only people who had a single minded devotion to the public cause could prove to be good politicians. To train young men in public life he started the ‘The Servants of India Society’. Here first class graduates were given five year training in various subjects and given stipends. This shows aspiring politicians should have good knowledge about the country’s history, politics, constitution, administration, oratory and linguistic skills, international, economic, environmental and a host of issues.
When Mahatma Gandhi first visited Bangalore on 8th May 1915 some enthusiastic youngsters wanted to unhorse the carriage in which Gandhiji was to be taken and to draw it themselves in procession along the streets. But Gandhiji sternly forbade it and said that he did not liked to be dragged in the carriage. He said ‘Let’s not spoil our public men by dragging them. Let them work silently. Let them be neglected and still love the country for service is its own reward. We should not encourage the thought that one works because one will be honoured similarly’.
Patriotic citizens should boycott elections
By not participating in the elections until electoral reforms are made all right minded and politically conscious Indians could show the world that democracy in India is farce and there are still people in India who have common sense. During British rule, Gandhiji and other nationalist leaders used to urge Indians to boycott elections as participating in them would give the British a moral stand to say to the world that they were running India with the consent of its people and cover up their misdeeds. One thing people should understand is that the present system has immensely benefited the rowdy politicians and hence they will resist any attempt to change the system and there will be violent clashes. But people should be ready to sacrifice for the betterment of society and nation.
Urgent need of electoral reforms
Some of the reforms which could be introduced are –
Switching to Presidential form of Government
To switch to the Presidential form of government at the center and the State with the designation President for the Prime Minister and Governor for the Chief Minister. Every prospective candidate for these posts should beforehand place before the public their master plan/blueprint on what new programs and policies they are going to implement and how if they come to power. The President and Governor should be elected directly by the people and they should choose the ministry from the expertise pool of people, distinguished attorneys, scientists, administrators, thinkers, social workers and men of caliber on non-party basis. In this form of governance there will be political stability as the President and Governor will not be at the mercy of elected representatives who in the present set-up can withdraw support for the Prime Minister or Chief Minister. This move will also reduce corrupt practices now prevailing like MLAs blackmailing to withdraw support if not given plum ministries and chairmanship of Boards and Corporations with an intention of minting money.
Composition of State Assembly and Central Parliament
All states should have a bicameral legislative assembly. The lower house should have elected members representing a particular area/place, each having a certain population. The upper house should have representatives representing various castes of the state. While the representative of the former body should try to develop the constituency that he represents, the representative of the latter body should protect the interest of his caste members of the state as a whole. At the Central Parliament there should be a single legislative body with an equal number of representatives from all states. These representatives should work on behalf of their states and are to be elected directly by the votes of the state.
The age limit of voters should be raised to 30 for local bodies/ state assemblies and 35 for parliamentary elections. For candidates standing for elections the minimum age should be 35 and the upper age limit should be 75.
Candidates wishing to stand for elections and those wishing to cast their votes should pass in a test wherein their awareness about the state/country’s history, constitution, culture, GK, current issues, working of the judiciary, government, etc. are tested through an objective type examination. A small amount of fee (Rs 500) should be levied on those taking these tests and this will cover the expenses involved in conducting the test and paying remuneration to the evaluators.
The names of those who have passed the test should be entered in the central data bank of voters of a State and the passed candidates should be given a voter’s ID card.
Just as a candidate standing for elections should deposit some money, voters should be made to pay a token amount, say Rs 500 for casting their votes. This move will allow only serious voters to cast their votes and the money collected could be utilized for conducting elections. This is similar to those candidates who have to pay a fee for applying to certain Government jobs.
Banning candidates from contesting in more than one constituency and prohibiting a sitting M.L.A/M.P from resigning and joining another party and contesting elections. A sitting MLA should not be allowed to contest parliamentary elections and a sitting municipal councillor from assembly elections.
Allegations of corruption and nepotism levied against sitting MLAs/MPs, Ministers, President/Governor should be tried by Special Courts and disposed of within one month. As a first step the accused should be taken into custody, denied bail and all their financial transactions be blocked. The accused should be allowed to appeal against the ruling given by the Special Court in the Supreme Court which should also be disposed of within one month.
The trend now is that if caught committing a crime, you could escape being punished if you are a politician. Hence punishment awarded to politicians should be so severe that criminals should think twice before choosing politics as a career.
Curtailing the privileges given to politicians like free air transport, bungalows, Z category security, etc. For instance instead of giving each Cabinet Minister a bungalow they should be allotted rooms in the Rashtrapathi Bhavan.