I should be angry but I am not, though I'd like to ask why every AAP decision is so aggressively highlighted, with it often being turned into a "sin". Is this because AAP is an exotic commodity which attracts both friend and foes, or is it because there is a section within the establishment who wants AAP projected in a bad light to further its political interest ? Or is it because the interest of the media is so lopsided that it tends to forget that there is a world which exists outside Delhi too, where more than 100 men die from toxic alcohol and nobody seems to care very much?
So I fail to understand why the media and other political leaders in the wilderness find a great scoop in the new Publicity budget of the Delhi government. It is just because for once we have a budget earmarked in the most transparent manner with a commitment to account for every penny spent? What is so scandalous or sensational about it? There is no denying the fact that that budget has been increased many fold to 500 crores, but that is the outer limit which the government can spend; it doesn't mean the government will end up spending as much. Is it a crime for a legitimately- elected government to spend money to inform the millions who elected them on how promises made during the campaign are being delivered?
In a democratic set-up, it is incumbent on the government to inform people about the work done so that people can make informed choices as and when required. In a democracy, it is ultimately the people who are the final arbiter. It is in the fitness of democracy that the government maintain live communication with the people, and the sovereign will of the people must keep the government on edge. And this is only possible if the government of the day as a matter of routine keeps people aware of its workings and about the decisions taken on a daily basis. This will strengthen consultative democracy which AAP has promised from the day one. Yes, this will require money, but it's a small price to make governance transparent and accountable.
May I also ask how many in the media and the critics have appreciated the budget-making process of the AAP government? The Delhi government led by Arvind Kejriwal chose 12 assembly constituencies which acted as a laboratory for consultative democracy. In all these constituencies, the local MLA and government officials involved in budget-making had gone to the people and asked their opinion on what should be done in the budget. People participated with great enthusiasm. The result has been excellent and by next year, the idea will be to take this great experiment to every constituency. More exhaustive consultation with the people will be initiated for making the budget. In the truest sense, this will be a budget by the people for the people, not a budget by experts for experts. This does not mean that expert opinion will be ignored. Certainly not, but the input of the people will help shape a more lively and organic budget which in the final analysis will strengthen democracy.
This is exactly what AAP had done during the campaign through its most innovative concept, Delhi Dialogues- townhalls in every neighbourhood. AAP made a paradigm shift. Manifesto-making was not restricted to a few individuals sitting in AC rooms who would produce a thick document which would then be released at a press conference before being thrown into a dust bin. AAP spent three months, went to every possible stake-holder of Democracy and consulted them about what should be included in the manifesto. This was democracy at its best.
I don't know how many of you have noticed that AAP government in its maiden budget has increased the education budget by 106 per cent, which no other government has done till now. In the same budget, allocation for Health also been improved by 45 per cent, another record. Conventional politics and parties had not attempted this. These are transformative steps because AAP believes that as a country, we are focusing too much on physical infrastructure and ignoring human capital. AAP is of the firm belief that unless we create human infrastructure, physical infrastructure will not yield the desired result and the whole reform exercise will lack essential equilibrium. India cannot be a great country and a super power unless as a nation we create a balance between quality human capital and physical infrastructure.
The publicity budget is also a vital component of the same philosophy; if looked at in isolation, it may cause a little unease, but if seen from a different perspective, one will find logic behind it. There is a strong thread running from the pre-elections days to now, and the purpose is to make democracy more transparent and accountable and make people constantly informed so that they can judge the functioning of the government; then, if required, they can make an intervention for the betterment of the society. And if this makes our democracy and governance more robust, then this is a small price and we all should not mind paying it.
(Ashutosh joined the Aam Aadmi Party in January 2014.)Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.