Can change in the system be
brought while being out of it?
It's obvious answer is both -
yes and no.
It all depends on the
prevailing circumstances in the system - whether the system still has the
elements who care for the conscious voices - or it has got deaf enough to block
them on the periphery - if throwing them out is not an option.
The classic case where the
centre or the core or the 'haves' sections of a society rule it with sheer
domination - keeping the critical or hostile voices or the 'have nots' at the
periphery - and the vicious circles of hegemony continues.
Unfortunately, it the second
category that defines our prevailing socio-political system where even the
world's lengthiest written constitution has not been able to ensure the proper
implementation of all its tenets - and its spirit.
Like it is always said that even
if we got our independence from the British, we are yet to see a flawless
democracy ruling the systems in the country. Though we are the world's largest
democracy - and a robustly functional one - the Global Democracy Index, annual
ranking the Economist, finds us a flawed democracy - placing us at 35.
And it is not without
reasons.
We have a transparent
electoral system but the political corruption vitiates the whole atmosphere -
so much so - that now the political class is considered and seen as a class
apart - the elite who themselves feel and behave like supremacists. The deeply
percolated VVIP culture (VIPism) has now become a part of even the smallest
governance units of our country. And when you political class stars acting like
it owns the country, it is the beginning of the process that starts killing the
democratic spirit of the society - that starts contaminating every aspect of
the society - so much so - that corruption has become a way of life for us.
The second biggest political
reform movement of India, after the JP movement of 1970's, the anti-corruption agitation
led by the veteran activist Anna Hazare in 2011 was fuelled by anti-corruption
sentiments only.
But like the JP movement, it,
too, was co-opted by the people ruling the mainstream of the society.
If we have to set it correct,
we need to overhaul the system - and to do that - we need to change the way we
do politics.
To continue..
©SantoshChaubey