Only up to a point, a very vaguely defined point, we understand our goals in democracy. This has been a strong case in India since we have been working under the many adverse shadows, even after throwing out the British colonialism and our tryst with destiny to a most profound authoritative system called, democracy. Was discovering democracy sixty-four years back a mania, a passion or even a kind of neurosis, without the slightest moral justification?

I never wish anyone should think in this manner and take it like that; no explanation will ever convince them to settle collective wishes for common greater goods. With embedded resilience and appropriation of ideological and even sectarian new classes, over the years Indian democracy has strengthened itself enough to give ample room to Bentham’s utopia of happiness or Marx’s equitable socio-economic stake. What we have, a functional base for our democracy with proven record of comparatively peaceful transition of power but what we don’t have, the volition for rock bottom segment.

There have been always some underlying disagreements among the different classes-ofcourse, we too had broken off for even more than once, but interestingly never completely. Indeed, even those skirmishes were not the roistering moments-after all, we are still paying the price of over sobriety on Kashmir and extreme baffling with monstrous emergency era. Later after witnessing the most undemocratic ordeal, we realized and came out of slumber that the monstrosities are a mark of emotional imbalance rather than a lack of intelligence. Obviously, if someone has no confidence in himself/herself, it is because they see themselves through others eyes even barring world’s vision that gives at least some universal feeds.

I really scarcely know what our goals were, even can’t endorse whether they were adequate? I also don’t see either opulence or nattering in single magic line…we could have done otherwise as a nation? That we couldn’t, so now merely muttering that our collective obstinate trust turning swiftly into bitterness of hearts and wavering all around our system. The dwindling credibility from public institutions is not passable; it emphatically reflects the growing ostracizing from those who are in authority instead of performing on tall vows. In a sort of warring, common folk is on the receiving end, their representation being hijacked by the hawkish thugs with pedigree of many questions marks on their integrity.

Under a new fashion, impractically their ubiquitous entanglements on every matter have tarnished the line made to delink the statecraft from manipulated street demonstration. The present wave of corruption, that otherwise should have taken as serious governance flaws is unfortunately being considered as a byproduct of coalition government by the Congress party with nerd citing towards the blind ambition of regional political forces. What is Congress missing today? The loyalist political cohorts-the cornerstone of sycophancy based political order. Whatever their intent or display, it’s hard for a journo to cite, who is Judas? Only the crux of the matter is truly embarrassing, how the genuine rage of the common man was falsely represented by the Anna Hazare and innumerable metro based activists who never vote or face the ire of price rise or corruption.

The demonstration pavements of Jantar Mantar which years back was awarded the entertaining slots to free Rajpath from deviating concerns, was well managed this time by the sharpest brains like father-son combo, Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan, Magsaysay award winner and may be Nobel prize aspiring Arbind Kejriwal. Later, it was altogether a big flash, that father-son have combined property of around Rs.145 Crore, even with most conservative estimation…and remarkable is the fact Shanti Bhushan has earlier played two extra innings in legal practice and politics including once of Ministerial profile-rest is an open secret about his claim of integrity!

It was worth of noting that, sensationalizing electronic/social media had at no point covered the voices from rural hinterlands towards the hyped crusade against corruption. What Anna Hazare movement with backing from conglomeration of neo-NGO type civil organizations has done is to completely outshine real issues for an unreasonable Lokpal bill in current form. That went well in favour of Anna & co and of course for principal opposition BJP-what was left midway was the electoral reform, Inflation control, lethal inequitable spread of wealth, nexus of vested corporate interests etc. Even in his wildest dream, Anna Hazare couldn’t be confused with Gandhi by a conscious mind-it was indeed ironic to see a non-political man like him being prepared for an unprecedented revolution against the corruption without looking at the role of the parliament and constitution.

A nation like India can’t be run in this manner - there is need of people’s connect as vital organ of governance and that alone is possible through reacting practically instead of hanging with blurred tantrums and ending like cobwebs. Governance must mean public goodness and transparency, that can only be achieved through a broader participation and electoral reform-that will address and check the growing overlapping of jurisdictions among legislatures, executives and judiciary. Instead of shunning politics, people must see it as life and entwine it with fairness through corrective measures-political process must throw the pedantic following for a bigger reform. This must start now to retrieve people’s faith in their political system…it must be in place very soon because the world has already started seeing us with doubt.

Thinning FDI in the last few months and coverage of corruption by the western media, including Economist, which has a scripture like stature has summarily rejected the Indian growth story as “rotten”. People have to take care of politics but not through shambling convictions, the main concern here left with the role of loose talking by policy makers-the way Kaushik Basu has idealized the bribe on the finance ministry website is indeed very shocking. This must be condemned as ethical violation from the top of the hierarchy…we need people who can work, and not experts who have only mastery of bawdy rhetorics.

India is a complex entity, here misadventures’ tolls high on human capital which is its true strength - we shall not risk jeopardizing our edge as knowledge economy vis-à-vis China. China with much stricter and closer political system, has grown up fairly on governance and sizable income spread at the bottom level. We shall not be merely envious; rather we should act for competency. Our distortion of progressive elements which began with the blockades in Communist movement and their balkanization as political entity did a lot of harm in mainstream Indian politics and further in lessening progressivism from collective psyche.

Under the changed ideals, except for a few core issues, there is little difference of perceptions among the rest of the political parties, which is a matter of grave concern. The major stakeholders of Indian democracy must align with the dynamics and compelling changes to avoid further nightmares. Culprits must be nailed to sabotage their glamour and misuse of trust and authority…the nation can’t be run by the uncivil foes, it needs characters like Caesar’s wife!

{The writer is a New Delhi based journalist. He can be reached at Blog/ www.onesstandpoint.blogspot.com , Email: summertickets@gmail.com}