Verdict 2009 brings hope: More challenges ahead

The dust and heat of the elections have settled down. The Congress has come out successful as the single largest party. Manmohan Singh got a mandate to give direction to the nation for the next five years. The victory of Congress led UPA is a great progressive step for India. The governance of Manmohan Singh is commendable. Reform in education sectors - beginning higer education centres in backward districts, mid day meals for children in schools, rural health mission, National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Ban on child labour, Right to Information law, tribal rights...were really great contribution to the nation. Rahul Gandhi's mobilization of youth brought results. People's collective aspiration for governance, decency in public office, assertive style of leadership, learned politician to lead the nation, man with skills and passion was fulfilled in Manmohan Singh.

There are some highlights that is good and lowlights that is harmful or poisonous the nation.

High lights

Youth: One of the highlights is many young people got excited about election and got involved in the process by campaigning and voting. This is mainly attributed to Rahul Gandhi who infused new blood in the politics. That could be true.

Caste plus development: In this election, caste alone cannot fetch votes. Many political parties who depended largely on caste mobilization did not fare well. Lalu Prasad Yadav, who brought empowerment for the backward castes in his hay days, was wiped out of Bihar. The reason was Nitish Kumar added development to the empowerment. Pattali Makkal Katchi also was wiped out as they depended on caste alone. Bahujan Samaj Party also had a set back as there was no governance or empowerment under Mayawati leadership for the Dalits in Uttar Pradesh.

Language identity rejected: The attempt to whip up linguistic Marathi identity by Raj Thackeray was defeated by voters in Mumbai city.

Low lights

Negative propaganda: The Prime Minister of the largest democracy was ill treated, humiliated, by L.K. Advani and co. The pseudo patriots had scant respect to the Prime Minister of the country. Calling him as 'weakest prime minister' and similar titles was unwarranted. He even, taunted him as a wimp, and heaping scorn, saying: "I do not get angry with him; I pity him." All civilized Indians were appalled by the Prime Minister aspirant for lack of decorum in public life.

The BJP tried to make the election similar to Presidential election by calling for debate between two Prime Ministerial candidates. The BJP that never allowed the Lok Sabha to function had no right to call for such debate.

Hate speeches: Varun Gandhi led from front the hate campaign. Instead of being ashamed of him, BJP made him an youth icon. Hate is a negative emotion, which is easy to manipulate. Love is a positive emotion, that is difficult to inspire. No wonder BJP took the easiest option.

Biased media: The media that hounded Congress for nominating Jagdish Tytler, who was accused in anti-Sikh riots did not care to remind L.K. Advani his inglorious role in the demolition of Babri Masjid. The media also created a myth that BJP led front was winning the election.

Change in India seems to be for good

The ideological politics in the post Independence era in which, Marxist ideology, socialism and secularism dominated; gave way to identity politics of caste (backward class politics), linguistic identity of Shiv Sena and its off shoots and religious identity of Bharatya Janta Party. People have generally voted for development and good governance. Good examples are Delhi and Bihar. In both states, the development has reached people and is visible. The new dominating factor in the future electoral politics would be development and governance.

The Urban India led by the Middle Class was pro-Hindutva has changed and have elected progressive candidates. This has to be consolidated by the political parties providing better infrastructure and governance.

Past Fossilized or Future Focussed

The BJP was oriented about past. They imagined about glorious past and imagined wrongs against Hindus formed their basis of campaign. The Congress was speaking about the future and vision for transformation. People were attracted to future orientation rather than past myth.

Needed Grass root movements

There is a need to trigger grass root movements that values human life, respect for human rights, guarantees human dignity and demands basic amenities.

1. Safe drinking water

The lethargy with which the government operates by not providing safe drinking water is really pathetic. Why can't this be a basic right? People who are oppressed, do not have enough to eat cannot think and fight for rights. So only, there are no grass root movements demanding basics.

2. Health for all – basic hygiene, nutrients, health care

Rural Health Mission has to be aggressive in providing basic health needs of people through out the country. A person living in village borrows huge sum of money and travel thirty or forty kilometers to a city to get his five or six year old son treated. That same person or his villagers or kinsmen would not demand the government to post a regular doctor in the Primary Health Centre (PHC). The Government should proactively do this for the sake of people. Most women in India are anaemic, but there is easy solution by providing iron tablets to them regularly. But, why it is not done? The Government should open at least one medical college in each district. That means India needs 600 medical colleges but has only 250 medical colleges. The new Government should make it as five year plan and implement it.

3. Education – basic education

The Government of India wants a school in a walking distance and provide mid day meals to all children in the schools. Yet, all children are not in the schools. The reasons are there are schools without teachers; or there are teachers who do not want other caste children to come-so discriminated; there are children who would not eat if the mid day meals are cooked by a Dalit woman.

Government would invest crores of rupees to Indian Institute of Technology (IITs), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and other prestigious higher education institutions, whose alumni serve in Western countries; rather than in school education. Since there is not grass root movement to demand distributive justice in education fund allocation, all governments invest more in higher education while more than one fourth of our population remain illiterate.

4. Electricity

In spite of all technological advancement, India could not ensure power supply for all of Indian nation. The rural areas are most affected. There are several rural areas without any power connection. Cities enjoy uninterrupted power supply, while the rural areas have to undergo indefinite, undeclared power cuts frequently some times for days and weeks.

A small farmer cannot store his vegetables or fruits he produces for few days so that he could sell in a profitable prize. So, these people are exploited by middle man who becomes rich by buying it at lowest price and selling it in cities in convenient times and prices.

5. Public Distribution System

Public distribution system (PDS) is riddled with corruption, mal practices and lethargy. The food grains intended for the poor do not reach them as they are diverted into markets and sometimes replaces with substandard food grain that may be fit for cattle consumption.

Let us consider. In a legislature constituency, there may be about 100 ration (PDS) shops. Even if the local MLA visits the two shops a week with the intention of making PDS work to the optimum level, he could inspect all the shops in his constituency at least once a year. If that happens, starvation deaths would be history. But, why no political party gives this as job description to its MLAs.

6. Communication

While city people enjoy WiFi and other modern communication tools, the rural people do not have such privileges. Even land line phones are not yet available in several corners of this country. India has a status as a high technology country in sending satellites. India could easily upgrade the communication system. All citizens in India should have an option of being connected to the wider world, receive information, share information and take the path of progress.

7. Roads

Places like Delhi may have wonderful roads. Politicians promise in every election about laying people. Because of lack of roads, people in villages could not bring their produce to city, children cannot go to city for education, and city products do not reach villages in time. The existing roads in most part of the country are in shambles. This Government should coerce the State Governments to build four lane roads between all district head quarters in the next five years.

8. Eradication of corruption

The new Government should sincerely take steps to eradicate corruption at all levels. As clean politician Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi's who calls for clean politics; should lead to corruption free country.

9. Higher Education

Higher education should not be limited to some cities and for higher classes. AIIMS, IIMS and IITs should be in all State headquarters. Medical colleges and engineering colleges in all districts should be built. There should be one university for each district. Specialized universities also should be emerging all regions of the country. So that more Indians should have access to higher education.

10. Judicial reforms and implementation of law

Another area this Government should focus on is judicial reforms. The cases have to be disposed within reasonable time. Law is framed by the privileged leaders for the poor and under privileged. A rich man in his car would jump signal with impunity while a ricksaw puller would be caught and fined for the same violation of traffic law. Children of bureaucrats and political leaders could indulge in eve teasing, arson, loot and could go scot-free.

Challenges

Verdict 2009 has brought hope in the minds of people of India. Will the Congress party bring in change that would make India a superpower? A superpower where there is no poverty, discrimination on the basis of religion or gender or sex, no corruption, no deprivation for the poor in education or health or employment. Let the civil society constantly remind the political leaders of their obligation to the nation.