A report in DNA (18/02/2012) with a headline, 'Citizen candidates fail to live up to expectations' makes sad reading. Citizen candidates put by Mumbai 227, Loksatta and Mumbai Nagrik Manch could get only one candidate get elected. Reason for their failure is obvious. They could not come together and pool their resources. This could be because of 'ego problem' of these associations.
These good Samaritans have to understand the psychology of 'am admi'. He wants relief for his existential problems. Almost 60% of people in Mumbai live in slums and have problems of getting water and electricity. The middle class have the problems of schools,colleges,roads and transport. What relief these citizen candidates have offered which is different from other parties. The other parties protect them from police and the administration.The citizen candidates should form small group of experts to prepare solutions to these problems. The poor do not want charity. They want equity, opportunity and justice as the citizens.
The citizen candidates should start their work now for the next election. All these associations should come together and form a small group of activists in every constituency of the municipal wards to ensure the facilities that the municipal administration supposed to provide for the poor, reach them. Nobody supervises the road-work (using the right material and completing it time), why there is pile up of garbage in every corner, why sewage water spills over in many areas. Getting a ration card for the poor is a herculean task or getting treatment in a government hospital or government subsidized hospital is not easy unless you know somebody.
If a band of workers keep in touch with the administration and help the people on a regular basis for the next five years, no party based only on vote-bank ( caste and creed) would be able to defeat the citizen candidates. The administration and the elected representative should be made accountable to the people. If this is done, 'am admi' will not merely vote for you but work for you. But this is a huge task. Are the citizen candidates ready to take up the challenge? There is no short-cut and good intentions are not enough.
February 18, 2012.
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