Politics, ethics and democracy அரசியல், ஜன நாயகம்

சென்னையிலிருந்து அமெரிக்காவில் உள்ள கனெக்டிகெட் ஸ்டாம்ஃபோர்டு வந்து ஒரு சில தினங்களே ஆகின்றன. இருந்தாலும் சென்னையை விட்டுப் பிரிந்துபோன உணர்வு மேல் நோங்கி நிற்கிறது.

என்ன காரணம் ? இங்கு உள்ள கடும் குளிரா ? வித்தியாசமான சாலைகளா ? இங்கு காணப்படும் ஒழுங்கு விதிகளா ?
இதெல்லாம் இல்லை. இதற்கு மேலே :

முதற்காரணம்: கிட்டத்தட்ட 50 வருடங்களாக எழுந்த உடனேயே கையில் எடுக்கும் எனது தினசரி ஹின்டு பேப்பர் எனப்புரிந்தது.

என்னதான், எனக்கு எனக்கு ஹின்டுவின் பக்கங்கள் முக்கிய சங்கதிகள் இன்டர்னெட் வழியாக படிக்கமுடிந்தாலும் பேப்பரைக் கையிலே ஃபிஸிகலா எடுத்து மேலும் கீழுமாக கண்களை உலவவிட்டு நமக்குப்பிடித்த பக்கங்களை முதலில் படித்து ஒரு மன அமைதி பெறுவதே தனி சுகம்.

இன்று காலை ஹின்டு வில் திரு நரேஷ் குப்தா அவர்கள் எழுதிய கட்டுரை மிகவும் கவர்ந்தது. ஆஃப் லேட் நான் ஹின்டு ஒர் பக்கமாக எழுதுகிறது என்று பலர் கூறுவதில் சிறிது உண்மை இருக்கிறது என்பது எனது கருத்து. இன்றைய கட்டுரை ஹின்டுவில் தானா என்றுகூட ஐயமாக இருந்தது.

எழுதிய திரு. நரேஷ் குப்தா அவர்கள் தலைமை தேர்தல் அதிகாரி, தமிழ் நாடு. அண்மையில் அவரது செயல்பாடுகள் ஒரு சமன் செய்து சீர் தூக்கும் கோல் போல் இருந்தன என்பது வெள்ளிடைமலை.

அவர் எழுதிய இந்தக் கட்டுரை படித்தபின் அவரது மன உணர்வுகள் புரியாமல் இல்லை. சாதாரணமாக, அரசியல் குறித்த பதிவுகள் எழுதுவதில்லை. ஆயினும் இது அரசியல் மட்டுமன்றி, அரசியல் சரித்திரம், எதிக்ஸ் உள்ளிட்டதாக‌ இருக்கிறது.

பல்வேறு நாடுகளில் வசிக்கும் இந்திய நண்பர்கள் இக்கட்டுரையை அவசியம் படிக்கவேண்டும்.

காபி ரைட் கட்டுரையாக இருக்கிறது. இருந்தாலும் ஹின்டுவின் ஒரு 60 வருட வாசகன் என்ற முறையில் அதை நான் இத்துடன் இணைப்பதில் ஹின்டு நிர்வாகம் கோபமடையாது என எண்ணுகிறேன்.

Politics, ethics and democracy

Naresh Gupta

Democracy is at stake if the loudest voice counts as the voice of wisdom or when coercive pressures take the place of reason and persuasion

Democracy was never alien to India. In fact, India could be considered to have been the cradle of democracy. The roots of Indian democracy can be traced back to as early as the Vedic age. There was a time when India was studded with republics. Even where there were monarchies, they were either elected or limited. They had to function in accordance with dharma, or the rule of law. Pali texts provide interesting details of how the assemblies of republics in the post-Vedic period functioned like parliaments and followed highly sophisticated procedures. However, the parliamentary system in its modern connotation owes its origin and growth to India’s British connection for some two centuries.

The Indian Independence Act, 1947, provided for the setting up of two dominions of India and Pakistan with effect from August 15, 1947. It was, according to Lord Samuel, “an event unique in history — a treaty of peace without war.”

The Founding Fathers of the Constitution chose the system of representative parliamentary democracy with universal adult franchise. Freedom brings responsibility. Building on the traditions of the national movement, Indian leaders strengthened the foundations of democracy in the country by the manner of their functioning. They gave due importance to the institutional aspects of the democratic system and adhered not only to the forms of democratic institutions and procedures but also the spirit.

From an electorate of around 173 million in 1951 when India went to the polls for the first time under the Constitution, the number of electors swelled to nearly 672 million in 2004. The fair and peaceful conduct of elections periodically with a large turn-out of voters, especially of the rural folk and women, and the participation of all groups with differing ideology and religious faith, is an indication of the acceptance of the framework of the Constitution and the growing political awareness among the people. India is the largest democracy in the world. These elections have demonstrated that the democratic urge is very deep-rooted among the people of India and their faith in a constitutional system of government very strong.

Jawaharlal Nehru was quite amazed at democracy functioning so successfully in India. On the last day of the second Lok Sabha, he could say with some satisfaction on the floor of the House: “Democracy... is the hallmark of India at present. But democracy does not consist of 210 million people voting. Democracy, ultimately, is a way of life, a way of reacting to circumstances, a way of thinking and a way of putting with the things we dislike even. And I think we have done fairly well… and considering the state of the world today when every other day we read bout coup d’ etats in various countries, it is surprising how we have carried on in our normal way.”

If we are to live in peace and happiness, every nation, community, and the individual must envision universal and humanitarian ideals and must strive to practise them in thought, speech and action. Religion and even politics must be founded on moral and spiritual fundamentals. In ancient India, politics was regarded as a branch of ethics. Peace, justice and liberty for all were the prime purposes of politics.

Mahatma Gandhi recommended that politics should be a branch of ethics. While there has been considerable progress on the economic front, there has been regression of the values in the society and devaluation of the institutions.

The expectation at the time of Independence that public men would sacrifice their personal interest for public welfare has not been fulfilled. Mahatma Gandhi did not want the constructive workers, the men and women who had directed the several organisations over the years to remove untouchability, extend basic education, improve food cultivation, develop village industries and encourage hand spinning, to go into power politics. That would, he felt, spell ruin.

Democracy is at stake if the loudest voice counts as the voice of wisdom or when coercive pressures take the place of reason and persuasion. Referring to his tours, especially concerned with the general elections that were approaching at that time, Nehru wrote: “Elections were an inseparable part of the democratic process and there was no way of doing away with them. Yet, often enough, elections bring out the evil side of man and they do not always lead to the success of the better man.”

In his address on October 18, 1951, Nehru laid great emphasis on the importance of the right means to achieve right ends. He said: “... [I]f in our eagerness to win the elections, we compromise with something that is wrong, then we have lost the fight already and it matters little who tops the poll...”

(Naresh Gupta is an Indian Administrative Service officer serving as Chief Electoral Officer, Tamil Nadu.)

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