India needs civil society movement

AAP still does not represent the change that this country needs

prahlad

Prahlad Rao | February 6, 2015 | New Delhi


AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal campaigning in Delhi on February 05.
AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal campaigning in Delhi on February 05.

The national capital votes on Saturday for its assembly. The aggressive campaigning by all political parties came to an end at 6 pm on Thursday. Campaigning took a dramatic turn in the last phase as opinion polls gave a kind of walk over to Arvin Kejriwal-led AAP.

If these opinion polls are right, the AAP will return to form government in Delhi. Other state parties and communist outfits have declared support to Kejriwal brand of politics.

But, the Kejriwal brand of politics is possible only in Delhi. It cannot be replicated in states or in other urban areas. Delhi is different; it is national capital and people see the working or non-working of the government at close quarters.

The birth of Aam Aadmi Party can be attributed to citizens participation but it is not a product of enlightened civil society movement. The AAP’s victory will be an expression of disenchantment with politicians and the current political culture. Unfortunately, it may not spread to India, at least for few more years.

Consumer India is one important reason why rest of India may not see AAP in its backyard. Consumers buy a product or reject a product and the AAP is still not a properly produced product. The party and its chief are feeding on disenchantment and discourse of impractical solutions.

Unlike what many commentators are saying, AAP’s win in Delhi will not be a turning point in national politics. India needs a civil society movement at local levels and no party in Delhi is talking about this civil society.

Agreed, the way we are being governed has to change but grand promises are not way forward. The civil society should know its duties first and rights later. A citizen has to act like a driver steers the vehicle on the road.

Delhi will vote and polling begins at 8 am on Saturday, and wraps up at 6 pm. A total of 1,33,09,078 registered voters -- including 73,89,089 males, 59,19,127 women and 862 from "other gender" – are eligible to cast their ballots. Results will be out on February 10 (Tuesday).

Comments

 

Other News

Doctors, experts call for ban on junk food ads, mandate warning labels

More than 30 doctors, medical scientists and public health professionals have urged the government to take decisive action against the aggressive advertising and marketing of junk food, calling for a watershed ban on advertisements for foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) and ultra-processed foods (UPF

Asiatic Lion population rises from 523 in 2015 to 891 in 2025

On World Lion Day 2026, environment, forest and climate change Minister  Bhupender Yadav celebrated India’s remarkable journey in lion conservation and reaffirmed the country’s unwavering commitment to protecting wildlife and biodiversity.   In a post on soc

Railways imposed ₹5.13 crore fine for food quality and hygiene violations

Indian Railways serve about 58 crore meals every year on an average. About only 0.0008% food quality related complaints are received on average. Based on complaints during the last three years, appropriate penal actions have been taken by IRCTC. Such actions include imposition of fines amounting to ₹5.13

STHAVAR: Why every Indian built asset needs a permanent digital identity

India has built digital systems for identity, payments, taxation, documents, logistics and public services. State governments, ministries, infrastructure agencies and urban local bodies have also created portals for land records, building permissions, project monitoring, property taxation and municipal s

Saksham Skill census identifies 22,000 job-ready candidates in one Mumbai ward

A first-of-its-kind AI-enabled skill census conducted in Mumbai`s H-West Ward has identified a potential livelihood pipeline of nearly 22,000 candidates, generated over 32,000 provisional job matches while revealing that 71.2 per cent of surveyed homemakers are willing to join the workforce, according to

GI tags: Scaling traditional wealth into global brands

Geographical Indication (GI) tags have emerged as a powerful tool for protecting India`s cultural heritage, while creating economic opportunities for local communities. By linking products to their place of origin, GI tags preserve traditional knowledge, prevent misuse, and enhance consumer trust. They h

Upcoming Conferences



-->

Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter