The Vision Of A New Society: 06 ►How to Vote? Whom to Vote?

Every age puts to the hardest ordeal the truth of its times, while the future warmly accepts the same. One of the political truths is democracy. The history of the democratic system of government in India is not very old. After bidding farewell to the British rule, the top leaders of India accepted the democratic form of government. Was this system inherited from British, adopted with a sense of discretion or out of compulsion? This question compels us to look into the past from half a century or so. A wave of freedom had spread all over the country at that time. The young generation of the country was swayed by that atmosphere of freedom. Mahatma Gandhi's leadership inspired great confidence among the young people. They suffered all kinds of tortures for the sake of freedom. Gandhi, who was their source of inspiration, was a votary of non-violence. Standing within the impregnable fort of non-violence he made the country free. The conditions were not particularly favourable to him before independence and after independence he was assassinated. Had he survived; he would have probably arouse a sense of discretion among the people to create a suitable atmosphere for democracy.

Winning independence was one thing and living by experience of independence was something altogether different. The citizens of independent India are not particularly in a healthy state of mind even today. On that basis, it can be said that the acceptance of democracy was in the sense falling into the line. Even while living in a democracy, they are suffering from the pitiable mentality of an undemocratic system. On that basis, it can be said that our acceptance of democracy has been in the nature of following the direction of the current. There was no advance preparation of any kind to live under a democratic system.

We Were Thirsty, but Water was not Available

India became independent before developing the mental attitude to accept the democratic form of government. No one would probably accept this view, because that was the period when we were writhing under the weighty shackles of dependence. Everyone was eager to fly in the wide open sky. I have myself witnessed those times. Even while living in a small town, I had heard songs full of patriotic feelings. Even the adolescents were feeling the anguish of dependence. But that kind of emotional response cannot be called mental preparation. It was a cherished desire for freedom. It was an uncontrollable impulse to make the country free. Preparing for democracy means training the people. Was the meaning of democracy ever explained to the people of India? Were they told about the responsibilities of the people in a democracy? Were they inspired to carry out their responsibilities, while making them conscious of those responsibilities? If the answers to all these questions are in the negative, them it must be concluded that even though our desire for democracy was very strong, there was no provision to meet its requirements. In the absence of an organization, it is not surprising that democracy has fallen to bad times.

Training of the People

Training of the people is the life-breath of democracy. That should have been done long ago. Who is responsible if this is not happening even fifty years after independence? People cannot be faulted for this state of affairs, because the crowd is not committed to any ideology. Those who manage the affairs of the United Nations formulate the policies and then implement them. Before popularizing any ideology, it is necessary to start by educating people into it. Had thousands of students in the country been given the training into the principles of democracy, many people would have come forward who would have been in a position to define in detail the principles of democracy and love according to those principles.

According to the interpretation of democracy by the students, they regard it merely as a means to gather votes. Obtaining and giving votes somehow, seems to have become part of their education. Not to speak of colleges and universities, clashes on that account have started taking place even in schools. Proper training in democratic norms is the only successful and effective way of coming out of this situation. Some of the points regarding such training can be:

1. Who are the people? How should they behave?
2. What is an administrative system?
3. How should that system be shaped in the light of the social and cultural fabric of India?
4. What is a vote? What is its value?
5. Who is entitled to get the votes?
6. What should be the qualifications for getting the votes?
7. What is the process of election? What should be the limits of the election propaganda?
8. How could the election verdict be accepted by rising above the feelings of victory and defeat?
9. What is the responsibility of the candidates? Who wins the majority votes towards the country and the people of their constituencies?

There can be many other points that could make democracy effective in the true sense by freeing the electoral process from the evil like fear, temptation, violence and injustice. The whole country has been facing the evil consequences from the beginning of such training so far. If one forgets the past and takes care of the future, and makes an effective beginning in this direction, the lot of the future generations can be improved.

1. What should be the qualifications for getting the votes?
2. What is the process of election? What should be the limits of the election propaganda?
3. How could the election verdict be accepted by rising above the feelings of victory and defeat?
4. What is the responsibility of the candidates? Who wins the majority votes towards the country and the people of their constituencies?

There can be many other points that could make democracy effective in the true sense by freeing the electoral process from the evil like fear, temptation, violence and injustice. The whole country has been facing the evil consequences from the beginning of such training so far. If one forgets the past and takes care of the future, and makes an effective beginning in this direction, lot of the future generations can be improved.

Being Wise after the Event

Those who advocate the training given through education can turn around and ask how we could have doctors, scientists, engineers, etc. if there was no provision of training? It is necessary to consider this point by adopting relative approach. These people do receive training, but it is the training in their specialized fields. It can also be said that they are being trained to amass money. The problem would not be solved till they are trained in human values. One also hears about value-based education these days. But since its practical side is not simultaneously developed, the expected transformation is not taking place successfully. We have tried to do something in this field through anuvrat and the science of living. Wherever some work has been done, some possibilities have grown. I am not particular whether the same name continues or another name is given to it. What is necessary is to train the people. Otherwise, time would slip through our hands and what should happen in these biggest democracies of the world, would not happen.

The LokSabha and Assembly elections are round the corner. At such a moment, any talk about training the people in principles of democracy sounds like being wise after the event, since this task cannot be accomplished without long-term planning. Not that I do not agree with this view. But is it proper that nothing at all should be done by way of an immediate measure?

Dark shadows have hung over Indian democracy and it has faced crisis from time to time. The more recent Hawala case affected even the topmost leaders of the country. Is this not the sufficient ground for training? If attempts are made to keep clear of such unfortunate events in physical sense, it would also be possible to concentrate attention on subtle matters.

There is No Dearth of Good People

Some people believe that no candidate deserves their votes. In their view, no candidate is without blemish. All of them are thieves. Some are big thieves, some are small thieves. I do not agree with this view. It is not true that there are no good people in the country. There are many good people. May be they are underground. They do not present themselves in public. May be they are disinterested and do not take interest in national politics. May be they are indifferent and do not wish to get involved in any manipulations. May be they are scared and because they are scared, they are unable to articulate their views. Therefore, it is not correct to judge everyone by the same standard.

In a democracy, asking for votes is not considered undesirable. The question is: how are the votes solicited and how are the votes given? There is nothing great about reaching the highest position of power by getting votes. What is important is the person who is installed in that position and the manner in which this is done. Voting done on the basis of considerations of caste and community raises the question about both the voter and the candidate.

In the context of the atmosphere created on account of elections, it is imperative to consider one point. The voters in particular should think about it. Whoever they vote for, they should not be guided by considerations of caste, community and the party. The person, for whom they vote, should not be addicted to intoxicants. How would a person who openly indulges in wrongful economic activities serve the interests of the people? When a person can do just anything to procure votes, how would he hesitate to go to any length in order to save his chair? Dangling the carrot of economic benefits, the use of intoxicating substances, the use of arms and anti-social elements are rampant during the elections at the state and the central levels and they blur the image of our democracy.

Shocks Have Their Own Value

The great country like India is divided today into political parties that have mushroomed out of cultural, religious, communal and selfish considerations. This is a bitter truth, but the truth far more bitter is the fact that man is fragmented from within. The sources of these sensibilities are drying up. He is beginning to lose his mental balance. Money and power are the main centers of his attraction. How is it possible to put a stop to chaos and anarchy? People have given up hope in this matter. But I have not lost hope even now. The shocks that we have suffered in recent years and are still suffering can serve a valuable purpose of public awakening. If a person receives a blow on his head and his skull splits, it is said that Dame Luck has smiled on him. It some way becomes clear as a result of all these shocks, the dignity of our Parliament can remain intact.

Parliament and municipalities have their respective responsibilities. Could there be anything more ridiculous than the fact that Parliament is called upon to perform the functions of a municipal body? Framing the constitution and conducting the affairs of the nation are the responsibilities of the members of Parliament. Even now it is possible to correct all the wrongs provided undeserving persons do not get entry into the Parliament. This would be possible only when the voters search out the people who have faith in democracy and who possess good character, which are devoted to their duty and are given to serious thinking and urge them to make use of their votes.

Riding on the Back of Parliament

Purifying election is one of the programmers of anuvrat. The anuvrat workers are engaged in this activity according to their capacity. All the anuvrat committees in the country are growing aware about this. Attempts are being made to awaken consciousness in the Nagore and Churu districts through anuvratrat-yatras. A symposium on "Democracy and Clean Elections" organized at Ladnun has also created the necessary atmosphere. Our only dream is to create a beautiful and clean image of India. Some people suggested to me that some ardent followers of anuvrat should be asked to enter the election fray. But that is not our job. We have our own limitations. We would not join active politics nor would we give importance to any particular political party or any particular person. We would only call upon the Indian people that they should be fully alert to maintain sanctity of our democracy. If undeserving elements are installed in the sacred place like our LokSabha, it would not be possible to maintain its purity.