Democracy in India: Reality and Illusion

Democracy in India: Reality and Illusion

brotee mukhopadhyay

India is honored as the largest democratic country of the world. Whenever the issue of democracy is discussed, discussed anywhere of the globe, in the printing or electronic media or in any forum, the name of India arises.

Most of the people who do not live in India have very colorful idea regarding the democratic practices in India. Within five years after the end of the British rule in 1947 the Indian people have got the right to elect their representatives usually at an interval of five years. This system has been continuous since the first general election of 1952. Presently this country is approaching for the 15th general election. This short content is to focus on the experiences of the people.

Status of Poor People

Amartya Sen, the Nobel Laureate of India, off and on reminds the importance of entitlement and empowerment of the people. The plight of most of the people is much more deplorable than what one may assume from the occasional statements of this world-famous economist. The rulers or persons on the top chairs seem to hide a lot. But still there should not be any denying of the fact that a large number of people, more than or equal to 50% of the total population, live below the poverty line. They have been deprived of their daily meals, shelter and cotton. They have been deprived of pure drinking water, electricity, essential fuel, basic primary education and health. There is no job for them. Added are the thousands of retrenched workers to the hapless unemployed millions. Against the 5% very rich and 15% moderately rich fortunate they stand in sharp contrast.

Yes, they have voting right. Most of them care for this right and consider this right as a mark of prestige although the organized contestants play different queer games on the eve of every election and bother superficially for this section of the electorate. These people are allured easily and are bribed openly sometimes with cash and sometimes with cotton or other essential substances. There is a statutory body to conduct the election named election commission. The commission’s voice of disapproval of many unethical and illegal deeds committed by many responsible political parties and their rank and file are heard and are finally found feeble and in most of the time ineffective too.

The dire need of such people remains unaddressed. These people are addressed at the general meetings in different parts of this large country, meetings organized after spending huge amount of money that the politicians receive from the industrialists for the preparation of the battle of election. And some general opinion is formed among these voters. We may find it hard to comprehend. They learn to support a party or a candidate and they learn to decide for whom to cast the votes. In one or more occasion they have established their unacknowledged wisdom. They have taught Mrs. Indira Gandhi a necessary lesson in 1977. Mrs. Indira Gandhi has attempted to develop herself as a dictator.

It also happens that they are entirely left out of the festival for power. Yes, this happens. They may experience that their votes have been cast by some noble elements of the Indian politics. They cannot insist even. Noble elements manifest their muscles and arms. When the moneyed and educated lots, the great middle class of India, taste this elixir on the auspicious day, the print and electronic media are stirred, and of course for a very temporary period.

Factors that Shape Democratic Exercises

India is a divided society. There are divisions on the basis of religions and castes are very sharp. A section of the Hindus hold animosity against the Muslims. They are also earned sufficient fame by destroying the Babri mosque at Ayodhya in 1992. Again in 2002 they have butchered thousands of Muslims in Gujarat. Graham Stuart Stein, the good soul from Australia and a Christian preacher, has been burnt alive with two of his minor sons thanks to the services of such Hindus. Indian Muslims are also very peculiar. Most of them are utterly poor and uneducated. A section of this community has the body in India and the soul in Pakistan. A few of them may have been inspired by the war cry of the Talibans or of Laden. Now in the days of election the contestants get these cards in hand and play them as and when befitting. This is true for each and every political party of India. In the long run the rest of the people have to pay for their sacred services.

A few political parties are regimented by character. They maintain small or large band of armed members taking total advantage of the allowed democracy in the country. You will feel this and know this and you will not be able to establish this. In the election and also in the political exercises in India fire-arms and different kind of arms are used in plenty. A good number of the representatives of the people hold condemnable criminal background. There are great numbers of party offices where varieties of arms are stored. Infighting between the parties is common and loss of life too. On the eve of every election and also as an aftermath of it a good number of men and women are killed. Generally the innocent people become the victims. The funniest thing is that the election commission, after witnessing excess in violence during the election, happily delivers that the voting has been peaceful.

The promises declared by the political parties are also funny. Those are declared and are declared to draw the attention of the simple-minded people. Such declarations testify that the political elements are out and out liars and also deceivers. The verbal feud among the respected leaders reflects their poor tastes. But at the end of the battle for the throne they become friends.

Money is spent like water and major portion of the money is taken as donation from the corporate houses. The business community compensates the loss by raising the prices of the commodities and services. The industrialists take irregular advantages from the next government for their pre-election assistance rendered to the political pilots.

In view of the above it may be concluded that the environment is polluted to the irreparable extent. And India wins a name for the democratic practices. India has some geographical advantage. None of the neighboring countries have a good name in the practices of democracy. This is true for Pakistan or Bangladesh or Afghanistan or China.

We can only hope that things will change in the years to come.