Democratic Basics Will Rescue

By Geoffery *

The author had seen an advertisement of Levis Jeans with a jingle: Basics will Always Survive. After a deep thought he arrived at a solution that it is applicable in all fields.

Here an effort has been made how basics of democracy can rescue North East (NE) Region of India. India is the largest democracy. Pro-people approach of democracy is inherent in this definition; of the people, by the people and for the people.

This means deliverance of good governance (GG), optimal & necessitated development on unbiased necessity basis, equality of rights & opportunities etc. Our constitution enshrines all the clauses for a democracy to be pro people. Kautilya, a scholar on statecraft has also postulated that state activities should benefit its subjects (prajanam anugrehana).

India has 4635 communities, 325 languages, belonging to 121 languages, 24 scripts, 17 official languages, the birth place for four religions and rich home for others, 21 traditions of classical dance and 300 ways of cooking potato.

It is an embodiment of Unity in Diversity both because of provisions in our constitution and also development of stay together culture over a period of time.

NE region is more uniquely diverse than the rest of our country. After six decades of independence, is democracy permitted to retain the basic of being pro people or been modified to be pro voters?

It all started in the first decade of independence. Shri C Raja Gopalachari, first Indian and second Governor General of India had predicted that we shall see the power & tyranny of wealth. In 1957 Tisco wanted to change their Memorandum of Association to allow company to make contribution to Political Parties.

Bombay High Court allowed with weighing obiter dictum, "------- we think it our duty to draw the attention of parliament to the great danger inherent in permitting companies to make contribution to the funds of political parties. It is a danger which may grow apace and which may ultimately overwhelm in and even throw the democracy in the country".

As the law (section 77 of representation of people’s act) stands at present, a political party may receive any amount by way of contribution under the companies act. Money exchanges that take place during elections are an open secret.

In this region there is no much industry but money still flows. Probably it is through nexus with proscribed outfits or through arms smuggling. Recent case of Mr Sahid Chowdhry, food and supply minister of Tripura having links with Bangladeshi arms dealer may be a micro tip of the iceberg ( Morung Express date lined 12 Apr 08).

Problem of illegal migrants and repercussions on this region are well known. Designs of perpetrators for this migration need no emphasis. This problem is continuing & all efforts are being made to detour the issue because these are indispensable vote banks.

It will not be wrong to quote excerpts from the book "North East India” by 'Dr HK Barpujari'. One of the Congress Presidents, Dev Kanta Barua, said "so long as Alis (Muslims) and coolies (tea garden laborers) are with the party, the congress party did not care for any body".

Similarly when Hiteshwar Saikia the CM made a statement in Assam assembly that in a single year thirty lacs Bangladesh infiltrators entered Assam, Leaders of the Muslim forum threatened that unless the CM withdraws his statement, the forum will pull him down in five minutes. The Assam CM retreated and said, "There is not a single foreigner in Assam" (The Sentinel 06 Aug 1994).

Promulgation of controversial IM (DT) Illegal Migration (determination tribunal) Act in 1985 and its repeal in 2005 is a testimony of the hidden agenda. There are only two deportation centers in the region; Manisasan in Karimganj and Mancachar in Dhubri district, each, manned by one ASI & three constables.

These centres are responsible for deportation of Bangladeshis detected in Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya & Mizoram. Is it possible? Records also prove that all the deported personnel have come back.

Another issue that had rocked the assemblies in the states and sounds were also heard in Delhi is delimitation process as per delimitation act 2002. It was to readjust the assembly constituencies based on the 2001 census. But vested interests opposed it tooth and nail and wasted lot of useful assembly time which could have been put to better use.

Honorable speaker Somnath Chatterjee during his speech "Parliamentary Democracy and Some Challenges" had said, "During last three years, 14 th Lok Sabha has lost 26% of its time due to disruptions and every minute costs Rs. 26000\- to the exchequer".

Wish the spirit of Jawahar Lal Nehru permeates in today's leadership. He said, "Call me first servant of India instead of first Prime Minister of India". Kautiya also talks of trivarga in statecraft i.e. Dharma (virtuous duties towards the public) artha (means to generate state income i.e. development) and kama (luxury). Out of these kama had been rated the most unimportant but it is the opposite today.

NE India has typically classless but a tribal society. Inter tribal fissures are getting deeper over issues of more reservations, better social status and also due to vested interests. Adivasis of Assam were recommended to be included in ST list by Aman Rai Pradhani Panel but denied the same in 1996.

There are five more communities demanding the similar status. Collectively these communities cater for fate for the fate of 28 constituencies out of 126 in Assam. Readers need to draw their conclusions.

With unabated illegal influx from across the border the day is not far when religious divide will also infect this region like rest of the country. Basics of all religions being the same then why disturb the social harmony.

There is a vital need to get to the basics of democratic concepts to preserve secular approach to democracy that is pro people and not pro voters. This is only route for violence free, vibrant and progressive NE India.