Indira Gandhi former Prime Minister of India said rural masses of the country are expert voters. Congress party considered rural masses as its strong hold. With the support of the rural masses the party could rule the nation since independence till 1977 uninterrupted. Janata party regime, which brought down Congress party did not however last long as it collapsed without completing the full term. Indira Gandhi returned again. Indian politics is all about Congress party. The party knows how to carry the masses. All its policies and programmes are rural based. Banked on the policies and programmes of the party the Government formed by the party also took up schemes to give direct benefit to the rural and hapless masses. But these programmes were misused by men in power. Power to panchayat was taken up with the sole aim to give direct benefit to the people living at far flung areas. Elections had been held to form local bodies like panchayat and zilla parishad. Unfortunately these bodies formed by rural masses, which should have existed like temples have been dragged into controversies, all for misusing public fund. Embezzlement of NREGS fund by members of rural bodies, which continue to ring in the ear is shameful. The sufferers have descended into the role of tormentors. That cannot be accepted. When they should have worked to uplift the masses to bring up at par with those at urban areas they remained concerning themselves. Perhaps the manner with which they won election had changed their nature and habit. They bought voters to enter the body. The voters having sold away their rights remained dumbfounded when their representatives indulged in looting spree. Therefore earnest appeal is made to the voters of panchayat, and zilla parishad not to allow candidates to make excessive expenditure in the election. Panchayat election should find true representatives not thieves. If they spend more money they will act in a manner that is diabolic showing least concern to the sufferings of the masses. They will show tendency to loot more and more public money as some of their predecessors did earlier to recover the amount spent in the election. Power to panchayt is Rajiv Gandhi’s dream project to do away red tape in giving benefit to the rural masses. However rural bodies lay threatened to its survival. A better image can be given like the one turning fresh and jubilant after washing away the deep sleep mark on the face. That power is in your hand. A functional panchayat body is for the betterment of the hapless persons, who have nobody to turn to. If not by the panchayat, who will think of repairing the nullah running near your house. Who will think of repairing the road in your village? Late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s statement cannot go wrong in Manipur. Elect the candidates, who will be able to work for the masses. Candidates thus elected must devote to the welfare of the masses. Having observed the performance of the candidates in the last one and half months after listening to their speeches the voters might have found the candidates of their choice. Are you confident that your candidate will not shirk the responsibility of reaching out to the needy people? If so go for him or her.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/responsible-voters/
