So here we are the biggest democracy with inefficient leaders looking to choose again. They say it’s different because we had the Mumbai attacks, others say recession, and still others talk about ties with US. So, we have quite a lot to handle this time- with one vote all of us decide which way India should swing on terrorism, economic policies and international relations.
But helping us with that this time is the whole gamut of grassroots media, which seems to be firmly grounded after a long struggle all these years. Far sensible than its mainstream cousins full of rhetoric and sensational stories, it’s throwing up relevant issues and for a change offering solutions too.
So if we have Jaago re campaign which has registered more than 6 lakh voters explaining them the election process, Association for Democratic Reforms (http://www.adrindia.org/) is reaching out with affidavits of contestants letting people make informed choices.
Magsaysay award winner Arvind Kejriwal has also taken up the cudgels. After RTI, his new passion seems to be ‘Swaraj’, a thought which inspired a whole generation years ago on this very land. Campaigning through auto-rickshaw posters, street pole kiosks, and the Internet (http://www.lokrajandolan.org/), the organisation is warning politicians its supporters would vote for the party which promises to bring in legislation on self-governance. Self-governance would mean power to people on policy matters and greater accountability. Beginning this weekend, the organisation members would visit headquarters of all political parties asking if anybody cares for Swaraj.
The Election Commission also seems to be game for some curbs. Videography being done of every candidate’s political rally has raised quite a lot of heckles. Inflammatory speeches or cash distribution, all politicians are on the tape- but does that stop them from doing their bit? Unfortunately, it does not, but still something is better than nothing. They get the EC notice and news splashes - which is, well a just way to keep them on guard to some extent.
India is a true democracy and how do we know that? That’s because if we have all these pro-voting grassroots media, there is http://www.bleedindia.com/, which gives voice to the disgruntled. They don’t want to vote, they would rather thrown netas off their chairs and fling muck at them. A take on Times of India’s ‘Lead India’ campaign, which promotes voting, the website says nothing would change- the politicians would continue to fill their coffers and hence bleed India. It has got good number of supporters too.
So, it’s different this time for sure. We don’t know how decisive the turnout and its results would be, but grassroots media has definitely come of age. You never know- may be the script for next five years is being written by them right now. Wish it had happened earlier? Never mind- they are here to stay now.
