*DEMOCRATIC INDIA AGAINST CORRUPTION* The level of corruption in our Nation today in every sphere of Governance: Legislature, Executive and unfortunately even the Judiciary, is a violation of the Constitution of India and unacceptable. The deep-seated anger and frustration of the citizens all over India, fostered by the rapid growth of this cancer is definitely justifiable.
Citizens vehemently demand the elimination of corruption at all levels. The signs of the collective opposition are evident everywhere. We, the Citizens of India are fully convinced that urgent measures must be taken for effective legislation to remedy this situation. Citizens at large have the Constitutional right to deeply analyse the measures presently offered and widely debate every aspect of these, and propose significant provisions to make the final Law effective in spirit and action. The flawed opinion among Elected Representatives is that Electoral Democracy consists of the duty of citizens to elect their representatives in due time, and to give them the mandate to act as they please, including the advancement of their personal interests. The behaviour of many Representatives conveys the message that the electorate cannot demand accountability nor can they question policies enforced on civil society. History warns us that widespread feeling of helplessness in the citizens arising from consequences of unrelenting corruption at all levels of Governance renders the citizens vulnerable to forces that may exploit the situation for their vested interests. In this context, the present agitation by a section of citizens has evolved into a mass movement. The movement is in reality an expression of pent up frustration, although most of the participants are not even aware of the contents of the Jan Lok Pal Bill that is sought to be imposed on the Nation as a legislation. That this is being done by pressurising the Government and bypassing the Parliamentary procedures, is a cause for worry and a potential threat to the future of Democracy in our country. It further needs to be emphasised that the Lok Pal drafts currently in debate also suffer from several limitations in as far as such a Lok Pal will be yet another investigative agency with powers to only recommend the charge sheeting of the corrupt Elected Representatives and Functionaries of Government. The ultimate powers for bringing to book the offenders will continue to be vested in the existing Judicial System. A reading of media reports released, exposes the fact that the media presented a one-sided view and failed to play it’s role of reporting facts which leads society to a constructive analysis. A practical analysis of the components of the present movements reveals that it has touched only the privileged and the powerful, whereas the common masses, who suffer injustices at every step of their lives and ought to have been a significant component of these movements, are ignored. Corruption is too complex a problem to be attributed to a mere absence of adequate legislation like a ‘Lok Pal Bill’. The social situation of today is that Corporate forces dictate the functioning of Governments and Bureaucracy as Elections are surreptitiously funded by these powerful bodies. On the other hand, citizens are equally responsible for the current malaise of corruption as most have accepted the role of ‘Beneficiaries’ rather than ‘Stake holders’ and ‘Stewards’ of the Nation. The present form of agitation being claimed as a ‘Satyagraha’ to destabilise the duly elected Parliament of this country is a distortion of Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings which taught that true freedom is based on ethics, morals and faithful commitment to the progress of the nation. It is to be remembered that the approach of indefinite fasting was adopted by Mahatma Gandhiji against a foreign colonial power that ruled by the threat of a gun. Hence, the projection of the duly elected Government as the second enemy of the Nation and that this has to be rectified by a demand for a second freedom struggle is unjustified. The Founding Fathers of the Constitution of India in their wisdom and far reaching Vision have established a representative form of Parliamentary Democracy. The Constitution provides for Parliament and State Assemblies to legislate and thereby legislations dictated from outside the precincts of Parliament by a section of citizens violates the principles of democratic decision making enshrined in the Constitution. Undoubtedly, for a more effective eradication of corruption the solution lies not in another piece of legislation among several others that already exist, but in realising Gandhiji’s long unfulfilled dream for decentralization of powers through ‘Gram Rajya’. Greater powers on decision making and accountability to the Gram Sabha will be a barrier to corrupt practices of elected representatives. In this context full proof Electoral reforms are also urgently needed. Our Democracy is too precious to be compromised by manipulations of fascist forces under the guise of tackling corruption in this country. * * *Save Democratic India – Struggle against Corruption in every form!* * * *Issued by;* *Democratic India Against Corruption* ** *Your comments may be sent to E-mail: [email protected]<http://mail.bsnl.in/do/mail/message/mailto?to=diacgoa%40gmail.com> *
