Vote for India

All of us must vote, for it is a privilege given to all citizens of democratic India! Our vote counts !!

A special appeal for all those searching for alibis how not to vote. As one saying goes: people get the governance which they deserve. Shying away from voting is not only forfeiting your constitutional right but also a disservice to the nation. If the government that comes to power does not work, we are also responsible, for we voted them to power. So for nations sake, please vote !

If we want better law and order, clean public life, efficiency and development, then it all begins with one vote.

Whom do we vote? The first step is to know the candidate you intend to vote.

Do not vote for candidate or party seeking vote in the name of caste, region, religion or language. The character and the secular credentials of the candidate must be above the board.

Vote for development with peace

Vote for India

Is India a flawed democracy ?

The Economist Intelligence Unit's 2008 Democracy Index ranks India 35th among the 'flawed democracies' of the world. As citizens, should we reject these findings, as most of our politicians have done promptly. The agency has used some 60 indicators to assess. Let us make our own assessment, using some of the major indicators.

Civil Liberties: We enjoy full civil liberty. However, thousands of innocent people languish in jails without any trial for years.

Political Culture: The politics in the country is polarised on caste, region and religious lines. The parliament sessions are marked by chaos. The members often do not sit in the House. What can you expect, when criminals become legislators!

Public Participation: The most dangerous feature of our democracy is the public apathy. The 50% of the population, i.e. women, do not have adequate representation in the governance. The people do not vote; as a result the legislators are mostly elected on the minority vote.

Government: The Indian government machinery is known for its corruption and inefficiency, world over.

Under these conditions, if someone calls India a flawed democracy, it is not too much off the mark

Vote for India

The schedule of the parliamentary elections in India has been announced. I view vote as a means to strengthen democracy. I have a three point programme for all voters, especially young voters:

(1) Exercise Your Constitutional Right: All eligible citizens must register and vote.

The intelligentsia in India have a strange apathy towards elections in general and voting in particular. Those who do not vote have no moral right to criticise the Government.

(2) Vote for Secular Politics: Eliminate those who seek vote on account of caste, creed, language, region and religion.

The governance can be improved only by choosing right candidates through the democratic process.

(3) Make the right choice: Vote for those whose character is above the board and those who speak for development only

View other blogs authored by Dr J D Bapat