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Lessons Of Tunisia, Egypt:WILL INDIA TURN NEW PAGE, by By Poonam I Kaushish,12 February 2011 |
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Political Diary New Delhi, 12 February 2011 Lessons Of Tunisia, EgyptWILL INDIA TURN NEW PAGE?By Poonam I Kaushish Till last month none had heard of the Jasmine Revolution. No, it has nothing to do with flower power, but people’s power uprising in tiny Tunisia. Wherein the sheer force of its 10 million inhabitants overthrew a corrupt autocrat and his greedy wife. The citizens uprising reverberated next in Egypt. After 18-long days of mass protests, President Hosni Mubarak was forced to step down. Ringing the curtain down on 30 long years of despotic rule. And the rest is history. Egypt, Mubarak ho! As a shocked world watched in awe at history being re-written, none of our motor-mouth politicians ever ready to pontificate on anything and everything uttered a word. Why? Perhaps they were rattled by the outpouring of popular resentment against the crooked rulers. Or afraid that the aam aadmi’s rebellion in the Arab nations could resonate in Mera Bharat Mahan with its sickening corruption, widening disparity, distorted secular and caste credentials, criminal-politicos et al at a later date. Either which way, both Tunisia and Egypt hold out important lessons which if our leaders disregard would be at their own peril. One, it is not enough for Governments to deliver reasonable growth. Think, Tunisia GDP grew at around 5 per cent annually over the last 20 years and Egypt under Mubarak metamorphosed from a traditional society to a modern country. Yet, the people of both nations were up to their guiles with unending sleaze and nepotism. Nor is it enough to provide or promise good education. All over the world, countries are struggling to create enough jobs for new entrants into the labour force. What matters more than meting out economic justice is a sense of equity and fair play. As events show, in both countries not only did those with the right political connections get employment but also its ruling class amassed thousands of crores. Undoubtedly, high unemployment and all-encompassing corruption not only created an explosive combination but led to justifiable outrage against the inequities and persons responsible for causing grief and strife to the people. A lethal potent mix of economic gripes and demands for political freedoms Arguably, in the face of angry masses no hold on power is guaranteed and sacrosanct. The millions thronging Cairo’s Tahrir Square demonstrated there are limits of State power. And that it is not the Government machinery or armed forces that allow society to function. But the teeming masses, which outnumber the ruling classes’. he market and its reified forces, that allow society to function; we are forced to admit that societyWe need to remind our netas who claim to don the democratic mantle and swear by it, what democracy is all about. Whereby, holding free and fair periodic elections alone does not conotate true democracy. A prime example is US. Where the recession of 2008-09 tore to smithereens it’s much touted claim of being a true-blue democracy, a land of unbounded opportunities. It exposed the increasing inequality and lop-sided distribution of wealth. So much so that the upper 1 per cent controlled around one-quarter of its national income and wealth. India requires a commitment to transparency, tolerance, and inclusiveness —both politically and economically. A sense of fair play requires a voice, which can be achieved only through public dialogue and honest discourse. Not the symbolic gestures and inane diatribe which total a zero-sum game. Everyone stresses the rule of law, but it matters a great deal what kind of rule of law is established. Laws can be used to ensure equality for all and equal opportunity and tolerance. Or the rule-book can be used to maintain inequalities and the power of elites, rule by law. And our polity is a past master at this. There is no gainsaying that VIP is three grimy words that underline all that’s wrong with our powers-that-be. In a milieu flooded with loutish and loathsome VIP culture where a simple query is construed as an impertinent affront and challenge to the all-important person. Unlike the aam aadmi they profess to serve, they refuse to conform to rules instead rule by law. No IDs’, no frisking and long queues, show ID, brushing away bans etc. God forbid, if anyone questions their misdemeanor be prepared for open fury. Why blame the embattled Central Vigilance Commissioner Thomas when he refuses to resign as the CVC. Argued he, if 153 corrupt MPs of which 54 face murder charges or 28.3 % of the 750-odd Right could ‘rule the roost’ why not him? Article 102 of the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act, do not disqualify a convicted person from being an MP. Besides, there were several people holding high offices, pending sanction for their prosecution. For example, former Telecom Minister might be jailed for the 1.76 lakh 2G spectrum scam as also former Jharkhand Chief Ministers Madhu Koda and Shibhu Soren, the former for amassing over Rs 4000 crores and the latter for murder but it has failed to create any political ripples. Today, everyone has forgotten Sukh Ram of the over Rs three crore chiller fame. In a milieu wherein our Parliamentary system has now been hijacked by the criminalisation of politics where the mafia dons get away like escape artists, the aam aadmi is naturally cynical. No one wants to vote for a criminal. And yet for years criminals have been using the electoral system to enter politics, with the janata hopelessly looking on. Clearly, no longer will technical or legalistic response suffice. The answer must lie in good, clean democratic political practice, watchdog media and a vigilant public opinion that insists on raising the bar for all political parties. Importantly, if we do not urgently put the correctives in place, today’s criminal king-makers may be tomorrow’s kings! Mayawati, Mulayam, Laloo including a dus numberi! However, purging political parties and elections of illegitimate money is a tall order. As a first step to end the bottom-less corruption kund we need to post-haste change the electoral laws. One, donations should be evenly spread out, not necessarily equally, but perhaps in some proportion to seats in Parliament. Two, State funding of elections. Three, the fund to be apportioned on the basis of votes secured by candidates in the election. Four, the amount be released to individual candidates, and not to political parties. Five, 50% of the fund to be released as an advance before an election, on the basis of previous performance. Our rulers better take heed. The forebodings are already in the air. Our leaders need to act with purpose and thoughtfulness. Like Tunisia and Egypt have shown when the ‘more equals’ play havoc with the people and get away with it is time to overthrow them. Remember, the aam aadmi will themselves create a new truly democratic system. When the voice of the long-suppressed will find utterance. The time when India will turn a new page! ---- INFA (Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)
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