Would Crowd-sourcing Charges against Ruling Combine help principle Opposition party & India

By : Amit Bhushan Date:21Aug,2013

Indias ruling dispensation besotted with unprecedented scandals like Telecom, Defence, Games, Coal & Mining, Real Estate/Land etc. and is under pressure from its own bureaucrats, constitutional authorities, courts, investigators and media is increasingly loosing friends amongst political support groups and businesses. The principal political opposition is trying to align such disenchanted groups through social media engagement such as Crowd Sourcing a Charge Sheet. While this may be novel experiment with new media, it depicts lack of understanding of the new media and its possible application in political battles. The principle opposition party should note that it is not only battling the ruling dispensation but also other political rivals as well as noise in the voters environment. It is in this context that it has to drive home its message viz. If I come to power, the following 1, 2, 3 will be delivered via mechanism 1, 2, 3 . The ordinary voter does not vote against someone (or the people who want to vote against some generally do not go to vote), but it is a positive inclination towards someone or some issue, that forces a voter to come out and take the pain of queuing to cast a vote. It is for this goal, the party has earlier highlighted Chaal, Chehra and Charitra and slogans like Bijli, Pani and Sadak. Its rhetorical supporters had created a bit more fanatical aura of making India a VishwaGuru. While the environment is of economic despondency, however politics of the opposition seem to have been totally consumed by it risking the chance that it will be able to group a substantial number of people who may come out and vote for it. It should grasp that there is no Right to Reject in India for voters yet, who only has a Right to Select or not to select. In such a scenario, it is pertinent that the principle party in Opposition channelizes it energies in more efficient manner. A talk about specifics is more engaging as well as more productive. Nevertheless, it is much more difficult to practice as well as to communicate and therefore politicians of all hues engage in Rhetoric, a charge that the party leadership is not alien to. In such a scenario, it has the opportunity to channelize its energies towards a more positive engagement via Crowd Sourcing technique rather the way it is deploying it presently. For Example: it can use the technology to promote positive goals for the country and identifying issues as well as positive ideas through the technology. It can make a goal that it will identify 100 big and moderate impact policy/project ideas using technology on which it will nurture further for implementation during the first 1-2 years of its rule. This principle can yield issues which are more specific as well as ideas which people would like to see in action some of which may pass through the bureaucratic sieve and can be implemented while some could be refined further for implementation. It would also give munitions to the political leaders to build real pressure of the government in run up to elections since people like to side with those leaders who are seen delivering or who seem to be sincerely performing rather than who are plain rhetorical. Such constructive engagement will also allow the party to engage with colleges and other youth in larger

numbers as well as have a health engagement with businesses & donors since it is about specific changes rather than a platform to voice pains and anathema. This can be done by identifying positive achievable goals for India which have a reasonable basis for success. Forming teams of a couple of Parliamentarians as well as a couple of ticket hopefuls along with some technology professionals and 3-5 SME business entrepreneurs (who can give guidance regarding feasibility/implement-ability of the idea as well as factual correctness) on each of the goal for which crowd sourcing of issues/ideas on each such goals. The engagement of public can be ensured through existing PR/Ad agencies along with supportive workers that can also have ground level promotions in colleges, market-areas, internet cafes etc. This would also give rise to issues which can reverberate and have large takers in specific constituencies while a lot others may provoke thoughtfulness within and outside the party including in the governing quarters, a positive impact of the part on the political practice in the country. The issues that can trigger India to think and react could be like Making India a Global Services Hub or Developing Agro-Processing or Manufacturing India, for whic h suggestions regarding impediments as well as generating ideas for creation of a favourable Taxonomy & business environment can be sought from public through crowd sourcing. The party may choose to say the selected ideas may be incorporated as an addendum to its manifesto and incorporated in its delivery promises. This would also help it differentiate from other rivals as people like to be seen and heard by those who have better reach and chances to govern and allow it to needle the ruling party on specific failures. The ruling regime anyways is busy firefighting and managing friends and foes having given up on governance responsibility already that it will find very few takers now. It would also help build public image of secondthird line of workers who can find mention in web for managing specific initiatives and the SME businesses will also gain some credibility. Several sub-programs can be initiated under Making India a Global Services Hub. India with its young population has been able to attract global lime light for IT services basis its capability to produce technically capable resources for code writing and IT tech design. It has also been trying to make in roads for Services with limited success. This can be built upon further. 1. Making India a Telecom, satellite and Data Services Hub: With availability of value for money labour which is technically competent the initiative can identify impediments in Taxonomy and high impact infrastructure projects that have potential to attract investors & generate jobs. 2. Making India a Financial Services & their Back office Hub: With availability of value for money competent manpower the initiative can identify impediments in Taxonomy, Regulatory environment, Audit rules, coordination with foreign regulators and high impact policies & projects that has potential to attract investors & generate jobs. 3. Making India a Health Care Services Hub: As a nation which speaks English and proven potential to lower medical services costs, it can identify issues faced by the industry towards achievement of goal. 4. Making India a Logistics, Wholesale Trade and Industrial sourcing Services Hub: With vast Coastline, Aero infrastructure and competent manpower including huge internal consumption India can achieve this goal of being a Hub to provide such services globally basis a supportive Taxonomy. Small countries like Cyprus & Singapore have held their sway on shipping and Air logistics. The party can try to identify

policy impediments, lack of supportive laws, procedural bottlenecks as well as opportunity to develop infrastructure to achieve this goal. 5. Entertainment, Information content development Hub: Indias vast manpower can be suitably deployed to meet global needs in this area and opportunities can be identified to train our resources to meet such demand. 6. Global EPC and Product Design Hub: Our vast technical pool suitably places us to meet the demand for most engineering, procurement and construction related requirements as well as R&D including designing for new products. Suitable support measures for attracting investments in this regard can be identified. Various other measures can be for developing India as Global Higher education Hub, development of Domestic and Inbound Tourism, Sports etc. Basic idea is that instead of creating a commercial infrastructure first (like SEZs, Costly roads, metros & swanky power plants) and then try to attract risk capital the way the present government tried and failed, the party should try to collect a pool of ideas and invest where impact seems significant instead of madly following even bigger dreams like DMIC whose failure can bankrupt the nation. The regime is currently busy devaluing Rupee in order to sell the infra support to businesses without causing rupee loss for those supporters with whom they coyed up for the development. This also ensures continued support for further infra development and support for Real Estate owners and businesses. A look to revise archaic laws as well as reforming the judicial system can also be undertaken so that we have enforceable contracts and timely remedies. Several sub-programs can be initiated under Developing Agro -Processing or Manufacturing India. Indias vast young population provides a big market for domestic consumption as well as ability to produce goods for exports. This can be built upon further. 1. Making India an Agri-processing Hub: With vast domestic production and consumption, it should have been natural for India to be one of the leaders in this sector. Instead we are a lame duck in the sector which globally is a large employer and value creator. Is it because of our culture for Fram Fresh or is it because of our Taxonomy which levies taxes such as production & sales tax/VAT on processed food while leaving Farm Fresh untaxed with the result that Indians buy Farm Fresh to be processed in kitchens. How to alter Taxation and regulations for jobs without compromising on government revenues? Other supportive measures. 2. Making India a Light engineering, Electrical & electronics Hub: Various ideas can be identified for discussions and engagement with public. 3. Making India a Light Arms and Ammunitions/Explosive Hub: We have the Requisite Engineering skills, Chemical processing skills, High level domestic consumption via our external and internal security forces. What we need is management skills for security and commercial transactional aspects management which need to be internalized by our people and authorities (old as well as some new ones). Various ideas can be identified for discussions and engagement with public. 4. Making India a Plastics products/Stainless/Steel Products Hub: Various ideas can be identified for discussions and engagement with public. Various specific topics to engage with Public can be identified for policy measure identification and debate. Though even Heavy engineering/shipping/Railways/Aircraft/Construction Equipment industry etc. can be taken up but care

can be taken to have ideas where general public can contribute. This shall allow a larger number of leaders and workers engage with interested public regarding specific measures which they would like to see in action rather and therefore will have a commitment to vote for rather than just a vent for their frustration for which one may not be committed about.