When Democracy Died

By Rhea T.

 

The arrest of two Palghar girls for publishing a “hurtful” Facebook post about last Sunday’s bandh has sparked a nationwide debate on the misuse of internet laws in India.

Indeed, this is not the first case of its kind, as just last month, a Pondicherry businessman was arrested for a tweet criticising P Chidambaram’s son. Earlier in the year cartoonist Aseem Trivedi’s drawing got him arrested on charges of sedition.

Cases like these make one wonder how much of a democracy our beloved nation really is. On the scale of controversial, Shaheen Dhada’s post, which you can read below, can at best be classified as tepid. In the deluge of posts, tweets and mentions that were published that day, many of which were a lot more outspoken in their criticism of the clampdown, this was the one unfortunate one that caught the friendly neighbourhood moral police’s eye.

News of the girls’ arrest understandably gained widespread attention. Right from Kapil Sibal who bemoaned the misuse of Section 66A (of the IT Act, which perversely, he had been instrumental in passing), to politicians like Milind Deora  and Nitin Raut – the social media community was baying for blood by the end of the day, and well into the week that followed.

Shaheen’s post was a catalyst for those who had been playing it low key in the meanwhile. The smatter of posts extolling Bal Thackeray’s every virtue was wiped out by an outpouring of support for the girls by netizens from all over India.

In its aftermath, the Facebook post issue has raised some serious concerns for the online community, not only regarding the frivolous way in which the IT Act was implemented in this case, but also regarding the more fundamental questions about freedom of speech and expression.

Is it really of primordial importance, in a country that is facing far more severe and pressing problems like poverty and corruption, to agonize over one individual’s far from controversial personal opinion on a social media platform? If something as frivolous as a Facebook like can cause this knee-jerk reaction amongst our law makers and enforcers, where does that leave us?

Time Magazine summed it up as “The arrests reflect the wider wariness with which Indian authorities look at social media, even at the cost of curbing freedom of expression.” And the story that should have been grabbing eyeballs at the time –the one in which Shiv Sainiks vandalised the girl’s relative’s clinic in response to her post – was almost totally lost in the indignation that followed.

Now what remains to be seen is what the authorities will make of the issue. As of now, the inquiry into the police’s rash actions has begun, and 9 men have been arrested in relation to the destruction of the clinic.

Shaheen Dhada may have been forced to apologize in view of the unfortunate circumstances that surrounded her innocent post, but this case has definitely left a sour taste in the mouth of the purveyors of free expression, and a definite question as to the applicability of the draconian laws that currently govern India Online.

Why Four More Years Matter to YOU.

By Tarini K.

Today was an important day for the United States of America and the world at large. President Barack Obama remained in office after a hard-fought battle against Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. The US Presidential Election has been in world news for many months now. In India, the news has focused more on domestic politics, a strategy that makes a lot of sense. Still, the attention on the US elections, particularly from the youth, has drawn comment. Why, people wonder, does anyone care? Ultimately, India is not particularly high on the US foreign policy agenda. There are a lot of people who passionately support Obama, who with bated breath, spent Wednesday morning glued to live coverage, waiting for the official announcement of Obama’s presidency.

Given the watch parties, the interest, the hope for change that seems to have travelled across the world, there is one lament that rings out; “If people cared as much about Indian elections, politics in India would be different.” This complaint is problematic. At the most obvious level, it is an oversimplification. Political events which generate the massive world attention that the US election did are bound to have people interested whether they are American or not. However, the interest in the US elections expresses a deeper sentiment amongst Indian youth (and some more mature citizens, too). There is a profound desire for hope, and, more importantly, for inspiration.

There are, naturally, practical reasons to pay attention to an election like this one, much in the way that there is merit to paying attention to China’s upcoming change in leadership. Why, then, are we more glued to the US election? The fundamental issue at stake is choice. The democratic process in the US, flawed though it may be, provides us with a concrete and ever-so-visual (thank you, CNN) example of a people making a choice. Even in the case of a hotly contested election such as today’s, a choice was made. That choice, the choice for more evenly distributed opportunity, a woman’s right to her own body, a move toward a more inclusive society, one in which healthcare is not a luxury but a right — was broadcast to the world. Now, the question remains, why are we captivated?

It is fair to say that Indian politics leave something to be desired, and after experiencing both 2008 — the heady euphoria of history in the making, and 2012 — the reaffirmation of faith in a man’s ability to lead, that lack is inspiration. Today, we saw a country put themselves behind a President who many have criticized. A lot of their criticisms were fair, whether they were regarding his ability to deal with the economy, his not standing up to opposition, or his foreign policy. As we in India inch toward elections in 2014, what are our options? More accurately, who do we look to in the hopes of reform?

Surely a well-spoken statesman from any party could generate the type of interest we’re seeing for and in the rest of the world? We are, as a people, mesmerized by the possibility of change, of decisive action. There are those in Delhi who would argue that the Obama administration is the wrong one for India, that Romney’s policies would bring more money into the country — and this might even be true. However, President Obama’s backing of India’s bid for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council, and his hardened stance on both Pakistan and Israel could be more than enough advantage in the foreign policy field. Ultimately, in watching the elections, here is what we are forced to think about;

India is the world’s largest democracy. It is also perhaps the most unruly experiment in democracy in the world. The sheer diversity of our people is staggering on every front. After uniting to gain independence, we have spiraled into a state of what some call “functioning anarchy.” Whether this is a factor of the flaws of a multi-party system or not is up for debate, but the fact remains that unity has been scarce.

After fighting for autonomy from the British, the United States of America formalized their union and created an enfranchised population. Civil rights were denied to the Black population, and the very country in which that was the case rose to the occasion and elected a Black President. Twice.

Why is it relevant now? Because it is inspiring.

There were two Republican candidates for the Senate, Akin and Mourdock, who both made statements on the topic of rape (in connection with the issue of abortion) that were both blatantly false and offensive. Today, we witnessed the consequence; neither of them was elected into their Senatorial positions. In both their states, there was a long history of voting for Republican candidates. What they were shown is that regardless of their connection to a regionally favoured party, they would still be held accountable for their statements. These men were affected where it matters – in their bid for power. They were shown unequivocally that they were wrong, and that as a result, they would have no say in the functioning of the country.

 That is inspiring.

At home, we have been forced to hear male and female rape apologists. We’ve heard every excuse there is from politicians faced with a rising number of (reported) rape cases and increasingly dangerous environments for women. The police force has been absent — more of a hindrance than a help. What have we been told – that Chow Mein must have something to do with it, or that when men and women interact freely, rape is a reality that we must learn to expect? Rape victims are ostracized by society and their families, they are not protected by their own government, and statements like the ones that have been printed and reprinted and aired on the news are a further violation for the victims, and of women everywhere. What little agency and consent they are afforded is stripped away again, this time by institutions supposedly built for them to rely on. For a roundup of these horrifying statements, check out our last blog post , or this fantastic article.

We need to get real, this state of affairs is decidedly uninspiring.

Now, this is where people start to roll their eyes. “We are not the same as the US.” “We aren’t as developed.” “We’re going through growing pains, we’re young, every country does.” We’ve all heard it before. There is a regrettable amount of

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The Rape of Good Sense

By: Malvika B.

The last week has seen some outrageous claims being made about the recent spate of rape cases in Haryana, and how to deal with the problem. It started with a Khap Panchayat leader’s suggestion to allow marrying girls off at 16 in order to reduce instances of rape, supported by former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala. Then there was Hisar Congressman Dharambir Goyat, who said, “The girl gets into an affair with a boy and she goes with him without knowing that he is of criminal mindset. It’s not the state government which is responsible for rapes, in fact in most of the cases its consensual sex.”

The lengths both men and women in our country go to justify a man’s reasons for rape are astonishing. The most ridiculous of all claims was made by Khap Panchayat leader Jitendar Chhatar recently, who said, “To my understanding, consumption of fast food contributes to such incidents. Chowmein leads to hormonal imbalance evoking an urge to indulge in such acts.” Sure, the noodles did it.

These people lead millions, and still fail to understand that rape is an act of violence, not sex. How then, can we expect the police to deal with the situation any better? They tend to blame girls drinking, dressing-up, going out in the company of men, and of course – “asking for it”. A woman might be 3 or 90 years old; married or single; pregnant; in school; mentally challenged; in a mini-skirt or in a burqa. She can get raped, and she does not ask for it. Rape is a crime, and only the rapist is to blame.

A 16 year-old Dalit girl is one of the recent rape victims in Haryana. She was kidnapped, blindfolded, gagged, and gang-raped by eight men, who threatened to circulate pictures if she told anyone. She kept it to herself for ten days, and only she knows the shame and fear

Your Taxes, Your City, Your Vote.

By Malvika B.

Like every year, you know that this July when it rains, you will be stuck in traffic. The streets will fill up and you may have to get out of your car and trudge home through the rivulets, praying that there isn’t an open manhole where you walk. You are going to complain about the clogged drains, and the slums, and the hawkers getting in the way; the crowded trains that stink; the malaria; and then talk about how Mumbai needs to be more like London or Singapore, where everything is amazing. Sounds familiar, right?

It’s okay though. You know where to lay the blame – The BMC. A couple of curses thrown its way and you will carry on through the disorder because that is how it must be. You don’t have the time to bother with all that. Ultimately, you have a nice home to go to, where you can put your feet up and lose yourself in that daily soap. We know. You work hard. You have no time to go vote on a Thursday afternoon. And if you get some time off, well, you need a break. You aren’t going to run across the city for something as pointless as voting.

But this monsoon, when you’re stuck in traffic somewhere, trying to get to a doctor so you can get tested for malaria, we want you to remember that Thursday afternoon and blame yourself. If you don’t vote, you can’t complain. This year, on the 16^th of February, we urge you to vote.

In the last 5 years, the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance run BMC has spent over Rs. 21,000 crore on civic amenities. According to the Hindustan Times “The amount the BMC has spent on roads, storm water drains, water supply, solid waste management, health and education in Mumbai is more than the combined budgets of five Indian states and one Union Territory (Goa, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, Sikkim and Chandigarh) in 2011-12.”

Rs. 4000 crore has been spent on roads, but the potholes remained, and more complaints led to another Rs. 57 crore being spent on filling the 6000 potholes counted in the city last July – and another Rs. 8 crore was spent filling potholes in a last desperate attempt about a month-and-a-half ago. Over Rs. 7,800 crore was spent on water, and still some areas either don’t have access to regular water supply, or receive contaminated water.

Government Retribution as People Demand Answers

Since the beginning of economic reforms in 1991, people have been demanding that the government remove the obstacles in politics that have led to corruption and inefficiency in the political system.  An important landmark was the Right to Information Act, which was passed six years ago.  Several hundreds of thousands of Indians have filed complaints against corrupt officials demanding information, and for the most part, they have received it.

However, there have been instances of people being murdered or attacked and tortured because they have filed complaints under the Act.  For example, on August 16, 2011, Shehla Masood, a business woman from Bhopal, was shot to death by an assailant contracted by the government. After being the lowest bidder for a government contract and not having received the tender, Masood filed numerous complaints to the authorities. Yet, instead of  receiving justice Masood ended up being murdered in cold  blood. Repercussions like those Masood faced, take place because members of government are increasingly passing the information in the complaints that individuals file on to criminals. These criminals then attack or murder the citizens trying to use RTI.

It appears that the government is not willing to forgo its power over the populace. These instances are proof of government intimidation, and cannot be tolerated. The Right to Information is crucial. It has, in fact, been tremendously successful, and has led to people in government being ousted or arrested because of their involvement in illegal activity.  For now, the number of violent repercussions on people using the RTI is low. Since the beginning of 2010, approximately 12 individuals have been killed because they have filed complaints under the act, and 40 more have been attacked. According to the Asian Centre for Human Rights, most of those who were attacked live in remote rural or tribal areas, which are far less transparent. Occasionally, officials are also threatened. A policeman named Babbu Singh was killed after he filed a RTI petition requesting information about public spending in his village. It is important to recognize that these terrible events have taken place because of the success of the Act. People have been emboldened, and have been demanding accountability more vigorously, putting more pressure on guilty officials.

Generally, complaints of murders and violence as a result of filing petitions under the RTI have gone largely unacknowledged. The victims have not gotten the justice that they deserve.

However, things appear to be changing for the better. Masood’s murder may just be the straw to break the camel’s back. The Asian Centre for Human Rights is pushing hard to violence due to RTI complaints under their purview. This would lead to the incidents being filed in a special category that would be quickly investigated, and dealt with.

The Right to Information is something that we as Indians cannot afford to lose. In our corrupt system, the Act allows us to get answers. The violence taking place against petitioners is intolerable, and we must not lose sight of the fact that additional transparency is making the Government nervous. We must keep fighting for it, and to keep our right to information.  Knowing is something you have a right to, so elect officials willing to share information and hold themselves accountable.

Know Your Vote.

For more updates on the Masood case, check out our facebook wall.

India Shining: A Bubble Waiting to Burst?

So you’re young, a student, and you believe the world is your oyster because India is booming and the opportunities are many. Why should you care about the economy and rising prices? There’s still time right?

Wrong. Time is short, and you should really be asking the government what they’re doing about this.

Rapidly rising prices (inflation) affects everybody. It affects your twelve your old brother when he finds he can’t afford canteen food on his weekly budget and it affects you when your mom yells at you for spending too much. Inflation eats away from your buying power, and without a simultaneously growing income, translates to fewer trips to the mall, to the movies, and to your favorite restaurant. Inflation also leads to the Rupee’s exchange rates tumbling against foreign currencies. While this may be beneficial for exports, you will have to reconsider studying abroad. If you need your daily fix of imported chocolates, these will become frightfully expensive too.

If the above two concerns do not perturb you in the slightest, you should still care about the economy, for it will creep its way in to almost every aspect of your life. The way India is being run today, with rampant corruption, spiraling prices, and a serious denting of consumer and investor confidence, many multi national corporations will think twice before bringing their money to this country. This has the effect of reducing the chances of you landing that high paying job with the company car and company house that you’ve dreamed of since you were told of India’s incredible growth.

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In the grander scheme of things, every year of slow growth because of an incompetent government means thousands of graduates going with dreams unfulfilled. Thousands more may not even get jobs in the right field or in time to support their families.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that this will not affect you, it will, sooner than you know it. The only real foolproof measure you can take to avoid this dismal scenario is to make sure the economy does not falter. Stay informed, and make your voice heard to the incompetents in charge. Do what you can.

Know Your Vote.

For more information on how severe these inflationary pressures currently are, check out this article in the Wall Street Journal highlighting the rising food prices across India.

Fasting unto the Death of Democracy

by Malvika B.

Earlier this year, a man decided it was time to take matters into his own hands and make the government and people sit up and take notice of the corruption and scandal this country faces. He decided to go on a hunger strike, and ever since, pandemonium has ensued.

This man, Anna Hazare, and his team have drafted what is known as the Jan Lokpal Bill, in order to create an Indian ombudsman, i.e. a council of ‘trusted’ officials to receive and investigate complaints against public servants. The government of course came back as only it can. Appease him by promising to deal with the issue, and draft its own version of the bill, to be tabled at the Monsoon Session of Parliament. But this is Indian Politics, and what is Indian Politics without a bit of tamasha?

The Jan Lokpal Bill has generated differing reactions; many have found a new pet cause, and the likes of Baba Ramdev have done what they can for cheap publicity. Meanwhile, Anna Hazare and the government have continued a furious feud over what each deems appropriate content for the Bill. Anna Hazare’s version of the bill contains certain much-needed provisions such as those created to entitle the general public to register complaints, and ensure timely dispensation of justice. Provisions like these would, for example, expediate the execution of Ajmal Kasab’s sentence. This in turn would reduce the massive economic drain on the government, created by keeping him alive. However, this version also lacks accountability and concentrates power in the hands of a few. These caveats rely on the assumption that these few are not power hungry, a far cry in the Indian political system. On the other hand, the government’s version exempts far too many high government posts from investigation for corruption. It also provides very few benefits to the common man, and demands insufficient financial penalties from those found guilty.

Anna Hazare and his team have severely criticized the government’s bill and threatened to go on strike from 16^th August if their original version is not passed. While most agree that corruption is a serious problem in this country and something needs to be done, does that justify blackmailing a government, which we ourselves have voted to power? Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that the transparency mentioned in the Jan Lokpal Bill will be sustainable. Would we rather put our faith in a government that is corrupt, or in an institution that has the potential to subvert every democratic process in the country.

One thing is certain, neither option is anywhere near the perfect solution. Corruption needs to be stamped out, and needs to be stamped out constitutionally. We need quicker justice by a body that works within the framework of the government. A parallel judicial system could lead to disaster. Fasting-unto-death is tantamount to blackmail. The time has come to look to due process rather than pre-colonial tactics.

The Government has said that they will pass the Jan Lokpal bill if 25 crore people support it. Today, an SMS and telephone campaign to collect 25 crore names began. To give your support, call 022-61550789 from your mobile number. It will ring once and disconnect, and you’ll get an SMS confirming your call. The Know Your Vote team supports the end of corruption, but we thought that before you call, you should know about the complexity of the issue.

Make Noise. Be Heard.

State Elections: Change is Possible

The recent state elections had a lot to say. Their consequences are as yet unclear in terms of the impact on general elections, but there is an atmosphere of change that may have seemed little more than a dream in the past. There are mixed signals that came from these elections. First, the victory of Mamata Bannerjee’s Trinamul Congress in West Bengal was a watershed moment. The Communist party’s hold on the state seems to have been shaken off. The party’s uninterrupted 34-year run ended in a landslide win by the Trinamul Congress, who received 220 seats, where the communist party received only 65. The poor economic performance of the state could have motivated the result.

There is good and bad here. The climate in Bengal is hostile toward new industrial development because farmers have precious little land as it is and are unwilling to give it up. The Communist policies were in keeping with this, and that was one reason businesses could not establish facilities in the state, and this was retarding its economic growth. Thus, Mamata Bannerjee’s victory seems like it could change all that. However, she has been a strong advocate against industrial facilities opening in West Bengal, and headed the sometimes-violent protests against the Tata Nano plant, which was consequently not opened.

The results in Kerala were also somewhat surprising. The Communist party was ousted, and the Congress was brought in by a narrow margin. The educated and often disgruntled Keralite voters tend to change governments when they are dissatisfied, but the Communists had held power for five years. The Economist (http://www.economist.com/node/18587059?story_id=18587059) had addressed the likelihood of a change in April, but few thought that it would be by such a narrow margin. Kerala benefits greatly from globalization, and the election of the Congress as well as the decline of the Communist rule seems to indicate that voters are aware of this. Rahul Gandhi played an important role backing candidates in Kerala, so it will be a hit to his Prime Ministerial aspirations that these candidates went largely unelected.

In Tamil Nadu, results were dim for Congress, but perhaps otherwise uplifting. The DMK was drummed out, and the AIADMK was ushered in. This doesn’t bode well for the Congress because DMK are a part of their coalition government. While a loss for the Congress, this change is uplifting because it seems to be motivated by the disgust and outrage generated by DMK’s A. Raja and his involvement in the 2G scam. The Congress also lost power in Pondicherry. Their relief seems to come from the support they have received in Assam, where the efforts to create and maintain a stable environment by holding talks and convincing militants to lay down arms have been popular and well appreciated.

Voters have focused mostly on local issues, but there have been national trends. People are outraged about corruption, and Congress has felt that backlash. Furthermore, despite an economic growth rate of 9%, not everybody sees the benefits because of the rising prices of food and fuel. This expression of dissatisfaction is good. It is a wake up call to the current government, and a warning to the opposition too. There is, however, still a trend of voter loyalty, and voters being vulnerable to populist strategies. It is important to remember that voting is nuanced, no matter how black and white it may seem. Each candidate from each party has his or her stand to make on all sorts of issues, and Indian voters are waking up to that fact. Know Your Vote is here to help that process along, and to help you make informed decisions. Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and keep an eye out for us at a College near you. We’re coming soon and we’ll be making noise so that you can be heard. Join the movement, Know Your Vote.

It’s Time To Talk

The ICC Cricket World Cup had a record viewership of approximately 2.2 billion fans worldwide, with 67.6 million from India alone.

Why is this relevant?

We all know cricket is a religion, and in the Semi-finals of the most prestigious tournament in the game, India faced Pakistan. It was a reduction of a large-scale, protracted, and seemingly intractable conflict onto a sports field. The implications of this match will last a long time, and it’s time to capitalize, it’s time to talk.

The sporting encounter was hyped for days, with newspaper headlines screaming about the “showdown.” Cricket diplomacy was at its’ best when Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh extended invitations to the Pakistani President and Prime Minister. PM Yusuf Raza Gilani accepted the invitation, and what followed were media histrionics about these important men watching the game together. Here’s one cartoonist’s depiction: http://kish.in/what-more-do-you-want-4-lives-to-sachin/.

There was endless hypothesizing about the effect of the interaction on relations between the two nations, on the fact that the Indian PM Manmohan Singh had made a mistake in extending the investigation, that Gilani should never have accepted the invitation, that the security risks had never been higher, that India would lose the match on purpose, perhaps even that there would be a decision on Kashmir, and a large scale unification, and so on and so forth to the point of being utterly ridiculous.

Pundits seriously considered India’s stance on terror. They theorized that the big-name interaction that was taking place between the Prime Ministers would destabilize or otherwise jeopardize the smaller scale talks taking place between negotiators on a more regular basis. This was the most valid concern.

Still, the Cricket World Cup ended on April 2. India beat Sri Lanka to win the cup, euphoria was widespread, and that was that.

Right?

But there’s the problem. Now is the time for the South Asian nations to capitalize on all the good will that was generated. India and Pakistan need to reform visa rules, open more lines of communication and transport, and, perhaps most importantly, discuss Kashmir. The Kashmir issue has been contentious for decades. There has been back and forth, but the hope of reaching a peaceful decision has felt slim since the Kargil War in 1999. While India and Pakistan need to place talks of terror, transport, and prisoner exchange on the negotiating table, Kashmir needs to be on the agenda.

The World Cup is also a lesson in hype and attention span. We need to stay focused, and not allow ourselves to lose sight of the bigger picture. Know Your Vote is making sure to stay focused. We’re working on expanding political awareness and generating civil discourse. We’re also trying to keep the government focused, and we want your help. We can do this by making our voices heard.

You can join the movement by joining our facebook page, following us on twitter and getting your friends to join too! It would really help us to have more discussions on our page, so that we know what matters to you. That will help Know Your Vote manage its focus, and direct the government’s attention to yours.