Statement of sponsoring organisations at the Parliament Annexe on March 8 1997
People First

The present system based on colonial institutions and centralised socialism has blunted the initiative of the people. It has created an irresponsible political system and a bloated bureaucracy that consume the bulk of the nation’s resources, and slows down and distorts decision-making.

Management of natural resources such as forests by remote central and state governments based on exploitative and anti-people practices of the colonial rule has proved counter productive in a democratic polity. Heavy overheads, misuse, wastage, corruption and massive environmental losses have resulted in growing inequity and poverty. Disempowerment of local institutions, distortion of processes and overbearing dominance of polity over community and civil society have led to major problems including illiteracy and increasing population.

Panchayati raj, introduced a few years ago, has, by retaining many colonial institutions such as that of the collector and other district offices created a counterproductive dyarchy. Central and state governments and legislators, instead of performing their legitimate role, interfere in local decision-making vitiating the accountability of the local leaders to the people. The controlled economy threatened bankruptcy, forcing the nation to open the economy. The open invitation to multinationals and foreign investment is, on the one hand, hamstrung because of inefficient decision-making and on the other, is likely to lead to unsustainable capitalism unless we empower our own people.

Instituting Gandhiji’s decentralised socialism has become imperative and urgent. Properly re-empowered village and local governments supported by district and city governments with exclusive jurisdiction over all local matters including administration of land, police, justice and forests are needed. Local governments give power to the state governments and the latter must frame laws to ensure that gram panchayats and urban neighbourhoods function virtually as self-sustaining republics and that planning is participatory and all transactions are transparent.

Centralisation of resources based on colonial and centralised socialism practices is inefficient in a democratic polity. All resources and taxes should vest in local and district governments. Only such taxes and resources, which by their very nature require to be administered at state or central levels should come under their jurisdiction. Local and state governments should be more or less self-sufficient to meet their administration and development needs. The central government should be required to primarily support only needy areas.

Gandhiji’s decentralised socialism provides excellent ground rules under which political parties of all ideologies can evolve their manifestos. It will increase political presence and power at all levels by releasing adequate resources for all activities and reducing bureaucratic presence and power. Local empowerment underpinned by education and awareness will nurture good ethics, reduce social tension and promote national integration. It will also prevent village and slum lords from exploiting the poor by linking themselves with state level politics.

Transparency and accountability in public affairs and dealings will promote ethical behaviour and nurture good leadership. Most political parties will be in power in some district or local government and will be involved in nation building. All political parties and candidates will have a level playing field during elections.

The preparatory consultation urges the main consultation to endorse these reforms and request the President to forthwith constitute a permanent commission called “Commission for Empowered Citizenship” which would, as an ongoing process, examine such issues in detail and furnish its recommendations to the parliament for its consideration. The recommendations not approved by the parliament should be referred to the people along with confirmation for those approved for decision through referenda.

The preparatory consultation also urges the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha to constitute a joint parliamentary committee to examine and express its views on these issues.

A view was expressed that (1) centralised planning and (2) legislators dealing with local issues violated the constitution. It was further stated that right to be informed, control over local resources and referendum were sovereign rights of the people in a democracy and no constitution, law or practice can take it away from them. The consultation decided to constitute a round table to deliberate on these issues and to invite Justice PN Bhagwati to chair it.

Referenda on fully empowered local and district governments as described above should be ordered with every local election held hereafter so that the people may chose how they would like to be governed. The preparatory consultation is of the opinion that referendum is a sovereign right of the people intrinsic in a democracy and no constitution, law or practice can deny it.

In order to achieve the spirit and objectives of the statement, and to complete the unfinished agenda of the freedom struggle, there must be nationwide social mobilisation in the Gandhian way.

Many scholars have said that Gandhiji was born ahead of his times and that is why the twentieth century did not understand him. It was probably destined that we should reinvent him just before the turn of the century.

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