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“If people are sleeping in the country, democracy will not function.”

“[In the ]last 60 years we have tried every [form of] government, but no government has worked. And merely changing the parties [or] changing the leaders in every election is not going to work. So demand power for yourself. Demand self rule. Demand ‘swaraj.’ And the party which gives you swaraj, which gives you the law which enables people to rule themselves, vote for that party.”

“We need, on a day to day basis, direct intervention in our governance, otherwise this is not democracy…. Democracy cannot function even for a moment without people’s participation. If people are sleeping in the country, democracy will not function… The manner in which the people have turned cynical in our country that ‘nothing can change; nothing can happen. Why should I participate?’ I think that is the most difficult thing in this country.”

In this interview with culture unplugged, Arvind Kejriwal also talks about the Right to Information Act, Gandhi and his vision for India. Kejriwal is part of an NGO, Pariwartan, which is encouraging people to directly contact the government departments through the Right to Information Act to enquire and seek accountability of your work. He was ‘awarded Ramon Magsaysay Award for Emergent Leadership in 2006, for activating India's Right to Information movement at grassroots and social activities to empower the poorest citizens to fight corruption by holding the government answerable to the people.’

“Last year in July, when a large number of MPs, during no confidence motion against Manmohan Singh government, crossed sides after taking bribes. I thought that was one of the darkest days for Indian democracy. If such large number of MPs could be sold and purchased, that means we are not an independent country. Tomorrow any country can purchase any number of MPs and get any law passed in our parliament. It really shook me inside.

I called some of my friends… Unfortunate part was the media was talking about it but the next day there was not a single murmur of protest from any civil society, any section of the society, anywhere in the country. No one protested. No one came in the street and said, ‘This behavior is not acceptable to us.’

I called up a couple of people, a couple of friends, and I said, ‘Let’s go to India Gate. Let’s go to protest. Let’s say that this is not acceptable to us.’ Most of the people said—‘Usse farak padega kya?’ Will it change? Will it affect in any manner? Even if it doesn’t affect in any manner, still we have to express our voice. Expressing your voice, expressing it loudly, is what democracy all about. So I counter-questioned them-Don’t you actually spend so much time with your family? Don’t you go the movies? Usse kuchh farak padta hai kya aapki family ke upar?

If we spend so much time with our family, we if do so much for our family, don’t we also need to spend that much time with/for the society rather than question ‘Isse farak padega kya?’ We should question but kuchh to karo society ke liye, chalo… [do something].

You’re asking me that going to India Gate is not going to work. Do something else. But spend a particular percentage of your time for the society, for the country and for the democracy otherwise the democracy will not function. And people who don’t do that, do not have a right to criticize.”

Jaago Re! 

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