Voters Party INDIA

s of all marginalized masses of the country. I hope and pray like all of you are doing, that this party will write a new chapter in Indian Politics , Where each word will speak of restoration of dignity and justice for those who have been denied and deprived ,oppressed and marginalized and will sound the bugle of their victory . It will also speak for peace, reconciliation and prosperity for all Indians, and the citizen in other countries. On the inaugural day of the party, as we dedicate the party to the people of India, It is in order that I speak about why this name, Voters Party Why there is new party when there hundreds of parties in the country and what it stands for! Voters Party stands for active citizenship; one could be a citizen, but be a cynic, individualistic and not active. Is it good for a democracy? A healthy democracy is based on active citizenship. The basic and fundamental duty of an active citizen is to caste his or her vote to choose the right leader in a representative democracy. So our party does not subscribe to NOTA. Abraham Lincoln, who fought against slavery, the former American president had famously said, “Bad politicians are elected by good citizens who do not vote“. So our Party belongs to the voters who participate in the political process. Why there should be a new party? We believe that Indian politics is now divided between ‘new politics and “old politics” especially after the enfranchisement ’12 crore young voters. This number is more than 11.8 crore votes nationally polled by UPA in the last general elections. In the ‘Old Politics’, one major national party is in decline, may be terminally, and other party is not acceptable as it is sectarian and obscurantist others are all regional parties without national and international outlook . In the “new politics” there is a party riding on the wave of discontent of the people with old, feudal, dynastic, corrupt, elitist and sectarian politics. But this party is devoid of any coherent or robust ideology. It is a protest movement incapable of mutating into a disciplined political party. Hence a new party that occupies the space for new politics and corrects the historical fault lines on building an equal society
What do we stand for? We have principles, policies, and we have programmes. Our principles are unique in the country, our policies are progressive and our programmes are equitable and just. What are our principles, Our main principles are equality, dignity, identity, pluralism and solidarity. Everyone talks about equality, so how are we different, what is new about us In that others are talking about us formal politics equality one person one vote granted to us in our constitution Thanks to Baba Saheb Ambedkar who presided over the drafting of one of the most progressive constitutions in the world. But that is the beginning and the basis; we had to build on that basis. Our leadership failed us in doing so. They failed in building an equal society. There are gross inequalities in our country, the worst of all is the caste inequality which is inherited and ascribed to one’s birth over which one human being has any control. There are social, cultural and religious, linguistic, economic, and regional inequalities. Our party will try to mitigate all those and fight against all kinds of equalities. When God has made us all his children, who are we to divide the human beings into high and low, or big and small, or superior and inferior? The second principle is dignity. Does anyone talk about restoring the dignity of SCs/STs/MBCs, they have been treated as untouchables, even now, in India, they are called lower castes, they are considered impure, incapable, and inferior. Is it acceptable? No more. We will not tolerate this. We want our dignity and will establish it. Our party will give dignity to each citizen of India. All the SCs /STs and MBCs will no longer be treated lower, Since they are the original inhabitants and are in the majority in our democracy. We will not allow anyone to undermine our dignity. We will have a society which is rankless irrespective of caste or status. The third principle is Pluralism. We advocate this in place of secularism which has been nebulous, and has not worked. It has tried to push religion and spirituality into underground which has been counted productive causing strife and violence, it has curtailed religious freedoms. The Marxist approach that religion is the o***m of the people has been proved wrong. Religion could be the life line of the people. It is dangerous and divisive when politics is based on religious categories. This is what has happened in the name of secularism that is hypocrisy, gross misunderstanding, misuse and manipulation of the concept. We wish to change and correct it. We stand for recognition and respect for all religions at social level and religious neutrality at political level. That will come through deep spiritualism, open and full play of religions in the society not by ignoring them, nor supporting them clandestinely. Because all religious essential embrace love and brotherhood humanity and togetherness. Our motto is pluralism where all the differences are respected but not allowed to divide. That leads us to our Fourth principle, promotion of identity. In India the differences or diversities are huge. India is known for existence of plethora of diversities. In a sense, they are complimentary to Indian democracy. These diversities are based on our multiple identities, which are based on language, religion, region and culture. Do we recognize and celebrate them? We do not. We mix identity with citizenship. We mix up nation with the country. We ignorantly follow one nation-one people theory. It sounds good and patriotic. But it is not practical. We are one citizenry, we are not one people. We are different. This is also the law of the nature, of creation. While we celebrate diverse identities, we adhere to single citizenship, which is legal, and constitutional. Identities and citizenship are two different categories. But this requires higher understanding and deeper political thinking and strategy. The leadership has so far failed to comprehend this and provide space for both. We have maintained our diversities with difficulties. The other mono-cultural societies of the world are looking to us as they go multi-cultural under the impact of globalization and immigration and so on. But we want to make it healthier, genuine, and practical not just structural. All this beg the question, how shall we hold these identities and pluralities together. Is it Hinduvta? It will kill the diversities themselves. Our Party has a different answer. It is the higher political and spiritual concept of solidarity, which is our fifth principle. Solidarity is based on active neighborhood, brother and sisterhood. We actively stand by one another. When one is standing with an umbrella and the other is in the sun or rain without it, the one with the umbrella extends it to the other without it. We will follow the “lead and lag” policy. While some will lead, others may lag behind. But we move as one people, one team, and one body towards peace, progress and prosperity. What are out polices? We are talking of some radical fundamental reforms in our policies. First of all, we will talk about a major electoral reform, PR instead of FPP (first-past-the-post). A diverse populous country like India needs PR that is genuine and just representation. A national party or a coalition cannot be called democratic when it seeks to rule with 28 per cent of national votes, not 51 per cent which is in fact the majority. Moreover various social groups which are dispersed in various constituencies will remain unrepresented. We talk about land rights to SCs/STs/MBCs. Most of their problems including social exclusion have arisen out of their deprivation of land holdings. SCs and MBCs did not have it, and STs who had it were dispossessed. We will restore them. We will strive to eliminate absolute poverty, the hunger. Poverty could be a relative term, but hunger is not acceptable, it is dehumanizing. It was said, “jab tak inssan bhuka rahega, tab tak Dharti mein toofan rahega”. The difference earlier between people was of 7 feet or 15 feet, depending on if the kings were on a horse or an elephant, but it is now of 35000 feet. Some travel in aeroplanes and others on foot. We need to bridge this gap. We will give 50 per cent space to women in public life, but along with that massive education and mobilization of women. We will not do this only through reservation, but real economic and social empowerment. We will not fall to the trap of reservation and then marginalization. While SCs and STs have been given reservation, resources meant for them are diverted and squandered. This is a trap and conspiracy. We will fight it. In fact, all social groups should get reservation in proportion to their population; the upper castes should have reservation as per their number. Our PR would cover that too. Finally, who are our people? Certainly, they are everyone in India, every citizen, every voter, every future voter, and the children under 18. Bur our focus is on those who have been historically deprived, denied, oppressed and marginalized. They are the bahujans and baljans of this country. They are dalits, Tribals, Most backward castes, poor and backwards among minorities and all social groups. We will give them justice. These brothers are sisters have been engaged for years in movements and struggles to secure justice, fight denials. We will support them and will draw on their selfless sacrifices and strengths. Our party and our movements are complementary to each other, but not the same. We have people to demonstrate on the streets, launch social and cultural liberation movements, and we have people who can govern. When we govern, we do not protest, we perform, we deliver, when we fight, we brook no opposition. I have this dream, my fellow-brothers and sisters, dalits, tribals, and MBCs in all communities, be they Sikhs, Buddhists, Muslims or Christians, to get our due share, to rule this country, as we are the majority. I am sure all those present here are share this dream. This is our land. We are the Mool Niwasi. They have taken our lands, our rights. I remember what Desmond Tutu had said, “when the whites came to South Africa, they had the book, we had the lands, after a few years, they had the lands and we were left with book”. That is our story too. Brothers and Sisters let us dream together and retrieve our rights. But let us dream with open eyes. “Ye sapna Keisha jo nid mein aye, sapna aisa ho jiske liye nid na aye”. Let us not sleep until we achieve our dreams of self-rule, the real self-rule.