Hindustan Times: Rajasthan:
Saturday, September 21, 2013.
If elections
are a true test of political strength, then a party manifesto is the biggest
weapon to overcome that trial.
As Rajasthan
readies to go to polls after Diwali, social activists in the state are
disappointed that child rights issues don’t find any mention in the poll
manifestos of various political outfits.
Child rights
activists are miffed that none of the political parties have cared to include
anything for the welfare of the children in their manifestos in the past perhaps because children, they say, are not vote banks.
Vijay Goyal,
coordinator of Rajasthan Bal Adhikar Sanrakshan Sanjha Abhiyan, says: “There is
a need to protect children from 0-18 years of age. We had given a lot of
suggestions for children welfare and their inclusion in the manifestos, but
none of the parties ever paid any heed to our advice.”
Speaking on
school education, Goyal says there is an acute shortage of teachers across
schools and the buildings are also not in proper condition. “The Right to
Education (RTE) Act has not been implemented properly. Even the anganwadis are
in a state of ill health.”
Voicing the
same concerns, Lata Singh, Rajasthan branch coordinator of FXB Suraksha, says
several schemes have been announced by the successive governments for the
welfare of women and children, but they have come to a naught because of lack of
implementation. She demanded that political parties must include special
schemes for the welfare of children and women.
Singh,
however, expressed satisfaction over a few steps initiated by the government
for women’s education. “But political parties need to announce vocational
training for women and education for children in their manifesto.
Self-employment
schemes for women should also be launched by the government through NGOs with
strict monitoring by a committee that should include government officials,
civil society members and others. Besides, shelter should be provided to the
urban homeless,” says Singh.
Nisar Ahmad,
coordinator of Budget Analysis Rajasthan Centre, suggests that girls’ education
till Class 12 should be made free and an announcement in this regard should be
included in manifestos this time.
No one to
address corruption :
In the game
of one-upmanship, political leaders are always busy proving their opponents as
corrupt. Radhakant Saxena, human rights activist and former inspector-general
of police (prison), strongly believes that manifestos are nothing but a
“vote-catching tool”.
“Why are
political parties not bothered to address the burning issue of corruption in
their manifestos? They are all busy casting aspersions on each other and
proving that the other leader is more corrupt,” says Saxena, who also works for
the criminal justice system.
He says
people’s faith in criminal justice is waning and it is high time that the
political parties decide not to field corrupt candidates in elections. Saxena
says a provision for statutory bodies to fill vacant posts in all departments
should also be included in the manifestos. Every manifesto should include the
provision for stricter implementation of the anti-corruption law.
No safety
for whistleblowers :
The Right to
Information (RTI) Act has come as a boon to honest citizens in seeking
information and unearthing scams in the government sector. But people using the
RTI route to expose corruption often come under attack.
“Insecurity
has made inroads into the psyche of the RTI activists across the country. None
of the political parties have tried to address issues concerning the security
of the whistleblowers,” says Pathak, He adds that he, too, feels very insecure
after receiving a number of threats.
“The
government should ensure security and protection of whistleblowers. The issue
should be addressed in the manifestos of the political parties.”
Echoing
Pathak, another RTI activist Sanjay Sharma says: “Even the government officials
do not treat RTI activists properly. They often rebuke them and threaten to
withdraw the RTI applications.”
Manifesto
promises not fulfilled :
Most
political parties fail to fulfil promises made in their manifesto. While former
IGP Radhakant Saxena feels the SC could intervene here, Nisar Ahmad,
coordinator of Budget Analysis Rajasthan Centre, says the Election Commission
should question the political parties about unfulfilled promises.
He feels the
EC should be approached to seek provisions in this direction. Ahmad goes a step
further and says: “The consumer protection law could be invoked here. In a way,
the political parties treat voters as consumers and make lucrative promises.”
RTI activist Sanjay Sharma also suggests that political parties should be held
responsible for not fulfilling their promises in the manifestos.
“Information
about implementation of promises in manifestos could be sought through the RTI
Act. But there has to be a system for fixing liability for those not fulfilling
announcements.” He says parties should include a provision in the manifesto to
fulfill announcements.