"The second meet at Jaipur was that of civil groups, concerned citizens and some leaders of movements which, in the words of famous writer V.S. Naipaul, were like a "million mutinies." The groups constituted the Lok Rajnitik Manch (People's Political Platform) for making "political intervention" on the issues of livelihood, displacement, farm crisis and discrimination. The platform is meant to be an umbrella under which all organisations, engaged in arraying people against exploitation and fighting electoral battles, will stand shoulder to shoulder with their individual identity. Together, they will confront the established political order with which people are disillusioned. The effort is to evolve "a genuine interactive" restoring the democratic values that formed the basis of national polity after independence.
Limited struggles throughout the region provide ample evidence of change at the grassroots. Yet our leaders continue to indulge in the same old game of gaining ascendancy through the politics of manipulation and money. Many among them are the ones who go in for ideological posturing and populist rhetoric. They have little respect for public interest or popular sentiment which they exploit to ensure their political survival.
"from an article by Kuldip Nayair,
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