Shivani Bothra
Vow Eight:
I will not resort to unethical practices in elections.
The eight vow addresses the same ethical concerns as the sixth vow belonging to the categories of ahimsa and satya. But the sixth vow focus on business whereas the eighth vow specifically calls attention to the power of politics to effect change. Tulsi recognized that the post-Independence atmosphere of corruption and instability had the potential to enormously affect the quality of life of the individual for the worse. His hope for positive change, inspired by his vows could be harnessed to improve conditions.
In practice, though, this vow was difficult to translate into concrete action. The movement lays down the parameters for a healthy democracy and some of the key
pointers for choosing a trustworthy candidate to vote for. The vow dictates that a worthy candidate should be honest, free from drug addiction, a man of character, efficient and not promote sectarianism.[102] Aside from the knowledge of these parameters, though, there was not much comment or discussion with my respondents regarding the vow. Apparently, their response indicates the significance of this issue in Indian society.
My experience has been that there is a predominant feeling of disempowerment, that the ordinary person is primarily concerned with following local trends but it is difficult to make the connection between one individual's vote and the larger concerns of the country's politics. Gandhi may have demonstrated that individuals uniting could effect change, but this had its own down side as well. As I developed my understanding of Tulsi's movement, I came to see the value of emphasizing a secular, pluralistic approach that reflected the Jain concept of anekant, or equanimity, but also to realize that there were significant challenges to overcome. It even gave the impression that a movement can be successful only in the presence of a strong leader.
