While the basic principles of democracy remain the same, how it unfolds in every country is different. This is the reason why two democratic countries can look and function in a radically different manner. Given the recent experiences in different countries it can also happen that the same democratic country can look, feel and operate completely differently under two different democratic dispensations. Coming down from the broader principles of democracy to the operating document of democracy, the constitution, which can be interpreted so differently at different times, becomes so difficult to believe. But that is the way democratic India has turned out to be.
If you ask the common man who has been bearing the brunt of democracy on a day to day basis, as to which organ of democratic India is accountable, the answer would be a straight NO. We are talking from the sovereign parliament, the executive and judiciary to the public domain democratic crusader, the fourth estate. Their way of apportioning power might be different; claiming entitlement – crude to the sophisticated, camouflaging real agenda and accomplishing it, giving a legal and democratic garb to surreptitous plans / actions; but the purpose is one and the same. They weaken the very vitals of democracy, while claiming it to make is strong and robust.
They can turn a blind eye, provide precision based focus when it benefits them, carry an selective amensia type mindset and remain committed to one’s well being, comfort and even luxury, which they seamlessly extract all throughout their democratic existence. They converge like a militia in case of even a genuine criticism in the interest of the nation and its democratic values. When there is a battle for power, draggers can be drawn to any extent impacting the democratic work in most adverse manner. One organ wants to overpower the other whenever powerful persons, with bloated egos and scant respect for democary take leadership.
The sovereign parliament with the nature of lawmakers it has, and their very limited contribution to legislations and the legal regime in this country does not in any way dampen their spirits and ego to ride roughshod overy everyone and they do. How can they made accountable no one knows. They carry a crazy nature of immunity for their utterances within the parliament. Sovereign they are, truf fully intact, delivery of no conseqence. The executive is in a world of its own. If there were to have nay iota of accoutabilty the country would have totally different today. Think of Manipur and reflect. What entitlements they carry? Turf intact and lierally no one to question. Last but not the least, the judiciary, has been blatant on all the above counts by the response and approach in the infamous Cash Gate. We leave fourth estate for some other day.
WHEN THE MAIN ORGANS OF DEMOCRACY GO WAYWARD, WHAT GREAT CAN BE DELIVERED?
Sanjay Sahay
Have a nice evening.