By prematurely entering electoral politics at
State and National level, Aam Admi Party
has led itself into a blind alley. As the AAP’s declared aim is to change the
system by empowering people at the grass root level, it should have begun at
the Panchayat level. Perhaps, it was the party’s eagerness to demonstrate
its conviction that it is possible to fight and win elections without money
and muscle power which made it to take this
hasty decision . The success in the elections to the Delhi Assembly which
defied all predictions lured it into an ambitious path. In the process, it committed
some mistakes, which though of minor nature has affected its credibility to
some extent.
But AAP is not just another political party which
can be forgotten as a flash in the pan. For the first time in many years, it
has rekindled the hope that things can change in this country. It has shown
that democracy is still a potent tool for bringing about change. It has also
made people, especially young people, realise that democratic rights and duties
go hand in hand. The phenomenal response to the activities of AAP is a
testimony to this fact.
As a
result of a few indiscretions of its
leaders and strategic errors though minor (which are only to be expected in an
organisation whose structure is still amorphous), the enormous good-will earned
by AAP has started evaporating.
Today the AAP is mostly known for its
anti-corruption crusade. It is high time the AAP realises the limitations of
staking its future on a single point programme. A plain reading of AAP manifesto shows that AAP gives as much,
if not more, importance to devolving power directly to the people by making the functioning of Panchayat
and Gram Sabha more effective and meaningful. I feel this is more important
than exposing the corrupt because
corruption cannot be eradicated if it is tackled in isolation. No doubt, the
affairs of the nation have reached such a stage that putting an end to the all
pervading corruption has become the foremost priority for most of us. It is
exactly for this reason that a fight against corruption elicits ready response.
But unless the fight against corruption is accompanied with a plan of action to
empower the common man, the results would not be decisive.
The AAP does recognise this fact. That is the
reason why the manifesto of AAP places
emphasis on assuring speedy and affordable justice to common man, police
reforms to make the police force humane and accountable, judicial and electoral
reforms, making quality health care and
education accessible to all, ecologically sustainable economic development,
creation of jobs , empowering the vulnerable sections of people, reinvigorating
the rural sector, a just & fair land acquisition policy, abolition of
contract labour, regulations for ensuring fair working conditions for the
unorganised sector, gender justice, ending of caste based discrimination,
maintenance of communal harmony etc.
But so far the fledgling party could
concentrate only on one issue. Of course, the enormity of the problem of
corruption and the fact that removal of corruption from the polity, economy and
above all from the minds, is basic to
the solution of other problems afflicting the society justifies this approach to some extent.
Somewhere, somehow a beginning has to be made
on tackling other issues which the AAP
itself has identified as important for
changing the system. I think the most opportune time for doing this is
now. Freed from the daily grind of electioneering the leaders and workers of
the party may now start deliberating on other important issues.
So, the AAP has to start campaigning all over again at
the gram sabha and Panchayat level for transfer of power, functions, funds and above all Planning to Panchayats and wards. Systemic change, if it is to be lasting and
truly relevant to the needs of the people has to begin at the bottom and travel upwards.
But that is not all. There is one problem
that AAP will find difficult to tackle.
As of now, AAP is a cluster of assorted individuals and groups who sooner or
later, will start pulling it in diverse directions. To build a cohesive party
with coherent policies out of this assorted cluster will be a daunting task for
a party like AAP which would like leadership and policies to emerge from the
ground level. This is not so difficult for traditional parties which believe in
hierarchical, centralised leadership. It is all the more easy for cadre based
organisations like the communist party
and the RSS which believe more in indoctrinating its cadre rather than
encouraging deliberations.
It is not my case that it is impossible to
formulate coherent policies from the grass root level which will ultimately
evolve as a national policy. But it is a long drawn and arduous process.
Nevertheless, it needs to be pursued as there is no other method which can be
considered better than this.
There
is one more problem with decentralised decision making. In the initial stages
deliberations and decisions at the village level will be dominated, if not
dictated by vested interests like the local rich, landlords, caste
organisations, khaps, musclemen, priests and religious leaders. But the democratic process
will be a great teacher. Soon enlightened self-interest and the opportunity for
self-assertion will enable people to come out of the clutches of the vested
interests. The power and influence enjoyed by informal groups and leaders will
slowly be transferred to elected representatives (who are accountable and also replaceable), once the
latter gain the confidence of the people by their good work.
Unlike leaders at the national and state
level, it will be easier for people to monitor the functioning of their local representatives and exercise some control over them because of physical
proximity.
All this may sound like utopia. But a study of the universally acclaimed Kerala
model will reveal that the foremost factor responsible for Kerala topping
the social indices chart is due to the true and meaningful devolution of powers to
the Gram Sabhas and the Panchayats. At first the communist government took the
unprecedented decision to transfer 35-40% of the State budget and Central funds
to the Panchayats with unfettered freedom in planning and execution of projects. Along with the transfer of funds,
many functions were also entrusted to the village panchayats. (Some of the
important functions performed by Panchayats in Kerala today are construction
and maintenance of village roads, drains, wells, street lighting, providing drinking
water, registration of births, deaths and marriages etc ). It should be added to the credit of the government that succeeded the LDF that they also continued the policy.
Now that the elections are over, it is hoped that AAP will start focussing on these vital issues (vital
not only for the party but also for the nation)
Narayanan
Menon
