Why are we entering Politics?
For the past two years millions of common Indians came out on streets to fight against the biggest evil in our country today - corruption. This people's anti-corruption movement has exposed the ugly and greedy face of our politicians. No political party in India today works for the common man's needs. The Janlokpal Movement was a call to all the politicians of India to listen to the common man's plea. For almost 2 years we tried every single way available to plead our cause to the government - peaceful protesting, courting arrest, indefinite fasting several rounds of negotiations with the ruling government - we tried everything possible to convince the government to form a strong anti- corruption law. But despite the huge wave of public support in favour of a strong anti-corruption law, all political parties cheated the people of India and deliberately sabotaged the Janlokpal Bill. The time for peaceful fasts and protests is gone. This is the time for action. Since most political parties are corrupt, greedy and thick skinned, it's time to bring political power back into the people's hands. We are not saying that every single politician is corrupt and greedy. There are many good intentioned people in politics today who want to work honestly for the people of India. But the current system of polity does not allow honest politicians to function. We are also not claiming that every single person who joins our party will be hundred percent honest. We are saying that it is the system that has become very corrupt and needs to be changed immediately. Our aim in entering politics is not to come to power; we have entered politics to change the current corrupt and self-serving system of politics forever. So that no matter who comes to power in the future, the system is strong enough to withstand corruption at any level of governance.
Aam Aadmi party will pass a powerful anti corruption law, Janlokpal, to remove corruption from our system. Under this law, people will be able to complain directly and imprison corrupt politicians and bureaucrats.
Today a corruption case gets extended for years in our courts. In this time the corrupt politician is re-elected many times over to loot the nation. Many times accused politicians have died before being declared corrupt by the courts. Janlokpal Act will ensure that investigation of corruption charges and prosecution is done under fast tract conditions within 6 months. If found guilty the corrupt official shall serve appropriate jail time from 1 year to life, depending on the severity of the case, his or her property will be seized and he or she will be dismissed from job.
If our party’s government comes into existence, those found guilty of corruption charges in graft scandals in recent years will be jailed within six months.
When a common man goes to an office, he is asked for a bribe. Under Janlokpal, every function of a government officer, the officer responsible and the time limit within which the work must be completed will be clearly defined. If the concerned officer doesn’t do the work within the stipulated time, Lokpal will penalize such officer, compensate the sufferer and get the work done in 30 days.
2) Right To RejectWhen we go to cast our vote, we know that almost all the candidates are either corrupt or criminals. But our current voting system forces us to choose any one candidate and waste our vote on someone we know is unfit for the job. We the people's party plan to give the voter an alternate choice - a Reject All button. All voting machines shall have a “reject all” button at the bottom. If you dislike all candidates, you will have an option to use this button. If this button gets majority of votes, the elections to that constituency will be cancelled and fresh elections will be held within a month. The parties and candidates rejected in the cancelled elections will forfeit their right to contest again in the re-elections.
3) Right to RecallToday we give our vote to a candidate, he or she wins the election, and then they disappear from our life. Today most elected representatives make no time to listen to the problems of their constituents. And in the current electoral system, the people have no choice but to suffer this candidate for 5 years. We want to create an alternative. We will enact a Right to Recall law wherein the common man does not have to wait for 5 years to remove a corrupt MLA or MP from office. People can complain to the election commission anytime to recall their representative and call for fresh elections.
4) Political DecentralizationThe biggest problem facing our democracy today is that no one in government can or wants to hear the common man's basic needs. This is the situation in the whole of our country. People need basic amenities and the government provides something else. Decisions affecting millions of common Indians are taken by a few select leaders of the ruling party in Parliament. Democracy has become a slave of the leader of the ruling-party.
We believe that good governance happens when people have the power to influence decisions that shape their life. This is a major change that India needs badly. No present day party will usher in this systemic change. For this very reason, our anti corruption movement has been forced to enter politics.
Today all big and small decisions that affect the nation are taken by a few select members of this body of governance. Once the ruling party comes to power, a few top leaders at the head of the party and a handful of influential corporate honchos decide all policies. Where is the voice of the common man in this decision making process? There is no Right to Recall in our country today. So once we elect a leader, we are stuck with him for 5 years. And this gives the current breed of politicians enough time to loot the resources of the country. Is this the true meaning of Democracy? Of course not. In a true democracy The people have the power. Governments should be responsible to the people, not the other way around. This is the goal of Aam Aadmi Party - to give the power back in the hands of the people of India. This is SWARAJ or self rule - but can it be done practically?
The answer is YES!
SWARAJ and decentralisation of power can be done in a fully democratic system and many countries in the world have done it. India can also create a system which makes the government directly responsible to the people. Aam Aadmi Party aims to decentralise the system of governance in such a way that people can influence the policies that affect their local area. All the provisions to create SWARAJ are defined in the Constitution of India. All it takes is the political will to implement the spirit of the Constitution on the ground level. No political party in India today will do this. It is this corrupt and selfish current political system, that forms the Executive pillar of our democracy, that we aim to change.
How are we different?1) There is no central high command in Aam Aadmi party. The party structure follows a bottom to top approach where the council members elect the Executive Body and also holds the power to recall it.
2) No MLA or MP of this party will use red lights or any other beacons on his or her vehicles.
3) No MLA or MP of this party will use any special security. We believe that elected people's representatives need the same security as a common man.
4) No MLA or MP of our party will live in opulent and luxurious government housing.
5) No one would need to buy an election ticket in our party. Candidates contesting elections from an area will be selected by the people of that area.
6) In all political parties today criminals and mafia goons are given election tickets. Such people will never be given tickets in our party. A thorough screening process will ensure that no one with a criminal record or proven corruption charges could stand for elections from our party.
7) This party will function with full financial transparency. Every single rupee collected by donations to run this people's party will be publicly declared on the party's website and all expenditures will also be declared on the website.
8) Every member of the Aam Aadmi party will have to follow a strict internal code of conduct or internal Lokpal. This independent body will be headed by 3 jurists and other eminent personalities with impeccable public records and will investigate charges of corruption, crime, substance abuse and moral turpitude against all office bearing members of the party. Any citizen can present proof of wrongdoing against a party member. If internal Lokpal finds the party member guilty, he or she will be subjected to appropriate disciplinary action as decided by the internal Lokpal.
9) No two members of the same family will be eligible to contest elections in our party and no two members of the same family can become members of the Executive Body.
10) Today we give our vote to a candidate, he or she wins the election, and then they disappear from our life. Today most elected representatives make no time to listen to the problems of their constituents. And in the current electoral system, the people have no choice but to suffer this candidate for 5 years. We want to create an alternative. We will enact a Right to Reject law wherein the common man does not have to wait for 5 years to remove a corrupt MLA or MP from office. People can complain to the election commission anytime to recall their representative and call for fresh elections.
11) Aam Aadmi Party is fully committed to the principles of gender equity and will represent women and students amply at all levels of party organisation.
12) Aam Aadmi Party is committed to the principles of justice for all and will coopt representatives from the Dalit and other minority segments of society at all levels of party organisation.
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