New Delhi: The 2014 electoral verdict has not only surprised Muslims, but also the BJP given the number of seats the saffron outfit secured. The credit for the ‘landslide’ victory, however, does not go to ‘Modi wave’, but to the first-past- the- post electoral system.Infact this election has proved that India has become the biggest mockery of democracy.
In a write-up on the election results, Dr Zafarul Islam Khan, president of All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, has dissected the causes of lopsided results. He said while the Congress with 19.3 per cent votes got only 44 seats, the BJP managed to get 282 seats by getting only 31 per cent votes. Had there been proportional representation system, the BJP would have got 167 and the Congress 105 seats. Similarly, the BSP would have got 22; the Samajwadi Party 20 and CPM 17. Therefore, the upholders of democratic institutions should replace the existing electoral system with the judicious proportional representation system.
Secondly, one cannot rule out tampering with the electronic voting machines (EVM). In Assam, case of tampering with EVM came to fore, but the issue was put under carpet. Several politicians now have raised the issue.
Thirdly, some corporate houses opened their treasury for the BJP paving way for flow of money to place dummy candidates and to buy votes.
Fourth, hate speeches by BJP leaders with symbolic Hindutva faces in the fray polarized voters. The election commission took action, but the damage had already been done. Above all, the onus of Hindutva’s victory does not lie only on the Muslim community, but the half-hearted approach adopted by secularists from other communities is equally responsible for this. It is wrong to blame Muslims for all wrongs. Urdu newspapers are not fair when they blame the community leaders and organizations for lack of political wisdom. With their limited resources and reach, they have tried their level best to stop the rise of Hindutva.
For a true and healthy democracy proportional representation and two party system is a must.Further there should be 100% votings by all eligible voters.Without participation of all stakeholders, represtations of all section of society is not possible.Let the political intellectusls think about this and take concrete positive actions.