Power to the people!

There's a reason why India is hailed as the world's greatest democracy, which is apparent in every aspect of the daily lives of its citizens

India's lively political scene has always appealed co my inner journalise. Say what you warn about Indian politics - the Indian people do not cake chcir democratic privileges for granted. L1 fucr, I often wonder if India's bureaucracy, regardless of its (many) fu.ulrs, constitutes a more democratic system than chat of many western nations.

Lee's not forget that democracy might be undermined, but is not abrogated by corruption; democracy is fundamentally 'the rule of the people' in all its manifestations, beautiful and ugly. The Indian people do , co a large degree, dictate the direction of their nation.

This makes for a clear contrast with Auscra.lia, where political apathy has become a national epidemic. The huge crowds drawn in by anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare's campaign are testan1ent co the Indian populace's political engagement. Even the media gets on board - all of this is a far cry from many Western democracies where a moral obligation would fail to garner such widespread support.

Take the American invasion oflraq; while many cook co the streets, it wasn't enough co sway governments who had che mainsueam media wrapped around their fingers. In many coun cries celebrities and activists, all potential spokespeople, were nowhere co be seen.

It's yet co be seen if people power can (or will ever) a.ire India ofir.s corruption problem, bur it certainly feds like a fight which the people wane. After all, modem India was founded on a public movement of civil disobedience and protest. The very face ofsocial activism is co be seen on every cen rupees I handle, regardless of how grubby the note is. Perhaps we will have co wait until the newer, more globally aware and more financially mobile generation comes of age until we see a significant cl1ange in [ndia's policies; it has always ba.ffied me that India's very yow1g population (according co some estimates, up co 50% are under 25 years of age) , are ruled by an ancient group of elir.e survivors.

One place where the power definitely isn't , however, is in Chennai's elecuicity grid. As the subcontinent hears up, the regular power cuts, known as 'loadshedding', become ever more frequent. I don't have the pathological hatred of loadshedding that most Indians possess - I acrually find the unscheduled silence that graces the neighbourhood to be a rather calming experience. The frusuation felt by many Indians is understandable though, because the lack of elecrricity is indicative of a much deeper problem.As one Chennaiker so eloquently stated; " Why should we go without electricity every time Jayalalithaa ro lls over? There's no shortage of power lines lying around the shoddily constructed footpaths! "

This anger is palpable in many conversations. The answer, perhaps, is co be fow1d in che number of Indians who talk but don't act. In ocher words, how many people complain abom corruption but still pay bribes to evade uaffic fines?

If corruption is as rampant as we a.re led to believe, and the anticorruption movemenc enjoys as much support as we are co ld , then chere muse be some overlap.

Conversely, there is somedung to be said for the corrupt justice I recently saw meted out co a neighbourhood chief. My neighbour caught the pilferer and tightened a cha.in around his neck. I cl1ought he was going to lynch him, but cl1e cl1ain was used to restrain whil e an uncle threw punches and yelled obscenities. When police arrived cl1ey pulled him away from the thief, and rhen the policeman stepped forward and cook his turn at beating up cl1e criminal while the house owner watched on. Wrong, I agree - bur I wonder if many Indian victims of crime wou ld be satisfied with a more we.seem ized 'rehabilitation' process for criminals? I doubt it - so whether it's right or wrong, maybe Indian democracy really is more representative of the people's wi ll than we assume.

Ac the end of the day, the idea of 'India' always seems to prevail - tl1e idea clia.t everyone gees a say, chat the nation is somdiow, if not obviously, cohesive, and that cl1e Indian people are free. In cl1e battle of the rising superpowers it's easy co compare India's progress with that ofChina. "Look at how well they're progressing" I hear many Indians say. Suggest to cl1ese people however that they should be li mited to having one child, chat cl1ey should be highly taxed (or taxed at all, in many cases!), or char chey should be subject to rigorous media contro l and a cry of protest arises. That cry is exactly why India can't be China - and nor should it cry co be.

A common stereotype oflndia.ns is that they calk too much - and as with most stereotypes, cl1ere is an demen t of m.1 th there. But chis is what makes India great - let's cackle corruption, but lee's not forget that many counuies gm to where they are by shutting peopl e up. I hope the Indian people never stop talking, because without dialogue what else cou ld hold l .2 billion Indians cogetl1er? I love that in India I can express my views in a public forum and protest ifl want, with cl1e distinct hope that I might just change something. I can even type whatever I like on the internet, and watch whatever I want on cl1e TV news. Except for when there's loadshedding, of course.

Gandhi's benevolent face adorns the bank notes