Its BBMP Elections - Finally !!!
Rajeev Kumar
Welcome back to election time.
Those of who here from Bangalore, know that finally we are getting an
opportunity to exercise our franchise. We are going to get our own
Corporation Council & Mayor! FINALLY!!!
The others would feel humored that we Bangaloreans are making such a
big deal about such a small election. But the fact is that we have
proved once & again that Democracy - no matter how at such minuscule
level it is - is very important, especially in the World's biggest &
most dynamic democracy of all. And cannot be suppressed. We have got
this election by a long & bitter fight at the Karnataka High Court &
the Supreme Court of India.
The democracy at the local level brings to all a whole lot of
responsibilities & rights at the most personal level (please note the
priority of the terms - "Responsibilities" and then "Rights".
Democracy has been suppressed at India's IT Capital for a whole 4
years.... and at the cost of billions of dollars of taxpayers’ money
being spent without proper public scrutiny.
Now it the time for us humble, simple citizens of Bengaluru to pay
back the politicians at their own turf - elections. But would we?
Now is the time to stop pondering and get our actions to talk for us.
This is what I have in mind :
a.) Work with all NOGs, RWAs, Citizen Groups, Independent Political
parties, etc., to create a common platform for the elections & beyond
(we already have started with this, and I am in touch with
representatives of various organizations/groups)
b.) Some 14 independent NGOs/individual/political candidates have
already started their campaign. We would have their names, wards and
profile shortly.
c.) The above candidates include Lok Satta Candidates.
d.) We are looking for more candidates in other wards to be brought
into our fold.
e.)We need to create a common agenda, campaign and coordination group
for the elections.
f.) We need to have continuous dialogue with citizens to ensure that
they have enough confidence in the elections to come out and vote. And
Vote for the right candidates.
g.) We need to create a citizens' agenda.
I am putting a web form to collate your comments and ideas.
Please forward this to your friends, and encourage them to forward it
through your network.
Please do send me your comments.
Our politicians still think that they are our "Masters", and it is
high time that we teach them that they are merely our
"Representatives" and we have appointed them to discharge certain
duties & responsibilities that we otherwise are responsible to
execute.
Please do send in your opinion and thoughts on how we can take this
forward.
Please volunteer.
Please fill the form - http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dDUyRUMtS05GRlV0aHJ0RlF1Q0JSeEE6MA
I am also compiling a Citizens’ wish-list on
http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dG1oT3c5U3dFWXZyTHphUTNZR2VVTVE6MA
Thank you,
Best Regards,
Rajeev Kumar
Co-Founder, Y India Network
+91.98861.94776
raja.raj...@gmail.com