Why this damning aversion to democracy?

A survey report on people’s attitude towards democracy, released by Washington based Pew Research Center conducted in 24 countries, might leave anybody worrying about the future of India against the backdrop of upcoming Lok Sabha polls still more worrying. The survey, according to Pew Research Center, was carried out between 23rd March and 11th May, 2023 directly interacting with adult citizens across different social strata living except in North East States and Union Territories of Nicobar and Lakshadweep. Those who consider a dictator or army to be well enough to govern the country is polled 85 percent in India. Where a major chunk in Pew’s similar survey in 2017 favoured democracy as ideal for India’s prosperity, in 2023 most Indians notably opted for either totalitarian or military rule! A large number of people polled believe that experts are better than elected representatives for the role. The number of people who believed in the critical importance of Opposition have come down considerably. Nevertheless the survey may have been conducted systematically and reliably, there is still reason to believe that it does not reflect public opinion wholly. Conducting a comprehensive and meticulous survey in the world’s largest democracy with over 97 crore voters is easier said than done.

Let’s admit, the findings should be giving way to grievous concern and soul-searching. The reasons are plain. This is a great country where seventeen free and fair polls have been conducted under a better Constitution and thus representatives ruled for seven decades. Rather than being a model of strong democracy expressing the popular will, the situation is now heading into a fall where, like the free intellectuals think aloud, everything is reduced to one individual and one culture and a centralised rule that rejects all kinds of diversity. A situation has emerged where the powers of the states are being wholly grabbed, leaving the elected governments to be no more than scarecrows. Who will dare to voice against this totalitarian force that muffle the dissenting voices accusing them of falsehood and hunting them down using central agencies alongside buying out media houses while giving in economy to corporates? The situation now fast emerging in the country will make nearly everybody an obedient lamb. The trend, nevertheless began to strengthen after 2014, has sprouted earlier than that.

This is not the only situation from which our democracy began to be wilting. The parliament and state assemblies for decades have been under the grip of criminals and millionaires. According to Association for Democratic Reforms, 43 percent of those who reached Lok Sabha in 2019 are accused in criminal cases. In 2014, it was only 34 percent. Forty-four percent of the 4001 state legislators are facing criminal cases. You might well ask how they became representatives. The answer is it is due to the ill effects of black money. According to Center for Media Study rupees 55,000 crores was used for 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, compared to 30,000 crores in 2014. In 1998, it was only 9000 crores. It boils down to the fact that adult franchise in the country is something to be bought with black money. In 2019, major parties spent an average of Rs 100 crore in each Lok Sabha constituency. Where each candidate is allowed to spend only Rs 70 lakh, a staggering 40 crore was in truth splurged. A scrutiny of elected members will ratify how democracy has become a gamble of millionaires. At least 12 percent of the incumbent members of the Rajya Sabha we are billionaires. According to ADR, list of extreme wealthy includes 475 members of Lok Sabha. It is no wonder why people hate the democratic system where moneybags pour out their wealth to win polls, and then govern engendering corruption, and nepotism alongside preserving the interest of corporate giants who are vying to be on top of billionaire list. Unless those who are willing to arrest this situation step in, people will take India to out and out totalitarianism.