There has always been a Social Conflict existing in the society whether we like it or not and whether we accept it or not. The theme
of such conflicts has changed ranging from ethnicity to racism to casteism to inter-casteism, and so on and so forth; yet the concept remains relevant in any given
point of time taken for reference even sans par contra. The idea of citizen
participation, is not a novel idea emerging out of fine technocratic
efforts, though if claimed so, is only an indication of having reinvented a
wheel, and can only be rendered as
necessity to complement the evolving political structure that is prevalent in
the contemporary scenario.
The need to understand such complexities is
necessary to prepare contingency plans when conflicts arise and to understand
the dynamics of basic human behaviour, also already explained through various Social
Sciences. To find relevance of such theories and philosophies to the
socio-cultural and traditional context, any “meritorious technocrat” would need
to break the mystery with proper understanding of the ingredient that adds a
local flavour to the emerging issue in hand.
However, we are raising the concept of “citizen
participation” standing in a developing country internally struggling to keep
the states together, in a country where despite attempts made to show our need
to contemplate strength required to advance by bringing forth the concept of
‘unity in diversity’, ‘diversity’ is more predominant than the expected unity
in terms of the stratification witnessed in every step taken, even in an
enlightening process of education where the need to fill the religion and caste
is still mandatory despite disapproving the same in text book covers and
incorporated into lessons; this pseudo advancement is only a complement to the
lop-sided comparatively rapid advancement in science and technology seen along
side rural development; villages still need electrification after over 6
decades of independence, our Prime Minister sinks while mentioning losing
thousands of children every single day due to malnutrition as a national shame.
Worse stories can be heard about the health sector, thanks to poor sanitation,
water and hygiene and unreached health programs; inaccessible areas can still
dream of doctors and health services reaching them with our doctor-population
ratio misting away at 1:4000 and that too with most of the doctor cluster
beaming with the pride of meritocracy taking their first flight out adding to
our brain drain or settle in concentrated-cushioned urban carpets when 70% of
India still lives in villages.
The programs we have to eradicate poverty and
promote better standard of living et all, just like our IPC and constitution, are
one of the best in the world yet only on paper. If only we had implemented
them! We have done nothing about it. Apathy! We live in a world of marked
differences; a huge wall separating the few rich and plenty poor; we live to
prove the 80:20 theory, which says that 80% of the wealth rests with 20% of the
people and vice versa. Unequal distribution of wealth and justice has always
been an issue brushed underneath the carpet as we shine the floor for
highlighting our land as one with a progressive prospect.
The concept of e-governance is attempted with just
4% of internet users in the country, with a population exceeding 1.19 billion
and a growth rate of 1.5%, our BPL index hitting a 22% and illiteracy level at
39%. What needs to be our priority?! Do we see all this before speaking the
technocratic language or is it an accumulation of Ignorance with Apathy?
multi-disciplinary interventions juggling Politics, Sociology, Philosophy, Psychology and Economics, need to be deliberated to widen the horizon of
limitless solutions; beginning with the understanding of issues. Each branch
deals with the issue within its certain boundaries and an attempt needs to be
made to converge these in case a vision incorporating all needs to be
envisaged.
The ‘body’ as a metaphor used in earlier
philosophies to explain stratification needs to be looked into with a new
perspective and may be attempted to be seen as a wholesome unit while contemplating
utopian ideals such as Citizen Participation. This is only a representation of
our movement from a barbaric world into a more civilized world; sans enduring
will only negate endeavours especially with more need-based missions that need
to be initiated and socio-political-economic barriers that stagnate the growth
process that need to be crossed in the development process by inculcating
values along with (un)commonsense to realize sustainable development. Priorities
need to change, apathy and ignorance curbed, further redtapism nullified and
dreams hastened into action. Till then, “Citizen Participation” will be forged
in pain; as pain is the only commodity available sans disparity. At the moment,
we are at the crossroads.
Painting by M.F Hussain
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