While political parties will release their manifestos promising a bunch of schemes and a host of freebies to citizens ahead of the Assembly elections which could be held in March or April, and comparison with the charter of demands by various citizens’ groups reveals that parties have fallen short of gauging citizens’ expectations, each time.
We in Belagavi dont have a huge civic groups which are active in such initiatives, but it is now the need of the hour that all the citizens, welfare associations, housing societies, NGO’s come together and create a comprehensive manifesto or charter of demands well before time so that once the elections are announced each one is prepared with the Citizens Manifesto.
“This manifesto offers a model of participatory, active citizenship, setting out the rights & responsibilities of a citizen in a way that seeks to empower the individual and reinvigorate the body politic. It presents a framework of citizenship that is engaged and egalitarian; where the people – not the state – determine their own futures and work together for the common good. This vision of what citizens can be – and can achieve – alerts us to the limited citizenship we currently experience and to the possibility of something better”.
Peter Tatchell
Elections in Belagavi have various angles which include language, religion among other common viewpoints. The parties try to divide the citizens and try to lure you with promises which have turned out to be false over the years and after the elections we just cry over.
Citizens manifesto could be broadly divided into –
Governance
Public Health
Accessibility
Mobility and Public Transport
Culture
Heritage
Natural Resource Management
Public Education
Social Justice
Welfare of Elders
Urban Poverty
Animal Welfare
Disaster management
The party manifestos are made for the state and hence may not include some valid points which need to be looked at the local level. The citizens forums can come together and make a wish list of the demands which can be put forth the candidates during the time of elections.
Of course divided rule policy they can follow but they should be ashamed of themselves to see the Belgaum roads as one leader of city elected by people better is not to waste time in giving your vote. Because they will not improve.
Great Idea! A common platform be created without the support of any political parties & politicians. How about creating a online platform ?
Recently about 5000 + telephone lines in Shahpur and surrounding areas have been disconnected due to Rly OB re construction. The phone dept didnt take ppl into confidence before doing such act. Will the dept not charge or even if, on pro rata basis for the period until which the services were rendered ?
We had some similar situation during the old PB road broadening when a few of the telephone lines were dead for 2-3 weeks and on their own BSNL had deducted that amount (without consumers even asking for it..atleast not that I know of) for the said period.
We should exercise our right of voting, any politician or political party will always make fake promises its a well known fact, but we citizens unitedly should come forward and demand our basic rights
Its high time Belgavi is known as summer capital but has it really grown to that extent??