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Mobacratic Democracy

Finally all are happy, whether you call it ‘win win’ situation for all or not, when Anna declared to end his fast on 28th As many panelists pointed, the Anna’ agitation, at least for common people is not for ‘Jan Lokpal Bill’ but a natural outburst and anger against corruption in general and corruption among the politicians and the inability of all govts. of both past and present to address it with genuine concern and sincerity. When politicians were bashed from all sides, as normal human it is natural for them to ‘react’ than response soberly. But having special privilege as the elected representative of the people, they should learn to rise above the situation to ascertain their leadership than joining with common people to retaliate.

This is what I felt when Sri Manisankar Iyer, who otherwise a sober and sensible person (if not a politician) condemned Anna’s movement, (which according to him is not even a movement but brutal agitation) as ‘mobacracy’ and was happy that the supremacy of Parliament was established and he is going to celebrate the triumph of ‘democracy’ over ‘mobacracy’ (CNN IBN, August 27th night with Rajdeep Desai). But in a fitting response Miss Malika Sarabai said, yes the victory of ‘democracy over the mobacracy inside parliament’, which annoyed Mani. His repeated challenge to the Civil Society members—particularly to Miss Bedi and Kejrival to contest election and come into parliament to talk reasonably, look more foolish to me. But in another program (Apki Adalat in India TV) Hazareji fittingly replied to such questions that considering the present scenario of the way elections are contested by politician, he won’t even get back his deposit, where more than Ten crores of rupees are spent by each candidate (which according to me is very minimum). The way candidates are selected and given ticket in each party is known to every one. Caste, money and muscle power and family link of the leaders alone decide in getting ticket and no other credibility is considered at present in Indian politics. Knowing this fact very well it is foolish on the part of the politicians to challenge Civil Society or others to contest election. We all know how many thousands of crores (according to common estimate around 3,000 to 5,000 thousands of crore by DMK alone) of rupees were spent in recently held election in Tamilnadu (April 2011). Even here at Marupalli, for each vote Rs. 200/- was give by both the parties (DMK and ADMK), then in urban areas and in several VIP constituency (like Tiruvarur of Karunanidi) more than that was distributed. Knowing this fact the challenge of Mani is not only foolish but demonstrates the arrogance of the politicians.

But Sri Raman of Hindu, not agreeing with Mani pointed out that it was not Parliament which is supreme but Constitution said that public opinion and all kinds of pressure tactics by every section of people has a role in a True democracy. Lord Megnath Desai also pointed out the way Anna’s movement conducted in a peaceful way compare to other agitations (like Gujjar’s demanding reservation in Rajastan) in which public property is damaged and finally the politicians keel down before them.

Anna’s movement not only gave the space for the common man to express his resentment against corruption and political system, but expose the lack of credibility among the politicians in several ways. The way Govt. and Congress party responded to the demands of Anna and the way they handled the situation should be taken as an opportunity by the Govt and every political party to learn the lesson, than they preaching to Civil Societies. Since Indra Gandhi declared emergency and break Congress for her vested interest in the name of serving India, the credibility of the politicians came down considerably. The demands of Civil Society may look extreme but their credibility is not the criteria in making law and governing the people. Whereas politicians need to prove their credibility on every sphere, which become questionable since past several decades. There are few exceptions, but the way they have conducted not only their politics and party but also the government is the ‘mobacracy’ in the name of majority in the parliament over which democracy need to triumph. And all these kinds of movements by Civil Societies high light this than become mobacracy in a Republic.

Dayanand Bharati. Gurukulam, August 29, 2011