Headlines       Vol. 2 Issue 3-4

May 22-June 6 , 1999

Impact of erosion of democratic values We never thought that there would be so much erosion of democratic values which we cherished in the Gandhian era, particularly during the freedom struggle. Indian democracy which we claim to be the biggest was functioning well early in the post independence period. High democratic principles were enshrined in the Constitution of India which was amended from time to time to meet more meaningful democratic needs of the people, but later it declined and values started being eroded rapidly. Our democracy functions through the Legislative, Judiciary and Executive. The Legislative enacts the law. Executive executes it. If there is anything wrong in its enactment or its execution, the Judiciary sets it right. Each one of them has its own areas of operation. It is independent in its jurisdiction, though one is very much dependent on the other, having cooperation among themselves. The aim of our democracy is to achieve the well being of the people. But it is sad that with all this well intentioned set up of our Legislature, Executive and Judiciary, the peace and tranquility of the people and order in the society have been severely disturbed, so much so that there is now near-anarchy in the State. The people have no security of life and property. The measures which prevented such crimes earlier have now been totally ineffective. The law and order have practically failed and everything has been thrown into turmoil. Assam was known to be a peaceful State. It is a matter of pride that different ethnic groups have been living together in Assam from time immemorial. In many a locality they are found to live in the same village, one group by the side of the other, the house of a member of one group by the side of the member of the other group. They lived so intermingled that it was difficult to draw any border. They understand each other, respect each other and work together in an integrated society for the well being of all. Then, what happen to them now? Some of the peace loving people are now in violent clash with the other. We are witnessing fratricide all around. The bright young boys who could have been shaped into great nation building assets have now become gun-trotting terrorists. How did it happen so soon? looking back in the past we may recall that the freedom fighters fought mighty British imperial power only with non-violent moral force. Having failed to face the forces of violence with moral power, we have now deployed armed forces to suppress them. But, alas, even the armed forces have not been able to disarm them. Unabated killing, extortion, and all types of incidences of violence have become rampant. The people are gripped by fear. On the top of this there is near-economic breakdown. Government failed even to pay the salaries of their employees. We are in bewilderment. These are all symptoms of a socio-economic and political disease which may be diagnosed, as it were, to be in the minds of those who are at the helm of affairs —— social, economic, political. We have now been witnessing a high incidence of crimes, violence and failure of administration, because of frequent deviation from democratic values we have cherished for long. In the legislature itself it is sad that we have made unusual departure from the legislative tradition and ethos. The political parties whether in Government or in opposition profess democracy but often practice its violation to seek political opportunity and sacrifice their principles to gain narrow ends. With the departure from the legislative ethics, Governments have become authoritarian and highly corrupt. The unruly elements have an upper hand and the criminal have been found often to be able to ascend to power. The politics have been criminalised. The law is very often bent to facilitate the criminals to commit crimes. Honesty has to give way to corruption, extortion and killings. The rules seem to have lost all power and the law has lost its effect. We are at a loss to decide what we should do now. The people have been suffering from the consequences. Even the intervention of the judiciary did not help matters as we expected. The climate in the society has become hostile to democratic values. We are now under the power of gun and money that rules our lives. In the past, we had our national leaders shining before us as our ideal. Their selfless sacrifice for the nation inspired the youths to dedicate themselves to the principle of honesty, public morality and service to the nation. Alas, today, we do not have any such leader as our ideal. Youths today get up every morning to be greeted only with alarming news of somebody's dishonesty and corruption in high places, kidnapping, extortion, killings of people and scandals of some public leaders. The Court of Justice exists for the administration of law. But because of the cost of its benefit which is too high it remains beyond the reach of the victim who needs it most. We frequently hold discussions, seminars on the problem of insurgency, terrorism and all other related matters for the restoration of peace and order in the society, but we discuss much less how we how we should behave ourselves in the situation we face. Courtesy: Assam Legislative Assembly Journal

|Assam |  Oriental Times(Headlines) | Home Page |