MUMBAI
Which is why we are, where we are," says Mani Shankar Iyer, talking of panchayati raj and grassroots democracy. Vested interests continue to stand in the way of grassroots democracy; sections of the higher bureaucracy, for instance, and great number of politicians.
So, where are we? The answer to that is: "Though the Panchayat Raj institutions have been in existence for a long time, it has been observed that these institutions have not been able to acquire status and dignity of viable and responsive people's bodies due to a number of reasons including absence of regular elections, prolonged supersession, insufficient representation of weaker sections like Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and women, inadequate devolution of powers and lack of financial resources."
That was from the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992. Since then a lot of water has flown down the Yamuna. Today, Iyer, who was panchayati raj minister in UPA-I and had brought out what he calls as "My Report" on panchayati raj, would lay the blame on "10 years of unresponsive role of the UPA at the Centre" and on a complete lack of finesse in "last mile delivery", mainly because power has not devolved to the gram sabha and panchayat but has been hijacked by the collector-BDO-clerk axis.
Mahatma Gandhi is often quoted when it comes to local self-government. Power to the people, Swaraj or self-rule was his caller-tune. Pitted against Gandhi was B R Ambedkar, who saw caste-ridden villages as cesspools of poison. Wajahat Habibullah, who was the first secretary of a revived Panchayati Raj ministry, in 2004, says self-government has largely succeeded, and equates this to the triumph of democracy.
"We have succeeded in creating self-governing autonomous institutions at the village and district level. It all boiled down to funds, functions and functionaries. Funds have to be generated locally, functions have to clearly delineated and functionaries have to identified. We have come a long way," he says.
So-called modern-day Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, when campaigning for the Delhi assembly elections, spoke of the "mohalla committee", which is nothing but a panchayat in an urban setting. The argument is that only people at the "grassroots" would know their problems, and would strive to solve them to their satisfaction.
The problem is local self-government never became part of continuous discourse. Jawaharlal Nehru gave it prime place. But after his death it went dormant. The Left when it came to power in West Bengal gave it top billing, and panchayats in West Bengal brought tremendous change to the social and economic milieu. "Panchayats made a big contribution. If you ask whether India is a democracy because of local-self government, I would say yes it is," says D Raja, CPI MP.
Local self-government also got a shot in the arm when Rajiv Gandhi came to power. He held forth what Iyer calls "Rajivian solutions" to problems of poverty. "Go back to Rajiv Gandhi's principles," is today Iyer's ring-tune. But for all his loyalty to the Gandhi family, Iyer squarely blames the UPA, of which Sonia Gandhi is chairperson, for the current state of panchayati raj institutions. "The lacuna," says Iyer, "is that 60-90% of funds for local self-government comes from Delhi, for the implementing the centrally-sponsored schemes... The key to self-governance at the grassroots, then, lies in the hands of the Centre which has not lived up to its responsibilities."
That lacuna is seen where panchayats exist, where panchayat elections take place and where panchayat members do get to hold meetings. What about the Kashmir, where panchayats face terror threats? What about central India, where Maoists rule the roost? What about the northeast? In these areas, problems of internal security ride roughshod, and democracy and development then is held at gunpoint, miles away.
Those who hold up panchayats, however, do not need guns. Caste and religion and gender come in handy. The Institute of Rural Management Anand's "State of Panchayats Report 2008-09" brings this out succinctly: "In many places, particularly at the gram panchayat and intermediate panchayat levels, seating is segregated along gender and caste lines. The insensitivity, indifference, vested interests, abusive language and non-cooperation of other elected representative functionaries and officials were also largely common... Casteist practices are endemic and afflicts even government officials of higher levels who are duty-bound to counter them."
Proxy representation is another blot. Husbands, political parties and upper caste men are the worst offenders. Personal factors such as low socioeconomic status, illiteracy or low levels of education, inadequate information, lack of political affiliation and association and lack of experience are barriers that keep proxy representation alive, and thriving.
Given the shadow cast by caste, which is perhaps the most "debilitating personal factor for men and women alike", it will take much more than holding panchayat elections or the general elections for that matter to bring about grassroots democracy. Till then, democracy remains a word to which too many of us have taken a fancy to. And swear by.
Delhi-NCR Earthquake Today: Tremors of magnitude 4.3 jolt Delhi and adjoining areas
This film has broken world box office records, not Hollywood, Bollywood but...
Meet Satyam Pandey who got high-paying job offer, not from IIM, NIT, IIIT, his annual salary is…
Gurgaon couple reunites with lost dog after three-month search in Agra
Meet man, IIT graduate, who topped UPSC exam in third attempt, he is from...
Noida authority takes BIG action against promoters of 2 housing projects, as realty firm fails to...
WPL 2025: Ashleigh Gardner, Deandra Dottin star as Gujarat Giants beat UP Warriorz by 6 wickets
This city is the coldest, darkest and most polluted in the world, tourists are banned here due to...
New Fastag rules from tomorrow: Users may incur additional charges if...; check details
Inside Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan's son Jeh's mario-themed birthday bash, watch
Meet Indian genius, who got high-paying job offer, not from IIT, IIM, his annual salary is Rs…
Shoaib Ibrahim gifts new house to his mother-in-law, Dipika Kakar's mother gets emotional
Deepika Padukone joins Kartik Aaryan, Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff at Mumbai event; see viral photos
Man wanted in Canada's biggest gold heist found living in THIS Indian city, he is...
'Free Samay Raina': Badshah shouts at his concert in Gujarat
Amitabh Bachchan's son-in-law Nikhil Nanda faces legal trouble, FIR filed against businessman for...
'Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli...': R Ashwin lambasts 'superstar culture' in Indian cricket
Bombay HC to hear PIL on Sushant Singh Rajput's death, actor's father says...
Ajay Devgn's absence from Kajol's Valentine's Day post sparks speculation: 'Kalesh chal raha hai'
Anil Ambani-led company's loss widens to Rs 3298 crore in just...; its business is...
Premanand Maharaj's morning yatra set to resume after..., it was stopped because...
Champions Trophy 2025: Gautam Gambhir, Ajit Agarkar clash over Shreyas Iyer's position in team
239 composite liquor shops to be opened in..., booze business ramps up in...
Mukesh Ambani may lose the position of Asia's richest after Reliance loses...in just...days
Elon Musk-led DOGE halts Rs 175 crore election funding for India due to...
Malaika Arora shares her Paneer Thecha recipe, here's how you can make it
Mahakumbh viral girl Monalisa steps into 5-star hotel for lunch for first time, see viral post
Meet CID-fame actor, who once did a show for Rs 20, lost his wife due to...now earns...
Vinod Kambli makes surprising move, former Indian cricketer decides to donate...
Sachin Tendulkar breaking heart on V Day with Anjali in tow is oddly satisfying, watch viral video
Ekta Kapoor to face police probe, Mumbai court orders inquiry for...
Lahori Zeera makers likely to get Rs 450 crore as fundraising from Motilal Oswal among others
'You're pregnant': Ileana D'Cruz expecting second child with Michael Dolan!
Akshay Kumar touches Amitabh Bachchan's feet at ISPL2 finale, their association goes back to...
Who is Lalit Modi’s new Valentine? All about Rima Bouri, IPL founder’s new girlfriend
India's big 'treasure' is hidden here, once THIS work is done country will earn Rs...
This country hits big JACKPOT, discovers one of world's biggest gold reserves worth Rs...
Roadies XX star Prince Narula, Yuvika Chaudhary demand Rs 20 lakh bribe? Here's what we know
What led to stampede at New Delhi Railway Station that killed 18 people? 10 points
King Kong: This 6-Foot-8 buffalo named the world’s tallest by Guinness World Records
Shakira’s metallic wolf gown took 600 hours to create, designed by THIS Indian couturier
84 year marriage, 13 kids, 100 grandkids, viral couple sets record
Harshvardhan Rane, Mawra Hocane react to Amitabh Bachchan's shout out to Sanam Teri Kasam re-release
Chhaava box office collection day 2: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna film mints Rs 67 crore