Date:12/02/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/02/12/stories/2005021204970500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Indian democracy volatile, says CIEFL professor

By Our Staff Reporter

VIJAYAWADA, FEB. 11. Masses are opting for political leadership, which works for their interests and social dignity, and not the one promising development and good governance, according to Javeed Alam, Professor of European Studies at Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages (CIEFL).

The desire for political empowerment is so strong that the poorer sections fully utilise their voting rights which is in glaring contrast to meagre participation by the educated and rich classes, says Prof. Alam.

"This has rendered Indian democracy very volatile. We cannot predict what changes will come in the political scene. No national party can think of securing absolute majority at the Centre any longer," he says.

Social dynamics

Delivering a lecture on `The changing face of Indian democracy' organised by P.B. Siddhartha College of Arts and Science Economic Association here on Friday, Prof. Alam said the underprivileged had perceived `revolt' as the best form of securing their rights and dignity.

He pointed out that the social dynamics had changed a lot in the last two decades. Prof. Alam felt that the `revolt' of vulnerable sections indicated that the Indian democracy was vibrant than that of America's. In the eyes of poorer sections, the so-called developmental agenda of administrators like the former Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, was suspect for the simple reason it was not protective of their interests, the professor reasoned.

"The development image that Mr. Naidu built up for so many years became a reason for his fall. His party received a drubbing even in the urban areas. Mr. Naidu groomed Hyderabad but his party could not win a single seat except Secunderabad Cantonment which had a dominating presence of defence personnel," Prof. Alam said.

During Mr. Naidu's time, hundreds of contract sweepers were engaged to clean the capital's roads and it did not take them long to realise that being contract workers, they were being denied benefits enjoyed by permanent employees, he noted.