Get up, participate in democracy, says Prithvi Reddy

Here’s our chance to stop complaining and start working. The BBMP polls is the first step. Going forward, every citizen must demand accountability from elected representatives, says Prithvi Reddy, co-founder of Smart Vote Koramangala campaign, and president-trustee of Adarsh Vidya Samsthe.

What motivates you?
Most of us lead our lives as per Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. As a child, I had the infrastructure and a good family background, which allowed me to explore other areas of my life. I was in politics from an early age. I was a headboy in school and college. I enjoyed being responsible for something which was people-driven and that is why I am doing this to motivate people.

Everybody has been motivated at some point or the other in their lives. It could be either an event or by some person who has touched their lives, making them think differently. I have been inspired by the work of Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde and additional commissioner of police (traffic) Praveen Sood. I’ve noticed that the youth of today are motivated by the terror attacks — when they see such ghastly attacks, they want to do something to stop it — and also by Obama’s election campaign, which struck a positive note in people across countries. The blasts have spurred people to think of their actions and also how it will bring about a change in society.

Participate in democracy
Politics today, unfortunately, is associated with everything that is bad. There is a need to strengthen democracy and to protect it. It is the right of every citizen to do this and it is their duty too. They must actively participate in democracy. It is essential to get on to the field and see what actions are needed to bring about a change. The first step in this direction is to cast your vote. There’s much one can do with little resources.

Youth, especially, should understand that unless they express their opinions, no change can be brought about. They are becoming aware of their duties and responsibilities today. They should realise that this is an act to clean up the system, and this cleaning up starts at the grassroots level. The youth comprises 65% of the population, which is a large chunk. If anyone can bring about a permanent change in the future, for the better, it is the youth.

No ‘cheque book charity’
The most basic thing that is needed today is education, adequate awareness and understanding of what is happening around us. The youth need to be told why their vote matters. They need to understand that they can surely do something about the problems around them. You do not have to be Mahatma Gandhi to bring about a change and to be involved in your immediate environment.

Even as a volunteer, one can bring about a change, albeit a small one, in the system. This, in the long run, will amount to a lot. Thus, motivation and the right direction are needed. People should understand that one need not be a full-time public servant to bring about a change. It’s for each one of us to realise that we can do only that much with ‘cheque book charity’. But our system requires much more than that. It is all about the right inspiration. And to inspire the youth, we need the right catalyst; we need to get our hands dirty. When the process is self propagating, results may be slow. But once we climb this mountain, the rest is easier to achieve.

Be a change catalyst
We need a lot of transparency in the present functioning and accountability. More people participation is needed. There is need for a holistic approach and people must realise they have a role to play. Citizens should look at the micro and macro issues and find out how they can contribute to the betterment of the process. I agree that it is very disheartening when there are only promises and no execution when the leader comes to power. But it is important for us to understand that they have to stop accusing politicians and bureaucrats. Agreed, there is a lot of corruption in society. But who is making them corrupt? It’s us, the people. Since people bribe them, they have the audacity to be corrupt. Every citizen should be aware, and demand answers and accountability from those elected. They have the right to question the leaders. Political leaders today get away as no one questions them. When a mass of people start to  question them and demand answers — there are many tools in democracy to do that, the most important one being the RTI — this problem will start to solve itself.
— As told to Bosky Khanna