passion of TEDx as the unseen
I will begin with a question which I’d
like you to focus on which hopefully
will throw some light on the unseen and
the question is where does government
come from obviously the question is
simple it is simplistic the childish
everybody knows where the government
comes from but a little reflection
hopefully well show us the unseen I have
asked this question to hundreds of
audiences in the country in universities
in schools and colleges in in social
gatherings like the Rotary Club and the
Lions Club obviously I cannot ask the
question here because the format are not
interactive so therefore we’ll have to
go by the answer that I provide and the
answer is that everybody I asked this
question to says we elect the government
it is very heartening for me to hear
that because that tells me how deep as
the concept of democracy seeped into the
Indian psyche and that’s a matter of
great satisfaction pride joy to me but
when I pursue this a little further and
ask people if you select the government
how exactly do you do that and they tell
me they vote in the elections then I got
a little deeper and say when you go into
a polling booth do you what for what
shall be the government who shall be the
government they think a bit and they are
a little confused and then I tell them
or do you vote for one of the six eight
twelve fourteen twenty four forty two
candidates on the ballot or on the
electronic voting machine the evm this
is a little simpler to handle they say
yes we vote for one of the candidates
then I ask people where do candidates
come from
and they say anybody could stand and
contest the election next question is if
anybody will stand and contest the
election how many people stand a
realistic chance of getting elected or
winning the election then we get a
little more specific and people say
maybe two or three and then I ask them
do you
would you like to vote for somebody whom
you are absolutely certain will lose the
election or would you like to vote for
somebody who has a reasonably good
chance of getting elected obviously all
of us want our efforts including our
vote to be effective and not utterly
useless and which we know from the start
so people prefer to vote for a candidate
who has a reasonably good chance of
winning and those in people’s perception
are only two or three in every
constituency and then I ask them how do
these two or three become candidates
after a certain reflection and certain
deliberation people say they get tickets
from political parties which is called
the nomination or support of a political
party to contest the election on behalf
of the political party so then I ask
people then does that mean that you vote
for a person who has already been chosen
by a political party and the answer
after certain thinking is yes and if you
pursue this line of argument a little
further we will find that the choice of
a water is pre-call strained by the
choices made by a set of political
parties whether that set of political
parties two three or four in any
election or five or six which is quite
rare but the fact is a water can
effectively what only for one of the
people who have been chosen or
selected by a political party and I
repeat the sentence the choice of a
voter is pre constrained by the choices
made by a set of political parties so
this is whom we vote for political
parties control in a way whom we can
vote for so that’s what part of the
story a person is able to get the
nomination of a political party then
also spends a fair amount of money and
does a lot of hard work and let’s not be
cynical about the like the computer here
good people do a lot of work and get
elected once elected they go and sit in
the parliament or the state assembly do
they have the choice to vote for or
against a bill that comes to Parliament
ah State Assembly for discussion debate
and voting once again after some
reflection the answer is no not really
and then I ask them why I am told that
there is a anti-defection law in Disha
do ten of the Constitution which says
that if a member of parliament a State
Assembly votes against the width issued
by his horrid political party his or her
membership of the Parliament of state
legislation legislature can be
terminated so in other words the choice
of a and here I am being a little
cynical the choice of a so-called
elected representative is totally
controlled by the political party that
he or she represents so look at these
two sentences number one which I’ve
already said twice one the choices of
the choice of a voter is pre constrained
by the choices made by a set of
political parties sentence number two
the choice of an elected representative
is completely controlled by the
political party which he or she
represents if you read these two
statements together
we get a hint of the unseen where does
the government come from what is common
between these two statements what choice
having water is pre constrained by a set
of political parties the choice of an
elected representative is totally
controlled by his or her political party
what is common is political party so the
unseen ladies and gentlemen
which forms the government are a set of
political parties now this would be fine
I would have no problem with this or I
would not have any sense of discomfort
about this but we are and there’s no
denying and there’s no questioning the
statement we are a vibrant democracy
India is the largest democracy in the
world it is also about the most vibrant
and Indian democracy if you compare it
to all the countries on India’s
perimeter or borders you can go
anti-clockwise or clockwise Indian
democracy is in a much better shape than
democracy anywhere else in our
neighborhood all around us test one the
second test is the country’s in in in
Asia in Africa in Latin America which
got independence from colonial rule
around the nineteen forties and fifties
if you look back around the world and
look at all those countries that became
independent around the nineteen forties
and fifties and look at the statement
democracy there and look at the state of
democracy in India India stands as a
shining example so Indian democracy is
alive and well my friends but the
government is found by political parties
our political parties Democratic in
their internal functioning that is the
million dollar question or the million
two thousand rupee question
political parties are supposedly the pillars of democracy in the country
pillars of democracy in the country and on these pillars at the last count
and on these pillars at the last count there were 2000 there were 1050 five of
there were 2000 there were 1050 five of them on these pillars stands the
them on these pillars stands the superstructure of democracy which is
superstructure of democracy which is very vibrant and solid but the pillars
very vibrant and solid but the pillars are hollow this is why we criticize the
are hollow this is why we criticize the government Ron last 40 years I’ve been
government Ron last 40 years I’ve been hearing the government doesn’t do this
hearing the government doesn’t do this the government doesn’t do that
the government doesn’t do that everything that happens in the world
everything that happens in the world even if Donald Trump gets elected the
even if Donald Trump gets elected the government of India is responsible how
government of India is responsible how do we improve governance how do we
do we improve governance how do we improve government the answer my friend
improve government the answer my friend does not lie in the wind
does not lie in the wind it lies in getting political parties to
it lies in getting political parties to become internally democratic why don’t
become internally democratic why don’t politicize want to be democratic because
politicize want to be democratic because the established leadership of political
the established leadership of political parties is unsure that if there were
parties is unsure that if there were democratic elections there will be
democratic elections there will be elected or they will not be elected
elected or they will not be elected there is a disconnect between the
there is a disconnect between the established leadership of political
established leadership of political parties and their membership itself what
parties and their membership itself what to talk of people at large how do people
to talk of people at large how do people get chosen to become candidates you pick
get chosen to become candidates you pick up a candidate from as air lifts air
up a candidate from as air lifts air unless the candidates from Hyderabad and
unless the candidates from Hyderabad and air drop him in were Olivette for three
air drop him in were Olivette for three days nobody members of this particular
days nobody members of this particular party are willing to distribute flyers
party are willing to distribute flyers of this candidate because they wanted
of this candidate because they wanted their own person to be contesting the
their own person to be contesting the election and after three days where this
election and after three days where this person offered five times the going rate
person offered five times the going rate of daily wage people started
of daily wage people started distributing flyers for him and finally
distributing flyers for him and finally he won that is a separate story if
he won that is a separate story if candidates were elected by members of
candidates were elected by members of the politic
the politic partying in a constituency in a
partying in a constituency in a democratic way will they have to spend
democratic way will they have to spend so much money no the fact is if
so much money no the fact is if political parties could we make
political parties could we make internally Democratic a lot of problems
internally Democratic a lot of problems of Indian democracy Indian elections
of Indian democracy Indian elections could be dealt with not totally removed
could be dealt with not totally removed because democracy is not a perfect
because democracy is not a perfect outcome there’s a cliche which says
outcome there’s a cliche which says democracy is the destination is a
democracy is the destination is a journey not a destination we can never
journey not a destination we can never be in a state where we say democracy is
be in a state where we say democracy is perfect and now we can sit back and
perfect and now we can sit back and relax but who is responsible for making
relax but who is responsible for making democracy better and better we see that
democracy better and better we see that the established leadership of political
the established leadership of political parties hangs by extension political
parties hangs by extension political parties don’t seem to be interested in
parties don’t seem to be interested in doing so not because they are readable
doing so not because they are readable or mean but they are afraid of change
or mean but they are afraid of change fear of th the universal phenomenon this
fear of th the universal phenomenon this job can only be done by citizens by
job can only be done by citizens by media and by the judiciary working
media and by the judiciary working together the ultimate responsibility
together the ultimate responsibility lies on the citizen unless we as
lies on the citizen unless we as citizens take our role seriously we all
citizens take our role seriously we all know about our rights but we forget
know about our rights but we forget about our duties and responsibilities
about our duties and responsibilities unless we take politics back from
unless we take politics back from politicians the state of democracy India
politicians the state of democracy India will not improve it is reasonably good
will not improve it is reasonably good but it can be far better and it is for
but it can be far better and it is for you and me all of us to make it happen
you and me all of us to make it happen thank you very much
thank you very much [Applause]
I will begin with a question which I’d
like you to focus on which hopefully
will throw some light on the unseen and
the question is where does government
come from obviously the question is
simple it is simplistic the childish
everybody knows where the government
comes from but a little reflection
hopefully well show us the unseen I have
asked this question to hundreds of
audiences in the country in universities
in schools and colleges in in social
gatherings like the Rotary Club and the
Lions Club obviously I cannot ask the
question here because the format are not
interactive so therefore we’ll have to
go by the answer that I provide and the
answer is that everybody I asked this
question to says we elect the government
it is very heartening for me to hear
that because that tells me how deep as
the concept of democracy seeped into the
Indian psyche and that’s a matter of
great satisfaction pride joy to me but
when I pursue this a little further and
ask people if you select the government
how exactly do you do that and they tell
me they vote in the elections then I got
a little deeper and say when you go into
a polling booth do you what for what
shall be the government who shall be the
government they think a bit and they are
a little confused and then I tell them
or do you vote for one of the six eight
twelve fourteen twenty four forty two
candidates on the ballot or on the
electronic voting machine the evm this
is a little simpler to handle they say
yes we vote for one of the candidates
then I ask people where do candidates
come from
and they say anybody could stand and
contest the election next question is if
anybody will stand and contest the
election how many people stand a
realistic chance of getting elected or
winning the election then we get a
little more specific and people say
maybe two or three and then I ask them
do you
would you like to vote for somebody whom
you are absolutely certain will lose the
election or would you like to vote for
somebody who has a reasonably good
chance of getting elected obviously all
of us want our efforts including our
vote to be effective and not utterly
useless and which we know from the start
so people prefer to vote for a candidate
who has a reasonably good chance of
winning and those in people’s perception
are only two or three in every
constituency and then I ask them how do
these two or three become candidates
after a certain reflection and certain
deliberation people say they get tickets
from political parties which is called
the nomination or support of a political
party to contest the election on behalf
of the political party so then I ask
people then does that mean that you vote
for a person who has already been chosen
by a political party and the answer
after certain thinking is yes and if you
pursue this line of argument a little
further we will find that the choice of
a water is pre-call strained by the
choices made by a set of political
parties whether that set of political
parties two three or four in any
election or five or six which is quite
rare but the fact is a water can
effectively what only for one of the
people who have been chosen or
selected by a political party and I
repeat the sentence the choice of a
voter is pre constrained by the choices
made by a set of political parties so
this is whom we vote for political
parties control in a way whom we can
vote for so that’s what part of the
story a person is able to get the
nomination of a political party then
also spends a fair amount of money and
does a lot of hard work and let’s not be
cynical about the like the computer here
good people do a lot of work and get
elected once elected they go and sit in
the parliament or the state assembly do
they have the choice to vote for or
against a bill that comes to Parliament
ah State Assembly for discussion debate
and voting once again after some
reflection the answer is no not really
and then I ask them why I am told that
there is a anti-defection law in Disha
do ten of the Constitution which says
that if a member of parliament a State
Assembly votes against the width issued
by his horrid political party his or her
membership of the Parliament of state
legislation legislature can be
terminated so in other words the choice
of a and here I am being a little
cynical the choice of a so-called
elected representative is totally
controlled by the political party that
he or she represents so look at these
two sentences number one which I’ve
already said twice one the choices of
the choice of a voter is pre constrained
by the choices made by a set of
political parties sentence number two
the choice of an elected representative
is completely controlled by the
political party which he or she
represents if you read these two
statements together
we get a hint of the unseen where does
the government come from what is common
between these two statements what choice
having water is pre constrained by a set
of political parties the choice of an
elected representative is totally
controlled by his or her political party
what is common is political party so the
unseen ladies and gentlemen
which forms the government are a set of
political parties now this would be fine
I would have no problem with this or I
would not have any sense of discomfort
about this but we are and there’s no
denying and there’s no questioning the
statement we are a vibrant democracy
India is the largest democracy in the
world it is also about the most vibrant
and Indian democracy if you compare it
to all the countries on India’s
perimeter or borders you can go
anti-clockwise or clockwise Indian
democracy is in a much better shape than
democracy anywhere else in our
neighborhood all around us test one the
second test is the country’s in in in
Asia in Africa in Latin America which
got independence from colonial rule
around the nineteen forties and fifties
if you look back around the world and
look at all those countries that became
independent around the nineteen forties
and fifties and look at the statement
democracy there and look at the state of
democracy in India India stands as a
shining example so Indian democracy is
alive and well my friends but the
government is found by political parties
our political parties Democratic in
their internal functioning that is the
million dollar question or the million
two thousand rupee question
political parties are supposedly the pillars of democracy in the country
pillars of democracy in the country and on these pillars at the last count
and on these pillars at the last count there were 2000 there were 1050 five of
there were 2000 there were 1050 five of them on these pillars stands the
them on these pillars stands the superstructure of democracy which is
superstructure of democracy which is very vibrant and solid but the pillars
very vibrant and solid but the pillars are hollow this is why we criticize the
are hollow this is why we criticize the government Ron last 40 years I’ve been
government Ron last 40 years I’ve been hearing the government doesn’t do this
hearing the government doesn’t do this the government doesn’t do that
the government doesn’t do that everything that happens in the world
everything that happens in the world even if Donald Trump gets elected the
even if Donald Trump gets elected the government of India is responsible how
government of India is responsible how do we improve governance how do we
do we improve governance how do we improve government the answer my friend
improve government the answer my friend does not lie in the wind
does not lie in the wind it lies in getting political parties to
it lies in getting political parties to become internally democratic why don’t
become internally democratic why don’t politicize want to be democratic because
politicize want to be democratic because the established leadership of political
the established leadership of political parties is unsure that if there were
parties is unsure that if there were democratic elections there will be
democratic elections there will be elected or they will not be elected
elected or they will not be elected there is a disconnect between the
there is a disconnect between the established leadership of political
established leadership of political parties and their membership itself what
parties and their membership itself what to talk of people at large how do people
to talk of people at large how do people get chosen to become candidates you pick
get chosen to become candidates you pick up a candidate from as air lifts air
up a candidate from as air lifts air unless the candidates from Hyderabad and
unless the candidates from Hyderabad and air drop him in were Olivette for three
air drop him in were Olivette for three days nobody members of this particular
days nobody members of this particular party are willing to distribute flyers
party are willing to distribute flyers of this candidate because they wanted
of this candidate because they wanted their own person to be contesting the
their own person to be contesting the election and after three days where this
election and after three days where this person offered five times the going rate
person offered five times the going rate of daily wage people started
of daily wage people started distributing flyers for him and finally
distributing flyers for him and finally he won that is a separate story if
he won that is a separate story if candidates were elected by members of
candidates were elected by members of the politic
the politic partying in a constituency in a
partying in a constituency in a democratic way will they have to spend
democratic way will they have to spend so much money no the fact is if
so much money no the fact is if political parties could we make
political parties could we make internally Democratic a lot of problems
internally Democratic a lot of problems of Indian democracy Indian elections
of Indian democracy Indian elections could be dealt with not totally removed
could be dealt with not totally removed because democracy is not a perfect
because democracy is not a perfect outcome there’s a cliche which says
outcome there’s a cliche which says democracy is the destination is a
democracy is the destination is a journey not a destination we can never
journey not a destination we can never be in a state where we say democracy is
be in a state where we say democracy is perfect and now we can sit back and
perfect and now we can sit back and relax but who is responsible for making
relax but who is responsible for making democracy better and better we see that
democracy better and better we see that the established leadership of political
the established leadership of political parties hangs by extension political
parties hangs by extension political parties don’t seem to be interested in
parties don’t seem to be interested in doing so not because they are readable
doing so not because they are readable or mean but they are afraid of change
or mean but they are afraid of change fear of th the universal phenomenon this
fear of th the universal phenomenon this job can only be done by citizens by
job can only be done by citizens by media and by the judiciary working
media and by the judiciary working together the ultimate responsibility
together the ultimate responsibility lies on the citizen unless we as
lies on the citizen unless we as citizens take our role seriously we all
citizens take our role seriously we all know about our rights but we forget
know about our rights but we forget about our duties and responsibilities
about our duties and responsibilities unless we take politics back from
unless we take politics back from politicians the state of democracy India
politicians the state of democracy India will not improve it is reasonably good
will not improve it is reasonably good but it can be far better and it is for
but it can be far better and it is for you and me all of us to make it happen
you and me all of us to make it happen thank you very much
thank you very much [Applause]
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