LOK SATTA PARTY MAY NOT MAKE ANY DENT ON POLITICAL SCENARIO IN ANDHRA PRADESH. IT WILL DEFINITELY BRING A CHANGE OF ATTITUDE AMONG THE LITERATE VOTERS.
The aims and objectives of Lok Satta Party are:
»
To establish a new political culture that will place citizen at centre of governance
»
To protect the unity and integrity of India at all times and create a secular and just republic in which the citizen will be the true sovereign
»
To nurture, protect and promote the constitutional values of liberty, justice and equality for all
»
To create a political, economic and social environment that will ensure equal opportunities for vertical mobility to all sections of society, irrespective of caste, ethnicity, religion, or gender
»
To eliminate all forms of discrimination by birth and guarantee dignity and opportunity to every citizen irrespective of origin and status; and to promote social equality and justice and fully integrate all disadvantaged sections including dalits, adivasis and socially and economically backward classes
»
To build a viable and effective healthcare system that reaches every man, woman and child and guarantees good health to all, irrespective of economic status or birth
»
To promote and implement policies aimed at rejuvenation of Indian agriculture, and substantial enhancement of rural incomes and improvement of quality of life
»
To ensure that every young person acquires adequate knowledge and skills to make her a productive partner in wealth creation and thereby promote gainful employment and economic opportunities
»
To ensure that every family,, rural or urban, gets access to basic amenities of life including housing, sanitation and transport and opportunity for earning a decent livelihood
»
To empower women and provide opportunities for their economic, social and political advancement
»
To promote public awareness about democratic functioning of all institutions and encourage reasoned debate and healthy public discourse
»
To establish a people-centric democratic polity based on liberty, self-governance, empowerment of citizens, rule of law and self-correcting institutional mechanisms.
»
To work for fundamental political, electoral and governance reforms listed below:
Effective separation of legislature, executive and judiciary at all levels with appropriate checks and balances
Political reforms which make elections truly democratic, representative and transparent; facilitate and promote the participation of men and women of integrity in the political process and curb electoral malpractices
Effective empowerment of local governments at all levels in all respects as participative tiers of constitutional, democratic governance with their own legislature and executive, in a manner that authority and accountability fuse, and the link between vote and public good and taxes and services is fully established
Speedy, accessible, effective and affordable justice at all levels to all citizens, irrespective of means and station at birth
Insulate crime investigation from the vagaries of partisan politics and to make police effective, citizen friendly, accountable and just in all respects
Combat corruption and mis-governance through an institutional framework which will enhance transparency and accountability at all levels of administration. hange inevitable .
INTERVIEW:
Dr Jayaprakash Narayan, a physician, joined the IAS in the aftermath of the Emergency and the failure of the Janata experiment. An IAS topper, he acquired a formidable reputation for social work in Andhra Pradesh in 16 years of public service. His experience in government convinced him that bad governance was the biggest problem in India. To translate his vision into reality, he quit the IAS in 1996, and formed Lok Satta, an organisation that has emerged as India’s leading civil society initiative for governance reforms. In 2006, he launched the Lok Satta Party, to create a new political culture and is its president. Dr Narayan stole the thunder at the recent roundtable on parliamentary democracy held in New Delhi at the initiative of Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee.
He spoke to RC RAJAMANI.
Excerpts:
What made you start a political party?
It was the realisation that real change in society comes through political action, and not through civil society action, that made me launch the Lok Satta Party. The Lok Satta movement has helped engineer significant political reforms since its formation. It played a significant role in reforms like voter registration improvement and mandatory disclosure of contestants’ criminal background and assets and liabilities. It has also contributed significantly towards making laws such as The Right to Information Act 2005 and in other key areas such as launching of the National Rural Health Mission, limiting the size of the council of ministers and tightening of the anti-defection law provisions. But experience over the past one decade has showed that reforms are on one trajectory and politics on another. The damage done by politicians is far greater than the good accomplished by civil society initiatives. It is the painful recognition that treating politics as untouchable is harming public interest that drove us to form an ethical political party to change politics.
Are you confident that you will be able to swim safely in murky political waters?
The changes we have been able to usher into the political system in the past decade convince me that Indian society and the political system are ready for a fundamental transformation. An overwhelming majority of people is yearning for change. But real change takes place only when there is an ethical, political platform with a clear-headed, honest and practical agenda. Right now, most of the youth and middle classes who thirst for change feel disenfranchised because in election after election they see only a change in players but not in the rules of the game. They must be helped to realise that politics and elections are about the lives of citizens and not about the careers and fortunes of politicians and parties. Mr Barack Obama’s success in the US presidential elections is great testimony to the power of people, particularly the youth, in bringing change.
Is it necessary for anyone wanting to bring change in society to enter politics?
There are many ways in which one can make an impact on society. Outstanding citizens like Mr Verghese Kurien and Mr Rajnikant Arole have shown what can be accomplished in some sectors. But no matter how great a civil society leader/bureaucrat is, the accomplishment comes to only 20 on a scale of 100 in the absence of an enabling and well-functioning governing and political system. Mr Arole’s great work in health care would have been replicated all over the country in a sensible political system. Unfortunately, we haven’t built a governance system that can deliver. No matter how good the driver or the engine is, you can’t go far on a sandy track. Politics acts as a smooth and efficient track. You require all three ~ the engine, the driver and the track.
Can you list the priorities to change not only the polity but also people’s day-to-day life?
Three fundamental changes have to be brought about in the polity. First, political parties have to become democratic, transparent and accountable in respect of membership, leadership election, candidates’ choice and funding. Second, we have to shift from the present ‘first-past-the-post’ electoral system to some form of proportional representation in which the vote share of a party gets translated into seats. Proportional representation breaks the oligopoly of parties and makes way for real competition. In the present system, the marginal vote has become so important that political parties deploy money and muscle power to influence the outcome of an election. Corruption, criminalisation of politics and failure of rule of law are all consequences of the present electoral system. Third, empowerment of the local or district governments is the need of the hour. It should be the third tier in government, the other two being at the Union and state levels. I would also advocate provision of quality and free education, including English and computer skills, to all in the 0-18 age group without any discrimination between students of private and government schools. A comprehensive review of the present reservation policy to ensure that every child fulfils his/her true potential (is needed). Students belonging to poor and rural families, irrespective of their caste or religion, should be awarded 10 per cent bonus marks. My suggestions for other priorities are comprehensive restructuring of agriculture by starting agri-clinics at the rate of one for every 3,000 acres or at least one for every village, ensuring access to credit to all farmers, overhauling of agricultural marketing by providing access to retail chains, storage and value-addition facilities, creation of 10,000 small towns in the country with all urban amenities and infrastructure. They will serve as hubs of small industries, marketing, job creation, promoting ‘in situ’ urbanisation and minimising migration. A programme to ensure safe drinking water, 24-hour power supply, all-weather road and efficient public transport to every village (is needed).
Is there real hope for a better India?
Religious and caste divisions are deep-rooted in our society. Politics is about harmonious resolution of conflicting interests. Unfortunately, our political process instead of providing a solution has become part of the problem. It is merely accentuating these divisions for short-term political gains. Our ... first-past-thepost electoral system rewards a party with a local concentrated support base and not a party with a widely scattered support based on ideas and agenda. As a result, political parties play the caste/religious cards. Direct election of the chief minister at the state level will minimise the influence of caste and religion. It may not be possible at the national level in India because of the north-south, Hindu-Muslim and Hindi-non-Hindi divides ... Proportional representation will serve as an incentive to political parties to enlarge their support base instead of focusing on their narrow support base. In order to prevent fragmentation, there can be reasonable thresholds, say 10 per cent vote in a state as a minimum requirement for representation. We have to vigorously pursue affirmative action policies that ensure justice to disadvantaged sections, provide opportunities for all and eliminate suspicion and mistrust between communities … This can be done by ensuring that reservation benefits go to the poor, not the rich and privileged, even within a reserved community. This should be combined with 10 per cent bonus marks as weightage for all rural children and poor urban children, irrespective of caste. We should gradually shift from quotas to weightage like this. Then opportunities will expand without dividing society.
Let me mention three factors, which are forcing the pace of change. First, about 73 per cent of Indians are below the age of 35. Unlike their predecessors, the present-day youngsters have swagger and confidence and are not plagued by insecurity or inferiority. They are hungry for change. Fifty per cent of voters are below the age of 35. Compare this with the youth who constitute only 27 per cent of voters in the US who brought about a political revolution. We have immense possibilities in India, if we only harness youth power creatively. Second, the revolution in communication technologies has facilitated instantaneous transmission of ideas from one corner of the globe to another. Third, the 7 to 8 per cent economic growth India is witnessing, despite global meltdown, will trigger changes in the polity. First-rate economic growth and third-rate polity cannot co-exist. Status quo is simply unsustainable. (ALL INFORMATION FROM LOK SATTA SITE -
www.loksatta.org )
The aims and objectives of Lok Satta Party are:
»
To establish a new political culture that will place citizen at centre of governance
»
To protect the unity and integrity of India at all times and create a secular and just republic in which the citizen will be the true sovereign
»
To nurture, protect and promote the constitutional values of liberty, justice and equality for all
»
To create a political, economic and social environment that will ensure equal opportunities for vertical mobility to all sections of society, irrespective of caste, ethnicity, religion, or gender
»
To eliminate all forms of discrimination by birth and guarantee dignity and opportunity to every citizen irrespective of origin and status; and to promote social equality and justice and fully integrate all disadvantaged sections including dalits, adivasis and socially and economically backward classes
»
To build a viable and effective healthcare system that reaches every man, woman and child and guarantees good health to all, irrespective of economic status or birth
»
To promote and implement policies aimed at rejuvenation of Indian agriculture, and substantial enhancement of rural incomes and improvement of quality of life
»
To ensure that every young person acquires adequate knowledge and skills to make her a productive partner in wealth creation and thereby promote gainful employment and economic opportunities
»
To ensure that every family,, rural or urban, gets access to basic amenities of life including housing, sanitation and transport and opportunity for earning a decent livelihood
»
To empower women and provide opportunities for their economic, social and political advancement
»
To promote public awareness about democratic functioning of all institutions and encourage reasoned debate and healthy public discourse
»
To establish a people-centric democratic polity based on liberty, self-governance, empowerment of citizens, rule of law and self-correcting institutional mechanisms.
»
To work for fundamental political, electoral and governance reforms listed below:
Effective separation of legislature, executive and judiciary at all levels with appropriate checks and balances
Political reforms which make elections truly democratic, representative and transparent; facilitate and promote the participation of men and women of integrity in the political process and curb electoral malpractices
Effective empowerment of local governments at all levels in all respects as participative tiers of constitutional, democratic governance with their own legislature and executive, in a manner that authority and accountability fuse, and the link between vote and public good and taxes and services is fully established
Speedy, accessible, effective and affordable justice at all levels to all citizens, irrespective of means and station at birth
Insulate crime investigation from the vagaries of partisan politics and to make police effective, citizen friendly, accountable and just in all respects
Combat corruption and mis-governance through an institutional framework which will enhance transparency and accountability at all levels of administration. hange inevitable .
INTERVIEW:
Dr Jayaprakash Narayan, a physician, joined the IAS in the aftermath of the Emergency and the failure of the Janata experiment. An IAS topper, he acquired a formidable reputation for social work in Andhra Pradesh in 16 years of public service. His experience in government convinced him that bad governance was the biggest problem in India. To translate his vision into reality, he quit the IAS in 1996, and formed Lok Satta, an organisation that has emerged as India’s leading civil society initiative for governance reforms. In 2006, he launched the Lok Satta Party, to create a new political culture and is its president. Dr Narayan stole the thunder at the recent roundtable on parliamentary democracy held in New Delhi at the initiative of Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee.
He spoke to RC RAJAMANI.
Excerpts:
What made you start a political party?
It was the realisation that real change in society comes through political action, and not through civil society action, that made me launch the Lok Satta Party. The Lok Satta movement has helped engineer significant political reforms since its formation. It played a significant role in reforms like voter registration improvement and mandatory disclosure of contestants’ criminal background and assets and liabilities. It has also contributed significantly towards making laws such as The Right to Information Act 2005 and in other key areas such as launching of the National Rural Health Mission, limiting the size of the council of ministers and tightening of the anti-defection law provisions. But experience over the past one decade has showed that reforms are on one trajectory and politics on another. The damage done by politicians is far greater than the good accomplished by civil society initiatives. It is the painful recognition that treating politics as untouchable is harming public interest that drove us to form an ethical political party to change politics.
Are you confident that you will be able to swim safely in murky political waters?
The changes we have been able to usher into the political system in the past decade convince me that Indian society and the political system are ready for a fundamental transformation. An overwhelming majority of people is yearning for change. But real change takes place only when there is an ethical, political platform with a clear-headed, honest and practical agenda. Right now, most of the youth and middle classes who thirst for change feel disenfranchised because in election after election they see only a change in players but not in the rules of the game. They must be helped to realise that politics and elections are about the lives of citizens and not about the careers and fortunes of politicians and parties. Mr Barack Obama’s success in the US presidential elections is great testimony to the power of people, particularly the youth, in bringing change.
Is it necessary for anyone wanting to bring change in society to enter politics?
There are many ways in which one can make an impact on society. Outstanding citizens like Mr Verghese Kurien and Mr Rajnikant Arole have shown what can be accomplished in some sectors. But no matter how great a civil society leader/bureaucrat is, the accomplishment comes to only 20 on a scale of 100 in the absence of an enabling and well-functioning governing and political system. Mr Arole’s great work in health care would have been replicated all over the country in a sensible political system. Unfortunately, we haven’t built a governance system that can deliver. No matter how good the driver or the engine is, you can’t go far on a sandy track. Politics acts as a smooth and efficient track. You require all three ~ the engine, the driver and the track.
Can you list the priorities to change not only the polity but also people’s day-to-day life?
Three fundamental changes have to be brought about in the polity. First, political parties have to become democratic, transparent and accountable in respect of membership, leadership election, candidates’ choice and funding. Second, we have to shift from the present ‘first-past-the-post’ electoral system to some form of proportional representation in which the vote share of a party gets translated into seats. Proportional representation breaks the oligopoly of parties and makes way for real competition. In the present system, the marginal vote has become so important that political parties deploy money and muscle power to influence the outcome of an election. Corruption, criminalisation of politics and failure of rule of law are all consequences of the present electoral system. Third, empowerment of the local or district governments is the need of the hour. It should be the third tier in government, the other two being at the Union and state levels. I would also advocate provision of quality and free education, including English and computer skills, to all in the 0-18 age group without any discrimination between students of private and government schools. A comprehensive review of the present reservation policy to ensure that every child fulfils his/her true potential (is needed). Students belonging to poor and rural families, irrespective of their caste or religion, should be awarded 10 per cent bonus marks. My suggestions for other priorities are comprehensive restructuring of agriculture by starting agri-clinics at the rate of one for every 3,000 acres or at least one for every village, ensuring access to credit to all farmers, overhauling of agricultural marketing by providing access to retail chains, storage and value-addition facilities, creation of 10,000 small towns in the country with all urban amenities and infrastructure. They will serve as hubs of small industries, marketing, job creation, promoting ‘in situ’ urbanisation and minimising migration. A programme to ensure safe drinking water, 24-hour power supply, all-weather road and efficient public transport to every village (is needed).
Is there real hope for a better India?
Religious and caste divisions are deep-rooted in our society. Politics is about harmonious resolution of conflicting interests. Unfortunately, our political process instead of providing a solution has become part of the problem. It is merely accentuating these divisions for short-term political gains. Our ... first-past-thepost electoral system rewards a party with a local concentrated support base and not a party with a widely scattered support based on ideas and agenda. As a result, political parties play the caste/religious cards. Direct election of the chief minister at the state level will minimise the influence of caste and religion. It may not be possible at the national level in India because of the north-south, Hindu-Muslim and Hindi-non-Hindi divides ... Proportional representation will serve as an incentive to political parties to enlarge their support base instead of focusing on their narrow support base. In order to prevent fragmentation, there can be reasonable thresholds, say 10 per cent vote in a state as a minimum requirement for representation. We have to vigorously pursue affirmative action policies that ensure justice to disadvantaged sections, provide opportunities for all and eliminate suspicion and mistrust between communities … This can be done by ensuring that reservation benefits go to the poor, not the rich and privileged, even within a reserved community. This should be combined with 10 per cent bonus marks as weightage for all rural children and poor urban children, irrespective of caste. We should gradually shift from quotas to weightage like this. Then opportunities will expand without dividing society.
Let me mention three factors, which are forcing the pace of change. First, about 73 per cent of Indians are below the age of 35. Unlike their predecessors, the present-day youngsters have swagger and confidence and are not plagued by insecurity or inferiority. They are hungry for change. Fifty per cent of voters are below the age of 35. Compare this with the youth who constitute only 27 per cent of voters in the US who brought about a political revolution. We have immense possibilities in India, if we only harness youth power creatively. Second, the revolution in communication technologies has facilitated instantaneous transmission of ideas from one corner of the globe to another. Third, the 7 to 8 per cent economic growth India is witnessing, despite global meltdown, will trigger changes in the polity. First-rate economic growth and third-rate polity cannot co-exist. Status quo is simply unsustainable. (ALL INFORMATION FROM LOK SATTA SITE - www.loksatta.org )
