Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 150
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Code Context


        trigger_error($message, E_USER_DEPRECATED);

    }
$message = 'The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 150
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php.'
$stackFrame = (int) 1
$trace = [
	(int) 0 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/ServerRequest.php',
		'line' => (int) 2421,
		'function' => 'deprecationWarning',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => 'The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead.'
		]
	],
	(int) 1 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php',
		'line' => (int) 150,
		'function' => 'offsetGet',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\ServerRequest',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => 'catslug'
		]
	],
	(int) 2 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Controller/Controller.php',
		'line' => (int) 610,
		'function' => 'index',
		'class' => 'App\Controller\ArtileDetailController',
		'object' => object(App\Controller\ArtileDetailController) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => []
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php',
		'line' => (int) 120,
		'function' => 'invokeAction',
		'class' => 'Cake\Controller\Controller',
		'object' => object(App\Controller\ArtileDetailController) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => []
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php',
		'line' => (int) 94,
		'function' => '_invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(App\Controller\ArtileDetailController) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/BaseApplication.php',
		'line' => (int) 235,
		'function' => 'dispatch',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/Runner.php',
		'line' => (int) 65,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\BaseApplication',
		'object' => object(App\Application) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {},
			(int) 2 => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Routing/Middleware/RoutingMiddleware.php',
		'line' => (int) 162,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\Runner',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/Runner.php',
		'line' => (int) 65,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Routing\Middleware\RoutingMiddleware',
		'object' => object(Cake\Routing\Middleware\RoutingMiddleware) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {},
			(int) 2 => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Routing/Middleware/AssetMiddleware.php',
		'line' => (int) 97,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\Runner',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/Runner.php',
		'line' => (int) 65,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Routing\Middleware\AssetMiddleware',
		'object' => object(Cake\Routing\Middleware\AssetMiddleware) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {},
			(int) 2 => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Middleware/ErrorHandlerMiddleware.php',
		'line' => (int) 96,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\Runner',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/Runner.php',
		'line' => (int) 65,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware',
		'object' => object(Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {},
			(int) 2 => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/Runner.php',
		'line' => (int) 51,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\Runner',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/Server.php',
		'line' => (int) 98,
		'function' => 'run',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\Runner',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\MiddlewareQueue) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 2 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/webroot/index.php',
		'line' => (int) 39,
		'function' => 'run',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\Server',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\Server) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => []
	]
]
$frame = [
	'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php',
	'line' => (int) 150,
	'function' => 'offsetGet',
	'class' => 'Cake\Http\ServerRequest',
	'object' => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {
		trustProxy => false
		[protected] params => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
		[protected] data => [[maximum depth reached]]
		[protected] query => [[maximum depth reached]]
		[protected] cookies => [[maximum depth reached]]
		[protected] _environment => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
		[protected] url => 'latest-news-updates/fasting-as-democracy-decays-by-gautam-adhikari-9732.html'
		[protected] base => ''
		[protected] webroot => '/'
		[protected] here => '/latest-news-updates/fasting-as-democracy-decays-by-gautam-adhikari-9732.html'
		[protected] trustedProxies => [[maximum depth reached]]
		[protected] _input => null
		[protected] _detectors => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
		[protected] _detectorCache => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
		[protected] stream => object(Zend\Diactoros\PhpInputStream) {}
		[protected] uri => object(Zend\Diactoros\Uri) {}
		[protected] session => object(Cake\Http\Session) {}
		[protected] attributes => [[maximum depth reached]]
		[protected] emulatedAttributes => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
		[protected] uploadedFiles => [[maximum depth reached]]
		[protected] protocol => null
		[protected] requestTarget => null
		[private] deprecatedProperties => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
	},
	'type' => '->',
	'args' => [
		(int) 0 => 'catslug'
	]
]
deprecationWarning - CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311
Cake\Http\ServerRequest::offsetGet() - CORE/src/Http/ServerRequest.php, line 2421
App\Controller\ArtileDetailController::index() - APP/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line 150
Cake\Controller\Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/src/Controller/Controller.php, line 610
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 120
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 94
Cake\Http\BaseApplication::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/BaseApplication.php, line 235
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\RoutingMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/RoutingMiddleware.php, line 162
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\AssetMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/AssetMiddleware.php, line 97
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Error/Middleware/ErrorHandlerMiddleware.php, line 96
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Http\Runner::run() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 51
Cake\Http\Server::run() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 98

Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 151
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Code Context


        trigger_error($message, E_USER_DEPRECATED);

    }
$message = 'The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 151
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php.'
$stackFrame = (int) 1
$trace = [
	(int) 0 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/ServerRequest.php',
		'line' => (int) 2421,
		'function' => 'deprecationWarning',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => 'The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead.'
		]
	],
	(int) 1 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php',
		'line' => (int) 151,
		'function' => 'offsetGet',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\ServerRequest',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => 'artileslug'
		]
	],
	(int) 2 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Controller/Controller.php',
		'line' => (int) 610,
		'function' => 'index',
		'class' => 'App\Controller\ArtileDetailController',
		'object' => object(App\Controller\ArtileDetailController) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => []
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php',
		'line' => (int) 120,
		'function' => 'invokeAction',
		'class' => 'Cake\Controller\Controller',
		'object' => object(App\Controller\ArtileDetailController) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => []
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php',
		'line' => (int) 94,
		'function' => '_invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(App\Controller\ArtileDetailController) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/BaseApplication.php',
		'line' => (int) 235,
		'function' => 'dispatch',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/Runner.php',
		'line' => (int) 65,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\BaseApplication',
		'object' => object(App\Application) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {},
			(int) 2 => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Routing/Middleware/RoutingMiddleware.php',
		'line' => (int) 162,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\Runner',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/Runner.php',
		'line' => (int) 65,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Routing\Middleware\RoutingMiddleware',
		'object' => object(Cake\Routing\Middleware\RoutingMiddleware) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {},
			(int) 2 => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Routing/Middleware/AssetMiddleware.php',
		'line' => (int) 97,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\Runner',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/Runner.php',
		'line' => (int) 65,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Routing\Middleware\AssetMiddleware',
		'object' => object(Cake\Routing\Middleware\AssetMiddleware) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {},
			(int) 2 => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Middleware/ErrorHandlerMiddleware.php',
		'line' => (int) 96,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\Runner',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/Runner.php',
		'line' => (int) 65,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware',
		'object' => object(Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {},
			(int) 2 => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/Runner.php',
		'line' => (int) 51,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\Runner',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/Server.php',
		'line' => (int) 98,
		'function' => 'run',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\Runner',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\MiddlewareQueue) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 2 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/webroot/index.php',
		'line' => (int) 39,
		'function' => 'run',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\Server',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\Server) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => []
	]
]
$frame = [
	'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php',
	'line' => (int) 151,
	'function' => 'offsetGet',
	'class' => 'Cake\Http\ServerRequest',
	'object' => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {
		trustProxy => false
		[protected] params => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
		[protected] data => [[maximum depth reached]]
		[protected] query => [[maximum depth reached]]
		[protected] cookies => [[maximum depth reached]]
		[protected] _environment => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
		[protected] url => 'latest-news-updates/fasting-as-democracy-decays-by-gautam-adhikari-9732.html'
		[protected] base => ''
		[protected] webroot => '/'
		[protected] here => '/latest-news-updates/fasting-as-democracy-decays-by-gautam-adhikari-9732.html'
		[protected] trustedProxies => [[maximum depth reached]]
		[protected] _input => null
		[protected] _detectors => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
		[protected] _detectorCache => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
		[protected] stream => object(Zend\Diactoros\PhpInputStream) {}
		[protected] uri => object(Zend\Diactoros\Uri) {}
		[protected] session => object(Cake\Http\Session) {}
		[protected] attributes => [[maximum depth reached]]
		[protected] emulatedAttributes => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
		[protected] uploadedFiles => [[maximum depth reached]]
		[protected] protocol => null
		[protected] requestTarget => null
		[private] deprecatedProperties => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
	},
	'type' => '->',
	'args' => [
		(int) 0 => 'artileslug'
	]
]
deprecationWarning - CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311
Cake\Http\ServerRequest::offsetGet() - CORE/src/Http/ServerRequest.php, line 2421
App\Controller\ArtileDetailController::index() - APP/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line 151
Cake\Controller\Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/src/Controller/Controller.php, line 610
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 120
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 94
Cake\Http\BaseApplication::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/BaseApplication.php, line 235
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\RoutingMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/RoutingMiddleware.php, line 162
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\AssetMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/AssetMiddleware.php, line 97
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Error/Middleware/ErrorHandlerMiddleware.php, line 96
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Http\Runner::run() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 51
Cake\Http\Server::run() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 98

Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Code Context
            if (Configure::read('debug')) {

                trigger_error($message, E_USER_WARNING);

            } else {
$response = object(Cake\Http\Response) {

	'status' => (int) 200,
	'contentType' => 'text/html',
	'headers' => [
		'Content-Type' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
	],
	'file' => null,
	'fileRange' => [],
	'cookies' => object(Cake\Http\Cookie\CookieCollection) {},
	'cacheDirectives' => [],
	'body' => '<!DOCTYPE html>
<!--[if lt IE 7 ]>
<html class="ie ie6" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 7 ]>
<html class="ie ie7" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 8 ]>
<html class="ie ie8" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if (gte IE 9)|!(IE)]><!-->
<html lang='en'>
<!--<![endif]-->
<head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
    
    <title>
        LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Fasting as democracy decays by Gautam Adhikari    </title>
    <meta name="description" content="

The movement around Anna Hazare's fast highlights a worrying trend. No, it's not corruption. That we know. The worry is: Is Indian democracy in a state of decay? 

Democracy in this largest of all democratic nations seems to be working..."/>
    <meta name="keywords" content="lokpal bill"/>
    <meta name="news_keywords" content="lokpal bill">
   
    <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="ROR" href="/ror.xml"/>
    <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="RSS 2.0" href="/feeds/"/>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/bootstrap.min.css?1697864993"/>    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/style.css?v=1.1.2"/>    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/style-inner.css?1577045210"/>    <link rel="stylesheet" id="Oswald-css"
          href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Oswald%3Aregular%2C700&amp;ver=3.8.1" type="text/css"
          media="all">
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/jquery.modal.min.css?1578285302"/>    <script src="/js/jquery-1.10.2.js?1575549704"></script>    <script src="/js/jquery-migrate.min.js?1575549704"></script>    <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/favicon.ico" title="Favicon">
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/jquery-ui.css?1580720609"/>    <script src="/js/jquery-ui.js?1575549704"></script>    <link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/custom.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/jquery.modal.min.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/jquery-ui.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/li-scroller.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<!-- <link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/style.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous"> -->
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/style-inner.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">

<link rel='dns-prefetch' href="//im4change.org/css/custom.css" crossorigin >

<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/bootstrap.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.li-scroller.1.0.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.modal.min.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.ui.totop.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-1.10.2.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-migrate.min.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-ui.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/setting.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/tie-scripts.js">
    <!--[if IE]>
    <script type="text/javascript">jQuery(document).ready(function () {
        jQuery(".menu-item").has("ul").children("a").attr("aria-haspopup", "true");
    });</script>
    <![endif]-->
    <!--[if lt IE 9]>
    <script src="/js/html5.js"></script>
    <script src="/js/selectivizr-min.js"></script>
    <![endif]-->
    <!--[if IE 8]>
    <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="all" href="/css/ie8.css"/>
    <![endif]-->
    <meta property="og:title" content="LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Fasting as democracy decays by Gautam Adhikari" />
     <meta property="og:url" content="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/fasting-as-democracy-decays-by-gautam-adhikari-9732.html" />
     <meta property="og:type" content="article" />
     <meta property="og:description" content="

The movement around Anna Hazare's fast highlights a worrying trend. No, it's not corruption. That we know. The worry is: Is Indian democracy in a state of decay? 

Democracy in this largest of all democratic nations seems to be working..." />
     <meta property="og:image" content="" />
      <meta property="fb:app_id" content="0" />
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, maximum-scale=1, user-scalable=no">

       <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="144x144" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple1.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="120x120" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple2.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="72x72" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple3.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple4.png">

    <style>
    .gsc-results-wrapper-overlay{
        top: 38% !important;
        height: 50% !important;
    }
    .gsc-search-button-v2{
        border-color: #035588 !important;
        background-color: #035588 !important;
    }

   .gsib_a{
        height: 30px !important;
          padding: 2px 8px 1px 6px !important;
    }

   
    .gsc-search-button-v2{
        height: 41px !important;
    }
    input.gsc-input{
        background: none !important;
    }
    @media only screen and (max-width: 600px) {
        .gsc-results-wrapper-overlay{
            top: 11% !important;
            width: 87% !important;
            left: 9% !important;
            height: 43% !important;
        }

        .gsc-search-button-v2{
            padding: 10px 10px !important;
        
        }
        .gsc-input-box{
            height: 28px !important;
        }
       /* .gsib_a {
            padding: 0px 9px 4px 9px !important;
        }*/
    }
    @media only screen and (min-width: 1200px) and (max-width: 1920px) {
        table.gsc-search-box{
            width: 15% !important;
            float: right !important;
            margin-top: -118px !important;
        }

        .gsc-search-button-v2 {
            
            padding: 6px !important;
           
        }
    }


</style>

    <script>
        $(function () {
            $("#accordion").accordion({
                event: "click hoverintent"
            });
        });

        /*
         * hoverIntent | Copyright 2011 Brian Cherne
         * http://cherne.net/brian/resources/jquery.hoverIntent.html
         * modified by the jQuery UI team
         */
        $.event.special.hoverintent = {
            setup: function () {
                $(this).bind("mouseover", jQuery.event.special.hoverintent.handler);
            },
            teardown: function () {
                $(this).unbind("mouseover", jQuery.event.special.hoverintent.handler);
            },
            handler: function (event) {
                var currentX, currentY, timeout,
                    args = arguments,
                    target = $(event.target),
                    previousX = event.pageX,
                    previousY = event.pageY;

                function track(event) {
                    currentX = event.pageX;
                    currentY = event.pageY;
                }
                ;

                function clear() {
                    target
                        .unbind("mousemove", track)
                        .unbind("mouseout", clear);
                    clearTimeout(timeout);
                }

                function handler() {
                    var prop,
                        orig = event;
                    if ((Math.abs(previousX - currentX) +
                        Math.abs(previousY - currentY)) < 7) {
                        clear();
                        event = $.Event("hoverintent");
                        for (prop in orig) {
                            if (!(prop in event)) {
                                event[prop] = orig[prop];
                            }
                        }
                        // Prevent accessing the original event since the new event
                        // is fired asynchronously and the old event is no longer
                        // usable (#6028)
                        delete event.originalEvent;
                        target.trigger(event);
                    } else {
                        previousX = currentX;
                        previousY = currentY;
                        timeout = setTimeout(handler, 100);
                    }
                }

                timeout = setTimeout(handler, 100);
                target.bind({
                    mousemove: track,
                    mouseout: clear
                });
            }
        };
    </script>
    <script type="text/javascript">
        var _gaq = _gaq || [];
        _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-472075-3']);
        _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);

        (function () {
            var ga = document.createElement('script');
            ga.type = 'text/javascript';
            ga.async = true;
            ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';
            var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
            s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
        })();
    </script>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/custom.css?v=1.16"/>    <script src="/js/jquery.ui.totop.js?1575549704"></script>    <script src="/js/setting.js?1575549704"></script>    <link rel="manifest" href="/manifest.json">
    <meta name="theme-color" content="#616163" />
    <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-capable" content="yes">
    <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-status-bar-style" content="black">
    <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-title" content="im4change">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/icons/logo-192x192.png">
</head>
<body id="top" class="home inner blog">
<div class="background-cover"></div>
<div class="wrapper animated">
    <header id="theme-header" class="header_inner" style="position: relative;">
        <div class="logo inner_logo" style="left:20px !important">
                <a title="Home" href="https://im4change.in/">
                    <img src="https://im4change.in/images/logo2.jpg?1582080632" class="logo_image" alt="im4change"/>                </a>
        </div>
        <div class="langhindi" style="color: #000;display:none;"
             href="https://im4change.in/">
            <a class="more-link" href="https://im4change.in/">Home</a>
                        <a href="https://im4change.in/hindi/" class="langbutton ">हिन्दी</a>
                    </div>
        <nav class="fade-in animated2" id="main-nav">
            <div class="container">
                <div class="main-menu">
    <ul class="menu" id="menu-main">
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children"
            style="left: -40px;"><a
                 target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/">Home</a>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item mega-menu menu-item-type-taxonomy mega-menu menu-item-object-category mega-menu menu-item-has-children parent-list"
            style=" margin-left: -40px;"><a href="#">KNOWLEDGE GATEWAY <span class="sub-indicator"></span>
            </a>
            <div class="mega-menu-block background_menu" style="padding-top:25px;">
                <div class="container">
                    <div class="mega-menu-content">
                                                                   <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Farm Crisis</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/farmers039-suicides-14.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Farm Suicides                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/unemployment-30.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Unemployment                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/rural-distress-70.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Rural distress                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/migration-34.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Migration                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/key-facts-72.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Key Facts                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/debt-trap-15.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Debt Trap                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Empowerment</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/union-budget-73.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Union Budget And Other Economic Policies                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/forest-and-tribal-rights-61.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Forest and Tribal Rights                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-education-60.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Right to Education                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-food-59.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Right to Food                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/displacement-3279.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Displacement                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-work-mg-nrega-39.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Right to Work (MG-NREGA)                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/gender-3280.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">GENDER                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-information-58.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Right to Information                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/social-audit-48.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Social Audit                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Hunger / HDI</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/poverty-and-inequality-20499.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Poverty and inequality                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/malnutrition-41.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Malnutrition                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/public-health-51.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Public Health                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/education-50.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Education                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/hunger-overview-40.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Hunger Overview                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/hdi-overview-45.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">HDI Overview                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/pds-ration-food-security-42.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">PDS/ Ration/ Food Security                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/sdgs-113.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">SDGs                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/mid-day-meal-scheme-mdms-53.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Mid Day Meal Scheme (MDMS)                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Environment</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/time-bomb-ticking-52.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Time Bomb Ticking                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/water-and-sanitation-55.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Water and Sanitation                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/impact-on-agriculture-54.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Impact on Agriculture                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Law & Justice</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/social-justice-20500.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Social Justice                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/access-to-justice-47.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Access to Justice                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/human-rights-56.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Human Rights                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/corruption-35.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Corruption                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/general-insecurity-46.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">General Insecurity                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/disaster-relief-49.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Disaster &amp; Relief                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        
                    </div>
                </div>
            </div>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-post_type  menu-item-object-page "><a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/nceus_reports.php">NCEUS reports</a>
            
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children parent-list ">
            <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html">About Us <span
                    class="sub-indicator"></span></a>
            <ul class="sub-menu aboutmenu">
                <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-post_type  menu-item-object-page"><a
                        target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/objectives-8.html">Objectives</a>
                </li>
                <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-post_type  menu-item-object-page"><a
                         target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/contactus.php">Contact
                        Us</a></li>
                <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-post_type  menu-item-object-page"><a
                         target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html">About
                        Us</a></li>
            </ul>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children ">
            <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/fellowships.php" title="Fellowships">Fellowships</a>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children  "><a
                 target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/media-workshops.php">Workshops</a>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children  "><a
                 target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/research.php">Research</a></li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children   "><a
                 target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/links-64">Partners</a></li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children"
            id="menu-item-539"><a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hindi/"
                                  class="langbutton langlinkfont17">हिन्दी</a></li>
    </ul>
</div>            </div>


                        <!--  <div style="float: right;">
                            <script async src="https://cse.google.com/cse.js?cx=18b4f2e0f11bed3dd"></script>
                            <div class="gcse-search"></div>
                        </div> -->
                       
            <div class="search-block" style=" margin-left: 8px; margin-right: 7px;">
                <form method="get" id="searchform" name="searchform"
                      action="https://im4change.in/search"
                      onsubmit="return searchvalidate();">
                    <button class="search-button" type="submit" value="Search"></button>
                    <input type="text" id="s" name="qryStr" value=""
                           onfocus="if (this.value == 'Search...') {this.value = '';}"
                           onblur="if (this.value == '') {this.value = 'Search...';}">
                </form>
            </div>
        </nav>
    </header>
    <div class="container">
        <div id="main-content" class=" main1 container fade-in animated3 sidebar-narrow-left">
            <div class="content-wrap">
                <div class="content" style="width: 900px;min-height: 500px;">
                    <section class="cat-box recent-box innerCatRecent">
    <h1 class="cat-box-title">Fasting as democracy decays by Gautam Adhikari</h1>
    <a href="JavaScript:void(0);" onclick="return shareArticle(9623);">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/email.png?1582080630" border="0" width="24" align="right" alt="Share this article"/>    </a>

    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/fasting-as-democracy-decays-by-gautam-adhikari-9732/print"
       rel="nofollow">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/icon-print.png?1582080630" border="0" width="24" align="right" alt="Share this article"/>
    </a>
</section>
<section class="recent-box innerCatRecent">
    <small class="pb-1"><span class="dateIcn">
    	<img src="https://im4change.in/images/published.svg?1582080666" alt="published"/> 
		 Published on</span><span class="text-date"> Aug 25, 2011</span>
        &nbsp; <span
                class="dateIcn">
		 	<img src="https://im4change.in/images/modified.svg?1582080666" alt="modified"/>    	 Modified on </span><span class="text-date"> Aug 25, 2011</span>
    </small>
</section>
<div class="clear"></div>
<div style="padding-top: 10px;">
    <div class="innerLineHeight">
        <div class="middleContent innerInput latest-news-updates">
            <table>
                <tr>
                    <td>
                                                <div>
                            <br /><div align="justify">The movement around Anna Hazare's fast highlights a worrying trend. No, it's not corruption. That we know. The worry is: Is Indian democracy in a state of decay? <br /><br />Democracy in this largest of all democratic nations seems to be working fine at first glance. We vote regularly and throw out parties in power when a majority wants change. We have a free press. We have an independent judiciary. But there's a lot that happens in the way we conduct our political life in between elections that is deeply disturbing. Citizens of a truly liberal democracy - there's no other kind, don't let anyone fool you - must demonstrate their understanding, popular acceptance and daily practice of democratic behaviour in the interlude between elections. Do we? <br /><br />Anna Hazare's fast-unto-death is a clear instance of misunderstood democracy. He and his supporters believe it is quite democratic of him to either get his way or commit suicide. No, it's not. Suicide is against the law in this demo-cracy; so is any threat to commit violence, even to oneself, if you don't get your way. That's blackmail. Citing Gandhi in support of fasts is misconceived. The great man fasted against imperial rule in an undemocratic society. A democracy, on the other hand, offers several channels to express grievance legitimately. For Gandhi, fasting fitted well into his framework of civil disobedience. He worked against the law as it then prevailed. Today, fasting, often in 'relay' style, has become political farce in India. <br /><br />Hazare's supporters, however, have every right to march in their thousands, to raise people's consciousness about corruption, to carry candles or play guitars while singing protest songs mimicking a Bob Dylan or a Pete Seeger, and to rage against the government through the media. But are they right in demanding an acceptance of Hazare's call for a supremely autonomous ombudsman to fight corruption? No. <br /><br />Imagining an end to corruption by making a Lokpal sit in judgment over everyone, including Parliament and the judiciary, is not just undemocratic under India's Constitution, it is a silly idea. India is one of the most corrupt nations on earth not because it doesn't have enough regulatory bodies to catch a thief; it in fact has too many points of bureaucratic and political power that are lucrative checkpoints for the corrupt. Creating an unaccountable ombudsman will add another such check post unless you believe, like Hazare, that Gandhian purity can keep the Lokpal's office forever clean. Fighting corruption should mean fewer checkpoints, not more. <br /><br />To fight corruption, citizens have to target protests in order to force reform in specific areas instead of blasting broadsides against general corruption. We didn't wake up to find this cancer in our system because Dr Hazare suddenly said we were sick. We sat up when a huge telecom scandal was uncovered through investigation by regular arms of the democratic system, including Parliament and the press. That scandal underscores how urgently we need to reform our system of political funding, including campaign finance for electioneering, to stop politicians in power from doling out favours in return for cash they received from vested interests. <br /><br />Every arm of democracy must become stronger if India has to confront corruption. Mobilisation for change should, for instance, aim to force Parliament actually to sit in session, debate and pass legislation. We have a Parliament that barely functions. Like fasts, another effete tool of protest is used by whichever party is in opposition, and that's the infamous walkout. It has been so overplayed that it's lost all potency. Storming the well of the House to stop proceedings for days is similarly idiotic. Our politicians and MPs must relearn effective democratic practice in the modern era and discard the tools of opposition they inherited from a past generation of leaders. <br /><br />Another sign of democratic decay and a reason why corruption can spread so malignantly through our national system is a fast weakening accountability of public officials and politicians. That's happening largely because India's judiciary is so clogged up and grossly inefficient that citizens have little faith in its capacity to deliver justice to reinforce the foundations of public accountability. <br /><br />Accountability is one of the twin pillars, along with transparency, that uphold good governance. With a free press and a Right to Information Act available for use by the ordinary citizen, transparency is not all that bad in our system even as bureaucratic opacity continues to hinder openness. But accountability degenerates by the day. <br /><br />These are some areas that must get fierce attention from the expanding and increasingly assertive urban middle class if real reform is to happen. Instead, what we see is the sad spectacle of an aged Gandhian engaged in a futile fast against evil. His purpose is noble. His method and demand are not. There are other ways to fight. <br /><br /><em>The writer is a former executive editor of this newspaper. </em><br /></div>                                                           
                        </div>
                    </td>
                </tr>
            </table>
        </div>
    </div>
</div>
<div class="clear"></div>
    <br><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Fasting-as-democracy-decays/articleshow/9726205.cms" class="re" target="_blank">The Times of India, 25 August, 2011, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Fasting-as-democracy-decays/articleshow/9726205.cms</a><div class="clear"></div>
    <div style="padding-top: 18px;">
        <p class="post-tag">Tagged with:
                            <a class="tagcloud5"
                   href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=lokpal bill"
                   title="lokpal bill">
                    lokpal bill                </a>
                        </p>
    </div>
<div class="clear"></div>
    <br><br>
    <div class="widget-top">
        <h4>Related Articles</h4>
        <div class="stripe-line"></div>
    </div>
    <div class="widget-container">
        <ul id="recentcomments">
                            <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/supreme-court-reserves-judgment-on-pleas-seeking-appointment-of-lokpal-4681480.html"
                       title="Supreme Court reserves judgment on pleas seeking appointment of Lokpal">
                        Supreme Court reserves judgment on pleas seeking appointment of Lokpal                    </a>
                </li>
                                <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/betrayal-in-the-house-anjali-bhardwaj-amrita-johri-4679894.html"
                       title="Betrayal In The House -Anjali Bhardwaj &amp; Amrita Johri">
                        Betrayal In The House -Anjali Bhardwaj &amp; Amrita Johri                    </a>
                </li>
                                <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/12-important-bills-that-our-lawmakers-will-seek-to-pass-this-budget-session-4678660.html"
                       title="12 important Bills that our lawmakers will seek to pass this Budget Session">
                        12 important Bills that our lawmakers will seek to pass this Budget Session                    </a>
                </li>
                                <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/promise-on-transparency-not-kept-vidya-venkat-4676174.html"
                       title="Promise on transparency not kept -Vidya Venkat">
                        Promise on transparency not kept -Vidya Venkat                    </a>
                </li>
                                <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/crisis-of-credibility-hits-govt-lokpal-search-panel-24411.html"
                       title="Crisis of credibility hits govt Lokpal search panel">
                        Crisis of credibility hits govt Lokpal search panel                    </a>
                </li>
                
        </ul>
    </div>
    <div class="comment-respond" id="respond">
    <a name="commentbox">&nbsp;</a>
    <h3 class="comment-reply-title" id="reply-title">Write Comments</h3>
    <form method="post" accept-charset="utf-8" role="form" action="/latest-news-updates/fasting-as-democracy-decays-by-gautam-adhikari-9732.html"><div style="display:none;"><input type="hidden" name="_method" value="POST"/></div>    <form class="comment-form" id="commentform" method="post" action="#commentbox" onSubmit="return validate()"
          name="cmtform">
        <input type="hidden" name="cmttype" value="articlecmt"/>
        <input type="hidden" name="article_id" value="9623"/>
        <p class="comment-notes">Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked <span
                    class="required">*</span></p>
                <p class="comment-form-author">
            <label for="commenterName">Name</label>
            <span class="required">*</span>
            <input type="text" aria-required="true" size="30"
                   value=""
                   name="commenterName" id="commenterName" required="true">
        </p>
        <p class="comment-form-email">
            <label for="commenterEmail">Email</label> <span class="required">*</span>
            <input aria-required="true" size="30" name="commenterEmail" id="commenterEmail" type="email"
                   value=""
                   required="true">
        </p>
        <p class="comment-form-contact">
            <label for="commenterPh">Contact No.</label>
            <input type="text" size="30"
                   value=""
                   name="commenterPh" id="commenterPh">
        </p>
        <p class="comment-form-comment">
            <label for="comment">Comment</label>
            <textarea aria-required="true" required="true" rows="8" cols="45" name="comment"
                      id="comment"></textarea>
        </p>
        <p class="comment-form-comment">
            <label for="comment">Type the characters you see in the image below <span class="required">*</span><br><img
                        class="captchaImg"
                        src="https://im4change.in/securimage_show_art.php?tk=509497712" alt="captcha"/>
            </label>
        </p>
        <input type="text" name="vrcode" required="true"/>

        <p class="form-submit" style="width: 200px;">
            <input type="submit" value="Post Comment" id="submit" name="submit">
        </p></form>
</div>
<style>
    .ui-widget-content {
        height: auto !important;
    }
</style>
<div id="share-modal"></div>
<style>
    .middleContent a{
        background-color: rgba(108,172,228,.2);
    }
    .middleContent a:hover{
        background-color: #418fde;
        border-color: #418fde;
        color: #000;
        }
</style>
<script>
    function shareArticle(article_id) {
        var options = {
            modal: true,
            height: 'auto',
            width: 600 + 'px'
        };
        $('#share-modal').html("");
        $('#share-modal').load('https://im4change.in/share_article?article_id=' + article_id).dialog(options).dialog('open');
    }

    function postShare() {
        var param = 'article_id=' + $("#article_id").val();
        param = param + '&y_name=' + $("#y_name").val();
        param = param + '&y_email=' + $("#y_email").val();
        param = param + '&f_name=' + $("#f_name").val();
        param = param + '&f_email=' + $("#f_email").val();
        param = param + '&y_msg=' + $("#y_msg").val();

        $.ajax({
            type: "POST",
            url: 'https://im4change.in/post_share_article',
            data: param,
            success: function (response) {
                $('#share-modal').html("Thank You, Your message posted to ");
            }
        });
        return false;
    }
</script>                </div>
            </div>
            <!-- Right Side Section Start -->
<!-- MAP Section START -->
<aside class="sidebar indexMarg">
    <div class="ad-cell">
        <a href="https://im4change.in/statemap.php" title="">
            <img src="https://im4change.in/images/map_new_version.png?1582080666" alt="India State Map" class="indiamap" width="232" height="252"/>        </a>
        <div class="rightmapbox">
            <div id="sideOne" class="docltitle"><a href="https://im4change.in/state-report/india/36" target="_blank">DOCUMENTS/
                    REPORTS</a></div>
            <div id="sideTwo" class="statetitle"><a href="https://im4change.in/states.php"target="_blank">STATE DATA/
                    HDRs.</a></div>
        </div>
        <div class="widget widgePadTop"></div>
    </div>
</aside>
<!-- MAP Section END -->
<aside class="sidebar sidePadbottom">
    <div class="rightsmlbox1" >
        <a href="https://im4change.in/knowledge_gateway" target="_blank" style="color: #035588;
    font-size: 17px;">
            KNOWLEDGE GATEWAY
        </a>
    </div>
    <div class="rightsmlbox1">

        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
                <a href="https://im4change.in/newsletter" target="_blank">
                    NEWSLETTER
                </a>
            </p>
        </div>
    </div>
        <div class="rightsmlbox1" style="height: 325px;">
        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
                Interview with Prof. Ravi Srivastava
            </p>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/interview-with-prof-ravi-srivastava-on-current-economic-crisis">
                <img width="250" height="200" src="/images/interview_video_home.jpg" alt="Interview with Prof. Ravi Srivastava"/>
                </a>
                <!--
                <iframe width="250" height="200" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MmaTlntk-wc" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>-->
               
            </p>
            <a href="https://im4change.in/videogallery" class="more-link CatArchalAnch1" target="_blank">
                                More videos
                            </a>
        </div>
    </div>
    
        <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <div>
            <!--div id="sstory" class="rightboxicons"></div--->
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a href="https://im4change.in/list-success-stories"  target="_blank">Success Stories</a></p>
        </div>
    </div>
    <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a
                        href="https://im4change.in/interviews"  target="_blank">Interviews</a>
            </p>
        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a href="https://www.commoncause.in/page.php?id=10" >Donate</a></p>
        </div>
    </div>
    <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a
        href="https://im4change.in/marquee"
        class="isf_link more-link" title="India Focus?" style="border: 4px solid #fdd922;width: 90%;background-color: #fdd922;text-align: center;color: #000000;font-size:18px"  target="_blank">India Focus</a></p>        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="rightsmlbox1" style="height: 104px !important;">
        <a href="https://im4change.in/quarterly_reports.php" target="_blank">
            Quarterly Reports on Effect of Economic Slowdown on Employment in India (2008 - 2015)
        </a>
    </div>
    
<!--     <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.im4.im4change" target="_blank">
            
        </a></div> -->
    <!-- <section class="cat-box recent-box secMarg">
        <h2 class="cat-box-title">Most Visited</h2>
    </section> -->
    <!-- accordion Starts here -->
    <!-- <div id="accordion" class="accordMarg">
            </div> -->
    <!-- accordion ends here -->
    <!-- Widget Tag Cloud Starts here -->
    <div id="tag_cloud-2" class="widget widget_tag_cloud">
        <section class="cat-box recent-box secMarg">
                <h2 class="cat-box-title">MOST VISITED TAGS</h2>
            </section>
        <div class="widget-top wiPdTp">
           
            <div class="stripe-line"></div>
        </div>
        <div class="widget-container">
            <div class="tagcloud">
                                    <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Agriculture"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Agriculture</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Food Security"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Food Security</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Law and Justice"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Law and Justice</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Health"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Health</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Right to Food"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Right to Food</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Corruption"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Corruption</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=farming"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">farming</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Environment"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Environment</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Right to Information"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Right to Information</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=NREGS"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">NREGS</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Human Rights"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Human Rights</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Governance"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Governance</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PDS"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PDS</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=COVID-19"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">COVID-19</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Land Acquisition"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Land Acquisition</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=mgnrega"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">mgnrega</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Farmers"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Farmers</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=transparency"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">transparency</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Gender"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Gender</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Poverty"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Poverty</a>
                                    
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Farm Laws" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Farm Laws
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Citizenship Amendment Act" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Citizenship Amendment Act
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=CAA NPR NRIC" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">CAA NPR NRIC
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Job Losses" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Job Losses
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Migrant Workers" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Migrant Workers
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Unemployment" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Unemployment
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PMGKAY" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PMGKAY
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PM-KISAN" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PM-KISAN
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PM-CARES" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PM-CARES
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=LFPR" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">LFPR
                </a>
                
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
    <!-- Widget Tag Cloud Ends here -->
</aside>
<!-- Right Side Section End -->
        </div>
        <section class="cat-box cats-review-box footerSec">
    <h2 class="cat-box-title vSec CatArcha">Video
        Archives</h2>
    <h2 class="cat-box-title CatArchaTitle">Archives</h2>
    <div class="cat-box-content">
        <div class="reviews-cat">
            <div class="CatArchaDiv1">
                <div class="CatArchaDiv2">
                    <ul>
                                                    <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/moving-upstream-luni-fellowship.html"  target="_blank">
                                     Moving Upstream: Luni – Fellowship                                </a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/135-million-indians-exited-multidimensional-poverty-as-per-government-figures-is-that-the-same-as-poverty-reduction.html"  target="_blank">
                                     135 Million Indians Exited “Multidimensional" Poverty as per Government...                                </a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/explainer-why-are-tomato-prices-on-fire.html"  target="_blank">
                                     Explainer: Why are Tomato Prices on Fire?                                </a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/nsso-survey-only-39-1-of-all-households-have-drinking-water-within-dwelling-46-7-of-rural-households-use-firewood-for-cooking.html"  target="_blank">
                                     NSSO Survey: Only 39.1% of all Households have Drinking...                                </a>
                            </li>
                                                    <li class="CatArchalLi1">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57"
                               class="more-link CatArchalAnch1"  target="_blank">
                                More...
                            </a>
                        </li>
                    </ul>
                </div>
                                    <div class="CatArchaWidth">
                        <img class="CatArchaImg"
                             src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/I51LYnP8BOk/1.jpg"
                             alt=" Im4Change.org हिंदी वेबसाइट का परिचय. Short Video on im4change.org...">
                        <p class="CatArchaPPad">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Short-Video-on-im4change-Hindi-website-Inclusive-Media-for-Change"  target="_blank">
                                 Im4Change.org हिंदी वेबसाइट का परिचय. Short Video on im4change.org...                            </a>
                        </p>
                    </div>
                                        <div class="CatArchaWidth">
                        <img class="CatArchaImg"
                             src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/kNqha-SwfIY/1.jpg"
                             alt=" "Session 1: Scope of IDEA and AgriStack" in Exploring...">
                        <p class="CatArchaPPad">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-1- Scope-of-IDEA-and-AgriStack-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022"  target="_blank">
                                 "Session 1: Scope of IDEA and AgriStack" in Exploring...                            </a>
                        </p>
                    </div>
                                        <div class="CatArchaWidth">
                        <img class="CatArchaImg"
                             src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/6kIVjlgZItk/1.jpg"
                             alt=" "Session 2: Farmer Centric Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...">
                        <p class="CatArchaPPad">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-2-Farmer-Centric-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022"  target="_blank">
                                 "Session 2: Farmer Centric Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...                            </a>
                        </p>
                    </div>
                                        <div class="CatArchaWidth">
                        <img class="CatArchaImg"
                             src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/2BeHTu0y7xc/1.jpg"
                             alt=" "Session 3: Future of Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...">
                        <p class="CatArchaPPad">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-3-Future-of-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022"  target="_blank">
                                 "Session 3: Future of Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...                            </a>
                        </p>
                    </div>
                    


                <div class="divWidth">
                    <ul class="divWidthMarg">
                                                    <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Public-Spending-on-Agriculture-in-India-Source-Foundation-for-Agrarian-Studies"
                                   title="Public Spending on Agriculture in India (Source: Foundation for Agrarian Studies)"  target="_blank">
                                     Public Spending on Agriculture in India (Source: Foundation for...</a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Agrarian-Change-Seminar-Protests-against-the-New-Farm-Laws-in-India-by-Prof-Vikas-Rawal-JNU-Source-Journal-Of-Agrarian-Change"
                                   title="Agrarian Change Seminar: 'Protests against the New Farm Laws in India' by Prof. Vikas Rawal, JNU (Source: Journal Of Agrarian Change) "  target="_blank">
                                     Agrarian Change Seminar: 'Protests against the New Farm Laws...</a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Webinar-Ramrao-The-Story-of-India-Farm-Crisis-Source-Azim-Premji-University"
                                   title="Webinar: Ramrao - The Story of India's Farm Crisis (Source: Azim Premji University)"  target="_blank">
                                     Webinar: Ramrao - The Story of India's Farm Crisis...</a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/water-and-agricultural-transformation-in-India"
                                   title="Water and Agricultural Transformation in India: A Symbiotic Relationship (Source: IGIDR)"  target="_blank">
                                     Water and Agricultural Transformation in India: A Symbiotic Relationship...</a>
                            </li>
                                                    <li class="CatArchalLi1">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/videogallery"
                               class="more-link CatArchalAnch1"  target="_blank">
                                More...
                            </a>
                        </li>
                    </ul>
                </div>
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
</section>    </div>
    <div class="clear"></div>
    <!-- Footer option Starts here -->
    <div class="footer-bottom fade-in animated4">
        <div class="container">
            <div class="social-icons icon_flat">
                <p class="SocialMargTop"> Website Developed by <a target="_blank" title="Web Development"
                                                                  class="wot right"
                                                                  href="http://www.ravinderkhurana.com/" rel="nofollow">
                                                                  RAVINDErkHURANA.com</a></p>
            </div>
            <div class="alignleft">
                <a
     target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/objectives-8.html"
    class="link"
    title="Objectives">Objectives</a> | <a
     target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html"
    class="link" title="About Us">About Us</a> | <a
     target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/media-workshops.php"
    class="ucwords">Workshops</a> | <a
     target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/disclaimer/disclaimer-149.html"
    title="Disclaimer">Disclaimer</a>            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
    <!-- Footer option ends here -->
</div>
<div id="connect">
    <a target="_blank"
       href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/fasting-as-democracy-decays-by-gautam-adhikari-9732.html"
       title="Share on Facebook">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/Facebook.png?1582080640" alt="share on Facebook" class="ImgBorder"/>
    </a><br/>
    <a target="_blank"
       href="http://twitter.com/share?text=Im4change&amp;url=https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/fasting-as-democracy-decays-by-gautam-adhikari-9732.html"
       title="Share on Twitter">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/twitter.png?1582080632" alt="Twitter" class="ImgBorder"/>    </a>
    <br/>
    <a href="/feeds" title="RSS Feed" target="_blank">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/rss.png?1582080632" alt="RSS" class="ImgBorder"/>
    </a>
    <br/>
    <a class="feedback-link" id="feedbackFormLink" href="#">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/feedback.png?1582080630" alt="Feedback" class="ImgBorder"/>
    </a> <br/>
    <a href="javascript:function iprl5(){var d=document,z=d.createElement('scr'+'ipt'),b=d.body,l=d.location;try{if(!b)throw(0);d.title='(Saving...) '+d.title;z.setAttribute('src',l.protocol+'//www.instapaper.com/j/WKrH3R7ORD5p?u='+encodeURIComponent(l.href)+'&amp;t='+(new Date().getTime()));b.appendChild(z);}catch(e){alert('Please wait until the page has loaded.');}}iprl5();void(0)"
       class="bookmarklet" onclick="return explain_bookmarklet();">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/read-it-later.png?1582080632" alt="Read Later" class="ImgBorder"/>    </a>
</div>
<!-- Feedback form Starts here -->
<div id="feedbackForm" class="overlay_form" class="ImgBorder">
    <h2>Contact Form</h2>
    <div id="contactform1">
        <div id="formleft">
            <form id="submitform" action="/contactus.php" method="post">
                <input type="hidden" name="submitform" value="submitform"/>
                <input type="hidden" name="salt_key" value="a0e0f2c6a0644a70e57ad2c96829709a"/>
                <input type="hidden" name="ref" value="feedback"/>
                <fieldset>
                    <label>Name :</label>
                    <input type="text" name="name" class="tbox" required/>
                </fieldset>
                <fieldset>
                    <label>Email :</label>
                    <input type="text" name="email" class="tbox" required/>
                </fieldset>
                <fieldset>
                    <label>Message :</label>
                    <textarea rows="5" cols="20" name="message" required></textarea>
                </fieldset>
                <fieldset>
                    Please enter security code
                    <div class="clear"></div>
                    <input type="text" name="vrcode" class="tbox"/>
                </fieldset>
                <fieldset>
                    <input type="submit" class="button" value="Submit"/>
                    &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <a href="#" id="closefeedbakcformLink">Close</a>
                </fieldset>
            </form>
        </div>
        <div class="clearfix"></div>
    </div>
</div>
<div id="donate_popup" class="modal" style="max-width: 800px;">
    <table width="100%" border="1">
        <tr>
            <td colspan="2" align="center">
                <b>Support im4change</b>
            </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td width="25%" valign="middle">
                <img src="https://im4change.in/images/logo2.jpg?1582080632" alt="" width="100%"/>            </td>
            <td style="padding-left:10px;padding-top:10px;">
                <form action="https://im4change.in/donate" method="get">
                    <table width="100%" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
                        <tr>
                            <td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                10
                            </td>
                            <td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                100
                            </td>
                            <td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                1000
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td colspan="3">
                                &nbsp;
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td  style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                50
                            </td>
                            <td  style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                500
                            </td>
                            <td  style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                <input type="text" name="price" placeholder="?" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td colspan="3">
                                &nbsp;
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td colspan="3" align="right">
                                <input type="button" name="Pay" value="Pay"
                                       style="width: 200px;background-color: rgb(205, 35, 36);color: #ffffff;"/>
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                    </table>
                </form>
            </td>
        </tr>
    </table>
</div><script type='text/javascript'>

    /* <![CDATA[ */

    var tievar = {'go_to': 'Go to...'};

    /* ]]> */

</script>
<script src="/js/tie-scripts.js?1575549704"></script><script src="/js/bootstrap.js?1575549704"></script><script src="/js/jquery.modal.min.js?1578284310"></script><script>
    $(document).ready(function() {
        // tell the autocomplete function to get its data from our php script
        $('#s').autocomplete({
            source: "/autocomplete"
        });
    });
</script>
<script src="/vj-main-sw-register.js" async></script>

<script>function init(){var imgDefer=document.getElementsByTagName('img');for(var i=0;i<imgDefer.length;i++){if(imgDefer[i].getAttribute('data-src')){imgDefer[i].setAttribute('src',imgDefer[i].getAttribute('data-src'))}}}
window.onload=init;</script>
</body>
</html>'

}
$maxBufferLength = (int) 8192
$file = '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php'
$line = (int) 853
$message = 'Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853'
Cake\Http\ResponseEmitter::emit() - CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48
Cake\Http\Server::emit() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 141
[main] - ROOT/webroot/index.php, line 39

Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Code Context
            $response->getStatusCode(),

            ($reasonPhrase ? ' ' . $reasonPhrase : '')

        ));
$response = object(Cake\Http\Response) {

	'status' => (int) 200,
	'contentType' => 'text/html',
	'headers' => [
		'Content-Type' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
	],
	'file' => null,
	'fileRange' => [],
	'cookies' => object(Cake\Http\Cookie\CookieCollection) {},
	'cacheDirectives' => [],
	'body' => '<!DOCTYPE html>
<!--[if lt IE 7 ]>
<html class="ie ie6" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 7 ]>
<html class="ie ie7" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 8 ]>
<html class="ie ie8" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if (gte IE 9)|!(IE)]><!-->
<html lang='en'>
<!--<![endif]-->
<head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
    
    <title>
        LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Fasting as democracy decays by Gautam Adhikari    </title>
    <meta name="description" content="

The movement around Anna Hazare's fast highlights a worrying trend. No, it's not corruption. That we know. The worry is: Is Indian democracy in a state of decay? 

Democracy in this largest of all democratic nations seems to be working..."/>
    <meta name="keywords" content="lokpal bill"/>
    <meta name="news_keywords" content="lokpal bill">
   
    <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="ROR" href="/ror.xml"/>
    <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="RSS 2.0" href="/feeds/"/>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/bootstrap.min.css?1697864993"/>    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/style.css?v=1.1.2"/>    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/style-inner.css?1577045210"/>    <link rel="stylesheet" id="Oswald-css"
          href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Oswald%3Aregular%2C700&amp;ver=3.8.1" type="text/css"
          media="all">
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/jquery.modal.min.css?1578285302"/>    <script src="/js/jquery-1.10.2.js?1575549704"></script>    <script src="/js/jquery-migrate.min.js?1575549704"></script>    <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/favicon.ico" title="Favicon">
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/jquery-ui.css?1580720609"/>    <script src="/js/jquery-ui.js?1575549704"></script>    <link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/custom.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/jquery.modal.min.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/jquery-ui.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/li-scroller.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<!-- <link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/style.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous"> -->
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/style-inner.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">

<link rel='dns-prefetch' href="//im4change.org/css/custom.css" crossorigin >

<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/bootstrap.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.li-scroller.1.0.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.modal.min.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.ui.totop.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-1.10.2.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-migrate.min.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-ui.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/setting.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/tie-scripts.js">
    <!--[if IE]>
    <script type="text/javascript">jQuery(document).ready(function () {
        jQuery(".menu-item").has("ul").children("a").attr("aria-haspopup", "true");
    });</script>
    <![endif]-->
    <!--[if lt IE 9]>
    <script src="/js/html5.js"></script>
    <script src="/js/selectivizr-min.js"></script>
    <![endif]-->
    <!--[if IE 8]>
    <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="all" href="/css/ie8.css"/>
    <![endif]-->
    <meta property="og:title" content="LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Fasting as democracy decays by Gautam Adhikari" />
     <meta property="og:url" content="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/fasting-as-democracy-decays-by-gautam-adhikari-9732.html" />
     <meta property="og:type" content="article" />
     <meta property="og:description" content="

The movement around Anna Hazare's fast highlights a worrying trend. No, it's not corruption. That we know. The worry is: Is Indian democracy in a state of decay? 

Democracy in this largest of all democratic nations seems to be working..." />
     <meta property="og:image" content="" />
      <meta property="fb:app_id" content="0" />
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, maximum-scale=1, user-scalable=no">

       <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="144x144" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple1.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="120x120" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple2.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="72x72" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple3.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple4.png">

    <style>
    .gsc-results-wrapper-overlay{
        top: 38% !important;
        height: 50% !important;
    }
    .gsc-search-button-v2{
        border-color: #035588 !important;
        background-color: #035588 !important;
    }

   .gsib_a{
        height: 30px !important;
          padding: 2px 8px 1px 6px !important;
    }

   
    .gsc-search-button-v2{
        height: 41px !important;
    }
    input.gsc-input{
        background: none !important;
    }
    @media only screen and (max-width: 600px) {
        .gsc-results-wrapper-overlay{
            top: 11% !important;
            width: 87% !important;
            left: 9% !important;
            height: 43% !important;
        }

        .gsc-search-button-v2{
            padding: 10px 10px !important;
        
        }
        .gsc-input-box{
            height: 28px !important;
        }
       /* .gsib_a {
            padding: 0px 9px 4px 9px !important;
        }*/
    }
    @media only screen and (min-width: 1200px) and (max-width: 1920px) {
        table.gsc-search-box{
            width: 15% !important;
            float: right !important;
            margin-top: -118px !important;
        }

        .gsc-search-button-v2 {
            
            padding: 6px !important;
           
        }
    }


</style>

    <script>
        $(function () {
            $("#accordion").accordion({
                event: "click hoverintent"
            });
        });

        /*
         * hoverIntent | Copyright 2011 Brian Cherne
         * http://cherne.net/brian/resources/jquery.hoverIntent.html
         * modified by the jQuery UI team
         */
        $.event.special.hoverintent = {
            setup: function () {
                $(this).bind("mouseover", jQuery.event.special.hoverintent.handler);
            },
            teardown: function () {
                $(this).unbind("mouseover", jQuery.event.special.hoverintent.handler);
            },
            handler: function (event) {
                var currentX, currentY, timeout,
                    args = arguments,
                    target = $(event.target),
                    previousX = event.pageX,
                    previousY = event.pageY;

                function track(event) {
                    currentX = event.pageX;
                    currentY = event.pageY;
                }
                ;

                function clear() {
                    target
                        .unbind("mousemove", track)
                        .unbind("mouseout", clear);
                    clearTimeout(timeout);
                }

                function handler() {
                    var prop,
                        orig = event;
                    if ((Math.abs(previousX - currentX) +
                        Math.abs(previousY - currentY)) < 7) {
                        clear();
                        event = $.Event("hoverintent");
                        for (prop in orig) {
                            if (!(prop in event)) {
                                event[prop] = orig[prop];
                            }
                        }
                        // Prevent accessing the original event since the new event
                        // is fired asynchronously and the old event is no longer
                        // usable (#6028)
                        delete event.originalEvent;
                        target.trigger(event);
                    } else {
                        previousX = currentX;
                        previousY = currentY;
                        timeout = setTimeout(handler, 100);
                    }
                }

                timeout = setTimeout(handler, 100);
                target.bind({
                    mousemove: track,
                    mouseout: clear
                });
            }
        };
    </script>
    <script type="text/javascript">
        var _gaq = _gaq || [];
        _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-472075-3']);
        _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);

        (function () {
            var ga = document.createElement('script');
            ga.type = 'text/javascript';
            ga.async = true;
            ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';
            var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
            s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
        })();
    </script>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/custom.css?v=1.16"/>    <script src="/js/jquery.ui.totop.js?1575549704"></script>    <script src="/js/setting.js?1575549704"></script>    <link rel="manifest" href="/manifest.json">
    <meta name="theme-color" content="#616163" />
    <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-capable" content="yes">
    <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-status-bar-style" content="black">
    <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-title" content="im4change">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/icons/logo-192x192.png">
</head>
<body id="top" class="home inner blog">
<div class="background-cover"></div>
<div class="wrapper animated">
    <header id="theme-header" class="header_inner" style="position: relative;">
        <div class="logo inner_logo" style="left:20px !important">
                <a title="Home" href="https://im4change.in/">
                    <img src="https://im4change.in/images/logo2.jpg?1582080632" class="logo_image" alt="im4change"/>                </a>
        </div>
        <div class="langhindi" style="color: #000;display:none;"
             href="https://im4change.in/">
            <a class="more-link" href="https://im4change.in/">Home</a>
                        <a href="https://im4change.in/hindi/" class="langbutton ">हिन्दी</a>
                    </div>
        <nav class="fade-in animated2" id="main-nav">
            <div class="container">
                <div class="main-menu">
    <ul class="menu" id="menu-main">
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children"
            style="left: -40px;"><a
                 target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/">Home</a>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item mega-menu menu-item-type-taxonomy mega-menu menu-item-object-category mega-menu menu-item-has-children parent-list"
            style=" margin-left: -40px;"><a href="#">KNOWLEDGE GATEWAY <span class="sub-indicator"></span>
            </a>
            <div class="mega-menu-block background_menu" style="padding-top:25px;">
                <div class="container">
                    <div class="mega-menu-content">
                                                                   <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Farm Crisis</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/farmers039-suicides-14.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Farm Suicides                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/unemployment-30.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Unemployment                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/rural-distress-70.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Rural distress                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/migration-34.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Migration                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/key-facts-72.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Key Facts                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/debt-trap-15.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Debt Trap                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Empowerment</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/union-budget-73.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Union Budget And Other Economic Policies                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/forest-and-tribal-rights-61.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Forest and Tribal Rights                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-education-60.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Right to Education                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-food-59.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Right to Food                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/displacement-3279.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Displacement                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-work-mg-nrega-39.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Right to Work (MG-NREGA)                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/gender-3280.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">GENDER                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-information-58.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Right to Information                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/social-audit-48.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Social Audit                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Hunger / HDI</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/poverty-and-inequality-20499.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Poverty and inequality                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/malnutrition-41.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Malnutrition                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/public-health-51.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Public Health                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/education-50.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Education                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/hunger-overview-40.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Hunger Overview                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/hdi-overview-45.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">HDI Overview                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/pds-ration-food-security-42.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">PDS/ Ration/ Food Security                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/sdgs-113.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">SDGs                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/mid-day-meal-scheme-mdms-53.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Mid Day Meal Scheme (MDMS)                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Environment</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/time-bomb-ticking-52.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Time Bomb Ticking                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/water-and-sanitation-55.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Water and Sanitation                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/impact-on-agriculture-54.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Impact on Agriculture                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Law & Justice</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/social-justice-20500.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Social Justice                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/access-to-justice-47.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Access to Justice                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/human-rights-56.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Human Rights                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/corruption-35.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Corruption                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/general-insecurity-46.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">General Insecurity                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/disaster-relief-49.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Disaster &amp; Relief                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        
                    </div>
                </div>
            </div>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-post_type  menu-item-object-page "><a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/nceus_reports.php">NCEUS reports</a>
            
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children parent-list ">
            <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html">About Us <span
                    class="sub-indicator"></span></a>
            <ul class="sub-menu aboutmenu">
                <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-post_type  menu-item-object-page"><a
                        target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/objectives-8.html">Objectives</a>
                </li>
                <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-post_type  menu-item-object-page"><a
                         target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/contactus.php">Contact
                        Us</a></li>
                <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-post_type  menu-item-object-page"><a
                         target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html">About
                        Us</a></li>
            </ul>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children ">
            <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/fellowships.php" title="Fellowships">Fellowships</a>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children  "><a
                 target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/media-workshops.php">Workshops</a>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children  "><a
                 target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/research.php">Research</a></li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children   "><a
                 target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/links-64">Partners</a></li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children"
            id="menu-item-539"><a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hindi/"
                                  class="langbutton langlinkfont17">हिन्दी</a></li>
    </ul>
</div>            </div>


                        <!--  <div style="float: right;">
                            <script async src="https://cse.google.com/cse.js?cx=18b4f2e0f11bed3dd"></script>
                            <div class="gcse-search"></div>
                        </div> -->
                       
            <div class="search-block" style=" margin-left: 8px; margin-right: 7px;">
                <form method="get" id="searchform" name="searchform"
                      action="https://im4change.in/search"
                      onsubmit="return searchvalidate();">
                    <button class="search-button" type="submit" value="Search"></button>
                    <input type="text" id="s" name="qryStr" value=""
                           onfocus="if (this.value == 'Search...') {this.value = '';}"
                           onblur="if (this.value == '') {this.value = 'Search...';}">
                </form>
            </div>
        </nav>
    </header>
    <div class="container">
        <div id="main-content" class=" main1 container fade-in animated3 sidebar-narrow-left">
            <div class="content-wrap">
                <div class="content" style="width: 900px;min-height: 500px;">
                    <section class="cat-box recent-box innerCatRecent">
    <h1 class="cat-box-title">Fasting as democracy decays by Gautam Adhikari</h1>
    <a href="JavaScript:void(0);" onclick="return shareArticle(9623);">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/email.png?1582080630" border="0" width="24" align="right" alt="Share this article"/>    </a>

    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/fasting-as-democracy-decays-by-gautam-adhikari-9732/print"
       rel="nofollow">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/icon-print.png?1582080630" border="0" width="24" align="right" alt="Share this article"/>
    </a>
</section>
<section class="recent-box innerCatRecent">
    <small class="pb-1"><span class="dateIcn">
    	<img src="https://im4change.in/images/published.svg?1582080666" alt="published"/> 
		 Published on</span><span class="text-date"> Aug 25, 2011</span>
        &nbsp; <span
                class="dateIcn">
		 	<img src="https://im4change.in/images/modified.svg?1582080666" alt="modified"/>    	 Modified on </span><span class="text-date"> Aug 25, 2011</span>
    </small>
</section>
<div class="clear"></div>
<div style="padding-top: 10px;">
    <div class="innerLineHeight">
        <div class="middleContent innerInput latest-news-updates">
            <table>
                <tr>
                    <td>
                                                <div>
                            <br /><div align="justify">The movement around Anna Hazare's fast highlights a worrying trend. No, it's not corruption. That we know. The worry is: Is Indian democracy in a state of decay? <br /><br />Democracy in this largest of all democratic nations seems to be working fine at first glance. We vote regularly and throw out parties in power when a majority wants change. We have a free press. We have an independent judiciary. But there's a lot that happens in the way we conduct our political life in between elections that is deeply disturbing. Citizens of a truly liberal democracy - there's no other kind, don't let anyone fool you - must demonstrate their understanding, popular acceptance and daily practice of democratic behaviour in the interlude between elections. Do we? <br /><br />Anna Hazare's fast-unto-death is a clear instance of misunderstood democracy. He and his supporters believe it is quite democratic of him to either get his way or commit suicide. No, it's not. Suicide is against the law in this demo-cracy; so is any threat to commit violence, even to oneself, if you don't get your way. That's blackmail. Citing Gandhi in support of fasts is misconceived. The great man fasted against imperial rule in an undemocratic society. A democracy, on the other hand, offers several channels to express grievance legitimately. For Gandhi, fasting fitted well into his framework of civil disobedience. He worked against the law as it then prevailed. Today, fasting, often in 'relay' style, has become political farce in India. <br /><br />Hazare's supporters, however, have every right to march in their thousands, to raise people's consciousness about corruption, to carry candles or play guitars while singing protest songs mimicking a Bob Dylan or a Pete Seeger, and to rage against the government through the media. But are they right in demanding an acceptance of Hazare's call for a supremely autonomous ombudsman to fight corruption? No. <br /><br />Imagining an end to corruption by making a Lokpal sit in judgment over everyone, including Parliament and the judiciary, is not just undemocratic under India's Constitution, it is a silly idea. India is one of the most corrupt nations on earth not because it doesn't have enough regulatory bodies to catch a thief; it in fact has too many points of bureaucratic and political power that are lucrative checkpoints for the corrupt. Creating an unaccountable ombudsman will add another such check post unless you believe, like Hazare, that Gandhian purity can keep the Lokpal's office forever clean. Fighting corruption should mean fewer checkpoints, not more. <br /><br />To fight corruption, citizens have to target protests in order to force reform in specific areas instead of blasting broadsides against general corruption. We didn't wake up to find this cancer in our system because Dr Hazare suddenly said we were sick. We sat up when a huge telecom scandal was uncovered through investigation by regular arms of the democratic system, including Parliament and the press. That scandal underscores how urgently we need to reform our system of political funding, including campaign finance for electioneering, to stop politicians in power from doling out favours in return for cash they received from vested interests. <br /><br />Every arm of democracy must become stronger if India has to confront corruption. Mobilisation for change should, for instance, aim to force Parliament actually to sit in session, debate and pass legislation. We have a Parliament that barely functions. Like fasts, another effete tool of protest is used by whichever party is in opposition, and that's the infamous walkout. It has been so overplayed that it's lost all potency. Storming the well of the House to stop proceedings for days is similarly idiotic. Our politicians and MPs must relearn effective democratic practice in the modern era and discard the tools of opposition they inherited from a past generation of leaders. <br /><br />Another sign of democratic decay and a reason why corruption can spread so malignantly through our national system is a fast weakening accountability of public officials and politicians. That's happening largely because India's judiciary is so clogged up and grossly inefficient that citizens have little faith in its capacity to deliver justice to reinforce the foundations of public accountability. <br /><br />Accountability is one of the twin pillars, along with transparency, that uphold good governance. With a free press and a Right to Information Act available for use by the ordinary citizen, transparency is not all that bad in our system even as bureaucratic opacity continues to hinder openness. But accountability degenerates by the day. <br /><br />These are some areas that must get fierce attention from the expanding and increasingly assertive urban middle class if real reform is to happen. Instead, what we see is the sad spectacle of an aged Gandhian engaged in a futile fast against evil. His purpose is noble. His method and demand are not. There are other ways to fight. <br /><br /><em>The writer is a former executive editor of this newspaper. </em><br /></div>                                                           
                        </div>
                    </td>
                </tr>
            </table>
        </div>
    </div>
</div>
<div class="clear"></div>
    <br><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Fasting-as-democracy-decays/articleshow/9726205.cms" class="re" target="_blank">The Times of India, 25 August, 2011, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Fasting-as-democracy-decays/articleshow/9726205.cms</a><div class="clear"></div>
    <div style="padding-top: 18px;">
        <p class="post-tag">Tagged with:
                            <a class="tagcloud5"
                   href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=lokpal bill"
                   title="lokpal bill">
                    lokpal bill                </a>
                        </p>
    </div>
<div class="clear"></div>
    <br><br>
    <div class="widget-top">
        <h4>Related Articles</h4>
        <div class="stripe-line"></div>
    </div>
    <div class="widget-container">
        <ul id="recentcomments">
                            <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/supreme-court-reserves-judgment-on-pleas-seeking-appointment-of-lokpal-4681480.html"
                       title="Supreme Court reserves judgment on pleas seeking appointment of Lokpal">
                        Supreme Court reserves judgment on pleas seeking appointment of Lokpal                    </a>
                </li>
                                <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/betrayal-in-the-house-anjali-bhardwaj-amrita-johri-4679894.html"
                       title="Betrayal In The House -Anjali Bhardwaj &amp; Amrita Johri">
                        Betrayal In The House -Anjali Bhardwaj &amp; Amrita Johri                    </a>
                </li>
                                <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/12-important-bills-that-our-lawmakers-will-seek-to-pass-this-budget-session-4678660.html"
                       title="12 important Bills that our lawmakers will seek to pass this Budget Session">
                        12 important Bills that our lawmakers will seek to pass this Budget Session                    </a>
                </li>
                                <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/promise-on-transparency-not-kept-vidya-venkat-4676174.html"
                       title="Promise on transparency not kept -Vidya Venkat">
                        Promise on transparency not kept -Vidya Venkat                    </a>
                </li>
                                <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/crisis-of-credibility-hits-govt-lokpal-search-panel-24411.html"
                       title="Crisis of credibility hits govt Lokpal search panel">
                        Crisis of credibility hits govt Lokpal search panel                    </a>
                </li>
                
        </ul>
    </div>
    <div class="comment-respond" id="respond">
    <a name="commentbox">&nbsp;</a>
    <h3 class="comment-reply-title" id="reply-title">Write Comments</h3>
    <form method="post" accept-charset="utf-8" role="form" action="/latest-news-updates/fasting-as-democracy-decays-by-gautam-adhikari-9732.html"><div style="display:none;"><input type="hidden" name="_method" value="POST"/></div>    <form class="comment-form" id="commentform" method="post" action="#commentbox" onSubmit="return validate()"
          name="cmtform">
        <input type="hidden" name="cmttype" value="articlecmt"/>
        <input type="hidden" name="article_id" value="9623"/>
        <p class="comment-notes">Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked <span
                    class="required">*</span></p>
                <p class="comment-form-author">
            <label for="commenterName">Name</label>
            <span class="required">*</span>
            <input type="text" aria-required="true" size="30"
                   value=""
                   name="commenterName" id="commenterName" required="true">
        </p>
        <p class="comment-form-email">
            <label for="commenterEmail">Email</label> <span class="required">*</span>
            <input aria-required="true" size="30" name="commenterEmail" id="commenterEmail" type="email"
                   value=""
                   required="true">
        </p>
        <p class="comment-form-contact">
            <label for="commenterPh">Contact No.</label>
            <input type="text" size="30"
                   value=""
                   name="commenterPh" id="commenterPh">
        </p>
        <p class="comment-form-comment">
            <label for="comment">Comment</label>
            <textarea aria-required="true" required="true" rows="8" cols="45" name="comment"
                      id="comment"></textarea>
        </p>
        <p class="comment-form-comment">
            <label for="comment">Type the characters you see in the image below <span class="required">*</span><br><img
                        class="captchaImg"
                        src="https://im4change.in/securimage_show_art.php?tk=509497712" alt="captcha"/>
            </label>
        </p>
        <input type="text" name="vrcode" required="true"/>

        <p class="form-submit" style="width: 200px;">
            <input type="submit" value="Post Comment" id="submit" name="submit">
        </p></form>
</div>
<style>
    .ui-widget-content {
        height: auto !important;
    }
</style>
<div id="share-modal"></div>
<style>
    .middleContent a{
        background-color: rgba(108,172,228,.2);
    }
    .middleContent a:hover{
        background-color: #418fde;
        border-color: #418fde;
        color: #000;
        }
</style>
<script>
    function shareArticle(article_id) {
        var options = {
            modal: true,
            height: 'auto',
            width: 600 + 'px'
        };
        $('#share-modal').html("");
        $('#share-modal').load('https://im4change.in/share_article?article_id=' + article_id).dialog(options).dialog('open');
    }

    function postShare() {
        var param = 'article_id=' + $("#article_id").val();
        param = param + '&y_name=' + $("#y_name").val();
        param = param + '&y_email=' + $("#y_email").val();
        param = param + '&f_name=' + $("#f_name").val();
        param = param + '&f_email=' + $("#f_email").val();
        param = param + '&y_msg=' + $("#y_msg").val();

        $.ajax({
            type: "POST",
            url: 'https://im4change.in/post_share_article',
            data: param,
            success: function (response) {
                $('#share-modal').html("Thank You, Your message posted to ");
            }
        });
        return false;
    }
</script>                </div>
            </div>
            <!-- Right Side Section Start -->
<!-- MAP Section START -->
<aside class="sidebar indexMarg">
    <div class="ad-cell">
        <a href="https://im4change.in/statemap.php" title="">
            <img src="https://im4change.in/images/map_new_version.png?1582080666" alt="India State Map" class="indiamap" width="232" height="252"/>        </a>
        <div class="rightmapbox">
            <div id="sideOne" class="docltitle"><a href="https://im4change.in/state-report/india/36" target="_blank">DOCUMENTS/
                    REPORTS</a></div>
            <div id="sideTwo" class="statetitle"><a href="https://im4change.in/states.php"target="_blank">STATE DATA/
                    HDRs.</a></div>
        </div>
        <div class="widget widgePadTop"></div>
    </div>
</aside>
<!-- MAP Section END -->
<aside class="sidebar sidePadbottom">
    <div class="rightsmlbox1" >
        <a href="https://im4change.in/knowledge_gateway" target="_blank" style="color: #035588;
    font-size: 17px;">
            KNOWLEDGE GATEWAY
        </a>
    </div>
    <div class="rightsmlbox1">

        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
                <a href="https://im4change.in/newsletter" target="_blank">
                    NEWSLETTER
                </a>
            </p>
        </div>
    </div>
        <div class="rightsmlbox1" style="height: 325px;">
        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
                Interview with Prof. Ravi Srivastava
            </p>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/interview-with-prof-ravi-srivastava-on-current-economic-crisis">
                <img width="250" height="200" src="/images/interview_video_home.jpg" alt="Interview with Prof. Ravi Srivastava"/>
                </a>
                <!--
                <iframe width="250" height="200" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MmaTlntk-wc" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>-->
               
            </p>
            <a href="https://im4change.in/videogallery" class="more-link CatArchalAnch1" target="_blank">
                                More videos
                            </a>
        </div>
    </div>
    
        <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <div>
            <!--div id="sstory" class="rightboxicons"></div--->
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a href="https://im4change.in/list-success-stories"  target="_blank">Success Stories</a></p>
        </div>
    </div>
    <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a
                        href="https://im4change.in/interviews"  target="_blank">Interviews</a>
            </p>
        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a href="https://www.commoncause.in/page.php?id=10" >Donate</a></p>
        </div>
    </div>
    <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a
        href="https://im4change.in/marquee"
        class="isf_link more-link" title="India Focus?" style="border: 4px solid #fdd922;width: 90%;background-color: #fdd922;text-align: center;color: #000000;font-size:18px"  target="_blank">India Focus</a></p>        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="rightsmlbox1" style="height: 104px !important;">
        <a href="https://im4change.in/quarterly_reports.php" target="_blank">
            Quarterly Reports on Effect of Economic Slowdown on Employment in India (2008 - 2015)
        </a>
    </div>
    
<!--     <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.im4.im4change" target="_blank">
            
        </a></div> -->
    <!-- <section class="cat-box recent-box secMarg">
        <h2 class="cat-box-title">Most Visited</h2>
    </section> -->
    <!-- accordion Starts here -->
    <!-- <div id="accordion" class="accordMarg">
            </div> -->
    <!-- accordion ends here -->
    <!-- Widget Tag Cloud Starts here -->
    <div id="tag_cloud-2" class="widget widget_tag_cloud">
        <section class="cat-box recent-box secMarg">
                <h2 class="cat-box-title">MOST VISITED TAGS</h2>
            </section>
        <div class="widget-top wiPdTp">
           
            <div class="stripe-line"></div>
        </div>
        <div class="widget-container">
            <div class="tagcloud">
                                    <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Agriculture"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Agriculture</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Food Security"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Food Security</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Law and Justice"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Law and Justice</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Health"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Health</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Right to Food"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Right to Food</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Corruption"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Corruption</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=farming"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">farming</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Environment"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Environment</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Right to Information"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Right to Information</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=NREGS"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">NREGS</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Human Rights"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Human Rights</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Governance"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Governance</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PDS"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PDS</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=COVID-19"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">COVID-19</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Land Acquisition"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Land Acquisition</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=mgnrega"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">mgnrega</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Farmers"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Farmers</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=transparency"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">transparency</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Gender"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Gender</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Poverty"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Poverty</a>
                                    
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Farm Laws" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Farm Laws
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Citizenship Amendment Act" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Citizenship Amendment Act
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=CAA NPR NRIC" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">CAA NPR NRIC
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Job Losses" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Job Losses
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Migrant Workers" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Migrant Workers
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Unemployment" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Unemployment
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PMGKAY" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PMGKAY
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PM-KISAN" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PM-KISAN
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PM-CARES" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PM-CARES
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=LFPR" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">LFPR
                </a>
                
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
    <!-- Widget Tag Cloud Ends here -->
</aside>
<!-- Right Side Section End -->
        </div>
        <section class="cat-box cats-review-box footerSec">
    <h2 class="cat-box-title vSec CatArcha">Video
        Archives</h2>
    <h2 class="cat-box-title CatArchaTitle">Archives</h2>
    <div class="cat-box-content">
        <div class="reviews-cat">
            <div class="CatArchaDiv1">
                <div class="CatArchaDiv2">
                    <ul>
                                                    <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/moving-upstream-luni-fellowship.html"  target="_blank">
                                     Moving Upstream: Luni – Fellowship                                </a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/135-million-indians-exited-multidimensional-poverty-as-per-government-figures-is-that-the-same-as-poverty-reduction.html"  target="_blank">
                                     135 Million Indians Exited “Multidimensional" Poverty as per Government...                                </a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/explainer-why-are-tomato-prices-on-fire.html"  target="_blank">
                                     Explainer: Why are Tomato Prices on Fire?                                </a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/nsso-survey-only-39-1-of-all-households-have-drinking-water-within-dwelling-46-7-of-rural-households-use-firewood-for-cooking.html"  target="_blank">
                                     NSSO Survey: Only 39.1% of all Households have Drinking...                                </a>
                            </li>
                                                    <li class="CatArchalLi1">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57"
                               class="more-link CatArchalAnch1"  target="_blank">
                                More...
                            </a>
                        </li>
                    </ul>
                </div>
                                    <div class="CatArchaWidth">
                        <img class="CatArchaImg"
                             src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/I51LYnP8BOk/1.jpg"
                             alt=" Im4Change.org हिंदी वेबसाइट का परिचय. Short Video on im4change.org...">
                        <p class="CatArchaPPad">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Short-Video-on-im4change-Hindi-website-Inclusive-Media-for-Change"  target="_blank">
                                 Im4Change.org हिंदी वेबसाइट का परिचय. Short Video on im4change.org...                            </a>
                        </p>
                    </div>
                                        <div class="CatArchaWidth">
                        <img class="CatArchaImg"
                             src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/kNqha-SwfIY/1.jpg"
                             alt=" "Session 1: Scope of IDEA and AgriStack" in Exploring...">
                        <p class="CatArchaPPad">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-1- Scope-of-IDEA-and-AgriStack-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022"  target="_blank">
                                 "Session 1: Scope of IDEA and AgriStack" in Exploring...                            </a>
                        </p>
                    </div>
                                        <div class="CatArchaWidth">
                        <img class="CatArchaImg"
                             src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/6kIVjlgZItk/1.jpg"
                             alt=" "Session 2: Farmer Centric Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...">
                        <p class="CatArchaPPad">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-2-Farmer-Centric-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022"  target="_blank">
                                 "Session 2: Farmer Centric Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...                            </a>
                        </p>
                    </div>
                                        <div class="CatArchaWidth">
                        <img class="CatArchaImg"
                             src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/2BeHTu0y7xc/1.jpg"
                             alt=" "Session 3: Future of Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...">
                        <p class="CatArchaPPad">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-3-Future-of-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022"  target="_blank">
                                 "Session 3: Future of Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...                            </a>
                        </p>
                    </div>
                    


                <div class="divWidth">
                    <ul class="divWidthMarg">
                                                    <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Public-Spending-on-Agriculture-in-India-Source-Foundation-for-Agrarian-Studies"
                                   title="Public Spending on Agriculture in India (Source: Foundation for Agrarian Studies)"  target="_blank">
                                     Public Spending on Agriculture in India (Source: Foundation for...</a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Agrarian-Change-Seminar-Protests-against-the-New-Farm-Laws-in-India-by-Prof-Vikas-Rawal-JNU-Source-Journal-Of-Agrarian-Change"
                                   title="Agrarian Change Seminar: 'Protests against the New Farm Laws in India' by Prof. Vikas Rawal, JNU (Source: Journal Of Agrarian Change) "  target="_blank">
                                     Agrarian Change Seminar: 'Protests against the New Farm Laws...</a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Webinar-Ramrao-The-Story-of-India-Farm-Crisis-Source-Azim-Premji-University"
                                   title="Webinar: Ramrao - The Story of India's Farm Crisis (Source: Azim Premji University)"  target="_blank">
                                     Webinar: Ramrao - The Story of India's Farm Crisis...</a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/water-and-agricultural-transformation-in-India"
                                   title="Water and Agricultural Transformation in India: A Symbiotic Relationship (Source: IGIDR)"  target="_blank">
                                     Water and Agricultural Transformation in India: A Symbiotic Relationship...</a>
                            </li>
                                                    <li class="CatArchalLi1">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/videogallery"
                               class="more-link CatArchalAnch1"  target="_blank">
                                More...
                            </a>
                        </li>
                    </ul>
                </div>
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
</section>    </div>
    <div class="clear"></div>
    <!-- Footer option Starts here -->
    <div class="footer-bottom fade-in animated4">
        <div class="container">
            <div class="social-icons icon_flat">
                <p class="SocialMargTop"> Website Developed by <a target="_blank" title="Web Development"
                                                                  class="wot right"
                                                                  href="http://www.ravinderkhurana.com/" rel="nofollow">
                                                                  RAVINDErkHURANA.com</a></p>
            </div>
            <div class="alignleft">
                <a
     target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/objectives-8.html"
    class="link"
    title="Objectives">Objectives</a> | <a
     target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html"
    class="link" title="About Us">About Us</a> | <a
     target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/media-workshops.php"
    class="ucwords">Workshops</a> | <a
     target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/disclaimer/disclaimer-149.html"
    title="Disclaimer">Disclaimer</a>            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
    <!-- Footer option ends here -->
</div>
<div id="connect">
    <a target="_blank"
       href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/fasting-as-democracy-decays-by-gautam-adhikari-9732.html"
       title="Share on Facebook">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/Facebook.png?1582080640" alt="share on Facebook" class="ImgBorder"/>
    </a><br/>
    <a target="_blank"
       href="http://twitter.com/share?text=Im4change&amp;url=https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/fasting-as-democracy-decays-by-gautam-adhikari-9732.html"
       title="Share on Twitter">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/twitter.png?1582080632" alt="Twitter" class="ImgBorder"/>    </a>
    <br/>
    <a href="/feeds" title="RSS Feed" target="_blank">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/rss.png?1582080632" alt="RSS" class="ImgBorder"/>
    </a>
    <br/>
    <a class="feedback-link" id="feedbackFormLink" href="#">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/feedback.png?1582080630" alt="Feedback" class="ImgBorder"/>
    </a> <br/>
    <a href="javascript:function iprl5(){var d=document,z=d.createElement('scr'+'ipt'),b=d.body,l=d.location;try{if(!b)throw(0);d.title='(Saving...) '+d.title;z.setAttribute('src',l.protocol+'//www.instapaper.com/j/WKrH3R7ORD5p?u='+encodeURIComponent(l.href)+'&amp;t='+(new Date().getTime()));b.appendChild(z);}catch(e){alert('Please wait until the page has loaded.');}}iprl5();void(0)"
       class="bookmarklet" onclick="return explain_bookmarklet();">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/read-it-later.png?1582080632" alt="Read Later" class="ImgBorder"/>    </a>
</div>
<!-- Feedback form Starts here -->
<div id="feedbackForm" class="overlay_form" class="ImgBorder">
    <h2>Contact Form</h2>
    <div id="contactform1">
        <div id="formleft">
            <form id="submitform" action="/contactus.php" method="post">
                <input type="hidden" name="submitform" value="submitform"/>
                <input type="hidden" name="salt_key" value="a0e0f2c6a0644a70e57ad2c96829709a"/>
                <input type="hidden" name="ref" value="feedback"/>
                <fieldset>
                    <label>Name :</label>
                    <input type="text" name="name" class="tbox" required/>
                </fieldset>
                <fieldset>
                    <label>Email :</label>
                    <input type="text" name="email" class="tbox" required/>
                </fieldset>
                <fieldset>
                    <label>Message :</label>
                    <textarea rows="5" cols="20" name="message" required></textarea>
                </fieldset>
                <fieldset>
                    Please enter security code
                    <div class="clear"></div>
                    <input type="text" name="vrcode" class="tbox"/>
                </fieldset>
                <fieldset>
                    <input type="submit" class="button" value="Submit"/>
                    &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <a href="#" id="closefeedbakcformLink">Close</a>
                </fieldset>
            </form>
        </div>
        <div class="clearfix"></div>
    </div>
</div>
<div id="donate_popup" class="modal" style="max-width: 800px;">
    <table width="100%" border="1">
        <tr>
            <td colspan="2" align="center">
                <b>Support im4change</b>
            </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td width="25%" valign="middle">
                <img src="https://im4change.in/images/logo2.jpg?1582080632" alt="" width="100%"/>            </td>
            <td style="padding-left:10px;padding-top:10px;">
                <form action="https://im4change.in/donate" method="get">
                    <table width="100%" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
                        <tr>
                            <td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                10
                            </td>
                            <td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                100
                            </td>
                            <td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                1000
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td colspan="3">
                                &nbsp;
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td  style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                50
                            </td>
                            <td  style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                500
                            </td>
                            <td  style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                <input type="text" name="price" placeholder="?" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td colspan="3">
                                &nbsp;
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td colspan="3" align="right">
                                <input type="button" name="Pay" value="Pay"
                                       style="width: 200px;background-color: rgb(205, 35, 36);color: #ffffff;"/>
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                    </table>
                </form>
            </td>
        </tr>
    </table>
</div><script type='text/javascript'>

    /* <![CDATA[ */

    var tievar = {'go_to': 'Go to...'};

    /* ]]> */

</script>
<script src="/js/tie-scripts.js?1575549704"></script><script src="/js/bootstrap.js?1575549704"></script><script src="/js/jquery.modal.min.js?1578284310"></script><script>
    $(document).ready(function() {
        // tell the autocomplete function to get its data from our php script
        $('#s').autocomplete({
            source: "/autocomplete"
        });
    });
</script>
<script src="/vj-main-sw-register.js" async></script>

<script>function init(){var imgDefer=document.getElementsByTagName('img');for(var i=0;i<imgDefer.length;i++){if(imgDefer[i].getAttribute('data-src')){imgDefer[i].setAttribute('src',imgDefer[i].getAttribute('data-src'))}}}
window.onload=init;</script>
</body>
</html>'

}
$reasonPhrase = 'OK'
header - [internal], line ??
Cake\Http\ResponseEmitter::emitStatusLine() - CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148
Cake\Http\ResponseEmitter::emit() - CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 54
Cake\Http\Server::emit() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 141
[main] - ROOT/webroot/index.php, line 39

Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
Code Context
                    $value

                ), $first);

                $first = false;
$response = object(Cake\Http\Response) {

	'status' => (int) 200,
	'contentType' => 'text/html',
	'headers' => [
		'Content-Type' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
	],
	'file' => null,
	'fileRange' => [],
	'cookies' => object(Cake\Http\Cookie\CookieCollection) {},
	'cacheDirectives' => [],
	'body' => '<!DOCTYPE html>
<!--[if lt IE 7 ]>
<html class="ie ie6" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 7 ]>
<html class="ie ie7" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 8 ]>
<html class="ie ie8" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if (gte IE 9)|!(IE)]><!-->
<html lang='en'>
<!--<![endif]-->
<head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
    
    <title>
        LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Fasting as democracy decays by Gautam Adhikari    </title>
    <meta name="description" content="

The movement around Anna Hazare's fast highlights a worrying trend. No, it's not corruption. That we know. The worry is: Is Indian democracy in a state of decay? 

Democracy in this largest of all democratic nations seems to be working..."/>
    <meta name="keywords" content="lokpal bill"/>
    <meta name="news_keywords" content="lokpal bill">
   
    <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="ROR" href="/ror.xml"/>
    <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="RSS 2.0" href="/feeds/"/>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/bootstrap.min.css?1697864993"/>    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/style.css?v=1.1.2"/>    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/style-inner.css?1577045210"/>    <link rel="stylesheet" id="Oswald-css"
          href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Oswald%3Aregular%2C700&amp;ver=3.8.1" type="text/css"
          media="all">
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/jquery.modal.min.css?1578285302"/>    <script src="/js/jquery-1.10.2.js?1575549704"></script>    <script src="/js/jquery-migrate.min.js?1575549704"></script>    <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/favicon.ico" title="Favicon">
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/jquery-ui.css?1580720609"/>    <script src="/js/jquery-ui.js?1575549704"></script>    <link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/custom.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/jquery.modal.min.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/jquery-ui.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/li-scroller.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<!-- <link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/style.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous"> -->
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/style-inner.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">

<link rel='dns-prefetch' href="//im4change.org/css/custom.css" crossorigin >

<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/bootstrap.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.li-scroller.1.0.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.modal.min.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.ui.totop.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-1.10.2.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-migrate.min.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-ui.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/setting.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/tie-scripts.js">
    <!--[if IE]>
    <script type="text/javascript">jQuery(document).ready(function () {
        jQuery(".menu-item").has("ul").children("a").attr("aria-haspopup", "true");
    });</script>
    <![endif]-->
    <!--[if lt IE 9]>
    <script src="/js/html5.js"></script>
    <script src="/js/selectivizr-min.js"></script>
    <![endif]-->
    <!--[if IE 8]>
    <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="all" href="/css/ie8.css"/>
    <![endif]-->
    <meta property="og:title" content="LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Fasting as democracy decays by Gautam Adhikari" />
     <meta property="og:url" content="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/fasting-as-democracy-decays-by-gautam-adhikari-9732.html" />
     <meta property="og:type" content="article" />
     <meta property="og:description" content="

The movement around Anna Hazare's fast highlights a worrying trend. No, it's not corruption. That we know. The worry is: Is Indian democracy in a state of decay? 

Democracy in this largest of all democratic nations seems to be working..." />
     <meta property="og:image" content="" />
      <meta property="fb:app_id" content="0" />
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, maximum-scale=1, user-scalable=no">

       <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="144x144" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple1.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="120x120" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple2.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="72x72" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple3.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple4.png">

    <style>
    .gsc-results-wrapper-overlay{
        top: 38% !important;
        height: 50% !important;
    }
    .gsc-search-button-v2{
        border-color: #035588 !important;
        background-color: #035588 !important;
    }

   .gsib_a{
        height: 30px !important;
          padding: 2px 8px 1px 6px !important;
    }

   
    .gsc-search-button-v2{
        height: 41px !important;
    }
    input.gsc-input{
        background: none !important;
    }
    @media only screen and (max-width: 600px) {
        .gsc-results-wrapper-overlay{
            top: 11% !important;
            width: 87% !important;
            left: 9% !important;
            height: 43% !important;
        }

        .gsc-search-button-v2{
            padding: 10px 10px !important;
        
        }
        .gsc-input-box{
            height: 28px !important;
        }
       /* .gsib_a {
            padding: 0px 9px 4px 9px !important;
        }*/
    }
    @media only screen and (min-width: 1200px) and (max-width: 1920px) {
        table.gsc-search-box{
            width: 15% !important;
            float: right !important;
            margin-top: -118px !important;
        }

        .gsc-search-button-v2 {
            
            padding: 6px !important;
           
        }
    }


</style>

    <script>
        $(function () {
            $("#accordion").accordion({
                event: "click hoverintent"
            });
        });

        /*
         * hoverIntent | Copyright 2011 Brian Cherne
         * http://cherne.net/brian/resources/jquery.hoverIntent.html
         * modified by the jQuery UI team
         */
        $.event.special.hoverintent = {
            setup: function () {
                $(this).bind("mouseover", jQuery.event.special.hoverintent.handler);
            },
            teardown: function () {
                $(this).unbind("mouseover", jQuery.event.special.hoverintent.handler);
            },
            handler: function (event) {
                var currentX, currentY, timeout,
                    args = arguments,
                    target = $(event.target),
                    previousX = event.pageX,
                    previousY = event.pageY;

                function track(event) {
                    currentX = event.pageX;
                    currentY = event.pageY;
                }
                ;

                function clear() {
                    target
                        .unbind("mousemove", track)
                        .unbind("mouseout", clear);
                    clearTimeout(timeout);
                }

                function handler() {
                    var prop,
                        orig = event;
                    if ((Math.abs(previousX - currentX) +
                        Math.abs(previousY - currentY)) < 7) {
                        clear();
                        event = $.Event("hoverintent");
                        for (prop in orig) {
                            if (!(prop in event)) {
                                event[prop] = orig[prop];
                            }
                        }
                        // Prevent accessing the original event since the new event
                        // is fired asynchronously and the old event is no longer
                        // usable (#6028)
                        delete event.originalEvent;
                        target.trigger(event);
                    } else {
                        previousX = currentX;
                        previousY = currentY;
                        timeout = setTimeout(handler, 100);
                    }
                }

                timeout = setTimeout(handler, 100);
                target.bind({
                    mousemove: track,
                    mouseout: clear
                });
            }
        };
    </script>
    <script type="text/javascript">
        var _gaq = _gaq || [];
        _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-472075-3']);
        _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);

        (function () {
            var ga = document.createElement('script');
            ga.type = 'text/javascript';
            ga.async = true;
            ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';
            var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
            s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
        })();
    </script>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/custom.css?v=1.16"/>    <script src="/js/jquery.ui.totop.js?1575549704"></script>    <script src="/js/setting.js?1575549704"></script>    <link rel="manifest" href="/manifest.json">
    <meta name="theme-color" content="#616163" />
    <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-capable" content="yes">
    <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-status-bar-style" content="black">
    <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-title" content="im4change">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/icons/logo-192x192.png">
</head>
<body id="top" class="home inner blog">
<div class="background-cover"></div>
<div class="wrapper animated">
    <header id="theme-header" class="header_inner" style="position: relative;">
        <div class="logo inner_logo" style="left:20px !important">
                <a title="Home" href="https://im4change.in/">
                    <img src="https://im4change.in/images/logo2.jpg?1582080632" class="logo_image" alt="im4change"/>                </a>
        </div>
        <div class="langhindi" style="color: #000;display:none;"
             href="https://im4change.in/">
            <a class="more-link" href="https://im4change.in/">Home</a>
                        <a href="https://im4change.in/hindi/" class="langbutton ">हिन्दी</a>
                    </div>
        <nav class="fade-in animated2" id="main-nav">
            <div class="container">
                <div class="main-menu">
    <ul class="menu" id="menu-main">
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children"
            style="left: -40px;"><a
                 target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/">Home</a>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item mega-menu menu-item-type-taxonomy mega-menu menu-item-object-category mega-menu menu-item-has-children parent-list"
            style=" margin-left: -40px;"><a href="#">KNOWLEDGE GATEWAY <span class="sub-indicator"></span>
            </a>
            <div class="mega-menu-block background_menu" style="padding-top:25px;">
                <div class="container">
                    <div class="mega-menu-content">
                                                                   <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Farm Crisis</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/farmers039-suicides-14.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Farm Suicides                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/unemployment-30.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Unemployment                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/rural-distress-70.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Rural distress                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/migration-34.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Migration                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/key-facts-72.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Key Facts                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/debt-trap-15.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Debt Trap                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Empowerment</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/union-budget-73.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Union Budget And Other Economic Policies                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/forest-and-tribal-rights-61.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Forest and Tribal Rights                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-education-60.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Right to Education                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-food-59.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Right to Food                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/displacement-3279.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Displacement                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-work-mg-nrega-39.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Right to Work (MG-NREGA)                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/gender-3280.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">GENDER                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-information-58.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Right to Information                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/social-audit-48.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Social Audit                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Hunger / HDI</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/poverty-and-inequality-20499.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Poverty and inequality                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/malnutrition-41.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Malnutrition                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/public-health-51.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Public Health                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/education-50.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Education                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/hunger-overview-40.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Hunger Overview                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/hdi-overview-45.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">HDI Overview                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/pds-ration-food-security-42.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">PDS/ Ration/ Food Security                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/sdgs-113.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">SDGs                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/mid-day-meal-scheme-mdms-53.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Mid Day Meal Scheme (MDMS)                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Environment</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/time-bomb-ticking-52.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Time Bomb Ticking                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/water-and-sanitation-55.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Water and Sanitation                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/impact-on-agriculture-54.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Impact on Agriculture                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Law & Justice</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/social-justice-20500.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Social Justice                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/access-to-justice-47.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Access to Justice                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/human-rights-56.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Human Rights                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/corruption-35.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Corruption                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/general-insecurity-46.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">General Insecurity                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/disaster-relief-49.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Disaster &amp; Relief                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        
                    </div>
                </div>
            </div>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-post_type  menu-item-object-page "><a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/nceus_reports.php">NCEUS reports</a>
            
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children parent-list ">
            <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html">About Us <span
                    class="sub-indicator"></span></a>
            <ul class="sub-menu aboutmenu">
                <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-post_type  menu-item-object-page"><a
                        target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/objectives-8.html">Objectives</a>
                </li>
                <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-post_type  menu-item-object-page"><a
                         target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/contactus.php">Contact
                        Us</a></li>
                <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-post_type  menu-item-object-page"><a
                         target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html">About
                        Us</a></li>
            </ul>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children ">
            <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/fellowships.php" title="Fellowships">Fellowships</a>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children  "><a
                 target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/media-workshops.php">Workshops</a>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children  "><a
                 target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/research.php">Research</a></li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children   "><a
                 target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/links-64">Partners</a></li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children"
            id="menu-item-539"><a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hindi/"
                                  class="langbutton langlinkfont17">हिन्दी</a></li>
    </ul>
</div>            </div>


                        <!--  <div style="float: right;">
                            <script async src="https://cse.google.com/cse.js?cx=18b4f2e0f11bed3dd"></script>
                            <div class="gcse-search"></div>
                        </div> -->
                       
            <div class="search-block" style=" margin-left: 8px; margin-right: 7px;">
                <form method="get" id="searchform" name="searchform"
                      action="https://im4change.in/search"
                      onsubmit="return searchvalidate();">
                    <button class="search-button" type="submit" value="Search"></button>
                    <input type="text" id="s" name="qryStr" value=""
                           onfocus="if (this.value == 'Search...') {this.value = '';}"
                           onblur="if (this.value == '') {this.value = 'Search...';}">
                </form>
            </div>
        </nav>
    </header>
    <div class="container">
        <div id="main-content" class=" main1 container fade-in animated3 sidebar-narrow-left">
            <div class="content-wrap">
                <div class="content" style="width: 900px;min-height: 500px;">
                    <section class="cat-box recent-box innerCatRecent">
    <h1 class="cat-box-title">Fasting as democracy decays by Gautam Adhikari</h1>
    <a href="JavaScript:void(0);" onclick="return shareArticle(9623);">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/email.png?1582080630" border="0" width="24" align="right" alt="Share this article"/>    </a>

    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/fasting-as-democracy-decays-by-gautam-adhikari-9732/print"
       rel="nofollow">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/icon-print.png?1582080630" border="0" width="24" align="right" alt="Share this article"/>
    </a>
</section>
<section class="recent-box innerCatRecent">
    <small class="pb-1"><span class="dateIcn">
    	<img src="https://im4change.in/images/published.svg?1582080666" alt="published"/> 
		 Published on</span><span class="text-date"> Aug 25, 2011</span>
        &nbsp; <span
                class="dateIcn">
		 	<img src="https://im4change.in/images/modified.svg?1582080666" alt="modified"/>    	 Modified on </span><span class="text-date"> Aug 25, 2011</span>
    </small>
</section>
<div class="clear"></div>
<div style="padding-top: 10px;">
    <div class="innerLineHeight">
        <div class="middleContent innerInput latest-news-updates">
            <table>
                <tr>
                    <td>
                                                <div>
                            <br /><div align="justify">The movement around Anna Hazare's fast highlights a worrying trend. No, it's not corruption. That we know. The worry is: Is Indian democracy in a state of decay? <br /><br />Democracy in this largest of all democratic nations seems to be working fine at first glance. We vote regularly and throw out parties in power when a majority wants change. We have a free press. We have an independent judiciary. But there's a lot that happens in the way we conduct our political life in between elections that is deeply disturbing. Citizens of a truly liberal democracy - there's no other kind, don't let anyone fool you - must demonstrate their understanding, popular acceptance and daily practice of democratic behaviour in the interlude between elections. Do we? <br /><br />Anna Hazare's fast-unto-death is a clear instance of misunderstood democracy. He and his supporters believe it is quite democratic of him to either get his way or commit suicide. No, it's not. Suicide is against the law in this demo-cracy; so is any threat to commit violence, even to oneself, if you don't get your way. That's blackmail. Citing Gandhi in support of fasts is misconceived. The great man fasted against imperial rule in an undemocratic society. A democracy, on the other hand, offers several channels to express grievance legitimately. For Gandhi, fasting fitted well into his framework of civil disobedience. He worked against the law as it then prevailed. Today, fasting, often in 'relay' style, has become political farce in India. <br /><br />Hazare's supporters, however, have every right to march in their thousands, to raise people's consciousness about corruption, to carry candles or play guitars while singing protest songs mimicking a Bob Dylan or a Pete Seeger, and to rage against the government through the media. But are they right in demanding an acceptance of Hazare's call for a supremely autonomous ombudsman to fight corruption? No. <br /><br />Imagining an end to corruption by making a Lokpal sit in judgment over everyone, including Parliament and the judiciary, is not just undemocratic under India's Constitution, it is a silly idea. India is one of the most corrupt nations on earth not because it doesn't have enough regulatory bodies to catch a thief; it in fact has too many points of bureaucratic and political power that are lucrative checkpoints for the corrupt. Creating an unaccountable ombudsman will add another such check post unless you believe, like Hazare, that Gandhian purity can keep the Lokpal's office forever clean. Fighting corruption should mean fewer checkpoints, not more. <br /><br />To fight corruption, citizens have to target protests in order to force reform in specific areas instead of blasting broadsides against general corruption. We didn't wake up to find this cancer in our system because Dr Hazare suddenly said we were sick. We sat up when a huge telecom scandal was uncovered through investigation by regular arms of the democratic system, including Parliament and the press. That scandal underscores how urgently we need to reform our system of political funding, including campaign finance for electioneering, to stop politicians in power from doling out favours in return for cash they received from vested interests. <br /><br />Every arm of democracy must become stronger if India has to confront corruption. Mobilisation for change should, for instance, aim to force Parliament actually to sit in session, debate and pass legislation. We have a Parliament that barely functions. Like fasts, another effete tool of protest is used by whichever party is in opposition, and that's the infamous walkout. It has been so overplayed that it's lost all potency. Storming the well of the House to stop proceedings for days is similarly idiotic. Our politicians and MPs must relearn effective democratic practice in the modern era and discard the tools of opposition they inherited from a past generation of leaders. <br /><br />Another sign of democratic decay and a reason why corruption can spread so malignantly through our national system is a fast weakening accountability of public officials and politicians. That's happening largely because India's judiciary is so clogged up and grossly inefficient that citizens have little faith in its capacity to deliver justice to reinforce the foundations of public accountability. <br /><br />Accountability is one of the twin pillars, along with transparency, that uphold good governance. With a free press and a Right to Information Act available for use by the ordinary citizen, transparency is not all that bad in our system even as bureaucratic opacity continues to hinder openness. But accountability degenerates by the day. <br /><br />These are some areas that must get fierce attention from the expanding and increasingly assertive urban middle class if real reform is to happen. Instead, what we see is the sad spectacle of an aged Gandhian engaged in a futile fast against evil. His purpose is noble. His method and demand are not. There are other ways to fight. <br /><br /><em>The writer is a former executive editor of this newspaper. </em><br /></div>                                                           
                        </div>
                    </td>
                </tr>
            </table>
        </div>
    </div>
</div>
<div class="clear"></div>
    <br><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Fasting-as-democracy-decays/articleshow/9726205.cms" class="re" target="_blank">The Times of India, 25 August, 2011, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Fasting-as-democracy-decays/articleshow/9726205.cms</a><div class="clear"></div>
    <div style="padding-top: 18px;">
        <p class="post-tag">Tagged with:
                            <a class="tagcloud5"
                   href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=lokpal bill"
                   title="lokpal bill">
                    lokpal bill                </a>
                        </p>
    </div>
<div class="clear"></div>
    <br><br>
    <div class="widget-top">
        <h4>Related Articles</h4>
        <div class="stripe-line"></div>
    </div>
    <div class="widget-container">
        <ul id="recentcomments">
                            <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/supreme-court-reserves-judgment-on-pleas-seeking-appointment-of-lokpal-4681480.html"
                       title="Supreme Court reserves judgment on pleas seeking appointment of Lokpal">
                        Supreme Court reserves judgment on pleas seeking appointment of Lokpal                    </a>
                </li>
                                <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/betrayal-in-the-house-anjali-bhardwaj-amrita-johri-4679894.html"
                       title="Betrayal In The House -Anjali Bhardwaj &amp; Amrita Johri">
                        Betrayal In The House -Anjali Bhardwaj &amp; Amrita Johri                    </a>
                </li>
                                <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/12-important-bills-that-our-lawmakers-will-seek-to-pass-this-budget-session-4678660.html"
                       title="12 important Bills that our lawmakers will seek to pass this Budget Session">
                        12 important Bills that our lawmakers will seek to pass this Budget Session                    </a>
                </li>
                                <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/promise-on-transparency-not-kept-vidya-venkat-4676174.html"
                       title="Promise on transparency not kept -Vidya Venkat">
                        Promise on transparency not kept -Vidya Venkat                    </a>
                </li>
                                <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/crisis-of-credibility-hits-govt-lokpal-search-panel-24411.html"
                       title="Crisis of credibility hits govt Lokpal search panel">
                        Crisis of credibility hits govt Lokpal search panel                    </a>
                </li>
                
        </ul>
    </div>
    <div class="comment-respond" id="respond">
    <a name="commentbox">&nbsp;</a>
    <h3 class="comment-reply-title" id="reply-title">Write Comments</h3>
    <form method="post" accept-charset="utf-8" role="form" action="/latest-news-updates/fasting-as-democracy-decays-by-gautam-adhikari-9732.html"><div style="display:none;"><input type="hidden" name="_method" value="POST"/></div>    <form class="comment-form" id="commentform" method="post" action="#commentbox" onSubmit="return validate()"
          name="cmtform">
        <input type="hidden" name="cmttype" value="articlecmt"/>
        <input type="hidden" name="article_id" value="9623"/>
        <p class="comment-notes">Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked <span
                    class="required">*</span></p>
                <p class="comment-form-author">
            <label for="commenterName">Name</label>
            <span class="required">*</span>
            <input type="text" aria-required="true" size="30"
                   value=""
                   name="commenterName" id="commenterName" required="true">
        </p>
        <p class="comment-form-email">
            <label for="commenterEmail">Email</label> <span class="required">*</span>
            <input aria-required="true" size="30" name="commenterEmail" id="commenterEmail" type="email"
                   value=""
                   required="true">
        </p>
        <p class="comment-form-contact">
            <label for="commenterPh">Contact No.</label>
            <input type="text" size="30"
                   value=""
                   name="commenterPh" id="commenterPh">
        </p>
        <p class="comment-form-comment">
            <label for="comment">Comment</label>
            <textarea aria-required="true" required="true" rows="8" cols="45" name="comment"
                      id="comment"></textarea>
        </p>
        <p class="comment-form-comment">
            <label for="comment">Type the characters you see in the image below <span class="required">*</span><br><img
                        class="captchaImg"
                        src="https://im4change.in/securimage_show_art.php?tk=509497712" alt="captcha"/>
            </label>
        </p>
        <input type="text" name="vrcode" required="true"/>

        <p class="form-submit" style="width: 200px;">
            <input type="submit" value="Post Comment" id="submit" name="submit">
        </p></form>
</div>
<style>
    .ui-widget-content {
        height: auto !important;
    }
</style>
<div id="share-modal"></div>
<style>
    .middleContent a{
        background-color: rgba(108,172,228,.2);
    }
    .middleContent a:hover{
        background-color: #418fde;
        border-color: #418fde;
        color: #000;
        }
</style>
<script>
    function shareArticle(article_id) {
        var options = {
            modal: true,
            height: 'auto',
            width: 600 + 'px'
        };
        $('#share-modal').html("");
        $('#share-modal').load('https://im4change.in/share_article?article_id=' + article_id).dialog(options).dialog('open');
    }

    function postShare() {
        var param = 'article_id=' + $("#article_id").val();
        param = param + '&y_name=' + $("#y_name").val();
        param = param + '&y_email=' + $("#y_email").val();
        param = param + '&f_name=' + $("#f_name").val();
        param = param + '&f_email=' + $("#f_email").val();
        param = param + '&y_msg=' + $("#y_msg").val();

        $.ajax({
            type: "POST",
            url: 'https://im4change.in/post_share_article',
            data: param,
            success: function (response) {
                $('#share-modal').html("Thank You, Your message posted to ");
            }
        });
        return false;
    }
</script>                </div>
            </div>
            <!-- Right Side Section Start -->
<!-- MAP Section START -->
<aside class="sidebar indexMarg">
    <div class="ad-cell">
        <a href="https://im4change.in/statemap.php" title="">
            <img src="https://im4change.in/images/map_new_version.png?1582080666" alt="India State Map" class="indiamap" width="232" height="252"/>        </a>
        <div class="rightmapbox">
            <div id="sideOne" class="docltitle"><a href="https://im4change.in/state-report/india/36" target="_blank">DOCUMENTS/
                    REPORTS</a></div>
            <div id="sideTwo" class="statetitle"><a href="https://im4change.in/states.php"target="_blank">STATE DATA/
                    HDRs.</a></div>
        </div>
        <div class="widget widgePadTop"></div>
    </div>
</aside>
<!-- MAP Section END -->
<aside class="sidebar sidePadbottom">
    <div class="rightsmlbox1" >
        <a href="https://im4change.in/knowledge_gateway" target="_blank" style="color: #035588;
    font-size: 17px;">
            KNOWLEDGE GATEWAY
        </a>
    </div>
    <div class="rightsmlbox1">

        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
                <a href="https://im4change.in/newsletter" target="_blank">
                    NEWSLETTER
                </a>
            </p>
        </div>
    </div>
        <div class="rightsmlbox1" style="height: 325px;">
        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
                Interview with Prof. Ravi Srivastava
            </p>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/interview-with-prof-ravi-srivastava-on-current-economic-crisis">
                <img width="250" height="200" src="/images/interview_video_home.jpg" alt="Interview with Prof. Ravi Srivastava"/>
                </a>
                <!--
                <iframe width="250" height="200" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MmaTlntk-wc" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>-->
               
            </p>
            <a href="https://im4change.in/videogallery" class="more-link CatArchalAnch1" target="_blank">
                                More videos
                            </a>
        </div>
    </div>
    
        <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <div>
            <!--div id="sstory" class="rightboxicons"></div--->
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a href="https://im4change.in/list-success-stories"  target="_blank">Success Stories</a></p>
        </div>
    </div>
    <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a
                        href="https://im4change.in/interviews"  target="_blank">Interviews</a>
            </p>
        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a href="https://www.commoncause.in/page.php?id=10" >Donate</a></p>
        </div>
    </div>
    <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a
        href="https://im4change.in/marquee"
        class="isf_link more-link" title="India Focus?" style="border: 4px solid #fdd922;width: 90%;background-color: #fdd922;text-align: center;color: #000000;font-size:18px"  target="_blank">India Focus</a></p>        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="rightsmlbox1" style="height: 104px !important;">
        <a href="https://im4change.in/quarterly_reports.php" target="_blank">
            Quarterly Reports on Effect of Economic Slowdown on Employment in India (2008 - 2015)
        </a>
    </div>
    
<!--     <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.im4.im4change" target="_blank">
            
        </a></div> -->
    <!-- <section class="cat-box recent-box secMarg">
        <h2 class="cat-box-title">Most Visited</h2>
    </section> -->
    <!-- accordion Starts here -->
    <!-- <div id="accordion" class="accordMarg">
            </div> -->
    <!-- accordion ends here -->
    <!-- Widget Tag Cloud Starts here -->
    <div id="tag_cloud-2" class="widget widget_tag_cloud">
        <section class="cat-box recent-box secMarg">
                <h2 class="cat-box-title">MOST VISITED TAGS</h2>
            </section>
        <div class="widget-top wiPdTp">
           
            <div class="stripe-line"></div>
        </div>
        <div class="widget-container">
            <div class="tagcloud">
                                    <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Agriculture"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Agriculture</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Food Security"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Food Security</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Law and Justice"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Law and Justice</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Health"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Health</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Right to Food"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Right to Food</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Corruption"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Corruption</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=farming"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">farming</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Environment"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Environment</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Right to Information"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Right to Information</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=NREGS"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">NREGS</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Human Rights"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Human Rights</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Governance"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Governance</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PDS"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PDS</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=COVID-19"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">COVID-19</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Land Acquisition"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Land Acquisition</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=mgnrega"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">mgnrega</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Farmers"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Farmers</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=transparency"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">transparency</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Gender"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Gender</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Poverty"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Poverty</a>
                                    
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Farm Laws" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Farm Laws
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Citizenship Amendment Act" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Citizenship Amendment Act
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=CAA NPR NRIC" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">CAA NPR NRIC
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Job Losses" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Job Losses
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Migrant Workers" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Migrant Workers
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Unemployment" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Unemployment
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PMGKAY" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PMGKAY
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PM-KISAN" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PM-KISAN
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PM-CARES" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PM-CARES
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=LFPR" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">LFPR
                </a>
                
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
    <!-- Widget Tag Cloud Ends here -->
</aside>
<!-- Right Side Section End -->
        </div>
        <section class="cat-box cats-review-box footerSec">
    <h2 class="cat-box-title vSec CatArcha">Video
        Archives</h2>
    <h2 class="cat-box-title CatArchaTitle">Archives</h2>
    <div class="cat-box-content">
        <div class="reviews-cat">
            <div class="CatArchaDiv1">
                <div class="CatArchaDiv2">
                    <ul>
                                                    <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/moving-upstream-luni-fellowship.html"  target="_blank">
                                     Moving Upstream: Luni – Fellowship                                </a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/135-million-indians-exited-multidimensional-poverty-as-per-government-figures-is-that-the-same-as-poverty-reduction.html"  target="_blank">
                                     135 Million Indians Exited “Multidimensional" Poverty as per Government...                                </a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/explainer-why-are-tomato-prices-on-fire.html"  target="_blank">
                                     Explainer: Why are Tomato Prices on Fire?                                </a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/nsso-survey-only-39-1-of-all-households-have-drinking-water-within-dwelling-46-7-of-rural-households-use-firewood-for-cooking.html"  target="_blank">
                                     NSSO Survey: Only 39.1% of all Households have Drinking...                                </a>
                            </li>
                                                    <li class="CatArchalLi1">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57"
                               class="more-link CatArchalAnch1"  target="_blank">
                                More...
                            </a>
                        </li>
                    </ul>
                </div>
                                    <div class="CatArchaWidth">
                        <img class="CatArchaImg"
                             src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/I51LYnP8BOk/1.jpg"
                             alt=" Im4Change.org हिंदी वेबसाइट का परिचय. Short Video on im4change.org...">
                        <p class="CatArchaPPad">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Short-Video-on-im4change-Hindi-website-Inclusive-Media-for-Change"  target="_blank">
                                 Im4Change.org हिंदी वेबसाइट का परिचय. Short Video on im4change.org...                            </a>
                        </p>
                    </div>
                                        <div class="CatArchaWidth">
                        <img class="CatArchaImg"
                             src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/kNqha-SwfIY/1.jpg"
                             alt=" "Session 1: Scope of IDEA and AgriStack" in Exploring...">
                        <p class="CatArchaPPad">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-1- Scope-of-IDEA-and-AgriStack-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022"  target="_blank">
                                 "Session 1: Scope of IDEA and AgriStack" in Exploring...                            </a>
                        </p>
                    </div>
                                        <div class="CatArchaWidth">
                        <img class="CatArchaImg"
                             src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/6kIVjlgZItk/1.jpg"
                             alt=" "Session 2: Farmer Centric Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...">
                        <p class="CatArchaPPad">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-2-Farmer-Centric-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022"  target="_blank">
                                 "Session 2: Farmer Centric Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...                            </a>
                        </p>
                    </div>
                                        <div class="CatArchaWidth">
                        <img class="CatArchaImg"
                             src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/2BeHTu0y7xc/1.jpg"
                             alt=" "Session 3: Future of Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...">
                        <p class="CatArchaPPad">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-3-Future-of-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022"  target="_blank">
                                 "Session 3: Future of Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...                            </a>
                        </p>
                    </div>
                    


                <div class="divWidth">
                    <ul class="divWidthMarg">
                                                    <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Public-Spending-on-Agriculture-in-India-Source-Foundation-for-Agrarian-Studies"
                                   title="Public Spending on Agriculture in India (Source: Foundation for Agrarian Studies)"  target="_blank">
                                     Public Spending on Agriculture in India (Source: Foundation for...</a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Agrarian-Change-Seminar-Protests-against-the-New-Farm-Laws-in-India-by-Prof-Vikas-Rawal-JNU-Source-Journal-Of-Agrarian-Change"
                                   title="Agrarian Change Seminar: 'Protests against the New Farm Laws in India' by Prof. Vikas Rawal, JNU (Source: Journal Of Agrarian Change) "  target="_blank">
                                     Agrarian Change Seminar: 'Protests against the New Farm Laws...</a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Webinar-Ramrao-The-Story-of-India-Farm-Crisis-Source-Azim-Premji-University"
                                   title="Webinar: Ramrao - The Story of India's Farm Crisis (Source: Azim Premji University)"  target="_blank">
                                     Webinar: Ramrao - The Story of India's Farm Crisis...</a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/water-and-agricultural-transformation-in-India"
                                   title="Water and Agricultural Transformation in India: A Symbiotic Relationship (Source: IGIDR)"  target="_blank">
                                     Water and Agricultural Transformation in India: A Symbiotic Relationship...</a>
                            </li>
                                                    <li class="CatArchalLi1">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/videogallery"
                               class="more-link CatArchalAnch1"  target="_blank">
                                More...
                            </a>
                        </li>
                    </ul>
                </div>
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
</section>    </div>
    <div class="clear"></div>
    <!-- Footer option Starts here -->
    <div class="footer-bottom fade-in animated4">
        <div class="container">
            <div class="social-icons icon_flat">
                <p class="SocialMargTop"> Website Developed by <a target="_blank" title="Web Development"
                                                                  class="wot right"
                                                                  href="http://www.ravinderkhurana.com/" rel="nofollow">
                                                                  RAVINDErkHURANA.com</a></p>
            </div>
            <div class="alignleft">
                <a
     target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/objectives-8.html"
    class="link"
    title="Objectives">Objectives</a> | <a
     target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html"
    class="link" title="About Us">About Us</a> | <a
     target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/media-workshops.php"
    class="ucwords">Workshops</a> | <a
     target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/disclaimer/disclaimer-149.html"
    title="Disclaimer">Disclaimer</a>            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
    <!-- Footer option ends here -->
</div>
<div id="connect">
    <a target="_blank"
       href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/fasting-as-democracy-decays-by-gautam-adhikari-9732.html"
       title="Share on Facebook">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/Facebook.png?1582080640" alt="share on Facebook" class="ImgBorder"/>
    </a><br/>
    <a target="_blank"
       href="http://twitter.com/share?text=Im4change&amp;url=https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/fasting-as-democracy-decays-by-gautam-adhikari-9732.html"
       title="Share on Twitter">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/twitter.png?1582080632" alt="Twitter" class="ImgBorder"/>    </a>
    <br/>
    <a href="/feeds" title="RSS Feed" target="_blank">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/rss.png?1582080632" alt="RSS" class="ImgBorder"/>
    </a>
    <br/>
    <a class="feedback-link" id="feedbackFormLink" href="#">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/feedback.png?1582080630" alt="Feedback" class="ImgBorder"/>
    </a> <br/>
    <a href="javascript:function iprl5(){var d=document,z=d.createElement('scr'+'ipt'),b=d.body,l=d.location;try{if(!b)throw(0);d.title='(Saving...) '+d.title;z.setAttribute('src',l.protocol+'//www.instapaper.com/j/WKrH3R7ORD5p?u='+encodeURIComponent(l.href)+'&amp;t='+(new Date().getTime()));b.appendChild(z);}catch(e){alert('Please wait until the page has loaded.');}}iprl5();void(0)"
       class="bookmarklet" onclick="return explain_bookmarklet();">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/read-it-later.png?1582080632" alt="Read Later" class="ImgBorder"/>    </a>
</div>
<!-- Feedback form Starts here -->
<div id="feedbackForm" class="overlay_form" class="ImgBorder">
    <h2>Contact Form</h2>
    <div id="contactform1">
        <div id="formleft">
            <form id="submitform" action="/contactus.php" method="post">
                <input type="hidden" name="submitform" value="submitform"/>
                <input type="hidden" name="salt_key" value="a0e0f2c6a0644a70e57ad2c96829709a"/>
                <input type="hidden" name="ref" value="feedback"/>
                <fieldset>
                    <label>Name :</label>
                    <input type="text" name="name" class="tbox" required/>
                </fieldset>
                <fieldset>
                    <label>Email :</label>
                    <input type="text" name="email" class="tbox" required/>
                </fieldset>
                <fieldset>
                    <label>Message :</label>
                    <textarea rows="5" cols="20" name="message" required></textarea>
                </fieldset>
                <fieldset>
                    Please enter security code
                    <div class="clear"></div>
                    <input type="text" name="vrcode" class="tbox"/>
                </fieldset>
                <fieldset>
                    <input type="submit" class="button" value="Submit"/>
                    &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <a href="#" id="closefeedbakcformLink">Close</a>
                </fieldset>
            </form>
        </div>
        <div class="clearfix"></div>
    </div>
</div>
<div id="donate_popup" class="modal" style="max-width: 800px;">
    <table width="100%" border="1">
        <tr>
            <td colspan="2" align="center">
                <b>Support im4change</b>
            </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td width="25%" valign="middle">
                <img src="https://im4change.in/images/logo2.jpg?1582080632" alt="" width="100%"/>            </td>
            <td style="padding-left:10px;padding-top:10px;">
                <form action="https://im4change.in/donate" method="get">
                    <table width="100%" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
                        <tr>
                            <td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                10
                            </td>
                            <td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                100
                            </td>
                            <td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                1000
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td colspan="3">
                                &nbsp;
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td  style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                50
                            </td>
                            <td  style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                500
                            </td>
                            <td  style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                <input type="text" name="price" placeholder="?" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td colspan="3">
                                &nbsp;
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td colspan="3" align="right">
                                <input type="button" name="Pay" value="Pay"
                                       style="width: 200px;background-color: rgb(205, 35, 36);color: #ffffff;"/>
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                    </table>
                </form>
            </td>
        </tr>
    </table>
</div><script type='text/javascript'>

    /* <![CDATA[ */

    var tievar = {'go_to': 'Go to...'};

    /* ]]> */

</script>
<script src="/js/tie-scripts.js?1575549704"></script><script src="/js/bootstrap.js?1575549704"></script><script src="/js/jquery.modal.min.js?1578284310"></script><script>
    $(document).ready(function() {
        // tell the autocomplete function to get its data from our php script
        $('#s').autocomplete({
            source: "/autocomplete"
        });
    });
</script>
<script src="/vj-main-sw-register.js" async></script>

<script>function init(){var imgDefer=document.getElementsByTagName('img');for(var i=0;i<imgDefer.length;i++){if(imgDefer[i].getAttribute('data-src')){imgDefer[i].setAttribute('src',imgDefer[i].getAttribute('data-src'))}}}
window.onload=init;</script>
</body>
</html>'

}
$cookies = []
$values = [
	(int) 0 => 'text/html; charset=UTF-8'
]
$name = 'Content-Type'
$first = true
$value = 'text/html; charset=UTF-8'
header - [internal], line ??
Cake\Http\ResponseEmitter::emitHeaders() - CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181
Cake\Http\ResponseEmitter::emit() - CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 55
Cake\Http\Server::emit() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 141
[main] - ROOT/webroot/index.php, line 39

Home हिन्दी

Fasting as democracy decays by Gautam Adhikari

Published on Aug 25, 2011   Modified on Aug 25, 2011

The movement around Anna Hazare's fast highlights a worrying trend. No, it's not corruption. That we know. The worry is: Is Indian democracy in a state of decay? Democracy in this largest of all democratic nations seems to be working fine at first glance. We vote regularly and throw out parties in power when a majority wants change. We have a free press. We have an independent judiciary. But there's a lot that happens in the way we conduct our political life in between elections that is deeply disturbing. Citizens of a truly liberal democracy - there's no other kind, don't let anyone fool you - must demonstrate their understanding, popular acceptance and daily practice of democratic behaviour in the interlude between elections. Do we? Anna Hazare's fast-unto-death is a clear instance of misunderstood democracy. He and his supporters believe it is quite democratic of him to either get his way or commit suicide. No, it's not. Suicide is against the law in this demo-cracy; so is any threat to commit violence, even to oneself, if you don't get your way. That's blackmail. Citing Gandhi in support of fasts is misconceived. The great man fasted against imperial rule in an undemocratic society. A democracy, on the other hand, offers several channels to express grievance legitimately. For Gandhi, fasting fitted well into his framework of civil disobedience. He worked against the law as it then prevailed. Today, fasting, often in 'relay' style, has become political farce in India. Hazare's supporters, however, have every right to march in their thousands, to raise people's consciousness about corruption, to carry candles or play guitars while singing protest songs mimicking a Bob Dylan or a Pete Seeger, and to rage against the government through the media. But are they right in demanding an acceptance of Hazare's call for a supremely autonomous ombudsman to fight corruption? No. Imagining an end to corruption by making a Lokpal sit in judgment over everyone, including Parliament and the judiciary, is not just undemocratic under India's Constitution, it is a silly idea. India is one of the most corrupt nations on earth not because it doesn't have enough regulatory bodies to catch a thief; it in fact has too many points of bureaucratic and political power that are lucrative checkpoints for the corrupt. Creating an unaccountable ombudsman will add another such check post unless you believe, like Hazare, that Gandhian purity can keep the Lokpal's office forever clean. Fighting corruption should mean fewer checkpoints, not more. To fight corruption, citizens have to target protests in order to force reform in specific areas instead of blasting broadsides against general corruption. We didn't wake up to find this cancer in our system because Dr Hazare suddenly said we were sick. We sat up when a huge telecom scandal was uncovered through investigation by regular arms of the democratic system, including Parliament and the press. That scandal underscores how urgently we need to reform our system of political funding, including campaign finance for electioneering, to stop politicians in power from doling out favours in return for cash they received from vested interests. Every arm of democracy must become stronger if India has to confront corruption. Mobilisation for change should, for instance, aim to force Parliament actually to sit in session, debate and pass legislation. We have a Parliament that barely functions. Like fasts, another effete tool of protest is used by whichever party is in opposition, and that's the infamous walkout. It has been so overplayed that it's lost all potency. Storming the well of the House to stop proceedings for days is similarly idiotic. Our politicians and MPs must relearn effective democratic practice in the modern era and discard the tools of opposition they inherited from a past generation of leaders. Another sign of democratic decay and a reason why corruption can spread so malignantly through our national system is a fast weakening accountability of public officials and politicians. That's happening largely because India's judiciary is so clogged up and grossly inefficient that citizens have little faith in its capacity to deliver justice to reinforce the foundations of public accountability. Accountability is one of the twin pillars, along with transparency, that uphold good governance. With a free press and a Right to Information Act available for use by the ordinary citizen, transparency is not all that bad in our system even as bureaucratic opacity continues to hinder openness. But accountability degenerates by the day. These are some areas that must get fierce attention from the expanding and increasingly assertive urban middle class if real reform is to happen. Instead, what we see is the sad spectacle of an aged Gandhian engaged in a futile fast against evil. His purpose is noble. His method and demand are not. There are other ways to fight. The writer is a former executive editor of this newspaper.

The Times of India, 25 August, 2011, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Fasting-as-democracy-decays/articleshow/9726205.cms

Tagged with: lokpal bill

Related Articles

• Supreme Court reserves judgment on pleas seeking appointment of Lokpal
• Betrayal In The House -Anjali Bhardwaj & Amrita Johri
• 12 important Bills that our lawmakers will seek to pass this Budget Session
• Promise on transparency not kept -Vidya Venkat
• Crisis of credibility hits govt Lokpal search panel

 

Write Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Name *

Email *

Contact No.

Comment

Type the characters you see in the image below *

Video Archives

Archives

• Moving Upstream: Luni – Fellowship
• 135 Million Indians Exited “Multidimensional" Poverty as per Government...
• Explainer: Why are Tomato Prices on Fire?
• NSSO Survey: Only 39.1% of all Households have Drinking...
• More...

Im4Change.org हिंदी वेबसाइट का परिचय. Short Video on im4change.org...

"Session 1: Scope of IDEA and AgriStack" in Exploring...

"Session 2: Farmer Centric Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...

"Session 3: Future of Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...

• Public Spending on Agriculture in India (Source: Foundation for...
• Agrarian Change Seminar: 'Protests against the New Farm Laws...
• Webinar: Ramrao - The Story of India's Farm Crisis...
• Water and Agricultural Transformation in India: A Symbiotic Relationship...
• More...

Website Developed by RAVINDErkHURANA.com

Objectives | About Us | Workshops | Disclaimer

Support im4change
	10 100 1000   50 500