Osaka mayor Toru Hashimoto says, “If the right way of political administration is realised, I think, Japan can still take a position as a leader in Asia or in the world.” This statement seems to be relevant to all countries, India in particular, considering the state of affairs in the present day style of governance. Additionally, the information available on Hashimoto and his emergence as a reformer of the present political set up of Japan seem to attract more attention considering the present revolt against the ruling combine in India.

The 43-year-old revolutionary is an ex-TV personality, who rose in revolt against the political set up in his home base of Osaka by floating a party (Osaka Restoration Association) which helped him become mayor of Osaka. With his accusation of the government "as having turned deaf to the needs of the nation" and by describing the current electoral process in Japan as "against the principles of democracy," he was able to gather strength through his reforms as mayor. He was successful in improving the political culture of the country, in his hometown "by breaking the cozy ties between political parties and vested interests from industrial groups, to labour to farmers' associations." 

This seems to have increased his popularity as a social reformer with the backing of a huge number of followers who have been frustrated with the present administration. With this support, he has now entered the national stage, renaming his local outfit as Japan Restoration Party to contest national elections, due to take place shortly. This party is now rated as the third most popular one in that country. The encouraging factor here is the support from the corporate sector for this revolutionary progress in that country. A very clear picture of the advancement of an individual to the level of a national leader is available from TIME (Oct 22, 2012 pp 40-42).

The existing political situation in our country calls for emulation of the efforts as perceived in the above illustration, focusing on Corporate Social Responsibility in democratic governance. This seems more relevant today especially, when the present day style of corruption capped governance in the country is functioning with corporate support from all fields. The role played by the corporate sector in the day-to-day running of the government (whether it is policymaking or implementing the schemes of the government), has been amply proved by the happenings in the last one or two years. This cannot be substantiated better than by referring to the 2G, the CWG and the latest Coalgate, to mention a few instances.

The most recent example is removal of an honest minister of the oil division, due to corporate pressure. This has resulted in a deplorable state, wherein independent functioning of constitutional institutions is made a mockery by the extra-constitutional powers assumed by the parliament, with the brute force of MPs, who enter the forum through illegal money and muscle power during elections by exploiting the poor and vulnerable economic condition of the voters in general, and the economically backward communities in rural parts. This has been very glaring with the importance given to this malpractice by the Election Commission itself. Another instance of violation of the basic principles of the Constitution was the unwarranted arrest of Anna Hazare, followed by his immediate release from Tihar Jail. There seems to be no end to this breach of Constitutional sanctity.

The quoted example from Japan clearly shows any revolutionary activity  (by just one individual) against the crimes and injustice done to a civil society in a democracy cannot be successful without a recognised symbol and address of an established set up, identifying the affected group of citizens. This is evident even in India, looking at both the Congress Party (associated with Mahatma Gandhi) or the Janata Party (associated with Jaya Prakash Narayan). If such parties lose their image with the choice of wrong leaders, the blame squarely rests on the people and not on the founders of such parties. It should be an eye-opener to the present day society that while a single relic of the Janata Party is fighting alone against the evils of corruption, it is also a single member of the rising force of the India Against Corruption who is providing support to this fight. It is a matter of great relief that the perceived cleft within the budding force has now been sealed.

It is left for the youth of the present generation to be educated in this context as they are the ones to bear the brunt of the existing situation.  Even as the ruling combine is now relying on youth force of its components in different states (to strengthen their 'dynasty based anarchy rule'), with sops of all kinds (with the money earned through illegal means), the society at large should wake up to the call of the individuals fighting against existing political order, completely devoid of ethics or culture and moral values. It is inconceivable that a person condemned by a high court should be appointed director of the country's top investigating agency even before the nation has not forgotten the other instance of a person -- accused by another high court -- being appointed as Chief Information Commissioner through the autocracy of the ruling party, only to be dismissed from the post within days of his appointment after the intervention of the supreme court.

The desperate attempt of the Congress party to topple a corruption free state government by  pitting the wife of suspended police officer against the CM of Gujarat (in the coming elections) and its announcing sops, defying the model code of Election Commission, only reflects and betrays the true colour of the present style of governance at the federal level. When will the Congress learn from its mistakes and express regret for all its crimes, perpetrated against the nation? This, it must do at least for the sake of Mahatma Gandhi and Jewarharlal Nehru, if not for the many other noble souls who dedicated their lives to the country. At least, the country's heritage of National Herald should be spared and not inherited by a company of the ruling family!

The Vidhura turned Dhritharashtra of a PM cannot absolve himself of the sins of the present regime by pretending to be blind to them and turning a deaf ear to all voices being made in revolt.