Can Apolitical RWA persons be nominated as the Alderman ?

My response to the suggestion to Dy. CM Mr. Manish Sisodia, moved by Mr. B.S. Vohra ..... pls read the folloing Link before you proceed to my views.

https://rwabhagidari.blogspot. in/2017/05/dont-you-think- that-some-of-apolitical.html? m=1

Don't you think that some of the Apolitical RWA persons can be nominated as the Alderman ?

Mr. B.S.Vohra has indeed raised an interesting question. The practice of appointing Alderman has been prevalent for many years, but this is the first time someone from the RWA fraternity has raised it.

My first reaction was IS IT NEEDED ????? ...... soon it dwelled upon me that the position was created by the founding fathers of the constitution to create checks and balances, in case public in its wisdom by a majority vote in the First Past The Post System elects a person who may be popular in his/her community but may not be acceptable to all or may not be qualified enough to understand Governance Technicalities.

"An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council who is not elected by popular vote. Under DMC Act, the L-G can nominate 10 eminent persons as aldermen to the civic body. Aldermen do not have voting rights but are nominated from among social workers or experts in different fields. The L-G's nomination follows recommendations by the Delhi Government."     The Hindu - Link

Today this post has taken greater significance as our Elected Representatives do not any longer THINK OF THEMSELVES AS OUR REPRESENTATIVES ...... but soon impose themselves as our Leaders, we are ourselves to blame for that, because once elected we pamper them with GARLANDS AND BOW to them not as one of our own but as one above us .... OUR LEADER.

THIS LEADER in turn becomes a BONDED LABOUR OF THE POLITICAL PARTY he represents as the Draconian ANTI DEFECTION LAW ties him/her to the PARTY HIGH COMMAND’S DIKTAT ...... throwing to the winds his own or his Constituents Wishes.

This process results in Travesty of Democracy as in today’s times in the First Past the Post system a Party with 33% vote of the average 60% voter turnout ....... effectively rules with fewer than 20% popular vote, ends up IMPOSING ITS WILL on 80% people who may have differing views on how to be Governed.

RWAs in the past two decades (with all its short comings) have to a large extent managed to some extent, place a check on the whimsical way the TRINITY OF NETA, BABU AND VESTED INTERESTS have systematically looted the city ....... be it on education, infrastructure, sanitation, health, security or general quality of life. BUT FOR RWAs things could have been much worse ......... MPD 2021, Power Bills, Playgrounds etc were all issues that the RWAs managed to keep a check on.

Working of RWAs is like a complex network of 'Wells' that fulfil the needs of a specific area from which they operate ..... Like the village Well caters to the specific needs of a particular area.

The functions are very similar of all RWAs ...... Most people involved are happy doing their small bit in the given circumstances and have no ambitions of going beyond as they are happy contributing in small measure to their immediate surroundings.

The various RWA joint fronts or groups have tried to engage the 3000 odd RWAs in Delhi to a common cause and have succeeded to some extent (like on Power Bills) ...... But more often than not it has been noticed that most people are happy restricting themselves to their area of operation ..... 'Their Well'.

The true strength of the RWAs is impossible to quantify as each Well is important .... collectively they have  yet not realised their Actual Might ....... like the Village Panchayat., Khap Panchayat, Jat Andolan, Gujjar etc.

The day all the Wells find a way to connect ..... No Lake, River or Ocean can match their Collective Utility to serve society.

Reason enough that all Political Parties give lip service to RWAs but do not pass a law to formalise RWAs and give them a Constitutional toe hold.

This is a complex issue and needs detailed understanding ....... Many stalwarts have worked on it for the past decade and all Political dispensations have tried to use this lose formation to gain Political control ..... Bhagidari by Congress, RWC by BJP and Mohalla Sabha by AAP.

Political workers have even infiltrated RWAs and have taken control, EDGING OUT THE GENUINE SOCIAL WORKER, who does not want to indulge in bickering. So much so RWAS HAVE BECOME THE NURSERIES FOR BUDDING NETAS. 

A few of us have resisted such attempts as we want an Apolitical RWA setup and not an extended arm of the Political dispensations’ in power at a given time (like various student unions), vanishing when the Party loses office as in case of Bhagidari after Shiela Dikshit.

In conclusion, I support the idea floated by Mr. Vohra ..... though I doubt it, that the Political class will be willing to cede their space to genuine Socially Conscious Individuals with impeccable credentials ...... THE REASON FOR MY CYNICISM is on view in Rajya Sabha which has become a SANCTUARY OF PUBLIC DISCARDS and the Likes of Vijay Mallya ....... defeating the very purpose for which such Provisions were created.

Rajiv Kakria, GK -1