Swaraj

Mahatma Gandhi’s economic concept for free India was based on his ideology of Gram Swaraj. He believed that economic policies should not be thrust upon the people from above, but people in every locality must have freedom to decide what type of development they need. The present situation is that the Central Government at Delhi and respective State Governments decide what type of development is needed in various parts of the country. The decision makers have no touch with local realities and they are influenced by many powerful vested interests. The natural resources of the country like water, minerals, forest lands are grabbed and appropriated by a few powerful industrial corporates and a few privileged people. This gives rise to peoples’ agitation against many projects that come up in the name of development. Plcahimada in Kerala is an example. If people had been given the power of deciding what type of development projects to be taken up in their locality, many of the people’s agitations against various projects could have been avoided.

            Refreshingly the new nascent political party formed by anti-corruption activist, Arvind Kejrival, the Aam Aadmi Party, is based on the principles of Gram Swaraj of Mahatma Gandhi. (Read Arvind Kejriwal’s book Swaraj which was lauded by none other than Anna Hazaare as “This book is a manifesto of our times and for the anti-corruption movement, and an effective model for the nation to achieve true Swaraj”)

            Based on Arvind Kejriwal’s idea of Swaraj, I have convened a Janasabha of two divisions (Mission Quarters and Pallikulam) of Thrissur Corporation on Sunday 8^th December, 2013 to hear peoples’ complaints against Corporation administration and to discuss the local needs of the people of the area.