Just a month has elapsed since the AAP took over the reign in New Delhi but the political party and its governance style are being entangled in few many controversies as excessively covered by the mainstream media. The purpose of this article is restrictive in just presenting the positive milieu brought in by the AAP and its style of functioning in recent times.
The BSP had recently in its annual income-returns filed in the IT department claimed that there were no donations that amounted to over 20,000 INR, which would otherwise necessitate accounting the details of the donor, although it has received over hundred crores of INR as donations domestically. The Communist Party of India(Marxist) have been officially certified to be a party showing cent-percent compliance to the IT laws but I have personally seen even the Communist parties persuading the domestic traders to make mandatory-minimum contributions to the party lest they get least support from the otherwise acclaimed traders-friendly political party. But it was the AAP that voluntarily publicized the funding it received from all sources in its website providing a window for transparent functioning of the party. No political parties at the State level or National level appear to have done that before. Also the stewardship with which candidates were selected by the AAP warrants special mention without surrendering to the divisive tendency of community and religious ideologies.
The discourse about the viral issue of corruption, entrenched deeply in the system although was put forward by the civil society organizations, it was AAP that conscientiously kept it in public gaze through its insistence on bringing in powerful institutions that would at least deter corruption if not eliminate them. The other CSO that spearheaded the anti-corruption movement found themselves contented when the Union government passed a bill on Lokpal but not the AAP.
While it is a different matter if Lokpal alone could eliminate corruption however strong it be, but presence of such institutional mechanism would help in dissuading corruption when other institutions alongside function as expected. Let us not forget that democratic-polity requires taking opinions from all sections of society to get a firmer clarity about any issue and without deliberations there cannot be wider opinions. The issue of corruption and the viability of bringing Police under New-Delhi administration have got the continuous public lime-light because of the AAP among others.
Yes the AAP government failed to organize properly the promised people’s court but the very idea that the State-Establishment would pay attention to the voice of general public not just on their issues but also suggestions on public policy itself is reflective of the participatory democracy the AAP wants to establish. But for the AAP, the governments of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh would not have reduced the over-zealous security cover given to VVIP.
Although it would be premature to rate the performance of the party within a short span the AAP has DISPERSED the seeds of bringing in revolutionary change in the instrumentalities of functioning of political parties and also of the government.
The BSP had recently in its annual income-returns filed in the IT department claimed that there were no donations that amounted to over 20,000 INR, which would otherwise necessitate accounting the details of the donor, although it has received over hundred crores of INR as donations domestically. The Communist Party of India(Marxist) have been officially certified to be a party showing cent-percent compliance to the IT laws but I have personally seen even the Communist parties persuading the domestic traders to make mandatory-minimum contributions to the party lest they get least support from the otherwise acclaimed traders-friendly political party. But it was the AAP that voluntarily publicized the funding it received from all sources in its website providing a window for transparent functioning of the party. No political parties at the State level or National level appear to have done that before. Also the stewardship with which candidates were selected by the AAP warrants special mention without surrendering to the divisive tendency of community and religious ideologies.
The discourse about the viral issue of corruption, entrenched deeply in the system although was put forward by the civil society organizations, it was AAP that conscientiously kept it in public gaze through its insistence on bringing in powerful institutions that would at least deter corruption if not eliminate them. The other CSO that spearheaded the anti-corruption movement found themselves contented when the Union government passed a bill on Lokpal but not the AAP.
While it is a different matter if Lokpal alone could eliminate corruption however strong it be, but presence of such institutional mechanism would help in dissuading corruption when other institutions alongside function as expected. Let us not forget that democratic-polity requires taking opinions from all sections of society to get a firmer clarity about any issue and without deliberations there cannot be wider opinions. The issue of corruption and the viability of bringing Police under New-Delhi administration have got the continuous public lime-light because of the AAP among others.
Yes the AAP government failed to organize properly the promised people’s court but the very idea that the State-Establishment would pay attention to the voice of general public not just on their issues but also suggestions on public policy itself is reflective of the participatory democracy the AAP wants to establish. But for the AAP, the governments of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh would not have reduced the over-zealous security cover given to VVIP.
Although it would be premature to rate the performance of the party within a short span the AAP has DISPERSED the seeds of bringing in revolutionary change in the instrumentalities of functioning of political parties and also of the government.
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