Indian Politics - Is the 'Change' near or still a distant Dream ?

Will the Indian politics ever rise above “The lust for Power” & “The hunger for Riches”? There have been numerous occasions when we have discussed, argued, debated, and concluded that a change has to come in our Indian politics and it has to come good sometime soon. But there is little that we do to bring about this change. Let me do what we Indians are best at….

Some of us, who have been able to take this forward passionately, are the once who are associated with the movement of Jago Re. It’s a movement started with support from Tata Tea (A Tata Group Co.) and Janaagraha (A non-profit organisation). This is targeted towards encouraging the public en masse and especially the youth, to wake up and vote. The aim is to have - A Billion votes, this election season. Today, the youth is more independent, hedonist, well informed and alert. Hence this campaign specifically makes an effort to encourage them to act be the change agent by contributing to the cause they have been only talking about.

I stumbled upon another great initiative, which really elated me. Have you heard about BPD (No, not our Watanmal one!!)? BPD - Bharatiya Punarnirman Dal, is a political outfit floated by IIT & IIM alumni. It's going to contest the Lok Sabha election this year from at least 40 seats across the country. The party was formed in 2006 and they contested the UP Assembly elections in 2007. Though they were unsuccessful in winning any seat and got only 2% (approx.) of the votes, I think this is a great beginning. It should work at faster pace and rope in more and more people across the country, tie up with more and more educational institutes, contest from all 543 seats.

Isn’t this what we all dreamt of and desired for, having clean, educated, qualified and more informed, leaders to lead the country towards a more progressive nation. Progressive, we have been in the recent past as well, esp. in the last 10 yrs but when we talk about, near complete eradication of corruption, better and appropriate utilization of funds (tax payers money), planned and timely completion of infrastructure projects, positive & constructive politics, it’s still absent. This I think is a modest beginning and all of us should not just support, but actively involve orselves in converting these efforts and initiatives to give this shape and make it a realty.

To take this forward (Out-Think!), should not governments (State as well as Central) function more like organisations with Ministers having a minimum level of Social awareness, General Education, Professional Qualification (General Management) and proven track record (Experience). Shouldn’t each state have book of accounts with complete transparency to the common public, who are stake holders (as Duty, Excise, Tax payers). Shouldn’t politics be professionalized and accountability brought into the system.

I strongly propose such a system with an egalitarian motive and developmental objective. We should do away with the very basic system of short listing and nominating candidates on the basis of their capability of influencing votes, social stronghold and muscle power. It is high time, that we should have a constitutional change and redefine it to allow this new belief and this futuristic system to evolve. I don’t see much downside in this, do you? It will still be by the people, of the people and for the people.

Will the current constitution, system, politicians allow this to happen? I doubt, and hence we need to rise to the occasion and support movements like Jago Re and Parties like BPD.

Jai Ho !