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People’s Democracy Vs Politicos’ Democracy
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It is very rarely that people get to
know who they are voting for |
The
vivacious Indian dancer Mallika Sarabhai who is
contesting the 81 year old BJP Leader L.K. Advani in his
home constituency of Gandhinagar says she has been
motivated to do so to ‘restore faith in peoples’
politics.’ Indian democracy, she says is: ‘Democracy of
the politicians, for the politicians by the
politicians.’
This
morning as the results of the Western Provincial Council
come in, it would be in the interests of democracy to
consider Mallika Sarabhai’s contention since there seems
to be little or no difference in the democratic process
as practised in the sub-continent and on this island.
How
much people’s participation was there in the hotly
contested polls held yesterday?
Is it a democracy?
Did
you know or have you ever spoken to the persons you
voted for yesterday? Do you think you would meet your
representatives (if he/she had won) during their tenure
of office? Have you considered what you want your
provincial councillor to do for your electorate? If not,
why on earth did you vote at all?
We
believe that the answers of most voters who are not
committed one way or another to a candidate or political
party will be in the negative.
Hoax
So why
on earth are we conning ourselves to believe in that
hoary old lie: Democracy of the people, by the people,
for the people. When we the people are far removed from
what is being decided for us?
We
have been studying the Indian elections in fair detail
and can see very close parallels to us. This whole game
of a democratic election is played by politicians as
they want, for their benefit. If it is position, power
and money, all values, traditions and principles are
thrown overboard and the rogues unite.
A
classic instance we read about is in the largest state
in India, Uttar Pradesh, where these so called lower
castes, untouchable or Dalits are in the majority but
there is a fair proportion of the upper class Brahmins
who would not associate or literally touch the Dalits.
But in
certain constituencies the Brahmins or Dalits cannot win
on their own. So Mayawathi the leader of the Dalits had
given nominations to Brahmins on her party ticket! It
could be argued that it is all for the better in
breaking through rigid caste barriers but others say
this is rank opportunism and has little do with social
progress and enlightenment.
Abusing voters
In Sri
Lanka we have prominent UNPers who have joined the
government and become ministers after being elected on
the UNP ticket and still retain UNP membership because
they would lose their seats in parliament if they leave
their party! Thus, we have the spectacle of elected UNP
members abusing the party that elected them and the
party leaders while supporting their rival party.
And
the renegades are the most prominent of the defenders of
the Rajapakse faith. This is indeed a virulent form of
democracy that has not yet spread out to other South
Asian countries.
Impotent opposition
And
what can the opposing political parties, particularly
the UNP do? Wracked by dissension, the party is in
shambles with the ruling Rajapakse administration
offering ministerial portfolios with perks attached to
those who come over. Never mind if the cabinet of
ministers exceeds a hundred, it’s the people who will
foot the bill!
These
comments are being made days before the election but it
is a foregone conclusion that the ruling UPFA will romp
home because a ‘war’ is being fought alongside the
election. The argument made for the UPFA has been: Our
side must win or it will be a vote against the military
victory of President Mahinda Rajapakse!
Is the
war the only issue before the people? The cost of
living, disappearances of people, crumbling economy have
all taken a back seat. So far all provincial council
elections have been won on the ‘war.’
Now
with the war predicted to end soon (with this election
or an immediate presidential election?) what can the
people do? Will it be politicians and generals to decide
what the people need or the people themselves?
What
happens to the UNP which has always commanded a near 50
per cent of the vote? What of the Tamil political
parties if the sole representative of the Tamils is no
more? Or will it be a continuing guerrilla war again?
It is
time for a People’s Democracy as against this
Politicians’ Democracy.
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Goonesingha’s name not blacked out
Our attention has been drawn to the comments we made
in Serendipity of August 8, last year where we made
a reference to the late A.E. Goonesingha, who is
regarded as pioneer of the trade union movement of
this country.
The reference was made in the context of the wide
publicity given now in the media to the antics of
certain politicians who seem to gain much political
mileage out of it.
We
said that according to a story related by some
journalists in Lake House in the ’60s, the then
Chairman of Lake House, the late D.R. Wijewardene
had taken exception to certain statements made by
the late A.E. Goonesingha and ordered journalists
that his name be blacked out in all publications of
the institution. This the journalists told us has an
adverse effect of Goonesingha’s political fortunes
and we said so in our column.
We
also recommended that such restrictions be placed on
rabble rousing journalists of the day. As
specifically mentioned in our comments we were
referring to a story related by some colleagues
about 40 years ago, most of whom are not among the
living.
We
are now informed that what we related was incorrect.
What did happen was that D.R. Wijewardene had only
asked his journalists to stop referring to A.E.
Goonesingha as ‘Mr. Goonesingha’ and simply call him
‘Goonesingha.’
Having contacted an old timer now living abroad, we
now find that we had erred in our reference and that
A.E. Goonesingha’s name was not blacked out but only
the title ‘Mr’ was omitted. We convey our regrets to
members of the family of A.E Goonesingha for our
lapse. |
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