My own Utopia...

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My own Utopia...

Deepa V R

09 October, 2009

There was a time in India when individuals like Gandhi and Swami Vivekananda influenced millions with their work and speeches. The times are different today. We, as the public, have high expectations and the people whom we elect, cannot do so.

THE ELECTIONS are back again. As I receive my name-list along with a particular party’s brochure, I sit back and think. What has this particular person achieved for India to give me a reason to vote for him? Two major states are today reeling under floods, while two of our neighbours are keeping our soldiers awake at nights. I hasten to clarify that I am not against any particular political party. I know that a bunch of people cannot run the entire nation. There was a time in India when individual personalities like Gandhi and Swami Vivekananda influenced millions with their work and speeches. The times are different today. We, as the public, have high expectations and the people whom we elect cannot do so for many factors.

So, what should be an ideal government? I have a very pretty picture of Utopia in front of me. Here is how it would be:

Government formed through Orkut:

Being a youth, I am probably thinking from my own point of view. But consider this: the number of people accessing Orkut is much more than the number of people reading newspapers or watching the news. For those people who have net connection in their homes, their entire family can vote so. It will probably solve the problem of disturbance at polling booths during election. It may lack definite security measures like multiple-voting, anonymous voting etc. But there is not a single technical flaw which the Indian youth cannot solve.

There are going to be a lot of committees in this government. Obviously, these committees will be formed through Orkut, it goes without saying!

A new village in the making:

Even the villages in India have to vote. For those who stay in villages or remote areas or who cannot afford to vote, our youth can form groups and personally visit these villages and guide the villagers to vote. (This is the first community, mind you! I have named it ‘The Nomads’). An argument may be raised that there are countless villages in India and how can we expect the young to travel so far and wide. If there are countless villages in India, there are countless cities situated in the proximity of the villages. There are countless people from those cities accessing Orkut. They all can form a group and take up the noble task of guiding the villages.

By doing so, the youth can come face to face with the problems faced by the villagers. They can make entire projects on the requirement of villagers, their existing conditions, their income, among others. This again can be posted in the web for all to see.

And this gives me another idea.

Ek haath se lo, ek haath se do:

I think local elections are held every year, right? (This only proves my point that today’s youth spend more time in Orkut than reading newspapers). There should be certain criteria for the parties who should be allowed to run in the election. (Yes, why not!). The criteria would be:

Awareness about their own locality and the problems it is facing
(Why not hold a test for them too)?
Presenting them with problems and find out the solutions that they propose.
Comparing the propositions with the actual performance done by them.

I think one year is enough for the youth to formulate all the above. The committee looking after this has been named The Geeks (because their job will involve lot of studying and planning and preparing questions and checking answers). If and only if the party achieves at least 80 per cent in the above, will we allow it to vote and shall vote ourselves for the same. The villages will be informed of the parties achievement and performance and will be asked to vote as per their wish.

Far-fetched? It is Utopia guys!!! Everything is heavenly here!

And, after the elections, it is ‘Big-Boss’:

So, a particular party has achieved the requisite percentage and has been voted to run the government. Well, now the responsibility only increases for these people. For now, Big-Boss will be keeping an eye on the same. This committee will be closely monitoring the ruling party.

Firstly, the party will have to publicly provide accurate information on the financial assets and liabilities owned by the government. (Here is where my Utopia will crash: nobody will provide the correct figures it seems!) let us assume that correct figures will be provided. A day-to-day account has to be published in the website for all to check how the amount has been utilized.

Secondly, the performance should only increase and there should be no stagnation. Every year, a new course of development has to be implemented for public welfare. Any party which has not performed well during the year will have to undergo severe reconsideration to be allowed to run for the next year!

We will have ‘The Power-puffs’:

This committee will bear the responsibility of ensuring that in case of any calamity in the country, the affected people get appropriate remuneration from the government. We always see that the government promises to pay so and so amount after a great calamity for the affected people. Who confirms whether these people get the promised amount? That will be done by The Power-puffs. They will also ensure that soldiers, policemen get a good standard of living and that their families are taken care of always.

And finally, The Couch Potatoes:

After all the above, we need information on the TV too! And here is where the couch potatoes will come. Their responsibility will be to travel worldwide and inform the public of relevant news and incidents (mind you, space-ships flying off with cows and aliens peeping through your window will no longer be relevant!).

So here is how my Utopia will be like.

I am expecting a great roar of outrage and criticism from anyone who actually takes the trouble of reading this. But the last time I read the newspapers, India was still a democratic country and hence I write this with confidence and hope. Confidence, that my committees, if formed in the actual world will definitely be better than I imagined and a hope that one day, the new term for the place where everything is right, will be ‘India’!